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[ { "context": "The Ayodhya dispute, which stretches back more than a century, is one of India's thorniest court cases and goes to the heart of its identity politics. Hindus believe that Ayodhya, a city in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, is the birthplace of one of their most revered deities, Lord Ram. Muslims say they have worshipped there for generations. The Supreme Court has now ruled that the site should be given to Hindus to build a temple there. Hinduism is India's majority religion and is thought to be more than 4,000 years old. India's first Islamic dynasty was established in the early 13th Century. At the centre of the row is a 16th-Century mosque that was demolished by Hindu mobs in 1992, sparking riots that killed nearly 2,000 people. Many Hindus believe that the Babri Masjid was actually constructed on the ruins of a Hindu temple that was demolished by Muslim invaders. Muslims say they offered prayers at the mosque until December 1949 when some Hindus placed an idol of Ram in the mosque and began to worship the idols. Over the decades since, the two religious groups went to court many times over who should control the site. This particular case had three main contending parties - two Hindu groups and the Muslim Waqf Board, which is responsible for the maintenance of Islamic properties in India. The Hindu litigants are the Hindu Mahasabha, a right-wing political party, and the Nirmohi Akhara, which is a sect of Hindu monks. They filed a title dispute in the Allahabad High Court in 2002, a decade after the mosque was demolished. A verdict in that case in September 2010 determined that the 2.77 acres of the disputed land would be divided equally into three parts. The court ruled that the site should be split, with the Muslim community getting control of a third, Hindus another third and the Nirmohi Akhara sect the remainder. Control of the main disputed section, where the mosque once stood, was given to Hindus. The judgement also made three key observations. It affirmed the disputed spot was the birthplace of Lord Ram, that the Babri Masjid was built after the demolition of a Hindu temple and that it was not built in accordance with the tenets of Islam. The Supreme Court suspended this ruling in 2011 after both Hindu and Muslim groups appealed against it. The 9 November 20919 verdict cited a report by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) as evidence that the remains of a building \"that was not Islamic\" were beneath the structure of the demolished Babri mosque. The unanimous verdict said the disputed land should be given to Hindus for a temple to Lord Ram, while Muslims would be given land elsewhere to construct a mosque. It then directed the federal government to set up a trust to manage and oversee the construction of the temple. However, the court added that the demolition of the Babri mosque was against the rule of law. The main group of Muslim litigants has said that it will not appeal against the verdict. In 1994 the Supreme Court, which was ruling on a related case, remarked that the concept of a mosque was \"not integral to Islam\". This may have bolstered the case made by Hindus to secure control of the entire site. In April 2018, senior lawyer Rajeev Dhavan filed a plea before the top court, asking judges to reconsider this observation. But a few months later the Supreme Court declined to do so. Ever since the Narendra Modi-led Hindu nationalist BJP first came to power in 2014, India has seen deepening social and religious divisions. The call for the construction of a Hindu temple in Ayodhya has grown particularly loud, and has mostly come from MPs, ministers and leaders from the BJP since it took office. Restrictions on the sale and slaughter of cows - considered a holy animal by the majority Hindus - have led to vigilante killings of a number of people, most of them Muslims who were transporting cattle. An uninhibited display of muscular Hindu nationalism in other areas has also contributed to religious tension. Most recently, the country's home minister Amit Shah said he would remove \"illegal migrants\" - understood to be Muslim - from the country through a government scheme that was used recently in the north-eastern state of Assam.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1143, "answer_start": 605, "text": "At the centre of the row is a 16th-Century mosque that was demolished by Hindu mobs in 1992, sparking riots that killed nearly 2,000 people. Many Hindus believe that the Babri Masjid was actually constructed on the ruins of a Hindu temple that was demolished by Muslim invaders. Muslims say they offered prayers at the mosque until December 1949 when some Hindus placed an idol of Ram in the mosque and began to worship the idols. Over the decades since, the two religious groups went to court many times over who should control the site." } ], "id": "9800_0", "question": "What is the row actually about?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2966, "answer_start": 1144, "text": "This particular case had three main contending parties - two Hindu groups and the Muslim Waqf Board, which is responsible for the maintenance of Islamic properties in India. The Hindu litigants are the Hindu Mahasabha, a right-wing political party, and the Nirmohi Akhara, which is a sect of Hindu monks. They filed a title dispute in the Allahabad High Court in 2002, a decade after the mosque was demolished. A verdict in that case in September 2010 determined that the 2.77 acres of the disputed land would be divided equally into three parts. The court ruled that the site should be split, with the Muslim community getting control of a third, Hindus another third and the Nirmohi Akhara sect the remainder. Control of the main disputed section, where the mosque once stood, was given to Hindus. The judgement also made three key observations. It affirmed the disputed spot was the birthplace of Lord Ram, that the Babri Masjid was built after the demolition of a Hindu temple and that it was not built in accordance with the tenets of Islam. The Supreme Court suspended this ruling in 2011 after both Hindu and Muslim groups appealed against it. The 9 November 20919 verdict cited a report by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) as evidence that the remains of a building \"that was not Islamic\" were beneath the structure of the demolished Babri mosque. The unanimous verdict said the disputed land should be given to Hindus for a temple to Lord Ram, while Muslims would be given land elsewhere to construct a mosque. It then directed the federal government to set up a trust to manage and oversee the construction of the temple. However, the court added that the demolition of the Babri mosque was against the rule of law. The main group of Muslim litigants has said that it will not appeal against the verdict." } ], "id": "9800_1", "question": "Is the case now over?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4223, "answer_start": 3367, "text": "Ever since the Narendra Modi-led Hindu nationalist BJP first came to power in 2014, India has seen deepening social and religious divisions. The call for the construction of a Hindu temple in Ayodhya has grown particularly loud, and has mostly come from MPs, ministers and leaders from the BJP since it took office. Restrictions on the sale and slaughter of cows - considered a holy animal by the majority Hindus - have led to vigilante killings of a number of people, most of them Muslims who were transporting cattle. An uninhibited display of muscular Hindu nationalism in other areas has also contributed to religious tension. Most recently, the country's home minister Amit Shah said he would remove \"illegal migrants\" - understood to be Muslim - from the country through a government scheme that was used recently in the north-eastern state of Assam." } ], "id": "9800_2", "question": "Have religious tensions eased in India in recent years?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Australia has experienced its hottest summer on record, according to the nation's Bureau of Meteorology. Hundreds of individual heat records were shattered across the country over the past three months. The warm weather, 2.14C above the long-term average, caused bushfires, blackouts and a rise in hospital admissions. Wildlife also suffered, with reports of mass deaths of wild horses, native bats and fish. \"The real standout was just how widespread and prolonged each heatwave was - almost everywhere was affected,\" climatologist Blair Trewin told the BBC. Temperatures had exceeded the previous hottest summer in 2012-13 by nearly 1C, he added - \"a very large margin for a national record\". The long-term average summer temperature in Australia is considered to be 27.5C, the bureau said in a statement on Friday. Australia experienced at least five of its warmest days on record in January - the nation's hottest month ever. Every state and territory was affected, but South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales bore the brunt of the extreme temperatures. Among other impacts: - In Tasmania, fire crews battled dozens of bushfires in World Heritage-listed forests - Soaring air conditioner use prompted widespread power outages across Melbourne - More than 90 wild horses were found dead or dying in a dried-up waterhole in the Northern Territory. \"This was definitely outside what is normal conditions for this decade - it was a very unusual summer,\" said Mr Trewin. A pattern of warmer seasons is \"consistent with observed climate change\", said the bureau. Officials have confirmed that 2018 and 2017 were Australia's third and fourth-hottest years on record respectively. The bureau's State of the Climate 2018 report said climate change had led to an increase in extreme heat events and increased the severity of other natural disasters, such as drought. Parts of eastern Australia continue to suffer through their worst drought in recent history. Even if global temperatures are contained to the Paris accord limit of a 2C rise above pre-industrial levels, scientists believe the country is facing a dangerous new normal.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1475, "answer_start": 818, "text": "Australia experienced at least five of its warmest days on record in January - the nation's hottest month ever. Every state and territory was affected, but South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales bore the brunt of the extreme temperatures. Among other impacts: - In Tasmania, fire crews battled dozens of bushfires in World Heritage-listed forests - Soaring air conditioner use prompted widespread power outages across Melbourne - More than 90 wild horses were found dead or dying in a dried-up waterhole in the Northern Territory. \"This was definitely outside what is normal conditions for this decade - it was a very unusual summer,\" said Mr Trewin." } ], "id": "9801_0", "question": "How severe was it?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2134, "answer_start": 1476, "text": "A pattern of warmer seasons is \"consistent with observed climate change\", said the bureau. Officials have confirmed that 2018 and 2017 were Australia's third and fourth-hottest years on record respectively. The bureau's State of the Climate 2018 report said climate change had led to an increase in extreme heat events and increased the severity of other natural disasters, such as drought. Parts of eastern Australia continue to suffer through their worst drought in recent history. Even if global temperatures are contained to the Paris accord limit of a 2C rise above pre-industrial levels, scientists believe the country is facing a dangerous new normal." } ], "id": "9801_1", "question": "How is climate change affecting Australia?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "A US appeals court has posed tough questions at those challenging and defending President Donald Trump's controversial travel ban. The order banned entry for all refugees and visitors from seven mainly Muslim nations, until it was halted last week. The three-judge panel raised questions over the limits on the president's power and Mr Trump's evidence to link the seven countries to terrorism. But it also asked whether the measure could be considered anti-Muslim. A decision from the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals, in San Francisco, is expected later this week. Whatever it decides, the case will probably end up in the Supreme Court. There was an hour of oral arguments from both sides on Tuesday. The Justice Department was first to make its case, urging the appeal judges to reinstate the banning order. Lawyer August Flentje said Congress had authorised the president to control who can enter the country. When asked to point to evidence that the seven countries affected - Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen - were linked to terrorism, he said a number of Somalis in the US had been connected to the al-Shabab group. But at one point Mr Flentje said: \"I'm not sure I'm convincing the court.\" Then a lawyer representing Washington state told the court that halting the executive order had not harmed the US government. Solicitor General Noah Purcell said the ban had affected thousands of residents of the state, with students delayed as they tried to come to Washington and others prevented from visiting family abroad. He also urged the court to serve \"as a check on executive abuses.\" The final minutes of the hearing were spent on whether the travel ban amounted to a shut-out for Muslims, which would be unconstitutional. Judge Richard Clifton asked both sides on the issue, pointing out it affected only 15% of the world's Muslims. \"I have trouble understanding why we're supposed to infer religious animus when in fact the vast majority of Muslims would not be affected,\" he said. He also added that the \"concern for terrorism from those connected to radical Islamic sects is hard to deny.\" A 15-page brief issued by the Justice Department on Monday night argued the executive order was \"neutral with respect to religion\". But in court on Tuesday, Mr Purcell cited Mr Trump's campaign statements about a Muslim ban. He also pointed to statements made by one of the president's advisers, Rudy Giuliani, who said he was asked to come up with a way of making a Muslim ban work legally. Mr Clifton also said the seven countries included in the ban were identified by the Obama administration and Congress as deserving of visa restrictions, based on a terror threat. He asked: \"Do you assert that that decision by the previous administration and Congress as religiously motivated?\" No, Mr Purcell answered, but President Trump had called for a complete ban and although this was not a complete ban, it was discriminatory. Its main components were: - nationals from Iraq, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen - even those with visas - banned from entering the US; - a temporary ban on all refugee admissions; - the reprioritisation of minority religion (interpreted to mean Christian) refugee claims; - a ban on all Syrian refugees; - a cap on total annual refugee admissions to the US of 50,000. It came into force on 27 January and caused some confusion at US and foreign airports because people were stopped from boarding planes or prevented from entering the US, and sent home. There was strong condemnation and it was halted last Friday by a federal judge in Washington state. As a result, people from the seven countries with valid visas were able to travel to the US again. Washington state, Minnesota and other states want the appeals court in San Francisco to permit the temporary restraining order to stand as their lawsuit works its way through the courts. Polls suggest that US public opinion is sharply divided on the issue.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1612, "answer_start": 639, "text": "There was an hour of oral arguments from both sides on Tuesday. The Justice Department was first to make its case, urging the appeal judges to reinstate the banning order. Lawyer August Flentje said Congress had authorised the president to control who can enter the country. When asked to point to evidence that the seven countries affected - Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen - were linked to terrorism, he said a number of Somalis in the US had been connected to the al-Shabab group. But at one point Mr Flentje said: \"I'm not sure I'm convincing the court.\" Then a lawyer representing Washington state told the court that halting the executive order had not harmed the US government. Solicitor General Noah Purcell said the ban had affected thousands of residents of the state, with students delayed as they tried to come to Washington and others prevented from visiting family abroad. He also urged the court to serve \"as a check on executive abuses.\"" } ], "id": "9802_0", "question": "What did the two sides argue at the appeals court?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2948, "answer_start": 1613, "text": "The final minutes of the hearing were spent on whether the travel ban amounted to a shut-out for Muslims, which would be unconstitutional. Judge Richard Clifton asked both sides on the issue, pointing out it affected only 15% of the world's Muslims. \"I have trouble understanding why we're supposed to infer religious animus when in fact the vast majority of Muslims would not be affected,\" he said. He also added that the \"concern for terrorism from those connected to radical Islamic sects is hard to deny.\" A 15-page brief issued by the Justice Department on Monday night argued the executive order was \"neutral with respect to religion\". But in court on Tuesday, Mr Purcell cited Mr Trump's campaign statements about a Muslim ban. He also pointed to statements made by one of the president's advisers, Rudy Giuliani, who said he was asked to come up with a way of making a Muslim ban work legally. Mr Clifton also said the seven countries included in the ban were identified by the Obama administration and Congress as deserving of visa restrictions, based on a terror threat. He asked: \"Do you assert that that decision by the previous administration and Congress as religiously motivated?\" No, Mr Purcell answered, but President Trump had called for a complete ban and although this was not a complete ban, it was discriminatory." } ], "id": "9802_1", "question": "A Muslim ban or not?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3971, "answer_start": 2949, "text": "Its main components were: - nationals from Iraq, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen - even those with visas - banned from entering the US; - a temporary ban on all refugee admissions; - the reprioritisation of minority religion (interpreted to mean Christian) refugee claims; - a ban on all Syrian refugees; - a cap on total annual refugee admissions to the US of 50,000. It came into force on 27 January and caused some confusion at US and foreign airports because people were stopped from boarding planes or prevented from entering the US, and sent home. There was strong condemnation and it was halted last Friday by a federal judge in Washington state. As a result, people from the seven countries with valid visas were able to travel to the US again. Washington state, Minnesota and other states want the appeals court in San Francisco to permit the temporary restraining order to stand as their lawsuit works its way through the courts. Polls suggest that US public opinion is sharply divided on the issue." } ], "id": "9802_2", "question": "What did the executive order do?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine are reflected in their media, with claims that both sides are trying to take advantage of alleged Ukrainian armed incursions in Crimea. Although Russian state TV channels are most interested in the Olympics, their Crimea coverage largely follows President Vladimir Putin's call for the West to put \"appropriate pressure\" on Ukraine. Channel One TV says \"Ukraine's Western allies should realise what such subversive activities might lead to\". Some Russian papers have questioned the official line, even suggesting the events were staged deliberately. There is \"a microscopic chance\" that the allegations by Russian security bodies are true but \"rational behaviour compels one to presume that these accusations are made up,\" writes journalist Andrei Babitsky in influential business daily Vedomosti. Yulia Latynina, a prominent commentator with liberal Novaya Gazeta, suggests that Russian security forces might have got Ukrainians involved in the act of \"provocation\" but it was \"so poorly organised that it ended up with two corpses and nearly flopped altogether\". Other commentators blame Ukraine. Political analyst Alexei Chesnakov says in Vedomosti that the stepping-up of security was provoked by \"Kiev's willingness to aggravate the situation\". \"Poroshenko wants to face the 25th anniversary of independence against the backdrop of a patriotic upsurge,\" he declares. Mikhail Rostovsky in popular daily Moskovsky Komsomolets agrees. \"The Kiev authorities are desperate and feel their political helplessness. They have failed to recapture Crimea. They have failed to recapture Donbass. They have failed to bring Russia down on its knees.\" In Ukraine, Crimea is the main story on TV news and in the newspapers, with a particularly gloomy tone struck by the press. \"Crimean knot: cut or untie\" reads a front-page headline on pro-opposition daily Vesti, which warns against expecting help from Ukraine's Western partners. \"The best they can do is express 'deep concern'\". \"Third front?\" asks the Ukrainian edition of Russian tabloid Komsomolskaya Pravda. \"There's a feeling of anxiety in the air: has it already become war or is it still a bad peace?\" Popular Ukrainian daily Segodnya warns that \"the Kremlin will at the very least try to use 'Ukrainian terrorism' as an argument on the international scene\". It adds: \"At the most, Russia is preparing the ground to justify planned aggression.\" Ihor Yakovenko in Ukrainian daily Den notes that since there is only one month to go before Russia's State Duma elections, the Kremlin is keen to whip up an escalation beforehand. \"Where can one find an enemy to escalate media hysteria to the degree that maddens Russians enough to re-elect the same group of evil maniacs and cynical bandits?\" BBC Monitoring reports and analyses news from TV, radio, web and print media around the world. You can follow BBC Monitoring on Twitter and Facebook.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1688, "answer_start": 489, "text": "Some Russian papers have questioned the official line, even suggesting the events were staged deliberately. There is \"a microscopic chance\" that the allegations by Russian security bodies are true but \"rational behaviour compels one to presume that these accusations are made up,\" writes journalist Andrei Babitsky in influential business daily Vedomosti. Yulia Latynina, a prominent commentator with liberal Novaya Gazeta, suggests that Russian security forces might have got Ukrainians involved in the act of \"provocation\" but it was \"so poorly organised that it ended up with two corpses and nearly flopped altogether\". Other commentators blame Ukraine. Political analyst Alexei Chesnakov says in Vedomosti that the stepping-up of security was provoked by \"Kiev's willingness to aggravate the situation\". \"Poroshenko wants to face the 25th anniversary of independence against the backdrop of a patriotic upsurge,\" he declares. Mikhail Rostovsky in popular daily Moskovsky Komsomolets agrees. \"The Kiev authorities are desperate and feel their political helplessness. They have failed to recapture Crimea. They have failed to recapture Donbass. They have failed to bring Russia down on its knees.\"" } ], "id": "9803_0", "question": "Made-up accusations?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Senior White House officials tried to \"lock down\" all details of a phone call between Donald Trump and the Ukrainian president, according to a whistleblower complaint against the US president. In the call, Mr Trump pushed Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate his leading domestic political rival, Joe Biden. The newly released complaint says the call transcript was not stored in the usual computer system. Instead it was stored in a separate system used for classified information. Nancy Pelosi, the most senior Democrat, announced on Tuesday that the party was pushing ahead with a formal impeachment inquiry against the Republican president. She accused Mr Trump of seeking foreign help in the hope of smearing Mr Biden - who is seeking the Democratic nomination for the 2020 presidential election - and of using military aid to Ukraine as a bargaining tool. Mr Trump acknowledged that he personally blocked nearly $400m in military aid to Ukraine days before he spoke to Mr Zelensky, but denied that it was to pressure the Ukrainian leader into investigating Mr Biden. The release of the whistleblower complaint came as US lawmakers on the House of Representatives intelligence committee began to question President Trump's top intelligence official on the issue. Acting National Intelligence Director Joseph Maguire had initially refused to share the complaint with Congress. But under questioning by the House committee on Thursday, Mr Maguire said he believed the whistleblower had acted in \"good faith\" and \"did the right thing\". President Trump has dismissed the impeachment proceedings as a \"hoax\" and \"another witch-hunt\". Speaking to reporters at the White House on Thursday after the release of the whistleblower's report and the congressional hearing, he said the impeachment process \"shouldn't be allowed\". \"What... Democrats are doing to this country is a disgrace and it shouldn't be allowed,\" he said. \"There should be a way of stopping it, maybe legally through the courts.\" Recordings of Mr Trump's comments to staff at the US mission in New York on Wednesday have emerged in which Mr Trump says that whoever gave the whistleblower information is \"almost a spy\". In an apparent reference to the execution of spies by the US in the past, he adds: \"You know what we used to do in the old days when we were smart? Right? The spies and treason, we used to handle it a little differently than we do now...\" The whistleblower's complaint accuses Mr Trump of \"using the power of his office to solicit interference from a foreign country in the US 2020 election\". The now unclassified document characterises the president's conduct as a \"serious or flagrant problem, abuse, or violation of law\". The alleged violation concerns President Trump asking his Ukrainian counterpart on 25 July to investigate unfounded allegations against Mr Biden. The whistleblower says in the complaint that they had learned from several sources that senior White House officials had intervened to \"lock down\" all records of the call, particularly an official word-for-word transcript. \"This set of actions underscored to me that White House officials understood the gravity of what had transpired in the call,\" the whistleblower wrote in the complaint. The whistleblower says details of the call were stored in a \"stand-alone computer system reserved for codeword-level intelligence information, such as covert action\". The whistleblower adds that officials said it was \"'not the first time' under this administration that a presidential transcript was placed into this codeword-level system solely for the purpose of protecting politically sensitive - rather than national security sensitive - information\". The complaint makes clear that the whistleblower was \"not a direct witness\" to most of the events described, but found their colleagues' accounts to be credible \"because, in almost all cases, multiple officials recounted fact patterns that were consistent with one another\". The House intelligence committee chairman Adam Schiff, a Democrat, opened the hearing by accusing President Trump of a \"classic organised crime shakedown\". But the leading Republican on the committee, Devin Nunes, a Trump supporter, said: \"I want to congratulate the Democrats on their latest informational warfare operation against the president and their extraordinary ability to once again enlist the mainstream media in their campaign.\" Mr Schiff asked Mr Maguire why he had sought advice from the White House before deciding to release the whistleblower's report. \"It just seemed prudent to check,\" Mr Maguire responded, saying he had sought the advice of White House counsel to determine if the report included information protected by presidential executive privilege. He added: \"I believe everything in this matter is totally unprecedented.\" During further questioning by Mr Schiff, Mr Maguire said he believed the whistleblower had acted in \"good faith\". He continued: \"I think the whistleblower did the right thing. I think he followed the law every step of the way.\" Donald Trump's presidency has been punctuated by high-profile congressional hearings - Joseph Maguire's is just the latest. As is tradition, both sides tried to draw the witness into giving them ammunition in the ongoing political battles. Democrats wanted him to vouch for the whistleblower's credibility, to detail what they see as a White House cover-up and condemn an administration's Ukraine policy being largely run by a private citizen - Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani. Republicans' ongoing goal was to paint the whole thing as the latest example of \"presidential harassment\". The politicians wanted conclusions, but Maguire mostly spoke of process. \"I have to work with the situation as it is,\" he said at one point. And it's one heck of a situation he's stepped into. During the call, Mr Trump discussed with newly elected Mr Zelensky the 2016 removal of a Ukrainian prosecutor, Viktor Shokin. He then went on to discuss Mr Biden's son, Hunter Biden, and the unsubstantiated allegation that Mr Biden - then the US vice-president - stopped the prosecution of his son by lobbying Ukraine to fire Mr Shokin. Mr Shokin's office had opened an investigation into Burisma, a natural gas company on which Hunter Biden was a board member. During the call, Mr Trump also asked Mr Zelensky to work with US Attorney General William Barr and Mr Trump's personal lawyer, Rudolph Giuliani, to look into the matter. There is no evidence of any wrongdoing by the Bidens. Mr Biden, along with other Western officials, had called for Mr Shokin to be fired because of the perception that he was soft on corruption. When Mr Shokin was replaced, his successor continued to investigate Burisma for 10 months before the inquiry ended. The Department of Justice said on Wednesday that Mr Trump had not spoken to the attorney general about having Ukraine investigate Mr Biden, and Mr Barr had not communicated with Ukraine. - On or before 18 July - President Trump orders White House aide to hold back almost $400m in military aid to Ukraine, report US media - 25 July - President Trump speaks to Ukraine's leader in a 30-minute phone call - 9 September - Congress learns of a whistleblower's complaint about the call, but is blocked by the Trump administration from viewing it - 11 September - Military aid for Ukraine is cleared for release by the Pentagon and Department of State - 23 September - Mr Trump confirms he withheld Ukrainian aid, saying it was due to concerns about \"corruption\" - 24 September - Mr Trump says the aid was withheld so that other countries would pay more.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3972, "answer_start": 2419, "text": "The whistleblower's complaint accuses Mr Trump of \"using the power of his office to solicit interference from a foreign country in the US 2020 election\". The now unclassified document characterises the president's conduct as a \"serious or flagrant problem, abuse, or violation of law\". The alleged violation concerns President Trump asking his Ukrainian counterpart on 25 July to investigate unfounded allegations against Mr Biden. The whistleblower says in the complaint that they had learned from several sources that senior White House officials had intervened to \"lock down\" all records of the call, particularly an official word-for-word transcript. \"This set of actions underscored to me that White House officials understood the gravity of what had transpired in the call,\" the whistleblower wrote in the complaint. The whistleblower says details of the call were stored in a \"stand-alone computer system reserved for codeword-level intelligence information, such as covert action\". The whistleblower adds that officials said it was \"'not the first time' under this administration that a presidential transcript was placed into this codeword-level system solely for the purpose of protecting politically sensitive - rather than national security sensitive - information\". The complaint makes clear that the whistleblower was \"not a direct witness\" to most of the events described, but found their colleagues' accounts to be credible \"because, in almost all cases, multiple officials recounted fact patterns that were consistent with one another\"." } ], "id": "9804_0", "question": "What does the complaint say?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5051, "answer_start": 3973, "text": "The House intelligence committee chairman Adam Schiff, a Democrat, opened the hearing by accusing President Trump of a \"classic organised crime shakedown\". But the leading Republican on the committee, Devin Nunes, a Trump supporter, said: \"I want to congratulate the Democrats on their latest informational warfare operation against the president and their extraordinary ability to once again enlist the mainstream media in their campaign.\" Mr Schiff asked Mr Maguire why he had sought advice from the White House before deciding to release the whistleblower's report. \"It just seemed prudent to check,\" Mr Maguire responded, saying he had sought the advice of White House counsel to determine if the report included information protected by presidential executive privilege. He added: \"I believe everything in this matter is totally unprecedented.\" During further questioning by Mr Schiff, Mr Maguire said he believed the whistleblower had acted in \"good faith\". He continued: \"I think the whistleblower did the right thing. I think he followed the law every step of the way.\"" } ], "id": "9804_1", "question": "What's happened in Congress?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 6954, "answer_start": 5825, "text": "During the call, Mr Trump discussed with newly elected Mr Zelensky the 2016 removal of a Ukrainian prosecutor, Viktor Shokin. He then went on to discuss Mr Biden's son, Hunter Biden, and the unsubstantiated allegation that Mr Biden - then the US vice-president - stopped the prosecution of his son by lobbying Ukraine to fire Mr Shokin. Mr Shokin's office had opened an investigation into Burisma, a natural gas company on which Hunter Biden was a board member. During the call, Mr Trump also asked Mr Zelensky to work with US Attorney General William Barr and Mr Trump's personal lawyer, Rudolph Giuliani, to look into the matter. There is no evidence of any wrongdoing by the Bidens. Mr Biden, along with other Western officials, had called for Mr Shokin to be fired because of the perception that he was soft on corruption. When Mr Shokin was replaced, his successor continued to investigate Burisma for 10 months before the inquiry ended. The Department of Justice said on Wednesday that Mr Trump had not spoken to the attorney general about having Ukraine investigate Mr Biden, and Mr Barr had not communicated with Ukraine." } ], "id": "9804_2", "question": "What is the claim about Joe Biden?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "A UK military relief flight is being sent to the Caribbean after the British Virgin Islands declared a state of emergency following Hurricane Irma. The islands' governor has asked the UK for help, amid reports of widespread devastation, with fatalities reported. One resident said the hurricane, which hit on Wednesday, was \"terrifying\" and had left \"total devastation\". The UK has almost tripled the relief fund for British overseas territories to PS32m amid criticism of its response. Irma passed over the British overseas territories of Anguilla, Montserrat and the British Virgin Islands (BVI) on Wednesday night - and went on to batter the UK islands of Turks and Caicos further north on Thursday evening. The BVI is a collection of 40 islands and islets with a population of more than 30,000 - Tortola is one of the largest, home to more than three quarters of the population. Briton Emily Killhoury lives on Tortola with her husband Michael and their two children, aged nine and 10. She told the BBC her family bunkered down in a closet when the storm hit. \"Our downstairs doors suddenly blew out, which was terrifying. We just stayed hiding,\" she said. \"We eventually emerged at about 7pm to see total devastation. Everybody is shocked, but trying to be practical.\" Sir Richard Branson, who refused to leave his private retreat of Necker Island in the British Virgin Islands (BVI), said his island and the whole area has been \"completely and utterly devastated\". In a blog, Sir Richard said his team were safe and well after taking shelter in his concrete wine cellar, but he added: \"I've never seen anything like this hurricane\". \"We are still assessing the damage, but whole houses and trees have disappeared. \"Outside of the bunker, bathroom and bedroom doors and windows have flown 40 feet away. \"I'm speaking these words from a satellite phone that is just about working, but all other communications are down.\" British overseas territories are self-governing but rely on the UK for protection from natural disasters. Former UN head of humanitarian relief Baroness Amos said on Thursday that it was felt the UK \"did not respond\" quickly enough to the disaster. But Prime Minister Theresa May insisted that the government had responded \"swiftly\". - Anguilla British Overseas Territory hit by the full blast of the hurricane on Wednesday. At least one death reported. - British Virgin Islands Reports of casualties and fatalities and extensive damage. Expected to require extensive humanitarian assistance. In a message the people of the BVI, governor Gus Jaspert said: \"I come to you with a heavy heart after experiencing and observing the extent of devastation caused by Hurricane Irma.\" Communications are difficult. - Montserrat British overseas territory \"swiped\" by Irma but suffered less serious damage. - Turks and Caicos Low-lying British Overseas Territory battered by the hurricane on Thursday night, with roofs ripped off, streets flooded, utility poles snapped and a widespread black-out on the main island of Grand Turk. Humanitarian workers with 200 shelter kits and the Royal Navy ship, RFA Mounts Bay, were sent to the area before the hurricane struck. The military vessel arrived in Anguilla on Thursday, with personnel there clearing roads and helping to restore power. HMS Ocean is also being sent from the Mediterranean but is not expected to arrive for another two weeks. The first British military flight to join the relief effort will leave RAF Brize Norton later, carrying around 200 troops - including engineers, marines and medics, as well as rations and water. Other transport aircraft are expected to follow with helicopters on board. By BBC South of England correspondent Duncan Kennedy, RAF Brize Norton Loading aid is a complicated operation and the first of the RAF flights to leave Brize Norton will take off this lunchtime. It will have around 200 Royal Marines onboard, together with water supplies and shelter equipment. The RAF base commander here has denied the British have been slow to get going. He says it would be foolish to rush into the region before knowing exactly what is needed. There will be more flights from Brize later, with a total of around 300 military personnel heading to the Caribbean. Holiday firms are monitoring the situation and some have cancelled flights or offered to amend bookings for those due to travel to affected areas in the coming days. The cruise company Carnival has cancelled four cruises bound for the Caribbean that were due to depart over the next few days - and warned that others may be cut short. The Foreign Office urges people planning to go to the areas to follow the advice from the local authorities, including any evacuation orders, and check its official travel guidance before travelling. It has set up a hotline for people affected by the disaster and for people whose loved ones may be affected on 020 7008 0000.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3674, "answer_start": 3046, "text": "Humanitarian workers with 200 shelter kits and the Royal Navy ship, RFA Mounts Bay, were sent to the area before the hurricane struck. The military vessel arrived in Anguilla on Thursday, with personnel there clearing roads and helping to restore power. HMS Ocean is also being sent from the Mediterranean but is not expected to arrive for another two weeks. The first British military flight to join the relief effort will leave RAF Brize Norton later, carrying around 200 troops - including engineers, marines and medics, as well as rations and water. Other transport aircraft are expected to follow with helicopters on board." } ], "id": "9805_0", "question": "What is the UK doing?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4917, "answer_start": 4257, "text": "Holiday firms are monitoring the situation and some have cancelled flights or offered to amend bookings for those due to travel to affected areas in the coming days. The cruise company Carnival has cancelled four cruises bound for the Caribbean that were due to depart over the next few days - and warned that others may be cut short. The Foreign Office urges people planning to go to the areas to follow the advice from the local authorities, including any evacuation orders, and check its official travel guidance before travelling. It has set up a hotline for people affected by the disaster and for people whose loved ones may be affected on 020 7008 0000." } ], "id": "9805_1", "question": "What is the advice for travellers?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "An inquiry into racial harassment at UK universities is being launched. The Equality and Human Rights Commission says there's a \"growing body of evidence\" that racism is affecting students and staff at universities. It pointed to racism as a possible link between the lower qualifications achieved by ethnic minority students, despite more entering higher education. Students and staff have until 15 February 2019 to submit evidence. The EHRC is a public body in England and Wales which promotes and enforces equality and non-discrimination laws in the UK. It hopes the inquiry will show how widespread racism on university campuses is and what can be done to tackle it. There have been several racism-related incidents at universities in 2018 which have made national news headlines. In May, a WhatsApp group at Exeter University was uncovered which, alongside jokes about rape, included racial slurs about other students. \"Ignorant jokes are one thing, and genuinely appearing to have some form of prejudice towards people of colour is a total other thing,\" student Arsalan Motavali told Radio 1 Newsbeat at the time. Later that month a student was banned from the University of Warwick for life after racist and misogynist messages from a Facebook group were made public. Another two were banned for 10 years and other members from a group of 11 were suspended for their involvement with the group. Also this year a 19-year-old student from Nottingham Trent University was fined PS200 and ordered to pay PS500 compensation after admitting to chanting \"we hate the blacks\", saying the phrase was just banter between friends. \"Racial harassment of any kind is abhorrent, divisive and entirely unacceptable,\" says David Isaac, the chair of the commission. \"There's no place for it in society and the level that we have seen occurring within universities is particularly concerning.\" Publicly-funded universities will be required to provide details about how they respond to individual instances of racial harassment. The investigation launches on 4 December 2018 and runs until 15 February 2019. The EHRC will be looking for students and staff to share their experiences of racism to help compile their report. Newsbeat wants to hear your stories of racism at university. If you've been discriminated against because of your race, get in touch by emailing your story to [email protected]. Follow Newsbeat on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 every weekday on BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra - if you miss us you can listen back here.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1626, "answer_start": 671, "text": "There have been several racism-related incidents at universities in 2018 which have made national news headlines. In May, a WhatsApp group at Exeter University was uncovered which, alongside jokes about rape, included racial slurs about other students. \"Ignorant jokes are one thing, and genuinely appearing to have some form of prejudice towards people of colour is a total other thing,\" student Arsalan Motavali told Radio 1 Newsbeat at the time. Later that month a student was banned from the University of Warwick for life after racist and misogynist messages from a Facebook group were made public. Another two were banned for 10 years and other members from a group of 11 were suspended for their involvement with the group. Also this year a 19-year-old student from Nottingham Trent University was fined PS200 and ordered to pay PS500 compensation after admitting to chanting \"we hate the blacks\", saying the phrase was just banter between friends." } ], "id": "9806_0", "question": "What has happened this year?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Italy has attacked Malta for refusing to take in a ship of migrants. Transport Minister Danilo Toninelli shared a photo of an email by the Maltese Armed Forces saying the vessel \"has not manifested any distress\". Mr Toninelli called the decision (in Italian) \"inhumane\" and \"absurd\". The Lifeline, carrying 226 migrants rescued from the sea near the Libyan coast, is one of two ships operated by German NGO Mission Lifeline that the Italians have vowed to impound. They are accused of \"illegally\" flying the Dutch flag. Italy's new right-wing government has taken a harder stance on rescue ships bringing large numbers of migrants to Italy, which is often the nearest port for those rescued off coast of Libya. Mr Toninelli said earlier the ship had broken the law by taking the migrants, even though the Libyan coastguard had already intervened to rescue them. He said Italy would seize both the Lifeline and the Seefuchs to determine their legal status, and added that Italy would \"once again save the migrants\". Italy's new far-right Interior Minister Matteo Salvini initially said in a post on Facebook that the two NGO ships should \"go to Holland\", as it was said to be flying under a Dutch flag, and should not dock in Italy. Whether or not the ship is Dutch is the subject of some debate. The Dutch delegation to the EU said in a tweet that the ships were not registered in the Netherlands, and not flying under its flag. Mission Lifeline, however, later posted an image on Twitter of a registration document it says proves the ships sail under the Dutch flag. The group also tweeted that it had carried out another rescue overnight, though it is not clear how many additional migrants, if any, boarded their ship. The NGO's co-founder, Axel Steier, denied breaking any laws and defended his organisation's actions. \"In this situation you can't wait,\" he said. \"If you have a rescue you prevent people from dying, from drowning and then you have to make the decisions. You can't wait until someone has a port for you - you have to act immediately.\" The planned seizure of the Lifeline and Seefuchs comes amid a deepening row over migrant rescues after Italy's new populist government refused earlier this month to take in a stranded rescue ship carrying 630 migrants. The Aquarius eventually sailed to Spain after it was also turned away by Malta. It has now resumed its operations at sea. French President Emmanuel Macron has accused the Italian government of \"cynicism and irresponsibility\" for refusing to let the Aquarius dock. Then on Thursday, without referring directly to Italy, Mr Macron attacked the \"leprosy\" of anti-EU feeling among \"friends and neighbours\". Mr Salvini hit back at the French president. \"We may be leper populists, but I take the lessons from those who open their own ports. Welcome thousands of migrants and then we can talk,\" the interior minister said. Leaders from 10 EU member states will meet in Brussels on Sunday to discuss how best to stem the flow of migrants to the bloc. The Italian government has said it will not sign up to any EU plan unless it makes helping Italy a priority, while Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary - known as the Visegrad Group - say they will boycott the talks. Italy's government wants to deport half a million undocumented migrants, many of whom are housed in squalid reception centres. More than 600,000 have reached Italy from Libya in the past four years.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2057, "answer_start": 522, "text": "Italy's new right-wing government has taken a harder stance on rescue ships bringing large numbers of migrants to Italy, which is often the nearest port for those rescued off coast of Libya. Mr Toninelli said earlier the ship had broken the law by taking the migrants, even though the Libyan coastguard had already intervened to rescue them. He said Italy would seize both the Lifeline and the Seefuchs to determine their legal status, and added that Italy would \"once again save the migrants\". Italy's new far-right Interior Minister Matteo Salvini initially said in a post on Facebook that the two NGO ships should \"go to Holland\", as it was said to be flying under a Dutch flag, and should not dock in Italy. Whether or not the ship is Dutch is the subject of some debate. The Dutch delegation to the EU said in a tweet that the ships were not registered in the Netherlands, and not flying under its flag. Mission Lifeline, however, later posted an image on Twitter of a registration document it says proves the ships sail under the Dutch flag. The group also tweeted that it had carried out another rescue overnight, though it is not clear how many additional migrants, if any, boarded their ship. The NGO's co-founder, Axel Steier, denied breaking any laws and defended his organisation's actions. \"In this situation you can't wait,\" he said. \"If you have a rescue you prevent people from dying, from drowning and then you have to make the decisions. You can't wait until someone has a port for you - you have to act immediately.\"" } ], "id": "9807_0", "question": "Why does Italy want to seize the ships?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Green Party co-leader Jonathan Bartley said the UK has to \"get off our addiction\" to fossil fuels. He told a BBC Ask The Leaders special that \"every single Green vote\" would \"send a message\" that \"we urgently need to change course\". Policies he set out on climate action included a frequent flyers levy and a phasing out of petrol and diesel cars. He also defended his party's pledge to spend PS1tn tackling the \"climate emergency\" over 10 years. On leaving the EU, the leader said he believed a \"people's vote\" was the \"best shot\" of solving the Brexit deadlock. The special BBC One programme - part of a series with party leaders ahead of the general election - will air at 22:45 GMT. The Green Party of England and Wales want carbon emissions to be eliminated by 2030. The party has pledged to spend PS1tn over 10 years to tackle the \"climate emergency\" if they get in to power, most of which will be borrowed. \"Every single Green vote at this election will send a message to Westminster that we urgently and desperately need to change course,\" Mr Bartley said, who shares leadership of the party with Sian Berry. \"The impact of the climate emergency if we don't address it now does not bear thinking about. \"We have a once in a lifetime opportunity to change direction.\" He said politicians on all sides had been \"falling over themselves\" to \"green up\" their policies - and he claimed a vote for the Green Party has \"huge influence\" over other parties. Defending his party's spending pledge, he said: \"Business as usual is not an option. We have to make this level of investment.\" He said it \"makes sense to spread out borrowing,\" which would add up to PS91.2bn a year under the Green plans, and the country had been \"let down by a decade of austerity\". The Green Party also wants to introduce a carbon tax that will apply to all oil and gas extraction and to the use of petrol, diesel and aviation fuels. Frequent flyers will also face a levy, the party has said. Petrol and diesel cars will be phased out by 2030. When challenged on how this proposal will impact jobs in car factories, he said: \"If you've got a car factory and you're producing petrol or diesel cars, at some point we have to change to electric so of course those jobs are going to change.\" He added: \"On electric cars I don't think it's simply a matter of trading in cars and replacing them with electric.\" He said it would be \"inefficient\" to produce new electric cars to replace petrol and diesel cars. He praised car sharing businesses like Zip Car and said the government should be looking at \"new ways on how we organise the transport across the country\". The party also wants to introduce a frequent flyer levy to dissuade people from flying. \"We have to get off our addiction as a society on fossil fuels,\" he said. He said Brexit was the \"second biggest issue for me\". \"Right now people in my family voted to Leave it's ripped apart my family and friends, the last three years have been hell,\" he says. \"It has been toxic.\" When challenged by an audience member on the party's support for another public vote on Brexit, Mr Bartley said he believes the public was \"lied to and deceived on both sides\" and there were \"scare tactics\" on both sides during the referendum campaign in 2016. So he believed a \"people's vote\" was the \"best shot\" at moving forward to \"get out of this mess\", he said. \"It's not a question of having referendum after referendum, it's a question of having a meaningful process,\" he said. On Friday at 19:00, Boris Johnson, Jeremy Corbyn, Nicola Sturgeon and Jo Swinson will all take part in a live Question Time Leaders Special from Sheffield on BBC One.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3659, "answer_start": 3493, "text": "On Friday at 19:00, Boris Johnson, Jeremy Corbyn, Nicola Sturgeon and Jo Swinson will all take part in a live Question Time Leaders Special from Sheffield on BBC One." } ], "id": "9808_0", "question": "When will we hear from the other leaders?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Police in Tunisia are reported to have fired tear gas to disperse a crowd of youths protesting against new austerity measures. A Reuters witness said young people aged around 20 were throwing stones at police vehicles and setting fire to tyres. The clash happened in Ettadamen, a poor district of the capital, Tunis. President Beji Caid Essebsi had given a speech there earlier on Sunday promising to increase youth employment. Joblessness among the young is considered a key indicator of a country's economic prospects, and Tunisia's stands at around 35%. The president's comments came as Tunisians marked the seventh anniversary of the country's revolution. The 2011 uprising that launched the Arab Spring led to the toppling of President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali after 23 years. Ben Ali, now in exile in Saudi Arabia, was convicted in absentia of embezzlement and misuse of public funds, and sentenced to 35 years' imprisonment. Several hundred people joined rallies in Tunis on Sunday at the urging of political parties and the UGTT, a prominent trade union. Protests are a common feature each January in Tunisia, as people commemorate the 2011 rallies. A increase in value-added tax and social security contributions brought in at the start of January has led to heightened emotions this year. Protesters are calling for a review of the 2018 budget, and a push to combat corruption. Tunisia is the only country to dislodge its long-standing leader in the Arab Spring without descending into serious violence. But nine successive governments have failed to revive its flagging economy. Both peaceful protests and nocturnal unrest have been seen across the country over the past week. More than 800 people have been arrested, according to the interior ministry, which accuses them of theft, vandalism and violence. In 2011 the slogan \"Work, Freedom, Dignity\" rang out in the streets, and protesters have revived it in recent days. On Sunday, many gathered on Habib Bourguiba Avenue, a major site in the 2011 demonstrations. Hundreds of riot police were deployed there. An interior ministry spokesman said on Saturday that around 97 members of the security forces and civil protection units had been injured during the protests. The number of protesters injured was not given. The government has tried to quell protests by unveiling a welfare package that includes better healthcare and an increase in aid for the needy. Officials say the 70m dinar ($28.5m) plan will help more than 120,000 Tunisians. But it's unclear how it will be funded. The government's tax and price increases were imposed as it seeks to placate international donors by reducing its budget deficit. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) gave Tunisia a $2.9bn (PS2.2bn) loan on the promise it would enact financial reforms. The tourism sector, once a vital source of revenue, was damaged in 2015 by a wave of jihadist attacks and is yet to bounce back. As 2018 begins, inflation is at a three-and-a-half-year high and food prices are rising by 10% annually. Taxes on items like mobile phones, cars and the internet have also increased. Ordinary people are suffering financially. The BBC's Mark Lowen, in Tunis, says the president's visit to the flashpoint district of Ettadamen was a bid to quell further unrest. He says the protesters are not only frustrated about the immediate tax increases, but more deeply by a loss of hope.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1816, "answer_start": 1062, "text": "Protests are a common feature each January in Tunisia, as people commemorate the 2011 rallies. A increase in value-added tax and social security contributions brought in at the start of January has led to heightened emotions this year. Protesters are calling for a review of the 2018 budget, and a push to combat corruption. Tunisia is the only country to dislodge its long-standing leader in the Arab Spring without descending into serious violence. But nine successive governments have failed to revive its flagging economy. Both peaceful protests and nocturnal unrest have been seen across the country over the past week. More than 800 people have been arrested, according to the interior ministry, which accuses them of theft, vandalism and violence." } ], "id": "9809_0", "question": "Why are there protests now?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2277, "answer_start": 1817, "text": "In 2011 the slogan \"Work, Freedom, Dignity\" rang out in the streets, and protesters have revived it in recent days. On Sunday, many gathered on Habib Bourguiba Avenue, a major site in the 2011 demonstrations. Hundreds of riot police were deployed there. An interior ministry spokesman said on Saturday that around 97 members of the security forces and civil protection units had been injured during the protests. The number of protesters injured was not given." } ], "id": "9809_1", "question": "What is happening on the streets?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3402, "answer_start": 2278, "text": "The government has tried to quell protests by unveiling a welfare package that includes better healthcare and an increase in aid for the needy. Officials say the 70m dinar ($28.5m) plan will help more than 120,000 Tunisians. But it's unclear how it will be funded. The government's tax and price increases were imposed as it seeks to placate international donors by reducing its budget deficit. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) gave Tunisia a $2.9bn (PS2.2bn) loan on the promise it would enact financial reforms. The tourism sector, once a vital source of revenue, was damaged in 2015 by a wave of jihadist attacks and is yet to bounce back. As 2018 begins, inflation is at a three-and-a-half-year high and food prices are rising by 10% annually. Taxes on items like mobile phones, cars and the internet have also increased. Ordinary people are suffering financially. The BBC's Mark Lowen, in Tunis, says the president's visit to the flashpoint district of Ettadamen was a bid to quell further unrest. He says the protesters are not only frustrated about the immediate tax increases, but more deeply by a loss of hope." } ], "id": "9809_2", "question": "How has the government responded?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Theresa May's Brexit backstop plan risks a \"stalemate\" and \"protracted rounds of negotiations\" with the EU, the full legal advice on her deal says. Newly published documents show the PM was told an arrangement designed to prevent a hard Irish border could last \"indefinitely\" and the UK could not \"lawfully exit\" without EU agreement. The Democratic Unionists said this would be \"devastating\" for the UK. But Mrs May rejected SNP claims she has misled Parliament on the issue. Ministers were forced to publish Attorney General Geoffrey Cox's full advice after ministers were found to be in contempt of Parliament on Tuesday for providing only a legal overview earlier this week. Speaking in the Commons, the prime minister said there was \"no difference\" between the two documents and the legal position on her proposed \"temporary\" customs arrangement with the EU was clear. While the UK would have no unilateral right to withdraw from the backstop - a measure designed to prevent the return of physical checks on the Irish border by the UK and EU sharing a single customs territory - she insisted neither the UK nor the EU wanted it to come into force in the first place. But the Democratic Unionists said the advice was explicit that Northern Ireland would end up subject to different EU regulatory and customs rules from the rest of the UK and be treated as a \"third country\" in terms of trade with England, Scotland and Wales. The BBC's political editor Laura Kuenssberg said that, amid fears Mrs May was heading for a heavy defeat in next Tuesday's vote on the final deal, there was talk among MPs about a compromise amendment being tabled on the backstop, giving Parliament some kind of check on it coming into force. The government argued that Mr Cox's analysis of the Brexit deal, published on Monday, was adequate and disclosing his full and final advice would be against the national interest. Labour and other opposition parties said ministers had \"wilfully\" refused to comply with a binding vote in the Commons last month which demanded full disclosure and MPs agreed with this in a vote on Tuesday. In his six-page letter to Mrs May, written on 13 November but published on Wednesday, Mr Cox said the \"current drafting\" of the backstop \"does not allow for a mechanism that is likely to enable the UK to lawfully exit the UK wide customs union without a subsequent agreement\". \"This remains the case even if the parties are negotiating many years later and even if the parties agree that talks have clearly broken down and there is no prospect of a future relationship agreement.\" The backstop has become a defining issue for many Tory critics of the PM's deal - who say that it infringes the UK's sovereignty and will prevent the UK from being able to negotiate its own trade deals. Mr Cox said that despite assurances that the arrangement was not intended to be permanent \"in international law the protocol would endure indefinitely until a superseding agreement took its place\". \"In the absence of a right of termination, there is a legal risk that the UK might become subject to protracted and repeated rounds of negotiations,\" he said. \"The resolution of such a stalemate would have to be political.\" However, he also put forward the case that the \"risk\" of getting entangled in the backstop had to be weighed \"against the political and economic imperative of both sides to reach an agreement that constitutes a politically stable and permanent basis for their future relationship\". The BBC's legal correspondent Clive Coleman When lawyers give legal advice they are expected to speak frankly. Many will conclude this advice is franker and starker than the way in which the government has presented the legal implications of the withdrawal agreement. In particular on the Northern Ireland backstop, it is there in black and white, that in the absence of an agreement replacing it, the backstop will continue indefinitely. The UK could not force the EU to conclude an agreement bringing it to an end. That punctures the government's optimism on the issue. Whereas Article 50 allowed the UK to pull out of the EU, there is no provision for the UK to pull out of the withdrawal agreement. That will pour petrol on the flames of the political debate. The prime minister has insisted there can be no Brexit deal without a backstop of some kind to protect commitments made to Northern Ireland in the Good Friday Agreement. But she came under fire at Prime Minister's Questions from the SNP's Westminster leader Ian Blackford. \"The legal advice is clear,\" he said. \"It states: despite statements in the protocol it is not permanent, in international law the protocol would endure indefinitely. Since the prime minister returned from Brussels with her deal, the prime minister has been misleading the House inadvertently or otherwise. \"Is it time that the prime minister took responsibility for concealing the facts on her Brexit deal from members in this House and the public? The PM told MPs all the material published in the past few days was consistent. She said she had made it clear that the UK could not unilaterally leave the backstop plan, so had not been at odds with the legal advice, which made it clear the UK had no sovereign right to withdraw. But she insisted the arrangement would, if it came into force, give the UK a number of competitive advantages and therefore the EU would not want the UK \"to be in it any longer than necessary\". But the DUP's Sammy Wilson said other EU members would use the backstop as a \"cudgel\" to obtain concessions from the UK in future trade talks. And former foreign secretary Boris Johnson suggested the backstop could easily be dispensed with as it was \"not essential\" to the wider deal and everybody believed \"you can solve this without a hard border\". \"Let's just get rid of this nightmarish system that keeps us effectively clamped in the EU, and really stopping Brexit from taking place,\" he told the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg. Labour said the legal advice showed the \"central weakness\" of the PM's Brexit deal while the Lib Dems said it would leave the UK trapped in a \"Brexit hamster wheel\". The second of five days of debate on Mrs May's Brexit agreement is under way, focusing on security and immigration. The government suffered three embarrassing defeats on Tuesday, on the role that MPs will play if Mrs May's deal is rejected as well as the disclosure of the legal advice. Ex-defence secretary Sir Michael Fallon told MPs he could not support Mrs May's deal, saying it was too much of a \"gamble\" to sign up to EU rules when the UK did not know what it was getting in return. \"We put all our cards and all our money on the table and we wait for another two years for the EU to set the rules of the game. That is a risk too far\". But Chancellor Philip Hammond warned that if the deal was rejected, either the UK could end up leaving without a deal or Brexit could unravel entirely, leaving \"half the nation feeling betrayed\". \"I take the judgement that when there is a deal on the table that has very, very modest costs to the economy, which will allow us to move on as a nation both economically and politically, I judge that even narrowly, economically that will be in the best interests of the country,\" he told the Treasury committee. Earlier, International Trade Secretary Liam Fox warned there was a risk of Parliament trying to \"steal Brexit from the British people\". He said there was a \"natural Remain majority\" in Parliament and that any attempts to delay the UK's departure or overturn the 2016 referendum result would be a \"democratic affront\".", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3498, "answer_start": 1723, "text": "The government argued that Mr Cox's analysis of the Brexit deal, published on Monday, was adequate and disclosing his full and final advice would be against the national interest. Labour and other opposition parties said ministers had \"wilfully\" refused to comply with a binding vote in the Commons last month which demanded full disclosure and MPs agreed with this in a vote on Tuesday. In his six-page letter to Mrs May, written on 13 November but published on Wednesday, Mr Cox said the \"current drafting\" of the backstop \"does not allow for a mechanism that is likely to enable the UK to lawfully exit the UK wide customs union without a subsequent agreement\". \"This remains the case even if the parties are negotiating many years later and even if the parties agree that talks have clearly broken down and there is no prospect of a future relationship agreement.\" The backstop has become a defining issue for many Tory critics of the PM's deal - who say that it infringes the UK's sovereignty and will prevent the UK from being able to negotiate its own trade deals. Mr Cox said that despite assurances that the arrangement was not intended to be permanent \"in international law the protocol would endure indefinitely until a superseding agreement took its place\". \"In the absence of a right of termination, there is a legal risk that the UK might become subject to protracted and repeated rounds of negotiations,\" he said. \"The resolution of such a stalemate would have to be political.\" However, he also put forward the case that the \"risk\" of getting entangled in the backstop had to be weighed \"against the political and economic imperative of both sides to reach an agreement that constitutes a politically stable and permanent basis for their future relationship\"." } ], "id": "9810_0", "question": "What does the full advice to PM say?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "For weeks, Lebanon has been rocked by anti-government protests, the largest the country has seen in more than a decade. The demonstrations have cut across sectarian lines - a rare phenomenon since the country's devastating civil war ended - and involved people from all sectors of society. They are united in their anger over their leaders' failure to deal with an ailing economy, rising prices, high unemployment, poor public services and corruption. Already the protesters have forced Prime Minister Saad Hariri to resign. But they want more, including the complete overhaul of the country's political system and the formation of an independent, non-sectarian government. October was a busy month for Lebanon, as the authorities grappled with one crisis after another. It started with importers complaining about a shortage of US dollars in the country's commercial banks, which led to the Lebanese pound losing value against the dollar for the first time in two decades on the newly emerged black market. When the importers of wheat and fuel demanded to be paid in dollars, bakeries and petrol station unions called strikes. Then on 14 October unprecedented wildfires swept through the country's western mountains, and Cyprus, Greece and Jordan were called upon for help after it was revealed Lebanon's own fire-fighting aircraft was not in a fit state to deal with the blaze due to a lack of funds. Residents were left unimpressed, with some noting how riot police vehicles equipped with water cannons had been fully maintained and were able to help battle the flames. Three days later, the government proposed new taxes on tobacco, petrol and voice calls via messaging services such as WhatsApp to drum up more revenue. The $6 (PS4.50) monthly charge for using WhatsApp prompted widespread anger, and a few dozen people began protesting outside the government's headquarters in central Beirut. The backlash forced the government to cancel the proposed tax within hours, but it appeared to unleash a surge of discontent that had been simmering in Lebanon for years. The following day, tens of thousands of Lebanese from all sects and walks of life took to the streets, demanding the resignation of Mr Hariri and his national unity government. As many as a million people have since joined the demonstrations, bringing the country to a virtual standstill and shutting down schools, shops and banks. Lebanon is dealing with its worst economic crisis in decades. It has the third-highest public debt-to-gross domestic product (GDP) ratio in the world at 150%. The youth unemployment rate has reached 37%, according to official figures, while the overall unemployment rate is 25%. Almost a third of the population now lives under the poverty line, according to the World Bank. The recent fall in value of the Lebanese pound on the black market has meanwhile raised fears of commodity shortages and price rises. People have also long been angered by the government's failure to provide even basic services. They have to deal with daily power cuts, a lack of safe drinking water, absent public healthcare and intermittent and weak internet connections. The country's public infrastructure, which was never fully rebuilt after the 1975-1989 civil war, has been stretched to breaking point in recent years by the arrival of more than one million refugees from neighbouring Syria. All of these factors have brought long-running tensions to the fore. Only now, public anger is directed at the same ruling elite who have dominated politics for years and amassed their own wealth while at the same time failing to address the economy's downturn. Most analysts point to one key factor: political sectarianism. Lebanon officially recognises 18 religious communities - four Muslim, 12 Christian, the Druze sect and Judaism. The three main political offices are divided among the three biggest communities under an agreement from 1943 known as the National Pact. The president must always be a Maronite Christian, the speaker of parliament must be Shia Muslim and the prime minister must be Sunni Muslim. Parliament's 128 seats are also divided evenly between Christians and Muslims. It is this religious diversity that makes the country an easy target for interference by external powers, as seen with Iran's backing of Lebanon's Shia militant Hezbollah movement, which is actively involved in Syria's civil war. Hezbollah is now a key power broker in Lebanon's political system and dominated the outgoing government led by Mr Hariri, the Western-backed leader of the main Sunni bloc. The National Pact was reinforced by the 1989 Taif Accords that ended the Lebanese civil war - a conflict marked by sectarian divisions and foreign interference. Since then, political leaders from each sect have maintained their power and influence through a system of patronage networks - protecting the interests of the religious communities they represent, and offering - both legal and illegal - financial incentives. Lebanon ranks 138th out of 180 countries on Transparency International's global Corruption Perceptions Index. Corruption, it says, \"permeates all levels of society\" in Lebanon, with political parties, parliament and the police perceived as \"the most corrupt institutions of the country\". The watchdog says it is the very system of sectarian power-sharing which is fuelling these patronage networks and hindering Lebanon's system of governance. Observers say decades of corruption have sent the economy spiralling and pushed the general population into poverty. Street protests are not a new phenomenon to Lebanon - neither are economic grievances. The last time the country saw mass demonstrations on the same scale was in 2005, after former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri (Saad's father) was killed in a bomb attack in Beirut. Many Lebanese blamed Syria for the attack and the protests eventually led to the withdrawal of Syrian troops that had been stationed in the country for 29 years. A decade later, Beirut was hit again by widespread protests after the authorities closed the main landfill site near the city without arranging an alternative, and huge piles of rubbish filled the streets. People blamed corruption and incompetence at the heart of the government for the waste crisis, and called for an overhaul of the political system. Those demonstrations also cut across sectarian lines, but they were on a smaller scale and were limited to the capital. This year's protests have been massive and have spread across the country, from Tripoli in the north to Tyre in the south. And - unlike in 2005, when protests were led by groups opposed to the Syrian government and its Lebanese allies - the latest protests appear to stem from a grassroots, non-partisan protest movement, with no obvious leaders. The people taking part are demanding accountability not just from the government as a whole, but the leaders of their own sects. \"All of them means all of them,\" is one of the main slogans adopted by protesters. Sunni protesters in Tripoli were even reported to be chanting in support of Shia demonstrators in Tyre, who had faced threats and intimidation from Hezbollah and another Shia group, Amal. In a rare moment for Lebanon, the protesters have been brought together by their shared grievances, rather than their sectarian identities.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3637, "answer_start": 2402, "text": "Lebanon is dealing with its worst economic crisis in decades. It has the third-highest public debt-to-gross domestic product (GDP) ratio in the world at 150%. The youth unemployment rate has reached 37%, according to official figures, while the overall unemployment rate is 25%. Almost a third of the population now lives under the poverty line, according to the World Bank. The recent fall in value of the Lebanese pound on the black market has meanwhile raised fears of commodity shortages and price rises. People have also long been angered by the government's failure to provide even basic services. They have to deal with daily power cuts, a lack of safe drinking water, absent public healthcare and intermittent and weak internet connections. The country's public infrastructure, which was never fully rebuilt after the 1975-1989 civil war, has been stretched to breaking point in recent years by the arrival of more than one million refugees from neighbouring Syria. All of these factors have brought long-running tensions to the fore. Only now, public anger is directed at the same ruling elite who have dominated politics for years and amassed their own wealth while at the same time failing to address the economy's downturn." } ], "id": "9811_0", "question": "What's really behind the anger?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5555, "answer_start": 3638, "text": "Most analysts point to one key factor: political sectarianism. Lebanon officially recognises 18 religious communities - four Muslim, 12 Christian, the Druze sect and Judaism. The three main political offices are divided among the three biggest communities under an agreement from 1943 known as the National Pact. The president must always be a Maronite Christian, the speaker of parliament must be Shia Muslim and the prime minister must be Sunni Muslim. Parliament's 128 seats are also divided evenly between Christians and Muslims. It is this religious diversity that makes the country an easy target for interference by external powers, as seen with Iran's backing of Lebanon's Shia militant Hezbollah movement, which is actively involved in Syria's civil war. Hezbollah is now a key power broker in Lebanon's political system and dominated the outgoing government led by Mr Hariri, the Western-backed leader of the main Sunni bloc. The National Pact was reinforced by the 1989 Taif Accords that ended the Lebanese civil war - a conflict marked by sectarian divisions and foreign interference. Since then, political leaders from each sect have maintained their power and influence through a system of patronage networks - protecting the interests of the religious communities they represent, and offering - both legal and illegal - financial incentives. Lebanon ranks 138th out of 180 countries on Transparency International's global Corruption Perceptions Index. Corruption, it says, \"permeates all levels of society\" in Lebanon, with political parties, parliament and the police perceived as \"the most corrupt institutions of the country\". The watchdog says it is the very system of sectarian power-sharing which is fuelling these patronage networks and hindering Lebanon's system of governance. Observers say decades of corruption have sent the economy spiralling and pushed the general population into poverty." } ], "id": "9811_1", "question": "So what's wrong with the system?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 7341, "answer_start": 5556, "text": "Street protests are not a new phenomenon to Lebanon - neither are economic grievances. The last time the country saw mass demonstrations on the same scale was in 2005, after former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri (Saad's father) was killed in a bomb attack in Beirut. Many Lebanese blamed Syria for the attack and the protests eventually led to the withdrawal of Syrian troops that had been stationed in the country for 29 years. A decade later, Beirut was hit again by widespread protests after the authorities closed the main landfill site near the city without arranging an alternative, and huge piles of rubbish filled the streets. People blamed corruption and incompetence at the heart of the government for the waste crisis, and called for an overhaul of the political system. Those demonstrations also cut across sectarian lines, but they were on a smaller scale and were limited to the capital. This year's protests have been massive and have spread across the country, from Tripoli in the north to Tyre in the south. And - unlike in 2005, when protests were led by groups opposed to the Syrian government and its Lebanese allies - the latest protests appear to stem from a grassroots, non-partisan protest movement, with no obvious leaders. The people taking part are demanding accountability not just from the government as a whole, but the leaders of their own sects. \"All of them means all of them,\" is one of the main slogans adopted by protesters. Sunni protesters in Tripoli were even reported to be chanting in support of Shia demonstrators in Tyre, who had faced threats and intimidation from Hezbollah and another Shia group, Amal. In a rare moment for Lebanon, the protesters have been brought together by their shared grievances, rather than their sectarian identities." } ], "id": "9811_2", "question": "What sets these protests apart?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "It was a bizarre story from the outset. A boy was lost in the woods while the family was foraging for wild vegetables. But then the story changed - he was lost because he had been abandoned by his parents and not just once, but twice in a very short space of time. Since news of his disappearance broke early on Sunday and then the dramatic admission by his parents within 24 hours that they had actually left him in the woods as a punishment, the Japanese public has collectively worried about Yamato Tanooka, trying to make sense of the situation. Abuse? Monster parents? Hansel and Gretel? Or was it just bad parenting, parents pushed over the edge by an active seven-year-old? Active enough, and resourceful enough as it turns out, to trek his way across about 5km (3 miles) and find shelter in a barrack under a roof with mattresses. That the boy's father made him get out of the car \"to discipline him\", but couldn't say so at first because he was afraid of what \"people would think\" has touched many a nerve. The word he used was \"sekentei\" - literally, how one is seen by society. The sense of societal shame he conveyed, on top of his concern for his boy, was perhaps a touch too \"Japanese\" for many here. Hardly anybody voiced support for the father, there was simply no debate about that. The parents should not have let the boy out of their sight, was the consensus. Naoki Ogi, a TV personality and pedagogy expert, better known as \"Ogi-mama\", condemned the parents outright, saying this was neglect and abuse. He also noted and criticised how many parents in Japan tend to see their children as their personal possessions. But then opinions started to vary and there were some more nuanced and sympathetic views. \"Raising kids is hard\" seemed to be the collective sigh heard around social media, TV talk shows, and proverbial water coolers. One famous morning talk show host, Tomoaki Ogura, sympathised with the parents on Monday, on his Fuji TV show \"Tokudane!\". Mr Ogura said: \"To say 'If you're so bad, we can't take you along, just stay here' is a valid way of scolding a child.\" Many recalled how they too were shut out of their homes as children, left throwing a tantrum on the toy shop floor, or shut in a dark closet. A well-known literary critic, Yumi Toyozaki, tweeted on Tuesday: \"I was a restless, rambunctious, cantankerous child, so I feel very much for the father who left his child in the woods for a bit in order to discipline him. I hope people stop condemning him.\" The incident has had many sharing childhood memories of how parents pretended to leave them or their siblings for refusing to listen. Parents also wrote they knew all too well that when small children decide to run off, they can disappear in a flash - there are times when they are simply at the end of their tether. Tomoko Miyakoda , a mother of a four-year old boy, said you have to be extra careful to avoid the worst. But she also stresses it's simply not normal to leave a child anywhere and found it impossible to understand why the parents left their boy in the woods like that. But the verdict seemed clear, you don't let a child out of your sight, least of all in a bear-inhabited neck of the woods. So the Japanese public has spent this past week discussing good and bad parenting, what is acceptable punishment and what is abuse. It has come a long way from the days when it was totally fine for a parent to smack a child and many argue this wasn't a clear-cut case of abuse, which is regrettably still too common.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2631, "answer_start": 1636, "text": "But then opinions started to vary and there were some more nuanced and sympathetic views. \"Raising kids is hard\" seemed to be the collective sigh heard around social media, TV talk shows, and proverbial water coolers. One famous morning talk show host, Tomoaki Ogura, sympathised with the parents on Monday, on his Fuji TV show \"Tokudane!\". Mr Ogura said: \"To say 'If you're so bad, we can't take you along, just stay here' is a valid way of scolding a child.\" Many recalled how they too were shut out of their homes as children, left throwing a tantrum on the toy shop floor, or shut in a dark closet. A well-known literary critic, Yumi Toyozaki, tweeted on Tuesday: \"I was a restless, rambunctious, cantankerous child, so I feel very much for the father who left his child in the woods for a bit in order to discipline him. I hope people stop condemning him.\" The incident has had many sharing childhood memories of how parents pretended to leave them or their siblings for refusing to listen." } ], "id": "9812_0", "question": "Abuse or something more nuanced?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "While investigators work hard to find the cause of the helicopter crash that killed Leicester City's chairman and four others, the world wonders about what went wrong. The BBC has asked two aviation experts if they can shed any light on what happened and whether the pilot purposely crashed on wasteland near a car park to save lives. Jim Rowlands, a former RAF Puma crew member, and aviation security and operations expert Julian Bray have analysed video footage, which shows the helicopter take off, spin out of control and disappear from sight before it crashed outside the King Power Stadium. In a longer version of the video, white smoke can be seen coming from the helicopter before it takes off from the pitch, leading some viewers to assume this was caused by a fault. However, the aviation experts said this was completely normal. \"That's moisture and residue off the exhaust as the whole engine heats up, so there's nothing untoward that I would say about it,\" said Mr Rowlands. Mr Bray agreed: \"It's normal because it's just starting up. When you start an engine up, sometimes you get some vapour or something coming out.\" The experts also agreed that the take-off seemed normal. \"He takes off, goes up and hovers above the stadium, because then he has got to assess which way the wind is coming and wind speed and everything else,\" said Mr Bray. \"He's getting to a position where he can see where he's going to go. As soon as he's above the top of the stadium roof there could be a change in wind speed or wind direction, because he's sheltered inside the stadium.\" Mr Rowlands said: \"It all looks very normal in terms of a departure.\" The experts said the flight appeared to go wrong once the helicopter was above the stadium. \"He climbs up to whatever height he has specified for himself, then starts to transition and move forward, and get a little bit of air speed, but somewhere along the line there, things go wrong very quickly,\" said Mr Rowlands. The aircraft starts rotating and can be seen spinning as it descends to the ground. Mr Bray noted that there was no change in the engine sound, which he said meant it was under power throughout the short flight. \"He goes up and sticks his nose up and has a look around and reads his instruments and starts the helicopter on its course,\" said Mr Bray. \"It turns three-quarters to us. That's going to be the direction of travel. Then he's going up even further. Then he turns again. At that point something goes horribly wrong. \"He's now rotating but you can still hear the engine going, so it was still under power. \"Listening to it, there's no change in the engine sound. The sound seems to be consistent all the way through. There's no explosion, nothing, then it suddenly starts to rotate.\" The experts agreed that there appeared to be a problem with the tail rotor, which explains why the helicopter started spinning. The tail rotor is at the back of a helicopter and is there to prevent the aircraft spinning in the opposite direction to the main rotor blades. \"Basically it's a loss of power to the tail rotor,\" Mr Rowlands said. \"It's impossible to say what could have caused it, and it's really important we acknowledge that it's only the AAIB that can draw any conclusions or any causes.\" The Air Accidents Investigation Branch, which is examining the flight recorders, has said it is \"too early\" to comment on the video or the possible causes of the crash, adding that it would \"consider a wealth of evidence, and the video is just one element\". Mr Bray theorised that the helicopter could have hit a drone or large bird or even been sabotaged, but stressed this was \"purely speculative\". \"It would have to be a very big bird,\" he said. \"Dare I say it might even be a drone for all we know? But it would have to be a fairly large drone; I don't think a small domestic one would do it. \"I would say sabotage cannot be ruled out.\" Mr Bray said a mechanical fault was also possible, but he believes this is unlikely. \"These things are checked to the nth degree and any professional pilot will want to make sure his aircraft is safe,\" he said. \"Obviously, they are putting their own lives at risk. \"It's very, very weird.\" Mr Bray said there was \"absolutely nothing the pilot can do\" once there was no working tail rotor to stabilise a helicopter. However, Mr Rowlands said the pilot would in theory have had a degree of control. \"You haven't really got it in the yawing plane [rotating], you've got it in roll and pitch, which are the three axes that an aircraft move in,\" he said. \"The one thing that he would have had control of more than anything else was his rate of descent and when he was going to descend. \"When you get a tail rotor drive failure without any forward air speed, the only option you've got is to make the best emergency engines-off landing that you can, but this guy really has very little time to do all that.\" He presumes the pilot would have practised this kind of emergency in simulators. \"Certainly in the military you would practise tail rotor drive failures in a simulator almost constantly, and because it's an emergency that requires such an immediate reaction it's the kind of thing that gets ingrained and emblazoned on every operator's mind,\" he said. \"You enter this autorotative state which is a bit like a sycamore seed spinning to the ground, you are using that lift that's left in the blades to do that.\" However, he admitted that the probability of surviving a tail rotor failure was \"quite low\". \"Talking through it versus the reality of the real world, there's obviously an incredible amount of forces going on. The aircraft is spinning around all over the shop, you've obviously got a lot of things going on, it's incredibly disorientating. \"Thankfully, they are not the kind of things that happen often and I certainly don't have any personal first-hand experience of a real one, and I don't know anybody who does. \"It's not a normal circumstance. It's one of those things you hope never happens.\" The aircraft landed on disused land next to a car park, which Mr Bray believes was probably due to \"luck\". However, Mr Rowlands believes the pilot manoeuvred the aircraft to prevent loss of life to people on the ground. \"The fact that no-one else apart from people in the aircraft were injured is pretty amazing and I think that's why it's testament to the pilot,\" he said. He said the pilot would have identified emergency landing sites as he was flying into the stadium. \"Whatever control that he has had left he has been able to make that landing site, which is no mean feat,\" he said. \"And he has held off his main descent and autorotation until he had cleared the stadium building, which I think is pretty impressive. \"It's quite a disorientating environment to be in and I think the pilot has done well because not only has he got control of the aircraft, but he's trying to minimise the impact of any incident.\" Follow BBC East Midlands on Facebook, on Twitter, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1647, "answer_start": 597, "text": "In a longer version of the video, white smoke can be seen coming from the helicopter before it takes off from the pitch, leading some viewers to assume this was caused by a fault. However, the aviation experts said this was completely normal. \"That's moisture and residue off the exhaust as the whole engine heats up, so there's nothing untoward that I would say about it,\" said Mr Rowlands. Mr Bray agreed: \"It's normal because it's just starting up. When you start an engine up, sometimes you get some vapour or something coming out.\" The experts also agreed that the take-off seemed normal. \"He takes off, goes up and hovers above the stadium, because then he has got to assess which way the wind is coming and wind speed and everything else,\" said Mr Bray. \"He's getting to a position where he can see where he's going to go. As soon as he's above the top of the stadium roof there could be a change in wind speed or wind direction, because he's sheltered inside the stadium.\" Mr Rowlands said: \"It all looks very normal in terms of a departure.\"" } ], "id": "9813_0", "question": "Why was the helicopter smoking and was the take-off normal?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2759, "answer_start": 1648, "text": "The experts said the flight appeared to go wrong once the helicopter was above the stadium. \"He climbs up to whatever height he has specified for himself, then starts to transition and move forward, and get a little bit of air speed, but somewhere along the line there, things go wrong very quickly,\" said Mr Rowlands. The aircraft starts rotating and can be seen spinning as it descends to the ground. Mr Bray noted that there was no change in the engine sound, which he said meant it was under power throughout the short flight. \"He goes up and sticks his nose up and has a look around and reads his instruments and starts the helicopter on its course,\" said Mr Bray. \"It turns three-quarters to us. That's going to be the direction of travel. Then he's going up even further. Then he turns again. At that point something goes horribly wrong. \"He's now rotating but you can still hear the engine going, so it was still under power. \"Listening to it, there's no change in the engine sound. The sound seems to be consistent all the way through. There's no explosion, nothing, then it suddenly starts to rotate.\"" } ], "id": "9813_1", "question": "At what point did the flight go wrong?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4194, "answer_start": 2760, "text": "The experts agreed that there appeared to be a problem with the tail rotor, which explains why the helicopter started spinning. The tail rotor is at the back of a helicopter and is there to prevent the aircraft spinning in the opposite direction to the main rotor blades. \"Basically it's a loss of power to the tail rotor,\" Mr Rowlands said. \"It's impossible to say what could have caused it, and it's really important we acknowledge that it's only the AAIB that can draw any conclusions or any causes.\" The Air Accidents Investigation Branch, which is examining the flight recorders, has said it is \"too early\" to comment on the video or the possible causes of the crash, adding that it would \"consider a wealth of evidence, and the video is just one element\". Mr Bray theorised that the helicopter could have hit a drone or large bird or even been sabotaged, but stressed this was \"purely speculative\". \"It would have to be a very big bird,\" he said. \"Dare I say it might even be a drone for all we know? But it would have to be a fairly large drone; I don't think a small domestic one would do it. \"I would say sabotage cannot be ruled out.\" Mr Bray said a mechanical fault was also possible, but he believes this is unlikely. \"These things are checked to the nth degree and any professional pilot will want to make sure his aircraft is safe,\" he said. \"Obviously, they are putting their own lives at risk. \"It's very, very weird.\"" } ], "id": "9813_2", "question": "What caused the helicopter to spin?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 6014, "answer_start": 4195, "text": "Mr Bray said there was \"absolutely nothing the pilot can do\" once there was no working tail rotor to stabilise a helicopter. However, Mr Rowlands said the pilot would in theory have had a degree of control. \"You haven't really got it in the yawing plane [rotating], you've got it in roll and pitch, which are the three axes that an aircraft move in,\" he said. \"The one thing that he would have had control of more than anything else was his rate of descent and when he was going to descend. \"When you get a tail rotor drive failure without any forward air speed, the only option you've got is to make the best emergency engines-off landing that you can, but this guy really has very little time to do all that.\" He presumes the pilot would have practised this kind of emergency in simulators. \"Certainly in the military you would practise tail rotor drive failures in a simulator almost constantly, and because it's an emergency that requires such an immediate reaction it's the kind of thing that gets ingrained and emblazoned on every operator's mind,\" he said. \"You enter this autorotative state which is a bit like a sycamore seed spinning to the ground, you are using that lift that's left in the blades to do that.\" However, he admitted that the probability of surviving a tail rotor failure was \"quite low\". \"Talking through it versus the reality of the real world, there's obviously an incredible amount of forces going on. The aircraft is spinning around all over the shop, you've obviously got a lot of things going on, it's incredibly disorientating. \"Thankfully, they are not the kind of things that happen often and I certainly don't have any personal first-hand experience of a real one, and I don't know anybody who does. \"It's not a normal circumstance. It's one of those things you hope never happens.\"" } ], "id": "9813_3", "question": "What could the pilot have done?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 6933, "answer_start": 6015, "text": "The aircraft landed on disused land next to a car park, which Mr Bray believes was probably due to \"luck\". However, Mr Rowlands believes the pilot manoeuvred the aircraft to prevent loss of life to people on the ground. \"The fact that no-one else apart from people in the aircraft were injured is pretty amazing and I think that's why it's testament to the pilot,\" he said. He said the pilot would have identified emergency landing sites as he was flying into the stadium. \"Whatever control that he has had left he has been able to make that landing site, which is no mean feat,\" he said. \"And he has held off his main descent and autorotation until he had cleared the stadium building, which I think is pretty impressive. \"It's quite a disorientating environment to be in and I think the pilot has done well because not only has he got control of the aircraft, but he's trying to minimise the impact of any incident.\"" } ], "id": "9813_4", "question": "Did the pilot save lives?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "A police officer and at least five other people have died in a series of gun battles in Jersey City, in the US state of New Jersey. Two other police officers were wounded during the incident, which ended in a shootout after two gunmen barricaded themselves in a kosher supermarket. A motive for the incident is not yet known. But the mayor said investigators believe the location was \"targeted\". Several local schools and businesses were also put on temporary lockdown. Authorities identified the police officer who died as Joseph Seals, 39, who was part of a state-wide programme to confiscate illegal weaponry. Speaking to reporters, Jersey City Police Chief Mike Kelly said Mr Seals was a \"leading police officer in removing guns from the street\". Mr Kelly said violence first erupted at a cemetery just after 12:00 local time (17:00 GMT) on Tuesday. Local media reported that confrontation between police and the suspects was linked to a murder investigation, but this has not been confirmed by authorities. Police at the scene immediately came under \"high-powered rifle fire\", Mr Kelly told reporters, and it is believed that Mr Seals was killed while approaching the two suspects, who have not been publicly identified. The pair fled the scene in a van and took shelter in a kosher supermarket where they held off armed police and federal officials for four hours, shooting off hundreds of rounds of ammunition. Investigators believe the two gunmen killed three people in the shop before they were shot dead. At least one survivor from the shop is being treated for injuries. Mr Kelly said investigators also believe the suspects' van contained an \"incendiary device\" which was removed and taken away for examination by police disposal specialists. Officials initially said they believed the shop was chosen at random and that they did not believe it was an act of terrorism. But on Tuesday night, Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop said on Twitter that authorities \"now believe the active shooters targeted the location they attacked\". \"Due to an excess of caution the community may see additional police resources in the days/weeks ahead,\" Mr Fulop said, noting there has been no indication of further threats. Officials have not elaborated on why they believe the location was targeted. They have also not commented further on whether the attack was driven by anti-Semitism. But New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said while there was no known threat to the city, he had also placed police on high alert, especially in Jewish communities. Jersey City is part of the New York metropolitan area. \"This tragically confirms that a growing pattern of violent anti-Semitism has now turned into a crisis for our nation,\" he said in a tweet. \"And now this threat has reached the doorstep of New York City.\"", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1754, "answer_start": 751, "text": "Mr Kelly said violence first erupted at a cemetery just after 12:00 local time (17:00 GMT) on Tuesday. Local media reported that confrontation between police and the suspects was linked to a murder investigation, but this has not been confirmed by authorities. Police at the scene immediately came under \"high-powered rifle fire\", Mr Kelly told reporters, and it is believed that Mr Seals was killed while approaching the two suspects, who have not been publicly identified. The pair fled the scene in a van and took shelter in a kosher supermarket where they held off armed police and federal officials for four hours, shooting off hundreds of rounds of ammunition. Investigators believe the two gunmen killed three people in the shop before they were shot dead. At least one survivor from the shop is being treated for injuries. Mr Kelly said investigators also believe the suspects' van contained an \"incendiary device\" which was removed and taken away for examination by police disposal specialists." } ], "id": "9814_0", "question": "How did the attack unfold?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Celebrity weddings appear to be everyone's business, regardless of whether the two people getting married actually want the world to see them tying the knot. Jessica Chastain, who married earlier this month, had been intent on keeping prying eyes away. But her ceremony was gatecrashed - by a helicopter and a long lens. The photographs were widely shared, prompting the Oscar-nominated actress to ask fans to respect her privacy. She tweeted: \"I am going to ask you to please stop sharing the photos. Helicopters disregarded a no-fly zone and took those pics during the ceremony. Every time I see them I'm reminded of the insensitivity of that incident.\" When George Clooney and his wife Amal married in 2014, they kept the press pack at bay by selling photographs to Hello! and People magazines, reportedly giving the fee to charity. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie did the same when they married a month earlier. But what if, like Jessica, celebrities would rather not allow the world to see their private, personal day? Celebrity wedding planner Lisa Vorce, who was behind John Legend and Chrissy Tiegen's wedding in 2013, says the paparazzi are \"ruthless\". She told us how she manages to keep the press where she wants them - at a distance. It's not easy! You have to be incredibly stealthy about the process and unfortunately you have to operate from a \"trust no-one\" perspective. Unfortunately - yes absolutely. It is very helpful (and necessary). Guests are usually understanding and willing to do whatever it takes to help the wedding couple celebrate their big day in peace. It can cause some stress (for example, guests might say, \"what if my child needs to reach me?\") but that is easily mitigated by having an emergency contact number (i.e. us) and phones on site for emergency calls out (under security supervision). Aside from trying on the wedding gown, we are able to do the majority of the planning and production without the vendors having face-to-face contact with the client. Because I specialise in destination weddings, that's typically our norm anyway - so it's not outside of our typical operations. We use aliases for the clients on all vendor contracts, send videos of venues, sample floral mock-ups, etc. I don't want to disclose too many of our strategies - let's just say diversion techniques and non-disclosures are involved. One image is better than none - but I think it's human nature for the public or fans to always be after more. Yes - without exception. Yes - the paparazzi are ruthless. However, there's always a way to combat the intrusions. For example, at one of my celebrity weddings we had paparazzi in boats trying to capture images of the wedding. Our security team disbursed our own boats to create choppy waves while flashing lights at the paparazzi cameras. They made it nearly impossible for the paparazzi to get a focused image. We shelter the guests and clients from everything to the best of our ability. Our job is to take care of things before it impacts the client or the guest experience. We plan for all scenarios, have counter-strategies in place, and have an incredible security team. The nature of weddings are celebrations of love - there are grandmothers and family members and great friends who are so happy for the wedding couple - all of those positive, heartfelt emotions rise above press intrusion. 1) Stay off social media, and 2) Take a trip to a beautiful place where you don't want to get married and say you would love to get married there! I most enjoyed that John and Chrissy trusted me and gave me artistic licence to design something that was a reflection of them. Their wedding was full of joy, music, beauty, friends, and family - all things that are truly a part of their daily lives. I remember one guest said to me: \"This is the best day of my life, and it is not even my wedding!\" That was a lovely testament to the joy of that day. 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": 1383, "answer_start": 1243, "text": "It's not easy! You have to be incredibly stealthy about the process and unfortunately you have to operate from a \"trust no-one\" perspective." } ], "id": "9815_0", "question": "How easy is it for celebrities to keep their wedding arrangements secret?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1827, "answer_start": 1384, "text": "Unfortunately - yes absolutely. It is very helpful (and necessary). Guests are usually understanding and willing to do whatever it takes to help the wedding couple celebrate their big day in peace. It can cause some stress (for example, guests might say, \"what if my child needs to reach me?\") but that is easily mitigated by having an emergency contact number (i.e. us) and phones on site for emergency calls out (under security supervision)." } ], "id": "9815_1", "question": "What do you think about measures such as asking guests to hand in their mobile phones and sign non-disclosure agreements on entry - is that necessary?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2353, "answer_start": 1828, "text": "Aside from trying on the wedding gown, we are able to do the majority of the planning and production without the vendors having face-to-face contact with the client. Because I specialise in destination weddings, that's typically our norm anyway - so it's not outside of our typical operations. We use aliases for the clients on all vendor contracts, send videos of venues, sample floral mock-ups, etc. I don't want to disclose too many of our strategies - let's just say diversion techniques and non-disclosures are involved." } ], "id": "9815_2", "question": "What about visiting venues, buying clothes, hiring people to help, choosing food, decor, music - how can things like that be kept out of the public eye?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2463, "answer_start": 2354, "text": "One image is better than none - but I think it's human nature for the public or fans to always be after more." } ], "id": "9815_3", "question": "Is it better for celebrities to maybe sell one wedding picture to a magazine for charity in order to keep the press happy, rather than blocking all images?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2488, "answer_start": 2464, "text": "Yes - without exception." } ], "id": "9815_4", "question": "Is it common for wedding planners to be asked to sign non-disclosure agreements when working for famous people?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2876, "answer_start": 2489, "text": "Yes - the paparazzi are ruthless. However, there's always a way to combat the intrusions. For example, at one of my celebrity weddings we had paparazzi in boats trying to capture images of the wedding. Our security team disbursed our own boats to create choppy waves while flashing lights at the paparazzi cameras. They made it nearly impossible for the paparazzi to get a focused image." } ], "id": "9815_5", "question": "Jessica Chastain had a helicopter taking photos from a no-fly zone - have you encountered any tricky behaviour from the press while trying to organise a wedding?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3363, "answer_start": 2877, "text": "We shelter the guests and clients from everything to the best of our ability. Our job is to take care of things before it impacts the client or the guest experience. We plan for all scenarios, have counter-strategies in place, and have an incredible security team. The nature of weddings are celebrations of love - there are grandmothers and family members and great friends who are so happy for the wedding couple - all of those positive, heartfelt emotions rise above press intrusion." } ], "id": "9815_6", "question": "How do you manage to keep the wedding feeling celebratory while dealing with possible press intrusion?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3510, "answer_start": 3364, "text": "1) Stay off social media, and 2) Take a trip to a beautiful place where you don't want to get married and say you would love to get married there!" } ], "id": "9815_7", "question": "What is your advice to celebrities wanting to keep their celebrations private?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3912, "answer_start": 3511, "text": "I most enjoyed that John and Chrissy trusted me and gave me artistic licence to design something that was a reflection of them. Their wedding was full of joy, music, beauty, friends, and family - all things that are truly a part of their daily lives. I remember one guest said to me: \"This is the best day of my life, and it is not even my wedding!\" That was a lovely testament to the joy of that day." } ], "id": "9815_8", "question": "You famously organised John Legend and Chrissy Tiegen's wedding - what did you enjoy most about doing this and did you learn anything from it?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The US will maintain an open-ended military presence in Syria to ensure the enduring defeat of the jihadist group Islamic State, counter Iranian influence, and help end the civil war. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said President Donald Trump did not want to \"make the same mistakes\" that were made in 2011, when US forces left Iraq. The US has about 2,000 troops in Syria. Mr Tillerson denied the US was training a Kurdish-led border force, but Turkey accused it of sending mixed signals. \"US officials have made statements that refute one another,\" said Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, whose country fiercely opposes such a move. \"One day it was said that a new border force had been set up, another day they said they are setting up a unit with local forces in order to maintain security in the region after eliminating Daesh [Islamic State group, or IS] in the region. These are all confusing statements.\" The US secretary of state said officials had \"misspoke[n]\" when they said the US was planning to set up a 30,000 strong \"border security force\" in northern Syria underpinned by the allied Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) militia. Mr Tillerson said the US was not creating a new force, but rather trying to ensure that local fighters were able to protect liberated areas from attacks by IS remnants. Turkey's president branded it a \"terror army\" and warned of imminent assaults on the Kurdish-controlled border areas of Afrin and Manbij. The Turkish army opened gaps in the border fence west of Afrin on Thursday, as the state-run Anadolu news agency reported that troops had been put on high alert. In a speech at Stanford University on Wednesday, Mr Tillerson said decisive action taken by President Trump had accelerated the progress made against IS. But he noted that IS was \"not completely defeated\" and that the government of President Bashar al-Assad - who the US opposes and has said should step down from power - controlled about half of Syria's territory and population. Mr Tillerson added that the US also faced \"continued strategic threats\" not just from IS and al-Qaeda, but also from Iran, a key ally of Mr Assad which he said had strengthened its presence by deploying troops and \"importing proxy forces\". He also said the unresolved plight of the millions of displaced Syrians remained a humanitarian crisis that only a political solution to the civil war could end. The Syrian government said the continued US military presence represented \"a blatant breach of international law and an aggression against national sovereignty\". Mr Tillerson said the Trump administration desired \"five key end states for Syria\". - IS and al-Qaeda in Syria \"suffer an enduring defeat, do not present a threat to the homeland, and do not resurface in a new form\" - The conflict is resolved through a UN-led process, and \"a stable, unified, independent Syria, under post-Assad leadership, is functioning as a state\" - Iranian influence in Syria is diminished and Syria's neighbours are secure - Conditions are created so displaced people can begin to return to their homes - Syria is free of weapons of mass destruction The Trump administration was implementing a new strategy to achieve those goals, which would largely entail increased diplomatic action, Mr Tillerson said. \"But let us be clear: The United States will maintain a military presence in Syria focused on ensuring [IS] cannot re-emerge,\" he added. \"We cannot make the same mistakes that were made in 2011 when a premature departure from Iraq allowed al-Qaeda in Iraq to survive and eventually morph into [IS].\" He warned a US withdrawal would also allow al-Qaeda to expand its presence in north-western Syria; restore Mr Assad and \"continue his brutal treatment against his own people\"; and provide Iran with the opportunity to strengthen its position. Mr Tillerson promised to carry out \"stabilisation initiatives\" in areas \"liberated\" by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a force dominated by a Kurdish militia that Turkey considers a terrorist group. The initiatives would include clearing land mines, re-opening hospitals, restoring key services and getting children back to school. \"We must be clear: 'stabilisation' is not a synonym for open-ended nation-building or a synonym for reconstruction. But it is essential,\" he added. The US will also seek to \"de-escalate\" the conflict by negotiating local ceasefires and vigorously support UN efforts to negotiate a political settlement. Mr Tillerson said the US believed free and transparent elections that included displaced people would \"result in the permanent departure of Assad and his family from power\". \"This process will take time, and we urge patience,\" he added. By Jonathan Marcus, BBC diplomatic correspondent The Assad government, with its Russian and Iranian backers, may have largely won the war but it does not control all of Syrian territory. An autonomous, largely Kurdish, zone has been established in the north with US-backing and now Washington is planning its next moves. The Trump administration is signalling that it intends to maintain a military presence in Syria. It wants to continue to support its Kurdish allies and to prevent the re-emergence of IS as a serious force. It is well aware that Russia is not vacating its bases in Syria any time soon. But US policy towards the region is now overwhelmingly focussed through a single lens - the effort to contain Iran. In the longer term though, keeping Syria divided and isolating the government may only serve to delay reconstruction and store up new problems for the future.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2573, "answer_start": 1629, "text": "In a speech at Stanford University on Wednesday, Mr Tillerson said decisive action taken by President Trump had accelerated the progress made against IS. But he noted that IS was \"not completely defeated\" and that the government of President Bashar al-Assad - who the US opposes and has said should step down from power - controlled about half of Syria's territory and population. Mr Tillerson added that the US also faced \"continued strategic threats\" not just from IS and al-Qaeda, but also from Iran, a key ally of Mr Assad which he said had strengthened its presence by deploying troops and \"importing proxy forces\". He also said the unresolved plight of the millions of displaced Syrians remained a humanitarian crisis that only a political solution to the civil war could end. The Syrian government said the continued US military presence represented \"a blatant breach of international law and an aggression against national sovereignty\"." } ], "id": "9816_0", "question": "Why does the US want to stay in Syria?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3843, "answer_start": 2574, "text": "Mr Tillerson said the Trump administration desired \"five key end states for Syria\". - IS and al-Qaeda in Syria \"suffer an enduring defeat, do not present a threat to the homeland, and do not resurface in a new form\" - The conflict is resolved through a UN-led process, and \"a stable, unified, independent Syria, under post-Assad leadership, is functioning as a state\" - Iranian influence in Syria is diminished and Syria's neighbours are secure - Conditions are created so displaced people can begin to return to their homes - Syria is free of weapons of mass destruction The Trump administration was implementing a new strategy to achieve those goals, which would largely entail increased diplomatic action, Mr Tillerson said. \"But let us be clear: The United States will maintain a military presence in Syria focused on ensuring [IS] cannot re-emerge,\" he added. \"We cannot make the same mistakes that were made in 2011 when a premature departure from Iraq allowed al-Qaeda in Iraq to survive and eventually morph into [IS].\" He warned a US withdrawal would also allow al-Qaeda to expand its presence in north-western Syria; restore Mr Assad and \"continue his brutal treatment against his own people\"; and provide Iran with the opportunity to strengthen its position." } ], "id": "9816_1", "question": "What would make the US withdraw?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4729, "answer_start": 3844, "text": "Mr Tillerson promised to carry out \"stabilisation initiatives\" in areas \"liberated\" by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a force dominated by a Kurdish militia that Turkey considers a terrorist group. The initiatives would include clearing land mines, re-opening hospitals, restoring key services and getting children back to school. \"We must be clear: 'stabilisation' is not a synonym for open-ended nation-building or a synonym for reconstruction. But it is essential,\" he added. The US will also seek to \"de-escalate\" the conflict by negotiating local ceasefires and vigorously support UN efforts to negotiate a political settlement. Mr Tillerson said the US believed free and transparent elections that included displaced people would \"result in the permanent departure of Assad and his family from power\". \"This process will take time, and we urge patience,\" he added." } ], "id": "9816_2", "question": "How could the US help bring peace to Syria?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "India's BJP-led government is hailing its decision to strip the state of Jammu and Kashmir of autonomy after seven decades, characterising it as the correction of a \"historical blunder\". The BBC's Geeta Pandey in Delhi explains why this has happened and why it's important. Kashmir is a Himalayan region that both India and Pakistan say is fully theirs. The area was once a princely state called Jammu and Kashmir, but it joined India in 1947 soon after the sub-continent was divided up at the end of British rule. India and Pakistan subsequently went to war over it and each came to control different parts of the territory with a ceasefire line agreed. There has been violence in the Indian-administered side - the state of Jammu and Kashmir - for 30 years due to a separatist insurgency against Indian rule. In the first few days of August, there were signs of something afoot in Kashmir. Tens of thousands of additional Indian troops were deployed, a major Hindu pilgrimage was cancelled, schools and colleges were shut, tourists were ordered to leave, telephone and internet services were suspended and regional political leaders were placed under house arrest. But most of the speculation was that Article 35A of the Indian constitution, which gave some special privileges to the people of the state, would be scrapped. The government then stunned everyone by saying it was revoking nearly all of Article 370, which 35A is part of and which has been the basis of Kashmir's complex relationship with India for some 70 years. The article allowed the state a certain amount of autonomy - its own constitution, a separate flag and freedom to make laws. Foreign affairs, defence and communications remained the preserve of the central government. As a result, Jammu and Kashmir could make its own rules relating to permanent residency, ownership of property and fundamental rights. It could also bar Indians from outside the state from purchasing property or settling there. The constitutional provision has underpinned India's often fraught relationship with Kashmir, the only Muslim-majority region to join India at partition. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party had long opposed Article 370 and revoking it was in the party's 2019 election manifesto. They argued it needed to be scrapped to integrate Kashmir and put it on the same footing as the rest of India. After returning to power with a massive mandate in the April-May general elections, the government lost no time in acting on its pledge. Critics of Monday's move are linking it to the economic slowdown that India is currently facing - they say it provides a much-needed diversion for the government. Many Kashmiris believe that the BJP ultimately wants to change the demographic character of the Muslim-majority region by allowing non-Kashmiris to buy land there. Although Home Minister Amit Shah's announcement in parliament on Monday came as a surprise to most Indians, it would have taken the government some preparation to arrive at the decision. The move also fits in with Mr Modi's desire to show that the BJP is tough on Kashmir, and Pakistan. Kashmir will no longer have a separate constitution but will have to abide by the Indian constitution much like any other state. All Indian laws will be automatically applicable to Kashmiris, and people from outside the state will be able to buy property there. The government says this will bring development to the region. \"I want to tell the people of Jammu and Kashmir what damage Articles 370 and 35A did to the state,\" Mr Shah told parliament. \"It's because of these sections that democracy was never fully implemented, corruption increased in the state, that no development could take place.\" The government is also moving to break up the state into two smaller, federally administered territories. One region will combine Muslim-majority Kashmir and Hindu-majority Jammu. The other is Buddhist-majority Ladakh, which is culturally and historically close to Tibet. P Chidambaram, a senior leader in the opposition Congress Party described the decision as a \"catastrophic step\" and warned in parliament that it could have serious consequences. \"You may think you have scored a victory, but you are wrong and history will prove you to be wrong. Future generations will realise what a grave mistake this house is making today,\" he said. According to the constitution, Article 370 could only be modified with the agreement of the \"state government\". But there hasn't been much of a state government in Jammu and Kashmir for over a year now. In June last year, India imposed federal rule after the government of the then chief minister, Mehbooba Mufti, was reduced to a minority. This meant the federal government only had to seek the consent of the governor who imposes its rule. The government says it is well within its rights to bring in the changes and that similar decisions have been taken by federal governments in the past. But expert opinion is sharply divided. One constitutional expert, Subhash Kashyap, told news agency ANI that the order was \"constitutionally sound\" and that \"no legal and constitutional fault can be found in it\". However another constitutional expert, AG Noorani, told BBC Hindi it was \"an illegal decision, akin to committing fraud\" that could be challenged in the Supreme Court. Opposition political parties could launch a legal challenge but Kashmir is an emotive issue with many Indians, and most parties would be wary of opposing the move lest they be branded anti-India. That could leave any challenge up to individuals or activists.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 810, "answer_start": 274, "text": "Kashmir is a Himalayan region that both India and Pakistan say is fully theirs. The area was once a princely state called Jammu and Kashmir, but it joined India in 1947 soon after the sub-continent was divided up at the end of British rule. India and Pakistan subsequently went to war over it and each came to control different parts of the territory with a ceasefire line agreed. There has been violence in the Indian-administered side - the state of Jammu and Kashmir - for 30 years due to a separatist insurgency against Indian rule." } ], "id": "9817_0", "question": "Why is Kashmir controversial?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2129, "answer_start": 1530, "text": "The article allowed the state a certain amount of autonomy - its own constitution, a separate flag and freedom to make laws. Foreign affairs, defence and communications remained the preserve of the central government. As a result, Jammu and Kashmir could make its own rules relating to permanent residency, ownership of property and fundamental rights. It could also bar Indians from outside the state from purchasing property or settling there. The constitutional provision has underpinned India's often fraught relationship with Kashmir, the only Muslim-majority region to join India at partition." } ], "id": "9817_1", "question": "How significant is Article 370?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3158, "answer_start": 2130, "text": "Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party had long opposed Article 370 and revoking it was in the party's 2019 election manifesto. They argued it needed to be scrapped to integrate Kashmir and put it on the same footing as the rest of India. After returning to power with a massive mandate in the April-May general elections, the government lost no time in acting on its pledge. Critics of Monday's move are linking it to the economic slowdown that India is currently facing - they say it provides a much-needed diversion for the government. Many Kashmiris believe that the BJP ultimately wants to change the demographic character of the Muslim-majority region by allowing non-Kashmiris to buy land there. Although Home Minister Amit Shah's announcement in parliament on Monday came as a surprise to most Indians, it would have taken the government some preparation to arrive at the decision. The move also fits in with Mr Modi's desire to show that the BJP is tough on Kashmir, and Pakistan." } ], "id": "9817_2", "question": "Why did the government do it?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4399, "answer_start": 3159, "text": "Kashmir will no longer have a separate constitution but will have to abide by the Indian constitution much like any other state. All Indian laws will be automatically applicable to Kashmiris, and people from outside the state will be able to buy property there. The government says this will bring development to the region. \"I want to tell the people of Jammu and Kashmir what damage Articles 370 and 35A did to the state,\" Mr Shah told parliament. \"It's because of these sections that democracy was never fully implemented, corruption increased in the state, that no development could take place.\" The government is also moving to break up the state into two smaller, federally administered territories. One region will combine Muslim-majority Kashmir and Hindu-majority Jammu. The other is Buddhist-majority Ladakh, which is culturally and historically close to Tibet. P Chidambaram, a senior leader in the opposition Congress Party described the decision as a \"catastrophic step\" and warned in parliament that it could have serious consequences. \"You may think you have scored a victory, but you are wrong and history will prove you to be wrong. Future generations will realise what a grave mistake this house is making today,\" he said." } ], "id": "9817_3", "question": "What's changed on the ground?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5633, "answer_start": 4400, "text": "According to the constitution, Article 370 could only be modified with the agreement of the \"state government\". But there hasn't been much of a state government in Jammu and Kashmir for over a year now. In June last year, India imposed federal rule after the government of the then chief minister, Mehbooba Mufti, was reduced to a minority. This meant the federal government only had to seek the consent of the governor who imposes its rule. The government says it is well within its rights to bring in the changes and that similar decisions have been taken by federal governments in the past. But expert opinion is sharply divided. One constitutional expert, Subhash Kashyap, told news agency ANI that the order was \"constitutionally sound\" and that \"no legal and constitutional fault can be found in it\". However another constitutional expert, AG Noorani, told BBC Hindi it was \"an illegal decision, akin to committing fraud\" that could be challenged in the Supreme Court. Opposition political parties could launch a legal challenge but Kashmir is an emotive issue with many Indians, and most parties would be wary of opposing the move lest they be branded anti-India. That could leave any challenge up to individuals or activists." } ], "id": "9817_4", "question": "Is this all legal?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Four US states are challenging government plans to give control of core internet administration functions to the non-profit group Icann. The transfer concludes a lengthy process in which Icann (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) has been given more of these tasks. Arizona, Texas, Oklahoma and Nevada have started lawsuits, saying the decision needs Congressional approval. The handover is scheduled for today. Icann keeps an eye on the core addressing system of the internet, known as DNS, via a subsidiary called the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority. DNS translates the names that humans use to navigate the web into the numbers computers use. Since the early days of the internet, a division of the US Commerce Department, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), has been involved in approving changes to the core DNS servers. The NTIA's involvement in this process is due to come to an end on 30 September. Attorneys general in the four states have challenged the transfer, claiming that it cannot go ahead because US politicians have not formally approved it. In addition, says the lawsuit, the NTIA does not have the power to broker such a deal and it has not consulted the American public about the decision. The lawsuit also alleges that the transfer does not put in place sufficient protections for the .gov and .mil domains that serve the US government and its military. The NTIA said it would not comment on the legal challenge. A judge is due to make a decision on the lawsuit today. If the judge dismisses it, Icann will assume sole control of DNS. The plan to stop US involvement in the administration of DNS has won attention from the US Senator Ted Cruz, and Donald Trump's presidential campaign. Both claimed the handover would dent the freedom of speech online and give Russia and China more control over the net. Icann has dismissed these claims, saying: \"The US government has no decreased role. Other governments have no increased role.\"", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2010, "answer_start": 963, "text": "Attorneys general in the four states have challenged the transfer, claiming that it cannot go ahead because US politicians have not formally approved it. In addition, says the lawsuit, the NTIA does not have the power to broker such a deal and it has not consulted the American public about the decision. The lawsuit also alleges that the transfer does not put in place sufficient protections for the .gov and .mil domains that serve the US government and its military. The NTIA said it would not comment on the legal challenge. A judge is due to make a decision on the lawsuit today. If the judge dismisses it, Icann will assume sole control of DNS. The plan to stop US involvement in the administration of DNS has won attention from the US Senator Ted Cruz, and Donald Trump's presidential campaign. Both claimed the handover would dent the freedom of speech online and give Russia and China more control over the net. Icann has dismissed these claims, saying: \"The US government has no decreased role. Other governments have no increased role.\"" } ], "id": "9818_0", "question": "No formal approval?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "France's Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian says the Iranian nuclear deal is \"not dead\" despite US President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw. The 2015 agreement curbed Iran's nuclear activities in return for the lifting of sanctions that had been imposed by the UN, US and EU. But Mr Trump argued that the deal was \"defective at its core\", saying he would pull out and reimpose sanctions. Other signatories to the nuclear accord say they remain committed to it. The deal was agreed between Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council - the US, UK, France, China and Russia - plus Germany. It was struck under Mr Trump's predecessor, Barack Obama. Iran said it would try to salvage the agreement, but would restart uranium enrichment if it could not. In a statement, President Hassan Rouhani said: \"If we achieve the deal's goals in co-operation with other members of the deal, it will remain in place.\" But the country's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was sceptical, saying he did not trust Britain, France or Germany, and would need \"guarantees\" before continuing the nuclear deal. \"I said many times from the first day: don't trust America,\" he said in comments carried on his official website. In his comments to French radio, Mr Le Drian said \"the deal is not dead. There's an American withdrawal from the deal but the deal is still there\". He said there would be a meeting between France, Britain, Germany and Iran on Monday. Russia said it was \"deeply disappointed\" by Mr Trump's decision while China expressed regret. But the move has been welcomed by Iran's major regional rivals, Saudi Arabia and Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a prominent critic of the accord, said he \"fully supports\" Mr Trump's withdrawal from a \"disastrous\" deal. In his address on Tuesday, President Trump called the nuclear accord - or Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) as it is formally known - a \"horrible, one-sided deal that should have never, ever been made\". He said he would work to find a \"real, comprehensive, and lasting\" deal that tackled not only the Iranian nuclear programme but its ballistic missile tests and activities across the Middle East. Mr Trump also said he would reimpose economic sanctions that were waived when the deal was signed in 2015. The US Treasury said the sanctions would target industries mentioned in the deal, including Iran's oil sector, aircraft manufacturers exporting to Iran and Iranian government attempts to buy US dollar banknotes. Major European and US companies are likely to be hit. Some exemptions are due to be negotiated but it is not yet clear what. US National Security Adviser John Bolton is reported as saying that European companies doing business in Iran will have to stop doing so within six months or face US sanctions. Analysis by Jonathan Marcus, BBC defence and diplomatic correspondent The deal was not perfect. It did not cover a range of worrying Iranian activities from its missile programme to its regional behaviour. The inconvenient truth for Donald Trump is that, as far as it goes, the nuclear deal was working. Despite this, Mr Trump presented it in stark and frankly erroneous terms - for leaving out things that it was never supposed to cover in the first place. He has put US diplomacy on a collision course with some of Washington's closest allies. And some fear that he may have brought a new and catastrophic regional war in the Middle East that much closer. The JCPOA saw Iran agree to limit the size of its stockpile of enriched uranium - which is used to make reactor fuel, but also nuclear weapons - for 15 years and the number of centrifuges installed to enrich uranium for 10 years. Iran also agreed to modify a heavy water facility so it could not produce plutonium suitable for a bomb. In return, sanctions imposed by the UN, US and EU that had crippled Iran's economy were lifted. Iran insists its nuclear programme is entirely peaceful, and its compliance with the deal has been verified by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), who on Wednesday again said Iran was honouring its commitments. President Rouhani has warned that Iran could resume \"industrial-scale\" uranium enrichment if the agreement collapses. After the deal was implemented, it was estimated it would take Iran at least 12 months to gather enough highly-enriched uranium or plutonium to build a nuclear weapon if it chose to do so. But experts say that it could still take Iran years to acquire a working nuclear arsenal.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1796, "answer_start": 1230, "text": "In his comments to French radio, Mr Le Drian said \"the deal is not dead. There's an American withdrawal from the deal but the deal is still there\". He said there would be a meeting between France, Britain, Germany and Iran on Monday. Russia said it was \"deeply disappointed\" by Mr Trump's decision while China expressed regret. But the move has been welcomed by Iran's major regional rivals, Saudi Arabia and Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a prominent critic of the accord, said he \"fully supports\" Mr Trump's withdrawal from a \"disastrous\" deal." } ], "id": "9819_0", "question": "How do key powers see Mr Trump's decision?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2824, "answer_start": 1797, "text": "In his address on Tuesday, President Trump called the nuclear accord - or Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) as it is formally known - a \"horrible, one-sided deal that should have never, ever been made\". He said he would work to find a \"real, comprehensive, and lasting\" deal that tackled not only the Iranian nuclear programme but its ballistic missile tests and activities across the Middle East. Mr Trump also said he would reimpose economic sanctions that were waived when the deal was signed in 2015. The US Treasury said the sanctions would target industries mentioned in the deal, including Iran's oil sector, aircraft manufacturers exporting to Iran and Iranian government attempts to buy US dollar banknotes. Major European and US companies are likely to be hit. Some exemptions are due to be negotiated but it is not yet clear what. US National Security Adviser John Bolton is reported as saying that European companies doing business in Iran will have to stop doing so within six months or face US sanctions." } ], "id": "9819_1", "question": "Why did the US withdraw?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4532, "answer_start": 3483, "text": "The JCPOA saw Iran agree to limit the size of its stockpile of enriched uranium - which is used to make reactor fuel, but also nuclear weapons - for 15 years and the number of centrifuges installed to enrich uranium for 10 years. Iran also agreed to modify a heavy water facility so it could not produce plutonium suitable for a bomb. In return, sanctions imposed by the UN, US and EU that had crippled Iran's economy were lifted. Iran insists its nuclear programme is entirely peaceful, and its compliance with the deal has been verified by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), who on Wednesday again said Iran was honouring its commitments. President Rouhani has warned that Iran could resume \"industrial-scale\" uranium enrichment if the agreement collapses. After the deal was implemented, it was estimated it would take Iran at least 12 months to gather enough highly-enriched uranium or plutonium to build a nuclear weapon if it chose to do so. But experts say that it could still take Iran years to acquire a working nuclear arsenal." } ], "id": "9819_2", "question": "What was agreed under the deal?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "President Donald Trump has welcomed Australian PM Scott Morrison on a week-long visit to the US which includes a state dinner at the White House. The pair met at the White House where Mr Morrison was greeted with a military band and a 19-gun salute. The two are close politically and have lavished praise on one another. Mr Morrison is just the second world leader to be given a state dinner by President Trump after France's Emmanuel Macron. Mr Morrison and Mr Trump both heralded the decades-long relationship between their two countries as the Australian PM arrived at the White House. \"Australians and Americans understand each other like few other people,\" Mr Morrison said. \"We have done what true friends do: stick by each other.\" The two conservative politicians spent time together at the G20 Summit in Osaka, Japan, in June as well as earlier that month at the at D-Day event in Portsmouth, England, leading some to speculate about a budding \"bromance\". During a dinner with Mr Morrison in Osaka, Mr Trump praised his counterpart, and boasted that he had predicted his victory at the ballot box. \"He didn't surprise me but he surprised a lot of other people. See, I knew him. So I said he's going to do very well and he did,\" Mr Trump told US and Australian officials. Mr Trump has frequently lavished praise on Mr Morrison - who became prime minister in August 2018 and won a surprise re-election in May - as well as his controversial immigration positions. Mr Morrison has in turn praised the American president as \"a strong leader who says what he's going to do and then goes and does it\". \"I get on very well with him,\" he said in a recent interview, adding that they have a \"straight-up relationship\". The Australian prime minister nicknamed \"ScoMo\" will visit the headquarters of Nasa, the US space agency, and will travel to Chicago to meet tech entrepreneurs during his visit from 19-27 September. After a joint press conference on Friday, Mr Morrison and his wife Jenny will be hosted at the state dinner. On the menu is Jerusalem artichoke ravioli, Dover sole with fennel mousseline and apple tart with calvados ice-cream for dessert. The events are rare, largely owing to the months of planning that go into them. They are designed to showcase America's closest diplomatic relationships with foreign allies. On Sunday, Mr Morrison travels to Wapakoneta, Ohio, to tour a \"new, Australian-owned manufacturing facility\" with President Trump, the White House said in a statement. Two days later, Mr Morrison will travel to New York City for the UN General Assembly meetings to deliver an address that will cover \"the protection of the oceans and preventing terrorist use of the internet\", his office said. Beyond the bromance, there's plenty at stake. Australia has typically shown steadfast loyalty towards the US, its key strategic ally - a point which Mr Morrison emphasised before his trip. \"We are an alliance partner that the United States knows they can rely on, a partner that pulls their weight in the alliance,\" he told parliament this week. It's particularly relevant now, experts say, as Australia balances the primacy of its US alliance against its crucial relationship with China, its largest trading partner. Australia remains economically reliant on China but is openly debating its influence on local society, amid concerns about security and freedom of speech. The Trump-Morrison discussions are likely to be watched for any mention of Beijing and the US-China trade war, as well as other economic and security matters.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1716, "answer_start": 738, "text": "The two conservative politicians spent time together at the G20 Summit in Osaka, Japan, in June as well as earlier that month at the at D-Day event in Portsmouth, England, leading some to speculate about a budding \"bromance\". During a dinner with Mr Morrison in Osaka, Mr Trump praised his counterpart, and boasted that he had predicted his victory at the ballot box. \"He didn't surprise me but he surprised a lot of other people. See, I knew him. So I said he's going to do very well and he did,\" Mr Trump told US and Australian officials. Mr Trump has frequently lavished praise on Mr Morrison - who became prime minister in August 2018 and won a surprise re-election in May - as well as his controversial immigration positions. Mr Morrison has in turn praised the American president as \"a strong leader who says what he's going to do and then goes and does it\". \"I get on very well with him,\" he said in a recent interview, adding that they have a \"straight-up relationship\"." } ], "id": "9820_0", "question": "What's their relationship like?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2722, "answer_start": 1717, "text": "The Australian prime minister nicknamed \"ScoMo\" will visit the headquarters of Nasa, the US space agency, and will travel to Chicago to meet tech entrepreneurs during his visit from 19-27 September. After a joint press conference on Friday, Mr Morrison and his wife Jenny will be hosted at the state dinner. On the menu is Jerusalem artichoke ravioli, Dover sole with fennel mousseline and apple tart with calvados ice-cream for dessert. The events are rare, largely owing to the months of planning that go into them. They are designed to showcase America's closest diplomatic relationships with foreign allies. On Sunday, Mr Morrison travels to Wapakoneta, Ohio, to tour a \"new, Australian-owned manufacturing facility\" with President Trump, the White House said in a statement. Two days later, Mr Morrison will travel to New York City for the UN General Assembly meetings to deliver an address that will cover \"the protection of the oceans and preventing terrorist use of the internet\", his office said." } ], "id": "9820_1", "question": "What will Morrison be doing in the US?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3554, "answer_start": 2723, "text": "Beyond the bromance, there's plenty at stake. Australia has typically shown steadfast loyalty towards the US, its key strategic ally - a point which Mr Morrison emphasised before his trip. \"We are an alliance partner that the United States knows they can rely on, a partner that pulls their weight in the alliance,\" he told parliament this week. It's particularly relevant now, experts say, as Australia balances the primacy of its US alliance against its crucial relationship with China, its largest trading partner. Australia remains economically reliant on China but is openly debating its influence on local society, amid concerns about security and freedom of speech. The Trump-Morrison discussions are likely to be watched for any mention of Beijing and the US-China trade war, as well as other economic and security matters." } ], "id": "9820_2", "question": "How significant is this to Australia?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar has issued a rare public statement hailing the exchange of five Guantanamo Bay detainees for a Taliban-held US soldier as a \"big victory\". Sgt Bowe Bergdahl, 28, was handed to US forces in Afghanistan on Saturday. The White House has defended the swap amid criticism from Republicans who said the deal was soft on terrorism. Sgt Bergdahl's parents said their son's recovery would take a long time, in an emotional address on Sunday. They said they had not yet spoken to the soldier, who is in a good condition and currently undergoing medical care at a US military hospital in Germany. \"Bowe's been gone for so long that it's going to be difficult to come back,\" his father, Robert Bergdahl, told journalists at a news briefing in Idaho, the family's home state. \"It's like a diver going deep on a dive and [having] to stage back up through decompression to get the nitrogen bubbles out of his system. If he comes up too fast, it could kill him.\" The parents earlier revealed that Sgt Bergdahl had trouble speaking English. He was the only US soldier being held by the Taliban in Afghanistan. Earlier on Sunday, Mullah Omar, who has made no public appearances or speeches since fleeing Afghanistan in 2001 when US-led forces toppled the Taliban after the 9/11 attacks in the US, said: \"I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the entire Afghan Muslim nation.\" The Afghan government, which was not informed of the deal until after the exchange had taken place, has condemned it as a \"breach of international law\". \"We are strongly opposed to it,\" it said in a statement, adding: \"We want Qatar and the US government to let the men go free.\" The five senior Afghan detainees are thought to be the most senior Afghans held at the US detention facility in Cuba, having been captured during America's military campaign in 2001. Pictures of Taliban militants embracing their comrades released from Guantanamo, and comments by Mullah Omar calling this a \"great victory\", seemed designed to enrage Republican opponents of President Barack Obama who saw the deal as soft on terrorism. The US defence secretary dismissed the criticism, saying this was an exchange of prisoners of war. He said that he hoped the deal would open the way to a wider peace process. But sources close to the Taliban say that the deal took so long to negotiate because of a US desire to widen the scope of the talks. They say that this precise deal was on the table three years ago, but the negotiations failed because the US wanted to extend the talks into areas beyond a prisoner swap. The Afghan government want talks on their terms to be held in Afghanistan. But any progress will have to wait the outcome of the Afghan election, now expected in August. Will soldier deal embolden US enemies? Republican opponents have criticised the Pentagon for not giving Congress the required 30-day notification before releasing the five. But US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel, who reportedly met some of the special forces team involved in the operation on a visit to Afghanistan on Sunday, said the military believed the soldier was in danger, and had to act quickly \"essentially to save his life\". US National Security Adviser Susan Rice told US television there had been extensive consultations with Congress in the past about getting Sgt Bergdahl back, and lawmakers knew about the idea of trading detainees. While hopeful the prisoner exchange could lead to a breakthrough in negotiations with the Taliban, Mr Hagel said getting Sgt Bergdahl back had been the priority. Mohammad Fazl served as the Taliban's deputy defence minister during America's military campaign in 2001. Accused of possible war crimes, including the murder of thousands of Shia Muslims. Khirullah Khairkhwa was a senior Taliban official serving as interior minister and governor of Herat, Afghanistan's third largest city. Alleged to have had direct links to Osama Bin Laden. Abdul Haq Wasiq was the Taliban's deputy minister of intelligence. Said to have been central in forming alliances with other Islamist groups to fight against US and coalition forces. Mullah Norullah Noori was a senior Taliban military commander and a governor. Also accused of being involved in the mass killings of Shia Muslims. Mohammad Nabi Omari held multiple Taliban leadership roles, including chief of security. Alleged to have been involved in attacks against US and coalition forces. President Obama said on Saturday that he had received security guarantees from Qatar - which mediated the deal and where the five Afghan men have been flown - \"that it will put in place measures to protect our national security\". Under the deal, they will be banned from leaving Qatar for at least a year. Sgt Bergdahl, of Hailey, Idaho, was serving with an infantry regiment in Paktika province near the Pakistani border and went missing on 30 June 2009, just months after being deployed to Afghanistan. The circumstances of his capture remain unclear, with speculation he may have walked away from his base out of disillusionment with the US campaign. US officials say any decision over possible desertion charges will be made by the army, but there is a feeling the soldier has suffered enough.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4448, "answer_start": 3578, "text": "Mohammad Fazl served as the Taliban's deputy defence minister during America's military campaign in 2001. Accused of possible war crimes, including the murder of thousands of Shia Muslims. Khirullah Khairkhwa was a senior Taliban official serving as interior minister and governor of Herat, Afghanistan's third largest city. Alleged to have had direct links to Osama Bin Laden. Abdul Haq Wasiq was the Taliban's deputy minister of intelligence. Said to have been central in forming alliances with other Islamist groups to fight against US and coalition forces. Mullah Norullah Noori was a senior Taliban military commander and a governor. Also accused of being involved in the mass killings of Shia Muslims. Mohammad Nabi Omari held multiple Taliban leadership roles, including chief of security. Alleged to have been involved in attacks against US and coalition forces." } ], "id": "9821_0", "question": "Who are the Guantanamo detainees?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Is something rather profound starting to happen to migration to and from the UK? Are we now seeing a Brexit effect in who wants to come, stay, or leave the country? First off, the headline. Net migration is estimated to have fallen by nearly a third to 230,000 in the year to June. That's 106,000 down on the year before the referendum - and it's the biggest decline since records began in 1964. The number of EU citizens coming to work in the UK still exceeds those who emigrate - but the rate has slowed in the last 12 months. However, there have been falls in net migration from the three key groups of EU nationals: - There were 30,000 fewer people from the \"EU 15\", which includes the wealthiest nations - A total of 34,000 fewer from the \"EU 8\" - which refers to the poorer central and eastern Europe members - There were falls in arrivals from Romania and Bulgaria - the \"EU 2\" - but statisticians don't consider it statistically significant, so it could easily rise again The UK suffered a small loss in population during the 1970s and part of the 1980s, as many people moved abroad looking for better conditions. As the UK has generally prospered, the process went into reverse: we began attracting people, rather than losing. So the UK has experienced more immigration than emigration since the early 1990s. That's coincided with both the growth of the UK and the falling of political barriers such as the Iron Curtain. But it's also been influenced by cuts in red tape that once prevented British companies easily picking and choosing from foreign workers. The second big spike occurred when 10 new and poorer nations joined the EU in 2004. The UK, unlike its key European competitor Germany, chose to allow these workers into our labour market despite having the right under EU rules to say no. There was another smaller jump in 2014 when Romania and Bulgaria finally joined the club. Be that as it may, the UK has been significantly changed by migration. For anyone who grew up in the 60s and 70s, mass migration tended to refer to people who came to the UK to work from south Asia and the Caribbean. Today, there are more EU nationals in the UK than from the rest of the world. The biggest group is from Poland - followed by Romania and Republic of Ireland. EU nations make up eight of the top 10. But is this now changing? Two specialist law firms that handle visas for major employers - Fragomen and Laura Devine Solicitors - say their clients are finding it harder to recruit the right people from abroad to fill skills gaps in their workforces. There is a fear that higher skilled workers are leaving - and that may be reflected in the increase in departures of citizens from the wealthiest EU nations. There are still more Europeans arriving than leaving - 107,000 to be exact - and the vast majority come to work, but their character is changing. Proportionally more of those arriving than before have a definite job already lined up. Fewer are coming over in the hope of finding work - the stereotypical Polish plumber who's been told by his friends there's good money to be made. And it appears other factors may also be at play. The European economies are growing - which means there are more opportunities at home than there were a decade ago. At the same time, the pound is weaker. Quite simply, if you are sending money home to your family - a key reason why many people migrate to work - it may not be worth it any more.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3447, "answer_start": 2338, "text": "Two specialist law firms that handle visas for major employers - Fragomen and Laura Devine Solicitors - say their clients are finding it harder to recruit the right people from abroad to fill skills gaps in their workforces. There is a fear that higher skilled workers are leaving - and that may be reflected in the increase in departures of citizens from the wealthiest EU nations. There are still more Europeans arriving than leaving - 107,000 to be exact - and the vast majority come to work, but their character is changing. Proportionally more of those arriving than before have a definite job already lined up. Fewer are coming over in the hope of finding work - the stereotypical Polish plumber who's been told by his friends there's good money to be made. And it appears other factors may also be at play. The European economies are growing - which means there are more opportunities at home than there were a decade ago. At the same time, the pound is weaker. Quite simply, if you are sending money home to your family - a key reason why many people migrate to work - it may not be worth it any more." } ], "id": "9822_0", "question": "Are we now seeing a Brexodus?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Police say they have shot dead a former policeman suspected of involvement in the murder of a prominent left-wing politician and campaigner in 2018. They say Adriano da Nobrega was killed after he fired on police officers trying to arrest him in north-eastern Bahia state. Mr Nobrega is said to have led a paramilitary group suspected of ordering the murder of Marielle Franco. Ms Franco, 38, and her driver were shot dead in Rio de Janeiro in March 2018. Ms Franco, an outspoken councillor, had been critical of the police's often deadly raids in densely populated shantytowns, or favelas, and denounced paramilitary groups run by retired and off-duty police known as milicias. Last year, two former police officers were arrested in connection with the murders. Bahia's state security agency issued a statement, saying Mr Nobrega was shot dead by police during a confrontation in the city of Esplanada on Sunday. \"At the moment of his arrest, he fired on officials and was wounded in the shootout. \"He was taken to a hospital but died as a result of his wounds,\" the statement said. Mr Nobrega's lawyer said he feared his client would be killed by police because he knew too much. Meanwhile, Ms Franco's Socialism and Liberty Party (PSOL) said they would be pressing for the circumstances of Mr Nobrega's death to be clarified. \"The militia he belonged to was suspected of being implicated in the assassination [of Ms Franco and her driver], and he was a key figure for shedding light on a series of crimes,\" the party said. Ms Franco, who grew up in a poor neighbourhood of Rio, was returning from an event encouraging black women's empowerment in central Rio on 14 March 2018 when a car drew up alongside hers and nine shots were fired. The two suspects arrested a year later were Ronnie Lessa, accused of being the gunman, and Elcio Vieira de Queiroz, the alleged driver. They both deny any involvement. Ms Franco was shot four times in the head, and three bullets hit her driver, Anderson Gomes. Ms Franco's press officer, who was sitting in the back seat of the car, was injured. Investigators say her killing was meticulously planned and carried out with unusual precision, which led them to believe her killers were highly trained.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1083, "answer_start": 763, "text": "Bahia's state security agency issued a statement, saying Mr Nobrega was shot dead by police during a confrontation in the city of Esplanada on Sunday. \"At the moment of his arrest, he fired on officials and was wounded in the shootout. \"He was taken to a hospital but died as a result of his wounds,\" the statement said." } ], "id": "9823_0", "question": "What do the authorities say?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1525, "answer_start": 1084, "text": "Mr Nobrega's lawyer said he feared his client would be killed by police because he knew too much. Meanwhile, Ms Franco's Socialism and Liberty Party (PSOL) said they would be pressing for the circumstances of Mr Nobrega's death to be clarified. \"The militia he belonged to was suspected of being implicated in the assassination [of Ms Franco and her driver], and he was a key figure for shedding light on a series of crimes,\" the party said." } ], "id": "9823_1", "question": "Has there been any reaction?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2239, "answer_start": 1526, "text": "Ms Franco, who grew up in a poor neighbourhood of Rio, was returning from an event encouraging black women's empowerment in central Rio on 14 March 2018 when a car drew up alongside hers and nine shots were fired. The two suspects arrested a year later were Ronnie Lessa, accused of being the gunman, and Elcio Vieira de Queiroz, the alleged driver. They both deny any involvement. Ms Franco was shot four times in the head, and three bullets hit her driver, Anderson Gomes. Ms Franco's press officer, who was sitting in the back seat of the car, was injured. Investigators say her killing was meticulously planned and carried out with unusual precision, which led them to believe her killers were highly trained." } ], "id": "9823_2", "question": "What's the case about?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Police in Sudan have fired tear gas at football fans demanding an end to President Omar al-Bashir's rule as protests spread across the country. Hundreds of demonstrators blocked a road near a football stadium in the capital, Khartoum, on Sunday before clashing with riot police. Opposition figures say 22 protesters have been killed since Wednesday, but officials say the figure is much lower. The protests erupted after bread and fuel price rises were announced. But they have escalated into calls for an end to Mr Bashir's 29-year rule. Over the past year, the cost of some goods has more than doubled, while overall inflation has risen to nearly 70%, the value of the Sudanese pound has fallen sharply and shortages have been reported in cities including Khartoum. Doctors embarked on a strike on Monday to increase pressure on Mr Bashir, who took power in a coup in 1989, the Associated Press news agency reports. Sunday's clashes happened as crowds of people spilled out of a football match in Khartoum. They blocked roads and chanted anti-government slogans before riot police fired tear gas in an attempt to disperse them. Earlier, footage on social media appeared to show continuing protests in a number of areas. The Central Sudanese Committee of Doctors said its members had seen protesters in hospitals with gunshot wounds and said there had been a number of deaths and injuries. On Saturday the authorities arrested 14 leaders of the National Consensus Forces, an opposition coalition, including the grouping's 85-year-old leader Farouk Abu Issa, a spokesman said. \"We demand their immediate release, and their arrest is an attempt by the regime to stop the street movements,\" spokesman Sadiq Youssef said. On Saturday Sadiq al-Mahdi, leader of the main opposition Umma party, condemned \"armed repression\" and said the protests were fuelled by the \"deteriorating situation\" in the country. He also called for Mr Bashir's government to agree a peaceful transfer of power or face a confrontation with the Sudanese people. \"It will be a losing confrontation for the regime, as it will increase its failures and closes its horizons,\" the Paris-based Sudan Tribune website quoted him as saying. Mr Mahdi - who was was prime minister from 1966 to 1967 and again from 1986 to 1989 - returned from almost a year in exile on Wednesday. His government was the last to be democratically elected in the country and was toppled in the coup launched by Mr Bashir, who has since been accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Sudan's western region of Darfur by the International Criminal Court. They started in the eastern town of Atbara, where demonstrators burned the offices of Mr Bashir's National Congress Party (NCP). Witnesses said that in some areas the military was not intervening and even appeared to be siding with the demonstrators. But in a statement on Sunday the military pledged loyalty to Mr Bashir and said it would safeguard the \"nation's security, safety along with its blood, honour and assets\". A presidential adviser, Faisal Hassan Ibrahim, said the protests were being directed by \"organised entities\", without giving further details. Demonstrations spread to Khartoum and its twin city Omdurman as well as other areas. On Saturday AFP quoted witnesses in Wad Madani, south-east of Khartoum, as saying police used tear gas and beat protesters calling for Mr Bashir to step down. In El Rahad, south-west of Khartoum, the NCP office and other administrative offices were set ablaze and protesters chanting \"no to hunger\" were tear-gassed, another witness said. Mr Bashir was accused of sponsoring terrorism by the US in the 1990s and Sudan was placed under a trade embargo. In 2011, South Sudan seceded from Sudan, taking with it three-quarters of the country's oil resources. That followed a civil war that claimed the lives of 1.5 million people. Meanwhile, the conflict in Darfur drove about two million people from their homes and killed more than 200,000. US sanctions were lifted in 2017 but there has been little improvement in the country's economy since.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1718, "answer_start": 918, "text": "Sunday's clashes happened as crowds of people spilled out of a football match in Khartoum. They blocked roads and chanted anti-government slogans before riot police fired tear gas in an attempt to disperse them. Earlier, footage on social media appeared to show continuing protests in a number of areas. The Central Sudanese Committee of Doctors said its members had seen protesters in hospitals with gunshot wounds and said there had been a number of deaths and injuries. On Saturday the authorities arrested 14 leaders of the National Consensus Forces, an opposition coalition, including the grouping's 85-year-old leader Farouk Abu Issa, a spokesman said. \"We demand their immediate release, and their arrest is an attempt by the regime to stop the street movements,\" spokesman Sadiq Youssef said." } ], "id": "9824_0", "question": "What is the latest?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2603, "answer_start": 1719, "text": "On Saturday Sadiq al-Mahdi, leader of the main opposition Umma party, condemned \"armed repression\" and said the protests were fuelled by the \"deteriorating situation\" in the country. He also called for Mr Bashir's government to agree a peaceful transfer of power or face a confrontation with the Sudanese people. \"It will be a losing confrontation for the regime, as it will increase its failures and closes its horizons,\" the Paris-based Sudan Tribune website quoted him as saying. Mr Mahdi - who was was prime minister from 1966 to 1967 and again from 1986 to 1989 - returned from almost a year in exile on Wednesday. His government was the last to be democratically elected in the country and was toppled in the coup launched by Mr Bashir, who has since been accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Sudan's western region of Darfur by the International Criminal Court." } ], "id": "9824_1", "question": "What is the opposition saying?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3592, "answer_start": 2604, "text": "They started in the eastern town of Atbara, where demonstrators burned the offices of Mr Bashir's National Congress Party (NCP). Witnesses said that in some areas the military was not intervening and even appeared to be siding with the demonstrators. But in a statement on Sunday the military pledged loyalty to Mr Bashir and said it would safeguard the \"nation's security, safety along with its blood, honour and assets\". A presidential adviser, Faisal Hassan Ibrahim, said the protests were being directed by \"organised entities\", without giving further details. Demonstrations spread to Khartoum and its twin city Omdurman as well as other areas. On Saturday AFP quoted witnesses in Wad Madani, south-east of Khartoum, as saying police used tear gas and beat protesters calling for Mr Bashir to step down. In El Rahad, south-west of Khartoum, the NCP office and other administrative offices were set ablaze and protesters chanting \"no to hunger\" were tear-gassed, another witness said." } ], "id": "9824_2", "question": "How did the protests begin?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4095, "answer_start": 3593, "text": "Mr Bashir was accused of sponsoring terrorism by the US in the 1990s and Sudan was placed under a trade embargo. In 2011, South Sudan seceded from Sudan, taking with it three-quarters of the country's oil resources. That followed a civil war that claimed the lives of 1.5 million people. Meanwhile, the conflict in Darfur drove about two million people from their homes and killed more than 200,000. US sanctions were lifted in 2017 but there has been little improvement in the country's economy since." } ], "id": "9824_3", "question": "Why is Sudan's economy in trouble?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Mexican football fans could hardly contain their joy when Hirving Lozano scored a goal against Germany in Mexico's opening game of the World Cup. Supporters of the team jumped into the air when the ball hit the net in the 35th minute. But did their jubilant stomping really cause an earthquake as some media have reported? A tweet from Mexico's Institute of Geological and Atmospheric Investigations would suggest so. The tweet by the institute, which monitors seismic activity, reads: \"Artificial quake in Mexico City due to celebration of goal by the Mexican team in the game against Germany during the 2018 World Cup in Russia.\" The image highlights the moment of the goal with a red rectangle on the seismogram. This shows localised shaking near the seismometer. The tweet then points readers to a more detailed blog post (in Spanish). The institute confirms that two of its seismometers local to celebrating fans picked up ground movement immediately after the winning goal against the defending champions. \"During the game, the Mexican team managed to score 35 minutes and seven seconds in, at this moment our monitoring systems detected a seismic movement with an acceleration of 37m/s2 picked up by at least two sensors inside Mexico City. These were very probably produced by the massive celebrations,\" the blog reads. The Institute of Geological and Atmospheric Investigations then goes on to clarify that \"such events are not at all big\". It points out that only very sensitive equipment located near celebrating crowds would pick up such activity. One of the main sites where fans gathered, Mexico City's Angel of Independence statue, is not far from one of the seismometers which registered the movement. On its blog, the Institute of Geological and Atmospheric Investigations makes it clear that such events cannot be felt by the general population. \"These [events] can't be measured in magnitudes, which is why they are not called quakes, or if they are, they have to be accompanied by the word 'artificial' to show clearly that it is not a geological event,\" the blog explains. Judge for yourself: Yes, a 1988 college American football game between Louisiana State University and Auburn was dubbed \"Earthquake Game\" after an LSU touchdown in the last minutes of the game caused fans in Tiger Stadium to erupt in such celebrations that it was picked up by a seismometer in the university's geosciences complex. A blip coinciding with the winning touchdown could be seen on the seismograph. More recently, Leicester City fans caused a tremor when they celebrated a last-minute goal against Norwich in 2016. As in Mexico City and at Louisiana State University, it was picked up by a seismometer installed near celebrating fans.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1717, "answer_start": 840, "text": "The institute confirms that two of its seismometers local to celebrating fans picked up ground movement immediately after the winning goal against the defending champions. \"During the game, the Mexican team managed to score 35 minutes and seven seconds in, at this moment our monitoring systems detected a seismic movement with an acceleration of 37m/s2 picked up by at least two sensors inside Mexico City. These were very probably produced by the massive celebrations,\" the blog reads. The Institute of Geological and Atmospheric Investigations then goes on to clarify that \"such events are not at all big\". It points out that only very sensitive equipment located near celebrating crowds would pick up such activity. One of the main sites where fans gathered, Mexico City's Angel of Independence statue, is not far from one of the seismometers which registered the movement." } ], "id": "9825_0", "question": "What really happened?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2093, "answer_start": 1718, "text": "On its blog, the Institute of Geological and Atmospheric Investigations makes it clear that such events cannot be felt by the general population. \"These [events] can't be measured in magnitudes, which is why they are not called quakes, or if they are, they have to be accompanied by the word 'artificial' to show clearly that it is not a geological event,\" the blog explains." } ], "id": "9825_1", "question": "Was it a quake or not?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2113, "answer_start": 2094, "text": "Judge for yourself:" } ], "id": "9825_2", "question": "How wild were the celebrations?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2740, "answer_start": 2114, "text": "Yes, a 1988 college American football game between Louisiana State University and Auburn was dubbed \"Earthquake Game\" after an LSU touchdown in the last minutes of the game caused fans in Tiger Stadium to erupt in such celebrations that it was picked up by a seismometer in the university's geosciences complex. A blip coinciding with the winning touchdown could be seen on the seismograph. More recently, Leicester City fans caused a tremor when they celebrated a last-minute goal against Norwich in 2016. As in Mexico City and at Louisiana State University, it was picked up by a seismometer installed near celebrating fans." } ], "id": "9825_3", "question": "Has something like this happened before?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "A report by the financial watchdog, which recommends no further action against Royal Bank of Scotland's controversial restructuring business, has been called a \"whitewash\". A group of MPs said the Financial Conduct Authority failed to find out whether the bank's management were involved in the group's activities. RBS's Global Restructuring Group has been accused of shutting healthy firms. The FCA said its conclusions were backed up by an independent report. However, MPs were highly critical of the regulator. \"This report is another complete whitewash and another demonstrable failure of the regulator to perform its role,\" said Kevin Hollinrake, the co-chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Fair Business Banking. Mr Hollinrake pointed out that the FCA was supposed to consider the root causes of the failures at RBS and whether they were known about, or authorised by RBS management. \"They have manifestly failed to do this,\" he said. Buried deep in today's final report by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), on page 69 is a quote that throws an interesting light on the decision by Andrew Bailey, chief executive of the regulator, not to take action against senior managers in charge of RBS Natwest's Global Restructuring Group (GRG) for the mistreatment of thousands of business customers. For many of them \"mistreated\" is a horrible understatement: they were ruined, losing just their livelihoods but often their homes, their marriages, and their physical or mental health. Not a few took their own lives. Page 69 refers to an unnamed senior manager who attended meetings with the Asset Protection Agency, the division of Her Majesty's Treasury in charge of supervising the Asset Protection Scheme. The APA oversaw the efforts of RBS to shrink the amount of lending it was doing, including by pulling the plug on loans to small business owners via GRG. The senior manager says the following: \"They [the APA] would have loved us to just flog a bunch of those SME customers for next to nothing and walk away.\" It also reveals that when the RBS senior manager argued the bank should minimise losses and maximise recoveries, a senior manager at the APA said the priority should instead be \"maximising net present value\". That's revealing because it means the APA didn't want RBS to support customers who weren't cash-positive for the bank - often through no fault of their own eg because they had a loan linked to base rate. Customers asking for time to trade themselves out of trouble wouldn't be given much chance. But this was a government agency saying this. It would be good to know names - but the FCA doesn't give them. The FCA said it had consulted independent experts who said its conclusions were \"correct and reasonable\". A review into the GRG turnaround unit published last year found it mistreated thousands of small firms. Some firms said they were undermined and stripped of their assets after they were transferred into the RBS division between 2008 and 2013. Nicky Morgan, chair of the Treasury Committee, which has also been looking into banking practices, said the FCA should now be given the power to regulate commercial lending to protect small companies (SMEs). \"The government should also reconsider its rejection of the committee's proposal for the introduction of a Financial Services Tribunal for SMEs to settle disputes with their bank,\" she said. Back in July, when an interim report was published, the regulator said its powers were \"very limited\". It argued there was no \"reasonable prospects of success\" when it came to action against senior managers. In today's report, the regulator said it found \"no evidence that any member of senior management was dishonest or lacking in integrity\". Mr Hollinrake said it is difficult to reconcile the FCA's findings with what happened, and called upon the FCA to publish a \"full account of its findings including naming those responsible for the shameful mistreatment of thousands\" of UK small businesses. RBS Chairman, Howard Davies, said: \"We welcome the conclusion of this investigation and the confirmation that no further action will be taken.\"", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3392, "answer_start": 2645, "text": "The FCA said it had consulted independent experts who said its conclusions were \"correct and reasonable\". A review into the GRG turnaround unit published last year found it mistreated thousands of small firms. Some firms said they were undermined and stripped of their assets after they were transferred into the RBS division between 2008 and 2013. Nicky Morgan, chair of the Treasury Committee, which has also been looking into banking practices, said the FCA should now be given the power to regulate commercial lending to protect small companies (SMEs). \"The government should also reconsider its rejection of the committee's proposal for the introduction of a Financial Services Tribunal for SMEs to settle disputes with their bank,\" she said." } ], "id": "9826_0", "question": "New tribunals?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Interrupted dinners, driveway confrontations, threatening leaflets. Donald Trump administration officials are increasingly facing harassment from liberals enraged by the president's words and actions. Is it a reflection of an increasingly acrimonious political environment, a sign that liberals are spinning out of control or a reasonable response by citizens faced with what some see as a historic national crisis and a president who critics say likes to stoke the fires of discord? It depends on who you ask and - in an increasing fractured US society - their partisan proclivities. The recent round of actions and reactions, accusations and recriminations, began last week when a group protesting against the administration's policy of separating undocumented migrant families at the border forced Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen to cut short a dinner in a Washington Mexican restaurant. There have been protests since the start of the Trump presidency, of course, but the audio recordings and first-person accounts of crying children and despondent parents have sent a shock of crackling anger through already frayed nerves of those on the left. A few days after the Nielsen incident, Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, an early Trump supporter, was chased out of a theatre by activists questioning her support for the administration's immigration and healthcare policies. The same night, in the western Virginia town of Lexington, the owner of an organic restaurant, the Red Hen, asked White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders to dine somewhere else. Ms Sanders, one of the most visible members of the Trump administration, complied. Stephanie Wilkinson would later tell the Washington Post that she decided to make the request because she and members of her restaurant staff viewed the Trump administration's policies towards gays, and immigrant families at the border as \"inhumane and unethical\". \"I'm not a huge fan of confrontation,\" she said. \"This feels like the moment in our democracy when people have to make uncomfortable actions and decisions to uphold their morals.\" One of the restaurant's waiters posted about the incident on Facebook, and Ms Sanders responded to media requests for comment with a tweet confirming - and condemning - the incident. The restaurant, the Red Hen, was inundated by a mix of threats and praise, and Ms Sanders reportedly will begin receiving US Secret Service security protection. Democratic congresswoman Maxine Waters, at a rally in California, applauded the restaurant confrontations - and encouraged more protests. \"The American people have put up with this president long enough,\" she said. \"If you see anybody from that Cabinet in a restaurant, in a department store, at a gasoline station, you get out and you create a crowd, and you push back on them!\" On Monday, Mr Trump entered the fray, tweeting about the Red Hen incident and calling into question the restaurant's cleanliness. He also issued what seemed like a thinly veiled warning to Ms Waters, adding that she is an \"extraordinarily low IQ person\". \"She has just called for harm to supporters, of which there are many, of the Make America Great Again movement,\" he wrote. \"Be careful what you wish for Max!\" Since then, protesters have demonstrated outside the apartment complex of Stephen Miller, a White House adviser considered one of the architects of Mr Trump's immigration policy, handing out \"wanted\" leaflets alluding to the family-separation practice and accusing him of being guilty of kidnapping children, \"crimes against humanity\", Islamophobia and promoting Nazism and white supremacy. Pro-immigration activists also shouted at Republican Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell at Georgetown University, before they were confronted by his wife, Trump administration Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao. By Thursday night, Mr Trump was leaning into the growing political conflagration, saying that the restaurant protesters \"really want anarchy\" and that his government would ensure \"really strong law and order\". It's Mr Trump's style, displayed on the campaign trail and in the White House, to never back down from a fight. A traditional role of the president has been to play mediator, not instigator - a force for civic reconciliation, not confrontation. This president, however, frequently finds strength in conflict, and he appears to sense that railing against enemies on the left could be a useful way to animate his political base. In tone and demeanour, the differences between Mr Trump and his predecessor have never seemed greater. In a fundraiser on Thursday night, Barack Obama told Democrats that his party needs to preach hope and unity in the forthcoming mid-term congressional election campaigns. \"The majority of the country doesn't want to see a dog-eat-dog world where everybody is angry all the time,\" he said. The confrontational nature of the recent protests and restaurant demonstrations has set off a debate, playing out on social media, television airwaves and newspaper opinion pages over whether American discourse is becoming unacceptably coarse. The Daily Beast's Matt Lewis called it the start of an \"Uncivil War\", where the each side of the political divide believes the other is \"evil and illegitimate\" - and acts accordingly. Barbara Perry, director of presidential studies at the University of Virginia's Miller Center, says that while things are bad, the current \"level of vitriol\" is far from unprecedented. She points to acrimony following the 2000 presidential race, which had to be resolved by the US Supreme Court, Vietnam War protests and civil rights upheaval in the 1960s and, of course, the real Civil War - the one resolved by bullets and cannons - as times when things were worse. America was founded in revolution and war, she notes, so confrontation and conflict are, in a way, hardwired into the nation's DNA. \"In the 1960s our leaders were being gunned down in the streets or at their political rallies,\" she says. \"Sarah Huckabee Sanders being asked to leave a restaurant, we're going to put that in the same category? No.\" If there's something that's different now, it's the ubiquity of social media and the immediacy that it gives every instance of confrontation and conflict. Where in the past, Perry says, an unpleasant restaurant episode might take days to make it into a newspaper or appear in a political memoir decades later, modern society means within hours the entire nation can be tuned in with outrage or approval. A November 2017 Marist poll confirmed that more Americans are feeling as though the \"overall tone and level of civility\" in Washington during the Trump presidency is getting worse (67%) rather than improving (6%). Dive a little deeper, however, and the partisan finger-pointing is on full display. When asked whether Republicans \"cross the line\" in terms of attacking the other side, 80% of Democrats say yes. When Republicans are asked about Democrats, fully 87% say their opponents go too far. A May CBS/YouGov survey may offer some hints about Mr Trump's appeal, with 78% of Republicans in battleground congressional districts saying they \"mostly like\" how Mr Trump upsets the \"elites and the establishment\". If confrontation is Mr Trump's brand, at least among Republicans it's a winning tactic. But do Democrats want that to be their brand, too? Within liberal ranks, a subsidiary debate is taking place over whether the strategy of aggressive confrontation is appropriate or a step too far, a needed escalation or a counterproductive effort. \"Hard to understand this argument that tossing [Ms Sanders] is somehow 'doing something' that will help elect Democrats, defeat Trump or change policy,\" tweets former Obama strategist David Axelrod. \"It won't.\" He calls it a \"total political gift\" to Mr Trump. Others groused at what they saw as a double standard being applied to the political left. \"The one-sided nature of the 'civility' debate - where only liberals are lectured about this, while Trump mocks disabled people and Gold Star families, but liberals are told to play nice - reminds me, as usual, of the dynamics of abuse,\" tweets Salon politics writer Amanda Marcotte. On Thursday afternoon, a man walked into an Annapolis, Maryland, newspaper office and killed five journalists. Although local police report the suspect had a long-running grudge with the publication, it wasn't long before that tragic event, too, was subsumed by political recriminations and accusations that opponents had created an environment for the violence. Many on the left pointed out that Mr Trump had repeatedly called journalists \"enemies of the American people\". Fox's Sean Hannity said Ms Waters' comments created a political atmosphere where such violence was more likely. In World War II, military conflict expanded into \"total war\" - where entire nations and peoples were mobilised and consumed in the flames of battle. There was no escape from the carnage. What US society now may be experiencing is total political war, where - thanks to media and technology - partisan discord is inescapable, whether in the corridors of power in Washington and theatres in Florida, the border with Mexico or restaurants in rural Virginia.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 8214, "answer_start": 7244, "text": "If confrontation is Mr Trump's brand, at least among Republicans it's a winning tactic. But do Democrats want that to be their brand, too? Within liberal ranks, a subsidiary debate is taking place over whether the strategy of aggressive confrontation is appropriate or a step too far, a needed escalation or a counterproductive effort. \"Hard to understand this argument that tossing [Ms Sanders] is somehow 'doing something' that will help elect Democrats, defeat Trump or change policy,\" tweets former Obama strategist David Axelrod. \"It won't.\" He calls it a \"total political gift\" to Mr Trump. Others groused at what they saw as a double standard being applied to the political left. \"The one-sided nature of the 'civility' debate - where only liberals are lectured about this, while Trump mocks disabled people and Gold Star families, but liberals are told to play nice - reminds me, as usual, of the dynamics of abuse,\" tweets Salon politics writer Amanda Marcotte." } ], "id": "9827_0", "question": "Playing nice?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "A former president of Maldives, who was in power for three decades, has been arrested at his home as a crackdown on the opposition intensifies. Maumoon Abdul Gayoom was detained after the government declared a 15-day state of emergency, suspending parliament and sending police to the Supreme Court. President Abdulla Yameen has refused to comply with a court order to release political prisoners. The army have been ordered to resist any move to impeach him. The court also ruled that the 2015 trial of another former President, Mohamed Nasheed, had been unconstitutional. Judges who were at the Supreme Court when police arrived have reportedly been held against their will overnight. Boris Johnson, foreign secretary of the UK, the former colonial power, called on President Yameen to lift the state of emergency. \"The damage being done to democratic institutions in Maldives and the sustained misuse of process in Parliament is deeply worrying,\" he said in a statement. The US National Security Council has warned in a tweet that \"the world is watching\" the Maldives, which has a population of 400,000 and depends on tourism to power its economy. Olivia Lang, BBC News Last week's Supreme Court ruling very much caught the government on the back foot but it had been difficult to see how they would manage to avoid implementing it in the face of domestic and international pressure. With drastic measures, it seems. President Yameen clearly saw a threat to his rule and is pulling no punches in fending off the challenge. The mood has turned from tense to fearful. More arrests are expected to take place overnight. Maldivians are passing around messages telling one another to \"be safe\". With many constitutional rights suspended, there is little protection. Now aged 80, he ruled the country autocratically before the Maldives became a multi-party democracy in 2008. A half-brother of current President Yameen, he has now aligned himself with the opposition. He was detained in a police raid on his home, the opposition says. Shortly before, he tweeted about a large police presence outside. In a video posted online the ex-president addresses his supporters (in Dhivehi), saying that he has not \"done anything to warrant arrest\" and urging them to \"remain strong\". There were judges inside the court when it was stormed but a court spokesman said he was unable to contact them. \"I just spoke to the Chief Justice and he told me that the gates of the Supreme Court [were] being stormed by the military,\" Husnu al-Suood, president of Maldives Bar Association and a former attorney general, told Reuters news agency late on Monday. \"He is inside and nobody can go out or come in. The emergency means the Supreme Court activities are suspended and nobody is in charge of the judiciary.\" A Supreme Court spokesperson told local media that security forces were holding all the judges against their will. Mr Nasheed, the island nation's first democratically elected leader, was convicted under anti-terrorism laws of ordering the arrest of a judge and sentenced to 13 years in prison. However the verdict was internationally condemned and he was given political asylum in the UK the following year after being allowed to travel there for medical treatment. The Supreme Court also ordered the reinstatement of 12 MPs, which would see the opposition's parliamentary majority restored. It sacked the police commissioner for pledging to enforce the ruling and ordered the detention of two opposition MPs who had returned to the Maldives. The Maldives previously declared a state of emergency in November 2015, after the government said it was investigating a plot to assassinate Mr Yameen. That move came two days before a planned protest by Mr Nasheed's Maldivian Democratic Party. Mr Nasheed, who is in exile in Sri Lanka, told BBC News that the government's \"brazenly illegal\" actions amounted to a coup. \"Maldivians have had enough of this criminal and illegal regime,\" he said. \"President Yameen should resign immediately.\" An opposition MP, Eva Abdulla, said the state of emergency was a \"desperate move\" that showed the government had \"lost everything [including the] confidence of the people and institutions\". Breathtakingly beautiful beaches and breathtakingly expensive luxury hotels, says the BBC's South Asia correspondent Justin Rowlatt. The nation is made up of 26 coral atolls and 1,192 individual islands. But while the water of the coral reefs that surround them may be crystal clear, politics in the \"island paradise\" has always been very murky indeed, our correspondent adds. Since President Yameen took power in 2013 the country has faced questions over freedom of speech, the detention of opponents and the independence of the judiciary. Have you been affected by recent events? 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": 2271, "answer_start": 1764, "text": "Now aged 80, he ruled the country autocratically before the Maldives became a multi-party democracy in 2008. A half-brother of current President Yameen, he has now aligned himself with the opposition. He was detained in a police raid on his home, the opposition says. Shortly before, he tweeted about a large police presence outside. In a video posted online the ex-president addresses his supporters (in Dhivehi), saying that he has not \"done anything to warrant arrest\" and urging them to \"remain strong\"." } ], "id": "9828_0", "question": "How important is Mr Gayoom?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3778, "answer_start": 3383, "text": "It sacked the police commissioner for pledging to enforce the ruling and ordered the detention of two opposition MPs who had returned to the Maldives. The Maldives previously declared a state of emergency in November 2015, after the government said it was investigating a plot to assassinate Mr Yameen. That move came two days before a planned protest by Mr Nasheed's Maldivian Democratic Party." } ], "id": "9828_1", "question": "How else has the government responded to the court ruling?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4214, "answer_start": 3779, "text": "Mr Nasheed, who is in exile in Sri Lanka, told BBC News that the government's \"brazenly illegal\" actions amounted to a coup. \"Maldivians have had enough of this criminal and illegal regime,\" he said. \"President Yameen should resign immediately.\" An opposition MP, Eva Abdulla, said the state of emergency was a \"desperate move\" that showed the government had \"lost everything [including the] confidence of the people and institutions\"." } ], "id": "9828_2", "question": "How has the opposition reacted?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4755, "answer_start": 4215, "text": "Breathtakingly beautiful beaches and breathtakingly expensive luxury hotels, says the BBC's South Asia correspondent Justin Rowlatt. The nation is made up of 26 coral atolls and 1,192 individual islands. But while the water of the coral reefs that surround them may be crystal clear, politics in the \"island paradise\" has always been very murky indeed, our correspondent adds. Since President Yameen took power in 2013 the country has faced questions over freedom of speech, the detention of opponents and the independence of the judiciary." } ], "id": "9828_3", "question": "What is the Maldives better known for?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "India's Supreme Court has said women can no longer be barred from entering the Sabarimala temple, considered to be one of the holiest for Hindus. The temple in Kerala barred women of a \"menstruating age\" - defined as between the ages of 10 and 50 - from entering. Menstruating women are not allowed to participate in religious rituals or enter temples, as they are considered \"unclean\" in Hinduism. The ruling came after a petition argued the custom violated gender equality. While most Hindu temples allow women to enter as long as they are not menstruating, the Sabarimala temple is unusual in that it is one of a few temples that does not allow women in the broad age group to enter at all. Millions of devotees visit Sabarimala every year. In the judgment Chief Justice Dipak Misra said that \"religion is for one dignity and identity\", adding that \"the right to practise religion is available to both men and women\". The impending retirement of Justice Misra has seen a flurry of historic liberal rulings from the court in recent days, including the striking down of colonial-era laws that criminalised adultery and gay sex. Justice Misra, who will retire on Tuesday, was heading a five-judge bench which gave a 4-1 verdict. The BBC's Soutik Biswas says such a stream of judgements leading up to a judge's retirement in the top court is not unusual. \"But what it also underlines is that the 25 judges of the court are some of the most overworked in the world - one study found that a single Supreme Court judge, during his tenure over four to six years, hears some 6,000 cases alone,\" our correspondent adds. Indu Malhotra, the only woman judge on the bench, dissented with the majority verdict. \"Issues of deep religious sentiments should not be ordinarily interfered by the court... Notions of rationality cannot be invoked in matters of religion,\" she said in her dissenting opinion. Analysis by Geeta Pandey, BBC News For centuries, temples and shrines have cited tradition to keep women out and their managements, dominated mostly by patriarchal men, have used menstruation to keep female devotees away. But in recent years, they have faced an unprecedented challenge from women's groups. Friday's order, which accepts womens' right to worship at Sabarimala, is expected to help remove some of the stigma associated with periods. The order has not come as a surprise - Chief Justice Dipak Misra had previously questioned the validity of the practice, saying that since God does not discriminate between genders, who are we to do that? Also, in the past two years, courts have unlocked the gates of Shani Shingnapur temple and Haji Ali mosque for women. Three years ago, the Sabarimala temple chief said he would allow women to enter the shrine only after a scanner was invented to detect if they were \"pure\"- meaning they weren't menstruating. Today, the judges have told him that we won't be needing that scanner anymore. The state government of Kerala had opposed the entry of women when the case was first taken up in 2016. However it changed its stance in a recent hearing to support the petitioners instead. At a hearing in July, petitioners argued that this custom violated equality guaranteed under India's constitution. They added that it was prejudiced against women and their right to worship. But supporters of the ban argued that the practice had been in effect for centuries, and there was no need to change it now. The campaign to repeal the ban on women entering the temple gathered momentum in 2016 after a protest by female students. One of the protesters also started a #HappyToBleed campaign on Facebook against \"sexist attitudes\", which received support from different parts of the country. Nikita Azad, who started the campaign, told the BBC this is a historic judgement. \"It will have a large impact since the Supreme Court has destigmatised menstruation and upheld equality over religion,\" she said. This is the third religious site in India where women have gained the right to enter through judicial intervention. Courts directed authorities of the Hindu temple Shani Shingapur and the Muslim Haji Ali shrine, both in the western state of Maharashtra, to allow women inside. Sabarimala is one of the most prominent Hindu temples in the country. Millions of devotees from all over the world visit the temple to seek blessings. To enter the temple, pilgrims have to climb 18 holy steps. According to the temple's website, the act of crossing these 18 steps is so sacred that no pilgrim can climb them without undertaking a rigorous 41-day fast. Devotees are also supposed to follow specific rituals before they enter the shrine. Some of them include pilgrims wearing only black or blue and not being allowed to shave until the completion of their pilgrimage. As part of the ritual, they also smear sandalwood paste on their foreheads.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4866, "answer_start": 4209, "text": "Sabarimala is one of the most prominent Hindu temples in the country. Millions of devotees from all over the world visit the temple to seek blessings. To enter the temple, pilgrims have to climb 18 holy steps. According to the temple's website, the act of crossing these 18 steps is so sacred that no pilgrim can climb them without undertaking a rigorous 41-day fast. Devotees are also supposed to follow specific rituals before they enter the shrine. Some of them include pilgrims wearing only black or blue and not being allowed to shave until the completion of their pilgrimage. As part of the ritual, they also smear sandalwood paste on their foreheads." } ], "id": "9829_0", "question": "What is the significance of the Sabarimala temple?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Photographer Pedrinho Fonseca is determined to bring up his young son Joao as a feminist, in contrast to the intense chauvinism he himself witnessed as a child in his home region in Brazil. He tells BBC's 100 Women about what influences made him change course, and how he tries to help Joao move away from perceptions fostered by an entrenched culture. I come from a very sexist place. I was born in the north-east of Brazil - a poor region that absorbed what was worst during the time of Portuguese colonial rule: the concept of domination. We were populated by white and wealthy men who enslaved Africans and left us a legacy that relationships should be ruled by this logic. Men from this area have grown up with the notion that they are owners; they have possessions, which can be land or other human beings, especially women. Thus they are responsible for bringing home the money, but no affection. And women are expected to serve them. Centuries later, we are still growing up getting this same information that we can do anything - and that women exist to please us only. This twisted scenery has built generations of complete sexism. But many years later, with the arrival of my son, Joao, I realised that I needed to be a point of reference for him, completely different from the men I had known as a child, so he could grow up with another perception of the world. Have you seen the beginning of a river? It is tiny. There is no water flow, nothing to show that this small puddle will eventually be defined by a course, miles away, as an abundant river. Every river is, in its essence, a surprise for those who follow it. Suddenly it has crossed rocks, poured through valleys, sculpted green banks, jumped through waterfalls, wet the feet of women washing their family's clothes. This is what it is like to watch a child grow up. The men, the providers, fold their arms, ignoring the most simple human tasks such as cleaning the house, making the bed, cooking, washing the dishes, watering the plants, shopping for groceries. Their duty is to walk away in the morning, work to bring back some money, come back to sleep, and the next day, start all over again. This pattern is the norm for many generations, even the current one, particularly in north-eastern Brazil. I was raised in this atmosphere. And this was the template I was used to. It never occurred to me to question it because it is such an entrenched part of the culture, a symbol of historic domination ruled by the idea that women exist to serve. My course, my natural perception of this world where men have a voice, and women do not, was interrupted by the birth of my first child. Suddenly here was someone who might follow the pre-established course for a Brazilian man - but I couldn't allow him to do that. Now, there was another man in my house, and his arrival brought the possibility of change, for both him and me. BBC 100 Women names 100 influential and inspirational women around the world every year. We create documentaries, features and interviews about their lives, giving more space for stories that put women at the centre. We want YOU to get involved with your comments, views and ideas. You can find us on: Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Snapchat, and YouTube. Spread the word by sharing your favourite posts and your own stories using #100women Other stories you might like: 'I married a man to keep my girlfriend' 'Adults are so obsessed with children they have no time for important things' Who is on the BBC's 100 Women 2016 list? - Invite him to wash the dishes with you. Then, you can clean the house (including the bathroom!). And, later I think you'll like cooking together. It is fun and probably will make your son understand there should be no gender issue when you're taking care of your own home. - Play football with him and his friends - don't forget to invite the girls to play with you! - If you're the father, never, never, never interrupt your son's mum when she's talking - it's important for him to follow your example. - And, please: tell your son, day after day, there is no reason to think women like violence. They don't. In fact no-one does. I, who had never previously appreciated the role of my mother in my life, started to see her in another way. She had virtually raised me by herself, played all the parts: she worked all day long, but also took care of me all the time, cooked, gave me love, and soothed my small childhood and adolescence pains. I, who had never understood that a partnership could have a political and ethical dimension and that I could fight for gender equality, discovered even more about women's power through my wife, Lua. And listening to her voice inside the house and outside in the world, defending women's potential, Joao can start to follow a course I didn't. I understood that it is impossible to achieve social sexual equality unless we start with how we treat our children. And when I show him my affection and love, when we share household chores between the whole family (Joao has two younger sisters), when he realises that the norm should be to respect women's voices and bodies, I feel that he can observe the world from a new place. Not somewhere that I, nor a huge portion of my generation, came from, but definitely where we must go. Does Joao ever say anything sexist? Yes - it happens when he is distracted. He is a young child who is still hit by sexist values. For example, he told us that during a school break all the pupils ran to the playground to play football. When they got there, the boys told the girls they should find something else to do. He brought up this story during dinner - because, according to him, he \"felt he had done something wrong, but did not know what\". We talked and told him that the mistake was to try and decide for the girls what THEY should do and to assume that playing football could not be a 'girl thing'. We talked, he listened, asked questions and the next day when he got home from school, told us he had apologised to the girls for what had happened. All photographs: Pedrinho Fonseca", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3529, "answer_start": 2899, "text": "BBC 100 Women names 100 influential and inspirational women around the world every year. We create documentaries, features and interviews about their lives, giving more space for stories that put women at the centre. We want YOU to get involved with your comments, views and ideas. You can find us on: Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Snapchat, and YouTube. Spread the word by sharing your favourite posts and your own stories using #100women Other stories you might like: 'I married a man to keep my girlfriend' 'Adults are so obsessed with children they have no time for important things' Who is on the BBC's 100 Women 2016 list?" } ], "id": "9830_0", "question": "What is 100 women?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Hawaii has become the first US state to pass a bill banning the sale of any sunscreens that have chemicals known to harm coral reefs. The bill bars the sale of sunscreens containing chemicals oxybenzone and octinoxate, which some scientists say contribute to coral bleaching. The chemicals are used in over 3,500 of the most popular sunscreen products. The bill, which would take effect in 2021, now awaits the signature of Democratic Governor David Ige. Democratic Senator Mike Gabbard introduced the bill, which proposes to end the sale of any non-prescription sunscreens containing oxybenzone and octinoxate, statewide. Mr Gabbard told the Honolulu Star Advertiser that if the governor signs the bill, it would become \"a first-in-the-world law\". \"Hawaii is definitely on the cutting edge by banning these dangerous chemicals in sunscreens,\" Mr Gabbard said. \"This will make a huge difference in protecting our coral reefs, marine life, and human health.\" The bill states that the chemicals kill developing coral, increase coral bleaching and cause \"genetic damage to coral and other marine organisms\". Craig Downs, one of the co-authors of the main study showing the adverse effects of oxybenzone and octinoxate on reefs, told the Washington Post in 2015 that \"any small effort to reduce oxybenzone pollution could mean that a coral reef survives a long, hot summer, or that a degraded area recovers\". The scholarly journal Nature noted that other reef scientists were unsure that banning sunscreens would have a big impact. \"Banning sunscreen will not solve other problems: for example, temperature anomalies, overfishing, coral predators and the big issue of coastal runoffs that pollute and destroy reefs,\" Jorg Wiedenmann, head of the Coral Reef Laboratory at the University of Southampton in the UK told Nature. \"But if you have places with a high load of tourists going in, it is not unreasonable to stay cautious and say, 'Yes, there may be additive effects.'\" Hawaii's waters see more than eight million tourists each year, and the visitor numbers have been increasing. Mr Downs' study, published in the Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology journal, found that an estimated 12,000 metric tonnes of sunscreen end up washing into coral reefs. The Office of Hawaiian Affairs, a public agency advocating for Native Hawaiians, has supported the bill, along with a number of environmental nonprofits. Only four Republican representatives opposed the bill in the House, but several local associations and companies have also spoken out against it. The Star Advertiser reported that Bayer, the company that manufactures Coppertone sunscreen, said there are no similar ingredients available in the US with the same effectiveness as oxybenzone. The Hawaii Medical Association told the newspaper that it disagreed with the bill due to a lack of peer-reviewed evidence suggesting that sunscreen caused coral bleaching, while plenty of evidence shows that sunscreen protects from skin cancer. The governor has not indicated whether he will sign the bill. \"The world was watching. We delivered,\" wrote Senator Will Espero on Twitter, when the senate passed the bill.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2269, "answer_start": 1105, "text": "Craig Downs, one of the co-authors of the main study showing the adverse effects of oxybenzone and octinoxate on reefs, told the Washington Post in 2015 that \"any small effort to reduce oxybenzone pollution could mean that a coral reef survives a long, hot summer, or that a degraded area recovers\". The scholarly journal Nature noted that other reef scientists were unsure that banning sunscreens would have a big impact. \"Banning sunscreen will not solve other problems: for example, temperature anomalies, overfishing, coral predators and the big issue of coastal runoffs that pollute and destroy reefs,\" Jorg Wiedenmann, head of the Coral Reef Laboratory at the University of Southampton in the UK told Nature. \"But if you have places with a high load of tourists going in, it is not unreasonable to stay cautious and say, 'Yes, there may be additive effects.'\" Hawaii's waters see more than eight million tourists each year, and the visitor numbers have been increasing. Mr Downs' study, published in the Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology journal, found that an estimated 12,000 metric tonnes of sunscreen end up washing into coral reefs." } ], "id": "9831_0", "question": "What do scientists say?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "China is attempting to \"meddle\" in the forthcoming US mid-term elections, President Donald Trump told world leaders during a UN meeting. \"They don't want me or us to win because I am the first president to ever challenge China on trade,\" Mr Trump said on Wednesday. Mr Trump did not offer proof for his claim. China and the US have been in a battle over tariffs since his election. China's foreign minister denounced the \"unwarranted accusation\". The US congressional mid-terms are due to be held on 6 November. Opening the UN Security Council meeting in New York, which was held to discuss countering nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, Mr Trump accused China of trying to interfere, without providing specific evidence. \"Regrettably, we found that China has been attempting to interfere in our upcoming 2018 election, coming up in November, against my administration,\" he said. \"They do not want me or us to win because I am the first president ever to challenge China on trade. And we are winning on trade, we are winning at every level. \"We don't want them to meddle or interfere in our upcoming election.\" In response, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told the council that \"China has all along followed the principle of non-interference in other countries' domestic affairs.\" \"This is a tradition of Chinese foreign policy.\" He continued: \"We did not and will not interfere in any countries' domestic affairs. We refuse to accept any unwarranted accusations against China.\" Mr Trump later took to Twitter to post photographs of newspaper extracts which he described as Chinese \"propaganda\". When asked at a press conference if he had any evidence of Chinese interference, he said he could not divulge the proof but it would emerge. The United States is now making increasingly clear that it regards China as another threat to American democracy and freedoms, alongside Russia, North Korea and Iran. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said that America's intelligence community, as well as the FBI and others, are working on countering what he calls \"malintent\". Administration officials believe the Chinese are particularly skilled in dark cyber arts, up to and including the intimidation of all opposition. In their view, that extends to targeting Chinese students and teachers in the US who simply make clear they are enjoying their experiences. The White House is now alleging that China has crossed a line into outright interference in America's democratic process too, attempting to turn Donald Trump's key supporters, including farmers, against him. But in the midst of a spreading trade war between the two powers, the Chinese reject all this as baseless nonsense, insisting that's it's quite right they should be allowed to argue the benefits of US-China trade. It is not the first time someone in the Trump administration has commented on alleged Chinese election meddling. In an interview last month, US National Security Adviser John Bolton said Russia, North Korea, Iran, and China are all potentially planning to meddle in US elections. \"I can say definitively that it's a sufficient national security concern about Chinese meddling, Iranian meddling and North Korean meddling that we're taking steps to try to prevent it, so it's all four of those countries, really,\" Mr Bolton told ABC News. On Tuesday Dan Coats, the US Director of National Intelligence, warned a cyber conference about China's online activities, and described Chinese President Xi Jinping has been \"among the most active foreign states conducting cyber activities against United States interests\". \"The Chinese government uses all of the capabilities at their disposal to influence US policies, spread propaganda, manipulate the media and pressure individuals, including students, critical of Chinese policies,\" he said. Mr Trump has himself previously claimed on his Twitter feed that China \"are actively trying to impact and change our election by attacking our farmers, ranchers and industrial workers because of their loyalty to me\". \"China has been taking advantage of the United States on trade for many years. They also know that I am the one that knows how to stop it,\" Mr Trump tweeted on 18 September. The US president has been in an escalating trade dispute with China in recent months. Earlier in September, Mr Trump directed officials to impose tariffs on $200bn (PS151bn) in Chinese goods - the latest move to combat what the US says are China's unfair trade practices, such as state subsidies. The new duties would add to tariffs the US has already imposed on $50bn in Chinese goods as part of that dispute, as well as tariffs that China levied on $50bn in US goods in retaliation. In July, the Trump administration introduced a $12bn (PS9.1bn) bailout plan to help farmers whose businesses have hurt by China adding reciprocal levies on products like soybeans. Military relations have also taken a turn after Washington slapped sanctions on the Chinese military for buying weapons equipment from Russia, as punishment for the country's \"malign activities\". US intelligence agencies have concluded that Russia sought to interfere in the 2016 presidential election in order to help Mr Trump's campaign. In response, Beijing recalled a navy chief from a visit to the US and postponed military talks. They also blocked a US Navy ship from docking in Hong Kong.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5368, "answer_start": 4208, "text": "The US president has been in an escalating trade dispute with China in recent months. Earlier in September, Mr Trump directed officials to impose tariffs on $200bn (PS151bn) in Chinese goods - the latest move to combat what the US says are China's unfair trade practices, such as state subsidies. The new duties would add to tariffs the US has already imposed on $50bn in Chinese goods as part of that dispute, as well as tariffs that China levied on $50bn in US goods in retaliation. In July, the Trump administration introduced a $12bn (PS9.1bn) bailout plan to help farmers whose businesses have hurt by China adding reciprocal levies on products like soybeans. Military relations have also taken a turn after Washington slapped sanctions on the Chinese military for buying weapons equipment from Russia, as punishment for the country's \"malign activities\". US intelligence agencies have concluded that Russia sought to interfere in the 2016 presidential election in order to help Mr Trump's campaign. In response, Beijing recalled a navy chief from a visit to the US and postponed military talks. They also blocked a US Navy ship from docking in Hong Kong." } ], "id": "9832_0", "question": "How are US-China relations?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Russian President Vladimir Putin has rounded on US critics of his summit with President Donald Trump. Certain forces in the US wanted to sacrifice US-Russian ties for their \"narrow party interests\", he told a meeting of Russian diplomats in Moscow. \"They are feeding millions of their people stories,\" he said. Mr Trump contradicted US intelligence agencies on Monday when he backed away from blaming Russia for meddling in the 2016 election, provoking condemnation. He later said he had misspoken at the summit. In his comments, Mr Putin said the meeting had been \"successful and has led to useful agreements\". \"Of course, it remains to be seen how the situation will develop, especially given that certain forces in America are trying to belittle and undermine the results of the meeting,\" he added. During an interview with CBS News on Wednesday, Mr Trump said he held Mr Putin personally responsible for interfering in the election, and that he was \"very strong on the fact that we can't have meddling\". On Thursday, Mr Trump accused opponents of preferring to go to war rather than seeing good relations with Russia. In a series of tweets he said he was keen to meet Mr Putin again. US special counsel Robert Mueller is currently investigating allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and whether there was collusion among the Trump campaign team, something denied by both. By Vitaliy Shevchenko, BBC Monitoring Donald Trump's apparent U-turn may have come as a shock to some, but not to Russia. It fits perfectly the Kremlin's media narrative: the US president genuinely wants to mend ties with Russia, but is facing fierce opposition from the political mainstream. \"The deep state has literally leapt into action after the Helsinki summit,\" says official TV channel Rossiya 1. According to state-run Channel One, Trump has become \"the target of persecution with a vengeance\" in the US, and therefore had to reverse his remarks on alleged Russian meddling. Gazprom's NTV uses an old Russian saying about a man trying to catch a bird that has flown. The implication is clear: you said Russia never meddled, and it is too late to change that now. And St Petersburg-based Channel Five wonders: \"Is Trump under hypnosis?\" The White House is facing further criticism for not ruling out a Russian proposal to question US citizens accused by the Kremlin of \"illegal activities\". One of those being sought by Russia is former US ambassador to Moscow Michael McFaul, but allowing him to be questioned would breach the legal immunity normally granted to a country's foreign service. Politicians from both sides of the US political divide have rubbished the idea - one Democrat congressman called the suggestion \"crazy\". FBI director Christopher Wray also dismissed it, saying \"it's certainly not high on our list of investigative techniques\". Democrats want a subpoena issued for the notes of a state department translator who accompanied Mr Trump to his two-hour meeting with Mr Putin. The two leaders met privately at the summit with only their interpreters present. But there is little Democrats can do in the Republican-controlled Congress. On Thursday, California representative Adam Schiff said his proposal to legally demand the translator's notes was rejected. Meanwhile, a non-binding Senate resolution introduced by Jeff Flake, a Republican, and Chris Coons, a Democrat, was blocked, too. House Democrats are touting a bill to \"hold Russia accountable, strengthen our election security and bolster our alliances\", but it is likely to face strong headwinds. Much of the outrage stemmed from one comment Mr Trump made when he appeared alongside Mr Putin on Monday. During a news conference, Mr Trump was asked whether he believed US intelligence agencies' conclusions or Mr Putin about whether Russia had meddled. According to a White House transcript, he said: \"I will say this: I don't see any reason why it would be.\" Amid outcry, the following day he said he had misspoken. Despite the controversy, Republican voters seem to be sticking by Mr Trump, with a Reuters/Ipsos poll this week finding that his Finland summit had no real impact on his overall approval ratings.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4206, "answer_start": 3592, "text": "Much of the outrage stemmed from one comment Mr Trump made when he appeared alongside Mr Putin on Monday. During a news conference, Mr Trump was asked whether he believed US intelligence agencies' conclusions or Mr Putin about whether Russia had meddled. According to a White House transcript, he said: \"I will say this: I don't see any reason why it would be.\" Amid outcry, the following day he said he had misspoken. Despite the controversy, Republican voters seem to be sticking by Mr Trump, with a Reuters/Ipsos poll this week finding that his Finland summit had no real impact on his overall approval ratings." } ], "id": "9833_0", "question": "What has President Trump said?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The Duchess of Sussex's father, Thomas Markle, will testify if asked to in the court case against Meghan, the duchess' half sister has said. Samantha Markle - Mr Markle's daughter from his first marriage - told the BBC: \"If he is called, he will come.\" New court documents in the case between Meghan and the Mail on Sunday show the paper will use evidence from Mr Markle. No date has been set for a hearing in the case, which centres on a private letter Meghan wrote to him. Meghan accuses the paper of misusing her private information, breaching copyright and selective editing. The Mail on Sunday rejects the claims and says there was \"huge and legitimate\" public interest in publishing the note. Documents submitted to the High Court by the paper laying out its defence show much of the evidence it could rely upon comes from Mr Markle. He was at the centre of controversy in the lead up to Meghan's marriage to Prince Harry in May 2018. The documents include text messages sent from Mr Markle to his daughter before the wedding. \"The fact that so much of the evidence appears to come directly from him and that he appears to be co-operating with the paper presents at least the possibility of him being called to testify in court against his own daughter,\" BBC reporter John Donnison said. The Daily Mail, the Mail on Sunday's sister paper, reported on Wednesday that Mr Markle was \"expected to be called as a key witness\" in the case. The newspaper has given what BBC royal correspondent Jonny Dymond describes as a \"very robust\" response to Meghan's claims. The paper argues in legal documents that members of the Royal Family, including the duchess, \"rely on publicity about themselves and their lives in order to maintain the privileged positions they hold and promote themselves\". It said the duchess \"did not have a reasonable expectation of privacy that the contents of the letter were private and would remain so\". \"There is a huge and legitimate public interest in the Royal Family and the activities, conduct and standards of behaviour of its members,\" it said. \"This extends not merely to their public conduct, but to their personal and family relationships because those are integral to the proper functioning of the monarchy.\" As evidence that it did not infringe her privacy, the paper says the letter was \"immaculately copied\" in Meghan's \"elaborate handwriting\", arguing that this care in its presentation meant she anticipated it would be seen and read by a wider audience. The 44-page legal filing by the Mail on Sunday aims to tackle the duchess' claims one by one: - Meghan claimed she had not courted publicity for her relationship with her father - but the paper says she has not denied authorising her friends to speak about it for an article in a US magazine - The duchess said publishing the letter breached her copyright - but the Mail on Sunday says it was not a protected \"original literary work\" but a recounting of existing facts - Meghan said it infringed her data rights - but the newspaper says the data was not sensitive and concerned topics she had put in the public domain - Accused of selective editing - the Mail on Sunday says the extracts it released accurately conveyed the tone, content and meaning of the letter. In October, law firm Schillings, acting for the duchess, filed a High Court claim against the Mail on Sunday and its parent company Associated Newspapers over the alleged misuse of private information, infringement of copyright and breach of the Data Protection Act 2018. At the time, Harry said he and his wife were forced to take action against \"relentless propaganda\". Referring to his late mother Diana, Princess of Wales, he said: \"I lost my mother and now I watch my wife falling victim to the same powerful forces.\" The legal proceedings are being funded privately by the couple and any proceeds will be donated to an anti-bullying charity. Mr Markle was invited to the royal couple's 2018 wedding but had to pull out because he needed heart surgery. In the run up to the big day, he became embroiled in a controversy over reports he had staged paparazzi photos of himself in wedding-related activities, such as being measured for a new suit. In December that year, he told ITV he had not spoken to his daughter since she married Harry. The documents submitted by the Mail on Sunday say a text message days before the wedding signed \"Love M and H\" admonished Mr Markle for talking to the press. And that he replied: \"...I'm sorry my heart attack [is an] inconvenience for you.\" Meghan returned to Canada to be with her son Archie last week. The duchess visited a women's centre in Vancouver on Tuesday, in her first public appearance since she and Prince Harry said they would \"step back\" as full-time royals. The Downtown Eastside Women's Centre posted a photograph of the duchess with staff and visitors on Facebook, with the caption \"Look who we had tea with today\". Her visit was \"to discuss issues affecting women in the community\", the group added. The visit provides a sense of what the family's future may be like in Canada, following their decision to split their time between the Commonwealth country and the UK. Prince Harry is expected to join Meghan and Archie in Canada at a later date - he is due to attend an official event at Buckingham Palace on Thursday. He has been posting on the couple's Instagram page - announcing that venue for the 2022 Invictus Games - the sporting event he founded for injured service personnel and veterans, which will be held in Dusseldorf, Germany. Meanwhile, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have made their first joint engagement since Prince Harry and Meghan's decision to \"step back\". William and Kate were greeted by cheers from several hundred well-wishers on Centenary Square, Bradford, on a visit to the 19th-century City Hall. Details of the Mail on Sunday's defence come as the Royal Family seeks to redefine the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's role after the pair issued their surprise statement a week ago. The Queen, the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Cambridge, and Prince Harry met at Sandringham on Monday to discuss the couple's future. In a statement released later, the Queen said discussions had been \"very constructive\" and that final decisions will \"be reached in the coming days\". Yes - it is not the first time the royals have taken legal action against the press. In 2017, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were awarded PS92,000 (100,000 euros) in damages after French magazine Closer printed topless pictures of the duchess in 2012.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2494, "answer_start": 1440, "text": "The newspaper has given what BBC royal correspondent Jonny Dymond describes as a \"very robust\" response to Meghan's claims. The paper argues in legal documents that members of the Royal Family, including the duchess, \"rely on publicity about themselves and their lives in order to maintain the privileged positions they hold and promote themselves\". It said the duchess \"did not have a reasonable expectation of privacy that the contents of the letter were private and would remain so\". \"There is a huge and legitimate public interest in the Royal Family and the activities, conduct and standards of behaviour of its members,\" it said. \"This extends not merely to their public conduct, but to their personal and family relationships because those are integral to the proper functioning of the monarchy.\" As evidence that it did not infringe her privacy, the paper says the letter was \"immaculately copied\" in Meghan's \"elaborate handwriting\", arguing that this care in its presentation meant she anticipated it would be seen and read by a wider audience." } ], "id": "9834_0", "question": "What is the Mail on Sunday arguing?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3259, "answer_start": 2495, "text": "The 44-page legal filing by the Mail on Sunday aims to tackle the duchess' claims one by one: - Meghan claimed she had not courted publicity for her relationship with her father - but the paper says she has not denied authorising her friends to speak about it for an article in a US magazine - The duchess said publishing the letter breached her copyright - but the Mail on Sunday says it was not a protected \"original literary work\" but a recounting of existing facts - Meghan said it infringed her data rights - but the newspaper says the data was not sensitive and concerned topics she had put in the public domain - Accused of selective editing - the Mail on Sunday says the extracts it released accurately conveyed the tone, content and meaning of the letter." } ], "id": "9834_1", "question": "What is the paper's response to Meghan's claims?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3907, "answer_start": 3260, "text": "In October, law firm Schillings, acting for the duchess, filed a High Court claim against the Mail on Sunday and its parent company Associated Newspapers over the alleged misuse of private information, infringement of copyright and breach of the Data Protection Act 2018. At the time, Harry said he and his wife were forced to take action against \"relentless propaganda\". Referring to his late mother Diana, Princess of Wales, he said: \"I lost my mother and now I watch my wife falling victim to the same powerful forces.\" The legal proceedings are being funded privately by the couple and any proceeds will be donated to an anti-bullying charity." } ], "id": "9834_2", "question": "How did the case begin?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4544, "answer_start": 3908, "text": "Mr Markle was invited to the royal couple's 2018 wedding but had to pull out because he needed heart surgery. In the run up to the big day, he became embroiled in a controversy over reports he had staged paparazzi photos of himself in wedding-related activities, such as being measured for a new suit. In December that year, he told ITV he had not spoken to his daughter since she married Harry. The documents submitted by the Mail on Sunday say a text message days before the wedding signed \"Love M and H\" admonished Mr Markle for talking to the press. And that he replied: \"...I'm sorry my heart attack [is an] inconvenience for you.\"" } ], "id": "9834_3", "question": "When did Meghan and her father fall out?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5850, "answer_start": 4545, "text": "Meghan returned to Canada to be with her son Archie last week. The duchess visited a women's centre in Vancouver on Tuesday, in her first public appearance since she and Prince Harry said they would \"step back\" as full-time royals. The Downtown Eastside Women's Centre posted a photograph of the duchess with staff and visitors on Facebook, with the caption \"Look who we had tea with today\". Her visit was \"to discuss issues affecting women in the community\", the group added. The visit provides a sense of what the family's future may be like in Canada, following their decision to split their time between the Commonwealth country and the UK. Prince Harry is expected to join Meghan and Archie in Canada at a later date - he is due to attend an official event at Buckingham Palace on Thursday. He has been posting on the couple's Instagram page - announcing that venue for the 2022 Invictus Games - the sporting event he founded for injured service personnel and veterans, which will be held in Dusseldorf, Germany. Meanwhile, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have made their first joint engagement since Prince Harry and Meghan's decision to \"step back\". William and Kate were greeted by cheers from several hundred well-wishers on Centenary Square, Bradford, on a visit to the 19th-century City Hall." } ], "id": "9834_4", "question": "Where are Meghan and Harry?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 6313, "answer_start": 5851, "text": "Details of the Mail on Sunday's defence come as the Royal Family seeks to redefine the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's role after the pair issued their surprise statement a week ago. The Queen, the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Cambridge, and Prince Harry met at Sandringham on Monday to discuss the couple's future. In a statement released later, the Queen said discussions had been \"very constructive\" and that final decisions will \"be reached in the coming days\"." } ], "id": "9834_5", "question": "What about Meghan and Prince Harry 'stepping back'?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 6568, "answer_start": 6314, "text": "Yes - it is not the first time the royals have taken legal action against the press. In 2017, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were awarded PS92,000 (100,000 euros) in damages after French magazine Closer printed topless pictures of the duchess in 2012." } ], "id": "9834_6", "question": "Has this sort of case happened before?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "All over the world there are some leaders who are reluctant to give up power. The most striking current example is Burundi's President Pierre Nkurunziza who, amidst violent opposition, is campaigning for a third term in office despite the constitution saying he can only have two. He argues that he was appointed, not elected, to his first term so it doesn't count. Many believe President Paul Kagame in neighbouring Rwanda is also looking to breach his two-term limit. But that would be a mere dot in time for President Yahya Jammeh of The Gambia. \"If I have to rule this country for one billion years I will,\" he told the BBC in 2011. Hanging on does not always work. The President of Burkina Faso, Blaise Compaore, was overthrown by popular protest last year for trying to change the constitution so that he could seek re-election. While some presidents attempt legalistic tactics to get around term limits, others reject them outright. Seven-term leader President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe says they are undemocratic: \"We put a rope around our necks and say leaders can only have two terms,\" he told a summit of African Union leaders earlier this year. \"It is a democracy. If people want a leader to continue, let him continue.\" Some post-independence leaders in East Asia have been equally unapologetic about staying in office for decades. Indonesia's President Sukarno had 22 years at the top, while Singapore's Lee Kuan Yew was Prime Minister from 1959 to 1990. \"Lee Kuan Yew was an exceptional guy and at the end of his reign Singapore's GDP was over a dozen times higher than when he took over,\" Prof Kishore Mahbubani from the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy in Singapore told Newshour Extra. \"You have to look at it country by country and not assume there is one Western rule for the whole world.\" Term limits are seen as a Western idea, in large part because of the United States' two-term presidential rule. It was introduced as the 22nd Constitutional amendment in 1951, six years after Franklin Delano Roosevelt won his fourth term in office. Before FDR the two-term idea was merely a convention dating back to the example of George Washington. Although the history of term limits can be traced back to ancient Greece, it is far from clear the idea is in fact a uniquely Western one. Some European countries have no term limits, including the UK, Italy and Switzerland. And elsewhere there is considerable support for a set period in office. \"If you look at the public opinion data we have on most African countries, a majority of people in Africa support presidential term limits,\" says Prof Nic Cheeseman of Oxford University. \"This isn't simply something being pushed by the West.\" Some argue for term limits on the grounds that a prolonged period at the top can change a leader's personality and damage his or her judgement. Former British foreign secretary and trained psychiatrist, Lord Owen, argues that by the time they have been in power for many years, some leaders tend to become arrogant, unwilling to listen and overly optimistic that their decisions will produce good results. \"Eight years is enough,\" Lord Owen told Newshour Extra. \"Blair is the classic example of hubris and it had profound effects because he reinforced the hubris of Bush and Bush reinforced Blair's and these two made terrible mistakes.\" Lord Owen believes acquired hubris is not limited to politicians. \"It exists in bankers,\" he says. \"If you look at the roots of the 2008-9 crisis you see in many major banks that their chief executives were making decisions based on a lot of the characteristics of somebody suffering from hubris syndrome.\" Some research gives backing to these conclusions. \"Excessive winning increases testosterone. That increases [brain chemical] dopamine activity and the reward network,\" says Ian Robertson, Professor of Psychology at Trinity College Dublin. \"When you increase dopamine activity too much or for too long a time, you actually disrupt the judgement of the brain.\" Journalist Wilf Mbanga believes some the symptoms of hubris syndrome apply to Robert Mugabe. Mbanga once knew Mugabe so well they would listen to Jim Reeves tracks together. \"I was a fanatical supporter of Mugabe and his party,\" he says. But today, he says, Mugabe has changed. \"Now he believes he owns Zimbabwe. It is personal property now.\" A few politicians walk away from power. Nelson Mandela, for example, stood down after just one term and the current British Prime Minister, David Cameron, has said he won't seek to carry on after the next election. But hubris, or sheer ambition, drives many to stay on for as long as they can. And the advantages of incumbency mean many will manage to do so - even into their dotage. Constitutional term limits don't always work but for those who want to restrain power hungry leaders, they are perhaps the most effective tool available. For more on this story, listen to Newshour Extra on the BBC iPlayer or download the podcast.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2704, "answer_start": 1814, "text": "Term limits are seen as a Western idea, in large part because of the United States' two-term presidential rule. It was introduced as the 22nd Constitutional amendment in 1951, six years after Franklin Delano Roosevelt won his fourth term in office. Before FDR the two-term idea was merely a convention dating back to the example of George Washington. Although the history of term limits can be traced back to ancient Greece, it is far from clear the idea is in fact a uniquely Western one. Some European countries have no term limits, including the UK, Italy and Switzerland. And elsewhere there is considerable support for a set period in office. \"If you look at the public opinion data we have on most African countries, a majority of people in Africa support presidential term limits,\" says Prof Nic Cheeseman of Oxford University. \"This isn't simply something being pushed by the West.\"" } ], "id": "9835_0", "question": "Western idea?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4982, "answer_start": 4009, "text": "Journalist Wilf Mbanga believes some the symptoms of hubris syndrome apply to Robert Mugabe. Mbanga once knew Mugabe so well they would listen to Jim Reeves tracks together. \"I was a fanatical supporter of Mugabe and his party,\" he says. But today, he says, Mugabe has changed. \"Now he believes he owns Zimbabwe. It is personal property now.\" A few politicians walk away from power. Nelson Mandela, for example, stood down after just one term and the current British Prime Minister, David Cameron, has said he won't seek to carry on after the next election. But hubris, or sheer ambition, drives many to stay on for as long as they can. And the advantages of incumbency mean many will manage to do so - even into their dotage. Constitutional term limits don't always work but for those who want to restrain power hungry leaders, they are perhaps the most effective tool available. For more on this story, listen to Newshour Extra on the BBC iPlayer or download the podcast." } ], "id": "9835_1", "question": "Walk away?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Asian shares have been hit by fears that US President Donald Trump's plan for tariffs on up to $60bn of Chinese products could trigger a trade war. Japan's Nikkei 225 index fell 4.5% and the Shanghai Composite fell 3.6%. China responded to news of the planned tariffs by saying that while it did not want a trade war, it was \"absolutely not afraid\" of one. Mr Trump's proposed tariffs are a response to allegations of intellectual property theft by China. The US launched a complaint against China at the World Trade Organization (WTO) on Friday. Its statement said: \"China appears to be breaking WTO rules by denying foreign patent holders, including US companies, basic patent rights to stop a Chinese entity from using the technology after a licensing contract ends.\" \"China also appears to be breaking WTO rules by imposing mandatory adverse contract terms that discriminate against and are less favourable for imported foreign technology.\" Beijing said it firmly opposed the planned tariffs but China's ministry of commerce said it was \"confident and capable of meeting any challenge\". \"China will not sit idly by its own legitimate rights and interests. We are fully prepared to defend our legitimate interests,\" the ministry said. But it said it hoped the US would not drag bilateral economic and trade relations into danger. Fears of a trade war pushed Asian stock markets down sharply. China's Shanghai Composite Index closed down 3.6% while Hong Kong's Hang Seng index ended 2.5% lower. \"Equity markets have sold-off heavily this morning as investors are fearful we are entering a trade war,\" said David Maddon, market analyst at CMC Markets UK. \"Traders don't like the look of the political landscape, and they are seeking safe-haven assets.\" Earlier on Friday, China announced its own set of proposed tariffs worth $3bn. Beijing said these were in response to US tariffs on steel and aluminium imports announced by Mr Trump earlier this month. The US tariffs on steel and aluminium imports come into effect this week. China's commerce ministry said it was planning two steps of retaliatory action: - a 15% tariff on 120 goods worth almost $1bn - including fresh fruit, nuts and wine - a 25% tariff on eight goods worth nearly $2bn - including pork and aluminium scrap. The US imports billions more goods from China each year than it exports, creating a deficit of about $375bn last year - a figures which Mr Trump has railed against. The president said on Thursday he had asked China to cut that deficit by $100bn \"immediately\". Last August, Mr Trump ordered an investigation into Chinese policies and his proposed tariffs reflect the outcome of that probe. The White House said the investigation found a range of \"unfair\" practices in China, including restrictions on foreign ownership that pressured foreign companies into transferring technology. The review also found evidence that China imposes unfair terms on US companies; steers investments in the US to strategic industries; and conducts and supports cyber attacks. The White House said it had a list of more than 1,000 products that could be targeted by tariffs of 25%. Businesses will have the opportunity to comment before the final list goes into effect. The US is also exploring ways to limit Chinese investment in the US. It says it will bring any matter it thinks is unfair to the WTO - as it is doing in the case of intellectual property. US officials had acknowledged the possibility of retaliation from China, but said the Asian giant ultimately had more to lose. If imposed as described, the US tariffs could lead to higher costs for consumers, while China's retaliation would hit key sectors of the US economy including agriculture and aerospace, analysts say. China was the third largest market for US exports in 2016 and among the biggest buyers of American corn, pork and aircraft. China is also the world's biggest consumer of soybeans and consumes about one third of the US crop. But in news which will come as a relief to US farmers, Friday's announcement did not include the soybeans. Critics of Mr Trump's policies dismiss worries about the trade deficit, saying the exchange benefits both sides. However, there is growing bipartisan concern in America about China's state-led economy and there is a worry that China is seeking technology that could be deployed for military purposes. Mr Trump's America First policy remains popular with large sections of the US public. However, trade watchers in Asia says China's retaliation will no doubt be carefully targeted to hit key Trump-supporting areas of the US. \"The Chinese have been developing their list for more than a year and they are very good,\" said Deborah Elms, executive director of the Asian Trade Centre in Singapore. \"If things get very nasty, they can also make life very difficult for US companies doing business in China. It's going to be very interesting.\"", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4076, "answer_start": 3420, "text": "US officials had acknowledged the possibility of retaliation from China, but said the Asian giant ultimately had more to lose. If imposed as described, the US tariffs could lead to higher costs for consumers, while China's retaliation would hit key sectors of the US economy including agriculture and aerospace, analysts say. China was the third largest market for US exports in 2016 and among the biggest buyers of American corn, pork and aircraft. China is also the world's biggest consumer of soybeans and consumes about one third of the US crop. But in news which will come as a relief to US farmers, Friday's announcement did not include the soybeans." } ], "id": "9836_0", "question": "Who are the potential losers in a trade war?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4915, "answer_start": 4077, "text": "Critics of Mr Trump's policies dismiss worries about the trade deficit, saying the exchange benefits both sides. However, there is growing bipartisan concern in America about China's state-led economy and there is a worry that China is seeking technology that could be deployed for military purposes. Mr Trump's America First policy remains popular with large sections of the US public. However, trade watchers in Asia says China's retaliation will no doubt be carefully targeted to hit key Trump-supporting areas of the US. \"The Chinese have been developing their list for more than a year and they are very good,\" said Deborah Elms, executive director of the Asian Trade Centre in Singapore. \"If things get very nasty, they can also make life very difficult for US companies doing business in China. It's going to be very interesting.\"" } ], "id": "9836_1", "question": "Is there wider support in America for the plan?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "A Polish diplomat to Monaco has been found guilty of ordering the murder of his billionaire mother-in-law and sentenced to life in prison. Wojciech Janowski shocked the court with a tearful last-minute confession, after years of denying any involvement in the 2014 mafia-style hit. An unmoved court found him guilty of murdering 77-year-old Helene Pastor for her inheritance, along with her driver. Both the gunman and the lookout were also handed life sentences. Janowski was Poland's honorary consul to Monaco at the time. He was found to have organised the assassination in the hopes of claiming some of the inheritance his common-law partner, Sylvia Ratkowski, stood to gain from her mother's death. He had asked his sports coach Pascal Dauriac - sentenced to 30 years - to find him a hitman for the job. Samine Aid Ahmed acted as the gunman and Al Hair Hamadi was his accomplice. Four other defendants were given sentences of up to 15 years each. A trail of evidence left by the shooting in a public street in broad daylight quickly led investigators to the plotters, and back to Janowski. Janowski had long insisted on his innocence. But on Tuesday, his lawyer Eric Dupond-Moretti stood up in court and announced the confession. \"These words which you wanted to hear from him come from my mouth. He tried to say these words, he wanted to say them but he couldn't,\" he said with Mr Janowski crying beside him. In court, his lawyers argued that he had acted to protect his partner from her abusive mother - but the prosecution argued his motive was always financial, having uncovered that Janowski's business ventures were on the verge of collapse. To add to his woes, Sylvia was diagnosed with cancer in 2012. Helene Pastor provided her son and daughter with a monthly stipend of EUR500,000, but this would have dried up if her daughter had died. Janowski also claimed he had never ordered the murder of the driver - but the French court found him guilty in both deaths. The shooting of Pastor and her chauffeur in Nice shook the principality of Monaco. Her family was known as second in importance only to the royal Grimaldi family. She was a descendant of Italian stonemason Jean-Baptiste Pastor, who arrived in Monaco in 1880. By the 1930s he and his son Gildo had begun amassing a business empire, building apartment buildings and collecting rent. In 1966 Prince Rainier gave Gildo permission to build high-rise properties along the seafront. Instead of selling the properties, the family rented them out. Helene Pastor was the last of Gildo's three children and had a son and daughter through two marriages. The family's fortune was spread across several companies and has been variously estimated at between EUR12bn (PS11bn; $14bn) and more than EUR20bn. By the time of her death, the Pastor family was said to control 15% of Monaco's housing stock. It was shortly after 19:00 local time (17:00 GMT) on 6 May 2014 as Helene Pastor left L'Archet hospital in Nice that she and her chauffeur, Mohamed Darouich, were ambushed. She had been visiting her son Gildo Pallanca-Pastor, who had suffered a stroke, when a gunman opened fire with a sawn-off shotgun. Darouich died of his injuries four days later but Pastor only succumbed to her wounds on 21 May. In the days before her death she was able to give investigators a description of her attackers and had intended to provide further evidence. \"I'm afraid, I want to see you again because I have more to tell,\" she was quoted as saying. Police traced some 3.5m phone calls and within weeks had made several arrests. They concluded that the plot had originated with Mr Janowski, who then enlisted his fitness coach Pascal Dauriac, who in turn used his brother-in-law Abdelkader Belkhatir to find potential contract killers. Mr Dauriac claims his employer ordered Pastor's driver to be killed and her purse stolen to make the incident look like a robbery. Two suspects from Marseille alleged to have carried out the killing were tracked down through security cameras, mobile phones and DNA found on a bottle of shower gel left behind in a hotel room. The alleged contract was worth EUR140,000, police said. Mr Janowski initially admitted his role but then retracted his confession. His partner Sylvia Ratkowski was initially questioned by police before being ruled out of the inquiry. She had been with Mr Janowski for 28 years and the couple had a daughter. She survived the cancer and attended the start of her ex-partner's trial. Prosecutors said they had traced significant financial transactions in Mr Janowski's accounts in the months before the murders. The murder was initially linked to organised crime before prosecutors began to suspect Helene Pastor's son-in-law. He had claimed his confession in 2014 stemmed from difficulties in understanding French, and told a local newspaper earlier this year from prison that everything had been done to make him look guilty. He maintained his innocence until the surprise confession late in his trial. Pastor's son Gildo Pallanca-Pastor - and brother to Sylvia Ratkowski - called the life imprisonment an \"exemplary sentence.\" \"I was also convinced of Wojciech Janowski's guilt,\" he told AFP, and added that he was glad jurors had not been \"duped\" by the tearful confession at the last moment.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1975, "answer_start": 1095, "text": "Janowski had long insisted on his innocence. But on Tuesday, his lawyer Eric Dupond-Moretti stood up in court and announced the confession. \"These words which you wanted to hear from him come from my mouth. He tried to say these words, he wanted to say them but he couldn't,\" he said with Mr Janowski crying beside him. In court, his lawyers argued that he had acted to protect his partner from her abusive mother - but the prosecution argued his motive was always financial, having uncovered that Janowski's business ventures were on the verge of collapse. To add to his woes, Sylvia was diagnosed with cancer in 2012. Helene Pastor provided her son and daughter with a monthly stipend of EUR500,000, but this would have dried up if her daughter had died. Janowski also claimed he had never ordered the murder of the driver - but the French court found him guilty in both deaths." } ], "id": "9837_0", "question": "What did Janowski say?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2860, "answer_start": 1976, "text": "The shooting of Pastor and her chauffeur in Nice shook the principality of Monaco. Her family was known as second in importance only to the royal Grimaldi family. She was a descendant of Italian stonemason Jean-Baptiste Pastor, who arrived in Monaco in 1880. By the 1930s he and his son Gildo had begun amassing a business empire, building apartment buildings and collecting rent. In 1966 Prince Rainier gave Gildo permission to build high-rise properties along the seafront. Instead of selling the properties, the family rented them out. Helene Pastor was the last of Gildo's three children and had a son and daughter through two marriages. The family's fortune was spread across several companies and has been variously estimated at between EUR12bn (PS11bn; $14bn) and more than EUR20bn. By the time of her death, the Pastor family was said to control 15% of Monaco's housing stock." } ], "id": "9837_1", "question": "Who was Helene Pastor?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4163, "answer_start": 2861, "text": "It was shortly after 19:00 local time (17:00 GMT) on 6 May 2014 as Helene Pastor left L'Archet hospital in Nice that she and her chauffeur, Mohamed Darouich, were ambushed. She had been visiting her son Gildo Pallanca-Pastor, who had suffered a stroke, when a gunman opened fire with a sawn-off shotgun. Darouich died of his injuries four days later but Pastor only succumbed to her wounds on 21 May. In the days before her death she was able to give investigators a description of her attackers and had intended to provide further evidence. \"I'm afraid, I want to see you again because I have more to tell,\" she was quoted as saying. Police traced some 3.5m phone calls and within weeks had made several arrests. They concluded that the plot had originated with Mr Janowski, who then enlisted his fitness coach Pascal Dauriac, who in turn used his brother-in-law Abdelkader Belkhatir to find potential contract killers. Mr Dauriac claims his employer ordered Pastor's driver to be killed and her purse stolen to make the incident look like a robbery. Two suspects from Marseille alleged to have carried out the killing were tracked down through security cameras, mobile phones and DNA found on a bottle of shower gel left behind in a hotel room. The alleged contract was worth EUR140,000, police said." } ], "id": "9837_2", "question": "How was she killed?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5302, "answer_start": 4164, "text": "Mr Janowski initially admitted his role but then retracted his confession. His partner Sylvia Ratkowski was initially questioned by police before being ruled out of the inquiry. She had been with Mr Janowski for 28 years and the couple had a daughter. She survived the cancer and attended the start of her ex-partner's trial. Prosecutors said they had traced significant financial transactions in Mr Janowski's accounts in the months before the murders. The murder was initially linked to organised crime before prosecutors began to suspect Helene Pastor's son-in-law. He had claimed his confession in 2014 stemmed from difficulties in understanding French, and told a local newspaper earlier this year from prison that everything had been done to make him look guilty. He maintained his innocence until the surprise confession late in his trial. Pastor's son Gildo Pallanca-Pastor - and brother to Sylvia Ratkowski - called the life imprisonment an \"exemplary sentence.\" \"I was also convinced of Wojciech Janowski's guilt,\" he told AFP, and added that he was glad jurors had not been \"duped\" by the tearful confession at the last moment." } ], "id": "9837_3", "question": "How did the trial unfold?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Here we go down the rabbit hole.....what will be the meaning of Parliament's promised \"meaningful vote\" on the terms of any Brexit deal Theresa May negotiates with the EU? This is a question which takes its asker into the heavily-mined, crater-dotted, no-man's land that lies between Parliament and government. So how did we get here? Just before Christmas, MPs amended the EU Withdrawal Bill to, in effect, make it impossible for the government to implement Brexit until they had given the thumbs up to whatever deal was struck (along with the parallel political declaration on the long-term UK-EU relationship) - and the government gave assurances that Parliament would have that \"meaningful vote\". But it's not even clear to MPs, let alone the general public, how the parliamentary votes to make this fateful decision will be structured. So this week the Commons Procedure Committee began an attempt to chart a course through this extremely dangerous terrain. The committee has some cred in this area, having created a system for monitoring changes in the law made under the sweeping powers conferred by Brexit legislation, and defended it when it looked like ministers were trying to water down one aspect of the new scrutiny system. But this time their efforts triggered a blast of fury. The immediate cause was the publication of a memo from the Brexit Secretary, Dominic Raab, setting out how the government thought the meaningful vote should work. His key point was that there should be no legal uncertainty as to whether Parliament had properly voted on the deal (MPs get to approve it, peers just have to \"take note\"). The big stumbling block is that Parliament cannot, by itself, amend the withdrawal agreement, because it is an international treaty negotiated with the EU. Should it want changes, British ministers would have to go back and try to negotiate them. Nor, Mr Raab says, could Parliament delay or prevent the UK's departure because these are already set by UK law and by the Article 50 process laid down in EU law - although this point will soon be tested in court. Mr Raab's memo argues that any amendment would undermine the government's ability to ratify the withdrawal deal. On that logic, he argues that the real question that MPs will face is a simple \"Yes-No\" - whether or not to accept whatever deal Theresa May brings back from Brussels. In that case, he adds, the normal shape of Commons voting, where amendments are put down, some are selected by the Speaker, and they are voted on, before the main approval motion (perhaps, by then, amended in some way) is put to the House, is the wrong way round. So his memo rejects the normal method and comes down in favour of a procedure based on the way Opposition Day motions are considered - the main motion is voted on first, and only if it is lost, do MPs then go on to consider alternatives. The point is that the Raab approach puts a much harder choice in front of potential Conservative dissidents, in particular. It's one thing to support an amendment softening (or, indeed hardening) whatever the government proposes, passing that, and then supporting the resulting proposition; it is quite another to vote down the government deal and then see what might happen afterwards. Is this fixing the decision? The author of last December's \"meaningful vote\" amendment, the former Attorney General, Dominic Grieve, dismisses Mr Raab's concerns with a dismissive Anglo-Saxon monosyllable - and Labour have denounced his proposal as a blatant fix. So MPs are now in a situation where it will be even harder to find an agreed method to make this critical decision, and the Procedure Committee is now in the spotlight. And next week could see some serious pushback against Mr Raab; in particular, watch the other Dominic, Mr Grieve. But suppose - under the Raab procedure or some other method - MPs did vote to reject the Brexit deal? It's not clear what impact any subsequent votes would have. They could pass an amendment calling for the government to renegotiate some aspect of withdrawal, but they could not guarantee that ministers could get the desired result, or even make them try very hard. They could demand a second referendum - but to make that stick they would have to pass a full-dress Act of Parliament; a mere resolution, claiming to direct the government, would not cut the mustard. Parliament and its existing procedures for debate and decision are not really configured to make policy - they scrutinise policy and make laws, but it is much more difficult for MPs to instruct ministers, and harder still for them to make their instructions stick, unless they are passed as legislation. The former Lib Dem MP and constitutional law professor, David Howarth, has argued that the ultimate weapon available to MPs is to insist on the ancient parliamentary principle of \"grievance before supply\" and refuse to pass the next finance bill until the government concedes a further Brexit referendum. Others think that is a bit fanciful, but the forthcoming Budget and the ensuing Finance Bill will provide serious leverage for those unhappy with the government's position. This might be exerted through something quite procedural like messing with the programme motion which would timetable consideration of the Chancellor's tax changes - but, faced by rising factional discontent from its in-house Leavers and Remainers, and from its DUP allies, the government is now dangerously vulnerable.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3806, "answer_start": 1629, "text": "The big stumbling block is that Parliament cannot, by itself, amend the withdrawal agreement, because it is an international treaty negotiated with the EU. Should it want changes, British ministers would have to go back and try to negotiate them. Nor, Mr Raab says, could Parliament delay or prevent the UK's departure because these are already set by UK law and by the Article 50 process laid down in EU law - although this point will soon be tested in court. Mr Raab's memo argues that any amendment would undermine the government's ability to ratify the withdrawal deal. On that logic, he argues that the real question that MPs will face is a simple \"Yes-No\" - whether or not to accept whatever deal Theresa May brings back from Brussels. In that case, he adds, the normal shape of Commons voting, where amendments are put down, some are selected by the Speaker, and they are voted on, before the main approval motion (perhaps, by then, amended in some way) is put to the House, is the wrong way round. So his memo rejects the normal method and comes down in favour of a procedure based on the way Opposition Day motions are considered - the main motion is voted on first, and only if it is lost, do MPs then go on to consider alternatives. The point is that the Raab approach puts a much harder choice in front of potential Conservative dissidents, in particular. It's one thing to support an amendment softening (or, indeed hardening) whatever the government proposes, passing that, and then supporting the resulting proposition; it is quite another to vote down the government deal and then see what might happen afterwards. Is this fixing the decision? The author of last December's \"meaningful vote\" amendment, the former Attorney General, Dominic Grieve, dismisses Mr Raab's concerns with a dismissive Anglo-Saxon monosyllable - and Labour have denounced his proposal as a blatant fix. So MPs are now in a situation where it will be even harder to find an agreed method to make this critical decision, and the Procedure Committee is now in the spotlight. And next week could see some serious pushback against Mr Raab; in particular, watch the other Dominic, Mr Grieve." } ], "id": "9838_0", "question": "Yes-No question?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5475, "answer_start": 3807, "text": "But suppose - under the Raab procedure or some other method - MPs did vote to reject the Brexit deal? It's not clear what impact any subsequent votes would have. They could pass an amendment calling for the government to renegotiate some aspect of withdrawal, but they could not guarantee that ministers could get the desired result, or even make them try very hard. They could demand a second referendum - but to make that stick they would have to pass a full-dress Act of Parliament; a mere resolution, claiming to direct the government, would not cut the mustard. Parliament and its existing procedures for debate and decision are not really configured to make policy - they scrutinise policy and make laws, but it is much more difficult for MPs to instruct ministers, and harder still for them to make their instructions stick, unless they are passed as legislation. The former Lib Dem MP and constitutional law professor, David Howarth, has argued that the ultimate weapon available to MPs is to insist on the ancient parliamentary principle of \"grievance before supply\" and refuse to pass the next finance bill until the government concedes a further Brexit referendum. Others think that is a bit fanciful, but the forthcoming Budget and the ensuing Finance Bill will provide serious leverage for those unhappy with the government's position. This might be exerted through something quite procedural like messing with the programme motion which would timetable consideration of the Chancellor's tax changes - but, faced by rising factional discontent from its in-house Leavers and Remainers, and from its DUP allies, the government is now dangerously vulnerable." } ], "id": "9838_1", "question": "What if MPs rejected the Brexit deal?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Donald Trump often tweets several times a day but doesn't dwell on policy issues and rarely speaks to the press. So his 140-character messages are the main insight we have into the thinking of the US president-elect. But what can they tell us about how his new administration will deal with the world? Mr Trump rubbished North Korea's claim to be developing missiles capable of striking the US, tweeting \"it won't happen\" on Monday at 15:05 EST (20:05 GMT). It's not particularly clear. It could indicate that Mr Trump believes that North Korea will not be able to develop the technology necessary. Or he may think the country's government will collapse, or that the new US administration will be able to persuade North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un to give up his nuclear programme. The BBC's Stephen Evans, in Seoul, says the South Korean government has interpreted the tweet as a warning to Mr Kim that the US will stop such a development from happening, either by military action or by disruptive covert operations. But with the tweet so ambiguous, it is open to many alternative interpretations too. The US president-elect has previously called Mr Kim a \"bad dude\", but he has also said he would be willing to speak to him over a burger (such a meeting would be a significant change of US policy towards North Korea). In an interview in May, Mr Trump said the isolated state's main backer - China - needed to take action to ease tensions. \"China can solve that problem with one meeting or one phone call,\" he told Reuters. And in a follow-up tweet on Monday, Mr Trump said: \"China has been taking out massive amounts of money & wealth from the U.S. in totally one-sided trade, but won't help with North Korea. Nice!\" How might Trump deal with Kim Jong-un? The US has long aimed to persuade North Korea to give up its nuclear programme, using a mixture of aid and sanctions, although in October the national intelligence director James Clapper said this was \"probably a lost cause\". In March 2016 President Obama imposed new sanctions on North Korea after it carried out a nuclear test and a satellite launch. The White House spokesman said: \"We will continue to impose costs on North Korea until it comes into compliance with its international obligations.\" The United Nations Security Council has also imposed sanctions on North Korea over its nuclear programme. How advanced is North Korea's nuclear programme?", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1101, "answer_start": 458, "text": "It's not particularly clear. It could indicate that Mr Trump believes that North Korea will not be able to develop the technology necessary. Or he may think the country's government will collapse, or that the new US administration will be able to persuade North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un to give up his nuclear programme. The BBC's Stephen Evans, in Seoul, says the South Korean government has interpreted the tweet as a warning to Mr Kim that the US will stop such a development from happening, either by military action or by disruptive covert operations. But with the tweet so ambiguous, it is open to many alternative interpretations too." } ], "id": "9839_0", "question": "What does he mean?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1757, "answer_start": 1102, "text": "The US president-elect has previously called Mr Kim a \"bad dude\", but he has also said he would be willing to speak to him over a burger (such a meeting would be a significant change of US policy towards North Korea). In an interview in May, Mr Trump said the isolated state's main backer - China - needed to take action to ease tensions. \"China can solve that problem with one meeting or one phone call,\" he told Reuters. And in a follow-up tweet on Monday, Mr Trump said: \"China has been taking out massive amounts of money & wealth from the U.S. in totally one-sided trade, but won't help with North Korea. Nice!\" How might Trump deal with Kim Jong-un?" } ], "id": "9839_1", "question": "What has Mr Trump said before about the North Korea nuclear issue?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2414, "answer_start": 1758, "text": "The US has long aimed to persuade North Korea to give up its nuclear programme, using a mixture of aid and sanctions, although in October the national intelligence director James Clapper said this was \"probably a lost cause\". In March 2016 President Obama imposed new sanctions on North Korea after it carried out a nuclear test and a satellite launch. The White House spokesman said: \"We will continue to impose costs on North Korea until it comes into compliance with its international obligations.\" The United Nations Security Council has also imposed sanctions on North Korea over its nuclear programme. How advanced is North Korea's nuclear programme?" } ], "id": "9839_2", "question": "What is the current US policy on North Korea?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "China will hold military drills in the disputed South China Sea, ahead of a ruling by an international court on a challenge to its maritime claims. They will be held in waters around the Paracel Islands, said a statement by the maritime safety administration. China regularly holds such exercises even though Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have overlapping claims in the seas. But tensions are running high ahead of the ruling expected next week. The Permanent Court of Arbitration, based in The Hague, Netherlands, has said it will issue a decision on 12 July on a challenge made by the Philippines to China's claims in the strategic and resource-rich region. However, China has consistently boycotted the proceedings, insisting that the panel has no authority to rule in the case. The drills will be held from 5-11 July, with ships prohibited from entering the waters in that time, the Chinese statement said. Rival countries have wrangled over territory in the South China Sea for centuries, but tension has steadily increased in recent years. Its islets and waters are claimed in part or in whole by Taiwan, China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei. China has backed its expansive claims with island-building and naval patrols, while the US says it opposes restrictions on freedom of navigation and unlawful sovereignty claims by all sides. The frictions have sparked concern that the area is becoming a flashpoint with possible global consequences.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1489, "answer_start": 936, "text": "Rival countries have wrangled over territory in the South China Sea for centuries, but tension has steadily increased in recent years. Its islets and waters are claimed in part or in whole by Taiwan, China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei. China has backed its expansive claims with island-building and naval patrols, while the US says it opposes restrictions on freedom of navigation and unlawful sovereignty claims by all sides. The frictions have sparked concern that the area is becoming a flashpoint with possible global consequences." } ], "id": "9840_0", "question": "What is the South China Sea dispute?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "A massive fire has swept through a slum in the capital of Bangladesh, Dhaka, leaving thousands of people homeless. At least 1,200 tin shacks were destroyed in the Chalantika slum late on Friday, officials said. Many homes had plastic roofs, which helped the flames to spread. No deaths have been reported, although several people were injured. Most residents are low-wage earners and many were away after the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha. There is no word on the cause of the fire. The number of people made homeless by the fire is unclear, with Reuters news agency reporting it to be 3,000 people and AFP putting the number at 10,000. Earlier reports suggested the number was as high as 50,000. \"According to our investigation committee 1,200 shanties were damaged and out of this 750 shanties burnt totally,\" Enamur Rahman, junior minister for disaster management and relief, told Reuters. The government says relief will be provided for the many thousands who are now without shelter. Some 10,000 people are currently being sheltered in schools that were shut for the festival, fire official Ershad Hossain told AFP. \"I could not salvage a single thing. I don't know what will I do,\" Abdul Hamid, who ran a tea stall inside the slum, told the news agency. An investigation is under way. Firefighters took more than six hours to put out the flames. In February a fire in the historic district of Dhaka killed about 80 people and nine died in another blaze in a slum in the coastal city of Chittagong. .", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1504, "answer_start": 484, "text": "The number of people made homeless by the fire is unclear, with Reuters news agency reporting it to be 3,000 people and AFP putting the number at 10,000. Earlier reports suggested the number was as high as 50,000. \"According to our investigation committee 1,200 shanties were damaged and out of this 750 shanties burnt totally,\" Enamur Rahman, junior minister for disaster management and relief, told Reuters. The government says relief will be provided for the many thousands who are now without shelter. Some 10,000 people are currently being sheltered in schools that were shut for the festival, fire official Ershad Hossain told AFP. \"I could not salvage a single thing. I don't know what will I do,\" Abdul Hamid, who ran a tea stall inside the slum, told the news agency. An investigation is under way. Firefighters took more than six hours to put out the flames. In February a fire in the historic district of Dhaka killed about 80 people and nine died in another blaze in a slum in the coastal city of Chittagong." } ], "id": "9841_0", "question": "Who's been affected?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The first privately funded mission to the Moon has crashed on the lunar surface after the apparent failure of its main engine. The Israeli spacecraft - called Beresheet - attempted a soft touchdown, but suffered technical problems on its descent to the lunar surface. The aim of the mission was to take pictures and conduct experiments. Only government space agencies from the former Soviet Union, the US and China have achieved soft lunar landings. Israel hoped to become the fourth country to do this. \"We didn't make it, but we definitely tried,\" said project originator and major backer Morris Kahn. \"I think that the achievement of getting to where we got is really tremendous; I think we can be proud,\" he said. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, watching from the control room near Tel Aviv, said: \"If at first you don't succeed, you try again.\" After a seven-week journey to the Moon, the robotic spacecraft approached a final orbit at 15km (9 miles) from the surface. Tensions were high in the command centre as communications were lost before Opher Doron, the general manager of Israel Aerospace Industries' space division, announced there had been a failure in the spacecraft. \"We unfortunately have not managed to land successfully,\" he said. The audience outside had been through a turbulent journey themselves as they watched the first part of the landing go to plan. As Mr Doron announced that the engine had cut out, groans filled the room. \"We are resetting the spacecraft to try to enable the engine,\" he said. The engine came on seconds later and the audience applauded, only for communication with the spacecraft to be lost shortly after. The mission was over. The project has cost about $100m (PS76m) and has paved the way for future low-cost lunar exploration. Dr Kimberly Cartier, an astronomer and science news reporter, tweeted that she was \"sad about how #Beresheet ended\" but \"proud of the entire @TeamSpaceIL\". Beresheet, which is Hebrew for \"in the beginning\", was a joint project between SpaceIL, a privately funded Israeli non-profit organisation, and Israel Aerospace Industries. In space terms, the Moon is a mere hop from the Earth, and most missions take a few days to get there. But the Beresheet mission, which launched on 22 February from Cape Canaveral in Florida, spent weeks reaching its destination. Its journey took it on a series of ever-widening orbits around the Earth, before being captured by the Moon's gravity and moving into lunar orbit on 4 April. The average distance to the Moon is 380,000km (240,000 miles) - Beresheet travelled more than 15 times that distance. And the main thing driving this was cost. Instead of sitting alone on a rocket that would put it on the perfect trajectory to the Moon, it blasted off on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket along with a communications satellite and an experimental aircraft. Sharing the ride into space significantly reduced its launch costs - but it meant the spacecraft had to take a more convoluted route. A controlled landing on the lunar surface was the major challenge for the Israeli spacecraft. The engine was British-built, developed by Nammo in Westcott, Buckinghamshire. It provided the power to get the spacecraft all the way to the Moon, but it also took Beresheet on its final descent. The 1.5m-tall spacecraft had to rapidly reduce its speed, so a final firing of the engine in effect slammed on the brakes, hoping to take the spacecraft to a gentle stop. Before the landing, Rob Westcott, senior propulsion engineer at Nammo, said \"We've never used an engine in this kind of application before\". He said the big challenge would be \"the fact that the engine is going to have to be switched on and get very hot, then switched off for a short period of time when all that heat is remaining in its thermal mass, and then fired up again, very accurately and very precisely such that it slows the craft down and lands very softly on the surface on the Moon\". That landing process took around 20 minutes. All of the controls for this were uploaded and performed autonomously with mission control watching on. Its first job was to use its high-resolution cameras to take some photos - including a selfie - which it did manage before the crash. It was then going to measure the magnetic field of the spot it landed in, an area known as Mare Serenitatis. Monica Grady, professor of planetary and space science at Open University, said it would be \"looking at the landing site really closely\". This would help \"work out how the magnetic measurements of the Moon fit in with the geology and geography of the Moon, which is really important to understand how the Moon formed\". The lander also carried a reflector from Nasa to help scientists make accurate measurements of the distance between the Earth and the Moon. Temperatures on the Moon are extreme, and as the Sun rose the spacecraft would have been unlikely to survive the heat. Over 60 years of space exploration, only a few nations have made it down on to the Moon. The former Soviet Union achieved the first soft landing with its spacecraft Luna 9 in 1966. Nasa followed this by getting the first humans to the Moon in 1969. In 2008, India's space agency fired an impact probe, which intentionally crashed into the Moon's south pole. Then, China's Change-4 spacecraft touched down on the farside of the Moon earlier this year. If their landing had worked, Israel would have been the latest nation to join this elite club. But it was the low-price tag - and the fact that the mission was not funded by a major space agency - that was significant. Beresheet was not alone in pursuing low-cost lunar exploration. Its origins lie in the Google Lunar XPrize, an international challenge offering $20m for the first privately developed spacecraft to land on the Moon. And while the competition ended last year after no-one was able to meet its deadline (the foundation has subsequently announced they will award the Beresheet collaboration $1m for their achievement), other teams involved are also continuing with their efforts to get to the Moon. Both Nasa and Esa have also announced their intention to use commercial landers to deliver scientific payloads to the lunar surface. Follow Rebecca on Twitter.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2999, "answer_start": 2113, "text": "In space terms, the Moon is a mere hop from the Earth, and most missions take a few days to get there. But the Beresheet mission, which launched on 22 February from Cape Canaveral in Florida, spent weeks reaching its destination. Its journey took it on a series of ever-widening orbits around the Earth, before being captured by the Moon's gravity and moving into lunar orbit on 4 April. The average distance to the Moon is 380,000km (240,000 miles) - Beresheet travelled more than 15 times that distance. And the main thing driving this was cost. Instead of sitting alone on a rocket that would put it on the perfect trajectory to the Moon, it blasted off on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket along with a communications satellite and an experimental aircraft. Sharing the ride into space significantly reduced its launch costs - but it meant the spacecraft had to take a more convoluted route." } ], "id": "9842_0", "question": "Why did it take weeks to get to the Moon?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4108, "answer_start": 3000, "text": "A controlled landing on the lunar surface was the major challenge for the Israeli spacecraft. The engine was British-built, developed by Nammo in Westcott, Buckinghamshire. It provided the power to get the spacecraft all the way to the Moon, but it also took Beresheet on its final descent. The 1.5m-tall spacecraft had to rapidly reduce its speed, so a final firing of the engine in effect slammed on the brakes, hoping to take the spacecraft to a gentle stop. Before the landing, Rob Westcott, senior propulsion engineer at Nammo, said \"We've never used an engine in this kind of application before\". He said the big challenge would be \"the fact that the engine is going to have to be switched on and get very hot, then switched off for a short period of time when all that heat is remaining in its thermal mass, and then fired up again, very accurately and very precisely such that it slows the craft down and lands very softly on the surface on the Moon\". That landing process took around 20 minutes. All of the controls for this were uploaded and performed autonomously with mission control watching on." } ], "id": "9842_1", "question": "How hard was it to land?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 6255, "answer_start": 4930, "text": "Over 60 years of space exploration, only a few nations have made it down on to the Moon. The former Soviet Union achieved the first soft landing with its spacecraft Luna 9 in 1966. Nasa followed this by getting the first humans to the Moon in 1969. In 2008, India's space agency fired an impact probe, which intentionally crashed into the Moon's south pole. Then, China's Change-4 spacecraft touched down on the farside of the Moon earlier this year. If their landing had worked, Israel would have been the latest nation to join this elite club. But it was the low-price tag - and the fact that the mission was not funded by a major space agency - that was significant. Beresheet was not alone in pursuing low-cost lunar exploration. Its origins lie in the Google Lunar XPrize, an international challenge offering $20m for the first privately developed spacecraft to land on the Moon. And while the competition ended last year after no-one was able to meet its deadline (the foundation has subsequently announced they will award the Beresheet collaboration $1m for their achievement), other teams involved are also continuing with their efforts to get to the Moon. Both Nasa and Esa have also announced their intention to use commercial landers to deliver scientific payloads to the lunar surface. Follow Rebecca on Twitter." } ], "id": "9842_2", "question": "How significant was this mission?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "In many pictures, the islands that make up the Maldives are so beautiful that they almost look unreal. The balmy island nation is replete with coral reefs, sea life and sandy lagoons - and has the tourist stats to match. This week brought trouble in paradise, however. The president refused to honour a Supreme Court order to release jailed opposition leaders, and declared a state of emergency. The move was condemned internationally, and some observers said tourists should boycott the country on human rights grounds. Their argument begs the question: Should we all pick our holiday destinations for their ethical credentials? (And would anywhere stand up to scrutiny if we did?) UK-based agency Responsible Travel sells trips to tourists who want to see the world without furthering social injustice, or harming the environment. Its CEO Justin Francis has been pondering these dilemmas since the company's launch in 2001. He notes that while the tourism industry has a vested interest in painting places like the Maldives as \"paradise\", the truth can be less pleasant - and eventually it comes out. \"It's hard to hide the truth from tourists,\" he says. \"I may never see the sweatshop that makes my T-shirt. But if you travel there, you meet someone, the taxi driver or whoever... The things they don't want you to see, you will hear.\" That includes environmental horrors as well as potential rights violations. In 2012, the BBC's Simon Reeve filmed a huge island waste dump in the Maldives, which he described as \"gobsmacking\". Mr Francis says that Responsible Travel \"promotes holidays, not countries\". That's partly because it's hard to find a single destination with a spotless record on human rights, animal rights, and the environment. He cites America as an example, asking: \"Should we boycott the US because they pulled out of the Paris climate accord?\" Furthermore - and more encouragingly - he believes tourists have the power to travel responsibly, even in destinations with poor rights records. His two key questions for informed travellers are: Will my holiday be enjoyable, and will it benefit local people? It's also wise to educate yourself about tourist scams in your destination of choice. In Bali, for example, the rise in travellers keen to \"give something back\" has spawned orphanages which exploit children for profit. Luke McMillan of the British charity Tourism Concern, which promotes ethical travel, thinks the best tourism is \"organised by people who believe in improving local communities, through increasing employment... and investing some of their profit to improve things, such as infrastructure\". In reality, you will inevitably fund the government when you visit a country - even if it's just through airport taxes, or those paid by local businesses. For some people, that's reason enough to shun anywhere with a repressive regime. But others would argue that if you're putting money into local people's hands, that mitigates the impact. Karen Simmonds, managing director of London travel agency Travel Matters, is one of them. \"You can still make a positive contribution to people living under difficult regimes,\" she told the BBC. \"I think tourism can be that force for good. We can all serve and steward [the world] and learn from each other.\" It's worth considering that a burgeoning tourism industry is labour-intensive, and creates employment for a country's least formally-skilled people. The World Travel and Tourism Council estimates that one in 10 jobs globally is underpinned by the sector. And whatever their level of schooling, locals have an asset visitors value - a deep understanding of their own culture and environment. Sometimes a country's situation changes, of course. Myanmar, also known as Burma, is a case in point. It's the only country Responsible Travel has ever boycotted, and the reasons were twofold: Firstly the elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who was under house arrest, had called for an international boycott, and the company wanted to honour that. Secondly, Myanmar's military rulers owned most of the tourist infrastructure, meaning travellers would enrich the junta, not the local Burmese. Then in 2010, Ms Suu Kyi was released - and a year later her party said it would welcome \"visitors who are keen to promote the welfare of the common people\". Responsible Travel started sending tourists again, even though the military still had a powerful grip over parliament. Since 2017 that decision has been complicated by the bloody crackdown against Myanmar's Rohingya people - a persecuted ethnic minority - in response to militant attacks by an insurgent group. More than 740,000 have fled to neighbouring Bangladesh, bringing tales of mass murder, rape and torture - all of which the government denies. Mr Francis says customers have raised \"strong feelings which I share\" about the appalling situation there. However, he adds: \"It would be completely wrong to assume everyone in Burma agrees with what the government is doing.\" Keep up the boycott, he argues, and you're \"persecuting a people for their government\". Tourists who want to leave responsibility behind them may not be keen on all this question-asking. So here's a selfish benefit for those who need one: What many travellers want most is an authentic experience of their host country, and when tourists are considerate and intellectually engaged, locals are far more likely to share their lives, culture and history.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2632, "answer_start": 1532, "text": "Mr Francis says that Responsible Travel \"promotes holidays, not countries\". That's partly because it's hard to find a single destination with a spotless record on human rights, animal rights, and the environment. He cites America as an example, asking: \"Should we boycott the US because they pulled out of the Paris climate accord?\" Furthermore - and more encouragingly - he believes tourists have the power to travel responsibly, even in destinations with poor rights records. His two key questions for informed travellers are: Will my holiday be enjoyable, and will it benefit local people? It's also wise to educate yourself about tourist scams in your destination of choice. In Bali, for example, the rise in travellers keen to \"give something back\" has spawned orphanages which exploit children for profit. Luke McMillan of the British charity Tourism Concern, which promotes ethical travel, thinks the best tourism is \"organised by people who believe in improving local communities, through increasing employment... and investing some of their profit to improve things, such as infrastructure\"." } ], "id": "9843_0", "question": "How do you make sure your holiday is ethical?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3674, "answer_start": 2633, "text": "In reality, you will inevitably fund the government when you visit a country - even if it's just through airport taxes, or those paid by local businesses. For some people, that's reason enough to shun anywhere with a repressive regime. But others would argue that if you're putting money into local people's hands, that mitigates the impact. Karen Simmonds, managing director of London travel agency Travel Matters, is one of them. \"You can still make a positive contribution to people living under difficult regimes,\" she told the BBC. \"I think tourism can be that force for good. We can all serve and steward [the world] and learn from each other.\" It's worth considering that a burgeoning tourism industry is labour-intensive, and creates employment for a country's least formally-skilled people. The World Travel and Tourism Council estimates that one in 10 jobs globally is underpinned by the sector. And whatever their level of schooling, locals have an asset visitors value - a deep understanding of their own culture and environment." } ], "id": "9843_1", "question": "Can you ever avoid funding a government?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5453, "answer_start": 5090, "text": "Tourists who want to leave responsibility behind them may not be keen on all this question-asking. So here's a selfish benefit for those who need one: What many travellers want most is an authentic experience of their host country, and when tourists are considerate and intellectually engaged, locals are far more likely to share their lives, culture and history." } ], "id": "9843_2", "question": "Doesn't all this cross-checking take the fun out of travel?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The man who led an inquiry into the future safety of Britain's banks has said Bank of England plans are not strong enough. Sir John Vickers, who headed up the Independent Commission on Banking (ICB), said: \"The Bank of England proposal is less strong than what the ICB recommended.\" In a BBC interview, he added: \"I don't think the ICB overdid it.\" The Bank of England rebuffed the criticism. Sir John has specifically questioned the plans to ensure that banks have enough capital. Capital is considered vital to a bank's safety, as it serves to protect it from sudden losses. It comes in many forms, but the most common is funding from shareholders, who expect a hefty return on the risk they are taking. The backdrop to this news is the current slump in bank share prices across Europe. Since the start of the year, European banking stocks have lost a quarter of their value. The Bank of England \"might want to reflect on the turmoil we've seen in banking shares\", Sir John told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. \"That's a very important lesson that you have to get the basics right,\" he said. Regulators, bankers and investors have been debating since the crisis just how much capital, and of what quality, will be needed for banks to survive the next crisis without another bailout from the taxpayer. Royal Bank of Scotland and Lloyds Banking Group alone required a PS65bn bailout, while all banks were aided by cheap funding. Sir John, who has served as chief economist for the Bank of England and is now professor and warden of All Souls College, Oxford, says more capital is needed because no-one can predict the nature or scale of the next shock to the system. High-quality capital in the form of shares is the best option, he says, in part because it is tried and tested. \"A good way to think about it is as an insurance policy,\" he said. \"You do have to pay a premium to insure your house and you hope nothing bad will happen. But if it does, you are much better off in paying that premium, and for full coverage.\" \"If banks run out of capital, all sorts of havoc could ensue. We want to be in a position where there's enough of a buffer to take any losses that might occur.\" Cheaper alternatives such as bonds which convert to high-quality capital - dubbed contingent convertible bonds (CoCos) - are untested. \"Other types of capital - CoCos, for example - and new forms of loss-absorbent bank debt are welcome but untested. Equity capital is the best shock absorber - even if you haven't got a clue what's going to hit you, it works.\" Authorities have been criticised for what appears to be a softer approach to bank regulation. City watchdog chief Martin Wheatley, considered a tough regulator, was fired in the summer. The regulator then scrapped an inquiry into banking culture. The ICB report recommended that the six largest banks should have 3% of extra capital in reserve compared to loans, when taking into account their risk. The new Bank of England suggestion is for a 2.5% buffer for the very largest, and as low as 1% for the smaller lenders of the six. But the Bank of England said that it was in fact proposing \"a higher level of capital and overall resilience\" than was recommended in the ICB report. It added that its proposals reflected the cost of the crisis as well as the benefits of more resilient banks. \"This judgement is informed by two years of severe but plausible stress tests,\" a Bank of England spokesperson said. \"UK banks are now within touching distance of meeting these proposed new standards. \"On a comparable basis, globally systemic banks in the UK will be required to have ten times more capital than before the crisis.\" The financial crash of 2008 exposed the Big Shortage - of bank capital. Some banks that had lent out, say, 40 times their shareholders' capital couldn't absorb their losses when loans went bad. Hence the taxpayer bailouts and further economic damage from bank lending seizing up. The clear lesson is that banks, especially major banks providing core retail services, need much bigger safety buffers - more capital relative to loan exposures. Important progress has been made internationally and in the UK on this front, but a key policy question remains open: how big a safety buffer should major British banks have? On 29 January, the Bank of England set out for consultation its proposed answer. The BoE expects that it would increase capital requirements, relative to banks' exposures, by about 5%. Well worth having, but not ambitious. So on bank safety buffers, the BoE's answer to the question \"Are we nearly there yet?\" is \"Yes\". I am not so sure. In 2011 the Independent Commission on Banking, which I chaired, recommended considerably stronger capital buffers for British retail banks. They would have significantly exceeded the buffers that some UK banks must have because of their global importance. That is not so true of the BoE proposals, which is why they add quite modestly to capital in British retail banking. Who is right? Nobody knows. But that in itself is a reason for strong capital buffers. Large uncertainties, and the massive costs to society of systemic bank failures, call for ample insurance. The main argument made against stronger buffers is rather a reason for them. Equity capital, it is said, is costly for banks because investors expect high returns. But high returns make sense only if they compensate for risk. It is in the public interest, however, to contain risks from banks - especially those providing core services such as current accounts - which is best done by more equity, not less. Banking, as it involves lending, will always be risky to some degree. That's fine, but only so long as capital buffers are strong enough to ensure that taxpayers aren't again on the hook when things go wrong. The worldwide fall in bank shares this year underlines the importance of the capital buffer question. The BoE might want to reconsider the answer.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4610, "answer_start": 3669, "text": "The financial crash of 2008 exposed the Big Shortage - of bank capital. Some banks that had lent out, say, 40 times their shareholders' capital couldn't absorb their losses when loans went bad. Hence the taxpayer bailouts and further economic damage from bank lending seizing up. The clear lesson is that banks, especially major banks providing core retail services, need much bigger safety buffers - more capital relative to loan exposures. Important progress has been made internationally and in the UK on this front, but a key policy question remains open: how big a safety buffer should major British banks have? On 29 January, the Bank of England set out for consultation its proposed answer. The BoE expects that it would increase capital requirements, relative to banks' exposures, by about 5%. Well worth having, but not ambitious. So on bank safety buffers, the BoE's answer to the question \"Are we nearly there yet?\" is \"Yes\"." } ], "id": "9844_0", "question": "Sir John Vickers: How big a safety buffer should banks have?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says a landmark nuclear deal with Iran was \"built on lies\", after Israel claimed to have proof of a secret Iranian nuclear weapons programme. Mr Pompeo said documents revealed by Israel's prime minister were authentic. Analysts say they show nothing new, highlighting that concerns over Iran's nuclear ambitions led to the 2015 deal. US President Donald Trump, who opposes the accord, has until 12 May to decide whether to abandon it or not. Other Western powers, including signatories Britain and France, say Iran has been abiding by the deal and it should be kept. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday accused Iran of conducting a secret nuclear weapons programme, dubbed Project Amad, and said it had continued to pursue nuclear weapons knowledge after the project was shuttered in 2003. That followed the revelation in 2002 by an exiled Iranian opposition group that Iran was constructing secret nuclear sites in breach of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, of which Iran was a signatory. Mr Netanyahu presented what he said was evidence of thousands of \"secret nuclear files\" that showed Iran had lied about its nuclear ambitions before the deal was signed in 2015. Tension between the long-standing enemies has grown steadily since Iran built up its military presence in Syria, which lies to the north-east of Israel. Iran has always denied seeking nuclear weapons, and agreed three years ago to curb its nuclear energy programme in return for the lifting of sanctions. The Israeli prime minister did not provide evidence that Iran had violated the accord since it went into effect in early 2016. But he insisted that Project Amad had continued at the Iranian defence ministry - citing the head of the programme as saying: \"Special activities will be carried out under the title of scientific know-how developments.\" Mr Netanyahu said he had shared the files with the US, and they would be submitted to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which has been tasked with investigating Iran's nuclear past. The new secretary of state said the documents were proof \"beyond any doubt\" that \"the Iranian regime was not telling the truth\". \"Iran hid a vast atomic archive from the world and from the IAEA - until today,\" Mr Pompeo added. Mr Trump, who has been vocal about his opposition to the Obama-era deal, said he had viewed part of Mr Netanyahu's presentation and said the situation was \"not acceptable\". He said he would make a decision on whether to retain the deal in the next 12 days. Iran's Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said the move by Mr Netanyahu was a stunt to influence Mr Trump's decision on whether the US should stick with the nuclear deal. He said the documents were a rehash of old allegations already dealt with by the IAEA. A former chief inspector at the agency told the Guardian newspaper his department had seen some of the documentation presented by the Israeli prime minister as early as 2005. Olli Heinonen told the newspaper his department had come to the conclusion that evidence of Project Amad was credible, but that substantial work on it had ceased in 2003. A spokesman for the UK government, a signatory of the deal, said it would continue to back the deal, adding: \"We have never been naive about Iran and its nuclear intentions.\" Rob Malley, who was on the Iran negotiating team under the Obama administration, played down the allegations, saying they were \"nothing new\". Meanwhile, the European Union's foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, said the documents have not put into question Iran's compliance with the 2015 deal and said they should be analysed by the IAEA. Benjamin Netanyahu told reporters on Monday that Israel's intelligence agency Mossad had obtained 55,000 pages of evidence and a further 55,000 files on 183 CDs relating to Project Amad. A senior Israeli official told the New York Times that the agency first discovered the warehouse in southern Tehran in February 2016, and put the building under surveillance. In January, intelligence agents managed to break into the property in the middle of the night, remove the original documents and smuggle them back into Israel the same night, the official told the paper. The agreement signed between Iran, the US, China, Russia, Germany, France and Britain lifted crippling economic sanctions in return for curbs on Tehran's nuclear programme. Under the deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Iran is committed to slashing the number of its centrifuges, which are machines used to enrich uranium. It is also meant to cut its stockpile of enriched uranium drastically and not enrich remaining uranium to the level needed to produce nuclear weapons. The number of centrifuges installed at Iran's Natanz and Fordo sites was cut drastically soon after the deal while tonnes of low-enriched uranium were shipped to Russia. Furthermore, monitors from the IAEA have been able to carry out snap inspections at Iranian nuclear sites. The US president has not held back in voicing his opposition to the deal, which he has described as the \"worst ever\". He has twice already refused to certify to Congress that Iran is complying with the agreement, and warned that the US would withdraw completely on 12 May - the next deadline for waiving sanctions - unless European signatories to the deal and Congress addressed his concerns. He is unhappy that it only limited Iran's nuclear activities for a fixed period and had failed to stop the development of ballistic missiles. He also said it had handed Iran a $100bn (PS72bn) windfall that it used \"as a slush fund for weapons, terror, and oppression\" across the Middle East.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2069, "answer_start": 601, "text": "Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday accused Iran of conducting a secret nuclear weapons programme, dubbed Project Amad, and said it had continued to pursue nuclear weapons knowledge after the project was shuttered in 2003. That followed the revelation in 2002 by an exiled Iranian opposition group that Iran was constructing secret nuclear sites in breach of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, of which Iran was a signatory. Mr Netanyahu presented what he said was evidence of thousands of \"secret nuclear files\" that showed Iran had lied about its nuclear ambitions before the deal was signed in 2015. Tension between the long-standing enemies has grown steadily since Iran built up its military presence in Syria, which lies to the north-east of Israel. Iran has always denied seeking nuclear weapons, and agreed three years ago to curb its nuclear energy programme in return for the lifting of sanctions. The Israeli prime minister did not provide evidence that Iran had violated the accord since it went into effect in early 2016. But he insisted that Project Amad had continued at the Iranian defence ministry - citing the head of the programme as saying: \"Special activities will be carried out under the title of scientific know-how developments.\" Mr Netanyahu said he had shared the files with the US, and they would be submitted to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which has been tasked with investigating Iran's nuclear past." } ], "id": "9845_0", "question": "What is Iran accused of?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2553, "answer_start": 2070, "text": "The new secretary of state said the documents were proof \"beyond any doubt\" that \"the Iranian regime was not telling the truth\". \"Iran hid a vast atomic archive from the world and from the IAEA - until today,\" Mr Pompeo added. Mr Trump, who has been vocal about his opposition to the Obama-era deal, said he had viewed part of Mr Netanyahu's presentation and said the situation was \"not acceptable\". He said he would make a decision on whether to retain the deal in the next 12 days." } ], "id": "9845_1", "question": "What does the US say?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3671, "answer_start": 2554, "text": "Iran's Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said the move by Mr Netanyahu was a stunt to influence Mr Trump's decision on whether the US should stick with the nuclear deal. He said the documents were a rehash of old allegations already dealt with by the IAEA. A former chief inspector at the agency told the Guardian newspaper his department had seen some of the documentation presented by the Israeli prime minister as early as 2005. Olli Heinonen told the newspaper his department had come to the conclusion that evidence of Project Amad was credible, but that substantial work on it had ceased in 2003. A spokesman for the UK government, a signatory of the deal, said it would continue to back the deal, adding: \"We have never been naive about Iran and its nuclear intentions.\" Rob Malley, who was on the Iran negotiating team under the Obama administration, played down the allegations, saying they were \"nothing new\". Meanwhile, the European Union's foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, said the documents have not put into question Iran's compliance with the 2015 deal and said they should be analysed by the IAEA." } ], "id": "9845_2", "question": "What other reaction has there been?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4237, "answer_start": 3672, "text": "Benjamin Netanyahu told reporters on Monday that Israel's intelligence agency Mossad had obtained 55,000 pages of evidence and a further 55,000 files on 183 CDs relating to Project Amad. A senior Israeli official told the New York Times that the agency first discovered the warehouse in southern Tehran in February 2016, and put the building under surveillance. In January, intelligence agents managed to break into the property in the middle of the night, remove the original documents and smuggle them back into Israel the same night, the official told the paper." } ], "id": "9845_3", "question": "How did Israel acquire the documents?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5026, "answer_start": 4238, "text": "The agreement signed between Iran, the US, China, Russia, Germany, France and Britain lifted crippling economic sanctions in return for curbs on Tehran's nuclear programme. Under the deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Iran is committed to slashing the number of its centrifuges, which are machines used to enrich uranium. It is also meant to cut its stockpile of enriched uranium drastically and not enrich remaining uranium to the level needed to produce nuclear weapons. The number of centrifuges installed at Iran's Natanz and Fordo sites was cut drastically soon after the deal while tonnes of low-enriched uranium were shipped to Russia. Furthermore, monitors from the IAEA have been able to carry out snap inspections at Iranian nuclear sites." } ], "id": "9845_4", "question": "How is the 2015 deal meant to work?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Brazil's President Michel Temer has been acquitted of irregularities in the 2014 election, a ruling which allows him to stay in office. By four votes to three, the Superior Electoral Court rejected claims that illegal money was used in the campaign. If found guilty, Mr Temer could have been forced out of the presidency. The accusations referred to the vote won by Dilma Rousseff with Mr Temer as her running mate. He replaced her when she was impeached last year. The court looked at whether the Rousseff-Temer presidential campaign in 2014 should have been invalidated because of illegal campaign donations. Judge Herman Benjamin, the investigator in the case, voted for their conviction, saying that a system of undeclared donations and bribes favoured them in the election. He said they were both guilty of abuse of economic and political power \"This is enough to invalidate the mandate,\" he said at the session broadcast live on TV. But four other judges voted against him, some saying that the evidence presented was not enough to prove that the illegal money that went to the political parties was used in the campaign. If they had been convicted, Mr Temer could have been suspended from the presidency while Ms Rousseff would have lost her political rights. This ruling is hardly going to clear up Brazil's messy politics, it just kicks the ball down the road, says the BBC's Katy Watson. Mr Temer has little support among the electorate, and he is clinging on to political support - for now, says our correspondent. Brazilian politics has been in a state of crisis for some time now, in part fuelled by the country's largest-ever corruption investigation. Known as Operation Car Wash, the inquiry - which started in March 2014 - has implicated some of Brazil's biggest names, and a third of the cabinet are under investigation for corruption. Then last month, leaked audio recordings surfaced that seemed to show Mr Temer encouraging the payment of hush money to Eduardo Cunha, the former lower house speaker who led the impeachment process against Ms Rousseff. The recording led to calls for Mr Temer to step down, but he has refused to go, despite being abandoned by some allies and powerful media outlets. The president is very unpopular, with approval ratings in the single digits. But among the political and business elite he was tolerated, partly because he was trying to push through pension and labour reforms which, they say, were vital to revive the country's economy. Brazil finally emerged out of recession in the first quarter of this year, after two years of negative growth, and Mr Temer said he was the only one capable of bringing the stability needed for full economic recovery. President Temer is being investigated for other allegations of corruption. If he were to be charged, then that is where the political calculations come in. According to the Brazilian constitution, if there are fewer than two years left in a term, Congress will choose a caretaker president to govern until the next elections, due in 2018. But nobody really knows the rules of this kind of election because it has never happened before. That would likely bring further uncertainty, analysts said. Many want direct elections so they can choose a new leader rather than have it chosen by a Congress that is seen as part of the problem. This, however, is unlikely to happen, and not only because of the current legislation: some of the biggest parties oppose to an election now as many of their top names have been implicated in the investigations and, with increasing public anger, they would probably suffer big losses.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1266, "answer_start": 466, "text": "The court looked at whether the Rousseff-Temer presidential campaign in 2014 should have been invalidated because of illegal campaign donations. Judge Herman Benjamin, the investigator in the case, voted for their conviction, saying that a system of undeclared donations and bribes favoured them in the election. He said they were both guilty of abuse of economic and political power \"This is enough to invalidate the mandate,\" he said at the session broadcast live on TV. But four other judges voted against him, some saying that the evidence presented was not enough to prove that the illegal money that went to the political parties was used in the campaign. If they had been convicted, Mr Temer could have been suspended from the presidency while Ms Rousseff would have lost her political rights." } ], "id": "9846_0", "question": "What were the accusations?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2707, "answer_start": 1267, "text": "This ruling is hardly going to clear up Brazil's messy politics, it just kicks the ball down the road, says the BBC's Katy Watson. Mr Temer has little support among the electorate, and he is clinging on to political support - for now, says our correspondent. Brazilian politics has been in a state of crisis for some time now, in part fuelled by the country's largest-ever corruption investigation. Known as Operation Car Wash, the inquiry - which started in March 2014 - has implicated some of Brazil's biggest names, and a third of the cabinet are under investigation for corruption. Then last month, leaked audio recordings surfaced that seemed to show Mr Temer encouraging the payment of hush money to Eduardo Cunha, the former lower house speaker who led the impeachment process against Ms Rousseff. The recording led to calls for Mr Temer to step down, but he has refused to go, despite being abandoned by some allies and powerful media outlets. The president is very unpopular, with approval ratings in the single digits. But among the political and business elite he was tolerated, partly because he was trying to push through pension and labour reforms which, they say, were vital to revive the country's economy. Brazil finally emerged out of recession in the first quarter of this year, after two years of negative growth, and Mr Temer said he was the only one capable of bringing the stability needed for full economic recovery." } ], "id": "9846_1", "question": "What happens next?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3625, "answer_start": 2708, "text": "President Temer is being investigated for other allegations of corruption. If he were to be charged, then that is where the political calculations come in. According to the Brazilian constitution, if there are fewer than two years left in a term, Congress will choose a caretaker president to govern until the next elections, due in 2018. But nobody really knows the rules of this kind of election because it has never happened before. That would likely bring further uncertainty, analysts said. Many want direct elections so they can choose a new leader rather than have it chosen by a Congress that is seen as part of the problem. This, however, is unlikely to happen, and not only because of the current legislation: some of the biggest parties oppose to an election now as many of their top names have been implicated in the investigations and, with increasing public anger, they would probably suffer big losses." } ], "id": "9846_2", "question": "If Temer goes, who comes in?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "At least 17 people have been killed in clashes between ruling party supporters and the opposition as Bangladesh holds a general election. Polls have closed and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is the overwhelming favourite to win a third term. But the Bangladesh Election Commission told Reuters it had heard vote-rigging allegations from \"across the country\" and would investigate. Ms Hasina's main rival is serving a jail term for corruption. The build-up to the poll was marred by violence and accusations of a crackdown against the opposition. Some 600,000 security personnel were deployed to prevent clashes. The authorities ordered high-speed internet be shut down until after the vote to prevent the spread of \"rumours\" that might spark unrest. Minutes before polls opened, a BBC correspondent saw filled ballot boxes at a polling centre in the port city of Chittagong. The presiding officer declined to comment. Only ruling party polling agents were present at that and several other polling centres in the second largest city of the country. At least 28 candidates from the main opposition alliance withdrew before polling closed, alleging vote rigging and intimidation. More than 100 million people were eligible to vote but reports suggest turnout has been low. The governing Awami League (AL) said that, despite sporadic incidents, voting was held in a festive atmosphere. The BBC's South Asia regional editor, Anbarasan Ethirajan, says that if the opposition claim of widespread vote rigging is proven, it could question the legitimacy of the new government. Bangladesh is a Muslim-majority nation of more than 160 million people and faces issues ranging from possibly devastating climate change, Islamist militancy, endemic poverty and corruption. The country has recently been in the international spotlight as hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims have fled there from neighbouring Myanmar. The lead-up to the election saw violence between rival supporters and a crackdown on dissent by a government that critics say has only grown more authoritarian during its 10 years in power. Activists, observers and the opposition party warned that the vote would not be fair. The governing party has accused the opposition of peddling false claims. Ms Hasina told the BBC on Friday: \"On the one hand, they are placing allegations, on the other hand, they are attacking our party workers, leaders. That is the tragedy in this country.\" Yogita Limaye, BBC News, Dhaka As we went from polling booth to polling booth, one pattern became clear. People who were supporters of Prime Minister Hasina's party were vocal, and happy to answer our questions on camera, about what issues they'd voted on. The others were mostly too scared to speak out. One man told us that several members of his extended family found that their votes had already been cast when they went to the polling booth. He said he didn't think it was a fair election but didn't want to be identified It wasn't hard to see why he felt intimidated. Outside every polling booth we went to, there were dozens of workers from the prime minister's party, listening intently when anyone was interviewed. No-one from the opposition parties was visible. While the election commission has said it will investigate claims of vote-rigging, the organisation has itself been accused of bias by the opposition. So far, the prime minister has not responded to these latest allegations but two days ago rejected claims the election was unfair. It is widely anticipated that her party will win the polls, but it will be a controversial victory. Sheikh Hasina's Awami League has run Bangladesh since 2009. Her long-term rival, Khaleda Zia, was sent to prison on corruption charges earlier this year and barred from competing in the vote, in a case which she claimed was politically motivated. In Ms Zia's absence, Kamal Hossain, who was previously both an AL minister and Hasina ally, leads the main opposition grouping, the Jatiya Oikya Front, which includes Ms Zia's Bangladesh National Party (BNP). However, the 81-year-old lawyer, who drew up the country's constitution, is not standing in the election, raising questions as to who would take power should the opposition win. The BNP boycotted the last vote in 2014, making Sunday's poll the first to involve all the major parties in 10 years.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1567, "answer_start": 748, "text": "Minutes before polls opened, a BBC correspondent saw filled ballot boxes at a polling centre in the port city of Chittagong. The presiding officer declined to comment. Only ruling party polling agents were present at that and several other polling centres in the second largest city of the country. At least 28 candidates from the main opposition alliance withdrew before polling closed, alleging vote rigging and intimidation. More than 100 million people were eligible to vote but reports suggest turnout has been low. The governing Awami League (AL) said that, despite sporadic incidents, voting was held in a festive atmosphere. The BBC's South Asia regional editor, Anbarasan Ethirajan, says that if the opposition claim of widespread vote rigging is proven, it could question the legitimacy of the new government." } ], "id": "9847_0", "question": "How did voting go?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4347, "answer_start": 3596, "text": "Sheikh Hasina's Awami League has run Bangladesh since 2009. Her long-term rival, Khaleda Zia, was sent to prison on corruption charges earlier this year and barred from competing in the vote, in a case which she claimed was politically motivated. In Ms Zia's absence, Kamal Hossain, who was previously both an AL minister and Hasina ally, leads the main opposition grouping, the Jatiya Oikya Front, which includes Ms Zia's Bangladesh National Party (BNP). However, the 81-year-old lawyer, who drew up the country's constitution, is not standing in the election, raising questions as to who would take power should the opposition win. The BNP boycotted the last vote in 2014, making Sunday's poll the first to involve all the major parties in 10 years." } ], "id": "9847_1", "question": "Who are the contenders?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Onion prices have yet again dominated the headlines in India over the past week. BBC Marathi's Janhavee Moole explains what makes this sweet and pungent vegetable so political. The onion - ubiquitous in Indian cooking - is widely seen as the poor man's vegetable. But it also has the power to tempt thieves, destroy livelihoods and - with its fluctuating price a measure of inflation - end the careers of some of India's most powerful politicians. With that in mind, it's perhaps unsurprising those politicians might be feeling a little concerned this week. In short: its price has skyrocketed. Onion prices had been on the rise in India since August, when 25 rupees ($0.35; PS0.29) would have got you a kilo. At the start of October, that price was 80 rupees ($1.13; PS0.91). Fearing a backlash, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government banned onion exports, hoping it would bring down the domestic price. And it did. A kilo was selling for less than 30 rupees on Thursday at Lasalgaon, Asia's largest onion wholesale market, located in the western state of Maharashtra. However, not everyone is happy. While high prices had angered consumers in a sluggish Indian economy, the fall in prices sparked protests by exporters and farmers in Maharashtra, where state elections are due in weeks. And it is not just at home where hackles have been raised: the export ban has also strained trade relations between India and its neighbour, Bangladesh, which is among the top importers of the vegetable. The onion is a staple vegetable for the poor, indispensable to many Indian cuisines and recipes, from spicy curries to tangy relishes. \"In Maharashtra, if there are no vegetables or you can't afford to buy vegetables, people eat 'kanda bhakari' [onion with bread],\" explains food historian Dr Mohseena Mukadam. True, onions are not widely used in certain parts of the country, such as the south and the east - and some religious communities don't eat them at all. But they are especially popular in the more populous northern states which - notably - send a higher number of MPs to India's parliament. \"Consumers in northern India wield more power over the federal government. So although consumers in other parts of India don't complain as much about higher prices, if those in northern India do, the government feels the pressure,\" says Milind Murugkar, a policy researcher. A drop in prices also affects the income of onion farmers, mainly in Maharashtra, Karnataka in the south and Gujarat in the west. \"Farmers see the onion as a cash crop that grows in the short term, and grows well in dry areas with less water,\" says Dipti Raut, a journalist, who has been on the \"onion beat\" for years. \"It's like an ATM machine that guarantees income to farmers and sometimes, their household budget depends on the onion produce,\" she said. Onions have even attracted robbers: when prices skyrocketed in 2013, thieves tried to steal a truck loaded with onions, but were caught by the police. Put simply, because the price moving too far one way or another is likely to anger a large block of voters, be they everyday households, or the country's farmers. Onions are so crucial they have even featured in election campaigns. The Delhi state government bought and sold them at subsidised rates in September when prices were at their peak: chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, it should be noted, is up for re-election next year. Meanwhile, Indira Gandhi swept to power in 1980 on slogans that used soaring onion prices as a metaphor for the economic failures of the previous government. A drop in supply, due to heavy rains and flooding destroying the crop in large parts of India, and damaging some 35% of the onions stocks in storage, according to Nanasaheb Patil, director of the National Agricultural Co-operative Marketing Federation. He said the flooding had also delayed the next round of produce, which was due in September. \"This has become a fairly regular phenomenon in recent decades,\" Mr Murugkar said. \"Onion prices swing heavily with a small drop or increase in production.\" In fact, the shortage - and subsequent rise in prices - happens almost every year around this time, according to Ms Raut. \"It's a vicious cycle and the trader lobby and middlemen benefit from even the slightest price fluctuations,\" she added. Ms Raut says more grass-root planning and better storage facilities and food processing services will ease the problem - and making a variety of cash crops and vegetables available across the country would also ease the pressure on onions. \"The government is quick to act when onion prices rise. Why don't they act as swiftly when prices fall?\" asked Vikas Darekar, an onion farmer in Maharashtra. He said the government should buy onions from farmers at a \"fair price\". Mr Murugkar, however, feels that the government should never interfere in \"onion matters\". \"If you are interested in raising purchasing power of the people, they should not curtail exports. Do we have such a ban on software exports? It's really absurd. A government which has won such a huge majority should be able to withstand the pressures from a few consumers.\"", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1501, "answer_start": 558, "text": "In short: its price has skyrocketed. Onion prices had been on the rise in India since August, when 25 rupees ($0.35; PS0.29) would have got you a kilo. At the start of October, that price was 80 rupees ($1.13; PS0.91). Fearing a backlash, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government banned onion exports, hoping it would bring down the domestic price. And it did. A kilo was selling for less than 30 rupees on Thursday at Lasalgaon, Asia's largest onion wholesale market, located in the western state of Maharashtra. However, not everyone is happy. While high prices had angered consumers in a sluggish Indian economy, the fall in prices sparked protests by exporters and farmers in Maharashtra, where state elections are due in weeks. And it is not just at home where hackles have been raised: the export ban has also strained trade relations between India and its neighbour, Bangladesh, which is among the top importers of the vegetable." } ], "id": "9848_0", "question": "So, what exactly is happening with India's onions?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3575, "answer_start": 2988, "text": "Put simply, because the price moving too far one way or another is likely to anger a large block of voters, be they everyday households, or the country's farmers. Onions are so crucial they have even featured in election campaigns. The Delhi state government bought and sold them at subsidised rates in September when prices were at their peak: chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, it should be noted, is up for re-election next year. Meanwhile, Indira Gandhi swept to power in 1980 on slogans that used soaring onion prices as a metaphor for the economic failures of the previous government." } ], "id": "9848_1", "question": "Why do politicians care about the onion?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4321, "answer_start": 3576, "text": "A drop in supply, due to heavy rains and flooding destroying the crop in large parts of India, and damaging some 35% of the onions stocks in storage, according to Nanasaheb Patil, director of the National Agricultural Co-operative Marketing Federation. He said the flooding had also delayed the next round of produce, which was due in September. \"This has become a fairly regular phenomenon in recent decades,\" Mr Murugkar said. \"Onion prices swing heavily with a small drop or increase in production.\" In fact, the shortage - and subsequent rise in prices - happens almost every year around this time, according to Ms Raut. \"It's a vicious cycle and the trader lobby and middlemen benefit from even the slightest price fluctuations,\" she added." } ], "id": "9848_2", "question": "But why did onion prices rise this year?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Israel has approved hundreds of new settlement homes in occupied East Jerusalem, after the staunch pro-Israel US President Donald Trump took office. Jerusalem Deputy Mayor Meir Turgeman told AFP: \"Now we can finally build.\" Israel's PM reportedly delayed approval given the opposition of Barack Obama, who infuriated Israel by allowing a UN resolution against settlements to pass. Settlements in East Jerusalem are considered illegal under international law, though Israel disputes this. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that Mr Trump had invited him to a meeting in Washington in February, on a date yet to be decided. A statement said the two leaders held a \"very warm\" telephone conversation in which they discussed issues including the Iran nuclear deal and the peace process with the Palestinians. The White House said Mr Trump had emphasised during the call that peace between Israel and the Palestinians \"could only be negotiated directly between the two parties\". It said the two leaders had agreed to continue to consult closely on regional issues including \"threats posed by Iran\". Jerusalem's City Hall approved construction permits for 566 new homes in the East Jerusalem settlements of Pisgat Zeev, Ramat Shlomo and Ramot. Mr Turgeman said: \"I was told to wait until Trump takes office because he has no problem with building in Jerusalem. \"The rules of the game have changed with Donald Trump's arrival as president. We no longer have our hands tied as in the time of Barack Obama.\" He said the delay was at the request of Mr Netanyahu in the wake of the 23 December UN Security Council resolution opposing Israeli settlement construction. The US refusal to veto the resolution marked the lowest ebb of deteriorating relations between the Obama administration and the Israeli government. Mr Obama regarded opposing new settlement homes as a key plank in pursuing a possible \"two-state solution\" to ending the decades-old conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. Settlements are communities established by Israel on land occupied in the 1967 Middle East war. This includes the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Golan Heights. More than 500,000 Jews live in about 140 settlements built since the occupation. Why the settlement issue matters The issue has long been a major source of dispute between Israel and most of the international community, including the US. The latest UN Security Council resolution stated that the establishment of settlements \"has no legal validity and constitutes a flagrant violation under international law and a major obstacle to the achievement of the two-state solution and a just, lasting and comprehensive peace\". The resolution infuriated the Israeli government, particularly concerning East Jerusalem. Israel sees the whole of Jerusalem as its capital. The Palestinians want East Jerusalem as the capital of their future state. Negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians broke down in 2014. A summit aimed at kick-starting peace talks was held in Paris last Sunday but neither side was invited to participate. It restated the desire for a two-state solution. In two words, Donald Trump. His presidential election campaign carried a message of strong Israeli support. He said he was \"Israel's best friend\". He also said he would move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, although the US does not recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital. On Sunday, White House spokesman Sean Spicer said in a statement: \"We are at the very beginning stages of even discussing this subject.\" After the UN resolution, Mr Trump tweeted in support of Israel, saying he would not allow it to be treated with \"disdain and disrespect\". He urged Israel to \"stay strong\" until he assumed office the following month. He has also appointed right-winger David Friedman as his ambassador to Israel. Mr Friedman is strongly critical of the two-state solution and supports Jewish settlement building. The initial response came from Nabil Abu Rdainah, a spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. \"We strongly condemn the Israeli decision to approve the construction,\" he said. Israeli right-wing politicians may see a chance to push forward with much wider settlement programmes. Two key areas would be the Maale Adumim settlement, east of Jerusalem. It has been seen as a key part in any two-state solution, and an annexation would cast huge doubts on achieving that. The E1 district, between Maale Adumim and East Jerusalem, is another key area. A \"two-state solution\" to the decades-old conflict between Israelis and Palestinians is the declared goal of their leaders and many international diplomats and politicians. It is the shorthand for a final settlement that would see the creation of an independent state of Palestine within pre-1967 ceasefire lines in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem, living peacefully alongside Israel. The United Nations, the Arab League, the European Union, Russia and the United States routinely restate their commitment to the concept. Blame and bitterness keep peace at bay Reconsidering the two-state solution", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2002, "answer_start": 1116, "text": "Jerusalem's City Hall approved construction permits for 566 new homes in the East Jerusalem settlements of Pisgat Zeev, Ramat Shlomo and Ramot. Mr Turgeman said: \"I was told to wait until Trump takes office because he has no problem with building in Jerusalem. \"The rules of the game have changed with Donald Trump's arrival as president. We no longer have our hands tied as in the time of Barack Obama.\" He said the delay was at the request of Mr Netanyahu in the wake of the 23 December UN Security Council resolution opposing Israeli settlement construction. The US refusal to veto the resolution marked the lowest ebb of deteriorating relations between the Obama administration and the Israeli government. Mr Obama regarded opposing new settlement homes as a key plank in pursuing a possible \"two-state solution\" to ending the decades-old conflict between Israelis and Palestinians." } ], "id": "9849_0", "question": "What has Israel approved and why now?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3139, "answer_start": 2003, "text": "Settlements are communities established by Israel on land occupied in the 1967 Middle East war. This includes the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Golan Heights. More than 500,000 Jews live in about 140 settlements built since the occupation. Why the settlement issue matters The issue has long been a major source of dispute between Israel and most of the international community, including the US. The latest UN Security Council resolution stated that the establishment of settlements \"has no legal validity and constitutes a flagrant violation under international law and a major obstacle to the achievement of the two-state solution and a just, lasting and comprehensive peace\". The resolution infuriated the Israeli government, particularly concerning East Jerusalem. Israel sees the whole of Jerusalem as its capital. The Palestinians want East Jerusalem as the capital of their future state. Negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians broke down in 2014. A summit aimed at kick-starting peace talks was held in Paris last Sunday but neither side was invited to participate. It restated the desire for a two-state solution." } ], "id": "9849_1", "question": "What are settlements and why is the approval controversial?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3954, "answer_start": 3140, "text": "In two words, Donald Trump. His presidential election campaign carried a message of strong Israeli support. He said he was \"Israel's best friend\". He also said he would move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, although the US does not recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital. On Sunday, White House spokesman Sean Spicer said in a statement: \"We are at the very beginning stages of even discussing this subject.\" After the UN resolution, Mr Trump tweeted in support of Israel, saying he would not allow it to be treated with \"disdain and disrespect\". He urged Israel to \"stay strong\" until he assumed office the following month. He has also appointed right-winger David Friedman as his ambassador to Israel. Mr Friedman is strongly critical of the two-state solution and supports Jewish settlement building." } ], "id": "9849_2", "question": "So why approve now?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4138, "answer_start": 3955, "text": "The initial response came from Nabil Abu Rdainah, a spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. \"We strongly condemn the Israeli decision to approve the construction,\" he said." } ], "id": "9849_3", "question": "What have the Palestinians said?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4509, "answer_start": 4139, "text": "Israeli right-wing politicians may see a chance to push forward with much wider settlement programmes. Two key areas would be the Maale Adumim settlement, east of Jerusalem. It has been seen as a key part in any two-state solution, and an annexation would cast huge doubts on achieving that. The E1 district, between Maale Adumim and East Jerusalem, is another key area." } ], "id": "9849_4", "question": "So what happens next?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Iraqi Kurdish president Massoud Barzani is to step down as the region wrestles with Baghdad over independence. In a bitter TV address, he defended the independence referendum he called. An overwhelming majority of voters approved secession, triggering fighting with Iraqi government troops who seized Kurdish-held oil rich areas. As parliament debated his decision to stand down, some pro-Barzani supporters forced their way into the building to protest against his treatment. The details of the situation remain unclear, but some witnesses reported seeing protesters with clubs, and some gunshots have also been heard. Some Kurds are aggrieved that the 71-year-old leader's dream of Kurdish independence has been left in tatters, despite wide support within the region in the 25 September referendum. On Sunday, Mr Barzani confirmed in a letter that he would not seek an extension to his presidential term, which ends in four days. The majority of the region's MPs supported Mr Barzani's decision to step down. In a speech aired on Kurdish TV after he submitted his letter to parliament, Mr Barzani said: \"Three million votes for Kurdistan independence created history and cannot be erased.\" He accused rivals of committing \"high treason\" for abandoning the oil-rich city of Kirkuk to central Iraqi forces without a fight. He also pointed to the Peshmerga Kurdish fighters' role in the battle against the Islamic State. \"Without the help of Peshmerga, Iraqi forces could not have liberated Mosul,\" he said, referring to IS's former stronghold, which fell earlier this year. Analysis by Arab Affairs Editor Sebastian Usher It's been a tumultuous day in Kurdistan as the long era of Masoud Barzani appears to be coming to an end. With his sturdy frame always clad in the khaki uniform and red and white head dress of a peshmerga fighter, Mr Barzani has been a symbol of Kurdish nationalism for decades. He is stepping down just weeks after he took the biggest gamble of his 12 years as president - an independence referendum. He had judged the time was right to achieve the Kurds' most cherished dream with their forces having proved their mettle against the Islamic State group. But the move backfired dramatically, with Iraqi forces responding by reversing the Kurds' territorial gains of the past three years. Born in a Kurdish area of Iran in August 1946, he is the son of the founder of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), Mustafa Barzani. Massoud Barzani took control of the KDP on his father's death in 1979. He became president of Iraqi Kurdistan in 2005, having played a key role in creating an autonomous territory after Saddam Hussein fell in 2003. He went on to win another presidential election in 2009, and his term was extended in 2013. After Iraqi military reclaimed the disputed, oil-rich province of Kirkuk earlier this month, he faced calls to stand down. Presidential and parliamentary elections due for 1 November were suspended when the Kirkuk assault started.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1574, "answer_start": 1012, "text": "In a speech aired on Kurdish TV after he submitted his letter to parliament, Mr Barzani said: \"Three million votes for Kurdistan independence created history and cannot be erased.\" He accused rivals of committing \"high treason\" for abandoning the oil-rich city of Kirkuk to central Iraqi forces without a fight. He also pointed to the Peshmerga Kurdish fighters' role in the battle against the Islamic State. \"Without the help of Peshmerga, Iraqi forces could not have liberated Mosul,\" he said, referring to IS's former stronghold, which fell earlier this year." } ], "id": "9850_0", "question": "What did he say in the speech?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "If we're ever to make regular journeys from Earth to Mars and other far-off destinations, we might need new kinds of engines. Engineers are exploring revolutionary new technologies that could help us traverse the Solar System in much less time. Because of the orbital paths Mars and Earth take around the Sun, the distance between them varies between 54.6 million km and 401 million km. Missions to Mars are launched when the two planets make a close approach. During one of these approaches, it takes nine months to get to Mars using chemical rockets - the form of propulsion in widespread use. That's a long time for anyone to spend travelling. But engineers, including those at the US space agency (Nasa), are working with industrial partners to develop faster methods of getting us there. So what are some of the most promising technologies? Solar electric propulsion could be used to send cargo to Mars ahead of a human mission. That would ensure equipment and supplies were ready and waiting for astronauts when they arrived using chemical rockets, according to Dr Jeff Sheehy, chief engineer in Nasa's Space Technology Mission Directorate. With solar electric propulsion, large solar arrays unfurl to capture solar energy, which is then converted to electricity. This powers something called a Hall thruster. There are pros and cons. On the upside, you need far less fuel, so the spacecraft becomes lighter. But it also takes your vehicle longer to get there. \"In order to carry the payload we'd need to, it would probably take between two to 2.5 years to get us there,\" Dr Sheehy tells the BBC. \"For the kinds of outposts we'd need to build on Mars for crews to be able to survive for months, and the vehicles, you'd need a lot of cargo.\" Aerojet Rocketdyne is working on a Hall thruster for the Gateway, a proposed space station in lunar orbit. \"Solar is the best because we know we can scale it up,\" Joe Cassidy, executive director of Aerojet Rocketdyne's space division, explains. \"We've already got these flying today on communications satellites. The power level we fly at today is 10-15kW (kilowatts), and what we're looking to do with the Gateway is to scale it up to something greater than 50kW.\" Mr Cassidy said Aerojet Rocketdyne's Hall thruster will be much more fuel efficient than a liquid hydrogen and oxygen rocket engine. But a good way to make access to space cheaper would be to have fewer launches, he explains. \"I think that solar electric propulsion is very good technology, using xenon as the propellant. But the two major drawbacks are the amount of time it takes to get there, and the size of the solar arrays,\" says Tim Cichan, a human spaceflight architect at aerospace giant Lockheed Martin. Dale Thomas, a professor and eminent scholar in systems engineering at the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) concurs. \"Solar electric works well for smaller payloads, but we're still having trouble getting it to scale,\" he tells the BBC. He thinks it could become an important alternative technology if the technical challenges can be solved. But for now, he says, there are other better options, such as nuclear thermal electric propulsion. Another idea is to use chemical rockets to lift off from Earth and to land on Mars. But for the middle part of the journey, some engineers propose using something called nuclear thermal electric propulsion. Astronauts could be sent to the Gateway in Nasa's Orion capsule. The Orion crew capsule would then dock with a transfer vehicle. Once Orion has been connected to the transfer vehicle, a nuclear electric rocket would be used to get the crew capsule and the transport module to Mars, where they link up with a Mars orbiter and lander, which are waiting in Mars' orbit. In a nuclear thermal electric rocket, a small nuclear reactor heats up liquid hydrogen. The gaseous form of the element expands and shoots out of the thruster. \"If we can cut transit time [to Mars] down by 30-60 days, it will improve the exposure to radiation facing the crew,\" says Mr Cassidy. \"We're looking at nuclear thermal as a key technology because it can enable faster transit times.\" Dale Thomas, together with UAH, has a study contract with Nasa to design a space rocket featuring a nuclear thermal engine. He thinks nuclear thermal electric is the closest new engine technology to being ready for use. \"Some of the trajectories we run in my lab, we can get the transit time down to three months, which is still a very long journey, but it's about a third of the time that chemical propulsion requires to get us there,\" he says. Boeing is not so keen on nuclear thermal propulsion, because it worries about the effects a nuclear reactor might have on astronauts. Mr Thomas disagrees: \"This is a common misperception. The hydrogen propellant is a great radiation shield. \"The crew will be at one end of the vehicle, and the engine at the other end. As such, preliminary estimates show that the crew will get more radiation dosage from cosmic rays than from the nuclear thermal engine.\" However, he admits one downside of the technology is the inability to easily test it on Earth. But Nasa is designing a ground test apparatus that scrubs the exhaust to remove radioactive particles - making ground tests possible. Another idea is electric ion propulsion. These generate thrust by accelerating ions - charged atoms or molecules - using electricity. Ion propulsion is already being used to power satellites in space. But they produce only a low thrust - more like the power of a hairdryer - and therefore have a low acceleration. But given time, they can reach high speeds. Ad Astra says it is working on a type of thruster called the Vasimr that uses radio waves to ionise and heat a propellant and then a magnetic field to accelerate the resulting soup of particles - the plasma. The Vasimr is designed to produce much more thrust than a standard ion engine. The electricity needed can be generated in different ways. But for sending humans to Mars, the team wants to use a nuclear reactor. The Vasimr would use solar electric for smaller payloads. Ad Astra's president and chief executive Franklin Chang Diaz, who is a former Nasa astronaut, says crewed missions need to get to Mars in less than nine months, ideally. Going to the Red Planet is much harder than going to the Moon, he says. \"The solution is to go fast,\" Mr Chang Diaz tells the BBC. \"For a spacecraft that would weigh 400-600 metric tonnes, with a power level of 200 MW (megawatts), you can get to Mars in 39 days.\" Dale Thomas believes scaling up the Vasimr will be difficult, like going from the power of a lawnmower to a space rocket. But the technology does show promise. \"If, or perhaps I should say, when Ad Astra can solve the technical challenges of Vasimr, it does appear to be the best choice for electric propulsion at the human-ferrying spacecraft scale,\" Mr Thomas says. \"The physics says that it should work. However, I must point out that Vasimr is still under development in the laboratory; it's a long way from being flight-ready at any scale.\" Mr Chang Diaz doesn't see a problem with scaling up, it's just that there's currently no market for a 10MW engine, so Ad Astra is sticking with 200kW. \"We have a market for the 200kW engine, there's a lot of activity in low-Earth orbit and near the Moon to move cis-Earth satellites,\" says Mr Chang Diaz. Lockheed Martin also thinks the Vasimr is promising technology, but it is focusing on solar electric propulsion. Although the new technologies are interesting, veteran space players Lockheed Martin and Boeing both think liquid chemical rockets need to be the bedrock of any human mission to Mars. Lockheed Martin says we already have the technology we need to get to Mars, and chemical rockets are a proven technology that worked in all the Apollo missions. \"We already have the technology to get us to Mars today,\" says Mr Cichan, the former system architect for Orion. \"There are some technical challenges, but it's really about taking the technology we have, building the systems and gaining experience in flying in deep space that is the work ahead of us, as well as developing technology that will be groundbreaking in the future.\" Hydrogen upper stage launchers have been used since the 1960s, and they have a high success rate, he stresses. \"Nasa's Space Launch System (SLS) has four liquid hydrogen and oxygen RS-25 rocket engines,\" Rob Broeren, a Boeing rocket propulsion specialist tells the BBC. \"These are shuttle heritage engines, and the advantage of the RS-25's is that they're well proven, high-reliability engines. \"The nice thing about going with highly proven technologies is that you have full confidence that they definitely work. With new technologies, they sound good on paper, but when it comes to implementing them, you will run into issues that will delay you.\" A recent study by the Science and Technology Policy Institute (STPI) found that it was unlikely for human missions to Mars to follow Nasa's timetable and begin in 2033. Given the constraints on Nasa's budgets, STPI thinks it is much more likely that we will leave for Mars in 2039, though the White House wants the US space agency to explore the Moon first by 2024, under its Artemis programme. Dr Paul Dimotakis, John K Northrop professor of aeronautics and professor of applied physics at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) is sceptical of the new technologies, and even chemical propulsion. \"I personally have not seen answers to technical questions of how to have enough chemical propulsion to last the long trip. It's not known for a hydrogen-oxygen rocket to last longer than six months,\" he says. \"We do not have a technical solution that addresses all the issues. Plus, someone has to demonstrate this before we send humans to Mars, and all of these things do not correspond to Nasa's timetable.\"", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 9902, "answer_start": 8884, "text": "A recent study by the Science and Technology Policy Institute (STPI) found that it was unlikely for human missions to Mars to follow Nasa's timetable and begin in 2033. Given the constraints on Nasa's budgets, STPI thinks it is much more likely that we will leave for Mars in 2039, though the White House wants the US space agency to explore the Moon first by 2024, under its Artemis programme. Dr Paul Dimotakis, John K Northrop professor of aeronautics and professor of applied physics at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) is sceptical of the new technologies, and even chemical propulsion. \"I personally have not seen answers to technical questions of how to have enough chemical propulsion to last the long trip. It's not known for a hydrogen-oxygen rocket to last longer than six months,\" he says. \"We do not have a technical solution that addresses all the issues. Plus, someone has to demonstrate this before we send humans to Mars, and all of these things do not correspond to Nasa's timetable.\"" } ], "id": "9851_0", "question": "When will we get to Mars?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "India's top court has ordered the government to protect Kashmiri people from attacks in apparent retaliation for last week's deadly bombing in Indian-administered Kashmir. There have been several reports of Kashmiri students and businessmen being harassed or beaten up in recent days. The Supreme Court has also sought a response from the states where these alleged incidents happened. The attack has sparked anger and anti-Pakistan protests across India. The suicide bombing of an Indian security convoy in Pulwama on 14 February was claimed by a Pakistan-based militant group and has led to a war of words between nuclear-armed India and Pakistan. But in some cases the anger has been directed against Kashmiri people living in other parts of India. The attack, which killed more than 40 Indian paramilitary police, was the deadliest against Indian forces in Kashmir in decades. Hundreds of Kashmiri students, traders and businessmen have returned to Kashmir from various Indian cities out of fear that they could face harassment or attack. Jibran Nazir Dar, a Kashmiri journalist working for the Times of India newspaper in the western city of Pune told the BBC he had been beaten by a group of men who shouted \"go back to Kashmir\" on Thursday. Police confirmed they had registered a case for the attack. Many Indians have expressed sympathy towards the Kashmiri students on social media, with some offering shelter in their own homes. India has long had a volatile relationship with Muslim-majority Kashmir, where there has been an armed insurgency against Indian rule since the late 1980s. The region has been a flashpoint between India and Pakistan since independence. Both countries claim all of Kashmir but control only parts of it. They have fought two wars and a limited conflict over the territory. The court's decision singled out the federal government as well as governments in 10 states which are home to a sizeable Kashmiri population. It asked authorities to widely publicise the details of officials who Kashmiris can contact if they face threats or violence. The order was in response to a petition seeking protection for Kashmiris living across India. Tehseen Poonawala, one of the petitioners, told the BBC that he was moved to act because he was \"disturbed\" after reading reports of Kashmiris being attacked. \"It's not about Kashmiris. It's about human beings. We cannot be a country that responds with mob violence,\" he said. In the days following the attack, isolated incidents of students from Kashmir being beaten up or evicted from their accommodation in northern Indian states were reported in local media. Kashmiri Muslims were warned to stay vigilant and India's Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) offered help to those in need, but also warned of false reports. Twenty Kashmiri girls in the northern city of Dehradun were forced to lock themselves in their hostel after protesters gathered outside to demand their eviction, according to the Times of India. Two other colleges in the city issued public statements saying they would not admit Kashmiri students in the next academic year. \"We did so to provide protection to the [Kashmiri] students,\" the college principal, Aslam Siddidqu, told the BBC, adding that he had faced pressure from right-wing groups. Federal education minister Prakash Javadekar has denied that \"incidents\" have taken place involving Kashmiri students. But a police official in Dehradun told the BBC that 22 students had been arrested for protesting and demanding that Kashmiri students be expelled from colleges in the city. The attack has raised tensions between India and Pakistan, which have fought two wars and a limited conflict in the region and are both nuclear powers. India has accused Pakistani intelligence services of having a hand in the attack, which was claimed by militant group Jaish-e-Mohammad. Pakistan denies this and has warned that it will retaliate if India takes military action. In his first comments addressing the attack, Prime Minister Imran Khan said India should \"stop blaming Pakistan without any proof or evidence\" and urged Indian authorities to share any \"actionable intelligence\". India has moved to impose trade restrictions on Pakistan. It has also said it will build dams to reduce the flow of water to Pakistan from three rivers in India. Similar plans were announced in 2016, after a deadly militant attack on an Indian base in Kashmir. The tensions between the neighbours may also have an impact on cricket, a national obsession in both India and Pakistan. Amid outrage over the attack, there have been calls for India to boycott its much anticipated match against Pakistan at the World Cup in June. Indian cricket administrators say no decision has yet been made.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2448, "answer_start": 1810, "text": "The court's decision singled out the federal government as well as governments in 10 states which are home to a sizeable Kashmiri population. It asked authorities to widely publicise the details of officials who Kashmiris can contact if they face threats or violence. The order was in response to a petition seeking protection for Kashmiris living across India. Tehseen Poonawala, one of the petitioners, told the BBC that he was moved to act because he was \"disturbed\" after reading reports of Kashmiris being attacked. \"It's not about Kashmiris. It's about human beings. We cannot be a country that responds with mob violence,\" he said." } ], "id": "9852_0", "question": "What did the court say?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3582, "answer_start": 2449, "text": "In the days following the attack, isolated incidents of students from Kashmir being beaten up or evicted from their accommodation in northern Indian states were reported in local media. Kashmiri Muslims were warned to stay vigilant and India's Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) offered help to those in need, but also warned of false reports. Twenty Kashmiri girls in the northern city of Dehradun were forced to lock themselves in their hostel after protesters gathered outside to demand their eviction, according to the Times of India. Two other colleges in the city issued public statements saying they would not admit Kashmiri students in the next academic year. \"We did so to provide protection to the [Kashmiri] students,\" the college principal, Aslam Siddidqu, told the BBC, adding that he had faced pressure from right-wing groups. Federal education minister Prakash Javadekar has denied that \"incidents\" have taken place involving Kashmiri students. But a police official in Dehradun told the BBC that 22 students had been arrested for protesting and demanding that Kashmiri students be expelled from colleges in the city." } ], "id": "9852_1", "question": "What happened to Kashmiri students?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4763, "answer_start": 3583, "text": "The attack has raised tensions between India and Pakistan, which have fought two wars and a limited conflict in the region and are both nuclear powers. India has accused Pakistani intelligence services of having a hand in the attack, which was claimed by militant group Jaish-e-Mohammad. Pakistan denies this and has warned that it will retaliate if India takes military action. In his first comments addressing the attack, Prime Minister Imran Khan said India should \"stop blaming Pakistan without any proof or evidence\" and urged Indian authorities to share any \"actionable intelligence\". India has moved to impose trade restrictions on Pakistan. It has also said it will build dams to reduce the flow of water to Pakistan from three rivers in India. Similar plans were announced in 2016, after a deadly militant attack on an Indian base in Kashmir. The tensions between the neighbours may also have an impact on cricket, a national obsession in both India and Pakistan. Amid outrage over the attack, there have been calls for India to boycott its much anticipated match against Pakistan at the World Cup in June. Indian cricket administrators say no decision has yet been made." } ], "id": "9852_2", "question": "What's the bigger picture?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "This year saw the release of the biggest leak of documents in history, when the Panama Papers were made public. Eleven million documents were leaked from one of the world's most secretive companies, Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca. They revealed in detail how parts of the offshore industry work. We asked you what stories over the last 12 months you wanted to hear more about and in response many of you asked - what happened as a result of the Panama Papers? So we spoke to the journalists who brought the story to the world. The first casualty was the Prime Minister of Iceland, Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson, who resigned only days after the leaks showed he and his wife owned an offshore company that he had not declared on entering parliament. Other world leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, addressed their countries to denounce the leaks and any allegations of being linked to money laundering. In the UK, it caused political embarrassment for then-Prime Minister David Cameron, who admitted that his family had benefited from a legal offshore fund set up by his late father, Ian. Authorities in the US and countries in Europe and Asia launched investigations into whether their rules were breached by those named in the leak. Through it all, Mossack Fonseca has maintained it operates beyond reproach and has never been charged with wrongdoing. Bastian Obermayer and Frederik Obermaier are the two journalists at the heart of the leaks. One night in 2014, Mr Obermayer was looking after his sick children when he received a message. \"Interested in data?\" it said. That data turned out to be millions of documents from Mossack Fonseca and the shell companies it sets up for wealthy people. The whistleblowers called themselves John Doe and their identity remains secret. The journalists received hundreds of files a day and were soon overwhelmed with information from hundreds of thousands of offshore companies. They involved an international journalists' network and teams of reporters from around the world, including the BBC. Eight months on from the publishing and broadcasting of the Panama Papers, what do they think it has achieved? \"We, together with the International Consortium for Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), did a follow-up,\" Mr Obermaier told the BBC. \"We found out in 79 countries around the world there have been inquiries, 6,500 taxpayers and companies are being investigated globally and Mossack Fonseca have had to close nine offices. They have even put down their sign boards at their headquarters in Panama.\" Mr Obermaier said the Panama Papers had shown how the offshore world could be used to help aid terrorism. \"It is striking for me that Europol found 3,469 probable matches between their own files and the Panama Papers - 116 between them on a project on Islamic terrorism alone.\" Mr Obermayer agrees and said the leak had revealed that the offshore world was not only a place for rich people to avoid taxes. He said the Panama Papers showed the secrecy of shell companies could be used to hide criminal activity. \"I wasn't shocked that rich people use offshore to dodge taxes. I was shocked that there were so many crimes. I think the vast amount of offshore companies are used because someone wants to hide something.\" Mr Obermayer argues there have been concrete changes as a result of the leak's publication. \"A lot has changed, in Germany. Our finance minister just introduced a new 'Panama Law' (requiring citizens to declare if they are using a shell company) and Panama itself is more open for change now. \"Some countries have announced registers for beneficial owners and others are also arguing for that for the first time ever. \"The pressure on tax havens is as high as never before and the Panama Papers have done that. They have directed the spotlight at the problem. \"But still, what hasn't changed is that the very industry that helps tax dodgers is still alive and kicking. They have huge influence, huge power, huge lobby groups. We don't see the end of offshore - but we do see that offshore is shrinking.\" Both journalists argue for a global register of beneficial owners to end tax secrecy. A beneficial owner is the person who has significant control of a company and its profits. Richard Brooks, Private Eye journalist and author of The Great Tax Robbery is more pessimistic than the Panama Papers journalists. \"Whatever register you have, you would somehow have to police it,\" he said. \"You need law enforcement having sufficient resources to be able to investigate it. The serious money launderers and criminals would be able to make something up. \"The Panama Papers did give efforts to open up tax havens a bit of a boost, but it was not enough and there is evidence already of some backsliding. Britain's own tax havens, for example, will not open up the ownership of their shell companies to the public. \"We know that these territories are ill-equipped to police any international rules on information exchange imposed on them so, until they are completely transparent, we will be a long way from resolving the tax haven problem.\" Attempts to establish transparency are being pushed back. For example, the EU has had to compromise on its plan for a public register of beneficial ownership after resistance from various member states. The effectiveness of the measures being taken across the world as a result of the Panama Papers is still open to challenge. Produced by Patrick Evans, UGC & Social News Hub", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1409, "answer_start": 532, "text": "The first casualty was the Prime Minister of Iceland, Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson, who resigned only days after the leaks showed he and his wife owned an offshore company that he had not declared on entering parliament. Other world leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, addressed their countries to denounce the leaks and any allegations of being linked to money laundering. In the UK, it caused political embarrassment for then-Prime Minister David Cameron, who admitted that his family had benefited from a legal offshore fund set up by his late father, Ian. Authorities in the US and countries in Europe and Asia launched investigations into whether their rules were breached by those named in the leak. Through it all, Mossack Fonseca has maintained it operates beyond reproach and has never been charged with wrongdoing." } ], "id": "9853_0", "question": "What was the immediate fallout?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2093, "answer_start": 1410, "text": "Bastian Obermayer and Frederik Obermaier are the two journalists at the heart of the leaks. One night in 2014, Mr Obermayer was looking after his sick children when he received a message. \"Interested in data?\" it said. That data turned out to be millions of documents from Mossack Fonseca and the shell companies it sets up for wealthy people. The whistleblowers called themselves John Doe and their identity remains secret. The journalists received hundreds of files a day and were soon overwhelmed with information from hundreds of thousands of offshore companies. They involved an international journalists' network and teams of reporters from around the world, including the BBC." } ], "id": "9853_1", "question": "How did it happen?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4121, "answer_start": 2094, "text": "Eight months on from the publishing and broadcasting of the Panama Papers, what do they think it has achieved? \"We, together with the International Consortium for Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), did a follow-up,\" Mr Obermaier told the BBC. \"We found out in 79 countries around the world there have been inquiries, 6,500 taxpayers and companies are being investigated globally and Mossack Fonseca have had to close nine offices. They have even put down their sign boards at their headquarters in Panama.\" Mr Obermaier said the Panama Papers had shown how the offshore world could be used to help aid terrorism. \"It is striking for me that Europol found 3,469 probable matches between their own files and the Panama Papers - 116 between them on a project on Islamic terrorism alone.\" Mr Obermayer agrees and said the leak had revealed that the offshore world was not only a place for rich people to avoid taxes. He said the Panama Papers showed the secrecy of shell companies could be used to hide criminal activity. \"I wasn't shocked that rich people use offshore to dodge taxes. I was shocked that there were so many crimes. I think the vast amount of offshore companies are used because someone wants to hide something.\" Mr Obermayer argues there have been concrete changes as a result of the leak's publication. \"A lot has changed, in Germany. Our finance minister just introduced a new 'Panama Law' (requiring citizens to declare if they are using a shell company) and Panama itself is more open for change now. \"Some countries have announced registers for beneficial owners and others are also arguing for that for the first time ever. \"The pressure on tax havens is as high as never before and the Panama Papers have done that. They have directed the spotlight at the problem. \"But still, what hasn't changed is that the very industry that helps tax dodgers is still alive and kicking. They have huge influence, huge power, huge lobby groups. We don't see the end of offshore - but we do see that offshore is shrinking.\"" } ], "id": "9853_2", "question": "What do they think?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Indonesia police say they have arrested an alleged people smuggler thought to be behind the boat of asylum seekers shipwrecked off Christmas Island. Police say the man, who claims to be an Australian citizen, had been involved in running people smuggling operations for some time. Up to 50 mostly Iranian, Iraqi and Kurdish asylum seekers died after their boat smashed on to rocks last month. They were making their way to Australia via Indonesia. Christmas Island lies in the Indian Ocean about 2,600km (1,600 miles) from the Australian mainland, but only 300km south of Indonesia. The island is home to a detention centre housing nearly 3,000 asylum seekers who are waiting for their claims to be processed. The head of the Indonesian police general crimes unit said his officers had detained the man in Jakarta late on Tuesday after following him for two weeks. \"This is the result of very tight co-operation between Indonesian and Australian police,\" Agung Sabar Santoso was quoted by ABC as saying. Indonesia does not have a people smuggling law but police said the man could be charged with immigration violations, which carry a maximum five-year sentence. It is unclear whether the Australian government will ask for the suspect to be extradited. Three Indonesian crew members of the shipwrecked boat have been charged with people smuggling offences in Australia, and face up to 20 years in jail if found guilty. There were about 90 people on board when the flimsy boat smashed into rocks in heavy seas on 15 December. Coastguards rescued 42 survivors but up to 50 people are believed to have drowned.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1608, "answer_start": 710, "text": "The head of the Indonesian police general crimes unit said his officers had detained the man in Jakarta late on Tuesday after following him for two weeks. \"This is the result of very tight co-operation between Indonesian and Australian police,\" Agung Sabar Santoso was quoted by ABC as saying. Indonesia does not have a people smuggling law but police said the man could be charged with immigration violations, which carry a maximum five-year sentence. It is unclear whether the Australian government will ask for the suspect to be extradited. Three Indonesian crew members of the shipwrecked boat have been charged with people smuggling offences in Australia, and face up to 20 years in jail if found guilty. There were about 90 people on board when the flimsy boat smashed into rocks in heavy seas on 15 December. Coastguards rescued 42 survivors but up to 50 people are believed to have drowned." } ], "id": "9854_0", "question": "Extradition?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "At least three people were shot dead when protesters attacked the Iranian consulate in the Iraqi holy city of Karbala on Sunday night. The protesters, who demanded that Iran stop interfering in Iraq's internal affairs, climbed the consulate's walls. Reports say the security forces opened fire, but another account says unknown gunmen were responsible. There are also reports that security forces fired live rounds at protesters gathered in Baghdad on Monday. Mass demonstrations against Iraq's government have continued despite a plea from the prime minister. Adel Abdul Mahdi called on the protesters - who are angry at his failure to deal with widespread corruption, high unemployment and poor public services - to re-open roads and \"help restore normality to the country\" in remarks broadcast Sunday. He said the government respected peaceful protests, but that the blocking of roads around the capital and key ports in the south, combined with the \"threatening of oil interests\", had cost the country billions and contributed to price rises. President Barham Saleh said last week Mr Abdul Mahdi was willing to resign once a replacement was found, and that a new election law was being drafted. But the protesters want to sweep away the entire political establishment. Iran, which backs the Iraqi government and a number of powerful local Shia Muslim militias, has urged protesters to seek changes within the \"framework of legal structures\", warning them that \"the enemy wants to break\" the structures. \"The US and Western intelligence services, with the financial backing of reactionary countries in the region, are spreading turmoil,\" Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said last week. Dozens of people shouting \"Karbala is free, Iran out, out!\" took part in the protest outside the Iranian consulate. Some protesters threw stones and burning objects over the high concrete walls surrounding the building. Three men scaled the walls and waved Iraqi flags. Security forces fired live ammunition to disperse the protesters and several were shot, according to AFP news agency correspondents at the scene. The agency cites a medical official as saying that three protesters succumbed to their wounds. The Iraqi High Commission for Human Rights (IHCHR), an official watchdog, said three protesters had been killed in a clash outside the consulate. But a source in Karbala told the BBC that one of the dead was a guard at a nearby Shia shrine who happened to be passing by. The source also said the origin of the gunfire was unknown and it had targeted both the protesters and security forces. The IHCHR also reported that Saba al-Mahdawi, an activist and doctor who had been providing first aid at the protests in Baghdad, was abducted by unknown men on Saturday night. It called on the authorities to investigate her disappearance. Iran's consul general in Karbala, Mir-Masoud Hosseinian, told Iranian media on Monday morning the situation was under control and that conditions had \"returned to normal\". Both AFP and Reuters news agency report that live rounds were used by security forces in Baghdad on Monday. Reuters witnesses say at least five people were killed. More than 250 people have been killed and 9,000 injured in clashes with security forces in two waves of protests since 1 October.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3016, "answer_start": 1703, "text": "Dozens of people shouting \"Karbala is free, Iran out, out!\" took part in the protest outside the Iranian consulate. Some protesters threw stones and burning objects over the high concrete walls surrounding the building. Three men scaled the walls and waved Iraqi flags. Security forces fired live ammunition to disperse the protesters and several were shot, according to AFP news agency correspondents at the scene. The agency cites a medical official as saying that three protesters succumbed to their wounds. The Iraqi High Commission for Human Rights (IHCHR), an official watchdog, said three protesters had been killed in a clash outside the consulate. But a source in Karbala told the BBC that one of the dead was a guard at a nearby Shia shrine who happened to be passing by. The source also said the origin of the gunfire was unknown and it had targeted both the protesters and security forces. The IHCHR also reported that Saba al-Mahdawi, an activist and doctor who had been providing first aid at the protests in Baghdad, was abducted by unknown men on Saturday night. It called on the authorities to investigate her disappearance. Iran's consul general in Karbala, Mir-Masoud Hosseinian, told Iranian media on Monday morning the situation was under control and that conditions had \"returned to normal\"." } ], "id": "9855_0", "question": "What happened on Sunday?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3310, "answer_start": 3017, "text": "Both AFP and Reuters news agency report that live rounds were used by security forces in Baghdad on Monday. Reuters witnesses say at least five people were killed. More than 250 people have been killed and 9,000 injured in clashes with security forces in two waves of protests since 1 October." } ], "id": "9855_1", "question": "What happened on Monday?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "A man who stabbed two people to death and wounded three others in a \"terror-related\" attack was shot dead by police on London Bridge after he was held down by members of the public. Usman Khan, 28, had been released from jail on licence in 2018, half-way through a 16-year sentence for terrorism offences. Cambridge University graduates Jack Merritt, 25, and Saskia Jones, 23, were killed in the attack. Jack Merritt, studied law at the University of Manchester before going to Cambridge to continue his studies. Saskia Jones, was from Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, and both were involved in a university prisoner rehabilitation programme at Cambridge University. Mr Merritt, from Cottenham in Cambridgeshire, was a co-ordinator and Ms Jones a volunteer, the Met Police said. They were attacked during a conference being held on Friday afternoon at Fishmongers' Hall, at the north end of London Bridge. The family of Ms Jones paid tribute to her as a \"positive influence at the centre of many people's lives\". Ms Jones' former university tutor Colleen Moore told BBC Breakfast: \"She was fearless, she was a warrior, she was going to change the world - maybe she will.\" \"She was a lovely, lovely woman, she made me laugh. She called me out on things - a lot of people were scared of me, she wasn't.\" Mr Merritt had a \"deep commitment\" to the scheme, known as Learning Together, according to people who worked with him. His father David Merritt said his son was \"a beautiful spirit who always took the side of the underdog\". A member of university staff was also among the three people injured. Two of those, both of them women, remain in a stable condition in hospital, according to police. Khan's attack began at 13:58 GMT inside Fishmongers' Hall. Fishmonger Company chief executive Toby Williamson said staff who fought Khan as he launched his attack believed he was wearing a bomb. He described the scene inside the hall as a game of \"pinball bomb with added knives\". He said one staff member in the hall's reception tried in vain to hold Khan back behind doors while another calmly placed a call to emergency services. Mr Williamson said two men used chairs, fire extinguishers, a pole and a narwhal tusk, which was hanging on the wall, to fend off Khan after he broke through the doors, driving him out of the building. One of those called Lukasz, a Polish national who was working as a porter in the hall's basement, suffered five wounds to his left-hand side as he fended off the knifeman with a pole during \"about a minute of one-on-one straight combat\" - allowing others time to escape danger, Mr Williamson said. Lukasz was taken to hospital for treatment but has since been able to return home. Khan was forced out of Fishmongers' Hall by a group of men - with hall staff joined by participants of the Learning Together conference - said to include ex-prisoners, probation and prison staff. Two men can be seen in a video holding the attacker back using a whale tusk, seized from a wall mount, and a fire extinguisher spray, before others stepped in to pin him down. In a second video a man is seen walking away holding a large knife they had retrieved. British Transport Police said later he was a plain clothes officer. The Metropolitan Police said its armed officers arrived on the scene within five minutes of the initial 999 call. The people holding Khan down were moved away by the armed police officers after they thought he was wearing a suicide vest under his jacket. He was then shot by an officer. The Met's assistant commissioner said the explosive vest which turned out to be a hoax looked \"very convincing\". Mr Basu said Khan was released from jail in December 2018. He had been convicted in 2012 after plotting with a group from Stoke-on-Trent, London and Cardiff. They discussed attacking the London Stock Exchange and pubs in Stoke, and setting up a jihadist training camp in Pakistan. One of the conditions of his release was that he should wear an electronic tag. He also had to take part in the government's desistance and disengagement programme, the purpose of which is the rehabilitation of people who have been involved in terrorism. The Parole Board said it had no involvement in his release from jail. Usman Khan had spent years preaching in Stoke and had links to the banned organisation al-Muhajiroun. An urgent review of the licence conditions of people jailed for terror offences has been launched by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ). It confirmed the number of offenders convicted of terrorism offences who are currently under supervision in the community is 74. In a Twitter response to Brendan Cox, whose MP wife Jo Cox was murdered, Jack Merritt's father said: \"I obviously don't have full facts about the process that led to the attacker being released but what I can say with certainty is that no one at the event had the slightest inkling that he could or would do something like this. \"We don't need knee-jerk reactions.\" A vigil was held at the Guildhall Yard in London and outside the Guildhall in Cambridge on Monday. Prayers have also been said at Southwark Cathedral for Mr Merritt and Ms Jones. The Dean, the Very Revd Andrew Nunn, said the incident had brought back memories of the 2017 attack. Officers have been carrying out two searches; in Stafford where Khan is believed to have lived, and in Stoke-on-Trent. Mr Basu said police were going through at least 500 images and videos sent to them. Police patrols across London have been increased as a result of the attack. The Queen sent \"thoughts, prayers and deepest sympathies to all those who have lost loved ones\" on behalf of herself and Prince Philip.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4345, "answer_start": 3638, "text": "Mr Basu said Khan was released from jail in December 2018. He had been convicted in 2012 after plotting with a group from Stoke-on-Trent, London and Cardiff. They discussed attacking the London Stock Exchange and pubs in Stoke, and setting up a jihadist training camp in Pakistan. One of the conditions of his release was that he should wear an electronic tag. He also had to take part in the government's desistance and disengagement programme, the purpose of which is the rehabilitation of people who have been involved in terrorism. The Parole Board said it had no involvement in his release from jail. Usman Khan had spent years preaching in Stoke and had links to the banned organisation al-Muhajiroun." } ], "id": "9856_0", "question": "What do we know about the attacker?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5667, "answer_start": 4346, "text": "An urgent review of the licence conditions of people jailed for terror offences has been launched by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ). It confirmed the number of offenders convicted of terrorism offences who are currently under supervision in the community is 74. In a Twitter response to Brendan Cox, whose MP wife Jo Cox was murdered, Jack Merritt's father said: \"I obviously don't have full facts about the process that led to the attacker being released but what I can say with certainty is that no one at the event had the slightest inkling that he could or would do something like this. \"We don't need knee-jerk reactions.\" A vigil was held at the Guildhall Yard in London and outside the Guildhall in Cambridge on Monday. Prayers have also been said at Southwark Cathedral for Mr Merritt and Ms Jones. The Dean, the Very Revd Andrew Nunn, said the incident had brought back memories of the 2017 attack. Officers have been carrying out two searches; in Stafford where Khan is believed to have lived, and in Stoke-on-Trent. Mr Basu said police were going through at least 500 images and videos sent to them. Police patrols across London have been increased as a result of the attack. The Queen sent \"thoughts, prayers and deepest sympathies to all those who have lost loved ones\" on behalf of herself and Prince Philip." } ], "id": "9856_1", "question": "What is happening now?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The US Secret Service has released new details of last week's White House fence-jumping incident, in which an intruder was discovered just steps from the main building. Jonathan Tran, 26, was in the grounds for more than 16 minutes before he was detained, it said. He now faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. In a statement, the Secret Service said it was \"extremely disappointed and angry\" about the events of 10 March. Mr Tran did not gain entry to the White House, where President Donald Trump was staying at the time. However, Congressman Jason Chaffetz - whose House Oversight Committee oversees the Secret Service - claimed the intruder had managed to rattle a door-handle at the South Portico entrance. According to court documents, Mr Tran told federal agents that he was a friend of the president and had an appointment. He was carrying two cans of mace, a US passport, a computer and one of Mr Trump's books, authorities said. The president praised the Secret Service for doing a \"fantastic job\" in apprehending the intruder. Mr Tran had managed to climb a 5ft (1.5m) fence near the US Treasury Department, which is next to the White House. He then scaled an 8ft vehicle gate, and a shorter fence near the east wing of the White House grounds. CNN reports that he set off several alarms after jumping the fence, but was able to avoid other sensors. Mr Tran, who comes from Milpitas, California, had reportedly been spotted \"looming around\" Washington's Pennsylvania Avenue, where the White House stands, nearly six hours before his arrest. The Secret Service said it had taken immediate steps to avoid further security lapses, and that over 50 people had been interviewed about the incident. The intrusion was the latest in a series of breaches at the White House in recent years. Security has been enhanced. In 2015, sharp spikes were installed on top of the black iron fence that circles the property.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1924, "answer_start": 1047, "text": "Mr Tran had managed to climb a 5ft (1.5m) fence near the US Treasury Department, which is next to the White House. He then scaled an 8ft vehicle gate, and a shorter fence near the east wing of the White House grounds. CNN reports that he set off several alarms after jumping the fence, but was able to avoid other sensors. Mr Tran, who comes from Milpitas, California, had reportedly been spotted \"looming around\" Washington's Pennsylvania Avenue, where the White House stands, nearly six hours before his arrest. The Secret Service said it had taken immediate steps to avoid further security lapses, and that over 50 people had been interviewed about the incident. The intrusion was the latest in a series of breaches at the White House in recent years. Security has been enhanced. In 2015, sharp spikes were installed on top of the black iron fence that circles the property." } ], "id": "9857_0", "question": "How did he get in?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "US rapper Meek Mill has been granted a new trial on drugs and weapons charges that date back to his teenage years after a long legal battle. Three judges in Pennsylvania ruled there were credibility issues with his original trial in 2008. The rapper, who was jailed in 2017 for a minor probation violation, now campaigns for criminal justice reform. He has been supported by celebrities and campaigners who say the system treats minorities more harshly. Jay-Z, and the owners of the New England Patriots and Philadelphia 76ers, Robert Kraft and Michael Rubin, have joined Meek Mill in creating the Reform Alliance to help people who are \"trapped in the system\". Meek Mill, whose given name is Robert Rihmeek Williams, said that the past 11 years had been \"mentally and emotionally challenging\" but that he was \"ecstatic that justice prevailed\". The Pennsylvania Superior Court panel ruled on Wednesday that Meek Mill had the \"right to be tried before an impartial judge... because the trial judge heard highly prejudicial testimony at the first trial.\" The sole witness in the first trial was a now discredited drugs squad officer who is no longer with the Philadelphia force. He was sentenced in 2009 to between 11 and 23 months in county prison, but was released on parole after five months and given a 10-year probation. Wednesday's decision by the court means prosecutors now have to decide whether to hold a new trial or drop the case. While on parole he started to make his name nationally as a rapper, signing to Rick Ross's label and releasing a string of hugely successful mixtapes. Before long he was a platinum-selling artist. But he was arrested in August 2017 for reckless driving as he rode a dirt bike during filming of a music video. Although the charges were later dropped, a judge ruled the arrest itself was a breach of his probation and he was jailed that November for up to four years - prompting an outcry from Jay-Z, Beyonce and others who campaigned to free him. He was released after five months after Pennsylvania's top court granted him bail. His group, the Reform Alliance, says it aims to \"dramatically reduce the number of people who are unjustly under the control of the criminal justice system, starting with probation and parole\".", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1440, "answer_start": 845, "text": "The Pennsylvania Superior Court panel ruled on Wednesday that Meek Mill had the \"right to be tried before an impartial judge... because the trial judge heard highly prejudicial testimony at the first trial.\" The sole witness in the first trial was a now discredited drugs squad officer who is no longer with the Philadelphia force. He was sentenced in 2009 to between 11 and 23 months in county prison, but was released on parole after five months and given a 10-year probation. Wednesday's decision by the court means prosecutors now have to decide whether to hold a new trial or drop the case." } ], "id": "9858_0", "question": "What is the case about?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2263, "answer_start": 1441, "text": "While on parole he started to make his name nationally as a rapper, signing to Rick Ross's label and releasing a string of hugely successful mixtapes. Before long he was a platinum-selling artist. But he was arrested in August 2017 for reckless driving as he rode a dirt bike during filming of a music video. Although the charges were later dropped, a judge ruled the arrest itself was a breach of his probation and he was jailed that November for up to four years - prompting an outcry from Jay-Z, Beyonce and others who campaigned to free him. He was released after five months after Pennsylvania's top court granted him bail. His group, the Reform Alliance, says it aims to \"dramatically reduce the number of people who are unjustly under the control of the criminal justice system, starting with probation and parole\"." } ], "id": "9858_1", "question": "How did he begin campaigning for justice reform?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Social media almost collapsed under the reaction to Rihanna's costume on Monday as the singer attended the Crop Over festival in Barbados. The 29-year-old had teased fans by uploading photos of her new turquoise hair on Instagram over the weekend. But the look was completed on Monday as she stepped out in a jewel-encrusted costume with green and pink feathers. (And not much else). \"We are not worthy,\" was one of many fan reactions on Twitter. Another added the singer \"officially killed me\" with the costume, while others said she was \"blessing the internet\". The posts also attracted the attention of Chris Brown - who left a comment on one of her Instagrams with the pair-of-eyes emoji. Many of her fans were less than pleased about this, telling him to \"keep his negative energy away\" from Rihanna and recalling his assault on the singer in 2009 when the pair were dating. Crop Over started in 1687 to mark the end of the sugar cane crop harvest. At the time, Barbados was the world's largest producer of sugar, but as the industry declined, so did the festival - and it was dropped in the 1940s. But the festival was revived in 1974 and has since become one huge party similar in style to Notting Hill Carnival - with lots of music, dancing and colourful costumes. The festival, which attracts tourists from around the world, runs from July and ends in early August with the Grand Kadooment Day. Rihanna has attended the finale parade several times over the last few years - and worn suitably attention-grabbing costumes at each of them. To be fair, temperatures are around 30C in Barbados at this time of year so she's just dressing sensibly for the weather, really. Part of Rihanna's outfit was designed by DBleudazzled - a line specialising in bedazzled costumes. The owner of the company, known as Bleu, told Billboard she had to provide the tights at very short notice - with Rihanna's team only requesting them last Wednesday. The rest of her outfit was put together by local designer Laura Austin, according to Vogue. \"Crop Over used to be celebrated with people wearing simple T-shirts,\" Austin said. \"Over the years however, designers started getting creative. Today it's very important to dress up in full costume to really and truly feel the Crop Over vibe. It's exhilarating, free, and radiant.\" 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": 2315, "answer_start": 880, "text": "Crop Over started in 1687 to mark the end of the sugar cane crop harvest. At the time, Barbados was the world's largest producer of sugar, but as the industry declined, so did the festival - and it was dropped in the 1940s. But the festival was revived in 1974 and has since become one huge party similar in style to Notting Hill Carnival - with lots of music, dancing and colourful costumes. The festival, which attracts tourists from around the world, runs from July and ends in early August with the Grand Kadooment Day. Rihanna has attended the finale parade several times over the last few years - and worn suitably attention-grabbing costumes at each of them. To be fair, temperatures are around 30C in Barbados at this time of year so she's just dressing sensibly for the weather, really. Part of Rihanna's outfit was designed by DBleudazzled - a line specialising in bedazzled costumes. The owner of the company, known as Bleu, told Billboard she had to provide the tights at very short notice - with Rihanna's team only requesting them last Wednesday. The rest of her outfit was put together by local designer Laura Austin, according to Vogue. \"Crop Over used to be celebrated with people wearing simple T-shirts,\" Austin said. \"Over the years however, designers started getting creative. Today it's very important to dress up in full costume to really and truly feel the Crop Over vibe. It's exhilarating, free, and radiant.\"" } ], "id": "9859_0", "question": "What is Crop Over?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Five French women have been sentenced to between five and 30 years in jail for trying to detonate a car bomb near Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris in 2016. The case is said to be the first to involve a group of women attempting to stage an Islamist attack in France. They failed to ignite half a dozen gas canisters placed in the vehicle. Ines Madani, Ornella Gilligmann, Sarah Hervouet, Amel Sakaou and Samia Chalel, now aged between 22 and 42, are all converts to Islam. Madani, who posed as a male Islamist militant to recruit women for the Islamic State (IS) group, was given 30 years, while Gilligmann, a married mother of three, was sentenced to 25 years in prison. Hervouet and Sakaou were given 20 years each, while Chalel received five years for helping Madani hide after the failed attack. Madani's lawyer described the sentence as \"an excessively harsh punishment\", given there had been no deaths nor injuries as a result of the failed attack. Prosecutors had requested life imprisonment for four of the women. On 4 September 2016, police were alerted to an abandoned grey Peugeot 607 vehicle parked near the cathedral, which is located in one of Paris's busiest tourist locations. The car's licence plates had been removed and its hazard lights were flashing. Inside, officers found half a dozen gas canisters, three jerry cans of diesel and a half-smoked cigarette. The contents of the vehicle had been doused in fuel, but the cigarette had failed to ignite it, police said. Investigators said the bomb attempt would probably have been successful had it not been for \"the wrong choice of fuel\", which was difficult to light. The discovery prompted an urgent police search. The car was found to belong to Madani's father and fingerprints belonging to Madani and Gilligmann were collected from the inside. Madani, 22, was arrested a few days later at an apartment in a Paris suburb along with two other defendants, Hervouet and Sakaou. The trio put up a fight, brandishing knives. Hervouet stabbed one officer in the shoulder, and Madani was shot in the leg while charging at another. Gilligmann was arrested in southern France on 6 September. Police said they found a handwritten pledge of allegiance to IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi inside Madani's purse. The women are suspected of planning the bomb attack on the instructions of Rashid Kassim, a so-called handler for IS who was based in Syria at the time. Kassim is thought to have been killed in Iraq in 2017 and was sentenced in absentia to life in jail by the French court that convicted the women. France has suffered a series of attacks in recent years by jihadists who have declared allegiance to IS. In November 2015, 130 people were killed and many more were injured in co-ordinated suicide bombings and mass shootings around Paris. On 14 July 2016, dozens of people were killed, including children, when a lorry ploughed into a large crowd watching a fireworks display in Nice, southern France, to mark the Bastille Day holiday.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1813, "answer_start": 1019, "text": "On 4 September 2016, police were alerted to an abandoned grey Peugeot 607 vehicle parked near the cathedral, which is located in one of Paris's busiest tourist locations. The car's licence plates had been removed and its hazard lights were flashing. Inside, officers found half a dozen gas canisters, three jerry cans of diesel and a half-smoked cigarette. The contents of the vehicle had been doused in fuel, but the cigarette had failed to ignite it, police said. Investigators said the bomb attempt would probably have been successful had it not been for \"the wrong choice of fuel\", which was difficult to light. The discovery prompted an urgent police search. The car was found to belong to Madani's father and fingerprints belonging to Madani and Gilligmann were collected from the inside." } ], "id": "9860_0", "question": "How did the bomb plot unfold?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3001, "answer_start": 1814, "text": "Madani, 22, was arrested a few days later at an apartment in a Paris suburb along with two other defendants, Hervouet and Sakaou. The trio put up a fight, brandishing knives. Hervouet stabbed one officer in the shoulder, and Madani was shot in the leg while charging at another. Gilligmann was arrested in southern France on 6 September. Police said they found a handwritten pledge of allegiance to IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi inside Madani's purse. The women are suspected of planning the bomb attack on the instructions of Rashid Kassim, a so-called handler for IS who was based in Syria at the time. Kassim is thought to have been killed in Iraq in 2017 and was sentenced in absentia to life in jail by the French court that convicted the women. France has suffered a series of attacks in recent years by jihadists who have declared allegiance to IS. In November 2015, 130 people were killed and many more were injured in co-ordinated suicide bombings and mass shootings around Paris. On 14 July 2016, dozens of people were killed, including children, when a lorry ploughed into a large crowd watching a fireworks display in Nice, southern France, to mark the Bastille Day holiday." } ], "id": "9860_1", "question": "Did the women act on their own?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Roman Catholic bishops have voted to allow married men to become priests in the Amazon region, exempting them from the centuries-old rule on celibacy. The vote came at the end of a Vatican assembly on the Amazon, where there is a severe shortage of priests. For the proposal to take effect, it must be backed by Pope Francis, who is due to make his position clear soon. Traditionalists fear a slippery slope to married priests throughout the Church, diluting its unique character. The vote was taken at a three-week assembly, known as a synod, of some 180 bishops in Rome. It also looked at the role of women in the Church's work, and environmental issues. The Catholic Church is the oldest institution in the Western world, tracing its history back almost 2,000 years, and counts more than a billion members. Residents of least 85% of villages in the region cannot attend Mass every week, Reuters news agency reports. \"Sometimes it takes not just months but even several years before a priest can return to a community to celebrate the Eucharist, offer the sacrament of reconciliation or anoint the sick,\" the synod document says. Three out of five bishops at the synod came from the nine Amazon countries, AFP news agency notes. Under the synod's proposal, passed by 128 votes to 41, married \"men of proven virtue\" could join the priesthood in remote parts of the region. Advocates of the change argue that it would not be a reversal of the rule on celibacy for priests but an exemption, like that already given to married Anglican clerics who convert to Catholicism. \"Legitimate diversity does not harm the communion and unity of the Church, but expresses and serves it,\" the synod's final document says, as quoted by the Catholic News Agency. Speaking at a press conference at the end of the synod, the Archbishop of Benevento, Cardinal Michael Czerny, explained the decision: \"Things have to change. \"We cannot keep repeating old responses to urgent problems and expect to get better results than we've been getting so far.\" Pope Francis is expected to issue his guidance on the issue by the end of the year. The bishops recognised that in the Amazon \"the majority of Catholic communities are led by women\". They looked at the issue of ordaining women as deacons, who are a rank below priests in the Catholic Church, being allowed to celebrate weddings and baptisms but not to say Mass. While they did not endorse the idea, the bishops decided to consult with a papal commission on the subject. The bishops also called on the Pope to make \"the acts and habits of pollution and destruction of the harmony of the environment\" an \"ecological sin\", AFP reports. Pope Francis apologised after indigenous Amazonian statues were stolen from a church in Rome and dumped into the Tiber River during the assembly. The five wooden statues of a naked, pregnant woman were taken from the church on Monday. Unidentified perpetrators - believed to be conservative Catholic militants - described the statues as \"idols\". They later posted a video showing how the so-called Pachamama statues were stolen and then thrown in the river. Pachamama is a goddess revered by indigenous communities in the Amazon.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2113, "answer_start": 1231, "text": "Under the synod's proposal, passed by 128 votes to 41, married \"men of proven virtue\" could join the priesthood in remote parts of the region. Advocates of the change argue that it would not be a reversal of the rule on celibacy for priests but an exemption, like that already given to married Anglican clerics who convert to Catholicism. \"Legitimate diversity does not harm the communion and unity of the Church, but expresses and serves it,\" the synod's final document says, as quoted by the Catholic News Agency. Speaking at a press conference at the end of the synod, the Archbishop of Benevento, Cardinal Michael Czerny, explained the decision: \"Things have to change. \"We cannot keep repeating old responses to urgent problems and expect to get better results than we've been getting so far.\" Pope Francis is expected to issue his guidance on the issue by the end of the year." } ], "id": "9861_0", "question": "How would the change be justified?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2662, "answer_start": 2114, "text": "The bishops recognised that in the Amazon \"the majority of Catholic communities are led by women\". They looked at the issue of ordaining women as deacons, who are a rank below priests in the Catholic Church, being allowed to celebrate weddings and baptisms but not to say Mass. While they did not endorse the idea, the bishops decided to consult with a papal commission on the subject. The bishops also called on the Pope to make \"the acts and habits of pollution and destruction of the harmony of the environment\" an \"ecological sin\", AFP reports." } ], "id": "9861_1", "question": "What was decided about women and the environment?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3192, "answer_start": 2663, "text": "Pope Francis apologised after indigenous Amazonian statues were stolen from a church in Rome and dumped into the Tiber River during the assembly. The five wooden statues of a naked, pregnant woman were taken from the church on Monday. Unidentified perpetrators - believed to be conservative Catholic militants - described the statues as \"idols\". They later posted a video showing how the so-called Pachamama statues were stolen and then thrown in the river. Pachamama is a goddess revered by indigenous communities in the Amazon." } ], "id": "9861_2", "question": "How did 'idols' disrupt the synod?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Canada's Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, is under investigation over a holiday he took on the private island of billionaire philanthropist and spiritual leader Aga Khan. Mr Trudeau and his family were guests at the Aga Khan's home in the Bahamas at the new year. The federal ethics commissioner must now determine if the visit violated conflict of interest rules. Mr Trudeau has said he is \"more than happy\" to answer any questions. After a preliminary inquiry last week, Ethics Commissioner Mary Dawson said she would formally investigate whether Mr Trudeau had breached ethics laws. When news of his winter getaway was made public, Mr Trudeau went on the record about the vacation. He has also admitted using the private helicopter of the Aga Khan. Questions about the vacation have followed the prime minister, who is on a cross-country \"listening\" tour, hosting town halls and stopping into coffee shops to meet with Canadians. On Tuesday, he said he was working with the ethics commissioner on the investigation and that his staff were setting up a meeting with her office to answer questions about the Bahamas trip. Mr Trudeau has said that the stay over the new year was a \"personal family vacation\". He was accompanied on the trip by Liberal MP Seamus O'Reagan and Liberal Party President Anna Gainey, and their respective partners. Prince Karim Aga Khan is a close family friend of the Trudeaus and was an honorary pallbearer at the funeral of Mr Trudeau's father, Pierre. The Aga Khan Foundation has received hundreds of millions from the federal government over the past several decades, from both the Liberal and Conservative parties. Canadian conflict of interest laws prohibit ministers from accepting gifts, including free travel. If the commissioner finds Mr Trudeau broke the rules, he faces a fine of up to C$500 (US$380/PS315) per penalty. No Canadian prime minister has yet been found in breach of a federal statute. But the fallout could hurt Mr Trudeau, who became popular with the voting public because of his accessible style, analysts say. Prince Karim Aga Khan is the 49th hereditary Imam of the Ismaili Muslims. They trace his lineage directly to the Prophet Muhammad. He is Swiss-born, lives in France, has a British passport, graduated from Harvard University and is among the top 15 of the world's wealthiest royals, according to Forbes magazine. It says he had an estimated wealth of $1bn (PS640m) in 2008.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2437, "answer_start": 2065, "text": "Prince Karim Aga Khan is the 49th hereditary Imam of the Ismaili Muslims. They trace his lineage directly to the Prophet Muhammad. He is Swiss-born, lives in France, has a British passport, graduated from Harvard University and is among the top 15 of the world's wealthiest royals, according to Forbes magazine. It says he had an estimated wealth of $1bn (PS640m) in 2008." } ], "id": "9862_0", "question": "Who is the Aga Khan?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Levi jeans and bourbon could be hit with a 25% import tax by the European Union if President Donald Trump imposes tariffs on European steel and aluminium. Cecilia Malmstrom, EU Commissioner for Trade, told the BBC the items were on a draft list of US goods to be taxed. Last week, the President said he would tax imported steel, declaring: \"trade wars are good\". His comments have prompted reaction around the world. Prime Minister Theresa May expressed her concern in a telephone call to Mr Trump on Sunday. Levi Strauss came out strongly against trade barriers. A company spokesperson told the BBC: \"We support open markets and free trade where everyone plays by the rules. Unilateral tariff impositions risk retaliation and destabilizing the global economy, in which case American brands, workers and consumers will ultimately suffer.\" Ms Malmstrom told the BBC: \"We are looking at possibilities to retaliate, meaning we will also put taxes or tariffs on US imports to the European Union.\" She said they would wait for the final decision, but added that \"we are of course preparing. This has been in the air for some time\". She said that if the US went ahead and applied taxes to European steel, the EU would take the issue to the World Trade Organization (WTO). Ms Malmstrom stressed that Europe was looking to respond \"to retaliate but not escalate\". But any action by Europe is likely to provoke further action by the US. Shares in major European car makers fell on Monday following a threat by US President Trump to tax their vehicles. Mr Trump said if the EU \"wants to further increase their already massive tariffs and barriers on US companies... we will simply apply a tax on their cars\". The US is an important market for cars built in the country. US demand for British-built cars rose by 7% in 2017, with exports reaching almost 210,000, and the US is now the UK's second-largest trading partner after the EU, taking 15.7% of car exports. Mr Trump has decried the \"$800 Billion Dollar Yearly Trade Deficit because of our 'very stupid' trade deals and policies\", and vowed to end it. On Thursday, he said steel imports would face a 25% tariff and aluminium 10%. Then came Saturday's threat on EU-made cars. In January, he had already announced tariffs on solar panels and washing machines. Downing Street said that during Mrs May's call to President Trump on Sunday she raised \"our deep concern at the President's forthcoming announcement on steel and aluminium tariffs, noting that multilateral action was the only way to resolve the problem of global overcapacity in all parties' interests.\" Zhang Yesui, spokesperson for China's National People's Congress, said it was natural that \"some friction will exist\" between the US and China, given the volume of trade between them surpassed $580bn (PS420bn) last year. But he said China would take \"necessary measures\" if its interests were hurt. Canada said tariffs would cause disruption on both sides of the border. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he was \"confident we're going to continue to be able to defend Canadian industry\". EU trade chiefs could apply 25% tariffs on around $3.5bn of imports from the US - targeting iconic US exports including Levi's jeans, Harley-Davidson motorbikes and Bourbon whiskey. Brazil, Mexico and Japan, that have said they will consider retaliatory steps if the president presses ahead with his plan next week. The move has also been strongly criticised by the International Monetary Fund and the WTO. A number of Republicans have questioned the wisdom of the tariff proposal and have been urging the president to reconsider. Senator Orrin Hatch said American citizens would be made to pay. Senator Ben Sasse agreed that \"kooky 18th Century protectionism will jack up prices on American families\". Jason Furman, former chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers under President Obama, told the BBC the proposed tariffs were \"a very costly and inefficient way to help a small number of people\". He says consumers are likely to face higher prices. \"This could be bad or awful, there's no scenario under which it's good.\" Industry bodies like the US Motor and Equipment Manufacturers Association have expressed deep concern. But steelworkers in Pennsylvania and Indiana will welcome Mr Trump's comments. Trade Partnership, a Washington-based economics and consulting firm, released an analysis predicting that the tariffs would lead to net loss of about 146,000 jobs in the US, or more than five for every one gained. President Trump hinted on Monday that if the US achieved a better deal for itself in the latest North American Free Trade Agreement (Nafta) he would abandon plans for a tariff on Canada's and Mexico's steel imports. The rest of the tweet is a reference to Canada and US farmers. All three major US stock indexes - the Dow Jones, S&P 500 and Nasdaq - rose by 1% or more on Monday, as investors interpreted Mr Trump's comments as a sign that his plan for tariffs remains up for debate. Substantial changes to the Nafta agreement are not likely to happen soon, however. The current round of Nafta talks, about updating the 24-year old treaty, finished on Monday with little progress. This is the seventh round of eight scheduled meetings. The next is planned for April. The US imports steel from more than 100 nations and brings in four times more steel from abroad than it exports. Since 2000, the US steel industry has suffered, with production dropping and the number of employees in steel work falling. The US is the largest export market for EU cars - making up 25% of the EUR192bn (PS171bn; $237bn) worth of motor vehicles the bloc exported in 2016 (China was second with 16%).", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1427, "answer_start": 839, "text": "Ms Malmstrom told the BBC: \"We are looking at possibilities to retaliate, meaning we will also put taxes or tariffs on US imports to the European Union.\" She said they would wait for the final decision, but added that \"we are of course preparing. This has been in the air for some time\". She said that if the US went ahead and applied taxes to European steel, the EU would take the issue to the World Trade Organization (WTO). Ms Malmstrom stressed that Europe was looking to respond \"to retaliate but not escalate\". But any action by Europe is likely to provoke further action by the US." } ], "id": "9863_0", "question": "What is the EU considering?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1951, "answer_start": 1428, "text": "Shares in major European car makers fell on Monday following a threat by US President Trump to tax their vehicles. Mr Trump said if the EU \"wants to further increase their already massive tariffs and barriers on US companies... we will simply apply a tax on their cars\". The US is an important market for cars built in the country. US demand for British-built cars rose by 7% in 2017, with exports reaching almost 210,000, and the US is now the UK's second-largest trading partner after the EU, taking 15.7% of car exports." } ], "id": "9863_1", "question": "Has there been any impact on European business so far?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2301, "answer_start": 1952, "text": "Mr Trump has decried the \"$800 Billion Dollar Yearly Trade Deficit because of our 'very stupid' trade deals and policies\", and vowed to end it. On Thursday, he said steel imports would face a 25% tariff and aluminium 10%. Then came Saturday's threat on EU-made cars. In January, he had already announced tariffs on solar panels and washing machines." } ], "id": "9863_2", "question": "What does Trump want to do and why?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3501, "answer_start": 2302, "text": "Downing Street said that during Mrs May's call to President Trump on Sunday she raised \"our deep concern at the President's forthcoming announcement on steel and aluminium tariffs, noting that multilateral action was the only way to resolve the problem of global overcapacity in all parties' interests.\" Zhang Yesui, spokesperson for China's National People's Congress, said it was natural that \"some friction will exist\" between the US and China, given the volume of trade between them surpassed $580bn (PS420bn) last year. But he said China would take \"necessary measures\" if its interests were hurt. Canada said tariffs would cause disruption on both sides of the border. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he was \"confident we're going to continue to be able to defend Canadian industry\". EU trade chiefs could apply 25% tariffs on around $3.5bn of imports from the US - targeting iconic US exports including Levi's jeans, Harley-Davidson motorbikes and Bourbon whiskey. Brazil, Mexico and Japan, that have said they will consider retaliatory steps if the president presses ahead with his plan next week. The move has also been strongly criticised by the International Monetary Fund and the WTO." } ], "id": "9863_3", "question": "What are US's trading partners making of this?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4516, "answer_start": 3502, "text": "A number of Republicans have questioned the wisdom of the tariff proposal and have been urging the president to reconsider. Senator Orrin Hatch said American citizens would be made to pay. Senator Ben Sasse agreed that \"kooky 18th Century protectionism will jack up prices on American families\". Jason Furman, former chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers under President Obama, told the BBC the proposed tariffs were \"a very costly and inefficient way to help a small number of people\". He says consumers are likely to face higher prices. \"This could be bad or awful, there's no scenario under which it's good.\" Industry bodies like the US Motor and Equipment Manufacturers Association have expressed deep concern. But steelworkers in Pennsylvania and Indiana will welcome Mr Trump's comments. Trade Partnership, a Washington-based economics and consulting firm, released an analysis predicting that the tariffs would lead to net loss of about 146,000 jobs in the US, or more than five for every one gained." } ], "id": "9863_4", "question": "Has Trump got political support at home for a trade war?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5283, "answer_start": 4517, "text": "President Trump hinted on Monday that if the US achieved a better deal for itself in the latest North American Free Trade Agreement (Nafta) he would abandon plans for a tariff on Canada's and Mexico's steel imports. The rest of the tweet is a reference to Canada and US farmers. All three major US stock indexes - the Dow Jones, S&P 500 and Nasdaq - rose by 1% or more on Monday, as investors interpreted Mr Trump's comments as a sign that his plan for tariffs remains up for debate. Substantial changes to the Nafta agreement are not likely to happen soon, however. The current round of Nafta talks, about updating the 24-year old treaty, finished on Monday with little progress. This is the seventh round of eight scheduled meetings. The next is planned for April." } ], "id": "9863_5", "question": "Is there room for compromise?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5697, "answer_start": 5284, "text": "The US imports steel from more than 100 nations and brings in four times more steel from abroad than it exports. Since 2000, the US steel industry has suffered, with production dropping and the number of employees in steel work falling. The US is the largest export market for EU cars - making up 25% of the EUR192bn (PS171bn; $237bn) worth of motor vehicles the bloc exported in 2016 (China was second with 16%)." } ], "id": "9863_6", "question": "Is Trump right about the trade imbalance?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The leader of Sudan's Transitional Military Council (TMC), Lt-Gen Abdel Fattah Abdelrahman Burhan, has been sworn in as leader of the newly established sovereign council. He will lead a group of six civilians and four other military officers as part of a planned 39-month long transition to democracy. There will also be a prime minister and cabinet. The new government comes after Omar al-Bashir was ousted in April. He had been president for nearly 30 years but was removed by the military after months of protests. On Saturday, the TMC and civilian leaders signed a deal that should pave the way to a new democratic dispensation. Under the agreement, Gen Burhan will be in charge of the Sovereign Council, which replaces the TMC, for the first 21 months; a civilian will then take over until elections in 2022. The other 10 members of the council were also sworn on Wednesday. In addition, respected economist Abdalla Hamdok, who was nominated by civilian protest leaders as prime minister, is due to be sworn in. The ministers of defence and interior, who will be part of a cabinet, will be chosen by the military. The deal was not perfect but was an important step, Dr Mohanad Hamid, a spokesman for the umbrella opposition group, the Sudanese Professionals Association, told the BBC. \"We are positive that we are together as Sudanese, a government and people that will together push forward to improve the level of our economy, improve the level of our health system and our education,\" he added. Gen Mohamed Hamdan \"Hemeti\" Dagolo, the second in command in the TMC, has pledged to abide by the terms of the deal. Who is Lt-Gen Burhan? - Born in 1960 in the village of Gandatu, north of the capital, Khartoum - Studied at a Sudanese military academy and later in Egypt and Jordan - Appointed Inspector General of the army in February by President Bashir - Named as head of TMC after removal of Mr Bashir - Coordinated sending Sudanese troops to Yemen as part of a Saudi-led coalition On 4 August the military and protesters signed a constitutional declaration which paved the way for the formation of a transitional government. A formal signing ceremony took place on 17 August. They agreed on the following: - Power-sharing will last for 39 months - Elections to be held at the end of that period - A sovereign council, cabinet and legislative body will be formed - A general will head the council for the first 21 months, a civilian for the remaining 18 - Sovereign council will have 11 members (5 civilian and 5 military nominees plus one agreed by consensus) - A prime minister, nominated by the pro-democracy movement, will head the cabinet - The ministers of defence and interior will be chosen by the military - The other positions will be taken by pro-democracy candidates - Sovereign council and cabinet members barred from running for election The long transition period is seen as a victory for the pro-democracy movement - the generals had threatened a snap election after the 3 June crackdown, during which more than 120 people were reportedly killed, with many of the dead dumped in the River Nile. Demonstrators argued that Mr Bashir's regime was so deeply entrenched that it would take time to dismantle its political network and open the way for free and fair elections. It can be traced back to December 2018, when then President Bashir's government imposed emergency austerity measures. Cuts to bread and fuel subsidies sparked demonstrations in the east over living standards, and the anger spread to the capital. The protests broadened into demands for the removal of Mr Bashir, who had been in charge for 30 years. In April, the president was overthrown by the military after sit-ins outside the defence ministry, but demonstrators then wanted to ensure authority was swiftly transferred to a civilian administration. A council of generals led by Gen Burhan assumed power, but it has struggled to return the country to normality. The army is not a unified force in Sudan; paramilitary organisations and various Islamist militias hold some sway. The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) led by Hemeti - which grew out of the notorious Janjaweed militia that was accused of carrying out a genocide in the Darfur region of western Sudan - have been blamed for recent abuses. These include the 3 June massacre. RSF leaders have denied planning the killings, which they say were carried out by rogue elements.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3295, "answer_start": 1990, "text": "On 4 August the military and protesters signed a constitutional declaration which paved the way for the formation of a transitional government. A formal signing ceremony took place on 17 August. They agreed on the following: - Power-sharing will last for 39 months - Elections to be held at the end of that period - A sovereign council, cabinet and legislative body will be formed - A general will head the council for the first 21 months, a civilian for the remaining 18 - Sovereign council will have 11 members (5 civilian and 5 military nominees plus one agreed by consensus) - A prime minister, nominated by the pro-democracy movement, will head the cabinet - The ministers of defence and interior will be chosen by the military - The other positions will be taken by pro-democracy candidates - Sovereign council and cabinet members barred from running for election The long transition period is seen as a victory for the pro-democracy movement - the generals had threatened a snap election after the 3 June crackdown, during which more than 120 people were reportedly killed, with many of the dead dumped in the River Nile. Demonstrators argued that Mr Bashir's regime was so deeply entrenched that it would take time to dismantle its political network and open the way for free and fair elections." } ], "id": "9864_0", "question": "What did the two sides agree?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4424, "answer_start": 3296, "text": "It can be traced back to December 2018, when then President Bashir's government imposed emergency austerity measures. Cuts to bread and fuel subsidies sparked demonstrations in the east over living standards, and the anger spread to the capital. The protests broadened into demands for the removal of Mr Bashir, who had been in charge for 30 years. In April, the president was overthrown by the military after sit-ins outside the defence ministry, but demonstrators then wanted to ensure authority was swiftly transferred to a civilian administration. A council of generals led by Gen Burhan assumed power, but it has struggled to return the country to normality. The army is not a unified force in Sudan; paramilitary organisations and various Islamist militias hold some sway. The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) led by Hemeti - which grew out of the notorious Janjaweed militia that was accused of carrying out a genocide in the Darfur region of western Sudan - have been blamed for recent abuses. These include the 3 June massacre. RSF leaders have denied planning the killings, which they say were carried out by rogue elements." } ], "id": "9864_1", "question": "How did the crisis unfold?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Boris Johnson has been defending his much quoted jibe that the EU could \"go whistle\" over the Brexit bill. The UK and EU are widely believed to have now agreed a deal which will see the UK paying up to 50bn euros (PS44bn). But the foreign secretary said he had been referring, in July, to reports the UK could face a 100bn euro bill. He spoke as talks continue about the remaining sticking point in the initial phase of Brexit talks - what happens at the Northern Ireland border. The foreign secretary said - at a question and answer session after a speech on global terrorism - that whatever was agreed must be \"consistent with taking back control of our laws, of our borders and our cash\". His \"go whistle\" comment was made in a response in the House of Commons to Conservative backbencher Philip Hollobone: Mr Johnson said he had been \"teased\" about it since, but at the time he had been \"asked my reaction to some of the very extortionate sums that I had heard, in the region of PS80bn or PS100bn\". He said that on detailed examination of financial obligations \"the British government is absolutely punctilious in wanting to meet our friends more than halfway and to be useful. \"The financial offer we are making is very good but it is nowhere near the sums that I was first invited to comment on, in a musical way.\" The government says it is \"optimistic\" about finding a solution to the key sticking point - an agreement on the Irish border. The government needs to get everyone onside on the issue in the coming days for Brexit negotiations to move forwards. The UK, which is due to leave the EU in March 2019, wants to open talks on a new free trade deal as soon as possible. But the EU will only agree to this when enough progress has been made on the \"separation issues\" - the \"divorce bill\", expat citizens' rights and the Northern Ireland border - that have been the subject of negotiations so far. So the UK is trying to settle the Northern Ireland border issue before EU leaders meet next week. On Monday, the DUP - whose support Prime Minister Theresa May needs to win key votes at Westminster - objected to draft plans drawn up by the UK and the EU. The DUP said the proposals, which aimed to avoid border checks by aligning regulations on both sides of the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, were not acceptable. The party has said it will not accept any agreement in which Northern Ireland is treated differently from the rest of the UK. The Republic of Ireland - which is an EU member - says it wants a guarantee that a hard border will not be put up after Brexit. A European Commission spokesman said there was \"no white smoke yet\" on Brexit negotiations. With Brexit, the UK is leaving the EU's customs union - but Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said this did not mean there would need to be a physical border with people carrying out border checks. Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, the transport secretary said people had misunderstood the key term \"regulatory alignment\" which has been the focus of the debate. Some Eurosceptics who do not want to keep close ties to Brussels fear this could hamper the UK's ability to strike trade deals with other countries. But Mr Grayling, a key Leave campaigner in the 2016 referendum, said: \"We don't have to have, and we've never said we will, and we don't want, to have a situation where in future our laws are identical to the European Union. \"There will be areas where we do do things in a very similar way, there will be areas in which we don't do things in the a very similar way and that's all the PM was seeking to ensure - to make sure trade flows as freely as possible across the border.\" He added: \"I remain absolutely optimistic that we will reach a successful point, we will move on to the trade talks, because ultimately it is in everybody's interests for that to happen.\" The BBC's Adam Fleming said that following an update from chief EU negotiator Michel Barnier on Wednesday, EU member states agreed there must be clarity within 48 hours for them to have enough time to consult with their capitals about draft guidelines for phase two of the talks. At the 14-15 December summit, European leaders will decide whether enough progress has been made in the negotiations on Ireland, the UK's \"divorce bill\" and citizens' rights so far to open trade talks. On Wednesday the Republic of Ireland's Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said he expected Theresa May to come up with a new wording aimed at satisfying all parties, adding: \"I expressed my willingness to consider that.\" A European Commission spokesman said on Thursday that things have to be sorted this week, adding: \"Our week includes Sunday.\" As well as trying to appease the DUP, Dublin and Brussels, Theresa May also needs Conservative MPs to back whatever solution she puts forward. But not all of them agree - and the pressure on the prime minister was underlined on Wednesday when 19 Tory MPs who back a \"soft Brexit\" wrote to her saying it was \"highly irresponsible\" for anyone to dictate terms which may scupper a deal. This followed Eurosceptic MPs urging her to lay down new red lines before agreeing to hand over any money. In the latest letter, the 19 MPs - who largely backed Remain in the 2016 referendum - say they support the PM's handling of the negotiations, in particular the \"political and practical difficulties\" relating to the Irish border. But they hit out at what they say are attempts by some in their party to paint a no-deal scenario in which the UK failed to agree a trade agreement as \"some status quo which the UK simply opts to adopt\". The MPs included former cabinet ministers Stephen Crabb, Dominic Grieve, Anna Soubry and Nicky Morgan. That's the suggestion from a House of Lords committee, which says a \"time-limited extension of the UK's EU membership\" would \"buy time\" for a deal to be reached. The committee doubts exit negotiations will be completed by the scheduled departure date of March 2019. The UK is due to leave the EU at this point because Theresa May formally triggered a two-year countdown to Brexit in March 2017. The government does not agree, and says it is confident negotiations can be completed by March 2019. But the Lords committee says: \"The overwhelming weight of evidence suggests that this will be impossible. \"If buying a bit more time means that we get a better outcome, which benefits businesses and citizens on both sides, a short extension of EU membership may be a price worth paying.\"", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2008, "answer_start": 1321, "text": "The government says it is \"optimistic\" about finding a solution to the key sticking point - an agreement on the Irish border. The government needs to get everyone onside on the issue in the coming days for Brexit negotiations to move forwards. The UK, which is due to leave the EU in March 2019, wants to open talks on a new free trade deal as soon as possible. But the EU will only agree to this when enough progress has been made on the \"separation issues\" - the \"divorce bill\", expat citizens' rights and the Northern Ireland border - that have been the subject of negotiations so far. So the UK is trying to settle the Northern Ireland border issue before EU leaders meet next week." } ], "id": "9865_0", "question": "Where are the Brexit talks at now?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3890, "answer_start": 2702, "text": "With Brexit, the UK is leaving the EU's customs union - but Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said this did not mean there would need to be a physical border with people carrying out border checks. Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, the transport secretary said people had misunderstood the key term \"regulatory alignment\" which has been the focus of the debate. Some Eurosceptics who do not want to keep close ties to Brussels fear this could hamper the UK's ability to strike trade deals with other countries. But Mr Grayling, a key Leave campaigner in the 2016 referendum, said: \"We don't have to have, and we've never said we will, and we don't want, to have a situation where in future our laws are identical to the European Union. \"There will be areas where we do do things in a very similar way, there will be areas in which we don't do things in the a very similar way and that's all the PM was seeking to ensure - to make sure trade flows as freely as possible across the border.\" He added: \"I remain absolutely optimistic that we will reach a successful point, we will move on to the trade talks, because ultimately it is in everybody's interests for that to happen.\"" } ], "id": "9865_1", "question": "Can border checks be avoided?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4712, "answer_start": 3891, "text": "The BBC's Adam Fleming said that following an update from chief EU negotiator Michel Barnier on Wednesday, EU member states agreed there must be clarity within 48 hours for them to have enough time to consult with their capitals about draft guidelines for phase two of the talks. At the 14-15 December summit, European leaders will decide whether enough progress has been made in the negotiations on Ireland, the UK's \"divorce bill\" and citizens' rights so far to open trade talks. On Wednesday the Republic of Ireland's Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said he expected Theresa May to come up with a new wording aimed at satisfying all parties, adding: \"I expressed my willingness to consider that.\" A European Commission spokesman said on Thursday that things have to be sorted this week, adding: \"Our week includes Sunday.\"" } ], "id": "9865_2", "question": "What is the deadline for a deal?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 6523, "answer_start": 5740, "text": "That's the suggestion from a House of Lords committee, which says a \"time-limited extension of the UK's EU membership\" would \"buy time\" for a deal to be reached. The committee doubts exit negotiations will be completed by the scheduled departure date of March 2019. The UK is due to leave the EU at this point because Theresa May formally triggered a two-year countdown to Brexit in March 2017. The government does not agree, and says it is confident negotiations can be completed by March 2019. But the Lords committee says: \"The overwhelming weight of evidence suggests that this will be impossible. \"If buying a bit more time means that we get a better outcome, which benefits businesses and citizens on both sides, a short extension of EU membership may be a price worth paying.\"" } ], "id": "9865_3", "question": "Should Brexit be delayed?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Minutes before Alek Minassian allegedly launched Monday's deadly attack in Toronto, Canada, he posted to Facebook: \"The Incel Rebellion has already begun! We will overthrow all the Chads and Stacys! All hail the Supreme Gentleman Elliot Rodger!\" Police have not yet confirmed any motive for the attack in which he is accused of murdering 10 people but his post on Facebook has drawn new attention to a mass murderer whose crimes inspired a dubious following. Elliot Rodger killed six people in a stabbing and shooting spree in Isla Vista, California, in May 2014. Before he turned the gun on himself, the 22-year-old posted a \"retribution\" video to YouTube and emailed a lengthy autobiographical document to almost two dozen people he knew. An online community known as the \"involuntarily celibate\", or incels, who blame women for their sexual failings, fastened upon the document. Son of a Hollywood filmmaker, he grew up in a life of privilege and relative affluence. The 141-page document he distributed in his final hours explores that upbringing, his mental health and his deep-rooted loathing of women, fuelled by an intense frustration over his virginity. On the video he posted to YouTube, Rodger sat in a BMW car his family had given him and complained about being a virgin at 22, saying he had \"never even kissed a girl\". In the document, he described himself as the \"ideal magnificent gentleman\" and could not comprehend why women would not want to have sex with him. He planned his murderous rampage as a \"Day of Retribution\" and said he had \"no choice but to exact revenge on the society\" that had \"denied\" him sex and love. Rodger specified that he planned to target the Alpha Phi sorority whose members he had deemed the \"hottest\" at his college, \"the kind of girls I've always desired but was never able to have\". He shot and killed Katherine Cooper, 22, and Veronika Weiss, 19, members of another sorority, outside the Alpha Phi house. He also stabbed to death three young men: Cheng Yuan Hong, 20, Weihan Wang, 20, and George Chen, 19. He injured 14 when he travelled around firing at random in his car and fatally shot Christopher Michaels-Martinez, 20. In the final section of the manifesto, Rodger declared: \"I am the true victim in all of this. I am the good guy.\" He has been virtually canonised by some fringe communities online. A mock film trailer for \"The Supreme Gentleman\" in his honour, cut from his clips, was still available on Wednesday on YouTube almost four years after its original upload. Several versions of these videos, which the BBC raised with YouTube, have now been deleted. In a statement the website said that videos threatening violence contravened their guidelines. \"We encourage anyone who sees material that they think crosses the line to flag it for us,\" YouTube said. But lots of fan videos about the rampage killer, and his old YouTube channel, still remain online. T-shirts of selfies with him posing in sunglasses could also be purchased online through international self-print clothing retailer Redbubble on Wednesday. After the BBC raised the items to the market website, they removed the content as per their guidelines. In December the social news website Reddit banned an incel discussion group (subreddit) as part of its efforts to cut down on violent content and illicit item sales. However, independent platforms and aliases have sprung up in its place, leading to a cat-and-mouse game with moderators. On dedicated incel websites, users are split. Some disavow Rodgers but others admire him, seeking to rationalise and even celebrate his actions. Likewise the attack attributed to Alek Minassian. Of the Toronto suspect, one post says: \"I hope this guy wrote a manifesto because he could be our next new saint.\" Another proclaims: \"I will have one celebratory beer for every victim that turns out to be a young woman between 18-35.\" The incel community is just one of the misogynistic groups that exist within the so-called \"manosphere\" - a web of online blogs and forums which reject mainstream conceptions of gender inequality. Others include Men Going Their Own Way (MGTOW), a group which focuses on male self-ownership and believes men have been disadvantaged by modern society's development. Arguably the best known group is the \"The Red Pill\" - a Reddit subforum with more than 200,000 members which says its focus is a \"discussion of sexual strategy in a culture increasingly lacking a positive identity for men\". The ideologies are often confounded with others, including the self-dubbed \"alt-right\", so imagery like Pepe the Frog is popular. The forum's name is a reference to the 1999 film The Matrix and refers to a pill the main character must swallow in order to see \"dark truths\" about the world around him. In 2017 New Statesman journalist Amelia Tait spoke to several former members about their online radicalisation, unveiling bullying and indoctrination techniques within the community. She summarises the forum's ideology as a profound belief that \"feminism is toxic, sexism is fake, men have it harder than women and everything the media teaches about relationships is a lie\".", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2286, "answer_start": 882, "text": "Son of a Hollywood filmmaker, he grew up in a life of privilege and relative affluence. The 141-page document he distributed in his final hours explores that upbringing, his mental health and his deep-rooted loathing of women, fuelled by an intense frustration over his virginity. On the video he posted to YouTube, Rodger sat in a BMW car his family had given him and complained about being a virgin at 22, saying he had \"never even kissed a girl\". In the document, he described himself as the \"ideal magnificent gentleman\" and could not comprehend why women would not want to have sex with him. He planned his murderous rampage as a \"Day of Retribution\" and said he had \"no choice but to exact revenge on the society\" that had \"denied\" him sex and love. Rodger specified that he planned to target the Alpha Phi sorority whose members he had deemed the \"hottest\" at his college, \"the kind of girls I've always desired but was never able to have\". He shot and killed Katherine Cooper, 22, and Veronika Weiss, 19, members of another sorority, outside the Alpha Phi house. He also stabbed to death three young men: Cheng Yuan Hong, 20, Weihan Wang, 20, and George Chen, 19. He injured 14 when he travelled around firing at random in his car and fatally shot Christopher Michaels-Martinez, 20. In the final section of the manifesto, Rodger declared: \"I am the true victim in all of this. I am the good guy.\"" } ], "id": "9866_0", "question": "What did Rodger believe?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3895, "answer_start": 2287, "text": "He has been virtually canonised by some fringe communities online. A mock film trailer for \"The Supreme Gentleman\" in his honour, cut from his clips, was still available on Wednesday on YouTube almost four years after its original upload. Several versions of these videos, which the BBC raised with YouTube, have now been deleted. In a statement the website said that videos threatening violence contravened their guidelines. \"We encourage anyone who sees material that they think crosses the line to flag it for us,\" YouTube said. But lots of fan videos about the rampage killer, and his old YouTube channel, still remain online. T-shirts of selfies with him posing in sunglasses could also be purchased online through international self-print clothing retailer Redbubble on Wednesday. After the BBC raised the items to the market website, they removed the content as per their guidelines. In December the social news website Reddit banned an incel discussion group (subreddit) as part of its efforts to cut down on violent content and illicit item sales. However, independent platforms and aliases have sprung up in its place, leading to a cat-and-mouse game with moderators. On dedicated incel websites, users are split. Some disavow Rodgers but others admire him, seeking to rationalise and even celebrate his actions. Likewise the attack attributed to Alek Minassian. Of the Toronto suspect, one post says: \"I hope this guy wrote a manifesto because he could be our next new saint.\" Another proclaims: \"I will have one celebratory beer for every victim that turns out to be a young woman between 18-35.\"" } ], "id": "9866_1", "question": "How is Rodger idolised by his fans?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "US President Donald Trump has defended firing a senior official who testified against him at his impeachment trial, saying he was \"very insubordinate\". In a series of tweets, Mr Trump said Lt Col Alexander Vindman, a top Ukraine expert, incorrectly reported the contents of a \"perfect\" phone call that was at the centre of his impeachment. He also fired US envoy Gordon Sondland, who testified against him at the trial. Mr Trump reportedly wants a staff shake-up after his Senate acquittal. In a historic vote on Wednesday, senators decided not to remove America's 45th president from office on charges arising from his dealings with Ukraine. On Friday, Lt Col Vindman was escorted from the White House hours before Mr Sondland, then US ambassador to the EU, said he had been advised that the president intended \"to recall [him] effective immediately\". Lt Col Vindman's twin brother, Yevgeny Vindman, a senior lawyer for the National Security Council, was also sent back to the Department of the Army on Friday. In his first official response to the firings, Mr Trump attacked Lt Col Vindman's reputation, as well as coverage by US broadcasters CNN and MSNBC. He intentionally misspelled MSNBC as \"MSDNC\", a reference to the Democratic National Committee (DNC). \"Actually, I don't know him, never spoke to him, or met him (I don't believe!) but, he was very insubordinate, reported contents of my \"perfect\" calls incorrectly, &. was given a horrendous report by his superior, the man he reported to, who publicly stated that Vindman had problems with judgement, adhering to the chain of command and leaking information. In other words, \"OUT\", Mr Trump wrote. Testifying in Congress last November, Lt Col Vindman said he was \"concerned\" after hearing Mr Trump's \"improper\" phone call on 25 July last year with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The call led to Mr Trump's impeachment in December by the House of Representatives for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. Democratic lawmakers argued that the president had dangled US aid in exchange for political favours. When asked how he had overcome his fear of retaliation in order to testify, Lt Col Vindman testified: \"Congressman, because this is America... and here, right matters.\" David Pressman, Lt Col Vindman's counsel, told the BBC: \"There is no question in the mind of any American why this man's job is over, why this country now has one less soldier serving it at the White House. \"The most powerful man in the world - buoyed by the silent, the pliable, and the complicit - has decided to exact revenge.\" According to White House sources, Lt Col Vindman had been expecting a transfer, telling colleagues for weeks that he was ready to move back to the defence department, where he still holds active-duty soldier status. Earlier on Friday, US Defence Secretary Mark Esper said his department welcomes back all of its personnel from assignment. \"We protect all of our service members from retribution or anything like that.\" On Thursday, Mr Trump mentioned the Vindman twins in a tirade against his political enemies at the White House. Mr Sondland was very clear in his testimony that a White House visit by President Zelensky was conditional on Kyiv launching investigations that could be politically helpful to President Trump. \"Was there a quid pro quo [a favour granted in return for something]?\" Mr Sondland asked. \"As I testified previously, with regard to the requested White House call and White House meeting, the answer is yes.\" Mr Sondland was at that time working with Mr Trump's personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, on Ukrainian policy at the explicit direction of the president. In a statement issued by his lawyer, Mr Sondland said: \"I am grateful to President Trump for having given me the opportunity to serve, to Secretary [of State Mike] Pompeo for his consistent support, and to the exceptional and dedicated professionals at the US mission to the European Union. \"I am proud of our accomplishments. Our work here has been the highlight of my career.\" Reacting to the firings, Eliot Engel, Democratic chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, said in a statement: \"This is shameful of course. But this is also what we should now expect from an impeached president whose party has decided he is above the law and accountable to no one.\" But Republican Congressman Thomas Massie defended firing Lt Col Vindman, saying: \"He's a leaker, not a whistleblower... Current Commander in Chief doesn't take orders from a Lt Col!\" In comments to media on Friday, Mr Trump said reports that Mick Mulvaney, his acting chief of staff, would be fired were \"false\", saying he had a \"great relationship\" with him. North Carolina lawmaker Mark Meadows is being tipped by the Washington rumour mill as a replacement for Mr Mulvaney. Mr Meadows, who is retiring from the House of Representatives where he led the hardline conservative Freedom Caucus, travelled with Mr Trump on Air Force One on Friday. At a rare White House press conference in October, Mr Mulvaney appeared to implicate the president in an alleged corrupt deal with Ukraine by saying: \"We do that all the time.\" Mr Trump was reportedly outraged by the gaffe. Mr Mulvaney then walked back his comments in a written statement that said: \"Let me be clear, there was absolutely no quid pro quo between Ukrainian military aid and any investigation into the 2016 election.\" Former Illinois congressman Joe Walsh, one of the two long-shot challengers to Mr Trump for the Republican presidential nomination, announced on Friday that he is ending his campaign. Mr Walsh, who received just 1% of the vote in Monday's Iowa caucus, told CNN the modern Republican party \"has become a cult\". \"I want to stop Trump. I believe he's a threat to this country. He can't be stopped within the Republican Party. Nobody can beat him.\" Bill Weld, former governor of Massachusetts, is now the only remaining Republican seeking to oust Mr Trump, who will seek re-election in November.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3111, "answer_start": 1659, "text": "Testifying in Congress last November, Lt Col Vindman said he was \"concerned\" after hearing Mr Trump's \"improper\" phone call on 25 July last year with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The call led to Mr Trump's impeachment in December by the House of Representatives for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. Democratic lawmakers argued that the president had dangled US aid in exchange for political favours. When asked how he had overcome his fear of retaliation in order to testify, Lt Col Vindman testified: \"Congressman, because this is America... and here, right matters.\" David Pressman, Lt Col Vindman's counsel, told the BBC: \"There is no question in the mind of any American why this man's job is over, why this country now has one less soldier serving it at the White House. \"The most powerful man in the world - buoyed by the silent, the pliable, and the complicit - has decided to exact revenge.\" According to White House sources, Lt Col Vindman had been expecting a transfer, telling colleagues for weeks that he was ready to move back to the defence department, where he still holds active-duty soldier status. Earlier on Friday, US Defence Secretary Mark Esper said his department welcomes back all of its personnel from assignment. \"We protect all of our service members from retribution or anything like that.\" On Thursday, Mr Trump mentioned the Vindman twins in a tirade against his political enemies at the White House." } ], "id": "9867_0", "question": "How did Vindman annoy Trump?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4519, "answer_start": 3112, "text": "Mr Sondland was very clear in his testimony that a White House visit by President Zelensky was conditional on Kyiv launching investigations that could be politically helpful to President Trump. \"Was there a quid pro quo [a favour granted in return for something]?\" Mr Sondland asked. \"As I testified previously, with regard to the requested White House call and White House meeting, the answer is yes.\" Mr Sondland was at that time working with Mr Trump's personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, on Ukrainian policy at the explicit direction of the president. In a statement issued by his lawyer, Mr Sondland said: \"I am grateful to President Trump for having given me the opportunity to serve, to Secretary [of State Mike] Pompeo for his consistent support, and to the exceptional and dedicated professionals at the US mission to the European Union. \"I am proud of our accomplishments. Our work here has been the highlight of my career.\" Reacting to the firings, Eliot Engel, Democratic chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, said in a statement: \"This is shameful of course. But this is also what we should now expect from an impeached president whose party has decided he is above the law and accountable to no one.\" But Republican Congressman Thomas Massie defended firing Lt Col Vindman, saying: \"He's a leaker, not a whistleblower... Current Commander in Chief doesn't take orders from a Lt Col!\"" } ], "id": "9867_1", "question": "How did Sondland annoy Trump?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5415, "answer_start": 4520, "text": "In comments to media on Friday, Mr Trump said reports that Mick Mulvaney, his acting chief of staff, would be fired were \"false\", saying he had a \"great relationship\" with him. North Carolina lawmaker Mark Meadows is being tipped by the Washington rumour mill as a replacement for Mr Mulvaney. Mr Meadows, who is retiring from the House of Representatives where he led the hardline conservative Freedom Caucus, travelled with Mr Trump on Air Force One on Friday. At a rare White House press conference in October, Mr Mulvaney appeared to implicate the president in an alleged corrupt deal with Ukraine by saying: \"We do that all the time.\" Mr Trump was reportedly outraged by the gaffe. Mr Mulvaney then walked back his comments in a written statement that said: \"Let me be clear, there was absolutely no quid pro quo between Ukrainian military aid and any investigation into the 2016 election.\"" } ], "id": "9867_2", "question": "Is Mick Mulvaney next?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 6007, "answer_start": 5416, "text": "Former Illinois congressman Joe Walsh, one of the two long-shot challengers to Mr Trump for the Republican presidential nomination, announced on Friday that he is ending his campaign. Mr Walsh, who received just 1% of the vote in Monday's Iowa caucus, told CNN the modern Republican party \"has become a cult\". \"I want to stop Trump. I believe he's a threat to this country. He can't be stopped within the Republican Party. Nobody can beat him.\" Bill Weld, former governor of Massachusetts, is now the only remaining Republican seeking to oust Mr Trump, who will seek re-election in November." } ], "id": "9867_3", "question": "Who else is on the way out?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "A British-Canadian jailed for sexually abusing children at an exclusive school in Jakarta is back home in Canada. Neil Bantleman spent five years in an Indonesian jail and was convicted of child sex abuse in 2015 alongside his colleague Indonesian Ferdinant Tjiong. A higher court overturned his conviction, but Indonesia's Supreme Court re-instated it in 2016. Their supporters argue the case against them is riddled with legal errors and that they were denied a fair trial. Mr Bantleman and Mr Tjiong have always maintained their innocence. Mr Tjiong's current legal status is unknown. Bantleman told the media on Friday that he was granted clemency and has been home with family in Ontario since the end of June, and wishes to maintain his privacy. \"Five years ago, I was wrongfully accused and convicted of crimes I did not commit and furthermore never occurred,\" Bantleman said in the statement. \"I applied for clemency, which I am pleased was granted by Indonesia last month, upholding essential justice and human rights.\" Mr Bantleman and Mr Tjiong were arrested in 2014 after a mother of a six-year-old boy claimed her son had been molested by staff members at the Jakarta Intercultural School, an elite private school attended by the children of diplomats and wealthy businessmen. They were eventually charged with raping three young boys. Most of the evidence provided by the defence was rejected by the court, including an expert opinion that the children had been subjected to leading questioning that had altered their memories of events. The court also rejected a medical assessment from a hospital in Singapore which said there was no sign one of the boys had been sodomised, in favour of a conflicting Indonesian police hospital report. An investigation by the CBC's Fifth Estate says the boys told police they were raped using a \"blue potion\" and a \"magic stone\", and that the assaults occurred in \"secret rooms\" as well as out in the open. The mother of the initial complainant filed a $125m lawsuit against the school, which was dismissed by an Indonesian court. The school has stood behind the accused teachers. The Canadian government has been pressuring the Indonesian government for his release. The ministry of Global Affairs declined to comment on Bantleman's release.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2294, "answer_start": 1029, "text": "Mr Bantleman and Mr Tjiong were arrested in 2014 after a mother of a six-year-old boy claimed her son had been molested by staff members at the Jakarta Intercultural School, an elite private school attended by the children of diplomats and wealthy businessmen. They were eventually charged with raping three young boys. Most of the evidence provided by the defence was rejected by the court, including an expert opinion that the children had been subjected to leading questioning that had altered their memories of events. The court also rejected a medical assessment from a hospital in Singapore which said there was no sign one of the boys had been sodomised, in favour of a conflicting Indonesian police hospital report. An investigation by the CBC's Fifth Estate says the boys told police they were raped using a \"blue potion\" and a \"magic stone\", and that the assaults occurred in \"secret rooms\" as well as out in the open. The mother of the initial complainant filed a $125m lawsuit against the school, which was dismissed by an Indonesian court. The school has stood behind the accused teachers. The Canadian government has been pressuring the Indonesian government for his release. The ministry of Global Affairs declined to comment on Bantleman's release." } ], "id": "9868_0", "question": "What was he accused of?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "One of the Chibok girls freed in May has been telling journalist Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani how a diary was kept of some of her three years in captivity with Boko Haram Islamist militants. One of the oldest in her class, Naomi Adamu was 24 when she and more than 200 mainly Christian students were taken off into Boko Haram's Sambisa forest hideout in north-eastern Nigeria in 2014, sparking global outrage. While in captivity, the girls were given exercise books for the Koranic classes they were made to attend. But some of the girls used these to keep secret diaries. When the militants found out, they were forced to burn the books. Ms Adamu managed to hide hers. She and her close friend, Sarah Samuel, now 20, and three other girls used the books to chronicle some of their experiences. The diary entries, written in passable English and poor Hausa, are undated and appear to be from their early months in captivity. Here are 10 of the many disclosures. Some spelling and punctuation have been altered for clarity: The militants who attacked the Chibok school on 14 April 2014 had come with the intention of stealing an \"engine block\", the diary notes. It is not clear what piece of machinery they wanted - there had been some construction work at the school a few weeks earlier, so it may have been the machine used for moulding cement blocks, which can also be used for constructing crude weapons, or they may have been after an engine block from a vehicle. But when it could not be found, they argued over what to do with the students they had gathered in groups. After considering a number of gory options, they decided to take the girls with them. \"They started argument in their midst. So one small boy said that they should burn us all and they said, 'No let us take them with us to Sambisa.' Another person said, 'No let's not do that. Let's lead them... to their parent homes.' As they were in argument, then one of them said, 'No, I can't come with empty car and go back with empty car... If we take them to [Abubakar] Shekau [Boko Haram's leader], he will know what to do.'\" Some girls were loaded into the militants' vehicle at the school while the majority were made to walk at gunpoint for miles, until several trucks arrived to ferry them away. - Main diarists: Naomi Adamu and Sarah Samuel - Rhoda Peter, Saratu Ayuba and Margaret Yama made smaller contributions - Four of them were freed in May 2017, after negotiations - Sarah Samuel agreed to marry a militant last year and remains in captivity On their way to Boko Haram's forest hideout, when some students began escaping by jumping off the trucks, one of the kidnapped girls alerted their abductors - perhaps out of fear of being left alone, or a propensity to obey whoever is in authority, or the desire to have company in misery. \"Then one girl in the car said, 'Driver, some girls are jumping to escape.' Then the driver opened the door of the car then searched for them with the torch but didn't find anyone. So they said to them that they should stay [in] one place, that if they jump down again, if they saw her or any they will shoot her.\" The militants played a number of cruel tricks on the kidnapped girls, including pretending that their parents had been captured by Boko Haram. On one occasion, they separated the Christian girls from those who were Muslim and threatened to burn those who would not convert to Islam with petrol. \"Then they came to us and said, 'Those who are Muslim, it is time for prayer.' After they had prayed, [they said], 'Those who are Muslim, let them be on one side and those who are Christian let them too be on one side.' \"Then we saw jerrycan in the car so we thought it was petrol. Then they said, 'Who and how many of you will turn to Muslim.' So many of us, because of fear, some of us stand up and went inside... So [they said], 'The rest that remain you want to die, is that why you don't want to be Muslim? We are going to burn you...' Then they give us that jerrycan which we thought it was petrol. It is not petrol, it is water.\" Some of the Chibok girls have stated in previous interviews that they were not sexually abused or forced into marriage - although they were sometimes whipped to persuade them to marry. Some girls were also taken as official concubines. The diaries show that the militants were livid about insinuations in the media that they were raping the girls. The group's leader, Abubakar Shekau, ranted about this a number of times, first in a recorded message that was played to the girls. \"Then in the night, they gathered us and preached to us and put [on] a cassette. They said that cassette is from their master Mr Abubakar Shekau.... So he said that just because of they kidnapped us to come and teach us the way of God, then your parents and the government and your principal are crying to us and saying that we are raping you and are doing bad, bad things to you... We brought you to teach you the way of Allah.\" The militants pleaded with the girls to not lead them into temptation, encouraging them to always keep their bodies covered in a hijab. \"He opened the Koran and started reading it, then he read one place that said anybody which they kidnap on the fight of jihad, it is your own, whatever you like, you will do with that person... But we that they give us hijab is that they don't want to see our body, which will make them to sin and do what is very bad.\" The marriage proposals from militants were frequent and forceful. \"One girl wanted to go inside the room and pick something, then Malam Ahmed [one of the militants] went and met her and asked her about marriage. Then she said, 'No.' He asked her, 'And so what is your own decision about this marriage?' \"Then she said that no, they kidnapped her from GGSS [Government Girls Secondary School] Chibok and brought her to Sambisa and now they are talking to her about marriage. How will she get married - after all her mother and her father and her aunties and the rest of her colleagues, they don't even know... Then she asked him, if she says no - that she will not get married, she will only stay and follow her God alone, is it not good? Then he said, 'No, it is bad.'\" Some were pressured to change their mind. \"We saw the people come in two Hilux [vans]. Then they came asking for those who want to get married. They asked us and said anybody who accepts Muslim religion... must get married if truly she holds the religion with two hands. They gave us 30 minutes to give them their answer but we kept quiet. Then we stayed for an hour but nobody answered them.\" Naomi Adamu told me that those who refused to get married were treated as slaves: \"Every day, they beat us. They tell us to marry and if you refuse, they will beat you. We will wash cloth, fetch water, do everything for their wives. We were slaves.\" Despite the global Bring Back Our Girls campaign, which saw the involvement of celebrities like former US First Lady Michelle Obama, some people in surrounding communities wanted no part in bringing back the girls, and returned some of the girls when they managed to escape. \"There is another day that some girls ran. They tried to escape but they couldn't. So those people arrested them. The way they arrested them was they entered into a shop and asked them to help them and give them water and biscuit. So, the people asked them, 'Who are you and where did you come from?' The girls said, 'We are those that the BH kidnapped from GGSS [Government Girls Secondary School], Chibok.' So, one of the people said, 'Are these not Shekau's children?' \"So they gave them good food to eat and a place to sleep and the next day, they returned them to our place... As they brought them to Sambisa at night, they whipped them and said that they are going to cut off their necks.\" The girls were told that they would be allowed to go home to their families if they all, with no exception, agreed to convert to Islam. Those who agreed to convert then blamed the girls who refused for their continued captivity. \"They said that those that do not accept Muslim religion are [like] sheep and cows and goat... they will kill them... Then Malam Abba [one of the militants] said those that who did not accept Muslim religion, they should be on one side, let them not enter into those who have become Muslim. So he told us to stay aside - that they are going to arrange another place for them. Another person said no, that let us stay together. As they left, one week later, the rest of us said that we that did not become Muslim, we are those who are stopping ourselves from going home.\" Boko Haram released several videos about the Chibok girls. This is a behind-the-scenes look at the making of one of them. \"Then there is a day before this, they came and... [filmed] about 10 girls under the Tamarind tree. They called them one by one and asked them about their name and the name of their parents and then they [film us] and said, 'Did we hurt you in any way.' We said, 'No.' They told us to tell our parents and the government what they are doing to us. The government and our parents are saying that they are raping us and disturbing us. \"So they called out one of us and asked her, 'Since we kidnapped you and brought you to this place, have we ever slept with or raped you?' She answered, 'No.' He asked her again... 'I will like you to let you show to your parents and the government what we have offered you and how we are taking good care of you.'\" The videos were sometimes filmed straight after the militants listened to the news. \"They stayed a little while and listened to the BBC [Hausa service]. As they finished listening to the radio, they called us one by one. They told some to stand and some to kneel and some to sit so they [filmed] us and told us to read. Then we read from [Islamic text].\" Naomi Adamu and three other diarists - Rhoda Peter, Saratu Ayuba and Margaret Yama - were released in May. In September, the government sent them to study at the American University of Nigeria in the north-eastern town of Yola. Ms Adamu, the second of seven children, said she kept the diaries with only her family in mind, and seems baffled by my interest. \"I wrote it because of remembrance,\" she said. \"For my brothers to see it, my sisters to see it, my parents to see it.\" But her friend Sarah Samuel, who wrote many of the entries, is yet to return, which is a source of sadness for her. \"I feel pained. I feel so pained. Up till now, I'm still thinking about her.\" About two years into their captivity, at a time when a military crackdown led to Boko Haram's supplies being cut off, she succumbed to pressure and married, a decision that entitled her to leave the camp with her Boko Haram husband, hopefully for a better life elsewhere with access to food. None of those who got married have been released so far. Her father, Samuel Yaga, told me that he was not surprised to learn that his oldest child wrote while in captivity. \"She was always reading. Sometimes, she fell asleep with a book in her lap,\" he said. On the last page of one notebook, she had listed the names of her five siblings, ending with: \"My father's name is Samuel and my mother's name is Rebecca.\" It was almost as if she did not want to forget. More about Chibok: Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa, on Instagram at bbcafrica or email [email protected]", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 11256, "answer_start": 9830, "text": "Naomi Adamu and three other diarists - Rhoda Peter, Saratu Ayuba and Margaret Yama - were released in May. In September, the government sent them to study at the American University of Nigeria in the north-eastern town of Yola. Ms Adamu, the second of seven children, said she kept the diaries with only her family in mind, and seems baffled by my interest. \"I wrote it because of remembrance,\" she said. \"For my brothers to see it, my sisters to see it, my parents to see it.\" But her friend Sarah Samuel, who wrote many of the entries, is yet to return, which is a source of sadness for her. \"I feel pained. I feel so pained. Up till now, I'm still thinking about her.\" About two years into their captivity, at a time when a military crackdown led to Boko Haram's supplies being cut off, she succumbed to pressure and married, a decision that entitled her to leave the camp with her Boko Haram husband, hopefully for a better life elsewhere with access to food. None of those who got married have been released so far. Her father, Samuel Yaga, told me that he was not surprised to learn that his oldest child wrote while in captivity. \"She was always reading. Sometimes, she fell asleep with a book in her lap,\" he said. On the last page of one notebook, she had listed the names of her five siblings, ending with: \"My father's name is Samuel and my mother's name is Rebecca.\" It was almost as if she did not want to forget." } ], "id": "9869_0", "question": "What's happened to the diarists?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "From expelling an aide for coughing, to insisting he is treated worse than assassinated US Civil War leader Abraham Lincoln, to whether UFOs exist, President Donald Trump dropped a number of notable lines in a television interview. The president hosted ABC News at the White House, shedding some light on his thinking as he prepares to launch his 2020 re-election campaign in Florida on Tuesday. BBC Washington correspondent Anthony Zurcher reads between the lines. When Mick Mulvaney, acting White House chief of staff, coughed in the background of the Oval Office interview, Mr Trump became visibly upset and asked his top aide to leave the room. \"Let's do that over, he's coughing in the middle of my answer,\" Mr Trump said. \"I don't like that, you know. I don't like that.\" \"If you're going to cough, please leave the room,\" the president added, pointing and shaking his head in disapproval. \"You just can't, you just can't cough.\" The exchange happened as Mr Trump defended his decision not to turn over his \"fantastic financial statement\" to the US Senate, adding that he \"might\" reveal it someday. Anthony's take: Was Mr Mulvaney signalling to the president to be careful when talking about his tax returns? Or maybe he was choking on the president's answer. Whatever the reason, it's hard to imagine the previous chief of staff, former Marine General John Kelly, putting up with such a curt dismissal. The Trump campaign has fired several of its hired pollsters after leaks showed Mr Trump losing to Democrats next year in several key battleground states, according to US media. But in the interview, Mr Trump denied there were any unflattering popularity figures, maintaining that his team's internal polls \"show I'm winning everywhere\". He dismissed leaked opinion surveys showing Democratic White House hopeful Joe Biden leading in swing states such as Michigan and Wisconsin. Mr Trump stated that \"those polls don't exist\". On Monday, he returned to the theme on Twitter, saying: \"Only Fake Polls show us behind the Motley Crew\" - a reference to the crowded Democratic presidential field. Anthony's take: As the old bit of advice goes, don't kill the bearer of bad news. The president's \"private\" polling roughly matches up with the public surveys that have been recently released showing that, despite a booming economy, Mr Trump has an uphill fight for re-election. With voting more than 16 months away, however, the numbers are relatively unimportant. If this is how the president reacts to adversity, however, it's a bad sign for the stability of his campaign operation. Mr Trump argued that no president has ever been as mistreated as himself, including Abe Lincoln, who was shot dead. \"If you can believe it, Abraham Lincoln was treated supposedly very badly,\" he said. \"But nobody's been treated badly like me.\" Mr Trump, who calls himself a student of history, has previously drawn comparisons with the 16th president. During a rally last September in Montana, Mr Trump said Lincoln's legendary Gettysburg Address \"was excoriated by the fake news\". And during his first election campaign, Mr Trump claimed: \"With the exception of the late, great Abraham Lincoln, I can be more presidential than any president that's ever held this office.\" Anthony's take:Donald Trump reportedly plans to deliver a Fourth of July address from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. Perhaps at some point during his speech, he can turn to the statue of Abe and compare presidential notes. Mr Trump smiled and shrugged when ABC asked about reports of Navy pilots seeing unidentified flying objects. \"They do say, I mean, I've seen and I've read and I've heard, and I did have one very brief meeting on it,\" said the president. \"But people are saying they're seeing UFOs. \"Do I believe it? Not particularly.\" When ABC asked him if the US president would be made aware if there was evidence of extraterrestrials, Mr Trump did not directly answer the question. He said: \"Well, I think my great pilots, our great pilots would know. And some of them really see things that are a little bit different than in the past, so we're going to see, but we'll watch it.\" Anthony's take:Donald Trump may have pushed for the release of more information about the Kennedy assassination, but alien conspiracy theorists will surely be disappointed with his UFO answer. If the truth is out there, they'll have to find it without the president's help. With election season nearing, the Republican president indicated he would launch a new plan to revamp the nation's healthcare system. \"Obamacare has been a disaster,\" Mr Trump told ABC as he was driven in the presidential limousine dubbed The Beast. He promised that the plan for \"phenomenal healthcare\" will be unveiled \"in about two months, maybe less\". Mr Trump last week teased details at an unrelated White House event, saying: \"Nobody knows what it is. It's going to be a big surprise, but it's going to be a very pleasant one.\" Anthony's take: Cue the hyperventilation of Republican members of Congress once again. Conservative politicians paid a high price in the 2018 mid-term elections for their attempts to repeal Obamacare early in the Trump presidency. The last thing they want is to have their 2020 electoral hopes tied to a healthcare plan that is sure to be savaged by their opponents as soon as it's revealed. Mr Trump, who once promised to completely eliminate the national debt over two terms in office, defended its continued climb under his own watch. \"They doubled the debt on nonsense,\" he said of the Obama administration. But when the interviewer noted the debt has not stopped accumulating during Mr Trump's presidency, he responded: \"Sure. But I have to rebuild the military.\" He added: \"We have beautiful new F-35s and F-18s and new rifles, new uniforms.\" Since Mr Trump took office, the US has added over $2tn (PS1.6tn) to the federal debt, and it now stands at more than $22tn. Anthony's take: As the Bush administration pushed for sweeping tax cuts in 2002, Republican Vice-President Dick Cheney once famously said that budget deficits \"don't matter\". During the Obama presidency a few years later, however, Republicans were once again devoted budget hawks. When it comes to the ballooning national debt, whether through government spending or tax reductions, both sides hate it when the other side is responsible. In this regard, Mr Trump is a very conventional politician.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5354, "answer_start": 4428, "text": "With election season nearing, the Republican president indicated he would launch a new plan to revamp the nation's healthcare system. \"Obamacare has been a disaster,\" Mr Trump told ABC as he was driven in the presidential limousine dubbed The Beast. He promised that the plan for \"phenomenal healthcare\" will be unveiled \"in about two months, maybe less\". Mr Trump last week teased details at an unrelated White House event, saying: \"Nobody knows what it is. It's going to be a big surprise, but it's going to be a very pleasant one.\" Anthony's take: Cue the hyperventilation of Republican members of Congress once again. Conservative politicians paid a high price in the 2018 mid-term elections for their attempts to repeal Obamacare early in the Trump presidency. The last thing they want is to have their 2020 electoral hopes tied to a healthcare plan that is sure to be savaged by their opponents as soon as it's revealed." } ], "id": "9870_0", "question": "Trumpcare?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Prime Minister Boris Johnson referred in Parliament on Wednesday to Labour's nationalisation plans, describing them as a \"PS196bn programme taking away money from companies\". The figure comes from employers' organisation the CBI, which published its research into how much it would cost a Labour government to nationalise the industries it currently plans to. The party is proposing a programme of nationalisation that would bring into public ownership: - the Royal Mail - rail-operating companies - energy supply networks - water and sewerage companies The CBI concluded the nationalisation would cost an initial PS196bn, which is a lot of money even for a government - it's about 9% of the output of the economy in a year. This is a very difficult figure to arrive at - the Labour Party has not put a figure to this and has not been clear about how it would go about nationalising these industries. Also, the CBI has not broken down how much it thinks each business is worth - it has released only the overall figure. One problem with the analysis is it does not take account of the value of the assets bought. If, for example, the government were to issue bonds to buy the Royal Mail at its current market value of about PS2.1bn, it would then have an extra PS2.1bn of debt but also an extra PS2.1bn of assets. And it seems a mistake to consider only one of those figures. Labour has also proposed a new set of fiscal targets that exclude money borrowed for investment for precisely this reason. And the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has described this idea as having \"much to commend it\". The whole CBI analysis is based on the upfront cost without considering any value or benefit from the assets. The water companies, for example, would be expected to provide an income from customers' bills, which should pay to service the debt and even provide some money to the government on top of that. If the nationalised industries would be significantly better run by the public sector than the private sector, the benefits to the nation would be considerable. If not, then the opposite would be true. Another key question is how much a Labour government would end up having to pay for these assets. This could vary. The rail-operating companies would be relatively cheap to nationalise over time, because the franchises have time limits on them. The government could just wait for them to end and then take them into public ownership. The CBI included the cost of buying the companies that own the rolling stock, although Labour has now indicated it would not be buying them straight away. With the Royal Mail, we have a pretty good idea how much it is worth because it is listed on the stock-market, although it is not currently clear whether a Labour government would buy 51% of the shares to take control or 100% to nationalise it. There is also a question of which figure a Labour government would take for its value and whether it would pay a premium above that price to compensate shareholders. The CBI research has assumed it would have to pay a 30% premium, based on the prices of historical takeovers of utility companies by other companies. Labour says the 30% premium is \"arbitrary, fanciful and reflects the kind of profiteering that public ownership will end\". Cat Hobbs, from the pro-nationalisation group We Own It, told the BBC: \"We don't think the 30% mark-up is realistic at all. It's typical takeover practice but nationalisation is not the same as a takeover.\" Labour's shadow business secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey told Radio 5 Live's Pienaar's Politics: \"Parliament will determine a fair rate for compensation at the time.\" But while she said a Labour government would not break the law and would pay a fair rate, she would not be drawn on whether it would pay the market price. It is hard to find recent examples of the UK government buying healthy companies. It did not pay anything to shareholders of Northern Rock in 2008 because it concluded (and the courts agreed) the lender had no value without government support. But the businesses Labour wants to buy are not in trouble. A better analogy would be the aircraft and shipbuilding industries nationalised in the 1970s (not all of which were in great health), for which the Labour government paid a price based on the average share price of the companies in the six months before it was elected. And when the War-damaged railways were nationalised, in 1948, the government issued bonds to pay for the shares based on their price in November 1946. The current Labour Party has said it would also make deductions based on things such as taking on pension-fund deficits, debts and subsidies given to the companies by previous governments. Furthermore, if the markets consider the threat of nationalisation under a Labour government is a credible one and shareholders may not receive the full value of their shares, the share prices could be depressed. That means the share price before the election could be considerably higher than after it - and which price the government chooses to take would be important. Meanwhile, Labour also wants to nationalise parts of the water and energy industries that are not stand-alone listed companies. And to assess that, the CBI has taken the views of their respective regulators of the value of the assets. But Labour has rejected that as \"misguided\", saying: \"These are purely notional values created by the regulator and include companies' enormous debts.\" While the regulatory valuations are not a perfect figure to take - because of both debt issues and the exclusion of goodwill (that's the value of the opportunities to make money from the business in addition to the actual value of the assets), however, they are not a bad starting point. But clearly more work would be needed on the valuation if the process were actually under way. The CBI has also warned if the government does not pay a premium, then UK pension funds and savers would take a hit of PS9bn, which is PS327 per UK household. That is based on a calculation assuming 20% of the targeted assets are owned by UK investors. But there would be a corresponding benefit to the taxpayer if the government did not pay a premium. Clarification: This piece has been amended to reflect that it is understood Labour does not plan to purchase rolling stock companies. What claims do you want BBC Reality Check to investigate? Get in touch Read more from Reality Check Follow us on Twitter", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3004, "answer_start": 1598, "text": "The whole CBI analysis is based on the upfront cost without considering any value or benefit from the assets. The water companies, for example, would be expected to provide an income from customers' bills, which should pay to service the debt and even provide some money to the government on top of that. If the nationalised industries would be significantly better run by the public sector than the private sector, the benefits to the nation would be considerable. If not, then the opposite would be true. Another key question is how much a Labour government would end up having to pay for these assets. This could vary. The rail-operating companies would be relatively cheap to nationalise over time, because the franchises have time limits on them. The government could just wait for them to end and then take them into public ownership. The CBI included the cost of buying the companies that own the rolling stock, although Labour has now indicated it would not be buying them straight away. With the Royal Mail, we have a pretty good idea how much it is worth because it is listed on the stock-market, although it is not currently clear whether a Labour government would buy 51% of the shares to take control or 100% to nationalise it. There is also a question of which figure a Labour government would take for its value and whether it would pay a premium above that price to compensate shareholders." } ], "id": "9871_0", "question": "Better run?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "A 36-year-old director of university entrance exam preparations at a Florida school catering towards elite athletes is at the centre of a US college cheating scandal. The investigation has ensnared Hollywood actresses, business executives and others representing what prosecutors called a \"catalogue of wealth and privilege\". Mark Riddell, whom prosecutors said in a news conference was \"just a really smart guy\", is accused of taking college admissions tests or altering answers on behalf of high school students. Mr Riddell, described in a job profile as a Harvard University graduate and former professional tennis player, is charged with fraud and money laundering in the nationwide case, and will go before a judge in April. \"He didn't have inside information about the answers,\" said Andrew Lelling, the US attorney for Massachusetts. \"He was just smart enough to get a near perfect score on demand or to calibrate the score.\" According to a criminal complaint, Mr Riddell conspired with William \"Rick\" Singer, 58, from 2011 to February 2019 to either correct students' answers to the SAT or ACT (US college-entrance tests) or sit the exams for them at a cost of $10,000 (PS7,600) per test. \"Singer would discuss with his clients what kind of score they were looking for,\" said Mr Lelling on Tuesday. Mr Lelling, the lead prosecutor of Operation Varsity Blues, said that students who had taken the test on their own had to be careful not to improve it too greatly on the second attempt so as not to \"invite scrutiny\". \"So Singer would discuss with parents what kind of score was impressive but not too impressive, and then would instruct Riddell to attempt to get that score. And he was just good enough to do it.\" Court filings do not state how many times he allegedly did this, but allege it was done for children from 14 families, including the daughter of actress Felicity Huffman. Documents list one occasion when he flew to Houston to take an exam in place of a student who had fallen ill. According to the charges, the parent provided Mr Riddell with a sample of the child's handwriting to imitate on 13 July 2018. Separate charging documents show that Beverly Hills-based marketing CEO Jane Buckingham, 50, sent a handwriting to sample to Singer on the same date. \"Good luck with this,\" she said, attaching the sample of her son's writing, after earlier saying \"he has not great writing\". A test administrator, who was allegedly bribed with $5,000, gave the exam to Mr Riddell who took it in a hotel room. Mr Riddell, court documents show, later called Singer to predict that he had scored 35 out of 36. He was right. Mr Riddell is the director of college entrance exam preparation at IMG Academy, a boarding school in Bradenton, Florida. A cached biography of him, which has since been removed from the academy's website, shows he has worked there since 2006 and studied there in high school. The IMG Academy bills itself as \"the world's largest and most advanced multi-sport training and education institution\". On the profile page, he is described as a Harvard University graduate and former Division 1 NCAA tennis player. It says he \"assists thousands of students in gaining admission to top American universities such as Stanford, Duke, Columbia, Dartmouth, University of Chicago, and many other notable institutions\". \"His knowledge of test preparation, tutoring prowess, athletic background, and experience as a former IMG Academy student make him an important mentor for IMG Academy students,\" the website read. In a statement on Tuesday the school said Mr \"Riddell has been suspended indefinitely as we investigate this matter.\" US prosecutors are asking that Mr Riddell pay $447,147.63 if found guilty.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3726, "answer_start": 2632, "text": "Mr Riddell is the director of college entrance exam preparation at IMG Academy, a boarding school in Bradenton, Florida. A cached biography of him, which has since been removed from the academy's website, shows he has worked there since 2006 and studied there in high school. The IMG Academy bills itself as \"the world's largest and most advanced multi-sport training and education institution\". On the profile page, he is described as a Harvard University graduate and former Division 1 NCAA tennis player. It says he \"assists thousands of students in gaining admission to top American universities such as Stanford, Duke, Columbia, Dartmouth, University of Chicago, and many other notable institutions\". \"His knowledge of test preparation, tutoring prowess, athletic background, and experience as a former IMG Academy student make him an important mentor for IMG Academy students,\" the website read. In a statement on Tuesday the school said Mr \"Riddell has been suspended indefinitely as we investigate this matter.\" US prosecutors are asking that Mr Riddell pay $447,147.63 if found guilty." } ], "id": "9872_0", "question": "What is his background?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Emmanuel Macron has formally signed an overhaul of France's labour laws, a key platform of his presidency. Thousands of protesters have condemned the reforms, which make it easier for companies to hire and cheaper to fire staff. Mr Macron's government has promised to cut unemployment from its current 9.5% to 7% in five years. There were protests across France on Thursday, but only 132,000 people took part, a big drop on the previous week. More than 220,000 turned out for demonstrations on 12 September. France's labour code - with some chapters dating back more than a century - is over 3,000 pages long and is seen by many as a straitjacket for business. The new laws hand companies more flexibility in negotiating wages and conditions directly with employees, rather than being bound by industry-wide collective deals negotiated by trade unions. They also cap damages paid to workers for unfair dismissal. Employers have argued that costly and lengthy court cases often discourage them from hiring staff in the first place. Until now, the minimum pay-out for two years' employment was six months' salary. That will now be limited to three months' pay for two years of work, and 20 months' pay for 30 years. The president has signed five executive decrees, describing the reforms as an \"unprecedented transformation of our social and economic model\". The move comes after Mr Macron won parliamentary support to push the changes through. The hard-left CGT union has been behind the protests so far and has vowed to continue its fight. CGT head Philippe Martinez said the new laws gave \"full powers to employers\". However, two of the other big three unions have been more conciliatory. \"The future of trade unionism... is our presence within companies\" rather than on the streets, said Laurent Berger, who leads the CFDT union, according to the AFP news agency. In parliament, Jean-Luc Melenchon and his radical leftist La France Insoumise (France Unbowed) party are the main opponents of the reforms. His party is planning a protest march in Paris on Saturday. The president knows the challenge he faces in winning over the electorate, and has predicted months of resistance to the reforms. France was \"the only big EU economy that hasn't combated mass unemployment for more than three decades\", he said last month, adding that the biggest victims were the young and the unskilled. Mr Macron has seen his popularity slide dramatically since he came to power on 7 May. A poll on 27 August suggested his approval ratings had fallen from 57% in July to 40%.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1442, "answer_start": 508, "text": "France's labour code - with some chapters dating back more than a century - is over 3,000 pages long and is seen by many as a straitjacket for business. The new laws hand companies more flexibility in negotiating wages and conditions directly with employees, rather than being bound by industry-wide collective deals negotiated by trade unions. They also cap damages paid to workers for unfair dismissal. Employers have argued that costly and lengthy court cases often discourage them from hiring staff in the first place. Until now, the minimum pay-out for two years' employment was six months' salary. That will now be limited to three months' pay for two years of work, and 20 months' pay for 30 years. The president has signed five executive decrees, describing the reforms as an \"unprecedented transformation of our social and economic model\". The move comes after Mr Macron won parliamentary support to push the changes through." } ], "id": "9873_0", "question": "What are the changes?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2065, "answer_start": 1443, "text": "The hard-left CGT union has been behind the protests so far and has vowed to continue its fight. CGT head Philippe Martinez said the new laws gave \"full powers to employers\". However, two of the other big three unions have been more conciliatory. \"The future of trade unionism... is our presence within companies\" rather than on the streets, said Laurent Berger, who leads the CFDT union, according to the AFP news agency. In parliament, Jean-Luc Melenchon and his radical leftist La France Insoumise (France Unbowed) party are the main opponents of the reforms. His party is planning a protest march in Paris on Saturday." } ], "id": "9873_1", "question": "How have unions reacted?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2559, "answer_start": 2066, "text": "The president knows the challenge he faces in winning over the electorate, and has predicted months of resistance to the reforms. France was \"the only big EU economy that hasn't combated mass unemployment for more than three decades\", he said last month, adding that the biggest victims were the young and the unskilled. Mr Macron has seen his popularity slide dramatically since he came to power on 7 May. A poll on 27 August suggested his approval ratings had fallen from 57% in July to 40%." } ], "id": "9873_2", "question": "What has Macron himself said on the issue?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "A diplomatic row between France and Italy has deepened, with France complaining of \"unfounded attacks and outlandish claims\" by Italian leaders. France recalled its ambassador to Italy for talks on Thursday, saying the situation was \"unprecedented\" since the end of World War Two. It comes after Italian Deputy PM Luigi Di Maio met French \"yellow-vest\" protesters near Paris on Tuesday. France warned him not to interfere in the country's politics. Relations between the two countries - both founding members of the EU - have been tense since Italy's populist Five Star Movement and right-wing League party formed a coalition government in June 2018. The two governments have clashed over a range of issues, including immigration. The latest spat began after Mr Di Maio, the leader of Five Star Movement, met leaders of the anti-government \"gilets jaunes\" protests on Tuesday. He posted a picture of himself on Twitter with yellow-vest leader Christophe Chalencon and members of a yellow-vest list who are standing in elections to the European Parliament in May. \"For several months France has been the subject of repeated accusations, unfounded attacks and outlandish claims,\" the foreign ministry said on Thursday. \"The most recent interferences constitute an additional and unacceptable provocation. They violate the respect that is owed to democratic choices made by a nation which is a friend and an ally. To disagree is one thing, to exploit a relationship for electoral aims is another.\" Italy's fellow Deputy PM Matteo Salvini later said he would be happy to hold talks with President Emmanuel Macron. But to \"reset\" relations he said France had to address \"fundamental\" issues. He called on Paris to hand over left-wing militants wanted by Italy and to stop returning migrants. He also complained of lengthy French border checks causing traffic jams at the frontier. Mr Di Maio defended his decision to meet the protesters and described the French people as \"friends and allies\". \"President Macron has on several occasions attacked the Italian government for political reasons in view of the European elections. This has not affected the feeling of friendship that ties our two countries and never will,\" he said. Italian PM Giuseppe Conte, speaking on a visit to Beirut, said he hoped the situation could be \"cleared up immediately\". \"Italy and France's relationship is rooted in history and cannot be called into question by events,\" he said. Mr Salvini launched a direct personal attack on Mr Macron last month, saying he hoped the French people would soon be able to \"free themselves of a terrible president\". Analysis by Paul Kirby, BBC News Online Europe editor The French have had enough of months of provocative words and acts emanating from Italy's two populist leaders. Even Italian diplomats are \"completely disoriented by this quarrel and just as surprised\" by the positions taken by Italy's ministers, according to Corriere della Sera columnist Massimo Franco. For France, the reason behind the spat is as clear as a bell. Matteo Salvini of the League and Five Star's Luigi Di Maio are simply electioneering ahead of the European Parliament elections in May. What has that got to do with France? Neither leader likes the pro-European Emmanuel Macron. For Mr Di Maio, the yellow vests challenging the French establishment are natural bedfellows, while the right-wing interior minister Mr Salvini finds common cause with President Macron's far-right rival Marine Le Pen. There may be votes in it, but there are big diplomatic risks too. The BBC's Hugh Schofield in Paris says the row represents a new low in a fast-deteriorating relationship. It is rare for one EU state to recall its ambassador to another. The recalling of any ambassador is usually the step before breaking off full diplomatic relations. In 2016 Greece recalled its envoy to Austria in a row over the migrant crisis. Both Greece and Italy have expressed frustration at the reluctance of other EU states to take quotas of asylum seekers arriving on their shores. In 2017 Hungary recalled its ambassador to the Netherlands over remarks made by the Dutch ambassador in which he drew parallels between Hungary's government and Islamic State militants. Much of the tension between France and Italy has been about migration. When France criticised Italy for not allowing rescue boats carrying migrants in the Mediterranean to dock, Italy responded by accusing France itself of refusing to accept migrants. Italy says France has sent migrants back across Italy's northern border. In January, France summoned Italy's ambassador after Mr Di Maio said Paris had \"never stopped colonising tens of African states\". Also last month, Mr Salvini accused France of harbouring 14 \"terrorists\" wanted by Italy, after a fugitive ex-militant was extradited from Bolivia. France has also grown impatient with Italy over the building of a EUR8.6bn (PS7.5bn) Lyon to Turin high-speed rail link which the Italian coalition partners cannot agree on. The protesters first took to the streets in November, angered by fuel tax increases. They said the measure hurt those who lived in remote areas of France and who depended on cars. The movement derives its name from the high-visibility yellow vests protesters wear - and which French motorists are required by law to carry in their vehicles. But since their first marches - and the government's subsequent U-turn on fuel taxes - their demands have expanded to boosting people's purchasing power and allowing popular referendums. Mr Di Maio has found common cause with the protesters, urging them not to give up and offering them \"the support you need\".", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1062, "answer_start": 731, "text": "The latest spat began after Mr Di Maio, the leader of Five Star Movement, met leaders of the anti-government \"gilets jaunes\" protests on Tuesday. He posted a picture of himself on Twitter with yellow-vest leader Christophe Chalencon and members of a yellow-vest list who are standing in elections to the European Parliament in May." } ], "id": "9874_0", "question": "What happened with Mr Di Maio?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2622, "answer_start": 1063, "text": "\"For several months France has been the subject of repeated accusations, unfounded attacks and outlandish claims,\" the foreign ministry said on Thursday. \"The most recent interferences constitute an additional and unacceptable provocation. They violate the respect that is owed to democratic choices made by a nation which is a friend and an ally. To disagree is one thing, to exploit a relationship for electoral aims is another.\" Italy's fellow Deputy PM Matteo Salvini later said he would be happy to hold talks with President Emmanuel Macron. But to \"reset\" relations he said France had to address \"fundamental\" issues. He called on Paris to hand over left-wing militants wanted by Italy and to stop returning migrants. He also complained of lengthy French border checks causing traffic jams at the frontier. Mr Di Maio defended his decision to meet the protesters and described the French people as \"friends and allies\". \"President Macron has on several occasions attacked the Italian government for political reasons in view of the European elections. This has not affected the feeling of friendship that ties our two countries and never will,\" he said. Italian PM Giuseppe Conte, speaking on a visit to Beirut, said he hoped the situation could be \"cleared up immediately\". \"Italy and France's relationship is rooted in history and cannot be called into question by events,\" he said. Mr Salvini launched a direct personal attack on Mr Macron last month, saying he hoped the French people would soon be able to \"free themselves of a terrible president\"." } ], "id": "9874_1", "question": "What has France said?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3556, "answer_start": 2623, "text": "Analysis by Paul Kirby, BBC News Online Europe editor The French have had enough of months of provocative words and acts emanating from Italy's two populist leaders. Even Italian diplomats are \"completely disoriented by this quarrel and just as surprised\" by the positions taken by Italy's ministers, according to Corriere della Sera columnist Massimo Franco. For France, the reason behind the spat is as clear as a bell. Matteo Salvini of the League and Five Star's Luigi Di Maio are simply electioneering ahead of the European Parliament elections in May. What has that got to do with France? Neither leader likes the pro-European Emmanuel Macron. For Mr Di Maio, the yellow vests challenging the French establishment are natural bedfellows, while the right-wing interior minister Mr Salvini finds common cause with President Macron's far-right rival Marine Le Pen. There may be votes in it, but there are big diplomatic risks too." } ], "id": "9874_2", "question": "Why has this row broken out?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4236, "answer_start": 3557, "text": "The BBC's Hugh Schofield in Paris says the row represents a new low in a fast-deteriorating relationship. It is rare for one EU state to recall its ambassador to another. The recalling of any ambassador is usually the step before breaking off full diplomatic relations. In 2016 Greece recalled its envoy to Austria in a row over the migrant crisis. Both Greece and Italy have expressed frustration at the reluctance of other EU states to take quotas of asylum seekers arriving on their shores. In 2017 Hungary recalled its ambassador to the Netherlands over remarks made by the Dutch ambassador in which he drew parallels between Hungary's government and Islamic State militants." } ], "id": "9874_3", "question": "How serious is this?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5013, "answer_start": 4237, "text": "Much of the tension between France and Italy has been about migration. When France criticised Italy for not allowing rescue boats carrying migrants in the Mediterranean to dock, Italy responded by accusing France itself of refusing to accept migrants. Italy says France has sent migrants back across Italy's northern border. In January, France summoned Italy's ambassador after Mr Di Maio said Paris had \"never stopped colonising tens of African states\". Also last month, Mr Salvini accused France of harbouring 14 \"terrorists\" wanted by Italy, after a fugitive ex-militant was extradited from Bolivia. France has also grown impatient with Italy over the building of a EUR8.6bn (PS7.5bn) Lyon to Turin high-speed rail link which the Italian coalition partners cannot agree on." } ], "id": "9874_4", "question": "What is the background?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5665, "answer_start": 5014, "text": "The protesters first took to the streets in November, angered by fuel tax increases. They said the measure hurt those who lived in remote areas of France and who depended on cars. The movement derives its name from the high-visibility yellow vests protesters wear - and which French motorists are required by law to carry in their vehicles. But since their first marches - and the government's subsequent U-turn on fuel taxes - their demands have expanded to boosting people's purchasing power and allowing popular referendums. Mr Di Maio has found common cause with the protesters, urging them not to give up and offering them \"the support you need\"." } ], "id": "9874_5", "question": "Who are the 'gilets jaunes'?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Just near Bagdad on the road to Jericho in Australia's island state of Tasmania, Peter Bignell is making \"liquid gold\". But whereas many other whisky producers use an internal element to heat their stills, the ecologically minded artisan fires his with used cooking oil reclaimed from a local chip fryer. \"With the odd chip strained away, she burns a beaut,\" he says amid the bald hills of the Tasmanian Midlands. \"The direct-flame heating of the still [produced by burning the oil] lends a caramel to the spirit.\" That's the not the only piece of unusual equipment in Bignell's still. He uses a reclaimed laundromat tumble dryer for malting. A repurposed motor from a blender acts as a pump amid a marvellous collection of reused bits and pieces that make up his Belgrove Distillery, crammed into a converted, cobwebbed 18th Century stable. Tastings take place in one of the stalls before an order is siphoned from a barrel overhead into a bottle that's numbered, signed and labelled before your eyes. Bignell, an agricultural scientist cum sand-and-ice sculptor of world renown, is committed to locally sourcing his ingredients. He is even considering using sheep manure from under his shearing shed as an alternative to peat, which is burned to impart a smoky flavour to the whisky. \"It's less 'miles' as the shed's next to my rye fields, but I'm worried about a possible marketing downside,\" he says. Not that he need worry. With a rating of 94.5 out of 100, his rye whisky rates as \"liquid gold\" in the world's leading whisky guide, Jim Murray's Whisky Bible. \"Perhaps the most concentrated rye arrival I have tasted for a couple of years from any part of the world. Just so sharp, almost three dimensional,\" Murray's review gushes. No less a figure than Rene Redzepi, the chef who runs fine-dining mecca Noma in Copenhagen, is a fan of Bignell's unique whiskies. Noma's newly opened Sydney pop-up restaurant has five Belgrove whiskies on its list of 23 Australian craft spirits. Bignell says he is \"pinching himself\" and plans on tripling production with a larger second still to 300 litres per month. \"But I've been saying that for a couple of years,\" he says. Tasmania looms large in Australia's history of distilling. When the state was still a colony called Van Diemen's Land, its fourth lieutenant-governor, Sir John Franklin, passed a law banning small pot stills in 1838. A trade in \"rum\" was undermining the fledgling colony, Sir John thought. When the Australian states federated in 1901, \"Bad Frankie's\" law passed through to all of the country, although stills above 40,000 litres were permitted. Enter lauded Tasmanian Bill Lark, a surveyor, who set about changing the law and pioneering Australian craft whisky. On a fly-fishing trip to the Tasmanian highlands he thought the state would be a good place to make whisky. He successfully lobbied politicians to allow the running of stills under 40,000 litres in 1992, and went on to set up his own distillery in Tasmania. Demand for Tasmanian whisky was turbo-charged in 2014 when Tasmania Distillery's brand Sullivans Cove won \"World's Best Single Malt Whisky\" at the World Whisky Awards. It was the first time a whisky from somewhere other than Scotland or Japan had won the prestigious award. Now the 15 or so small-scale distillers in Tasmania can't make enough to keep up with demand and their small stockpiles have been exhausted. While the number of barrels maturing in Tasmania is increasing each year, Tasmania's makers of \"liquid gold\" must manage waiting lists of up to two years for certain barrels. That's something Tasmania Distillery laments, as 700ml bottles of Sullivans Cove now trade privately for $6,000 Australian ($4,200;PS3,000). The whisky, which was aged in a French oak barrel, was selling for A$180 before the award and the subsequent stampede to secure them. The distillery didn't think, pre-award, to hold any back, leaving them with only a couple of bottles and a small reserve. \"We won't do that again,\" says marketing manager Bert Cason. Tasmania Distillery was last year able to produce two special release magnums using just a blend of the \"world's best\" barrel, selling them within minutes of release for $10,000 each. A step up in production sophistication from the likes of Belgrove, Tasmania Distillery makes 8,000 bottles a year of the French oak (now $350) and 18,000 bottles in total of all types of Sullivans Cove whisky. Old Hobart Distillery manages demand by allocating \"a significant number\" of bottles from each barrel to specialist bars, restaurants and liquor stores, marketing manager Jane Overeem says. \"The remainder is allocated to our customers who have joined our mailing list. \"Just before Christmas, we released three barrels online after sending an email notification to our very loyal database,\" she says. \"The three barrels sold out in 21 minutes.\" Paul Carter is a journalist and whisky columnist living in Tasmania.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2988, "answer_start": 2168, "text": "Tasmania looms large in Australia's history of distilling. When the state was still a colony called Van Diemen's Land, its fourth lieutenant-governor, Sir John Franklin, passed a law banning small pot stills in 1838. A trade in \"rum\" was undermining the fledgling colony, Sir John thought. When the Australian states federated in 1901, \"Bad Frankie's\" law passed through to all of the country, although stills above 40,000 litres were permitted. Enter lauded Tasmanian Bill Lark, a surveyor, who set about changing the law and pioneering Australian craft whisky. On a fly-fishing trip to the Tasmanian highlands he thought the state would be a good place to make whisky. He successfully lobbied politicians to allow the running of stills under 40,000 litres in 1992, and went on to set up his own distillery in Tasmania." } ], "id": "9875_0", "question": "Why is whisky booming in Tasmania?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Cyclone Idai, which struck the coastline of Mozambique on 14 March, has caused devastation and heavy loss of life. The UN says 1.7 million people in Mozambique lived in the path of the cyclone, with a further 920,000 people affected in Malawi and many thousands more in Zimbabwe. So how common is extreme weather in southern Africa, and were these countries sufficiently prepared? Tropical cyclones in this part of the Indian Ocean are not that rare. Most form in the central Indian Ocean, sufficiently far enough off the coast for some preparations to be made. Cyclone Idai was unusual in that it formed in the Mozambique Channel, close to the coastline, giving governments and aid agencies less time to issue warnings and make plans. \"The cyclone was by no stretch of the imagination the most powerful... but what made it so devastating was where and how it hit,\" said Clare Nullis, spokeswoman for the World Meteorological Organization. \"The ocean floor along the coast by Mozambique is conducive to give storm surges, which reached roughly 3.5m-to-4m in the coastal city of Beira - which is absolutely huge.\" The low-lying coastal areas of central Mozambique are highly vulnerable to natural disasters but the budget for preparing and responding to them is very small. Last year, the government received support from international donors for a disaster fund of $18.3m (PS13.9m) for 2018 and 2019. This contingency plan is the main source of funding for any disaster response and is intended specifically for search and rescue within the first 72 hours. For a major disaster such as Cyclone Idai, most of the funds for recovery and reconstruction are raised after a disaster has struck. And even without this latest emergency, Mozambique was facing economic strains as a result of a controversial loan deal in 2016 which resulted in a suspension of some international donor aid to the government. The meteorological office of Mozambique, Inam, issued weather alerts as the storm developed. Three days before the cyclone struck, the government raised the alert to the highest possible level, telling people to evacuate threatened areas. Some people were moved out by boat beforehand, but many didn't respond to warnings or weren't aware of them. \"These public alerts were made in a timely fashion but it's always down to actors along the chain to decide how to act on this type of information,\" says Joao de Lima Rego, an adviser at Deltares, a research organisation focusing on coastal regions and river basins that has helped develop a forecasting system in Mozambique. As part of the forward planning for severe weather, safe zones had been created in rural areas for evacuation above the flood plain. On this occasion, however, the flooding was far more severe than anticipated. The port city of Beira, with a population of half a million, had introduced measures to strengthen resilience to cyclones and flooding. Preparedness has focused on drainage systems, says Dinis Juizo, associate professor of hydrology at the University of Eduardo Mondlane in Maputo. Drainage canals and flood-control protection, such as a large water basin, have also been introduced. However, much of the population of Beira outside the city centre live in informal housing often made of materials unable to withstand severe weather. \"The level of investment has not been high enough for an event of this scale,\" says Dinis Juizo. The storm that eventually became Cyclone Idai had caused deaths in Malawi, to the north of Mozambique, in early March. People in lowland areas were warned, but because warnings about flooding and rainfall are an annual occurrence during the rainy season, many people were reluctant to move and didn't anticipate the extent to which the country would suffer. In Zimbabwe, there were also warnings about the approaching storm. But Zimbabwe's Minister of Defence, Oppah Muchinguri, has said her government failed to anticipate its strength. By the time the storm reached Zimbabwe it had weakened considerably and was no longer a tropical cyclone. Nevertheless, it had a severe impact on the eastern regions of the country. What do you want BBC Reality Check to investigate? Get in touch Read more from Reality Check Follow us on Twitter", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2784, "answer_start": 1900, "text": "The meteorological office of Mozambique, Inam, issued weather alerts as the storm developed. Three days before the cyclone struck, the government raised the alert to the highest possible level, telling people to evacuate threatened areas. Some people were moved out by boat beforehand, but many didn't respond to warnings or weren't aware of them. \"These public alerts were made in a timely fashion but it's always down to actors along the chain to decide how to act on this type of information,\" says Joao de Lima Rego, an adviser at Deltares, a research organisation focusing on coastal regions and river basins that has helped develop a forecasting system in Mozambique. As part of the forward planning for severe weather, safe zones had been created in rural areas for evacuation above the flood plain. On this occasion, however, the flooding was far more severe than anticipated." } ], "id": "9876_0", "question": "How much warning?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "A 17-year-old has died of his wounds after detonating explosives in an office of Russia's FSB federal security service in the north-western city of Arkhangelsk, officials say. Three FSB employees were hurt when the explosives went off just inside the building at around 09:00 (06:00 GMT). The blast caused serious damage. A CCTV image of the suspect emerged soon afterwards, along with a message he allegedly posted on social media just before the blast. Although the authenticity of the message posted on an anarchist chat group has not been confirmed, the user identifies himself as an anarcho-communist and claims the FSB \"fabricates cases and tortures people\". Russia's anti-terrorism committee said, according to initial findings, the suspect was a 17-year-old local resident who had gone into the building and pulled out of his bag an \"unidentified object that exploded in his hands\". He was later named by local media as Mikhail Zhlobitsky, a student at a local technical college. His grandmother told BBC Russian that she could not understand why he had blown himself up. \"He doesn't drink or smoke, and he doesn't swear. He doesn't play truant - he always attends college. I've no idea what happened,\" she said. By Sarah Rainsford, BBC News, Moscow Just before the explosion in Archangelsk, a user on the Telegram messaging app named \"Valeryan Panov\" warned that he was about to bomb the local FSB building. As his device could only be detonated by pressing a button on the top, he said he would \"probably die\" in the blast. It's not yet clear who wrote that post in an anarchist chat group. His messages have now been deleted. But screen shots from Telegram show that in September the same user had posted detailed instructions on how to manufacture explosives. A couple of weeks later he discussed the mass shooting by an 18-year old student at a vocational college in Crimea. \"Valeryan Panov\" commented then that you could make a \"decent explosive device\" on a student grant. He was back online on Tuesday, discussing explosives. After the blast in Archangelsk, the bomber was named locally as Mikhail Zhlobitsky. Pictures of his student ID were posted online and appear to match the images of the young man captured on CCTV inside the FSB building, just before the attack. According to two of his online friends contacted by BBC Russian, Mikhail Zhlobitsky operated a social media account using the name of a 19th Century Russian revolutionary, Sergei Nechayev. That account was last accessed at 07:32 on the morning of the attack. The blast was described as a terrorist attack. Governor Igor Orlov said local authorities in Arkhangelsk, around 1,200km (750 miles) north of Moscow, had taken measures to heighten security in all public buildings. Earlier this month, another teenaged student, Vladislav Roslyakov, murdered 19 students and teachers before shooting himself at a polytechnic college in Russian-annexed Crimea. Attacks on security services are unusual in Russia, although police have been targeted in parts of the Caucasus, including Chechnya and Dagestan. The FSB has been behind two controversial cases this year, against groups accused of plotting violent uprisings, the BBC's Sarah Rainsford reports from Moscow. In both, human rights groups argued the claims were false, while they said statements in one case were extracted under torture.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3372, "answer_start": 1221, "text": "By Sarah Rainsford, BBC News, Moscow Just before the explosion in Archangelsk, a user on the Telegram messaging app named \"Valeryan Panov\" warned that he was about to bomb the local FSB building. As his device could only be detonated by pressing a button on the top, he said he would \"probably die\" in the blast. It's not yet clear who wrote that post in an anarchist chat group. His messages have now been deleted. But screen shots from Telegram show that in September the same user had posted detailed instructions on how to manufacture explosives. A couple of weeks later he discussed the mass shooting by an 18-year old student at a vocational college in Crimea. \"Valeryan Panov\" commented then that you could make a \"decent explosive device\" on a student grant. He was back online on Tuesday, discussing explosives. After the blast in Archangelsk, the bomber was named locally as Mikhail Zhlobitsky. Pictures of his student ID were posted online and appear to match the images of the young man captured on CCTV inside the FSB building, just before the attack. According to two of his online friends contacted by BBC Russian, Mikhail Zhlobitsky operated a social media account using the name of a 19th Century Russian revolutionary, Sergei Nechayev. That account was last accessed at 07:32 on the morning of the attack. The blast was described as a terrorist attack. Governor Igor Orlov said local authorities in Arkhangelsk, around 1,200km (750 miles) north of Moscow, had taken measures to heighten security in all public buildings. Earlier this month, another teenaged student, Vladislav Roslyakov, murdered 19 students and teachers before shooting himself at a polytechnic college in Russian-annexed Crimea. Attacks on security services are unusual in Russia, although police have been targeted in parts of the Caucasus, including Chechnya and Dagestan. The FSB has been behind two controversial cases this year, against groups accused of plotting violent uprisings, the BBC's Sarah Rainsford reports from Moscow. In both, human rights groups argued the claims were false, while they said statements in one case were extracted under torture." } ], "id": "9877_0", "question": "Who was teenage bomber?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The United Nations has come under fire for appointing comic book character Wonder Woman as its new Honorary Ambassador for the Empowerment of Women and Girls. The UN bestowed the honorary title to the famed heroine, also known as Princess Diana of Thermyscira, on her 75th birthday on Friday, marking the launch of a year-long social media campaign to promote women's empowerment and gender equality. But the decision was not without controversy, sparking outrage among both UN members and women's rights advocates across the world. More than 1,000 of anonymous and \"concerned\" UN staff members have signed an online petition arguing that Wonder Woman was not an appropriate choice, noting the character's physique as: \"a large breasted, white woman of impossible proportions, scantily clad in a shimmery, thigh-baring body suit with an American flag motif and knee high boots -the epitome of a \"pin-up\" girl\". Critics who signed the petition said it was \"disappointing\" that the UN \"was unable to find a real-life woman that would be able to champion the rights of ALL women on the issue of gender equality and the fight for their empowerment\". The comic book superhero has sprung back into culture relevance with the upcoming release of a new Wonder Woman film starring Israeli actress Gal Gadot, who appeared at the UN ceremony along with actress Lynda Carter, who also portrayed her in the eponymous 1970s US TV series. Wonder Woman, an Amazonian princess who was created by Harvard-trained psychologist William Moulton Marston in 1941, was inspired by the leaders of the suffragist movement and has been long considered a feminist icon. \"The focus [of the UN] was on her feminist background, being the first female superhero in a world of male superheroes and that basically she always fought for fairness, justice and peace,\" UN official Maher Nasser told NPR. The organisation said the character's appointment was meant to \"highlight what we can collectively achieve if women and girls are empowered\" and \"to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls\", according to the UN's website on sustainable development goals. But the honour appeared to be ill-timed. The announcement follows the UN's selection of Portugal's Antonio Guterres as its next Secretary General despite a global push for the organisation to select its first female top diplomat. In fact, a recent analysis found that nine of 10 senior leadership roles at the UN went to men. Prospective female candidates in the race included the former prime minister of New Zealand, the director general of cultural agency Unesco, the Moldovan deputy prime minister and a senior EU official. Why wasn't a woman elected as UN secretary general? \"It is alarming that the United Nations would consider using a character with an overtly sexualized image at a time when the headline news in United States and the world is the objectification of women and girls,\" the petition read. About 100 UN staff members protested the appointment at UN headquarters, bearing signs emblazoned with the words: \"I am not a mascot\" and \"Let's get real\". Outrage reverberated across social media, with women's rights advocates pointing to real-life women who fit the bill over Wonder Woman. France's highest-ranking female Cabinet minister, Segolene Royal, told CBS \"Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathai would have been a good choice\". Anne Marie Goetz, a New York University professor of global affairs and former adviser on peace and security issues for UN Women, called the decision \"disgusting\". Feminist icon Gloria Steinem also told CBS she was \"all for symbolism\" but \"we are now looking for women with real terrestrial power.\" She added she would rather see the ascension of the UN's first female Secretary General. Some critics contend the character's appointment appears to be dated at a time when gender equality is at the forefront of global issues. \"She stands for things that people still care about and will always care about so much that she's never going to fade away,\" Diane Nelson, the president of DC Entertainment, told the BBC. \"Her ability to operate alone and be her own independent person but also to work right alongside with the same strength and same abilities as some of the strongest male super heroes I think is a testament to her character and kind of ties back again to the UN designation and this idea of gender equality.\" Stephane Dujarric, a UN spokesman for the secretary-general, said earlier this week \"in order to reach young people, in order to reach audiences outside of this building, we need to be creative and have creative partnerships\". But can a superhero that is older than the UN itself really reach a younger audience? Interestingly, Wonder Woman ran for president in a comic book written by Mr Marston in 1943 and later in a 1972 cover story for Ms magazine, which was co-founded by Ms Steinem. The heroine lost both times, but perhaps after Hillary Clinton shattered a glass ceiling by becoming the first female to lead a major party ticket earlier this year, Wonder Woman may stand a chance. - Winnie the Pooh became the Ambassador of Friendship in 1998 - Tinkerbell was named Ambassador of Green in 2009 - The UN appointed Red, the leader of the Angry Birds, a popular mobile game, as the Honourary Ambassador for International Day of Happiness in 2016", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2137, "answer_start": 1146, "text": "The comic book superhero has sprung back into culture relevance with the upcoming release of a new Wonder Woman film starring Israeli actress Gal Gadot, who appeared at the UN ceremony along with actress Lynda Carter, who also portrayed her in the eponymous 1970s US TV series. Wonder Woman, an Amazonian princess who was created by Harvard-trained psychologist William Moulton Marston in 1941, was inspired by the leaders of the suffragist movement and has been long considered a feminist icon. \"The focus [of the UN] was on her feminist background, being the first female superhero in a world of male superheroes and that basically she always fought for fairness, justice and peace,\" UN official Maher Nasser told NPR. The organisation said the character's appointment was meant to \"highlight what we can collectively achieve if women and girls are empowered\" and \"to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls\", according to the UN's website on sustainable development goals." } ], "id": "9878_0", "question": "Why was she appointed?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Ethiopian officials say two people have died and dozens more are injured, after an explosion at a huge political rally for the new Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. Mr Abiy described it as an \"unsuccessful attempt by forces who do not want to see Ethiopia united\". He was whisked away immediately after the blast, thought to be from a grenade thrown amid thousands of people in Addis Ababa's Meskel Square. The capital's deputy chief of police is in custody over security lapses. A further eight policemen have been detained and are under investigation for failing to secure the site. Ethiopia's health minister tweeted that two people had died. He said 44 people remained in hospital, five of them in a critical condition. Mr Abiy only became prime minister after his predecessor Hailemariam Desalegn unexpectedly resigned in February. He is also the country's first leader from the ethnic Oromo group, which has been at the centre of nearly three years of anti-government protests that have left hundreds of people dead. Since taking office he has begun passing a series of reforms, including unblocking hundreds of websites and TV channels. He has also said he is ready to implement in full a peace deal with Eritrea that was signed in 2000 after a two-year war. Eritrea has condemned the attack on Mr Abiy's rally. Its ambassador to Japan Estifanos Afeworki said on Twitter the rally had been a \"demonstration for peace\", which he called the first of its kind \"in history of Ethiopia\". The US embassy in Addis Ababa also condemned the blast, tweeting: \"Violence has no place as Ethiopia pursues meaningful political and economic reforms.\" On Friday an Ethiopian rebel group suspended its armed resistance against the government. Ginbot 7, based in Eritrea, said Mr Abiy's reforms had given it hope that \"genuine democracy\" may be \"a real possibility\". The Ethiopian government has been accused of human rights violations including torture and extrajudicial killing of political dissidents. An ethnic Oromo, Mr Abiy is believed to have huge support among the Oromo youth as well as other ethnic groups. One of the Oromo's main complaints is that they have been politically, economically and culturally marginalised for years, despite being the country's largest group. He is leader of the Oromo People's Democratic Organisation (OPDO), one of the four ethnic parties which make up the ruling Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) coalition. The 42-year-old, who was born in the city of Agaro in Oromia and comes from a mixed Christian-Muslim family, joined the OPDO in the late 1980s. He has served in the military, founded the country's Information Network and Security Agency, which is responsible for cyber-security in a country where the government exercises tight control over the internet, and then became the minister for science and technology.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2868, "answer_start": 1987, "text": "An ethnic Oromo, Mr Abiy is believed to have huge support among the Oromo youth as well as other ethnic groups. One of the Oromo's main complaints is that they have been politically, economically and culturally marginalised for years, despite being the country's largest group. He is leader of the Oromo People's Democratic Organisation (OPDO), one of the four ethnic parties which make up the ruling Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) coalition. The 42-year-old, who was born in the city of Agaro in Oromia and comes from a mixed Christian-Muslim family, joined the OPDO in the late 1980s. He has served in the military, founded the country's Information Network and Security Agency, which is responsible for cyber-security in a country where the government exercises tight control over the internet, and then became the minister for science and technology." } ], "id": "9879_0", "question": "Who is Abiy Ahmed?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The chief minister of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, Mehbooba Mufti, has resigned after the ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) quit a coalition with her party. The BJP said the three-year alliance with the People's Democratic Party (PDP) had become \"untenable\" in the wake of increasing violence. The PDP's decision to ally with the BJP had been seen as controversial. Its time in power was marked by rising violence in the Kashmir valley. Influential Kashmiri journalist Shujaat Bukhari was killed by unidentified gunmen as he was leaving his office in Srinagar last week. Mr Bukhari's death was cited as one of the reasons for the BJP pulling out of the alliance. The decision also came days after the UN's human rights office called for an independent inquiry into human rights violations in both parts of Kashmir, run respectively by India and Pakistan. The BJP and PDP alliance was an uneasy one even at the best of times, with the two being very unlikely coalition partners on paper. Since its formation in 1951, the BJP has maintained a hardline stance on the Kashmir issue and has stood for the repeal of Article 370 of India's constitution which grants special autonomous status to the state. In sharp contrast to the BJP, the PDP has been seen as a pro-Kashmir party. Critics accuse it of peddling \"soft separatism\" revolving around reconciliation with Pakistan and separatist groups fighting against Indian rule in Kashmir. When the alliance was forged between then PDP leader Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and the BJP, many of the party's supporters saw it as a betrayal of its people and backers. This uneasiness marked the entire three years the coalition was in power. It saw increased violence and protests against Indian rule, with civilians often clashing with security forces. The two parties disagreed over how to handle the situation. While the PDP called for more restraint, the BJP advocated a more hardline approach. During this time Indian forces were also accused of using \"disproportionate violence\" against civilian protesters. The use of pellet guns to disperse protests was condemned around the world as thousands of civilians suffered injuries. Many lost their sight completely. The BJP gave two main reasons for quitting the alliance: the deteriorating law and order situation in Indian-administered Kashmir, and the lack of development in other parts of the state. PDP president Mehbooba Mufti told reporters that her party believes in reconciliation while the BJP insisted on following \"muscular policies\" which cannot bring peace to Kashmir. \"We worked for months to form an understanding with the BJP. We wanted the BJP to start the process of reconciliation in Kashmir and ease tensions with Pakistan,\" she added. The state will be put under governor's rule unless another coalition forms the government or fresh elections are called. Forming a government will require the support of 44 of the 89 legislators in the state assembly. The elections in 2015 gave the PDP 28 legislators while the BJP won 25. If the PDP were to ally with the Congress party which has 12 lawmakers, they would also need the support of the state's three elected independent lawmakers to get the required numbers. In another scenario, the Congress, the PDP and the main opposition National Conference (NC) could come together to form a government. But the chances of these parties coming together are slim because the PDP and NC have always been at loggerheads in the state. The leader of the NC, former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, is reportedly on his way to meet the governor. He tweeted \"so it has come to pass\" after the news of the BJP pullout but has not commented since.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1628, "answer_start": 885, "text": "The BJP and PDP alliance was an uneasy one even at the best of times, with the two being very unlikely coalition partners on paper. Since its formation in 1951, the BJP has maintained a hardline stance on the Kashmir issue and has stood for the repeal of Article 370 of India's constitution which grants special autonomous status to the state. In sharp contrast to the BJP, the PDP has been seen as a pro-Kashmir party. Critics accuse it of peddling \"soft separatism\" revolving around reconciliation with Pakistan and separatist groups fighting against Indian rule in Kashmir. When the alliance was forged between then PDP leader Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and the BJP, many of the party's supporters saw it as a betrayal of its people and backers." } ], "id": "9880_0", "question": "What led to the split?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2771, "answer_start": 1629, "text": "This uneasiness marked the entire three years the coalition was in power. It saw increased violence and protests against Indian rule, with civilians often clashing with security forces. The two parties disagreed over how to handle the situation. While the PDP called for more restraint, the BJP advocated a more hardline approach. During this time Indian forces were also accused of using \"disproportionate violence\" against civilian protesters. The use of pellet guns to disperse protests was condemned around the world as thousands of civilians suffered injuries. Many lost their sight completely. The BJP gave two main reasons for quitting the alliance: the deteriorating law and order situation in Indian-administered Kashmir, and the lack of development in other parts of the state. PDP president Mehbooba Mufti told reporters that her party believes in reconciliation while the BJP insisted on following \"muscular policies\" which cannot bring peace to Kashmir. \"We worked for months to form an understanding with the BJP. We wanted the BJP to start the process of reconciliation in Kashmir and ease tensions with Pakistan,\" she added." } ], "id": "9880_1", "question": "Has the conflict worsened?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3712, "answer_start": 2772, "text": "The state will be put under governor's rule unless another coalition forms the government or fresh elections are called. Forming a government will require the support of 44 of the 89 legislators in the state assembly. The elections in 2015 gave the PDP 28 legislators while the BJP won 25. If the PDP were to ally with the Congress party which has 12 lawmakers, they would also need the support of the state's three elected independent lawmakers to get the required numbers. In another scenario, the Congress, the PDP and the main opposition National Conference (NC) could come together to form a government. But the chances of these parties coming together are slim because the PDP and NC have always been at loggerheads in the state. The leader of the NC, former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, is reportedly on his way to meet the governor. He tweeted \"so it has come to pass\" after the news of the BJP pullout but has not commented since." } ], "id": "9880_2", "question": "What's next?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "US President Donald Trump is disputing official findings that nearly 3,000 people died in Puerto Rico as a result of last year's storms. \"3000 people did not die in the two hurricanes that hit Puerto Rico,\" Mr Trump wrote on Twitter, without offering evidence for the claim. He accused Democrats of inflating the official death toll to \"make me look as bad as possible\". The official figure was released last month after an independent study. On Thursday, Mr Trump tweeted that Democrats were attacking him \"when I was successfully raising Billions of Dollars to help rebuild Puerto Rico\". The Republican president suggested the hurricane death toll was artificially boosted by adding those who had passed away from natural causes such as old age. \"Bad politics. I love Puerto Rico!\" he tweeted. Mr Trump's tweets came as Hurricane Florence - a category two storm projected to bring catastrophic flooding - bore down on the US East Coast. A George Washington University study in July found that 2,975 people died in Puerto Rico as a result of Hurricane Maria, which struck the island territory in September 2017. The governor of Puerto Rico, who commissioned that research, said he accepted the estimate as official. The study concluded the initial death toll of 64 only included those killed directly by hurricanes Maria and Irma - either by drowning, flying debris or building collapse. George Washington University also counted those who died in the six months following the storm as a result of poor healthcare provision and a lack of electricity and clean water. Repeated power cuts also led to an increased number of deaths from diabetes and sepsis. Last May, Harvard University public health researchers published a study that estimated the death toll was even higher. They said about 4,600 people died in Puerto Rico in the aftermath of the hurricane from delayed medical care. Analysis by Anthony Zurcher, BBC Washington Donald Trump simply can't abide criticism of his performance as president. How else to explain his decision, as a hurricane looms off the US coast, to call adjusted Puerto Rican death-toll figures from Hurricane Maria a Democratic-inspired plot against him? The politics of the Thursday-morning tweets are rough. The president has guaranteed coverage of the government response to Florence will be intermixed with talk of his feud with Puerto Rico officials and questions about the veracity of his assertions. Mr Trump's dismissive attitude toward the loss of life also risks the ire of the tens of thousands of Puerto Ricans who have relocated to Florida and can cast ballots in that state's key races in November's mid-term elections. The president, with some justification, has said the situation in Puerto Rico after Maria was exacerbated by the island's remote location and pre-existing infrastructure issues, such as an antiquated power grid. That could have been a reason to do more to help these American citizens. Instead, the recovery effort has devolved into a political tug-of-war that now includes debate over \"legitimate\" deaths from this tragedy. In response, the Mayor of Puerto Rico's capital San Juan, Carmen Yulin Cruz, tweeted: \"Mr Trump you can try and bully us with your tweets BUT WE KNOW OUR LIVES MATTER.\" \"You will never take away our self respect. Shame on you!\" Earlier this week, Mr Trump hailed the US response in Puerto Rico as \"an incredible, unsung success\". Ms Cruz then shot back: \"If he thinks the death of 3,000 people is a success God help us all.\" Last month she described Mr Trump's handling of Maria as a \"stain on his presidency\". Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rosello said in a statement this week that Maria was \"the worst natural disaster in our modern history\". Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the US, is home to some 3.3 million people. Even a few of Mr Trump's fellow Republicans have spoken out against him. Florida Republican Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, who is retiring from Congress, called the president's tweets \"mind-boggling\". She said it is a \"warped-mind that would turn this statistic into 'fake news'\", and it \"may be a new low\" for the president. Florida Governor Rick Scott, who is currently running for the US Senate, tweeted: \"I've been to Puerto Rico 7 times & saw devastation firsthand. The loss of any life is tragic.\" Republican Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, who is also retiring, said: \"There is no reason to dispute these numbers. \"This is a devastating storm that hit an isolated island. And that's really no one's fault. It's just what happened.\" Democratic lawmakers were scathing. The US federal government's response to Hurricane Maria has come under fresh scrutiny this week. Photos have emerged showing 20,000 pallets of bottled water meant for victims still sitting on a runway in Ceiba, Puerto Rico, a year after the storm. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) said it was investigating whether or not it placed the water bottles on the runway and if so it would \"fess up\". Ottmar Chavez, head of the General Services Administration (GSA) in Puerto Rico, said he only became aware of the water bottles on Tuesday. Mr Chavez said his agency had received complaints about the taste and smell of the water, and that Fema should accept responsibility. Puerto Rican officials have previously blamed mismanagement on Fema, whereas President Trump has said authorities on the island are incompetent.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1885, "answer_start": 939, "text": "A George Washington University study in July found that 2,975 people died in Puerto Rico as a result of Hurricane Maria, which struck the island territory in September 2017. The governor of Puerto Rico, who commissioned that research, said he accepted the estimate as official. The study concluded the initial death toll of 64 only included those killed directly by hurricanes Maria and Irma - either by drowning, flying debris or building collapse. George Washington University also counted those who died in the six months following the storm as a result of poor healthcare provision and a lack of electricity and clean water. Repeated power cuts also led to an increased number of deaths from diabetes and sepsis. Last May, Harvard University public health researchers published a study that estimated the death toll was even higher. They said about 4,600 people died in Puerto Rico in the aftermath of the hurricane from delayed medical care." } ], "id": "9881_0", "question": "Where does the official death toll come from?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3824, "answer_start": 3092, "text": "In response, the Mayor of Puerto Rico's capital San Juan, Carmen Yulin Cruz, tweeted: \"Mr Trump you can try and bully us with your tweets BUT WE KNOW OUR LIVES MATTER.\" \"You will never take away our self respect. Shame on you!\" Earlier this week, Mr Trump hailed the US response in Puerto Rico as \"an incredible, unsung success\". Ms Cruz then shot back: \"If he thinks the death of 3,000 people is a success God help us all.\" Last month she described Mr Trump's handling of Maria as a \"stain on his presidency\". Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rosello said in a statement this week that Maria was \"the worst natural disaster in our modern history\". Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the US, is home to some 3.3 million people." } ], "id": "9881_1", "question": "What have Puerto Rican officials said?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4603, "answer_start": 3825, "text": "Even a few of Mr Trump's fellow Republicans have spoken out against him. Florida Republican Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, who is retiring from Congress, called the president's tweets \"mind-boggling\". She said it is a \"warped-mind that would turn this statistic into 'fake news'\", and it \"may be a new low\" for the president. Florida Governor Rick Scott, who is currently running for the US Senate, tweeted: \"I've been to Puerto Rico 7 times & saw devastation firsthand. The loss of any life is tragic.\" Republican Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, who is also retiring, said: \"There is no reason to dispute these numbers. \"This is a devastating storm that hit an isolated island. And that's really no one's fault. It's just what happened.\" Democratic lawmakers were scathing." } ], "id": "9881_2", "question": "What's the US political reaction?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5430, "answer_start": 4604, "text": "The US federal government's response to Hurricane Maria has come under fresh scrutiny this week. Photos have emerged showing 20,000 pallets of bottled water meant for victims still sitting on a runway in Ceiba, Puerto Rico, a year after the storm. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) said it was investigating whether or not it placed the water bottles on the runway and if so it would \"fess up\". Ottmar Chavez, head of the General Services Administration (GSA) in Puerto Rico, said he only became aware of the water bottles on Tuesday. Mr Chavez said his agency had received complaints about the taste and smell of the water, and that Fema should accept responsibility. Puerto Rican officials have previously blamed mismanagement on Fema, whereas President Trump has said authorities on the island are incompetent." } ], "id": "9881_3", "question": "Why were 20,000 pallets of water left on a runway?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The African Union (AU) says there are \"serious doubts\" about the outcome of elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) and has called for the final results to be suspended. Those figures gave victory to one opposition candidate, Felix Tshisekedi, but another opponent of the current administration insists he won. Supporters of Martin Fayulu say Mr Tshisekedi made a power-sharing deal with outgoing President Joseph Kabila. Mr Tshisekedi's team denies this. The Constitutional Court is expected to rule within the next few days on a legal challenge to the result. On Friday the country's government rejected the AU's call to postpone the announcement. \"The court is independent, both of us and the African Union,\" government spokesman Lambert Mende said, the AFP news agency reports. \"I don't think it is the business of the government or even of the African Union to tell the court what it should do.\" A number of AU heads of state and government met in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, on Thursday to discuss the deeply disputed 30 December vote. \"There were serious doubts on the conformity of the provisional results, as proclaimed by the National Independent Electoral Commission, with the votes cast,\" their statement says. \"Accordingly, the the Heads of State and Government called for the suspension of the proclamation of the final results of the elections.\" If confirmed, the election result would create the first orderly transfer of power since DR Congo's independence from Belgium in 1960. The electoral commission said Mr Tshisekedi had received 38.5% of the vote, compared with 34.7% for Mr Fayulu. Ruling coalition candidate Emmanuel Shadary took 23.8%. However, Mr Fayulu alleges that Mr Tshisekedi made a deal with President Kabila, who has been in office for 18 years. Mr Fayulu filed an appeal in the Constitutional Court on Saturday demanding a manual recount. A verdict could come as early as Friday, and experts say there are three possible outcomes. The court could confirm Mr Tshisekedi's victory, order a recount, or scrap the results altogether and call fresh elections. But the court has never overturned results before, and some think most of its judges are close to the governing party. The declaration of Mr Tshisekedi as winner has also been disputed by the influential Catholic Church which says it deployed 40,000 election monitors across the country. International experts based in the US, and the French and German governments, have also raised doubts. Meanwhile, the UN says ethnic violence in the west of the country left at least 890 people dead over just three days last month. Clashes between the Banunu and Batende communities took place in four villages in the area of Yumbi between 16-18 December, according to the UN Human Rights Office. Voting in the presidential election was postponed in Yumbi because of the violence. Most of the area's population has reportedly been displaced, including some 16,000 people who sought refuge by crossing the Congo river into neighbouring Republic of Congo, also known as Congo-Brazzaville. Some 465 houses and buildings were burned down or pillaged, including two primary schools, a health centre, and the office of the independent electoral commission, the UN said.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2234, "answer_start": 1386, "text": "If confirmed, the election result would create the first orderly transfer of power since DR Congo's independence from Belgium in 1960. The electoral commission said Mr Tshisekedi had received 38.5% of the vote, compared with 34.7% for Mr Fayulu. Ruling coalition candidate Emmanuel Shadary took 23.8%. However, Mr Fayulu alleges that Mr Tshisekedi made a deal with President Kabila, who has been in office for 18 years. Mr Fayulu filed an appeal in the Constitutional Court on Saturday demanding a manual recount. A verdict could come as early as Friday, and experts say there are three possible outcomes. The court could confirm Mr Tshisekedi's victory, order a recount, or scrap the results altogether and call fresh elections. But the court has never overturned results before, and some think most of its judges are close to the governing party." } ], "id": "9882_0", "question": "What might the electoral commission do?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3267, "answer_start": 2235, "text": "The declaration of Mr Tshisekedi as winner has also been disputed by the influential Catholic Church which says it deployed 40,000 election monitors across the country. International experts based in the US, and the French and German governments, have also raised doubts. Meanwhile, the UN says ethnic violence in the west of the country left at least 890 people dead over just three days last month. Clashes between the Banunu and Batende communities took place in four villages in the area of Yumbi between 16-18 December, according to the UN Human Rights Office. Voting in the presidential election was postponed in Yumbi because of the violence. Most of the area's population has reportedly been displaced, including some 16,000 people who sought refuge by crossing the Congo river into neighbouring Republic of Congo, also known as Congo-Brazzaville. Some 465 houses and buildings were burned down or pillaged, including two primary schools, a health centre, and the office of the independent electoral commission, the UN said." } ], "id": "9882_1", "question": "What do others say?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Turkey has dismissed President Donald Trump's threat to \"devastate\" its economy if it attacks Kurdish forces in Syria after a pullout of US troops. \"You cannot get anywhere by threatening Turkey economically,\" Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said. US forces and the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) have fought in northern Syria against Islamic State. Turkey regards the YPG as terrorists. Mr Trump and Turkey's president again discussed Syria on Monday. In a phone call, Mr Trump and Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke about the need to create a \"security zone\" in northern Syria, the Turkish presidency said. President Trump stressed that Turkey should not \"mistreat the Kurds and other Syrian Democratic Forces with whom we have fought to defeat\" IS, the White House said. Mr Trump also \"expressed the desire to work together to address Turkey's security concerns\" in north-eastern Syria. In December, the US president announced that Washington would pull out all troops from Syria because the Islamic State militant group had been \"defeated\". The sudden move shocked allies and led to criticism. Several senior US military officials resigned shortly afterwards. There were also fears that Kurds in the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which had partnered with the US, would be attacked by Turkey once the US withdrew. Mr Trump tweeted on Sunday that the withdrawal from Syria had begun, and that the US would \"devastate Turkey economically if they hit the Kurds\". He also said any remaining IS fighters could be attacked from the air, and that a 20-mile (32km) \"safe zone\" could be established. His tweet could be seen as a response to criticism that his decision to withdraw troops will hurt the US's regional allies. Mr Trump offered no specifics on how the US could hurt Turkey's economy, and his announcement appeared to catch his advisers by surprise. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who is currently touring the Middle East, responded to questions about Mr Trump's threat with: \"You'll have to ask the president... We have applied economic sanctions in many places, I assume he is speaking about those kinds of things.\" Meanwhile, Turkey's foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu described Mr Trump's tweet as a \"domestic policy message\" to critics. Mr Cavusoglu has rejected Mr Trump's threats, saying: \"We have said multiple times that we will not fear or be deterred by any threat.\" He also criticised Mr Trump's methods, saying: \"Strategic alliances should not be discussed over Twitter or social media.\" However, US sanctions have had an impact on Turkey's economy before. The Trump administration imposed sanctions and trade tariffs in August, amid a row over a detained US pastor - contributing to a sharp drop in the value of the Turkish lira. Pastor Andrew Brunson was released in October. Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's spokesman, Ibrahim Kalin, said Turkey expected the US to \"honour our strategic partnership\". \"Terrorists can't be your partners and allies,\" he said. Over the weekend, before Mr Trump's latest tweets, Mr Pompeo said he had spoken to Mr Cavusoglu by phone and was \"optimistic\" that an agreement could be reached with Turkey to protect Kurdish fighters. Mr Pompeo said the US recognised \"the Turkish people's right and Mr Erdogan's right to defend their country from terrorists\". \"We also know that those fighting alongside us for all this time deserve to be protected as well,\" he added. Mr Erdogan has spoken angrily about American support for the Kurdish YPG militia, and vowed to crush it. Mr Cavusoglu said Turkey was \"not against\" the idea of a secure zone - but was targeting \"a terrorist organisation trying to divide Syria\". Mr Pompeo is now in Riyadh, where he discussed Iran and the conflicts in Yemen and Syria with the Saudi leadership. He said he also raised human rights issues, including the detention of women's rights activists, and the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Turkey. Mr Pompeo said King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had both \"reiterated their commitment\" to holding the killers of Mr Khashoggi accountable. Prosecutors say Mr Khashoggi, a US-based critic of the Saudi government, was murdered in a \"rogue\" operation in Istanbul, by agents sent to persuade him to return to the kingdom. However, many in the West have accused the crown prince of ordering the killing - something he has denied. About 2,000 US military personnel are reported to be deployed in northern Syria. Ground troops first arrived in autumn 2015 when then-President Barack Obama sent in a small number of special forces to train and advise YPG fighters. The US did this after several attempts at training and arming Syrian Arab rebel groups to battle IS militants descended into chaos. Over the intervening years, the number of US troops in Syria has increased, and a network of bases and airfields has been established in an arc across the north-eastern part of the country.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2253, "answer_start": 1322, "text": "Mr Trump tweeted on Sunday that the withdrawal from Syria had begun, and that the US would \"devastate Turkey economically if they hit the Kurds\". He also said any remaining IS fighters could be attacked from the air, and that a 20-mile (32km) \"safe zone\" could be established. His tweet could be seen as a response to criticism that his decision to withdraw troops will hurt the US's regional allies. Mr Trump offered no specifics on how the US could hurt Turkey's economy, and his announcement appeared to catch his advisers by surprise. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who is currently touring the Middle East, responded to questions about Mr Trump's threat with: \"You'll have to ask the president... We have applied economic sanctions in many places, I assume he is speaking about those kinds of things.\" Meanwhile, Turkey's foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu described Mr Trump's tweet as a \"domestic policy message\" to critics." } ], "id": "9883_0", "question": "What was Mr Trump's threat?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3004, "answer_start": 2254, "text": "Mr Cavusoglu has rejected Mr Trump's threats, saying: \"We have said multiple times that we will not fear or be deterred by any threat.\" He also criticised Mr Trump's methods, saying: \"Strategic alliances should not be discussed over Twitter or social media.\" However, US sanctions have had an impact on Turkey's economy before. The Trump administration imposed sanctions and trade tariffs in August, amid a row over a detained US pastor - contributing to a sharp drop in the value of the Turkish lira. Pastor Andrew Brunson was released in October. Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's spokesman, Ibrahim Kalin, said Turkey expected the US to \"honour our strategic partnership\". \"Terrorists can't be your partners and allies,\" he said." } ], "id": "9883_1", "question": "Can the US actually hurt Turkey's economy?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3686, "answer_start": 3005, "text": "Over the weekend, before Mr Trump's latest tweets, Mr Pompeo said he had spoken to Mr Cavusoglu by phone and was \"optimistic\" that an agreement could be reached with Turkey to protect Kurdish fighters. Mr Pompeo said the US recognised \"the Turkish people's right and Mr Erdogan's right to defend their country from terrorists\". \"We also know that those fighting alongside us for all this time deserve to be protected as well,\" he added. Mr Erdogan has spoken angrily about American support for the Kurdish YPG militia, and vowed to crush it. Mr Cavusoglu said Turkey was \"not against\" the idea of a secure zone - but was targeting \"a terrorist organisation trying to divide Syria\"." } ], "id": "9883_2", "question": "Will they strike a deal to protect Kurdish fighters in Syria?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4425, "answer_start": 3687, "text": "Mr Pompeo is now in Riyadh, where he discussed Iran and the conflicts in Yemen and Syria with the Saudi leadership. He said he also raised human rights issues, including the detention of women's rights activists, and the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Turkey. Mr Pompeo said King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had both \"reiterated their commitment\" to holding the killers of Mr Khashoggi accountable. Prosecutors say Mr Khashoggi, a US-based critic of the Saudi government, was murdered in a \"rogue\" operation in Istanbul, by agents sent to persuade him to return to the kingdom. However, many in the West have accused the crown prince of ordering the killing - something he has denied." } ], "id": "9883_3", "question": "How is Mike Pompeo's Middle East tour going?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4979, "answer_start": 4426, "text": "About 2,000 US military personnel are reported to be deployed in northern Syria. Ground troops first arrived in autumn 2015 when then-President Barack Obama sent in a small number of special forces to train and advise YPG fighters. The US did this after several attempts at training and arming Syrian Arab rebel groups to battle IS militants descended into chaos. Over the intervening years, the number of US troops in Syria has increased, and a network of bases and airfields has been established in an arc across the north-eastern part of the country." } ], "id": "9883_4", "question": "How many US troops are in Syria?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has responded to Donald Trump's call for the top US court to stop impeachment. \"The president is not a lawyer,\" she told the BBC in an exclusive interview, adding: \"He's not law trained.\" In a wide-ranging conversation, she also said poor women were victims of restrictive abortion access. The US president is expected to be impeached by the House of Representatives on Wednesday. The House, controlled by the Democrats, accuses him of an abuse of power in his dealings with Ukraine. Impeachment is like an indictment - the charges will then be sent to the Republican-controlled Senate for a trial, where senators act like jurors. President Trump is expected to be acquitted there of the two charges he faces. Earlier this month, the president suggested in a tweet that the Supreme Court could step in. \"Radical Left has NO CASE. Read the Transcripts. Shouldn't even be allowed. Can we go to Supreme Court to stop?\" When the BBC's Razia Iqbal asked the justice what her reading of the constitution was in this context, she replied: \"The president is not a lawyer, he's not law trained.\" Ms Ginsburg was talking to the BBC at an event where she was awarded the Berggruen Prize for philosophy and culture, which is awarded annually to someone whose ideas \"have profoundly shaped human understanding and advancement\". In the conversation, she also implied that senators who display bias should be disqualified from acting as jurors in the trial. There was criticism over the weekend of Mitch McConnell, who leads the Republican party in the Senate, for saying an acquittal was a foregone conclusion. When asked about senators making up their minds before the trial, the Supreme Court Justice said: \"Well if a judge said that, a judge would be disqualified from sitting on the case.\" \"I think society needs to be more active on this issue,\" she said. \"And the truth is that with all these restrictive laws, the only people who are being restricted are poor women.\" Women with the means to travel to other states to get abortions were able to, she added. Poor women bear the brunt of states' laws that restrict access, she said. \"They normally can't pay a plane fare or the bus fare, they can't afford to take days off of work to go.\" President Trump has appointed two judges since taking office, and the current court is seen to have a 5-4 conservative majority in most cases. Ms Ginsburg, 86, is the oldest sitting justice on the Supreme Court, and has received hospital treatment a number of times in recent years. As the court's most senior liberal justice, her health is closely watched. President Trump, it is alleged, pressured Ukraine to conduct two investigations for his own political gain and to the detriment of national security. Democrats say he withheld $400m of military aid to Ukraine and a White House meeting with Ukraine's new leader. The most serious allegation is that he asked for an investigation into his political rival Joe Biden, thereby enlisting foreign help to win the 2020 election. He faces two articles of impeachment - abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. He would become only the third US president to be impeached, but he denies any wrongdoing. In a six-page letter to the Democratic leadership on Tuesday, the president accused them of \"subverting American democracy\". He repeated his claim that the phone call with the Ukrainian president, a call which is at the centre of the impeachment inquiry, was \"totally innocent\". \"Any member of Congress who votes in support of impeachment - against every shred of truth, fact, evidence and legal principle - is showing how deeply they revile the voters and how truly they detest America's constitutional order. \"Our founders feared the tribalisation of partisan politics and you are bringing their worst fears to life.\" He ends the letter by saying that 100 years from now, people will understand and learn from this, \"so that it can never happen to another president again\". President Trump signs it off with \"Sincerely yours\". - A SIMPLE GUIDE: If you want a basic take, this one's for you - GO DEEPER: Here's a 100, 300 and 800-word summary of the story - WHAT'S IMPEACHMENT? A political process to remove a president - VIEW FROM A SWING STATE: A bumpy ride for Democrat backing impeachment - CONTEXT: Why Ukraine matters to the US - FACT-CHECK: Did Ukraine interfere in the 2016 election to help Clinton? - CASE FOR & AGAINST: What legal scholars say about Trump conduct", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1821, "answer_start": 752, "text": "Earlier this month, the president suggested in a tweet that the Supreme Court could step in. \"Radical Left has NO CASE. Read the Transcripts. Shouldn't even be allowed. Can we go to Supreme Court to stop?\" When the BBC's Razia Iqbal asked the justice what her reading of the constitution was in this context, she replied: \"The president is not a lawyer, he's not law trained.\" Ms Ginsburg was talking to the BBC at an event where she was awarded the Berggruen Prize for philosophy and culture, which is awarded annually to someone whose ideas \"have profoundly shaped human understanding and advancement\". In the conversation, she also implied that senators who display bias should be disqualified from acting as jurors in the trial. There was criticism over the weekend of Mitch McConnell, who leads the Republican party in the Senate, for saying an acquittal was a foregone conclusion. When asked about senators making up their minds before the trial, the Supreme Court Justice said: \"Well if a judge said that, a judge would be disqualified from sitting on the case.\"" } ], "id": "9884_0", "question": "What did Ms Ginsburg say about impeachment?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2271, "answer_start": 1822, "text": "\"I think society needs to be more active on this issue,\" she said. \"And the truth is that with all these restrictive laws, the only people who are being restricted are poor women.\" Women with the means to travel to other states to get abortions were able to, she added. Poor women bear the brunt of states' laws that restrict access, she said. \"They normally can't pay a plane fare or the bus fare, they can't afford to take days off of work to go.\"" } ], "id": "9884_1", "question": "What did she say about abortion access?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2629, "answer_start": 2272, "text": "President Trump has appointed two judges since taking office, and the current court is seen to have a 5-4 conservative majority in most cases. Ms Ginsburg, 86, is the oldest sitting justice on the Supreme Court, and has received hospital treatment a number of times in recent years. As the court's most senior liberal justice, her health is closely watched." } ], "id": "9884_2", "question": "Why is Ruth Bader Ginsburg important?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3224, "answer_start": 2630, "text": "President Trump, it is alleged, pressured Ukraine to conduct two investigations for his own political gain and to the detriment of national security. Democrats say he withheld $400m of military aid to Ukraine and a White House meeting with Ukraine's new leader. The most serious allegation is that he asked for an investigation into his political rival Joe Biden, thereby enlisting foreign help to win the 2020 election. He faces two articles of impeachment - abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. He would become only the third US president to be impeached, but he denies any wrongdoing." } ], "id": "9884_3", "question": "Why is President Trump being impeached?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4053, "answer_start": 3225, "text": "In a six-page letter to the Democratic leadership on Tuesday, the president accused them of \"subverting American democracy\". He repeated his claim that the phone call with the Ukrainian president, a call which is at the centre of the impeachment inquiry, was \"totally innocent\". \"Any member of Congress who votes in support of impeachment - against every shred of truth, fact, evidence and legal principle - is showing how deeply they revile the voters and how truly they detest America's constitutional order. \"Our founders feared the tribalisation of partisan politics and you are bringing their worst fears to life.\" He ends the letter by saying that 100 years from now, people will understand and learn from this, \"so that it can never happen to another president again\". President Trump signs it off with \"Sincerely yours\"." } ], "id": "9884_4", "question": "What is his latest defence?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The US state department has confirmed it offered millions of dollars to the captain of an Iranian oil tanker which is at the centre of a diplomatic row. Brian Hook, head of the department's Iran Action Group, emailed the captain of the Adrian Darya 1 about sailing it somewhere the US could seize it. The vessel was suspected of moving oil to Syria, and was temporarily impounded by UK authorities in Gibraltar in July. It was released last month after Iran gave assurances about its destination. The US justice department, which had tried to block the release, then issued a warrant to seize the tanker. Reports of the cash offer first appeared in the Financial Times on Wednesday and have been confirmed by the state department. \"We have conducted extensive outreach to several ship captains as well as shipping companies,\" a spokeswoman told AFP news agency. The US blacklisted the tanker last Friday. A treasury department statement said the vessel was being used to transport 2.1 million barrels of Iranian crude oil for the benefit of Iran's Revolutionary Guard - a branch of the country's armed forces the US has designated a terrorist organisation. According to the Financial Times, Mr Hook sent an email to the Indian captain of the Adrian Darya 1, Akhilesh Kumar, before it imposed sanctions on the ship. \"I am writing with good news,\" the email read. The Trump administration was willing to pay the captain several million dollars to take the ship somewhere it could be seized by US authorities. The emails reportedly carried a state department phone number to make sure the captain - who took over the ship after it was impounded - did not think they were fake. Mr Hook told the newspaper the state department was \"working very closely with the maritime community to disrupt and deter illicit oil exports\". Mr Kumar ignored the emails. The US then imposed sanctions on him personally when they blacklisted the Adrian Darya 1. On Twitter, Iran's Foreign Minister Javad Zarif accused the US of \"outright blackmail\". The Trump administration announced on Wednesday new sanctions on an Iranian shipping network used to sell oil, and offered $15m to anyone who could help to disrupt the system. The Adrian Darya 1, previously known as Grace 1, was detained by British authorities in Gibraltar on 4 July after it was suspected of moving oil to Syria in breach of EU sanctions. It was released on 15 August after Iran gave assurances it would not discharge its cargo in Syria - despite the last-minute US effort to prevent its release. Tracking websites indicate the ship is currently in the eastern Mediterranean, although it has reportedly turned off its signalling device. Its initial seizure sparked a diplomatic crisis between the UK and Iran, which saw Iran seize a British-flagged and Swedish-owned oil tanker, the Stena Impero, in the Gulf. On Wednesday it released seven of the ship's 23 international crew. The remaining 16 crew members are believed to be with the vessel near Iran's southern port of Bandar Abbas.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2201, "answer_start": 1157, "text": "According to the Financial Times, Mr Hook sent an email to the Indian captain of the Adrian Darya 1, Akhilesh Kumar, before it imposed sanctions on the ship. \"I am writing with good news,\" the email read. The Trump administration was willing to pay the captain several million dollars to take the ship somewhere it could be seized by US authorities. The emails reportedly carried a state department phone number to make sure the captain - who took over the ship after it was impounded - did not think they were fake. Mr Hook told the newspaper the state department was \"working very closely with the maritime community to disrupt and deter illicit oil exports\". Mr Kumar ignored the emails. The US then imposed sanctions on him personally when they blacklisted the Adrian Darya 1. On Twitter, Iran's Foreign Minister Javad Zarif accused the US of \"outright blackmail\". The Trump administration announced on Wednesday new sanctions on an Iranian shipping network used to sell oil, and offered $15m to anyone who could help to disrupt the system." } ], "id": "9885_0", "question": "What did the emails say?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3029, "answer_start": 2202, "text": "The Adrian Darya 1, previously known as Grace 1, was detained by British authorities in Gibraltar on 4 July after it was suspected of moving oil to Syria in breach of EU sanctions. It was released on 15 August after Iran gave assurances it would not discharge its cargo in Syria - despite the last-minute US effort to prevent its release. Tracking websites indicate the ship is currently in the eastern Mediterranean, although it has reportedly turned off its signalling device. Its initial seizure sparked a diplomatic crisis between the UK and Iran, which saw Iran seize a British-flagged and Swedish-owned oil tanker, the Stena Impero, in the Gulf. On Wednesday it released seven of the ship's 23 international crew. The remaining 16 crew members are believed to be with the vessel near Iran's southern port of Bandar Abbas." } ], "id": "9885_1", "question": "What is the tanker row?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Superman actor Henry Cavill has apologised for claiming that the #MeToo movement has left him scared to date women for fear of being \"called a rapist\". In a statement, Cavill addressed the \"confusion and misunderstanding\" over his GQ interview. \"Insensitivity was absolutely not my intention\", he continued, confirming he holds women in \"the highest regard\". The comments sparked both empathy and anger online. The British actor made the outspoken comments during an interview with GQ Australia, as part of his promotional activities for Mission Impossible: Fallout. When asked how #MeToo affected him, Cavill said that while society \"had to change\" regarding the treatment of women, the altered landscape has left him feeling unsure about \"chasing a woman\". \"I think a woman should be wooed and chased, but maybe I'm old-fashioned for thinking that,\" he admitted. \"It's very difficult to do that if there are certain rules in place. Because then it's like: 'Well, I don't want to go up and talk to her, because I'm going to be called a rapist or something.' \"So you're like, 'Forget it. I'm going to call an ex-girlfriend instead, and then just go back to a relationship, which never really worked,'\" he continued. \"But it's way safer than casting myself into the fires of hell, because I'm someone in the public eye, and if I go and flirt with someone, then who knows what's going to happen?\" The comments proved divisive on social media - while many were quick to attack Cavill for his \"absurd \" views, a number of men echoed Cavill's sense of confusion. Much of the criticism focused on the way he appeared to conflate asking a woman out with committing sexual assault. Grace Petrie also attacked Cavill's belief that a woman \"should be chased\". But others felt that the Man of Steel actor, rather than speaking maliciously, had simply used a poor choice of words, and called for a more considered response. \"I like to think I know what he meant,\" wrote Rhonda. Others expressed support for Cavill's comments, arguing the #MeToo movement had turned dating into a \"minefield\", particularly for Hollywood stars navigating a post-Weinstein era. Elsewhere, others, including Twitter user Rulian, called for a more nuanced debate, in which rational voices do not get \"drowned out\". 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": 1394, "answer_start": 411, "text": "The British actor made the outspoken comments during an interview with GQ Australia, as part of his promotional activities for Mission Impossible: Fallout. When asked how #MeToo affected him, Cavill said that while society \"had to change\" regarding the treatment of women, the altered landscape has left him feeling unsure about \"chasing a woman\". \"I think a woman should be wooed and chased, but maybe I'm old-fashioned for thinking that,\" he admitted. \"It's very difficult to do that if there are certain rules in place. Because then it's like: 'Well, I don't want to go up and talk to her, because I'm going to be called a rapist or something.' \"So you're like, 'Forget it. I'm going to call an ex-girlfriend instead, and then just go back to a relationship, which never really worked,'\" he continued. \"But it's way safer than casting myself into the fires of hell, because I'm someone in the public eye, and if I go and flirt with someone, then who knows what's going to happen?\"" } ], "id": "9886_0", "question": "What did Cavill originally say?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2280, "answer_start": 1395, "text": "The comments proved divisive on social media - while many were quick to attack Cavill for his \"absurd \" views, a number of men echoed Cavill's sense of confusion. Much of the criticism focused on the way he appeared to conflate asking a woman out with committing sexual assault. Grace Petrie also attacked Cavill's belief that a woman \"should be chased\". But others felt that the Man of Steel actor, rather than speaking maliciously, had simply used a poor choice of words, and called for a more considered response. \"I like to think I know what he meant,\" wrote Rhonda. Others expressed support for Cavill's comments, arguing the #MeToo movement had turned dating into a \"minefield\", particularly for Hollywood stars navigating a post-Weinstein era. Elsewhere, others, including Twitter user Rulian, called for a more nuanced debate, in which rational voices do not get \"drowned out\"." } ], "id": "9886_1", "question": "'Absurd' or 'unspoken truth'?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "An Australian glasses company has removed part of an advertising campaign filmed at a death camp in Croatia, after a series of complaints. Valley Eyewear put up a series of videos taken on a trip to Croatia and Bulgaria, using footage of models in sunglasses at communist-era memorials. But some of the pictures were from Jasenovac, a World War Two death camp run by Croatia's Nazi puppet regime. The firm apologised, saying its aim was to show respect for the architecture. \"We didn't know it was a death camp at the time,\" Valley Eyewear director Michael Crawley told the BBC, referring to the company's advertising trip to the Balkans. \"We didn't want to offend anybody, we're a respectful brand. I apologise to anyone who's offended.\" They had visited the Jasenovac memorial for half an hour when it was closed, he explained. The concrete flower memorial was created by Yugoslav-era sculptor Bogdan Bogdanovic. Another concrete monument in Croatia by Dusan Dzamonja is also featured in the campaign. The structures have become known as \"Spomeniks\", after the word meaning memorial. \"I was planning to do a short film on the Spomenik architecture. We knew these had been put in place as symbols of unity and respect,\" Mr Crawley explained. The result was a video of a model walking through a snow-covered field close to the Jasenovac memorial on a winter's day. But the advertising material from Jasenovac prompted criticism on social media. The idea was condemned as morbid, offensive and hideous. The company said it decided to remove the material when the head of the memorial site made the request. Valley Eyewear's website now shows images from Dusan Dzamonja's Croatian memorial to the partisans of Moslavina, who rose up against fascism, and Georgi Stoilov's 1981 Budludzha monument to the founding of what became Bulgaria's communist party. For almost four years from 1941, this concentration and death camp was run by the Croatian fascist Ustashe movement, which was allied to Adolf Hitler's Nazi regime. They murdered tens of thousands of Serbs, Jews and Roma (Gypsies), as well as Croats opposed to the regime. The number of victims may never be known, but the US Holocaust Memorial Museum estimates that between 77,000 and 99,000 people were murdered in the network of camps at Jasenovac. The memorial site has identified the names of 83,145 men, women and children who died there but says that list is not complete. What happened at Jasenovac continues to arouse controversy. Croatian Serbs and Jewish representatives have boycotted official commemorations at the site for several years. They accused Croatia's government of downplaying the crimes of the Ustashe movement and tolerating historical revisionism.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2726, "answer_start": 1852, "text": "For almost four years from 1941, this concentration and death camp was run by the Croatian fascist Ustashe movement, which was allied to Adolf Hitler's Nazi regime. They murdered tens of thousands of Serbs, Jews and Roma (Gypsies), as well as Croats opposed to the regime. The number of victims may never be known, but the US Holocaust Memorial Museum estimates that between 77,000 and 99,000 people were murdered in the network of camps at Jasenovac. The memorial site has identified the names of 83,145 men, women and children who died there but says that list is not complete. What happened at Jasenovac continues to arouse controversy. Croatian Serbs and Jewish representatives have boycotted official commemorations at the site for several years. They accused Croatia's government of downplaying the crimes of the Ustashe movement and tolerating historical revisionism." } ], "id": "9887_0", "question": "What happened at Jasenovac?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The huge number of fires in Brazil's Amazon rainforest has coincided with a sharp drop in fines for environmental violations, BBC analysis has found. Official data from Brazil's environment agency shows fines from January to 23 August dropped almost a third compared with the same period last year. At the same time, the number of fires burning in Brazil has increased by 84% - the highest number since 2010. It is not known how many of these fires have been set deliberately, but critics have accused President Jair Bolsonaro's administration of \"green lighting\" the destruction of the rainforest through a culture of impunity. Mr Bolsonaro has sent in the military to help put out the fires after coming under pressure from the international community, saying he wanted to \"help protect\" the Amazon. The largest rainforest in the world, the Amazon is a vital carbon store that slows down the pace of global warming. It is known as the \"lungs of the world\" and is home to about three million species of plants and animals, and one million indigenous people. Analysis by BBC Brasil shows the number of fines handed out by the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (Ibama) for environmental violations has dropped significantly since Mr Bolsonaro took office on 1 January. - This year saw the lowest number of fines handed out by the agency in a decade (in the period between January and August) - Between 1 January and 23 August 2019, the total number of fines handed out was 6,895 - Ibama handed out 9,771 fines during the same period in 2018: a drop of 29.4% - The total number of fines relating to \"flora\" - which includes deforestation and burning - dropped from 4,138 to 2,535 over the same period - And in the nine states that make up the Brazilian Amazon, the drop in fines relating to flora dropped from 2,817 to 1,627 Neither Ibama nor the ministry of the environment answered the BBC's queries about the figures. Mariangelica de Almeida, a professor of environmental law who has defended clients over unfair fines, suggested to BBC Brasil that the figures for previous years could have reflected a culture of over-fining, in order to meet goals. However, others have pointed the finger directly at Mr Bolsonaro, who has scorned environmental activists and declared his support for clearing areas of the Amazon for agriculture and mining. Elisabeth Uema, who retired from Ibama last year, said it was clear even before Mr Bolsonaro was elected that he did not like Ibama. During his campaign, he pledged to limit fines for damaging the rainforest and to weaken the influence of the environmental agency. The message was further underlined in April when Mr Bolsonaro ordered an investigation into officials who burned tractors and trucks belonging to loggers who were allegedly involved in illegal activities in the Jamari National Forest. This was a long-held policy seen as a deterrent against illegal loggers. The agency's work, she said, had also been hampered by the fact that just eight of its 27 offices across the country now had a permanent head. \"The usual inspections, which had been planned since 2018, are happening. But little beyond that,\" Ms Uema, now the executive secretary of Ascema Nacional, the body representing Ibama employees, told BBC Brasil. Critics of the Bolsonaro administration insist the drop in fines does not mean fewer crimes against the environment are being committed. Analysis by Luis Barrucho, BBC Brasil The decline in the number of environmental fines at a time when Brazil has seen a spike in deforestation does not seem a coincidence to many. During last year's presidential race, Mr Bolsonaro vowed to open up the Amazon for commercial activity. When he was sworn in, he stayed true to his word. Many of his critics say that Mr Bolsonaro operates a double standard when it comes to addressing environmental crimes, most of which remain unpunished. After all, the president promised a tough stance on criminal activity. Now, in face of national and international pressure, Mr Bolsonaro appears to have changed his tone and finally adopted measures to battle the fires. But he still hasn't acknowledged the link between the fires and the increase in deforestation in Brazil this year. And in a televised address on Friday he reinforced his plans to bring \"economic dynamism\" to the Amazon. The question now is whether Mr Bolsonaro's recent moves in fighting the fires will be accompanied by a consistent change in his environmental policies. Environmental activists have drawn links between Mr Bolsonaro's attitudes towards the environment and the recent surge in the number of fires in the Amazon rainforest. Satellite data published by the National Institute for Space Research (Inpe) has shown an increase of 85% this year in fires across Brazil, most of them in the Amazon region. Mr Bolsonaro initially brushed it off, arguing that it was the season of the \"queimada\", when farmers burn land to clear it before planting. The president has also previously questioned data from Brazil's National Space Research Institute which showed an 88% increase in deforestation in June compared with the same month a year ago. But Inpe has noted that the number of fires is not in line with those normally reported during the dry season. Wildfires often occur in the dry season in Brazil but they are also deliberately started in efforts to illegally deforest land for cattle ranching. Whether there will now be a spike in fines remains to be seen. On Friday, Mr Bolsonaro confirmed that he had authorised the armed forces to help fight the fires. \"I've learned as a military man to love the Amazon forest and I want to help protect it,\" he said. The decree itself was fairly vague in its wording, but specified that the military would be deployed to nature reserves, indigenous lands and border areas in the region. Brazil's defence minister said a helicopter and two airplanes had already been deployed to the Amazon to help identify fire outbreaks and to carry equipment and military personnel. The announcement came after the international community began to exert pressure on Mr Bolsonaro. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson have called the fires an international crisis. France and Ireland have also said they will not ratify a large trade deal with South American nations and Finland's finance minister has called on the EU to consider banning Brazilian beef imports. Both Ms Merkel and Mr Macron said the issue must be discussed at this weekend's G7 summit in Biarritz, France. This article initially stated there was a record number of fires in Brazil this year. After more satellite data was made accessible, it has been updated to reflect the fact the fires are instead the worst since 2010.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3441, "answer_start": 1856, "text": "Neither Ibama nor the ministry of the environment answered the BBC's queries about the figures. Mariangelica de Almeida, a professor of environmental law who has defended clients over unfair fines, suggested to BBC Brasil that the figures for previous years could have reflected a culture of over-fining, in order to meet goals. However, others have pointed the finger directly at Mr Bolsonaro, who has scorned environmental activists and declared his support for clearing areas of the Amazon for agriculture and mining. Elisabeth Uema, who retired from Ibama last year, said it was clear even before Mr Bolsonaro was elected that he did not like Ibama. During his campaign, he pledged to limit fines for damaging the rainforest and to weaken the influence of the environmental agency. The message was further underlined in April when Mr Bolsonaro ordered an investigation into officials who burned tractors and trucks belonging to loggers who were allegedly involved in illegal activities in the Jamari National Forest. This was a long-held policy seen as a deterrent against illegal loggers. The agency's work, she said, had also been hampered by the fact that just eight of its 27 offices across the country now had a permanent head. \"The usual inspections, which had been planned since 2018, are happening. But little beyond that,\" Ms Uema, now the executive secretary of Ascema Nacional, the body representing Ibama employees, told BBC Brasil. Critics of the Bolsonaro administration insist the drop in fines does not mean fewer crimes against the environment are being committed." } ], "id": "9888_0", "question": "Why has there been a drop?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5518, "answer_start": 4520, "text": "Environmental activists have drawn links between Mr Bolsonaro's attitudes towards the environment and the recent surge in the number of fires in the Amazon rainforest. Satellite data published by the National Institute for Space Research (Inpe) has shown an increase of 85% this year in fires across Brazil, most of them in the Amazon region. Mr Bolsonaro initially brushed it off, arguing that it was the season of the \"queimada\", when farmers burn land to clear it before planting. The president has also previously questioned data from Brazil's National Space Research Institute which showed an 88% increase in deforestation in June compared with the same month a year ago. But Inpe has noted that the number of fires is not in line with those normally reported during the dry season. Wildfires often occur in the dry season in Brazil but they are also deliberately started in efforts to illegally deforest land for cattle ranching. Whether there will now be a spike in fines remains to be seen." } ], "id": "9888_1", "question": "Why does this matter?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 6622, "answer_start": 5519, "text": "On Friday, Mr Bolsonaro confirmed that he had authorised the armed forces to help fight the fires. \"I've learned as a military man to love the Amazon forest and I want to help protect it,\" he said. The decree itself was fairly vague in its wording, but specified that the military would be deployed to nature reserves, indigenous lands and border areas in the region. Brazil's defence minister said a helicopter and two airplanes had already been deployed to the Amazon to help identify fire outbreaks and to carry equipment and military personnel. The announcement came after the international community began to exert pressure on Mr Bolsonaro. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson have called the fires an international crisis. France and Ireland have also said they will not ratify a large trade deal with South American nations and Finland's finance minister has called on the EU to consider banning Brazilian beef imports. Both Ms Merkel and Mr Macron said the issue must be discussed at this weekend's G7 summit in Biarritz, France." } ], "id": "9888_2", "question": "What is being done to fight the fires?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "You might have seen International Women's Day mentioned in the media or heard friends talking about it. But what is it for? When is it? Is it a celebration or a protest? And is there an equivalent International Men's Day? For more than a century people around the world have been marking this day, and this year women's strikes are planned in more than 30 countries. Read on to find out why. International Women's Day grew out of the labour movement to become a UN-recognised annual event. The seeds of it were planted in 1908, when 15,000 women marched through New York City demanding shorter working hours, better pay and the right to vote. It was the Socialist Party of America who declared the first National Woman's Day, a year later. The idea to make the day international came from a woman called Clara Zetkin. She suggested the idea in 1910 at an International Conference of Working Women in Copenhagen. There were 100 women there, from 17 countries, and they agreed unanimously. It was first celebrated in 1911, in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland. The centenary was celebrated in 2011, so this year we're technically celebrating the 106th International Women's Day. Things were made official in 1975 when the United Nations (UN) started celebrating the day and setting an annual theme. The first one (in 1996) was \"Celebrating the past, Planning for the Future\". This year's focuses on \"Women in the Changing World of Work\" - UN figures show that only half of working age women are represented in the labour force globally. International Women's Day has become a date to celebrate how far women have come in society, in politics and in economics, while the political roots of the day mean strikes and protests are organised to raise awareness of continued inequality. 8 March. Clara's idea for an International Women's Day had no fixed date. It wasn't formalised until a war time strike in 1917 when Russian women demanded \"bread and peace\" - and four days into the women's strike the Tsar was forced to abdicate and the provisional government granted women the right to vote. The date when the women's strike commenced on the Julian calendar, which was then in use in Russia, was Sunday 23 February. This day in the Gregorian calendar was 8 March - and that's when it's celebrated today. There is indeed, on 19 November. But it has only been marked since the 1990s and isn't recognised by the UN. People celebrate it in more than 60 countries, including the UK. The objectives of the day are \"to focus attention on men's and boys' health, improve gender relations, promote gender equality and highlight positive male role models\". The theme for 2016 was Stop Male Suicide. International Women's Day is a national holiday in many countries including Russia, where the sales of flowers doubles during the three or four days around 8 March. In China, many women are given a half-day off work on 8 March, as advised by the State Council although many employers don't always pass the half day on to their female employees. In Italy, International Women's Day or la Festa della Donna is celebrated by the giving of mimosa blossom. The origin of this tradition is unclear but it is believed to have started in Rome after World War II. In the US, the month of March is Women's History Month. A presidential proclamation issued every year honours the achievements of American women. An International Women's Day campaign has taken on the theme #BeBoldForChange and women's strike are planned in more than 30 countries around the world. Earlier this year, millions of protesters in the US and around the world took to the streets in favour of women's rights after the election of Donald Trump to the US presidency. The organisers of the Washington march have now called for women to walk out of their workplaces on International Women's Day - they say it will \"highlight the economic power and significance that women have in the US and global economies\". Organisers are asking women to \"take the day off work, avoid shopping except for small, women-and minority-owned businesses, and wear red in solidarity\". Strikes are being organised in other countries too - more than 30, according to organisers of the International Women's Strike. Campaigners against Ireland's abortion laws are also holding strikes across the country, demanding that the Irish government call a referendum to repeal the 8th Amendment, which gives an unborn foetus the same rights as a pregnant woman. BBC 100 Women names 100 influential and inspirational women around the world every year. We create documentaries, features and interviews about their lives, giving more space for stories that put women at the centre. On 8 March, BBC 100 Women will be showcasing inspirational stories from women in the UK and across the world: from India's first school for grandmothers to comedians showing you how to respond to sexist banter. Follow BBC 100 Women on Instagram and Facebook and join the conversation.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1786, "answer_start": 392, "text": "International Women's Day grew out of the labour movement to become a UN-recognised annual event. The seeds of it were planted in 1908, when 15,000 women marched through New York City demanding shorter working hours, better pay and the right to vote. It was the Socialist Party of America who declared the first National Woman's Day, a year later. The idea to make the day international came from a woman called Clara Zetkin. She suggested the idea in 1910 at an International Conference of Working Women in Copenhagen. There were 100 women there, from 17 countries, and they agreed unanimously. It was first celebrated in 1911, in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland. The centenary was celebrated in 2011, so this year we're technically celebrating the 106th International Women's Day. Things were made official in 1975 when the United Nations (UN) started celebrating the day and setting an annual theme. The first one (in 1996) was \"Celebrating the past, Planning for the Future\". This year's focuses on \"Women in the Changing World of Work\" - UN figures show that only half of working age women are represented in the labour force globally. International Women's Day has become a date to celebrate how far women have come in society, in politics and in economics, while the political roots of the day mean strikes and protests are organised to raise awareness of continued inequality." } ], "id": "9889_0", "question": "1. When did it all start?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2307, "answer_start": 1787, "text": "8 March. Clara's idea for an International Women's Day had no fixed date. It wasn't formalised until a war time strike in 1917 when Russian women demanded \"bread and peace\" - and four days into the women's strike the Tsar was forced to abdicate and the provisional government granted women the right to vote. The date when the women's strike commenced on the Julian calendar, which was then in use in Russia, was Sunday 23 February. This day in the Gregorian calendar was 8 March - and that's when it's celebrated today." } ], "id": "9889_1", "question": "2. When is it?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2692, "answer_start": 2308, "text": "There is indeed, on 19 November. But it has only been marked since the 1990s and isn't recognised by the UN. People celebrate it in more than 60 countries, including the UK. The objectives of the day are \"to focus attention on men's and boys' health, improve gender relations, promote gender equality and highlight positive male role models\". The theme for 2016 was Stop Male Suicide." } ], "id": "9889_2", "question": "3. Is there an International Men's Day?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3393, "answer_start": 2693, "text": "International Women's Day is a national holiday in many countries including Russia, where the sales of flowers doubles during the three or four days around 8 March. In China, many women are given a half-day off work on 8 March, as advised by the State Council although many employers don't always pass the half day on to their female employees. In Italy, International Women's Day or la Festa della Donna is celebrated by the giving of mimosa blossom. The origin of this tradition is unclear but it is believed to have started in Rome after World War II. In the US, the month of March is Women's History Month. A presidential proclamation issued every year honours the achievements of American women." } ], "id": "9889_3", "question": "4. How is Women's Day celebrated around the world?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4486, "answer_start": 3394, "text": "An International Women's Day campaign has taken on the theme #BeBoldForChange and women's strike are planned in more than 30 countries around the world. Earlier this year, millions of protesters in the US and around the world took to the streets in favour of women's rights after the election of Donald Trump to the US presidency. The organisers of the Washington march have now called for women to walk out of their workplaces on International Women's Day - they say it will \"highlight the economic power and significance that women have in the US and global economies\". Organisers are asking women to \"take the day off work, avoid shopping except for small, women-and minority-owned businesses, and wear red in solidarity\". Strikes are being organised in other countries too - more than 30, according to organisers of the International Women's Strike. Campaigners against Ireland's abortion laws are also holding strikes across the country, demanding that the Irish government call a referendum to repeal the 8th Amendment, which gives an unborn foetus the same rights as a pregnant woman." } ], "id": "9889_4", "question": "5. What is happening this year?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4988, "answer_start": 4487, "text": "BBC 100 Women names 100 influential and inspirational women around the world every year. We create documentaries, features and interviews about their lives, giving more space for stories that put women at the centre. On 8 March, BBC 100 Women will be showcasing inspirational stories from women in the UK and across the world: from India's first school for grandmothers to comedians showing you how to respond to sexist banter. Follow BBC 100 Women on Instagram and Facebook and join the conversation." } ], "id": "9889_5", "question": "What is 100 women?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The US city of Houston is in the grip of the biggest storm in the history of the state of Texas, officials say. A record 30in of rain (75cm) has fallen on the city in the wake of Hurricane Harvey, turning roads into rivers. The area is expected to have received a year's rainfall within a week. Five people are reported dead. Helicopters have plucked victims from rooftops. With rescue services overstretched as the rain continues, many people are having to fend for themselves. Harvey made landfall as a category-four hurricane late on Friday. It was later downgraded to a tropical storm. Up to 2,000 people have been rescued in and around Houston, the fourth-largest city in the US, where about 6.6m people live in the metropolitan area. In Washington, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) said it was committed to assisting in the rescue effort. Fema administrator Brock Long said providing shelter to 30,000 people in need was \"going to be a very heavy lift\". He added that the agency was also working to restore power and critical infrastructure. Thousands of homes are without electricity. Many schools are closed - as are the two main airports, with runways completely flooded. An inundated care home in Dickinson, about 30 miles (50 km) south east of the city, has now been evacuated by helicopter after an image of several elderly women sitting in a lounge in waist-deep water went viral on social media. Are you affected by Tropical Storm Harvey? Let us know about your experiences. Email [email protected] with your stories. Entire suburbs are under water, shops and businesses are shut and, with the motorways around the city cut off and both airports closed, travel is all but impossible. A marooned hospital has been evacuated while, above the city, engineers are starting an emergency release of water from two bulging dams. They are warning families who live beside one of the dams to prepare for flooding within hours. Some residents have been critical of the preparations for this storm, which intensified rapidly in the Gulf of Mexico last week. In at least one neighbourhood facing severe flooding, people are angry that they were told to stay put only to realise, as night fell, that the waters were rising fast and they could not get out. The authorities are being stretched to breaking point. It is difficult to see how they could accommodate President Donald Trump, who plans to visit Texas on Tuesday. If he does decide to travel here, he will find a powerful oil city on its knees. No. As the storm continues to batter south-eastern Texas, swelling rivers are causing a surge that is heading for Houston. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner told residents: \"Don't get on the road. Don't assume this storm is over.\" Tens of thousands of people have been were ordered to leave parts of Fort Bend County, about 35 miles (55 km) south-west of Houston, where a river is set to crest this week. Houston authorities, however, have not issued a mass evacuation order. Mayor Turner on Sunday defended the decision by citing the \"crazy\" logistics of planning an evacuation of 2.3 million people. He cited the chaos Houston experienced when residents were evacuated ahead of Hurricane Rita in September 2005. People were stuck for more than 20 hours on gridlocked road, resulting in dozens of deaths. Rita, which had been predicted to hit Houston, passed well east of the city. Observers also recalled the disastrous evacuation ahead of Hurricane Katrina, which hit New Orleans in August that year. Thousands of people spent days in squalid conditions and limited water at that city's stadium. The Texas Gulf Coast is a key centre of the US oil and gas industry, and some of the largest refineries in the country have halted operations. This has raised concerns about fuel shortages and higher prices at the pump. The wider economic damage from Harvey is being assessed. Insurance experts quoted by Reuters news agency say it could equal the devastation inflicted by Hurricane Katrina - reportedly the most expensive natural disaster in US history. Katrina caused about $15bn (PS11.6bn) of flood damage in the states of Louisiana and Mississippi. Are you affected by Tropical Storm Harvey? Let us know about your experiences. Email [email protected] with your stories. 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 7525 900971 - Send pictures/video to [email protected] - Upload your pictures / video here - Tweet: @BBC_HaveYourSay - Send an SMS or MMS to 61124 or +44 7624 800 100", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2995, "answer_start": 2522, "text": "No. As the storm continues to batter south-eastern Texas, swelling rivers are causing a surge that is heading for Houston. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner told residents: \"Don't get on the road. Don't assume this storm is over.\" Tens of thousands of people have been were ordered to leave parts of Fort Bend County, about 35 miles (55 km) south-west of Houston, where a river is set to crest this week. Houston authorities, however, have not issued a mass evacuation order." } ], "id": "9890_0", "question": "Is flooding showing signs of easing?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3618, "answer_start": 2996, "text": "Mayor Turner on Sunday defended the decision by citing the \"crazy\" logistics of planning an evacuation of 2.3 million people. He cited the chaos Houston experienced when residents were evacuated ahead of Hurricane Rita in September 2005. People were stuck for more than 20 hours on gridlocked road, resulting in dozens of deaths. Rita, which had been predicted to hit Houston, passed well east of the city. Observers also recalled the disastrous evacuation ahead of Hurricane Katrina, which hit New Orleans in August that year. Thousands of people spent days in squalid conditions and limited water at that city's stadium." } ], "id": "9890_1", "question": "Why not?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Hong Kong has begun a mandatory two-week quarantine for anyone arriving from mainland China, in a fresh effort to contain the deadly new coronavirus. Visitors must isolate themselves in hotel rooms or government-run centres. Residents must stay inside their homes. Anyone caught flouting the new rules faces a fine and a prison sentence. Meanwhile, 723 deaths have been recorded in China, including one American. A Japanese man also died with symptoms consistent with the virus. The 60-year-old US citizen, the first confirmed non-Chinese victim of the illness, died on Thursday at Jinyintan Hospital in Wuhan, the epicentre of the outbreak, according to a US embassy spokesman in Beijing, who did not give details. Separately, the Japanese foreign ministry said a man in his 60s died, also in Wuhan, from what was suspected to be a case of coronavirus. However, it said it could not confirm the diagnosis, and that Chinese officials said the cause of death was viral pneumonia. The city is opening its second makeshift hospital since the outbreak began. Leishenshan hospital was built in two weeks and will be able to accommodate 1,500 patients. The number of confirmed cases in China stands at 34,598. Outside China, 288 cases have been confirmed in 24 countries, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), with one fatality in the Philippines. On Saturday, France confirmed five new cases in its Haute-Savoie region, including a nine-year-old boy and bringing the total of infected 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. Two schools - one the nine-year-old boy has been attending, along with another school where he has French classes - have been closed as a precaution. In Hong Kong, there have been 26 confirmed cases. Tens of thousands of travellers queued at the Chinese border city of Shenzhen to beat the Friday midnight deadline. But by Saturday morning, only a trickle of people were arriving via the Shenzhen Bay Port crossing. In a press conference, Hong Kong chief executive Carrie Lam said the territory's government only has 12 million face masks, which she expects to be used up within one month. She appealed for anyone with resources to buy masks to \"donate them to people in need\". Meanwhile, three more people have tested positive for the virus on a quarantined cruise ship in Yokohama harbour, bringing the total number of cases on board to 64. There was some positive news on Friday when the WHO said there had been fewer reported infections in China in the past two days. However, its director general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, cautioned against reading too much into those figures. He also told reporters that the outbreak had caused a global shortage of protective medical equipment such as gowns, masks and gloves. \"When supply is short, and demand is high then there could be bad practices like hoarding in order to sell them at higher prices,\" he warned, urging suppliers to \"uphold the protection of humanity\" rather than looking to increase profits. The WHO also released new data from 17,000 patients that suggested 82% had a mild form of the disease, with 15% considered severe cases and 3% critical. This is the clearest detail we have had on the spectrum of disease this coronavirus can cause. It is good news for most people and emphasises that for more than four-in-five, this is a mild infection. However, that sheer volume of mild cases raises important questions about stopping this epidemic. The Sars outbreak was relatively easy to stop because patients were often severely ill and easily identified. Mild cases - which could be mistaken for any other winter bug - are naturally harder to spot. What we do not know is how easily people with mild symptoms can spread the new coronavirus. If mild cases are capable of sustaining this epidemic, then it will be much harder to contain. It is also worth remembering we still do not know the true number of cases, with some analysts saying there could be 10 times more than official figures suggest. There has 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. In December, he sent a message to fellow medics warning of a virus he thought looked like Sars - another deadly coronavirus. But he was told by police to \"stop making false comments\" and was investigated for \"spreading rumours\". China's anti-corruption body said it would open an investigation into \"issues involving Dr Li\". Analysts say it is hard to recall an event in recent years that has triggered as much online grief, rage and mistrust against the Chinese government. News of Dr Li's death became the top trending topic on Chinese social media, garnering an estimated 1.5 billion views. China's leadership had already faced accusations of downplaying the severity of the virus - and initially trying to keep it secret. The government has admitted \"shortcomings and deficiencies\" in its response to the virus. Chinese President Xi Jinping has told his US counterpart Donald Trump that China was \"fully confident and capable of defeating the epidemic\". The country has introduced more restrictive measures to try to control the outbreak: - The capital, Beijing, has banned group dining for events such as birthdays. Cities including Hangzhou and Nanchang are limiting how many family members can leave home each day - Hubei province has switched off lifts in high-rise buildings to discourage residents from going outside.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5810, "answer_start": 4266, "text": "There has 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. In December, he sent a message to fellow medics warning of a virus he thought looked like Sars - another deadly coronavirus. But he was told by police to \"stop making false comments\" and was investigated for \"spreading rumours\". China's anti-corruption body said it would open an investigation into \"issues involving Dr Li\". Analysts say it is hard to recall an event in recent years that has triggered as much online grief, rage and mistrust against the Chinese government. News of Dr Li's death became the top trending topic on Chinese social media, garnering an estimated 1.5 billion views. China's leadership had already faced accusations of downplaying the severity of the virus - and initially trying to keep it secret. The government has admitted \"shortcomings and deficiencies\" in its response to the virus. Chinese President Xi Jinping has told his US counterpart Donald Trump that China was \"fully confident and capable of defeating the epidemic\". The country has introduced more restrictive measures to try to control the outbreak: - The capital, Beijing, has banned group dining for events such as birthdays. Cities including Hangzhou and Nanchang are limiting how many family members can leave home each day - Hubei province has switched off lifts in high-rise buildings to discourage residents from going outside." } ], "id": "9891_0", "question": "What's happening in mainland China?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "A US move to put Huawei on a trade blacklist \"sets a dangerous precedent\" that will harm billions of consumers, the firm's top legal officer said. Speaking at a press conference, Song Liuping said the trade ban would also \"directly harm\" American companies and affect jobs. Washington recently added Huawei to a list of companies that US firms cannot trade with unless they have a licence. The trade ban is part of a wider battle between the US and Huawei. Washington has moved to block the Chinese company, the world's largest maker of telecoms equipment, on national security concerns. Huawei has repeatedly denied claims the use of its products presents security risks, and says it is independent from the Chinese government. \"Politicians in the US are using the strength of an entire nation to come after a private company,\" Mr Song said. Mr Song said the decision to put Huawei, which is also the world's second largest smartphone maker, on the so-called \"entity list\" would have far-reaching implications. \"This decision threatens to harm our customers in over 170 countries, including more than three billion consumers who use Huawei products and services around the world.\" \"By preventing American companies from doing business with Huawei, the government will directly harm more than 1,200 US companies. This will affect tens of thousands of American jobs.\" Speaking to reporters in Shenzhen, Mr Song also outlined steps that Huawei had taken in relation to a lawsuit it filed against the US government in March. The case relates to restrictions that prevent US federal agencies from using Huawei products. The firm said it has filed a motion for a \"summary judgement\", asking US courts to speed up the process to \"halt illegal action against the company\". \"The US government has provided no evidence to show that Huawei is a security threat. There is no gun, no smoke. Only speculation,\" Mr Song said. A hearing on the motion has been set for 19 September. Sitting up on a stage, in a large theatre-like room at its headquarters, there was much talk from the Huawei executives of America's rural and \"poorer\" customers who deserve \"equitable access\" to good broadband. Billions of customers are facing the threat of having their welfare \"damaged\" apparently, so the firm wants to speed things up. The other reason of course is that the assault from the Trump administration is biting. Asked if Huawei would still be around in a year's time, one executive said its business plans go well beyond next year. The company insists it is - proudly - privately owned. Nonetheless, I asked if the two senior executives present were members of China's prevailing Communist Party. One said he wasn't. The other wouldn't say. Washington's clampdown on Huawei is part of a wider conflict simmering between the US and China. The US has pushed to persuade allies to ban the Chinese company over the potential risks of using its products in next-generation 5G mobile networks. Some countries, including Australia and New Zealand, have blocked Huawei from supplying equipment for 5G mobile networks. Additionally, the company faces almost two dozen criminal charges filed by US authorities. Washington is also seeking the extradition of Huawei executive Meng Wangzou from Canada, where she was arrested in December at the behest of American officials. It comes as trade tensions between the US and China also appear to be rising. The world's two largest economies have been locked in a bruising trade battle for the past year that has seen tariffs imposed on billions of dollars worth of one another's goods. Earlier this month, Washington more than doubled tariffs on $200bn (PS158bn) of Chinese goods, prompting Beijing to retaliate with its own tariff hikes on US products. US President Donald Trump has, however, sought to link the two, saying recently that Huawei could be part of a trade deal between the US and China.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1966, "answer_start": 1367, "text": "Speaking to reporters in Shenzhen, Mr Song also outlined steps that Huawei had taken in relation to a lawsuit it filed against the US government in March. The case relates to restrictions that prevent US federal agencies from using Huawei products. The firm said it has filed a motion for a \"summary judgement\", asking US courts to speed up the process to \"halt illegal action against the company\". \"The US government has provided no evidence to show that Huawei is a security threat. There is no gun, no smoke. Only speculation,\" Mr Song said. A hearing on the motion has been set for 19 September." } ], "id": "9892_0", "question": "What about other US moves against Huawei?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3917, "answer_start": 2724, "text": "Washington's clampdown on Huawei is part of a wider conflict simmering between the US and China. The US has pushed to persuade allies to ban the Chinese company over the potential risks of using its products in next-generation 5G mobile networks. Some countries, including Australia and New Zealand, have blocked Huawei from supplying equipment for 5G mobile networks. Additionally, the company faces almost two dozen criminal charges filed by US authorities. Washington is also seeking the extradition of Huawei executive Meng Wangzou from Canada, where she was arrested in December at the behest of American officials. It comes as trade tensions between the US and China also appear to be rising. The world's two largest economies have been locked in a bruising trade battle for the past year that has seen tariffs imposed on billions of dollars worth of one another's goods. Earlier this month, Washington more than doubled tariffs on $200bn (PS158bn) of Chinese goods, prompting Beijing to retaliate with its own tariff hikes on US products. US President Donald Trump has, however, sought to link the two, saying recently that Huawei could be part of a trade deal between the US and China." } ], "id": "9892_1", "question": "What about the US-China trade war?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Tiny particles of pollution have been discovered inside samples of brain tissue, according to new research. Suspected of toxicity, the particles of iron oxide could conceivably contribute to diseases like Alzheimer's - though evidence for this is lacking. The finding - described as \"dreadfully shocking\" by the researchers - raises a host of new questions about the health risks of air pollution. Many studies have focused on the impact of dirty air on the lungs and heart. Now this new research provides the first evidence that minute particles of what is called magnetite, which can be derived from pollution, can find their way into the brain. Earlier this year the World Health Organisation warned that air pollution was leading to as many as three million premature deaths every year. The estimate for the UK is that 50,000 people die every year with conditions linked to polluted air. The research was led by scientists at Lancaster University and is published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). The team analysed samples of brain tissue from 37 people - 29 who had lived and died in Mexico City, a notorious pollution hotspot, and who were aged from 3 to 85. The other 8 came from Manchester, were aged 62-92 and some had died with varying severities of neurodegenerative disease. The lead author of the research paper, Prof Barbara Maher, has previously identified magnetite particles in samples of air gathered beside a busy road in Lancaster and outside a power station. She suspected that similar particles may be found in the brain samples, and that is what happened. \"It's dreadfully shocking. When you study the tissue you see the particles distributed between the cells and when you do a magnetic extraction there are millions of particles, millions in a single gram of brain tissue - that's a million opportunities to do damage.\" Further study revealed that the particles have a distinctive shape which provides a crucial clue to their origin. Magnetite can occur naturally in the brain in tiny quantities but the particles formed that way are distinctively jagged. By contrast, the particles found in the study were not only far more numerous but also smooth and rounded - characteristics that can only be created in the high temperatures of a vehicle engine or braking systems. Prof Maher said: \"They are spherical shapes and they have little crystallites around their surfaces, and they occur with other metals like platinum which comes from catalytic converters. \"So for the first time we saw these pollution particles inside the human brain. \"It's a discovery finding. It's a whole new area to investigate to understand if these magnetite particles are causing or accelerating neurodegenerative disease.\" For every one natural magnetite particle identified, the researchers found about 100 of the pollution-derived ones. The results did not show a straightforward pattern. While the Manchester donors, especially those with neurodegenerative conditions, had elevated levels of magnetite, the same or higher levels were found in the Mexico City victims. The highest level was found in a 32-year-old Mexican man who had been killed in a traffic accident. Dubbed \"nanospheres\", the particles are less than 200 nanometres in diameter - by comparison, a human hair is at least 50,000 nanometres thick. While large particles of pollution such as soot can be trapped inside the nose, smaller types can enter the lungs and even smaller ones can cross into the bloodstream. But nanoscale particles of magnetite are believed to be small enough to pass from the nose into the olfactory bulb and then via the nervous system into the frontal cortex of the brain. Prof David Allsop, a specialist in Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases, is a co-author of the study and also at Lancaster University. He said that pollution particles \"could be an important risk factor\" for these conditions. \"There is no absolutely proven link at the moment but there are lots of suggestive observations - other people have found these pollution particles in the middle of the plaques that accumulate in the brain in Alzheimer's disease so they could well be a contributor to plaque formation. \"These particles are made out of iron and iron is very reactive so it's almost certainly going to do some damage to the brain. It's involved in producing very reactive molecules called reaction oxygen species which produce oxidative damage and that's very well defined. \"We already know oxidative damage contributes to brain damage in Alzheimer's patients so if you've got iron in the brain it's very likely to do some damage. It can't be benign.\" Other experts in the field are more cautious about a possible link. Dr Clare Walton, research manager at the Alzheimer's Society, said there was no strong evidence that magnetite causes Alzheimer's disease or makes it worse. \"This study offers convincing evidence that magnetite from air pollution can get into the brain, but it doesn't tell us what effect this has on brain health or conditions such as Alzheimer's disease,\" she said. \"The causes of dementia are complex and so far there hasn't been enough research to say whether living in cities and polluted areas raises the risk of dementia. Further work in this area is important, but until we have more information people should not be unduly worried.\" She said that in the meantime more practical ways of lowering the chances of developing dementia include regular exercise, eating a healthy diet and avoiding smoking.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5548, "answer_start": 3203, "text": "Dubbed \"nanospheres\", the particles are less than 200 nanometres in diameter - by comparison, a human hair is at least 50,000 nanometres thick. While large particles of pollution such as soot can be trapped inside the nose, smaller types can enter the lungs and even smaller ones can cross into the bloodstream. But nanoscale particles of magnetite are believed to be small enough to pass from the nose into the olfactory bulb and then via the nervous system into the frontal cortex of the brain. Prof David Allsop, a specialist in Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases, is a co-author of the study and also at Lancaster University. He said that pollution particles \"could be an important risk factor\" for these conditions. \"There is no absolutely proven link at the moment but there are lots of suggestive observations - other people have found these pollution particles in the middle of the plaques that accumulate in the brain in Alzheimer's disease so they could well be a contributor to plaque formation. \"These particles are made out of iron and iron is very reactive so it's almost certainly going to do some damage to the brain. It's involved in producing very reactive molecules called reaction oxygen species which produce oxidative damage and that's very well defined. \"We already know oxidative damage contributes to brain damage in Alzheimer's patients so if you've got iron in the brain it's very likely to do some damage. It can't be benign.\" Other experts in the field are more cautious about a possible link. Dr Clare Walton, research manager at the Alzheimer's Society, said there was no strong evidence that magnetite causes Alzheimer's disease or makes it worse. \"This study offers convincing evidence that magnetite from air pollution can get into the brain, but it doesn't tell us what effect this has on brain health or conditions such as Alzheimer's disease,\" she said. \"The causes of dementia are complex and so far there hasn't been enough research to say whether living in cities and polluted areas raises the risk of dementia. Further work in this area is important, but until we have more information people should not be unduly worried.\" She said that in the meantime more practical ways of lowering the chances of developing dementia include regular exercise, eating a healthy diet and avoiding smoking." } ], "id": "9893_0", "question": "Disease risk?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Jeremy Corbyn's plan to prevent a no-deal Brexit by being installed as a caretaker PM has been met with opposition from key potential allies. If he wins a no-confidence vote in the government, the Labour leader plans to delay Brexit, call a snap election and campaign for another referendum. The SNP and Plaid Cymru did not rule out supporting a cross-party government to stop a no-deal exit. But Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson said she would not support making Mr Corbyn PM. Responding to Mr Corbyn's offer, she said Mr Corbyn's plan was not \"viable\" because he lacked the required support among opposition MPs in Parliament. She offered to meet him in the coming days to discuss \"who else might be able to lead an emergency government\". Earlier, she suggested Tory MP Ken Clarke or Labour's Harriet Harman - the longest serving male and female MPs in the House of Commons - could lead such a government, aiming to prevent a no deal on the 31 October deadline. Tory Dame Caroline Spelman, whose backing the Labour leader had sought, also said she would not support a Corbyn-led government. However, Conservative MP Guto Bebb said those opposed to a no-deal Brexit \"must take seriously this type of offer\". \"I certainly take the view that a short-term Jeremy Corbyn government is less damaging than the generational damage that would be caused by a no-deal Brexit,\" he said. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he wants a deal with the European Union, but insists the UK must leave the bloc by the end of October \"do or die\". Mr Corbyn asked opposition figures and Tory rebels for their support in a letter on Wednesday, pledging that a government led by him would be \"strictly time-limited\". He said he would call a no-confidence vote - which would require majority support - at the \"earliest opportunity when we can be confident of success\". If he were to succeed in calling a general election - which would require the support of two-thirds of MPs - Labour would campaign for a second referendum with the option to remain in the EU, he said. Ms Swinson's rejection of a Corbyn-led emergency government was criticised by Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon. \"Jeremy Corbyn's suggestion is not the only possible option - but given the circumstances, nothing should be ruled out at this stage,\" she tweeted. \"Jo Swinson should rethink,\" she added. Shadow education secretary Angela Rayner also criticised Ms Swinson, accusing her of \"political point-scoring\". \"Our leader is Jeremy Corbyn and she should respect his title as the official opposition,\" she tweeted. But Conservative anti-Brexit campaigner Dominic Grieve said a national unity government led by Mr Corbyn was a \"most unlikely way forward\". He told BBC Radio 4's PM programme that a caretaker prime minister \"has got to be somebody who can inspire trust\". \"Seeing Jeremy Corbyn's history, it's difficult to see how he could possibly be in a position to do such a thing.\" At the moment the numbers don't look great for Jeremy Corbyn. There's a significant proportion of MPs who would be prepared to stop no deal, but at the moment they're not quite coalescing around Mr Corbyn's plan. The Liberal Democrats are reluctant to get on board, while some Conservative MPs are highly sceptical about the idea of putting Jeremy Corbyn in No 10, even as part of a temporary arrangement. However, there are some who are open to this idea including the SNP and Plaid Cymru. Four Conservatives have said they are prepared to meet Mr Corbyn to discuss stopping a no-deal Brexit, but have not explicitly supported Mr Corbyn's plan. For those who hold the view that no deal would be a disaster for the country, the danger is they may fail to agree a plan. If the government loses a no-confidence motion, it would trigger a critical 14-day period, after which a general election could be triggered. If Mr Johnson failed to win such a vote, then a general election would be called. There are no firm rules about who else - if anyone - should get the chance to form an alternative government during this time. The leader of the opposition is clearly a likely candidate, but that is not an inevitable outcome. The Cabinet Manual - a document which sets out the main rules covering the workings of government - suggests that the principles applied should be similar to those after an election in which no one party wins a majority. That means that the old prime minister should only resign if and when it is clear that somebody is more likely to have the support of MPs. So, it is possible that the existing prime minister would stay in place, or that more than one leader would get a chance. Mr Johnson has a working majority of just one in the House of Commons, with the backing of Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party. What is a vote of no confidence?", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4801, "answer_start": 3700, "text": "If the government loses a no-confidence motion, it would trigger a critical 14-day period, after which a general election could be triggered. If Mr Johnson failed to win such a vote, then a general election would be called. There are no firm rules about who else - if anyone - should get the chance to form an alternative government during this time. The leader of the opposition is clearly a likely candidate, but that is not an inevitable outcome. The Cabinet Manual - a document which sets out the main rules covering the workings of government - suggests that the principles applied should be similar to those after an election in which no one party wins a majority. That means that the old prime minister should only resign if and when it is clear that somebody is more likely to have the support of MPs. So, it is possible that the existing prime minister would stay in place, or that more than one leader would get a chance. Mr Johnson has a working majority of just one in the House of Commons, with the backing of Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party. What is a vote of no confidence?" } ], "id": "9894_0", "question": "What is a vote of no confidence?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "A North Carolina school with a large anti-vaccine community is at the heart of the state's largest chickenpox outbreak in decades, officials say. On Friday 36 students at Asheville Waldorf School were diagnosed with the disease, the Asheville Citizen-Times newspaper reported. The school has one of the state's highest rates of religious exemption, allowing students to skip vaccination. US health officials say vaccinating is far safer than getting chickenpox. \"This is the biggest chickenpox outbreak state health officials are aware of since the vaccine became available,\" a North Carolina Department of Health spokesman told the BBC in an emailed statement. Out of the Waldorf School's 152 students, 110 have not received the vaccine for the varicella virus, known to most as chickenpox, the Citizen-Times found. And 67.9% of the school's kindergarten students had religious immunisation exemptions on file in the 2017-2018 school year, according to state data. The primary school is fully co-operating with local health officials and is compliant with all North Carolina laws, a spokesperson for the school told the BBC. \"We find that our parents are highly motivated to choose exactly what they want for their children. We, as a school, do not discriminate based on a child's medical history or medical condition.\" Buncombe County, home to the city of Asheville, with a population of over 250,000, has the highest rate of religious-based immunisation exemptions in the state. Local health officials are closely monitoring the situation, according to the county's health department. \"We want to be clear: vaccination is the best protection from chickenpox,\" County Medical Director Dr Jennifer Mullendore said in a statement. \"When we see high numbers of unimmunised children and adults, we know that an illness like chickenpox can spread easily throughout the community- into our playgrounds, grocery stores, and sports teams.\" North Carolina law requires certain immunisations, including chickenpox, measles and mumps for kindergarteners, but the state allows for medical and religious exemptions. Most religions do not prohibit vaccination, but in recent years, some US parents have become fearful of adverse reactions to vaccines. While some bad reactions, like allergies, to vaccines are possible, the medical community has debunked the vast majority of these fears, and groups including the World Health Organization and the American Academy of Pediatrics encourage vaccination. Chickenpox is a viral infection that causes a blister-like rash, itching, and fever. In serious cases, it can lead to complications like inflammation of the brain, pneumonia and death. The virus spreads through contact or coughing and sneezing, though it is not as contagious as measles, which can be spread without any contact. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends vaccinating children between one and 12 years of age. Though serious cases are uncommon, the CDC says chickenpox spreads easily and can be deadly. The chickenpox vaccine was licensed in the US in 1995. According to the CDC, the vaccine has prevented 3.5 million cases of varicella, 9,000 hospitalisations and 100 deaths annually in the US. And though some individuals may still get chickenpox with the vaccine, it is very effective at preventing severe or life-threatening cases. Vaccinating also helps protect susceptible individuals who are unable to get the vaccine, like pregnant women, infants younger than one-year-old and cancer patients. In the UK, the chickenpox vaccine is listed as an optional childhood vaccine.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3591, "answer_start": 2490, "text": "Chickenpox is a viral infection that causes a blister-like rash, itching, and fever. In serious cases, it can lead to complications like inflammation of the brain, pneumonia and death. The virus spreads through contact or coughing and sneezing, though it is not as contagious as measles, which can be spread without any contact. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends vaccinating children between one and 12 years of age. Though serious cases are uncommon, the CDC says chickenpox spreads easily and can be deadly. The chickenpox vaccine was licensed in the US in 1995. According to the CDC, the vaccine has prevented 3.5 million cases of varicella, 9,000 hospitalisations and 100 deaths annually in the US. And though some individuals may still get chickenpox with the vaccine, it is very effective at preventing severe or life-threatening cases. Vaccinating also helps protect susceptible individuals who are unable to get the vaccine, like pregnant women, infants younger than one-year-old and cancer patients. In the UK, the chickenpox vaccine is listed as an optional childhood vaccine." } ], "id": "9895_0", "question": "How serious is chickenpox?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Bono urged US President-elect Donald Trump to prioritise gender equality as he accepted Glamour magazine's inaugural Man of the Year award. The U2 frontman was recognised after his One campaign launched a Poverty is Sexist movement last year. \"I say to the president-elect: look across to women, make equality a priority, it is the only way forward.\" Mr Trump has been widely criticised by his detractors for his attitude towards women. Women's groups and feminist associations are organising a mass protest in Washington DC for 21 January, the day after Mr Trump will be sworn into office. Many take issue with his previous comments about women, and are concerned that he has been accused by women of sexual assault. Mr Trump has denied all sexual assault allegations and said \"no one respects women more than I do.\" At the ceremony for Glamour's Women of the Year Awards in Los Angeles, Bono said: \"I know how ridiculous it is for me to be on this stage accepting this award. But if I didn't know how ridiculous it was, I did have the blessed internet to remind me. \"As my daughter Jordan says, there is nowhere on earth where women have the same opportunities as men,\" he added. \"Unless we address this problem, both men and women together, the world will continue down this misogynistic, violent and impoverished path. \"The train is leaving the station, be on it or be under it.\" Other winners included International Monetary Fund (IMF) chief Christine Lagarde, who won the lifetime achievement award, Olympic gymnast Simone Biles and singer Gwen Stefani. Patrisse Cullors, Opal Tometi, and Alicia Garza, the founders of the #BlackLivesMatter campaign, were also recognised. It was set up in the US three years ago in response to police killings of black men. Many on social media felt it was risible to give a man of the year award at a women's event. Indeed, the irony wasn't lost on Bono himself, who described it as \"ridiculous\". Comedy writer Travon Free tweeted \"Does Glamour magazine know giving Bono the Woman of the Year award to try to undo patriarchy undercuts the entire point of the award?\" Another user named Stephanie Peat tweeted: \"Bono has been named Glamour's woman of the year. To be fair with only 3.7 billion women it must be tough to find a worthy one.\" But a friend of the star's, CNN's Christiane Amanpour, wrote a robust defence of the decision, arguing that men should take women's issues on board. And Glamour's editor-in-chief Cindi Leive said they had talked for years about including a man but had always ruled it out. But she said \"it started to seem that that might be an outdated way of looking at things\". \"There are so many men who really are doing wonderful things for women these days. Some men get it and Bono is one of those guys,\" she said. At the ceremony, actress Amber Heard read the victim impact statement of the survivor of the Stanford sexual assault case, known only as Emily Doe. The letter went viral earlier this year amid criticism of the six-month sentence handed to former swimming champion Brock Turner for sexually assaulting an unconscious woman in 2015. He was released in September after serving half of his term. Heard and Hollywood star Johnny Depp settled their divorce earlier this year, saying neither of them intended to cause the other any physical or emotional harm. In a joint statement, the pair acknowledged their relationship had been \"volatile\". Follow us on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, on Instagram at bbcnewsents, or if you have a story suggestion email [email protected].", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2784, "answer_start": 1764, "text": "Many on social media felt it was risible to give a man of the year award at a women's event. Indeed, the irony wasn't lost on Bono himself, who described it as \"ridiculous\". Comedy writer Travon Free tweeted \"Does Glamour magazine know giving Bono the Woman of the Year award to try to undo patriarchy undercuts the entire point of the award?\" Another user named Stephanie Peat tweeted: \"Bono has been named Glamour's woman of the year. To be fair with only 3.7 billion women it must be tough to find a worthy one.\" But a friend of the star's, CNN's Christiane Amanpour, wrote a robust defence of the decision, arguing that men should take women's issues on board. And Glamour's editor-in-chief Cindi Leive said they had talked for years about including a man but had always ruled it out. But she said \"it started to seem that that might be an outdated way of looking at things\". \"There are so many men who really are doing wonderful things for women these days. Some men get it and Bono is one of those guys,\" she said." } ], "id": "9896_0", "question": "Why did Bono get the award?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Last week, the pop star and actress Janelle Monae came out as pansexual in an interview with Rolling Stone. The singer, who had previously kept her sexuality private, said she'd \"been in relationships with both men and women\" and was still exploring her identity. Her interview prompted an outpouring of support, but some felt Rolling Stone's headline - \"Janelle Monae Frees Herself\" - was patronising. Speaking online, though, the star said she was relaxed about the coverage. \"Yeah, that happens\", Monae told a fan on Reddit who called the headline and others like it, \"reductive\". \"I'm also free to let that slide off my back. \"Being an artist sometimes means allowing others to use your image to push an idea based off of something you say or create. \"In this case, I think that there are a lot of people who may find courage in the story (at least I hope).\" She continued: \"I'm not in the business of clickbait and what makes people click on something. I'm just trying to be honest and hope that it resonates with the people it's supposed to resonate with.\" In the Rolling Stone article, Monae - who recently starred in the Oscar-nominated films Moonlight and Hidden Figures - said she had initially considered herself bisexual but once she'd read about pansexuality, she realised: \"Oh, these are things that I identify with too.\" \"I'm open to learning more about who I am,\" she told the music magazine. The interview prompted a spike in web searches for the term \"pansexual\", with the Merriam Webster dictionary reporting an 11,000% increase in people looking up the definition. The LGBT group GLAAD says pansexuality covers \"anyone attracted to people of all genders or sexes, or regardless of sex or gender.\" Some people use bisexual and pansexual interchangeably - with the latter term coined because of unease over the idea that \"bi\" implied \"binary\". However, either label can include people who are attracted to those who are trans, gender-fluid, androgynous, intersex and more. Monae's new album, Dirty Computer, acknowledges her sexuality with a sense of liberation and self-belief, while addressing the struggles facing marginalised communities in Trump's America. Taking part in one of Reddit's \"Ask Me Anything\" sessions on Wednesday, the star received dozens of messages thanking her for the album's message. \"As a black queer kid with autism, I really felt empowered by Dirty Computer and how free you were within the lyrics,\" wrote one, to which Monae responded: \"From one dirty computer to another, thank you.\" Another fan discussed the short film accompanying the album, which sees the star singing with Big Little Lies actress Zoe Kravitz and in a romantic relationship with Thor and Westworld star Tessa Thompson. \"Would you ever consider appearing in their acting projects?\" Monae was asked. \"R u kidding?,\" Monae wrote. \"I'm on set already.\" 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": 1990, "answer_start": 1585, "text": "The LGBT group GLAAD says pansexuality covers \"anyone attracted to people of all genders or sexes, or regardless of sex or gender.\" Some people use bisexual and pansexual interchangeably - with the latter term coined because of unease over the idea that \"bi\" implied \"binary\". However, either label can include people who are attracted to those who are trans, gender-fluid, androgynous, intersex and more." } ], "id": "9897_0", "question": "What does pansexual mean?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "In 2014, the International Space Station had to move three times to avoid lethal chunks of space debris. The problem also threatens crucial and costly satellites in orbit. So what is the scale of the space junk problem, and what can we do about it? Forty-five years ago the associate director of science at Nasa's Marshall Space Flight Center, Ernst Stuhlinger, an original member of Wernher von Braun's Operation Paperclip team, was asked by Sister Mary Jucunda, a Zambia-based nun, how he could suggest spending billions of dollars on spaceflight when many children were starving on Earth. Today, Stuhlinger's response still provides a powerful justification for the costs associated with space research. \"It is certainly not by accident that we begin to see the tremendous tasks waiting for us at a time when the young space age has provided us the first good look at our own planet,\" he said. \"Very fortunately though, the space age not only holds out a mirror in which we can see ourselves, it also provides us with the technologies, the challenge, the motivation, and even with the optimism to attack these tasks with confidence.\" In the intervening years, the maturing space infrastructure has supported our new and ongoing efforts to tackle global health, hunger, poverty, education, disaster risk reduction, energy security and climate change. Indeed, we have made great use of Stuhlinger's \"mirror\" to meet many of society's biggest challenges. Sadly, the space environment has borne the brunt of our increasing reliance on satellites and our long-lived belief that \"space is big\". More than 5,000 launches since the start of the space age, each carrying satellites for Earth observation, or communications, for example, have resulted in space becoming increasingly congested and contested. The issue has been examined for a BBC Horizon documentary on BBC Two. Now, the US Space Surveillance Network is tracking tens of thousands of objects larger than a tennis ball orbiting above us, and we suspect that there are one hundred million objects larger than 1mm in the environment. Due to their enormous orbital speed (17,000 mph), each one of these objects carries with it the potential to damage or destroy the satellites that we now depend on. Perhaps the most visible symptoms of the space junk problem are the regular collision avoidance manoeuvres being performed by the International Space Station (ISS), and the increasingly frequent and alarming need for its occupants to \"shelter-in-place\" when a piece of junk is detected too late for a manoeuvre. The systems on the ISS that provide vital life support are also responsible for its unique vulnerability to a debris impact - a pressurised module in a vacuum might behave like a balloon if punctured. The recent \"red conjunction\" (where a piece of debris comes close enough to pose a threat to the space station) involving a fragment from a Russian satellite on 17 July this year was yet another demonstration of the growing threat from space junk. Thanks to the hit film \"Gravity\", and the Oscar-nominated performance of Sandra Bullock, we can now readily appreciate the anxiety that must be felt by the astronauts and cosmonauts aboard the International Space Station whenever they receive such a \"red conjunction\" call. In spite of these occurrences, the space station is actually orbiting at an altitude where the number of debris is relatively low. At higher altitudes the amount of space junk is substantially greater, but only robotic spacecraft are exposed there. Nevertheless, these satellites are some of the most valuable for understanding our planet. Due to this congestion, there is an increasing chance that the space junk population could become self-sustaining. That is, more junk could be created by collisions than is removed through the natural decay caused by atmospheric drag. Indeed, we already have some experience of this: in February 2009 two relatively small satellites collided over Siberia creating about 2,000 new fragments that could be tracked, with many still orbiting today and regularly passing close to other satellites. - 500,000 pieces of space debris between 1 and 10cm - More than 21,000 pieces larger than 10cm - More than 100 million pieces below 1cm - Most orbital debris is within 2,000km of the Earth's surface - The greatest concentrations of debris are found at 750-800km - Travel up to speeds of 28,163 km/h (17,500 mph) - Only 7% of space junk is functional Sources: Nasa, Esa Self-sustaining collision activity is something else that the film Gravity showed us. Dubbed the \"Kessler Syndrome\" after the Nasa scientist Don Kessler (now retired) who recognised and described this process with Burton Cour-Palais in 1978, such a scenario is a real - albeit often exaggerated - possibility. Concerns of an uncontrollable growth of the space junk population and the loss of key satellites that enable us to address our society's problems have prompted scientists to look for ways to remove junk from space: If we can remove the problematic junk, then we can stall or even prevent the Kessler Syndrome. This is no easy task, however, requiring new technologies, potentially new laws and - crucially - financial investment. The European Space Agency (Esa) is taking the lead, working on a mission it calls \"e.Deorbit\" that has the objective of removing a large European satellite from space. The mission is ambitious; numerous technologies have been developed and assessed, including a solution based on a harpoon proposed by UK engineers from Airbus Defence and Space. It is also not without risk, but a successful outcome will surely show the space-faring world that a technical solution to the space junk problem exists, even if the political, legal and financial issues have yet to be solved. The e.Deorbit mission will face key hurdles in 2016: its systems requirements review and the Esa Ministerial Council meeting, where approval (and funding) to proceed with the mission will be debated. - Objects as small as 3mm can be detected by ground-based radars - Assessment of the particles smaller than 1mm is predicted by examining the impact surface of returned spacecraft - limited to those at altitudes below 600km - Air Force space junk surveillance currently tracks 21,000 pieces of space debris greater than 10cm - The US federal government has invested approx. $1bn on a new space tracking device - the Space Fence radar system, which can track up to 200,000 pieces of smaller debris Against the background of an increasing space junk problem, a renaissance is now taking place in space; what was the principal domain of governments and space agencies, with their large, multi-billion dollar satellites, is becoming the province of an emerging industry that is revolutionising the use of space. Diminutive companies and start-ups, in particular, are showing how small budgets do not necessarily mean small ambitions. For example, San Francisco's Planet Labs, are using \"cubesats\" to redefine the market for Earth imagery. Their Dove satellites are smaller than a briefcase, yet have the capability to deliver high-resolution images of the Earth for a multitude of purposes. With plans by other companies, including SpaceX and OneWeb, to develop large constellations of small, low-cost satellites, there is some concern within space agencies about the long-term consequences of the ubiquitous and rapid commercialisation of space. In particular, these concerns focus on the abrupt increase in the number of satellites orbiting the Earth, which could substantially increase the need for collision avoidance manoeuvres and hasten the onset of the Kessler Syndrome. In 2014, Brian Weeden, a technical adviser for the Secure World Foundation, described space junk as a \"super wicked problem.\" Such problems, he explained, are particularly challenging to solve because time is running out, there is no central authority providing guidance or support, those seeking to solve the problem are also causing the problem, and the solutions are left for future generations to find. The critical first step in tackling super wicked problems is to expand the group of people who support measures that reduce the risk. Indeed, there are encouraging signs that both old and new space actors understand the need to mitigate negative impacts of their activities in space and to limit the consequences for other space users. Several companies, including Planet Labs and OneWeb have affirmed their commitment to tackle the space junk problem in the public domain. However, much work is still needed to fully understand the problem, develop technologies (such as e.Deorbit), remove legal and political barriers, and to increase awareness. The Kessler Syndrome remains an ever-present threat. The space age has enabled global solutions to some of society's biggest challenges, just as Ernst Stuhlinger described in his letter to Sister Mary Jucunda. It has also held out a mirror and shown us that a continuing disregard for the space environment will surely affect our ability to deliver these solutions, with potential consequences for millions of people. Hugh Lewis is a Senior Lecturer in Aerospace Engineering at the University of Southampton. He is also a member of the UK Space Agency delegation to the Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee and a member of the UK delegation to the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. HORIZON: The Trouble With Space Junk is on BBC Two at 2000 on Wednesday 5th August.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 7679, "answer_start": 6502, "text": "Against the background of an increasing space junk problem, a renaissance is now taking place in space; what was the principal domain of governments and space agencies, with their large, multi-billion dollar satellites, is becoming the province of an emerging industry that is revolutionising the use of space. Diminutive companies and start-ups, in particular, are showing how small budgets do not necessarily mean small ambitions. For example, San Francisco's Planet Labs, are using \"cubesats\" to redefine the market for Earth imagery. Their Dove satellites are smaller than a briefcase, yet have the capability to deliver high-resolution images of the Earth for a multitude of purposes. With plans by other companies, including SpaceX and OneWeb, to develop large constellations of small, low-cost satellites, there is some concern within space agencies about the long-term consequences of the ubiquitous and rapid commercialisation of space. In particular, these concerns focus on the abrupt increase in the number of satellites orbiting the Earth, which could substantially increase the need for collision avoidance manoeuvres and hasten the onset of the Kessler Syndrome." } ], "id": "9898_0", "question": "Small satellites: the future?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The presidential election in the Democratic Republic of Congo - due to take place on Sunday - is being postponed until March in three areas. The electoral commission blamed insecurity and an Ebola outbreak. The decision appears to cancel the votes of more than a million people because the new president is due to be sworn in by the middle of January. An opposition candidate, Martin Fayulu, earlier said any postponement would be an attempt to rig the election. Mr Kabila, who has been in office since 2001, was meant to have stepped down in 2016 under a constitutional prohibition from seeking an additional term. However, the election to choose his successor has been continually postponed, amid unrest and reported logistical difficulties. Opposition supporters suspect that he intends to cling on to power. The three areas are Beni and Butembo in eastern North Kivu Province and Yumbi in the west of the country. In Yumbi, at least 80 people were killed earlier this month and thousands have fled to neighbouring Congo-Brazzaville amid violence triggered by a dispute over where to bury a traditional chief. Beni has been affected by an Ebola outbreak that has killed at least 350 people since August. Nearby Butembo has seen attacks on civilians attributed to a Ugandan Islamist militia, the Allied Democratic Forces. However the area is also seen as an opposition stronghold and opposition supporters accused the government of attempting to disenfranchise them. Moise Katumbi, an opposition leader in exile who is supporting Mr Fayulu, said the move was \"unjustifiable\" and showed that \"the regime wants to be in power forever to continue its pillage\". Pro-democracy campaigner Leonnie Kandolo said publishing final results before all regions had voted showed the government was \"taking us for idiots\". On 21 December, the electoral commission said the vote was being delayed by another week, after admitting that it was not ready. The decision was condemned by opposition politicians. A delay in deploying voting materials to polling sites after a fire was behind the postponement, officials said. The blaze destroyed more than two-thirds of the electronic voting machines allocated for the capital Kinshasa, where four million people - 15% of the electorate - live, an official said. Meanwhile the government has accused Mr Fayulu of instigating election violence. Mr Fayulu's campaign has rejected the charge. Mr Kabila is backing former Interior Minister Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary in the election. DR Congo has not had an orderly change of government since it gained independence from Belgium in 1960.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1809, "answer_start": 812, "text": "The three areas are Beni and Butembo in eastern North Kivu Province and Yumbi in the west of the country. In Yumbi, at least 80 people were killed earlier this month and thousands have fled to neighbouring Congo-Brazzaville amid violence triggered by a dispute over where to bury a traditional chief. Beni has been affected by an Ebola outbreak that has killed at least 350 people since August. Nearby Butembo has seen attacks on civilians attributed to a Ugandan Islamist militia, the Allied Democratic Forces. However the area is also seen as an opposition stronghold and opposition supporters accused the government of attempting to disenfranchise them. Moise Katumbi, an opposition leader in exile who is supporting Mr Fayulu, said the move was \"unjustifiable\" and showed that \"the regime wants to be in power forever to continue its pillage\". Pro-democracy campaigner Leonnie Kandolo said publishing final results before all regions had voted showed the government was \"taking us for idiots\"." } ], "id": "9899_0", "question": "Why has voting been delayed in three areas?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2612, "answer_start": 1810, "text": "On 21 December, the electoral commission said the vote was being delayed by another week, after admitting that it was not ready. The decision was condemned by opposition politicians. A delay in deploying voting materials to polling sites after a fire was behind the postponement, officials said. The blaze destroyed more than two-thirds of the electronic voting machines allocated for the capital Kinshasa, where four million people - 15% of the electorate - live, an official said. Meanwhile the government has accused Mr Fayulu of instigating election violence. Mr Fayulu's campaign has rejected the charge. Mr Kabila is backing former Interior Minister Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary in the election. DR Congo has not had an orderly change of government since it gained independence from Belgium in 1960." } ], "id": "9899_1", "question": "What other issues have there been?" } ] } ]