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[ { "context": "A giant inflatable duck could be heading home after blowing away from a beach in Western Australia last week. Daphne the duck, set to play a part in an annual ocean swimming competition, went missing on 11 March off Coogee Beach in Perth. After a week-long search, and reported sightings hundreds of miles away, Daphne has popped up not far from where she blew away. Local Toby Gibb found her on a fishing trip the day she disappeared. Mr Gibb told the BBC he found the duck at around 06:30 - only an hour or so after Daphne went missing. He is meeting Cockburn Masters Swimming Club chairman Peter Marr on Wednesday about returning the duck. Daphne, an inflatable duck the size of a small caravan, was to be used in the 22nd annual Coogee Jetty to Jetty Swim, a local ocean swimming competition. The Cockburn Masters swimming club organises the event, and chairman Mr Marr told the BBC that Daphne - \"a massive old girl\" - was to be a marker for competitors in the water, \"but she had other ideas\". Around 05:00 on the day of the competition, Mr Marr rolled Daphne down to the beach to set her up in the water, but the winds were too strong. \"She flew out of my hands,\" said Mr Marr. \"I stripped off to chase after her but I couldn't catch her.\" The club launched an appeal online for help finding the mascot. The idea for using Daphne as a turning buoy came from bingo. 22 in the game is known as two little ducks, and this is the 22nd swimming competition. The club also gave out 1,100 small rubber ducks to all attendants. But during the event, they had to use another turning buoy. \"We had to blow up another turning buoy, a boring green cone - barely an adequate replacement,\" said Mr Marr. \"The number of kids who expressed their disappointment added to the angst of losing the duck.\" The fear was that Daphne - who cost the club A$900 ($694; PS500) - had blown off into the Indian Ocean, and would never be seen again. There were reported sightings of the duck as far away as Geraldton, 270 miles (440km) north of Perth. But ultimately, Daphne was found just off Rottnest Island west of the city. After finding it, Mr Gibb towed Daphne along as company for a day of fishing. \"We drove around with it tied to the back,\" he said, until Daphne began circling around the boat. \"It started being a pain in the arse... I was concerned the ropes would get caught in the motor.\" Daphne was deflated, taken back to shore, and has been at his home in the suburb of Gosnells ever since. Mr Marr is going to meet Mr Gibb on Wednesday to \"secure her release\". As a reward, Mr Marr said the club plans to offer up branded merchandise, a free family pass for the competition next year, and \"a bottle of vodka\". \"I'm sure we can find a mutually acceptable proposal,\" he said. Reporting by the BBC's Toby Luckhurst", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1791, "answer_start": 643, "text": "Daphne, an inflatable duck the size of a small caravan, was to be used in the 22nd annual Coogee Jetty to Jetty Swim, a local ocean swimming competition. The Cockburn Masters swimming club organises the event, and chairman Mr Marr told the BBC that Daphne - \"a massive old girl\" - was to be a marker for competitors in the water, \"but she had other ideas\". Around 05:00 on the day of the competition, Mr Marr rolled Daphne down to the beach to set her up in the water, but the winds were too strong. \"She flew out of my hands,\" said Mr Marr. \"I stripped off to chase after her but I couldn't catch her.\" The club launched an appeal online for help finding the mascot. The idea for using Daphne as a turning buoy came from bingo. 22 in the game is known as two little ducks, and this is the 22nd swimming competition. The club also gave out 1,100 small rubber ducks to all attendants. But during the event, they had to use another turning buoy. \"We had to blow up another turning buoy, a boring green cone - barely an adequate replacement,\" said Mr Marr. \"The number of kids who expressed their disappointment added to the angst of losing the duck.\"" } ], "id": "9900_0", "question": "Who is Daphne?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2483, "answer_start": 1792, "text": "The fear was that Daphne - who cost the club A$900 ($694; PS500) - had blown off into the Indian Ocean, and would never be seen again. There were reported sightings of the duck as far away as Geraldton, 270 miles (440km) north of Perth. But ultimately, Daphne was found just off Rottnest Island west of the city. After finding it, Mr Gibb towed Daphne along as company for a day of fishing. \"We drove around with it tied to the back,\" he said, until Daphne began circling around the boat. \"It started being a pain in the arse... I was concerned the ropes would get caught in the motor.\" Daphne was deflated, taken back to shore, and has been at his home in the suburb of Gosnells ever since." } ], "id": "9900_1", "question": "Where did Daphne go?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "President Donald Trump has vowed to \"get to the bottom\" of the case of missing Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Mr Trump told reporters he had talked to the Saudi authorities \"at the highest level\" about Mr Khashoggi. Mr Khashoggi, a US resident and critic of the Saudi monarchy, entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on 2 October and has not been seen since. Turkish authorities say Mr Khashoggi was killed. Saudi Arabia denies this. \"We cannot let this happen to reporters, to anybody,\" Mr Trump said on Wednesday. \"We're demanding everything. We want to see what's going on there.\" The White House said Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and senior officials had spoken to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman on Tuesday and asked for more details about the situation. Both Turkey and Saudi Arabia are allies of the United States. Earlier on Wednesday, Turkish media outlets published CCTV footage which they say shows evidence of a plot linked to Mr Khashoggi's disappearance. It shows purported Saudi intelligence officers entering and leaving Turkey via Istanbul airport. Broadcast by Turkey's TRT World channel and apparently obtained from security cameras, the footage shows vehicles driving up to the consulate, including black vans thought to be central to inquiries. Groups of men thought to be Saudi are seen entering Turkey via Istanbul airport, checking in at hotels and later leaving the country. Turkish investigators are looking into two Saudi Gulfstream jets that landed at the airport on 2 October. The video shows aircraft waiting on the tarmac. Mr Khashoggi was visiting the consulate to finalise his divorce so he could marry his fiancee, Hatice Cengiz. He is seen on the video entering the consulate while she waits outside. Turkey's Sabah newspaper reports that it has identified 15 members of an intelligence team it says was involved in the Saudi's disappearance. Among them was a forensics expert, it says. Turkey says it will conduct a search of the Istanbul consulate, while Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry said the country was \"open to co-operation\" and a search of the building could go ahead. By Mark Lowen, BBC News, Istanbul With every day, leaks from the Turkish investigation are drip-fed to the media here - and hope that Jamal Khashoggi might still be alive fades further. A government source has told me President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is sounding more cautious than the leaks, because if he were to echo the allegations that Mr Khashoggi was murdered, it would mean kicking out the Saudi ambassador and consul general by now. So the Turks are giving the Saudis a little breathing room to put forward their argument, while releasing bits of incriminating information to tighten the screws. So far, I'm told, the Saudis haven't been co-operating - hence Ankara releasing the names of the alleged Saudi hit squad on Wednesday. There are plenty of gruesome rumours flying around over what happened to Jamal Khashoggi. Saudi Arabia still insists it's all baseless. But this is not simply one side's word against the other. It's video evidence, photos and intelligence against a claim of innocence so far not backed up. A critic of the crown prince, Mr Khashoggi was living in self-imposed exile in the US and writing opinion pieces for the Washington Post before his disappearance. A former editor of the al-Watan newspaper, he was for years seen as close to the Saudi royal family. He served as an adviser to senior Saudi officials. But after several of his friends were arrested, his column was cancelled by the al-Hayat newspaper and he was allegedly warned to stop tweeting, Mr Khashoggi left Saudi Arabia for the US. Last week, the crown prince told Bloomberg News that his government was \"very keen to know what happened to him\", and that Mr Khashoggi had left \"after a few minutes or one hour\".", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2125, "answer_start": 1079, "text": "Broadcast by Turkey's TRT World channel and apparently obtained from security cameras, the footage shows vehicles driving up to the consulate, including black vans thought to be central to inquiries. Groups of men thought to be Saudi are seen entering Turkey via Istanbul airport, checking in at hotels and later leaving the country. Turkish investigators are looking into two Saudi Gulfstream jets that landed at the airport on 2 October. The video shows aircraft waiting on the tarmac. Mr Khashoggi was visiting the consulate to finalise his divorce so he could marry his fiancee, Hatice Cengiz. He is seen on the video entering the consulate while she waits outside. Turkey's Sabah newspaper reports that it has identified 15 members of an intelligence team it says was involved in the Saudi's disappearance. Among them was a forensics expert, it says. Turkey says it will conduct a search of the Istanbul consulate, while Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry said the country was \"open to co-operation\" and a search of the building could go ahead." } ], "id": "9901_0", "question": "What else does the video show?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3836, "answer_start": 3154, "text": "A critic of the crown prince, Mr Khashoggi was living in self-imposed exile in the US and writing opinion pieces for the Washington Post before his disappearance. A former editor of the al-Watan newspaper, he was for years seen as close to the Saudi royal family. He served as an adviser to senior Saudi officials. But after several of his friends were arrested, his column was cancelled by the al-Hayat newspaper and he was allegedly warned to stop tweeting, Mr Khashoggi left Saudi Arabia for the US. Last week, the crown prince told Bloomberg News that his government was \"very keen to know what happened to him\", and that Mr Khashoggi had left \"after a few minutes or one hour\"." } ], "id": "9901_1", "question": "Who is Jamal Khashoggi?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The candidate of a united opposition front claims he has ousted the sitting president of the Maldives. Ibrahim Mohamed Solih holds an unbeatable lead over Abdulla Yameen, with 437 of 472 ballot boxes counted, media in the Indian Ocean islands say. But the national electoral commission has not yet announced any results. Observers had believed the election was rigged in favour of Mr Yameen, who favours closer ties with China, while Mr Solih leans towards India. President Yameen's government stands accused of crushing dissent. Police raided opposition headquarters on the eve of the vote. Mr Solih said his win was \"a moment of happiness, a moment of hope\" and urged a peaceful transition of power for the Indian Ocean archipelago. He said he had won by a 16% margin over Mr Yameen, with 92% of votes counted. The head of Mr Solih's Maldivian Democratic Party said the result would \"bring the country back to the democratic path\". The European Union and US voiced concerns about the election, with both threatening to impose targeted sanctions if the democratic situation did not improve. The Maldives is made up of 26 coral atolls and 1,192 islands, and tourism is a vital part of its economy. More than 400,000 people live there but its future hangs in the balance due to climate change. Polls opened at 08:00 (03:00 GMT) on Sunday, and closed three hours later than expected, at 19:00, due to long queues. By Olivia Lang, BBC News If Abdulla Yameen hoped this election would allow him to consolidate power over the island nation, it has sorely backfired. Despite the odds, the opposition appears to have pulled off a decisive win. When the provisional results came in, Mr Solih was quick to claim victory and call for a peaceful transfer of power. Mr Yameen, on the other hand, met the results with silence. In the streets of Male, there is cautious jubilation from opposition supporters, but also unease. They do not trust the president to concede without a fight. And as the wait grows longer, that unease will only spread. The archipelago has been gripped by political upheaval in recent years. In February the Supreme Court quashed the convictions of nine opposition figures, among them exiled ex-President Mohamed Nasheed, who was ousted from office in 2012. But after President Yameen declared a state of emergency and ordered the arrest of two judges, the court reversed its decision. The move was seen as a sign that Mr Yameen - who is seeking to win another five-year term - would not tolerate any challenge to his rule and sparked criticism from Washington, London and New Delhi. Some in India, meanwhile, called for an intervention in a small, neighbouring country once seen as firmly within its sphere of influence. Mr Nasheed also appealed for Indian military intervention. As part of Beijing's push to gain strategic influence and carve out new trading routes in the Indian Ocean and beyond, it has lent billions for huge infrastructural projects in Pakistan and Sri Lanka, and operates key ports in those countries, to the chagrin of India. Under Mr Yameen, the Maldives has also welcomed Chinese money for major projects and signed a free trade agreement. More tourists from China now visit the Maldives than from any other country. Analysts say that Beijing fears any change in government that could affect its interests, while India is concerned about Mr Yameen's cosy ties with its regional rival. \"India sees it all in a very securitised sense that here are all these Chinese-backed ports around it,\" said Gareth Price, a South Asia expert at the think-tank Chatham House, referring to Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Delhi thus sees China's lavishing of loans on the Maldives as part of a wider strategic ambition to secure another foothold in the Indian Ocean, he added. International monitors have been barred from the country for the election, and very few foreign media have been allowed in. On Saturday, police officers searched the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party office in Male without a warrant, the party said. A police spokesperson confirmed the raid to the BBC, without providing further details. The commission's spokesman said allegations of possible voter fraud \"don't have any basis in reality\" and that the vote counting process has not changed. Mr Yameen has shrugged off accusations of authoritarianism, saying during the campaign: \"No-one will come to greet me and shake my hand, if there is tyranny.\" His half-brother, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, ran the country autocratically for three decades until the archipelago's first-ever democratic vote in 2008, which was won by Mr Nasheed. Mr Gayoom was jailed in June.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2793, "answer_start": 2033, "text": "The archipelago has been gripped by political upheaval in recent years. In February the Supreme Court quashed the convictions of nine opposition figures, among them exiled ex-President Mohamed Nasheed, who was ousted from office in 2012. But after President Yameen declared a state of emergency and ordered the arrest of two judges, the court reversed its decision. The move was seen as a sign that Mr Yameen - who is seeking to win another five-year term - would not tolerate any challenge to his rule and sparked criticism from Washington, London and New Delhi. Some in India, meanwhile, called for an intervention in a small, neighbouring country once seen as firmly within its sphere of influence. Mr Nasheed also appealed for Indian military intervention." } ], "id": "9902_0", "question": "What's the situation in the Maldives?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3791, "answer_start": 2794, "text": "As part of Beijing's push to gain strategic influence and carve out new trading routes in the Indian Ocean and beyond, it has lent billions for huge infrastructural projects in Pakistan and Sri Lanka, and operates key ports in those countries, to the chagrin of India. Under Mr Yameen, the Maldives has also welcomed Chinese money for major projects and signed a free trade agreement. More tourists from China now visit the Maldives than from any other country. Analysts say that Beijing fears any change in government that could affect its interests, while India is concerned about Mr Yameen's cosy ties with its regional rival. \"India sees it all in a very securitised sense that here are all these Chinese-backed ports around it,\" said Gareth Price, a South Asia expert at the think-tank Chatham House, referring to Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Delhi thus sees China's lavishing of loans on the Maldives as part of a wider strategic ambition to secure another foothold in the Indian Ocean, he added." } ], "id": "9902_1", "question": "What does China have to do with this?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4654, "answer_start": 3792, "text": "International monitors have been barred from the country for the election, and very few foreign media have been allowed in. On Saturday, police officers searched the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party office in Male without a warrant, the party said. A police spokesperson confirmed the raid to the BBC, without providing further details. The commission's spokesman said allegations of possible voter fraud \"don't have any basis in reality\" and that the vote counting process has not changed. Mr Yameen has shrugged off accusations of authoritarianism, saying during the campaign: \"No-one will come to greet me and shake my hand, if there is tyranny.\" His half-brother, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, ran the country autocratically for three decades until the archipelago's first-ever democratic vote in 2008, which was won by Mr Nasheed. Mr Gayoom was jailed in June." } ], "id": "9902_2", "question": "Was it a fair election?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Steve Bannon, ex-chief strategist to US President Donald Trump, has refused to answer a broad range of questions at a committee hearing probing alleged links between the Trump campaign and Russia. Mr Bannon was called to testify to the House Intelligence Committee about his time working for Mr Trump. He was questioned behind closed doors on Tuesday in a 10-hour meeting. Mr Bannon's lawyer relayed questions to the White House, and was told when not to respond, AP news agency reports. A Democrat on the committee said Mr Bannon was under a White House \"gag order\". Representative Adam Schiff said that Mr Bannon's lawyer had cited \"executive privilege\" - which allows the president to keep information from the public. He said that Mr Bannon had refused to answer questions related to his time at the White House, or the transition to the new administration. \"Steve Bannon and his attorney asserted a remarkably broad definition of executive privilege,\" Jim Himes, a Democratic member of the committee, told CNN. The panel issued a subpoena to compel him to return for a second round. His first appearance was voluntary. Mr Bannon's representatives have made no comment. Asked if the White House had told him not to answer certain questions, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said: \"No-one has encouraged him to be anything but transparent.\" She said Congress had to consult with the White House prior to obtaining confidential material. Republican member Mike Conaway told the press that Mr Bannon was \"not an executive\", and the committee was \"going to resolve the issues to get the answers''. Earlier on Tuesday, it was reported that Mr Bannon had been issued with another subpoena, this time from former FBI director Robert Mueller, who is leading the inquiry into alleged Russian collusion during the 2016 election campaign. Mr Bannon \"intends to fully cooperate with Mueller\", a source told Axios, a Washington DC political news outlet. Mr Mueller's grand jury and the Congressional panel are separate investigations. FBI agents went to Mr Bannon's home in Washington DC last week to serve him with the grand jury subpoena, according to NBC News. But the agents were unaware that he had retained a lawyer, William Burck, who is also representing two other ex-Trump officials that have been questioned as part of the Mueller probe. The agents then delivered the order to Mr Burck instead, the networks reports. He helped shape Mr Trump's \"America First\" election campaign message and served as one of his closest aides before being pushed out of his role in August. He recently fell out with Mr Trump publicly after reportedly making comments about the president and his family in a newly published book, Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House, by Michael Wolff. He was quoted as calling a meeting in June 2016 between Mr Trump's son Donald Jr and a group of Russians \"treasonous\". The House Intelligence Committee is one of four investigations being conducted by Congress into the alleged collusion, with others launched by the Senate Intelligence Committee, the Senate Judiciary Committee and the House Oversight Committee. Four people have been charged: - Mr Trump's former campaign manager, Paul Manafort, and Rick Gates, a campaign aide, pleaded not guilty to all charges including allegations of money laundering unrelated to the 2016 election - George Papadopoulos, a former Trump campaign adviser, admitted lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russians - Michael Flynn, a former national security adviser to the Trump administration, pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI over meetings he had with Russian ambassador Sergei Kislyak", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3142, "answer_start": 2899, "text": "The House Intelligence Committee is one of four investigations being conducted by Congress into the alleged collusion, with others launched by the Senate Intelligence Committee, the Senate Judiciary Committee and the House Oversight Committee." } ], "id": "9903_0", "question": "Why was Mr Bannon in Congress?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "US President Donald Trump has angrily lashed out at Democratic leaders' claims he is engaged in a \"cover-up\". \"I don't do cover-ups,\" the Republican president said in an unscheduled briefing from the White House. His remarks came after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi met fellow Democrats to discuss impeaching the president. Mr Trump is fighting congressional inquiries by ignoring subpoenas, withholding documents and blocking testimony by current and ex-advisers. The president spoke minutes after cutting short a planned meeting with the two top Democratic leaders on Capitol Hill. The trio were due to discuss spending on ageing US roads and bridges, a rare possible area of agreement between the White House and its political antagonists. But Mr Trump abruptly left the discussion with House of Representatives leader Mrs Pelosi and her Senate counterpart Chuck Schumer after barely five minutes. The president then appeared in the Rose Garden to make a surprise statement, condemning \"phoney investigations\" by Democrats. Mr Trump also charged his political opponents with \"abuse\" and railed against their invoking of \"the big i word\" - impeachment. According to CBS News, Mr Trump walked into the meeting with Mrs Pelosi and Mr Schumer and did not shake either's hand or sit down. An unnamed source familiar with the encounter said Mr Trump upbraided the House speaker for her \"terrible\" allegation earlier in the day about a cover-up. The president demanded Democrats end their investigations against him, or he would not discuss anything else, then abruptly left the room. Mrs Pelosi did not back down, later specifically mentioning the US constitutional process for removing a president from office. She said at an event in Washington: \"The fact is, in plain sight in the public domain, this president is obstructing justice and he's engaged in a cover-up - and that could be an impeachable offence.\" At a press conference earlier with Mrs Pelosi, Mr Schumer accused Mr Trump of \"running away\". \"When we got in the room, the curtains were closed,\" the New York senator said about their brief meeting. \"There was a place for him at the front so he could stand and attempt to tell us why he wouldn't do infrastructure, and of course, then he went to the Rose Garden with prepared signs that had been printed long before our meeting.\" After the Mueller investigation concluded, Donald Trump and his advocates cheered what they saw as a cloud over the White House finally lifting. It turns out, however, the political weather is still gloomy. Congressional Democrats have picked up the mantle of the inquiry, issuing a flurry of subpoenas. Now Mr Trump, in what was clearly a pre-planned response, is pushing back. Co-operation and investigation, the president asserts, are mutually exclusive. Hopes of a legislative infrastructure deal have been dashed. Of greater immediate concern, however, is the status of negotiations on approving a new spending plan and raising the debt ceiling. If Republicans in Congress follow the president's lead and dig in their heels, a new round of budget crises could be on the way. An infrastructure plan appeared to be the best way for the president and Democrats to enact substantive legislation that they could take credit for on the 2020 campaign trail. If the current course continues, however, the two sides will instead be fighting over who should shoulder the most blame. Democrats on Capitol Hill have launched a number of oversight inquiries into Mr Trump, stemming from a special counsel report into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 US presidential election. Robert Mueller's investigation did not establish any conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Kremlin, but listed repeated instances of possible obstruction of justice by the president. On Wednesday alone, the president's political foes stepped closer towards obtaining his closely guarded accounts. A New York judge ruled that the president's financial records could be provided to Democratic lawmakers by Deutsche Bank and Capital One bank. And New York's Democratic-controlled state legislature approved a bill designed to unseal the president's tax returns, which he has repeatedly prevaricated about disclosing. Earlier this week, a federal judge ruled that Mr Trump could not block a subpoena ordering his accounting firm to turn over his financial records to Congress. On Monday, meanwhile, Mr Trump directed his former White House counsel Don McGahn to ignore a summons to testify to the House Judiciary Committee. The panel responded by issuing subpoenas to two former White House staff members, including ex-communications director Hope Hicks. As Mr Trump stonewalls congressional investigations, Mrs Pelosi has been trying to tamp down increasing clamour among her fellow Democrats for impeachment proceedings. On Wednesday, she met members of her party in a closed-door session and argued the time was not right for impeaching the president. It was as she emerged from this caucus meeting that Mrs Pelosi angered the president by suggesting to reporters that he was involved in a cover-up. The House leader has also said she believes the president is \"goading\" Democrats into pushing for impeachment. A freshman Democratic congresswoman, Katie Hill, told the Associated Press after Wednesday's meeting that impeachment was \"becoming an inevitability\" with every act of defiance from the president. Impeachment would need to be approved a majority in the Democratic-controlled House, but it would stand virtually no chance of passing the Republican-controlled Senate. Only two other presidents have been impeached: Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1577, "answer_start": 462, "text": "The president spoke minutes after cutting short a planned meeting with the two top Democratic leaders on Capitol Hill. The trio were due to discuss spending on ageing US roads and bridges, a rare possible area of agreement between the White House and its political antagonists. But Mr Trump abruptly left the discussion with House of Representatives leader Mrs Pelosi and her Senate counterpart Chuck Schumer after barely five minutes. The president then appeared in the Rose Garden to make a surprise statement, condemning \"phoney investigations\" by Democrats. Mr Trump also charged his political opponents with \"abuse\" and railed against their invoking of \"the big i word\" - impeachment. According to CBS News, Mr Trump walked into the meeting with Mrs Pelosi and Mr Schumer and did not shake either's hand or sit down. An unnamed source familiar with the encounter said Mr Trump upbraided the House speaker for her \"terrible\" allegation earlier in the day about a cover-up. The president demanded Democrats end their investigations against him, or he would not discuss anything else, then abruptly left the room." } ], "id": "9904_0", "question": "What did President Trump say?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2337, "answer_start": 1578, "text": "Mrs Pelosi did not back down, later specifically mentioning the US constitutional process for removing a president from office. She said at an event in Washington: \"The fact is, in plain sight in the public domain, this president is obstructing justice and he's engaged in a cover-up - and that could be an impeachable offence.\" At a press conference earlier with Mrs Pelosi, Mr Schumer accused Mr Trump of \"running away\". \"When we got in the room, the curtains were closed,\" the New York senator said about their brief meeting. \"There was a place for him at the front so he could stand and attempt to tell us why he wouldn't do infrastructure, and of course, then he went to the Rose Garden with prepared signs that had been printed long before our meeting.\"" } ], "id": "9904_1", "question": "How did Democrats respond?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5669, "answer_start": 4665, "text": "As Mr Trump stonewalls congressional investigations, Mrs Pelosi has been trying to tamp down increasing clamour among her fellow Democrats for impeachment proceedings. On Wednesday, she met members of her party in a closed-door session and argued the time was not right for impeaching the president. It was as she emerged from this caucus meeting that Mrs Pelosi angered the president by suggesting to reporters that he was involved in a cover-up. The House leader has also said she believes the president is \"goading\" Democrats into pushing for impeachment. A freshman Democratic congresswoman, Katie Hill, told the Associated Press after Wednesday's meeting that impeachment was \"becoming an inevitability\" with every act of defiance from the president. Impeachment would need to be approved a majority in the Democratic-controlled House, but it would stand virtually no chance of passing the Republican-controlled Senate. Only two other presidents have been impeached: Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton." } ], "id": "9904_2", "question": "Is there any chance of impeachment?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The leader of Sudan's interim military council has vowed to \"uproot the regime\" two days after a military coup. Speaking on TV, Lt-Gen Abdel Fattah Abdelrahman Burhan announced the restructuring of state institutions, the end of a night curfew and the release of political prisoners. Protests continue despite the ousting of long-time leader Omar al-Bashir. Demonstrators have demanded an immediate move to civilian rule and vow to stay in the streets. Gen Burhan, who replaced the coup leader after he resigned on Friday, also dissolved all provincial governments and pledged respect for human rights. The army would maintain \"peace, order and security\" across Sudan during an already announced transition period that would last at most two years until elections could be and civilian rule introduced, he added. Using a more conciliatory tone, Gen Burhan also called on the opposition to \"help us restore normal life\", promised to try those who killed demonstrators and vowed a war on corruption. The speech followed the resignation of feared security chief Gen Salah Gosh hours after the coup leader himself, Defence Minister Awad Ibn Auf, stepped aside. No official reason has been given for either departure. Later on Saturday the army named Lt Gen Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo as the deputy head of the Transitional Military Council. Known by the nickname \"Hemeti\", the general commands the paramilitary Rapid Support Force (RSF), which grew out of the government-backed Janjaweed militia. The Janjaweed are accused of carrying out atrocities in the western region of Darfur in the early 2000s. Opposition groups have met the military to discuss \"transitional arrangements\". Protester spokesman Mohammad Youssef al-Mustafa told the BBC they insisted on the immediate creation of a civilian government, but said military figures would be allowed a role in it. And according to the privately-owned Baj News website the leader of the opposition Sudanese Congress Party, Omar el-Digeir, said representatives had demanded a civilian government with \"full executive powers\" and a role for civilians during the transition. He also said they were waiting for the army to release jailed demonstrators, as promised. The Sudan Professionals Association (SPA), which has been spearheading the demonstrations, said the council's response \"did not achieve any of the demands of the people\" and urged protests to continue. Among its demands are the restructuring of state security, the arrest of \"corrupt leaders\" and the dissolution of militias that operated under former President Bashir. When Mr Bashir was removed, he was replaced by a military council led by Mr Ibn Auf. But demonstrators camping out outside army headquarters in the capital Khartoum refused to disperse, rejecting Mr Ibn Auf as an ally of Mr Bashir. Mr Ibn Auf was head of military intelligence during the Darfur conflict and the US imposed sanctions on him in 2007. On Friday the new leader announced he was resigning and being replaced by Gen Burhan, who is seen as a less controversial figure. Protestors have called for the abolition of \"arbitrary decisions by leaders that do not represent the people\" and the detention of \"all symbols of the former regime who were involved in crimes against the people\". \"Until these demands are fully met, we must continue with our sit-in at the General Command of the Armed Forces,\" the SPA said. On Saturday, Sudanese TV reported the resignation of Gen Gosh, head of the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) which has powerful forces within the capital. The general has been a key ally of Mr Bashir since the early 1990s and is among 17 Sudanese officials indicted for genocide, human right abuses and war crimes in the Darfur region by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in 2009. The NISS has extensive powers and influence, supervising the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. By Catherine Byaruhanga, BBC reporter The momentum is clearly with the protesters. They have forced out two powerful generals in just a matter of days. NISS, which Gen Gosh headed, exemplified the ruthlessness of security forces under Mr Bashir's regime. There is however anger that Gen Gosh is not being arrested for alleged human rights abuses. The SPA has called for the disbandment of NISS. And interestingly soon after Gen Gosh's resignation was announced, the SPA released the names of its negotiating team. In the past they said they would not publish any names for fear they would be targeted. The fact that they can do so now suggests there could be room for talks with the military council. But in his first address Gen Burhan insisted the council would govern for two years. This idea has been rejected by opposition groups who demand a civilian transitional government. They have asked for demonstrations to continue until this happens. He has also been indicted by the ICC on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur. But the military council has said it will not extradite Mr Bashir, who denies the charges, although he may be put on trial in Sudan. Mr Bashir's National Congress Party on Saturday called his overthrow unconstitutional, and demanded that the military council release the party's imprisoned members.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2573, "answer_start": 1593, "text": "Opposition groups have met the military to discuss \"transitional arrangements\". Protester spokesman Mohammad Youssef al-Mustafa told the BBC they insisted on the immediate creation of a civilian government, but said military figures would be allowed a role in it. And according to the privately-owned Baj News website the leader of the opposition Sudanese Congress Party, Omar el-Digeir, said representatives had demanded a civilian government with \"full executive powers\" and a role for civilians during the transition. He also said they were waiting for the army to release jailed demonstrators, as promised. The Sudan Professionals Association (SPA), which has been spearheading the demonstrations, said the council's response \"did not achieve any of the demands of the people\" and urged protests to continue. Among its demands are the restructuring of state security, the arrest of \"corrupt leaders\" and the dissolution of militias that operated under former President Bashir." } ], "id": "9905_0", "question": "What has the opposition said?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5241, "answer_start": 4842, "text": "He has also been indicted by the ICC on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur. But the military council has said it will not extradite Mr Bashir, who denies the charges, although he may be put on trial in Sudan. Mr Bashir's National Congress Party on Saturday called his overthrow unconstitutional, and demanded that the military council release the party's imprisoned members." } ], "id": "9905_1", "question": "What will happen to Bashir?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Labour has promised to give every home and business in the UK free full-fibre broadband by 2030, if it wins the general election. The party would nationalise part of BT to deliver the policy and introduce a tax on tech giants to help pay for it. Shadow chancellor John McDonnell told the BBC the \"visionary\" PS20bn plan would \"ensure that broadband reaches the whole of the country\". But Prime Minister Boris Johnson said it was \"a crackpot scheme\". The plan includes nationalising parts of BT - namely its digital network arm Openreach - to create a UK-wide network owned by the government. Mr McDonnell said the roll-out would begin with communities that have the worst broadband access, followed by towns and smaller centres, and then by areas that are currently well served. A Labour government would compensate shareholders by issuing government bonds. The shadow chancellor said Labour had taken legal advice, including ensuring pension funds with investments in BT are not left out of pocket. As with other planned Labour nationalisations, he said MPs would set the value of the company at the time of it being taken into public ownership. Mr McDonnell told the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg that Labour would add an extra PS15bn to the government's existing PS5bn broadband strategy, with the money to come from the party's proposed Green Transformation Fund. Having already announced plans to nationalise water, rail and now broadband, Mr McDonnell said this latest plan was \"the limit of our ambitions\". A new entity, British Broadband, would run the network, with maintenance - estimated to cost PS230m a year - to be covered by the new tax on companies such as Apple and Google. \"We think they should pay their way and other countries are following suit,\" said Mr McDonnell. Labour has not yet completed the final details of how the internet giant tax would work, saying it would be based \"percentage wise'' on global profits and UK sales, raising potentially as much as PS6bn. Mr McDonnell said that if other broadband providers did not want to give access to British Broadband, then they would also be taken into public ownership. Labour has costed its policy from a report produced by Frontier Economics in 2018, which was originally produced for the Department of Digital, Culture Media and Sport. Broadband packages in the UK cost households an average of around PS30 a month, according to comparison site Cable - which people would no longer have to pay under Labour's scheme. The party claims it would \"literally eliminate bills for millions of people across the UK\". According to a report from regulator Ofcom earlier this year, only 7% of the UK has access to full-fibre broadband. The government hit its target to bring superfast broadband to 95% of homes by December 2017 - at a cost of PS1.7bn - but the internet speeds are significantly lower than those of full-fibre. BT chief executive Philip Jansen told BBC Radio 4's Today programme Labour had under-estimated the price of its pledge. But he said he was happy to work with whoever wins the election to help build a digital Britain, although the process for implementing Labour's plan would not be \"straightforward\". He added that the impact of any changes on BT pensioners, employees, shareholders - and the millions of investors via pension schemes - needed to be carefully thought through. The company has disputed the cost of rolling out fibre broadband to every home and business, saying it would cost closer to PS40bn than PS20bn. The BBC's business editor, Simon Jack, said Labour's proposal had caught BT \"off-guard\", as Mr McDonnell had said in July that he had no plans to nationalise the telecoms giant. Following Labour's announcement, BT's share price initially fell by 3% before recovering slightly. Julian David, chief executive of TechUK, which represents many UK tech firms, said: \"These proposals would be a disaster for the telecoms sector and the customers that it serves. The Tories say the full cost of Labour's plan would be PS83bn over 10 years, rather than the PS20bn claimed by Labour, arguing they had greatly underestimated the cost of re-nationalising parts of BT, broadband roll-out and salary costs. Mr Johnson said Labour's plan would cost the taxpayer \"many tens of billions\" and that the Conservatives would deliver \"gigabit broadband for all\". He has previously promised PS5bn to bring full-fibre to every home by 2025. But Mr McDonnell said the Conservatives' funding plan for improving broadband was \"nowhere near enough\". The Lib Dems called Labour's announcement \"another unaffordable item on the wish list\". The SNP called Labour's plans a \"pie-in-the-sky\" promise and said the Scottish government was putting PS600m in to broadband. All sides are agreed: The UK has fallen behind competitors in rolling out a fibre network - the gold standard where a fibre optic cable arrives directly into your home - and way behind countries such as Spain, Portugal and Norway. When he was running for the Tory leadership Boris Johnson described the broadband strategy of Theresa May's government as \"laughably unambitious\" and promised PS5bn to hit what the broadband industry thinks is an extremely ambitious target. Now, Labour has come back with a plan that may be more realistic in timescale but is far more expensive in terms of state spending. What is not clear is what happens to the wider broadband market - from Virgin Media and Sky to the raft of fibre broadband firms that have sprung up in recent years. Labour is indicating that the companies \"may want to come on board\" with its scheme - but it is hard to believe that after years of complaining about BT stifling competition they will be enthusiastic about competing with a state-owned monopoly. The question for consumers may be who they should trust - broadband suppliers with patchy records on customer service or the state. By BBC journalist Phil Mercer Super fast, reliable and affordable - that was the broadband promise made to every Australian, who have been assured access to a new system by 2020. The National Broadband Network (NBN) is described as \"one of the largest and most complex infrastructure initiatives undertaken in Australia.\" More than 6 million premises are already connected, but the quality of service is a lottery. Some customers to the state-owned company are delighted, while others complain the network is sluggish. There's a good reason for the disparity and it's down to the way that broadband is delivered. Some methods are much quicker than others. In 2009, the former Labor government in Australia pledged an NBN with efficient optical fibre cables direct to most homes and businesses. The current centre-right administration opted for a cheaper option that would be finished sooner, and chose instead a mix of technologies including optical fibre, copper wires, Hybrid Fibre Coaxial (HFC), fixed wireless and satellite.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2886, "answer_start": 779, "text": "A Labour government would compensate shareholders by issuing government bonds. The shadow chancellor said Labour had taken legal advice, including ensuring pension funds with investments in BT are not left out of pocket. As with other planned Labour nationalisations, he said MPs would set the value of the company at the time of it being taken into public ownership. Mr McDonnell told the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg that Labour would add an extra PS15bn to the government's existing PS5bn broadband strategy, with the money to come from the party's proposed Green Transformation Fund. Having already announced plans to nationalise water, rail and now broadband, Mr McDonnell said this latest plan was \"the limit of our ambitions\". A new entity, British Broadband, would run the network, with maintenance - estimated to cost PS230m a year - to be covered by the new tax on companies such as Apple and Google. \"We think they should pay their way and other countries are following suit,\" said Mr McDonnell. Labour has not yet completed the final details of how the internet giant tax would work, saying it would be based \"percentage wise'' on global profits and UK sales, raising potentially as much as PS6bn. Mr McDonnell said that if other broadband providers did not want to give access to British Broadband, then they would also be taken into public ownership. Labour has costed its policy from a report produced by Frontier Economics in 2018, which was originally produced for the Department of Digital, Culture Media and Sport. Broadband packages in the UK cost households an average of around PS30 a month, according to comparison site Cable - which people would no longer have to pay under Labour's scheme. The party claims it would \"literally eliminate bills for millions of people across the UK\". According to a report from regulator Ofcom earlier this year, only 7% of the UK has access to full-fibre broadband. The government hit its target to bring superfast broadband to 95% of homes by December 2017 - at a cost of PS1.7bn - but the internet speeds are significantly lower than those of full-fibre." } ], "id": "9906_0", "question": "What is Labour proposing?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3963, "answer_start": 2887, "text": "BT chief executive Philip Jansen told BBC Radio 4's Today programme Labour had under-estimated the price of its pledge. But he said he was happy to work with whoever wins the election to help build a digital Britain, although the process for implementing Labour's plan would not be \"straightforward\". He added that the impact of any changes on BT pensioners, employees, shareholders - and the millions of investors via pension schemes - needed to be carefully thought through. The company has disputed the cost of rolling out fibre broadband to every home and business, saying it would cost closer to PS40bn than PS20bn. The BBC's business editor, Simon Jack, said Labour's proposal had caught BT \"off-guard\", as Mr McDonnell had said in July that he had no plans to nationalise the telecoms giant. Following Labour's announcement, BT's share price initially fell by 3% before recovering slightly. Julian David, chief executive of TechUK, which represents many UK tech firms, said: \"These proposals would be a disaster for the telecoms sector and the customers that it serves." } ], "id": "9906_1", "question": "How has the industry reacted?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4744, "answer_start": 3964, "text": "The Tories say the full cost of Labour's plan would be PS83bn over 10 years, rather than the PS20bn claimed by Labour, arguing they had greatly underestimated the cost of re-nationalising parts of BT, broadband roll-out and salary costs. Mr Johnson said Labour's plan would cost the taxpayer \"many tens of billions\" and that the Conservatives would deliver \"gigabit broadband for all\". He has previously promised PS5bn to bring full-fibre to every home by 2025. But Mr McDonnell said the Conservatives' funding plan for improving broadband was \"nowhere near enough\". The Lib Dems called Labour's announcement \"another unaffordable item on the wish list\". The SNP called Labour's plans a \"pie-in-the-sky\" promise and said the Scottish government was putting PS600m in to broadband." } ], "id": "9906_2", "question": "... And the other political parties?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5891, "answer_start": 4745, "text": "All sides are agreed: The UK has fallen behind competitors in rolling out a fibre network - the gold standard where a fibre optic cable arrives directly into your home - and way behind countries such as Spain, Portugal and Norway. When he was running for the Tory leadership Boris Johnson described the broadband strategy of Theresa May's government as \"laughably unambitious\" and promised PS5bn to hit what the broadband industry thinks is an extremely ambitious target. Now, Labour has come back with a plan that may be more realistic in timescale but is far more expensive in terms of state spending. What is not clear is what happens to the wider broadband market - from Virgin Media and Sky to the raft of fibre broadband firms that have sprung up in recent years. Labour is indicating that the companies \"may want to come on board\" with its scheme - but it is hard to believe that after years of complaining about BT stifling competition they will be enthusiastic about competing with a state-owned monopoly. The question for consumers may be who they should trust - broadband suppliers with patchy records on customer service or the state." } ], "id": "9906_3", "question": "Could it work?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "UN human rights experts have demanded an immediate investigation into allegations Saudi Arabia's crown prince hacked Amazon boss Jeff Bezos's phone. They said Mohammed bin Salman should also be investigated for \"continuous, direct and personal efforts to target perceived opponents\". A message from a phone number used by the prince has been implicated in a breach of Mr Bezos's data. The kingdom's US embassy has denied the \"absurd\" story. But the independent UN experts - Agnes Callamard, special rapporteur on summary executions and extrajudicial killings, and David Kaye, special rapporteur on freedom of expression - said the crown prince's \"possible involvement\" had to be investigated. Relations between Saudi Arabia and Mr Bezos - who also owns the Washington Post - worsened after Jamal Khashoggi, a prominent critic of the Saudi government and one of the newspaper's staff, was murdered in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018. The killing took place months after the alleged cyber-hack took place. Mr Bezos's phone was hacked after he received a WhatsApp message in May 2018 that was sent from the crown prince's personal account, according to the Guardian newspaper, which broke the story. An investigation into the data breach reportedly found that the billionaire's phone began secretly sharing huge amounts of data after he received the encrypted video file. In a statement, Ms Callamard and Mr Kaye said: \"The information we have received suggests the possible involvement of the crown prince in surveillance of Mr Bezos, in an effort to influence, if not silence, the Washington Post's reporting on Saudi Arabia.\" It said the allegations reinforced \"other reporting pointing to a pattern of targeted surveillance of perceived opponents and those of broader strategic importance to the Saudi authorities\". The experts linked the case heavily to the Khashoggi murder, saying the Post reporter's phone had been hacked at the same time as Mr Bezos's. They said there had been \"a massive, clandestine online campaign against Mr Bezos and Amazon, apparently targeting him principally as the owner of the Washington Post\". The statement also called for \"rigorous control\" of the \"unconstrained marketing, sale and use of spyware\". The UN experts cited \"a 2019 forensic analysis of Mr Bezos' iPhone that assessed with 'medium to high confidence' that his phone was infiltrated on 1 May 2018 via an MP4 video file sent from a WhatsApp account utilised personally by Mohammed bin Salman\". The crown prince and Mr Bezos had reportedly exchanged numbers a month earlier and within hours of the MP4's arrival, there was a \"massive and unprecedented exfiltration of data\" from Mr Bezos's phone. The analysis cited by the experts says the crown prince then \"sent WhatsApp messages to Mr Bezos... in which he allegedly revealed private and confidential information about Mr Bezos' personal life\". Private information was then leaked to the American tabloid, the National Enquirer. In February 2019 Mr Bezos accused it of \"extortion and blackmail\" after it published text messages between him and his girlfriend, former Fox television presenter Lauren Sanchez. A month earlier he and MacKenzie Bezos, his wife of 25 years, had announced that they planned to divorce having been separated for a \"long period\". The Twitter account of the kingdom's US embassy issued an outright denial of the allegations against the crown prince. \"We call for an investigation on these claims so that we can have all the facts out,\" the embassy said. Mr Bezos has made no response to the UN experts' statement, but did tweet an image of himself with Khashoggi's fiancee, along with the tag #Jamal: Analysis by Jane Wakefield, BBC News technology reporter A hack such as this was \"horribly easy to do once the vulnerability involved had been discovered,\" says computer expert Prof Alan Woodward. The seemingly innocent video would have contained malware that surreptitiously installed itself on the targeted phone. From there it would have been possible for the hacker to gain access to all the functions of the phone, from the GPS locator, to the camera, to the banking facilities and messaging apps. Such access is made possible via bugs in the code and, last year, a security flaw in WhatsApp was revealed that would have allowed hackers to hide malicious code inside video files. Phone hacking is, says Prof Woodward, all too common in certain countries that are keen to keep an eye on journalists, dissidents and other activists perceived to be a threat to their regimes. So-called stalkerware is available off the shelf to these governments. But what about the involvement of the Saudi crown prince? Was it really him who installed the malware? It is unlikely that he set the phone up himself. So was his phone also being spied on? Or was he simply a vessel being used by the Saudi authorities? The plot thickens. - Jun 2017 - Jamal Khashoggi flees Saudi Arabia and goes into self-imposed exile in the US - Sept 2017 - Khashoggi starts writing for the Washington Post, criticising the polices of Mohammed bin Salman - Apr 2018 - Mr Bezos attends a dinner with the crown prince and they exchange numbers - 1 May 2018 - Mr Bezos receives an encrypted MP4 video file allegedly sent from the crown prince's personal WhatsApp account. Mr Bezos's data leaks out - 2 Oct 2018 - Jamal Khashoggi is murdered inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul - Nov 2018-Feb 2019 - Prince Mohammed sends Mr Bezos WhatsApp messages allegedly revealing private and confidential information about Mr Bezos' personal life - Jan 2019 - The National Enquirer publishes an expose of Mr Bezos' extramarital affair with Lauren Sanchez - Feb 2019 - Mr Bezos accuses the National Enquirer of \"extortion and blackmail\". Its publisher says it acted lawfully - Jan 2020 - UN experts call for an inquiry into the crown prince's alleged involvement in the hack", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2243, "answer_start": 1377, "text": "In a statement, Ms Callamard and Mr Kaye said: \"The information we have received suggests the possible involvement of the crown prince in surveillance of Mr Bezos, in an effort to influence, if not silence, the Washington Post's reporting on Saudi Arabia.\" It said the allegations reinforced \"other reporting pointing to a pattern of targeted surveillance of perceived opponents and those of broader strategic importance to the Saudi authorities\". The experts linked the case heavily to the Khashoggi murder, saying the Post reporter's phone had been hacked at the same time as Mr Bezos's. They said there had been \"a massive, clandestine online campaign against Mr Bezos and Amazon, apparently targeting him principally as the owner of the Washington Post\". The statement also called for \"rigorous control\" of the \"unconstrained marketing, sale and use of spyware\"." } ], "id": "9907_0", "question": "What did the experts say?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3311, "answer_start": 2244, "text": "The UN experts cited \"a 2019 forensic analysis of Mr Bezos' iPhone that assessed with 'medium to high confidence' that his phone was infiltrated on 1 May 2018 via an MP4 video file sent from a WhatsApp account utilised personally by Mohammed bin Salman\". The crown prince and Mr Bezos had reportedly exchanged numbers a month earlier and within hours of the MP4's arrival, there was a \"massive and unprecedented exfiltration of data\" from Mr Bezos's phone. The analysis cited by the experts says the crown prince then \"sent WhatsApp messages to Mr Bezos... in which he allegedly revealed private and confidential information about Mr Bezos' personal life\". Private information was then leaked to the American tabloid, the National Enquirer. In February 2019 Mr Bezos accused it of \"extortion and blackmail\" after it published text messages between him and his girlfriend, former Fox television presenter Lauren Sanchez. A month earlier he and MacKenzie Bezos, his wife of 25 years, had announced that they planned to divorce having been separated for a \"long period\"." } ], "id": "9907_1", "question": "How did the alleged hack take place?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3681, "answer_start": 3312, "text": "The Twitter account of the kingdom's US embassy issued an outright denial of the allegations against the crown prince. \"We call for an investigation on these claims so that we can have all the facts out,\" the embassy said. Mr Bezos has made no response to the UN experts' statement, but did tweet an image of himself with Khashoggi's fiancee, along with the tag #Jamal:" } ], "id": "9907_2", "question": "What have the Saudis and Bezos said?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The head of a Pakistani charity accused of masterminding terror attacks has indicated he has inside knowledge of a deadly raid on India's military in disputed Kashmir. It's the first time in several years that Jamaat-ud-Dawa head Hafiz Saeed or any other jihadi leader in Pakistan has made such remarks. So why is he able to make such comments so openly? Hafiz Saeed was addressing hundreds of Jamaat-ud-Dawa activists at an \"orientation session\" on Wednesday in Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-administered Kashmir. The charity's activities include running schools and hospitals. Hafiz Saeed said that four \"mujahideen\" attacked an Indian military camp in the Jammu region on Monday, and had \"returned safely, having suffered not a scratch\". \"They say they cleaned up 10 rooms and killed 30 soldiers, and destroyed the entire camp.\" Indian media reported that three \"labourers\" had been killed in a night time attack at a camp for the General Reserve Engineer Force in the Akhnoor area, near the border with Pakistan. \"The heavily armed terrorists went on the rampage for almost an hour. Eyewitnesses said they opened fire indiscriminately,\" India's NDTV channel reported. Hafiz Saeed told his audience that jihad (holy war) was the only way to liberate Kashmir from India, and that it was the religious duty of people in Kashmir and Pakistan to take part. He described the attack as an example of the \"character of the partisans of the Prophet\". \"This is the surgical strike,\" he said - an apparent sideswipe at India's largely discredited claim of having carried out \"surgical strikes\" on militant camps on Pakistan's side of the border in late September. He did not say whether the Akhnoor attackers were linked to his organisation, or which bases they \"returned to safely\". Kashmir-focused jihadi groups have become increasingly visible since tensions between Pakistan and India rose after militants killed 19 Indian soldiers at Uri in Kashmir in September. Pakistan denied any link to the attack. Hafiz Saeed, who founded the Lashkar-e-Taiba militant group, and other Jamaat-ud-Dawa leaders have been holding anti-India rallies in Pakistan as well as Kashmir. Jaish-e-Mohammad, another Pakistan-based militant group, has also been holding open recruitment sessions in mosques across Pakistan. In December, Hafiz Saeed addressed a rally in Quetta, in which he accused India of inciting violence in Balochistan province. Groups involved in militant attacks in Indian-administered Kashmir have kept a low profile since a ceasefire in 2003. Their reappearance in the public domain coincides with a rise in protests in Indian-administered Kashmir and Pakistan's worsening relations with India and Afghanistan. India and the US accuse him of masterminding the 2008 terror attacks on Mumbai. The US has imposed sanctions on his organisation, saying the self-declared charity is a front for militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba and has offered a $10m (PS5.87m) reward for his arrest. The Mumbai attack by Pakistani gunmen claimed 166 lives. Nine gunmen were also killed. Pakistan also banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) in 2002, following an attack on the Indian parliament. But observers say it re-emerged as Jamaat-ud-Dawa which has continued to operate although it was put on a Pakistani terror watch list in 2015. Hafiz Saeed has since founded another charity by the name of Falah-e-Insaniyat (Welfare of Humankind). But many in Pakistan believe these charities are a front for LeT. In Pakistan, Hafiz Saeed's remarks are being seen by observers as a veiled claim of involvement in attacks in Kashmir, and the aim appears to be \"motivational\", they believe. Significantly, Pakistan's intelligence agencies have long been blamed for promoting a radical Islamist narrative and using militant groups as a bulwark to protect the military's financial and security interests. Many fear an apparent crackdown on bloggers and human rights activists falls into this narrative and is meant to further radicalise elements in society. In Pakistan militant groups often banned under international pressure are frequently allowed to re-emerge and operate freely under new names while their sympathisers troll secular social media activists with impunity.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1771, "answer_start": 355, "text": "Hafiz Saeed was addressing hundreds of Jamaat-ud-Dawa activists at an \"orientation session\" on Wednesday in Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-administered Kashmir. The charity's activities include running schools and hospitals. Hafiz Saeed said that four \"mujahideen\" attacked an Indian military camp in the Jammu region on Monday, and had \"returned safely, having suffered not a scratch\". \"They say they cleaned up 10 rooms and killed 30 soldiers, and destroyed the entire camp.\" Indian media reported that three \"labourers\" had been killed in a night time attack at a camp for the General Reserve Engineer Force in the Akhnoor area, near the border with Pakistan. \"The heavily armed terrorists went on the rampage for almost an hour. Eyewitnesses said they opened fire indiscriminately,\" India's NDTV channel reported. Hafiz Saeed told his audience that jihad (holy war) was the only way to liberate Kashmir from India, and that it was the religious duty of people in Kashmir and Pakistan to take part. He described the attack as an example of the \"character of the partisans of the Prophet\". \"This is the surgical strike,\" he said - an apparent sideswipe at India's largely discredited claim of having carried out \"surgical strikes\" on militant camps on Pakistan's side of the border in late September. He did not say whether the Akhnoor attackers were linked to his organisation, or which bases they \"returned to safely\"." } ], "id": "9908_0", "question": "What did he say?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2703, "answer_start": 1772, "text": "Kashmir-focused jihadi groups have become increasingly visible since tensions between Pakistan and India rose after militants killed 19 Indian soldiers at Uri in Kashmir in September. Pakistan denied any link to the attack. Hafiz Saeed, who founded the Lashkar-e-Taiba militant group, and other Jamaat-ud-Dawa leaders have been holding anti-India rallies in Pakistan as well as Kashmir. Jaish-e-Mohammad, another Pakistan-based militant group, has also been holding open recruitment sessions in mosques across Pakistan. In December, Hafiz Saeed addressed a rally in Quetta, in which he accused India of inciting violence in Balochistan province. Groups involved in militant attacks in Indian-administered Kashmir have kept a low profile since a ceasefire in 2003. Their reappearance in the public domain coincides with a rise in protests in Indian-administered Kashmir and Pakistan's worsening relations with India and Afghanistan." } ], "id": "9908_1", "question": "Why speak now?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3465, "answer_start": 2704, "text": "India and the US accuse him of masterminding the 2008 terror attacks on Mumbai. The US has imposed sanctions on his organisation, saying the self-declared charity is a front for militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba and has offered a $10m (PS5.87m) reward for his arrest. The Mumbai attack by Pakistani gunmen claimed 166 lives. Nine gunmen were also killed. Pakistan also banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) in 2002, following an attack on the Indian parliament. But observers say it re-emerged as Jamaat-ud-Dawa which has continued to operate although it was put on a Pakistani terror watch list in 2015. Hafiz Saeed has since founded another charity by the name of Falah-e-Insaniyat (Welfare of Humankind). But many in Pakistan believe these charities are a front for LeT." } ], "id": "9908_2", "question": "What is Hafiz Saeed accused of?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4223, "answer_start": 3466, "text": "In Pakistan, Hafiz Saeed's remarks are being seen by observers as a veiled claim of involvement in attacks in Kashmir, and the aim appears to be \"motivational\", they believe. Significantly, Pakistan's intelligence agencies have long been blamed for promoting a radical Islamist narrative and using militant groups as a bulwark to protect the military's financial and security interests. Many fear an apparent crackdown on bloggers and human rights activists falls into this narrative and is meant to further radicalise elements in society. In Pakistan militant groups often banned under international pressure are frequently allowed to re-emerge and operate freely under new names while their sympathisers troll secular social media activists with impunity." } ], "id": "9908_3", "question": "What does this say about Pakistan?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Malawi's constitutional court has annulled last year's controversial election, which saw President Peter Mutharika narrowly re-elected. The judge found there had been widespread irregularities in the 21 May vote. This is the first election to be legally challenged since Malawi's independence in 1964. A new vote will take place within 151 days. There have been regular anti-government protests since the election. The court ruled that Mr Mutharika will stay in power until a new election takes place. President Peter Mutharika won a second term in May with 38.6% of the vote. But opposition candidates Lazarus Chakwera, who came second, and Saulos Chilima, who finished third, went to court to argue that the election was not fair. They said the way the election was conducted was full of irregularities. The judges, who arrived in court in the capital, Lilongwe, under military escort, upheld the complaint on Monday. According to the official results, Mr Chakwera, who claims he won the election, garnered 35.4% of the vote as the flag bearer for the Malawi Congress Party. Mr Chilima, a former ally of the president, got 20.2%. He was the candidate for the UTM. There is a high level of anxiety in the country following months of tense clashes between the police and opposition supporters. Many schools were closed and some public transport had been suspended ahead of Monday's court decision. In court, lawyers for the losing candidates said that correction fluid - known by the brand name Tipp-Ex - had been used on some of the tallying forms sent in by polling stations. The changes were made after they had been signed by party agents, they said. The lawyers also said that in some cases polling officials sent in the wrong copy of the results sheet to the main tallying centre. They also found some mathematical errors in a small number of cases. Though in each case there were not a huge number of errors, the lawyers said that the evidence pointed to a flawed process. The Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) defended its handling of the vote as being in keeping with the law. It said that on the few forms where correction fluid had been found, it had not been used to change a result, but to alter procedural information that had been incorrectly entered. The commission said it had not supplied the Tipp-Ex. The MEC's lawyers also argued that while the wrong copy of the results sheet had been submitted in some cases, that copy had been signed off by party agents and the tally itself was correct. Outside the court proceedings, backers of Mr Mutharika's Democratic Progressive Party often mentioned reports of international observers, which were largely favourable, as evidence that he won the vote fairly. The court proceedings, which lasted more than three months, were keenly followed. Four radio stations broadcast the sessions live and on public transport passengers sometimes demanded that the radio be switched on so they could follow what was happening. Groups of people gathered round radio sets to hear the latest from the court. The level of anger is unprecedented here. Since the disputed results were announced last May, there have been regular anti-government protests. Some of these have resulted in looting and the destruction of property, including government offices. Two people - one police officer and one civilian - are known to have been killed during the demonstrations. Malawi's Human Rights Commission said that in October, during a security crackdown following a protest, police officers raped and sexually assaulted women, some of them in the presence of their children. Just a few days ago, the country's anti-corruption body arrested a top businessman on allegations that he attempted to bribe the five judges hearing the case. He allegedly wanted the judges to decide in favour of the respondents, Peter Mutharika and the Malawi Electoral Commission. The businessman was reported to the anti-corruption agency by the chief justice. The situation has not been helped by the fact that the police are not seen as neutral or professional. For the most part, it has been the military which has been going onto the streets to help bring order.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1397, "answer_start": 502, "text": "President Peter Mutharika won a second term in May with 38.6% of the vote. But opposition candidates Lazarus Chakwera, who came second, and Saulos Chilima, who finished third, went to court to argue that the election was not fair. They said the way the election was conducted was full of irregularities. The judges, who arrived in court in the capital, Lilongwe, under military escort, upheld the complaint on Monday. According to the official results, Mr Chakwera, who claims he won the election, garnered 35.4% of the vote as the flag bearer for the Malawi Congress Party. Mr Chilima, a former ally of the president, got 20.2%. He was the candidate for the UTM. There is a high level of anxiety in the country following months of tense clashes between the police and opposition supporters. Many schools were closed and some public transport had been suspended ahead of Monday's court decision." } ], "id": "9909_0", "question": "Why was a legal challenge filed?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1979, "answer_start": 1398, "text": "In court, lawyers for the losing candidates said that correction fluid - known by the brand name Tipp-Ex - had been used on some of the tallying forms sent in by polling stations. The changes were made after they had been signed by party agents, they said. The lawyers also said that in some cases polling officials sent in the wrong copy of the results sheet to the main tallying centre. They also found some mathematical errors in a small number of cases. Though in each case there were not a huge number of errors, the lawyers said that the evidence pointed to a flawed process." } ], "id": "9909_1", "question": "What were the irregularities?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2720, "answer_start": 1980, "text": "The Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) defended its handling of the vote as being in keeping with the law. It said that on the few forms where correction fluid had been found, it had not been used to change a result, but to alter procedural information that had been incorrectly entered. The commission said it had not supplied the Tipp-Ex. The MEC's lawyers also argued that while the wrong copy of the results sheet had been submitted in some cases, that copy had been signed off by party agents and the tally itself was correct. Outside the court proceedings, backers of Mr Mutharika's Democratic Progressive Party often mentioned reports of international observers, which were largely favourable, as evidence that he won the vote fairly." } ], "id": "9909_2", "question": "What was the response?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3053, "answer_start": 2721, "text": "The court proceedings, which lasted more than three months, were keenly followed. Four radio stations broadcast the sessions live and on public transport passengers sometimes demanded that the radio be switched on so they could follow what was happening. Groups of people gathered round radio sets to hear the latest from the court." } ], "id": "9909_3", "question": "What sort of coverage was there in Malawi?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4181, "answer_start": 3054, "text": "The level of anger is unprecedented here. Since the disputed results were announced last May, there have been regular anti-government protests. Some of these have resulted in looting and the destruction of property, including government offices. Two people - one police officer and one civilian - are known to have been killed during the demonstrations. Malawi's Human Rights Commission said that in October, during a security crackdown following a protest, police officers raped and sexually assaulted women, some of them in the presence of their children. Just a few days ago, the country's anti-corruption body arrested a top businessman on allegations that he attempted to bribe the five judges hearing the case. He allegedly wanted the judges to decide in favour of the respondents, Peter Mutharika and the Malawi Electoral Commission. The businessman was reported to the anti-corruption agency by the chief justice. The situation has not been helped by the fact that the police are not seen as neutral or professional. For the most part, it has been the military which has been going onto the streets to help bring order." } ], "id": "9909_4", "question": "Why is it such a big deal?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Mexico admits it has 45 days to reduce the number of US-bound migrants, in a deal agreed with the US that staved off the imposition of tariffs. Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard said if troop reinforcements on its southern borders did not work, \"additional measures\" would need to be discussed. He said this might mean a \"regional solution\" involving other nations. But the US is also likely to require Mexico to process the asylum claims of migrants on its own soil. He held a press conference which seemed to suggest a difference of opinion about what was actually in the deal announced between the US and Mexico last Friday. In a tweet, US President Donald Trump said there was a \"very important part\" of the deal that had been \"fully signed and documented\" but not yet announced that would give the US what it had been asking for \"for many years\". \"It will be revealed in the not too distant future and will need a vote by Mexico's legislative body\", the president tweeted, adding that if the vote failed \"tariffs will be reinstated\". Commentators suggest this is the \"safe third country\" arrangement, under which migrants would have to apply first for asylum in Mexico, rather than the US, and be turned away if they do not. Mr Ebrard said the US had been insistent on this measure. But he said: \"We told them - I think it was the most important achievement of the negotiations - 'let's set a time period to see if what Mexico is proposing will work, and if not, we'll sit down and see what additional measures'\" are needed. \"They wanted something else totally different to be signed. But that is what there is here. There is no other thing,\" he said. Mr Ebrard also said US negotiators had wanted Mexico to commit to \"zero migrants\" crossing its territory, but that was \"mission impossible\". President Trump has also said Mexico will soon make \"large\" agricultural purchases from the US. But Mr Ebrard said there had been no additional agreement with the US and that the American president was probably referring to expected growth in trade following the migration deal. It is deploying 6,000 National Guard personnel to the southern border with Guatemala to try to stem the flow. It has also agreed to support the expansion of the scheme that returns asylum seekers already in the US to Mexico to wait out the processing of their claims. Mr Ebrard said the efforts to stem the flow on the southern border would be re-evaluated in mid-July. If it failed, he said, other countries would need to be drawn in to the matter. Discussions would begin with Brazil, Panama and Guatemala - the countries currently used by migrants as transit points. A \"safe third country\" arrangement would create huge problems for Mexico, which says it does not have the resources to integrate thousands of additional migrants. Illegal border crossings on Mexico's northern border with the US have been on the rise again after reaching a low in Mr Trump's first year in office. In February, he declared an emergency on the US-Mexico border, saying it was necessary in order to tackle what he described as a crisis. In May, Mr Trump threatened that 5% tariffs on Mexican goods would be imposed on 10 June and rise by 5% every month until reaching 25% in October if Mexico did not take substantial action to curb migration. Mexico is currently one of the largest trading partners for the US, just behind China and Canada.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2074, "answer_start": 466, "text": "He held a press conference which seemed to suggest a difference of opinion about what was actually in the deal announced between the US and Mexico last Friday. In a tweet, US President Donald Trump said there was a \"very important part\" of the deal that had been \"fully signed and documented\" but not yet announced that would give the US what it had been asking for \"for many years\". \"It will be revealed in the not too distant future and will need a vote by Mexico's legislative body\", the president tweeted, adding that if the vote failed \"tariffs will be reinstated\". Commentators suggest this is the \"safe third country\" arrangement, under which migrants would have to apply first for asylum in Mexico, rather than the US, and be turned away if they do not. Mr Ebrard said the US had been insistent on this measure. But he said: \"We told them - I think it was the most important achievement of the negotiations - 'let's set a time period to see if what Mexico is proposing will work, and if not, we'll sit down and see what additional measures'\" are needed. \"They wanted something else totally different to be signed. But that is what there is here. There is no other thing,\" he said. Mr Ebrard also said US negotiators had wanted Mexico to commit to \"zero migrants\" crossing its territory, but that was \"mission impossible\". President Trump has also said Mexico will soon make \"large\" agricultural purchases from the US. But Mr Ebrard said there had been no additional agreement with the US and that the American president was probably referring to expected growth in trade following the migration deal." } ], "id": "9910_0", "question": "What has Mr Ebrard said about the deal?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2807, "answer_start": 2075, "text": "It is deploying 6,000 National Guard personnel to the southern border with Guatemala to try to stem the flow. It has also agreed to support the expansion of the scheme that returns asylum seekers already in the US to Mexico to wait out the processing of their claims. Mr Ebrard said the efforts to stem the flow on the southern border would be re-evaluated in mid-July. If it failed, he said, other countries would need to be drawn in to the matter. Discussions would begin with Brazil, Panama and Guatemala - the countries currently used by migrants as transit points. A \"safe third country\" arrangement would create huge problems for Mexico, which says it does not have the resources to integrate thousands of additional migrants." } ], "id": "9910_1", "question": "So what will Mexico be doing?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3399, "answer_start": 2808, "text": "Illegal border crossings on Mexico's northern border with the US have been on the rise again after reaching a low in Mr Trump's first year in office. In February, he declared an emergency on the US-Mexico border, saying it was necessary in order to tackle what he described as a crisis. In May, Mr Trump threatened that 5% tariffs on Mexican goods would be imposed on 10 June and rise by 5% every month until reaching 25% in October if Mexico did not take substantial action to curb migration. Mexico is currently one of the largest trading partners for the US, just behind China and Canada." } ], "id": "9910_2", "question": "How did we get here?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "People's emotions trump reason when it comes to sharing news, the BBC's in-depth research project Beyond Fake News has found. The spread of fake news can also undermine legitimate news because it erodes trust. By analysing fake news messages on private networks like WhatsApp and Facebook, and surveying people in Nigeria, Kenya and India, researchers have pinpointed the motivations, anxieties and aspirations that drive it. The study also help us understand the relationship between fake news and mainstream politics on digital networks. - Erodes trust - Builds and feeds on community divisions - Threat to a notion of truth - Toxic for mainstream media - all media given the same equivalence - Makes citizens less able to make decisions based on facts - Toxic for public discourse - Threats to health - Worse case scenario - fuels hate speech, leads to violence and death - Distorts democratic processes - Weaponises information Many overestimate their ability to spot fake news, the BBC found when speaking to social media users in Nigeria and Kenya. Although many people understand the consequences of sharing fake news, that is often only on a conceptual level. Researchers found that the link between disinformation and things like electoral manipulation and democracy is too abstract for users to grasp. Emotions trump reason when it comes to sharing news, the team found. \"After watching the news I was touched, so I had to post it,\" said one interviewee in Nigeria. Nigeria and Kenya have lower levels of digital literacy say researchers, especially in rural areas, where Facebook may be seen as synonymous with the internet and there all things on it may be seen as \"true\". But Nigerians and Kenyans do better than Indians when it comes to checking for themselves if a dubious story is true, which they do through search engines like Google or verifying with others in their network, among other things. Some fake news is harder to identify than other kinds. While users show a fair amount of scrutiny on political updates especially in Nigeria, they are less stringent if a news story positively affirms an aspect of their identity. That could be a story on ethic identity in Kenya for example, or an issue relating to geopolitics such as Nigeria's oil-rich Niger Delta. But young people are less focused on ethnic and religious allegiances than the generations before them, and so are less likely to be driven by these identities when sharing fake news. Why else do people share fake news? Often they care more about who the sender is than the source. They might trust that a story is true because the sender is someone they trust to share worthy news, as opposed to a \"pointless spammer\". Sharing news is socially validating too. Being the first to share a story in your group of friends, showing others you are in the know and provoking discussion make social media users feel good. Sometimes people will rush to share information not knowing if it is true. Reading is hard, but sharing is easy. Researchers found most people do not consume their online news in-depth or critically, and many users will share stories based on a headline or image without having digested it in detail themselves. For some, it is a civic duty. They will share information, regardless of its veracity, because they want to warn and update others. \"Maybe there is a person who didn't know about it, and [I share the story] to avoid something like this happening to my friend, \" one of dozens of people surveyed in Kenya told the BBC. This story is part of a series by the BBC on disinformation and fake news - a global problem challenging the way we share information and perceive the world around us. To see more stories and learn more about the series visit www.bbc.co.uk/fakenews These users often strongly believe that access to information is stifled or unequal, and want to do their part to democratise it. Other people choose to read known fake news sources simply because they find it entertaining. \"[Even] though it ain't real, I just like the gossip,\" explained one of the Kenyan readers surveyed, Florence. If you are unsure if a story is true, fact-checking website Africa Check is a good place to start. Africa Check and others are working on creating data banks for people to source accurate data. But timeliness and speed in checking fake news or misinformation can be a challenge. Remember that comments sections on mainstream media and Facebook cannot always be trusted, because it is a place where fake news is debated and amplified. Money and jobs scams are commonly found there, say researchers who analysed posts in African users' networks. As things stand, many users say they end up relying on their instinct as to whether a story \"feels\" true, and whether they can find it reported by other sources. \"I look at the headlines. If it's too flashy then it's probably fake,\" a woman in Kenya called Mary told the BBC. \"Whenever I read something on the blog I double-check it, whichever blog I am reading something on I Google search it, I want to read two articles,\" said Chijioke in Nigeria. But these two methods are far from foolproof. The researchers used two examples to illustrate the origin and spread of fake news: - A tweet saying that a gay rights association, which doesn't actually exist, had backed the election campaign of opposition leader Atiku Abubakar ended up being reported in mainstream newspapers in Nigeria - A photograph of a car falling into a sinkhole in Pakistan was copied by a Facebook user, saying it was in Nairobi Verifying information can be difficult, which African fact-checkers say is because of the lack of reliable, accurate and independent data across a lot of sectors - which means manipulation of information is easier. National anxieties and aspirations are often reflected in fake news messages. In Nigeria where almost 19% of people are jobless, employment scams make up 6.2% of fake news stories shared in WhatsApp. Roughly 3% of fake news circulated on WhatsApp concerns terrorism and the army, mirroring Nigerians' anxieties about instability and uncertainty caused by Islamist militants among other things. Scams related to money and technology contribute to about a third of the fake news stories shared in Kenyans' WhatsApp conversations. Religion accounts for roughly 8%, researchers found. Facebook users frequently fail to distinguish between fake news content and legitimate news on their feeds, the BBC team found by analysing Facebook advertising data by users' interests. Finding the answer to this question is the ultimate aim of BBC's Beyond Fake News project. So far it has used big data to analyse 8,000 news articles in Kenya and Nigeria, analysed 3,000 Facebook pages and interests, conducted in-depth interviews with 40 individuals in both countries, and analysed a sample of more than 2,000 messages. Kenyan and Nigerian social media users told the BBC they believe sensationalist and fake stories are being written on digital platforms purely to make money. Sensationalist headlines used by parts of the mainstream journalistic sources, and the rush to publish without verification, are further blurring the lines between legitimate journalism and out-and-out misinformation. Television news, however, is seen as harder to fake because it is not \"faceless\" and involves sophisticated production methods.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3527, "answer_start": 932, "text": "Many overestimate their ability to spot fake news, the BBC found when speaking to social media users in Nigeria and Kenya. Although many people understand the consequences of sharing fake news, that is often only on a conceptual level. Researchers found that the link between disinformation and things like electoral manipulation and democracy is too abstract for users to grasp. Emotions trump reason when it comes to sharing news, the team found. \"After watching the news I was touched, so I had to post it,\" said one interviewee in Nigeria. Nigeria and Kenya have lower levels of digital literacy say researchers, especially in rural areas, where Facebook may be seen as synonymous with the internet and there all things on it may be seen as \"true\". But Nigerians and Kenyans do better than Indians when it comes to checking for themselves if a dubious story is true, which they do through search engines like Google or verifying with others in their network, among other things. Some fake news is harder to identify than other kinds. While users show a fair amount of scrutiny on political updates especially in Nigeria, they are less stringent if a news story positively affirms an aspect of their identity. That could be a story on ethic identity in Kenya for example, or an issue relating to geopolitics such as Nigeria's oil-rich Niger Delta. But young people are less focused on ethnic and religious allegiances than the generations before them, and so are less likely to be driven by these identities when sharing fake news. Why else do people share fake news? Often they care more about who the sender is than the source. They might trust that a story is true because the sender is someone they trust to share worthy news, as opposed to a \"pointless spammer\". Sharing news is socially validating too. Being the first to share a story in your group of friends, showing others you are in the know and provoking discussion make social media users feel good. Sometimes people will rush to share information not knowing if it is true. Reading is hard, but sharing is easy. Researchers found most people do not consume their online news in-depth or critically, and many users will share stories based on a headline or image without having digested it in detail themselves. For some, it is a civic duty. They will share information, regardless of its veracity, because they want to warn and update others. \"Maybe there is a person who didn't know about it, and [I share the story] to avoid something like this happening to my friend, \" one of dozens of people surveyed in Kenya told the BBC." } ], "id": "9911_0", "question": "Why are people fooled by fake news?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 6542, "answer_start": 5775, "text": "National anxieties and aspirations are often reflected in fake news messages. In Nigeria where almost 19% of people are jobless, employment scams make up 6.2% of fake news stories shared in WhatsApp. Roughly 3% of fake news circulated on WhatsApp concerns terrorism and the army, mirroring Nigerians' anxieties about instability and uncertainty caused by Islamist militants among other things. Scams related to money and technology contribute to about a third of the fake news stories shared in Kenyans' WhatsApp conversations. Religion accounts for roughly 8%, researchers found. Facebook users frequently fail to distinguish between fake news content and legitimate news on their feeds, the BBC team found by analysing Facebook advertising data by users' interests." } ], "id": "9911_1", "question": "What fake news did the investigation find?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 7383, "answer_start": 6543, "text": "Finding the answer to this question is the ultimate aim of BBC's Beyond Fake News project. So far it has used big data to analyse 8,000 news articles in Kenya and Nigeria, analysed 3,000 Facebook pages and interests, conducted in-depth interviews with 40 individuals in both countries, and analysed a sample of more than 2,000 messages. Kenyan and Nigerian social media users told the BBC they believe sensationalist and fake stories are being written on digital platforms purely to make money. Sensationalist headlines used by parts of the mainstream journalistic sources, and the rush to publish without verification, are further blurring the lines between legitimate journalism and out-and-out misinformation. Television news, however, is seen as harder to fake because it is not \"faceless\" and involves sophisticated production methods." } ], "id": "9911_2", "question": "How organised is the spread of misinformation on private and public networks?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Donald Trump has once again found himself at the centre of a storm - this time for reportedly sharing \"codeword classified\" information with the Russian ambassador. The information, which related to the use of laptops on aircraft, is understood to have been passed to the Americans by an ally who had apparently chosen not to share it with Moscow. Mr Trump said he \"had the absolute right\" to tell the Russians \"acts pertaining to terrorism and airline safety\". Any other government employee would probably have lost security clearance, or even be charged under espionage laws. But US presidents enjoy wide latitude in declassifying information under their powers, which means Mr Trump's alleged disclosure was not illegal. As Steven Aftergood, a government secrecy specialist with the Federation of American Scientists, told the New York Times: \"It is an expression of presidential authority, and that means that the president and his designees decide what is classified, and they have the essentially unlimited authority to declassify at will.\" However, Mr Trump could have damaged an intelligence-sharing partnership if he revealed information without permission from the ally who provided it. The BBC's security correspondent Frank Gardner has said: \"There is a golden rule in the world of espionage that when one government supplies intelligence to another it must not be passed on to a third party without permission of the original supplier. \"The reason is simple: it could put the lives of their human informants at risk.\" Eliot Cohen, a former senior State Department official under former President George W Bush, tweeted: \"If accidental, it would be a firing offence for anyone else. If deliberate, it would be treason\". However, it is thought that under the US constitution, Mr Trump would have to be helping a country that the US is at war with in order for it to be considered treason. Though US relations with Russia remain strained, the two countries are not at war. Article 3, Section 3 of the Constitution states: \"Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort.\" Mr Trump would have to be actively \"levying war\" or providing \"aid and comfort\" to an enemy in order to build a treason case, UC Davis law professor Carlton Larson told Vox, but such prosecutions are difficult. What Mr Trump did could theoretically be grounds for impeachment if Congress determined he had violated the presidential oath of office, but that would be a longshot. Mr Trump swore to \"faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States\" and to \"preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States\" to the best of his ability. By sharing highly sensitive information with an adversary foreign government, he could be considered in breach of executing his oath of office, the Lawfare blog pointed out. Congress, led by Mr Trump's Republican party, would have to agree that Mr Trump must be removed from office to trigger an impeachment trial. A majority of the House would have to vote for it and a two-thirds majority of the Senate would be required to agree to convict him. It's not unheard of for the White House to reveal classified details to foreign governments, according to David Priess, author of the President's Book of Secrets. President George W Bush had several foreign leaders join him for daily classified briefings, including British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and Russian President Vladimir Putin. But as Mr Priess explains, the CIA prepared special briefing material to ensure nothing was shared that would jeopardise US intelligence. In Mr Trump's case, however, the CIA did not appear to be alerted of his plan to reveal information, according to the Washington Post report.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2389, "answer_start": 1531, "text": "Eliot Cohen, a former senior State Department official under former President George W Bush, tweeted: \"If accidental, it would be a firing offence for anyone else. If deliberate, it would be treason\". However, it is thought that under the US constitution, Mr Trump would have to be helping a country that the US is at war with in order for it to be considered treason. Though US relations with Russia remain strained, the two countries are not at war. Article 3, Section 3 of the Constitution states: \"Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort.\" Mr Trump would have to be actively \"levying war\" or providing \"aid and comfort\" to an enemy in order to build a treason case, UC Davis law professor Carlton Larson told Vox, but such prosecutions are difficult." } ], "id": "9912_0", "question": "Has Trump committed treason?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The Pope has called for an end to the \"carnage\" in Syria during his Easter message from the Vatican. He also asked God to heal the wounds in South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, and urged dialogue on the Korean peninsula. Pope Francis said the power of the Christian message gave hope to the deprived. This included migrants and refugees who he said were \"so often rejected by today's culture of waste\". Thousands of people were in St Peter's Square to hear him speak from the balcony of the basilica. \"Today we implore fruits of peace upon the entire world, beginning with the beloved and long suffering land of Syria whose people are worn down by an apparently endless war,\" said the Pope. \"This Easter may the light of the risen Christ illuminate the consciences of all political and military leaders, so that a swift end may be brought to the carnage in course; that humanitarian law may be respected; and that provisions be made to facilitate access to the aid so urgently needed.\" During the first five years of his reign, Pope Francis has been consistently outspoken in condemning the Syrian conflict. In 2013, he was credited with leading moral opposition to Western military intervention, according to BBC Vatican correspondent David Willey. Turning to the wider region, he said on Sunday: \"We beseech fruits of reconciliation for the Holy Land, also experiencing in these days the wounds of ongoing conflict that do not spare the defenceless, for Yemen and for the entire Middle East, so that dialogue and mutual respect may prevail over division and violence.\" The Archbishop of Canterbury also offered a message of peace and hope in his Easter address on Sunday. Speaking at Canterbury cathedral, Archbishop Justin Welby stressed the importance of maintaining hope - but he also said the church should admit when it made mistakes: On relations between North and South Korea, the Pope said he hoped talks aiming to ease longstanding tensions on the Korean peninsula would \"advance harmony and peace\". He added: \"May those who are directly responsible act with wisdom and discernment to promote the good of the Korean people and to build relationships of trust within the international community.\" The Pope also expressed hope for an end to violence and division in Ukraine and Venezuela. The pontiff was speaking in an \"Urbi et Orbi\" address from the famous central balcony at St Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, in front of tens of thousands of the faithful. The Latin phrase means \"to the city [of Rome] and the world\" and the special address is employed only a few occasions - at Christmas, at Easter and just after being elected pontiff.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2665, "answer_start": 1856, "text": "On relations between North and South Korea, the Pope said he hoped talks aiming to ease longstanding tensions on the Korean peninsula would \"advance harmony and peace\". He added: \"May those who are directly responsible act with wisdom and discernment to promote the good of the Korean people and to build relationships of trust within the international community.\" The Pope also expressed hope for an end to violence and division in Ukraine and Venezuela. The pontiff was speaking in an \"Urbi et Orbi\" address from the famous central balcony at St Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, in front of tens of thousands of the faithful. The Latin phrase means \"to the city [of Rome] and the world\" and the special address is employed only a few occasions - at Christmas, at Easter and just after being elected pontiff." } ], "id": "9913_0", "question": "What is Urbi et Orbi?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Canada and Australia could be the unanticipated beneficiaries from Brexit in the competition for international students, entrepreneur and university leader Lord Bilimoria has said. The Indian-born chancellor of the University of Birmingham said an \"anti-immigrant\" backlash from the Brexit referendum and disputes over student visas could see UK universities losing overseas students. He said he had received racist abuse - expressing \"absolutely rabid\" views - for the first time since coming to the UK in the 1980s. There has already been a downturn in applications from EU students, and the crossbench peer said growing numbers of international students from India and China might take their tuition fees elsewhere. \"The Australian high commissioner to India told me in no uncertain terms, 'What are you doing with international students? I need to say thank you, because you're sending them to us,'\" said Lord Bilimoria. University leaders have warned MPs that Brexit could make it harder to attract academic staff and students from EU countries. Figures published last week showed almost a fifth of academic staff in UK universities were from EU countries. But Lord Bilimoria said there was also a bigger global picture to be considered and any shift towards isolationism would have a deep negative impact on the UK's higher education system and cutting-edge research. University research depends on international partnerships, and, he said, \"closing doors\" would have long-lasting damage. The number of Indian students in the UK has fallen sharply - and Lord Bilimoria said this reflected how overseas students seemed to be seen as an immigration problem rather than a lucrative economic asset. He also said Prime Minister Theresa May's visit to India had \"played very badly\" there. More stories from the BBC's Global education series looking at education from an international perspective, and how to get in touch. You can join the debate at the BBC's Family & Education News Facebook page. Instead of attracting Indian students to UK universities, Lord Bilimoria said, the visit had left Indians feeling \"insulted\", as the biggest concern had seemed to be whether they would overstay their visas. As well as the financial benefits - worth PS29bn per year to market leaders, the United States, he said, international students represented a huge opportunity for \"soft power\", future influence and bridge-building. Universities in the UK have campaigned for overseas students not to be counted in net migration figures - and Lord Bilimoria said this had been privately accepted. \"David Cameron told me, in a one-to-one discussion, that he would take them out of the figures after the referendum,\" he said. But the events post-referendum took a different direction - and Lord Bilimoria criticised the current approach to overseas students as \"economically illiterate\". Annual figures published by the Office for National Statistics last week showed numbers of overseas students had dipped by more than 40,000. But a Department for Education spokesman said the UK will continue to value the contribution of overseas staff to universities. \"EU and international students, staff and researchers make an important contribution to our higher education sector and we want that to continue,\" he said. \"The UK has a long established system that supports and attracts global talent, at all stages of their career, and the government will seek to secure the best deal for universities and their staff when negotiations for exiting the EU begin.\" For Lord Bilimoria, there is a wider story about a tide turning away from internationalism - a trend he deeply regrets. \"I've seen in front of my eyes the transformation of this country,\" he said. \"Entrepreneurship was looked down on - and now it's celebrated. \"It's one of the most entrepreneurial countries in the world. \"There was a glass ceiling. \"I was told that as a foreigner I would never get to the top. \"But I've seen that glass ceiling being shattered. \"I've seen the City of London open up from a gentleman's club, where if you didn't go to the right school or university your chances of success were limited. \"Britain and its economy has opened up to the world, becoming far more cosmopolitan, far more multicultural.\" But he fears the pendulum is now swinging back. In the aftermath of the Brexit referendum, he said, he had faced \"aggressive and hurtful\" abuse. \"I'm not going to be scared,\" he said. But he saw a \"deeply unnecessary\" divide opening. Lord Bilimoria is an embodiment of crossing between cultures. He is an Indian from a family with four generations of English education - including a grandfather at Sandhurst. The Cobra beer he helped to create is its own bit of bridge-building - a cross between ale and lager. But at the moment, this multicultural brew seems to have gone a little flat.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1788, "answer_start": 719, "text": "\"The Australian high commissioner to India told me in no uncertain terms, 'What are you doing with international students? I need to say thank you, because you're sending them to us,'\" said Lord Bilimoria. University leaders have warned MPs that Brexit could make it harder to attract academic staff and students from EU countries. Figures published last week showed almost a fifth of academic staff in UK universities were from EU countries. But Lord Bilimoria said there was also a bigger global picture to be considered and any shift towards isolationism would have a deep negative impact on the UK's higher education system and cutting-edge research. University research depends on international partnerships, and, he said, \"closing doors\" would have long-lasting damage. The number of Indian students in the UK has fallen sharply - and Lord Bilimoria said this reflected how overseas students seemed to be seen as an immigration problem rather than a lucrative economic asset. He also said Prime Minister Theresa May's visit to India had \"played very badly\" there." } ], "id": "9914_0", "question": "Advantage Australia?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Facebook members can discover whether they are among the 87 million potential users whose data was shared with Cambridge Analytica. Every account holder is being sent one of two notices informing them whether their data was breached. The tech giant said people will also be shown what apps they use and what data those apps may have gathered. Facebook has additionally suspended a data analytics firm called Cubeyou, ahead of an investigation. The tech giant will look into whether Cubeyou collected data for academic purposes and then used it commercially, following a partnership with Cambridge University in the UK. Cubeyou denies the allegations. The investigation follows allegations reported by CNBC, regarding a personality quiz called \"You Are What You Like\", which the University says was later replaced by a separate app called \"Apply Magic Sauce\". However, the website from the original quiz redirected users to the new one without any clear explanation that it was a different product, with different terms and conditions. Both the firm and Cambridge University state that the You Are What You Like app made it clear that data was for use in both academic and business purposes. In an emailed statement received by Bloomberg, Ime Archibong, Facebook's vice-president of product partnerships, said Cubeyou's apps would all be banned from the platform if the data firm \"refuses or fails\" the audit. Cubeyou said it has always complied with Facebook's rules. The news comes as Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg revealed how he plans to begin two days of testimony to Congress in Washington regarding the recent scandals. His opening remarks include a pledge to never let advertisers or developers \"take priority over\" his firm's mission to connect people. The You Are What You Like website was created by Cubeyou in partnership with Cambridge University's Psychometric Centre. The university said that those who took part would have consented to their data being used \"for both academic and business purposes\" as it was written in the terms and conditions on the site - and added that all data was anonymised. However, on the current terms and conditions for Apply Magic Sauce, the university states that the site may only be used for \"non-profit academic research\". The university says that Apply Magic Sauce is a separate product which Cubeyou had no access to. \"Cubeyou merely designed the interface for a website that used our models to give users insight on their data,\" the university said. \"We have had no contact with Cubeyou since June 2015.\" The University was also implicated in the Cambridge Analytica scandal, as one of its academics developed the quiz which harvested the data that was acquired by Cambridge Analytica's possession. Cambridge University denied working with Cambridge Analytica or its parent company SCL and said it had never provided any data, algorithms or expertise. It is one of a number of firms set up to help businesses such as publishers and advertisers target their marketing. It is unknown whether it has also helped campaigns spread political messages, as was the case with Cambridge Analytica. On its website, data firm Cubeyou describes itself has having \"all the best consumer data sources in one place\". \"Identify consumers not only by their demographics or consumption habits but by leveraging the whole spectrum of their personalities, interests and passions,\" it says. Other Facebook developments include: - Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak told USA Today that he was leaving Facebook as he was concerned about the way many tech firms make money from personal data - Facebook confirmed that it was working on a feature that would enable users to delete messages they had already sent from the inbox of the recipients. However, the firm told The Verge news site that it \"may take some time\". It followed news that messages from Mark Zuckerberg had been \"unsent\" in this way If you have yet to receive one of the notices, Facebook has also provided a tool to check if your information could have been shared with Cambridge Analytica. Facebook stopped letting third-party apps examine the likes, status updates and other information shared by users' friends in 2015 - so, if you are worried about developers you have never heard of profiling you, that should already have been tackled. In addition, over the past couple of weeks, the social network has taken further steps to limit what can be learned from app users themselves, including making their religious and political views out-of-bounds. But members wanting to be more proactive about their privacy can read up on Facebook's revamped terms of service and data use policy, which have been rewritten to make their language clearer. Clicking into Facebook's search box reveals the option to delete records of individual past queries or, alternatively, all previous entries in one go. Users can also delve into the app's settings menu to see exactly what apps they use and what data they are sharing - although they may wish to wait a little while, as the firm has promised to revamp the tools soon. In addition, they can take advantage of the platform's archive tool, which allows them to download a copy of all the messages, photos and other personal information that they have posted to the service. Just bear in mind, it does not include data others may have posted about them or information acquired from third-party companies to fine-tune ad targeting. Finally there's the nuclear option: the ability to delete an account via the settings menu. Update 10 April 2018: This story has been amended, following updated information supplied by Cambridge University, that the two apps, You Are What You Like and Apply Magic Sauce, are two separate products, despite web traffic from the former being automatically redirected to the latter. The University agreed to add a note to the You Are What You Like website to clarify the situation.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5940, "answer_start": 3924, "text": "If you have yet to receive one of the notices, Facebook has also provided a tool to check if your information could have been shared with Cambridge Analytica. Facebook stopped letting third-party apps examine the likes, status updates and other information shared by users' friends in 2015 - so, if you are worried about developers you have never heard of profiling you, that should already have been tackled. In addition, over the past couple of weeks, the social network has taken further steps to limit what can be learned from app users themselves, including making their religious and political views out-of-bounds. But members wanting to be more proactive about their privacy can read up on Facebook's revamped terms of service and data use policy, which have been rewritten to make their language clearer. Clicking into Facebook's search box reveals the option to delete records of individual past queries or, alternatively, all previous entries in one go. Users can also delve into the app's settings menu to see exactly what apps they use and what data they are sharing - although they may wish to wait a little while, as the firm has promised to revamp the tools soon. In addition, they can take advantage of the platform's archive tool, which allows them to download a copy of all the messages, photos and other personal information that they have posted to the service. Just bear in mind, it does not include data others may have posted about them or information acquired from third-party companies to fine-tune ad targeting. Finally there's the nuclear option: the ability to delete an account via the settings menu. Update 10 April 2018: This story has been amended, following updated information supplied by Cambridge University, that the two apps, You Are What You Like and Apply Magic Sauce, are two separate products, despite web traffic from the former being automatically redirected to the latter. The University agreed to add a note to the You Are What You Like website to clarify the situation." } ], "id": "9915_0", "question": "What can I do?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "British American Tobacco has agreed a $49.4bn (PS40bn) deal to take control of US rival Reynolds, creating the world's largest listed tobacco firm. The UK company has been in talks with Reynolds for months about buying the 57.8% stake it does not already own. The merger would bring together some of the tobacco industry's best-known brands, including Lucky Strike, Rothmans, Dunhill and Camel cigarettes. A merger \"creates a stronger, truly global tobacco\" business, BAT said. BAT, a shareholder in Reynolds since 2004, said last year that the merger was \"the logical progression in our relationship\". However, the UK company's initial approaches were rebuffed by Reynolds, and a $47bn offer was rejected last November. BAT estimates that it can make $400m worth of cost-savings through the merger. Reynolds has been operating since 1875 and is the second largest tobacco company in the US after Altria, which owns Philip Morris USA. Last year, Reynolds completed its $25bn takeover of US rival Lorillard. The combined company was forced to sell off a number of brands, including Kool, Salem and Winston, to satisfy regulators. They were eventually bought by Britain's Imperial Tobacco for $7.1bn. BAT products include Rothmans, Kool and Kent, while Reynolds' brands include Newport, Camel, Pall Mall, Doral, Misty and Capri. The UK company has more than 200 brands, and is a big player in the market for e-cigarettes. The takeover will give it a further foothold in the US, and give the combined business a significant presence in high-growth markets including South America, the Middle East and Africa. The offer comprises $25bn worth of BAT shares and $24.4bn in cash, valuing the whole Reynolds business at more than $85bn. The sweetened deal represents a 26% premium against the closing price of Reynolds' shares on 20 October, when news of BAT's interest in taking full control of Reynolds emerged. Nicandro Durante, BAT's chief executive, said: \"We have been shareholders in Reynolds since 2004 and we have benefited from the success of the present management team's strategy, including its acquisition of Lorillard, which we supported with our own investment in 2015. \"Our combination with Reynolds will benefit from utilising the best talent from both organisations. It will create a stronger, global tobacco and NGP [new-generation products] business with direct access for our products across the most attractive markets in the world.\" Steve Clayton, fund manager at Hargreaves Lansdown, said the takeover was a \"big move\" for BAT, but made \"a lot of sense\". However, he added: \"We can't ignore the debts that BAT are taking on to fund the deal, and in the short term, the stock has become a bit more risky as a result. But tobacco is a very cash generative business and we expect the enlarged group to be able to pay the debts down quite quickly. \"The sheer scale of the enlarged BAT raises the pressure on the remaining players to bulk up too, and attention is likely to turn to Imperial Brands, who look more and more like a minnow swimming in a tank of big, hungry fish.\"", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3087, "answer_start": 1606, "text": "The offer comprises $25bn worth of BAT shares and $24.4bn in cash, valuing the whole Reynolds business at more than $85bn. The sweetened deal represents a 26% premium against the closing price of Reynolds' shares on 20 October, when news of BAT's interest in taking full control of Reynolds emerged. Nicandro Durante, BAT's chief executive, said: \"We have been shareholders in Reynolds since 2004 and we have benefited from the success of the present management team's strategy, including its acquisition of Lorillard, which we supported with our own investment in 2015. \"Our combination with Reynolds will benefit from utilising the best talent from both organisations. It will create a stronger, global tobacco and NGP [new-generation products] business with direct access for our products across the most attractive markets in the world.\" Steve Clayton, fund manager at Hargreaves Lansdown, said the takeover was a \"big move\" for BAT, but made \"a lot of sense\". However, he added: \"We can't ignore the debts that BAT are taking on to fund the deal, and in the short term, the stock has become a bit more risky as a result. But tobacco is a very cash generative business and we expect the enlarged group to be able to pay the debts down quite quickly. \"The sheer scale of the enlarged BAT raises the pressure on the remaining players to bulk up too, and attention is likely to turn to Imperial Brands, who look more and more like a minnow swimming in a tank of big, hungry fish.\"" } ], "id": "9916_0", "question": "More deals?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Canadians are known for their prowess on the ice, but this Olympics they've suffered a series of bitter losses. With no NHL players on their team, Canada's men's ice hockey team lost to underdog Germany - a humbling defeat for the reigning champions. The women's hockey team lost to their arch-rivals the US in a shoot-out, and for the first time ever, Canada did not win a medal in men's curling. The news has left many Canadians feeling rather dyspeptic, taking the gloss off an otherwise stellar performance in Pyeonchang. Perhaps no defeat was more crushing than Thursday's 3-2 loss against the Americans in women's ice hockey. The two countries are bitter rivals - Canada won gold at the previous four Olympics, including victories over USA in the 2002, 2010 and 2014 finals. The winning point was scored by Monique Lamoureux-Morando in a sudden-death shootout. When it came time for the podium, Canadian defenceman Jocelyne Larocque was so upset she refused to don the silver medal. Fan reaction was mixed. Many sympathised with her sentiment, including US coach Robb Stauber. \"I understand it... it's a very heated rivalry,\" he said. But others accused her of being a poor sport. She issued an apology on Friday after receiving a stern scolding from the International Ice Hockey Federation. \"Please understand this was a moment in time that I truly wish I could take back,\" Ms Larocque said. \"I take seriously being a role model to young girls and representing our country. My actions did not demonstrate the values our team, myself and my family live and for that I am truly sorry.\" In another defeat, Canada's men's hockey team lost to Germany in the semi-finals. It is a truly stunning fall from grace, considering Canada won gold in three of the last four Olympics, including in 2014 at Sochi. Germany, on the other hand, has not even made the podium since 1976, when the team won bronze. It would be like if the New England Patriots lost to the Cleveland Browns, or if England lost to the Americans at the World Cup (cough, 1950, cough). Obviously, the Germans are elated. In Canada, the mood was more angry than disappointed - Canadians blamed National Hockey League commissioner Gary Bettman for refusing to let NHL players compete in this year's Olympics. That's meant that Canada's best players have had to watch from the sidelines. Now, the team will be lucky to settle for bronze, if it can defeat the Czech Republic on Saturday. For the first time, ever, Canada will not stand on the podium to receive a medal in men's curling. While the sport is often looked on as a quaint oddity in other parts of the world, it is a pastime in many parts of Canada and the country typically excels in it internationally. Canada has won three gold medals and two silvers since 1998, when curling became an Olympic event. But on Friday, Canada lost 7-5 to Switzerland in the bronze-medal match. At home, the loss is being spun as proof that Canada has helped raise the international profile of the sport. \"Curlers in Canada wanted the world to embrace the game and wanted to help other countries get better. They've helped train curlers from other countries, welcomed them into their abundant facilities, welcomed them into their cash tournaments, and taken jobs as their coaches,\" wrote journalist Ted Wyman for the National Post. \"The result is curling teams around the world are better than they were four years ago, and that might help explain why Canada - a double gold medal winner at Sochi 2014 - finished off the podium for the first time ever in both men's and women's curling at the Olympics.\" There was some consolation for Canada with a curling gold in the mixed doubles for John Morris and Kaitlyn Lawes. Canada has won 27 medals total so far - beating its previous national best of 26 set in 2010 in Vancouver - putting it in second place for total medals won, behind Norway. It is in third place for total gold medals, with 10, behind Norway and Germany.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1590, "answer_start": 526, "text": "Perhaps no defeat was more crushing than Thursday's 3-2 loss against the Americans in women's ice hockey. The two countries are bitter rivals - Canada won gold at the previous four Olympics, including victories over USA in the 2002, 2010 and 2014 finals. The winning point was scored by Monique Lamoureux-Morando in a sudden-death shootout. When it came time for the podium, Canadian defenceman Jocelyne Larocque was so upset she refused to don the silver medal. Fan reaction was mixed. Many sympathised with her sentiment, including US coach Robb Stauber. \"I understand it... it's a very heated rivalry,\" he said. But others accused her of being a poor sport. She issued an apology on Friday after receiving a stern scolding from the International Ice Hockey Federation. \"Please understand this was a moment in time that I truly wish I could take back,\" Ms Larocque said. \"I take seriously being a role model to young girls and representing our country. My actions did not demonstrate the values our team, myself and my family live and for that I am truly sorry.\"" } ], "id": "9917_0", "question": "'Sore losers'?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "People who smoke, and even those who have given up, report living in more pain than those who have never picked up the habit, a report suggests. The findings are based on an analysis of data from more than 220,000 people conducted by UCL. The researchers say the reason why is unknown, but could include smoking causing permanent changes in the body. The anti-smoking campaign group Ash said the findings should not come as a surprise given the dangers of smoking. Scientists were analysing data from a set of online experiments in the BBC Lab UK Study, in which people took part between 2009 and 2013. They were sorted into three categories: - never smoked daily - used to smoke daily - or currently smoke daily They were asked how much pain they lived in and this was converted into a scale from zero to 100. Higher scores meant more pain. Current and former smokers scored about one to two points higher than those who had never smoked, the study in the journal Addictive Behaviors showed. In other words, smoking was linked to living in more pain - even after quitting. \"The key finding is the former smokers still see that effect of elevated pain,\" one of the UCL researchers, Dr Olga Perski, told the BBC. She added: \"It is a very large data set. We've got a good sample, so we can be fairly confident there is something going on here. \"But we can't say whether that's clinically meaningful,\" And Dr Perski said the most surprising finding was that the higher levels of pain were found in the youngest ages groups (aged 16 to 34). There is no definitive explanation for why this effect might exist. One proposed idea is that some of the thousands of chemicals in tobacco smoke may lead to permanent tissue damage, resulting in pain. Another is that smoking could have a lasting effect on the body's hormonal systems. This suggestion specifically centres around the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA-axis), which is involved in how we respond to pain. If the HPA-axis is knocked out of balance then it could lead to people feeling more pain. But there remains the possibility that smoking is the symptom and not the cause. For example, studies have linked the neurotic personality trait to feeling more intense pain and a higher risk of smoking. So is could be that, on average, the type of person who is more likely to report having more pain is also the type of person who is more likely to start smoking. \"This is certainly an issue that needs looking into,\" said Dr Perski. However, she said the latest study fitted in with previous research linking smoking with chronic pain and with back pain. \"Even if you quit after regular smoking, that could potentially have lasting effects on pain, it is a really good incentive to quit as soon as possible,\" Dr Perski told the BBC. Ash chief executive Deborah Arnott said: \"The proof that smoking caused lung cancer was discovered in the 1950s. Over the years since then the evidence has grown that almost every medical condition can be caused, or made worse by, smoking. \"This includes cancers, heart and respiratory disease, blindness, deafness, diabetes, dementia and infertility. Smokers also take longer to recover from operations and it's more likely the outcome will be a failure. \"So it's not surprising that smokers also suffer more pain than never smokers.\" Follow James on Twitter.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3350, "answer_start": 1537, "text": "There is no definitive explanation for why this effect might exist. One proposed idea is that some of the thousands of chemicals in tobacco smoke may lead to permanent tissue damage, resulting in pain. Another is that smoking could have a lasting effect on the body's hormonal systems. This suggestion specifically centres around the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA-axis), which is involved in how we respond to pain. If the HPA-axis is knocked out of balance then it could lead to people feeling more pain. But there remains the possibility that smoking is the symptom and not the cause. For example, studies have linked the neurotic personality trait to feeling more intense pain and a higher risk of smoking. So is could be that, on average, the type of person who is more likely to report having more pain is also the type of person who is more likely to start smoking. \"This is certainly an issue that needs looking into,\" said Dr Perski. However, she said the latest study fitted in with previous research linking smoking with chronic pain and with back pain. \"Even if you quit after regular smoking, that could potentially have lasting effects on pain, it is a really good incentive to quit as soon as possible,\" Dr Perski told the BBC. Ash chief executive Deborah Arnott said: \"The proof that smoking caused lung cancer was discovered in the 1950s. Over the years since then the evidence has grown that almost every medical condition can be caused, or made worse by, smoking. \"This includes cancers, heart and respiratory disease, blindness, deafness, diabetes, dementia and infertility. Smokers also take longer to recover from operations and it's more likely the outcome will be a failure. \"So it's not surprising that smokers also suffer more pain than never smokers.\" Follow James on Twitter." } ], "id": "9918_0", "question": "What is going on?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The leader of Germany's main governing party, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, is standing down and will not put herself forward to replace Angela Merkel as chancellor. Ms Kramp-Karrenbauer took over as head of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party in December 2018. The protegee of Mrs Merkel was widely seen as her favoured successor. Her decision comes after fresh questions were raised about her ability to command authority in the party. Last week, defying Ms Kramp-Karrenbauer, some of the CDU's local politicians in the eastern state of Thuringia voted with the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party to install liberal candidate Thomas Kemmerich as regional premier. Mr Kemmerich later said he would resign and seek new elections in the state, \"to remove the stain of the AfD's support for the office of the premiership\". For mainstream parties to collaborate with the AfD is considered a taboo, and no state premier has ever taken office before with the aid of the AfD. The AfD has grown in popularity in recent years but has been condemned for its extreme views on immigration, freedom of speech and the press. Ms Kramp-Karrenbauer told a news conference on Monday that she would stay on as party leader until a leadership contest, expected in the summer, is held. She also plans to remain in the post of defence minister until the end of the legislative period. Her decision has shaken up the race to succeed Mrs Merkel, who has led Germany for 15 years. But Ms Kramp-Karrenbauer said she believed her choice would not hurt the stability of the coalition between the CDU and the Social Democrats that runs Germany's federal government. After a series of public blunders, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer finally fell over her inability to control her party - and its attitude toward the far right - in Germany's former east. Like other mainstream parties, the CDU has still not found the formula for winning back voters lured by AfD's xenophobic nationalism - particularly ardent in the state of Thuringia, where the AfD more than doubled its vote in a regional election last year, leading to an inconclusive result. The episode has dashed Chancellor Merkel's hopes of a smooth transition of power when she steps down next year. Attention is turning to the handful of men jostling to succeed her - at least three of whom would likely steer the CDU to the right-of-centre. All this as Germany's Green Party edges closer and closer in the polls. It is going to be a turbulent few months for German politics. Not least because what began as an inconclusive regional election has demonstrated the ability of Germany's far right to cause political chaos at the very highest level. Ms Kramp-Karrenbauer - also known as AKK - made the surprise announcement that she no longer wanted to lead her CDU party following a meeting with members. At that meeting, she said that parts of the CDU held an ambiguous position towards the far right and left. In November, AKK urged critics to support her vision for Germany and threatened to stand down if the party failed to back her at the CDU's annual congress in Leipzig. The 57-year-old joined the CDU in 1981 as a 19-year-old student and, after completing a masters in political science, worked her way up in state-level politics. She became the first woman to serve as a state minister for internal affairs in 2000 and the first woman to serve as prime minister of Saarland, a position she held from 2011 to 2018. After being nominated by Chancellor Merkel, AKK was elected as CDU general secretary with a record 98.9% of the vote. In her first address as CDU leader in 2018, after ending Mrs Merkel's 18-year reign, AKK - seen as a moderate choice for the leadership - called for party unity. During her farewell speech as party leader, Ms Merkel praised AKK for her 2017 electoral success in Saarland, in a clear hint that the chancellor saw her as her successor.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3914, "answer_start": 3118, "text": "The 57-year-old joined the CDU in 1981 as a 19-year-old student and, after completing a masters in political science, worked her way up in state-level politics. She became the first woman to serve as a state minister for internal affairs in 2000 and the first woman to serve as prime minister of Saarland, a position she held from 2011 to 2018. After being nominated by Chancellor Merkel, AKK was elected as CDU general secretary with a record 98.9% of the vote. In her first address as CDU leader in 2018, after ending Mrs Merkel's 18-year reign, AKK - seen as a moderate choice for the leadership - called for party unity. During her farewell speech as party leader, Ms Merkel praised AKK for her 2017 electoral success in Saarland, in a clear hint that the chancellor saw her as her successor." } ], "id": "9919_0", "question": "Who is AKK?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "From expensive brushes to fingertips, luxury mascara to budget-friendly concealers - make-up lovers all have their own tips and tricks. Millions watch YouTube beauty tutorials every day. Watching vloggers empty out bags after their latest shopping haul, expertly applying eyeliner or chatting about trends has become a favourite pastime. So, BBC News asks, how much do we spend on make-up and how do YouTube stars influence what we buy? In 2017, global sales of (colour) cosmetics reached PS34bn ($45.5bn). That includes anything from blushers and bronzers to face powders and lipsticks. Looking good is big business. Market analysts Mintel estimate that sales will increase by 6% in 2018, with the US predicted to spend the most on make-up at PS9bn ($12.1bn). Japan and South Korea also feature in the top five. The two countries' cosmetics markets are valued at an estimated PS4.8bn ($6.4bn) and PS1.6bn ($2.2bn). J-Beauty and K-beauty, the two countries' beauty industries, are responsible for bringing new, innovative products to the market, from snail-extract creams to sheet masks. So far in 2018, people have watched (on average) more than a million beauty videos on YouTube every day. Cosmetics companies are teaming up with YouTubers in an attempt to reach younger consumers. Sending sample products to vloggers, buying advertising in fan-favourite tutorials and using YouTube stars as brand ambassadors are tactics used by beauty brands to get their products noticed. L'Oreal Paris recently featured YouTubers such as Rosie Bea and Jennie Jenkins in a campaign for its True Match foundation. MAC Cosmetics has also signed up Patrick Starrr, with more than 3.8 million YouTube subscribers, to launch five make-up collections. If YouTubers receive payment or free products in exchange for a post, they must inform the platform when they upload the video. In the US, any paid partnership must also be explicitly labelled as an \"ad\" or as \"sponsored\". In the UK, the Committee of Advertising Practice says that product placement in a make-up tutorial should be flagged in text on the screen, or by the vlogger explaining they've been paid to talk about a certain item. Instagram influencers are also obliged to tag business partners in posts or stories they might have been paid for, or that feature product placement. The world's most popular beauty vlogger is Yuya, a 25-year-old Mexican beauty expert with more than 21 million subscribers. UK-based Zoella is the world's second most popular beauty vlogger, with 12 million fans subscribed to her YouTube channel. With magazine covers, bespoke beauty ranges and book deals to their names - it seems that beauty influencers' influence is on the up. Young women aged 16-24 were the most likely to have bought face make-up in the past year in the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy and Spain. Of young Italian women surveyed by Mintel, 95% had purchased face make-up, and concealer was the most popular product. Customers hand over their money for the latest beauty buys from a young age. According to the Office for National Statistics, seven- to nine-year-old girls in the UK spend on average 20p a week on cosmetics and toiletries, rising to PS1.70 for girls aged 13 to 15. However, boys of all age ranges spend less than 10p per week on these items. With more than ever being spent on beauty products, big brands battle it out to grab potential customers' attention. In 2017, the world's most valuable cosmetics brand was L'Oreal, with sales of PS21.4bn ($28.6bn). This was followed by Unilever, Procter & Gamble, and Estee Lauder - companies that own make-up brands such as Bobbi Brown and Clinique. The L'Oreal Group is now the largest cosmetics company in the world, having acquired brands such as Nyx Cosmetics and Urban Decay. Their liquid lipsticks and eye-shadow palettes are the feature of many YouTube tutorials and Instagram snaps. In Great Britain, the most popular colour cosmetics are face make-up products. Most spending on beauty in the past year went on foundation, concealers and powders, according to market researcher Kantar Worldpanel. Make-up primers and highlighters, used to accentuate features such as cheekbones, are growing in popularity as young women pick up tips from their favourite YouTubers. Charlotte Libby, global colour cosmetics analyst at Mintel, says: \"The growth in the number of tutorial videos available has created a generation of make-up users who are confident and experimental with make-up. \"Young women have embraced new products, and are confident bringing them into their product repertoire; contouring, baking and strobing are all professional make-up techniques which have made their way into the consumer market thanks to YouTube tutorials.\" Growing up with vloggers and photo filters, young make-up enthusiasts are looking to create a selfie-ready look at home. However, it seems that customers still value going to the shops and trying out new products for themselves. In the year to 8 April 2018, just 20.8% of spending on cosmetics in the UK was online.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1087, "answer_start": 437, "text": "In 2017, global sales of (colour) cosmetics reached PS34bn ($45.5bn). That includes anything from blushers and bronzers to face powders and lipsticks. Looking good is big business. Market analysts Mintel estimate that sales will increase by 6% in 2018, with the US predicted to spend the most on make-up at PS9bn ($12.1bn). Japan and South Korea also feature in the top five. The two countries' cosmetics markets are valued at an estimated PS4.8bn ($6.4bn) and PS1.6bn ($2.2bn). J-Beauty and K-beauty, the two countries' beauty industries, are responsible for bringing new, innovative products to the market, from snail-extract creams to sheet masks." } ], "id": "9920_0", "question": "1. Which country spends most on make-up?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2324, "answer_start": 1088, "text": "So far in 2018, people have watched (on average) more than a million beauty videos on YouTube every day. Cosmetics companies are teaming up with YouTubers in an attempt to reach younger consumers. Sending sample products to vloggers, buying advertising in fan-favourite tutorials and using YouTube stars as brand ambassadors are tactics used by beauty brands to get their products noticed. L'Oreal Paris recently featured YouTubers such as Rosie Bea and Jennie Jenkins in a campaign for its True Match foundation. MAC Cosmetics has also signed up Patrick Starrr, with more than 3.8 million YouTube subscribers, to launch five make-up collections. If YouTubers receive payment or free products in exchange for a post, they must inform the platform when they upload the video. In the US, any paid partnership must also be explicitly labelled as an \"ad\" or as \"sponsored\". In the UK, the Committee of Advertising Practice says that product placement in a make-up tutorial should be flagged in text on the screen, or by the vlogger explaining they've been paid to talk about a certain item. Instagram influencers are also obliged to tag business partners in posts or stories they might have been paid for, or that feature product placement." } ], "id": "9920_1", "question": "2. How many YouTube tutorials do we watch?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3312, "answer_start": 2706, "text": "Young women aged 16-24 were the most likely to have bought face make-up in the past year in the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy and Spain. Of young Italian women surveyed by Mintel, 95% had purchased face make-up, and concealer was the most popular product. Customers hand over their money for the latest beauty buys from a young age. According to the Office for National Statistics, seven- to nine-year-old girls in the UK spend on average 20p a week on cosmetics and toiletries, rising to PS1.70 for girls aged 13 to 15. However, boys of all age ranges spend less than 10p per week on these items." } ], "id": "9920_2", "question": "4. Who buys the most make-up?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The arrival of human ancestors in Europe some 40,000 years ago coincided with the downfall of the cave bear, scientists have revealed. New evidence suggests humans hunted the bear and drove it from caves, putting it on the road to extinction. The fate of the species was sealed by other pressures, such as the onset of the last Ice Age, and shrinking food resources. The bear eventually died out 24,000 years ago. \"We see this dramatic drop in the population of the cave bear starting from 40,000 years ago, which coincides with the arrival of anatomically modern humans in Europe,\" said Prof Verena Schuenemann of the University of Zurich, who led the study. \"It is the clearest evidence we have so far that humans might have played a big role in the extinction of the cave bear.\" Cave bears were a type of bear that lived in Asia and Europe. They share a common ancestor with the modern brown bear. The cave bear fed largely on vegetation instead of meat. Fossils of the species are usually found in caves, suggesting the animals spent a lot of time there, rather than using caves purely for hibernation. The researchers analysed mitochondrial DNA extracted from cave bear bones collected across Switzerland, Poland, France, Spain, Germany, Italy and Serbia. They were able to map where cave bears lived and their diversity at a time when many large mammals roamed the Earth. It appears that populations were more diverse then previously thought and remained relatively stable until around 40,000 years ago, surviving two cold periods and several cooling events. The findings support the idea that human influences played a major role in pushing the cave bear to the brink. The extinction of the cave bear is a matter of much debate, with explanations including human interference, environmental changes or a combination of both. The latest study, published in Scientific Reports, gives a deeper insight into the subject, but is unlikely to be the final word. Follow Helen on Twitter.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1106, "answer_start": 782, "text": "Cave bears were a type of bear that lived in Asia and Europe. They share a common ancestor with the modern brown bear. The cave bear fed largely on vegetation instead of meat. Fossils of the species are usually found in caves, suggesting the animals spent a lot of time there, rather than using caves purely for hibernation." } ], "id": "9921_0", "question": "What is a cave bear?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1986, "answer_start": 1107, "text": "The researchers analysed mitochondrial DNA extracted from cave bear bones collected across Switzerland, Poland, France, Spain, Germany, Italy and Serbia. They were able to map where cave bears lived and their diversity at a time when many large mammals roamed the Earth. It appears that populations were more diverse then previously thought and remained relatively stable until around 40,000 years ago, surviving two cold periods and several cooling events. The findings support the idea that human influences played a major role in pushing the cave bear to the brink. The extinction of the cave bear is a matter of much debate, with explanations including human interference, environmental changes or a combination of both. The latest study, published in Scientific Reports, gives a deeper insight into the subject, but is unlikely to be the final word. Follow Helen on Twitter." } ], "id": "9921_1", "question": "What did the study find?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "A woman subjected to a \"degrading\" strip search by police in London is challenging a decision not to punish the officer who authorised it. Koshka Duff was arrested after offering a legal advice card to a black teenager during his stop-and-search. What happened left her with multiple injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the academic says. The custody sergeant was cleared of misconduct, and the Met said it was satisfied investigations were thorough. Dr Duff, a 30-year-old lecturer at the University of Nottingham, does not agree and is challenging the misconduct hearing's findings by way of a judicial review. WARNING: The rest of this account includes graphic descriptions of a strip search She described the strip search following her arrest on suspicion of obstruction as being a \"very violating and humiliating experience\". \"They caused significant injury, and subjected me to degrading treatment,\" said Dr Duff, who is originally from Aberdeen. \"It was three officers on top of me but it felt like it was more because they were kneeling on me with their full weight and they were all over me. \"They tied my legs together and they had my hands in handcuffs. \"They cut my clothes off with scissors and ripped out my piercings. While they were doing that they were twisting my arms around behind my back.\" Guidelines for strip searches say suspects should not be required to remove all their clothes at the same time - something Dr Duff said was ignored. \"When they had me completely naked they touched my breasts and between my legs,\" said Dr Duff. Dr Duff went into further detail about this touching in her witness statements to the misconduct hearing. She said the officers \"grabbed\" her breasts \"roughly\" in the process of pulling her on to her back over someone's knee. One officer touched her genitals, she said, while someone made a comment that suggested to Dr Duff they were looking for genital piercings. \"Then they put me into a paper suit, which didn't do up properly so my breasts were partially exposed, and they carried me through the station like that,\" she said. The officers were women, which is in accordance with guidelines, but strip searches should not be observed by people of the opposite sex. Dr Duff said she heard male officers talking through the open door, and feared they might be watching. \"The purpose of the strip search I think was to punish me because they didn't like what I had done in getting in their way, offering the 'know your rights' card and then doing passive resistance and not speaking to them,\" said Dr Duff. \"I think they thought it would soften me up and make me give them my details by essentially subjecting me to very painful and degrading treatment in order to make me comply.\" The events that led to her long-running legal battle with the Metropolitan Police took place in Hackney, east London, on 3 May 2013. She saw police stopping and searching black people on the Wilton Estate and was concerned they were being racially profiled. Dr Duff saw officers surround a 15-year-old boy and said she decided to observe. She then spoke to him and tried to give him a card with some legal advice on, but said police physically stopped her from doing so by grabbing her arm and blocking her way. They then arrested her on suspicion of obstruction and assaulting a police officer. The boy was found to have a knife, which Dr Duff had not been aware of when she intervened. She said she decided to act in the spirit of \"passive resistance\", and went limp rather than walking to the police van willingly. While she was in the van Dr Duff said she heard one of the officers describe her as a \"bleeding heart lefty\" and \"some sort of socialist\". She was taken to Stoke Newington police station, where Sgt Kurtis Howard approved the strip search. In the detention log he noted that he was authorising it because Dr Duff \"assaulted officers in the execution of their duties\", \"refuses to tell police her identity\", \"may have weapons or other items concealed\", and was \"being obstructive for reasons unknown\". Dr Duff was later charged with two counts of assaulting a police officer and one charge of obstructing a police officer, but was acquitted of all charges following a trial. \"Strip searches are usually conducted to search for evidence - typically stolen goods or drugs,\" said Mark P Thomas, a lecturer from Nottingham Law School. Guidance is set out in Code C of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE). This states: \"A strip search may take place only if it is considered necessary to remove an article which a detainee would not be allowed to keep and the officer reasonably considers the detainee might have concealed such an article. \"Strip searches shall not be routinely carried out if there is no reason to consider that articles are concealed.\" Iain Gould, a solicitor who blogs about police misconduct claims, believes police had insufficient grounds to strip search Dr Duff. \"On the facts available to me, this certainly seems excessive and unlawful,\" he said. \"There appear to have been no reasonable grounds to assume that Ms Duff was carrying a weapon on her person.\" At the time of the strip search Dr Duff was a final-year masters student in piano performance at the Royal College of Music, but she says her injuries meant she could not practise for her recital and had to postpone the completion of the masters until the following year. Her injuries included cuts and bruises on her arms and hand and a five-inch cut on her collarbone. She said the hole where a stud in her ear was removed was also very painful. She added that she also suffered \"considerable\" psychological harm. \"For a few months after the incident it was intrusive thoughts about the strip search, [which] often brought on panic attacks,\" she said. \"I got some counselling and that condition improved, but I do experience involuntary facial spasms during flashbacks and that sometimes interferes with my work because I worry about that being noticed by my colleagues and students.\" She gave up her job as a self-employed philosophy tutor because of stress relating to the incident and the court proceedings, could not pay her rent and was homeless for several months, living with various friends. Dr Duff said her life is \"back on track\" five years later but she still suffers from flashbacks. After her acquittal, she complained and the matter went back and forth between the Metropolitan Police and what was then the Independent Police Complaints Commission (now the Independent Office for Police Conduct). The Metropolitan Police held a misconduct hearing in August, but halfway through it Sgt Howard's defence barrister argued he had no case to answer. The panel accepted this, meaning Sgt Howard was cleared of gross misconduct without giving evidence. Panel chairman Maurice Cohen said there were \"reasonable grounds justifying Sgt Howard's actions in authorising a strip search\". \"As she was non-compliant, Sgt Howard was therefore unable to conduct a risk assessment, obtain Dr Duff's identity - which is an essential part of that risk assessment - or ascertain from her if she suffered from any mental health illness, other vulnerability or if she was on drugs,\" he said. \"Her behaviour was somewhat bizarre. He had a responsibility to ensure that Dr Duff did not present a risk to herself or others.\" Dr Duff's lawyer, Lawrence Barker, believes there is a good prospect of the judicial review succeeding. \"In her view, the misconduct hearing was not fair and the panel did not properly apply the law. She is understandably very concerned about that, and that the same will be true in other cases,\" he said. The BBC gave Sgt Howard and the other Metropolitan Police officers involved the opportunity to respond. The force said in a statement: \"Following her arrest and whilst in custody the complainant was disengaged and uncooperative. \"This made Police Sergeant Kurtis Howard's primary responsibility as custody sergeant, to risk assess all detainees for their welfare and the potential risk they may cause to themselves, other detainees and the officers dealing, very difficult.\" The statement added that he \"made several attempts to respectfully engage with the complainant, all of which were caught on CCTV\" and that the misconduct hearing panel was satisfied he had \"reasonable grounds\" to authorise the strip search. For Dr Duff, the fight to hold the police accountable for what happened to her continues. \"My sense of the misconduct hearing is that it was a sham,\" she said. \"The fact that the panel was happy to rubberstamp this officer's actions without even bothering to question him just makes clear to me that the violating and degrading treatment I was subjected to was far from exceptional. \"I feel we are dealing with a real culture of impunity that needs to be challenged.\" To discuss an East Midlands story, contact [email protected]", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5160, "answer_start": 4245, "text": "\"Strip searches are usually conducted to search for evidence - typically stolen goods or drugs,\" said Mark P Thomas, a lecturer from Nottingham Law School. Guidance is set out in Code C of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE). This states: \"A strip search may take place only if it is considered necessary to remove an article which a detainee would not be allowed to keep and the officer reasonably considers the detainee might have concealed such an article. \"Strip searches shall not be routinely carried out if there is no reason to consider that articles are concealed.\" Iain Gould, a solicitor who blogs about police misconduct claims, believes police had insufficient grounds to strip search Dr Duff. \"On the facts available to me, this certainly seems excessive and unlawful,\" he said. \"There appear to have been no reasonable grounds to assume that Ms Duff was carrying a weapon on her person.\"" } ], "id": "9922_0", "question": "Was the strip search lawful?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Austria's ruling coalition has agreed to prohibit full-face veils in public spaces such as courts and schools. It is also considering a more general ban on state employees wearing the headscarf and other religious symbols. The measures are seen as an attempt to counter the rise of the far-right Freedom Party, whose candidate narrowly lost last month's presidential vote. The centrist coalition nearly collapsed last week amid crisis negotiations over the government's future direction. Detailing the package of reforms, the coalition devoted just two lines to the planned ban on the Islamic niqab and burqa. \"We are committed to an open society, which also presupposes open communication. A full-face veil in public places stands in its way and will therefore be banned,\" it said. An estimated 150 women wear the full niqab in Austria but tourism officials have expressed fears that the measures will also deter visitors from the Gulf. One government spokesman told an Austrian newspaper that the ban would apply for ski resorts such as Zell am See as much as the centre of Vienna. Several European countries have imposed similar bans but the Austrian move is, according to the vice chancellor a \"symbolic\" step. Integration Minister Sebastian Kurz said it was important to be seen to be neutral, especially for anyone dealing with the public in the police or schools. France and Belgium introduced a burqa ban in 2011 and a similar measure is currently going through the Dutch parliament. Chancellor Angela Merkel said last month that the full-face veil should be prohibited in Germany \"wherever it is legally possible\". The UK does not ban the niqab or burqa. Further measures agreed by Austria's Social Democrats and their conservative People's party partners include electronic tagging of former jihadists and a proposed curb on foreign workers. Many of the plans must be hammered out in detail and receive parliamentary approval before they can come into force, BBC Vienna correspondent Bethany Bell reports. The niqab is a veil for the face that leaves the area around the eyes clear. However, it may be worn with a separate eye veil. It is worn with an accompanying headscarf. The burka is the most concealing of all Islamic veils. It is a one-piece veil that covers the face and body, often leaving just a mesh screen to see through.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2343, "answer_start": 2016, "text": "The niqab is a veil for the face that leaves the area around the eyes clear. However, it may be worn with a separate eye veil. It is worn with an accompanying headscarf. The burka is the most concealing of all Islamic veils. It is a one-piece veil that covers the face and body, often leaving just a mesh screen to see through." } ], "id": "9923_0", "question": "What is a niqab and a burka?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "A Chinese national has been sentenced to eight months in prison for trespassing at US President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. It was feared Yujing Zhang, a 33-year-old businesswoman from Shanghai, was a spy when she was arrested on 30 March. Initial tests showed she was carrying malware - but prosecutors later said this may have been a \"false positive\". Zhang, who maintains her innocence, has already served seven-and-a-half months in pre-trial detention. District Judge Roy Altman also sentenced her to two years of supervised release. Mr Trump was staying at Mar-a-Lago that weekend, but was elsewhere at the time of the incident. Zhang was convicted in September of bluffing her way into a restricted zone and lying to a federal officer. Because she was deemed a flight risk, she was remanded in custody until her sentencing. When Zhang entered Mar-a-Lago on 30 March, she told the resort's security staff she was there to use the swimming pool. Moments later, she changed her story and told club staff she was there to attend a United Nations event that it later transpired had been cancelled. A receptionist who knew the event was off then flagged her to Secret Service agents. At the time of her arrest, she was carrying multiple electronic devices, prompting fears that she was a spy. During the two-day trial in federal court in Fort Lauderdale, Zhang dismissed her public counsel and instead chose to represent herself - despite the judge's attempts to persuade her otherwise. Zhang often appeared uncomfortable speaking in English, and was also accused of pretending not to understand proceedings. But she insisted she was just trying to meet President Trump. \"I came to the property and just followed the instructions and asked where to go,\" she told the court. \"I don't think I am lying. I came to meet the president and family to just make friends.\"", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1881, "answer_start": 651, "text": "Zhang was convicted in September of bluffing her way into a restricted zone and lying to a federal officer. Because she was deemed a flight risk, she was remanded in custody until her sentencing. When Zhang entered Mar-a-Lago on 30 March, she told the resort's security staff she was there to use the swimming pool. Moments later, she changed her story and told club staff she was there to attend a United Nations event that it later transpired had been cancelled. A receptionist who knew the event was off then flagged her to Secret Service agents. At the time of her arrest, she was carrying multiple electronic devices, prompting fears that she was a spy. During the two-day trial in federal court in Fort Lauderdale, Zhang dismissed her public counsel and instead chose to represent herself - despite the judge's attempts to persuade her otherwise. Zhang often appeared uncomfortable speaking in English, and was also accused of pretending not to understand proceedings. But she insisted she was just trying to meet President Trump. \"I came to the property and just followed the instructions and asked where to go,\" she told the court. \"I don't think I am lying. I came to meet the president and family to just make friends.\"" } ], "id": "9924_0", "question": "What was Yujing Zhang found guilty of?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "A song that describes \"atrocities\" in Indian-administered Kashmir has been released in Pakistan, causing controversy. BBC Monitoring's Tulika Bhatnagar traces its origins and impact. The Kashmir Anthem Song is dedicated to separatist militant Burhan Wani, whose death in July sparked the worst violence the region has seen for years. Disputed Kashmir is claimed in its entirety by India and Pakistan and has been a flashpoint for decades, sparking two wars between the countries. Released last week, the song emphasises Pakistan's claim to the territory. It begins with a voice-over by producer Omar Ahsan, who vows that this land (referring to Pakistan) will ensure that Kashmir's struggle (for freedom) shall continue. The track sounds like a rock ballad at times, with electric guitar riffs and fiery vocals. But it is also infused with traditional Sufi music. \"We wanted to reach out especially to the younger generation who connect with new music and don't go for old, traditional things. This music style has folk tunes that evoke pain and grief in a way that will appeal to the younger generation. There is melody, romance and pop,\" Mr Ahsan told the BBC. He claimed that within 48 hours of its release, the anthem received more than 20,000 views and 1,000 shares The song has received a lot of attention in the Pakistani media. It features singers Ali Azmat, Umair Jaswal and Alycia Dias. Several Pakistani artists refused to sing on the track, fearing a backlash from their Indian fans. One of the singers, Umair Jaswal, claims he has lost at least 10,000 fans from \"across the border\" on his Facebook page after posting news about the song. But he insists the \"anthem\" is not anti-Indian in its content. \"We have a humanitarian issue going on in Kashmir,\" he told Pakistani newspaper The Express Tribune last month. \"It's time we put the focus back on Kashmir.\" It's unsurprising that the anthem might have upset some Indians. \"Kashmir, which is also Pakistan, this paradise on earth, this valley, now has freedom as its destiny,\" the chorus goes. Wani appears in the anthem's video in stills that show thousands attending his funeral procession. The Indian government considered Wani a terrorist, but for many Kashmiris he represented the spirit and political aspirations of a new generation. Other visuals highlight the unrest in Kashmir, including images of prominent separatist leaders and protesters hurling stones at Indian forces. Mr Ahsan told BBC Hindi that his team \"initially waited for a few months\" before deciding to go ahead. \"We expected the civil society in India and the country's music fraternity to make a documentary or a song about the plight of the Kashmiris,\" he says, adding that this had not happened. There are now plans to shoot a film for the anthem out of Pakistan-administered Kashmir. It is the \"remarkable resilience\" of the Kashmiri people against India's \"unending atrocities\" that inspired the anthem, Mr Ahsan said. This is not likely to be the view among many Indian commentators. India has blamed Pakistan for fomenting months of unrest since the death of Wani, a charge that Islamabad denies. And it's notable that Indian media have been slow to pick up on the song's release despite Kashmir being a much-covered topic otherwise. On social media, however, the song is spreading. Twitter users, including some with news pages named after Kashmir, have picked up the song and are sharing the video. And when the anthem was launched, the president of Pakistan-administered Kashmir, Sardar Masood Khan, was present. He was shown on television encouraging other Pakistanis \"to also play a role in supporting the cause of the Kashmiris\". There has been no significant reaction yet from India. Perhaps its pop stars are huddled in a studio planning a ballad of their own.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3817, "answer_start": 2828, "text": "It is the \"remarkable resilience\" of the Kashmiri people against India's \"unending atrocities\" that inspired the anthem, Mr Ahsan said. This is not likely to be the view among many Indian commentators. India has blamed Pakistan for fomenting months of unrest since the death of Wani, a charge that Islamabad denies. And it's notable that Indian media have been slow to pick up on the song's release despite Kashmir being a much-covered topic otherwise. On social media, however, the song is spreading. Twitter users, including some with news pages named after Kashmir, have picked up the song and are sharing the video. And when the anthem was launched, the president of Pakistan-administered Kashmir, Sardar Masood Khan, was present. He was shown on television encouraging other Pakistanis \"to also play a role in supporting the cause of the Kashmiris\". There has been no significant reaction yet from India. Perhaps its pop stars are huddled in a studio planning a ballad of their own." } ], "id": "9925_0", "question": "Ignored by Indian media?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The Gambia's leader Yahya Jammeh is to step down and leave the country, officials involved in negotiations say. West African mediators spent several hours with Mr Jammeh on Friday, negotiating his future. The motorcade carrying the presidents of Guinea and Mauritania has left the official residence, but they are not thought to have left the country. Mr Jammeh was defeated in December's election and his successor Adama Barrow has been inaugurated. A tweet from an account believed to belong to the new president, saying that Mr Jammeh had agreed to step down and go into exile, has since been deleted. But Mai Fatty, a senior aide to the new president, told the BBC's Umaru Fofana that Mr Jammeh had agreed to step down. News agency AFP reported that Mr Jammeh had agreed in principle to go but that the terms of his departure were still being finalised. Mr Barrow told Gambians who had fled the country that they now had \"the liberty to return home\". \"The rule of fear has been vanished from The Gambia for good,\" he said in the Senegalese capital, Dakar. Mr Barrow has been in neighbouring Senegal for days. He was sworn in at the Gambian embassy there on Thursday. West African nations, including Senegal, have deployed troops in The Gambia - threatening to drive Mr Jammeh out of office by force. Mr Barrow's legitimacy as president has been recognised internationally, after he won last month's elections. Mr Jammeh was given an ultimatum to leave office or be forced out by UN-backed troops, which expired at 16:00 GMT on Friday. The deadline was set by the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas), a regional grouping backed by the United Nations. The man who once said he would rule The Gambia for a billion years is finally leaving. He is thought to have been offered an amnesty deal, so that he will not face charges of human rights abuses. He had wanted to stay in The Gambia but this was not negotiable. There have been suggestions he may now go to Guinea, although he has been offered asylum in Nigeria and it is thought Morocco has done the same. Mr Jammeh's term expired at midnight on Wednesday - but, while still president, he engineered a parliamentary vote to extend his presidency. As Mr Barrow has already been sworn in, the country could be said to have two presidents at the same time. Ecowas said that its forces, from Senegal and other West African countries, had encountered no resistance after entering The Gambia. After first accepting defeat in the election he reversed his position and said he would not step down. He declared a 90-day state of emergency, blaming irregularities in the electoral process. The electoral commission accepted that some of its early results had contained errors but said they would not have affected Mr Barrow's win. Mr Jammeh had said he would stay in office until new elections were held.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2863, "answer_start": 2456, "text": "After first accepting defeat in the election he reversed his position and said he would not step down. He declared a 90-day state of emergency, blaming irregularities in the electoral process. The electoral commission accepted that some of its early results had contained errors but said they would not have affected Mr Barrow's win. Mr Jammeh had said he would stay in office until new elections were held." } ], "id": "9926_0", "question": "Why has Mr Jammeh been refusing to go?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "US President Donald Trump has accused top officials of politicising FBI and justice department investigations to damage his Republican party. Later on Friday, he is expected to approve the release of a memo that is thought to suggest the FBI abused its powers to spy on one of his aides. Controversy over the memo has railed for days in US politics and the two main parties are divided on it. Democrats say the document is aimed at derailing investigations into Mr Trump. They portray the memo, commissioned by the Republican head of the House Intelligence Committee, Devin Nunes, as an attempt to undermine a federal inquiry into allegations that the Trump campaign colluded with Russia during the 2016 election campaign. However, another top Republican, House Speaker Paul Ryan, played down the potential impact of the memo's publication on the inquiry led by Special Counsel Robert Mueller. He said Congress had a duty to see surveillance powers were used correctly. Mr Trump tweeted: \"The top Leadership and Investigators of the FBI and the Justice Department have politicized the sacred investigative process in favor of Democrats and against Republicans.\" The current FBI director, Christopher Wray, was nominated to the post by Mr Trump after the president dismissed his predecessor, James Comey. Last week the agency's deputy director, Andrew McCabe, resigned. Mr Trump had repeatedly accused him of political bias but the White House said the president was not involved in the decision. Approved by the House Intelligence Committee on Monday, the document reportedly accuses the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) and justice department of misleading a judge in March of last year while seeking to extend a surveillance warrant against Carter Page. The memo is said to argue the FBI and justice department did not tell the judge that some of their justification for the warrant relied on a much-disputed Trump dossier. Compiled by a former British intelligence agent, Christopher Steele, that dossier was financed in part through the campaign of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton to dig up dirt on Mr Trump. Unnamed sources told Reuters news agency the Republican memo was misleading because all the dossier excerpts used in the FBI warrant application were independently confirmed by US intelligence. - Carter Page, 46, a foreign policy adviser to the Trump campaign, visited Russia several times in 2016. He adamantly denies allegations in the Trump dossier that he served as an intermediary between Russian officials and the Trump campaign. - Devin Nunes, 44, has long been pursuing President Trump's claims that he was put under surveillance by the Obama administration - so much so that the congressman was dubbed \"Inspector Clouseau\" by a fellow Republican, Sen Lindsey Graham, in March. - Rod Rosenstein, 53, was appointed deputy attorney general last April. He is said by the New York Times to have been involved at various points in authorising applications for the surveillance. President Trump questioned his loyalties in December, CNN reports. House Speaker Ryan denied the memo was an indictment of the FBI and justice department. \"It does not impugn the Mueller investigation, or the deputy attorney general,\" he added. He said it was job of his chamber to \"conduct oversight over the executive branch if abuses were made\". Another House Republican who read the memo, Jeff Duncan, predicted it would shake the FBI \"down to its core\". It would, he tweeted, show \"Americans just how the agency was weaponized\" by the Obama administration and Democrats to \"target political adversaries\". Several Republican lawmakers are opposed to releasing the memo. John Thune, who is the party's number three in the Senate, said FBI objections should be heeded. Senators Lindsey Graham and Susan Collins also voiced unease. Senator Jeff Flake teamed up with a Democrat, Chris Coons, to issued a joint statement. It said releasing the memo \"risks undermining US intelligence-gathering efforts, politicizing Congress' oversight role and eroding confidence in our institutions of government\". Congressional Democratic leaders called on Thursday for Mr Nunes' immediate removal as chairman of the House Intelligence Committee. Democratic Congressman Adam Schiff accused Republicans of having amended the memo after it was approved. However, an unnamed Republican aide said the amendments were grammatical changes and \"minor edits\", including two tweaks requested by the FBI and by Democrats. It has voiced \"grave concerns about material omissions of fact that fundamentally impact the memo's accuracy\". The justice department, which oversees the FBI, has warned the memo's release could jeopardise intelligence-gathering and damage trust between the agency and lawmakers. Pressure has mounted on the FBI, which is the subject of a forthcoming inspector general report. Its deputy director, Andrew McCabe, resigned on Tuesday. He had been repeatedly accused of political bias by President Trump. James Comey, who led the FBI at the time of the 2016 election and who was sacked by the new president, suggested the agency was being subjected to a witch hunt by \"weasels and liars\". While President Trump is expected to approve the memo's release, the exact method for publishing it is \"still being figured out\", the Associated Press news agency reports. As president, Mr Trump has the power to declassify the document himself and either release it or hand it to Congress to release.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4115, "answer_start": 3084, "text": "House Speaker Ryan denied the memo was an indictment of the FBI and justice department. \"It does not impugn the Mueller investigation, or the deputy attorney general,\" he added. He said it was job of his chamber to \"conduct oversight over the executive branch if abuses were made\". Another House Republican who read the memo, Jeff Duncan, predicted it would shake the FBI \"down to its core\". It would, he tweeted, show \"Americans just how the agency was weaponized\" by the Obama administration and Democrats to \"target political adversaries\". Several Republican lawmakers are opposed to releasing the memo. John Thune, who is the party's number three in the Senate, said FBI objections should be heeded. Senators Lindsey Graham and Susan Collins also voiced unease. Senator Jeff Flake teamed up with a Democrat, Chris Coons, to issued a joint statement. It said releasing the memo \"risks undermining US intelligence-gathering efforts, politicizing Congress' oversight role and eroding confidence in our institutions of government\"." } ], "id": "9927_0", "question": "Are Republicans united over the memo?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4513, "answer_start": 4116, "text": "Congressional Democratic leaders called on Thursday for Mr Nunes' immediate removal as chairman of the House Intelligence Committee. Democratic Congressman Adam Schiff accused Republicans of having amended the memo after it was approved. However, an unnamed Republican aide said the amendments were grammatical changes and \"minor edits\", including two tweaks requested by the FBI and by Democrats." } ], "id": "9927_1", "question": "Why are Democrats calling for Mr Nunes to go?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5200, "answer_start": 4514, "text": "It has voiced \"grave concerns about material omissions of fact that fundamentally impact the memo's accuracy\". The justice department, which oversees the FBI, has warned the memo's release could jeopardise intelligence-gathering and damage trust between the agency and lawmakers. Pressure has mounted on the FBI, which is the subject of a forthcoming inspector general report. Its deputy director, Andrew McCabe, resigned on Tuesday. He had been repeatedly accused of political bias by President Trump. James Comey, who led the FBI at the time of the 2016 election and who was sacked by the new president, suggested the agency was being subjected to a witch hunt by \"weasels and liars\"." } ], "id": "9927_2", "question": "How's the FBI itself responding?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5501, "answer_start": 5201, "text": "While President Trump is expected to approve the memo's release, the exact method for publishing it is \"still being figured out\", the Associated Press news agency reports. As president, Mr Trump has the power to declassify the document himself and either release it or hand it to Congress to release." } ], "id": "9927_3", "question": "What happens next?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The overwhelming majority of adults in England are so unhealthy they put their lives at risk, a survey suggests. The data from the Health Survey for England showed nearly nine in 10 had at least one unhealthy trait. That was classed as those who smoke, drink more than 14 units of alcohol, eat fewer than five portions of fruit and vegetables, are obese or have low rates of physical activity. Half of adults have two or more of these risk factors. Although there are signs some people are giving up some of the unhealthy traits. The survey from NHS Digital has been published as the Office for National Statistics revealed the latest death rates linked to alcohol. In 2017, nearly 7,700 people died in the UK from alcohol-specific causes - where the death was wholly attributable. That is the equivalent to 12.2 deaths per 100,000 people - the highest rate since 2008. Of the four UK nations, Scotland had the highest rate. The annual survey asked 8,000 adults and 2,000 children about their lifestyles. For the first time, it has compared the lifestyles of children with their parents. It suggested children who have obese parents were around three times more likely to be obese than children of healthy weight parents. Some 28% of children of an obese mother were also obese, compared with 8% of children whose mother was a healthy weight. Meanwhile, 24% of children of an obese father were also obese, compared with 9% of children where the father was not overweight or obese. Caroline Cerny, of the Obesity Health Alliance, said the findings highlighted the need to tackle the \"increasingly obesogenic environments\". \"Children today are bombarded by promotions for unhealthy food and drinks in stores and on the high street and exposed to countless junk food adverts online and during the TV programmes they watch most.\" Yes. Cigarette use is falling. In 1993 27% of adults were smokers, last year it was down to 17% with growing numbers turning to vaping. Drinking alcohol to excess is also down. It means the most common unhealthy lifestyle trait is low fruit and vegetable consumption. Although there are high levels of unhealthy lifestyles, around four in 10 adults have no signs of ill-health developing yet. This was classed as conditions such as high blood pressure and raised cholesterol levels. There are also strong signs that children are becoming healthier - or at least demonstrating less risky behaviours. Last year just 5% of eight to 15-year-olds had tried smoking, down from 19% in 1997. The numbers trying alcohol have dropped from 45% in 2003 to 14% in 2017.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1825, "answer_start": 925, "text": "The annual survey asked 8,000 adults and 2,000 children about their lifestyles. For the first time, it has compared the lifestyles of children with their parents. It suggested children who have obese parents were around three times more likely to be obese than children of healthy weight parents. Some 28% of children of an obese mother were also obese, compared with 8% of children whose mother was a healthy weight. Meanwhile, 24% of children of an obese father were also obese, compared with 9% of children where the father was not overweight or obese. Caroline Cerny, of the Obesity Health Alliance, said the findings highlighted the need to tackle the \"increasingly obesogenic environments\". \"Children today are bombarded by promotions for unhealthy food and drinks in stores and on the high street and exposed to countless junk food adverts online and during the TV programmes they watch most.\"" } ], "id": "9928_0", "question": "What else has the survey suggested?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2582, "answer_start": 1826, "text": "Yes. Cigarette use is falling. In 1993 27% of adults were smokers, last year it was down to 17% with growing numbers turning to vaping. Drinking alcohol to excess is also down. It means the most common unhealthy lifestyle trait is low fruit and vegetable consumption. Although there are high levels of unhealthy lifestyles, around four in 10 adults have no signs of ill-health developing yet. This was classed as conditions such as high blood pressure and raised cholesterol levels. There are also strong signs that children are becoming healthier - or at least demonstrating less risky behaviours. Last year just 5% of eight to 15-year-olds had tried smoking, down from 19% in 1997. The numbers trying alcohol have dropped from 45% in 2003 to 14% in 2017." } ], "id": "9928_1", "question": "Is there any good news?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Samsung Electronics has confirmed it is considering dividing the company into two separate firms. The company has been under pressure from some investors to break itself into a holding unit and an operating company to boost shareholder value. The South Korean technology giant also announced plans to increase dividends and said it would continue to buy back more shares. Restructuring pressure had mounted after the Galaxy Note 7 fiasco. In October, the company was forced to stop production of its flagship smartphone model after failing to resolve battery problems leading to overheating and the devices catching fire. Samsung said it would bring in \"external advisers to conduct a thorough review of the optimal corporate structure.\" The firm pointed out that \"the review does not indicate the management or the board's intention one way or another.\" Samsung also said it would pay out half of its free cash flow to shareholders for 2016 and 2017 and raise the dividend for 2016 by 36% compared to the previous year. In order to improve governance, the firm said it would nominate at least \"one new, international, independent board member\" as well as create a separate governance committee. The company's statement comes after US activist hedge fund Elliott Management called for the firm to split into a holding unit for ownership purposes and a separate operating company. The fund argued that a split would simplify the company structure making it easier to get a clear valuation of the firm's assets. Currently, companies within the wider Samsung Group are linked through a complicated web of cross shareholding, linking Samsung Electronics to many other Samsung's firms and affiliates ranging from shipping, to heavy industries to insurance business. That makes it difficult for investors to get a clear idea of what each individual Samsung company is actually worth. The benefit of splitting Samsung Electronics into two companies would be that the cross-shareholding would affect only the holding company while the operating unit could be assessed separately - making it a lot easier to arrive at a clean company evaluation. The proposal has won support from several of Samsung's investors and it is also thought that it would give back more control to the founding Lee family behind the company.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2308, "answer_start": 1380, "text": "The fund argued that a split would simplify the company structure making it easier to get a clear valuation of the firm's assets. Currently, companies within the wider Samsung Group are linked through a complicated web of cross shareholding, linking Samsung Electronics to many other Samsung's firms and affiliates ranging from shipping, to heavy industries to insurance business. That makes it difficult for investors to get a clear idea of what each individual Samsung company is actually worth. The benefit of splitting Samsung Electronics into two companies would be that the cross-shareholding would affect only the holding company while the operating unit could be assessed separately - making it a lot easier to arrive at a clean company evaluation. The proposal has won support from several of Samsung's investors and it is also thought that it would give back more control to the founding Lee family behind the company." } ], "id": "9929_0", "question": "Why two companies?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Thousands of gun rights supporters have converged on the centre of the US city of Richmond to protest against tighter gun laws in the state of Virginia. Many arrived in the state capital openly carrying an assortment of firearms including assault rifles. Security is tight and a cordon is in force round the state legislature, where guns cannot be carried. Virginia's gun laws had been seen as permissive, but Democratic lawmakers passed restrictions in January. This angered gun-rights activists, many making long trips from other US states to attend the rally. The protest has raised fears of a repeat of the clashes seen in 2017 in the Virginia city of Charlottesville. A woman was killed there when a neo-Nazi drove his car into a protest against a white nationalist rally. President Donald Trump, with an eye on this year's presidential election, again tweeted support for the Richmond protesters and a defence of the US Constitution's 2nd Amendment on the right to bear arms. The organisers of the rally, the Virginia Citizens Defense League (VCDL), said they expected up to 50,000 people to attend. Democratic Governor Ralph Northam declared a state of emergency, allowing him to ban guns from Capitol Square. Queues could be seen at entrances to the \"pen\". Police are using metal detectors to check for weapons. But elsewhere in the city, many activists proudly displayed them. Seven members of a neo-Nazi extremist group known as The Base, at least three of whom planned to travel to the rally on Monday, were arrested last week, the FBI announced. Armed militia members and right-wing extremists were expected at the rally. But the local Antifa, or anti-fascist movement, urged its followers not to go, citing safety issues, and said no counter-demonstration was planned. However, some Antifa activists who agree with some of the aims of the gun lobby, are attending. Others attending include Stephen Willeford, who shot dead a gunman carrying out a mass shooting at a church in Texas in 2017. Right-wing conspiracy theorist Alex Jones arrived in Richmond in an armoured vehicle. Also scheduled to speak was local senator Amanda Chase, a Republican who wore a pistol on the senate floor. John McGuire, another Republican from Virginia's legislature who is also hoping to win a seat in Congress in Washington, voiced his support for the protest. \"Our country was founded on common sense,\" he said. \"Our founding fathers believed it was God-given right to protect yourself, your family and your children. That's why these people are here today and I support them.\" The state allows the concealed carrying of handguns with a permit from the age of 21. Open wearing of handguns is permitted from the age of 18 without a permit so long as the owner meets qualifying laws. There are some restrictions on assault weapons. Virginia's legislature, which the Democrats won control of in November, has approved three gun control bills. These would: - Prohibit the purchase of more than one handgun per month - Allow local governments to ban guns in parks and public buildings - Require background checks on all firearms purchases Governor Northam, who has made gun control a top priority of his administration, said he hoped to pass all three measures. Some local communities have declared themselves \"2nd Amendment sanctuaries\" and threatened not to obey new gun control laws.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1557, "answer_start": 982, "text": "The organisers of the rally, the Virginia Citizens Defense League (VCDL), said they expected up to 50,000 people to attend. Democratic Governor Ralph Northam declared a state of emergency, allowing him to ban guns from Capitol Square. Queues could be seen at entrances to the \"pen\". Police are using metal detectors to check for weapons. But elsewhere in the city, many activists proudly displayed them. Seven members of a neo-Nazi extremist group known as The Base, at least three of whom planned to travel to the rally on Monday, were arrested last week, the FBI announced." } ], "id": "9930_0", "question": "What is security like in Richmond?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2573, "answer_start": 1558, "text": "Armed militia members and right-wing extremists were expected at the rally. But the local Antifa, or anti-fascist movement, urged its followers not to go, citing safety issues, and said no counter-demonstration was planned. However, some Antifa activists who agree with some of the aims of the gun lobby, are attending. Others attending include Stephen Willeford, who shot dead a gunman carrying out a mass shooting at a church in Texas in 2017. Right-wing conspiracy theorist Alex Jones arrived in Richmond in an armoured vehicle. Also scheduled to speak was local senator Amanda Chase, a Republican who wore a pistol on the senate floor. John McGuire, another Republican from Virginia's legislature who is also hoping to win a seat in Congress in Washington, voiced his support for the protest. \"Our country was founded on common sense,\" he said. \"Our founding fathers believed it was God-given right to protect yourself, your family and your children. That's why these people are here today and I support them.\"" } ], "id": "9930_1", "question": "Who is attending?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The US withdrawal from the UN Human Rights Council was not unexpected but still disappointing for many of Washington's fellow member states serving on it. Many had hoped, as they had with the Paris Climate accord and the Iran nuclear deal, to persuade the US that a multilateral approach to the world's biggest problems was worth sticking with. UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson came to the council's opening session this week. His speech echoed some of Washington's concerns about the council's focus on Israel, but his overriding message was one of commitment to the council's work. America's best friend across the Atlantic was in effect advising Washington to turn back from the brink. The pleas, as with Iran and climate, did not work. The US ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, did not mince her words announcing the decision, calling the council a \"hypocritical and self-serving organisation\". Most UN member states would not use such blunt language, but many do share US concerns. The council is the world's top human rights watch dog but its current 47 elected member states include Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Venezuela and the Philippines, akin, some critics might say, to the fox guarding the henhouse. This is a problem the UN has struggled with for many years. More than a decade ago, the UN under Kofi Annan undertook a major reform programme and top of the list was the then UN Human Rights Commission, which had been widely criticised as politicised and ineffective. The outcome was the new UN Human Rights Council, with 47 member states elected by their peers in the UN General Assembly. Each candidate was required to demonstrate a good record on human rights. Each elected member can be expelled for transgressions. \"Under this new system,\" Kenneth Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch, said at the time, \"countries with poor human rights records like Saudi Arabia will never have a seat on the council again.\" Clearly that optimism was misplaced. The process of becoming a voting member of the council is more rigorous, but the politicisation in which regional neighbours, or likeminded regimes, support each other continues. Short of allowing certain nations (sure to be the most powerful, as with the permanent members of the UN Security Council) to simply choose which countries are fit to protect human rights, it is hard to see how the system could be improved. And then there is the Israel factor. Israel has, alone among nations, the dubious honour of regular scrutiny by the council of its activities in Gaza and the Occupied Territories. The US and Israel think this is unfair, so too do some European countries such as the UK. But their voices are outnumbered by countries which firmly believe that Israel must be permanently held to account. All of this wrangling might be academic if the UN Human Rights Council was merely, as some critics allege, a politicised talking shop in which nothing really gets done. But that is not the case. US diplomats this week suggested the council had ignored violations in North Korea. In fact, in 2014 the council published a detailed, and searing, report into North Korea, and has kept the spotlight on the country ever since. Year after year, human rights defenders from all over the world come to Geneva, bringing with them carefully documented cases of the persecuted, the abused and the violated. Sometimes their efforts are in vain but sometimes, with the active support of member states, action is taken. In 2017, the council made some significant decisions: among them a fact-finding mission on Myanmar (Burma), an investigation into renewed violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo and, after much debate, a team of experts to investigate alleged war crimes in Yemen. The Commission of Inquiry into Syria has forensically investigated the conduct of the conflict since the beginning. Its evidence will very likely lead to prosecutions for war crimes, something those involved in conflict resolution say is vital to create sustainable peace. The council deals with issues as well as countries: it has been instrumental in promoting the rights of those with disabilities, for example, or of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans communities. So although there is widespread regret that the US is leaving, no-one is likely to follow Washington through the exit door. Instead there is expected to be more discussion of reform and of the tricky Israel issue. Meanwhile the council will continue its painstaking investigation, and publication, of human rights situations from South Sudan to Belarus, to Iraq, of the lives of women in Afghanistan, or children living in poverty in some of the world's richest countries. That, as one human rights defender put it, is perhaps the council's biggest strength: it shines a spotlight on some of the world's worst injustices, meaning that \"no-one can say they didn't know\".", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2776, "answer_start": 901, "text": "Most UN member states would not use such blunt language, but many do share US concerns. The council is the world's top human rights watch dog but its current 47 elected member states include Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Venezuela and the Philippines, akin, some critics might say, to the fox guarding the henhouse. This is a problem the UN has struggled with for many years. More than a decade ago, the UN under Kofi Annan undertook a major reform programme and top of the list was the then UN Human Rights Commission, which had been widely criticised as politicised and ineffective. The outcome was the new UN Human Rights Council, with 47 member states elected by their peers in the UN General Assembly. Each candidate was required to demonstrate a good record on human rights. Each elected member can be expelled for transgressions. \"Under this new system,\" Kenneth Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch, said at the time, \"countries with poor human rights records like Saudi Arabia will never have a seat on the council again.\" Clearly that optimism was misplaced. The process of becoming a voting member of the council is more rigorous, but the politicisation in which regional neighbours, or likeminded regimes, support each other continues. Short of allowing certain nations (sure to be the most powerful, as with the permanent members of the UN Security Council) to simply choose which countries are fit to protect human rights, it is hard to see how the system could be improved. And then there is the Israel factor. Israel has, alone among nations, the dubious honour of regular scrutiny by the council of its activities in Gaza and the Occupied Territories. The US and Israel think this is unfair, so too do some European countries such as the UK. But their voices are outnumbered by countries which firmly believe that Israel must be permanently held to account." } ], "id": "9931_0", "question": "What's gone wrong?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "President Robert Mugabe's closest allies in the party he founded are calling on him to step down, as pressure on him intensifies following a military intervention and protests. Senior Zanu-PF officials have begun talks on whether to dismiss Zimbabwe's veteran leader from the party leadership. The party's Youth League, previously loyal to him, has turned against him. Military leaders are set to meet Mr Mugabe later on Sunday. They are expected to make a further attempt to persuade him to resign. Mediation will be led by a Catholic priest, state TV said. The Newsday newspaper reported on Sunday that a senior Zanu-PF member had called Mr Mugabe the \"outgoing president\" in his opening remarks to the party meeting. Journalists have now been excluded. In a statement the Zanu-PF Youth League condemned Mr Mugabe's allies for \"looting and plundering\" and his wife Grace for \"vulgar, cunning and unruly behaviour\", and called on him to stand down and to \"rest as an elder statesman\". Nine of 10 Zanu-PF party chapters say Mr Mugabe should step down and their decision is likely to be endorsed at Sunday's meeting of the party's top body, the central committee. The head of the influential War Veterans Association, Chris Mutsvangwa, predicted to Reuters before the meeting that Mr Mugabe would be removed from the party leadership, and his wife would lose her position as head of its women's league. He then threatened to \"bring back the crowds and they will do their business\" if Mr Mugabe did not step down. Mr Mugabe has largely been confined to his house since the army took over on Wednesday. The army took control of the country after Mr Mugabe, 93, fired his deputy Emmerson Mnangagwa. Mr Mnangagwa's dismissal made Mr Mugabe's wife Grace front runner to become next president. Mr Mnangagwa is likely to be reinstated as vice-president when Zanu-PF convene. Mr Mugabe has led Zimbabwe since independence from Britain in 1980. Tens of thousands of Zimbabweans, including people from the ruling party and the opposition, took to the streets on Saturday to celebrate the army's takeover and to urge Mr Mugabe to quit. They tore up pictures of the president and marched to his office and residence. He may face impeachment in parliament next week if he refuses to step down. The BBC's Andrew Harding in Harare says the situation appears to be getting out of Zanu-PF's control and there could be a broad push to introduce a transitional government that includes the opposition. Analysis by Anne Soy, BBC News, Harare It is understood that President Mugabe has so far insisted that he cannot step down and so legitimise a coup. The military maintains this is not a coup and there is international pressure to use constitutional means to resolve the political crisis. Negotiators are poring through Zimbabwe's laws to find a legal way out. Saturday's call for civilians to take to the streets looks choreographed to lend some legitimacy to the transition process being discussed. President Mugabe's support base has continued to crumble. Independence war veterans, who fought alongside him against colonial rule, have also called on their former leader to leave. But the biggest blow yet to Mr Mugabe could be delivered by the central committee of his ruling Zanu-PF on Sunday. Their meeting could see Robert Mugabe dismissed as party leader. Soldiers seized the headquarters of Zimbabwe's national broadcaster ZBC on Wednesday. An army official, Maj Gen Sibusiso Moyo, then read out a statement on national television, assuring the nation that President Mugabe and his family were safe. The military was only targeting what he called \"criminals\" around the president, he said, denying that there had been a coup. On Friday, Mr Mugabe made his first public appearance since being put under house arrest, speaking at a university. Grace Mugabe was not present. It had been thought she had left the country but it emerged on Thursday that she was at home with Mr Mugabe.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3970, "answer_start": 3345, "text": "Soldiers seized the headquarters of Zimbabwe's national broadcaster ZBC on Wednesday. An army official, Maj Gen Sibusiso Moyo, then read out a statement on national television, assuring the nation that President Mugabe and his family were safe. The military was only targeting what he called \"criminals\" around the president, he said, denying that there had been a coup. On Friday, Mr Mugabe made his first public appearance since being put under house arrest, speaking at a university. Grace Mugabe was not present. It had been thought she had left the country but it emerged on Thursday that she was at home with Mr Mugabe." } ], "id": "9932_0", "question": "How did we get here?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Donald Trump Jr was told that material on Hillary Clinton offered by a Russian lawyer was part of Moscow's effort to help his father's election campaign, the New York Times has said. Publicist Rob Goldstone, who arranged the June 2016 meeting with the lawyer, stated this in an email, it reported. But the lawyer, Natalia Veselnitskaya, told NBC on Tuesday she never had any sensitive information on Mrs Clinton. US officials are investigating alleged Russian meddling in the US election. Separately on Tuesday, Russian officials said Moscow was ready to expel 30 US diplomats and seize US state property in retaliation for sanctions imposed by Barack Obama over Russian hacking of Democratic Party computers. The paper reports that three people with knowledge of the Goldstone email said it indicated the Russian government was the source of the potentially damaging information on Mrs Clinton. But the paper says there was no mention in the email of any wider effort by the Russian government to interfere in the election, nor was there any indication of a link to the hacking attack on the Democratic Party that was first reported a week after the meeting. Mr Goldstone has previously denied any knowledge of involvement by the Russian government. Rob Goldstone: The man behind the meeting Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, told MSNBC that the New York Times report was \"a very serious development\". \"It all warrants thorough investigation. Everyone who was in that meeting ought to come before our committee.\" Mr Trump Jr's statement on the matter on Sunday did not indicate he had been told of any Russian government involvement. Lawyer Alan Futerfas, hired by Mr Trump Jr to represent him in the Russia-related investigations, described reports of the meeting as \"much ado about nothing\" and said his client had done nothing wrong. The president's son said he was \"happy to work with the committee to pass on what I know\". She was interviewed on NBC on Tuesday, saying that she \"never had any damaging or sensitive information about Hillary Clinton. It was never my intention to have that\". She said the meeting was set up by a man she did not know who told her by telephone to go to Trump Tower. When asked why Mr Trump Jr seemed to believe she had information about Mrs Clinton, she said: \"It is quite possible that maybe they were longing for such information. They wanted it so badly that they could only hear the thought that they wanted.\" Ms Veselnitskaya also denied ever having worked for the Russian government. It took place on 9 June 2016 at New York's Trump Tower, just two weeks after Donald Trump secured the Republican nomination. It is thought to be the first confirmed private meeting between a Russian national and members of President Trump's inner circle. The president's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and then-campaign head, Paul J Manafort, also attended the meeting with Ms Veselnitskaya. After the New York Times first reported the meeting on Saturday, Mr Trump Jr released a statement which confirmed that it had taken place but did not mention whether it was related to the presidential campaign. However, another Times report, on Sunday, said Mr Trump Jr had agreed to the meeting after being offered information that would prove detrimental to Mrs Clinton. In his statement on Sunday, Mr Trump Jr said he had been asked to meet \"an individual who I was told might have information helpful to the campaign\". Mr Trump Jr's statement continues: \"The woman stated that she had information that individuals connected to Russia were funding the Democratic National Committee and supporting Mrs Clinton. \"Her statements were vague, ambiguous and made no sense. No details or supporting information was provided or even offered. It quickly became clear that she had no meaningful information.\" Mr Trump Jr said the lawyer then changed subject to the Magnitsky Act and \"it became clear to me that this was the true agenda all along\". Adopted by Congress in 2012, the Magnitsky Act allows the US to withhold visas and freeze financial assets of Russian officials thought to have been involved in human rights violations. Ms Veselnitskaya is married to a Moscow government official and her clients include companies and individuals said to be close to the Kremlin. She has been at the forefront of a campaign - backed by the Russian state - to overturn the act. In an interview on Monday, Mr Goldstone backed Mr Trump Jr's version of the meeting, saying Ms Veselnitskaya offered \"just a vague, generic statement about the campaign's funding\" which was \"the most inane nonsense I've ever heard\". On Monday, Mr Trump Jr tweeted sarcastically: \"Obviously I'm the first person on a campaign to ever take a meeting to hear info about an opponent...\" He also denied issuing conflicting statements. And he linked to a piece in the New York Post headlined \"The Times 'expose' on Donald Trump Jr is a big yawn\". A spokesman for President Trump's legal team said the president was \"not aware of and did not attend\" the meeting. Anthony Zurcher, BBC North America reporter Whether by plan or happenstance, Donald Trump Jr is stumbling into an increasingly dire situation. The pattern has been set. The New York Times runs a story, Trump Jr issues his response, then the noose tightens. First he said the meeting with Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya was about adoption issues. Then the Times reports that Trump Jr thought he would learn damaging information about Hillary Clinton. The presidential son says he was conducting routine opposition research. Then the Times reports that he was told it was the Russian government itself that was coming to his father's aid. In a traditional campaign, a foreign government's attempt to offer incriminating information about an opponent - or even the hint of such an overture - would set off all kinds of alarms. The FBI would have been notified. Senior staff would have insulated themselves from incrimination. The Trump team was not a conventional campaign. And time and time again, it made novice mistakes or, more ominously, took unprecedented risks. Its candidate prevailed, but it has led to countless political headaches. Now it appears the president's own family, and his presidency itself, could be in peril. They have only themselves to blame. Read more from Anthony It is alleged that Russian hackers stole information linked to the Clinton campaign and passed it to Wikileaks so it could be released and help tip the election towards Mr Trump. Congressional committees and a special prosecutor are investigating whether there was any collusion between the Trump team and the Russians. The investigations have yet to reveal any evidence of collusion, something the president has always denied. Last week Mr Trump said interference in the election \"could well have been\" carried out by countries other than Russia and interference \"has been happening for a long time\".", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1961, "answer_start": 710, "text": "The paper reports that three people with knowledge of the Goldstone email said it indicated the Russian government was the source of the potentially damaging information on Mrs Clinton. But the paper says there was no mention in the email of any wider effort by the Russian government to interfere in the election, nor was there any indication of a link to the hacking attack on the Democratic Party that was first reported a week after the meeting. Mr Goldstone has previously denied any knowledge of involvement by the Russian government. Rob Goldstone: The man behind the meeting Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, told MSNBC that the New York Times report was \"a very serious development\". \"It all warrants thorough investigation. Everyone who was in that meeting ought to come before our committee.\" Mr Trump Jr's statement on the matter on Sunday did not indicate he had been told of any Russian government involvement. Lawyer Alan Futerfas, hired by Mr Trump Jr to represent him in the Russia-related investigations, described reports of the meeting as \"much ado about nothing\" and said his client had done nothing wrong. The president's son said he was \"happy to work with the committee to pass on what I know\"." } ], "id": "9933_0", "question": "What is in the latest New York Times article?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2559, "answer_start": 1962, "text": "She was interviewed on NBC on Tuesday, saying that she \"never had any damaging or sensitive information about Hillary Clinton. It was never my intention to have that\". She said the meeting was set up by a man she did not know who told her by telephone to go to Trump Tower. When asked why Mr Trump Jr seemed to believe she had information about Mrs Clinton, she said: \"It is quite possible that maybe they were longing for such information. They wanted it so badly that they could only hear the thought that they wanted.\" Ms Veselnitskaya also denied ever having worked for the Russian government." } ], "id": "9933_1", "question": "What has Natalia Veselnitskaya said now?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3470, "answer_start": 2560, "text": "It took place on 9 June 2016 at New York's Trump Tower, just two weeks after Donald Trump secured the Republican nomination. It is thought to be the first confirmed private meeting between a Russian national and members of President Trump's inner circle. The president's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and then-campaign head, Paul J Manafort, also attended the meeting with Ms Veselnitskaya. After the New York Times first reported the meeting on Saturday, Mr Trump Jr released a statement which confirmed that it had taken place but did not mention whether it was related to the presidential campaign. However, another Times report, on Sunday, said Mr Trump Jr had agreed to the meeting after being offered information that would prove detrimental to Mrs Clinton. In his statement on Sunday, Mr Trump Jr said he had been asked to meet \"an individual who I was told might have information helpful to the campaign\"." } ], "id": "9933_2", "question": "When was the meeting and how did it come to light?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5070, "answer_start": 3471, "text": "Mr Trump Jr's statement continues: \"The woman stated that she had information that individuals connected to Russia were funding the Democratic National Committee and supporting Mrs Clinton. \"Her statements were vague, ambiguous and made no sense. No details or supporting information was provided or even offered. It quickly became clear that she had no meaningful information.\" Mr Trump Jr said the lawyer then changed subject to the Magnitsky Act and \"it became clear to me that this was the true agenda all along\". Adopted by Congress in 2012, the Magnitsky Act allows the US to withhold visas and freeze financial assets of Russian officials thought to have been involved in human rights violations. Ms Veselnitskaya is married to a Moscow government official and her clients include companies and individuals said to be close to the Kremlin. She has been at the forefront of a campaign - backed by the Russian state - to overturn the act. In an interview on Monday, Mr Goldstone backed Mr Trump Jr's version of the meeting, saying Ms Veselnitskaya offered \"just a vague, generic statement about the campaign's funding\" which was \"the most inane nonsense I've ever heard\". On Monday, Mr Trump Jr tweeted sarcastically: \"Obviously I'm the first person on a campaign to ever take a meeting to hear info about an opponent...\" He also denied issuing conflicting statements. And he linked to a piece in the New York Post headlined \"The Times 'expose' on Donald Trump Jr is a big yawn\". A spokesman for President Trump's legal team said the president was \"not aware of and did not attend\" the meeting." } ], "id": "9933_3", "question": "What was discussed at the meeting?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 6966, "answer_start": 6365, "text": "It is alleged that Russian hackers stole information linked to the Clinton campaign and passed it to Wikileaks so it could be released and help tip the election towards Mr Trump. Congressional committees and a special prosecutor are investigating whether there was any collusion between the Trump team and the Russians. The investigations have yet to reveal any evidence of collusion, something the president has always denied. Last week Mr Trump said interference in the election \"could well have been\" carried out by countries other than Russia and interference \"has been happening for a long time\"." } ], "id": "9933_4", "question": "Why is Russia being investigated?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Pete Buttigieg has officially launched his bid to become the Democratic Party nominee for the 2020 presidential election and challenge Donald Trump for the White House. He held his launch event in South Bend, the Indiana town where he has served as mayor since 2012. Setting out his vision to \"re-imagine our future\", he promised a \"totally different\" politics from Mr Trump. Should he win, Mr Buttigieg would be the first openly gay US president. At 37, he is the youngest entrant in a crowded field of Democratic candidates that features Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, 77, and 69-year-old Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren. Despite his relative inexperience, the former Rhodes Scholar has surged in the polls in recent weeks, propelling him from the margins to the front of the pack. In a veiled attack on the Trump administration, he railed against the \"myth being sold\" by those who sought to \"stop the clock and turn it back\". \"It is time to walk away from the politics of the past and toward something totally different,\" he told supporters at his launch event. His campaign has so far focused on gun control, climate change and LGBT rights and other progressive issues he hopes will appeal to millennial voters. Mr Buttigieg's track record as mayor of South Bend, which has seen a struggling economy improve during his tenure, has also earned him plaudits. Since announcing his presidential run in January, Mr Buttigieg has garnered a wave of attention from the media and voters, raising more than $7m (PS5.3m) in funds in the first quarter of 2019. Analysts believe he could appeal to both moderates and progressives in the Democratic Party. Opinion polls in Iowa and New Hampshire last week put Mr Buttigieg third in both states, behind Bernie Sanders and former Vice-President Joe Biden. Mr Sanders launched his run last month, while Mr Biden, who has faced allegations of inappropriate touching by several women, is yet to announce his candidacy. At the rally, Mr Buttigieg sought to differentiate himself from rivals as a candidate taking the \"long view\", especially on issues such as climate change. \"I recognise the audacity of doing this as a Midwestern millennial mayor,\" he said. \"More than a little bold... But we live in a moment that compels us each to act. The forces changing our country today are tectonic.\" More than a dozen rivals are running to be the Democratic Party candidate for the presidential election in November 2020. The process of selecting a nominee will begin early next year. Born in South Bend in 1982, Mr Buttigieg studied at Harvard and Oxford, graduating from the latter in 2007 with first-class honours in philosophy, politics and economics. He went on to work as a consultant at McKinsey & Company between 2007 and 2010 and served for seven months in Afghanistan as a Navy reservist in 2014. At 29, he was elected mayor of South Bend, taking office in January 2012. Despite an unsuccessful run for chairman of the Democratic National Committee in 2017, former President Barack Obama name-checked him as a rising star. The video announcing he will run for president focuses on his role in the Rust Belt city's redevelopment and also takes aim at corruption and infighting in Washington. He came out as gay in 2015 and married Chasten Glezman, a middle school teacher, last year. In his rally speech, Mr Buttigieg positioned himself as the voice of millennials. Critics say his campaign has so far emphasised values and his personal story rather than a distinctive policy agenda. He has, however, expressed support for: - Tougher action on climate change, including the so-called \"Green New Deal\" proposals - Gun control reform, namely universal background checks - A wealth tax to fund government spending - The withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan - Passing the Federal Equality Act, legislation that would give federal non-discrimination protections to LGBT people Pete Buttigieg has joined the race to stop Donald Trump from being re-elected. But who else has a shot at becoming the next president? Find out who is already running and who might join them.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3329, "answer_start": 2522, "text": "Born in South Bend in 1982, Mr Buttigieg studied at Harvard and Oxford, graduating from the latter in 2007 with first-class honours in philosophy, politics and economics. He went on to work as a consultant at McKinsey & Company between 2007 and 2010 and served for seven months in Afghanistan as a Navy reservist in 2014. At 29, he was elected mayor of South Bend, taking office in January 2012. Despite an unsuccessful run for chairman of the Democratic National Committee in 2017, former President Barack Obama name-checked him as a rising star. The video announcing he will run for president focuses on his role in the Rust Belt city's redevelopment and also takes aim at corruption and infighting in Washington. He came out as gay in 2015 and married Chasten Glezman, a middle school teacher, last year." } ], "id": "9934_0", "question": "Who is Pete Buttigieg?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4113, "answer_start": 3922, "text": "Pete Buttigieg has joined the race to stop Donald Trump from being re-elected. But who else has a shot at becoming the next president? Find out who is already running and who might join them." } ], "id": "9934_1", "question": "Who will take on Trump in 2020?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Theresa May has written to the European Union to request a further delay to Brexit until 30 June. The UK is currently due to leave the EU on 12 April and, as yet, no withdrawal deal has been approved by MPs. The government has been in talks with the Labour Party to try and find a compromise to put to the Commons. But shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer said the Tory negotiating team had offered no changes to Mrs May's original deal. The PM said from the outset she wanted to keep her withdrawal agreement as part of any plan, but was willing to discuss the UK's future relationship with the EU - addressed in the deal's political declaration. Sir Keir said the government was \"not countenancing any change to the actual wording of the political declaration\", adding: \"Compromise requires change.\" The prime minister has proposed that if UK MPs approve a deal in time, the UK should be able to leave before European Parliamentary elections on 23 May. But she said the UK would prepare to field candidates in those elections in case no agreement is reached. It is up to the EU whether to grant an extension to Article 50, the legal process through which the UK is leaving the EU, after MPs repeatedly rejected the withdrawal agreement reached between the UK and the bloc. The BBC's Europe editor Katya Adler has been told by a senior EU source that European Council President Donald Tusk will propose a 12-month \"flexible\" extension to Brexit, with the option of cutting it short, if the UK Parliament ratifies a deal. But French President Emmanuel Macron's office said on Friday that it was \"premature\" to consider another delay while French diplomatic sources described Mr Tusk's suggestion as a \"clumsy test balloon\". The prime minister wrote to Mr Tusk to request the extension ahead of an EU summit on 10 April, where EU leaders would have to unanimously agree on any plan to delay the UK's departure. Mrs May has already requested an extension to the end of June but this was rejected at a summit last month. Instead, she was offered a short delay to 12 April - the date by which the UK must say whether it intends to take part in the European Parliamentary elections - or until 22 May, if UK MPs had approved the withdrawal deal negotiated with the EU. They voted it down for a third time last week. A Downing Street spokesman said there were \"different circumstances now\" and the prime minister \"has been clear she is seeking a short extension\". The 30 June date is significant. It's the day before the new European Parliament will hold its first session. So the logic is, that it would allow the UK a bit longer to seal a deal - but without the need for British MEPs to take their seats in a parliament that the UK electorate had voted to leave as long ago as 2016. But, this being Theresa May, it's a plan she has previously proposed - and which has already been rejected. It's likely the EU will reject it again and offer a longer extension, with the ability to leave earlier if Parliament agrees a deal. But by asking for a relatively short extension - even if she is unsuccessful - the prime minister will be hoping to escape the ire of some of her Brexit-supporting backbenchers who are champing at the bit to leave. And she will try to signal to Leave-supporting voters that her choice is to get out of the EU as soon as is practicable - and that a longer extension will be something that is forced upon her, rather than something which she embraces. In her letter, the prime minister says she would continue to seek the \"rapid approval\" of the withdrawal agreement and a \"shared vision\" for the future relationship between the UK and EU. She said if cross-party talks with the Labour Party could not establish \"a single unified approach\" in the UK Parliament - MPs would be asked to vote on a series of Brexit options instead which the government \"stands ready to abide by\", if Labour commits to doing the same. The UK proposes an extension to the process until 30 June, she wrote, and \"accepts the European Council's view that if the United Kingdom were still a member state of the European Union on 23 May 2019, it would be under a legal obligation to hold the elections\". To this end, she says the UK is \"undertaking the lawful and responsible preparations for this contingency\". But she suggests the UK should be able to leave earlier, if the UK Parliament approves a withdrawal deal before then, and cancel preparations for the European Parliamentary elections. The EU's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier, at a meeting of EU ambassadors in Brussels, said any extension granted should be the last and final offer, to maintain the EU's credibility. You could almost hear the sound of collective eye-rolling across 27 European capitals after Theresa May requested a Brexit extension-time that Brussels has already repeatedly rejected. Most EU leaders are leaning towards a longer Brexit delay, to avoid being constantly approached by the PM for a rolling series of short extensions, with the threat of a no-deal Brexit always just round the corner. Donald Tusk believes he has hit on a compromise solution: his \"flextension\" which would last a year, with the UK able to walk away from it, as soon as Parliament ratifies the Brexit deal. But EU leaders are not yet singing from the same hymn sheet on this. Expect closed-door political fireworks - though it's unclear whether it'll be a modest display or an all-out extravaganza - at their emergency Brexit summit next week. Under EU law, they have to hammer out a unanimous position. Read Katya's blog Talks between Labour and the Conservatives are continuing on Friday. Speaking to Labour activists in Newport on Friday, Mr Corbyn said the government \"haven't appeared to have changed their opinions very much as yet\". He said Labour would push to maintain the UK's \"market relationship with Europe\", including defending rights and regulations. Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said the UK still hoped to leave \"in the next couple of months\" but it may have \"little choice\" but to accept a longer delay if Parliament could not agree a solution. But Conservative Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg said the EU \"should be careful what it wishes for\". \"If we have EU elections, it is likely UKIP, Tommy Robinson and Nigel Farage will do well,\" he told BBC Radio 4's World at One. Another Tory Eurosceptic, Sir Bernard Jenkin, said he would prefer to stay in the EU for another year than for Britain to accept a \"humiliating defeat\" of a withdrawal agreement. The Scottish National Party's Stephen Gethins said that the prime minister's proposal \"demonstrates beyond doubt she is putting the interests of her fractured Tory Party above all else\". \"It is clear that with the UK Parliament unable to reach a consensus - coupled with everything we now know on the damaging impact Brexit will have on the UK economy, jobs and living standards - it must now be the priority that the issue is brought back to the people in a fresh second EU referendum, with the option to remain on the ballot paper.\"", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3472, "answer_start": 2461, "text": "The 30 June date is significant. It's the day before the new European Parliament will hold its first session. So the logic is, that it would allow the UK a bit longer to seal a deal - but without the need for British MEPs to take their seats in a parliament that the UK electorate had voted to leave as long ago as 2016. But, this being Theresa May, it's a plan she has previously proposed - and which has already been rejected. It's likely the EU will reject it again and offer a longer extension, with the ability to leave earlier if Parliament agrees a deal. But by asking for a relatively short extension - even if she is unsuccessful - the prime minister will be hoping to escape the ire of some of her Brexit-supporting backbenchers who are champing at the bit to leave. And she will try to signal to Leave-supporting voters that her choice is to get out of the EU as soon as is practicable - and that a longer extension will be something that is forced upon her, rather than something which she embraces." } ], "id": "9935_0", "question": "Why 30 June?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Canadian police say they are going to reduce the intensity of the search for two teenagers suspected in the murder of three people. Kam McLeod, 19, and Bryer Schmegelsky, 18, were last seen near the remote community of Gillam, Manitoba province. Police have focused their \"exhaustive\" manhunt around there for over a week, but have found no trace of the pair. Now they say there will be a \"phased withdrawal\" of resources in the area in the coming days. Military air assistance will also no longer continue. \"I know that today's news is not what the victims' families and the people of northern Manitoba wanted to hear, however this is always a possibility when searching in vast, remote and rugged areas with terrain that is difficult,\" said Manitoba Royal Canadian Mounted Police assistant commissioner Jane MacLatchy on Wednesday. But she added that the manhunt for the two young men was not over, and some \"specialised and tactical resources\" would remain in Gillam. Searchers have covered some 11,000sq km (4,250 square miles) of land by air or foot since 23 July. The last confirmed sighting of Mr McLeod and Mr Schmegelsky was over a week ago, and a burnt-out vehicle they had been driving was found 40km (25 miles) from Gillam. Police subsequently searched some 500 homes and abandoned buildings in the area, and combed the region on foot and with all-terrain vehicles, and by air with helicopters, military planes and drones. The search focused primarily around Gillam, though police descended for two days on the remote community of York Landing, about 90km to the south, following an unconfirmed sighting. Ms MacLatchy insisted the authorities had done everything possible to find the suspects. \"It's a very tough place to find somebody who doesn't want to be found,\" she said. She noted that police were not ruling out the possibility that the two young men could have inadvertently received assistance leaving the region, or even that they could be deceased. Mr McLeod and Mr Schmegelsky were initially considered missing when their camper van was found burnt out near Dease Lake, in British Columbia, on 19 July. A couple of kilometres away, police found the body of Leonard Dyck, 64, a botany lecturer at the University of British Columbia. On 23 July, the teenagers were named by police as suspects in the deaths of Mr Dyck, and the fatal shooting of a couple a few days earlier just south of Liard Hot Springs. Chynna Deese, a 24-year-old American, and her Australian boyfriend Lucas Fowler, 23, had been on a two-week-long road trip across Canada when their bodies were found along the Alaska Highway. Police have since charged Mr Schmegelsky and Mr McLeod with second-degree murder in the death of Mr Dyck, although no charges have yet been laid against them over the deaths of Ms Deese and Mr Fowler. The two young men are believed to have travelled some 3,300km east before the vehicle they were driving was found outside Gillam. They were also once pulled over during a routine alcohol check earlier in July in Manitoba but were allowed to continue as they had not yet been publicly named as murder suspects.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3130, "answer_start": 1972, "text": "Mr McLeod and Mr Schmegelsky were initially considered missing when their camper van was found burnt out near Dease Lake, in British Columbia, on 19 July. A couple of kilometres away, police found the body of Leonard Dyck, 64, a botany lecturer at the University of British Columbia. On 23 July, the teenagers were named by police as suspects in the deaths of Mr Dyck, and the fatal shooting of a couple a few days earlier just south of Liard Hot Springs. Chynna Deese, a 24-year-old American, and her Australian boyfriend Lucas Fowler, 23, had been on a two-week-long road trip across Canada when their bodies were found along the Alaska Highway. Police have since charged Mr Schmegelsky and Mr McLeod with second-degree murder in the death of Mr Dyck, although no charges have yet been laid against them over the deaths of Ms Deese and Mr Fowler. The two young men are believed to have travelled some 3,300km east before the vehicle they were driving was found outside Gillam. They were also once pulled over during a routine alcohol check earlier in July in Manitoba but were allowed to continue as they had not yet been publicly named as murder suspects." } ], "id": "9936_0", "question": "How did the manhunt unfold?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "What's the best financial investment? If anyone knows, it's Warren Buffett, the world's richest investor. He's worth tens of billions of dollars, accumulated over decades of savvy investments. His advice is in a letter he wrote to his wife, advising her how to invest after his death, which anyone can read [page 20, paragraph 6]. Those instructions: pick the most mediocre investment you can imagine. Put almost everything into \"a very low-cost S&P 500 index fund\". An index fund is mediocre by definition. It passively tracks the stock market as a whole by buying a little of everything, rather than trying to beat the market by investing in individual companies - as Warren Buffett has done so successfully for more than half a century. Index funds now seem completely natural. But as recently as 1976, they didn't exist. Before you can have an index fund, you need an index. 50 Things That Made the Modern Economy highlights the inventions, ideas and innovations that helped create the economic world. It is broadcast on the BBC World Service. You can find more information about the programme's sources and listen online or subscribe to the programme podcast. In 1884, a financial journalist called Charles Dow had the bright idea to take the price of some famous company stocks and average them, then publish the average going up and down. He ended up founding not only the Dow Jones company, but also the Wall Street Journal. The Dow Jones Industrial Average didn't pretend to do anything much except track how shares were doing, as a whole. But thanks to Charles Dow, pundits could talk about the stock market rising by 2.3% or falling by 114 points. More sophisticated indices followed - the Nikkei, the Hang Seng, the Nasdaq, the FTSE, and most famously the S&P 500. They quickly became the meat and drink of business reporting all around the world. Then, in 1974, the world's most famous economist took an interest. Paul Samuelson had revolutionised the way economics was practised and taught, making it more mathematical and engineering-like, and less like a debating club. His book Economics was America's bestselling textbook in any subject for almost 30 years. He won one of the first Nobel memorial prizes in economics. Samuelson had already proved the most important idea in financial economics: that if investors were thinking rationally about the future, the price of assets such as shares and bonds should fluctuate randomly. That seems paradoxical, but the intuition is that all the predictable movements have already happened: lots of people will buy a share that's obviously a bargain, and then the price will rise and it won't be an obvious bargain any more. His idea became known as the efficient markets hypothesis. It's probably not quite true. Investors aren't perfectly rational, and some are more interested in covering their backsides than taking well judged risks. But the hypothesis is true-ish. And the truer it is, the harder it's going to be for anyone to beat the stock market. Samuelson looked at the data and found - embarrassingly for the investment industry - that, indeed, in the long run, most professional investors didn't beat the market. And while some did, good performance often didn't last. There's a lot of luck involved, and it's hard to distinguish that luck from skill. In his essay Challenge To Judgment Samuelson argued that most professional investors should quit and do something useful instead, such as plumbing. He also said that, since professional investors didn't seem to be able to beat the market, somebody should set up an index fund - a way for ordinary people to invest in the stock market as a whole, without paying a fortune in fees for fancy professional fund managers to try, and fail, to be clever. Then, something interesting happened: a practical businessman paid attention to an academic economist's suggestion. John Bogle had just founded a company called Vanguard, whose mission was to provide simple mutual funds for ordinary investors, with no fancy stuff and low fees. And what could be simpler and cheaper than an index fund - as recommended by the world's most respected economist? So Bogle set up the world's first index fund, and waited for investors to rush in. They didn't. When Bogle launched the First Index Investment Trust, in August 1976, it flopped. Investors weren't interested in a fund that was guaranteed to be mediocre. Financial professionals hated the idea - some even called it \"un-American\". It was certainly a slap in their faces. Bogle was effectively saying: \"Don't pay these guys to pick stocks, because they can't do better than random chance. Neither can I, but at least I charge less.\" People called Vanguard's index fund \"Bogle's Folly\". But Bogle kept the faith, and slowly people started to catch on. The warrior monks who invented banking Just google it: The student project that changed the world How the lift transformed the shape of our cities How the world's first accountants counted on cuneiform Active funds are expensive, after all. They often buy and sell a lot, in search of bargains. They pay analysts handsomely to fly around meeting company directors. Their annual fees might sound modest - just a percent or two - but soon mount up. Eventually, fees can swallow a quarter or more of a typical fund. If such funds consistently outperform the market, that's money well spent. But Samuelson showed that, in the long run, most don't. The super-cheap index funds looked, over time, to be a perfectly credible alternative to active funds - and much cheaper. Slowly and surely, Bogle's funds grew and spawned more and more imitators - each one passively tracking some broad financial benchmark or other, each one tapping into Samuelson's basic insight that if the market is working well, you might as well sit back and go with the flow. Forty years after Bogle launched his index fund, fully 40% of US stock market funds are passive trackers rather than active stock-pickers. You might say that the remaining 60% are clinging to hope over experience. Index investing is a symbol of the power of economists to change the world that they study. When Samuelson and his successors developed the idea of the efficient markets hypothesis, they changed the way that markets themselves worked - for better or worse. It wasn't just the index fund. Other financial products, such as derivatives, really took off after economists worked out how to value them. Some scholars think the efficient markets hypothesis itself played a part in the financial crisis, by encouraging something called \"mark to market\" accounting - where a bank's accountants would work out what its assets were worth by looking at their value on financial markets. There's a risk that such accounting leads to self-reinforcing booms and busts, as everyone's books suddenly and simultaneously look brilliant, or terrible, because financial markets have moved. Samuelson himself, understandably, thought that the index fund had changed the world for the better. It's already saved ordinary investors literally hundreds of billions of dollars. For many, it will be the difference between scrimping and saving or relative comfort in old age. In a speech in 2005, when Samuelson himself was 90 years old, he gave Bogle the credit. He said: \"I rank this Bogle invention along with the invention of the wheel, the alphabet, Gutenberg printing, and wine and cheese: a mutual fund that never made Bogle rich, but elevated the long-term returns of the mutual-fund owners - something new under the Sun.\" Tim Harford writes the Financial Times's Undercover Economist column. 50 Things That Made the Modern Economy is broadcast on the BBC World Service. You can find more information about the programme's sources and listen online or subscribe to the programme podcast.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 7838, "answer_start": 5325, "text": "If such funds consistently outperform the market, that's money well spent. But Samuelson showed that, in the long run, most don't. The super-cheap index funds looked, over time, to be a perfectly credible alternative to active funds - and much cheaper. Slowly and surely, Bogle's funds grew and spawned more and more imitators - each one passively tracking some broad financial benchmark or other, each one tapping into Samuelson's basic insight that if the market is working well, you might as well sit back and go with the flow. Forty years after Bogle launched his index fund, fully 40% of US stock market funds are passive trackers rather than active stock-pickers. You might say that the remaining 60% are clinging to hope over experience. Index investing is a symbol of the power of economists to change the world that they study. When Samuelson and his successors developed the idea of the efficient markets hypothesis, they changed the way that markets themselves worked - for better or worse. It wasn't just the index fund. Other financial products, such as derivatives, really took off after economists worked out how to value them. Some scholars think the efficient markets hypothesis itself played a part in the financial crisis, by encouraging something called \"mark to market\" accounting - where a bank's accountants would work out what its assets were worth by looking at their value on financial markets. There's a risk that such accounting leads to self-reinforcing booms and busts, as everyone's books suddenly and simultaneously look brilliant, or terrible, because financial markets have moved. Samuelson himself, understandably, thought that the index fund had changed the world for the better. It's already saved ordinary investors literally hundreds of billions of dollars. For many, it will be the difference between scrimping and saving or relative comfort in old age. In a speech in 2005, when Samuelson himself was 90 years old, he gave Bogle the credit. He said: \"I rank this Bogle invention along with the invention of the wheel, the alphabet, Gutenberg printing, and wine and cheese: a mutual fund that never made Bogle rich, but elevated the long-term returns of the mutual-fund owners - something new under the Sun.\" Tim Harford writes the Financial Times's Undercover Economist column. 50 Things That Made the Modern Economy is broadcast on the BBC World Service. You can find more information about the programme's sources and listen online or subscribe to the programme podcast." } ], "id": "9937_0", "question": "Hope over experience?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Ed Miliband has vowed that a Labour government would give employees on \"exploitative\" zero-hours contracts the legal right to a regular contract after they have worked 12 weeks of regular hours. A: Zero-hours contracts, or casual contracts, allow employers to hire staff with no guarantee of work. They mean employees work only when they are needed by employers, often at short notice. Their pay depends on how many hours they work. Some zero-hours contracts require workers to take the shifts they are offered, while others do not. Sick pay is often not included, although holiday pay should be, in line with working time regulations. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) says that 697,000 people were employed on zero-hours contracts for their main job between October and December 2014, based on figures from the Labour Force Survey. That represents 2.3% of the UK workforce. This figure is higher than the figure of 586,000 (1.9% of people in employment) reported for the same period in 2013. The ONS said it was unclear how much of the rise was due to greater recognition of the term \"zero-hours contracts\", rather than new contracts being offered. The number of contracts that do not guarantee a minimum number of hours was 1.8 million as of August 2014. That was 400,000 more than the previous estimate for January 2014. The ONS said the differences in the two totals could reflect seasonal factors, because they cover different times of the year. A survey of employers by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) found that a third of voluntary sector organisations used zero-hours contracts, along with a quarter of public sector employers and 17% of private sector firms. A high proportion of staff at companies including retailer Sports Direct, pub chain JD Wetherspoon and cinema operator Cineworld are on zero-hours contracts. They are also used by other employers, including a number of London councils and Buckingham Palace. A: There is concern that zero-hours contracts do not offer enough financial stability and security. The ONS found that employees on such a contract worked an average of 25 hours a week. However, about a third of those on zero-hours contracts want more hours - mostly in their current job - compared with just 10% of other people in employment. The CIPD research found that 16% of zero-hours workers said their employer often failed to provide them with sufficient hours each week. The ONS said that zero-hours workers were more likely to be women or in full-time education and aged under 25 or over 65. Employees on zero-hours contracts also do not have the same employment rights as those on traditional contracts, and critics are concerned that the contracts are being used to avoid employers' responsibilities to employees. The CIPD warned that employers may also take advantage of zero-hours contracts by using them as a management tool - offering more hours to favoured employees and fewer to those less valued. Employers say zero-hours contracts allow them to take on staff in response to fluctuating demand for their services, in sectors such as tourism and hospitality. Employers also say that many workers appreciate the flexibility that a zero-hours contract gives them. Some 38% of workers in the CIPD research described themselves as employed full-time, working 30 hours or more a week, despite being on zero hours. Michael Burd, joint head of employment at the law firm Lewis Silkin, says the majority of employers use zero-hour contracts, not to avoid giving employees their rights, but to avoid paying fixed overheads and give them flexibility over their workforce. He points out that this flexibility is envied by employers in struggling economies such as Spain and Greece, where potential costs may dissuade employers from taking on staff. The Institute of Directors has voiced concern about Labour's proposed policy, saying the changes would be unnecessary and potentially damaging. Christian May, head of communications and campaigns, said: \"Limiting the use of a zero-hours contract to just 12 weeks would apply rigid controls on an important element of our flexible labour market. They are used by a little over 2% of workers, which can hardly be described as an epidemic. Nobody supports the misuse of these contracts, but demonising and ultimately outlawing them will simply risk jobs.\" Simon Rice-Birchall, partner at law firm Eversheds, said it was not clear how the proposed new right would apply, given that Labour refers to \"employees\" rather than \"workers\". \"Many staff on zero-hours contracts are workers and do not have full employment status. In addition, depending how the change in the law is drafted, there is a risk that some employers may simply offer contracts with minimal fixed hours to limit its impact,\" he said.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 635, "answer_start": 195, "text": "A: Zero-hours contracts, or casual contracts, allow employers to hire staff with no guarantee of work. They mean employees work only when they are needed by employers, often at short notice. Their pay depends on how many hours they work. Some zero-hours contracts require workers to take the shifts they are offered, while others do not. Sick pay is often not included, although holiday pay should be, in line with working time regulations." } ], "id": "9938_0", "question": "Q: What are zero-hours contracts?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1962, "answer_start": 636, "text": "The Office for National Statistics (ONS) says that 697,000 people were employed on zero-hours contracts for their main job between October and December 2014, based on figures from the Labour Force Survey. That represents 2.3% of the UK workforce. This figure is higher than the figure of 586,000 (1.9% of people in employment) reported for the same period in 2013. The ONS said it was unclear how much of the rise was due to greater recognition of the term \"zero-hours contracts\", rather than new contracts being offered. The number of contracts that do not guarantee a minimum number of hours was 1.8 million as of August 2014. That was 400,000 more than the previous estimate for January 2014. The ONS said the differences in the two totals could reflect seasonal factors, because they cover different times of the year. A survey of employers by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) found that a third of voluntary sector organisations used zero-hours contracts, along with a quarter of public sector employers and 17% of private sector firms. A high proportion of staff at companies including retailer Sports Direct, pub chain JD Wetherspoon and cinema operator Cineworld are on zero-hours contracts. They are also used by other employers, including a number of London councils and Buckingham Palace." } ], "id": "9938_1", "question": "Q: Who is on them?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2979, "answer_start": 1963, "text": "A: There is concern that zero-hours contracts do not offer enough financial stability and security. The ONS found that employees on such a contract worked an average of 25 hours a week. However, about a third of those on zero-hours contracts want more hours - mostly in their current job - compared with just 10% of other people in employment. The CIPD research found that 16% of zero-hours workers said their employer often failed to provide them with sufficient hours each week. The ONS said that zero-hours workers were more likely to be women or in full-time education and aged under 25 or over 65. Employees on zero-hours contracts also do not have the same employment rights as those on traditional contracts, and critics are concerned that the contracts are being used to avoid employers' responsibilities to employees. The CIPD warned that employers may also take advantage of zero-hours contracts by using them as a management tool - offering more hours to favoured employees and fewer to those less valued." } ], "id": "9938_2", "question": "Q: Why are they controversial?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4817, "answer_start": 2980, "text": "Employers say zero-hours contracts allow them to take on staff in response to fluctuating demand for their services, in sectors such as tourism and hospitality. Employers also say that many workers appreciate the flexibility that a zero-hours contract gives them. Some 38% of workers in the CIPD research described themselves as employed full-time, working 30 hours or more a week, despite being on zero hours. Michael Burd, joint head of employment at the law firm Lewis Silkin, says the majority of employers use zero-hour contracts, not to avoid giving employees their rights, but to avoid paying fixed overheads and give them flexibility over their workforce. He points out that this flexibility is envied by employers in struggling economies such as Spain and Greece, where potential costs may dissuade employers from taking on staff. The Institute of Directors has voiced concern about Labour's proposed policy, saying the changes would be unnecessary and potentially damaging. Christian May, head of communications and campaigns, said: \"Limiting the use of a zero-hours contract to just 12 weeks would apply rigid controls on an important element of our flexible labour market. They are used by a little over 2% of workers, which can hardly be described as an epidemic. Nobody supports the misuse of these contracts, but demonising and ultimately outlawing them will simply risk jobs.\" Simon Rice-Birchall, partner at law firm Eversheds, said it was not clear how the proposed new right would apply, given that Labour refers to \"employees\" rather than \"workers\". \"Many staff on zero-hours contracts are workers and do not have full employment status. In addition, depending how the change in the law is drafted, there is a risk that some employers may simply offer contracts with minimal fixed hours to limit its impact,\" he said." } ], "id": "9938_3", "question": "Q: Why do employers use them?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Voting is drawing to a close in Hungary, where opinion polls have pointed to a third consecutive term for right-wing Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Before the vote, Mr Orban and his Fidesz party were polling at 20 points or more ahead of the far-right Jobbik party and the centre-left Socialists. Polling stations were meant to close at 19:00 (17:00 GMT), but some are staying open hours later due to long queues. Preliminary results will be announced later than expected, after 23:00. While Fidesz is expected to win a parliamentary majority, analysts are watching to see if Mr Orban's party can regain the \"supermajority\" it once held. This is the two-thirds control of the 199-seat legislature that allowed Fidesz to pass controversial laws putting pressure on the judiciary and the press. Data at 16:30 GMT from the National Election Office showed voter turnout of 68% - around nine points higher than at the same point in the 2014 election. Pollsters think a high turnout could benefit the opposition. Mr Orban refused to publicly debate with his opponents during the campaign or speak to the independent media, speaking instead at rallies for his supporters. These addresses focused on one core policy - stopping immigration. \"Migration is like rust that slowly but surely would consume Hungary,\" Mr Orban said at his final rally on Friday. Under Mr Orban, Hungary built a fence along its borders with Serbia and Croatia in 2015 to stop illegal migrants. His anti-immigration measures and tough rhetoric have seen him clash with the European Union in the past. Mr Orban is an avowed Eurosceptic who opposes further EU integration. He refused to take part in the EU's refugee resettlement programme and he has praised Russian leader Vladimir Putin. If he wins, as is likely, Mr Orban has promised to cut income tax and pass pro-growth economic policies. His administration has presided over strong economic growth which, he says, would be threatened under the opposition. A poll on Friday put Fidesz on 46% among decided voters, more than 20 points ahead of their nearest rivals Jobbik, on 19%. Formerly a far-right group who agitated against Hungary's Roma community, Jobbik has tried to claim the centre ground in recent years. Rebranding itself as a moderate \"conservative people's party\", its leader Gabor Vona has called for a change in government and railed against Mr Orban. \"Viktor Orban is a burnt-out politician, interested only in corruption and football,\" he once said. The centre-left Socialists meanwhile were on 14% in Friday's poll and not thought to pose a threat to Fidesz. However, one-third of voters remain undecided, and an upset is not being ruled out. In February, the southern town of Hodmezovasarhely elected a mayor backed by all the main opposition parties. It had been considered a Fidesz stronghold. Analysts suggest tactical voting could in theory strip the government of its 131-seat domination of Hungary's parliament. However, given his commanding lead in the polls, an outright defeat for Mr Orban is unlikely.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1974, "answer_start": 1005, "text": "Mr Orban refused to publicly debate with his opponents during the campaign or speak to the independent media, speaking instead at rallies for his supporters. These addresses focused on one core policy - stopping immigration. \"Migration is like rust that slowly but surely would consume Hungary,\" Mr Orban said at his final rally on Friday. Under Mr Orban, Hungary built a fence along its borders with Serbia and Croatia in 2015 to stop illegal migrants. His anti-immigration measures and tough rhetoric have seen him clash with the European Union in the past. Mr Orban is an avowed Eurosceptic who opposes further EU integration. He refused to take part in the EU's refugee resettlement programme and he has praised Russian leader Vladimir Putin. If he wins, as is likely, Mr Orban has promised to cut income tax and pass pro-growth economic policies. His administration has presided over strong economic growth which, he says, would be threatened under the opposition." } ], "id": "9939_0", "question": "What are Viktor Orban's policies?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3048, "answer_start": 1975, "text": "A poll on Friday put Fidesz on 46% among decided voters, more than 20 points ahead of their nearest rivals Jobbik, on 19%. Formerly a far-right group who agitated against Hungary's Roma community, Jobbik has tried to claim the centre ground in recent years. Rebranding itself as a moderate \"conservative people's party\", its leader Gabor Vona has called for a change in government and railed against Mr Orban. \"Viktor Orban is a burnt-out politician, interested only in corruption and football,\" he once said. The centre-left Socialists meanwhile were on 14% in Friday's poll and not thought to pose a threat to Fidesz. However, one-third of voters remain undecided, and an upset is not being ruled out. In February, the southern town of Hodmezovasarhely elected a mayor backed by all the main opposition parties. It had been considered a Fidesz stronghold. Analysts suggest tactical voting could in theory strip the government of its 131-seat domination of Hungary's parliament. However, given his commanding lead in the polls, an outright defeat for Mr Orban is unlikely." } ], "id": "9939_1", "question": "Who are the opposition parties?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The people of Masaya say rebellion runs in their blood. But there is no-one in the Nicaraguan city of whom that is more true than Father Edwin Roman. \"Sandino was my grandmother's brother, my great-uncle,\" says the priest of Nicaragua's revolutionary hero and rebel leader, Augusto Cesar Sandino. Few can boast such a direct familial link to the man who ended the United States' occupation of Nicaragua in 1933 and whose name would become synonymous with another revolution in Nicaragua decades later. Sandino's great-nephew is a quieter kind of rebel. At the height of the violent anti-government protests which rocked Masaya last year, Fr Roman sheltered dozens of demonstrators in his church as they were being fired upon by police and armed left-wing radicals. He also turned the clergy house into a makeshift triage unit for the injured. \"The doorbell rang and there was a group of kids with blood streaming from their heads. From 7pm until the following morning, with the support of a few local medical students, we attended to anyone who arrived at our door,\" he recalls. - 1927-1933: Guerrillas led by Augusto Cesar Sandino fight US military presence - 1934: Sandino assassinated on the orders of Gen Anastasio Somoza - 1937: Gen Somoza elected president, heralding the start of more than four decades of dictatorship by his family - 1961: Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) founded - 1979: FSLN military offensive ends with the ousting of Gen Anastasio Somoza's son, also called Anastasio Somoza - 2007: FSLN candidate Daniel Ortega returns to power as president after winning election - 2011: Ortega re-elected to a second consecutive term after term limits are scrapped - 2016: Ortega re-elected to a third consecutive term - 2018: Anti-government protests rock the country Such actions as well as his outspoken sermons, which have been openly sympathetic to the opposition cause, have brought him pressure from the governing Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN). On Friday, the governing party will be marking the 40th anniversary of the day when Sandinista rebels, who had named themselves after Fr Roman's great-uncle, defeated the US-backed military ruler Anastasio Somoza. But on the eve of the anniversary, Fr Roman has little positive to say about the group carrying Sandino's name and their leader who is now Nicaragua's president, Daniel Ortega. \"The Sandinistas have achieved nothing. We're repeating a cycle of dictatorship. The guerrilla fighter who defeated Somoza has today become the dictator himself,\" he says of Mr Ortega. One of the turning points in the war against Somoza was an audacious and daring attack on the National Palace in 1978, a year before the rebels took power. Twenty-five guerrillas, dressed as National Guard elite troops, stormed Congress while it was in full session and took the lawmakers hostage. The man who led the near-suicidal operation, Eden Pastora, also known as Comandante Cero, does not share the priest's dismal assessment of the FSLN's legacy. \"When we won, we aimed to change the social, political and economic structure of the country, particularly for the rural, indigenous population through agrarian reform and a national literacy programme.\" he says. \"To be a worker in the times of Somoza was to be considered practically a common criminal,\" he recalls. He argues that it was the return of Daniel Ortega to power in 2007 - he had ruled the country for most of the 1980s - that made the biggest impact. \"We're the country with most growth in Latin America after Panama and the Dominican Republic,\" he insists before listing supposed improvements in energy, healthcare and infrastructure. Critics of the government say many such claims by high-ranking Sandinistas are misleading. They argue that they are either based on a totalitarian control of the economy, which has only benefitted an inner circle, has weakened state institutions and bypassed the rule of law, or that they are simply untrue. The walls of Eden Pastora's office are adorned with framed photographs of a revolutionary life: one alongside the late Cuban leader Fidel Castro, another with his comrades in a clandestine hideout and, above his desk, a famous image of him after the National Palace assault, hoisting his rifle aloft. Today, in his 80s, Comandante Cero has a slight tremble in his hands. Yet when it comes to Nicaragua's current conflict and the more than 300 people who died during last year's wave of anti-government protests, he remains as firm and unrepentant as ever, echoing the FSLN party line. \"There was real chaos on the streets and we had to defend ourselves. We were facing terrorists here. They killed our police officers, stabbed, shot, burned them, stoned them with rocks. You can see it in the videos,\" he says of the response to the anti-government protests by the security forces, which the United Nations has condemned as \"repressive\". Hundreds of protesters have also been put on trial, with some facing charges of terrorism. Yet even die-hard Sandinistas like Eden Pastora would find it hard to describe Sandor Dolmusas as a \"terrorist\". The unarmed 15-year-old altar boy with plans of joining the priesthood one day was killed by a bullet to the chest from a high-calibre weapon in June of last year. His mother, Ivania, points out the spot outside the family home in the town of Leon where his body crumpled to the ground as he stood near a barricade erected as part of the anti-government protests. The home is a ramshackle building in the city of Leon shared by the extended family. Scrawny chickens peck inside cages while Sandor's grandmother cooks tortillas over a fire in the patio. A group of local women who, like Ivania, lost their sons last year during the protests have gathered in the main room. Through tears, they show me photos of their boys, bloodied and dying in the streets of Leon. Ivania says the ultimate responsibility for her son's death lies with President Ortega. \"If not with him, then with whom? The police and paramilitaries just follow orders from above.\" While the regional body the Organization of American States is helping the mothers seek justice against the Ortega government, a meaningful trial of those responsible is unlikely to happen in Nicaragua while the Sandinistas remain in power. Still, the mothers hope the deaths of their sons will not have been in vain. \"Sandor is a symbol for Nicaragua and across Central America. Even Pope Francis heard about what happened to him,\" says Ivania. \"He touched people's hearts but in the very worst way, in death. They took away his hope.\"", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3981, "answer_start": 2567, "text": "One of the turning points in the war against Somoza was an audacious and daring attack on the National Palace in 1978, a year before the rebels took power. Twenty-five guerrillas, dressed as National Guard elite troops, stormed Congress while it was in full session and took the lawmakers hostage. The man who led the near-suicidal operation, Eden Pastora, also known as Comandante Cero, does not share the priest's dismal assessment of the FSLN's legacy. \"When we won, we aimed to change the social, political and economic structure of the country, particularly for the rural, indigenous population through agrarian reform and a national literacy programme.\" he says. \"To be a worker in the times of Somoza was to be considered practically a common criminal,\" he recalls. He argues that it was the return of Daniel Ortega to power in 2007 - he had ruled the country for most of the 1980s - that made the biggest impact. \"We're the country with most growth in Latin America after Panama and the Dominican Republic,\" he insists before listing supposed improvements in energy, healthcare and infrastructure. Critics of the government say many such claims by high-ranking Sandinistas are misleading. They argue that they are either based on a totalitarian control of the economy, which has only benefitted an inner circle, has weakened state institutions and bypassed the rule of law, or that they are simply untrue." } ], "id": "9940_0", "question": "Change for the better?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Shannon O'Connor has made $25,000 out of a two-word slogan. All the 18-year-old US art student did was design a T-shirt bearing the phrase: \"OK Boomer\". Then she added the kicker: \"Have A Terrible Day\". She has to date sold more than 2,000 of the T-shirts and sweatshirts to youngsters keen to deliver a collective eye-roll at the older folk all around them. She isn't the only one. The phrase has been gathering momentum for some months on the other side of the Atlantic. And entrepreneurially minded youngsters are selling designs that can be printed on stickers, badges, blankets and phone cases as well as clothing. \"'OK Boomer' is a meme. It picked up on Tik Tok,\" Shannon told BBC Radio 5 Live. In other words, it's a catchphrase that appears a lot on an online video-sharing platform that no-one over 25 uses much. \"It is essentially Gen Z trying to fight back at the baby boomers of the world, who try to put us down a lot and criticise us,\" she explained. \"We've found our voice and we're expressing it.\" Generation Z - loosely, anyone born after about 1995 or even later - is feeling touchy, which is one of the things baby boomers find fault with. They think they're labelled as over-sensitive, glued to their phones and maybe a little bit indulged. They resent criticism - and being dubbed \"snowflakes\" - by an older generation they view as having had an easier time. They blame their grandparents for trashing the environment and voting for a president who refuses to do anything about it. But they don't limit the use of the term \"boomer\" to the post-war generation it usually refers to. It can be applied to anyone older than around 25, who displays judgemental, conservative or narrow-minded attitudes. And \"OK Boomer\" is their way of saying: why would I listen to you? \"It's a comeback to say, 'We're going to prove you wrong and do great things despite what you might think of us,'\" said Shannon. \"We have a lot of understanding of political and social issues in a different light to the boomers,\" she added. \"Times have changed a lot.\" In a way, it isn't a million miles from wearing a Che Guevara T-shirt. Even if the phrase hasn't caught on widely over this side of the pond yet, it could resonate with British youngsters who know their parents had free university education, steadier job prospects and lower housing costs. There is some debate cropping up online over whether growing up with corporal punishment, conscription, the threat of nuclear war and laws against homosexuality means boomers' youths really were so much better. But it's not clear if Gen Z is listening. ", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2598, "answer_start": 1014, "text": "Generation Z - loosely, anyone born after about 1995 or even later - is feeling touchy, which is one of the things baby boomers find fault with. They think they're labelled as over-sensitive, glued to their phones and maybe a little bit indulged. They resent criticism - and being dubbed \"snowflakes\" - by an older generation they view as having had an easier time. They blame their grandparents for trashing the environment and voting for a president who refuses to do anything about it. But they don't limit the use of the term \"boomer\" to the post-war generation it usually refers to. It can be applied to anyone older than around 25, who displays judgemental, conservative or narrow-minded attitudes. And \"OK Boomer\" is their way of saying: why would I listen to you? \"It's a comeback to say, 'We're going to prove you wrong and do great things despite what you might think of us,'\" said Shannon. \"We have a lot of understanding of political and social issues in a different light to the boomers,\" she added. \"Times have changed a lot.\" In a way, it isn't a million miles from wearing a Che Guevara T-shirt. Even if the phrase hasn't caught on widely over this side of the pond yet, it could resonate with British youngsters who know their parents had free university education, steadier job prospects and lower housing costs. There is some debate cropping up online over whether growing up with corporal punishment, conscription, the threat of nuclear war and laws against homosexuality means boomers' youths really were so much better. But it's not clear if Gen Z is listening." } ], "id": "9941_0", "question": "Why listen?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The White House has announced numerous executive actions aimed at decreasing gun violence in the US. President Obama has said the actions are in his executive authority and that they will save lives. The president said he recognises that the measures will not prevent all violence or mass shootings in the country. \"This is not going to solve every violent crime in this country,\" Mr Obama said. \"It's not going to prevent every mass shooting; it's not going to keep every gun out of the hands of a criminal. It will potentially save lives and spare families the pain of these extraordinary losses.\" What do the executive actions include? - All sellers must be licensed and conduct background checks, overturning current exemptions to some online and gun show sellers - States must provide information on people disqualified due to mental illness or domestic violence - FBI will increase workforce processing background checks by 50%, hiring more than 230 new examiners - Congress will be asked to invest $500m (PS339m) to improve access to mental healthcare - The departments of defence, justice and homeland security will explore \"smart gun technology\" to improve gun safety Under the executive action, more sellers would have to register as federally licensed gun dealers, eliminating certain loopholes. Gun sellers can be divided into two categories: federal firearms licensees and private sellers. The former is regulated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), which conducts background checks. Private sellers, on the other hand, largely do their business without government oversight. There is much talk about the \"gun-show loophole\", but in reality, the majority of vendors at gun shows are licensed dealers, and unlicensed sellers meet at the shows to bring attention to their collections or sell guns. Gun sellers also currently evade background checks by selling guns online and in other settings. Some people sell guns out of their personal collection simply to get rid of ones they are not using anymore, and those people are exempt from the background check requirement. But many profit from selling guns without a license and are involved in illegal gun trafficking. Because current law is vague, it is hard to prosecute these cases, and many go unchecked. \"Those folks who are engaged in the business illegally are a small share of all unlicensed gun sellers, but they are contributing disproportionately to gun trafficking,\" Ted Alcorn, research director for gun violence prevention group Everytown for Gun Safety, told the BBC. According to research by Mr Alcorn's group, just last year 600,000 guns were for sale on a website called ArmsList by dealers not under the federal background check requirement. Most include: arrests, felony or misdemeanours, court records, warrants, sex offences and incarceration records. If the FBI needs to follow up on something in a background check, they currently have three days to do it. If the agency does not do so in three days, the person wishing to buy a gun can go ahead with a purchase. This is how Dylann Roof, who police say killed nine people in Charleston, South Carolina, in June obtained a gun despite having a drug charge. The new actions would allow for 24/7 background checks, eliminating the loophole that people who should not be able to get guns are able to do so because the FBI did not process their check fast enough. \"It's absolutely going to make a difference,\" Mr Alcorn said. Someone illegally engaged in gun selling can put hundreds of firearms in illegal markets in the US in cities like Chicago and New York City, he said, with \"devastating consequences\" as a result. \"Clarifying the law will make a difference... it's also a symbolic gesture,\" Mr Alcorn said. \"In face of Congress' refusal to take meaningful action, [Obama] is willing to put his team's attention and creativity into determining the ways the executive branch can make a difference.\" The actions do not limit capacity on ammunition magazines or ban assault rifles, which gun control groups have repeatedly called for. Still, many are pleased with the actions. Mr Obama has \"answered the calls of moms, gun violence survivors, community leaders and every day advocates across the country who worked tirelessly to support the President in taking meaningful action to prevent gun violence,\" said Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. The National Rifle Association, a powerful group that ranks lawmakers on how gun-friendly they are which opposes nearly every new piece of gun legislation, tweeted that Mr Obama's \"rhetoric does not match his record\" and that the group had been \"calling for the full enforcement of the law for... a while now.\" \"Funny how @POTUS invokes civil liberties while trying to restrict one of them,\" the group tweeted. These are executive actions, not orders, meaning they are not legally binding. \"They represent less formal guidelines that the ATF will implement for gun dealing,\" gun violence news website the Trace explains. \"Which means that Obama may wind up facing criticism not just from those who think he's overstepped, but those who could conclude he has not gone far enough.\" The funding for mental health services will require congressional approval, and the funding to hire more agency workers may as well. Some of the actions are likely to be challenged in court. These actions can all be overturned by the next president-and the Republican candidates are all promising they would do so on day one. Why Obama is powerless - the roadblock at Congress Are you mad or criminal? - the question a gun seller asks Texas women and their firearms - a photographer taught to shoot at an early age Do tighter gun laws work? - a state where guns are a way of life Guns at home - the question parents hate to ask before a playdate", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2750, "answer_start": 1177, "text": "Under the executive action, more sellers would have to register as federally licensed gun dealers, eliminating certain loopholes. Gun sellers can be divided into two categories: federal firearms licensees and private sellers. The former is regulated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), which conducts background checks. Private sellers, on the other hand, largely do their business without government oversight. There is much talk about the \"gun-show loophole\", but in reality, the majority of vendors at gun shows are licensed dealers, and unlicensed sellers meet at the shows to bring attention to their collections or sell guns. Gun sellers also currently evade background checks by selling guns online and in other settings. Some people sell guns out of their personal collection simply to get rid of ones they are not using anymore, and those people are exempt from the background check requirement. But many profit from selling guns without a license and are involved in illegal gun trafficking. Because current law is vague, it is hard to prosecute these cases, and many go unchecked. \"Those folks who are engaged in the business illegally are a small share of all unlicensed gun sellers, but they are contributing disproportionately to gun trafficking,\" Ted Alcorn, research director for gun violence prevention group Everytown for Gun Safety, told the BBC. According to research by Mr Alcorn's group, just last year 600,000 guns were for sale on a website called ArmsList by dealers not under the federal background check requirement." } ], "id": "9942_0", "question": "Who will be affected?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3422, "answer_start": 2751, "text": "Most include: arrests, felony or misdemeanours, court records, warrants, sex offences and incarceration records. If the FBI needs to follow up on something in a background check, they currently have three days to do it. If the agency does not do so in three days, the person wishing to buy a gun can go ahead with a purchase. This is how Dylann Roof, who police say killed nine people in Charleston, South Carolina, in June obtained a gun despite having a drug charge. The new actions would allow for 24/7 background checks, eliminating the loophole that people who should not be able to get guns are able to do so because the FBI did not process their check fast enough." } ], "id": "9942_1", "question": "What's in a background check?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4853, "answer_start": 3423, "text": "\"It's absolutely going to make a difference,\" Mr Alcorn said. Someone illegally engaged in gun selling can put hundreds of firearms in illegal markets in the US in cities like Chicago and New York City, he said, with \"devastating consequences\" as a result. \"Clarifying the law will make a difference... it's also a symbolic gesture,\" Mr Alcorn said. \"In face of Congress' refusal to take meaningful action, [Obama] is willing to put his team's attention and creativity into determining the ways the executive branch can make a difference.\" The actions do not limit capacity on ammunition magazines or ban assault rifles, which gun control groups have repeatedly called for. Still, many are pleased with the actions. Mr Obama has \"answered the calls of moms, gun violence survivors, community leaders and every day advocates across the country who worked tirelessly to support the President in taking meaningful action to prevent gun violence,\" said Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. The National Rifle Association, a powerful group that ranks lawmakers on how gun-friendly they are which opposes nearly every new piece of gun legislation, tweeted that Mr Obama's \"rhetoric does not match his record\" and that the group had been \"calling for the full enforcement of the law for... a while now.\" \"Funny how @POTUS invokes civil liberties while trying to restrict one of them,\" the group tweeted." } ], "id": "9942_2", "question": "Will the actions make a difference?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5548, "answer_start": 4854, "text": "These are executive actions, not orders, meaning they are not legally binding. \"They represent less formal guidelines that the ATF will implement for gun dealing,\" gun violence news website the Trace explains. \"Which means that Obama may wind up facing criticism not just from those who think he's overstepped, but those who could conclude he has not gone far enough.\" The funding for mental health services will require congressional approval, and the funding to hire more agency workers may as well. Some of the actions are likely to be challenged in court. These actions can all be overturned by the next president-and the Republican candidates are all promising they would do so on day one." } ], "id": "9942_3", "question": "What are the caveats?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Negotiations on David Cameron's EU reform demands have made \"no real progress\" so far, Downing Street sources say. The first EU Council session ended with no agreement on several issues as Number 10 played down hopes of a deal. EU sources said the talks were \"constructive\" but said other countries had spoken out against the PM's plans. Friday's session on the UK's demands has been put back to allow him to speak to individual leaders one-to-one. The 28 EU leaders are now holding a working dinner to discuss their response to the migration crisis. When talks return to the UK's reforms, Mr Cameron will seek to secure the deal which he wants before holding an in/out referendum on the UK's EU membership. However, he has said he will walk away from the summit without agreement unless he gets a \"credible\" package he can sell to voters in the referendum. The PM's Eurosceptic critics have branded the process a sham, saying that even if the reforms are agreed they will not allow the UK to block unwanted EU laws or affect the scale of EU migration. BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg said a Downing Street source was claiming the talks had reached an \"impasse\". It is not clear whether the downbeat mood is \"summit theatrics or genuine disappointment\" that negotiations are not progressing, she added. An EU source spoke of five key areas where agreement has not been reached: - How the EU's binding treaties will be altered to make the changes - How many member states can trigger an \"emergency brake\" on migrant welfare - For how long a member state can impose restrictions on in-work benefits for migrants - Whether child benefit curbs can be applied retrospectively - Changing treaties to alter the principle of \"ever-closer\" union Thursday's meeting was \"intense and constructive\", an EU source said, but while all the countries confirmed their wish for the UK to stay in, some also set out specific concerns. \"We expected this,\" the EU source said: \"But honestly we had hoped for some of them to be less critical.\" Earlier, senior EU officials talked up the chances of a deal, with European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker saying he was \"quite confident\" during the Council meeting and Council president Donald Tusk saying it was a \"make-or-break summit\". Mr Cameron is now expected to meet Mr Tusk later to discuss how Friday's session will proceed. Speaking as he arrived at the summit, Mr Cameron said: \"I'll be battling for Britain. If we can get a good deal I'll take that deal. But I will not take a deal that doesn't meet what we need. \"I think it's much more important to get this right than to do anything in a rush. But with good will, with hard work, we can get a better deal for Britain.\" The key parts of the UK deal include: - Allowing Britain to opt out from the EU's founding ambition to forge an \"ever closer union\" of the peoples of Europe and greater powers to national parliaments to block EU legislation - Restrictions on other EU nationals getting in-work benefits in the UK for four years. Changing child benefit rules so payment reflects cost of living in countries where the child lives - Explicit recognition that the euro is not the only currency of the EU and guarantees to ensure countries outside the eurozone are not disadvantaged or have to join eurozone bailouts - A target for the reduction of the \"burden\" of excessive regulation and extending the single market France is thought to be resisting attempts to secure protection for the City of London by giving non-eurozone nations more power to stall financial regulation. Mr Cameron's plan to cut the amount of child benefit EU migrants can send back to to their home countries would apply across the EU according to leaked versions of a draft deal - something that would be resisted by Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. By Laura Kuenssberg, BBC political editor Forget the fight over including one sentence or another, what goes in the square brackets or the footnotes of the deal. There are so many countries involved, so many complications in these talks, it's easy to lose the big truth. This is the best chance David Cameron has of getting a new deal with the European Union - there could always be another summit, more talks, more negotiations but there's no guarantee the terms would get any better for the UK. One senior UK diplomat told me: \"The deal is as cooked as it is going to get\". UKIP leader Nigel Farage said he expected Mr Cameron to come back with a deal from Brussels, as the other leaders would recognise how \"embarrassing\" it would be for him to return empty-handed. But he added: \"He hasn't asked for us to get back supremacy for our Parliament, he hasn't asked for us to control our own borders, he hasn't asked to reduce the vast daily fees we pay. \"We will be allowed - after he has come here like Oliver Twist and begged for concessions - to control migrant benefits for up to four years. I find the whole thing as a British person pretty shameful.\" Conservative MEP Daniel Hannan dismissed the proposed deal and warned that any changes could be unpicked by the European Parliament in future. He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: \"I don't know of any MEPs or Eurocrats in private who think that this is a fundamental change. All of the sound and fury, all of the negotiations, have come down to amending one directive - which we could have done at any time without needing any renegotiation. \"Privately, the Eurocrats were whooping and high-fiving and turning cartwheels because so little has been asked for.\" Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said his party will be campaigning for Britain to remain in the EU - but he branded David Cameron's renegotiations \"a theatrical sideshow, designed to appease his opponents within the Conservative Party\". By BBC Europe Editor Katya Adler Civil servants and MEPs I've spoken to in Brussels believe the expected UK referendum and Britain's EU renegotiation essentially came about because the PM was under pressure from his own Conservative party. Yet in public, in the style of the Emperor's New Clothes, they go along with the idea that this is all for the British people. But then Brussels is used to dealing with two UKs: one on stage, the other behind the scenes. Successive UK prime ministers have been openly dismissive, disparaging, even hostile at EU summits, \"playing to their eurosceptic gallery at home,\" EU suits say knowingly, sotto voce, with a nod and a wink. More from Katya James Landale: How Cameron will get a June referendum Thursday: 19:00 (20:00 local): Working dinner on the migration crisis Mr Cameron is expected to hold one-on-one talks with leaders to try to find agreement Friday: 10:00: Group discussions will continue If David Cameron gets a deal, he will return to the UK as quickly as possible to hold an emergency cabinet meeting to reach an agreed position on remaining in the EU. At this point, ministers who want Britain out of the EU will be allowed to speak out. Mr Cameron may then announce the date of the UK's referendum, although he does not have to do so 17 March: The next scheduled EU summit - at which Mr Cameron could have another chance to get a deal. There has also been talk of a special summit at the end of February Thursday 23 June: Still seen as the most likely date of a UK referendum if Mr Cameron gets a deal in February or March, but he has until the end of 2017 to hold one", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4419, "answer_start": 3844, "text": "By Laura Kuenssberg, BBC political editor Forget the fight over including one sentence or another, what goes in the square brackets or the footnotes of the deal. There are so many countries involved, so many complications in these talks, it's easy to lose the big truth. This is the best chance David Cameron has of getting a new deal with the European Union - there could always be another summit, more talks, more negotiations but there's no guarantee the terms would get any better for the UK. One senior UK diplomat told me: \"The deal is as cooked as it is going to get\"." } ], "id": "9943_0", "question": "Cameron's best chance?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Facebook is introducing new branding for its products and services in an attempt to distinguish the company from its familiar app and website. Instagram and WhatsApp are among the services that will carry the new FACEBOOK brand in the next few weeks. The main Facebook app and website will retain its familiar blue branding. The new logo, which is in capital letters, uses \"custom typography\" and \"rounded corners\" so the company's other products and app look different. The branding also appears in different colours depending on which product it represents. So, for example, it will be green for WhatsApp. \"We wanted the brand to connect thoughtfully with the world and the people in it,\" Facebook said. \"The dynamic colour system does this by taking on the colour of its environment.\" Facebook's chief marketing officer Antonio Lucio said: \"People should know which companies make the products they use. We started being clearer about the products and services that are part of Facebook years ago. \"This brand change is a way to better communicate our ownership structure to the people and businesses who use our services to connect, share, build community and grow their audiences.\" US Senator Elizabeth Warren has said she wants to break up the big tech companies such as Facebook, Amazon and Google and put them under tougher regulation. This plan may be seen as Facebook's way of hitting back, although Ms Warren - posting on Facebook - said: \"Facebook can rebrand all they want, but they can't hide the fact that they are too big and powerful. It's time to break up Big Tech.\" Distancing the Facebook brand - the blue app that's home to just about everyone, including your parents - from the trendier Instagram, a place for you and your friends, has always made good business sense for Facebook. And it apparently worked: when Pew researchers asked study participants whether or not Facebook owned Instagram or WhatsApp, 49% of American adults were \"not sure\". So why would Facebook make this change? It brings several benefits. Front of mind: the firm is covering itself from accusations it hides how powerful it really is by not making it absolutely clear they are behind most of the biggest apps in social media. And Facebook also wants to fend off efforts to break it up, by making the case that the company isn't simply a conglomerate of separate, distinct apps which could be easily broken up by regulators. Instead, this rebranding argues the firm is one big connected organism, called Facebook. Facebook has come under criticism recently over a variety of issues. Its boss Mark Zuckerberg had to face US lawmakers last month to explain the company's policy on not fact-checking political adverts. He also had to defend plans for a digital currency, talk about the social network's failure to stop child exploitation on the network, and was quizzed over the Cambridge Analytica data scandal. Earlier in the year, Mr Zuckerberg said the firm was going to make changes to its social platforms to enhance privacy. These included messages sent via Messenger being end-to-end encrypted, and hiding the number of likes an Instagram post receives from everyone but the person who shared it. Several other big companies have tried rebranding in the past: - In 2001, British Airways turned tail on its plans to remove the red, white and blue Union flag from its aircraft and replace it with \"world images\" - In the same year, Royal Mail rebranded as Consignia, only to swap back again a year later - Dunkin' Donuts dropped the \"Donuts\" from its name last year to try to move more into the coffee industry and its share price has continued to rise - The parent company of Paddy Power and Betfair started trading under the new name Flutter Entertainment in May this year. It said the new name \"better reflected the diversity of the group\". Manfred Abraham, chief executive of consultancy Brandcap, told the BBC: \"I'm sure this will be a successful move for Facebook. After all, the parent brand remains strong, despite recent troubles, and reminding consumers that Instagram etc are all Facebook companies will assist with cross-membership. \"The rebrand is unsurprising as it is following a trend - that of simplification. Many organisations are choosing a strong, but pared-back visual identify and are shrugging off 'flair' in favour of plain.\" However, Mr Abraham thought Facebook was correct to leave the logo on its flagship social media platform as it is. \"Facebook's main site doesn't need a rebrand. The old adage is true: if it ain't broke don't fix it.\"", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3843, "answer_start": 3199, "text": "Several other big companies have tried rebranding in the past: - In 2001, British Airways turned tail on its plans to remove the red, white and blue Union flag from its aircraft and replace it with \"world images\" - In the same year, Royal Mail rebranded as Consignia, only to swap back again a year later - Dunkin' Donuts dropped the \"Donuts\" from its name last year to try to move more into the coffee industry and its share price has continued to rise - The parent company of Paddy Power and Betfair started trading under the new name Flutter Entertainment in May this year. It said the new name \"better reflected the diversity of the group\"." } ], "id": "9944_0", "question": "Does rebranding always work?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Pope Francis has condemned the \"atrocities\" of child sex abuse and clerical cover-ups in a letter to the world's 1.2bn Roman Catholics. The letter to \"the People of God\" calls for an end to the \"culture of death\" in the Church, addresses failures to deal with abuse and asks for forgiveness. Last week a grand jury report detailed seven decades of abuse in Pennsylvania. The landmark investigation found more than 1,000 identifiable minors had been abused by 300 priests in the US state. Thousands more are thought to have fallen victim. The inquiry found evidence of systematic cover-ups by the Church, with many cases now too old for prosecution. After the report was made public, the Vatican said the Pope was on the side of victims against \"predator\" priests. The Vatican says it is the first time a Pope has addressed a letter to the entire Catholic population on the topic of sex abuse. In Monday's 2,000-word letter he addresses the US scandal directly and acknowledges the Church's role in failing to act sooner. He describes the \"heart-wrenching pain of these victims\" that were \"long ignored, kept quiet or silenced\". \"With shame and repentance, we acknowledge as an ecclesial community that we were not where we should have been, that we did not act in a timely manner, realizing the magnitude and the gravity of the damage done to so many lives,\" he writes. \"We showed no care for the little ones; we abandoned them.\" The Pope's message quotes a passage from the Bible in Corinthians that says \"if one member suffers, all suffer together\" and calls for the Church to come to grips with the reality of what has happened in a \"comprehensive and communal way\". \"If, in the past, the response was one of omission, today we want solidarity, in the deepest and most challenging sense, to become our way of forging present and future history. \"It is essential that we, as a Church, be able to acknowledge and condemn, with sorrow and shame, the atrocities perpetrated by consecrated persons, clerics, and all those entrusted with the mission of watching over and caring for those most vulnerable. Let us beg forgiveness for our own sins and the sins of others.\" The letter's release comes days before the Pope is due to travel to Ireland to address the Church's World Meeting of Families. The head of Ireland's Roman Catholic Church, Archbishop Eamon Martin, has said he expects Pope Francis to meet victims of clerical sex abuse during his visit to Dublin. Child sexual abuse scandals continue to embroil the Church around the globe. Last month the former archbishop of Washington DC, Theodore McCarrick, stepped down over abuse accusations against him. US church officials described as credible allegations that he sexually assaulted a teenager nearly 50 years ago. He says he has no recollection of this. In May, Archbishop Philip Wilson became the most senior Catholic in the world to be charged with concealing child sexual abuse in Australia in the 1970s. Margaret McGuckin from Survivors & Victims of Institutional Abuse, a historic abuse charity based in Northern Ireland, said the Pope's response was \"too little too late\" and said \"nothing will change\" with the letter. Anne Barrett-Doyle, co-director of clerical abuse tracking website BishopAccountability.org, said there needed to be \"more actions, less words\" from Pope Francis. \"He needs an effective discipline process for bishops and religious superiors who are known to have enabled abuse,\" she said. Irish campaigner Marie Collins, who was abused by a priest as a teenager, welcomed the condemnation of Church cover-ups, but said more concrete action on accountability was needed. Last year Ms Collins resigned from a Vatican child protection commission set up by Pope Francis because of what she said was the Church's resistance to change. Voice of the Faithful, a group that was formed after revelations of abuse in Boston in 2002, welcomed Monday's letter but reiterated the necessity of full accountability for offenders and those who covered abuse up. \"Although we applaud the Pope's expressions of regret and sorrow, as always, we find ourselves anxiously anticipating action to back up his words,\" the statement said.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2166, "answer_start": 764, "text": "The Vatican says it is the first time a Pope has addressed a letter to the entire Catholic population on the topic of sex abuse. In Monday's 2,000-word letter he addresses the US scandal directly and acknowledges the Church's role in failing to act sooner. He describes the \"heart-wrenching pain of these victims\" that were \"long ignored, kept quiet or silenced\". \"With shame and repentance, we acknowledge as an ecclesial community that we were not where we should have been, that we did not act in a timely manner, realizing the magnitude and the gravity of the damage done to so many lives,\" he writes. \"We showed no care for the little ones; we abandoned them.\" The Pope's message quotes a passage from the Bible in Corinthians that says \"if one member suffers, all suffer together\" and calls for the Church to come to grips with the reality of what has happened in a \"comprehensive and communal way\". \"If, in the past, the response was one of omission, today we want solidarity, in the deepest and most challenging sense, to become our way of forging present and future history. \"It is essential that we, as a Church, be able to acknowledge and condemn, with sorrow and shame, the atrocities perpetrated by consecrated persons, clerics, and all those entrusted with the mission of watching over and caring for those most vulnerable. Let us beg forgiveness for our own sins and the sins of others.\"" } ], "id": "9945_0", "question": "What did the Pope say?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2966, "answer_start": 2167, "text": "The letter's release comes days before the Pope is due to travel to Ireland to address the Church's World Meeting of Families. The head of Ireland's Roman Catholic Church, Archbishop Eamon Martin, has said he expects Pope Francis to meet victims of clerical sex abuse during his visit to Dublin. Child sexual abuse scandals continue to embroil the Church around the globe. Last month the former archbishop of Washington DC, Theodore McCarrick, stepped down over abuse accusations against him. US church officials described as credible allegations that he sexually assaulted a teenager nearly 50 years ago. He says he has no recollection of this. In May, Archbishop Philip Wilson became the most senior Catholic in the world to be charged with concealing child sexual abuse in Australia in the 1970s." } ], "id": "9945_1", "question": "What are the latest cases?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4198, "answer_start": 2967, "text": "Margaret McGuckin from Survivors & Victims of Institutional Abuse, a historic abuse charity based in Northern Ireland, said the Pope's response was \"too little too late\" and said \"nothing will change\" with the letter. Anne Barrett-Doyle, co-director of clerical abuse tracking website BishopAccountability.org, said there needed to be \"more actions, less words\" from Pope Francis. \"He needs an effective discipline process for bishops and religious superiors who are known to have enabled abuse,\" she said. Irish campaigner Marie Collins, who was abused by a priest as a teenager, welcomed the condemnation of Church cover-ups, but said more concrete action on accountability was needed. Last year Ms Collins resigned from a Vatican child protection commission set up by Pope Francis because of what she said was the Church's resistance to change. Voice of the Faithful, a group that was formed after revelations of abuse in Boston in 2002, welcomed Monday's letter but reiterated the necessity of full accountability for offenders and those who covered abuse up. \"Although we applaud the Pope's expressions of regret and sorrow, as always, we find ourselves anxiously anticipating action to back up his words,\" the statement said." } ], "id": "9945_2", "question": "What has the reaction been?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "As the new year gets underway, expert commentators give their view on what 2018 holds in store. Here are three big themes to watch out for over the next 12 months. The new year has begun with stock markets in the UK and US hitting new record highs. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose above 25,000 points for the first time this week, while the broader S&P 500 is also at historic highs. In London the FTSE 100 closed on Friday at a new record high of 7,724 points. But could stock markets on both sides of the Atlantic change tack and come crashing back to earth this year? Sonja Laud, head of equities at Fidelity International, thinks that is a possibility. While market fundamentals remain pretty strong, there are \"very stretched valuations across most asset classes\", she says. After keeping the cash taps turned on for the past decade in the wake of the financial crash, the US Federal Reserve will start to cut back on the stimulus, known as quantitative easing, in 2018. Richard Dunbar, investment director at Aberdeen Standard, says that flow of easy borrowing cash from central banks has driven markets in recent years. Investors should now be prepared for \"more modest returns\" in all asset classes, he says. Mr Dunbar also expects inflation to start to rise in the US in 2018 given that unemployment is at a 17-year low and wage growth is picking up. Despite being at record highs, the UK's stock market rally lags behind that seen on Wall Street and major European markets. During 2017, the FTSE 100 rose in value by 7%, compared with 12% for the US's Dow Jones index and 15% for Germany's Dax. Another topic that will loom over the UK markets and economy is Brexit, as trade talks with Brussels get underway. Companies and business lobby groups have called on the government to retain easy access to EU markets and labour without additional costs or red tape, but the final shape of a trade deal remains unclear. Ms Laud of Fidelity says the spectre of Brexit still hangs over the UK. \"That could create a lot of volatility this year,\" she warns. Vicky Pryce, chief economic advisor at CEBR and a Remain supporter, says the uncertainty about the shape of Britain's departure from the European Union has meant many companies - both domestic and foreign - have been unwilling to make long-term commitments. Ideally they want as little change as possible from the status quo, she adds, and believes that the government is \"slowly moving in that direction\". For Roger Bootle, chairman of Capital Economics and a high-profile Brexit supporter, he hopes the UK is able to strike a \"deep and special\" trade relationship with the EU. But he is not too worried if that is not the outcome: \"I think it's perfectly possible for Brexit to deliver some very good results for the UK even if we don't get that deal.\" The surprise at the tail end of 2017 was the sudden surge in the value of Bitcoin to almost $20,000 at one point from about $1,000 at the start of the year. Although it is not the only digital currency, Bitcoin is the one with the highest public profile and is attracting the most interest worldwide. While some have been alarmed at the stratospheric rise in the cryptocurrency's value, others are convinced that it is now a new asset class that is set to continue gaining in value. Catherine Mulligan, co-director of the Imperial College Centre for Cryptocurrency Research, says new ways of trading Bitcoin are allowing small investors to get in on the act. However, 2018 is also likely to bring increased regulatory scrutiny of cryptocurrencies in a bid to protect consumers, she adds. Unlike traditional currencies, they are not overseen by central banks and the possibility remains that some speculators could get burnt badly if the value of Bitcoin, for example, plunges.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1610, "answer_start": 164, "text": "The new year has begun with stock markets in the UK and US hitting new record highs. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose above 25,000 points for the first time this week, while the broader S&P 500 is also at historic highs. In London the FTSE 100 closed on Friday at a new record high of 7,724 points. But could stock markets on both sides of the Atlantic change tack and come crashing back to earth this year? Sonja Laud, head of equities at Fidelity International, thinks that is a possibility. While market fundamentals remain pretty strong, there are \"very stretched valuations across most asset classes\", she says. After keeping the cash taps turned on for the past decade in the wake of the financial crash, the US Federal Reserve will start to cut back on the stimulus, known as quantitative easing, in 2018. Richard Dunbar, investment director at Aberdeen Standard, says that flow of easy borrowing cash from central banks has driven markets in recent years. Investors should now be prepared for \"more modest returns\" in all asset classes, he says. Mr Dunbar also expects inflation to start to rise in the US in 2018 given that unemployment is at a 17-year low and wage growth is picking up. Despite being at record highs, the UK's stock market rally lags behind that seen on Wall Street and major European markets. During 2017, the FTSE 100 rose in value by 7%, compared with 12% for the US's Dow Jones index and 15% for Germany's Dax." } ], "id": "9946_0", "question": "Can the stock market rally go on?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2818, "answer_start": 1611, "text": "Another topic that will loom over the UK markets and economy is Brexit, as trade talks with Brussels get underway. Companies and business lobby groups have called on the government to retain easy access to EU markets and labour without additional costs or red tape, but the final shape of a trade deal remains unclear. Ms Laud of Fidelity says the spectre of Brexit still hangs over the UK. \"That could create a lot of volatility this year,\" she warns. Vicky Pryce, chief economic advisor at CEBR and a Remain supporter, says the uncertainty about the shape of Britain's departure from the European Union has meant many companies - both domestic and foreign - have been unwilling to make long-term commitments. Ideally they want as little change as possible from the status quo, she adds, and believes that the government is \"slowly moving in that direction\". For Roger Bootle, chairman of Capital Economics and a high-profile Brexit supporter, he hopes the UK is able to strike a \"deep and special\" trade relationship with the EU. But he is not too worried if that is not the outcome: \"I think it's perfectly possible for Brexit to deliver some very good results for the UK even if we don't get that deal.\"" } ], "id": "9946_1", "question": "What shape will Brexit take?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3795, "answer_start": 2819, "text": "The surprise at the tail end of 2017 was the sudden surge in the value of Bitcoin to almost $20,000 at one point from about $1,000 at the start of the year. Although it is not the only digital currency, Bitcoin is the one with the highest public profile and is attracting the most interest worldwide. While some have been alarmed at the stratospheric rise in the cryptocurrency's value, others are convinced that it is now a new asset class that is set to continue gaining in value. Catherine Mulligan, co-director of the Imperial College Centre for Cryptocurrency Research, says new ways of trading Bitcoin are allowing small investors to get in on the act. However, 2018 is also likely to bring increased regulatory scrutiny of cryptocurrencies in a bid to protect consumers, she adds. Unlike traditional currencies, they are not overseen by central banks and the possibility remains that some speculators could get burnt badly if the value of Bitcoin, for example, plunges." } ], "id": "9946_2", "question": "Can the cryptocurrency craze continue?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "In recent weeks there has been an explosion in what has become known as deepfakes: pornographic videos manipulated so that the original actress's face is replaced with somebody else's. As these tools have become more powerful and easier to use, it has enabled the transfer of sexual fantasies from people's imaginations to the internet. It flies past not only the boundaries of human decency, but also our sense of believing what we see and hear. Beyond its use for hollow titillation, the sophistication of the technology could bring about serious consequences. The fake news crisis, as we know it today, may only just be the beginning. Several videos have already been made involving President Trump's face, and while they are obvious spoofs it's easy to imagine the effect being produced for propaganda purposes. As is typical, institutions and companies have been caught unaware and unprepared. The websites where this kind of material has begun to proliferate are watching closely. But most are clueless about what to do, and nervous about the next steps. Within communities experimenting with this technique, there is excitement as famous faces suddenly appear in an unlikely \"sex tape\". Only rarely do we see flickers of a heavy conscience as they discuss the true effects of what they are doing. Is creating a pornographic movie using someone's face unethical? Does it really matter if it is not real? Is anyone being hurt? Perhaps they should ask: How does this make the victim feel? As one user on Reddit put it, \"this is turning into an episode of Black Mirror\" - a reference to the dystopian science-fiction TV show. One piece of software commonly being used to create these videos has, according to its designer, been downloaded more than 100,000 times since being made public less than a month ago. Doctoring sexually explicit images has been happening for over a century, but the process was often a painstaking one - considerably more so for altering video. Realistic edits required Hollywood-esque skills and budgets. But by using machine learning, that editing task has been condensed into three user-friendly steps: Gather a photoset of a person, choose a pornographic video to manipulate, and then just wait. Your computer will do the rest, though it can take more than 40 hours for a short clip. The most popular deepfakes feature celebrities, but the process works on anyone as long as you can get enough clear pictures of the person - not a particularly difficult task when people post so many selfies on social media. The technique is drawing attention from all over the world. Recently there has been a spike in searches for \"deepfake\" coming from internet users in South Korea. Spurred, it can be assumed, by the publishing of several manipulated videos depicting 23-year-old K-Pop star Seolhyun. \"This feels like it should be illegal,\" read a comment from one viewer. \"Great work!\" There are some celebrities in particular that seem to have attracted the most attention from deepfakers. It seems, anecdotally, to be driven by the shock factor: the extent to which a real explicit video involving this subject would create a scandal. Fakes depicting actress Emma Watson are among the most popular on deepfake communities, alongside those involving Natalie Portman. But clips have also been made of Michelle Obama, Ivanka Trump and Kate Middleton. Kensington Palace declined to comment on the issue. Gal Gadot, who played Wonder Woman, was one of the first deepfakes to demonstrate the possibilities of the technology. An article by technology news site Motherboard predicted it would take a year or so before the technique became automated. It ended up taking just a month. And as the practice draws more ire, some of the sites facilitating the sharing of such content are considering their options - and taking tentative action. Gfycat, an image hosting site, has removed posts it identified as being deepfakes - a task likely to become much more difficult in the not-too-distant future. Reddit, the community website that has emerged as a central hub for sharing, is yet to take any direct action - but the BBC understands it is looking closely at what it could do. A Google search for specific images can often suggest similar posts due to the way the search engine indexes discussions on Reddit. Google has in the past altered its search results in order to make it more difficult to find certain types of material - but it is not clear if Google is considering this kind of step at this early stage. Like the rest of us, these companies are only just becoming aware this kind of material exists. In recent years, these sites have wrestled with the problem of so-called \"revenge porn\", real images posted without the subject's consent as a way to embarrass or intimidate. Deepfakes add a new layer of complexity to what could be used to harass and shame people. A video may not be real - but the psychological damage most certainly would be. It is a tech journalism cliche to say that one of the biggest drivers of innovation has historically been the porn business - whether it improved video compression, or was instrumental in the success of home video cassettes. As was the case then, what has begun here with porn could reach into other facets of life. In a piece for The Outline, journalist Jon Christian puts out a worst case scenario, that this technology \"could down the road be used maliciously to hoax governments and populations, or cause international conflict\". It is not a far-fetched threat. Fake news - whether satirical or malicious - is already shaping global debate and changing opinions, perhaps to the point of swaying elections. Combining advancements in audio technology, from companies such as Adobe, could combine fakery for both eyes and ears - tricking even the most astute news watcher. But for now, it is mostly porn. Those experimenting with this software do not skirt the issue. \"What we do here isn't wholesome or honourable, it's derogatory, vulgar, and blindsiding to the women that deepfakes works on,\" wrote one user on Reddit, before concocting the laughable suggestion that deepfakes might actually diminish the impact of revenge porn. \"If anything can be real, nothing is real,\" the user added. \"Even legitimate homemade sex movies used as revenge porn can be waved off as fakes as this system becomes more relevant.\" These kind of justification gymnastics are of course designed to protect the mental well-being of those who create this material, rather than those who are featured in it. But the deepfake community is right about one thing: the technology is here, and there is no going back.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2908, "answer_start": 1629, "text": "One piece of software commonly being used to create these videos has, according to its designer, been downloaded more than 100,000 times since being made public less than a month ago. Doctoring sexually explicit images has been happening for over a century, but the process was often a painstaking one - considerably more so for altering video. Realistic edits required Hollywood-esque skills and budgets. But by using machine learning, that editing task has been condensed into three user-friendly steps: Gather a photoset of a person, choose a pornographic video to manipulate, and then just wait. Your computer will do the rest, though it can take more than 40 hours for a short clip. The most popular deepfakes feature celebrities, but the process works on anyone as long as you can get enough clear pictures of the person - not a particularly difficult task when people post so many selfies on social media. The technique is drawing attention from all over the world. Recently there has been a spike in searches for \"deepfake\" coming from internet users in South Korea. Spurred, it can be assumed, by the publishing of several manipulated videos depicting 23-year-old K-Pop star Seolhyun. \"This feels like it should be illegal,\" read a comment from one viewer. \"Great work!\"" } ], "id": "9947_0", "question": "How are deepfakes created?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Women in Saudi Arabia can now travel abroad without a male guardian's permission, royal decrees say. The new rule announced on Friday allows women over the age of 21 to apply for a passport without authorisation, putting them on an equal footing to men. Women are also being given the right to register births, marriage or divorce. The kingdom has recently eased other long-standing social restrictions on women, though campaigners say more remains to be done for women's rights. Saudi Arabia has increasingly come under the spotlight over its treatment of its female citizens, an issue highlighted by several high-profile cases of Saudi women seeking asylum abroad. The de facto leader, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, has sought to relax prohibitions on women, including lifting a driving ban last year, in a bid to open up the conservative kingdom. But he has also cracked down on women's rights activists, putting a number of them on trial in recent months. Saudi's male guardianship system gives husbands, fathers and other male relatives the authority to make critical decisions about women. Until now, this has meant women there were required to seek those relatives' permission to obtain or renew a passport and exit the country. But the royal decrees published in the kingdom's official weekly Um al-Qura gazette on Friday stipulate that Saudi passports should be issued to any citizen who applies for it, and that anyone over the age of 21 does not need permission to travel. The changes allow women for the first time to register their children's births, as well as marriages and divorces. They also cover employment regulations that expand work opportunities for women. Under the rule, all citizens have the right to work without facing any discrimination based on gender, disability or age. Many Saudi women have taken to Twitter to celebrate the move, with prominent influencer and talk show host Muna AbuSulayman tweeting: \"A generation growing up completely free and equal to their brothers.\" The first woman to become an envoy for the kingdom, Saudi ambassador to the US Reema bint Bandar Al Saud, also hailed the changes: \"If fully implemented [this is] a big step in letting adult Saudi women take control of their own lives,\" Kristin Diwan from the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington DC told the AFP news agency. Others are wary of the new reforms. Some conservatives in the country have reacted negatively to the changes, with one woman telling Reuters news agency: \"Imagine if your girls grow up and leave you and don't return, would you be happy?\" Despite the latest reforms, other parts of the guardianship system remain in place. These include women requiring permission from a male relative to marry or live on their own, as well as leave prison if they have been detained. They still cannot pass on citizenship to their children, nor can they provide consent for their children to marry. In a bid to open up the country, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman unveiled a plan in 2016 to transform the economy by 2030, with the aim of increasing women's participation in the workforce to 30% from 22%. However, rights groups have decried his crackdown over the last year on some of the country's leading women's rights activists who had campaigned for the right to drive or win equal rights to men. These women, including prominent campaigner Loujain al-Hathloul, are currently facing trial and several of them say they have been tortured whilst in detention. There have been several high profile cases of women seeking asylum in countries such as Canada, citing claims of gender oppression. The issue hit the headlines in January when 18-year-old Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun fled Saudi Arabia in a bid to escape to Australia, but ended up in a stand-off at an airport hotel in the Thai capital Bangkok. After international appeals for help, Canada later granted her asylum. In March, two young Saudi sisters who had been hiding in Hong Kong were granted humanitarian visas in a third country. In a similar case a month later, another pair of sisters fled to Georgia after seeking international help on Twitter and were eventually relocated to another country. By Sebastian Usher, BBC Arab affairs analyst This is the biggest move so far to dismantle the male guardianship system in Saudi Arabia. Saudi women's rights activists have fought hard to remove the multiple restrictions on their lives - they presented a petition to the authorities demanding change some three years ago. But the leading women involved in that campaign are now either detained or abroad. Internationally, their efforts have received great attention, but in Saudi Arabia itself, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and his advisers still seem intent on denying them any credit for the changes. That makes reform appear to come from the top down. For many Saudis - both men and women - this makes the Crown Prince a hero. Outside the Kingdom, it helps refurbish his image tarnished as it is by the killing of Jamal Khashoggi - at a time when the Saudis are choosing to play an increasingly visible role on the world stage. But both hardline conservatives and women's rights activists in Saudi Arabia are united in their suspicion of Mohammed bin Salman's motives - and their sense that this is all about his continuing accumulation of power, whether political, financial or cultural.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1805, "answer_start": 964, "text": "Saudi's male guardianship system gives husbands, fathers and other male relatives the authority to make critical decisions about women. Until now, this has meant women there were required to seek those relatives' permission to obtain or renew a passport and exit the country. But the royal decrees published in the kingdom's official weekly Um al-Qura gazette on Friday stipulate that Saudi passports should be issued to any citizen who applies for it, and that anyone over the age of 21 does not need permission to travel. The changes allow women for the first time to register their children's births, as well as marriages and divorces. They also cover employment regulations that expand work opportunities for women. Under the rule, all citizens have the right to work without facing any discrimination based on gender, disability or age." } ], "id": "9948_0", "question": "What is changing?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2578, "answer_start": 1806, "text": "Many Saudi women have taken to Twitter to celebrate the move, with prominent influencer and talk show host Muna AbuSulayman tweeting: \"A generation growing up completely free and equal to their brothers.\" The first woman to become an envoy for the kingdom, Saudi ambassador to the US Reema bint Bandar Al Saud, also hailed the changes: \"If fully implemented [this is] a big step in letting adult Saudi women take control of their own lives,\" Kristin Diwan from the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington DC told the AFP news agency. Others are wary of the new reforms. Some conservatives in the country have reacted negatively to the changes, with one woman telling Reuters news agency: \"Imagine if your girls grow up and leave you and don't return, would you be happy?\"" } ], "id": "9948_1", "question": "How are women reacting?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4184, "answer_start": 2579, "text": "Despite the latest reforms, other parts of the guardianship system remain in place. These include women requiring permission from a male relative to marry or live on their own, as well as leave prison if they have been detained. They still cannot pass on citizenship to their children, nor can they provide consent for their children to marry. In a bid to open up the country, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman unveiled a plan in 2016 to transform the economy by 2030, with the aim of increasing women's participation in the workforce to 30% from 22%. However, rights groups have decried his crackdown over the last year on some of the country's leading women's rights activists who had campaigned for the right to drive or win equal rights to men. These women, including prominent campaigner Loujain al-Hathloul, are currently facing trial and several of them say they have been tortured whilst in detention. There have been several high profile cases of women seeking asylum in countries such as Canada, citing claims of gender oppression. The issue hit the headlines in January when 18-year-old Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun fled Saudi Arabia in a bid to escape to Australia, but ended up in a stand-off at an airport hotel in the Thai capital Bangkok. After international appeals for help, Canada later granted her asylum. In March, two young Saudi sisters who had been hiding in Hong Kong were granted humanitarian visas in a third country. In a similar case a month later, another pair of sisters fled to Georgia after seeking international help on Twitter and were eventually relocated to another country." } ], "id": "9948_2", "question": "What restrictions remain?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5381, "answer_start": 4185, "text": "By Sebastian Usher, BBC Arab affairs analyst This is the biggest move so far to dismantle the male guardianship system in Saudi Arabia. Saudi women's rights activists have fought hard to remove the multiple restrictions on their lives - they presented a petition to the authorities demanding change some three years ago. But the leading women involved in that campaign are now either detained or abroad. Internationally, their efforts have received great attention, but in Saudi Arabia itself, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and his advisers still seem intent on denying them any credit for the changes. That makes reform appear to come from the top down. For many Saudis - both men and women - this makes the Crown Prince a hero. Outside the Kingdom, it helps refurbish his image tarnished as it is by the killing of Jamal Khashoggi - at a time when the Saudis are choosing to play an increasingly visible role on the world stage. But both hardline conservatives and women's rights activists in Saudi Arabia are united in their suspicion of Mohammed bin Salman's motives - and their sense that this is all about his continuing accumulation of power, whether political, financial or cultural." } ], "id": "9948_3", "question": "What's behind the move?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has confirmed that his government will recognise West Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. However, he said Australia's embassy would not move from Tel Aviv, until a peace settlement was achieved. He added Australia also recognised the aspirations of the Palestinians to a state with a capital in East Jerusalem. The status of Jerusalem is one of the most contested issues between Israel and the Palestinians. Opposition Labor party leader Bill Shorten said he would reverse the decision if he won next year's elections. US President Donald Trump drew international criticism last year when he reversed decades of American foreign policy by recognising the ancient city as Israel's capital. The US embassy was relocated from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in May. Mr Morrison's announcement comes after a period of consultation with politicians in Australia and allies abroad. \"Australia now recognises West Jerusalem, being the seat of the Knesset and many of the institutions of government, is the capital of Israel,\" said Mr Morrison, speaking in Sydney on Saturday. \"We look forward to moving our embassy to West Jerusalem when practical... and after final status determination.\" Mr Morrison said that in the interim Australia would set up a defence and trade office in West Jerusalem. The prime minister also stressed that Australia was supporting \"liberal democracy\" in the Middle East. Analysis by Phil Mercer, BBC News, Sydney Scott Morrison's venture into Middle Eastern politics was a surprise to many at home. The PM said Australia should use its \"incredible influence\" with Israel to try to end a \"rancid stalemate\" in the region. In October, Mr Morrison said he found arguments in favour of moving Australia's diplomatic presence from Tel Aviv to be \"persuasive\". He denied his comments were an attempt to influence Jewish voters in a crucial by-election in Sydney. Others believe he is out of his depth. Australia's federal opposition leader Bill Shorten said the decision not to relocate the embassy to West Jerusalem was a \"humiliating backdown... by an L-plate prime minister\". It is not a complete U-turn, though. Australia is now one of the few countries to officially recognise West Jerusalem as Israel's capital. Leaving the embassy in Tel Aviv should defuse some of the diplomatic anger simmering among Palestinian leaders and others, who had threatened trade and political sanctions if the move went ahead. When Mr Morrison first announced the policy review in October, he said his thinking had been guided by Australia's former ambassador to Israel, Dave Sharma. At the time, Mr Sharma was the government's candidate in a by-election in Sydney, but Mr Morrison denied his comments were aimed at the large Jewish community there. Mr Sharma lost the election, costing the governing coalition its one-seat majority. The policy review drew support from Israel, but criticism from the Palestinian side. The move also angered Australia's neighbour Indonesia, halting talks on a bilateral trade deal with the world's most populous Muslim nation. Some commentators said Mr Morrison, who is widely expected to lose elections next year, had sought to ease tensions with his distinction between East and West Jerusalem and by holding back on any embassy move. \"It is a combination of him being caught out by making an injudicious remark at a by-election, and then having to walk back from it,\" Rodger Shanahan, from Sydney-based think-tank the Lowy Institute, told AFP news agency. Mr Morrison's predecessor, Malcolm Turnbull, had ruled out following the US in moving Australia's embassy to Jerusalem. Two other countries - Guatemala and Paraguay - have announced they would also make the switch, but Paraguay later reversed the decision after a change of government. The status of Jerusalem goes to the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Israel regards Jerusalem as its \"eternal and undivided\" capital, while the Palestinians claim East Jerusalem - occupied by Israel in the 1967 Middle East war - as the capital of a future state. Israeli sovereignty over Jerusalem has never been recognised internationally, and according to the 1993 Israel-Palestinian peace accords, the final status of Jerusalem is meant to be discussed in the latter stages of peace talks. Since 1967, Israel has built a dozen settlements, home to about 200,000 Jews, in East Jerusalem. These are considered illegal under international law, though Israel disputes this. In December 2017, UN member states voted decisively at the General Assembly in favour of a resolution effectively declaring US recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital to be \"null and void\" and demanding it be cancelled.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1423, "answer_start": 795, "text": "Mr Morrison's announcement comes after a period of consultation with politicians in Australia and allies abroad. \"Australia now recognises West Jerusalem, being the seat of the Knesset and many of the institutions of government, is the capital of Israel,\" said Mr Morrison, speaking in Sydney on Saturday. \"We look forward to moving our embassy to West Jerusalem when practical... and after final status determination.\" Mr Morrison said that in the interim Australia would set up a defence and trade office in West Jerusalem. The prime minister also stressed that Australia was supporting \"liberal democracy\" in the Middle East." } ], "id": "9949_0", "question": "What did the Australian PM say?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3814, "answer_start": 2464, "text": "When Mr Morrison first announced the policy review in October, he said his thinking had been guided by Australia's former ambassador to Israel, Dave Sharma. At the time, Mr Sharma was the government's candidate in a by-election in Sydney, but Mr Morrison denied his comments were aimed at the large Jewish community there. Mr Sharma lost the election, costing the governing coalition its one-seat majority. The policy review drew support from Israel, but criticism from the Palestinian side. The move also angered Australia's neighbour Indonesia, halting talks on a bilateral trade deal with the world's most populous Muslim nation. Some commentators said Mr Morrison, who is widely expected to lose elections next year, had sought to ease tensions with his distinction between East and West Jerusalem and by holding back on any embassy move. \"It is a combination of him being caught out by making an injudicious remark at a by-election, and then having to walk back from it,\" Rodger Shanahan, from Sydney-based think-tank the Lowy Institute, told AFP news agency. Mr Morrison's predecessor, Malcolm Turnbull, had ruled out following the US in moving Australia's embassy to Jerusalem. Two other countries - Guatemala and Paraguay - have announced they would also make the switch, but Paraguay later reversed the decision after a change of government." } ], "id": "9949_1", "question": "What is the background?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Two suspicious packages have been found in the US, addressed to a top Democrat and a former senior intelligence official. One item addressed to Senator Cory Booker was found at or near a Florida mail facility. A second was at a New York post office, addressed to ex-national intelligence chief James Clapper via CNN. The news came after 10 mail bombs were sent to prominent critics of US President Donald Trump. Ex-President Barack Obama and actor Robert de Niro were among those targeted. Security camera footage at the Florida postal facility in Opa-locka, Miami, is being scrutinised by the FBI. A bomb squad and canine unit had accompanied federal officials to the site, police from Miami-Dade County said. Meanwhile New York police described the Manhattan package as one that \"closely resembled others sent across the country in recent days\". They said bomb squad personnel were on the scene, later adding that the package had been removed. Mr Clapper responded immediately to the news that he had been targeted, saying on CNN: \"This is definitely domestic terrorism, no question in my mind. \"There is some question about whether these things are functional or not - we probably have to assume they actually are,\" he added, saying the incidents were not going to silence critics of the Trump administration. But he said that anyone who had in any way publicly been a critic of President Trump needed to be on the alert and take extra precautions. The series of bomb alerts began on Monday, when a suspected device was found in the post box of billionaire businessman George Soros, a major Democratic Party donor. A total of 10 devices were sent to the following eight individuals, according to the FBI: - Mr Soros - Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton - Former President Barack Obama - Former Vice-President Joe Biden (two devices) - Former CIA Director John Brennan, care of CNN - Former Attorney General Eric Holder - California Democratic Congresswoman Maxine Waters (two devices) - Mr De Niro None of the devices went off. Every person who has has been sent a package is known to be a critic of President Donald Trump. The attempted bombings also come just under two weeks before the mid-term elections, with US politics highly polarised. Mr Trump has commented several times on the mail bombs, but in his latest tweet he suggested the incidents, which he described as \"'Bomb' stuff\", were slowing Republican \"momentum\" in early voting. Mr Trump's initial response to the unfolding news of the suspect packages was to call for more civility in public life, and urge politicians to stop treating their opponents as \"morally defective\". His critics called his remarks hypocritical, and former CIA Director John Brennan tweeted to him on Thursday: \"Stop blaming others. Look in the mirror. Your inflammatory rhetoric, insults, lies, & encouragement of physical violence are disgraceful.\" Mr Trump on Friday threw back the accusations in a tweet, complaining that his opponents criticised him \"at will\" and yet cried foul when he attacked them back. Conservatives say Democrats are to blame for the state of political discourse in the US. They say Democrats, including those who were targeted in the bomb scare, have encouraged \"angry mob\" behaviour. FBI Assistant Director William Sweeney said thorough examinations of all the packages were under way at the FBI laboratory in Quantico, Virginia, near Washington DC. Several of the packages appear to have contained pipe bombs, according to the FBI. CNN quotes investigators as saying they were functional but unstable, meaning they could be set off merely by handling. They have timers easily bought at retail outlets. But experts speaking to several US media outlets have cast doubt on their effectiveness after seeing X-ray images. New York Police Commissioner James O'Neill could not confirm whether all the devices were intended to explode, but he said officials \"are treating them as suspected explosive devices\".", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2037, "answer_start": 1452, "text": "The series of bomb alerts began on Monday, when a suspected device was found in the post box of billionaire businessman George Soros, a major Democratic Party donor. A total of 10 devices were sent to the following eight individuals, according to the FBI: - Mr Soros - Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton - Former President Barack Obama - Former Vice-President Joe Biden (two devices) - Former CIA Director John Brennan, care of CNN - Former Attorney General Eric Holder - California Democratic Congresswoman Maxine Waters (two devices) - Mr De Niro None of the devices went off." } ], "id": "9950_0", "question": "How did the bomb threat unfold?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3980, "answer_start": 3262, "text": "FBI Assistant Director William Sweeney said thorough examinations of all the packages were under way at the FBI laboratory in Quantico, Virginia, near Washington DC. Several of the packages appear to have contained pipe bombs, according to the FBI. CNN quotes investigators as saying they were functional but unstable, meaning they could be set off merely by handling. They have timers easily bought at retail outlets. But experts speaking to several US media outlets have cast doubt on their effectiveness after seeing X-ray images. New York Police Commissioner James O'Neill could not confirm whether all the devices were intended to explode, but he said officials \"are treating them as suspected explosive devices\"." } ], "id": "9950_1", "question": "What was inside the packages?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has put tenders on hold for a high-speed railway to France following political clashes over the project. The multibillion-euro TAV (Treno Alta Velocita) link has been criticised by the Five Star Movement, the biggest ruling party, but is backed by its coalition partner, the League. The impasse has raised talk of a government shutdown in Italy. It comes amid diplomatic tensions with France over immigration. The TAV is a joint venture between Italy and France aiming to link Turin and Lyon via a 58km (36-mile) tunnel through the Alps. It is expected to halve the travel time between the two cities to just two hours. The tunnel would also make it possible to travel from Paris to Milan in around four hours, down from nearly seven. The project was launched 20 years ago and part of it has already been dug. It is scheduled for completion in 2025. Costs were initially projected to hit EUR8.6bn ($9.7bn; PS7.4bn), but Italy's Transport Minister Danilo Toninelli - a Five Star member - has put the price tag at over EUR20 billion. The EU first pledged to fund up to 40% of the cost, Italy up to 35% and France up to 25%. But on Friday, France's Transport Minister Elisabeth Borne said the European Commission offered to increase its share to 50%, leaving France and Italy to cover 25% each. The rail line has been a continual source of contention within Italian politics. Supporters argue that it would take millions of cars and lorries off the road and drastically cut greenhouse gas emissions in the region. But opponents say costs will be too high and the money would be better spent on upgrading existing roads and bridges. An Italian government report last month concluded that the tunnel would be \"very negatively profitable\" and lose EUR7bn by 2059. But the methodology of its findings has been criticised. Tensions escalated on Thursday after Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini - a member of the League - told television station Rete4 that he would continue to serve in the government coalition \"unless there are too many 'noes'\" over the tunnel and other infrastructure projects. Five Star leader and fellow Deputy Prime Minister Luigi Di Maio later hit back at Mr Salvini and accused him of acting irresponsibly by pushing for the tunnel. On Saturday, Mr Di Maio attempted to quell concerns about a government shutdown, saying in a Facebook post that the dispute was \"being resolved positively. So now let's talk about something else and move on.\" Mr Salvini also said in an interview with news channel Sky TG24 that \"Italy needs a government ... there won't be a crisis.\" Telt, the Franco-Italian company running the project, says it plans to go ahead with tunnel construction on the French side to avoid losing millions in EU funding. But it said it but wouldn't do so without the consent of both countries. The firm also said it would be adding a clause in the tenders protecting it from financial penalties if plans for the tunnel are revoked. Italy is now expected to hold further talks over the project with France and the EU. An EU official told news agency Reuters the project could lose up to EUR300m of EU funding if tenders are not launched by the end of March.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1329, "answer_start": 448, "text": "The TAV is a joint venture between Italy and France aiming to link Turin and Lyon via a 58km (36-mile) tunnel through the Alps. It is expected to halve the travel time between the two cities to just two hours. The tunnel would also make it possible to travel from Paris to Milan in around four hours, down from nearly seven. The project was launched 20 years ago and part of it has already been dug. It is scheduled for completion in 2025. Costs were initially projected to hit EUR8.6bn ($9.7bn; PS7.4bn), but Italy's Transport Minister Danilo Toninelli - a Five Star member - has put the price tag at over EUR20 billion. The EU first pledged to fund up to 40% of the cost, Italy up to 35% and France up to 25%. But on Friday, France's Transport Minister Elisabeth Borne said the European Commission offered to increase its share to 50%, leaving France and Italy to cover 25% each." } ], "id": "9951_0", "question": "What is the project?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2623, "answer_start": 1330, "text": "The rail line has been a continual source of contention within Italian politics. Supporters argue that it would take millions of cars and lorries off the road and drastically cut greenhouse gas emissions in the region. But opponents say costs will be too high and the money would be better spent on upgrading existing roads and bridges. An Italian government report last month concluded that the tunnel would be \"very negatively profitable\" and lose EUR7bn by 2059. But the methodology of its findings has been criticised. Tensions escalated on Thursday after Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini - a member of the League - told television station Rete4 that he would continue to serve in the government coalition \"unless there are too many 'noes'\" over the tunnel and other infrastructure projects. Five Star leader and fellow Deputy Prime Minister Luigi Di Maio later hit back at Mr Salvini and accused him of acting irresponsibly by pushing for the tunnel. On Saturday, Mr Di Maio attempted to quell concerns about a government shutdown, saying in a Facebook post that the dispute was \"being resolved positively. So now let's talk about something else and move on.\" Mr Salvini also said in an interview with news channel Sky TG24 that \"Italy needs a government ... there won't be a crisis.\"" } ], "id": "9951_1", "question": "Why has there been opposition?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3223, "answer_start": 2624, "text": "Telt, the Franco-Italian company running the project, says it plans to go ahead with tunnel construction on the French side to avoid losing millions in EU funding. But it said it but wouldn't do so without the consent of both countries. The firm also said it would be adding a clause in the tenders protecting it from financial penalties if plans for the tunnel are revoked. Italy is now expected to hold further talks over the project with France and the EU. An EU official told news agency Reuters the project could lose up to EUR300m of EU funding if tenders are not launched by the end of March." } ], "id": "9951_2", "question": "What happens now?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "So-called Islamic State (IS) defences in the Iraqi city of Mosul are collapsing fast and troops expect to take full control in the next few hours, state television has announced. Only a few metres remain to be taken, a correspondent said. Some Iraqi security forces have been seen dancing in the streets even though commanders have not confirmed the news. Iraqi forces, backed by US-led air strikes, have tried to retake the key city since 17 October last year. Thousands of Iraqi security forces, Kurdish Peshmerga fighters, Sunni Arab tribesmen and Shia militiamen, supported by US-led coalition warplanes and military advisers, have been involved in the battle to retake Mosul. The government announced the full \"liberation\" of eastern Mosul in January, but the west of the city has presented a more difficult challenge, with its narrow, winding streets. The UN has warned that IS may be holding more than 100,000 people in the city as human shields. Last October, the Iraqi army said there were 6,000 militants in the city. Fewer than 300 were thought to be holding out. Some 900,000 people have been displaced from the city since 2014 - about half the the pre-war population- aid organisations say. Last month, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said the destruction of the ancient mosque in the city of Mosul was \"an official declaration of defeat\" by IS. Iraqi forces say IS blew up the Great Mosque of al-Nuri and its famous leaning minaret as jihadists battled to stop advancing pro-government troops.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1512, "answer_start": 462, "text": "Thousands of Iraqi security forces, Kurdish Peshmerga fighters, Sunni Arab tribesmen and Shia militiamen, supported by US-led coalition warplanes and military advisers, have been involved in the battle to retake Mosul. The government announced the full \"liberation\" of eastern Mosul in January, but the west of the city has presented a more difficult challenge, with its narrow, winding streets. The UN has warned that IS may be holding more than 100,000 people in the city as human shields. Last October, the Iraqi army said there were 6,000 militants in the city. Fewer than 300 were thought to be holding out. Some 900,000 people have been displaced from the city since 2014 - about half the the pre-war population- aid organisations say. Last month, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said the destruction of the ancient mosque in the city of Mosul was \"an official declaration of defeat\" by IS. Iraqi forces say IS blew up the Great Mosque of al-Nuri and its famous leaning minaret as jihadists battled to stop advancing pro-government troops." } ], "id": "9952_0", "question": "Is the battle for Mosul over?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Venezuela's government has told workers and students to stay at home as the country faces a second day without electricity. Hospitals, public transport, water and other services have been affected. The capital, Caracas, was first plunged into darkness on Monday. Power was restored four hours later, before a second blackout struck. A days-long nationwide power cut earlier this month prompted looting and desperation in parts of the country. President Nicolas Maduro's government blames the power cuts on an \"attack\" by the opposition, led by Juan Guaido. The opposition cites two decades of underinvestment and corruption by the socialist government as the cause of the power outage. \"Nothing is working,\" Yendresca Munoz, a 34-year-old bank analyst living in Caracas told Reuters news agency. \"During blackout days you can't do anything at all. There's no internet, no access to cash.\" Other big cities, including Barquisimeto, Maracaibo in the west of the country, have also been reportedly affected. On Twitter, Mr Guaido said: \"When our people need certainty in the middle of another unsettling blackout, how can they go on repeating excuses of an 'electricity war' and sabotage?\" Since January, the opposition leader has been locked in a power struggle with Mr Maduro's government, which is grappling with a severe economic crisis. Last week, Mr Guaido's chief of staff was arrested on terrorism charges in another escalation of the political crisis. Power first went down in Caracas around 13:20 (17:20 GMT) on Monday, causing chaos in the city's public transport system as the metro shut down and many thousands of people had to stream home on foot or by bus. Electricity was restored about four hours later but cut out again at 21:50, Information Minister Jorge Rodriguez was quoted as saying by Efe news agency. He had gone on state TV earlier to repeat the now-familiar assertion that opposition sabotage rather than a lack of maintenance had caused the afternoon blackout, saying hackers had attacked computers at the country's main hydroelectric dam. The minister boasted that the first power cut had been fixed in \"record time\". Since the second outage, power has still not been restored. Because of the problems with the power supply, TV viewers could only see a garbled picture when Mr Rodriguez went live on air, a correspondent for the UK's Guardian newspaper tweeted from Caracas. Meanwhile, Brazil's mines and energy minister Bento Albuquerque said that since 7 March, Venezuela has failed to fulfil its contract to supply electricity to the northern Brazilian state of Roraima. He said Brazil was working to start building a transmission line to connect Roraima to the rest of the Brazilian power grid in the second half of the year for completion in 2021, so that it was not reliant on Venezuela. He added that Brazil would also seek public contracts for renewable energy, such as wind and solar, as another alternative to Venezuela's supply.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2965, "answer_start": 1458, "text": "Power first went down in Caracas around 13:20 (17:20 GMT) on Monday, causing chaos in the city's public transport system as the metro shut down and many thousands of people had to stream home on foot or by bus. Electricity was restored about four hours later but cut out again at 21:50, Information Minister Jorge Rodriguez was quoted as saying by Efe news agency. He had gone on state TV earlier to repeat the now-familiar assertion that opposition sabotage rather than a lack of maintenance had caused the afternoon blackout, saying hackers had attacked computers at the country's main hydroelectric dam. The minister boasted that the first power cut had been fixed in \"record time\". Since the second outage, power has still not been restored. Because of the problems with the power supply, TV viewers could only see a garbled picture when Mr Rodriguez went live on air, a correspondent for the UK's Guardian newspaper tweeted from Caracas. Meanwhile, Brazil's mines and energy minister Bento Albuquerque said that since 7 March, Venezuela has failed to fulfil its contract to supply electricity to the northern Brazilian state of Roraima. He said Brazil was working to start building a transmission line to connect Roraima to the rest of the Brazilian power grid in the second half of the year for completion in 2021, so that it was not reliant on Venezuela. He added that Brazil would also seek public contracts for renewable energy, such as wind and solar, as another alternative to Venezuela's supply." } ], "id": "9953_0", "question": "What happened?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "US President Donald Trump has inadvertently revealed some details of his immigration deal with Mexico. He refused to discuss the plans with reporters, saying they were \"secret\". But he said this while waving around a sheet of paper that had the specifics of the deal written on it - which was then photographed by news media. President Trump made tightening the border with Mexico a major campaign pledge and the agreement averted his threat to impose tariffs on Mexico. The document suggested that Mexico had agreed to a deadline by which it had to show its efforts at halting the movement of migrants had worked. If the US determined that the measures had \"not sufficiently achieved results in addressing the flow of migrants\", Mexico would then take stronger legal action. Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard confirmed that Mexico had 45 days to show it was able to stem the flow of US-bound migrants by strengthening its southern border. It is now deploying 6,000 National Guard personnel to the border with Guatemala. \"You go to the south and the first thing you ask yourself is: 'Right, where's the border?' There's nothing,\" he said on Tuesday. \"The idea is to make the south like the north as far as possible.\" If this plan failed, the foreign minister said, Mexico had agreed to be designated a safe third country - something that has been demanded by the US before, but has long been rejected by Mexico. If Mexico were to be a safe third country, migrants' asylum applications would be processed there rather than in the US. Mr Ebrard earlier said the US had been insistent on this measure, and it had wanted this to be implemented straight away. But he said: \"We told them - I think it was the most important achievement of the negotiations - 'let's set a time period to see if what Mexico is proposing will work, and if not, we'll sit down and see what additional measures [are needed]'.\" \"They wanted something else totally different to be signed. But that is what there is here. There is no other thing.\" If Mexico fails to curb migration in 45 days, other countries will be drawn into the matter. Discussions would take place with Brazil, Panama and Guatemala - the countries currently used by migrants as transit points - to see if they could share the burden of processing asylum claims. Mr Ebrard also said US negotiators had wanted Mexico to commit to \"zero migrants\" crossing its territory, but that was \"mission impossible\".", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2449, "answer_start": 776, "text": "Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard confirmed that Mexico had 45 days to show it was able to stem the flow of US-bound migrants by strengthening its southern border. It is now deploying 6,000 National Guard personnel to the border with Guatemala. \"You go to the south and the first thing you ask yourself is: 'Right, where's the border?' There's nothing,\" he said on Tuesday. \"The idea is to make the south like the north as far as possible.\" If this plan failed, the foreign minister said, Mexico had agreed to be designated a safe third country - something that has been demanded by the US before, but has long been rejected by Mexico. If Mexico were to be a safe third country, migrants' asylum applications would be processed there rather than in the US. Mr Ebrard earlier said the US had been insistent on this measure, and it had wanted this to be implemented straight away. But he said: \"We told them - I think it was the most important achievement of the negotiations - 'let's set a time period to see if what Mexico is proposing will work, and if not, we'll sit down and see what additional measures [are needed]'.\" \"They wanted something else totally different to be signed. But that is what there is here. There is no other thing.\" If Mexico fails to curb migration in 45 days, other countries will be drawn into the matter. Discussions would take place with Brazil, Panama and Guatemala - the countries currently used by migrants as transit points - to see if they could share the burden of processing asylum claims. Mr Ebrard also said US negotiators had wanted Mexico to commit to \"zero migrants\" crossing its territory, but that was \"mission impossible\"." } ], "id": "9954_0", "question": "What has Mexico said about the deal?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The leaders of Ethiopia and Eritrea have signed a declaration saying that the state of war between the two countries is over. A peace deal ending the 1998-2000 border conflict has never been fully implemented and there has been tension between the neighbours ever since. The countries have also agreed to re-establish trade and diplomatic ties. Family members divided by the dispute are now able to telephone each other for the first time since the war. Ethiopian journalist Shishay Wores was contacted by his sister in Eritrea. \"For a moment my heart stopped beating, my voice was shaking and I was struggling for words. It took me a while to calm down and talk to my sister.\" The declaration came at a landmark meeting between the two countries' leaders in Eritrea's capital, Asmara. The summit between Eritrea's President Isaias Afwerki and Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed marked the first time the neighbours' heads of state had met for nearly two decades. The two countries have been in a state of \"no war, no peace\" since 2000, when a peace deal ended a war in which tens of thousands of people were killed. A border commission set up under the peace agreement ruled that the town of Badme, the flashpoint for the conflict, was part of Eritrea but Ethiopia refused to accept this and so normal relations were never resumed. The rivalry affected the whole region with each country normally taking opposite positions whatever the question. They also took rival sides in Somalia's long conflict - Eritrea was accused of backing Islamist groups, while Ethiopia, a US ally, supported the internationally recognised government. Until now, Eritrea has always said that war could resume at any time and so had national conscription, which could last indefinitely. This is one of the main reasons why so many Eritreans try to leave the country and seek asylum elsewhere. When Abiy Ahmed took over as prime minister of Ethiopia three months ago, he indicated that change could be on the cards but few imagined it could happen this quickly, says BBC Tigrinya editor Samuel Ghebrehiwet, As well as his overtures to Eritrea, Mr Abiy has lifted a state of emergency, freed political prisoners and announced economic reforms. Mr Abiy's surprise visit to Asmara, that began on Sunday, was hailed as historic. Asmara resident Mela Gebre Medhin said on Twitter that she had \"goosebumps\" thinking about what happened. She also posted pictures on her Facebook page showing people turning out to greet the Ethiopian prime minister Others have been tweeting about the mood of \"total jubilation\". On Monday, the leaders agreed that \"a new era of peace & friendship has been ushered [in]\", Eritrea's Information Minister Yemane Gebre Meskel said on Twitter. Mr Abiy's chief of staff, Fitsum Arega, tweeted that the two countries \"are determined to close a costly chapter\". The two leaders said the countries would improve political, economic and diplomatic ties. Transport and telephone links will also be re-established. Flights could resume as early as next week, Ethiopian state-affiliated outlet FBC reports. For the last 20 years, it has been impossible to travel directly from one nation to the other. There have been no flights, the land border was closed, and telephone lines did not work. This raises the possibility that families who have been divided by the conflict could finally be reunited. The changes also mean that Ethiopia, which became landlocked when Eritrea became independent in 1993, will once be able to use Eritrea's ports on the Red Sea. It is particularly significant that the meeting took place in Eritrea, rather than a neutral venue, as the country has been closed to Ethiopians for most of the past two decades, says BBC Tigrinya editor Samuel Ghebrehiwet, The leaders also agreed to \"work together to guarantee regional peace, development and cooperation\", according to Mr Yemane. The thawing of relations between Ethiopia and Eritrea has been welcomed in the region, especially as there were fears that the border tension could erupt into full-scale war. Uhuru Kenyatta, president of Ethiopia's neighbour, Kenya, congratulated the two leaders on Twitter adding that \"we are together with you\". Rwandan President Paul Kagame, the current chairperson the African Union, praised their courage, saying on Twitter that they were \"doing the right thing for their people\". United Nations' secretary general Antonio Guterres, who is on a visit to Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa, said the recent developments show a new wind of hope is blowing across Africa. While this has opened the door for peace there is still a \"long way to go to achieve lasting peace\", Asmara resident Ms Mela told the BBC. The key question is what will happen at the border. In June, there were protests in Ethiopia near the border when the prime minister first hinted that Badme could become part of Eritrea. The BBC's Emmanuel Igunza in Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa says it is not clear when Ethiopian troops will withdraw from the disputed territories.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2221, "answer_start": 966, "text": "The two countries have been in a state of \"no war, no peace\" since 2000, when a peace deal ended a war in which tens of thousands of people were killed. A border commission set up under the peace agreement ruled that the town of Badme, the flashpoint for the conflict, was part of Eritrea but Ethiopia refused to accept this and so normal relations were never resumed. The rivalry affected the whole region with each country normally taking opposite positions whatever the question. They also took rival sides in Somalia's long conflict - Eritrea was accused of backing Islamist groups, while Ethiopia, a US ally, supported the internationally recognised government. Until now, Eritrea has always said that war could resume at any time and so had national conscription, which could last indefinitely. This is one of the main reasons why so many Eritreans try to leave the country and seek asylum elsewhere. When Abiy Ahmed took over as prime minister of Ethiopia three months ago, he indicated that change could be on the cards but few imagined it could happen this quickly, says BBC Tigrinya editor Samuel Ghebrehiwet, As well as his overtures to Eritrea, Mr Abiy has lifted a state of emergency, freed political prisoners and announced economic reforms." } ], "id": "9955_0", "question": "Why is this such a big deal?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2584, "answer_start": 2222, "text": "Mr Abiy's surprise visit to Asmara, that began on Sunday, was hailed as historic. Asmara resident Mela Gebre Medhin said on Twitter that she had \"goosebumps\" thinking about what happened. She also posted pictures on her Facebook page showing people turning out to greet the Ethiopian prime minister Others have been tweeting about the mood of \"total jubilation\"." } ], "id": "9955_1", "question": "What are people saying about it?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2859, "answer_start": 2585, "text": "On Monday, the leaders agreed that \"a new era of peace & friendship has been ushered [in]\", Eritrea's Information Minister Yemane Gebre Meskel said on Twitter. Mr Abiy's chief of staff, Fitsum Arega, tweeted that the two countries \"are determined to close a costly chapter\"." } ], "id": "9955_2", "question": "What did the leaders say?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3899, "answer_start": 2860, "text": "The two leaders said the countries would improve political, economic and diplomatic ties. Transport and telephone links will also be re-established. Flights could resume as early as next week, Ethiopian state-affiliated outlet FBC reports. For the last 20 years, it has been impossible to travel directly from one nation to the other. There have been no flights, the land border was closed, and telephone lines did not work. This raises the possibility that families who have been divided by the conflict could finally be reunited. The changes also mean that Ethiopia, which became landlocked when Eritrea became independent in 1993, will once be able to use Eritrea's ports on the Red Sea. It is particularly significant that the meeting took place in Eritrea, rather than a neutral venue, as the country has been closed to Ethiopians for most of the past two decades, says BBC Tigrinya editor Samuel Ghebrehiwet, The leaders also agreed to \"work together to guarantee regional peace, development and cooperation\", according to Mr Yemane." } ], "id": "9955_3", "question": "What else has been agreed?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4570, "answer_start": 3900, "text": "The thawing of relations between Ethiopia and Eritrea has been welcomed in the region, especially as there were fears that the border tension could erupt into full-scale war. Uhuru Kenyatta, president of Ethiopia's neighbour, Kenya, congratulated the two leaders on Twitter adding that \"we are together with you\". Rwandan President Paul Kagame, the current chairperson the African Union, praised their courage, saying on Twitter that they were \"doing the right thing for their people\". United Nations' secretary general Antonio Guterres, who is on a visit to Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa, said the recent developments show a new wind of hope is blowing across Africa." } ], "id": "9955_4", "question": "What are other leaders saying?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5045, "answer_start": 4571, "text": "While this has opened the door for peace there is still a \"long way to go to achieve lasting peace\", Asmara resident Ms Mela told the BBC. The key question is what will happen at the border. In June, there were protests in Ethiopia near the border when the prime minister first hinted that Badme could become part of Eritrea. The BBC's Emmanuel Igunza in Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa says it is not clear when Ethiopian troops will withdraw from the disputed territories." } ], "id": "9955_5", "question": "What has to happen now?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "It is an all-too-familiar scene: a beautiful autumn day dawns outdoors and a group of pale coders are hard at work inside a downtown bar in Denver, Colorado, which has been transformed into the home base of a hackathon. The only difference? The people smoking a \"bong\" in the corner. This is not an anachronism, but rather an obvious feature of what event organisers MassRoots have called the first-ever Marijuana Technology Startup Weekend. While code and cannabis might seem incompatible, for the 150 attendees at the sold-out event, the concept makes perfect sense. Combine the frenzied start-up scene with the so-called Green Rush in Colorado and Washington - the two US states where marijuana has been legalised - and suddenly, the idea does not seem as half-baked. That's because for industry participants desperate for legitimacy - and investor dollars - a thriving start-up culture seems like one way to take the newly-legal cannabis industry from the underground to the mainstream, from flip phones to smartphones. \"One of the stereotypes that we're trying to dispel is the fact that we smoke weed almost every day,\" Isaac Dietrich, founder of MassRoots, a social network for marijuana users, told the BBC. \"But that doesn't mean that we're not productive - it doesn't mean that we don't do hard work. \"In fact we find most of our inspiration through smoking. So that's kind of one of the things that this event shows to the rest of the world.\" Mr Dietrich says that when he first came up with the idea for a hackathon in June, he thought about 50 people would attend. But within days the event was sold out - and by Friday, it had ballooned into a 150 person extravaganza, complete with the requisite social media hashtag (#MJStartup14) and, of course, free-flowing investor money. Since many traditional venture capital firms are barred from investing in the marijuana industry due to clauses that prohibit pouring money into businesses that are deemed illegal by the federal government, other, smaller outfits have stepped in to take their place. \"Right now there's so much risk which leads to so much reward - it's a booming industry, it's only going to continue to grow,\" says Ashton Jones, a director at Massachusetts-based Dutchess Capital and one of the 12 investors who were attending the start-up weekend. You've got ideas, money and free-flowing snacks - but the most crucial element at a hackathon is, of course, the hackers. But with so much money pouring into tech start-ups, it seems like most developers at the first Marijuana Tech Startup Weekend could be making much more money elsewhere. So why hack hemp? Daniel Starbuck is the lead developer at GrowBuddy, a website - and, at the end of the weekend, a phone app - that helps growers monitor their cannabis crops to increase yield. He says he got into the industry purely by chance after some friends of his began growing medical marijuana. \"I went into their grow house and saw that they had all these journals and notepads and everything and it was just a mess,\" remembers Mr Starbuck. So he offered to make them some software to better track everything - and has stayed in the industry ever since. But, he cautions, finding developers like him is no easy feat - which is why so many would-be cannabis tech firms were eager to attend the weekend. \"A lot of tech talent is being taken by the other tech companies out there,\" says Mr Starbuck, adding he too was looking to hire this weekend. \"Finding someone that's passionate about marijuana, [who] can take what we're doing and come up with more ideas too - it's tough.\" Mr Jones says his fund has invested tens of millions of dollars in nearly a dozen marijuana companies so far, from MassRoots to \"a THC-infused personal lubricant company\". That easy access to investors was part of what drew several would-be \"cannapreneurs\" to the event. Several participants chose to pitch ideas on Friday night in the hope of luring one of the 53 developers in attendance to work on their project. The ideas ranged from a bio-technology firm that aimed to help increase cannabis crop yield to a Mooc - a massive open online course - to train workers who wanted to get jobs in the cannabis industry. Then the teams spent 48 hours trying to create a \"minimum viable product\" - essentially, a beta version of the app or website they are eventually hoping to build up as a business. Amanda Ostrovitz, a lawyer and a former bank examiner with the Federal Reserve, was the eventual winner of the $2,500 cash prize for CannaRegs, a regulatory service and a reference library for attorneys, consultants, compliance professionals and individual licensees. \"Anyone who can see what's happening in Colorado knows that this is just the infancy [for the marijuana industry] - we're in the first out of the first inning,\" she says. \"I think this is my generation's dot com.\" But Silicon Alley is still miles away from the scene at the Watering Hole this past weekend. For one - there was the smoking area on an outside deck, where participants jostled for a taste of some of the product from a local dispensary. Chemdawg, Dopium, and Gumbo were just a few of the strains on offer - and some would-be business pitches suffered as a result of their liberal testing. - First place: CannaRegs, which \"keeps dispensaries, investors and ancillary businesses informed of changes to marijuana laws and regulations\" - Second place: CraftedHere, which \"provides an online directory of cannabis-friendly bars, clubs and dispensaries for tourists and marijuana enthusiasts\" - Third place: CannaBrokers, which \"facilitates wholesale transactions between licensed growers, edibles producers and extract companies with dispensaries\" And while the typical hacker jokes were on offer - \"I'm interested in the business opportunities in the data - don't try that pick up line at bars, girls don't really understand that\" - there were also warnings specific to the group in the room. \"I'm going to make no assumptions about what state of mind everyone's in, but if you're unable to find your seat, check for a trail of snack wrappers, it will probably lead you there,\" joked Stewart Fortier, the master of ceremonies for the evening. But in the end, stoners - and those who cater to their desires - need technology just like everyone else. And the 150 people in the room were keenly aware of the money potentially involved in that. \"Up until now it's been very Stone Age - some stuff guys [are] growing in basements,\" says Ryan Griego, the founder of event sponsor Cannasseur, a series of southern Colorado dispensaries. Mr Griego says he went into the cannabis industry after graduating from university in 2009 - at the peak of the US recession. For him, this is an industry in which he hopes to spend the rest of his working days - and that future is inherently wrapped up in start-up success. \"Technology is going to play a huge role [in] where this industry moves in the future.\"", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3601, "answer_start": 2325, "text": "You've got ideas, money and free-flowing snacks - but the most crucial element at a hackathon is, of course, the hackers. But with so much money pouring into tech start-ups, it seems like most developers at the first Marijuana Tech Startup Weekend could be making much more money elsewhere. So why hack hemp? Daniel Starbuck is the lead developer at GrowBuddy, a website - and, at the end of the weekend, a phone app - that helps growers monitor their cannabis crops to increase yield. He says he got into the industry purely by chance after some friends of his began growing medical marijuana. \"I went into their grow house and saw that they had all these journals and notepads and everything and it was just a mess,\" remembers Mr Starbuck. So he offered to make them some software to better track everything - and has stayed in the industry ever since. But, he cautions, finding developers like him is no easy feat - which is why so many would-be cannabis tech firms were eager to attend the weekend. \"A lot of tech talent is being taken by the other tech companies out there,\" says Mr Starbuck, adding he too was looking to hire this weekend. \"Finding someone that's passionate about marijuana, [who] can take what we're doing and come up with more ideas too - it's tough.\"" } ], "id": "9956_0", "question": "Why hack hemp?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Russian border guards intercepted and seized three Ukrainian navy boats off Crimea on 25 November, in a major escalation of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Two Ukrainian gunboats and a tug were sailing towards the Kerch Strait, the only route for ships to enter the Sea of Azov from the Black Sea. Russia's FSB border guard force says the flotilla violated Russian territorial waters. But coordinates released later by the FSB and Ukraine confirm that the Russian attack happened in international waters near the strait. Ukraine calls it Russian aggression, because the Black Sea is free for shipping and annexed Crimea belongs to Ukraine. A 2003 Russia-Ukraine treaty stipulates unimpeded access to the Kerch Strait and Sea of Azov. It is the most dangerous clash at sea off Crimea since Russia annexed the Ukrainian peninsula in 2014. Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko urged Nato to send ships to the Sea of Azov, warning of a threat of Russian invasion. Nato shows no sign of doing so - Ukraine is not a member - but supports Ukraine. Western leaders condemned Russia's actions. Mr Poroshenko has put Ukraine's border regions under martial law until 26 December and barred Russian men aged 16-60 from entering, except for \"humanitarian cases\". Russian President Vladimir Putin accused him of staging a \"provocation\" to boost his poll ratings. Russia is holding the three boats in Kerch. One was rammed by an FSB vessel in the clash. The Russian forces opened fire and several Ukrainian sailors were injured. All 24 are in Russian detention. It could flare up again. The pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine have Russian heavy weapons; Ukraine has Western support. They have been fighting since April 2014. Russia's new bridge over the Kerch Strait, opened in May, tightened its grip on Crimea. Russia regularly inspects Ukrainian ships in the Sea of Azov, an area vital to the Ukrainian economy.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 730, "answer_start": 153, "text": "Two Ukrainian gunboats and a tug were sailing towards the Kerch Strait, the only route for ships to enter the Sea of Azov from the Black Sea. Russia's FSB border guard force says the flotilla violated Russian territorial waters. But coordinates released later by the FSB and Ukraine confirm that the Russian attack happened in international waters near the strait. Ukraine calls it Russian aggression, because the Black Sea is free for shipping and annexed Crimea belongs to Ukraine. A 2003 Russia-Ukraine treaty stipulates unimpeded access to the Kerch Strait and Sea of Azov." } ], "id": "9957_0", "question": "Why did this happen?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1543, "answer_start": 731, "text": "It is the most dangerous clash at sea off Crimea since Russia annexed the Ukrainian peninsula in 2014. Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko urged Nato to send ships to the Sea of Azov, warning of a threat of Russian invasion. Nato shows no sign of doing so - Ukraine is not a member - but supports Ukraine. Western leaders condemned Russia's actions. Mr Poroshenko has put Ukraine's border regions under martial law until 26 December and barred Russian men aged 16-60 from entering, except for \"humanitarian cases\". Russian President Vladimir Putin accused him of staging a \"provocation\" to boost his poll ratings. Russia is holding the three boats in Kerch. One was rammed by an FSB vessel in the clash. The Russian forces opened fire and several Ukrainian sailors were injured. All 24 are in Russian detention." } ], "id": "9957_1", "question": "How serious is this?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1904, "answer_start": 1544, "text": "It could flare up again. The pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine have Russian heavy weapons; Ukraine has Western support. They have been fighting since April 2014. Russia's new bridge over the Kerch Strait, opened in May, tightened its grip on Crimea. Russia regularly inspects Ukrainian ships in the Sea of Azov, an area vital to the Ukrainian economy." } ], "id": "9957_2", "question": "How does it affect the conflict?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "An independent inquiry into a racist photo on Virginia Governor Ralph Northam's 1984 college yearbook page has ended with no conclusive findings. The report could not determine the identities of two individuals, one in blackface, the other in Ku Klux Klan robes, in the image. The inquiry followed back-to-back controversies involving the Democratic governor and state leaders in February. Mr Northam initially apologised for the photo, but then said it was not his. \"With respect to the photograph on Governor Northam's personal page, we could not conclusively determine the identity of either individual depicted in the photograph,\" said the report. The investigation was conducted by a law firm hired by Mr Northam's alma mater, Eastern Virginia Medical School. \"No individual that we interviewed has told us from personal knowledge that the Governor is in the Photograph, and no individual with knowledge has come forward to us to report that the Governor is in the photograph.\" The investigators also noted that they were unable to determine whether the photo was placed on Mr Northam's page in error or by someone else. It said the inquiry \"was restricted by the passage of time and the dearth of the contemporaneous documentation\". Mr Northam issued a statement on Wednesday again denying that he was in the \"racist and offensive photo\" on his yearbook. \"That being said, I know the events of early February and my response to them have caused hurt for many Virginians and for that, I am sorry,\" he said. \"I felt it was important to take accountability for the photo's presence on my page, but rather than providing clarity, I instead deepened pain and confusion.\" In February, Virginia's Democratic leadership was rocked by scandals that made headlines nationwide. It began when a conservative website published the photo from Mr Northam's 1984 Eastern Virginia Medical School yearbook page. The governor apologised hours later, seen by many as a tacit admission that he was one of the two individuals in the explosive picture. But the next day he backtracked, saying: \"I am not the person in that photo.\" At the same time, he revealed he did once wear blackface when dressing up as pop star Michael Jackson for a contest in the 1980s. Calls for Mr Northam's resignation were swift, coming from black legislators and top Democrats like former Vice-President Joe Biden and Senators Kamala Harris and Cory Booker. But Mr Northam refused to leave his post, instead saying he would demonstrate \"without a shadow of a doubt that the person I was then is not the person I am today\". In the months since, the Democratic governor has focused on issues particularly relevant to his black constituents: - He vetoed two bills on mandatory minimum sentencing because he said the measures would disproportionately impact African-Americans - He started a review of the public school curriculum to ensure proper coverage of African-American history - He ended a policy of suspending driver's licences over unpaid court fees and created a new government position: the director of diversity, equity and inclusion State Republicans have been quick to criticise Mr Northam's policy decisions as a means of atoning for his earlier scandal, instead of properly governing the state. Republican leader Todd Gilbert called the governor's vetoes an \"unconscionable\" attempt \"to repair his own racist legacy\". Rob Bell, the Republican chair of the House Courts of Justice Committee, said Mr Northam was pandering \"to rehabilitate his political legacy\". According to an April survey by the Wason Center for Public Policy, though Mr Northam's approval rating dipped 19 points after the controversy, 52% of Virginians polled believed he should stay in office. Among black voters, notably, that number rose to 63%. In addition to Mr Northam's controversy, Virginia's Attorney General Mark Herring apologised for wearing blackface in college. And two women accused the state's Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax of sexual assault. He denied the claims. Mr Herring and Mr Fairfax also remain in office.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2584, "answer_start": 1672, "text": "In February, Virginia's Democratic leadership was rocked by scandals that made headlines nationwide. It began when a conservative website published the photo from Mr Northam's 1984 Eastern Virginia Medical School yearbook page. The governor apologised hours later, seen by many as a tacit admission that he was one of the two individuals in the explosive picture. But the next day he backtracked, saying: \"I am not the person in that photo.\" At the same time, he revealed he did once wear blackface when dressing up as pop star Michael Jackson for a contest in the 1980s. Calls for Mr Northam's resignation were swift, coming from black legislators and top Democrats like former Vice-President Joe Biden and Senators Kamala Harris and Cory Booker. But Mr Northam refused to leave his post, instead saying he would demonstrate \"without a shadow of a doubt that the person I was then is not the person I am today\"." } ], "id": "9958_0", "question": "What's the background?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4078, "answer_start": 2585, "text": "In the months since, the Democratic governor has focused on issues particularly relevant to his black constituents: - He vetoed two bills on mandatory minimum sentencing because he said the measures would disproportionately impact African-Americans - He started a review of the public school curriculum to ensure proper coverage of African-American history - He ended a policy of suspending driver's licences over unpaid court fees and created a new government position: the director of diversity, equity and inclusion State Republicans have been quick to criticise Mr Northam's policy decisions as a means of atoning for his earlier scandal, instead of properly governing the state. Republican leader Todd Gilbert called the governor's vetoes an \"unconscionable\" attempt \"to repair his own racist legacy\". Rob Bell, the Republican chair of the House Courts of Justice Committee, said Mr Northam was pandering \"to rehabilitate his political legacy\". According to an April survey by the Wason Center for Public Policy, though Mr Northam's approval rating dipped 19 points after the controversy, 52% of Virginians polled believed he should stay in office. Among black voters, notably, that number rose to 63%. In addition to Mr Northam's controversy, Virginia's Attorney General Mark Herring apologised for wearing blackface in college. And two women accused the state's Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax of sexual assault. He denied the claims. Mr Herring and Mr Fairfax also remain in office." } ], "id": "9958_1", "question": "How did Northam weather the storm?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "ITV news anchor Tom Bradby is off work, reportedly with \"a chronic bout of insomnia\". The 51-year-old newsreader has not been on air for five weeks, apart from a brief appearance announcing the birth of Prince Louis. ITV News has confirmed Bradby is \"off sick\" but did not elaborate on his condition. Insomnia is thought to affect about one third of the general population in the UK. Continuing sleep deprivation affects everything from our mood and behaviour to our mental and physical wellbeing. Insomnia is associated with difficulty getting to sleep, frequently waking up in the middle of the night or waking early and being unable to return to sleep. In 2015, Sex and the City star Kim Cattrall pulled out of a play at London's Royal Court because of her chronic insomnia, which she likened to a three-tonne gorilla. \"I am losing the ability to think clearly... I can't grasp, hold on to ideas, thoughts, even tasks,\" she wrote in her diary at the time. A poll of 2,000 British adults, published by the Royal Society for Public Health in 2015, found that people in the UK slept for an average of 6.8 hours. On average we take 30 minutes to fall asleep. The NHS recommends adults sleep on average between seven and nine hours every night - though, anecdotally, Winston Churchill, Margaret Thatcher and President Donald Trump are among the world leaders who claim to have got by on just four. Stress, illness, jet lag, or life changes, such as moving jobs or the arrival of a new baby, can all cause short-term insomnia. Typically, this can be managed alone and will resolve itself within a month or two. We've all heard the advice on getting a good night's sleep: - Stick to a bedtime routine - Avoid heavy meals, alcohol and caffeine late in the evening - Don't use electronic gadgets immediately before bedtime - Allow yourself to wind down before bed and sleep in a cool, dark room So what is the difference between a poor run of sleep and the medical condition, insomnia? \"It's normal for everyone to have disrupted sleep sometimes,\" says Dr Anna Weighall, a lecturer in psychology at the University of Leeds. \"It becomes chronic when it's most nights, most weeks; when it's affecting interaction with family and friends, and your inability to carry out your job.\" According to the NHS, you may be suffering from insomnia if: - Changing your sleeping habits hasn't worked - You've had trouble sleeping for months - Your insomnia is affecting your daily life in a way that makes it hard for you to cope Dr Neil Stanley, an independent sleep expert, says it's rare for people to take time off because of a poor night's sleep. In such cases, it could point to stress or an underlying medical condition. At this stage, he says natural remedies and sleep behavioural recommendations are unlikely to work - and Dr Stanley would recommend visiting the doctor. \"Insomnia that affects your daytime performance is a problem,\" he told the BBC. Although sleeping pills are common in other countries, GPs in the UK rarely prescribe them to treat insomnia because of concerns over side effects and possible addiction. Typically, patients with insomnia are referred to a therapist for cognitive behavioural therapy - an eight-week course intended to help the patient \"change the thoughts and behaviours that keep you from sleeping\". Ultimately, it may be a question of adapting your lifestyle: moving away from shift work or excessively late working. \"Many UK adults are sleep-deprived thanks to their busy lifestyles - if you are not in bed for 7-8 hours, you can't get 7-8 hours' sleep,\" reasons Dr Weighall. But those who \"chronically undersleep\" - regularly sleeping less than 5 hours - \"are more likely to suffer health problems, including weight gain, cardiovascular disease and diabetes,\" she adds. Dr Stanley told BBC London: \"It's a fact of our modern lifestyle - longer hours [at work], media, internet, taking the TV into bed - people are finding it harder to wind down, relax and switch off. \"We are becoming time-compressed, and the thing that people compress is sleep. People don't take the time to wind down. \"We've told ourselves that the human can be a 24-hour animal, and we can't.\" He says long-term insomnia can be hugely debilitating, but \"for the vast majority, it's something we are doing to ourselves\". \"Sleep is a mystery. At the end of the day there is no magic way to help people go to sleep. \"It's all about the individual.\"", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4445, "answer_start": 2941, "text": "Although sleeping pills are common in other countries, GPs in the UK rarely prescribe them to treat insomnia because of concerns over side effects and possible addiction. Typically, patients with insomnia are referred to a therapist for cognitive behavioural therapy - an eight-week course intended to help the patient \"change the thoughts and behaviours that keep you from sleeping\". Ultimately, it may be a question of adapting your lifestyle: moving away from shift work or excessively late working. \"Many UK adults are sleep-deprived thanks to their busy lifestyles - if you are not in bed for 7-8 hours, you can't get 7-8 hours' sleep,\" reasons Dr Weighall. But those who \"chronically undersleep\" - regularly sleeping less than 5 hours - \"are more likely to suffer health problems, including weight gain, cardiovascular disease and diabetes,\" she adds. Dr Stanley told BBC London: \"It's a fact of our modern lifestyle - longer hours [at work], media, internet, taking the TV into bed - people are finding it harder to wind down, relax and switch off. \"We are becoming time-compressed, and the thing that people compress is sleep. People don't take the time to wind down. \"We've told ourselves that the human can be a 24-hour animal, and we can't.\" He says long-term insomnia can be hugely debilitating, but \"for the vast majority, it's something we are doing to ourselves\". \"Sleep is a mystery. At the end of the day there is no magic way to help people go to sleep. \"It's all about the individual.\"" } ], "id": "9959_0", "question": "Pills or lifestyle?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "A German court has sentenced a migrant to eight and a half years for murdering his 15-year-old German ex-girlfriend. Abdul D, believed to be Afghan, admitted stabbing Mia V in December in the south-western town of Kandel. The case sparked national outrage and was seized upon by far-right groups as part of their anti-migrant campaign. Across the country in Chemnitz, 50,000 attended a concert against xenophobia and violence on Monday evening, as a counter protest to unrest there. The Chemnitz demonstrations began after a 35-year-old man was fatally stabbed on 26 August, and two men from Syria and Iraq were arrested. Police in the eastern city have since struggled to manage the thousands of far-right and counter-protesters, whose clashes turned violent on occasions last week. The hashtag #wirsindmehr concert was trending nationally on Monday evening as German punk and hip hop bands took to the stage in Chemnitz. The slogan means \"there are more of us\" but can also translate as \"we are more than this\". Mia and Abdul D met at school and they dated for several months before she ended the relationship a few weeks before her death, prosecutors said. She was stabbed seven times with a kitchen knife outside a shop on 27 December. They believe her killer acted out of jealousy and revenge after Mia, a German citizen, broke up with him. She and her parents had previously gone to the police about her ex-boyfriend's harassing and threatening behaviour. His lawyer told reporters that he thought the Landau district court's decision was correct and that his client had \"accepted\" the sentence. The murder trial was held behind closed doors in a juvenile court, where prosecutors had sought a maximum term of 10 years. The accused said he was 15 at the time of the crime but an expert medical assessment ordered by prosecutors said that he was more likely to be between 17 and 20 years old. He arrived in Germany in April 2016 as an unaccompanied minor and had his request for asylum rejected in February 2017. At the time of the crime, he was living in a supervised group in the town of Neustadt and attending school in Kandel. The case is among a number of high-profile crimes, said to involve asylum seekers, which have stoked anger against migrants, and put pressure on Chancellor Angela Merkel over her liberal refugee policy. Regular demonstrations have been held in the town of Kandel, home to 9,000 people, by the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) in an attempt to bolster its anti-migrant campaign. On Saturday, protests took place across Germany - some 350 people gathered in Kandel for a right-wing rally, while about 11,000 anti-migrant and counter-protesters faced off in Chemnitz, and almost 20,000 people gathered in Berlin and Hamburg in support of welcoming more migrants stranded on rescue ships in the Mediterranean. The widow of the man killed in Chemnitz told local media: \"Daniel would never have wanted it! Never!\" She said her German-Cuban husband was neither right- nor left-wing and the protests in his name were \"not about Daniel anymore\".", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2135, "answer_start": 1462, "text": "His lawyer told reporters that he thought the Landau district court's decision was correct and that his client had \"accepted\" the sentence. The murder trial was held behind closed doors in a juvenile court, where prosecutors had sought a maximum term of 10 years. The accused said he was 15 at the time of the crime but an expert medical assessment ordered by prosecutors said that he was more likely to be between 17 and 20 years old. He arrived in Germany in April 2016 as an unaccompanied minor and had his request for asylum rejected in February 2017. At the time of the crime, he was living in a supervised group in the town of Neustadt and attending school in Kandel." } ], "id": "9960_0", "question": "What do we know about the murderer?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3079, "answer_start": 2136, "text": "The case is among a number of high-profile crimes, said to involve asylum seekers, which have stoked anger against migrants, and put pressure on Chancellor Angela Merkel over her liberal refugee policy. Regular demonstrations have been held in the town of Kandel, home to 9,000 people, by the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) in an attempt to bolster its anti-migrant campaign. On Saturday, protests took place across Germany - some 350 people gathered in Kandel for a right-wing rally, while about 11,000 anti-migrant and counter-protesters faced off in Chemnitz, and almost 20,000 people gathered in Berlin and Hamburg in support of welcoming more migrants stranded on rescue ships in the Mediterranean. The widow of the man killed in Chemnitz told local media: \"Daniel would never have wanted it! Never!\" She said her German-Cuban husband was neither right- nor left-wing and the protests in his name were \"not about Daniel anymore\"." } ], "id": "9960_1", "question": "Why are there protests against migrants?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "US President Donald Trump paid $38m (PS31m) in tax on more than $150m (PS123m) income in 2005, a leaked partial tax return shows. The two pages of tax return, revealed by US TV network MSNBC, also showed he wrote off $103m in losses. It gave no details on income sources. The White House said publishing the tax return was against the law. Mr Trump refused to release his tax returns during the election campaign, breaking with a long-held tradition. On Tuesday evening, MSNBC announced that it had a copy of one of Mr Trump's tax returns, dating from 2005. The details were revealed on a show later that night, anchored by journalist Rachel Maddow. MSNBC said they received the document from financial journalist and Trump biographer David Cay Johnston, who received it in the post from an anonymous source. On the programme Mr Cay Johnston confirmed he had no further details on the source, but speculated that the leak could have come from Mr Trump himself. Although leaking federal tax returns is a criminal offence, Ms Maddow argued that the network was exercising its right to freedom of speech under the First Amendment to the US Constitution to publish information in the public interest. On Wednesday morning, President Trump slammed Mr Cay Johnston on Twitter, and cast doubt on the claim that the papers came unsolicited through the post. The Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist said he and his family received threats over the report, calling it a \"disturbing sign of how Trump damages civil debate\". \"Trump fans call & harass my wife & one of my children after I break story White House confirmed. Sad! Let's have open debate, not threats,\" he tweeted. The release showed Mr Trump paid the Internal Revenue Service $38m in 2005, an effective tax rate of 24%. This is higher than the average American citizen would pay but below the 27.4% averaged by higher-earning taxpayers. The bill comprises $5.3m in federal income tax and an extra $31m in what is called alternative minimum tax (AMT). AMT was set up nearly 50 years ago to stop the wealthiest people from using deductions and loopholes to avoid paying taxes. Mr Trump has called for it to be abolished. President Trump's critics have wanted to know more about his income tax payments, but they also want more transparency on his business ties, particularly on any links to Russia. No substantial business links have been proven. The two-page form only gives basic figures and offers no insight into the sources of his earnings. It also does not give details on any charity donations. Last October, the New York Times revealed parts of Mr Trump's 1995 tax returns that showed losses of $916m (PS753m). The newspaper said this could have affected his returns for up to 18 subsequent years, allowing him to legally avoid paying federal income taxes. The forms disclosed on Tuesday do not say whether the PS103m write-down that Mr Trump recorded in 2005 is connected to the losses in 1995. Every US presidential candidate since 1976 has released their tax returns although there is no legal requirement to do so. Throughout his presidential campaign and since his election, Mr Trump has refused to release his returns. He has said he is under audit by tax authorities and that his lawyers advise against releasing the documents. The US Internal Revenue Service has a policy not to confirm whether or not individuals are under audit, but says it does not stop anyone from releasing their own returns. Mr Trump's critics have created numerous petitions calling for their full release, including one that gathered over a million signatures. During last year's election campaign, Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton accused Mr Trump in a head-to-head debate of paying no federal income tax. He responded: \"That makes me smart.\" We now have another snippet, just the smallest glimpse, into Donald Trump's personal financial empire. The few pages from 2005 reveal that the alternative minimum tax, first instituted in 1970, did what it was supposed to do - prevent a very wealthy individual from paying a relatively tiny amount of federal taxes. Beyond that, the contours of Mr Trump's personal wealth remain a mystery. Only supporting tax documentation, not included in this leak, could show the details of Mr Trump's income, including sources both domestic and international. For a few moments, the political world thought a political bombshell was about to drop on the White House. In fact, it was more like lightning at night - a quick flash, then a return to darkness. In the past, Mr Trump is alleged to have called the US media and used a pseudonym to give them favourable stories about his business dealings. Mr Trump's son, Donald Trump Jr, said on Twitter that he was thankful for the release as they showed his father was paying taxes. However, in a statement issued before the broadcast, the White House was less enthusiastic, saying: \"You know you are desperate for ratings when you are willing to violate the law to push a story about two pages of tax returns from over a decade ago.\" It has also said Mr Trump had a responsibility to pay no more tax than was legally required. Correspondents say that, despite the lack of detail, the leak is significant because so little is known about President Trump's tax affairs and the new information could increase pressure on him to release more.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1663, "answer_start": 451, "text": "On Tuesday evening, MSNBC announced that it had a copy of one of Mr Trump's tax returns, dating from 2005. The details were revealed on a show later that night, anchored by journalist Rachel Maddow. MSNBC said they received the document from financial journalist and Trump biographer David Cay Johnston, who received it in the post from an anonymous source. On the programme Mr Cay Johnston confirmed he had no further details on the source, but speculated that the leak could have come from Mr Trump himself. Although leaking federal tax returns is a criminal offence, Ms Maddow argued that the network was exercising its right to freedom of speech under the First Amendment to the US Constitution to publish information in the public interest. On Wednesday morning, President Trump slammed Mr Cay Johnston on Twitter, and cast doubt on the claim that the papers came unsolicited through the post. The Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist said he and his family received threats over the report, calling it a \"disturbing sign of how Trump damages civil debate\". \"Trump fans call & harass my wife & one of my children after I break story White House confirmed. Sad! Let's have open debate, not threats,\" he tweeted." } ], "id": "9961_0", "question": "How was it found?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2168, "answer_start": 1664, "text": "The release showed Mr Trump paid the Internal Revenue Service $38m in 2005, an effective tax rate of 24%. This is higher than the average American citizen would pay but below the 27.4% averaged by higher-earning taxpayers. The bill comprises $5.3m in federal income tax and an extra $31m in what is called alternative minimum tax (AMT). AMT was set up nearly 50 years ago to stop the wealthiest people from using deductions and loopholes to avoid paying taxes. Mr Trump has called for it to be abolished." } ], "id": "9961_1", "question": "What have we learnt?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5148, "answer_start": 4531, "text": "In the past, Mr Trump is alleged to have called the US media and used a pseudonym to give them favourable stories about his business dealings. Mr Trump's son, Donald Trump Jr, said on Twitter that he was thankful for the release as they showed his father was paying taxes. However, in a statement issued before the broadcast, the White House was less enthusiastic, saying: \"You know you are desperate for ratings when you are willing to violate the law to push a story about two pages of tax returns from over a decade ago.\" It has also said Mr Trump had a responsibility to pay no more tax than was legally required." } ], "id": "9961_2", "question": "Could the Trump administration be behind the leaks?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "When you hear of a drug having side-effects you might think of a physical reaction like a rash or a headache. But according to a new US study, many commonly-prescribed drugs may increase the risk of depression. The list includes heart medications, birth control pills and some painkillers - things lots of people in the UK are also prescribed. More than a third of the drugs the 26,000 participants took had depression as a possible side-effect. The study, in the Journal of the American Medical Association, looked only at people in the US who were 18 or older and taking at least one type of prescription medication between 2005 to 2014. It found that 37% of these prescription drugs, which also included some painkillers and antacids, had depression listed as one of the potential adverse effects. Rates of depression were higher among the study participants taking these drugs: - 7% among those who took one of the drugs - 9% for people on two - 15% for people taking three or more Around 5% of US adults are estimated to suffer from depression. Lead author Dima Qato, an assistant professor at the University of Illinois, said: \"Many may be surprised to learn that their medications, despite having nothing to do with mood or anxiety or any other condition normally associated with depression, can increase their risk of experiencing depressive symptoms and may lead to a depression diagnosis.\" However, it's not clear if the drugs are to blame for low mood. Feeling ill for any reason can make you feel low. And it is possible some of the participants may have already had a history of depression. UK experts cautioned that the paper shows an association between taking these drugs and an increased risk of depression but not cause and effect. Prof David Baldwin, from the Royal College of Psychiatrists, said: \"It is not surprising that using medicines to treat physical illnesses such as heart and lung disease should be associated with depressive symptoms, as these physical illnesses are themselves linked to an increased risk of depression.\" The Royal College of GPs also pointed out that not all of the findings will necessarily apply to the UK, as the health system is different in the US. Nevertheless, its chair, Prof Helen Stokes-Lampard, added that it shows \"how vital it is that patients disclose any medication they may be taking that the GP might not be aware of, or to the pharmacist if buying medication over the counter\". It depends on the medication. For some drugs, depression can be a common side-effect, such as certain birth control pills. But for others it's much rarer. Very common side-effects will affect more than one in 10 people, whereas those that are very rare will apply to fewer than one in 10,000. This information is printed inside packets of medication in the Patient Information Leaflet and is also searchable online. Prof David Taylor, from the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, also said it was important to consider whether there was a \"plausible explanation\" for why a drug might cause depression. For example, with oral contraceptives there is a clear association between hormone levels and mood. But in others, like heart medication, it is trickier to unpick whether it's the drugs or the condition that might be causing the depression, he says. \"We're not very good at working out what the drugs cause and what just happens in the course of somebody being treated which isn't linked to the drugs, \" Prof Taylor said. If you're taking any of these medications currently and have no signs of depression then you shouldn't worry, Prof Taylor advises. For those on these drugs who are experiencing depression, he recommends speaking to your GP or specialist doctor to discuss if there might be drugs that don't have the potential side-effects. If you're thinking about taking some of these drugs, he said it was worth being \"somewhat cautious\". \"That applies particularly if you're already taking another drug which is linked to depression.\" Follow Alex on Twitter.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1603, "answer_start": 446, "text": "The study, in the Journal of the American Medical Association, looked only at people in the US who were 18 or older and taking at least one type of prescription medication between 2005 to 2014. It found that 37% of these prescription drugs, which also included some painkillers and antacids, had depression listed as one of the potential adverse effects. Rates of depression were higher among the study participants taking these drugs: - 7% among those who took one of the drugs - 9% for people on two - 15% for people taking three or more Around 5% of US adults are estimated to suffer from depression. Lead author Dima Qato, an assistant professor at the University of Illinois, said: \"Many may be surprised to learn that their medications, despite having nothing to do with mood or anxiety or any other condition normally associated with depression, can increase their risk of experiencing depressive symptoms and may lead to a depression diagnosis.\" However, it's not clear if the drugs are to blame for low mood. Feeling ill for any reason can make you feel low. And it is possible some of the participants may have already had a history of depression." } ], "id": "9962_0", "question": "What's going on?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2444, "answer_start": 1604, "text": "UK experts cautioned that the paper shows an association between taking these drugs and an increased risk of depression but not cause and effect. Prof David Baldwin, from the Royal College of Psychiatrists, said: \"It is not surprising that using medicines to treat physical illnesses such as heart and lung disease should be associated with depressive symptoms, as these physical illnesses are themselves linked to an increased risk of depression.\" The Royal College of GPs also pointed out that not all of the findings will necessarily apply to the UK, as the health system is different in the US. Nevertheless, its chair, Prof Helen Stokes-Lampard, added that it shows \"how vital it is that patients disclose any medication they may be taking that the GP might not be aware of, or to the pharmacist if buying medication over the counter\"." } ], "id": "9962_1", "question": "What do experts say?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3462, "answer_start": 2445, "text": "It depends on the medication. For some drugs, depression can be a common side-effect, such as certain birth control pills. But for others it's much rarer. Very common side-effects will affect more than one in 10 people, whereas those that are very rare will apply to fewer than one in 10,000. This information is printed inside packets of medication in the Patient Information Leaflet and is also searchable online. Prof David Taylor, from the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, also said it was important to consider whether there was a \"plausible explanation\" for why a drug might cause depression. For example, with oral contraceptives there is a clear association between hormone levels and mood. But in others, like heart medication, it is trickier to unpick whether it's the drugs or the condition that might be causing the depression, he says. \"We're not very good at working out what the drugs cause and what just happens in the course of somebody being treated which isn't linked to the drugs, \" Prof Taylor said." } ], "id": "9962_2", "question": "What's the risk?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4007, "answer_start": 3463, "text": "If you're taking any of these medications currently and have no signs of depression then you shouldn't worry, Prof Taylor advises. For those on these drugs who are experiencing depression, he recommends speaking to your GP or specialist doctor to discuss if there might be drugs that don't have the potential side-effects. If you're thinking about taking some of these drugs, he said it was worth being \"somewhat cautious\". \"That applies particularly if you're already taking another drug which is linked to depression.\" Follow Alex on Twitter." } ], "id": "9962_3", "question": "What should I do?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "A paramedic who flew to New Zealand's White Island to rescue tourists after Monday's volcanic eruption has said the scene was like something out of \"the Chernobyl mini-series\". \"Everything was blanketed in ash,\" Russell Clark told TVNZ. Dozens of tourists were on the island at the time. Six have been confirmed dead. Eight others are feared to have died and about 30 have serious burns. New Zealand's PM Jacinda Ardern praised the crews of four rescue helicopters. \"Those pilots made an incredibly brave decision under extraordinarily dangerous circumstances in an attempt to get people out,\" she told reporters on Tuesday. \"To those who have lost or are missing family and friends, we share in your unfathomable grief and in your sorrow.\" In his interview, Mr Clark said he and his fellow rescuers had found a \"devastating scene\" when they landed. \"There was a helicopter on the island that had obviously been there at the time and its rotor blades were off it.\" At least 47 people from around the world were on the island at the time of the eruption. Questions are being asked about why tourists were allowed to approach New Zealand's most active volcano three weeks after seismologists raised its alert level, describing the situation as \"moderate to heightened volcanic unrest\". \"These questions must be asked and they must be answered,\" Ms Ardern said in parliament on Tuesday. A police investigation is under way. Geological hazard monitoring group GeoNet warned last week that White Island \"may be entering a period where eruptive activity is more likely than normal\" - but it also said \"the current level of activity does not pose a direct hazard to visitors\". Currently, the alert level is at three, indicating the risk of a \"minor volcanic eruption\". Thirty-four people were rescued, one of whom later died. Most of the victims are still receiving treatment in hospital. Officials say they have burns to more than 30% of their bodies. Several others are also suffering from inhalation burns. Police said they were \"unsure\" what state the bodies that remained on the island were in, saying they were probably \"covered in ash\". White Island remains too dangerous to access, but reconnaissance flights conducted earlier on Tuesday saw no survivors. Ms Ardern said there were no signs of life and that the focus was now \"on recovery\". There were 24 visitors from Australia, nine from the US, five from New Zealand, four from Germany, two from China, two from the UK, and one person from Malaysia. The first victim to be identified was tour guide Hayden Marshall-Inman, a local of nearby town Whakatane, who according to New Zealand media has been named by his brother on Facebook. The second person confirmed to have died is from Malaysia, the country's High Commission said. Another tour guide from New Zealand, 23-year old Tipene Maangi, is among the missing. His family told media he had been called in on his day off. Two British women were among those receiving treatment, said the UK High Commissioner to New Zealand, Laura Clarke. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he \"feared\" three of the five confirmed dead were Australian. Mr Morrison said that 24 Australians had been on board a cruise ship exploring the island in the Bay of Plenty when the volcano erupted. Of those, 13 were in hospital and 11 were unaccounted for, he said. \"This is a terrible tragedy, a time of great innocence and joy interrupted by the horror of that eruption,\" Mr Morrison told reporters in Sydney. A web page has been set up by the New Zealand Red Cross for families to register missing loved ones. White Island, also called Whakaari, is privately owned and a tourist destination with frequent day tours and scenic flights available. The volcano erupted in two explosions in quick succession at around 14:11 (01:11 GMT) on Monday, sending up a thick plume of ash and vapour. A live feed from the volcano showed several visitors inside the crater before the stream went dark. Some survivors were rescued by boat in the immediate aftermath of the explosion, but police said it was too dangerous to mount a rescue operation. But later four rescue helicopter missions picked up several people from the island. Since then, emergency services have been unable to search the area because of dangerous conditions, with plumes of ash continuing to rise above the volcano. Authorities on Tuesday said there was a 50% chance of a second eruption of the same size or smaller in the next 24 hours, but that it was unlikely there would be a bigger eruption that would affect the mainland.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1761, "answer_start": 1054, "text": "Questions are being asked about why tourists were allowed to approach New Zealand's most active volcano three weeks after seismologists raised its alert level, describing the situation as \"moderate to heightened volcanic unrest\". \"These questions must be asked and they must be answered,\" Ms Ardern said in parliament on Tuesday. A police investigation is under way. Geological hazard monitoring group GeoNet warned last week that White Island \"may be entering a period where eruptive activity is more likely than normal\" - but it also said \"the current level of activity does not pose a direct hazard to visitors\". Currently, the alert level is at three, indicating the risk of a \"minor volcanic eruption\"." } ], "id": "9963_0", "question": "Why were tourists allowed near the volcano?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2341, "answer_start": 1762, "text": "Thirty-four people were rescued, one of whom later died. Most of the victims are still receiving treatment in hospital. Officials say they have burns to more than 30% of their bodies. Several others are also suffering from inhalation burns. Police said they were \"unsure\" what state the bodies that remained on the island were in, saying they were probably \"covered in ash\". White Island remains too dangerous to access, but reconnaissance flights conducted earlier on Tuesday saw no survivors. Ms Ardern said there were no signs of life and that the focus was now \"on recovery\"." } ], "id": "9963_1", "question": "How serious are the injuries?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3604, "answer_start": 2342, "text": "There were 24 visitors from Australia, nine from the US, five from New Zealand, four from Germany, two from China, two from the UK, and one person from Malaysia. The first victim to be identified was tour guide Hayden Marshall-Inman, a local of nearby town Whakatane, who according to New Zealand media has been named by his brother on Facebook. The second person confirmed to have died is from Malaysia, the country's High Commission said. Another tour guide from New Zealand, 23-year old Tipene Maangi, is among the missing. His family told media he had been called in on his day off. Two British women were among those receiving treatment, said the UK High Commissioner to New Zealand, Laura Clarke. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he \"feared\" three of the five confirmed dead were Australian. Mr Morrison said that 24 Australians had been on board a cruise ship exploring the island in the Bay of Plenty when the volcano erupted. Of those, 13 were in hospital and 11 were unaccounted for, he said. \"This is a terrible tragedy, a time of great innocence and joy interrupted by the horror of that eruption,\" Mr Morrison told reporters in Sydney. A web page has been set up by the New Zealand Red Cross for families to register missing loved ones." } ], "id": "9963_2", "question": "Who was on the island?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4580, "answer_start": 3605, "text": "White Island, also called Whakaari, is privately owned and a tourist destination with frequent day tours and scenic flights available. The volcano erupted in two explosions in quick succession at around 14:11 (01:11 GMT) on Monday, sending up a thick plume of ash and vapour. A live feed from the volcano showed several visitors inside the crater before the stream went dark. Some survivors were rescued by boat in the immediate aftermath of the explosion, but police said it was too dangerous to mount a rescue operation. But later four rescue helicopter missions picked up several people from the island. Since then, emergency services have been unable to search the area because of dangerous conditions, with plumes of ash continuing to rise above the volcano. Authorities on Tuesday said there was a 50% chance of a second eruption of the same size or smaller in the next 24 hours, but that it was unlikely there would be a bigger eruption that would affect the mainland." } ], "id": "9963_3", "question": "What happened at the volcano?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and US President Donald Trump are to meet in person by May, it has been announced, an extraordinary overture after months of mutual hostility. News of the meeting was delivered by South Korean officials after talks with Mr Trump at the White House. They passed a verbal message from Mr Kim, saying the North Korean leader was \"committed to denuclearisation\". Mr Trump hailed \"great progress\" but said sanctions would remain in place. South Korea's President Moon Jae-in said the news \"came like a miracle\". \"If President Trump and Chairman Kim meet following an inter-Korean summit, complete denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula will be put on the right track in earnest,\" he said. China has welcomed the development, saying the Korean peninsula issue was \"heading in the right direction\" and calling for \"political courage\". However, correspondents say the North has halted missile and nuclear tests during previous talks, only to resume them when it lost patience or felt it was not getting what it demanded. The latest announcement came days after the South Korean delegation met Mr Kim in Pyongyang. Speaking outside the White House after briefing Mr Trump, South Korean National Security Adviser Chung Eui-yong said he had passed on a message that Mr Kim was \"committed to denuclearisation\" and had \"pledged that North Korea will refrain from any further nuclear or missile tests\". In a statement sent to the Washington Post, North Korea's UN ambassador said the \"courageous decision\" of Mr Kim would help secure \"peace and stability in the Korean Peninsula and the East Asia region\". There is no indication yet of where the Trump-Kim talks might take place, but the Korean border's demilitarised zone (DMZ) and Beijing are seen as likely options. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said it would take \"some weeks\" to arrange the talks and admitted the US had been \"surprised\" at Kim Jong-un's \"forward-leaning\" stance. Just a day earlier, Mr Tillerson had said the US was \"a long way\" from negotiations with the North. Analysis by BBC's Laura Bicker in Seoul President Moon Jae-in has acknowledged there are obstacles ahead. He is managing expectations and so much can go wrong. His approval ratings took a hit during the Winter Olympics after he integrated the women's hockey team with players from the North and met a general from Pyongyang who had been accused of masterminding deadly attacks on South Koreans, though they have since rebounded. These talks are a huge gamble with a communist state which is hard to read. But if, just if, he helps pull it off, it may reduce the threat of nuclear war and he could win himself a Nobel Peace prize. If all fails, it is back to brinkmanship. Read Laura's piece in full North Korea has been isolated for decades because of its well-documented human rights abuses and its pursuit of nuclear weapons, in defiance of international laws. It has carried out six nuclear tests, and has missiles that could reach the US. But South Korea's hosting of the Winter Olympics gave an unexpected window for diplomacy. South Korea then held landmark talks with Mr Kim in Pyongyang this week, returning home saying the North was willing to give up its nuclear weapons if it felt it had no reason to keep them. There were four main elements to the statement delivered by Mr Chung: - Mr Kim is prepared to sit down with the US president - North Korea is \"committed to denuclearisation\" - It will halt all nuclear and missile tests - It understands that US-South Korean military drills \"must continue\". South Korea statement on Kim-Trump meeting in full The BBC's Laura Bicker in Seoul says it is important to note that North Korea has not yet promised to abandon its nuclear weapons completely. It also remains unclear exactly what it is asking for in return. Mr Trump has repeatedly belittled Kim Jong-un, and last year threatened him with \"fire and fury\" if North Korea continued to threaten the US. He has at times said there is no point in talking to North Korea. But Mr Chung made a point of saying it was Mr Trump's \"maximum pressure policy\" which had brought the parties to this point, a gesture which the president is likely to appreciate. Our correspondent says Kim Jong-un has also scored a propaganda win, first with the Olympics and now by being seen to reach out to the US. Former British ambassador to North Korea, John Everard, told the BBC there must be a suspicion that Mr Kim might be trying to play Mr Trump, to try to \"get him to say across the table things that North Korea has been asking for for a long time\". These could include a peace treaty to finally end the Korean War and a promise that if North Korea denuclearised then the US would finally withdraw its troops from South Korea. The US has tens of thousands of military personnel there and the massive annual joint war games infuriate the North, because it believes they are preparation for invasion. President Moon, who is due to meet Mr Kim in April, said the Trump-Kim meeting \"will be recorded as a historic milestone that realised peace on the Korean peninsula\". The South's statement also credited \"international solidarity\" for the breakthrough, probably in part a reference to the ever-increasing international sanctions on North Korea. China, North Korea's main economic supporter, has in recent months toughened up its dealings with Pyongyang, including on key areas like petroleum and oil. This is thought to be putting a major strain on the North. Beijing has consistently pushed for all parties to talk and on Friday, China's foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said it welcomed the \"positive signals\" from the US and North Korea. \"We're glad that they have finally made this first step... The next key step is for all parties to maintain this momentum,\" Mr Geng said. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the development was a \"step in the right direction\". \"It should not just be a meeting, it should open up a way to resuming a fully fledged diplomatic process to find a solution to the North Korean nuclear issue,\" he said. Japan, which saw North Korean missiles fly over its territory twice last year, responded with cautious optimism. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Japan would \"keep putting maximum pressure until North Korea takes concrete actions toward denuclearisation\", and said he hoped to meet Mr Trump ahead of the Kim summit. No sitting US president has ever met a North Korean leader, but there have been repeated attempts to get North Korea to denuclearise. The last major effort - the Six Party talks - collapsed in 2008, largely because North Korea refused to allow inspectors to verify that it had shut down its nuclear programme. A number of bids to restart the talks also collapsed, including in 2012 when North Korea launched another rocket, two weeks after announcing a \"leap day\" (29 February) agreement with the US that had promised food aid in return for inspections and a moratorium on missile tests.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3284, "answer_start": 2761, "text": "North Korea has been isolated for decades because of its well-documented human rights abuses and its pursuit of nuclear weapons, in defiance of international laws. It has carried out six nuclear tests, and has missiles that could reach the US. But South Korea's hosting of the Winter Olympics gave an unexpected window for diplomacy. South Korea then held landmark talks with Mr Kim in Pyongyang this week, returning home saying the North was willing to give up its nuclear weapons if it felt it had no reason to keep them." } ], "id": "9964_0", "question": "How did we reach this point?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3832, "answer_start": 3285, "text": "There were four main elements to the statement delivered by Mr Chung: - Mr Kim is prepared to sit down with the US president - North Korea is \"committed to denuclearisation\" - It will halt all nuclear and missile tests - It understands that US-South Korean military drills \"must continue\". South Korea statement on Kim-Trump meeting in full The BBC's Laura Bicker in Seoul says it is important to note that North Korea has not yet promised to abandon its nuclear weapons completely. It also remains unclear exactly what it is asking for in return." } ], "id": "9964_1", "question": "What has North Korea pledged?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4954, "answer_start": 3833, "text": "Mr Trump has repeatedly belittled Kim Jong-un, and last year threatened him with \"fire and fury\" if North Korea continued to threaten the US. He has at times said there is no point in talking to North Korea. But Mr Chung made a point of saying it was Mr Trump's \"maximum pressure policy\" which had brought the parties to this point, a gesture which the president is likely to appreciate. Our correspondent says Kim Jong-un has also scored a propaganda win, first with the Olympics and now by being seen to reach out to the US. Former British ambassador to North Korea, John Everard, told the BBC there must be a suspicion that Mr Kim might be trying to play Mr Trump, to try to \"get him to say across the table things that North Korea has been asking for for a long time\". These could include a peace treaty to finally end the Korean War and a promise that if North Korea denuclearised then the US would finally withdraw its troops from South Korea. The US has tens of thousands of military personnel there and the massive annual joint war games infuriate the North, because it believes they are preparation for invasion." } ], "id": "9964_2", "question": "Is this a victory for Trump?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 6418, "answer_start": 4955, "text": "President Moon, who is due to meet Mr Kim in April, said the Trump-Kim meeting \"will be recorded as a historic milestone that realised peace on the Korean peninsula\". The South's statement also credited \"international solidarity\" for the breakthrough, probably in part a reference to the ever-increasing international sanctions on North Korea. China, North Korea's main economic supporter, has in recent months toughened up its dealings with Pyongyang, including on key areas like petroleum and oil. This is thought to be putting a major strain on the North. Beijing has consistently pushed for all parties to talk and on Friday, China's foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said it welcomed the \"positive signals\" from the US and North Korea. \"We're glad that they have finally made this first step... The next key step is for all parties to maintain this momentum,\" Mr Geng said. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the development was a \"step in the right direction\". \"It should not just be a meeting, it should open up a way to resuming a fully fledged diplomatic process to find a solution to the North Korean nuclear issue,\" he said. Japan, which saw North Korean missiles fly over its territory twice last year, responded with cautious optimism. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Japan would \"keep putting maximum pressure until North Korea takes concrete actions toward denuclearisation\", and said he hoped to meet Mr Trump ahead of the Kim summit." } ], "id": "9964_3", "question": "What about the other major players?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 7006, "answer_start": 6419, "text": "No sitting US president has ever met a North Korean leader, but there have been repeated attempts to get North Korea to denuclearise. The last major effort - the Six Party talks - collapsed in 2008, largely because North Korea refused to allow inspectors to verify that it had shut down its nuclear programme. A number of bids to restart the talks also collapsed, including in 2012 when North Korea launched another rocket, two weeks after announcing a \"leap day\" (29 February) agreement with the US that had promised food aid in return for inspections and a moratorium on missile tests." } ], "id": "9964_4", "question": "Have talks like this happened in the past?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "\"Where there's a will, there's a way,\" Angela Merkel has insisted since the migration crisis exploded across Europe last year. For months she's resisted closing her country's borders and setting an upper limit on the number of asylum seekers allowed into Germany despite rising, and at times frantic, public and political pressure to do so, including from within her own CDU party. Iron Angie - as she's sometimes known at home - demonstrated her unwavering determination once again at yesterday's EU-Turkey summit and in the lead-up to it. There have been dark mutterings in the German media that, despite increasing problems at home linked to the arrival of over a million asylum-seekers, the German chancellor has spent more time in Ankara than Aachen, Berlin or Cologne of late. But there was stubborn purpose behind the shuttling. Mrs Merkel's political future - and her legacy, after a decade as German chancellor - are hanging in the balance. She faces three key regional elections this weekend, with polls predicting huge gains for the anti-immigrant AfD party. She needed something big and bold on migration, allowing her to avoid performing an awkward U-turn on her national policies but at the same time sending a clear message to the people of Germany that she has the situation in hand. Make no mistake - it was Germany and no other European nation that insisted on a summit with Turkey this week. Turkey is key to resolving Europe's current migration chaos. That's where most refugees and others jump on board people smugglers' dinghies, risking their lives to enter Europe via the Greek islands. But trust between Turkey and the EU is not strong. An \"action plan on migration\" between the two back in November failed to yield many results. There has been little sign of Turkey cracking down on people-smugglers along its coastline, and limited evidence of the EUR3bn (PS2.3bn; $3.3bn) the EU then promised Turkey in humanitarian aid. So Mrs Merkel began a new push for what she hoped would be a better Turkish deal. Donald Tusk, the head of the European Council, which represents all EU member countries in Brussels, joined in the efforts (after all, he would be the summit host), flying to Turkey ahead of Monday's meeting. But neither of these seasoned politicians were quite prepared for what is now being described as a \"Turkish bazaar\" here in Brussels. Turkey's Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu arrived at the summit all smiles for the cameras. \"Turkey is ready to work with the European Union,\" he beamed - omitting to say at what price. Then, behind closed doors, he slammed the EU with a whole host of additional political and funding demands: - More money - at least another 3bn euros to help with the more than 2.5 million refugees already in Turkey - The resettlement of one Syrian from Turkey to the EU for every Syrian readmitted by Turkey from Greece (the EU now hopes to send all migrants arriving on the Greek islands, including Syrians, back to Turkey) - Faster access to visa-free travel in most of the EU for Turkish citizens - The re-opening of stalled talks on Turkey's bid for EU membership Even a few months ago, my bet is that faced with this steep list of demands, EU countries would simply have turned their back and walked out. Not now. Chancellor Merkel isn't the only one desperate to solve the migrant crisis: The EU's credibility is crumbling, its members have never looked less unified and Greece, stuck with tens of thousands of stalled migrants on top of being saddled with crippling euro debt repayments, threatens to implode. The bottom line, for the EU, is to put off anybody and everybody from getting in dinghies or trying any means possible to get to Europe to improve their lives. It hopes to send every economic migrant back home and to pay to look after refugees in camps closer to theirs. Voters across Europe say they are spooked by the migrant crisis. But however much Europe's leaders and EU bosses in Brussels fear for their future, they can't compromise all their principles trying to make this problem \"go away\". And that is why last night's summit didn't end in a deal. Of course, triumphant words flew out of the mouths of leaders and broadcasters across Europe - \"turning point\", \"Big Bang\" and \"breakthrough\". But that is only if - and it's a big if - the proposals are written up and signed at another migrant summit next week - and \"if\" they are then implemented. There's a lot to think about. Can the EU afford to close its eyes to the Turkish president's increasingly autocratic and arguably anti-democratic behaviour in its rush to do a migration deal? Just before the summit, the Turkish government took over one of the country's best-selling newspapers and tear-gassed outraged protesters on the streets of Ankara, for example. And what of the legal implications of the EU exporting migrants en masse back to Turkey? The UN has warned this could go against international humanitarian law, with some asylum cases needing to be heard here in Europe, they say. Turkey does not have asylum laws in place for Afghans and Iraqis for example, so what will happen to those migrants? And then there are the logistical challenges. Imagine the scenes - not just young men, but old women, wheelchair users, pregnant mothers and screaming babies, many from Syria and other troubled areas. After all they've been through to to get to Greece, will they meekly accept getting on a boat or plane to be sent back to Turkey? And these are just some of the complications surrounding an EU-Turkey deal, never mind the splits in Europe over how to deal with the migrant crisis. So, on Monday Angela Merkel got what she needed for her weekend elections: a tough-sounding something with the promise of a Turkey deal in the offing. Conveniently for her, the votes will be counted in Germany before the talk from the summit begins to publicly unravel.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5900, "answer_start": 4278, "text": "But that is only if - and it's a big if - the proposals are written up and signed at another migrant summit next week - and \"if\" they are then implemented. There's a lot to think about. Can the EU afford to close its eyes to the Turkish president's increasingly autocratic and arguably anti-democratic behaviour in its rush to do a migration deal? Just before the summit, the Turkish government took over one of the country's best-selling newspapers and tear-gassed outraged protesters on the streets of Ankara, for example. And what of the legal implications of the EU exporting migrants en masse back to Turkey? The UN has warned this could go against international humanitarian law, with some asylum cases needing to be heard here in Europe, they say. Turkey does not have asylum laws in place for Afghans and Iraqis for example, so what will happen to those migrants? And then there are the logistical challenges. Imagine the scenes - not just young men, but old women, wheelchair users, pregnant mothers and screaming babies, many from Syria and other troubled areas. After all they've been through to to get to Greece, will they meekly accept getting on a boat or plane to be sent back to Turkey? And these are just some of the complications surrounding an EU-Turkey deal, never mind the splits in Europe over how to deal with the migrant crisis. So, on Monday Angela Merkel got what she needed for her weekend elections: a tough-sounding something with the promise of a Turkey deal in the offing. Conveniently for her, the votes will be counted in Germany before the talk from the summit begins to publicly unravel." } ], "id": "9965_0", "question": "Step too far?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Kenya's population census figures have been released, causing controversy among some groups who feel the results are not fair or accurate. It found that the total population of the country is now 47.6 million, nine million more than in 2009. But some regions have experienced a decrease in population. These outcomes can be hugely controversial because the size of the local population has important implications for the level of government funding they receive. Kenya's population is made up of many different ethnic groups, closely aligned to competing political parties. The government has yet to release all the data on the ethnic composition of the country, but the changes in population in certain regions from this latest census have already caused arguments. The outcome of such surveys can embolden or weaken claims made by groups for political representation or resources. In one area of the north-east territories bordering Ethiopia and Somalia, the census indicates a decrease in the population, prompting local political leaders looking to retain funding for their provinces to question the veracity of the survey. The figures also reveal a high gender imbalance in the area, with significantly more males than females, leading some to speculate it might be due to a higher incidence of female mortality or an influx of single men who have moved there to work. \"This data, which was released this week, is false and not fit for purpose,\" says Aden Duale, a politician who represents a constituency with a large Somali population. He argues that as Somali men normally have more than one wife, you would expect the numbers of women to be higher. The Kenyan statistics bureau has defended the accuracy of the figures. A census is when a government collects information about its people. This generally includes demographic data such as household population, religion and ethnicity. Censuses are usually carried out every 10 years. It's a huge undertaking that involves mapping every home in the country and then visiting them to gather answers to a series of questions. Some countries are ditching pen and paper for a digital process, in which people fill out a form online. In Kenya the census is carried out by officials who go door-to-door, recording information on electronic tablets, which send the information to a central database. Collecting information can sometimes prove difficult. Communities with little trust in their government can be unwilling to reveal personal details. The outcome of the census can have a real-world impact on its citizens. In Kenya, not only is the distribution of government funds directly linked to regional population size, it's also the case that constituency boundaries are drawn up using census data. The more divided a country, the more contentious a census tends to be. Ethiopia has postponed its census twice since 2017 because of protests and ethnic violence. When it does finally happen, the outcome will be significant for groups vying for more regional powers - the larger the ethnic group, the stronger it will feel its claim for self-determination under Ethiopia's ethnically-based federal system. The Sidama ethnic group in southern Ethiopia, for example, is campaigning to have its own state. Nigeria has a long history of controversial censuses and was due to hold another one in 2016, but a lack of funds and logistical issues mean it's yet to happen. And in Lebanon, the quota of representatives in parliament from different religious communities is linked to population data in the census. However, issues of demography there are so controversial there that there hasn't been a full census in Lebanon since 1932. Read more from Reality Check Send us your questions Follow us on Twitter", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1728, "answer_start": 463, "text": "Kenya's population is made up of many different ethnic groups, closely aligned to competing political parties. The government has yet to release all the data on the ethnic composition of the country, but the changes in population in certain regions from this latest census have already caused arguments. The outcome of such surveys can embolden or weaken claims made by groups for political representation or resources. In one area of the north-east territories bordering Ethiopia and Somalia, the census indicates a decrease in the population, prompting local political leaders looking to retain funding for their provinces to question the veracity of the survey. The figures also reveal a high gender imbalance in the area, with significantly more males than females, leading some to speculate it might be due to a higher incidence of female mortality or an influx of single men who have moved there to work. \"This data, which was released this week, is false and not fit for purpose,\" says Aden Duale, a politician who represents a constituency with a large Somali population. He argues that as Somali men normally have more than one wife, you would expect the numbers of women to be higher. The Kenyan statistics bureau has defended the accuracy of the figures." } ], "id": "9966_0", "question": "Why does population size matter?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2498, "answer_start": 1729, "text": "A census is when a government collects information about its people. This generally includes demographic data such as household population, religion and ethnicity. Censuses are usually carried out every 10 years. It's a huge undertaking that involves mapping every home in the country and then visiting them to gather answers to a series of questions. Some countries are ditching pen and paper for a digital process, in which people fill out a form online. In Kenya the census is carried out by officials who go door-to-door, recording information on electronic tablets, which send the information to a central database. Collecting information can sometimes prove difficult. Communities with little trust in their government can be unwilling to reveal personal details." } ], "id": "9966_1", "question": "What is a census and how does it work?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "US singer Prince died from an accidental overdose of the painkiller fentanyl, medical examiners have found. The report, from the Midwest Medical Examiner's Office in Minnesota, comes more than a month after the singer was found slumped in a lift at his home. Detectives have already questioned a doctor who saw the 57-year-old twice in the weeks before he died. Prescription painkillers were in the singer's possession following his death, officials told US media in May. A police warrant has also revealed that Dr Michael Schulenberg prescribed medication to the singer on 20 April - the day before he died. The warrant does not say what was prescribed or whether Prince took the drugs. According to the autopsy report, Prince self-administered fentanyl, an opioid many times more powerful than heroin. In March last year, the US Drug and Enforcement Administration warned the drug, which it said was often laced in heroin, was a \"threat to health and public safety\". It said even small doses of fentanyl could be lethal and that \"incidents\" and overdoses related to the drug were \"occurring at an alarming rate\". Prince was found unresponsive in a lift at his Paisley Park Studios on the morning of 21 April, local officials said. First responders tried to revive him with CPR but he was pronounced dead shortly afterwards. He is believed to have suffered from knee and hip pain from years of performing, the Associated Press news agency reports, citing a friend. Artists from around the world and Prince's numerous fans later paid tributes to the star. Prince was cremated in a private ceremony on 24 April. The singer's family are understood to be planning to stage a public memorial in August. He was a prolific writer and performer from a young age, reportedly writing his first song when he was seven. A singer, songwriter, arranger and multi-instrumentalist, Prince recorded more than 30 albums. His best known hits include Let's Go Crazy and When Doves Cry. Fentanyl is an extremely strong painkiller, prescribed for severe chronic pain, or breakthrough pain which doesn't respond to regular painkillers. It is an opioid painkiller which means it works by mimicking the body's natural painkillers, called endorphins, which block pain messages to the brain. It can cause dangerous side effects, including severe breathing problems. The risk of harm is higher if the wrong dose or strength is used.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2405, "answer_start": 1967, "text": "Fentanyl is an extremely strong painkiller, prescribed for severe chronic pain, or breakthrough pain which doesn't respond to regular painkillers. It is an opioid painkiller which means it works by mimicking the body's natural painkillers, called endorphins, which block pain messages to the brain. It can cause dangerous side effects, including severe breathing problems. The risk of harm is higher if the wrong dose or strength is used." } ], "id": "9967_0", "question": "What is fentanyl?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Zimbabwe's main opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai is critically ill in a South African hospital, reports say. Local media quoted family sources as saying the 65-year-old former prime minister - who is being treated for colon cancer - is suffering from weight loss, exhaustion and muscle thinning. Mr Tsvangirai's MDC party says reports about his health are exaggerated. During his political struggle against ex-President Robert Mugabe, he has been beaten and imprisoned numerous times. Mr Tsvangirai has been in and out of hospital since June, receiving treatment in a Johannesburg hospital for cancer. He returned to the hospital early last month. His health deteriorated rapidly on Monday, family sources told Zimbabwe's Bulawayo24 news website on Tuesday. Mr Tsvangirai had lost appetite and had difficulty eating or swallowing fluids, the sources said. He also reportedly had breathing problems. Meanwhile, a senior Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party member who refused to be identified told the BBC that Mr Tsvangirai was in poor health - but that he was conscious and speaking. The party was waiting for further updates from South Africa's main city, Johannesburg, where Mr Tsvangiari was being treated, the source added. Earlier, Mr Tsvangirai's spokesman Luke Tamborinyoka was quoted as saying the MDC leader was \"stable but the nation should keep on praying\". The hospital where Mr Tsvangirai is being treated has so far made no public comments on the issue. Last November, Mr Tsvangirai hailed the resignation of Robert Mugabe, expressing hopes that Zimbabwe was on a \"new trajectory\" that would include free and fair elections. He said that Mr Mugabe - who was forced to quit after ruling the country for 37 years - should be allowed to \"go and rest for his last days\". Mr Tsvangirai's illness has divided the MDC, with a number of party officials reportedly jockeying to succeed the former trade union activist. This has raised concerns about the party's political future, and its chances of taking on the ruling Zanu-PF party in presidential elections expected within six months. In November, Mr Mugabe was succeeded by the former vice president, Emmerson Mnangagwa.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1477, "answer_start": 488, "text": "Mr Tsvangirai has been in and out of hospital since June, receiving treatment in a Johannesburg hospital for cancer. He returned to the hospital early last month. His health deteriorated rapidly on Monday, family sources told Zimbabwe's Bulawayo24 news website on Tuesday. Mr Tsvangirai had lost appetite and had difficulty eating or swallowing fluids, the sources said. He also reportedly had breathing problems. Meanwhile, a senior Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party member who refused to be identified told the BBC that Mr Tsvangirai was in poor health - but that he was conscious and speaking. The party was waiting for further updates from South Africa's main city, Johannesburg, where Mr Tsvangiari was being treated, the source added. Earlier, Mr Tsvangirai's spokesman Luke Tamborinyoka was quoted as saying the MDC leader was \"stable but the nation should keep on praying\". The hospital where Mr Tsvangirai is being treated has so far made no public comments on the issue." } ], "id": "9968_0", "question": "What is known about Tsvangirai's condition?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2189, "answer_start": 1478, "text": "Last November, Mr Tsvangirai hailed the resignation of Robert Mugabe, expressing hopes that Zimbabwe was on a \"new trajectory\" that would include free and fair elections. He said that Mr Mugabe - who was forced to quit after ruling the country for 37 years - should be allowed to \"go and rest for his last days\". Mr Tsvangirai's illness has divided the MDC, with a number of party officials reportedly jockeying to succeed the former trade union activist. This has raised concerns about the party's political future, and its chances of taking on the ruling Zanu-PF party in presidential elections expected within six months. In November, Mr Mugabe was succeeded by the former vice president, Emmerson Mnangagwa." } ], "id": "9968_1", "question": "How could this affect future elections?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "International observers have expressed concern about the suspension of Nigeria's chief justice - just three weeks before a general election. Judge Walter Onnoghen was suspended by President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday. He is facing charges for allegedly failing to declare his personal assets before taking office in 2017. But the EU, UK and US have taken serious issue with his removal, suggesting it could \"cast a pall over the electoral process\". Mr Buhari's decision has been called \"an act of dictatorship\" by his main challenger in next month's election, Atiku Abubakar. Opposition politicians have halted campaigning in protest at the president's decision to suspend the head of the Supreme Court. President Buhari, who is seeking a second term, has often accused the judiciary of frustrating his anti-corruption fight. However, no details have been given on the reasons behind the move. As the head of the judiciary, Nigeria's chief justice plays a vital role in settling election disputes. The charges against the top judge and his subsequent suspension just before elections are widely seen as politically motivated. The suspension came less than 24 hours before Mr Onnoghen was scheduled to swear in members of election tribunals. \"The decision to suspend the chief justice has led to many Nigerians, including lawyers and civil society observer groups, to question whether due process was followed,\" said the EU Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) in a statement. The US embassy said it was \"deeply concerned\" at the decision to replace Judge Onnoghen \"without the support of the legislative branch on the eve of national and state elections\". The British High Commission also expressed \"serious concern over the suspension\", saying in a statement: \"It risks affecting both domestic and international perceptions on the credibility of the forthcoming elections\".", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1875, "answer_start": 894, "text": "As the head of the judiciary, Nigeria's chief justice plays a vital role in settling election disputes. The charges against the top judge and his subsequent suspension just before elections are widely seen as politically motivated. The suspension came less than 24 hours before Mr Onnoghen was scheduled to swear in members of election tribunals. \"The decision to suspend the chief justice has led to many Nigerians, including lawyers and civil society observer groups, to question whether due process was followed,\" said the EU Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) in a statement. The US embassy said it was \"deeply concerned\" at the decision to replace Judge Onnoghen \"without the support of the legislative branch on the eve of national and state elections\". The British High Commission also expressed \"serious concern over the suspension\", saying in a statement: \"It risks affecting both domestic and international perceptions on the credibility of the forthcoming elections\"." } ], "id": "9969_0", "question": "Why the international pressure?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Tens of thousands of low-skilled migrants could come to the UK to work for up to a year under proposed new post-Brexit immigration rules. The measure, which would last until 2025, is intended to protect parts of the economy reliant on overseas labour. The idea was described as \"shocking\" by campaign group Migration Watch. Home Secretary Sajid Javid said the new system would be based on UK needs rather than where migrants were from and show the UK \"open for business\". Unveiling what he said would be the biggest shake-up of immigration policy for 40 years, Mr Javid said that while there was no \"specific target\" for reducing numbers coming into the UK, net migration would come down to \"sustainable levels\". The much-delayed White Paper - a document setting out proposed new laws before they are formalised in a government bill - also includes: - Scrapping the current cap on the number of skilled workers such as doctors or engineers from the EU and elsewhere - A consultation on a minimum salary requirement of PS30,000 for skilled migrants seeking five-year visas - Visitors from the EU will not need visas - Plans to phase in the new system from 2021 Mr Javid said the proposals would enable the UK to exercise control over its borders and \"deliver on the clear instruction\" of the British people when they voted to leave the EU. The ending of free movement from Europe is a key part of Mrs May's Brexit deal, although any replacement system is set to be part of post-Brexit trade talks. The government says lower-skilled and unskilled migrants will not routinely be able to come to the UK and settle permanently. However, as a \"transitional measure\", people from \"low-risk countries\" in Europe and further afield will be able to come to the UK, without a job offer, and seek work for up to a year. The scheme is designed to fill vacancies in sectors such as construction and social care which are heavily dependent on EU labour and which ministers fear could struggle to adapt when free movement ends. There will be a \"cooling off period\" after a year, meaning people will be expected to leave at that point and not to apply again for a further 12 months. Ministers say applicants, who will have to pay a fee and not get access to public funds, will not be able to switch to any other migration scheme. It is understood that the numbers being admitted this way would be \"similar\" to the 170,000 workers from outside the European Economic Area currently in low or unskilled roles. The government said it reserved the right to tighten the criteria or impose numerical caps prior to a review in 2025 but campaigners for lower migration said the plans were \"astonishing\". Migration Watch said there was no way of making sure people left after a year and the immigration figures, which do not include people in the UK for less than a year, could be distorted as a result. \"It is shocking that the government should have caved in so completely to the demands of industry while ignoring the strong public desire to get immigration down,\" said its chair Lord Green. \"The chief winners will be business, as they exploit the bonanza of a huge new pool of labour from around the world while continuing to avoid their responsibility to the public to recruit and train up local talent.\" The BBC's home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw The White Paper was trailed as creating an immigration system based on \"skills\". The delay in publication was partly down to a dispute between ministers over a possible PS30,000 salary threshold for skilled workers. But it's the plan to create a route into Britain for unskilled or low-skilled workers which is likely to prove particularly controversial. The document says the reason for the route is that some sectors have built up a \"reliance\" on such staff from the EU and require a \"period of time\" to adjust to the end of freedom of movement. But the new scheme will be in place until at least 2025; it'll be open to those in other \"low-risk\" countries, not just the EU; and there is currently no numerical cap. It raises the prospect that the immigration system the government is designing is as much about ensuring there's a flow of unskilled labour, as it is about skilled workers. The White Paper introduces a new visa route for skilled migrants, from Europe and beyond. It accepts a recommendation from the independent Migration Advisory Committee to scrap the current limit of 20,700 on workers classed as high-skilled coming to the UK using \"Tier 2\" visas. Tier 2 is the name for general work visas for people from outside the European Economic Area and Switzerland who have been offered a skilled job in the UK. Eligible professions include nurses and doctors. There will be a consultation about the salary threshold of PS30,000 for skilled worker visas, amid opposition to such a cap from business and some cabinet members. The PS30,000 minimum earnings rule already applies to non-EU workers in most Tier 2 visa cases but could also apply to migrants from the EU. Extending it to skilled migrants could affect the NHS's ability to recruit the staff it needs, the body representing NHS trusts has warned. NHS Providers deputy chief executive Saffron Cordery told Today: \"We are deeply concerned about what is going to happen. High skills does not equal high pay. \"You have got starting salaries for nurses at PS23,000 - also for paramedics, midwives. Junior doctors starting salaries at PS27,000, healthcare assistants at PS17,000, all coming in way below that PS30,000 cap. \"It is not just health workers, it is social care as well. We have to remember where the skills lay. They lay in those staff under PS30,000.\" The document also suggests the changes could have a negative economic impact, reducing annual output, or GDP, by between 0.4% and 0.9% by 2025. During a BBC interview, Mr Javid repeatedly declined to say whether the government's target of reducing net migration - the difference between the numbers of people leaving the UK for at least a year and those moving to the UK for at least a year - to less than 100,000 would still apply after Brexit. But, at Prime Minister's Questions, Theresa May confirmed the government was sticking to the \"tens of thousands\" ambition. For Labour, shadow home secretary Diane Abbott said the government had \"disgracefully labelled workers on less than PS30,000 as low-skilled\" when \"our economy and public services are kept ticking by this majority of workers\". \"The government is not, as it wrongly claims, using a skills-based criteria to meet the needs of our economy and our society. \"It is using an income-based system which allows derivatives traders free movement but which excludes nurses, social care workers and other professions in which we have severe skills or labour shortages.\" Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the government's plans would be \"devastating for the Scottish economy\" because \"our demographics make it essential that we attract people to live and work here\". Business groups said the salary threshold would need to be lower than PS30,000 and warned the proposals could \"tie the hands\" of employers Adam Marshall, director general of the British Chambers of Commerce, said: \"Employers are hugely concerned that the complexity and cost associated with new immigration rules will impact their ability to invest and grow at a time when many areas are facing near-full employment.\" Currently, someone is eligible to apply for a \"Tier 2\" general work visa - which can last for up to five years - if they are from outside the European Economic Area and Switzerland. They must also have been offered a high-skilled job in the UK - which is any profession ranked at level six and above on a list called the Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) - and which has not been filled by a UK worker. The high-skilled category includes a range of professions such as doctors, nurses, musicians, aircraft pilots, brokers, paramedics, librarians, journalists, food inspectors, probation officers, social workers, surveyors, architects, lawyers, and some teachers. In most cases, the migrant will need to be earning at least PS30,000 per year (or PS20,800 for new entrants), or the \"appropriate rate\" for their job if that figure is higher. Some professions, like nurses, are exempt. People who do jobs which the UK needs - on the shortage occupation list - are also eligible to apply for the Tier 2 visa, even if the job is less highly-skilled and ranked at RQF level four.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 8496, "answer_start": 7416, "text": "Currently, someone is eligible to apply for a \"Tier 2\" general work visa - which can last for up to five years - if they are from outside the European Economic Area and Switzerland. They must also have been offered a high-skilled job in the UK - which is any profession ranked at level six and above on a list called the Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) - and which has not been filled by a UK worker. The high-skilled category includes a range of professions such as doctors, nurses, musicians, aircraft pilots, brokers, paramedics, librarians, journalists, food inspectors, probation officers, social workers, surveyors, architects, lawyers, and some teachers. In most cases, the migrant will need to be earning at least PS30,000 per year (or PS20,800 for new entrants), or the \"appropriate rate\" for their job if that figure is higher. Some professions, like nurses, are exempt. People who do jobs which the UK needs - on the shortage occupation list - are also eligible to apply for the Tier 2 visa, even if the job is less highly-skilled and ranked at RQF level four." } ], "id": "9970_0", "question": "Who counts as a high-skilled worker?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Some Cambodian mothers have been selling their breast milk to women in the US, in a controversial practice that has now been banned. But the case has raised questions about whether these women have been exploited, or empowered, by this enterprise. For the past two years, dozens of women have been supplying their excess breast milk to a company called Ambrosia Labs. The company has been processing and selling the milk in the US. It was marketed at US mothers who have problems producing milk for their babies. On Tuesday, Cambodia imposed an immediate ban on breast milk exports, effectively ending the business. It is unclear why it has acted now, although this follows recent bans on other controversial practices such as organ trafficking and surrogacy. Health officials said earlier they were investigating as \"the product comes from a human organ\". Several countries run milk banks, where women can donate milk to needy babies. Breast milk is also sold via websites and private networks, and is a thriving niche industry despite some countries' restrictions. Children's charity Unicef said the practice was \"exploiting vulnerable and poor women for profit and commercial purposes\", and said breast milk should not be commercialised. Ambrosia had set up shop in Stung Meanchey, an area near the capital Phnom Penh and known for its poverty, and reportedly approached women in the area. Reports said Ambrosia paid them the equivalent of $0.50 per ounce (PS0.40 per 28ml), while selling the milk for eight times that price in the US. Critics say the practice encourages mothers to sell their breast milk instead of giving it to their own babies. With Ambrosia, \"the women are paid by the ounce, so there is the pressure for them to produce and sell their milk... When you introduce a price tag, it creates an incentive\", says medical anthropologist Aunchalee Palmquist. She also says the women may not be fully informed. While they may believe they are selling excess milk, breastfeeding women usually produce just enough for their infant, so some may be unintentionally selling milk that their baby needs. The alternative is formula milk, but in rural areas, where the majority of Cambodians live, a constant supply of clean water to mix with the powder may be a problem. Many would not be able to afford formula in the first place. A large percentage of Cambodian newborns are breastfed, but this has dropped in recent years, and overall child malnutrition is still an issue, according to Unicef. Ambrosia says they only hired mothers who had breastfed their babies for at least six months - the minimum as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) - and limited mothers to two submissions a day. The WHO also recommends that babies be breastfed, while eating other food, until the age of two or beyond. Ambrosia has argued that it was \"empowering\" women, and claims it helped more than 90 families financially. Speaking to media, the women said selling their milk gave them a much-needed stable source of income while enabling them to stay at home and take care of their children. They could earn up to $12 a day - a considerable sum. \"We are regretful that this trade has been banned. It had helped our livelihood a lot,\" one mother named Chea Sam told AFP. An alternative would be working in factories or other employment with lesser pay and less ideal conditions. \"They may be working long hours and would be away from their children, so they would not be able to breastfeed them for long,\" says Annuska Derks, who has researched Cambodian women's issues. Some mothers also viewed it as helping out other mothers. In several South East Asian societies, \"breast milk plays a role in establishing kinship,\" says Professor Derks. \"It's like the other child is also our child,\" one mother named Khorn Vanny told the Phnom Penh Post. The issue is thus also about the mothers' rights as women. \"As uncomfortable as this situation may be, at the end of the day it should be up to women to decide what to do with their bodies,\" says anthropologist Charlotte Faircloth, who has researched breastfeeding culture. \"It's a difficult thing to decide their autonomy for them, to say they are not educated or don't know what's good for them. There is a danger in sounding patronising. \"If the buyer and seller are happy with the process then we have to respect that that is their decision.\" Dr Palmquist argues that the women \"are impoverished and therefore living in an environment where their choices are constrained. So there isn't really a choice here\". \"There could be many other ways to lift them out of poverty in a way that does not biologically exploit women\", such as providing better education opportunities and jobs. The government said on Tuesday in a brief statement on the ban: \"Even though we are still poor, we are not so poor that we have to sell human breast milk.\" What experts can agree on is that the transnational sale of breast milk is an extremely complex but growing industry and needs greater scrutiny.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1066, "answer_start": 248, "text": "For the past two years, dozens of women have been supplying their excess breast milk to a company called Ambrosia Labs. The company has been processing and selling the milk in the US. It was marketed at US mothers who have problems producing milk for their babies. On Tuesday, Cambodia imposed an immediate ban on breast milk exports, effectively ending the business. It is unclear why it has acted now, although this follows recent bans on other controversial practices such as organ trafficking and surrogacy. Health officials said earlier they were investigating as \"the product comes from a human organ\". Several countries run milk banks, where women can donate milk to needy babies. Breast milk is also sold via websites and private networks, and is a thriving niche industry despite some countries' restrictions." } ], "id": "9971_0", "question": "What happened in Cambodia?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2819, "answer_start": 1067, "text": "Children's charity Unicef said the practice was \"exploiting vulnerable and poor women for profit and commercial purposes\", and said breast milk should not be commercialised. Ambrosia had set up shop in Stung Meanchey, an area near the capital Phnom Penh and known for its poverty, and reportedly approached women in the area. Reports said Ambrosia paid them the equivalent of $0.50 per ounce (PS0.40 per 28ml), while selling the milk for eight times that price in the US. Critics say the practice encourages mothers to sell their breast milk instead of giving it to their own babies. With Ambrosia, \"the women are paid by the ounce, so there is the pressure for them to produce and sell their milk... When you introduce a price tag, it creates an incentive\", says medical anthropologist Aunchalee Palmquist. She also says the women may not be fully informed. While they may believe they are selling excess milk, breastfeeding women usually produce just enough for their infant, so some may be unintentionally selling milk that their baby needs. The alternative is formula milk, but in rural areas, where the majority of Cambodians live, a constant supply of clean water to mix with the powder may be a problem. Many would not be able to afford formula in the first place. A large percentage of Cambodian newborns are breastfed, but this has dropped in recent years, and overall child malnutrition is still an issue, according to Unicef. Ambrosia says they only hired mothers who had breastfed their babies for at least six months - the minimum as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) - and limited mothers to two submissions a day. The WHO also recommends that babies be breastfed, while eating other food, until the age of two or beyond." } ], "id": "9971_1", "question": "Why is the case controversial?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4395, "answer_start": 2820, "text": "Ambrosia has argued that it was \"empowering\" women, and claims it helped more than 90 families financially. Speaking to media, the women said selling their milk gave them a much-needed stable source of income while enabling them to stay at home and take care of their children. They could earn up to $12 a day - a considerable sum. \"We are regretful that this trade has been banned. It had helped our livelihood a lot,\" one mother named Chea Sam told AFP. An alternative would be working in factories or other employment with lesser pay and less ideal conditions. \"They may be working long hours and would be away from their children, so they would not be able to breastfeed them for long,\" says Annuska Derks, who has researched Cambodian women's issues. Some mothers also viewed it as helping out other mothers. In several South East Asian societies, \"breast milk plays a role in establishing kinship,\" says Professor Derks. \"It's like the other child is also our child,\" one mother named Khorn Vanny told the Phnom Penh Post. The issue is thus also about the mothers' rights as women. \"As uncomfortable as this situation may be, at the end of the day it should be up to women to decide what to do with their bodies,\" says anthropologist Charlotte Faircloth, who has researched breastfeeding culture. \"It's a difficult thing to decide their autonomy for them, to say they are not educated or don't know what's good for them. There is a danger in sounding patronising. \"If the buyer and seller are happy with the process then we have to respect that that is their decision.\"" } ], "id": "9971_2", "question": "Is there another side to the debate?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5034, "answer_start": 4396, "text": "Dr Palmquist argues that the women \"are impoverished and therefore living in an environment where their choices are constrained. So there isn't really a choice here\". \"There could be many other ways to lift them out of poverty in a way that does not biologically exploit women\", such as providing better education opportunities and jobs. The government said on Tuesday in a brief statement on the ban: \"Even though we are still poor, we are not so poor that we have to sell human breast milk.\" What experts can agree on is that the transnational sale of breast milk is an extremely complex but growing industry and needs greater scrutiny." } ], "id": "9971_3", "question": "So should Cambodian women be allowed to sell their milk?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "An Australian student who lived and worked in North Korea for over a year has been released from detention. It's not known why Alek Sigley was detained - in his many public writings, the 29-year-old avoided political criticism of North Korea, instead describing the quirks and minutiae of society. But how did he get there in the first place? And how many expats live in a nation largely sealed off to the world? Broadly, they can be divided into two groups: Westerners and Chinese. China is North Korea's strongest and closest ally, and since relations improved between the two nations last year, the number of Chinese tourists visiting has surged, says Prof Dean Ouellette from Kyungnam University in South Korea. He estimates that up to 120,000 Chinese tourists visited in the past year. In contrast, fewer than 5,000 Western tourists visit each year - and the number of Western residents is even lower. North Korea researcher Andray Abrahamian, a frequent visitor to the country, estimates there to be only about 200 Westerners in the country. Almost all of them are based in the capital, Pyongyang, and are tied to the handful of diplomatic missions, humanitarian aid missions, or are linked to the universities - including the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology, which has an exchange programme for teachers. Most Westerners living in North Korea are there in \"fairly specialised circumstances\", says Dr John Nilsson-Wright, an international relations expert from Cambridge University and Chatham House. \"It's relatively unusual for people to spend a very long episode of time in North Korea, they're usually with some sort of government programme for a set time and numbers are quite small,\" he tells the BBC. Outside of those areas, even accessing a visa for an NGO worker can be very difficult. Organisations need to secure a North Korean partner or sponsor who can vouch for them, says Prof Ouellette. \"The scrutiny process would be more thorough and probably involve the ministry of state security for anyone attempting a longer-term stay,\" he says. Alek first visited North Korea on a tourist visa in 2012, before setting up his own tour company. He went on to lead dozens of trips to the state, building up the networks he needed to apply to study at Kim Il-sung University, the nation's top university. \"There is no open application process, and being accepted is often contingent on having contacts in-country,\" he wrote in a blog post. \"I had made some friends who were willing to vouch for me and help me apply, although reaching the finish line still took two years of email exchanges, a personal statement, a medical exam, and a police certificate confirming that I didn't have a criminal record.\" Last April, he began his two-year masters degree on Korean literature. He noted that he was one of three Western students at his university - the other two men being from Canada and Sweden. According to Chinese state media, the Chinese government offers 60 students full scholarships to North Korean universities each year. About 70 other Chinese students pay their own way there. In his blogs Mr Sigley wrote about the freedom he had, compared to tourists who must stick with their guide and only visit designated areas. \"As a long-term foreign resident on a student visa, I have nearly unprecedented access to Pyongyang,\" he wrote. \"I'm free to wander around the city, without anyone accompanying me.\" However, Mr Abrahamian says even as residents, Westerners often can't gain access to \"plenty of places - restaurants and buildings and neighbourhoods\" - partly because they lack items like the state-issued token to pay at a restaurant. They also have to live their lives within a set of sensitive regulations. Mixing with locals is frowned upon. Public photography is risky. \"You can never take anything for granted when you're there,\" says Prof Nilsson-Wright. He refers to the case of US student Otto Warmbier, who was jailed in North Korea in 2016 for 17 months after being accused of stealing a propaganda sign during a five-day tour. He died just days after he was returned to the US in a coma. Following that, the US banned its citizens from visiting the state. \"As you see with the Warmbier case, well-meaning Westerners can fall foul of local regulations in a way that can be severe, and sometimes fatal,\" says Prof Nilsson-Wright. Most Western expats are well aware of the risks says, Mr Abrahamian. \"[But] as hard as it is, it's worth trying to build connections to that society,\" he says. \"We believe that contact is the best way of reducing suspicion and opening up the country.\"", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1326, "answer_start": 413, "text": "Broadly, they can be divided into two groups: Westerners and Chinese. China is North Korea's strongest and closest ally, and since relations improved between the two nations last year, the number of Chinese tourists visiting has surged, says Prof Dean Ouellette from Kyungnam University in South Korea. He estimates that up to 120,000 Chinese tourists visited in the past year. In contrast, fewer than 5,000 Western tourists visit each year - and the number of Western residents is even lower. North Korea researcher Andray Abrahamian, a frequent visitor to the country, estimates there to be only about 200 Westerners in the country. Almost all of them are based in the capital, Pyongyang, and are tied to the handful of diplomatic missions, humanitarian aid missions, or are linked to the universities - including the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology, which has an exchange programme for teachers." } ], "id": "9972_0", "question": "Who are the foreigners in North Korea?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2072, "answer_start": 1327, "text": "Most Westerners living in North Korea are there in \"fairly specialised circumstances\", says Dr John Nilsson-Wright, an international relations expert from Cambridge University and Chatham House. \"It's relatively unusual for people to spend a very long episode of time in North Korea, they're usually with some sort of government programme for a set time and numbers are quite small,\" he tells the BBC. Outside of those areas, even accessing a visa for an NGO worker can be very difficult. Organisations need to secure a North Korean partner or sponsor who can vouch for them, says Prof Ouellette. \"The scrutiny process would be more thorough and probably involve the ministry of state security for anyone attempting a longer-term stay,\" he says." } ], "id": "9972_1", "question": "Is it hard to get in?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3109, "answer_start": 2073, "text": "Alek first visited North Korea on a tourist visa in 2012, before setting up his own tour company. He went on to lead dozens of trips to the state, building up the networks he needed to apply to study at Kim Il-sung University, the nation's top university. \"There is no open application process, and being accepted is often contingent on having contacts in-country,\" he wrote in a blog post. \"I had made some friends who were willing to vouch for me and help me apply, although reaching the finish line still took two years of email exchanges, a personal statement, a medical exam, and a police certificate confirming that I didn't have a criminal record.\" Last April, he began his two-year masters degree on Korean literature. He noted that he was one of three Western students at his university - the other two men being from Canada and Sweden. According to Chinese state media, the Chinese government offers 60 students full scholarships to North Korean universities each year. About 70 other Chinese students pay their own way there." } ], "id": "9972_2", "question": "What about Alek Sigley?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4624, "answer_start": 3110, "text": "In his blogs Mr Sigley wrote about the freedom he had, compared to tourists who must stick with their guide and only visit designated areas. \"As a long-term foreign resident on a student visa, I have nearly unprecedented access to Pyongyang,\" he wrote. \"I'm free to wander around the city, without anyone accompanying me.\" However, Mr Abrahamian says even as residents, Westerners often can't gain access to \"plenty of places - restaurants and buildings and neighbourhoods\" - partly because they lack items like the state-issued token to pay at a restaurant. They also have to live their lives within a set of sensitive regulations. Mixing with locals is frowned upon. Public photography is risky. \"You can never take anything for granted when you're there,\" says Prof Nilsson-Wright. He refers to the case of US student Otto Warmbier, who was jailed in North Korea in 2016 for 17 months after being accused of stealing a propaganda sign during a five-day tour. He died just days after he was returned to the US in a coma. Following that, the US banned its citizens from visiting the state. \"As you see with the Warmbier case, well-meaning Westerners can fall foul of local regulations in a way that can be severe, and sometimes fatal,\" says Prof Nilsson-Wright. Most Western expats are well aware of the risks says, Mr Abrahamian. \"[But] as hard as it is, it's worth trying to build connections to that society,\" he says. \"We believe that contact is the best way of reducing suspicion and opening up the country.\"" } ], "id": "9972_3", "question": "So what is it like living there?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The man accused of killing eight people in New York by driving a truck down a cycle lane was inspired by the Islamic State (IS) group, police say. New York Police's Deputy Commissioner John Miller said that notes in Arabic claiming the attack on behalf of IS were recovered from the scene of the attack in Lower Manhattan. The suspect, Sayfullo Saipov, a 29-year-old Uzbek immigrant, was shot and injured by police. He is in hospital and under arrest. Mr Miller said: \"Based on the investigation overnight, it appears that Mr Saipov had been planning this for a number of weeks. \"He did this in the name of Isis [an alternative name for IS], and along with the other items recovered at the scene was some notes that further indicate that. \"He appears to have followed almost exactly to a 'T' the instructions that Isis has put out in its social media channels before, with instructions to their followers on how to carry out such an attack.\" One of the notes said \"the Islamic State would endure forever\", the deputy commissioner added. Police have sealed off Mr Saipov's home in Paterson, New Jersey, and are searching the premises. IS has suffered a series of military setbacks in Syria and Iraq in recent months as US-backed forces take back territory the group considers its \"caliphate\". New York has increased the police presence at key transport hubs, and there will be additional uniformed and plain-clothes police on duty at Sunday's New York Marathon. President Donald Trump said he was taking steps to end the diversity lottery programme - the immigration system under which the suspect entered the country. He also attacked the US justice system, and said he would consider sending the suspect to the US military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. \"We also have to come up with punishment that's far quicker and far greater than the punishment these animals are getting right now,\" he said. The mayor of New York City and the governor of New York state have both praised the resilience of New Yorkers - and urged people not to \"politicise\" a tragedy that took eight lives. Governor Andrew Cuomo said the attacker was believed to have acted alone, telling reporters: \"He is a depraved coward, is what he is, and he was associated with Isis, and he was radicalised domestically.\" Mr Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio also suggested New York's strict gun control laws had ensured that high-powered weapons could not get into the hands of terrorists. The attacker rented the truck from a New Jersey branch of retailer Home Depot on Tuesday afternoon before driving to New York City and entering the bike lane, police said. Video cameras show the van driving at very high speed, appearing to target bike riders and pedestrians. After the van collided with a school bus, its driver emerged and brandished what appeared to be two weapons. Mr Saipov was shot and wounded at the scene by police officer Ryan Nash, 28, one of three NYPD officers who attended the scene after being alerted by witnesses. He is currently being treated at Bellevue hospital, where he has been interviewed by officers. Knives, a paint gun and a pellet gun were recovered from the scene. Twelve people were injured in the attack. Three have subsequently been released and nine remain in hospital, five of them in a serious condition. It was the deadliest terror attack in the city since 11 September, 2001, when nearly 3,000 people died at the hands of al-Qaeda attackers who flew hijacked aircraft into the twin towers of the World Trade Center. Sayfullo Saipov had reportedly lived in Tampa, Florida, before moving to Paterson, New Jersey. He arrived in America from Uzbekistan in 2010 and is a legal resident in the country. Uber confirmed he had been working as a driver for them. CBS News quotes an intelligence source as saying he was known to US authorities after his name was associated with the subjects of FBI counter-terrorism investigations in 2015. The source says he had some contact with individuals who were considered radicalised extremists, at least one of whom was Uzbek. It is unclear whether those being investigated were in the US or overseas. It is unclear if Mr Saipov, who was not the main focus of the investigation, was interviewed at that time by the FBI. Uzbekistan's President Shavkat Mirziyoyev told President Trump his country was ready to \"use all forces and resources\" to help investigate the attack. Uzbek officials have not yet confirmed the identity or nationality of the attacker. The deaths of five Argentines were confirmed by the country's foreign ministry. They were part of a group of nine friends in New York to celebrate the 30th anniversary of their graduation from a polytechnic college in the central city of Rosario, Argentine media said. One of the men who died, steel firm owner Ariel Erlij, helped pay for the friends' trip, La Nacion newspaper reported (in Spanish). The men - all aged 48 or 49 - were named as Hernan Diego Mendoza, Diego Enrique Angelini, Alejandro Damian Pagnucco, Ariel Erlij and Hernan Ferrucci. Belgian officials said Anne-Laure Decadt, a 31-year-old from Staden in Flanders, was also killed. Three Belgians were wounded. Two other victims, both Americans, have not yet been named. Were you in the area? Did you witness the events? Email [email protected] Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: - WhatsApp: +447555 173285 - Tweet: @BBC_HaveYourSay - Send pictures/video to [email protected] - Upload your pictures / video here - Send an SMS or MMS to 61124 or +44 7624 800 100", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2451, "answer_start": 1292, "text": "New York has increased the police presence at key transport hubs, and there will be additional uniformed and plain-clothes police on duty at Sunday's New York Marathon. President Donald Trump said he was taking steps to end the diversity lottery programme - the immigration system under which the suspect entered the country. He also attacked the US justice system, and said he would consider sending the suspect to the US military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. \"We also have to come up with punishment that's far quicker and far greater than the punishment these animals are getting right now,\" he said. The mayor of New York City and the governor of New York state have both praised the resilience of New Yorkers - and urged people not to \"politicise\" a tragedy that took eight lives. Governor Andrew Cuomo said the attacker was believed to have acted alone, telling reporters: \"He is a depraved coward, is what he is, and he was associated with Isis, and he was radicalised domestically.\" Mr Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio also suggested New York's strict gun control laws had ensured that high-powered weapons could not get into the hands of terrorists." } ], "id": "9973_0", "question": "What has been the reaction?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3519, "answer_start": 2452, "text": "The attacker rented the truck from a New Jersey branch of retailer Home Depot on Tuesday afternoon before driving to New York City and entering the bike lane, police said. Video cameras show the van driving at very high speed, appearing to target bike riders and pedestrians. After the van collided with a school bus, its driver emerged and brandished what appeared to be two weapons. Mr Saipov was shot and wounded at the scene by police officer Ryan Nash, 28, one of three NYPD officers who attended the scene after being alerted by witnesses. He is currently being treated at Bellevue hospital, where he has been interviewed by officers. Knives, a paint gun and a pellet gun were recovered from the scene. Twelve people were injured in the attack. Three have subsequently been released and nine remain in hospital, five of them in a serious condition. It was the deadliest terror attack in the city since 11 September, 2001, when nearly 3,000 people died at the hands of al-Qaeda attackers who flew hijacked aircraft into the twin towers of the World Trade Center." } ], "id": "9973_1", "question": "How did the attack unfold?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4491, "answer_start": 3520, "text": "Sayfullo Saipov had reportedly lived in Tampa, Florida, before moving to Paterson, New Jersey. He arrived in America from Uzbekistan in 2010 and is a legal resident in the country. Uber confirmed he had been working as a driver for them. CBS News quotes an intelligence source as saying he was known to US authorities after his name was associated with the subjects of FBI counter-terrorism investigations in 2015. The source says he had some contact with individuals who were considered radicalised extremists, at least one of whom was Uzbek. It is unclear whether those being investigated were in the US or overseas. It is unclear if Mr Saipov, who was not the main focus of the investigation, was interviewed at that time by the FBI. Uzbekistan's President Shavkat Mirziyoyev told President Trump his country was ready to \"use all forces and resources\" to help investigate the attack. Uzbek officials have not yet confirmed the identity or nationality of the attacker." } ], "id": "9973_2", "question": "Who is the suspect?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5229, "answer_start": 4492, "text": "The deaths of five Argentines were confirmed by the country's foreign ministry. They were part of a group of nine friends in New York to celebrate the 30th anniversary of their graduation from a polytechnic college in the central city of Rosario, Argentine media said. One of the men who died, steel firm owner Ariel Erlij, helped pay for the friends' trip, La Nacion newspaper reported (in Spanish). The men - all aged 48 or 49 - were named as Hernan Diego Mendoza, Diego Enrique Angelini, Alejandro Damian Pagnucco, Ariel Erlij and Hernan Ferrucci. Belgian officials said Anne-Laure Decadt, a 31-year-old from Staden in Flanders, was also killed. Three Belgians were wounded. Two other victims, both Americans, have not yet been named." } ], "id": "9973_3", "question": "Who were the victims?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Human rights organisation Amnesty has accused Apple, Samsung and Sony, among others, of failing to do basic checks to ensure minerals used in their products are not mined by children. In a report into cobalt mining in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, it found children as young as seven working in dangerous conditions. Cobalt is a a vital component of lithium-ion batteries. The firms said that they had a zero tolerance policy towards child labour. The DRC produces at least 50% of the world's cobalt. Miners working in the area face long-term health problems and the risk of fatal accidents, according to Amnesty. It claimed that at least 80 miners had died underground in southern DRC between September 2014 and December 2015. It also collected the testimonies of children who allegedly work in the mines. Paul, a 14-year-old orphan, started mining when he was 12 and told researchers: \"I would spend 24 hours down in the tunnels. I arrived in the morning and would leave the following morning ... I had to relieve myself down in the tunnels ... My foster mother planned to send me to school, but my foster father was against it, he exploited me by making me work in the mine.\" UNICEF estimates that there are approximately 40,000 children working in mines across southern DRC. In response to the report, Apple said: \"Underage labour is never tolerated in our supply chain and we are proud to have led the industry in pioneering new safeguards.\" It said that it conducts rigorous audits on its supply chain and any supplier found hiring underage workers is forced to: - fund the worker's safe return home - finance the worker's education at a school chosen by the worker or his/her family - continue to pay the worker's wages - offer him or her a job when he or she reaches legal age to work. On cobalt specifically it added: \"We are currently evaluating dozens of different materials, including cobalt, in order to identify labour and environmental risks as well as opportunities for Apple to bring about effective, scalable and sustainable change.\" Samsung said that it had a \"zero tolerance policy\" towards child labour and that, it too, conducted regular and rigorous audits of its supply chain. \"If a violation of child labour is found, contracts with suppliers who use child labour will be immediately terminated,\" it said. Sony commented: \"We are working with the suppliers to address issues related to human rights and labour conditions at the production sites, as well as in the procurement of minerals and other raw materials.\" The Amnesty report, which was jointly researched with African Resources Watch (Afrewatch), traced how traders buy cobalt from areas where child labour is rife, selling it on to firm Congo Dongfang Mining (CDM), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Chinese mineral giant Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt Ltd. Amnesty contacted 16 multinationals who were listed as customers of the battery manufacturers, who in turn source minerals from Huayou Cobalt. One company admitted the connection while four others were unable to say for certain the source of the cobalt they used. Five denied sourcing the mineral from the firm, despite being listed as customers in company documents and two others said that they did not source cobalt from DRC. Six firms said that they were investigating the claims. \"It is a major paradox of the digital era that some of the world's richest, most innovative companies are able to market incredibly sophisticated devices without being required to show where they source raw materials for their components,\" said executive director of Afrewatch (Africa Resources Watch) Emmanuel Umpula. \"The abuses in mines remain out of sight and out of mind because in today's global marketplace, consumers have no idea about the conditions at the mine, factory and assembly line. We found that traders are buying cobalt without asking questions about how and where it was mined.\" Mark Dummett, business and human rights researcher at Amnesty said that mining was \"one of the worst forms of child labour\". \"The glamorous shop displays and marketing of state of the art technologies are a stark contrast to the children carrying bags of rocks and miners in narrow man-made tunnels risking permanent lung damage,\" he said. \"Millions of people enjoy the benefits of new technologies but rarely ask how they are made. It is high time the big brands took some responsibility for the mining of the raw materials that make their lucrative products. \"Companies whose global profits total $125bn (PS86.7bn) cannot credibly claim that they are unable to check where key minerals in their productions come from,\" he said. It should be noted that the majority of the children working in the mining industry in DRC do not enter the underground mines but perform a variety of tasks on the surface, including scavenging for ore and sorting minerals that have been mined underground.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4910, "answer_start": 2548, "text": "The Amnesty report, which was jointly researched with African Resources Watch (Afrewatch), traced how traders buy cobalt from areas where child labour is rife, selling it on to firm Congo Dongfang Mining (CDM), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Chinese mineral giant Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt Ltd. Amnesty contacted 16 multinationals who were listed as customers of the battery manufacturers, who in turn source minerals from Huayou Cobalt. One company admitted the connection while four others were unable to say for certain the source of the cobalt they used. Five denied sourcing the mineral from the firm, despite being listed as customers in company documents and two others said that they did not source cobalt from DRC. Six firms said that they were investigating the claims. \"It is a major paradox of the digital era that some of the world's richest, most innovative companies are able to market incredibly sophisticated devices without being required to show where they source raw materials for their components,\" said executive director of Afrewatch (Africa Resources Watch) Emmanuel Umpula. \"The abuses in mines remain out of sight and out of mind because in today's global marketplace, consumers have no idea about the conditions at the mine, factory and assembly line. We found that traders are buying cobalt without asking questions about how and where it was mined.\" Mark Dummett, business and human rights researcher at Amnesty said that mining was \"one of the worst forms of child labour\". \"The glamorous shop displays and marketing of state of the art technologies are a stark contrast to the children carrying bags of rocks and miners in narrow man-made tunnels risking permanent lung damage,\" he said. \"Millions of people enjoy the benefits of new technologies but rarely ask how they are made. It is high time the big brands took some responsibility for the mining of the raw materials that make their lucrative products. \"Companies whose global profits total $125bn (PS86.7bn) cannot credibly claim that they are unable to check where key minerals in their productions come from,\" he said. It should be noted that the majority of the children working in the mining industry in DRC do not enter the underground mines but perform a variety of tasks on the surface, including scavenging for ore and sorting minerals that have been mined underground." } ], "id": "9974_0", "question": "Paradox?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Bitcoin has breached the $16,000 mark, extending the digital currency's record-breaking surge. The cryptocurrency began the year below $1,000 but continues to rise despite warnings of a dangerous bubble. According to Coindesk.com, Bitcoin reached $16,663.18 (PS12, 358.35), having soared over 50% in a week. The new high comes days before the launch of Bitcoin futures on two exchanges, including the world's largest futures exchange, CME. Spread betting firm CMC Markets said the rise had all the symptoms of a bubble market, warning \"there is no way to know when the bubble will burst\". What's behind the Bitcoin gold rush? US regulator approves Bitcoin trading Steam stops accepting Bitcoin payments There are two key traits of Bitcoin: it is digital and it is seen as an alternative currency. Unlike the notes or coins in your pocket, it largely exists online. Secondly, Bitcoin is not printed by governments or traditional banks. A small but growing number of businesses, including Expedia and Microsoft, accept bitcoins - which work like virtual tokens. However, the vast majority of users now buy and sell them as a financial investment. The digital currency's rapid ascent from around $1,000 at the start of the year has put it in the spotlight. Critics have said Bitcoin is going through a bubble similar to the dotcom boom, whereas others say it is rising in price because it is crossing into the financial mainstream. Financial regulators have taken a range of views on the status of digital currencies and their risks. The UK's Financial Conduct Authority warned investors in September they could lose all their money if they buy digital currencies issued by firms, known as \"initial coin offerings\". But last week a US regulator agreed to let two traditional exchanges, CME Group and CBOE Global Markets, begin trading in Bitcoin-related financial contracts. The announcement from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) that it will allow investors to buy and sell \"future\" contracts in bitcoins - an agreement to buy the crypto-currency, for example, in three months time at a certain price - was seen as a watershed moment for Bitcoin. Cambridge Global Payments director of global product and market strategy Karl Schamotta said that move was behind the latest rally: \"The perception in households around the world that the CME and the CBOE are providing legitimacy to Bitcoin is really what is driving the massive rally here.\" But Leonhard Weese, president of the Bitcoin Association of Hong Kong, said the rise in Bitcoin's value was \"mostly motivated by fear of missing out and greed\". Bitcoins are created through a complex computer process known as mining, and then monitored by a network of computers across the world. A steady stream of about 3,600 new bitcoins are created a day - with about 16.5 million now in circulation from a maximum limit of 21 million.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1144, "answer_start": 703, "text": "There are two key traits of Bitcoin: it is digital and it is seen as an alternative currency. Unlike the notes or coins in your pocket, it largely exists online. Secondly, Bitcoin is not printed by governments or traditional banks. A small but growing number of businesses, including Expedia and Microsoft, accept bitcoins - which work like virtual tokens. However, the vast majority of users now buy and sell them as a financial investment." } ], "id": "9975_0", "question": "What is Bitcoin?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "A Dutchman known as the \"Indiana Jones of the art world\" has found a Picasso painting that was stolen 20 years ago. Arthur Brand says the portrait was circulated in the Dutch criminal underworld for years after it was taken from a Saudi sheikh's yacht in 1999. Buste de Femme (Dora Maar) was first painted in 1938, and is now thought to be worth EUR25m (PS21m; $28m). Dora Maar was Pablo Picasso's lover and muse for seven years. The painting hung in his home until his death in 1973. Mr Brand hit headlines last year after tracking down a Byzantine mosaic of Saint Mark. It had been taken from a church in Cyprus in the 1970s. He also won international acclaim in 2015 when he found Hitler's Horses - two bronze statues by Nazi sculptor Joseph Thorak. The Picasso painting, he told news agency AFP, was circulated for years, \"often being used as collateral, popping up in a drug deal here, four years later in an arms deal there\". \"Everyone assumed it had been destroyed - that's what happens with 90% of all stolen art, because it can't be put on sale,\" he told Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant, adding that after he recovered the painting, he hung it on his wall for the night \"and thoroughly enjoyed it\". Mr Brand's search for the stolen portrait began in 2015 after he heard that a \"Picasso stolen from a ship\" was being circulated among criminals in the Netherlands, although he did not know exactly which work it was. After several years of searching, Mr Brand worked out that the painting was Buste de Femme (Dora Maar) - also known as Portrait of Dora Maar. Dora Maar, who was born Theodora Markovitch in 1907, was a renowned photographer and artist in her own right. She was in a relationship with Picasso from 1936 to 1943. She died in 1997 at the age of 89. The painting had been stolen from Coral Island, a luxury yacht belonging to Saudi billionaire Sheikh Abdul Mohsen Abdulmalik Al-Sheikh, while it was anchored in Antibes for refurbishment. Once he knew exactly which artwork he was looking for, he was able to put out appeals to people who may have inadvertently bought it. Earlier this month, he got a response. \"Two representatives of a Dutch businessman contacted me, saying their client had the painting. He was at his wits' end,\" he told AFP. \"He thought the Picasso was part of a legitimate deal. It turns out the deal was legitimate - the method of payment was not.\" They then brought the masterpiece to his flat in Amsterdam, wrapped in a sheet and some black rubbish bags. Police in France and the Netherlands have said that they will not prosecute the painting's last owner. It is now being held by an insurance company, which will decide what to do next.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2680, "answer_start": 1206, "text": "Mr Brand's search for the stolen portrait began in 2015 after he heard that a \"Picasso stolen from a ship\" was being circulated among criminals in the Netherlands, although he did not know exactly which work it was. After several years of searching, Mr Brand worked out that the painting was Buste de Femme (Dora Maar) - also known as Portrait of Dora Maar. Dora Maar, who was born Theodora Markovitch in 1907, was a renowned photographer and artist in her own right. She was in a relationship with Picasso from 1936 to 1943. She died in 1997 at the age of 89. The painting had been stolen from Coral Island, a luxury yacht belonging to Saudi billionaire Sheikh Abdul Mohsen Abdulmalik Al-Sheikh, while it was anchored in Antibes for refurbishment. Once he knew exactly which artwork he was looking for, he was able to put out appeals to people who may have inadvertently bought it. Earlier this month, he got a response. \"Two representatives of a Dutch businessman contacted me, saying their client had the painting. He was at his wits' end,\" he told AFP. \"He thought the Picasso was part of a legitimate deal. It turns out the deal was legitimate - the method of payment was not.\" They then brought the masterpiece to his flat in Amsterdam, wrapped in a sheet and some black rubbish bags. Police in France and the Netherlands have said that they will not prosecute the painting's last owner. It is now being held by an insurance company, which will decide what to do next." } ], "id": "9976_0", "question": "How did he find it?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "It is known as the great synchronisation. For the first time since the financial crisis all the global centres of economic growth are seeing an economic growth spurt. Christine Lagarde, the managing director of the International Monetary Fund, was so chipper at the fund's Autumn Meeting in October she took to quoting Percy Shelley. \"There is harmony in autumn,\" she told the assembled finance ministers in Washington, including Philip Hammond. Europe, China, Japan, the emerging Asian economies and America (the world's economic growth engine) had all seen an \"accelerating cyclical upswing\", the IMF said, upgrading its global growth forecast to 3.7% from 3.6%. A figure that is in sharp contrast to last year's more sluggish 3.2%, which was the lowest since the financial crisis. Finally, the world is dragging itself out of its credit crunch stupor. The decision by the US Senate to pass Republican proposals for a $1.3trn (PS1trn) tax cut is likely to further boost the American economy. An analysis by the non-partisan Joint Committee on Taxation suggests that over a decade GDP growth could increase by 0.7% compared with a baseline scenario of no change. And for an economy worth in the region of $19trn that's an awful lot of new value. As I am sure President Donald Trump will be, well, trumpeting. Corporation tax on business profits will be cut from 35% to 21%. Alongside new restrictions on shifting profits abroad, the cut is likely to lead to a major repatriation of US business profits which are at present being sheltered offshore. Individual taxes will also be cut, but more modestly. \"In general, tax policy affects economic growth by changing incentives for owners of capital to invest and for potential workers to supply labour to the economy by changing the after-tax rates of return to these two factors of production,\" the Joint Committee said in its analysis earlier this month. Put simply, tax cuts tend to be an economic incentive to invest for businesses and to work and spend for employees. Of course, there have been many critics of the US tax reforms. The wealthy gain more than those less well off. And the business tax cuts are far larger than those for middle-income Americans. The cuts are also likely to add to the US deficit, although Republicans argue that greater economic growth will ultimately increase the overall tax take. There is one big take out from today's policy change - American economic growth is strengthening and this is likely to boost it further. China, much of the rest of Asia and the European continent are also seeing stronger figures. That is good news for Britain, where, although overall growth has been downgraded, exports have been boosted, helped along by the weaker pound. Manufacturing output surveys suggest order books are at their healthiest for 30 years. The great synchronisation is with us. And America's plans for tax cuts won't do anything to harm that.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1309, "answer_start": 665, "text": "A figure that is in sharp contrast to last year's more sluggish 3.2%, which was the lowest since the financial crisis. Finally, the world is dragging itself out of its credit crunch stupor. The decision by the US Senate to pass Republican proposals for a $1.3trn (PS1trn) tax cut is likely to further boost the American economy. An analysis by the non-partisan Joint Committee on Taxation suggests that over a decade GDP growth could increase by 0.7% compared with a baseline scenario of no change. And for an economy worth in the region of $19trn that's an awful lot of new value. As I am sure President Donald Trump will be, well, trumpeting." } ], "id": "9977_0", "question": "Crunch cure?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "WhatsApp has confirmed that a security flaw in the app let attackers install spy software on their targets' smartphones. That has left many of its 1.5 billion users wondering how safe the \"simple and secure\" messaging app really is. On Wednesday, chip-maker Intel confirmed that new problems discovered with some of its processors could reveal secret information to attacks. How trustworthy are apps and devices? No. Messages on WhatsApp are end-to-end encrypted, meaning they are scrambled when they leave the sender's device. The messages can be decrypted by the recipient's device only. That means law enforcement, service providers and cyber-criminals cannot read any messages they intercept as they travel across the internet. However, there are some caveats. Messages can be read before they are encrypted or after they are decrypted. That means any spyware dropped on the phone by an attacker could read the messages. On Tuesday, news site Bloomberg published an opinion article calling WhatsApp's encryption \"pointless\", given the security breach. However, that viewpoint has been widely ridiculed by cyber-security experts. \"I don't think it's helpful to say end-to-end encryption is pointless just because a vulnerability is occasionally found,\" said Dr Jessica Barker from the cyber-security company Cygenta. \"Encryption is a good thing that does offer us protection in most cases.\" Cyber-security is often a game of cat and mouse. End-to-end encryption makes it much harder for attackers to read messages, even if they do eventually find a way to access some of them. WhatsApp gives the option to back up chats to Google Drive or iCloud but those back-up copies are not protected by the end-to-end encryption. An attacker could access old chats if they broke into a cloud storage account. Of course, even if users decide not to back up chats, the people they message may still upload a copy to their cloud storage. Ultimately, any app could contain a security vulnerability that leaves a phone open to attackers. WhatsApp is owned by Facebook, which typically issues software fixes quickly. Of course, even large companies can make mistakes and Facebook has had its share of data and privacy breaches over the years. There is no guarantee a rival chat app would not experience a similar security lapse. At least, following the disclosure of this flaw, WhatsApp is slightly more secure than it was a week ago. Some rival chat apps are open-source projects, which means anybody can look at the code powering the app and suggest improvements. \"Open-source software has its value in that it be can tested more widely but it doesn't necessarily mean it's more secure,\" said Dr Barker. \"Vulnerabilities can still be found with any tech, so it's not the answer to our prayers.\" And if someone did decide to switch to a rival chat app, they would still have to convince their contacts to do the same. A chat app without friends is not much use. In theory, any device or service could be hacked. In fact, security researchers often joyfully pile in on companies that claim their products are \"unhackable\". They quickly discover vulnerabilities and the embarrassed companies retract their claims. If people are worried data may be stolen from their computer, one option is to \"air gap\" the device: disconnect it from the internet entirely. That stops remote hackers accessing the machine - but even an air gap would not stop an attacker with physical access to the device. Dr Barker stressed the importance of installing software updates for apps and operating systems. \"WhatsApp pushed out an update and consumers might not have realised that security fixes are often included in updates,\" she told BBC News. WhatsApp did not help the cause, however, by describing the latest update as adding \"full-size stickers\", and not mentioning the security breach. \"People need to be made aware that updates are really important. The quicker we can update our apps, the more secure we are,\" said Dr Barker. As always, there are simple security steps to remember: - Install app and operating system security updates - Use a different password for every app or service - Where possible, enable two-step authentication to stop attackers logging in to accounts - Be careful about what apps you download - Do not click links in emails or messages you are not expecting", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1579, "answer_start": 413, "text": "No. Messages on WhatsApp are end-to-end encrypted, meaning they are scrambled when they leave the sender's device. The messages can be decrypted by the recipient's device only. That means law enforcement, service providers and cyber-criminals cannot read any messages they intercept as they travel across the internet. However, there are some caveats. Messages can be read before they are encrypted or after they are decrypted. That means any spyware dropped on the phone by an attacker could read the messages. On Tuesday, news site Bloomberg published an opinion article calling WhatsApp's encryption \"pointless\", given the security breach. However, that viewpoint has been widely ridiculed by cyber-security experts. \"I don't think it's helpful to say end-to-end encryption is pointless just because a vulnerability is occasionally found,\" said Dr Jessica Barker from the cyber-security company Cygenta. \"Encryption is a good thing that does offer us protection in most cases.\" Cyber-security is often a game of cat and mouse. End-to-end encryption makes it much harder for attackers to read messages, even if they do eventually find a way to access some of them." } ], "id": "9978_0", "question": "Was WhatsApp's encryption broken?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1926, "answer_start": 1580, "text": "WhatsApp gives the option to back up chats to Google Drive or iCloud but those back-up copies are not protected by the end-to-end encryption. An attacker could access old chats if they broke into a cloud storage account. Of course, even if users decide not to back up chats, the people they message may still upload a copy to their cloud storage." } ], "id": "9978_1", "question": "What about back-ups?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2948, "answer_start": 1927, "text": "Ultimately, any app could contain a security vulnerability that leaves a phone open to attackers. WhatsApp is owned by Facebook, which typically issues software fixes quickly. Of course, even large companies can make mistakes and Facebook has had its share of data and privacy breaches over the years. There is no guarantee a rival chat app would not experience a similar security lapse. At least, following the disclosure of this flaw, WhatsApp is slightly more secure than it was a week ago. Some rival chat apps are open-source projects, which means anybody can look at the code powering the app and suggest improvements. \"Open-source software has its value in that it be can tested more widely but it doesn't necessarily mean it's more secure,\" said Dr Barker. \"Vulnerabilities can still be found with any tech, so it's not the answer to our prayers.\" And if someone did decide to switch to a rival chat app, they would still have to convince their contacts to do the same. A chat app without friends is not much use." } ], "id": "9978_2", "question": "Should people stop using WhatsApp?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir has been ousted and arrested by the military after nearly 30 years in power. Speaking on state TV, defence minister Awad Ibn Auf said the army would oversee a two-year transitional period followed by elections. He also said a three-month state of emergency was being put in place. Protesters, however, have vowed to stay on the streets despite an overnight curfew being imposed by the military. Demonstrations against Mr Bashir, who has governed Sudan since 1989, have been taking place for several months. The protesters are now demanding a civilian council to lead the transition rather than a military one, correspondents say. \"I announce as minister of defence the toppling of the regime and detaining its chief in a secure place,\" Mr Ibn Auf said in a statement. Mr Bashir's exact whereabouts are not known. Mr Ibn Auf said the country had been suffering from \"poor management, corruption, and an absence of justice\" and he apologised \"for the killing and violence that took place\". He said Sudan's constitution was being suspended, border crossings were being shut until further notice and airspace was being closed for 24 hours. As the news broke, crowds of protesters celebrated outside army headquarters in the capital, Khartoum, embracing soldiers and climbing on top of armoured vehicles. Sudan's intelligence service said it was freeing all political prisoners. Mr Bashir is the subject of an international arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC), which accuses him of organising war crimes and crimes against humanity in Sudan's western Darfur region. However it is not clear what will happen to him following his arrest. This is a military coup with no clear roadmap for how the generals plan to hand over power to civilian rule. The fear will be that they have no such intention. The security elite has calculated that removing Omar al-Bashir and imposing a curfew will buy them time and end the protests. If so this represents a serious miscalculation. The Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA) - which has spearheaded the demonstrations - and other civil society groups have made it clear they won't accept a cosmetic change. They have the numbers and are highly organised. The military has the guns and the capacity for imposing brutal repression. But what then? A crackdown will not resolve the desperate economic crisis that brought years of simmering resentment on to the streets last December. There is also the question of the cracks within the Sudanese security establishment, evident during the clashes between soldiers and intelligence/militia forces in recent days. It is a volatile and unpredictable situation that demands cool heads and compromise on the part of the military. The stability of Sudan depends on how they react to continued protests. Early on Thursday, military vehicles entered the large compound in Khartoum housing the defence ministry, the army headquarters and Mr Bashir's personal residence. State TV and radio later interrupted programming to say the army would be making a statement. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of demonstrators marched through central Khartoum, some chanting: \"It has fallen, we won.\" The SPA said the military had announced a \"coup\" that would merely reproduce the same \"faces and institutions that our great people revolted against\". It urged people to continue the sit-in outside military headquarters and to stay on the streets of cities across the country. \"Those who destroyed the country and killed the people are seeking to steal every drop of blood and sweat that the Sudanese people poured in their revolution that shook the throne of tyranny,\" the statement read. The SPA has previously said that any transitional administration must not include anyone from what it called the \"tyrannical regime\". A young woman who became a symbol of the protests also dismissed the military announcement. Alaa Salah, nicknamed \"Kandaka\" or \"Nubian queen\" after she was filmed leading chants against the government, accused the authorities of \"hoodwinking\" the people. The protests were originally sparked by a rise in the cost of living, but demonstrators then began calling for the president to resign and his government to go. Government officials said 38 people had died since December but Human Rights Watch said the number was higher. In February, it looked as though the president might step down, but instead Mr Bashir declared a state of national emergency. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appealed for \"calm and utmost restraint by all\" and urged a transition that would meet the \"democratic aspirations\" of the people. The UN Security Council is to discuss the situation in a closed-door meeting on Friday called by the US, France, Britain, Germany, Belgium and Poland, diplomats said. UK Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said that a two-year military council was \"not the answer\". \"We need to see a swift move to an inclusive, representative, civilian leadership. And we need to ensure there's no more violence,\" he said on Twitter. The African Union condemned the military takeover. AU Commission chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat said it was not an appropriate response to the challenges facing the country and the aspirations of its people. Russia, which has twice hosted Mr Bashir, called for calm and said it was monitoring the situation. Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov expressed hope that bilateral ties would not be damaged, whoever was in power. Amnesty International's Secretary General Kumi Naidoo praised the courage of the Sudanese people but said he was \"alarmed by the raft of emergency measures\" announced by the military. In a statement, he also said that justice was \"long overdue\" for Mr Bashir. \"Omar al-Bashir is wanted for some of the most odious human rights violations of our generation and we need to finally see him held accountable,\" Mr Naidoo added. Formerly an army officer, he seized power in a military coup in 1989. His rule has been marked by civil war. The civil conflict with the south of the country ended in 2005 and South Sudan became independent in 2011. Another civil conflict has been taking place in the western region of Darfur. Mr Bashir is accused of organising war crimes and crimes against humanity there by the ICC. Despite an international arrest warrant issued by the ICC, he won consecutive elections in 2010 and 2015. However, his last victory was marred by a boycott by the main opposition parties. The arrest warrant has led to an international travel ban. However, Mr Bashir has made diplomatic visits to Egypt, Saudi Arabia and South Africa.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3216, "answer_start": 2839, "text": "Early on Thursday, military vehicles entered the large compound in Khartoum housing the defence ministry, the army headquarters and Mr Bashir's personal residence. State TV and radio later interrupted programming to say the army would be making a statement. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of demonstrators marched through central Khartoum, some chanting: \"It has fallen, we won.\"" } ], "id": "9979_0", "question": "How did the coup unfold?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4493, "answer_start": 3217, "text": "The SPA said the military had announced a \"coup\" that would merely reproduce the same \"faces and institutions that our great people revolted against\". It urged people to continue the sit-in outside military headquarters and to stay on the streets of cities across the country. \"Those who destroyed the country and killed the people are seeking to steal every drop of blood and sweat that the Sudanese people poured in their revolution that shook the throne of tyranny,\" the statement read. The SPA has previously said that any transitional administration must not include anyone from what it called the \"tyrannical regime\". A young woman who became a symbol of the protests also dismissed the military announcement. Alaa Salah, nicknamed \"Kandaka\" or \"Nubian queen\" after she was filmed leading chants against the government, accused the authorities of \"hoodwinking\" the people. The protests were originally sparked by a rise in the cost of living, but demonstrators then began calling for the president to resign and his government to go. Government officials said 38 people had died since December but Human Rights Watch said the number was higher. In February, it looked as though the president might step down, but instead Mr Bashir declared a state of national emergency." } ], "id": "9979_1", "question": "How have protesters reacted?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5923, "answer_start": 4494, "text": "UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appealed for \"calm and utmost restraint by all\" and urged a transition that would meet the \"democratic aspirations\" of the people. The UN Security Council is to discuss the situation in a closed-door meeting on Friday called by the US, France, Britain, Germany, Belgium and Poland, diplomats said. UK Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said that a two-year military council was \"not the answer\". \"We need to see a swift move to an inclusive, representative, civilian leadership. And we need to ensure there's no more violence,\" he said on Twitter. The African Union condemned the military takeover. AU Commission chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat said it was not an appropriate response to the challenges facing the country and the aspirations of its people. Russia, which has twice hosted Mr Bashir, called for calm and said it was monitoring the situation. Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov expressed hope that bilateral ties would not be damaged, whoever was in power. Amnesty International's Secretary General Kumi Naidoo praised the courage of the Sudanese people but said he was \"alarmed by the raft of emergency measures\" announced by the military. In a statement, he also said that justice was \"long overdue\" for Mr Bashir. \"Omar al-Bashir is wanted for some of the most odious human rights violations of our generation and we need to finally see him held accountable,\" Mr Naidoo added." } ], "id": "9979_2", "question": "What other reaction has there been?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 6643, "answer_start": 5924, "text": "Formerly an army officer, he seized power in a military coup in 1989. His rule has been marked by civil war. The civil conflict with the south of the country ended in 2005 and South Sudan became independent in 2011. Another civil conflict has been taking place in the western region of Darfur. Mr Bashir is accused of organising war crimes and crimes against humanity there by the ICC. Despite an international arrest warrant issued by the ICC, he won consecutive elections in 2010 and 2015. However, his last victory was marred by a boycott by the main opposition parties. The arrest warrant has led to an international travel ban. However, Mr Bashir has made diplomatic visits to Egypt, Saudi Arabia and South Africa." } ], "id": "9979_3", "question": "Who is Omar al-Bashir?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump are making a state visit to the UK from 3 to 5 June. Here's a rundown of what we can expect. It's a formal trip to the UK by a head of state and is normally at the invitation of the Queen, who acts on advice from the government. Although they're grand occasions, they're not just ceremonial affairs - they're also used by the government to further what it sees as Britain's national interests. The Queen usually receives one or two heads of state per year and has hosted 112 of these visits since becoming monarch in 1952. The official website of the Queen and the Royal Family has a full list of all the other state visits, and details of how the ceremonies unfold. Visitors usually stay at either Buckingham Palace or Windsor Castle, but because Buckingham Palace is being renovated the US president is not expected to stay there. While Mr Trump is only the third US president to make a state visit to the UK, the Queen has met almost all the US presidents in office during that time, either in the UK or in the US. On Monday, the first day of Mr Trump's three-day trip, a ceremonial welcome attended by the Queen, Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall was held in the Buckingham Palace garden. After the welcome, the Duke of Sussex joined the group for a private lunch at the palace. Mr and Mrs Trump then visited Westminster Abbey for a tour and met Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall for tea at Clarence House. A state banquet in the palace's ballroom took place on Monday evening, with Mr Trump, the Queen, Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall joined by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, along with other UK public figures and prominent Americans living in Britain. On Tuesday, Mr Trump and Prime Minister Theresa May will host a business breakfast attended by the Duke of York at St James's Palace. Business leaders understood to be attending include Barclays CEO Jes Staley, GlaxoSmithKline chief executive Emma Walmsley, BAE Systems chairman Sir Roger Carr and the National Grid's John Pettigrew. Mr Trump will then visit Downing Street for talks with Theresa May. They are expected to discuss a range of issues on which they hold differing views - including climate change and Huawei. The talks will be followed by a joint press conference. Mrs May is due to step down as prime minister on 7 June. Thousands of people are expected to join protests against Mr Trump's visit in UK cities on Tuesday. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is due to address the London rally in Trafalgar Square, where he will be joined by members of other political parties including the Liberal Democrats and the Green Party. In the evening, the Trumps will host a dinner at the residence of the US ambassador attended by Charles and Camilla on behalf of the Queen. The trip is expected to culminate on Wednesday 5 June with Mr Trump, the Queen and Prince Charles attending the national commemorative event in Portsmouth for the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings. More than 300 veterans will be at the ceremony, which will feature musical performances, testimonial readings and military displays. Following the D-Day event Mr Trump will travel to his hotel and golf resort in Doonbeg, in the Republic of Ireland. He will hold a meeting with Irish premier Leo Varadkar at Shannon Airport. A visiting leader will sometimes speak at the Houses of Parliament during a state visit, but Commons Speaker John Bercow said on Tuesday he had not received a request for Mr Trump to do so. The president has suggested he \"may\" meet Conservative MP and leadership hopeful Boris Johnson and Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage during his visit - both of whom he described as \"friends\" and \"good guys\". The prime minister says the visit is a chance for the UK and the US to strengthen their \"already close relationship\". Talks will cover areas such as trade, investment, security and defence. But Mr Trump is a controversial figure and many have opposed the visit. His policies - from the executive order that restricts entry to the US from certain countries, to the wall with Mexico, and his rejection of the Paris climate deal - have provoked criticism, both domestically and internationally. And that is to say nothing about some of the comments he's made - including outspoken attacks against political opponents, the media, and his critics - and the investigation into his links to Russia. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn refused to attend Mr Trump's state banquet, accusing the president of using \"racist and misogynist rhetoric\", while Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable also declined an invitation. Others argue that the US is a key ally of the UK and that Mr Trump should be welcomed accordingly. The security operation surrounding Mr Trump's visit could cost more than PS18m. It is intended to create an impenetrable ring of steel around the US president. The president arrived in the UK on his customised, high-spec aircraft Air Force One. Inside, the president and his travel companions enjoy 4,000 sq ft of floor space on three levels, with space for conference and dining rooms and a medical facility with an operating table. The presidential motorcade, which includes two identical limousines nicknamed The Beast and other security and communications vehicles, was flown across ahead of the president by United States Air Force transport aircraft. In 2018, almost 10,000 officers from the UK were deployed for Mr Trump's trip, with nearly every force in the country providing staff to support the operation. It was certainly eventful. As well as holding talks with Mrs May at her country residence, Chequers, and having tea with the Queen at Windsor Castle, the trip was marked by demonstrations. Tens of thousands of people gathered in central London to protest against him. There was also a six-metre \"Trump baby\" blimp - depicting the president as a nappy-wearing infant - inflated outside Parliament. And at his golf resort at Turnberry, Ayrshire, one protester paraglided over the hotel as Mr Trump played the course. Campaigners have claimed they will mobilise \"huge numbers\" in response to Mr Trump's arrival. On Monday supporters of the human rights charity Amnesty unfurled five banners facing the US embassy on Vauxhall Bridge, reading \"Resist sexism\", \"Resist racism\", \"Resist hate\", \"Resist cruelty\" and \"Resist Trump\". A \"national demonstration\" in London's Trafalgar Square will start at 11:00 BST on Tuesday, while protests are also planned in Birmingham, Stoke, Sheffield, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Chester, Leicester, Oxford and Exeter. A 16ft talking robot of Mr Trump sitting on a golden toilet is also expected to make an appearance.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1072, "answer_start": 148, "text": "It's a formal trip to the UK by a head of state and is normally at the invitation of the Queen, who acts on advice from the government. Although they're grand occasions, they're not just ceremonial affairs - they're also used by the government to further what it sees as Britain's national interests. The Queen usually receives one or two heads of state per year and has hosted 112 of these visits since becoming monarch in 1952. The official website of the Queen and the Royal Family has a full list of all the other state visits, and details of how the ceremonies unfold. Visitors usually stay at either Buckingham Palace or Windsor Castle, but because Buckingham Palace is being renovated the US president is not expected to stay there. While Mr Trump is only the third US president to make a state visit to the UK, the Queen has met almost all the US presidents in office during that time, either in the UK or in the US." } ], "id": "9980_0", "question": "What is a state visit?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3742, "answer_start": 1073, "text": "On Monday, the first day of Mr Trump's three-day trip, a ceremonial welcome attended by the Queen, Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall was held in the Buckingham Palace garden. After the welcome, the Duke of Sussex joined the group for a private lunch at the palace. Mr and Mrs Trump then visited Westminster Abbey for a tour and met Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall for tea at Clarence House. A state banquet in the palace's ballroom took place on Monday evening, with Mr Trump, the Queen, Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall joined by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, along with other UK public figures and prominent Americans living in Britain. On Tuesday, Mr Trump and Prime Minister Theresa May will host a business breakfast attended by the Duke of York at St James's Palace. Business leaders understood to be attending include Barclays CEO Jes Staley, GlaxoSmithKline chief executive Emma Walmsley, BAE Systems chairman Sir Roger Carr and the National Grid's John Pettigrew. Mr Trump will then visit Downing Street for talks with Theresa May. They are expected to discuss a range of issues on which they hold differing views - including climate change and Huawei. The talks will be followed by a joint press conference. Mrs May is due to step down as prime minister on 7 June. Thousands of people are expected to join protests against Mr Trump's visit in UK cities on Tuesday. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is due to address the London rally in Trafalgar Square, where he will be joined by members of other political parties including the Liberal Democrats and the Green Party. In the evening, the Trumps will host a dinner at the residence of the US ambassador attended by Charles and Camilla on behalf of the Queen. The trip is expected to culminate on Wednesday 5 June with Mr Trump, the Queen and Prince Charles attending the national commemorative event in Portsmouth for the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings. More than 300 veterans will be at the ceremony, which will feature musical performances, testimonial readings and military displays. Following the D-Day event Mr Trump will travel to his hotel and golf resort in Doonbeg, in the Republic of Ireland. He will hold a meeting with Irish premier Leo Varadkar at Shannon Airport. A visiting leader will sometimes speak at the Houses of Parliament during a state visit, but Commons Speaker John Bercow said on Tuesday he had not received a request for Mr Trump to do so. The president has suggested he \"may\" meet Conservative MP and leadership hopeful Boris Johnson and Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage during his visit - both of whom he described as \"friends\" and \"good guys\"." } ], "id": "9980_1", "question": "What is happening on the visit?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4746, "answer_start": 3743, "text": "The prime minister says the visit is a chance for the UK and the US to strengthen their \"already close relationship\". Talks will cover areas such as trade, investment, security and defence. But Mr Trump is a controversial figure and many have opposed the visit. His policies - from the executive order that restricts entry to the US from certain countries, to the wall with Mexico, and his rejection of the Paris climate deal - have provoked criticism, both domestically and internationally. And that is to say nothing about some of the comments he's made - including outspoken attacks against political opponents, the media, and his critics - and the investigation into his links to Russia. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn refused to attend Mr Trump's state banquet, accusing the president of using \"racist and misogynist rhetoric\", while Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable also declined an invitation. Others argue that the US is a key ally of the UK and that Mr Trump should be welcomed accordingly." } ], "id": "9980_2", "question": "Why is the visit controversial?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5563, "answer_start": 4747, "text": "The security operation surrounding Mr Trump's visit could cost more than PS18m. It is intended to create an impenetrable ring of steel around the US president. The president arrived in the UK on his customised, high-spec aircraft Air Force One. Inside, the president and his travel companions enjoy 4,000 sq ft of floor space on three levels, with space for conference and dining rooms and a medical facility with an operating table. The presidential motorcade, which includes two identical limousines nicknamed The Beast and other security and communications vehicles, was flown across ahead of the president by United States Air Force transport aircraft. In 2018, almost 10,000 officers from the UK were deployed for Mr Trump's trip, with nearly every force in the country providing staff to support the operation." } ], "id": "9980_3", "question": "What's he brought with him?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 6078, "answer_start": 5564, "text": "It was certainly eventful. As well as holding talks with Mrs May at her country residence, Chequers, and having tea with the Queen at Windsor Castle, the trip was marked by demonstrations. Tens of thousands of people gathered in central London to protest against him. There was also a six-metre \"Trump baby\" blimp - depicting the president as a nappy-wearing infant - inflated outside Parliament. And at his golf resort at Turnberry, Ayrshire, one protester paraglided over the hotel as Mr Trump played the course." } ], "id": "9980_4", "question": "What happened during his working visit to the UK in 2018?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 6703, "answer_start": 6079, "text": "Campaigners have claimed they will mobilise \"huge numbers\" in response to Mr Trump's arrival. On Monday supporters of the human rights charity Amnesty unfurled five banners facing the US embassy on Vauxhall Bridge, reading \"Resist sexism\", \"Resist racism\", \"Resist hate\", \"Resist cruelty\" and \"Resist Trump\". A \"national demonstration\" in London's Trafalgar Square will start at 11:00 BST on Tuesday, while protests are also planned in Birmingham, Stoke, Sheffield, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Chester, Leicester, Oxford and Exeter. A 16ft talking robot of Mr Trump sitting on a golden toilet is also expected to make an appearance." } ], "id": "9980_5", "question": "Will there be more protests?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Chad has called on the US government to reverse its decision to include the country on its travel ban list. Foreign Minister Madeleine Alingue said in a statement that the decision undermined the image of Chad and good relations between the two countries. She added that Chad was a partner in the fight against terrorism and that the ban would ruin its bilateral relationship with the US. Citizens of Chad are now banned from gaining business and tourist visas for the US. Seven other countries are also affected by the ban - Iran, Libya, Syria, Yemen, Somalia, North Korea and Venezuela - while Sudan was removed from the list. US President Donald Trump's original ban in March was highly controversial, as it affected six majority-Muslim countries, and was widely labelled a \"Muslim ban\". It has been challenged in court. President Trump's proclamation will come as a surprise to many Lake Chad Basin watchers, but US intelligence suggests that Chadian authorities have not been sharing information relating to public safety and terrorism with their US counterparts. The US also said that Chad, a mainly Muslim country, was a haven for jihadist groups but among the Lake Chad Basin nations (Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria) , it has suffered the fewest attacks from Boko Haram militants. There is little to indicate that the activity of these groups in Chad is anywhere as significant as in, for example, Nigeria, which recently received US support in an arms and aircraft deal. Chad has been, in Washington's words, \"an important and valuable\" partner in the fight against Islamist militancy and its capital Ndjamena is home to the headquarters of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) formed to tackle Boko Haram. Chad has also hosted the annual US-led Flintlock military exercise in West Africa three times. France is another Western power that has seen value in keeping Chad close, basing its regional counter-terrorism force Operation Barkhane in Ndjamena. It has not expressed any concerns - at least, not publicly - about its African partner not sharing intelligence. President Idris Deby has long complained about the lack of international support in funding the fight against Boko Haram, even threatening to withdraw his troops from the MNJTF. His forces have struggled to sufficiently police its vast northern regions and this could be part of what the US is concerned about. However, over the years, Chadian troops have proven their effectiveness in battle during military interventions in the Central African Republic and Mali. More recently, they made a significant contribution in suppressing Boko Haram fighters between 2014 and 2015 when the group controlled huge swathes of territory in neighbouring Nigeria. Losing Chad's cooperation would be major blow to counter-terrorism efforts in the region. This curious attempt to arm-twist the central African nation could be counter-productive. Observers wonder whether Chad's troubles started when it attempted to slap a record $74bn fine on US oil giant Exxon Mobil. At the time, the current US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson headed the company. Exxon Mobil was accused of not making royalty payments but eventually avoided the fine, more than seven times Chad's gross domestic product, as both parties reached a settlement. There is however little to suggest it was the cause of this ban. Chad might feel hard done-by to suffer this punishment despite its counter-terrorism track record, while its eastern neighbour Sudan - labelled as a state sponsor of terrorism - is being removed from the US' bad books. President Deby would not want to see his country experience similar diplomatic and economic isolation (from the West, at least). Sudan will see its omission from the travel ban list as a sign that the Trump administration will also remove wider economic sanctions on the country on 12 October. The sanctions were first put in place in 1997 when Sudan was named a state sponsor of terrorism, while further penalties were imposed for alleged abuses carried out in the troubled Darfur region. The State Department concluded that Sudan was cooperating better on counter-terrorism, and in improving humanitarian access to conflict areas, like Darfur. In August, the Deputy Commander of the US Africa Command, General Alexander Laskaris, visited the capital Khartoum as both countries worked on resuming military cooperation. Sudan will see the thawing of relations with the US and the outside world as a boost as it seeks to revive its bruised economy, one of the largest in the region. It will welcome the renewed ability to trade freely with international partners and see this as a path to attracting investment in its agriculture, mining and petroleum sectors.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3711, "answer_start": 2915, "text": "Observers wonder whether Chad's troubles started when it attempted to slap a record $74bn fine on US oil giant Exxon Mobil. At the time, the current US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson headed the company. Exxon Mobil was accused of not making royalty payments but eventually avoided the fine, more than seven times Chad's gross domestic product, as both parties reached a settlement. There is however little to suggest it was the cause of this ban. Chad might feel hard done-by to suffer this punishment despite its counter-terrorism track record, while its eastern neighbour Sudan - labelled as a state sponsor of terrorism - is being removed from the US' bad books. President Deby would not want to see his country experience similar diplomatic and economic isolation (from the West, at least)." } ], "id": "9981_0", "question": "Exxon Mobile factor?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "For years the families of victims of the Hillsborough stadium disaster have been searching for justice, looking to uncover a conspiracy to conceal the truth. Now new inquests have concluded the 96 victims were unlawfully killed. Tapping phones. Doctoring evidence. Intimidating witnesses. Not the sort of thing you expect of the authorities in modern-day Britain. But ask the families of those who died at Hillsborough, and they'll tell you that's exactly what has happened. For years they weren't believed. Even treated as paranoid. There have been inquiries, investigations and inquests, but for more than a quarter of a century the families have fought to separate truth from myth. Andrew Brookes and Henry Burke never met. One was a car worker from Bromsgrove, the other a roofing contractor from Liverpool. Andrew was 26 and single; Henry was 47, and a father of three. Both men had a passion for Liverpool Football Club. From the Midlands and from Merseyside, they each followed their team to Sheffield, to watch the Reds play Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup semi-final. And so it was that, on 15 April 1989, they came to be standing yards away from each other inside Pen Three on the Leppings Lane terrace at the Hillsborough ground. It was a glorious day. The prize for the winning team - a trip to Wembley for the FA Cup Final. It was the third consecutive time that the Football Association had chosen Hillsborough to stage a semi-final. The year before, the same two teams had played each other there at the same stage of the competition. Andrew Brookes and Henry Burke made the journey to Sheffield with 24,000 other Liverpool supporters from all over the country. The problems began outside the ground, as the numbers waiting to get in built up. The Liverpool fans had access to fewer than half the number of turnstiles that the Forest supporters did. With the crowd pressure at the Leppings Lane entrance growing, the officer in charge of that area radioed for the wide exit gates to be opened. At 14:52 the match commander, Ch Supt David Duckenfield, gave the order for that to happen. More than 2,000 Liverpool supporters flooded through exit gate \"C\" in five minutes. They headed down the central tunnel which led to the standing terraces that were divided into fenced pens. The two pens directly behind the goal were already full. The crush which developed quickly became fatal. Neither Andrew Brookes nor Henry Burke would escape. When Andrew died, his sister Louise was 17. Henry's daughter Christine was 23. The women would never have met, but for their common bereavement. Now they consider themselves \"Hillsborough sisters\". Louise Brookes says that after 27 years the women are \"like family but without the genes\". She has also become close to Donna Miller, who lost her 19-year-old brother Paul Carlile, a plasterer from Kirkby on Merseyside. \"The bonds we've formed are unique,\" says Louise. \"We do laugh and wonder 'what would our loved ones think?'\" She adds that together they've had to \"fight tooth and nail\" for their relatives. There were 89 men and boys who were killed in the crush at Hillsborough. Seven women, aged between 15 and 38, died alongside them. The 96 were of all ages and backgrounds. Rose Robinson, whose 17-year-old son Steven died in the crush, has described the Hillsborough families as \"a club that you're in but you don't want to belong to\". That club began to form just weeks after the disaster. Travelling to and from Lord Justice Taylor's public inquiry, some families decided that they should organise themselves formally, and thus in May 1989 the Hillsborough Family Support Group was born. Read profiles of all those who died in the disaster How the disaster unfolded What the police chief knew Five key mistakes Families and players react to conclusions Margaret Aspinall, mother of 18-year-old James, was one of the founding members and is the group's current chairwoman. \"I remember saying, 'I don't want to meet any families. They're not going to feel the way I feel. They can't have loved theirs like I loved mine'. \"But I got encouraged to go. And when I went along, I saw the pain, the grief, and the heartache, people still crying... I wasn't the only one. We were going to have a fight on our hands here. Especially after that headline.\" The families were in the early stages of grief, still coming to terms with their loss. But it became mixed with anger almost immediately, borne out of the suspicion that their loved ones were being set up to take the blame for their own deaths. The headline Margaret Aspinall refers to was splashed across the top of Britain's biggest-selling newspaper, the Sun. Four days after the disaster, it printed an article under a banner reading \"The Truth\". It falsely accused Liverpool fans of attacking police and robbing the dead. Margaret recalls the immediate effect it had. \"Somebody showed me the headlines of this newspaper and I thought 'oh my God they're going to blame [those who died] and the fans. We've got to do something about it. We can't allow this to happen.\" Jenni Hicks and her then husband Trevor were also founder members of the group. They'd travelled to the match with their two teenage daughters Sarah and Victoria, who both died. Jenni says: \"You have to remember how football fans were looked at in the 70s and 80s. They had a terribly bad reputation then, so really the fans who died at Hillsborough, and the supporters, were prime targets.\" That was a concern of Peter Joynes, whose son Nicholas died, aged 27. He remembers the families meeting Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. \"I was introduced to Mrs Thatcher, and she said: 'Do you have anything to say?' I said: 'It seems there will be a cover-up.' She said in her drawl: 'Mr Joynes, I can assure you there will be no cover-up', and I'm here years on still thinking there was a cover-up that day.\" Barry Devonside was at the match at Hillsborough with his 18-year-old son Christopher. They had chosen to watch the game from different parts of the ground. Barry was sitting in the North Stand, but Christopher was behind the goal at the Leppings Lane end. After the crush, Barry spent all afternoon searching frantically for him. It wasn't until late that night that he was taken to the club gymnasium, which had been set up as a temporary mortuary by the overwhelmed emergency services. Christopher was brought out in a body bag for his father to identify. Barry remembers that he was then interviewed by two police officers. \"They asked me: 'How did you travel here today? Did you stop on the way? Did you have a drink?' I asked: 'What's that got to do with identification?' I didn't believe what they were saying. I said: 'I know what the score is. Liverpool are going to take the blame for this. The Liverpool supporters.'\" It's been argued that the rush to blame the fans began hours earlier, when the match commander David Duckenfield lied to the FA within minutes of the crush. Although it was on his orders that the exit gate had been opened, he said it was the supporters who'd forced their way in. The lie went around the world. It was repeated live on the BBC's Grandstand programme, then on TV news bulletins and it prompted some newspapers to fill their pages with claims of fan misbehaviour. There were allegations that the fans had been drunk, had arrived late, had got into the ground without tickets. And worse. Steve Kelly is a member of the Hillsborough Justice Campaign - another group which supports bereaved families and helps survivors. His brother Michael died in the Leppings Lane end. \"My mother read the fact that somebody may have been urinating on my brother. Stealing from his body. Nobody did that. When they saw the Sun newspaper, Mrs Thatcher must have been rubbing her hands, thinking: 'Well, great, this backs us all up. They're just thugs, they're just scum.'\" Steve says he will never buy the Sun again, in line with a continuing boycott of the paper on Merseyside. For many years the source of the Sun's story was unknown, but in 2012 the Hillsborough Independent Panel found that it was written up from copy filed by Whites News Agency in Sheffield. It was based on conversations agency staff had had with police officers. The agency also spoke to a local MP, Irvine Patnick, and the secretary of the South Yorkshire Police Federation, Paul Middup. Giving evidence at the second Hillsborough inquests, Paul Middup maintained he had done nothing wrong and that he'd based his comments on what police officers had told him. The Taylor interim report into the disaster published in August 1989 found \"not a single witness\" to support \"any of these allegations\". Lord Justice Taylor also expressed concern that the police had tried to vilify Liverpool fans. Businessman John Barry, who lived in Sheffield, had witnessed the crush and seen bodies piling up at the Leppings Lane end. By coincidence, he was also studying on the same MBA business course as Norman Bettison, who was then a chief inspector with South Yorkshire Police. He later served as chief constable of both the Merseyside and West Yorkshire forces. John Barry said that the men went to the pub with their course mates one evening a few weeks after the disaster. He told the inquest he remembers Ch Insp Bettison saying: \"I've been asked by my senior officers to pull together the South Yorkshire Police evidence for the inquiry and we're going to try and concoct a story that all the Liverpool fans were drunk and that we were afraid they were going to break down the gates, so we decided to open them.\" John Barry said: \"I thought, 'why are you saying this to me?'. He knew I had been at the Leppings Lane end and he had seen the bodies piling up and had been totally traumatised by it.\" In his evidence to the new inquests, Sir Norman Bettison agreed he had spoken to fellow students in the pub twice during the fortnight after the disaster in a \"typical bar-room conversation\" but said: \"The comments that have been ascribed to me I would not make in a private or public situation.\" The families spent more than 20 years claiming a cover-up had involved many police officers, as well as some politicians, and newspapers. But it wasn't until 2012 that their suspicions were given support, with the publication of the Hillsborough Independent Report. And it wasn't until the new inquests in 2015 that a court heard evidence about the subject. Back in 1990, Lord Justice Taylor's interim report had concluded that hooliganism had played no part in the disaster, and that the main reason for it was \"the failure of police control\". But although it exonerated the fans, and provided some comfort to the families, they say that because of the spin and adverse headlines, they have still been plagued by enormous reputational damage for 27 years. Charlotte Hennessy has grown up knowing nothing but Hillsborough. She was just six when her dad Jimmy died at the match. Now 33, and a parent herself, she has childhood memories of being bullied as a result of the disaster. The family had moved away from Merseyside to North Wales. But there, she was taunted. \"Children would say things. I'd say: 'Why are they saying mean things what's wrong with Liverpool fans?' I didn't understand until I was a teenager and I got the internet and started doing a bit of research. I've had to grow up with that all my life. Since I was six I've had to fight against that.\" Hillsborough was a disaster which happened in the pre-digital era. It was typed up on paper, written down in notebooks, on memos, in minutes of meetings. Since 2012 when the Hillsborough Independent Panel disclosed documents running to 335,000 pages, searching for information has been possible via a few mouse-clicks. But for years the families were denied access to much of this, and they suspected that evidence was being hidden and suppressed. They went in pursuit. In the mid-1990s, through criminologist Prof Phil Scraton, they discovered that some of the statements written by police officers after the disaster had been edited and amended. But it was many years before they found out just how widespread it had been. South Yorkshire Police (SYP) officers who'd been on duty at Hillsborough were asked to write down their recollections. Unusually, however, they were told to record them on plain paper - not in their official pocket notebooks, with traceable numbered pages. Originally the statements were intended for internal use only, to help South Yorkshire Police's legal team as they prepared for the Taylor public inquiry. But when West Midlands Police was appointed to investigate the disaster, its team asked for the statements. That was when senior officers, and the SYP lawyers decided they should be put through a vetting process before being disclosed. The statements went to the SYP solicitors for checking, and were then sent back with suggested changes, to be typed up again before being submitted to the Taylor Inquiry. Once the families learned that police statements had been altered, they began to believe that there had been a co-ordinated attempt to manipulate evidence. They pushed for it to be investigated. In 1997 the new Labour Home Secretary Jack Straw set up a Judicial Scrutiny of Evidence. The Scrutiny was conducted by Lord Justice Stuart-Smith, who didn't get off to a good start, offending the families on the first morning. Asking if everyone had arrived, he said: \"It's not like Liverpool fans to turn up at the last minute!\" He later apologised for \"an off-the-cuff remark\" which he said he \"deeply regretted\". Not for the first time, the families felt that an establishment figure was likely to be against them. The Scrutiny found that most of the amendments made to police statements were \"of no consequence\" and it rejected the allegations \"of irregularity and malpractice\". The home secretary announced that there was no new evidence which could challenge previous verdicts and rulings. The families had the backing of local politicians. But beyond Merseyside it was harder for the families to win public support. Trevor Hicks says: \"We always tried to play fair, play the Establishment rules. But the Establishment wasn't listening.\" Frustration reached boiling point in 2009 when a lone cry of \"Justice!\" was directed at a politician, Andy Burnham. The then-secretary of state for culture, media and sport was speaking at Anfield, at the Hillsborough 20th anniversary memorial service. \"Justice for the 96!\" rang out across the Kop, thousands of survivors, campaigners, and members of the general Liverpool public chanting so passionately that at last Westminster ears pricked up. It was the moment that everything changed. Andy Burnham is a Liverpool lad himself. That he's an Evertonian doesn't matter - Hillsborough is the one subject which unites the red and blue halves of the city. Burnham took the message to government and full early disclosure of all public documentation about the disaster was promised. In 2012 the result of that pledge was the publication of the Hillsborough Independent Panel Report. It confirmed the families' suspicions about the amended statements and many other issues. The system by which statements were altered was fully exposed. The panel revealed that \"hundreds of officers' statements were vetted\" and that 164 statements were substantially changed. References to \"chaos\", \"fear\", \"panic\" and \"confusion\" were deleted, as were criticisms of inadequate police leadership. Comments about fans arriving late and drunk were left in. Phil Scraton, who sat on the panel, said later: \"There was a mindset amongst the police investigators which hinged on hooliganism, drunkenness, late arrival and ticketlessness.\" The entire evidence base of the investigations had to be questioned. In the wake of the panel's report, the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) launched a criminal investigation into the aftermath of Hillsborough. The IPCC says it is now investigating the amended statements of more than 250 officers. One account which was edited was that of William Crawford who was serving as a police sergeant in 1989. On the day of the disaster he'd been in charge of a group of officers near to the tunnel leading to the Leppings Lane terraces. In his original statement he commented that at previous matches he'd worked at, more officers had been allocated to police the same area. In the amended version of Sgt Crawford's statement that paragraph was removed. He says: \"It was my observations, my opinion, and I thought it was important.\" Now retired, William Crawford says he was only told that his statement had been tampered with in 2014, when he spoke to IPCC investigators. \"I wasn't happy. I thought it was important, and it was removed because it was criticism.\" Former PC Fiona Nicol had a slightly different experience. Also now retired, in 1989 she was stationed by the Leppings Lane terraces when the crush developed. She tried to rescue fans including 14-year-old Adam Spearritt, who did not survive. In the week after the disaster, she was summoned to police headquarters and told to write up her experiences. She was young and new in service, and felt under enormous pressure. She was put in a small room and says that a senior officer kept coming in and taking her papers away. The former PC says that at one point the officer queried her description of the crowd in the central pens before kick-off. \"I'd written 'full' and he didn't like that particular word, 'full'. He said, 'don't use that wording'.\" She agreed to remove it and says now: \"I'm angry at myself for doing it, and I'm angry at myself for letting someone make me do it.\" The new inquests heard evidence about the practice of changing statements. Senior officers said they'd been following legal advice, and had only removed opinion and extra comment from the accounts. Fiona Nicol also spoke publicly about her experience for the first time when she gave evidence. She says that she kept quiet for years while she was still a serving South Yorkshire Police officer. Of her colleagues, she explains: \"They were trying to take the blame from themselves, the senior officers, and they didn't care who got the blame instead... and it was lower ranking officers like myself and others that they were throwing some blame at. And at the fans themselves.\" This made her feel \"extremely angry. And frightened, extremely frightened. I was frightened for a lot of years\". South Yorkshire Police is not the only force to be accused of malpractice. In the wake of the disaster West Midlands Police (WMP) took on three roles. The force was responsible for producing evidence for the Taylor Inquiry, as well as for a criminal investigation, and for the coroner. WMP was tasked with conducting an independent investigation. But survivors now speak of being treated as \"the accused\". Many relatives believe that the West Midlands officers were in league with their South Yorkshire colleagues in trying to deflect the blame away from the police. Nick Braley, who was 19 and at university in Sheffield, went to the match. He speaks of the police looking \"lost and dazed\" outside the ground. He says he remembers a mounted officer inflaming the situation there. He went through Gate C and down the tunnel into pen three, where he was caught in the crush. He says that his relief at getting out has been mixed with guilt at surviving. After the disaster the student was interviewed by a WMP officer. He is one of several survivors who've spoken out about having similar experiences. Nick describes the meeting as having been \"confrontational\". It started civilly. But he says he was quickly accused of having bought a touted ticket, which he denied. Nick says he was then asked about what he'd had to drink. \"When it all went horribly wrong was when I mentioned that a mounted policeman had effectively charged into fans outside the ground and had made a bad situation worse. At this point the DCI flipped. Some of his questioning became really aggressive. He asked: 'Who are you to make accusations against the police? You can't get away with it. Who do you think you are?' \"I started getting asked about my political persuasions. 'Are you a member of the Socialist Workers party? The Workers' Revolutionary Party? Are you a student agitator?' He observed that I'd been wearing my Free Mandela T-shirt. He said: 'You're a student out to get the police.'\" The officer was trying to influence the statement, Nick says. \"Having now seen what was written down, I believe he was looking to collect evidence that fitted the police narrative of drunken ticketless fans. He threatened me. He said: 'Do you know what wasting police time is?' He said he'd check my criminal record and make a case for me wasting police time. \"I felt scared and intimidated. This guy's got all the power. I was just a student. I stood my ground as best as I could but it was not a nice position to be in at all.\" The IPCC is now investigating the conduct of West Midlands Police, and is looking at police officers' attitudes and lines of questioning when speaking to witnesses. The IPCC is also examining how WMP gathered evidence for the Taylor Inquiry, and the original inquests. For more than two decades after the disaster, one of the biggest running sores for the families was the first inquests. They were angry at the way the hearings were conducted, feeling that vital evidence had been excluded, and they were devastated by the verdicts of accidental death. The first coroner, Dr Stefan Popper, decided not to call witnesses to speak about events after 15:15 on the day of the disaster. It meant that no evidence was heard about rescue and evacuation. And it was based on the premise that all of those who died were fatally injured or dead by 15:15. From very early on, some families suspected that their loved ones had still been alive and saveable after this time. Anne Williams was one of the first bereaved relatives to explore this. Anne's 15-year-old son Kevin died at Hillsborough. She had been shown a photograph of an off-duty policeman trying to resuscitate him. She was told that the policeman had felt a pulse on Kevin at 15:37. Then she learned that a special constable, Debra Martin, had been with the teenager in the gymnasium which was being used as a temporary mortuary. She had made a statement in which she described Kevin opening his eyes and saying \"mum\" before dying at 16:00. To Anne, the first inquests were worthless. Along with other families she refused to accept the death certificates issued after those hearings. She felt strongly that her son's death had not been fully investigated, and she dedicated her life to fighting for fresh inquests. Anne died of cancer in 2013. She did not live to see the new inquests begin in March 2014. Before she died, Anne spoke to me about her long battle for justice. \"I knew I was right in 1991... We knew that they shouldn't have imposed the 3.15 [cut-off].\" Because Anne suspected that the first inquests hadn't heard all the evidence, she set about the task of finding witnesses herself. She began with the off-duty police officer and the special constable. Anne was aghast to discover that they'd both agreed to change their statements after meeting with West Midlands Police officers. Anne asked them if they would stand by their original accounts. They both agreed, and they each confirmed that they had seen signs of life in Kevin after 15:15. She then traced the survivors who had carried Kevin across the pitch on an advertising hoarding, and with the help of TV journalist Roger Cook she found the ambulanceman whose vehicle had driven past Kevin as he was being resuscitated (enabling them to time this precisely). Anne fought for a new inquest. She made her case to the attorney general's office three times. Three times she was turned down, and told that \"it was not in the interests of justice\". Eventually she applied to the European Court of Human Rights. Just before the 20th anniversary of the disaster she learned that she had been unsuccessful there too. But when the Hillsborough Independent Panel's report was published in 2012, it paved the way for new inquests for all 96 Hillsborough victims. Anne submitted her papers to the attorney general for the fourth time. By now in a wheelchair, she was brought to the High Court to watch the historic moment when the verdicts of accidental death were quashed. Afterwards she told me: \"It's a good feeling, because they bounced me from one wall to the other, and I knew what they were doing. I thought, 'They're wearing me down, but I'll wear them down before they wear me down.' And I've actually done it.\" Since Anne's death her family have carried on the fight for justice. Anne's daughter Sara was only nine when her big brother Kevin died, and so she grew up watching her mum campaigning. \"I never doubted she was right, I just didn't ever think we would get this far.\" In December 2013 Anne Williams was honoured at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year ceremony. She was posthumously given the Helen Rollason award for outstanding achievement in the face of adversity. Another bereaved mother, Terri Sefton, also challenged the way the first inquests had been conducted. Terri's son Andrew died in the crush. He was 23. Buried in the pages of the Hillsborough Independent Panel Report there's a fascinating document. It's a note made by the first coroner, Stefan Popper, after taking a call from Terri in 1993. She had apparently phoned to ask the coroner whether he thought the inquests should have been different. He wrote: \"She had never felt that she had got the facts or had her questions answered. I explained that I had retired and that I did not think that I should make any comment and that as far as I was concerned the proceedings were over. She said that might be so for me but not for her... she had previously told me she had not been satisfied with the conduct of the inquest. \"She felt that she, an ordinary mother, had been caught up in a huge intrigue and that none of the questions that she had wanted answered had been answered. I said to Mrs Sefton that whilst she had the right to speak her mind, I had the right not to listen. That I had now retired as coroner and that there was nothing more that I wished to discuss on this.\" The 15:15 cut-off wasn't the only one of the first coroner's decisions to prove controversial. Another was his request for blood alcohol levels to be taken from every one of the victims - including the children. Criminal record checks about some of the deceased were also made on the police national computer. It's not suggested that the coroner knew this, or that the results of the checks were used in the inquiries or inquests. The Hillsborough Independent Panel said that in its view \"criminal record checks were carried out on those of the deceased with recorded blood alcohol levels in an attempt to impugn personal reputations\". At the 1990 inquests, the families had hoped for a verdict of unlawful killing to be recorded. But instead the jury decided that the deaths had been accidental. The verdicts caused outrage, prompting an emotional outcry by some families. Trevor Hicks said after the hearing: \"It is a lawful verdict, but in our opinion it is immoral.\" In 2016, the jury at the second inquests was not given the option of delivering accidental death verdicts. Speaking to the BBC in 2009, Stefan Popper said he felt he'd been unfairly criticised for the way he conducted the original inquests. \"I feel I was fair, I made a full inquiry. I had no intentions of hiding evidence from anybody... but I had to do it within the parameters of the coronial system. I may make wrong decisions but I do feel aggrieved that I'm treated as somebody who misbehaved and tried to subvert the evidence, which I have not.\" What the coroner could never do was to find someone criminally liable for the disaster. That falls outside the power of an inquest. Many families have struggled with the fact that, 27 years after Hillsborough, no organisation or individual has been convicted of any charge related to it. In August 1990 the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) announced that there was \"no evidence to justify any criminal proceedings\" against South Yorkshire Police, Sheffield City Council, Sheffield Wednesday FC, or the club's engineers Eastwood & Partners. The DPP also found that there wasn't enough evidence to charge any individual person with a crime connected to Hillsborough. South Yorkshire Police did pay out compensation money to some of the injured and bereaved. Sheffield Wednesday FC, Eastwood & Partners and Sheffield City Council also made payments. The Hillsborough Independent Panel Report calculates that a total of PS19.8m was paid. In addition, according to the same report, SYP paid compensation of PS1.5m to 16 of its own officers. But in settling the claims, the force did not admit liability. Disciplinary proceedings for \"neglect of duty\" began against the match commander Ch Supt David Duckenfield, and his deputy Supt Bernard Murray. But they were discontinued after Ch Supt Duckenfield retired early on medical grounds. The Police Complaints Authority decided that it would be unfair to proceed against Supt Murray on his own. The Hillsborough Family Support Group decided to bring a private prosecution against the police officers. In 2000 the families got their moment in court. David Duckenfield and Bernard Murray were charged with manslaughter and misconduct in a public office. But the jury acquitted Bernard Murray and was then discharged, having failed to reach verdicts on David Duckenfield. Another legal door had closed. The families would have to wait another 12 years before the launch of two fresh criminal investigations, formed in the wake of the Hillsborough Independent Report. Operation Resolve, run by Assistant Commissioner Jon Stoddart, is currently investigating the 96 deaths from a criminal perspective. Running in parallel to Operation Resolve is the biggest criminal investigation into alleged police misconduct in England and Wales ever undertaken. The IPCC is looking at whether any crimes were committed in the aftermath of the disaster, which includes whether there was an organised cover-up. Both investigations are being run from the same office building in Warrington - an uninspiring grey block on an anonymous business park. Inside are hundreds of staff, including former police officers. They have analysed hours of video footage, and many thousands of photographs, documents and other material. Operation Resolve has also been tasked with providing information and evidence for the new inquests. One of the areas that the IPCC is investigating is whether Hillsborough families were put under surveillance. Several have suspected for years that their phones were tapped or that they were watched. The IPCC says it has now interviewed 22 people who've made allegations about surveillance, and that it's \"pursuing further lines of enquiry in relation to three specific complaints\". Investigators have also approached BT for help with information about the phone network at the relevant time. Jenni Hicks, who lived in Middlesex at the time, remembers picking up the phone in 1990 to speak to a friend in Liverpool. But their conversation became crossed with another call, being made by Hilda Hammond, whose son Phillip died at Leppings Lane. Both women, whose husbands were active members of the Hillsborough Family Support Group, are convinced that the interference was the result of phone tapping. Julie Fallon had a different experience. Her brother Andrew was in the crush. Her mother, Terri Sefton, was the woman who called the first coroner to complain about the original inquests. Julie is now the sole surviving member of the family. She remembers her mum dropping her off at home one day shortly after those original inquests. Julie says: \"My mum started to walk across the road towards a shiny black car with two gentlemen sitting in it. One had his hands on the wheel and the other had, in all the great traditions, a newspaper out. \"She was tapping on the window, and she said to them: 'Look, lads I'm just popping into my daughter's and having a cup of tea, and then I'll go home. So you might as well get off.' And the guy folded up his newspaper and said 'Thank you, Mrs Sefton' and drove off. \"I said to my mum, 'Who was that?' And she said: 'Oh it's the police... they've been following me for about a week.' \"We used to joke about it in the family but we never reported it, because who would you report it to? You'd report it to the police, and it was them who'd been sat outside.\" For years the family's claims of amended statements, tapped phones and suppressed evidence fell on the deaf ears of a largely sceptical country. It wasn't until the Hillsborough Independent Panel was formed in 2010 that things changed. The chairman of the Panel was the then Bishop of Liverpool James Jones. He says now that \"the families often said to us during the process that 'this is the first time that anybody has ever listened to us; that anybody has ever taken us seriously'\". Some families refer to the date of the publication of the Panel's report - 12 September 2012 - as Truth Day. The prime minister got to his feet in the House of Commons and apologised. It was the ultimate establishment acknowledgement of the validity of the campaigners' fight. David Cameron said: \"These families have suffered a double injustice. \"The injustice of the appalling events - the failure of the state to protect their loved ones and the indefensible wait to get to the truth. \"And the injustice of the denigration of the deceased - that they were somehow at fault for their own deaths. \"On behalf of the government - and indeed our country - I am profoundly sorry for this double injustice that has been left uncorrected for so long.\" The apology was well received by both families' and survivors. The second inquests have provoked mixed feelings for both families and survivors. Some have spent so much time tracing their own witnesses and finding their own evidence that they feel they've learned little new information about their loved ones' deaths. Julie Fallon feels that she fits into that category - although the inquests have still been enormously important to her. \"The whole process, for me, has been about other people's awareness. There is barely anything that we didn't know. It's about clearing people's names, it's about getting those facts out there.\" Other families say they have learned information about their individual cases which they didn't know before. Barry Devonside went to court every day of the first inquests and has attended throughout the two years of the second set. This time around, he's learned much more about the circumstances of his son Christopher's death. Most notably he's been told, for the first time, that the teenager could have been rescued. \"Our only son was laid down on his back in the penalty area and... we were told that he could have been alive - could have been alive - for at least an hour. We have no evidence that anybody tried to save his life. And all we've got now is memories of a lovely, lovely lad and an excellent son.\" Many families have also seen their loved ones on video footage of the disaster for the first time. Since 2013, work has been done to try and identify every one of the 96 victims on the television pictures of the day. Because BBC cameras were at Hillsborough to film the FA Cup semi-final match for the Grandstand programme, there is hours of footage. Margaret Aspinall was shown video of her son James lying on the pitch with a coat over his head. A former police officer told the inquests that he'd put his tunic over the 18-year-old \"out of respect\" as he thought he was dead. The footage of him lying alone, with people stepping over him, came as a shock. \"It's my nightmare. I go to bed of a night and I ask James for his forgiveness because I wasn't there to have done something for him. I keep saying 'I'm so sorry, son, I'm so sorry'... \"To put a coat over his face, what chance did he have then, because other people must have thought he'd died? I have to live the rest of my life knowing that.\" The inquests have enabled some topics to be aired before a court for the first time, including the amended statements, and the emergency response after 15:15. And they were also the platform for the first ever apology from the match commander David Duckenfield. The families last faced him across a courtroom at the private prosecution in 2000. Fifteen years later, they crowded into the coroner's court to see him again. The former chief superintendent accepted that as the crush developed, he \"froze\" in the police control box. He accepted that his failure to order the closure of the tunnel was the \"direct cause of the deaths of the 96 persons\". And of the lie he told to the FA, he admitted: \"I said something rather hurriedly, without considering the position, without thinking of the consequences and the trauma, the heartache and distress that the inference would have caused to those people who were already in a deep state of shock, who were distressed. I apologise unreservedly to the families.\" Some relatives left their seats and walked out of the courtroom in tears. - 15 April 1989: Ninety-four football fans die and hundreds more are injured after overcrowding at a stand at Sheffield Wednesday's Hillsborough ground, at an FA Cup semi-final fixture between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest - 19 April 1989: The Sun publishes a front-page story entitled \"The Truth\", accusing drunk Liverpool fans of having caused the disaster; a 14-year-old boy dies from his injuries, bringing the death toll to 95 - August 1989: A report by Lord Justice Taylor criticises police at the stadium for \"failing to take effective control\" - 1991: An inquest returns a verdict of accidental death - 1993: Tony Bland becomes the 96th victim after his life support is turned off - he had been in a persistent vegetative state since 1989 - 1998: The Hillsborough Family Support Group brings a private prosecution for manslaughter against David Duckenfield and Bernard Murray, the two policemen in charge on the day - 2000: A jury finds Murray not guilty, and fails to reach a verdict on Duckenfield - 2009: On the 20th anniversary of the tragedy, the Hillsborough Independent Panel is set up; it is subsequently given access to all government papers relating to the event - September 2012: The panel's report finds evidence of an orchestrated police cover-up, and says that up to 41 of the dead could have been saved with improved medical care - December 2012: The original coroner's report is quashed by the High Court - March 2014: The new Hillsborough inquest begins in Warrington - January 2016: The coroner Sir John Goldring begins his summing up after 267 days of evidence; - April 2016: The inquest jury concludes that all 96 fans were unlawfully killed Later, Charlotte Hennessy said: \"I feel that he's only said it because he's been forced to, because he's been made to attend the new inquests. And I can categorically say now, I do not accept your apology, David Duckenfield. I do not accept it. You made us live a lie for 26 years. That is beyond cruel. And I'll never forgive it, and I'll never forget it.\" Twenty-seven years of campaigning have taken their toll on the Hillsborough families and survivors. Some, like Anne Williams, did not live to see the justice that they craved. For many of those who've spent the last two years listening to harrowing evidence at the inquests, the pain continues. One relative who attended nearly every day of the hearings suffered a heart attack as they drew to a close. His family believes that the stress of the court process was partly to blame. And with the possibility of prosecutions still to follow, there could be many more difficult months ahead. The former Bishop of Liverpool James Jones now acts as the home secretary's adviser on Hillsborough. Of the families, he says: \"They are the most experienced lawyers in the country. They may not be formally trained as lawyers but because they've had to fight for justice for over a quarter of a century they know this aspect of the law very intimately. I've seen that extraordinary combination of both dignity and determination. This is not the end. The investigations are ongoing. And that resilience that the families have had to draw on, they're going to have to continue to draw upon it.\" Julie Fallon knows that there could still be a long road ahead. \"I don't know what life is like without Hillsborough. It's been so formative, it's been my entire adult life. Andrew has been spoken about every day for 27 years.\" For Charlotte Hennessy the inquests have brought answers, and a kind of closure. \"I do think that my dad can rest in peace now. There's bits I'll never know, and I'll never find out but I do think he can rest in peace, definitely.\" Subscribe to the BBC News Magazine's email newsletter to get articles sent to your inbox. All images subject to copyright", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 32987, "answer_start": 30751, "text": "One of the areas that the IPCC is investigating is whether Hillsborough families were put under surveillance. Several have suspected for years that their phones were tapped or that they were watched. The IPCC says it has now interviewed 22 people who've made allegations about surveillance, and that it's \"pursuing further lines of enquiry in relation to three specific complaints\". Investigators have also approached BT for help with information about the phone network at the relevant time. Jenni Hicks, who lived in Middlesex at the time, remembers picking up the phone in 1990 to speak to a friend in Liverpool. But their conversation became crossed with another call, being made by Hilda Hammond, whose son Phillip died at Leppings Lane. Both women, whose husbands were active members of the Hillsborough Family Support Group, are convinced that the interference was the result of phone tapping. Julie Fallon had a different experience. Her brother Andrew was in the crush. Her mother, Terri Sefton, was the woman who called the first coroner to complain about the original inquests. Julie is now the sole surviving member of the family. She remembers her mum dropping her off at home one day shortly after those original inquests. Julie says: \"My mum started to walk across the road towards a shiny black car with two gentlemen sitting in it. One had his hands on the wheel and the other had, in all the great traditions, a newspaper out. \"She was tapping on the window, and she said to them: 'Look, lads I'm just popping into my daughter's and having a cup of tea, and then I'll go home. So you might as well get off.' And the guy folded up his newspaper and said 'Thank you, Mrs Sefton' and drove off. \"I said to my mum, 'Who was that?' And she said: 'Oh it's the police... they've been following me for about a week.' \"We used to joke about it in the family but we never reported it, because who would you report it to? You'd report it to the police, and it was them who'd been sat outside.\" For years the family's claims of amended statements, tapped phones and suppressed evidence fell on the deaf ears of a largely sceptical country. It wasn't until the Hillsborough Independent Panel was formed in 2010 that things changed." } ], "id": "9982_0", "question": "Was there surveillance?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Having sex too soon is the biggest regret of young people losing their virginity, a survey of British sexual behaviour suggests. More than a third of women and a quarter of men in their teens and early 20s admitted it had not been \"the right time\" when they first had sex. People must be 16 or over to legally consent to sex. The latest National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles poll says many people may not be ready at that age. The Natsal survey, carried out every decade or so, gives a detailed picture of sexual behaviour in the UK. For this latest work, published in BMJ Sexual & Reproductive Health, researchers at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine looked at the responses of nearly 3,000 young people who had completed the survey between 2010 and 2012. The responses showed that nearly 40% of young women and 26% of young men did not feel that their first sexual experience had happened \"at the right time\". When asked in more depth, most said they wished they had waited longer to lose their virginity. Few said they should have done it sooner. Most had had sex by the time they were 18 - half had done it by the time they were turning 17. Nearly a third had sex before turning 16. The survey also looked at sexual competence or readiness - whether a person could reasonably make an informed decision about whether to have sex for the first time. For example, they had to be sober enough to have consented and should not have been acting on peer pressure. Around half of the young women and four in 10 of the young men who responded failed this measure. And almost one in five women and one in 10 men said they and their partner had not been equally willing to have sex at the time, suggesting some felt pressured to have intercourse. Founder of the Natsal survey, Prof Kaye Wellings, said the age of consent was not an indicator that someone might be ready to become sexually active. \"Every young person is different - some 15-year-olds may be ready while some 18-year-olds are not.\" Co-researcher Dr Melissa Palmer said: \"Our findings seem to support the idea that young women are more likely than young men to be under pressure from their partners to have sex. \"Although the survey results yielded some positive outcomes, such as nearly nine in 10 young people using a reliable method of contraception at first sex, further efforts are required to ensure that the broader wellbeing of young people is protected as they become sexually active.\" She said sex education in schools should equip young people with the right negotiating skills to enable them to have safe and positive first sexual experiences. If you think you might have sex, ask yourself: - Does it feel right? - Do I love my partner? - Does he/she love me just as much? - Have we talked about using condoms to prevent STIs and HIV, and was the talk OK? - Have we got contraception organised to protect against pregnancy? - Do I feel able to say \"no\" at any point if I change my mind, and will we both be OK with that? If you answer yes to all these questions, the time may be right. But if you answer yes to any of the following questions, it might not be: - Do I feel under pressure from anyone, such as my partner or friends? - Could I have any regrets afterwards? - Am I thinking about having sex just to impress my friends or keep up with them? - Am I thinking about having sex just to keep my partner? Source: NHS Choices Isabel Inman from the sexual health charity Brook said: \"We firmly believe that age and stage appropriate relationships and sex education (RSE) should start early in order to empower young people to make positive decisions that are right for them. We hope the introduction of mandatory RSE will provide this opportunity.\"", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3750, "answer_start": 2643, "text": "If you think you might have sex, ask yourself: - Does it feel right? - Do I love my partner? - Does he/she love me just as much? - Have we talked about using condoms to prevent STIs and HIV, and was the talk OK? - Have we got contraception organised to protect against pregnancy? - Do I feel able to say \"no\" at any point if I change my mind, and will we both be OK with that? If you answer yes to all these questions, the time may be right. But if you answer yes to any of the following questions, it might not be: - Do I feel under pressure from anyone, such as my partner or friends? - Could I have any regrets afterwards? - Am I thinking about having sex just to impress my friends or keep up with them? - Am I thinking about having sex just to keep my partner? Source: NHS Choices Isabel Inman from the sexual health charity Brook said: \"We firmly believe that age and stage appropriate relationships and sex education (RSE) should start early in order to empower young people to make positive decisions that are right for them. We hope the introduction of mandatory RSE will provide this opportunity.\"" } ], "id": "9983_0", "question": "When is the right time?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "A military plane with 38 people on board has disappeared en route to Antarctica, Chile's air force says. The C-130 Hercules transport aircraft took off from Punta Arenas at 16:55 local time (19:55 GMT), and operators lost contact at 18:13 (21:13). Those missing include 17 crew and 21 passengers. They were travelling to provide logistical support to a military base on Antarctica's King George Island. A search-and-rescue mission is under way. Air Force Gen Eduardo Mosqueira told local media that the plane did not activate any distress signal. He said the plane, whose pilot had extensive experience, might have been forced to touch down on water. An air force statement said that the plane was about 450 miles (725km) into its 770-mile journey when contact was lost, placing it within the Drake Passage. The air force published a map of the plane's last known location on Twitter: The Drake Passage is a body of water connecting the South Atlantic and South Pacific oceans, and is known for treacherous weather conditions. But Chile's air force said local weather was good at the time of the plane's disappearance. It also said that the plane would have had enough fuel to keep airborne until 00:40. Three of the passengers were Chilean soldiers; two were civilians employed by engineering and construction firm Inproser, who were going to carry out work on the military base; one was a student at Magellanes University; and the remaining 15 passengers were members of the air force, an official said. The C-130 is also staffed by 17 crew members. The Air Force has published a list of all those on board. Air Force Gen Francisco Torres said that the search for the plane had \"begun immediately\" after it had failed to arrive at the military base in Antarctica. Four ships and 10 planes from Chile are taking part in the search operation. Uruguay and Argentina have also each sent a plane to help locate the missing C-130. An initial overflight of the area where communication was lost failed to yield any sign of the missing plane. Rescuers are currently searching inside a 60-mile radius from the last point of contact. President Sebastian Pinera said in a tweet that he was \"dismayed by the loss\". He cancelled his planned trip to Argentina to attend the swearing-in of President-elect Alberto Fernandez and instead went to Cerrillos Air Base in the capital, Santiago, to monitor the search, along with Interior Minister Gonzalo Blumel. Chile's Defence Minister Alberto Espina has travelled to Punta Arenas. Chile claims more than 1.2m sq km (463,000 sq miles) of Antarctic territory and operates nine bases there.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1203, "answer_start": 445, "text": "Air Force Gen Eduardo Mosqueira told local media that the plane did not activate any distress signal. He said the plane, whose pilot had extensive experience, might have been forced to touch down on water. An air force statement said that the plane was about 450 miles (725km) into its 770-mile journey when contact was lost, placing it within the Drake Passage. The air force published a map of the plane's last known location on Twitter: The Drake Passage is a body of water connecting the South Atlantic and South Pacific oceans, and is known for treacherous weather conditions. But Chile's air force said local weather was good at the time of the plane's disappearance. It also said that the plane would have had enough fuel to keep airborne until 00:40." } ], "id": "9984_0", "question": "What do we know of the disappearance?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1609, "answer_start": 1204, "text": "Three of the passengers were Chilean soldiers; two were civilians employed by engineering and construction firm Inproser, who were going to carry out work on the military base; one was a student at Magellanes University; and the remaining 15 passengers were members of the air force, an official said. The C-130 is also staffed by 17 crew members. The Air Force has published a list of all those on board." } ], "id": "9984_1", "question": "Who was on board?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2125, "answer_start": 1610, "text": "Air Force Gen Francisco Torres said that the search for the plane had \"begun immediately\" after it had failed to arrive at the military base in Antarctica. Four ships and 10 planes from Chile are taking part in the search operation. Uruguay and Argentina have also each sent a plane to help locate the missing C-130. An initial overflight of the area where communication was lost failed to yield any sign of the missing plane. Rescuers are currently searching inside a 60-mile radius from the last point of contact." } ], "id": "9984_2", "question": "What of the rescue effort?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2621, "answer_start": 2126, "text": "President Sebastian Pinera said in a tweet that he was \"dismayed by the loss\". He cancelled his planned trip to Argentina to attend the swearing-in of President-elect Alberto Fernandez and instead went to Cerrillos Air Base in the capital, Santiago, to monitor the search, along with Interior Minister Gonzalo Blumel. Chile's Defence Minister Alberto Espina has travelled to Punta Arenas. Chile claims more than 1.2m sq km (463,000 sq miles) of Antarctic territory and operates nine bases there." } ], "id": "9984_3", "question": "What has been the reaction?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "A man who drove his car into a crowd of protesters in the US city of Charlottesville, killing a woman, has apologised as he was sentenced to life in prison. James Alex Fields Jr, 22, was sentenced for numerous federal hate crimes committed in the August 2017 attack. Heather Heyer, 32, died when Fields drove his car into people protesting against a white nationalist rally. The avowed neo-Nazi has also been convicted of murder at the state level. He is set to be sentenced in that case next month. Speaking ahead of his sentencing on Friday, Fields apologised for the \"hurt and loss\" he had caused. \"Every day I think about how things could have gone differently and how I regret my actions. I'm sorry,\" he said. Fields pleaded guilty to 29 of 30 federal hate crimes under a deal with prosecutors who agreed not to seek the death penalty. His lawyers had asked for a more lenient sentence than life in prison, citing his age, a traumatic childhood and mental illness. Ms Heyer's parents told the court of the pain of losing their daughter. Her father Mark Heyer told Fields: \"I forgive you.\" \"I hope he can heal one day and help others too,\" her mother, Susan Bro, said. Hundreds of neo-Nazis, white nationalists and Ku Klux Klan members gathered in Charlottesville, Virginia, on 12 August, 2017 for one of the largest white supremacist rallies in the US in decades. The \"Unite the Right\" march was organised to protest against plans to take down a statue of General Robert E Lee, who had fought for the pro-slavery Confederacy during the American Civil War. Clashes broke out with counter-protesters, leaving dozens injured. Graphic video footage shared widely on social media showed Fields driving his car into the counter-protesters, killing 32-year-old paralegal Ms Heyer and injuring others. Fields, a self-described neo-Nazi from Ohio, was 20 at the time of the attack. Federal prosecutors said he thought about harming others while driving to the Charlottesville rally. They noted that there was evidence on his social media profiles of him \"expressing support of the social and racial policies of Adolf Hitler and Nazi-era Germany, including the Holocaust\". Less than a month before the attack, they said he posted an image on Instagram showing a car driving into a crowd of people. \"You have the right to protest but I'm late for work,\" read the caption. Hours before the attack, he was photographed carrying a shield bearing the emblem of a far-right hate group. Even afterwards, Fields remained unrepentant, prosecutors said. In a phone call from prison in December 2017, he criticised Ms Heyer's mother. \"She is a communist. An anti-white liberal,\" Fields said. He went on to describe her as \"the enemy\". Fields' lawyers have argued that he felt intimidated and acted to protect himself in the August 2017 attack.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1798, "answer_start": 1173, "text": "Hundreds of neo-Nazis, white nationalists and Ku Klux Klan members gathered in Charlottesville, Virginia, on 12 August, 2017 for one of the largest white supremacist rallies in the US in decades. The \"Unite the Right\" march was organised to protest against plans to take down a statue of General Robert E Lee, who had fought for the pro-slavery Confederacy during the American Civil War. Clashes broke out with counter-protesters, leaving dozens injured. Graphic video footage shared widely on social media showed Fields driving his car into the counter-protesters, killing 32-year-old paralegal Ms Heyer and injuring others." } ], "id": "9985_0", "question": "What happened in Charlottesville?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2827, "answer_start": 1799, "text": "Fields, a self-described neo-Nazi from Ohio, was 20 at the time of the attack. Federal prosecutors said he thought about harming others while driving to the Charlottesville rally. They noted that there was evidence on his social media profiles of him \"expressing support of the social and racial policies of Adolf Hitler and Nazi-era Germany, including the Holocaust\". Less than a month before the attack, they said he posted an image on Instagram showing a car driving into a crowd of people. \"You have the right to protest but I'm late for work,\" read the caption. Hours before the attack, he was photographed carrying a shield bearing the emblem of a far-right hate group. Even afterwards, Fields remained unrepentant, prosecutors said. In a phone call from prison in December 2017, he criticised Ms Heyer's mother. \"She is a communist. An anti-white liberal,\" Fields said. He went on to describe her as \"the enemy\". Fields' lawyers have argued that he felt intimidated and acted to protect himself in the August 2017 attack." } ], "id": "9985_1", "question": "Who is James Alex Fields Jr?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "At the Conservative Party conference, David Cameron pledged to build more affordable homes across the UK. Under the \"starter homes\" programme, originally announced a year ago, 200,000 first-time buyers will be able to purchase new houses or flats at a 20% discount. The quid pro quo of this arrangement is that developers will be relieved of their obligations to provide affordable homes for rent, or having to pay for general local infrastructure such as roads, or indeed schools. While this may be good news for Britain's aspiring homeowners, the worry is that there will be fewer homes for poorer families to rent. And local authorities fear they will have billions of pounds less to spend on infrastructure. When, eventually, the first building bricks are laid, the government's starter homes initiative will offer first-time buyers a much better deal than they currently get on the Help to Buy programme. Buyers will need to be under 40, and cannot have owned their own home previously. They will get at least a 20% discount on the purchase price, but they will not be allowed to sell or rent the properties for their full market value for five years. According to the plans published so far, the discounts will apply to properties worth up to PS250,000 outside London, or PS450,000 in the capital. Permission will only be granted where land is scheduled as under-used, or as an unviable commercial or industrial site. Housing associations fear that even fewer affordable homes will now be provided for people to rent. The trend is already going down. Five years ago, 60,480 affordable homes were built in England. By 2013-14 that had fallen to 42,920, according to government figures. Social rents - the cheapest - have declined significantly, while \"affordable rents\", introduced in 2011, have largely replaced them. They offer rent at 80% of market value. Intermediate affordable housing - mostly homes in shared ownership schemes - has also declined. The housing charity Shelter has called the starter homes scheme a \"non-starter\". It has calculated that outside London, the houses will cost up to nine times the average salary, and 11.5 times the average wage in the capital. It claims that they will only be affordable to those on average incomes in 58% of local authorities. \"There's nothing wrong with helping people on to the property ladder, but the government has to invest in genuinely affordable homes to buy and rent for all of those on ordinary incomes who are bearing the brunt of this crisis,\" said Campbell Robb, Shelter's chief executive. The charity Crisis has called the plans \"disastrous\". Local authorities are anxious about the money they will lose under so-called section 106 payments. These are the obligations that developers have to meet to benefit the community, in return for getting planning permission. They consist of providing a certain percentage of affordable homes in any development, as well as payments for general local infrastructure. The Local Government Association (LGA) says that typically developers pay about PS15,000 per home. If developers are no longer required to make such payments, cash-strapped local councils will lose a further PS3bn, according to LGA estimates. At the start of the financial crisis, in 2007, some 177,650 homes were completed in England. This plunged to 106,720 three years later. Since then the industry has recovered significantly, building 131,060 in the year to June. But, as the chart above shows, it is the private sector that is responsible for most house building, and it is the private sector which has suffered most. As a result, many people feel the relaxations on planning rules are the most effective way to encourage developers to build more. Banks who lend money to buyers also support the plans. \"The announcement of a new relaxation of strict planning regulations to encourage house builders to develop affordable homes is a positive development for both first-time buyers who are struggling to get on the ladder, as well as to the housing market as a whole,\" said Charles Haresnape, group managing director of mortgages at Aldermore Bank. But the bigger question remains affordability. If, by building more houses, prices fall, and more people can afford to buy them, then the government will be able to claim success. But if prices continue to rise, and it is only the wealthy middle classes who are able to take advantage of an extra leg-up from the government, the starter homes scheme is unlikely to prove popular with those destined to remain renters rather than owners. And when these homes eventually come back on the market, they will be sold at full price. They will - in effect - be affordable just once.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1423, "answer_start": 712, "text": "When, eventually, the first building bricks are laid, the government's starter homes initiative will offer first-time buyers a much better deal than they currently get on the Help to Buy programme. Buyers will need to be under 40, and cannot have owned their own home previously. They will get at least a 20% discount on the purchase price, but they will not be allowed to sell or rent the properties for their full market value for five years. According to the plans published so far, the discounts will apply to properties worth up to PS250,000 outside London, or PS450,000 in the capital. Permission will only be granted where land is scheduled as under-used, or as an unviable commercial or industrial site." } ], "id": "9986_0", "question": "What is the starter homes programme?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2616, "answer_start": 1424, "text": "Housing associations fear that even fewer affordable homes will now be provided for people to rent. The trend is already going down. Five years ago, 60,480 affordable homes were built in England. By 2013-14 that had fallen to 42,920, according to government figures. Social rents - the cheapest - have declined significantly, while \"affordable rents\", introduced in 2011, have largely replaced them. They offer rent at 80% of market value. Intermediate affordable housing - mostly homes in shared ownership schemes - has also declined. The housing charity Shelter has called the starter homes scheme a \"non-starter\". It has calculated that outside London, the houses will cost up to nine times the average salary, and 11.5 times the average wage in the capital. It claims that they will only be affordable to those on average incomes in 58% of local authorities. \"There's nothing wrong with helping people on to the property ladder, but the government has to invest in genuinely affordable homes to buy and rent for all of those on ordinary incomes who are bearing the brunt of this crisis,\" said Campbell Robb, Shelter's chief executive. The charity Crisis has called the plans \"disastrous\"." } ], "id": "9986_1", "question": "Why is the scheme controversial?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3223, "answer_start": 2617, "text": "Local authorities are anxious about the money they will lose under so-called section 106 payments. These are the obligations that developers have to meet to benefit the community, in return for getting planning permission. They consist of providing a certain percentage of affordable homes in any development, as well as payments for general local infrastructure. The Local Government Association (LGA) says that typically developers pay about PS15,000 per home. If developers are no longer required to make such payments, cash-strapped local councils will lose a further PS3bn, according to LGA estimates." } ], "id": "9986_2", "question": "Will it mean less money for councils?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4135, "answer_start": 3224, "text": "At the start of the financial crisis, in 2007, some 177,650 homes were completed in England. This plunged to 106,720 three years later. Since then the industry has recovered significantly, building 131,060 in the year to June. But, as the chart above shows, it is the private sector that is responsible for most house building, and it is the private sector which has suffered most. As a result, many people feel the relaxations on planning rules are the most effective way to encourage developers to build more. Banks who lend money to buyers also support the plans. \"The announcement of a new relaxation of strict planning regulations to encourage house builders to develop affordable homes is a positive development for both first-time buyers who are struggling to get on the ladder, as well as to the housing market as a whole,\" said Charles Haresnape, group managing director of mortgages at Aldermore Bank." } ], "id": "9986_3", "question": "Will more houses get built as a result?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4711, "answer_start": 4136, "text": "But the bigger question remains affordability. If, by building more houses, prices fall, and more people can afford to buy them, then the government will be able to claim success. But if prices continue to rise, and it is only the wealthy middle classes who are able to take advantage of an extra leg-up from the government, the starter homes scheme is unlikely to prove popular with those destined to remain renters rather than owners. And when these homes eventually come back on the market, they will be sold at full price. They will - in effect - be affordable just once." } ], "id": "9986_4", "question": "What about affordability then?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "President Trump has labelled Chrissy Teigen \"filthy mouthed\" - and her response has gone viral. In a series of tweets the President attacked both John Legend and Chrissy Teigen for not giving him credit over supporting criminal justice reform. Calling John \"boring\", Mr Trump said he didn't see the two of them \"around when we needed help getting it passed\". Chrissy's response was turned into a swear word-filled hashtag which has been trending worldwide. It's the latest episode in the long-running feud - with President Trump having previously blocked Chrissy on Twitter. Donald Trump's comments came after a show on American channel MSNBC about criminal justice - which featured Chrissy's husband John Legend. The President said: Chrissy responded with this: But after her response starting trending, both John and Chrissy urged their fans to not tweet it. \"Please don't make this foul mouthed hashtag trend,\" tweeted John. And Chrissy called it her \"fight\" with the President. In December 2018, President Trump signed into law the First Step Act - which will reduce the compulsory minimum prison term for people who commit non-violent drug offences on a case-by-case basis and better prepare people in jail for life after prison, through education and vocational workshops. He claims \"Obama couldn't come close\" in his efforts for criminal justice reform. But reducing racial disparities in the criminal justice system has been a project for both the Obama and Trump administrations. And in 2010 President Obama signed the Fair Sentencing Act into law - which removed mandatory five-year sentences for first-time offenders. The First Step Act builds on what Obama did and goes beyond that too. So in reality, both have taken steps to achieve reform. Follow Newsbeat on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 981, "answer_start": 575, "text": "Donald Trump's comments came after a show on American channel MSNBC about criminal justice - which featured Chrissy's husband John Legend. The President said: Chrissy responded with this: But after her response starting trending, both John and Chrissy urged their fans to not tweet it. \"Please don't make this foul mouthed hashtag trend,\" tweeted John. And Chrissy called it her \"fight\" with the President." } ], "id": "9987_0", "question": "What's happened?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1754, "answer_start": 982, "text": "In December 2018, President Trump signed into law the First Step Act - which will reduce the compulsory minimum prison term for people who commit non-violent drug offences on a case-by-case basis and better prepare people in jail for life after prison, through education and vocational workshops. He claims \"Obama couldn't come close\" in his efforts for criminal justice reform. But reducing racial disparities in the criminal justice system has been a project for both the Obama and Trump administrations. And in 2010 President Obama signed the Fair Sentencing Act into law - which removed mandatory five-year sentences for first-time offenders. The First Step Act builds on what Obama did and goes beyond that too. So in reality, both have taken steps to achieve reform." } ], "id": "9987_1", "question": "What's the truth about reform?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "A significant group of shareholders are seeking to force Exxon Mobil to acknowledge the growing threat from climate change at the company's AGM on Wednesday. These investors want the world's biggest publicly traded oil company to support the goal of a 2C global temperature limit. Exxon Mobil is also being investigated for potential fraud by withholding information on the role of fossil fuels in driving up temperatures. The company says that the shareholder resolutions are unnecessary, while the investigations by several states are \"politically motivated.\" For around a quarter of a century, a varied collection of climate activists and institutions concerned about rising temperatures have attempted to get Exxon Mobil to move forward on the issue of climate change. This year, they believe the coalition attempting to force change on the issue, is the strongest ever assembled. Investors with at least $8tn under management have indicated they will support greater recognition of the climate change issue. At the AGM here in Dallas, the company faces resolutions including one to appoint a board member who has a high degree of climate expertise. One motion asks the company to support the goal of limiting warming to below 2 degrees in line with the Paris climate agreement. Another asks Exxon to disclose how resilient its investments would be if policy measures to restrict warming to 2 degrees were implemented. This motion has a number of supporters including the Norwegian government's pension fund, the world's largest. It's being co-sponsored by the Church Commissioners, who manage the Church of England's investment fund. Their head of responsible investment says the board of Exxon Mobil should now recognise the new realities. \"It's a moment where Exxon really has to recognise that the world is changing,\" Edward Mason told BBC News. \"Climate change is real, the transition to a low carbon economy is real, and they need to get on board with this.\" The shareholders' hopes of success have been boosted by a number of factors, including a growing number of institutional investors Schroders, AXA and Legal and General which have supported the proposal. They are also backed by the largest pension fund in the US, CalPERS. The world's leading advisers to proxy voters, ISS and Glass Lewis, have also come out in favour of the resolution on climate risk disclosure. A group of 1,000 academics from leading institutions have written to support the resolutions. Shareholder pressure has also been successful at other large oil companies, with BP and Shell both accepting resolutions to routinely report on their asset portfolio's resilience to climate change. The board of Exxon Mobil are resolutely opposed to the motions on increased cognisance of climate change issues. While the climate resolutions are non-binding on the company, many believe that if they are supported by a majority of shareholders, Exxon Mobil will have to make significant changes. \"I think they will have to change or die because you are going to get nation states demanding that they change,\" said Capuchin priest Fr Michael Crosby who has been attempting to get Exxon Mobil to change on this issue for 19 years. Exxon can trace its origins back to 1870 when John D Rockefeller created the Standard Oil Company . Exxon and Mobil merged in 1999 in a deal valued around $80bn. The combined value of the company in 2015 was $353bn, making it the world's most valuable, publicly traded oil company. The company employs around 75,000 around the world. The oil spill from the Exxon Valdez tanker in Alaska in 1989 was the biggest in US history until Deepwater Horizon in 2010. In 2016, the Rockefeller foundation said it would eliminate its holdings in Exxon, saying the company had misled the public over climate change. \"The countries where they operate are going to say you can't do what you're doing and will tax them out of existence or what ever.\" Exxon says that climate change is a \"very real\" issue for the company but believes the shareholders' resolutions are unnecessary. They say that since 2007 they have included a proxy price for carbon in all their forecasts, which essentially means they have been factoring in a likely cost of more restrictive CO2 policies. \"I think the 'change or die' comments are a little dramatic, Exxon Mobil spokesman Alan Jeffers told BBC News. \"The issue is an important one, climate change presents very real risks that need to be managed but so do energy requirements of the modern economy. So we see that as a dual challenge to continue to provide that energy that all of us depend on while also managing the risks of climate change.\" As well as dealing with shareholder activism on the issue of climate change, Exxon is also facing a number of legal challenges on the same issue. Over the last year though, a number of journalistic investigations have raised questions about when Exxon's researchers first knew about climate change and how much information they passed on to shareholders and the general public. Attorneys General from New York, Massachusetts, California and the US Virgin Islands have launched investigations into Exxon to determine if they acted fraudulently. The Virgin Islands investigation has particularly irked the company as it seeks to uncover links between Exxon and private organisations that may have been used to spread doubt about climate science, including the Competitive Enterprise Institute. \"If a company knew that climate posed serious risks but nonetheless sought to convince large numbers of consumers and investors that those risks were overstated, I think that is a serious matter for investigation,\" Carroll Muffett from the Centre for International Environmental Law. \"The reality facing the oil industry is that their situation is looking increasingly like the situation of the tobacco companies - and as much as they like to claim there are no parallels, there is more and more information coming to light that says there are parallels and they are real.\" Exxon Mobil and their supporters have come out fighting on this question, decrying the investigations as an attack on freedom of speech. \"There is a pretty defined strategy to go back and try to paint us as some sort of big tobacco and we categorically reject that and it does not stand up to independent scrutiny,\" said Alan Jeffers, from Exxon. The Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said that the Virgin Islands investigation was \"ridiculous\", and said it was an \"effort to punish Exxon for daring to hold an opinion on climate change that differs from that of radical environmentalists\". Follow Matt on Twitter @mattmcgrathbbc and on Facebook.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 6680, "answer_start": 4668, "text": "As well as dealing with shareholder activism on the issue of climate change, Exxon is also facing a number of legal challenges on the same issue. Over the last year though, a number of journalistic investigations have raised questions about when Exxon's researchers first knew about climate change and how much information they passed on to shareholders and the general public. Attorneys General from New York, Massachusetts, California and the US Virgin Islands have launched investigations into Exxon to determine if they acted fraudulently. The Virgin Islands investigation has particularly irked the company as it seeks to uncover links between Exxon and private organisations that may have been used to spread doubt about climate science, including the Competitive Enterprise Institute. \"If a company knew that climate posed serious risks but nonetheless sought to convince large numbers of consumers and investors that those risks were overstated, I think that is a serious matter for investigation,\" Carroll Muffett from the Centre for International Environmental Law. \"The reality facing the oil industry is that their situation is looking increasingly like the situation of the tobacco companies - and as much as they like to claim there are no parallels, there is more and more information coming to light that says there are parallels and they are real.\" Exxon Mobil and their supporters have come out fighting on this question, decrying the investigations as an attack on freedom of speech. \"There is a pretty defined strategy to go back and try to paint us as some sort of big tobacco and we categorically reject that and it does not stand up to independent scrutiny,\" said Alan Jeffers, from Exxon. The Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said that the Virgin Islands investigation was \"ridiculous\", and said it was an \"effort to punish Exxon for daring to hold an opinion on climate change that differs from that of radical environmentalists\". Follow Matt on Twitter @mattmcgrathbbc and on Facebook." } ], "id": "9988_0", "question": "Whiff of big tobacco?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "A former US marine imprisoned in Russia on suspicion of spying has complained of \"abuses and harassment\" and says he is a \"victim of political kidnap\". Mr Whelan - a citizen of the US, UK, Canada and Ireland - was arrested in late December, accused of espionage. The 48-year-old denies the charges and told a court on Friday that he had been subjected to threats and abuse by a security service investigator. The comments came as his pre-trial custody was extended until 29 August. Mr Whelan told the court that there was \"absolutely no legitimacy\" to the case against him, describing it as retaliation for US sanctions. If found guilty, he faces up to 20 years in prison. He said he had not showered in two weeks, was unable to access medical or dental treatment and had been denied access to books and letters sent to him months ago. \"I've been threatened. My personal safety has been threatened. There are abuses and harassment that I am constantly subjected to,\" he said. The court hearing on Friday was held behind closed doors but visitors were permitted to attend the opening and the reading of the ruling. An official at the US embassy in Moscow said Washington was extremely concerned by Mr Whelan's claims. The comments marked a shift in tone from previous statements by the former marine, who told the BBC's Sarah Rainsford in February that he was \"holding up well\" after two months in custody but could not talk publicly about the charge against him for fear of making his situation worse. Sarah Rainsford, BBC News, Moscow Paul Whelan is angry and he's no longer hiding it. Standing inside a metal cage in court the former US marine declared that his detention in Moscow and the charge of espionage was a political kidnap, with nothing legitimate about it. Moments later he told the judge he wanted to complain about his interrogator from Russia's FSB security service, saying \"his actions, abuse, harassment and the threats on my life are unprofessional and should not be tolerated\". The judge ignored him. These are by far the strongest comments Mr Whelan has ever made in his case. He's been held now for five months in an FSB prison, accused of receiving Russian state secrets on a flash drive from a friend. He denies the charge, saying he thought the drive contained photographs from a tourist trip. Earlier he had said he wanted to make a statement to Donald Trump and to the US Congress, but his masked FSB guards told him he was forbidden to speak. The US ambassador in Moscow has said no evidence has been presented in this case in five months and called on Russia to 'quit playing games' The hearing itself is closed - as an espionage case - and labelled top secret. Mr Whelan arrived in Russia on 22 December to attend a wedding and had planned to visit St Petersburg in addition to Moscow before flying home on 6 January, his brother told the BBC. He was arrested in Moscow on 28 December after taking a group of wedding guests on a tour of the Kremlin museums. Russia's FSB state security agency said he was detained \"during an act of espionage\". Mr Whelan's Russian lawyer has said the arrest was made after he was unwittingly handed a memory stick containing state secrets. Mr Whelan was born in Canada to British parents but moved to the US as a child. He is currently director of global security for Michigan-based automotive components supplier BorgWarner. His brother has said Mr Whelan had been visiting Russia for business and pleasure since 2007. Mr Whelan joined the Marine Reserves in 1994 and rose to the rank of staff sergeant in 2004. He served in Iraq for several months in 2004 and 2006. He was convicted in a 2008 court martial on charges related to larceny and received a bad-conduct discharge. Details of the charges are not public.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3202, "answer_start": 2691, "text": "Mr Whelan arrived in Russia on 22 December to attend a wedding and had planned to visit St Petersburg in addition to Moscow before flying home on 6 January, his brother told the BBC. He was arrested in Moscow on 28 December after taking a group of wedding guests on a tour of the Kremlin museums. Russia's FSB state security agency said he was detained \"during an act of espionage\". Mr Whelan's Russian lawyer has said the arrest was made after he was unwittingly handed a memory stick containing state secrets." } ], "id": "9989_0", "question": "Why was he arrested?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3778, "answer_start": 3203, "text": "Mr Whelan was born in Canada to British parents but moved to the US as a child. He is currently director of global security for Michigan-based automotive components supplier BorgWarner. His brother has said Mr Whelan had been visiting Russia for business and pleasure since 2007. Mr Whelan joined the Marine Reserves in 1994 and rose to the rank of staff sergeant in 2004. He served in Iraq for several months in 2004 and 2006. He was convicted in a 2008 court martial on charges related to larceny and received a bad-conduct discharge. Details of the charges are not public." } ], "id": "9989_1", "question": "Who is he?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Health workers in the Democratic Republic of Congo have begun an immunisation campaign in an attempt to halt the spread of an outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus. The experimental vaccine proved effective when used in limited trials during the epidemic which struck West Africa in 2014-16. At least 26 people are believed to have died in the current outbreak. Health workers were among the first to receive the vaccine on Monday. It is an infectious illness that causes internal bleeding and often proves fatal. It can spread rapidly through contact with small amounts of bodily fluid, and its early flu-like symptoms are not always obvious. More than 11,300 people died in the earlier outbreak in 2014-16. At least 45 cases of Ebola have been reported, including three health workers, since the outbreak began earlier this month. The virus has already spread from rural areas to the north-western city of Mbandaka, a major transport hub on the River Congo, where at least four cases have been confirmed. This has sparked fears that the outbreak could reach the capital, Kinshasa, as well as neighbouring countries. However, the World Health Organization (WHO) has said it has \"strong reason to believe that the outbreak can be brought under control\". At an emergency meeting, on Friday WHO experts said that \"the conditions for a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) have not currently been met\". The vaccine, made by pharmaceutical firm Merck, is not yet licensed, but was effective in limited trials during the West Africa outbreak. Dr Michel Yao, from the WHO, told the BBC that the vaccine had been tested in Guinea and that \"almost all of the people who were vaccinated could not get the disease\". The WHO has sent more than 4,000 doses to the Democratic Republic of Congo, with another batch set to follow. Health care providers and funeral workers are being vaccinated initially, before the programme is extended to more than 500 people who may have come into contact with those infected with the virus, in a so-called \"ring vaccination\". One of the most immediate obstacles to the immunisation campaign is the country's unreliable electricity supplies, as the vaccine needs to be stored at a temperature of between -60 and -80 C. Initial stocks of the vaccine have arrived in Mbandaka city, but they must now be transported through densely forested areas to reach remote rural areas where many cases have been reported. A further issue is that, as the vaccine has not yet been approved, its use is dependent upon informed and signed consent from all patients. This means that translators will need to be brought in to aid communication between health workers and local communities. One teacher in the region told the BBC's Newsday programme that people had stopped shaking hands when they greet. Ziko Ilema said: \"I tried to greet a friend by shaking hands and he said: 'No, did you forget that Ebola is here?' \"They forbid people to greet by using hands, eating animals from the forest, and people are now living with fear.\" Ebola is thought to be spread over long distances by fruit bats and is often transmitted to humans eating contaminated bushmeat - meat from wild animals such as monkeys or antelopes. Bars, restaurants and offices in Mbandaka have started to provide soap and basins of water for people to wash their hands as a way to prevent the spread of the disease, according to the AFP news agency. It also reports that officials are using infrared thermometers at the city's river ports to scan travellers in case they have a fever. \"But we don't have enough of the thermometers, so people are crowding up and getting annoyed,\" said Joseph Dangbele, an official at the private Menge port. Health Minister Oly Ilunga has announced that all healthcare in the affected areas would be free. This is the ninth outbreak of Ebola in DR Congo - it was named after the country's Ebola river.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 705, "answer_start": 429, "text": "It is an infectious illness that causes internal bleeding and often proves fatal. It can spread rapidly through contact with small amounts of bodily fluid, and its early flu-like symptoms are not always obvious. More than 11,300 people died in the earlier outbreak in 2014-16." } ], "id": "9990_0", "question": "What is Ebola?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1416, "answer_start": 706, "text": "At least 45 cases of Ebola have been reported, including three health workers, since the outbreak began earlier this month. The virus has already spread from rural areas to the north-western city of Mbandaka, a major transport hub on the River Congo, where at least four cases have been confirmed. This has sparked fears that the outbreak could reach the capital, Kinshasa, as well as neighbouring countries. However, the World Health Organization (WHO) has said it has \"strong reason to believe that the outbreak can be brought under control\". At an emergency meeting, on Friday WHO experts said that \"the conditions for a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) have not currently been met\"." } ], "id": "9990_1", "question": "How serious is the current outbreak?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2065, "answer_start": 1417, "text": "The vaccine, made by pharmaceutical firm Merck, is not yet licensed, but was effective in limited trials during the West Africa outbreak. Dr Michel Yao, from the WHO, told the BBC that the vaccine had been tested in Guinea and that \"almost all of the people who were vaccinated could not get the disease\". The WHO has sent more than 4,000 doses to the Democratic Republic of Congo, with another batch set to follow. Health care providers and funeral workers are being vaccinated initially, before the programme is extended to more than 500 people who may have come into contact with those infected with the virus, in a so-called \"ring vaccination\"." } ], "id": "9990_2", "question": "What do we know about the medicine being used?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2709, "answer_start": 2066, "text": "One of the most immediate obstacles to the immunisation campaign is the country's unreliable electricity supplies, as the vaccine needs to be stored at a temperature of between -60 and -80 C. Initial stocks of the vaccine have arrived in Mbandaka city, but they must now be transported through densely forested areas to reach remote rural areas where many cases have been reported. A further issue is that, as the vaccine has not yet been approved, its use is dependent upon informed and signed consent from all patients. This means that translators will need to be brought in to aid communication between health workers and local communities." } ], "id": "9990_3", "question": "What are the challenges?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "US President Donald Trump has said he will withdraw his country from the international Arms Trade Treaty. The agreement, signed by Barack Obama in 2013, aims to regulate the sale of weapons between countries. The US National Rifle Association says the treaty amounts to international gun control, and is a threat to America's second amendment right to bear arms. Speaking at the lobbying group's annual meeting, Mr Trump said he would ask the US Senate not to ratify the pact. The US is the world's top arms exporter. Its weapons sales are 58% higher than those of Russia, the world's second largest exporter. \"We're taking our signature back,\" the president said at the meeting in Indianapolis, adding that the UN would soon receive formal notice of the US's withdrawal from the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). \"Under my administration, we will never surrender American sovereignty to anyone,\" he said. \"We will never allow foreign bureaucrats to trample on your second amendment freedoms.\" In a statement released after Mr Trump's speech, the White House said the treaty \"fails to truly address the problem of irresponsible arms transfers\" because other top arms exporters - including Russia and China - have not signed up to it. UN officials told Reuters news agency that the organisation was previously unaware that Mr Trump was planning to take the US out of the pact. Mr Trump's move prompted condemnation from human rights groups. \"The United States will now lock arms with Iran, North Korea and Syria as non-signatories to this historic treaty whose sole purpose is to protect innocent people from deadly weapons,\" said Oxfam America President Abby Maxman. The UK's shadow foreign secretary, Emily Thornberry, posted a tweet calling Mr Trump \"a disgrace to his office\". Ms Thornberry added: \"Donald Trump's statement on the Arms Trade Treaty is the final confirmation that he is not the Leader of the Free World, he never has been, and he does not deserve the honour of a State Visit to Britain.\" However, Ted Bromund of the conservative US think tank The Heritage Foundation, criticised the treaty, saying it could \"only have the perverse effects of driving potential importers to buy from China or Russia\" and other nations that are not party to the agreement. The ATT was signed by 130 nations in 2013, and officially came into law the following year. It requires states to monitor their arms exports, and to ensure their weapons sales do not break existing arms embargoes. Nations also need to ensure the weapons they export do not end up being used for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes or terrorist acts. If they do find out the arms will be used for any of these, they need to stop the transfer. The pact has been signed and ratified by 101 countries so far - including Germany, France and the UK. The US is among another 29 nations that signed the treaty but have not ratified it to make it law. The White House claims some groups try to use the treaty to overturn \"sovereign national decisions\" on arms sales, specifically pointing to attempts to block the UK's sale of weapons to Saudi Arabia. The sale of arms to Saudi Arabia by western countries has been highly contentious because of the use of those weapons in air strikes in Yemen, that have killed and injured thousands of civilians.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2263, "answer_start": 1367, "text": "Mr Trump's move prompted condemnation from human rights groups. \"The United States will now lock arms with Iran, North Korea and Syria as non-signatories to this historic treaty whose sole purpose is to protect innocent people from deadly weapons,\" said Oxfam America President Abby Maxman. The UK's shadow foreign secretary, Emily Thornberry, posted a tweet calling Mr Trump \"a disgrace to his office\". Ms Thornberry added: \"Donald Trump's statement on the Arms Trade Treaty is the final confirmation that he is not the Leader of the Free World, he never has been, and he does not deserve the honour of a State Visit to Britain.\" However, Ted Bromund of the conservative US think tank The Heritage Foundation, criticised the treaty, saying it could \"only have the perverse effects of driving potential importers to buy from China or Russia\" and other nations that are not party to the agreement." } ], "id": "9991_0", "question": "What has the reaction been?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3312, "answer_start": 2264, "text": "The ATT was signed by 130 nations in 2013, and officially came into law the following year. It requires states to monitor their arms exports, and to ensure their weapons sales do not break existing arms embargoes. Nations also need to ensure the weapons they export do not end up being used for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes or terrorist acts. If they do find out the arms will be used for any of these, they need to stop the transfer. The pact has been signed and ratified by 101 countries so far - including Germany, France and the UK. The US is among another 29 nations that signed the treaty but have not ratified it to make it law. The White House claims some groups try to use the treaty to overturn \"sovereign national decisions\" on arms sales, specifically pointing to attempts to block the UK's sale of weapons to Saudi Arabia. The sale of arms to Saudi Arabia by western countries has been highly contentious because of the use of those weapons in air strikes in Yemen, that have killed and injured thousands of civilians." } ], "id": "9991_1", "question": "What is the Arms Trade Treaty?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Police in Hong Kong have battled pro-democracy protesters with tear gas in some of the most sustained unrest seen in the Chinese territory in weeks. Demonstrators - some wearing Santa hats or reindeer horns to mark Christmas Eve - held flashmob rallies in multiple shopping centres, while others took to the streets of a popular tourist area. Some threw petrol bombs, while police used pepper spray and batons. Hong Kong has seen six months of anti-government protests. The protests started in June over a controversial extradition bill, and have now evolved into a broader movement demanding an investigation into police brutality, and democratic reform. The territory's pro-democracy movement made unprecedented gains in local elections in November, after months of unrest. Some protesters had called for a series of protests over the Christmas period, and on Christmas Eve thousands descended on the streets of Tsim Sha Tsui and Mong Kok, two busy shopping areas. Protesters could be seen digging up bricks from the roads and setting up barricades. Police said a bank was also vandalised and set on fire. The protesters briefly halted their action at midnight (16:00 GMT) to wish everyone, police officers included, a Merry Christmas, the South China Morning Post reports. However, clashes resumed shortly afterwards. One 25-year-old protester, Nigel Chan, told Reuters: \"Many Hong Kong people didn't expect this Christmas to be different... but this year the Christmas Eve seems to [have] become the time to fight.\" Another protester, who gave her name as Mary, told the news agency: \"Even though this is a very joyful event and holiday for us, some [protesters] are in jail... we should remind others that our fight has not ended yet.\" A government spokesman accused rioters of disrupting \"social order and citizens' celebrations on Christmas\" with their \"outrageous\" acts. - Summary of the protests in 300 words - All the context you need on the protests - Timeline of events so far - The background to the protests in video - More on Hong Kong's history - Profile of Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam They started in June against a draft bill that would have allowed extraditions from Hong Kong to mainland China. Critics feared this could undermine judicial independence and endanger dissidents. The bill was eventually withdrawn in September, but the protests have continued and escalated. Hong Kong was a British colony until 1997, after which it was returned to China under the \"one country, two systems\" arrangement. Under the agreement, Hong Kong is expected to have a high degree of autonomy from mainland China, and residents enjoy more freedoms than those on the mainland.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1878, "answer_start": 776, "text": "Some protesters had called for a series of protests over the Christmas period, and on Christmas Eve thousands descended on the streets of Tsim Sha Tsui and Mong Kok, two busy shopping areas. Protesters could be seen digging up bricks from the roads and setting up barricades. Police said a bank was also vandalised and set on fire. The protesters briefly halted their action at midnight (16:00 GMT) to wish everyone, police officers included, a Merry Christmas, the South China Morning Post reports. However, clashes resumed shortly afterwards. One 25-year-old protester, Nigel Chan, told Reuters: \"Many Hong Kong people didn't expect this Christmas to be different... but this year the Christmas Eve seems to [have] become the time to fight.\" Another protester, who gave her name as Mary, told the news agency: \"Even though this is a very joyful event and holiday for us, some [protesters] are in jail... we should remind others that our fight has not ended yet.\" A government spokesman accused rioters of disrupting \"social order and citizens' celebrations on Christmas\" with their \"outrageous\" acts." } ], "id": "9992_0", "question": "What happened on Tuesday?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2682, "answer_start": 2102, "text": "They started in June against a draft bill that would have allowed extraditions from Hong Kong to mainland China. Critics feared this could undermine judicial independence and endanger dissidents. The bill was eventually withdrawn in September, but the protests have continued and escalated. Hong Kong was a British colony until 1997, after which it was returned to China under the \"one country, two systems\" arrangement. Under the agreement, Hong Kong is expected to have a high degree of autonomy from mainland China, and residents enjoy more freedoms than those on the mainland." } ], "id": "9992_1", "question": "What are the protests about?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "With a number of women running to take on President Donald Trump in the 2020 election, the president's language about his opponents will undoubtedly be a recurring issue. But is there really a gender difference to his attacks? In an interview, Mr Trump referred to career diplomat Marie Yovanovitch, the former ambassador to Ukraine, not by name, but as \"the woman\". Ms Yovanovitch, who Mr Trump recalled from her post in May, testified in the public phase of the impeachment inquiry on 15 November. She told lawmakers she was removed in a smear campaign by those with \"questionable intentions\". Justifying his decision to oust her, the president told Fox & Friends last Friday he heard \"bad things\" about \"the ambassador, the woman\". \"This was not an angel, this woman, okay? And there were a lot of things that she did that I didn't like.\" Mr Trump added that his staff felt they had to be kind because \"she's a woman - we have to be nice.\" Professor Marianne LaFrance, a psychologist at Yale University, says this remark is a prime example of gendered language. \"That referencing says she's not an individual, she's not a professional, she's first and foremost a woman,\" Prof LaFrance says. \"One of the things that's interesting about women and language is that women are 'marked'.\" Men, she notes, are not usually referred to as a \"male person\". \"But we find it often easy and useful to describe a person first and foremost as a woman. Not a politician - she's a woman politician. You don't often say he's a male politician.\" And once language is used to \"mark\" someone, it \"taps into a whole universe of stereotypes\" that are typically unconscious. \"So in saying a female politician - before you've said anything else about her policies, her credentials, her professional standing - you've said a lot.\" Even before he became president, Mr Trump had a history of controversial comments about women. His comments in a 2005 Access Hollywood tape about grabbing women \"by the pussy\" are perhaps the most notorious, and made headlines in 2016. Debbie Walsh, director of the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutger's University, says these latest remarks are part of a pattern. \"The kind of things that he said about Hillary Clinton, Carly Fiorina, Elizabeth Warren, Heidi Cruz - the list goes on - he talks about women, any prominent, powerful woman, in the most demeaning of ways, trivialising them.\" Even women backing Mr Trump have not been immune to subtly gendered critiques. On Friday, Mr Trump told Fox & Friends his adviser Kellyanne Conway was great, but \"must have done some number\" on her husband, George, who is a Trump critic. \"She must have done some bad things to him because that guy's crazy,\" the president said. Ms Walsh also notes the women closest to Mr Trump \"have the appearance of a kind of hyper-feminised version of women\". Ivanka Trump, for example, is a successful businesswoman, but still fits within the typical image of a woman \"on the arm of powerful men\". - Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton: \"She doesn't have the look. She doesn't have the stamina, I said she doesn't have the stamina, and I don't believe she does have the stamina.\" - Former Republican presidential hopeful Carly Fiorina: \"Look at that face! Would anyone vote for that? Can you imagine that, the face of our next president?\" - Senator Elizabeth Warren: \"Goofy Elizabeth Warren, one of the least productive US Senators, has a nasty mouth.\" - Journalist Megyn Kelly: \"You could see there was blood coming out of her eyes. Blood coming out of her wherever.\" - Assault accuser E Jean Carroll: \"No 1, she's not my type. No 2, it never happened. It never happened, OK?\" - Rosie O'Donnell: \"She's a slob. How does she even get on television? If I were running The View, I'd fire Rosie. I'd look her right in that fat, ugly face of hers and say, 'Rosie, you're fired.'\" - Ivanka Trump: \"She does have a very nice figure. I've said if Ivanka weren't my daughter perhaps I'd be dating her.\" - Former White House aide Omarosa Newman: \"When you give a crazed, crying lowlife a break, and give her a job at the White House, I guess it just didn't work out.\" From a psychology perspective, Prof LaFrance says when comments go into the realm of insult, they can be insidiously harmful. A recent study looking at how women are affected by overhearing sexism found that even when a comment was not directed at the listener, it had a negative impact on a woman's self-esteem, measured by how well she evaluated her own performance and abilities following the incident, Prof LaFrance explains. \"It sets up an atmosphere in which all women are targeted, not just the one person who was a target [of the sexist comment] - that's what's particularly damaging.\" With Mr Trump specifically, Prof LaFrance says when he criticises female opponents, he often reduces them to a sexual object or someone unworthy of respect or attention. \"Comments about a woman not being strong, a notion that she's frail or weak - those appear to be much milder in comparison to talking about her pussy, but they have as damaging, if not more damaging effects on women,\" Prof LaFrance says, as it taps into existing notions that women are perceived as less-than men. Despite the controversial ways he describes women - and the distinctly male look of his cabinet - it would be unfair to say that Mr Trump excludes powerful women from his inner circle. In addition to Ivanka, who is a White House adviser, the highest profile members of the administration defending the president on a daily basis are Ms Conway and press secretary Stephanie Grisham. Ms Grisham's predecessor too, was a woman - Sarah Huckabee Sanders. When challenged on his attitude to women, Mr Trump has in the past pointed to his record in recruiting and promoting women in his companies. \"I love women,\" he proclaims. His 2020 campaign is led by Brad Parscale, but according to Politico, the highest levels of the campaign team include over a dozen women as senior advisers and directors. The BBC reached out to Women For Trump, one of the biggest pro-Trump women's political groups, for comment but did not immediately receive a response. Analysis by Tara McKelvey \"I understand some of his quips are not popular,\" says Virginia Derby Jordan, a lawyer who lives in Orange County, Virginia. But she says she doesn't mind. She and other conservative women in Virginia, Pennsylvania and other states say there are more important issues than the president's remarks. They applaud the way he has helped bring down unemployment among women and appreciates how he has fought against abortion through the appointment of conservative judges. In addition, Jordan and other Republicans like the way he has hired women such as Kellyanne Conway, a counsellor to the president, for high-profile roles: \"He has put women in very important places,\" Jordan says. Jordan attests to the fact that despite the controversial way the president talks about women, many of them still adore him and will vote for him again in 2020. If the president's preferred nicknames for women are nasty, crazy, and low-IQ, his go-tos for men are in a similar vein. \"It's always about demeaning men in order to make them less tough, less strong, in many ways, less masculine,\" says Ms Walsh. \"He's also pumping himself up as the uber-masculine figure at the expense of the men who are challenging him in any way.\" One of his favourites to level at male opponents is \"little\" - Little Marco Rubio, Little Michael Bloomberg, Little Adam Schiff, Little Rocket Man. Prof LaFrance notes: \"Once you've referred to a person's size or standing as small or little, then you're trafficking in the realm of gender terminology.\" For Ms Walsh, though Mr Trump does not discriminate in criticising men and women who oppose him, the attacks on women are more dangerous. She says the instance where Mr Trump singled out four freshmen Democratic congresswomen of colour and told them to \"go home\" was particularly \"threatening\". \"We know women are often targeted on the political front, threatened certainly online, and singling them out and using very loaded language about those four women was one of the most egregious things.\" An April Pew Research Center study found a stark gender divide for Mr Trump's approval ratings. Just under half of men said they approved of how Mr Trump was handling the presidency, compared to 32% of women. Pew analysis of his first two years in office found his average approval rating to be 44% among men and 31% among women - the widest gap between genders since the George H W Bush presidency. And while Mr Trump found success with white women voters in 2016, he may find it more difficult to win them this time around, according to recent polling. Ms Walsh says Mr Trump could see real challenges in winning over white, college educated, suburban women who are typically Republicans \"in part because of this language, this behaviour and the way he treats women\". \"The gendered language is already out there,\" says Ms Walsh. \"I think that it is likely on the Democratic side, that one way or another, there will be a woman on the ticket [for president or vice-president]. And I'm sure that woman will come under attack...I think we're in for more of the same.\"", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 6185, "answer_start": 5243, "text": "Despite the controversial ways he describes women - and the distinctly male look of his cabinet - it would be unfair to say that Mr Trump excludes powerful women from his inner circle. In addition to Ivanka, who is a White House adviser, the highest profile members of the administration defending the president on a daily basis are Ms Conway and press secretary Stephanie Grisham. Ms Grisham's predecessor too, was a woman - Sarah Huckabee Sanders. When challenged on his attitude to women, Mr Trump has in the past pointed to his record in recruiting and promoting women in his companies. \"I love women,\" he proclaims. His 2020 campaign is led by Brad Parscale, but according to Politico, the highest levels of the campaign team include over a dozen women as senior advisers and directors. The BBC reached out to Women For Trump, one of the biggest pro-Trump women's political groups, for comment but did not immediately receive a response." } ], "id": "9993_0", "question": "Trump - champion of women?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 8222, "answer_start": 7054, "text": "If the president's preferred nicknames for women are nasty, crazy, and low-IQ, his go-tos for men are in a similar vein. \"It's always about demeaning men in order to make them less tough, less strong, in many ways, less masculine,\" says Ms Walsh. \"He's also pumping himself up as the uber-masculine figure at the expense of the men who are challenging him in any way.\" One of his favourites to level at male opponents is \"little\" - Little Marco Rubio, Little Michael Bloomberg, Little Adam Schiff, Little Rocket Man. Prof LaFrance notes: \"Once you've referred to a person's size or standing as small or little, then you're trafficking in the realm of gender terminology.\" For Ms Walsh, though Mr Trump does not discriminate in criticising men and women who oppose him, the attacks on women are more dangerous. She says the instance where Mr Trump singled out four freshmen Democratic congresswomen of colour and told them to \"go home\" was particularly \"threatening\". \"We know women are often targeted on the political front, threatened certainly online, and singling them out and using very loaded language about those four women was one of the most egregious things.\"" } ], "id": "9993_1", "question": "Doesn't he nickname men too?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 9289, "answer_start": 8223, "text": "An April Pew Research Center study found a stark gender divide for Mr Trump's approval ratings. Just under half of men said they approved of how Mr Trump was handling the presidency, compared to 32% of women. Pew analysis of his first two years in office found his average approval rating to be 44% among men and 31% among women - the widest gap between genders since the George H W Bush presidency. And while Mr Trump found success with white women voters in 2016, he may find it more difficult to win them this time around, according to recent polling. Ms Walsh says Mr Trump could see real challenges in winning over white, college educated, suburban women who are typically Republicans \"in part because of this language, this behaviour and the way he treats women\". \"The gendered language is already out there,\" says Ms Walsh. \"I think that it is likely on the Democratic side, that one way or another, there will be a woman on the ticket [for president or vice-president]. And I'm sure that woman will come under attack...I think we're in for more of the same.\"" } ], "id": "9993_2", "question": "How might this play out in 2020?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "India's Supreme Court has agreed to review its landmark judgement allowing women of menstruating age to enter a controversial Hindu shrine. A five-judge bench last year ruled that keeping women out of the Sabarimala shrine in the southern state of Kerala was discriminatory. The verdict led to massive protests in the state. Women who tried to enter the shrine were either sent back or, in some cases, even assaulted. The move is likely to anger women who fought hard to win the right to enter the temple. Hinduism regards menstruating women as unclean and bars them from participating in religious rituals. Many temples bar women during their periods and many devout women voluntarily stay away, but Sabarimala had a blanket ban on all women between the ages of 10 and 50. On Thursday the five-judge bench, responding to dozens of review petitions challenging the court's landmark judgement last year, said that the matter would now be heard by a larger bench. In doing so, however, it did not stay its earlier order. This means women can still legally enter the temple. But it's not going to be easy for them. A temple official welcomed the ruling and appealed to women to stay away. Women trying to enter the temple after the verdict last year were attacked by mobs blocking the way. Many checked vehicles heading towards the temple to see if any women of a \"menstruating age\" - deemed to be those aged between 10 and 50 years - were trying to enter. Following Thursday's verdict, police in Kerala have appealed for calm, saying that action will be taken \"against those who take the law into their own hands\". They added that social media accounts would be under surveillance and those stoking religious tensions online would be arrested. Geeta Pandey, BBC News, Delhi Today's verdict will come as a massive disappointment to women's rights campaigners. It's a case of one step forward, two steps back. In 2018, while lifting the ban on women's entry into the shrine, the Supreme Court had said that everyone had the right to practice religion and that the ban was a form of \"untouchability\". It was seen as a hugely progressive ruling and had given hope to women that they were equal before the law and could now claim equality before the gods too. What happened in court today has taken that sense away. The Supreme Court has not put its earlier order on hold, but with the ambiguity over women's entry continuing, it's very likely they could be kept out in the name of keeping peace. With the case now to be reopened by a larger seven-judge bench, the fight will have to be fought all over again. Part of the violent opposition to the Supreme Court order to reverse the temple's historical ban on women was because protesters felt the ruling goes against the wishes of the deity, Lord Ayappa, himself. While most Hindu temples allow women to enter as long as they are not menstruating, the Sabarimala temple is unusual in that it was one of the few that did not allow women in a broad age group to enter at all. Hindu devotees say that the ban on women entering Sabarimala is not about menstruation alone - it is also in keeping with the wish of the deity who is believed to have laid down clear rules about the pilgrimage to seek his blessings. Every year, millions of male devotees trek up a steep hill, often barefoot, to visit the shrine. They also undertake a rigorous 41-day fast, abstaining from smoking, alcohol, meat, sex and contact with menstruating women before they begin the journey. Women's rights campaigners who appealed to the Supreme Court to lift the ban said that this custom violated equality guaranteed under India's constitution. They added that it was prejudiced against women and their right to worship. Supporters of the ban argued that the practice had been in effect for centuries, and there was no need to change it now. In January, two women defied protesters and entered the shrine. Kanakadurga, 39, and Bindu Ammini, 40, made history when they entered the Sabarimala shrine - but were met with massive protests after. Right-wing groups, supported by India's ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), demanded a state-wide shutdown after, and businesses and transportation became paralysed. Across the state hundreds were arrested, and at least one person was killed in clashes. In an interview with the BBC, the women said they felt it necessary to uphold women's rights and they weren't afraid of mobs \"enraged\" by their actions. \"I am not afraid. But every time women make any progress, society has always made a lot of noise,\" Ms Kanakadurga told the BBC in January. But their decision to enter the temple also came at heavy personal cost. She alleged that she had been beaten by her mother-in-law and abandoned. She has since filed for divorce.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1741, "answer_start": 774, "text": "On Thursday the five-judge bench, responding to dozens of review petitions challenging the court's landmark judgement last year, said that the matter would now be heard by a larger bench. In doing so, however, it did not stay its earlier order. This means women can still legally enter the temple. But it's not going to be easy for them. A temple official welcomed the ruling and appealed to women to stay away. Women trying to enter the temple after the verdict last year were attacked by mobs blocking the way. Many checked vehicles heading towards the temple to see if any women of a \"menstruating age\" - deemed to be those aged between 10 and 50 years - were trying to enter. Following Thursday's verdict, police in Kerala have appealed for calm, saying that action will be taken \"against those who take the law into their own hands\". They added that social media accounts would be under surveillance and those stoking religious tensions online would be arrested." } ], "id": "9994_0", "question": "What did the court say?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3856, "answer_start": 2603, "text": "Part of the violent opposition to the Supreme Court order to reverse the temple's historical ban on women was because protesters felt the ruling goes against the wishes of the deity, Lord Ayappa, himself. While most Hindu temples allow women to enter as long as they are not menstruating, the Sabarimala temple is unusual in that it was one of the few that did not allow women in a broad age group to enter at all. Hindu devotees say that the ban on women entering Sabarimala is not about menstruation alone - it is also in keeping with the wish of the deity who is believed to have laid down clear rules about the pilgrimage to seek his blessings. Every year, millions of male devotees trek up a steep hill, often barefoot, to visit the shrine. They also undertake a rigorous 41-day fast, abstaining from smoking, alcohol, meat, sex and contact with menstruating women before they begin the journey. Women's rights campaigners who appealed to the Supreme Court to lift the ban said that this custom violated equality guaranteed under India's constitution. They added that it was prejudiced against women and their right to worship. Supporters of the ban argued that the practice had been in effect for centuries, and there was no need to change it now." } ], "id": "9994_1", "question": "Why is the temple so controversial?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4800, "answer_start": 3857, "text": "In January, two women defied protesters and entered the shrine. Kanakadurga, 39, and Bindu Ammini, 40, made history when they entered the Sabarimala shrine - but were met with massive protests after. Right-wing groups, supported by India's ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), demanded a state-wide shutdown after, and businesses and transportation became paralysed. Across the state hundreds were arrested, and at least one person was killed in clashes. In an interview with the BBC, the women said they felt it necessary to uphold women's rights and they weren't afraid of mobs \"enraged\" by their actions. \"I am not afraid. But every time women make any progress, society has always made a lot of noise,\" Ms Kanakadurga told the BBC in January. But their decision to enter the temple also came at heavy personal cost. She alleged that she had been beaten by her mother-in-law and abandoned. She has since filed for divorce." } ], "id": "9994_2", "question": "So, were any women able to enter last year?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Cardinal George Pell has been remanded in custody after being found guilty of sexual offences against children in Australia. The ex-Vatican treasurer abused two boys in 1996, a jury found in December. Pell's bail was revoked on Wednesday, placing him in custody for the first time. He will be sentenced on 13 March. The cardinal is the most senior Catholic figure ever convicted of sexual abuse. He maintains he is innocent and has lodged an appeal. A jury unanimously convicted Pell of one charge of sexually penetrating a child under 16, and four counts of committing an indecent act on a child under 16. The verdict and details of the case had been kept secret until Tuesday due to legal reasons. Each charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in jail, a court heard on Wednesday. Pell's conviction has rocked the Catholic Church. He was considered one of the Pope's closest advisers and spent five years overseeing the Vatican's finances. On Tuesday, the Vatican confirmed that Pell was prohibited from public ministry, and banned from having contact with minors. He has to abide by these rules until any appeal is over. Pell was archbishop of Melbourne when he abused two 13-year-old boys in a cathedral following a mass, the County Court of Victoria heard last year. After telling them they were in trouble for drinking communion wine, Pell forced each boy into indecent acts, prosecutors said. He abused one of the boys again in 1997. The court heard testimony from one of the victims. The other died of a drug overdose in 2014. In a preliminary sentencing hearing, Pell's lawyer, Robert Richter QC, described it as \"no more than a plain, vanilla sexual penetration case\". He submitted 10 character references for the cardinal, including from former Australian Prime Minister John Howard. However, prosecutors argued that Pell's \"serious offending\" warranted significant jail time. Judge Peter Kidd said the abuse was \"callous\" and \"brazen\", adding: \"It did involve a breach of trust and a degree of impunity. How else did he think he was going to get away with it?\" He revoked Pell's bail following a lengthy hearing. Hywel Griffith, BBC News Australia correspondent George Pell bowed towards the judge and leaned on his walking stick, before officers took him down from the courtroom and into custody. Earlier, he'd arrived to face a crowd of angry campaigners waving placards - many had come to see the moment he lost his liberty. Though an appeal looms, Pell will return to court in two weeks to learn his sentence. The Australian cleric rose in prominence as a strong supporter of traditional Catholic values, often taking conservative views and advocating for priestly celibacy. He was summoned to Rome in 2014 to clean up the Vatican's finances, and was often described as the Church's third-ranked official. But his career has been dogged first by claims that he covered up child sexual abuse by priests, and then later that he was himself an abuser. Pell was demoted from the Pope's inner circle in December. His term as Vatican treasurer expired on Sunday. The sexual abuse of children was rarely discussed in public before the 1970s, and it was not until the 1980s that the first cases of molestation by priests came to light, in the US and Canada. In the decades since, evidence of widespread abuse has emerged globally. In Australia, an inquiry heard that 7% of the nation's Catholic priests had abused children. Pope Francis has established a committee to tackle sexual abuses. In recent days, he has promised concrete action, calling clergy guilty of abuse \"tools of Satan\". But critics say he could do more to combat paedophiles and those who conceal abuse.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1539, "answer_start": 1129, "text": "Pell was archbishop of Melbourne when he abused two 13-year-old boys in a cathedral following a mass, the County Court of Victoria heard last year. After telling them they were in trouble for drinking communion wine, Pell forced each boy into indecent acts, prosecutors said. He abused one of the boys again in 1997. The court heard testimony from one of the victims. The other died of a drug overdose in 2014." } ], "id": "9995_0", "question": "What has he been convicted of?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2129, "answer_start": 1540, "text": "In a preliminary sentencing hearing, Pell's lawyer, Robert Richter QC, described it as \"no more than a plain, vanilla sexual penetration case\". He submitted 10 character references for the cardinal, including from former Australian Prime Minister John Howard. However, prosecutors argued that Pell's \"serious offending\" warranted significant jail time. Judge Peter Kidd said the abuse was \"callous\" and \"brazen\", adding: \"It did involve a breach of trust and a degree of impunity. How else did he think he was going to get away with it?\" He revoked Pell's bail following a lengthy hearing." } ], "id": "9995_1", "question": "What happened on Wednesday?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3077, "answer_start": 2531, "text": "The Australian cleric rose in prominence as a strong supporter of traditional Catholic values, often taking conservative views and advocating for priestly celibacy. He was summoned to Rome in 2014 to clean up the Vatican's finances, and was often described as the Church's third-ranked official. But his career has been dogged first by claims that he covered up child sexual abuse by priests, and then later that he was himself an abuser. Pell was demoted from the Pope's inner circle in December. His term as Vatican treasurer expired on Sunday." } ], "id": "9995_2", "question": "Who is Pell?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3684, "answer_start": 3078, "text": "The sexual abuse of children was rarely discussed in public before the 1970s, and it was not until the 1980s that the first cases of molestation by priests came to light, in the US and Canada. In the decades since, evidence of widespread abuse has emerged globally. In Australia, an inquiry heard that 7% of the nation's Catholic priests had abused children. Pope Francis has established a committee to tackle sexual abuses. In recent days, he has promised concrete action, calling clergy guilty of abuse \"tools of Satan\". But critics say he could do more to combat paedophiles and those who conceal abuse." } ], "id": "9995_3", "question": "What is the wider picture?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The US has tested a medium-range cruise missile weeks after pulling out of a key treaty with Russia that banned such nuclear-capable weapons. The Pentagon said it successfully launched the missile off the coast of California on Sunday. Moscow accused the US of \"escalating military tensions\". The US withdrew from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty on 2 August after accusing Russia of violating it - a claim Moscow denies. Analysts fear the collapse of the INF could spark a new arms race. The Cold War-era treaty banned missiles with ranges of 500-5,500 km (310-3,400 miles). The Pentagon said the missile, launched from the US-Navy controlled San Nicolas Island off the coast of Los Angeles, was \"conventionally configured\", meaning not nuclear-equipped. \"The test missile exited its ground mobile launcher and accurately impacted its target after more than 500km (310 miles) of flight,\" the US defence department said in a statement. \"Data collected and lessons learned from this test will inform the Department of Defense's development of future intermediate-range capabilities.\" Russia called it a \"cause of regret\". \"The US has obviously taken the course of escalating military tensions. We won't react to provocations,\" Russian deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov was quoted by state news agency Tass as saying. Russia has been accused of breaching the terms of the treaty in the past, but earlier this year the US and Nato said there was evidence that Moscow was deploying a new type of cruise missile, the 9M729, known to Nato as SSC-8. Russia denied the accusation and President Putin said it was a pretext for the US to leave the pact. In February President Donald Trump set a 2 August deadline for the US to withdraw from the INF if Russia didn't come into compliance. Russian President Vladimir Putin suspended his country's own obligations to the treaty shortly afterwards. The US withdrew from the INF as it had threatened on 2 August, and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said: \"Russia is solely responsible for the treaty's demise.\" Russia's foreign ministry said the US decision to withdraw was \"a grave mistake\". The collapse of the historic agreement has led to concerns that it could lead to a new arms race between the US, Russia and China. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said \"an invaluable brake on nuclear war\" had been lost. \"This will likely heighten, not reduce, the threat posed by ballistic missiles,\" he said, urging all parties to \"seek agreement on a new common path for international arms control\". Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said the transatlantic alliance would \"respond in a measured and responsible way to the significant risks posed by the Russian 9M729 missile to allied security\". But, he added, Nato \"does not want a new arms race\" - and he confirmed there were no plans for the alliance to deploy land-based nuclear missiles of its own in Europe. Last month, he told the BBC that the Russian missiles were nuclear-capable, mobile, very hard to detect and could reach European cities within minutes. - Signed by the US and the USSR in 1987, the arms control deal banned all nuclear and non-nuclear missiles with short and medium ranges, except sea-launched weapons - The US had been concerned by the Soviet deployment of the SS-20 missile system in 1979 and responded by placing Pershing and cruise missiles in Europe - sparking widespread protests - By 1991, nearly 2,700 missiles had been destroyed - The two countries were allowed to inspect each other's installations", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3082, "answer_start": 1339, "text": "Russia has been accused of breaching the terms of the treaty in the past, but earlier this year the US and Nato said there was evidence that Moscow was deploying a new type of cruise missile, the 9M729, known to Nato as SSC-8. Russia denied the accusation and President Putin said it was a pretext for the US to leave the pact. In February President Donald Trump set a 2 August deadline for the US to withdraw from the INF if Russia didn't come into compliance. Russian President Vladimir Putin suspended his country's own obligations to the treaty shortly afterwards. The US withdrew from the INF as it had threatened on 2 August, and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said: \"Russia is solely responsible for the treaty's demise.\" Russia's foreign ministry said the US decision to withdraw was \"a grave mistake\". The collapse of the historic agreement has led to concerns that it could lead to a new arms race between the US, Russia and China. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said \"an invaluable brake on nuclear war\" had been lost. \"This will likely heighten, not reduce, the threat posed by ballistic missiles,\" he said, urging all parties to \"seek agreement on a new common path for international arms control\". Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said the transatlantic alliance would \"respond in a measured and responsible way to the significant risks posed by the Russian 9M729 missile to allied security\". But, he added, Nato \"does not want a new arms race\" - and he confirmed there were no plans for the alliance to deploy land-based nuclear missiles of its own in Europe. Last month, he told the BBC that the Russian missiles were nuclear-capable, mobile, very hard to detect and could reach European cities within minutes." } ], "id": "9996_0", "question": "What happened to the INF treaty?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "A Japanese town whose population fled the 2011 Fukushima nuclear plant disaster has partially reopened eight years later. Radiation levels in parts of Okuma, west of the Daiichi plant, have been deemed safe for residents to return. About 50 people have begun moving back to areas in the town where decontamination efforts were focused. The plant was hit by a tsunami, causing the most serious nuclear accident since Chernobyl. Critics have accused the Japanese government of expediting residents' return in an attempt to showcase safety standards ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Okuma's 10,000 residents were among nearly half a million people to flee the region after the disaster. BBC Tokyo Correspondent Rupert Wingfield-Hayes says the vast majority of the town's original inhabitants are unlikely to go back. Only 367 people - around 3.5% of the town's original population - had registered as residents as of late March, local reports said. Japanese authorities are hoping new infrastructure, including a town hall and state-owned housing, will attract residents to return. However radiation remains a major concern for residents, especially those with children. A survey by Japanese newspaper the Asahi Shimbun found just over half of residents in Fukushima Prefecture felt that progress has been made toward recovery. The 2011 Fukushima disaster saw three reactors of the nuclear power plant, some 62km (39 miles) south-east of the city of Fukushima, fail after it was damaged and flooded in the tsunami. The accident forced more than 470,000 people to be evacuated because of nuclear contamination concerns. Just under 18,500 people were killed or went missing after an earthquake triggered the massive tsunami that led to the meltdown. Though no-one died as a direct result of the nuclear meltdown, plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco) has paid out compensation to some of those affected. More than 40 patients had to be evacuated from a hospital in the area and later died, while other deaths have been linked to the trauma suffered by those who lost their homes and loved ones. In 2017, three former Tepco executives went on trial charged with professional negligence linked to the hospital evacuation.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2229, "answer_start": 1326, "text": "The 2011 Fukushima disaster saw three reactors of the nuclear power plant, some 62km (39 miles) south-east of the city of Fukushima, fail after it was damaged and flooded in the tsunami. The accident forced more than 470,000 people to be evacuated because of nuclear contamination concerns. Just under 18,500 people were killed or went missing after an earthquake triggered the massive tsunami that led to the meltdown. Though no-one died as a direct result of the nuclear meltdown, plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco) has paid out compensation to some of those affected. More than 40 patients had to be evacuated from a hospital in the area and later died, while other deaths have been linked to the trauma suffered by those who lost their homes and loved ones. In 2017, three former Tepco executives went on trial charged with professional negligence linked to the hospital evacuation." } ], "id": "9997_0", "question": "How deadly was the disaster?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has been re-elected for a second four-year term, the election commission says. The 76-year-old defeated his main rival, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, with a margin of nearly four million votes. Mr Abubakar's People's Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected the result. Turnout was a record low at just 35.6%. Delays and violence marred the run-up to Saturday's poll but no independent observer has cited electoral fraud. \"The new administration will intensify its efforts in security, restructuring the economy and fighting corruption,\" Mr Buhari said after his victory was officially announced. Overall, the APC got 15.2 million votes while the PDP received 11.3 million. Mr Buhari swept the north, while Mr Abubakar, 72, did better in the south and east. Although turnout was low across the country, it was higher in the northern states - one factor behind Mr Buhari's victory. A former soldier, Mr Buhari led a military regime for 20 months in the 1980s and was first elected president in 2015, becoming the first opposition candidate to defeat an incumbent and win the presidency. His record in office is mixed. Mr Buhari's critics say that the very attributes that won over voters four years ago - his strictness and inflexibility - have emerged as liabilities. They accuse him of autocratic leanings as well as a disastrous tendency towards inaction. Mr Buhari's supporters can argue that he has largely delivered on campaign pledges such as tackling corruption and cracking down on Boko Haram. But they may struggle to point to concrete achievements in other fields, such as fixing the economy. By Fergal Keane, BBC Africa editor The breadth and depth of corruption is so great, it affects so many aspects of public life that making serious inroads into the problem would require a focus, energy and application that was lacking in President Buhari's first term. The second problem he faces in fighting corruption is having the necessary political support. There is undoubted public backing but Mr Buhari's party is compromised by senior members suspected of enriching themselves through graft. The fear is that across the board the looters will carry on pretty much as normal. Economically, ending the dependency on oil revenues needs to happen at a much faster pace. The World Bank has predicted sluggish economic growth: 2.2% for the coming year in a country with unemployment of more than 20% and nearly half the population living in extreme poverty President Buhari also faces an array of security threats from clashes between farmers and herdsmen in the Middle Belt, continuing instability in the oil-producing Niger Delta and - most worrying of all - a revived threat from Islamist extremists in the north of the country. Africa's most populous nation and largest economy faces a range of problems including power shortages, corruption, security threats, and an economic slowdown. Nigeria is Africa's leading oil producer but corruption and a failure to invest the proceeds from the industry have hampered development. A slow recovery from a recession in 2016 means there are not enough jobs for the large number of young people joining the employment market. About a quarter of the working age population is unemployed. - 73 million have voters' cards - Turnout was 35.6% - 15 million votes for Mr Buhari - 11 million voted for Mr Abubakar Earlier on Tuesday, PDP chair Uche Secondus called the count \"incorrect and unacceptable\". The party said counting should be stopped, alleging data from voter card readers had been manipulated. The federal government accused the PDP of trying to \"scuttle the polls\" and prompt a constitutional crisis. Some 130 people have been taken into custody suspected of electoral offences, reports say. The initial vote was postponed early on 16 February, five hours before polls were due to open. Voters were also choosing members of the House of Representatives and Senate.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1641, "answer_start": 920, "text": "A former soldier, Mr Buhari led a military regime for 20 months in the 1980s and was first elected president in 2015, becoming the first opposition candidate to defeat an incumbent and win the presidency. His record in office is mixed. Mr Buhari's critics say that the very attributes that won over voters four years ago - his strictness and inflexibility - have emerged as liabilities. They accuse him of autocratic leanings as well as a disastrous tendency towards inaction. Mr Buhari's supporters can argue that he has largely delivered on campaign pledges such as tackling corruption and cracking down on Boko Haram. But they may struggle to point to concrete achievements in other fields, such as fixing the economy." } ], "id": "9998_0", "question": "Who is Buhari?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3274, "answer_start": 2776, "text": "Africa's most populous nation and largest economy faces a range of problems including power shortages, corruption, security threats, and an economic slowdown. Nigeria is Africa's leading oil producer but corruption and a failure to invest the proceeds from the industry have hampered development. A slow recovery from a recession in 2016 means there are not enough jobs for the large number of young people joining the employment market. About a quarter of the working age population is unemployed." } ], "id": "9998_1", "question": "What are the main issues?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3960, "answer_start": 3395, "text": "Earlier on Tuesday, PDP chair Uche Secondus called the count \"incorrect and unacceptable\". The party said counting should be stopped, alleging data from voter card readers had been manipulated. The federal government accused the PDP of trying to \"scuttle the polls\" and prompt a constitutional crisis. Some 130 people have been taken into custody suspected of electoral offences, reports say. The initial vote was postponed early on 16 February, five hours before polls were due to open. Voters were also choosing members of the House of Representatives and Senate." } ], "id": "9998_2", "question": "What is the opposition saying?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "When reports emerged earlier this week that no girl had been born in 132 villages in the small Himalayan state of Uttarakhand in the last three months, it sparked panic and prompted a government investigation into the matter. The \"no girl villages\" were reported from Uttarkashi, where some 400,000 people live in 550 villages and five towns. Much of the terrain is hilly and remote. In a country which has been grappling with an awful sex-ratio imbalance - largely because of illegal sex-selection abortions - the news has caused considerable anguish. Except that this might not be completely true. The reports said 216 boys and no girls were born in the 132 villages between April and June. But officials found 180 girls and no boys were born during the same period in 129 different villages. And to complete the mixed picture, 88 girls and 78 boys were born in another 166 villages. Overall 961 live births were recorded in Uttarkashi between April and June. A total of 479 were girls, while 468 were boys. (The rest were possibly stillborn) This, officials say, corresponds with the district's favourable sex ratio of 1,024 women for 1,000 men, higher than the national average of 933 women per 1,000 men. Officials say the media possibly cherry-picked the birth data provided by volunteer health workers entrusted with collecting it. Some 600 of these workers are tasked with the job of recording pregnancies and births, and carrying out immunisation and birth control programmes. \"I feel media reports about the no-girl villages have been misinterpreted. Also, there is not enough understanding of the context. We've ordered an investigation anyway,\" Ashish Chauhan, the senior-most official of the district told me. So 26 officials have fanned out across 82 villages to check the veracity of the data and to find out whether something is wrong. What could have gone wrong? One possibility is the data is erroneous or incomplete, and the health workers slipped up. Did they assign a number of male births to a group of villages, and a number of female births to another group? Second, Uttarkashi is a thinly populated place. The average population of a village is 500, and some of the more remote villages have a population of about 100. Health officials say the smallest villages will typically have 10-15 households, and a substantial number of such villages with single-sex births \"did not add up to much\". \"If girl babies have not been born in so many villages, it would have hurt the overall sex ratio of the district,\" Mr Chauhan said. Locals claim there is little history of discrimination between boys and girls in the district, and point to its favourable sex ratio. \"Be it girl or boy, we only pray that the child is healthy and happy,\" Roshni Rawat, a local woman, told the Hindustan Times newspaper. Also, women here are typically more hardworking than men: labouring on farms, cutting grass, milking cows, cooking and doing household chores. Alcoholism among men is high. Officials say they have not reported cases of female foeticide in the district for some years now. There are three registered ultrasound machines in the district, all in government clinics. \"There's no economies of scale here to carry out large-scale illegal abortions or tests to abort female births,\" says Mr Chauhan. But there's an interesting caveat. Of the 961 births here between April and June, 207 were recorded at home. (The rest were recorded in hospitals or institutions.) A total of 109 of them were male and 93 were girls, upending the overall sex ratio in this district. \"This is a bit of a puzzle. We have to investigate this further. Home births typically happen in far-flung villages where access to ambulances and clinics is difficult,\" Dr Chandan Singh Rawat, a senior medical officer of the district told me. In a week's time, we will know more about the so-called \"missing girls\" of Uttarakhand. Read more from Soutik Biswas Follow Soutik on Twitter at @soutikBBC", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3907, "answer_start": 1852, "text": "What could have gone wrong? One possibility is the data is erroneous or incomplete, and the health workers slipped up. Did they assign a number of male births to a group of villages, and a number of female births to another group? Second, Uttarkashi is a thinly populated place. The average population of a village is 500, and some of the more remote villages have a population of about 100. Health officials say the smallest villages will typically have 10-15 households, and a substantial number of such villages with single-sex births \"did not add up to much\". \"If girl babies have not been born in so many villages, it would have hurt the overall sex ratio of the district,\" Mr Chauhan said. Locals claim there is little history of discrimination between boys and girls in the district, and point to its favourable sex ratio. \"Be it girl or boy, we only pray that the child is healthy and happy,\" Roshni Rawat, a local woman, told the Hindustan Times newspaper. Also, women here are typically more hardworking than men: labouring on farms, cutting grass, milking cows, cooking and doing household chores. Alcoholism among men is high. Officials say they have not reported cases of female foeticide in the district for some years now. There are three registered ultrasound machines in the district, all in government clinics. \"There's no economies of scale here to carry out large-scale illegal abortions or tests to abort female births,\" says Mr Chauhan. But there's an interesting caveat. Of the 961 births here between April and June, 207 were recorded at home. (The rest were recorded in hospitals or institutions.) A total of 109 of them were male and 93 were girls, upending the overall sex ratio in this district. \"This is a bit of a puzzle. We have to investigate this further. Home births typically happen in far-flung villages where access to ambulances and clinics is difficult,\" Dr Chandan Singh Rawat, a senior medical officer of the district told me. In a week's time, we will know more about the so-called \"missing girls\" of Uttarakhand." } ], "id": "9999_0", "question": "Slip-up?" } ] } ]