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[ { "context": "Wanted: Tough, intelligent, patriotic person who can keep national secrets. I'm not sure Mumsnet would be the first place I would think of to advertise for a spy, but it's part of a new strategy by UK intelligence agencies - MI5, MI6 and GCHQ - to try to broaden their appeal to women. Some Mumsnet users joked they would be perfectly suited, since they, as middle-aged women, were so used to being invisible. Others were less sure. ShatnersBassoon wrote: \"Yes, people who can't help but type their every passing thought into an online forum would make great spies\" while iseenodust said: \"I have experience in sitting in cafes and love people watching.\" But the agencies believe more women should be encouraged to apply not just for legal or ethical reasons, but because it will make the country safer. As the film industry chatters about the possibility of a female James Bond (Rolling Stone has even mocked up a Jane Bond trailer starring Emilia Clarke), the government is busy looking for a real-life one. But - male or female - what qualities do you need to make it as a spy? Former MI5 officer Annie Machon says it depends a lot on which of the government agencies you apply for. There are three: - MI5, the domestic security service - MI6 (now called Secret Intelligence Service or SIS), which gathers intelligence overseas - GCHQ, often referred to as the listening agency because it runs the electronic eavesdropping operations At MI5 - or \"the Box\" as it is known inside government - you run the operation, says Machon. You need to be a team leader, you need to be able to influence people easily and you need to be able to gain people's trust. For MI6, it's much more about the ability to operate abroad and alone, often in hostile environments, and perhaps be more \"ethically flexible\". And GCHQ staff tend to be the \"boffins\" - the types that are technically brilliant at things like coding and encryption, but perhaps not brilliant at a party, says Machon. The centre has been known to target internet hacker circles. Machon resigned with her former partner, David Shayler, as part of a whistle-blowing operation in 1996. They wanted to highlight what they felt was incompetent and criminal behaviour at the agencies. Shayler was sentenced to six months in prison for breaking the Official Secrets Act after leaking secret documents to the press. But of her recruitment, she says: \"I applied for a job at the Foreign Office and got a letter saying we might have something more interesting for you.\" She guessed it might be for the secret service. \"It's a really tough recruitment process. The first interview is about three hours long, covering your life since you were 12. Then there's a two-day course competing against other candidates - you have to analyse written data and role play around the case.\" She adds that these are followed by very intense interviews, including with a psychiatrist, so you really need to be able to keep your cool. But if you fancy yourself as James Bond, you're unlikely to get in. \"Those types are weeded out early,\" she says. Prof Anthony Glees, who studies the world of intelligence and teaches at the University of Buckingham, seconds that. He says the key qualities needed are \"clarity, firmness, toughness and the ability to read and understand a file without jumping to conclusions\". And it's not all about chasing baddies, there are less glamorous aspects to the work as well. \"You need to be good at collecting data, analysing data and presenting data. You've also got to be good at acting on it,\" Prof Glees says. And, he reckons, modern-day spooks are generally very concerned about lawfulness and moral duty. So is there anything that would stop you being employed? \"If you lied during your interview process,\" says Machon. It seems that it doesn't really matter if you broke the law, or dabbled in drugs, as long as there was nothing that you could be blackmailed with. Historically, it's been a man's world. When the intelligence agencies were set up, in the early 20th Century, recruits came from the military. And then, Prof Glees says, in World War 2, it was decided that the intelligence services needed to be intelligent. That was when tapping up the brightest students from universities began - and of course at that time it was mostly men. But it's changed since then. A recent government report on the issue says that last year 41.6% of MI5's workforce was female, with a target of 45% by 2021. Machon says that in her time there, in the early 1990s, it was 51% women and 49% men. She wonders whether the TV series Spooks, which ran from 2002 to 2011, may have deterred women from applying because it showed MI5 officers' work as so dangerous, much more so than the reality. - You must be a British citizen - One of your parents must be British and have substantial ties to the UK - Candidates must normally have been resident in the UK for nine out of the last 10 years - Recruitment process can take six to nine months - You must not discuss application with anyone except partner or close family, but only if they are British - Application must not be mentioned on social media All three agencies say they have taken steps to promote flexible working. But logistically it is hard if you have to pick up the kids. If your operation \"goes live\" you need to be available 24 hours a day. Admittedly that might happen only a couple of times a year but the nature of it means that it's impossible to predict when. In some cases, there might be advantages to being a woman. Prof Glees says that one of the biggest problems facing MI5 now is working out why so many women are joining so-called Islamic State. You could argue that a woman might be better suited to gaining the confidence of a female informer, for example. Social media has changed things, with online profiles often providing details about someone's political leanings or if they have a partner - information that previously would have required a lot of man-hours to gather. For security reasons, intelligence officers are required to have a low social media presence - as are their partners (as one former head of MI6 found to his embarrassment). But perhaps the most important quality of all is a certain drive to want to protect your country and make it a better place. Annie Machon says she and her colleagues liked the idea of making a difference. So for those of you who think you've got what it takes, there's an MI5 quiz to get you started. Just don't mention it on Facebook.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3667, "answer_start": 2361, "text": "But of her recruitment, she says: \"I applied for a job at the Foreign Office and got a letter saying we might have something more interesting for you.\" She guessed it might be for the secret service. \"It's a really tough recruitment process. The first interview is about three hours long, covering your life since you were 12. Then there's a two-day course competing against other candidates - you have to analyse written data and role play around the case.\" She adds that these are followed by very intense interviews, including with a psychiatrist, so you really need to be able to keep your cool. But if you fancy yourself as James Bond, you're unlikely to get in. \"Those types are weeded out early,\" she says. Prof Anthony Glees, who studies the world of intelligence and teaches at the University of Buckingham, seconds that. He says the key qualities needed are \"clarity, firmness, toughness and the ability to read and understand a file without jumping to conclusions\". And it's not all about chasing baddies, there are less glamorous aspects to the work as well. \"You need to be good at collecting data, analysing data and presenting data. You've also got to be good at acting on it,\" Prof Glees says. And, he reckons, modern-day spooks are generally very concerned about lawfulness and moral duty." } ], "id": "10100_0", "question": "James Bond?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Speed limiting technology looks set to become mandatory for all vehicles sold in Europe from 2022, after new rules were provisionally agreed by the EU. The Department for Transport said the system would also apply in the UK, despite Brexit. Campaigners welcomed the move, saying it would save thousands of lives. Road safety charity Brake called it a \"landmark day\", but the AA said \"a little speed\" helped with overtaking or joining motorways. Safety measures approved by the European Commission included intelligent speed assistance (ISA), advanced emergency braking and lane-keeping technology. The EU says the plan could help avoid 140,000 serious injuries by 2038 and aims ultimately to cut road deaths to zero by 2050. EU Commissioner Elzbieta Bienkowska said: \"Every year, 25,000 people lose their lives on our roads. The vast majority of these accidents are caused by human error. \"With the new advanced safety features that will become mandatory, we can have the same kind of impact as when safety belts were first introduced.\" Under the ISA system, cars receive information via GPS and a digital map, telling the vehicle what the speed limit is. This can be combined with a video camera capable of recognising road signs. The system can be overridden temporarily. If a car is overtaking a lorry on a motorway and enters a lower speed-limit area, the driver can push down hard on the accelerator to complete the manoeuvre. A full on/off switch for the system is also envisaged, but this would lapse every time the vehicle is restarted. It's already coming into use. Ford, Mercedes-Benz, Peugeot-Citroen, Renault and Volvo already have models available with some of the ISA technology fitted. However, there is concern over whether current technology is sufficiently advanced for the system to work effectively. In particular, many cars already have a forward-facing camera, but there is a question mark over whether the sign-recognition technology is up to scratch. Other approved safety features for European cars, vans, trucks and buses include technology which provides a warning of driver drowsiness and distraction, such as when using a smartphone while driving, and a data recorder in case of an accident. Theo Leggett, business correspondent The idea that cars will be fitted with speed limiters - or to put it more accurately, \"intelligent speed assistance\" - is likely to upset a lot of drivers. Many of us are happy to break limits when it suits us and don't like the idea of Big Brother stepping in. However, the new system as it's currently envisaged will not force drivers to slow down. It is there to encourage them to do so, and to make them aware of what the limit is, but it can be overridden. Much like the cruise control in many current cars will hold a particular speed, or prevent you exceeding it, until you stamp on the accelerator. So it'll still be a free-for-all for speeding motorists then? Not quite. Under the new rules, cars will also be fitted with compulsory data recorders, or \"black boxes\". So if you have an accident, the police and your insurance company will know whether you've been going too fast. If you've been keeping your foot down and routinely ignoring the car's warnings, they may take a very dim view of your actions. In fact, it's this \"spy on board\" which may ultimately have a bigger impact on driver behaviour than any kind of speed limiter. It's easy to get away with reckless driving when there's only a handful of traffic cops around to stop you. Much harder when there's a spy in the cab recording your every move. All of this may well reduce accidents, but it won't eliminate them. You can force people to slow down, you can watch what they're doing, you can help them with emergency braking - but you can't get rid of basic bad driving. Unless, of course, you have self-driving cars. The move was welcomed by the European Transport Safety Council, an independent body which advises Brussels on transport safety matters. But it said it could be several months before the European Parliament and Council formally approve the measures. The European Parliament will not be able to consider the provisional rules until after its elections take place in May. UK statistics show more than 1,700 people are killed on UK roads every year, while Brake says speed is a contributory factor in about a quarter of all fatal crashes. Brake's campaigns director, Joshua Harris, said: \"This is a landmark day for road safety. \"These measures will provide the biggest leap forward for road safety this century.\" The UK's Department for Transport said: \"We continuously work with partners across the globe to improve the safety standards of all vehicles. These interventions are expected to deliver a step-change in road safety across Europe, including the UK.\" The Association of British Insurers held out the possibility that premiums could be reduced as a result. It said: \"Motor insurers support measures aimed at improving road safety. Any steps that can be shown to make our roads safer, reducing road crashes and insurance claims, can be reflected in the cost of motor insurance.\" The AA thinks the system might have the unintended consequence of making drivers more reckless, not less. AA president Edmund King said there was no doubt that new in-car technology could save lives, adding there was \"a good case\" for autonomous emergency braking to be fitted in all cars. \"When it comes to intelligent speed adaptation, the case is not so clear,\" he said. \"The best speed limiter is the driver's right foot. \"The right speed is often below the speed limit - for example, outside a school with children about - but with ISA, there may be a temptation to go at the top speed allowed.\" Mr King added: \"Dodgem cars are all fitted with speed limiters, but they still seem to crash.\"", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1544, "answer_start": 1037, "text": "Under the ISA system, cars receive information via GPS and a digital map, telling the vehicle what the speed limit is. This can be combined with a video camera capable of recognising road signs. The system can be overridden temporarily. If a car is overtaking a lorry on a motorway and enters a lower speed-limit area, the driver can push down hard on the accelerator to complete the manoeuvre. A full on/off switch for the system is also envisaged, but this would lapse every time the vehicle is restarted." } ], "id": "10101_0", "question": "What is speed limiting technology and how does it work?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2220, "answer_start": 1545, "text": "It's already coming into use. Ford, Mercedes-Benz, Peugeot-Citroen, Renault and Volvo already have models available with some of the ISA technology fitted. However, there is concern over whether current technology is sufficiently advanced for the system to work effectively. In particular, many cars already have a forward-facing camera, but there is a question mark over whether the sign-recognition technology is up to scratch. Other approved safety features for European cars, vans, trucks and buses include technology which provides a warning of driver drowsiness and distraction, such as when using a smartphone while driving, and a data recorder in case of an accident." } ], "id": "10101_1", "question": "How soon will it become available?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3849, "answer_start": 2221, "text": "Theo Leggett, business correspondent The idea that cars will be fitted with speed limiters - or to put it more accurately, \"intelligent speed assistance\" - is likely to upset a lot of drivers. Many of us are happy to break limits when it suits us and don't like the idea of Big Brother stepping in. However, the new system as it's currently envisaged will not force drivers to slow down. It is there to encourage them to do so, and to make them aware of what the limit is, but it can be overridden. Much like the cruise control in many current cars will hold a particular speed, or prevent you exceeding it, until you stamp on the accelerator. So it'll still be a free-for-all for speeding motorists then? Not quite. Under the new rules, cars will also be fitted with compulsory data recorders, or \"black boxes\". So if you have an accident, the police and your insurance company will know whether you've been going too fast. If you've been keeping your foot down and routinely ignoring the car's warnings, they may take a very dim view of your actions. In fact, it's this \"spy on board\" which may ultimately have a bigger impact on driver behaviour than any kind of speed limiter. It's easy to get away with reckless driving when there's only a handful of traffic cops around to stop you. Much harder when there's a spy in the cab recording your every move. All of this may well reduce accidents, but it won't eliminate them. You can force people to slow down, you can watch what they're doing, you can help them with emergency braking - but you can't get rid of basic bad driving. Unless, of course, you have self-driving cars." } ], "id": "10101_2", "question": "What does it all mean in practice?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5134, "answer_start": 3850, "text": "The move was welcomed by the European Transport Safety Council, an independent body which advises Brussels on transport safety matters. But it said it could be several months before the European Parliament and Council formally approve the measures. The European Parliament will not be able to consider the provisional rules until after its elections take place in May. UK statistics show more than 1,700 people are killed on UK roads every year, while Brake says speed is a contributory factor in about a quarter of all fatal crashes. Brake's campaigns director, Joshua Harris, said: \"This is a landmark day for road safety. \"These measures will provide the biggest leap forward for road safety this century.\" The UK's Department for Transport said: \"We continuously work with partners across the globe to improve the safety standards of all vehicles. These interventions are expected to deliver a step-change in road safety across Europe, including the UK.\" The Association of British Insurers held out the possibility that premiums could be reduced as a result. It said: \"Motor insurers support measures aimed at improving road safety. Any steps that can be shown to make our roads safer, reducing road crashes and insurance claims, can be reflected in the cost of motor insurance.\"" } ], "id": "10101_3", "question": "How has the idea been received?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5830, "answer_start": 5135, "text": "The AA thinks the system might have the unintended consequence of making drivers more reckless, not less. AA president Edmund King said there was no doubt that new in-car technology could save lives, adding there was \"a good case\" for autonomous emergency braking to be fitted in all cars. \"When it comes to intelligent speed adaptation, the case is not so clear,\" he said. \"The best speed limiter is the driver's right foot. \"The right speed is often below the speed limit - for example, outside a school with children about - but with ISA, there may be a temptation to go at the top speed allowed.\" Mr King added: \"Dodgem cars are all fitted with speed limiters, but they still seem to crash.\"" } ], "id": "10101_4", "question": "What do critics say?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The US Supreme Court has agreed to decide the legality of President Donald Trump's latest travel ban, which targets people from six Muslim-majority countries. The court is due to hear arguments in April and will rule by the end of June. But it has already allowed the policy to go into effect while legal challenges continue. The third version of Mr Trump's directive affects travellers from Chad, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria and Yemen. It also bans travellers from North Korea and certain government officials from Venezuela from entering the US. Opponents say it is unconstitutional and discriminatory and that in making it Mr Trump has exceeded his legal authority. But supporters say the president is fulfilling his campaign promises to protect Americans and defend national security. The Supreme Court, which has a conservative majority, will decide whether the policy is unconstitutional or violates federal immigration law. In December, the court ruled it could go into full effect even as legal challenges continued in lower courts. Only liberal Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sonia Sotomayor would have allowed the president's order to remain blocked. The original order issued last January barred people from seven majority-Muslim countries - Iran, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Somalia, Sudan and Libya - from entering the US for 90 days. It also halted refugee resettlement for 120 days and banned Syrian refugees indefinitely. The travel ban was later blocked by federal courts. The revised order in March removed Iraq from the list, after it agreed to boost co-operation with the US, and it also lifted the indefinite ban on Syrian refugees. In June, the Supreme Court allowed that version of the policy to take partial effect. Meanwhile, Sudan was taken off the list in September. The latest travel ban says that the countries \"remain deficient at this time with respect to their identity-management and information-sharing capabilities, protocols, and practices. In some cases, these countries also have a significant terrorist presence within their territory\". Critics have noted that major attacks such as the 9/11 New York attacks, the Boston marathon bombing and the Orlando nightclub attack were carried out by people from countries not on the list or by US-born attackers. - Have you been affected by the travel ban? Please email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1787, "answer_start": 1163, "text": "The original order issued last January barred people from seven majority-Muslim countries - Iran, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Somalia, Sudan and Libya - from entering the US for 90 days. It also halted refugee resettlement for 120 days and banned Syrian refugees indefinitely. The travel ban was later blocked by federal courts. The revised order in March removed Iraq from the list, after it agreed to boost co-operation with the US, and it also lifted the indefinite ban on Syrian refugees. In June, the Supreme Court allowed that version of the policy to take partial effect. Meanwhile, Sudan was taken off the list in September." } ], "id": "10102_0", "question": "What about the two previous versions of the ban?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Pharmaceutical firm Johnson & Johnson (J&J) has been ordered by a US court to pay more than $110m (PS85m) to a woman who says she developed ovarian cancer after using its talcum powder. Lois Slemp, 62, from Virginia, Missouri said she developed the cancer after four decades of using talc products. Prosecutors argued the company did not adequately warn about the cancer risks associated with the items. Experts say links with ovarian cancer are unproven. J&J says it will appeal. The verdict in a St Louis state court is the largest so far to arise out of about 2,400 lawsuits against J&J over its talc-based products, Reuters news agency reports. Ms Slemp is currently undergoing chemotherapy after her ovarian cancer initially diagnosed in 2012 returned and spread to her liver. She said the products she used included J&J's Baby Powder and Shower to Shower Powder. \"Once again we've shown that these companies ignored the scientific evidence and continue to deny their responsibilities to the women of America,\" said Ted Meadows, a lawyer for Ms Slemp. The verdict included $5.4m in compensatory damages and $105m in punitive damages against J&J. The company said it planned to appeal. \"We are preparing for additional trials this year and we continue to defend the safety of Johnson's Baby Powder,\" it said in a statement. \"We deeply sympathise with the women and families impacted by ovarian cancer.\" J&J lost three jury verdicts last year in cases related to its talc-based products, but won its first trial in March, when a jury in Missouri sided with the company. There have been concerns for years that using talcum powder, particularly on the genitals, may increase the risk of ovarian cancer. But the evidence is not conclusive. The International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies talc used on the genitals as \"possibly carcinogenic\" because of the mixed evidence. The mineral talc in its natural form does contain asbestos and does cause cancer, however, asbestos-free talc has been used in baby powder and other cosmetics since the 1970s. But the studies on asbestos-free talc give contradictory results. It has been linked to a cancer risk in some studies, but there are concerns that the research may be biased as they often rely on people remembering how much talc they used years ago. Other studies have argued there is no link at all and there is no link between talc in contraceptives such as diaphragms and condoms (which would be close to the ovaries) and cancer. Also there does not seem to be a \"dose-response\" for talc, unlike with known carcinogens like tobacco where the more you smoke, the greater the risk of lung cancer. The charity Ovacome says there is no definitive evidence and that the worst-case scenario is that using talc increases the risk of cancer by a third. But it adds: \"Ovarian cancer is a rare disease, and increasing a small risk by a third still gives a small risk. So even if talc does increase the risk slightly, very few women who use talc will ever get ovarian cancer.\"", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2657, "answer_start": 1884, "text": "The mineral talc in its natural form does contain asbestos and does cause cancer, however, asbestos-free talc has been used in baby powder and other cosmetics since the 1970s. But the studies on asbestos-free talc give contradictory results. It has been linked to a cancer risk in some studies, but there are concerns that the research may be biased as they often rely on people remembering how much talc they used years ago. Other studies have argued there is no link at all and there is no link between talc in contraceptives such as diaphragms and condoms (which would be close to the ovaries) and cancer. Also there does not seem to be a \"dose-response\" for talc, unlike with known carcinogens like tobacco where the more you smoke, the greater the risk of lung cancer." } ], "id": "10103_0", "question": "Why is there any debate?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3028, "answer_start": 2658, "text": "The charity Ovacome says there is no definitive evidence and that the worst-case scenario is that using talc increases the risk of cancer by a third. But it adds: \"Ovarian cancer is a rare disease, and increasing a small risk by a third still gives a small risk. So even if talc does increase the risk slightly, very few women who use talc will ever get ovarian cancer.\"" } ], "id": "10103_1", "question": "What should women do?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "What's the best way to find the husband or wife of your dreams? Think what society tells us about finding the perfect life partner: it's all about love; follow your instincts; it's down to fate. Now consider what would happen if you followed similar advice in your job, or even trying to run a company. Imagine telling investors you hadn't done any market research, had no long-term plan and hadn't bothered to study business. It wouldn't inspire confidence, would it? Yet the choice of who to marry is without question the biggest decision you are ever going to take. This is someone you're going to see virtually every day for the rest of your life; if you have kids, you'll almost certainly have them with this person; you'll share a bed, holidays, money, a home - pretty much everything, in fact. Wouldn't it make sense to take a more rational approach? The statistics certainly suggest lots of us are getting it wrong: 42% of marriages in England and Wales are thought to end in divorce. In the US, the estimated figure is even higher: about half all married couples divorce. That's why Ed Conard decided he needed to \"optimise\" his search for a spouse when he wanted to get married 20 years ago. Mr Conard is an uber-capitalist. He made millions running the venture capital company, Bain Capital, with former US presidential candidate Mitt Romney. He is now an economic commentator and the author of the magnificently bombastic bestseller, Unintended Consequences: Why Everything You've Been Told About the Economy Is Wrong. He calls the process he chose \"sequential selection, no turning back\" - romantic, eh? Here's how it works. You start off by \"calibrating\" your choice. That means meeting as many suitable partners as possible. Cast your net wide, he urges, but initially you must forget about lust and even love: \"that's evolution trying to get us to have babies,\" cautions Mr Conard. You won't date anyone now, you are just gathering people who might make the grade. There probably won't be that many, maybe a handful or two. Once you've got a set of promising candidates, you move to phase two. You're going to date a third of this subset, choosing them pretty much at random. You won't marry any of these people, according to his rules, so be prepared to be hard-hearted, moving on however attractive a potential partner seems. The most suitable person in this period \"calibrates\" your choice, setting the standard for the next stage in the process. What follows is what Mr Conard calls the \"evaluation\" period: this is when you actually choose your future spouse. Once again, you've got to drop potential partners like a stone if you can't resolve problems fairly easily. \"You have to be ruthless,\" he insists. \"If you are not highly confident that that person is a person you can be successfully married to... you have to get rid of them.\" Here's Mr Conard's key rule: \"When you find someone better than the best person in the calibration period, you marry them. And if you haven't found anyone by the end, you marry the last person.\" Follow this process, he claims, and the statistics suggest they'll be as good a match as you're going to get. Job done. Mr Conard's approach to choosing a wife is a well-established method for buying things like a new place to live but, says Nobel Prize winning economist Alvin Roth, spouses aren't like houses: marriage is a market without prices. Prof Roth of Stanford University won his Nobel for his work on balancing the supply and demand of all sorts of resources that don't carry a price tag - schools and students, kidneys and patients, doctors and hospitals. He agrees that it is important to meet quite a few possible partners before you take the plunge - \"don't marry the first person you meet\", he warns. You've also got to have realistic expectations: \"The first thing a matrimonial agency has to do is persuade clients they aren't a 10.\" But, he says, you can do too much calibrating and evaluating. Choosing a partner is a two-way thing: it is only when you are serious about marriage that potential partners will take you seriously. \"Part of being well matched is the history you share and this starts when you first meet,\" Prof Roth says, \"so investing in that history improves the quality of that match.\" To use an economic metaphor, you have to build up some capital. That's no doubt what lots of you will be asking. \"It sounds a little bit cold, a little bit calculating, very unromantic,\" says Nicola Cornick, a bestselling author of dozens of romantic novels and the chair of the Romantic Novelists' Association. Not surprisingly, she is a big fan of love and romance in relationships. \"If working your way through a checklist with a whole load of people works for you, then hey, that's great,\" she laughs. \"What I would counsel against is throwing out the element of spontaneity.\" Mrs Cornick believes the idea that being swept off your feet is always irrational is just plain wrong. \"I think if you examine what lies under an instant attraction, there are probably rational criteria there as well,\" she says. \"You've got the same sense of humour, you've got shared values or interests.\" And she's not alone in thinking that. Let's cut to the chase... Did Ed Conard meet his perfect match? Jill Davis is the woman he finally fell for - or should that be \"selected\"? She acknowledges his systematised approach is probably \"unique\" and - you may be surprised to discover - she was \"charmed\" that he had put so much thought into the process. But there was no methodical reasoning for her when she met Mr Conard on a blind date. \"I just went with my gut,\" she admits. \"I thought Ed was a brilliant person. I'd not met anyone like him before.\" And think about it this way. Jill had ranked top in Ed's brutal search process so she was, judged by his objective criteria, the woman of his dreams. But what about romance, I want to know. \"For him, this is romantic,\" she says, \"but a different version of romance.\" Jill and Ed have been happily married for 18 years, so maybe their romance is evidence the head and the heart can work together. Now there's a thought for Valentine's Day!", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4340, "answer_start": 3174, "text": "Mr Conard's approach to choosing a wife is a well-established method for buying things like a new place to live but, says Nobel Prize winning economist Alvin Roth, spouses aren't like houses: marriage is a market without prices. Prof Roth of Stanford University won his Nobel for his work on balancing the supply and demand of all sorts of resources that don't carry a price tag - schools and students, kidneys and patients, doctors and hospitals. He agrees that it is important to meet quite a few possible partners before you take the plunge - \"don't marry the first person you meet\", he warns. You've also got to have realistic expectations: \"The first thing a matrimonial agency has to do is persuade clients they aren't a 10.\" But, he says, you can do too much calibrating and evaluating. Choosing a partner is a two-way thing: it is only when you are serious about marriage that potential partners will take you seriously. \"Part of being well matched is the history you share and this starts when you first meet,\" Prof Roth says, \"so investing in that history improves the quality of that match.\" To use an economic metaphor, you have to build up some capital." } ], "id": "10104_0", "question": "Better matches, happier marriages?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 6154, "answer_start": 5229, "text": "Did Ed Conard meet his perfect match? Jill Davis is the woman he finally fell for - or should that be \"selected\"? She acknowledges his systematised approach is probably \"unique\" and - you may be surprised to discover - she was \"charmed\" that he had put so much thought into the process. But there was no methodical reasoning for her when she met Mr Conard on a blind date. \"I just went with my gut,\" she admits. \"I thought Ed was a brilliant person. I'd not met anyone like him before.\" And think about it this way. Jill had ranked top in Ed's brutal search process so she was, judged by his objective criteria, the woman of his dreams. But what about romance, I want to know. \"For him, this is romantic,\" she says, \"but a different version of romance.\" Jill and Ed have been happily married for 18 years, so maybe their romance is evidence the head and the heart can work together. Now there's a thought for Valentine's Day!" } ], "id": "10104_1", "question": "How did the real story end?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Texts show how US officials worked to prod the Ukrainian president into opening a public inquiry into President Trump's leading opponent, Joe Biden. The messages, released by congressional Democrats, emerge as Mr Trump faces an impeachment inquiry over the matter. The exchanges show a senior diplomat saying it would be \"crazy\" to withhold military aid to Ukraine for Mr Trump's political gain in the 2020 election. US law bans soliciting foreign help for electoral purposes. But Mr Trump denies any wrongdoing and, on Friday, said there was \"no quid pro quo\" in the communications. His remarks came a day after he publicly called on Ukraine and China to investigate Mr Biden, a top Democratic White House candidate, and his son, Hunter. The Republican president accuses his political opponents of a \"witch hunt\". Impeachment in the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives would trigger a trial in the Senate. Senators would have to vote to convict Mr Trump by a two-thirds majority to remove him from office. But that outcome is seen as unlikely given that the president's fellow Republicans control the upper chamber. The impeachment inquiry stems from a 25 July call in which Mr Trump asked President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate his rival. The wide-ranging text message discussions are connected to allegations by the Democrats that Mr Trump dangled military aid as a way to press Ukraine to dig dirt on Mr Biden. Sent between July and September, they involve high-ranking officials: - Kurt Volker, Mr Trump's Ukraine envoy who resigned a week ago - Gordon Sondland, the US ambassador to the European Union, and a significant donor to Mr Trump - Bill Taylor, a top US diplomat at the American embassy in Ukraine On 19 July, the three diplomats discussed arranging a phone call between Mr Zelensky and Mr Trump. Mr Volker told the other two he had had breakfast with Mr Trump's lawyer, Rudy Giuliani that morning - and identified the main purpose of the upcoming phone call. \"Most impt [important] is for Zelensky to say that he will help the investigation,\" he told the others. But Bill Taylor, the senior US diplomat in Ukraine, warned that President Zelensky \"is sensitive\" about Ukraine being seen \"as an instrument in Washington domestic, re-election politics\". Ahead of the call, Mr Volker texted that he had heard from the White House that Mr Zelensky would be offered a formal visit to Washington \"assuming President Z convinces Trump he will investigate / 'get to the bottom of what happened in 2016'\". This is a reference to unfounded allegations that Ukraine interfered in the 2016 US presidential election and worked to help the Democrats. In the call, Mr Trump asked Mr Zelensky to investigate Joe Biden. But text messages show US officials discussed what the Ukrainian president should say in a statement afterwards. By 13 August, Kurt Volker advised that Mr Zelensky's statement should address interference in US politics, \"especially with the alleged involvement of some Ukrainian politicians\" - and Burisma, the company Joe Biden's son was involved in. There has been no evidence of wrongdoing by Hunter Biden. Then, on 29 August, the tone of discussions changed. Mr Zelenksy's aide Andriy Yermak sent a curt message to Mr Volker, including a link to a Politico story headlined \"Trump holds up Ukraine military aid meant to confront Russia\". Mr Taylor, the senior diplomat in Ukraine, seemed to voice his concerns about the motives for the delay. \"I think it's crazy to withhold security assistance for help with a political campaign,\" he said. That suggestion, however, was firmly pushed back by Ambassador Gordon Sondland, who said Mr Taylor was misunderstanding the president's intentions. On Friday, the impeachment inquiry escalated significantly as the Democratic chairmen of the three House committees leading the investigation served their first subpoena directly to the White House. They have demanded documents and records relating to the Ukraine investigation and Mr Trump's call with Mr Zelensky. \"The president has chosen the path of defiance, obstruction, and cover-up,\" wrote the heads of the intelligence, foreign affairs and oversight panels. Earlier in the day, House Democrats also requested Ukraine-related documents from Vice-President Mike Pence, giving him a deadline of 15 October. Mr Pence - who was reported this week to be frustrated by White House handling of the Ukraine affair - has not yet responded. Most Republicans are standing squarely behind Mr Trump, though two Republican senators have spoken out against the president. Mitt Romney of Utah on Friday labelled the president's actions \"appalling\". Ben Sasse on Nebraska told the Omaha World-Herald newspaper: \"Americans don't look to Chinese commies for the truth.\" He added that if Hunter Biden \"broke laws by selling his name to Beijing, that's a matter for American courts, not communist tyrants running torture camps\". Ukraine's prosecutor general announced on Friday that he would review the closed investigation into Burisma, adding that he was not aware of any evidence against Hunter Biden. Mr Trump and his defenders have insisted there was no quid-pro-quo in his dealings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Text messages between members of the US team involved in Ukrainian diplomacy, however, suggest a different story. It was very clear to them what Mr Trump wanted: a publicly announced Ukrainian investigation of political rival Joe Biden and the 2016 election hacking. It also was very clear what they had to offer the Ukrainians: not only US military aid, which had been put on hold by the White House, but also a meeting between the two presidents in Washington that would have been extremely valuable in bolstering the legitimacy of the newly elected Ukrainian leader. Drawing a straight line between the offer and the ask doesn't take much imagination. It may not be long before the White House falls back to its final line of defence - that threatening and cajoling Ukraine to investigate Mr Biden was justified by the egregiousness of Mr Biden's alleged corruption. With Mr Trump backed into a corner, it's a recipe for all-out political warfare. Why is Mr Trump being investigated? A whistleblower alleges he used \"the power of his office to solicit interference from a foreign country in the US 2020 election\", by asking Ukraine to investigate his main rival, Joe Biden. Is this illegal? If this is what he's proven to have done, then yes: it's illegal to ask foreign entities for help winning a US election. Mr Trump says it's a witch-hunt and he did nothing wrong. What could happen next? If the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives voted to impeach Mr Trump, there'd be a trial in the Senate. Could he be removed? A Senate vote needs a two-thirds majority to convict, but Mr Trump's Republican party controls the Senate so that's unlikely. And the Mueller inquiry made clear you can't charge a sitting president with a crime.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3725, "answer_start": 1128, "text": "The impeachment inquiry stems from a 25 July call in which Mr Trump asked President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate his rival. The wide-ranging text message discussions are connected to allegations by the Democrats that Mr Trump dangled military aid as a way to press Ukraine to dig dirt on Mr Biden. Sent between July and September, they involve high-ranking officials: - Kurt Volker, Mr Trump's Ukraine envoy who resigned a week ago - Gordon Sondland, the US ambassador to the European Union, and a significant donor to Mr Trump - Bill Taylor, a top US diplomat at the American embassy in Ukraine On 19 July, the three diplomats discussed arranging a phone call between Mr Zelensky and Mr Trump. Mr Volker told the other two he had had breakfast with Mr Trump's lawyer, Rudy Giuliani that morning - and identified the main purpose of the upcoming phone call. \"Most impt [important] is for Zelensky to say that he will help the investigation,\" he told the others. But Bill Taylor, the senior US diplomat in Ukraine, warned that President Zelensky \"is sensitive\" about Ukraine being seen \"as an instrument in Washington domestic, re-election politics\". Ahead of the call, Mr Volker texted that he had heard from the White House that Mr Zelensky would be offered a formal visit to Washington \"assuming President Z convinces Trump he will investigate / 'get to the bottom of what happened in 2016'\". This is a reference to unfounded allegations that Ukraine interfered in the 2016 US presidential election and worked to help the Democrats. In the call, Mr Trump asked Mr Zelensky to investigate Joe Biden. But text messages show US officials discussed what the Ukrainian president should say in a statement afterwards. By 13 August, Kurt Volker advised that Mr Zelensky's statement should address interference in US politics, \"especially with the alleged involvement of some Ukrainian politicians\" - and Burisma, the company Joe Biden's son was involved in. There has been no evidence of wrongdoing by Hunter Biden. Then, on 29 August, the tone of discussions changed. Mr Zelenksy's aide Andriy Yermak sent a curt message to Mr Volker, including a link to a Politico story headlined \"Trump holds up Ukraine military aid meant to confront Russia\". Mr Taylor, the senior diplomat in Ukraine, seemed to voice his concerns about the motives for the delay. \"I think it's crazy to withhold security assistance for help with a political campaign,\" he said. That suggestion, however, was firmly pushed back by Ambassador Gordon Sondland, who said Mr Taylor was misunderstanding the president's intentions." } ], "id": "10105_0", "question": "What do the texts say?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5117, "answer_start": 3726, "text": "On Friday, the impeachment inquiry escalated significantly as the Democratic chairmen of the three House committees leading the investigation served their first subpoena directly to the White House. They have demanded documents and records relating to the Ukraine investigation and Mr Trump's call with Mr Zelensky. \"The president has chosen the path of defiance, obstruction, and cover-up,\" wrote the heads of the intelligence, foreign affairs and oversight panels. Earlier in the day, House Democrats also requested Ukraine-related documents from Vice-President Mike Pence, giving him a deadline of 15 October. Mr Pence - who was reported this week to be frustrated by White House handling of the Ukraine affair - has not yet responded. Most Republicans are standing squarely behind Mr Trump, though two Republican senators have spoken out against the president. Mitt Romney of Utah on Friday labelled the president's actions \"appalling\". Ben Sasse on Nebraska told the Omaha World-Herald newspaper: \"Americans don't look to Chinese commies for the truth.\" He added that if Hunter Biden \"broke laws by selling his name to Beijing, that's a matter for American courts, not communist tyrants running torture camps\". Ukraine's prosecutor general announced on Friday that he would review the closed investigation into Burisma, adding that he was not aware of any evidence against Hunter Biden." } ], "id": "10105_1", "question": "What else is going on with the impeachment inquiry?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "US comedian Stephen Colbert is to be investigated by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) over a joke about President Donald Trump. The body's chairman Ajit Pai said it received several complaints about the monologue, which some viewers branded homophobic. It concerned crude sexual references involving Mr Trump and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin. On Twitter, angry users set the hashtag #FireColbert trending worldwide. Mr Pai told radio host Rich Zeoli he had now had a chance to watch the controversial clip, which aired on Colbert's CBS programme The Late Show last Monday. \"We have received a number of complaints,\" Mr Pai said. \"We'll follow the standard operating procedures, as we always do, and make sure we evaluate what the facts are and apply the law fairly and fully.\" The FCC is a US government agency which regulates TV and radio broadcasters. CBS could be fined if it decides that Colbert's joke was indecent. The FCC definition includes remarks that appeal to \"an average person's prurient interest\" or that \"depict or describe sexual conduct in a 'patently offensive' way; and, taken as a whole, lack serious literary, artistic, political or scientific value\". However, Colbert could escape a fine on the basis that The Late Show airs at 23:30 EST - outside the hours of 06:00 and 22:00 when it is assumed that children could be watching. The FCC's website claims it does not take action against sexually explicit content aired after those hours, to safeguard \"constitutionally-protected free speech rights of adults\". As The Late Show is pre-taped, the editors had also bleeped out the most offensive language before it was broadcast. Despite demands for him to be fired over the alleged slur, Colbert said on Wednesday that he would change \"some of the words\" in the monologue but did not regret it. He then offered an olive branch to the LGBT community, saying: \"Anyone who expresses their love for another person in their own way is, to me, an American hero.\" One Trump supporter who took part in the movement #GaysForTrump, tweeted on Wednesday that Colbert's original rant was \"homophobic\" and \"disgusting\", while others repeated calls for his sacking. A Twitter account devoted to getting Colbert sacked was set up on 3 May under the handle @firecolbert. Many defended the comedian, however. \"It's really rich that the people who are calling Colbert a homophobe are the Trump voters who are actively working against gay rights,\" tweeted Tammie Willis. Others noted that Mr Trump had himself been recorded using obscene language, including bragging to TV host Billy Bush about trying to have sex with a married woman. Former Republican Governor and presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee argued that Colbert should be protected by the First Amendment, which enshrines the right to free speech in the US. \"Don't let gov't decide when speech is ok,\" he tweeted. Mr Huckabee is himself under fire for insensitive comments, after tweeting that he would celebrate the Latino \"Cinco de Mayo\" holiday by drinking a jar of \"hot salsa\" and watching old Speedy Gonzales cartoons. The 5 May celebration commemorates Mexico's military victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. Critics said the Republican's so-called joke was pandering to anti-Mexican stereotypes.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1998, "answer_start": 943, "text": "The FCC definition includes remarks that appeal to \"an average person's prurient interest\" or that \"depict or describe sexual conduct in a 'patently offensive' way; and, taken as a whole, lack serious literary, artistic, political or scientific value\". However, Colbert could escape a fine on the basis that The Late Show airs at 23:30 EST - outside the hours of 06:00 and 22:00 when it is assumed that children could be watching. The FCC's website claims it does not take action against sexually explicit content aired after those hours, to safeguard \"constitutionally-protected free speech rights of adults\". As The Late Show is pre-taped, the editors had also bleeped out the most offensive language before it was broadcast. Despite demands for him to be fired over the alleged slur, Colbert said on Wednesday that he would change \"some of the words\" in the monologue but did not regret it. He then offered an olive branch to the LGBT community, saying: \"Anyone who expresses their love for another person in their own way is, to me, an American hero.\"" } ], "id": "10106_0", "question": "What counts as 'indecent'?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3307, "answer_start": 1999, "text": "One Trump supporter who took part in the movement #GaysForTrump, tweeted on Wednesday that Colbert's original rant was \"homophobic\" and \"disgusting\", while others repeated calls for his sacking. A Twitter account devoted to getting Colbert sacked was set up on 3 May under the handle @firecolbert. Many defended the comedian, however. \"It's really rich that the people who are calling Colbert a homophobe are the Trump voters who are actively working against gay rights,\" tweeted Tammie Willis. Others noted that Mr Trump had himself been recorded using obscene language, including bragging to TV host Billy Bush about trying to have sex with a married woman. Former Republican Governor and presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee argued that Colbert should be protected by the First Amendment, which enshrines the right to free speech in the US. \"Don't let gov't decide when speech is ok,\" he tweeted. Mr Huckabee is himself under fire for insensitive comments, after tweeting that he would celebrate the Latino \"Cinco de Mayo\" holiday by drinking a jar of \"hot salsa\" and watching old Speedy Gonzales cartoons. The 5 May celebration commemorates Mexico's military victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. Critics said the Republican's so-called joke was pandering to anti-Mexican stereotypes." } ], "id": "10106_1", "question": "'Homophobes' versus 'hypocrites'?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Nine pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong have been found guilty of public nuisance charges for their role in a civil disobedience movement that called for free elections in the city. Among them are three prominent activists, seen as figureheads of Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement. They could be jailed for up to seven years for their part in the \"Umbrella Movement\" protests of 2014. Thousands marched demanding the right for Hong Kong to choose its own leader. Those convicted include the so-called \"Occupy trio\" - sociology professor Chan Kin-man, 60, law professor Benny Tai, 54, and Baptist minister Chu Yiu-ming, 75. They are seen as the founders of the movement that galvanised protesters in their campaign of civil disobedience. \"No matter what happens today... we will persist on and do not give up,\" Mr Tai told reporters ahead of the verdict. Mr Tai, Mr Chan and five others were found guilty of two charges of public nuisance, and Mr Chu and one other of just one charge. A large crowd gathered outside the court on Thursday to support them. It is not yet clear when they will be sentenced. By Martin Yip, BBC News Chinese, Hong Kong The nine defendants walked into the court building looking refreshed and in high spirits. All but one said a few words in what might have been their last hours of freedom before their predicted jail term. Delivering his verdict, Justice Johnny Chan said the defendants had caused a nuisance - by occupying major roads - leading to injuries among civilians. The nine looked calm and not particularly emotional. They were later released on bail. Benny Tai, Chan Kin-man and Chu Yiu-ming smiled as they passed me, as if it was just another day. They are yet to say if they will appeal. The court was adjourned for the day as the lawyers are yet to finish their mitigation submissions. The sentences have yet to be announced. The broader pro-democracy camp already has bad relations with Beijing. Activists and politicians did express their anger but political analysts also warn that people might simply leave the movement out of frustration. \"Some people might feel dispirited and helpless. I hope they can see that other people haven't given up,\" Benny Tai told BBC News Chinese ahead of today's verdict. Seventy nine days of sit-in protests have already changed Hong Kong a lot. But today's verdict might serve more as a reminder that this city remains divided. At the trial Judge Johnny Chan rejected the idea that this would have a substantial impact on society. \"It cannot be reasonably argued that a charge of conspiracy to cause public nuisance would generate a chilling effect in society,\" he wrote in his ruling. But rights groups criticised the ruling, with Humans Rights Watch saying the court was \"sending a terrible message\". \"[This] will likely embolden the government to prosecute more peaceful activists, further chilling free expression in Hong Kong,\" said researcher Maya Wang in a statement to the BBC. Lord Chris Patten, the last British governor of Hong Kong, released a statement saying that it was \"appallingly divisive to use anachronistic common law charges in a vengeful pursuit of political events which took place in 2014\". This verdict comes after a string of frustrations for pro-democracy activists. In the last few years the courts have removed six lawmakers for changing their swearing in oaths to include protest phrases. Others have also been disqualified from running for office. The protests started in reaction to a decision made by China that it would allow direct elections in 2017, but only from a list of candidates pre-approved by Beijing. Beijing is highly sensitive about Hong Kong's status and any calls for more autonomy from China. The former British colony was handed back in 1997 on condition it would retain \"a high degree of autonomy, except in foreign and defence affairs\" for 50 years. Many people in Hong Kong believe they should have the right to elect their own leader. In 2014, the three activists' calls for non-violent civil disobedience joined with student-led protests and snowballed into the massive demonstrations. Tens of thousands of people camped in the streets and demanded the right to fully free leadership elections. The protests became known as the \"Umbrella Movement\" after people used umbrellas to shield themselves from pepper spray fired by police to disperse the crowd. Protesters accused the Chinese government of breaking its promise to allow full democracy in Hong Kong, and of encroaching more and more on the region. But the number of protesters dwindled to just a few hundred as the weeks dragged on and they ultimately failed to achieve their goal.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3462, "answer_start": 2411, "text": "At the trial Judge Johnny Chan rejected the idea that this would have a substantial impact on society. \"It cannot be reasonably argued that a charge of conspiracy to cause public nuisance would generate a chilling effect in society,\" he wrote in his ruling. But rights groups criticised the ruling, with Humans Rights Watch saying the court was \"sending a terrible message\". \"[This] will likely embolden the government to prosecute more peaceful activists, further chilling free expression in Hong Kong,\" said researcher Maya Wang in a statement to the BBC. Lord Chris Patten, the last British governor of Hong Kong, released a statement saying that it was \"appallingly divisive to use anachronistic common law charges in a vengeful pursuit of political events which took place in 2014\". This verdict comes after a string of frustrations for pro-democracy activists. In the last few years the courts have removed six lawmakers for changing their swearing in oaths to include protest phrases. Others have also been disqualified from running for office." } ], "id": "10107_0", "question": "What has the reaction been?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4679, "answer_start": 3463, "text": "The protests started in reaction to a decision made by China that it would allow direct elections in 2017, but only from a list of candidates pre-approved by Beijing. Beijing is highly sensitive about Hong Kong's status and any calls for more autonomy from China. The former British colony was handed back in 1997 on condition it would retain \"a high degree of autonomy, except in foreign and defence affairs\" for 50 years. Many people in Hong Kong believe they should have the right to elect their own leader. In 2014, the three activists' calls for non-violent civil disobedience joined with student-led protests and snowballed into the massive demonstrations. Tens of thousands of people camped in the streets and demanded the right to fully free leadership elections. The protests became known as the \"Umbrella Movement\" after people used umbrellas to shield themselves from pepper spray fired by police to disperse the crowd. Protesters accused the Chinese government of breaking its promise to allow full democracy in Hong Kong, and of encroaching more and more on the region. But the number of protesters dwindled to just a few hundred as the weeks dragged on and they ultimately failed to achieve their goal." } ], "id": "10107_1", "question": "What were the protests about?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Chaos in the Iowa Democratic caucuses, where contest results are delayed by technical glitches, was seized upon by Donald Trump as he notched a victory. The outcome of the first stage in the Democrat race to pick a candidate for November's presidential election was left unsettled on Tuesday morning. Democratic officials blamed a \"coding error\" in the app used to report results. Mr Trump easily won the Republican contest. The debacle on the Democrat side, on the other hand, was \"an unmitigated disaster,\" the president tweeted. \"The only person that can claim a very big victory in Iowa last night is 'Trump'\". Votes in the Democratic contest will be tabulated by hand and the \"majority\" of the results would be reported by 16:00 local time (22:00 GMT) in Iowa on Tuesday, officials said. However, the indeterminate result on the night has created scepticism of the caucus process and reignited questions over whether Iowa - a rural, white state not representative of the US electorate as a whole - should continue to be the place to hold the first primary contest. Mr Trump dismissed the suggestion. \"As long as I am President, Iowa will stay where it is. Important tradition!\" he tweeted. Democrats hoping to take him on in this year's election have set their sights forward. Many have already landed in New Hampshire, where the next primary contest is due to be held on Tuesday, 11 February. On Monday, voters flocked to more than 1,600 schools, libraries and churches in Iowa to have their say in who should be on the ballot in the November presidential election. Mr Trump easily won the Republican contest with 97% of the vote, but a winner was not declared in the Democratic race. Despite the absence of results, several candidates claimed victory. Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders spoke of winning in Iowa's caucuses, citing internal campaign data that placed him ahead of Pete Buttigieg, the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana. Earlier, Mr Buttigieg told supporters that \"by all indications\" his campaign was \"going to New Hampshire victorious\". The vote in Iowa was a caucus - which involves people attending a meeting before voting on a candidate, perhaps via a head count or a show of hands. Voters in primaries - like the vote in New Hampshire - can just turn up at a polling booth and vote in secret. The Iowa Democratic Party (IDP) initially denied reports that the app had caused problems. Mandy McClure, the party spokeswoman, said there were \"inconsistencies in the reporting of three sets of results\" that was simply a \"reporting issue\". \"The underlying data and paper trail is sound and will simply take time to further report the results,\" she said. However, on Tuesday Tom Price, the IDP Chairman, admitted that an error in the app had caused the chaos. An investigation found that \"the underlying data collected via the app was sound,\" but only part of the data was being displayed in reports, Mr Price said. \"We have determined that this was due to a coding issue in the reporting system,\" he said. \"This issue was identified and fixed.\" He expected full results to be declared on Tuesday, he said, adding: \"While our plan is to release results as soon as possible today, our ultimate goal is to ensure that the integrity and accuracy of the process continues to be upheld.\" Rules on reporting were changed for this year, with Iowa Democrats required to report three numbers to party headquarters, rather than just the final delegate totals. Local party officials were already reporting glitches on Monday night. They said the app had malfunctioned, leaving precinct captains to call state party headquarters, whose phone lines quickly became jammed. Calls to the Iowa Democratic Party hotline late on Monday had the same recorded message: \"All of our operators are currently busy.\" The Democratic Party establishment spent the past few days hand-wringing over what they might view as a doomsday scenario where Bernie Sanders posted a solid win in the Iowa caucuses. It turns out they're heading towards an outcome much worse than that. Three years after having their party servers hacked by Russians in an attempt to disrupt the 2016 election, a \"quality control issue\" derailed the reporting of the Iowa results. It's not a good look for the Democratic Party - or for American democracy. It will be a snafu that launches 1,000 conspiracy theories and leaves a race that might have received some clarity after a year of campaigning a muddled mess as the primary season gets underway. The candidates are vying to win the opening contest of the 2020 White House campaign and become the Democratic nominee who will challenge Mr Trump, a Republican, in the 3 November election. Largely white, rural, sparsely populated Iowa awards just 41 of the 1,991 delegates needed to clinch the party nomination under America's quirky political system. But the state can offer crucial momentum - the last four Democratic nominees have all won the Iowa caucuses. The front-runners among the 11 remaining contenders are Senator Sanders and former US Vice-President Joe Biden. Pete Buttigieg, the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren and Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar also campaigned vigorously in the state. Amid the delay, party officials held a call with the rival campaigns. Lawyers for the Biden campaign wrote a letter to the Iowa Democratic Party to register concern about the \"considerable flaws\" and \"acute failures\" in the reporting system. \"The app that was intended to relay Caucus results to the Party failed; the Party's back-up telephonic reporting system likewise has failed,\" said the letter. A source in Mr Buttigieg's campaign told Reuters news agency the delay was \"definitely going to de-legitimise whoever wins\". The Iowa Democratic party held a call with the campaigns on Tuesday morning to discuss the previous night's events. However, its decision to report part of the results by 4pm local time in Iowa added to the criticism of its handling of the caucuses. Mr Trump's campaign gloated over the debacle. Trump 2020 manager Brad Parscale said Democrats were \"stewing in a caucus mess of their own creation with the sloppiest train wreck in history\", adding that it would be \"natural for people to doubt the fairness of the process\". But Republicans have had their own problems in Iowa previously. In 2012, Mitt Romney was declared the winner of the caucuses only for the party to say two weeks later that Rick Santorum had actually won. The president's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr, tweeted that the Democratic results chaos was all a \"fix\". However, there was no indication that it had been caused by anything other than human or technical error. Republicans also held Iowa caucuses on Monday and, as predicted, Mr Trump - who enjoys around 90% support in his party - squashed his two little-known challengers. The race will next move on to the other three early-voting states of New Hampshire next week, then Nevada and South Carolina later in February. On Super Tuesday, 3 March, 15 states and territories will vote. The field will be whittled down until a final nominee is crowned at the party convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in July.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2316, "answer_start": 1399, "text": "On Monday, voters flocked to more than 1,600 schools, libraries and churches in Iowa to have their say in who should be on the ballot in the November presidential election. Mr Trump easily won the Republican contest with 97% of the vote, but a winner was not declared in the Democratic race. Despite the absence of results, several candidates claimed victory. Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders spoke of winning in Iowa's caucuses, citing internal campaign data that placed him ahead of Pete Buttigieg, the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana. Earlier, Mr Buttigieg told supporters that \"by all indications\" his campaign was \"going to New Hampshire victorious\". The vote in Iowa was a caucus - which involves people attending a meeting before voting on a candidate, perhaps via a head count or a show of hands. Voters in primaries - like the vote in New Hampshire - can just turn up at a polling booth and vote in secret." } ], "id": "10108_0", "question": "What happened at the caucuses?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3467, "answer_start": 2317, "text": "The Iowa Democratic Party (IDP) initially denied reports that the app had caused problems. Mandy McClure, the party spokeswoman, said there were \"inconsistencies in the reporting of three sets of results\" that was simply a \"reporting issue\". \"The underlying data and paper trail is sound and will simply take time to further report the results,\" she said. However, on Tuesday Tom Price, the IDP Chairman, admitted that an error in the app had caused the chaos. An investigation found that \"the underlying data collected via the app was sound,\" but only part of the data was being displayed in reports, Mr Price said. \"We have determined that this was due to a coding issue in the reporting system,\" he said. \"This issue was identified and fixed.\" He expected full results to be declared on Tuesday, he said, adding: \"While our plan is to release results as soon as possible today, our ultimate goal is to ensure that the integrity and accuracy of the process continues to be upheld.\" Rules on reporting were changed for this year, with Iowa Democrats required to report three numbers to party headquarters, rather than just the final delegate totals." } ], "id": "10108_1", "question": "What are the organisers saying about the Iowa situation?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3808, "answer_start": 3468, "text": "Local party officials were already reporting glitches on Monday night. They said the app had malfunctioned, leaving precinct captains to call state party headquarters, whose phone lines quickly became jammed. Calls to the Iowa Democratic Party hotline late on Monday had the same recorded message: \"All of our operators are currently busy.\"" } ], "id": "10108_2", "question": "What were the problems?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5257, "answer_start": 4511, "text": "The candidates are vying to win the opening contest of the 2020 White House campaign and become the Democratic nominee who will challenge Mr Trump, a Republican, in the 3 November election. Largely white, rural, sparsely populated Iowa awards just 41 of the 1,991 delegates needed to clinch the party nomination under America's quirky political system. But the state can offer crucial momentum - the last four Democratic nominees have all won the Iowa caucuses. The front-runners among the 11 remaining contenders are Senator Sanders and former US Vice-President Joe Biden. Pete Buttigieg, the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren and Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar also campaigned vigorously in the state." } ], "id": "10108_3", "question": "What's at stake?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 6033, "answer_start": 5258, "text": "Amid the delay, party officials held a call with the rival campaigns. Lawyers for the Biden campaign wrote a letter to the Iowa Democratic Party to register concern about the \"considerable flaws\" and \"acute failures\" in the reporting system. \"The app that was intended to relay Caucus results to the Party failed; the Party's back-up telephonic reporting system likewise has failed,\" said the letter. A source in Mr Buttigieg's campaign told Reuters news agency the delay was \"definitely going to de-legitimise whoever wins\". The Iowa Democratic party held a call with the campaigns on Tuesday morning to discuss the previous night's events. However, its decision to report part of the results by 4pm local time in Iowa added to the criticism of its handling of the caucuses." } ], "id": "10108_4", "question": "How did the campaigns respond?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 6885, "answer_start": 6034, "text": "Mr Trump's campaign gloated over the debacle. Trump 2020 manager Brad Parscale said Democrats were \"stewing in a caucus mess of their own creation with the sloppiest train wreck in history\", adding that it would be \"natural for people to doubt the fairness of the process\". But Republicans have had their own problems in Iowa previously. In 2012, Mitt Romney was declared the winner of the caucuses only for the party to say two weeks later that Rick Santorum had actually won. The president's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr, tweeted that the Democratic results chaos was all a \"fix\". However, there was no indication that it had been caused by anything other than human or technical error. Republicans also held Iowa caucuses on Monday and, as predicted, Mr Trump - who enjoys around 90% support in his party - squashed his two little-known challengers." } ], "id": "10108_5", "question": "How did the Trump campaign respond?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 7216, "answer_start": 6886, "text": "The race will next move on to the other three early-voting states of New Hampshire next week, then Nevada and South Carolina later in February. On Super Tuesday, 3 March, 15 states and territories will vote. The field will be whittled down until a final nominee is crowned at the party convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in July." } ], "id": "10108_6", "question": "What comes next?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Football hooliganism is nothing new in Germany, but when violence broke out before a Bundesliga match between two of the top clubs, this was something different. The stones and bottles thrown and the hate banners displayed by Borussia Dortmund supporters on Saturday exposed a widespread loathing in Germany for a team seen as upstarts, RB Leipzig. The club is challenging for Champions League football in its first ever season in the top flight. The hatred is because of the way they are wholly owned by one company, Red Bull. A wall of hatred was on view: \"Slaughter the bulls\", \"Red Bull, enemy of football\" were some of the milder slogans used. Families came under attack, and six fans and four police were hurt. One top football official Max Eberl said the violence was sick: \"Whether you like RB Leipzig or not, it shouldn't get out of hand.\" Dortmund's fans are not alone. One tabloid newspaper, the Berliner Kurier, even refused to print the club's name a few weeks ago, using the insulting term \"Dosenverkauf\" (Can-sellers) in their Bundesliga table. Selling drinks is the core business of RB's owner, Red Bull, and there have been plenty more insults since the company bought a team in the Leipzig suburbs in 2009 and oversaw four promotions in seven seasons. Listen to Tim's BBC World Service programme here: The Rise of RB Leipzig The vitriol derives from RB's ownership model. Traditionally German football clubs are run without a single, rich investor. It is the members who must control a majority of the shares in the entity that owns the team. But RB Leipzig has only 17 members. It follows the letter of this law, but not its spirit. Among the club's biggest critics is the chief executive at Borussia Dortmund, Hans-Joachim Watzke. \"It's a club built to push up the revenues for Red Bull and nothing else,\" he says. Read more on RB Leipzig here: RB Leipzig's rapid rise 'no fairytale' Andreas Bischof, whose blog in Leipzig pokes fun at the new club, goes further. \"This club is not owned or sponsored by a company, this club is like an outlet of a company,\" he says. \"It's a whole new level of using sports as a marketing vehicle.\" But others argue that RB Leipzig is just what the city and surrounding region need. There has been little Bundesliga football in the former East Germany since unification in 1990. \"Football is a business that needs an enormous amount of money,\" says Martin Machowecz from weekly newspaper Die Zeit. \"And here's someone who's come along, got involved and made sure that we've now reached the same standard as in West Germany in an area of society that's important.\" What RB as a club lacks in sporting history, its home city and its stadium provide. - The German Football Association, the DFB, was founded there - In 1903 VfB Leipzig became the first German champions - The stadium was built in the 1950s partly from World War Two rubble - With seating for 100,000 the Zentralstadion was the largest in the whole of Germany - East Germany played many international matches, there as did Lokomotive Leipzig Lokomotive Leipzig became a household name when they beat Bordeaux in a penalty shoot-out to qualify for the final of the Uefa Cup Winners' Cup in 1987. The goalkeeper saved two penalties before stepping up to score the winner. Gerlinde Rohr, now director of the Leipzig Sports Museum, was among the reported 110,000 in the stadium that night. \"I was there with a school mate and after Rene Mueller scored his goal I jumped on the seat and we embraced each other,\" she remembers. The Zentralstadion fell into disuse after unification but was given a new lease of life by the 2006 World Cup. The oval embankment of the old stadium was retained and a new stadium built inside it. It's now called the Red Bull Arena. Many see the appointment of Ralf Rangnick as the turning point for RBL, who had spent two frustrating seasons in the fourth tier before his arrival in 2012. As sports director and, for a brief period, trainer, he oversaw three promotions in four seasons. Ralf Rangnick's key to success is youth. He likes to buy players who may never previously have had a professional contract and his squad is the youngest in the Bundesliga, with an average age of a little over 23. In his eyes, young players are hungrier for success and fit his playing philosophy. In Leipzig they place huge emphasis on pressing the other team high up the pitch and winning the ball in the opponent's half. \"Even if you're the best player in the world and you're being attacked by three players, you lose the ball,\" he says. Ralf Rangnick also believes in the club's controversial ownership model. \"What do you need members for? I'm more interested in the number of supporters we have,\" he says. As for suggestions that Red Bull's owner Dietrich Mateschitz plays a big role in the way the club is run, the sports director says they meet and speak on the phone a handful of times every year. But what of the complaint that RB Leipzig is merely a vehicle for selling cans of energy drinks? \"For us it is completely unimportant,\" he says. \"It's got nothing to do with what we do.\"", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2616, "answer_start": 849, "text": "Dortmund's fans are not alone. One tabloid newspaper, the Berliner Kurier, even refused to print the club's name a few weeks ago, using the insulting term \"Dosenverkauf\" (Can-sellers) in their Bundesliga table. Selling drinks is the core business of RB's owner, Red Bull, and there have been plenty more insults since the company bought a team in the Leipzig suburbs in 2009 and oversaw four promotions in seven seasons. Listen to Tim's BBC World Service programme here: The Rise of RB Leipzig The vitriol derives from RB's ownership model. Traditionally German football clubs are run without a single, rich investor. It is the members who must control a majority of the shares in the entity that owns the team. But RB Leipzig has only 17 members. It follows the letter of this law, but not its spirit. Among the club's biggest critics is the chief executive at Borussia Dortmund, Hans-Joachim Watzke. \"It's a club built to push up the revenues for Red Bull and nothing else,\" he says. Read more on RB Leipzig here: RB Leipzig's rapid rise 'no fairytale' Andreas Bischof, whose blog in Leipzig pokes fun at the new club, goes further. \"This club is not owned or sponsored by a company, this club is like an outlet of a company,\" he says. \"It's a whole new level of using sports as a marketing vehicle.\" But others argue that RB Leipzig is just what the city and surrounding region need. There has been little Bundesliga football in the former East Germany since unification in 1990. \"Football is a business that needs an enormous amount of money,\" says Martin Machowecz from weekly newspaper Die Zeit. \"And here's someone who's come along, got involved and made sure that we've now reached the same standard as in West Germany in an area of society that's important.\"" } ], "id": "10109_0", "question": "Why the hatred?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The US embassy will move from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem before the end of 2019, Vice-President Mike Pence has said. The date is earlier than some had expected when President Donald Trump declared last month that Jerusalem was Israel's capital and ordered the start of preparations for the embassy move. Mr Pence made the announcement in a speech to the Israeli parliament. He was briefly interrupted by Arab MPs who held up banners saying \"Jerusalem is the capital of Palestine\". Mr Pence responded by smiling and saying that it was \"deeply humbling to be standing before this vibrant democracy\". Rather than meet the vice-president, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas travelled to Brussels to urge the EU to recognise a Palestinian state. 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, although Israel disputes this. The US vice-president defended Mr Trump's decision to break with international consensus in his address to the Knesset (parliament) on Monday, saying it had \"righted a 70-year wrong\". \"Jerusalem is Israel's capital,\" he stated. \"In the weeks ahead, our administration will advance its plan to open the United States Embassy in Jerusalem, and that United States Embassy will open before the end of next year.\" \"By finally recognising Jerusalem as Israel's capital, the United States has chosen fact over fiction. And fact is the only true foundation for a just and lasting peace.\" Last month, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said moving the embassy was \"not going to be anything that happens right away\" and was \"probably no earlier than three years out\". That was because the state department still needed to acquire a site, commission architects and gain planning approval, and then build the compound, he explained. However, last week senior US officials told the New York Times that the embassy transfer might happen in 2019 because diplomats had settled on a plan to convert an existing consular building in West Jerusalem. Although Palestinian leaders refused to meet the vice-president on this trip, he also said his country remained fully committed to achieving a peace deal to end the Israel-Palestinian conflict. \"We strongly urge the Palestinian leadership to return to the table. Peace can only come through dialogue,\" he said. Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the US and Israel were \"striving together to achieve a truce peace, lasting peace, peace with all our neighbours, including the Palestinians\". President Abbas has accused Mr Trump of delivering the \"slap of the century\" and said he will no longer accept the US as a mediator. Saeb Erekat, the secretary-general of the Palestine Liberation Organisation, said Mr Pence's \"messianic discourse\" was a \"gift to extremists\". It had proven that the US was \"part of the problem rather than the solution\", he added. Mr Abbas made no mention of the speech when he met EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini in Brussels. But he stressed that Palestinians were \"keen on continuing on the way of negotiations because we believe it is the only way forward to reach a negotiated solution and peace between us and Israel\". He also called on EU member states to \"swiftly recognise the state of Palestine\", adding that there was \"no contradiction between recognition and the resumption of negotiations\". Ms Mogherini said \"the only pragmatic, realistic solution for Jerusalem has to come through direct negotiations\" and called on all those involved in the peace process to \"speak wisely and consistently with a sense of responsibility\".", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1431, "answer_start": 747, "text": "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, although Israel disputes this." } ], "id": "10110_0", "question": "Why is the status of Jerusalem so controversial?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2563, "answer_start": 1432, "text": "The US vice-president defended Mr Trump's decision to break with international consensus in his address to the Knesset (parliament) on Monday, saying it had \"righted a 70-year wrong\". \"Jerusalem is Israel's capital,\" he stated. \"In the weeks ahead, our administration will advance its plan to open the United States Embassy in Jerusalem, and that United States Embassy will open before the end of next year.\" \"By finally recognising Jerusalem as Israel's capital, the United States has chosen fact over fiction. And fact is the only true foundation for a just and lasting peace.\" Last month, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said moving the embassy was \"not going to be anything that happens right away\" and was \"probably no earlier than three years out\". That was because the state department still needed to acquire a site, commission architects and gain planning approval, and then build the compound, he explained. However, last week senior US officials told the New York Times that the embassy transfer might happen in 2019 because diplomats had settled on a plan to convert an existing consular building in West Jerusalem." } ], "id": "10110_1", "question": "Was Mr Pence's announcement a surprise?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3206, "answer_start": 2564, "text": "Although Palestinian leaders refused to meet the vice-president on this trip, he also said his country remained fully committed to achieving a peace deal to end the Israel-Palestinian conflict. \"We strongly urge the Palestinian leadership to return to the table. Peace can only come through dialogue,\" he said. Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the US and Israel were \"striving together to achieve a truce peace, lasting peace, peace with all our neighbours, including the Palestinians\". President Abbas has accused Mr Trump of delivering the \"slap of the century\" and said he will no longer accept the US as a mediator." } ], "id": "10110_2", "question": "What else did Mr Pence say?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4155, "answer_start": 3207, "text": "Saeb Erekat, the secretary-general of the Palestine Liberation Organisation, said Mr Pence's \"messianic discourse\" was a \"gift to extremists\". It had proven that the US was \"part of the problem rather than the solution\", he added. Mr Abbas made no mention of the speech when he met EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini in Brussels. But he stressed that Palestinians were \"keen on continuing on the way of negotiations because we believe it is the only way forward to reach a negotiated solution and peace between us and Israel\". He also called on EU member states to \"swiftly recognise the state of Palestine\", adding that there was \"no contradiction between recognition and the resumption of negotiations\". Ms Mogherini said \"the only pragmatic, realistic solution for Jerusalem has to come through direct negotiations\" and called on all those involved in the peace process to \"speak wisely and consistently with a sense of responsibility\"." } ], "id": "10110_3", "question": "How did Palestinians react to the speech?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Former US marine Paul Whelan, accused in Russia of espionage, has said he is not a spy and that he was set up by a Russian friend. Speaking to the BBC, Mr Whelan, who is also a citizen of the UK, Canada and Ireland, said a friend had planted a hard drive on him without his knowledge. The 48-year-old's appeal against detention was denied by a Moscow court. Prosecutors say he was caught \"red-handed\" with state secrets last year. The investigation has now ended, and Mr Whelan's lawyers have begun studying the evidence. Because it is an espionage case, all the information is classified. The US ambassador in Moscow has called on Russia to stop \"playing games\" with the case. In a snatched conversation through the glass of his cage in court, Mr Whelan gave his side of the story for the first time, BBC Moscow correspondent Sarah Rainsford reports. He said he had been set up, and had not committed any crime. \"A person turned up at my [hotel] room and put something in my pocket, then I was arrested,\" Mr Whelan said. \"That person was an FSB [Russia's Federal Security Service] officer. Someone I had known for 10 years. There was absolutely no reason that person should have been in the room. No reason they should have given me any sort of flash drive.\" Asked by the BBC whether there were state secrets on the drive, as the prosecution maintains, Mr Whelan said he had \"no idea\". \"I never looked at it. I didn't know I had it until I was arrested. This is 100% a provocation, and a really bad one,\" he said. Defence lawyer Vladimir Zherebenkov also described the case as \"provocation\", adding that he has seen no proof so far of his client's guilt. Mr Whelan's frustration, meanwhile, is clearly increasing, our correspondent adds. When the judge returned to read his verdict - that he should be kept in custody, ahead of trial - Mr Whelan raised his voice to denounce the case as \"garbage\". Mr Whelan, who said he had been assaulted by a doctor and refused medical treatment, also called on all four governments - whose passport he holds - for their help. 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. The FSB said he was detained \"during an act of espionage\". Mr Whelan's Russian lawyer 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 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": 2063, "answer_start": 678, "text": "In a snatched conversation through the glass of his cage in court, Mr Whelan gave his side of the story for the first time, BBC Moscow correspondent Sarah Rainsford reports. He said he had been set up, and had not committed any crime. \"A person turned up at my [hotel] room and put something in my pocket, then I was arrested,\" Mr Whelan said. \"That person was an FSB [Russia's Federal Security Service] officer. Someone I had known for 10 years. There was absolutely no reason that person should have been in the room. No reason they should have given me any sort of flash drive.\" Asked by the BBC whether there were state secrets on the drive, as the prosecution maintains, Mr Whelan said he had \"no idea\". \"I never looked at it. I didn't know I had it until I was arrested. This is 100% a provocation, and a really bad one,\" he said. Defence lawyer Vladimir Zherebenkov also described the case as \"provocation\", adding that he has seen no proof so far of his client's guilt. Mr Whelan's frustration, meanwhile, is clearly increasing, our correspondent adds. When the judge returned to read his verdict - that he should be kept in custody, ahead of trial - Mr Whelan raised his voice to denounce the case as \"garbage\". Mr Whelan, who said he had been assaulted by a doctor and refused medical treatment, also called on all four governments - whose passport he holds - for their help." } ], "id": "10111_0", "question": "What did Paul Whelan say?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2544, "answer_start": 2064, "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. The FSB said he was detained \"during an act of espionage\". Mr Whelan's Russian lawyer said the arrest was made after he was unwittingly handed a memory stick containing state secrets." } ], "id": "10111_1", "question": "Why was he arrested?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3116, "answer_start": 2545, "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 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": "10111_2", "question": "Who is he?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "State-backed Lloyds Banking Group has been fined a record PS117m by the City watchdog for mis-handling payment protection insurance (PPI) complaints. It is the latest fine imposed on the bank, in which the taxpayer still holds a 19% stake. It comes just two months after Clydesdale Bank was fined PS20.7m for similar failings. Earlier this week, the government said it would launch a Lloyds share sale to the public \"in the next 12 months\". Last year, Lloyds was fined PS218m by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and US regulators for its part in the rigging of international banking lending rates. The latest fine relates to the way in which Lloyds advised its own complaint handlers to deal with customer demands for PPI refunds. The FCA said the bank dealt with 2.3 million PPI mis-selling complaints between March 2012 and May 2013. Lloyds rejected 37% of those complaints out of hand. Call centre staff in March 2012 were advised that the bank's sales processes were compliant with regulations and that they were to deal with complaints on this basis unless otherwise informed. PPI is designed to help policyholders repay loans and credit card debts in the event of illness, accident, redundancy or death. But it was mis-sold to millions of people. Policies often did not pay out when people needed help. Many sales staff did not explain PPI properly, for example to the self-employed or those with pre-existing medical conditions who would never be able to make a valid claim. Compensation claims have led to an average payout for millions of people, averaging just under PS3,000 each. As a result, the FCA said \"a significant number of customer complaints were unfairly rejected\". The mis-handling of complaints first came to light as a result of an undercover investigation by journalists from the Times newspaper, although the FCA was already investigating the bank over perceived failures in PPI complaint handling. Earlier this year, Lloyds said it had decided to freeze the release of shares in respect of deferred bonus awards from 2012 and 2013 for all members of its executive committee and for some other senior executives as a result of the FCA's investigation. The bank said today that a total of PS2.65m in bonuses would be forfeited by those executives. The BBC understands the Lloyds chief executive Antonio Horta-Osorio is set to lose around PS350,000 from his bonus over the affair. The most recent figures we have from the Financial Conduct Authority show that from the beginning of 2011 up to the end of March this year, PS19.2bn was paid out in PPI compensation. The FCA says that figure comes from the 24 firms that received 96% of PPI complaints last year, but clearly a big chunk of that has come from Lloyds Banking Group, which has so far set aside (although not necessarily paid out) more than PS12bn to cover PPI claims. While monthly payouts are well down from the peak of PS735m in May 2012, the firms between them are still consistently paying out PS300m or PS400m a month in the fifth year of this scandal. In addition, Lloyds Banking Group is cutting PS30m from its overall group bonus pot. One staff member, who contacted the BBC on condition of anonymity, said the bank was \"unfairly punishing all staff for the behaviour of its executives\". The FCA said the bank had decided to review or automatically uphold approximately 1.2 million PPI complaints. Lloyds has set aside a further PS710m to cover any redress due to affected customers. In total the bank has set aside PS12.025bn to refund customers for PPI mis-selling. Customers do not need to take any action. Those who are affected and entitled to redress are being contacted directly. The FCA added that it was overseeing the remediation process. Responding to the fine Mr Horta-Osorio said: \"Whilst our intentions were right, we made mistakes in our handling of some PPI complaints. I am very sorry for this. \"We have been working hard with the FCA to ensure all customers receive appropriate redress. That process is now substantially complete. We remain fully committed to improving our operational procedures and ensuring we do the right thing for our customers.\"", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1595, "answer_start": 1087, "text": "PPI is designed to help policyholders repay loans and credit card debts in the event of illness, accident, redundancy or death. But it was mis-sold to millions of people. Policies often did not pay out when people needed help. Many sales staff did not explain PPI properly, for example to the self-employed or those with pre-existing medical conditions who would never be able to make a valid claim. Compensation claims have led to an average payout for millions of people, averaging just under PS3,000 each." } ], "id": "10112_0", "question": "What is payment protection insurance?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "There are two ways to look at Mark Zuckerberg's comments on Wednesday, his first since the Cambridge Analytica crisis unfolded. They showed either a chief executive getting on top of the situation, and making what sounded like significant concessions in areas we wouldn't expect. Or, it was a skilled, composed display of PR spin - a media appearance for which he had almost six days to prepare. Speaking to CNN's Laurie Segall, Mr Zuckerberg made it look like he was giving up a lot, while simultaneously dodging the big issues. Yes, he said he welcomed more regulation - but in a way that wouldn't have that much impact on Facebook's business at all. Yes, he said he would be \"happy\" to testify before Congress and other committees around the world - but immediately gave himself the get-out clause he has used to avoid all of the other hearings so far. Yes, he did say sorry - but only for the situation, not specifically for the actions of his company. Simply - Mr Zuckerberg did enough to buy some time as he tries to get his company in order, but not much more than that. His comment - \"I actually am not sure we shouldn't be regulated\" - seemed like a major admission that the time may have come for stricter rules on his business. In reality, he was advocating for a bill that would arguably have more impact on the people who advertise on Facebook than Facebook itself. \"I think there are things like ads transparency regulation that I would love to see,\" he told CNN. He was referring to the Honest Ads Act that's being debated by US politicians right now, a proposed law that would force buyers of any online advertising relating to candidates in an election campaign to be more transparent about funding. In other words, the internet equivalent of messages like \"I'm Donald Trump and I support this message\" being tacked to TV spots. The Honest Ads Act would also require companies like Facebook to take \"reasonable\" steps to determine that no foreign power was buying ads. Here's what's worth knowing: following the fall-out over Russian-bought ads in the 2016 US presidential election, Facebook said it created the tools needed to handle political ad spending better. So if the Honest Ads Act was passed today, chances are Facebook would already be in compliance. In the days following the Cambridge Analytica revelations, several investigatory committees in the US and Europe said they would be calling on Mr Zuckerberg to testify in person. \"The short answer is I'm happy to,\" he told CNN. \"If it's the right thing to do.\" This has been Mr Zuckerberg's position all along. In the past, he's sent people like lawyer Colin Stretch, who took the lion's share of questions when the social media companies were summoned to Washington late last year. When it wasn't lawyers, the company opted to send specific department heads, such as policy boss Monika Bickert. But to be fair to Facebook, this is a valid approach. If Mr Zuckerberg is a good boss capable of delegating effectively, his department heads would certainly know more about their respective areas than he would. It's worth remembering that when it comes to political theatre, those calling Mr Zuckerberg to Washington would enjoy very much the chance to look tough and impressive when dealing with a powerful tech leader. \"That's not a media opportunity - or at least it's not supposed to be,\" Mr Zuckerberg told CNN. \"We just want to make sure we send whoever is best informed to do that.\" The investigations looking at Facebook are focused on areas advertising, manipulation, consent and safety. Facebook has a top expert for each of those areas. But Mark Zuckerberg, it's entirely reasonable to say, isn't one of them. When his initial statement was posted, those who read it noticed something immediately: he didn't say sorry. Later, in follow up interviews - he appeared to offer something of an apology. \"So this was a major breach of trust and I'm really sorry that this happened,\" he told CNN, and repeated in similar words to Wired magazine, tech publication Recode and the New York Times, all of which were given interviews on Wednesday. And he is \"sorry\" - sorry that the company's missteps and naivety (his word) led to $50bn being wiped off the company's value and reputational damage from which it may never fully recover. His words today expressed an apology for the result, not the cause. Remember, it's possible to feel sorry for one's self. For me, the most surprising remark Mr Zuckerberg made today was his answer to a question from the New York Times. \"Are you giving any thought to allowing Cambridge Analytica back in?\" asked the newspaper's reporter, Sheera Frenkel. \"We're certainly not going to consider letting them back onto the platform until we have full confirmation that there's no wrongdoing here,\" Mr Zuckerberg said. So, it's possible. Mr Zuckerberg's recent struggles as chief executive have been because of his inability to understand the root of the public's anger. First on fake news, and now this. Some people think that the public is less concerned about the specific nuances of whether or not a policy was breached, and more about the broad ethical stance of Facebook on the use of its data to achieve the aims that Cambridge Analytica promises its clients. Mr Zuckerberg had the chance to say such activity was no longer welcome on his network, but chose not to take it.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4432, "answer_start": 3696, "text": "When his initial statement was posted, those who read it noticed something immediately: he didn't say sorry. Later, in follow up interviews - he appeared to offer something of an apology. \"So this was a major breach of trust and I'm really sorry that this happened,\" he told CNN, and repeated in similar words to Wired magazine, tech publication Recode and the New York Times, all of which were given interviews on Wednesday. And he is \"sorry\" - sorry that the company's missteps and naivety (his word) led to $50bn being wiped off the company's value and reputational damage from which it may never fully recover. His words today expressed an apology for the result, not the cause. Remember, it's possible to feel sorry for one's self." } ], "id": "10113_0", "question": "Sorry?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Three men have been jailed for life for the rape, torture and murder of an eight-year-old Muslim girl in Indian-administered Kashmir. Three police officers were found guilty of destroying evidence and sentenced to five years in prison. The victim, who belonged to a Muslim nomadic tribe, was found in a forest near Kathua city in January 2018. The case sparked widespread anger and made headlines when Hindu right-wing groups protested over the men's arrest. Eight people, including a former government official, four policemen and a minor, were charged in connection with the crime. One of them has been acquitted and the minor is set to be tried separately. All of them had pleaded not guilty to the charges against them. The case became one among many high-profile ones that prompted India to pass a new law which introduced death penalty for anyone convicted of raping a child under 12. But it is still left to the judge's discretion to decide whether or not to hand out a death sentence. The eight-year-old girl went missing in the new year of 2018 and her battered body was discovered almost three weeks later. According to investigators, the child was confined to a local temple for several days and given sedatives that kept her unconscious. The charge sheet alleged that she was \"raped for days, tortured and then finally murdered\". They added that the child was targeted because the men wished to terrorise the tribe - known as Gujjars - into leaving. A child is sexually abused every 15 minutes in India, according to government crime figures up to 2016, and there has been a steady rise in offences against children. The BBC's Geeta Pandey in Delhi says India is home to the largest number of sexually abused children in the world, but there is a reluctance to talk about the topic so the real number of cases could be much higher. Seven men were tried in a specially convened fast-track court on Monday and six were found guilty. Investigators said that Sanjhi Ram, a 60-year-old retired government officer, allegedly planned the crime with the help of police officers Surinder Verma, Anand Dutta, Tilak Raj and Deepak Khajuria. Ram's son, Vishal, his nephew, a juvenile, and his friend, Parvesh Kumar, were also accused over the rape and murder. While Vishal was acquitted, Ram, Khajuria and Kumar have been sentenced for life. The remaining three have been handed five-year sentences. After the verdict, the lawyer representing the child's family told BBC Punjabi that it was a \"victory of constitutional spirit\". He added that \"the whole country fought this case, irrespective of religious affiliations\". The lawyer representing the accused said that despite the conviction, the case was based on \"circumstantial evidence\" and has pleaded for minimum punishment for the six men. He added that there were mitigating circumstances, including the fact that the men were the sole breadwinners in their families. Divya Arya, BBC News, Anantnag When I met the girl's mother, she was on a hilltop alongside her elder daughter and several other members of the family. They were surrounded by their sheep and goats, which were grazing, and they did not know that this verdict had come out. When I informed the girl's mother that six of the accused had been convicted, she began to cry and blessed me for being the bearer of good news. She said the family could not afford to travel to Pathankot to hear the verdict because selling livestock was their only source of income. \"I have always believed in justice and God gave me strength to fight for it,\" she said. She added that if the two main accused were not sentenced to death, she and her husband would challenge the sentence. \"We will not eat or drink but we will get justice for our daughter,\" she said. The girl's elder sister, who is 15, says she and other girls her age now live in \"constant fear of Hindu men\" and never leave the house unless they are accompanied by an older family member. Although promptly reported in Indian-administered Kashmir, it only made headlines in the rest of the country in April after Hindu groups marched in support of the accused. But as details of the injuries inflicted on the child became public, horrified Indians protested across the country. Outrage grew after two ministers from India's governing Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) attended a rally in support of the accused men, whose community was involved in a land dispute with the nomadic tribe the girl belonged to. The child's mother has demanded capital punishment for two of those convicted - retired government officer Sanji Ram and police officer Deepak Khajuria - claiming that they were the \"masterminds\" behind the crime. \"My daughter's face still haunts me and that pain will never leave me. When I see other children of her age playing around me, it breaks my heart,\" she told the BBC. Despite the outrage, the victim's parents said they felt threatened in Kathua, where the community is predominantly Hindu. The sentiment around the case prompted the top court to move the trial out of Jammu and Kashmir to a court in Pathankot in the northern state of Punjab and start the trial afresh.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1843, "answer_start": 993, "text": "The eight-year-old girl went missing in the new year of 2018 and her battered body was discovered almost three weeks later. According to investigators, the child was confined to a local temple for several days and given sedatives that kept her unconscious. The charge sheet alleged that she was \"raped for days, tortured and then finally murdered\". They added that the child was targeted because the men wished to terrorise the tribe - known as Gujjars - into leaving. A child is sexually abused every 15 minutes in India, according to government crime figures up to 2016, and there has been a steady rise in offences against children. The BBC's Geeta Pandey in Delhi says India is home to the largest number of sexually abused children in the world, but there is a reluctance to talk about the topic so the real number of cases could be much higher." } ], "id": "10114_0", "question": "What happened?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2924, "answer_start": 1844, "text": "Seven men were tried in a specially convened fast-track court on Monday and six were found guilty. Investigators said that Sanjhi Ram, a 60-year-old retired government officer, allegedly planned the crime with the help of police officers Surinder Verma, Anand Dutta, Tilak Raj and Deepak Khajuria. Ram's son, Vishal, his nephew, a juvenile, and his friend, Parvesh Kumar, were also accused over the rape and murder. While Vishal was acquitted, Ram, Khajuria and Kumar have been sentenced for life. The remaining three have been handed five-year sentences. After the verdict, the lawyer representing the child's family told BBC Punjabi that it was a \"victory of constitutional spirit\". He added that \"the whole country fought this case, irrespective of religious affiliations\". The lawyer representing the accused said that despite the conviction, the case was based on \"circumstantial evidence\" and has pleaded for minimum punishment for the six men. He added that there were mitigating circumstances, including the fact that the men were the sole breadwinners in their families." } ], "id": "10114_1", "question": "Who are the convicted men?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5172, "answer_start": 3958, "text": "Although promptly reported in Indian-administered Kashmir, it only made headlines in the rest of the country in April after Hindu groups marched in support of the accused. But as details of the injuries inflicted on the child became public, horrified Indians protested across the country. Outrage grew after two ministers from India's governing Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) attended a rally in support of the accused men, whose community was involved in a land dispute with the nomadic tribe the girl belonged to. The child's mother has demanded capital punishment for two of those convicted - retired government officer Sanji Ram and police officer Deepak Khajuria - claiming that they were the \"masterminds\" behind the crime. \"My daughter's face still haunts me and that pain will never leave me. When I see other children of her age playing around me, it breaks my heart,\" she told the BBC. Despite the outrage, the victim's parents said they felt threatened in Kathua, where the community is predominantly Hindu. The sentiment around the case prompted the top court to move the trial out of Jammu and Kashmir to a court in Pathankot in the northern state of Punjab and start the trial afresh." } ], "id": "10114_2", "question": "What was the response to the case?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Hong Kong riot police have used tear gas, rubber bullets and water cannon to disperse crowds as tens of thousands marched in the city, defying a ban. Officers also fired live warning shots as they tried to clear the streets. Protesters lit fires, threw petrol bombs and attacked the parliament building. A number of people were later held as they fled into metro stations. Saturday's event to mark five years since China ruled out fully democratic elections was banned in Hong Kong. On Friday, several key pro-democracy activists and lawmakers in China's special administrative region were arrested. The protest movement grew out of rallies against a controversial extradition bill - now suspended - which would have allowed criminal suspects to be sent to mainland China for trial. It has since become a broader pro-democracy movement in which clashes have grown more violent. Protesters took to the streets in the Wan Chai district, many joining a Christian march, while others demonstrated in the Causeway Bay shopping district in the pouring rain. Many carried umbrellas and wore face masks. On the 13th weekend of protests, demonstrators - chanting \"stand with Hong Kong\" and \"fight for freedom\" - gathered outside government offices, the local headquarters of China's People's Liberation Army and the city's parliament, known as the Legislative Council. In the Admiralty district, some protesters threw fire bombs towards officers. Earlier, protesters marched near the official residence of embattled leader Carrie Lam, who is the focal point of much of the anger. The riot police had erected barriers around key buildings and road blocks, and fired tear gas and jets of blue-dyed water from water cannon. The coloured liquid is traditionally used to make it easier for police to identify protesters. The police later confirmed that two officers fired into the air during operations to clear protesters from the streets. Both officers fired one shot each when they felt their lives were threatened, the police department said. Eric, a 22-year-old student, told Reuters news agency: \"Telling us not to protest is like telling us not to breathe. I feel it's my duty to fight for democracy. Maybe we win, maybe we lose, but we fight.\" The recent demonstrations have been characterised as leaderless. On Friday police had appealed to members of the public to cut ties with \"violent protesters\" and had warned people not to take part in the banned march. Police made a number of arrests late on Saturday. Danny Vincent, BBC News, Hong Kong A sea of young people gathered on the streets surrounding the government headquarters. Like most weekends many came prepared. Protesters pushed wheelbarrows full of broken bricks to the front lines. They were thrown and pushed to the front over barricades in an attempt to slow the police's advance. Rounds of tear gas, now the go-to weapon of the police, hung in the air, followed by rubber bullets fired towards the ground and in some cases nearly horizontally. But police projectiles were met with rounds of petrol bombs thrown over police barriers and into the makeshift no-man's-land which separated the police and protesters. Many young protesters have become battle-hardened by nearly three months of demonstrations. They are strategic, organised and increasingly willing to resort to violence. During a 24-hour police crackdown, at least three activists - including prominent 23-year-old campaigner Joshua Wong - and three lawmakers were detained. Mr Wong, who first rose to prominence as the poster boy of a protest movement that swept Hong Kong in 2014, was released on bail after being charged over the protests which have rocked the territory since June. Speaking to the BBC, Mr Wong said: \"Organising protests, having assembly on street is the fundamental right of [the] Hong Kong people... People will still gather on [the] street and urge President Xi [Jinping] and Beijing [that] it's time to listen to people's voice.\" Hong Kong is part of China, but enjoys \"special freedoms\". Those are set to expire in 2047, and many in Hong Kong do not want to become \"another Chinese city\". Beijing has repeatedly condemned the protesters and described their actions as \"close to terrorism\". The protests have frequently escalated into violence between police and activists, with injuries on both sides. Activists are increasingly concerned that China might use military force to intervene. On Thursday, Beijing moved a new batch of troops into Hong Kong, a move Chinese state media described as a routine annual rotation. - Summary of the protests in 100 and 500 words - All the context you need on the protests - The background to the protests in video - More on Hong Kong's history - Profile of Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2505, "answer_start": 878, "text": "Protesters took to the streets in the Wan Chai district, many joining a Christian march, while others demonstrated in the Causeway Bay shopping district in the pouring rain. Many carried umbrellas and wore face masks. On the 13th weekend of protests, demonstrators - chanting \"stand with Hong Kong\" and \"fight for freedom\" - gathered outside government offices, the local headquarters of China's People's Liberation Army and the city's parliament, known as the Legislative Council. In the Admiralty district, some protesters threw fire bombs towards officers. Earlier, protesters marched near the official residence of embattled leader Carrie Lam, who is the focal point of much of the anger. The riot police had erected barriers around key buildings and road blocks, and fired tear gas and jets of blue-dyed water from water cannon. The coloured liquid is traditionally used to make it easier for police to identify protesters. The police later confirmed that two officers fired into the air during operations to clear protesters from the streets. Both officers fired one shot each when they felt their lives were threatened, the police department said. Eric, a 22-year-old student, told Reuters news agency: \"Telling us not to protest is like telling us not to breathe. I feel it's my duty to fight for democracy. Maybe we win, maybe we lose, but we fight.\" The recent demonstrations have been characterised as leaderless. On Friday police had appealed to members of the public to cut ties with \"violent protesters\" and had warned people not to take part in the banned march. Police made a number of arrests late on Saturday." } ], "id": "10115_0", "question": "What happened on Saturday?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4568, "answer_start": 3343, "text": "During a 24-hour police crackdown, at least three activists - including prominent 23-year-old campaigner Joshua Wong - and three lawmakers were detained. Mr Wong, who first rose to prominence as the poster boy of a protest movement that swept Hong Kong in 2014, was released on bail after being charged over the protests which have rocked the territory since June. Speaking to the BBC, Mr Wong said: \"Organising protests, having assembly on street is the fundamental right of [the] Hong Kong people... People will still gather on [the] street and urge President Xi [Jinping] and Beijing [that] it's time to listen to people's voice.\" Hong Kong is part of China, but enjoys \"special freedoms\". Those are set to expire in 2047, and many in Hong Kong do not want to become \"another Chinese city\". Beijing has repeatedly condemned the protesters and described their actions as \"close to terrorism\". The protests have frequently escalated into violence between police and activists, with injuries on both sides. Activists are increasingly concerned that China might use military force to intervene. On Thursday, Beijing moved a new batch of troops into Hong Kong, a move Chinese state media described as a routine annual rotation." } ], "id": "10115_1", "question": "Who was arrested?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The deadly collapse of two houses in Marseille has traumatised France's second city in a way that eerily echoes London's Grenfell Tower disaster. The full horror emerged only gradually, as firefighters painstakingly searched the rubble, while government ministers visited the scene and national TV and radio channels covered the disaster exhaustively. Day after day, bodies were recovered and by Friday an eighth victim was found. Fewer people may have lost their lives than the 72 who died at Grenfell, but the disaster exposed a long-standing housing problem that affects some 100,000 people in private accommodation in Marseille, according to a 2015 government report. And there is heartbreak over lives cut short, and fear, and fury. \"Clearly there is anger,\" says Jean-Marie Leforestier, a reporter for local news site Marsactu. \"Residents and associations have been condemning substandard housing for years. People feel overlooked and the efforts being made in response to this awful event look very late.\" Rue d'Aubagne is a long, busy, ascending street in the old city that leads off the Canebiere, the great avenue which forms an axis between the cramped northern quarters with all their economic and social problems, and the prosperity and elegance of southern Marseille. The street winds through the traditionally working-class quarter of Noailles, where much of the population are immigrants or their descendants from France's former colonies in North Africa. Other residents are drawn to the quarter by low rents. But some Marseille people may know the Rue d'Aubagne best as a street to take from the Canebiere to reach the clubs and cafes of the popular Cours Julien quarter nearby. A silent march was due to take place in Noailles on Saturday. The victims have been recovered from the rubble of No. 65, a privately owned building. Of those identified, only the first names are being reported officially. The building collapsed around 09:00 (08:00 GMT) on Monday along with No. 63, which had been bought by the city and was officially uninhabited. Rachid, who lived on the first floor of No. 65, had nipped out to buy cigarettes when he saw his building vanish in a cloud of dust, according to local newspaper La Provence. Inside were two friends he had invited to stay over, one a Tunisian named Taher who was 58, and the other an Algerian called Cherif, who was 36. Taher's body has been identified while investigators are trying to establish whether that of another man is Cherif's. The fourth and top floor of the building had been inhabited by a woman of 55 called Marie-Emmanuelle. On the second floor lived an Italian woman named Simona, who was 30. Simona Carpignano, to give her her full name, had recently completed a course in economics at Aix-Marseille University. Family and friends attended a Mass for her at a church around the corner from Rue d'Aubagne, her friends remembering her joie de vivre. An Italian national of Senegalese origin, 26-year-old Niasse, had spent the night in her flat and was also killed. Sharing the same floor of the building was Fabien, 54, a painter who was a popular figure in La Plaine, another centre of Marseille night life further to the south. One of Marseille's most famous rock bands, Moussu T e lei Jovents, paid tribute to its \"friend\" and \"comrade\" on Facebook. A 30-year-old worker named Julien, who lived on the first floor, was also killed. The body of an unnamed eighth victim, a woman, was recovered on Friday. The day after the disaster, a man could be seen playing Brazilian music in mourning for a friend killed in the building, journalist Margaid Quioc tweeted. According to the 2015 government report, 13% of Marseille's private housing, accounting for 40,400 homes for some 100,000 people, was potentially sub-standard. The average for France was 6%, Le Monde newspaper reports. In the centre of Marseille the number of such dwellings rose to more than a third (35%), and nearly 70% of the homes deemed potentially sub-standard were in co-owned properties such as No. 65 Rue d'Aubagne. Fabien Cadenel, who has worked as an architect for 20 years in Marseille, believes a disaster such as that on Rue d'Aubagne was inevitable in a city centre with so many buildings between 200 and 300 years old, built of rubble stone and mortar. He posted photos this week of structural problems in buildings, while offering advice and reassurance to anxious tenants and landlords. \"Maintenance costs money but if you wait, you expose yourself to major works or a tragedy that will cost you infinitely more,\" he says. \"A disaster like that on Rue d'Aubagne is exceptional. It's the result of negligence over many years. Fortunately a building does not collapse so easily. Occupants should worry about any element which arises suddenly, or over a few days, and/or has evolved such as a crack, a shifting floor, water intrusion, subsidence etc.\" He said anyone with serious concerns should report faults to the mayor's office or other professionals who had an obligation to investigate. And on Wednesday alone Marseille's city authorities reportedly received 51 alerts about buildings at risk and responded 37 times, ordering four evacuations. The 2015 report recommended designing a formal strategy to address the problem, involving the city and French state, but the report's author, Christian Nicol, told Marsactu this week that \"the state and the city are not doing their work\". \"They're still at the studies phase of knowing who does what,\" he believes. Some 100 protesters gathered near the disaster site this week, hurling insults at Marseille Mayor Jean-Claude Gaudin and the city's top housing official. Mr Gaudin defended his administration on Thursday and called for laws to make it easier to force landlords to carry out necessary maintenance or make improvements. But critics counter that other French cities spend more and fare better, while Marseille prioritises urban renewal aimed at attracting tourists and business. Fabien Cadenel believes landlords cannot be left to solve the problem of substandard housing alone. \"The poorest quarters are the most dilapidated but by definition they also have the landlords with the least means to renovate,\" the architect says. The exact cause of the Marseille collapse has not yet been confirmed. But Interior Minister Christophe Castaner has promised that the state will make an audit of \"substandard housing\" in Marseille, \"building by building\".", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1758, "answer_start": 1013, "text": "Rue d'Aubagne is a long, busy, ascending street in the old city that leads off the Canebiere, the great avenue which forms an axis between the cramped northern quarters with all their economic and social problems, and the prosperity and elegance of southern Marseille. The street winds through the traditionally working-class quarter of Noailles, where much of the population are immigrants or their descendants from France's former colonies in North Africa. Other residents are drawn to the quarter by low rents. But some Marseille people may know the Rue d'Aubagne best as a street to take from the Canebiere to reach the clubs and cafes of the popular Cours Julien quarter nearby. A silent march was due to take place in Noailles on Saturday." } ], "id": "10116_0", "question": "Where did the buildings collapse?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5204, "answer_start": 3639, "text": "According to the 2015 government report, 13% of Marseille's private housing, accounting for 40,400 homes for some 100,000 people, was potentially sub-standard. The average for France was 6%, Le Monde newspaper reports. In the centre of Marseille the number of such dwellings rose to more than a third (35%), and nearly 70% of the homes deemed potentially sub-standard were in co-owned properties such as No. 65 Rue d'Aubagne. Fabien Cadenel, who has worked as an architect for 20 years in Marseille, believes a disaster such as that on Rue d'Aubagne was inevitable in a city centre with so many buildings between 200 and 300 years old, built of rubble stone and mortar. He posted photos this week of structural problems in buildings, while offering advice and reassurance to anxious tenants and landlords. \"Maintenance costs money but if you wait, you expose yourself to major works or a tragedy that will cost you infinitely more,\" he says. \"A disaster like that on Rue d'Aubagne is exceptional. It's the result of negligence over many years. Fortunately a building does not collapse so easily. Occupants should worry about any element which arises suddenly, or over a few days, and/or has evolved such as a crack, a shifting floor, water intrusion, subsidence etc.\" He said anyone with serious concerns should report faults to the mayor's office or other professionals who had an obligation to investigate. And on Wednesday alone Marseille's city authorities reportedly received 51 alerts about buildings at risk and responded 37 times, ordering four evacuations." } ], "id": "10116_1", "question": "How safe are Marseille's old houses?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 6466, "answer_start": 5205, "text": "The 2015 report recommended designing a formal strategy to address the problem, involving the city and French state, but the report's author, Christian Nicol, told Marsactu this week that \"the state and the city are not doing their work\". \"They're still at the studies phase of knowing who does what,\" he believes. Some 100 protesters gathered near the disaster site this week, hurling insults at Marseille Mayor Jean-Claude Gaudin and the city's top housing official. Mr Gaudin defended his administration on Thursday and called for laws to make it easier to force landlords to carry out necessary maintenance or make improvements. But critics counter that other French cities spend more and fare better, while Marseille prioritises urban renewal aimed at attracting tourists and business. Fabien Cadenel believes landlords cannot be left to solve the problem of substandard housing alone. \"The poorest quarters are the most dilapidated but by definition they also have the landlords with the least means to renovate,\" the architect says. The exact cause of the Marseille collapse has not yet been confirmed. But Interior Minister Christophe Castaner has promised that the state will make an audit of \"substandard housing\" in Marseille, \"building by building\"." } ], "id": "10116_2", "question": "What action is being taken?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The investigation by a special counsel into whether Russia meddled in the US election is now using a grand jury, according to US media reports. The use of such a legal body reflects a stepping up of the investigative process. But how exactly does the system work? A grand jury is set up by a prosecutor to determine whether there is enough evidence to pursue a prosecution. In legal terms, it determines whether probable cause exists to believe a crime has been committed. In order to come to this conclusion, the jury is given investigative powers. It can issue subpoenas to compel people to testify or hand over documentation relating to the case. Members can also question witnesses, who are not allowed to have lawyers in attendance. It is in the Bill of Rights. The Fifth Amendment says: \"No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury.\" Members of the public. The US courts handbook says they \"are drawn at random from lists of registered voters, lists of actual voters, or other sources as necessary\". Jury members may be called for duty for months at a time, but need only appear in court for a few days out of every month. This can range from as low as six to as high as 23, although a federal grand jury usually comprises 16 to 23 people. Hence the term \"grand\", because the trial - or \"petit\" - jury is usually smaller. Unlike the trial jury, the grand jury does not determine whether a person is guilty of a crime. It also sits in secret. There is no media coverage. Generally, the person under investigation is not allowed to be present. The reasoning behind the secrecy is that it protects the jurors from intimidation. It also protects innocent people from unfounded charges. The jury does not have to be unanimous to recommend an indictment - or criminal charge. The majority can vary. It can take a two-thirds, or three-quarters verdict. Federal, state and county prosecutors all use grand juries, but all federal crimes must have a grand jury indictment. However, if the jury does not vote for indictment, charges can be still be brought if prosecutors convince a judge. Grand jury processes can last months, even years. While all states have provisions to allow for grand juries, only around half use them, with other states preferring to rely on a preliminary hearing to determine whether or not to indict a defendant on non-federal charges.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 737, "answer_start": 264, "text": "A grand jury is set up by a prosecutor to determine whether there is enough evidence to pursue a prosecution. In legal terms, it determines whether probable cause exists to believe a crime has been committed. In order to come to this conclusion, the jury is given investigative powers. It can issue subpoenas to compel people to testify or hand over documentation relating to the case. Members can also question witnesses, who are not allowed to have lawyers in attendance." } ], "id": "10117_0", "question": "What is the purpose of a grand jury?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 927, "answer_start": 738, "text": "It is in the Bill of Rights. The Fifth Amendment says: \"No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury.\"" } ], "id": "10117_1", "question": "Why is it in the legal system?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1216, "answer_start": 928, "text": "Members of the public. The US courts handbook says they \"are drawn at random from lists of registered voters, lists of actual voters, or other sources as necessary\". Jury members may be called for duty for months at a time, but need only appear in court for a few days out of every month." } ], "id": "10117_2", "question": "Who is on a grand jury?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1415, "answer_start": 1217, "text": "This can range from as low as six to as high as 23, although a federal grand jury usually comprises 16 to 23 people. Hence the term \"grand\", because the trial - or \"petit\" - jury is usually smaller." } ], "id": "10117_3", "question": "How many are on the jury?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1775, "answer_start": 1416, "text": "Unlike the trial jury, the grand jury does not determine whether a person is guilty of a crime. It also sits in secret. There is no media coverage. Generally, the person under investigation is not allowed to be present. The reasoning behind the secrecy is that it protects the jurors from intimidation. It also protects innocent people from unfounded charges." } ], "id": "10117_4", "question": "How else does it differ from the trial jury?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2446, "answer_start": 1776, "text": "The jury does not have to be unanimous to recommend an indictment - or criminal charge. The majority can vary. It can take a two-thirds, or three-quarters verdict. Federal, state and county prosecutors all use grand juries, but all federal crimes must have a grand jury indictment. However, if the jury does not vote for indictment, charges can be still be brought if prosecutors convince a judge. Grand jury processes can last months, even years. While all states have provisions to allow for grand juries, only around half use them, with other states preferring to rely on a preliminary hearing to determine whether or not to indict a defendant on non-federal charges." } ], "id": "10117_5", "question": "How does it decide to indict?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "US lawmakers are preparing to question President Trump's top intelligence official over a whistleblower complaint that sparked an impeachment inquiry. Acting national intelligence director Joseph Maguire initially refused to share the complaint with Congress. It refers to a controversial phone call between Mr Trump and the Ukrainian president, US media report. In the call, Mr Trump pushes Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate corruption claims involving the son of Joe Biden. Mr Biden - the leading Democratic presidential hopeful - says a rough transcript of the conversation released on Wednesday shows the president betrayed his oath of office. Democrats opened an impeachment inquiry against the Republican president on Tuesday, accusing Mr Trump of seeking foreign help in the hope of smearing Mr Biden and of using military aid to Ukraine as a potential bargaining tool. President Trump has dismissed the impeachment proceedings as a \"hoax\" and a \"witch-hunt\". The whistleblower's formal complaint has now been released. A House of Representatives vote to impeach the president could trigger a trial in the Senate on whether to remove Mr Trump from office. But Republicans control the upper house so it is considered unlikely that a two-thirds majority to dismiss the president could be reached. Congress's investigation focuses partly on whether Mr Trump abused his presidential powers and sought to help his own re-election by seeking the aid of a foreign government to undermine Mr Biden. Mr Trump denies putting pressure on Mr Zelensky. According to notes of the 25 July phone call, President Trump asked his Ukrainian counterpart to look into corruption claims involving the son of Joe Biden, Mr Trump's possible rival in next year's presidential election. There is no evidence of any wrongdoing by the Bidens. Mr Trump discusses with newly elected Mr Zelensky the 2016 removal of a prosecutor, Viktor Shokin, according to the notes. He then goes on to discuss Mr Biden's son, Hunter Biden, and the unsubstantiated allegation that Mr Biden stopped the prosecution of his son. On the call, the US president also asks Mr Zelensky to work with US Attorney General William Barr and Mr Trump's personal lawyer, Rudolph Giuliani, to look into the matter, according to the notes. The Department of Justice said on Wednesday that Mr Trump had not spoken to the attorney general about having Ukraine investigate Mr Biden, and Mr Barr had not communicated with Ukraine. The Ukrainian leader has said he had thought only Mr Trump's side of their phone call would be published. \"I personally think that sometimes such calls between presidents of independent countries should not be published,\" he told Ukrainian media in New York, Reuters news agency reports. Mr Zelensky also said Hunter Biden's case was \"one of many\" he discusses with foreign leaders. \"For me, this is one of numerous cases that I talk about with the leaders of other states, if they ask me,\" he is quoted as saying by the Interfax-Ukraine news agency. \"Sometimes, these cases are being investigated or have not been investigated for many years - I do not know why,\" he added. Mr Trump and his conservative allies have focused on how Mr Biden, as US vice-president in 2016, lobbied Ukraine to fire Mr Shokin. Mr Shokin's office had opened an investigation into Burisma, a natural gas company on which Hunter Biden was a board member. Other Western officials had called for Mr Shokin to be fired because of the perception that he was soft on corruption. Mr Biden last year told a foreign policy event how he threatened to withhold $1bn in aid to Ukraine unless Mr Shokin was removed. - 18 July - President Trump orders White House aide to hold back almost $400m in military aid to Ukraine, report US media - 25 July - President Trump speaks to Ukraine's leader in a 30-minute phone call - 9 September - Congress learns of a whistleblower's complaint about the call, but is blocked by the Trump administration from viewing it - 11 September - Military aid for Ukraine is cleared for release by the Pentagon and US Department of State - 23 September - Trump confirms he withheld Ukrainian aid, saying it was due to concerns about \"corruption\" - 24 September - Trump says the aid was withheld so that other countries would pay more", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2470, "answer_start": 1547, "text": "According to notes of the 25 July phone call, President Trump asked his Ukrainian counterpart to look into corruption claims involving the son of Joe Biden, Mr Trump's possible rival in next year's presidential election. There is no evidence of any wrongdoing by the Bidens. Mr Trump discusses with newly elected Mr Zelensky the 2016 removal of a prosecutor, Viktor Shokin, according to the notes. He then goes on to discuss Mr Biden's son, Hunter Biden, and the unsubstantiated allegation that Mr Biden stopped the prosecution of his son. On the call, the US president also asks Mr Zelensky to work with US Attorney General William Barr and Mr Trump's personal lawyer, Rudolph Giuliani, to look into the matter, according to the notes. The Department of Justice said on Wednesday that Mr Trump had not spoken to the attorney general about having Ukraine investigate Mr Biden, and Mr Barr had not communicated with Ukraine." } ], "id": "10118_0", "question": "What did Trump say about Biden in the call?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3145, "answer_start": 2471, "text": "The Ukrainian leader has said he had thought only Mr Trump's side of their phone call would be published. \"I personally think that sometimes such calls between presidents of independent countries should not be published,\" he told Ukrainian media in New York, Reuters news agency reports. Mr Zelensky also said Hunter Biden's case was \"one of many\" he discusses with foreign leaders. \"For me, this is one of numerous cases that I talk about with the leaders of other states, if they ask me,\" he is quoted as saying by the Interfax-Ukraine news agency. \"Sometimes, these cases are being investigated or have not been investigated for many years - I do not know why,\" he added." } ], "id": "10118_1", "question": "What has Mr Zelensky said about the call?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3651, "answer_start": 3146, "text": "Mr Trump and his conservative allies have focused on how Mr Biden, as US vice-president in 2016, lobbied Ukraine to fire Mr Shokin. Mr Shokin's office had opened an investigation into Burisma, a natural gas company on which Hunter Biden was a board member. Other Western officials had called for Mr Shokin to be fired because of the perception that he was soft on corruption. Mr Biden last year told a foreign policy event how he threatened to withhold $1bn in aid to Ukraine unless Mr Shokin was removed." } ], "id": "10118_2", "question": "What is the claim against Joe Biden?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The head of the global nuclear watchdog has confirmed Iran is increasing its production of enriched uranium. But International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Yukiya Amano said it was not clear when they will reach a limit set under a 2015 international deal. Iran announced last month that it would suspend some commitments in retaliation for sanctions reinstated by the US. Mr Amano also said he was worried about the current tensions over the Iranian nuclear issue and called for dialogue. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif later said reducing tensions was only possible by stopping what he called the \"economic war by America\". \"Those who wage such wars cannot expect to remain safe,\" he told a news conference during a visit to Tehran by his German counterpart, Heiko Maas. Mr Maas warned that the situation in the region was \"highly explosive and extremely serious\" and could lead to a military escalation between the US and Iran. US President Donald Trump abandoned the nuclear deal last year and reinstated sanctions that had been lifted in return for Iran limiting its nuclear activities. Then last month, he ended exemptions from US secondary sanctions for countries that continued buying oil from Iran. This decision was intended to bring Iranian oil exports to zero, denying their government its main source of revenue. Days later, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said his country was rolling back some restrictions under the deal. This included no longer complying with caps on its stockpiles of enriched uranium and heavy water - set at 300kg and 130 tonnes respectively - and halting sales of surplus supplies overseas. Enriched uranium is used to make reactor fuel but also nuclear weapons, while spent fuel from a heavy-water reactor contains plutonium that would be suitable for a bomb. Mr Rouhani also gave the other five states still party to the nuclear deal - Germany, the UK, France, China and Russia - until 7 July to protect Iranian oil sales from US sanctions. Otherwise Iran will suspend its restrictions on the purity of enriched uranium. At the same time, the White House sent an aircraft carrier strike group, B-52 bombers, and a Patriot missile defence battery to the Gulf because of \"troubling and escalatory indications\" related to Iran. Iran was subsequently accused by the US of being behind attacks on four oil tankers off the coast of the United Arab Emirates; two oil pumping stations in Saudi Arabia; and the Green Zone in the Iraqi capital Baghdad, where many foreign embassies are located. Iran denied the allegations. Then, on 20 May, the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran announced that it would quadruple its production of low-enriched uranium and had informed the IAEA, which is tasked with monitoring Iranian compliance with the nuclear deal. On Monday, the nuclear watchdog's chief confirmed that Iran had increased its production rate. But Mr Amano declined to specify by how much and said it was not clear when the stockpile limit would be exceeded. He told the IAEA's Board of Governors it was essential that Iran fully implemented its commitments under the nuclear deal. \"As I have constantly emphasised, the nuclear-related commitments entered into by Iran under the [deal] represent a significant gain for nuclear verification,\" he said. \"I therefore hope that ways can be found to reduce current tensions through dialogue.\" Germany's Foreign Minister stressed that European powers wanted to fulfil their obligations under the deal and were attempting to provide Iran with alternative ways to trade. \"We cannot work miracles, but we will try to avert a failure,\" Mr Maas said. The Europeans have set up a \"special purpose vehicle\" that would essentially allow goods to be bartered between Iranian and foreign companies without direct financial transactions. But the mechanism - known as Instex - is not yet operational.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2804, "answer_start": 951, "text": "US President Donald Trump abandoned the nuclear deal last year and reinstated sanctions that had been lifted in return for Iran limiting its nuclear activities. Then last month, he ended exemptions from US secondary sanctions for countries that continued buying oil from Iran. This decision was intended to bring Iranian oil exports to zero, denying their government its main source of revenue. Days later, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said his country was rolling back some restrictions under the deal. This included no longer complying with caps on its stockpiles of enriched uranium and heavy water - set at 300kg and 130 tonnes respectively - and halting sales of surplus supplies overseas. Enriched uranium is used to make reactor fuel but also nuclear weapons, while spent fuel from a heavy-water reactor contains plutonium that would be suitable for a bomb. Mr Rouhani also gave the other five states still party to the nuclear deal - Germany, the UK, France, China and Russia - until 7 July to protect Iranian oil sales from US sanctions. Otherwise Iran will suspend its restrictions on the purity of enriched uranium. At the same time, the White House sent an aircraft carrier strike group, B-52 bombers, and a Patriot missile defence battery to the Gulf because of \"troubling and escalatory indications\" related to Iran. Iran was subsequently accused by the US of being behind attacks on four oil tankers off the coast of the United Arab Emirates; two oil pumping stations in Saudi Arabia; and the Green Zone in the Iraqi capital Baghdad, where many foreign embassies are located. Iran denied the allegations. Then, on 20 May, the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran announced that it would quadruple its production of low-enriched uranium and had informed the IAEA, which is tasked with monitoring Iranian compliance with the nuclear deal." } ], "id": "10119_0", "question": "How have tensions risen?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3888, "answer_start": 2805, "text": "On Monday, the nuclear watchdog's chief confirmed that Iran had increased its production rate. But Mr Amano declined to specify by how much and said it was not clear when the stockpile limit would be exceeded. He told the IAEA's Board of Governors it was essential that Iran fully implemented its commitments under the nuclear deal. \"As I have constantly emphasised, the nuclear-related commitments entered into by Iran under the [deal] represent a significant gain for nuclear verification,\" he said. \"I therefore hope that ways can be found to reduce current tensions through dialogue.\" Germany's Foreign Minister stressed that European powers wanted to fulfil their obligations under the deal and were attempting to provide Iran with alternative ways to trade. \"We cannot work miracles, but we will try to avert a failure,\" Mr Maas said. The Europeans have set up a \"special purpose vehicle\" that would essentially allow goods to be bartered between Iranian and foreign companies without direct financial transactions. But the mechanism - known as Instex - is not yet operational." } ], "id": "10119_1", "question": "What have the IAEA said?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Russian forces have begun to deploy towards the Turkey-Syria border, as part of deal to remove Kurdish troops. Units have already entered the two key border towns of Kobane and Manbij. Under the deal agreed by Russia and Turkey, Kurdish fighters were given 150 hours from noon on Wednesday to pull back 30km (18 miles) along the border. Turkish troops will continue to control an area they took during a recent offensive against the Kurdish fighters, regarded by Turkey as terrorists. Part of Turkey's plan is also to create a \"safe zone\" along the border that will house some two million of the Syrian refugees it hosts. The Turkish offensive began after the US announced a sudden and unexpected withdrawal of its troops from northern Syria. The US troops had been supporting the Kurdish fighters, who have been allies in the fight against the Islamic State (IS) group in the region. US President Donald Trump tweeted on Wednesday that the situation in the border area had been a \"big success\", and said he would speak in detail later. The deal was negotiated by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russia's Vladimir Putin after lengthy talks in the Black Sea resort of Sochi on Tuesday. It was agreed that Russian and Syrian forces would oversee the Kurdish pullback in an area from the Euphrates river, just east of Manbij right up to the Iraqi border in the east. On Wednesday, Russia's defence ministry said its forces had crossed the river at noon (09:00 GMT) and \"advanced towards the Syrian-Turkish border\". Convoys of military police were later seen arriving in Kobane and Manbij, some 60km apart. Both towns lie outside the area forming part of Turkey's military operation, and Russia's foreign ministry said on Wednesday Turkish forces would not be deployed there, according to Ria Novosti news agency. The deal does not cover the area currently under Turkish military control - between the towns of Ras al-Ain and Tal Abyad. The Turks will be allowed to retain control there. Turkey's military says the US has told it that all Kurdish fighters have now left that area. It also does not include the area around Qamishli. The memorandum of understanding between Turkey and Russia makes the Kurdish-majority city an exception but gives no details as to why. After the deadline for the Kurdish fighters to withdraw expires on 29 October, Turkish and Russian troops will begin joint patrols in areas described as \"in the west and the east of the area\" of the Turkish offensive. The statement from Russia and Turkey also says Kurdish forces \"will be removed\" from Manbij and the town of Tal Rifat, 50km to the west of Manbij. On Wednesday, Russia's defence ministry said the Syrian government would establish 15 border posts with Turkey. Kurdish militias and political leaders have made no comment on whether they will agree to the demands. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said if the Kurds did not retreat, the Syrians and Russians would fall back and leave them to face \"the weight of the Turkish army\". Syria's President Bashar al-Assad has in the past raised concern about foreign interference in Syria, but the Kremlin said he had thanked President Putin and \"expressed his full support\" for the deal. Iran's foreign ministry said the agreement was a positive step and that it backed any move to restore stability in the region. Nato Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Wednesday it was too early to judge the deal, and called for a \"real, negotiated, political solution in Syria\". The US ambassador to Nato, Kay Bailey Hutchison, said the US backed Germany's plan for an internationally controlled security zone in the area, although she said direct US involvement was unlikely. In Geneva on Wednesday, a Syrian Kurdish man set himself on fire outside the HQ of the UN's refugee agency and is now being treated for his injuries. A US-led coalition relied on Kurdish-led forces to battle IS militants in northern Syria over the past four years, but they are dominated by the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) militia, which Turkey sees as a terrorist organisation. Just over two weeks ago President Donald Trump announced that he would be withdrawing US troops from Syria. Soon after, Turkey launched an offensive against the Kurdish forces. Russia stationed troops near the border over concerns that Syria's territory was being encroached upon by a foreign power. Turkey agreed to pause its assault last week at the request of the US to \"facilitate the withdrawal of YPG forces from the Turkish-controlled safe zone\". The ceasefire has largely held, despite what US officials described as \"some minor skirmishes\". It had been due to expire on Tuesday evening but after the latest deal, Turkey said there was \"no need\" to re-launch its offensive. The UN says more than 176,000 people, including almost 80,000 children, have been displaced in the past two weeks in north-east Syria, which is home to some three million people. Some 120 civilians have been killed in the battle, along with 259 Kurdish fighters, 196 Turkish-backed Syrian rebels and seven Turkish soldiers, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a UK-based monitoring group. Twenty civilians have also been killed in attacks by the YPG on Turkish territory, Turkish officials say.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2273, "answer_start": 1037, "text": "The deal was negotiated by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russia's Vladimir Putin after lengthy talks in the Black Sea resort of Sochi on Tuesday. It was agreed that Russian and Syrian forces would oversee the Kurdish pullback in an area from the Euphrates river, just east of Manbij right up to the Iraqi border in the east. On Wednesday, Russia's defence ministry said its forces had crossed the river at noon (09:00 GMT) and \"advanced towards the Syrian-Turkish border\". Convoys of military police were later seen arriving in Kobane and Manbij, some 60km apart. Both towns lie outside the area forming part of Turkey's military operation, and Russia's foreign ministry said on Wednesday Turkish forces would not be deployed there, according to Ria Novosti news agency. The deal does not cover the area currently under Turkish military control - between the towns of Ras al-Ain and Tal Abyad. The Turks will be allowed to retain control there. Turkey's military says the US has told it that all Kurdish fighters have now left that area. It also does not include the area around Qamishli. The memorandum of understanding between Turkey and Russia makes the Kurdish-majority city an exception but gives no details as to why." } ], "id": "10120_0", "question": "What's the latest on the ground?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2750, "answer_start": 2274, "text": "After the deadline for the Kurdish fighters to withdraw expires on 29 October, Turkish and Russian troops will begin joint patrols in areas described as \"in the west and the east of the area\" of the Turkish offensive. The statement from Russia and Turkey also says Kurdish forces \"will be removed\" from Manbij and the town of Tal Rifat, 50km to the west of Manbij. On Wednesday, Russia's defence ministry said the Syrian government would establish 15 border posts with Turkey." } ], "id": "10120_1", "question": "What else is in the deal?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3854, "answer_start": 2751, "text": "Kurdish militias and political leaders have made no comment on whether they will agree to the demands. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said if the Kurds did not retreat, the Syrians and Russians would fall back and leave them to face \"the weight of the Turkish army\". Syria's President Bashar al-Assad has in the past raised concern about foreign interference in Syria, but the Kremlin said he had thanked President Putin and \"expressed his full support\" for the deal. Iran's foreign ministry said the agreement was a positive step and that it backed any move to restore stability in the region. Nato Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Wednesday it was too early to judge the deal, and called for a \"real, negotiated, political solution in Syria\". The US ambassador to Nato, Kay Bailey Hutchison, said the US backed Germany's plan for an internationally controlled security zone in the area, although she said direct US involvement was unlikely. In Geneva on Wednesday, a Syrian Kurdish man set himself on fire outside the HQ of the UN's refugee agency and is now being treated for his injuries." } ], "id": "10120_2", "question": "What has been the response to the deal?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5298, "answer_start": 4778, "text": "The UN says more than 176,000 people, including almost 80,000 children, have been displaced in the past two weeks in north-east Syria, which is home to some three million people. Some 120 civilians have been killed in the battle, along with 259 Kurdish fighters, 196 Turkish-backed Syrian rebels and seven Turkish soldiers, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a UK-based monitoring group. Twenty civilians have also been killed in attacks by the YPG on Turkish territory, Turkish officials say." } ], "id": "10120_3", "question": "What has the cost been?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "North Korea on Tuesday announced that it would be sending a delegation to this year's Winter Olympic Games in South Korea, including a team of cheerleaders. Though a cheerleading squad may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of North Korea, they have played a big role in the political scene over the years. Unsurprisingly for the genre, they are mostly women in their early or mid 20s, according to Kim Gyeong-sung, the South Korean head of the Inter-Korean Athletic Exchange Association. He says they are chosen \"on the basis of appearance\" but also having the right \"ideology\". They are handpicked from university students, propaganda squad members and music school students, according to China Radio International (CRI). Pyongyang also carries out preliminary background checks on the cheerleaders, according to CRI. This is to make sure they aren't related to North Korean defectors or those who are seen as pro-Japanese. The prized cheerleaders aren't strangers to large crowds, having no doubt constantly been exposed to North Korea's Arirang Festival, the annual mass gymnastics and artistic event in Pyongyang. They also occasionally make an appearance to accompany athletes travelling overseas. In 2007, they were sent to China for the Fifa Women's Football World Cup in Wuhan. But Pyongyang has only sent the cheerleaders to South Korea three times since the start of the Korean War. A squad of 288 attended the 2002 Asian Games in Busan, a team of 303 cheerleaders accompanied athletes to the 2003 Summer Universiade in Daegu, and in 2005 some 101 cheerleaders were sent for the Asian Athletics Championships in Incheon. They were going to be sent to the Asian Games again in 2014 to \"improve relationships\". But North Korea eventually took back the offer after failing to agree on expenditure and several other issues. The cheerleading group, with their good looks and synchronised moves, have their fair share of fans in South Korea. They've been called \"an army of beauties\", often receiving more attention then the athletes themselves. Undoubtedly the most famous North Korean cheerleader is Ri Sol-ju, who is now the wife of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. In 2005, she was pictured among the squad at the Asian Athletics Championships. North Korea's sending of cheerleaders to the South, for the first time in more than 10 years, could be seen as an olive branch. The announcement comes amid tensions between North and South. Pyongyang's regular missile tests and a sixth nuclear test last year have brought a tightening of UN and US sanctions. There's also been a slew of angry threats over the past year aimed at South Korea, Japan and the US. Having a cheering crowd of attractive North Koreans at the Games will be good for Pyongyang's global image. They may also end up performing alongside cheerleaders from the US in official ceremonies. But it's not just Pyongyang that has something to gain. Organisers of the Pyeongchang Winter Games have struggled with ticket sales so far - perhaps due to the high tensions and the fact that North Korea lies only 60 miles North Korea's cheerleading charm offensive(90km) away from the main venue. So perhaps this charm offensive will be just what both countries need to turn things around.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 947, "answer_start": 329, "text": "Unsurprisingly for the genre, they are mostly women in their early or mid 20s, according to Kim Gyeong-sung, the South Korean head of the Inter-Korean Athletic Exchange Association. He says they are chosen \"on the basis of appearance\" but also having the right \"ideology\". They are handpicked from university students, propaganda squad members and music school students, according to China Radio International (CRI). Pyongyang also carries out preliminary background checks on the cheerleaders, according to CRI. This is to make sure they aren't related to North Korean defectors or those who are seen as pro-Japanese." } ], "id": "10121_0", "question": "Who are the cheerleaders?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1852, "answer_start": 948, "text": "The prized cheerleaders aren't strangers to large crowds, having no doubt constantly been exposed to North Korea's Arirang Festival, the annual mass gymnastics and artistic event in Pyongyang. They also occasionally make an appearance to accompany athletes travelling overseas. In 2007, they were sent to China for the Fifa Women's Football World Cup in Wuhan. But Pyongyang has only sent the cheerleaders to South Korea three times since the start of the Korean War. A squad of 288 attended the 2002 Asian Games in Busan, a team of 303 cheerleaders accompanied athletes to the 2003 Summer Universiade in Daegu, and in 2005 some 101 cheerleaders were sent for the Asian Athletics Championships in Incheon. They were going to be sent to the Asian Games again in 2014 to \"improve relationships\". But North Korea eventually took back the offer after failing to agree on expenditure and several other issues." } ], "id": "10121_1", "question": "How often do they perform in public?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2275, "answer_start": 1853, "text": "The cheerleading group, with their good looks and synchronised moves, have their fair share of fans in South Korea. They've been called \"an army of beauties\", often receiving more attention then the athletes themselves. Undoubtedly the most famous North Korean cheerleader is Ri Sol-ju, who is now the wife of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. In 2005, she was pictured among the squad at the Asian Athletics Championships." } ], "id": "10121_2", "question": "Are there any famous cheerleaders?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3275, "answer_start": 2276, "text": "North Korea's sending of cheerleaders to the South, for the first time in more than 10 years, could be seen as an olive branch. The announcement comes amid tensions between North and South. Pyongyang's regular missile tests and a sixth nuclear test last year have brought a tightening of UN and US sanctions. There's also been a slew of angry threats over the past year aimed at South Korea, Japan and the US. Having a cheering crowd of attractive North Koreans at the Games will be good for Pyongyang's global image. They may also end up performing alongside cheerleaders from the US in official ceremonies. But it's not just Pyongyang that has something to gain. Organisers of the Pyeongchang Winter Games have struggled with ticket sales so far - perhaps due to the high tensions and the fact that North Korea lies only 60 miles North Korea's cheerleading charm offensive(90km) away from the main venue. So perhaps this charm offensive will be just what both countries need to turn things around." } ], "id": "10121_3", "question": "What is the significance of their deployment this time?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Thousands of people calling for Spanish unity have attended rallies in the capital Madrid after Sunday's disputed referendum for Catalan independence. Other demonstrations - including in the Catalan city Barcelona - have also been held urging political dialogue. Protesters dressed in white gathered with signs saying \"Spain is better than its leaders\" and \"let's talk\". Businesses have continued to announce their departure from the Catalan region amid the ongoing political uncertainty. The Caixa Foundation, which controls one of the Spain's largest banks, announced it was moving its headquarters to Palma de Mallorca while the crisis continues. The country is waiting for a speech on Tuesday by Catalan President Carles Puigdemont amid speculation he will declare independence. The final results showed 90% of the 2.3 million people who voted backed independence. Turnout was 43%. There have been several claims of irregularities, and many ballot boxes were seized by the Spanish police. Spain's government representative in Catalonia apologised on Friday to people hurt during police efforts to stop the referendum, but blamed the Catalan government for holding an illegal vote. Enric Millo said he could not help but \"regret it and apologise on behalf of the officers that intervened\", while casting doubt on the numbers said to be injured. Nearly 900 people were injured as police, trying to enforce a Spanish court ban on the vote, attempted to seize ballot boxes and disperse voters. Thirty-three police officers were also hurt. The Spanish government's official spokesperson, Inigo Mendez de Vigo, also apologised for the police violence and suggested that new elections in Catalonia might be a way to heal the fracture caused by the disputed referendum. Catalan President Carles Puigdemont is expected to address the Catalan parliament on Tuesday at 18:00 local time (16:00 GMT) after Spain's Constitutional Court earlier suspended the Catalan parliament session that had been planned for Monday. There is speculation that the parliament will declare independence unilaterally at its next sitting. Meanwhile, the former leader of Catalonia, Artur Mas, told the Financial Times newspaper that the region was not yet ready for real independence - even though he believed it had won the right to break away. By BBC's James Reynolds, Alicante The competing authorities in Barcelona and Madrid could each take a potentially dramatic step. Barcelona has the option of making a unilateral declaration of independence. For its part, Madrid has the power to dissolve self-rule in Catalonia. Each step - if taken - would provoke a constitutional crisis in Spain. There are some signs that each side may choose to pause. Mr Puigdemont says he will deliver a report to the Catalan parliament on Tuesday about the political situation - a deliberately vague form of words which gives him room for manoeuvre. In other developments: - The Spanish cabinet issued a decree to make it easier for companies to relocate their legal headquarters away from Catalonia as major firms continue to announce relocations - The Catalan chief of police, Josep Lluis Trapero, appeared before a judge in a national criminal court in Madrid on Friday on suspicion of sedition against the state. He denied that his Mossos d'Esquadra force had deliberately failed to help Guardia Civil police tackle pro-independence protesters in the run-up to the referendum", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2316, "answer_start": 993, "text": "Spain's government representative in Catalonia apologised on Friday to people hurt during police efforts to stop the referendum, but blamed the Catalan government for holding an illegal vote. Enric Millo said he could not help but \"regret it and apologise on behalf of the officers that intervened\", while casting doubt on the numbers said to be injured. Nearly 900 people were injured as police, trying to enforce a Spanish court ban on the vote, attempted to seize ballot boxes and disperse voters. Thirty-three police officers were also hurt. The Spanish government's official spokesperson, Inigo Mendez de Vigo, also apologised for the police violence and suggested that new elections in Catalonia might be a way to heal the fracture caused by the disputed referendum. Catalan President Carles Puigdemont is expected to address the Catalan parliament on Tuesday at 18:00 local time (16:00 GMT) after Spain's Constitutional Court earlier suspended the Catalan parliament session that had been planned for Monday. There is speculation that the parliament will declare independence unilaterally at its next sitting. Meanwhile, the former leader of Catalonia, Artur Mas, told the Financial Times newspaper that the region was not yet ready for real independence - even though he believed it had won the right to break away." } ], "id": "10122_0", "question": "What are the latest developments?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2905, "answer_start": 2317, "text": "By BBC's James Reynolds, Alicante The competing authorities in Barcelona and Madrid could each take a potentially dramatic step. Barcelona has the option of making a unilateral declaration of independence. For its part, Madrid has the power to dissolve self-rule in Catalonia. Each step - if taken - would provoke a constitutional crisis in Spain. There are some signs that each side may choose to pause. Mr Puigdemont says he will deliver a report to the Catalan parliament on Tuesday about the political situation - a deliberately vague form of words which gives him room for manoeuvre." } ], "id": "10122_1", "question": "Stepping back from the brink?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "A few years ago, an American senator took God to court, seeking a permanent injunction against \"his harmful activities\" such as \"death, destruction and terrorisation\". A judge threw out the case, saying that legal papers could not be served, since God did not have a proper address. In India, many devout Hindus have very intimate relationships with their gods and goddesses and, keeping that in mind, the Indian judicial system regards deities as legal beings. This means that there have also been instances where they have been hauled into court. The BBC's Geeta Pandey in Delhi lists some of the cases where deities have come into contact with man-made laws. Earlier this month, a court in the northern state of Bihar served a summons on Hanuman, the monkey god, for \"encroaching on government land\". The move came after a government department lodged a complaint in a magistrate's court against a roadside Hanuman temple, saying it obstructed traffic. Officials who went to serve the summons stuck the papers on the Hanuman idol. Red-faced government officials later said it had been a \"clerical error\", and the papers were meant for the \"temple management and not the god\". They then removed the summons from the face of Hanuman, who is often depicted with a red face. A lawyer recently took one of Hinduism's most popular gods, Ram, to court for being \"unjust to his wife Sita\". Chandan Kumar Singh identifies as a practising Hindu, and says that although he worships Ram like millions of people in India and around the world, he cannot ignore the fact that Ram mistreated Sita. The magistrate threw out his case, saying it wasn't practical, and Mr Singh's colleagues have also accused him of \"seeking publicity\". One of them has sued him for defamation. However, Mr Singh remains unfazed - he told the BBC that he would file an appeal \"because I really believe that Indians have to acknowledge that Ram mistreated Sita\". In December 2007, Ram and Hanuman were summonsed to a court to help resolve a property dispute. On orders from the judge in the eastern state of Jharkhand, advertisements were placed in newspapers asking the gods to \"appear before the court personally\". \"You failed to appear in court despite notices sent by a messenger and later through registered post. You are hereby directed to appear before the court personally,\" the notice stated. Reports said two earlier summons sent to the deities were returned because of \"incomplete\" address. The dispute was over the ownership of a 1.4-acre plot in Dhanbad city, in Jharkhand, where two temples of Ram and his lieutenant Hanuman stood. Local people said the land belonged to the gods, but the temple priest insisted the land was his. Gods cannot play the stock market, the high court in Mumbai ruled in 2010. The judges rejected a petition from a religious trust which wanted to open trading accounts in the names of five gods, including Ganesha, the elephant-headed god. The trust, owned by the former royal family of Sangli in the western state of Maharashtra of which Mumbai is the capital, said the deities had savings bank accounts and income tax cards, but the judges were unmoved. Trading in shares on the stock market requires certain skills and expertise and the judges said that to expect this from deities would not be proper, adding that \"gods and goddesses were meant to be worshipped, and not dragged into commercial activities like share trading\".", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1927, "answer_start": 1274, "text": "A lawyer recently took one of Hinduism's most popular gods, Ram, to court for being \"unjust to his wife Sita\". Chandan Kumar Singh identifies as a practising Hindu, and says that although he worships Ram like millions of people in India and around the world, he cannot ignore the fact that Ram mistreated Sita. The magistrate threw out his case, saying it wasn't practical, and Mr Singh's colleagues have also accused him of \"seeking publicity\". One of them has sued him for defamation. However, Mr Singh remains unfazed - he told the BBC that he would file an appeal \"because I really believe that Indians have to acknowledge that Ram mistreated Sita\"." } ], "id": "10123_0", "question": "A misogynist?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2708, "answer_start": 1928, "text": "In December 2007, Ram and Hanuman were summonsed to a court to help resolve a property dispute. On orders from the judge in the eastern state of Jharkhand, advertisements were placed in newspapers asking the gods to \"appear before the court personally\". \"You failed to appear in court despite notices sent by a messenger and later through registered post. You are hereby directed to appear before the court personally,\" the notice stated. Reports said two earlier summons sent to the deities were returned because of \"incomplete\" address. The dispute was over the ownership of a 1.4-acre plot in Dhanbad city, in Jharkhand, where two temples of Ram and his lieutenant Hanuman stood. Local people said the land belonged to the gods, but the temple priest insisted the land was his." } ], "id": "10123_1", "question": "Not the rightful owners?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "While many in their 80s and 90s may be starting to take it easy, 85-year-old track star Irene Obera is at the other end of the spectrum. Setting multiple world athletics records in her age category, she is one of a growing band of \"master athletes\" who represent the extreme end of what is physically possible later in life. Another is John Starbrook, who at 87 became the oldest runner to complete the 2018 London Marathon. Studies suggest regular exercise is more effective than any drug yet invented to prevent conditions facing older people, such as muscle loss. To reap the full benefits, this pattern of behaviour should be laid down in a person's teens and early 20s. Studying master athletes - sportspeople aged 35 and over - gives us an idea of what is physically possible as we age. Analysing the world record performance times of each age group unsurprisingly reveals that physical ability does ultimately diminish, the older you get - but doesn't fall off rapidly until after the age of 70. It is reasonable to assume these top athletes have a healthy lifestyle in general; as well as exercising, they follow a balanced diet and don't smoke or drink heavily. So their results can help us determine how much of this decline is due to the ageing process itself. The greater health of older exercisers compared to their sedentary counterparts can lead people to believe physical activity can reverse or slow down the ageing process. But the reality is that these active older people are exactly as they should be. In our distant past we were hunter-gatherers, and our bodies are designed to be physically active. So, if an active 80-year-old has a similar physiology to an inactive 50-year-old, it is the younger person who appears older than they should be, not the other way around. We often confuse the effects of inactivity with the ageing process itself, and believe certain diseases are purely the result of getting older. Actually, our modern sedentary lifestyles have simply speeded up our underlying age-related decline. This contributes to the onset of diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer. Many of us are simply not active enough. In England fewer than half of 16-24 year olds meet the recommendation for aerobic and muscle strengthening exercises; for 65-74 year-olds, it falls to fewer than one in 10. Not only does exercise help prevent the onset of many diseases, it can also help to cure or alleviate others, improving our quality of life. Recent studies of recreational cyclists aged 55-79 suggest they have the capacity to do everyday tasks very easily and efficiently because nearly all parts of their body are in remarkably good condition. The cyclists also scored highly on tests measuring mental agility, mental health and quality of life. The younger you start exercising the better. Analysis of American adults aged 50-71 found those who had exercised between two and eight hours a week from their teens through to their 60s, had a 29-36% lower chance of dying from any cause over the 20-year study period. The study suggests active young people should keep their activity levels up, but also that those aged 40 and above may be able to become more physically active and reap similar benefits. - Martina Navratilova became the oldest main draw Wimbledon tennis champion at the age of 46 - Striker Kazuyoshi Miura, 52, of Yokohama FC is the world's oldest professional footballer. - Otto Thaning became the oldest person to swim the English channel at 73, while 71-year-old Linda Ashmore was the oldest woman to do the same thing. - Robert Marchand cycled 14 miles in an hour in 2017 at the age of 105, setting a new record In today's world we have largely been able to get away with problems related to our inactivity, by leaning on the crutch of modern medicine for support. But while our average life expectancy has increased quite rapidly, our \"healthspan\" - the period of life we can enjoy free from disease - has not. Many benefiting from projected life expectancy increases by 2035 will spend their extra years with four diseases or more, according to a study in England. While pharmaceuticals are improving all the time, exercise can do things that medicine cannot. For example, there is currently no drug available that can protect against loss of muscle mass and strength, the biggest factor in our loss of physical function. Being more active is not only better for an individual, it is also vital for the functioning of our wider society as it ages. In 2018, almost one in five Britons were over 65, while one in 40 were over 85. The number of people aged 65 and over is projected to rise by more than 40% in the next 16 years. The average 85-year-old costs the NHS more than five times as much as a 30-year-old, analysis suggests. More stories like this Most people should not be aiming to become a world-beating athlete in their advanced years; they don't need to be to reach optimal health. Instead, incorporating small regular bouts of physical activity - brisk walking or ballroom dancing - into your routine is the key. Physical activity is one of the cornerstones of a healthy life. Even if you can't be a competitive athlete, starting to regularly exercise in your 20s and 30s is likely to pay off later on. And if you're past that point, just gently becoming active will do a huge amount of good. About this piece This analysis piece was commissioned by the BBC from experts working for an outside organisation. Stephen Harridge is professor of Human & Applied Physiology at King's College London. Norman Lazarus is Emeritus professor at King's College London and is a master cyclist in his 80s. Edited by Eleanor Lawrie", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1271, "answer_start": 675, "text": "Studying master athletes - sportspeople aged 35 and over - gives us an idea of what is physically possible as we age. Analysing the world record performance times of each age group unsurprisingly reveals that physical ability does ultimately diminish, the older you get - but doesn't fall off rapidly until after the age of 70. It is reasonable to assume these top athletes have a healthy lifestyle in general; as well as exercising, they follow a balanced diet and don't smoke or drink heavily. So their results can help us determine how much of this decline is due to the ageing process itself." } ], "id": "10124_0", "question": "What can we learn from elderly athletes?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5381, "answer_start": 4830, "text": "Most people should not be aiming to become a world-beating athlete in their advanced years; they don't need to be to reach optimal health. Instead, incorporating small regular bouts of physical activity - brisk walking or ballroom dancing - into your routine is the key. Physical activity is one of the cornerstones of a healthy life. Even if you can't be a competitive athlete, starting to regularly exercise in your 20s and 30s is likely to pay off later on. And if you're past that point, just gently becoming active will do a huge amount of good." } ], "id": "10124_1", "question": "What can you do?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Our choice of food is deeply personal, affected not just by individual taste but culture, memories and ethics. But one person's comfort food can be stomach-churning for others. As part of the Crossing Divides season, BBC World Service podcast The Food Chain heard from three couples, with very different tastes, about how they avoid being locked in a perpetual food fight. The dietary differences of Sheryl and Dharmesh Parbhoo, from Atlanta, Georgia, proved so extreme they contributed to the couple's divorce. Happily, two years later, they patched things up. So how did they learn to live together? Food had been a key element in the wider culture clash within the marriage. Dharmesh, 49, was brought up on his mother's fiery vegetarian Gujarati cuisine. So after marrying \"very southern girl\" Sheryl in 1992, he initially found her cooking \"very bland\". Sheryl, 46, was insulted when he'd \"put masala - anything hot and spicy - on top of it\". During his mum's frequent visits she would put her food on the table alongside Sheryl's and \"stand over his shoulder and wait for him to choose his first bite\", says Sheryl. \"It was very tense.\" Sheryl remembers feeling like an outsider during family gatherings, when the women on Dharmesh's side would prepare traditional Gujarati dishes. It all left her feeling she wasn't a good enough wife. When the pair had children, five in all, Sheryl cooked them American-style food. So she and Dharmesh often ate separately. They drifted apart and, after more than 20 years, divorced in 2015. When the \"soulmates\" remarried, they realised culinary compromises were required. Sheryl says they now often eat different foods at the same table. \"Or I'll make a dish like we had fettuccine alfredo last night. I had mine with parmesan cheese and he had his with masala.\" \"We're just just happy to be in a kitchen cooking together and having family time,\" Dharmesh adds. And does his mother still bring food? \"She'd bring it daily if I allowed it but we set some boundaries - maybe a few times a week,\" he says. When Saj Ranmuthu, 33, and Rebecca Jones first met, while training as doctors, he said he could never go out with a vegetarian. However, in the nine years they have been together, Rebecca has not just given up meat but become a vegan, motivated by her feelings about animal welfare and the environment. Now the 36-year-old says she finds seeing someone eat meat \"not just nauseating and a little bit gross but also profoundly hurtful, so it's even worse watching someone you love doing that\". Their flat in south-east London has become a meat and dairy-free zone. So how do they make it work? Had Rebecca been vegan when they first met, she reckons her \"militancy\" and his \"intolerable\" meat-eating would have ended the relationship. But now, she says, Saj is \"shifting more towards my way of thinking\". He agrees: \"Her line is drawn in the sand and she cannot come towards me. So if I love her, then it's up to me to make sure that I can move.\" But it doesn't stop Saj hankering after his favourite chicken teriyaki, and occasionally sneaking to a Japanese restaurant on his way home from work. Does he confess? \"Erm... no, I usually don't. Just depends on how I'm how brave I'm feeling.\" Christa Lei Montesines Sonido, 26, and Tobi Vollebregt, 33, grew up more than 7,000 miles apart - she in Hawaii and he in the Netherlands. And their dietary habits were just as far-removed. Christa's cravings for sweet and salty foods contrasted starkly with Tobi's balance of protein, carbohydrates and vegetables. The pair met via a dating website and, after moving in together in San Francisco, quickly found themselves at odds. Tobi would get annoyed about Christa over-ordering at restaurants, and the amount she spent on food \"I also really hate seeing food being wasted. So I get annoyed if I see Christa buy a tonne of snacks,\" he said. But a series of compromises has helped promote harmony. Christa has responded to Tobi's \"gentle encouragement\" to eat more vegetables, while they now plan ahead and budget for weekly meals. And Tobi is more relaxed if Christa wants to splurge when they're enjoying a meal out. \"We have reached an agreement that I pay for other things that are more easy to predict for me and now Christa often pays at restaurants,\" says Tobi. As with most relationships, however, some things will always be a bone of contention. \"I like to eat on my 'little island' in the bedroom and he doesn't like that because obviously it gets scraps and stuff in the bed,\" Christa adds. A season of stories about bringing people together in a fragmented world.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4540, "answer_start": 3236, "text": "Christa Lei Montesines Sonido, 26, and Tobi Vollebregt, 33, grew up more than 7,000 miles apart - she in Hawaii and he in the Netherlands. And their dietary habits were just as far-removed. Christa's cravings for sweet and salty foods contrasted starkly with Tobi's balance of protein, carbohydrates and vegetables. The pair met via a dating website and, after moving in together in San Francisco, quickly found themselves at odds. Tobi would get annoyed about Christa over-ordering at restaurants, and the amount she spent on food \"I also really hate seeing food being wasted. So I get annoyed if I see Christa buy a tonne of snacks,\" he said. But a series of compromises has helped promote harmony. Christa has responded to Tobi's \"gentle encouragement\" to eat more vegetables, while they now plan ahead and budget for weekly meals. And Tobi is more relaxed if Christa wants to splurge when they're enjoying a meal out. \"We have reached an agreement that I pay for other things that are more easy to predict for me and now Christa often pays at restaurants,\" says Tobi. As with most relationships, however, some things will always be a bone of contention. \"I like to eat on my 'little island' in the bedroom and he doesn't like that because obviously it gets scraps and stuff in the bed,\" Christa adds." } ], "id": "10125_0", "question": "Balanced diet... and relationship?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "A partial US government shutdown over budget spending could continue right up to the opening of the next Congress on 3 January, a Trump aide has said. The shutdown began at midnight Friday after opposition Democrats resisted President Donald Trump's demand for $5bn (PS4bn) for his Mexico border wall. Mr Trump's acting chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, suggested Democrats were \"beholden\" to their left wing. A Democratic senator said his party opposed any funding for the wall. \"That's correct,\" Sen Jeff Merkley told an ABC news interviewer when asked if his party was not going to approve any money for the Trump administration's project. \"None.\" Earlier, the party offered a sum of $1.3bn for border security. Mr Trump himself took to Twitter on Sunday to defend his plans for the border with Mexico. \"It's very possible that this shutdown will go beyond the 28th and into the new Congress,\" Mr Trump's acting chief of staff told ABC. \"This is what Washington looks like when you have a president who refuses to sort of go along to get along.\" In a separate interview for Fox News, he said he was waiting to hear from Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer about a new Republican offer, without specifying the sum. Speaking to ABC's This Week programme, Sen Merkley said a \"30-foot concrete wall\" and \"30-foot steel spikes\" were \"not the smart way\". His Republican Party controls both chambers of the outgoing Congress and the budget was indeed passed by the House on Thursday by 217 votes to 185. However, he needs to find 60 votes in the 100-seat Senate, where the Republicans currently have 51, so he needs to enlist the support of Democrats there. Nine of 15 federal departments, including State, Homeland Security, Transportation, Agriculture and Justice began partially shutting down after funding for them lapsed at midnight (05:00 GMT Saturday). Hundreds of thousands of federal employees will have to work unpaid or are furloughed, a kind of temporary leave. In practice, this means that: - Customs and border staff will keep working, although their pay will be delayed. Airports will continue operating. - About 80% of National Parks employees will be sent home, and parks could close - although some may stay open with limited staff and facilities. - About 90% of housing department workers will take unpaid leave, which could delay loan processing and approvals. - Most of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) will be sent on unpaid leave, including those who assist taxpayers with queries. - The Food and Drug Administration will pause routine inspections but \"continue vital activities\". The remaining 75% of the federal government is fully funded until September 2019 - so the defence, veterans affairs, labour and education departments are not affected. The current Congress reassembles on Thursday after the Christmas holiday. On 3 January, new members of Congress will be sworn in, having been elected in November's mid-term elections. From that point, Democrats will enjoy a majority in the House of Representatives. Mr Trump has said the shutdown could last a \"very long time\".", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1351, "answer_start": 803, "text": "\"It's very possible that this shutdown will go beyond the 28th and into the new Congress,\" Mr Trump's acting chief of staff told ABC. \"This is what Washington looks like when you have a president who refuses to sort of go along to get along.\" In a separate interview for Fox News, he said he was waiting to hear from Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer about a new Republican offer, without specifying the sum. Speaking to ABC's This Week programme, Sen Merkley said a \"30-foot concrete wall\" and \"30-foot steel spikes\" were \"not the smart way\"." } ], "id": "10126_0", "question": "What did Mulvaney say exactly?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1653, "answer_start": 1352, "text": "His Republican Party controls both chambers of the outgoing Congress and the budget was indeed passed by the House on Thursday by 217 votes to 185. However, he needs to find 60 votes in the 100-seat Senate, where the Republicans currently have 51, so he needs to enlist the support of Democrats there." } ], "id": "10126_1", "question": "Why can Trump not get his budget passed?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2769, "answer_start": 1654, "text": "Nine of 15 federal departments, including State, Homeland Security, Transportation, Agriculture and Justice began partially shutting down after funding for them lapsed at midnight (05:00 GMT Saturday). Hundreds of thousands of federal employees will have to work unpaid or are furloughed, a kind of temporary leave. In practice, this means that: - Customs and border staff will keep working, although their pay will be delayed. Airports will continue operating. - About 80% of National Parks employees will be sent home, and parks could close - although some may stay open with limited staff and facilities. - About 90% of housing department workers will take unpaid leave, which could delay loan processing and approvals. - Most of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) will be sent on unpaid leave, including those who assist taxpayers with queries. - The Food and Drug Administration will pause routine inspections but \"continue vital activities\". The remaining 75% of the federal government is fully funded until September 2019 - so the defence, veterans affairs, labour and education departments are not affected." } ], "id": "10126_2", "question": "How is the shutdown playing out?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3097, "answer_start": 2770, "text": "The current Congress reassembles on Thursday after the Christmas holiday. On 3 January, new members of Congress will be sworn in, having been elected in November's mid-term elections. From that point, Democrats will enjoy a majority in the House of Representatives. Mr Trump has said the shutdown could last a \"very long time\"." } ], "id": "10126_3", "question": "What happens next?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "If you want to legally change your gender in the UK, first a doctor has to diagnose you with a medical condition. Gender dysphoria is when a person's biological sex and identity does not match. Only then can they be considered for a new birth certificate - which gives their true gender. But all that might be about to change, because since July 2018, people have been able to have their say on whether these rules should be updated. Rory Darling is one of those campaigning for change. \"I want the government to recognise me for my gender identity,\" says the 19-year-old trans man. \"No-one should have to face such a dehumanising process just to be seen for who they truly are in the eyes of the law.\" Rory is in the early stages of applying for what's called a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC) which recognises his transgender identity. He needs to meet certain criteria, including that he's lived in his chosen gender for two years and has had a gender dysphoria diagnosis. The application is then considered by a panel who judge whether a transgender person should be given a new birth certificate. Rory believes it shouldn't be down to a \"panel who don't know you, to decide if a person is trans enough to warrant legal recognition\". \"It's severely outdated and the process itself is very gruelling and intrusive.\" A statement from the government equalities office about the consultation says that \"trans and non-binary people are members of our society and should be treated with respect\". \"This consultation simply asks how best government might make the existing process under the Gender Recognition Act a better service for those trans and non-binary people who wish to use it.\" Rory believes that gender, like sexuality, is something people should be able to determine for themselves. \"A group of people gaining equality doesn't take equality away from anyone else,\" he says. \"We just want equal human rights.\" There is opposition to reforming the act, with campaigners recently paying for a full-page advert in The Metro newspaper in an attempt to persuade people not to support proposed changes. The advert claimed changes would pose \"serious consequences to women and girls\". Transgender people say they just want equal rights, but some groups believe giving easier access to a gender recognition certificate will lessen women's rights. Toilets, prisons and refuges are some of the safe-spaces they feel could be threatened by giving transgender people the opportunity to self-determine their gender. You can read more about what some of the groups have said here. Earlier this month, a transgender prisoner in a women's jail was ordered to serve nine-and-a-half years for sexually assaulting two inmates. Some campaigners believe situations like these will rise if there is easier access to a gender recognition certificate. The Equality and Human Rights Commission says \"the issues at stake are complex and personal\" and it's important people \"engage in a constructive and respectful way\". The Gender Recognition Act was introduced in 2004 and - says author Juno Dawson - was a \"world-leading\" piece of legislation at the time. \"It just needs modernising. It's 14 years out of date now,\" says Juno, who recently released her book Clean. Her driving licence, NHS records and passport all name her as Juno but what she calls the \"dehumanising\" process to get a new birth certificate means she hasn't applied to the Gender Recognition Council. \"It would mean the world to me,\" she says. \"It would be nice to just have it for me. Nobody else is interested in seeing my birth certificate, when was the last time anyone even got out their birth certificate?\" The British public can have their say on potential reforms to the GRA until Friday 19 October 2018. Update 30 October 2018: This article has been updated to include some of the specific concerns of Fair Play for Women and other campaign groups, including their belief that giving easier access to a gender recognition certificate will lessen women's rights. Follow Newsbeat on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 every weekday on BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra - if you miss us you can listen back here.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3008, "answer_start": 2193, "text": "Transgender people say they just want equal rights, but some groups believe giving easier access to a gender recognition certificate will lessen women's rights. Toilets, prisons and refuges are some of the safe-spaces they feel could be threatened by giving transgender people the opportunity to self-determine their gender. You can read more about what some of the groups have said here. Earlier this month, a transgender prisoner in a women's jail was ordered to serve nine-and-a-half years for sexually assaulting two inmates. Some campaigners believe situations like these will rise if there is easier access to a gender recognition certificate. The Equality and Human Rights Commission says \"the issues at stake are complex and personal\" and it's important people \"engage in a constructive and respectful way\"." } ], "id": "10127_0", "question": "Why is this such a fiercely debated topic?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "A satirical play based on Adolf Hitler's youth premieres in Germany on Friday despite complaints about an offer of free tickets to spectators willing to wear a swastika. Citing freedom of artistic expression, prosecutors in Konstanz rejected claims that the play breaks laws banning public display of Nazi symbols. Critics have branded the theatre offer \"tasteless\" and called for a boycott. The theatre says its aim is to show how easily people can become corrupted. Anyone paying up to EUR29 (PS25; $35) for a ticket will be asked to wear a Star of David \"as a sign of solidarity with the victims of Nazi barbarism\", Theatre Konstanz says on its website (in German). But it is the theatre's offer to provide a free seat to anyone willing to accept and wear a swastika that has stirred local anger. Some 50 people have already signed up to the idea of a free seat, reports say. The theatre has made clear they will have to return the swastika after the play, which is set to open on Friday, the anniversary of Hitler's birth. Local mayor Andreas Osner accepted that the theatre should be allowed freedom of artistic expression \"but in this case they have overstepped the mark in an irresponsible way\". \"I wouldn't even like to imagine what could happen if people from the far right came to hijack the performance and used the play with the Nazi armbands for their own purposes.\" George Tabori's 1987 anti-Hitler farce Mein Kampf is named after the anti-Semitic Nazi manifesto that Hitler wrote in prison before coming to power. The Hungarian playwright, who died in 2007, wrote the play as a caricature of a young Hitler trying to establish himself in the Vienna art scene before World War One. Tabori was himself Jewish and lost most of his family in the Holocaust. The theatre agreed the number of people willing to wear a swastika was surprising and frightening. But director Serdar Somuncu said his aim was to counteract an increasing tolerance in Germany towards anti-Semitism, by tackling political opponents head-on. \"This artistic impulse seeks to show how easily people are corrupted and can be made to wear the symbol of million fold suffering, just to save a few euros,\" his colleague Daniel Grunauer added. The head of the local Jewish community, Minia Joneck, who lost family members in Nazi death camps, certainly does not think so. She has called for \"this monstrosity\" to be stopped. The German-Israeli Society and a local group promoting interfaith dialogue have called the idea \"unacceptable\" and a \"bizarre stunt\". A spokesman for the public prosecutor's office acknowledged there had been \"several\" complaints but that there would be no investigation into the case. That is because German law bans the use of symbols of unconstitutional organisations. But that does not apply where art is concerned and because the spectators are considered part of an artistic production they are not breaking German law either. The controversy comes amid warnings of a rise in anti-Semitism in Germany. In the latest incident, two young men were attacked in Berlin by a man shouting anti-Semitic abuse.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3108, "answer_start": 2220, "text": "The head of the local Jewish community, Minia Joneck, who lost family members in Nazi death camps, certainly does not think so. She has called for \"this monstrosity\" to be stopped. The German-Israeli Society and a local group promoting interfaith dialogue have called the idea \"unacceptable\" and a \"bizarre stunt\". A spokesman for the public prosecutor's office acknowledged there had been \"several\" complaints but that there would be no investigation into the case. That is because German law bans the use of symbols of unconstitutional organisations. But that does not apply where art is concerned and because the spectators are considered part of an artistic production they are not breaking German law either. The controversy comes amid warnings of a rise in anti-Semitism in Germany. In the latest incident, two young men were attacked in Berlin by a man shouting anti-Semitic abuse." } ], "id": "10128_0", "question": "But is it art?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "MPs will get another chance to vote for an early election on Monday, the government has announced. It comes after the House of Commons rejected Boris Johnson's plan for a snap election on 15 October in a vote on Wednesday. Shadow chancellor John McDonnell said Labour wanted an election, but its priority was stopping a no-deal Brexit. The PM later said he would rather be \"dead in a ditch\" than go to Brussels to ask for a further delay to Brexit. He added that he wanted to give the country a choice. \"We either go forward with our plan to get a deal, take the country out on 31 October which we can or else somebody else should be allowed to see if they can keep us in beyond 31 October,\" Mr Johnson said. Meanwhile, the prime minister's brother Jo Johnson - who backed Remain in the 2016 EU referendum - has quit as Tory MP and minister, saying he is \"torn between family and national interest\". And independent MP Luciana Berger, who left the Labour Party for Change UK earlier this year, has joined the Liberal Democrats, saying she is acting \"in the national interest, to offer a vital, positive alternative to Johnson and Corbyn\". The fresh vote on an early election is scheduled just before Parliament is due to be prorogued - or suspended - from next week until 14 October. Announcing the vote, Commons leader Jacob Rees-Mogg said the suspension would begin on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday but did not say precisely when. The government-controlled commission responsible for setting the date has not yet made a decision, he added. Opposition parties are holding talks about how to respond to the prime minister's call for a mid-October election, amid concern over whether it should be delayed until after an extension has been agreed to prevent a no-deal Brexit on 31 October. A bill aimed at preventing a no-deal Brexit was approved by the Commons on Wednesday and a deal was agreed in the early hours of Thursday that Tory peers would not attempt to filibuster - talk it out - in the Lords. The government says this bill will now complete its passage through the Lords on Friday. Number 10 said the bill \"would in essence overturn the biggest democratic vote in our history - the 2016 referendum\". It added: \"The PM will not do this.\" Labour and other opposition MPs say they will not back the prime minister's call to have a general election while the option of a no-deal Brexit on 31 October remains open to Mr Johnson. Mr McDonnell told the BBC that Labour would only agree once it had ensured the legislation to protect against a no-deal Brexit, but he would prefer to have an election \"later rather than sooner\". He said Labour was \"consulting\" with other opposition parties \"to determine the date\" of a general election. \"The problem that we've got is that we cannot at the moment have any confidence in Boris Johnson abiding by any commitment or deal that we could construct,\" he said. \"So we are now consulting on whether it's better to go long, therefore, rather than to go short.\" He acknowledged there were splits in Labour about the timing of a general election, saying the leadership was in contact with legal experts and other opposition parties about what to do. Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson said she believed Mr Johnson could try to press ahead with a no-deal Brexit, despite the legislation. \"I do have confidence that the bill will get through the House of Lords,\" she said. \"But in the current circumstances where we find ourselves, where we've got a prime minister seemingly prepared to do anything to rip up the traditions of parliamentary democracy, then I also think that we need to be very aware of the risks.\" Meanwhile, Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage has warned Mr Johnson that he \"cannot win an election, whenever it comes, if the Brexit Party stands against him\". However, if they were to make a pact during a general election \"with a clear policy, we'd be unstoppable\", he told BBC Breakfast. Elsewhere, legal challenges against Mr Johnson's plan to shut down Parliament next week are taking place. The High Court in England will consider a judicial review request from Gina Miller, the businesswoman who successfully challenged the government over the triggering of the Article 50 process to start the Brexit countdown. She will be joined by former Prime Minister Sir John Major. In Scotland, there is an appeal against a ruling that said the prime minister had not broken any laws by asking the Queen to suspend Parliament. And in Belfast, a judicial review against the government by a campaigner arguing that no deal could jeopardise the Northern Ireland peace process, has been fast-tracked and will be heard later. In the Lords, peers sat until 01:30 BST, holding a series of amendment votes that appeared to support predictions of a marathon filibuster session - designed to derail the bill. But then Lord Ashton of Hyde announced that all stages of the bill would be completed in the Lords by 17:00 BST on Friday. The proposed legislation was passed by MPs on Wednesday, inflicting a defeat on Mr Johnson. The bill says the prime minister will have until 19 October to either pass a deal in Parliament or get MPs to approve a no-deal Brexit - and after that he will have to request an extension to the UK's departure date to 31 January 2020. However, an extension would require the agreement of the EU, a point which Brussels correspondent Adam Fleming says is being made \"quite strenuously\" by EU officials. And Michel Barnier, the chief European Brexit negotiator, is reported to have told European diplomats that negotiations with London over the terms of Britain's withdrawal from the EU are in a state of paralysis. He also advised that the UK appeared intent on reducing the level of ambition in the political declaration that will steer the next stage of the negotiations. Responding to the comments, Downing Street said it rejected Mr Barnier's assessment. The PM's official spokesman said: \"Both sides agree to continue talks tomorrow after constructive discussions yesterday and we have seen from EU leaders that there is a willingness to find and agree solutions to the problems we have with the old deal.\"", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 6173, "answer_start": 4669, "text": "In the Lords, peers sat until 01:30 BST, holding a series of amendment votes that appeared to support predictions of a marathon filibuster session - designed to derail the bill. But then Lord Ashton of Hyde announced that all stages of the bill would be completed in the Lords by 17:00 BST on Friday. The proposed legislation was passed by MPs on Wednesday, inflicting a defeat on Mr Johnson. The bill says the prime minister will have until 19 October to either pass a deal in Parliament or get MPs to approve a no-deal Brexit - and after that he will have to request an extension to the UK's departure date to 31 January 2020. However, an extension would require the agreement of the EU, a point which Brussels correspondent Adam Fleming says is being made \"quite strenuously\" by EU officials. And Michel Barnier, the chief European Brexit negotiator, is reported to have told European diplomats that negotiations with London over the terms of Britain's withdrawal from the EU are in a state of paralysis. He also advised that the UK appeared intent on reducing the level of ambition in the political declaration that will steer the next stage of the negotiations. Responding to the comments, Downing Street said it rejected Mr Barnier's assessment. The PM's official spokesman said: \"Both sides agree to continue talks tomorrow after constructive discussions yesterday and we have seen from EU leaders that there is a willingness to find and agree solutions to the problems we have with the old deal.\"" } ], "id": "10129_0", "question": "What has happened to the bill?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": " The implants are medical devices used by surgeons to treat pelvic organ prolapse and incontinence in women, conditions that can commonly occur after childbirth. Some women with incontinence receive treatment using tension free vaginal tape, although adverse side effects are not thought to be as common. The mesh, usually made from synthetic polypropylene, is intended to repair damaged or weakened tissue. The implants have been widely used throughout the UK, Europe and North America, but in 2014 the Scottish government requested a suspension in their use by the NHS in Scotland, pending safety investigations. It came after members of the Scottish Mesh Survivors campaign told a Holyrood committee of the \"life-changing side effects\" they had suffered. The next year, Health Secretary Shona Robison apologised to women who were left in severe pain by operations to implant a surgical mesh. She also confirmed that the suspension would remain in place. An independent review of the use of mesh implants was also set up but its chairwoman, Dr Lesley Wilkie, resigned earlier this month. The review's report, which is already overdue, had been expected to be published early next year. Mesh implants have been used successfully in many other parts of the body, but appear to react differently when inserted in the abdomen, leading to some women being \"cut\". A report by US regulatory body the Food and Drug Administration said once the mesh was implanted, it was very difficult - sometimes impossible - to remove. Some women have reported severe and constant abdominal and vaginal pain following the surgery, and some have been told that they can no longer have sexual intercourse. Other women have experienced infections and bleeding, while many have said their original incontinence symptoms have not been improved by the surgery. Some women who experienced problems said they were not aware the implants were permanent. There have also been calls for an investigation into allegations that counterfeit materials may have been used in mesh implants in Scotland - claims that have been strongly denied by the industry. Before the recommendation to suspend mesh implant use was made, about 1,850 women were said to have the surgery each year in Scotland, although it is unclear how many experienced problems. Since then, the number of mesh implants being carried out has been reduced by more than 90%. The Scottish Mesh Survivors campaign said in 2014 that 12 women had reported cases to the UK-wide Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), while it is believed more than 300 women have undergone repeated operations in an attempt to resolve the problems. Lindsay Bruce, of Thomsons solicitors, has said she has more than 140 clients taking cases forward, with reports earlier this year suggesting a total of 400 women were making damages claims against the NHS in Scotland. The MHRA has said it believes between 1-3% of women having the procedure for stress urinary incontinence and 2-6% who receive an implant for pelvic organ prolapse suffer complications. Some studies have suggested about 15% of patients having mesh implants suffer side effects, though the figures can be difficult to interpret because many of the women involved experienced problems before the surgery. Figures obtained by BBC Scotland in December 2016 showed that 404 mesh implants had been carried out in Scotland since the suspension was recommended. Greater Glasgow and Clyde has used the implants more than any other health board - with 178 mesh and mesh tape implants - while NHS Lothian has performed 146. The Scottish government said it had agreed with health boards that, if women were experiencing very distressing symptoms and wanted to proceed with an implant, then the service should still be offered. This would only be done with the informed consent of the patient, following a full explanation and discussion of the potential risks. A number of health boards - including Grampian, Ayrshire and Arran, and Tayside - have stopped using mesh implants altogether. But in a report published in 2014, the MHRA said that, while a small number of women had experienced distressing effects, the benefits of tape and mesh implants outweighed the risks and could help in dealing with upsetting conditions. Non-surgical treatments, including physiotherapy, are routinely offered to women suffering from a prolapsed bladder and/or incontinence. However, in more serious cases traditional surgery - which doesn't use implants - can be necessary. However, such surgery has a 20-30% failure rate, which is why many women were offered the mesh implants as an alternative.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1187, "answer_start": 1, "text": "The implants are medical devices used by surgeons to treat pelvic organ prolapse and incontinence in women, conditions that can commonly occur after childbirth. Some women with incontinence receive treatment using tension free vaginal tape, although adverse side effects are not thought to be as common. The mesh, usually made from synthetic polypropylene, is intended to repair damaged or weakened tissue. The implants have been widely used throughout the UK, Europe and North America, but in 2014 the Scottish government requested a suspension in their use by the NHS in Scotland, pending safety investigations. It came after members of the Scottish Mesh Survivors campaign told a Holyrood committee of the \"life-changing side effects\" they had suffered. The next year, Health Secretary Shona Robison apologised to women who were left in severe pain by operations to implant a surgical mesh. She also confirmed that the suspension would remain in place. An independent review of the use of mesh implants was also set up but its chairwoman, Dr Lesley Wilkie, resigned earlier this month. The review's report, which is already overdue, had been expected to be published early next year." } ], "id": "10130_0", "question": "What are transvaginal mesh implants?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2121, "answer_start": 1188, "text": "Mesh implants have been used successfully in many other parts of the body, but appear to react differently when inserted in the abdomen, leading to some women being \"cut\". A report by US regulatory body the Food and Drug Administration said once the mesh was implanted, it was very difficult - sometimes impossible - to remove. Some women have reported severe and constant abdominal and vaginal pain following the surgery, and some have been told that they can no longer have sexual intercourse. Other women have experienced infections and bleeding, while many have said their original incontinence symptoms have not been improved by the surgery. Some women who experienced problems said they were not aware the implants were permanent. There have also been calls for an investigation into allegations that counterfeit materials may have been used in mesh implants in Scotland - claims that have been strongly denied by the industry." } ], "id": "10130_1", "question": "What are the possible complications of mesh implants?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3297, "answer_start": 2122, "text": "Before the recommendation to suspend mesh implant use was made, about 1,850 women were said to have the surgery each year in Scotland, although it is unclear how many experienced problems. Since then, the number of mesh implants being carried out has been reduced by more than 90%. The Scottish Mesh Survivors campaign said in 2014 that 12 women had reported cases to the UK-wide Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), while it is believed more than 300 women have undergone repeated operations in an attempt to resolve the problems. Lindsay Bruce, of Thomsons solicitors, has said she has more than 140 clients taking cases forward, with reports earlier this year suggesting a total of 400 women were making damages claims against the NHS in Scotland. The MHRA has said it believes between 1-3% of women having the procedure for stress urinary incontinence and 2-6% who receive an implant for pelvic organ prolapse suffer complications. Some studies have suggested about 15% of patients having mesh implants suffer side effects, though the figures can be difficult to interpret because many of the women involved experienced problems before the surgery." } ], "id": "10130_2", "question": "How many women have had the implant surgery?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4305, "answer_start": 3298, "text": "Figures obtained by BBC Scotland in December 2016 showed that 404 mesh implants had been carried out in Scotland since the suspension was recommended. Greater Glasgow and Clyde has used the implants more than any other health board - with 178 mesh and mesh tape implants - while NHS Lothian has performed 146. The Scottish government said it had agreed with health boards that, if women were experiencing very distressing symptoms and wanted to proceed with an implant, then the service should still be offered. This would only be done with the informed consent of the patient, following a full explanation and discussion of the potential risks. A number of health boards - including Grampian, Ayrshire and Arran, and Tayside - have stopped using mesh implants altogether. But in a report published in 2014, the MHRA said that, while a small number of women had experienced distressing effects, the benefits of tape and mesh implants outweighed the risks and could help in dealing with upsetting conditions." } ], "id": "10130_3", "question": "So why are women still being given mesh implants?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4665, "answer_start": 4306, "text": "Non-surgical treatments, including physiotherapy, are routinely offered to women suffering from a prolapsed bladder and/or incontinence. However, in more serious cases traditional surgery - which doesn't use implants - can be necessary. However, such surgery has a 20-30% failure rate, which is why many women were offered the mesh implants as an alternative." } ], "id": "10130_4", "question": "Are mesh implants the only option?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has called on Iran to play a role in ensuring peace in the Middle East. Mr Abe is in Tehran, hoping to ease tensions between Iran and the US. He is the first Japanese prime minister to visit Iran in four decades and is due to meet Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei. Iran has been angered by sweeping US sanctions imposed after President Trump abandoned a deal in which the Iranians agreed to curb their nuclear programme. Dozens of hard-line students protested outside Tehran's Mehrabad International Airport over Mr Abe's efforts to ease tensions between the US and Iran. Mr Abe was greeted by Iranian president Hassan Rouhani and they held talks, before giving a joint press conference where the Japanese leader called for calm in the region. \"Amid rising tension, it is essential for Iran to play a constructive role in strengthening peace and stability in the Middle East, so that this region won't be destabilised further or accidental clashes won't happen,\" Mr Abe said. Mr Rouhani said that Iran did not want conflict with the US but that it would give \"a crushing response\" if it were attacked. Officially, Japan and Iran are marking the 90th anniversary of their diplomatic relationship this year. Much more significant is that the trip comes shortly after US President Donald Trump made a state visit to Japan, a key US ally. US relations with Iran nosedived over Washington's withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal over Iran's nuclear programme. Tensions escalated further when the US sent an aircraft carrier to the region, raising fears of a military confrontation. There are hopes that Mr Abe might be able to engage in some diplomacy between the two sides, dialling down tensions and getting them to talk to each other. Just one day before heading off, the Japanese prime minister spoke to Mr Trump on the phone and exchanged views on Iran, a spokesperson for Mr Abe told reporters on Tuesday. Essentially, in 2015 Iran agreed to limit its nuclear programme in return for sanctions being lifted. The deal was done under the Obama administration though, and Mr Trump withdrew from it last year. The US reinstated unilateral sanctions while other signatories to the 2015 deal - like the EU, Russia and China - still hope to keep the agreement alive. In retaliation for sanctions reinstated by the US, Iran last month announced it would suspend some commitments. On Tuesday, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said Iran was increasing its production of enriched uranium though it's not clear when it will reach a limit set under the 2015 deal. Tokyo has never been part of the Iran agreement but that does not mean it isn't affected. Japan used to import oil from Iran. Following fresh US sanctions it has bowed to Washington and stopped those imports. \"Japan supports the 2015 agreement and is unhappy that the US pulled the plug and thinks it's a really big mistake,\" explains Professor Jeff Kingston, director of Asian Studies at Tokyo's Temple University. \"But it has no real say in the matter, so when US imposed sanctions it's not surprising that Japan followed.\" While Tokyo can do without Iranian oil for now, any conflict in the Middle East would probably drive up oil prices and that would naturally affect Japan a lot. Since the end of World War Two, Japan has always pursued what's dubbed an omni-directional foreign policy. What that means for the Middle East is that Tokyo is trying to talk to everybody, stay friends with everyone, to make sure it can still get oil. Observers doubt that Mr Abe has much leverage to make a difference. \"My take is that the chances of brokering a 'deal' between Iran and the USA are close to zero,\" Professor Robert Dujarric, head of the Institute of Contemporary Asian Studies in Tokyo, told the BBC. While unlike the West, Japan is free of historical or religious baggage when it comes to talking to Iran, \"Mr Abe will still not be seen as an honest broker by Tehran,\" explains Mr Kingston. A good mediator would be someone seen as impartial by both sides, but Mr Abe and Mr Trump have just met in Japan and for long have prided themselves on their good friendship. \"Given his close ties with Washington, why would Iran accept that Mr Abe is objective?\" Mr Kingston says. \"Iran will see Japan as clearly tied to Trump and the US alliance.\" Most observers therefore expect very little from the trip and government officials have also been dialling down expectations. On Tuesday, Japanese media cited unnamed government sources saying Mr Abe was not going as a mediator and did not have a quick fix to end the crisis. Most analysts see the real purpose of the trip in his domestic agenda. It might not yield much in terms of US-Iran tensions, \"but it's good for Mr Abe,\" explains Mr Dujarric. \"It shows the voter that he is a world statesman.\" And that is important for the Japanese prime minister. Elections for the upper house are coming up in July and there is speculation Mr Abe might call a snap general election if he is confident he will win it. \"The international diplomacy is part of the art and theatre of politics for Mr Abe,\" says Mr Kingston. \"He is good at that.\" Mr Abe came to office on a promise to restore Japan amid a feeling that the country's best years might be behind it. As prime minister, he portrays himself as reviving the economy and as boosting the country's standing on the international stage. Yet so far, his international diplomatic activity has yielded little results, experts say. Tokyo has been sidelines in the negotiation with North Korea while talks with Russia over a group of disputed islands have also stalled. But given that all these diplomatic issues - including the Middle East tensions - are notoriously difficult, there's actually very little risk or downside for the Japanese prime minister, observers say. \"He won't be seen as failing to resolve them but rather as trying to do something,\" says Mr Kingston. \"Foreign policy doesn't win elections, but it helps to make Mr Abe look more substantial than he is.\" Reporting by the BBC's Andreas Illmer.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1137, "answer_start": 457, "text": "Dozens of hard-line students protested outside Tehran's Mehrabad International Airport over Mr Abe's efforts to ease tensions between the US and Iran. Mr Abe was greeted by Iranian president Hassan Rouhani and they held talks, before giving a joint press conference where the Japanese leader called for calm in the region. \"Amid rising tension, it is essential for Iran to play a constructive role in strengthening peace and stability in the Middle East, so that this region won't be destabilised further or accidental clashes won't happen,\" Mr Abe said. Mr Rouhani said that Iran did not want conflict with the US but that it would give \"a crushing response\" if it were attacked." } ], "id": "10131_0", "question": "What happened?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1942, "answer_start": 1138, "text": "Officially, Japan and Iran are marking the 90th anniversary of their diplomatic relationship this year. Much more significant is that the trip comes shortly after US President Donald Trump made a state visit to Japan, a key US ally. US relations with Iran nosedived over Washington's withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal over Iran's nuclear programme. Tensions escalated further when the US sent an aircraft carrier to the region, raising fears of a military confrontation. There are hopes that Mr Abe might be able to engage in some diplomacy between the two sides, dialling down tensions and getting them to talk to each other. Just one day before heading off, the Japanese prime minister spoke to Mr Trump on the phone and exchanged views on Iran, a spokesperson for Mr Abe told reporters on Tuesday." } ], "id": "10131_1", "question": "Why has Abe gone to Iran?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2600, "answer_start": 1943, "text": "Essentially, in 2015 Iran agreed to limit its nuclear programme in return for sanctions being lifted. The deal was done under the Obama administration though, and Mr Trump withdrew from it last year. The US reinstated unilateral sanctions while other signatories to the 2015 deal - like the EU, Russia and China - still hope to keep the agreement alive. In retaliation for sanctions reinstated by the US, Iran last month announced it would suspend some commitments. On Tuesday, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said Iran was increasing its production of enriched uranium though it's not clear when it will reach a limit set under the 2015 deal." } ], "id": "10131_2", "question": "What's the Iran nuclear deal?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3538, "answer_start": 2601, "text": "Tokyo has never been part of the Iran agreement but that does not mean it isn't affected. Japan used to import oil from Iran. Following fresh US sanctions it has bowed to Washington and stopped those imports. \"Japan supports the 2015 agreement and is unhappy that the US pulled the plug and thinks it's a really big mistake,\" explains Professor Jeff Kingston, director of Asian Studies at Tokyo's Temple University. \"But it has no real say in the matter, so when US imposed sanctions it's not surprising that Japan followed.\" While Tokyo can do without Iranian oil for now, any conflict in the Middle East would probably drive up oil prices and that would naturally affect Japan a lot. Since the end of World War Two, Japan has always pursued what's dubbed an omni-directional foreign policy. What that means for the Middle East is that Tokyo is trying to talk to everybody, stay friends with everyone, to make sure it can still get oil." } ], "id": "10131_3", "question": "Why does it matter to Japan?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4621, "answer_start": 3539, "text": "Observers doubt that Mr Abe has much leverage to make a difference. \"My take is that the chances of brokering a 'deal' between Iran and the USA are close to zero,\" Professor Robert Dujarric, head of the Institute of Contemporary Asian Studies in Tokyo, told the BBC. While unlike the West, Japan is free of historical or religious baggage when it comes to talking to Iran, \"Mr Abe will still not be seen as an honest broker by Tehran,\" explains Mr Kingston. A good mediator would be someone seen as impartial by both sides, but Mr Abe and Mr Trump have just met in Japan and for long have prided themselves on their good friendship. \"Given his close ties with Washington, why would Iran accept that Mr Abe is objective?\" Mr Kingston says. \"Iran will see Japan as clearly tied to Trump and the US alliance.\" Most observers therefore expect very little from the trip and government officials have also been dialling down expectations. On Tuesday, Japanese media cited unnamed government sources saying Mr Abe was not going as a mediator and did not have a quick fix to end the crisis." } ], "id": "10131_4", "question": "Can Japan mediate between the US and Iran?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 6102, "answer_start": 4622, "text": "Most analysts see the real purpose of the trip in his domestic agenda. It might not yield much in terms of US-Iran tensions, \"but it's good for Mr Abe,\" explains Mr Dujarric. \"It shows the voter that he is a world statesman.\" And that is important for the Japanese prime minister. Elections for the upper house are coming up in July and there is speculation Mr Abe might call a snap general election if he is confident he will win it. \"The international diplomacy is part of the art and theatre of politics for Mr Abe,\" says Mr Kingston. \"He is good at that.\" Mr Abe came to office on a promise to restore Japan amid a feeling that the country's best years might be behind it. As prime minister, he portrays himself as reviving the economy and as boosting the country's standing on the international stage. Yet so far, his international diplomatic activity has yielded little results, experts say. Tokyo has been sidelines in the negotiation with North Korea while talks with Russia over a group of disputed islands have also stalled. But given that all these diplomatic issues - including the Middle East tensions - are notoriously difficult, there's actually very little risk or downside for the Japanese prime minister, observers say. \"He won't be seen as failing to resolve them but rather as trying to do something,\" says Mr Kingston. \"Foreign policy doesn't win elections, but it helps to make Mr Abe look more substantial than he is.\" Reporting by the BBC's Andreas Illmer." } ], "id": "10131_5", "question": "Will it boost Abe's image back home?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Radiation levels near the site of a deadly rocket explosion in Russia's far north spiked 16 times above normal, Russia's weather service has said. Rosgidromet measured radiation levels in the port city of Severodvinsk after the blast. Even at the higher levels, the radiation would have posed little damage to humans, nuclear experts say. Five scientists were killed and three injured in the accident on Thursday at a military facility in the White Sea. A nuclear-powered engine was being tested near the village of Nyonoksa, to the west of Severodvinsk, Russia's state nuclear agency Rosatom said. Readings for gamma radiation at six testing stations in Severodvinsk, a city of 180,000 people, ranged from 4 to 16 times the normal rate of 0.11 microsieverts per hour, Rosgidromet said. A reading of 1.78 microsieverts per hour was detected at one station, well above normal but below dangerous levels. The weather service's findings contradict initial reports form Severodvinsk officials. Authorities in Severodvinsk, 47km (29 miles) east of Nyonoksa, said that radiation levels shortly after the blast were higher than normal for about 40 minutes but returned to normal. In contrast, Rosgidromet said the spike lasted for two-and-a-half hours. The explosion sparked panic among locals, with some rushing to buy medical iodine, which can limit the effects of radiation. Pharmacies' stocks of iodine were reported to be running out in the cities of Arkhangelsk and Severodvinsk. On Tuesday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to elaborate on the details of the test, only telling reporters \"accidents, unfortunately, happen\". He said, however, that Russia's nuclear engineering sector \"significantly outstrips the level that other countries have managed to reach for the moment\". There were conflicting reports about the possible evacuation of residents of Nyonoksa on Tuesday. Some locals told Russian media they were asked to leave their homes on Wednesday ahead of planned military exercises. Severodvinsk officials, quoted by the Interfax news agency, appeared to confirm the evacuation order in a later statement. However, other Russian officials were quick to dismiss reports of an evacuation, with regional governor Igor Orlov calling them \"complete nonsense\". Later on Tuesday, Interfax quoted the local government of Severodvinsk as saying the military had cancelled plans to conduct work on the testing grounds in Nyonoksa. Initially the defence ministry said the explosion on 8 August had involved a liquid-fuel rocket engine, and gave the death toll as two, without specifying who the victims were. Later, Rosatom said the test had involved a \"radio-isotope propellant source\" and had taken place on an offshore platform. The engineers had completed testing, but suddenly a fire broke out and the engine exploded, throwing the men into the sea, Rosatom said. The explosion sparked speculation that the accident involved a nuclear-powered cruise missile known as the \"Burevestnik\" or \"Skyfall\". President Vladimir Putin described the missile in a speech to the Russian parliament in March 2018. A tweet by US President Donald Trump suggested Russia was indeed testing such a missile system, saying the US was \"learning much\" from the explosion. In the tweet, posted Monday, Mr Trump wrote that the US was developing \"similar, though more advanced, technology\" than the Russians.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3396, "answer_start": 2440, "text": "Initially the defence ministry said the explosion on 8 August had involved a liquid-fuel rocket engine, and gave the death toll as two, without specifying who the victims were. Later, Rosatom said the test had involved a \"radio-isotope propellant source\" and had taken place on an offshore platform. The engineers had completed testing, but suddenly a fire broke out and the engine exploded, throwing the men into the sea, Rosatom said. The explosion sparked speculation that the accident involved a nuclear-powered cruise missile known as the \"Burevestnik\" or \"Skyfall\". President Vladimir Putin described the missile in a speech to the Russian parliament in March 2018. A tweet by US President Donald Trump suggested Russia was indeed testing such a missile system, saying the US was \"learning much\" from the explosion. In the tweet, posted Monday, Mr Trump wrote that the US was developing \"similar, though more advanced, technology\" than the Russians." } ], "id": "10132_0", "question": "What do we know about the explosion?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The much-hyped boxing fight between rival YouTubers KSI and Logan Paul has ended in a draw. Briton KSI, who boasts 19.4 million subscribers, took on US star Paul, who has 18.2 million, in the tightly-contested bout at Manchester Arena. One ringside judge had KSI ahead by one point but the other two scored it even, meaning a majority draw was declared. The decision was greeted by booing in the arena, but both men immediately called for a rematch. In reality, the fight was just the first of two planned bouts, with the second set to take place in the US. More than 15,000 tickets were sold for the Manchester fight, with thousands more paying PS7.50 each to watch it live on YouTube. KSI and Logan Paul had whipped their fans into a frenzy before the bout with insult-filled videos flying back and forth and angry news conferences held in Los Angeles and London. After the six-round fight, both insisted they thought they had won. KSI declared: \"I think there's only one thing to do. I think we have to have a rematch. Let's do it. That was fun.\" Paul said: \"I think it's what the people want. Let's give them a rematch.\" KSI did get one last verbal dig in at his opponent, telling him: \"I can't wait to see your bloody face all over the internet.\" Paul dominated the first two rounds, but KSI had boasted of his greater stamina before the fight and fought his way back the longer the two men's battle went on. They regularly taunted each other during the fight itself and exchanged insults. One dramatic moment came when Jake Paul - Paul's brother, who had himself fought on the undercard - ran into the ring at the end of the second round to remonstrate with KSI for throwing a punch after the bell had sounded. When the draw was announced, many people declared the result an anti-climax - with some saying it was a fix to make the pair even more money. Others, however, were impressed by what they saw. They are two of YouTube's biggest stars, both are massively divisive and both have highly controversial pasts. Olajide \"KSI\" Olatunji is a 25-year-old British gamer, comedy vlogger and rapper whose videos have racked up 4.4 billion views despite heavy criticism for lewd comments towards women in some of his clips. Logan Paul is a 23-year-old US prankster (and former state wrestler) who made his name on Vine before moving to YouTube, where he has had 3.9 billion views. He caused outrage earlier this year for showing the body of an apparent suicide victim in Japan. It all started when two other YouTubers - Joe Weller and Theo Baker, AKA Malfoy - went into the ring last year, and KSI said he would fight the winner. KSI took on the victor, Weller, at the Copper Box Arena in London in February, and won. It was streamed live on YouTube for free, with 1.8 million people watching live and 36 million more watching on the pair's official channels since. Following the victory KSI challenged Logan Paul and his brother Jake to take him on in the ring, saying \"they both need slaps so it makes sense for me to call them out and for us to get in the boxing ring and we can scrap\". Logan took up the offer, agreeing a two-fight deal.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1716, "answer_start": 1252, "text": "Paul dominated the first two rounds, but KSI had boasted of his greater stamina before the fight and fought his way back the longer the two men's battle went on. They regularly taunted each other during the fight itself and exchanged insults. One dramatic moment came when Jake Paul - Paul's brother, who had himself fought on the undercard - ran into the ring at the end of the second round to remonstrate with KSI for throwing a punch after the bell had sounded." } ], "id": "10133_0", "question": "How did the fight unfold?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1908, "answer_start": 1717, "text": "When the draw was announced, many people declared the result an anti-climax - with some saying it was a fix to make the pair even more money. Others, however, were impressed by what they saw." } ], "id": "10133_1", "question": "What was the reaction online?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2478, "answer_start": 1909, "text": "They are two of YouTube's biggest stars, both are massively divisive and both have highly controversial pasts. Olajide \"KSI\" Olatunji is a 25-year-old British gamer, comedy vlogger and rapper whose videos have racked up 4.4 billion views despite heavy criticism for lewd comments towards women in some of his clips. Logan Paul is a 23-year-old US prankster (and former state wrestler) who made his name on Vine before moving to YouTube, where he has had 3.9 billion views. He caused outrage earlier this year for showing the body of an apparent suicide victim in Japan." } ], "id": "10133_2", "question": "Who are KSI and Logan Paul?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The World Health Organization (WHO) is sending a million doses of cholera vaccine to Haiti, where more than 200 cases of the killer disease have been reported since Hurricane Matthew struck on 4 October. A race is on to curb new outbreaks before the imminent rainy season makes toilets overflow, helping cholera to spread. \"The top priority, clearly, for those people affected by the hurricane is to give them access to safe water. That's the only way we can control cholera,\" Dr Dominique Legros, a WHO expert, said on Tuesday. Cholera killed around 10,000 people in Haiti after the devastating 2010 earthquake, when UN peacekeepers introduced it to the country by emptying toilet waste into the Meille River, a major water source. Now the same communities face another mass tragedy. So what can be done to stop the epidemic? The WHO wants to give Haitians an oral vaccine, which is taken in liquid form. Usually, patients get a double dose. But in this case a single dose may be used to cover twice as many people - a million instead of 500,000. \"So far, we have one experience of a large-scale campaign with a single dose - it was done in Bangladesh two years ago. It proved effective for six months,\" Dr Legros said. But Dr Jean-Luc Poncelet, who is the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and WHO representative in Haiti, warns the vaccine is not a complete solution. \"It's only 65% effective. So 35 out of 100 people could still get cholera,\" he told the BBC. While immunity is one factor, people in high-risk areas urgently need clean water so they are not exposed to the bacteria in the first place. Cholera spreads rapidly when sewage is not treated, hygiene is poor and drinking water is unsafe. To combat these issues, Dr Poncelet says chlorine should be used to sterilise water both at its source and in people's kitchens. \"You can chlorinate the wells,\" he explains. \"The distribution systems that do exist must be chlorinated every single day of the year. A well can be treated with chlorine, and if it is sealed properly, that well can be perfectly protected.\" At home, Haitians can kill deadly bacteria by putting a few drops of chlorine in the water they use. It's an affordable solution, as a month's supply for a family of six costs around 85 US cents. Unicef says that before the hurricane, only one in three people in Haiti had access to proper latrines, and under three in five had safe water. In rural areas, this drops to one in four for toilets and just one in two for water. Dr Poncelet says awareness campaigns can encourage people to adopt safer habits, especially regular hand-washing. Cholera can be lethal, but isn't actually as deadly as many people believe. With rapid treatment, many sufferers recover. Cholera patients need to be rehydrated - and if this happens promptly, fewer than 1% will die. Most patients can be successfully treated with an oral rehydration solution, to replace the fluids and salts lost to diarrhoea and vomiting. Very sick people may also be put on an intravenous drip. The WHO advises that while antibiotics can reduce the length and severity of the illness, rehydration is the single most important thing. Hurricane-ravaged Haiti mourns dead Haiti at risk of 'real famine' Haitians describe Hurricane ordeal Hurricane Matthew killed at least 1,000 people in Haiti and left 1.4 million in need of aid - including hundreds of thousands who lost their homes and crops. The United Nations (UN) has called for $120m (PS98m) in emergency funds, and aid agencies are rushing to boost relief efforts on the ground. Chlorine tablets are not hard to transport, but much will depend on getting them over damaged roads and bridges to stricken parts of Haiti's battered southern peninsula. Dr Poncelet insists that despite the challenges ahead, Haiti need not be doomed to another huge cholera death toll. \"I am quite optimistic,\" he told the BBC. \"The most likely scenario is an increase in the number of cases. The rainy season from October-January sees an increased number. \"But for the first time we have access to vaccines in a larger number - a million from the global stock. That will not solve the problem, but it's an additional tool we did not have in the past. \"If we really work in a co-ordinated fashion, then we should avoid the massive epidemic of 2011.\"", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4322, "answer_start": 3274, "text": "Hurricane Matthew killed at least 1,000 people in Haiti and left 1.4 million in need of aid - including hundreds of thousands who lost their homes and crops. The United Nations (UN) has called for $120m (PS98m) in emergency funds, and aid agencies are rushing to boost relief efforts on the ground. Chlorine tablets are not hard to transport, but much will depend on getting them over damaged roads and bridges to stricken parts of Haiti's battered southern peninsula. Dr Poncelet insists that despite the challenges ahead, Haiti need not be doomed to another huge cholera death toll. \"I am quite optimistic,\" he told the BBC. \"The most likely scenario is an increase in the number of cases. The rainy season from October-January sees an increased number. \"But for the first time we have access to vaccines in a larger number - a million from the global stock. That will not solve the problem, but it's an additional tool we did not have in the past. \"If we really work in a co-ordinated fashion, then we should avoid the massive epidemic of 2011.\"" } ], "id": "10134_0", "question": "Cause for optimism?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "President Donald Trump has said he is prepared to be questioned under oath as part of an investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 US election. He said he was \"looking forward\" to it, subject to the advice of his lawyers. Investigators are assessing if the Trump campaign colluded with Russia to influence the election in his favour - a claim denied by Mr Trump and Russia. Investigators will also determine if Mr Trump obstructed the inquiry. The US intelligence community has already concluded that Moscow tried to sway the presidential election in favour of Mr Trump. The president had previously said he thought an interview was \"unlikely\" because there had been no collusion. He has called the Russia investigation a \"witch hunt\" and a \"hoax\". Speaking at the White House on Wednesday, Mr Trump maintained he was \"absolutely\" prepared to be questioned under oath by the top investigator. \"There's been no collusion whatsoever, there's no obstruction whatsoever,\" he said. On Thursday morning Mr Trump landed in Zurich, on his way to the World Economic Forum in Davos. He is the first sitting US president to do so since Bill Clinton 18 years ago. The president's lawyers have been talking to the investigation team led by justice department special counsel Robert Mueller about an interview, and the form it might take. The questioning could happen face-to-face, in writing, or it could be a combination of both. As to when it might happen, Mr Trump said: \"Yesterday they were talking about two to three weeks.\" Asked if he thought Mr Mueller would be fair, the president replied: \"We are going to find out... I hope so.\" A Lawyer's Worst Nightmare Analysis: Anthony Zurcher - BBC Washington A lawyer's worst nightmare is a client who won't stop talking. And when the client is the president, whose every public utterance is carefully inspected, the headaches are compounded. Such is the fate of Ty Cobb, Donald Trump's personal lawyer. At the moment, his legal team is in delicate negotiations with Robert Mueller about how - or whether - the president might answer questions the special counsel has relevant to his investigation into possible ties between the Trump campaign and Russia. Could the interview be conducted in person or via written answers? Will it be open-ended or will the boundaries of any discussion be delineated? This is all reportedly on the table. Then, on Wednesday night, Mr Trump not only said he's eager to talk directly with Mr Mueller, but that he's willing to do so \"under oath\". The president also appears to have outlined a defence against allegations that he may have illegally interfered with the Russia investigation, saying his efforts to \"fight back\" against a partisan witch hunt were being unfairly characterised as obstruction. That kind of strategy is better suited for a war for public opinion than a legal fight. Mr Trump, however, may end up with both. US Attorney General Jeff Sessions was interviewed by the Mueller inquiry for several hours last week. The country's top prosecutor is thought to be the first member of the Trump cabinet to be questioned. Four people have already been criminally charged as part of Mr Mueller's investigation. Michael Flynn, the president's former national security adviser, pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about a meeting with a Russian ambassador. Former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort has been charged on 12 counts, including conspiring to defraud the US in his dealings with Ukraine, and conspiracy to launder money. Mr Manafort's business associate Rick Gates was also charged with conspiracy to launder money. A third adviser to the campaign - George Papadopoulos - pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1640, "answer_start": 1166, "text": "The president's lawyers have been talking to the investigation team led by justice department special counsel Robert Mueller about an interview, and the form it might take. The questioning could happen face-to-face, in writing, or it could be a combination of both. As to when it might happen, Mr Trump said: \"Yesterday they were talking about two to three weeks.\" Asked if he thought Mr Mueller would be fair, the president replied: \"We are going to find out... I hope so.\"" } ], "id": "10135_0", "question": "How will Trump's questioning take place?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3714, "answer_start": 2916, "text": "US Attorney General Jeff Sessions was interviewed by the Mueller inquiry for several hours last week. The country's top prosecutor is thought to be the first member of the Trump cabinet to be questioned. Four people have already been criminally charged as part of Mr Mueller's investigation. Michael Flynn, the president's former national security adviser, pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about a meeting with a Russian ambassador. Former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort has been charged on 12 counts, including conspiring to defraud the US in his dealings with Ukraine, and conspiracy to launder money. Mr Manafort's business associate Rick Gates was also charged with conspiracy to launder money. A third adviser to the campaign - George Papadopoulos - pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI." } ], "id": "10135_1", "question": "What's happened in the inquiry lately?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The first concrete evidence has emerged of attempts to recruit fighters in Afghanistan for the so-called Islamic State (IS). A former Taliban commander in Helmand province, Mullah Abdul Rauf, has declared his allegiance to IS. An elder from the Sangin district, Sayeduddin Sanginwal, told the BBC that the new group had fought with the Taliban after replacing white Taliban flags with the black flags of IS. He said about 20 people from both sides had been killed and injured. The deputy commander of the Afghan army unit responsible for the area, General Mahmood, confirmed that he had received reports of the new group within the past few days. He said they were trying to win support for the IS cause, and they were \"preparing to fight\". The leader of the new movement, Mullah Abdul Rauf, was a former senior Taliban commander who spent six years in Guantanamo Bay after being captured by US forces in 2001. There had been reports that he had fallen out with the leader of the movement Mullah Omar. Rauf is a distant relative of the Governor of Nimruz province, Amir Mohammed, who said that the commander had lost a leg before being taken to Guantanamo. The governor said that IS had already attempted to recruit people in Farah, another south-western province, but had been driven out by local people with the help of the police. He said they were all the same: \"Once they fought under al-Qaeda name, then as Taliban, and now IS, they are the same people with the same programmes.\" In another sign that the Taliban are facing internal challenges, a former spokesman for the Pakistani Taliban has appeared in a video online, saying that there were several IS commanders operating, and that the Pakistani Taliban were now allied to the movement. There is no independent verification of this claim, but the video had images of several commanders across Afghanistan who were also said to be now backing IS. In the video they claim to have shifted their allegiance from the Taliban leader, Mullah Omar, to the IS leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. This represents the first serious challenge to the coherence of the Taliban leadership for many years. Omar has not been seen in public since 2001. His fighters have continued their assault on Afghan military targets, even after the end of foreign combat operations at the end of 2014. And despite sustaining very heavy casualties, particularly among the police, Afghan forces have held their ground. A major ceremonial event has been held in the headquarters of the military garrison in Helmand province to tell political leaders that the Afghan forces are now in control. Huge areas of the base, called Camp Bastion by British forces, are now deserted as Afghan forces occupy only a small part of it. Commanders say that the fighting season has gone on through an unseasonably dry and mild winter in Afghanistan - but if IS does succeed in infiltrating Afghanistan, the nature of the war will change. Elders who came into the base to witness the show of military strength said that they had seen the Russians come and go, and now the British and Americans, but they hoped that Islamic State would not come. There are also accounts that a group called Khorasan has been attempting to recruit fighters in Wardak province. Khorasan is an old name for Afghanistan, and is a word that carried mythical overtones for some Muslims after an ancient prophecy that black flags would once again fly in Khorasan before the end of the world. The US said that an air strike near Aleppo in Syria last September was on a base used by a previously unknown group also called Khorasan. This group was allied to Islamic State, but it is not clear if there is any connection with the attempts to win support for Khorasan in Afghanistan. This all appears to mean that the Afghan conflict is entering a new and unstable phase. There have been more direct suicide attacks recently on civilians - including a volleyball game - which had not been Taliban targets in the past. If Mullah Omar is losing his grip and Islamic State has infiltrated the country, then it will represent the biggest challenge yet to the new government of President Ashraf Ghani, who has only now announced a cabinet after more than three months in office.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4249, "answer_start": 2443, "text": "A major ceremonial event has been held in the headquarters of the military garrison in Helmand province to tell political leaders that the Afghan forces are now in control. Huge areas of the base, called Camp Bastion by British forces, are now deserted as Afghan forces occupy only a small part of it. Commanders say that the fighting season has gone on through an unseasonably dry and mild winter in Afghanistan - but if IS does succeed in infiltrating Afghanistan, the nature of the war will change. Elders who came into the base to witness the show of military strength said that they had seen the Russians come and go, and now the British and Americans, but they hoped that Islamic State would not come. There are also accounts that a group called Khorasan has been attempting to recruit fighters in Wardak province. Khorasan is an old name for Afghanistan, and is a word that carried mythical overtones for some Muslims after an ancient prophecy that black flags would once again fly in Khorasan before the end of the world. The US said that an air strike near Aleppo in Syria last September was on a base used by a previously unknown group also called Khorasan. This group was allied to Islamic State, but it is not clear if there is any connection with the attempts to win support for Khorasan in Afghanistan. This all appears to mean that the Afghan conflict is entering a new and unstable phase. There have been more direct suicide attacks recently on civilians - including a volleyball game - which had not been Taliban targets in the past. If Mullah Omar is losing his grip and Islamic State has infiltrated the country, then it will represent the biggest challenge yet to the new government of President Ashraf Ghani, who has only now announced a cabinet after more than three months in office." } ], "id": "10136_0", "question": "New group emerging?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Two Reuters journalists jailed in Myanmar for their reporting on the Rohingya crisis have been freed. Wa Lone, 33 and Kyaw Soe Oo, 29 were released after a presidential amnesty. They spent more than 500 days in prison on the outskirts of Yangon. They had been convicted under the Official Secrets Act and sentenced to seven years in jail last September. Their jailing was seen as an assault on press freedom and raised questions about Myanmar's democracy. As he left the prison, Wa Lone vowed to continue his reporting and said he was excited to return to work at the international news agency. \"I'm really happy and excited to see my family and my colleagues. I can't wait to go to my newsroom,\" he told reporters. Both men have families with young children. Wa Lone's wife, Pan Ei Mon, only discovered she was pregnant after her husband's arrest. He has only seen his daughter a handful of times on her visits to prison. The journalists were released along with thousands of other prisoners as part of mass amnesties that take place annually around new year in Myanmar (also called Burma). Reuters' editor-in-chief said the reporters - who last month won the prestigious Pulitzer Prize for their work - had become \"symbols\" of press freedom. \"We are enormously pleased Myanmar has released our courageous reporters,\" Stephen J Adler said in a statement. Their case was widely seen as a test of press freedom in Myanmar, and the country's de facto leader Aung San Su Kyi - herself a former political prisoner - was criticised for defending the jailing of both journalists. \"I've been so happy that I couldn't even eat my breakfast,\" said Kyaw Soe Oo's mother, Shin Htwee. \"I can't ask my son to stop working as a journalist because he loves this job. So whatever happens, I will support him to carry on,\" she told BBC Burmese. Nick Beake, BBC Myanmar correspondent, Yangon There were chaotic scenes as the journalists were freed. This was a press pack reporting on two of its own. It has been been personal for many Burmese reporters. They feared they too could end up in jail if the authorities didn't like what they were writing. The Reuters reporters may now be free but Aung San Suu Kyi's government has watched them languish in jail for 18 months. In that time, the authorities have arrested more journalists and activists which has prompted serious concerns about the future direction of the country. The pair are Myanmar citizens. They had been collecting evidence about the murders of 10 Rohingya men by the army in the village of Inn Din in northern Rakhine in September 2017. They were arrested before the report's publication, after being handed some documents by two policemen who they had met at a restaurant for the first time. A police witness testified during the trial that the restaurant meeting was a set-up to entrap the journalists. The final report - a collaboration with other journalists - was considered extraordinary, because it gathered testimonies from a range of participants, including Buddhist villagers who confessed to killing Rohingya Muslims and torching their homes. Accounts from paramilitary police also directly implicated the military. The military had previously released its own investigation into allegations of abuse in Rakhine, and exonerated itself of wrongdoing, despite large amounts of testimony from Rohingya refugees describing atrocities. Authorities later launched their own probe into the Inn Din killings, confirming the massacre had taken place and promising to take action against those who had taken part. Seven soldiers were sentenced to prison for their involvement in the killings. The military said the soldiers would serve 10 years with hard labour for \"contributing and participating in murder\".", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3760, "answer_start": 2408, "text": "The pair are Myanmar citizens. They had been collecting evidence about the murders of 10 Rohingya men by the army in the village of Inn Din in northern Rakhine in September 2017. They were arrested before the report's publication, after being handed some documents by two policemen who they had met at a restaurant for the first time. A police witness testified during the trial that the restaurant meeting was a set-up to entrap the journalists. The final report - a collaboration with other journalists - was considered extraordinary, because it gathered testimonies from a range of participants, including Buddhist villagers who confessed to killing Rohingya Muslims and torching their homes. Accounts from paramilitary police also directly implicated the military. The military had previously released its own investigation into allegations of abuse in Rakhine, and exonerated itself of wrongdoing, despite large amounts of testimony from Rohingya refugees describing atrocities. Authorities later launched their own probe into the Inn Din killings, confirming the massacre had taken place and promising to take action against those who had taken part. Seven soldiers were sentenced to prison for their involvement in the killings. The military said the soldiers would serve 10 years with hard labour for \"contributing and participating in murder\"." } ], "id": "10137_0", "question": "What were they investigating?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "It took years for Sandya Ekneligoda to get a real investigation into the disappearance of her husband, a political cartoonist in Sri Lanka. But when a new president was elected by a large majority last November and a key officer investigating the case transferred, she realised things would change. The BBC's Anbarasan Ethirajan reports from the other side of a political watershed. About an hour into our conversation at her home outside Colombo, Sandya Ekneligoda glanced outside. \"By this time the police would have been informed that you were here talking to me,\" she said with a wry smile. She thinks she is being watched, because she is a thorn in the side of Sri Lanka's new political order. It's certainly true that for a lot of people, the change of government meant things were about to change considerably. Just weeks earlier, on 16 November 2019, Gotabaya Rajapaksa had won a comfortable victory in the presidential election. The new president is a man well-known to Sri Lankans. He served as defence secretary in his brother Mahinda Rajapaska's administration, overseeing the bloody end of the country's civil war between the army and Tamil separatist rebels a decade ago. It is a war tainted by allegations of human rights abuses on both sides, extra-judicial killings and enforced disappearances. Ms Ekneligoda's husband was one of those who went missing. Prageeth Ekneligoda was a cartoonist and trenchant critic of Mahinda Rajapaksa. One day in early 2010, many months after the end of the war, he left home never to return. Six months earlier, he had been briefly kidnapped and interrogated by men in one of the white vans which would become synonymous with disappearances at the time. The journalist told his family that he knew who they were working for. Many fear that the Rajapaksa brothers' return to power will re-open old wounds and rivalries, but most are afraid to speak out. Ms Ekneligoda, however, has gone beyond the point of no return when it comes to keeping her counsel. She ensured the story of her husband's disappearance got global headlines. By her account, a proper investigation into his disappearance only picked up momentum after 2015 when a new government took over following the defeat of Mahinda Rajapaksa. The case was handled by then director of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Shani Abeysekara. It was to him she personally handed files and evidence pertaining to her husband's case. Charges were finally brought against nine army intelligence officers last November - 11 days after the election that brought Gotabaya Rajapksa back to power. The officers are thought to be part of a shadowy unit operating out of an army camp in Giritale in Sri Lanka's dry, dusty north-central province, 200km (125 miles) away from the capital. Investigators believe the cartoonist was taken to the camp. But then, despite the charges against the nine suspects, everything changed. \"Already the main accused have been released on bail. The police officers investigating the case have been transferred. The surveillance [on our family] has increased,\" said Ms Ekneligoda. The new government denies the surveillance allegations. Even Mr Abeysekara was transferred within a week of the election, in what was a clear demotion. \"Now I do not have any hope of getting justice,\" said Ms Ekneligoda. Estimates from various agencies say that about 20,000 Sri Lankans disappeared during the country's long conflict. That includes Tamils, rights activists, government critics and journalists, including people such as Mr Ekneligoda who operated well outside the war zone. These rough estimates are also thought to include around 5,000 soldiers. But commissions set up by the government after the conflict to investigate alleged war crimes and enforced disappearances were dismissed by many as nothing more than attempts to deflect mounting international pressure. In a BBC interview last year, Gotabaya Rajapaksa strongly denied any involvement in any alleged disappearances. The Rajapaksa administration has always vehemently denied accusations of rights abuses and war crimes, pointing to alleged abuses by the rebels instead. Now firmly back in power, it also has short shift for what it sees as arbitrary accusations against military personnel. This is something that strikes a chord with many in the country, who still feel they sent their sons off to a protracted and brutal conflict, only for them to be vilified. One of the campaign pledges of Gotabaya Rajapaksa that resonated through the Sinhala heartlands in the lush south of the country was to release and rehabilitate all those soldiers facing what they call \"framed allegations\" of rights abuses. The new administration has wasted no time in fulfilling its promise. In January, a senior naval officer and 13 others, who had been charged with the abduction and disappearance of 11 youths in the Colombo area in 2008-2009, were all released on bail. Weeks later, one of their number - Commodore DKP Dassanayake, the navy's spokesman during the final stages of the offensive against the Tamil Tiger rebels - was promoted to rear admiral. He denies all the charges against him. Meanwhile, a presidential commission - set up in the weeks after the recent election to determine whether government officials, both civil and military, had been victimised or discriminated against by the previous government - has recommended suspending the case altogether. Sri Lanka's attorney general has stood his ground, saying the commission had no legal ground to issue such a directive and the case must continue. For people like Sandya Ekneligoda, the direction of travel is clear; she and other critics allege the government is simply out to exonerate its old allies no matter what they are accused of. But it was the radical and immediate reorganisation of Sri Lanka's CID that surprised many, including former police officers. The unit carries some independence within the police department, recruiting highly-skilled detectives to look into murders, commercial fraud and high-profile crimes. Most of the officers had served in the department for a long time, allowing them to specialise. It was a department that had begun to make a name for itself for being unafraid to target big names. But within days of the election, Nishantha De Silva - one of Mr Abeysekara's deputies - had fled to Switzerland fearing for his safety. The government was furious and promptly barred more than 700 other CID officers from leaving the country without permission. Then in January Mr Abeysekara was suspended from his post after a purported leaked telephone conversation between him and a former minister reportedly discussing a politically sensitive murder case which took place during the Mahinda Rajapaksa presidency in 2011. The government has accused the CID of running a politically motivated operation allied to the UNP party, now in opposition, and that others will take their place. \"Some may have been biased towards some investigation,\" Chandra Fernando, a former inspector general of police and adviser to Mahinda Rajapaksa, told the BBC. \"Those people cannot be kept [in their posts] for a long period.\" But a look at the cases the CID was investigating gives a sense of what's at stake for the new government. Mr Abeysekara and Mr De Silva had investigated many cases that made headlines worldwide, including the killing of newspaper editor, Lasantha Wickremetunge, who was shot and stabbed to death on his way to work in one of the busiest roads in Colombo in 2009 by unidentified men. A fierce critic of the Rajapaksas, he also wrote about alleged corruption in defence deals at the time. That case was reopened in 2015 - the same year as Mr Ekneligoda's case - resulting in the arrests of several army intelligence officers. In 2016, it took a darker turn when local media reported that a retired intelligence officer had taken his own life after leaving a note saying he was responsible and the others were innocent. Another case pertained to the beating and abduction of the assistant editor of The Nation newspaper, Keith Noyahr. Several army personnel, including a major general, were arrested after the CID started investigating the assault when a new government took over from Mahinda Rajapaksa in 2015. That case is still pending in the courts. Many in the media say they are also now feeling the chill. \"The mood is one of self-censorship. Everybody is holding back,\" said Gihan Nicolas, who works for Newshub, a website which criticised the Rajapaksas in the run-up to the election. Its office was raided by police soon after Gotabaya Rajapaksa came to power. A spokesman for Mr Rajapaksa's administration said he was \"not aware\" of any government involvement in the raid. He also rejected suggestions that high-profile cases against the brothers might not now receive proper legal scrutiny. \"We will never interfere with the judiciary. The judiciary will take the case on its own. We have no intention of interfering in any of the legal matters,\" the spokesman, Keheliya Rambukwella, told the BBC. But what about the others who are still waiting to hear about loved ones? Not the editors and the cartoonists, who could give voice to their concerns, but the mothers and wives in the north where the worst of the war violence took place. Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of Tamil families say they have not heard anything from their relatives after they surrendered to the army. Kandasamy Ponnamma, an elderly Tamil woman from the northern town of Kilinochchi - far away from political appointments and military rehabilitation - is still waiting for answers, as are many others like her. \"After they surrendered, I saw my son, daughter-in-law and two grandchildren being taken away in a bus by the Sri Lankan troops. I still don't know where they are and what happened to them,\" Ms Ponnamma said. They had placed their hopes in the Office of Missing Persons, finally set up in 2018 after years of international pressure. But it had only just begun its work - and now, following the election, its future looks highly uncertain. \"Some of the local rights groups working with the OMP have come already under pressure. Military intelligence personnel have visited their offices and questioned them about their finances and funding,\" said an activist, who did not want to be identified. Gotabaya Rajapaksa rejects allegations that those who surrendered to the army at the end of the war were killed in cold blood. But the messaging is confused - as evidenced when he told UN officials in January that most of the missing were actually dead. After a wave of anger and outrage officials back-tracked, saying that most of the missing civilians had actually been forcibly recruited by Tamil rebels. But it is not a question that will go away for the government - whether it is the disappearance and murder of journalists, the abduction of young men, or the fate of thousands of Tamils caught up in the fighting as the war ended. There are still many thousands of relatives waiting for answers. Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who has won praise for bringing political stability after years of infighting during the last administration, wants the country to turn a new chapter and focus on development and security. But activists point out that it will be difficult to look towards the future without genuinely addressing the ghosts of the past. Meanwhile, as the case against the men involved in her husband's alleged disappearance continues, Sandya Ekneligoda, who can only assume her husband is no longer alive, must carry on waiting and asking.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 11618, "answer_start": 9096, "text": "But what about the others who are still waiting to hear about loved ones? Not the editors and the cartoonists, who could give voice to their concerns, but the mothers and wives in the north where the worst of the war violence took place. Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of Tamil families say they have not heard anything from their relatives after they surrendered to the army. Kandasamy Ponnamma, an elderly Tamil woman from the northern town of Kilinochchi - far away from political appointments and military rehabilitation - is still waiting for answers, as are many others like her. \"After they surrendered, I saw my son, daughter-in-law and two grandchildren being taken away in a bus by the Sri Lankan troops. I still don't know where they are and what happened to them,\" Ms Ponnamma said. They had placed their hopes in the Office of Missing Persons, finally set up in 2018 after years of international pressure. But it had only just begun its work - and now, following the election, its future looks highly uncertain. \"Some of the local rights groups working with the OMP have come already under pressure. Military intelligence personnel have visited their offices and questioned them about their finances and funding,\" said an activist, who did not want to be identified. Gotabaya Rajapaksa rejects allegations that those who surrendered to the army at the end of the war were killed in cold blood. But the messaging is confused - as evidenced when he told UN officials in January that most of the missing were actually dead. After a wave of anger and outrage officials back-tracked, saying that most of the missing civilians had actually been forcibly recruited by Tamil rebels. But it is not a question that will go away for the government - whether it is the disappearance and murder of journalists, the abduction of young men, or the fate of thousands of Tamils caught up in the fighting as the war ended. There are still many thousands of relatives waiting for answers. Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who has won praise for bringing political stability after years of infighting during the last administration, wants the country to turn a new chapter and focus on development and security. But activists point out that it will be difficult to look towards the future without genuinely addressing the ghosts of the past. Meanwhile, as the case against the men involved in her husband's alleged disappearance continues, Sandya Ekneligoda, who can only assume her husband is no longer alive, must carry on waiting and asking." } ], "id": "10138_0", "question": "What of the missing?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "A judge in Brazil has ruled that a film depicting Jesus as gay must be removed from the TV streaming service Netflix. The film, The First Temptation of Christ, infuriated fervent Christians in the country. Two million people signed a petition calling for it to be axed, and the production company was attacked with Molotov cocktails last month. In the ruling against Netflix, the judge said: \"The right to freedom of expression... is not absolute\". However, the ban is only temporary while a final decision is made. The parody film, which was run as a Christmas special, was created by Brazilian YouTube comedy group Porta dos Fundos. Many of the country's conservative Christians were angered by the portrayal of Jesus bringing home a presumed boyfriend to meet his family. On Christmas Eve, a group attacked Porta dos Fundos's office in Rio de Janeiro with fire bombs. One man suspected of having been part of the attack has fled to Russia, and Interpol are working to arrest him. A judge in Rio de Janeiro ordered Netflix to take the film down, the BBC's Daniel Gallas reports from Sao Paulo. Judge Benedicto Abicair said his temporary decision would appease furious Christians until a final decision is made by a higher court. \"Exhibiting the 'artistic production'... may cause graver and more irreparable damage than its suspension,\" the judge wrote. Neither Netflix nor Porta dos Fundos has yet commented. Brazil's far-right President Jair Bolsonaro once said he would rather have a dead son than a gay son. His son, Eduardo Bolsonaro, called the Netflix show \"garbage\" on Twitter, adding that Porta dos Fundos \"do not represent Brazilian society\".", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1654, "answer_start": 983, "text": "A judge in Rio de Janeiro ordered Netflix to take the film down, the BBC's Daniel Gallas reports from Sao Paulo. Judge Benedicto Abicair said his temporary decision would appease furious Christians until a final decision is made by a higher court. \"Exhibiting the 'artistic production'... may cause graver and more irreparable damage than its suspension,\" the judge wrote. Neither Netflix nor Porta dos Fundos has yet commented. Brazil's far-right President Jair Bolsonaro once said he would rather have a dead son than a gay son. His son, Eduardo Bolsonaro, called the Netflix show \"garbage\" on Twitter, adding that Porta dos Fundos \"do not represent Brazilian society\"." } ], "id": "10139_0", "question": "What's in the ruling?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Donald Trump has hit back at reports alleging he was unhappy with his new accommodation at the White House - home to US presidents in Washington DC. According to Golf.com, Mr Trump has explained his frequent appearances at various golf courses across America by saying to fellow players: \"That White House is a real dump.\" It led Chelsea Clinton, who is more than a little familiar with the interior of the White House, to tweet: \"Thank you to all the White House ushers, butlers, maids, chefs, florists, gardeners, plumbers, engineers & curators for all you do every day.\" But Mr Trump later tweeted that the reports were \"totally untrue\" and blamed \"fake news\". He added: \"I love the White House, one of the most beautiful buildings (homes) I have ever seen.\" Well, it certainly doesn't look like a dump in photographs released by Architectural Digest in July. But seeing as there are 132 rooms in total, are the non-pictured ones in such good nick? On the face of it, the public ones certainly look to be well maintained. In his 2008 book To Serve the President, author Bradley H Patterson estimated that the White House budget includes $1.6m (PS1.2m) for restoration and repairs each year. And it certainly would not be considered a dump to those living in the 30 million households across the US that have hazardous homes, according to a 2016 report by the Center for American Progress. Those hazards include \"dilapidated structures, poor heating, damaged plumbing, gas leaks, or lead\", said the report. That means, if you take the average size of an American household, there could be almost 76 million of Mr Trump's citizens living in homes that could cause them \"significant harm\". If the current president is displeased by his new residence, it may be due to a clash of personal taste. After all, Architectural Digest described the private rooms at the White House as \"an oasis of civility and, yes, refined taste\". But how about Mr Trump's personal home? His penthouse in New York's Trump Towers certainly has a different aesthetic. \"At one level, [the decor is] aspirational, meant to project the wealth so many citizens can only dream of,\" author Peter York wrote in Politico. \"But it also has important parallels - not with Italian Renaissance or French baroque, where its flourishes come from, but with something more recent. The best aesthetic descriptor of Trump's look, I'd argue, is dictator style.\" According to Mr York, who has written a book called Dictator Style, the apartment screams, \"I am tremendously rich and unthinkably powerful\" - which is more than a little at odds with Washington's more understated style. After all, its \"neoclassical public buildings\" are supposed to \"evoke stability and trustworthiness through their restraint\", he wrote. However, Mr Trump will almost certainly have put his own mark on the White House by now, as all presidents do. We know he swapped the red curtains for gold in the Oval Office, but what has happened behind the scenes is less clear. His wife, Melania, called in decorator Tham Kannalikham earlier this year, but what she will do to the Trumps' new apartment is not clear. However, Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, senior adviser to the First Lady, assured lifestyle website WWD: \"Mrs Trump has a deep appreciation for the historical aspects of the White House and with Tham's traditional design and expertise, they are focusing on a seamless integration of elegance and comfort into where the President, the First Lady, and [their son] Barron will be spending their family time and calling their home.\" The last time the White House could perhaps more legitimately be called \"a dump\" was back in the late 1940s, following years of depression and the Second World War. According to historians, President Harry Truman walked into the building and found a place that was not only too small for his needs, but also had baths sinking into its floors - which not only creaked but also \"swayed\". The repairs which began in 1948 cost $5.7m, according to several reports, and included a major extension. If you consider the annual upkeep, it gives you an idea of what a full-scale renovation would cost today. In the UK, Buckingham Palace is about to undergo a 10-year, PS369m renovation - although it is, of course, slightly larger - with 775 rooms. The palace's last major renovation was back in the 1950s, so potentially the problems encountered at the Queen's official residence, like ageing cables, lead pipes, wiring and boilers, could be being experienced behind the glitzy public rooms at the White House. However it seems less likely, as the latter has been undergoing updates to make the building more energy efficient since 1993. Over in France, the Palace of Versailles has been also been undergoing a major, EUR500m (PS447m; $592m) renovation since 2003 - and there are still another three years left until it is complete. So it seems likely any major renovation would run into the tens of millions - and what with Mr Trump's multi-billion dollar wall needing funding, it seems unlikely it will be top of the priority list. Get news from the BBC in your inbox, each weekday morning", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1689, "answer_start": 762, "text": "Well, it certainly doesn't look like a dump in photographs released by Architectural Digest in July. But seeing as there are 132 rooms in total, are the non-pictured ones in such good nick? On the face of it, the public ones certainly look to be well maintained. In his 2008 book To Serve the President, author Bradley H Patterson estimated that the White House budget includes $1.6m (PS1.2m) for restoration and repairs each year. And it certainly would not be considered a dump to those living in the 30 million households across the US that have hazardous homes, according to a 2016 report by the Center for American Progress. Those hazards include \"dilapidated structures, poor heating, damaged plumbing, gas leaks, or lead\", said the report. That means, if you take the average size of an American household, there could be almost 76 million of Mr Trump's citizens living in homes that could cause them \"significant harm\"." } ], "id": "10140_0", "question": "So, is it really a dump?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3570, "answer_start": 1690, "text": "If the current president is displeased by his new residence, it may be due to a clash of personal taste. After all, Architectural Digest described the private rooms at the White House as \"an oasis of civility and, yes, refined taste\". But how about Mr Trump's personal home? His penthouse in New York's Trump Towers certainly has a different aesthetic. \"At one level, [the decor is] aspirational, meant to project the wealth so many citizens can only dream of,\" author Peter York wrote in Politico. \"But it also has important parallels - not with Italian Renaissance or French baroque, where its flourishes come from, but with something more recent. The best aesthetic descriptor of Trump's look, I'd argue, is dictator style.\" According to Mr York, who has written a book called Dictator Style, the apartment screams, \"I am tremendously rich and unthinkably powerful\" - which is more than a little at odds with Washington's more understated style. After all, its \"neoclassical public buildings\" are supposed to \"evoke stability and trustworthiness through their restraint\", he wrote. However, Mr Trump will almost certainly have put his own mark on the White House by now, as all presidents do. We know he swapped the red curtains for gold in the Oval Office, but what has happened behind the scenes is less clear. His wife, Melania, called in decorator Tham Kannalikham earlier this year, but what she will do to the Trumps' new apartment is not clear. However, Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, senior adviser to the First Lady, assured lifestyle website WWD: \"Mrs Trump has a deep appreciation for the historical aspects of the White House and with Tham's traditional design and expertise, they are focusing on a seamless integration of elegance and comfort into where the President, the First Lady, and [their son] Barron will be spending their family time and calling their home.\"" } ], "id": "10140_1", "question": "A question of taste?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Most local authorities in England are planning to increase their council tax this year, to pay for local services. Councils in England receive their money from: - council tax - taxes paid by local businesses - grants from central government - rent from social housing - fees and charges (parking for example) Schools, most of policing budgets and public health are funded by separate pots of money from central government. These are administered by councils, but they don't have much discretion over how they spend them. But council tax makes up the biggest chunk of money which councils have some freedom over how they spend. And this, along with business rates - a tax that businesses have to pay on their properties - and a few small grants from central government, has to pay for everything else, from libraries to bin collection to caring for vulnerable children. Councils give their business rates to the Treasury which keeps half and returns the other half to councils in the form of the Revenue Support Grant. They are then free to spend this money as they see fit. They also receive a few other small grants, some of which are paid for by the half of their business rates that the Treasury hangs onto. This week, local government's financial settlement for the year ahead was announced - but to see how the money is actually spent, we have to look at this year's figures. In 2017-18, English councils' core budgets totalled about PS44bn - of which about PS25bn came from council tax and PS17bn from a combination of local business rates and the Revenue Support Grant. Here's how it was spent: - Adult social care (PS15.6bn) - Children's social care (PS8bn) - Environmental services including waste collection, recycling and street maintenance, cremation and burials, crime reduction and community safety (PS5bn) - Transport and highways (PS4.2bn) - Central services including courts (PS3bn) - Cultural services like libraries (PS2.2bn) - Fire services (PS2.1bn) - Some elements of housing (PS1.5bn) - Planning and development (PS1.1bn) The Revenue Support Grant - the money from central government which is not ring-fenced to spent for any specific purpose - has fallen dramatically over the past few years. Eventually it will be phased out altogether. As councils receive less money from central government, they rely more on the money they are able to raise through council taxes - but this varies around the country. Areas with less well off populations have fewer people paying council tax and generally lower tax rates, meaning they are less able to raise money this way. In 2015, government announced councils would soon be able to keep 100% of their business rates - something which is currently being piloted. This is welcomed by some who see it as a way of giving councils more freedom and a stronger incentive to grow their local economy. But critics say this would be a regressive move, since poorer areas are both less able to raise money through business rates and often have higher needs, making delivering services to their local populations more expensive. For example, areas with poorer populations will have more elderly people who require council-funded social care. In 2015, many councils were also given the power to levy a 2% council tax precept, ring-fenced to be spent on adult social care, every year for three years without having to go to a vote. The next year this was adjusted so councils could raise tax by an extra 3% for two years, meaning they could bring the extra money in more quickly.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3530, "answer_start": 2586, "text": "In 2015, government announced councils would soon be able to keep 100% of their business rates - something which is currently being piloted. This is welcomed by some who see it as a way of giving councils more freedom and a stronger incentive to grow their local economy. But critics say this would be a regressive move, since poorer areas are both less able to raise money through business rates and often have higher needs, making delivering services to their local populations more expensive. For example, areas with poorer populations will have more elderly people who require council-funded social care. In 2015, many councils were also given the power to levy a 2% council tax precept, ring-fenced to be spent on adult social care, every year for three years without having to go to a vote. The next year this was adjusted so councils could raise tax by an extra 3% for two years, meaning they could bring the extra money in more quickly." } ], "id": "10141_0", "question": "Can councils raise more?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Nicolas Maduro has been sworn in for a second term as Venezuela's president, despite international criticism that his re-election was illegitimate. The May 2018 polls were marred by an opposition boycott and vote-rigging claims. The US and 13 other countries in the Americas said last week that they would not recognise Mr Maduro's presidency. The socialist leader, 56, said his new six-year term was a \"step of peace for our country.\" Thousands of spectators gathered for the ceremony in Caracas, including Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, and president of Bolivia Evo Morales. Security forces were stationed in the capital and other cities, as opposition groups called for pot-banging and the sounding of horns in protest during the ceremony. \"Venezuela is at the centre of a world war led by the United States imperialism and its satellite countries,\" Mr Maduro said in a speech. \"There are problems in Venezuela, like in any other country. But we, Venezuelans, have to sort it out, without foreign intervention,\" he added. The Venezuelan leader also said the political right in Latin America has been \"contaminated,\" citing the rise to power of Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro, whom he termed a \"fascist\". The re-inauguration took place before the country's Supreme Court instead of its opposition-run Congress, which has been stripped of its powers since Mr Maduro's ruling Socialist Party lost control of it in 2016. Minutes after Mr Maduro was sworn in, Paraguayan President Mario Abdo tweeted that he was cutting diplomatic ties with Venezuela and immediately withdrawing his country's diplomats from Caracas. The Organization of American States also approved a resolution declaring his second term \"illegitimate.\" Mr Maduro was first elected in 2013, succeeding Hugo Chavez who died of cancer after governing for 14 years. He was re-elected in May last year, in a poll that had initially been planned for December. But the vote was marred by an opposition boycott and allegations of vote-rigging. The country's National Electoral Council (CNE) put voter turnout at 46%, but political opposition groups allege it was even lower. Venezuela's main opposition coalition said the election date had been changed to take advantage of disarray within opposition groups. It also argued that some of the most promising candidates had been banned from standing or jailed, while many others had fled the country. The main opposition candidate, Henri Falcon, rejected the result soon after the polls closed and called for new elections. Earlier this week, Supreme Court judge Christian Zerpa fled to the US in protest at the president's second term, arguing that the election \"was not free and fair\". The US mission to the United Nations called the process an \"insult to democracy.\" Neighbouring Bolivia, Nicaragua, El Salvador and Cuba expressed their support for the election results. Mr Maduro has dismissed claims of foul play, saying \"the opposition must leave us alone to govern.\" Since taking office Mr Maduro has been condemned at home and abroad for alleged human rights abuses and for his handling of the economy, which is in a state of near-collapse. Venezuela is one of the world's largest oil producers and holds the presidency of oil cartel Opec until 2025. But an overreliance on oil - it accounts for about 95% of its export earnings - left the country vulnerable when prices dropped in 2014. As a result, the cost of imported goods like food and medicine has risen, and currency inflation has skyrocketed. The government is also increasingly struggling to get credit after it defaulted on some of its government bonds. In response, the government has printed more money, devaluing the currency further. According to a study by the opposition-controlled National Assembly, Venezuela's annual inflation rate reached an eye-watering 1,300,000% in the 12 months to November 2018. The US has also imposed sanctions which Mr Maduro claims cost Venezuela $20bn last year. The United Nations says 2.3 million Venezuelans have fled the country since 2015 because of economic hardship. Anti-government riots in 2014 left 43 dead, and at least 125 people died in months of protests in 2017. Mr Maduro told reporters last year that the US was plotting to kill him and topple his government, but did not produce any evidence.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2987, "answer_start": 1728, "text": "Mr Maduro was first elected in 2013, succeeding Hugo Chavez who died of cancer after governing for 14 years. He was re-elected in May last year, in a poll that had initially been planned for December. But the vote was marred by an opposition boycott and allegations of vote-rigging. The country's National Electoral Council (CNE) put voter turnout at 46%, but political opposition groups allege it was even lower. Venezuela's main opposition coalition said the election date had been changed to take advantage of disarray within opposition groups. It also argued that some of the most promising candidates had been banned from standing or jailed, while many others had fled the country. The main opposition candidate, Henri Falcon, rejected the result soon after the polls closed and called for new elections. Earlier this week, Supreme Court judge Christian Zerpa fled to the US in protest at the president's second term, arguing that the election \"was not free and fair\". The US mission to the United Nations called the process an \"insult to democracy.\" Neighbouring Bolivia, Nicaragua, El Salvador and Cuba expressed their support for the election results. Mr Maduro has dismissed claims of foul play, saying \"the opposition must leave us alone to govern.\"" } ], "id": "10142_0", "question": "Why is Maduro's re-election controversial?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4330, "answer_start": 2988, "text": "Since taking office Mr Maduro has been condemned at home and abroad for alleged human rights abuses and for his handling of the economy, which is in a state of near-collapse. Venezuela is one of the world's largest oil producers and holds the presidency of oil cartel Opec until 2025. But an overreliance on oil - it accounts for about 95% of its export earnings - left the country vulnerable when prices dropped in 2014. As a result, the cost of imported goods like food and medicine has risen, and currency inflation has skyrocketed. The government is also increasingly struggling to get credit after it defaulted on some of its government bonds. In response, the government has printed more money, devaluing the currency further. According to a study by the opposition-controlled National Assembly, Venezuela's annual inflation rate reached an eye-watering 1,300,000% in the 12 months to November 2018. The US has also imposed sanctions which Mr Maduro claims cost Venezuela $20bn last year. The United Nations says 2.3 million Venezuelans have fled the country since 2015 because of economic hardship. Anti-government riots in 2014 left 43 dead, and at least 125 people died in months of protests in 2017. Mr Maduro told reporters last year that the US was plotting to kill him and topple his government, but did not produce any evidence." } ], "id": "10142_1", "question": "Why has his government been criticised?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The US has been urged to remain committed to the 2015 Paris climate agreement ahead of an announcement by President Donald Trump on the issue. Reports in the US suggest Mr Trump will withdraw the US from the deal. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said that as the world's largest economy, US support was crucial. Meanwhile, Chinese and EU leaders are set to agree a joint statement backing the Paris agreement, saying it is \"an imperative more important than ever\". The statement - a draft of which has been seen by the BBC - says rising temperatures affect national security and increase \"social and political fragility\", while the transition to clean energy creates jobs and economic growth. Mr Guterres told the BBC: \"It is obviously a very important decision as the United States is the biggest economy in the world. \"But independently of the decision of the American government, it's important that all other governments stay the course. \"The Paris agreement is essential for our collective future and it's also important that American society - like all other societies, the business community - mobilise themselves in order to preserve the Paris agreement as a central piece to guarantee the future of our children and grandchildren.\" The decision is a bit more complicated than a simple thumbs-up, thumbs-down. If the president opts to withdraw, how he does it will be almost as interesting as the decision itself. Here are his primary options: - Give notice of an intent to withdraw. The formal process takes a year and can't start until November 2019 - Withdraw from the Framework Convention on Climate Change - the 1992 Senate-ratified treaty upon which all subsequent climate agreements have been built. This also requires one year's notice, but it can be triggered immediately - Stay in the agreement, but ignore the non-binding greenhouse-gas emission targets and international aid obligations - Determine that the Paris Agreement is a treaty that should have been ratified by Congress. Submit it to the Senate, where it will languish. Or don't. Either way, the agreement dies Then again, the president could just opt to stay in the agreement, making all this hoopla either a cunning move to gain the upper hand in negotiating with European allies, or just an elaborate bluff. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has said his country will honour its commitments on climate change. Speaking on a visit to Germany, he said fighting climate change was in China's own interests. \"China will continue to implement the promises made in the Paris accord. But of course we also hope to do this with the co-operation of others,\" Mr Li said. As a big developing country, China had an \"international responsibility\" to try to prevent climate change, he added. China overtook the US as the world's biggest emitter of greenhouse gases in 2007. Chancellor Angela Merkel said Germany would stick to its commitments under the 2015 agreement. \"I consider it an essential treaty... and I am happy that other countries see it the same way.\" Russia also said it would stick to its climate commitments, but said the Paris agreement would be affected by a US pullout. \"It goes without saying that the effectiveness of this convention is likely to be reduced without its key participants,\" a Kremlin spokesman said. Mr Trump's refusal to commit to the Paris agreement caused frustration at a G7 meeting last week, with German Chancellor Angela Merkel describing the discussion as \"difficult, not to say dissatisfying\". There's no doubt that if the US pulls out, it will make it more difficult for the world to reach the goals that it set for itself in the Paris agreement. The US contributes about 15% of global emissions of carbon, but it is also a significant source of finance and technology for developing countries in their efforts to fight rising temperatures. There's also a question of moral leadership, which the US will be giving up, which may have consequences for other diplomatic efforts. Michael Brune, from US environmentalist organisation the Sierra Club, said the expected withdrawal was a \"historic mistake which our grandchildren will look back on with stunned dismay at how a world leader could be so divorced from reality and morality\". More on this from Matt Climate change, or global warming, refers to the damaging effect of gases, or emissions, released from industry and agriculture on the atmosphere. The Paris accord is meant to limit the global rise in temperature attributed to emissions. Countries agreed to: - Keep global temperatures \"well below\" the level of 2C (3.6F) above pre-industrial times and \"endeavour to limit\" them even more, to 1.5C - Limit the amount of greenhouse gases emitted by human activity to the same levels that trees, soil and oceans can absorb naturally, beginning at some point between 2050 and 2100 - Review each country's contribution to cutting emissions every five years so they scale up to the challenge - Enable rich countries to help poorer nations by providing \"climate finance\" to adapt to climate change and switch to renewable energy To date, 147 out of 197 countries have ratified the accord, including the US, where it entered into force last November.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5211, "answer_start": 4268, "text": "Climate change, or global warming, refers to the damaging effect of gases, or emissions, released from industry and agriculture on the atmosphere. The Paris accord is meant to limit the global rise in temperature attributed to emissions. Countries agreed to: - Keep global temperatures \"well below\" the level of 2C (3.6F) above pre-industrial times and \"endeavour to limit\" them even more, to 1.5C - Limit the amount of greenhouse gases emitted by human activity to the same levels that trees, soil and oceans can absorb naturally, beginning at some point between 2050 and 2100 - Review each country's contribution to cutting emissions every five years so they scale up to the challenge - Enable rich countries to help poorer nations by providing \"climate finance\" to adapt to climate change and switch to renewable energy To date, 147 out of 197 countries have ratified the accord, including the US, where it entered into force last November." } ], "id": "10143_0", "question": "What was agreed in Paris?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) has been a thorn in Turkey's side for decades. The group, which has Marxist-Leninist roots, was formed in the late 1970s and launched an armed struggle against the Turkish government in 1984, calling for an independent Kurdish state within Turkey. Fighting flared up again after a two-year-old ceasefire ended in July 2015. Now the PKK is being targeted in a bigger Turkish security crackdown, following the botched July 2016 coup attempt against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan by mutinous Turkish officers. The PKK's struggle is also part of the turmoil in Iraq and Syria, where Turkey is trying to assert its influence on a battlefield with many rival forces. In a BBC interview in April the PKK's military leader Cemil Bayik said \"we don't want to separate from Turkey and set up a state\". \"We want to live within the borders of Turkey on our own land freely... The struggle will continue until the Kurds' innate rights are accepted,\" he said. Turkey continues to accuse the PKK of \"trying to create a separate state in Turkey\". More than 40,000 people have died in the conflict. It reached a peak in the mid-1990s, when thousands of villages were destroyed in the largely Kurdish south-east and east of Turkey. Hundreds of thousands of Kurds fled to cities in other parts of the country. In the 1990s, the PKK rolled back on its demands for an independent state, calling instead for more autonomy for the Kurds. Who are the Kurds? The spotlight is now on Turkey's pro-Kurdish opposition party, People's Democracy (HDP), whose joint leaders Selahattin Demirtas and Figen Yuksekdag were arrested early on 4 November. The Turkish government said they had failed to appear for questioning about alleged links to the PKK - which they deny. Turkey accuses them of spreading PKK propaganda. Ten other MPs were also arrested. Acting with emergency powers, introduced after the coup attempt, the Turkish authorities have also detained the joint mayors of Diyarbakir, a mainly Kurdish city. The Kurds' main media outlets have also been shut down. The HDP, the main pro-Kurdish party, is a broad coalition of groups including liberal and left-wing ethnic Turks. The party denies Turkey's claim that it is allied to the PKK. It entered parliament for the first time last year, winning 59 seats, making it the second-biggest opposition party. South-eastern Turkey has been wracked by violence since the ceasefire with the PKK collapsed. Hours after the HDP politicians were arrested, a car bomb went off outside a police station in Diyarbakir. Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said it had killed eight people, including two policemen - and he blamed the PKK. The Turkish air force regularly carries out air strikes against PKK bases in mountainous northern Iraq. The Turkish government has ruled out any negotiations until the group completely disarms. There have been many PKK attacks on Turkish security forces in the south-east. In August 2016 a PKK car bomb in Cizre killed 11 policemen and injured 78. Hundreds of people have died in more than a year of clashes in Turkey's Kurdish-majority region. The PKK is listed as a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the EU and US. Human rights groups say many civilians have died during Turkey's anti-PKK offensive in the south-east. Turkey has imposed curfews and used heavy armour in urban areas in its fight with the rebels. Tears and destruction amid Turkey PKK crackdown Turkey has twin concerns about the Iraqi-Kurdish push to oust so-called Islamic State (IS) from Mosul. President Erdogan's AK Party, strongly rooted in Sunni Islam, does not want Iraqi Shia forces to spread their influence up to Turkey's borders and beyond. Nor does Turkey want the armed Kurdish groups to join up along its borders, bolstering the PKK cause. Turkey retains an army base at Bashiqa, not far from Mosul, and has trained a local militia force - the Ninevah Guards - consisting of Sunni Arabs, Turkmens and Kurds. In war-torn Syria, Turkey views the Popular Protection Units (YPG) - a Kurdish force fighting IS - as linked to the PKK. Turkey is allied to the US in Nato - but the US also supports the YPG in its anti-IS struggle. Turkey-Iraq tensions over Mosul offensive Turkey v Syria's Kurds v Islamic State In July 2015, a suicide bombing blamed on IS killed 32 people in the mainly Kurdish town of Suruc, just inside Turkey, near war-ravaged Kobane in Syria. Kurdish groups accused the Turkish government of not doing enough to thwart IS operations. A Turkish military operation in August-September 2016, in support of allied Syrian rebels, ousted IS from border towns. The PKK suffered a major blow in 1999 when its leader, Abdullah Ocalan, was arrested and jailed for treason. In March 2013, he called a ceasefire and urged PKK forces to withdraw from Turkey. But that ceasefire broke down in July 2015. PKK leader holds key to Turkish-Kurdish peace It was not the first time a truce had been declared. Shortly after Ocalan's arrest, the PKK introduced a five-year unilateral ceasefire and tried to change its image and widen its appeal. It called for a role in Turkey's politics, more cultural rights for the country's estimated 15 million Kurds and the release of imprisoned PKK members. Turkey refused to negotiate with it and offered only a limited amnesty to its members. Between 2009 and 2011, high-level secret talks took place between the PKK and the Turkish government in Oslo, Norway, but they collapsed after a clash in June 2011, in which 14 Turkish soldiers were killed.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2368, "answer_start": 697, "text": "In a BBC interview in April the PKK's military leader Cemil Bayik said \"we don't want to separate from Turkey and set up a state\". \"We want to live within the borders of Turkey on our own land freely... The struggle will continue until the Kurds' innate rights are accepted,\" he said. Turkey continues to accuse the PKK of \"trying to create a separate state in Turkey\". More than 40,000 people have died in the conflict. It reached a peak in the mid-1990s, when thousands of villages were destroyed in the largely Kurdish south-east and east of Turkey. Hundreds of thousands of Kurds fled to cities in other parts of the country. In the 1990s, the PKK rolled back on its demands for an independent state, calling instead for more autonomy for the Kurds. Who are the Kurds? The spotlight is now on Turkey's pro-Kurdish opposition party, People's Democracy (HDP), whose joint leaders Selahattin Demirtas and Figen Yuksekdag were arrested early on 4 November. The Turkish government said they had failed to appear for questioning about alleged links to the PKK - which they deny. Turkey accuses them of spreading PKK propaganda. Ten other MPs were also arrested. Acting with emergency powers, introduced after the coup attempt, the Turkish authorities have also detained the joint mayors of Diyarbakir, a mainly Kurdish city. The Kurds' main media outlets have also been shut down. The HDP, the main pro-Kurdish party, is a broad coalition of groups including liberal and left-wing ethnic Turks. The party denies Turkey's claim that it is allied to the PKK. It entered parliament for the first time last year, winning 59 seats, making it the second-biggest opposition party." } ], "id": "10144_0", "question": "What are the PKK's ambitions in Turkey?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4641, "answer_start": 3453, "text": "Turkey has twin concerns about the Iraqi-Kurdish push to oust so-called Islamic State (IS) from Mosul. President Erdogan's AK Party, strongly rooted in Sunni Islam, does not want Iraqi Shia forces to spread their influence up to Turkey's borders and beyond. Nor does Turkey want the armed Kurdish groups to join up along its borders, bolstering the PKK cause. Turkey retains an army base at Bashiqa, not far from Mosul, and has trained a local militia force - the Ninevah Guards - consisting of Sunni Arabs, Turkmens and Kurds. In war-torn Syria, Turkey views the Popular Protection Units (YPG) - a Kurdish force fighting IS - as linked to the PKK. Turkey is allied to the US in Nato - but the US also supports the YPG in its anti-IS struggle. Turkey-Iraq tensions over Mosul offensive Turkey v Syria's Kurds v Islamic State In July 2015, a suicide bombing blamed on IS killed 32 people in the mainly Kurdish town of Suruc, just inside Turkey, near war-ravaged Kobane in Syria. Kurdish groups accused the Turkish government of not doing enough to thwart IS operations. A Turkish military operation in August-September 2016, in support of allied Syrian rebels, ousted IS from border towns." } ], "id": "10144_1", "question": "What about the fighting in Iraq and Syria?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5557, "answer_start": 4642, "text": "The PKK suffered a major blow in 1999 when its leader, Abdullah Ocalan, was arrested and jailed for treason. In March 2013, he called a ceasefire and urged PKK forces to withdraw from Turkey. But that ceasefire broke down in July 2015. PKK leader holds key to Turkish-Kurdish peace It was not the first time a truce had been declared. Shortly after Ocalan's arrest, the PKK introduced a five-year unilateral ceasefire and tried to change its image and widen its appeal. It called for a role in Turkey's politics, more cultural rights for the country's estimated 15 million Kurds and the release of imprisoned PKK members. Turkey refused to negotiate with it and offered only a limited amnesty to its members. Between 2009 and 2011, high-level secret talks took place between the PKK and the Turkish government in Oslo, Norway, but they collapsed after a clash in June 2011, in which 14 Turkish soldiers were killed." } ], "id": "10144_2", "question": "Are there any peace initiatives?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Some 564 people have been into space - 65 of them women. That's despite the fact that the first woman in space, Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova, went into orbit as early as 1963. It took Nasa 20 years to catch up and in 1983 Sally Ride became the third woman, and first American woman to go into space. Before her voyage she was asked by the media if she was taking any makeup on her trip and whether she cried when there were malfunctions in the flight simulator. On Friday 18 October, Nasa conducted its first ever all-female spacewalk, after plans earlier this year were scrapped because of a lack of medium-sized spacesuits to fit one of the astronauts. For the last decade, Dr Varsha Jain has been working part-time as a space gynaecologist. She combines her PhD work at the MRC Centre for Reproductive Health at the University of Edinburgh with research alongside Nasa into women's health in space. She's been speaking to Emma Barnett on BBC Radio 5 Live. VJ: Overall adaptation to the space environment is roughly the same for men and women but there are some differences. Women are more likely to feel sick when they go into space, men are more likely to get re-entry sickness when they come back to Earth. Men have more problems with their vision and hearing when they get back from space which women don't get. When women return they do have problems managing their blood pressure so they feel quite faint. So there are some subtle differences and we don't know if that's to do with hormonal differences or more physiological changes that are occurring. And long-term, understanding those differences will help us understand more about human health on Earth. VJ: When the Americans sent Sally Ride up into space, the questions that Nasa had were about what would happen to women's periods and how do we account for this. Female astronauts said at the time, 'let's consider it non-problem until it becomes a problem'. But space travel is a bit like a camping trip and the engineers had to plan things like how many sanitary products were needed. Because it was a very male dominated world, the figures that they thought they needed were 100 or 200 tampons for a week! They shortly came to the conclusion that that many weren't needed. Most female astronauts now use the contraceptive pill to stop their periods and it is safe for them to do so because they are healthy women. One of the parts of my work was to research other ways for women to stop their periods to see if things like the contraceptive coil could be more effective. VJ: There are two toilets on the International Space Station, but the engineers hadn't originally accounted for blood. In space, urine isn't wasted, it's recycled and drinking water is reclaimed from it. Period blood is considered a solid material and none of the toilets on the space station can differentiate solid from liquid material, therefore the water in it is lost and not recycled. There are also limitations on how water can be used for washing, so the practicalities of personal hygiene while menstruating during spaceflight can be challenging. VJ: There is no obvious demonstrable effect that going into space has on an astronaut's ability to have children. It is important to remember that both male and female astronauts have successfully had children after spaceflight missions. However, female astronauts are, on average, 38 years old during their first mission. This is an area where I think Nasa is leading the way in being a supportive working environment. Ultimately, freezing of eggs or sperm is entirely a personal choice and, as far as I am aware, Nasa does not have any protocols on what their astronauts should do prior to spaceflight missions. We know astronauts are at risk of radiation in space and we haven't any idea how that will impact a women's fertility. The quality of sperm and sperm count decreases after space travel, but then sperm regenerates back on Earth, so there is no known long-term damage. Women are born with all the eggs they need for their lifetime, so Nasa is very supportive of female astronauts freezing their eggs before their missions. VJ: My interest in space came before my fascination with medicine. As a child, my brothers were both into Star Trek and seeing strong female characters like Beverly Crusher and Captain Kathryn Janeway really inspired me and shaped my goals. I knew that I wanted to work in the area of space medicine and because I was practising gynaecology at the time I found a huge knowledge gap in terms of women's health that I thought deserved a platform. My first day at Nasa, I was like a kid in a candy store. Driving up to the Nasa Johnson Space Centre, the first time I saw the sign I remember screaming because I was so excited. Every single day I remember waking up at 05:00 because I just couldn't wait to get to work. VJ: Not for a long duration mission! I know too much about the physiological changes and that puts me off. The changes that happen to the human body are like an accelerated aging process. If we take bone changes, astronauts lose bone mass when they go into space and parts of that bone mass are never regained despite the excellent counter measures and programmes the astronauts have when they get back. Obviously, I would love to see what Earth looks like from space, but long-term as a goal I think I know I'm doing my dream job already. Dr Varsha Jain was one of the first academic doctors to focus on researching women's health in relation to space. She is currently the 2019 Wellbeing of Women Research Training Fellow at the MRC Centre for Reproductive Health at the University of Edinburgh. investigating why women suffer from heavy menstrual bleeding. The Emma Barnett show is on BBC Radio 5 Live Monday- Thursday 10:00 - 13:00 BST. Click here to listen to a 5 Live news special on BBC Sounds: The Women of Nasa.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1674, "answer_start": 968, "text": "VJ: Overall adaptation to the space environment is roughly the same for men and women but there are some differences. Women are more likely to feel sick when they go into space, men are more likely to get re-entry sickness when they come back to Earth. Men have more problems with their vision and hearing when they get back from space which women don't get. When women return they do have problems managing their blood pressure so they feel quite faint. So there are some subtle differences and we don't know if that's to do with hormonal differences or more physiological changes that are occurring. And long-term, understanding those differences will help us understand more about human health on Earth." } ], "id": "10145_0", "question": "Does space affect men and women differently?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2547, "answer_start": 1675, "text": "VJ: When the Americans sent Sally Ride up into space, the questions that Nasa had were about what would happen to women's periods and how do we account for this. Female astronauts said at the time, 'let's consider it non-problem until it becomes a problem'. But space travel is a bit like a camping trip and the engineers had to plan things like how many sanitary products were needed. Because it was a very male dominated world, the figures that they thought they needed were 100 or 200 tampons for a week! They shortly came to the conclusion that that many weren't needed. Most female astronauts now use the contraceptive pill to stop their periods and it is safe for them to do so because they are healthy women. One of the parts of my work was to research other ways for women to stop their periods to see if things like the contraceptive coil could be more effective." } ], "id": "10145_1", "question": "What about periods in space?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3103, "answer_start": 2548, "text": "VJ: There are two toilets on the International Space Station, but the engineers hadn't originally accounted for blood. In space, urine isn't wasted, it's recycled and drinking water is reclaimed from it. Period blood is considered a solid material and none of the toilets on the space station can differentiate solid from liquid material, therefore the water in it is lost and not recycled. There are also limitations on how water can be used for washing, so the practicalities of personal hygiene while menstruating during spaceflight can be challenging." } ], "id": "10145_2", "question": "Why are toilets in space sometimes a challenge for women?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4138, "answer_start": 3104, "text": "VJ: There is no obvious demonstrable effect that going into space has on an astronaut's ability to have children. It is important to remember that both male and female astronauts have successfully had children after spaceflight missions. However, female astronauts are, on average, 38 years old during their first mission. This is an area where I think Nasa is leading the way in being a supportive working environment. Ultimately, freezing of eggs or sperm is entirely a personal choice and, as far as I am aware, Nasa does not have any protocols on what their astronauts should do prior to spaceflight missions. We know astronauts are at risk of radiation in space and we haven't any idea how that will impact a women's fertility. The quality of sperm and sperm count decreases after space travel, but then sperm regenerates back on Earth, so there is no known long-term damage. Women are born with all the eggs they need for their lifetime, so Nasa is very supportive of female astronauts freezing their eggs before their missions." } ], "id": "10145_3", "question": "Does space travel affect your ability to have children?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4854, "answer_start": 4139, "text": "VJ: My interest in space came before my fascination with medicine. As a child, my brothers were both into Star Trek and seeing strong female characters like Beverly Crusher and Captain Kathryn Janeway really inspired me and shaped my goals. I knew that I wanted to work in the area of space medicine and because I was practising gynaecology at the time I found a huge knowledge gap in terms of women's health that I thought deserved a platform. My first day at Nasa, I was like a kid in a candy store. Driving up to the Nasa Johnson Space Centre, the first time I saw the sign I remember screaming because I was so excited. Every single day I remember waking up at 05:00 because I just couldn't wait to get to work." } ], "id": "10145_4", "question": "How did you become a space gynaecologist?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5875, "answer_start": 4855, "text": "VJ: Not for a long duration mission! I know too much about the physiological changes and that puts me off. The changes that happen to the human body are like an accelerated aging process. If we take bone changes, astronauts lose bone mass when they go into space and parts of that bone mass are never regained despite the excellent counter measures and programmes the astronauts have when they get back. Obviously, I would love to see what Earth looks like from space, but long-term as a goal I think I know I'm doing my dream job already. Dr Varsha Jain was one of the first academic doctors to focus on researching women's health in relation to space. She is currently the 2019 Wellbeing of Women Research Training Fellow at the MRC Centre for Reproductive Health at the University of Edinburgh. investigating why women suffer from heavy menstrual bleeding. The Emma Barnett show is on BBC Radio 5 Live Monday- Thursday 10:00 - 13:00 BST. Click here to listen to a 5 Live news special on BBC Sounds: The Women of Nasa." } ], "id": "10145_5", "question": "Would you go into space yourself?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "A drama that spans a continent and 2,000 years, includes the execution of a Pope by drowning and a central London car break-in, has culminated in a ceremony at Westminster Cathedral. A case, containing a fragment of bone, purported to belong to St Clement who was ordained by St Peter and was Pope in the early years of the Christian Church, has been presented to the cathedral in a formal ceremony. Some time after it was stolen from its owner's car, it turned up in a rubbish haul from house and office clearances. It fell to James Rubin, owner of Enviro Waste, to hand the relic over to Archbishop George Stack, representing the Catholic Church in England and Wales. In February last year Mr Rubin spotted the unusual-looking object on a desk in the company's warehouse in Leyton, east London, where staff had been sorting waste to see what could be recycled or refurbished. He asked: \"Where has this come from?\" but no one knew. He says it's very hard to pinpoint exactly where it was found as the company's trucks clear up to 30 premises a day. He took it back to his office and hit Google. \"It's got Latin on the front. It says 'EX OSS ST CLEMENTIS' and that's what gave me the idea that it was from the bone of a saint.\" He thought of giving it to a museum or university hoping they would be able to work out \"if it was what we thought it was\". \"I really didn't know what to do with it.\" So Mr Rubin appealed to the public for suggestions on the firm's blog. There were hundreds of messages, including from institutions as far away as Hungary and the United States, keen to take the relic. But Westminster Cathedral also responded and he decided it should go there. \"It just felt like the right thing to do.\" The relic's owner - who has decided to remain anonymous - came forward, saying it had been stolen during a car break-in, but agreed it should go to the cathedral on permanent loan as part of its Treasures Exhibition. \"It's a really happy outcome to this particular extraordinary story,\" says historian and Catholic cultural expert Sophie Andreae, who brokered the deal for the cathedral. \"These objects are of very great significance. Catholics feel that they have not just a link with a very holy person from the past, but also a link with the divine.\" St Clement was Pope for just over a decade until the Emperor Trajan ordered him to be banished and then executed in about AD100. Legend has it that he was thrown off a boat off the coast of what is now Crimea, tied to an anchor. He is recognised as a saint by both the Catholic and Orthodox Churches and because of his watery martyrdom is also the patron saint of mariners. The story goes that a miraculous ebbing of the sea revealed a shrine containing his bones. Almost 800 years later some of the bones are said to have been brought to Rome and enshrined in the Basilica di San Clemente. A monastery in Ukraine is said to have his head and other relics. \"How can we be sure?\" says Dr Tessa Murdoch, Deputy Keeper of Sculpture, Metalwork, Ceramics and Glass at London's Victoria & Albert Museum \"It purports to be and it has been treasured as that.\" She says the inscription on the red wax seal on the case which includes a cardinal's hat and tassels could give clues about when the relic was endorsed by the Catholic Church. Dr Murdoch says altars in early Christian churches would have relics placed inside them to enhance their sacred properties. \"A part of a relic was representative of the whole. So even though this is a tiny piece, purporting to be the bone of St Clement, it represents the whole saint and martyr. \"Because these things are cherished and kept in sacred places and sacred spaces, sometimes under altars, the general public is not perhaps aware of their potency and so it's very rare that something like this comes into the public domain in such extraordinary circumstances, and it kind of reminds us all of the extraordinary power and association of such a small object.\" She says the best way to comprehend their significance is to think of gifts between loved ones, for example locks of hair. \"We can relate to things like that but if you actually translate those sort of special gifts between loved ones into the life of faith and sacred gifts, I think it helps understand the depth of power that these objects have.\" \"We can't possibly know,\" says Ms Andreae. She points out that in the 16th Century under Henry VIII, the reformation saw huge destruction of relics in England, with the tombs of saints \"completely smashed up\". Some Catholics were able to hide sacred objects in their homes but, more probably, Ms Andreae believes, this relic was brought to England in the early 19th Century once persecution eased and wealthier Catholics could travel abroad, some bringing artefacts from Italy back with them. Mr Rubin says the find trumps all the other strange objects his firm has retrieved over the years, from personal financial details, stuffed pets and even someone's OBE medal. \"It's amazing. Crazy,\" he says.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2269, "answer_start": 670, "text": "In February last year Mr Rubin spotted the unusual-looking object on a desk in the company's warehouse in Leyton, east London, where staff had been sorting waste to see what could be recycled or refurbished. He asked: \"Where has this come from?\" but no one knew. He says it's very hard to pinpoint exactly where it was found as the company's trucks clear up to 30 premises a day. He took it back to his office and hit Google. \"It's got Latin on the front. It says 'EX OSS ST CLEMENTIS' and that's what gave me the idea that it was from the bone of a saint.\" He thought of giving it to a museum or university hoping they would be able to work out \"if it was what we thought it was\". \"I really didn't know what to do with it.\" So Mr Rubin appealed to the public for suggestions on the firm's blog. There were hundreds of messages, including from institutions as far away as Hungary and the United States, keen to take the relic. But Westminster Cathedral also responded and he decided it should go there. \"It just felt like the right thing to do.\" The relic's owner - who has decided to remain anonymous - came forward, saying it had been stolen during a car break-in, but agreed it should go to the cathedral on permanent loan as part of its Treasures Exhibition. \"It's a really happy outcome to this particular extraordinary story,\" says historian and Catholic cultural expert Sophie Andreae, who brokered the deal for the cathedral. \"These objects are of very great significance. Catholics feel that they have not just a link with a very holy person from the past, but also a link with the divine.\"" } ], "id": "10146_0", "question": "Where has this come from?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5015, "answer_start": 4316, "text": "\"We can't possibly know,\" says Ms Andreae. She points out that in the 16th Century under Henry VIII, the reformation saw huge destruction of relics in England, with the tombs of saints \"completely smashed up\". Some Catholics were able to hide sacred objects in their homes but, more probably, Ms Andreae believes, this relic was brought to England in the early 19th Century once persecution eased and wealthier Catholics could travel abroad, some bringing artefacts from Italy back with them. Mr Rubin says the find trumps all the other strange objects his firm has retrieved over the years, from personal financial details, stuffed pets and even someone's OBE medal. \"It's amazing. Crazy,\" he says." } ], "id": "10146_1", "question": "How did it come to the UK?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The Department for Exiting the European Union has released what it calls a future partnership paper, laying out the government's plans for the UK's relationship with the EU after it leaves. The Reality Check team looks at some of the key parts of the document. \"The government believes that there are two broad approaches the UK could adopt.\" The key part of the government's paper is the choice of two different destinations as it tries to negotiate a long-term solution. The first is \"a highly streamlined customs arrangement\", in which the UK leaves the customs union, but comes up with ways of simplifying the future customs regime between the UK and EU countries. That could include developing technology and negotiating other systems to speed things up at ports. But implementing such a complex scheme would take years of preparation. The other option proposed is a new customs partnership with the EU, which would do away with a customs border altogether. Agreeing to such a partnership, which doesn't really exist anywhere in the world, would be quite a concession for the EU as it would give the UK the benefits of being in the customs union while still allowing it to forge trade agreements with non-EU countries, which EU members are not allowed to do. \"People and businesses in both the UK and the EU would benefit from an interim period.\" The government wants an interim or transition period between the UK leaving the EU and the new permanent customs regime coming into effect. The paper suggests a time-limited period during which the UK leaves the customs union only to move straight into another temporary customs union with the EU that would operate in pretty much the same way - except, the UK wants to be able to negotiate and sign (but not implement) free trade deals with other countries outside the EU at the same time. \"The UK would aim to negotiate trade facilitations with the EU and implement unilateral improvements to our domestic regime.\" \"The promotion of the free flow of trade in both directions between the UK and the EU would also require the EU to implement equivalent arrangements at its borders with the UK.\" It is not clear which aspects of the streamlined arrangement would be unilateral and which would need agreement. The paper says, in paragraph 29, that the government would make unilateral improvements to its systems, to speed things up at ports. But then, in paragraph 30, it says that the EU would have to implement equivalent arrangements. \"Through membership of the Common Transit Convention (CTC), which simplifies border crossing for goods in transit.\" The CTC is the set of rules for moving goods between EU member states and other countries, including Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, Macedonia and Serbia. It is supposed to make it easier to move products from one country to another via a third country that is not necessarily an EU member. For the UK, the benefit would be that goods could be imported from Asia via the port of Rotterdam, for example, without having to pay EU duties. \"Negotiating mutual recognition of Authorised Economic Operators (AEOs), enabling faster clearance of AEOs' goods at the border.\" AEOs are an international kitemark that recognises businesses as regular international traders that are solvent and have a good record of paying customs fees and taxes and keeping proper records. Companies holding the designation are allowed to use certain fast-track systems when going through customs. The government estimates that 60% of UK imports and 74% of UK exports involve companies with AEO status. \"Ensure that individuals travelling to the UK from the EU and vice versa can continue to travel with goods for personal use as freely and as smoothly as they do now.\" The amount of alcohol and cigarettes that can be brought into the UK from non-EU countries without paying duty is limited - up to four litres of wine and 200 cigarettes. After Brexit, such limits could return for trips to and from the EU. But the government is keen to strike an agreement that ensures that does not happen. \"We acknowledge this is an innovative and untested approach that would take time to develop and implement.\" The government says it wants to look into the \"practical complexities\" involved in a customs partnership, but the EU has already repeated its argument that frictionless trade outside the Customs Union and the Single Market is impossible. Would ministers be happier being \"innovative and untested\" than being courageous? \"We will continue to discuss these proposals with stakeholders over the summer and will publish a Customs White Paper in advance of the Customs Bill in the autumn.\" If negotiations on the future partnership with the EU have not yet begun by the autumn, there may be a few blank spaces in the Customs White Paper that will have to be filled in later. And this week's paper also emphasises that the government will be ready for a \"no deal\" scenario that would necessitate \"standalone customs and excise systems\". \"This is not the government's preferred outcome,\" the paper says, \"but it is essential that the UK is prepared for all possible outcomes.\" Read more from Reality Check Follow us on Twitter", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4068, "answer_start": 3578, "text": "\"Ensure that individuals travelling to the UK from the EU and vice versa can continue to travel with goods for personal use as freely and as smoothly as they do now.\" The amount of alcohol and cigarettes that can be brought into the UK from non-EU countries without paying duty is limited - up to four litres of wine and 200 cigarettes. After Brexit, such limits could return for trips to and from the EU. But the government is keen to strike an agreement that ensures that does not happen." } ], "id": "10147_0", "question": "The booze cruise survives?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "A billionaire technology investor has shocked graduating students in Atlanta, Georgia, by telling them he will pay off all of their student loans. Robert F Smith, one of America's most prominent black philanthropists, was giving an address at Morehouse College, a historically all-male black college. Nearly 400 students will benefit at a cost of tens of millions of dollars. The class of 2019 and their teachers were stunned at the news before breaking into applause. Mr Smith, 56, founded private equity firm Vista Equity Partners in 2000 to invest in software companies, and has a personal net worth of $5bn, according to Forbes. \"On behalf of the eight generations of my family that have been in this country, we're gonna put a little fuel in your bus,\" Mr Smith told the graduates on Sunday. \"This is my class, 2019. And my family is making a grant to eliminate their student loans.\" The billionaire was at the college to receive an honorary doctorate and had already announced a donation of $1.5m to Morehouse. The exact cost of Mr Smith's latest act of generosity is unclear, as the college has yet to calculate the total debt of the students who will benefit, but it is estimated to be at least $10m (PS7.7m) and could be significantly higher. Aaron Mitchom, 22, wept at the news that he would not have to pay back $200,000 in loans he had taken out to fund his finance studies, AP news agency reports. \"I was shocked,\" he said. \"My heart dropped. We all cried. In the moment it was like a burden had been taken off.\" Morehouse College president David A Thomas was quoted by CNN as saying: \"When you have to service debt, the choices about what you can go do in the world are constrained. \"[The grant] gives them the liberty to follow their dreams, their passions.\"", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1773, "answer_start": 1252, "text": "Aaron Mitchom, 22, wept at the news that he would not have to pay back $200,000 in loans he had taken out to fund his finance studies, AP news agency reports. \"I was shocked,\" he said. \"My heart dropped. We all cried. In the moment it was like a burden had been taken off.\" Morehouse College president David A Thomas was quoted by CNN as saying: \"When you have to service debt, the choices about what you can go do in the world are constrained. \"[The grant] gives them the liberty to follow their dreams, their passions.\"" } ], "id": "10148_0", "question": "How did they react?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Ebola patient Pauline Cafferkey is receiving an experimental anti-viral drug and blood from survivors of the disease, doctors in London have said. Specialists at the Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead, where the nurse is being treated, did not name the drug. Dr Michael Jacobs said Ms Cafferkey was in isolation and was sitting up in bed, talking and reading. As the disease has no known cure and is unpredictable, Dr Jacobs said they would know more in a week's time. He said Ms Cafferkey had agreed to all the treatments and her family had been to see her. \"She's a nurse, a fellow professional, so we have been able to discuss things in great detail,\" he said. \"She's as well as we can hope for at this stage of the illness. She's had the treatment, it's gone very smoothly, no side-effects at all.\" The drug and the convalescent plasma are part of a tranche of experimental treatments, he said. \"We simply don't know what the best treatment strategies are,\" he added. By James Gallagher, Health editor, BBC News website This is a difficult time for doctors. Potential Ebola drugs exist yet there is hardly a scrap of evidence that any of them work. Two of the most promising are brincidofovir and favipiravir. Tests in tissue samples suggest the anti-virals have the potential to stop Ebola replicating once it infects cells. Brincidofovir has been tried on some patients in the US and both drugs have entered clinical trials in West Africa. However, the results are not expected until February. The effectiveness of using the blood of survivors is equally uncertain until the results of trials come through. Ebola therapies and vaccines are now being tested at unprecedented speed during this outbreak. But for patients infected today, doctors simply do not know if these experimental options will make a difference. Ebola: The race for drugs and vaccines Ms Cafferkey, a public health nurse at Blantyre Health Centre in South Lanarkshire, is receiving treatment via a quarantine tent after returning to Glasgow from Sierra Leone on Sunday. She was working in the West African country as part of a Save the Children team. She travelled home via Casablanca, Morocco, and London's Heathrow Airport. Ms Cafferkey was screened for the disease at Heathrow and told officials she believed a fever might be developing. Her temperature was taken seven times in total and was normal each time, so she was allowed to fly home to Scotland. She was placed in an isolation unit at Gartnavel Hospital in Glasgow after becoming feverish on Monday. Ms Cafferkey was transferred by RAF Hercules plane to London and on to the Royal Free's specialist treatment centre on Tuesday. Ebola is transmitted by direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person, such as blood, vomit or faeces. The virus has killed more than 7,800 people, mostly in West Africa, since it broke out a year ago. The World Health Organization says the number of people infected by the disease in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea has now passed 20,000. Ms Cafferkey's case has raised questions about the screening process in place for passengers leaving West Africa and arriving at Heathrow. The chief medical officer for England, Dame Sally Davies, said Ms Cafferkey had been in the early phase of the disease when she made the journey back to the UK and her fellow passengers were at \"very low risk\" of being infected. She told the BBC: \"The public health risk is negligible - Ebola's very difficult to catch.\" While the correct protocols had been followed, she said, the precautions were always under review. A Department of Health spokesman said it would review the screening protocols. - A normal body temperature is considered 37C - A raised temperature is one sign of Ebola and forms a core part of entry screening - The UK uses a relatively tough 37.5C as the cut off for further testing - Belgium and Australia use a higher threshold of 38C - India uses 38.3C - Spain and the US use 38.6C Source: The Lancet Prof Andrew Easton, a virologist from University of Warwick, said it was difficult to detect the early stages of the virus but the questions asked during the screening process needed to be looked at. \"There has to be some kind of question asked about quite how those questions were posed to the nurse, what the responses were and then how things moved on from there,\" he told the BBC. But British doctor Oliver Johnson, who has been based in Sierra Leone and was on the same flight as Ms Cafferkey, warned against imposing stricter screening measures. \"Unless we have evidence that there have been further transmissions or infections, I think the biggest mistake to make right now would be to try and change a system that appears to be working in a way that makes it more difficult to respond in West Africa to end this outbreak,\" he said. Ms Cafferkey is the second UK case of Ebola. Another nurse - William Pooley - recovered from Ebola in September after also being treated at the Royal Free Hospital. He donated some blood plasma and was treated with the anti-viral drug ZMapp, of which there are no stocks left. Dr Jacobs said the cases \"were quite separate from one another\". \"We're starting from the beginning again,\" he said. \"We're treating Pauline absolutely on her own merits.\" He said there was \"a European pool\" of recovered patients' blood plasma and they had identified \"the best plasma for her\". It is hoped the antibodies in the plasma will help her immune system fight the disease. The early symptoms are a sudden fever, muscle pain, fatigue, headache and sore throat. This is followed by vomiting, diarrhoea, a rash and bleeding - both internal and external - which can be seen in the gums, eyes, nose and in the stools. Patients tend to die from dehydration and multiple organ failure.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5789, "answer_start": 5484, "text": "The early symptoms are a sudden fever, muscle pain, fatigue, headache and sore throat. This is followed by vomiting, diarrhoea, a rash and bleeding - both internal and external - which can be seen in the gums, eyes, nose and in the stools. Patients tend to die from dehydration and multiple organ failure." } ], "id": "10149_0", "question": "What are the symptoms?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "At least 10 people were injured when fireworks were shot from a moving car into a crowd of pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong. Video on social media showed people running for cover as fiery trails were shot towards them outside a police station in Tin Shui Wai district. The activists had been supporting a small number of protesters who had been detained inside the station. Tensions are high in Hong Kong after weeks of anti-government protests. The incident early on Wednesday came as more than 40 activists appeared in court charged with rioting, after a protest on Sunday ended in violent clashes with police. If convicted, they could face up to 10 years in prison. Campaigner Jack Hazlewood posted videos of the attacks collated from the private messaging app Telegram and other online sources. Footage from Tin Shui Wai showed the car from which the attack was launched speeding away. The attackers have not been identified. Police \"strongly condemned\" those responsible and said they were investigating. It was the second time this month that pro-democracy activists had been attacked. On 21 July, men dressed in white shirts and believed to be triad gangsters assaulted protesters and passers-by in the Yuen Long area, after some demonstrators had stormed China's central government building and defaced the national emblem. Protesters alleged that the gangsters were acting at the behest of the authorities, a claim strongly denied by the government and police. Elsewhere in Hong Kong, another crowd braved an approaching typhoon to gather outside a court where 44 people were charged with rioting. It is the first time the Hong Kong government has used the charge in connection with these anti-government protests. The protesters chanted \"revolution of our time\" and \"liberate Hong Kong\". The 44 were released on bail until September and most were given a midnight curfew. Those gathered outside were in defiant mood. \"I'm not scared to protest. This whole thing today is just making me more angry,\" said one protester, who gave his name as Gartner. China has largely allowed Hong Kong's authorities to deal with the protests but fears are growing that it could step in if disruption continues. In a rare intervention, China's top policy office in Hong Kong condemned Sunday's violent clashes as \"horrendous incidents\" that have caused \"serious damage to the rule of law\". A spokeswoman for the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office insisted that the territory's \"top priority\" was to \"restore social order\". Demonstrations in Hong Kong began over a controversial bill that would have enabled extraditions to mainland China. The government has since paused work on the bill, but protesters want it withdrawn completely. The demonstrations have also broadened into a wider movement, with activists demanding democratic reform and an independent inquiry into police violence. As a former British colony, Hong Kong has its own legal and judicial systems, and has been promised \"a high degree of autonomy\" from the Chinese government except in foreign and defence affairs.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3078, "answer_start": 2519, "text": "Demonstrations in Hong Kong began over a controversial bill that would have enabled extraditions to mainland China. The government has since paused work on the bill, but protesters want it withdrawn completely. The demonstrations have also broadened into a wider movement, with activists demanding democratic reform and an independent inquiry into police violence. As a former British colony, Hong Kong has its own legal and judicial systems, and has been promised \"a high degree of autonomy\" from the Chinese government except in foreign and defence affairs." } ], "id": "10150_0", "question": "How did we get here?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Photographs and videos shared on social media can sometimes reveal more than intended - not just about the people pictured, but also about society. Five BBC journalists share images that reflect how women are often treated in their parts of the world. A photograph of a meal became the talk of China in February. A woman from the country's financial capital, Shanghai, travelled to a village in Jiangxi province to meet her boyfriend's family for the first time. They sat down to a Chinese New Year celebration, which is, for most, the feast of the year. And that's when everything went very, very wrong. \"When I saw their food, I wanted to throw up. It was 100 times worse than what I had imagined. I can't accept it,\" she wrote in comments that were shared on social media sites including Weibo. Needless to say, she dumped the boyfriend. The \"inadequate meal\" post attracted hundreds of thousands of comments and was clicked on millions of times. A few days later, state media said the whole thing was a hoax - it's difficult to prove one way or the other, but the original post sparked a fierce debate highlighting all sorts of issues. The woman was criticised repeatedly for her snobbery, and many used the story to discuss China's widening gap between the rich and the poor. But the comments also exposed the way women are viewed. Many discussed her age, 27, and dubbed her a \"leftover woman\". In China, there is great pressure to marry before the age of 25, so there was an overwhelming feeling that the woman shouldn't be so picky. One commentator told her she should have married the man because she wouldn't have had to worry about adultery - he wouldn't have been able to afford a mistress, the explanation went. And she wouldn't have had to return to Jiangxi very often if she didn't want to, others said. They told her she could have done worse. Others sided with the woman. \"You can't blame Shanghai girls for feeling they are worth more,\" said one person. \"Shanghai's property prices are much higher than in most other cities.\" When a Syrian mother arrived on the Greek island of Lesbos, drenched and struggling to feed her baby, three grandmothers, or yiayiades stepped in. Militsa Kamvisi, 83, gave the baby a bottle of milk while she and her friends sang a lullaby. The photo, taken by Lefteris Partsalis in October, immediately went viral and there was a flood of admiration for the \"three grannies and a baby\" on Twitter. \"Thank goodness,\" said one tweet, \"there are the grandmothers of Lesbos who are able to wash away our shame.\" The photo reflects the strength, courage and down-to-earth attitude Greeks associate with yiayiades, many of whom have lived through a world war, a civil war, a dictatorship and now a financial crisis. In today's Greece it is often their pensions and positive approach that keep entire families going. Grandma Militsa has said she does not think her response was anything extraordinary. As a child of a refugee herself she saw her act of kindness as a moral duty. Her mother fled Turkey with nothing in 1922 at the end of the Greco-Turkish War and also ended up on the shores of Lesbos dependent on its residents for help. She is among three people nominated for the Nobel prize to represent the behaviour and attitude of Greece and volunteers towards the refugee crisis. Last week Greek grandmothers were again the ones taking the lead handing out food to refugees in Athens. One was 92 years old. Her daughter said it was she who had made them pack a car full of sandwiches and cake and go to Victoria Square. International Women's Day has been held on 8 March every year since 1913, and has been recognised by the United Nations since 1975. The UN says it's a time to reflect on progress made, to call for change and to celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinary women who have played an extraordinary role in the history of their countries and communities. The theme of this year's day is \"Planet 50-50 by 2030\" - aiming to achieve global equality in areas such as education and end all forms of discrimination. 'Little improvement' for women in work BBC Trending: Are Saudi women really that oppressed? In pictures: Women making technology work for them Why women can thrive in science-fiction What will Michelle Obama's legacy be? A Colombian woman, Adalia Brinez, spotted her husband driving around their hometown, Ibague, with his lover - so she stopped the car in the middle of the street. A video of the confrontation (warning: contains swearing in Spanish) shows her thumping the bonnet and shouting at her husband, Luiz Diaz, telling him to \"throw that bitch out of the car\". As a huge traffic jam builds up, more and more people join the melee. At first they seem annoyed with Brinez for causing the queue, but they soon seem to take her side as she explains her husband is cheating on her and parading his lover around in a car that Brinez has paid for. One bystander even hands her a rolling pin while other women encourage her to \"break the screen\". After about five minutes police arrive and escort the other woman to safety. The video inspired countless memes, many of them showing a photo of a dog sitting in a car with the caption \"Why do I have to get out?\" or \"Don't be like that, we're only going to the vet\". While many Colombians laughed at the incident, some pointed out that Brinez's fury seemed to be almost entirely directed at the other woman and not her husband. This, they said, was a sign of the machismo culture still prevalent in the country. According to a 2012 survey in El Tiempo 82% of Colombian men and 42% of women say they have been unfaithful at least once in their lifetime. A member of Saudi Arabia's feared religious police, the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, was videoed beating a woman in front of a shopping mall in Riyadh last month. The recording doesn't contain much detail about why the woman was singled out, although it was later reported that she refused to cover her face or stop to answer questions. The woman lies on the ground crying, as people in the crowd call for the religious police, or mutaween, to stop hitting her. When one man shouts, \"Leave her, she will die,\" the bearded officer replies, \"We care about her more than you do.\" The video was posted on YouTube by dozens of people and has been watched hundreds of thousands of times. The hashtag ''Nakheel Mall Girl'' trended for days on Twitter. The video caused outrage in the ultra-conservative kingdom, where women are banned from driving or leaving the house unaccompanied. Viewers on social media compared the woman in the video to women living under the rule of the so-called Islamic State group. Other commentators compared her to Farkhunda, the 27-year-old Afghan woman who was killed by a mob in Kabul last year. With growing demands to take an action, the religious police ordered an inquiry - a key officer in Riyadh was suspended and a handful of members of the mutaween were arrested. The incident didn't just make headlines in Saudi Arabia - elsewhere in the Arab world many saw it as reminiscent of other cases in which women's attire has stirred controversy. It underlines the fine line Arab women are still treading when it comes to their personal freedom, despite the gains they have made in recent decades. The fact that the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue still exists is a potent statement about attitudes towards women in America. The annual edition of bikini-clad women has been hitting news-stands for more than 50 years, and although the swimsuits only get tinier - body paint is now a common substitution for fabric - the women on its pages are starting to diversify. This year, for the first time, the cover featured a plus-sized model - Ashley Graham. \"This cover is for every woman who felt like she wasn't beautiful enough because of her size,\" Graham wrote on Instagram, where she has 1.4m followers. For the most part, the public response has been extremely positive. When former Sports International model Cheryl Tiegs said in an interview that she didn't think featuring Graham was \"healthy in the long run\" as it seemed to endorse a heavy weight, Graham fans on Twitter came to the younger model's defence. Tiegs quickly offered an apology via an open letter on the Huffington Post. Graham's cover has come after a long push from women of all shapes and sizes to expand the narrow standards of beauty embraced by the fashion and modelling industry. Thanks to social media they have been able to organise and collaborate, sharing stories and strategies that challenge traditional ideas of beauty. Style blogger GabiFresh had written about what's called \"fat fashion\" for years before coming out with a range of bikinis. Her collections frequently sell out, defying conventional wisdom that fat women should show as little skin as possible. Subscribe to the BBC News Magazine's email newsletter to get articles sent to your inbox.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4301, "answer_start": 3564, "text": "International Women's Day has been held on 8 March every year since 1913, and has been recognised by the United Nations since 1975. The UN says it's a time to reflect on progress made, to call for change and to celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinary women who have played an extraordinary role in the history of their countries and communities. The theme of this year's day is \"Planet 50-50 by 2030\" - aiming to achieve global equality in areas such as education and end all forms of discrimination. 'Little improvement' for women in work BBC Trending: Are Saudi women really that oppressed? In pictures: Women making technology work for them Why women can thrive in science-fiction What will Michelle Obama's legacy be?" } ], "id": "10151_0", "question": "What is International Women's Day?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "As the country contemplates the election results, people's thoughts will turn to the potential effect on their finances. Money matters are often to the fore at this, expensive, time of year. The December election is likely to mean some changes to the pound in your pocket before the winter is out, with other changes more long-term. Here are some of the key issues, based on the Conservative Party's manifesto, its plans before the campaign and its promises during it. Those who are heading abroad for Christmas will see their holiday money go a little further. The value of the pound improved against the US dollar and the euro when the Conservative victory became clear, and this will now have fed through to the rates at bureaux de change. However, travelling overseas at this time of year can be very expensive, so this will only bring a little relief. The big set-piece financial event of the year had been planned for November, but was postponed as the prime minister pushed for an election. During the campaign, Boris Johnson promised a Budget within 100 days of the polling day if the Conservatives were elected. This is likely to mean a Budget in February or March, setting any changes to taxes, benefits and allowances in time for the start of the new financial year in April. Mr Johnson promised that a tax break for workers, through a change to National Insurance, would be confirmed in that first Budget. The current threshold sees workers paying National Insurance contributions once they earn PS8,628 a year. The Conservatives said this would rise to PS9,500. Economists at the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) calculated this would be worth about PS85 a year for all those with earnings above PS9,500 a year. This Budget - and any subsequent ones during this five-year Parliament - will see no income tax or VAT rises (nor any National Insurance rises), according to a promise in the Conservative Party's manifesto. However, this was described as \"ill-advised\" by the IFS owing to the potential lack of room for financial manoeuvre it creates. - SCROLL AND SEE: The results that sealed it - ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW: The night's key points - LAURA KUENSSBERG: Same PM, new map - BREXIT: What happens now? - WHO WON IN MY CONSTITUENCY? Check your result The Budget is likely to confirm the biggest increase in the state pension since 2012, with pensioners expected to receive a 3.9% boost. The full, new state pension is expected to go up from PS168.60 a week to about PS175.20 in April. However, most pensioners get the older basic state pension, which is likely to go up from PS129.20 to PS134.25 per week. They may also get a Pension Credit top-up. The rise is the result of the triple-lock system, which means that the state pension rises in line with inflation, earnings or 2.5% - whichever is the highest. The Conservatives have pledged to keep this in place, as it has with the winter fuel payment and free bus passes for older people. A Pensions Bill is, to use one of Mr Johnson's phrases, oven-ready. It had been prepared before the election was called and includes new protection for those with workplace pensions, and reforms to allow a new type of shared-risk pension scheme to be made available. There is also a longer-term promise in the manifesto to look at a pension \"loophole\" that has seen workers, disproportionately women, who earn between PS10,000 and PS12,500 missing out on pension benefits. Despite a number of pension changes in the offing, it is hard to see how they will include any compensation for women born in the 1950s who believe they unfairly missed out on the state pension. There have been no promises made to the so-called Waspi (Women Against State Pension Inequality), although they will continue to put pressure on the government to address the issue. The separate Backto60 group, which campaigns on the same issue, recently lost a high-profile court case. At the Conservative Party conference in September, Chancellor Sajid Javid pledged to raise the National Living Wage to PS10.50 an hour within the next five years. The current rate for over 25s is PS8.21. The age at which workers qualify for the National Living Wage - the highest level of minimum wage - is set to drop from 25 to 21 within five years. Commentators have suggested that there is pent-up demand in the UK housing market - particularly in London. Buyers and sellers have been put off making such a big financial commitment owing to political and economic uncertainty. Now the first of those is off the table, to a degree, given the size of the Conservative majority, there may be more transactions. More demand could push up prices - which is good for sellers, but bad for first-time buyers. However, one commentator says it may be a short-term phenomenon. \"We suggest only modest price growth in 2020 on the basis that, despite domestic political uncertainty receding, some economic uncertainty will remain until a trade deal is agreed with the EU,\" says Lucian Cook, director of residential research at Savills. \"This could mean a bounce in demand in the first part of 2020 proves difficult to sustain through the summer months and into the autumn market.\" There is a promise in the manifesto to look carefully at the \"thoughtful\" suggestions in the review into student finance and university and college funding, led by Philip Augar. In the short term, this suggests the current freeze of tuition fees in England at their current level of PS9,250 will continue. Universal Credit has been one of the most controversial benefit reforms of a generation. A Conservative victory means the roll-out across the country will now continue. Universal Credit is a benefit for working-age people, replacing six benefits including Income Support and Housing Benefit and merging them into one payment. The Department for Work and Pensions announced in November that working-age benefits such as Universal Credit and Jobseeker's Allowance would rise by 1.7% from April. It ends former chancellor George Osborne's decision to introduce a freeze which, according to the IFS, has cut an average of PS560 per year from the income of the country's poorest seven million families since 2016. The Conservative manifesto promised free parking at hospitals for people with disabilities, those who attend outpatient departments frequently, parents of sick children staying overnight and staff working night shifts. It also promises to pave the way for longer-term mortgages, more similar to a US system, although there will be some regulatory and practical hurdles to clear before that becomes reality. There are questions too over whether there would be demand for such products among people who may wish to move more frequently. Mr Johnson also spoke a during the campaign, and prior to it, of a plan to abolish the 5% VAT rate on sanitary products once the UK has left the EU, which he called the \"tampon tax\".", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3428, "answer_start": 2267, "text": "The Budget is likely to confirm the biggest increase in the state pension since 2012, with pensioners expected to receive a 3.9% boost. The full, new state pension is expected to go up from PS168.60 a week to about PS175.20 in April. However, most pensioners get the older basic state pension, which is likely to go up from PS129.20 to PS134.25 per week. They may also get a Pension Credit top-up. The rise is the result of the triple-lock system, which means that the state pension rises in line with inflation, earnings or 2.5% - whichever is the highest. The Conservatives have pledged to keep this in place, as it has with the winter fuel payment and free bus passes for older people. A Pensions Bill is, to use one of Mr Johnson's phrases, oven-ready. It had been prepared before the election was called and includes new protection for those with workplace pensions, and reforms to allow a new type of shared-risk pension scheme to be made available. There is also a longer-term promise in the manifesto to look at a pension \"loophole\" that has seen workers, disproportionately women, who earn between PS10,000 and PS12,500 missing out on pension benefits." } ], "id": "10152_0", "question": "Pension plans shored up?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5182, "answer_start": 4263, "text": "Commentators have suggested that there is pent-up demand in the UK housing market - particularly in London. Buyers and sellers have been put off making such a big financial commitment owing to political and economic uncertainty. Now the first of those is off the table, to a degree, given the size of the Conservative majority, there may be more transactions. More demand could push up prices - which is good for sellers, but bad for first-time buyers. However, one commentator says it may be a short-term phenomenon. \"We suggest only modest price growth in 2020 on the basis that, despite domestic political uncertainty receding, some economic uncertainty will remain until a trade deal is agreed with the EU,\" says Lucian Cook, director of residential research at Savills. \"This could mean a bounce in demand in the first part of 2020 proves difficult to sustain through the summer months and into the autumn market.\"" } ], "id": "10152_1", "question": "Rise in house prices?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "With Joe Biden's entry into the presidential race, the Democratic field is essentially set. He may be the new frontrunner, raising $6.3m in the first 24 hours of his campaign, but he still has some catching up do in the money stakes. So who's raising the most cash? At the end of March the candidates reached a key early benchmark - the end of the first quarter of 2019 fund-raising. After months of talk, there are now some tangible figures by which to judge how the field Biden faces is shaping up. Dollars raised are no firm indication of eventual success, of course. Just ask would-be Presidents Jeb Bush and Hillary Clinton - the early leaders of the 2016 money race. It is, however, a useful early measure of interest in, and enthusiasm for, presidential candidacy. And the absence of money can bring even the most compelling candidate's White House dreams to a grinding halt. There's a reason Biden's first event after releasing his announcement video was a fund-raising event in Pennsylvania on Thursday night. Here's a look at some of the biggest takeaways from the January to March figures, as reported to the Federal Election Commission. Bernie Sanders was expected to post a strong showing in the first quarter fund-raising, and he did. Just because he met expectations, however, shouldn't take away from the significance of his accomplishment. Where most other candidates posted million-dollar numbers in the single digits, the Vermont senator raised $18.2m (PS14m). Only California Senator Kamala Harris, who benefits from a deep California fund-raising base, also broke the $10m mark. Given her national star power, Elizabeth Warren's $6m quarterly take may be cause for concern. She is probably most directly in competition with Sanders for the hearts and minds of progressive primary voters, and she trails him in fund-raising by a significant margin. Her campaign is far from scraping the bottom, however, as she transferred $10.4m from her Senate campaign coffers to her presidential account, giving her some financial breathing room in the months ahead. That's a tactic also used by the other senators in the race - including Kirsten Gillibrand ($9.6m), Amy Klobuchar ($3.5m), Cory Booker($2.7m) and Sanders himself ($2.5m). Having years in high office to fill political bank accounts has some definite advantages. (If you want to see what real alarm bells look like, note that former Obama Cabinet secretary Julian Castro ($1.1m) was out-raised by both author Marianne Williamson and businessman Andrew Yang.) Apart from Sanders' much-predicted success, one of the most eye-catching results of the first quarter fund-raising disclosures for Democrats was the early success of Pete Buttigieg. Just over a month ago, the mayor of South Bend, Indiana, was a nearly complete unknown. After a strong performance in a nationally televised town hall and a wave of positive press, however, he saw a surge in presidential preference polls. That buzz translated into campaign donations as well, to the tune of $7.1m - good for fourth place and besting more established, better-known candidates like senators Amy Klobuchar, Cory Booker and Kirsten Gillibrand. Buttigieg has been operating on a shoestring budget so far, with only $700,000 spent of his fundraising haul. That puts him more in line with the Andrew Yangs and John Hickenloopers of the field, rather than Elizabeth Warren ($5.3m), Bernie Sanders ($5m) and Kamala Harris ($4.3), who have been building out well-staffed campaigns capable of competing across a national playing field. One of the big tests for Buttigieg in the coming days will be whether he can turn his polling and fundraising surge into a durable campaign organisation that is built to win. There may be some indications that Beto O'Rourke's early fund-raising prowess is flagging. He turned heads when his campaign announced he raised $6.1m in the first 24 hours of his campaign - topping the previous best mark set by Sanders (both now eclipsed by Biden). In the two weeks since then, however, he only brought in an additional $3.3m. That's coincided with media coverage that has curdled a bit since his early splash launch. As the Washington Post's Dave Weigel quipped, O'Rourke has gone from \"new Bobby Kennedy\" to \"apologising guy who stands on tables\" in the space of a month. Maybe it's not quite that bad, but the former congressman who amassed record-breaking sums from a national fundraising base during his unsuccessful bid to unseat Texas Senator Ted Cruz will have to keep the money spigots flowing if he wants his campaign to live up to its early hype. One of the most significant changes in the way Democratic political campaigns have been funded in recent years is the importance of small-donor fundraising (contributions less than $200). Thanks to the internet, many candidates have been able to tap into a torrent of contributions from across the country. Political hopefuls who have a broad network of donors, including massive email lists, have the benefit of being able to cast the widest of nets. If most contributions are coming in small-dollar amounts, there's a lot more room to go back for more cash before your supporters hit the $2,700 individual contribution limit for primary campaigns. Building a large contributor base is particularly important this primary season because the Democratic National Committee has made having at least 65,000 donors, including 200 from at least 20 states, as one of the ways to qualify for what will be a very crowded primary debate stage this summer. Bernie Sanders was the first to truly realise the potential of the internet-based grass-roots fundraising in 2016, pulling $228m over the course of his ultimately unsuccessful campaign, including $134m from small donations. He's picked up this year where he left off, with 84% of his contributions coming from small-money donors. Sanders wasn't the only candidate to demonstrate small-money potential, however. Elizabeth Warren, who has forsaken the big-money fundraising circuit entirely, posted a 70% mark. Mayor Pete Buttigieg, the hot candidate of the moment, and businessman Andrew Yang, who has made a concerted effort to solicit donations as small as a dollar to help qualify for the Democratic debates, have both brought in 64% of their contributions this way. While the Democratic field continues to grow, and the candidates scramble for their piece of the fundraising pie, Donald Trump is steadily building one of the most imposing financial war chests in presidential history. Trump set up his re-election campaign infrastructure earlier than any president in US history and raised $30m in the first quarter of 2019, giving him a total of $40m cash on hand. When Trump was first running for president, he mocked his Republican counterparts who spent their days amassing campaign contributions and said he'd pay for his own White House bid. In August 2015 he said former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, who was the biggest fundraiser in the Republican field at the time, was a \"puppet\" for his donors and would do whatever they want. Times have changed, and now Trump is the reaping the financial benefits of being an incumbent president with only token opposition within his own party. At this point, the only candidate who is self-funding on any significant level is John Delaney, who has loaned his long-shot campaign $11.7m of the fortune he amassed as a financial-sector entrepreneur. In 2012, then-President Barack Obama brought in $720m for his re-election campaign. Trump's people have a billion-dollar target for 2020 - and, as the general election draws closer, it's a mark he's likely to reach. Follow Anthony on Twitter", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4605, "answer_start": 3730, "text": "There may be some indications that Beto O'Rourke's early fund-raising prowess is flagging. He turned heads when his campaign announced he raised $6.1m in the first 24 hours of his campaign - topping the previous best mark set by Sanders (both now eclipsed by Biden). In the two weeks since then, however, he only brought in an additional $3.3m. That's coincided with media coverage that has curdled a bit since his early splash launch. As the Washington Post's Dave Weigel quipped, O'Rourke has gone from \"new Bobby Kennedy\" to \"apologising guy who stands on tables\" in the space of a month. Maybe it's not quite that bad, but the former congressman who amassed record-breaking sums from a national fundraising base during his unsuccessful bid to unseat Texas Senator Ted Cruz will have to keep the money spigots flowing if he wants his campaign to live up to its early hype." } ], "id": "10153_0", "question": "An O'Rourke fade?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "A teenage boy nearly died after vaping caused a catastrophic reaction in his lungs, doctors in Nottingham say. Ewan Fisher was connected to an artificial lung to keep him alive after his own lungs failed and he could not breathe. Ewan told BBC News e-cigarettes had \"basically ruined me\" and urged other young people not to vape. His doctors say vaping is \"not safe\", although health bodies in the UK say it is 95% safer than tobacco. Ewan started vaping in early 2017. He was 16 at the time and wanted to quit smoking to improve his boxing. Despite being under age, he said, \"it was easy\" to buy either cigarettes or e-cigarettes. In May that year, Ewan was finding it harder and harder to breathe. His mother took Ewan to accident and emergency on the night before his GCSE exams, because he was coughing and choking in his sleep. His lungs were failing and he very quickly ended up on life-support in intensive care in Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham. \"I thought I was going to die,\" Ewan told BBC News. Ewan was getting worse. Even ventilation could not get enough oxygen into his body and his life was in the balance. He was taken to Leicester and attached to an artificial lung or ECMO (extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation) machine. \"This machine saved my life,\" he said. Large tubes took blood out of Ewan, removed the carbon dioxide, added oxygen and pumped the blood back into his body. \"He had very serious respiratory failure, he had to go to ECMO and that is a very big deal,\" Dr Jayesh Bhatt, a consultant at Nottingham University Hospitals, told BBC News. \"He got as ill as anyone can get.\" The case - from May 2017 - has just come to light in the journal Archives of Disease in Childhood. Ewan, who is 19 on Tuesday, had a long recovery. It was six months before he was properly up and on his feet again. \"I'm still not back to normal, I'd say 75-80%, it's in the last six months that I'm feeling a bit stronger in myself,\" he said. \"Vaping has basically ruined me, I try to tell everyone and they think I'm being stupid, I tell my mates and they don't listen. \"They still do it... but they've seen what I've been through. \"Is it worth risking your life for smoking e-cigs? \"I don't want you to end up like me and I don't want you to be dead, I wouldn't wish [that] on anyone.\" Ewan also fears being around other vapers - everywhere from the pub to High Street - could damage his lungs again. His doctors say the answer is yes. Ewan developed a condition called hypersensitivity pneumonitis - something he was breathing in was setting off his immune system, with catastrophic consequences. \"You get an over-exuberant inflammatory response and the lungs pay a price and develop respiratory failure,\" Dr Bhatt said. One of the most common forms of hypersensitivity pneumonitis is \"bird fancier's lung\", which is caused by particles from feathers or bird droppings. When scientists tested the two e-cigarette liquids Ewan had been using, they found one of them was triggering an immune reaction. Dr Bhatt said: \"The real learning point is vaping is not safe, especially for young people, they should never go near it. \"We consider e-cigarettes as 'much safer than tobacco' at our peril.\" There are 3.6 million people vaping in the UK and reactions like this are rare. However, doctors have told BBC News Ewan's case is not an isolated incident. \"As vaping becomes more popular, we are beginning to see more cases,\" Dr Hemant Kulkarni, a consultant in paediatric respiratory medicine at Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust, said. He told BBC News: \"Some of the cases my colleagues and I have seen are teenagers presenting with severe lung injury and some of these have been life-threatening. \"However, in the cases I've been involved in, patients are now regaining normal lung function.\" Dr Kulkarni is \"surprised\" e-cigarettes are advertised in the UK, given the severe reaction they can cause in children and a lack of scientific studies on their safety. Smoking is pretty much the worst thing you can do for your health. E-cigarettes are promoted in the UK as a way to quit because they let people inhale nicotine in vapour rather than breathing in smoke. Ewan's reaction was extreme, but what about the rest of us who would not end up with hypersensitivity pneumonitis? Public Health England says vaping is 95% safer than smoking but is not without risks. Rosanna O' Connor, the body's director of drugs, alcohol and tobacco, said: \"Smoking kills half of lifelong smokers and accounts for almost 220 deaths in England every day. \"Our advice remains that while not completely risk free, UK regulated e-cigarettes carry a fraction of the risk of smoked tobacco.\" But there are arguments about how safe vaping really is. The World Health Organization says e-cigarettes are \"undoubtedly harmful and should therefore be subject to regulation\". It also raises concerns vaping is being aggressively marketed at young people - particularly through the use of flavourings - and risked re-normalising smoking. The deaths of 39 people in the US have been connected to vaping and have prompted worldwide concern about its safety. There have been 2,051 cases of e-cigarette, or vaping, product use associated lung injury (called EVALI) in the outbreak. Most of those cases, but not all, have been linked to vaping THC, the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis. Ewan was using standard e-cigarettes bought from a shop. Dr Nick Hopkinson, medical director of the British Lung Foundation, said: \"If people switch completely from smoking to vaping, they will substantially reduce their health risk as e-cigarettes do not contain tobacco and any harmful components are present at a much lower level. \"People who do switch should try to quit vaping in the long term too but not at the expense of relapsing to smoking - and non-smokers should not take up vaping.\" Prof John Britton, the director of the UK Centre for Tobacco and Alcohol Studies, at the University of Nottingham, said: \"This is worrying, and the risk needs to be acknowledged, but in absolute terms it is extremely small and, crucially, far smaller than that of smoking. \"The advice remains the same: if you smoke, switch to vaping; if you don't smoke, don't vape.\" Follow James on Twitter.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1709, "answer_start": 435, "text": "Ewan started vaping in early 2017. He was 16 at the time and wanted to quit smoking to improve his boxing. Despite being under age, he said, \"it was easy\" to buy either cigarettes or e-cigarettes. In May that year, Ewan was finding it harder and harder to breathe. His mother took Ewan to accident and emergency on the night before his GCSE exams, because he was coughing and choking in his sleep. His lungs were failing and he very quickly ended up on life-support in intensive care in Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham. \"I thought I was going to die,\" Ewan told BBC News. Ewan was getting worse. Even ventilation could not get enough oxygen into his body and his life was in the balance. He was taken to Leicester and attached to an artificial lung or ECMO (extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation) machine. \"This machine saved my life,\" he said. Large tubes took blood out of Ewan, removed the carbon dioxide, added oxygen and pumped the blood back into his body. \"He had very serious respiratory failure, he had to go to ECMO and that is a very big deal,\" Dr Jayesh Bhatt, a consultant at Nottingham University Hospitals, told BBC News. \"He got as ill as anyone can get.\" The case - from May 2017 - has just come to light in the journal Archives of Disease in Childhood." } ], "id": "10154_0", "question": "What happened?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2413, "answer_start": 1710, "text": "Ewan, who is 19 on Tuesday, had a long recovery. It was six months before he was properly up and on his feet again. \"I'm still not back to normal, I'd say 75-80%, it's in the last six months that I'm feeling a bit stronger in myself,\" he said. \"Vaping has basically ruined me, I try to tell everyone and they think I'm being stupid, I tell my mates and they don't listen. \"They still do it... but they've seen what I've been through. \"Is it worth risking your life for smoking e-cigs? \"I don't want you to end up like me and I don't want you to be dead, I wouldn't wish [that] on anyone.\" Ewan also fears being around other vapers - everywhere from the pub to High Street - could damage his lungs again." } ], "id": "10154_1", "question": "How is Ewan now?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3205, "answer_start": 2414, "text": "His doctors say the answer is yes. Ewan developed a condition called hypersensitivity pneumonitis - something he was breathing in was setting off his immune system, with catastrophic consequences. \"You get an over-exuberant inflammatory response and the lungs pay a price and develop respiratory failure,\" Dr Bhatt said. One of the most common forms of hypersensitivity pneumonitis is \"bird fancier's lung\", which is caused by particles from feathers or bird droppings. When scientists tested the two e-cigarette liquids Ewan had been using, they found one of them was triggering an immune reaction. Dr Bhatt said: \"The real learning point is vaping is not safe, especially for young people, they should never go near it. \"We consider e-cigarettes as 'much safer than tobacco' at our peril.\"" } ], "id": "10154_2", "question": "Is vaping to blame?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3979, "answer_start": 3206, "text": "There are 3.6 million people vaping in the UK and reactions like this are rare. However, doctors have told BBC News Ewan's case is not an isolated incident. \"As vaping becomes more popular, we are beginning to see more cases,\" Dr Hemant Kulkarni, a consultant in paediatric respiratory medicine at Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust, said. He told BBC News: \"Some of the cases my colleagues and I have seen are teenagers presenting with severe lung injury and some of these have been life-threatening. \"However, in the cases I've been involved in, patients are now regaining normal lung function.\" Dr Kulkarni is \"surprised\" e-cigarettes are advertised in the UK, given the severe reaction they can cause in children and a lack of scientific studies on their safety." } ], "id": "10154_3", "question": "How common is this?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5026, "answer_start": 3980, "text": "Smoking is pretty much the worst thing you can do for your health. E-cigarettes are promoted in the UK as a way to quit because they let people inhale nicotine in vapour rather than breathing in smoke. Ewan's reaction was extreme, but what about the rest of us who would not end up with hypersensitivity pneumonitis? Public Health England says vaping is 95% safer than smoking but is not without risks. Rosanna O' Connor, the body's director of drugs, alcohol and tobacco, said: \"Smoking kills half of lifelong smokers and accounts for almost 220 deaths in England every day. \"Our advice remains that while not completely risk free, UK regulated e-cigarettes carry a fraction of the risk of smoked tobacco.\" But there are arguments about how safe vaping really is. The World Health Organization says e-cigarettes are \"undoubtedly harmful and should therefore be subject to regulation\". It also raises concerns vaping is being aggressively marketed at young people - particularly through the use of flavourings - and risked re-normalising smoking." } ], "id": "10154_4", "question": "Is vaping dangerous?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5430, "answer_start": 5027, "text": "The deaths of 39 people in the US have been connected to vaping and have prompted worldwide concern about its safety. There have been 2,051 cases of e-cigarette, or vaping, product use associated lung injury (called EVALI) in the outbreak. Most of those cases, but not all, have been linked to vaping THC, the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis. Ewan was using standard e-cigarettes bought from a shop." } ], "id": "10154_5", "question": "Is Ewan's case similar to those in the US?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 6262, "answer_start": 5431, "text": "Dr Nick Hopkinson, medical director of the British Lung Foundation, said: \"If people switch completely from smoking to vaping, they will substantially reduce their health risk as e-cigarettes do not contain tobacco and any harmful components are present at a much lower level. \"People who do switch should try to quit vaping in the long term too but not at the expense of relapsing to smoking - and non-smokers should not take up vaping.\" Prof John Britton, the director of the UK Centre for Tobacco and Alcohol Studies, at the University of Nottingham, said: \"This is worrying, and the risk needs to be acknowledged, but in absolute terms it is extremely small and, crucially, far smaller than that of smoking. \"The advice remains the same: if you smoke, switch to vaping; if you don't smoke, don't vape.\" Follow James on Twitter." } ], "id": "10154_6", "question": "What do experts says?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "It was the scoop of the year - an interview with fugitive Mexican gang boss Joaquin \"El Chapo\" Guzman by the Hollywood actor Sean Penn. The interview in Rolling Stone magazine was not the first time that Penn has seen his work published but his piece, which emerged two days after Guzman's capture in Mexico, was greeted with plenty of scorn. The fact Penn granted El Chapo copy approval, the colourful prose, and the actor's unexpected references to his genitalia and flatulence left many readers baffled - while others accused the media of sour grapes. But what do the experts think? A journalist may have to accept with a source whether material could be used, whether stuff is said on the record or off, and you may read back quotes - but giving full-blown pre-approval for a story is definitely not best practice. He is up-front, saying \"this is how it was conducted\" but the fact they put a disclaimer on it doesn't serve to provide any credibility to the story. Penn talks about how he contacted Rolling Stone editor Jann Wenner and was working at the highest level. But this is the second time in the past 18 months where Rolling Stone has chucked one of the basic rules of journalism out of the window. As for Penn's writing, you take it for what it is. Is it journalism? There are caveats to it, so readers beware. In the writing of the piece, they would have had to have been as sensitive as they could possibly have been in order not to offend those people who have suffered - people have died because of this man [El Chapo]. You want to show due scepticism when he tries to come up with lame excuses. It was a mixture of purple prose and psychobabble, really. I would advise Penn to come and be a student. I would say he has a lot to teach me about acting, but I could teach him a lot about journalism. I would say he needed a really good sub-editor who could sit with him rather than do it all afterwards. Rolling Stone writers do tend to write to great length - perhaps I should also ask that the Rolling Stone editorial staff come in for training too? How can we trust somebody who is not trained and doesn't have the same principles as a trained, legitimate journalist to handle a difficult assignment? He has a point of view, one I have no problem with, but you can't go with a point of view to an interview like this. I don't mind an actor talking to these people, but when you have him representing a credible, major news organisation like Rolling Stone in an interview with such a sensitive subject, you should have second thoughts. Rolling Stone had to decide what was more important - getting the story at any cost, or getting it done by someone who knows how to do it. I am not sure this was the right decision. Also, if they had not caught the guy, the law in the US could have caught up with them. There are two precedents here in the US for that - we don't have complete immunity when it comes to the courts enquiring about the whereabouts of a criminal. It's good news for them this guy was caught. Some of the critics were accused of professional jealousy but plenty of writers have come out in defence of the piece too. Jack Shafer, writing for Politico, acknowledged Penn's \"loopy, self-parodying literary style\" but said pre-approval should never be ruled out \"especially if the subject were a notorious fugitive on the run\". Writing for the website of the Poynter media studies institute, Kelly McBride forgives Penn, saying \"it's common for a writer's ambitions to outpace his talents\". His editors at Rolling Stone get a hard time, though - she identifies six key points missing from the piece. Rolling Stone's Jann Wenner said in an interview by the New York Times that the pre-approval was not \"a meaningful thing in the first place\" as Mr Guzman had no interest in editing the piece - and does not speak English. \"In this case, it was a small thing to do in exchange for what we got,\" Mr Wenner said. One of the article's editors, Jason Fine, was asked about Penn's writing style by the same newspaper. \"It's a piece by Sean Penn,\" he said. \"Sean Penn has a particular style and point of view, and I'm happy with it.\"", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4155, "answer_start": 3027, "text": "Some of the critics were accused of professional jealousy but plenty of writers have come out in defence of the piece too. Jack Shafer, writing for Politico, acknowledged Penn's \"loopy, self-parodying literary style\" but said pre-approval should never be ruled out \"especially if the subject were a notorious fugitive on the run\". Writing for the website of the Poynter media studies institute, Kelly McBride forgives Penn, saying \"it's common for a writer's ambitions to outpace his talents\". His editors at Rolling Stone get a hard time, though - she identifies six key points missing from the piece. Rolling Stone's Jann Wenner said in an interview by the New York Times that the pre-approval was not \"a meaningful thing in the first place\" as Mr Guzman had no interest in editing the piece - and does not speak English. \"In this case, it was a small thing to do in exchange for what we got,\" Mr Wenner said. One of the article's editors, Jason Fine, was asked about Penn's writing style by the same newspaper. \"It's a piece by Sean Penn,\" he said. \"Sean Penn has a particular style and point of view, and I'm happy with it.\"" } ], "id": "10155_0", "question": "Who has no problem with Penn?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Sleep is a normal, indeed essential part of our lives. But if you think about it, it is such an odd thing to do. At the end of each day we become unconscious and paralysed. Sleep made our ancestors vulnerable to attack from wild animals. So the potential risks of this process, which is universal among mammals and many other groups, must offer some sort of evolutionary advantage. Research in this area was slow to take off. But recently there has been a series of intriguing results that are giving researchers a new insight into why we sleep and what happens when we do it. Scientists simply don't know for sure. In broad terms researchers believe it is to enable our bodies and especially our brains to recover. Recently researchers have been able to find out some of the detailed processes involved. During the day brain cells build connections with other parts of the brain as a result of new experiences. During sleep it seems that important connections are strengthened and unimportant ones are pruned. Experiments with sleep-deprived rats have shown that this process of strengthening and pruning happens mostly while they sleep. And sleep is also an opportunity for the brain to be cleared of waste. A group led by Prof Maiken Nedergaard at the University of Rochester Medical Centre in New York discovered a network of microscopic fluid-filled channels in rats that clears waste chemicals from the brain. Prof Nedergaard told BBC News when her research was first published in 2013 that this process occurs mostly when the brain is shut off. \"You can think of it like having a house party. You can either entertain the guests or clean up the house, but you can't really do both at the same time.\" It seems that a lack of sleep alters the way in which the genes in the body's cells behave. Researchers at Surrey University in Guildford have found that genes involved in inflammation seem to increase their activity. Dr Malcolm von Schantz, who is involved with the Surrey research, believes that the genes are responding to lack of sleep as if the body is under stress. He speculates that in the distant past in times of stress our ancestors' bodies would prepare themselves for injury by activating these inflammation genes which would cushion the effects of attacks by wild animals or human enemies. \"It puts the body on alert for a wound but no wound happens,\" he told BBC News. \"This could easily help explain the links between sleep deprivation and negative health outcomes such as heart disease and stroke.\" In modern times though preparing for an injury that never happens has no beneficial effect - in fact the consequent activation of the immune system might increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. The expression \"half asleep\" might be an accurate description of what is going on in the brain when you are feeling slow-witted. Research suggests that parts of the human brain may well be asleep when it is sleep-deprived. Studies on whales and dolphins show that when asleep they continue to use half of their brain to swim and come up to the surface for air. A study on human patients showed that something similar goes on in our brains. As they became more sleep-deprived, parts of their brain became inactive while they were still awake. What's more the local sleep areas move around the brain. So although when we go to bed we think one moment we are awake and then there is an abrupt change to sleep - it may well be more of a continuous process. That's a question that psychiatrists, notably Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud, have tried to answer but with limited success. More recently a team at the ATR Computational Neuroscience Laboratories in Kyoto in Japan has begun trying to answer some of these questions by building the beginnings of a dream-reading machine. They asked volunteers to doze off in an MRI scanner and recorded their brain patterns. The volunteers were then woken up and asked to tell researchers what they were dreaming about. The team then listed 20 separate categories of dream content from these accounts such as dwelling, street, male, female, building or computer screen. The researchers then compared the accounts with the pattern of activity in the area of the brain responsible for processing visual information - and to their amazement they found that there was a correlation. So much so that they could predict which of the 20 different categories they had listed the patient had dreamt of with 80% accuracy. The device is a very rough tool but it may well be a first step to something that can see in more detail what happens in our dreams and so help researchers learn more about why we dream. Several studies show that the light bulb has led people shifting their day and getting less sleep. On average we go to bed and wake up two hours later than a generation ago. The US Centres for Disease Control reported in 2008 that around a third of working adults in the US get less than six hours sleep a night, which is 10 times more than it was 50 years ago. In a later study it was also reported that nearly half of all the country's shift workers were getting less than six hours sleep. And a study led by Prof Charles Czeisler of Harvard Medical School found that those who read electronic books before they went to bed took longer to get to sleep, had reduced levels of melatonin (the hormone that regulates the body's internal body clock) and were less alert in the morning. At the time of publication he said: \"In the past 50 years, there has been a decline in average sleep duration and quality. \"Since more people are choosing electronic devices for reading, communication and entertainment, particularly children and adolescents who already experience significant sleep loss, epidemiological research evaluating the long-term consequences of these devices on health and safety is urgently needed.\" What's stopping you sleeping? - One in eight of us keep our mobile phones switched on in our bedroom at night, increasing the risk our sleep will be disturbed. - Foods such as bacon, cheese, nuts and red wine, can also keep us awake at night. BBC iWonder - Which five things ruin a good night's sleep? Many studies report that there is evidence that sleep loss is associated with obesity, diabetes, depression and lower life expectancy - while others, such as Prof James Horne, a sleep researcher at Loughborough University believes that such talk amounts to \"scaremongering\". \"Despite being 'statistically significant', the actual changes are probably too small to be of real clinical interest,\" he told BBC News. \"Most healthy adults sleep fewer than that notional 'eight hours' and the same went for our grandparents. \"Our average sleep has fallen by less than 10 minutes over the last 50 years. Any obesity and its health consequences attributable to short sleep are only seen in those few people sleeping around five hours, where weight gain is small - around 1.5kg per year - which is more easily rectified by a better diet and 15 minutes of daily brisk walking, rather than by an hour or so of extra daily sleep.\" A team from the universities of Surrey and Sao Paulo in Brazil have spent the past 10 years tracking the health of the inhabitants of Bapendi, a small town in Brazil where modern day lifestyles haven't yet taken hold. Many of the inhabitants of this town get up and go to bed early. The investigators hope to find out soon whether the old adage \"early to bed and early to rise\" really does make us, if not \"wealthy and wise\", at least \"healthy and wise\". Follow Pallab on Twitter", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1706, "answer_start": 577, "text": "Scientists simply don't know for sure. In broad terms researchers believe it is to enable our bodies and especially our brains to recover. Recently researchers have been able to find out some of the detailed processes involved. During the day brain cells build connections with other parts of the brain as a result of new experiences. During sleep it seems that important connections are strengthened and unimportant ones are pruned. Experiments with sleep-deprived rats have shown that this process of strengthening and pruning happens mostly while they sleep. And sleep is also an opportunity for the brain to be cleared of waste. A group led by Prof Maiken Nedergaard at the University of Rochester Medical Centre in New York discovered a network of microscopic fluid-filled channels in rats that clears waste chemicals from the brain. Prof Nedergaard told BBC News when her research was first published in 2013 that this process occurs mostly when the brain is shut off. \"You can think of it like having a house party. You can either entertain the guests or clean up the house, but you can't really do both at the same time.\"" } ], "id": "10156_0", "question": "Why do I sleep?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2723, "answer_start": 1707, "text": "It seems that a lack of sleep alters the way in which the genes in the body's cells behave. Researchers at Surrey University in Guildford have found that genes involved in inflammation seem to increase their activity. Dr Malcolm von Schantz, who is involved with the Surrey research, believes that the genes are responding to lack of sleep as if the body is under stress. He speculates that in the distant past in times of stress our ancestors' bodies would prepare themselves for injury by activating these inflammation genes which would cushion the effects of attacks by wild animals or human enemies. \"It puts the body on alert for a wound but no wound happens,\" he told BBC News. \"This could easily help explain the links between sleep deprivation and negative health outcomes such as heart disease and stroke.\" In modern times though preparing for an injury that never happens has no beneficial effect - in fact the consequent activation of the immune system might increase the risk of heart disease and stroke." } ], "id": "10156_1", "question": "What happens when I don't get enough sleep?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3476, "answer_start": 2724, "text": "The expression \"half asleep\" might be an accurate description of what is going on in the brain when you are feeling slow-witted. Research suggests that parts of the human brain may well be asleep when it is sleep-deprived. Studies on whales and dolphins show that when asleep they continue to use half of their brain to swim and come up to the surface for air. A study on human patients showed that something similar goes on in our brains. As they became more sleep-deprived, parts of their brain became inactive while they were still awake. What's more the local sleep areas move around the brain. So although when we go to bed we think one moment we are awake and then there is an abrupt change to sleep - it may well be more of a continuous process." } ], "id": "10156_2", "question": "Why is it hard to think when I am tired?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4655, "answer_start": 3477, "text": "That's a question that psychiatrists, notably Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud, have tried to answer but with limited success. More recently a team at the ATR Computational Neuroscience Laboratories in Kyoto in Japan has begun trying to answer some of these questions by building the beginnings of a dream-reading machine. They asked volunteers to doze off in an MRI scanner and recorded their brain patterns. The volunteers were then woken up and asked to tell researchers what they were dreaming about. The team then listed 20 separate categories of dream content from these accounts such as dwelling, street, male, female, building or computer screen. The researchers then compared the accounts with the pattern of activity in the area of the brain responsible for processing visual information - and to their amazement they found that there was a correlation. So much so that they could predict which of the 20 different categories they had listed the patient had dreamt of with 80% accuracy. The device is a very rough tool but it may well be a first step to something that can see in more detail what happens in our dreams and so help researchers learn more about why we dream." } ], "id": "10156_3", "question": "What is the role of dreaming?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5866, "answer_start": 4656, "text": "Several studies show that the light bulb has led people shifting their day and getting less sleep. On average we go to bed and wake up two hours later than a generation ago. The US Centres for Disease Control reported in 2008 that around a third of working adults in the US get less than six hours sleep a night, which is 10 times more than it was 50 years ago. In a later study it was also reported that nearly half of all the country's shift workers were getting less than six hours sleep. And a study led by Prof Charles Czeisler of Harvard Medical School found that those who read electronic books before they went to bed took longer to get to sleep, had reduced levels of melatonin (the hormone that regulates the body's internal body clock) and were less alert in the morning. At the time of publication he said: \"In the past 50 years, there has been a decline in average sleep duration and quality. \"Since more people are choosing electronic devices for reading, communication and entertainment, particularly children and adolescents who already experience significant sleep loss, epidemiological research evaluating the long-term consequences of these devices on health and safety is urgently needed.\"" } ], "id": "10156_4", "question": "How is modern life affecting our sleep patterns?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Rival demonstrations are taking place in Venezuela in response to calls by opposition leader Juan Guaido and President Nicolas Maduro. In the capital Caracas, some supporters of Mr Guaido scuffled with police and were driven back with pepper spray. Mr Guaido declared himself interim president on 23 January and has been at loggerheads with Mr Maduro ever since. Saturday's protests follow widespread power cuts that have affected much of Venezuela since Thursday. Mr Guaido, who leads the opposition-controlled National Assembly, has been recognised as interim president by more than 50 countries. However, Mr Maduro retains the support of the military and close allies including Russia and China. On Saturday, police were out in force where the opposition march was taking place in Caracas. Some protesters pushed against police in riot gear shouting \"murderers\" and the officers responded by firing pepper spray at them. Addressing the rally later, Mr Guaido announced he would embark on a tour of the country and summon all his supporters to attend a mass protest in Caracas \"very soon\". \"We are going to come, all of Venezuela to Caracas, because we need all of them united,\" he said. Using a megaphone to be heard above the chanting crowd, he called on his followers to remain \"united and mobilised... in the streets\". President Maduro, meanwhile, thanked the army for staying loyal to him, saying they had defeated an attempted opposition coup. Speaking outside the Miraflores presidential palace, he referred to Mr Guaido as \"a clown and a puppet\" of the US. \"They invited the armed forces to carry out a military coup and their reply was clear - they have defeated the coup plotters,\" he said. President Maduro has accused Mr Guaido of trying to mount a coup against him with the help of \"US imperialists\". Mr Maduro took over the presidency when his late mentor Hugo Chavez died in 2013. In recent years Venezuela has experienced economic collapse, with severe food shortages and inflation reaching at least 800,000% last year. The Maduro government is becoming increasingly isolated as more and more countries blame it for the economic crisis, which has prompted more than three million people to leave Venezuela. The widespread power cuts have reportedly been caused by problems at the Guri hydroelectric plant in Bolivar state - one of the largest such facilities in Latin America. A fresh blackout struck on Saturday, El Nacional newspaper reported, cutting power to many areas where it had previously been restored. In Caracas, traffic lights in some areas were back in action but the city's metro remained closed, reports said. Venezuela depends on its vast hydroelectric infrastructure, rather than its oil reserves, for its domestic electricity supply. But decades of underinvestment have damaged the major dams, and sporadic blackouts are commonplace. President Maduro said on Saturday that electrical substations had been attacked with \"the support and assistance of the US\". \"Many saboteurs have infiltrated the state's electrical company,\" he said. \"We have evidence and they will be held accountable. We will also introduce new measures to protect our electrical system from hackers.\" Mr Guaido says the blackouts are the result of years of under-investment. On Friday, some hospitals saw chaotic scenes as relatives tried to move patients in the dark to other medical facilities with emergency power generators. In Caracas's University Hospital, 25-year-old patient Marielsi Aray died after her respirator stopped working. \"The doctors tried to help her by pumping manually, they did everything they could, but with no electricity, what were they to do?\" said her uncle Jose Lugo. Generators at a Caracas children's hospital failed, with staff reportedly working overnight using their mobile phones for light.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1702, "answer_start": 699, "text": "On Saturday, police were out in force where the opposition march was taking place in Caracas. Some protesters pushed against police in riot gear shouting \"murderers\" and the officers responded by firing pepper spray at them. Addressing the rally later, Mr Guaido announced he would embark on a tour of the country and summon all his supporters to attend a mass protest in Caracas \"very soon\". \"We are going to come, all of Venezuela to Caracas, because we need all of them united,\" he said. Using a megaphone to be heard above the chanting crowd, he called on his followers to remain \"united and mobilised... in the streets\". President Maduro, meanwhile, thanked the army for staying loyal to him, saying they had defeated an attempted opposition coup. Speaking outside the Miraflores presidential palace, he referred to Mr Guaido as \"a clown and a puppet\" of the US. \"They invited the armed forces to carry out a military coup and their reply was clear - they have defeated the coup plotters,\" he said." } ], "id": "10157_0", "question": "What is the latest?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2224, "answer_start": 1703, "text": "President Maduro has accused Mr Guaido of trying to mount a coup against him with the help of \"US imperialists\". Mr Maduro took over the presidency when his late mentor Hugo Chavez died in 2013. In recent years Venezuela has experienced economic collapse, with severe food shortages and inflation reaching at least 800,000% last year. The Maduro government is becoming increasingly isolated as more and more countries blame it for the economic crisis, which has prompted more than three million people to leave Venezuela." } ], "id": "10157_1", "question": "What's the background?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3833, "answer_start": 2225, "text": "The widespread power cuts have reportedly been caused by problems at the Guri hydroelectric plant in Bolivar state - one of the largest such facilities in Latin America. A fresh blackout struck on Saturday, El Nacional newspaper reported, cutting power to many areas where it had previously been restored. In Caracas, traffic lights in some areas were back in action but the city's metro remained closed, reports said. Venezuela depends on its vast hydroelectric infrastructure, rather than its oil reserves, for its domestic electricity supply. But decades of underinvestment have damaged the major dams, and sporadic blackouts are commonplace. President Maduro said on Saturday that electrical substations had been attacked with \"the support and assistance of the US\". \"Many saboteurs have infiltrated the state's electrical company,\" he said. \"We have evidence and they will be held accountable. We will also introduce new measures to protect our electrical system from hackers.\" Mr Guaido says the blackouts are the result of years of under-investment. On Friday, some hospitals saw chaotic scenes as relatives tried to move patients in the dark to other medical facilities with emergency power generators. In Caracas's University Hospital, 25-year-old patient Marielsi Aray died after her respirator stopped working. \"The doctors tried to help her by pumping manually, they did everything they could, but with no electricity, what were they to do?\" said her uncle Jose Lugo. Generators at a Caracas children's hospital failed, with staff reportedly working overnight using their mobile phones for light." } ], "id": "10157_2", "question": "What happened with the power cuts?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The leaders of North and South Korea have agreed to work to rid the peninsula of nuclear weapons, after holding a historic summit. The announcement was made by the North's Kim Jong-un and Moon Jae-in of South Korea after talks at the border. The two also agreed to push towards turning the armistice that ended the Korean War in 1953 into a peace treaty this year. The summit came just months after warlike rhetoric from North Korea. Speaking at a banquet after Friday's talks, Mr Kim hailed the progress he said had been made. \"We bade farewell to the frozen relationship between North and South Korea, which was a nightmare. And we announced the beginning of a warm spring to the world,\" he said. Details of how denuclearisation would be achieved were not made clear and many analysts remain sceptical about the North's apparent enthusiasm for engagement. An issue for the North is the security guarantee extended by the US, a nuclear power, to South Korea and Japan and its military presence in both countries. Previous inter-Korean agreements have included similar pledges but were later abandoned after the North resorted to nuclear and missile tests and the South elected more conservative presidents. Mr Kim said the two leaders had agreed to work to prevent a repeat of the region's \"unfortunate history\" in which progress had \"fizzled out\". \"There may be backlash, hardship and frustration,\" he said, adding: \"A victory cannot be achieved without pain.\" Other points the leaders agreed on in a joint statement were: - An end to \"hostile activities\" between the two nations - Changing the demilitarised zone (DMZ) that divides the country into a \"peace zone\" by ceasing propaganda broadcasts - An arms reduction in the region pending the easing of military tension - To push for four-way talks involving the US and China - Organising a reunion of families left divided by the war - Connecting and modernising railways and roads across the border - Further joint participation in sporting events, including this year's Asian Games The commitment to denuclearisation does not explicitly refer to North Korea halting its nuclear activities but rather the aim of \"a nuclear-free Korean peninsula\". The two countries have also agreed to seek international support to reach this goal, the joint statement says. China later praised the political determination and courage of both leaders and said it hoped the momentum could be maintained. US President Donald Trump also welcomed the news, tweeting that \"good things are happening\". Mr Kim is due to meet Mr Trump in the coming weeks. Speaking in Washington, Mr Trump said the meeting would take place in one of two countries under consideration and vowed he would not be \"played\" by the North Korean leader. \"We will come up with a solution and if we don't we'll leave the room,\" he said. New US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo - who earlier this month travelled secretly to Pyongyang to meet Mr Kim - said his impression was that Mr Kim was serious about reaching a deal. \"The economic pressure put in place by this global effort that President Trump has led has led him to believe that it's in his best interest to come to the table and talk about denuclearisation,\" he said, speaking at a Nato meeting in Brussels. The leaders were met by an honour guard in traditional costume on the South Korean side. The pair walked to the Peace House in Panmunjom, a military compound in the DMZ. Mr Kim then invited the South Korean president to step briefly across the demarcation line into North Korea, before the pair stepped back into South Korea - all the while holding hands. It was an apparently unscripted moment during a highly choreographed sequence of events. The two leaders spoke together during a session broadcast live on South Korean TV. Mr Kim jokingly apologised to Mr Moon for repeatedly forcing him to get up early because of the North's missile and nuclear tests. \"I heard you [President Moon] had your early morning sleep disturbed many times to attend National Security Council meetings,\" he said. \"I will make sure that your morning sleep won't be disturbed.\" \"Now I can sleep in peace,\" Mr Moon replied. Mr Kim also acknowledged that the North's infrastructure lagged behind that of the South. \"I'm worried that our transport situation is bad so it may discomfort you, it may be embarrassing [for me] if you visit North Korea after living in the South's environment,\" he said. After separating for lunch, the two leaders took part in a tree-planting ceremony using soil and water from both countries. They later attended a banquet where Mr Kim was expected to be served the Swiss potato dish rosti - a nod to his time studying in Switzerland - along with the North's signature dish of cold noodles, and a North Korean liquor. Mr Kim was accompanied for the symbolic discussions by nine officials, including his powerful sister, Kim Yo-jong. So far there has been no mention of the summit's outcome on North Korean TV. Few had predicted a development like this, as North Korea continued its nuclear and missile tests and stepped up its rhetoric through 2016 and 2017. The rapprochement began in January when Mr Kim suggested he was \"open to dialogue\" with South Korea. The following month the two countries marched under one flag at the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics, held in the South. Mr Kim announced last week that he was suspending nuclear tests. Chinese researchers have indicated that North Korea's nuclear test site may be unusable after a rock collapse.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2312, "answer_start": 699, "text": "Details of how denuclearisation would be achieved were not made clear and many analysts remain sceptical about the North's apparent enthusiasm for engagement. An issue for the North is the security guarantee extended by the US, a nuclear power, to South Korea and Japan and its military presence in both countries. Previous inter-Korean agreements have included similar pledges but were later abandoned after the North resorted to nuclear and missile tests and the South elected more conservative presidents. Mr Kim said the two leaders had agreed to work to prevent a repeat of the region's \"unfortunate history\" in which progress had \"fizzled out\". \"There may be backlash, hardship and frustration,\" he said, adding: \"A victory cannot be achieved without pain.\" Other points the leaders agreed on in a joint statement were: - An end to \"hostile activities\" between the two nations - Changing the demilitarised zone (DMZ) that divides the country into a \"peace zone\" by ceasing propaganda broadcasts - An arms reduction in the region pending the easing of military tension - To push for four-way talks involving the US and China - Organising a reunion of families left divided by the war - Connecting and modernising railways and roads across the border - Further joint participation in sporting events, including this year's Asian Games The commitment to denuclearisation does not explicitly refer to North Korea halting its nuclear activities but rather the aim of \"a nuclear-free Korean peninsula\". The two countries have also agreed to seek international support to reach this goal, the joint statement says." } ], "id": "10158_0", "question": "What is in the agreement?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3268, "answer_start": 2313, "text": "China later praised the political determination and courage of both leaders and said it hoped the momentum could be maintained. US President Donald Trump also welcomed the news, tweeting that \"good things are happening\". Mr Kim is due to meet Mr Trump in the coming weeks. Speaking in Washington, Mr Trump said the meeting would take place in one of two countries under consideration and vowed he would not be \"played\" by the North Korean leader. \"We will come up with a solution and if we don't we'll leave the room,\" he said. New US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo - who earlier this month travelled secretly to Pyongyang to meet Mr Kim - said his impression was that Mr Kim was serious about reaching a deal. \"The economic pressure put in place by this global effort that President Trump has led has led him to believe that it's in his best interest to come to the table and talk about denuclearisation,\" he said, speaking at a Nato meeting in Brussels." } ], "id": "10158_1", "question": "What do China and the US say?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4985, "answer_start": 3269, "text": "The leaders were met by an honour guard in traditional costume on the South Korean side. The pair walked to the Peace House in Panmunjom, a military compound in the DMZ. Mr Kim then invited the South Korean president to step briefly across the demarcation line into North Korea, before the pair stepped back into South Korea - all the while holding hands. It was an apparently unscripted moment during a highly choreographed sequence of events. The two leaders spoke together during a session broadcast live on South Korean TV. Mr Kim jokingly apologised to Mr Moon for repeatedly forcing him to get up early because of the North's missile and nuclear tests. \"I heard you [President Moon] had your early morning sleep disturbed many times to attend National Security Council meetings,\" he said. \"I will make sure that your morning sleep won't be disturbed.\" \"Now I can sleep in peace,\" Mr Moon replied. Mr Kim also acknowledged that the North's infrastructure lagged behind that of the South. \"I'm worried that our transport situation is bad so it may discomfort you, it may be embarrassing [for me] if you visit North Korea after living in the South's environment,\" he said. After separating for lunch, the two leaders took part in a tree-planting ceremony using soil and water from both countries. They later attended a banquet where Mr Kim was expected to be served the Swiss potato dish rosti - a nod to his time studying in Switzerland - along with the North's signature dish of cold noodles, and a North Korean liquor. Mr Kim was accompanied for the symbolic discussions by nine officials, including his powerful sister, Kim Yo-jong. So far there has been no mention of the summit's outcome on North Korean TV." } ], "id": "10158_2", "question": "How did Friday's summit unfold?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5539, "answer_start": 4986, "text": "Few had predicted a development like this, as North Korea continued its nuclear and missile tests and stepped up its rhetoric through 2016 and 2017. The rapprochement began in January when Mr Kim suggested he was \"open to dialogue\" with South Korea. The following month the two countries marched under one flag at the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics, held in the South. Mr Kim announced last week that he was suspending nuclear tests. Chinese researchers have indicated that North Korea's nuclear test site may be unusable after a rock collapse." } ], "id": "10158_3", "question": "How did we get here?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Glastonbury organiser, Emily Eavis, has hinted that a \"great British artist\" will headline at the 2019 festival. Speaking at BBC Music Introducing Live she revealed that the Friday headliner \"hasn't had a stage like this before\". She also confirmed that Fleetwood Mac won't be playing, but that they're on her wish list along with Kate Bush, Led Zeppelin and Tom Waits. Emily said: \"It's really easy to get lost in the noise of all that.\" When it comes to the balance between showcasing new artists and booking bigger established names she explained: \"We can't keep putting those huge acts on because there aren't many that we haven't had now.\" As always, there's been plenty of speculation over who exactly will headline at Worthy Farm. The festival took a gap year in 2018, giving the ground there time to recover from the 135,000 people who turn up for the event. Even though most of the acts haven't been announced when tickets are released, they always sell out in record time. Stormzy's name has come up several times, with NME claiming to have confirmed it - along with either Childish Gambino or Liam Gallagher also taking a key slot on the Friday night. Emily, however, isn't giving anything away, saying there's \"nothing we can announce yet.\" But she did talk about the kind of \"great,\" \"exciting\" artist that \"he\" is. \"We have got one of the artists that I'm most excited about in Britain right now,\" she said. \"This to me is going to be a moment. And he can become the enormous person that he is, do you know what I mean?\" It's easy to see why Stormzy has been linked to the gig. The last four years have seen the 25-year-old go from a relatively unknown grime artist to having a number one album and multiple Brit Awards. He's already headlined this year's Wireless festival proving that he can handle the pressure and pull in the crowds. In a year when he's released his book, Rise Up, and told Newsbeat that his new music is \"groundbreaking\" maybe Glastonbury is in his sights. He's also just the kind of artist the festival likes to champion. Someone who can transition from a line-up act to becoming huge headline material. \"That's the most exciting stuff for us when you watch a band transition,\" says Emily. \"Sometimes you have other promoters saying why are you putting them on, they're not ready. \"But then it just happens and it's like magic. \"When someone pulls it off and the crowd are behind them. \"When they walk on the stage as a kind of nearly a headliner and they walk off ready to headline any stage in the world.\" Follow Newsbeat on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 every weekday on BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra - if you miss us you can listen back here.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2721, "answer_start": 983, "text": "Stormzy's name has come up several times, with NME claiming to have confirmed it - along with either Childish Gambino or Liam Gallagher also taking a key slot on the Friday night. Emily, however, isn't giving anything away, saying there's \"nothing we can announce yet.\" But she did talk about the kind of \"great,\" \"exciting\" artist that \"he\" is. \"We have got one of the artists that I'm most excited about in Britain right now,\" she said. \"This to me is going to be a moment. And he can become the enormous person that he is, do you know what I mean?\" It's easy to see why Stormzy has been linked to the gig. The last four years have seen the 25-year-old go from a relatively unknown grime artist to having a number one album and multiple Brit Awards. He's already headlined this year's Wireless festival proving that he can handle the pressure and pull in the crowds. In a year when he's released his book, Rise Up, and told Newsbeat that his new music is \"groundbreaking\" maybe Glastonbury is in his sights. He's also just the kind of artist the festival likes to champion. Someone who can transition from a line-up act to becoming huge headline material. \"That's the most exciting stuff for us when you watch a band transition,\" says Emily. \"Sometimes you have other promoters saying why are you putting them on, they're not ready. \"But then it just happens and it's like magic. \"When someone pulls it off and the crowd are behind them. \"When they walk on the stage as a kind of nearly a headliner and they walk off ready to headline any stage in the world.\" Follow Newsbeat on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 every weekday on BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra - if you miss us you can listen back here." } ], "id": "10159_0", "question": "Who will it be?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "An attack which killed more than 44 migrants at a detention centre outside the Libyan capital could constitute a war crime, a UN official said. At least 130 people were injured in the attack, which the Libyan government blamed on an air strike by forces loyal to a warlord, General Khalifa Haftar. Gen Haftar's forces accuse the government side of shelling the centre. Most of the dead are believed to be sub-Saharan Africans who were attempting to reach Europe from Libya. Thousands of migrants are being held in government-run detention centres in Libya. The location of the centre attacked on Tuesday and the information that it housed civilians had been passed to all parties in Libya's conflict, the UN's High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, said. \"This attack may, depending on the precise circumstances, amount to a war crime,\" she said. It was the second time the shelter was hit, she added. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said he was was \"outraged\" by the reports and called for an independent investigation \"to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice\". Late on Wednesday, the UN Security Council held a meeting behind closed doors, but was unable to agree on a statement condemning the air strike, after the US said it needed approval from Washington before it could sign it, the AFP news agency reports. It was unclear why this approval was not forthcoming, but the Security Council meeting ended without issuing a statement. Libya has been torn by violence and division since long-time ruler Muammar Gaddafi was deposed and killed in 2011. A hangar housing migrants at the Tajoura Detention Centre, which houses 600 migrants, reportedly took a direct hit. Women and children were among the victims, Guma El-Gamaty, a member of the UN-backed political dialogue group, told BBC World Service. An official in the Libyan health ministry, Doctor Khalid Bin Attia, described the carnage for the BBC after attending the scene: \"People were everywhere, the camp was destroyed, people are crying here, there is psychological trauma, the lights cut off. \"We couldn't see the area very clear but just when the ambulance came, it was horrible, blood is everywhere, somebody's guts in pieces.\" The UN issued a stark warning in May that those living in the Tajoura centre should be moved immediately out of harm's way. \"The risks are simply unacceptable at this point,\" the UN refugee agency said. By Sebastian Usher, Arab affairs editor The UN and aid agencies have been warning that a tragedy like this has been all but inevitable as the renewed fighting in and around Tripoli has put migrants held in detention camps directly in the line of fire. The plight of migrants was already desperate, prey to human traffickers and militias. The UN has said that the airstrike on Tajoura shows that the EU policy of sending people trying to cross the Mediterranean to Europe back to Libya must be ended. It's been successful in radically cutting the numbers of those getting into Europe by that route - although others have since opened up. But humanitarian agencies say the human cost is too high. With General Khalifa Haftar's assault on Tripoli stalled, the chances are that his forces may resort to indiscriminate attacks that could endanger civilian lives further. But the militias who hold the migrants in such appalling conditions, so close to what is now a frontline, must also take a share of the blame for what has happened. The UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA), led by Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj, accused the self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA) of carrying out an air strike on the centre. The \"heinous crime\" was \"premeditated\" and \"precise\", it said. The LNA - led by Gen Haftar - was fighting government forces in the area where the strike happened. It had announced on Monday that it would start heavy air strikes on targets in Tripoli after \"traditional means\" of war had been exhausted. The LNA said its warplanes had bombed a pro-government camp near the centre and pro-government forces had fired shells in response, hitting the migrant centre by accident. A spokesman for the UN refugee agency, Charlie Yaxley, said it could not confirm who was behind the attack on the centre. In a subsequent statement, the head of the UN Mission in Libya, Ghassan Salama, was quoted as saying: \"This attack clearly could constitute a war crime, as it killed by surprise innocent people whose dire conditions forced them to be in that shelter.\" No authority has full control over Libya and the country is extremely unstable, torn between several political and military factions, the two most important of which are led by Prime Minister Sarraj and Gen Haftar. Gen Haftar started an offensive against the government in April. The general has been active in Libyan politics for more than four decades and was one of Gadaffi's close allies until a dispute in the late 1980s forced him to live in exile in the US. After returning to Libya when the uprising began in 2011, he built up a power base in the east and has won some support from France, Egypt and the UAE. Libyans have mixed feelings towards him due to his past association with Gadaffi and US connections, but do credit him for driving Islamist militants out of much of the city of Benghazi and its surroundings. People-smuggling gangs have flourished in Libya's political chaos, charging desperate migrants from sub-Saharan Africa thousands of dollars per head. Human rights groups have highlighted the poor conditions at the detention centres where many migrants end up as the EU works with the Libyan coastguard to intercept migrant boats. Italy, one of the main landing points for migrants from Libya, has taken a hard-line stance of closing its ports to humanitarian rescue boats, accusing them of aiding people smugglers. Instead, it wants to return any migrants found in open water to Libya - where most end up in detention centres. Following Italy's objections, the wider EU proposed a compromise solution of setting up EU \"assessment centres\" in countries like Libya, where applications for asylum could be processed on foreign soil in a bid to break up the smuggling operations. Such a move was resisted by Libyan officials. As things stand, migrants are not treated with consideration when it comes to housing them, said Leonard Doyle, spokesperson for the International Organization for Migration in Geneva. \"This detention centre is right beside a militia workshop that's been targeted in the past and it's been hit by shrapnel,\" he said. \"Migrants who are trying to get to Europe get picked up typically by the Libyan coastguard. They're brought back to land and then they're brought usually by bus to any of up to 60 detention centres around the city. It's really not a good situation.\"", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2432, "answer_start": 1589, "text": "A hangar housing migrants at the Tajoura Detention Centre, which houses 600 migrants, reportedly took a direct hit. Women and children were among the victims, Guma El-Gamaty, a member of the UN-backed political dialogue group, told BBC World Service. An official in the Libyan health ministry, Doctor Khalid Bin Attia, described the carnage for the BBC after attending the scene: \"People were everywhere, the camp was destroyed, people are crying here, there is psychological trauma, the lights cut off. \"We couldn't see the area very clear but just when the ambulance came, it was horrible, blood is everywhere, somebody's guts in pieces.\" The UN issued a stark warning in May that those living in the Tajoura centre should be moved immediately out of harm's way. \"The risks are simply unacceptable at this point,\" the UN refugee agency said." } ], "id": "10160_0", "question": "What do we know about the attack?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4498, "answer_start": 3464, "text": "The UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA), led by Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj, accused the self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA) of carrying out an air strike on the centre. The \"heinous crime\" was \"premeditated\" and \"precise\", it said. The LNA - led by Gen Haftar - was fighting government forces in the area where the strike happened. It had announced on Monday that it would start heavy air strikes on targets in Tripoli after \"traditional means\" of war had been exhausted. The LNA said its warplanes had bombed a pro-government camp near the centre and pro-government forces had fired shells in response, hitting the migrant centre by accident. A spokesman for the UN refugee agency, Charlie Yaxley, said it could not confirm who was behind the attack on the centre. In a subsequent statement, the head of the UN Mission in Libya, Ghassan Salama, was quoted as saying: \"This attack clearly could constitute a war crime, as it killed by surprise innocent people whose dire conditions forced them to be in that shelter.\"" } ], "id": "10160_1", "question": "Who is to blame?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5323, "answer_start": 4499, "text": "No authority has full control over Libya and the country is extremely unstable, torn between several political and military factions, the two most important of which are led by Prime Minister Sarraj and Gen Haftar. Gen Haftar started an offensive against the government in April. The general has been active in Libyan politics for more than four decades and was one of Gadaffi's close allies until a dispute in the late 1980s forced him to live in exile in the US. After returning to Libya when the uprising began in 2011, he built up a power base in the east and has won some support from France, Egypt and the UAE. Libyans have mixed feelings towards him due to his past association with Gadaffi and US connections, but do credit him for driving Islamist militants out of much of the city of Benghazi and its surroundings." } ], "id": "10160_2", "question": "Why is there war in Libya?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 6812, "answer_start": 5324, "text": "People-smuggling gangs have flourished in Libya's political chaos, charging desperate migrants from sub-Saharan Africa thousands of dollars per head. Human rights groups have highlighted the poor conditions at the detention centres where many migrants end up as the EU works with the Libyan coastguard to intercept migrant boats. Italy, one of the main landing points for migrants from Libya, has taken a hard-line stance of closing its ports to humanitarian rescue boats, accusing them of aiding people smugglers. Instead, it wants to return any migrants found in open water to Libya - where most end up in detention centres. Following Italy's objections, the wider EU proposed a compromise solution of setting up EU \"assessment centres\" in countries like Libya, where applications for asylum could be processed on foreign soil in a bid to break up the smuggling operations. Such a move was resisted by Libyan officials. As things stand, migrants are not treated with consideration when it comes to housing them, said Leonard Doyle, spokesperson for the International Organization for Migration in Geneva. \"This detention centre is right beside a militia workshop that's been targeted in the past and it's been hit by shrapnel,\" he said. \"Migrants who are trying to get to Europe get picked up typically by the Libyan coastguard. They're brought back to land and then they're brought usually by bus to any of up to 60 detention centres around the city. It's really not a good situation.\"" } ], "id": "10160_3", "question": "How vulnerable are migrants in Libya?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The boss of Facebook says he accepts tech giants may have to pay more tax in Europe in future and recognises people's \"frustration\" over the issue. Mark Zuckerberg also said he backed plans by think tank the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development to find a global solution. Facebook and others have been accused of not paying their fair share of tax in countries where they operate. But some say the OECD is moving too slowly towards its goal of a 2020 deal. In the UK, Facebook paid just PS28.5m in corporation tax in 2018 despite generating a record PS1.65bn in British sales. At the time tax campaigner and MP Margaret Hodge said such a low bill was \"outrageous\", but Facebook said it pays what it owes. In a conference in Munich this Saturday, Mr Zuckerberg will say: \"I understand that there's frustration about how tech companies are taxed in Europe. \"We also want tax reform and I'm glad the OECD is looking at this. We want the OECD process to succeed so that we have a stable and reliable system going forward. \"And we accept that may mean we have to pay more tax and pay it in different places under a new framework.\" The UK has said it plans to introduce its own digital services tax in April, despite US objections, in a move that could generate up to PS500m a year. However, it is unclear how the resignation of Sajid Javid as chancellor - a major supporter of the tax - will affect the move. France has agreed to postpone its own digital sales tax, but only until the end of the year, pending a global agreement. Washington had threatened to impose tariffs on French champagne and cheese in retaliation. Many governments are concerned that US technology giants are avoiding taxes in the European Union. They argue taxes should be based on where the digital activity - browsing the page - takes place, not where firms have their headquarters. In response the UK, along with several other European countries, have proposed new tax rules. Britain, for example, would tax the revenues of search engines, social media platforms and online marketplaces at 2%. France's goal has been 3%. But trade officials in Washington say US firms are being unfairly targeted. In January US Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin threatened new tariffs on UK carmakers, arguing the digital tax would be \"discriminatory in nature\".", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2335, "answer_start": 1635, "text": "Many governments are concerned that US technology giants are avoiding taxes in the European Union. They argue taxes should be based on where the digital activity - browsing the page - takes place, not where firms have their headquarters. In response the UK, along with several other European countries, have proposed new tax rules. Britain, for example, would tax the revenues of search engines, social media platforms and online marketplaces at 2%. France's goal has been 3%. But trade officials in Washington say US firms are being unfairly targeted. In January US Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin threatened new tariffs on UK carmakers, arguing the digital tax would be \"discriminatory in nature\"." } ], "id": "10161_0", "question": "What is a digital sales tax?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Internet giant Alibaba has set new sales records on Sunday for its biggest shopping day, the annual Singles Day. The Chinese company hit a record $1bn (PS774m; EUR883m) in sales in 85 seconds, and then just shy of $10bn in the first hour of the 24-hour spree. In total, customers spent $30.8bn, up 27% on last year, but the lowest annual increase in the history of Singles Day. Online discounts have been offered on 11 November, Alibaba's informal holiday for singles, since 2009. Alibaba Group chief executive Daniel Zhang said the spending bonanza demonstrated \"customers' continued pursuit to upgrade their everyday lifestyles\". The event was kicked off on Saturday with a gala featuring US singer Mariah Carey, a Japanese Beyonce impersonator and a shoe-shopping-themed Cirque du Soleil performance. Alibaba invented the occasion to celebrate the unattached as an antithesis to the romantically involved on Valentine's Day. It is now the world's biggest online sales event and this year's total was more than Black Friday and Cyber Monday's totals combined, according to Bloomberg. Some 180,000 brands are available in the shopping blitz, including top technology companies Xaomi, Apple and Dyson. Last year, the Chinese company expanded the event to the Western market, with downloads of its app AliExpress surging in the US and UK. Will Singles Day keep on growing? The shopping frenzy has broken world records in e-commerce sales - surpassing last year's record at 17:34 Hong Kong Time (10:34 GMT). However, observers believe as the event matures, its growth rate will slow down. Alibaba has also faced new challenges this year, such as new rivals in the market, a slowing economy and its stock dropping 16% thanks to China's trade war with the US. The November sale event is expected to be founder Jack Ma's last at the helm of the company. The current chief executive will take over as chairman next year, Alibaba announced in September.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1947, "answer_start": 805, "text": "Alibaba invented the occasion to celebrate the unattached as an antithesis to the romantically involved on Valentine's Day. It is now the world's biggest online sales event and this year's total was more than Black Friday and Cyber Monday's totals combined, according to Bloomberg. Some 180,000 brands are available in the shopping blitz, including top technology companies Xaomi, Apple and Dyson. Last year, the Chinese company expanded the event to the Western market, with downloads of its app AliExpress surging in the US and UK. Will Singles Day keep on growing? The shopping frenzy has broken world records in e-commerce sales - surpassing last year's record at 17:34 Hong Kong Time (10:34 GMT). However, observers believe as the event matures, its growth rate will slow down. Alibaba has also faced new challenges this year, such as new rivals in the market, a slowing economy and its stock dropping 16% thanks to China's trade war with the US. The November sale event is expected to be founder Jack Ma's last at the helm of the company. The current chief executive will take over as chairman next year, Alibaba announced in September." } ], "id": "10162_0", "question": "What is Singles Day?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Friends and colleagues of two Canadians arrested by China are speaking out on the anniversary of the pair's detention. Michael Kovrig, a former diplomat, and Michael Spavor, a businessman, were both detained on 10 December 2018. China has accused the pair of espionage. The move by Beijing is widely viewed as \"hostage diplomacy\" - a tactic to put the pressure on Canada to release Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou. Beijing denies the men's cases are related to Ms Meng's arrest in Canada last year, but supporters say the two are being used as pawns in a larger political dispute. The Canadian government says neither man has had access to a lawyer and have been denied contact with their families and loved ones. \"Our heart goes out to the two Canadians detained in China unjustly,\" said Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday. \"It's difficult to even describe this cloud, or the weight that hangs over an organisation when your colleague, your friend has been in a Chinese prison for a year,\" Brittany Brown, with the International Crisis Group, Mr Kovrig's employer, told the BBC. \"Not a day goes by that someone in Crisis Group is doing something, engaging with someone, talking with someone, pushing certain points behind the scenes to try and support the Canadian [government] efforts,\" she said. Current and past presidents from the NGO published an open letter last week calling his detention \"unjust and inhumane\". Guy Saint-Jacques, a former Canadian ambassador to Beijing, said that during a recent consular visit, Mr Kovrig asked officials: \"When are you going to get me out of this mess?\" \"You need to have some hope,\" says Mr Saint-Jacques, who once worked with the ex-diplomat. Robert Malley, Mr Kovrig's boss, told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation his colleague was resilient and has maintained his \"sense of humour and a sense of perspective\". Mr Spavor also has a network of supporters who are doing what they can to help secure his release, says friend Brian Gold. They have launched an online fundraiser to help the businessman get back on his feet once he is released, and Mr Gold says knowing he has support from outside is lifting his spirits. \"We're just very proud of how resilient he is being under this situation,\" he says. \"It adds to my points of admiration for him, in the way that he's dealing with this.\" Canada has repeatedly called the detention of the two men \"arbitrary\". In September, Mr Trudeau accused Beijing of using \"pressure tactics\" to try to secure the release of Ms Meng and said that China is \"using arbitrary detention as a tool to achieve political goals\". The Canadian government has sought the support of allies such as Britain, France, Germany and the US to pressure China for the pair's release. New foreign affairs minister, Francois-Philippe Champagne, has told his Chinese counterpart the two men's case was his \"absolute priority\". Ms Meng was detained in Vancouver on 1 December 2018 at the request of US officials. She is the chief financial officer of the Chinese telecoms giant as well as the daughter of its founder, Ren Zhengfei. Her arrest angered Chinese officials. She is out on bail in Canada while fighting extradition to the US, where she is wanted for a host of charges, including evading sanctions on Iran - something she and Huawei deny. Her extradition hearing is due to begin in January. On the anniversary of her own arrest, she published a letter on the Huawei website and on social media thanking her supporters in Canada. As part of the bail conditions, she was given an electronic ankle bracelet monitoring tag and a curfew, but is allowed to travel around much of Vancouver. The executive said in her letter that due to her circumstances, she now has time to read and paint. Those close to Mr Kovrig and Mr Spavor are drawing a contrast between her situation and theirs. The pair are being held in a detention centre and are allowed only infrequent visits from consular staff. In April, it was reported that both men were being interrogated for between six to eight hours a day, and were sometimes subject to 24-hour artificial lighting. In July, guards reportedly confiscated Mr Kovrig's reading glasses. It has led to a diplomatic and trade row between Canada and China, with China blocking tens millions of dollars of canola exports, as well as until recently, pork products. Chinese officials have called the Huawei executive's arrest a \"serious mistake\" and accused Canada of double standards. China's ambassador to Canada, Cong Peiwu, said this month the release of the Huawei executive was a \"precondition\" for improved Canada-US relations. Over the last year, Canadians views on China in general have soured, according to the Pew Research Center. Their latest Global Attitudes survey found that a majority of Canadians had a negative view of China, with 67% of respondents telling the organisation they held an unfavourable view of the Asian nation. Those negative opinions rose 22 points in the wake of Ms Meng's arrest and the detainment of Mr Kovrig and Mr Spavor, Pew says.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4198, "answer_start": 2902, "text": "Ms Meng was detained in Vancouver on 1 December 2018 at the request of US officials. She is the chief financial officer of the Chinese telecoms giant as well as the daughter of its founder, Ren Zhengfei. Her arrest angered Chinese officials. She is out on bail in Canada while fighting extradition to the US, where she is wanted for a host of charges, including evading sanctions on Iran - something she and Huawei deny. Her extradition hearing is due to begin in January. On the anniversary of her own arrest, she published a letter on the Huawei website and on social media thanking her supporters in Canada. As part of the bail conditions, she was given an electronic ankle bracelet monitoring tag and a curfew, but is allowed to travel around much of Vancouver. The executive said in her letter that due to her circumstances, she now has time to read and paint. Those close to Mr Kovrig and Mr Spavor are drawing a contrast between her situation and theirs. The pair are being held in a detention centre and are allowed only infrequent visits from consular staff. In April, it was reported that both men were being interrogated for between six to eight hours a day, and were sometimes subject to 24-hour artificial lighting. In July, guards reportedly confiscated Mr Kovrig's reading glasses." } ], "id": "10163_0", "question": "What is the connection to Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Scientists have been working on the male contraceptive pill for almost half a century. Yet despite encouraging news reports, an over-the-counter version is not just around the corner. Lack of funding and presumed disinterest from men means that one has never been mass produced. Instead, women are still generally expected to take responsibility for not getting pregnant. However, research suggests many men would embrace the pill if it was available. A third of sexually active British men say they would consider using hormonal contraception, such as the pill or the implant. This is the same percentage of British women who currently use such medication. Eight out of 10 people in the survey said contraception should be a shared responsibility. Meanwhile, 77% of sexually active American men aged 18-44 surveyed are \"very or somewhat\" interested in trying out a male contraceptive other than condoms or vasectomy. So, could public acceptance, alongside a relaxation of gender roles, lead to the male pill becoming a reality? Just over a third of reproductive-age couples worldwide do not use any contraception at all, according a UN study. But when it is used, female contraceptives are by far the most common choice. About 19% of women who are married or in relationships rely on sterilisation, 14% on the coil, 9% on the pill, and 5% on injections. Contraceptives that directly involve men are much less common; 8% rely on condoms and only 2% on vasectomy. This has not always been the case. Before the pill, men had to participate in contraception, for example by using a condom. When the female pill was mass produced in the early 1960s, for the first time women could control their fertility without their sexual partner's involvement or knowledge. Today, more than 100 million women are currently on the pill, and it is the most common form of contraception in Europe, Australia and New Zealand. It is the second most popular in Africa, Latin America, and North America and the third most popular in Asia. Through the decades the pill has liberated many women, allowing them to postpone or prevent motherhood in favour of other opportunities, such as higher education and employment. This is one reason why it is often viewed as a key milestone for women's rights, and one of the greatest inventions of the 20th Century. But as society moves toward greater gender equality, it is striking that women remain the ones who have to experience the emotional, social, financial, and time-related burdens of contraception, not to mention the side effects. It only took a decade for the female pill to be made widely available after it was invented. So why is it taking so long to market the male pill, which was first trialled in the 1970s? Some scientists claim that the science of developing male contraceptives is more complicated than developing female contraceptives. The male pill works by halting sperm production, but the level of hormones needed to do this can cause side effects. There are social and economic factors at play as well. The field of reproductive science and medicine has mainly focused on women's bodies, neglecting men's. For instance, pretty much everyone knows what a gynaecologist does, yet relatively few will have heard of an andrologist, a doctor who specialises in the male reproductive system. Research on the male pill not only started decades after the female pill, it has also been held back by lack of funding. This is partly because pharmaceutical companies, regulators, and men themselves appear less accepting of potential side effects. While certain symptoms are considered acceptable in female contraceptives, because they are weighed against the risks of pregnancy, they are often viewed as \"deal breakers\" for male contraceptives, because the comparison group is healthy young men. Additionally, common side effects of the female pill such as weight gain, mood swings, and lowered sex drive are often seen as emasculating. Research on the \"clean sheets\" pill, a male contraceptive that enables a semen-free orgasm, has stalled for similar reasons, because ejaculation is seen as an important component of male sexuality. Whether women will trust men with contraception is frequently mentioned as a deterrent. But research even from several decades ago suggests women in long-term relationships are likely to trust their male partners, but are reluctant to trust men with contraception when it comes to casual sex. Since contraception is arguably seen as \"women's work\" there is an assumption that men won't use contraception. Yet gender roles are changing, and men today are more likely to share in household and childcare responsibilities. This rebalancing may extend to contraception, with studies suggesting younger men are more likely to see it as a shared responsibility. Certain groups of men, particularly those who are more educated, affluent, and place less importance on traditional gender roles, are more likely to be supportive of, and even eager for, male contraception. While welcome, the mass availability of a male pill will not ensure its usage, an issue we have also seen with sterilisation rates. While male vasectomy was invented almost 200 years ago, female sterilisation is 10 times more common worldwide despite being less effective, more expensive, and more prone to complications. Greater gender equality is a necessary first step in removing social and economic barriers to developing male contraceptives. We have been waiting 50 years for a male pill, let's not wait another 50. This analysis piece was written by an expert working for an outside organisation. It was commissioned for the BBC 100 Women season 2019. Lisa Campo-Engelstein, one of this year's 100 Women, is a bioethicist specialising in reproductive ethics. She is an associate professor at the Alden March Bioethics Institute and Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology at Albany Medical College in New York. BBC 100 Women names 100 influential and inspirational women around the world every year and shares their stories. It has been a year of huge change around the globe, so in 2019 BBC 100 Women is asking: \"What could the future look like in 2030?\". From the architect planning to rebuild Syria, to a designer of the Mars helicopter, many on the list are at the cutting edge of their fields, and throughout the season will give us their prediction of what life looks like in 2030. Others, such as the \"ghost\" politician defying the mafia, and the footballers battling misogyny, are blazing a path for their fellow women in tough conditions. You may also like: Find us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and use #100Women Edited by Eleanor Lawrie", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4462, "answer_start": 2559, "text": "It only took a decade for the female pill to be made widely available after it was invented. So why is it taking so long to market the male pill, which was first trialled in the 1970s? Some scientists claim that the science of developing male contraceptives is more complicated than developing female contraceptives. The male pill works by halting sperm production, but the level of hormones needed to do this can cause side effects. There are social and economic factors at play as well. The field of reproductive science and medicine has mainly focused on women's bodies, neglecting men's. For instance, pretty much everyone knows what a gynaecologist does, yet relatively few will have heard of an andrologist, a doctor who specialises in the male reproductive system. Research on the male pill not only started decades after the female pill, it has also been held back by lack of funding. This is partly because pharmaceutical companies, regulators, and men themselves appear less accepting of potential side effects. While certain symptoms are considered acceptable in female contraceptives, because they are weighed against the risks of pregnancy, they are often viewed as \"deal breakers\" for male contraceptives, because the comparison group is healthy young men. Additionally, common side effects of the female pill such as weight gain, mood swings, and lowered sex drive are often seen as emasculating. Research on the \"clean sheets\" pill, a male contraceptive that enables a semen-free orgasm, has stalled for similar reasons, because ejaculation is seen as an important component of male sexuality. Whether women will trust men with contraception is frequently mentioned as a deterrent. But research even from several decades ago suggests women in long-term relationships are likely to trust their male partners, but are reluctant to trust men with contraception when it comes to casual sex." } ], "id": "10164_0", "question": "So why don't we have a male pill yet?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5554, "answer_start": 4463, "text": "Since contraception is arguably seen as \"women's work\" there is an assumption that men won't use contraception. Yet gender roles are changing, and men today are more likely to share in household and childcare responsibilities. This rebalancing may extend to contraception, with studies suggesting younger men are more likely to see it as a shared responsibility. Certain groups of men, particularly those who are more educated, affluent, and place less importance on traditional gender roles, are more likely to be supportive of, and even eager for, male contraception. While welcome, the mass availability of a male pill will not ensure its usage, an issue we have also seen with sterilisation rates. While male vasectomy was invented almost 200 years ago, female sterilisation is 10 times more common worldwide despite being less effective, more expensive, and more prone to complications. Greater gender equality is a necessary first step in removing social and economic barriers to developing male contraceptives. We have been waiting 50 years for a male pill, let's not wait another 50." } ], "id": "10164_1", "question": "'Women's work'?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Nine US citizens, three women and six children, have been killed in an attack by suspected drug cartel gunmen in northern Mexico. The victims are members of the LeBaron family, linked to a breakaway Mormon community that settled in Mexico several decades ago. The victims were travelling in a convoy of vehicles. The security minister said the group could have been targeted accidentally as a result of mistaken identity. Sonora state in northern Mexico is being fought over by two rival gangs, La Linea, which has links to the larger Juarez cartel, and \"Los Chapos\", which is part of the Sinaloa cartel. In a tweet President Donald Trump described the victims as a group of \"wonderful family and friends\" who \"got caught between two vicious drug cartels, who were shooting at each other\". The US \"stands ready\", he said, to offer support to combat the problem of cartel violence and \"do the job quickly and effectively\". The FBI has offered to assist Mexican authorities in the investigation, CNN reports. Mexico's President, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, said Mexico would act with \"independence and sovereignty\" in pursuing the criminals behind the attack. A relative of the victims, Alex LeBaron, told CNN that the bodies of the deceased had been returned to their family ranch. A group of three mothers and their 14 children had set off in a convoy of three cars from Bavispe in Sonora state and were heading to the neighbouring state of Chihuahua. The women had been travelling together \"for safety reasons\", an unnamed relative told CNN. Nine people were killed after they were ambushed by gunmen in Bavispe. A burnt-out SUV was later found by the side of the road with the remains of some victims and there are reports that other family members were shot at as they tried to flee. An investigation has been launched and additional security forces have been sent to the area, the governments of Chihuahua and Sonora said in a joint statement. Claudia Pavlovich Arellano, governor of the state of Sonora, described the perpetrators as \"monsters\". \"As a mother, I feel anger, revulsion and a profound pain for the cowardly acts in the mountains between Sonora and Chihuahua,\" she wrote on Twitter, in Spanish. Julian LeBaron, a cousin of one of the women, said he did not know what could have motivated the killings, which he said had involved two separate attacks. \"We want to know exactly who was behind this, why they did it and from where they are, and we need that information to be true,\" he told Mexican radio. \"We don't know who would attack women and children.\" Mr LeBaron gave a detailed account of the attacks in an an interview for Mexican radio station el Heraldo. His cousin Rhonita Miller, 30, four of her children, two of whom were babies, died in a car in the first attack, he said. Another cousin, Dawna Ray Langford, 43, and a woman called Christina Langford Johnson, 31 later left in separate cars and were ambushed in a second attack, he said. Both women were killed, along with two of Ms Ray Langford's children, aged four and six. Faith Marie Johnson, seven months old, survived and was found by Mr LeBaron in the car, according to his account. Seven children escaped, fleeing the scene, five of whom were injured and taken to hospital in Phoenix, Arizona, Mr LeBaron added. The victims were members of a community called Colonia LeBaron which was founded by a breakaway Mormon group in the first half of the 20th Century after the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the US starting cracking down on polygamy. The mainstream Mormon Church publicly rejected polygamy - the custom of having more than one spouse at the same time - in 1890 and since then, some groups who wished to continue the practice have broken away. The Colonia LeBaron community now includes both Mormons and Catholics who have settled there. Members are known for standing up to local drug gangs and speaking out about the high levels of cartel violence. It has about 3,000 members, some of whom practise polygamy. While local media say the convoy of cars may have been mistaken for that of a rival gang, the LeBaron community has been targeted by the cartels in the past. In 2009, Erick LeBaron was kidnapped for ransom. The community took a stand and said it would not pay for his release as that would just encourage future kidnappings. Erick LeBaron was eventually released without a ransom being paid. But months later, his brother Benjamin, who had led the campaign for Erick's LeBaron's release, was beaten to death. Benjamin's brother-in-law was also killed. In 2010, Julian LeBaron published an article in the Dallas Morning News calling for Mexicans to stand up against organised crime. Mr LeBaron also told Mexican radio on Tuesday that his family had received threats. \"We reported the threats, and these are the consequences,\" he said. Last year, the family also clashed with local farmers who accused the LeBarons of using excessive amounts of water to grow walnut trees on their land, allegedly leaving nearby farms dry. The Colonia LeBaron community has in the past demanded to be allowed to create its own security force. The power and influence of the Sinaloa cartel was on display last month when its members barricaded streets and clashed with security forces in Culiacan after one of their leaders, Ovidio Guzman Lopez, was arrested. With the security forces outnumbered and surrounded, the Mexican government took the controversial decision to free Ovidio Guzman to prevent further bloodshed. The BBC's Will Grant in Mexico says pressure is growing on the government to adopt more coherent security strategies following this embarrassing episode.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3302, "answer_start": 2576, "text": "Mr LeBaron gave a detailed account of the attacks in an an interview for Mexican radio station el Heraldo. His cousin Rhonita Miller, 30, four of her children, two of whom were babies, died in a car in the first attack, he said. Another cousin, Dawna Ray Langford, 43, and a woman called Christina Langford Johnson, 31 later left in separate cars and were ambushed in a second attack, he said. Both women were killed, along with two of Ms Ray Langford's children, aged four and six. Faith Marie Johnson, seven months old, survived and was found by Mr LeBaron in the car, according to his account. Seven children escaped, fleeing the scene, five of whom were injured and taken to hospital in Phoenix, Arizona, Mr LeBaron added." } ], "id": "10165_0", "question": "Who are the victims?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5149, "answer_start": 3303, "text": "The victims were members of a community called Colonia LeBaron which was founded by a breakaway Mormon group in the first half of the 20th Century after the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the US starting cracking down on polygamy. The mainstream Mormon Church publicly rejected polygamy - the custom of having more than one spouse at the same time - in 1890 and since then, some groups who wished to continue the practice have broken away. The Colonia LeBaron community now includes both Mormons and Catholics who have settled there. Members are known for standing up to local drug gangs and speaking out about the high levels of cartel violence. It has about 3,000 members, some of whom practise polygamy. While local media say the convoy of cars may have been mistaken for that of a rival gang, the LeBaron community has been targeted by the cartels in the past. In 2009, Erick LeBaron was kidnapped for ransom. The community took a stand and said it would not pay for his release as that would just encourage future kidnappings. Erick LeBaron was eventually released without a ransom being paid. But months later, his brother Benjamin, who had led the campaign for Erick's LeBaron's release, was beaten to death. Benjamin's brother-in-law was also killed. In 2010, Julian LeBaron published an article in the Dallas Morning News calling for Mexicans to stand up against organised crime. Mr LeBaron also told Mexican radio on Tuesday that his family had received threats. \"We reported the threats, and these are the consequences,\" he said. Last year, the family also clashed with local farmers who accused the LeBarons of using excessive amounts of water to grow walnut trees on their land, allegedly leaving nearby farms dry. The Colonia LeBaron community has in the past demanded to be allowed to create its own security force." } ], "id": "10165_1", "question": "Who are the Colonia LeBaron?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5679, "answer_start": 5150, "text": "The power and influence of the Sinaloa cartel was on display last month when its members barricaded streets and clashed with security forces in Culiacan after one of their leaders, Ovidio Guzman Lopez, was arrested. With the security forces outnumbered and surrounded, the Mexican government took the controversial decision to free Ovidio Guzman to prevent further bloodshed. The BBC's Will Grant in Mexico says pressure is growing on the government to adopt more coherent security strategies following this embarrassing episode." } ], "id": "10165_2", "question": "How bad is drug-related violence in Mexico?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "An international conference to find a political solution to the conflict in Syria has begun in Switzerland. For months, UN, US and Russian diplomats struggled to persuade both sides to attend what has become known as \"Geneva II\". The UN's Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, has said it would be \"unforgivable not to seize this opportunity\" to end a conflict that has left more than 100,000 people dead and driven 9.5 million from their homes. In May 2013, US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov agreed to try to \"bring both sides to the table\" to end the bloodshed. Mr Kerry said the alternative was that Syria \"heads closer to an abyss, if not over the abyss and into chaos\". However, initial attempts to convene a conference failed. Their initiative gained greater impetus after a chemical weapons attack on the outskirts of Damascus killed hundreds of people on 21 August 2013. On 27 September, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted resolution 2118, which demanded the destruction or removal of Syria's chemical stockpile by mid-2014. It also called for the \"convening, as soon as possible, of an international conference on Syria to implement the Geneva Communique\", and for \"all Syrian parties to engage seriously and constructively\" and be committed to the \"achievement of stability and reconciliation\". The communique was issued on 30 June 2012 after a meeting in the Swiss city of Geneva of the UN-backed Action Group for Syria. It states that any political settlement must deliver a transition that: - Offers a perspective for the future that can be shared by all in Syria - Establishes clear steps according to a firm timetable towards the realisation of that perspective - Can be implemented in a climate of safety for all, stability and calm - Is reached rapidly without further bloodshed and violence, and is credible The key steps in the transition should include: - Establishment of a transitional governing body with full executive powers that could include members of the government and opposition, and should be formed on the basis of mutual consent - Participation of all groups and segments of society in Syria in a meaningful national dialogue process - Review of the constitutional order and the legal system - Free and fair multi-party elections for the new institutions and offices that have been established - Full representation of women in all aspects of the transition The Syrian government announced on 27 November that it would participate in the talks, but added that its official delegation would not be going \"to hand over power to anyone\". An uncompromising statement by the foreign ministry said representatives were being sent by President Bashar al-Assad to pursue \"the Syrian people's demands, first and foremost eliminating terrorism\". Officials routinely refer to those who oppose Mr Assad as \"terrorists\". The ministry also criticised the UK and France for stating that the president had no role to play in Syria's future - also the stance of the main opposition alliance, the National Coalition. In an interview three days before the conference, President Assad said there was a \"significant\" chance he would seek a third term in office in elections due this June. He also ruled out sharing power with the opposition and called for the Geneva talks to focus on his \"war against terrorism\". The National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces long resisted calls to commit to participate without a guarantee that President Assad would step down, but intense pressure from its Western and Arab eventually saw it relent on 18 January. A third of the coalition's 119 active members boycotted the vote in Istanbul on whether to attend, and less than half voted in favour. Many boycotters said they did so because they believed the activists and rebels inside Syria opposed Geneva II and rejected the coalition's authority. Its president, Ahmed Jarba, said it had not compromised on its goals. \"The table for us is a one-way passage to fulfil all the demands of the revolutionaries, foremost among them stripping the murderer of his powers,\" he said after the vote. \"I assure you that we are not few or weak and we have the free people of the world with us.\" The biggest opposition bloc, the Syrian National Council, is reported to have subsequently announced that it was pulling out of the coalition because taking part in Geneva II would mean it reneged on its \"commitments\" not to negotiate until Mr Assad left power. Other prominent groups have also said they will not take part in the conference. The National Co-ordination Committee (NCC) - an officially tolerated internal opposition alliance - announced on 16 January that it would not attend. Its leader, Hassan Abdul Azim, said he had refused to participate as part of a single opposition delegation led by the National Coalition without lengthy preparations. The leadership of Syria's Kurds, who comprise just over 10% of the population, also want to send their own representatives and not be part of the National Coalition delegation. On the ground, the head of the Supreme Military Council of the Western-backed rebel Free Syrian Army said on 26 November that forces aligned to him would not go to Geneva because it had not been made clear that the talks would result in President Assad stepping down. Also, the Islamic Front, a powerful alliance of Islamist rebel groups, has warned it will consider participation in Geneva II as \"treason\". Iran, a crucial ally of President Assad, was unexpectedly invited to join the start of the Geneva II conference by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on 19 January. Mr Ban said he strongly believed Iran had to be part of the solution to the crisis in Syria. But as soon as it was announced that Tehran had accepted the offer and pledged to play a \"positive and constructive role\", the opposition National Coalition declared that it would refuse to attend the talks unless Iran was excluded. The US said it viewed Mr Ban's invitation \"as conditioned on Iran's explicit and public support for the full implementation of the Geneva Communique\". It also noted that Iran had deployed military personnel in Syria and supported the Lebanese Shia Islamist movement, Hezbollah, which has sent fighters to bolster Mr Assad's forces. A day later, Mr Ban rescinded his offer after Iran refused to endorse the Geneva Communique, particularly its call for a transitional government. \"We will not accept a precondition that would narrow the solution within set parameters,\" Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi told state television. \"Everyone knows that without Iran the chances of a real solution to Syria are not that great,\" he added. The US called the conference \"the best opportunity for the opposition to achieve the goals of the Syrian people and the revolution\". However, it is very difficult to see how tangible progress can be made. The two main protagonists have irreconcilable objectives: Syria has repeatedly said President Assad's departure is out of the question, while the National Coalition has made it clear that President Assad must have no role in the transitional governing body called for in the Geneva Communique. Days before the talks were due, Syria's National Reconciliation Minister Ali Haidar said: \"Don't expect anything from Geneva II. Neither Geneva II, not Geneva III nor Geneva X will solve the Syrian crisis. The solution has begun and will continue through the military triumph of the state.\" Even if some kind of political agreement is reached, it will be virtually impossible to implement it on the ground, given that the talks are an irrelevance to most of the major fighting forces.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1349, "answer_start": 440, "text": "In May 2013, US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov agreed to try to \"bring both sides to the table\" to end the bloodshed. Mr Kerry said the alternative was that Syria \"heads closer to an abyss, if not over the abyss and into chaos\". However, initial attempts to convene a conference failed. Their initiative gained greater impetus after a chemical weapons attack on the outskirts of Damascus killed hundreds of people on 21 August 2013. On 27 September, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted resolution 2118, which demanded the destruction or removal of Syria's chemical stockpile by mid-2014. It also called for the \"convening, as soon as possible, of an international conference on Syria to implement the Geneva Communique\", and for \"all Syrian parties to engage seriously and constructively\" and be committed to the \"achievement of stability and reconciliation\"." } ], "id": "10166_0", "question": "How come a peace conference is being held now?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3371, "answer_start": 2437, "text": "The Syrian government announced on 27 November that it would participate in the talks, but added that its official delegation would not be going \"to hand over power to anyone\". An uncompromising statement by the foreign ministry said representatives were being sent by President Bashar al-Assad to pursue \"the Syrian people's demands, first and foremost eliminating terrorism\". Officials routinely refer to those who oppose Mr Assad as \"terrorists\". The ministry also criticised the UK and France for stating that the president had no role to play in Syria's future - also the stance of the main opposition alliance, the National Coalition. In an interview three days before the conference, President Assad said there was a \"significant\" chance he would seek a third term in office in elections due this June. He also ruled out sharing power with the opposition and called for the Geneva talks to focus on his \"war against terrorism\"." } ], "id": "10166_1", "question": "Is the Syrian government attending Geneva II?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5499, "answer_start": 3372, "text": "The National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces long resisted calls to commit to participate without a guarantee that President Assad would step down, but intense pressure from its Western and Arab eventually saw it relent on 18 January. A third of the coalition's 119 active members boycotted the vote in Istanbul on whether to attend, and less than half voted in favour. Many boycotters said they did so because they believed the activists and rebels inside Syria opposed Geneva II and rejected the coalition's authority. Its president, Ahmed Jarba, said it had not compromised on its goals. \"The table for us is a one-way passage to fulfil all the demands of the revolutionaries, foremost among them stripping the murderer of his powers,\" he said after the vote. \"I assure you that we are not few or weak and we have the free people of the world with us.\" The biggest opposition bloc, the Syrian National Council, is reported to have subsequently announced that it was pulling out of the coalition because taking part in Geneva II would mean it reneged on its \"commitments\" not to negotiate until Mr Assad left power. Other prominent groups have also said they will not take part in the conference. The National Co-ordination Committee (NCC) - an officially tolerated internal opposition alliance - announced on 16 January that it would not attend. Its leader, Hassan Abdul Azim, said he had refused to participate as part of a single opposition delegation led by the National Coalition without lengthy preparations. The leadership of Syria's Kurds, who comprise just over 10% of the population, also want to send their own representatives and not be part of the National Coalition delegation. On the ground, the head of the Supreme Military Council of the Western-backed rebel Free Syrian Army said on 26 November that forces aligned to him would not go to Geneva because it had not been made clear that the talks would result in President Assad stepping down. Also, the Islamic Front, a powerful alliance of Islamist rebel groups, has warned it will consider participation in Geneva II as \"treason\"." } ], "id": "10166_2", "question": "Is the opposition there?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 6722, "answer_start": 5500, "text": "Iran, a crucial ally of President Assad, was unexpectedly invited to join the start of the Geneva II conference by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on 19 January. Mr Ban said he strongly believed Iran had to be part of the solution to the crisis in Syria. But as soon as it was announced that Tehran had accepted the offer and pledged to play a \"positive and constructive role\", the opposition National Coalition declared that it would refuse to attend the talks unless Iran was excluded. The US said it viewed Mr Ban's invitation \"as conditioned on Iran's explicit and public support for the full implementation of the Geneva Communique\". It also noted that Iran had deployed military personnel in Syria and supported the Lebanese Shia Islamist movement, Hezbollah, which has sent fighters to bolster Mr Assad's forces. A day later, Mr Ban rescinded his offer after Iran refused to endorse the Geneva Communique, particularly its call for a transitional government. \"We will not accept a precondition that would narrow the solution within set parameters,\" Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi told state television. \"Everyone knows that without Iran the chances of a real solution to Syria are not that great,\" he added." } ], "id": "10166_3", "question": "What about Iran?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 7706, "answer_start": 6723, "text": "The US called the conference \"the best opportunity for the opposition to achieve the goals of the Syrian people and the revolution\". However, it is very difficult to see how tangible progress can be made. The two main protagonists have irreconcilable objectives: Syria has repeatedly said President Assad's departure is out of the question, while the National Coalition has made it clear that President Assad must have no role in the transitional governing body called for in the Geneva Communique. Days before the talks were due, Syria's National Reconciliation Minister Ali Haidar said: \"Don't expect anything from Geneva II. Neither Geneva II, not Geneva III nor Geneva X will solve the Syrian crisis. The solution has begun and will continue through the military triumph of the state.\" Even if some kind of political agreement is reached, it will be virtually impossible to implement it on the ground, given that the talks are an irrelevance to most of the major fighting forces." } ], "id": "10166_4", "question": "Will the talks be a success?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "It remains New Zealand's worst peacetime disaster. On 28 November 1979, a sightseeing aircraft carrying 257 people crashed head-on into the side of a volcano in Antarctica. The tragedy of flight TE901 was a shock for New Zealand, affecting almost everyone in the country in some way, and led to years of investigations and a bitter blame game. And the legacy of the Mt Erebus disaster is still felt 40 years on. Air New Zealand had started operating scenic flights over Antarctica only two years before, and they had been a great success. What better way to spend a day than to cruise on an 11-hour non-stop round trip from Auckland down the length of the country and on to the great southern continent? The flights offered first class luxury and a stunning view over the endless ice at the edge of the world. But on that day in 1979, things would go very wrong. At around noon, the pilot Capt Jim Collins flew two large loops through the clouds to bring the plane down to about 2,000ft (610m) and offer his passengers a better view. Assuming he was on the same flight path as previous flights and over the vast McMurdo Sound, he wouldn't have foreseen any problems. On board the DC 10, people were busy taking photographs or filming in the cabin and out of the windows. Many of these photos were later found in the wreckage and could still be developed, some of them taken seconds before the crash. But instead of ice and snow in the distance, what the cockpit was looking at was the mountain right ahead of them. Shortly before 1pm, the plane's proximity alarms went off. With no time to pull up, six seconds later the plane ploughed straight into the side of Mt Erebus. After hours of waiting and confusion, the assumption back in New Zealand was that the plane must have run out of fuel. Wherever it was, it was no longer in the air. Search and rescue operations were dispatched and soon confirmed the worst fears: wreckage was spotted on Ross Island, on the lower slopes of Mt Erebus and it was clear there'd been no survivors. \"That same accident would not happen on a modern airliner,\" Captain Andrew Ridling, head of the New Zealand Air Line Pilots Association, told the BBC. In part, that's because of lessons learned from crashes like the one of TE901. \"The equipment today is extremely good. You've got a satellite based navigation system, so being on the wrong flight path like that would just not be possible.\" Two main reasons have been determined as the cause of the crash. The pilots had been briefed with a flight path which was different from the one put into the plane's computer. The team thought their route was the same as previous flights, going over ice and water in the McMurdo Sound, when in fact the path was going over Ross Island - and the 3,794m volcano Mt Erebus. The second cause was a weather phenomenon known as whiteout - and that's what is likely to have sealed the plane's fate. The whiteout meant the light between the white snow or ice underneath and the clouds overhead created an illusion of clear visibility. The pilot trusted the automatic flight path, assuming the white he was seeing through the cockpit window was simply the ice and snow on the water below, not the face of a mountain. The crash killed 227 passengers and 30 crew. Forty-four people were never identified during the search and recovery operations. New Zealand's population was then only around three million people. As people said at the time, almost everyone was somehow connected to the Erebus disaster, whether through knowing a victim, a member of the many heroic recovery operations, or taking sides in the lengthy legal battle that ensued. And the tragedy left New Zealand in shock. \"It came at a time the relatively young nation was in a crucial period of finding a new narrative for its identity,\" explains Rowan Light, a historian with Canterbury University. \"In the 1960s and 70s the old narrative of being a progressive outpost of the British Empire had fallen to pieces or was just not making sense any more,\" he says. But the country was trying to find its feet. Technological advances were a big part of that new path, infrastructure was key to the national story of settling, conquering and gaining control over the land. And reaching out to Antarctica, about 4,500km (2,780 miles) to the south, fitted perfectly into that story. Yet a row of terrible disasters was to profoundly shake that sense of self. A train crash at Tangiwai in 1953 had left 151 people dead and the Wahine ferry disaster in 1968 had killed 51 people. The Mt Erebus crash was the third in that list and by far the deadliest. \"So you had this really interesting moment with those disasters because they really called into question that narrative of technological progress and control,\" Mr Light explains. That legal battle came swiftly and was a second blow after the crash itself. New Zealanders were shocked by the failure to properly identify what had happened and by the bitter accusations. The first investigation essentially found the pilots at fault. They had flown well below the minimum safe altitude set by the airline and it seemed easy to say that sticking to that minimum would have prevented the crash. While the investigation had also uncovered the mismatch in the flight paths, it nonetheless concluded that a higher altitude would have saved the plane from crashing. Putting the blame on the pilots proved controversial, though, and a second investigation was launched, this time a Royal Commission of Inquiry, New Zealand's highest level of public inquest. The results couldn't have been more different: this time, the blame landed squarely on Air New Zealand. Yes, the plane had been well below the safe altitude - but the inquiry found that the Antarctic flights had routinely flown at such extremely low levels to provide a better view for its paying customers. Even a promotional brochure for the scenic route had boasted of the scenery using photographs clearly taken from a way below the safe altitude. The Royal Commission did not only find that the airline was to blame due to the mistakes in the flight path, but it also alleged that Air New Zealand had essentially tried to cover up its own responsibility: a conspiracy to blame the pilots leaving Air New Zealand morally in the clear - and also in terms of compensation payouts to the victims' relatives. Famously, the head of the inquiry, judge Peter Mahon, described the airline's defence as \"an orchestrated litany of lies\" - a phrase which would stick in the national consciousness. The airline took the case to an appeals court and won, with Mr Mahon's allegation they intentionally had obscured the crash causes overturned. Again, the Erebus tragedy was in limbo, and the blame game grotesquely overshadowed the relatives' grief. The TE901 crash was also a serious blow to Air New Zealand's reputation. The airline had very much been a source of pride for the country - as national carriers are, it was part of the fabric of how New Zealand saw itself on the global stage. But over the years, the overwhelming consensus became that the airline had indeed been at fault and not the pilot team. It never ran the Antarctic flights again - though one private airline does cover the sightseeing route from Australia. At the time, the crash and its aftermath were seen as \"almost a sense of betrayal for people\", Mr Light explains. In 2009, Air New Zealand issued a first apology - although only for its behaviour in the aftermath, not for the actual accident itself. But on this year's anniversary, the airline finally issued that full apology that so many people felt was overdue. \"I apologise on behalf of an airline which 40 years ago failed in its duty of care to its passengers and staff,\" the airline's chairwoman Therese Walsh said at the commemorations at government house in Auckland. \"While words will never bring back those lost on Mt Erebus this day 40 years ago, I would like to express regret on behalf of Air New Zealand for the accident which took the lives of 257 passengers and crew.\" Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern also used the day to give a first full apology by a New Zealand government. \"This apology is whole hearted and wide reaching,\" she said. \"We will never know your grief, but I know the time has come to say I am sorry.\" Forty years on, the crash remains a story crucial to New Zealand's recent history. For the post-war generation, it was the biggest tragedy they'd witnessed their country go through and there's a lingering sense that it might have been where the young nation lost its innocence, its clear sense of direction, stability and trust in the established order. Despite this, there is as yet no national memorial to the victims. A cross and a koru - a stone coiled fern - have been placed near the crash site and Ross Island has been witness to several commemoration events by the victims' relatives, but the debate of what form a memorial should take and where it would go has generated its own frustrations. Earlier this year, New Zealand approved a plan for a structure in Auckland, which Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said \"reflects the enormity of the tragedy and provides a strong sense of connection and loss\". As the country remembers the crash this Thursday, thousands of miles away, the ruins of the aircraft still lie on the slopes of Mt Erebus. Partially covered by snow, the wreckage is a silent tribute to the flight of a lifetime that ended in tragedy.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2423, "answer_start": 412, "text": "Air New Zealand had started operating scenic flights over Antarctica only two years before, and they had been a great success. What better way to spend a day than to cruise on an 11-hour non-stop round trip from Auckland down the length of the country and on to the great southern continent? The flights offered first class luxury and a stunning view over the endless ice at the edge of the world. But on that day in 1979, things would go very wrong. At around noon, the pilot Capt Jim Collins flew two large loops through the clouds to bring the plane down to about 2,000ft (610m) and offer his passengers a better view. Assuming he was on the same flight path as previous flights and over the vast McMurdo Sound, he wouldn't have foreseen any problems. On board the DC 10, people were busy taking photographs or filming in the cabin and out of the windows. Many of these photos were later found in the wreckage and could still be developed, some of them taken seconds before the crash. But instead of ice and snow in the distance, what the cockpit was looking at was the mountain right ahead of them. Shortly before 1pm, the plane's proximity alarms went off. With no time to pull up, six seconds later the plane ploughed straight into the side of Mt Erebus. After hours of waiting and confusion, the assumption back in New Zealand was that the plane must have run out of fuel. Wherever it was, it was no longer in the air. Search and rescue operations were dispatched and soon confirmed the worst fears: wreckage was spotted on Ross Island, on the lower slopes of Mt Erebus and it was clear there'd been no survivors. \"That same accident would not happen on a modern airliner,\" Captain Andrew Ridling, head of the New Zealand Air Line Pilots Association, told the BBC. In part, that's because of lessons learned from crashes like the one of TE901. \"The equipment today is extremely good. You've got a satellite based navigation system, so being on the wrong flight path like that would just not be possible.\"" } ], "id": "10167_0", "question": "How did the plane crash?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 9489, "answer_start": 8330, "text": "Forty years on, the crash remains a story crucial to New Zealand's recent history. For the post-war generation, it was the biggest tragedy they'd witnessed their country go through and there's a lingering sense that it might have been where the young nation lost its innocence, its clear sense of direction, stability and trust in the established order. Despite this, there is as yet no national memorial to the victims. A cross and a koru - a stone coiled fern - have been placed near the crash site and Ross Island has been witness to several commemoration events by the victims' relatives, but the debate of what form a memorial should take and where it would go has generated its own frustrations. Earlier this year, New Zealand approved a plan for a structure in Auckland, which Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said \"reflects the enormity of the tragedy and provides a strong sense of connection and loss\". As the country remembers the crash this Thursday, thousands of miles away, the ruins of the aircraft still lie on the slopes of Mt Erebus. Partially covered by snow, the wreckage is a silent tribute to the flight of a lifetime that ended in tragedy." } ], "id": "10167_1", "question": "New Zealand's loss of innocence?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The secretive author of a hugely popular Russian social media channel lampooning the Kremlin has revealed his identity, after years of speculation. Alexander Gorbunov, alias StalinGulag, has notched up 300,000 followers on the Telegram messaging app. He has over a million more on Twitter, his witty and acerbic posts deploring the current state of affairs in Russia. Now he has decided to speak out to prevent reprisals against his family, he has told BBC Russian. Police visited his elderly mother's flat earlier this week. In 2017 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, a fierce critic of President Vladimir Putin, called him \"the most important political columnist in Russia\". StalinGulag's recent targets include: North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's visit to Russia; government plans to introduce 5G technology; the Ukrainian presidential election and Russian proposals to ban Spanish ham and Parmesan cheese imports. Alexander Gorbunov often highlights the absurdities and injustices of everyday life. Last month he posted about a family in the Siberian city of Novosibirsk whose HIV-positive adopted child had been barred from school, and a sick, elderly patient in Irkutsk who reportedly killed himself in hospital after waiting hours for a simple blood test. \"It is impossible to be silent when mad things happen [in Russia],\" he told the BBC. The man behind StalinGulag has a back story that was extraordinary long before he became the Kremlin's biggest social media critic. Born in Makhachkala in the North Caucasus in 1992, he was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy, an incurable muscle-wasting condition that has made him a wheelchair-user for most of his life. Gorbunov started his first business aged just 13, selling dietary supplements online. From these humble beginnings he moved on to become a successful financial trader, specialising in derivatives and crypto-currencies. He now lives in Moscow with his wife, enjoying what he describes as a good life with regular outings to restaurants and the theatre. But he's keen to stress that someone with his disabilities needs to be able to make money in order to pay for all the support he requires to have a normal life. For someone whose pithy tweets frequently contain expletives and slang, Gorbunov in real life comes across as articulate, educated and thoughtful. He arrives at the BBC office smartly dressed in a black polo-neck and tweed jacket. He speaks softly and with the quiet confidence of someone who is used to being listened to. It's clear that Gorbunov is a man who wants to make the most of however much time he has left. He knows that medication will not stop the progression of his condition, and for that reason refuses to take drugs which could prolong his life. \"One year more to live, one year less - it doesn't matter for me,\" says Gorbunov. \"I don't want to spend the rest of my life in a medical institution.\" Gorbunov set up StalinGulag as an anonymous Twitter account in 2013. At the time he was still living in Makhachkala, spending most of his time at home because, he says, it was not an easy town to get around for someone in a wheelchair. \"I just wanted to write,\" he says. \"My computer and the internet meant I could follow what was going on in the rest of the world... I've always been interested in politics.\" A taste of StalinGulag's tweets: - Kim Jong-un's limo arrived in Vladivostok. It was brought from Pyongyang on an Il-76 cargo plane. To allow the North Korean dictator to travel in his limo, a wall was torn down at Vladivostok railway station. Everyday life in a superpower - Health Minister Veronika Skvortsova says Russians will stop drinking when they find interesting work and hobbies. In other words: we'll never stop drinking - The national meat association proposes to ban individuals from importing meat and dairy produce for personal use. Soon a kilo of cheese will get you the same jail sentence as a bag of heroin - \"Around 40% of Russians don't have any savings\" - it would be great to invent another tax, because someone still has some savings - A military coup in Sudan. Hooray, there's something that can use up billions from the Russian budget again - otherwise the money will just rot in Saratov, for lack of anything to spend it on. He chose the name, in his words, \"as a form of trolling\" and to call out what he says are the false parallels between Stalin's era and Russia today. \"The people in power want us to think that they are scary and terrifying like the [Stalin-era] secret police,\" he says. \"But it's not like that. At heart they are just commercial people who like luxury and money.\" By 2016 he had more than 400,000 followers and decided to branch out and set up a channel on the newly-established Telegram messaging app. Telegram was set up in 2013 by Russian IT-entrepreneur Pavel Durov, founder of VKontakte - a Russian version of Facebook - and who now lives in self-imposed exile abroad. Telegram allows users to set up groups of \"channels\" anonymously and send news and content directly to an unlimited number of followers. Its channels have become hugely popular in countries such as Russia and Iran where freedom of speech is restricted. They are used by politicians, activists and social groups communicating news and information, and by businesses targeting new customers. Stories from Russia on similar topics: \"Telegram channels are the only non-moderated political space in Russia,\" says political scientist Andrei Kolyadin. Telegram's popularity and independence from the government is a key reason why the Russian government tried unsuccessfully to block the app last year. But attempts continue and a desire to rein in Telegram is widely believed to be a motivating factor behind new legislation to regulate the internet in Russia which was signed into law on 1 May and comes into force in six months' time. By 2018 StalinGulag was one of the most popular Telegram channels in Russia. His darkly humorous take on life seemed to capture the zeitgeist. There's a big demand now for posts saying everything is going wrong, says Telegram expert Fyodor Skuratov. For years StalinGulag's identity was a closely-guarded secret. When the media outlet RBC published a story in 2018 linking Alexander Gorbunov's name to the Telegram channel, StalinGulag hit back with a strong denial. But that all changed this week with the news that police in his home town had paid a visit to his mother's apartment. Police told her that someone had used his mobile phone to make a fake bomb threat. The BBC contacted the police in Makhachkala to confirm the story but no-one was willing to comment. Other relatives in Moscow have also been contacted by the police. The story has caused a big storm on social media in Russia, with many people speaking out in defence of StalinGulag. The fuss finally convinced Gorbunov to speak out, in the hope that if he revealed his identity the authorities would leave his family alone. \"It would be awful if one of them suffered,\" he told the BBC. \"Not just from the authorities, but also from [pro-governmental] fanatics.\" When his name was published in the Russian media last year, Gorbunov says some of his trading partners became scared and backed out of long-cherished plans to set up an investment fund with him. At that time it was perhaps risky, but not illegal, to be so outspoken. But new Russian legislation in March prohibited individuals from spreading \"fake news\" and information insulting to state officials. In future this could make things a lot more difficult for social media personalities like StalinGulag. So far police have not been in touch with Gorbunov himself, and he remains philosophical. \"I'm not afraid for myself,\" he says. \"They can't take any measures to restrict me, because I've been living with restrictions all my life.\" \"Nothing has changed,\" he adds. \"I'm going to carry on writing the way I always have.\" You can read the full BBC Russian interview with Gorbunov here (in Russian).", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2192, "answer_start": 526, "text": "In 2017 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, a fierce critic of President Vladimir Putin, called him \"the most important political columnist in Russia\". StalinGulag's recent targets include: North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's visit to Russia; government plans to introduce 5G technology; the Ukrainian presidential election and Russian proposals to ban Spanish ham and Parmesan cheese imports. Alexander Gorbunov often highlights the absurdities and injustices of everyday life. Last month he posted about a family in the Siberian city of Novosibirsk whose HIV-positive adopted child had been barred from school, and a sick, elderly patient in Irkutsk who reportedly killed himself in hospital after waiting hours for a simple blood test. \"It is impossible to be silent when mad things happen [in Russia],\" he told the BBC. The man behind StalinGulag has a back story that was extraordinary long before he became the Kremlin's biggest social media critic. Born in Makhachkala in the North Caucasus in 1992, he was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy, an incurable muscle-wasting condition that has made him a wheelchair-user for most of his life. Gorbunov started his first business aged just 13, selling dietary supplements online. From these humble beginnings he moved on to become a successful financial trader, specialising in derivatives and crypto-currencies. He now lives in Moscow with his wife, enjoying what he describes as a good life with regular outings to restaurants and the theatre. But he's keen to stress that someone with his disabilities needs to be able to make money in order to pay for all the support he requires to have a normal life." } ], "id": "10168_0", "question": "Who is StalinGulag?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5872, "answer_start": 4269, "text": "He chose the name, in his words, \"as a form of trolling\" and to call out what he says are the false parallels between Stalin's era and Russia today. \"The people in power want us to think that they are scary and terrifying like the [Stalin-era] secret police,\" he says. \"But it's not like that. At heart they are just commercial people who like luxury and money.\" By 2016 he had more than 400,000 followers and decided to branch out and set up a channel on the newly-established Telegram messaging app. Telegram was set up in 2013 by Russian IT-entrepreneur Pavel Durov, founder of VKontakte - a Russian version of Facebook - and who now lives in self-imposed exile abroad. Telegram allows users to set up groups of \"channels\" anonymously and send news and content directly to an unlimited number of followers. Its channels have become hugely popular in countries such as Russia and Iran where freedom of speech is restricted. They are used by politicians, activists and social groups communicating news and information, and by businesses targeting new customers. Stories from Russia on similar topics: \"Telegram channels are the only non-moderated political space in Russia,\" says political scientist Andrei Kolyadin. Telegram's popularity and independence from the government is a key reason why the Russian government tried unsuccessfully to block the app last year. But attempts continue and a desire to rein in Telegram is widely believed to be a motivating factor behind new legislation to regulate the internet in Russia which was signed into law on 1 May and comes into force in six months' time." } ], "id": "10168_1", "question": "Why the name StalinGulag?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "WhatsApp, the biggest instant messaging platform in India, is set to launch a payment service later this month. The BBC's Devina Gupta reports on how this could affect the country's $400bn (PS290bn) mobile wallet market. WhatsApp is currently testing a beta version of its payment app, which it has rolled out for some Indian users. It will allow users to send and receive money using the popular app. For a majority of Indians, the phone is the first point of exposure to the internet, and Whatsapp, with more than 200 million users, is a giant in India's rapidly growing mobile market. The move has worried Paytm, the country's largest mobile payment company. Its founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma has accused WhatsApp of bypassing crucial payment norms that guarantee security of customers. The government has denied this. Paytm is part-owned by Japan's Softbank and China's Alibaba and already has about 300 million registered users in the country, with the number of daily transactions touching five million. It was also one of the biggest beneficiaries of the decision by India's federal government to cancel 86% of the country's currency overnight in 2016 as part of anti-corruption measures. Paytm had said then that it saw a 700% increase in overall traffic and a 300% surge in app downloads. Paytm has accused Facebook, which owns WhatsApp, of attempting a repeat of Free Basics - Facebook's internet service app. The service offered free, but limited, internet to those who didn't have it. It was widely criticised for giving access to only a limited number of websites and India's telecoms regulator blocked the app on the grounds that it violated net neutrality rules. Deepak Abbot, Paytm's senior vice president, told the BBC that WhatsApp could effectively lock out competing apps. \"Facebook tries to dominate the market - they go in with a mindset that they can lock the users in their systems,\" he said. But other players in the market don't necessarily share Mr Abbot's opinion, as the scope for mobile wallets in India is still vast. \"Currently, the digital payment market penetration is only 5 to 10% percent, so entry of a new player is a big positive,\" said Bipin Preet Singh, the founder of Mobikwik, which is another Indian mobile payment system. He added that domestic companies, like Mobikwik, have large workforces on the ground which help users when payments go wrong. This, he said, is something global companies can't compete with. WhatsApp uses the Indian Unified Payment Interface or UPI, which is a payment system that allows funds to be transferred directly from a sender's bank account to the recipient's account. Users will have to link their bank account with the app directly. The real challenge for WhatsApp's payment feature will be to include services such as movies, travel and restaurants - which Paytm provides. Paytm's strength lies in its ubiquitous presence in India's mobile payment market - its services are extensively used by citizens and business vendors, including auto rickshaw drivers and tea sellers. And the company recently started regular banking services and could be handling insurance products in the future. But WhatsApp is flush with funds, and boasts around 230 million users on its chat app. Its beta version tests also show a high rate of user adaptability. Facebook is yet to comment on WhatsApp's payment feature, but Paytm has said that it is ready for the competition. \"We will take WhatsApp as another competitor,\" Mr Abbot said. \"There are 90% of users who are not exposed to the UPI model, so like WhatsApp, we will also be looking to capture that market. It's such a big market so if you have a good product, you will stand out. We will be happy if there are more larger players.\" What could worry Paytm is what happened to Alibaba, which partly owns the company. After launching Alipay in 2009, the company almost monopolised the payment gateway market. But its fortunes changed when another company, Tencent, merged its chat app with a payment gateway, resulting in Alipay's market share dropping from 80 to 53%.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2456, "answer_start": 1297, "text": "Paytm has accused Facebook, which owns WhatsApp, of attempting a repeat of Free Basics - Facebook's internet service app. The service offered free, but limited, internet to those who didn't have it. It was widely criticised for giving access to only a limited number of websites and India's telecoms regulator blocked the app on the grounds that it violated net neutrality rules. Deepak Abbot, Paytm's senior vice president, told the BBC that WhatsApp could effectively lock out competing apps. \"Facebook tries to dominate the market - they go in with a mindset that they can lock the users in their systems,\" he said. But other players in the market don't necessarily share Mr Abbot's opinion, as the scope for mobile wallets in India is still vast. \"Currently, the digital payment market penetration is only 5 to 10% percent, so entry of a new player is a big positive,\" said Bipin Preet Singh, the founder of Mobikwik, which is another Indian mobile payment system. He added that domestic companies, like Mobikwik, have large workforces on the ground which help users when payments go wrong. This, he said, is something global companies can't compete with." } ], "id": "10169_0", "question": "What does Paytm say?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2850, "answer_start": 2457, "text": "WhatsApp uses the Indian Unified Payment Interface or UPI, which is a payment system that allows funds to be transferred directly from a sender's bank account to the recipient's account. Users will have to link their bank account with the app directly. The real challenge for WhatsApp's payment feature will be to include services such as movies, travel and restaurants - which Paytm provides." } ], "id": "10169_1", "question": "What does WhatsApp payment offer?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4084, "answer_start": 2851, "text": "Paytm's strength lies in its ubiquitous presence in India's mobile payment market - its services are extensively used by citizens and business vendors, including auto rickshaw drivers and tea sellers. And the company recently started regular banking services and could be handling insurance products in the future. But WhatsApp is flush with funds, and boasts around 230 million users on its chat app. Its beta version tests also show a high rate of user adaptability. Facebook is yet to comment on WhatsApp's payment feature, but Paytm has said that it is ready for the competition. \"We will take WhatsApp as another competitor,\" Mr Abbot said. \"There are 90% of users who are not exposed to the UPI model, so like WhatsApp, we will also be looking to capture that market. It's such a big market so if you have a good product, you will stand out. We will be happy if there are more larger players.\" What could worry Paytm is what happened to Alibaba, which partly owns the company. After launching Alipay in 2009, the company almost monopolised the payment gateway market. But its fortunes changed when another company, Tencent, merged its chat app with a payment gateway, resulting in Alipay's market share dropping from 80 to 53%." } ], "id": "10169_2", "question": "Is it a threat for Paytm?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Indonesia has become the latest Asian country to face an outbreak of African swine fever, a deadly pig virus devastating farmers across the region. On Wednesday, the country's agriculture ministry said nearly 30,000 pigs have died from the disease in North Sumatra. The virus is expected to wipe out more than half of China's pig herd this year. Australia has grown increasingly concerned, stepping up biosecurity measures to keep swine fever out. Although it's harmless to humans, the disease can kill pigs within a few days, and the fatality rate can be up to 100%, according to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE). The virus is particularly robust, and is able to survive for seven days without a host, and for months in frozen pork products. The biggest impact so far has been in China, but the spread of the virus across South East Asia has been worrying too. Vietnam and the Philippines have seen some of the worst outbreaks in the region. Analysts at Rabobank expect Vietnam's pork production will drop by 21% this year, and by an additional 8% next year. The Philippines could see a 13% decline in its pig herd in 2020, it said. Rabobank put China's herd loss at 55% this year. Indonesia's Agriculture Minister Syahrul Yasin Limpo told reporters so far, the virus has been contained to parts of North Sumatra. \"Very serious handling is being carried out, including isolating those areas,\" Mr Limpo said. The disease has also been detected in Mongolia, Cambodia, South Korea, North Korea, Myanmar and East Timor, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation. Outside of Asia, the OIE said the disease is also present in parts of Eastern Europe and sub-Saharan Africa. Australia, known for its strict biosecurity measures, is spending an additional A$66m ($45m; PS35m) on measures designed to keep the virus out. However, recent seizures underline the difficulty of the task. Over the past six months, Australian authorities have seized 32 tonnes of pork products from passenger bags and mailed packages. \"Of that, 49% had fragments of African swine fever,\" said Margo Andrae, chief executive of Australian Pork Limited, an industry body. Australian Pork Limited estimates an outbreak could have a A$2bn impact on the industry, which is worth A$5.3bn and employs 36,000 people. Significantly, Australia has tightened quarantine efforts in Darwin - the main point of entry for flights from East Timor, which recently declared a swine fever outbreak. Although there are no piggeries near Darwin, there is a large feral pig population that could spread the infection. \"If you'd asked me a few months ago, I would have said I'm very scared, but now I feel much better,\" said Ms Andrae. Germany recently stepped up measures to prevent the disease after a case was discovered in a wild boar across the border in Poland. The US has never had a case of African swine fever, but there are animal health and import requirements enforced by authorities. As long as animals were sick only in Africa and occasional outbreaks in Europe were successfully tackled by culling, there was little effort to develop a vaccine. Since the outbreak has spread to Asia with millions of animals affected, scientists are racing to find one. But the virus is unusually complex which makes things difficult. The best hopes are for what's called a live-attenuated vaccine - which would contain enough of the virus so the animals develop antibodies but not so much that the animals get sick. There's been promising research, for instance on immunising wild boars in Europe, but a commercial vaccine is still years away. It's likely the first vaccine will come from China, as it's the country most at risk and might well fast-track regulation to get a vaccine on the market. Pork prices across Asia have increased, and in some cases, fuelled inflation. China's most recent inflation figures showed consumer prices rising at 4.5%, the fastest level in nine years, with pork accounting for much of that increase. Ratings agency Fitch said that domestic wholesale prices in the country nearly doubled in 2019, and predicts prices in South East Asia are also likely to rise. Rabobank said that China's pork imports from the US have doubled. Beef and chicken prices have also increased because of additional demand from consumers switching from pork. Tommy Wu, economist from Oxford Economics, said there's likely to be an additional price spike in the coming months as demand grows for Chinese New Year. The good news, Mr Wu said, is that China's biosecurity efforts have started to have an impact. He thinks the industry in China has turned a corner, but he cautions that a full recovery could take years. \"We're still looking at 40% below peak in terms of pig stock,\" he said.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1694, "answer_start": 757, "text": "The biggest impact so far has been in China, but the spread of the virus across South East Asia has been worrying too. Vietnam and the Philippines have seen some of the worst outbreaks in the region. Analysts at Rabobank expect Vietnam's pork production will drop by 21% this year, and by an additional 8% next year. The Philippines could see a 13% decline in its pig herd in 2020, it said. Rabobank put China's herd loss at 55% this year. Indonesia's Agriculture Minister Syahrul Yasin Limpo told reporters so far, the virus has been contained to parts of North Sumatra. \"Very serious handling is being carried out, including isolating those areas,\" Mr Limpo said. The disease has also been detected in Mongolia, Cambodia, South Korea, North Korea, Myanmar and East Timor, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation. Outside of Asia, the OIE said the disease is also present in parts of Eastern Europe and sub-Saharan Africa." } ], "id": "10170_0", "question": "Which countries have reported outbreaks?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The man suspected of carrying out a deadly arson attack on a Japanese animation studio may have visited the area before, local media reported. Neighbours spotted a man resembling Shinji Aoba near the Kyoto Animation (KyoAni) office before Thursday's fire. Mr Aoba, 41, who suffered severe burns, is in police custody and has been transferred to a hospital in Osaka. On Saturday, a man died in hospital from his injuries, bringing the death toll from the attack to 34. The fire swept through the studio's offices on Thursday morning, injuring many others in what was one of Japan's worst mass killings in recent years. One woman told Kyodo news agency that she spotted a man resembling Mr Aoba close to the KyoAni building on Monday. She said the man was carrying two boxes that appeared to contain petrol cans. Two students also reported seeing a man on Wednesday evening dressed similarly to the suspect. One of the students said the man resembled Mr Aoba and was lying on a bench approximately 500m (1640ft) away from the office. Police detained Mr Aoba on suspicion of setting fire to the building. Mr Aoba had allegedly accused the animation studio of plagiarising his novel. People who witnessed Shinji Aoba's arrest said they heard him complaining that the company had stolen his ideas. He was taken to hospital in Kyoto and, on Saturday, transferred to a hospital in Osaka. He has not yet been formally interviewed about his motive as police are waiting for him to recover from his injuries. Public broadcaster NHK reported that he had a criminal record and was previously jailed for stealing money from a convenience store. Kyoto Animation's president said he had recently received threatening letters but did not know if they were connected to the attack. The fire broke out at the three-storey building at about 10:30 local time (01:35 GMT). Eyewitnesses described a loud explosion followed by a blaze, causing people to jump out of windows to escape. Police said the attacker entered the building and splashed flammable liquid from a bucket before setting it alight, and shouting: \"Die!\" Authorities said most of the victims were found piled up on a stairway leading from the building's third floor up to the roof, where they collapsed trying to escape. Kyodo news agency said firefighters had found the door to the roof was shut, leaving people trapped inside. A Kyoto fire official also told Reuters news agency that the building did not have any sprinklers or indoor fire hydrants - but did not need them to comply with Japan's fire code. The fire was put out and police investigators searched the site for evidence. Kyoto Animation was founded in 1981 and has produced popular animation shows including K-On and The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. The studio also creates film versions of some of its popular franchises, and released the standalone feature A Silent Voice in 2016 to critical acclaim.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1764, "answer_start": 1032, "text": "Police detained Mr Aoba on suspicion of setting fire to the building. Mr Aoba had allegedly accused the animation studio of plagiarising his novel. People who witnessed Shinji Aoba's arrest said they heard him complaining that the company had stolen his ideas. He was taken to hospital in Kyoto and, on Saturday, transferred to a hospital in Osaka. He has not yet been formally interviewed about his motive as police are waiting for him to recover from his injuries. Public broadcaster NHK reported that he had a criminal record and was previously jailed for stealing money from a convenience store. Kyoto Animation's president said he had recently received threatening letters but did not know if they were connected to the attack." } ], "id": "10171_0", "question": "What do we know about the suspect?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2914, "answer_start": 1765, "text": "The fire broke out at the three-storey building at about 10:30 local time (01:35 GMT). Eyewitnesses described a loud explosion followed by a blaze, causing people to jump out of windows to escape. Police said the attacker entered the building and splashed flammable liquid from a bucket before setting it alight, and shouting: \"Die!\" Authorities said most of the victims were found piled up on a stairway leading from the building's third floor up to the roof, where they collapsed trying to escape. Kyodo news agency said firefighters had found the door to the roof was shut, leaving people trapped inside. A Kyoto fire official also told Reuters news agency that the building did not have any sprinklers or indoor fire hydrants - but did not need them to comply with Japan's fire code. The fire was put out and police investigators searched the site for evidence. Kyoto Animation was founded in 1981 and has produced popular animation shows including K-On and The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. The studio also creates film versions of some of its popular franchises, and released the standalone feature A Silent Voice in 2016 to critical acclaim." } ], "id": "10171_1", "question": "What happened on Thursday?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "A trade war is now a reality, French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire has warned as G20 ministers gather for a summit in Argentina. The current US trade policy of imposing unilateral tariffs is based on \"the law of the jungle\", he said. But US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin defended the tariffs and urged the EU and China to open their markets to allow free competition. Last week, US President Donald Trump described the EU as a \"foe\" on trade. Mr Trump later threatened to impose tariffs on all $500bn (PS380bn) of Chinese goods entering the US in a growing trade row. The US has large trade deficits with both the 28-member EU and China. The two-day talks in Buenos Aires bring together finance ministers and central bankers of the world's top 20 economies. \"World trade cannot base itself on the law of the jungle and the unilateral increase of tariffs is the law of the jungle,\" Mr Le Maire told AFP news agency. \"The law of the fittest - this cannot be the future of global trade relations. The law of the jungle will only turn out losers, it will weaken growth, threaten the most fragile countries and have disastrous political consequences.\" He added that a trade war was now a reality, and that the EU could not consider negotiating a free trade deal with the US without America first withdrawing its tariffs on steel and aluminium. Mr Mnuchin said it was pretty simple. \"My message is pretty clear, it's the same message the president delivered at the G7 (last month in Canada): if Europe believes in free trade, we're ready to sign a free trade agreement with no tariffs, no non-tariff barriers and no subsidies. It has to be all three,\" he said. Mr Mnuchin said China had to open its markets \"so we can compete fairly\". \"We share a desire to have a more balanced relationship and the balanced relationship is by us selling more goods [to China],\" he said. Little has caused Donald Trump more annoyance than the trading deficits between the US and its major partners. He believes that if you have a trade deficit - if you import more than you export - you are losing out. Tackling what he has called \"unfair trading practices\" has become a key plank of his administration. The European Union, China and the North American Free Trade Agreement (Nafta) countries, Mexico and Canada, have been his main targets. Mr Trump has pulled out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal and wants a renegotiated Nafta deal. January: The US slaps tariffs on imported washing machines and solar panels June: The Trump administration introduces tariffs of 25% on steel and 10% on aluminium imported into the US, arguing that global oversupply, driven by China, threatens American producers. The EU enacts retaliatory tariffs on a range of US goods, including bourbon whiskey, Harley Davidson motorcycles and orange juice July: A 25% tariff affecting $34bn (PS25.7bn) of Chinese goods begins. China retaliates in kind, with equivalent tariffs on the same value of US goods. Mr Trump threatens a 10% additional tariff on $200bn worth of additional Chinese products, naming more than 6,000 items", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1344, "answer_start": 764, "text": "\"World trade cannot base itself on the law of the jungle and the unilateral increase of tariffs is the law of the jungle,\" Mr Le Maire told AFP news agency. \"The law of the fittest - this cannot be the future of global trade relations. The law of the jungle will only turn out losers, it will weaken growth, threaten the most fragile countries and have disastrous political consequences.\" He added that a trade war was now a reality, and that the EU could not consider negotiating a free trade deal with the US without America first withdrawing its tariffs on steel and aluminium." } ], "id": "10172_0", "question": "What did the French minister say?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1870, "answer_start": 1345, "text": "Mr Mnuchin said it was pretty simple. \"My message is pretty clear, it's the same message the president delivered at the G7 (last month in Canada): if Europe believes in free trade, we're ready to sign a free trade agreement with no tariffs, no non-tariff barriers and no subsidies. It has to be all three,\" he said. Mr Mnuchin said China had to open its markets \"so we can compete fairly\". \"We share a desire to have a more balanced relationship and the balanced relationship is by us selling more goods [to China],\" he said." } ], "id": "10172_1", "question": "What is the US argument?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2433, "answer_start": 1871, "text": "Little has caused Donald Trump more annoyance than the trading deficits between the US and its major partners. He believes that if you have a trade deficit - if you import more than you export - you are losing out. Tackling what he has called \"unfair trading practices\" has become a key plank of his administration. The European Union, China and the North American Free Trade Agreement (Nafta) countries, Mexico and Canada, have been his main targets. Mr Trump has pulled out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal and wants a renegotiated Nafta deal." } ], "id": "10172_2", "question": "Tariff war. How did we get here?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "US Defence Secretary James Mattis is resigning, the latest in a string of senior US officials to do so. His announcement came a day after President Trump said he was withdrawing troops from Syria - a decision General Mattis is understood to oppose. In his resignation letter, Gen Mattis strongly hinted at policy differences with Mr Trump. He said the president had the right to appoint someone \"whose views are better aligned with yours\". Gen Mattis, 68, will leave the job in February. President Trump has not immediately named a successor, but said one would be appointed shortly. Members of Congress from both sides of the political divide have reacted with shock to the resignation. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, from Mr Trump's own Republican Party, said he was \"distressed\" to hear the resignation was reportedly due to \"sharp differences\" that Gen Mattis had with the president. Gen Mattis alluded to disagreements with the president in a number of policy areas. In his letter, addressed to Mr Trump directly, he described his views on \"treating allies with respect\" and using \"all the tools of American power to provide for the common defence\". \"Because you have the right to have a Secretary of Defense whose views are better aligned with yours on these and other subjects, I believe it is right for me to step down from my position,\" he wrote. While not mentioning the Syria troop pull-out directly, Gen Mattis had previously warned that an early withdrawal from the country would be a \"strategic blunder\". He also appeared to point to differences on a number of other key issues, including Russia and Nato. \"My views on treating allies with respect and also being clear-eyed about both malign actors and strategic competitors are strongly held and informed by over four decades of immersion in these issues,\" Gen Mattis wrote. He confirmed he would continue in the role until the end of February to \"allow sufficient time for a successor to be nominated and confirmed\". Analysis by Anthony Zurcher, BBC News, Washington Donald Trump may try to spin James Mattis's departure as a retirement after a lifetime of government service. It's not. This is a protest resignation, plain and simple. The defence secretary's letter to the president - in which he offers full-throated support for a US network of alliances and calls for a policy of containment of authoritarian rivals - makes that perfectly clear. The timing of this announcement, just a day after Mr Trump abruptly ordered the withdrawal of US troops from Syria and amid rumours of an Afghanistan pullout, should also dispel any doubt about stark policy differences between the two men. Gen Mattis had positioned himself as one of the cooler heads throughout the president's term - considered by Democrats and Republicans alike as a \"grown-up\" in the room and a far cry from the \"Mad Dog Mattis\" nickname that so enamoured Mr Trump. From his Pentagon office across the Potomac River from the White House, he managed to stay largely above the fray, frequently assuaging the concerns of US allies unnerved by some of the president's more intemperate statements. Now that check on the president, one of the last few remaining, is heading out, suggesting turbulent waters ahead. Florida Senator Marco Rubio, who ran against Mr Trump for the Republican nomination in 2016, said the letter \"makes it abundantly clear that we are headed towards a series of grave policy errors which will endanger our nation, damage our alliances & empower our adversaries\". Mr McConnell tweeted his statement responding to the announcement. John Kasich, Ohio's Republican governor, described current events surrounding the Trump administration as \"chaos\". Democratic Senator Mark Warner, who is vice chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, labelled the development \"scary\". He described Gen Mattis as \"an island of stability amidst the chaos of the Trump administration\". Democratic House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi told US media she was \"sad\" and \"shaken\" by the news. She also described Gen Mattis as a \"comfort to many of us as a voice of stability in the Trump administration\". Mr Trump announced his decision to withdraw some 2,000 US troops from Syria on Wednesday, asserting that the Islamic State (IS) group had been defeated there. The move is reportedly at odds with the view of some of his key cabinet officials. It has also drawn criticism from some of the country's international allies. Separately on Thursday, there were reports the White House was also planning a sharp cut to troop numbers in Afghanistan. The reports, which suggest 7,000 could return home, have not been confirmed by officials. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham tweeted that any withdrawal of troops there would be a \"high risk strategy\" which could reverse US progress in the region.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1991, "answer_start": 897, "text": "Gen Mattis alluded to disagreements with the president in a number of policy areas. In his letter, addressed to Mr Trump directly, he described his views on \"treating allies with respect\" and using \"all the tools of American power to provide for the common defence\". \"Because you have the right to have a Secretary of Defense whose views are better aligned with yours on these and other subjects, I believe it is right for me to step down from my position,\" he wrote. While not mentioning the Syria troop pull-out directly, Gen Mattis had previously warned that an early withdrawal from the country would be a \"strategic blunder\". He also appeared to point to differences on a number of other key issues, including Russia and Nato. \"My views on treating allies with respect and also being clear-eyed about both malign actors and strategic competitors are strongly held and informed by over four decades of immersion in these issues,\" Gen Mattis wrote. He confirmed he would continue in the role until the end of February to \"allow sufficient time for a successor to be nominated and confirmed\"." } ], "id": "10173_0", "question": "What did the resignation letter say?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4829, "answer_start": 4142, "text": "Mr Trump announced his decision to withdraw some 2,000 US troops from Syria on Wednesday, asserting that the Islamic State (IS) group had been defeated there. The move is reportedly at odds with the view of some of his key cabinet officials. It has also drawn criticism from some of the country's international allies. Separately on Thursday, there were reports the White House was also planning a sharp cut to troop numbers in Afghanistan. The reports, which suggest 7,000 could return home, have not been confirmed by officials. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham tweeted that any withdrawal of troops there would be a \"high risk strategy\" which could reverse US progress in the region." } ], "id": "10173_1", "question": "What is the latest on withdrawals?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Flights were cancelled after a private plane came off the runway at Liverpool John Lennon Airport. Four people were on board but no-one was hurt when the plane landed at about 06:00 GMT. A source at Liverpool FC confirmed the private jet had flown from the United States and was carrying one of the club's owners, Mike Gordon. The airport tweeted at 23:20 to say that \"normal operations have now resumed\". More than 9,000 passengers had flights cancelled, delayed or transferred to Manchester Airport and many booked into hotels for the night. Mr Gordon, who is the president of Fenway Sports Group, was on a flight from Bedford, Massachusetts, to Liverpool to attend a regular meeting at the club. \"He was not injured but would like to pass on his appreciation to the staff at Liverpool John Lennon Airport and the emergency services for their amazing work,\" the source said. The airport - which has apologised to passengers - issued several updates, saying work to deal with the problems was continuing, before later confirming that normal operations had resumed. A specialist removal team and firefighters had been struggling all day to remove the plane's wheels, which became embedded in mud 59m (194ft) to the side of the runway. They had been trying to dig out a track with the aim of dragging the plane out on to the runway. Once the jet was removed, a runway inspection had to be carried out before the airport could reopen. Liverpool Airport operations director Paul Staples earlier said the jet was too close to the landing strip to use the runway. \"We can't compromise safety,\" Mr Staples said, adding runways must have 75m of clear space. The Air Accidents Investigation Branch is investigating. A spokeswoman for VistaJet added: \"We are fully co-operating with the airport and relevant authorities.\" Passengers due to fly were advised to contact their airlines for further information. Eric Henderson, from Preston, was due to travel to Amsterdam for work. \"Our flight was due to leave at 07:30. We noticed at ten to that the flight had been moved to 11:40,\" he said. \"There was no explanation until we looked out of the large windows on the concourse and saw all the blue flashing lights.\" Steven and Kerry Grounds, from Warrington, were due to fly to Amsterdam to celebrate Kerry's 40th birthday. \"I don't think we will be going anywhere, so we're going back home,\" she said. Three crew members and one passenger were on board the plane when it came off the runway after landing. Flights arriving from Salzburg, where Liverpool FC played on Tuesday night, the Isle of Man and Dublin were diverted to Manchester, while planes from Belfast and Amsterdam were cancelled. Liverpool FC flew back to the UK shortly after the match finished, the club has confirmed. EasyJet earlier confirmed that six flights had been cancelled and four flights had been re-routed to Manchester. \"Customers on cancelled flights have been given the option of transferring their flight free of charge or receiving a refund,\" the spokesperson said. Mike Gordon is the president of Fenway Sports Group, the owners of Liverpool FC. He is a director of the club and is one of three board members who own more than a 10% share, alongside principal owner John Henry and chairman Tom Werner. He is also a director of the Boston Red Sox baseball club. Mr Gordon lives in Massachusetts with his wife and four children.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3398, "answer_start": 3037, "text": "Mike Gordon is the president of Fenway Sports Group, the owners of Liverpool FC. He is a director of the club and is one of three board members who own more than a 10% share, alongside principal owner John Henry and chairman Tom Werner. He is also a director of the Boston Red Sox baseball club. Mr Gordon lives in Massachusetts with his wife and four children." } ], "id": "10174_0", "question": "Who is Mike Gordon?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Luke Robertson has a metal plate in his head and a pacemaker in his chest, but that has never stopped his dream of walking to the South Pole. In the next few days, the 30-year-old from Stonehaven will begin his solo, unassisted and unsupported journey across Antarctica in an attempt to become the first Scot - and youngest Brit - to do so. As he made his final preparations in Chile, we found out what is going through his mind... and what is on his sledge. In February, 2014, Luke went to his doctor after experiencing severe headaches and problems with his vision. The following day, he was given a CT scan but not an MRI, as Luke's pacemaker - which was fitted for a heart block a day after he finished university at the age of 23 - prevented this. He was told he had a suspected brain tumour. It turned out he had a rare, non-cancerous, enterogenous cyst. The surgeons operated on him for five hours. They removed a large part of the cyst, but a small section remains. While in the Western General Hospital in Edinburgh, he met cancer sufferers and was inspired by them to finally do something he had always wanted to attempt - venture to the South Pole. Inspired by Shackleton, Scott and Amundsen, and following his experiences in hospital and the heartache of losing his uncle to cancer, he will raise money for Marie Curie on his long walk across the ice. His fundraising target was PS25,000, but before he even sets foot on the edge of the world, he has already raised more than PS31,000. A few weeks ago, Luke visited a Marie Curie Hospice in Edinburgh and met some of the residents receiving palliative care. \"I met a softly-spoken older lady who was terminally ill,\" he said. \"It was incredibly humbling. She listened to my story in absolute silence, then handed me PS20. I was struggling to hold back the tears. \"It made all the effort, all the work that has been put into this trip so far, worthwhile. \"It will be my motivation when I am taking steps on the ice. During the hard points, those are the things that will drive me forward.\" Luke plans to drag 110kg (17 stone) of his equipment across 730 miles of snow and ice for 35 days, experiencing temperatures of -50C and winds of 100mph. Unassisted and unsupported, he will receive no outside help such as a re-supply by air, and no support from animals or vehicles. It will just be Luke on his skiis, with everything he is taking being dragged behind him. So what do you take on such a momentous journey? A tent, of course, along with compass, a repair kit, a medical kit, a satellite phone to check in, seven pairs of gloves, some bloomers to combat the constant head wind, and \"goodie bags\" of skittles, chocolate and coconut cubes to keep him going. Every day, he will consume packets of freeze-dried food - ranging from Thai chicken to spaghetti carbonara - which he will cook on a stove. Sir Ranulph Fiennes, who has offered support to Luke's trip as patron, is one of the Edinburgh finance worker's heroes and his autobiography, Mad, Bad and Dangerous to Know, will find a place on the sledge, along with Robert MacFarlane's The Wild Places. Luke has downloaded hundreds of music tracks and podcasts, including Melvyn Bragg's In Our Time, from BBC Radio 4 and Radio Lab. His fiancee Hazel and her family have also had an input. She has recorded a video message from their friends for Luke to watch while he is in the wilderness, and has made sure he has some company in the form of a fluffy penguin. A 21-year-old bottle of Springbank whisky, given by Luke's future father-in-law, is another welcome addition. \"She will be able to plan the wedding while I am away\", jokes Luke. \"I'm sure everything will be sorted and I can just turn up.\" Luke has trained for months for the trek in Norway, Greenland and at the University of Glasgow's special \"cold chamber\". In recent weeks, he has dragged tyres around Edinburgh's Blackford Hill, with some curious onlookers donating money after discovering his plans. While on the South Pole, it is estimated Luke will consume 6,500 calories but burn off about 10,000 each day. He has had the pleasurable experience of \"fattening up\"'. Luke has put on 8kg (a stone) in the past two months, and hopes to put on another 2kg in his final week in Chile by eating \"three hot dogs a day with avocados and cream, burgers, and taking advantage of the buffet breakfast in the hotel\". If all goes to plan, Luke will spend Christmas Day on his own in the South Pole. A guaranteed white Christmas for sure, but how will he mark it? \"I will listen to 'Lonely This Christmas' as I tuck into my freeze-dried Thai chicken, while everyone else enjoys Christmas dinner. \"I also have a yellow Marie Curie Santa hat and some Christmas cards that I am taking with me to open.\" As well as an extra special festive season on the ice, Luke has another momentous event to look forward to. \"Half way, I will get to change my underwear and my socks which will be an exciting day for me. Probably after day two, I will be looking forward to that day.\" Luke is keen to make sure everyone can follow his progress on his charity trek. He flies out on Saturday to the Union Glacier camp in Antarctica, and then on to Hercules Inlet as soon as possible to begin the journey. He will carry a device which will allow him to post to Twitter and Facebook, and his location will be tracked by satellite so people can see where he is. - You can find out more about Luke's expedition to the South Pole on his website", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2050, "answer_start": 459, "text": "In February, 2014, Luke went to his doctor after experiencing severe headaches and problems with his vision. The following day, he was given a CT scan but not an MRI, as Luke's pacemaker - which was fitted for a heart block a day after he finished university at the age of 23 - prevented this. He was told he had a suspected brain tumour. It turned out he had a rare, non-cancerous, enterogenous cyst. The surgeons operated on him for five hours. They removed a large part of the cyst, but a small section remains. While in the Western General Hospital in Edinburgh, he met cancer sufferers and was inspired by them to finally do something he had always wanted to attempt - venture to the South Pole. Inspired by Shackleton, Scott and Amundsen, and following his experiences in hospital and the heartache of losing his uncle to cancer, he will raise money for Marie Curie on his long walk across the ice. His fundraising target was PS25,000, but before he even sets foot on the edge of the world, he has already raised more than PS31,000. A few weeks ago, Luke visited a Marie Curie Hospice in Edinburgh and met some of the residents receiving palliative care. \"I met a softly-spoken older lady who was terminally ill,\" he said. \"It was incredibly humbling. She listened to my story in absolute silence, then handed me PS20. I was struggling to hold back the tears. \"It made all the effort, all the work that has been put into this trip so far, worthwhile. \"It will be my motivation when I am taking steps on the ice. During the hard points, those are the things that will drive me forward.\"" } ], "id": "10175_0", "question": "Why is he doing it?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3712, "answer_start": 2051, "text": "Luke plans to drag 110kg (17 stone) of his equipment across 730 miles of snow and ice for 35 days, experiencing temperatures of -50C and winds of 100mph. Unassisted and unsupported, he will receive no outside help such as a re-supply by air, and no support from animals or vehicles. It will just be Luke on his skiis, with everything he is taking being dragged behind him. So what do you take on such a momentous journey? A tent, of course, along with compass, a repair kit, a medical kit, a satellite phone to check in, seven pairs of gloves, some bloomers to combat the constant head wind, and \"goodie bags\" of skittles, chocolate and coconut cubes to keep him going. Every day, he will consume packets of freeze-dried food - ranging from Thai chicken to spaghetti carbonara - which he will cook on a stove. Sir Ranulph Fiennes, who has offered support to Luke's trip as patron, is one of the Edinburgh finance worker's heroes and his autobiography, Mad, Bad and Dangerous to Know, will find a place on the sledge, along with Robert MacFarlane's The Wild Places. Luke has downloaded hundreds of music tracks and podcasts, including Melvyn Bragg's In Our Time, from BBC Radio 4 and Radio Lab. His fiancee Hazel and her family have also had an input. She has recorded a video message from their friends for Luke to watch while he is in the wilderness, and has made sure he has some company in the form of a fluffy penguin. A 21-year-old bottle of Springbank whisky, given by Luke's future father-in-law, is another welcome addition. \"She will be able to plan the wedding while I am away\", jokes Luke. \"I'm sure everything will be sorted and I can just turn up.\"" } ], "id": "10175_1", "question": "What is he taking with him?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4385, "answer_start": 3713, "text": "Luke has trained for months for the trek in Norway, Greenland and at the University of Glasgow's special \"cold chamber\". In recent weeks, he has dragged tyres around Edinburgh's Blackford Hill, with some curious onlookers donating money after discovering his plans. While on the South Pole, it is estimated Luke will consume 6,500 calories but burn off about 10,000 each day. He has had the pleasurable experience of \"fattening up\"'. Luke has put on 8kg (a stone) in the past two months, and hopes to put on another 2kg in his final week in Chile by eating \"three hot dogs a day with avocados and cream, burgers, and taking advantage of the buffet breakfast in the hotel\"." } ], "id": "10175_2", "question": "How has he prepared?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Of all the questions hanging over world trade this year, none loom bigger than President Trump. For decades, the US was the biggest driving force behind moves to stimulate more international trade. Now it's the most important sceptic. So for 2018, the big question has to be: what can we expect from him, and other forces around the world that share his doubts about trade? Perhaps the biggest single issue looking ahead is President Trump's hints that he might revert to his previous more confrontational approach to trade relations with China. During the election campaign Mr Trump spoke aggressively on trade, about US agreements and about some of the country's trading partners. He made an early start on his agenda after taking office. One of his first acts was to withdraw the US from a trade agreement that had not come into force, the Trans-Pacific Partnership. He has started the renegotiation of another, the North American Free Trade Agreement (Nafta) with Canada and Mexico that took effect in 1994, although he has so far stopped short of earlier threats to pull out of it altogether. Another proposed agreement that was under negotiation between the US and the European Union has gone into the deep freeze, perhaps permanently. He also has serious doubts about the World Trade Organization. The United States' lack of enthusiasm was a central factor behind a lacklustre outcome at the WTO's conference in December. It ended without new deals or even the usual agreed declaration of commitment to the system that the WTO manages. It is a striking contrast with the previous 70 years. Since the late 1940s the trend has been one of reducing or removing barriers to cross-border commerce. The global effort took place first with the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (Gatt) and then the WTO, which started work in 1995. There has also been a proliferation of agreements between smaller groups of countries that provide deeper trade integration than the WTO. The underlying idea was to avoid a repeat of the trade barriers that were erected in the 1930s, barriers that probably aggravated the Great Depression (though they were not the original cause of it). There was also the idea, with strong roots in economic theory, that stimulating trade by reducing barriers to it would make all countries better off. That said there is also plenty of economic analysis that suggests that some people within countries lose out. It's just that the gains are reckoned to exceed the losses. Mr Trump represents a striking contrast to this approach. He appears to believe that if you have a trade deficit - if you import more than you export - you are losing out. He looks at both the overall trade balance with the rest of the world and the bilateral balance with particular countries. He is especially irked by the hefty deficits in US trade with China and Mexico, among others. He also regards trade as the cause of lost jobs in US industry. All these points are controversial. Most economists regard trade deficits and surpluses as being driven largely by saving and investment decisions. A country where investment is more than national saving has a trade deficit (strictly speaking it's the current account of the balance of payments which is in deficit - that's trade plus some financial transactions, including profits and income sent across international borders). A large imbalance in the overall current account can certainly be troubling and has sometimes been a precursor to financial crises. But most economists think it makes much less sense to worry about individual bilateral deficits. President Trump sees the deficits as evidence that the other country concerned is trading unfairly or that US policy in the past has been weak. Many economists would also argue that trade is not the main cause of industrial job losses. Certainly there are many who agree it has contributed, but technology is thought by many to have had a bigger impact. President Trump's approach to that has moved over time. Before he became president he threatened a 45% tariff on Chinese imports, yet in his first year in office he has been much more restrained in part out a desire for Chinese cooperation in dealing with North Korea. But now he is unhappy with China, accusing Beijing of allowing oil to go to North Korea in breach of international sanctions. So there is a renewed possibility of serious trade conflict between the world's two largest economies. More from the BBC's series taking an international perspective on trade: International trade had already had seen some setbacks even before Donald Trump's arrival on the scene. It has been growing more slowly than it was before the 2008 financial crisis. Over the preceding quarter of a century or so, the average growth in global trade was about 6%. In the last ten years it has been around half that, though it did pick up to 4.2% in 2017. Looking beyond 2018, the pattern of world trade may also be affected by Britain's departure from the European Union. The referendum vote to leave does in part fit into the wider picture of resentment about the consequences for globalisation - though in the UK case it was more about migration than trade. Indeed the government implementing the referendum result is enthusiastic about trade seeing Brexit in terms of new global opportunities. That said there could be a trade impact, if there are new barriers to commerce between the UK and the EU. 2018 looks like being an important year for global trade. Seventy years of increased global openness to trade won't be reversed, but it is certainly facing new challenges.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1542, "answer_start": 374, "text": "Perhaps the biggest single issue looking ahead is President Trump's hints that he might revert to his previous more confrontational approach to trade relations with China. During the election campaign Mr Trump spoke aggressively on trade, about US agreements and about some of the country's trading partners. He made an early start on his agenda after taking office. One of his first acts was to withdraw the US from a trade agreement that had not come into force, the Trans-Pacific Partnership. He has started the renegotiation of another, the North American Free Trade Agreement (Nafta) with Canada and Mexico that took effect in 1994, although he has so far stopped short of earlier threats to pull out of it altogether. Another proposed agreement that was under negotiation between the US and the European Union has gone into the deep freeze, perhaps permanently. He also has serious doubts about the World Trade Organization. The United States' lack of enthusiasm was a central factor behind a lacklustre outcome at the WTO's conference in December. It ended without new deals or even the usual agreed declaration of commitment to the system that the WTO manages." } ], "id": "10176_0", "question": "Confrontational again?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Nicholas Murray Butler was one of the leading thinkers of his age: a philosopher, Nobel Peace Prize winner, the president of Columbia University. In 1911, someone asked Butler to name the most important invention of the industrial era. Steam, perhaps? Electricity? \"No,\" he said. They would both \"be reduced to comparative impotence\" without \"the greatest single discovery of modern times\" - the limited liability corporation. 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. It seems odd to say the corporation was \"discovered\". But it didn't just appear from nowhere. The word \"incorporate\" means take on bodily form - not a physical body, but a legal one. In the law's eyes, a corporation is something different from the people who own it, or run it, or work for it. And that's a concept lawmakers had to dream up. Without laws saying that a corporation can do certain things - such as own assets, or enter into contracts - the word would be meaningless. The legal ingredients that comprise a corporation came together in a form we would recognise in England, on New Year's Eve, in 1600. Back then, creating a corporation didn't simply involve filing in some routine forms - you needed a royal charter. And you couldn't incorporate with the general aim of doing business and making profits - a corporation's charter specifically said what it was allowed to do, and often also stipulated that nobody else was allowed to do it. The legal body created that New Year's Eve was the Honourable East India Company, charged with handling all of England's shipping trade east of the Cape of Good Hope. Its shareholders were 218 merchants. Crucially - and unusually - the charter granted those merchants limited liability for the company's actions. Why was that so important? Because otherwise, investors were personally liable for everything the business did. If you partnered in a business that ran up debts it couldn't pay, its debtors could come after you - not just for the value of your investment, but for everything you owned. That's worth thinking about: whose business might you be willing to invest in, if you knew that it could lose you your home, and even land you in prison? Perhaps a close family member's? At a push, a trusted friend's? The way we invest today - buying shares in companies whose managers we will never meet - would be unthinkable. And that would severely limit the amount of capital a business venture could raise. Back in the 1500s, perhaps that wasn't much of a problem. Most business was local, and personal. But handling England's trade with half the world was a weighty undertaking. Over the next two centuries, the East India Company grew to look less like a trading business than a colonial government. At its peak, it ruled 90 million Indians and employed an army of 200,000 soldiers. It had a meritocratic civil service and issued its own coins. Meanwhile, the idea of limited liability caught on. In 1811, New York state introduced it, not as a royal privilege, but for any manufacturing company. Other states and countries followed, including the world's leading economy, Britain, in 1854. Not everyone approved. The Economist magazine was initially sniffy, pointing out that if people wanted limited liability they could agree it through private contracts. But the limited liability company would prove its worth. The new industrial technologies of the 19th Century needed lots of capital. A railway company, for example, needed to raise large sums to lay tracks before it could make a penny in profit. How many investors would risk everything on its success? Not many. Soon, The Economist was gushing that the unknown inventors of limited liability deserved \"a place of honour with Watt, Stephenson and other pioneers of the industrial revolution\". But the limited liability corporation has its problems, one of which was obvious to the father of modern economic thought, Adam Smith. In The Wealth of Nations, in 1776, Smith dismissed the idea that professional managers would do a good job of looking after shareholders' money. \"It cannot well be expected that they should watch over it with the same anxious vigilance with which partners in a private co-partnery frequently watch over their own,\" he wrote. In principle, Smith was right. There's always a temptation for managers to play fast and loose with investors' money. We've evolved corporate governance laws to try to protect shareholders, but they haven't always succeeded, as investors in Enron or Lehman Brothers might tell you. And they generate their own tensions. Consider the fashionable idea of \"corporate social responsibility\" - where a company might donate to charity, or decide to embrace higher labour or environmental standards than those stipulated in law. It can be clever brand-building, and in some cases may result in higher sales. In others, managers may be using shareholders' money to buy social status or a quiet life. For that reason, the economist Milton Friedman argued that \"the social responsibility of business is to maximise its profits\". If it's legal, and it makes money, they should do it. And if people don't like it, don't blame the company - change the law. The trouble is that companies can influence the law, too. They can fund lobbyists. They can donate to electoral candidates' campaigns. The East India Company quickly learned the value of maintaining cosy relationships with British politicians, who duly bailed it out whenever it got into trouble. In 1770, for example, a famine in Bengal clobbered the company's revenue. British legislators saved it from bankruptcy, by exempting it from tariffs on tea exports to the American colonies, which was, perhaps, short-sighted on their part: it eventually led to the Boston Tea Party, and the American Declaration of Independence. You could say the United States owes its existence to excessive corporate influence on politicians. And arguably, corporate power is even greater today, for a simple reason: in a global economy, corporations can threaten to move offshore. When Britain's lawmakers eventually grew tired of the East India Company's demands, they had the ultimate sanction: in 1874, they revoked its charter. For multinationals with opaque ownership structures, that threat is effectively off the table. We often think of ourselves as living in a world where free market capitalism is the dominant force. Few want a return to the command economies of Mao or Stalin, where hierarchies, not markets, decided what to produce. And yet hierarchies, not markets, are exactly how decisions are taken within companies. When a receptionist or an accounts payable clerk makes a decision, they're not doing so because the price of soy beans has risen. They're following orders from the boss. The warrior monks who invented banking What makes gambling wrong but insurance right? How the invention of paper changed the world Why the world's biggest investor backs the simplest investment In the US, bastion of free-market capitalism, about half of all private sector employees work for companies with a payroll of at least 500. Some argue that companies have grown too big, too influential. In 2016, Pew Research asked Americans if they thought the economic system was \"generally fair\", or \"unfairly favours powerful interests\". By two to one, unfair won. Even The Economist worries that regulators are now too timid about exposing market-dominating companies to a blast of healthy competition. But let's not forget what the limited liability company has done for us. By helping investors pool their capital without taking unacceptable risks, it enabled big industrial projects, stock markets and index funds. It played a foundational role in creating the modern economy. 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": 6538, "answer_start": 5564, "text": "The East India Company quickly learned the value of maintaining cosy relationships with British politicians, who duly bailed it out whenever it got into trouble. In 1770, for example, a famine in Bengal clobbered the company's revenue. British legislators saved it from bankruptcy, by exempting it from tariffs on tea exports to the American colonies, which was, perhaps, short-sighted on their part: it eventually led to the Boston Tea Party, and the American Declaration of Independence. You could say the United States owes its existence to excessive corporate influence on politicians. And arguably, corporate power is even greater today, for a simple reason: in a global economy, corporations can threaten to move offshore. When Britain's lawmakers eventually grew tired of the East India Company's demands, they had the ultimate sanction: in 1874, they revoked its charter. For multinationals with opaque ownership structures, that threat is effectively off the table." } ], "id": "10177_0", "question": "Short-sighted?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "North Korean defectors who risk their lives escaping to the South face a language barrier in their new home because of the way vocabulary has evolved either side of the border. Having risked death by escaping through China - which hands back refugees it captures - defectors often find themselves at a loss to understand words for tax, homelessness and rent. All are alien concepts to northerners used to state ownership of everything. North Korea's closed society means its language has changed little since the post-WW2 division of the peninsula. Meanwhile, the southern version has developed rapidly due to exposure to outside culture and technology. Facing discrimination and difficulties due to the language barrier, defectors are turning to new options. Translation apps aim to bridge the gap, while a vast unified dictionary of the Korean language is under development. Defectors already feeling like outsiders because of their northern accents must get to grips with unfamiliar terms. The South acquired a hybrid \"Konglish\" US-inspired vocabulary, adopting many English words, such as \"juseu\" (juice) and \"two-piece\" (two-piece outfit). For relatively modern words like doughnut and shampoo, the northern dialect uses literal descriptions \"garakji bbang\" (ring bread), and \"meorimulbinu\" (hair water soap). The North also picked up loanwords from its Russian ally, such as \"Tteuraktoreu\" (tractor). One word for \"friend\" (dongmu) in Korean became a Soviet-inspired \"comrade\", and was subsequently purged from the South Korean vocabulary. Their different sense of identity also led to differences in political terms. South Korea refers to itself as Hanguk, whereas North Korea calls itself Choson in reference to the former Joseon empire. The language barrier even made its way into sport when the unified Korean women's ice hockey team played at last year's Winter Olympics. While southern-based players would refer to a goalkeeper as a \"gol-kipeo\", North Koreans would consider them a \"mun-jigi\" (door keeper). To get around this, the team created their own dictionary which translated hockey terms to a version of Korean everybody could understand. Defectors face a vastly different social system in the South. Beforehand they would have received scant information about their southern neighbour from tightly controlled state media, aside from insults aimed at Seoul's leaders. North Korean media has a long history of unflattering terms for political opponents, calling former US President Barack Obama \"kidungso'bang\", which loosely translates as \"fancy man\". Some North Koreans do learn about the South from black market media smuggled across the border, but communication remains one of the biggest barriers to assimilation. A season of stories about bringing people together in a fragmented world. Efforts to address the problem begin at the very outset of a defector's new life at Hanawon, South Korea's mandatory training centre for new defectors. Hanawon's three-month training focuses on giving them the knowledge and tools to build a new life in the South. To help defectors adapt, Seoul's Ministry of Unification routinely publishes lists of common words that confuse defectors. Some non-governmental groups, such as Teach North Korean Refugees (TNKR), school new arrivals in English, which has filtered into South Korean life. Apps and educational material are also appearing. One such service is Univoca, an app that translates everyday South Korean terms into those more familiar to North Koreans. It allows users to build a vocabulary list, looking up words and even translating them by scanning with a camera. A vast undertaking to codify a unified vocabulary is the Gyeoremal Keunsajeon (grand dictionary of the national language), an inter-Korean project that began in 2005. According to South Korean lexicographer Han Yong-woon, who is part of the Gyeoremal team, the dictionary will compile words from existing dictionaries across the two Koreas and add newer words and expressions. \"We plan to collect about 210,000 words. And then we will collect new words and expressions that are being used but not in dictionaries. That would be about 100,000,\" Han told the BBC. Despite obstacles, such as the initiative being put on hold during periods of political tension, Han said that the work is \"about 80%\" complete from the South's side and should take another five years. The North would need to confirm its own progress, he added. Korean is one of the world's oldest languages, but its current form was introduced in the 15th Century when King Sejong the Great introduced Hunminjeongeum (Proper Sounds for the Instruction of the People) as a simplified phonetic system to replace the Chinese-based Hanja. The script, now called Hangul in South Korea and Chosongul in North Korea, emerged as the standard for modern Korean. North Korea's first leader Kim Il-sung attempted a \"purification\" to remove Chinese and Japanese influences, while the language evolved further to represent the ideological concept of \"juche\" (self-reliance). The resulting cross-border differences must be addressed if aspirations for a united Korea are to be realised. Reporting by Shreyas Reddy, Tae-jun Kang and Alistair Coleman", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2158, "answer_start": 877, "text": "Defectors already feeling like outsiders because of their northern accents must get to grips with unfamiliar terms. The South acquired a hybrid \"Konglish\" US-inspired vocabulary, adopting many English words, such as \"juseu\" (juice) and \"two-piece\" (two-piece outfit). For relatively modern words like doughnut and shampoo, the northern dialect uses literal descriptions \"garakji bbang\" (ring bread), and \"meorimulbinu\" (hair water soap). The North also picked up loanwords from its Russian ally, such as \"Tteuraktoreu\" (tractor). One word for \"friend\" (dongmu) in Korean became a Soviet-inspired \"comrade\", and was subsequently purged from the South Korean vocabulary. Their different sense of identity also led to differences in political terms. South Korea refers to itself as Hanguk, whereas North Korea calls itself Choson in reference to the former Joseon empire. The language barrier even made its way into sport when the unified Korean women's ice hockey team played at last year's Winter Olympics. While southern-based players would refer to a goalkeeper as a \"gol-kipeo\", North Koreans would consider them a \"mun-jigi\" (door keeper). To get around this, the team created their own dictionary which translated hockey terms to a version of Korean everybody could understand." } ], "id": "10178_0", "question": "So how did the problem arise?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2738, "answer_start": 2159, "text": "Defectors face a vastly different social system in the South. Beforehand they would have received scant information about their southern neighbour from tightly controlled state media, aside from insults aimed at Seoul's leaders. North Korean media has a long history of unflattering terms for political opponents, calling former US President Barack Obama \"kidungso'bang\", which loosely translates as \"fancy man\". Some North Koreans do learn about the South from black market media smuggled across the border, but communication remains one of the biggest barriers to assimilation." } ], "id": "10178_1", "question": "How does the communication gap impact defectors?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "US President Donald Trump has said he has the \"absolute right\" to pardon himself in the Russia inquiry, while insisting he has done nothing wrong. He echoed the argument his lawyers made in a January memo to the US special counsel leading the investigation. In his tweet, Mr Trump once again lashed out at the inquiry into whether his election campaign had colluded with Russia or obstructed justice. Constitutional scholars are divided on whether a president can pardon himself. The exact legality of a self-pardon is unclear. There is no precedent for a US president pardoning himself. The US constitution allows the president the \"power to grant reprieves and pardons for offences against the United States, except in cases of impeachment\". A president could offer clemency, commutation or a full pardon, even if an individual has not been charged or convicted. However, he cannot pardon people over state-level crimes. But the broad application of presidential pardons has left some constitutional scholars divided on the matter. Some legal experts say no, citing an opinion issued by the justice department that President Richard Nixon could not pardon himself \"under the fundamental rule that no one may be a judge in his own case\". Other experts have said the action would be improper, but acknowledge that the constitution does not technically preclude a self-pardon. The \"13 Democrats\" Mr Trump refers to appear to be among the 17 investigators on Special Counsel Robert Mueller's team, but it unclear to whom he is referring. Some of the investigators on Mr Mueller's team have previously registered as Democrats and nine of them have made financial donations to the Democratic party in the past, according to US media reports. Mr Mueller is a lifelong registered Republican who was chosen by Republican president George W Bush to serve as FBI director. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who appointed Mr Mueller to head the Russia probe, is also a registered Republican. According to federal guidelines, Department of Justice managers are prohibited from considering employees' political affiliation when choosing their assignments. Analysis by Anthony Zurcher, BBC News, Washington Donald Trump may be preparing to weaponise the pardon - a silver-tipped arrow in the presidential quiver that could protect Mr Trump and his inner circle from Robert Mueller's team of investigators. The groundwork is being laid for total war against the special counsel. For months the president and his defenders have been chipping away at the foundations of the investigation, questioning whether it was improvidently established, accusing it of conflict of interest and outright partisan bias, and decrying its duration and cost. If they can establish, at least in the minds of Republican politicians and party faithful, that the investigation is illegitimate, then the pardon becomes a noble tool for protecting the innocent and the unfairly prosecuted. The weapon has already been test fired - in granting reprieves to conservative commentator Dinesh D'Souza, former Bush White House aide Scooter Libby and Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio, all the victims in the president's view of unfair, politically motivated federal investigations. The stage is set, if Mr Mueller's team makes a move against those closest to the president or even Mr Trump himself, for the pardon power to be unleashed. Then a theoretical legal debate becomes a very real one, with very real consequences. Also on Monday morning, White House adviser Kellyanne Conway was asked by a reporter why the president talked about pardoning himself. She replied: \"Why would he need to pardon himself if he's done nothing wrong? You just like to engage in these hypothetical exercises constantly. \"I presume it's easier than understanding the ins and outs of North Korea and trade policy.\" Mr Trump's tweet comes a day after one of his lawyers addressed the self-pardon issue on the Sunday talk shows. Rudy Giuliani told ABC's This Week programme that Mr Trump \"has no intention of pardoning himself\", while adding that he \"probably does\" have that power. Mr Giuliani told NBC's Meet the Press: \"Pardoning himself would be unthinkable and probably lead to immediate impeachment. \"And he has no need to do it, he's done nothing wrong.\" But speaking on CNN on Sunday, House Republican Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy said no president should pardon himself.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1375, "answer_start": 480, "text": "The exact legality of a self-pardon is unclear. There is no precedent for a US president pardoning himself. The US constitution allows the president the \"power to grant reprieves and pardons for offences against the United States, except in cases of impeachment\". A president could offer clemency, commutation or a full pardon, even if an individual has not been charged or convicted. However, he cannot pardon people over state-level crimes. But the broad application of presidential pardons has left some constitutional scholars divided on the matter. Some legal experts say no, citing an opinion issued by the justice department that President Richard Nixon could not pardon himself \"under the fundamental rule that no one may be a judge in his own case\". Other experts have said the action would be improper, but acknowledge that the constitution does not technically preclude a self-pardon." } ], "id": "10179_0", "question": "Could Trump pardon himself?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2149, "answer_start": 1376, "text": "The \"13 Democrats\" Mr Trump refers to appear to be among the 17 investigators on Special Counsel Robert Mueller's team, but it unclear to whom he is referring. Some of the investigators on Mr Mueller's team have previously registered as Democrats and nine of them have made financial donations to the Democratic party in the past, according to US media reports. Mr Mueller is a lifelong registered Republican who was chosen by Republican president George W Bush to serve as FBI director. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who appointed Mr Mueller to head the Russia probe, is also a registered Republican. According to federal guidelines, Department of Justice managers are prohibited from considering employees' political affiliation when choosing their assignments." } ], "id": "10179_1", "question": "What did Trump say?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3477, "answer_start": 2150, "text": "Analysis by Anthony Zurcher, BBC News, Washington Donald Trump may be preparing to weaponise the pardon - a silver-tipped arrow in the presidential quiver that could protect Mr Trump and his inner circle from Robert Mueller's team of investigators. The groundwork is being laid for total war against the special counsel. For months the president and his defenders have been chipping away at the foundations of the investigation, questioning whether it was improvidently established, accusing it of conflict of interest and outright partisan bias, and decrying its duration and cost. If they can establish, at least in the minds of Republican politicians and party faithful, that the investigation is illegitimate, then the pardon becomes a noble tool for protecting the innocent and the unfairly prosecuted. The weapon has already been test fired - in granting reprieves to conservative commentator Dinesh D'Souza, former Bush White House aide Scooter Libby and Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio, all the victims in the president's view of unfair, politically motivated federal investigations. The stage is set, if Mr Mueller's team makes a move against those closest to the president or even Mr Trump himself, for the pardon power to be unleashed. Then a theoretical legal debate becomes a very real one, with very real consequences." } ], "id": "10179_2", "question": "Why is Trump doing this?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Nine people have been confirmed dead and dozens more are missing after a boat capsized in western Uganda on Sunday. The boat was carrying more than 50 football players and fans from the western Uganda district of Hoima. Witnesses say overloading and bad weather are probably to blame for the accident, as rescue attempts continue. In 2016, about 30 footballers and fans drowned when their boat capsized on Lake Albert. The passengers were travelling to Runga landing site where a friendly match between two local clubs was scheduled. The wooden canoe capsized shortly after it departed the docks. A police spokesperson said that fishermen at nearby landing sites rushed to the rescue and 32 people were rescued within an hour of the accident. Friends and relatives of the missing passengers have gathered at the shore as police conduct search operations. The police and Military Marine Unit responded shortly afterwards with divers who have since been able to recover nine bodies, the BBC's Dear Jeanne reports from Kampala. Police and eyewitnesses say the boat was overloaded and then hit by strong winds. Survivors say most people on the boat were not wearing lifejackets. In 2016, another boat carrying footballers and fans capsized on Lake Albert, killing more than 20 people. In 2014, two boats carrying refugees being repatriated to DR Congo capsized and 109 bodies were recovered in Lake Albert. Boat owners usually have some lifejackets onboard to avoid getting arrested by the marine police but the lifejackets are often old and there are not enough for all the passengers, our reporter says. She adds that not many Ugandans, except those who live near water, know how to swim, which could be one reason for the high number of fatalities in boat accidents in the country.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1780, "answer_start": 1025, "text": "Police and eyewitnesses say the boat was overloaded and then hit by strong winds. Survivors say most people on the boat were not wearing lifejackets. In 2016, another boat carrying footballers and fans capsized on Lake Albert, killing more than 20 people. In 2014, two boats carrying refugees being repatriated to DR Congo capsized and 109 bodies were recovered in Lake Albert. Boat owners usually have some lifejackets onboard to avoid getting arrested by the marine police but the lifejackets are often old and there are not enough for all the passengers, our reporter says. She adds that not many Ugandans, except those who live near water, know how to swim, which could be one reason for the high number of fatalities in boat accidents in the country." } ], "id": "10180_0", "question": "Why are there so many deaths when boats capsize?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Economic policymakers must now decide whether and how they should respond to the UK's vote to leave the EU. A Leave vote was always seen as more likely to generate significant disturbances in the financial world. For that reason it is also the result which was thought more likely to pose a headache for the world's central banks. There have already been statements from some that they are prepared to act to maintain financial stability. There are two potential issues they might want to respond to in the short term: the stability of the (commercial) banks and swings in exchange rates. With the banks there is a possibility of a general rise in risk aversion, and some might have difficulty borrowing in the inter-bank market. The ultimate danger from that is that they might be unable to make debt payments as they come due. Central banks can address that by lending them extra money (liquidity). In the UK the Bank of England has already been doing this ahead of the referendum, hoping to ensure that there is sufficient liquidity already in place. The Bank has said it \"will continue to monitor market conditions carefully and keep its operations under review\". Other central banks will be ready to take similar action if they think it's needed. What if the strains show up in terms of foreign currency liquidity - say an Italian bank needing quick access to Swiss francs? There are arrangements known as swap lines put in place during the international financial crisis that can be used if necessary. The Italian bank could then get Swiss francs from the European Central Bank (ECB), (and the Swiss National Bank would be able to offer euros to Swiss banks if needed). The Bank of England is involved in these arrangements so it can get foreign currency if British banks were to need it urgently. With sharp moves in exchange rates, there are several options. They could just live with it. But if they felt the swings were too sharp and destabilising they could intervene using their foreign currency reserves. In the case of the UK, the decision to conduct such intervention is for the Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, with the Bank of England carrying it out in the markets. So if there were too precipitous a fall in the value of one currency (sterling would be the obvious candidate in the event of a leave vote) the Bank of England could buy sterling with dollars or yen from its reserves, hoping the additional demand for the pound would support its value. Conversely the Swiss National Bank has been worried about too rapid a rise in the Swiss franc and has already been into the markets to buy other currencies such as the euro with its own national currency. Further action on these lines is a possibility. Currencies seen as havens are susceptible to unwanted sharp rises in times of financial stress and the Swiss franc is a prime example of that. Currency market intervention is often not announced. Some observers say there is evidence suggesting that the Swiss central bank might have intervened over the past week. The intervention after the vote by the SNB was announced however. Interest rates can also be used to curb currency moves - a cut to stop a currency rising; a rate rise to prevent a fall. Both options, interest rate moves and intervention, can be co-ordinated by central banks. Further quantitative easing (QE) is also a possible response to a rising currency. It tends to drive down market interest rates and there has been some speculation that it might be on the agenda very soon, perhaps from the Bank of Japan (which does not want to see the yen gaining value). Interest rate moves and QE can also be used to address longer term fallout - to tackle any impact on inflation or growth. The Bank of England has scope to cut rates further and it could undertake further QE. A fall in sterling would be inflationary, though up to a point that could be welcome as inflation is currently (at 0.3%) far below the Bank's target (2%). Another risk is that in a general flight from riskier assets the government debt problem in the eurozone could return, pushing up borrowing costs for countries such as Spain and Italy that were in the firing line a few years ago. Those earlier eurozone storms abated after the ECB announced that it was prepared in some circumstances to buy the bonds, the debts, of governments severely affected. In the event it never used this new weapon. The mere threat of doing so was enough to settle the eurozone bond market. Some observers, such as the London consultancy Capital Economics, think it could finally use this programme, if the aftermath of a leave vote were sufficiently disruptive. The likely timescale for these options varies. In principle many could be done very quickly. The most urgent, if needed, would probably be bank liquidity. Interest rates and QE could be announced early, but could also be used as a response to economic fallout that might emerge over a longer period. The ECB's option of riding to the rescue of the likes of Spain or Italy would take some time. They would need to have an economic policy programme agreed with the rest of the eurozone. And Spain in particular, with an election this weekend, is itself in a period of political uncertainty that could make it difficult to conduct international negotiations.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3616, "answer_start": 1804, "text": "With sharp moves in exchange rates, there are several options. They could just live with it. But if they felt the swings were too sharp and destabilising they could intervene using their foreign currency reserves. In the case of the UK, the decision to conduct such intervention is for the Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, with the Bank of England carrying it out in the markets. So if there were too precipitous a fall in the value of one currency (sterling would be the obvious candidate in the event of a leave vote) the Bank of England could buy sterling with dollars or yen from its reserves, hoping the additional demand for the pound would support its value. Conversely the Swiss National Bank has been worried about too rapid a rise in the Swiss franc and has already been into the markets to buy other currencies such as the euro with its own national currency. Further action on these lines is a possibility. Currencies seen as havens are susceptible to unwanted sharp rises in times of financial stress and the Swiss franc is a prime example of that. Currency market intervention is often not announced. Some observers say there is evidence suggesting that the Swiss central bank might have intervened over the past week. The intervention after the vote by the SNB was announced however. Interest rates can also be used to curb currency moves - a cut to stop a currency rising; a rate rise to prevent a fall. Both options, interest rate moves and intervention, can be co-ordinated by central banks. Further quantitative easing (QE) is also a possible response to a rising currency. It tends to drive down market interest rates and there has been some speculation that it might be on the agenda very soon, perhaps from the Bank of Japan (which does not want to see the yen gaining value)." } ], "id": "10181_0", "question": "Precipitous fall?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Global online searches for abortion pills have more than doubled over the last decade, BBC analysis of Google searches shows. The findings also suggest that in countries where abortion laws are more restrictive, there is greater search interest in abortion pills. By buying pills online and sharing medical advice through WhatsApp groups, women are increasingly turning to technology to sidestep legal barriers to abortion. This is the modern face of the so-called \"DIY abortion\". Countries with the strictest laws, where abortion is allowed only to save a woman's life or banned altogether, have over 10 times higher search interest in abortion pill Misoprostol compared to countries with no restrictions, BBC analysis shows. There are two main methods of inducing abortion; surgical and medical. A medical abortion typically involves taking a combination of pills, Misoprostol and Mifeprostone, to induce a miscarriage. Misoprostol can also go by brand names like Cytotec. While women in countries such as the UK will be prescribed this combination by a doctor, women searching for and purchasing the pills online in countries where access to abortion is restricted are often breaking the law, risking severe punishments. Ghana and Nigeria are the two countries with the highest search interest in Misoprostol, according to the Google data. Ghana only allows abortions in cases of rape, incest, foetal impairment or to preserve a woman's mental health. Nigeria is stricter still: abortion is only allowed in situations where a woman's life is in danger. Of the 25 countries with highest search interest in Misoprostol, 11 are in Africa and 14 in Latin America. All but two - Zambia and Mozambique - either ban abortions altogether or allow them only to save a woman's life or health. In Ireland, taking abortion pills carries a 14-year prison sentence, however the referendum held in May showed voters were overwhelmingly in favour of overturning the law. The taoiseach (prime minister) Leo Varadkar, who campaigned in favour of liberalisation, has said he hopes new rules will be in place by the end of the year. The BBC recently reported on a WhatsApp group, operating in Brazil, helping women get hold of the pills and offering them advice during the procedure. Juliana (not her real name) was one of the women who sought the WhatsApp group's help. \"I did the procedure alone at my house and reported the time I was going to start to the WhatsApp group,\" says the 28-year-old. \"What I thought was really nice, is how the other women in the group help each other, sharing information, and discussing doubts and fears. This strengthened me, in a way. \"It's always good to know that you're not alone. The group was very important to me, for me to feel safe.\" Analysing Google data doesn't just show the countries where search interest is highest. It can also show how often exact phrases are searched about a topic. \"Abortion pills\" is a top search phrase on abortion in all the countries analysed by the BBC. \"How to abort\" is the most commonly asked question in more than two-thirds of countries. \"How to use Misoprostol\", \"Misoprostol price\", \"buy Misoprostol\" and \"Misoprostol dosage\" feature among the most common searches around abortion. Alongside abortion pills, women are also turning to their search engines to source alternative methods to self-induce abortions. Herbs like parsley, cinnamon, vitamin C, aspirin and abortion teas (herbal concoctions) all came up as top searched methods. In half of the countries we looked at \"home remedies for abortion\" was a top search related to abortion. One study, which looked at the use of abortion teas in sub-Saharan Africa, found that while some plants did affect the uterus, there were many drawbacks to this traditional method. Along with a lack of data around safety, the study suggested it was hard for practitioners to control dosage and side-effects. None of the \"home remedies\" listed above are considered safe abortion methods by the World Health Organisation. Worldwide, about 25 million unsafe abortions take place each year, according to the World Health Organisation, accounting for 45% of all abortions. These 25 million unsafe abortions are categorised even further. Although Misoprostol is normally considered a safe method of abortion when administered by a medical professional, when it is used by an untrained person it poses risks. When it is administered by an untrained person, the World Health Organisation classes it as \"less safe\" and says this accounts for almost one-third (31%) of the total number of abortions, both safe and unsafe. \"Even when the quality of the drugs is perfect and you follow the protocol to the letter, there is still a failure rate,\" says Dhammika Perera, the global medical director at Marie Stopes International. When a woman buys the pills online, or is provided them by an untrained person, it increases the chances of a failed abortion, he says. These women are also less likely to go for post-abortion care if something goes wrong. \"Stigma, cost, geographical access can all make women hesitate and that puts them at risk,\" Mr Perera says. \"It's slow progress, but that there is progress, is unquestionable. \"Globally some backward steps have been taken, in the US for example, but I remain hopeful.\" The BBC recently heard the story of Arezoo, a law student, who was living in Iran when she found out she was pregnant by her boyfriend of five years. They had always used contraception. \"Every gynaecologist's office I saw I walked in,\" she says. \"When the doctors checked me and found out I was unmarried and needed an abortion they rejected me immediately.\" She faked documents suggesting she was divorced and convinced a doctor to help her. \"He charged me an arm and a leg for eight pills,\" she says. But the medication had no effect. Arezoo went online and came across a charity that sends abortion pills to women in countries where the procedure is restricted. There she received advice and support. Ultimately the pills she got from the doctor made her bleed heavily but the abortion was not completed and Arezoo was rushed to a private hospital a week later accompanied by her sister. \"I lied, I told them my husband was in France and that my documents were in a safe somewhere and I needed to have a safe abortion.\" Hospital staff were reluctant and didn't want to admit her. Arezoo says it was a miracle that they finally gave in and believed her. \"After all that lying and making up stories, I was finally admitted and thirty minutes later the suction procedure was done. It was the worst nightmare of my life,\" she says. About 14% of all abortions were \"least safe\", which means they were provided by untrained persons using dangerous methods, such as the introduction of foreign objects and use of herbal concoctions. Complications such as infection and incomplete abortion can arise from these methods. When an abortion is incomplete, medical professionals may either advise further medication, or a surgical option, depending on the situation. At least 22,800 women die each year from complications of unsafe abortion, the Guttmacher Institute reports. Reporting by Amelia Butterly and data journalism by Clara Guibourg. Additional reporting by Dina Demrdash, Nathalia Passarinho and Ferenak Amidi. BBC 100 Women names 100 influential and inspirational women around the world every year. We create documentaries, features and interviews about their lives, giving more space for stories that put women at the centre. Follow BBC 100 Women on Instagram and Facebook and join the conversation. All search data used covers the last five years and comes from Google Trends, which doesn't provide exact search volumes, but relative search interest in a topic from 0-100, where 100 is the highest search interest for the given topic, time and geography. Searches made in different languages or using different names for the medication (e.g. \"abortion pill\", \"Misoprostol\" or \"Cytotec\") are all included in the data. We looked at global search data for the overall trends, and looked at 14 countries in more detail: Ghana, Nigeria, Honduras, Bolivia, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Kenya, Mexico, US, Colombia, Brazil, Argentina, India, and Ireland. The data on abortion laws for each country is from the Center for Reproductive Rights.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 7615, "answer_start": 7325, "text": "BBC 100 Women names 100 influential and inspirational women around the world every year. We create documentaries, features and interviews about their lives, giving more space for stories that put women at the centre. Follow BBC 100 Women on Instagram and Facebook and join the conversation." } ], "id": "10182_0", "question": "What is 100 Women?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Emoji might not be your first line of communication in a disaster... But researchers feel they could make a difference during emergencies like earthquakes, where every second counts. Now, an international group of scientists are lobbying for an earthquake emoji to be added to the Unicode set - the standard group of icons available on digital devices worldwide. But can one emoji really make a difference in a crisis? \"Maybe up to one third of the world's population might be exposed to some [seismological] hazard,\" explains University of Southampton seismologist Dr Stephen Hicks, a founder of the Emoji-quake campaign. \"So we really want to be able to communicate to all of those regions, all of those different languages, and an emoji is an amazing way of doing that.\" The campaign aims to find an earthquake-appropriate design to be submitted to Unicode. Dr Sara McBride, a social scientist with the United States Geological Survey, is also part of the effort. \"Emoji can cross the boundaries of written language, helping communicate valuable information to people who may struggle to read a certain language... [they] help us communicate this complex threat faster to more people,\" she told BBC News. \"The problem with an earthquake,\" says Dr Hicks, \"is it's a very complex process; it's sort of hidden. It's not as tangible as a volcano or a tornado.\" Unlike many other weather and climate related events, where longer warning times or visible signs are available, earthquakes move incredibly quickly and are difficult to measure while they are still occurring. Populations in areas like Japan and Mexico are reliant on earthquake early warning technology, which issues an alert on digital devices and broadcast media. \"You may have seconds to get under a table or to protect yourself,\" explains Dr Hicks. \"That can be life saving in many cases. If you send a text message as part of that alert you don't want too much wording in there.\" Being (relatively) young as a language, there aren't any conclusive studies on emoji and response times in emergency situations. However, pictographs and other visuals have a track record of being faster and easier to understand than written information - which is why the safety card on the back of your aeroplane seat looks the way it does. \"A few studies do suggest that the use of emoji decreases the time it takes to mentally digest information,\" says Dr McBride. \"But... we always want more data.\" However, the emoji wouldn't just play a role in warning systems - it might actually help seismologists to work out where and when earthquakes are happening. Currently, people are most likely to tweet a version of \"did I just feel an earthquake?\" in their own language. But with one earthquake emoji being used around the world, it would be the equivalent of having a vast population of seismometers. \"Tweets can be geotagged... we can often then detect the earthquake using social media faster than we can through seismic waves travelling through the Earth. So if we know that an earthquake's happened sooner, then we know how to respond to it and send aid teams in there,\" Dr Hicks told the BBC. The potential usefulness of emoji in emergencies could extend well beyond earthquakes. \"They're the closest thing we have to a universal language,\" says Sara Dean, a designer and architect in San Francisco. \"One of the big bottlenecks in using social media as an emergency response tool is language... bridging that gap and reducing that bottleneck is especially important during the first couple of days after an emergency.\" Ms Dean and a team of other designers came up with emerji - an entire set of emoji dedicated to climate and environmental events. Unicode are currently considering Emerji's flood and earthquake designs. \"People are already using emoji to talk about emergencies all the time. But because we don't have climate disaster emoji they're piecing them together from other emoji,\" commented Ms Dean. Twitter users have combined the fire and tree emoji to share information about California wildfires. But Ms Dean points out that this is problematic as it's difficult to predict what emoji combinations people will choose to use. For her, it feels essential that people have a means to share resources across language barriers on social media in a crisis situation. \"These are global issues and we need to be able to have global conversations about them,\" she told BBC News. Follow Mary on Twitter.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3146, "answer_start": 1208, "text": "\"The problem with an earthquake,\" says Dr Hicks, \"is it's a very complex process; it's sort of hidden. It's not as tangible as a volcano or a tornado.\" Unlike many other weather and climate related events, where longer warning times or visible signs are available, earthquakes move incredibly quickly and are difficult to measure while they are still occurring. Populations in areas like Japan and Mexico are reliant on earthquake early warning technology, which issues an alert on digital devices and broadcast media. \"You may have seconds to get under a table or to protect yourself,\" explains Dr Hicks. \"That can be life saving in many cases. If you send a text message as part of that alert you don't want too much wording in there.\" Being (relatively) young as a language, there aren't any conclusive studies on emoji and response times in emergency situations. However, pictographs and other visuals have a track record of being faster and easier to understand than written information - which is why the safety card on the back of your aeroplane seat looks the way it does. \"A few studies do suggest that the use of emoji decreases the time it takes to mentally digest information,\" says Dr McBride. \"But... we always want more data.\" However, the emoji wouldn't just play a role in warning systems - it might actually help seismologists to work out where and when earthquakes are happening. Currently, people are most likely to tweet a version of \"did I just feel an earthquake?\" in their own language. But with one earthquake emoji being used around the world, it would be the equivalent of having a vast population of seismometers. \"Tweets can be geotagged... we can often then detect the earthquake using social media faster than we can through seismic waves travelling through the Earth. So if we know that an earthquake's happened sooner, then we know how to respond to it and send aid teams in there,\" Dr Hicks told the BBC." } ], "id": "10183_0", "question": "Why earthquakes?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4462, "answer_start": 3147, "text": "The potential usefulness of emoji in emergencies could extend well beyond earthquakes. \"They're the closest thing we have to a universal language,\" says Sara Dean, a designer and architect in San Francisco. \"One of the big bottlenecks in using social media as an emergency response tool is language... bridging that gap and reducing that bottleneck is especially important during the first couple of days after an emergency.\" Ms Dean and a team of other designers came up with emerji - an entire set of emoji dedicated to climate and environmental events. Unicode are currently considering Emerji's flood and earthquake designs. \"People are already using emoji to talk about emergencies all the time. But because we don't have climate disaster emoji they're piecing them together from other emoji,\" commented Ms Dean. Twitter users have combined the fire and tree emoji to share information about California wildfires. But Ms Dean points out that this is problematic as it's difficult to predict what emoji combinations people will choose to use. For her, it feels essential that people have a means to share resources across language barriers on social media in a crisis situation. \"These are global issues and we need to be able to have global conversations about them,\" she told BBC News. Follow Mary on Twitter." } ], "id": "10183_1", "question": "Could emerji be a thing?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika has postponed the 18 April presidential elections and said he will not seek a fifth term in office. President Bouteflika's candidacy had provoked mass protests across Algeria over the past few weeks. He has led Algeria for 20 years but has been rarely seen in public since he suffered a stroke in 2013. No new date for the election was set. A cabinet reshuffle will happen soon, a statement in Mr Bouteflika's name said. There was no suggestion in the announcement that the president intends to step down before a rescheduled election. Meanwhile, Algeria's Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia announced his resignation and was replaced by Interior Minister Noureddine Bedoui, who has been tasked with forming a new government, the official APS news agency reported. \"There will be no fifth term,\" Mr Bouteflika was quoted as saying in a statement. \"There was never any question of it for me. Given my state of health and age, my last duty towards the Algerian people was always contributing to the foundation of a new Republic.\" He had pledged last week that he would step down early if re-elected - but the guarantee failed to placate the thousands of demonstrators. Algeria had been hit by strikes by teachers and students, as well as shops closing and train services being suspended as thousands took to the streets. Pressure mounted on Mr Bouteflika to withdraw when more than 1,000 judges said on Monday they would refuse to oversee the planned general election were he a candidate. Then the military's chief of staff, Lt Gen Gaed Salah, said the military and the people had a united vision of the future - the strongest indication so far that the armed forces were sympathetic to the protests. Top clerics had already criticised pressure on them to issue pro-government sermons. \"Leave us to do our job, don't interfere,\" cleric Imam Djamel Ghoul, leader of an independent group of clerics, told journalists. Rana Jawad, BBC North Africa correspondent This will be seen as a partial victory for those who have been on the streets for weeks. While it is a guarantee from Mr Bouteflika that he will not seek a fifth term, the absence of a new election date potentially leaves the process frustratingly open-ended. The reaction on social media was swift, and questions are already being asked over the legality of prolonging Mr Bouteflika's term in office beyond the constitutional mandate. The delay could help to ensure a peaceful transition of power - allowing all candidates to campaign properly while addressing the public's core demand of removing Mr Bouteflika from office. But key to satisfying the protesters' demand will be a timetable for his departure. And the legitimacy of an election does not stop at the ballot box - the ruling elite, the country's judges, and its electoral bodies will need to demonstrate a genuine will to ensure a free and fair poll. Algerians have shown they are no longer willing to accept the status quo, and that will undoubtedly extend to close scrutiny of how the next election plays out. The president's announcement came a day after he returned home after a two-week stay in a Swiss hospital, where he has been for treatment since suffering a stroke in 2013. He has over the years since his stroke become a virtual recluse. His last public address was in 2014, shortly after winning the previous general election. Many Algerians were concerned about his ailing health, and worried that his death in office during a fifth term might cause dangerous political instability. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian welcomed President Bouteflika's decision not to seek re-election. \"France expresses its hope that a new dynamic that can answer the deep aspirations of the Algerian people will rapidly take hold,\" he said in a statement. Meanwhile, people on the streets of the capital, Algiers, have been celebrating the news.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1352, "answer_start": 799, "text": "\"There will be no fifth term,\" Mr Bouteflika was quoted as saying in a statement. \"There was never any question of it for me. Given my state of health and age, my last duty towards the Algerian people was always contributing to the foundation of a new Republic.\" He had pledged last week that he would step down early if re-elected - but the guarantee failed to placate the thousands of demonstrators. Algeria had been hit by strikes by teachers and students, as well as shops closing and train services being suspended as thousands took to the streets." } ], "id": "10184_0", "question": "What did Bouteflika say?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1947, "answer_start": 1353, "text": "Pressure mounted on Mr Bouteflika to withdraw when more than 1,000 judges said on Monday they would refuse to oversee the planned general election were he a candidate. Then the military's chief of staff, Lt Gen Gaed Salah, said the military and the people had a united vision of the future - the strongest indication so far that the armed forces were sympathetic to the protests. Top clerics had already criticised pressure on them to issue pro-government sermons. \"Leave us to do our job, don't interfere,\" cleric Imam Djamel Ghoul, leader of an independent group of clerics, told journalists." } ], "id": "10184_1", "question": "What changed on Monday?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3550, "answer_start": 3067, "text": "The president's announcement came a day after he returned home after a two-week stay in a Swiss hospital, where he has been for treatment since suffering a stroke in 2013. He has over the years since his stroke become a virtual recluse. His last public address was in 2014, shortly after winning the previous general election. Many Algerians were concerned about his ailing health, and worried that his death in office during a fifth term might cause dangerous political instability." } ], "id": "10184_2", "question": "Was Bouteflika's health a factor?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3904, "answer_start": 3551, "text": "French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian welcomed President Bouteflika's decision not to seek re-election. \"France expresses its hope that a new dynamic that can answer the deep aspirations of the Algerian people will rapidly take hold,\" he said in a statement. Meanwhile, people on the streets of the capital, Algiers, have been celebrating the news." } ], "id": "10184_3", "question": "What has the reaction been?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The outcome of India's general election may help determine a central question at the heart of the contest - what does it mean to be Indian? Prime Minister Modi and his BJP party, like US President Donald Trump, have focused on borders to shape a particular vision of India's future. Shanti Chandri has lived in the small, impoverished village of Dimilapar, outside Assam's capital city of Guwahati, for half a century. The diminutive 79-year-old says she fears her 50 years as a resident will be erased after the state publishes its updated National Registry of Citizens (NRC), a census created in 1951 to determine who was born in India and who might be a migrant from the neighbouring, Muslim-majority East Pakistan, now known as Bangladesh. The census, conducted only in the north-eastern state of Assam, counts citizens who can prove they were residents of India before 24 March, 1971, a day before Bangladesh declared its independence from Pakistan. Families are required to provide documentation to show their lineage, and those who cannot prove their citizenship are deemed illegal. But the process has been fraught, with some families unable to produce documents due to poor record-keeping, illiteracy or because they lack the money to file a legal claim. Shanti and her son Vinay, Hindus from the Bengali-speaking minority, were among those left off the NRC draft issued last year. Why Shanti's elder son, Paritush, was included on the list is unclear. Vinay, a 30-year-old day labourer, was overwhelmed by the 50,000 rupees ($715; PS560) needed to fight his case in court. He was among many in the village who feared being placed in detention centres where hundreds of residents suspected of living in Assam illegally have been held. NRC officials have also begun holding \"foreigner tribunals\" to hear contested cases - much like the immigration court hearings under President Donald Trump at the US-Mexico border - while the draft list is being finalised to meet a 31 July deadline mandated by the Supreme Court. In total some four million people who thought they were Indian were excluded from the draft list. Half of these people have filed claims to be included in the final census. Vinay could not handle the stress of the uncertainty, Shanti says, and took his own life in May 2018. As she mourns her son, Shanti now worries about her own status if she is left off the finalised list. \"Where shall I go and why should I flee?\" she says. \"It would be better that I too should die. Nobody is helping us. We are poor and weak people. The government should help us.\" Mr Modi's Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has long railed against illegal immigration in India but has made the NRC a priority in recent years. Local officials say the list has nothing to do with religion, but activists see it as targeting the state's Bengali community, a large portion of whom are Muslims. Their fears are set against rhetoric from a Hindu nationalist government whose leader has not hidden his preference for Hindu migrants over Muslim ones. However significant numbers of Bengali-speaking Hindus have also been left off the citizenship list, underscoring the communal and ethnic tensions in the state. For local Assamese, the NRC is about deporting all illegal immigrants - not just one religious minority - in an effort to preserve their culture. The question of identity is one echoed 13,000km (8,000 miles) away in the US, where a similar resurgence of nationalism has emerged under Mr Trump, the Republican president whose inflammatory rhetoric has stoked anti-immigration fears along the US-Mexico border and divided Americans on national identity. \"While Trump is building his physical wall, Modi is creating a figurative one through policies like the NRC,\" says Milan Vaishnav, director of the South Asia programme at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Though Mr Modi came to power two years before Mr Trump, the resurgence of his party's unbridled religious nationalism has come to define this year's election, and the struggle for India's identity as a pluralistic democracy. BJP politicians have pointed to the NRC to amplify the threat of Muslim \"infiltrators\", while showing that they are curbing the tide of undocumented immigrants at India's borders. The party has suggested that such citizens registers could be drawn up across the country. \"These infiltrators are eating away at our country like termites,\" BJP President Amit Shah said during rallies on 11 April in West Bengal. \"The NRC is our means of removing them.\" Mr Shah's anti-immigration rhetoric is similar to that of Mr Trump, who has been accused of fear-mongering, describing migrants from Central America as killers and criminals who threaten US security. The US president has made a crackdown on America's 11 million undocumented immigrants a rallying cry in his 2020 re-election campaign. He continues to push hardline immigration policy, toughening requirements for asylum seekers and, more recently, proposing a reduction to America's family-based admissions system. But while Mr Trump has indicated his plans to return undocumented immigrants to their countries, the future of people seen as illegal foreigners in India is less clear. Once the final list is published, residents whose appeals have been denied will be stripped of their citizenship, forcing their deportation or leaving them stateless. Vijay Kumar Gupta, a senior BJP leader in Assam, told the BBC the process was about separating migrants who fled religious persecution from those who sought economic relief, \"damaging Assamese heritage\". He suggested the government would evict those deemed illegal foreigners, but Bangladesh has rejected claims that any of its citizens reside in Assam illegally, calling the NRC a \"local internal matter\". Michael Kugelman, deputy director of the Asia Program at the Wilson Center, points out Mr Modi's emphasis on nationalism in this election fits with the broader global trend of rightwing populist leaders using polarising rhetoric across Asia, Europe, the US and South America. While nationalism is not a new sentiment in India, he notes, what's happening under Mr Modi has striking similarities to the political landscape in Mr Trump's America. Mr Kugelman says the parallels extend to the cult personalities of the two men, both considered \"straight shooters\" who push conservative politics, have deep business interests and are perceived as hostile toward their country's media - while also embracing social media. \"There has always been these tensions festering underneath this veneer of India as a secular, pluralistic state, between those that think it's true and should continue to be a secular state, and those that think India is above all a Hindu state, and that identity should be promoted as much as possible,\" Mr Kugelman says, Those in the latter camp have been emboldened under Mr Modi's leadership, he adds, much like the growing tenor of anti-immigrant sentiment under Mr Trump in the last two years. Both leaders have used national identity as a crude political tactic on the campaign trail, catering to a constituency feeling threatened by diversity and minority interests. Assam's Muslim population, about one in three residents, fear the NRC is being used as a device to deport them from India. \"The BJP is trying to divide society, and if they continue to do it, it will destroy the Indian identity,\" says Azizur Rahman, president of All Assam's Minority Student Union, a group advocating on behalf of those left off the NRC. \"If they win, the next five years will be very tough for Muslims, and will be for decades to come.\" During the drafting process, residents have been able to challenge the citizenship of names included on the NRC, and some critics say those complaints have largely been directed at Muslims. \"What was a process to segregate foreigners has so clearly become an anti-Muslim exercise,\" says Aman Wadud, a human rights lawyer based in Assam. Mr Gupta of the BJP strongly denied the NRC was being used as a means to target Muslims, saying that Mr Modi's government worked on behalf of all Indians. Ahmed Hussain, a science teacher at a government school in the village of Adabari, fears his family is among those ensnared in citizenship complications because of his name. \"These types of problems against Muslims increased in Assam after the BJP formed the government in 2016.\" The 55-year-old teacher comes from a family that has lived for nine generations in the Assamese district of Dhubri, which sits next to the border with Bangladesh, nestled between pond-soaked fields, lush with water hyacinth, and the Brahmaputra river with its countless channels. Ahmed claims his father was involved in preparing the original NRC while serving in the Dhubri District Commissioner office in 1951, yet his family's Indian roots have been thrown into doubt over a complaint against his 18-year-old niece Nazia's inclusion on the list. The science student has just completed her studies in Guwahati, some 260km (160 miles) away from her hometown, with plans to become a medical doctor. But instead of studying, Nazia spends her time fighting the case against her, which implicates her entire family. \"I'm afraid for my future, my ability to find a job if I'm not declared an Indian citizen,\" she says. \"If I apply for a government job, will they target me for my Muslim identity? Why only us?\" Among those lodging complaints against citizens are members of the All Assam Students Union (AASU), which has been a driving force behind the completion of the NRC and the anti-immigration movement since its inception. AASU general secretary Lurinjyoti Gogoi acknowledges his members are filing complaints against citizens they believe come from \"suspected areas\", but blames NRC officials for any errors on the list. \"We want a foreigner-free NRC list. This is a one-time exercise,\" he declares, adding that if some Indian citizens are forced to endure legal difficulties, it is in the interest of the Assamese people. Last year the BJP government introduced the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB), legislation aimed at granting citizenship to religious minorities fleeing persecution from neighbouring Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. It pointedly excluded Muslims, who the BJP contends do not count as a minority group. The fact that the central government was keen to welcome Hindus, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains and Parsis with no ties to the country while Assam's Muslims continued to fight for their right to stay in India angered many in the state and sparked violent protests. Opponents of the legislation argued it violated India's constitution by establishing religion as a requirement for citizenship. The BJP eventually soft-pedalled on the legislation, but if the party returns to power it may renew its efforts to push the legislation through India's parliament. Whatever happens, Mr Kugelman says the damage is done, deepening divisions about national identity. \"Given the toxicity in politics and the nasty things that have been said and done, the discriminatory rhetoric and policies that we've had for the last two years in India and the United States, it's going to take a long time for both of these countries to recover.\" While millions in Assam await the finalised NRC in July, which will determine whether they are accepted as Indian, the rest of the country will decide on 23 May if they agree with the BJP's conception of what that means. Speaking at a rally in Mumbai in April, Mr Modi told the crowd: \"This election is not just for choosing a government, it is an election to decide the direction of India.\" Read more on immigration in India and the US India US", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 10066, "answer_start": 7212, "text": "Assam's Muslim population, about one in three residents, fear the NRC is being used as a device to deport them from India. \"The BJP is trying to divide society, and if they continue to do it, it will destroy the Indian identity,\" says Azizur Rahman, president of All Assam's Minority Student Union, a group advocating on behalf of those left off the NRC. \"If they win, the next five years will be very tough for Muslims, and will be for decades to come.\" During the drafting process, residents have been able to challenge the citizenship of names included on the NRC, and some critics say those complaints have largely been directed at Muslims. \"What was a process to segregate foreigners has so clearly become an anti-Muslim exercise,\" says Aman Wadud, a human rights lawyer based in Assam. Mr Gupta of the BJP strongly denied the NRC was being used as a means to target Muslims, saying that Mr Modi's government worked on behalf of all Indians. Ahmed Hussain, a science teacher at a government school in the village of Adabari, fears his family is among those ensnared in citizenship complications because of his name. \"These types of problems against Muslims increased in Assam after the BJP formed the government in 2016.\" The 55-year-old teacher comes from a family that has lived for nine generations in the Assamese district of Dhubri, which sits next to the border with Bangladesh, nestled between pond-soaked fields, lush with water hyacinth, and the Brahmaputra river with its countless channels. Ahmed claims his father was involved in preparing the original NRC while serving in the Dhubri District Commissioner office in 1951, yet his family's Indian roots have been thrown into doubt over a complaint against his 18-year-old niece Nazia's inclusion on the list. The science student has just completed her studies in Guwahati, some 260km (160 miles) away from her hometown, with plans to become a medical doctor. But instead of studying, Nazia spends her time fighting the case against her, which implicates her entire family. \"I'm afraid for my future, my ability to find a job if I'm not declared an Indian citizen,\" she says. \"If I apply for a government job, will they target me for my Muslim identity? Why only us?\" Among those lodging complaints against citizens are members of the All Assam Students Union (AASU), which has been a driving force behind the completion of the NRC and the anti-immigration movement since its inception. AASU general secretary Lurinjyoti Gogoi acknowledges his members are filing complaints against citizens they believe come from \"suspected areas\", but blames NRC officials for any errors on the list. \"We want a foreigner-free NRC list. This is a one-time exercise,\" he declares, adding that if some Indian citizens are forced to endure legal difficulties, it is in the interest of the Assamese people." } ], "id": "10185_0", "question": "Are Muslims being targeted?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "What do you get when you mix a pint of beer, a can of Pepsi, a huge glass of flaming spirits, and a raw egg? For Liu Shichao - who filmed himself downing the lot in eight seconds - you get 12 million views on Twitter and a worldwide fanbase. And that video wasn't a one-off. In another clip, he smokes a cigarette, ignites six cocktails, and swallows them all (800,000 views on Twitter). In another, he mixes vodka, whisky, red wine, beer - and, of course, the trademark egg - and drinks it like water (a mere 500,000 views). But who is Liu Shichao? What is he doing to his body? And do his viral videos tell us anything about China's thirst for alcohol? Liu filmed his first video - seven bottles of lager in 50 seconds - three years ago. \"One day I saw a video of people drinking beer,\" he tells the BBC from China. \"I thought, I can do that too.\" China has a huge \"online celebrity\" culture - from travel bloggers to office chefs - so Liu started posting to the Chinese video-sharing site Kuaishou. \"The reason my videos are so short is that Kuaishou only allowed one-minute videos,\" he says. \"We needed to drink very fast to finish them within the time limit.\" At his peak, Liu had 470,000 followers - and received up to 10,000 Yuan a month ($1,400; PS1,100) in donations - before Kuaishou shut down his live-streaming account because of the unhealthy content. But in August, one of his Kuaishou videos was shared on Twitter, and, for the first time, Liu went viral outside China. \"People were telling me I was popular on Twitter,\" he says. \"I replied: 'What's Twitter?' I had no idea.\" Liu is 33, lives in Hebei (a province near Beijing) and calls himself a \"peasant\". He doesn't speak English and uses translation software to post online. \"At first, I didn't know any social media platforms,\" he says. \"I'm from a rural area.\" Twitter, like many western sites, is blocked in China, so his videos were posted remotely. He gained 60,000 followers in less than six weeks. \"The foreign fans are very passionate and fun,\" he says. \"A Turkish man asked for my address so he could send me Turkish beer.\" His videos still earn him money - his Twitter links to his PayPal account - but they are not (yet) his main income. He earns a living selling meat online, and used to run a restaurant. Most of Liu's supporters are men - \"I guess they also love drinking, maybe there is a little sense of jealousy\" - but his wife does not share their admiration. \"She is annoyed and is worried about my health,\" he says. \"We often argue about this.\" Liu insists he is not an alcoholic. \"I never drink when I'm alone,\" he says. \"Those real alcoholic people from northern China will drink alone.\" He also insists he feels no ill-effects after his stunts. \"I can really drink,\" he says, which is fairly indisputable. He does, however, repeatedly advise caution. \"All the videos are within the scope of ability,\" he posted this week. \"Teenagers are not allowed to imitate.\" But Dr Sara Kayat, a doctor in London, says - despite his iron constitution - Liu risks passing out, vomiting, and even asphyxiation. There are also long-term dangers, she says. \"Binge drinking and excessive alcohol consumption can lead to mental health problems and liver damage, and are associated with increased blood pressure, irregular heart rhythms, and even some cancers.\" As China has grown richer, so too has its appetite for alcohol. In 2003, according to World Health Organization (WHO) data, 4% of Chinese people had \"binge drunk\" in the past 30 days. By 2016, that was up to 23%. The figures were particularly stark for men in China - 36% were considered binge drinkers, compared to 7.5% in 2003. Dr Jason Jiang - an alcohol policy expert from La Trobe University in Melbourne - has written widely about alcohol in China. \"From my point of view, his [Liu's] drinking behaviour is too dangerous,\" he says. \"And the problem is many young people love his tweets, and this is even more problematic. \"I have seen a few other similar posts online from other young people, and they are keen to show their special drinking skills and be proud of it. \"Although the effects of excessive drinking on health (cirrhosis of the liver and cancer) may not been seen in the short term, alcohol abuse increases risks for other alcohol-related harms, such as violence, fall and traffic injuries.\" At the moment, Liu is uploading old videos, rather then making fresh ones, but he is enjoying the new, global audience. \"Thank you very much for your love and support,\" he posted this month. \"I'm an ordinary person in rural China. I'm very glad to meet you. I'll try my best to send some more wonderful videos later. I love you.\" And then, with the click of a play button, he mixes beer, rice wine, spirits, a can of Red Bull, and an egg, and downs the lot in eight seconds. Additional reporting by Ellen Jin", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3334, "answer_start": 2535, "text": "Liu insists he is not an alcoholic. \"I never drink when I'm alone,\" he says. \"Those real alcoholic people from northern China will drink alone.\" He also insists he feels no ill-effects after his stunts. \"I can really drink,\" he says, which is fairly indisputable. He does, however, repeatedly advise caution. \"All the videos are within the scope of ability,\" he posted this week. \"Teenagers are not allowed to imitate.\" But Dr Sara Kayat, a doctor in London, says - despite his iron constitution - Liu risks passing out, vomiting, and even asphyxiation. There are also long-term dangers, she says. \"Binge drinking and excessive alcohol consumption can lead to mental health problems and liver damage, and are associated with increased blood pressure, irregular heart rhythms, and even some cancers.\"" } ], "id": "10186_0", "question": "Is she right to worry?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Deep in the dense jungles of Borneo, a female orangutan hangs from a tree branch with one arm to form a straight line. Her eyes are locked on us and we freeze. The men who work in the Ulu Segama forest reserve in Malaysia's Sabah state say it's safe to go closer to the endangered ape, but we cannot be certain. Orangutans are territorial and this is one of the few left in the wild. Their plight has been blamed on palm oil. \"The impact of the cultivation of oil palm plantations on orangutans is devastating, it has wiped out virtually their entire habitat to this point,\" says Doug Cress, co-ordinator for the United Nations' Great Apes Survival Partnership. However, he says it's not too late to save the orangutans as long as consumers insist on sustainably produced palm oil. Demand for the vegetable oil is expected to rise by 50% over the next decade. In theory, the oil palm tree couldn't be more environmentally friendly. Its spiky reddish-brown fruit bunches ooze out oil so cheap and clean that Europe wants to put it in its cars as biodiesel. Yet it's also versatile enough to be in half the products in our supermarkets, such as bread, soap, lipstick and even dog food. \"This is definitely the golden crop\", says Khairudin Hashim, a senior manager with palm oil giant Sime Darby. Malaysia, along with Indonesia, produces more than 80% of the global supply of palm oil. It has lifted many poor farmers out of poverty, but at what cost? Every year, forest fires are set in Indonesia to clear land for palm oil. During the dry season, the smoke chokes the region. In a new study, researchers with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) estimate that on the island of Borneo - divided between Malaysia, Indonesia and tiny Brunei - 30% of the forest has vanished over the last four decades mainly because of oil palm plantations and logging. Pressure from green groups has forced big players in the palm oil industry, including Sime Darby, to show it cares about the planet. \"Right now 95% of our products that come from the plantations are sustainable,\" says Khairudin Hashim, the company's head of sustainability. They are certified through the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) - a not-for-profit group that brings together palm oil growers, traders and conservationists. About 20% of the world's palm oil supply is considered sustainable. To be certified, producers have to follow strict guidelines, such as fair treatment of workers, no land grabs, no chemical pesticides, or harming of orangutans and peat lands. It also means that above all, no virgin rainforests can be cut down in the making of palm oil. The rules are not legally binding and campaign group Greenpeace has in the past accused RSPO members of using suppliers who break the rules. While Mr Khairudin acknowledges there may be some \"bad hats\" in the industry, he says Sime Darby has never cleared pristine jungles. \"Essentially we don't cut forest,\" says Mr Khairudin. \"In Malaysia it was rubber before. It was a forestry and we are now planting again a forestry in the form of the oil palm tree,\" he says. However, the Friends of the Earth Malaysia chapter spokesperson, Mohideen Abdul Kader, says Sime Darby's argument is \"illogical.\" \"What we need is a regeneration or rehabilitation of these so-called secondary forests so that they will become high conservation forests,\" he says. His organisation does not believe palm oil can be sustainable. \"Modern agricultural practice cannot produce sustainable products. It's based on clearing of large tracts of land, very often forest land,\" he says. There's also resistance within the industry. Only half of the world's certified sustainable palm oil is currently bought. Industry expert M.R. Chandran, who helped start RSPO to change the image of the industry, says it comes down to cost because palm oil producers can spend up to an extra $15 per metric tonne of palm oil to certify it. \"To some growers it is a lot,\" he says. Mr Chandran adds that there is a big fight between producers and manufacturers who don't want to pass the extra cost down to the consumer. It won't be easy to move away from palm oil. The palm tree is up to 10 times more efficient than other crops such as soybeans, rapeseed and canola in terms of the amount of land it needs. \"If indeed expansion of the oil palm is prevented then the slack will probably be taken up by the other crops, which will have even worse outcomes for forest and biodiversity loss,\" says research scientist John Raison with the Australian national science agency, CSIRO. He's now leading a study funded by several of the world's biggest palm oil industry players to determine what types of land should not be converted into plantations based on the amount of carbon stored in the trees. It's a controversial topic. However, Mr Raison says there needs to be a balance. \"If we set the [carbon] emissions thresholds very low, most areas will be excluded from development... and that's probably not acceptable from a government's point of view because they are looking to alleviate poverty,\" he says. For now, the Ulu Segama forest reserve is safe and local officials, along with Sime Darby and conservation groups like WWF have pitched in to replant trees for the orangutans.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4104, "answer_start": 3587, "text": "There's also resistance within the industry. Only half of the world's certified sustainable palm oil is currently bought. Industry expert M.R. Chandran, who helped start RSPO to change the image of the industry, says it comes down to cost because palm oil producers can spend up to an extra $15 per metric tonne of palm oil to certify it. \"To some growers it is a lot,\" he says. Mr Chandran adds that there is a big fight between producers and manufacturers who don't want to pass the extra cost down to the consumer." } ], "id": "10187_0", "question": "Does it pay to be sustainable?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5264, "answer_start": 4105, "text": "It won't be easy to move away from palm oil. The palm tree is up to 10 times more efficient than other crops such as soybeans, rapeseed and canola in terms of the amount of land it needs. \"If indeed expansion of the oil palm is prevented then the slack will probably be taken up by the other crops, which will have even worse outcomes for forest and biodiversity loss,\" says research scientist John Raison with the Australian national science agency, CSIRO. He's now leading a study funded by several of the world's biggest palm oil industry players to determine what types of land should not be converted into plantations based on the amount of carbon stored in the trees. It's a controversial topic. However, Mr Raison says there needs to be a balance. \"If we set the [carbon] emissions thresholds very low, most areas will be excluded from development... and that's probably not acceptable from a government's point of view because they are looking to alleviate poverty,\" he says. For now, the Ulu Segama forest reserve is safe and local officials, along with Sime Darby and conservation groups like WWF have pitched in to replant trees for the orangutans." } ], "id": "10187_1", "question": "Alternatives to palm oil?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The BBC has been shown evidence which appears to corroborate reports of a chemical attack in the northern Syrian town of Saraqeb last month. Eyewitnesses and victims say that government helicopters dropped at least two devices containing poisonous gas on the town. The Syrian government says it did not and will not use chemical weapons. Shortly after midday on 29 April, the town of Saraqeb came under attack from government military positions about five miles (8km) away. A local activist we met filmed as the shells landed. We cannot verify the images but all the footage we gathered from the scene was taken by people we met in the town and appears to have been filmed on the same day from different positions. A helicopter was filmed high above the town. Eyewitnesses say at least two canisters were dropped from it, a claim we cannot verify. What the camera shows is a smoke trail as a device tumbles to the ground. It is claimed that shortly after that, casualties started to arrive at Saraqeb hospital. Eight people were admitted, apparently with similar symptoms; they appear to be vomiting, with breathing problems. The videos show patients with bloodshot eyes and some appear to have constricted pupils. Doctors, eyewitnesses and victims insist this was a chemical attack. There have been similar claims elsewhere in the country but the Syrian government says it did not and will not use such weapons. One activist shouts: \"Let the world hear, Obama, Obama, regime troops have crossed all red lines\". Mohammed Khatib can be seen groaning on a stretcher. Witnesses say a device had landed in his garden and he had rushed to the scene to help his mother. She can also be seen seriously ill on a stretcher; unconscious and with constricted pupils. Mariam Khatib died later that day. Today Mohammed lives in a tent outside of town. He says he is too afraid to return to the house, too distraught by what happened there. Speaking for the first time he says he still feels weak and exhausted. \"It was a horrible, suffocating smell. You couldn't breathe at all. Your body would become really tired.\" \"You'd lose all senses. You'd feel like you were dead. You couldn't even see. I couldn't see anything for three or four days.\" One device was said to have landed on the outskirts of town. Eyewitnesses describe a box like container, with a hollow concrete casing inside. One video apparently shows parts of this on the ground, surrounded by white powder. In another video a rebel fighter holds a canister said to be hidden inside the devices. Witnesses claim there were two in each container. It is claimed one was recovered from Mariam Khatib's garden. We were taken to the house by one of her nephews. He showed us where the device is said to have landed. A small hole has been smashed into the tiled floor, a pair of disposable surgeon's gloves lie abandoned nearby. The plants around the site appear to have withered and died, showing signs of possible contamination. We have been told that samples from the scene and from the alleged victims have been sent to Britain, France, Turkey and America for testing. \"A canister was released from a helicopter and Mariam Khatib came running to the courtyard and called her son, Mohammed and told him there was a canister with white smoke coming out of it\" says Mariam's nephew, Maed Barish. \"She immediately became unconscious and fell down, as did Mohammed and his wife. Fighters came to help the family but they were also affected by the smoke.\" Four patients were taken to a hospital near the border. Dr Jumaa Samadi, who treated them, says they were all given decontamination showers and atropine to treat their symptoms before being sent to a hospital in Turkey. By the time they arrived, Mariam Khatib was dead. \"The symptoms she displayed - unconsciousness, vomiting, pinpoint pupils - they all correspond to poison gas exposure,\" he says. \"They often match organophosphate poisoning. It has many derivatives, one of which is Sarin gas.\" But he says he cannot be sure why Mariam Khatib died until the samples are analysed. Hamish de Bretton-Gordon is a former commanding officer of the British Army's Chemical Counter Terrorist Regiment who now runs a firm that specialises in the study of chemical weapons. He has not visited the site, nor has he been able to test any of the alleged evidence. But he has studied previous claims and videos and was given full access to all the footage, transcripts and the interviews we gathered to give his assessment. He describes the \"virtually identical events\" that have taken place in Otaybeh, Adra and the Sheikh Massoud district of Aleppo in recent weeks. He says that taken together, \"[you] start to come to the conclusion that you have strong evidence, albeit incomplete, that sarin or a nerve agent has been used in Syria recently over the last four to five weeks\". Samples of soil, blood, urine and hair have been taken. They hold the best clue as to what happened in Saraqeb. What it will not do is determine who is responsible and for Mohammed Khatib it is all too late. \"I don't believe there'll be any response. People are dying, children becoming orphans and women widows. It's been going on for three years now. There would've been a response already but there's none.\" The UN says almost 80,000 people have been killed in Syria, hundreds since the debate about chemical weapons began. For most Syrians the real issue is not how people were killed, it is death itself; the crowded graveyards, the inexorable tide of the homeless and the relentless destruction of the country and what they see as the indifference of the world to their plight.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2233, "answer_start": 1216, "text": "Doctors, eyewitnesses and victims insist this was a chemical attack. There have been similar claims elsewhere in the country but the Syrian government says it did not and will not use such weapons. One activist shouts: \"Let the world hear, Obama, Obama, regime troops have crossed all red lines\". Mohammed Khatib can be seen groaning on a stretcher. Witnesses say a device had landed in his garden and he had rushed to the scene to help his mother. She can also be seen seriously ill on a stretcher; unconscious and with constricted pupils. Mariam Khatib died later that day. Today Mohammed lives in a tent outside of town. He says he is too afraid to return to the house, too distraught by what happened there. Speaking for the first time he says he still feels weak and exhausted. \"It was a horrible, suffocating smell. You couldn't breathe at all. Your body would become really tired.\" \"You'd lose all senses. You'd feel like you were dead. You couldn't even see. I couldn't see anything for three or four days.\"" } ], "id": "10188_0", "question": "Crossing the red line?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Police in Pakistan say they are seeking to arrest PM Imran Khan's nephew for taking part in a violent protest at a hospital in which three patients died. Lahore police raided Hassan Niazi's residence and say he may now be hiding. Mr Niazi was among several hundred lawyers who ransacked a city hospital in a dispute with doctors. Riot police had to be called in to restore order. Images of lawyers - in suits and ties - assaulting staff and damaging property prompted shock and condemnation. Photos and videos of Hassan Niazi were widely shared on social media, as people lined up to criticise the lawyers. Mr Niazi has admitted taking part in the violence at Lahore's Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) and said on Twitter he regretted it. From his uncle, who tweets often, there has been no mention of the furore over his family's link to Wednesday's violence. Mr Khan's nephew is prominent in footage of the attack, and can be seen participating in physical assaults as well as an arson attack in which a police van was set on fire. The lawyer and human rights activist was held soon afterwards by police and was seen being escorted out of the area. So there was surprise when his name did not appear in the police report listing those lawyers facing court action in connection with the violence. The authorities have not explained what happened after he was detained, but a spokesman for the city's police chief said Mr Niazi had been identified through video footage and was now being sought. \"His residence in Lahore was raided by the police last night and also this morning to arrest him, but he was not found there and has possibly gone into hiding,\" the spokesman, Waseem Butt, told BBC Urdu's Shahzad Malik. Many are questioning this account. Some wonder whether he was freed because he is related to the prime minister. Opposition politicians are demanding Mr Niazi's immediate arrest. More than 80 lawyers were arrested over the hospital attack, and 46 have been remanded in custody. Lawyers called a nationwide strike on Friday, angry at police treatment of their colleagues in Lahore. But headlines, editorials and social media outrage suggested they were out of step with others in the country. One article in Dawn newspaper described the attack as \"a stain on our collective humanity\". Other commentators said it was a new low for Pakistani society's sinking levels of tolerance which is giving way to mob justice. The lawyers had been protesting over the alleged mistreatment of some of their colleagues by hospital staff last month. But the final trigger for the violence appears to have been a video posted on social media by a doctor on Tuesday night in which he poked fun at the lawyers. Video showed the lawyers ransacking wards at the hospital the next day, beating staff and smashing equipment. As panic spread, doctors and paramedics hid, leaving patients unattended, including those in a critical state. Hospital sources said at least three patients - a woman and two men - died because doctors could not attend to them during the violence. It is believed that the woman had been in the intensive care unit. Riot police fired tear gas and took more than two hours to restore order, officials said.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3225, "answer_start": 2433, "text": "The lawyers had been protesting over the alleged mistreatment of some of their colleagues by hospital staff last month. But the final trigger for the violence appears to have been a video posted on social media by a doctor on Tuesday night in which he poked fun at the lawyers. Video showed the lawyers ransacking wards at the hospital the next day, beating staff and smashing equipment. As panic spread, doctors and paramedics hid, leaving patients unattended, including those in a critical state. Hospital sources said at least three patients - a woman and two men - died because doctors could not attend to them during the violence. It is believed that the woman had been in the intensive care unit. Riot police fired tear gas and took more than two hours to restore order, officials said." } ], "id": "10189_0", "question": "What led to the violence?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Full text of the lecture as delivered at the Royal Television Society on 28 September 2017: I am honoured to be asked to deliver this, the first annual Steve Hewlett memorial lecture. Thank you to the RTS, the Media Society and to Rachel for inviting me to deliver it. It's great to have Steve's boys - Freddie, Billy, Bertie - here, his sister Sue and other members of the family too. Steve's death was news - national news - which, had he been here to see it and to see you all gathered here for the first annual Steve Hewlett memorial lecture - would have produced one of those characteristically laconic Hewlett chuckles. It was news, of course, because millions had grown used to turning up the car radio or stopping the ironing or waiting before turning on the kettle to make sure they not miss the latest weekly instalment of the Hewlett cancer chronicle - in which a middle aged man described the pain in his oesophagus; the splitting of his nails or chapping of his feet; the search for the drug or the treatment that might buy him some relief and some more time before the end which he sensed and we sensed was coming all too fast. \"To cut a long story short\" was one of Steve's catchphrases. His tales from the medical frontline - many of his tales - were, of course, anything but short and could, of course, be all too painful to listen to. Few would have imagined that they would be a recipe for broadcasting gold. Except, perhaps, for Steve. They were one last reminder of his sixth sense which meant he knew, he just knew, the stories that would engage an audience and, boy, did he know how to tell them. It was something I saw from the moment I first met him. I was as establishment as you could get - a BBC trainee straight out of university who'd been schooled at the Oxford Union debating society. Steve, on the other hand, carried the aura of radical chic which came from his time at the new and positively daring Channel 4 where, it was said, he'd made a film giving a Marxist interpretation of cricket - combining two of his greatest passions. Years later, he would become editor of Panorama and inherit me as his deputy. We accidentally made history together - and not in the way we would have liked - by becoming the first ever programme to have an interview with the prime minister blocked from transmission by a court ruling. \"Cutting a long story short\" it involved me falling out with a certain Alex Salmond for the first but certainly not for the last time. Steve could have blamed me. But he backed me. It's what great editors do but it is something they can only do if like Steve, they are rigorous in their approach to the facts, open minded to the views of their critics and brave enough to take editorial risks and to defend their team when they do. Even more years after that he and I would talk regularly - both on air and off - about the issues he analysed and explained as presenter of Radio 4's Media Show. It was there that Steve won the Nick Clarke Award for an interview which the judges described as 'challenging, well argued, well structured, well informed, impartial and courteous'. A fine summary of his journalism. What brought us closer, though, was our shared experience of cancer. When I was recovering from the surgery which successfully removed my tumour but robbed me of my voice, Steve reassured me and wrote in the Radio Times that the audience would get used to my new throaty sound. When he told me about his diagnosis I wrote him a beginners guide on how to cope with chemotherapy. I still fondly recall the marathon cancer chat we had during a more than two hour drive from my home in London to the University of Essex to help open their new journalism course. When I finally arrived and got Steve off the phone I realised I'd forgotten to talk about what I called him in the first place to discuss - journalism! Tonight I'm determined not to repeat that mistake. I am here to talk about the business - you might even dub it a calling - which Steve loved. A love and a calling which so many of you share. Telling stories about the world we live in. Stories designed to explain it to people, to reveal things they don't but ought to know. Stories that educate, inform and, yes thank you Lord Reith - entertain. Or what we call, rather less inspiringly, news and current affairs. So, to cut a long story short my message tonight will be that: News is too important to be reduced to a three letter word - OMG or LOL or WTF - with all else left hidden by the all powerful algorithms which prioritise emotion - whether empathy or anger - over facts and analysis. But that is the risk given the rise of news on social media. AND given signs of an erosion of trust in the UK media, I will argue we need to learn from Steve's open minded willingness to challenge the conventional wisdom. AND to embrace a mission to engage with the audience we are not currently reaching. That will involve finding new ways to ensure on air diversity - not just gender, ethnicity and age but, crucially, background too. And what should come with it - diversity of thinking. Finally we will need to re-make the case for impartial news media. Let's begin - as Steve might have said - at the beginning. When Steve first became a journalist people had the choice of just three TV channels. There were no news channels, websites, blogs or social media Apples were what you put in a pie. Galaxies a chocolately treat. Don't worry this isn't going to become the journalistic equivalent of the four Yorkshiremen sketch. But - bear with me just for a moment - spin on to when Steve became editor of Panorama and I was his deputy in the mid 1990s. There were now - wait for it - four terrestrial channels. Sky TV had just been invented. As had the worldwide web just been invented. But you know all that. What you may not know is what the latest figures show: - When those between 16 and 24 \"watch\" a broadcast they're only watching on what their mums and dads would call \"the telly\" or 'the Box\" on just over a third of what the statisticians call viewing occasions [Routes to Content, BBC TV Audiences] - More and more access news on their smartphones - almost a half whilst in bed, a little fewer on the bus or train and, wait for it, a third whilst on the loo [Reuters Digital News Report, 2017] - No wonder those same 16-24 year olds are watching less than half an hour of TV news a week - a fall of third in under five years [Ofcom News Consumption Report, 2016] To summarise a little crudely - fewer and fewer young people are watching news on TV. More and more of them are getting it whilst looking at their phone on the loo. To summarise rather less crudely let me quote one of the bosses of one of those corporate giants who pose the greatest challenge to the old ways of doing things - the head of Google News - Richard Gingras who I met a week or two back in Silicon Valley. He, bear in mind, is a veteran journalist who's had ink on his fingers not a teenage techie. \"We came from an era of dominant news organisations, often perceived as oracles of fact. We've moved to a marketplace where quality journalism competes on equal footing with raucous opinion, passionate advocacy, and the masquerading expression of variously-motivated bad actors.\" Gingras points out what is, perhaps, the key challenge posed by social media - \"Affirmation is more satisfying than information. Always has been.\" Now before I move on to what I think we should do to respond to these challenges and before anyone assumes I am in despair. let's just note that BBC News reached three-quarters of adults in the UK each week in 2016/17; more than any other news provider. And we are trusted - 91% of under 34s came to BBC 2017 election coverage in the week of the vote. And, if you'll forgive me an immodest note here, record numbers are tuning in to that old veteran - the Today programme even in our sixtieth year. But one stat I've learned preparing for this speech made me realise that we cannot say complacently \"The young will grow into watching or listening to BBC. After all we did.\" It's a stat about Facebook which - remember fellow Twitter obsessives - is really where more and more people get their news. BBC News has an impressive 44 million followers on the site. Yet most of our stories don't actually reach more than a tenth of that figure - four million. The algorithms tend to favour what people like and share and people like and share things which produce an emotional reaction. So following the BBC doesn't put it high on your news feed. You must follow it AND you and family and friends must choose to like or share it regularly which only really happens when people think OMG, LOL or WTF. But perhaps the figure that raised my eyebrows the highest was those for trust. - Trust in UK media is down by 7% in the latest data from the Reuters Digital News Report - way ahead of the United States but still down - And in one YouGov survey a while back Wikipedia entries were judged to be marginally more trusted than the BBC. Market researchers would tell you that it's within the margin of error BUT it does tell you something What underlies this decline in trust? It is due, I believe, to two main factors - the increased polarization of our society and our national debate and the increased use, particularly by the most committed & most partisan, of social media and alternatives to what they call MSM - the mainstream media. In the space of just three years the country has seen a referendum on whether to split up the UK followed by one on whether to split away from the EU, had two general elections, changed prime ministers, gone from having a majority government to a minority propped up the DUP and seen the unlikely rise and rise of an opposition leader who was at first regarded by himself, never mind anyone else, as having no chance of getting and no interest in having the job. But it is not just politics that is divided. Our society is. Jon Snow spoke powerfully and movingly in his MacTaggart lecture about his encounters with the residents of Grenfell Tower. \"Where were you? Why didn't you come here before?\" some shouted at him. I had my own experience of how the news we report is seen and heard on the streets - not at Grenfell Tower - but on the streets of Finsbury Park in the early hours of 19 June. It was a hot night. The windows of my bedroom in Highbury in North London were open when I heard the scream of sirens and the insistent buzz of low flying helicopters. I did - what so many of our listeners and viewers do now - I reached not for the radio on switch or the remote control but for my phone and went to Twitter. Just down the road police had closed off a road after a van had struck worshippers outside a mosque. I threw on some clothes, rang the office and ran down the road where within seconds I was surrounded by a group of young Muslim men waving their mobile phones at me. They were angry - and not just because some were desperate to get beyond the blue police tape that was now blocking their route to see if family and friends were safe. Why - they demanded to know - are you not calling it terrorism? They showed me the BBC's report which described a \"collision\". So too, in fairness, did other mainstream sites like Sky News. I tried explaining that news organisations always waited for the police to determine whether an incident was an accident, an attack or, indeed, terror. They weren't impressed. They thought we were on their side of those who wanted to cover up attacks on their community. They said they trusted their own media more. It is a pattern we see increasingly. People who seen themselves as not part of the establishment - whether young Muslims, Scottish Nationalists or UKIP-ers, Corbynites or Greens, backers of Leave pre-referendum but, since the vote, backers of Remain - have not just complained about the coverage of what they increasingly refer to as the MSM. They have their own alternative media sites - Wings over Scotland or Westmonster or The Canary or - in the case of the pro EU crowd - a new newspaper - The New European. They would all be horrified to be compared with each other since what motivates them is the belief that the other lot are not just mistaken but an existential threat to the future of their country but they have and do often respond in similar ways to what they call the mainstream media. Their most shared and liked stories are attacks on the MSM and the BBC in particular for ignoring their stories or giving too much coverage to the other side. They share a certainty fuelled by living in a social media bubble that we reporters and presenters are, at best, craven - obeying some dictat from our bosses or the government - and, at worst, nakedly biased. Some might respond to this by saying - it was ever thus. Broadcasters and the BBC in particular have been accused of bias by politicians ever since a young Winston Churchill launched an assault on the BBC for its coverage of the General Strike in 1926. You cannot, he argued, be impartial between \"the fireman and the fire\". But these times are, I believe, different. Firstly, because the fracturing of our politics means the criticism is coming from all sides and from grassroots campaigns not just whichever of the government or opposition feels most vulnerable. Secondly because back then the purpose of the attacks was to bully and intimidate the BBC or, occasionally, ITN into changing the way it reported a particular story or to drop this or that programme or journalist. Our critics now see their attacks as a key part of their political strategy. In order to succeed they need to convince people not to believe \"the news\". When I interviewed Paul Mason - formerly a distinguished colleague at the BBC and Channel 4 - now a hyper-partisan campaigner for Jeremy Corbyn he told me \"we see the media as the enemy navy, we need our own navy.\" Campaigners on the left as well as the right have been looking and listening and learning at what has happened across the pond. They know that there is method behind what some regard as the madness of The Donald's attacks on the \"failing\" press as purveyors of \"fake news\". Italy's leftwing populist Beppe Grillo has described the Italian media as \"the opium of the people, they hide the truth to reassure you, while you slowly die.\" In Germany the right-wing Alternative for Germany party (AfD) have revived the Nazi insult \"lugenpresse\" meaning \"lying press\" Attacks on the media are no longer a lazy clap line delivered to a party conference to the raise the morale of a crowd of the party faithful. They are part of a guerrilla war being fought on social media day after day and hour after hour. So, if, as I argue, we'd be wrong to simply ignore this challenge how should we respond to it? Once again I turn to Steve for my inspiration. Steve, as I've said, was a student radical. More Jon Snow than Nick Robinson. He led a rent strike. He was a student Communist. So dangerous was he considered that his career at the BBC was held back by one of those famous Christmas trees on his personnel file. So, Steve went to Channel 4 to work on a new series called Diverse Reports. In Steve's own words \"there was a clearly defined purpose. Wherever you can find the liberal consensus probe it, probe it, probe it. And if there's another way of looking at it, broadcast it\". And broadcast it he did making the only show I've heard of which examined the case for restoring capital punishment. When we worked together at Panorama, Steve angered some of his colleagues and, I suspect, many of his mates by commissioning a film spelling out that high strength cannabis or skunk could and did lead to psychosis. When he died he was working on a series examining Celebrity which he said would have presented the Kardashians as \"very serious role models\" I believe that we should do exactly what Steve proposed. Precisely how is not for me to decide. One possibility is a series, like Diverse Reports, labelled and separate from mainstream news. Another is a platform for opinions like Viewsnight - Newsnight's experiment. But I doubt either will have the Heineken effect of reaching the people other news cannot normally reach. So, my instinct is that we should build this mindset into all the programming we do so that we ask questions - and can share online items that ask questions - which are all too often not asked. Again and again over the years views which start off being seen as extreme quickly become the new conventional wisdom. There are examples of this on both left and right and others that don't fit neatly into the political spectrum. Monetarism and the economic theories of Milton Friedman were seen by many in politics and the media as eccentric, right-wing and foreign until they were absorbed into the Treasury's bloodstream in the late 1970s and taken up by both major parties. Green politics followed the same path. So, too, did gay rights. As did the idea that demanding immigration controls is not racist. Now, ideas once widely dismissed - like re-nationalising major industries or abolishing nuclear weapons - allow Jeremy Corbyn to claim that he is now in the political \"mainstream\". Let's be clear. Though, I don't propose handing the airwaves to first one side then another to deliver a televised press release or party conference speech. These ideas would be analysed and challenged as rigorously as any other. I wrote a book a few years ago called \"Live from Downing Street\". The theme that emerged again and again was not bias - to this party or that...to right or left - but this slowness to challenge the conventional wisdom of the day. I wrote about Churchill's pre war warnings about the dangers of German re-armament being heard by radio listeners not here in his own country but in the United States. Churchill desperately wanted to give a radio talk on the Home Service (that's how things worked in those days. You gave a talk rather than popping up to be interviewed in Radio 4). But the last recorded talk on that subject - as against others which the BBC's founder John Reith was happy to have Churchill talk on - was in 1935. How do we know this? Well, Churchill complained to a young BBC producer who visited him at Chartwell, his country house, on the day after Neville Chamberlain returned home from signing his agreement with Hitler in Munich and declared 'peace for our time'. A memo records their meeting. They spent hours discussing the Nazi threat and 'Churchill complained that he had been very badly treated in the matter of political broadcasts and that he was always muzzled by the BBC of the Government.' That producer was, incidentally, called Guy Burgess. So it was that, on 1 October 1938, the man who would become his country's most famous traitor tried to reassure the man who would become its saviour that the BBC was not biased. The way Churchill was handled is a powerful warning of the dangers of the BBC believing it is being balanced by silencing the voices of those who do not represent conventional wisdom. It is an answer to all those who complained that Nick Griffin - who is, let me stress, no modern-day Churchill - should never have been invited on to Question Time. It's a riposte to Brexiteers who fill my time line with demands that I should not interview \"that failed leader\" Nick Clegg or the Remainers who say the same about Nigel Farage and to those who argue that Nigel Lawson should never be interviewed about climate change. He - they - should, be challenged and if, as Lawson did on Today recently, they get their facts wrong we should say so. But they should not be silenced. The former Culture Secretary John Whittingdale, warned some months ago that we would face sanctions and fines from Ofcom unless we end what is alleged to be our anti-Brexit bias. My response now is what it was then - back in March - when I tweeted \"Do not adjust your set. Normal service from the BBC means you will hear people you disagree with saying things you don't like (that's our job).\" Ever so briefly, and you might think rather surprisingly, I was hailed by Jeremy Corbyn's backers as confirming their view that the BBC was biased against him. I was interviewed by Lyn Barber soon after he became Labour leader and whilst I was unwell and off work. She wrote in the Sunday Times: \"Was Robinson as shocked as I was by the way the BBC (and other media) rubbished Jeremy Corbyn?\" \"Yes\" I apparently replied - though I blame the chemotherapy I was then taking for my lack of normal caution - before adding: \"Although I was off work, I did drop a note to a few people after his first weekend saying this is really interesting and we owe it to the audience to sound as if we're interested.\" My point then was not that my colleagues weren't treating him fairly. They were quite properly reporting on the widespread opposition he faced in his own shadow Cabinet and the Parliamentary Labour Party. My point was that the ideas that made Corbyn popular - whether scrapping Trident or renationalisation - should be examined and interrogated in their own right and not simply as a cause of rows or splits. Talking to my own children - two of whom are voters and one who soon will be - they are really not interested in whether this or that idea was considered outlandish three decades ago. In my view too many interviews with Jeremy fail to take him and his ideas seriously enough. And when we do his supporters complain that we're being hostile or aggressive. It is Jeremy Corbyn who now says he is a prime minister in waiting and, I assume, he wants to be treated as such. It has become fashionable to argue that one of the reasons the media failed to spot political movements like the rise of Corbyn, the rise of anti-EU feelings or the rise of Trump is because journalists are \"too far removed from those who\" they report on. Jon Snow in his MacTaggart argued that the media was \"comfortably with the elite, with little awareness, contact or connection with those not of the elite\". Ofcom's Chief Executive Sharon White has told broadcasters that the regulator will soon start asking them to provide more data on the social class of those they employ. The BBC's James Purnell has said the Corporation is considering introducing targets. Once again I think back to my experience with Steve. We first met when I was a trainee TV producer working on Brass Tacks, a BBC current-affairs programme based in Manchester. In Manchester note. I was from the area. He'd been a student there. We - it - had a different perspective from people at TV Centre. Our team included a former merchant seaman with a broad Scouse accent and arms covered in tattoos. I have worked with few like him in TV since. When I was Political Editor I often felt the best-known member of my team was Paul Lambert - or 'Gobby', as everyone called him. He was the man who stood in Downing Street shouting questions at those going in or coming out of Number 10. He didn't speak with the rootless received pronunciation of many in broadcasting but in the Estuary English used by millions. Now I confess to being a tad sceptical about targets for employing the right number of working class journalists but transparency and the data it produces are the right way to start this debate - just as they have done, albeit not quite so intentionally, with issue of women's pay in the industry. But ...moving swiftly on ... What really matters as Ofcom's Sharon White has said is \"diversity of thinking not just visible diversity\" or, indeed, diversity of accents. You see Jon Snow was, in my view, too harsh on himself. No-one doubts that this privileged public school son of a bishop who had tea with the prime minister when he was a young man cares passionately about the lives of people from a very different background to himself. His reporting from Grenfell required what all good reporting does - a commitment to get to the truth, tenacity and, yes, empathy. Jon's empathy stems from his values, his time as a charity worker and the work he now does with countless charities. His background is not a bar. Take another famous John. My esteemed colleague at the Today programme John Humphrys. His journalism is rooted in an altogether more humble background - a grammar school boy from the Welsh Valleys. Some of his best reporting has been from the places he grew up observing the changes that had happened in his own lifetime. We need more of both sorts of John! When I moved to the Today programme someone - who will remain nameless - suggested that I should become the programme's Northern voice. Proud though I am of being a boy from the North West and willing though I am to bang on about Manchester and United in particular I had to gently point out that I'd lived for longer in North London than the North of England. However, this boy from the right side of the tracks - from what used to be called the Cheshire stockbroker belt - loves nothing more than getting out of his comfort zone. A few years back I made a documentary called \"The Truth about immigration\" which pointed out what I thought was obvious but others seemed to regard as controversial. To the young, the well off and those working in the big cities immigration often represented a cultural diversity to be relished, a better choice of local food shops and take aways and, yes, a cheap cleaner, builder or, even, nanny. But to other people it represented an unsettling change in the area they'd grown up in; an overcrowded GP waiting room or queue to get into the local school and competition for both jobs and wages. Hearing both those attitudes is what represents diversity of thinking - it also represents BBC impartiality. It involves not just who we employ but how we do our jobs. We should get out more, we should study the polls with more not less intensity and we should look for underlying trends. That does not mean extending still further the fatuous vox poppery that is a substitute for a serious examination of voter attitudes. Filming on a high street until you have obtained clips of contradictory opinions tells the viewer next to nothing. I suspect the biggest cause of viewers and listeners feeling any broadcaster is biased is their sense that they are not hearing views from people like themselves. Quite naturally, they assume that the reason they don't is that their views are deemed unacceptable. A survey carried out for the BBC more than a decade ago in 2006 found that more than half of respondents thought broadcasters often failed to reflect the views of 'people like me'. Those most likely to say this were middle-aged C2DEs - those without access to the internet and those with least interest in news and current affairs. I'm not aware of a more up to date survey but I fear it would not be that different today. I recall a time when I was Political Editor and I asked a producer at TV Centre - as then was - to interview a family outside London on what they thought about some controversial cut to public spending. When the pictures arrived in my edit suite the \"set up\" shot - which established who they were - consisted of them reviewing photographs of their recent family safari photo. I refused to use them demanding to know how many people in Britain could afford the ten grand which I guessed it would cost to take three kids to Africa? When I joined the BBC back in the mid 80s News & Current Affairs, as it was then called, was split between two factions who were at war with themselves. The 'Birtists' - disciples of his 'mission to explain', which insisted that analysis had to come before the demands of good pictures or compelling storytelling and the BBC old guard he'd been hired to tame. The warring factions reminded me of Monty Python's Life of Brian, in which the People's Popular Front of Judea was determined to fight the Popular People's Front of Judea instead of joining forces to confront their common enemy - in this case the threat posed to serious broadcasting by the advent of multi-channel TV and much greater consumer choice. I had been recruited by the old BBC but soon found myself adopted and promoted by the Birtists. I remain an unapologetic cheerleader for his view that knowledge and expertise are critical to good reporting. The specialist editors at the BBC which have now spread to ITV and Sky are his legacy. But I propose that it is now time to add a Mission to engage alongside Birt's Mission to explain. i.e. to reach out to those who currently do not make the BBC their first choice either because they do not treat news bulletins and current affairs programmes as \"appointments to view\" and consume an increasing part of their news via social media or because they are convinced that we are part of the MSM. And the target I'd much rather explore is one that challenges us to engage more people from the groups that we currently struggle to reach. Underpinning all that I have proposed it will be necessary to re-make the case for impartiality. Too many of my generation now treat it like the weather - as a natural phenomenon rather than understanding that it is an artificial legal requirement which could easily be reversed if viewers, listeners and readers stop believing in it. There is a danger that a growing number will question whether impartiality still has any real meaning, whether it is an establishment plot to limit debate and whether it can be sustained in an era of almost infinite media choice. That is what happened in the United States. American media regulation was always less restrictive than it was here - allowing radio shock jocks for example. But what was known as the \"Fairness doctrine\" did, though, ensure that a single network could not broadcast from a single perspective, day after day, without presenting opposing views. However, the US equivalent of Ofcom - the Federal Communications Commission - scrapped it in the Reagan era on the grounds that it 'restricts the journalistic freedom of broadcasters...[and] actually inhibits the presentation of controversial issues of public importance to the detriment of the public and the degradation of the editorial prerogative of broadcast journalists'. So, we ended up with where we are now - two-thirds of right-wingers watch one news network - Fox News of course. Liberals tend to watch CNN, MSNBC or the old terrestrial networks. As a result there are no 'shared facts' in American public life. This was obvious long before Trump's election. When President Obama tried to open a debate on healthcare reform Fox News said it would introduce socialist death panels in which government bureaucrats would decide who lived and died. On the other side liberals filled MSNBC with claims that Republican wanted to kill the poor. We are still no closer to resolving that debate and TV News is not helping. There is still a powerful case for impartial journalism which seeks to inform rather than influence or sway or respond to commercial imperatives. For decades the worlds of impartial and partial journalism have been separate. Broadcasting offered one, print the other. You could have news, or news plus views. Now, though, these worlds have converged. On my TV and my iPad BBC and Sky 'impartial' news channels co-exist with news-and-views channels from America, the Qatari-based Al Jazeera and English-language news services funded by the Chinese, Russian, French and Iranian governments. And that's just in English. Fox News is disappearing from British homes but RT - which in many ways is its left wing equivalent - is increasingly popular here. It is funded by and run from Moscow. It doesn't just promote the Kremlin's views on issues such as the Ukraine or Syria it encourages political forces it believes will weaken its enemies - the governments of the West. RT has had more Ofcom rulings against it than any other news network. In my view it should not be treated with a lighter touch simply because it has a small - albeit growing - audience. All this leads some to argue that TV news should go the way of print. It should be free of controls and customers should pick the product that suits them best. Rupert Murdoch's son James, when he was still chairman of BSkyB in his Mactaggart lecture launched an all-out assault on a system of regulation which he described as 'authoritarianism'. How, in an all-media marketplace, can we justify this degree of control in one place and not in others? The effect of the system is not to curb bias - bias is present in all news media - but simply to disguise it. We should be honest about this: it is an impingement on freedom of speech and on the right of people to choose what kind of news to watch. Before the 2010 election he lobbied the Conservatives hard to dismantle the regulator he found so irksome. A senior Tory minister has told me that had the party secured a majority it was his expectation that Ofcom would have been weakened or dismantled altogether, the Murdoch company News Corp would have taken full control of BSkyB and James Murdoch would have got his way and turned Sky News into a channel to challenge what he saw as the BBC's innate liberal bias. Rupert Murdoch has dubbed Sky as \"BBC Lite\" and was once asked whether he wanted to make his British channel more like his American one. He replied: \"I wish.\" Naturally, as an impartial BBC man I have no views on whether the Murdochs's should or should not take control of Sky but I think this debate has not ended. Indeed, to be fair to James and Rupert, Mark Thompson argued when he was the BBC's Director General \"in the future maybe there should be a broad range of choices. Why shouldn't the public be able to see and hear, as well as read, a range of opinionated journalism and then make up their own mind what they think about it?\" I wonder now that he is at the \"failing...fake news\" New York Times he still feels quite as sanguine. I don't. I believe that we should not rely on our past and our record day to day to make our case - important though they are. We should tell our audience that the BBC is not owned, run or controlled by the government, media tycoons, profit seeking businesses or those pursuing a political or partisan agenda It is staffed by people who regardless of their personal background or private views are committed to getting as close to the truth as they can and to offering their audience a free, open and broad debate about the issues confronting the country. They will always seek to broadcast what they know, be open about what they don't and ready to admit when they get things wrong...to deliver what Carl Bernstein calls 'the best obtainable version of the truth.' So, how do we do more to be seen to broadcast the best obtainable version of the truth? Let's go back to my experience in Finsbury Park when I believe we should have been clearer about why we weren't instantly using the language that those following the story closest were. I make no criticism of the tiny handful of people working in the newsroom that night. This story was far from unique. The explosion which rocked the Manchester Arena was called just that - an explosion for some time before it was called terrorism. Caution in these situations is right. The BBC will rather not be the first for news if it earns the joke slogan \"Not wrong for long.\" But - and it is a big but - it taught me that we should be much more open and explicit about what we know and what we don't and how and why we do what we do. An off the shelf line or two which explained how and when we decide to call things terror attacks could have been added to the initial reports. My bosses will not thank me for this and they may fear that it will produce even more complaints than we get now but I urge them to widen this approach further by, for example, translating the next set of Producers Guidelines - the BBC's bible of editorial standards - into fluent human that can be tweeted, blogged, broadcast (it doesn't really matter which) in real time as stories are reported. I have seen the costly, wasteful, debilitating hours that are spent parsing this or that phrase into how to answer a complaint about an item that was broadcasts weeks if not months earlier. Let's move more quickly...show our workings more...confidently assert why we're doing what we're doing or, when necessary, admit a mistake swiftly and move on. Let's not leave the editorial debate we had on the metaphorical cutting room floor along with the footage we didn't use but pin at least some of it up and then - when complaints do follow - point to what we said and did at the time. I'm delighted that the BBC has invested in a Reality Check - fact checking - unit. Contrary to the complaints of many who oppose Brexit they helped many BBC outlets to say that the claim made in the EU referendum campaign that PS350 million a week was being sent - that word was crucial - to Brussels was untrue. Indeed, I said as much to camera on a BBC1 special a few days before polling and what's more I used a pen to put a great big cross through the claim. I did, incidentally, also say that the Remain claim that every household in Britain would be PS4,300 a year better off was misleading and impossible to verify. I confess that I discussed having a sort of giant fridge magnet made to attach to the Vote Leave bus carrying the words of the many independent figures who pointed out the inaccuracy of their central claim. That might have been just a tad OTT but I suspect we will have to get more and not less assertive about stating what is true and how we know it even as we also point out that many ferocious political debates simply consist of competing and unverifiable claims about the future. Permit me a last word about why despite all the turbulence I've described and we're all familiar with I am confident about the future. It's thanks to the success of the programme which sixty years almost became known as \"Listen whilst you dress\" or \"Background to shaving\". In the year I joined the BBC the \"Today programme\" as it became known was threatened - or so we were told - by the arrival of another American import. After nylons, Mars bars and burgers came...wait for it...breakfast television. Frank & Selina on the BBC's sofa...the so-called \"famous five\" including Parki, Anna and Frostie on TV-AM would, once and for all, knock Today off its perch. But Today survived and, what's more it thrived - trouncing breakfast TV - securing double the audience of the TV sofas. And in this the era of Twitter and Facebook, podcasts and downshifting, viewing on your iPad, on the loo as well as in your sitting room it has a record listenership. The reason? Because, at its best, Today tells the audience what they need to know in a way they understand hearing not just from political and business leaders but also from the best and the brightest in science, the arts, religion and, yes, fashion - one of Britain's most successful industries. It broadcasts too - and must in my view hear more - the experiences of ordinary folk with stories to tell not, I stress, the two a penny opinions of the TV vox pop or radio phone in. It succeeds not because it necessarily makes people go OMG or LOL or WTF - although hopefully we do do that often enough. It succeeds because it passes what Steve used to call the \"My Mum\" test. I hope I am not patronising his Mum Vera or, indeed, mine too much when I say that it is the best test of our journalism - whether it would seem relevant, comprehensible and engaging to our Mums, our Dads, our brothers or sisters - indeed anyone of any age or gender or background who is not a news junkie or political trainspotter. In a world in which there is ever more information but it gets ever harder to reach the people you want to reach our challenge is to engage people we could once take for granted. It is that mission which - along with the Steve Hewlett scholarship - would be a fitting testimony to Steve.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 14835, "answer_start": 9160, "text": "What underlies this decline in trust? It is due, I believe, to two main factors - the increased polarization of our society and our national debate and the increased use, particularly by the most committed & most partisan, of social media and alternatives to what they call MSM - the mainstream media. In the space of just three years the country has seen a referendum on whether to split up the UK followed by one on whether to split away from the EU, had two general elections, changed prime ministers, gone from having a majority government to a minority propped up the DUP and seen the unlikely rise and rise of an opposition leader who was at first regarded by himself, never mind anyone else, as having no chance of getting and no interest in having the job. But it is not just politics that is divided. Our society is. Jon Snow spoke powerfully and movingly in his MacTaggart lecture about his encounters with the residents of Grenfell Tower. \"Where were you? Why didn't you come here before?\" some shouted at him. I had my own experience of how the news we report is seen and heard on the streets - not at Grenfell Tower - but on the streets of Finsbury Park in the early hours of 19 June. It was a hot night. The windows of my bedroom in Highbury in North London were open when I heard the scream of sirens and the insistent buzz of low flying helicopters. I did - what so many of our listeners and viewers do now - I reached not for the radio on switch or the remote control but for my phone and went to Twitter. Just down the road police had closed off a road after a van had struck worshippers outside a mosque. I threw on some clothes, rang the office and ran down the road where within seconds I was surrounded by a group of young Muslim men waving their mobile phones at me. They were angry - and not just because some were desperate to get beyond the blue police tape that was now blocking their route to see if family and friends were safe. Why - they demanded to know - are you not calling it terrorism? They showed me the BBC's report which described a \"collision\". So too, in fairness, did other mainstream sites like Sky News. I tried explaining that news organisations always waited for the police to determine whether an incident was an accident, an attack or, indeed, terror. They weren't impressed. They thought we were on their side of those who wanted to cover up attacks on their community. They said they trusted their own media more. It is a pattern we see increasingly. People who seen themselves as not part of the establishment - whether young Muslims, Scottish Nationalists or UKIP-ers, Corbynites or Greens, backers of Leave pre-referendum but, since the vote, backers of Remain - have not just complained about the coverage of what they increasingly refer to as the MSM. They have their own alternative media sites - Wings over Scotland or Westmonster or The Canary or - in the case of the pro EU crowd - a new newspaper - The New European. They would all be horrified to be compared with each other since what motivates them is the belief that the other lot are not just mistaken but an existential threat to the future of their country but they have and do often respond in similar ways to what they call the mainstream media. Their most shared and liked stories are attacks on the MSM and the BBC in particular for ignoring their stories or giving too much coverage to the other side. They share a certainty fuelled by living in a social media bubble that we reporters and presenters are, at best, craven - obeying some dictat from our bosses or the government - and, at worst, nakedly biased. Some might respond to this by saying - it was ever thus. Broadcasters and the BBC in particular have been accused of bias by politicians ever since a young Winston Churchill launched an assault on the BBC for its coverage of the General Strike in 1926. You cannot, he argued, be impartial between \"the fireman and the fire\". But these times are, I believe, different. Firstly, because the fracturing of our politics means the criticism is coming from all sides and from grassroots campaigns not just whichever of the government or opposition feels most vulnerable. Secondly because back then the purpose of the attacks was to bully and intimidate the BBC or, occasionally, ITN into changing the way it reported a particular story or to drop this or that programme or journalist. Our critics now see their attacks as a key part of their political strategy. In order to succeed they need to convince people not to believe \"the news\". When I interviewed Paul Mason - formerly a distinguished colleague at the BBC and Channel 4 - now a hyper-partisan campaigner for Jeremy Corbyn he told me \"we see the media as the enemy navy, we need our own navy.\" Campaigners on the left as well as the right have been looking and listening and learning at what has happened across the pond. They know that there is method behind what some regard as the madness of The Donald's attacks on the \"failing\" press as purveyors of \"fake news\". Italy's leftwing populist Beppe Grillo has described the Italian media as \"the opium of the people, they hide the truth to reassure you, while you slowly die.\" In Germany the right-wing Alternative for Germany party (AfD) have revived the Nazi insult \"lugenpresse\" meaning \"lying press\" Attacks on the media are no longer a lazy clap line delivered to a party conference to the raise the morale of a crowd of the party faithful. They are part of a guerrilla war being fought on social media day after day and hour after hour. So, if, as I argue, we'd be wrong to simply ignore this challenge how should we respond to it?" } ], "id": "10190_0", "question": "What's the problem?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 27408, "answer_start": 26191, "text": "I suspect the biggest cause of viewers and listeners feeling any broadcaster is biased is their sense that they are not hearing views from people like themselves. Quite naturally, they assume that the reason they don't is that their views are deemed unacceptable. A survey carried out for the BBC more than a decade ago in 2006 found that more than half of respondents thought broadcasters often failed to reflect the views of 'people like me'. Those most likely to say this were middle-aged C2DEs - those without access to the internet and those with least interest in news and current affairs. I'm not aware of a more up to date survey but I fear it would not be that different today. I recall a time when I was Political Editor and I asked a producer at TV Centre - as then was - to interview a family outside London on what they thought about some controversial cut to public spending. When the pictures arrived in my edit suite the \"set up\" shot - which established who they were - consisted of them reviewing photographs of their recent family safari photo. I refused to use them demanding to know how many people in Britain could afford the ten grand which I guessed it would cost to take three kids to Africa?" } ], "id": "10190_1", "question": "Bias?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "On Monday, Christmas Eve, hundreds of people were forced to leave their homes in a 38-storey tower in Sydney, Australia, when a huge crack was found in its wall. Authorities later found the split in a support wall on the building's 10th floor. Engineers estimated it caused parts of the building to shift by up to 2mm. Although nobody was injured, Australians were shocked by the fault in the newly-built Opal Tower in Sydney's Olympic Park. The shiny high-rise boasted million-dollar apartments, and the developer and builder are well regarded in the industry. The tower's construction and design has since been called into question, as have the standards of the wider Australian building industry itself. Both the tower's builder and the developer defended the construction, saying that the temporary relocation was just a precautionary measure while repairs are carried out and that the tower remains \"structurally sound\". After they had moved back in following Monday's evacuation, residents were forced to move out on Friday for a second time, as investigators scrambled to find the cause of the fault. The tower's builder, Icon Construction, said the building was safe and the disruption was simply to allow investigations and repairs to take place as quickly as possible. The company identified the crack in a pre-cast concrete panel. This panel was part of a chain of other panels up and down the building, thus rendering 51 units of the tower's 392 uninhabitable. Pictures on social media showed the building's damage, with crumbling walls, loose plaster and jammed doors. However, the engineering firm WSP leading the investigation have not determined why the panel cracked. \"The reasons for the failure at the moment are unknown,\" WSP's Guy Templeton said on Thursday. Mr Templeton said engineers were \"working around the clock\" to investigate and repair the site. The New South Wales government has also launched its own probe, headed up by the deans of two engineering schools from Sydney universities. One of those leads, Prof Mark Hoffman from the University of New South Wales, told the BBC the investigation would focus on the concrete panels, which were made offsite. These could be found in 16 other locations around the building and had been installed to build balcony recesses into the building, he said. He described the fault as \"completely out of the ordinary\", noting that the Australian construction industry was \"world-renowned\", and regulated by a framework of national and state codes. However other experts say the enforcement of those regulations has been lacking. In February, a government-commissioned report found a \"prevalence of serious compliance failures in recently constructed buildings\". The Shergold-Weir report had been commissioned in response to the UK's Grenfell Tower tragedy, and was scathing in its assessment. In particular, it specified the industry's lack of oversight and noted that \"those involved in high-rise construction have been left largely to their own devices\". Prof Bill Randolph from the University of NSW told the BBC that the industry's private certification process - by which developers can choose their own certifier - is \"hugely flawed\". \"In a big building... no final certifier signing off would really have much idea about the details of what went on,\" he told the BBC. \"The sub-contractors... sign off on their own work and just pass it on to the next person up the chain\". The rapid pace by which high-rise buildings had sprung up in Sydney was also concerning, he added. Engineers Australia, the professional body representing the trade, also described the approval process as an \"overarching problem\". \"[We] hear from our members that the people signing off the work often do not have the qualifications or experience to actually be in a position to make an informed judgement,\" said spokesman Brent Jackson. While the causes of the Opal Tower's structural faults are still unknown, concerns over certification were prevalent across the industry, he said.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1779, "answer_start": 926, "text": "After they had moved back in following Monday's evacuation, residents were forced to move out on Friday for a second time, as investigators scrambled to find the cause of the fault. The tower's builder, Icon Construction, said the building was safe and the disruption was simply to allow investigations and repairs to take place as quickly as possible. The company identified the crack in a pre-cast concrete panel. This panel was part of a chain of other panels up and down the building, thus rendering 51 units of the tower's 392 uninhabitable. Pictures on social media showed the building's damage, with crumbling walls, loose plaster and jammed doors. However, the engineering firm WSP leading the investigation have not determined why the panel cracked. \"The reasons for the failure at the moment are unknown,\" WSP's Guy Templeton said on Thursday." } ], "id": "10191_0", "question": "What do we know about the crack?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2514, "answer_start": 1780, "text": "Mr Templeton said engineers were \"working around the clock\" to investigate and repair the site. The New South Wales government has also launched its own probe, headed up by the deans of two engineering schools from Sydney universities. One of those leads, Prof Mark Hoffman from the University of New South Wales, told the BBC the investigation would focus on the concrete panels, which were made offsite. These could be found in 16 other locations around the building and had been installed to build balcony recesses into the building, he said. He described the fault as \"completely out of the ordinary\", noting that the Australian construction industry was \"world-renowned\", and regulated by a framework of national and state codes." } ], "id": "10191_1", "question": "What are investigators doing now?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4031, "answer_start": 2515, "text": "However other experts say the enforcement of those regulations has been lacking. In February, a government-commissioned report found a \"prevalence of serious compliance failures in recently constructed buildings\". The Shergold-Weir report had been commissioned in response to the UK's Grenfell Tower tragedy, and was scathing in its assessment. In particular, it specified the industry's lack of oversight and noted that \"those involved in high-rise construction have been left largely to their own devices\". Prof Bill Randolph from the University of NSW told the BBC that the industry's private certification process - by which developers can choose their own certifier - is \"hugely flawed\". \"In a big building... no final certifier signing off would really have much idea about the details of what went on,\" he told the BBC. \"The sub-contractors... sign off on their own work and just pass it on to the next person up the chain\". The rapid pace by which high-rise buildings had sprung up in Sydney was also concerning, he added. Engineers Australia, the professional body representing the trade, also described the approval process as an \"overarching problem\". \"[We] hear from our members that the people signing off the work often do not have the qualifications or experience to actually be in a position to make an informed judgement,\" said spokesman Brent Jackson. While the causes of the Opal Tower's structural faults are still unknown, concerns over certification were prevalent across the industry, he said." } ], "id": "10191_2", "question": "What does this say about the industry?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "In the run-up to the UK's EU referendum, Russia became part of the debate. The Remain campaign claimed that the Kremlin was secretly backing a Brexit to weaken the European Union. In the words of Prime Minister David Cameron, President Vladimir Putin \"might be happy\" if Britain left the EU. So, is he? Is the Kremlin leader loving a Brexit? Not publicly, at least. On Friday, Mr Putin told journalists the referendum result brought \"positives and negatives\". He spoke about the negatives, including the unsettling effect on financial markets. But what are the \"positives\"? What does Russia gain from a Brexit? My thoughts: The UK and EU have been plunged into economic uncertainty. What will happen? Will the UK break apart? Will other EU member states push to leave? In the coming weeks, expect Russian state media to contrast post-referendum upheaval and uncertainty abroad with a picture of \"stability\" back home and images of a \"strong\" President Putin at the helm. Ahead of parliamentary elections later this year, such coverage could boost the party of power, United Russia, and the president himself. Good for the ratings! The EU imposed sanctions on Russia because of Moscow's intervention in Ukraine. Now, with Brexit, the EU is under huge pressure. As expected, Russian schadenfreude - gloating over another's woes - is in plentiful supply. \"It's no joke. The pound is the new rouble,\" commented one state TV presenter on Friday as sterling was on the slide. Konstantin Kosachev, the head of the upper house of parliament's foreign affairs committee, admitted to Life TV: \"Considering our difficult relations with the EU, there is a temptation to gloat over the EU's misfortunes.\" But Mr Kosachev himself resisted the temptation. He pointed out that the EU remains Russia's largest trading partner. \"If the EU falls apart at the seams,\" he warned, \"this will affect our trade relations\". Moscow's Mayor Sergei Sobyanin believes Russia wins from Brexit. \"Without the UK in the EU, there will no longer be anyone so zealously standing up for sanctions against us,\" he tweeted. \"Of all EU states, Britain has been the most aggressive towards Russia,\" writes political analyst Alexei Mukhin in the tabloid Moskovsky Komsomolets. \"It has always criticised us and tried to harm us economically, financially and politically. Brexit will make the European Union more friendly towards Russia.\" Wishful thinking, perhaps. The UK has not been the only EU state taking a hard line with Russia. Poland, Sweden and the Baltic states have been too. There is currently no love lost between Number 10 Downing Street and the Kremlin. David Cameron said Vladimir Putin backed a Brexit. Mr Putin accused David Cameron of organising the EU referendum \"to blackmail Europe\". Following Mr Cameron's resignation, Mr Putin's spokesman said he hoped that \"in the new reality, the understanding of a necessity to build good relations with our country will prevail\". (In other words, \"let's hope the new PM likes us more\".) Leading Brexiteers have called for better relations with Russia. Six months ago, Boris Johnson urged Britain to work more closely with Russia in fighting so-called Islamic State in Syria. He concluded: \"It is just not true that whatever is good for Putin must automatically be bad for the West\". The Kremlin will have taken note.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2545, "answer_start": 1900, "text": "Moscow's Mayor Sergei Sobyanin believes Russia wins from Brexit. \"Without the UK in the EU, there will no longer be anyone so zealously standing up for sanctions against us,\" he tweeted. \"Of all EU states, Britain has been the most aggressive towards Russia,\" writes political analyst Alexei Mukhin in the tabloid Moskovsky Komsomolets. \"It has always criticised us and tried to harm us economically, financially and politically. Brexit will make the European Union more friendly towards Russia.\" Wishful thinking, perhaps. The UK has not been the only EU state taking a hard line with Russia. Poland, Sweden and the Baltic states have been too." } ], "id": "10192_0", "question": "Goodbye to sanctions?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "South American countries will meet to discuss a coordinated response to the fires ravaging the Amazon basin next week, Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro has announced. It comes after he refused a G7 offer of $22m (PS18m) following a spat with French President Emmanuel Macron. Governors of the nine worst affected regions have urged him to reconsider. Mr Bolsonaro has now accepted Chile's offer of four planes to fight the fires, the most in Brazil since 2010. He revealed all countries in the Amazon region, apart from Venezuela, will meet on 6 September to further discuss a common policy. However, speaking after meeting his Chilean counterpart Sebastian Pinera, Mr Bolsonaro said he was not yet prepared to accept the G7 offer. \"The French government called me a liar,\" he said, according to Reuters news agency. \"Only after it has recanted what it said about me ... and the Brazilian people, who do not accept this diminution of the Amazon's sovereignty ... then we can talk again.\" The Amazon is a vital carbon store that slows down the pace of global warming. President Bolsonaro said last week that his government lacked the resources to fight the fires. As international concern over the fires spread, leaders of the seven leading industrial nations meeting in France offered $22m to help fight the fires. President Macron, who was hosting the summit, said the funds would be made available immediately - primarily to pay for more firefighting planes. But President Bolsonaro rejected the offer arguing that the G7 countries were treating Brazil like \"a colony or a no-man's land\". That is not entirely clear yet. There has been a lot of back and forth on this. After ruling out accepting the aid, President Bolsonaro softened his stance a little on Tuesday saying he would consider doing so, if President Macron apologised for insulting him by calling him a liar - words he echoed on Wednesday. And following President Bolsonaro's meeting with the governors late on Tuesday, presidential spokesman Rego Barros said the Brazilian government \"is open to receiving financial support from organisations and countries\". However, Mr Barros stipulated that the aid would have to have the \"total governance of the Brazilian people\". There has been no response yet from the French government or the G7 countries. The governor of Maranhao state, Flavio Dino, said he and his counterparts from other affected states had told Mr Bolsonaro that \"it's not the moment to turn down money\". Apart from the $22m the G7 countries offered, Hollywood actor Leonardo DiCaprio also pledged $5m to help fight the fires. Apple CEO Tim Cook also tweeted that the company would be \"donating to help preserve the Amazon rainforest's biodiversity\" but he did not name a figure. US President Donald Trump tweeted that Mr Bolsonaro and Brazil \"have the full and complete support of the USA\". Reuters news agency says it has been told by a diplomatic source in Brasilia that the Brazilian government has accepted $12.2m from the UK government. The government says it has deployed 44,000 soldiers to seven states to combat the fires. Prosecutors are also investigating allegations that some of the fires were trigged by the illegal clearing of land. The justice ministry says that federal police officers would be sent to the fire zones to assist other state agencies in combating \"illegal deforestation\". Data published by Brazil's space agency suggests there are. The agency, known as Inpe, says there have been more than 83,000 fires between 1 January 2019 and 27 August 2019. That is a 77% rise compared to the same period in 2018. Nasa has also warned that the \"2019 fires season has the highest fire count since 2012\". BBC analysis has also found that the high number of fires being recorded coincides with a sharp drop in fines being handed out for environmental violations. Jorgimar Alberto, from Roraima, one of the states most affected by the fires, has seen the burning of most of the land surrounding his wooden house. \"It's a risky situation, we have lots of crops here and everything is burning, such as the cashew trees,\" he told the BBC. \"I even had to keep the animals [inside] so that they don't burn as well. Every year it is the same, these fires are disturbing the region a lot.\" Environmental officials helped him extinguish the fires last week only for them to reignite, he said. His wife could not stand staying in the house with the smell of burning and the threat getting ever closer, so she left. Dr Daniel Pires, meanwhile, told Brazil's Folha de S. Paulo newspaper that the number of children he had seen with respiratory problems since the early part of the month had doubled. \"This period has been very tough. The dry weather and the smoke causes many problems for children, such as pneumonia, coughing and secretion,\" the paediatrician, who works at Cosme e Damia Children's hospital in the Rondonia state capital of Porto Velho, said. But lumberyard owner Edson Oliveira from southern Amazonas said he did not believe the media coverage about the Amazon. \"In my opinion, the parts that are burning are the same that burn every year,\" he told the BBC. Asked what he would like politicians to do for the Amazon, he said that he would like \"economic alternatives for people here, to find a way we can make use of the natural wealth we have here\". \"It's no use pointing the finger at what's wrong without bringing alternatives to people,\" he said.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1591, "answer_start": 989, "text": "The Amazon is a vital carbon store that slows down the pace of global warming. President Bolsonaro said last week that his government lacked the resources to fight the fires. As international concern over the fires spread, leaders of the seven leading industrial nations meeting in France offered $22m to help fight the fires. President Macron, who was hosting the summit, said the funds would be made available immediately - primarily to pay for more firefighting planes. But President Bolsonaro rejected the offer arguing that the G7 countries were treating Brazil like \"a colony or a no-man's land\"." } ], "id": "10193_0", "question": "Why does it matter?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2484, "answer_start": 1592, "text": "That is not entirely clear yet. There has been a lot of back and forth on this. After ruling out accepting the aid, President Bolsonaro softened his stance a little on Tuesday saying he would consider doing so, if President Macron apologised for insulting him by calling him a liar - words he echoed on Wednesday. And following President Bolsonaro's meeting with the governors late on Tuesday, presidential spokesman Rego Barros said the Brazilian government \"is open to receiving financial support from organisations and countries\". However, Mr Barros stipulated that the aid would have to have the \"total governance of the Brazilian people\". There has been no response yet from the French government or the G7 countries. The governor of Maranhao state, Flavio Dino, said he and his counterparts from other affected states had told Mr Bolsonaro that \"it's not the moment to turn down money\"." } ], "id": "10193_1", "question": "Will Brazil take the G7 aid now?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3022, "answer_start": 2485, "text": "Apart from the $22m the G7 countries offered, Hollywood actor Leonardo DiCaprio also pledged $5m to help fight the fires. Apple CEO Tim Cook also tweeted that the company would be \"donating to help preserve the Amazon rainforest's biodiversity\" but he did not name a figure. US President Donald Trump tweeted that Mr Bolsonaro and Brazil \"have the full and complete support of the USA\". Reuters news agency says it has been told by a diplomatic source in Brasilia that the Brazilian government has accepted $12.2m from the UK government." } ], "id": "10193_2", "question": "What other aid has been pledged?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3383, "answer_start": 3023, "text": "The government says it has deployed 44,000 soldiers to seven states to combat the fires. Prosecutors are also investigating allegations that some of the fires were trigged by the illegal clearing of land. The justice ministry says that federal police officers would be sent to the fire zones to assist other state agencies in combating \"illegal deforestation\"." } ], "id": "10193_3", "question": "What is Brazil doing to stop the fires?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3859, "answer_start": 3384, "text": "Data published by Brazil's space agency suggests there are. The agency, known as Inpe, says there have been more than 83,000 fires between 1 January 2019 and 27 August 2019. That is a 77% rise compared to the same period in 2018. Nasa has also warned that the \"2019 fires season has the highest fire count since 2012\". BBC analysis has also found that the high number of fires being recorded coincides with a sharp drop in fines being handed out for environmental violations." } ], "id": "10193_4", "question": "Are there more fires than in recent years?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5454, "answer_start": 3860, "text": "Jorgimar Alberto, from Roraima, one of the states most affected by the fires, has seen the burning of most of the land surrounding his wooden house. \"It's a risky situation, we have lots of crops here and everything is burning, such as the cashew trees,\" he told the BBC. \"I even had to keep the animals [inside] so that they don't burn as well. Every year it is the same, these fires are disturbing the region a lot.\" Environmental officials helped him extinguish the fires last week only for them to reignite, he said. His wife could not stand staying in the house with the smell of burning and the threat getting ever closer, so she left. Dr Daniel Pires, meanwhile, told Brazil's Folha de S. Paulo newspaper that the number of children he had seen with respiratory problems since the early part of the month had doubled. \"This period has been very tough. The dry weather and the smoke causes many problems for children, such as pneumonia, coughing and secretion,\" the paediatrician, who works at Cosme e Damia Children's hospital in the Rondonia state capital of Porto Velho, said. But lumberyard owner Edson Oliveira from southern Amazonas said he did not believe the media coverage about the Amazon. \"In my opinion, the parts that are burning are the same that burn every year,\" he told the BBC. Asked what he would like politicians to do for the Amazon, he said that he would like \"economic alternatives for people here, to find a way we can make use of the natural wealth we have here\". \"It's no use pointing the finger at what's wrong without bringing alternatives to people,\" he said." } ], "id": "10193_5", "question": "What are people on the ground saying?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Former CIA agent Evan McMullin has launched an independent campaign for the White House with support from members of the Never Trump movement. Mr McMullin, the former chief policy director of the House Republican Conference, is expected to formally file his candidacy on Monday. He is likely to face challenges on ballot deadlines and fundraising just three months before Election Day. The 40-year-old Mormon has never held elected office. Mr McMullin, an outspoken critic of the Republican nominee, Donald Trump, released a statement to ABC News. \"It's never too late to do the right thing, and America deserves much better than either Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton can offer us. I humbly offer myself as a leader who can give millions of disaffected Americans a conservative choice for President,\" Mr McMullin said. The little-known, unmarried conservative worked for the CIA for 11 years before leaving the agency in 2010. He later went to work for Goldman Sachs and became a senior adviser on national security for the House Committee on Foreign Affairs in 2013. Mr McMullin resigned from his position at the House Republican Conference on Monday, US media reported. The Utah native graduated from Brigham Young University and earned a master's of business administration from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, according to his LinkedIn page. He had just 135 Twitter follows when his pending candidacy was first announced and gained more than 12,000 within hours. Mr McMullin has voiced his opposition to Mr Trump on social media, calling him an \"authoritarian\" and denouncing the Republican nominee's attacks on the family of fallen Capt. Humayan Khan. In a Facebook post, Mr McMullin condemned Mr Trump's anti-Muslim rhetoric, saying \"attacking them as a group makes America weaker, not stronger\". Mr McMullin joins third-party candidates Libertarian Party's Gary Johnson and the Green Party's Jill Stein, who are also in the race for the White House. Mr McMullin faces a series of hurdles over the next three months, having already missed the deadlines to get on the ballot in 26 states. He will have to collect tens of thousands of signatures in the coming days to make the 10 August deadline for several more states. But the Morman candidate will have time to appear on the ballot in his native Utah, where Mr Trump is deeply unpopular among the Mormon electorate. Senator Ted Cruz overwhelmingly defeated Mr Trump in Utah during the primary election, taking 69% of the vote to 14%. Though Mr McMullin is not likely to appear on majority of state ballots across the country, he could block Mr Trump from taking the historically red state of Utah and peel off some of the billionaire's conservative voters. Mr McMullin will also have to chase millions of dollars in donations over the next few weeks in order to keep up with his opponents this fall. The group Better for America, which was formed by Never Trump conservatives, had been reportedly searching for an independent presidential candidate to put up against the nominee. The group has insisted key Republican donors would throw their support behind his candidacy, according to ABC News. Prominent Republican operative Rick Wilson is expected to help run Mr McMullin's campaign. Mr Wilson wrote about why Mr Trump needs to \"suffer a humiliating defeat\" in a New York Daily News op-ed on Sunday. He wrote: \"if there's a loss by a slim margin in the popular vote or electoral college, millions of already embittered Americans, worked into a frenzy by a shameless leader who will surely refuse to accept the returns, will start the next four years convinced that the United States of America is little more than a banana republic -- and the presidency of Hillary Clinton is irretrievably illegitimate\". Florida-based pollster and operative Joel Searby is also thought to be working on the campaign. Mr McMullin's candidacy comes after the Never Trump movement talked of launching campaigns for Nebraska Senator Ben Sasse and National Review writer David French earlier this year.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1979, "answer_start": 820, "text": "The little-known, unmarried conservative worked for the CIA for 11 years before leaving the agency in 2010. He later went to work for Goldman Sachs and became a senior adviser on national security for the House Committee on Foreign Affairs in 2013. Mr McMullin resigned from his position at the House Republican Conference on Monday, US media reported. The Utah native graduated from Brigham Young University and earned a master's of business administration from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, according to his LinkedIn page. He had just 135 Twitter follows when his pending candidacy was first announced and gained more than 12,000 within hours. Mr McMullin has voiced his opposition to Mr Trump on social media, calling him an \"authoritarian\" and denouncing the Republican nominee's attacks on the family of fallen Capt. Humayan Khan. In a Facebook post, Mr McMullin condemned Mr Trump's anti-Muslim rhetoric, saying \"attacking them as a group makes America weaker, not stronger\". Mr McMullin joins third-party candidates Libertarian Party's Gary Johnson and the Green Party's Jill Stein, who are also in the race for the White House." } ], "id": "10194_0", "question": "Who is Evan McMullin?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Birmingham has been officially announced as the host for the 2022 Commonwealth Games. It has been a rocky road, with the second city facing competition from Liverpool and then having to wait for the announcement after the Commonwealth Games Federation said it needed clarification on a number of issues. A bitter five-month long bin dispute, costing the council PS6m, and recent criticism from Communities Secretary Sajid Javid, who said the Labour-administered city council was badly run, may not have helped. So can the Brummies pull it off? It seems Birmingham is continuing the growth that has seen a bid to be Channel 4's new headquarters, the location for the 2018 Gymnastics World Cup and hosting a controversial 100-mile Velo bike race. The city council's campaign was based on Birmingham being the \"heart of the UK\" and \"soul of the Commonwealth\". And now it will stage the PS750m showpiece, billed as being the most expensive sports event in Britain since the London 2012 Olympics. There was also excitement amongst the city's sporting talent, delighted at the promise of a home crowd. Coventry running legend David Moorcroft, a former 5,000-metre world record holder and ex-head of UK Athletics, thinks the Games are a bonus not just for Birmingham but the wider area. \"I think it's fantastic for Birmingham and it's fantastic for the whole of the West Midlands,\" he said. \"There's so much more than just sport involved in the Commonwealth Games, it connects with the diverse communities that [make up] Birmingham. \"It'll be a great celebration. Birmingham has a good reputation at putting on big sporting events and it does them really well. It's something for loads of young aspiring athletes from the West Midlands to take part in.\" Duncan McKay, editor of Inside the Games, said Birmingham already had a lot of plans in place. He said: \"It's a fantastic city: it's got a very diverse population that encapsulates the Commonwealth. It has many of the facilities already, albeit some of it like Alexander Stadium needs a revamp, but it has the infrastructure. \"I think it's going to be a great occasion for the city and it will really benefit from it in the long term.\" Evie Tomlinson, 18, a dairy farmer from Leicestershire visiting Birmingham for the day, said: \"It's not an area that has a lot of publicity... it's such a good thing for them.\" Ms Tomlinson said it could be \"the biggest legacy for Birmingham\". However Michael Haile, 46, an economist who works in Birmingham, said: \"I'm not sure if they can handle the infrastructure. If you go around Birmingham there are quite a few places that need doing up. I'm not sure they'd be able to handle it. \"If I remember rightly, London had a really hard time pulling together the Olympics, so I'm not sure if Birmingham would have the necessary skill sets and funds. That would be my doubt, but for the city it's great.\" James Harris, 25, from Stourport, Worcestershire, a hockey coach, said: \"It's brilliant, it'd get more people involved in the sports. It's just great for the city as a whole. \"We went to the Olympics, that was brilliant. It'd just be good to get people down, loads of people can get into the sport by watching. \"Especially with the hockey, there's nowhere really that has a massive event, you normally have to travel quite far. We had a big [surge of interest] from the Olympics so if they do well here, it'll help even more.\" Gary Dixon, 56, who commutes from Telford to Birmingham each day for work, said: \"I think it's a brilliant thing for Birmingham. Birmingham's having some inward invest at the moment, which is raising the profile. \"It did very well for Glasgow, the Olympic games did brilliantly for London, they redeveloped a lot of areas, I'm hoping the Commonwealth Games will have the same effect here.\" Birmingham has a track record of delivering large international sporting events, recently hosting the ICC Champions Trophy and The Ashes at Edgbaston, Rugby World Cup fixtures at Villa Park, Diamond League athletics meetings at Alexander Stadium and the Aegon Classic tennis championships at Edgbaston Priory Club. There was also the Birmingham Marathon and Velo Birmingham. The council says it has 95% of competition venues already in place, with the only new-build required being the Sandwell Aquatics Centre, which will host swimming and diving events. Alexander Stadium will be expanded to host the athletics events and ceremonies, and it is hoped that Perry Barr, a suburban area in north Birmingham, will be transformed in the same way that east Manchester was revitalised by hosting the Games the last time they were staged in England in 2002. And while Birmingham has won the bid, it will be sharing the glory with other locations across the region. Victoria Park in Leamington Spa is the home of Bowls England and the English National Bowls Championships, so will aptly serve as the venue for lawn bowls and para lawn bowls. Part of the Ricoh Arena in the newly-crowned City of Culture 2021, Coventry will host netball matches, while Sandwell, just a stone's throw away from Birmingham in the Black Country, will host aquatic events in a newly-built arena. It may have failed at a bid to host the Olympics in 1992, but Birmingham appears to be fast becoming the go-to hosting city for major sports events. Additional reporting by Alpha Ceesay.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2885, "answer_start": 2427, "text": "However Michael Haile, 46, an economist who works in Birmingham, said: \"I'm not sure if they can handle the infrastructure. If you go around Birmingham there are quite a few places that need doing up. I'm not sure they'd be able to handle it. \"If I remember rightly, London had a really hard time pulling together the Olympics, so I'm not sure if Birmingham would have the necessary skill sets and funds. That would be my doubt, but for the city it's great.\"" } ], "id": "10195_0", "question": "Can Birmingham handle it?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "US President-elect Donald Trump has spoken directly with the president of Taiwan - breaking with US policy set in 1979, when formal relations were cut. Mr Trump's transition team said he and Tsai Ing-wen noted \"close economic, political, and security ties\" in a phone call. The move risks angering China, which sees Taiwan as a breakaway province. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi dismissed the call as a \"petty trick\" by Taiwan, Chinese state media said. Mr Trump tweeted on Friday that Ms Tsai had called him to congratulate him on winning the US election. His team said that the US president-elect had also congratulated Ms Tsai on becoming the president of Taiwan last January. It is highly unusual for a US president or president-elect to speak to a Taiwanese leader directly. Following media reports pointing out the risks of angering China, Mr Trump tweeted: \"Interesting how the US sells Taiwan billions of dollars of military equipment but I should not accept a congratulatory call.\" The White House has said Mr Trump's conversation does not signal any change in US policy. Mr Trump's spokeswoman said he was \"well aware\" of US policy towards Taiwan. Read more: What's behind the China-Taiwan divide? The split between China and Taiwan goes back to 1949, when the Republic of China (ROC) government fled the mainland to Taiwan. After 1945, it held China's seat on the UN Security Council and was, for a while, recognised by many Western nations as the only Chinese government. But in 1971, the UN switched diplomatic recognition to Beijing and the ROC government was forced out. Only a handful of countries now recognise Taiwan's government. Washington cut formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan in 1979, expressing its support for Beijing's \"One China\" concept, which states that Taiwan is part of China. China has hundreds of missiles pointing towards Taiwan, and has threatened to use force if it seeks independence. President Tsai, Taiwan's first female leader, led the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) to a landslide victory in the January 2016 election. The DPP has traditionally leaned towards independence from China. President Tsai's administration does not accept the One China policy. Read more: Tsai Ing-wen, Taiwan's shy but steely leader Mr Trump's decision to turn his back on four decades of US protocol on Taiwan and speak directly to a president of Taiwan will stun policymakers in Beijing. Since his election last month, they have struggled to understand who is advising Donald Trump on Asia and what his China policy will look like. This move will turn concern into alarm and anger. Beijing sees Taiwan as a province. Denying it any of the trappings of an independent state is one of the key priorities of Chinese foreign policy. Read more from Carrie: The Trump phone call that will stun Beijing The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it opposed any official interaction or military contact between the US and Taiwan, according to the People's Daily, a Communist Party mouthpiece. Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the conversation between Mr Trump and Ms Tsai was \"just a petty trick by Taiwan\" that he believed would not change US policy toward China, state media reported. \"The One China policy is the cornerstone of the healthy development of China-US relations and we hope this political foundation will not be interfered with or damaged,\" he was quoted as saying. Despite the cut in formal ties nearly four decades ago, the US has still maintained friendly non-official relations with Taiwan. Following Mr Trump's telephone conversation, the White House said the US remained firmly committed to its \"One China\" policy. \"Our fundamental interest is in peaceful and stable cross-strait relations,\" said Ned Price, a spokesman for the White House National Security Council.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1209, "answer_start": 456, "text": "Mr Trump tweeted on Friday that Ms Tsai had called him to congratulate him on winning the US election. His team said that the US president-elect had also congratulated Ms Tsai on becoming the president of Taiwan last January. It is highly unusual for a US president or president-elect to speak to a Taiwanese leader directly. Following media reports pointing out the risks of angering China, Mr Trump tweeted: \"Interesting how the US sells Taiwan billions of dollars of military equipment but I should not accept a congratulatory call.\" The White House has said Mr Trump's conversation does not signal any change in US policy. Mr Trump's spokeswoman said he was \"well aware\" of US policy towards Taiwan. Read more: What's behind the China-Taiwan divide?" } ], "id": "10196_0", "question": "What happened?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3806, "answer_start": 2824, "text": "The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it opposed any official interaction or military contact between the US and Taiwan, according to the People's Daily, a Communist Party mouthpiece. Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the conversation between Mr Trump and Ms Tsai was \"just a petty trick by Taiwan\" that he believed would not change US policy toward China, state media reported. \"The One China policy is the cornerstone of the healthy development of China-US relations and we hope this political foundation will not be interfered with or damaged,\" he was quoted as saying. Despite the cut in formal ties nearly four decades ago, the US has still maintained friendly non-official relations with Taiwan. Following Mr Trump's telephone conversation, the White House said the US remained firmly committed to its \"One China\" policy. \"Our fundamental interest is in peaceful and stable cross-strait relations,\" said Ned Price, a spokesman for the White House National Security Council." } ], "id": "10196_1", "question": "How has China responded?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Yago Riedijk was born and raised in well-to-do Dutch suburbia but abandoned it all in his early twenties for so-called Islamic State (IS). Old pictures show a smiling teenager perched behind a child on a motorbike. A smattering of hairs on his chin suggests he is cultivating a beard. He left the Netherlands in 2014. If he returns, he faces a six-year jail term for joining a terrorist organisation. You may be familiar with his jihadi bride, Shamima Begum from east London who is believed to have \"married\" him 10 days after she arrived inside IS territory aged 15. They now face an uncertain fate. Riedijk was one of 300 Dutch men and women who travelled to Syria and Iraq. Some 135 Dutch nationals with \"jihadist intentions\" are still there, anti-terrorism officials say. It is not known how many want to come back, and it is not clear if they can. Authorities across Europe are alive to the threat of returning jihadists: - The Netherlands this week removed the citizenship of Riedijk's fellow Dutch jihadist, Outhmane B - Thirteen French citizens accused of fighting for IS are facing trial in Iraq rather than in France itself, and the French government will not intervene - Belgium has won an appeal which means it cannot be forced to repatriate two Belgian women convicted of being Islamic State militants from Syria along with their children - The UK has revoked Shamima Begum's citizenship As IS began to crumble, he and Shamima Begum escaped the town of Baghouz to protect their unborn child. Riedijk, now 27, is held in north-eastern Syria while she was in the sprawling al-Hol refugee camp - temporary home to 39,000 people, mostly women and children - but has now reportedly gone elsewhere. When the UK revoked her citizenship, she raised the prospect of applying for Dutch nationality through her \"husband\". Although Riedijk is on a terrorism watch list, his citizenship has not been revoked. If he made it to a Dutch embassy or consulate, in theory he would be allowed to return home. Shamima Begum will struggle to get her underage union recognised in the Netherlands, but their newborn son, Jarrah, may be entitled to Dutch citizenship. There are as many as 170 children in Syria who could lay claim to Dutch nationality. Only this week the Dutch justice department warned of the threat posed by jihadist women returning from abroad, as well as by boys older than nine years old. Even women and children who were not trained and did not take part in hostilities could pose a \"long-term potential threat\" because of exposure to IS ideology, it said. Jimmy's cafe nestles on a neat shopping precinct close to where Riedijk grew up, in the eastern city of Arnhem. Jimmy, softly spoken, gestures to the table where Riedijk and his friends used to gather. Two men in their twenties talk candidly of friends seduced and conscripted by a brutal death cult. Frustrated their city has been christened the Netherlands' \"jihadist capital\", they blame Dutch society for failing to stop \"good kids\" from being groomed. \"They were kick-boxing, deejaying, but then they stopped seeing opportunity here in the Netherlands,\" says one. \"Guys started coming to our mosque, preaching, and the boys started to break away, become more extreme in their thinking, they were meeting in apartments and then we hear they've gone.\" Their experience tallies with the findings of a study that pinpoints a period in 2013 when radicalisation in Arnhem reached its peak. Recruits often suffer from low self-esteem and are searching for a stronger identity, says Barbara Klunder, who has represented a number of young Dutch jihadist suspects. \"It's not so much religious, but more a feeling of belonging and being fully accepted by their own people fighting the same enemy.\" The spotlight returned to Riedijk's hometown last autumn, when seven men were arrested at a holiday park in the southern town of Weert. Leaked photos appear to show them kissing Kalashnikov rifles, posing in bomb vests, and preparing to carry out a terror attack at a rock festival in Arnhem with the aim of \"creating as many casualties as possible\", in the words of the Dutch prosecutor. Six men between 21 and 35 who either came from Arnhem or lived there remain in custody awaiting trial. Another element in the Arnhem terror cell case is Riedijk himself, as he is suspected of being linked to the group. With a jail sentence awaiting him, it is unclear whether he will come back. His parents have declined to comment. Patrick, a childhood friend, describes him as \"one of the quiet people in class\". Shocked by his departure, he believes Riedijk should be brought home and locked up for life. Dutch justice officials will be taking no chances. What other EU member states decide to do regarding repatriation is up to them, but that does not mean the Netherlands has to follow, says the national co-ordinator for security and counter-terrorism. Arnhem Mayor Ahmed Marcouch believes Riedijk should be brought home to face justice. \"We will continue to guide him and keep an eye on him,\" he told a local paper. But he does not want Shamima Begum to come. \"You cannot be eligible for a residence permit when you have committed terrorist crimes.\"", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1823, "answer_start": 1401, "text": "As IS began to crumble, he and Shamima Begum escaped the town of Baghouz to protect their unborn child. Riedijk, now 27, is held in north-eastern Syria while she was in the sprawling al-Hol refugee camp - temporary home to 39,000 people, mostly women and children - but has now reportedly gone elsewhere. When the UK revoked her citizenship, she raised the prospect of applying for Dutch nationality through her \"husband\"." } ], "id": "10197_0", "question": "Where is Riedijk now?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2567, "answer_start": 1824, "text": "Although Riedijk is on a terrorism watch list, his citizenship has not been revoked. If he made it to a Dutch embassy or consulate, in theory he would be allowed to return home. Shamima Begum will struggle to get her underage union recognised in the Netherlands, but their newborn son, Jarrah, may be entitled to Dutch citizenship. There are as many as 170 children in Syria who could lay claim to Dutch nationality. Only this week the Dutch justice department warned of the threat posed by jihadist women returning from abroad, as well as by boys older than nine years old. Even women and children who were not trained and did not take part in hostilities could pose a \"long-term potential threat\" because of exposure to IS ideology, it said." } ], "id": "10197_1", "question": "Will they be allowed in?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Bolivia's largest city, La Paz, is currently enduring its worst drought in a quarter of a century. Glaciers in the surrounding Andean mountains are key to its water supply. Simon Parker visited the abandoned ski resort of Chacaltaya, where locals say they have been seeing changes in the climate for decades. \"I used to come up here as a child and play in the snow for hours, until my eyes and ears ached from the cold and altitude,\" says Felipe Kittelson, 63, while surveying the barren hillside before him. \"People would ski and sled here for seven or eight months a year. We used to shave off cups of ice and cover it in sticky syrup as a treat. This resort used to be covered in such deep snow, but now there's nothing but rock.\" The 5,421m-high (17,785ft) Chacaltaya ski resort, once the world's highest, offered Bolivians a taste of European-inspired apres-ski in the heart of the Andes. These days, however, it resembles an abandoned film set. Surrounded by shards of rusty shale, sticky tufts of pampas and a few hundred hardy llamas, Chacaltaya sits crumbling next to a vast furrow in the mountainside: the site of a once mighty glacier. - Thought to be 18,000 years old - Bolivian scientists started measuring it in the 1990s - They predicted in 2005 that it would survive until 2015 - But it shrank faster than expected and had vanished almost completely by 2009 - Scientists think that the speed of its melting is an indicator of climate change What used to be a buzzing attraction for La Paz's middle class is now a mini ghost town of oxidized ski winches, a spooky cafe and an eerie bar, still festooned with the holiday snaps of early-1990s skiers clad in multi-coloured jumpsuits. A recent study by the Stockholm Environment Institute suggested that the region's temperature had risen by half a degree centigrade in the period between 1976 and 2006. Half a degree might not sound much, but for brothers Adolfo and Samuel Mendoza it meant that they watched as the glacier disappeared before their very eyes. \"Between my brother and I, we worked here for over 70 years, operating the winches,\" says 54-year-old Samuel. Read more:How does a lake disappear? As he sips coca tea through his wind-burnt lips, he recalls: \"Our father worked at this resort in the forties and fifties when this area was covered in snow. \"It's extremely sad to see it this way. We warned people about this in the eighties but nobody listened to us. Every year we could see it getting worse.\" Adolfo, 62, thinks toxic fumes emitted by hundreds of thousands of diesel vehicles in nearby La Paz contributed to the melting of the glacier. But, he says, the problem is larger than that. \"Occasionally, when it does snow up here, the snow is full of a greasy black substance, full of filthy grit. \"I think the cars in La Paz are partly at fault, but Bolivia is not an industrial country. We are being affected by the rest of the planet.\" Chacaltaya's desolation stands in stark contrast to the bustling streets of La Paz. But the fate of the former can be seen as a sad prelude to the problems the latter is currently experiencing. During the dry season, La Paz draws almost a third of its water from reservoirs fed by glacial meltwater. But with Bolivia's glaciers shrinking, water supplies have become scarce. In La Paz, water rationing has become a fact of daily life as in many districts, pipelines and reservoirs have been dry for more than a month. Residents have to queue for many hours to receive their ration of water, siphoned into pots, pans, plastic bags and washing-up bowls. Washing vehicles has become a controversial practice, most people take a shower only once or twice a week and the city's once-emerald football pitches lay brown and dying. Last week, the cities of Paris, Madrid, Athens and Mexico City pledged to ban all diesel vehicles by 2025, but in a place like La Paz, where modern cars are rare and expensive, a similar decision is probably many decades away. Back in Chaclataya, a handful of backpackers a day brave the extreme altitude to photograph this now-sad location. For many, the setting evokes a feeling of contemplation. \"Back at home I think we have an out-of-sight, out-of-mind approach to global warming,\" says Olivia Taylor, 24, from the UK, while sitting on a bench once used by skiers. \"Here though, it's right there in front of me.\"", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4363, "answer_start": 2923, "text": "Chacaltaya's desolation stands in stark contrast to the bustling streets of La Paz. But the fate of the former can be seen as a sad prelude to the problems the latter is currently experiencing. During the dry season, La Paz draws almost a third of its water from reservoirs fed by glacial meltwater. But with Bolivia's glaciers shrinking, water supplies have become scarce. In La Paz, water rationing has become a fact of daily life as in many districts, pipelines and reservoirs have been dry for more than a month. Residents have to queue for many hours to receive their ration of water, siphoned into pots, pans, plastic bags and washing-up bowls. Washing vehicles has become a controversial practice, most people take a shower only once or twice a week and the city's once-emerald football pitches lay brown and dying. Last week, the cities of Paris, Madrid, Athens and Mexico City pledged to ban all diesel vehicles by 2025, but in a place like La Paz, where modern cars are rare and expensive, a similar decision is probably many decades away. Back in Chaclataya, a handful of backpackers a day brave the extreme altitude to photograph this now-sad location. For many, the setting evokes a feeling of contemplation. \"Back at home I think we have an out-of-sight, out-of-mind approach to global warming,\" says Olivia Taylor, 24, from the UK, while sitting on a bench once used by skiers. \"Here though, it's right there in front of me.\"" } ], "id": "10198_0", "question": "Worlds apart?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has given a national apology to victims of child sexual abuse. Hundreds of people gathered in Canberra on Monday to hear Mr Morrison deliver the emotional address in parliament. It follows a five-year inquiry which found tens of thousands of children had suffered abuse in the nation's institutions over decades. \"Today, we finally acknowledge and confront the lost screams of our children,\" he said. \"We must be so humble to fall before those who were forsaken and beg to them our apology.\" The inquiry, which concluded last December, heard more than 8,000 testimonies from victims about abuse in organisations such as churches, schools and sports clubs. With his voice trembling at times, Mr Morrison acknowledged the suffering of victims and condemned institutional failures. \"Why were the cries of children and parents ignored? Why was our system of justice blind to injustice? Why has it taken so long to act?\" he said. Survivors shed tears and held hands as the apology was given, but some later expressed frustration at the government's wider response to the inquiry. \"As one survivor recently said to me: 'It wasn't a foreign enemy who did this to us. This was done by Australians to Australians, enemies in our midst, enemies in our midst.' The enemies of innocence. It happened day after day, week after week, month after month, decade after decade, unrelenting torment. When a child spoke up, they weren't believed and the crimes continued with impunity. One survivor told me that when he told a teacher of his abuse, that teacher then became his next abuser: trust broken, innocence betrayed, power and position exploited for evil, dark crimes.\" Leader of the Opposition Bill Shorten told parliament: \"There are wrongs that cannot be made right. But know that today, Australia says sorry.\" The parliament later stood for a minute of silence. Victims and their supporters travelled from around the nation to hear the apology in Canberra. \"They are coming with very heavy hearts,\" said Leonie Sheedy, the chief executive of Care Leavers Australasia Network. \"It is a wonderful thing our country's apologising, but there is so much more work to be done.\" One survivor told the BBC: \"For me it gave me a lot of comfort to hear [the apology]. At least we lived long enough to hear it.\" Many survivors have criticised the government's response to the inquiry - especially its terms for a national compensation scheme. Victims are eligible for payments of up to A$150,000 (PS80,000; $106,000) each. Some say the compensation is not enough, and onerous to obtain. Mr Morrison said the government had accepted most recommendations from the inquiry, but it was still considering the remaining proposals. Those not yet adopted include recommendations where federal and state responsibilities overlap. The most contentious is a proposal to make reporting abuse mandatory. In August, the Catholic Church formally rejected that call - meaning it will not force priests to break confession rules. On Monday, Mr Morrison committed to establishing a museum of remembrance to memorialise victims' stories. Hywel Griffith, BBC News in Canberra Deep in symbolism, decades overdue - the word \"sorry\" can mean so much and yet change so little. For many, the apology brings recognition of their pain, suffering and anger. But inevitably, for thousands of others who have died - many through suicide - it has all come far too late. Many of those gathered in Canberra tell me the real test of the government's sincerity will be in how it responds to the remaining recommendations. While the apology carries real weight, many survivors want greater action. In their final report, the commissioners said: \"It is not a case of a few 'rotten apples'. Society's major institutions have seriously failed.\" They said over 15,000 people had contacted the inquiry, raising allegations against more than 4,000 institutions. Religious ministers and school teachers were the most commonly reported perpetrators. The greatest number were in Catholic institutions. All states and territories, and many institutions, have since signed up to the federal government-led compensation scheme.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4201, "answer_start": 3684, "text": "In their final report, the commissioners said: \"It is not a case of a few 'rotten apples'. Society's major institutions have seriously failed.\" They said over 15,000 people had contacted the inquiry, raising allegations against more than 4,000 institutions. Religious ministers and school teachers were the most commonly reported perpetrators. The greatest number were in Catholic institutions. All states and territories, and many institutions, have since signed up to the federal government-led compensation scheme." } ], "id": "10199_0", "question": "What did the inquiry find?" } ] } ]