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[ { "context": "The decision to postpone the award of the Nobel Prize for Literature - one of the oldest and most prestigious cultural awards - follows a crisis over sexual assault allegations at the organisation which decides the winner. The Swedish Academy is under fire for how it dealt with alleged misconduct by French photographer Jean-Claude Arnault, who is married to a former member of the centuries-old institution. The academy says it will now announce the 2018 winner along with the 2019 winner next year. Last November, inspired by the #MeToo campaign, 18 women made allegations of sexual assault and harassment against Mr Arnault. Several of the alleged incidents reportedly happened in properties belonging to the academy. He denies all the allegations. The organisation then voted against removing his wife, the poet and writer Katarina Frostenson from its 18-person committee. This, along with accusations of conflict of interest and the leaking of Nobel winners' names is said to have divided the organisation and has sparked a wave of resignations, including Ms Frostenson and the head of the academy, Prof Sara Danius, leaving just 11 members in place. Normally secretive, academy members have attacked each other in public. One member, Horace Engdahl, called some of those resigning \"sore losers\" and described Prof Danius as the worst permanent secretary ever. Her supporters see Prof Danius as a reformer battling a patriarchal institution. After she quit some of them, including Sweden's culture minister, posted photos of themselves wearing a blouse favoured by Prof Danius in solidarity. Technically members cannot resign from their positions, which are for life, but they can stop participating in academy activities. The Swedish King King Carl XVI Gustaf says he will change those rules. Arnault has also been accused of groping the heir to the Swedish throne, Crown Princess Victoria, in 2006, something he denies. The academy said the decision to postpone this year's prize had been made due to a lack of public confidence. \"The Academy needs time to regain its full complement, engage a larger number of active members and regain confidence in its work,\" it said in a statement. Swedish National Television (SVT)'s culture editor Rebecca Lundberg, who has covered the woes extensively, told the BBC: \"It's very sad to all the authors... but it was a necessary decision. \"They have huge work to do. They have to recruit new members and that will be really hard. A lot of people don't want to be associated with the current academy.\" The Swedish Academy also announced a review of its statutes and practices. In an earlier statement, it said the Nobel Prize for Literature's reputation had suffered \"greatly\", promising a plan to restore public confidence in the organisation. The academy's decision may have been influenced by the #MeToo campaign, which highlighted the extent of sexual assault in a number of countries. Potential winners may have found it difficult to accept the prize with the academy facing questions too. The circumstances that led to this year's award being postponed are unique but there have been years without a Nobel Prize for Literature. The prize has not been given out seven times in total, mostly during war years, although in 1935 it was thought no candidate deserved the prize. The last time there was no award was in 1943. Previous winners provide a formidable, eclectic mix. Recent years saw both US singer Bob Dylan and Belarusian writer and journalist Svetlana Alexievich claim the prize, while other recipients include Nigeria's Wole Soyinka, Colombian novelist Gabriel Garcia Marquez, dissident Russian author Alexandr Solzhenitsyn and Indian great Rabindranath Tagore.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1927, "answer_start": 502, "text": "Last November, inspired by the #MeToo campaign, 18 women made allegations of sexual assault and harassment against Mr Arnault. Several of the alleged incidents reportedly happened in properties belonging to the academy. He denies all the allegations. The organisation then voted against removing his wife, the poet and writer Katarina Frostenson from its 18-person committee. This, along with accusations of conflict of interest and the leaking of Nobel winners' names is said to have divided the organisation and has sparked a wave of resignations, including Ms Frostenson and the head of the academy, Prof Sara Danius, leaving just 11 members in place. Normally secretive, academy members have attacked each other in public. One member, Horace Engdahl, called some of those resigning \"sore losers\" and described Prof Danius as the worst permanent secretary ever. Her supporters see Prof Danius as a reformer battling a patriarchal institution. After she quit some of them, including Sweden's culture minister, posted photos of themselves wearing a blouse favoured by Prof Danius in solidarity. Technically members cannot resign from their positions, which are for life, but they can stop participating in academy activities. The Swedish King King Carl XVI Gustaf says he will change those rules. Arnault has also been accused of groping the heir to the Swedish throne, Crown Princess Victoria, in 2006, something he denies." } ], "id": "600_0", "question": "How did the scandal develop?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3039, "answer_start": 1928, "text": "The academy said the decision to postpone this year's prize had been made due to a lack of public confidence. \"The Academy needs time to regain its full complement, engage a larger number of active members and regain confidence in its work,\" it said in a statement. Swedish National Television (SVT)'s culture editor Rebecca Lundberg, who has covered the woes extensively, told the BBC: \"It's very sad to all the authors... but it was a necessary decision. \"They have huge work to do. They have to recruit new members and that will be really hard. A lot of people don't want to be associated with the current academy.\" The Swedish Academy also announced a review of its statutes and practices. In an earlier statement, it said the Nobel Prize for Literature's reputation had suffered \"greatly\", promising a plan to restore public confidence in the organisation. The academy's decision may have been influenced by the #MeToo campaign, which highlighted the extent of sexual assault in a number of countries. Potential winners may have found it difficult to accept the prize with the academy facing questions too." } ], "id": "600_1", "question": "So what next?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3721, "answer_start": 3040, "text": "The circumstances that led to this year's award being postponed are unique but there have been years without a Nobel Prize for Literature. The prize has not been given out seven times in total, mostly during war years, although in 1935 it was thought no candidate deserved the prize. The last time there was no award was in 1943. Previous winners provide a formidable, eclectic mix. Recent years saw both US singer Bob Dylan and Belarusian writer and journalist Svetlana Alexievich claim the prize, while other recipients include Nigeria's Wole Soyinka, Colombian novelist Gabriel Garcia Marquez, dissident Russian author Alexandr Solzhenitsyn and Indian great Rabindranath Tagore." } ], "id": "600_2", "question": "How unusual is this?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "People who have not left their homes around a rumbling volcano in Bali may be forcibly evicted, Indonesian authorities have said. Tens of thousands of people stayed put near Mount Agung after an alert was raised to its highest level. Some still felt safe while others did not want to leave livestock. A spokesman for the country's National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) said people were checking the exclusion zone for non-evacuees. \"There are personnel doing the sweeping, if they [residents] need to be forcibly evacuated,\" Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said. The closure of the island's airport was extended for a second day, leaving thousands stranded in the tourist hotspot. Up to 100,000 people live in the area that could potentially be affected by streams of burning rock have been spotted flowing down from the mountain. But by Monday only 40,000 had left. Mount Agung's volcanic tremors first began in September. Since last week dark gas and ash have been billowing up to 3,400m (11,150ft) above the mountain's summit. The BNPB raised the alert to level four from 06:00 local time (22:00 GMT on Sunday) because of an \"imminent risk of disaster\". The volcano is emitting \"continuous ash puffs\" with occasional \"explosive eruptions\" that could be heard 12km (7 miles) from the summit. \"The rays of fire are increasingly observed at night. This indicates the potential for a larger eruption is imminent,\" it said in a statement (in Indonesian) on its Facebook page. Geologist Mark Tingay of the University of Adelaide told the BBC that eruptions were difficult to predict and it was \"very hard to tell\" exactly how the situation would develop. He added that Indonesian authorities appeared \"extremely well prepared\", with the situation \"well under control\". Authorities have widened the exclusion zone to a 10km (six-mile) radius, and have ordered people in the area to evacuate. Mr Sutopo said some people within the exclusion zone did not leave because the area was not touched during the last eruption, more than 50 years ago. Others are concerned about their animals. Local man Komang Gede told AFP news agency: \"We will try to go the evacuation centres in the afternoon, because in the morning we have to stay here to feed our livestock.\" Lahars, also known as \"cold lava\", are slurries of rock fragments mixed with water, and have been spotted in fields and rivers near the volcano. They are chiefly caused by pyroclastic flows - fast-moving flows of gas and ash that can reach temperatures of 800C (1470F). Officials have been distributing masks for local residents, as ash rains down in the vicinity. Anna Baranova, who works with non-governmental organisation Kopernik that is helping evacuees, told the BBC her group was trying to bring in better masks and distribute solar-powered TVs for informational purposes in case the electricity cuts out. Authorities first issued warnings of an imminent eruption and raised the alert to the highest level two months ago, after detecting heightened volcanic activity. Following mass evacuations, some islanders returned to their homes in October when the alert level was lowered with a decrease in activity. According to official estimates, the holiday island lost at least $110m (PS83m) in tourism and productivity during that major evacuation. The main tourist stretch of Kuta and Seminyak is about 70km (43 miles) from the volcano, far beyond the exclusion zone. But the ash prompted officials to shut down Bali's Ngurah Rai airport from Monday to Tuesday morning. Airport authorities said 445 flights had been cancelled, affecting 59,000 travellers, while Indonesia's hotel association said stranded tourists staying at member hotels could stay one night for free. The Australian government issued travel advice saying: \"Volcanic activity may escalate with little or no notice.\" The UK's Foreign Office have advised travellers to be prepared for cancelled flights, closely monitor local media, and to heed local authorities' warnings. Are you in the area? Have your travel plans been affected? What are conditions like currently? If it is safe to do so, email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk You can also contact us in the following ways: - Tweet: @BBC_HaveYourSay - Send pictures/video to yourpics@bbc.co.uk - Or Upload your pictures/video here - WhatsApp: +44 7555 173285 - Text an SMS or MMS to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (international) - Please read our terms & conditions", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1759, "answer_start": 1024, "text": "The BNPB raised the alert to level four from 06:00 local time (22:00 GMT on Sunday) because of an \"imminent risk of disaster\". The volcano is emitting \"continuous ash puffs\" with occasional \"explosive eruptions\" that could be heard 12km (7 miles) from the summit. \"The rays of fire are increasingly observed at night. This indicates the potential for a larger eruption is imminent,\" it said in a statement (in Indonesian) on its Facebook page. Geologist Mark Tingay of the University of Adelaide told the BBC that eruptions were difficult to predict and it was \"very hard to tell\" exactly how the situation would develop. He added that Indonesian authorities appeared \"extremely well prepared\", with the situation \"well under control\"." } ], "id": "601_0", "question": "How close is it to a major eruption?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3298, "answer_start": 1760, "text": "Authorities have widened the exclusion zone to a 10km (six-mile) radius, and have ordered people in the area to evacuate. Mr Sutopo said some people within the exclusion zone did not leave because the area was not touched during the last eruption, more than 50 years ago. Others are concerned about their animals. Local man Komang Gede told AFP news agency: \"We will try to go the evacuation centres in the afternoon, because in the morning we have to stay here to feed our livestock.\" Lahars, also known as \"cold lava\", are slurries of rock fragments mixed with water, and have been spotted in fields and rivers near the volcano. They are chiefly caused by pyroclastic flows - fast-moving flows of gas and ash that can reach temperatures of 800C (1470F). Officials have been distributing masks for local residents, as ash rains down in the vicinity. Anna Baranova, who works with non-governmental organisation Kopernik that is helping evacuees, told the BBC her group was trying to bring in better masks and distribute solar-powered TVs for informational purposes in case the electricity cuts out. Authorities first issued warnings of an imminent eruption and raised the alert to the highest level two months ago, after detecting heightened volcanic activity. Following mass evacuations, some islanders returned to their homes in October when the alert level was lowered with a decrease in activity. According to official estimates, the holiday island lost at least $110m (PS83m) in tourism and productivity during that major evacuation." } ], "id": "601_1", "question": "How are locals coping?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3991, "answer_start": 3299, "text": "The main tourist stretch of Kuta and Seminyak is about 70km (43 miles) from the volcano, far beyond the exclusion zone. But the ash prompted officials to shut down Bali's Ngurah Rai airport from Monday to Tuesday morning. Airport authorities said 445 flights had been cancelled, affecting 59,000 travellers, while Indonesia's hotel association said stranded tourists staying at member hotels could stay one night for free. The Australian government issued travel advice saying: \"Volcanic activity may escalate with little or no notice.\" The UK's Foreign Office have advised travellers to be prepared for cancelled flights, closely monitor local media, and to heed local authorities' warnings." } ], "id": "601_2", "question": "Should tourists be worried?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "US budget hawks have labelled a plan to hike defence and domestic spending by hundreds of billions of dollars as a debt-ballooning \"monstrosity\". In a rare show of bipartisanship, Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell and Democratic counterpart Chuck Schumer agreed the two-year pact. The bill is expected to clear the Senate comfortably, but face opposition in the House of Representatives. It comes on the eve of a deadline to avert another government shutdown. Congress has to reach a deal before government funding runs out at midnight on Thursday, when a one-month spending bill is set to expire. Both Democrats and Republicans in the House of Representatives have voiced disapproval of the bipartisan bill. White House legislative affairs director Marc Short said the package would increase spending by \"just shy\" of $300bn (PS216bn). The Washington Post puts the figure at half a trillion dollars. The Senate bill, which has not yet been publicly unveiled, reportedly increases defence spending by $80bn in the first fiscal year and $85bn in the second. Non-defence spending, such as a programme to provide health insurance for children, would reportedly increase by $63bn this year, and $68bn next year. Analysis by Anthony Zurcher, BBC News, Washington The taps of government spending are open once more - at least if the US Senate gets its way. When faced with the question of whether to boost military or domestic spending, Capitol legislators have their answer. Why not both? That marks a decided change from the mood seven years ago, when Congress - pressured by conservative factions - felt compelled to address growing budget deficits after the economic collapse of 2008 and subsequent federal emergency stimulus efforts. Republicans and Democrats agreed to harsh fiscal medicine - mandatory spending caps on military and social programmes. Those days are long gone. At the end of 2017, Republicans pushed through a tax-cut plan that added $1.5tn to the 10-year budget deficit. Now it seems likely spending will surge upward as well, despite the Trump administration's promises of an austere budget last year. The Senate compromise still has a perilous path through the US House of Representatives, as fiscal hawks worried about federal spending and liberals angry over the lack of an immigration deal threaten opposition. With midterm elections looming, however, it's likely that enough legislators on both sides of the aisle will welcome a two-year reprieve after months of shutdown drama. Mr Schumer argued the budget accord would \"break the long cycle of spending crises\". But a number of his fellow Democrats are upset that the bill does not address immigration. His House of Representatives equivalent, Nancy Pelosi, told the stories of immigrants in a speech lasting eight hours on Wednesday - setting what is thought to be a new record for the longest speech ever made in the House of Representatives. The 77-year-old vowed to oppose any budget that does not include protections for so-called Dreamers, young immigrants who entered the US illegally as children. Congressional historians believe the California lawmaker's speech is the longest in House history. Conservative Republicans are up in arms about the bill's ramifications for the US federal debt. When asked if he supported the bill, Alabama Republican Mo Brooks said: \"I'm not only a no. I'm a hell no.\" Mr Brooks, a member of the Freedom Caucus, a congressional group of budget hawks, dubbed the bill a \"debt junkie's dream\". He called his fellow Republicans the party of \"big spending\" and \"big government\". Dave Brat from Virginia agreed, calling the bill a \"Christmas tree on steroids\". Freedom Caucus leader Jim Jordan, of Ohio, said the agreement was a \"monstrosity\", which he found hard to believe could have emanated from his own party. Deficits are already projected to climb because of the Trump administration's $1.5tn tax cuts, which were approved by Congress in December. White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders praised the Senate bill, saying \"we're certainly happy with the way it's moving\". \"The budget deal should be a budget deal,\" she told a news conference, dismissing Democratic demands that it include a concession on immigration. Officials at the White House say the deal would also increase the debt ceiling until March 2019.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1214, "answer_start": 716, "text": "White House legislative affairs director Marc Short said the package would increase spending by \"just shy\" of $300bn (PS216bn). The Washington Post puts the figure at half a trillion dollars. The Senate bill, which has not yet been publicly unveiled, reportedly increases defence spending by $80bn in the first fiscal year and $85bn in the second. Non-defence spending, such as a programme to provide health insurance for children, would reportedly increase by $63bn this year, and $68bn next year." } ], "id": "602_0", "question": "What's in the bill?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3186, "answer_start": 2510, "text": "Mr Schumer argued the budget accord would \"break the long cycle of spending crises\". But a number of his fellow Democrats are upset that the bill does not address immigration. His House of Representatives equivalent, Nancy Pelosi, told the stories of immigrants in a speech lasting eight hours on Wednesday - setting what is thought to be a new record for the longest speech ever made in the House of Representatives. The 77-year-old vowed to oppose any budget that does not include protections for so-called Dreamers, young immigrants who entered the US illegally as children. Congressional historians believe the California lawmaker's speech is the longest in House history." } ], "id": "602_1", "question": "Why are some Democrats unhappy?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3831, "answer_start": 3187, "text": "Conservative Republicans are up in arms about the bill's ramifications for the US federal debt. When asked if he supported the bill, Alabama Republican Mo Brooks said: \"I'm not only a no. I'm a hell no.\" Mr Brooks, a member of the Freedom Caucus, a congressional group of budget hawks, dubbed the bill a \"debt junkie's dream\". He called his fellow Republicans the party of \"big spending\" and \"big government\". Dave Brat from Virginia agreed, calling the bill a \"Christmas tree on steroids\". Freedom Caucus leader Jim Jordan, of Ohio, said the agreement was a \"monstrosity\", which he found hard to believe could have emanated from his own party." } ], "id": "602_2", "question": "Why are some Republicans opposed?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4334, "answer_start": 3832, "text": "Deficits are already projected to climb because of the Trump administration's $1.5tn tax cuts, which were approved by Congress in December. White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders praised the Senate bill, saying \"we're certainly happy with the way it's moving\". \"The budget deal should be a budget deal,\" she told a news conference, dismissing Democratic demands that it include a concession on immigration. Officials at the White House say the deal would also increase the debt ceiling until March 2019." } ], "id": "602_3", "question": "What's the White House saying?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "A prestigious food guide has allowed a top French restaurant to publicly withdraw from its listings. Sebastien Bras's Le Suquet restaurant in southern France held Michelin's three-star rating for 18 years. He shocked the food world in September when he decided to give up his top rating, saying he no longer wanted to cook under the \"huge pressure\" of being judged by its inspectors. It is the first time Michelin has ever allowed a restaurant to bow out. \"It is difficult for us to have a restaurant in the guide which does not wish to be in it,\" Michelin spokesperson Claire Dorland Clauzel told AFP news agency. She said other restaurants had dropped out when chefs retired or the concept had changed. The gastronomic bible's decision comes after Mr Bras, 46, spoke out about no longer being able to deal with knowing that just one below-par dish could jeopardise his reputation. \"You're inspected two or three times a year, you never know when,\" he told AFP. \"Every meal that goes out could be inspected. That means that every day one of the 500 meals that leaves the kitchen could be judged.\" Mr Bras's famed restaurant in Laguiole will not be featured in the 2018 edition of the Michelin guide to be published next Monday. Originally published in 1900 to guide French motorists to find food and lodging on the road, the Michelin guide is now exclusively dedicated to fine dining. To be in for a chance of one of the coveted stars, restaurants first have to be in a region Michelin covers. In 2016, it made history by releasing its first-ever Singapore edition, in which it awarded stars to street stalls for the first time. Researchers for the secretive organisation whittle down the best-reviewed restaurants by food bloggers and critics, and only after scouts draft a shortlist, do inspectors make anonymous visits to evaluate the food. One Michelin star represents a \"very good restaurant in its category\", while two stars denotes a restaurant boasting \"excellent cooking\" that is \"worth a detour\". Three stars, however, is the ultimate honour, afforded only to those restaurants that offer \"exceptional cuisine\" that is \"worth a special journey\". It is not clear what the exact recipe is to receive a recommendation or star - but chefs have been chasing these accolades for decades. Currently, 27 French restaurants are in the elite club of holding Michelin's maximum three-star rating. Mr Bras, who took over his three-star restaurant from his father Michel Bras almost a decade ago, accepts that by relinquishing his stars, \"maybe I will be less famous\". Le Suquet was dubbed \"spellbinding\" by Michelin's guide and currently commands a price of up to EUR230 (PS202; $285) for its fixed menus. Its chef says he is keen to \"start a new chapter\" in his restaurant's history, away from the ultra-competitive world of Michelin-star cooking. He hopes he will soon be able to present tantalising dishes \"without wondering whether my creations will appeal to [the] inspectors\". He confessed that, like \"all chefs\", he sometimes thought of fellow Frenchman Bernard Loiseau, who took his own life in 2003. Mr Loiseau took 10 years to achieve three stars and his death was widely linked to rumours that he would lose his third Michelin star. While Mr Bras's restaurant is the first to be removed voluntarily from the Michelin guide, it is not the first luxury eatery to shed its stars: - In 2005, the late Alain Senderens said he'd had enough of the agony of perfection and closed his three-star Art Nouveau Paris restaurant. He is quoted as saying he wanted to do \"beautiful cuisine without all the tra-la-la and chichi\" - Olivier Roellinger closed his lavish Breton restaurant three years later, saying he wanted a quieter life - Finally, Danish chef Rene Redzepi forfeited the two stars he won for his Noma restaurant last year. He closed the eatery in order to move it to another part of Copenhagen, saying it was \"necessary to break down a castle in order to build a new one\"", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2156, "answer_start": 1229, "text": "Originally published in 1900 to guide French motorists to find food and lodging on the road, the Michelin guide is now exclusively dedicated to fine dining. To be in for a chance of one of the coveted stars, restaurants first have to be in a region Michelin covers. In 2016, it made history by releasing its first-ever Singapore edition, in which it awarded stars to street stalls for the first time. Researchers for the secretive organisation whittle down the best-reviewed restaurants by food bloggers and critics, and only after scouts draft a shortlist, do inspectors make anonymous visits to evaluate the food. One Michelin star represents a \"very good restaurant in its category\", while two stars denotes a restaurant boasting \"excellent cooking\" that is \"worth a detour\". Three stars, however, is the ultimate honour, afforded only to those restaurants that offer \"exceptional cuisine\" that is \"worth a special journey\"." } ], "id": "603_0", "question": "What does it take to reach star quality?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3242, "answer_start": 2157, "text": "It is not clear what the exact recipe is to receive a recommendation or star - but chefs have been chasing these accolades for decades. Currently, 27 French restaurants are in the elite club of holding Michelin's maximum three-star rating. Mr Bras, who took over his three-star restaurant from his father Michel Bras almost a decade ago, accepts that by relinquishing his stars, \"maybe I will be less famous\". Le Suquet was dubbed \"spellbinding\" by Michelin's guide and currently commands a price of up to EUR230 (PS202; $285) for its fixed menus. Its chef says he is keen to \"start a new chapter\" in his restaurant's history, away from the ultra-competitive world of Michelin-star cooking. He hopes he will soon be able to present tantalising dishes \"without wondering whether my creations will appeal to [the] inspectors\". He confessed that, like \"all chefs\", he sometimes thought of fellow Frenchman Bernard Loiseau, who took his own life in 2003. Mr Loiseau took 10 years to achieve three stars and his death was widely linked to rumours that he would lose his third Michelin star." } ], "id": "603_1", "question": "How great is the pressure on top chefs?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "US President Donald Trump says he'll put heavy sanctions on Iraq after its president called for US troops to leave the country. It comes after the US killed a top military general in neighbouring Iran. A pro-Iran group of Iraqi MPs voted to call for US troops to leave Iraq - 5,000 of them are there as part of the international coalition against the Islamic State (IS) group. But what are sanctions and how do they work? Sanctions are punishments a country (or group of countries) puts on another country. In this case, it would mean that the US bans American companies in certain industries from exporting their goods to Iraq. US products sold in Iraq - which were worth PS1.3bn in 2016 - include machinery, vehicles and medical instruments. Sanctions can have serious consequences on the people living in Iraq - as they have in the past. More on that in a bit. \"You can impose sanctions against another state because you want to see a change in behaviour of the other state,\" says Professor Moritz Pieper, a lecturer in international relations at the University of Salford. The idea is that \"the population gets angry, and will demand from its own government to do something to rectify the situation.\" Countries can also introduce sanctions in retaliation to other countries' sanctions. For example, Russia did this in 2014 in response to restrictions put on them by the EU and USA. The sanctions potentially being used by the USA are economic - they would ban companies from selling goods to Iraq. Countries can also impose financial sanctions. That's when the financial assets of certain people or organisations are frozen, so they can't access their money in foreign bank accounts. The US put financial sanctions on Russia in 2019 over the poisoning of a former Russian spy, Sergei Skripal, and his daughter Yulia in the UK. US banks are now banned from providing loans to Russia. The UN imposed strict economic sanctions against Iraq between 1990 and 2003. This led to a humanitarian crisis in the 1990s as many Iraqis struggled to get hold of food and medicine. The UN had to start a programme called oil-for-food, which exchanged food and other goods for Iraqi oil. That programme was later caught up in a corruption scandal, where Iraq's leader Saddam Hussein was found to have made billions of dollars - and UN officials to have taken money from bribes - through the scheme. Sanctions can be quite a blunt instrument if they are a blanket ban on something, and can have unintended consequences. But \"smart sanctions\" are sometimes used - they're much more targeted and designed to only punish a small number of people rather than an entire nation. For example, people close to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad - including his wife Asma - have had their assets frozen over the government's violent response to the Syrian uprising. The EU and the UN - which the UK is part of - often agree to sanction a certain country. For example, there are bans on exporting arms to countries including Armenia, Iran and Syria. The US and EU (including the UK) also enforced sanctions against Russia in 2014 as a result of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. These \"smart sanctions\" targeted sectors managed by the powerful elite around Vladimir Putin, including banks and oil companies. They also banned some of the major business leaders with ties to the Russian government from coming into the EU and US. EU sanctions will no longer automatically take effect in the UK from the end of 2020 though, as long as Brexit is not postponed, according to sanctions lawyer Charles Enderby Smith. Follow Newsbeat on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 863, "answer_start": 422, "text": "Sanctions are punishments a country (or group of countries) puts on another country. In this case, it would mean that the US bans American companies in certain industries from exporting their goods to Iraq. US products sold in Iraq - which were worth PS1.3bn in 2016 - include machinery, vehicles and medical instruments. Sanctions can have serious consequences on the people living in Iraq - as they have in the past. More on that in a bit." } ], "id": "604_0", "question": "What is a sanction?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1385, "answer_start": 864, "text": "\"You can impose sanctions against another state because you want to see a change in behaviour of the other state,\" says Professor Moritz Pieper, a lecturer in international relations at the University of Salford. The idea is that \"the population gets angry, and will demand from its own government to do something to rectify the situation.\" Countries can also introduce sanctions in retaliation to other countries' sanctions. For example, Russia did this in 2014 in response to restrictions put on them by the EU and USA." } ], "id": "604_1", "question": "Why do countries use sanctions?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1886, "answer_start": 1386, "text": "The sanctions potentially being used by the USA are economic - they would ban companies from selling goods to Iraq. Countries can also impose financial sanctions. That's when the financial assets of certain people or organisations are frozen, so they can't access their money in foreign bank accounts. The US put financial sanctions on Russia in 2019 over the poisoning of a former Russian spy, Sergei Skripal, and his daughter Yulia in the UK. US banks are now banned from providing loans to Russia." } ], "id": "604_2", "question": "What different types of sanctions are there?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2385, "answer_start": 1887, "text": "The UN imposed strict economic sanctions against Iraq between 1990 and 2003. This led to a humanitarian crisis in the 1990s as many Iraqis struggled to get hold of food and medicine. The UN had to start a programme called oil-for-food, which exchanged food and other goods for Iraqi oil. That programme was later caught up in a corruption scandal, where Iraq's leader Saddam Hussein was found to have made billions of dollars - and UN officials to have taken money from bribes - through the scheme." } ], "id": "604_3", "question": "When have sanctions been used against Iraq before?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2840, "answer_start": 2386, "text": "Sanctions can be quite a blunt instrument if they are a blanket ban on something, and can have unintended consequences. But \"smart sanctions\" are sometimes used - they're much more targeted and designed to only punish a small number of people rather than an entire nation. For example, people close to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad - including his wife Asma - have had their assets frozen over the government's violent response to the Syrian uprising." } ], "id": "604_4", "question": "What are 'smart sanctions'?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3578, "answer_start": 2841, "text": "The EU and the UN - which the UK is part of - often agree to sanction a certain country. For example, there are bans on exporting arms to countries including Armenia, Iran and Syria. The US and EU (including the UK) also enforced sanctions against Russia in 2014 as a result of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. These \"smart sanctions\" targeted sectors managed by the powerful elite around Vladimir Putin, including banks and oil companies. They also banned some of the major business leaders with ties to the Russian government from coming into the EU and US. EU sanctions will no longer automatically take effect in the UK from the end of 2020 though, as long as Brexit is not postponed, according to sanctions lawyer Charles Enderby Smith." } ], "id": "604_5", "question": "What sanctions are the UK involved in?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "It was another marathon session in Brazil's congress. There was heated debate over the impeachment of Dilma Rousseff, this time with the suspended president herself at the centre of the questioning, giving answers to more than 50 senators one by one. It was an unprecedented moment in Brazilian history, the final episode in a trial expected to end with her permanent removal from office. Ms Rousseff is accused of breaking budget laws, but the case has a much more complex background. Brazil is currently going through its worst economic crisis in decades, with the economy in recession after years of promising growth. During Ms Rousseff's second term, the country has seen the public deficit, inflation and unemployment soar and has lost its hard-earned investment-grade credit rating. Corruption allegations have tainted Ms Rousseff Workers' Party, fuelling animosity towards her and her mentor and predecessor in office, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. At Monday's session, senators blamed her for the tanking economy and accused her of concealing the growing fiscal deficit as she sought re-election. They also questioned how she could not have been aware of the corruption at state-run oil giant Petrobras, when for years she chaired its board of directors. The revelations about corruption at Petrobras, in which members of Ms Rousseff's Workers' Party as well as business executives and influential members of other parties have been implicated, have played a crucial role in undermining the government's credibility. Ms Rousseff could have had her lawyers represent her at Monday's session, but she decided to defend herself, a decision that may have been more about leaving her mark on history than trying to change senators' minds. Depending on the outcome of the impeachment vote, her appearance in the senate may prove to have been her last stand and spell the end of 13 years in power by the Workers' Party. Addressing her \"beloved Brazil\", she insisted the allegations against her were a pretext to remove her from office. She said she was being judged for the acts of her government in general, not the specific illegal acts of which she stands accused. She also said while the impeachment trial could not be compared to the military coup of 1964 - following which she was imprisoned and tortured - it would nevertheless inflict a lasting wound on the country. Senators should examine their conscience before deciding how to vote, she said. Her defence included strong words and harsh accusations, but she maintained a respectful tone throughout. This was in contrast to the exchanges during earlier stages of the impeachment trial, which led Speaker Renan Calheiros to describe the senate as \"a madhouse\". The 81 senators will cast their votes after another long round of speeches on Tuesday, expected to last up to 15 hours. By Wednesday at the latest, Ms Rousseff's fate should be clear. If two-thirds of the senators vote in favour of her impeachment, Ms Rousseff will be formally removed from the presidency and barred from holding office for eight years. In that case, interim President Michel Temer, her former ally and vice-president, will be officially made head of state until 2018. Mr Temer's government seems so confident of the outcome it has made plans for a swift inauguration to allow him to attend the G20 summit starting in China on 4 September. As Ms Rousseff presented her defence, Mr Temer was next door in the presidential palace welcoming Brazil's Olympic athletes and posing for pictures. His supporters say he has the political ability to build alliances and put the economy back on track. His detractors fear they will get a conservative government and austerity measures most of the population did not vote for. With the investigation into corruption at Petrobras continuing and Brazil's political system deeply discredited, the dust in Brasilia seems far from settling, and political stability appears a remote prospect.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2718, "answer_start": 1522, "text": "Ms Rousseff could have had her lawyers represent her at Monday's session, but she decided to defend herself, a decision that may have been more about leaving her mark on history than trying to change senators' minds. Depending on the outcome of the impeachment vote, her appearance in the senate may prove to have been her last stand and spell the end of 13 years in power by the Workers' Party. Addressing her \"beloved Brazil\", she insisted the allegations against her were a pretext to remove her from office. She said she was being judged for the acts of her government in general, not the specific illegal acts of which she stands accused. She also said while the impeachment trial could not be compared to the military coup of 1964 - following which she was imprisoned and tortured - it would nevertheless inflict a lasting wound on the country. Senators should examine their conscience before deciding how to vote, she said. Her defence included strong words and harsh accusations, but she maintained a respectful tone throughout. This was in contrast to the exchanges during earlier stages of the impeachment trial, which led Speaker Renan Calheiros to describe the senate as \"a madhouse\"." } ], "id": "605_0", "question": "End of an era?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3960, "answer_start": 2719, "text": "The 81 senators will cast their votes after another long round of speeches on Tuesday, expected to last up to 15 hours. By Wednesday at the latest, Ms Rousseff's fate should be clear. If two-thirds of the senators vote in favour of her impeachment, Ms Rousseff will be formally removed from the presidency and barred from holding office for eight years. In that case, interim President Michel Temer, her former ally and vice-president, will be officially made head of state until 2018. Mr Temer's government seems so confident of the outcome it has made plans for a swift inauguration to allow him to attend the G20 summit starting in China on 4 September. As Ms Rousseff presented her defence, Mr Temer was next door in the presidential palace welcoming Brazil's Olympic athletes and posing for pictures. His supporters say he has the political ability to build alliances and put the economy back on track. His detractors fear they will get a conservative government and austerity measures most of the population did not vote for. With the investigation into corruption at Petrobras continuing and Brazil's political system deeply discredited, the dust in Brasilia seems far from settling, and political stability appears a remote prospect." } ], "id": "605_1", "question": "Temer's turn?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The US Navy is to name its new aircraft carrier after a black sailor who fought in World War II. Doris Miller earned the Navy Cross for his actions during the Japanese attack on Hawaii's Pearl Harbor in 1941. At the time, the US military was strictly segregated on racial grounds. Miller became an icon for black Americans in the conflict. Naming the ship after the heroic sailor comes more than 78 years after the events that made his name. It will be the first time an aircraft carrier has been named after an African American. Until now, they have been named after famous battles, military leaders and US presidents. The official announcement is scheduled for Monday - Martin Luther King Jr's birthday - at Pearl Harbor. The bay is the site of a massive US naval station and the base of the country's Pacific Fleet. Miller was born in 1919 in Texas, the third of four sons. He was named Doris, as his mother had thought she was having a girl, but often went by the nickname \"Dorie\". Jim Crow laws - a system of policies that denied black Americans their rights and segregated them from their white neighbours - dominated in the south at the time. After dropping out of high school and struggling to find work, Miller joined the Navy in 1939 at the age of 20. \"Navy policy at that time limited blacks to those duties that were manual, that they thought didn't require a whole lot of intellect,\" historian Regina Akers told CBS News. After training, Miller was made a mess attendant - someone who took care of the white officers - and in 1940 was assigned to the battleship West Virginia. He was sorting laundry on the ship one morning when a Japanese torpedo slammed into the vessel. It was the first of nine torpedoes which would hit and sink the West Virginia on 7 December 1941. The Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor killed more than 2,300 people and brought the US into World War II. Miller ran to help his fellow sailors. He first moved his mortally wounded captain to shelter, before manning an anti-aircraft gun - strictly against regulations, as a black sailor - and firing back at the hundreds of Japanese aircraft overhead. \"It wasn't hard. I just pulled the trigger and she worked fine,\" he said afterwards, according to the Naval History and Heritage Command website. \"I think I got one of those [Japanese] planes. They were diving pretty close to us.\" He fired until he ran out of ammunition, before helping his wounded shipmates. He abandoned ship with the survivors as the West Virginia sank to the bottom of the harbour. In January 1942, the US Navy announced a list of commendations for US servicemen on Pearl Harbor - including one for an unnamed black man. Two months later, the Pittsburgh Courier revealed the sailor to be Doris Miller. \"No longer is his name unknown,\" the report read. Soon after, a senator and a congressman launched separate bills in both houses of Congress calling for Miller to receive the Medal of Honor - the highest military honour in the US. African American rights groups also campaigned for Miller to get an award for his actions, while the media hailed him as one of the \"first US heroes\" of the war. Other groups however campaigned against any recognition for Miller on the grounds of his race. In May that year, President Franklin Roosevelt ignored the controversy and awarded him the Navy Cross - at the time the third highest honour awarded by the US Navy. Miller went on a speaking tour and became a nationwide celebrity, but returned to sea aboard the aircraft carrier Liscombe Bay. He was killed when the ship was sunk by a Japanese submarine in the Battle of Makin in November 1943. But his legacy has lived on as one of the first African American heroes of World War II. Cuba Gooding Jr played the role of Doris Miller in the 2001 film Pearl Harbor, while Waco unveiled a statue of Miller in 2017. Now a new aircraft carrier will be built and eventually launched in 2028 bearing Miller's name. \"It is tremendous,\" historian Regina Akers told CBS, saying the decision showed \"that heroism is in no way limited by race, by gender, by background, by rank or rating.\"", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4130, "answer_start": 819, "text": "Miller was born in 1919 in Texas, the third of four sons. He was named Doris, as his mother had thought she was having a girl, but often went by the nickname \"Dorie\". Jim Crow laws - a system of policies that denied black Americans their rights and segregated them from their white neighbours - dominated in the south at the time. After dropping out of high school and struggling to find work, Miller joined the Navy in 1939 at the age of 20. \"Navy policy at that time limited blacks to those duties that were manual, that they thought didn't require a whole lot of intellect,\" historian Regina Akers told CBS News. After training, Miller was made a mess attendant - someone who took care of the white officers - and in 1940 was assigned to the battleship West Virginia. He was sorting laundry on the ship one morning when a Japanese torpedo slammed into the vessel. It was the first of nine torpedoes which would hit and sink the West Virginia on 7 December 1941. The Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor killed more than 2,300 people and brought the US into World War II. Miller ran to help his fellow sailors. He first moved his mortally wounded captain to shelter, before manning an anti-aircraft gun - strictly against regulations, as a black sailor - and firing back at the hundreds of Japanese aircraft overhead. \"It wasn't hard. I just pulled the trigger and she worked fine,\" he said afterwards, according to the Naval History and Heritage Command website. \"I think I got one of those [Japanese] planes. They were diving pretty close to us.\" He fired until he ran out of ammunition, before helping his wounded shipmates. He abandoned ship with the survivors as the West Virginia sank to the bottom of the harbour. In January 1942, the US Navy announced a list of commendations for US servicemen on Pearl Harbor - including one for an unnamed black man. Two months later, the Pittsburgh Courier revealed the sailor to be Doris Miller. \"No longer is his name unknown,\" the report read. Soon after, a senator and a congressman launched separate bills in both houses of Congress calling for Miller to receive the Medal of Honor - the highest military honour in the US. African American rights groups also campaigned for Miller to get an award for his actions, while the media hailed him as one of the \"first US heroes\" of the war. Other groups however campaigned against any recognition for Miller on the grounds of his race. In May that year, President Franklin Roosevelt ignored the controversy and awarded him the Navy Cross - at the time the third highest honour awarded by the US Navy. Miller went on a speaking tour and became a nationwide celebrity, but returned to sea aboard the aircraft carrier Liscombe Bay. He was killed when the ship was sunk by a Japanese submarine in the Battle of Makin in November 1943. But his legacy has lived on as one of the first African American heroes of World War II. Cuba Gooding Jr played the role of Doris Miller in the 2001 film Pearl Harbor, while Waco unveiled a statue of Miller in 2017. Now a new aircraft carrier will be built and eventually launched in 2028 bearing Miller's name. \"It is tremendous,\" historian Regina Akers told CBS, saying the decision showed \"that heroism is in no way limited by race, by gender, by background, by rank or rating.\"" } ], "id": "606_0", "question": "Who was Doris Miller?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "At least 58 people have been killed and dozens wounded in a suspected chemical attack on a rebel-held town in north-western Syria, a monitoring group says. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that strikes on Khan Sheikhoun by Syrian government or Russian jets had caused many people to choke. Later, aircraft fired rockets at local clinics treating survivors, medics and activists said. A Syrian military source denied the government had used any such weapons. Russia's defence ministry meanwhile insisted it had not carried out any air strikes in the vicinity. If confirmed, it would be one of the deadliest chemical attacks in Syria's civil war. The warplanes are reported to have attacked Khan Sheikhoun, about 50km (30 miles) south of the city of Idlib, early on Tuesday, when many people were asleep. Hussein Kayal, a photographer for the pro-opposition Edlib Media Center (EMC), told the Associated Press that he was awoken by the sound of an explosion at about 06:30 (03:30 GMT). When he reached the scene, there was no smell, he said. He found people lying on the floor, unable to move and with constricted pupils, he added. Mohammed Rasoul, the head of a charity ambulance service in Idlib, told the BBC that his medics had found people, many of them children, choking in the street. The Syrian Observatory (SOHR) quoted medics as saying that they had been treating people with symptoms including fainting, vomiting and foaming at the mouth. An AFP news agency journalist saw a young girl, a woman and two elderly people dead at a hospital, all with foam still visible around their mouths. The journalist also reported that the same facility was hit by a rocket on Tuesday afternoon, bringing down rubble on top of doctors treating the injured. The source of the projectile was not clear, but the EMC and the opposition Local Co-ordination Committees (LCC) network said warplanes had targeted several clinics. Pro-government journalists later cited military sources as saying there had been an explosion at an al-Qaeda chemical weapons factory in Khan Sheikhoun that was caused either by an air strike or an accident. The SOHR put the death toll at 58, including 11 children, but Mr Rasoul reported that 67 people had been killed and that 300 were injured. The pro-opposition Step news agency meanwhile said 100 had died. One aid agency, the Union of Medical Care and Relief Organisations (UOSSM), put the death toll at more than 100 and said that the figure was likely to rise. The EMC said it had stopped counting the victims because there were so many. It posted photos showing what appeared to be at least seven dead children in the back of a pick-up truck. There were no visible traumatic injuries on their bodies. The SOHR said it was unable to say what exactly was dropped. However, the EMC and LCC said it was believed to be the nerve agent Sarin, which is highly toxic and considered 20 times as deadly as cyanide. Chemical weapons expert Dan Kaszeta said that determining whether Sarin was involved simply by examining video clips is problematic. He added that Tuesday's attack could have been the result of one of any number of chemical agents as they tend to \"behave the same in terms of their physiological effects on the human body\". Sarin is almost impossible to detect because it is a clear, colourless and tasteless liquid that has no odour in its purest form. The government was accused by Western powers of firing rockets filled with Sarin at several rebel-held suburbs of the capital Damascus in August 2013, killing hundreds of people. President Bashar al-Assad denied the charge, blaming rebel fighters, but he did subsequently agree to destroy Syria's chemical arsenal. Despite that, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) has continued to document the use of toxic chemicals in attacks in Syria. In January 2016, it said blood samples taken from the victims of one unspecified attack showed victims had been exposed to Sarin or a Sarin-like substance. Other reported use of chemical agents: - A joint investigation with the UN concluded in October that government forces had used chlorine as a weapon at least three times between 2014 and 2015 - It also found Islamic State militants had used the blister agent sulphur mustard - Human Rights Watch also recently accused government helicopters of dropping bombs containing chlorine on rebel-held areas of Aleppo UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura said it was an \"horrific\" attack and that there should be a \"clear identification of responsibilities and accountability\" for the attack on the rebel-held town. French President Francois Hollande accused the Syrian regime of a \"massacre\". \"Once again the Syrian regime will deny the evidence of its responsibility for this massacre,\" Mr Hollande said in a statement. UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said that President Bashar al-Assad would be guilty of a war crime if it were proved his regime was responsible. \"Bombing your own civilians with chemical weapons is unquestionably a war crime and they must be held to account,\" he said. The UK and France, which said that reports suggested it was a \"particularly serious chemical attack\", have called for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council. There was no immediate comment from the government, but a Syrian military source told Reuters news agency that it \"does not and has not\" used chemical weapons. The OPCW said it was \"seriously concerned\" about the alleged chemical attack, adding that it was \"gathering and analysing information from all available sources\".", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2139, "answer_start": 661, "text": "The warplanes are reported to have attacked Khan Sheikhoun, about 50km (30 miles) south of the city of Idlib, early on Tuesday, when many people were asleep. Hussein Kayal, a photographer for the pro-opposition Edlib Media Center (EMC), told the Associated Press that he was awoken by the sound of an explosion at about 06:30 (03:30 GMT). When he reached the scene, there was no smell, he said. He found people lying on the floor, unable to move and with constricted pupils, he added. Mohammed Rasoul, the head of a charity ambulance service in Idlib, told the BBC that his medics had found people, many of them children, choking in the street. The Syrian Observatory (SOHR) quoted medics as saying that they had been treating people with symptoms including fainting, vomiting and foaming at the mouth. An AFP news agency journalist saw a young girl, a woman and two elderly people dead at a hospital, all with foam still visible around their mouths. The journalist also reported that the same facility was hit by a rocket on Tuesday afternoon, bringing down rubble on top of doctors treating the injured. The source of the projectile was not clear, but the EMC and the opposition Local Co-ordination Committees (LCC) network said warplanes had targeted several clinics. Pro-government journalists later cited military sources as saying there had been an explosion at an al-Qaeda chemical weapons factory in Khan Sheikhoun that was caused either by an air strike or an accident." } ], "id": "607_0", "question": "What happened?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3399, "answer_start": 2742, "text": "The SOHR said it was unable to say what exactly was dropped. However, the EMC and LCC said it was believed to be the nerve agent Sarin, which is highly toxic and considered 20 times as deadly as cyanide. Chemical weapons expert Dan Kaszeta said that determining whether Sarin was involved simply by examining video clips is problematic. He added that Tuesday's attack could have been the result of one of any number of chemical agents as they tend to \"behave the same in terms of their physiological effects on the human body\". Sarin is almost impossible to detect because it is a clear, colourless and tasteless liquid that has no odour in its purest form." } ], "id": "607_1", "question": "What substance was used?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5595, "answer_start": 4432, "text": "UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura said it was an \"horrific\" attack and that there should be a \"clear identification of responsibilities and accountability\" for the attack on the rebel-held town. French President Francois Hollande accused the Syrian regime of a \"massacre\". \"Once again the Syrian regime will deny the evidence of its responsibility for this massacre,\" Mr Hollande said in a statement. UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said that President Bashar al-Assad would be guilty of a war crime if it were proved his regime was responsible. \"Bombing your own civilians with chemical weapons is unquestionably a war crime and they must be held to account,\" he said. The UK and France, which said that reports suggested it was a \"particularly serious chemical attack\", have called for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council. There was no immediate comment from the government, but a Syrian military source told Reuters news agency that it \"does not and has not\" used chemical weapons. The OPCW said it was \"seriously concerned\" about the alleged chemical attack, adding that it was \"gathering and analysing information from all available sources\"." } ], "id": "607_2", "question": "What has been the reaction to Tuesday's attack?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "South Africa's former President Jacob Zuma has told a judge-led inquiry that allegations of corruption against him were a \"conspiracy\" aimed at removing him from the political scene. He was appearing for the first time at the inquiry, which is investigating allegations that he oversaw a web of corruption during his term in office. His supporters cheered when he entered the building. Mr Zuma, 77, was forced to resign as president in February 2018. He was replaced by his then deputy Cyril Ramaphosa, who promised to tackle corruption in South Africa. Mr Ramaphosa described Mr Zuma's nine years in office as \"wasted\". The allegations against Mr Zuma focus on his relationship with the controversial Gupta family, which was accused of influencing cabinet appointments and winning lucrative state tenders through corruption. He has also been accused of taking bribes from logistics firm Bosasa, run by the Watson family. They all deny allegations of wrongdoing. \"I have been vilified, alleged to be the king of corrupt people,\" Mr Zuma told the inquiry led by Judge Ray Zondo. \"I have been given every other name and I have never responded to those issues,\" he added. He lashed out, in detail - and with fury - at what he said was a decades-long conspiracy against him. He implied that the UK and US had been - and still were - part of an elaborate plot to discredit him, even as he tried to bring about political and economic change in South Africa. Mr Zuma alleged that former government minister Ngoako Ramatlhodi, who gave damning evidence against him, was part of the plot. Other foreign trained agents had tried to poison him, Mr Zuma said, without naming them. In an interview with South Africa's privately owned News24 website, Mr Ramatlhodi denied being a spy. He was prepared to undergo a lie detector test, and would challenge Mr Zuma to do likewise. On the eve of the hearing Mr Zuma was in a good mood. He tweeted a video of himself laughing at the chant \"Zuma must fall!\" He said he found the Indian-born family \"very friendly\". \"I never did anything with them unlawfully. They just remained friends, as they were friends to everybody else,\" Mr Zuma said, adding that they had also been friends of former presidents Nelson Mandela and Thabo Mbeki. He objected to allegations that he had allowed the state to be \"captured\" by the family, and had auctioned the country. \"Did I auction Table Mountain? Did I auction Johannesburg?\" he said. One thing is clear from Mr Zuma's testimony so far - if he is to go down, he will not do so alone. He painted a picture of an alleged conspiracy dating back more than two decades to destroy him. \"I have been provoked,\" he said, as he threatened to name alleged spies who betrayed the struggle for the freedom of black people in South Africa, and who were allegedly still conspiring against him. Mr Zuma was once the intelligence chief of the African National National Congress (ANC), the former liberation movement which has been in power since the end of white minority rule in 1994. So if he honours his threat to tell all, it will send shockwaves across South Africa, and lead to bitter recriminations in the ANC. But once the dust settles, South Africans will still want to know whether he betrayed his oath of office after he became president in 2009 by being involved in corruption on a grand scale. That is what the commission is trying to find out - and Mr Zuma is in a fight for his political survival. Many of the revelations from the inquiry concern the relationship between two families - the Zumas, centred on the former president, and the Guptas, three Indian-born brothers who moved to South Africa after the fall of apartheid. The two families became so closely linked that a joint term was coined for them - the \"Zuptas\". The Guptas owned a portfolio of companies that enjoyed lucrative contracts with South African government departments and state-owned conglomerates. They also employed several Zuma family members - including the president's son, Duduzane - in senior positions. According to testimony heard at the inquiry, the Guptas went to great lengths to influence their most important client, the South African state. Public officials responsible for various state bodies say they were directly instructed by the Guptas to take decisions that would advance the brothers' business interests. It is alleged that compliance was rewarded with money and promotion, while disobedience was punished with dismissal.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4486, "answer_start": 3465, "text": "Many of the revelations from the inquiry concern the relationship between two families - the Zumas, centred on the former president, and the Guptas, three Indian-born brothers who moved to South Africa after the fall of apartheid. The two families became so closely linked that a joint term was coined for them - the \"Zuptas\". The Guptas owned a portfolio of companies that enjoyed lucrative contracts with South African government departments and state-owned conglomerates. They also employed several Zuma family members - including the president's son, Duduzane - in senior positions. According to testimony heard at the inquiry, the Guptas went to great lengths to influence their most important client, the South African state. Public officials responsible for various state bodies say they were directly instructed by the Guptas to take decisions that would advance the brothers' business interests. It is alleged that compliance was rewarded with money and promotion, while disobedience was punished with dismissal." } ], "id": "608_0", "question": "How did 'state capture' operate in South Africa?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "EU officials are struggling to agree on a law aimed at preventing the spread of \"terrorist content\" online. The European Parliament approved a draft version of the law on Wednesday evening, which would impose a one-hour deadline to remove offending content. But a European Commission official told the BBC changes made to the text by parliament made the law ineffective. It now plans to agree a version closer to the original with a new parliament after the elections in May. \"Given the importance, we have to come back and work on this again with them,\" the official said. The law would affect social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, which could face fines of up to 4% of their annual global turnover. The legislation, proposed by the Commission last year, gives internet companies one hour to remove offending content after receiving an order from a \"competent authority\" in an EU country. \"Terrorist content\" includes material that incites or advocates for terrorist offences, promotes the activities of a terrorist group or teaches terrorist techniques, according to the draft text. In the original text, companies are also expected to take \"proactive measures\" to stop the spread of terrorist content. This includes using automated tools to prevent content that has previously been removed from being re-uploaded. Under the rules, companies operating in the EU could face hefty financial penalties if there is a \"systematic failure\" to comply. In its amendments, the European Parliament said websites would not be forced to \"monitor the information they transmit or store, nor have to actively seek facts indicating illegal activity\". It said the \"competent authority\" should give the website information on the procedures and deadlines 12 hours before the agreed one-hour deadline the first time an order is issued. It also ruled that authorities dealing with \"terrorist content\" being posted in another EU member state should contact officials in that country, rather than dealing directly with the website. \"This is a strong position from the parliament which ensures that there will be a one-hour deadline to remove content. It also ensures safeguards for smaller platforms, ensures that there are no upload filters and preserves freedom of speech,\" MEP Daniel Dalton, the rapporteur for the proposal, told the BBC. The Commission official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told the BBC that the latest version did not pass the \"Christchurch test\" of whether it would have been effective at stopping the spread of content during last month's New Zealand mosque attacks, which was live-streamed on Facebook. \"We don't think the amendments provide for effective measures,\" he said. Mr Dalton, however, told the BBC it was \"the only possible compromise agreement which could have got through the parliament\". \"If the Commission thinks they can make significant changes to this proposal and get it through the parliament then they don't know this parliament very well,\" he said. \"The Commission proposal simply didn't have a majority in the parliament as it raised too many questions. It also didn't properly address the legality of cross border removal orders. The modifications we have made ensured that it could pass, whilst ensuring the key elements of the Commission proposal remain\". Others said the amendments did not go far enough in protecting free speech. In February, German MEP Julia Reda of the European Pirate Party said the legislation risked the \"surrender of our fundamental freedoms [and] undermines our liberal democracy.\" Ms Reda welcomed the changes brought by the European Parliament but said the one-hour deadline was \"unworkable for platforms run by individual or small providers.\" She argued that pressure to keep such content offline would result in companies using automated filters that were \"bound to lead to the deletion of legal uploads\". David Ibsen, executive director of the Counter Extremism Project, said \"the easy availability of terrorist content online continues to have a huge impact on radicalisation, recruitment, and incitement to violence. \"Police investigations have repeatedly found a critical link between radicalising content online and terror attacks. Nice, France, the Bataclan concert hall attack in Paris, and the Manchester arena bombing are but a few examples of how individuals can be radicalised online.\" European Commissioner for the Security Union Sir Julian King described the spread of terrorist content online as \"a clear and present danger that needs to be stamped out\". \"It has had a role to play in every single attack on European soil in the last few years, whether through incitement to commit an attack, instruction on how to carry it out or glorification of the deadly results,\" he told the BBC. \"The potential damage caused by terrorist content online rises dramatically with every hour it remains online, spreading from platform to platform. And it's not only Da'esh [IS]: other jihadist groups such as al-Qaeda are still a threat, as are violent right-wing extremists.\" He said the Commission \"look forward to continuing our work with MEPs and with the Council in the coming months to find an effective way forward on this critical security file\".", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1472, "answer_start": 727, "text": "The legislation, proposed by the Commission last year, gives internet companies one hour to remove offending content after receiving an order from a \"competent authority\" in an EU country. \"Terrorist content\" includes material that incites or advocates for terrorist offences, promotes the activities of a terrorist group or teaches terrorist techniques, according to the draft text. In the original text, companies are also expected to take \"proactive measures\" to stop the spread of terrorist content. This includes using automated tools to prevent content that has previously been removed from being re-uploaded. Under the rules, companies operating in the EU could face hefty financial penalties if there is a \"systematic failure\" to comply." } ], "id": "609_0", "question": "What does the law say?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2348, "answer_start": 1473, "text": "In its amendments, the European Parliament said websites would not be forced to \"monitor the information they transmit or store, nor have to actively seek facts indicating illegal activity\". It said the \"competent authority\" should give the website information on the procedures and deadlines 12 hours before the agreed one-hour deadline the first time an order is issued. It also ruled that authorities dealing with \"terrorist content\" being posted in another EU member state should contact officials in that country, rather than dealing directly with the website. \"This is a strong position from the parliament which ensures that there will be a one-hour deadline to remove content. It also ensures safeguards for smaller platforms, ensures that there are no upload filters and preserves freedom of speech,\" MEP Daniel Dalton, the rapporteur for the proposal, told the BBC." } ], "id": "609_1", "question": "What were the changes?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3901, "answer_start": 3322, "text": "Others said the amendments did not go far enough in protecting free speech. In February, German MEP Julia Reda of the European Pirate Party said the legislation risked the \"surrender of our fundamental freedoms [and] undermines our liberal democracy.\" Ms Reda welcomed the changes brought by the European Parliament but said the one-hour deadline was \"unworkable for platforms run by individual or small providers.\" She argued that pressure to keep such content offline would result in companies using automated filters that were \"bound to lead to the deletion of legal uploads\"." } ], "id": "609_2", "question": "What about free speech?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5250, "answer_start": 3902, "text": "David Ibsen, executive director of the Counter Extremism Project, said \"the easy availability of terrorist content online continues to have a huge impact on radicalisation, recruitment, and incitement to violence. \"Police investigations have repeatedly found a critical link between radicalising content online and terror attacks. Nice, France, the Bataclan concert hall attack in Paris, and the Manchester arena bombing are but a few examples of how individuals can be radicalised online.\" European Commissioner for the Security Union Sir Julian King described the spread of terrorist content online as \"a clear and present danger that needs to be stamped out\". \"It has had a role to play in every single attack on European soil in the last few years, whether through incitement to commit an attack, instruction on how to carry it out or glorification of the deadly results,\" he told the BBC. \"The potential damage caused by terrorist content online rises dramatically with every hour it remains online, spreading from platform to platform. And it's not only Da'esh [IS]: other jihadist groups such as al-Qaeda are still a threat, as are violent right-wing extremists.\" He said the Commission \"look forward to continuing our work with MEPs and with the Council in the coming months to find an effective way forward on this critical security file\"." } ], "id": "609_3", "question": "Does terrorism spread online?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Liberal leader Justin Trudeau is facing criticism over his campaign's use of two planes. None of the other parties in this election is using more than one plane as their leaders campaign across Canada's vast territory. The Conservatives accused Mr Trudeau of being \"hypocritical\" on environmental issues for using two planes - already a carbon-intensive mode of transport. The Liberals say they bought carbon offsets for their tour emissions. The Conservatives confirmed that they are not offsetting the emissions produced by the leader's tour and its single plane. Other major parties - the NDP, the Liberals, the Bloc Quebecois, the Greens - all say they are or will use carbon offsets. On Thursday, Mr Trudeau accused the Conservatives of trying to deflect from their own record on climate issues. \"What we're seeing here from the Conservatives is a classic and desperate attempt to distract that they have zero respect for the environment,\" he told journalists in Montreal. The reveal of the two Liberal planes was part of a fiery exchange during the first French-language election debate on Wednesday night. Mr Scheer accused the Liberal leader of being a \"fake environmentalist\". \"There is only one leader on stage that has two campaign planes - one for him and the media and one for his costumes and canoes,\" he said, taking a swipe at Mr Trudeau for the two campaign planes - and for paddling up to a recent campaign event in a canoe. The Conservatives then released the details of the two Liberal campaign planes to the media. There is an official branded Boeing campaign plane for Mr Trudeau, his staff, and journalists, and a second Boeing aircraft the party uses to ferry cargo. Carbon offsetting allows people to pay extra to help compensate for the carbon emissions produced from their flights or other emission producing activities. The money is then invested in environmental projects - such as planting trees or installing solar panels - aimed at reducing the greenhouse gases in the air by the same amount. Some activists have criticised carbon offsetting as an excuse to continue polluting, arguing that it does little to change behaviour. Mr Trudeau's Liberals say they have partnered with Less Emissions, which provides carbon offsets for flight related emissions, for the campaign. The NDP, which has one plane, said it is trying to limit the campaign's carbon footprint, and are planning to offset emissions. The Bloc Quebecois campaigns exclusively in one province and so travels by bus. The party is partnering with a Quebec-based carbon offset programme. The Green Party says it does purchase carbon offsets and tries to limit campaign travel. Leader Elizabeth May crosses the country by train \"as much as possible\" and flies commercial only as needed, a spokeswoman said. Climate change has become a central issue in this federal election campaign, and in opinion surveys it frequently comes up a core issue for many voters who will be going to the polls on 21 October. The Liberals have promised that they will exceed Canada's 2030 emissions goals - despite not currently being on track to meet the pledge to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30% below 2005 levels by that year. They have also committed to reaching net-zero emissions by 2050 - which would mean any emissions would be entirely offset by other actions - if re-elected. The Conservatives have said they would immediately repeal the price on carbon Mr Trudeau's Liberal government imposed on four provinces, and instead focus on funding and exporting green technology innovation.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3574, "answer_start": 2800, "text": "Climate change has become a central issue in this federal election campaign, and in opinion surveys it frequently comes up a core issue for many voters who will be going to the polls on 21 October. The Liberals have promised that they will exceed Canada's 2030 emissions goals - despite not currently being on track to meet the pledge to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30% below 2005 levels by that year. They have also committed to reaching net-zero emissions by 2050 - which would mean any emissions would be entirely offset by other actions - if re-elected. The Conservatives have said they would immediately repeal the price on carbon Mr Trudeau's Liberal government imposed on four provinces, and instead focus on funding and exporting green technology innovation." } ], "id": "610_0", "question": "What have the two parties promised on climate?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Italian PM-designate Giuseppe Conte has given up his bid to form a government after the country's president vetoed his choice of economy minister. President Sergio Matarella said he had agreed to all proposals but could not back Paolo Savona, a eurosceptic. Mr Matarella's move angered populist parties trying to form a coalition. Luigi Di Maio, the leader of 5-Star, called for the president's impeachment. Italy has been without a government since elections on 4 March. Two populist parties, 5-Star, which won 32% of the vote, and the far-right League party, which won 18%, had agreed earlier this month after days of talks to form a coalition. There is now a real argument in Italy between the president and the populists about this country's position in the EU, the BBC's James Reynolds reports from Rome. As a stopgap move, the head of state has summoned former International Monetary Fund (IMF) economist Carlo Cotarelli potentially to take over as a non-populist prime minister. But this appointment may not last and the only immediate solution may be an early election in which, all of a sudden, Italy's membership of the euro and its relationship with the EU itself really are up for discussion, our correspondent adds. Mr Conte, a political novice, was proposed by the two parties as prime minister in an attempt to break Italy's 11-week political deadlock. He went to meet Mr Mattarella to put forward picks for his cabinet but the president vetoed Mr Savona as finance minister, citing his fierce opposition to the EU. Under Italian law, the president has the right to reject the appointment of a cabinet member but his decision was a controversial one. Mr Di Maio called for impeachment under article 90 of the constitution, which allows parliament to demand a president step down based on a simple majority vote. If a vote were to be successful, the country's constitutional court would then decide whether to impeach or not. \"After tonight, it's truly difficult to believe in the institutions and the laws of the state,\" Mr Di Maio said. Mr Mattarella said he had \"agreed and accepted all the proposals except that of the economy minister\". \"No-one can claim that I have stood in the way of the formation of the so-called government for change,\" he said. He said he would wait before deciding whether to call fresh elections, and summoned Mr Cottarelli for talks on Monday. Mr Cottarelli, 64, worked at the IMF from 2008 to 2013, gaining the nickname \"Mr Scissors\" for making cuts to public spending in Italy. Mr Di Maio said Mr Mattarella's rejection of Mr Savona was \"unacceptable\". \"It's an institutional clash without precedent,\" he said in a live Facebook video. Matteo Salvini, leader of the League, called for a new election. \"In a democracy, if we are still in democracy, there's only one thing to do, let the Italians have their say,\" he told supporters in a speech in central Italy. Mr Savona, who served as industry minister during the 1990s, has been an outspoken critic of the EU and an opponent of austerity programmes, prompting concern over the proposed government's commitment to the EU and ability to rein in the country's massive national debt - equal to 1.3 times its annual output. The League had proposed to cut personal and business taxes and roll back planned pension reforms designed to cut government spending, at a cost running into tens of billions of euros. President Mattarella warned on Sunday that the prospect of a populist government had \"alarmed Italian and foreign investors\" and worsened the \"spread\" - the gap between Italian and German 10-year government bond yields. The spread rose to 215 basis points on Friday - the widest in four years. Ratings agency Moody's warned that it might downgrade Italy's sovereign debt rating to \"Baa3\" - one notch above the junk rating.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2053, "answer_start": 1230, "text": "Mr Conte, a political novice, was proposed by the two parties as prime minister in an attempt to break Italy's 11-week political deadlock. He went to meet Mr Mattarella to put forward picks for his cabinet but the president vetoed Mr Savona as finance minister, citing his fierce opposition to the EU. Under Italian law, the president has the right to reject the appointment of a cabinet member but his decision was a controversial one. Mr Di Maio called for impeachment under article 90 of the constitution, which allows parliament to demand a president step down based on a simple majority vote. If a vote were to be successful, the country's constitutional court would then decide whether to impeach or not. \"After tonight, it's truly difficult to believe in the institutions and the laws of the state,\" Mr Di Maio said." } ], "id": "611_0", "question": "What just happened?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2525, "answer_start": 2054, "text": "Mr Mattarella said he had \"agreed and accepted all the proposals except that of the economy minister\". \"No-one can claim that I have stood in the way of the formation of the so-called government for change,\" he said. He said he would wait before deciding whether to call fresh elections, and summoned Mr Cottarelli for talks on Monday. Mr Cottarelli, 64, worked at the IMF from 2008 to 2013, gaining the nickname \"Mr Scissors\" for making cuts to public spending in Italy." } ], "id": "611_1", "question": "What happens next?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2908, "answer_start": 2526, "text": "Mr Di Maio said Mr Mattarella's rejection of Mr Savona was \"unacceptable\". \"It's an institutional clash without precedent,\" he said in a live Facebook video. Matteo Salvini, leader of the League, called for a new election. \"In a democracy, if we are still in democracy, there's only one thing to do, let the Italians have their say,\" he told supporters in a speech in central Italy." } ], "id": "611_2", "question": "What else are the parties saying?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The US city of Baltimore's government, long plagued by dysfunction, is now battling a ransomware attack that has crippled its systems for more than two weeks and counting. Hackers breached the Maryland city's servers on 7 May and demanded $100,000 (PS79,000) worth of Bitcoin. The ransomware has blocked government email accounts and disabled online payments to city departments. Baltimore city officials have so far refused to pay the ransom. It is the second cyber-attack to strike the city in as many years - the last one knocked out its emergency dispatch system for about a day. The FBI and Secret Service are investigating the latest breach. Baltimore Mayor Bernard \"Jack\" Young has acknowledged it is unclear when the systems will be back in operation this time. \"I know the folks in the technology office are working diligently to bring us back on board,\" said his spokesman, Lester Davis. Aviel Rubin, a cybersecurity expert and computer science professor at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, estimates \"conservatively\" that it will be months before the systems are up and running. \"It's clear the system was vulnerable,\" he adds. More than 1,500 homes sales have been delayed because the hackers left the city unable to notify insurers whether the sellers had any unpaid liens. Baltimore this week rolled out a \"manual workaround\" to allow real estate transactions to proceed during the outage. But citizens are unable to access online sites to pay their water bills, property taxes and parking tickets. And 10,000 city government computers are locked, leaving employees with no email. The city said there would be no late fees or fines during the technological shutdown. In the ransom note, obtained by the Baltimore Sun, hackers demanded payment of three bitcoins - currently worth around $23,600 - per system, or 13 bitcoins for the release of the entire government network. If the city failed to pay within four days, the note said, the price would increase. After 10 days - a deadline that lapsed last week - the city would not be able to get the data back. \"We've watched you for days and we've worked on your systems to gain full access to your company and bypass all of your protections,\" the hackers wrote. \"We won't talk more, all we know is MONEY!\" The program, called RobbinHood, makes it impossible to access the servers without a specific digital key. Prof Rubin said that the ransomware uses a publicly available algorithm called RSA to encrypt the data. \"It is believed that no government has the capability to break it,\" Prof Rubin said. Without the key - held by the hackers - it's as if Baltimore's government \"just lost everything\", he said. Baltimore has contracted computer experts to help. Atlanta, Georgia, was hit with a similar breach in March 2018. That one was attributed to two Iranians. Local media reported the hack cost the city $17m to recover. Fortunately for Atlanta, the city had cyber-insurance, which helped the city foot the bill for its digital recovery. Baltimore had no such policy in place before this month's attack. \"This is impacting cities throughout the country,\" the Baltimore mayor's spokesman said. \"It's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when.\" The Baltimore breach reflects a wider increase in ransomware attacks, Prof Rubin said, to which many government agencies have been slow to respond. Yes. Fallout from a sprawling corruption scandal in the city's police department has been playing out since 2017 after eight police officers were found guilty of robbing citizens and stealing overtime pay. Earlier this month Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh resigned amid uproar over lucrative business deals for her self-published children's books. Mr Young enjoyed no political honeymoon when he stepped in to replace Ms Pugh on 9 May - two days after the cyber-attack.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1144, "answer_start": 648, "text": "Baltimore Mayor Bernard \"Jack\" Young has acknowledged it is unclear when the systems will be back in operation this time. \"I know the folks in the technology office are working diligently to bring us back on board,\" said his spokesman, Lester Davis. Aviel Rubin, a cybersecurity expert and computer science professor at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, estimates \"conservatively\" that it will be months before the systems are up and running. \"It's clear the system was vulnerable,\" he adds." } ], "id": "612_0", "question": "How long will it last?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2274, "answer_start": 1687, "text": "In the ransom note, obtained by the Baltimore Sun, hackers demanded payment of three bitcoins - currently worth around $23,600 - per system, or 13 bitcoins for the release of the entire government network. If the city failed to pay within four days, the note said, the price would increase. After 10 days - a deadline that lapsed last week - the city would not be able to get the data back. \"We've watched you for days and we've worked on your systems to gain full access to your company and bypass all of your protections,\" the hackers wrote. \"We won't talk more, all we know is MONEY!\"" } ], "id": "612_1", "question": "What do the hackers want?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2727, "answer_start": 2275, "text": "The program, called RobbinHood, makes it impossible to access the servers without a specific digital key. Prof Rubin said that the ransomware uses a publicly available algorithm called RSA to encrypt the data. \"It is believed that no government has the capability to break it,\" Prof Rubin said. Without the key - held by the hackers - it's as if Baltimore's government \"just lost everything\", he said. Baltimore has contracted computer experts to help." } ], "id": "612_2", "question": "What makes the ransomware so effective?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3362, "answer_start": 2728, "text": "Atlanta, Georgia, was hit with a similar breach in March 2018. That one was attributed to two Iranians. Local media reported the hack cost the city $17m to recover. Fortunately for Atlanta, the city had cyber-insurance, which helped the city foot the bill for its digital recovery. Baltimore had no such policy in place before this month's attack. \"This is impacting cities throughout the country,\" the Baltimore mayor's spokesman said. \"It's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when.\" The Baltimore breach reflects a wider increase in ransomware attacks, Prof Rubin said, to which many government agencies have been slow to respond." } ], "id": "612_3", "question": "Have any other US cities been targeted?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3832, "answer_start": 3363, "text": "Yes. Fallout from a sprawling corruption scandal in the city's police department has been playing out since 2017 after eight police officers were found guilty of robbing citizens and stealing overtime pay. Earlier this month Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh resigned amid uproar over lucrative business deals for her self-published children's books. Mr Young enjoyed no political honeymoon when he stepped in to replace Ms Pugh on 9 May - two days after the cyber-attack." } ], "id": "612_4", "question": "Hasn't Baltimore got enough problems?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The leaders of Canada's main parties clashed over the environment in the country's first big election debate. The event in Quebec was the first time Prime Minister Justin Trudeau from the Liberal party, Conservative Andrew Scheer, the NDP's Jagmeet Singh and the Bloc Quebecois' Yves-Francois Blanchet had faced off. It comes ahead of two nationally televised debates next week. Canadians go to the polls on 21 October. The Liberals and Conservatives remain roughly neck-and-neck in what has so far been a two-way race for first place. Wednesday's French-language debate - broadcast live only in Quebec - saw Mr Trudeau forced to defend his government's environmental record. In one heated exchange, Mr Scheer accused the Liberal leader of being a \"fake environmentalist\". \"There is only one leader on stage that has two campaign planes - one for him and the media and one for his costumes and canoes,\" he said, taking a swipe at Mr Trudeau for having two official campaign planes and for arriving at a recent campaign event in a canoe. Mr Trudeau also came under pressure for taking the rare step of buying a crude oil pipeline for C$4.5bn ($3.4bn; PS2.6bn) last year to help ensure a controversial project to triple its capacity would move forward. Quebecers are some of the most environmentally conscious voters in Canada, and there is fierce opposition in the province to any major new oil pipelines projects. Mr Trudeau defended what he called a \"difficult decision,\" adding that transitioning the economy away from oil would not happen overnight. Meanwhile Mr Scheer was also forced on the defensive over his plans for a national \"energy corridor\" to carry Canadian energy resources from coast to coast. Mr Singh accused him of wanting to \"force\" a pipeline project on unwilling Quebecers. \"Conservatives think the market and the intervention from the Holy Spirit will solve climate change,\" quipped Mr Blanchet. Green leader Elizabeth May was not invited to the debate as her party does not have seats in Quebec. Yves-Francois Blanchet took the helm of the Bloc Quebecois - which only runs candidates in Quebec - in January after eight years of electoral decline and internal strife. The party - which supports an independent Quebec - is in second place in the province ahead of the Conservatives, some surveys suggest. It is running a campaign with a strong nationalist theme, and is vowing to vigorously support the province's interests in the capital Ottawa, including over issues related to immigration, the environment and state secularism. Sparks frequently flew between Mr Trudeau and Mr Blanchet, with the Liberal leader accusing his opponent of trying to create \"bickering between Ottawa and Quebec\" for his own political ends. Bill 21 is a controversial religious symbols secularism bill passed by Quebec's provincial legislature in June. It bars civil servants deemed to be in positions of authority from wearing religious symbols at work. Its supporters have praised the law as a reasonable step towards enshrining the separation of Church and state in Quebec. Critics say it is discriminatory, it will make it more difficult for religious minorities to integrate into Quebec society and it unfairly targets Muslim women. To varying degrees all the party leaders have spoken out against the legislation except for the Bloc Quebecois, which backs the bill. Mr Trudeau said he would defend the minority rights but reiterated he would let current court challenges against the bill run their course before deciding whether to intervene. But he added: \"The real threat I see with regards to state secularism is far right groups that are pushing an anti-women, anti-abortion, anti-LGBT [agenda].\" Mr Blanchet snapped back: \"Are you saying that 70% of Quebecers who support the bill have some sympathy for far right groups?\" Mr Trudeau said questions would be asked of a \"free society that allows for discrimination against someone because of their religion\". Early in the debate, Mr Scheer was put on the defensive on social issues such as abortion rights. Since the beginning of the campaign, the Conservatives have faced questions over whether they would reopen the abortion debate if elected. The Conservative leader has said the party would not put forward or support legislation that would regulate abortion. Mr Trudeau said there were three leaders on the debate stage \"aligned with the values of Quebecers\" and one who was not - a reference to Mr Scheer.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2020, "answer_start": 536, "text": "Wednesday's French-language debate - broadcast live only in Quebec - saw Mr Trudeau forced to defend his government's environmental record. In one heated exchange, Mr Scheer accused the Liberal leader of being a \"fake environmentalist\". \"There is only one leader on stage that has two campaign planes - one for him and the media and one for his costumes and canoes,\" he said, taking a swipe at Mr Trudeau for having two official campaign planes and for arriving at a recent campaign event in a canoe. Mr Trudeau also came under pressure for taking the rare step of buying a crude oil pipeline for C$4.5bn ($3.4bn; PS2.6bn) last year to help ensure a controversial project to triple its capacity would move forward. Quebecers are some of the most environmentally conscious voters in Canada, and there is fierce opposition in the province to any major new oil pipelines projects. Mr Trudeau defended what he called a \"difficult decision,\" adding that transitioning the economy away from oil would not happen overnight. Meanwhile Mr Scheer was also forced on the defensive over his plans for a national \"energy corridor\" to carry Canadian energy resources from coast to coast. Mr Singh accused him of wanting to \"force\" a pipeline project on unwilling Quebecers. \"Conservatives think the market and the intervention from the Holy Spirit will solve climate change,\" quipped Mr Blanchet. Green leader Elizabeth May was not invited to the debate as her party does not have seats in Quebec." } ], "id": "613_0", "question": "What happened in the debate?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3972, "answer_start": 2745, "text": "Bill 21 is a controversial religious symbols secularism bill passed by Quebec's provincial legislature in June. It bars civil servants deemed to be in positions of authority from wearing religious symbols at work. Its supporters have praised the law as a reasonable step towards enshrining the separation of Church and state in Quebec. Critics say it is discriminatory, it will make it more difficult for religious minorities to integrate into Quebec society and it unfairly targets Muslim women. To varying degrees all the party leaders have spoken out against the legislation except for the Bloc Quebecois, which backs the bill. Mr Trudeau said he would defend the minority rights but reiterated he would let current court challenges against the bill run their course before deciding whether to intervene. But he added: \"The real threat I see with regards to state secularism is far right groups that are pushing an anti-women, anti-abortion, anti-LGBT [agenda].\" Mr Blanchet snapped back: \"Are you saying that 70% of Quebecers who support the bill have some sympathy for far right groups?\" Mr Trudeau said questions would be asked of a \"free society that allows for discrimination against someone because of their religion\"." } ], "id": "613_1", "question": "What did they say about the religious symbols law?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4475, "answer_start": 3973, "text": "Early in the debate, Mr Scheer was put on the defensive on social issues such as abortion rights. Since the beginning of the campaign, the Conservatives have faced questions over whether they would reopen the abortion debate if elected. The Conservative leader has said the party would not put forward or support legislation that would regulate abortion. Mr Trudeau said there were three leaders on the debate stage \"aligned with the values of Quebecers\" and one who was not - a reference to Mr Scheer." } ], "id": "613_2", "question": "What about abortion rights?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "As EU migrants face a backlash in Cambridgeshire in the wake of the referendum result, the entrepreneur behind a small chain of Polish delis fears for her future. Elena Hrabovenska goes to the staff area to retrieve the letter from her handbag. From the way she has spoken about it, I'm expecting a long, heartfelt message. But it's a simple note scrawled on scrap paper: \"My wife told me that hate mail and phone calls have been made to the Polish shops in Huntingdon. The people who do this are a minority. The Poles add to Britain: they have always been welcome.\" Days after the historic referendum to leave the EU, cards with the words \"No more Polish Vermin\" were left outside schools and homes in Huntingdon, where Elena runs a Polish deli. \"On that day five British people came into the shop and they said they are really sorry. They are ashamed of that person who's done it.\" Elena's main concern, she says, is that words will escalate to physical violence. After struggling to find the right words, she says: \"Around the world you will always find someone who has the stone instead of the heart.\" Elena owns three Polish delis, one in Huntingdon and two nearby in Peterborough. She came to England in 2003 from Ukraine, aged 19. She arrived alone on a working visa, with PS100 in her pocket. She knew nobody. At the time there was only one shop selling Central and Eastern European food in Peterborough, she recalls. Despite having a good grasp of English, she struggled to find the ingredients she needed to make the traditional soups she missed. This gave her the idea to open a deli with food imported from Central and Eastern Europe, with staff that can speak Polish and Russian. A few years after arriving in the country, her first deli was born. To stock that first shop, her husband would continually make the 36-hour round trip to Poland by van. There was a clear business opportunity as more and more Poles arrived in the UK, after they were given the right to work here in 2004. Elena's business grew and a decade later, she employs 20 people and has two refrigerated trucks making the journey to Poland and back. There is an obvious irony, of course, that she was a Ukrainian building a Polish deli empire. But in fact many of the Polish delis that have emerged in the UK are owned by non-Poles. Many are run by Turkish businessmen and women. It is a similar phenomenon to Bangladeshis owning Indian restaurants. When asked how she feels about the referendum result, her first thought is for her business. \"We put against this business basically everything, the time we could spend as a family... to achieve this place we would work 48 hours without a wink [of sleep].\" Her fear is that her delis will be hit by a weaker pound and ultimately, if the UK leaves the single market, import tariffs on Polish food. \"I feel responsible for my staff. I don't want to face that time when I have to announce, 'I'm sorry girls I have to close, I have to cut staff or hours.' They have families as well, they have children. \"All of them were asking what is going to happen and I didn't want to answer. \"[But] I know we live in the 21st Century, someone is not going to knock on our doors and throw us away.\" Peterborough voted by 60.9% in favour of leaving the European Union. Customers have not talked about it, \"like they are in shock\", says Elena. But the result did not surprise her. She has noticed ill-will towards migrants in the city. Peterborough is often cited as a place strongly affected by EU internal migration. The last census revealed that its population rose by almost 18% between 2001 and 2011, reaching 183,631. People from Central or Eastern Europe made up 7.7% of the city's population by 2011. Many are drawn by the seasonal farm work available nearby. \"Some immigrants are not perfect and put a black mark on the immigrant's name,\" says Elena. However, she says she wants people to remember that \"a lot of families are coming here to seek a better life and work hard\". Her latest, newly-opened shop is a bright mini-supermarket, neatly tucked behind a Tesco, nestled next to a Chinese takeaway. She reckons 25% of her customers here are English. With so many rival Polish delis, she explains, she has had to open this larger shop to compete on choice. Despite successful expansion, migration of another kind has posed the biggest threat to her business, she explains. Gridlock at Calais caused by illegal migrants has disrupted her fragile supply chain. She has had to unload trucks through the night to make up for lost transit time. On one of the walls in Elena's shop you will see Polish football scarves, magazines, adverts and books that are all in Polish. \"When customers come into the shop they think they are back in Poland,\" remarks Elena. So does she think shops like hers represent a failure to integrate with the local community? This kind of shop \"will vanish\", she predicts, after a pause, by way of answer. \"There is a new generation coming. Obviously they will still have in their hearts that their parents were Polish, but they will integrate into the English community as happened with other nationalities. \"There will be mixed families, with Polish mums and English dads, for example, two cultures mixed together. \"It's going to soften.\" Follow business reporter Dougal Shaw on Twitter. This feature is a part of a new series from the BBC Business Unit called My Shop. To suggest a shop email us.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5447, "answer_start": 4567, "text": "On one of the walls in Elena's shop you will see Polish football scarves, magazines, adverts and books that are all in Polish. \"When customers come into the shop they think they are back in Poland,\" remarks Elena. So does she think shops like hers represent a failure to integrate with the local community? This kind of shop \"will vanish\", she predicts, after a pause, by way of answer. \"There is a new generation coming. Obviously they will still have in their hearts that their parents were Polish, but they will integrate into the English community as happened with other nationalities. \"There will be mixed families, with Polish mums and English dads, for example, two cultures mixed together. \"It's going to soften.\" Follow business reporter Dougal Shaw on Twitter. This feature is a part of a new series from the BBC Business Unit called My Shop. To suggest a shop email us." } ], "id": "614_0", "question": "Symbols of failure?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The UK's Supreme Court decided on 27 June to make civil partnerships available for heterosexual couples as well as same-sex couples, In a civil partnership, a couple is entitled to the same legal treatment in terms of inheritance, tax, pensions and next-of-kin arrangements as marriage. Some, such as the UK couple who challenged the ban on civil partnerships for heterosexual couples, see traditional marriage as a patriarchal structure that \"has held women back\". Civil partnerships are referred to under different names in different countries around the world. Some call them civil unions, whilst other prefer to label them as domestic partnerships. But where are heterosexual civil partnerships permitted around the world? The picture regarding civil partnerships varies greatly across Europe. Some countries have made their civil partnerships gender-neutral - that is to say, applicable to both same-sex and heterosexual couples. Others have restricted civil partnerships to same-sex couples only, and a few have scrapped the concept of civil partnerships after making same-sex marriage legal. In France, the civil solidarity pact gives both same-sex and heterosexual couples the right to enter into a civil partnership. These \"pacts\" give couples many of the same legal benefits as married couples, but they are easier to annul during the divorce process. Similar gender-neutral civil partnerships exist in the Netherlands (since 1998), Belgium (since 2000), Luxembourg (2004), Andorra (since 2005), Greece (they were originally set up for opposite-sex couples in 2008, however they have been gender-neutral since 2015), Gibraltar and Malta (since 2014), Cyprus (since 2015), and Estonia (since 2016). On the other hand, a number of European countries used to have civil partnerships for same-sex couples only, but got rid of them when they legalised same-sex marriage. Denmark was the world's first country to introduce civil partnerships for same-sex couples in 1989, scrapping the concept when it introduced same-sex marriage in 2012. Other Nordic countries (and Germany and Ireland) carried out similar processes, legalising civil partnerships but scrapping them when marriage for same-sex couples was legalised. - Legal and financial protection for both parties in the event of the relationship ending, like in marriage - It is free of the religious connotations of marriage - Some object to marriage as an institution and its associations with property and patriarchy In the US, laws regarding civil partnerships (known as \"civil unions\" or \"domestic partnerships\") are passed at a city or state level. New York City has offered domestic partnerships to both same-sex and opposite-sex couples (if they above 18 and resident in New York City) since 1997, while San Francisco has given legal recognition to the ''domestic partnership'' of homosexuals and unmarried heterosexual couples since 1989. In California as a whole, domestic partnerships have existed for same-sex couples and for opposite-sex couples in which one person is above the age of 62 since 2000. Similar laws exist in the states of Washington and New Jersey. In the states of Colorado, Hawaii, Maine and Maryland, gender-neutral civil partnerships are legal. In Brazil, co-habiting couples have similar rights to married couples, but they do not have the automatic right of inheritance. In Ecuador, civil unions between two people were legalised by the 2008 constitution, without any reference made to gender, opening the option to both heterosexual and same-sex couples. Uruguay permitted gender-neutral civil unions from 2008 too. In South Africa, same-sex and heterosexual couples can register their relationships as either marriages or civil partnerships, with no legal difference. In Israel, a heterosexual couple are can enter a civil union-type agreement, where they are said to be \"known to the public,\" granting them legal rights without having to get married. Same-sex marriage is now legal in 26 countries around the world.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2222, "answer_start": 727, "text": "The picture regarding civil partnerships varies greatly across Europe. Some countries have made their civil partnerships gender-neutral - that is to say, applicable to both same-sex and heterosexual couples. Others have restricted civil partnerships to same-sex couples only, and a few have scrapped the concept of civil partnerships after making same-sex marriage legal. In France, the civil solidarity pact gives both same-sex and heterosexual couples the right to enter into a civil partnership. These \"pacts\" give couples many of the same legal benefits as married couples, but they are easier to annul during the divorce process. Similar gender-neutral civil partnerships exist in the Netherlands (since 1998), Belgium (since 2000), Luxembourg (2004), Andorra (since 2005), Greece (they were originally set up for opposite-sex couples in 2008, however they have been gender-neutral since 2015), Gibraltar and Malta (since 2014), Cyprus (since 2015), and Estonia (since 2016). On the other hand, a number of European countries used to have civil partnerships for same-sex couples only, but got rid of them when they legalised same-sex marriage. Denmark was the world's first country to introduce civil partnerships for same-sex couples in 1989, scrapping the concept when it introduced same-sex marriage in 2012. Other Nordic countries (and Germany and Ireland) carried out similar processes, legalising civil partnerships but scrapping them when marriage for same-sex couples was legalised." } ], "id": "615_0", "question": "What's the situation in other European countries?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3610, "answer_start": 2480, "text": "In the US, laws regarding civil partnerships (known as \"civil unions\" or \"domestic partnerships\") are passed at a city or state level. New York City has offered domestic partnerships to both same-sex and opposite-sex couples (if they above 18 and resident in New York City) since 1997, while San Francisco has given legal recognition to the ''domestic partnership'' of homosexuals and unmarried heterosexual couples since 1989. In California as a whole, domestic partnerships have existed for same-sex couples and for opposite-sex couples in which one person is above the age of 62 since 2000. Similar laws exist in the states of Washington and New Jersey. In the states of Colorado, Hawaii, Maine and Maryland, gender-neutral civil partnerships are legal. In Brazil, co-habiting couples have similar rights to married couples, but they do not have the automatic right of inheritance. In Ecuador, civil unions between two people were legalised by the 2008 constitution, without any reference made to gender, opening the option to both heterosexual and same-sex couples. Uruguay permitted gender-neutral civil unions from 2008 too." } ], "id": "615_1", "question": "What's the situation in the Americas?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Former astronaut Julie Payette has been tapped by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to be Canada's next governor general. Mr Trudeau announced the nomination on Thursday, after considering both francophone and aboriginal candidates for the largely ceremonial role. Ms Payette, 54, will take over as the Queen's representative in Canada when David Johnston retires in September. She was the first Canadian on the International Space Station, and speaks six languages, including French. \"What a great day,\" Ms Payette said when her nomination was officially announced. Mr Trudeau called her \"unquestionably qualified\". A Montreal native, she holds a bachelor's degree in engineering from McGill University and a master of applied science from the University of Toronto. She was chosen from over 5,300 applicants in 1992 to become one of four astronauts in the Canadian Space Agency. In 1999, she became the first Canadian to board the International Space Station. In additional to her career as an astronaut, she has sung with international orchestras, plays the piano and is the mother of two children. She retired from the CSA in 2013. Ms Payette would be Canada's 29th governor general since confederation in 1867, and the fourth woman. As the Queen's representative in Canada, the governor general: - is Canada's official head of state in her absence - has the power to give a throne speech and suspend parliament - gives royal assent to legislation - swears in the prime minister - is commander-in-chief of the Canadian Armed Forces Her predecessor, Mr Johnston, was a Harvard alum who spent decades in academia before being appointed in 2010. He is scheduled to retire this autumn, after his final visit with the Queen next week, when he visits the UK. Ms Payette's appointment continues the tradition of alternating between anglophone and francophone governors general, although Mr Trudeau had also considered appointing an indigenous representative. Members from both Mr Trudeau's Liberal Party and opposing parties have praised her nomination. Conservative MP Lisa Raitt tweeted that she was \"beyond happy\" at the nomination. \"If @Astro_Payette is our next Governor General - I am beyond happy. Smart and accomplished. Trailblazer,\" she tweeted. Roberta Bondar, who was the first Canadian female astronaut, also gave her approval. \"I think she's really going to be a great asset,\" Bondar told CBC. \"It will just be so interesting to see her bring her view of the world and of Canada, seeing [the world] from space provides one with a different type of insight. I'm really looking forward to it.\"", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1131, "answer_start": 613, "text": "A Montreal native, she holds a bachelor's degree in engineering from McGill University and a master of applied science from the University of Toronto. She was chosen from over 5,300 applicants in 1992 to become one of four astronauts in the Canadian Space Agency. In 1999, she became the first Canadian to board the International Space Station. In additional to her career as an astronaut, she has sung with international orchestras, plays the piano and is the mother of two children. She retired from the CSA in 2013." } ], "id": "616_0", "question": "Who's the new governor general?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1951, "answer_start": 1132, "text": "Ms Payette would be Canada's 29th governor general since confederation in 1867, and the fourth woman. As the Queen's representative in Canada, the governor general: - is Canada's official head of state in her absence - has the power to give a throne speech and suspend parliament - gives royal assent to legislation - swears in the prime minister - is commander-in-chief of the Canadian Armed Forces Her predecessor, Mr Johnston, was a Harvard alum who spent decades in academia before being appointed in 2010. He is scheduled to retire this autumn, after his final visit with the Queen next week, when he visits the UK. Ms Payette's appointment continues the tradition of alternating between anglophone and francophone governors general, although Mr Trudeau had also considered appointing an indigenous representative." } ], "id": "616_1", "question": "What does the role involve?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2598, "answer_start": 1952, "text": "Members from both Mr Trudeau's Liberal Party and opposing parties have praised her nomination. Conservative MP Lisa Raitt tweeted that she was \"beyond happy\" at the nomination. \"If @Astro_Payette is our next Governor General - I am beyond happy. Smart and accomplished. Trailblazer,\" she tweeted. Roberta Bondar, who was the first Canadian female astronaut, also gave her approval. \"I think she's really going to be a great asset,\" Bondar told CBC. \"It will just be so interesting to see her bring her view of the world and of Canada, seeing [the world] from space provides one with a different type of insight. I'm really looking forward to it.\"" } ], "id": "616_2", "question": "What's the reaction been to Trudeau's pick?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "An advance in gene therapy may provide safe treatment to children with a fatal genetic disorder that leads to no functioning immune system. The majority of children with X-linked severe combined immunodeficiency, or X-SCID, die before the age of one and must live in a \"bubble\" for protection. During a clinical trial, nine baby boys were given healthy versions of the faulty gene that codes for the disease. Eight of the boys were still alive up to 43 months after the treatment. They have now been able to live a life outside an isolated, sterile room, or a \"virtual bubble\" of constant medication to try to prevent infections. The disease affects about one in 250,000 children in the UK. Scientists in the US, Britain and France led the clinical trial, which built upon an earlier study where a gene was transferred into children with X-SCID. It used a virus to the transfer the gene, but it also activated other genes that led to leukaemia in five out of the 20 patients. Scientists changed the virus so it did not switch on neighbouring genes in the patient. The boys, who were all less than 12 months old, had their their bone marrow extracted, and the virus carrying the healthy gene was transferred. One boy had died due to a serious infection at the time the gene therapy began, said the study. And eight out of the nine boys were still alive, a median average of 33 months - from 16 to 43 - after the operation. The therapy did not cause leukaemia although scientists warn they had not \"completely eliminated\" the long-term risk of the cancer. Prof Adrian Thrasher, at the Great Ormond Street Hospital, was a lead author of the study. He said the treatment was a \"much more gentle procedure\" than existing options, which involve transplanting bone marrow from compatible donors, which can be hard to find. The survival rate was on average, 85% to 90% - but if children had an infection at the time of the transplant, this fell to 50%, the paper said. Transplants also require chemotherapy to help the patient's body accept the changes, which has unpleasant side-effects. \"If the patient is sick, we might keep them in [hospital] until the infection has cleared - so for possibly one, two or three months. But if the patient is healthy, they could be out in a few days,\" said Prof Thrasher. He said he was \"happy\" about the results - and that the treatment could become routine on the NHS. The treatment could have implications for a range of other diseases, such as inherited blood disorders, sickle cell anaemia and thalassaemia, and metabolic syndromes, he added. Prof Len Seymour, at the University of Oxford, said: \"This project had some of the best leaders in the field - it was a pan-world effort.\" He said if treatment meant not having to have chemotherapy, it was a \"big step\".", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1554, "answer_start": 846, "text": "It used a virus to the transfer the gene, but it also activated other genes that led to leukaemia in five out of the 20 patients. Scientists changed the virus so it did not switch on neighbouring genes in the patient. The boys, who were all less than 12 months old, had their their bone marrow extracted, and the virus carrying the healthy gene was transferred. One boy had died due to a serious infection at the time the gene therapy began, said the study. And eight out of the nine boys were still alive, a median average of 33 months - from 16 to 43 - after the operation. The therapy did not cause leukaemia although scientists warn they had not \"completely eliminated\" the long-term risk of the cancer." } ], "id": "617_0", "question": "Safer therapy?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "When a school in Houston, Texas, announced that parents must also follow dress code guidelines, it ignited a larger debate about appropriate attire and standards for parents across the nation. Principal Carlotta Brown of James Madison High School announced the new dress code guidelines for parents and guests a day after the mother of a prospective student was denied entry to the school because of her attire. Wearing a T-shirt dress and headscarf, Joselyn Lewis says she was turned away by school administrators when she attempted to enrol her daughter into the school. When she asked to see the school's dress code rules for parents, administrators called the police. Ms Lewis explained she was wearing the scarf as she was in the process of getting her hair done - but felt she should not be told what to wear, regardless. Effective last week, James Madison High School will reject any parent or guest wearing pyjamas, hair rollers, leggings, or a head scarf, among other clothing items. The school declined to comment to the BBC, but the principal has continued to express support for the measure. In a statement, Ms Brown argued that the school expects parents to set a standard for their children, by showing them what's appropriate and what is not. \"Parents, we do value you as a partner in your child's education. You are your child's first teacher. However, please know that we have to have standards, most of all we must have high standards. We are preparing your child for a prosperous future.\" In a meeting on Monday, the principal also told parents that this was a successful policy at her old school. The issue has received mixed feelings from parents in the community. Shawn Rushing, a parent from the same school district, defended the new rules, saying: \"It's so much bigger than a dress code. Schools are in place to educate children, so we have to prioritise the things that come up that appear as a distraction.\" Others, like James Madison High School parent Tomiko Miller, say the new guidelines seem to reinforce discrimination based on class, gender, and race. \"I think the language used is very explicit,\" she says. \"It lumps everyone together and overwhelmingly targets women and moms, on campus.\" Ms Miller also suggested that the school give out graduation robes if school authorities perceived a parent as too revealing, because \"turning parents away sends a dangerous message\". The Houston Federation of Teachers has also weighed in. \"While we may agree that public decorum should be maintained on public schools, the implementation of this policy was flawed,\" says Federation President Zeph Capo. \"It is unfortunate that a student was denied enrolment based on a dress code. Educating students should be our priority.\" While the debate in Texas surfaced only recently, James Madison is not the only high school attempting to create a dress code for parents. Lawmakers in Memphis, Tennessee, are currently trying to create a bill that will enforce dress code guidelines for parents in districts across the state. If the bill is passed in July, it could go into effect next year. State congressman Antonio Parkinson has said that the policies would not be applied in a discriminatory fashion and that he is receiving positive feedback from constituents. But some residents have continued to push back, saying this law could prevent parent participation in schools as some parents will not see themselves fit for these new standards. Parents from different parts of the country have also begun to chime in, sharing their thoughts on social media. One mother in Indiana, who asked to be kept anonymous, told the BBC that the policies in Houston and Memphis were \"a warning that community members need to be concerned about\". \"I'm opposed to these policies because it sends a message that parents must identify themselves in a certain way and if they don't they'll be ostracised, judged and criminalised.\" She continued: \"The school in Houston just proved a point about a slippery slope. What's next?\" Both of these recent efforts have added to a larger debate happening around the world. In the UK, a dress code controversy involving a mother at Skerne Park Academy, a primary school, has divided the Darlington community. Karen Routh says she ignored the school's request for parents and students not to wear pyjamas because she was running late. While the school's head teacher said this was setting a bad example, Ms Routh explained that her priority was getting her child to school on time and was late because she didn't feel well. Dress codes in public settings - like for customers in restaurants or stores - are not a new concept. Enforcing a policy for parents, who do not attend schools however, is a more sensitive topic. As the discussion continues, some argue that this controversy has larger implications about struggles that different families face across the world, while others suggest it is a needed standard that benefits students' education. The complicated balance continues to leave communities divided on whether it is an appropriate action or schools are simply going too far.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4028, "answer_start": 2751, "text": "While the debate in Texas surfaced only recently, James Madison is not the only high school attempting to create a dress code for parents. Lawmakers in Memphis, Tennessee, are currently trying to create a bill that will enforce dress code guidelines for parents in districts across the state. If the bill is passed in July, it could go into effect next year. State congressman Antonio Parkinson has said that the policies would not be applied in a discriminatory fashion and that he is receiving positive feedback from constituents. But some residents have continued to push back, saying this law could prevent parent participation in schools as some parents will not see themselves fit for these new standards. Parents from different parts of the country have also begun to chime in, sharing their thoughts on social media. One mother in Indiana, who asked to be kept anonymous, told the BBC that the policies in Houston and Memphis were \"a warning that community members need to be concerned about\". \"I'm opposed to these policies because it sends a message that parents must identify themselves in a certain way and if they don't they'll be ostracised, judged and criminalised.\" She continued: \"The school in Houston just proved a point about a slippery slope. What's next?\"" } ], "id": "618_0", "question": "A new trend?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5129, "answer_start": 4029, "text": "Both of these recent efforts have added to a larger debate happening around the world. In the UK, a dress code controversy involving a mother at Skerne Park Academy, a primary school, has divided the Darlington community. Karen Routh says she ignored the school's request for parents and students not to wear pyjamas because she was running late. While the school's head teacher said this was setting a bad example, Ms Routh explained that her priority was getting her child to school on time and was late because she didn't feel well. Dress codes in public settings - like for customers in restaurants or stores - are not a new concept. Enforcing a policy for parents, who do not attend schools however, is a more sensitive topic. As the discussion continues, some argue that this controversy has larger implications about struggles that different families face across the world, while others suggest it is a needed standard that benefits students' education. The complicated balance continues to leave communities divided on whether it is an appropriate action or schools are simply going too far." } ], "id": "618_1", "question": "Has this happened outside the US?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "A gunman shot dead four people and injured another at five different locations in the northern Australian city of Darwin, officials said. The 45-year-old suspect, who was known to the police, was arrested an hour after the first shots were reported at about 18:00 local time (08:30 GMT). Police said they believed the man had acted alone. The crime scenes reportedly included a motel and a bar. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the shooting was not terror-related. Mass shootings in Australia have been a rare occurrence since the country overhauled its gun laws in 1996, in the wake of a shooting in Tasmania that left 35 dead. The alleged gunman, who had been on parole since January, was wearing an electronic tag, Northern Territory Police Commissioner Reece Kershaw said. \"We're still trying to establish the intent and motivation behind this,\" he told journalists. The gunman was reportedly carrying a pump action shotgun, and up to 20 gunshots were heard. Eyewitnesses said the gunman entered the Palms Hotel in the suburb of Woolner and opened fire in a number of rooms before fleeing. One person was reportedly killed there while a woman was wounded. \"A man came running with a woman in his arms from next door which is the Palms Motel, which is the motel next to my motel, and he just dropped her on the footpath right in front of us,\" a witness, Leah Potter, told ABC News \"I ran and got some towels and wrapped up her legs, she had little holes all in her skin on both her legs and she was bleeding everywhere.\" Another witness, John Rose, told ABC that he saw the gunman walk into the motel with a sawn-off shotgun. \"He shot up all the rooms and he went to every room looking for somebody and he shot them all up, then we saw him rush out, jump into his Toyota pick-up, and rush off,\" Mr Rose said. The suspect then travelled to four other locations, according to the Sydney Morning Herald, including the Peter Macauley Center - a police operations base. Another person was killed at Buff Club, another at Gardens Hill Crescent and another at Jolly Street, according to the newspaper. Australia's Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack said the authorities were waiting to hear more about the \"circumstances surrounding this dreadful and tragic event\". Northern Territory Chief Minister Michael Gunner said: \"[Today] has been a devastating day in the Northern Territory. Five crime scenes, four people deceased, one injured. This is not the Darwin we know.\" On Twitter, Prime Minister Morrison described it as a \"terrible act of violence\". Australia saw its worst mass shooting incident in more than 20 years last year when seven members of the same family died in a murder-suicide. More recently, a man was killed and three others wounded in a shooting outside a popular nightclub in Melbourne in April. Are you in the area? If it is safe to do, get in touch by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: - WhatsApp: +44 7555 173285 - Tweet: @BBC_HaveYourSay - Send pictures/video to yourpics@bbc.co.uk - Text an SMS or MMS to 61124 or +44 7624 800 100 - Please read our terms of use and privacy policy", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2099, "answer_start": 631, "text": "The alleged gunman, who had been on parole since January, was wearing an electronic tag, Northern Territory Police Commissioner Reece Kershaw said. \"We're still trying to establish the intent and motivation behind this,\" he told journalists. The gunman was reportedly carrying a pump action shotgun, and up to 20 gunshots were heard. Eyewitnesses said the gunman entered the Palms Hotel in the suburb of Woolner and opened fire in a number of rooms before fleeing. One person was reportedly killed there while a woman was wounded. \"A man came running with a woman in his arms from next door which is the Palms Motel, which is the motel next to my motel, and he just dropped her on the footpath right in front of us,\" a witness, Leah Potter, told ABC News \"I ran and got some towels and wrapped up her legs, she had little holes all in her skin on both her legs and she was bleeding everywhere.\" Another witness, John Rose, told ABC that he saw the gunman walk into the motel with a sawn-off shotgun. \"He shot up all the rooms and he went to every room looking for somebody and he shot them all up, then we saw him rush out, jump into his Toyota pick-up, and rush off,\" Mr Rose said. The suspect then travelled to four other locations, according to the Sydney Morning Herald, including the Peter Macauley Center - a police operations base. Another person was killed at Buff Club, another at Gardens Hill Crescent and another at Jolly Street, according to the newspaper." } ], "id": "619_0", "question": "What do we know about the shooting?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2820, "answer_start": 2100, "text": "Australia's Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack said the authorities were waiting to hear more about the \"circumstances surrounding this dreadful and tragic event\". Northern Territory Chief Minister Michael Gunner said: \"[Today] has been a devastating day in the Northern Territory. Five crime scenes, four people deceased, one injured. This is not the Darwin we know.\" On Twitter, Prime Minister Morrison described it as a \"terrible act of violence\". Australia saw its worst mass shooting incident in more than 20 years last year when seven members of the same family died in a murder-suicide. More recently, a man was killed and three others wounded in a shooting outside a popular nightclub in Melbourne in April." } ], "id": "619_1", "question": "What has the reaction been?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "A coach with North America's National Hockey League has resigned after a former player accused him of racism. Bill Peters, head coach of Canada's Calgary Flames, quit over allegations he had used racist language a decade ago while coaching a minor league team. Ex-player Akim Aliu said Mr Peters, who coached him at Rockford IceHogs in 2008-2010, had used the n-word. Mr Peters apologised to the Calgary Flames for his \"offensive language,\" but not to Mr Aliu directly. He was suspended from his coaching duties earlier this week pending an investigation by the team. He had been hired as the head coach of the Calgary Flames for the 2018-2019 season, and is reported to have had a three-year deal worth $6m (PS4.6m). Calgary Flames general manager Brad Treliving said they had not been aware of similar allegations before Mr Aliu came forward, and that the investigation had now concluded and their findings would be turned over to the NHL. \"We want people to feel safe, secure in the environment. I think this is going to be a learning lesson for everyone,\" Mr Treliving told media. The NHL said in a statement that its review of the incident continued and that it would be interviewing \"relevant individuals\". Ice hockey is wrestling with how to shift its culture after several former professional players came forward about experiencing racism and bullying. On Monday, in a series of tweets, Mr Aliu said Mr Peters had \"dropped the N bomb several times towards me in the dressing room in my rookie year because he didn't like my choice of music\", while he was coaching the minor-league IceHogs. He said the incident had caused him to \"rebel\" against his coach, and that Mr Peters had recommended he be demoted to a lesser league. Mr Aliu, who was born in Nigeria, stayed mostly in the minor leagues but played several games for the Calgary Flames in the NHL in 2011-2013. \"If you play the race card, it's most likely the end of your career,\" Mr Aliu later told TSN. \"This isn't me being bitter. I sat on this a really, really long time. It broke my heart. I think it made my career go downhill before it started.\" Mr Treliving called the accusations \"repugnant and unacceptable\", and Mr Peters was suspended from coaching duties pending an investigation. On Wednesday, Mr Peters wrote a letter of apology to the Flames organisation, but did not address Mr Aliu by name. \"I was rightfully challenged about my use of language, and I immediately returned to the dressing room to apologize to the team,\" he wrote. \"I have regretted the incident since it happened, and I now also apologize to anyone negatively affected by my words.\" However, Mr Aliu said the apology was \"misleading, insincere and concerning\". This is not the first incident to shine light on racism within hockey's culture On Remembrance Day, prominent Canadian ice hockey commentator Don Cherry was fired for comments he made on air accusing newcomers of not being patriotic. \"You people... you love our way of life, you love our milk and honey, at least you can pay a couple bucks for a poppy or something like that,\" Cherry said. Several players have also come forward to talk about being the target of racism from fans. This spring, minor-league player Jonathan-Ismael Diaby walked out mid-game because fans were harassing his family, who were watching him play. \"Being a visible minority, we deal with it every day,\" he told the BBC. \"But that was the first time I saw a big group of people pushing towards negativity like that.\" In 2018, Detroit Red Wings prospect Givani Smith had to have police escort him to junior league play-off games after receiving numerous racially motivated hate messages and death threats on social media. In 2014, Bruins fans hurled racial epithets at PK Subban online when the star hockey player scored a game-winning goal for the Montreal Canadiens. Meanwhile, players have also been coming forward about bullying in the league. Former NHL enforcer Daniel Carcillo has been outspoken about hockey's \"toxic culture\", especially in junior hockey and the minor leagues. \"They prey on young men's dreams. If you say a word, all of the work and time and energy and sweat and blood is all for naught. So you do whatever they tell you to do and take whatever abuse they throw your way. You shut up,\" he told the CBC. These revelations come at a time that hockey is desperately trying to change its image. In 2018, the NHL launched a campaign called \"hockey is for everyone\" aimed at promoting its commitment to diversity. The league also appointed a new vice-president, Kim Davies, in charge of social equality.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2711, "answer_start": 1362, "text": "On Monday, in a series of tweets, Mr Aliu said Mr Peters had \"dropped the N bomb several times towards me in the dressing room in my rookie year because he didn't like my choice of music\", while he was coaching the minor-league IceHogs. He said the incident had caused him to \"rebel\" against his coach, and that Mr Peters had recommended he be demoted to a lesser league. Mr Aliu, who was born in Nigeria, stayed mostly in the minor leagues but played several games for the Calgary Flames in the NHL in 2011-2013. \"If you play the race card, it's most likely the end of your career,\" Mr Aliu later told TSN. \"This isn't me being bitter. I sat on this a really, really long time. It broke my heart. I think it made my career go downhill before it started.\" Mr Treliving called the accusations \"repugnant and unacceptable\", and Mr Peters was suspended from coaching duties pending an investigation. On Wednesday, Mr Peters wrote a letter of apology to the Flames organisation, but did not address Mr Aliu by name. \"I was rightfully challenged about my use of language, and I immediately returned to the dressing room to apologize to the team,\" he wrote. \"I have regretted the incident since it happened, and I now also apologize to anyone negatively affected by my words.\" However, Mr Aliu said the apology was \"misleading, insincere and concerning\"." } ], "id": "620_0", "question": "What happened?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Donald Trump and his advocates often boast of the Republican presidential candidate's philanthropic prowess. Central to their claims is the operation of his eponymous charity, the Trump Foundation. Recently, however, the Trump Foundation has come under media and partisan scrutiny. Detractors claim that it's not the unblemished source of selfless largesse that it has been made out to be. The Donald J Trump Foundation is a private charitable organisation started by Donald Trump in 1987 with money he earned from his best-selling book, The Art of the Deal. Up until about 2005, the foundation was primarily funded by Mr Trump himself, including a million-dollar contribution in 1989. Since then, however, it has been bankrolled almost exclusively by donations from Mr Trump's friends and associates. According to its 2014 filing with the Internal Revenue Service (the most recent on record) the foundation claimed assets totalling $1,273,895 and brought in $500,849 - almost entirely from a gift from New York ticket-reselling mogul Richard Ebers, a regular contributor. The foundation gave out $591,450. Other past prominent Foundation donors include Vince McMahon, the professional wrestling impresario and NBC Universal (which aired Mr Trump's show, The Apprentice). Many of the contributions to Mr Trump's foundation appear to be in lieu of payments to Mr Trump himself. People Magazine gave $150,000 after it received rights to publish photos of Mr Trump's son, Barron. Comedy Central donated $400,000 after Mr Trump appeared on one of its celebrity roasts. Several dozen charitable groups received contributions in 2014 - about an average number for the foundation. They included the Alliance for Lupus Research, the American Skin Association, the Anti-Defamation League and a variety of veterans' charities. In 2009 the foundation gave $100,000 to the Clinton Foundation. Why is Clinton's foundation so controversial? No! Well, they both have the word \"foundation\" in their names, but other than that there really aren't many similarities. First of all, the billion-dollar Clinton Foundation is much, much bigger. It employs a staff of 486 and thousands of programme workers, while the Trump Foundation's board is Mr Trump, his oldest children and a treasurer. It has no paid employees. The Clinton organisation is what's called an \"operating foundation\" or \"public charity\" - which funds and manages its own on-the-ground programmes. The Trump Foundation, on the other hand, serves as a pass-through for donations to other groups, which then perform charitable functions. Per IRS regulations, it's categorised as a \"private non-operating foundation\". The nonprofit monitoring organisation Guidestar has given the Clinton Foundation a \"platinum seal\" of transparency for providing additional information on its operations. The Trump Foundation has declined to furnish requested details. \"The Trump Foundation's approach would certainly not meet the standard of focused, proactive grantmaking commonly called 'strategic philanthropy,'\" writes Guidestar president Jacob Harold. The two foundations do have a bit in common, however. They're both associated with individuals seeking the presidency in 2016, and they've both been the target of allegations of impropriety. Compared to the Clinton Foundation, the Trump Foundation hasn't received nearly as much media attention, but the stories that have come out have painted a sometimes-less-than-flattering picture. Here are some of the reasons why: Co-opted credit: Mr Trump has repeatedly claimed that he's making a donation to a charity only to fund that donation with money from his foundation. Given that at this point the foundation's funding comes from outside sources, he is in effect taking credit - and being lauded - for simply passing charitable donations along. The Washington Post's David Fahrenthold, who has conducted extensive investigation into Mr Trump's charitable involvement, cites the \"Palm Tree Award\" Mr Trump received for a $150,000 donation he made (from his foundation's money) to the Palm Beach Police Foundation. That donation came only after the Trump Foundation had received a $150,000 contribution from the New Jersey based Charles Evans Foundation, however. When the Evans Foundation donations stopped, the money to the police charity from Mr Trump's foundation ended as well. \"Trump had effectively turned the Evans Foundation's gifts into his own gifts, without adding any money of his own,\" Fahrenthold notes. Mr Trump also benefited from the fact that the Police Foundation holds its annual charity dinner at Mr Trump's Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach. In 2014, for instance, the charity paid the club $276,463 in rental fees. Mr Trump often gave foundation donations to groups that were paying top dollar to hold events on his properties. Personal purchases: Although much of the money in the Trump Foundation has been gifted to other charitable organisations, some of it has been spent on purchases from charity auctions, including $20,000 for a 6ft tall painting of Mr Trump in 2007 and $12,000 for a football helmet signed by NFL quarterback Tim Tebow in 2012. The whereabouts of those two items are currently unknown. If they stayed in Mr Trump's possession, it would appear to be a violation of US tax law prohibiting \"self-dealing\" - where managers of charitable groups purchase gifts for themselves from foundation funds. If the IRS determines this was the case, Mr Trump would have to reimburse his foundation for the market value of the purchase and pay a penalty. Questionable donations: As Mr Trump began attempting to curry favour with Republicans in recent years, more of his donations have been directed to conservative causes. In 2014 he made a $10,000 donation to the American Spectator Foundation, the nonprofit group that publishes the arch-conservative magazine of the same name. The Trump Foundation also made a $100,000 donation - its largest gift of that year - to Citizens United, a conservative group best known for a lawsuit that ended with the US Supreme Court striking down limits on many of the kinds of political campaign donations Mr Trump has criticised during his candidacy. These kinds of donations, while representing a shift in the foundation's charitable giving patterns, are perfectly legal. In 2013, however, the Trump Foundation made a $25,000 contribution to \"And Justice for All\", a campaign committee supporting Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi. Political donations of this kind from a charitable foundation are prohibited. When the contribution was discovered in 2016, Mr Trump moved $25,000 from his personal account to compensate his foundation and paid a $2,500 IRS fine. Trump Foundation representatives have said the contribution was made in error. As multiple news outlets have pointed out, the original donation arrived just days after Florida announced it was not joining a multi-state lawsuit against Trump University - a Trump-branded for-profit company that offered real-estate seminars and has been accused of fraud. A New York Times open-records request found no evidence that Ms Bondi was directly involved in that decision, however. Yes. New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman - the Democrat who is spearheading the investigation into Trump University - announced on 3 October that he has ordered the Trump Foundation to stop fundraising. The foundation had neglected to register under article 7A of New York's Executive Law, which is required for any charity soliciting more than $25,000 (PS19,440) a year, a letter from Schneiderman's office said Trump officials have denounced the investigation as partisan. Democrats in Congress have requested that the US Department of Justice initiate a criminal investigation into the Bondi donation for possible violation of federal bribery laws. The left-leaning Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington has made a similar request of a US attorney in Florida - although proving such quid-pro-quo cases is extremely difficult. In addition the group has filed a formal request that the IRS revoke the Trump Foundation's nonprofit tax status - an action the IRS will likely only take if it finds egregious and repeated violations of its regulations. Who knows? Because Mr Trump hasn't released his tax returns, there's no way to tell exactly how much he gives to charities. The Post's Fahrenthold has been doggedly trying to track down any and all of Mr Trump's personal donations but has only identified one gift, of less than $10,000, between 2008 and May 2016. In May, four months after pledging to do so and after heightened media attention, Mr Trump donated $1m to a veterans' charity. The Republican candidate has also recently donated $100,000 to a charity aiding relief efforts following devastating floods in Louisiana. Mike Pence, the Republican vice-presidential nominee, said on 12 September that his running mate \"has given away tens of millions of dollars to charitable causes throughout his business life\". The Trump campaign released a list of charitable donations it says the candidate has made totalling $102m over the past five years - but the items listed were either in-kind contributions such as free rounds of golf at Mr Trump's courses offered at charity auctions and land-conservation agreements or money originating from the Trump Foundation. \"The Foundation's second-biggest donation described on the campaign's list went to the charity of a man who had settled a lawsuit with one of Trump's golf courses after being denied a hole-in-one prize,\" Fahrenthold and the Post's Rosalind Helderman write.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1926, "answer_start": 390, "text": "The Donald J Trump Foundation is a private charitable organisation started by Donald Trump in 1987 with money he earned from his best-selling book, The Art of the Deal. Up until about 2005, the foundation was primarily funded by Mr Trump himself, including a million-dollar contribution in 1989. Since then, however, it has been bankrolled almost exclusively by donations from Mr Trump's friends and associates. According to its 2014 filing with the Internal Revenue Service (the most recent on record) the foundation claimed assets totalling $1,273,895 and brought in $500,849 - almost entirely from a gift from New York ticket-reselling mogul Richard Ebers, a regular contributor. The foundation gave out $591,450. Other past prominent Foundation donors include Vince McMahon, the professional wrestling impresario and NBC Universal (which aired Mr Trump's show, The Apprentice). Many of the contributions to Mr Trump's foundation appear to be in lieu of payments to Mr Trump himself. People Magazine gave $150,000 after it received rights to publish photos of Mr Trump's son, Barron. Comedy Central donated $400,000 after Mr Trump appeared on one of its celebrity roasts. Several dozen charitable groups received contributions in 2014 - about an average number for the foundation. They included the Alliance for Lupus Research, the American Skin Association, the Anti-Defamation League and a variety of veterans' charities. In 2009 the foundation gave $100,000 to the Clinton Foundation. Why is Clinton's foundation so controversial?" } ], "id": "621_0", "question": "What is the Trump Foundation?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3275, "answer_start": 1927, "text": "No! Well, they both have the word \"foundation\" in their names, but other than that there really aren't many similarities. First of all, the billion-dollar Clinton Foundation is much, much bigger. It employs a staff of 486 and thousands of programme workers, while the Trump Foundation's board is Mr Trump, his oldest children and a treasurer. It has no paid employees. The Clinton organisation is what's called an \"operating foundation\" or \"public charity\" - which funds and manages its own on-the-ground programmes. The Trump Foundation, on the other hand, serves as a pass-through for donations to other groups, which then perform charitable functions. Per IRS regulations, it's categorised as a \"private non-operating foundation\". The nonprofit monitoring organisation Guidestar has given the Clinton Foundation a \"platinum seal\" of transparency for providing additional information on its operations. The Trump Foundation has declined to furnish requested details. \"The Trump Foundation's approach would certainly not meet the standard of focused, proactive grantmaking commonly called 'strategic philanthropy,'\" writes Guidestar president Jacob Harold. The two foundations do have a bit in common, however. They're both associated with individuals seeking the presidency in 2016, and they've both been the target of allegations of impropriety." } ], "id": "621_1", "question": "The Clinton Foundation? So is the Trump Foundation kind of the same deal?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 7184, "answer_start": 3276, "text": "Compared to the Clinton Foundation, the Trump Foundation hasn't received nearly as much media attention, but the stories that have come out have painted a sometimes-less-than-flattering picture. Here are some of the reasons why: Co-opted credit: Mr Trump has repeatedly claimed that he's making a donation to a charity only to fund that donation with money from his foundation. Given that at this point the foundation's funding comes from outside sources, he is in effect taking credit - and being lauded - for simply passing charitable donations along. The Washington Post's David Fahrenthold, who has conducted extensive investigation into Mr Trump's charitable involvement, cites the \"Palm Tree Award\" Mr Trump received for a $150,000 donation he made (from his foundation's money) to the Palm Beach Police Foundation. That donation came only after the Trump Foundation had received a $150,000 contribution from the New Jersey based Charles Evans Foundation, however. When the Evans Foundation donations stopped, the money to the police charity from Mr Trump's foundation ended as well. \"Trump had effectively turned the Evans Foundation's gifts into his own gifts, without adding any money of his own,\" Fahrenthold notes. Mr Trump also benefited from the fact that the Police Foundation holds its annual charity dinner at Mr Trump's Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach. In 2014, for instance, the charity paid the club $276,463 in rental fees. Mr Trump often gave foundation donations to groups that were paying top dollar to hold events on his properties. Personal purchases: Although much of the money in the Trump Foundation has been gifted to other charitable organisations, some of it has been spent on purchases from charity auctions, including $20,000 for a 6ft tall painting of Mr Trump in 2007 and $12,000 for a football helmet signed by NFL quarterback Tim Tebow in 2012. The whereabouts of those two items are currently unknown. If they stayed in Mr Trump's possession, it would appear to be a violation of US tax law prohibiting \"self-dealing\" - where managers of charitable groups purchase gifts for themselves from foundation funds. If the IRS determines this was the case, Mr Trump would have to reimburse his foundation for the market value of the purchase and pay a penalty. Questionable donations: As Mr Trump began attempting to curry favour with Republicans in recent years, more of his donations have been directed to conservative causes. In 2014 he made a $10,000 donation to the American Spectator Foundation, the nonprofit group that publishes the arch-conservative magazine of the same name. The Trump Foundation also made a $100,000 donation - its largest gift of that year - to Citizens United, a conservative group best known for a lawsuit that ended with the US Supreme Court striking down limits on many of the kinds of political campaign donations Mr Trump has criticised during his candidacy. These kinds of donations, while representing a shift in the foundation's charitable giving patterns, are perfectly legal. In 2013, however, the Trump Foundation made a $25,000 contribution to \"And Justice for All\", a campaign committee supporting Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi. Political donations of this kind from a charitable foundation are prohibited. When the contribution was discovered in 2016, Mr Trump moved $25,000 from his personal account to compensate his foundation and paid a $2,500 IRS fine. Trump Foundation representatives have said the contribution was made in error. As multiple news outlets have pointed out, the original donation arrived just days after Florida announced it was not joining a multi-state lawsuit against Trump University - a Trump-branded for-profit company that offered real-estate seminars and has been accused of fraud. A New York Times open-records request found no evidence that Ms Bondi was directly involved in that decision, however." } ], "id": "621_2", "question": "So why has the Trump Foundation become controversial?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 8257, "answer_start": 7185, "text": "Yes. New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman - the Democrat who is spearheading the investigation into Trump University - announced on 3 October that he has ordered the Trump Foundation to stop fundraising. The foundation had neglected to register under article 7A of New York's Executive Law, which is required for any charity soliciting more than $25,000 (PS19,440) a year, a letter from Schneiderman's office said Trump officials have denounced the investigation as partisan. Democrats in Congress have requested that the US Department of Justice initiate a criminal investigation into the Bondi donation for possible violation of federal bribery laws. The left-leaning Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington has made a similar request of a US attorney in Florida - although proving such quid-pro-quo cases is extremely difficult. In addition the group has filed a formal request that the IRS revoke the Trump Foundation's nonprofit tax status - an action the IRS will likely only take if it finds egregious and repeated violations of its regulations." } ], "id": "621_3", "question": "OK, Trump paid a fine. Does the foundation have any other legal troubles?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 9633, "answer_start": 8258, "text": "Who knows? Because Mr Trump hasn't released his tax returns, there's no way to tell exactly how much he gives to charities. The Post's Fahrenthold has been doggedly trying to track down any and all of Mr Trump's personal donations but has only identified one gift, of less than $10,000, between 2008 and May 2016. In May, four months after pledging to do so and after heightened media attention, Mr Trump donated $1m to a veterans' charity. The Republican candidate has also recently donated $100,000 to a charity aiding relief efforts following devastating floods in Louisiana. Mike Pence, the Republican vice-presidential nominee, said on 12 September that his running mate \"has given away tens of millions of dollars to charitable causes throughout his business life\". The Trump campaign released a list of charitable donations it says the candidate has made totalling $102m over the past five years - but the items listed were either in-kind contributions such as free rounds of golf at Mr Trump's courses offered at charity auctions and land-conservation agreements or money originating from the Trump Foundation. \"The Foundation's second-biggest donation described on the campaign's list went to the charity of a man who had settled a lawsuit with one of Trump's golf courses after being denied a hole-in-one prize,\" Fahrenthold and the Post's Rosalind Helderman write." } ], "id": "621_4", "question": "But Trump says he gives lots of money to charities. Is he lying?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "On 9 July Indonesians voted in their third direct presidential election since the nation moved from dictatorship to democracy 16 years ago. Voters chose between two candidates - Joko Widodo and Prabowo Subianto. On election day both claimed victory - and now the nation is waiting to hear the official results tallied by the Election Commission. Joko Widodo - known here as Jokowi - is a popular figure with the public, supported by young people in both urban and rural areas who see him as a clean politician in a country beset by corruption. Mr Widodo began his political career with the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) when he was elected mayor of Solo - a city in the centre of Java - in 2005. In 2010, he was elected for second term with more than 90% of the vote, as people supported his policies aimed at boosting small and local businesses. He rebuilt traditional markets and relocated poor people who lived on the river banks to proper houses. He then captured national attention when he traded in his regular car for an Esemka - a local vehicle manufactured by a high school team in Solo. Mr Widodo then went on to run for the position of Jakarta's governor, winning a resounding victory in 2012. He is seen as a man who has the ability to empathise with the poor. \"For me, democracy means listening to the people, and doing what they want me to do,\" he said during the first televised presidential debate. \"That's why I visit the villages, traditional markets, meet the people in river banks, farmers and fisherman, because I want to hear what people want.\" Mr Widodo is famous for his \"blusukan\" stops - spontaneous visits and spot checks to poor areas to see how people are doing. He has been campaigning on a platform of a \"mind-set revolution\" - a strategy to build national character, stamping out corruption, nepotism and intolerance, all of which he says flourished under former leader Suharto's regime. Mr Widodo has repeatedly said he will recruit his staff based on their skills, not just from political parties that supported him. He also says that the key to building national character is education. A big proponent of technology, he has said that if elected he would implement e-governance as a way of reducing corruption in the bureaucracy. Critics say that he lacks experience in national politics and international relations. Analysts also point out that with his coalition holding only 37% of parliamentary seats, Mr Widodo could face difficulties achieving his policy goals if elected. Born in 1961 in Solo, the son of a wood-seller spent his childhood in a house on a river bank until the local government evicted his family. Observers point to these humble beginnings as key to his popularity. Mr Widodo's running mate, Jusuf Kalla, is a senior politician who was vice-president under Mr Yudhoyono during the latter's presidency from 2004 to 2009. He currently serves as chairman of Indonesia's Red Cross. Prabowo Subianto is a former special forces general and the son-in-law of late dictator Suharto. He has been dogged by allegations of human rights abuses committed under Suharto. The son of a trade minister in the Suharto era, he was firmly part of the political and military elite. As a young man he joined the army and rose fast, commanding a special forces unit in East Timor in the 1980s in a bloody conflict with separatists. In the final days of Suharto's regime in 1997 and 1998, the unit which he commanded is accused of kidnapping, torturing and killing activists protesting against Suharto. He was subsequently dismissed from his army command. Repeatedly pressed on this issue during the campaign, he has maintained his innocence, saying he was acting on the orders of his superiors. \"As soldiers, we did our duty as best as we could,\" he said in one of the presidential debates. \"It was my superiors who told me what to do.\" Mr Subianto is also accused of a role in inciting deadly riots in Jakarta in May 1998 as the regime fell. He has consistently denied that he had anything to do with that. After spending many years overseas, Mr Subianto made a comeback in Indonesian politics in 2009. He founded The Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) and stood as Megawati Sukarnoputri's running mate in the 2009 presidential election. His team lost, but after the polls Mr Subianto did not give up on his political ambitions. He joined the Indonesian farmers' association and became a campaigner for the poor. He has been campaigning on a pro-poor platform and says he wants to reduce unemployment, creating new jobs on farms. The public see Mr Subianto as a convincing campaigner and a decisive man with good knowledge of defence, because of his military background. He has huge support from media tycoons who own large networks in television, print and radio across the archipelago. In the 2014 parliamentary elections, his party Gerindra gained 11.81% of votes. According to the law a party can only nominate its own presidential candidate if it wins 25% of national votes or 20% of seats in parliament. Mr Subianto was therefore forced to build a coalition with Suharto's political vehicle Golkar, the Democrat Party led by Mr Yudhoyono and three other Islamist parties to ensure he would have the support of a majority in parliament. If elected, his relationship with Washington could prove tricky - he is reported to have been denied a visa to the US in the past, because of the rights allegations. He is running with Hatta Rajasa, a former minister of economic affairs under Mr Yudhoyono.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2953, "answer_start": 1709, "text": "He has been campaigning on a platform of a \"mind-set revolution\" - a strategy to build national character, stamping out corruption, nepotism and intolerance, all of which he says flourished under former leader Suharto's regime. Mr Widodo has repeatedly said he will recruit his staff based on their skills, not just from political parties that supported him. He also says that the key to building national character is education. A big proponent of technology, he has said that if elected he would implement e-governance as a way of reducing corruption in the bureaucracy. Critics say that he lacks experience in national politics and international relations. Analysts also point out that with his coalition holding only 37% of parliamentary seats, Mr Widodo could face difficulties achieving his policy goals if elected. Born in 1961 in Solo, the son of a wood-seller spent his childhood in a house on a river bank until the local government evicted his family. Observers point to these humble beginnings as key to his popularity. Mr Widodo's running mate, Jusuf Kalla, is a senior politician who was vice-president under Mr Yudhoyono during the latter's presidency from 2004 to 2009. He currently serves as chairman of Indonesia's Red Cross." } ], "id": "622_0", "question": "Shaky base?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The US Supreme Court has ruled in favour of a baker in Colorado who refused to make a wedding cake for a gay couple. The Colorado state court had found that baker Jack Phillips' decision to turn away David Mullins and Charlie Craig in 2012 was unlawful discrimination. But the Supreme Court ruled on Monday in a 7-2 vote that that decision had violated Mr Phillips' rights. The conservative Christian cited his religious beliefs in refusing service. Gay rights groups feared a ruling against the couple could set a precedent for treating gay marriages differently from heterosexual unions. But the Supreme Court's verdict instead focuses specifically on Mr Phillips' case. The decision does not state that florists, photographers, or other services can now refuse to work with gay couples. The ruling comes three years after the Supreme Court made same-sex marriage the law of the land in its landmark Obergefell v Hodges decision. The Supreme Court's majority opinion said the Colorado Civil Rights Commission had been biased against Mr Phillips. The verdict said the commission had shown \"clear hostility\" and implied religious beliefs \"are less than fully welcome in Colorado's business community\". Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote that while Colorado law \"can protect gay persons in acquiring products and services... the law must be applied in a manner that is neutral toward religion\". The opinion cited the following comment from a Colorado commissioner during a public hearing: \"Freedom of religion and religion has been used to justify all kinds of discrimination throughout history, whether it be slavery, whether it be the holocaust. And to me it is one of the most despicable pieces of rhetoric that people can use to use their religion to hurt others.\" The opinion called such language disparaging of Mr Phillips' religious beliefs and inappropriate for a commission charged with \"fair and neutral enforcement of Colorado's anti-discrimination law - a law that protects discrimination on the basis of religion as well as sexual orientation\". Analysis by Gary O'Donoghue, BBC Washington Correspondent For the owner of the Masterpiece bakery, the ruling is unquestionably a victory. But for those on both sides of the argument hoping this case would deliver a definitive constitutional view, there will be disappointment. The court was clearly reluctant to take a categorical view at this stage - witness this line from the judgement: \"The outcome of cases like this in other circumstances must await further elaboration in the courts,\" - which means both sides in the general debate live to fight another day. The seven-to-two outcome also indicates the justices - four of whom are regarded as more liberal - felt this was neither the time nor the case on which to decide the general constitutional balance between freedom of religious belief and state laws barring businesses from discriminating. However, given the harsh words the justices had for the Colorado Civil Rights Commission, many states with similar laws will now be looking carefully at how they prosecute such cases. In July 2012, Mr Mullins and Mr Craig went to Mr Phillips' Masterpiece Cakeshop in Lakewood, near Denver, to order a cake to celebrate their planned marriage in Massachusetts later that year. But Mr Phillips refused, saying it was his \"standard business practice not to provide cakes for same-sex weddings\" as it would amount to endorsing \"something that directly goes against\" the Bible. Instead, he offered them other products, including birthday cakes and biscuits. Mr Phillips argued \"creative artists\" have a right to decide what they sell. Colorado is one of 22 states that includes sexual orientation in its anti-discrimination law, which allowed Mr Craig and Mr Mullins to win their case before the state's Civil Rights Commission. Liberal Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sonia Sotomayor were the two dissenting votes. \"Phillips would not sell to Craig and Mullins, for no reason other than their sexual orientation, a cake of the kind he regularly sold to others,\" Justice Ginsburg wrote. \"What matters is that Phillips would not provide a good or service to a same-sex couple that he would provide to a hetereosexual couple.\" Justice Ginsburg did not agree with the finding that the Commission acted unfairly. She cited \"several layers of independent decisionmaking of which the Colorado Civil Rights Commission was but one\" in the state case. A similar 'gay cake' row is ongoing in Northern Ireland. The Supreme Court in Belfast has yet to release an opinion on a lower court ruling that found the owners of a bakery discriminated against a gay activist for refusing to bake a cake with the slogan \"Support Gay Marriage\". The row began in May 2014, when gay activist Gareth Lee placed an order for a cake with the gay marriage slogan. Two days later, the Christian-owned Ashers bakery cancelled the order saying it \"would contradict their religious beliefs\". Mr Lee subsequently took legal action.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2051, "answer_start": 932, "text": "The Supreme Court's majority opinion said the Colorado Civil Rights Commission had been biased against Mr Phillips. The verdict said the commission had shown \"clear hostility\" and implied religious beliefs \"are less than fully welcome in Colorado's business community\". Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote that while Colorado law \"can protect gay persons in acquiring products and services... the law must be applied in a manner that is neutral toward religion\". The opinion cited the following comment from a Colorado commissioner during a public hearing: \"Freedom of religion and religion has been used to justify all kinds of discrimination throughout history, whether it be slavery, whether it be the holocaust. And to me it is one of the most despicable pieces of rhetoric that people can use to use their religion to hurt others.\" The opinion called such language disparaging of Mr Phillips' religious beliefs and inappropriate for a commission charged with \"fair and neutral enforcement of Colorado's anti-discrimination law - a law that protects discrimination on the basis of religion as well as sexual orientation\"." } ], "id": "623_0", "question": "What did Monday's ruling say?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3831, "answer_start": 3092, "text": "In July 2012, Mr Mullins and Mr Craig went to Mr Phillips' Masterpiece Cakeshop in Lakewood, near Denver, to order a cake to celebrate their planned marriage in Massachusetts later that year. But Mr Phillips refused, saying it was his \"standard business practice not to provide cakes for same-sex weddings\" as it would amount to endorsing \"something that directly goes against\" the Bible. Instead, he offered them other products, including birthday cakes and biscuits. Mr Phillips argued \"creative artists\" have a right to decide what they sell. Colorado is one of 22 states that includes sexual orientation in its anti-discrimination law, which allowed Mr Craig and Mr Mullins to win their case before the state's Civil Rights Commission." } ], "id": "623_1", "question": "How did the legal action start?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4446, "answer_start": 3832, "text": "Liberal Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sonia Sotomayor were the two dissenting votes. \"Phillips would not sell to Craig and Mullins, for no reason other than their sexual orientation, a cake of the kind he regularly sold to others,\" Justice Ginsburg wrote. \"What matters is that Phillips would not provide a good or service to a same-sex couple that he would provide to a hetereosexual couple.\" Justice Ginsburg did not agree with the finding that the Commission acted unfairly. She cited \"several layers of independent decisionmaking of which the Colorado Civil Rights Commission was but one\" in the state case." } ], "id": "623_2", "question": "Which Justices disagreed with the ruling?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "After the US-North Korea summit talks in Hanoi ended abruptly, President Donald Trump said his stumbling block with Kim Jong-un was over one key point: What North Korea would get in exchange for disabling its Yongbyon nuclear facility. Yongbyon is the site that produces material that could be used in North Korea's nuclear weapons. Long ahead of the Hanoi talks, rumours have swirled that Pyongyang could offer to shut Yongbyon, or parts of it, in exchange for sanctions relief. Melissa Hanham, defence expert at One Earth Future, explains the notorious site which is the heart of North Korea's nuclear programme. The Yongbyon Nuclear Scientific Research Centre is a sprawling campus that primarily serves a military mission - producing fissile material for North Korea's nuclear weapons. Its construction began in 1961, after North Korea reached two nuclear agreements with the Soviet Union. The Kuryong River runs through the campus, and its water is used to cool the adjacent reactors. Some parts of the site hold administrative and scientific support facilities - but it's the reactors and other assets which the US eventually hopes to see dismantled. They include the following. The IRT-2000 reactor is the smallest and oldest reactor at Yongbyon. It was finished in 1965 under the supervision of the Soviet Union and originally used low-enriched uranium for scientific purposes and to produce medical isotopes. Until 1973, the Soviet Union provided the fuel rods to run the reactor, but North Korea later converted the reactor to highly-enriched uranium. While this reactor cannot produce much fissile material for North Korea, there is some concern that it could produce isotopes like tritium or lithium deuteride using the nearby isotope production laboratory. Just a few grams of tritium can be used in a warhead to boost its efficiency, thereby allowing for a smaller and lighter design for a missile. The five megawatt reactor is the most famous reactor in the campus. It was built using illicitly procured designs for the UK's Calder Hall reactor, and completed in 1986. This reactor produced the bulk of the plutonium for North Korea's weapons, and was at the centre of several diplomatic confrontations and breakthroughs. Today, it is capable of operation using water from the nearby Kuryong River. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has had occasional access to the reactor, depending on North Korea's willingness to allow inspectors in. There have been two previous attempts to \"shut down\" the reactor - both later reversed by North Korea when relations soured. In September 2010, satellite imagery revealed the beginnings of large new structure south of the 5 MW Reactor. While it was not initially apparent what the structure was, a party of visiting US scientists was told that it was to be an experimental light water reactor intended for electricity production in 2010. Today, the reactor appears complete externally but is yet to show concrete evidence of operation. No outsiders have visited since its completion. This facility is really a plutonium reprocessing facility used to transform spent fuel rods from the reactors into weapons-useable material. North Korea originally told the IAEA that the facility was training nuclear scientists, however the IAEA concluded it was really for reprocessing. The outsized facility was designed to handle plutonium from both the 5 MW reactor and the nearby 50 MW reactor which was abandoned before completion. Satellite imagery shows vehicle activity and construction around the site. However, reprocessing facilities have few signatures that show outsiders when they're operating, or how much plutonium is reprocessed. In 2010 North Korea revealed that it had converted its Fuel Fabrication Facility into a uranium enrichment facility. Scientists that visited the site estimated that the building contained nearly 2,000 centrifuges. Construction in 2013 doubled the floor space of the facility, but it is unknown whether the number of centrifuges also doubled. The US suspected that North Korea was operating a secret uranium enrichment program fuelled by Pakistani AQ Khan's illicit network for decades. While Yongbyon is the only facility that North Korea has declared, it is widely believed that there are at least two other sites. In 2018, open-source research identified a probable site near Kangson, North Korea. A deal to shut down Yongbyon - or parts of it - would not apply to other enrichment facilities in the country. These facilities are extremely hard to detect and can be hidden easily. Iran chose to build its enrichment facilities underground and in a mountain. It is unlikely that North Korea will give up its nuclear weapons. However, if measures are taken to verifiably monitor or even irreversibly dismantle these facilities at Yongbyon, it would mean North Korea is no longer able to produce plutonium or tritium for its nuclear weapons program. Uranium would still be of concern, as only one of the suspected uranium enrichment facilities is at Yongbyon. Nonetheless, this would represent a significant cap to Pyongyang's ability to make additional nuclear warheads.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5168, "answer_start": 4184, "text": "While Yongbyon is the only facility that North Korea has declared, it is widely believed that there are at least two other sites. In 2018, open-source research identified a probable site near Kangson, North Korea. A deal to shut down Yongbyon - or parts of it - would not apply to other enrichment facilities in the country. These facilities are extremely hard to detect and can be hidden easily. Iran chose to build its enrichment facilities underground and in a mountain. It is unlikely that North Korea will give up its nuclear weapons. However, if measures are taken to verifiably monitor or even irreversibly dismantle these facilities at Yongbyon, it would mean North Korea is no longer able to produce plutonium or tritium for its nuclear weapons program. Uranium would still be of concern, as only one of the suspected uranium enrichment facilities is at Yongbyon. Nonetheless, this would represent a significant cap to Pyongyang's ability to make additional nuclear warheads." } ], "id": "624_0", "question": "Other sites outside of Yongbyon?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "As Donald Trump has ended the Saudi leg of his first foreign visit, here's a look back at some of the contentious moments in the Gulf kingdom. It's one of the president's favourite gestures, and Bloomberg journalist Jennifer Jacobs tweeted a picture of him doing just that in Riyadh. Then came the question: could it have been offensive? Well, yes, if you read this document distributed by the US embassy in Riyadh to journalists covering Mr Trump's trip, according to Politico's Annie Karni. But is it? Not really, said the BBC's Kim Ghattas. \"I'm Arab, lived in the Arab world, travelled across [the] region [and] never heard of it\". Faisal bin Farhan, adviser to the Saudi foreign ministry, also did not see any wrong behaviour from Mr Trump. He tweeted: So where did it all come from? It seems that, some time ago, it was indeed seen as an offensive gesture. Here is what the US Defense Language Institute said in 2003, according to the National Review: \"After the Gulf conflict [in 1991], however, Middle Easterners of the Arabian Peninsula adopted this hand movement, along with the OK sign, as a symbol of co-operation toward freedom.\" And here is proof of how inoffensive the gesture seems to be: an aide signals that Saudi King Salman bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud is ready to welcome Mr Trump at Riyadh's airport. The president's highly anticipated address did not include the phrase \"radical Islamic terrorism\", which he had used before, and which is considered offensive by many Muslims. A transcript of the text published on his Facebook page included a mention of \"Islamist extremism\" and \"Islamist terror groups\". But in his speech Mr Trump actually said: \"That means honestly confronting the crisis of Islamic extremism and the Islamists and Islamic terror of all kinds.\" Did he stumble over the word or did he decide to change the script? A White House official later blamed Mr Trump's fatigue for the switch, saying he was \"just an exhausted guy\". The word \"Islamist\" refers to those who aim to reorder government and society in accordance with Islamic law, or Sharia. Meanwhile, \"Islamic\" relates to Islam as a religion. That is why a number of Middle East experts prefer the use of \"Islamist extremism\" to avoid tarring the entire religion. Anyway, Mr Trump's veering off the script appears to not have caused major controversy. Foreign visitors are not forced to wear it while visiting the kingdom, and the list of Western women who have done just that includes the UK Prime Minister Theresa May, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, former US First Lady Michelle Obama and former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. So what's the issue here? Well, here's what Mr Trump said in January 2015, when then-President Barack Obama visited the country. Mr Trump's daughter, Ivanka, didn't wear a headscarf either. When asked why they both went without headscarves, the White House responded that they were not required to wear them, CNN reports. Experts also point out that both women were dressed conservatively in long trousers and dresses. The controversy here stems from this encounter between President Obama and King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia during a summit in London in 2009, which caused a furore. It didn't go unnoticed by Mr Trump, who tweeted about it in July 2012 - and several other times (here and here). So many were left wondering what happened here as Mr Trump received an honorary medal from the Saudi king: Did he bow or not? Or was it simply that he had to bend his knees and bow his head to receive the medal as the president is much taller than the Saudi king? Some hawk-eyed observers even suggested that there was a \"clumsy curtsey\" at the end. The White House has so far not commented on the issue.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1316, "answer_start": 143, "text": "It's one of the president's favourite gestures, and Bloomberg journalist Jennifer Jacobs tweeted a picture of him doing just that in Riyadh. Then came the question: could it have been offensive? Well, yes, if you read this document distributed by the US embassy in Riyadh to journalists covering Mr Trump's trip, according to Politico's Annie Karni. But is it? Not really, said the BBC's Kim Ghattas. \"I'm Arab, lived in the Arab world, travelled across [the] region [and] never heard of it\". Faisal bin Farhan, adviser to the Saudi foreign ministry, also did not see any wrong behaviour from Mr Trump. He tweeted: So where did it all come from? It seems that, some time ago, it was indeed seen as an offensive gesture. Here is what the US Defense Language Institute said in 2003, according to the National Review: \"After the Gulf conflict [in 1991], however, Middle Easterners of the Arabian Peninsula adopted this hand movement, along with the OK sign, as a symbol of co-operation toward freedom.\" And here is proof of how inoffensive the gesture seems to be: an aide signals that Saudi King Salman bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud is ready to welcome Mr Trump at Riyadh's airport." } ], "id": "625_0", "question": "1. Thumbs down for a thumbs up?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3730, "answer_start": 3050, "text": "The controversy here stems from this encounter between President Obama and King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia during a summit in London in 2009, which caused a furore. It didn't go unnoticed by Mr Trump, who tweeted about it in July 2012 - and several other times (here and here). So many were left wondering what happened here as Mr Trump received an honorary medal from the Saudi king: Did he bow or not? Or was it simply that he had to bend his knees and bow his head to receive the medal as the president is much taller than the Saudi king? Some hawk-eyed observers even suggested that there was a \"clumsy curtsey\" at the end. The White House has so far not commented on the issue." } ], "id": "625_1", "question": "4. Did Trump bow or not?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "An attack has killed up to 40 migrants at a detention centre on the outskirts of the Libyan capital Tripoli, government officials say. Some 80 people were injured at the centre, which the UN-backed government says was hit by an air strike. Anti-government forces led by warlord Gen Khalifa Haftar have accused government forces of bombarding it. Most of the dead are believed to be Africans, attempting to reach Europe on clandestine sea crossings from Libya. Thousands of migrants are stopped and held in government-run detention centres. The country has been torn by violence and division since long-time ruler Muammar Gaddafi was deposed and killed in 2011. Some 120 migrants were inside a hangar at the Tajoura Detention Centre which took a direct hit on Tuesday evening, emergency services spokesman Osama Ali told AFP news agency. Tajoura is believed to house some 600 migrants. Women and children were among those hit, 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-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, Reuters news agency reports. 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 Gaddafi'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 Gaddafi 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. Leonard Doyle, spokesperson for the International Organization for Migration in Geneva, said migrants were not treated with consideration when it came to housing them. \"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.\" Did you witness the attack? Were you in the detention centre? Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. You can also contact us in the following ways: - WhatsApp: +44 7756 165803 - Tweet: @BBC_HaveYourSay - Send pictures/video to yourpics@bbc.co.uk - Send an SMS or MMS to 61124 or +44 7624 800 100 - Please read our terms and conditions and privacy policy", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1407, "answer_start": 661, "text": "Some 120 migrants were inside a hangar at the Tajoura Detention Centre which took a direct hit on Tuesday evening, emergency services spokesman Osama Ali told AFP news agency. Tajoura is believed to house some 600 migrants. Women and children were among those hit, 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.\"" } ], "id": "626_0", "question": "What do we know about the attack?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2219, "answer_start": 1408, "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, Reuters news agency reports." } ], "id": "626_1", "question": "Who is to blame?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3044, "answer_start": 2220, "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 Gaddafi'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 Gaddafi and US connections, but do credit him for driving Islamist militants out of much of the city of Benghazi and its surroundings." } ], "id": "626_2", "question": "Why is there war in Libya?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3924, "answer_start": 3045, "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. Leonard Doyle, spokesperson for the International Organization for Migration in Geneva, said migrants were not treated with consideration when it came to housing them. \"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": "626_3", "question": "How vulnerable are migrants in Libya?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "India has undertaken an ambitious project for a bullet train to run between two of the country's major cities. A deal was signed in 2015 with Japan, which is helping to finance its construction. The project is part of the government's commitment to revitalise the country's creaking 165-year-old rail network. In the run-up to the Indian election, which gets under way on 11 April, BBC Reality Check is examining claims and pledges made by the main political parties. Claim: India will have a bullet train service running by August 2022. This will run down the west coast, connecting the cities of Mumbai and Ahmedabad. Verdict: Passengers may get to experience a modern high-speed train on just a small section of line by 2022. It looks unlikely the promised bullet train will be fully operational by then or even by the following year. The bullet train project was officially launched at a ceremony in September 2017 attended by the Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe. That year, the Indian Ministry of Railways said \"all-out efforts\" would be made to complete the high speed rail project by 15 August 2022. However, officials involved with the plan now estimate that only a small part of the route will be completed by this time, with the rest finished in 2023. The Congress opposition leader, Rahul Gandhi, has described it as a \"magic train\" that will never be completed. India's vast rail network offers a cheap and vital transport service for 22 million people a day on about 9,000 trains. But travellers have long complained of poor services and a lack of investment in modernisation. Currently, India's fastest train is the Vande Bharat Express, which has reached 180km/h (110mph) during trials. The Japanese bullet train is almost twice as fast, capable of speeds up to 320km/h (200mph). Once completed, the $15bn (PS11bn) high-speed rail route will connect India's major business and financial hub of Mumbai with important business centres in Gujarat state such as Surat and Ahmedabad. The 500km-long journey now takes about eight hours. That's expected to drop to well under three hours, with the fastest journey times estimated at just two hours and seven minutes. Some experts think even the current deadline given by officials, of December 2023, is overly optimistic. \"I am not sure - considering how slow things are moving,\" Debolina Kundu, an associate professor at the National Institute of Urban Affairs, told BBC News. \"And there are bureaucratic hurdles.\" The main obstacle is land acquisition. The train project needs to acquire more than 1,400 hectares (14 sq km) of land, most of it privately owned. The National High Speed Rail Corporation had been aiming to complete this process by the end of last year but has recently said it will continue until mid-2019. In February, it told BBC News there were now agreements with more than 1,000 landowners - out of an estimated total of 6,000. One barrier to the land sales has been dissatisfaction with the amount of compensation being offered to the owners. There have been protests in some areas over plans for land acquisition - and multiple petitions filed in the courts. And in India, court cases challenging land acquisition can drag on for years. But those running the project say they are paying compensation of 25% above the legal requirement. Another potential barrier is the need for wildlife and other environmental clearances, as the train will pass through three wildlife areas and coastal regions. It will also cross areas classified as forest - and this land can be acquired only once environmental impact studies have been completed and reforestation plans drawn up. Read more from Reality Check Send us your questions Follow us on Twitter", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2179, "answer_start": 1379, "text": "India's vast rail network offers a cheap and vital transport service for 22 million people a day on about 9,000 trains. But travellers have long complained of poor services and a lack of investment in modernisation. Currently, India's fastest train is the Vande Bharat Express, which has reached 180km/h (110mph) during trials. The Japanese bullet train is almost twice as fast, capable of speeds up to 320km/h (200mph). Once completed, the $15bn (PS11bn) high-speed rail route will connect India's major business and financial hub of Mumbai with important business centres in Gujarat state such as Surat and Ahmedabad. The 500km-long journey now takes about eight hours. That's expected to drop to well under three hours, with the fastest journey times estimated at just two hours and seven minutes." } ], "id": "627_0", "question": "Why is it needed?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2478, "answer_start": 2180, "text": "Some experts think even the current deadline given by officials, of December 2023, is overly optimistic. \"I am not sure - considering how slow things are moving,\" Debolina Kundu, an associate professor at the National Institute of Urban Affairs, told BBC News. \"And there are bureaucratic hurdles.\"" } ], "id": "627_1", "question": "When will it be finished?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "A Bangkok court has awarded paternity rights to a Japanese man over 13 babies he fathered through Thai surrogate mothers. The ruling allows Mitsutoki Shigeta, 28, to pursue custody of the children. The son of a wealthy entrepreneur, he caused controversy in 2014 when he was revealed to have fathered at least 16 babies via surrogates in Thailand. His so-called \"baby factory\" case and others led to Thailand banning commercial surrogacy for foreigners. Mr Shigeta, who was not present at the trial, was awarded \"sole parent\" rights after the Thai surrogates forfeited their rights, according to the court, which did not name him. \"For the happiness and opportunities which the 13 children will receive from their biological father, who does not have a history of bad behaviour, the court rules that all 13 born from surrogacy to be legal children of the plaintiff,\" Bangkok's Central Juvenile Court said in a statement. Mr Shigeta was awarded custody of his three other children in 2015. In 2014, he was investigated by Interpol for human trafficking after it emerged he had fathered 16 surrogate children in Thailand. His Bangkok apartment was raided and police found nine surrogate babies, nannies and a pregnant surrogate mother there. He left Thailand soon after, but later sued the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security for custody of the children. You may also like: By Jonathan Head, BBC News, South East Asia correspondent When a blurred airport security photo was published, more than three years ago, of Mitsutoki Shigeta, holding an infant as he left Thailand, there was fevered speculation over his motives for siring so many children with surrogate mothers. Some of the children had already been taken to Cambodia, and the Thai police began investigating him for possible human trafficking. But his lawyer insisted he simply wanted a very large family, and that as the son of a wealthy Japanese entrepreneur he was able to look after them properly. A court in Bangkok has now accepted that explanation: Thai officials told the court they had travelled to Cambodia and Japan, and found he had enough carers and facilities to bring up the 13 children who are still in state care in Thailand. Few details are known about the background of Mr Shigeta. According to Japanese media, he is the son of an IT billionaire and paid between $9,300 (PS6,600) and $12,500 to each of the surrogate mothers. Thai media says Mr Shigeta is unmarried, owns several companies himself and has already made plans for the future of his children, including setting up trust funds for them. After leaving Thailand four years ago, he was thought to have moved to Hong Kong and currently lives in Japan again. Media reports also suggest he might have travelled to India and Ukraine to father children there. The 13 children will not immediately be transferred into Mr Shigeta's custody. His lawyer told AFP news agency that he would contact the Social Welfare Ministry about next steps, adding that the timelines still had to be agreed to avoid \"abrupt changes\" for the children. Mr Shigeta's case shed light on Thailand's booming surrogacy industry, as did the case of \"Baby Gammy\" which also emerged in 2014. Baby Gammy's Thai surrogate mother alleged that he was abandoned by his Australian parents after they found out he had Down's Syndrome. They took his twin sister home. An Australian court later cleared the family of abandonment.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2806, "answer_start": 2216, "text": "Few details are known about the background of Mr Shigeta. According to Japanese media, he is the son of an IT billionaire and paid between $9,300 (PS6,600) and $12,500 to each of the surrogate mothers. Thai media says Mr Shigeta is unmarried, owns several companies himself and has already made plans for the future of his children, including setting up trust funds for them. After leaving Thailand four years ago, he was thought to have moved to Hong Kong and currently lives in Japan again. Media reports also suggest he might have travelled to India and Ukraine to father children there." } ], "id": "628_0", "question": "What is known about the father?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Would Donald Trump \"wreak havoc on world trade\" if he became US president? That was the question posed in a recent Wall Street Journal column. Meanwhile, an article in Forbes magazine describes another non-mainstream figure still in the running for the White House, the Democrat Bernie Sanders, as not having the \"first inkling of what [trade] is and why we do it\". Let's put aside the question of how likely it is that either will become the 45th president. The fact that both have raised the issue of trade in rather striking terms is still a sign of something wider going on in US politics. Both have expressed profound concerns about the impact of international trade on the US economy and workers. As the quotes above show, both have caused alarm or scorn among enthusiasts for trade liberalisation. Both would represent a marked departure from decades of US trade policy which has, with some diversions on the way, followed this path. For Mr Trump, much of the focus is specifically on China: \"Since China joined the WTO [World Trade Organization in 2001] Americans have witnessed the closure of more than 50,000 factories and the loss of tens of millions of jobs. It was not a good deal for America then and it's a bad deal now.\" He told the New York Times that he would favour a 45% tariff on imports from China, although he has subsequently said the proposal is a threat to get China to \"behave\". He wants to put \"an end to China's illegal export subsidies and lax labour and environmental standards. No more sweatshops or pollution havens stealing jobs from American workers\". Mr Sanders is not so far away. A release on his campaign website after a speech in Pennsylvania says: \"The North American Free Trade Agreement [Nafta, which involves the US, Canada and Mexico] cost 850,000 good-paying jobs in the United States, including 26,300 in Pennsylvania. Normalized trade relations with China [following China's accession to the WTO] led to the loss of 3.2 million jobs including 122,600 in Pennsylvania.\" Both are also exercised about the trade deficit - the fact that America buys more foreign goods than it sells abroad. They see that as a result of unfair trade agreements and as evidence that the US is losing out - \"they are killing us on trade\" is a phrase that Mr Trump has often used. That idea is in stark contrast with the view of mainstream economics that trade liberalisation is beneficial for all countries that do it. By removing barriers that raise the cost of imported goods, countries can specialise in producing what they do best, and consumers and businesses can buy goods more cheaply. That idea, and a desire to avoid a repeat of the Great Depression (which was aggravated though not caused by trade restrictions), is behind the gradual removal of trade barriers since World War Two. There has been a more or less global effort to do this under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (Gatt) and, from 1995, the WTO. There have also been many smaller scale moves between groups of countries, including what is now the EU. The US has agreements already in force with 20 countries, including Mexico and Canada, under Nafta. The US has also completed negotiations with 11 other countries for a deal called the Trans-Pacific Partnership and there are negotiations under way with the EU. The mainstream view that all countries gain from trade liberalisation does not mean that all people do. It's just that the benefits exceed the losses. It should thus be possible for everyone to gain, if the winners compensate the losers. The US, like many other countries, has programmes to help people who lose their jobs and there is one specifically targeted at those hit by international trade, called the Trade Adjustment Assistance Programme. One commentator described it (and its EU equivalent) as \"tiny and relatively ineffective\", adding: \"There is little political appetite in the world's two biggest economies for a more serious attempt at redistributing the gains from trade.\" And that does mean some people do lose from trade expansion. A group of academic economists in the US wrote: \"The increase in US imports from China, which accelerated after 2000, was a major force behind recent reductions in US manufacturing employment and... it appears to have significantly suppressed overall US job growth.\" They estimate job losses of at least two million between 1999 and 2011, because of the direct and indirect impact of China's rise. They don't attribute all the manufacturing job losses to China and trade, but their analysis points to a real impact from competition from imports. There is also research pointing to a political impact even before the current campaigns for the presidential nominations. Analysis at Georgetown University suggests that trade does affect elections. It found that incumbent presidents tend to gain votes in areas where exports have risen, but they lose support where competition from imports has led to increased job insecurity. And what about the US trade deficit? Here, things get very complicated. While a trade deficit might be the result of competitive imports, it can also be caused by low levels of savings. In fact there is a view that the trade deficit is not necessarily a bad thing. A trade deficit has to be financed by borrowing or investment from abroad, which can help drive interest rates down and stimulate job creation. On the other hand, there is a view that those considerations don't really apply now at a time when interest rates are already very low. In those circumstances a trade deficit really can cost jobs. It is curious that this issue should come up so strongly now. The US jobs situation is improving. The unemployment rate is 5%, and the number of people with jobs has increased by more than 600,000 this year. The Nobel Prize winning economist, Paul Krugman, wrote: \"A protectionist backlash, like an immigration backlash, is one of those things where the puzzle has been how long it was in coming. And maybe the time is now.\"", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4992, "answer_start": 3319, "text": "The mainstream view that all countries gain from trade liberalisation does not mean that all people do. It's just that the benefits exceed the losses. It should thus be possible for everyone to gain, if the winners compensate the losers. The US, like many other countries, has programmes to help people who lose their jobs and there is one specifically targeted at those hit by international trade, called the Trade Adjustment Assistance Programme. One commentator described it (and its EU equivalent) as \"tiny and relatively ineffective\", adding: \"There is little political appetite in the world's two biggest economies for a more serious attempt at redistributing the gains from trade.\" And that does mean some people do lose from trade expansion. A group of academic economists in the US wrote: \"The increase in US imports from China, which accelerated after 2000, was a major force behind recent reductions in US manufacturing employment and... it appears to have significantly suppressed overall US job growth.\" They estimate job losses of at least two million between 1999 and 2011, because of the direct and indirect impact of China's rise. They don't attribute all the manufacturing job losses to China and trade, but their analysis points to a real impact from competition from imports. There is also research pointing to a political impact even before the current campaigns for the presidential nominations. Analysis at Georgetown University suggests that trade does affect elections. It found that incumbent presidents tend to gain votes in areas where exports have risen, but they lose support where competition from imports has led to increased job insecurity." } ], "id": "629_0", "question": "Are gains redistributed?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "A college drop-out who sought revenge for his uncle's death in Syria has been convicted of preparing to attack Downing Street and kill the PM. Naa'imur Rahman, 20, was convicted at the Old Bailey after he was trapped in a major undercover operation involving the FBI, MI5 and police. Rahman approached officers posing online as fellow extremists, asking them for help with an attack. He met two and repeatedly asked for bombs - leading to his conviction. He has now been jailed for a minimum of 30 years. Last summer Rahman was homeless in London after falling out with both his mother in the city and close relatives in Walsall, where he grew up. Three years ago he was referred to the national deradicalisation scheme, Channel, amid concerns that the-then teenager could be brainwashed by his uncle. When he was investigated last year over an allegation of sexting with an underage girl, intelligence emerged from his phone that he had maintained contact with his uncle. Musadikur Rohaman left the UK for Syria in 2014. The Old Bailey trial heard that he'd been encouraging his nephew to attack the UK and had sent him bomb-making plans and other extremist material. However, in late June 2017, Rohaman was killed in a coalition drone strike on IS fighters near the city of Raqqa. When Rahman learnt of his uncle's death, prosecutors told the trial that he planned his revenge. Rahman made contact with IS recruiters via social media - but unbeknown to him the contact was actually an FBI agent. That agent referred Rahman to an MI5 team of online role players who convinced him that they were genuine IS figures. \"I want to do a suicide bomb on Parliament,\" Rahman told the MI5 role players. \"I want to attempt to kill Theresa May. All I need now is a sleeper cell to lay low for now.\" Despite his total lack of skills or training, MI5 was concerned that Rahman would press ahead, so counter-terrorism chiefs launched an elaborate undercover operation to gather evidence of his intent. As Rahman kept asking for help, the MI5 team introduced him to an undercover police officer in London posing as an Islamic State weapons fixer. The jury watched secretly recorded video of Rahman meeting \"Shaq\" in a car and setting out his aspirations. He told the story of his uncle's killing - and asked for a truck bomb and firearms - before conceding he could neither drive nor fire a gun. Rahman then settled for storming Downing Street in an attempt to kill Theresa May. On 6 November last year, Rahman laid out his final plan to \"Shaq\" - a recording of it was played in court. \"I have drawn up a plan, gone through it in detail in my head. You know at the gate of Downing Street? There are about four men innit? And two men on the door? \"I want to get past that gate and if I can get to the door I want to make a dash for Theresa May. She sleeps there every night.\" Shaq asked Rahman to elaborate on how he thought this was possible. \"If I have a backpack with stuff inside and I do that at the gate and I get past the gate... a 10-second sprint to the door.\" \"I'll be honest with you,\" replied Shaq. \"I've never looked at it.\" \"I wanna drop a bag at the gate, so the gate blows up a bit and I can go through and then like, make a run, like I was thinking taking a human hostage until I get to the actual door. \"Grab a human shield and then once I get close enough to the door, I'll do what I can with them to get inside.\" \"You're trying to get to Number 10,\" asked Shaq. \"That's your main objective?\" \"Take her head off, yeah,\" replied Rahman. Rahman said he couldn't fund the attack because he was \"broke and homeless\" - but he handed over a jacket and a rucksack, asking for both to be filled with explosives. Shaq returned the items with a fake bomb in the bag and the jacket filled with supposed explosives. Rahman took both off him and said: \"Do you know? Now I've seen everything it feels good.\" As he walked away from the scene he was surrounded by police, arrested, and later said: \"I'm glad it's over.\" Rahman told his trial that none of his plans was serious. When he made contact with men whom he thought were his uncle's comrades in Syria, he had begun showing off, making up schemes to impress them. He told jurors that one fantastical proposal had been to build balloons to drop missiles from the edge of space. Rahman claimed he had been set up and tricked by MI5 and the police. But prosecutors showed that Rahman had carried out extensive reconnaissance of Downing Street, Parliament and nearby government buildings. The jury had to be convinced that Rahman had seriously intended to attack Downing Street and had taken the first steps along that course. In sentencing, Mr Justice Haddon-Cave said: \"I am sure that at all material times Rahman believed the devices to be real and capable of causing serious harm.\"", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1379, "answer_start": 973, "text": "Musadikur Rohaman left the UK for Syria in 2014. The Old Bailey trial heard that he'd been encouraging his nephew to attack the UK and had sent him bomb-making plans and other extremist material. However, in late June 2017, Rohaman was killed in a coalition drone strike on IS fighters near the city of Raqqa. When Rahman learnt of his uncle's death, prosecutors told the trial that he planned his revenge." } ], "id": "630_0", "question": "Who was Rahman's uncle?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4008, "answer_start": 2466, "text": "On 6 November last year, Rahman laid out his final plan to \"Shaq\" - a recording of it was played in court. \"I have drawn up a plan, gone through it in detail in my head. You know at the gate of Downing Street? There are about four men innit? And two men on the door? \"I want to get past that gate and if I can get to the door I want to make a dash for Theresa May. She sleeps there every night.\" Shaq asked Rahman to elaborate on how he thought this was possible. \"If I have a backpack with stuff inside and I do that at the gate and I get past the gate... a 10-second sprint to the door.\" \"I'll be honest with you,\" replied Shaq. \"I've never looked at it.\" \"I wanna drop a bag at the gate, so the gate blows up a bit and I can go through and then like, make a run, like I was thinking taking a human hostage until I get to the actual door. \"Grab a human shield and then once I get close enough to the door, I'll do what I can with them to get inside.\" \"You're trying to get to Number 10,\" asked Shaq. \"That's your main objective?\" \"Take her head off, yeah,\" replied Rahman. Rahman said he couldn't fund the attack because he was \"broke and homeless\" - but he handed over a jacket and a rucksack, asking for both to be filled with explosives. Shaq returned the items with a fake bomb in the bag and the jacket filled with supposed explosives. Rahman took both off him and said: \"Do you know? Now I've seen everything it feels good.\" As he walked away from the scene he was surrounded by police, arrested, and later said: \"I'm glad it's over.\"" } ], "id": "630_1", "question": "How would he attack Downing Street?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4827, "answer_start": 4009, "text": "Rahman told his trial that none of his plans was serious. When he made contact with men whom he thought were his uncle's comrades in Syria, he had begun showing off, making up schemes to impress them. He told jurors that one fantastical proposal had been to build balloons to drop missiles from the edge of space. Rahman claimed he had been set up and tricked by MI5 and the police. But prosecutors showed that Rahman had carried out extensive reconnaissance of Downing Street, Parliament and nearby government buildings. The jury had to be convinced that Rahman had seriously intended to attack Downing Street and had taken the first steps along that course. In sentencing, Mr Justice Haddon-Cave said: \"I am sure that at all material times Rahman believed the devices to be real and capable of causing serious harm.\"" } ], "id": "630_2", "question": "Did he really intend to attack?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The US state department says its diplomats in Cuba have been suffering symptoms including hearing loss after suspected sonic attacks, some of which were - according to some reports - inaudible to human ears. The use of sound as a weapon is not new, but what about unheard sound attacks? If you've ever heeded the warning to wear ear plugs to a loud concert, you have been taking care of the hair cells in your inner ear that pick up noise and send it to the brain. You've been trying to avoid hearing loss or tinnitus (ringing in the ears). But sound can have effects that go beyond hearing. Symptoms of a sonic attack may include dizziness, headaches, vomiting, bowel spasms, vertigo, permanent hearing loss and even brain damage. There are two options - go low or go high. Lower frequencies than humans can hear - below 20Hz - are known as infrasound. They're used by animals including elephants, whales and hippos to communicate. Infrasound could affect human hearing if very loud, and could cause vertigo and even vomiting or uncontrollable defecation if deployed very intensely. But Dr Toby Heys has told the New Scientist that an attack using infrasound would rely on \"a large array of subwoofers\" and \"wouldn't be very covert\". Given the Associated Press reports embassy staff were targeted at their residences, it's hard to see how anyone would pull that off without the huge racks of speakers giving the game away. Ultrasound frequencies above 20,000Hz, or 20kHz, are also inaudible to humans but can damage the parts of the ear, including hairs, that pick up sound. This is more likely in the Cuban case as ultrasound can be targeted more easily. It has many medical applications so has been at the forefront of research, and directional speakers already exist for home use. These could direct sound through walls. But any equipment would need to be reasonably large to fit a battery that could power it strongly enough, and an ultrasound attack would place other people in the vicinity - including, potentially, the person carrying out the attack - at risk. Steve Goodman, author of the book Sonic Warfare, told BBC Radio 4 that it was \"not clear\" whether inaudible soundwaves could give someone the hearing loss the state department described. \"The information given is so vague it's hard to say,\" he said. Again, it's not clear. And it's also not clear who would have carried out such an attack on embassy staff. Cuba has denied involvement and security analysts say it may have been done by a third country, hostile to the US. Elizabeth Quintana, a senior research fellow at the UK-based military think tank the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), specialises in emerging technologies in the defence world. \"The US have been surprised at the extent to which others have caught up with them in all sorts of technologies,\" she told the BBC. \"It's probably not so much a surprise that the technology exists, more that others are aware of it and using it.\" Yes. Sound cannon are used in crowd control by police forces around the world, were fitted to a ship to deter Somali pirates, and were made available for London police during the 2012 Olympics, although not used. Some versions are capable of producing deafening sound levels of 150 decibels at one metre. They can deafen people within a 15 metre range and some can be heard miles away - not quite the subtle, covert operation supposed to have happened in Havana. Sound has been used in psychological operations too - the US army played heavy metal and Western children's music to Iraqi prisoners of war in an attempt to deprive them of rest and make them co-operate in interrogations. And some shop owners in the UK use so-called Mosquitos, devices that emit high-pitched sounds (15-18kHz) and cannot be heard by people who have turned 25, to try to discourage teenagers from standing around near the entrance to their shops. But in all of these examples, the person being targeted could hear the sound - a key difference from the incidents said to have happened in Havana.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 731, "answer_start": 287, "text": "If you've ever heeded the warning to wear ear plugs to a loud concert, you have been taking care of the hair cells in your inner ear that pick up noise and send it to the brain. You've been trying to avoid hearing loss or tinnitus (ringing in the ears). But sound can have effects that go beyond hearing. Symptoms of a sonic attack may include dizziness, headaches, vomiting, bowel spasms, vertigo, permanent hearing loss and even brain damage." } ], "id": "631_0", "question": "What damage can sound do?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2319, "answer_start": 732, "text": "There are two options - go low or go high. Lower frequencies than humans can hear - below 20Hz - are known as infrasound. They're used by animals including elephants, whales and hippos to communicate. Infrasound could affect human hearing if very loud, and could cause vertigo and even vomiting or uncontrollable defecation if deployed very intensely. But Dr Toby Heys has told the New Scientist that an attack using infrasound would rely on \"a large array of subwoofers\" and \"wouldn't be very covert\". Given the Associated Press reports embassy staff were targeted at their residences, it's hard to see how anyone would pull that off without the huge racks of speakers giving the game away. Ultrasound frequencies above 20,000Hz, or 20kHz, are also inaudible to humans but can damage the parts of the ear, including hairs, that pick up sound. This is more likely in the Cuban case as ultrasound can be targeted more easily. It has many medical applications so has been at the forefront of research, and directional speakers already exist for home use. These could direct sound through walls. But any equipment would need to be reasonably large to fit a battery that could power it strongly enough, and an ultrasound attack would place other people in the vicinity - including, potentially, the person carrying out the attack - at risk. Steve Goodman, author of the book Sonic Warfare, told BBC Radio 4 that it was \"not clear\" whether inaudible soundwaves could give someone the hearing loss the state department described. \"The information given is so vague it's hard to say,\" he said." } ], "id": "631_1", "question": "How would an inaudible sound weapon work?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2971, "answer_start": 2320, "text": "Again, it's not clear. And it's also not clear who would have carried out such an attack on embassy staff. Cuba has denied involvement and security analysts say it may have been done by a third country, hostile to the US. Elizabeth Quintana, a senior research fellow at the UK-based military think tank the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), specialises in emerging technologies in the defence world. \"The US have been surprised at the extent to which others have caught up with them in all sorts of technologies,\" she told the BBC. \"It's probably not so much a surprise that the technology exists, more that others are aware of it and using it.\"" } ], "id": "631_2", "question": "Who has this kind of technology?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4045, "answer_start": 2972, "text": "Yes. Sound cannon are used in crowd control by police forces around the world, were fitted to a ship to deter Somali pirates, and were made available for London police during the 2012 Olympics, although not used. Some versions are capable of producing deafening sound levels of 150 decibels at one metre. They can deafen people within a 15 metre range and some can be heard miles away - not quite the subtle, covert operation supposed to have happened in Havana. Sound has been used in psychological operations too - the US army played heavy metal and Western children's music to Iraqi prisoners of war in an attempt to deprive them of rest and make them co-operate in interrogations. And some shop owners in the UK use so-called Mosquitos, devices that emit high-pitched sounds (15-18kHz) and cannot be heard by people who have turned 25, to try to discourage teenagers from standing around near the entrance to their shops. But in all of these examples, the person being targeted could hear the sound - a key difference from the incidents said to have happened in Havana." } ], "id": "631_3", "question": "Has sound been used as a weapon before?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "\"I just can't imagine how I'd feel if I saw somebody else with Dean's handle.\" Adam Parker's boyfriend Dean Eastmond died from cancer at the age of 21 in September 2017. They'd been dating for two years. The couple first spoke on Twitter when Adam sent a message to Dean to tell him how cute a photo of his cat was. And since Dean's death, Adam has used his boyfriend's tweets to remember him. \"Grief is complex, strange and it works in different ways,\" the 25-year-old tells Radio 1 Newsbeat. \"I certainly do check back - particularly in the last month or so - with his tweets just to see what was going through Dean's head at that time of his life. \"It depends what kind of feelings of grief and bereavement I'm feeling on a day-to-day basis.\" Earlier this week, Twitter revealed it was planning to remove inactive Twitter accounts and \"free up\" usernames. It led to a backlash from people like Adam who didn't want the accounts of loved ones who had died being deleted. Yesterday, Twitter announced it was pausing the plan until a process for \"memorialising\" users' accounts was in place - which Adam says is \"good news\". \"Hopefully we can start to think through how we can respect accounts of the deceased and archive the historical data of those we've lost,\" he tweeted the company afterwards. Dean was diagnosed with with Ewing's Sarcoma - a rare form of bone and soft tissue cancer - in 2016. He was the editor of magazine HISKIND and also wrote lots of posts on Twitter about the realities of living with the disease. During his life, he was sent messages of support from loads of celebrities including Nicole Scherzinger and stars from RuPaul's Drag Race - who shared photos with the message \"Dean Eastmond slays.\" Adam says it's moments like these he wants to revisit and remember. \"There are big memories and moments that were mediated and helped through Twitter,\" he tells Newsbeat. \"It's those types of things that I would like to preserve on social media.\" He also says there should be more awareness about what to do with someone's profiles when they die. \"It should be widely acknowledged that this is an issue,\" says Adam. \"Until you actually get confronted with somebody passing away and you want to access a social media, it's not something that you necessarily think about.\" Twitter is able to shut down the account of someone who has died, if their family asks and can provide proof of their identity. Facebook \"memorialises\" pages and makes sure no-one is able to log into an account that is known to belong to someone who has died. Instagram does the same, and says it will try and stop anything posted by the owner from when they were alive appearing in ways that may upset their family. You can find information and support on dealing with grief and bereavement by visiting the BBC advice page. Follow Newsbeat on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2819, "answer_start": 2295, "text": "Twitter is able to shut down the account of someone who has died, if their family asks and can provide proof of their identity. Facebook \"memorialises\" pages and makes sure no-one is able to log into an account that is known to belong to someone who has died. Instagram does the same, and says it will try and stop anything posted by the owner from when they were alive appearing in ways that may upset their family. You can find information and support on dealing with grief and bereavement by visiting the BBC advice page." } ], "id": "632_0", "question": "What happens to someone's social media account when they die?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The cardinal who co-wrote a book backing priestly celibacy with the retired Pope has said Benedict XVI's name will be removed from future editions. Some saw the apparent intervention by Benedict as a challenge to his successor, Pope Francis. Pope Benedict, who is 92, reportedly said he could not remain silent. Francis is considering whether to relax the rules for married men in the Amazon region. Cardinal Robert Sarah tweeted (in French) that in light of the controversy the publication had provoked, it had been decided that in future the named author would be himself alone, with the contribution of Benedict XVI noted. The text would remain completely unchanged, he said. Pope Benedict's private secretary said he had asked Cardinal Sarah to request the changes. The cardinal rejected accusations that he had taken advantage of the frail former pontiff, saying that Benedict knew that the project would take the form of a book. Pope Benedict still lives within the walls of the Vatican in a former monastery. A theological conservative with traditional views on Catholic values, he pledged to remain \"hidden from the world\" when he retired citing poor health. But since then, he has made his views known in articles, books and interviews, advocating a different approach to Pope Francis, who is seen as more progressive. In October, Catholic bishops from around the world gathered for a meeting, known as the synod, to discuss the future of the Church in the Amazon. At the conclusion of that meeting, a document detailing issues affecting the Church was released. In it, there was a suggestion that in remote parts of the Amazon, older, married men should be ordained. South American bishops have advocated this in an effort to address the shortage of priests in the region. Pope Francis will consider it, along with many other proposals, including the environment and the role of women in the Church. He is expected to make a decision on the matter within the next few months. There are already some exceptions, such as priests in Eastern Catholic Churches and Anglican priests who convert. Priestly celibacy was introduced about 900 years ago, and before then clergy were often married. It is not explicitly required by the Bible but is a discipline required by the Church. For many, celibacy is a key part of being a Catholic priest, one who is supposed to devote himself to the Church and not be distracted by what some consider to be worldly concerns like a wife or a family. For traditionalists, this is about the direction in which Pope Francis is taking the Church. Some critics regard the idea of allowing married priests in the Amazon as a pretext to abolishing celibacy as a requirement altogether.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2099, "answer_start": 1328, "text": "In October, Catholic bishops from around the world gathered for a meeting, known as the synod, to discuss the future of the Church in the Amazon. At the conclusion of that meeting, a document detailing issues affecting the Church was released. In it, there was a suggestion that in remote parts of the Amazon, older, married men should be ordained. South American bishops have advocated this in an effort to address the shortage of priests in the region. Pope Francis will consider it, along with many other proposals, including the environment and the role of women in the Church. He is expected to make a decision on the matter within the next few months. There are already some exceptions, such as priests in Eastern Catholic Churches and Anglican priests who convert." } ], "id": "633_0", "question": "What is the proposed change?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2717, "answer_start": 2100, "text": "Priestly celibacy was introduced about 900 years ago, and before then clergy were often married. It is not explicitly required by the Bible but is a discipline required by the Church. For many, celibacy is a key part of being a Catholic priest, one who is supposed to devote himself to the Church and not be distracted by what some consider to be worldly concerns like a wife or a family. For traditionalists, this is about the direction in which Pope Francis is taking the Church. Some critics regard the idea of allowing married priests in the Amazon as a pretext to abolishing celibacy as a requirement altogether." } ], "id": "633_1", "question": "Why is it controversial?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Early cell changes that can turn into cervical cancer may not need treatment and may get better on their own in 50% of cases, according to a new study. The British Medical Journal research looked at the outcomes of more than 3,000 women and found half of the \"moderate\" lesions found on routine smear tests regressed spontaneously. The study authors stress it is still very important that women attend for cervical screening when invited. Regular screening saves lives. Most women's smear test results will be normal, but for around one in 20, the test shows some abnormal changes in the cells of the cervix. Although most of these changes will not lead to cancer and the cells may return to normal, some lesions will need to be removed to prevent them turning cancerous. Currently, doctors may treat \"moderate\" pre-cancerous lesions, classified as CIN2, but leave and monitor low grade CIN1 lesions. The CIN grading reflects how deep the cell changes go into the surface of the cervix - the neck of the womb: - CIN 1 - one-third of the thickness of the surface layer is affected - CIN 2 - two-thirds of the thickness of the surface layer is affected - CIN 3 - the full thickness of the surface layer is affected The BMJ research, which looked at CIN2 lesions, suggests: - More than half of all untreated cases will get better spontaneously within two years - Just under one-third will persist - Just under one in five will get worse For women under 30 only, the rates were 60%, 23% and 11%. That would mean that in 1,000 women aged under 30 with a diagnosis of CIN2: 600 will have regression, 230 will persist and 110 will have a lesion that will get worse and could become cancer, although the researchers stress that the findings are not a perfect prediction and should be interpreted with caution. Prof Maggie Cruickshank, an expert from the University of Aberdeen, advises in a linked editorial in the BMJ: \"Knowing that the chance of regression is 50%-60%, still means taking a gamble that surveillance is simply delaying treatment and even a small risk of cancer (0.5% in this study) may still be unacceptable to some.\" But she notes: \"The effects of local excision, such as pain, bleeding, or menstrual disturbance, time off work, and the possibility of pregnancy complications, including preterm birth and mid-trimester miscarriage are also important considerations in decision-making.\" Robert Music from Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust: \"The findings of this study should be treated with caution, as indicated by the researchers. However, some women can experience psychological or physical side-effects following treatment for abnormal cells so if further evidence indicates monitoring over treatment is sufficient in some cases then this is positive. \"If you are currently waiting for or going through treatment, please do not let this deter you. Further and more rigorous research is needed to fully understand the implications of this study.\" All women who are registered with a GP are invited for cervical screening: - aged 25 to 49 - every three years - aged 50 to 64 - every five years - over 65 - only women who haven't been screened since age 50 or those who have recently had abnormal tests", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1801, "answer_start": 1213, "text": "The BMJ research, which looked at CIN2 lesions, suggests: - More than half of all untreated cases will get better spontaneously within two years - Just under one-third will persist - Just under one in five will get worse For women under 30 only, the rates were 60%, 23% and 11%. That would mean that in 1,000 women aged under 30 with a diagnosis of CIN2: 600 will have regression, 230 will persist and 110 will have a lesion that will get worse and could become cancer, although the researchers stress that the findings are not a perfect prediction and should be interpreted with caution." } ], "id": "634_0", "question": "What did the study find?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Tycoon Donald Trump stole the spotlight in the first televised debate among contenders for the Republican nomination in next year's US presidential election. No stranger to controversy, some of Mr Trump's comments drew gasps - and some boos - from the studio audience in Cleveland, Ohio. Mr Trump was the only one of the 10 candidates on stage to refuse to rule out running as an independent if he fails to win the Republican nomination. \"I will not make the pledge at this time,\" he said, drawing jeers from the audience. Mr Trump's admission that he might run as an independent angered fellow Republican contender Rand Paul who said: \"He buys and sells politicians of all stripes.\" \"You'd better believe it,\" Mr Trump said. \"Most of the people on this stage I've given to, just so you understand, a lot of money.\" Fox News moderator Megyn Kelly pressed Mr Trump on past comments he had made about some women, in which he used terms including fat pigs, dogs, slobs and disgusting animals. \"Only Rosie O'Donnell,\" he said, referring to the actress and talkshow host who has been a longtime critic of the billionaire businessman. He added: \"I think the big problem this country has is being politically correct. I've been challenged by so many people and I don't frankly have time for total political correctness.\" Mr Trump drew a mixture of boos and applause when he turned on Ms Kelly. \"Honestly Megyn, if you don't like it, I'm sorry. I've been very nice to you although I could probably maybe not be, based on the way you have treated me,\" he said. Some of Mr Trump's most controversial past comments have been on Mexican migrants, accusing them of being responsible for a large number of rapes and other crimes in the US. Commentators said he softened his stance somewhat on Thursday evening. \"We need to build a wall, and it has to be built quickly. And I don't mind having a big beautiful door in that wall so that people can come into this country legally,\" he said. He also took credit for immigration being a major issue in the campaign. \"If it weren't for me, you wouldn't even be talking about illegal immigration,\" he claimed.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 523, "answer_start": 288, "text": "Mr Trump was the only one of the 10 candidates on stage to refuse to rule out running as an independent if he fails to win the Republican nomination. \"I will not make the pledge at this time,\" he said, drawing jeers from the audience." } ], "id": "635_0", "question": "Would he back the Republicans all the way?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1314, "answer_start": 817, "text": "Fox News moderator Megyn Kelly pressed Mr Trump on past comments he had made about some women, in which he used terms including fat pigs, dogs, slobs and disgusting animals. \"Only Rosie O'Donnell,\" he said, referring to the actress and talkshow host who has been a longtime critic of the billionaire businessman. He added: \"I think the big problem this country has is being politically correct. I've been challenged by so many people and I don't frankly have time for total political correctness.\"" } ], "id": "635_1", "question": "Derogatory comments about women?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1552, "answer_start": 1315, "text": "Mr Trump drew a mixture of boos and applause when he turned on Ms Kelly. \"Honestly Megyn, if you don't like it, I'm sorry. I've been very nice to you although I could probably maybe not be, based on the way you have treated me,\" he said." } ], "id": "635_2", "question": "Unfairly moderated?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2139, "answer_start": 1553, "text": "Some of Mr Trump's most controversial past comments have been on Mexican migrants, accusing them of being responsible for a large number of rapes and other crimes in the US. Commentators said he softened his stance somewhat on Thursday evening. \"We need to build a wall, and it has to be built quickly. And I don't mind having a big beautiful door in that wall so that people can come into this country legally,\" he said. He also took credit for immigration being a major issue in the campaign. \"If it weren't for me, you wouldn't even be talking about illegal immigration,\" he claimed." } ], "id": "635_3", "question": "A door in the wall for migrants?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "With unusually severe rainfall in India's financial capital Mumbai over the past few weeks, and severe drought conditions elsewhere in the country, questions are being raised about whether these extreme events are becoming more common. Reality Check has had a look at the available data for floods and drought over time to see if any patterns are emerging. India relies on the heavy rains of the annual monsoon season for most of its water needs. The rains arrive in different parts of the country at different times and, if they are early or late, with devastating consequences for farmers. If they are unusually heavy, built-up areas can face severe disruption. In recent days, Mumbai has been particularly badly affected, with at least 30 flood-related deaths, and the city's top civic official says its infrastructure has not been able to cope with the erratic rainfall patterns. But is there a longer-term pattern? Looking at the annual data from the 36 weather stations that monitor monsoon rainfall across the country, no clear pattern emerges. Yes, the rainfall levels are unpredictable and erratic, but figures since 2002 show no indication of an increase in the extremes of monsoon rainfall. A UN report has estimated that in the decade 2006 to 2015 there were 90 severe floods with the loss of almost 16,000 lives. In the previous decade there were 67 floods with the loss of around 13,600 lives. While there was an increase, this does not indicate a major change in the frequency of flooding over the two decades. While Mumbai has experienced heavy rains and flooding, much of the country has been experiencing very dry weather. The south-eastern city of Chennai has suffered from severe water shortages because of delayed rains. There has also been a recent heatwave across India, with temperatures crossing 45C in several regions in June. Overall, more than 44% of land across India is estimated to be under drought - 10% more than last year. So, are there patterns we can see from looking at the temperature data over time in India? A heatwave is declared when temperatures reach at least 4.5C above an area's normal temperature for two days. From 1980 to 1999, there were 213 heatwaves. Between 2000 and 2018, roughly the same time interval, there were 1,400. Also of note is the very noticeable jump in extremes of heat and cold for 2017 and 2018. But the outlook for extreme weather conditions in the longer term is not encouraging. A study carried out by an international team of researchers has predicted that by 2100, about 70% of India's population is likely to face threats from extreme heat and humidity driven by global warming. Mumbai is a good example of the problems faced by urban planners in dealing with the annual monsoon rains. When, in 2005, at least 900 died in floods in Mumbai, a decision was made to build eight stations to pump out water. Two of them are yet to be built. Large parts of the city are built on land reclaimed from the sea and many blame poor planning and rapid construction for the annual rain chaos. Mumbai's centuries-old storm drains discharge rainwater through outfalls into the sea and the city's Mithi river, but these outfalls get blocked when high tides coincide with heavy rain. Their capacity is also affected by silting and dumping of solid waste. A plan to revamp the city's drains began back in 1993, but critics say not enough has been done. Read more from Reality Check Send us your questions Follow us on Twitter", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2654, "answer_start": 1527, "text": "While Mumbai has experienced heavy rains and flooding, much of the country has been experiencing very dry weather. The south-eastern city of Chennai has suffered from severe water shortages because of delayed rains. There has also been a recent heatwave across India, with temperatures crossing 45C in several regions in June. Overall, more than 44% of land across India is estimated to be under drought - 10% more than last year. So, are there patterns we can see from looking at the temperature data over time in India? A heatwave is declared when temperatures reach at least 4.5C above an area's normal temperature for two days. From 1980 to 1999, there were 213 heatwaves. Between 2000 and 2018, roughly the same time interval, there were 1,400. Also of note is the very noticeable jump in extremes of heat and cold for 2017 and 2018. But the outlook for extreme weather conditions in the longer term is not encouraging. A study carried out by an international team of researchers has predicted that by 2100, about 70% of India's population is likely to face threats from extreme heat and humidity driven by global warming." } ], "id": "636_0", "question": "What about drought conditions?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3410, "answer_start": 2655, "text": "Mumbai is a good example of the problems faced by urban planners in dealing with the annual monsoon rains. When, in 2005, at least 900 died in floods in Mumbai, a decision was made to build eight stations to pump out water. Two of them are yet to be built. Large parts of the city are built on land reclaimed from the sea and many blame poor planning and rapid construction for the annual rain chaos. Mumbai's centuries-old storm drains discharge rainwater through outfalls into the sea and the city's Mithi river, but these outfalls get blocked when high tides coincide with heavy rain. Their capacity is also affected by silting and dumping of solid waste. A plan to revamp the city's drains began back in 1993, but critics say not enough has been done." } ], "id": "636_1", "question": "Can better planning alleviate flooding?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The Seychelles has created protected areas \"the size of Great Britain\" in the Indian Ocean. In exchange for getting some of its national debt paid off, the island nation has agreed to protect 210,000 sq km (81,000 sq miles) of ocean. The reserves will limit tourism and fishing activities in the Seychelles to halt further damage to aquatic life. A foundation set up by actor Leonardo DiCaprio is one of the investors that worked on the deal. The Oscar winner said: \"This effort will help the people of Seychelles protect their ocean for future generations, and will serve as a model for future marine conservation projects worldwide.\" Seychelles President Danny Faure said: \"Our large ocean brings development opportunities but also responsibility. \"By planning properly to protect our environment, we can be sure we are also protecting our people and their livelihoods against an uncertain future. \" This is understood to be the first debt swap designed to protect ocean areas in the world. The Seychelles government agreed the debt swap with the Nature Conservancy, a US charity, and a number of investors back in 2016. Under the terms of the $21m (PS15m) deal, the charity and the investors - including the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation - paid for a portion of the Seychelles national debt. The country will then direct future national debt payments into a new trust, the Seychelles Conservation and Climate Adaptation Trust (SeyCCAT). This trust will offer lower interest rates on debt repayments, and any savings will go to fund new projects designed to protect marine life and handle the effects of climate change. The Seychelles is raising the percentage of its protected waters from 0.04% to 30% by 2020 as part of the agreement. This first part of the plan creates two new marine parks. The first covers the Aldabra islands, home to hundreds of thousands of tortoises, nesting bird colonies, and the dugong - one of the more endangered species in the Indian Ocean. This area will be fully protected, with only research and regulated tourism allowed. The second area concerns the seas around the Seychelles' main islands and will limit the fishing and tourism activities there. \"This is a critical accomplishment in our mission to bring conservation to scale across the globe,\" said Nature Conservancy CEO Mark Tercek. \"What you see today in Seychelles is what we expect to introduce in the Caribbean and other ocean regions facing the threats of climate change.\"", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1620, "answer_start": 902, "text": "This is understood to be the first debt swap designed to protect ocean areas in the world. The Seychelles government agreed the debt swap with the Nature Conservancy, a US charity, and a number of investors back in 2016. Under the terms of the $21m (PS15m) deal, the charity and the investors - including the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation - paid for a portion of the Seychelles national debt. The country will then direct future national debt payments into a new trust, the Seychelles Conservation and Climate Adaptation Trust (SeyCCAT). This trust will offer lower interest rates on debt repayments, and any savings will go to fund new projects designed to protect marine life and handle the effects of climate change." } ], "id": "637_0", "question": "What is the deal?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2471, "answer_start": 1621, "text": "The Seychelles is raising the percentage of its protected waters from 0.04% to 30% by 2020 as part of the agreement. This first part of the plan creates two new marine parks. The first covers the Aldabra islands, home to hundreds of thousands of tortoises, nesting bird colonies, and the dugong - one of the more endangered species in the Indian Ocean. This area will be fully protected, with only research and regulated tourism allowed. The second area concerns the seas around the Seychelles' main islands and will limit the fishing and tourism activities there. \"This is a critical accomplishment in our mission to bring conservation to scale across the globe,\" said Nature Conservancy CEO Mark Tercek. \"What you see today in Seychelles is what we expect to introduce in the Caribbean and other ocean regions facing the threats of climate change.\"" } ], "id": "637_1", "question": "What will be protected?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "A trick used by viruses to make us sick - \"stealth spheres\" - has been discovered by scientists. It had been thought viruses were all lone wolves, each on a solo campaign of infection. Instead they can form \"packs\" of up to 40 viruses and surround themselves with a fatty sphere that makes them invisible to our body's defences. The team at the US National Institutes of Health say their findings rewrite the textbooks of infection. The researchers were analysing stool samples from patients with either rotavirus or norovirus. - Rotavirus is the biggest cause of diarrhoea in children in the world - Norovirus is so infectious it spreads rampantly through schools, care homes and frequently cruise ships \"It blew my mind,\" said researcher Dr Nihal Altan-Bonnet, the head of host-pathogen dynamics at the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. \"I had this preconceived notion... I couldn't believe it when I saw it in the stool, I just couldn't believe they'd be able to exist.\" The conventional view is that a virus infects a cell, which is converted into a factory for making more viruses, which burst out as individual viruses into the body. Instead some are released as groups in spheres known as vesicles. Experiments, published in the journal Cell Host and Microbe, showed the spheres gave the viruses huge advantages. - The spheres acted like an invisibility cloak that prevents the immune system spotting the viruses - The spheres protected the viruses from harsh environments including stomach acid - And they helped viruses reach their target in larger numbers and overwhelm cells in the intestines The researchers infected animals with a set number of viruses that were either released on their own or packaged into the stealth spheres. Dr Altan-Bonnet told the BBC: \"The animals that got the vesicles got disease much faster and had more severe symptoms. \"We think by being inside [the vesicles] the viruses become invisible and take longer to clear. \"In the viral world it's always about having an edge and in a vesicle you have a leg up in the early stages of the infection.\" There are no drug treatments for either norovirus or rotavirus so the researchers hope targeting the vesicles will lead to new options. That could be a type of handwash that breaks down the spheres or drugs that stop them forming in the first place. Dr Altan-Bonnet says the need for better ways of tackling diseases like norovirus should not be underestimated: \"Even healthy people like you or I, we get so sick we wouldn't go to work for days. \"Its liquid coming violently out of both ends, there's a lot of economic cost, and for children and elderly it can be fatal.\" The researchers say poliovirus and rhinovirus, a cause of the common cold, can also form these stealth spheres. Jonathan Ball, a professor of virology at the University of Nottingham, said the findings were a surprise. He told the BBC: \"These vesicles seems to give the viruses increased infectivity when compared to naked individual viruses. \"Why this increased concentration of viruses results in better levels of entry is unclear, and no doubt will be an important next question. \"But what this data does indicate is how little we know about some of the most fundamental aspects of the virus lifecycle.\" Follow James on Twitter.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3297, "answer_start": 2093, "text": "There are no drug treatments for either norovirus or rotavirus so the researchers hope targeting the vesicles will lead to new options. That could be a type of handwash that breaks down the spheres or drugs that stop them forming in the first place. Dr Altan-Bonnet says the need for better ways of tackling diseases like norovirus should not be underestimated: \"Even healthy people like you or I, we get so sick we wouldn't go to work for days. \"Its liquid coming violently out of both ends, there's a lot of economic cost, and for children and elderly it can be fatal.\" The researchers say poliovirus and rhinovirus, a cause of the common cold, can also form these stealth spheres. Jonathan Ball, a professor of virology at the University of Nottingham, said the findings were a surprise. He told the BBC: \"These vesicles seems to give the viruses increased infectivity when compared to naked individual viruses. \"Why this increased concentration of viruses results in better levels of entry is unclear, and no doubt will be an important next question. \"But what this data does indicate is how little we know about some of the most fundamental aspects of the virus lifecycle.\" Follow James on Twitter." } ], "id": "638_0", "question": "New therapies?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The leader of New South Wales, Gladys Berejiklian, says \"catastrophic\" fire conditions have almost completely razed one Australian community. She said there was \"not much left\" of the town of Balmoral, south-west of Sydney, where about 400 people live. Firefighters are struggling to contain bushfires burning across several states amid dry and hot conditions. One Balmoral resident, Steve Harrison, shared his dramatic story of surviving the destructive blaze. \"I ran to my [vehicle] but my garden was already on fire here, and the driveway was on fire and the road was on fire, so I realised I couldn't evacuate,\" the 67-year-old artist told ABC. \"So the day before I had actually built myself a small kiln down the back. A coffin-sized kiln, just big enough for me to crawl inside. I hid in there for half an hour while the fire storm went over.\" Since September, Australia's bushfire emergency has killed at least nine people, destroyed hundreds of homes and scorched millions of hectares of land. On Sunday Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison apologised for causing \"great anxiety\" by going on holiday during the mounting crisis. A number of small towns have reportedly sustained significant damage this weekend. Balmoral was hit, for the second time in days, as wind conditions changed around the Green Wattle Creek fire on Saturday. Residents are currently not allowed to return to the town, amid safety concerns, and an unknown number of homes have been destroyed. \"We want people to have access to their land, to their property, as soon as they can. But it has to be safe,\" Ms Berejiklian said. \"Even if people have lost their properties, they still want to go back to see what's left and if there is anything they can salvage.\" No fatalities were reported in the town, but several firefighters were reportedly injured when fighting the blaze. Elsewhere, at least 86 homes have now been destroyed in the Adelaide Hills area of South Australia - where a 69-year-old man was found dead at his property on Saturday. As of Sunday night there were still 98 fires burning in New South Wales, including 50 yet to be contained. Officials said they were hoping to exploit cooler conditions over the coming days to try to contain the fires. Simon Atkinson, BBC News in Balmoral Burned forest. Scorched patches of ground with the twisted remains of homes. And equally remarkably - properties untouched by the flames. Balmoral is an eerie and desperately sad sight. We met volunteer firefighter Russell Scholes whose house burned down as he battled to help others. \"I loved my house. But my family are safe. My animals are safe and we helped protect the community and that's more important than the house,\" he says. \"We'll move on and rebuild.\" Balmoral Fire Station is awash with that spirit of kindness. As exhausted firefighters continue to tackle spot fires, volunteers busily process donations of food, clothes, toiletries and bedding. And perhaps more important, emotional support. Even among the stoicism of rural Australia you get a sense that's what is needed here in the days and weeks ahead. One family of three whose home was destroyed sat in the station's kitchen, struggling to process their loss. Tears of shock and grief came in waves. But there were also tears of gratitude, as the community rallied round them with hugs and warm words - even when there are none. Mr Morrison has apologised for taking a holiday to Hawaii during the crisis. \"I get it that people would have been upset to know that I was holidaying with my family while their families were under great stress,\" he said on Sunday. Speaking after a briefing with fire officials, he said he knew Australians were anxious about the fires but insisted that the emergency response was \"the best in the world\". Many Australians have accused Scott Morrison's government of inaction on global warming, with criticism growing as a heatwave broke records across the country and worsened the fires. Although climate change is not the direct cause of bushfires, scientists have long warned that a hotter, drier climate would contribute to Australia's fires becoming more frequent and intense. Protesters gathered outside his home, before he cut his holiday short, to show their opposition to his policies. Mr Morrison returned to Australia following the deaths of two volunteer firefighters - Geoffrey Keaton, 32, and Andrew O'Dwyer, 36 - on Thursday. The two men died when their truck was hit by a falling tree near a fire front, causing it to roll off the road. \"When our volunteers go out there, they do it for so many reasons - but I can't help thinking they do it for love of family,\" the prime minister said, in tribute. \"Family is community, and they were out there defending their communities on that fateful night.\" A combination of record temperatures, low humidity and strong winds have worsened the struggle to deal with the bushfires. \"We are in a period of unbelievable drought and some areas haven't seen rain for more than 12 months,\" NSW Rural Fire Service Inspector Ben Shepherd told the BBC. \"These fires are likely to continue to spread well past Christmas.\" Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons told reporters: \"We will not get on top of these fires until we get some decent rain - we have said that for weeks and months.\" Rain is forecast in some fire-struck parts of NSW on Tuesday and Wednesday - but another period of dangerously hot weather is expected next week. Weather officials say no major rainfall is expected in the next two months. Are you in the affected region? If it is safe to do so, email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: - WhatsApp: +44 7756 165803 - Tweet: @BBC_HaveYourSay - Send pictures/video to yourpics@bbc.co.uk - Text an SMS or MMS to 61124 or +44 7624 800 100 - Please read our terms & conditions and privacy policy", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2244, "answer_start": 1140, "text": "A number of small towns have reportedly sustained significant damage this weekend. Balmoral was hit, for the second time in days, as wind conditions changed around the Green Wattle Creek fire on Saturday. Residents are currently not allowed to return to the town, amid safety concerns, and an unknown number of homes have been destroyed. \"We want people to have access to their land, to their property, as soon as they can. But it has to be safe,\" Ms Berejiklian said. \"Even if people have lost their properties, they still want to go back to see what's left and if there is anything they can salvage.\" No fatalities were reported in the town, but several firefighters were reportedly injured when fighting the blaze. Elsewhere, at least 86 homes have now been destroyed in the Adelaide Hills area of South Australia - where a 69-year-old man was found dead at his property on Saturday. As of Sunday night there were still 98 fires burning in New South Wales, including 50 yet to be contained. Officials said they were hoping to exploit cooler conditions over the coming days to try to contain the fires." } ], "id": "639_0", "question": "What is the latest?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5531, "answer_start": 4797, "text": "A combination of record temperatures, low humidity and strong winds have worsened the struggle to deal with the bushfires. \"We are in a period of unbelievable drought and some areas haven't seen rain for more than 12 months,\" NSW Rural Fire Service Inspector Ben Shepherd told the BBC. \"These fires are likely to continue to spread well past Christmas.\" Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons told reporters: \"We will not get on top of these fires until we get some decent rain - we have said that for weeks and months.\" Rain is forecast in some fire-struck parts of NSW on Tuesday and Wednesday - but another period of dangerously hot weather is expected next week. Weather officials say no major rainfall is expected in the next two months." } ], "id": "639_1", "question": "What is driving the fires?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "US President Donald Trump says he is \"not satisfied\" with Saudi Arabia's account of the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. On Friday, Saudi Arabia for the first time admitted that Mr Khashoggi was dead, saying he was killed in a \"fist fight\" in its Istanbul consulate. But that explanation has met with scepticism. Turkish officials believe Mr Khashoggi - a critic of the Saudi government - was murdered and his body dismembered. \"I'm not satisfied until we find the answer,\" Mr Trump said, adding that sanctions were a possibility, but that halting an arms deal would \"hurt us more than it would hurt them\". Mr Trump said it was \"possible\" that the powerful Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman did not know about the killing. Until Friday, Saudi Arabia had denied knowledge of his whereabouts and insisted he had left the building alive. Turkey has vowed to reveal all details about how Mr Khashoggi was killed. Publicly Turkey has so far stopped short of blaming Saudi Arabia for the killing. Turkish investigators, however, say they have audio and video evidence which shows Mr Khashoggi was killed by a team of Saudi agents inside the consulate. Police have been searching the consulate, the consul's residence, as well as a nearby forest, where officials believe his body may have been disposed of. The kingdom said a fight broke out between Mr Khashoggi, who had fallen out of favour with the Saudi government, and people who met him in the consulate - ending with his death. It says investigations are under way, and so far 18 Saudi nationals have been arrested. Unnamed officials speaking to Reuters news agency and the New York Times say the Saudis did not know the whereabouts of the body after it was handed to a \"local collaborator\" to dispose of. In addition to the arrests, two senior officials have been sacked over the affair - deputy intelligence chief Ahmad al-Assiri and Saud al-Qahtani, senior aide to Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman. The Saudi authorities have yet to give evidence to support this version of events. Even allies of Saudi Arabia have criticised its account. German Chancellor Angela Merkel called the explanation of Mr Khashoggi's death \"inadequate\" while French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said many questions \"remain unanswered\". The UK Foreign Office described it as \"a terrible act\" and said the people behind the killing \"must be held to account\". Both the EU and the UN have called for a proper investigation. A number of US lawmakers, including a Republican highly critical of the Saudis, Senator Lindsey Graham, said they were sceptical about the report on the journalist's death. Australia announced it is withdrawing from an investment summit in Saudi Arabia later this month - joining a growing boycott that includes the US, UK, Dutch and French finance ministers over the Khashoggi killing. Mr Khashoggi's fiancee, Hatice Cengiz, questioned in a tweet what had happened to his body, saying: \"The heart grieves, the eye tears, and with your separation we are saddened, my dear Jamal.\" The Washington Post, for which Mr Khashoggi was a contributor, has released a previously unheard interview he gave to Karen Attiah, the Global Opinions editor. In it he said: \"Our leaders see themselves as leaders who know best, and people like me...are just hindering the process for their reform.\"", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2043, "answer_start": 1309, "text": "The kingdom said a fight broke out between Mr Khashoggi, who had fallen out of favour with the Saudi government, and people who met him in the consulate - ending with his death. It says investigations are under way, and so far 18 Saudi nationals have been arrested. Unnamed officials speaking to Reuters news agency and the New York Times say the Saudis did not know the whereabouts of the body after it was handed to a \"local collaborator\" to dispose of. In addition to the arrests, two senior officials have been sacked over the affair - deputy intelligence chief Ahmad al-Assiri and Saud al-Qahtani, senior aide to Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman. The Saudi authorities have yet to give evidence to support this version of events." } ], "id": "640_0", "question": "What is Saudi Arabia's version of events?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3346, "answer_start": 2044, "text": "Even allies of Saudi Arabia have criticised its account. German Chancellor Angela Merkel called the explanation of Mr Khashoggi's death \"inadequate\" while French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said many questions \"remain unanswered\". The UK Foreign Office described it as \"a terrible act\" and said the people behind the killing \"must be held to account\". Both the EU and the UN have called for a proper investigation. A number of US lawmakers, including a Republican highly critical of the Saudis, Senator Lindsey Graham, said they were sceptical about the report on the journalist's death. Australia announced it is withdrawing from an investment summit in Saudi Arabia later this month - joining a growing boycott that includes the US, UK, Dutch and French finance ministers over the Khashoggi killing. Mr Khashoggi's fiancee, Hatice Cengiz, questioned in a tweet what had happened to his body, saying: \"The heart grieves, the eye tears, and with your separation we are saddened, my dear Jamal.\" The Washington Post, for which Mr Khashoggi was a contributor, has released a previously unheard interview he gave to Karen Attiah, the Global Opinions editor. In it he said: \"Our leaders see themselves as leaders who know best, and people like me...are just hindering the process for their reform.\"" } ], "id": "640_1", "question": "How have others responded?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Further allegations have been made in Ukraine about secret funds said to have been paid to Donald Trump's former campaign chairman Paul Manafort. Lawmaker Serhiy Leshchenko said he had evidence that Mr Manafort had tried to hide a payment of $750,000 (PS600,800) from a pro-Russian party in 2009. Mr Manafort was an adviser to Ukraine's pro-Russian ex-President Viktor Yanukovych. He denies receiving payments, and his spokesman called the claim \"baseless\". Mr Leshchenko said the documents were signed by Mr Manafort and were found in his former office in Ukraine by its new tenant, along with other papers. The documents showed a $750,000 payment for 501 computers to a company called David Manafort, from a Belize-registered offshore company, through a bank in Kyrgyzstan. Mr Leshchenko alleges the invoice was cover for payments made to Mr Manafort for work he did for the pro-Russian Party of the Regions, which backed Mr Yanukovych. \"This is quite a typical scheme to hide the nature of money using jurisdictions like Kyrgyzstan, because it's in the middle of nowhere (and) it's almost impossible to investigate there,\" he said. \"I think it was an international fraud scheme and my sources in the Party of Regions say Kyrgyzstan was regularly used as a jurisdiction for money-laundering.'' It is important to note that the documents have not been independently verified. Mr Manafort's spokesman Jason Maloni said the documents could be forged, suggesting the letterhead and signature did not match, tthe Washington Post quotes him as saying. He described the allegations as \"baseless\", saying they should be \"summarily dismissed\". Mr Manafort joined the Trump campaign in March 2016, and helped to secure the president's nomination for the race. He was promoted to campaign chairperson in June. But he was forced out in August 2016, when reports emerged that the Ukrainian government had uncovered ledgers pledging more than $12m (PS9.2m) in undisclosed cash payments for his work with Mr Yanukovych. He was replaced by the combination of Stephen Bannon and Kellyanne Conway - both now senior White House staff. The BBC's Jane O'Brien said at the time that Mr Manafort had been removed mainly due to the campaign's poor performance, rather than the \"distraction\" of the Ukraine allegations. He is now under scrutiny for possible contacts with Russia during the US presidential campaign. On Monday, FBI director James Comey confirmed for the first time that his agency was investigating alleged Russian interference in the election. The same hearing mentioned Mr Manafort's alleged Russian links, though Mr Comey refused to mention individuals. White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer has sought to distance the campaign from its former chairman, saying he played a \"limited role for a limited time\". Twitter users quickly ridiculed that suggestion, creating the hashtag #VeryLimitedRole. President Yanukovych was ousted during mass street protests in Ukraine in 2014.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1295, "answer_start": 458, "text": "Mr Leshchenko said the documents were signed by Mr Manafort and were found in his former office in Ukraine by its new tenant, along with other papers. The documents showed a $750,000 payment for 501 computers to a company called David Manafort, from a Belize-registered offshore company, through a bank in Kyrgyzstan. Mr Leshchenko alleges the invoice was cover for payments made to Mr Manafort for work he did for the pro-Russian Party of the Regions, which backed Mr Yanukovych. \"This is quite a typical scheme to hide the nature of money using jurisdictions like Kyrgyzstan, because it's in the middle of nowhere (and) it's almost impossible to investigate there,\" he said. \"I think it was an international fraud scheme and my sources in the Party of Regions say Kyrgyzstan was regularly used as a jurisdiction for money-laundering.''" } ], "id": "641_0", "question": "What are the basis of the latest claims?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1636, "answer_start": 1296, "text": "It is important to note that the documents have not been independently verified. Mr Manafort's spokesman Jason Maloni said the documents could be forged, suggesting the letterhead and signature did not match, tthe Washington Post quotes him as saying. He described the allegations as \"baseless\", saying they should be \"summarily dismissed\"." } ], "id": "641_1", "question": "What is Mr Manafort's response?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2973, "answer_start": 1637, "text": "Mr Manafort joined the Trump campaign in March 2016, and helped to secure the president's nomination for the race. He was promoted to campaign chairperson in June. But he was forced out in August 2016, when reports emerged that the Ukrainian government had uncovered ledgers pledging more than $12m (PS9.2m) in undisclosed cash payments for his work with Mr Yanukovych. He was replaced by the combination of Stephen Bannon and Kellyanne Conway - both now senior White House staff. The BBC's Jane O'Brien said at the time that Mr Manafort had been removed mainly due to the campaign's poor performance, rather than the \"distraction\" of the Ukraine allegations. He is now under scrutiny for possible contacts with Russia during the US presidential campaign. On Monday, FBI director James Comey confirmed for the first time that his agency was investigating alleged Russian interference in the election. The same hearing mentioned Mr Manafort's alleged Russian links, though Mr Comey refused to mention individuals. White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer has sought to distance the campaign from its former chairman, saying he played a \"limited role for a limited time\". Twitter users quickly ridiculed that suggestion, creating the hashtag #VeryLimitedRole. President Yanukovych was ousted during mass street protests in Ukraine in 2014." } ], "id": "641_2", "question": "How is Paul Manafort connected to the US president?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Tens of thousands of supporters of Catalan independence have rallied in Spain's capital Madrid in protest at an ongoing trial of 12 separatist leaders. Many waved Catalan flags and had placards reading \"Self-determination is not a crime\". Protest organisers said 120,000 people marched in Madrid. Spanish police put the number at just 18,000. The separatist leaders of Catalonia's failed 2017 independence bid face rebellion and sedition charges. If convicted, some could face up to 25 years in prison. The rally was organised by more than 60 civil society groups from all over Spain. Hundreds of buses were laid on to bring demonstrators to Madrid from Catalonia and other regions. The protesters then marched from the Atocha train station to the Plaza de Cibeles. There have been no reports of any violence. The semi-autonomous north-eastern region of Catalonia held an independence referendum on 1 October 2017, and declared its independence from Spain weeks later. Spanish authorities declared the Catalan vote illegal, and the national government imposed direct rule. Spain's 1978 constitution speaks of \"the indissoluble unity of the Spanish nation\". The Catalonia crisis is considered the most serious to hit Spain since the era of fascist dictator Francisco Franco, who died in 1975.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 809, "answer_start": 503, "text": "The rally was organised by more than 60 civil society groups from all over Spain. Hundreds of buses were laid on to bring demonstrators to Madrid from Catalonia and other regions. The protesters then marched from the Atocha train station to the Plaza de Cibeles. There have been no reports of any violence." } ], "id": "642_0", "question": "What was Saturday's protest?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1291, "answer_start": 810, "text": "The semi-autonomous north-eastern region of Catalonia held an independence referendum on 1 October 2017, and declared its independence from Spain weeks later. Spanish authorities declared the Catalan vote illegal, and the national government imposed direct rule. Spain's 1978 constitution speaks of \"the indissoluble unity of the Spanish nation\". The Catalonia crisis is considered the most serious to hit Spain since the era of fascist dictator Francisco Franco, who died in 1975." } ], "id": "642_1", "question": "What's the background to this?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "A North Korean official who was reported to be in a labour camp attended a weekend concert alongside Kim Jong-un, state media said. Last Friday, Kim Yong-chol was widely reported to have been sent to a re-education camp as punishment. North Korean media showed him apparently at a musical performance with other officials. A list of attendees identified him as present, though a picture showed his face partly obscured by his hands. Kim Yong-chol, a former spymaster, has been described as the North Korean leader's right-hand man. He travelled to the US in January to prepare for the second summit meeting between Mr Kim and President Trump, which was held in Vietnam. Friday's reports that Kim Yong-chol had disappeared began with an anonymous source quoted in a South Korean newspaper. The paper also said that Kim Hyok-chol, a former North Korean envoy to the US, had been executed at an airport in Pyongyang. Kim Hyok-chol was another key figure in talks ahead of the US-North Korea summit held in February. Though he was not among the attendees listed for Sunday's event, state media have not yet reported any execution or punishment so his whereabouts remain unclear. Kim Yong-chol's reported attendance at Sunday's concert does not guarantee that he was not blamed or punished for the collapse of the Vietnam talks. \"I wouldn't be surprised if he was demoted,\" North Korea expert Andrei Lankov of Seoul's Kookmin University told the BBC. \"But he was seen quite alive on Sunday and that means he is still in a position of power. \"Had he been in prison or in a labour camp, he would never have been allowed to be seen at an event like this.\" Asked if there was any doubt over the state media account, Mr Lankov replied: \"He was pictured at the official photo, he was mentioned by the KCNA (Korean Central News Agency). They have no reason to engage in complicated charades.\" It can be difficult to verify reports that high-ranking North Koreans have fallen from favour and been purged or executed - and such claims often prove inaccurate. South Korean media and the government in Seoul have alleged purges in the past, only for the individuals to turn up alive and still alongside Kim Jong-un. Singer Hyon Song-wol is a prominent example. In 2013 she was alleged to have been shot in a \"hail of machine gun fire while members of her orchestra looked on\". In 2018 though, the singer appeared in Seoul leading a visiting North Korean delegation ahead of the Winter Olympics.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2478, "answer_start": 1175, "text": "Kim Yong-chol's reported attendance at Sunday's concert does not guarantee that he was not blamed or punished for the collapse of the Vietnam talks. \"I wouldn't be surprised if he was demoted,\" North Korea expert Andrei Lankov of Seoul's Kookmin University told the BBC. \"But he was seen quite alive on Sunday and that means he is still in a position of power. \"Had he been in prison or in a labour camp, he would never have been allowed to be seen at an event like this.\" Asked if there was any doubt over the state media account, Mr Lankov replied: \"He was pictured at the official photo, he was mentioned by the KCNA (Korean Central News Agency). They have no reason to engage in complicated charades.\" It can be difficult to verify reports that high-ranking North Koreans have fallen from favour and been purged or executed - and such claims often prove inaccurate. South Korean media and the government in Seoul have alleged purges in the past, only for the individuals to turn up alive and still alongside Kim Jong-un. Singer Hyon Song-wol is a prominent example. In 2013 she was alleged to have been shot in a \"hail of machine gun fire while members of her orchestra looked on\". In 2018 though, the singer appeared in Seoul leading a visiting North Korean delegation ahead of the Winter Olympics." } ], "id": "643_0", "question": "Was Kim Yong-chol really sent to a labour camp?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The days when 30 million people would gather around their TV sets to watch a football World Cup or FA Cup final are long gone, as the satellite and cable eras saw many sports move to pay-TV, while a host of other attractions now also compete for precious viewing time. In this atomised leisure landscape, sports viewing figures are regularly trumpeted as being in either a robust state, or, conversely, losing those precious armchair \"bums on seats\". However, as with viewing itself, the picture is no longer black and white, with a number of different factors, from the sporting calendar, to competing broadcast events, to audience age and demographics, all affecting watching numbers. Add to that new digital methods of viewing, and the sports' viewing picture is a shifting one. The big headlines this autumn were that Sky's TV viewing figures for Premier League football had apparently fallen by 19%, while over in the US fewer people were watching NFL American Football than previously. But Robin Jellis, editor of respected industry journal TV Sports Markets, says: \"I think there have been a number of factors which have affected those audiences at the start of the Premier League season. \"It kicked off at the same time as the Olympic Games and the Ryder Cup. And there is also the factor that two of the biggest supported clubs, Newcastle and Aston Villa, were relegated last year.\" Mr Jellis says that means it is a tricky task to draw any conclusions as regards long-term viewing trends for football. And Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore has said \"you cannot draw any meaningful conclusions from the year-on-year viewing figure comparisons\" adding \"there are far too many variables at play such as the timing, context and nature of the matches\". Mr Jellis says technological factors have meant a change in consumption factors for televised sport, which might also obscure actual viewing figures. \"In terms of technological trends, there is definitely a move away from linear television, that is watching sport on TV - rather than on a phone, computer, tablet. There is definitely a shift away from that traditional mode. \"That idea of making an appointment to sit down and turn on the TV is changing. And it is much more difficult to monitor these new audiences.\" The Premier League's Mr Scudamore agrees that \"some habits are changing\", with their broadcast partners looking to meet this new audience demand via things like online TV service Sky Go and the BT Sport app. Max Barnett, global head of digital at Nielsen Sports, which provides analytics for the sports industry, agrees change is occurring. \"Audiences will always shift and flux, but over the last few years there has been a steady move of viewers taking to digital as a leading source of sports content. \"Today in the UK for example, 45.9% of people use social media regularly as an information source compared to 39.7% in 2014. \"Whilst this is true across sports in general, football offers a great example of where audiences are moving.\" He also says that as well as digital, understanding the importance and size of the \"non-captured TV audience\" (people watching sport out of home in pubs and bars for example) is vital as this is not accounted for in linear TV calculations. Of course, the reason why people might be watching in pubs is because they do not have satellite television at home to watch pay-TV sport. Mr Jellis says that while the removal of many sports in the UK from free-to-air over the years - including British Open golf, Test cricket, and Formula 1 racing - has played a part in affecting audiences, it is \"a bit of a red herring - to blame it is an easy answer\". He adds: \"When the Open golf championship went from the BBC to Sky there was a great deal of comment, and a bit of a backlash. But 90% of people who watched on the BBC probably had a subscription to Sky already. \"Also if you look at cricket, there may seem to have been a decline in people playing since the 2005 Ashes series was shown on Channel 4, the last time they were on terrestrial TV. \"But looking at the positive rather than the negative from that, Sky has invested a huge amount of money in cricket. \"People who follow a sport will still watch whether it is on free-to-air or pay-TV, but the casual viewer will no longer watch.\" But what if those potential casual viewers are youngsters, does it deprive them of their first taste of televised sport? Mr Jellis admits taking sport off free-to-air means unless households have Sky, BT or suchlike, then sport will be \"less ingrained in young people's lives\". But he says that they might not necessarily be interested in sport on TV anyway, even on free-to-air. \"They increasingly prefer to play sport games on Xboxes, consoles, Playstations,\" he says. \"Or if there is a big sporting event they may rather follow it on social media. Young people would often rather take part in these activities, than watch a game live on TV.\" Francois Gendrot, international research manager at Paris-based Eurodata TV Worldwide/Mediametrie, says that when looking at the wider picture of big marquee sports events across Europe he does not believe sports viewing on TV is declining. \"Of course there are more and more pay-TV channels, and rights are transferring there, such as with BT and the Champions League in the UK, for example,\" he says. \"This change has of course had some impact, as watching figures can sometimes be smaller on pay-TV. But when it comes to the big events, such as World Cups, Olympic Games, or the Euros, then the evidence is very positive.\" The firm says that its analysis of the recent 2015-2016 sporting season shows that sports \"remain a stronghold for live TV consumption\". \"Even in the age of mobile devices, major sports events are the only shows capable of gathering such large audiences and reaching out to specific targets at the same time, such as millennials.\" Meanwhile, they say new types of interesting deals are taking place, such as that between Twitter and the NFL in the US, with the media firm streaming Thursday night gridiron games. So, although new challenges definitely exist for televised sport, in what is an increasingly changing landscape, the viewing picture is one of evolution and change rather than audiences necessarily reaching for the off button.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4966, "answer_start": 4321, "text": "But what if those potential casual viewers are youngsters, does it deprive them of their first taste of televised sport? Mr Jellis admits taking sport off free-to-air means unless households have Sky, BT or suchlike, then sport will be \"less ingrained in young people's lives\". But he says that they might not necessarily be interested in sport on TV anyway, even on free-to-air. \"They increasingly prefer to play sport games on Xboxes, consoles, Playstations,\" he says. \"Or if there is a big sporting event they may rather follow it on social media. Young people would often rather take part in these activities, than watch a game live on TV.\"" } ], "id": "644_0", "question": "Youth audience?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "On 12 October Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank will be tying the knot in Windsor. Their marriage will mark the second royal wedding of the year following Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's ceremony back in May. So how much is it expected to cost and who pays? Providing security is likely to be one of the bigger expenses. That bill will be borne by the police - and, by extension, the taxpayer. Security inside Windsor Castle will be handled by diplomatic protection officers - a branch of London's Metropolitan Police Service. Security in the town of Windsor itself will be met by the local force, Thames Valley Police. It hasn't said how much it thinks that will cost. However, it has published some details about the sort of security measures it will provide - such as putting up anti-vehicle barriers, carrying out searches, using sniffer dogs and providing \"a higher presence of armed and non-armed officers\" in and around Windsor. Princess Eugenie's wedding comes five months after Prince Harry and Meghan also married at Windsor Castle. Not long after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's big day, Thames Valley's police and crime commissioner, Anthony Stansfeld, told the BBC that the estimated cost of policing their wedding was \"between PS2m and PS4m\". We also know that PS6.35m was spent by the Metropolitan Police Service on security for the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton back in 2011 - that's based on a Freedom of Information request released to the Press Association. We asked Mr Stansfeld's office to provide a similar estimate for Princess Eugenie's ceremony - but we were told this wouldn't be possible \"until it has concluded\". Eugenie's wedding is expected to attract a smaller crowd and there will also be a considerably shorter carriage ride. The BBC understands that logically, the cost to Thames Valley Police should be lower than that of Prince Harry's wedding - but until all the numbers are crunched they can't say for certain. Some newspapers suggest the security bill could be about PS2m - but this is only an estimate and not an official figure. Initially, Thames Valley Police has to absorb the costs. After the wedding the police will be allowed to make an application to the Home Office for a \"special grant\" to recoup some of the money. Special grants - funded by the taxpayer - are available to all police forces in England and Wales to help with the cost of policing unexpected and exceptional events. The cost of the event must be more than 1% of a force's annual budget to qualify. In the case of Thames Valley this would be about PS3.7m - based on last year's annual budget of PS372m. The force has not yet claimed for Prince Harry's wedding, but deputy police and crime commissioner Matthew Barber says that Thames Valley Police will be doing so \"in due course\". The complexity of the operation, as well as the number of organisations involved, means that costs are still to be finalised, he said. Other organisations, such as the local council, will also be involved, and that will lead to additional public cost. A budget report on the Windsor and Maidenhead Borough Council website shows that the local authority spent PS1.2m on Prince Harry's wedding in May. This cost includes PS495,000 on stewarding, PS108,000 on providing toilets, and PS75,744 on setting up a temporary car park. The council also received income of PS73,332 - the majority coming from parking and media fees. In addition, the local economy is likely to have received a boost from the influx of people visiting the town - but the precise impact is hard to quantify. The report reveals that central government (again, by extension, the UK taxpayer) reimbursed most of the bill, meaning the final cost to the council was PS92,891. Windsor and Maidenhead says it's too early to work out how much it needs to spend this time, but it is hopeful that it will receive another government reimbursement. Princess Eugenie is ninth in line to the throne - a \"minor royal\" in the eyes of some critics. Republic, which campaigns for an elected head of state, has set up a petition urging the government \"to commit no public money\" towards the royal wedding. So far it's received about 40,000 signatures. Republic's vice-chairwoman, Dani Beckett, argues that as Princess Eugenie is not a working royal - ie she doesn't carry out public duties as a member of the royal family - the wedding should be treated as a private event, and all elements (including security) should be paid for by the couple themselves. \"No-one has forced her to have a carriage and a high-profile ceremony. There are other ways she could have chosen to have had a less lavish wedding,\" says Ms Beckett. Buckingham Palace says the cost of supplying security \"is a matter for the police\". So why are the police providing security - at public expense - for Princess Eugenie's wedding? Decisions are made on a case-by-case basis, regardless of how major or minor the royal is, according to Dai Davies, a former head of royal protection. \"In truth you have to look at the threat assessment and someone has to make a judgement,\" he says. \"Will the couple in question attract attention and is there a potential risk to the public?\" If the answer is yes, the police - according to Mr Davies - are obliged to provide security, no matter how major or minor the royal person is perceived to be. The private aspects of the wedding - such as flowers, entertainment and the dress - will be paid for by the royal family itself. But how distant a relative do you need to be to expect the Queen to pay for your wedding? \"The Queen herself draws the line on which weddings the Royal Family chooses to pay for,\" says Dickie Arbiter, a former royal press secretary. So in theory the Queen can fund any wedding she chooses to, no matter how far down in line of succession. But in reality Mr Arbiter says she restricts it to her children and grandchildren. Every year the royal family gets a chunk of money from the annual Sovereign Grant worth PS82m this year, paid directly by the Treasury. Some members of the royal family also benefit from additional income. For example, Prince Charles gets money from the Duchy of Cornwall estate, a portfolio of land, property and financial investments. But it's not clear from which \"pots\" the Palace will choose to fund Princess Eugenie's wedding. What do you want BBC Reality Check to investigate? Get in touch Read more from Reality Check Follow us on Twitter", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5376, "answer_start": 3928, "text": "Princess Eugenie is ninth in line to the throne - a \"minor royal\" in the eyes of some critics. Republic, which campaigns for an elected head of state, has set up a petition urging the government \"to commit no public money\" towards the royal wedding. So far it's received about 40,000 signatures. Republic's vice-chairwoman, Dani Beckett, argues that as Princess Eugenie is not a working royal - ie she doesn't carry out public duties as a member of the royal family - the wedding should be treated as a private event, and all elements (including security) should be paid for by the couple themselves. \"No-one has forced her to have a carriage and a high-profile ceremony. There are other ways she could have chosen to have had a less lavish wedding,\" says Ms Beckett. Buckingham Palace says the cost of supplying security \"is a matter for the police\". So why are the police providing security - at public expense - for Princess Eugenie's wedding? Decisions are made on a case-by-case basis, regardless of how major or minor the royal is, according to Dai Davies, a former head of royal protection. \"In truth you have to look at the threat assessment and someone has to make a judgement,\" he says. \"Will the couple in question attract attention and is there a potential risk to the public?\" If the answer is yes, the police - according to Mr Davies - are obliged to provide security, no matter how major or minor the royal person is perceived to be." } ], "id": "645_0", "question": "Why do the royals get security paid for?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "South Africa's new president, Cyril Ramaphosa, will have a daunting in-tray, including a formidable economic agenda to tackle. Growth under Jacob Zuma's leadership has been weak and unemployment is painfully high. It is one of the most unequal countries on the planet - the legacy of apartheid is still evident. And businesses face many barriers that make it harder to contribute to addressing these problems. Here are some figures to set out the challenge. Over the last decade, the South African economy has grown at an average annual rate of 1.4%. An emerging economy should be able to manage much better, perhaps something close to 5%. Turkey and Malaysia both have, and China, in spite of its much vaunted slowdown, has done a good deal better. South Africa's growth in the last few years has weakened to such an extent that it's slower than the increase in population. GDP (gross domestic product) per person, which is a rough and ready indicator of average living standards, has declined. The unemployment rate is worse than one in four. The degree of inequality is extraordinary. A measure that's often used is the Gini coefficient, which ranges theoretically between zero for complete equality and 100 where all the income goes to a single person. In the most equal countries, Nordic and some other European countries, the figure is in the mid to high 20s, for the UK it's in the mid-30s and the US around 40. For South Africa it's more than 60. So the new leader has plenty on his agenda. Land reform is an area which will be hard to resolve. Here too, South Africa's troubled history is in the air. Enabling the black majority to own land was always an important principle for Mr Ramaphosa's ruling African National Congress. But in practice it has been controversial and beset by problems. Much of the land that has been redistributed is now unproductive. How to address that will be an important question for the new president. As a warning for how wrong land reform can go if it's done badly, there is the disastrous example of neighbouring Zimbabwe, where it led to a collapse of agriculture and contributed to hyperinflation. Education is particularly important. South Africa's performance is weaker than it should be. Ensuring more young complete their education and acquire basic skills would make them more employable. The IMF says weak educational attainment \"contributes to wide income disparities and high unemployment, perpetuates the intergenerational transmission of poverty, and constrains economic growth.\" In part the problem reflects the long shadow of apartheid. Many teachers received inadequate education themselves as they were schooled under apartheid. There is also the big issue of corruption that has hung over the Zuma presidency. Last year, the anti-corruption campaign group Transparency International supported a no confidence motion against the former President, because of what they called \"the mounting evidence of grand corruption and state capture\". Quite apart from the ethical concerns, corruption can come with heavy economic costs, and there are concerns in South Africa that the political uncertainty surrounding the previous leader has weighed down on business investment. There are some key energy services that businesses need that are ripe for improvement, notably energy transport and telecommunications. State owned enterprises are key players in these areas, and the International Monetary Fund has called for steps to make it easier for private sector suppliers to get involved. The IMF says availability of power is no longer a constraint on economic activity, but more competition for the state owned utility would be useful. It could help reduce prices. In transport, one specific issue mentioned by the IMF is that port tariffs are high and also the allocation of broadband spectrum has been a problem. The IMF also presses for labour market reform, to make it easier for young people to get their first job, and give small firms more flexibility. And there is the standard agenda for any government - including managing its own finances. Government borrowing is quite high in South Africa and the burden of accumulated debt has risen markedly in the last decade. Two of the three major credit rating agencies classify South African government debt at a level known informally in finance as \"junk\". The budget, due next week, is likely to include tax increases. Still, if the new president can make progress on the rest of the economic agenda and get some decent growth it would do a lot to reinforce the public sector's financial position.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 995, "answer_start": 458, "text": "Over the last decade, the South African economy has grown at an average annual rate of 1.4%. An emerging economy should be able to manage much better, perhaps something close to 5%. Turkey and Malaysia both have, and China, in spite of its much vaunted slowdown, has done a good deal better. South Africa's growth in the last few years has weakened to such an extent that it's slower than the increase in population. GDP (gross domestic product) per person, which is a rough and ready indicator of average living standards, has declined." } ], "id": "646_0", "question": "Is the economy growing?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1498, "answer_start": 996, "text": "The unemployment rate is worse than one in four. The degree of inequality is extraordinary. A measure that's often used is the Gini coefficient, which ranges theoretically between zero for complete equality and 100 where all the income goes to a single person. In the most equal countries, Nordic and some other European countries, the figure is in the mid to high 20s, for the UK it's in the mid-30s and the US around 40. For South Africa it's more than 60. So the new leader has plenty on his agenda." } ], "id": "646_1", "question": "How is wealth distributed?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2141, "answer_start": 1499, "text": "Land reform is an area which will be hard to resolve. Here too, South Africa's troubled history is in the air. Enabling the black majority to own land was always an important principle for Mr Ramaphosa's ruling African National Congress. But in practice it has been controversial and beset by problems. Much of the land that has been redistributed is now unproductive. How to address that will be an important question for the new president. As a warning for how wrong land reform can go if it's done badly, there is the disastrous example of neighbouring Zimbabwe, where it led to a collapse of agriculture and contributed to hyperinflation." } ], "id": "646_2", "question": "How is land reform working out?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2686, "answer_start": 2142, "text": "Education is particularly important. South Africa's performance is weaker than it should be. Ensuring more young complete their education and acquire basic skills would make them more employable. The IMF says weak educational attainment \"contributes to wide income disparities and high unemployment, perpetuates the intergenerational transmission of poverty, and constrains economic growth.\" In part the problem reflects the long shadow of apartheid. Many teachers received inadequate education themselves as they were schooled under apartheid." } ], "id": "646_3", "question": "Is education up to scratch?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3224, "answer_start": 2687, "text": "There is also the big issue of corruption that has hung over the Zuma presidency. Last year, the anti-corruption campaign group Transparency International supported a no confidence motion against the former President, because of what they called \"the mounting evidence of grand corruption and state capture\". Quite apart from the ethical concerns, corruption can come with heavy economic costs, and there are concerns in South Africa that the political uncertainty surrounding the previous leader has weighed down on business investment." } ], "id": "646_4", "question": "What about shady government dealings?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4010, "answer_start": 3225, "text": "There are some key energy services that businesses need that are ripe for improvement, notably energy transport and telecommunications. State owned enterprises are key players in these areas, and the International Monetary Fund has called for steps to make it easier for private sector suppliers to get involved. The IMF says availability of power is no longer a constraint on economic activity, but more competition for the state owned utility would be useful. It could help reduce prices. In transport, one specific issue mentioned by the IMF is that port tariffs are high and also the allocation of broadband spectrum has been a problem. The IMF also presses for labour market reform, to make it easier for young people to get their first job, and give small firms more flexibility." } ], "id": "646_5", "question": "Does the energy sector need powering up?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4603, "answer_start": 4011, "text": "And there is the standard agenda for any government - including managing its own finances. Government borrowing is quite high in South Africa and the burden of accumulated debt has risen markedly in the last decade. Two of the three major credit rating agencies classify South African government debt at a level known informally in finance as \"junk\". The budget, due next week, is likely to include tax increases. Still, if the new president can make progress on the rest of the economic agenda and get some decent growth it would do a lot to reinforce the public sector's financial position." } ], "id": "646_6", "question": "How is the debt pile to be tackled?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The first two years of the Trump White House have been eventful, to say the least. But let's ignore the drama and instead focus on the numbers. We're tracking the president's progress on his agenda and how it is received by the American public and the wider world. And there are interesting - and surprising - comparisons with some of his predecessors. Donald Trump began his term as one of the most unpopular presidents in the modern era and he remains so. His approval rating is just 37%, according to Gallup. Presidents Barack Obama (50%), George W Bush (58%) and Bill Clinton (54%) were all higher at this point. The only president in recent decades to have anything like Mr Trump's low rating at this stage was, perhaps surprisingly, Ronald Reagan, who was also languishing at 37% in 1983. His numbers slowly improved after that and he went on to win a second term as president. One upside for Mr Trump is that he still has the backing of Republican voters - 88% of them approve of his presidency. If that number stays high, it's unlikely he'll face a serious challenge to be the Republican candidate in 2020. President Trump's administration has repeatedly been branded as chaotic and dysfunctional by his critics. There is a long list of senior officials who have either quit, been fired or forced out of the White House - but has the turnover been worse than previous administrations? Well, yes, it has. Research by the Brookings Institution found that 65% of his senior-ranking advisers had left their job within the two-year mark. That's considerably more than most of his recent predecessors. Usually, a president's top team sticks together for the first year and then changes a little in the second - but for Mr Trump, the departures have been fairly regular since day one. The lack of stability in the White House has shown when it comes to measuring Mr Trump's success with policy. He has had trouble delivering in areas where he's needed to navigate the corridors of Congress, despite controlling both chambers until Democrats regained the House at the start of January. On healthcare, for example, he failed on his promise to kill off President Obama's Affordable Care Act, which helped more than 20 million previously uninsured Americans get health cover but suffered from rising premiums. His main legislative success was passing a major tax reform bill, which saw corporation tax was reduced from 35% to 21%. However, individual cuts for families failed to help Republicans in the mid-term elections. His other big success was getting two new Supreme Court judges confirmed, including Brett Kavanaugh, who faced allegations of sexual assault during his confirmation process. Elsewhere, the president has used executive orders to meet symbolic policy goals like moving of the US embassy in Israel to Jerusalem and the withdrawal of the US from the Paris climate agreement. He has also moved to draw down troop levels overseas, including in Afghanistan and Syria. But overall, independent fact-checking website Politifact says that President Trump has delivered on relatively few of his campaign promises, while almost half have been blocked or dropped. Building a border wall paid for by Mexico was President Trump's signature issue during the election campaign but it still appears unlikely to happen. Congress has approved $1.7bn in funding for 124 miles of new and replacement barrier since Mr Trump entered the White House, but estimates for building the president's desired wall range from from $12bn to $70bn. In December, after criticism over the lack of progress on the wall from some conservative commentators, President Trump triggered an unprecedented 35-day partial shutdown of the US government. He had hoped to pressure Democrats into making a deal, but he was eventually forced into reopening the government without an agreement. The US economy lost $11bn during the five-week period but about $8bn would be recouped as employees receive back pay, according to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office. Throughout the shutdown, Mr Trump argued that the wall was needed to stem a \"growing humanitarian and security crisis at our southern border\", involving \"thousands of illegal immigrants\". However, figures show that illegal border crossings have seen an overall decline since 2000. President Trump continues to press Congress to change US immigration laws, including ending the visa lottery system and \"chain migration\" that gives priority to relatives of existing legal US residents. The Supreme Court also handed him a victory in June last year, when it upheld his ban on people from several Muslim-majority countries entering the US on grounds of national security. During the campaign, Mr Trump vowed to create 25 million jobs over 10 years and become \"the greatest jobs president... ever\". He used to claim the actual unemployment rate was more than 40%. Now he's America's CEO, he's embracing the same jobless figures he once dismissed as \"phony\". Those figures do show, though, that job creation under Mr Trump during his first two years in office fell slightly when compared to President Obama's final two. However, the basic trajectory of the economy under President Trump remains the same as it was under President Obama - the unemployment rate is historically low and wages are growing at a faster rate in recent months. But there are some concerns for Mr Trump. Global economic growth is down and his decision to start a trade war with China led to retaliatory tariffs on US goods worth hundreds of billions of dollars. The president has been quick to take credit for booming stock markets over the past couple of years, but they have started to wobble in recent weeks. The next presidential election may be more than 18 months away, but the campaign has already kicked off. Encouraged by a good set of mid-term election results, the Democrats are optimistic on retaking the White House. Several candidates have already announced that they are standing for the Democratic nomination, with the two biggest hitters being senators - Elizabeth Warren and Kamala Harris. Other potentials, like former Vice President Joe Biden, are still mulling a run. But whoever the candidate turns out to be, the early signs are that President Trump is in for another tough battle. A recent poll found that seven possible Democrat rivals are all outperforming the president in hypothetical head-to-heads. While that should be taken with a pinch of salt this far out from election day, it will make Republicans feel a little nervous.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1114, "answer_start": 353, "text": "Donald Trump began his term as one of the most unpopular presidents in the modern era and he remains so. His approval rating is just 37%, according to Gallup. Presidents Barack Obama (50%), George W Bush (58%) and Bill Clinton (54%) were all higher at this point. The only president in recent decades to have anything like Mr Trump's low rating at this stage was, perhaps surprisingly, Ronald Reagan, who was also languishing at 37% in 1983. His numbers slowly improved after that and he went on to win a second term as president. One upside for Mr Trump is that he still has the backing of Republican voters - 88% of them approve of his presidency. If that number stays high, it's unlikely he'll face a serious challenge to be the Republican candidate in 2020." } ], "id": "647_0", "question": "How are his approval ratings?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1785, "answer_start": 1115, "text": "President Trump's administration has repeatedly been branded as chaotic and dysfunctional by his critics. There is a long list of senior officials who have either quit, been fired or forced out of the White House - but has the turnover been worse than previous administrations? Well, yes, it has. Research by the Brookings Institution found that 65% of his senior-ranking advisers had left their job within the two-year mark. That's considerably more than most of his recent predecessors. Usually, a president's top team sticks together for the first year and then changes a little in the second - but for Mr Trump, the departures have been fairly regular since day one." } ], "id": "647_1", "question": "How has he run the White House?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3170, "answer_start": 1786, "text": "The lack of stability in the White House has shown when it comes to measuring Mr Trump's success with policy. He has had trouble delivering in areas where he's needed to navigate the corridors of Congress, despite controlling both chambers until Democrats regained the House at the start of January. On healthcare, for example, he failed on his promise to kill off President Obama's Affordable Care Act, which helped more than 20 million previously uninsured Americans get health cover but suffered from rising premiums. His main legislative success was passing a major tax reform bill, which saw corporation tax was reduced from 35% to 21%. However, individual cuts for families failed to help Republicans in the mid-term elections. His other big success was getting two new Supreme Court judges confirmed, including Brett Kavanaugh, who faced allegations of sexual assault during his confirmation process. Elsewhere, the president has used executive orders to meet symbolic policy goals like moving of the US embassy in Israel to Jerusalem and the withdrawal of the US from the Paris climate agreement. He has also moved to draw down troop levels overseas, including in Afghanistan and Syria. But overall, independent fact-checking website Politifact says that President Trump has delivered on relatively few of his campaign promises, while almost half have been blocked or dropped." } ], "id": "647_2", "question": "Has he kept his campaign promises?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4707, "answer_start": 3171, "text": "Building a border wall paid for by Mexico was President Trump's signature issue during the election campaign but it still appears unlikely to happen. Congress has approved $1.7bn in funding for 124 miles of new and replacement barrier since Mr Trump entered the White House, but estimates for building the president's desired wall range from from $12bn to $70bn. In December, after criticism over the lack of progress on the wall from some conservative commentators, President Trump triggered an unprecedented 35-day partial shutdown of the US government. He had hoped to pressure Democrats into making a deal, but he was eventually forced into reopening the government without an agreement. The US economy lost $11bn during the five-week period but about $8bn would be recouped as employees receive back pay, according to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office. Throughout the shutdown, Mr Trump argued that the wall was needed to stem a \"growing humanitarian and security crisis at our southern border\", involving \"thousands of illegal immigrants\". However, figures show that illegal border crossings have seen an overall decline since 2000. President Trump continues to press Congress to change US immigration laws, including ending the visa lottery system and \"chain migration\" that gives priority to relatives of existing legal US residents. The Supreme Court also handed him a victory in June last year, when it upheld his ban on people from several Muslim-majority countries entering the US on grounds of national security." } ], "id": "647_3", "question": "Has he delivered on immigration reforms?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5720, "answer_start": 4708, "text": "During the campaign, Mr Trump vowed to create 25 million jobs over 10 years and become \"the greatest jobs president... ever\". He used to claim the actual unemployment rate was more than 40%. Now he's America's CEO, he's embracing the same jobless figures he once dismissed as \"phony\". Those figures do show, though, that job creation under Mr Trump during his first two years in office fell slightly when compared to President Obama's final two. However, the basic trajectory of the economy under President Trump remains the same as it was under President Obama - the unemployment rate is historically low and wages are growing at a faster rate in recent months. But there are some concerns for Mr Trump. Global economic growth is down and his decision to start a trade war with China led to retaliatory tariffs on US goods worth hundreds of billions of dollars. The president has been quick to take credit for booming stock markets over the past couple of years, but they have started to wobble in recent weeks." } ], "id": "647_4", "question": "How has the economy fared under Trump?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 6564, "answer_start": 5721, "text": "The next presidential election may be more than 18 months away, but the campaign has already kicked off. Encouraged by a good set of mid-term election results, the Democrats are optimistic on retaking the White House. Several candidates have already announced that they are standing for the Democratic nomination, with the two biggest hitters being senators - Elizabeth Warren and Kamala Harris. Other potentials, like former Vice President Joe Biden, are still mulling a run. But whoever the candidate turns out to be, the early signs are that President Trump is in for another tough battle. A recent poll found that seven possible Democrat rivals are all outperforming the president in hypothetical head-to-heads. While that should be taken with a pinch of salt this far out from election day, it will make Republicans feel a little nervous." } ], "id": "647_5", "question": "How are things looking for 2020?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Beijing needs to do more to rein in North Korea: that's the view of US President Donald Trump and his new team. But how much leverage does China really have there and what are the chances of it being used, asks the BBC's Stephen McDonell in Beijing. China and North Korea seem to be heading into yet another tense period in their recently rocky relationship. Once brothers-in-arms fighting against \"imperialist aggression\" during the Korean War, now Beijing accuses Pyongyang publicly of breaching United Nations sanctions in the pursuit of its missile and nuclear weapons programmes. And the apparent assassination of Kim Jong-nam - the half brother of North Korea's brutal leader - is being seen as a fresh point of tension between these official allies. In fact, some view it as direct slap in the face for China. It appears Mr Kim was murdered in Kuala Lumpur airport, on his way back to Macau, by female killers using of some type of poison. Kim Jong-nam spent much of the past decade in a type of self-imposed exile inside the former Portuguese colony. There he was seen to have the protection of China. The eldest son of North Korea's late leader Kim Jong-il, he said time and again that he had no interest in becoming involved in his country's politics. What's more, whenever he was cornered by reporters in the Asian casino city, with his shirt unbuttoned to number three and sporting a three-day growth, you could really believe him when he said it. After all, why would he want to? There has been speculation that he operated some sort of North Korean sanction-busting slush fund out of Macau and that this was the reason that Beijing and Pyongyang tolerated his hedonistic life style. But for China there was something else too. He was an ally inside the North Korean elite: somebody who thought the best way forward for his homeland was a Chinese-style opening up. For years, China has been trying to promote this style of thinking with its isolated, impoverished neighbour. Before he died, Kim Jong-il was shown around the prosperous Chinese city of Dalian. The message: \"You too could have some of this at home with a bit of opening up!\" But the Kim dynasty has appeared petrified by the prospect of such openness, and that Kim Jong-nam would side with the Chinese. So despite his apparent lack of interest in political power, the fact that he could be seen hanging around down in Macau as a possible leader to be called on by Beijing in the event of regime collapse in Pyongyang made him a threat to the paranoid figure in power there today. If this was a political assassination, then most North Korea observers think the order came right from the top. This will not go down well with the government of Xi Jinping in Beijing. In recent days the two countries' relationship has become even more murky. South Korea's Yonhap news agency has reported that China turned back a $1m (PS800,000) coal shipment from North Korea. China has long been criticised for turning a blind eye to North Korean coal exports, in violation of UN sanctions, but maybe not this time. In the wake of last weekend's North Korean ballistic missile test, 16,295 tonnes of its coal were denied entry to Wenzhou Port in Zhejiang Province. You see the sequence of events: Sunday 12 February missile test, next morning an ally of China is murdered, later that afternoon Beijing criticises the test, two days later the coal shipment is turned back. What's next? When asked about the death of Kim Jong-nam, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Geng Shuang said his government had \"seen the media reports\" and that that they were \"following the developments\". I'll bet they are. At a social function run by the Chinese military recently, I was speaking to a Chinese officer about the US demand that they do more to bring pressure on North Korea. He shrugged his shoulders. He said they didn't know what the North Koreans would do next and that they had no idea what China could do to change their minds. Yet by far and away the vast majority of trade in and out of the DPRK (Democratic People's Republic of Korea), as the country prefers to be called, is with China. If you take Chinese trade out of the equation there's not much left. So why would Beijing put up with all this? Why put up with the waves of instability flowing out of Korean peninsula? The answer is US troops. It's often said that a meltdown in North Korea could lead to millions of refugees pouring into China but, even if this did happen, it would likely only be a temporary problem. No. The real fear is that a complete collapse of the North Korean regime could lead to Korean unification, with American soldiers based in a country with a land border with China. Beijing will not let that happen and Pyongyang's current ruler, Kim Jong-un, knows it. So no matter how many times North Korea drives its powerful protector to distraction, in the end, Beijing believes it doesn't have much choice but to put up with its weirdness, with its basket-case economy, with its erratic behaviour and probably also with its pursuit of nuclear weapons.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5089, "answer_start": 1878, "text": "For years, China has been trying to promote this style of thinking with its isolated, impoverished neighbour. Before he died, Kim Jong-il was shown around the prosperous Chinese city of Dalian. The message: \"You too could have some of this at home with a bit of opening up!\" But the Kim dynasty has appeared petrified by the prospect of such openness, and that Kim Jong-nam would side with the Chinese. So despite his apparent lack of interest in political power, the fact that he could be seen hanging around down in Macau as a possible leader to be called on by Beijing in the event of regime collapse in Pyongyang made him a threat to the paranoid figure in power there today. If this was a political assassination, then most North Korea observers think the order came right from the top. This will not go down well with the government of Xi Jinping in Beijing. In recent days the two countries' relationship has become even more murky. South Korea's Yonhap news agency has reported that China turned back a $1m (PS800,000) coal shipment from North Korea. China has long been criticised for turning a blind eye to North Korean coal exports, in violation of UN sanctions, but maybe not this time. In the wake of last weekend's North Korean ballistic missile test, 16,295 tonnes of its coal were denied entry to Wenzhou Port in Zhejiang Province. You see the sequence of events: Sunday 12 February missile test, next morning an ally of China is murdered, later that afternoon Beijing criticises the test, two days later the coal shipment is turned back. What's next? When asked about the death of Kim Jong-nam, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Geng Shuang said his government had \"seen the media reports\" and that that they were \"following the developments\". I'll bet they are. At a social function run by the Chinese military recently, I was speaking to a Chinese officer about the US demand that they do more to bring pressure on North Korea. He shrugged his shoulders. He said they didn't know what the North Koreans would do next and that they had no idea what China could do to change their minds. Yet by far and away the vast majority of trade in and out of the DPRK (Democratic People's Republic of Korea), as the country prefers to be called, is with China. If you take Chinese trade out of the equation there's not much left. So why would Beijing put up with all this? Why put up with the waves of instability flowing out of Korean peninsula? The answer is US troops. It's often said that a meltdown in North Korea could lead to millions of refugees pouring into China but, even if this did happen, it would likely only be a temporary problem. No. The real fear is that a complete collapse of the North Korean regime could lead to Korean unification, with American soldiers based in a country with a land border with China. Beijing will not let that happen and Pyongyang's current ruler, Kim Jong-un, knows it. So no matter how many times North Korea drives its powerful protector to distraction, in the end, Beijing believes it doesn't have much choice but to put up with its weirdness, with its basket-case economy, with its erratic behaviour and probably also with its pursuit of nuclear weapons." } ], "id": "648_0", "question": "Substitute leader?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Thailand's ex-PM Yingluck Shinawatra fled to Dubai ahead of the verdict in her trial over a rice subsidy scheme, members of her party have said. Pheu Thai Party sources said Ms Shinawatra left Thailand last week. It was revealed on Friday that Ms Yingluck, who is charged with negligence, had gone abroad but the destination was not known. When she failed to appear in court, an arrest warrant was issued and her bail was confiscated. Dubai is where her brother, former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, lives in self-imposed exile. He went there to avoid a 2008 jail sentence for corruption. \"We heard that she went to Cambodia and then Singapore, from where she flew to Dubai. She has arrived safely and is there now,\" a senior member of the Shinawatras' party told Reuters. Deputy national police chief Gen Srivara Rangsibrahmanakul said police had no record of Ms Yingluck leaving the country and were following the matter closely. Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam said Ms Yingluck's location would \"be clear soon\". Judges have postponed the negligence verdict until 27 September. Ms Yingluck, 50, has denied any wrongdoing in the rice subsidy scheme, which cost Thailand billions of dollars. If found guilty at the end of the two-year trial, she could be jailed for up to 10 years and permanently banned from politics. Analysis by Jonathan Head, BBC News, Bangkok Yingluck Shinawatra was the most high-profile criminal defendant in Thailand and was constantly monitored by the military authorities. So how was she able to leave the country just hours before the verdict was due to be read out? Immigration authorities say they have no record of her leaving the country. However, it is a poorly-concealed secret that some in the military government would have been happy to see her leave the country before the verdict. Had she been convicted and jailed, she could have been seen as a victim by her supporters. The government was nervous about their reaction. Acquitting her, though, would have been equally unacceptable to her hard-line opponents, many of them very influential. That would also have undermined the justification for the military coup which overthrew her government. So it is unlikely anyone tried to stop her leaving, or that they will try to get her back. Ms Yingluck's lawyer had requested a delay in the ruling, telling the Supreme Court that she had vertigo and a severe headache and was unable to attend. But the court said in a statement that it did not believe she was sick as there was no medical certificate, and that the alleged sickness was not severe enough to prevent her travelling to court. \"Such behaviour convincingly shows that she is a flight risk. As a result, the court has issued an arrest warrant and confiscated the posted bail money,\" the statement said. Ms Yingluck posted $900,000 (PS703,000) bail at the beginning of her trial. Friday's turn of events took many by surprise, including the hundreds of people who turned up outside the Supreme Court in Bangkok to support Ms Yingluck. Ms Yingluck, who became Thailand's first female prime minister in 2011, was impeached in 2015 over the rice scheme by a military-backed legislature, which then brought the legal case. The scheme, part of Ms Yingluck's election campaign platform, was launched shortly after she took office. It was aimed at boosting farmers' incomes and alleviating rural poverty, and saw the government paying farmers nearly twice the market rate for their crop. But it hit Thailand's rice exports hard, leading to a loss of at least $8bn and huge stockpiles of rice which the government could not sell. Though it was popular with her rural voter base, opponents said the scheme was too expensive and open to corruption. During her trial, Ms Yingluck had argued she was not responsible for the day-to-day running of the scheme. She has insisted she is a victim of political persecution. Her time in office was overshadowed by controversy as well as strong political opposition. The youngest sister of Mr Thaksin, she was seen by her opponents as a proxy for her brother, who was controversially ousted by the military in 2006. Both siblings remain popular among the rural poor, but are hated by an urban and middle-class elite. Their Pheu Thai party has - under various different names - won every election in Thailand since 2001. May 2011- Yingluck Shinawatra is elected PM, and shortly afterwards begins rolling out her rice subsidy scheme January 2014 - Thailand's anti-corruption authorities investigate Ms Yingluck in connection to the scheme May 2014 - She is forced to step down from her post after Thailand's constitutional court finds her guilty of abuse of power in another case. Weeks later the military ousts what remains of her government January 2015 - An army-backed legislature impeaches Ms Yingluck for corruption over her role in the rice scheme, which effectively bans her from politics for five years. It also launches legal proceedings against her August 2017 - Ms Yingluck fails to appear at court for the verdict, claiming ill health. It is later revealed she left for Dubai", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2297, "answer_start": 1343, "text": "Analysis by Jonathan Head, BBC News, Bangkok Yingluck Shinawatra was the most high-profile criminal defendant in Thailand and was constantly monitored by the military authorities. So how was she able to leave the country just hours before the verdict was due to be read out? Immigration authorities say they have no record of her leaving the country. However, it is a poorly-concealed secret that some in the military government would have been happy to see her leave the country before the verdict. Had she been convicted and jailed, she could have been seen as a victim by her supporters. The government was nervous about their reaction. Acquitting her, though, would have been equally unacceptable to her hard-line opponents, many of them very influential. That would also have undermined the justification for the military coup which overthrew her government. So it is unlikely anyone tried to stop her leaving, or that they will try to get her back." } ], "id": "649_0", "question": "How could Yingluck Shinawatra have left?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3051, "answer_start": 2298, "text": "Ms Yingluck's lawyer had requested a delay in the ruling, telling the Supreme Court that she had vertigo and a severe headache and was unable to attend. But the court said in a statement that it did not believe she was sick as there was no medical certificate, and that the alleged sickness was not severe enough to prevent her travelling to court. \"Such behaviour convincingly shows that she is a flight risk. As a result, the court has issued an arrest warrant and confiscated the posted bail money,\" the statement said. Ms Yingluck posted $900,000 (PS703,000) bail at the beginning of her trial. Friday's turn of events took many by surprise, including the hundreds of people who turned up outside the Supreme Court in Bangkok to support Ms Yingluck." } ], "id": "649_1", "question": "What happened in court?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3921, "answer_start": 3052, "text": "Ms Yingluck, who became Thailand's first female prime minister in 2011, was impeached in 2015 over the rice scheme by a military-backed legislature, which then brought the legal case. The scheme, part of Ms Yingluck's election campaign platform, was launched shortly after she took office. It was aimed at boosting farmers' incomes and alleviating rural poverty, and saw the government paying farmers nearly twice the market rate for their crop. But it hit Thailand's rice exports hard, leading to a loss of at least $8bn and huge stockpiles of rice which the government could not sell. Though it was popular with her rural voter base, opponents said the scheme was too expensive and open to corruption. During her trial, Ms Yingluck had argued she was not responsible for the day-to-day running of the scheme. She has insisted she is a victim of political persecution." } ], "id": "649_2", "question": "What is the trial about?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4365, "answer_start": 3922, "text": "Her time in office was overshadowed by controversy as well as strong political opposition. The youngest sister of Mr Thaksin, she was seen by her opponents as a proxy for her brother, who was controversially ousted by the military in 2006. Both siblings remain popular among the rural poor, but are hated by an urban and middle-class elite. Their Pheu Thai party has - under various different names - won every election in Thailand since 2001." } ], "id": "649_3", "question": "How popular is Yingluck Shinawatra?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Five years after Russia had its voting rights removed because of the annexation of Crimea from Ukraine, the Council of Europe's parliamentary assembly has voted to restore them. The assembly backed the proposal in the face of angry opposition from Ukraine, whose delegation later walked out. Moscow described the vote as a \"victory for common sense\". Russia had threatened to abandon the 47-member human rights body, which is not linked to the EU. Opponents say the resolution adopted in the early hours on Tuesday at the assembly's headquarters in Strasbourg is the first crack in international sanctions imposed against Russia in 2014. But supporters say engagement with Russia will help tackle human rights abuses in Russia. When the Russian delegation arrived on Tuesday, it was immediately challenged. Sources said a number of members of the assembly objected to the 18-strong team presenting its credentials. Ukraine's delegation walked out in protest and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, sworn in last month, said he was disappointed by the decision, accusing \"European partners\" of not listening to his concerns. He had discussed the issue with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Emmanuel Macron of France last week. Russia captured 24 Ukrainian sailors last November, and Mr Zelensky said supporters of a restoration of voting rights should instead be demanding \"another return\". A decision on members' objections to the resolution that allows Russia back to the assembly is expected on Wednesday, the day the council chooses its next secretary general. When Russian forces seized Ukraine's Crimea region in 2014, Russia's delegation was sanctioned by the Council of Europe's parliamentary assembly and it walked out. Russian-backed separatists have also seized areas of eastern Ukraine and are still fighting Ukrainian forces. Russia is still a member of the Strasbourg-based Council of Europe, and Russians still have access to the European Court of Human Rights, seen as a vital recourse for citizens challenging their member state. But in 2017 Russia stopped paying its EUR33m (PS29m) annual contribution to the body and has recently warned it will quit the council if it is prevented from taking part in Wednesday's vote on a new secretary general. In the vote, by 118 votes to 62, Ukraine failed in its move to stop Russia's delegation being allowed back into the chamber, supported by delegates from the UK, the Baltics and elsewhere. Critics highlighted four names on the Russian list as being under European Union sanctions. German and French delegates largely backed Russia's return, arguing it was better to have Russia inside the body than out, and also because the human rights court gave Russians a destination of \"last hope\". Last week, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin complained that it was \"especially disgusting to watch some European partners actually cover their attempts to assist the Russian government with concerns about Russian civil society\". The resolution was framed in a way that did not mention Russia, focusing on members' rights to vote and speak, and not to have their membership suspended.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2280, "answer_start": 1581, "text": "When Russian forces seized Ukraine's Crimea region in 2014, Russia's delegation was sanctioned by the Council of Europe's parliamentary assembly and it walked out. Russian-backed separatists have also seized areas of eastern Ukraine and are still fighting Ukrainian forces. Russia is still a member of the Strasbourg-based Council of Europe, and Russians still have access to the European Court of Human Rights, seen as a vital recourse for citizens challenging their member state. But in 2017 Russia stopped paying its EUR33m (PS29m) annual contribution to the body and has recently warned it will quit the council if it is prevented from taking part in Wednesday's vote on a new secretary general." } ], "id": "650_0", "question": "Why did Russia lose its voting rights?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3159, "answer_start": 2281, "text": "In the vote, by 118 votes to 62, Ukraine failed in its move to stop Russia's delegation being allowed back into the chamber, supported by delegates from the UK, the Baltics and elsewhere. Critics highlighted four names on the Russian list as being under European Union sanctions. German and French delegates largely backed Russia's return, arguing it was better to have Russia inside the body than out, and also because the human rights court gave Russians a destination of \"last hope\". Last week, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin complained that it was \"especially disgusting to watch some European partners actually cover their attempts to assist the Russian government with concerns about Russian civil society\". The resolution was framed in a way that did not mention Russia, focusing on members' rights to vote and speak, and not to have their membership suspended." } ], "id": "650_1", "question": "Who was against the move?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "An impeachment process against Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff appears to be back on track after the acting speaker of the lower house revoked his surprise decision to suspend a crucial vote. Speaker Waldir Maranhao did not give any reason for his U-turn, which came less than 24 hours after he had called for a new impeachment vote. The Senate is now expected to vote on Wednesday on an impeachment trial. If Ms Rousseff loses, she will be suspended for the trial's duration. She faces allegations that her government violated fiscal rules, which she says is a common practice in Brazil. Mr Maranhao's earlier decision to annul the lower house vote held on 17 April had thrown the impeachment proceedings into disarray. Mr Maranhao argued there had been irregularities during the lower house session. Members voted overwhelming in favour of the impeachment process going ahead. He said members of the lower house should not have publicly announced their positions prior to the vote, and that it had been wrong of party leaders to instruct their lawmakers how to vote. The controversial decision added a dramatic twist to Brazil's political crisis. Markets were quick to react: Brazil's currency fell by 4.6% before recovering slightly. The Ibovespa stock benchmark fell by as much as 3.5%, reflecting investors' dislike of Ms Rousseff's Workers' Party policies, which they view as interventionist. But the decision mainly caused confusion as to what would happen next, and if a Senate vote on impeaching Ms Rousseff would go ahead as planned on Wednesday. Senate Speaker Renan Calheiros said it would and accused Mr Maranhao of \"toying with democracy\". His speech was met by both boos and cheers by senators divided on the issue. Then, late on Monday, Mr Maranhao released a statement in which he said he had revoked the annulment. He did not cite any reasons. Brazilian media reported that he had come under pressure from his centre-right Progressive Party, which threatened to expel him if he did not change his stance. This latest twist in the impeachment saga has dominated headlines. Mainstream media is critical of the chaos caused by Waldir Maranhao. Right-leaning newspaper O Globo describes the events as a \"political hurricane\", while regional newspaper Diario Catarinense features an article entitled \"Waldir Maranhao and the circus of national embarrassment\". However some media outlets are focusing on what made Mr Maranhao change his mind. Centre-right daily Folha de Sao Paulo writes that Mr Maranhao \"feared\" losing his mandate should he not revoke the decision, and left-leaning Diario do Centro do Mundo says that the lower-house speaker was \"pressured\". The events also sparked reaction on social media. Lawyer and journalist Emerson Damasceno (@EmersonAnomia) writes on Twitter that Mr Maranhao \"will be remembered as the guy that angered the Greeks and the Trojans on the same day\". Mr Maranhao has not yet spoken publicly about his change of heart. He had defied his party before when he voted on 17 April against the impeachment process going ahead. He only took over as speaker of the lower house last week. The previous Speaker, Eduardo Cunha, was suspended. after allegations he obstructed a corruption investigation. The Senate now looks set to vote as originally planned on Wednesday. In order for the impeachment trial to go ahead, a simple majority will have to vote in favour. If the Senate votes in favour, Ms Rousseff will be suspended for the duration of the trial and Vice-President Michel Temer will take over as acting president. At the end of the trial, senators will vote on whether they find Ms Rousseff guilty or not guilty. A two-thirds majority is needed for her to be found guilty and to be banned from public office for eight years.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3780, "answer_start": 3247, "text": "The Senate now looks set to vote as originally planned on Wednesday. In order for the impeachment trial to go ahead, a simple majority will have to vote in favour. If the Senate votes in favour, Ms Rousseff will be suspended for the duration of the trial and Vice-President Michel Temer will take over as acting president. At the end of the trial, senators will vote on whether they find Ms Rousseff guilty or not guilty. A two-thirds majority is needed for her to be found guilty and to be banned from public office for eight years." } ], "id": "651_0", "question": "What next?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "South Africa's corruption watchdog is making headlines for all the wrong reasons. Just three years into the job, there have already been two attempts to remove Busisiwe Mkhwebane from office. She has faced public scrutiny, accusations of political bias and has most recently become the subject of a scathing finding by the country's constitutional court. The latest of her controversies is a ruling by the country's highest court that the lawyer lied under oath and acted in bad faith - and should pay a fine for her dishonesty. It follows a protracted legal battle between her office and South Africa's reserve bank. This is not her first run-in with the courts - which is odd for someone whose very responsibility is upholding the law. A number of Ms Mkhwebane's major investigations have recently been overruled by the courts in South Africa. They have said her findings were \"invalid\" and \"unconstitutional\". This has raised concerns about her fitness for office and questions about whether she has somehow become a pawn in a far larger political game. Now aged 49, Ms Mkhwebane was born in Bethal, a small town in Mpumalanga province in eastern South Africa, bordering Eswatini and Mozambique. She holds a law degree from the University of Limpopo, a diploma in corporate law and a higher diploma in tax from the University of Johannesburg. In 2010 she completed a masters in business leadership from the University of South Africa. In other words, the advocate is well educated. Her experience in government institutions spans over two decades - she has worked as a researcher, investigator, advocate for refugee rights and an immigration counsellor at the South Africa embassy in China. All seemingly without much controversy. She was appointed to the office of public protector in 2016, beating 13 well-qualified candidates, including a former judge, to the job. The interviews were televised and consisted of a gruelling interrogation by a parliamentary panel that included members of the opposition parties as well as officials from the ruling African National Congress (ANC). The transparency of the process was supposed to ensure that the person appointed to this critical institution held no political bias. By all accounts, her appointment suggested that Ms Mkhwebane had passed the test. Her candidacy was endorsed with an overwhelming 263 votes during a debate in the 400-member National Assembly on 7 September, 2016. Seventy-nine MPs voted against it and one abstained. Only the official opposition, the Democratic Alliance (DA), was against her nomination, accusing her of being a spy and on the state security agency's payroll - allegations she denies. To be fair, the previous Public Protector Thuli Madonsela also faced spy accusations. Loyalists of former President Jacob Zuma claimed she was a CIA agent when she investigated him over the misuse of state funds, but more on that later. Neither of the claims against the two women have been substantiated. The DA asked Ms Mkhwebane to investigate President Ramaphosa over concerns that he had an \"improper relationship\" with a controversial local company called Bosasa. At the time, Mr Ramaphosa denied receiving a 500,000 rand ($36,000; PS29,000) campaign donation from the company. The latest of Ms Mkhwebane's reports has found that President Cyril Ramaphosa deliberately misled parliament about a donation to his election campaign as party president in 2017. It later emerged that he had indeed received the donation, but the president said he had been misinformed and apologised, seemingly brushing the issue aside. Ms Mkhwebane's findings on 19 July suggest this wasn't merely an oversight but a deliberate lie by Mr Ramaphosa and say he should be held accountable for this. Mr Ramaphosa has come out fighting; he not only describes her report as \"fundamentally flawed\" and wrong in law but wants a judicial review into the matter. The political and public reaction to Ms Mkhwebane's findings has been divided. Surely taking on those in power is the sort of thing that would be celebrated in a budding democracy, so why is this not the case with Ms Mkhwebane? Chiefly, it is fuelled by accusations from some members of the ANC that she is part of a campaign to discredit Mr Ramaphosa and undermine efforts to root out corruption within the party. They believe she is loyal to the Zuma faction, which remains influential even after Mr Ramaphosa replaced him as party head in 2017, and is using her powers to settle political scores. There has been no evidence of this but it has done enough to taint public perception of her. Ms Mkhwebane has claimed that her office is under attack by people who do not want to be held accountable for their actions. These are uncertain times in South Africa - even with a new president, the ANC is a divided house. The factionalism within the ruling party has permeations across all sectors of society. Within the former liberation movement it has created mistrust and paranoia, which distracts from the real business of rebuilding South Africa. Ms Mkhwebane's supporters say she is simply the collateral damage of that infighting. In her defence, she inherited a legacy she did not plan for. She took over from former corruption buster Ms Madonsela whose findings forced former Mr Zuma to pay back millions of rands of taxpayers' money for unduly benefitting from upgrades to his rural home in Nkandla in KwaZulu-Natal province. The so-called \"Pay Back the Money\" campaign, which was one of Mr Zuma's many headaches, came after Ms Madonsela's damning findings. So perhaps the public and politicians alike were always going to be hard on Ms Mkhwebane, comparing her to her predecessor, who still enjoys a reputation of being impartial, fearless and fair during her seven-year tenure. And rightly so, this is an important institution. Findings by the public protector are legally binding here and not mere suggestions, as the previous administration had been treating them. So having an adverse ruling from this office is a serious matter. Many are keeping an eye on not only which cases Ms Mkhwebane gives attention to, but also their outcome. This is a woman who is not only well-versed in the laws of the country but also in its application. But her critics have accused her of overstepping the bounds of her mandate, in some cases trying to change existing laws to suit her findings and white-washing investigations linked to those loyal to Mr Zuma. None of it bodes well for the integrity of her office. Ms Mkhwebane is not one to shy away from a fight or accept defeat, not even from the courts it seems. She is determined to clear her name and restore the public's faith in her as their protector.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2978, "answer_start": 1057, "text": "Now aged 49, Ms Mkhwebane was born in Bethal, a small town in Mpumalanga province in eastern South Africa, bordering Eswatini and Mozambique. She holds a law degree from the University of Limpopo, a diploma in corporate law and a higher diploma in tax from the University of Johannesburg. In 2010 she completed a masters in business leadership from the University of South Africa. In other words, the advocate is well educated. Her experience in government institutions spans over two decades - she has worked as a researcher, investigator, advocate for refugee rights and an immigration counsellor at the South Africa embassy in China. All seemingly without much controversy. She was appointed to the office of public protector in 2016, beating 13 well-qualified candidates, including a former judge, to the job. The interviews were televised and consisted of a gruelling interrogation by a parliamentary panel that included members of the opposition parties as well as officials from the ruling African National Congress (ANC). The transparency of the process was supposed to ensure that the person appointed to this critical institution held no political bias. By all accounts, her appointment suggested that Ms Mkhwebane had passed the test. Her candidacy was endorsed with an overwhelming 263 votes during a debate in the 400-member National Assembly on 7 September, 2016. Seventy-nine MPs voted against it and one abstained. Only the official opposition, the Democratic Alliance (DA), was against her nomination, accusing her of being a spy and on the state security agency's payroll - allegations she denies. To be fair, the previous Public Protector Thuli Madonsela also faced spy accusations. Loyalists of former President Jacob Zuma claimed she was a CIA agent when she investigated him over the misuse of state funds, but more on that later. Neither of the claims against the two women have been substantiated." } ], "id": "652_0", "question": "Who is Ms Mkhwebane?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "A white man who shot and killed an unarmed black man over a parking dispute in the US state of Florida has been found guilty of manslaughter. Michael Drejka, 49, shot Markeis McGlockton after a fight broke out over a disabled parking space last year. Drejka had cited the state's \"stand your ground\" law, which has provided a self-defence case for those threatened by deadly force or imminent danger. Drejka faces up to 30 years in prison and will be sentenced in October. \"It's been well over a year since we've been dealing with this matter and I can safely say my family can rest now,\" McGlockton's father, Michael McGlockton, told reporters. Drejka's lawyer, John Trevena, said his client would probably appeal against the verdict, which he called \"a mystery\". The fatal shooting prompted protests and vigils around the state. It also fuelled political debates around several polarising issues, including gun rights, race and self-defence. The dispute began after Drejka confronted McGlockton's girlfriend, Brittany Jacobs, because she had parked in a disabled parking space with two of her children. As their argument escalated, McGlockton, 28, rushed from a nearby shop and pushed Drejka to the ground. Drejka - who had a concealed weapons licence - then pulled out a gun and shot McGlockton. CCTV footage shows McGlockton rushing back inside the shop while clutching his chest. He was taken to hospital in the city of Clearwater and pronounced dead. Drejka claimed to have acted in self-defence, but police faced criticism for the initial decision not to charge him. \"If he was going to hit me that hard to begin with, a blind side from the get-go, what else should I expect?\" he later said in a police interview. Drejka also said that his \"pet peeve\" was illegal parking in disabled spaces, and he admitted to police that he had frequently taken photos of offending cars. Court documents revealed he had been accused as an aggressor in four other road incidents between 2012 and 2018. In three of them, prosecutors alleged that he threatened people with a gun. A six-member jury took about six hours to reach the verdict late on Friday. Drejka's lawyers argued McGlockton caused his own death by making Drejka fear for his life. \"The threat was real,\" Mr Trevena told the court. \"He had the right to stand his ground and no duty to retreat.\" But prosecutors said CCTV footage showed that McGlockton stepped away after the weapon was pointed at him. Assistant State Attorney Scott Rosenwasser said it was a \"cut and dry\" murder by a self-proclaimed \"parking lot vigilante\". \"You know what Markeis McGlockton is guilty of?\" Mr Rosenwasser asked the court. \"He is guilty of loving and trying to protect his family and he died because of it.\" During the proceedings, jurors had asked for more clarity over the state's self-defence law. Judge Joseph Bulone told them that all he could do was reread it to them. Introduced in Florida in 2005, the law establishes the right for people to defend themselves, with lethal force if necessary, if they believe they are under the threat of bodily harm or death. It overturns previous legal principles that dictate a person should retreat before using any force to defend themselves. But the law also states that legal protections cannot be given if the person instigated the altercation. All but two of the 50 states have some form of stand-your-ground law. Critics argue it has led to more shootings and has made it harder for some criminals to be prosecuted. Opponents also believe that a racial disparity exists in the law's enforcement. Three separate academic studies have concluded that white people are more successful at using stand-your-ground defences against black attackers, compared with the same situation vice-versa. The law came under intense scrutiny following the fatal shooting of an unarmed teenager in 2012. George Zimmerman, a neighbourhood watchman, shot Trayvon Martin, who was walking back from a shop in the city of Sanford. Florida police cited the law after they released Mr Zimmerman without charge on the night of the shooting. More than 480,000 people signed a petition calling for him to be prosecuted. He eventually stood trial but was found not guilty.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2068, "answer_start": 944, "text": "The dispute began after Drejka confronted McGlockton's girlfriend, Brittany Jacobs, because she had parked in a disabled parking space with two of her children. As their argument escalated, McGlockton, 28, rushed from a nearby shop and pushed Drejka to the ground. Drejka - who had a concealed weapons licence - then pulled out a gun and shot McGlockton. CCTV footage shows McGlockton rushing back inside the shop while clutching his chest. He was taken to hospital in the city of Clearwater and pronounced dead. Drejka claimed to have acted in self-defence, but police faced criticism for the initial decision not to charge him. \"If he was going to hit me that hard to begin with, a blind side from the get-go, what else should I expect?\" he later said in a police interview. Drejka also said that his \"pet peeve\" was illegal parking in disabled spaces, and he admitted to police that he had frequently taken photos of offending cars. Court documents revealed he had been accused as an aggressor in four other road incidents between 2012 and 2018. In three of them, prosecutors alleged that he threatened people with a gun." } ], "id": "653_0", "question": "Why did the shooting take place?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2913, "answer_start": 2069, "text": "A six-member jury took about six hours to reach the verdict late on Friday. Drejka's lawyers argued McGlockton caused his own death by making Drejka fear for his life. \"The threat was real,\" Mr Trevena told the court. \"He had the right to stand his ground and no duty to retreat.\" But prosecutors said CCTV footage showed that McGlockton stepped away after the weapon was pointed at him. Assistant State Attorney Scott Rosenwasser said it was a \"cut and dry\" murder by a self-proclaimed \"parking lot vigilante\". \"You know what Markeis McGlockton is guilty of?\" Mr Rosenwasser asked the court. \"He is guilty of loving and trying to protect his family and he died because of it.\" During the proceedings, jurors had asked for more clarity over the state's self-defence law. Judge Joseph Bulone told them that all he could do was reread it to them." } ], "id": "653_1", "question": "What happened in court?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4231, "answer_start": 2914, "text": "Introduced in Florida in 2005, the law establishes the right for people to defend themselves, with lethal force if necessary, if they believe they are under the threat of bodily harm or death. It overturns previous legal principles that dictate a person should retreat before using any force to defend themselves. But the law also states that legal protections cannot be given if the person instigated the altercation. All but two of the 50 states have some form of stand-your-ground law. Critics argue it has led to more shootings and has made it harder for some criminals to be prosecuted. Opponents also believe that a racial disparity exists in the law's enforcement. Three separate academic studies have concluded that white people are more successful at using stand-your-ground defences against black attackers, compared with the same situation vice-versa. The law came under intense scrutiny following the fatal shooting of an unarmed teenager in 2012. George Zimmerman, a neighbourhood watchman, shot Trayvon Martin, who was walking back from a shop in the city of Sanford. Florida police cited the law after they released Mr Zimmerman without charge on the night of the shooting. More than 480,000 people signed a petition calling for him to be prosecuted. He eventually stood trial but was found not guilty." } ], "id": "653_2", "question": "What is stand your ground and why is it controversial?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Organisers say more than a million people - one seventh of Hong Kong's population - took part in Sunday's demonstration against a planned bill to allow extradition to mainland China. It was one of Hong Kong's largest ever protests, and the biggest since the former British colony was handed back to mainland China in 1997. But Hong Kong's leader Carrie Lam - who was elected by a mostly pro-Beijing panel of 1,200 people - has vowed to press ahead with plans to pass the law. So do protests in Hong Kong - which has certain freedoms, but not full democracy - ever work? And what are the odds of protesters succeeding this time? Public protests play an important role in Hong Kong - as one local journalist has put it, for many demonstrators, protesting is \"in their DNA\". Since Hong Kongers have the right to protest, but cannot directly elect their government, many see taking to the streets as their way of forcing change - especially with issues they see as threatening the territory's core values. \"It might be futile,\" one of Sunday's protesters, April Ho-Tsing, 27, told the BBC. \"But we have to act and show the Hong Kong government, the international press, other Hong Kongers - that we won't just roll over and let the Chinese government walk all over us.\" And some protests have led to unexpected - and dramatic - wins in the past. In 2003, an estimated 500,000 people took to the streets against a controversial national security bill known as Article 23 - and the government was eventually forced to shelve it. But experts think protests are much less likely to work this time because the current leadership in Beijing is unlikely to compromise. \"One major change has been that China's leader, Xi Jinping, has pursued a much harder stance than his predecessor,\" says Prof Dixon Sing, a social scientist at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. \"The second related change has been that China's economy has become much stronger than it was in 2003.\" Prof Steve Tsang, director of the China Institute at SOAS, agrees that \"the odds are very much against the protesters in Hong Kong\" this time. \"Under Hu Jintao [Mr Xi's predecessor] you had a central leadership that's much more willing to allow local leaderships to deal with things their way - whereas Xi is focused a lot more on strengthening party leadership and discipline. \"There's a very clear position under Xi Jinping that China will not tolerate any activities that could potentially destabilise the rule of the Communist Party.\" This was also reflected in the 2014 \"Umbrella\" protests - where tens of thousands of people camped in the streets for weeks to demand fully democratic elections. Despite being mostly peaceful - and making headlines around the world - the protests failed to achieve any concessions from Beijing. A number of the protest organisers have since been given jail terms on public nuisance charges. Despite not being formally allowed by law, tens of thousands of protests - mostly on local or environmental issues - actually take place each year. Many protesters and petitioners get arrested but, perhaps surprisingly, some protests have also forced local governments to back down. One notable example was in 2011, when the government in Dalian agreed to close a chemical plant after 12,000 people demonstrated against it. \"Some very specific not-in-my-backyard-type protests have resulted in concessions by the authorities,\" says Prof Tsang, adding that these are seen as \"easier to accommodate\" because they focus on local issues rather than political ones. However, he says this has also reduced in recent years as the Communist Party has tightened its control centrally. Prof Tsang says many \"local governments simply don't take risks any longer - why do anything to risk the disapproval of Beijing?\" Experts say it's technically possible, but unlikely. To become law, the bill needs to be approved by Hong Kong's legislative council where some, but not all, of the seats are directly elected by Hong Kong's voters, and where pro-government groups have a majority. After the major protests in 2003, the government made major concessions to the national security bill - but still intended to push it through the legislative council. It was forced to make a last-minute U-turn after the pro-business Liberal Party decided to withdraw its support. As a result, this time, \"it's a question of whether any of the middle-of-the ground political parties decide to switch sides,\" says Prof Tsang. However, he considers this unlikely, especially since the political environment in Hong Kong and China has changed. \"There are more die-hard pro-Beijing parties\" in the legislative council now, says Prof Sing, \"and they have a nearly zero chance of reversing their stance.\"", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2903, "answer_start": 628, "text": "Public protests play an important role in Hong Kong - as one local journalist has put it, for many demonstrators, protesting is \"in their DNA\". Since Hong Kongers have the right to protest, but cannot directly elect their government, many see taking to the streets as their way of forcing change - especially with issues they see as threatening the territory's core values. \"It might be futile,\" one of Sunday's protesters, April Ho-Tsing, 27, told the BBC. \"But we have to act and show the Hong Kong government, the international press, other Hong Kongers - that we won't just roll over and let the Chinese government walk all over us.\" And some protests have led to unexpected - and dramatic - wins in the past. In 2003, an estimated 500,000 people took to the streets against a controversial national security bill known as Article 23 - and the government was eventually forced to shelve it. But experts think protests are much less likely to work this time because the current leadership in Beijing is unlikely to compromise. \"One major change has been that China's leader, Xi Jinping, has pursued a much harder stance than his predecessor,\" says Prof Dixon Sing, a social scientist at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. \"The second related change has been that China's economy has become much stronger than it was in 2003.\" Prof Steve Tsang, director of the China Institute at SOAS, agrees that \"the odds are very much against the protesters in Hong Kong\" this time. \"Under Hu Jintao [Mr Xi's predecessor] you had a central leadership that's much more willing to allow local leaderships to deal with things their way - whereas Xi is focused a lot more on strengthening party leadership and discipline. \"There's a very clear position under Xi Jinping that China will not tolerate any activities that could potentially destabilise the rule of the Communist Party.\" This was also reflected in the 2014 \"Umbrella\" protests - where tens of thousands of people camped in the streets for weeks to demand fully democratic elections. Despite being mostly peaceful - and making headlines around the world - the protests failed to achieve any concessions from Beijing. A number of the protest organisers have since been given jail terms on public nuisance charges." } ], "id": "654_0", "question": "Why do people in Hong Kong protest?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3810, "answer_start": 2904, "text": "Despite not being formally allowed by law, tens of thousands of protests - mostly on local or environmental issues - actually take place each year. Many protesters and petitioners get arrested but, perhaps surprisingly, some protests have also forced local governments to back down. One notable example was in 2011, when the government in Dalian agreed to close a chemical plant after 12,000 people demonstrated against it. \"Some very specific not-in-my-backyard-type protests have resulted in concessions by the authorities,\" says Prof Tsang, adding that these are seen as \"easier to accommodate\" because they focus on local issues rather than political ones. However, he says this has also reduced in recent years as the Communist Party has tightened its control centrally. Prof Tsang says many \"local governments simply don't take risks any longer - why do anything to risk the disapproval of Beijing?\"" } ], "id": "654_1", "question": "What's the situation in mainland China?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4772, "answer_start": 3811, "text": "Experts say it's technically possible, but unlikely. To become law, the bill needs to be approved by Hong Kong's legislative council where some, but not all, of the seats are directly elected by Hong Kong's voters, and where pro-government groups have a majority. After the major protests in 2003, the government made major concessions to the national security bill - but still intended to push it through the legislative council. It was forced to make a last-minute U-turn after the pro-business Liberal Party decided to withdraw its support. As a result, this time, \"it's a question of whether any of the middle-of-the ground political parties decide to switch sides,\" says Prof Tsang. However, he considers this unlikely, especially since the political environment in Hong Kong and China has changed. \"There are more die-hard pro-Beijing parties\" in the legislative council now, says Prof Sing, \"and they have a nearly zero chance of reversing their stance.\"" } ], "id": "654_2", "question": "Is there any chance the extradition bill will be stopped?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "On 13 June, two tankers were damaged by explosions in the Gulf of Oman, a strategic waterway crucial to global energy supplies. It was the second time in a month tankers have been attacked in the region and came amid escalating tension between Iran and the United States. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo swiftly accused Iran of being behind the attacks. He said the assessment was based on the \"intelligence, the weapons used, the level of expertise needed to execute the operation, recent similar Iranian attacks on shipping, and the fact that no proxy group operating in the area has the resources and proficiency to act with such a high degree of sophistication\". But a senior Iranian official insisted Iran had \"no connection with the incident\". The Marshall Islands-flagged Front Altair and Panama-flagged Kokuka Courageous were both sailing south-eastwards through international waters, after passing through the Strait of Hormuz, when they were rocked by explosions. The US Navy received a call from the Front Altair saying it had been attacked at 03:12 GMT, when it was 19 nautical miles (35km) south of Iran's coast, while the Kokuka Courageous reported being hit at 04:00, 21 nautical miles off Iran. FRONT ALTAIR The tanker was carrying 75,000 tonnes of naphtha from the United Arab Emirates to Taiwan. Its owner, Norwegian company Frontline, said an explosion had occurred on the vessel, triggering a fire. The 23 crew members on board were not harmed and were rescued by the cargo ship Hyundai Dubai, it added. They were subsequently carried by an Iranian naval vessel to the port of Jask. Frontline said the fire on board the tanker was extinguished by emergency responders within hours of the incident, and that no marine pollution was reported. Photographs and video published by Iranian media showed a fire on Front Altair's starboard side, and a huge column of black smoke towering above it. Satellite imaging company Iceye said that its data suggested there was \"a non-trivial amount of oil around the vessel on the surface of the sea\" on 14 June. Frontline said the cause of the explosion remained unknown, but that it had \"ruled out the possibility that it was caused by mechanical or human error\". Taiwan's state oil refiner CPC Corp, which had chartered the Front Altair, initially said the vessel was \"suspected of being hit by a torpedo\". The master of the Hyundai Dubai also reported in a distress call that the Front Altair's master believed the explosion was the result of a \"torpedo attack\". No close-up images of the damage to the vessel's hull have been released, but the crew of a tug that helped put out the fire was heard saying on the radio that there was a large hole just above the waterline. The US military said a US aircraft observed an Iranian Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) Hendijan class patrol boat and several IRGC fast attack craft in the vicinity of the Front Altair at 05:09 GMT. The US military also reported that the Iranian authorities had asked the Hyundai Dubai to \"turn over the crew\" to the IRGC fast attack craft, and that the Hyundai Dubai had complied with the request. The Front Altair was being towed to the UAE port of Khor Fakkan on 16 June. Once there, the damage will be assessed and a decision will be made concerning the transfer of the naphtha. KOKUKA COURAGEOUS The tanker's managers, Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement, said it had sustained damage to its hull on the starboard side following a \"security incident\". There was also an engine room fire, which was extinguished with CO2. The 21 crew members were evacuated the vessel as a precaution and were picked up by the Dutch tug Coastal Ace. They were later transferred to the USS Bainbridge, a guided-missile destroyer, which was nearby after responding to the Kokuka Courageous distress call. One crewman was slightly injured in the incident and received first aid on board the Bainbridge. The crew later returned to the Kokuka Courageous and restored emergency power. The tanker arrived safely at the UAE port of Kalba on 16 June. A damage assessment and preparation for the transfer of the ship's cargo would commence once the port authorities had completed standard security checks, Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement said. The company did not speculate on the cause of the damage to the Kokuka Courageous. But the president of the vessel's owner, Japanese firm Kokuka Sangyo, reported that it was hit by two explosions in the space of three hours before the crew were evacuated. Yutaka Katada told reporters on 14 June that he believed the tanker was hit by a \"flying object\". \"The crew told us something came flying at the ship, and they found a hole,\" he said. \"Then some crew witnessed the second shot.\" Mr Katada spoke after the US military had released grainy black-and-white video footage it said showed the crew of an IRGC Gashti Class patrol boat removing an \"unexploded limpet mine\" attached to the starboard side of the Kokuka Courageous, above the waterline amidships, at 1310 GMT on 13 June. The crew of the Kokuka Courageous had abandoned ship after discovering the mine, it added. On 17 June, the US military released several colour photographs taken by its personnel to back up its allegations. One of the new images showed what it said was the \"the aluminium and green composite material left behind following [the] removal of an unexploded limpet mine\" by the IRGC patrol boat's crew. Also visible were holes purportedly created by nails used to hold the mine in place. Other images showed the damage to the Kokuka Courageous' hull, 1m above the waterline at the aft, which the military said measured 1.1m by 1.5m (3.6ft x 4.9ft) and was \"consistent with a limpet mine attack\". Four tankers were damaged by explosions within the UAE's territorial waters in the Gulf of Oman, east of the emirate of Fujairah, in the early hours of 12 May. The vessels were the Saudi Arabia-flagged Amjad and Al Marzoqah, the Norwegian-flagged Andrea Victory, and the UAE-flagged tanker A Michel. There were no casualties, but the explosions blew holes in the tankers' hulls. Saudi Arabia's government said the two Saudi ships had suffered \"significant\" damage. A report presented by the UAE to UN Security Council members said the blasts were the result of \"a sophisticated and co-ordinated operation carried out by an actor with significant operational capacity, most likely a state actor\". The report said the operation involved small, fast boats and trained divers, who were likely to have placed limpet mines with a high degree of precision on the vessels' hulls below the waterline. Their intention, investigators concluded, was to disable the vessels but not destroy them. The four explosive charges were all detonated within less than an hour, according to the report. The report stopped short of directly accusing a particular country. However, Saudi Arabia's permanent representative to the UN, Abdallah al-Mouallimi, said it believed that \"responsibility for this action lies on the shoulders of Iran\", saying: \"We believe there is enough evidence to demonstrate that.\" US National Security Adviser John Bolton has said the explosive charges were \"naval mines almost certainly from Iran\", without providing any evidence. A US destroyer in the region also reportedly tracked 20 Iranian military boats entering UAE waters a few hours before the explosions. Iran dismissed Mr Bolton's accusation that it was involved as \"ridiculous\".", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5726, "answer_start": 752, "text": "The Marshall Islands-flagged Front Altair and Panama-flagged Kokuka Courageous were both sailing south-eastwards through international waters, after passing through the Strait of Hormuz, when they were rocked by explosions. The US Navy received a call from the Front Altair saying it had been attacked at 03:12 GMT, when it was 19 nautical miles (35km) south of Iran's coast, while the Kokuka Courageous reported being hit at 04:00, 21 nautical miles off Iran. FRONT ALTAIR The tanker was carrying 75,000 tonnes of naphtha from the United Arab Emirates to Taiwan. Its owner, Norwegian company Frontline, said an explosion had occurred on the vessel, triggering a fire. The 23 crew members on board were not harmed and were rescued by the cargo ship Hyundai Dubai, it added. They were subsequently carried by an Iranian naval vessel to the port of Jask. Frontline said the fire on board the tanker was extinguished by emergency responders within hours of the incident, and that no marine pollution was reported. Photographs and video published by Iranian media showed a fire on Front Altair's starboard side, and a huge column of black smoke towering above it. Satellite imaging company Iceye said that its data suggested there was \"a non-trivial amount of oil around the vessel on the surface of the sea\" on 14 June. Frontline said the cause of the explosion remained unknown, but that it had \"ruled out the possibility that it was caused by mechanical or human error\". Taiwan's state oil refiner CPC Corp, which had chartered the Front Altair, initially said the vessel was \"suspected of being hit by a torpedo\". The master of the Hyundai Dubai also reported in a distress call that the Front Altair's master believed the explosion was the result of a \"torpedo attack\". No close-up images of the damage to the vessel's hull have been released, but the crew of a tug that helped put out the fire was heard saying on the radio that there was a large hole just above the waterline. The US military said a US aircraft observed an Iranian Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) Hendijan class patrol boat and several IRGC fast attack craft in the vicinity of the Front Altair at 05:09 GMT. The US military also reported that the Iranian authorities had asked the Hyundai Dubai to \"turn over the crew\" to the IRGC fast attack craft, and that the Hyundai Dubai had complied with the request. The Front Altair was being towed to the UAE port of Khor Fakkan on 16 June. Once there, the damage will be assessed and a decision will be made concerning the transfer of the naphtha. KOKUKA COURAGEOUS The tanker's managers, Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement, said it had sustained damage to its hull on the starboard side following a \"security incident\". There was also an engine room fire, which was extinguished with CO2. The 21 crew members were evacuated the vessel as a precaution and were picked up by the Dutch tug Coastal Ace. They were later transferred to the USS Bainbridge, a guided-missile destroyer, which was nearby after responding to the Kokuka Courageous distress call. One crewman was slightly injured in the incident and received first aid on board the Bainbridge. The crew later returned to the Kokuka Courageous and restored emergency power. The tanker arrived safely at the UAE port of Kalba on 16 June. A damage assessment and preparation for the transfer of the ship's cargo would commence once the port authorities had completed standard security checks, Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement said. The company did not speculate on the cause of the damage to the Kokuka Courageous. But the president of the vessel's owner, Japanese firm Kokuka Sangyo, reported that it was hit by two explosions in the space of three hours before the crew were evacuated. Yutaka Katada told reporters on 14 June that he believed the tanker was hit by a \"flying object\". \"The crew told us something came flying at the ship, and they found a hole,\" he said. \"Then some crew witnessed the second shot.\" Mr Katada spoke after the US military had released grainy black-and-white video footage it said showed the crew of an IRGC Gashti Class patrol boat removing an \"unexploded limpet mine\" attached to the starboard side of the Kokuka Courageous, above the waterline amidships, at 1310 GMT on 13 June. The crew of the Kokuka Courageous had abandoned ship after discovering the mine, it added. On 17 June, the US military released several colour photographs taken by its personnel to back up its allegations. One of the new images showed what it said was the \"the aluminium and green composite material left behind following [the] removal of an unexploded limpet mine\" by the IRGC patrol boat's crew. Also visible were holes purportedly created by nails used to hold the mine in place. Other images showed the damage to the Kokuka Courageous' hull, 1m above the waterline at the aft, which the military said measured 1.1m by 1.5m (3.6ft x 4.9ft) and was \"consistent with a limpet mine attack\"." } ], "id": "655_0", "question": "What happened on 13 June?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 7471, "answer_start": 5727, "text": "Four tankers were damaged by explosions within the UAE's territorial waters in the Gulf of Oman, east of the emirate of Fujairah, in the early hours of 12 May. The vessels were the Saudi Arabia-flagged Amjad and Al Marzoqah, the Norwegian-flagged Andrea Victory, and the UAE-flagged tanker A Michel. There were no casualties, but the explosions blew holes in the tankers' hulls. Saudi Arabia's government said the two Saudi ships had suffered \"significant\" damage. A report presented by the UAE to UN Security Council members said the blasts were the result of \"a sophisticated and co-ordinated operation carried out by an actor with significant operational capacity, most likely a state actor\". The report said the operation involved small, fast boats and trained divers, who were likely to have placed limpet mines with a high degree of precision on the vessels' hulls below the waterline. Their intention, investigators concluded, was to disable the vessels but not destroy them. The four explosive charges were all detonated within less than an hour, according to the report. The report stopped short of directly accusing a particular country. However, Saudi Arabia's permanent representative to the UN, Abdallah al-Mouallimi, said it believed that \"responsibility for this action lies on the shoulders of Iran\", saying: \"We believe there is enough evidence to demonstrate that.\" US National Security Adviser John Bolton has said the explosive charges were \"naval mines almost certainly from Iran\", without providing any evidence. A US destroyer in the region also reportedly tracked 20 Iranian military boats entering UAE waters a few hours before the explosions. Iran dismissed Mr Bolton's accusation that it was involved as \"ridiculous\"." } ], "id": "655_1", "question": "What happened in May?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Russia's foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, is on a high-profile visit to Serbia, which comes in the wake of some of the wildest allegations of espionage seen in the Western Balkans since James Bond was pursued through what was then Yugoslavia on the Orient Express. Fifty years after From Russia With Love, freelance operatives are once again to the fore on a rap sheet covering coup-plotting, election-rigging and thinly-veiled threats against Serbia's prime minister. The only element missing is the poison-tipped toe caps of agent Rosa Klebb. In October, Montenegro held a general election which then-Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic billed as a referendum on the country's accession to Nato and pursuit of EU membership. Both issues have infuriated Russia, where Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin warned that Montenegro would \"regret\" joining Nato. On polling day, police arrested 20 Serbian citizens whom they suspected of plotting a coup and the assassination of Mr Djukanovic. Those detained included a former commander of a Serbian special forces unit. Serbia quickly moved to deny any involvement in the affair. Within days, Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic announced that arrests had also been made in Serbia - and that those people had connections with an unnamed third country. He also claimed that intelligence agencies from both East and West were increasing their activities in Serbia. This put the rumour mill into overdrive - and local newspapers reported allegations that Serbia had secretly deported several Russian citizens for nefarious activities. This was followed by the unexpected arrival in Belgrade of the head of Russia's Security Council, Nikolai Patrushev, as Montenegro accused Russian and Serbian nationalists of organising the alleged coup attempt. Just when it seemed that eyebrows could not possibly rise any higher, police discovered a cache of arms hidden close to Mr Vucic's parents' home on the outskirts of Belgrade. The temptation to see this as an attempt to intimidate the prime minster was hard to resist. Jelena Milic, of the Belgrade-based Centre for Euro-Atlantic Studies, says that at the very least Mr Patrushev's visit indicated that Russia was trying to manage Serbia's response to the coup allegations. \"He was eager to suppress the fact that somebody was in Serbia, caught red-handed with the equipment and plans,\" said Ms Milic. \"So Patrushev came out of the blue to suppress the fact that little green men were caught here and they had left the country. Because it is big - it would really prove to everyone how big the hybrid approach by Russia to destabilise the entire EU is.\" More on this story: Theories that Russia has turned to nefarious means of influence are given legs by its obvious disapproval of the \"Euro-Atlantic path\" being followed by the countries of the Western Balkans, as they head towards membership of the EU, Nato or both. Montenegro's imminent accession means that all the countries along the Adriatic coast will be Nato members. But Russia has plenty of supporters in Serbia. Opinion polls suggest more people favour closer ties with Moscow than membership of the EU. Suggestions that the dark arts of the Cold War are back in play get a sceptical reception. \"I don't see the hand of Russia in all this,\" says Misa Djurkovic, the director of Belgrade's Institute of European Studies and author of The Illusion of the European Union. \"I don't see that it's in Russia's interests to overthrow the governments in Montenegro or Serbia. They are working with those in power. And they are most interested in their own backyard, which they are not yet capable of controlling.\" \"In Serbia, everything that has recently been going on was connected in the media with mafia and drug-trafficking structures. That's not, as far as I know, connected with Russia.\" This analysis is certainly in line with more recent comments from Serbia's prime minister, in which he suggested his family had become the target of an unnamed organised crime figure. But even if the more outrageous allegations remain unproven, it does appear that Russia is keen to maintain some influence in the Western Balkans. The Russian-funded media outlet, Sputnik News, set up a Serbian-language service in 2014. Its slant on stories is distinctly pro-Moscow - and it finds a sympathetic audience among Serbians and Montenegrins who still vividly remember the Nato bombing campaign of 1999 - and romanticise a \"Slavic brotherhood\" with Russia. \"All our enemies in the Balkans were helped by the British, Americans, Germans and so on, and that's why people try to turn to the other side and project on that side many things that are not realistic,\" says Misa Djurkovic. Among all the rumours and recriminations in the western Balkans, making a sober analysis of the precise state of the region's relations with Russia is a thankless task. \"It's very easy to fall into Balkan conspiracy theorising,\" says James Ker-Lindsay, an expert on the politics of southeast Europe at the London School of Economics. \"We know that Russia is trying to expand its sphere of influence in the western Balkans. So there is a certain plausibility to claims that Russia is getting involved.\" \"But the coup plot was incredibly amateurish. If you think that Russia was engaged in a process to overthrow the Montenegrin government, you'd think they would do it in a little more sophisticated fashion than sending over a few Serb nationalists.\" In any case, none of the recent events appear to have stopped Serbia advancing its EU membership negotiations, with more \"chapters\" in the accession process due to open this week. James Ker-Lindsay believes that when all the skulduggery has been forgotten, economic pragmatism will dictate the region's next moves. \"There is a great deal of pragmatism in Serbian government circles. They don't want to alienate Russia, but when push comes to shove, it's quite clear that economic development is the priority - and investment comes from the EU, not from Russia.\"", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4714, "answer_start": 2909, "text": "Montenegro's imminent accession means that all the countries along the Adriatic coast will be Nato members. But Russia has plenty of supporters in Serbia. Opinion polls suggest more people favour closer ties with Moscow than membership of the EU. Suggestions that the dark arts of the Cold War are back in play get a sceptical reception. \"I don't see the hand of Russia in all this,\" says Misa Djurkovic, the director of Belgrade's Institute of European Studies and author of The Illusion of the European Union. \"I don't see that it's in Russia's interests to overthrow the governments in Montenegro or Serbia. They are working with those in power. And they are most interested in their own backyard, which they are not yet capable of controlling.\" \"In Serbia, everything that has recently been going on was connected in the media with mafia and drug-trafficking structures. That's not, as far as I know, connected with Russia.\" This analysis is certainly in line with more recent comments from Serbia's prime minister, in which he suggested his family had become the target of an unnamed organised crime figure. But even if the more outrageous allegations remain unproven, it does appear that Russia is keen to maintain some influence in the Western Balkans. The Russian-funded media outlet, Sputnik News, set up a Serbian-language service in 2014. Its slant on stories is distinctly pro-Moscow - and it finds a sympathetic audience among Serbians and Montenegrins who still vividly remember the Nato bombing campaign of 1999 - and romanticise a \"Slavic brotherhood\" with Russia. \"All our enemies in the Balkans were helped by the British, Americans, Germans and so on, and that's why people try to turn to the other side and project on that side many things that are not realistic,\" says Misa Djurkovic." } ], "id": "656_0", "question": "Is it Russia or organised crime?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 6027, "answer_start": 4715, "text": "Among all the rumours and recriminations in the western Balkans, making a sober analysis of the precise state of the region's relations with Russia is a thankless task. \"It's very easy to fall into Balkan conspiracy theorising,\" says James Ker-Lindsay, an expert on the politics of southeast Europe at the London School of Economics. \"We know that Russia is trying to expand its sphere of influence in the western Balkans. So there is a certain plausibility to claims that Russia is getting involved.\" \"But the coup plot was incredibly amateurish. If you think that Russia was engaged in a process to overthrow the Montenegrin government, you'd think they would do it in a little more sophisticated fashion than sending over a few Serb nationalists.\" In any case, none of the recent events appear to have stopped Serbia advancing its EU membership negotiations, with more \"chapters\" in the accession process due to open this week. James Ker-Lindsay believes that when all the skulduggery has been forgotten, economic pragmatism will dictate the region's next moves. \"There is a great deal of pragmatism in Serbian government circles. They don't want to alienate Russia, but when push comes to shove, it's quite clear that economic development is the priority - and investment comes from the EU, not from Russia.\"" } ], "id": "656_1", "question": "Where will the Western Balkans turn?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Luxury shoe maker Jimmy Choo is the go-to for celebrities looking to wear a pair of killer heels on the red carpet. Now the British firm is going on a strut of its own, as its board puts the business up for sale. Valued at about PS700m, analysts believe Jimmy Choo could attract attention from rival luxury houses along with Chinese, Middle Eastern and Russian buyers. As well as shoes, Jimmy Choo produces a range of luxury goods, but has seen sales slow in recent years. The move received backing from Jimmy Choo's main shareholder JAB Holdings, which said on Monday it was also prepared to offload Bally, the Swiss heritage shoe and handbag-maker. A sale would be the latest twist for Jimmy Choo, which started as a bespoke shoemaker in east London. The firm was co-founded by Malaysian shoemaker Jimmy Choo, who trained at the renowned Cordwainers Technical College in London, and former Vogue journalist Tamara Mellon in 1996. It quickly built up a dedicated client list of musicians, actresses and royalty. The Duchess of Cambridge is a fan of the British shoe designer, as is singer Beyonce and Oscar winning actress Emma Stone. But it has gone through a number of different owners over the years. Ms Mellon and the first of several different private equity suitors bought out Mr Choo in 2001. Ten years later Ms Mellon left the business to launch her own clothing line. In 2014, Jimmy Choo listed on the London Stock Exchange, by which time JAB, owned by the German billionaire Reimann family, was the main shareholder. Jimmy Choo's shares hit a record high on news of the possible sale, closing up 10.68% in London. The firm said in a statement: \"The board of Jimmy Choo announces today that it has decided to conduct a review of the various strategic options open to the company to maximise value for its shareholders and it is seeking offers for the company. \"Jimmy Choo has discussed the strategic review process with its majority shareholder, JAB Luxury GmbH, and JAB Luxury has confirmed that it is supportive of the process.\" The fashion house said it had not received any bids yet and was also weighing other options. JAB Luxury, which owns 68% of Jimmy Choo, said on Monday it backed the move. But JAB, also an investor in Krispy Kreme doughnuts and household goods giant Reckitt Benckiser, added there was \"no certainty that a sale\" would take place. Over the years, Jimmy Choo, which has more than 150 stores worldwide, has moved into men's shoes and launched a wide range of luxury goods, from handbags to sunglasses. But its sales growth slowed to 2% in 2016 compared with 7% in 2015 and 12% in 2014, analysts at HSBC noted last month. It seems the owner of Jimmy Choo is more interested in coffee than killer heels. JAB, the investment firm backed by the billionaire Reimann family, has been on a spending spree in recent years. Just a few weeks ago, it struck a deal to buy the US bakery business, Panera Bread, for $7.5bn (PS6bn). That's in addition to the controlling stakes it's already acquired in brands such as Keurig Green Mountain, Douwe Egberts, and doughnut maker Krispy Kreme. It all adds up to a fast growing food and beverage empire. So owning a luxury goods company may no longer be a good fit. It's only three years since Jimmy Choo's stock market flotation. Its share price has had a bumpy ride since 2014. But Jimmy Choo has more recently been outperforming the luxury sector and shares have bounced back. Not a bad time, perhaps, to put the business up for sale.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1527, "answer_start": 753, "text": "The firm was co-founded by Malaysian shoemaker Jimmy Choo, who trained at the renowned Cordwainers Technical College in London, and former Vogue journalist Tamara Mellon in 1996. It quickly built up a dedicated client list of musicians, actresses and royalty. The Duchess of Cambridge is a fan of the British shoe designer, as is singer Beyonce and Oscar winning actress Emma Stone. But it has gone through a number of different owners over the years. Ms Mellon and the first of several different private equity suitors bought out Mr Choo in 2001. Ten years later Ms Mellon left the business to launch her own clothing line. In 2014, Jimmy Choo listed on the London Stock Exchange, by which time JAB, owned by the German billionaire Reimann family, was the main shareholder." } ], "id": "657_0", "question": "Who is Jimmy Choo?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The four US congresswomen attacked by US President Donald Trump in tweets widely called racist have dismissed his remarks as a distraction. Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Ayanna Pressley and Rashida Tlaib urged the US people \"not to take the bait\" at a news conference on Monday. Mr Trump had suggested the four women - all US citizens - \"can leave\". He has defended his comments and denied allegations of racism. On Tuesday, he kept up his Twitter attack on the women, accusing them of saying \"filthy and hate-laced things\". He also insisted: \"Those Tweets were NOT Racist. I don't have a Racist bone in my body!\" The president did not explicitly name the women in his initial Twitter tirade on Sunday, but the context made a clear link to the four Democrat women, who are known as The Squad. He sparked a furore after saying the women \"originally came from countries whose governments are a complete and total catastrophe\" and they should go home. Three of the women were born in the US and one, Ms Omar, was born in Somalia but came to the US as a child. Following the outcry, the four women told reporters they wanted to re-focus attention on to the president's policies. \"This is simply a disruption and a distraction from the callous chaos and corrupt culture of this administration, all the way down,\" Ms Pressley said. Both Ms Omar and Ms Tlaib repeated their calls for Mr Trump to be impeached. Ms Pressley dismissed the president's efforts \"to marginalise us and to silence us\". She added: \"Our squad includes any person committed to building a more equitable and just world.\" All four women insisted that health care, gun violence and, in particular, detentions of migrants on the US border with Mexico should be in focus. \"The eyes of history are watching us,\" said Ms Omar said, decrying the \"mass deportation raids\" and \"human rights abuses at the border\". Ms Omar says Mr Trump's \"blatantly racist attack\" on four women of colour was \"the agenda of white nationalists\", adding that the president would like \"nothing more than to divide our country\". Ms Tlaib called it \"simply a continuation of his racist, xenophobic playbook\". \"We remain focused on holding him accountable to the laws of this land,\" she said. President Trump doubled down at the White House, verbally attacking these congresswomen of colour, and he tripled down on Twitter later on. He is using language that is well outside of the usual parameters of presidential discourse. The fact that he is escalating the issue shows he seems to be enjoying it and, for him, it serves a political purpose. He sees it as revving up the base. However, he risks alienating the moderate Republicans - some of whom already failed to back him in last year's mid-term elections. On Friday, Ms Ocasio-Cortez, Ms Tlaib and Ms Pressley testified to a House committee about conditions in a migrant detention centre they had visited. Democrats have widely criticised the Trump administration's approach to border control, saying they are holding migrants in inhumane conditions. Mr Trump insists the border is facing a crisis and has defended the actions of his border agents. His administration announced a new rule to take effect on 16 July, which denies asylum to anyone who crosses the southern border without having applied for protection in \"at least one third country\" on their way to the US. After their testimony, Mr Trump said conditions at the centre had had \"great reviews\". He then posted his series of tweets about the women and Ms Omar, attacks he redoubled on Monday. \"If you are not happy, if you are complaining all the time, you can leave,\" he told a heated news conference outside the White House. As the women spoke to reporters on Monday evening, he tweeted again. \"If you are not happy here, you can leave! It is your choice, and your choice alone. This is about love for America,\" he wrote. Democrats have roundly condemned the president, and many were quick to say it was a racist attack. However, top Republicans have been less outspoken. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he would answer questions Tuesday. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said: \"I don't find them racist, the president just went on and clarified his comments.\" He then changed the subject. Some, including Senator Lindsey Graham, turned the topic back on to the politics of the four women, who are seen to be progressive. He told Fox News they are communists and anti-America. US Senator and former presidential candidate Mitt Romney called Mr Trump's remarks \"destructive, demeaning, and disunifying\". But when a reporter asked him if they were racist, he walked away. Lower-ranking members of the Republican Party were, however, more direct. Tim Scott, the only African-American Republican in the Senate, called the president's words \"racially offensive\". Republican Congressman Will Hurd, who is also African American, described the comments as \"racist and xenophobic\". Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has, meanwhile, announced a resolution in the House to condemn the attack. She has urged Republicans to back it. Her colleague Chuck Schumer said he would introduce a similar motion in the Senate. \"We'll see how many Republicans sign on,\" he tweeted. The leaders of several US allies have come out against the president. New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said she \"completely and utterly\" disagreed with Mr Trump, while Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau similarly denounced the comments. \"That is not how we do things in Canada. A Canadian is a Canadian is a Canadian,\" he said at a press conference. Both candidates for the British premiership condemned the attacks. Jeremy Hunt said he was \"utterly appalled\" by Mr Trump's tweets, and Boris Johnson said \"you simply cannot use that kind of language about sending people back to where they came from\". Prime Minister Theresa May had earlier said the remarks were \"completely unacceptable\".", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2249, "answer_start": 1427, "text": "Ms Pressley dismissed the president's efforts \"to marginalise us and to silence us\". She added: \"Our squad includes any person committed to building a more equitable and just world.\" All four women insisted that health care, gun violence and, in particular, detentions of migrants on the US border with Mexico should be in focus. \"The eyes of history are watching us,\" said Ms Omar said, decrying the \"mass deportation raids\" and \"human rights abuses at the border\". Ms Omar says Mr Trump's \"blatantly racist attack\" on four women of colour was \"the agenda of white nationalists\", adding that the president would like \"nothing more than to divide our country\". Ms Tlaib called it \"simply a continuation of his racist, xenophobic playbook\". \"We remain focused on holding him accountable to the laws of this land,\" she said." } ], "id": "658_0", "question": "What did the congresswomen say?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3898, "answer_start": 2768, "text": "On Friday, Ms Ocasio-Cortez, Ms Tlaib and Ms Pressley testified to a House committee about conditions in a migrant detention centre they had visited. Democrats have widely criticised the Trump administration's approach to border control, saying they are holding migrants in inhumane conditions. Mr Trump insists the border is facing a crisis and has defended the actions of his border agents. His administration announced a new rule to take effect on 16 July, which denies asylum to anyone who crosses the southern border without having applied for protection in \"at least one third country\" on their way to the US. After their testimony, Mr Trump said conditions at the centre had had \"great reviews\". He then posted his series of tweets about the women and Ms Omar, attacks he redoubled on Monday. \"If you are not happy, if you are complaining all the time, you can leave,\" he told a heated news conference outside the White House. As the women spoke to reporters on Monday evening, he tweeted again. \"If you are not happy here, you can leave! It is your choice, and your choice alone. This is about love for America,\" he wrote." } ], "id": "658_1", "question": "What is the row about?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5252, "answer_start": 3899, "text": "Democrats have roundly condemned the president, and many were quick to say it was a racist attack. However, top Republicans have been less outspoken. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he would answer questions Tuesday. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said: \"I don't find them racist, the president just went on and clarified his comments.\" He then changed the subject. Some, including Senator Lindsey Graham, turned the topic back on to the politics of the four women, who are seen to be progressive. He told Fox News they are communists and anti-America. US Senator and former presidential candidate Mitt Romney called Mr Trump's remarks \"destructive, demeaning, and disunifying\". But when a reporter asked him if they were racist, he walked away. Lower-ranking members of the Republican Party were, however, more direct. Tim Scott, the only African-American Republican in the Senate, called the president's words \"racially offensive\". Republican Congressman Will Hurd, who is also African American, described the comments as \"racist and xenophobic\". Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has, meanwhile, announced a resolution in the House to condemn the attack. She has urged Republicans to back it. Her colleague Chuck Schumer said he would introduce a similar motion in the Senate. \"We'll see how many Republicans sign on,\" he tweeted." } ], "id": "658_2", "question": "How have Democrats and Republicans responded?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5957, "answer_start": 5253, "text": "The leaders of several US allies have come out against the president. New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said she \"completely and utterly\" disagreed with Mr Trump, while Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau similarly denounced the comments. \"That is not how we do things in Canada. A Canadian is a Canadian is a Canadian,\" he said at a press conference. Both candidates for the British premiership condemned the attacks. Jeremy Hunt said he was \"utterly appalled\" by Mr Trump's tweets, and Boris Johnson said \"you simply cannot use that kind of language about sending people back to where they came from\". Prime Minister Theresa May had earlier said the remarks were \"completely unacceptable\"." } ], "id": "658_3", "question": "How have world leaders reacted?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Taylor Swift has accused music mogul Scooter Braun of \"bullying\" and attempting to \"dismantle\" her \"musical legacy\" after he bought most of the US pop star's life's work, thanks to his acquisition of her former record label Big Machine for $300m (PS237m). \"This is my worst case scenario\", she wrote on Tumblr. So what is behind the dispute, and how do deals like this work? Let's take a closer look a four key questions. When 14-year-old Swift moved to Nashville in 2004 to chase her dream of becoming a country pop star, she signed a record deal with Big Machine. Label boss Scott Borchetta effectively gave the unproven singer a big cash advance in exchange for having ownership of the master recordings to her first six albums \"in perpetuity\" - in other words FOREVER. This was fairly common practice in the days before music streaming and social media changed the industry. Tim Ingham from Music Business Worldwide explains: \"The idea of a record company signing a new artist today and locking down all of their master recordings to copyrights in perpetuity is far less common. \"Unfortunately for Taylor Swift, she started recording at a time in the history of the industry when it was still heavily reliant on radio, where you needed a record company backing to get you on radio, particularly country radio in Nashville, where Big Machine was a huge player. And also, you needed to rely on physical distribution to get your CDs into stores. So she needed a record company to invest the amount of money that they had to invest to get her career off the ground.\" It seems she could've done - but this is where things get a bit murky. Swift says she unsuccessfully \"pleaded for a chance to own my work\" for years. But Borchetta disputes those claims, saying she \"had every chance in the world\" to own her music, and that \"she chose to leave\". Ingham believes Swift could have afforded to buy back the rights. \"She could have potentially raised some money, bought the label and then sold off the other masters, perhaps back to the artists [on the label] - or started her own label,\" he says. But the singer says the only opportunity she was offered to regain the rights was by signing another deal with Big Machine and \"earning\" one album back for every new one she produced. \"I walked away because I knew once I signed that contract, Scott Borchetta would sell the label, thereby selling me and my future,\" she says. To add further spice to the story, the 29-year-old's father is believed to own approximately 4% of Big Machine, a fact not lost on Braun's wife Yael Cohen Braun. Some quick maths suggests Swift senior is in for around $12m of the Scooter Braun deal. \"Although she might be very personally upset about it,\" says Ingham, \"her father just had a an eight-figure sum added to his bank.\" Swift's new deal with Universal's Republic Records label - beginning with her seventh album Lover, which is released in August - is not likely to be anywhere near as onerous. Aside from now owning Swift's back catalogue, Braun also manages Ariana Grande and Justin Bieber. Following the Bad Blood singer's allegations of bullying, the Canadian star leapt to his boss' defence, writing on Instagram that Swift was just out \"to get sympathy\". Also in Braun's talent stable is Swift's old nemesis Kanye West, and a theory from her fans - aka the Swifties - online is that Braun bought the rights simply to spite her for the feud that began when West stormed the stage when she accepted an award at the 2009 MTV VMAs. For Ingham this argument simply does not add up. \"People do not spend $300m venture capital money with their primary motivation being that they just want to pee off a superstar,\" he says. Mark Sutherland, editor of trade publication Music Week, agrees that Braun's bottom line would surely be the bottom line. \"All her albums have been phenomenally high-selling - some of the biggest-selling albums in recent pop history,\" he says. \"A lot of those songs are going to be a small goldmine in the streaming environment as they are enduring pop hits that are going to be streamed from now until the next 20, 30, 40 years.\" He adds: \"A one-off hit doesn't raise as much instant cash as it used to, but a hit that's still being streamed decades into the future is going to pay for itself over and over and over again.\" Braun hasn't responded to requests for comment. For Michael Jackson, when it came to The Beatles, you simply couldn't Beat It. So much so that he bought the publishing rights to their back catalogue back in 1985, but nobody knew about it until years later. These days, very little remains private any more. \"A few years ago, none of this Taylor Swift story would've played out in public,\" says Sutherland. \"There would've been some legal letters flying around in the background and we'd probably have never heard of it. Obviously the rise of social media gives artists a much bigger platform than they've had before - and the executives maybe as well. I think it's much easier these days to weigh in in public. \"Things that would once have been confined to legal offices are now much more out in the open. Borchetta's published some of the details of their negations and I don't think you'd have seen that even a few years ago.\" Ingham points to two other artists, Prince and George Michael, as examples of those who have taken on their record companies in the courts, to varying degrees of success. He suggests that had they had legions of online fans in those days, then the rich and famous singers might have got a fairer deal in the press. \"You might remember that very famous image of Prince with 'slave' written on his cheek,\" he recalls. \"The tabloids had a field day with that and there was almost zero sympathy for the artist. Now with social media, you get the undiluted un-spun message from the artists - they don't need the mass media to get their message and their frustrations across. \"So if all of those millions of Swifties around the world are hearing direct from Taylor that this is an upsetting and unfair turn of events, then they're going to tend to believe the person whose poster they have on their wall as opposed to the multi-millionaire businessman.\" Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1566, "answer_start": 422, "text": "When 14-year-old Swift moved to Nashville in 2004 to chase her dream of becoming a country pop star, she signed a record deal with Big Machine. Label boss Scott Borchetta effectively gave the unproven singer a big cash advance in exchange for having ownership of the master recordings to her first six albums \"in perpetuity\" - in other words FOREVER. This was fairly common practice in the days before music streaming and social media changed the industry. Tim Ingham from Music Business Worldwide explains: \"The idea of a record company signing a new artist today and locking down all of their master recordings to copyrights in perpetuity is far less common. \"Unfortunately for Taylor Swift, she started recording at a time in the history of the industry when it was still heavily reliant on radio, where you needed a record company backing to get you on radio, particularly country radio in Nashville, where Big Machine was a huge player. And also, you needed to rely on physical distribution to get your CDs into stores. So she needed a record company to invest the amount of money that they had to invest to get her career off the ground.\"" } ], "id": "659_0", "question": "1) How can someone other than Taylor Swift own her songs in the first place?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2976, "answer_start": 1567, "text": "It seems she could've done - but this is where things get a bit murky. Swift says she unsuccessfully \"pleaded for a chance to own my work\" for years. But Borchetta disputes those claims, saying she \"had every chance in the world\" to own her music, and that \"she chose to leave\". Ingham believes Swift could have afforded to buy back the rights. \"She could have potentially raised some money, bought the label and then sold off the other masters, perhaps back to the artists [on the label] - or started her own label,\" he says. But the singer says the only opportunity she was offered to regain the rights was by signing another deal with Big Machine and \"earning\" one album back for every new one she produced. \"I walked away because I knew once I signed that contract, Scott Borchetta would sell the label, thereby selling me and my future,\" she says. To add further spice to the story, the 29-year-old's father is believed to own approximately 4% of Big Machine, a fact not lost on Braun's wife Yael Cohen Braun. Some quick maths suggests Swift senior is in for around $12m of the Scooter Braun deal. \"Although she might be very personally upset about it,\" says Ingham, \"her father just had a an eight-figure sum added to his bank.\" Swift's new deal with Universal's Republic Records label - beginning with her seventh album Lover, which is released in August - is not likely to be anywhere near as onerous." } ], "id": "659_1", "question": "2) Why couldn't Swift buy back the rights to her own songs once she got rich and famous?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4376, "answer_start": 2977, "text": "Aside from now owning Swift's back catalogue, Braun also manages Ariana Grande and Justin Bieber. Following the Bad Blood singer's allegations of bullying, the Canadian star leapt to his boss' defence, writing on Instagram that Swift was just out \"to get sympathy\". Also in Braun's talent stable is Swift's old nemesis Kanye West, and a theory from her fans - aka the Swifties - online is that Braun bought the rights simply to spite her for the feud that began when West stormed the stage when she accepted an award at the 2009 MTV VMAs. For Ingham this argument simply does not add up. \"People do not spend $300m venture capital money with their primary motivation being that they just want to pee off a superstar,\" he says. Mark Sutherland, editor of trade publication Music Week, agrees that Braun's bottom line would surely be the bottom line. \"All her albums have been phenomenally high-selling - some of the biggest-selling albums in recent pop history,\" he says. \"A lot of those songs are going to be a small goldmine in the streaming environment as they are enduring pop hits that are going to be streamed from now until the next 20, 30, 40 years.\" He adds: \"A one-off hit doesn't raise as much instant cash as it used to, but a hit that's still being streamed decades into the future is going to pay for itself over and over and over again.\" Braun hasn't responded to requests for comment." } ], "id": "659_2", "question": "3) Is it personal between Swift and Braun? Or strictly business?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 6205, "answer_start": 4377, "text": "For Michael Jackson, when it came to The Beatles, you simply couldn't Beat It. So much so that he bought the publishing rights to their back catalogue back in 1985, but nobody knew about it until years later. These days, very little remains private any more. \"A few years ago, none of this Taylor Swift story would've played out in public,\" says Sutherland. \"There would've been some legal letters flying around in the background and we'd probably have never heard of it. Obviously the rise of social media gives artists a much bigger platform than they've had before - and the executives maybe as well. I think it's much easier these days to weigh in in public. \"Things that would once have been confined to legal offices are now much more out in the open. Borchetta's published some of the details of their negations and I don't think you'd have seen that even a few years ago.\" Ingham points to two other artists, Prince and George Michael, as examples of those who have taken on their record companies in the courts, to varying degrees of success. He suggests that had they had legions of online fans in those days, then the rich and famous singers might have got a fairer deal in the press. \"You might remember that very famous image of Prince with 'slave' written on his cheek,\" he recalls. \"The tabloids had a field day with that and there was almost zero sympathy for the artist. Now with social media, you get the undiluted un-spun message from the artists - they don't need the mass media to get their message and their frustrations across. \"So if all of those millions of Swifties around the world are hearing direct from Taylor that this is an upsetting and unfair turn of events, then they're going to tend to believe the person whose poster they have on their wall as opposed to the multi-millionaire businessman.\"" } ], "id": "659_3", "question": "4) Has a high-profile music rights case become so bad-tempered in public before?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Years have been knocked off official projections of children's life expectancies in the UK, an Office for National Statistics (ONS) report shows. A baby girl born in 2019 is now expected to celebrate three fewer birthdays on average, than under previous calculations. Official 2014 data thought that girl would make it to 93.6. Now the figure is 90.4. The report also slashed the likelihood of children reaching 100. Although life expectancies have been and are still improving, experts say previous estimates were too high. The improvement is much smaller than previously thought, as part of a widely acknowledged slowdown in life expectancy since 2011. In 2018, life expectancy growth stalled for the first time in more than 30 years. This has led statisticians to re-evaluate their assumptions about future improvements in life expectancy, resulting in the figures released today. The ONS report calculates the impact of this less-rosy picture on children's prospects of a long life. So a boy born in 2019 is now expected to live for 87.8 years. But the 2016 data thought he would reach 89.7 and the 2014 data said 91.1. And looking to the future, to children born in 2043, there is a dramatic drop in the chances of reaching 100. The latest report says: - 20.8% of newborn boys are expected to reach 100 - 26.1% of newborn girls are expected to reach 100 But the projections two years ago thought: - 34.1% of newborn boys would reach 100 - 40.2% of newborn girls would reach 100 The ONS said: \"There has been considerable public debate about the causes of the slowdown in life expectancy improvements. \"Researchers have suggested a range of possible explanations for the slowdown... several factors are at play, none of which can be singled out as being the most important with any certainty.\" Many reports, including by Public Health England and the Health Foundation think tank, have attempted to get to the bottom of the issue. A lack of a recent blockbuster moment in medicine could be an issue. Life expectancy in the 20th Century improved with the creation of the NHS, falls in smoking, childhood immunisation (the last case of polio in the UK was in 1984) and medical advances particularly for the big killers - heart disease, stroke and cancer. But now dementia is listed as the leading cause of death and it is incurable. Public Health England says a more elderly population - with dementia and other long-term health problems - may also be more vulnerable to diseases like flu. But there are issues affecting life expectancy well before old age. Deaths from drug misuse, with Scotland having the highest drug death rate in the EU, are also quoted. One of the most politically charged questions has been around austerity - the programme of government cuts that coincides with the slowdown in life expectancy. The evidence either way is hotly contested. But Public Health England's report says the poorest people have felt the impact on life expectancy the hardest and that \"could indicate a role for government spending\". Follow James on Twitter. Stalling life expectancy in the UK has attracted plenty of attention from academics, but they offer no definitive answers on the causes. When you are talking about shifts in predictions of lifespans, it needs more than a few years of data. But there is concern about why it's a different story to that in most other developed economies. An analysis by the ONS last year concluded that the slowdown in life expectancy growth in the UK since 2011 was one of the largest of the countries analysed. That's led to speculation on UK specific factors. Cuts in government spending in the policy period dubbed by some as \"austerity\" might, according to some commentators, have been a factor. It's worth noting, though, that cuts in social care in England were not replicated to the same extent in other parts of the UK. The decline in living standards and the reduced ability of some households to pay for heating and food in the decade since the financial crisis in 2008 have also been mentioned. The gap between life expectancy in the richest and poorest neighbourhoods in England has increased according to research last year. Ministers have strongly denied that Government policy played a part. The debate will continue though it may take a while before firm trends and causes can be identified.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3059, "answer_start": 1483, "text": "The ONS said: \"There has been considerable public debate about the causes of the slowdown in life expectancy improvements. \"Researchers have suggested a range of possible explanations for the slowdown... several factors are at play, none of which can be singled out as being the most important with any certainty.\" Many reports, including by Public Health England and the Health Foundation think tank, have attempted to get to the bottom of the issue. A lack of a recent blockbuster moment in medicine could be an issue. Life expectancy in the 20th Century improved with the creation of the NHS, falls in smoking, childhood immunisation (the last case of polio in the UK was in 1984) and medical advances particularly for the big killers - heart disease, stroke and cancer. But now dementia is listed as the leading cause of death and it is incurable. Public Health England says a more elderly population - with dementia and other long-term health problems - may also be more vulnerable to diseases like flu. But there are issues affecting life expectancy well before old age. Deaths from drug misuse, with Scotland having the highest drug death rate in the EU, are also quoted. One of the most politically charged questions has been around austerity - the programme of government cuts that coincides with the slowdown in life expectancy. The evidence either way is hotly contested. But Public Health England's report says the poorest people have felt the impact on life expectancy the hardest and that \"could indicate a role for government spending\". Follow James on Twitter." } ], "id": "660_0", "question": "Why is life expectancy stalling?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "A Chilean indigenous leader detained for allegedly taking part in a robbery has been awarded a prestigious environmental prize for his role in protecting a sacred river in his community. Alberto Curamil, of the Mapuche community, won the Goldman prize - considered the Nobel of environmental activism - for mobilising local people, lawyers and scientists in Chile's Araucania region to stop the construction of dams he argued would destroy forests, rivers and wildlife. In 2016, Chile cancelled plans for the hydroelectric projects on the Cautin River, citing public opposition for one and lack of consent and adequate assessment of environmental impacts for the other. Mr Curamil, who was announced as one of six winners on Monday, could not be present to accept the prize following his arrest last August. He denies any wrongdoing and his lawyers say his incarceration - pending trial later this year - is politically motivated. Mr Curamil's daughter Belen, 18, accepted the award on his behalf at a ceremony in San Francisco. Speaking from the podium on Monday, she said: \"The Mapuche struggle is an ecological struggle, it is a struggle for life and its continuity... We are people of the Earth, whose main mandate is to protect everything that makes existence possible, based on a spirituality connected with the natural elements.\" The 45-year-old is a leader of the Alianza Territorial Mapuche (ATM). The group claims his detention is \"the culmination of a long process of political persecution\". Mr Curamil, who has worked to protect local rivers and forests, has also helped the Mapuche preserve their native language (Mapudungun) and defend their culture. His battle against plans to install dams along the Cautin River began in 2013 after the projects, agreed by the government and two private energy companies, were announced without consulting the Mapuche. He began a campaign of street protests and rallies, inviting people who were not members of the Mapuche community to participate. He also sought advice from environmental experts and lawyers, before highlighting the concerns of both indigenous peoples and scientists in a court case. Chilean law stipulates that prior and informed consent must be received before undertaking any development project. The courts later ruled in favour of the Mapuche, stating that the projects would have been detrimental to the communities in the area, altering the environment and the course of a river that was culturally important. A fellow campaigner and representative of the Mapuche community, Miguel Melin, told the BBC's Alejandra Martins that Mr Curamil saw the Goldman award as \"an acknowledgment not to him in personal terms, but to the struggle that the communities of the territory and the Mapuche people have given in general\". Police arrested Mr Curamil for alleged participation in criminal activity and he has now been detained for nine months. His lawyer, Manuela Royo, told the BBC that his trial was likely to begin in July or August. Members of the ATM group recently posted an image on Twitter showing Mapuche students \"demanding the freedom\" of the indigenous leader. The Cautin River flows through the heart of Curacautin, a community in the region of Araucania in central-southern Chile. It is an important part of the landscape in the region, not only for environmental and agricultural reasons, but because it holds spiritual value to the indigenous Mapuche people. In the parts where the dams would have been located, locals believe the clean waters and vegetation provide remedies used by Mapuche to practice a traditional form of medicine called \"machi\". As Mr Curamil argued, the dam projects were not only illegal, but would have diverted hundreds of millions of gallons of water from the river each day, harming the critical ecosystem and exacerbating drought conditions in the area. A 2017 study published on the journal website Brill found that the Cautin River does indeed provide an important ecosystem in the region, not only because it contains numerous fish and freshwater crabs, but because of the aquatic insects that it attracts. The Mapuche are an indigenous community who say they belong to the land - \"mapu\" means land, and \"che\" means people. Some 9% of Chileans define themselves as Mapuche, making them the largest indigenous group in Chile. Before the arrival of the Spanish in the 16th Century, the Mapuche inhabited a vast swathe of land in the country's south. They resisted conquest until the late 19th Century, when they were rounded up into small communities. Much of their land was subsequently sold off to farmers and forestry companies. In recent years, tensions have increased and the Mapuche have waged a sometimes violent campaign to win back that land, often clashing with logging companies and farmers. Armed groups of radical activists have been burning houses, churches, lorries and forest plantations with increasing frequency to highlight their discontent with the way they have been treated. Chile's President Sebastian Pinera has said he is focusing on solving the centuries-old conflict with the Mapuche, and there are some signs of progress. Last year, Emilia Nuyado and Aracely Leuquen became the first two women of the indigenous Mapuche group to become members of Chile's Congress. The Goldman Environmental Prize was created in 1989 by US philanthropists Richard and Rhoda Goldman. Prize winners are selected by an international jury from nominations submitted by a global network of organisations and individuals, according to the award's official website. The annual Goldman prize is awarded to activists from six regions around the world. Winners each receive $200,000 (PS154,000). Other winners this year are: - Bayarjargal Agvaantseren (Mongolia): Helped create a huge nature reserve in the South Gobi Desert - a critical habitat for the vulnerable snow leopard - and persuaded the government to cancel all mining contracts within the reserve. - Alfred Brownell (Liberia): Prevented the clearing of a large area of Liberia's tropical forests by palm oil plantation developers. - Ana Colovic Lesoska (North Macedonia): Led a seven-year campaign to end funding for two large hydropower plants planned for a national park. - Jacqueline Evans (Cook Islands): For protecting marine biodiversity by encouraging new legislation to sustainably manage and conserve the country's ocean territory. - Linda Garcia (US): For mobilising local residents to stop the construction of a large oil export terminal in Vancouver, Washington.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4123, "answer_start": 3142, "text": "The Cautin River flows through the heart of Curacautin, a community in the region of Araucania in central-southern Chile. It is an important part of the landscape in the region, not only for environmental and agricultural reasons, but because it holds spiritual value to the indigenous Mapuche people. In the parts where the dams would have been located, locals believe the clean waters and vegetation provide remedies used by Mapuche to practice a traditional form of medicine called \"machi\". As Mr Curamil argued, the dam projects were not only illegal, but would have diverted hundreds of millions of gallons of water from the river each day, harming the critical ecosystem and exacerbating drought conditions in the area. A 2017 study published on the journal website Brill found that the Cautin River does indeed provide an important ecosystem in the region, not only because it contains numerous fish and freshwater crabs, but because of the aquatic insects that it attracts." } ], "id": "661_0", "question": "What makes the river so special?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5307, "answer_start": 4124, "text": "The Mapuche are an indigenous community who say they belong to the land - \"mapu\" means land, and \"che\" means people. Some 9% of Chileans define themselves as Mapuche, making them the largest indigenous group in Chile. Before the arrival of the Spanish in the 16th Century, the Mapuche inhabited a vast swathe of land in the country's south. They resisted conquest until the late 19th Century, when they were rounded up into small communities. Much of their land was subsequently sold off to farmers and forestry companies. In recent years, tensions have increased and the Mapuche have waged a sometimes violent campaign to win back that land, often clashing with logging companies and farmers. Armed groups of radical activists have been burning houses, churches, lorries and forest plantations with increasing frequency to highlight their discontent with the way they have been treated. Chile's President Sebastian Pinera has said he is focusing on solving the centuries-old conflict with the Mapuche, and there are some signs of progress. Last year, Emilia Nuyado and Aracely Leuquen became the first two women of the indigenous Mapuche group to become members of Chile's Congress." } ], "id": "661_1", "question": "Who are the Mapuche?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 6552, "answer_start": 5308, "text": "The Goldman Environmental Prize was created in 1989 by US philanthropists Richard and Rhoda Goldman. Prize winners are selected by an international jury from nominations submitted by a global network of organisations and individuals, according to the award's official website. The annual Goldman prize is awarded to activists from six regions around the world. Winners each receive $200,000 (PS154,000). Other winners this year are: - Bayarjargal Agvaantseren (Mongolia): Helped create a huge nature reserve in the South Gobi Desert - a critical habitat for the vulnerable snow leopard - and persuaded the government to cancel all mining contracts within the reserve. - Alfred Brownell (Liberia): Prevented the clearing of a large area of Liberia's tropical forests by palm oil plantation developers. - Ana Colovic Lesoska (North Macedonia): Led a seven-year campaign to end funding for two large hydropower plants planned for a national park. - Jacqueline Evans (Cook Islands): For protecting marine biodiversity by encouraging new legislation to sustainably manage and conserve the country's ocean territory. - Linda Garcia (US): For mobilising local residents to stop the construction of a large oil export terminal in Vancouver, Washington." } ], "id": "661_2", "question": "What is the Goldman award?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Afghanistan's conflict-weary citizens have cautiously welcomed the return of warlord Gulbuddin Hekmatyar to Kabul. The leader of Afghanistan's second-largest militant group, Mr Hekmatyar is an Islamist warlord accused of numerous atrocities during the civil war of the 1990s. But he has signed a peace deal with the Western-backed Afghan government and says he is abandoning violence. Afghan leaders say the deal is a step forward for the nation, but how significant is it really and what are Mr Hekmatyar's plans now? So far, no. Mr Hekmatyar's move to renounce violence seems not to be having any noticeable impact on the battlefield. The main insurgent groups fighting the Afghan and Nato-led forces are the Taliban and its semi-autonomous Haqqani network, al-Qaeda and recently the so-called Islamic State (IS) group. Mr Hekmatyar's forces were involved in sporadic small-scale attacks that were insignificant compared to the Taliban insurgency and they have largely tapered off in recent years. Half of his Hizb-e-Islami party supported the post-2001 Western-backed Afghan government and the rest remained with him. Some believe this is more a peace accord with a person than with a major political or militant party that is actively involved in the current conflict. Yes. His return is of greater symbolic importance. Mr Hekmatyar is still regarded as a religious figure who led a significant resistance movement against the former Soviet Union occupation of Afghanistan under the banner of jihad. Hekmatyar's history: - One of seven anti-Soviet faction chiefs who led mujahideen fighters in the war against Soviet occupation in the 1980s - Led the Hezb-e-Islami, which clashed with other mujahideen factions in the struggle for control of Kabul in the bloody civil war of the 1990s - Forced to flee from Kabul to Iran when the Taliban swept to power in 1996 - Iran expelled him in 2002, and in 2003 the US state department listed him as a terrorist, accusing him of taking part in attacks in Afghanistan - Signed a peace deal with the Afghan government in September 2016 His move to renounce the Taliban insurgency, calling it irreligious, plays to the interests of the Afghan government. The Taliban, al-Qaeda and IS recruit young fighters on the basis that they are fighting to defend their religion and culture from foreigners. But in his first public speech last week, Mr Hekmatyar told the Taliban that they were the reason for foreign forces' presence in Afghanistan. If they stopped fighting and there was peace, there would be no reason for the foreign forces to stay. This message is in line with the Afghan government's long-standing rhetoric. But the message may have more resonance coming from someone like him. It may not remove the defending-your-religion narrative for a large number of Taliban fighters but it will strengthen the religious counter-argument. Surprising many, Mr Hekmatyar has so far conveyed a more moderate image. Speaking at three public events in eastern Afghanistan and at the presidential palace in Kabul on Thursday, he said he accepted the constitution and supported free speech. He also said he regretted that there were no women at the public events. His wife and daughter did attend his welcome ceremony at the presidential palace, the first public appearance of his female family members. However, this may be aimed at showing he acknowledges the new political order and may not necessarily indicate he has changed. In the past, Mr Hekmatyar has gone to extreme lengths to achieve his political goals, including his bloody role in the devastating civil war. He also has supporters - on his second day in Kabul, he addressed a rally of thousands of people. So far he insists that he has not made peace to get to power or to secure ministerial positions for his party. But many see that promise as too good to be true. His speeches so far have hinted at future political involvement. He has spoken of a more centralised government, citing the new Turkish constitution, and says he opposes a parliamentary system. He says he rejects the current Afghan government - a power-sharing \"unity\" government led by President Ashraf Ghani, with presidential rival Abdullah Abdullah as chief executive - as not a true reflection of Afghan voters' will. He has also volunteered to mediate between the Taliban and the government. Many believe he is going to be a player at the upcoming presidential elections. If he does not stand as a candidate, he will likely be a kingmaker given the support he still has in rural areas. Opinions in Kabul are divided, and his return is being hotly debated on social media. Tens of thousands of people were killed during the civil war, in which Mr Hekmatyar played a destructive and violent part. Many believe the pursuit of justice has been compromised at the expense of peace. But others argue that since other former warlords are already part of the post-Taliban political system, including Mr Hekmatyar will not change much. Some also point out that the country needs a strong government and an independent judiciary to address gross human right violations during the years of civil strife, something that Afghanistan does not have now. But his return is difficult for those who lost loved ones during the civil war. In an illustration of the divisions, on Friday thousands attended his public address at Kabul sports stadium - but in western parts of Kabul many poured on to the streets to protest against him and to call for justice.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1272, "answer_start": 519, "text": "So far, no. Mr Hekmatyar's move to renounce violence seems not to be having any noticeable impact on the battlefield. The main insurgent groups fighting the Afghan and Nato-led forces are the Taliban and its semi-autonomous Haqqani network, al-Qaeda and recently the so-called Islamic State (IS) group. Mr Hekmatyar's forces were involved in sporadic small-scale attacks that were insignificant compared to the Taliban insurgency and they have largely tapered off in recent years. Half of his Hizb-e-Islami party supported the post-2001 Western-backed Afghan government and the rest remained with him. Some believe this is more a peace accord with a person than with a major political or militant party that is actively involved in the current conflict." } ], "id": "662_0", "question": "Will this help the security situation?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1503, "answer_start": 1273, "text": "Yes. His return is of greater symbolic importance. Mr Hekmatyar is still regarded as a religious figure who led a significant resistance movement against the former Soviet Union occupation of Afghanistan under the banner of jihad." } ], "id": "662_1", "question": "But is there a bigger picture?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3465, "answer_start": 2881, "text": "Surprising many, Mr Hekmatyar has so far conveyed a more moderate image. Speaking at three public events in eastern Afghanistan and at the presidential palace in Kabul on Thursday, he said he accepted the constitution and supported free speech. He also said he regretted that there were no women at the public events. His wife and daughter did attend his welcome ceremony at the presidential palace, the first public appearance of his female family members. However, this may be aimed at showing he acknowledges the new political order and may not necessarily indicate he has changed." } ], "id": "662_2", "question": "Is he a changed character?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4558, "answer_start": 3466, "text": "In the past, Mr Hekmatyar has gone to extreme lengths to achieve his political goals, including his bloody role in the devastating civil war. He also has supporters - on his second day in Kabul, he addressed a rally of thousands of people. So far he insists that he has not made peace to get to power or to secure ministerial positions for his party. But many see that promise as too good to be true. His speeches so far have hinted at future political involvement. He has spoken of a more centralised government, citing the new Turkish constitution, and says he opposes a parliamentary system. He says he rejects the current Afghan government - a power-sharing \"unity\" government led by President Ashraf Ghani, with presidential rival Abdullah Abdullah as chief executive - as not a true reflection of Afghan voters' will. He has also volunteered to mediate between the Taliban and the government. Many believe he is going to be a player at the upcoming presidential elections. If he does not stand as a candidate, he will likely be a kingmaker given the support he still has in rural areas." } ], "id": "662_3", "question": "Does he have political ambitions?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5510, "answer_start": 4559, "text": "Opinions in Kabul are divided, and his return is being hotly debated on social media. Tens of thousands of people were killed during the civil war, in which Mr Hekmatyar played a destructive and violent part. Many believe the pursuit of justice has been compromised at the expense of peace. But others argue that since other former warlords are already part of the post-Taliban political system, including Mr Hekmatyar will not change much. Some also point out that the country needs a strong government and an independent judiciary to address gross human right violations during the years of civil strife, something that Afghanistan does not have now. But his return is difficult for those who lost loved ones during the civil war. In an illustration of the divisions, on Friday thousands attended his public address at Kabul sports stadium - but in western parts of Kabul many poured on to the streets to protest against him and to call for justice." } ], "id": "662_4", "question": "How do people in Kabul feel?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "A Canadian province has passed legislation that would bar civil servants in positions of \"authority\" from wearing religious symbols at work. The Coalition Avenir Quebec's (CAQ) bill covers judges, police officers, teachers and other public figures. It prevents the wearing of symbols such as the kippah, turban or hijab at work. Also passed was an immigration bill that scraps some 18,000 pending applications from skilled immigrants, affecting some 50,000 people. That controversial move is part of an immigration programme overhaul the government says will help the province meet labour market needs and improve the integration of newcomers. The secularism bill in particular has sparked protests and debate in the province since its introduction. It was passed late on Sunday night following a rare weekend sitting at the Quebec provincial legislature. Existing employees will be exempt from the bill. The centre-right CAQ was elected last autumn in part on pledges to restrict immigration and to bring in secularism legislation. The bill does not mention any specific religion and would include symbols worn by a person of any faith, including Christian. Still, critics argue the legislation unfairly targets Muslim women in the province who wear hijabs or other head-coverings. In an attempt to insulate the legislation from a legal battle, the CAQ pre-emptively included the \"notwithstanding clause\" in the bill. That clause is part of the Constitution that allows the government to override \"fundamental freedoms\" of religion, expression, and association; the right to life, liberty and security of the person; and freedom from discrimination - essentially an opt-out option that can be used for a five-year period. The CAQ also included amendments to the bill that would help ensure enforcement of the new law. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said that he does not \"think a lot of people feel that in a free society we should be legitimising discrimination of our citizens based on religion\". Montreal, the largest city in the province, is where most immigrants to Quebec settle. In April, its city council unanimously voiced its opposition to Bill 21. Religious groups and organisations like the National Council for Canadian Muslims, the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, B'nai Brith, and the Anglican dioceses of Quebec have come out in opposition, as have some school boards and unions. The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs called Bill 21 \"reckless\", while the National Council of Canadian Muslims and the Canadian Civil Liberties Association announced a joint legal challenge against the bill. Which groups are in favour of the bill? Secularism, or laicite, organisations and their supporters have praised the law as a reasonable step towards enshrining the separation or Church and state in Quebec. Besides the governing CAQ, two political parties - the provincial Parti Quebecois and the federal Bloc Quebecois - also support Bill 21. Numerous opinion polls have also indicated that about two-thirds of Quebec residents support a religious symbols ban in some form. The debate over secularism has played a significant role in the province's public discourse for over a decade, and this is not the first attempt by a Quebec political party to bring in related legislation. In 2014, the Parti Quebecois proposed a so-called Charter of Values, legislation that would have barred public servants from wearing religious symbols and made it mandatory to have one's face uncovered when providing or receiving a government service. In 2017, the provincial Liberals passed more narrowly focused legislation that barred people from wearing face coverings when giving or receiving a public service, which was quickly challenged in court and suspended by a Canadian judge a year ago.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3100, "answer_start": 1819, "text": "Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said that he does not \"think a lot of people feel that in a free society we should be legitimising discrimination of our citizens based on religion\". Montreal, the largest city in the province, is where most immigrants to Quebec settle. In April, its city council unanimously voiced its opposition to Bill 21. Religious groups and organisations like the National Council for Canadian Muslims, the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, B'nai Brith, and the Anglican dioceses of Quebec have come out in opposition, as have some school boards and unions. The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs called Bill 21 \"reckless\", while the National Council of Canadian Muslims and the Canadian Civil Liberties Association announced a joint legal challenge against the bill. Which groups are in favour of the bill? Secularism, or laicite, organisations and their supporters have praised the law as a reasonable step towards enshrining the separation or Church and state in Quebec. Besides the governing CAQ, two political parties - the provincial Parti Quebecois and the federal Bloc Quebecois - also support Bill 21. Numerous opinion polls have also indicated that about two-thirds of Quebec residents support a religious symbols ban in some form." } ], "id": "663_0", "question": "Who has spoken out against the bill?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3806, "answer_start": 3101, "text": "The debate over secularism has played a significant role in the province's public discourse for over a decade, and this is not the first attempt by a Quebec political party to bring in related legislation. In 2014, the Parti Quebecois proposed a so-called Charter of Values, legislation that would have barred public servants from wearing religious symbols and made it mandatory to have one's face uncovered when providing or receiving a government service. In 2017, the provincial Liberals passed more narrowly focused legislation that barred people from wearing face coverings when giving or receiving a public service, which was quickly challenged in court and suspended by a Canadian judge a year ago." } ], "id": "663_1", "question": "Is this a first for Quebec?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Boris Johnson has insisted preparations for a no-deal Brexit are on track, despite a leaked report warning of potential food and medicine shortages. The prime minister said preparations had been \"very far advanced\" ahead of the original 29 March deadline. Meanwhile, Mr Johnson has written to EU Council President Donald Tusk to outline his opposition to the Irish border backstop plan. Jeremy Corbyn has vowed to do \"everything necessary\" to stop no deal. In a speech earlier, the Labour leader said the leaked report made it \"crystal clear how bad things will get\" if the UK leaves without a deal on 31 October. He added that the leak showed \"chaos and dislocation\" after a no-deal was \"very real and threatening\". It comes as local council planning documents seen by the BBC warned that school meal nutrition standards may need to be amended or discarded after a no deal. Some councils are anticipating they will not meet the standards because of an anticipated rise in food prices and restriction of choice. According to Operation Yellowhammer, the dossier leaked to the Sunday Times, the UK could face months of disruption at its ports after a no-deal Brexit. Plans to avoid a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic are unlikely to prove sustainable, it adds. Michael Gove, the cabinet minister responsible for no-deal planning, has said the information in the leaked dossier was old and Brexit planning had accelerated since Mr Johnson became prime minister. The BBC has been told the study was first seen by devolved governments earlier this month. Speaking on Monday, Mr Johnson said he was \"confident\" the EU would agree to a new Brexit deal, but the UK would be ready to leave without one if needed. \"I'm not pretending that there won't be bumps on the road [...] but if everybody puts their minds to it, I have absolutely no doubt that we can get ready,\" he added. The prime minister has said he wants to leave the EU with a deal, but the UK must leave \"do or die\" by the end of October. He wants the EU to ditch the Irish border backstop plan from the deal negotiated by Mrs May, which was rejected three times by Parliament. In his letter to Mr Tusk, Mr Johnson insisted he was committed to ensuring there was no hard border. He proposed \"flexible and creative solutions to the unique circumstances on the island of Ireland\". \"I propose that the backstop should be replaced with a commitment to put in place such arrangements as far as possible before the end of the transition period, as part of the future relationship,\" he wrote. The EU has continued to insist the policy - intended to guarantee there will not be a hard Irish border after Brexit - must remain and cannot be changed. Those involved with drafting the backstop read and re-read the prime minister's letter with mounting dread. It shows that the UK is not committed to a fully worked up - \"legally operable\" - insurance policy for the Irish border to be contained in the Brexit divorce treaty. That crosses a major EU red line. Instead Mr Johnson has proposed using the post-Brexit transition period to search for alternative ways of keeping the border open. If they can't be found, the UK is committing to having a fall-back option. Yes... something you might call \"a backstop.\" A lot of this had been telegraphed to the EU in advance by the prime minister and his advisers but it feels different now it's on paper. Tonight European diplomats wonder whether they are being asked to sign up to something that's too vague, too difficult to achieve, or just too hard for them to accept. Mr Johnson's comments came after Downing Street rejected calls from Mr Corbyn and 100 MPs for Parliament to be recalled from its summer recess to discuss Brexit. A No 10 spokeswoman said a large majority of MPs had previously voted to approve the motion specifying that Parliament would return on 3 September. Mr Gove is expected to update MPs on no-deal preparations when the Commons returns. Speaking earlier, Mr Corbyn said a general election was required to offer the \"change of direction the country needs\". He has sought the support of opposition MPs for a plan under which he would be installed as caretaker PM if the government is defeated in a no-confidence motion when the Commons returns from recess in two weeks' time. Under his proposal, Mr Corbyn would form an emergency government, delay Brexit, call a snap election and campaign for another referendum. The SNP and Plaid Cymru have not ruled out their support for the plan but the Liberal Democrats and some potential Tory allies have said they would not support putting Mr Corbyn in Downing Street. Mr Johnson is travelling to France and Germany to meet EU leaders later this week. The prime minister will insist there must be a new Brexit deal when he holds talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron. The leaked dossier said leaving the EU without a deal could lead to: - Fresh food becoming less available and prices rising - A hard Irish border after plans to avoid checks fail, sparking protests - Fuel becoming less available and 2,000 jobs being lost if the government sets petrol import tariffs to 0%, potentially causing two oil refineries to close - UK patients having to wait longer for medicines, including insulin and flu vaccines - A rise in public disorder and community tensions resulting from a shortage of food and drugs - Passengers being delayed at EU airports, Eurotunnel and Dover - Freight disruption at ports lasting up to three months, caused by customs checks, before traffic flow improves to 50-70% of the current rate.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5636, "answer_start": 4893, "text": "The leaked dossier said leaving the EU without a deal could lead to: - Fresh food becoming less available and prices rising - A hard Irish border after plans to avoid checks fail, sparking protests - Fuel becoming less available and 2,000 jobs being lost if the government sets petrol import tariffs to 0%, potentially causing two oil refineries to close - UK patients having to wait longer for medicines, including insulin and flu vaccines - A rise in public disorder and community tensions resulting from a shortage of food and drugs - Passengers being delayed at EU airports, Eurotunnel and Dover - Freight disruption at ports lasting up to three months, caused by customs checks, before traffic flow improves to 50-70% of the current rate." } ], "id": "664_0", "question": "What did the leaked no-deal document say?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Who is Nesamani and why is seemingly everyone in the world praying for him on Twitter? Many Indians were left wondering what was going on as #Pray_for_Neasamani and #Nesamani began trending first in India and then across the world. And no-one seemed to know him - apart from those from the southern state of Tamil Nadu who began the trend. Contractor Nesamani is actually a fictional character from a 2001 Tamil film played by an iconic comedian. The \"plea\" to pray for him is based on a scene from the popular film Friends. In the scene, Nesamani is a building contractor played by actor Vadivelu. He is trying to restore a historic building, but is struggling with his bumbling assistants who insist on taking everything he says literally. Disaster soon strikes. One of them, who is trying to fix a doorway at the top of a staircase, drops his hammer. It lands right on top of Nesamani's head, causing him to (very theatrically) fall down. #Nesamani is still the number one trend in India on Twitter, and also the second trend worldwide. According to Sowmya Rajendran, the film and features editor for the south Indian website The News Minute, it all began with a memes page in Pakistan on Wednesday. Someone on the page, called Civil Engineering Learners, posted a picture of a hammer with the question \"what is the name of this tool in your country?\". This prompted an alert Tamil Facebook user to comment that it was called Suthiyal in his language and then added, without any context whatsoever, that \"contractor Nesamani's head was broken... with it\". \"Another Tamil user who was clearly in on the joke answered 'is he ok now?' and that's where it all began,\" Ms Rajendran said. Other Tamil users began commenting as well, all making references to the scene from the film. And soon, it took on a life of its own. On Twitter, people began \"praying for him\" and the memes it seems, wouldn't stop coming. Nothing was spared. People referenced \"hospital bulletins\" similar to those issued when prominent state politicians are sick and there were even photoshopped 'tweets' from world leaders. And everyone wanted in. Politicians piped up, as did senior journalists and stars from the film fraternity. Many seemed to revel in the fact that no-one in the rest of the country seemed to know what was going on, with many making mocking references to politics. \"As you know, Tamil Nadu completely bucked the national trend, voting overwhelmingly in favour of the party that did not ally with (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). \"In Tamil Nadu, people take a lot of pride in their culture - in standing apart and being different. This is also an assertion of identity. The rest of India doesn't understand us - we walk our own path,\" said Ms Rajendran. She added that for the people of the state, the film was so familiar, they didn't even have to \"think twice\" when it became a meme. \"Vadivelu is very popular here and Tamil Nadu has a very vibrant meme culture. So his films from the 90s and early 2000s are used a lot in memes - particularly in political commentary,\" she said. But what does the man himself think? \"We asked him that ourselves and several Tamil television channels had reached out to him to ask precisely that. But he isn't on social media and he said he had no idea what was going on,\" she said.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1558, "answer_start": 1040, "text": "According to Sowmya Rajendran, the film and features editor for the south Indian website The News Minute, it all began with a memes page in Pakistan on Wednesday. Someone on the page, called Civil Engineering Learners, posted a picture of a hammer with the question \"what is the name of this tool in your country?\". This prompted an alert Tamil Facebook user to comment that it was called Suthiyal in his language and then added, without any context whatsoever, that \"contractor Nesamani's head was broken... with it\"." } ], "id": "665_0", "question": "But why is this trending now?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "A Saudi teenager who fled her family alleging abuse and got stranded at a Bangkok airport has arrived in Canada after being granted asylum there. Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun, 18, had been trying to reach Australia via Bangkok but was initially told to return to Kuwait, where her family were waiting. She refused to fly back and barricaded herself into her airport hotel room, attracting international attention. She also said she had renounced Islam, punishable by death in Saudi Arabia. Canada's Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland introduced the teenager as \"a very brave new Canadian\" but said that Ms al-Qunun was tired from her ordeal and long journey and would not be making any public statement on Saturday. \"She is a very brave young woman who has been through a lot... and she is now going to go to her new home,\" the minister added. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau earlier told reporters that his country had granted a request from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to grant asylum. \"Canada has been unequivocal that we will always stand up for human rights and women's rights around the world,\" he said. She arrived in Pearson International Airport on a Korean Air flight from Seoul on Saturday. She had tweeted photos that appeared to show her aboard the jet just before take-off, with the words, \"I did it!\" Ms Qunun told the BBC earlier that she was afraid her family would kill her. \"I can't study and work in my country, so I want to be free and study and work as I want,\" she said. Separately, she told AFP news agency she had suffered physical and psychological abuse from her family, including being locked in her room for six months for cutting her hair. A spokesperson for her family told the BBC that they did not wish to comment and all they cared about was the young woman's safety. The UN's refugee agency (UNHCR) said it considered her to be a legitimate refugee and welcomed Canada's decision to grant her asylum. \"International refugee law and overriding values of humanity have prevailed,\" said the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi. Canada has previously angered Saudi Arabia after calling for the release of detained women's rights activists in the country - prompting Riyadh to expel Canada's ambassador and freeze all new trade. She had been on a trip to Kuwait with her family when she fled on a flight to the Thai capital, saying she intended to take a connecting flight to Australia and had an Australian visa. But she says her passport was seized by a Saudi diplomat when he met her coming off the flight in Bangkok, leaving her stranded. A Saudi envoy in Bangkok denied any official Saudi involvement in Ms Qunun's detention, and her passport was later returned. Thai officials initially described her case as a \"family problem\" and said she would be repatriated back to Kuwait the next day. However, Ms Qunun sent a series of tweets pleading for help from her airport hotel room, and her case was picked up by Human Rights Watch and journalists. Thailand allowed her to stay and the UN assessed her claim for asylum.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1347, "answer_start": 1142, "text": "She arrived in Pearson International Airport on a Korean Air flight from Seoul on Saturday. She had tweeted photos that appeared to show her aboard the jet just before take-off, with the words, \"I did it!\"" } ], "id": "666_0", "question": "How did she reach Canada?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2304, "answer_start": 1348, "text": "Ms Qunun told the BBC earlier that she was afraid her family would kill her. \"I can't study and work in my country, so I want to be free and study and work as I want,\" she said. Separately, she told AFP news agency she had suffered physical and psychological abuse from her family, including being locked in her room for six months for cutting her hair. A spokesperson for her family told the BBC that they did not wish to comment and all they cared about was the young woman's safety. The UN's refugee agency (UNHCR) said it considered her to be a legitimate refugee and welcomed Canada's decision to grant her asylum. \"International refugee law and overriding values of humanity have prevailed,\" said the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi. Canada has previously angered Saudi Arabia after calling for the release of detained women's rights activists in the country - prompting Riyadh to expel Canada's ambassador and freeze all new trade." } ], "id": "666_1", "question": "Why did she flee?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3098, "answer_start": 2305, "text": "She had been on a trip to Kuwait with her family when she fled on a flight to the Thai capital, saying she intended to take a connecting flight to Australia and had an Australian visa. But she says her passport was seized by a Saudi diplomat when he met her coming off the flight in Bangkok, leaving her stranded. A Saudi envoy in Bangkok denied any official Saudi involvement in Ms Qunun's detention, and her passport was later returned. Thai officials initially described her case as a \"family problem\" and said she would be repatriated back to Kuwait the next day. However, Ms Qunun sent a series of tweets pleading for help from her airport hotel room, and her case was picked up by Human Rights Watch and journalists. Thailand allowed her to stay and the UN assessed her claim for asylum." } ], "id": "666_2", "question": "How did she end up in Bangkok?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Democrats have criticised a blog post on the website of the US embassy in London about President Donald Trump's luxury Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. The blog, published on 5 April but removed on Monday night, details the history of the 114-room mansion, often described as the \"winter White House\". House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Oregon Senator Ron Wyden accused the state department of promoting Mr Trump's \"private club\". The department has issued no comment. In her tweet, Ms Pelosi wrote: \"Why is @realDonaldTrump's State Dept promoting the President's private club? #Trump100Days.\" Meanwhile, Sen Wyden, an Oregon Democrat, wrote: \"Yes, I am curious @StateDept. Why are taxpayer $$ promoting the President's private country club?\" State department spokesman Mark Toner was not aware of the post when the issue was raised by the media on Monday, CNN reports. The blog post says that \"Mar-a-Lago, President Trump's Florida estate, has become well known as the president frequently travels there to work or host foreign leaders\". Mr Trump has hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at the resort. The post also states that Mr Trump \"is not the first president to have access to Mar-a-Lago as a Florida retreat, but he is the first one to use it. \"By visiting this 'winter White House,' Trump is belatedly fulfilling the dream of Mar-a-Lago's original owner and designer.\" Has Trump kept his promises? 100 voters reflect on Trump's 100 days How much has Trump achieved so far? Since taking office, the president has spent seven weekends at Mar-a-Lago, which he bought in 1985 and turned into a private members club. His visits have led to concerns over costs and mixing business with politics. The club has raised its initiation fees from from $100,000 to $200,000 (PS78,190-156,380) following Mr Trump's election. Since Mr Trump's inauguration, Democratic groups and ethics watchdogs have been monitoring whether there has been a potential conflict of interest that could benefit his business holdings while he is in office. In December, Mr Trump announced that he planned to shut his charitable foundation, although an investigation into its practices continues.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1521, "answer_start": 1418, "text": "Has Trump kept his promises? 100 voters reflect on Trump's 100 days How much has Trump achieved so far?" } ], "id": "667_0", "question": "How has Trump done so far?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The UN has called for an independent investigation into the death of former Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi. The 67-year-old died after he collapsed during a court appearance on Monday. Morsi was Egypt's first democratically elected president but had been in custody since his removal by the military in 2013. His family have long raised concerns over his treatment in prison and say that the authorities refused a request for him to be buried in his home town. Instead the former leader was laid to rest in eastern Cairo early on Tuesday morning under reportedly tight security. A statement from Rupert Colville, spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, pointed to Egypt's obligations to treat its prisoners humanely in calling for an investigation. \"Concerns have been raised regarding the conditions of Mr Morsi's detention, including access to adequate medical care, as well as sufficient access to his lawyers and family, during his nearly six years in custody. He also appears to have been held in prolonged solitary confinement,\" he said. \"We believe it is clear there must be a thorough independent inquiry into the circumstances of Mr Morsi's death, including the conditions of his detention,\" he added. Morsi died while appearing in court on spying charges. He was already facing decades in jail after being convicted in separate trials. A forensic report has been ordered into his death. His former party, the Muslim Brotherhood and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a close ally of Morsi, are among those who have blamed the Egyptian leadership for his death. Born in the village of El-Adwah in 1951, Morsi studied engineering at Cairo University in the 1970s before moving to the US to complete a PhD. He was chosen as the Muslim Brotherhood's presidential candidate for the 2012 election after the movement's preferred choice was forced to pull out. During his turbulent year in office, Morsi was accused of mounting an Islamist coup and mishandling the economy. Public opposition to his government grew and millions of anti-government protesters took to the streets across Egypt to mark the first anniversary of the day he took office, on 30 June 2013. Three days later, the army suspended the constitution, announced an interim government ahead of new elections and detained Morsi, who denounced the move as a coup. The then-army chief Abdul Fattah al-Sisi was elected president in 2014 and re-elected last year in polls rights groups called \"farcical\". Hundreds of people have been killed and tens of thousands of others detained in the subsequent crackdown.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2616, "answer_start": 1613, "text": "Born in the village of El-Adwah in 1951, Morsi studied engineering at Cairo University in the 1970s before moving to the US to complete a PhD. He was chosen as the Muslim Brotherhood's presidential candidate for the 2012 election after the movement's preferred choice was forced to pull out. During his turbulent year in office, Morsi was accused of mounting an Islamist coup and mishandling the economy. Public opposition to his government grew and millions of anti-government protesters took to the streets across Egypt to mark the first anniversary of the day he took office, on 30 June 2013. Three days later, the army suspended the constitution, announced an interim government ahead of new elections and detained Morsi, who denounced the move as a coup. The then-army chief Abdul Fattah al-Sisi was elected president in 2014 and re-elected last year in polls rights groups called \"farcical\". Hundreds of people have been killed and tens of thousands of others detained in the subsequent crackdown." } ], "id": "668_0", "question": "Who was Mohammed Morsi?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "\"The first I knew that something had gone wrong was on the Tuesday morning when I heard a vehicle coming up the drive.\" Jeremy Farmer's life changed two years ago when his son, Ed, died during a university initiation ceremony. A post-mortem examination found the 20-year-old had five times the legal drink-drive limit of alcohol in his blood. He now wants any students involved in initiations in the future to be expelled. After the inquest into Ed's death Jeremy said the family were left frustrated by \"the apparent inactivity of Newcastle University and its student union to get to the heart of the problem of student initiations\". Currently, universities don't have to abide by any set guidelines around student initiations. Many have banned them, but don't enforce that ban. However, Universities UK says that many institutions are doing proactive work to tackle the behaviour. A working group is being set up including students, parents, experts and university leaders to develop policies to tackle the problems linked to student initiations and freshers' celebrations. It said they \"aim to encourage students to avoid risky behaviours such as excessive alcohol consumption and to combat bullying or sexual harassment\". The National Union of Students believes there has been a shift in the culture surrounding initiations. \"We're not saying that it doesn't exist, because it clearly does, but we know that students are spending less on alcohol and that's a clear indicator for us that their focus is changing,\" says Rosie Hunnam, a Student Opportunities Consultant with the NUS. \"I do believe that this culture around pressuring people to drink has changed, but it doesn't mean that it isn't still there - particularly in some of these older clubs,\" she goes on. In truth, it's tough. Often these initiations are steeped in tradition and seen as a harmless rite of passage. But, at the inquest into Ed Farmer's death it was acknowledged that although initiation events weren't tolerated at Newcastle University it was \"practically an impossible task\" to eradicate them. At one bar, the group who were with Ed had ordered about 100 triple vodkas. Some first-years had their heads shaved, drank vodka from a pig's head and bobbed for apples in a mixture of urine and alcohol. Jeremy Farmer has told the BBC institutions need to enforce bans on unsafe initiation ceremonies. \"Ed's is not the first utterly needless and wasteful death to come about through this potentially fatal practice,\" he said. At the time, he said they had made the \"most difficult decision\" to agree to the release of CCTV footage showing Ed on the ground at a Metro station. He hoped it would \"bring home to students and universities the real dangers associated with the practice of initiations\". Coroner Karen Dilks said there was a lack of awareness of the \"inherent risks\" of binge drinking and that Ed had died as a \"direct effect\" of consuming so much alcohol in a short period of time. She said first-year students should be formally trained about the potentially fatal risks of alcohol. Newcastle University said it would be \"reflecting carefully on all that we have learned at the inquest\". If you feel under pressure to take part in an initiation ceremony or coerced into freshers' hazing - you can complain. Universities UK advises going to your university authority - every uni will have a Complaints Officer, Complaint Adjudicator or Complaint Committee. The behaviour which is pressuring you would fall under bullying, which is forbidden within universities. At that point, the perpetrator/s would be subject to disciplinary action. The National Union of Students is clear that there should never be any pressure to do things that you don't want to do. \"If you ever feel uncomfortable either before, during or after don't go, try and leave or raise it with someone,\" says Rosie Hunnam from the NUS. \"If it's a student union organised event then raise it with them, or with your personal tutor or the support or advice service within the student's union.\" Rosie also advises speaking to someone else you trust at the event and getting their take on it all. \"I would hope that if you turned around and said, 'No, this isn't something I want to do' then the leaders of that group would accept it,\" she says. \"And, hopefully, question why they were doing it too.\" 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": 1768, "answer_start": 635, "text": "Currently, universities don't have to abide by any set guidelines around student initiations. Many have banned them, but don't enforce that ban. However, Universities UK says that many institutions are doing proactive work to tackle the behaviour. A working group is being set up including students, parents, experts and university leaders to develop policies to tackle the problems linked to student initiations and freshers' celebrations. It said they \"aim to encourage students to avoid risky behaviours such as excessive alcohol consumption and to combat bullying or sexual harassment\". The National Union of Students believes there has been a shift in the culture surrounding initiations. \"We're not saying that it doesn't exist, because it clearly does, but we know that students are spending less on alcohol and that's a clear indicator for us that their focus is changing,\" says Rosie Hunnam, a Student Opportunities Consultant with the NUS. \"I do believe that this culture around pressuring people to drink has changed, but it doesn't mean that it isn't still there - particularly in some of these older clubs,\" she goes on." } ], "id": "669_0", "question": "So, what are the rules?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3175, "answer_start": 1769, "text": "In truth, it's tough. Often these initiations are steeped in tradition and seen as a harmless rite of passage. But, at the inquest into Ed Farmer's death it was acknowledged that although initiation events weren't tolerated at Newcastle University it was \"practically an impossible task\" to eradicate them. At one bar, the group who were with Ed had ordered about 100 triple vodkas. Some first-years had their heads shaved, drank vodka from a pig's head and bobbed for apples in a mixture of urine and alcohol. Jeremy Farmer has told the BBC institutions need to enforce bans on unsafe initiation ceremonies. \"Ed's is not the first utterly needless and wasteful death to come about through this potentially fatal practice,\" he said. At the time, he said they had made the \"most difficult decision\" to agree to the release of CCTV footage showing Ed on the ground at a Metro station. He hoped it would \"bring home to students and universities the real dangers associated with the practice of initiations\". Coroner Karen Dilks said there was a lack of awareness of the \"inherent risks\" of binge drinking and that Ed had died as a \"direct effect\" of consuming so much alcohol in a short period of time. She said first-year students should be formally trained about the potentially fatal risks of alcohol. Newcastle University said it would be \"reflecting carefully on all that we have learned at the inquest\"." } ], "id": "669_1", "question": "How can the rules be enforced?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4526, "answer_start": 3176, "text": "If you feel under pressure to take part in an initiation ceremony or coerced into freshers' hazing - you can complain. Universities UK advises going to your university authority - every uni will have a Complaints Officer, Complaint Adjudicator or Complaint Committee. The behaviour which is pressuring you would fall under bullying, which is forbidden within universities. At that point, the perpetrator/s would be subject to disciplinary action. The National Union of Students is clear that there should never be any pressure to do things that you don't want to do. \"If you ever feel uncomfortable either before, during or after don't go, try and leave or raise it with someone,\" says Rosie Hunnam from the NUS. \"If it's a student union organised event then raise it with them, or with your personal tutor or the support or advice service within the student's union.\" Rosie also advises speaking to someone else you trust at the event and getting their take on it all. \"I would hope that if you turned around and said, 'No, this isn't something I want to do' then the leaders of that group would accept it,\" she says. \"And, hopefully, question why they were doing it too.\" 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": "669_2", "question": "Who can you complain to?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Emperor Akihito has become the first Japanese monarch to stand down in more than 200 years, handing over to his son, Naruhito. The 85-year-old was given special legal permission to abdicate after saying he felt unable to fulfil his role because of declining health. We asked BBC readers to send us their questions on this story - here's a selection. The emperor is the head of state but has no political powers. The role is largely ceremonial, and involves duties such as greeting foreign dignitaries and attending cultural and public events. Some constitutional duties, such as the opening of parliament, also fall to the emperor but are based on cabinet decision. The monarchy is closely entwined with Shintoism, the traditional religion of Japan, which places huge emphasis on ritual. The emperor is expected to perform those regular religious ceremonies. The emperor is constitutionally barred from making any political statement. This was an important part of the abdication process. Akihito could not say explicitly that he wanted to stand down, as that would have been considered a comment on the law. Any public comment he has made, including his abdication speech on Tuesday, would have had to be signed off by cabinet. The father and son will now essentially swap houses. Akihito - now called Emperor Emeritus - and his wife Michiko will move to a temporary residence in Tokyo but will eventually settle at Togu Palace, until now the home of the crown prince. Emperor Naruhito will move into the Imperial Palace. What will they do? Pretty much what most retired couples do. Japan's Kyodo news agency cites the Imperial Household as saying that they will spend time with friends, listen to music and read. Akihito is also known to enjoy gardening and is a keen marine biologist - it's thought he will continue to visit the Imperial Palace to continue his research, according to the agency. Each Japanese emperor's reign is given a name that is then used alongside the Western calendar to mark the years. The calendar works by putting the era name together with whichever year it is since the corresponding emperor came to the throne. As the previous emperor's era was Heisei and he assumed the throne 31 years ago, Tuesday was the last day of the year Heisei 31. This Wednesday is the first day of Emperor Naruhito's era - called Reiwa. Hence, Wednesday is the first day of Reiwa 1. According to the Japanese government, the official translation of Reiwa is beautiful harmony. The term is made up of the two characters Rei and Wa. Rei can mean \"commands\" or \"order\", as well as \"auspicious\" or \"good\". Wa often means \"harmony\", and is also used in the Japanese word for \"peace\" - \"hei-wa\". In terms of months, however, Japan sticks with the Gregorian calendar and the transition to Reiwa 2 will be on 1 January - not on 1 May next year. There has been a lot of interest and speculation in Japan about what the new emperor will be like. His first speech as emperor on Wednesday echoed much of what his father said the previous day - expressing their sense of duty to the Japanese public. That suggests Naruhito will try to continue in a similar vein. He also expressed his hope for happiness and world peace. Wishing peace not just to Japan but the world is seen by some observers as indication he supports the pacifist stance Japan has taken ever since being defeated in World War Two. The current administration under Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is trying to revise the constitution to allow for a more active role of Japan's military which currently is known as the \"self-defence forces\". Under the Imperial Household Law of 1947 only men can ascend to the throne. Emperor Naruhito only has a daughter, Princess Aiko, and for a long time his brother Fumihito also only had two daughters. With no male heir in sight, the government in 2004 began working on changing the law to allow for an empress. But in 2006, Fumihito had another child and this time it was a boy so the changes were put on hold. So Prince Fumihito is currently next in line to succeed his brother, followed by Prince Hisahito. Third in line is Masahito, the outgoing emperor's 83-year-old brother who took part in this week's ceremonies in a wheelchair. Should Hisahito not grow up to have son that would spark another succession crisis. The government could pick up those plans from 2004 and change the law. Until World War Two, the emperor was seen as a divine leader. That divinity was renounced by Emperor Hirohito following Japan's defeat and while the emperor was not prosecuted for war crimes he had been part of Japan's leadership during the war. So in the decades after the war, when he continued as emperor, the question of whether to abolish the imperial family was not uncommon, the BBC's Yuko Kato in Tokyo says. While there's been a lot more support for Emperor Akihito, she says, and while many enjoy the pomp and circumstances of a monarchy, there are still many who remain ambivalent about whether a modern Japan still needs the Imperial Family. There are also small but vocal activist groups calling for an end the monarchy, who rally on key events.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1898, "answer_start": 1229, "text": "The father and son will now essentially swap houses. Akihito - now called Emperor Emeritus - and his wife Michiko will move to a temporary residence in Tokyo but will eventually settle at Togu Palace, until now the home of the crown prince. Emperor Naruhito will move into the Imperial Palace. What will they do? Pretty much what most retired couples do. Japan's Kyodo news agency cites the Imperial Household as saying that they will spend time with friends, listen to music and read. Akihito is also known to enjoy gardening and is a keen marine biologist - it's thought he will continue to visit the Imperial Palace to continue his research, according to the agency." } ], "id": "670_0", "question": "Amy asked: What will Akihito do now?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3597, "answer_start": 2846, "text": "There has been a lot of interest and speculation in Japan about what the new emperor will be like. His first speech as emperor on Wednesday echoed much of what his father said the previous day - expressing their sense of duty to the Japanese public. That suggests Naruhito will try to continue in a similar vein. He also expressed his hope for happiness and world peace. Wishing peace not just to Japan but the world is seen by some observers as indication he supports the pacifist stance Japan has taken ever since being defeated in World War Two. The current administration under Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is trying to revise the constitution to allow for a more active role of Japan's military which currently is known as the \"self-defence forces\"." } ], "id": "670_1", "question": "Daniel asks: What kind of emperor is Naruhito likely to be?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5145, "answer_start": 4387, "text": "Until World War Two, the emperor was seen as a divine leader. That divinity was renounced by Emperor Hirohito following Japan's defeat and while the emperor was not prosecuted for war crimes he had been part of Japan's leadership during the war. So in the decades after the war, when he continued as emperor, the question of whether to abolish the imperial family was not uncommon, the BBC's Yuko Kato in Tokyo says. While there's been a lot more support for Emperor Akihito, she says, and while many enjoy the pomp and circumstances of a monarchy, there are still many who remain ambivalent about whether a modern Japan still needs the Imperial Family. There are also small but vocal activist groups calling for an end the monarchy, who rally on key events." } ], "id": "670_2", "question": "Leigh asks: Is there a republican movement in Japan?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "A charity has condemned an air strike near a hospital in rebel-held north-western Yemen that killed at least eight people, five of them children. A missile hit a petrol station 50m (164ft) from the entrance of the Kitaf rural hospital on Tuesday morning, according to Save the Children. The blast also injured eight people. It was not clear who was behind the attack, but a Saudi-led coalition is carrying out air strikes in support of the government in Yemen's civil war. The coalition insists it never deliberately targets civilians, but human rights groups have accused it of bombing markets, schools, hospitals and residential areas. Tuesday was the fourth anniversary of the escalation of the civil war, which has killed thousands and pushed millions to the brink of starvation. Save the Children says the petrol station in the area, which is 60km (40 miles) from the city of Saada, was struck by a missile at about 09:30 (06:30 GMT) on Tuesday, as many people were arriving at the nearby hospital. An eight-year-old boy was the youngest person killed. Another boy aged 10, two boys aged 12, and one boy aged 14 also lost their lives. One injured health worker, who was in the emergency room treating two young children when the strike happened, said: \"All people were screaming and running out of the hospital. The structure of the hospital was totally damaged inside. Our colleague lost two children. They were burned. \"I got injured in my head and I was bleeding. I ran away from the hospital with my colleague to a safe place but we found nothing that could help me stop the bleeding. It was the most difficult moment of my life.\" Helle Thorning-Schmidt, the chief executive of Save the Children International, said she was \"shocked and appalled by this outrageous attack\" on a medical facility that the charity supported, and she demanded an urgent investigation. \"Innocent children and health workers have lost their lives in what appears to been an indiscriminate attack on a hospital in a densely populated civilian area. Attacks like these are a breach of international law,\" she added. This hospital was \"de-conflicted\", which means all the warring parties were made aware of its location and were obliged to avoid it by a radius of 100m. Residents and the rebel Houthi movement blamed the Saudi-led coalition for the attack, and Save the Children noted that the only warring party with access to planes that can carry out air strikes is the coalition. The rebel-run health ministry condemned the \"coalition's continued disregard for Yemeni lives\" and said it had committed four war crimes in targeting the hospital. There was no immediate comment from coalition officials. Save the Children reported on Monday that at least 226 Yemeni children had been killed and 217 more injured in air raids carried out by the Saudi-led coalition in the past year. Yemen has been devastated by a conflict that escalated in March 2015, when the Houthis seized control of much of the west of the country and forced President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi to flee abroad. Alarmed by the rise of a group they saw as an Iranian proxy, the UAE, Saudi Arabia and seven other Arab states intervened in an attempt to restore the government. The UN says at least 7,025 civilians have been killed and 11,140 injured in the fighting. Thousands more civilians have died from preventable causes, including malnutrition, disease and poor health. About 80% of the population - 24 million people - need humanitarian assistance and protection. About 20 million need help securing food, including almost 10 million who the UN says are just a step away from famine. Almost 240,000 of those people are facing \"catastrophic levels of hunger\". Yemen has also struggled to deal with the largest cholera outbreak ever recorded, which has resulted in 1.49 million suspected cases and 2,960 related deaths.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2866, "answer_start": 784, "text": "Save the Children says the petrol station in the area, which is 60km (40 miles) from the city of Saada, was struck by a missile at about 09:30 (06:30 GMT) on Tuesday, as many people were arriving at the nearby hospital. An eight-year-old boy was the youngest person killed. Another boy aged 10, two boys aged 12, and one boy aged 14 also lost their lives. One injured health worker, who was in the emergency room treating two young children when the strike happened, said: \"All people were screaming and running out of the hospital. The structure of the hospital was totally damaged inside. Our colleague lost two children. They were burned. \"I got injured in my head and I was bleeding. I ran away from the hospital with my colleague to a safe place but we found nothing that could help me stop the bleeding. It was the most difficult moment of my life.\" Helle Thorning-Schmidt, the chief executive of Save the Children International, said she was \"shocked and appalled by this outrageous attack\" on a medical facility that the charity supported, and she demanded an urgent investigation. \"Innocent children and health workers have lost their lives in what appears to been an indiscriminate attack on a hospital in a densely populated civilian area. Attacks like these are a breach of international law,\" she added. This hospital was \"de-conflicted\", which means all the warring parties were made aware of its location and were obliged to avoid it by a radius of 100m. Residents and the rebel Houthi movement blamed the Saudi-led coalition for the attack, and Save the Children noted that the only warring party with access to planes that can carry out air strikes is the coalition. The rebel-run health ministry condemned the \"coalition's continued disregard for Yemeni lives\" and said it had committed four war crimes in targeting the hospital. There was no immediate comment from coalition officials. Save the Children reported on Monday that at least 226 Yemeni children had been killed and 217 more injured in air raids carried out by the Saudi-led coalition in the past year." } ], "id": "671_0", "question": "What happened in Kitaf?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3874, "answer_start": 2867, "text": "Yemen has been devastated by a conflict that escalated in March 2015, when the Houthis seized control of much of the west of the country and forced President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi to flee abroad. Alarmed by the rise of a group they saw as an Iranian proxy, the UAE, Saudi Arabia and seven other Arab states intervened in an attempt to restore the government. The UN says at least 7,025 civilians have been killed and 11,140 injured in the fighting. Thousands more civilians have died from preventable causes, including malnutrition, disease and poor health. About 80% of the population - 24 million people - need humanitarian assistance and protection. About 20 million need help securing food, including almost 10 million who the UN says are just a step away from famine. Almost 240,000 of those people are facing \"catastrophic levels of hunger\". Yemen has also struggled to deal with the largest cholera outbreak ever recorded, which has resulted in 1.49 million suspected cases and 2,960 related deaths." } ], "id": "671_1", "question": "Why is there a war in Yemen?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The Taliban's brief takeover of the northern Afghan city of Kunduz in September shocked its residents as well as the Afghan government and its Western allies. It was the first time the insurgents had taken control of a provincial Afghan capital since the Taliban were ousted from power in 2001. BBC Afghan's Syed Anwar went back to Kunduz recently to find a city getting back on its feet after government forces retook it in October. Abdul Hafiz was one of hundreds of residents who encountered Taliban fighters on the city's streets after the early morning assault on Monday 28 September. \"I had just finished the dawn prayer when I went out at sunrise to ask my neighbours about the previous night's fighting,\" Hafiz recalls. \"On the street I saw a pickup truck with armed men in civilian clothes, I thought they were guards of some local commander, but it turned out they were Taliban fighters.\" For Mr Hafiz it was a shock. \"The imam from the mosque called me and said that Taliban had captured parts of the city and were demanding breakfast,\" he says. \"A neighbour and I prepared an animal slaughtered for Eid for the Taliban fighters who were in the mosque that morning.\" Abdul Hafiz and his 15-strong family spent the next five days in the damp basement of their house as fighting raged between insurgents and security forces trying to drive them out. The basement became bedroom, bathroom and kitchen for the entire family. \"We were not able to go out because bullets were hitting the trees around here and we were afraid of being injured or killed.\" Mr Hafiz says. On the sixth day when food ran out and the fighting intensified the family left the city for Takhar province in the early morning. Thousands of Kunduz residents had similar experiences. The US air attack on the Medecins Sans Frontieres hospital in Kunduz on 3 October stands out as one of the worst disasters in Afghanistan's long conflict. At least 30 people, including patients and staff, were killed in the bombing, many incinerated in what turned into an inferno. MSF said the attack violated the rules of war, while the US has now apologised for a \"tragic error\". When we visited the ruins of the clinic, the gates to the burned-out complex were shut as several inquiries were still going on, but we were granted rare access. As I entered the grounds I was reminded of a scene in a war film. The badly damaged and burned parts of the building were sealed off. The doctor who showed me around was at work on the night the clinic came under attack. \"It is difficult to describe the moment when my colleagues were crying and dying,\" he told me. He could not say much more while matters were under investigation. But the building spoke for itself - as did small details like the red cap of a victim left behind, or the simple question 'Why?' sprayed on a charred wall. Going back to Kunduz after the Taliban assault, we found a measure of normality returning to the city, though the scars of the battle are still visible in many places. Kunduz prison was one of the main targets when the militants entered the city. Its walls and gate still bear the signs of bullet and rocket fire, Taliban fighters freed more than 600 prisoners in the attack, among them nearly 150 insurgent fighters. The prison was nearly empty when we visited. But against expectations we found that 12 prisoners who went missing had returned after the army retook the city. I met two of them in the presence of guards. Both told me they had been jailed after being falsely accused of having ties with the Taliban. \"My arrest by the government was a mistake,\" Muhammad Nazir, 25, told me. \"But I don't want that mistake to be repeated because escaping from the law is not a solution in life. My parents are in Kunduz, I want to study at the university and be a useful member in my community.\" Another inmate, Ghulam Sakhi, who has served five years of a 13-year-prison term, said he had not wanted to escape, but insurgent fighters left him no choice. \"When the Taliban entered the jail, they started firing, they forced us to go out,\" he said. \"If we had not escaped we probably would have died here.\" Traffic and small business have returned to the streets of Kunduz, but the continuing insecurity has badly affected the economy and trade in the province. We took the short trip to the Sher Khan border crossing on the frontier between Afghanistan and Tajikistan. Dozens of trucks were waiting on the vast, dusty plain that stretches along this important link between South and Central Asia. Officials told us that investors had taken flight and that trade and transit had dropped by 90 % in a year. \"Last year, we registered around 3,200 cargo shipments but in the past eight months we just saw 180,\" Shahbuding Bawar, the Sher Khan Port director, told us. All that is unlikely to change soon because Kunduz remains on the front line between Afghan forces and the Taliban as sporadic fighting continues around several districts and villages near the city. We accompanied Afghan troops to one of the battle lines, just five miles (seven kilometres) from the city. The police commander of the area showed us some Taliban flags hoisted above some houses in nearby areas. When we met the acting Kunduz governor, Hamdullah Danishi, I asked him about the presence of Taliban fighters. \"We are launching clearance operations, but in order to protect civilian lives, we prefer accuracy over speed in these operations,\" Danishi said. But he also suggested the government needed to change its strategy. \"Security forces should not wait for opponents,\" he said. \"We have to target their sanctuaries before they can build up a strong presence.\" Many Kunduz residents agree the Taliban should be pushed back this winter. Otherwise, we were told, the insurgents could hit back stronger next spring.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5838, "answer_start": 4811, "text": "All that is unlikely to change soon because Kunduz remains on the front line between Afghan forces and the Taliban as sporadic fighting continues around several districts and villages near the city. We accompanied Afghan troops to one of the battle lines, just five miles (seven kilometres) from the city. The police commander of the area showed us some Taliban flags hoisted above some houses in nearby areas. When we met the acting Kunduz governor, Hamdullah Danishi, I asked him about the presence of Taliban fighters. \"We are launching clearance operations, but in order to protect civilian lives, we prefer accuracy over speed in these operations,\" Danishi said. But he also suggested the government needed to change its strategy. \"Security forces should not wait for opponents,\" he said. \"We have to target their sanctuaries before they can build up a strong presence.\" Many Kunduz residents agree the Taliban should be pushed back this winter. Otherwise, we were told, the insurgents could hit back stronger next spring." } ], "id": "672_0", "question": "Prepare for Taliban return?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Australians vote in a general election on 18 May and rarely, if ever, has campaigning in the nation been splashed with so much cash. So, asks the BBC's Phil Mercer in Sydney, what will be its effect? A controversial mining tycoon with a penchant for dinosaurs and ambitions to build a replica of the Titanic is the bankroller behind the biggest spend. Clive Palmer is expected to spend at least A$50m (PS26.8m; $34.4m) on his rebranded United Australia Party (UAP) by the time the nation votes. The right-wing UAP has run about 60,000 TV adverts so far during the campaign, and viewers can expect more. It's the sort of big-budget advertising used by fast-food giants and major retail brands. Politics in this country has rarely, if ever, seen cash splashed on such a scale. In 2016, it was estimated Australia's two major parties had a combined election war chest of A$30m. The UAP is a revamp of the defunct Palmer United Party that in its heyday five years ago held the balance of power in the Senate, Australia's powerful upper chamber. This, before it all fell apart amid in-fighting and defections, as well as controversy surrounding the closure of Mr Palmer's nickel refinery in Queensland that left many workers out of pocket and out of work. But opinion polls are indicating that his new political venture could once again wield significant influence in the next parliament. There are concerns, though, that big money could be distorting the electoral process. \"If you spend enough and you saturate the TV channels, the inboxes of voters and their mobile phones, then you will be able to sway some people over to your side, and I think that is concerning for democracy,\" said Danielle Wood from the Grattan Institute, a non-partisan think tank. \"But for the money I think he [Clive Palmer] would almost be unelectable.\" This election will see two rival and well-funded grassroots organisations promote very different ideas for Australia. In the past year the powerful left-wing lobby GetUp! has raised almost A$13m, or the equivalent of almost A$13 for each of its members. The fund is helping activists try to unseat two of Australia's most polarising politicians - Home Affairs minister Peter Dutton, and former Prime Minister Tony Abbott. Get Up! says its philosophy is \"powered by the values and hopes of everyday people. Our work is driven by values, not party politics\". Last November, Advance Australia, which champions a conservative agenda, was launched in opposition to Get Up! This \"independent movement of mainstream Australians\" hopes to eventually attract a million members (it currently has around several thousand). It is financially supported by a group of wealthy business leaders, and is responsible for Australia's only political \"superhero\". Captain GetUp! is a satirical creation on a mission to ridicule the \"radical left-wing agenda\" of GetUp!, which dismissed the caped crusader as a \"silly little stunt\". Cash fills the veins of Australian politics, as it does elsewhere. Grattan Institute analysis has shown that more than half of declared donations to the main parties here come from about 5% of donors. The opposition Labor party is heavily reliant on trade unions, most notably those representing construction and shop workers, while the governing centre-right coalition led by Prime Minister Scott Morrison has been well supported by the mining industry. Other well-off corporate organisations donate to both. \"What we found is that it looks like well-resourced interests, including big business, unions and other groups with a lot of financial firepower have a lot of influence over policy in Australia,\" explained Ms Wood. \"Australia has a lot of private money in the system by international standards. There is no limit to how much people can contribute. It is not against the law and that is exactly one of the problems.\" Campaign finance is, however, more regulated at a local level. In New South Wales, which is home to more Australians than any other state, political donations from gambling enterprises, property developers and the liquor and tobacco sectors are banned. This isn't the case in national politics, although there are now restrictions on foreign contributions because of fears about outside interference. \"You now have to be an Australian citizen, a resident of Australia or an Australian-based company to give donations, so there are now restrictions on foreign donations at the federal level,\" Marian Sawer, an emeritus professor at the Australian National University, who favours the democratisation of political funding told the BBC. \"When you are looking at regulation of campaign finance you want to encourage small donations from a large number of people rather than large donations from a few people, which is what we tend to have in relation to the major parties in Australia because that can be accompanied by undue policy influence.\" Money is pouring into Australia's election campaign like never before, thanks mostly to Clive Palmer's deep pockets. But Tim Harcourt, an economist at the University of New South Wales, believes cheque-book politics does have its limits. \"At the end of the day money can't buy you votes,\" he said. \"You've still got to win hearts and minds, but it [money] can certainly improve your chances.\" \"Some polling is showing that 75% [of voters] have already made up their minds pre-campaign with this election. It has been a lot lower in the past, so that would suggest a lot of the campaigning material is wasted money,\" Mr Harcourt added. \"But if it is going to be a tight election, which it looks like, then the undecided vote will still matter so [election funds] are probably a pretty good investment.\"", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2939, "answer_start": 1829, "text": "This election will see two rival and well-funded grassroots organisations promote very different ideas for Australia. In the past year the powerful left-wing lobby GetUp! has raised almost A$13m, or the equivalent of almost A$13 for each of its members. The fund is helping activists try to unseat two of Australia's most polarising politicians - Home Affairs minister Peter Dutton, and former Prime Minister Tony Abbott. Get Up! says its philosophy is \"powered by the values and hopes of everyday people. Our work is driven by values, not party politics\". Last November, Advance Australia, which champions a conservative agenda, was launched in opposition to Get Up! This \"independent movement of mainstream Australians\" hopes to eventually attract a million members (it currently has around several thousand). It is financially supported by a group of wealthy business leaders, and is responsible for Australia's only political \"superhero\". Captain GetUp! is a satirical creation on a mission to ridicule the \"radical left-wing agenda\" of GetUp!, which dismissed the caped crusader as a \"silly little stunt\"." } ], "id": "673_0", "question": "What's the grassroots factor?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4906, "answer_start": 2940, "text": "Cash fills the veins of Australian politics, as it does elsewhere. Grattan Institute analysis has shown that more than half of declared donations to the main parties here come from about 5% of donors. The opposition Labor party is heavily reliant on trade unions, most notably those representing construction and shop workers, while the governing centre-right coalition led by Prime Minister Scott Morrison has been well supported by the mining industry. Other well-off corporate organisations donate to both. \"What we found is that it looks like well-resourced interests, including big business, unions and other groups with a lot of financial firepower have a lot of influence over policy in Australia,\" explained Ms Wood. \"Australia has a lot of private money in the system by international standards. There is no limit to how much people can contribute. It is not against the law and that is exactly one of the problems.\" Campaign finance is, however, more regulated at a local level. In New South Wales, which is home to more Australians than any other state, political donations from gambling enterprises, property developers and the liquor and tobacco sectors are banned. This isn't the case in national politics, although there are now restrictions on foreign contributions because of fears about outside interference. \"You now have to be an Australian citizen, a resident of Australia or an Australian-based company to give donations, so there are now restrictions on foreign donations at the federal level,\" Marian Sawer, an emeritus professor at the Australian National University, who favours the democratisation of political funding told the BBC. \"When you are looking at regulation of campaign finance you want to encourage small donations from a large number of people rather than large donations from a few people, which is what we tend to have in relation to the major parties in Australia because that can be accompanied by undue policy influence.\"" } ], "id": "673_1", "question": "What funding controls are in place?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5708, "answer_start": 4907, "text": "Money is pouring into Australia's election campaign like never before, thanks mostly to Clive Palmer's deep pockets. But Tim Harcourt, an economist at the University of New South Wales, believes cheque-book politics does have its limits. \"At the end of the day money can't buy you votes,\" he said. \"You've still got to win hearts and minds, but it [money] can certainly improve your chances.\" \"Some polling is showing that 75% [of voters] have already made up their minds pre-campaign with this election. It has been a lot lower in the past, so that would suggest a lot of the campaigning material is wasted money,\" Mr Harcourt added. \"But if it is going to be a tight election, which it looks like, then the undecided vote will still matter so [election funds] are probably a pretty good investment.\"" } ], "id": "673_2", "question": "So will money sway the vote?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "An adviser to former first minister Arlene Foster exerted influence over a flawed renewable energy scheme, a senior civil servant has said. Dr Andrew McCormick said that, without direct evidence, he understood Dr Andrew Crawford influenced the decision to keep the Renewable Heat Initiative (RHI) running. Mrs Foster set up the scheme in 2012 when enterprise minister and Dr Crawford was her then adviser. Mr Crawford denies the allegation. The RHI or \"ash for cash\" scandal, as it has become known, led Stormont's deputy first minister Martin McGuinness to resign from powersharing with the Democratic Unionist Party in protest and forced the collapse of the executive and a snap election. Mrs Foster, from the Democratic Unionist Party, had refused to stand aside while an investigation into RHI was carried out. The aim of RHI was to increase consumption of heat from renewable sources but businesses received more in subsidies than they paid for fuel, and the scheme became heavily oversubscribed. It could lead to an overspend of PS490m over the next 20 years. Dr McCormick told Stormont's Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Wednesday that initially no advice was given to Mrs Foster that she needed to get cost controls into the RHI as the uptake was low when she was minister. The Economy Department senior official added that she followed her officials' advice on the scheme and that \"ministers have the right to expect civil servants will get this kind of thing right\". Mrs Foster had moved on from the department by summer 2015. In a statement Mr Crawford said in discussing RHI with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment special adviser, he \"would have been offering informal advice and assistance as a colleague to my successor in the department and not on behalf of the finance minister or the party\". \"However, as I pointed out to the BBC in December I did not attempt to keep the RHI scheme open at the original tariff against the wishes of the minister. Indeed, I specifically stated on 31 July 2015 that the department, 'will need to make changes from 1st October',\" he added. A son of a farmer from Beragh in County Tyrone, Dr Andrew Crawford is a former employee of the Ulster Farmers' Union. He was an assistant to the former DUP MEP Jim Allister before the North Antrim politician quit to form the Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV). Dr Crawford was an adviser to Arlene Foster when she was enterprise minister during the time the RHI scheme was created, and followed her to the Department of Finance and Personnel last year. Jonathan Bell, who succeeded Arlene Foster as enterprise minister, accused him of preventing the closure of the scheme, but Dr Crawford has denied that claim. These days, he advises another DUP minister, Michelle McIlveen, in the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs. Dr Crawford's poultry-farmer brother is a claimant of the RHI scheme. Civil servants wanted to cut the rate paid to businesses involved in the scheme in July 2015. It was eventually reduced that November but not before a massive surge in the number of applications. Dr McCormick said insider information may have had a significant impact on the PS490m overspend. He said there was \"an extra level of information\" in the renewable heating industry in the summer of 2015 that the RHI tariff could be reduced, so people should \"get in quick\". Dr McCormick added that anonymous letters showed the information came from his department. Among the other revelations made by Dr McCormick to the PAC were: - A meeting with former enterprise minister Jonathan Bell to review ministerial papers in December may have been recorded \"without my knowledge or consent\" - He is aware of at least one case in which energy consumer watchdog Ofgem has been talking to the PSNI over possible abuse of the RHI scheme - About 90% of 1,400 people had objected to a request by the Department of the Economy to be named as beneficiaries of the RHI scheme. He said the department is now going through the individuals on a case-by-case basis to see if they can be named in line with the Data Protection Act - The department did not know about flaws in the RHI scheme in the summer of 2015, so conversations over closing the scheme or introducing cost controls were \"not seen as sinister\". Earlier, the Nolan Show revealed Dr McCormick believed a DUP special adviser had exerted influence to delay cost controls. It said that Dr McCormick told the DUP of his concerns but had no evidence. The DUP confirmed to the programme that Dr McCormick told the party of his belief. Jonathan Bell was in the public gallery while Dr McCormick gave evidence to the PAC. He broke ranks from the DUP when he made serious allegations about how the scheme was run in a BBC interview in December. He was later suspended from the party.. Speaking under parliamentary privilege on Tuesday, Mr Bell also claimed he was told when he was minister that two DUP special advisers' \"extensive interests in the poultry industry\" would prevent scrutiny of the RHI scheme. The advisers, Timothy Johnston and John Robinson, and the DUP denied the claims.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2915, "answer_start": 2107, "text": "A son of a farmer from Beragh in County Tyrone, Dr Andrew Crawford is a former employee of the Ulster Farmers' Union. He was an assistant to the former DUP MEP Jim Allister before the North Antrim politician quit to form the Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV). Dr Crawford was an adviser to Arlene Foster when she was enterprise minister during the time the RHI scheme was created, and followed her to the Department of Finance and Personnel last year. Jonathan Bell, who succeeded Arlene Foster as enterprise minister, accused him of preventing the closure of the scheme, but Dr Crawford has denied that claim. These days, he advises another DUP minister, Michelle McIlveen, in the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs. Dr Crawford's poultry-farmer brother is a claimant of the RHI scheme." } ], "id": "674_0", "question": "Who is Dr Andrew Crawford?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Backpack Kid and Carlton from The Fresh Prince of Bel Air are the latest people to sue the makers of Fortnite for stealing their moves. Russell Horning and Alfonso Ribeiro claim Epic Games ripped off their work and turned it into emotes in the game. An emote is the dancing Fortnite characters do to mark a win or bumping off a rival, or just to kill some time. Rapper 2 Milly has already sued Epic and Chance The Rapper has criticised the developers for using the dances. Fortnite has made Epic Games worth more than $5bn (PS3.9bn) since it was launched in 2017. The game is free to play, but the creators make money by selling dance moves and outfits. Radio 1 Newsbeat has contacted Epic for a statement, but they are yet to respond. To stand any chance of winning their lawsuits against Epic, Russell, Alfonso and 2 Milly will need to prove they were the ones who invented the dances and therefore own the copyright to the moves. \"Copyright arises automatically when you create a work,\" says Alex Newman, a copyright lawyer for Irwin Mitchell Solicitors. He says you need to be able to prove that you're the creator. You don't need to have filed any paperwork to legally own something you've made. \"You create a copyrighted work, whether it's an artistic, literary or a dramatic work, provided that the work you've created is original and you haven't copied it from somebody else.\" But that could be an issue for Alfonso, whose lawyers are currently downplaying comments he's made in the past about having \"stole\" his moves from an old Bruce Springsteen video when asked to \"dance like a super white person\" on Fresh Prince Of Bel Air. We've heard a lot about copyright in music in recent years and Alex says someone profiting from someone else's dance moves happens much less often - at this level. \"There are probably all kinds of infringements of copyright in dance moves happening all over the world,\" he says. \"But it's probably relatively rare that the claimant thinks there's something worth going into battle about and worth potentially suing the infringer. \"Fortnite is an example of this. It's been so popular, it's no doubt made the owners of Fortnite an absolute fortune. \"The creators' position is going to be: 'we want a cut of what you're making. If you don't give us a cut then in relation of their use of it to date and your use of it going forward, then we're going to ask a court to issue an injunction stopping you from using it going forward'.\" \"Which would obviously require a change to the game.\" Alex says Epic will need to seek a licence from Russell, Alfonso and 2 Milly to have used and to continue using their \"dramatic work\" - which could cost them some of that $5 billion revenue. If they can prove they invented those dances, that is. The \"Fresh\" emote (which Alfonso is claiming against) and \"Swipe\" emote (which 2 Milly claims is his), are downloadable content in Fortnite. Russell's \"Floss\" dance was only available for a limited period. Which could mean they wouldn't need to pay him for ongoing use. In 2017, Russell performed his trademark dance on Saturday Night Live with Katy Perry and some of New York's best known drag queens. But this isn't the first time dance copyright has been discussed with a high profile example. In 2011, a dancer claimed Beyonce and her choreographer had plagiarised her work in the video for Countdown. 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": 3551, "answer_start": 2523, "text": "Alex says Epic will need to seek a licence from Russell, Alfonso and 2 Milly to have used and to continue using their \"dramatic work\" - which could cost them some of that $5 billion revenue. If they can prove they invented those dances, that is. The \"Fresh\" emote (which Alfonso is claiming against) and \"Swipe\" emote (which 2 Milly claims is his), are downloadable content in Fortnite. Russell's \"Floss\" dance was only available for a limited period. Which could mean they wouldn't need to pay him for ongoing use. In 2017, Russell performed his trademark dance on Saturday Night Live with Katy Perry and some of New York's best known drag queens. But this isn't the first time dance copyright has been discussed with a high profile example. In 2011, a dancer claimed Beyonce and her choreographer had plagiarised her work in the video for Countdown. 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": "675_0", "question": "What happens next?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has warned that the US will exert \"relentless\" pressure on Iran unless it changes its \"revolutionary course\". His comments came hours after the Trump administration restored all sanctions lifted under the 2015 nuclear deal, targeting core parts of Iran's economy. Iran's President Hassan Rouhani earlier struck a defiant tone, saying the country will \"continue selling oil\". \"We will proudly break the sanctions,\" he told economic officials. Mr Pompeo told reporters: \"The Iranian regime has a choice: it can either do a 180-degree turn from its outlaw course of action and act like a normal country, or it can see its economy crumble.\" He said more than 20 nations had already cut their oil intake from the Islamic Republic, and its exports had fallen by a million barrels a day. European countries which are still party to the 2015 accord have said they will help businesses bypass the sanctions. But there are doubts about how successful this will be. US President Donald Trump withdrew the US from the nuclear accord earlier this year, calling it the \"worst deal ever negotiated\". The agreement offered Iran sanctions relief in exchange for reducing its nuclear development. The global nuclear watchdog, the IAEA, says Iran has complied with it. President Trump has said he wants to get Iran back to the negotiating table. His administration also wants to stop what it calls Tehran's \"malign\" activities - including cyber attacks, ballistic missile tests, and support for terror groups and militias in the Middle East. The president believes his \"maximum pressure\" strategy is working, but said on Monday that he wants to impose sanctions gradually to prevent a spike in energy prices. \"I could get the Iran oil down to zero immediately,\" he told journalists, \"but it would cause a shock to the market. I don't want to lift oil prices.\" The US state department said that three civil nuclear projects set up in Iran through the 2015 deal would be allowed to continue, \"under the strictest scrutiny\". It said \"temporary\" waivers had been granted, without giving a timeframe. The US and Iran have been arch-foes since the Islamic revolution in 1979. Since then, Iran has provided arms and financial support to militant groups active in the Middle East and further afield. Some of these groups, such as Lebanon's Hezbollah, have carried out devastating attacks, including on a military barracks in Beirut in 1983, which killed 241 US service personnel and 58 French paratroopers. Iran denied being behind that attack. The US has also accused Iran of direct involvement in plotting or carrying out attacks - from bombings to assassinations. According to a report by the US State Department, since 2012, Iran has spent $16bn on proxy groups in the region as well as support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Iran accepts neither the US allegations, nor its designation as an exporter of terror. The US reinstated a raft of sanctions in August, but analysts say this latest round is by far the most significant. More than 700 individuals, entities, vessels and aircraft are now on the sanctions list, including major banks, oil exporters and shipping companies. The Brussels-based Swift network for making international payments has confirmed it will cut off links with some Iranian banks, isolating Iran from the international financial system. However, the Trump administration has granted temporary exemptions to eight countries to continue importing Iranian oil - China, India, Italy, Greece, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Turkey. This is significant as China and India are among Iran's largest trading partners. Even before the US sanctions were reimposed, Iran's economy had had a difficult year, with its currency, the rial, plummeting against the dollar, driving up the price of basic goods. Mr Trump's national security adviser John Bolton announced on Monday that even more measures could follow soon. By Kasra Naji, Special Correspondent, BBC Persian The sweeping US sanctions will be debilitating to the government's day-to-day running of the country. They will also be disastrous for ordinary people who are already reeling under the weight of rising prices, shortages, and the rapidly falling value of the rial. All this will put President Rouhani under considerable strain. Iran's hardliners see a chance to force a change of government, arguing extraordinary conditions require extraordinary solutions. But the country's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is not so sure. Taking on the running of the country under these conditions could be a poisoned chalice for him and for the hardliners he supports. The UK, Germany and France - which are among the five countries still committed to the nuclear pact - have all promised to support European firms that do \"legitimate business\" with Iran. They have set up an alternative payment mechanism - or Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) - that will help companies trade without facing US penalties. However, analysts doubt this will lessen the impact of sanctions on Iran, given the importance of the US to global trade. Mr Pompeo said more than 100 international companies had withdrawn from Iran because of the looming sanctions. And even if firms can use the SPV, any US company it does business with could face punishment. Another signatory to the nuclear deal, China, has said it regrets the re-imposition of sanctions and that its lawful trade with Iran should be respected. Israel - Iran's long-time foe in the Middle East - called the move a \"courageous, determined and important decision\".", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2107, "answer_start": 986, "text": "US President Donald Trump withdrew the US from the nuclear accord earlier this year, calling it the \"worst deal ever negotiated\". The agreement offered Iran sanctions relief in exchange for reducing its nuclear development. The global nuclear watchdog, the IAEA, says Iran has complied with it. President Trump has said he wants to get Iran back to the negotiating table. His administration also wants to stop what it calls Tehran's \"malign\" activities - including cyber attacks, ballistic missile tests, and support for terror groups and militias in the Middle East. The president believes his \"maximum pressure\" strategy is working, but said on Monday that he wants to impose sanctions gradually to prevent a spike in energy prices. \"I could get the Iran oil down to zero immediately,\" he told journalists, \"but it would cause a shock to the market. I don't want to lift oil prices.\" The US state department said that three civil nuclear projects set up in Iran through the 2015 deal would be allowed to continue, \"under the strictest scrutiny\". It said \"temporary\" waivers had been granted, without giving a timeframe." } ], "id": "676_0", "question": "How did we get here?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2927, "answer_start": 2108, "text": "The US and Iran have been arch-foes since the Islamic revolution in 1979. Since then, Iran has provided arms and financial support to militant groups active in the Middle East and further afield. Some of these groups, such as Lebanon's Hezbollah, have carried out devastating attacks, including on a military barracks in Beirut in 1983, which killed 241 US service personnel and 58 French paratroopers. Iran denied being behind that attack. The US has also accused Iran of direct involvement in plotting or carrying out attacks - from bombings to assassinations. According to a report by the US State Department, since 2012, Iran has spent $16bn on proxy groups in the region as well as support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Iran accepts neither the US allegations, nor its designation as an exporter of terror." } ], "id": "676_1", "question": "Why does the US claim Iran is the 'world's largest state sponsor of terrorism'?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3944, "answer_start": 2928, "text": "The US reinstated a raft of sanctions in August, but analysts say this latest round is by far the most significant. More than 700 individuals, entities, vessels and aircraft are now on the sanctions list, including major banks, oil exporters and shipping companies. The Brussels-based Swift network for making international payments has confirmed it will cut off links with some Iranian banks, isolating Iran from the international financial system. However, the Trump administration has granted temporary exemptions to eight countries to continue importing Iranian oil - China, India, Italy, Greece, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Turkey. This is significant as China and India are among Iran's largest trading partners. Even before the US sanctions were reimposed, Iran's economy had had a difficult year, with its currency, the rial, plummeting against the dollar, driving up the price of basic goods. Mr Trump's national security adviser John Bolton announced on Monday that even more measures could follow soon." } ], "id": "676_2", "question": "What could the sanctions' impact be?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5591, "answer_start": 4658, "text": "The UK, Germany and France - which are among the five countries still committed to the nuclear pact - have all promised to support European firms that do \"legitimate business\" with Iran. They have set up an alternative payment mechanism - or Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) - that will help companies trade without facing US penalties. However, analysts doubt this will lessen the impact of sanctions on Iran, given the importance of the US to global trade. Mr Pompeo said more than 100 international companies had withdrawn from Iran because of the looming sanctions. And even if firms can use the SPV, any US company it does business with could face punishment. Another signatory to the nuclear deal, China, has said it regrets the re-imposition of sanctions and that its lawful trade with Iran should be respected. Israel - Iran's long-time foe in the Middle East - called the move a \"courageous, determined and important decision\"." } ], "id": "676_3", "question": "How do other countries see the sanctions?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Brunei's foreign ministry has said implementing Sharia law is about prevention rather than punishment, after intense criticism of its decision to implement the strict Islamic code. Under the new laws, adultery and sex between men is punishable by stoning to death. Brunei said there would be a high threshold for evidence in those cases, suggesting punishment would be rare. It comes after the UN called the punishments \"cruel and inhuman\". Brunei has sent a response from Erywan Yusof, the minister of foreign affairs, to the United Nation's (UN) criticism saying Sharia law \"focuses more on prevention than punishment. Its aim is to educate, deter, rehabilitate and nurture rather than to punish\". It also said Sharia does not criminalise based on sexual orientation or belief, including same-sex relations. The criminalisation of \"adultery and sodomy is to safeguard the sanctity of family lineage and marriage of individual Muslims, particularly women\", according to the statement. The statement also clarified that for the maximum punishments of amputation or death to be carried out in the case of certain crimes, at least two men of \"high moral standing and piety\" would have to bear witness. It added that these men would have to live up to \"extremely high\" standards, making it \"[extremely] difficult to find one in this day and age\". UK Foreign Minister Jeremy Hunt also said on Thursday he had spoken to the Bruneian foreign minister who had suggested that Sharia prosecutions were, in practice, unlikely. The statement from Brunei's foreign ministry comes in response to the UN's criticism of the country's decision to implement the second phase of Sharia law on 3 April. The first phase of Sharia law, which covered crimes punishable by prison sentences and fines, was implemented in 2014. The UN's High Commissioner for Human Rights sent a letter on 1 April to the Brunei mission in Geneva warning that the planned implementation of the new laws contravened international human rights standards set out in the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights - which was ratified by Brunei in 2006. Regardless, Brunei went ahead with the implementation of the new laws, under the continued phasing in of Sharia alongside common law. Under the new laws, individuals accused of certain acts will be convicted if they confess or if there were witnesses present. Offences such as rape, adultery, sodomy, robbery and insult or defamation of the Prophet Muhammad will carry the maximum penalty of death. Lesbian sex carries a different penalty of 40 strokes of the cane and/or a maximum of 10 years in jail. The maximum punishment for theft is amputation. The decision to implement the strict Islamic laws sparked global condemnation, with celebrities including George Clooney, Elton John and others calling for a boycott of the Dorchester Collection group of hotels owned by Brunei's investment agency. The decision threw the tiny oil-rich South East Asian nation into the global spotlight and sparked international outrage.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1516, "answer_start": 441, "text": "Brunei has sent a response from Erywan Yusof, the minister of foreign affairs, to the United Nation's (UN) criticism saying Sharia law \"focuses more on prevention than punishment. Its aim is to educate, deter, rehabilitate and nurture rather than to punish\". It also said Sharia does not criminalise based on sexual orientation or belief, including same-sex relations. The criminalisation of \"adultery and sodomy is to safeguard the sanctity of family lineage and marriage of individual Muslims, particularly women\", according to the statement. The statement also clarified that for the maximum punishments of amputation or death to be carried out in the case of certain crimes, at least two men of \"high moral standing and piety\" would have to bear witness. It added that these men would have to live up to \"extremely high\" standards, making it \"[extremely] difficult to find one in this day and age\". UK Foreign Minister Jeremy Hunt also said on Thursday he had spoken to the Bruneian foreign minister who had suggested that Sharia prosecutions were, in practice, unlikely." } ], "id": "677_0", "question": "What did Brunei say?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2240, "answer_start": 1517, "text": "The statement from Brunei's foreign ministry comes in response to the UN's criticism of the country's decision to implement the second phase of Sharia law on 3 April. The first phase of Sharia law, which covered crimes punishable by prison sentences and fines, was implemented in 2014. The UN's High Commissioner for Human Rights sent a letter on 1 April to the Brunei mission in Geneva warning that the planned implementation of the new laws contravened international human rights standards set out in the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights - which was ratified by Brunei in 2006. Regardless, Brunei went ahead with the implementation of the new laws, under the continued phasing in of Sharia alongside common law." } ], "id": "677_1", "question": "What was it in response to?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Israel's attorney general intends to indict Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on corruption charges. Mr Netanyahu faces possible charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust in connection with three cases. The prime minister is alleged to have accepted gifts from wealthy businessmen and dispensed favours to try to get more positive press coverage. Mr Netanyahu, who faces an election, said in a TV address that the case would \"collapse like a house of cards\". In a defiant broadcast, he repeated his assertion that he is the victim of a left-wing \"witch-hunt\" intended to topple him ahead of the closely contested election on 9 April. A final hearing, probably after the election, will determine whether the charges go forward. The prime minister will have an opportunity to make his case then. Mr Netanyahu is set to be charged with fraud and breach of trust for accepting expensive gifts - including cigars, pink champagne and jewellery worth $264,100 (PS199,200) - from an Israeli-born Hollywood film producer Arnon Milchan and the Australian billionaire James Packer. The gifts from Mr Milchan are alleged to have been in return for help with a US visa and tax breaks. Mr Milchan and Mr Packer face no charges and have denied any wrongdoing. In two other cases, Mr Netanyahu is accused of trying to get more favourable press coverage for himself. Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit says he is considering charges of fraud and breach of trust in both, and bribery in one of them. The most serious case is seen as that involving media mogul Shaul Elovitch, controller of Israel's largest telecom company, Bezeq. Mr Netanyahu is accused of seeking favourable coverage from an Elovitch-owned news site in return for regulatory decisions that would benefit the media mogul. Mr Elovitch, himself facing legal proceedings, has strongly denied any wrongdoing. Opposition parties have said there is no way Mr Netanyahu should carry on as prime minister if he is charged. Mr Mandelblit has said the Supreme Court will determine whether he must resign. In his address, Mr Netanyahu said: \"The left knows it cannot beat us at the polling booth, so for the past three years they have been carrying out an unprecedented witch hunt which has one aim - to topple the right-wing government which I lead.\" Earlier, his Likud party said the prospect of charges amounted to \"political persecution\". \"Unilateral publication of the attorney general's announcement just a month before the elections, without giving the prime minister an opportunity to refute these false accusations, is a blatant and unprecedented intervention in the elections.\" It could be significant, especially as Mr Netanyahu already heads a fragile coalition. He and his right-wing Likud party face a serious challenge in the elections from a newly-announced centrist alliance led by ex-army chief Benny Gantz and TV journalist-turned-politician Yair Lapid. And recent polls suggest Likud could lose support and the ability to form a coalition if charges are levelled against the prime minister. Mr Netanyahu has also come under fire this week for attempting to shore up votes by negotiating a merger of the religious pro-settlement Jewish Home party with the ultra-right Jewish Power party, which includes followers of the late anti-Arab extremist rabbi Meir Kahane. Two powerful pro-Israel lobby groups in the US, Aipac and the American Jewish Committee, made rare criticism of Mr Netanyahu's move, describing Jewish Power as a \"racist and reprehensible party\". By Yolande Knell, BBC News, Jerusalem Benjamin Netanyahu had hoped to make history this year - if he stays in office he's set to become Israel's longest-serving prime minister. But he's now also a step closer to becoming the first sitting prime minister to be charged with criminal offences. His Likud party made last-ditch efforts to block publication of this decision at the High Court, arguing it could have a big impact on April's election, but the move was rejected. Mr Netanyahu is presumed innocent unless proven otherwise and there is currently no legal barrier to stop him staying in office if he's re-elected - even if the attorney general makes a final decision to charge him after a hearing due in the coming months. However, many will question the prime minister's ability to handle affairs of state if he's simultaneously defending himself in court.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1860, "answer_start": 798, "text": "Mr Netanyahu is set to be charged with fraud and breach of trust for accepting expensive gifts - including cigars, pink champagne and jewellery worth $264,100 (PS199,200) - from an Israeli-born Hollywood film producer Arnon Milchan and the Australian billionaire James Packer. The gifts from Mr Milchan are alleged to have been in return for help with a US visa and tax breaks. Mr Milchan and Mr Packer face no charges and have denied any wrongdoing. In two other cases, Mr Netanyahu is accused of trying to get more favourable press coverage for himself. Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit says he is considering charges of fraud and breach of trust in both, and bribery in one of them. The most serious case is seen as that involving media mogul Shaul Elovitch, controller of Israel's largest telecom company, Bezeq. Mr Netanyahu is accused of seeking favourable coverage from an Elovitch-owned news site in return for regulatory decisions that would benefit the media mogul. Mr Elovitch, himself facing legal proceedings, has strongly denied any wrongdoing." } ], "id": "678_0", "question": "What are the possible charges?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2632, "answer_start": 1861, "text": "Opposition parties have said there is no way Mr Netanyahu should carry on as prime minister if he is charged. Mr Mandelblit has said the Supreme Court will determine whether he must resign. In his address, Mr Netanyahu said: \"The left knows it cannot beat us at the polling booth, so for the past three years they have been carrying out an unprecedented witch hunt which has one aim - to topple the right-wing government which I lead.\" Earlier, his Likud party said the prospect of charges amounted to \"political persecution\". \"Unilateral publication of the attorney general's announcement just a month before the elections, without giving the prime minister an opportunity to refute these false accusations, is a blatant and unprecedented intervention in the elections.\"" } ], "id": "678_1", "question": "What has the reaction been?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3523, "answer_start": 2633, "text": "It could be significant, especially as Mr Netanyahu already heads a fragile coalition. He and his right-wing Likud party face a serious challenge in the elections from a newly-announced centrist alliance led by ex-army chief Benny Gantz and TV journalist-turned-politician Yair Lapid. And recent polls suggest Likud could lose support and the ability to form a coalition if charges are levelled against the prime minister. Mr Netanyahu has also come under fire this week for attempting to shore up votes by negotiating a merger of the religious pro-settlement Jewish Home party with the ultra-right Jewish Power party, which includes followers of the late anti-Arab extremist rabbi Meir Kahane. Two powerful pro-Israel lobby groups in the US, Aipac and the American Jewish Committee, made rare criticism of Mr Netanyahu's move, describing Jewish Power as a \"racist and reprehensible party\"." } ], "id": "678_2", "question": "What kind of impact could the charges have?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "North Korean state media had strong words for Joe Biden - the former US vice-president and current presidential candidate - on Wednesday. Mr Biden had \"gone reckless and senseless, seized by ambition for power\", a commentary on the news website KCNA said. He was \"an imbecile bereft of elementary quality as a human being, let alone a politician\", the commentary said, adding that he was \"a fool of low IQ\". The piece also accused him of \"vulgar acts and words about women\" - a reference to earlier allegations of unwelcome touching from women - and said he became a \"laughing-stock of the media\" when he appeared to fall asleep during a speech by then-President Barack Obama in 2011. It even went back to the 1960s, reminding readers of the fact that Mr Biden \"received a grade of F\" in a paper because he had plagiarised another article. Mr Biden has admitted to plagiarism, but said he misunderstood rules about citations. Colourful insults in North Korean media are nothing new - KCNA recently quoted officials calling US national security adviser John Bolton \"dim-sighted\", and accusing Secretary of State Mike Pompeo of \"fabricating stories like a fiction writer\". And, two years ago, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un famously called President Donald Trump a \"dotard\" - a 14th-Century term that means \"an old person, especially one who has become weak or senile\". Yet - North Korea is one of the world's most secretive societies, and all of its media are under direct state control, which means its news reports, even when they mostly consist of insults, give us an interesting glimpse into what Pyongyang could be thinking. Wednesday's KCNA report accused Mr Biden of \"rhetoric slandering the supreme leadership of the DPRK\" during a recent election campaign. This appeared to refer to Mr Biden's rally in Philadelphia on Saturday, where he criticised Mr Trump for working with \"tyrants like [Russian President Vladimir] Putin and Kim Jong-un\". \"North Korean media tend to react sensitively to any comments made by foreign officials, especially US officials, about the North Korean leader,\" Rachel Lee, a senior analyst at NK News and a former North Korean media analyst for the US government, told the BBC. However, it's important to note that KCNA is an external agency aimed at international audiences, and \"North Korea's public don't have access to it\", she added. Often, domestic North Korean media avoid certain sensitive topics - or may avoid commenting on some issues, to ensure the government has more wriggle room later on, Ms Lee says. Meanwhile, Prof Andrei Lankov, a North Korea expert at Kookmin University, says that such propaganda is part of Pyongyang's attempt to \"drive a wedge\" between Donald Trump and his political advisers. State media criticism of Mr Biden, as well as Mr Pompeo and Mr Bolton, is an attempt to portray an image that \"they would like to deal with Donald Trump, but he's prevented from doing anything meaningful by the hardline American establishment\". Whether this is true or not is another matter - the most recent direct talks between Mr Trump and Mr Kim ended in Hanoi in February without any progress towards an agreement. \"Given Joe Biden's record of standing up for American values and interests, it's no surprise that North Korea would prefer that Donald Trump remain in the White House,\" a spokesperson for his campaign, Andrew Bates, told the BBC. North Korean state media are a lot blunter - and ruder - than you'd expect most official government outlets to be. They have not been afraid to be sexist - previously carrying quotes describing former President Park Geun-hye as \"an unseemly wench who has never had a chance to marry or bear a child\", and criticising the \"venomous swish of her skirt\". It has also called North Korean defectors, who have spoken about human rights abuses, as \"human scum\". \"Most North Korean propaganda is extremely - almost comically - aggressive,\" says Prof Lankov. \"In North Korea, the harsher you sound, the better... this is how you're supposed to talk about political subjects.\" Much of it is influenced by China's rhetoric from the late 1960s, he says, but Chinese propaganda has changed over the decades, with many in Chinese media educated in the West or influenced by Western styles. North Korean rhetoric hasn't changed however, because \"while society has changed a lot, their ideology has been frozen\". Prof Lankov adds that the North Koreans working in state media are likely to be from elite families, and graduates of prestigious local schools, who will be required to follow instructions from the Propaganda and Agitation Department. \"North Korea is one of the last countries where the government has full control over the media.\" Despite the insults, North Korea has actually toned down its anti-US rhetoric in last year and a half, Ms Lee says. \"Since the [first] Singapore Trump-Kim summit last June, North Korean domestic media have by and large refrained from carrying negative commentaries about the US.\" In the past, \"the last page of Party Daily newspaper [Rodong Sinmun], was almost always filled with commentaries criticising South Korea and the US - but since 2018 the page is now filled with more international news\". \"I think the fact they are refraining from explicit criticism of the US using domestic outlets shows they're not closing the door on US-DPRK [North Korea] talks just yet.\"", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3402, "answer_start": 1630, "text": "Wednesday's KCNA report accused Mr Biden of \"rhetoric slandering the supreme leadership of the DPRK\" during a recent election campaign. This appeared to refer to Mr Biden's rally in Philadelphia on Saturday, where he criticised Mr Trump for working with \"tyrants like [Russian President Vladimir] Putin and Kim Jong-un\". \"North Korean media tend to react sensitively to any comments made by foreign officials, especially US officials, about the North Korean leader,\" Rachel Lee, a senior analyst at NK News and a former North Korean media analyst for the US government, told the BBC. However, it's important to note that KCNA is an external agency aimed at international audiences, and \"North Korea's public don't have access to it\", she added. Often, domestic North Korean media avoid certain sensitive topics - or may avoid commenting on some issues, to ensure the government has more wriggle room later on, Ms Lee says. Meanwhile, Prof Andrei Lankov, a North Korea expert at Kookmin University, says that such propaganda is part of Pyongyang's attempt to \"drive a wedge\" between Donald Trump and his political advisers. State media criticism of Mr Biden, as well as Mr Pompeo and Mr Bolton, is an attempt to portray an image that \"they would like to deal with Donald Trump, but he's prevented from doing anything meaningful by the hardline American establishment\". Whether this is true or not is another matter - the most recent direct talks between Mr Trump and Mr Kim ended in Hanoi in February without any progress towards an agreement. \"Given Joe Biden's record of standing up for American values and interests, it's no surprise that North Korea would prefer that Donald Trump remain in the White House,\" a spokesperson for his campaign, Andrew Bates, told the BBC." } ], "id": "679_0", "question": "Why is North Korea criticising Joe Biden?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4731, "answer_start": 3403, "text": "North Korean state media are a lot blunter - and ruder - than you'd expect most official government outlets to be. They have not been afraid to be sexist - previously carrying quotes describing former President Park Geun-hye as \"an unseemly wench who has never had a chance to marry or bear a child\", and criticising the \"venomous swish of her skirt\". It has also called North Korean defectors, who have spoken about human rights abuses, as \"human scum\". \"Most North Korean propaganda is extremely - almost comically - aggressive,\" says Prof Lankov. \"In North Korea, the harsher you sound, the better... this is how you're supposed to talk about political subjects.\" Much of it is influenced by China's rhetoric from the late 1960s, he says, but Chinese propaganda has changed over the decades, with many in Chinese media educated in the West or influenced by Western styles. North Korean rhetoric hasn't changed however, because \"while society has changed a lot, their ideology has been frozen\". Prof Lankov adds that the North Koreans working in state media are likely to be from elite families, and graduates of prestigious local schools, who will be required to follow instructions from the Propaganda and Agitation Department. \"North Korea is one of the last countries where the government has full control over the media.\"" } ], "id": "679_1", "question": "What's with the colourful language?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5402, "answer_start": 4732, "text": "Despite the insults, North Korea has actually toned down its anti-US rhetoric in last year and a half, Ms Lee says. \"Since the [first] Singapore Trump-Kim summit last June, North Korean domestic media have by and large refrained from carrying negative commentaries about the US.\" In the past, \"the last page of Party Daily newspaper [Rodong Sinmun], was almost always filled with commentaries criticising South Korea and the US - but since 2018 the page is now filled with more international news\". \"I think the fact they are refraining from explicit criticism of the US using domestic outlets shows they're not closing the door on US-DPRK [North Korea] talks just yet.\"" } ], "id": "679_2", "question": "What do state media tell us about North Korea's politics?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Scottish judges are considering whether a court can sign a Brexit extension letter on behalf of the government. The Inner House of the Court of Session, Scotland's highest court, is being asked to act directly if Boris Johnson refuses to request a delay. The letter is a key provision of what is known as the Benn Act, by which MPs hope to prevent a no-deal Brexit. The court also heard an appeal against a ruling that Mr Johnson can be trusted to apply the law. Lord Pentland said following an earlier hearing that there could be \"no doubt\" that the prime minister had agreed to abide by the law. As a result, he said there was no need for \"coercive orders\" against the UK government or against the prime minister. And he said it would be \"destructive of one of the core principles of constitutional propriety and of the mutual trust that is the bedrock of the relationship between the court and the Crown\" if Mr Johnson reneged on his assurances to the court. But speaking for the petitioners - businessman Dale Vince, QC Jolyon Maugham and SNP MP Joanna Cherry - Aidan O'Neill QC said it appeared Mr Johnson might still intend to get around the intention of the Benn Act and take the UK out of the EU without a deal. During the hearing on Tuesday, he cited recent articles quoting Number 10 sources which predicted that talks with the EU could break down this week. He said it was clear the government's policy was to \"undermine\" and \"frustrate\" the legislation - which requires Mr Johnson to request a Brexit extension if no deal is struck by 19 October. The petitioners want the court to use its \"nobile officium\" power to effectively sign a letter to European leaders on behalf of Mr Johnson, if the prime minister refuses to do so himself. Mr O'Neill said this could be necessary to \"enforce\" an act of the Westminster parliament, rather than be a case of the court delving into foreign affairs. However, Andrew Webster QC, for the UK government, argued that in the current \"delicate times\", international relations should be left to ministers rather than the courts. He said the government was entitled to promote its own policies - provided it does so \"lawfully\" and without \"frustrating\" the legislation passed by opposition MPs. The case will be decided by a panel of three senior judges - although one, Lord Carloway, discussed whether the court could delay a decision on the \"nobile officium\" until after the 19 October deadline, when the political position would be clearer. A judgement will be issued on Wednesday. The procedure of petitioning the nobile officium is unique to Scots law, but is far from being a forgotten backwater of the legal system. Its name is a Latin term meaning the \"noble office\". The procedure offers the opportunity to provide a remedy in a legal dispute where none exists. In other words, it can plug any gap in the law or offer mitigation if the law, when applied, would be seen to be too strict. In this case, it would see an official of the court sign a letter to the EU requesting a Brexit extension, as set out in the Benn Act, should the prime minister refuse to. Last month, MPs passed a law - the European Union (Withdrawal) (No. 2) Act 2019 which was introduced by Labour's Hilary Benn - designed to stop Boris Johnson pushing through a no-deal Brexit on 31 October. Under the law, MPs Mr Johnson is required to request a three-month Brexit delay by 19 October. There are two scenarios in which Mr Johnson would not have to request an extension: - MPs approve a Brexit deal in another meaningful vote - MPs vote in favour of leaving the EU without a deal In either of these scenarios, Mr Benn's law would not force any Brexit extension to be requested.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3112, "answer_start": 2530, "text": "The procedure of petitioning the nobile officium is unique to Scots law, but is far from being a forgotten backwater of the legal system. Its name is a Latin term meaning the \"noble office\". The procedure offers the opportunity to provide a remedy in a legal dispute where none exists. In other words, it can plug any gap in the law or offer mitigation if the law, when applied, would be seen to be too strict. In this case, it would see an official of the court sign a letter to the EU requesting a Brexit extension, as set out in the Benn Act, should the prime minister refuse to." } ], "id": "680_0", "question": "What is the nobile officium?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3704, "answer_start": 3113, "text": "Last month, MPs passed a law - the European Union (Withdrawal) (No. 2) Act 2019 which was introduced by Labour's Hilary Benn - designed to stop Boris Johnson pushing through a no-deal Brexit on 31 October. Under the law, MPs Mr Johnson is required to request a three-month Brexit delay by 19 October. There are two scenarios in which Mr Johnson would not have to request an extension: - MPs approve a Brexit deal in another meaningful vote - MPs vote in favour of leaving the EU without a deal In either of these scenarios, Mr Benn's law would not force any Brexit extension to be requested." } ], "id": "680_1", "question": "What is the 'Benn Act'?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have joined the Queen for the Trooping the Colour parade to mark her 92nd birthday. Prince Harry and his new wife Meghan, who married last month, arrived as part of the carriage procession. Prince Philip, who retired from royal duties last year, did not attend the military parade. He turns 97 on Sunday. Field Marshal Lord Guthrie fell from his horse during the parade and has been taken to hospital. Lord Guthrie, 79, is the former head of the Army and then Chief of Defence Staff, the UK's most senior military officer. Meanwhile, a 51-year-old woman has been arrested for a public order offence after an item was thrown towards the procession. She is currently in custody at a central London police station, the Met Police said. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex joined senior royals including Prince Charles and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge for the event in London. Large crowds of spectators gathered to watch Saturday's ceremony, which saw about 1,000 soldiers march to Horse Guards Parade in Whitehall. Afterwards, the Royal Family appeared on the balcony in Buckingham Palace to watch an RAF flypast which included a display from the Red Arrows. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's young children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, looked out over the crowds, standing next to Savannah and Isla - the Queen's great-granddaughters. The Duchess of Cornwall and Duchess of Cambridge arrived together as part of a carriage procession along the Mall. They were followed by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and the Queen's cousin, the Duke of Kent, in a second carriage which was greeted by cheering crowds. The Countess of Wessex, her daughter Lady Louise and princesses Beatrice and Eugenie travelled in the third carriage. The Queen, wearing a powder blue outfit, arrived in a separate procession. Trooping the Colour has commemorated the birthday of the sovereign for more than 250 years and also functions as a display of army drills, music and horsemanship. There had been fears that Field Marshal Lord Guthrie's fall from the horse may have altered timings for the RAF flypast, but the Royal Family's balcony appearance went ahead as planned. Field Marshal Lord Guthrie of Craigiebank is a former SAS commander who was head of the British Army until 1997 and then chief of defence staff until 2001. Born in 1938, Lord Guthrie attended military training college in Sandhurst and went on to serve with the Welsh Guards in Cyprus, Germany and Northern Ireland. During his time with the SAS he served in Aden, the Gulf, Malaysia and East Africa. As commander of the Hong Kong British forces he played a high-profile role in Britain's withdrawal from Hong Kong in June 1997. Among the soldiers who took part was Guardsman Charanpreet Singh Lall, a 22-year-old Sikh from Leicester, who became the first soldier to wear a turban in the parade's history. The Queen, who celebrated her 92nd birthday on 21 April, recently had surgery to remove a cataract from her eye. She and 7,500 guests watched the ceremony - which will this year parade the flag of the 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards - from a dais in Horse Guards before inspecting the guardsmen. Among the guests was Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson and US Defence Secretary General James Mattis. The Queen has travelled every Trooping the Colour of her reign except in 1955 when it was cancelled because of strike action. The sun shone and the crowds (most of whom seemed to be tourists) got their glimpse of the senior royals. The first big cheer was not surprisingly directed at the carriage containing the new Duke and Duchess of Sussex (Harry and Meghan). The Household Cavalry sparkled in the sunlight and the 41-gun salute boomed around the capital. On the palace balcony - perhaps keen not to steal the limelight, the newlyweds stood at the back almost completely out of sight. Princess Charlotte was more than happy to be the focus of attention - clapping enthusiastically as the various aircraft flew overhead. This is one of the key royal events on the calendar - with the balcony view providing the family snapshot of the year. Afterwards, the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery fired a 41-gun salute in Green Park to mark the official birthday. The Duchess of Sussex wore an off-the-shoulder dress designed by Carolina Herrera and a hat by milliner Philip Treacy. The Duchess of Cambridge wore an Alexander McQueen and a hat by Juliette Botterill. Later this month, the Duchess of Sussex will accompany the Queen on a royal engagement to officially open a theatre and bridge in Cheshire. It will be the first time the duchess has joined the Queen for an event without her husband. The couple attended a garden party at Buckingham Palace on 22 May for their first royal engagement as a married couple.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2714, "answer_start": 2188, "text": "Field Marshal Lord Guthrie of Craigiebank is a former SAS commander who was head of the British Army until 1997 and then chief of defence staff until 2001. Born in 1938, Lord Guthrie attended military training college in Sandhurst and went on to serve with the Welsh Guards in Cyprus, Germany and Northern Ireland. During his time with the SAS he served in Aden, the Gulf, Malaysia and East Africa. As commander of the Hong Kong British forces he played a high-profile role in Britain's withdrawal from Hong Kong in June 1997." } ], "id": "681_0", "question": "Who is Field Marshal Lord Guthrie?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Lib Dem leader Vince Cable says he was in favour of working with other Remain parties to present a \"common front\" at the European elections. The pro-EU MP told LBC Radio he had approached the Green Party and Change UK to suggest joint candidates. He said the parties \"shouldn't be squabbling\", but added: \"Frankly, we didn't get a very warm reception.\" The Greens say joint lists are not \"desirable\" and Change UK has said an alliance \"wasn't ever on the agenda\". The Green Party has also insisted it has never been approached, formally or informally, by the Liberal Democrats about working together. Elections for 73 MEPs to the European Parliament will take place on 23 May. The UK had been due to leave the EU on 29 March, but the deadline has now been pushed back to 31 October, meaning the country has to take part in the polls. The Liberal Democrats pledged to stop Brexit at the launch of their European election campaign last month. The Green Party and Change UK are also standing on pro-EU platforms. There were suggestions last week that pro-Remain parties could back a joint candidate in the forthcoming Peterborough by-election, but those efforts were not successful. The candidate they had planned to back, Femi Oluwole, told the BBC he had pulled out over concerns his candidacy would hand victory to the Brexit Party and ultimately harm the campaign for another referendum. Talking to LBC radio, Mr Cable said: \"We shouldn't be squabbling, we shouldn't be behaving like kids in a playground. \"We should be getting together in a grown-up way and presenting a common front.\" But, he said, when the election was over he hoped the parties could \"work constructively together\". He said his party had \"survived the difficult years\" and people now recognised it was strong, particularly following gains in the local elections earlier this month. Mr Cable said the \"only way\" to resolve the current impasse and to stop Brexit was to \"go back to the people\" with another referendum. On a potential ballot paper, he said the \"two main choices\" and \"realistic options\" would be to remain in the EU or to leave with Theresa May's deal. He said the WTO (World Trade Organization) no-deal option argued for by Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage was a \"weak\" option and \"needs to be exposed\". The case against it, though, \"hasn't been made as strongly as it should have been\". \"The only two countries that operate effectively under WTO rules are China and Russia,\" he said. The EU is \"far from perfect\" and there are \"many, many things that need changing\", but it \"does provide security\", Mr Cable added. The Green Party has said there are \"fundamental ideological differences\" between the Remain parties on other issues. Co-leader Jonathan Bartley told Mr Cable - via a public Twitter message - he wanted to \"put to bed\" the idea that the Lib Dems had reached out to his party and been rebuffed. \"You haven't approached any of us but please come and have a public and accountable discussion with me. Name the time and place?\" he wrote. Chris Leslie, the former Labour MP who quit to join Change UK, has previously told Business Insider he didn't think an alliance would \"ever be likely because we are starting something new\". Mr Cable is due to stand down as Lib Dem leader this month. The party's education spokeswoman, Layla Moran, ruled herself out of the running to succeed him on Tuesday, saying her \"first priority has to be to serve my constituents to the best of my ability\" and being leader would dilute that effort. Deputy leader Jo Swinson, the frontrunner to replace Mr Cable, criticised Labour for \"negotiating to try to make Brexit happen\" and for being \"all over the place\" on the issue. Her comments come as talks between Labour and the government continue talks aimed at finding a way to leave the EU. At the same time, Labour deputy leader Tom Watson says his is the party of \"Remain and reform\", while Brexit spokesman Sir Keir Starmer has said there should be a referendum on any cross-party deal. The UK is divided into 12 regions, each represented by between three and 10 MEPs depending on population size. Seats in England, Scotland and Wales are awarded to parties according to their share of the vote, to candidates on lists drawn up by the parties. Northern Ireland elects MEPs using a single transferable vote system, with voters able to rank candidates in order of preference. Read more on the main parties standing in the election. Update 25 June 2019: This article has been updated to point out that the Green Party has consistently denied ever being approached, formally or informally, by the Liberal Democrats or Sir Vince Cable about working together.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4459, "answer_start": 4017, "text": "The UK is divided into 12 regions, each represented by between three and 10 MEPs depending on population size. Seats in England, Scotland and Wales are awarded to parties according to their share of the vote, to candidates on lists drawn up by the parties. Northern Ireland elects MEPs using a single transferable vote system, with voters able to rank candidates in order of preference. Read more on the main parties standing in the election." } ], "id": "682_0", "question": "Who is standing in the European elections?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Walmart is to stop sales of some types of ammunition following recent shootings, including one at one of its stores in Texas that left 22 dead. The head of the company said it would discontinue sales of some bullets that can be used in assault-style weapons, and those used in handguns. The move comes amid increasing pressure on the company, often cited as the largest firearms seller in the US. Chief executive Doug McMillon said the company had been \"listening\". \"It's clear to us that the status quo is unacceptable,\" he said in a note to employees and published on the firm's website. The firm also said it would discontinue handgun sales in Alaska, the only place it still offered such weapons. The firm asked customers at Walmart and its Sam's Club stores to stop carrying firearms openly, even in states where it is legally permitted, saying such actions have caused fear and evacuations. Mr McMillon said: \"We know these decisions will inconvenience some of our customers, and we hope they will understand.\" Celebrities and politicians, including several Democrats campaigning for president, praised the firm's decision. But America's gun lobby, the National Rifle Association, called the changes \"shameful\" and said the firm would lose business. Another major US retailer joined Walmart on Tuesday. Kroger changed its policy by \"respectfully asking\" customers to stop openly carrying guns in stores where state laws allow it. Jessica Adelman, group vice-president of corporate affairs, said in a statement that only authorised law enforcement officers should be carrying weapons in Kroger outlets. Walmart's chief executive, who also called on the US Congress to pass stricter gun laws, said he expected the changes to reduce the firm's share of the ammunition market from about 20% to a range of 6% to 9%. The company will continue to sell hunting rifles and shotguns, and much of the ammunition for those weapons, he added. Walmart stock was little changed after the announcement. Shares in some gun-makers, such as Vista Outdoors, slumped. Guns and ammunition represent a tiny fraction of overall Walmart sales, said Burt Flickinger III, a managing director of the retail consulting firm Strategic Resource Group. He predicted the decision would pay off, allowing the retailer to provide more store space to faster growing categories such as nappies for babies. \"Walmart will be significantly ahead in sales growth and significantly ahead in profitable sales and market share growth by concentrating on children and health categories, rather than the declining guns and ammo categories,\" he said. Walmart's competitive prices will be likely to help it retain customers, no matter what their politics, he added. Walmart's decision follows two incidents at stores in August, in which a gunman killed 22 people in El Paso, Texas, and a former employee killed two workers at a Walmart store in Mississippi. Last month, other mass shootings - defined since 2012 as incidents as those that kill at least three people - in Ohio and Texas left more than a dozen dead. There have been more than 110 mass shootings in the US since 1982, according to investigative magazine Mother Jones. However, Walmart has lagged behind other US retailers in changes to its gun policies. Kroger-owned Fred Meyer stopped selling guns in 2018 after a mass shooting at a school in Parkland, Florida. That same year, Dick's Sporting Goods ended the sale of assault weapons and raised the minimum age to 21 for gun purchases. Mr Flickinger said the move reflected a shift since Walmart stopped being a family-run company. Sam Walton, who founded the company in 1962, was a known hunting enthusiast. \"It shows a very constructive change from a family-managed and run business,\" Mr Flickinger said.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2723, "answer_start": 1608, "text": "Walmart's chief executive, who also called on the US Congress to pass stricter gun laws, said he expected the changes to reduce the firm's share of the ammunition market from about 20% to a range of 6% to 9%. The company will continue to sell hunting rifles and shotguns, and much of the ammunition for those weapons, he added. Walmart stock was little changed after the announcement. Shares in some gun-makers, such as Vista Outdoors, slumped. Guns and ammunition represent a tiny fraction of overall Walmart sales, said Burt Flickinger III, a managing director of the retail consulting firm Strategic Resource Group. He predicted the decision would pay off, allowing the retailer to provide more store space to faster growing categories such as nappies for babies. \"Walmart will be significantly ahead in sales growth and significantly ahead in profitable sales and market share growth by concentrating on children and health categories, rather than the declining guns and ammo categories,\" he said. Walmart's competitive prices will be likely to help it retain customers, no matter what their politics, he added." } ], "id": "683_0", "question": "Business impact?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The United Arab Emirates has told the UN Security Council a \"state actor\" was most likely behind attacks on four tankers off its coast. The 12 May attacks bore the hallmarks of a \"sophisticated and co-ordinated operation\", according to its report. The UAE did not say who it thought was behind the attacks, which also targeted vessels from Saudi Arabia and Norway. The US has accused Iran of being behind the attacks but Tehran denies this and has called for an investigation. The attacks took place within UAE territorial waters east of the emirate of Fujairah, just outside the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, in what the UAE called a \"sabotage attack\". They exacerbated long-standing tensions between Iran, and the US and its allies in the Gulf. According to the UAE-led investigation, which was presented to a closed session of the UN Security Council in New York, the attacks showed a \"high degree of sophistication\". \"The attacks required the expert navigation of fast boats\" which \"were able to intrude into UAE territorial waters\", the report's preliminary findings say. Divers were used to attack the ships using limpet mines in order to cause damage but not cause a major explosion, the presentation says. There were no casualties but Saudi Arabia has said two of its ships suffered \"significant\" damage. Another tanker was Norwegian-registered, while the fourth was UAE-flagged. There are two aspects to the tensions under way in the Gulf. One practical - what the Americans insist is a real threat from Iran and its allies in the region - and a political one - a push by Washington and its key Gulf allies to paint Iran as an imminent threat to peace. The latest UAE-led findings on the tanker attacks last month have to be seen in this context. At the UN they - along with Saudi Arabia and Norway - blamed a \"state actor\" but stopped short of specifically naming Iran. But then US officials have already said Iran was responsible, with reports that the US Navy tracked a flotilla of small Iranian vessels from which they believe divers operated to mine the ships. So the accusations are not new as such, though made in a more formal setting. But they underscore the pressure-cooker atmosphere in the region with any mistake or misunderstanding by either side risking a serious military engagement. The attacks happened at a time of escalating tension between the US and Iran, long-time foes. They took place days after the US sent warships and bombers to the region in response to what it said was an unspecified plan by Iran to attack US forces in the area. While it is unclear why Iran would carry out a relatively low-level attack on the multinational tankers, observers have speculated that it could have been to send a signal to forces ranged against it that it is capable of disrupting shipping there without triggering a war. Responding to the UAE report, the Saudi Ambassador to the UN, Abdallah Y al-Mouallimi, said the kingdom believed \"that the responsibility for this action lies on the shoulders of Iran. We have no hesitation in making this statement,\" Reuters news agency reported. US National Security Adviser John Bolton previously said \"naval mines almost certainly from Iran\" were to blame for the damage, although he provided no evidence to support the allegation. Iran's foreign ministry has rejected the US accusations as \"ludicrous\" and accused Mr Bolton of being a \"warmonger\". Earlier this week, Israeli media reported that the Israeli intelligence agency, the Mossad, had provided the US with unspecified material linking Iran to the attacks. An unnamed senior Israeli official said on Thursday that Israel had evidence that \"the Iranians did it... without a doubt, either directly or by proxies\". The Trump administration has taken a hard line towards Iran, accusing it of being a destabilising force in the Middle East. For its part, Iran has accused the US of aggressive behaviour. Tensions increased last month when Washington ended exemptions from sanctions for countries still buying oil from Iran. Washington reinstated sanctions a year ago when it abandoned an international nuclear deal curbing Iran's nuclear programme. The decision was intended to bring Iran's oil exports to zero, denying the government its main source of revenue. In response, Iran announced it would suspend several commitments under the deal.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1395, "answer_start": 755, "text": "According to the UAE-led investigation, which was presented to a closed session of the UN Security Council in New York, the attacks showed a \"high degree of sophistication\". \"The attacks required the expert navigation of fast boats\" which \"were able to intrude into UAE territorial waters\", the report's preliminary findings say. Divers were used to attack the ships using limpet mines in order to cause damage but not cause a major explosion, the presentation says. There were no casualties but Saudi Arabia has said two of its ships suffered \"significant\" damage. Another tanker was Norwegian-registered, while the fourth was UAE-flagged." } ], "id": "684_0", "question": "What does the report say happened?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3743, "answer_start": 2318, "text": "The attacks happened at a time of escalating tension between the US and Iran, long-time foes. They took place days after the US sent warships and bombers to the region in response to what it said was an unspecified plan by Iran to attack US forces in the area. While it is unclear why Iran would carry out a relatively low-level attack on the multinational tankers, observers have speculated that it could have been to send a signal to forces ranged against it that it is capable of disrupting shipping there without triggering a war. Responding to the UAE report, the Saudi Ambassador to the UN, Abdallah Y al-Mouallimi, said the kingdom believed \"that the responsibility for this action lies on the shoulders of Iran. We have no hesitation in making this statement,\" Reuters news agency reported. US National Security Adviser John Bolton previously said \"naval mines almost certainly from Iran\" were to blame for the damage, although he provided no evidence to support the allegation. Iran's foreign ministry has rejected the US accusations as \"ludicrous\" and accused Mr Bolton of being a \"warmonger\". Earlier this week, Israeli media reported that the Israeli intelligence agency, the Mossad, had provided the US with unspecified material linking Iran to the attacks. An unnamed senior Israeli official said on Thursday that Israel had evidence that \"the Iranians did it... without a doubt, either directly or by proxies\"." } ], "id": "684_1", "question": "Why is Iran being accused?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4370, "answer_start": 3744, "text": "The Trump administration has taken a hard line towards Iran, accusing it of being a destabilising force in the Middle East. For its part, Iran has accused the US of aggressive behaviour. Tensions increased last month when Washington ended exemptions from sanctions for countries still buying oil from Iran. Washington reinstated sanctions a year ago when it abandoned an international nuclear deal curbing Iran's nuclear programme. The decision was intended to bring Iran's oil exports to zero, denying the government its main source of revenue. In response, Iran announced it would suspend several commitments under the deal." } ], "id": "684_2", "question": "Why have tensions risen?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "There are indications that the US is planning a significant withdrawal of its troops from Afghanistan. American troops are in the country to support the Afghan government's fight against the Taliban and other militant groups. The Taliban, the main insurgent group in Afghanistan with an estimated 60,000 fighters, now controls more territory in Afghanistan than at any point since its removal from power by the US-led coalition in 2001. Despite continued US military and financial support for the government in Kabul, the conflict has become both more intense and more complicated. Maintaining this level of insurgency requires a great deal of funding, from sources both within and outside the country. So how does the Taliban support itself? The Taliban ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001, imposing a strict version of Sharia law. Since its fall from power, it has maintained a long-running insurgency across the country. Tracking flows of funding is often a matter of informed guesswork and the secretive militant organisation does not publish accounts. But BBC interviews carried out inside Afghanistan and abroad indicate the group is running a sophisticated financial network and taxation system to pay for insurgent operations. The group's annual income from 2011 onwards was estimated to be $400m (PS316m). But it is believed to have significantly increased in recent years and could be as high as $1.5bn. The Afghan and United States governments have sought to constrain these networks. A little over a year ago the US army embarked on a new strategy of bombing drugs labs. However, the Taliban's income derives from far more than just the drugs business. The UN in 2012 warned against the general perception that the poppy economy in Afghanistan is the main source of Taliban income. Afghanistan is the world's largest producer of opium. With an estimated annual export value of $1.5-$3bn, the opium poppy is big business, supplying the overwhelming majority of illicit heroin worldwide. Although there is some cultivation in government regions, most of the poppy growing takes place in areas controlled by the Taliban and is believed to be an important source of income. The Taliban earns money from taxes imposed at several stages of the process. A 10% cultivation tax is collected from opium farmers. Taxes are also collected from the laboratories converting opium into heroin, as well as the traders who smuggle the illicit drugs. Estimates of the Taliban's annual share of the illicit drug economy range from $100m-$400m. As part of the Trump administration's more aggressive counter-insurgency strategy in Afghanistan over the past year, the US renewed its focus on targeting the Taliban's financial networks and revenue sources, including the drugs labs where opium is converted into heroin. The US military says 60% of Taliban funding comes from narcotics. By August 2018, the US claimed to have destroyed around 200 of the estimated 400 to 500 Taliban drug laboratories in the country, nearly half of them in southern Helmand province. It was also claimed that the air campaign wiped out around a quarter of the Taliban's revenue from the opium trade. But the longer-term impact of this campaign is far from clear. Even when laboratories are destroyed, they are cheap and quick to rebuild. The Taliban usually denies its involvement in the narcotics industry and takes pride in the total ban on poppy cultivation during its regime in 2000. The Taliban's financial network extends well beyond taxing the opium business. A BBC investigation published at the start of 2018 found that the Taliban had an active presence in 70% of Afghanistan. In these areas, it has sought to maintain its taxation regime. In an open letter earlier this year, seen by the BBC, the Taliban's Financial Commission warned Afghan traders transporting goods to pay their taxes when travelling through areas it controlled. It also draws revenue from businesses such as telecommunications and mobile phone operators. The head of Afghanistan's Electricity Company told the BBC earlier this year that the Taliban was earning more than $2m a year by billing electricity consumers in different parts of the country. There is also income generated directly from conflict. Each time the Taliban captures a military post or an urban centre, it empties treasuries and seizes scores of weapons, as well as cars and armoured vehicles. Afghanistan is rich in minerals and precious stones, much of it under-exploited as a result of the years of conflict. The mining industry in Afghanistan is worth at least an estimated $1bn. Most of the extraction is small scale and much of it is done illegally. The Taliban has taken control of mining sites and extorted money from ongoing legal and illegal mining operations. In its 2014 annual report, the UN Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team said the Taliban received more than $10m a year from 25 to 30 illegal mining operations in southern Helmand province. A snapshot of the Taliban operation in eastern Nangarhar province sheds a light on how they operate. The governor of the province told the BBC that around half the revenue from mining in his region goes to either the Taliban or the Islamic State group. He estimated that they take up to $500 from each of the hundreds of mineral trucks leaving the province daily. According to the Taliban, local traders and Afghan government officials we spoke to, the Taliban now receives more than $50m annually in revenue from mining all over the country. Several Afghan and US officials have long accused several regional governments including Pakistan, Iran and Russia of giving financial aid to the Afghan Taliban, a practice they frequently deny. Private citizens from Pakistan and several Gulf countries including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar are considered the largest individual contributors. Although impossible to measure, these sources of funding clearly provide a significant proportion of the Taliban's revenue, and according to experts and officials could be as much as $500m a year. These links are long-standing. A classified CIA report estimated in 2008 that the Taliban had received $106m, from foreign sources, in particular from the Gulf states. Read more from Reality Check Send us your questions Follow us on Twitter", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1795, "answer_start": 743, "text": "The Taliban ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001, imposing a strict version of Sharia law. Since its fall from power, it has maintained a long-running insurgency across the country. Tracking flows of funding is often a matter of informed guesswork and the secretive militant organisation does not publish accounts. But BBC interviews carried out inside Afghanistan and abroad indicate the group is running a sophisticated financial network and taxation system to pay for insurgent operations. The group's annual income from 2011 onwards was estimated to be $400m (PS316m). But it is believed to have significantly increased in recent years and could be as high as $1.5bn. The Afghan and United States governments have sought to constrain these networks. A little over a year ago the US army embarked on a new strategy of bombing drugs labs. However, the Taliban's income derives from far more than just the drugs business. The UN in 2012 warned against the general perception that the poppy economy in Afghanistan is the main source of Taliban income." } ], "id": "685_0", "question": "How wealthy is the Taliban?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "France has joined the US and Israel in criticising Poland's new Holocaust law, describing the text as \"ill advised\". \"You should not rewrite history, it's never a very good idea,\" Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said. Polish president Andrzej Duda signed the law on Tuesday. It outlaws accusing Poland of complicity in Nazi crimes committed under occupation. The US has expressed \"disappointment\". Israel is worried the law could stifle the truth about the role of some Poles. There are also fears Holocaust survivors could face criminal charges for giving testimony that incriminates Poles. In a televised address, Mr Duda said the aim of the law was to safeguard Poland's image abroad. \"[The bill]... protects Polish interests... our dignity, the historical truth... so that we are not slandered as a state and as a nation.\" The legislation, approved by the Senate last week, also \"takes into account the sensitivity of those for whom the issue of historical truth, the memory of the Holocaust is incredibly important\", he added. Mr Duda said he would send the text to the Constitutional Tribunal to check whether its regulations comply with the Polish constitution. This is expected to happen within a week. It says that \"whoever accuses, publicly and against the facts, the Polish nation, or the Polish state, of being responsible or complicit in the Nazi crimes committed by the Third German Reich... shall be subject to a fine or a penalty of imprisonment of up to three years\". But it adds the caveat that a person \"is not committing a crime if he or she commits such an act as part of artistic or scientific activities\". The country has long objected to the use of phrases like \"Polish death camps\", which suggest the Polish state in some way shared responsibility for camps such as Auschwitz. The camps were built and operated by Nazi Germany after it invaded Poland in 1939. - US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said \"enactment of this law adversely affects freedom of speech and academic inquiry\" - Israel's foreign ministry said it hoped amendments could be made until the Constitutional Tribunal made its decision, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier described the legislation as an attempt to rewrite history and deny the Holocaust Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said the tensions were a \"temporary weakening of relations with Israel and the USA\" but that he hoped they would improve after the country explained its position. He said Poland was committed to combating lies about the Holocaust while Deputy Justice Minister Marcin Warchol said it was wrong to suggest the legislation would stop people researching Polish history. Poland is governed by a nationalist party, Law and Justice (PiS), which is keen to show the world how Poland was victimised by its German and Soviet neighbours in the war. In a separate development on Wednesday, one of the 14 vice presidents of the European Parliament was removed from his post after he referred to a fellow Polish MEP as a Nazi collaborator. Ryzsard Czarnecki will remain as an MEP and his parliamentary group will be entitled to put forward a replacement. A two-thirds majority was required to remove him, under a procedure that had never been used. Poland was attacked and occupied by Nazi Germany. Millions of its citizens were killed, including three million Polish Jews in the Holocaust. Six million Jews were killed in the Holocaust overall. More Poles have been honoured by Israel for saving the lives of Jews during the war than any other nation. However, historians say others were complicit. Some informed on Jews in hiding for rewards; others participated in Nazi-instigated massacres including in Jedwabne where hundreds of Jews were murdered by their neighbours.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1888, "answer_start": 1215, "text": "It says that \"whoever accuses, publicly and against the facts, the Polish nation, or the Polish state, of being responsible or complicit in the Nazi crimes committed by the Third German Reich... shall be subject to a fine or a penalty of imprisonment of up to three years\". But it adds the caveat that a person \"is not committing a crime if he or she commits such an act as part of artistic or scientific activities\". The country has long objected to the use of phrases like \"Polish death camps\", which suggest the Polish state in some way shared responsibility for camps such as Auschwitz. The camps were built and operated by Nazi Germany after it invaded Poland in 1939." } ], "id": "686_0", "question": "What does the law say?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3231, "answer_start": 2263, "text": "Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said the tensions were a \"temporary weakening of relations with Israel and the USA\" but that he hoped they would improve after the country explained its position. He said Poland was committed to combating lies about the Holocaust while Deputy Justice Minister Marcin Warchol said it was wrong to suggest the legislation would stop people researching Polish history. Poland is governed by a nationalist party, Law and Justice (PiS), which is keen to show the world how Poland was victimised by its German and Soviet neighbours in the war. In a separate development on Wednesday, one of the 14 vice presidents of the European Parliament was removed from his post after he referred to a fellow Polish MEP as a Nazi collaborator. Ryzsard Czarnecki will remain as an MEP and his parliamentary group will be entitled to put forward a replacement. A two-thirds majority was required to remove him, under a procedure that had never been used." } ], "id": "686_1", "question": "What is being said in Poland?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3756, "answer_start": 3232, "text": "Poland was attacked and occupied by Nazi Germany. Millions of its citizens were killed, including three million Polish Jews in the Holocaust. Six million Jews were killed in the Holocaust overall. More Poles have been honoured by Israel for saving the lives of Jews during the war than any other nation. However, historians say others were complicit. Some informed on Jews in hiding for rewards; others participated in Nazi-instigated massacres including in Jedwabne where hundreds of Jews were murdered by their neighbours." } ], "id": "686_2", "question": "What happened in Poland in WW2?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The late George HW Bush was the last US president to lose a re-election campaign. What sets single-term presidents apart? George Herbert Walker Bush was a war hero, a congressman, an ambassador, the head of the CIA, Ronald Reagan's number two and, between 1989 and 1993, the most powerful man in the world. He also enjoyed a more dubious distinction - membership of the small group of sitting presidents who have stood for re-election and lost. Since 1933, only Bush, Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford have been beaten in a general election while occupying the White House. Every other incumbent president - including Bush's son, George Walker Bush, who served from 2001 to 2009 - has been endorsed by the public when they have stood on their party's ticket. It is a quirk of no small significance in a nation where eras are defined in the popular imagination by their presidents - from the thwarted promise of John F Kennedy's early 1960s to the cynicism and paranoia of the Nixon years and the thrusting optimism of Ronald Reagan's 1980s. For voters and historians alike, the question of whether the head of state serves just four or the maximum eight years has huge symbolic value. Donald Trump will be under pressure to run again and retain power come the 2020 election. In a 2010 ranking of all 44 presidents by 238 eminent scholars for Siena College Research Institute, there were no single-term presidents in the top 10. The highest-rated incumbent to have been defeated in a re-election campaign was John Adams in 17th place. Kennedy, in 11th place, was assassinated a year before he could return to the polls and James K Polk, in 12th, did not seek a second term. Since World War Two, eight sitting US presidents have been re-elected to serve a second term, while only three have failed in a general election. The presidency offers an unrivalled platform to attract airtime, raise campaign funds and set the policy agenda. Sitting presidents, too, tend to escape bruising battles for their party's nomination - although not George HW Bush, who faced a gruelling primary challenge for his place on the Republican ticket from Pat Buchanan. In addition, they have the rare ability to make a compelling claim - that they know what it is like to take decisions from inside the Oval Office. \"People feel some comfort knowing who is going to be in charge, even if they don't love that person,\" says Julian E Zelizer, professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University. This carries added contemporary significance after Barack Obama's two terms. Obama's own historical legacy appeared to be as important an election issue as any other, to both the president and his opponents alike, ahead of the 2012 ballot. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell famously declared in 2010 that his \"number-one priority\" was to make Obama, a Democrat, a \"one-term president\". In the same year, Obama himself told Diane Sawyer of ABC News: \"I'd rather be a really good one-term president than a mediocre two-term president.\" Defenders of Bush, the 41st president, put him in the former category. His time in office coincided with the fall of the Berlin Wall and his popularity soared in the wake of the first Gulf War. However, a protracted economic recession on his watch saw him break a pledge not to raise taxes, provoking fierce hostility from within his own Republican party. With Ross Perot, a third-party candidate, splitting the vote in the 1992 election, Bush's attempts to win re-election were thwarted by the charismatic Bill Clinton. Larry Sabato, director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia, believes Bush was a victim both of timing and the US's system of fixed-term presidencies. \"Margaret Thatcher could call an election to capitalise on the Falklands War, but George HW Bush couldn't do that to capitalise on the first Persian Gulf War,\" Sabato says. \"If he could have done that, he would have won.\" - 1966: Wins seat in House of Representatives - 1971: Nixon installs him as UN ambassador - 1974: Heads newly established mission in Beijing - 1976: Ford makes him CIA director - 1981-1989: Ronald Reagan's vice-president - 1989-1993: President of the US; leads US into first Gulf War; copes with collapse of communism in Eastern Bloc For Sabato, recent one-term presidents have been the victim more of adverse circumstances than of their own weaknesses. Carter was unfortunate enough to take office at a time when the global economy was in turmoil while Ford - who assumed office after Nixon's impeachment - only had two and a half years to make an impact, Sabato insists. \"Events put them in a bad position at the wrong time,\" he says. It's a perspective that is flatly rejected by Robert W Merry, author of Where They Stand: The American Presidents in the Eyes of Voters and Historians. In a democracy the customer - that is, the voter - is usually right, Merry argues. He notes that with only a handful of exceptions - Grover Cleveland, John Quincy Adams - defeated presidents are rarely judged more favourably by historians than by the electorate which rejected them. \"The American people are very unsentimental in their judgments,\" he says. \"If you look back at one-term presidents, it's pretty hard to miss the reality that their performance was not quite there. \"Presidents get the blame and they get the credit. I'm uncomfortable with the idea that they are innocent bystanders.\" As a result, he has little time for any suggestion that Bush was under-appreciated by the American public. \"I think he was a fine man, but he was an in-basket president,\" Merry says. \"He responded to stimuli that came to him. He didn't have an agenda to change America in any particular way.\" Certainly, Franklin D Roosevelt, Reagan and Obama all inherited economies in dire straits and all won re-election. What is not in doubt is that, in an average year, an incumbent enjoys significant advantages over a challenger in a US election, thanks to the visibility and prestige of their office. But that raises the question of what difference a second term actually makes, in practice, to a president's legacy. Re-elected presidents are, of course, freed from the requirement to face the voters again, which may offer them some leeway. The very fact they have been endorsed twice at the polls can enhance their authority. But they face the same institutional barriers and separation of powers as in their first four years - the mid-term elections, the need to win Congress's support for legislation. \"The president has some more leeway to make decisions in a second term, but they begin to lose their starch,\" says Zelizer. \"You find fewer people who are willing to take a job in their administration for a two-year tenure. It's harder to maintain forward momentum.\" As a result, he says, the defining policies of most presidents tend to occur in their first term. In Sabato's view, George HW Bush should not be regarded as a one-term president but as the president who spearheaded a three-term dynasty. \"He had a son who served two terms and served them only eight years after his own,\" he says. \"I don't think there's any question they viewed it as a personal vindication of the 1992 defeat.\" And given the unpopularity of George W Bush when he left office, it would appear that many people may believe Bush Senior's one term made him a better president than his two-term son.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2478, "answer_start": 1668, "text": "Since World War Two, eight sitting US presidents have been re-elected to serve a second term, while only three have failed in a general election. The presidency offers an unrivalled platform to attract airtime, raise campaign funds and set the policy agenda. Sitting presidents, too, tend to escape bruising battles for their party's nomination - although not George HW Bush, who faced a gruelling primary challenge for his place on the Republican ticket from Pat Buchanan. In addition, they have the rare ability to make a compelling claim - that they know what it is like to take decisions from inside the Oval Office. \"People feel some comfort knowing who is going to be in charge, even if they don't love that person,\" says Julian E Zelizer, professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University." } ], "id": "687_0", "question": "Why do presidents serve two terms?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "EU leaders have agreed on a plan to delay the Article 50 process, postponing Brexit beyond 29 March. The UK will be offered a delay until 22 May, if MPs approve the withdrawal deal negotiated with the EU next week. If they do not, the EU will back a shorter delay until 12 April, allowing the UK time to get the deal through or to \"indicate a way forward\". Mrs May said there was now a \"clear choice\" facing UK MPs, who could vote for a third time on her deal next week. They could back the withdrawal deal, deliver on the referendum and leave the EU in \"an orderly manner\" or face the prospect of having to stand candidates in the European Parliamentary elections, three years after the UK voted to leave the EU. She said she would be \"working hard to build support for getting the deal through\". She said she had \"expressed frustration\" in her speech last night, in which she blamed MPs for the delay, but added \"I know that MPs are frustrated too\" and she was \"very grateful\" to those who had supported the deal. \"I will make every effort to make sure we can leave with a deal and move our country forward,\" she said. - 'Cancel Brexit' petition passes 2m signatures She also dismissed calls to revoke Article 50 - as a petition calling for that on the Parliament website attracted more than two million signatures - saying people had voted to leave and were told their decision would be respected. In a press conference with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, European Council President Donald Tusk said that, until 12 April - by when the UK would have to indicate whether it would stand candidates in the 2019 European Parliament elections - \"all options remain on the table ... the UK government will still have a chance of a deal, no deal, a long extension or revoking Article 50\". If the UK has not decided by 12 April whether to take part in the elections the \"option of a long extension will automatically become impossible\", he said. He added that the atmosphere was \"much better than I had expected\" among EU leaders in discussions and he was now \"much more optimistic\". Mr Juncker said the European Commission had \"worked tirelessly\" to negotiate the withdrawal deal and respond to requests from the UK for further reassurances about keeping the Northern Irish border open. Legally-binding assurances agreed in Strasbourg last week had been endorsed, he added. \"This closes and completes the full package. There is no more that we can have.\" Discussions ran late into the evening on Thursday amid reports of disagreement between the 27 other EU leaders about the details. They are understood to have discussed potential dates of 7 May or a longer delay until the end of the year. By Reality Check's Chris Morris It's been clear for some time that EU leaders were prepared to offer a short extension of the Article 50 process. But there have been different views about how long \"short\" should be. Now we know. If the UK doesn't take part in European elections, a strict interpretation of the law rules out an extension until the end of June, which is what the Prime Minister had initially requested. That's why the 27 EU leaders offered a possible extension until 22 May, the day before voting in the elections begins. Such an extension is only on offer, though, if UK MPs vote for the Brexit deal in the House of Commons next week. And EU leaders know the numbers there don't look good for the government. So their second offer is a much shorter extension until 12 April, by which time the UK would have to legislate for holding elections in May. The government has insisted that it has no intention of taking part in the elections. But the language used by the EU keeps the possibility of UK participation open. That means that a much longer extension has not been ruled out, even though that too is an idea that has been rejected by Theresa May in the past. So the legal and political calculations that surround the EU's offer are complex, and the outcome is difficult to predict. But one thing is clear - barring dramatic developments, it confirms that the UK will not be leaving the EU on 29 March as originally intended.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4153, "answer_start": 2708, "text": "By Reality Check's Chris Morris It's been clear for some time that EU leaders were prepared to offer a short extension of the Article 50 process. But there have been different views about how long \"short\" should be. Now we know. If the UK doesn't take part in European elections, a strict interpretation of the law rules out an extension until the end of June, which is what the Prime Minister had initially requested. That's why the 27 EU leaders offered a possible extension until 22 May, the day before voting in the elections begins. Such an extension is only on offer, though, if UK MPs vote for the Brexit deal in the House of Commons next week. And EU leaders know the numbers there don't look good for the government. So their second offer is a much shorter extension until 12 April, by which time the UK would have to legislate for holding elections in May. The government has insisted that it has no intention of taking part in the elections. But the language used by the EU keeps the possibility of UK participation open. That means that a much longer extension has not been ruled out, even though that too is an idea that has been rejected by Theresa May in the past. So the legal and political calculations that surround the EU's offer are complex, and the outcome is difficult to predict. But one thing is clear - barring dramatic developments, it confirms that the UK will not be leaving the EU on 29 March as originally intended." } ], "id": "688_0", "question": "What's been agreed?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Uber is selling its South East Asia ride-share and food delivery businesses to regional rival Grab. The move marks a further retreat from international operations for Uber, after it sold its China business to local rival Didi Chuxing. Both firms describe the deal as a win for their passengers, but analysts warn it could mean higher prices. Grab is South East Asia's most popular ride-sharing firm with millions of users across eight countries. Under the terms of the deal, Uber will take a 27.5% stake in Singapore-based Grab. Uber's chief executive, Dara Khosrowshahi, will also join Grab's board. The value of the deal has not been made public. Grab's chief executive Anthony Tan said the deal \"marks the beginning of a new era\" in which the merged business would be better placed to serve customers. Uber's Mr Khosrowshahi said the deal would \"help us double down on our plans for growth as we invest heavily in our products and technology\". The deal marks Uber's third retreat after it withdrew from China in 2016 and sold its Russia business to local firm Yandex last year. Mr Khosrowshahi has been preparing the firm for an initial public offering in 2019. Uber invested $700m in its Southeast Asia business and another $2bn in China before it sold its operations there. In November, Mr Khosrowshahi, said the company's Asian operations were not going to be \"profitable any time soon\". Uber is keen to push the message that this isn't a retreat from South East Asia - that instead, this is a merger of equals - a partnership of sorts. But while it's true that Uber does get a sizeable stake in Grab, it is hard to ignore that this is the third market it is pulling out of. First China, then Russia - now South East Asia. Look closely at the internal email that Uber chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi sent his staff announcing the deal, and you can see a hint of an acknowledgement that perhaps their global strategy of barging into overseas markets isn't going as well as Uber had planned. \"One of the potential dangers of our global strategy,\" he writes, \"Is that we take on too many battles across too many fronts with too many competitors.\" This deal does beg the question what does Uber do next in Asia - because it is only really Japan, South Korea and India that it now operates in - and in all of those markets, it is facing competition of some sort, home grown or otherwise. If this defeat at Grab's hands is anything to go by - Uber best be prepared for a tough battle ahead. Read more from Karishma, here: Last year, Uber lost $4.5bn (PS3.2bn) - and its chief executive - as it underwent a fundamental shake-up following a harassment scandal. But some fear that its withdrawal from South East Asia could result in higher prices for users there. \"Industry consolidation will mean fewer choices for commuters and fares are likely to trend higher over time,\" said Corrine Png, a transport analyst from Singapore-based research firm Crucial Perspective. Competition in the ride-hailing sector has been fierce, resulting in discounts and promotions offered to riders and drivers reducing profit margins. But consolidation in the industry was widely expected after Japan's Softbank Group made a large investment in Uber last year. SoftBank is a major investor in several of Uber's rivals including Grab, China's Didi Chuxing and India's Ola. It is believed to have pushed for consolidation in order to improve revenues. Grab currently operates in eight countries including Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam. The deal - which is yet to be approved by local regulators - includes the sale of all of Uber's operations in the region, including its key food delivery service Uber Eats. As a result of the merger, the GrabFood service will expand from two to four South East Asian countries by next quarter, Grab said. The company said the deal would help it move towards profitability, and would also help to increase \"adoption of the GrabPay mobile wallet and support Grab's growing Financial Services platform\".", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4029, "answer_start": 2524, "text": "Last year, Uber lost $4.5bn (PS3.2bn) - and its chief executive - as it underwent a fundamental shake-up following a harassment scandal. But some fear that its withdrawal from South East Asia could result in higher prices for users there. \"Industry consolidation will mean fewer choices for commuters and fares are likely to trend higher over time,\" said Corrine Png, a transport analyst from Singapore-based research firm Crucial Perspective. Competition in the ride-hailing sector has been fierce, resulting in discounts and promotions offered to riders and drivers reducing profit margins. But consolidation in the industry was widely expected after Japan's Softbank Group made a large investment in Uber last year. SoftBank is a major investor in several of Uber's rivals including Grab, China's Didi Chuxing and India's Ola. It is believed to have pushed for consolidation in order to improve revenues. Grab currently operates in eight countries including Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam. The deal - which is yet to be approved by local regulators - includes the sale of all of Uber's operations in the region, including its key food delivery service Uber Eats. As a result of the merger, the GrabFood service will expand from two to four South East Asian countries by next quarter, Grab said. The company said the deal would help it move towards profitability, and would also help to increase \"adoption of the GrabPay mobile wallet and support Grab's growing Financial Services platform\"." } ], "id": "689_0", "question": "Less choice?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The chances of a no-deal Brexit are rising, with Prime Minister Boris Johnson pledging to leave the EU on 31 October, with or without a deal. Mr Johnson wants a new withdrawal deal that removes the backstop (the clause that stops there being physical checks on the Irish border under any circumstances). But EU negotiators say there is currently no basis for \"meaningful discussions\" with the UK. The UK and Irish governments and the EU have been consistent that, whatever happens, there will be no physical checks at the Irish border. But keeping that promise could be challenging. If the UK leaves without a deal, it will cease to have a trade deal with the EU, becoming what is known as a \"third country\". The EU imposes a range of checks at its borders for countries like this. There are customs checks, like those on the Norway-Sweden border, and product standard checks. The checks on food products are strict - they must take place at border inspection posts located \"in the immediate vicinity of the point of entry\" into the EU. The EU says these border checks are necessary to protect what it refers to as the \"integrity\" of its single market and customs union. Essentially, it means that the EU wants to prevent products entering its market that could be unsafe or represent unfair competition. The EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier has repeatedly emphasised that protecting the single market is a key objective for the EU. The EU has made it increasingly clear that in the event of no deal there would have to be some form of checks on cross-border trade in Ireland - but the question is how and where would they take place? \"We have to implement everywhere, at each and every external border of the EU, three types of controls\", to protect consumers, businesses and national budgets, Mr Barnier said. \"We need to find the way somewhere to implement the checks. We're working with the Irish government to know where we can apply these checks.\" That has also been echoed by the Irish government in its latest contingency plan. It said no deal would mean cross-border trade could not be as frictionless as it is today. The plan said new checks will be \"necessary to preserve Ireland's full participation in the single market and customs union\". But it does not elaborate on where and how such checks would take place. The Revenue Commissioners, Ireland's tax authority, has suggested that while all customs declarations could be filed electronically, up to 8% of consignments would still need to be physically checked for customs purposes. It says it is exploring ways of doing this at traders' premises or at designated warehouses. Brexit supporters and some government ministers have seized on suggestions like this to say that there is no real problem. Liz Truss, the International Trade Secretary, told the BBC that solutions have been suggested which don't involve a hard border, or doing checks elsewhere. However, the EU's strict rules on checking certain food products may prove to be a potential problem, according to the Revenue Commissioners. On top of that, carrying out checks in warehouses would seem to conflict with the Irish government's definition of a hard border, which rules out not only physical infrastructure but also \"related checks and controls\". Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) Leo Varadkar has said Ireland will do everything possible to avoid a hard border, but food and animal checks will be difficult to get round. \"Customs duties can be collected as other taxes are, either online or into tax offices... When it comes to animal checks it's much more difficult. Animal checks can only possibly be done physically by vets,\" he said. Anna Jerzewska, trade policy consultant at British Chambers of Commerce, agrees that customs formalities can be carried out away from a border, but eliminating all checks would be a stretch. \"That would be a massive departure from existing procedures for any country,\" she said. \"There's a reason borders are not invisible. It ensures some level of compliance and an acceptable level of risk.\" She adds that the European Commission would also have to justify to other member states why these procedures could be used in Ireland and not in, say, Bulgaria. Leo Varadkar has suggested that this would be the best way to prevent any hardening of the border. Speaking last month, he said: \"The kind of things that we're looking at and proposing, for example, is that the entire island of Ireland will be treated the same when it comes to agriculture or food and that any SPS [sanitary and phytosanitary] checks would happen at the ports. \"That would mean Britain accepting that Northern Ireland is being treated differently.\" That proposal is similar to elements of the backstop. The backstop was the most controversial part of Theresa May's deal with the EU. It would mean that if a final trade deal was not sufficient to keep the Irish border as it is now, then Northern Ireland would stay aligned to some rules of the EU single market. That would mean goods coming into Northern Ireland from elsewhere in the UK would need to be checked to see if they meet EU standards. It would be a huge step for a UK government to implement something like the backstop in the event of no deal. And the DUP, the Northern Ireland party which supports Boris Johnson's government, has repeatedly said it is against any new checks on goods coming into Northern Ireland from Great Britain. Instead, the DUP wants alternative solutions, such as technology, to replace the backstop. But the EU has stressed that technology will not currently be enough to do away with border checks completely. An alternative suggestion is that checks could take place on goods leaving the island of Ireland and destined for the EU. So, in effect, the border shifts between the island of Ireland and mainland Europe. But the Irish government has made it clear it would resist any such plan. Foreign Minister Simon Coveney told the BBC: \"If checks are in France or Holland or Belgium, it means that Ireland is being taken out of the single market and customs union.\" The UK government published its no-deal plan for the border in March. It has promised not to introduce any new checks, controls or tariffs on goods coming from Ireland into Northern Ireland. The plan is intended to be temporary, and the government said its priority would be to enter into discussions with the European Commission and the Irish government to jointly agree long-term measures to avoid a hard border. Read more from Reality Check Send us your questions Follow us on Twitter", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1436, "answer_start": 583, "text": "If the UK leaves without a deal, it will cease to have a trade deal with the EU, becoming what is known as a \"third country\". The EU imposes a range of checks at its borders for countries like this. There are customs checks, like those on the Norway-Sweden border, and product standard checks. The checks on food products are strict - they must take place at border inspection posts located \"in the immediate vicinity of the point of entry\" into the EU. The EU says these border checks are necessary to protect what it refers to as the \"integrity\" of its single market and customs union. Essentially, it means that the EU wants to prevent products entering its market that could be unsafe or represent unfair competition. The EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier has repeatedly emphasised that protecting the single market is a key objective for the EU." } ], "id": "690_0", "question": "What's the problem?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2329, "answer_start": 1437, "text": "The EU has made it increasingly clear that in the event of no deal there would have to be some form of checks on cross-border trade in Ireland - but the question is how and where would they take place? \"We have to implement everywhere, at each and every external border of the EU, three types of controls\", to protect consumers, businesses and national budgets, Mr Barnier said. \"We need to find the way somewhere to implement the checks. We're working with the Irish government to know where we can apply these checks.\" That has also been echoed by the Irish government in its latest contingency plan. It said no deal would mean cross-border trade could not be as frictionless as it is today. The plan said new checks will be \"necessary to preserve Ireland's full participation in the single market and customs union\". But it does not elaborate on where and how such checks would take place." } ], "id": "690_1", "question": "What has the EU said?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4230, "answer_start": 2330, "text": "The Revenue Commissioners, Ireland's tax authority, has suggested that while all customs declarations could be filed electronically, up to 8% of consignments would still need to be physically checked for customs purposes. It says it is exploring ways of doing this at traders' premises or at designated warehouses. Brexit supporters and some government ministers have seized on suggestions like this to say that there is no real problem. Liz Truss, the International Trade Secretary, told the BBC that solutions have been suggested which don't involve a hard border, or doing checks elsewhere. However, the EU's strict rules on checking certain food products may prove to be a potential problem, according to the Revenue Commissioners. On top of that, carrying out checks in warehouses would seem to conflict with the Irish government's definition of a hard border, which rules out not only physical infrastructure but also \"related checks and controls\". Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) Leo Varadkar has said Ireland will do everything possible to avoid a hard border, but food and animal checks will be difficult to get round. \"Customs duties can be collected as other taxes are, either online or into tax offices... When it comes to animal checks it's much more difficult. Animal checks can only possibly be done physically by vets,\" he said. Anna Jerzewska, trade policy consultant at British Chambers of Commerce, agrees that customs formalities can be carried out away from a border, but eliminating all checks would be a stretch. \"That would be a massive departure from existing procedures for any country,\" she said. \"There's a reason borders are not invisible. It ensures some level of compliance and an acceptable level of risk.\" She adds that the European Commission would also have to justify to other member states why these procedures could be used in Ireland and not in, say, Bulgaria." } ], "id": "690_2", "question": "What checks could happen away from the border?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5646, "answer_start": 4231, "text": "Leo Varadkar has suggested that this would be the best way to prevent any hardening of the border. Speaking last month, he said: \"The kind of things that we're looking at and proposing, for example, is that the entire island of Ireland will be treated the same when it comes to agriculture or food and that any SPS [sanitary and phytosanitary] checks would happen at the ports. \"That would mean Britain accepting that Northern Ireland is being treated differently.\" That proposal is similar to elements of the backstop. The backstop was the most controversial part of Theresa May's deal with the EU. It would mean that if a final trade deal was not sufficient to keep the Irish border as it is now, then Northern Ireland would stay aligned to some rules of the EU single market. That would mean goods coming into Northern Ireland from elsewhere in the UK would need to be checked to see if they meet EU standards. It would be a huge step for a UK government to implement something like the backstop in the event of no deal. And the DUP, the Northern Ireland party which supports Boris Johnson's government, has repeatedly said it is against any new checks on goods coming into Northern Ireland from Great Britain. Instead, the DUP wants alternative solutions, such as technology, to replace the backstop. But the EU has stressed that technology will not currently be enough to do away with border checks completely." } ], "id": "690_3", "question": "Could checks take place at Irish Sea ports?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 6516, "answer_start": 6102, "text": "The UK government published its no-deal plan for the border in March. It has promised not to introduce any new checks, controls or tariffs on goods coming from Ireland into Northern Ireland. The plan is intended to be temporary, and the government said its priority would be to enter into discussions with the European Commission and the Irish government to jointly agree long-term measures to avoid a hard border." } ], "id": "690_4", "question": "What is the UK government going to do?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Canadian Prime Minister-designate Justin Trudeau says the country has reclaimed its Liberal identity, after a decisive election victory that ended nearly a decade of Conservative rule. \"I want to say to this country's friends all around the world,\" he told a rally in Ottawa, \"on behalf of 35 million Canadians - we're back.\" His Liberal Party began the campaign in third place but now has a majority. Mr Trudeau, an ex-high-school teacher, is the son of late PM Pierre Trudeau. The BBC's Nick Bryant in Toronto says there is jubilation, but also an air of nostalgia about his victory, as the prime minister's residence is also his childhood home. Addressing cheering supporters alternately in French and English, Mr Trudeau said: \"This afternoon we can celebrate but the work is only beginning\". Meet Justin Trudeau Young Canadians' hopes Seven key Trudeau policies During the 11-week election campaign, the Liberal Party said it would: - Cut income taxes for middle-class Canadians while increasing them for the wealthy - Run deficits for three years to pay for infrastructure spending - Do more to address environmental concerns over the controversial Keystone oil pipeline - Take in more Syrian refugees, and pull out of bombing raids against Islamic State while bolstering training for Iraqi forces - Legalise marijuana Why Harper lost Where did Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper go wrong? After such a resounding defeat, even supporters admit some policies have backfired. - Misreading austerity mood His economic message - based on low taxes and balancing the books - seemed to exaggerate Canada's ability to ride out the global downturn, whereas Mr Trudeau focused on how many people felt. - Appearing to be mean-spirited Mr Harper leader took a hard line on Syrian refugees and opposed the wearing of the niqab at citizenship ceremonies. While there was support on both these issues, the tipping point came after he suggested a police hotline to report \"barbaric cultural practices\". - Rallying liberal opponents Bill C51, which strengthened powers of surveillance, rallied many against a perceived attack on civil liberties. - Falling out with Obama The two leaders never warmed to each other. Mr Harper pushed the Keystone XL pipeline hard on a lukewarm US president. According to a newspaper, Mr Harper was \"deeply frustrated\" with a president who he felt was \"incapable of making a difficult decision\". - Failing to clean up politics In 2006, Mr Harper pledged to clean up politics and he introduced a bill to increase accountability but failed to keep more than half of the pledges. Harper's miscalculations Twitter reaches out to wrong Harper The economy loomed large during the campaign. Mr Harper highlighted his legacy of balanced budget and tax cuts, while Mr Trudeau pointed to sluggish growth to support his calls to boost demand through public spending. Mr Trudeau's infrastructure policy is projected to cost C$10bn in the first two years, equivalent to 0.5% of Canada's GDP - tipping the federal budget into deficit. But, BBC business reporter Robert Plummer says, if the money is spent on the wrong kind of infrastructure, it may not do any good, while saddling the government with unnecessary debt. Whatever happens, richer Canadians can expect to face a higher tax bill, handing over more than half their income in combined federal and provincial taxes, while ordinary people can look forward to tax breaks. And in the short term, Mr Trudeau's policies may help stabilise the economy, making it unlikely that the Bank of Canada will cut interest rates further - meaning borrowing costs should remain low and house prices relatively high. Mr Harper, one of the longest-serving Western leaders, had been seeking a rare fourth term. He will now stand down as Conservative leader but remain as an MP, his party says. There is no fixed transition period under Canada's constitution. Mr Trudeau is expected to be sworn in in a few weeks' times.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3975, "answer_start": 3674, "text": "Mr Harper, one of the longest-serving Western leaders, had been seeking a rare fourth term. He will now stand down as Conservative leader but remain as an MP, his party says. There is no fixed transition period under Canada's constitution. Mr Trudeau is expected to be sworn in in a few weeks' times." } ], "id": "691_0", "question": "What now for Harper?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The head of US media giant CBS, Les Moonves, has resigned with immediate effect following allegations of sexual misconduct. CBS had been investigating Mr Moonves since allegations appeared in the New Yorker in July - and fresh accusations from six more women appeared on Sunday. Mr Moonves, 68, denies the allegations, calling the latest \"appalling\". In a statement CBS said a $20m (PS15.4m) would be paid immediately in support of the #MeToo movement. It said one or more organisations that supported #MeToo and female workplace equality stood to benefit, but did not specify which. The donation has been deducted from any severance benefits that may be due to Mr Moonves - the amount of which is pending the results of an ongoing independent investigation into his conduct. They appear in a new article in the New Yorker by Ronan Farrow, who also authored the July piece and this year shared a Pulitzer Prize for detailing assault accusations against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein. The six women in the latest piece allege sexual harassment or assault by Mr Moonves between the 1980s and the first decade of this century. Some allege he forced them to perform oral sex or exposed himself without their consent. Some say he damaged their careers when they rebuffed him. TV executive Phyllis Golden-Gottlieb and writer Jessica Pallingston are two of the women who give graphic descriptions of the misconduct they accuse Mr Moonves of carrying out. Under Mr Moonves' leadership, CBS has been the most-watched network in the US. He developed hits like CSI and The Big Bang Theory, while his $69.3m (PS53m) earnings in 2017 made him one of the highest paid chief executives in the world. His tenure at the top of CBS, which he joined in 1995, has been marked by a power struggle with Shari Redstone who, through her family's business National Amusements, is the controlling shareholder in both CBS and the media conglomerate, Viacom. Ms Redstone and Mr Moonves had been engaged in a court battle as he tried to thwart her plan to merge CBS and Viacom. But the announcement of Mr Moonves' departure came at the same time as CBS said it was ending legal action against National Amusements. For its part, National Amusements said it would not seek a merger between the two companies for the next two years. In a statement it announced that Mr Moonves would step down as chairman, president and CEO with immediate effect. Joseph Ianniello will serve as president and acting CEO. The Financial Times said Mr Moonves was resigning because this would entitle him to a hefty severance package, including stock options. US media said the resignation package for Mr Moonves could amount to $100m. However, CBS said he would not receive any severance benefits until the result of an independent investigation into him. In a separate move, six directors have stepped down and six new ones have been elected. Mr Moonves issued a statement on Sunday saying: \"Untrue allegations from decades ago are now being made against me that are not consistent with who I am.\" The New Yorker quoted a statement in which he says: \"The appalling accusations in this article are untrue. What is true is that I had consensual relations with three of the women some 25 years ago before I came to CBS. \"And I have never used my position to hinder the advancement or careers of women. In my 40 years of work, I have never before heard of such disturbing accusations.\" A further six women also accused Mr Moonves earlier this year. All of them said they believed their careers had suffered because they rejected his advances. At the time Mr Moonves said he \"may have made some women uncomfortable\" in the past, adding: \"Those were mistakes, and I regret them immensely. But I always understood and respected... that 'no' means 'no'. On Monday, CBS This Morning presenter Norah O'Donnell told viewers that \"he's my boss - or he was my boss - and that makes it hard to comment on it\". She discussed her conversation over the weekend with co-host Gayle King about how it had been less than a year since their fellow CBS presenter, Charlie Rose, resigned amid sexual misconduct allegations against him. She then turned to the camera and said: \"There is no excuse for this alleged behavior. It is systemic and it is pervasive in our culture.\" \"And this I know this is true to the core of my being: Women cannot achieve equality in the workplace or society until there is a reckoning and a taking of responsibility.\"", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1453, "answer_start": 776, "text": "They appear in a new article in the New Yorker by Ronan Farrow, who also authored the July piece and this year shared a Pulitzer Prize for detailing assault accusations against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein. The six women in the latest piece allege sexual harassment or assault by Mr Moonves between the 1980s and the first decade of this century. Some allege he forced them to perform oral sex or exposed himself without their consent. Some say he damaged their careers when they rebuffed him. TV executive Phyllis Golden-Gottlieb and writer Jessica Pallingston are two of the women who give graphic descriptions of the misconduct they accuse Mr Moonves of carrying out." } ], "id": "692_0", "question": "What are the latest allegations?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3054, "answer_start": 1454, "text": "Under Mr Moonves' leadership, CBS has been the most-watched network in the US. He developed hits like CSI and The Big Bang Theory, while his $69.3m (PS53m) earnings in 2017 made him one of the highest paid chief executives in the world. His tenure at the top of CBS, which he joined in 1995, has been marked by a power struggle with Shari Redstone who, through her family's business National Amusements, is the controlling shareholder in both CBS and the media conglomerate, Viacom. Ms Redstone and Mr Moonves had been engaged in a court battle as he tried to thwart her plan to merge CBS and Viacom. But the announcement of Mr Moonves' departure came at the same time as CBS said it was ending legal action against National Amusements. For its part, National Amusements said it would not seek a merger between the two companies for the next two years. In a statement it announced that Mr Moonves would step down as chairman, president and CEO with immediate effect. Joseph Ianniello will serve as president and acting CEO. The Financial Times said Mr Moonves was resigning because this would entitle him to a hefty severance package, including stock options. US media said the resignation package for Mr Moonves could amount to $100m. However, CBS said he would not receive any severance benefits until the result of an independent investigation into him. In a separate move, six directors have stepped down and six new ones have been elected. Mr Moonves issued a statement on Sunday saying: \"Untrue allegations from decades ago are now being made against me that are not consistent with who I am.\"" } ], "id": "692_1", "question": "Where does this leave CBS?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3802, "answer_start": 3055, "text": "The New Yorker quoted a statement in which he says: \"The appalling accusations in this article are untrue. What is true is that I had consensual relations with three of the women some 25 years ago before I came to CBS. \"And I have never used my position to hinder the advancement or careers of women. In my 40 years of work, I have never before heard of such disturbing accusations.\" A further six women also accused Mr Moonves earlier this year. All of them said they believed their careers had suffered because they rejected his advances. At the time Mr Moonves said he \"may have made some women uncomfortable\" in the past, adding: \"Those were mistakes, and I regret them immensely. But I always understood and respected... that 'no' means 'no'." } ], "id": "692_2", "question": "How has Mr Moonves responded?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4480, "answer_start": 3803, "text": "On Monday, CBS This Morning presenter Norah O'Donnell told viewers that \"he's my boss - or he was my boss - and that makes it hard to comment on it\". She discussed her conversation over the weekend with co-host Gayle King about how it had been less than a year since their fellow CBS presenter, Charlie Rose, resigned amid sexual misconduct allegations against him. She then turned to the camera and said: \"There is no excuse for this alleged behavior. It is systemic and it is pervasive in our culture.\" \"And this I know this is true to the core of my being: Women cannot achieve equality in the workplace or society until there is a reckoning and a taking of responsibility.\"" } ], "id": "692_3", "question": "How did CBS News cover it?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Michelle Obama has said she still feels \"impostor syndrome\", adding that \"it never goes away\". Mrs Obama was speaking during her return to Elizabeth Garrett Anderson School, an all-girls school in north London she previously visited in 2009. The former US First Lady also attended a sold-out event at London's Royal Festival Hall. There she recalled how the Queen had dismissed royal protocol as \"rubbish\" when the Obamas visited Windsor Castle. She said she was panicking about how to act but the Queen said: \"Just get in\". On Monday evening, Mrs Obama spoke to author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie at the Southbank Centre to promote her new autobiography Becoming. More than 40,000 people had reportedly tried to get tickets online when the event went on sale. And last month, her memoir became the best-selling book released this year, just 15 days after being published. Mrs Obama also spoke to an audience of 300 students at Elizabeth Garrett Anderson School in Islington as part of her book tour. She first visited the school during the G20 summit nine years ago, when she had only been first lady for a few months. Asked how she felt to be seen as a \"symbol of hope\", Mrs Obama told students: \"I still have a little [bit of] impostor syndrome, it never goes away, that you're actually listening to me. \"It doesn't go away, that feeling that you shouldn't take me that seriously. What do I know? I share that with you because we all have doubts in our abilities, about our power and what that power is. \"If I'm giving people hope then that is a responsibility, so I have to make sure that I am accountable. \"We don't have any choice but to make sure we elders are giving our young people a reason to hope.\" Impostor syndrome is a term used to describe feelings of insecurity or self-doubt, despite there being no evidence to support such a belief. During the event at the Southbank Centre, Mrs Obama also recalled her and President Barack Obama's visit to meet the Queen. \"I had all this protocol buzzing in my head and I was like 'don't trip down the stairs and don't touch anybody, whatever you do'. \"And so the Queen says 'just get in, sit wherever' and she's telling you one thing and you're remembering protocol and she says 'Oh it's all rubbish, just get in'.\" Mr Obama served two terms in the White House. Mrs Obama is a lawyer and has led charity initiatives including Let Girls Learn, to promote education for girls around the world. Mrs Obama also described her experience of black women being caricatured, saying: \"The size of our hips, our style, our swag, it becomes co-opted but then we are demonised. \"My advice to young women in that you have to start by getting those demons out of your head. The questions I ask myself - 'am I good enough?' - that haunts us, because the messages that are sent from the time we are little is: maybe you are not, don't reach too high, don't talk too loud.\" The former first lady said this was true for women and working-class people, and \"profound for women of colour\", as people in power tried to make them feel they did not \"belong\". \"Here is the secret,\" she added. \"I have been at probably every powerful table that you can think of, I have worked at non-profits, I have been at foundations, I have worked in corporations, served on corporate boards, I have been at G-summits, I have sat in at the UN; they are not that smart.\"", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3382, "answer_start": 2444, "text": "Mrs Obama also described her experience of black women being caricatured, saying: \"The size of our hips, our style, our swag, it becomes co-opted but then we are demonised. \"My advice to young women in that you have to start by getting those demons out of your head. The questions I ask myself - 'am I good enough?' - that haunts us, because the messages that are sent from the time we are little is: maybe you are not, don't reach too high, don't talk too loud.\" The former first lady said this was true for women and working-class people, and \"profound for women of colour\", as people in power tried to make them feel they did not \"belong\". \"Here is the secret,\" she added. \"I have been at probably every powerful table that you can think of, I have worked at non-profits, I have been at foundations, I have worked in corporations, served on corporate boards, I have been at G-summits, I have sat in at the UN; they are not that smart.\"" } ], "id": "693_0", "question": "Her wisdom for young women?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Pakistan has said it will follow a UN court's order to allow consular access to an Indian navy officer convicted of spying. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled on Wednesday that Islamabad had violated international law by denying access to Kulbhushan Jadhav. Islamabad said the access would be \"granted according to Pakistani laws\". Jadhav was arrested in Pakistan in March 2016 and sentenced to death by a military court a year later. The Hague-based ICJ ruled that Pakistan had failed to inform Mr Jadhav of his rights, and deprived the Indian government \"of the right to communicate with and have access to [him], to visit him in detention and to arrange for his legal representation\". Islamabad has said that Mr Jadhav has been informed of \"his rights under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations\". \"As a responsible state, Pakistan will grant consular access to Commander Kulbushan Jadhav according to Pakistani laws, for which modalities are being worked out,\" Pakistan's foreign office said. The ICJ has also asked Pakistan to review Mr Jadhav's death penalty. \"A continued stay of execution constitutes an indispensible condition for the effective review and reconsideration of the conviction and sentence,\" the court said. Pakistan is yet to comment on the review. The ruling has been seen as a victory in both countries. India said the ruling showed that Pakistan was in violation of international law, while Islamabad stressed that it had won because the ICJ didn't order the release of Mr Jadhav. The verdict was a culmination of a lengthy legal battle fought between the neighbouring countries at the ICJ. The case of Kulbhushan Jadhav has been a thorny issue since his arrest three years ago. Pakistan said it had detained him in the restive province of Balochistan, home to a separatist insurgency that it accuses India of backing. India said he was kidnapped in Iran, which borders the province, where he was doing business. Shortly after his arrest, the Pakistani authorities released a video in which he was shown admitting involvement in spying. India has always questioned the alleged confession, saying that it was extracted under duress. In April 2017, he was convicted of espionage and terrorism and sentenced to death. India then filed a case with the ICJ. India said that Pakistan had violated the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations by denying access to Mr Jadhav. Pakistan argued that he was not entitled to consular access because he is a spy who entered the country to create \"unrest and instability\". The ICJ was set up in 1945 to rule on disputes between nations. The last time India and Pakistan took a dispute to the court was in 1999 when Islamabad protested against India's downing of a Pakistani navy plane. The court decided that it had no jurisdiction to rule in the dispute and closed the case.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2296, "answer_start": 1635, "text": "The case of Kulbhushan Jadhav has been a thorny issue since his arrest three years ago. Pakistan said it had detained him in the restive province of Balochistan, home to a separatist insurgency that it accuses India of backing. India said he was kidnapped in Iran, which borders the province, where he was doing business. Shortly after his arrest, the Pakistani authorities released a video in which he was shown admitting involvement in spying. India has always questioned the alleged confession, saying that it was extracted under duress. In April 2017, he was convicted of espionage and terrorism and sentenced to death. India then filed a case with the ICJ." } ], "id": "694_0", "question": "What are the allegations?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called on Germany to extradite supporters of a US-based Muslim cleric whom he blames for an attempted coup. Speaking in Berlin, he said Germany should designate followers of Fethullah Gulen as terrorists. Chancellor Angela Merkel told a news conference that Germany needed more evidence against the group. She also urged Turkey to quickly resolve cases of German citizens imprisoned in Turkey. \"I have pressed for it and will continue to do so, that these cases can be solved quickly,\" she said. Mr Erdogan is on a three-day state visit to Germany try to improve strained ties between the two Nato allies. Relations have soured since Mr Erdogan launched a crackdown following the 2016 failed military coup. Heavy security is in place in Berlin, where police expect street protests by pro- and anti-Erdogan groups. Germany is home to three million ethnic Turks. The Turkish president said there were hundreds of members of Mr Gulen's network - which he described as a terror organisation - in Germany. \"I believe in apprehending whoever, wherever, and handing them to Turkey,\" he told the sometimes tense news conference. \"Mutual confidence [and] the joint action of the Turkish and German intelligence organisations and our ministries will make things easier.\" Turkey has designated the Gulen network and the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) as terror groups and accused Mr Gulen of fomenting the 2016 failed coup in which at least 250 people died. Mr Gulen has denied involvement and the European Union says it does not share Turkey's view that his network is a terror organisation. Mrs Merkel said Germany was seeking several people whose extradition on terror charges Turkey was demanding, but it was not certain they were in Germany. \"We take very seriously the evidence Turkey provided but we need more material if we are to classify it in the same way we have classified the PKK,\" she said on Friday. Mr Erdogan also defended Turkey's right to demand the extradition of the journalist Can Dundar, former editor of Turkish opposition daily Cumhuriyet. Mr Dundar fled to Germany in 2016 after being convicted of revealing state secrets. \"This person is a convicted criminal according to Turkish law,\" he said. The German newspaper Bild reported that Mr Erdogan had threatened to call off the news conference if Mr Dundar attended it. Mrs Merkel said it had been Mr Dundar's decision to stay away. The news conference was briefly interrupted when a man wearing a T-shirt with the slogan \"Freedom for Journalists\" tried to shout at Mr Erdogan. He was quickly escorted out. Mr Erdogan said Turkey still wanted easier access to the EU for its citizens. \"We are planning to fulfil the remaining six criteria for visa liberalisation as soon as possible,\" he said. \"Visa liberalisation, updating the customs union and reviving accession talks will benefit both Turkey and the EU.\" Mrs Merkel said she was pushing for the release of German citizens who are among the tens of thousands of people arrested in a series of purges. Mr Erdogan's critics say he has used the failed uprising as an excuse to stifle political opposition and a free press. Mrs Merkel told the news conference that the two governments had a different perception of what a free, democratic society looked like. Mr Erdogan called for an end to complaints that Turkey's justice system lacked independence. \"Just as I can't interfere in the German justice system and criticise it, you don't have the right to criticise the Turkish legal system or judiciary. Because the judiciary is independent and you have to respect their judgements,\" he said. Mrs Merkel also announced that she and Mr Erdogan would take part in a summit in October with the leaders of Russia and France to discuss the situation in Syria. Syrian government troops backed by Russian forces are poised to launch an offensive on the rebel-held province of Idlib, prompting fears of a humanitarian disaster. She said she and Mr Erdogan would discuss Idlib in more depth on Saturday. Mr Erdogan is due to attend a state banquet in his honour later on Friday.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2615, "answer_start": 904, "text": "The Turkish president said there were hundreds of members of Mr Gulen's network - which he described as a terror organisation - in Germany. \"I believe in apprehending whoever, wherever, and handing them to Turkey,\" he told the sometimes tense news conference. \"Mutual confidence [and] the joint action of the Turkish and German intelligence organisations and our ministries will make things easier.\" Turkey has designated the Gulen network and the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) as terror groups and accused Mr Gulen of fomenting the 2016 failed coup in which at least 250 people died. Mr Gulen has denied involvement and the European Union says it does not share Turkey's view that his network is a terror organisation. Mrs Merkel said Germany was seeking several people whose extradition on terror charges Turkey was demanding, but it was not certain they were in Germany. \"We take very seriously the evidence Turkey provided but we need more material if we are to classify it in the same way we have classified the PKK,\" she said on Friday. Mr Erdogan also defended Turkey's right to demand the extradition of the journalist Can Dundar, former editor of Turkish opposition daily Cumhuriyet. Mr Dundar fled to Germany in 2016 after being convicted of revealing state secrets. \"This person is a convicted criminal according to Turkish law,\" he said. The German newspaper Bild reported that Mr Erdogan had threatened to call off the news conference if Mr Dundar attended it. Mrs Merkel said it had been Mr Dundar's decision to stay away. The news conference was briefly interrupted when a man wearing a T-shirt with the slogan \"Freedom for Journalists\" tried to shout at Mr Erdogan. He was quickly escorted out." } ], "id": "695_0", "question": "What did Erdogan say?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4128, "answer_start": 2616, "text": "Mr Erdogan said Turkey still wanted easier access to the EU for its citizens. \"We are planning to fulfil the remaining six criteria for visa liberalisation as soon as possible,\" he said. \"Visa liberalisation, updating the customs union and reviving accession talks will benefit both Turkey and the EU.\" Mrs Merkel said she was pushing for the release of German citizens who are among the tens of thousands of people arrested in a series of purges. Mr Erdogan's critics say he has used the failed uprising as an excuse to stifle political opposition and a free press. Mrs Merkel told the news conference that the two governments had a different perception of what a free, democratic society looked like. Mr Erdogan called for an end to complaints that Turkey's justice system lacked independence. \"Just as I can't interfere in the German justice system and criticise it, you don't have the right to criticise the Turkish legal system or judiciary. Because the judiciary is independent and you have to respect their judgements,\" he said. Mrs Merkel also announced that she and Mr Erdogan would take part in a summit in October with the leaders of Russia and France to discuss the situation in Syria. Syrian government troops backed by Russian forces are poised to launch an offensive on the rebel-held province of Idlib, prompting fears of a humanitarian disaster. She said she and Mr Erdogan would discuss Idlib in more depth on Saturday. Mr Erdogan is due to attend a state banquet in his honour later on Friday." } ], "id": "695_1", "question": "What else was discussed?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "KSI and Logan Paul, YouTube stars with 37 million subscribers between them, will take their beef into the boxing ring on Saturday for a fight billed as \"the biggest event in internet history\". KSI or Logan Paul? YouTube fans around the world have chosen whose side they are on, and will be watching when the pair of social media heavyweights step into the ring at Manchester Arena. Both are wildly popular, both are massively divisive, both have highly controversial pasts. KSI is the brash 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 the 23-year-old US prankster (and former state wrestler) who made his name on Vine before moving to YouTube, where he's had 3.9 billion views, and who caused outrage earlier this year for showing the body of an apparent suicide victim in Japan. Both have cultivated a frenzied online feud in order to hype up this bout, which will be streamed pay-per-view on YouTube. Their brothers Jake Paul (4.9 billion views) and Deji (3.3 billion) will fight on the undercard. Both seem to have largely shrugged off their controversies, but the fight will be seen by some as a way to prop up, and cash in on, their careers. Asked by BBC News whether he's hoping to redeem himself, Logan says: \"I don't think this is the redemption. I think it may mark a part of it, but by no means is this fight a redemption for my mistake that happened in January. \"But I think it is an opportunity to for me to have taken a step back from the internet and focus my efforts elsewhere, and it's an opportunity for me to show the world a new version of Logan Paul, not just silly internet vlog boy.\" KSI, when asked whether he has regrets about his past behaviour, tells BBC News: \"I definitely have regrets for some of the things I've said and done, but you know, I'm a human being and human beings make mistakes. \"Because it's me, it's showcased all over the internet, but that's just how it is.\" Social media can be a combative place, so perhaps it's logical for social superstars to take their hostility a into the real world. At one of KSI's training sessions in Manchester before the fight, fan Shaf Miah, 25, from London, says the white-collar amateur bout is \"the next level of internet beef\". He says: \"If you read comments [on YouTube], people want to physically hit someone if they don't like them or if they've done something annoying. And to see their favourite YouTuber do it for them, they're obviously going to pay money to watch it.\" Michael Zepeda, 21, has come from LA for the fight. \"They've both got a lot of subscribers, they both get a lot of views,\" he says. \"Everybody wants to watch. \"I want to see Logan get his ass beat. He deserves it. He's done many messed up things for views. He crossed that line, definitely.\" CJ Melia, 21, has travelled to Manchester from Dublin. \"I cannot wait,\" he says. \"I'm so excited for this. I've been watching KSI for about nine years. He's the reason I started my first YouTube channel eight years ago. \"I never thought something like this would happen. This is the biggest event YouTube has ever done.\" This 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 Weller at the Copper Box Arena in London in February, and won. That 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. Weller has five million subscribers to Logan Paul's 18 million. Saturday's fight will be much bigger - but this time, punters have to pay PS7.50 to watch. Really? The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge might have something to say about that. Their 2011 wedding holds the Guinness World Record for the most live streams for a single event, at 72 million - although that obviously wasn't a product of the online world, as this fight is. YouTuber Jordan Antle, who goes by the name TheFearRaiser, says the fight's billing is not over the top. \"This is a massive event and I would definitely say this is going to be one of the biggest internet events so far in history,\" he tells BBC News. \"Seeing two YouTubers who have a large fanbase fighting each other live in front of millions of people in unheard of. It's a very strange combination of two worlds and it's attracting a lot of attention because of how different it is.\" KSI and the Paul brothers have certainly been doing their best to whip their fans into a frenzy. Insult-filled videos and diss tracks have flown back and forth, and ill-tempered press conferences have taken place in Los Angeles and London. And on Wednesday, Deji turned up unannounced at the Pauls' training gym in Manchester and ended up getting a slap from Jake. The antics have all been more WWE than WBO. But KSI's manager Liam Chivers insists it's \"100% real\". He says: \"People think these guys are not professional boxers, this is just a bit of fun, it's just an amateur fight. \"No - these two guys are on an absolute pedestal and they have egos, they have hugely passionate audiences. \"This is the modern-day mainstream of fandom, this is where the pressure is at, and these two guys have built their reputations and audiences over however many years, and it's all on the line. \"Plus the fact they're promotional geniuses and they've applied that and have attacked each other so hard that they are really very upset with each other. There's not one little bit of fake beef about it.\" More than 15,000 tickets have been sold for Manchester Arena, but Chivers is reluctant to predict how many people will sign up to watch online. \"It's really hard to know - this is the first time this has ever been done,\" he says. \"If you said a number of a couple of hundred thousand buys, I'd say that was not good but that would cover costs.\" The fight will cost PS7.50 to watch in the UK or $10 in the US - much less than a big professional pay-per-view fight, but much more than people are used to paying on YouTube. \"There's a YouTube culture of not buying and it's a whole educational process to see how many tune in,\" Chivers says. Taking part in high-profile real-life contests is nothing new for YouTubers - although, with Zoella on The Great Comic Relief Bake-Off in 2015 and her brother Joe Sugg in this year's Strictly Come Dancing, other British examples have been more sedate. So with their attention-grabbing aggression, KSI and Logan Paul have stumbled across an effective way to boost their profiles and bank balances, and other YouTubers may follow suit. No matter who wins bragging rights in Manchester - and the victor will brag a lot - the pair have already agreed to a rematch in the US. This beef has only just begun. Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1146, "answer_start": 474, "text": "KSI is the brash 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 the 23-year-old US prankster (and former state wrestler) who made his name on Vine before moving to YouTube, where he's had 3.9 billion views, and who caused outrage earlier this year for showing the body of an apparent suicide victim in Japan. Both have cultivated a frenzied online feud in order to hype up this bout, which will be streamed pay-per-view on YouTube. Their brothers Jake Paul (4.9 billion views) and Deji (3.3 billion) will fight on the undercard." } ], "id": "696_0", "question": "Who are KSI and Logan Paul?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4877, "answer_start": 3751, "text": "Really? The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge might have something to say about that. Their 2011 wedding holds the Guinness World Record for the most live streams for a single event, at 72 million - although that obviously wasn't a product of the online world, as this fight is. YouTuber Jordan Antle, who goes by the name TheFearRaiser, says the fight's billing is not over the top. \"This is a massive event and I would definitely say this is going to be one of the biggest internet events so far in history,\" he tells BBC News. \"Seeing two YouTubers who have a large fanbase fighting each other live in front of millions of people in unheard of. It's a very strange combination of two worlds and it's attracting a lot of attention because of how different it is.\" KSI and the Paul brothers have certainly been doing their best to whip their fans into a frenzy. Insult-filled videos and diss tracks have flown back and forth, and ill-tempered press conferences have taken place in Los Angeles and London. And on Wednesday, Deji turned up unannounced at the Pauls' training gym in Manchester and ended up getting a slap from Jake." } ], "id": "696_1", "question": "The biggest event in internet history?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5603, "answer_start": 4878, "text": "The antics have all been more WWE than WBO. But KSI's manager Liam Chivers insists it's \"100% real\". He says: \"People think these guys are not professional boxers, this is just a bit of fun, it's just an amateur fight. \"No - these two guys are on an absolute pedestal and they have egos, they have hugely passionate audiences. \"This is the modern-day mainstream of fandom, this is where the pressure is at, and these two guys have built their reputations and audiences over however many years, and it's all on the line. \"Plus the fact they're promotional geniuses and they've applied that and have attacked each other so hard that they are really very upset with each other. There's not one little bit of fake beef about it.\"" } ], "id": "696_2", "question": "Is it for real?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 6844, "answer_start": 5604, "text": "More than 15,000 tickets have been sold for Manchester Arena, but Chivers is reluctant to predict how many people will sign up to watch online. \"It's really hard to know - this is the first time this has ever been done,\" he says. \"If you said a number of a couple of hundred thousand buys, I'd say that was not good but that would cover costs.\" The fight will cost PS7.50 to watch in the UK or $10 in the US - much less than a big professional pay-per-view fight, but much more than people are used to paying on YouTube. \"There's a YouTube culture of not buying and it's a whole educational process to see how many tune in,\" Chivers says. Taking part in high-profile real-life contests is nothing new for YouTubers - although, with Zoella on The Great Comic Relief Bake-Off in 2015 and her brother Joe Sugg in this year's Strictly Come Dancing, other British examples have been more sedate. So with their attention-grabbing aggression, KSI and Logan Paul have stumbled across an effective way to boost their profiles and bank balances, and other YouTubers may follow suit. No matter who wins bragging rights in Manchester - and the victor will brag a lot - the pair have already agreed to a rematch in the US. This beef has only just begun." } ], "id": "696_3", "question": "How many people will watch?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "As a teenager, I would sit on the sofa watching Sabrina the Teenage Witch and dream of having her powers. Well, mostly one power, the ability to change my hair, make-up and outfit in a matter of seconds (how easy would that have made getting ready for school?) But watching Netflix's reboot, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, you realise that the much-loved teen sitcom has been replaced with something a lot darker and scarier. One of Sabrina's first spells cast on the show is on her headmaster. She punishes him for not taking the misogynistic bullying of her friend seriously - by filling his house with spiders. The series, which was brought to life by Riverdale writer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, feeds into the new approach that drama made for Generation Z needs to be slicker and more sophisticated to draw in audiences. Riverdale was the first Archie Comics series to be developed into a 21st century teen drama and is now in its third series, despite only premiering in January 2017. If you look at some of Netflix's biggest shows designed for that age group - 13 Reasons Why, Stranger Things and the aforementioned Riverdale, it's clear that the teens of today are consuming drama differently to the way us millennials did. So with that in mind, there was only one way to find out if the new Sabrina Spellman [Kiernan Shipka] hit the mark - by enlisting my two friends and former teenage Sabrina fans, Kelly-Leigh and Helen, for an exclusive viewing of the new series. Salem was perhaps the most iconic character in Sabrina the Teenage Witch - a former witch who had been punished by the Witches Council by being turned into a black cat. He lived with Sabrina and her aunts Hilda and Zelda in their home in Greendale, but in the new incarnation Salem is Sabrina's protector who doesn't speak. Instead, Ambrose Spellman, played by Chance Perdomo, takes on more of that role. \"Salem was my favourite character in the original series and this has now been replaced by Ambrose in the new series,\" Helen says. \"Ambrose is a reflection of the original Salem cat - the sidekick/ best friend who helps Sabrina through her teenage stresses - without having to suffer through awkward animation.\" Kelly-Leigh admits she does miss her favourite sassy cat, and says: \"I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss the lighter elements from the 1990s incarnation - especially Salem the cat's scathing sarcasm.\" Whilst Sabrina in 90s-sitcom form didn't realise she had magic powers until her 16th birthday, the new Sabrina is already well aware of her supernatural skills. That's not the only difference - the modern Sabrina is as Kelly-Leigh puts it, \"woke\". She's a feminist icon for a new generation of teens and is not afraid to question the archaic rules of the satanic cult she's a part of. Also, Sabrina's cutting rebuttals of everything high priest Father Blackwood (Richard Coyle) says is her way of bringing down the patriarchy, and I for one loved it. Kelly-Leigh agrees, picking up on the how the show \"explores themes like gender identity and systemic misogyny right from its start\". However, she says some of this meaning is lost in Sabrina's romance with Harvey Kinkle (played by Ross Lynch): \"It's refreshing to see a show aimed at younger audiences depicting Sabrina and her friends as unashamedly feminist. \"But it feels a bit at odds with the decision to have her primary draw to mortal life as a (rather bland and uninteresting) boyfriend in the character of Harvey Kinkle.\" Helen points out that Melissa Joan Hart's Sabrina \"was a bit of a romantic with the magic always being secondary. \"In the new series, magic is at the heart of everything that happens, and every action she takes.\" She also picks up on the new, feminist Sabrina, adding: \"I'm glad young women are being taught to stand up for themselves however they can, if they're feeling threatened.\" Netflix describes Chilling Adventures of Sabrina as \"in the vein of Rosemary's Baby and The Exorcist\" but it's hard not to make comparisons to the other Archie Comics adaptation, Riverdale. Not only do the two shows come from the same fictional world, but they both have the same creator in Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa. Aguirre-Sacasa himself drew comparisons, but said the show is \"a little more innocent than Riverdale\". He told The Hollywood Reporter: \"In Riverdale everyone's having sex in the showers and there's gang wars, and strangely Sabrina is a little more wholesome - even though they do worship the devil and there is cannibalism and there is human sacrifice and things like that.\" The comparison is also evident in the casting; it's almost comical how literally everyone in Riverdale could be a runway model, and that's definitely a common thread in Sabrina too. But there are less crude comparisons too, the film noir element exists in both, as does the gripping cliff-hangers and moments of horror. \"The creators have imagined up a rich, gothic aesthetic for the show, which like Riverdale, draws you into its world. \"This Sabrina is definitely a horror, and at times gets surprisingly dark in a series jam-packed full of monsters and malevolence,\" Kelly-Leigh says. \"What was once a light hearted, after-school romantic comedy which could be watched or just played in the background has been upgraded to a gripping teen thriller which even scared me a bit,\" Helen adds. \"The storyline is an honest reflection of what teenagers are watching these days, and is selling itself to an audience who want a thrill - but it's been produced in such a compelling way, which keeps you gripped and eager for the next episode.\" The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina is certainly a reflection of how much teen shows have evolved in even the five years since I was one. I'm glad to see show-runners treating this age group with maturity by creating multi-layered storylines that simply didn't exist when I was younger (One Tree Hill and Dawson's Creek anyone?). Helen agrees and says: \"It's fantastic and far more engaging than the original - however, I think if I was watching this at 13 or 14 it might scare me a bit, because I am weak.\" Kelly-Leigh adds, \"Melissa Joan-Hart's Sabrina Spellman still holds a lot of nostalgia for me as one of my coming-of-age teen television icons. \"But Kiernan Shipka shines as Sabrina, who with her signature black headband and Autumnal-Instagram style, will become a cosplay favourite among teen fans. \"It's obvious Netflix are hoping this re-birth will hook Halloween binge-watchers and overall, I did enjoy it.\" Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2392, "answer_start": 1474, "text": "Salem was perhaps the most iconic character in Sabrina the Teenage Witch - a former witch who had been punished by the Witches Council by being turned into a black cat. He lived with Sabrina and her aunts Hilda and Zelda in their home in Greendale, but in the new incarnation Salem is Sabrina's protector who doesn't speak. Instead, Ambrose Spellman, played by Chance Perdomo, takes on more of that role. \"Salem was my favourite character in the original series and this has now been replaced by Ambrose in the new series,\" Helen says. \"Ambrose is a reflection of the original Salem cat - the sidekick/ best friend who helps Sabrina through her teenage stresses - without having to suffer through awkward animation.\" Kelly-Leigh admits she does miss her favourite sassy cat, and says: \"I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss the lighter elements from the 1990s incarnation - especially Salem the cat's scathing sarcasm.\"" } ], "id": "697_0", "question": " What happened to Salem the cat?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3860, "answer_start": 2393, "text": "Whilst Sabrina in 90s-sitcom form didn't realise she had magic powers until her 16th birthday, the new Sabrina is already well aware of her supernatural skills. That's not the only difference - the modern Sabrina is as Kelly-Leigh puts it, \"woke\". She's a feminist icon for a new generation of teens and is not afraid to question the archaic rules of the satanic cult she's a part of. Also, Sabrina's cutting rebuttals of everything high priest Father Blackwood (Richard Coyle) says is her way of bringing down the patriarchy, and I for one loved it. Kelly-Leigh agrees, picking up on the how the show \"explores themes like gender identity and systemic misogyny right from its start\". However, she says some of this meaning is lost in Sabrina's romance with Harvey Kinkle (played by Ross Lynch): \"It's refreshing to see a show aimed at younger audiences depicting Sabrina and her friends as unashamedly feminist. \"But it feels a bit at odds with the decision to have her primary draw to mortal life as a (rather bland and uninteresting) boyfriend in the character of Harvey Kinkle.\" Helen points out that Melissa Joan Hart's Sabrina \"was a bit of a romantic with the magic always being secondary. \"In the new series, magic is at the heart of everything that happens, and every action she takes.\" She also picks up on the new, feminist Sabrina, adding: \"I'm glad young women are being taught to stand up for themselves however they can, if they're feeling threatened.\"" } ], "id": "697_1", "question": "Feminism First?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 6506, "answer_start": 5588, "text": "The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina is certainly a reflection of how much teen shows have evolved in even the five years since I was one. I'm glad to see show-runners treating this age group with maturity by creating multi-layered storylines that simply didn't exist when I was younger (One Tree Hill and Dawson's Creek anyone?). Helen agrees and says: \"It's fantastic and far more engaging than the original - however, I think if I was watching this at 13 or 14 it might scare me a bit, because I am weak.\" Kelly-Leigh adds, \"Melissa Joan-Hart's Sabrina Spellman still holds a lot of nostalgia for me as one of my coming-of-age teen television icons. \"But Kiernan Shipka shines as Sabrina, who with her signature black headband and Autumnal-Instagram style, will become a cosplay favourite among teen fans. \"It's obvious Netflix are hoping this re-birth will hook Halloween binge-watchers and overall, I did enjoy it.\"" } ], "id": "697_2", "question": "Is it worth a watch?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The sight of Team GB above China in the Olympic medal table has led some to heap praise on John Major, whose government took the decision to launch the National Lottery. The lottery has poured money into sport in the UK, but can it claim credit for medal success? When Adam Peaty powered to the finish line in his record-breaking 100m breaststroke, it was the result of a big investment by UK Sport. Although spotted as a potential star at the age of 14, Peaty at first relied on fund-raising parties, organised by friends and neighbours, to pay for his travel to national competitions. Then in 2012 he was awarded a grant of PS15,000, while his coach got a place on an elite coaching programme. Both were funded by UK Sport, which receives two-thirds of its funding from the National Lottery. All direct payments to athletes are entirely lottery-funded. Two years later Peaty beat the then Olympic champion in the 100m breaststroke final at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow - the first of many international titles. Top athletes with a record like this are eligible for an annual grant of up to PS28,000, leaving them free to concentrate on training. In addition to funding athletes directly, UK Sport gives money to the governing bodies of selected sports - such as British Swimming - to spend on training facilities and trainers, such as Adam Peaty's coach, Mel Marshall. Reportedly, the UK government spent just PS5m per year funding Olympic sport before the 1996 Atlanta games. But UK Sport spent PS54m on elite sports in the run-up to the Sydney games in 2000 - where Team GB won 28 medals and ranked 10th. By the time of London 2012 it was spending PS264m, and Team GB came third in the medal table, with 65 medals. Is that convincing evidence that money buys medals? \"Perhaps the strongest evidence is to compare the results Team GB are achieving now and compare them to Atlanta 1996 - the last games before National Lottery funding was introduced when we won one gold medal and came 36th in the medal table,\" says a UK Sport spokesperson. Experts appear to agree. \"As a researcher I guess I will always have to say that 'correlation does not mean causality',\" says Prof Borja Garcia from Loughborough University. \"So it cannot all be put down to the increased funding. But it is undeniable that the increase in funding has produced better overall results at the (summer) Olympics.\" However, Garcia notes that the way money is spent is also critical. \"It's not so much the amount of money but the way in which it has been targeted, invested and audited,\" he says. \"It has certainly produced results even if some people think of it as a somewhat 'brutal' approach.\" It's brutal in that funding is only awarded to sports that succeed in demonstrating medal potential in the next two Olympics - and one poor Olympic result can lead to funding being cut altogether. Before the beginning of each funding cycle, all sports present to UK Sport a detailed, costed strategy and agree a range of medals which they will aim to achieve at the following Olympic or Paralympic Games. UK Sport scrutinises all the strategies and allocates funding on a \"top-down basis\". As a spokesperson puts it: \"We start with the sports which are targeting the most medals and work downwards i.e. we do not 'salami slice' funding and give some to every sport.\" The level of funding in each sport is assessed annually and benchmarked against results at milestone target events in each year, to determine whether they are on track for the next Games. Chair of UK Sport, Rod Carr, defended the tough strategy on BBC Radio 4's Today Programme, pointing to the example of British Gymnastics: \"In the early 2000s they were in a pretty low state. They hadn't had a good Games at Sydney and their funding was cut as a result of that. They went right back to basics, they disassembled their programme and looked at what was working and what wasn't and then built it up again.\" The women's indoor volleyball team rose more than 60 places in the rankings to reach the world's top 20 in the four years prior to London 2012 - but all funding was withdrawn when they did not win a medal. The UK did not even send a volleyball team to Rio this year. On the other hand, sports that do well - such as cycling and rowing - continue to receive funding, which helps them to stay at the top. Liverpool University economist Prof David Forrest agrees that increased funding has delivered more medals, however, he warns that funding for elite sport may not remain at its current level. \"Generally we see an increase in medals in the games before a country hosts it, a further increase at their own games and a bump in medals in the two games afterwards,\" he says. \"After this results tail back to average. This could well be because politicians are more reluctant to spend extravagantly on elite sports. Priorities may shift.\" This could mean less money being spent on sport - or perhaps a re-balancing of the money spent on elite sport, on the one hand, and community sport on the other. The Department for Culture and Media and Sport reduced spending on community-level sport by 5% for 2015 and 2016, while protecting elite sports to guarantee \"an Olympic sporting legacy.\" But if funding is cut at the grass roots this does eventually affect the top of the tree, Forrest says. \"In the long term, selectors will find they have a far smaller pool of athletes to choose from when choosing athletes for development programmes.\" Overall, 25% of the money from National Lottery ticket sales is spent on good causes, and 20% of that is allocated to sport. Some of that goes to UK Sport, which funds elite sport, and some goes to the home nation sport councils - Sport England, sportscotland, Sport Wales and Sport NI - which fund community sport. Many British athletes at the Rio Olympics have effusively thanked the National Lottery in televised interviews after winning a medal. \"I knew there was no chance of funding the long-term development of sports and the arts from general government revenue,\" John Major told the New Statesman in 1999. \"A lottery could do just that.\" Follow @BBCNewsMagazine on Twitter and on Facebook", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3947, "answer_start": 2871, "text": "Before the beginning of each funding cycle, all sports present to UK Sport a detailed, costed strategy and agree a range of medals which they will aim to achieve at the following Olympic or Paralympic Games. UK Sport scrutinises all the strategies and allocates funding on a \"top-down basis\". As a spokesperson puts it: \"We start with the sports which are targeting the most medals and work downwards i.e. we do not 'salami slice' funding and give some to every sport.\" The level of funding in each sport is assessed annually and benchmarked against results at milestone target events in each year, to determine whether they are on track for the next Games. Chair of UK Sport, Rod Carr, defended the tough strategy on BBC Radio 4's Today Programme, pointing to the example of British Gymnastics: \"In the early 2000s they were in a pretty low state. They hadn't had a good Games at Sydney and their funding was cut as a result of that. They went right back to basics, they disassembled their programme and looked at what was working and what wasn't and then built it up again.\"" } ], "id": "698_0", "question": "Which sports are funded?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Prince Andrew is coming under pressure to speak to investigators in the US about the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein after claims he is not co-operating with the inquiry. The Duke of York said in a BBC interview in November that he did not see, or suspect, any suspicious behaviour when visiting the homes of his then friend. But he said he was \"willing to help any appropriate law enforcement agency\". So what happens now? There are two broad types of legal \"investigations\" involved. Firstly, the criminal investigation being conducted by the FBI into Jeffrey Epstein. Secondly, investigations being undertaken by lawyers acting for accusers of Jeffrey Epstein who are seeking compensation in civil claims against his estate. Prince Andrew is not under any legal obligation to assist the FBI or lawyers representing Epstein's accusers. However, under something known as \"Mutual Legal Assistance\" (MLA), both prosecutors and the lawyers acting for Epstein's accusers can issue a formal request for the prince to give evidence (known as a deposition) in the UK. In relation to the criminal investigation, this would take place at a magistrates' court, almost certainly Westminster Magistrates Court, where it is customarily done. Prince Andrew would be sworn in and asked questions. The hearing would take place before a judge in private. However, he could exercise his right against self-incrimination and choose not to answer. In relation to the civil claims, there is a similar process. Again, a formal letter of request must be issued under MLA. The High Court would then appoint an examiner - either an experienced barrister or a \"master\", a judge who deals with procedural matters before a trial. Prince Andrew would be required to attend a place and answer questions on oath in a private hearing. Questions would be put by lawyers representing Epstein's accusers, and Prince Andrew would be entitled to legal representation. Again, he could exercise his right against self-incrimination and not answer. In both the civil and criminal proceedings, Prince Andrew could seek to have any formal MLA request set aside before he is deposed, on the grounds that he has no relevant or material evidence to give. If it happens, it is all some way off in the future. Statements by US prosecutor Geoffrey Berman and lawyers for Epstein's accusers are putting moral pressure on Prince Andrew to co-operate. That co-operation could be provided by the prince informally by agreement. This is something that his lawyers are likely to be seriously considering now. It is significant that neither US prosecutors nor lawyers for Epstein's accusers have yet issued MLA requests, so there is the opportunity for the prince to co-operate informally. A subpoena is an order to compel someone to appear in court or to submit evidence. If that happens, there is no obligation for Prince Andrew to go to the US and submit to the subpoena. If he did travel to the US and there is an outstanding subpoena, he could in theory be arrested for contempt of court and taken to a court to answer questions. It is obviously highly unlikely that he would be arrested. It would be more likely that he would simply be required to go to court and answer questions. Once in court the Prince could exercise his right against self-incrimination and refuse to answer questions. Daniel Sternberg, a barrister specialising in extradition law at Temple Garden Chambers in London, said: \"It is important to remember that Prince Andrew has not been charged with any offence in the US. The FBI is investigating whether he has material evidence that could assist in its criminal investigation of alleged sex trafficking. \"In the civil case brought by Epstein's victims, the close friendship between the Prince and Epstein means that the lawyers for Epstein's victims believe his evidence may be relevant to their claims. \"While there is no way to compel Prince Andrew to give evidence in the UK or the US in either the civil or criminal case, his failure to do so does not sit well with his previous public statements that he would help any appropriate law enforcement agency with its inquiries.\" However the legal process develops, Prince Andrew's discomfort is likely to increase.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2212, "answer_start": 426, "text": "There are two broad types of legal \"investigations\" involved. Firstly, the criminal investigation being conducted by the FBI into Jeffrey Epstein. Secondly, investigations being undertaken by lawyers acting for accusers of Jeffrey Epstein who are seeking compensation in civil claims against his estate. Prince Andrew is not under any legal obligation to assist the FBI or lawyers representing Epstein's accusers. However, under something known as \"Mutual Legal Assistance\" (MLA), both prosecutors and the lawyers acting for Epstein's accusers can issue a formal request for the prince to give evidence (known as a deposition) in the UK. In relation to the criminal investigation, this would take place at a magistrates' court, almost certainly Westminster Magistrates Court, where it is customarily done. Prince Andrew would be sworn in and asked questions. The hearing would take place before a judge in private. However, he could exercise his right against self-incrimination and choose not to answer. In relation to the civil claims, there is a similar process. Again, a formal letter of request must be issued under MLA. The High Court would then appoint an examiner - either an experienced barrister or a \"master\", a judge who deals with procedural matters before a trial. Prince Andrew would be required to attend a place and answer questions on oath in a private hearing. Questions would be put by lawyers representing Epstein's accusers, and Prince Andrew would be entitled to legal representation. Again, he could exercise his right against self-incrimination and not answer. In both the civil and criminal proceedings, Prince Andrew could seek to have any formal MLA request set aside before he is deposed, on the grounds that he has no relevant or material evidence to give." } ], "id": "699_0", "question": "Can Prince Andrew be forced to co-operate with an investigation in the US?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2738, "answer_start": 2213, "text": "If it happens, it is all some way off in the future. Statements by US prosecutor Geoffrey Berman and lawyers for Epstein's accusers are putting moral pressure on Prince Andrew to co-operate. That co-operation could be provided by the prince informally by agreement. This is something that his lawyers are likely to be seriously considering now. It is significant that neither US prosecutors nor lawyers for Epstein's accusers have yet issued MLA requests, so there is the opportunity for the prince to co-operate informally." } ], "id": "699_1", "question": "Will 'depositions' happen?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4243, "answer_start": 2739, "text": "A subpoena is an order to compel someone to appear in court or to submit evidence. If that happens, there is no obligation for Prince Andrew to go to the US and submit to the subpoena. If he did travel to the US and there is an outstanding subpoena, he could in theory be arrested for contempt of court and taken to a court to answer questions. It is obviously highly unlikely that he would be arrested. It would be more likely that he would simply be required to go to court and answer questions. Once in court the Prince could exercise his right against self-incrimination and refuse to answer questions. Daniel Sternberg, a barrister specialising in extradition law at Temple Garden Chambers in London, said: \"It is important to remember that Prince Andrew has not been charged with any offence in the US. The FBI is investigating whether he has material evidence that could assist in its criminal investigation of alleged sex trafficking. \"In the civil case brought by Epstein's victims, the close friendship between the Prince and Epstein means that the lawyers for Epstein's victims believe his evidence may be relevant to their claims. \"While there is no way to compel Prince Andrew to give evidence in the UK or the US in either the civil or criminal case, his failure to do so does not sit well with his previous public statements that he would help any appropriate law enforcement agency with its inquiries.\" However the legal process develops, Prince Andrew's discomfort is likely to increase." } ], "id": "699_2", "question": "What if a subpoena is issued in the United States?" } ] } ]