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[ { "context": "Sudan's army has told the nation to expect an announcement following growing protests calling for President Omar al-Bashir to step down. The army's message sparked jubilant scenes among Sudanese convinced that a coup was under way, but it remained unclear what was happening. Thousands marched through Khartoum, some chanting: \"It has fallen, we won.\" Protests against Mr Bashir, who has governed Sudan since 1989, have been under way for several months. They were originally sparked by a rise in the cost of living, but grew into a broader anti-government movement. In the early hours of Thursday, several military vehicles were seen entering the large compound in Khartoum that houses the Ministry of Defence, the army headquarters and Mr Bashir's personal residence, AFP reported. The compound has been the focus of a sit-in by tens of thousands of protesters who have been urging the military to oust Mr Bashir. Troops have also raided Mr Bashir's Islamic movement, linked to the ruling party, and deployed at key locations in the capital. Meanwhile, Sudan's state news agency reported that all the political prisoners in the country were being released. State TV and radio interrupted their programming, with TV broadcasting a message that the army would be making a statement. The leading protest group, the Association of Sudanese Professionals, said power had to be handed over to a civilian transitional government made up of people who had no links to the \"tyrannical regime\". It urged demonstrators to remain at the sit-in to ensure there was no \"partial or false solution\". Protester Hiba Ali told the BBC that \"the suspense is killing\" as she and others waited for the military to tell them what was happening. \"It's not just Bashir stepping down. It's also about the whole regime going down and everything that came with it and 30 years of oppression,\" she said \"So what we want is a transition to a democracy. We want a civilian government and hand over of the authority and power to the people.\" Footage posted on social media showed an exchange of gunfire outside the army headquarters. Other footage appeared to show people taking down posters of Mr Bashir and protesters entering an intelligence service building in the eastern city of Port Sudan. Attempts by the authorities to quell the protests, which include security forces loyal to Mr Bashir opening fire on protesters, have been unsuccessful. Earlier this week, the sit-in protesters were attacked on two consecutive nights, but on both occasions the army reportedly stepped in to protect them. Police have ordered officers not to intervene against the protests. On Tuesday, a police spokesman called for \"an agreement which would support the peaceful transition of power\". The government has been criticised by rights groups for a heavy-handed response to the unrest. Government officials admit 38 people have died since the unrest began in December, but the rights group Human Rights Watch says the number is higher. In February, it looked as though the president might step down, but instead Mr Bashir declared a state of national emergency. Formerly an army officer, he seized power in a military coup in 1989. His rule has been marked by civil war. The civil conflict with the south of the country ended in 2005 and South Sudan became independent in 2011. Another civil conflict has been taking place in the western region of Darfur. Mr Bashir is accused of organising war crimes and crimes against humanity there by the International Criminal Court (ICC). Despite an international arrest warrant issued by the ICC, he won consecutive elections in 2010 and 2015. However, his last victory was marred by a boycott from the main opposition parties. The arrest warrant has led to an international travel ban. However, Mr Bashir has made diplomatic visits to Egypt, Saudi Arabia and South Africa. He was forced into a hasty departure from South Africa in June 2015 after a court considered whether to enforce the arrest warrant.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2266, "answer_start": 567, "text": "In the early hours of Thursday, several military vehicles were seen entering the large compound in Khartoum that houses the Ministry of Defence, the army headquarters and Mr Bashir's personal residence, AFP reported. The compound has been the focus of a sit-in by tens of thousands of protesters who have been urging the military to oust Mr Bashir. Troops have also raided Mr Bashir's Islamic movement, linked to the ruling party, and deployed at key locations in the capital. Meanwhile, Sudan's state news agency reported that all the political prisoners in the country were being released. State TV and radio interrupted their programming, with TV broadcasting a message that the army would be making a statement. The leading protest group, the Association of Sudanese Professionals, said power had to be handed over to a civilian transitional government made up of people who had no links to the \"tyrannical regime\". It urged demonstrators to remain at the sit-in to ensure there was no \"partial or false solution\". Protester Hiba Ali told the BBC that \"the suspense is killing\" as she and others waited for the military to tell them what was happening. \"It's not just Bashir stepping down. It's also about the whole regime going down and everything that came with it and 30 years of oppression,\" she said \"So what we want is a transition to a democracy. We want a civilian government and hand over of the authority and power to the people.\" Footage posted on social media showed an exchange of gunfire outside the army headquarters. Other footage appeared to show people taking down posters of Mr Bashir and protesters entering an intelligence service building in the eastern city of Port Sudan." } ], "id": "10000_0", "question": "What is the latest?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3120, "answer_start": 2267, "text": "Attempts by the authorities to quell the protests, which include security forces loyal to Mr Bashir opening fire on protesters, have been unsuccessful. Earlier this week, the sit-in protesters were attacked on two consecutive nights, but on both occasions the army reportedly stepped in to protect them. Police have ordered officers not to intervene against the protests. On Tuesday, a police spokesman called for \"an agreement which would support the peaceful transition of power\". The government has been criticised by rights groups for a heavy-handed response to the unrest. Government officials admit 38 people have died since the unrest began in December, but the rights group Human Rights Watch says the number is higher. In February, it looked as though the president might step down, but instead Mr Bashir declared a state of national emergency." } ], "id": "10000_1", "question": "How has the government responded?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4005, "answer_start": 3121, "text": "Formerly an army officer, he seized power in a military coup in 1989. His rule has been marked by civil war. The civil conflict with the south of the country ended in 2005 and South Sudan became independent in 2011. Another civil conflict has been taking place in the western region of Darfur. Mr Bashir is accused of organising war crimes and crimes against humanity there by the International Criminal Court (ICC). Despite an international arrest warrant issued by the ICC, he won consecutive elections in 2010 and 2015. However, his last victory was marred by a boycott from the main opposition parties. The arrest warrant has led to an international travel ban. However, Mr Bashir has made diplomatic visits to Egypt, Saudi Arabia and South Africa. He was forced into a hasty departure from South Africa in June 2015 after a court considered whether to enforce the arrest warrant." } ], "id": "10000_2", "question": "Who is Omar al-Bashir?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Italians are choosing a new parliament on 4 March. Who is standing, what are they proposing and does the outcome matter? Here's a brief guide. Italy has been run by a caretaker cabinet since December 2016, when Matteo Renzi resigned after staking his leadership on a referendum to overhaul the election and functioning of the houses of parliament. The search for a new prime minister involves some familiar names - and some very familiar faces, indeed. Former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, 81, is back and leading his centre-right Forza Italia (FI) with unbounded energy. He has teamed up with Matteo Salvini, 44, of the right-wing, Eurosceptic Lega (League - formerly the Northern League). On the centre-left is Mr Renzi, 43, leader of the Democratic Party (PD), and challenging both camps is the leader of the Five Star Movement (M5S) Luigi Di Maio, who, at 31, would be Europe's youngest prime minister if he prevailed. Migration: Like elsewhere in Europe, the arrival of migrants has spawned extremism, and even mainstream politicians have hardened their rhetoric. Mr Berlusconi, for instance, has spoken of \"a time bomb\". He wants to deport some 600,000 illegal migrants. His coalition ally, Mr Salvini, is more than pleased. He told an election rally Italy was \"a racist country\". The Five Star Movement wants changes to the so-called Dublin regulation under which refugees typically have to seek asylum in the first EU state they reach. And the PD wants to cut aid to countries that refuse to accept migrants. Economy: Italy has experienced a sharp decline since the financial crisis of 2007-08. It has returned to sluggish growth, but unemployment is the third-highest in the eurozone at 11% and Italy has the second-worst debt burden after Greece. Young Italians complain of lack of opportunities worsened by an entrenched system of favours and cronyism and, consequently, seek work abroad. Observers say they have heard more about pensioners than the youth during the campaign - and the reason may be young voters' high vote abstention rates. Europe: Contenders have lined up to blame EU budget rules for hampering recovery. Five Star and the League had promised to hold a referendum to leave the euro. But that rhetoric has now been dropped. Vaccines: The Five Star Movement wants to scrap a law on compulsory vaccination, despite evidence of a resurgence of measles. Read more: Italy makes child vaccinations compulsory - The vote is for 630 members of the lower chamber (Camera dei Deputati), and 315 in the Senate - Some are elected in constituencies directly, the others picked from set party lists - You need to be 18 to vote for the lower chamber, 25 for the Senate. Italians overseas have their own constituencies - Voting times are 07:00-23:00 (06:00-22:00 GMT). Exit polls are expected soon afterwards, with final results the following day It is the first election under a new electoral law which encourages parties to form pre-election coalitions. Five Star has refused to join forces and Mr Di Maio's chances of becoming prime minister appear distant, even though his party may well come top in the share of the vote. The centre-right coalition is likely to emerge the overall winner - but short of a majority. Mr Berlusconi is barred from running because of a criminal conviction. He has mooted the possibility of Antonio Tajani, the president of the European Parliament, becoming prime minister. Likewise, the centre-left is unlikely to receive a majority. Mr Renzi has refused to say whether he will be the coalition's choice for PM, whilst refusing to support the incumbent at the same time. So a grand coalition bringing the centre-right and centre-left together remains a possibility. A combination of the PD and Five Star will also cross the 50% threshold, but Mr Renzi has ruled out coalitions with \"extremists\". Yes - and no, for the time being. Italy changes governments very often. However, a semblance of stability has been reigning in the past two decades, and Italians are getting used to regular voting intervals. After Brexit, Italy will be the EU's third largest economy and its strength matters beyond its borders. After all, Greece's bailout quagmire haunts Europe. An unstable government in Italy will mean little or no growth - and a continued brain drain. Is Italy likely to leave the eurozone? No, that issue has gone for the time being. It could be revived should the Eurosceptics of the League and the Five Star Movement somehow form a cabinet. A final passing thought: Russia. Nato and the EU have not failed to notice that Mr Berlusconi remains close to President Vladimir Putin. The League is also pro-Russia, as is M5S. Observers are wondering how a potential coalition of pro-Russia parties would affect EU consensus in, say, issues like sanctions against Russia over its alleged involvement in Ukraine.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 926, "answer_start": 348, "text": "The search for a new prime minister involves some familiar names - and some very familiar faces, indeed. Former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, 81, is back and leading his centre-right Forza Italia (FI) with unbounded energy. He has teamed up with Matteo Salvini, 44, of the right-wing, Eurosceptic Lega (League - formerly the Northern League). On the centre-left is Mr Renzi, 43, leader of the Democratic Party (PD), and challenging both camps is the leader of the Five Star Movement (M5S) Luigi Di Maio, who, at 31, would be Europe's youngest prime minister if he prevailed." } ], "id": "10001_0", "question": "New or old faces?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1520, "answer_start": 927, "text": "Migration: Like elsewhere in Europe, the arrival of migrants has spawned extremism, and even mainstream politicians have hardened their rhetoric. Mr Berlusconi, for instance, has spoken of \"a time bomb\". He wants to deport some 600,000 illegal migrants. His coalition ally, Mr Salvini, is more than pleased. He told an election rally Italy was \"a racist country\". The Five Star Movement wants changes to the so-called Dublin regulation under which refugees typically have to seek asylum in the first EU state they reach. And the PD wants to cut aid to countries that refuse to accept migrants." } ], "id": "10001_1", "question": "What are they saying?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3846, "answer_start": 2864, "text": "It is the first election under a new electoral law which encourages parties to form pre-election coalitions. Five Star has refused to join forces and Mr Di Maio's chances of becoming prime minister appear distant, even though his party may well come top in the share of the vote. The centre-right coalition is likely to emerge the overall winner - but short of a majority. Mr Berlusconi is barred from running because of a criminal conviction. He has mooted the possibility of Antonio Tajani, the president of the European Parliament, becoming prime minister. Likewise, the centre-left is unlikely to receive a majority. Mr Renzi has refused to say whether he will be the coalition's choice for PM, whilst refusing to support the incumbent at the same time. So a grand coalition bringing the centre-right and centre-left together remains a possibility. A combination of the PD and Five Star will also cross the 50% threshold, but Mr Renzi has ruled out coalitions with \"extremists\"." } ], "id": "10001_2", "question": "Who's likely to become PM?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4859, "answer_start": 3847, "text": "Yes - and no, for the time being. Italy changes governments very often. However, a semblance of stability has been reigning in the past two decades, and Italians are getting used to regular voting intervals. After Brexit, Italy will be the EU's third largest economy and its strength matters beyond its borders. After all, Greece's bailout quagmire haunts Europe. An unstable government in Italy will mean little or no growth - and a continued brain drain. Is Italy likely to leave the eurozone? No, that issue has gone for the time being. It could be revived should the Eurosceptics of the League and the Five Star Movement somehow form a cabinet. A final passing thought: Russia. Nato and the EU have not failed to notice that Mr Berlusconi remains close to President Vladimir Putin. The League is also pro-Russia, as is M5S. Observers are wondering how a potential coalition of pro-Russia parties would affect EU consensus in, say, issues like sanctions against Russia over its alleged involvement in Ukraine." } ], "id": "10001_3", "question": "What's at stake and should I care?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "New Zealand has broadcast the Islamic call to prayer and observed a two-minute silence in ceremonies to mark a week since the Christchurch attacks. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern joined thousands of mourners near the Al-Noor mosque, one of two places of worship targeted in last Friday's shootings. Imam Gamal Fouda, who led the prayers, said: \"We are broken-hearted, but we are not broken.\" Fifty people were killed and dozens more wounded in the attacks. Australian Brenton Tarrant, a self-proclaimed white supremacist, has been charged with one murder and is expected to face further charges. On Thursday Ms Ardern announced a ban on all types of semi-automatic weapons. Thousands of people have gathered in Hagley Park, near the Al-Noor mosque, to mark Friday's national day of reflection for the victims. The Muslim call to prayer, or adhan, was broadcast on national television and radio at 13:30 (00:30 GMT) and was followed by a two-minute silence. In an address beforehand, Ms Ardern said: \"New Zealand mourns with you, we are one.\" \"According to the Prophet Muhammad... the believers in their mutual kindness, compassion and sympathy are just like one body. When any part of the body suffers, the whole body feels pain.\" The Imam of Al-Noor mosque, Gamal Fouda, was there when the attack happened and said the gunman \"broke the hearts of millions around the world\". \"Today, from the same place, I look out and I see the love and compassion,\" he said. \"We are alive, we are together, we are determined to not let anyone divide us.\" One observer, John Clark, said the message was profound: \"People will be rethinking how they react, how they think, and how they speak sometimes - it's penetrated to that level of society. \"We like to think that we're a liberal community, but we know that there are dark parts,\" said Mr Clark, 72. \"It will positively affect New Zealand and maybe we'll have even more to offer the world.\" Many mosques across the country are opening their doors to visitors, and human chains will be formed outside some in symbolic acts of protection and support. A mass funeral is being held for 30 of the dead, including the youngest victim Mucaad Ibrahim, aged three , who was killed at the Al-Noor mosque. Howard Johnson, BBC News, Hagley Park, Christchurch \"I'm wearing this in solidarity today,\" said hairdresser Melody, pointing at a blue headscarf adorned with gold crucifixes. Like thousands of others in the city of Christchurch, she's been struggling to come to terms with the horror of last week's attacks. All week advertising hoardings have been beaming positive messages back onto the streets: \"This isn't us\", \"Kia Kaha Christchurch\" and \"No room for racism here\". Friday was a chance for Christchurchers to bring those sentiments together in one place at the same time and to pay their respects to the dead. People flocked from all corners of the city and flowers and messages of sympathy were laid at the foot of the park's towering oak trees. A Maori biker gang gathered in the enclosure for Muslim prayers to offer their protection. One had a large red crucifix emblazoned on the back of his leather waistcoat. It felt symbolic of New Zealand's positive, multicultural response to the killings. When the tributes were over people started pouring out of the park, back into the city and their everyday lives. I approached Christine McCartney. She was born in the city in 1951 and has lived here her whole life. \"It's all been deeply saddening,\" she told me, \"but I feel positive about the way this has brought us all together.\" Earlier, Ms Ardern encouraged as many New Zealanders as possible to use the day to pause and reflect. \"I know many New Zealanders wish to mark the week that has passed since the terrorist attack and to support the Muslim community as they return to mosques,\" she said. \"How we choose to reflect during the silence will be different for each of us. Everyone should do what feels right for them, wherever they are - at home, at work, at school.\" One social media campaign has urged non-Muslim women in New Zealand to wear a headscarf for the day. Meanwhile, government officials worked into the night to prepare the mosque and the bodies of victims for a mass burial in Christchurch later on Friday. One person who took part said: \"All the bodies are washed. We finished around 1.30am. It was our duty. After we finished, there was a lot of emotion. People were crying and hugging.\" Ms Ardern announced a ban on all types of semi-automatic weapons and assault rifles following the Christchurch attacks. She said she expected new legislation to be in place by 11 April, saying: \"Our history changed forever. Now, our laws will too.\" \"Six days after this attack, we are announcing a ban on all military style semi-automatics (MSSA) and assault rifles in New Zealand,\" Ms Ardern said in a news conference. \"Related parts used to convert these guns into MSSAs are also being banned, along with all high-capacity magazines.\" An amnesty has been imposed so the owners of affected weapons can hand them in, and a buy-back scheme will follow. The buy-back could cost up to NZ$200m ($138m; PS104m), but Ms Ardern said \"that is the price that we must pay to ensure the safety of our communities\". Ms Ardern has also announced that a National Memorial Service for victims is being planned for next week.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1229, "answer_start": 673, "text": "Thousands of people have gathered in Hagley Park, near the Al-Noor mosque, to mark Friday's national day of reflection for the victims. The Muslim call to prayer, or adhan, was broadcast on national television and radio at 13:30 (00:30 GMT) and was followed by a two-minute silence. In an address beforehand, Ms Ardern said: \"New Zealand mourns with you, we are one.\" \"According to the Prophet Muhammad... the believers in their mutual kindness, compassion and sympathy are just like one body. When any part of the body suffers, the whole body feels pain.\"" } ], "id": "10002_0", "question": "What is happening on Friday?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5360, "answer_start": 4451, "text": "Ms Ardern announced a ban on all types of semi-automatic weapons and assault rifles following the Christchurch attacks. She said she expected new legislation to be in place by 11 April, saying: \"Our history changed forever. Now, our laws will too.\" \"Six days after this attack, we are announcing a ban on all military style semi-automatics (MSSA) and assault rifles in New Zealand,\" Ms Ardern said in a news conference. \"Related parts used to convert these guns into MSSAs are also being banned, along with all high-capacity magazines.\" An amnesty has been imposed so the owners of affected weapons can hand them in, and a buy-back scheme will follow. The buy-back could cost up to NZ$200m ($138m; PS104m), but Ms Ardern said \"that is the price that we must pay to ensure the safety of our communities\". Ms Ardern has also announced that a National Memorial Service for victims is being planned for next week." } ], "id": "10002_1", "question": "What is the gun ban?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The French actress Catherine Deneuve has apologised to victims of sexual assault after signing an open letter that argued the campaign against sexual harassment had gone too far. She said she was sorry if she had offended victims of \"hideous acts\". Last week, she sparked a feminist backlash as one of 100 prominent women who signed a letter saying men should be \"free to hit on\" women. Some activists said the intervention trivialised sexual violence. The letter signed by French women writers, performers and academics, was published by Le Monde newspaper last Tuesday. It said that while it was legitimate and necessary to speak out against the abuse of power by some men, the constant denunciations had spiralled out of control. \"I fraternally salute all the victims of these hideous acts who might have felt assaulted by the letter published in Le Monde. It is to them and them alone that I offer my apologies,\" the actress said in a letter published on Sunday on the website of French daily Liberation. Ms Deneuve also said that there was \"nothing in the letter\" to Le Monde that said \"anything good about harassment, otherwise I wouldn't have signed it\". The signatories of the letter decried a new \"puritanism\" sparked by recent sexual harassment scandals, and deplored a wave of \"denunciations\", following rape allegations made against US movie mogul Harvey Weinstein. Mr Weinstein denies all allegations of non-consensual sex, but has admitted that his behaviour has \"caused a lot of pain\". In the letter, the signatories say: \"Men have been punished summarily, forced out of their jobs when all they did was touch someone's knee or try to steal a kiss. \"Rape is a crime, but trying to seduce someone, even persistently or clumsily, is not - and nor is men being gentlemanly a chauvinist attack.\" According to the writers, this is creating a public mood in which women are seen as powerless, as perpetual victims. \"As women we do not recognise ourselves in this feminism, which beyond denouncing the abuse of power, takes on a hatred of men and of sexuality.\" Deneuve is by far the most prominent of them. The other 99 women who signed the document include some well-known figures, such as actress Christine Boisson; conservative journalist Elisabeth Levy; Brigitte Lahaie, a 1970s porn star who is now a talk-show host; Catherine Millet, a writer and magazine editor. There are also lesser-known names from the worlds of entertainment, the arts, the media, and academia. Most of the signatories, however, are professionals who are not known to the French public. The letter has stirred debate in France. On Wednesday a group of about 30 feminists issued a statement accusing Deneuve and her co-signatories of seeking to \"close the lid\" on the scandals uncovered by the Weinstein case, and of \"pouring scorn\" on victims of sexual violence. On social media, many expressed either anger or sadness at the open letter. One Twitter user (in French) regretted the inability of women to speak with one voice, saying they had \"failed to agree\". The backlash against the letter, however, has not been front-page news and is not trending on Twitter in France. The reason may be that controversy over exposing sex pests has been rumbling on for several months now in France. The debate has mostly pitted those belonging to the older generation, who view #MeToo and similar campaigns as a threat to the sexual liberation achieved in the 1960s, against younger, activist types who feel that the battle against harassment is the latest stage in the fight for women's rights. She is not known as an activist star. However, last year the 74-year-old spoke out against social media campaigns shaming men accused of harassing women. Women and men from all over the globe who have been sexually harassed have been sharing their stories across social media using the hashtag #MeToo. In France, Twitter users are using #Balancetonporc (\"rat on your dirty old man\") to encourage women to name and shame their attackers. Deneuve, an Oscar-nominated actress, has been in more than 100 films, making her debut in 1957.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2069, "answer_start": 1501, "text": "In the letter, the signatories say: \"Men have been punished summarily, forced out of their jobs when all they did was touch someone's knee or try to steal a kiss. \"Rape is a crime, but trying to seduce someone, even persistently or clumsily, is not - and nor is men being gentlemanly a chauvinist attack.\" According to the writers, this is creating a public mood in which women are seen as powerless, as perpetual victims. \"As women we do not recognise ourselves in this feminism, which beyond denouncing the abuse of power, takes on a hatred of men and of sexuality.\"" } ], "id": "10003_0", "question": "What does the open letter say?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2573, "answer_start": 2070, "text": "Deneuve is by far the most prominent of them. The other 99 women who signed the document include some well-known figures, such as actress Christine Boisson; conservative journalist Elisabeth Levy; Brigitte Lahaie, a 1970s porn star who is now a talk-show host; Catherine Millet, a writer and magazine editor. There are also lesser-known names from the worlds of entertainment, the arts, the media, and academia. Most of the signatories, however, are professionals who are not known to the French public." } ], "id": "10003_1", "question": "Who are the signatories?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3571, "answer_start": 2574, "text": "The letter has stirred debate in France. On Wednesday a group of about 30 feminists issued a statement accusing Deneuve and her co-signatories of seeking to \"close the lid\" on the scandals uncovered by the Weinstein case, and of \"pouring scorn\" on victims of sexual violence. On social media, many expressed either anger or sadness at the open letter. One Twitter user (in French) regretted the inability of women to speak with one voice, saying they had \"failed to agree\". The backlash against the letter, however, has not been front-page news and is not trending on Twitter in France. The reason may be that controversy over exposing sex pests has been rumbling on for several months now in France. The debate has mostly pitted those belonging to the older generation, who view #MeToo and similar campaigns as a threat to the sexual liberation achieved in the 1960s, against younger, activist types who feel that the battle against harassment is the latest stage in the fight for women's rights." } ], "id": "10003_2", "question": "What has the response been?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4106, "answer_start": 3572, "text": "She is not known as an activist star. However, last year the 74-year-old spoke out against social media campaigns shaming men accused of harassing women. Women and men from all over the globe who have been sexually harassed have been sharing their stories across social media using the hashtag #MeToo. In France, Twitter users are using #Balancetonporc (\"rat on your dirty old man\") to encourage women to name and shame their attackers. Deneuve, an Oscar-nominated actress, has been in more than 100 films, making her debut in 1957." } ], "id": "10003_3", "question": "Is Deneuve prone to weighing in on such issues?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "It was an awkward day for some stars at the BBC after the corporation disclosed, for the first time, how much its top talent is earning. The list has proved revealing, showing a gender pay gap and a lack of diversity among those in the top pay bracket. Some of the BBC's biggest earners have reacted with humour to having their pay deals exposed to the public - Gary Lineker wished everyone \"Happy BBC salary day\" on Twitter. But fellow TV broadcaster Andrew Marr admitted the revelations would be \"uncomfortable\", while Radio 4's Today presenter John Humphrys said his PS600,000 salary was hard to justify. But it raises the question, would it be better for everyone's salaries to be public knowledge? Do you really want to know if the person sitting next to you earns more? Chris Evans tops best-paid BBC stars list How much the BBC pays its stars Stars react to BBC pay revelations Talking about money is one of Britain's last taboos. Most people would admit to being curious about how much their colleagues earn, but would never dare to ask. In fact, according to a study from 2015, Britons are more likely to discuss their sex life than reveal the size of their salary. University College London researchers, in a survey of 15,000 men and women, discovered that British people are seven times more likely to tell a stranger how many sexual partners they've had, whether they've had an affair, and whether they've ever contracted a sexually-transmitted disease, than have a chat about their income. Researcher Soazig Clifton said: \"They'd tell us about their affairs, all of their partners, they'll tell us all kinds of different things but the one thing they won't tell us is how much they earn.\" British people may not feel comfortable about talking freely about their pay, but some companies have decided to be completely transparent about staff earnings. At GrantTree, a company which helps UK firms get government funding, everyone in the organisation knows what everyone else earns. Andrew Ormerod, a GrantTree director, said he couldn't imagine it any other way. He told told 5 Live's Wake Up to Money: \"I actually find it strange to think about not knowing that. \"And for us it's part of a broader culture of transparency so it actually feels quite strange for me the way that a lot of businesses operate where actually there isn't that level of transparency.\" Employees at another company, London-based Pimlico Plumbers, divulged what they were earning as part of a TV show for Channel 4 in 2012. Karl Plunkett, communications director, said it caused \"uproar\" in the office. Some call centre workers discovered the newest addition to their team, Ben, earned PS3,000 more than them, while one staff member called Mark was shocked to find out he was on PS9,000 less than his colleague. \"There were a few rows, some unhappy people - people who found out the person sitting next to them was earning more,\" said Karl. But he said it proved beneficial in the long run, getting the company to create a fairer pay structure and boost the pay of people who were lagging behind. \"It wasn't without pain but it has left us in better stead. We still benefit (now) from the fact that there aren't any outrageous secrets.\" The publication of BBC salaries sparked a debate about the gender pay gap - after it was revealed that just one third of 96 stars earning more than PS150,000 are female. The top seven on the list are all male. Sam Smethers, chief executive of the Fawcett Society, which campaigns for equal rights for women, says the figures reveal the scale of inequality in the BBC. \"What it shows very clearly is that women are both under-represented and undervalued in those top-earning roles at the BBC, although it's useful having the information published today and we welcome it,\" she said. Jane Garvey, who presents Woman's Hour on Radio 4, said women can benefit from the information being in the public domain. \"The cat will not be allowed to get back in the bag,\" she told Radio 4's PM Programme. \"I actually suspect that a lot of women will be energised by this and will take this opportunity to shout and to make their feelings very clear on the issue of their pay. Let's hope that is what happens.\" GrantTree director Andrew Ormerod said having pay disparities out in the open has helped get rid of the gender pay gap at his company. He said: \"It cuts out the gender imbalance. We just don't have a gender pay gap. \"The thing about having transparent salaries is that you're naturally going to ask the question as to why this person is paid a different amount of money and you have got to have a reason.\" Money may be an awkward topic of conversation, but that isn't the only reason for not shouting about your salary across the office. As BBC director general Tony Hall has pointed out, comparing pay \"is not straightforward\". What you earn can depend on your \"role, education or experience\" says Seamus Nevin, head of employment and skills policy at the Institute of Directors. \"So making direct comparisons can be difficult,\" he added. Dan Walker was listed as earning between PS200,000 and PS249,999 a year, while his BBC Breakfast co-host Louise Minchin didn't even make the list. But Dan took to Twitter to clarify, saying he earns the same as Louise for the programme - it is his other BBC commitments in BBC Sport that take his total salary higher. Mr Nevin says knowing you are earning less can create problems in your workplace. \"The problem with talking about pay with colleagues is that it may or may not be reliable information and it can engender bad feelings and poor morale,\" he said. \"This can prove very unhealthy if it means staff are more concerned about everyone around them instead of the overall objectives of the team.\"", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3222, "answer_start": 1702, "text": "British people may not feel comfortable about talking freely about their pay, but some companies have decided to be completely transparent about staff earnings. At GrantTree, a company which helps UK firms get government funding, everyone in the organisation knows what everyone else earns. Andrew Ormerod, a GrantTree director, said he couldn't imagine it any other way. He told told 5 Live's Wake Up to Money: \"I actually find it strange to think about not knowing that. \"And for us it's part of a broader culture of transparency so it actually feels quite strange for me the way that a lot of businesses operate where actually there isn't that level of transparency.\" Employees at another company, London-based Pimlico Plumbers, divulged what they were earning as part of a TV show for Channel 4 in 2012. Karl Plunkett, communications director, said it caused \"uproar\" in the office. Some call centre workers discovered the newest addition to their team, Ben, earned PS3,000 more than them, while one staff member called Mark was shocked to find out he was on PS9,000 less than his colleague. \"There were a few rows, some unhappy people - people who found out the person sitting next to them was earning more,\" said Karl. But he said it proved beneficial in the long run, getting the company to create a fairer pay structure and boost the pay of people who were lagging behind. \"It wasn't without pain but it has left us in better stead. We still benefit (now) from the fact that there aren't any outrageous secrets.\"" } ], "id": "10004_0", "question": "What happens when colleagues share?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4625, "answer_start": 3223, "text": "The publication of BBC salaries sparked a debate about the gender pay gap - after it was revealed that just one third of 96 stars earning more than PS150,000 are female. The top seven on the list are all male. Sam Smethers, chief executive of the Fawcett Society, which campaigns for equal rights for women, says the figures reveal the scale of inequality in the BBC. \"What it shows very clearly is that women are both under-represented and undervalued in those top-earning roles at the BBC, although it's useful having the information published today and we welcome it,\" she said. Jane Garvey, who presents Woman's Hour on Radio 4, said women can benefit from the information being in the public domain. \"The cat will not be allowed to get back in the bag,\" she told Radio 4's PM Programme. \"I actually suspect that a lot of women will be energised by this and will take this opportunity to shout and to make their feelings very clear on the issue of their pay. Let's hope that is what happens.\" GrantTree director Andrew Ormerod said having pay disparities out in the open has helped get rid of the gender pay gap at his company. He said: \"It cuts out the gender imbalance. We just don't have a gender pay gap. \"The thing about having transparent salaries is that you're naturally going to ask the question as to why this person is paid a different amount of money and you have got to have a reason.\"" } ], "id": "10004_1", "question": "Does transparency help gender imbalance?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5764, "answer_start": 4626, "text": "Money may be an awkward topic of conversation, but that isn't the only reason for not shouting about your salary across the office. As BBC director general Tony Hall has pointed out, comparing pay \"is not straightforward\". What you earn can depend on your \"role, education or experience\" says Seamus Nevin, head of employment and skills policy at the Institute of Directors. \"So making direct comparisons can be difficult,\" he added. Dan Walker was listed as earning between PS200,000 and PS249,999 a year, while his BBC Breakfast co-host Louise Minchin didn't even make the list. But Dan took to Twitter to clarify, saying he earns the same as Louise for the programme - it is his other BBC commitments in BBC Sport that take his total salary higher. Mr Nevin says knowing you are earning less can create problems in your workplace. \"The problem with talking about pay with colleagues is that it may or may not be reliable information and it can engender bad feelings and poor morale,\" he said. \"This can prove very unhealthy if it means staff are more concerned about everyone around them instead of the overall objectives of the team.\"" } ], "id": "10004_2", "question": "So should we all divulge our pay packets?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The US will not accept China's militarisation of man-made islands in the South China Sea, Defence Secretary James Mattis has warned. Speaking at a security conference in Singapore, he said such moves undermined regional stability. China's territorial claims in the resource-rich South China Sea are contested by several nations. At the same time, Gen Mattis praised Beijing's efforts to restrain North Korea's missile and nuclear activity. His comments came shortly after the UN Security Council expanded targeted sanctions against North Korea in response to a series of missile tests conducted this year. The council voted unanimously to back the sanctions after weeks of negotiations between the US and China. In his speech at the annual Shangri-La Dialogue forum, Gen Mattis said: \"We oppose countries militarising artificial islands and enforcing excessive maritime claims. \"We cannot and will not accept unilateral, coercive changes to the status quo.\" President Donald Trump and other senior US officials have repeatedly stated that they would protect its interests in the South China Sea, a key shipping route. During his nomination hearing earlier this year, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson warned that the US was \"going to have to send China a clear signal that first the island-building stops, and second your access to those islands also is not going to be allowed.\" In response, the Chinese foreign ministry said Beijing would \"remain firm to defend its rights in the region\". But in Singapore Gen Mattis also struck a positive note on US-China relations, saying that while competition between the two countries \"is bound to occur, conflict is not inevitable\". The biggest question amongst Asian delegates attending the forum has been how much of a role the US will continue to play in this increasingly tense region, the BBC's Karishma Vaswani in Singapore reports. She adds that Gen Mattis sought to reassure his peers that the US was not turning its back on Asia. Rival countries have wrangled over territory in the South China Sea for centuries, but tension has steadily increased in recent years. Its islets and waters are claimed in part or in whole by Taiwan, China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei. Beijing has been building artificial islands on reefs and carrying out naval patrols in waters also claimed by these other nations. Although the previous US administration of Barack Obama insisted it was neutral, it spoke out strongly against the island-building and sought to build ties with, and among, the South East Asian nations whose claims overlap those of China. In July 2016, an international tribunal ruled against Chinese claims, backing a case brought by the Philippines, but Beijing said it would not respect the verdict. The frictions have sparked concern that the area is becoming a flashpoint with global consequences.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2868, "answer_start": 1980, "text": "Rival countries have wrangled over territory in the South China Sea for centuries, but tension has steadily increased in recent years. Its islets and waters are claimed in part or in whole by Taiwan, China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei. Beijing has been building artificial islands on reefs and carrying out naval patrols in waters also claimed by these other nations. Although the previous US administration of Barack Obama insisted it was neutral, it spoke out strongly against the island-building and sought to build ties with, and among, the South East Asian nations whose claims overlap those of China. In July 2016, an international tribunal ruled against Chinese claims, backing a case brought by the Philippines, but Beijing said it would not respect the verdict. The frictions have sparked concern that the area is becoming a flashpoint with global consequences." } ], "id": "10005_0", "question": "What is the South China Sea dispute?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The head of Japan's Olympic Committee is being formally investigated in France for alleged corruption in the awarding of the 2020 Games to Tokyo, a French judicial source has said. Prosecutors have been investigating a EUR2m ($2.3m; PS1.8m) payment allegedly made by Japan's bidding committee. Tsunekazu Takeda said he had not been indicted, was co-operating and that there was nothing new in the case. Tokyo was awarded the Games in 2013, beating Madrid and Istanbul. The Japanese government has always insisted its Tokyo bid is clean. The judicial source, quoted by various news agencies and Le Monde, said that Mr Takeda was \"mis en examen\", or put under investigation, by judges in Paris last month. Mis en examen is the formal start of a criminal investigation under French law. Speaking to Japanese media, Mr Takeda said this did not amount to indictment, adding \"there is nothing new at all, nothing has changed\". He said he had co-operated with a French hearing in December and told it that there had been no improper action. However, the International Olympic Committee's ethics commission said on Friday it had \"opened a file\" and would \"continue to monitor the situation\". There were few more details given on Friday but the payment concerned appears to be linked to what is known as the Black Tidings case. French prosecutors said in 2016 they were investigating a payment allegedly made by the Japanese bidding committee to a Singapore-based consultancy firm of that name. The money was labelled as \"Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games Bid\", coming from an account opened at a Japanese bank, for the profit of Black Tidings. The company is linked to the son of former world athletics chief, Lamine Diack, a member of the IOC when it awarded the Games to Tokyo and who is the subject of a number of corruption allegations. The son, Papa Massata Diack, also faces corruption allegations. In an earlier interview he told the BBC he and his father were innocent. In September 2016, an independent panel appointed by Japan's Olympic Committee (JOC) cleared Japanese bidding officials of any illegal activity in the case, saying that the payment to Black Tidings was a legitimate one for consulting services. Mr Takeda is a veteran Olympics official who competed as a show jumper in 1972 and 1976. He has been JOC president since 2001.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2331, "answer_start": 1184, "text": "There were few more details given on Friday but the payment concerned appears to be linked to what is known as the Black Tidings case. French prosecutors said in 2016 they were investigating a payment allegedly made by the Japanese bidding committee to a Singapore-based consultancy firm of that name. The money was labelled as \"Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games Bid\", coming from an account opened at a Japanese bank, for the profit of Black Tidings. The company is linked to the son of former world athletics chief, Lamine Diack, a member of the IOC when it awarded the Games to Tokyo and who is the subject of a number of corruption allegations. The son, Papa Massata Diack, also faces corruption allegations. In an earlier interview he told the BBC he and his father were innocent. In September 2016, an independent panel appointed by Japan's Olympic Committee (JOC) cleared Japanese bidding officials of any illegal activity in the case, saying that the payment to Black Tidings was a legitimate one for consulting services. Mr Takeda is a veteran Olympics official who competed as a show jumper in 1972 and 1976. He has been JOC president since 2001." } ], "id": "10006_0", "question": "What is the background of the case?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "A stunt by a Swedish activist to stop the deportation of an Afghan refugee has been widely hailed on social media. University student Elin Ersson had booked the same flight as the Afghan and refused to sit down unless he was taken off the plane on Monday. She streamed her protest live on Facebook, showing a tense standoff with other passengers and airline crew. Reactions have been largely supportive of her action, although some people are accusing her of grandstanding. The video has since been widely shared and received almost two million views. Ms Ersson explains to the other passengers and the viewers of Facebook that she does not agree with Swedish deportation policy, which classifies Afghanistan as a safe country and sends rejected asylum seekers back. She says Afghanistan was a country where the man \"will most likely get killed\" and explains that \"I am doing what I can to save a person's life\". \"As long as a person is standing up the pilot cannot take off. All I want to do is stop the deportation and then I will comply with the rules here.\" The video shows how first the airline crew and then several other passengers urge her to sit down and to stop filming. As the standoff continues, she says several people in the plane also stood up, some in support, others to see what was going on. Her actions eventually had both her and the 52-year-old Afghan being taken off the plane. The man had been escorted on board by the Swedish Prison and Probation Service. \"Asylum cases are decided by the immigration office,\" press officer Ulf Mossberg told the BBC. \"If they make a decision that someone will be deported they hand the person to the national border police. The police then can ask us to perform that transportation. \"What happened on this flight was that the pilot of the plane decided that our personnel and the Afghan man were not allowed to fulfil the flight.\" Media reports suggest the refugee is likely to be deported later and that the activist might face legal consequences over her actions. Plane passengers are obliged to follow the captain's orders. The deportation of migrants remains controversial across Europe. In recent years the continent has seen an influx of migrants from Africa, the Middle East and Afghanistan. Boats carrying people across the Mediterranean are facing increasing opposition and find it harder to find ports that allow them to dock. Earlier this month, the German interior minister came under pressure to quit after noting in a joking tone that 69 Afghans had been deported on his 69th birthday. One of the group took his own life after being sent back.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2615, "answer_start": 1400, "text": "The man had been escorted on board by the Swedish Prison and Probation Service. \"Asylum cases are decided by the immigration office,\" press officer Ulf Mossberg told the BBC. \"If they make a decision that someone will be deported they hand the person to the national border police. The police then can ask us to perform that transportation. \"What happened on this flight was that the pilot of the plane decided that our personnel and the Afghan man were not allowed to fulfil the flight.\" Media reports suggest the refugee is likely to be deported later and that the activist might face legal consequences over her actions. Plane passengers are obliged to follow the captain's orders. The deportation of migrants remains controversial across Europe. In recent years the continent has seen an influx of migrants from Africa, the Middle East and Afghanistan. Boats carrying people across the Mediterranean are facing increasing opposition and find it harder to find ports that allow them to dock. Earlier this month, the German interior minister came under pressure to quit after noting in a joking tone that 69 Afghans had been deported on his 69th birthday. One of the group took his own life after being sent back." } ], "id": "10007_0", "question": "Legal trouble for activist?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Suspected explosive devices have been sent to top Democrats including Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, as well as CNN, US officials have said. It comes two days after a pipe bomb was found at the home of liberal philanthropist and financier George Soros in the suburbs of New York City. CNN's New York office was evacuated on Wednesday morning after a suspected bomb was sent to their mailroom. President Donald Trump said that these threats \"have no place in America\". Speaking at the White House, Mr Trump said that he has been briefed by the FBI and \"a major federal investigation is now under way\". \"The safety of the American people is my highest and absolute priority,\" he said. \"In these times we just have to unify. We need to come together and send one very clear unmistakable message that threats or acts of political violence of any kind have no place in America.\" When asked about the pattern of these attempted attacks, during a news conference, New York Police Commissioner O'Neill said law enforcement is proactively contacting people to ensure other mail rooms \"follow proper protocol\". The FBI in New York said they were aware of the suspected packages, and that their Joint Terrorism Task force is aiding in the investigation. New York Mayor Bill de Blasio decried the attempted attacks as \"an act of terror attempting to undermine our free press and leaders of this country\". \"To all public officials, to all partisan affiliations - don't encourage violence, don't encourage hatred, don't encourage attacks on media you can disagree but you have to show respect.\" The packages were addressed to former President Obama, ex-Secretary Clinton and former CIA Director John Brennan. Additional suspicious packages addressed to Democratic Representative Maxine Waters and former Attorney General Eric Holder are currently being investigated by law enforcement. The packages to Mr Obama and Mrs Clinton were intended to arrive at their residences. FBI Special Agent Bryan Paarman told reporters the device for Mr Brennan, which appeared to be live, had been sent to CNN's mailroom. One of the packages sent had listed Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the former chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee, as the sender. The package intended for Mr Holder was sent to an incorrect address and returned to the congresswoman's office in Sunrise, Florida, US media say. Mr Brennan was scheduled to appear on CNN on Wednesday, US media report. Mr Brennan, is a frequent contributor to the network and has become a vocal critic of Mr Trump since leaving office. According to a statement from the US Secret Service, the package addressed to Mrs Clinton was recovered late on 23 October. \"Early this morning, October 24, 2018, a second package addressed to the residence of Former President Barack Obama was intercepted by Secret Service personnel in Washington, DC,\" the statement adds. \"Both packages were intercepted prior to being delivered to their intended location. The protectees did not receive the packages nor were they at risk of receiving them.\" These attempted attacks come two days after a confirmed pipe bomb was discovered in a mailbox at the home of Mr Soros, who has been criticised by right-wing groups for supporting liberal causes. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo had said a suspicious package had been sent to his office, but New York police told the BBC \"it was a thumb drive and is not related to other events\". The devices are suspected to be pipe bombs. Law enforcement officials tell US media that the device discovered at CNN on Wednesday appears to be similar to the one found at Mr Soros' home on Monday. Police commissioner Mr O'Neill also said law enforcement found an \"envelope containing white powder\" in the packaging of the device sent to CNN. The powder is being investigated, but authorities found \"no additional threats\" after sweeping the area. A US official told the Associated Press that a \"functional explosive device\" was found during a screening of mail sent to the home of Mr and Mrs Clinton in Chappaqua, New York. Speaking at a campaign event in Florida, Mrs Clinton thanked the Secret Service and said she and her family \"are fine\". \"It is a troubling time,\" she said. \"It is a time of deep divisions and we have to do everything we can to bring our country together. We also have to elect candidates who will try to do the same.\" A spokeswoman for Mr Obama declined to comment on the incident, and referred reporters to the Secret Service statement. In a statement, Ms Waters thanked law enforcement and said she \"unequivocally condemn[s] any and all acts of violence and terror\". White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders condemned the \"attempted violent attacks\" against the public figures. In a follow-up tweet, she added that the White House condemnation \"certainly includes threats made to CNN as well as current or former public servants\". But CNN Worldwide President Jeff Zucker criticised the president and Mrs Sanders in a statement on Wednesday afternoon. \"There is a total and complete lack of understanding at the White House about the seriousness of their continued attacks on the media,\" he said. \"The president, and especially the White House Press Secretary, should understand their words matter. Thus far they have shown no comprehension of that.\" The president has repeatedly called journalists the \"enemy of the people\". In a joint statement, top Democrats Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer also said the president's words \"ring hollow until he reverses his statements that condone acts of violence\". The US President's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr, who received a suspicious package at his New York home earlier this year, tweeted: \"As someone whose family has directly been the victim of these mail threats I condemn whoever did this regardless of party or ideology.\" His sister, Ivanka Trump, also condemned the \"acts of violence\", while First Lady Melania Trump called them \"cowardly\", adding \"I strongly condemn all that choose violence\". Chelsea Clinton, the only child of Bill and Hillary Clinton, tweeted: \"Every day, I am grateful to the women and men of the United States Secret Service. Thank you.\"", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3453, "answer_start": 1584, "text": "The packages were addressed to former President Obama, ex-Secretary Clinton and former CIA Director John Brennan. Additional suspicious packages addressed to Democratic Representative Maxine Waters and former Attorney General Eric Holder are currently being investigated by law enforcement. The packages to Mr Obama and Mrs Clinton were intended to arrive at their residences. FBI Special Agent Bryan Paarman told reporters the device for Mr Brennan, which appeared to be live, had been sent to CNN's mailroom. One of the packages sent had listed Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the former chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee, as the sender. The package intended for Mr Holder was sent to an incorrect address and returned to the congresswoman's office in Sunrise, Florida, US media say. Mr Brennan was scheduled to appear on CNN on Wednesday, US media report. Mr Brennan, is a frequent contributor to the network and has become a vocal critic of Mr Trump since leaving office. According to a statement from the US Secret Service, the package addressed to Mrs Clinton was recovered late on 23 October. \"Early this morning, October 24, 2018, a second package addressed to the residence of Former President Barack Obama was intercepted by Secret Service personnel in Washington, DC,\" the statement adds. \"Both packages were intercepted prior to being delivered to their intended location. The protectees did not receive the packages nor were they at risk of receiving them.\" These attempted attacks come two days after a confirmed pipe bomb was discovered in a mailbox at the home of Mr Soros, who has been criticised by right-wing groups for supporting liberal causes. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo had said a suspicious package had been sent to his office, but New York police told the BBC \"it was a thumb drive and is not related to other events\"." } ], "id": "10008_0", "question": "Who has been sent these packages?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4648, "answer_start": 3454, "text": "The devices are suspected to be pipe bombs. Law enforcement officials tell US media that the device discovered at CNN on Wednesday appears to be similar to the one found at Mr Soros' home on Monday. Police commissioner Mr O'Neill also said law enforcement found an \"envelope containing white powder\" in the packaging of the device sent to CNN. The powder is being investigated, but authorities found \"no additional threats\" after sweeping the area. A US official told the Associated Press that a \"functional explosive device\" was found during a screening of mail sent to the home of Mr and Mrs Clinton in Chappaqua, New York. Speaking at a campaign event in Florida, Mrs Clinton thanked the Secret Service and said she and her family \"are fine\". \"It is a troubling time,\" she said. \"It is a time of deep divisions and we have to do everything we can to bring our country together. We also have to elect candidates who will try to do the same.\" A spokeswoman for Mr Obama declined to comment on the incident, and referred reporters to the Secret Service statement. In a statement, Ms Waters thanked law enforcement and said she \"unequivocally condemn[s] any and all acts of violence and terror\"." } ], "id": "10008_1", "question": "What was in the packages?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "A leading Pakistani actress has accused a popular singer of sexual harassment, in what is thought to be the first #MeToo moment in conservative Pakistan. Meesha Shafi, who has acted in films such as The Reluctant Fundamentalist, says music star Ali Zafar subjected her to \"harassment of a physical nature\". Mr Zafar says he \"categorically\" denies the claims and will take legal action. The allegations have caused a stir on social media, with many other women sharing their views about harassment. The #MeToo movement, sparked by Hollywood's Harvey Weinstein scandal, has led to a wider push against sexual harassment in many countries around the world. Pakistan's society is deeply patriarchal, and non-governmental organisations say large numbers of women face violence or sexual harassment. Ms Shafi made the allegations on Thursday, writing on Twitter that there were \"some issues that are very difficult to speak about as a woman, especially sexual harassment\". \"My conscience does not allow me to be silent anymore,\" she said. \"If this can happen to someone like me, an established artist, then it can happen to any young woman and that concerns me gravely.\" She said she had suffered sexual harassment from Mr Zafar \"on more than one occasion\", describing it as \"an extremely traumatic experience\". \"Ali is someone I have known for many years and someone who I have shared the stage with,\" she said. \"I feel betrayed by his behaviour and his attitude.\" Mr Zafar, who has won multiple awards for his music and starred in several Bollywood films, said in response: \"I categorically deny any and all claims of harassment lodged against me by Ms Shafi. I intend to take this through the courts of law.\" He added that he was \"deeply aware and in support of the global #MeToo movement and what it stands for\". \"I have nothing to hide,\" he said. \"Silent is absolutely not an option.\" The allegations have caused a stir on Pakistani social media, with Ms Shafi's name trending on Twitter. Many women spoke up in support of Ms Shafi.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2031, "answer_start": 794, "text": "Ms Shafi made the allegations on Thursday, writing on Twitter that there were \"some issues that are very difficult to speak about as a woman, especially sexual harassment\". \"My conscience does not allow me to be silent anymore,\" she said. \"If this can happen to someone like me, an established artist, then it can happen to any young woman and that concerns me gravely.\" She said she had suffered sexual harassment from Mr Zafar \"on more than one occasion\", describing it as \"an extremely traumatic experience\". \"Ali is someone I have known for many years and someone who I have shared the stage with,\" she said. \"I feel betrayed by his behaviour and his attitude.\" Mr Zafar, who has won multiple awards for his music and starred in several Bollywood films, said in response: \"I categorically deny any and all claims of harassment lodged against me by Ms Shafi. I intend to take this through the courts of law.\" He added that he was \"deeply aware and in support of the global #MeToo movement and what it stands for\". \"I have nothing to hide,\" he said. \"Silent is absolutely not an option.\" The allegations have caused a stir on Pakistani social media, with Ms Shafi's name trending on Twitter. Many women spoke up in support of Ms Shafi." } ], "id": "10009_0", "question": "What are the allegations?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "A US drug company says it has created the first therapy that could slow Alzheimer's disease, and it is now ready to bring it to market. Currently, there are no drugs that can do this - existing ones only help with symptoms. Biogen says it will soon seek regulatory approval in the US for the \"groundbreaking\" drug, called aducanumab. It plans to file the paperwork in early 2020 and has its sights on Europe too. Approval processes could take a year or two. If successful, the company aims to initially offer the drug to patients previously enrolled in clinical studies of the drug. The announcement is somewhat surprising because the company had discontinued work on the drug in March 2019, after disappointing trial results. But the company says a new analysis of a larger dataset of the same studies shows that higher doses of aducanumab can provide a significant benefit to patients with early Alzheimer's, slowing their clinical decline so they preserve more of their memory and every day living skills - things that the disease usually robs. Aducanumab targets a protein called amyloid that forms abnormal deposits the brains of people with Alzheimer's. Scientists think these plaques are toxic to brain cells and that clearing them using drugs would be a massive advance in dementia treatment, although not a cure. There haven't been any new dementia drugs in over a decade. Biogen's chief executive Michel Vounatsos said: \"We are hopeful about the prospect of offering patients the first therapy to reduce the clinical decline of Alzheimer's disease.\" Hilary Evans from Alzheimer's Research UK said: \"People affected by Alzheimer's have waited a long time for a life-changing new treatment and this exciting announcement offers new hope that one could be in sight. \"Taking another look at aducanumab is a positive step for all those who took part in the clinical trials and the worldwide dementia research community. As more data emerges, we hope it will spark global discussions about the next steps for delivering much-needed treatments into people's hands.\" Prof Bart De Strooper, Director of the UK Dementia Research Institute at University College London, said: \"It is fantastic to hear of these new positive results emerging from the aducanumab trials. We currently have no effective treatments to slow or halt the progression of Alzheimer's disease and I hope this signifies a turning point.\" Dementia is not a single disease, but is the name for a group of symptoms that include problems with memory and thinking. There are lots of different types of dementia and Alzheimer's is said to be the most common and most researched. There are currently 850,000 people with dementia in the UK. It's been a long and tortuous journey to find new drugs for the disease and recent attempts have ended in failure. Experts hope a treatment is in sight, but they are cautious and will need to closely scrutinise these aducanumab trial findings.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2946, "answer_start": 2408, "text": "Dementia is not a single disease, but is the name for a group of symptoms that include problems with memory and thinking. There are lots of different types of dementia and Alzheimer's is said to be the most common and most researched. There are currently 850,000 people with dementia in the UK. It's been a long and tortuous journey to find new drugs for the disease and recent attempts have ended in failure. Experts hope a treatment is in sight, but they are cautious and will need to closely scrutinise these aducanumab trial findings." } ], "id": "10010_0", "question": "What is Alzheimer's?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "It has not been an easy week for the big multinational corporations that sponsor football's world governing body Fifa. When Adidas, Gazprom, Hyundai-Kia, McDonald's, Budweiser, Coca-Cola and Visa signed their deals, they would have envisaged seeing their brands beamed into millions of households around the world. Pitch-side exposure at World Cup matches, accompanied by high-profile advertising campaigns, means that backing the World Cup guarantees getting your company promoted in all parts of the globe. However, having spent tens of millions of pounds to be associated with sporting excellence, those famous brands now find their name and products associated with the increasingly tarnished Fifa brand, arrests and allegations of \"rampant, systemic, and deep-rooted corruption\". A number of the sponsors - Coca-Cola, Kia, Adidas and Visa - have made known their concerns about what is happening at Fifa, with the latter particularly vociferous, warning that unless the global governing body makes \"changes now\", it would \"reassess our sponsorship\". And McDonald's said it \"takes matters of ethics and corruption very seriously and the news from the US Department of Justice is extremely concerning. We are in contact with FIFA on this matter. We will continue to monitor the situation very closely\". For the four years of the last \"World Cup cycle\", from 2011 to 2014, Fifa's six top tier Global Partners (as was - it is now five) paid a total of $177m (PS116m) annually, which would mean each partner paid roughly $30m a year for this status. Tier one sponsor Sony decided not to renew its contract last year - it had been a Fifa partner since 2007, after signing a contract in 2005 worth $38m annually. One publicity-savvy bookmaker has offered odds on which sponsor will be the first to pull out of its association with football's Swiss-based powerbrokers. It has Visa as the favourites, followed by Hyundai-Kia, although none of Fifa's backers have said yet they are ending their deals. Russian gas firm Gazprom is bottom of the betting to leave, and indeed it has put out a statement saying the current situation will have \"no influence\" on its agreement. But as the scandal is not likely to go away any time soon, what damage is being done to these well-known companies, some of whom have associations with Fifa stretching back decades? \"This is disastrous for the main core group of big Fifa sponsors. For them, this is a major issue,\" says Anastasia Kourovskaia, a brands expert at agency Millward Brown. \"The idea of sponsorship is to transfer the goodwill that supporters feel for the sport, to the benefit of a brand's equity.\" She suggests that the big seven corporations may have to position themselves at arms-length from Fifa, if they do not want to be hit by the fall-out from the sensational developments. \"The solution is to emphasise that they are supporting football for the benefit of the game itself, and the pleasure and challenge of winning and playing football, rather than Fifa as an organisation,\" she says. \"They have to differentiate themselves from Fifa's management.\" In addition, she points out that as this is not the first scandal to hit Fifa, it might be a good time for the sponsors to form a committee of their own \"to ensure the ethical running of big global football events\". One other unforeseen outcome of the furore may be that in future, potential sports sponsors may look to back smaller, grass-roots, events - which traditionally have been more complex and costly to back - rather than global blockbusters such as World Cups, which have a greater potential for scandal. \"This might be the tipping point that sees sponsors move away from events which are 'uniform' across the world, and towards more local events,\" she says. Adidas - the German sportswear firm has been supplying the official match ball for all Fifa World Cup tournament matches since 1970. Also involved in all other Fifa events, such as the Confederations Cup Brazil 2013, and the Fifa U-20 World Cups for women and men. Coca-Cola - the US soft drinks firm is one of the longest-standing corporate partners of Fifa, with a formal association since 1974 and an official sponsorship of the Fifa World Cup that began in 1978. Coca-Cola has had stadium advertising at every Fifa World Cup since 1950. Gazprom - the Russian energy giant signed up with Fifa in 2013 as a partner for all competitions in the period of 2015 to 2018, including the 2018 Fifa World Cup, which is due to take place in Russia for the first time. (The firm is also an official partner of the Uefa Champions League 2012 to 2015). Hyundai/Kia - the South Korean carmaker began its Fifa alliance in 1999, in a deal to sponsor 13 Fifa competitions including the 2002 World Cup, an agreement extended to the 2006 event. It again backed the 2010 World Cup and is now the official Automotive Partner of Fifa until 2022. Visa - the credit card company became a top-tier Fifa partner in 2007, taking over from rivals Mastercard in controversial circumstances, and recently extended its relationship until 2022. It is a sponsor of five Fifa events this year, including the Women's World Cup in Canada. Budweiser - the US beverage has been a World Cup sponsor since the 1986 event in Mexico, and is the Official Beer of the tournament, with its product on sale in all stadiums at the finals, and it also sponsors the Man of the Match award at each game. McDonald's - the American fast food chain has been a sponsor since the 1994 World Cup in the US. Its products are available at all matches in the finals tournament, and it also sponsors the World Cup Player Escort programme, in which children accompany the teams onto the pitch. Meanwhile, it appears that Nike, which is not an official Fifa sponsor (but does come up with clever marketing campaigns around the World Cup) has also been dragged into the furore, with the US Department of Justice questioning its deal with the Brazilian Football Association. The American indictments state that an unidentified \"major US sportswear company\" is alleged to have been involved in the payment and receipt of bribes. The Department of Justice did not name the firm, but Nike and the Brazilian football federation have been partners since a $400m sponsorship deal was signed back in 1996. Nike did not confirm it was the company alluded to, but said it \"believes in ethical and fair play in both business and sport and strongly opposes any form of manipulation or bribery. We have been co-operating, and will continue to co-operate, with the authorities.\" Meanwhile, the editor-in-chief of Dutch newspaper Nederlands Dagblad says he does not want to see any adverts from Fifa sponsors in his paper until they have \"converted\". And the sponsorship industry's trade body in Europe is taking a dim view of the arrests and indictments. The European Sponsorship Association says that the developments \"underline the critical importance of transparency and high ethical standards in sport and in business\". They said that sponsors did not want to be associated with alleged \"shady practices\" and were \"increasingly asking rights-owners tough questions on a range of compliance and corporate social responsibility (CSR) issues\".", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5712, "answer_start": 3775, "text": "Adidas - the German sportswear firm has been supplying the official match ball for all Fifa World Cup tournament matches since 1970. Also involved in all other Fifa events, such as the Confederations Cup Brazil 2013, and the Fifa U-20 World Cups for women and men. Coca-Cola - the US soft drinks firm is one of the longest-standing corporate partners of Fifa, with a formal association since 1974 and an official sponsorship of the Fifa World Cup that began in 1978. Coca-Cola has had stadium advertising at every Fifa World Cup since 1950. Gazprom - the Russian energy giant signed up with Fifa in 2013 as a partner for all competitions in the period of 2015 to 2018, including the 2018 Fifa World Cup, which is due to take place in Russia for the first time. (The firm is also an official partner of the Uefa Champions League 2012 to 2015). Hyundai/Kia - the South Korean carmaker began its Fifa alliance in 1999, in a deal to sponsor 13 Fifa competitions including the 2002 World Cup, an agreement extended to the 2006 event. It again backed the 2010 World Cup and is now the official Automotive Partner of Fifa until 2022. Visa - the credit card company became a top-tier Fifa partner in 2007, taking over from rivals Mastercard in controversial circumstances, and recently extended its relationship until 2022. It is a sponsor of five Fifa events this year, including the Women's World Cup in Canada. Budweiser - the US beverage has been a World Cup sponsor since the 1986 event in Mexico, and is the Official Beer of the tournament, with its product on sale in all stadiums at the finals, and it also sponsors the Man of the Match award at each game. McDonald's - the American fast food chain has been a sponsor since the 1994 World Cup in the US. Its products are available at all matches in the finals tournament, and it also sponsors the World Cup Player Escort programme, in which children accompany the teams onto the pitch." } ], "id": "10011_0", "question": "Who are Fifa's five top tier partners and two World Cup sponsors?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "US Secretary of State John Kerry says Washington is seriously concerned about increased Chinese militarisation in the contested South China Sea. He was responding to reports Beijing has deployed surface-to-air missiles on a disputed island in the region. China dismissed the reports as \"hype\", but said it had the right under international law to defend itself. Several nations claim territory in the resource-rich South China Sea, which is also an important shipping route. A spokesman for Mr Kerry said satellite images appeared to confirm China had deployed anti-aircraft missiles on Woody or Yongxing Island in the Paracels. The island is claimed by China, Taiwan and Vietnam and the presence of missiles would significantly increase tensions. Mr Kerry said the US expected to have a \"very serious conversation\" with China over its presence. \"There is every evidence, every day, that there has been an increase of militarisation from one kind or another. It's a serious concern,\" he said. The latest images of Woody Island were captured by ImageSat International. A picture dated 3 February shows a beach on the island empty. By 14 February it contains several missile launchers and support vehicles. But the Chinese Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, said reports were a Western media invention. He defended \"the limited and necessary self-defence facilities\" on islands inhabited by Chinese personnel as \"consistent with the right for self-preservation and self-protection.... under the international law\". China has been carrying out extensive land reclamation work in the region, which it says is legal and for civilian purposes. But the work has angered other countries which also claim the territory, and there is growing concern about the implications of the area becoming militarised. The South China Sea dispute has been a topic of debate at a meeting of South East Asian regional leaders in California. US President Barack Obama said the members had discussed the need for \"tangible steps\" to reduce tensions. Rival countries have wrangled over territory in the South China Sea for centuries, but tension has steadily increased in recent years. Its islets and waters are claimed in part or in whole by Taiwan, China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei. China has backed its expansive claims with island-building and naval patrols, while the US says it opposes restrictions on freedom of navigation and unlawful sovereignty claims - by all sides, but seen by many as aimed at China. The frictions have sparked concern that the area is becoming a flashpoint with global consequences.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2598, "answer_start": 2016, "text": "Rival countries have wrangled over territory in the South China Sea for centuries, but tension has steadily increased in recent years. Its islets and waters are claimed in part or in whole by Taiwan, China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei. China has backed its expansive claims with island-building and naval patrols, while the US says it opposes restrictions on freedom of navigation and unlawful sovereignty claims - by all sides, but seen by many as aimed at China. The frictions have sparked concern that the area is becoming a flashpoint with global consequences." } ], "id": "10012_0", "question": "What is the South China Sea dispute?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Only about 50% of cases of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo are being identified, the government's response co-ordinator has said. Jean-Jacques Muyembe warned that the current deadly outbreak could last up to three years. He said a man who died this week in the city of Goma, on the Rwandan border, had 10 children and had infected a number of people. The Ebola outbreak has killed more than 1,800 people in the past year. At least 2,700 people have been infected in the worst Ebola outbreak in the DR Congo's history. Tackling the disease has also been complicated by conflict in the region. Earlier this week, Rwanda briefly closed its border with the DR Congo amid fears the disease would spread to the country. Speaking in Goma on Friday, Mr Muyembe said more needed to be done to tackle the outbreak, as an estimated half of Ebola cases were going unidentified. \"If we continue on that basis, this epidemic could last two or three years,\" Mr Muyembe warned. Speaking about the latest victim in Goma, a gold miner, he said that the man \"will have contaminated several people\". \"But for the moment it is only his wife and one of his 10 children who are sick,\" Mr Muyembe said. He added that the miner's sister had travelled to South Kivu province, but was quickly located and brought back to Goma. Cases in the city earlier prompted the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare the outbreak as an emergency of international concern. Goma, home to two million people, is the capital of North Kivu, one of the two provinces in DR Congo which have borne the brunt of the epidemic. The city lies just across the border from the Rwandan city of Gisenyi, which has a population of about 85,000 people. Many residents cross the frontier for work and other activities, although illegal routes are also used. Efforts to control the outbreak have been hampered by violence against healthcare workers and Ebola treatment facilities. Seven people have been killed and 58 injured in 198 attacks this year. A major problem has been the distrust of healthcare workers. As a result, about a third of Ebola deaths have not been at specialist treatment centres but in the community, where there is a greater risk of the disease spreading to neighbours and relatives. The world's worst Ebola epidemic killed more than 11,000 people in West Africa between 2014 and 2016. - Ebola is a virus that initially causes sudden fever, intense weakness, muscle pain and a sore throat - It progresses to vomiting, diarrhoea, and both internal and external bleeding - People are infected when they have direct contact through broken skin, or the mouth and nose, with the blood, vomit, faeces or bodily fluids of someone with Ebola - Patients tend to die from dehydration and multiple organ failure Yes, there is. It is 99% effective and more than 161,000 people have received it. However, not everybody is vaccinated - only those who come into direct contact with an Ebola patient, and people who come into contact with them. And some of those people refuse to take it. People give a variety of reasons for not taking the vaccine, including: - They may have religious beliefs that do not permit them to take vaccines - They may think they do not need it - They may not believe in Ebola The vaccine, made by Merck, was developed during the epidemic in West Africa and has been available throughout the latest outbreak. It has proven effective but is in relatively short supply, so the WHO has recommended a second vaccine made by Johnson & Johnson to complement it.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1446, "answer_start": 724, "text": "Speaking in Goma on Friday, Mr Muyembe said more needed to be done to tackle the outbreak, as an estimated half of Ebola cases were going unidentified. \"If we continue on that basis, this epidemic could last two or three years,\" Mr Muyembe warned. Speaking about the latest victim in Goma, a gold miner, he said that the man \"will have contaminated several people\". \"But for the moment it is only his wife and one of his 10 children who are sick,\" Mr Muyembe said. He added that the miner's sister had travelled to South Kivu province, but was quickly located and brought back to Goma. Cases in the city earlier prompted the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare the outbreak as an emergency of international concern." } ], "id": "10013_0", "question": "What did Mr Muyembe say?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2364, "answer_start": 1447, "text": "Goma, home to two million people, is the capital of North Kivu, one of the two provinces in DR Congo which have borne the brunt of the epidemic. The city lies just across the border from the Rwandan city of Gisenyi, which has a population of about 85,000 people. Many residents cross the frontier for work and other activities, although illegal routes are also used. Efforts to control the outbreak have been hampered by violence against healthcare workers and Ebola treatment facilities. Seven people have been killed and 58 injured in 198 attacks this year. A major problem has been the distrust of healthcare workers. As a result, about a third of Ebola deaths have not been at specialist treatment centres but in the community, where there is a greater risk of the disease spreading to neighbours and relatives. The world's worst Ebola epidemic killed more than 11,000 people in West Africa between 2014 and 2016." } ], "id": "10013_1", "question": "What is the situation on the ground?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3546, "answer_start": 2780, "text": "Yes, there is. It is 99% effective and more than 161,000 people have received it. However, not everybody is vaccinated - only those who come into direct contact with an Ebola patient, and people who come into contact with them. And some of those people refuse to take it. People give a variety of reasons for not taking the vaccine, including: - They may have religious beliefs that do not permit them to take vaccines - They may think they do not need it - They may not believe in Ebola The vaccine, made by Merck, was developed during the epidemic in West Africa and has been available throughout the latest outbreak. It has proven effective but is in relatively short supply, so the WHO has recommended a second vaccine made by Johnson & Johnson to complement it." } ], "id": "10013_2", "question": "Is there no vaccine?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "South Korea says it is to continue a military intelligence-sharing pact with Japan that had been threatened by a long-running dispute. The move was welcomed by the US which had urged the two countries to settle their differences. Seoul announced its decision on Friday, just hours before the pact was due to expire. Tensions between South Korea and Japan go back decades but have recently led to a series of tit-for-tat measures. The tensions have historical roots, and the two countries became embroiled in a deepening trade and diplomatic dispute this year. The intelligence pact, known as GSOMIA (General Security of Military Information Agreement), allowed the two countries to share information about North Korea's military and nuclear activities directly with each other. Without it, information would have had to go through their joint-allies in Washington, slowing the process down. In August, South Korea announced it would terminate the intelligence-sharing agreement and Japan removed South Korea's favoured trade partner status and imposed export controls on its electronics sector. Earlier this month the leaders of the two countries briefly met at a summit in Bangkok, Thailand, to try to resolve their differences. Then on Friday South Korea said it would \"conditionally\" suspend the expiry, with national security official Kim You-geun confirmed that the GSOMIA would not be allowed to lapse at midnight. He said the Japanese government had \"expressed their understanding\" but warned that the agreement could still \"be terminated at any time\". Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said bilateral relations were vital and that South Korea had made a \"strategic decision\" in sticking with the accord. A US State Department spokeswoman welcomed the decision, saying: \"This decision sends a positive message that like-minded allies can work through bilateral disputes.\" The two countries share a complicated history. They have fought on and off since at least the 7th Century, and Japan has repeatedly tried to invade the peninsula since then. In 1910, it annexed Korea, turning the territory into a colony. Resentment over this period, when many South Korean workers were forced to work for Japanese firms, continues today. The issue was recently brought to the fore by a 2018 South Korean supreme court ruling that ordered Japanese firms to compensate Koreans it used as forced labour. The decisions drew condemnation from Japan, which argues the dispute was settled in 1965 when diplomatic ties were normalised between the neighbouring countries. The row has since escalated and has impacted their modern trade relationship, threatening industries such as technology.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1879, "answer_start": 891, "text": "In August, South Korea announced it would terminate the intelligence-sharing agreement and Japan removed South Korea's favoured trade partner status and imposed export controls on its electronics sector. Earlier this month the leaders of the two countries briefly met at a summit in Bangkok, Thailand, to try to resolve their differences. Then on Friday South Korea said it would \"conditionally\" suspend the expiry, with national security official Kim You-geun confirmed that the GSOMIA would not be allowed to lapse at midnight. He said the Japanese government had \"expressed their understanding\" but warned that the agreement could still \"be terminated at any time\". Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said bilateral relations were vital and that South Korea had made a \"strategic decision\" in sticking with the accord. A US State Department spokeswoman welcomed the decision, saying: \"This decision sends a positive message that like-minded allies can work through bilateral disputes.\"" } ], "id": "10014_0", "question": "What has been announced?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2680, "answer_start": 1880, "text": "The two countries share a complicated history. They have fought on and off since at least the 7th Century, and Japan has repeatedly tried to invade the peninsula since then. In 1910, it annexed Korea, turning the territory into a colony. Resentment over this period, when many South Korean workers were forced to work for Japanese firms, continues today. The issue was recently brought to the fore by a 2018 South Korean supreme court ruling that ordered Japanese firms to compensate Koreans it used as forced labour. The decisions drew condemnation from Japan, which argues the dispute was settled in 1965 when diplomatic ties were normalised between the neighbouring countries. The row has since escalated and has impacted their modern trade relationship, threatening industries such as technology." } ], "id": "10014_1", "question": "What's the background?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Thousands of Poles have held rallies in the capital Warsaw and other cities to condemn a controversial reform of the judiciary. Protesters say the bill, passed by the Senate on Saturday, will erode judges' independence and undermine democracy. It gives MPs and the justice minister the power to appoint judges without consulting judicial circles. The government says the move is needed because the judiciary is corrupt and serves only the interests of elites. The bill must still be signed by President Andrzej Duda in order to become law. He has given no indication that he plans to veto it. Since it came to power in 2015, the government of the conservative, populist Law and Justice party (PiS), has passed a series of controversial reforms, triggering mass protests. Opposition supporters and human rights activists gathered in Warsaw under Polish and EU flags, and other banners, blowing klaxons, in a demonstration which continued after dark. Police say about 4,500 people turned out in the capital while another estimate puts the number closer to 10,000. Smaller rallies were held in Krakow, Katowice and elsewhere. Chats of \"shame, shame\" and \"we will defend democracy\" could be heard, correspondents say. Instead of Law and Justice, one placard in Warsaw read \"Lawlessness and Injustice\", the BBC's Adam Easton reports from Warsaw. Opposition leaders like former Foreign Minister Grzegorz Schetyna of Civic Platform and Ryszard Petru of the Modern party took to the stage in Warsaw. \"Today we know that a great fight has begun and we know we must be together, we know we must fight against them together,\" Mr Schetyna told the crowd, Reuters news agency reports. The opposition fear the law will give parliament - dominated by PiS lawmakers - indirect control over judicial appointments, violating the constitutional separation of powers. Wlodzimierz Wrobel, a Supreme Court justice, told the BBC Poland would lose its independent judiciary. The leader of the PiS, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, says the reforms are needed because the judiciary is corrupt and only serves the elites. His party has previously passed legislation giving it control over the public media and civil service. Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro said the current system of appointing judges was undemocratic. \"We want to end corporatism and introduce the oxygen of democracy there,\" he said. \"Because Poland is a democracy based on the rule of law. This is not court-ocracy.\" Many Poles agree with the government, our correspondent reports. A separate bill was also presented in parliament this week, which would allow the justice minister to get rid of all of Poland's Supreme Court judges and appoint new ones. This piece of legislation was not consulted on beforehand and introduced to parliament in the middle of the night, our correspondent says. It is still being discussed. Under the PiS government, he adds, the justice minister already wields considerable power over the prosecution service in his role as prosecutor general because he can influence prosecutors to launch investigations. The European Commission, which is already investigating Poland for a serious breach of the rule of law, will urgently discuss the developments next week The Council of Europe's Human Rights Commissioner, Nils Muiznieks, said the reforms were a \"major setback for judicial independence\". Manfred Weber, leader of the European Parliament's largest grouping the EPP, said: \"Law and Justice is putting an end to the rule of law and leaving the European community of values.\"", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1950, "answer_start": 771, "text": "Opposition supporters and human rights activists gathered in Warsaw under Polish and EU flags, and other banners, blowing klaxons, in a demonstration which continued after dark. Police say about 4,500 people turned out in the capital while another estimate puts the number closer to 10,000. Smaller rallies were held in Krakow, Katowice and elsewhere. Chats of \"shame, shame\" and \"we will defend democracy\" could be heard, correspondents say. Instead of Law and Justice, one placard in Warsaw read \"Lawlessness and Injustice\", the BBC's Adam Easton reports from Warsaw. Opposition leaders like former Foreign Minister Grzegorz Schetyna of Civic Platform and Ryszard Petru of the Modern party took to the stage in Warsaw. \"Today we know that a great fight has begun and we know we must be together, we know we must fight against them together,\" Mr Schetyna told the crowd, Reuters news agency reports. The opposition fear the law will give parliament - dominated by PiS lawmakers - indirect control over judicial appointments, violating the constitutional separation of powers. Wlodzimierz Wrobel, a Supreme Court justice, told the BBC Poland would lose its independent judiciary." } ], "id": "10015_0", "question": "How deep is opposition to the reform?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3069, "answer_start": 1951, "text": "The leader of the PiS, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, says the reforms are needed because the judiciary is corrupt and only serves the elites. His party has previously passed legislation giving it control over the public media and civil service. Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro said the current system of appointing judges was undemocratic. \"We want to end corporatism and introduce the oxygen of democracy there,\" he said. \"Because Poland is a democracy based on the rule of law. This is not court-ocracy.\" Many Poles agree with the government, our correspondent reports. A separate bill was also presented in parliament this week, which would allow the justice minister to get rid of all of Poland's Supreme Court judges and appoint new ones. This piece of legislation was not consulted on beforehand and introduced to parliament in the middle of the night, our correspondent says. It is still being discussed. Under the PiS government, he adds, the justice minister already wields considerable power over the prosecution service in his role as prosecutor general because he can influence prosecutors to launch investigations." } ], "id": "10015_1", "question": "Why is the government doing this?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3540, "answer_start": 3070, "text": "The European Commission, which is already investigating Poland for a serious breach of the rule of law, will urgently discuss the developments next week The Council of Europe's Human Rights Commissioner, Nils Muiznieks, said the reforms were a \"major setback for judicial independence\". Manfred Weber, leader of the European Parliament's largest grouping the EPP, said: \"Law and Justice is putting an end to the rule of law and leaving the European community of values.\"" } ], "id": "10015_2", "question": "How are Poland's EU partners reacting?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The Netherlands will hold a controversial referendum next month on the EU's new partnership with Ukraine. The Dutch parliament has already backed the EU association agreement with Ukraine, a landmark integration pact that removes trade barriers. But Eurosceptic activists succeeded in triggering a referendum after securing about 450,000 signatures in support of their citizens' initiative. The European Commission President, Jean-Claude Juncker, has warned that a No vote could lead to a \"continental crisis\". The UK referendum campaign is now in full swing, ahead of the British in-out vote in June on whether to stay in the EU. It has totally overshadowed the Dutch referendum. But the geopolitical stakes are high in the EU agreement with Ukraine. The ultimate aim is to integrate the ex-Soviet republic into the EU's internal market - and Russia is hostile to it. Supporters see it as a key step to draw Ukraine out of Russia's orbit but Eurosceptics say it goes too far, too fast. Under a new Dutch law, more than 300,000 signatures are required to secure a referendum. Once the signatures have been verified, the vote must be held within six months. Next month's vote is the first under the new law, which was designed to improve Dutch democracy by giving citizens a bigger say. A leading No campaigner, Thierry Baudet, said: \"This is a chance to say we're here too, the most important thing is to finally give the Dutch people a vote on the continuous expansion and increase of powers of the European Union.\" He accused the EU of \"reckless geopolitical moves\". An association agreement must be ratified by all EU member states. So could a No vote by the Dutch block the deal? Tony van der Togt of the Clingendael Institute, a Dutch foreign affairs think-tank, said a No would mean \"uncharted waters\" - even though the referendum is not legally binding. A big rejection of the agreement would oblige the government to resubmit it to parliament for approval, he said. But a low turnout would make it easier for politicians to dismiss the result. Andre Krouwel, a political scientist at VU Free University in Amsterdam, said Commission President Juncker's warning was counter-productive. \"He's telling people who want to vote against, 'If you get a majority then you create a crisis' - and that's exactly what the anti-European camp wants.\" The referendum comes at a time of voter frustration. With the migrant crisis and economic uncertainty, people are increasingly questioning the EU's ability to provide security and stability. The vote is being seen as a litmus test of public opinion. According to Mr Krouwel, the Eurosceptics are abusing the referendum process. \"They're increasing our ignorance because they're not talking about what really should be decided,\" he complained. \"If people want to get out of the EU, let's ask them that. With this referendum, people will not know what it means.\" And Russia is already a factor in this vote. Many of those in favour of the Ukraine deal say a vote against it will throw Russian President Vladimir Putin a propaganda victory. In a jazz bar in the north of Amsterdam, newspaper columnist Bert Lanting showed me a big feature with a photo of the mangled wreckage of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17. He said he had received hate mail after writing an article accusing the Eurosceptics of taking Russia's side. \"It's true,\" he said. \"If you're saying No to the [Ukraine] treaty you're supporting the people who downed flight MH17.\" The Netherlands suffered the most deaths - 193 - when the passenger jet was shot out of the sky over rebel-held eastern Ukraine in July 2014. Many of the 298 victims' families blame President Putin. The West and Ukraine say Russian-backed rebels brought down the Boeing 777 but Russia blames Ukrainian forces. \"Most people in Ukraine, they supported this treaty,\" Lanting said. \"Who are we [the Dutch] to say you can't decide on your own future?\" Despite the high stakes, many Dutch citizens have no idea they are being asked to vote on this issue. In a small, unscientific survey on Grote Markt Street in The Hague, I asked shoppers if they were aware of the referendum. They responded with shrugs and blank stares. According to an Ipsos poll released this week, 27% of Dutch voters are completely unaware of the referendum. Turnout must exceed 30% for it to be officially valid. The immediate challenge will be to convince the Dutch public that this is an issue worth voting on.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3083, "answer_start": 2346, "text": "The referendum comes at a time of voter frustration. With the migrant crisis and economic uncertainty, people are increasingly questioning the EU's ability to provide security and stability. The vote is being seen as a litmus test of public opinion. According to Mr Krouwel, the Eurosceptics are abusing the referendum process. \"They're increasing our ignorance because they're not talking about what really should be decided,\" he complained. \"If people want to get out of the EU, let's ask them that. With this referendum, people will not know what it means.\" And Russia is already a factor in this vote. Many of those in favour of the Ukraine deal say a vote against it will throw Russian President Vladimir Putin a propaganda victory." } ], "id": "10016_0", "question": "Confusing message?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The tumbling and eventual halt of trading of Chinese shares for the second time in four days has global investors holding their breath. Stock markets in Asia and Europe have all followed suit and fallen sharply. The question is how trading in China will resume on Friday morning. \"There's a large risk that we are going to see this continue tomorrow,\" Amy Zhuang of Nordea Bank told the BBC. \"Chances are that there's again some major volatility, I would be extremely surprised to see a calm opening. And probably, this nervousness will last all of next week.\" Trying to stem the downward slide, Beijing is expected to step up efforts once again to stabilise investor confidence. But as many of the measures introduced in the past failed to have the desired effect, it will prove to be hard to convince investors that all's well. Introducing what's called a \"circuit-breaker\" to stop trading in the case of a sharp fall appears to be yet another example that hasn't really worked in the way intended. The idea is that a plunge of 5% will lead to a 15-minute pause to allow the mood to cool down, so that trading can resume more level-headed after the break. But what happened on Monday and then again on Thursday did not quite go according to that plan. \"Once you have that 15-minute pause, every trader in the market is just going to be sending out a ton of \"sell\" orders and so as soon as the market reopens, it is flooded with those orders and quickly hits that 7% percent threshold,\" Angus Nicholson of IG Trading told the BBC. In fact, selling after the pause continued at such a fast pace that the automatic cut-off at 7% was overshot. By the time the automatic trade suspension came into effect, the index was already beyond the threshold, down 7.2%. As a result of it all, Thursday was the shortest trading day in the 25-year history of China's stock markets. In fact, many experts now caution that too much regulatory measures will only add fuel to the fire. \"Many people in the market have reached the conclusion that maybe the best thing is to let go completely and let the market correct itself,\" said Nordea Bank's Ms Zhuang. \"If you look at the fundamentals, a lot of analysts say the market is still much too expensive and that this is just a way of correcting the very long and large upswing in the first half of 2014.\" In that case, intervention on the stock market would not stop, but merely delay the sell-off. On the other hand, allowing the market to correct itself would \"let it find its natural floor where investors are happy to buy and hold stocks,\" IG Trading's Mr Nicholson explains. When Chinese stock markets tumbled in June 2014, sending shockwaves around the globe, the government introduced a flurry of measures to reassure traders. Interest rates, for instance, were cut to make it cheaper to borrow money, while large state companies and funds were ordered to buy shares to stabilise the market. A six-month ban restricting large shareholders from selling is set to expire at the end of this week and on Thursday, the Chinese Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) announced new rules to replace that ban. To \"avoid shocks to the market\", the CSRC said that investors holding more than 5% of a stock can not sell more than 1% every three months - and that they must file their plans 15 trading days in advance. \"Already from tomorrow, the market will react,\" Ms Zhuang explains. \"You're free to sell if you don't fall under that regulation - so what would you do? If all the bigger ones will only be allowed to sell gradually, then you'd better beat them to it.\" There remains the debate over what exactly triggered the sell-off this week in the first place. On Monday, manufacturing data came in weaker, though not weak enough to sufficiently explain such a dramatic reaction on the markets. China's gradual depreciation of the yuan currency seems a more likely reason for the sharp falls. Every day, the People's Bank of China sets a midpoint to the dollar, from which trading is allowed to deviate by 2% in each direction. On Thursday, that midpoint was lowered for the eighth consecutive day. As the central bank is thought to have a much greater insight into how the Chinese economy is performing than a normal trader, a devaluation is seen as a pointer that the economy is doing worse than official statistics suggest. The lower currency would then boost exports by making them cheaper, which in turn would drive growth in the country's crucial manufacturing sector. Yet a weakening of the yuan goes far beyond the borders of China, warns Mr Nicholson. \"Such a significant devaluation has major global consequences. The weakening of the yuan will have a significant effect on other currencies and central banks.\" It might delay the next rates increase by the Federal Reserve in the US and it could prompt further weakening by the European Central Bank or the Bank of Japan. Pushing down the yuan to prop up exports also puts pressure on other regional currencies in Asia. The Singapore and Australian dollars are already falling compared with their US counterpart. The Korean won, Malaysian ringgit and Indonesian rupiah are also lower after the weakening of the yuan. The next days will show how Beijing chooses to play its cards. Weakening the yuan might help exports, but will add to concerns over the health of the Chinese economy. Heavy-handed intervention on the stock market, though, is equally unlikely to instil confidence that the government has the upper hand in controlling the unruly forces of a free market.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3597, "answer_start": 1868, "text": "In fact, many experts now caution that too much regulatory measures will only add fuel to the fire. \"Many people in the market have reached the conclusion that maybe the best thing is to let go completely and let the market correct itself,\" said Nordea Bank's Ms Zhuang. \"If you look at the fundamentals, a lot of analysts say the market is still much too expensive and that this is just a way of correcting the very long and large upswing in the first half of 2014.\" In that case, intervention on the stock market would not stop, but merely delay the sell-off. On the other hand, allowing the market to correct itself would \"let it find its natural floor where investors are happy to buy and hold stocks,\" IG Trading's Mr Nicholson explains. When Chinese stock markets tumbled in June 2014, sending shockwaves around the globe, the government introduced a flurry of measures to reassure traders. Interest rates, for instance, were cut to make it cheaper to borrow money, while large state companies and funds were ordered to buy shares to stabilise the market. A six-month ban restricting large shareholders from selling is set to expire at the end of this week and on Thursday, the Chinese Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) announced new rules to replace that ban. To \"avoid shocks to the market\", the CSRC said that investors holding more than 5% of a stock can not sell more than 1% every three months - and that they must file their plans 15 trading days in advance. \"Already from tomorrow, the market will react,\" Ms Zhuang explains. \"You're free to sell if you don't fall under that regulation - so what would you do? If all the bigger ones will only be allowed to sell gradually, then you'd better beat them to it.\"" } ], "id": "10017_0", "question": "Regulators to the rescue?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The foreign ministers of India and Pakistan were supposed to meet this week on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. The meeting was agreed more than a week ago, raising hopes of movement towards a more cordial relationship between the two nuclear-armed foes, and possibly even fresh peace talks. After all, the neighbours hadn't met at such a senior level since 2014. But within 24 hours, the briefly open door was slammed shut when India called off the meeting. Pakistan's \"evil agenda\" had been exposed and \"the true face\" of new Prime Minister Imran Khan had been \"revealed to the world\", a spokesman said. Why? Well, part of the reason was a set of stamps. The stamps carry 20 different images of what Pakistan calls \"atrocities in Indian-occupied Kashmir\". They include images of victims of alleged chemical weapons, pellet guns, \"fake police encounters\" and \"braid chopping\", scenes of general abuse and pictures of Kashmiri protests. One stamp carries a picture of Burhan Wani, a popular Kashmiri militant leader killed in 2016, and describes him as a \"freedom icon\". Wani, who was linked to the Hizbul Mujahideen militant group, was killed in a gunfight with Indian forces in 2016. His death sparked widespread protests in the region that still continue. Another stamp shows a Kashmiri protester, Farooq Ahmed Dar, tied to the front bumper of a military jeep purportedly as a \"human shield\" against stone-throwing and gun-firing protesters. A line in Urdu text running down the left side of the stamps reads: \"Kashmir will become Pakistan.\" This contrasts with a 1960 commemorative stamp which showed a Pakistani map, with Kashmir shown in a different colour and a more neutral text line saying: \"Jammu & Kashmir; Final Status Not Yet Determined.\" India and Pakistan have fought two wars over the Himalayan Muslim-majority territory, which both claim in full but control in part. India accuses Pakistan of harbouring and supporting cross-border militants who are active in Indian-administered Kashmir - an allegation Pakistan denies. India cited the issue of stamps as one of two reasons why it called off the meeting at the UN. The other was the killing of an Indian border guard and three Kashmiri policemen by suspected militants. In a statement, a spokesman for India's Ministry of External Affairs said: \"The latest brutal killings of our security personnel by Pakistan-based entities and the recent release of a series of 20 postage stamps by Pakistan glorifying a terrorist and terrorism confirm that Pakistan will not mend its ways.\" Pakistan's Foreign Office responded on the same day, saying: \"By falsely raising the canard of terrorism, India can neither hide its unspeakable crimes against the Kashmiri people nor can it delegitimise their indigenous struggle for their inalienable right to self determination.\" The meeting was proposed by Pakistan's newly elected Prime Minister Imran Khan and was agreed to by India. The \"normalisation\" process between the two countries, started in 2010, broke down in 2014 due to increased militant attacks in Indian-administered Kashmir. A top official of Pakistan Post, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told the BBC that anyone could propose a commemorative postal stamp. \"Once it is cleared by Pakistan Post, it needs to be approved by the communications ministry, and also by the foreign ministry if it has a bearing on Pakistan's foreign relations. The final approval is given by the prime minister's office.\" But he was reluctant to identify the source of this particular idea. Interestingly, though, as Pakistan Post officials admit, the idea was floated and implemented during the caretaker government, which took charge of day-to-day affairs of the state ahead of the election which Mr Khan's PTI party won. The stamps were issued on 24 July, a day ahead of the general elections, and some 25 days before the new prime minister was sworn in. Observers speculate that the idea must have come from state institutions with a hawkish stand on relations with India. The two elected governments since 2008 have both pushed for normalisation of ties with India. Both have come under pressure either directly from the military or from political groups suspected of having support from the military intelligence network. The last government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif fell out with the military over its alleged support for militant networks operating in India and Afghanistan, as was revealed by a report in the Dawn newspaper. Sharif was ousted in what was seen by many as an unfair trial, described by some as part of a \"creeping coup against democracy\". The military has also been blamed for \"managing\" the July elections. It denies all these accusations but critics say its huge business and financial interests hinge on painting India as a mortal enemy. They say the stamps were issued at a time when the military dominated the political scene. Philatelists in Pakistan say the Kashmir commemoration postage stamps have sold well overseas, with one sheet of 20 stamps selling for nearly $6. In Islamabad, a Pakistan Post official said they had sold more than 300 sheets in recent days at the official rate of about $1.30 apiece. Only 20,000 sheets have been issued, most of which have already sold out, after the spat over the stamps hit the headlines.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2058, "answer_start": 678, "text": "The stamps carry 20 different images of what Pakistan calls \"atrocities in Indian-occupied Kashmir\". They include images of victims of alleged chemical weapons, pellet guns, \"fake police encounters\" and \"braid chopping\", scenes of general abuse and pictures of Kashmiri protests. One stamp carries a picture of Burhan Wani, a popular Kashmiri militant leader killed in 2016, and describes him as a \"freedom icon\". Wani, who was linked to the Hizbul Mujahideen militant group, was killed in a gunfight with Indian forces in 2016. His death sparked widespread protests in the region that still continue. Another stamp shows a Kashmiri protester, Farooq Ahmed Dar, tied to the front bumper of a military jeep purportedly as a \"human shield\" against stone-throwing and gun-firing protesters. A line in Urdu text running down the left side of the stamps reads: \"Kashmir will become Pakistan.\" This contrasts with a 1960 commemorative stamp which showed a Pakistani map, with Kashmir shown in a different colour and a more neutral text line saying: \"Jammu & Kashmir; Final Status Not Yet Determined.\" India and Pakistan have fought two wars over the Himalayan Muslim-majority territory, which both claim in full but control in part. India accuses Pakistan of harbouring and supporting cross-border militants who are active in Indian-administered Kashmir - an allegation Pakistan denies." } ], "id": "10018_0", "question": "What do the stamps show?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3112, "answer_start": 2059, "text": "India cited the issue of stamps as one of two reasons why it called off the meeting at the UN. The other was the killing of an Indian border guard and three Kashmiri policemen by suspected militants. In a statement, a spokesman for India's Ministry of External Affairs said: \"The latest brutal killings of our security personnel by Pakistan-based entities and the recent release of a series of 20 postage stamps by Pakistan glorifying a terrorist and terrorism confirm that Pakistan will not mend its ways.\" Pakistan's Foreign Office responded on the same day, saying: \"By falsely raising the canard of terrorism, India can neither hide its unspeakable crimes against the Kashmiri people nor can it delegitimise their indigenous struggle for their inalienable right to self determination.\" The meeting was proposed by Pakistan's newly elected Prime Minister Imran Khan and was agreed to by India. The \"normalisation\" process between the two countries, started in 2010, broke down in 2014 due to increased militant attacks in Indian-administered Kashmir." } ], "id": "10018_1", "question": "What has been the response?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4936, "answer_start": 3113, "text": "A top official of Pakistan Post, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told the BBC that anyone could propose a commemorative postal stamp. \"Once it is cleared by Pakistan Post, it needs to be approved by the communications ministry, and also by the foreign ministry if it has a bearing on Pakistan's foreign relations. The final approval is given by the prime minister's office.\" But he was reluctant to identify the source of this particular idea. Interestingly, though, as Pakistan Post officials admit, the idea was floated and implemented during the caretaker government, which took charge of day-to-day affairs of the state ahead of the election which Mr Khan's PTI party won. The stamps were issued on 24 July, a day ahead of the general elections, and some 25 days before the new prime minister was sworn in. Observers speculate that the idea must have come from state institutions with a hawkish stand on relations with India. The two elected governments since 2008 have both pushed for normalisation of ties with India. Both have come under pressure either directly from the military or from political groups suspected of having support from the military intelligence network. The last government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif fell out with the military over its alleged support for militant networks operating in India and Afghanistan, as was revealed by a report in the Dawn newspaper. Sharif was ousted in what was seen by many as an unfair trial, described by some as part of a \"creeping coup against democracy\". The military has also been blamed for \"managing\" the July elections. It denies all these accusations but critics say its huge business and financial interests hinge on painting India as a mortal enemy. They say the stamps were issued at a time when the military dominated the political scene." } ], "id": "10018_2", "question": "Who commissioned the stamps?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5344, "answer_start": 4937, "text": "Philatelists in Pakistan say the Kashmir commemoration postage stamps have sold well overseas, with one sheet of 20 stamps selling for nearly $6. In Islamabad, a Pakistan Post official said they had sold more than 300 sheets in recent days at the official rate of about $1.30 apiece. Only 20,000 sheets have been issued, most of which have already sold out, after the spat over the stamps hit the headlines." } ], "id": "10018_3", "question": "How have the stamps been selling?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "This year has seen the dawn of gene editing, the rise of immunotherapy and the first hints of a drug to slow the pace of Alzheimer's disease. They could all be breakthroughs that change medicine for all of us. Meet Layla Richards, the baby who marked a new era of medicine. On the day before her first birthday, Layla's parents were told that all treatments for her leukaemia had failed and she was going to die. The determination of her family, doctors and a biotechnology company led to her being given an experimental therapy that had previously been tried only in mice. The \"miracle\" treatment that has so far saved her life was a tiny vial filled with genetically engineered immune cells that were designed to kill her cancer. It raises the prospect of similar methods being used to treat a whole range of genetic disease. Meanwhile earlier this year, a group in China announced it was the first to successfully edit the genome of a human embryo. The breakthrough at Sun Yat-sen University in Guangdong showed the errors in DNA that led to a blood disorder, beta thalassaemia, could be successfully corrected in embryos. Gene editing has also been used to make mosquitoes resistant to malaria and to make pig organs suitable for human transplant. The techniques have thrown up a huge number of ethical issues including concerns about the creation of designer babies. A pivotal meeting of the world's leading scientists said it would be \"irresponsible\" to allow the creation of genetically altered humans, but that basic research involving embryo gene editing should continue. Analysis: Dawn of gene editing medicine? Cancer medicine is on the cusp of a revolution after one of its most promising fields - immunotherapy - finally came of age. If you have flu, your immune system seeks out and destroys the virus. But tumours can masquerade as healthy, normal tissue to evade assault. Immunotherapy stops cancer hiding and exposes it to the immune system. Data from two large trials presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology annual conference showed lung cancer survival was doubled in some patients with such an approach. And tumours were shrunk in nearly six out of 10 patients with advanced melanoma cases. But the averages hide some remarkable stories. The few patients who responded best to treatment went from terminal cancer to no cancer at all. This is one of the hottest fields in medicine. Have we cured cancer? The relentless march of antibiotic resistance continued this year and took a significant scalp. Some doctors declared that the world was now on the cusp of a \"post-antibiotic era\" after finding bacteria resistant to drugs used when all other treatments have failed. They identified bacteria able to shrug off the drug of last resort - colistin - in patients and livestock in China. Resistance has since been found in Europe, Africa and other parts of Asia. It raises concerns of the \"antibiotic apocalypse\" in which treatments fail and chemotherapy, surgery and organ transplants become near impossible. However, resistance is only a problem for as long as there are no new drugs coming through. But in a sign that the apocalypse might yet be averted, a team in the US believe the decades-long drought in antibiotic discovery could be over. The team at Northeastern University in Boston developed a novel method for growing bacteria that has yielded 25 new antibiotics, with one deemed \"very promising\". Testing on the drugs is continuing to see if they are suitable for medical use. Analysis: Antibiotic Apocalypse A woman in Belgium was the first in the world to give birth to a baby using ovarian tissue frozen when she was still a child. The 27-year-old had an ovary removed when she was 13 before invasive treatment for sickle cell anaemia that would affect her fertility. Her remaining ovary failed following the treatment. Ten years later, she decided she wanted to have a baby, so doctors grafted four of her thawed ovarian fragments onto her remaining ovary and 11 fragments onto other sites in her body. She gave birth to a baby boy. Men normally freeze their sperm before similar treatment, but the hope is similar techniques will work in pre-pubescent boys who have not yet started producing sperm. US surgeons carried out the world's most extensive face transplant to date in August, including the entire scalp, ears and eyelids. It took 26-hours of surgery to give injured volunteer firefighter Patrick Hardison, aged 41, a new face. Mr Hardison, who was injured in a house fire as he attempted to rescue a woman he believed was trapped in the blaze, had third degree burns of his entire face and scalp. He waited more than a year on a donor register for a perfect match - not only blood type but someone with fair skin and light hair. He will soon have more operations to remove some of the loose skin around his eyes and lips. The donor was a 26-year-old, David Rodebaugh, who was fatally injured in a cycling accident. Meanwhile a man in Texas had the world's first skull and scalp transplant. How to build a whole new face The first details of how a drug could slow the pace of brain decline for patients with early stage Alzheimer's disease emerged this year. Data from pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly suggested solanezumab can cut the rate of the dementia's progression by about a third. The death of brain cells in Alzheimer's is currently unstoppable. Solanezumab may be able to keep them alive by attacking the deformed proteins, called amyloid, that build up in the brain during Alzheimer's. The findings were met with cautious optimism and all eyes are on the results of the full trial which are expected next year. For the first time, doctors breached the human brain's protective layer to deliver cancer-fighting drugs. The barrier normally prevents infections and toxins from affecting the central nervous system. The Canadian team used tiny gas-filled bubbles, injected into the bloodstream of a patient, to punch temporary holes in the barrier. A beam of focused ultrasound waves applied to the skull made the bubbles vibrate and push their way through, along with chemotherapy drugs. The technique could be useful in cancer, dementia and Parkinson's disease, but more safety studies are still needed. A few other stories managed to catch the headlines in 2015: - The world's first successful penis transplant has been reported by a surgical team in South Africa. And it works! The recipient's partner is now pregnant. - Young children who have a pet dog in the home are less likely to go on to develop asthma, a large Swedish study has found. - Scientists at the University of Oregon discovered that everyone is surrounded by a unique \"cloud\" of millions of their own bacteria. - Elephants have enhanced defences against cancer that can prevent tumours forming. - A man has died with tumours made of cancerous parasitic worm tissue growing in his organs. - But some species of parasitic worm increases the fertility of women, say scientists. - The way the body can track the passing of the seasons in a \"chemical calendar\" has been discovered by scientists. - All men should bank their sperm at the age of 18 because of the risks of being an older father, according to one bioethicist. - Ancient DNA records show that plague has been a scourge on humanity for far longer than previously thought. - Scientists say they have developed a way of testing how well, or badly, your body is ageing.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2437, "answer_start": 1622, "text": "Cancer medicine is on the cusp of a revolution after one of its most promising fields - immunotherapy - finally came of age. If you have flu, your immune system seeks out and destroys the virus. But tumours can masquerade as healthy, normal tissue to evade assault. Immunotherapy stops cancer hiding and exposes it to the immune system. Data from two large trials presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology annual conference showed lung cancer survival was doubled in some patients with such an approach. And tumours were shrunk in nearly six out of 10 patients with advanced melanoma cases. But the averages hide some remarkable stories. The few patients who responded best to treatment went from terminal cancer to no cancer at all. This is one of the hottest fields in medicine. Have we cured cancer?" } ], "id": "10019_0", "question": "Cancer defeated?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Seventy years ago was arguably the start of the modern computer age. A machine that took up an entire room at a laboratory in Manchester University ran its first program at 11am on 21 June 1948. The prototype completed the task in 52 minutes, having run through 3.5 million calculations. The Manchester Baby, known formally as the Small-Scale Experimental Machine, was the world's first stored-program computer. It paved the way for the first commercially-available computers in a city known for centuries of science and innovation. Dr \"Tommy\" Gordon Thomas was 19 and in the final year of a physics degree at Manchester when he met Sir Freddie Williams, who designed The Baby with colleagues Tom Kilburn and Geoff Tootill. Now aged 90, he talked to BBC News from his home in New South Wales, Australia, about his memories of the ground-breaking machine. \"My job was to build a cradle for the baby,\" says Dr Thomas. \"It was a group of people who had worked together during the war who introduced us youngsters into the same process of getting on with the job...It was really an adventure for us all.\" The physics graduate joined the project just after its first successful run, working on the computer for his MSc. He recalls an old laboratory in a dirty, neglected building of the then Victoria University of Manchester. \"After the original proof of The Baby we needed various other features and my work was mainly in constructing the memory, and we went into another little room and we built that,\" he says. \"And when that was working we moved all the equipment from one very little cramped room. \"Manchester at that time, just after the war, was full of smoke and dust, and it was a miracle we got things to work at all.\" The scientists behind The Baby worked with the company Ferranti to develop the Manchester Mark 1, which in turn led to the Ferranti Mark 1, the world's first commercially available general-purpose computer. The fusion of academic excellence and commercial skills helped turn a dream into a reality. \"It's one thing having an idea and another thing bringing it up to market and so on,'' says Dr Thomas. \"Fortunately it was pure coincidence that Manchester had both components - they had the ideas in the university and they had the engineering and production and commercial skills just a few miles away in the Ferranti factories.\" Dr Thomas will be celebrating the 70th anniversary of the project from his home in Australia. Meanwhile, fellow Baby computer pioneer Prof David \"Dai\" Edwards, also aged 90, will be in Manchester for a special event at the Museum of Science and Industry, which hosts the world's only working replica of The Baby. Prof Edwards, who went on to head the computer science department at Manchester University, says the developments from the early days of computing are incredible. \"We had no idea where everything would lead to,\" he says. \"The smart phone, for example, is amazing.\" Dr Thomas says the discoveries likely in the next 70 years will be out of this world. \"When we start going inter-galactic which will happen in 70 years we might even find some society out there somewhere,\" he says. Looking back, though, he says some of the greatest innovations in his lifetime have been technologies that connect people, like the Skype line he used for this interview. \"In my opinion the greatest discovery post The Baby was the Internet,\" he says. Tim Berners-Lee created the first web browser and editor and Dr Thomas added: \"Tim was the son of an engineer who worked at Ferranti and Tim Berners-Lee's mother was another very remarkable scientist.\" He said the internet concept came \"just in time for me to retire and use it. So that was a radical change in the way we used our investment around the world\". Dr James Sumner, lecturer in the history of technology at the University of Manchester, regards the development of The Baby as a milestone. \"It is the first machine that practically worked in the world using what is called the stored program,\" he says. The prototype machine paved the way for commercial computers and was technically the first computer bought and sold, even though, the bill, made out in February 1951, was sent to the University of Manchester. Dr Sumner says the developments since then have been \"astonishing\". According to his calculations, the prototype machine that first ran in Manchester on 21 June 1948 could store 1024 bits of information, each \"bit\" being a zero or one. In contrast, a smartphone today might have 64 gigabytes of storage, which is 500 million times as much. The 1948 machine was fast for its time, working at a rate of roughly 1,000 instructions per second. Yet a modern processor for a laptop or tablet might reach 20 or 30 million times this speed, says Dr Sumner, and the instructions involved would be much more complicated. The Baby machine was made up of a series of equipment racks running over five metres along the length of the room and weighed about a tonne. Using the same space today it is possible to build massively powerful supercomputing machines, such as Manchester's SpiNNaker project, which is designed for simulating brain functions. Follow Helen on Twitter.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3759, "answer_start": 2355, "text": "Dr Thomas will be celebrating the 70th anniversary of the project from his home in Australia. Meanwhile, fellow Baby computer pioneer Prof David \"Dai\" Edwards, also aged 90, will be in Manchester for a special event at the Museum of Science and Industry, which hosts the world's only working replica of The Baby. Prof Edwards, who went on to head the computer science department at Manchester University, says the developments from the early days of computing are incredible. \"We had no idea where everything would lead to,\" he says. \"The smart phone, for example, is amazing.\" Dr Thomas says the discoveries likely in the next 70 years will be out of this world. \"When we start going inter-galactic which will happen in 70 years we might even find some society out there somewhere,\" he says. Looking back, though, he says some of the greatest innovations in his lifetime have been technologies that connect people, like the Skype line he used for this interview. \"In my opinion the greatest discovery post The Baby was the Internet,\" he says. Tim Berners-Lee created the first web browser and editor and Dr Thomas added: \"Tim was the son of an engineer who worked at Ferranti and Tim Berners-Lee's mother was another very remarkable scientist.\" He said the internet concept came \"just in time for me to retire and use it. So that was a radical change in the way we used our investment around the world\"." } ], "id": "10020_0", "question": "Intergalactic?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "We need to talk about the Brexit divorce bill, known officially as the financial settlement. Until \"sufficient progress\" is made in deciding how it should be calculated, Brexit negotiations between the EU and the UK won't move on to discuss the outlines of a future relationship covering trade, security and so on. The EU says the UK needs to settle its accounts before it leaves. It says the UK has made a variety of financial commitments that have to be settled as part of an overall withdrawal agreement. The UK accepts that it has some obligations. And it has promised not to leave any other country out of pocket in the current EU budget period from 2014-20. But the devil lies in the detail. That rather depends on who you ask. Well, at this stage they don't want to put a figure on it. They recognise the political sensitivity of this issue in the UK. What they do want is agreement on a fairly precise method for calculating the bill. In other words, an agreement on what should be included. - The EU argues that the UK has to pay in full its share of money that has been committed in budgets but not yet spent. This is the so-called Reste a Liquider. As of September 2017, it was running at about 239bn euro (PS213bn). In theory that produces a UK share of roughly 30bn euro (PS27bn). - There are also other investment projects in less developed regions of the EU on which work is only due to begin after the UK has left the EU. But the EU says the UK has already promised to help fund these projects. EU officials say that could amount to more than 20bn euro (PS18bn) added to the UK bill, although this figure has not been officially published. - Then there are long-term commitments such as pension contributions for EU staff. The pension bill could be roughly 10bn euro (PS9bn), depending - crucially - on how you calculate it. - Another long-term commitment is contingent liabilities - loans which have to be guaranteed (but which should eventually be repaid to the UK) to countries like Ukraine and Ireland. Contingent liabilities amount to 11.5bn euro (PS10bn). Less than that. The UK has already said it will pay budget contributions amounting to about PS18bn (20bn euro) in 2019 and 2020. That meets its commitment to ensure that no other country is out of pocket in the current seven-year budget. It also coincides fairly neatly with the transition period it wants to be put in place for about two years after Brexit. If such a transition is agreed, the UK would be required to make budget contributions anyway, so this was a relatively easy offer to make. The UK has also said it will \"honour commitments\" made during its membership of the EU, and it is going through the EU's suggestions line-by-line. There are several ways in which the bill could be reduced: - The UK will argue that it should pay a lower percentage of total EU commitments (reducing it from 13% to 12%, for example, would save billions of pounds). - The UK thinks it is fair to calculate its pension liabilities in a different way, and that could reduce the bill considerably. - The UK will want to limit payments it makes for projects that begin after it has left the EU. - The UK insists that if it is responsible for its share of EU commitments, then it must be entitled to its share of EU assets as well. Some EU countries, including Germany, argue that the assets belong to the EU as a whole and not to individual member states. As soon as possible. The European Council President Donald Tusk said that he told Theresa May in their meeting today that progress needs to be made by the beginning of December at the latest. There have been hints that the UK is prepared to pay considerably more than it has offered so far in order to get talks moving. After all, far more money is at stake in the future of trade relations than in the size of the withdrawal agreement. A lot depends on what Theresa May meant in her speech in Florence when she first said that the UK would \"honour commitments\" it made during its membership. That now needs to be discussed in detail between the two negotiating teams. Yes. But in the end, the final decisions about the financial settlement will not be technical or legal ones. They will have to be political ones. Read more from Reality Check Follow us on Twitter", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 697, "answer_start": 315, "text": "The EU says the UK needs to settle its accounts before it leaves. It says the UK has made a variety of financial commitments that have to be settled as part of an overall withdrawal agreement. The UK accepts that it has some obligations. And it has promised not to leave any other country out of pocket in the current EU budget period from 2014-20. But the devil lies in the detail." } ], "id": "10021_0", "question": "What is the bill for?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 733, "answer_start": 698, "text": "That rather depends on who you ask." } ], "id": "10021_1", "question": "So how much is it?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2078, "answer_start": 734, "text": "Well, at this stage they don't want to put a figure on it. They recognise the political sensitivity of this issue in the UK. What they do want is agreement on a fairly precise method for calculating the bill. In other words, an agreement on what should be included. - The EU argues that the UK has to pay in full its share of money that has been committed in budgets but not yet spent. This is the so-called Reste a Liquider. As of September 2017, it was running at about 239bn euro (PS213bn). In theory that produces a UK share of roughly 30bn euro (PS27bn). - There are also other investment projects in less developed regions of the EU on which work is only due to begin after the UK has left the EU. But the EU says the UK has already promised to help fund these projects. EU officials say that could amount to more than 20bn euro (PS18bn) added to the UK bill, although this figure has not been officially published. - Then there are long-term commitments such as pension contributions for EU staff. The pension bill could be roughly 10bn euro (PS9bn), depending - crucially - on how you calculate it. - Another long-term commitment is contingent liabilities - loans which have to be guaranteed (but which should eventually be repaid to the UK) to countries like Ukraine and Ireland. Contingent liabilities amount to 11.5bn euro (PS10bn)." } ], "id": "10021_2", "question": "OK, how much does the EU want?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3425, "answer_start": 2079, "text": "Less than that. The UK has already said it will pay budget contributions amounting to about PS18bn (20bn euro) in 2019 and 2020. That meets its commitment to ensure that no other country is out of pocket in the current seven-year budget. It also coincides fairly neatly with the transition period it wants to be put in place for about two years after Brexit. If such a transition is agreed, the UK would be required to make budget contributions anyway, so this was a relatively easy offer to make. The UK has also said it will \"honour commitments\" made during its membership of the EU, and it is going through the EU's suggestions line-by-line. There are several ways in which the bill could be reduced: - The UK will argue that it should pay a lower percentage of total EU commitments (reducing it from 13% to 12%, for example, would save billions of pounds). - The UK thinks it is fair to calculate its pension liabilities in a different way, and that could reduce the bill considerably. - The UK will want to limit payments it makes for projects that begin after it has left the EU. - The UK insists that if it is responsible for its share of EU commitments, then it must be entitled to its share of EU assets as well. Some EU countries, including Germany, argue that the assets belong to the EU as a whole and not to individual member states." } ], "id": "10021_3", "question": "And how much is the UK willing to pay?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4094, "answer_start": 3426, "text": "As soon as possible. The European Council President Donald Tusk said that he told Theresa May in their meeting today that progress needs to be made by the beginning of December at the latest. There have been hints that the UK is prepared to pay considerably more than it has offered so far in order to get talks moving. After all, far more money is at stake in the future of trade relations than in the size of the withdrawal agreement. A lot depends on what Theresa May meant in her speech in Florence when she first said that the UK would \"honour commitments\" it made during its membership. That now needs to be discussed in detail between the two negotiating teams." } ], "id": "10021_4", "question": "When does this need to be sorted out?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4240, "answer_start": 4095, "text": "Yes. But in the end, the final decisions about the financial settlement will not be technical or legal ones. They will have to be political ones." } ], "id": "10021_5", "question": "So the clock really is ticking?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Passengers and crew on board a jet that was forced to make an emergency landing at a Moscow airport say it was struck by lightning moments before it crashed. Reports of the strike came as survivors told how they escaped the Aeroflot jet which burst into flames on landing at Sheremetyevo airport on Sunday. Forty-one of the 78 people on board were killed in the accident. Investigators probing the cause of the crash have made no official comment on the claims it was hit by lightning. Modern aircraft are built to withstand lightning strikes, and Russia's national carrier has said only that the plane returned to the airport for \"technical reasons\". However passengers said the plane, which was heading for the northern Russian city of Murmansk, was struck just after take-off. Pilot Denis Yevdokimov told Russian media that the lightning had interrupted communication with air traffic controllers and forced him to switch to emergency manual mode. Dramatic video showed the plane making a very bumpy landing, bursting into flames after bouncing on the tarmac. Two children and a flight attendant are among the dead. The acting governor of Murmansk, Andrey Chibis, said in a Facebook post that 26 of the victims were from his region. The plane's so-called black boxes - which record flight data and cockpit conversations - have reportedly been retrieved and handed to investigators. One passenger who survived the crash, Pyotr Yegorov, was quoted as saying that the flight \"had just taken off and the aircraft was hit by lightning\", adding: \"The landing was rough - I almost passed out from fear.\" Another survivor, Mikhail Savchenko, said he managed to escape by jumping out onto the emergency exit slides at the front of the Aeroflot jet while the rear was ablaze. A witness said the plane \"jumped like a grasshopper\" as it struck the runway at speed. Passenger Dmitry Khlebushkin told reporters: \"I'm alive only thanks to the stewardesses. The girls stood there in the smoke, it was dark, extremely hot, but they pulled people out and helped them get down the chutes\". Stewardess Tatyana Kasatkina said people were leaving their seats and heading for the exits while the plane was still travelling, Russian news site Lenta reports. She said passengers were screaming and phoning relatives as the plane burned. \"It all happened really fast, in a matter of seconds... I was pushing passengers out. I grabbed each one by the collar, so that they wouldn't delay the evacuation.\" Passengers were evacuated within 55 seconds of the plane coming to a standstill, the airline said. Footage of passengers running away from the burning plane have also been shared on social media. Eyewitness Patrick Horlacher told the BBC it was \"shocking to see\" the plane being ravaged by flames just minutes before he was due to board another flight. The aircraft, a Sukhoi Superjet-100, left the airport at 18:02 local time (15:02 GMT) on Sunday, bound for Murmansk. Its crew sent a distress signal when \"malfunctions\" occurred in bad weather shortly after take-off. The pilot, Denis Yevdokimov, said there had been some communication with controllers but that it was sporadic. The aircraft then attempted two emergency landings. On the first approach the plane was travelling too fast and on the second the automatic systems failed, Russian news agency Interfax said. The jet hit the tarmac three times and smashed its rear undercarriage, then debris got into an engine and set it ablaze, Interfax reported. The aircraft landed with full fuel tanks because the crew lost contact with air traffic controllers and decided it was too dangerous to dump fuel over Moscow, the agency added. Aeroflot published a list of survivors (in Russian) who have been identified so far. Mr Chibis has reportedly said that the families of those killed in the fire will each receive one million rubles ($15,300; PS11,630), while the victims being treated in hospital will be given 500,000 rubles ($7,650; PS5,815). Russia's emergency ministry said there were no plans to ground its Superjet-100 aircraft. Russian President Vladimir Putin has reportedly been briefed and expressed condolences to the families of victims. The region of Murmansk has announced a three-day mourning period. With millions of commercial flights taking place every year, lightning strikes in the air are relatively common. Traditional planes, built using aluminium, are usually able to withstand such strikes as the shell or \"skin\" of the aircraft acts as a cage, distributing the electricity without causing damage and allowing them to continue their journey safely. Some newer aircraft are constructed using lighter materials that have lower electrical conductivity, such as carbon fibre, which need to be protected - often using wire mesh or foil. In addition, the electronics and connections to an aircraft's fuel tanks are heavily shielded to protect them from external electrical bursts. Lightning strikes can cause technical malfunctions, causing planes to divert or make emergency landings for precautionary reasons. But crashes following such incidents are rare. A strike is still likely to be noticed by people on board, though. Passengers may hear loud bangs or experience the cabin lighting up with a bright flash. The only previous fatal crash of a Sukhoi Superjet-100 was during a demonstration flight in Indonesia in 2012. The plane hit a mountainside, killing all 45 on board in a crash blamed on human error. Have you been affected? Email [email protected] Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: - WhatsApp: +44 7555 173285 - Tweet: @BBC_HaveYourSay - Send pictures/video to [email protected] - Text an SMS or MMS to 61124 or +44 7624 800 100 - Please read our terms of use and privacy policy", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2832, "answer_start": 1385, "text": "One passenger who survived the crash, Pyotr Yegorov, was quoted as saying that the flight \"had just taken off and the aircraft was hit by lightning\", adding: \"The landing was rough - I almost passed out from fear.\" Another survivor, Mikhail Savchenko, said he managed to escape by jumping out onto the emergency exit slides at the front of the Aeroflot jet while the rear was ablaze. A witness said the plane \"jumped like a grasshopper\" as it struck the runway at speed. Passenger Dmitry Khlebushkin told reporters: \"I'm alive only thanks to the stewardesses. The girls stood there in the smoke, it was dark, extremely hot, but they pulled people out and helped them get down the chutes\". Stewardess Tatyana Kasatkina said people were leaving their seats and heading for the exits while the plane was still travelling, Russian news site Lenta reports. She said passengers were screaming and phoning relatives as the plane burned. \"It all happened really fast, in a matter of seconds... I was pushing passengers out. I grabbed each one by the collar, so that they wouldn't delay the evacuation.\" Passengers were evacuated within 55 seconds of the plane coming to a standstill, the airline said. Footage of passengers running away from the burning plane have also been shared on social media. Eyewitness Patrick Horlacher told the BBC it was \"shocking to see\" the plane being ravaged by flames just minutes before he was due to board another flight." } ], "id": "10022_0", "question": "What have crew and passengers said?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4250, "answer_start": 2833, "text": "The aircraft, a Sukhoi Superjet-100, left the airport at 18:02 local time (15:02 GMT) on Sunday, bound for Murmansk. Its crew sent a distress signal when \"malfunctions\" occurred in bad weather shortly after take-off. The pilot, Denis Yevdokimov, said there had been some communication with controllers but that it was sporadic. The aircraft then attempted two emergency landings. On the first approach the plane was travelling too fast and on the second the automatic systems failed, Russian news agency Interfax said. The jet hit the tarmac three times and smashed its rear undercarriage, then debris got into an engine and set it ablaze, Interfax reported. The aircraft landed with full fuel tanks because the crew lost contact with air traffic controllers and decided it was too dangerous to dump fuel over Moscow, the agency added. Aeroflot published a list of survivors (in Russian) who have been identified so far. Mr Chibis has reportedly said that the families of those killed in the fire will each receive one million rubles ($15,300; PS11,630), while the victims being treated in hospital will be given 500,000 rubles ($7,650; PS5,815). Russia's emergency ministry said there were no plans to ground its Superjet-100 aircraft. Russian President Vladimir Putin has reportedly been briefed and expressed condolences to the families of victims. The region of Murmansk has announced a three-day mourning period." } ], "id": "10022_1", "question": "What happened to the plane?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Luigi Di Maio, Italian deputy prime minister and leader of the populist Five Star Movement, has blamed France for impoverishing Africa and encouraging migration to Europe. He accused the French government of manipulating the economies of mainly former French colonies in Africa, which use a form of the pre-independence currency known as a CFA franc. \"France is one of those countries that by printing money for 14 African states prevents their economic development and contributes to the fact that the refugees leave and then die in the sea or arrive on our coasts,\" said Mr Di Maio. So what is the CFA franc and does it harm African countries? The CFA is in fact split into two separate currency zones dating back to 1945. Eight countries make up the West African Economic and Monetary Union and a further six are in the Central African Economic and Monetary Community. Since 1999, the CFA franc (in both zones) has been pegged to the euro, with the financial backing of the French treasury. The money itself, as Mr Di Maio correctly says, is printed by France - but the quantity is decided by the central banks of the two zones. A French official sits on the boards of both central banks, which suggests France retains at least some influence over the decision making process. Participation in the currency is voluntary. But critics of the CFA point to preferential French access to African resources, granted as part of the setting up of the currency arrangement. \"France agreed to grant independence to its sub-Saharan Africa colonies,\" says Senegalese economist Ndongo Samba Sylla, \"provided they accept to use the CFA franc and [France retained] a monopoly on their raw materials.\" And French companies today still have a strong presence in the CFA currency zones. Most Mediterranean migration doesn't come from the 14 countries that use the CFA franc, 12 of which are former French colonies. In 2018, Guinea was the largest country of origin, followed by Morocco - both former French colonies that don't use the CFA franc. The Ivory Coast and Mali are the only countries of origin using the CFA franc that have contributed significantly to migration across the Mediterranean, accounting for 14.4% of the total last year. Both these countries have experienced political unrest in recent years. The use of the CFA franc is highly controversial, with some saying it comes with a \"French colonial tax\". But France doesn't tax African countries for using the currency. It does, however, require countries to store 50% of all foreign exchange reserves with the French treasury, in the Bank of France, in something called an \"operational account\". African countries can access the money in the French treasury when they like. Mr Di Maio said France was using this system to finance French public debt. But a French treasury official told BBC News the deposits of the central banks of West Africa and Central Africa were not being used to buy or pay off French debt. African countries receive interest on their reserves of 0.75%. But when inflation in the eurozone is higher than this, this is a poor return. The reasons for keeping CFA reserves in France relate in part to relationships between African nations when the CFA was established. \"The problem was that there was a lot of mistrust among the African countries,\" says Jean-Paul Fitoussi, an economist at the French Economic Observatory, \"so they decided to put [the reserves] into the Bank of France,\" for safekeeping. In December 2017, the central banks of West Africa and Central Africa had EUR5bn (PS4.3bn) and EUR3.9bn in the French treasury, respectively. This is a small amount compared with total French public debt, which stood at about EUR2.2trillion in 2017. Many of the concerns about the CFA franc relate to how it limits the economic levers African countries can use - that they can't set their own interest rates, for instance. The system is designed to make it easier to obtain international currencies needed for trade. And the reserves are also guaranteed by the French central bank - although this facility is rarely called upon. But it's difficult to say whether the arrangement between the 14 countries and France has had a detrimental impact on their respective economies. It's clear though that the CFA franc divides opinion and there is a movement of people who would agree with the claims of the Italian politician. Critics point to the fact that the CFA franc countries are poor, call the currency a relic of French colonialism and say it fails \"to stimulate trade integration between user nations\", writes the Senegalese economist Ndongo Samba Sylla. But there are economic benefits of a stable and easily convertible currency, says John Ashbourne, senior emerging markets analyst at Capital Economics. \"Inflation, for instance, has tended to be much milder in the CFA countries than elsewhere in Africa.\" Mr Ashbourne adds that there isn't much evidence that CFA countries have underperformed compared with the rest of Africa. Average GDP growth - the rise in the total value of goods and services produced - of CFA countries and the rest of African economies is, indeed, fairly comparable over the past few decades but that could be due to a range of factors not just the currency. Read more from Reality Check Send us your questions Follow us on Twitter", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1771, "answer_start": 646, "text": "The CFA is in fact split into two separate currency zones dating back to 1945. Eight countries make up the West African Economic and Monetary Union and a further six are in the Central African Economic and Monetary Community. Since 1999, the CFA franc (in both zones) has been pegged to the euro, with the financial backing of the French treasury. The money itself, as Mr Di Maio correctly says, is printed by France - but the quantity is decided by the central banks of the two zones. A French official sits on the boards of both central banks, which suggests France retains at least some influence over the decision making process. Participation in the currency is voluntary. But critics of the CFA point to preferential French access to African resources, granted as part of the setting up of the currency arrangement. \"France agreed to grant independence to its sub-Saharan Africa colonies,\" says Senegalese economist Ndongo Samba Sylla, \"provided they accept to use the CFA franc and [France retained] a monopoly on their raw materials.\" And French companies today still have a strong presence in the CFA currency zones." } ], "id": "10023_0", "question": "Where is the CFA used?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3727, "answer_start": 2301, "text": "The use of the CFA franc is highly controversial, with some saying it comes with a \"French colonial tax\". But France doesn't tax African countries for using the currency. It does, however, require countries to store 50% of all foreign exchange reserves with the French treasury, in the Bank of France, in something called an \"operational account\". African countries can access the money in the French treasury when they like. Mr Di Maio said France was using this system to finance French public debt. But a French treasury official told BBC News the deposits of the central banks of West Africa and Central Africa were not being used to buy or pay off French debt. African countries receive interest on their reserves of 0.75%. But when inflation in the eurozone is higher than this, this is a poor return. The reasons for keeping CFA reserves in France relate in part to relationships between African nations when the CFA was established. \"The problem was that there was a lot of mistrust among the African countries,\" says Jean-Paul Fitoussi, an economist at the French Economic Observatory, \"so they decided to put [the reserves] into the Bank of France,\" for safekeeping. In December 2017, the central banks of West Africa and Central Africa had EUR5bn (PS4.3bn) and EUR3.9bn in the French treasury, respectively. This is a small amount compared with total French public debt, which stood at about EUR2.2trillion in 2017." } ], "id": "10023_1", "question": "What does France do with African money?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "EU leaders have agreed to move Brexit talks on to the second phase but called for \"further clarity\" from the UK about the future relationship it wants. The first issue to be discussed, early next year, will be the details of an expected two-year transition period after the UK's exit in March 2019. Talks on trade and security co-operation are set to follow in March. Theresa May hailed an \"important step\" on the road but Germany's Angela Merkel said it would get \"even tougher\". Donald Tusk, the president of the European Council, broke the news that the 27 EU leaders were happy to move on to phase two after they met in Brussels. He congratulated Mrs May on reaching this stage and said the EU would begin internal preparations for the next phase right now as well as \"exploratory contacts with the UK to get more clarity on their vision\". While securing a deal in time for the UK's exit in March 2019 was realistic, he suggested that the next phase would be \"more challenging and more demanding\". Mrs May said the two sides would begin discussions on future relations straight away and hoped for \"rapid progress\" on a transitional phase to \"give certainty\" to business. \"This is an important step on the road to delivering the smooth and orderly Brexit that people voted for in June 2016,\" she said. \"The UK and EU have shown what can be achieved with commitment and perseverance on both sides.\" Labour's international trade spokesman, Barry Gardiner, welcomed the move forward, but said it would be a \"real problem\" for business if the EU didn't start talking trade for a further three months. He also said his party would not put a time limit on a post-Brexit transition phase, as the expected two-year period would be \"extremely tight\". The EU has published its guidelines for phase two of the negotiations, with discussions on future economic co-operation not likely to begin until March. The three-page document says the UK will remain under the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice and be required to permit freedom of movement during any transition period. And agreements on the Irish border, the so-called divorce bill and the rights of EU and UK citizens, agreed by Mrs May last Friday, must be \"respected in full and translated faithfully into legal terms as quickly as possible\". The document says: \"As the UK will continue to participate in the customs union and the single market during the transition, it will have to continue to comply with EU trade policy.\" While the EU is willing to engage in \"preliminary and preparatory discussions\" on trade as part of building a \"close partnership\" after the UK's departure, this means any formal agreement \"can only be finalised and concluded once the UK has become a third country\". By the BBC's political editor Laura Kuenssberg After the six months she has had, Theresa May might be entitled to breathe a sigh of relief, as the European Council officially declared that the first phase of our long goodbye from the European Union is over. Stand back from the daily dramas and perhaps it was always bound to happen. Both sides are committed to getting an agreement. The EU and the UK both want a deal to be done, and while there has, inevitably, been grumpiness on both sides, they have, in the main, dealt with each other in good faith. The document \"calls on the UK to provide further clarity on its position on the framework for the future relationship\". But in a passage added during the past week, it invites the EU's Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier to \"continue internal preparatory discussions\" on future relations rather than having to wait until March to do so. Sources have told the BBC that the government is highly likely to accept an amendment to the EU Withdrawal Bill next week to see off another potential Commons defeat for Theresa May. Conservative rebels have been concerned about plans to put the Brexit date and time - 11pm on 29 March 2019 - into law. Backbenchers, including former minister Oliver Letwin, have tabled an amendment, suggesting a change to the legislation. Ministers are likely to accept their plan, which is a change that some of the potential rebels have been asking for, the BBC understands. Senior sources are confident they can see off a defeat, after No 10 said there were no plans to take the date out of the bill. Responding to the reports, Shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer wrote on Twitter: \"After a car-crash defeat on Brexit vote, rumours that PM will now U-turn on gimmick exit day amendment: forced to get a Tory MP to amend her own amendment before its put to the vote!\" European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said the EU's initial priority was to \"formalise the agreement\" that had already been reached before moving forward, adding \"the second phase will be significantly harder and the first was very difficult\". Praising Mrs May as a \"tough, smart and polite\" negotiator, he said he was \"entirely convinced\" that the final agreement reached would be approved by the UK and European Parliaments. Giving his response, French President Emmanuel Macron said that in moving forward the EU had maintained its unity, protected the integrity of the single market and ensured \"compliance with our own rules\". Mrs May is set to discuss her vision of the \"end state\" for the UK outside the EU at a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, having suffered her first Commons Brexit defeat earlier this week.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4603, "answer_start": 3644, "text": "Sources have told the BBC that the government is highly likely to accept an amendment to the EU Withdrawal Bill next week to see off another potential Commons defeat for Theresa May. Conservative rebels have been concerned about plans to put the Brexit date and time - 11pm on 29 March 2019 - into law. Backbenchers, including former minister Oliver Letwin, have tabled an amendment, suggesting a change to the legislation. Ministers are likely to accept their plan, which is a change that some of the potential rebels have been asking for, the BBC understands. Senior sources are confident they can see off a defeat, after No 10 said there were no plans to take the date out of the bill. Responding to the reports, Shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer wrote on Twitter: \"After a car-crash defeat on Brexit vote, rumours that PM will now U-turn on gimmick exit day amendment: forced to get a Tory MP to amend her own amendment before its put to the vote!\"" } ], "id": "10024_0", "question": "Another rebellion headed off?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "US President Donald Trump's former deputy campaign manager has admitted charges of conspiracy and lying to investigators in a plea deal. Rick Gates pledged to co-operate in \"any and all matters\" with the US special counsel's inquiry into alleged Russian political meddling in the US. Mr Gates, 45, had been indicted on more serious criminal counts, including bank fraud and money laundering. Ex-Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort was hit with new charges on Friday. There are no allegations that either man colluded with Russia to influence the outcome of the 2016 presidential election, which is the main thrust of the Department of Justice investigation. On Friday, Mr Gates admitted to lying to the FBI about a March 2013 meeting in Washington with a US lawmaker while Mr Manafort was present. Mr Gates falsely claimed Ukraine was not discussed, according to the indictment. Sentencing guidelines for him suggest a prison term of between 57 and 71 months. He could have been locked up for decades under the more serious charges. Special counsel Robert Mueller could petition the court for a reduced sentence depending on how much Mr Gates co-operates. Mr Gates filed a motion requesting permission to take his children to Massachusetts during their spring break from school. \"The purpose of this trip is for Mr Gates to show his children around the Boston area to learn about American history in general, and the Revolutionary War in particular,\" his motion requests. On Friday afternoon, Mr Mueller piled the pressure on Mr Manafort by filing a third indictment against him. He accused Mr Manafort of secretly hiring former senior European politicians to lobby in the US for positions favourable to Ukraine. The ex-politicians, dubbed the Hapsburg Group, were allegedly paid from an offshore account for their lobbying efforts. The indictment says the group was led by a former European chancellor, identified in the charge sheet only as Foreign Politician A. These charges and Mr Gates' plea deal come a day after both men were indicted on 32 additional criminal counts. Mr Manafort - who resigned as Trump campaign chairman in August 2016 after five months amid questions over his business dealings - maintains his innocence. \"I had hoped and expected my business colleague would have had the strength to continue the battle to prove our innocence,\" he said in a statement on Friday. \"For reasons yet to surface he chose to do otherwise. \"This does not alter my commitment to defend myself against the untrue piled up charges contained in the indictments against me.\" Mr Manafort has worked on several Republican presidential campaigns, beginning with Gerald Ford's in 1976. In a letter to family and friends, Mr Gates said he had \"had a change of heart\" after his initial not-guilty plea, according to ABC News. He reportedly said he was ready to accept \"public humiliation\" to avoid inflicting prolonged pain on his children. \"The reality of how long this legal process will likely take, the cost, and the circus-like atmosphere of an anticipated trial are too much,\" he reportedly wrote. \"I will better serve my family moving forward by exiting this process.\" Mr Mueller's team alleged in a 32-count indictment on Thursday that Mr Gates and Mr Manafort concealed more than $30m of income from US tax authorities. Mr Gates was accused of hiding more than $3m of income and using the cash to pay for his mortgage, children's tuition and re-decorating his Virginia home. The court filing charged the pair with a scheme to defraud the US by making false representations to banks and other financial institutions between 2008-17. Both men pleaded not guilty in October when they were first indicted on charges of laundering $75m through an offshore account. They were also accused of illegally lobbying for a foreign government, Ukraine, without first registering in that capacity with the US government. Nineteen people - including Mr Manafort and Mr Gates - have been indicted by the special counsel. Michael Flynn, a former US national security adviser, pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI over meetings he had with the Russian Ambassador, Sergei Kislyak. George Papadopoulos, a former Trump campaign adviser, admitted lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russians. Last week, 13 Russians were charged with tampering in the 2016 US election and a California man, Richard Pinedo, admitted an identity theft charge. This week a London-based lawyer, Alex van der Zwaan, pleaded guilty in court to making false statements when questioned about his work for Ukraine's Ministry of Justice. Mr Trump has said there was no collusion. Moscow has rejected US intelligence claims of interference.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1472, "answer_start": 659, "text": "On Friday, Mr Gates admitted to lying to the FBI about a March 2013 meeting in Washington with a US lawmaker while Mr Manafort was present. Mr Gates falsely claimed Ukraine was not discussed, according to the indictment. Sentencing guidelines for him suggest a prison term of between 57 and 71 months. He could have been locked up for decades under the more serious charges. Special counsel Robert Mueller could petition the court for a reduced sentence depending on how much Mr Gates co-operates. Mr Gates filed a motion requesting permission to take his children to Massachusetts during their spring break from school. \"The purpose of this trip is for Mr Gates to show his children around the Boston area to learn about American history in general, and the Revolutionary War in particular,\" his motion requests." } ], "id": "10025_0", "question": "What happened in court?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2077, "answer_start": 1473, "text": "On Friday afternoon, Mr Mueller piled the pressure on Mr Manafort by filing a third indictment against him. He accused Mr Manafort of secretly hiring former senior European politicians to lobby in the US for positions favourable to Ukraine. The ex-politicians, dubbed the Hapsburg Group, were allegedly paid from an offshore account for their lobbying efforts. The indictment says the group was led by a former European chancellor, identified in the charge sheet only as Foreign Politician A. These charges and Mr Gates' plea deal come a day after both men were indicted on 32 additional criminal counts." } ], "id": "10025_1", "question": "What are the latest Manafort charges?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3170, "answer_start": 2078, "text": "Mr Manafort - who resigned as Trump campaign chairman in August 2016 after five months amid questions over his business dealings - maintains his innocence. \"I had hoped and expected my business colleague would have had the strength to continue the battle to prove our innocence,\" he said in a statement on Friday. \"For reasons yet to surface he chose to do otherwise. \"This does not alter my commitment to defend myself against the untrue piled up charges contained in the indictments against me.\" Mr Manafort has worked on several Republican presidential campaigns, beginning with Gerald Ford's in 1976. In a letter to family and friends, Mr Gates said he had \"had a change of heart\" after his initial not-guilty plea, according to ABC News. He reportedly said he was ready to accept \"public humiliation\" to avoid inflicting prolonged pain on his children. \"The reality of how long this legal process will likely take, the cost, and the circus-like atmosphere of an anticipated trial are too much,\" he reportedly wrote. \"I will better serve my family moving forward by exiting this process.\"" } ], "id": "10025_2", "question": "What do Gates and Manafort say?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3910, "answer_start": 3171, "text": "Mr Mueller's team alleged in a 32-count indictment on Thursday that Mr Gates and Mr Manafort concealed more than $30m of income from US tax authorities. Mr Gates was accused of hiding more than $3m of income and using the cash to pay for his mortgage, children's tuition and re-decorating his Virginia home. The court filing charged the pair with a scheme to defraud the US by making false representations to banks and other financial institutions between 2008-17. Both men pleaded not guilty in October when they were first indicted on charges of laundering $75m through an offshore account. They were also accused of illegally lobbying for a foreign government, Ukraine, without first registering in that capacity with the US government." } ], "id": "10025_3", "question": "What were the charges?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4697, "answer_start": 3911, "text": "Nineteen people - including Mr Manafort and Mr Gates - have been indicted by the special counsel. Michael Flynn, a former US national security adviser, pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI over meetings he had with the Russian Ambassador, Sergei Kislyak. George Papadopoulos, a former Trump campaign adviser, admitted lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russians. Last week, 13 Russians were charged with tampering in the 2016 US election and a California man, Richard Pinedo, admitted an identity theft charge. This week a London-based lawyer, Alex van der Zwaan, pleaded guilty in court to making false statements when questioned about his work for Ukraine's Ministry of Justice. Mr Trump has said there was no collusion. Moscow has rejected US intelligence claims of interference." } ], "id": "10025_4", "question": "How many people has Mueller charged?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Lebanon has received a \"red notice\" from Interpol for the arrest of fugitive ex-Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn. The request was received by Lebanon's internal security forces on Thursday and is yet to be referred to the judiciary, Reuters news agency reports. Mr Ghosn, who was facing trial in Japan for alleged financial misconduct, arrived in Beirut on New Year's Eve. The private jet on which he escaped reportedly landed in Istanbul first, prompting an investigation by Turkey. According to Turkish media, seven arrests have been made in connection with the case - four pilots, a cargo company manager and two airport workers. An Interpol \"red notice\" is a request to police across the world to provisionally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender or other similar legal action. However, Lebanon has no extradition treaty with Japan. The businessman holds French, Lebanese and Brazilian citizenship, and has made extensive investments in banking and real estate in Lebanon. France has said it will not extradite him if he arrives in the country. Mr Ghosn had posted 1bn yen (PS6.8m; $8.9m) in bail in Japan last April, ahead of his trial. He said on his arrival in Lebanon he had \"escaped injustice and political persecution\". On Thursday Mr Ghosn said media speculation that his wife had played a role in his escape was \"inaccurate and false\", adding: \"I alone arranged for my departure.\" Meanwhile, two Lebanese lawyers lodged a criminal complaint against Mr Ghosn for visiting Israel in January 2008, the National News Agency reported. They argued he had defied a ban on nationals entering Israel, with which Lebanon is still technically at war. It is now up to Lebanon's public prosecutor's office to decide whether to uphold the complaint. According to Turkish media, Mr Ghosn's private jet landed at Istanbul's Ataturk airport at 05:30 (02:30 GMT) on Monday, having flown from Japan's Kansai airport in Osaka. The Hurriyet news website quoted interior ministry officials as saying that Turkish border police had not been told Mr Ghosn was on the plane and he had not been registered as entering or leaving the country. However, there has been no official comment on the case. French Finance Minister Agnes Pannier-Runacher said Mr Ghosn \"should not have absconded from the Japanese justice system\", but added: \"France never extradites its nationals.\" Mr Ghosn, who was also boss of French car-maker Renault, has been under investigation in France but no charges have been laid. Mr Ghosn had three passports - Brazilian, French and Lebanese - which had been surrendered to his legal team in Japan. The team maintains it was still in possession of them when he left. Media reports now say he may have legally been in possession of a fourth passport to show his identity on some internal trips within Japan, but it would have been in a locked box or case, and his lawyers would have had the code. There is no record of him using a passport to leave Japan, so investigators there believe he used illegal means. Reuters on Thursday quoted sources close to Mr Ghosn as saying he decided to flee after finding out his trial had been delayed until April 2021. They said he was also \"distressed\" at being prevented from communicating with his wife, Carole, who is in Lebanon. There are reports that Mr Ghosn left Japan by hiding in a large musical instrument case, although his wife described the reports as \"fiction\". Once considered a hero in Japan for turning around Nissan, Mr Ghosn spent 108 days in custody after his arrest in Tokyo in November 2018. Nissan sacked him three days after his arrest. Prosecutors allege that he made a multi-million-dollar payment to a Nissan distributor in Oman. Nissan, meanwhile, has filed its own criminal complaint against Mr Ghosn, accusing him of diverting money from the company for his own personal enrichment. He is also accused of underreporting his own salary. Mr Ghosn denies all the charges.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2489, "answer_start": 1751, "text": "According to Turkish media, Mr Ghosn's private jet landed at Istanbul's Ataturk airport at 05:30 (02:30 GMT) on Monday, having flown from Japan's Kansai airport in Osaka. The Hurriyet news website quoted interior ministry officials as saying that Turkish border police had not been told Mr Ghosn was on the plane and he had not been registered as entering or leaving the country. However, there has been no official comment on the case. French Finance Minister Agnes Pannier-Runacher said Mr Ghosn \"should not have absconded from the Japanese justice system\", but added: \"France never extradites its nationals.\" Mr Ghosn, who was also boss of French car-maker Renault, has been under investigation in France but no charges have been laid." } ], "id": "10026_0", "question": "What's the latest on the investigations?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3421, "answer_start": 2490, "text": "Mr Ghosn had three passports - Brazilian, French and Lebanese - which had been surrendered to his legal team in Japan. The team maintains it was still in possession of them when he left. Media reports now say he may have legally been in possession of a fourth passport to show his identity on some internal trips within Japan, but it would have been in a locked box or case, and his lawyers would have had the code. There is no record of him using a passport to leave Japan, so investigators there believe he used illegal means. Reuters on Thursday quoted sources close to Mr Ghosn as saying he decided to flee after finding out his trial had been delayed until April 2021. They said he was also \"distressed\" at being prevented from communicating with his wife, Carole, who is in Lebanon. There are reports that Mr Ghosn left Japan by hiding in a large musical instrument case, although his wife described the reports as \"fiction\"." } ], "id": "10026_1", "question": "Do we know any more about the escape?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3944, "answer_start": 3422, "text": "Once considered a hero in Japan for turning around Nissan, Mr Ghosn spent 108 days in custody after his arrest in Tokyo in November 2018. Nissan sacked him three days after his arrest. Prosecutors allege that he made a multi-million-dollar payment to a Nissan distributor in Oman. Nissan, meanwhile, has filed its own criminal complaint against Mr Ghosn, accusing him of diverting money from the company for his own personal enrichment. He is also accused of underreporting his own salary. Mr Ghosn denies all the charges." } ], "id": "10026_2", "question": "What charges does Carlos Ghosn face?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "A French student has spoken out after she was harassed by a man in a Paris street and then hit in the face when she told him to stop. Marie Laguerre shared CCTV video of the man slapping her outside a cafe in the north-east of the capital. The video has gone viral and coincides with a government push to impose on-the-spot fines for street harassment. \"The first fines should be handed out this autumn,\" said Equalities Minister Marlene Schiappa. Offenders will have to pay between EUR90 (PS80; $105) and EUR750 under a package of measures that was backed by French MPs in May and is set to complete its passage through parliament this week. The initiative has resonated among French women as the #MeToo movement and its French equivalent #BalanceTonPorc (\"rat on your pig\") have gathered pace. Ms Laguerre, 22, had been returning home last Tuesday in the 19th district of Paris when a man started making obscene and degrading comments and \"noises with sexual connotations\", she explained in an interview with French radio on Monday. \"It wasn't the first time - that day, that week, or that month, It had been building up. I got angry and said 'shut up'. I didn't think he'd hear, but he did,\" she told French TV. At that point the man became angry and threw an ashtray, missing her by inches, she added. After exchanging insults, the man walked towards her and was captured striking her on the cafe's video. \"I know he's going to hit me. I could have run off but there was no question of that. I wasn't going to look down and certainly wasn't going to apologise,\" she said. He hit her forcefully on the cheek and continued shouting at her. While people sitting in the cafe remonstrated with the man, she went home but quickly decided to go back to the cafe to take witness statements and complain to the police. Everyone at the cafe had found her response normal, she said, and the owner gave her the video to help catch the attacker. It has now been viewed more than a million times. Ms Laguerre said fighting back against such aggression was hard, but all women were affected by it and it was time to say stop. \"I can't keep quiet and we mustn't stay silent,\" she wrote on Facebook. The equalities minister told Le Parisien newspaper she was outraged by the attack and said the aim of the new law was to impose a clear social ban on harassment. She said a number of women had complained of being groped in the street as France celebrated its World Cup victory earlier this month, and called for witnesses to come forward for all cases of sexual assault. Paris prosecutors have responded to the attack on Marie Laguerre by opening an inquiry into sexual harassment and armed violence, although the man has yet to be traced. French psychiatrist Muriel Salmona told the Huffington Post that people may have a mixed reaction when faced with harassment. \"You feel fear, a threat, but also anger and also exasperation. Even more so if it happens several times in the course of one day,\" she explained. Some people may be unable to react because of shock, or what she calls \"emotional amnesia\". Others might not respond because they fear the harasser becoming violent, as happened with Ms Laguerre. Such reactions are completely normal, Ms Salmona says, adding that harassers seek to \"create a state of fear\". Even those who do respond may continue to experience fear or anxiety. Ms Laguerre says that she still feels \"on edge\" following her experience, telling FranceInfo: \"I don't feel very comfortable walking outside.\" French anti-harassment group #Stopharcelementderue (Stop Street Harassment) offers the following advice to anyone who finds themselves feeling threatened in a public place: - If you feel unsafe, ignore the harasser and go to a safe place such as a shop or restaurant - If you feel safe enough, respond calmly and firmly but without apologising It recommends getting support from passers-by or fellow passengers if possible. It warns that insulting the harasser could generate a violent response, but says that should this happen - or if a harasser threatens or follows you - the best response is to contact the police.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1814, "answer_start": 796, "text": "Ms Laguerre, 22, had been returning home last Tuesday in the 19th district of Paris when a man started making obscene and degrading comments and \"noises with sexual connotations\", she explained in an interview with French radio on Monday. \"It wasn't the first time - that day, that week, or that month, It had been building up. I got angry and said 'shut up'. I didn't think he'd hear, but he did,\" she told French TV. At that point the man became angry and threw an ashtray, missing her by inches, she added. After exchanging insults, the man walked towards her and was captured striking her on the cafe's video. \"I know he's going to hit me. I could have run off but there was no question of that. I wasn't going to look down and certainly wasn't going to apologise,\" she said. He hit her forcefully on the cheek and continued shouting at her. While people sitting in the cafe remonstrated with the man, she went home but quickly decided to go back to the cafe to take witness statements and complain to the police." } ], "id": "10027_0", "question": "What happened?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2727, "answer_start": 1815, "text": "Everyone at the cafe had found her response normal, she said, and the owner gave her the video to help catch the attacker. It has now been viewed more than a million times. Ms Laguerre said fighting back against such aggression was hard, but all women were affected by it and it was time to say stop. \"I can't keep quiet and we mustn't stay silent,\" she wrote on Facebook. The equalities minister told Le Parisien newspaper she was outraged by the attack and said the aim of the new law was to impose a clear social ban on harassment. She said a number of women had complained of being groped in the street as France celebrated its World Cup victory earlier this month, and called for witnesses to come forward for all cases of sexual assault. Paris prosecutors have responded to the attack on Marie Laguerre by opening an inquiry into sexual harassment and armed violence, although the man has yet to be traced." } ], "id": "10027_1", "question": "How have people reacted?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3520, "answer_start": 2728, "text": "French psychiatrist Muriel Salmona told the Huffington Post that people may have a mixed reaction when faced with harassment. \"You feel fear, a threat, but also anger and also exasperation. Even more so if it happens several times in the course of one day,\" she explained. Some people may be unable to react because of shock, or what she calls \"emotional amnesia\". Others might not respond because they fear the harasser becoming violent, as happened with Ms Laguerre. Such reactions are completely normal, Ms Salmona says, adding that harassers seek to \"create a state of fear\". Even those who do respond may continue to experience fear or anxiety. Ms Laguerre says that she still feels \"on edge\" following her experience, telling FranceInfo: \"I don't feel very comfortable walking outside.\"" } ], "id": "10027_2", "question": "Why do people react differently to harassment?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Until late December, 2016 had been a decent year for Toshiba. Then a bombshell. The Japanese industrial giant warned of a big one-off hit at its US nuclear business. At the time we did not know quite how huge that loss would be. But by February it emerged it would be about $6.3bn (PS5.05bn). Toshiba's chairman resigned, the firm delayed releasing its full financial figures - initially for a month - and then even longer. We're still waiting. To plug the gap, Toshiba is set to sell a majority stake in its NAND flash-memory business to get it through its ongoing financial turbulence. And its US nuclear business Westinghouse has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy - which temporarily shelters struggling firms as they try to restructure their affairs and outstanding debts. All this comes as it struggles to turn the corner after a profit-inflating scandal. Most people still recognise the name Toshiba for its electrical products but that is no longer at the heart of its business. It no longer makes televisions for export, for example, and its white goods business is losing money. Today Toshiba is a very diverse conglomerate, and these latest problems stem from its nuclear services business which brings in about a third of its revenue. Toshiba had initially alerted investors in December 2016 to the fact that it faced a heavy one-off loss linked to a deal done by its US nuclear subsidiary, Westinghouse Electric. Westinghouse bought a nuclear construction and services business from Chicago Bridge & Iron (CB&I) in 2015. But assets that it took on are likely to be worth less than initially thought, and there is also a dispute about payments that are due. Toshiba has also reported \"inefficiencies\" in the labour force at CB&I, along with other factors driving up costs. Toshiba hopes its saviour will be another major part of its business, the unit that makes memory chips for smartphones and computers, which has been valued at between $9bn and $13bn. It is the second largest chip maker in the world, behind Samsung. On 27 January, Toshiba announced it would split off this part of the business from the rest of the company - with plans to sell a slice of it to raise much-needed funds to help offset the losses in the nuclear division. Initially the idea was to sell a small chunk of this business, about 20%, but now Toshiba finds itself in such dire straits that it may have to shed a larger proportion of this NAND memory unit. A 20% sale would raise more than $2bn, which may not be sufficient given the current difficulties. Also would-be buyers are likely to try and negotiate a knockdown price. The Development Bank of Japan has been talked about as one potential investor. Industry rivals including Canon and Western Digital are also thought to be eyeing a bid, and another potential buyer could be South Korea firm, SK Hynix. It wouldn't be the first time in recent memory Toshiba has sold off profitable ventures. Its medical devices business (making things like MRI, ultrasound and X-ray equipment) was snapped up by Canon in 2016 for $5.9bn. It seems somebody, somewhere got the numbers wrong or did not anticipate the scale of problems in the nuclear business, and that reflects badly on the firm's management. Also, the fiasco of its earnings announcement will not have helped. Toshiba has not release its figures as scheduled in February, then missed anther self-imposed deadline a month later. It did however release earnings guidance and unaudited numbers, with the promise of audited figures in a month. In addition, Toshiba is still struggling to recover after it emerged in 2015 that profits had been overstated for seven years, prompting the chief executive to resign. Toshiba's nuclear business has not made a profit since 2013. And while the firm has said the huge writedown will be a one-off, nuclear services globally are struggling. Since the Fukushima disaster in 2011, nuclear energy has been a much harder sell. Some governments have opted to scale back how much they planned to rely on nuclear as an electricity source, or - as in the case of Taiwan - turn away from nuclear energy altogether to focus on renewables. Big nuclear projects around the world have faced heavy delays, partly caused by a lack of skilled workers needed to meet regulatory standards. For example in the US, Westinghouse (which Toshiba bought in 2006) is working on two new generation nuclear reactors in Georgia and South Carolina which are running late and over budget. By filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, Westinghouse will be able to renegotiate or break its construction contracts - although the businesses that own the projects it is working on would likely seek damages. Shares have fallen for a reason: investors selling up because of the unease they feel about the position the company is in. That uncertainty saw ratings agencies cut their ratings on Toshiba's credit, making it more expensive for the firm to borrow money. A lower share price also reduces the amount of new funds that can be raised by selling shares. So if it needs to raise funds, that means going to the banks for support or, as we are seeing, selling off parts of the business. And clearly for investors who've held on to Toshiba shares, they are now worth markedly less than they were before Christmas. Longer term though, Toshiba shares had been doing very well in 2016. Until 26 December they were the second biggest gainer on the Nikkei 225 index for the year, adding more than 70%. The sharp losses in late December meant annual gains were pared to about 5%.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3070, "answer_start": 1783, "text": "Toshiba hopes its saviour will be another major part of its business, the unit that makes memory chips for smartphones and computers, which has been valued at between $9bn and $13bn. It is the second largest chip maker in the world, behind Samsung. On 27 January, Toshiba announced it would split off this part of the business from the rest of the company - with plans to sell a slice of it to raise much-needed funds to help offset the losses in the nuclear division. Initially the idea was to sell a small chunk of this business, about 20%, but now Toshiba finds itself in such dire straits that it may have to shed a larger proportion of this NAND memory unit. A 20% sale would raise more than $2bn, which may not be sufficient given the current difficulties. Also would-be buyers are likely to try and negotiate a knockdown price. The Development Bank of Japan has been talked about as one potential investor. Industry rivals including Canon and Western Digital are also thought to be eyeing a bid, and another potential buyer could be South Korea firm, SK Hynix. It wouldn't be the first time in recent memory Toshiba has sold off profitable ventures. Its medical devices business (making things like MRI, ultrasound and X-ray equipment) was snapped up by Canon in 2016 for $5.9bn." } ], "id": "10028_0", "question": "So what now?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3708, "answer_start": 3071, "text": "It seems somebody, somewhere got the numbers wrong or did not anticipate the scale of problems in the nuclear business, and that reflects badly on the firm's management. Also, the fiasco of its earnings announcement will not have helped. Toshiba has not release its figures as scheduled in February, then missed anther self-imposed deadline a month later. It did however release earnings guidance and unaudited numbers, with the promise of audited figures in a month. In addition, Toshiba is still struggling to recover after it emerged in 2015 that profits had been overstated for seven years, prompting the chief executive to resign." } ], "id": "10028_1", "question": "What does this mean for Toshiba's reputation?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4702, "answer_start": 3709, "text": "Toshiba's nuclear business has not made a profit since 2013. And while the firm has said the huge writedown will be a one-off, nuclear services globally are struggling. Since the Fukushima disaster in 2011, nuclear energy has been a much harder sell. Some governments have opted to scale back how much they planned to rely on nuclear as an electricity source, or - as in the case of Taiwan - turn away from nuclear energy altogether to focus on renewables. Big nuclear projects around the world have faced heavy delays, partly caused by a lack of skilled workers needed to meet regulatory standards. For example in the US, Westinghouse (which Toshiba bought in 2006) is working on two new generation nuclear reactors in Georgia and South Carolina which are running late and over budget. By filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, Westinghouse will be able to renegotiate or break its construction contracts - although the businesses that own the projects it is working on would likely seek damages." } ], "id": "10028_2", "question": "What are the prospects for Toshiba's nuclear business?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5569, "answer_start": 4703, "text": "Shares have fallen for a reason: investors selling up because of the unease they feel about the position the company is in. That uncertainty saw ratings agencies cut their ratings on Toshiba's credit, making it more expensive for the firm to borrow money. A lower share price also reduces the amount of new funds that can be raised by selling shares. So if it needs to raise funds, that means going to the banks for support or, as we are seeing, selling off parts of the business. And clearly for investors who've held on to Toshiba shares, they are now worth markedly less than they were before Christmas. Longer term though, Toshiba shares had been doing very well in 2016. Until 26 December they were the second biggest gainer on the Nikkei 225 index for the year, adding more than 70%. The sharp losses in late December meant annual gains were pared to about 5%." } ], "id": "10028_3", "question": "Shares are down by more than 50% since mid-December 2016 - but why does a falling share price matter?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The Republican Party finally got the votes to confirm Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. Although that battle is over, the political war is just beginning. Donald Trump's court pick generated a controversy that captured the nation's attention in a way that few political issues do. It generated daily headlines rivalled only by the US quadrennial presidential elections. Now that the bombs have been thrown, it's time to assess the fallout. For most of this year, key indicators have pointed toward a strong Democratic showing in November's mid-term elections. Left-leaning voters, thanks to their anger at the president's policies and rhetorical proclivities, appear to be champing at the bit to have their say at the ballot box. They've been flooding Democratic candidates with political donations. They turned out in record numbers to vote in primaries and special elections across the nation. They're eager, after two years, to take action to wash away the bitterness of the 2016 presidential defeat. Republicans, on the other hand, have seemed less motivated. It's a natural consequence of winning. Those in power, even in good times, can grow complacent. Mr Trump and his team have sought to rally their conservative base in the face of this Democratic onslaught. In February, a White House adviser told Axios that the president was searching for \"unexpected cultural flashpoints - like the NFL and kneeling - that he can latch onto in person and on Twitter\". In the Kavanaugh fight, and the suggestion that men - fathers, brothers, sons - are at risk of being falsely accused of sexual misconduct, the president may have found his magic bullet. So far, however, all the non-anecdotal evidence for this resides in one recent poll showing the \"enthusiasm gap\" between Democrats and Republicans that had been a chasm as recently as July had become a statistically non-existent. In July, according to the Marist/NPR poll, 68% of Republicans said the November mid-terms were \"very important\". In October, the number had climbed to 80%, rivalling the Democrats' 82% mark. The poll also showed that the margin by which the public preferred a Democratic-controlled Congress over a Republican one had shrunk from 12 points in September to six points. The survey has set off a predictable panic among Democrats and probably was part of the reason Mr Trump tweeted on Wednesday about \"such enthusiasm and energy\" for Mr Kavanaugh. \"Look at the Energy, look at the Polls,\" he wrote. \"Something very big is happening.\" It's just one poll. But it has given Republicans a feeling they've missed for quite some time. Hope. There's been an open question over the last few weeks about what would be better for the Republican Party's mid-term prospects. Conservative advocates warned that if Mr Kavanaugh's nomination crashed, conservative voters would punish the party by staying home on election day. Democrats, on the other hand, feared that an open Supreme Court seat on election day would be extra motivation for Republicans - particularly in the 10 states Trump won in 2016 where incumbent Democratic senators are seeking re-election. At the last presidential election, Republicans stuck by Donald Trump through the ups and downs of the campaign, and he won a larger share of evangelical voters than Mitt Romney did in 2012. The open Supreme Court seat was a big reason why. There were more than a few Democrats who were concerned that a similar trend would replay itself in the coming weeks. Now, however, the court battle is in the rear-view mirror. In recent mid-term elections, voters have tended to be more motivated by opposition - anger at the other party's actions - than an interest in rewarding their own side's good deeds. Perhaps that will change this time around. But, in politics - particularly in the Trump era - a month is an eternity. One thing that is certain is that it hasn't been easy being Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. One of his predecessors, Trent Lott, once compared leading Republicans in the chamber to herding cats. In 2016, Mr McConnell was a regular punching bag for Republican presidential hopefuls who viewed his job performance as too timid or insufficiently canny. In 2017 Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore won the Republican nomination by voicing his opposition to Mr McConnell as the face of the Republican Washington establishment. Earlier this year West Virginia coal tycoon Don Blankenship aired television advertisements mocking Mr McConnell as a Washington \"swamp captain\" who \"created millions of jobs for Chinapeople\" as part of his unsuccessful bid for the Republican Senate nomination. After the Kavanaugh confirmation, however, it appears Mr McConnell has renewed standing among his party's grass-roots base. Blankenship had alleged that Mr McConnell had secret ties to drug traffickers and came up with the nickname \"Cocaine Mitch\". That moniker has now been adopted by Mr McConnell's supporters, including former critics, as a way of celebrating the Kentucky senator's bare-knuckle Senate leadership. If Republicans do hold on to their Senate majority in November, Mr McConnell's herd of cats might be a lot easier to manage in the new year.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2616, "answer_start": 444, "text": "For most of this year, key indicators have pointed toward a strong Democratic showing in November's mid-term elections. Left-leaning voters, thanks to their anger at the president's policies and rhetorical proclivities, appear to be champing at the bit to have their say at the ballot box. They've been flooding Democratic candidates with political donations. They turned out in record numbers to vote in primaries and special elections across the nation. They're eager, after two years, to take action to wash away the bitterness of the 2016 presidential defeat. Republicans, on the other hand, have seemed less motivated. It's a natural consequence of winning. Those in power, even in good times, can grow complacent. Mr Trump and his team have sought to rally their conservative base in the face of this Democratic onslaught. In February, a White House adviser told Axios that the president was searching for \"unexpected cultural flashpoints - like the NFL and kneeling - that he can latch onto in person and on Twitter\". In the Kavanaugh fight, and the suggestion that men - fathers, brothers, sons - are at risk of being falsely accused of sexual misconduct, the president may have found his magic bullet. So far, however, all the non-anecdotal evidence for this resides in one recent poll showing the \"enthusiasm gap\" between Democrats and Republicans that had been a chasm as recently as July had become a statistically non-existent. In July, according to the Marist/NPR poll, 68% of Republicans said the November mid-terms were \"very important\". In October, the number had climbed to 80%, rivalling the Democrats' 82% mark. The poll also showed that the margin by which the public preferred a Democratic-controlled Congress over a Republican one had shrunk from 12 points in September to six points. The survey has set off a predictable panic among Democrats and probably was part of the reason Mr Trump tweeted on Wednesday about \"such enthusiasm and energy\" for Mr Kavanaugh. \"Look at the Energy, look at the Polls,\" he wrote. \"Something very big is happening.\" It's just one poll. But it has given Republicans a feeling they've missed for quite some time. Hope." } ], "id": "10029_0", "question": "A Republican base engaged?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3848, "answer_start": 2617, "text": "There's been an open question over the last few weeks about what would be better for the Republican Party's mid-term prospects. Conservative advocates warned that if Mr Kavanaugh's nomination crashed, conservative voters would punish the party by staying home on election day. Democrats, on the other hand, feared that an open Supreme Court seat on election day would be extra motivation for Republicans - particularly in the 10 states Trump won in 2016 where incumbent Democratic senators are seeking re-election. At the last presidential election, Republicans stuck by Donald Trump through the ups and downs of the campaign, and he won a larger share of evangelical voters than Mitt Romney did in 2012. The open Supreme Court seat was a big reason why. There were more than a few Democrats who were concerned that a similar trend would replay itself in the coming weeks. Now, however, the court battle is in the rear-view mirror. In recent mid-term elections, voters have tended to be more motivated by opposition - anger at the other party's actions - than an interest in rewarding their own side's good deeds. Perhaps that will change this time around. But, in politics - particularly in the Trump era - a month is an eternity." } ], "id": "10029_1", "question": "Peaking too soon?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Firefly tourism is on the rise globally but scientists are warning it may contribute to risk of the insect's extinction. \"I spotted a hundred flickering lights, illuminating a palm like a Christmas tree.\" \"Our guide waved his flashlight at the fireflies. They slowly engulfed us - we were surrounded by a shiny galaxy of glowing beetle stomachs.\" \"I reached out a hand and captured one in my fist.\" Reading this travel blogger's enchanting experience in 2019 makes it clear why firefly tours are popular, but done badly, it risks killing the insects. Habitat loss and light pollution from urbanisation and industrialisation are the leading threats to firefly populations, according to research published this week. But firefly tourism, which attracts thousands of visitors in countries including Mexico, the US, the Philippines and Thailand, is a growing concern for conservationists. \"Getting out into the night and enjoying fireflies in their natural habitat is an awe-inspiring experience,\" Prof Sara Lewis at Tufts University, who led the research, told the BBC. But tourists often inadvertently kill fireflies by stepping on them, or disturb their habitat by shining lights and causing soil erosion. Firefly festivals are organised in countries including Japan, Belgium, and India, and social media is magnifying this tourism, she adds. The tiny town of Nanacamilpa in Mexico became a celebrated firefly spot in the past decade. Some visitors post their sparkling photos on Instagram, flouting the ban on photography that many site managers impose, says local photographer Pedro Berruecos. The Mexican fireflies are especially vulnerable to tourists, Prof Lewis explains. - Malaysia: 80,000 - Great Smoky Mountains, Tennessee: 30,000 in two-three week summer season - Taiwan: 90,000 - Mexico: 200,000 in 2019, up from 180,000 in 2018 Source: Professor Sara Lewis, Tufts University The female insects are wingless and cannot fly, meaning they live on the ground, where visitors walking around will trample on them. \"No blame on the tourists, but if they walk on the forest floor, they will be standing on the female fireflies who will be carrying eggs. They are killing the next generation,\" Prof Lewis says. In Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines, the industry has existed for a few decades, but is usually poorly-managed, she explains. Congregating Mangrove fireflies live exclusively in mangrove trees along rivers. Males gather in huge numbers to attract females, producing the appealing glowing swarms that tourists desire. Motorised boats are driven up the rivers, creating water swells that erode the banks, killing the trees where the fireflies live. \"Operators also crash boats into the banks to disturb trees and make fireflies fly out, creating a swarm for tourists to see,\" Prof Lewis explains. \"There is evidence that even just camera flashes disturb fireflies and interfere with their reproductive success, in addition to the flashlights used by tourists\". Prof Lewis is keen to emphasise that firefly tourism is often crucial to local economies and should not be banned. Instead tour operators and tourists can develop eco-friendly practices. Travel blogger Katie Diederichs and her husband, both from the US, chose an eco-friendly tour operator in Bohol, Philippines for their firefly experience in 2015. Travelling in a small group at night in kayaks with just one light, the experience was designed to be as unobtrusive as possible, Katie explains. \"The amount of light from the fireflies made the mangroves look like Christmas trees - it was really magical. \"The male fireflies were flying around, giving the illusion of twinkling, while the females blink.\" The company is run by locals who love the fireflies and want to protect their environment, she explains. But Katie says they witnessed other operators with \"large motorboat of tourists\" passing by them \"sending waves in our direction.\" In Taiwan, the tourist board has invested in sustainable firefly tours and created \"thoughtful and effective\" firefly eco-tourism, Prof Lewis explains. Sites have regulated guided tours with raised walkways that allow small groups of people to walk through the habitat without trampling on fireflies. Instead of flashlights or headlamps that would disturb the insects, white paint illuminates the routes. A group of scientists will meet in 2020 to set down guidelines for how to run a sustainable firefly tourism company, Prof Lewis says. \"It is very important to not disturb the fireflies' habitat while photographing,\" advises wildlife conservation photographer Carla Rhodes. She regularly photographs the Big Dipper firefly, as well as other wildlife, where she lives in the Catskill mountains in New York. Watch where you walk, she says, and be careful with your light sources. \"And for goodness sake, please don't ever capture them!\"", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4458, "answer_start": 2978, "text": "Prof Lewis is keen to emphasise that firefly tourism is often crucial to local economies and should not be banned. Instead tour operators and tourists can develop eco-friendly practices. Travel blogger Katie Diederichs and her husband, both from the US, chose an eco-friendly tour operator in Bohol, Philippines for their firefly experience in 2015. Travelling in a small group at night in kayaks with just one light, the experience was designed to be as unobtrusive as possible, Katie explains. \"The amount of light from the fireflies made the mangroves look like Christmas trees - it was really magical. \"The male fireflies were flying around, giving the illusion of twinkling, while the females blink.\" The company is run by locals who love the fireflies and want to protect their environment, she explains. But Katie says they witnessed other operators with \"large motorboat of tourists\" passing by them \"sending waves in our direction.\" In Taiwan, the tourist board has invested in sustainable firefly tours and created \"thoughtful and effective\" firefly eco-tourism, Prof Lewis explains. Sites have regulated guided tours with raised walkways that allow small groups of people to walk through the habitat without trampling on fireflies. Instead of flashlights or headlamps that would disturb the insects, white paint illuminates the routes. A group of scientists will meet in 2020 to set down guidelines for how to run a sustainable firefly tourism company, Prof Lewis says." } ], "id": "10030_0", "question": "Is firefly eco-tourism even possible?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The founder of whistleblowing website Wikileaks has defended the release of almost 400,000 classified US documents about the war in Iraq. Julian Assange said the \"intimate details\" of the conflict were made public in an effort to reveal the truth about the conflict. The \"war logs\" suggest evidence of torture was ignored, and detail the deaths of thousands of Iraqi civilians. Iraq's PM said the release amounted to political interference in his country. A statement from Nouri al-Maliki's office accused Wikileaks of trying to sabotage his bid to form a new government by stoking up anger \"against national parties and leaders, especially against the prime minister\". Mr Maliki, a Shia, is struggling to keep his job after inconclusive general elections in March. His Sunni opponents say the Wikileaks documents highlight the need to establish a power-sharing government, rather than one in which all the power was in Mr Maliki's hands. The US and UK have condemned the leak, the largest in US military history, with both US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and the UK's Ministry of Defence suggesting the disclosures put lives at risk. A Pentagon spokesman dismissed the documents as raw observations by tactical units, which were only snapshots of tragic, mundane events. He called their release a \"tragedy\" which aided enemies of the West. Meanwhile, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen - the top US military official - criticised the disclosure via the social networking site Twitter: \"Another irresponsible posting of stolen classified documents by Wikileaks puts lives at risk and gives adversaries valuable information,\" he wrote. Speaking at a news conference in London, though, Mr Assange defended the release of the documents, saying there were no reports of anyone coming to harm following the release of 90,000 documents on the war in Afghanistan earlier this year. He said the documents had been edited to remove any information that could harm individuals, adding that the snapshots of everyday events offered a glimpse at the \"human scale\" of the conflict. The deaths of one or two individuals made up the \"overwhelming number\" of people killed in Iraq, Mr Assange said. The new documents and new deaths contained within them showed the range and frequency of the \"small, relentless tragedies of this war\" added Prof John Sloboda of Iraq Body Count, which worked with Wikileaks to analyse the material. The logs showed there were more than 109,000 violent deaths between 2004 and the end of 2009. They included 66,081 civilians, 23,984 people classed as \"enemy\", 15,196 members of the Iraqi security forces, and 3,771 coalition troops. The figures appear to contradict earlier claims that the US did not keep records of civilians killed. Iraq Body Count, which collates civilian deaths using cross-checked media reports and other figures such as morgue records, said that based on an analysis of a sample of 860 logs, it estimated that around 15,000 previously unknown civilian deaths would be identified. 'Nothing new' The 391,831 US army Sigacts (Significant Actions) reports published by Wikileaks on Friday describe the apparent torture of Iraqi detainees by the Iraqi authorities, sometimes using electrocution, electric drills and in some cases even executing detainees, says the BBC's Adam Brookes. The US military knew of the abuses, the documents suggest, but reports were sent up the chain of command marked \"no further investigation\", our correspondent adds. Under a \"frago\" - or fragmentary order, which changes an existing order - discovery by US staff of \"Iraqi on Iraqi abuse\" required no further investigation. Iraqi Interior Minister Jawad Al-Bolani said the Baghdad government would \"follow up\" reports of human rights violations by Iraq's security forces. \"Regardless how long the investigations will take there are courts and legal procedures that will bring to justice those who are involved in violations against any Iraqi.\" One of the Wikileaks documents shows the US military was given a video apparently showing Iraqi Army (IA) officers executing a prisoner in the northern town of Talafar. \"The footage shows the IA soldiers moving the detainee into the street, pushing him to the ground, punching him and shooting him,\" states the log, which also names at least one of the perpetrators. In another case, US soldiers suspected army officers of cutting off a detainee's fingers and burning him with acid. A Pentagon spokesman told the BBC that if abuse by the Iraqi security forces was witnessed, or reports of it were received, US military personnel were instructed to inform their commanders. The documents also reveal many previously unreported instances in which US forces killed civilians at checkpoints and during operations In one incident in July 2007, as many as 26 Iraqis were killed by a helicopter, about half of them civilians, according to the log. Another record shows an Apache helicopter gunship fired on two men believed to have fired mortars at a military base in Baghdad in February 2007, even though they were attempting to surrender. The crew asked a lawyer whether they could accept the surrender, but were told they could not, \"and are still valid targets\". So they shot them. A helicopter using the same callsign - Crazyhorse 18 - was also involved in another incident that July, in which two journalists were killed and two children wounded. It is not possible to establish whether the helicopter crew was the same in both incidents. There are also new indications of Iran's involvement in Iraq, with reports of insurgents being trained and using weapons provided by the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC). Wikileaks has been asked to remove the documents from the web and return them to the Department of Defense, and Mr Assange said that media organisations in the US and elsewhere were coming under pressure from the Obama administration not to report on or publish them. The investigation into July's Afghan leak has focused on Bradley Manning, a US army intelligence analyst who is in custody and has been charged with providing Wikileaks with a video of the July 2007 attack by a helicopter with the callsign Crazyhorse 18. The release of the documents comes as the US military prepares to withdraw its 50,000 remaining troops from Iraq by the end of 2011. Violence in the country has declined sharply over the past two years, but near-daily bombings and shootings continue.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 6476, "answer_start": 939, "text": "The US and UK have condemned the leak, the largest in US military history, with both US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and the UK's Ministry of Defence suggesting the disclosures put lives at risk. A Pentagon spokesman dismissed the documents as raw observations by tactical units, which were only snapshots of tragic, mundane events. He called their release a \"tragedy\" which aided enemies of the West. Meanwhile, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen - the top US military official - criticised the disclosure via the social networking site Twitter: \"Another irresponsible posting of stolen classified documents by Wikileaks puts lives at risk and gives adversaries valuable information,\" he wrote. Speaking at a news conference in London, though, Mr Assange defended the release of the documents, saying there were no reports of anyone coming to harm following the release of 90,000 documents on the war in Afghanistan earlier this year. He said the documents had been edited to remove any information that could harm individuals, adding that the snapshots of everyday events offered a glimpse at the \"human scale\" of the conflict. The deaths of one or two individuals made up the \"overwhelming number\" of people killed in Iraq, Mr Assange said. The new documents and new deaths contained within them showed the range and frequency of the \"small, relentless tragedies of this war\" added Prof John Sloboda of Iraq Body Count, which worked with Wikileaks to analyse the material. The logs showed there were more than 109,000 violent deaths between 2004 and the end of 2009. They included 66,081 civilians, 23,984 people classed as \"enemy\", 15,196 members of the Iraqi security forces, and 3,771 coalition troops. The figures appear to contradict earlier claims that the US did not keep records of civilians killed. Iraq Body Count, which collates civilian deaths using cross-checked media reports and other figures such as morgue records, said that based on an analysis of a sample of 860 logs, it estimated that around 15,000 previously unknown civilian deaths would be identified. 'Nothing new' The 391,831 US army Sigacts (Significant Actions) reports published by Wikileaks on Friday describe the apparent torture of Iraqi detainees by the Iraqi authorities, sometimes using electrocution, electric drills and in some cases even executing detainees, says the BBC's Adam Brookes. The US military knew of the abuses, the documents suggest, but reports were sent up the chain of command marked \"no further investigation\", our correspondent adds. Under a \"frago\" - or fragmentary order, which changes an existing order - discovery by US staff of \"Iraqi on Iraqi abuse\" required no further investigation. Iraqi Interior Minister Jawad Al-Bolani said the Baghdad government would \"follow up\" reports of human rights violations by Iraq's security forces. \"Regardless how long the investigations will take there are courts and legal procedures that will bring to justice those who are involved in violations against any Iraqi.\" One of the Wikileaks documents shows the US military was given a video apparently showing Iraqi Army (IA) officers executing a prisoner in the northern town of Talafar. \"The footage shows the IA soldiers moving the detainee into the street, pushing him to the ground, punching him and shooting him,\" states the log, which also names at least one of the perpetrators. In another case, US soldiers suspected army officers of cutting off a detainee's fingers and burning him with acid. A Pentagon spokesman told the BBC that if abuse by the Iraqi security forces was witnessed, or reports of it were received, US military personnel were instructed to inform their commanders. The documents also reveal many previously unreported instances in which US forces killed civilians at checkpoints and during operations In one incident in July 2007, as many as 26 Iraqis were killed by a helicopter, about half of them civilians, according to the log. Another record shows an Apache helicopter gunship fired on two men believed to have fired mortars at a military base in Baghdad in February 2007, even though they were attempting to surrender. The crew asked a lawyer whether they could accept the surrender, but were told they could not, \"and are still valid targets\". So they shot them. A helicopter using the same callsign - Crazyhorse 18 - was also involved in another incident that July, in which two journalists were killed and two children wounded. It is not possible to establish whether the helicopter crew was the same in both incidents. There are also new indications of Iran's involvement in Iraq, with reports of insurgents being trained and using weapons provided by the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC). Wikileaks has been asked to remove the documents from the web and return them to the Department of Defense, and Mr Assange said that media organisations in the US and elsewhere were coming under pressure from the Obama administration not to report on or publish them. The investigation into July's Afghan leak has focused on Bradley Manning, a US army intelligence analyst who is in custody and has been charged with providing Wikileaks with a video of the July 2007 attack by a helicopter with the callsign Crazyhorse 18. The release of the documents comes as the US military prepares to withdraw its 50,000 remaining troops from Iraq by the end of 2011. Violence in the country has declined sharply over the past two years, but near-daily bombings and shootings continue." } ], "id": "10031_0", "question": "Casualty of war?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "For four days running, towns and cities across Russia have been hit by a wave of bomb alerts. Dozens of schools, shopping centres, railway stations and public buildings have been evacuated. Tens of thousands of people have been affected. So far, all of the alerts have proved to be hoaxes and the public has been urged to remain calm. The source of the threats is unclear but one official suggested they had originated outside Russia. \"There's reason to assume this was all organised abroad,\" the official in Chelyabinsk told Interfax news agency. On Wednesday, the bomb scares spread to Moscow, prompting the evacuation of the luxury GUM shopping centre near the Kremlin. In the capital alone, more than 50,000 people were caught up in the alerts, reports said. Pro-Kremlin newspapers have pointed to a \"major hacking attack\", possibly from Ukraine. State TV said 205 companies and organisations had been targeted nationally. Other reports suggested the threats were made via scrambled internet connections and were difficult to source. One official was quoted as saying the evacuations were part of an anti-terrorist drill but that has not been confirmed. The hoax calls began on Sunday but the extent of the alerts only became clear by Tuesday: - In Chelyabinsk, in the southern Ural mountains, more than 11,000 people were cleared from 10 buildings on Tuesday - In Perm to the north-west, 5,700 people had to leave schools and public buildings - In the southern city of Stavropol alone, 1,500 phone hoaxes had been received, state TV reported - Other cities affected ranged from Krasnoyarsk, Novosibirsk and Omsk in Siberia to the enclave of Kaliningrad in the far west They continued to spread on Wednesday, with airports also targeted: - In Moscow, bomb alerts were reported in Red Square, at railway stations, universities and shopping centres - The River Volga cities of Samara and Saratov were hit, with seven shopping centres targeted in Saratov alone - Several more Siberian cities were affected: in Ulan-Ude there were alerts at six shopping centres, four schools and bus and railway stations - Irkutsk and Yakutsk were hit, and in Tomsk more than 10 schools were evacuated, along with local courts, shopping centres and a bus station No-one is certain but the alerts appear to have come in the form of a pre-recorded voice message via internet telephony. One message received in the city of Ufa was broadcast on national TV. \"An explosive device has been placed in the building. Evacuate the people, call the bomb squads. This is not a drill. Do you understand me?\" A security source told pro-Kremlin tabloid Komsomolskaya Pravda that the hoaxes were the result of a cyber attack organised from Ukraine, although no evidence was given. An IT security specialist quoted elsewhere spoke only of a foreign hacking attack. The governor of Stavropol called it a \"phone attack\" that had come from abroad and one phone company spoke of an \"international virtual operator\". Russian military exercise raises tension There was some suggestion, too, that the source of the disruption may have been closer to home. An aide to the Russian defence ministry's inspector general was quoted as saying it was part of an anti-terror exercise. \"For the first time since Soviet times, large-scale anti-terrorism exercises are being carried out in Russia, involving all government agencies responsible for state security,\" Oleg Ostrovsky told newspaper Argumenty i Fakty Prikamye. The report was later deleted, according to BBC Monitoring. Russia has been hit by jihadist attacks, including a bombing on the St Petersburg metro in April in which 16 people died. However, a former opposition MP, Gennady Gudkov, warned that if the current alerts really were the work of federal security officers, then \"that is completely crap\". Russia's military is due to start joint military exercises on Thursday with Belarus. The exercises, called Zapad-2017 (West-2017) will involve a reported 12,700 soldiers in Belarus and Kaliningrad. Some figures outside Russia have predicted many more soldiers may be involved.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4095, "answer_start": 2247, "text": "No-one is certain but the alerts appear to have come in the form of a pre-recorded voice message via internet telephony. One message received in the city of Ufa was broadcast on national TV. \"An explosive device has been placed in the building. Evacuate the people, call the bomb squads. This is not a drill. Do you understand me?\" A security source told pro-Kremlin tabloid Komsomolskaya Pravda that the hoaxes were the result of a cyber attack organised from Ukraine, although no evidence was given. An IT security specialist quoted elsewhere spoke only of a foreign hacking attack. The governor of Stavropol called it a \"phone attack\" that had come from abroad and one phone company spoke of an \"international virtual operator\". Russian military exercise raises tension There was some suggestion, too, that the source of the disruption may have been closer to home. An aide to the Russian defence ministry's inspector general was quoted as saying it was part of an anti-terror exercise. \"For the first time since Soviet times, large-scale anti-terrorism exercises are being carried out in Russia, involving all government agencies responsible for state security,\" Oleg Ostrovsky told newspaper Argumenty i Fakty Prikamye. The report was later deleted, according to BBC Monitoring. Russia has been hit by jihadist attacks, including a bombing on the St Petersburg metro in April in which 16 people died. However, a former opposition MP, Gennady Gudkov, warned that if the current alerts really were the work of federal security officers, then \"that is completely crap\". Russia's military is due to start joint military exercises on Thursday with Belarus. The exercises, called Zapad-2017 (West-2017) will involve a reported 12,700 soldiers in Belarus and Kaliningrad. Some figures outside Russia have predicted many more soldiers may be involved." } ], "id": "10032_0", "question": "Who is behind it?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "US President Donald Trump is facing criticism from both Republicans and Democrats for his response to violence at a Virginia white supremacist rally. A woman was killed and 19 were injured when a car ploughed into a crowd of counter-protesters in Charlottesville. Mr Trump condemned violence by \"many sides\" - but stopped short of explicitly condemning the far-right. The White House has since clarified in a statement that his condemnation included white supremacists. \"The president said very strongly in his statement yesterday that he condemns all forms of violence, bigotry and hatred. Of course that includes white supremacists, KKK, neo-Nazi and all extremist groups,\" a spokesperson said on Sunday. There were dramatic scenes later in the day as one of the organisers of the march, Jason Kessler, was chased away by protesters during a press conference. Hundreds of white nationalists converged for Saturday's \"Unite the Right\" march, called to protest against the removal of a statue of a general who had fought for the pro-slavery Confederacy during the US Civil War. The far-right demonstrators, who included neo-Nazis and Ku Klux Klan (KKK) members, clashed with counter-protesters. People punched and kicked each other, and pepper spray, used by both sides, filled the air. The crowd in Charlottesville, almost entirely white and male, put their arms up in Nazi salutes and cheered on the former grand wizard of the KKK, David Duke. As the rally was dispersed, a car was driven into a crowd of counter-protesters, the force of the crash flinging people into the air. A 32-year-old woman, Heather D Heyer, was killed in the crash, Charlottesville Police Department said. Twenty-year-old James Fields from Ohio, the alleged driver, is in detention on suspicion of second-degree murder and the FBI has opened a civil rights investigation. Apart from the car-ramming incident, Charlottesville police said at least 15 were wounded in other violence related to the far-right march. The governor of Virginia, Terry McAuliffe, said that his only message for the white supremacists who had come to Charlottesville was \"Go home\". March organiser Jason Kessler was heckled, booed and eventually forced to run away during a press conference for \"Unite the Right\" on Sunday. Amid protester chants of \"shame on you\", Mr Kessler blamed the police for not preventing the violence, which he condemned. But he also reiterated the organisers' right to hold the rally. Some observers say that Mr Trump's election to the White House has re-energised the far right across the US. The Southern Poverty Law Center, a civil rights organisation, says that \"Trump's run for office electrified the radical right, which saw in him a champion of the idea that America is fundamentally a white man's country.\" Mr Trump said he condemned \"in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry, and violence on many sides\". \"The hate and the division must stop right now,\" he told reporters, speaking in New Jersey, where he is on a working holiday. \"We have to come together as Americans with love for our nation.\" But his comments did not explicitly condemn the white extremist groups involved in the rally. Asked whether the car-ramming was domestic terrorism, Mr Trump's National Security Adviser HR McMaster said \"anytime that you commit an attack against people to incite fear, it meets the definition of terrorism\". Mr Trump's daughter too also appeared to offer stronger condemnation than her father. Anthony Zurcher, BBC North America reporter Clues for how the president would react to such a situation were scattered across his presidential campaign. In February 2016, Mr Trump initially declined to disavow support from the Klu Klux Klan and David Duke, the former Klan leader who became a Louisiana Republican politician. \"Any candidate who cannot immediately condemn a hate group like the KKK does not represent the Republican Party, and will not unite it,\" Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, the first black Republican elected from a Southern state since 1881, said. After a week, Mr Trump gave a firm statement denouncing the KKK, but his initial hesitance would be an issue for the remainder of his presidential race. If, as Mr Trump's critics suggest, his statements following the Charlottesville incident were yet another \"dog whistle\" to white supremacists, there's evidence that the message was clearly heard. \"Trump comments were good,\" one poster on the neo-Nazi website The Daily Stormer wrote. \"He didn't attack us. He just said the nation should come together.\" Read more from Anthony Mr Trump's comments did not go far enough for many Democrats and members of Mr Trump's Republican party. Republican Senator Cory Gardner tweeted: \"Mr President - we must call evil by its name. These were white supremacists and this was domestic terrorism.\" \"Very important for the nation to hear [President Trump] describe events in #Charlottesville for what they are, a terror attack by #whitesupremacists,\" Republican senator Marco Rubio tweeted. Another senior Republican, Ted Cruz, called the car-ramming a \"grotesque act of domestic terrorism\" and there were more strong words from Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah. House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi said \"the president's talk of violence 'on many sides' ignores the shameful reality of white supremacism in our country today\". Mr Trump's former Democratic rival for the presidency, Hillary Clinton, said \"every minute we allow this to persist through tacit encouragement or inaction is a disgrace and corrosive to our values\".", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2791, "answer_start": 862, "text": "Hundreds of white nationalists converged for Saturday's \"Unite the Right\" march, called to protest against the removal of a statue of a general who had fought for the pro-slavery Confederacy during the US Civil War. The far-right demonstrators, who included neo-Nazis and Ku Klux Klan (KKK) members, clashed with counter-protesters. People punched and kicked each other, and pepper spray, used by both sides, filled the air. The crowd in Charlottesville, almost entirely white and male, put their arms up in Nazi salutes and cheered on the former grand wizard of the KKK, David Duke. As the rally was dispersed, a car was driven into a crowd of counter-protesters, the force of the crash flinging people into the air. A 32-year-old woman, Heather D Heyer, was killed in the crash, Charlottesville Police Department said. Twenty-year-old James Fields from Ohio, the alleged driver, is in detention on suspicion of second-degree murder and the FBI has opened a civil rights investigation. Apart from the car-ramming incident, Charlottesville police said at least 15 were wounded in other violence related to the far-right march. The governor of Virginia, Terry McAuliffe, said that his only message for the white supremacists who had come to Charlottesville was \"Go home\". March organiser Jason Kessler was heckled, booed and eventually forced to run away during a press conference for \"Unite the Right\" on Sunday. Amid protester chants of \"shame on you\", Mr Kessler blamed the police for not preventing the violence, which he condemned. But he also reiterated the organisers' right to hold the rally. Some observers say that Mr Trump's election to the White House has re-energised the far right across the US. The Southern Poverty Law Center, a civil rights organisation, says that \"Trump's run for office electrified the radical right, which saw in him a champion of the idea that America is fundamentally a white man's country.\"" } ], "id": "10033_0", "question": "What happened in Charlottesville?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3508, "answer_start": 2792, "text": "Mr Trump said he condemned \"in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry, and violence on many sides\". \"The hate and the division must stop right now,\" he told reporters, speaking in New Jersey, where he is on a working holiday. \"We have to come together as Americans with love for our nation.\" But his comments did not explicitly condemn the white extremist groups involved in the rally. Asked whether the car-ramming was domestic terrorism, Mr Trump's National Security Adviser HR McMaster said \"anytime that you commit an attack against people to incite fear, it meets the definition of terrorism\". Mr Trump's daughter too also appeared to offer stronger condemnation than her father." } ], "id": "10033_1", "question": "How did President Trump react?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5593, "answer_start": 4613, "text": "Mr Trump's comments did not go far enough for many Democrats and members of Mr Trump's Republican party. Republican Senator Cory Gardner tweeted: \"Mr President - we must call evil by its name. These were white supremacists and this was domestic terrorism.\" \"Very important for the nation to hear [President Trump] describe events in #Charlottesville for what they are, a terror attack by #whitesupremacists,\" Republican senator Marco Rubio tweeted. Another senior Republican, Ted Cruz, called the car-ramming a \"grotesque act of domestic terrorism\" and there were more strong words from Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah. House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi said \"the president's talk of violence 'on many sides' ignores the shameful reality of white supremacism in our country today\". Mr Trump's former Democratic rival for the presidency, Hillary Clinton, said \"every minute we allow this to persist through tacit encouragement or inaction is a disgrace and corrosive to our values\"." } ], "id": "10033_2", "question": "What are people saying about Trump's statement?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "What is China's stance on Tibet? Here, we outline Beijing's position, based on various official Chinese sources. \"For more than 700 years, the central government of China has continuously exercised sovereignty over Tibet, and Tibet has never been an independent state. No government of any country in the world has ever recognised Tibet as an independent state.\" (People's Daily, April 2008) \"Even in the first half of the 20th Century, Tibet remained a society of feudal serfdom under a theocracy, one even darker and more backward than medieval Europe. The ecclesiastical and secular serf owners controlled the personal freedom of the serfs and slaves who made up more than 95% of the population of Tibet. By resorting to... extremely savage punishments, including gouging out eyes, cutting off ears, tongues, hands and feet, pulling out tendons, throwing people into rivers or off cliffs, they practiced cruel economic exploitation.\" (Xinhua News Agency, March 2008) \"Since its peaceful liberation in 1951, Tibet has undergone profound social changes, including democratic reform, reform and opening up, and has achieved remarkable social and economic progress.\" (China's Foreign Ministry handbook, July 2007) \"In face of the ever-growing demand of the people for democratic reform, some people in the upper ruling strata of Tibet, in order to preserve feudal serfdom and supported by imperialist forces, staged an armed rebellion all along the line on 10 March 1959 in an attempt to separate Tibet from China.\" (Xinhua News Agency, March 2008) \"We now possess sufficient evidence to prove that the Lhasa incident is part of the 'Tibetan people's uprising movement' organised by the Dalai clique. Its purpose is to create crisis in China by staging co-ordinated sabotage activities in Tibet. 'Tibet Independence' separatist forces led by the Dalai Lama takes the 2008 Beijing Olympics as their last straw to realise 'Tibetan independence'.\" (China's Ministry of Public Security press release, April 2008) \"The Dalai Lama keeps talking about a peaceful way. However, solid facts prove that his much-vaunted 'middle way' policy and 'peaceful demonstrations' are blatant lies fabricated by the Dalai himself and the Dalai clique.\" (China's Ministry of Public Security press release, April 2008) \"It is unfortunate that a few Western media outlets, including some from the United States, are ignorant of the obvious truths and are basing their reports on distorted facts and unfounded claims.\" (Zhang Yun, Chinese consul general for Los Angeles, Xinhua, April 2008)", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 391, "answer_start": 113, "text": "\"For more than 700 years, the central government of China has continuously exercised sovereignty over Tibet, and Tibet has never been an independent state. No government of any country in the world has ever recognised Tibet as an independent state.\" (People's Daily, April 2008)" } ], "id": "10034_0", "question": "Is Tibet part of China?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 969, "answer_start": 392, "text": "\"Even in the first half of the 20th Century, Tibet remained a society of feudal serfdom under a theocracy, one even darker and more backward than medieval Europe. The ecclesiastical and secular serf owners controlled the personal freedom of the serfs and slaves who made up more than 95% of the population of Tibet. By resorting to... extremely savage punishments, including gouging out eyes, cutting off ears, tongues, hands and feet, pulling out tendons, throwing people into rivers or off cliffs, they practiced cruel economic exploitation.\" (Xinhua News Agency, March 2008)" } ], "id": "10034_1", "question": "What was Tibet like before the Communists established control in 1951?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1212, "answer_start": 970, "text": "\"Since its peaceful liberation in 1951, Tibet has undergone profound social changes, including democratic reform, reform and opening up, and has achieved remarkable social and economic progress.\" (China's Foreign Ministry handbook, July 2007)" } ], "id": "10034_2", "question": "What has happened since then?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1547, "answer_start": 1213, "text": "\"In face of the ever-growing demand of the people for democratic reform, some people in the upper ruling strata of Tibet, in order to preserve feudal serfdom and supported by imperialist forces, staged an armed rebellion all along the line on 10 March 1959 in an attempt to separate Tibet from China.\" (Xinhua News Agency, March 2008)" } ], "id": "10034_3", "question": "Who was behind a failed uprising against Chinese rule in 1959, after which the Dalai Lama fled to India?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2294, "answer_start": 1548, "text": "\"We now possess sufficient evidence to prove that the Lhasa incident is part of the 'Tibetan people's uprising movement' organised by the Dalai clique. Its purpose is to create crisis in China by staging co-ordinated sabotage activities in Tibet. 'Tibet Independence' separatist forces led by the Dalai Lama takes the 2008 Beijing Olympics as their last straw to realise 'Tibetan independence'.\" (China's Ministry of Public Security press release, April 2008) \"The Dalai Lama keeps talking about a peaceful way. However, solid facts prove that his much-vaunted 'middle way' policy and 'peaceful demonstrations' are blatant lies fabricated by the Dalai himself and the Dalai clique.\" (China's Ministry of Public Security press release, April 2008)" } ], "id": "10034_4", "question": "Who was responsible for the recent unrest in Tibet?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2564, "answer_start": 2295, "text": "\"It is unfortunate that a few Western media outlets, including some from the United States, are ignorant of the obvious truths and are basing their reports on distorted facts and unfounded claims.\" (Zhang Yun, Chinese consul general for Los Angeles, Xinhua, April 2008)" } ], "id": "10034_5", "question": "What does the Chinese government think about reports by the Western media about the recent events in Tibet?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "US President Donald Trump has cast doubt on a report by his own government warning of devastating effects from climate change. Asked outside the White House about the findings that unchecked global warming would wreak havoc on the US economy, he said: \"I don't believe it.\" The report found that climate change will cost the US hundreds of billions of dollars annually and damage health. The Trump administration has pursued a pro-fossil fuels agenda. The world's leading scientists agree that climate change is human-induced and warn that natural fluctuations in temperature are being exacerbated by human activity. He told reporters on Monday that he had \"read some of\" Friday's report, which was compiled with help from US government agencies and departments. Mr Trump said other countries must take measures to cut their emissions. \"You're going to have to have China and Japan and all of Asia and all these other countries, you know, it [the report] addresses our country,\" he said. \"Right now we're at the cleanest we've ever been and that's very important to me. \"But if we're clean, but every other place on Earth is dirty, that's not so good. \"So I want clean air, I want clean water, very important.\" Former Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton accused the Trump administration of trying to hide the report. The Fourth National Climate Assessment outlines the potential impacts of climate change across every sector of American society. \"With continued growth in emissions at historic rates, annual losses in some economic sectors are projected to reach hundreds of billions of dollars by the end of the century - more than the current gross domestic product (GDP) of many US states,\" the report says. \"Without substantial and sustained global mitigation and regional adaptation efforts, climate change is expected to cause growing losses to American infrastructure and property and impede the rate of economic growth over this century.\" The report notes that the effects of climate change are already being felt in communities across the country, including more frequent and intense extreme weather and climate-related events. But it says that projections of future catastrophe could change if society works to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and \"to adapt to the changes that will occur\". In October, President Trump accused climate change scientists of having a \"political agenda\", telling Fox News he was unconvinced that humans were responsible for the earth's rising temperatures. After taking office he announced the US would withdraw from the Paris climate change agreement, which commits another 187 other countries to keeping rising global temperatures \"well below\" 2C above pre-industrial levels. At the time, Mr Trump said he wanted to negotiate a new \"fair\" deal that would not disadvantage US businesses and workers. During his election campaign in 2016 Mr Trump said climate change was \"a hoax\". However he has since rowed back on that statement saying in a recent interview: \"I don't think it's a hoax, I think there's probably a difference.\" A report released in October by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) - the leading international body evaluating climate change - said it could be stopped only if the world made major, and costly, changes. That means reducing global emissions of CO2 by 45% from 2010 levels by 2030, and reducing coal use to almost zero and using up to seven million sq km (2.7 million square miles) for land energy crops. If the world fails to act, the researchers warned, there would be some significant and dangerous changes to our world, including rising sea levels, significant impacts on ocean temperatures and acidity, and the ability to grow crops such as rice, maize and wheat.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1330, "answer_start": 617, "text": "He told reporters on Monday that he had \"read some of\" Friday's report, which was compiled with help from US government agencies and departments. Mr Trump said other countries must take measures to cut their emissions. \"You're going to have to have China and Japan and all of Asia and all these other countries, you know, it [the report] addresses our country,\" he said. \"Right now we're at the cleanest we've ever been and that's very important to me. \"But if we're clean, but every other place on Earth is dirty, that's not so good. \"So I want clean air, I want clean water, very important.\" Former Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton accused the Trump administration of trying to hide the report." } ], "id": "10035_0", "question": "What did President Trump say?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2313, "answer_start": 1331, "text": "The Fourth National Climate Assessment outlines the potential impacts of climate change across every sector of American society. \"With continued growth in emissions at historic rates, annual losses in some economic sectors are projected to reach hundreds of billions of dollars by the end of the century - more than the current gross domestic product (GDP) of many US states,\" the report says. \"Without substantial and sustained global mitigation and regional adaptation efforts, climate change is expected to cause growing losses to American infrastructure and property and impede the rate of economic growth over this century.\" The report notes that the effects of climate change are already being felt in communities across the country, including more frequent and intense extreme weather and climate-related events. But it says that projections of future catastrophe could change if society works to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and \"to adapt to the changes that will occur\"." } ], "id": "10035_1", "question": "What did the report say?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3081, "answer_start": 2314, "text": "In October, President Trump accused climate change scientists of having a \"political agenda\", telling Fox News he was unconvinced that humans were responsible for the earth's rising temperatures. After taking office he announced the US would withdraw from the Paris climate change agreement, which commits another 187 other countries to keeping rising global temperatures \"well below\" 2C above pre-industrial levels. At the time, Mr Trump said he wanted to negotiate a new \"fair\" deal that would not disadvantage US businesses and workers. During his election campaign in 2016 Mr Trump said climate change was \"a hoax\". However he has since rowed back on that statement saying in a recent interview: \"I don't think it's a hoax, I think there's probably a difference.\"" } ], "id": "10035_2", "question": "What has President Trump previously said on climate change?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3767, "answer_start": 3082, "text": "A report released in October by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) - the leading international body evaluating climate change - said it could be stopped only if the world made major, and costly, changes. That means reducing global emissions of CO2 by 45% from 2010 levels by 2030, and reducing coal use to almost zero and using up to seven million sq km (2.7 million square miles) for land energy crops. If the world fails to act, the researchers warned, there would be some significant and dangerous changes to our world, including rising sea levels, significant impacts on ocean temperatures and acidity, and the ability to grow crops such as rice, maize and wheat." } ], "id": "10035_3", "question": "How great is the climate threat?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "In a large warehouse in the beach town of Cabo Frio, southeast Brazil, dozens of colourful carnival costumes and a few giant floats are lying about gathering dust. With Carnival approaching, this place should be bustling with seamstresses, artisans and samba musicians doing last-minute work to put on a beautiful show at the city's annual parade competition. But this year, the workshop is empty, because Cabo Frio has cancelled the parade. As Brazil faces its worst recession in two decades, some small and medium cities across the country have decided not to spend any money on celebrations. In addition, amidst the outbreak of diseases like dengue, chikungunya and Zika, two cities in the neighbouring Sao Paulo state have cancelled their celebrations - to concentrate their budgets on tackling the mosquitoes responsible for spreading the Zika virus. Nineteen-year-old Rodrigo Moura is a Carnival artist in Cabo Frio who designs costumes and floats. His samba school - as each competing group is known - won the city's last two Carnival competitions. \"In the parade, we had about 800 people dancing for us\", he says in the empty workshop. Moura had already designed all of the costumes for this year's parade, but now he does not know when Carnival will be held again. Cabo Frio touts its Carnival as one of the best - second only to Rio de Janeiro's world renowned spectacle, where millions of reais are spent. Each of the 12 local samba schools received on average 70,000 reais (PS12,000; $17,000) from the city's council to put on their parade last year. Authorities and the community see this as a good investment of public money, as Carnival brings communities together and brings in tourists. But this year, the city is not in the mood for party. A sharp fall in tax revenues has left the Cabo Frio cash-strapped. The council has delayed payments of salaries for many of its public servants. Jose Carlos dos Santos, a civil servant who works for a local school, hasn't received his salary for two months. The city owes him 2,000 reais (PS345; $490) and he is falling behind on credit card payments and utility bills. To make ends meet, Santos is working 10-hour shifts selling ice cream in the local beaches. He says he is depressed and worried about the future. \"I can only do this temporary job in the summer. In the winter we don't get as many tourists in the beaches, and I don't know whether I can find another job then.\" In front of the mayor's office, teachers have camped out, staging daily protests and demanding to be paid. Inside, mayor Alair Correa is crunching numbers in front of a pile of documents. But they don't add up. \"We used to have 60 million reais (PS10m; $14m) per month in our budget, and suddenly we are down to half of that. But the services we offer are still based on that 60 million reais budget\", he tells me. Cabo Frio has been particularly hit by low international oil prices. It sits off one of the richest places for oil drilling in the coast of Brazil, and since the 1980s the city has been collecting royalties from the industry. Public coffers are running dry now that global oil prices have plummeted. Many Carnival parties depend on public money, but cities, states and the federal government are undergoing austerity cuts. Over 40 small and medium-sized towns have cancelled their celebrations, many of them due to falling tax revenues caused by the economic slowdown. In Porto Ferreira, in Sao Paulo state, the local assembly voted to cancel Carnival and use the money to buy a new ambulance. The historic city of Ouro Preto, which holds a traditional Carnival in Minas Gerais state, has cancelled its parade and is spending just 10% of what it did last year to host a modest street party. A recent IMF report forecast that by the end of 2016 Brazil's economy will have contracted almost 8% in two years. It forecasts that a recovery will only start in 2018. Even those involved with the celebrations understand that there are more urgent things for local governments to spend on. \"I accept that it is hard for the city to pay for Carnival. Of course we think about civil servants who haven't received their salaries and the population in need of services\", says Carnival artist Rodrigo Moura. \"But we also have to think about our own business. What happens to those of us who make a living out of Carnival?\" Cabo Frio's mayor, Alair Correa, says prospects for the coming years are not good. \"It will take us maybe four years to go back to having a carnival like the one we used to have - only when we go through this crisis and pay our bills.\"", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3744, "answer_start": 3154, "text": "Many Carnival parties depend on public money, but cities, states and the federal government are undergoing austerity cuts. Over 40 small and medium-sized towns have cancelled their celebrations, many of them due to falling tax revenues caused by the economic slowdown. In Porto Ferreira, in Sao Paulo state, the local assembly voted to cancel Carnival and use the money to buy a new ambulance. The historic city of Ouro Preto, which holds a traditional Carnival in Minas Gerais state, has cancelled its parade and is spending just 10% of what it did last year to host a modest street party." } ], "id": "10036_0", "question": "Ambulance or party?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Bonds, yields, gilts, coupons... the bond market can be confusing to many. BBC World Service economics correspondent Andrew Walker has this breakdown of the world of bonds. In short it is an IOU that can be traded in the financial markets. If a government wants to borrow money (and most do) they usually do it by selling bonds to investors. The investor then gets to receive a stream of future payments. The most common form of bond involves two types of payment by the borrower to the holder of the bond: - there is the final payment when the bond \"matures\" - and there is a stream of smaller payments, usually two a year in the meantime, known as coupons and they are a fixed percentage of the final maturity payment You can think of the big sum at maturity as the repayment of the original loan and the coupon payment as interest. That's not exactly what they are, but that way of looking at it is a reasonable approximation. In the first answer I used governments as an example, but it is not all governments nor is it only governments. Governments of rich countries issue bonds and so do many emerging economies - Turkey, Mexico, Brazil and others. Even some low-income countries have started to do it, Rwanda for example. The bonds are often known informally by other names. In the UK, government bonds are referred to as \"gilt-edged securities\" or just gilts, in the US they are Treasuries, in Germany they are Bunds and in Japan JGBs (Japanese government bonds). Other official agencies also issue bonds, including the World Bank and the European Stability Mechanism (one of the agencies for eurozone bailouts). Bonds are also issued by businesses, often to fund investment or takeovers. These are known as corporate bonds. Mainly professional investors, including insurance companies, pension funds, and banks on behalf of customers or on their own account. Individual investors can also buy them, usually through a broker. Government bonds are often sold initially (or issued) at auctions, to financial institutions known as primary dealers. The bonds can then be resold in the markets. QE is when central banks go into the financial markets and create new money to buy financial assets. Those assets are bonds, mainly government bonds. However, they can also be corporate bonds. As part of its latest QE programme, the Bank of England plans to buy up to PS10bn worth of corporate bonds - that's debts originally issued by companies, including some overseas firms that make what the Bank considers to be a \"material contribution to the UK economy\". The Bank says bonds issued by Apple, McDonald's and Walmart will be eligible. When you buy a bond you are buying the right to those future payments - the maturity payment and the coupons. The return you make depends on the amount of those payments and how much you pay for the bond. The yield is the interest rate that would generate the bond payments given its price. Here's a hypothetical example. Let's assume there is no coupon payment, just a final payment in 10 years' time of PS1,000 and you pay PS600. That's equivalent to investing PS600 today and getting compound interest for 10 years at 5.2% (to one decimal place). So 5.2% is the yield. If the price of a bond goes up the yield falls. That is because you are paying more for a given stream of payments in the future. If you had paid PS850 for that hypothetical bond, then the yield would have been 1.6%. Higher price, lower yield. Conversely, if you had paid less, the yield would have been higher. Some bonds currently have a negative yield - less than zero. It means all the repayments add up to less than what you pay for the bond. One factor is interest rate policy. If a central bank keeps interest rates low and is expected to do so for the full life of a bond, then the yield on the bond is also likely to be low. But if rates rise other investments can start to look more attractive. So bondholders may try to sell, pushing bond prices lower and raising the yield. Bond prices can also fall if investors think there is an increasing danger that they won't get the payments they are owed. To put it another way: the yield rises in those circumstances because investors want more compensation for the risk they are taking. It's huge. Calculating a specific figure is not straightforward and it does change as markets move. The McKinsey Global Institute published some figures in 2011 which put the outstanding amount of bonds (depending on what exactly you include) at more than $100 trillion (PS76tn). That's a one followed by 14 zeroes. About 40% of it was government bonds. The whole bond market at the time was, according to these figures, worth about double the value of global shares. Oh yes. If bond market investors think that a government's policies are going off track and there is an increasing risk that they won't be repaid, they sell bonds, driving up the yield as described above. That in turn makes it more expensive for the government concerned to borrow money when they next have to. It can lead to a vicious spiral of rising borrowing costs, which in turn makes the debt even less sustainable. The end result can be a default (failure to repay) or perhaps an international bailout. There have been many defaults over the centuries. Argentina in 2001 was a relatively recent example. The country's more recent default (in 2014) was rather different. It was the outcome of a legal dispute with some bondholders, rather than being unable to pay. At the height of the eurozone crisis, rising borrowing costs for the Italian government were a key factor leading to the resignation of the Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi, and his replacement by a technocratic government. Investors were worried about the sustainability of Italy's debts (and there are still concerns, though less acute). Some experts think so. They worry that when interest rates rise from current lows, prices will fall sharply and leave many bondholders nursing heavy losses. Bill Gross of Janus Capital, sometimes known as the \"Bond King\", has described the market as a \"supernova that will explode one day\".", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1732, "answer_start": 930, "text": "In the first answer I used governments as an example, but it is not all governments nor is it only governments. Governments of rich countries issue bonds and so do many emerging economies - Turkey, Mexico, Brazil and others. Even some low-income countries have started to do it, Rwanda for example. The bonds are often known informally by other names. In the UK, government bonds are referred to as \"gilt-edged securities\" or just gilts, in the US they are Treasuries, in Germany they are Bunds and in Japan JGBs (Japanese government bonds). Other official agencies also issue bonds, including the World Bank and the European Stability Mechanism (one of the agencies for eurozone bailouts). Bonds are also issued by businesses, often to fund investment or takeovers. These are known as corporate bonds." } ], "id": "10037_0", "question": "Who uses bonds to borrow?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4251, "answer_start": 3658, "text": "One factor is interest rate policy. If a central bank keeps interest rates low and is expected to do so for the full life of a bond, then the yield on the bond is also likely to be low. But if rates rise other investments can start to look more attractive. So bondholders may try to sell, pushing bond prices lower and raising the yield. Bond prices can also fall if investors think there is an increasing danger that they won't get the payments they are owed. To put it another way: the yield rises in those circumstances because investors want more compensation for the risk they are taking." } ], "id": "10037_1", "question": "What factors influence bond prices and yields?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4719, "answer_start": 4252, "text": "It's huge. Calculating a specific figure is not straightforward and it does change as markets move. The McKinsey Global Institute published some figures in 2011 which put the outstanding amount of bonds (depending on what exactly you include) at more than $100 trillion (PS76tn). That's a one followed by 14 zeroes. About 40% of it was government bonds. The whole bond market at the time was, according to these figures, worth about double the value of global shares." } ], "id": "10037_2", "question": "How much is the bond market worth?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5831, "answer_start": 4720, "text": "Oh yes. If bond market investors think that a government's policies are going off track and there is an increasing risk that they won't be repaid, they sell bonds, driving up the yield as described above. That in turn makes it more expensive for the government concerned to borrow money when they next have to. It can lead to a vicious spiral of rising borrowing costs, which in turn makes the debt even less sustainable. The end result can be a default (failure to repay) or perhaps an international bailout. There have been many defaults over the centuries. Argentina in 2001 was a relatively recent example. The country's more recent default (in 2014) was rather different. It was the outcome of a legal dispute with some bondholders, rather than being unable to pay. At the height of the eurozone crisis, rising borrowing costs for the Italian government were a key factor leading to the resignation of the Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi, and his replacement by a technocratic government. Investors were worried about the sustainability of Italy's debts (and there are still concerns, though less acute)." } ], "id": "10037_3", "question": "Can the bond market affect governments?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Bells have tolled in cities across the US to mark the moment 50 years ago that civil rights leader Martin Luther King was gunned down by a white supremacist. They rang out 39 times - one for each of Dr King's years. The main event took place at a motel in Memphis, Tennessee, where the murder took place. Prominent African-American leader Jesse Jackson, who was there at the time, told the crowd the pain was still raw. Dr King, whose birthday is marked by a federal holiday, is held as a US hero. At Wednesday evening's Memphis event, one of the Nobel Laureate's sons, Martin Luther King III, said dramatic progress had been made in race relations, but America was nowhere near where it needed to be. Dr King, known to many Americans as MLK, was gunned down by a sniper while standing on his motel balcony during a trip to Tennessee to protest against the low pay of sanitation workers. Also on Wednesday evening, in Dr King's hometown of Atlanta, a wreath was laid at his crypt. A wreath-laying ceremony was also held in Chicago, a city that was rocked by riots following Dr King's assassination in 1968. Hundreds of people convened in Washington, DC for a silent prayer walk on Wednesday from the MLK Memorial, which was erected in 2011, to the National Mall. In a video message, former President Barack Obama said \"as long as we're still trying, Dr King's soul is still rejoicing\". President Donald Trump tweeted a video clip of himself praising Dr King on his birthday in January. In a separate proclamation declaring Wednesday a \"day to honour Dr King's legacy\", Mr Trump said \"it is not government that will achieve Dr King's ideals\" but rather the people, who \"must actively aspire to secure the dream of living together as one people with a common purpose\". Analysis by Nada Tawfik, BBC News, Memphis Standing outside the Lorraine Motel, in so many ways, this feels like a pilgrimage. The young, the old, people from here in Memphis and across the country have come to honour the civil rights icon. The line outside the National Civil Rights Museum that is housed inside the motel, stretches with people eager for knowledge of his life and death. They are also here to recommit themselves to nonviolent social change. The beloved community King so often referred to. One by one performers, activists, and faith leaders are taking the stage. One pastor eloquently told the crowd that this commemoration is not about yesterday or about sentimental dreams of the future, that today was about the present struggles. Carrying on King's work has been the theme of the day with the central question, where do we go from here? Many believe King showed them the way so many years ago, and 50 years later those teachings remain relevant. On Tuesday night at Memphis' Mason Temple Church of God in Christ, where he gave a speech the night before he was killed, Dr King's daughter the Reverend Bernice King spoke about the difficulty of publicly grieving her father. \"You are looking at two children who lost their father,\" Rev King said, after her brother Martin Luther King III joined her in the pulpit. \"It's important to see two of the children who lost their daddy 50 years ago to an assassin's bullet,\" said Rev King, now 55. \"But we kept going. Keep all of us in prayer as we continue the grieving process for a parent that we've had yet to bury.\" Echoing her father's words, she told the invitation-only audience: \"One day we'll all be able to join with Martin King and say 'Free at last, free at last, thank God almighty we are all free at last'\". In a later tweet she quoted the African-American poet Maya Angelou, who would have turned 90 on Wednesday, saying of her father, she \"can be and be better because you existed\".", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2737, "answer_start": 1767, "text": "Analysis by Nada Tawfik, BBC News, Memphis Standing outside the Lorraine Motel, in so many ways, this feels like a pilgrimage. The young, the old, people from here in Memphis and across the country have come to honour the civil rights icon. The line outside the National Civil Rights Museum that is housed inside the motel, stretches with people eager for knowledge of his life and death. They are also here to recommit themselves to nonviolent social change. The beloved community King so often referred to. One by one performers, activists, and faith leaders are taking the stage. One pastor eloquently told the crowd that this commemoration is not about yesterday or about sentimental dreams of the future, that today was about the present struggles. Carrying on King's work has been the theme of the day with the central question, where do we go from here? Many believe King showed them the way so many years ago, and 50 years later those teachings remain relevant." } ], "id": "10038_0", "question": "Where to go from here?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Moscow has condemned US military proposals to develop new, smaller atomic bombs mainly to deter any Russian use of nuclear weapons. Russia's foreign minister called the move \"confrontational\", and expressed \"deep disappointment\". The proposals stem from concerns that Russia may see current US nuclear weapons as too big to be used. This could mean, according to the US military, that those weapons are no longer an effective deterrent. The Russian foreign ministry accuses the US of warmongering in its statement, issued less than 24 hours after the US proposals were published. The latest thinking was revealed in a Pentagon policy statement known as the Nuclear Posture Review (NPR). Russia says it will take \"necessary measures\" to ensure Russian security. \"From first reading, the confrontational and anti-Russian character of this document leaps out at you,\" the statement says. A foretaste of Mr Lavrov's anger came in a statement on Friday from the Russian senator and defence expert Frantz Klintsevich, who dubbed it \"a very dangerous bet on breaking up the world strategic balance of forces\" in favour of the US. They are not just about Russia. The US military is worried about the nuclear arsenal becoming obsolete and potential threats from countries such as China, North Korea and Iran. But a major US concern is over Russian perceptions. The document argues that smaller nuclear weapons - with a yield of less than 20 kilotons - would challenge any assumption that US weapons are too massive to serve as a credible deterrent. Such bombs would have the same explosive power as the one dropped on the Japanese city of Nagasaki at the end of World War Two, killing more than 70,000 people. \"Our strategy will ensure Russia understands that any use of nuclear weapons, however limited, is unacceptable,\" the document says. The proposed \"tactical\" nuclear weapons would not increase America's arsenal, which is already considerable, but would repurpose existing warheads. Critics have accused the Trump administration of challenging the spirit of non-proliferation agreements. - Land-based ballistic missiles, submarine-launched missiles, and air-delivered weapons - to be extensively modernised as begun under ex-President Obama - Proposed modification of some submarine-launched nuclear warheads to give a lower-yield or less powerful detonation - Return of sea-based nuclear cruise missiles Reality Check: Where are the world's nuclear weapons?", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2085, "answer_start": 1123, "text": "They are not just about Russia. The US military is worried about the nuclear arsenal becoming obsolete and potential threats from countries such as China, North Korea and Iran. But a major US concern is over Russian perceptions. The document argues that smaller nuclear weapons - with a yield of less than 20 kilotons - would challenge any assumption that US weapons are too massive to serve as a credible deterrent. Such bombs would have the same explosive power as the one dropped on the Japanese city of Nagasaki at the end of World War Two, killing more than 70,000 people. \"Our strategy will ensure Russia understands that any use of nuclear weapons, however limited, is unacceptable,\" the document says. The proposed \"tactical\" nuclear weapons would not increase America's arsenal, which is already considerable, but would repurpose existing warheads. Critics have accused the Trump administration of challenging the spirit of non-proliferation agreements." } ], "id": "10039_0", "question": "What is behind the US proposals?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Iran has broadcast footage it says disproves US claims to have destroyed an Iranian drone in the Gulf. Iranian state TV says it shows warships in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, and was filmed by the same drone after the time the US said it had been downed. Despite the denials from Iran, US President Donald Trump said he had \"no doubt\" the drone had been taken down. In a separate development, Iranian state media said Iran had seized a British-flagged oil tanker in the Gulf. Reports said the Stena Impero vessel was captured by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard for \"violating international regulations\". The owners of the Stena Impero, which was bound for Saudi Arabia, said they had been unable to contact the vessel, which had 23 personnel on board and was \"heading north towards Iran\". Tensions between the US, the UK and Iran remain high, after a series of incidents in the world's key shipping area. In June, Iran shot down a US military drone in the same area. Iran has also been blamed by the US for a number of attacks on tankers since May - allegations Tehran denies. The incidents have triggered fears of a military conflict in the region. The video shows black and white aerial views of warships moving in water, indicating the time, the date and the geographical co-ordinates. Iranian state TV said it was taken by the drone alleged to have been downed, as it flew over an American amphibious group led by the USS Boxer - the navy ship in question. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), who published the footage, said it was taken \"before and even after the time Americans claim\" to have destroyed their drone. But the pictures are inconclusive, says the BBC's diplomatic correspondent Paul Adams. He says at least some of the images appear to have been filmed from an Iranian helicopter that was also on the scene. According to a Wall Street Journal reporter on board the USS Boxer at the time, an Iranian Bell 212 helicopter was flying \"yards away\" from the vessel before being chased off by American helicopters. President Trump said the US Navy was forced into action after the drone came within 1,000 yards (914m) of a US warship on Thursday. Mr Trump said the USS Boxer \"took defensive action\" against the Iranian aircraft as it was \"threatening the safety\" of the navy amphibious assault ship and its crew early on Thursday. \"The drone was immediately destroyed... after ignoring multiple calls to stand down,\" he added. According to the Pentagon, the ship was in international waters when the drone approached at 10:00 local time (05:30 GMT). Iran was quick to dismiss President Trump's claim, with one senior official even suggesting it may have targeted its own drone by mistake. \"I am worried that USS Boxer has shot down their own (drones) by mistake!\" Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi tweeted on Friday. After the alleged footage was released by Iran, President Trump told reporters he was confident US forces had \"shot down\" the drone. It's not the first time the US and Iran have been at odds over an incident in the strategic sea passage in the Gulf. Last month, Iran shot down a US surveillance drone over the Strait of Hormuz, accusing it of violating Iranian airspace. But the US military said the drone had been over international waters at the time, and condemned it as an unprovoked attack. Tensions between the two nations have risen sharply since the US tightened sanctions it reimposed on Iran's oil sector after unilaterally withdrawing from a landmark 2015 nuclear deal. The US has also called on Iran to release a Panamanian-flagged Riah tanker and 12 of its crew, which was seized by the Revolutionary Guards on Sunday during a naval patrol. Iran says the vessel had been smuggling fuel, and released footage of Iranian speedboats circling around it. The US has blamed Iran for two separate attacks on oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman in May and June - an allegation Tehran has denied. In July, Iranian boats tried to impede a British oil tanker near the Gulf - before being driven off by a Royal Navy ship, the Ministry of Defence said. UK warships have also been shadowing British oil tankers in the area since Iran threatened to seize one in response to the impounding of an Iranian tanker off Gibraltar earlier this month. The UK said the tanker was suspected of breaching EU sanctions against Syria. Iran denied it was headed there.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2042, "answer_start": 1153, "text": "The video shows black and white aerial views of warships moving in water, indicating the time, the date and the geographical co-ordinates. Iranian state TV said it was taken by the drone alleged to have been downed, as it flew over an American amphibious group led by the USS Boxer - the navy ship in question. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), who published the footage, said it was taken \"before and even after the time Americans claim\" to have destroyed their drone. But the pictures are inconclusive, says the BBC's diplomatic correspondent Paul Adams. He says at least some of the images appear to have been filmed from an Iranian helicopter that was also on the scene. According to a Wall Street Journal reporter on board the USS Boxer at the time, an Iranian Bell 212 helicopter was flying \"yards away\" from the vessel before being chased off by American helicopters." } ], "id": "10040_0", "question": "What does the Iranian video purportedly show?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2988, "answer_start": 2043, "text": "President Trump said the US Navy was forced into action after the drone came within 1,000 yards (914m) of a US warship on Thursday. Mr Trump said the USS Boxer \"took defensive action\" against the Iranian aircraft as it was \"threatening the safety\" of the navy amphibious assault ship and its crew early on Thursday. \"The drone was immediately destroyed... after ignoring multiple calls to stand down,\" he added. According to the Pentagon, the ship was in international waters when the drone approached at 10:00 local time (05:30 GMT). Iran was quick to dismiss President Trump's claim, with one senior official even suggesting it may have targeted its own drone by mistake. \"I am worried that USS Boxer has shot down their own (drones) by mistake!\" Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi tweeted on Friday. After the alleged footage was released by Iran, President Trump told reporters he was confident US forces had \"shot down\" the drone." } ], "id": "10040_1", "question": "What does the US say happened?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4404, "answer_start": 2989, "text": "It's not the first time the US and Iran have been at odds over an incident in the strategic sea passage in the Gulf. Last month, Iran shot down a US surveillance drone over the Strait of Hormuz, accusing it of violating Iranian airspace. But the US military said the drone had been over international waters at the time, and condemned it as an unprovoked attack. Tensions between the two nations have risen sharply since the US tightened sanctions it reimposed on Iran's oil sector after unilaterally withdrawing from a landmark 2015 nuclear deal. The US has also called on Iran to release a Panamanian-flagged Riah tanker and 12 of its crew, which was seized by the Revolutionary Guards on Sunday during a naval patrol. Iran says the vessel had been smuggling fuel, and released footage of Iranian speedboats circling around it. The US has blamed Iran for two separate attacks on oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman in May and June - an allegation Tehran has denied. In July, Iranian boats tried to impede a British oil tanker near the Gulf - before being driven off by a Royal Navy ship, the Ministry of Defence said. UK warships have also been shadowing British oil tankers in the area since Iran threatened to seize one in response to the impounding of an Iranian tanker off Gibraltar earlier this month. The UK said the tanker was suspected of breaching EU sanctions against Syria. Iran denied it was headed there." } ], "id": "10040_2", "question": "Why all the tension?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The man accused of killing 51 people in the Christchurch mosques attack has been charged with terrorism, New Zealand police have said. Brenton Tarrant was charged with \"engaging in a terrorist act\", police said in a statement on Tuesday. He is already facing charges of murder and 40 of attempted murder following the attack on two mosques in the South Island city on 15 March. The Australian is next due in court in June. It is the first time a person has been charged in New Zealand with an act of terror under this law. Police - who met with victims' families and other survivors to inform them of the charge before it was announced - said they consulted with legal experts and prosecutors before deciding to lay the additional charge. Analysis by Hywel Griffith, Sydney correspondent Since the events of 15 March, there has been debate over what the benefit would be of adding the charge to the multiple counts of murder and attempted murder that have already been laid. Proving in court that the accused was engaged in an act of terror will require examining motivation, not just intention. And that creates the possibility of any trial becoming a platform to air extremist views, something many in Christchurch want to avoid. This may be why the police spent weeks considering the option, and consulted the families of the victims before announcing the charge. Fifty people lost their lives in the shootings at two mosques in the city. One died in hospital later. The suspect, who is being held in isolation at the Auckland Prison in Paremoremo, last appeared via video link in court in April. At that time, a judge ordered him to undergo mental health tests. The self-proclaimed white supremacist - who allegedly outlined his intentions in a rambling and expletive-filled document online before carrying out the attack - has not yet been asked to enter a plea to the charges. He is accused of shooting men, women and children as they prayed at two of Christchurch's mosques: the Al Noor mosque and the Linwood Islamic Centre. A judge had earlier ordered that the 28-year-old's face not be shown. The attack was New Zealand's deadliest mass shooting and brought an outpouring grief and support for the victims and their families. Two weeks after the attack, more than 20,000 people gathered for a memorial service to honour those who lost their lives. Then, in April, New Zealand's MPs voted to ban military-style semi-automatic weapons to prevent any such thing happening again. Internationally, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is spearheading an effort to get governments and tech companies to improve their efforts to tackle extremist content online. The \"Christchurch Call\" was launched in response to the suspect live-streaming the attack, which was then watched many thousands of times. The call has already been backed by Australia, Germany, India and Sweden, as well as tech giants Facebook, Amazon, Google, Twitter and Microsoft. However, the US declined to take part.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1366, "answer_start": 739, "text": "Analysis by Hywel Griffith, Sydney correspondent Since the events of 15 March, there has been debate over what the benefit would be of adding the charge to the multiple counts of murder and attempted murder that have already been laid. Proving in court that the accused was engaged in an act of terror will require examining motivation, not just intention. And that creates the possibility of any trial becoming a platform to air extremist views, something many in Christchurch want to avoid. This may be why the police spent weeks considering the option, and consulted the families of the victims before announcing the charge." } ], "id": "10041_0", "question": "Could charge create platform for extremism?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2102, "answer_start": 1470, "text": "The suspect, who is being held in isolation at the Auckland Prison in Paremoremo, last appeared via video link in court in April. At that time, a judge ordered him to undergo mental health tests. The self-proclaimed white supremacist - who allegedly outlined his intentions in a rambling and expletive-filled document online before carrying out the attack - has not yet been asked to enter a plea to the charges. He is accused of shooting men, women and children as they prayed at two of Christchurch's mosques: the Al Noor mosque and the Linwood Islamic Centre. A judge had earlier ordered that the 28-year-old's face not be shown." } ], "id": "10041_1", "question": "What's happening in the court case?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2982, "answer_start": 2103, "text": "The attack was New Zealand's deadliest mass shooting and brought an outpouring grief and support for the victims and their families. Two weeks after the attack, more than 20,000 people gathered for a memorial service to honour those who lost their lives. Then, in April, New Zealand's MPs voted to ban military-style semi-automatic weapons to prevent any such thing happening again. Internationally, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is spearheading an effort to get governments and tech companies to improve their efforts to tackle extremist content online. The \"Christchurch Call\" was launched in response to the suspect live-streaming the attack, which was then watched many thousands of times. The call has already been backed by Australia, Germany, India and Sweden, as well as tech giants Facebook, Amazon, Google, Twitter and Microsoft. However, the US declined to take part." } ], "id": "10041_2", "question": "How has New Zealand responded to the attacks?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "China has revealed its new senior leadership committee, breaking with tradition by not including a clear successor to President Xi Jinping. The omission cements Mr Xi's grip on leadership for the next five years, a day after his name and his teachings were written into the constitution. But it raises questions over whether Mr Xi, 64, intends to rule beyond 2022. Five new appointments were made to the seven-member Politburo Standing Committee, China's most powerful body. The committee is the top body of China's all-powerful Communist Party. Its role is to discuss and decide on major policy issues. The party's constitution says China's top leader must also be a member of the standing committee. So appointments are keenly watched. In the new line-up, Premier Li Keqiang, 62, is the only member to retain his position, apart from Mr Xi. Chinese leaders have traditionally hinted at possible heirs through committee reshuffles at the beginning of their final term. There had been speculation that Mr Xi would elevate his protege Chen Miner and Guangdong party secretary Hu Chunhua, both of whom are in their 50s - young enough to be credible successors. But the fact that the new appointees were all in their 60s, and likely to retire at the end of this five-year term, sends a different signal. The absence of any younger members will fuel speculation about Mr Xi's long-term intentions. Could Xi break the 10-year rule? The tradition emerged in the 1990s, when veteran leader Deng Xiaoping sought to avoid a repeat of the chaos that had marked the Mao era and its immediate aftermath. Mr Xi's two predecessors have followed the orderly pattern of succession. But since he came to power in 2012, he has shown his readiness to write his own rules. The party voted on Tuesday to entrench Mr Xi's name and ideology. The unanimous vote to incorporate \"Xi Jinping Thought\" into the constitution significantly strengthens Mr Xi's political control. Even if he decided to stand down in 2022, his influence is now so great that he could continue to effectively rule the country. Carrie Gracie, BBC News, Beijing Breaking the mould on the succession, as with so much else, is part of the Chinese president's New Era, as he has termed it. But don't imagine that now the Congress is over, you can forget about Mr Xi's New Era. In the clash of political civilisations, he has put China on the offensive. In his speech to Congress, he set out a vision not just for the five years ahead but for 30, and talked of a socialist model which provides, \"a new option for other countries and nations\". At home China is accelerating its ability to listen to every call and track every face, online posting, movement and purchase. Expect it now to export not just the governance model but the cyber weapons to make that work. Even as the party unveiled its new leadership, it excluded major Western news organisations from the ceremony. Officially no reason was given for barring the BBC, Financial Times, Economist, New York Times and Guardian, but unofficially journalists were told that their reporting was to blame - another sign of Xi's determination to control the message at home and abroad. Mr Xi has assumed an unprecedented number of positions since coming to power in 2012, including the title of a \"core\" leader of China. His first term has been marked by significant development, a push for modernisation and increasing assertiveness on the world stage. It has also seen growing authoritarianism, censorship and a crackdown on human rights. He has spearheaded a sweeping anti-corruption campaign which has seen more than a million officials disciplined. It has been seen by some as a massive internal purge of opponents. At first glance, \"Xi Jinping Thought\" may seem like vague rhetoric, but it describes the communist ideals Mr Xi has continuously espoused throughout his rule. Its 14 main principles emphasise the Communist Party's role in governing every aspect of the country, and also include: - A call for \"complete and deep reform\" and \"new developing ideas\" - A promise of \"harmonious living between man and nature\" - this is a call for improved environmental conservation, and could refer to the stated aim to have the bulk of China's energy needs supplied by renewables - An emphasis on \"absolute authority of the party over the people's army\" - which comes amid what analysts call the largest turnover of senior military officials in modern Chinese history - An emphasis on the importance of \"'one country two systems\" and reunification with the motherland - a clear reference to Hong Kong and Taiwan The Thoughts of Chairman Xi", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 843, "answer_start": 475, "text": "The committee is the top body of China's all-powerful Communist Party. Its role is to discuss and decide on major policy issues. The party's constitution says China's top leader must also be a member of the standing committee. So appointments are keenly watched. In the new line-up, Premier Li Keqiang, 62, is the only member to retain his position, apart from Mr Xi." } ], "id": "10042_0", "question": "Why does the Politburo Standing Committee matter?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2077, "answer_start": 844, "text": "Chinese leaders have traditionally hinted at possible heirs through committee reshuffles at the beginning of their final term. There had been speculation that Mr Xi would elevate his protege Chen Miner and Guangdong party secretary Hu Chunhua, both of whom are in their 50s - young enough to be credible successors. But the fact that the new appointees were all in their 60s, and likely to retire at the end of this five-year term, sends a different signal. The absence of any younger members will fuel speculation about Mr Xi's long-term intentions. Could Xi break the 10-year rule? The tradition emerged in the 1990s, when veteran leader Deng Xiaoping sought to avoid a repeat of the chaos that had marked the Mao era and its immediate aftermath. Mr Xi's two predecessors have followed the orderly pattern of succession. But since he came to power in 2012, he has shown his readiness to write his own rules. The party voted on Tuesday to entrench Mr Xi's name and ideology. The unanimous vote to incorporate \"Xi Jinping Thought\" into the constitution significantly strengthens Mr Xi's political control. Even if he decided to stand down in 2022, his influence is now so great that he could continue to effectively rule the country." } ], "id": "10042_1", "question": "What kind of signal does the new line-up send?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3717, "answer_start": 3183, "text": "Mr Xi has assumed an unprecedented number of positions since coming to power in 2012, including the title of a \"core\" leader of China. His first term has been marked by significant development, a push for modernisation and increasing assertiveness on the world stage. It has also seen growing authoritarianism, censorship and a crackdown on human rights. He has spearheaded a sweeping anti-corruption campaign which has seen more than a million officials disciplined. It has been seen by some as a massive internal purge of opponents." } ], "id": "10042_2", "question": "How has Xi changed China?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Ten people have been killed overnight in anti-government protests sweeping Iran, according to state TV. \"In the events of last night, unfortunately a total of about 10 people were killed in several cities,\" it said. At least 12 people have now died since protests began on Thursday. On Monday, President Hassan Rouhani said the protests and criticism were an opportunity, not a threat. He said the country should work together to fix its economic problems. He said: \"Our nation will deal with this minority who chant slogans against the law and people's wishes, and insult the sanctities and values of the revolution.\" Mr Rouhani had previously said that citizens were free to protest, but not violently. US President Donald Trump continued his war of words with Iran's leaders on Monday, posting a tweet saying the \"great Iranian people have been repressed for many years. They are hungry for food and freedom\". Six of those killed died after shots were fired in the western town of Tuyserkan, 300km (185 miles) south-west of Tehran. An official in the south-western town of Izeh said two people had died there. The other two people were reportedly killed in clashes in Dorud in Lorestan province. Police also used tear gas and water cannon overnight to quell a rally in Tehran's Engheleb Square. Demonstrations were also reported in Kermanshah and Khorramabad in the west, Shahinshahr in the north-west and in the northern city of Zanjan. State TV said armed protesters had tried to take over some police stations and military bases, but faced serious resistance from security forces. The demonstrations, which erupted on Thursday in Iran's second city of Mashhad, are the biggest show of dissent seen since the huge rallies of the Green Movement were brutally suppressed in 2009. Judiciary Chief Ayatollah Sadeq Amoli-Larijani called for a crackdown on \"rioters\" and \"vandals\" on Monday, according to state television. \"Some individuals are exploiting the situation. This is wrong,\" he said. Mr Rouhani has acknowledged popular grievances, though he warned that the government would show \"no tolerance for those who damage public properties, violate public order and create unrest in the society\". On Monday he said on Twitter that the government needed to pay attention to people's demands on livelihood issues and corruption. Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) warned anti-government protesters would face the nation's \"iron fist\" if political unrest continued. The IRGC is a powerful force with ties to the country's supreme leader, and is dedicated to preserving the country's Islamic system. Correspondents say it would be a significant escalation were they to become officially involved in policing the protests. Up to 400 people are reported to have been arrested in recent days, including 200 in Tehran on Saturday night. And authorities continue to sporadically suspend social media websites they fear will be used to organise protests, including Telegram and Instagram. State media have now begun broadcasting some footage on the protests, though focuses on young men attacking banks and vehicles or burning the Iranian flag, reported AFP news agency. On Sunday police used water cannon to disperse protesters at a major intersection, as captured in a video obtained by BBC Persian. Analysis by Kasra Naji, BBC Persian There is widespread and seething discontent in Iran where repression is pervasive and economic hardship is getting worse - one BBC Persian investigation has found that on average Iranians have become 15% poorer in the past 10 years. Protests have remained confined to relatively small pockets of mostly young male demonstrators who are demanding the overthrow of the clerical regime. They have spread to small towns throughout the country and have the potential to grow in size. But there is no obvious leadership. Opposition figures have long been silenced or sent into exile. Some protesters have been calling for the return of the monarchy and the former shah's son, Reza Pahlavi, who lives in exile in the United States, has issued a statement supporting the demonstrations. But there are signs that he is as much in the dark about where these protests are going as anyone else. BBC Persian, which broadcasts on TV, on radio and online from London, is banned in Iran - where staff and their families routinely face harassment and questioning from the authorities. Mr Rouhani described the US president as an \"enemy of the Iranian nation from the top of his head to his very toes\". He said the \"man who today in America wants to sympathise with our people has forgotten that a few months ago he called the nation of Iran terrorist\". Mr Trump has sent various tweets criticising Iran's leaders since the protests began. He said Iranians were \"finally getting wise as to how their money and wealth is being stolen and squandered on terrorism\". His tweet on Monday said in capital letters \"TIME FOR CHANGE!\" Mass demonstrations - referred to as the Green Movement - were held by millions of opposition supporters against the disputed election victory of incumbent president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. At least 30 people were killed and thousands arrested in the wave of protests, which drew the largest crowds in Iran since the Islamic Revolution in 1979.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1994, "answer_start": 913, "text": "Six of those killed died after shots were fired in the western town of Tuyserkan, 300km (185 miles) south-west of Tehran. An official in the south-western town of Izeh said two people had died there. The other two people were reportedly killed in clashes in Dorud in Lorestan province. Police also used tear gas and water cannon overnight to quell a rally in Tehran's Engheleb Square. Demonstrations were also reported in Kermanshah and Khorramabad in the west, Shahinshahr in the north-west and in the northern city of Zanjan. State TV said armed protesters had tried to take over some police stations and military bases, but faced serious resistance from security forces. The demonstrations, which erupted on Thursday in Iran's second city of Mashhad, are the biggest show of dissent seen since the huge rallies of the Green Movement were brutally suppressed in 2009. Judiciary Chief Ayatollah Sadeq Amoli-Larijani called for a crackdown on \"rioters\" and \"vandals\" on Monday, according to state television. \"Some individuals are exploiting the situation. This is wrong,\" he said." } ], "id": "10043_0", "question": "Where has the violence happened?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3301, "answer_start": 1995, "text": "Mr Rouhani has acknowledged popular grievances, though he warned that the government would show \"no tolerance for those who damage public properties, violate public order and create unrest in the society\". On Monday he said on Twitter that the government needed to pay attention to people's demands on livelihood issues and corruption. Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) warned anti-government protesters would face the nation's \"iron fist\" if political unrest continued. The IRGC is a powerful force with ties to the country's supreme leader, and is dedicated to preserving the country's Islamic system. Correspondents say it would be a significant escalation were they to become officially involved in policing the protests. Up to 400 people are reported to have been arrested in recent days, including 200 in Tehran on Saturday night. And authorities continue to sporadically suspend social media websites they fear will be used to organise protests, including Telegram and Instagram. State media have now begun broadcasting some footage on the protests, though focuses on young men attacking banks and vehicles or burning the Iranian flag, reported AFP news agency. On Sunday police used water cannon to disperse protesters at a major intersection, as captured in a video obtained by BBC Persian." } ], "id": "10043_1", "question": "How have authorities responded to protests?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4405, "answer_start": 3302, "text": "Analysis by Kasra Naji, BBC Persian There is widespread and seething discontent in Iran where repression is pervasive and economic hardship is getting worse - one BBC Persian investigation has found that on average Iranians have become 15% poorer in the past 10 years. Protests have remained confined to relatively small pockets of mostly young male demonstrators who are demanding the overthrow of the clerical regime. They have spread to small towns throughout the country and have the potential to grow in size. But there is no obvious leadership. Opposition figures have long been silenced or sent into exile. Some protesters have been calling for the return of the monarchy and the former shah's son, Reza Pahlavi, who lives in exile in the United States, has issued a statement supporting the demonstrations. But there are signs that he is as much in the dark about where these protests are going as anyone else. BBC Persian, which broadcasts on TV, on radio and online from London, is banned in Iran - where staff and their families routinely face harassment and questioning from the authorities." } ], "id": "10043_2", "question": "Where will the protests lead?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4945, "answer_start": 4406, "text": "Mr Rouhani described the US president as an \"enemy of the Iranian nation from the top of his head to his very toes\". He said the \"man who today in America wants to sympathise with our people has forgotten that a few months ago he called the nation of Iran terrorist\". Mr Trump has sent various tweets criticising Iran's leaders since the protests began. He said Iranians were \"finally getting wise as to how their money and wealth is being stolen and squandered on terrorism\". His tweet on Monday said in capital letters \"TIME FOR CHANGE!\"" } ], "id": "10043_3", "question": "What about Rouhani's war of words with Trump?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5287, "answer_start": 4946, "text": "Mass demonstrations - referred to as the Green Movement - were held by millions of opposition supporters against the disputed election victory of incumbent president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. At least 30 people were killed and thousands arrested in the wave of protests, which drew the largest crowds in Iran since the Islamic Revolution in 1979." } ], "id": "10043_4", "question": "What happened in 2009?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Move over Olympics, this celebrity split is now what everyone in China's talking about. A Chinese actor's divorce from his wife, over her alleged extramarital affair, has social media buzzing, with posts about the subject gaining over five billion views. Wang Baoqiang announced online on Sunday that he was divorcing his wife, Ma Rong, and sacking his agent, Song Zhe. He alleged that his marriage broke down after his wife had an affair with his agent, and that she had also transferred the couple's joint assets. Ma has hit back at Wang, accusing him of abandoning their family. The topic has sparked a debate about relationships and divorce, and it seems Wang's predicament has struck a chord with many - which could explain the number of views, which are high even by Chinese standards. The divorce quickly became a top trending topic in China. According to microblog Sina Weibo, posts with the hashtag #WangBaoQiangDivorce have been viewed over five billion times. To put things into context, China's population is slightly over one billion. Of course, many users will have clicked on the hashtag more than once, which accounts for some of the numbers - but, even taking this into account, few topics have created such a stir on Chinese social media. Wang wrote on his weibo account: \"Due to Ma Rong's improper extramarital sexual relations with my agent Song Zhe, which has severely hurt my marriage and destroyed my family, I have solemnly decided to dissolve my marriage with Ma Rong and release Song Zhe from his position.\" Ma released a post shortly after, implying it was Wang who had abandoned their family. She also threatened to sue Wang for damaging her reputation, insisting that he delete his post. Wang has sought custody of their two children, and child support payments from his wife until they are 18, according to Chinese reports. Chinese netizens seem to have rallied around Wang, with topics like #WangDontCry #WangWeSupportYou, quickly trending after news of the divorce spread. Statistics by Weibo showed that 47% of netizens' posts condemned Ma for her affair, saying it had shattered her family. Some have even published her home address online. \"Wang is a hardworking man from a rural area. She cheated an honest man. I hate these kinds of people,\" said one commenter on weibo. Who is Wang Baoqiang? By Yashan Zhao, BBC Chinese Wang Baoqiang, 32, is a household name in China. He was born in a village in China's Hebei province and began to learn martial arts since the age of six. He was not highly educated but managed to play small roles in Beijing with different movie or TV production teams. His screen image is portrayed as naive, innocent, sincere and encouraging. He was a nobody until 2004 when he starred in the film, A World Without Thieves. Ma Rong, his ex-wife, has a low profile compared to Wang Baoqiang. Millions of Chinese may not have known who she was before details of the divorce emerged. Unlike politics, where it may be risky to comment, Wang's case is one almost everyone can have their say on social media - and many have clearly done. No other celebrity divorce or marriage has ever caused such a big stir on Chinese social media. On the surface, this might seem like just another Chinese celebrity split. But what is it about this one that's got all of China ruffled up? Some people feel that this divorce seems to fit a certain trope - of a beautiful but ordinary girl marrying a rich but less good-looking man. It is not uncommon to hear the belief that a couple has to \"match\" at every level - be it in status, or physical appearance - for a relationship to work out. An ancient Chinese classical novel even warned against unmatched marriages. In the novel Water Margin, Pan Jinlian, a beautiful money-loving wife, cheats on her husband Wu Dalang, who is relatively more unattractive. She eventually kills him. \"The concept of being evenly matched is still one that is widely believed in China,\" Dr Mu Zheng, Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology at the National University of Singapore told the BBC's Yvette Tan. \"However, there is also the convention for women to 'marry up' to more socioeconomically established men.\" Wang and Ma's split has many people wondering if uneven matches are unlikely to succeed. \"If we look at this story, it seems like an ordinary girl marrying up to a famous and rich husband, which to a large extent is true. But if we look more closely, the husband in this case comes from a rural family, he did not have much education and his physical appearance is not very attractive. So to the husband, the wife is like a realised dream for him,\" Dr Mu says. A lot of social media discussion has also centred around divorce, and in particular how people can protect themselves. Wang has alleged that his wife transferred and hid some of the couple's assets. They're a wealthy couple - their assets, according to Chinese media, include nine flats, a BMW car and various luxury goods. As a result, people are debating the importance of protecting individual assets, even after marriage. Attitudes towards divorce are fast changing in China, and divorce rates are on the rise. State newspaper Global Times says a total of 3.84 million couples in China divorced in 2015, an increase of 5.6% from 2014. \"People are getting much more open to the idea of divorce now, especially as Chinese people become more educated and open-minded towards both marriage and divorce,\" says Dr Mu. \"However, there is still some stigma attached to divorce, especially for women. The idea that the husband should be the main bread-winner and the wife should take care of the family is still the mainstream.\"", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1853, "answer_start": 792, "text": "The divorce quickly became a top trending topic in China. According to microblog Sina Weibo, posts with the hashtag #WangBaoQiangDivorce have been viewed over five billion times. To put things into context, China's population is slightly over one billion. Of course, many users will have clicked on the hashtag more than once, which accounts for some of the numbers - but, even taking this into account, few topics have created such a stir on Chinese social media. Wang wrote on his weibo account: \"Due to Ma Rong's improper extramarital sexual relations with my agent Song Zhe, which has severely hurt my marriage and destroyed my family, I have solemnly decided to dissolve my marriage with Ma Rong and release Song Zhe from his position.\" Ma released a post shortly after, implying it was Wang who had abandoned their family. She also threatened to sue Wang for damaging her reputation, insisting that he delete his post. Wang has sought custody of their two children, and child support payments from his wife until they are 18, according to Chinese reports." } ], "id": "10044_0", "question": "How many people are talking about it?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2307, "answer_start": 1854, "text": "Chinese netizens seem to have rallied around Wang, with topics like #WangDontCry #WangWeSupportYou, quickly trending after news of the divorce spread. Statistics by Weibo showed that 47% of netizens' posts condemned Ma for her affair, saying it had shattered her family. Some have even published her home address online. \"Wang is a hardworking man from a rural area. She cheated an honest man. I hate these kinds of people,\" said one commenter on weibo." } ], "id": "10044_1", "question": "What exactly are they saying?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4648, "answer_start": 3091, "text": "No other celebrity divorce or marriage has ever caused such a big stir on Chinese social media. On the surface, this might seem like just another Chinese celebrity split. But what is it about this one that's got all of China ruffled up? Some people feel that this divorce seems to fit a certain trope - of a beautiful but ordinary girl marrying a rich but less good-looking man. It is not uncommon to hear the belief that a couple has to \"match\" at every level - be it in status, or physical appearance - for a relationship to work out. An ancient Chinese classical novel even warned against unmatched marriages. In the novel Water Margin, Pan Jinlian, a beautiful money-loving wife, cheats on her husband Wu Dalang, who is relatively more unattractive. She eventually kills him. \"The concept of being evenly matched is still one that is widely believed in China,\" Dr Mu Zheng, Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology at the National University of Singapore told the BBC's Yvette Tan. \"However, there is also the convention for women to 'marry up' to more socioeconomically established men.\" Wang and Ma's split has many people wondering if uneven matches are unlikely to succeed. \"If we look at this story, it seems like an ordinary girl marrying up to a famous and rich husband, which to a large extent is true. But if we look more closely, the husband in this case comes from a rural family, he did not have much education and his physical appearance is not very attractive. So to the husband, the wife is like a realised dream for him,\" Dr Mu says." } ], "id": "10044_2", "question": "But why are they so interested?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "A man is challenging his conviction for raping a woman who willingly slept with him after he falsely claimed to have had a vasectomy. How can someone be guilty of rape if their partner has agreed to sex, and what implications does the case have? \"I have a confession. I'm still fertile. Sorry xxx\" Sally - not her real name - was distraught as she read the text message from Jason Lawrance, a man she had met through a dating website. \"Are you serious?\" she texted back. \"You utter bastard. Why the hell would you do that to me?\" Before Sally had sex with Lawrance he told her he'd had \"the snip\" and she consented to having sex without a condom, but would never have done so if she had known Lawrance was fertile. She also had no idea he was a serial rapist. Then 42 and already a mother, Sally did not want another child. She took the morning after pill but became pregnant, then went through the ordeal of having an abortion. Lawrance, previously of Leicestershire, went on to be convicted of raping Sally twice - because they'd had sex two times - in a case with no known precedent in the UK. \"Section 74 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 says a person consents if he or she agrees by choice and has the freedom and capacity to make that choice,\" said Sue Matthews, the senior crown prosecutor who put the case together. \"By lying about the vasectomy he deprived that particular victim of making an informed choice.\" \"If these convictions are upheld on appeal, the concern is that members of the public, both male and female, who have never been considered criminals in the eyes of the law will be at risk of prosecution for serious sexual offences,\" said Lawrance's solicitor Shaun Draycott. Lawrance is far from alone in deceiving a sexual partner to get sex. So could others who do this now face prosecution? Kelly Davis, an associate professor at Arizona State University, has surveyed men and women aged 21-30 about \"condom use resistance\", meaning the tactics employed to avoid using condoms when the other partner wants to. Out of the 313 men participating, 23.4% admitted to having used \"deception\" at least once since the age of 14. The most common tactic was lying about planning to withdraw before ejaculation but not actually intending to (19.9%), followed by lying about having been tested for STIs and being STI-free (9.6%). Dr Davis and her fellow researchers also did focus groups with young men. \"The place that these men drew the line was anything involving physical force,\" she said. \"Anything up to that line is just part of the game, because that was how some of the young men in this group viewed it.\" Of the 530 women surveyed, 6.6% admitted to having used deception at least once since the age of 14, with the most common tactic being pretending to be on birth control. Dr Davis and her colleagues also researched the practice of \"stealthing\", which means agreeing to use a condom then surreptitiously removing it before or during sex. Again, the men surveyed were aged 21-30. Almost 10% of the 626 participating admitted having engaged in stealthing at least once since the age of 14. \"I was shocked that it was almost 10% that reported doing this, and at an average of over three times,\" Dr Davis said. \"So they are not just doing it once - well some are - but many of them are doing it multiple times. It's disturbing.\" Twelve per cent of the women surveyed reported knowing that stealthing had happened to them, although some might never have realised it had happened. Many people would not consider stealthing to be rape, but Sandra Paul, a solicitor who specialises in cases of sexual misconduct, believes it is under UK law. The issue was considered by judges as part of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange's extradition case, and their judgment said sex without a condom would be a sexual offence in the UK if the other partner had only agreed on the condition a condom was used. Katie Russell, national spokesperson for Rape Crisis, believes that lying about the intention to withdraw before ejaculation falls under the legal definition of rape. \"That's an example of someone having agreed to sex with conditions, and the other party having reneged on those agreed conditions,\" she said. Ms Paul said a such a case has already been considered by a UK court, and it involved a husband and wife. \"She didn't want to have any further children and agreed to have sex provided he withdrew before he ejaculated,\" said Ms Paul. \"He seemingly agreed to that but there was sufficient evidence to show he had no intention to withdraw.\" The CPS decided not to prosecute the husband for rape, so the wife applied for a judicial review of the decision. \"The Admin Court made it quite clear that in their view there was good reason for the CPS to consider charging; what happened was capable of amounting to an offence in that her consent had been negated by his never intending to withdraw,\" said Ms Paul. \"It was sent back to the CPS for them to review their decision based on what the court had said.\" The BBC asked the CPS whether the husband was ever prosecuted but it could not provide the information. Ms Paul thinks lying about having had an STI test is more of a grey area. \"It's difficult,\" she said. \"I think that, probably, if we were taking baby incremental steps from the decision that's been made about Lawrance, as we must do in the absence of legislation, then potentially.\" There have already been several prosecutions of men who infected partners with HIV, with Daryll Rowe, Antonio Reyes-Minana and Aaron Sutcliffe being three recent examples. However, they were charged with causing grievous bodily harm, rather than sexual offences. Lawrance's defence barrister David Emanuel QC compared his client's lie about the vasectomy to a woman lying about being on the contraceptive pill. He argued that if Lawrance were convicted of rape for lying about being infertile, then a woman could arguably be convicted of a sexual offence for a similar act of deceit. Under current law in England and Wales, a woman cannot be prosecuted for raping a man because rape is defined under the Sexual Offences Act 2003 as an offence of penetration committed with a penis. Legislation in Scotland and Northern Ireland also specifies that rape is committed with a penis. Ms Russell has a problem with the vasectomy and contraceptive pill comparison. \"With issues around contraception and pregnancy, it's the woman whose body and life and health is affected by that kind of lie,\" she said. \"That is not in any way comparing like for like, because it's a woman who has to deal with the consequences of pregnancy and termination, and, in the example given, the impacts on the man are not of a comparable kind.\" But Ms Paul is not so sure. \"The issue is the extent to which the lie vitiates (negates) consent,\" she said. \"If a man finds himself a father of a child under these circumstances, there are all sorts of consequences that flow from that. \"It might be argued there is a double standard. In so many walks of life we [women] have achieved equality and demand to be treated with the same level of respect as men. Where the lie deemed to create criminal liability is exactly the same, I think it is problematic to carve out areas where we are protected solely because we are women.\" There have been several prosecutions where women have impersonated men in order to have sexual encounters with other women, or where trans men have not disclosed their assigned gender to female partners. Notable cases include Gayle Newland, Justine McNally and Kyran Lee. Many such cases involve the use of a dildo and, since rape is an offence of penetration committed with a penis, the charge brought is one of sexual assault or assault by penetration. In the case of McNally, who presented as a teenage boy throughout a relationship with a teenage girl, the Court of Appeal determined that \"deception as to gender can vitiate consent\". However, cases like these, sometimes called \"gender fraud\", have raised questions about the rights of people with gender dysphoria, and whether or not transgender people should have to disclose their assigned sex to partners. Barrister and law professor Alex Sharpe, who has been involved in transgender law reform and activism for over 20 years, is among those with concerns. \"Most of the people prosecuted on the basis of sexual fraud appear to be gender non-conforming, so there's an issue of the singling out of particular kinds of people or transgression for prosecution,\" she said. Prof Sharpe believes a trans man is not deceiving a female partner if he presents himself as a man, because he is a man. People tell all sorts of lies in order to have a sexual relationship, such as lying about their age, pretending to be single when they are married, or claiming to be more wealthy than they really are. However, cases like these have not ended up in court, so jurors have not been asked to consider whether or not such lies negate consent. Several women have had sexual relationships with undercover police officers embedded in activist groups. One of these women argued this amounted to \"a team of officers conspiring to rape\", because the officers knew there was no informed consent. Police have given some of the women compensation, however the CPS declined to bring charges against any of the officers, saying that \"any deceptions in the circumstances of this case were not such as to vitiate consent\". Ms Paul believes more guidance is needed about the extent to which lies negate consent - and this will hopefully come in the form of a judgment from the Court of Appeal now the Lawrance convictions are being challenged. \"Ultimately it may well be that legislation is required,\" she said. \"Failing to wear a condom when you said you would, I think clearly on the face of the legislation as it stands, is problematic but an adult lying about their age in most circumstances probably isn't. \"In the absence of specific legislation, who makes the rules about what's in between, and how are juries to navigate these decisions?\" Have you been \"stealthed\" or has a partner used deceptive tactics in order to have sex with you? Have you used deceptive tactics yourself? Tell us about your experiences by emailing [email protected]", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3910, "answer_start": 1814, "text": "Kelly Davis, an associate professor at Arizona State University, has surveyed men and women aged 21-30 about \"condom use resistance\", meaning the tactics employed to avoid using condoms when the other partner wants to. Out of the 313 men participating, 23.4% admitted to having used \"deception\" at least once since the age of 14. The most common tactic was lying about planning to withdraw before ejaculation but not actually intending to (19.9%), followed by lying about having been tested for STIs and being STI-free (9.6%). Dr Davis and her fellow researchers also did focus groups with young men. \"The place that these men drew the line was anything involving physical force,\" she said. \"Anything up to that line is just part of the game, because that was how some of the young men in this group viewed it.\" Of the 530 women surveyed, 6.6% admitted to having used deception at least once since the age of 14, with the most common tactic being pretending to be on birth control. Dr Davis and her colleagues also researched the practice of \"stealthing\", which means agreeing to use a condom then surreptitiously removing it before or during sex. Again, the men surveyed were aged 21-30. Almost 10% of the 626 participating admitted having engaged in stealthing at least once since the age of 14. \"I was shocked that it was almost 10% that reported doing this, and at an average of over three times,\" Dr Davis said. \"So they are not just doing it once - well some are - but many of them are doing it multiple times. It's disturbing.\" Twelve per cent of the women surveyed reported knowing that stealthing had happened to them, although some might never have realised it had happened. Many people would not consider stealthing to be rape, but Sandra Paul, a solicitor who specialises in cases of sexual misconduct, believes it is under UK law. The issue was considered by judges as part of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange's extradition case, and their judgment said sex without a condom would be a sexual offence in the UK if the other partner had only agreed on the condition a condom was used." } ], "id": "10045_0", "question": "Could removing a condom count as rape?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5126, "answer_start": 3911, "text": "Katie Russell, national spokesperson for Rape Crisis, believes that lying about the intention to withdraw before ejaculation falls under the legal definition of rape. \"That's an example of someone having agreed to sex with conditions, and the other party having reneged on those agreed conditions,\" she said. Ms Paul said a such a case has already been considered by a UK court, and it involved a husband and wife. \"She didn't want to have any further children and agreed to have sex provided he withdrew before he ejaculated,\" said Ms Paul. \"He seemingly agreed to that but there was sufficient evidence to show he had no intention to withdraw.\" The CPS decided not to prosecute the husband for rape, so the wife applied for a judicial review of the decision. \"The Admin Court made it quite clear that in their view there was good reason for the CPS to consider charging; what happened was capable of amounting to an offence in that her consent had been negated by his never intending to withdraw,\" said Ms Paul. \"It was sent back to the CPS for them to review their decision based on what the court had said.\" The BBC asked the CPS whether the husband was ever prosecuted but it could not provide the information." } ], "id": "10045_1", "question": "What if a man doesn't withdraw?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5672, "answer_start": 5127, "text": "Ms Paul thinks lying about having had an STI test is more of a grey area. \"It's difficult,\" she said. \"I think that, probably, if we were taking baby incremental steps from the decision that's been made about Lawrance, as we must do in the absence of legislation, then potentially.\" There have already been several prosecutions of men who infected partners with HIV, with Daryll Rowe, Antonio Reyes-Minana and Aaron Sutcliffe being three recent examples. However, they were charged with causing grievous bodily harm, rather than sexual offences." } ], "id": "10045_2", "question": "Could lying about an STI test count as rape?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 7302, "answer_start": 5673, "text": "Lawrance's defence barrister David Emanuel QC compared his client's lie about the vasectomy to a woman lying about being on the contraceptive pill. He argued that if Lawrance were convicted of rape for lying about being infertile, then a woman could arguably be convicted of a sexual offence for a similar act of deceit. Under current law in England and Wales, a woman cannot be prosecuted for raping a man because rape is defined under the Sexual Offences Act 2003 as an offence of penetration committed with a penis. Legislation in Scotland and Northern Ireland also specifies that rape is committed with a penis. Ms Russell has a problem with the vasectomy and contraceptive pill comparison. \"With issues around contraception and pregnancy, it's the woman whose body and life and health is affected by that kind of lie,\" she said. \"That is not in any way comparing like for like, because it's a woman who has to deal with the consequences of pregnancy and termination, and, in the example given, the impacts on the man are not of a comparable kind.\" But Ms Paul is not so sure. \"The issue is the extent to which the lie vitiates (negates) consent,\" she said. \"If a man finds himself a father of a child under these circumstances, there are all sorts of consequences that flow from that. \"It might be argued there is a double standard. In so many walks of life we [women] have achieved equality and demand to be treated with the same level of respect as men. Where the lie deemed to create criminal liability is exactly the same, I think it is problematic to carve out areas where we are protected solely because we are women.\"" } ], "id": "10045_3", "question": "What if a woman lies about being on the pill?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 8650, "answer_start": 7303, "text": "There have been several prosecutions where women have impersonated men in order to have sexual encounters with other women, or where trans men have not disclosed their assigned gender to female partners. Notable cases include Gayle Newland, Justine McNally and Kyran Lee. Many such cases involve the use of a dildo and, since rape is an offence of penetration committed with a penis, the charge brought is one of sexual assault or assault by penetration. In the case of McNally, who presented as a teenage boy throughout a relationship with a teenage girl, the Court of Appeal determined that \"deception as to gender can vitiate consent\". However, cases like these, sometimes called \"gender fraud\", have raised questions about the rights of people with gender dysphoria, and whether or not transgender people should have to disclose their assigned sex to partners. Barrister and law professor Alex Sharpe, who has been involved in transgender law reform and activism for over 20 years, is among those with concerns. \"Most of the people prosecuted on the basis of sexual fraud appear to be gender non-conforming, so there's an issue of the singling out of particular kinds of people or transgression for prosecution,\" she said. Prof Sharpe believes a trans man is not deceiving a female partner if he presents himself as a man, because he is a man." } ], "id": "10045_4", "question": "What if someone lies about their gender?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 10078, "answer_start": 8651, "text": "People tell all sorts of lies in order to have a sexual relationship, such as lying about their age, pretending to be single when they are married, or claiming to be more wealthy than they really are. However, cases like these have not ended up in court, so jurors have not been asked to consider whether or not such lies negate consent. Several women have had sexual relationships with undercover police officers embedded in activist groups. One of these women argued this amounted to \"a team of officers conspiring to rape\", because the officers knew there was no informed consent. Police have given some of the women compensation, however the CPS declined to bring charges against any of the officers, saying that \"any deceptions in the circumstances of this case were not such as to vitiate consent\". Ms Paul believes more guidance is needed about the extent to which lies negate consent - and this will hopefully come in the form of a judgment from the Court of Appeal now the Lawrance convictions are being challenged. \"Ultimately it may well be that legislation is required,\" she said. \"Failing to wear a condom when you said you would, I think clearly on the face of the legislation as it stands, is problematic but an adult lying about their age in most circumstances probably isn't. \"In the absence of specific legislation, who makes the rules about what's in between, and how are juries to navigate these decisions?\"" } ], "id": "10045_5", "question": "What about other lies?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The NHS \"must learn\" from Friday's cyber-attack and upgrade its IT systems, the home secretary has said. Amber Rudd told the BBC the services of 45 NHS organisations in England and Scotland had been disrupted amid a global attack that affected organisations across the world. She stressed there was no evidence patient data had been compromised. The head of the UK's cyber-security agency said experts were \"working round the clock\" to restore NHS systems. Ciaran Martin, who leads the National Cyber Security Centre - part of GCHQ - said it was doing \"everything in our power\" to get \"vital services\" back up and running. He said that the anonymous nature of cyber-crimes means it will take time to understand how, and by whom, it was done. The government emergency Cobra committee is meeting this afternoon to discuss the attack. Tens of thousands of computers were injected worldwide in 99 countries on Friday, in what Europol described as an \"unprecedented\" attack. The Nissan car plant in Sunderland was among global firms targeted, but the firm said there had been no major impact on its business at its site on Wearside. French car maker Renault and telecoms giant Telefonica, which owns the O2 network, were also affected. The attack on the NHS has left some hospitals and GPs unable to access patient data, after their computers were locked by a ransomware program demanding a payment worth PS230. Hospitals across the UK are cancelling operations and ambulances have been diverted from hospitals in some areas. Experts say one potential security issue is that many organisations still use out of date operating systems such as Windows XP. Data obtained by software firm Citrix under Freedom of Information rules in December suggested this was the case in up to 90% of NHS trusts, but NHS Digital says it is a \"much smaller number\". Ms Rudd accepted Windows XP was \"not a good platform\" for keeping data secure. She told Sky News that the health secretary Jeremy Hunt had already instructed NHS trusts not to use the 2001 operating system. \"I would expect NHS trusts to learn from this and to make sure that they do upgrade,\" she said. Shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth added that he had written to Mr Hunt, saying the public had a right to know exactly what the government would do to ensure such an attack was \"never repeated again\". Responding, Ms Rudd said the government had doubled spending on cyber-security to PS1.9bn between 2016 and 2021. Brian Lord, the former director for intelligence and cyber operations at GCHQ, told BBC's Newsnight that the NHS was particularly vulnerable to such attacks because of its ageing IT systems and \"complex interconnectivity\". In response to the global attack, Microsoft said it had rolled out a free security update to Windows XP, Windows 8, and Windows Server 2003 \"to protect their customers\". NHS England said patients needing emergency treatment on Saturday should go to A&E or access emergency services as they normally would. But some trusts have asked people not to attend unless it is urgent. London's Barts Health NHS Trust, the largest trust in the country, cancelled all outpatient appointments at its five hospitals on Saturday. The NHS in Wales and Northern Ireland has not been affected. Ms Rudd told BBC Breakfast she could not confirm all NHS files had been backed up. \"I hope the answer is yes - those are the instructions that everybody has received in the past. \"We will find out over the next few days if there are any holes in that.\" She added: \"There may be lessons to learn from this but the most important thing now is to disrupt the attack.\" Ron Grimshaw, 80, was halfway through an MRI scan to test for prostate cancer at Lister Hospital in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, when staff became aware of the attack. I got there at 11am, went through the usual formalities. Got my gown on, they put a feed into my wrist to send dye around my blood stream. I was put in the scanner for ten minutes and then I was pulled out again. The nurses were saying something about a cyber-attack meaning their systems were down. They weren't sure when it was going to start again so I waited for a bit. But it never happened and I went home. I was meant to have a chest X-ray as well and that was cancelled.\" I gave them my mobile number and they said they'd ring me back telling me when to come in. You've got to sympathise with the nurses as they will have to work extra hours. It was unbelievable you don't expect to go to hospital in the middle of a cyber-attack. Damn nuisance. By Chris Foxx, technology reporter Many jobs can be done using software everyone can buy, but some businesses need programs that perform very specific jobs - so they build their own. For example. a broadcaster might need specialist software to track satellite feeds coming into a newsroom or a hospital might need custom-built tools to analyse X-ray images. Developing niche software can be very expensive: programming, testing, maintenance and continued development all adds up. Then along comes a new version of Windows, and the software isn't compatible. Companies face the cost of upgrading computers and operating system licences, as well as rebuilding their software from scratch. So, some choose to keep running the old version of Windows instead. In some businesses, that's not a huge risk, but in a hospital the stakes are higher. The ransomware used in the attack is called WannaCry and attacks Windows operating systems. It encrypts files on a user's computer, blocking them from view, before demanding money, via an on-screen message, to access them again. The virus is usually covertly installed on to computers by hiding within emails containing links, which users are tricked into opening. Some experts say the attackers used a weakness in Microsoft systems which is known to the US National Security Agency as \"EternalBlue\". A cybersecurity researcher tweeting as @malwaretechblog has claimed to have found a way to slow down the spread of the virus after registering a domain name hidden in the malware. They said that the malware makes a request to a domain name, but if it is live the malware stops spreading. A security update - or patch - was released by Microsoft in March to protect against the virus, but it appears many organisations have not applied the patch - or may still be using outdated systems like Windows XP. Get news from the BBC in your inbox, each weekday morning", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3629, "answer_start": 2859, "text": "NHS England said patients needing emergency treatment on Saturday should go to A&E or access emergency services as they normally would. But some trusts have asked people not to attend unless it is urgent. London's Barts Health NHS Trust, the largest trust in the country, cancelled all outpatient appointments at its five hospitals on Saturday. The NHS in Wales and Northern Ireland has not been affected. Ms Rudd told BBC Breakfast she could not confirm all NHS files had been backed up. \"I hope the answer is yes - those are the instructions that everybody has received in the past. \"We will find out over the next few days if there are any holes in that.\" She added: \"There may be lessons to learn from this but the most important thing now is to disrupt the attack.\"" } ], "id": "10046_0", "question": "How are patients affected?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5390, "answer_start": 4549, "text": "By Chris Foxx, technology reporter Many jobs can be done using software everyone can buy, but some businesses need programs that perform very specific jobs - so they build their own. For example. a broadcaster might need specialist software to track satellite feeds coming into a newsroom or a hospital might need custom-built tools to analyse X-ray images. Developing niche software can be very expensive: programming, testing, maintenance and continued development all adds up. Then along comes a new version of Windows, and the software isn't compatible. Companies face the cost of upgrading computers and operating system licences, as well as rebuilding their software from scratch. So, some choose to keep running the old version of Windows instead. In some businesses, that's not a huge risk, but in a hospital the stakes are higher." } ], "id": "10046_1", "question": "Analysis: Why do companies still use Windows XP?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Almost 600 plant species have been lost from the wild in the last 250 years, according to a comprehensive study. The number is based on actual extinctions rather than estimates, and is twice that of all bird, mammal and amphibian extinctions combined. Scientists say plant extinction is occurring up to 500 times faster than what would be expected naturally. In May, a UN report estimated that one million animal and plant species were threatened with extinction. Researchers say their analysis of all documented plant extinctions in the world shows what lessons can be learned to stop future extinctions. Most people can name a mammal or bird that has become extinct in recent centuries, but few could name an extinct plant, said Dr Aelys Humphreys of Stockholm University. \"This study is the first time we have an overview of what plants have already become extinct, where they have disappeared from and how quickly this is happening,\" she added. The lost plants include the Chile sandalwood, which was exploited for essential oils, the banded trinity plant, which spent much of its life underground, and the pink-flowered St Helena olive tree. The biggest losses are on islands and in the tropics, which are home to highly valued timber trees and tend to be particularly rich in plant diversity. Scientists at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and Stockholm University found that 571 plant species had disappeared in the last two and a half centuries, a number that is more than twice the number of birds, mammals and amphibians recorded as extinct (a combined total of 217 species). This data suggests plant extinction is happening as much as 500 times faster than what would be expected normally, if humans weren't around. The researchers believe even these numbers underestimate the true levels of ongoing plant extinction. One positive, though, was evidence that some plants once thought extinct have been rediscovered, such as the Chilean crocus. All life on Earth depends on plants, which provide the oxygen we breathe and the food we eat. Plant extinctions can lead to a whole cascade of extinctions in other organisms that rely on them, for instance insects that use plants for food and for laying their eggs. Plant extinction is bad news for all species, said Dr Eimear Nic Lughadha, co-researcher and conservation scientist at Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. \"Millions of other species depend on plants for their survival, humans included, so knowing which plants we are losing and from where, will feed back into conservation programmes targeting other organisms as well,\" she explained. The researchers are calling for a number of measures to stop plant extinction: - Record all the plants across the world - Support herbaria, which preserve plant specimens for posterity - Support botanists who carry out vital research - Teach our children to see and recognise local plants. Dr Rob Salguero-Gomez, of the University of Oxford, who was not part of the study, said understanding the how, where, and why of plant loss was of paramount importance, not only for ecologists but also for human societies. \"We depend on plants directly for food, shade and construction materials, and indirectly for 'ecosystem services' such as carbon fixation, oxygen creation, and even improvement in human mental health through enjoying green spaces,\" he commented. The research is published in the journal, Nature Ecology and Evolution. Follow Helen on Twitter.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1952, "answer_start": 1299, "text": "Scientists at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and Stockholm University found that 571 plant species had disappeared in the last two and a half centuries, a number that is more than twice the number of birds, mammals and amphibians recorded as extinct (a combined total of 217 species). This data suggests plant extinction is happening as much as 500 times faster than what would be expected normally, if humans weren't around. The researchers believe even these numbers underestimate the true levels of ongoing plant extinction. One positive, though, was evidence that some plants once thought extinct have been rediscovered, such as the Chilean crocus." } ], "id": "10047_0", "question": "What did the study find?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2595, "answer_start": 1953, "text": "All life on Earth depends on plants, which provide the oxygen we breathe and the food we eat. Plant extinctions can lead to a whole cascade of extinctions in other organisms that rely on them, for instance insects that use plants for food and for laying their eggs. Plant extinction is bad news for all species, said Dr Eimear Nic Lughadha, co-researcher and conservation scientist at Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. \"Millions of other species depend on plants for their survival, humans included, so knowing which plants we are losing and from where, will feed back into conservation programmes targeting other organisms as well,\" she explained." } ], "id": "10047_1", "question": "Why does plant extinction matter?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3451, "answer_start": 2596, "text": "The researchers are calling for a number of measures to stop plant extinction: - Record all the plants across the world - Support herbaria, which preserve plant specimens for posterity - Support botanists who carry out vital research - Teach our children to see and recognise local plants. Dr Rob Salguero-Gomez, of the University of Oxford, who was not part of the study, said understanding the how, where, and why of plant loss was of paramount importance, not only for ecologists but also for human societies. \"We depend on plants directly for food, shade and construction materials, and indirectly for 'ecosystem services' such as carbon fixation, oxygen creation, and even improvement in human mental health through enjoying green spaces,\" he commented. The research is published in the journal, Nature Ecology and Evolution. Follow Helen on Twitter." } ], "id": "10047_2", "question": "What lessons can we learn?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The US has imposed sanctions on 19 Russians, accusing them of interference in the 2016 US election and alleged cyber-attacks. They include 13 individuals charged last month by Justice Department Special Counsel Robert Mueller. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin accused the Russians of \"destructive cyber-attacks, and intrusions targeting critical infrastructure\". He said the sanctions would target \"ongoing nefarious attacks\" by Russia. The measures are being described in Washington as the strongest action taken by the Trump administration thus far against Moscow. Russia says it has already begun drawing up counter-measures. Five entities including the Russian military intelligence agency GRU are targeted in Thursday's sanctions. Also blacklisted is the St Petersburg-based Internet Research Agency, which is accused of engineering an online disinformation campaign to sway the 2016 US presidential election. Yevgeny Prigozhin - an oligarch who allegedly ran the agency and is known as \"Putin's chef\" - and 12 of the agency's staff are also hit by the sanctions. All 13 were charged in a February indictment by US special counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating allegations that Russia meddled in the US vote to help Donald Trump win. Under the US sanctions, the Russian Federal Security Service, or FSB, and six of its employees are subjected to penalties for cyber-attacks. The US treasury secretary said there would be additional sanctions to hold Russian \"officials and oligarchs accountable for their destabilising activities\". He did not specify when these penalties would be imposed, but stated they would sever the individuals' access to the US financial system. \"The IRA [Internet Research Agency] created and managed a vast number of fake online personas that posed as legitimate US persons to include grassroots organisations, interest groups, and a state political party on social media,\" the Treasury Department statement said on Thursday. \"Through this activity, the IRA posted thousands of ads that reached millions of people online.\" The penalties freeze any assets the individuals and entities may have in the US and prohibits American citizens from conducting business with them. The Trump administration also accused Russia on Thursday of an ongoing operation to hack and spy on the US power utilities. US officials say the Russians hacked computer systems to conduct \"network reconnaissance\" of systems that run the American electricity grid and other industrial infrastructure. Analysis by Anthony Zurcher, BBC News, Washington More than 16 months after the 2016 presidential election, more than a year after the US intelligence community concluded the US had been targeted by Russian hackers and influencers and 45 days after the congressionally mandated deadline to impose punitive sanctions on Russia, the Trump administration has acted. Interestingly enough, the list of individuals and groups identified by Department of Treasury for punishment appears to have relied on the efforts of Robert Mueller's independent investigation into Russia's election meddling and possible ties to the Trump campaign - an inquiry the president has called a baseless \"witch hunt\". The statement from Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin referenced Russia's \"ongoing nefarious attacks\". That was in sharp contrast to Mr Trump's White House comments on Thursday in response to a question about Russian activities, saying the UK nerve agent attack \"looks like the Russians are behind it\" and that he takes it \"very seriously\" - while declining to discuss the new sanctions at all. The US has condemned the poison attack, but it has yet to follow the UK's lead and take direct action against the Russian government in response. Unlike the election-meddling charges, the US may have to move more quickly in this case. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Moscow was calm about the new sanctions, according to Interfax news agency. Mr Ryabkov said Moscow had already begun drawing up retaliatory measures. Meanwhile Mr Prigozhin said he was unconcerned by the sanctions on him because he did not have any business interests linked to the US, Russian media reported. \"I have been sanctioned maybe three or four times - I'm tired of counting, I can't remember. I don't have any business in the United States or with Americans. I'm not worried by this. Except that now I will stop going to McDonald's,\" he was quoted as saying by RIA news agency.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1682, "answer_start": 630, "text": "Five entities including the Russian military intelligence agency GRU are targeted in Thursday's sanctions. Also blacklisted is the St Petersburg-based Internet Research Agency, which is accused of engineering an online disinformation campaign to sway the 2016 US presidential election. Yevgeny Prigozhin - an oligarch who allegedly ran the agency and is known as \"Putin's chef\" - and 12 of the agency's staff are also hit by the sanctions. All 13 were charged in a February indictment by US special counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating allegations that Russia meddled in the US vote to help Donald Trump win. Under the US sanctions, the Russian Federal Security Service, or FSB, and six of its employees are subjected to penalties for cyber-attacks. The US treasury secretary said there would be additional sanctions to hold Russian \"officials and oligarchs accountable for their destabilising activities\". He did not specify when these penalties would be imposed, but stated they would sever the individuals' access to the US financial system." } ], "id": "10048_0", "question": "Who's been targeted?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2510, "answer_start": 1683, "text": "\"The IRA [Internet Research Agency] created and managed a vast number of fake online personas that posed as legitimate US persons to include grassroots organisations, interest groups, and a state political party on social media,\" the Treasury Department statement said on Thursday. \"Through this activity, the IRA posted thousands of ads that reached millions of people online.\" The penalties freeze any assets the individuals and entities may have in the US and prohibits American citizens from conducting business with them. The Trump administration also accused Russia on Thursday of an ongoing operation to hack and spy on the US power utilities. US officials say the Russians hacked computer systems to conduct \"network reconnaissance\" of systems that run the American electricity grid and other industrial infrastructure." } ], "id": "10048_1", "question": "What are they accused of?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4469, "answer_start": 3830, "text": "Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Moscow was calm about the new sanctions, according to Interfax news agency. Mr Ryabkov said Moscow had already begun drawing up retaliatory measures. Meanwhile Mr Prigozhin said he was unconcerned by the sanctions on him because he did not have any business interests linked to the US, Russian media reported. \"I have been sanctioned maybe three or four times - I'm tired of counting, I can't remember. I don't have any business in the United States or with Americans. I'm not worried by this. Except that now I will stop going to McDonald's,\" he was quoted as saying by RIA news agency." } ], "id": "10048_2", "question": "What does Russia say?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Meet the men and women who have been given the job of persuading Britain to leave the European Union in 23 June's referendum. It is the organisation that has been chosen by the Electoral Commission to take the lead in making the case for Britain to leave the European Union. Although most of the big names at the head of the campaign are all Conservatives it has prominent Labour, Lib Dem and UKIP figures too, as well as business people. Dozens of other organisations - including UKIP and leave.EU - have also been making their views known. But only Vote Leave has been given PS600,000 in public funds - to pay for a free mailshot to every household in the UK and to put on TV broadcasts - and only Vote Leave is allowed to spend up to PS7m of money it has raised. Other anti-EU groups have been restricted to spending PS700,000, and there are quite a lot of them (there are about 14 groups under the Grassroots Out banner alone). Vote Leave has played a crucial role in shaping the referendum debate. It has aimed to win over wavering voters in the centre ground by arguing that Britain can take back control of its own destiny and that leaving the EU will free up money to spend on the NHS and other public services. Its opponents have accused it of failing to make a convincing economic case for Brexit and falling back on arguments over immigration. It has set out plans for a Australian-style migration points system to curb EU migration - an approach long endorsed by UKIP. It is a Westminster-based group but it has a network of grassroots supporters and has a growing list of affiliated groups, including Veterans for Britain, Muslims for Britain, Aussies for Britain, Out and Proud (an LBGT group), and even Vapers for Britain, who are campaigning against EU regulation of e-cigarettes. City millionaire and Conservative donor Peter Cruddas, Stuart Wheeler, a Conservative-turned-UKIP donor and businessman Patrick Barbour are among those to have put money into Vote Leave. Other backers include former Conservative treasurer and Dixons boss Lord Kalms, Christopher Foyle, the chairman of Foyles bookshop, Joe Foster, the founder of Reebok, and John Caudwell, a philanthropist and co-founder of Phones4U, are among its other business backers. The rival Leave.EU campaign has received a single PS3.2m donation from stockbroker Peter Hargreaves while Grassroots Out, which is affiliated to Leave.EU, was given PS1.95m by Better for the Country, a company with links to Leave.EU founder Arron Banks. This is the group that has met every day during the campaign to plot strategy and decide on the messages to put out to the media. Michael Gove - Conservative cabinet minister As one of the cabinet's big hitters and a close friend of the prime minister, Gove was a crucial signing for Vote Leave. A longstanding opponent of Britain's membership of the EU, who kept his views to himself until the referendum date was announced, the justice secretary is the joint head of the Vote Leave campaign. He has spoken of how his views on the EU were shaped by the collapse of his father's fishing business in the 1970s, for which his family blame the EU's Commons Fisheries Policy. He represented Leave in the Sky EU referendum special and will appear on the BBC's Question Time special. Gisela Stuart - Labour MP One of a small group of Labour MPs opposed to Britain's membership of the EU, the German-born Stuart replaced former Conservative chancellor Lord Lawson as co-chair Vote Leave, as the group sought to prove it had cross-party support. A widely-respected figure in the Commons, she has been MP for Birmingham Edgbaston since 1997 and was one of the British MPs delegated to help draw up an EU constitution, an experience that helped convince her Britain should leave. She has spent much of the campaign touring the UK with Boris Johnson in Vote Leave's battle bus. Boris Johnson - London mayor and Conservative MP Johnson's decision to join the Vote Leave cause was seen as a potential game changer by the group's leaders. He has ruled out a head-to-head TV debate with David Cameron, the man he one day hopes to replace as Conservative leader, but he has spent much of the campaign on the road pressing the flesh and denouncing Remain arguments in his trademark \"unpolished\" style. During an ITV debate, he was accused by ministerial colleague Amber Rudd of putting personal ambition ahead of principle - leading to speculation he was being targeted by the Remain camp. Matthew Elliot - chief executive The bespectacled 38-year-old is seen as one of the most effective lobbyists at Westminster. Best known as the founder of the pressure group The Taxpayers Alliance, he also ran the successful 'No2AV' campaign in the referendum on reform of the voting system in 2011. He is assisted by Stephen Parkinson who left his job as one of Theresa May's special advisors to join the campaign. Dominic Cummings - campaign director Cummings cut his campaigning teeth in his native North-East, as part of the successful campaign against a regional assembly, in a 2004 referendum. His blunt, uncompromising style has put noses out of joint in the past, particularly during his spell as a special adviser to Michael Gove when he was education secretary, but he is seen by supporters as a clever, original thinker. John Longworth - businessman Although a number of high-profile business figures - including James Dyson and Sir Anthony Bamford - have backed Brexit, they have been outnumbered by those seeking a Remain vote. Mr Longworth, who left his job as British Chambers of Commerce chief executive over his EU views, has been deployed to counter their arguments and make the case for why UK firms will thrive outside the single market. Former Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith, who resigned from the cabinet in March, has been the most vociferous Conservative grandee backing Brexit - accusing the government of abusing its position and scaremongering. Cabinet Ministers John Whittingdale, Theresa Villiers and Chris Grayling - and Priti Patel who attends cabinet - have also been in the frontline while ministers Penny Mordaunt and Andrea Leadsom have made high-profile interventions. Former Conservative Chancellor Lord Lawson is on the board of Vote Leave, along with home shopping magnate and Labour donor John Mills. Former Labour foreign secretary and SDP founder Lord Owen is also playing a high profile role. UKIP spokeswoman Suzanne Evans - currently suspended from the party after a row - and former Lib Dem MP Paul Keetch have also figured, along with UKIP MP Douglas Carswell. The UKIP leader is the face of Euroscepticism in the UK and did as much as anybody to secure a referendum in the first place. He is a leading member of the Grassroots Out group, which lost out to Vote Leave in the battle to become the official Leave campaign - but that does not mean he has taken a back seat. The UKIP leader has been ferried around the country in his own battle bus and has taken on David Cameron in an ITV debate - although the two men did not appear on stage at the same time. Although he has shared a platform with some Conservative Brexiteers, relations with Vote Leave have remained frosty and he has accused them of trying to airbrush him out of the picture. He has welcomed what he claimed was Vote Leave's endorsement of UKIP's immigration policy.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 932, "answer_start": 126, "text": "It is the organisation that has been chosen by the Electoral Commission to take the lead in making the case for Britain to leave the European Union. Although most of the big names at the head of the campaign are all Conservatives it has prominent Labour, Lib Dem and UKIP figures too, as well as business people. Dozens of other organisations - including UKIP and leave.EU - have also been making their views known. But only Vote Leave has been given PS600,000 in public funds - to pay for a free mailshot to every household in the UK and to put on TV broadcasts - and only Vote Leave is allowed to spend up to PS7m of money it has raised. Other anti-EU groups have been restricted to spending PS700,000, and there are quite a lot of them (there are about 14 groups under the Grassroots Out banner alone)." } ], "id": "10049_0", "question": "What is Vote Leave?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1797, "answer_start": 933, "text": "Vote Leave has played a crucial role in shaping the referendum debate. It has aimed to win over wavering voters in the centre ground by arguing that Britain can take back control of its own destiny and that leaving the EU will free up money to spend on the NHS and other public services. Its opponents have accused it of failing to make a convincing economic case for Brexit and falling back on arguments over immigration. It has set out plans for a Australian-style migration points system to curb EU migration - an approach long endorsed by UKIP. It is a Westminster-based group but it has a network of grassroots supporters and has a growing list of affiliated groups, including Veterans for Britain, Muslims for Britain, Aussies for Britain, Out and Proud (an LBGT group), and even Vapers for Britain, who are campaigning against EU regulation of e-cigarettes." } ], "id": "10049_1", "question": "What does it do?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2507, "answer_start": 1798, "text": "City millionaire and Conservative donor Peter Cruddas, Stuart Wheeler, a Conservative-turned-UKIP donor and businessman Patrick Barbour are among those to have put money into Vote Leave. Other backers include former Conservative treasurer and Dixons boss Lord Kalms, Christopher Foyle, the chairman of Foyles bookshop, Joe Foster, the founder of Reebok, and John Caudwell, a philanthropist and co-founder of Phones4U, are among its other business backers. The rival Leave.EU campaign has received a single PS3.2m donation from stockbroker Peter Hargreaves while Grassroots Out, which is affiliated to Leave.EU, was given PS1.95m by Better for the Country, a company with links to Leave.EU founder Arron Banks." } ], "id": "10049_2", "question": "Who funds it?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 7376, "answer_start": 6603, "text": "The UKIP leader is the face of Euroscepticism in the UK and did as much as anybody to secure a referendum in the first place. He is a leading member of the Grassroots Out group, which lost out to Vote Leave in the battle to become the official Leave campaign - but that does not mean he has taken a back seat. The UKIP leader has been ferried around the country in his own battle bus and has taken on David Cameron in an ITV debate - although the two men did not appear on stage at the same time. Although he has shared a platform with some Conservative Brexiteers, relations with Vote Leave have remained frosty and he has accused them of trying to airbrush him out of the picture. He has welcomed what he claimed was Vote Leave's endorsement of UKIP's immigration policy." } ], "id": "10049_3", "question": "What about Nigel Farage?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The Argentine navy has insisted a missing submarine was in good condition and had passed system safety checks before setting off on a training mission 10 days ago. Some relatives of the 44 missing crew members had suggested the 34-year-old vessel was in a bad state of repair. The ARA San Juan last made contact with naval authorities on 15 November. Hopes of finding survivors are fading despite international search efforts involving several countries. \"We are at a stage of hope and hopelessness at the same time,\" navy spokesman Enrique Balbi said. \"We have to be guided by firm evidence. We are focused on detecting the submarine.\" Mr Balbi told a news conference that the submarine had its whole operating system checked two days before setting sail. \"The submarine doesn't sail if that's not done. If it set off... it was because it was in condition to do so,\" he said. Relatives gathered at the submarine's naval base on Saturday to take part in a religious ceremony and were joined by hundreds of supporters. Some have reportedly begun mourning their loved ones, fearing it is too late for them to be found alive. On Friday the country's president said an inquiry would be launched to find out the \"truth\" after a week of uncertainty and speculation. The submarine was returning from a routine mission to Ushuaia, near the southernmost tip of South America, when it reported an \"electrical breakdown\". A naval commander said the submarine had surfaced and reported the breakdown, described as a \"short circuit\" in its batteries. The navy said it then made further contact to say the problem had been fixed and the submarine would proceed toward its port. On Thursday, the authorities said an event consistent with an explosion had been detected by a nuclear test watchdog. The Vienna-based Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organisation (CTBTO) said an \"abnormal, singular, short, violent, non-nuclear event\" was recorded in the South Atlantic. The US also reported a \"hydro-acoustic anomaly\" hours after the submarine went missing, close to its last known location. The news dashed hopes among relatives, although no wreckage or debris has been found by the international search teams. On Saturday a military spokesman said the submarine was not carrying torpedoes on board, dismissing a theory there had been an accident with explosives it was carrying. On Saturday Russia joined the operation, deploying one of its largest aircraft on Friday night with specialist equipment on board. Its unmanned submersible, known as the Pantera Plus, can conduct sonar scans up to a depth of 1,000m (3,281ft). Russia also has a scientific exploration ship on the way from West Africa. The US Navy also deployed unmanned \"mini-sub\" vehicles to join the search. The UK, Brazil, Chile, Norway, Germany, Canada, France, Peru, Colombia and Uruguay are also helping to try to locate the vessel. There are 44 crew members on board, under the command of Pedro Martin Fernandez. Forty-three of the crew are men but there is also one woman, Eliana Maria Krawczyk. The 35-year-old is the first female officer in Argentina to serve on a submarine. Reports suggest one crew member escaped the tragedy because he was off the vessel visiting his sick mother, and had been replaced by someone else. On Saturday relatives held a religious vigil service outside of the Mar del Plata naval base where the submarine was based. They have expressed frustration with authorities, who they say have been slow at sharing information about search efforts..", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2368, "answer_start": 1260, "text": "The submarine was returning from a routine mission to Ushuaia, near the southernmost tip of South America, when it reported an \"electrical breakdown\". A naval commander said the submarine had surfaced and reported the breakdown, described as a \"short circuit\" in its batteries. The navy said it then made further contact to say the problem had been fixed and the submarine would proceed toward its port. On Thursday, the authorities said an event consistent with an explosion had been detected by a nuclear test watchdog. The Vienna-based Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organisation (CTBTO) said an \"abnormal, singular, short, violent, non-nuclear event\" was recorded in the South Atlantic. The US also reported a \"hydro-acoustic anomaly\" hours after the submarine went missing, close to its last known location. The news dashed hopes among relatives, although no wreckage or debris has been found by the international search teams. On Saturday a military spokesman said the submarine was not carrying torpedoes on board, dismissing a theory there had been an accident with explosives it was carrying." } ], "id": "10050_0", "question": "What is known about the missing submarine?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2890, "answer_start": 2369, "text": "On Saturday Russia joined the operation, deploying one of its largest aircraft on Friday night with specialist equipment on board. Its unmanned submersible, known as the Pantera Plus, can conduct sonar scans up to a depth of 1,000m (3,281ft). Russia also has a scientific exploration ship on the way from West Africa. The US Navy also deployed unmanned \"mini-sub\" vehicles to join the search. The UK, Brazil, Chile, Norway, Germany, Canada, France, Peru, Colombia and Uruguay are also helping to try to locate the vessel." } ], "id": "10050_1", "question": "Who is looking for it?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3532, "answer_start": 2891, "text": "There are 44 crew members on board, under the command of Pedro Martin Fernandez. Forty-three of the crew are men but there is also one woman, Eliana Maria Krawczyk. The 35-year-old is the first female officer in Argentina to serve on a submarine. Reports suggest one crew member escaped the tragedy because he was off the vessel visiting his sick mother, and had been replaced by someone else. On Saturday relatives held a religious vigil service outside of the Mar del Plata naval base where the submarine was based. They have expressed frustration with authorities, who they say have been slow at sharing information about search efforts.." } ], "id": "10050_2", "question": "Who is on board?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Indonesia says it will build a new warning system capable of detecting tsunamis caused by undersea landslides, days after giant waves triggered by a volcano killed at least 429 people. Installation of the new structure of buoys would start next year, a government agency told the BBC. It is thought that activity by the Anak Krakatau volcano set off undersea landslides, causing Saturday's tsunami. Officials say some 150 people are still missing and 16,000 have been displaced. Rescue workers, helped by heavy lifting equipment, are going from village to village, sifting through the debris looking for survivors in badly hit areas on the islands of Sumatra and Java. The new mechanism would work by detecting the size of waves, Iyan Turyana, a spokesman for the Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology, told the BBC's Indonesian service. The existing technology failed to predict the tsunami that devastated coastal towns around the Sunda Strait, between the islands of Sumatra and Java. The system has been set up to monitor earthquakes, but not undersea landslides and volcanic eruptions, which can also generate deadly waves. Due to lack of funds, vandalism to the buoys and technical faults, there have been no operational tsunami warning buoys since 2012. But experts say that even if there had been buoys near the volcano, the warning time would have been minimal, given how close Anak Krakatau is to the shoreline. Coastal residents near the volcano have been warned to keep away from beaches amid fears continued volcanic eruptions of Anak Krakatau could trigger a new tsunami. Rescue efforts have been hampered by blocked roads and heavy rain, the BBC's Sameer Hashmi in Banten reports. There are concerns that contaminated water could spread diseases, our correspondent adds. Food, water, blankets and medical aid are slowly reaching remote areas, and thousands of people are in tents and temporary shelters like mosques or schools. \"Everybody is still in a state of panic,\" Atmadja Suhar, official in the city of Labuan, told Reuters news agency. \"We often have disasters, but not as bad as this... God willing we will rebuild.\" The tsunami struck at 21:30 local time (14:30 GMT) during a local holiday, with few of the warning signals that might have come had it been generated by an earthquake. The waves destroyed hundreds of buildings, sweeping away cars and uprooting trees in several popular tourist destinations, including the Tanjung Lesung beach resort in west Java. One of the most shocking and heart-rending stories to have emerged is that of rock band Seventeen, who were performing in the resort when waves came crashing through the stage and swept them away. Indonesia is prone to tsunamis because it lies on the Ring of Fire - the line of frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions that circles virtually the entire Pacific Rim. In September, more than 2,000 people died when a powerful earthquake struck just off the central Indonesian island of Sulawesi, setting off a tsunami that engulfed the coastal city of Palu. On 26 December 2004, a series of huge waves triggered by a powerful earthquake in the Indian Ocean killed about 228,000 people in 13 countries, mostly in Indonesia. However, tsunamis caused by volcanic activity like this are less frequent. In August 1883, Krakatoa underwent one of the most violent volcanic eruptions in recorded history: - Massive tsunamis with waves of up to 41m killed more than 30,000 people - Thousands more were killed by hot ash - The eruptions were equivalent to 200 megatons of TNT - about 13,000 times the nuclear yield of the bomb dropped on Hiroshima in 1945 - The eruptions were heard thousands of kilometres away - World temperatures dropped by more than 1C the following year - The volcanic island virtually disappeared - Anak Krakatau emerged in 1927 from the caldera that was formed during the eruption of Krakatoa", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1603, "answer_start": 669, "text": "The new mechanism would work by detecting the size of waves, Iyan Turyana, a spokesman for the Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology, told the BBC's Indonesian service. The existing technology failed to predict the tsunami that devastated coastal towns around the Sunda Strait, between the islands of Sumatra and Java. The system has been set up to monitor earthquakes, but not undersea landslides and volcanic eruptions, which can also generate deadly waves. Due to lack of funds, vandalism to the buoys and technical faults, there have been no operational tsunami warning buoys since 2012. But experts say that even if there had been buoys near the volcano, the warning time would have been minimal, given how close Anak Krakatau is to the shoreline. Coastal residents near the volcano have been warned to keep away from beaches amid fears continued volcanic eruptions of Anak Krakatau could trigger a new tsunami." } ], "id": "10051_0", "question": "How will the new system work?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2701, "answer_start": 1604, "text": "Rescue efforts have been hampered by blocked roads and heavy rain, the BBC's Sameer Hashmi in Banten reports. There are concerns that contaminated water could spread diseases, our correspondent adds. Food, water, blankets and medical aid are slowly reaching remote areas, and thousands of people are in tents and temporary shelters like mosques or schools. \"Everybody is still in a state of panic,\" Atmadja Suhar, official in the city of Labuan, told Reuters news agency. \"We often have disasters, but not as bad as this... God willing we will rebuild.\" The tsunami struck at 21:30 local time (14:30 GMT) during a local holiday, with few of the warning signals that might have come had it been generated by an earthquake. The waves destroyed hundreds of buildings, sweeping away cars and uprooting trees in several popular tourist destinations, including the Tanjung Lesung beach resort in west Java. One of the most shocking and heart-rending stories to have emerged is that of rock band Seventeen, who were performing in the resort when waves came crashing through the stage and swept them away." } ], "id": "10051_1", "question": "What is the situation on the ground?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3303, "answer_start": 2702, "text": "Indonesia is prone to tsunamis because it lies on the Ring of Fire - the line of frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions that circles virtually the entire Pacific Rim. In September, more than 2,000 people died when a powerful earthquake struck just off the central Indonesian island of Sulawesi, setting off a tsunami that engulfed the coastal city of Palu. On 26 December 2004, a series of huge waves triggered by a powerful earthquake in the Indian Ocean killed about 228,000 people in 13 countries, mostly in Indonesia. However, tsunamis caused by volcanic activity like this are less frequent." } ], "id": "10051_2", "question": "How common are tsunamis in Indonesia?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Indian officials should abandon efforts to retrieve the body of an American missionary reportedly killed by an endangered tribe in the Andaman and Nicobar islands, a rights group says. Survival International says any attempt is \"incredibly dangerous\" for both the Sentinelese tribesmen and officials. John Allen Chau was said to have been killed with arrows when he landed on North Sentinel on 17 November. He was trying to convert the protected people to Christianity. Indian authorities struggled to retrieve Chau's body over the weekend, when a police boat faced off with Sentinelese tribesmen but withdrew to avoid confrontation. \"The risk of a deadly epidemic of flu, measles or other outside disease is very real, and increases with every contact,\" said Survival International's director Stephen Corry. \"Such efforts in similar cases in the past have ended with the Sentinelese attempting to defend their island by force.\" Mr Corry concluded: \"Mr Chau's body should be left alone, as should the Sentinelese.\" Survival International advocates for tribal peoples' rights and has campaigned for the protection of the indigenous groups living in the Andamans. The fishermen who ferried Chau, 27, to North Sentinel said they saw tribesmen drag a body along a beach and bury it. The fishermen later accompanied police back to the point on the island where they believed the body was buried. Six fishermen and one other person have been arrested over the incident. On Saturday, police stationed their boat about 400m (437 yards) offshore and, using binoculars, saw tribesmen on the beach armed with bows and arrows. Regional police chief Dependra Pathak told Agence France-Presse: \"They stared at us and we were looking at them.\" The boat then withdrew. \"We have mapped the area with the help of these fishermen. We have not spotted the body yet but we roughly know the area where he is believed to be buried,\" Mr Pathak said. Outsiders are banned from even approaching the island so as to protect the people who live there, and their way of life. The complete isolation of the Sentinelese people means contact with the outside world could put them at risk, as they are likely to have no immunity to even common illnesses such as flu and measles. The tribesmen have also treated outsiders with hostility for years. In 2006, two fishermen were killed and their bodies placed on bamboo stakes, Mr Pathak said. A murder case has been registered against unknown persons but it has not been suggested tribesmen will face any charges. Chau's family have said they forgive those who killed him.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1925, "answer_start": 1162, "text": "The fishermen who ferried Chau, 27, to North Sentinel said they saw tribesmen drag a body along a beach and bury it. The fishermen later accompanied police back to the point on the island where they believed the body was buried. Six fishermen and one other person have been arrested over the incident. On Saturday, police stationed their boat about 400m (437 yards) offshore and, using binoculars, saw tribesmen on the beach armed with bows and arrows. Regional police chief Dependra Pathak told Agence France-Presse: \"They stared at us and we were looking at them.\" The boat then withdrew. \"We have mapped the area with the help of these fishermen. We have not spotted the body yet but we roughly know the area where he is believed to be buried,\" Mr Pathak said." } ], "id": "10052_0", "question": "What happened?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2586, "answer_start": 1926, "text": "Outsiders are banned from even approaching the island so as to protect the people who live there, and their way of life. The complete isolation of the Sentinelese people means contact with the outside world could put them at risk, as they are likely to have no immunity to even common illnesses such as flu and measles. The tribesmen have also treated outsiders with hostility for years. In 2006, two fishermen were killed and their bodies placed on bamboo stakes, Mr Pathak said. A murder case has been registered against unknown persons but it has not been suggested tribesmen will face any charges. Chau's family have said they forgive those who killed him." } ], "id": "10052_1", "question": "Why is this contentious?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "A Hindu tailor has been hacked to death in a district of central Bangladesh, police say, the latest of a number of Islamist killings in the country. Nikhil Joarder, who was in his early 50s, was attacked as he sat outside his shop in Tangail on Saturday afternoon. Police said he had been arrested in 2012 for allegedly making derogatory comments about Islam, then released. Islamic State claimed the attack although the authorities deny the group is active in the country. A number of similar recent killings in Bangladesh have been claimed by various Islamist militant groups. On Monday, Xulhaz Mannan, a leading gay rights activist and editor at the country's only LGBT magazine, was hacked to death along with another man in his Dhaka flat. A Bangladeshi militant group affiliated to al-Qaeda, Ansar al-Islam, said it was behind those killings. Last year, four prominent secular bloggers were also killed with machetes. The four bloggers had all appeared on a list of 84 \"atheist bloggers\" drawn up by Islamist groups in 2013 and widely circulated. The grim list of those who have fallen victim to attacks by Islamist militants in Bangladesh is growing ever diverse. Secular bloggers, academics, gay rights activists, and members of religious minorities including Shia, Sufi and Ahmadi Muslims, Christians and Hindus have all been killed, many of them hacked to death. That a university professor whose family said believed in God could also be murdered suggests the list of those at risk has widened further. Who exactly is behind the attacks remains murky. Bangladesh has myriad extremist groups and there have been few convictions over the attacks. Bangladesh has disputed claims by so-called Islamic State or al-Qaeda-linked groups for the attacks, instead often blaming opposition parties or local Islamist groups. But until the killings stop the government itself will face accusations of not doing enough to protect minorities in the Sunni-dominated nation.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1968, "answer_start": 1053, "text": "The grim list of those who have fallen victim to attacks by Islamist militants in Bangladesh is growing ever diverse. Secular bloggers, academics, gay rights activists, and members of religious minorities including Shia, Sufi and Ahmadi Muslims, Christians and Hindus have all been killed, many of them hacked to death. That a university professor whose family said believed in God could also be murdered suggests the list of those at risk has widened further. Who exactly is behind the attacks remains murky. Bangladesh has myriad extremist groups and there have been few convictions over the attacks. Bangladesh has disputed claims by so-called Islamic State or al-Qaeda-linked groups for the attacks, instead often blaming opposition parties or local Islamist groups. But until the killings stop the government itself will face accusations of not doing enough to protect minorities in the Sunni-dominated nation." } ], "id": "10053_0", "question": "Who is being targeted?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Zimbabwe's ruling Zanu-PF party has summoned its MPs to discuss the future of its leader, President Robert Mugabe, after a deadline for his resignation came and went on Monday. The deadline was set by Mr Mugabe's own party, Zanu-PF. The embattled leader surprised Zimbabweans on Sunday, declaring on TV that he planned to remain as president. Zanu-PF says it backs impeachment, and proceedings could begin as soon as Tuesday when parliament meets. In a draft motion seen by Reuters news agency, the party blamed the president for an \"unprecedented economic tailspin\". Mr Mugabe's grip on power has weakened considerably since the country's army intervened last Wednesday in a row over who should succeed him. The crisis began two weeks ago when the 93-year-old leader sacked his deputy Emmerson Mnangagwa, angering army commanders who saw it as an attempt to position his wife Grace as next president. Zimbabwe has since then seen huge street rallies demanding his immediate resignation. The protests have been backed by the influential war veterans - who fought in the conflict that led to independence from Britain in 1980. The group's leader, Chris Mutsvangwa, on Monday called for more demonstrations. \"Mugabe, your rule is over,\" Mr Mutsvangwa said. \"The emperor has no clothes.\" Andrew Harding in Harare The city is swirling with rumours that Mr Mugabe is planning his resignation and that he may go back on television to announce it at any stage, and that Sunday's speech was simply about giving carte blanche to the military for what they've done. But we just don't know at this stage if he will give in to the pressure from the war veterans, his own party, and the public. Mr Mugabe said in his speech that he planned to preside over the Zanu-PF congress next month, a statement people here found baffling after the party voted to strip him of his leadership and kick out his wife. What is clear is that everyone here believes that the Mugabe era is over. Saturday's protests unleashed something and people believe that a line has been crossed. Now it is really about negotiating the time, the process, the choreography of Mr Mugabe's departure. The fear of Zanu-PF and of the security services will not go away overnight. People here grew up with that fear. In the meantime, the streets are calm, but Tuesday may bring more demonstrations. During the 20-minute address, the president, who was flanked by generals, made no mention of the pressure from his party and the public to quit. Instead, he declared that the military had done nothing wrong by seizing power and placing him under house arrest. \"Whatever the pros and cons of how they [the army] went about their operation, I, as commander-in-chief, do acknowledge their concerns,\" he said, in reference to the army's move last week to take over the state broadcaster in the capital Harare. He also said \"the [Zanu-PF] party congress is due in a few weeks and I will preside over its processes\". Before Mr Mugabe's speech, Mr Mnangagwa was named as Zanu-PF's new leader and candidate for the 2018 general elections, while Mr Mugabe's wife was expelled. BBC Africa Editor Fergal Keane said his understanding was that Mr Mugabe had agreed to resign, but then changed his mind. Our correspondent says the generals have no intention of forcing Mr Mugabe out by the barrel of a gun, and are happy to let the Zanu-PF carry out its procedures, working through impeachment if necessary. Impeachment proceedings could be launched on Tuesday in parliament - but it is not clear how long this would take. Both the National Assembly and the Senate need to pass a vote by simple majority to begin the process, which is laid out in the constitution. This can either be on grounds of \"serious misconduct\", \"violation\" of the constitution or \"failure to obey, uphold or defend\" it, or \"incapacity\". The chambers must then appoint a joint committee to investigate removing the president. If the committee recommends impeachment, the president can then be removed if both houses back it with two-thirds majorities. The opposition MDC-T party has tried unsuccessfully to impeach Mr Mugabe in the past, but this time the ruling party - which has an overwhelming majority in both houses - is likely to go against him. The advantage for the military is that if Mr Mugabe is impeached, it can claim that he was removed legally, and not by force. The problem for the generals is that the current vice-president would then take power. That is Phelekezela Mphoko, a supporter of Mr Mugabe's wife Grace. The military would prefer to install Emmerson Mnangagwa, the former vice-president who was briefly exiled. And it is still possible that Mr Mugabe could delay the process or cling to power by refusing to resign - and be forced into exile himself. The War Veterans Association, which used to back Mr Mugabe, now says it is time for him to step down. \"Thirty-seven years, you have had your time, you are toast now politically,\" Mr Mutsvangwa told the BBC. Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai said he was \"baffled\" by the president's address. \"He's playing a game. He has let the whole nation down,\" he told Reuters news agency. Mr Mugabe has led the country since it gained independence from Britain in 1980.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4788, "answer_start": 3444, "text": "Impeachment proceedings could be launched on Tuesday in parliament - but it is not clear how long this would take. Both the National Assembly and the Senate need to pass a vote by simple majority to begin the process, which is laid out in the constitution. This can either be on grounds of \"serious misconduct\", \"violation\" of the constitution or \"failure to obey, uphold or defend\" it, or \"incapacity\". The chambers must then appoint a joint committee to investigate removing the president. If the committee recommends impeachment, the president can then be removed if both houses back it with two-thirds majorities. The opposition MDC-T party has tried unsuccessfully to impeach Mr Mugabe in the past, but this time the ruling party - which has an overwhelming majority in both houses - is likely to go against him. The advantage for the military is that if Mr Mugabe is impeached, it can claim that he was removed legally, and not by force. The problem for the generals is that the current vice-president would then take power. That is Phelekezela Mphoko, a supporter of Mr Mugabe's wife Grace. The military would prefer to install Emmerson Mnangagwa, the former vice-president who was briefly exiled. And it is still possible that Mr Mugabe could delay the process or cling to power by refusing to resign - and be forced into exile himself." } ], "id": "10054_0", "question": "So what happens next?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5248, "answer_start": 4789, "text": "The War Veterans Association, which used to back Mr Mugabe, now says it is time for him to step down. \"Thirty-seven years, you have had your time, you are toast now politically,\" Mr Mutsvangwa told the BBC. Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai said he was \"baffled\" by the president's address. \"He's playing a game. He has let the whole nation down,\" he told Reuters news agency. Mr Mugabe has led the country since it gained independence from Britain in 1980." } ], "id": "10054_1", "question": "What's the reaction been?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "In a video on Instagram this week, Mark Zuckerberg confessed to controlling the stolen data of billions of people and said he owed it all to an organisation called Spectre. The video was of course faked, and on this week's Tech Tent we examine the dilemma it posed for Instagram's owner Facebook. - Stream the latest Tech Tent podcast on BBC Sounds A few weeks ago, the social media giant came under fire for allowing a doctored video of the US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to remain up. So how would it react when the faked video of its founder emerged? The video featured the real Mark Zuckerberg, but the voice and the words emerging from his mouth were not his. It was the work of two artists, Daniel Howe and a man going by the name of Bill Posters, and was part of an installation on show in Sheffield this week. When we spoke to Bill Posters he told us that the video had been planned long before the row over Facebook's treatment of Nancy Pelosi. The aim was to throw a light on Facebook's business model, which involved using behavioural psychology to persuade people to share intimate details of their lives so that they could be targeted with advertising. \"We're shining the light on Facebook and Zuckerberg himself to ask what happens now when it's your privacy and your data that's been used in obscure or unintended ways\" he said. Unsurprisingly, Facebook did not remove the video, It said it followed the same policy as with the Nancy Pelosi video and other misinformation on its services - let third party fact-checkers determine whether it was fake, and then make it less visible in users' feeds rather than taking it down. Bill Posters points out that the video featured the hashtag #deepfake and was never meant to deceive anybody. It is hard to believe that anybody happening across this artwork with a voice which sounds nothing like Mark Zuckerberg would be fooled. But month by month, deepfake technology is getting ever more sophisticated. Soon, it will become extremely difficult to spot whether words have been put into the mouths of politicians, or whether celebrities' faces have been placed in scenes where they were not present. Both identifying such videos and deciding what to do about them will become an even greater challenge for Facebook's moderators, while giving the company a powerful role in determining the limits of free expression. Bill Posters says that means things need to change. \"To do that it needs collective understanding of very hard, obscure, hidden technologies and methods. But it also needs regulatory oversight as well,\" he said. The call for regulation of Facebook and the other US tech giants is getting louder - from Europe in particular. Tech Tent also hears from European Commissioner Carlos Moedas and leading UK tech figure Hermann Hauser, who both insist that Europe is setting the pace - with the GDPR data privacy directive just one example. And Hermann Hauser has one radical solution to the huge power and dominant market share of Google, Amazon and Facebook - break them up.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3044, "answer_start": 2585, "text": "The call for regulation of Facebook and the other US tech giants is getting louder - from Europe in particular. Tech Tent also hears from European Commissioner Carlos Moedas and leading UK tech figure Hermann Hauser, who both insist that Europe is setting the pace - with the GDPR data privacy directive just one example. And Hermann Hauser has one radical solution to the huge power and dominant market share of Google, Amazon and Facebook - break them up." } ], "id": "10055_0", "question": "Regulation time?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Iran has suspended commitments under the 2015 international nuclear deal, a year after it was abandoned by the US. President Hassan Rouhani said he would keep enriched uranium stocks in the country rather than sell them abroad. He also threatened to resume production of more-highly-enriched uranium in 60 days if other signatories did not act to protect Iran from US sanctions. The 2015 accord was aimed at curbing Iran's nuclear ambitions in return for relief from sanctions. But since the US left the deal it has imposed new sanctions, hitting Iran's economy and raising Iran-US tensions. Iran informed the remaining parties to the deal - France, Germany, Russia, China and the UK - of its decision on Wednesday morning. Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said Iran was acting within its rights under the deal and it was up to the three European powers to act. Under the deal Iran is required to sell its surplus enriched uranium abroad, rather than keep it. This is important as the material, which is a by-product of Iran's civilian nuclear power generation, can be used in the manufacture of nuclear weapons. By selling it abroad, Iran can continue to generate nuclear power and the parties to the agreement can be sure it is not building nuclear weapons. Iran's announcement comes after US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made an unscheduled visit to Iraq, and a US aircraft carrier was deployed to the Gulf region. US officials have reported threats to US forces and their allies from Iran, but have given few details about the exact nature of the threat. Mr Rouhani said he was suspending two parts of the deal, which is known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), that Iran was adhering to - the sale of surplus enriched uranium and heavy water. He then gave the European powers, Russia and China 60 days to meet their financial and oil commitments to the deal. If they did so, Iran would resume the sales. If, however, those commitments were not met and the powers chose to follow US sanctions, he said Iran would begin higher enrichment of uranium, which is currently capped, and begin developing its Arak heavy water reactor based on plans made prior to the deal. But Iran's president added: \"We do not want to leave the agreement. All the people of the world should know that today is not the end of the JCPOA; it is a new step within the framework of the JCPOA.\" However, he said the five powers would face a \"very decisive reaction\" if Iran's nuclear case was referred to the UN Security Council. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov quickly urged all of the remaining parties to the deal to fulfil their obligations. Both Russia and China have blamed Washington's withdrawal from the deal for the current situation. A spokesman for UK PM Theresa May said the deal was \"crucial\" and that Britain would ensure it remained in place as long as Iran upheld its commitments. Foreign Office minister Mark Field told parliament Iran's move was an \"unwelcome step\". French Defence Minister Florence Parly told French media that the European powers were doing everything they could to keep the deal alive but there would be consequences and possibly sanctions if the deal was not adhered to. Germany remained \"fully committed\" to its pledges on the deal if Iran reciprocated, a German foreign ministry spokesman said. Iran is seeking to strike a difficult balance: pushing back against some of the restrictions imposed by the JCPOA, while not doing so much as to withdraw from it altogether. This is an alarm signal but also a warning. Iran is facing growing pain from re-imposed US sanctions. It wants the Europeans to take urgent practical steps to provide some relief. And if relief does not come, then Iran may well have to re-consider its overall adherence to the JCPOA - which the US abandoned a year ago. This presents the Europeans with a huge dilemma. They are caught between the Iranians and the Trump administration. Can they continue to back the agreement if Iran is not fully complying with its terms? The US is likely to insist that there can be no middle way. Iran is either honouring the terms of the JCPOA or it is not. In January, the UK, Germany and France set up a new payments mechanism to allow businesses to trade with Iran without being subject to sanctions. The three countries opposed last year's decision by President Donald Trump to abandon the deal. The system, known as Instex, is supposed to focus on \"legitimate trade\" in goods \"where the immediate need of the Iranian people is greatest\", for example food, pharmaceutical products and consumer goods not subject to sanctions. Oil, Iran's main source of foreign exchange, is at the moment not covered, and it is thought so far that the payment system has done little to soften the impact of sanctions. Iran now wants the Europeans to give the system more bite. The landmark nuclear deal was thrown into flux when President Trump announced the US withdrawal one year ago. The value of Iran's currency has since been pushed to record lows, its annual inflation rate quadrupled and foreign investment driven away. Despite this, Iran has upheld its commitments to the deal, according to inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Tensions between the US and Iran can be traced back to Iran's Islamic Revolution in 1979, which overthrew the pro-Western Shah and established a radical anti-US regime in its place. President Trump has taken a particularly hard line towards Iran since he took office in 2016. His administration wants to renegotiate the nuclear deal and widen its scope so that it also curbs Iran's ballistic missile programme and \"malign\" activities in the Middle East. The US has recently raised the pressure on Iran, with two significant moves in April: - It ended exemptions from sanctions for five of Iran's main customers still buying oil, including China, India and Turkey - It blacklisted Iran's elite Islamic Revolution Guard Corps, designating it a foreign terrorist group And earlier this week, National Security Adviser John Bolton said the US was deploying an aircraft carrier to the Middle East following a number of \"troubling and escalatory indications and warnings\" from Iran.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2518, "answer_start": 1557, "text": "Mr Rouhani said he was suspending two parts of the deal, which is known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), that Iran was adhering to - the sale of surplus enriched uranium and heavy water. He then gave the European powers, Russia and China 60 days to meet their financial and oil commitments to the deal. If they did so, Iran would resume the sales. If, however, those commitments were not met and the powers chose to follow US sanctions, he said Iran would begin higher enrichment of uranium, which is currently capped, and begin developing its Arak heavy water reactor based on plans made prior to the deal. But Iran's president added: \"We do not want to leave the agreement. All the people of the world should know that today is not the end of the JCPOA; it is a new step within the framework of the JCPOA.\" However, he said the five powers would face a \"very decisive reaction\" if Iran's nuclear case was referred to the UN Security Council." } ], "id": "10056_0", "question": "What did President Rouhani say?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3332, "answer_start": 2519, "text": "Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov quickly urged all of the remaining parties to the deal to fulfil their obligations. Both Russia and China have blamed Washington's withdrawal from the deal for the current situation. A spokesman for UK PM Theresa May said the deal was \"crucial\" and that Britain would ensure it remained in place as long as Iran upheld its commitments. Foreign Office minister Mark Field told parliament Iran's move was an \"unwelcome step\". French Defence Minister Florence Parly told French media that the European powers were doing everything they could to keep the deal alive but there would be consequences and possibly sanctions if the deal was not adhered to. Germany remained \"fully committed\" to its pledges on the deal if Iran reciprocated, a German foreign ministry spokesman said." } ], "id": "10056_1", "question": "What has the reaction been?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4857, "answer_start": 4152, "text": "In January, the UK, Germany and France set up a new payments mechanism to allow businesses to trade with Iran without being subject to sanctions. The three countries opposed last year's decision by President Donald Trump to abandon the deal. The system, known as Instex, is supposed to focus on \"legitimate trade\" in goods \"where the immediate need of the Iranian people is greatest\", for example food, pharmaceutical products and consumer goods not subject to sanctions. Oil, Iran's main source of foreign exchange, is at the moment not covered, and it is thought so far that the payment system has done little to soften the impact of sanctions. Iran now wants the Europeans to give the system more bite." } ], "id": "10056_2", "question": "What is the Europeans' role in all this?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5242, "answer_start": 4858, "text": "The landmark nuclear deal was thrown into flux when President Trump announced the US withdrawal one year ago. The value of Iran's currency has since been pushed to record lows, its annual inflation rate quadrupled and foreign investment driven away. Despite this, Iran has upheld its commitments to the deal, according to inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)." } ], "id": "10056_3", "question": "Why is the nuclear deal in crisis?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 6219, "answer_start": 5243, "text": "Tensions between the US and Iran can be traced back to Iran's Islamic Revolution in 1979, which overthrew the pro-Western Shah and established a radical anti-US regime in its place. President Trump has taken a particularly hard line towards Iran since he took office in 2016. His administration wants to renegotiate the nuclear deal and widen its scope so that it also curbs Iran's ballistic missile programme and \"malign\" activities in the Middle East. The US has recently raised the pressure on Iran, with two significant moves in April: - It ended exemptions from sanctions for five of Iran's main customers still buying oil, including China, India and Turkey - It blacklisted Iran's elite Islamic Revolution Guard Corps, designating it a foreign terrorist group And earlier this week, National Security Adviser John Bolton said the US was deploying an aircraft carrier to the Middle East following a number of \"troubling and escalatory indications and warnings\" from Iran." } ], "id": "10056_4", "question": "Why is there such hostility between the US and Iran?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Nine locations in Salisbury which are to be decontaminated following the poisoning of an ex-spy and his daughter have been surrounded by new barriers. The Mill pub and Zizzi restaurant are among the places deemed to be still at risk by government scientists. But officials say the city remains \"safe for residents and visitors\" and extra precautions need not be taken. The nerve agent Novichok is believed to have been used in liquid form to target Sergei and Yulia Skripal last month. Former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were found unconscious on a bench in the Wiltshire city on 4 March. The British government says a military-grade Novichok nerve agent of a type developed by Russia was used in the attack, although Moscow denies any involvement. The multi-million pound operation to decontaminate the locations is expected to take months. Officials from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), as well as council, police and health representatives, updated Salisbury residents on Thursday evening. Asked whether the chemical remained at a \"lethal\" level, Defra's chief scientific adviser Ian Boyd said it was still present at \"hotspots\" around the city. \"We have to make an assumption that in certain circumstances there will be relatively high concentrations, probably in very, very specific locations, which could be at levels that could be toxic to individuals.\" \"We already know there are some high concentrations within those locations,\" he said. But on Friday, a Defra spokesperson urged people not to be concerned: \"As PHE (Public Health England) have stated, Salisbury is safe for residents and visitors. \"All work undertaken on each site will take appropriate measures to ensure that there is no additional risk to the public.\" They added that there was \"no need to take any additional precautions\", with cordons in place \"to protect the public from any potential risk\". More robust hoardings have begun to replace police cordons around the Maltings area in the city centre, the Zizzi restaurant and the Mill pub. Residents were told the Bourne Hill building, home to Salisbury's police station and Wiltshire council's offices, will close for up to eight weeks from Friday. The evidence room and two lockers inside the station, sealed off after the 4 March attack, will be decontaminated. Deputy Chief Constable Paul Mills said it would be \"business as usual\" because they have moved to other sites in the city. By John McManus, BBC News Strolling by the river Avon in the centre of Salisbury in the sunshine, it's hard to imagine a stranger location for the international intrigue that's unfolded here since March. But the evidence for what's happened here is stark - in The Maltings area, hoardings went up overnight, replacing police tape. Wiltshire Council has acknowledged the hit that businesses here are taking. One B&B owner says she's had no bookings for weeks. And many traders say day visitors- in particular Americans who often stop en route to Stonehenge - have disappeared. Some hotel bookings, though, appear to have held up. But Salisbury won't be back to normal for several months. Locals are looking forward to getting their city back - and seeing the back of people like me. Other areas that will be decontaminated include two ambulance stations, a car compound and the home of Det Sgt Nick Bailey, who was left seriously ill after responding to the attack. Mr Skripal's home - where the highest concentration of military grade Novichok was found - will be the last site to be decontaminated. Yulia, 33, left hospital earlier this month. Her 66-year-old father is said to be recovering more slowly but is expected to eventually be discharged. The nerve agent does not evaporate or disappear over time, experts have said, and intense cleaning with caustic chemicals is required to get rid of it. Almost 200 military personnel will help with the decontamination work, which is expected to cost millions of pounds. The Russian ambassador to the UK, Alexander Yakovenko, said the \"so-called decontamination\" was a means for destroying valuable evidence. He also claimed that the nerve agent must have been injected into the Skripals before investigators took blood samples from them. The name Novichok means \"newcomer\" in Russian, and applies to a group of nerve agents developed by the Soviet Union in the 1970s and 1980s. Novichok's existence was revealed by chemist Dr Vil Mirzayanov in the 1990s, via Russian media. He says the nerve agents were designed to escape detection by international inspectors. Novichok agents are liquids, although others are thought to exist in solid form and could be dispersed as an ultra-fine powder. Some of the agents are also said to be \"binary weapons\", meaning the nerve agent is typically stored as two less toxic chemical ingredients that are easier to handle. When these are mixed, they react to produce the active toxic agent which can cause convulsions, shortness of breath, profuse sweating and nausea.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5030, "answer_start": 4266, "text": "The name Novichok means \"newcomer\" in Russian, and applies to a group of nerve agents developed by the Soviet Union in the 1970s and 1980s. Novichok's existence was revealed by chemist Dr Vil Mirzayanov in the 1990s, via Russian media. He says the nerve agents were designed to escape detection by international inspectors. Novichok agents are liquids, although others are thought to exist in solid form and could be dispersed as an ultra-fine powder. Some of the agents are also said to be \"binary weapons\", meaning the nerve agent is typically stored as two less toxic chemical ingredients that are easier to handle. When these are mixed, they react to produce the active toxic agent which can cause convulsions, shortness of breath, profuse sweating and nausea." } ], "id": "10057_0", "question": "What are Novichok agents?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "In early May, Nilufar Aliyeva received a phone call from her 17-year-old son Jasurbek. He asked her to come home urgently. His weak and struggling voice terrified Ms Aliyeva. When she got home, she saw her son covered with blood and his back was full of bruises. Jasurbek Ibragimov was badly beaten, allegedly by a group of students who bullied him. He died in hospital a month later. His death could have gone unnoticed. However, it has turned out to be a major shake-up for the repressive system in Uzbekistan. Shortly before Jasurbek's death, his mother wrote a letter to the president asking for justice. That letter went viral on social media and Facebook and Telegram groups copied and shared the text. Those who beat Jasurbek to death, Nilufar Aliyeva wrote, bragged that they could get away with it since their parents who were lawyers could buy the police. It was this feeling of impunity that made people particularly furious about this case. Heated discussions online resulted in a gathering in the capital Tashkent where people signed a petition, demanding to those responsible for Jasurbek's death be punished. About 600 people signed the petition. But don't be misled by that figure. For Uzbekistan, this kind of gathering is extremely rare. The last time a crowd tried to voice their demands, the military opened fire at them. That was in Andijan in 2005. Hundreds were killed. Uzbekistan is regarded as one of the most repressive states in the world. Its human rights record is abysmal and any uncontrolled civil initiative is treated as a potential threat for the regime. In the case of Jasurbek's death, many citizens seem to realise that they could pressurise government offices by speaking up. And it worked. A criminal case was finally opened shortly after Nilufar Aliyeva wrote her letter to the president. The public outcry forced the law enforcement agencies to share information about the investigation with the public. Local media that usually remain silent reprinted the letter of Jasurbek's mother. The head of the medical college where Jasurbek studied was sacked. But what makes this case unusual is that the government is not trying to suppress the initiative. On the contrary, they tried to assist the petitioners when they gathered to sign the document. \"It was very nice to see law enforcement officers who actually tried to help us,\" Mariya Legler, one of the co-ordinators who gathered signatures, said. \"They helped to co-ordinate and manage the crowd to ensure that the gathering was not messy and people wouldn't push each other. They answered the questions people raised.\" In a repressive state like Uzbekistan people normally don't dare to ask police questions. Usually it's the opposite. So far one of the suspected attackers has been arrested and charged with aggravated battery that led to the death of the victim. Police are questioning witnesses to try to identify other individuals involved in the crime. The investigation is continuing. Such an initiative is unlikely to have been welcomed under the rule of the late Islam Karimov who died last September. New President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has introduced a number of changes suggesting a certain degree of liberalisation. He improved relations with neighbouring states that were extremely tense under Karimov. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development resumed its operations that were halted a decade ago. Several long-held political prisoners were released and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights visited the country for the first time. Some major reforms like floating the currency and introducing visa free regime were held up. The news agency Reuters reported, citing sources, that that was due to opposition from security service chief Rustam Inoyatov. It is not clear whether Mr Mirziyoyev will continue with his reforms once the alleged infighting is over or whether he will turn to authoritarianism after he consolidates power in his hands. But the case of Jasurbek's death illustrates how reforms can encourage a grassroots movement. Like Islam Karimov, Mr Mirziyoyev may see it as a threat to his power. Yet so far his presidency has been more promising than many expected.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4198, "answer_start": 2986, "text": "Such an initiative is unlikely to have been welcomed under the rule of the late Islam Karimov who died last September. New President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has introduced a number of changes suggesting a certain degree of liberalisation. He improved relations with neighbouring states that were extremely tense under Karimov. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development resumed its operations that were halted a decade ago. Several long-held political prisoners were released and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights visited the country for the first time. Some major reforms like floating the currency and introducing visa free regime were held up. The news agency Reuters reported, citing sources, that that was due to opposition from security service chief Rustam Inoyatov. It is not clear whether Mr Mirziyoyev will continue with his reforms once the alleged infighting is over or whether he will turn to authoritarianism after he consolidates power in his hands. But the case of Jasurbek's death illustrates how reforms can encourage a grassroots movement. Like Islam Karimov, Mr Mirziyoyev may see it as a threat to his power. Yet so far his presidency has been more promising than many expected." } ], "id": "10058_0", "question": "A wind of change?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "As universities are officially graded for the quality of their teaching for the first time, we take a look at the Teaching Excellence Framework used to do this. Although the main business of universities is teaching, institutions tend to build their reputations on the quality of their research. And, until recently, there has been very little assessment of teaching quality at universities. The Teaching Excellence Framework was put into place to address this. With almost all undergraduate fees now raised to the maximum of PS9,000 per year, ministers were concerned this flat rate was masking large differences in courses. So, the government introduced the TEF to provide students with better information about the quality of degree programmes on offer. Each institution is awarded either a gold, silver, bronze or provisional TEF award. The grading is mainly based on three sets of information: - students' views of teaching - assessment and academic support from the National Student Survey - drop-out rates and rates of employment It is notable that none of these metrics directly measures the quality of teaching, although the NSS does give an insight into students' perceptions of teaching. Each institution's performance on these measures is then benchmarked against the demographic characteristics of its students. It is then flagged if the performance is statistically better or statistically worse than the benchmark. Then, assessors feed in information from each university's own assessment of its teaching standards to arrive at the grade. Initially, the awards were to be used to assess whether a university would be allowed to raise its tuition fees beyond the maximum PS9,000. But this is now being phased in over a number of years, and the framework is in an early guise. In the first year of the TEF, all providers that passed a baseline quality standard received a \"meets expectation\" award. But as this was set at the basic standard that universities had to meet to be accredited, all providers reached it last year. This allowed them to raise their fees in line with inflation - an extra PS250 for students starting courses in 2017. In this the second year - for those students starting courses in autumn 2018 - judgements have been made against a range of measurements and information. But again all those that have received the \"meets expectation\" award will be able to raise their fees in line with inflation. So, the promise that the TEF will for the first time link funding of teaching to quality is some way off being realised. According to the Centre for Global Higher Education, the TEF will provide students with better information about the quality of degree programmes than is currently on offer in commercial rankings. But there is no direct assessment of the quality of teaching. Rather, it is related to students' perceptions of teaching and courses. Also, currently, the awards assess the institution only as a whole, rather than for each particular courses. The Higher Education Policy Institute said: \"In this early guise, the TEF is far from a perfect assessment of teaching and learning. \"While it tells us a lot of useful things, none of them accurately reflects precisely what goes on in lecture halls.\" It urges university applicants to use the results in their decision-making, but to do so with caution, as the ratings are for whole universities rather than individual courses.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 756, "answer_start": 161, "text": "Although the main business of universities is teaching, institutions tend to build their reputations on the quality of their research. And, until recently, there has been very little assessment of teaching quality at universities. The Teaching Excellence Framework was put into place to address this. With almost all undergraduate fees now raised to the maximum of PS9,000 per year, ministers were concerned this flat rate was masking large differences in courses. So, the government introduced the TEF to provide students with better information about the quality of degree programmes on offer." } ], "id": "10059_0", "question": "Why was the new grading system introduced?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1553, "answer_start": 757, "text": "Each institution is awarded either a gold, silver, bronze or provisional TEF award. The grading is mainly based on three sets of information: - students' views of teaching - assessment and academic support from the National Student Survey - drop-out rates and rates of employment It is notable that none of these metrics directly measures the quality of teaching, although the NSS does give an insight into students' perceptions of teaching. Each institution's performance on these measures is then benchmarked against the demographic characteristics of its students. It is then flagged if the performance is statistically better or statistically worse than the benchmark. Then, assessors feed in information from each university's own assessment of its teaching standards to arrive at the grade." } ], "id": "10059_1", "question": "How does it work?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2556, "answer_start": 1554, "text": "Initially, the awards were to be used to assess whether a university would be allowed to raise its tuition fees beyond the maximum PS9,000. But this is now being phased in over a number of years, and the framework is in an early guise. In the first year of the TEF, all providers that passed a baseline quality standard received a \"meets expectation\" award. But as this was set at the basic standard that universities had to meet to be accredited, all providers reached it last year. This allowed them to raise their fees in line with inflation - an extra PS250 for students starting courses in 2017. In this the second year - for those students starting courses in autumn 2018 - judgements have been made against a range of measurements and information. But again all those that have received the \"meets expectation\" award will be able to raise their fees in line with inflation. So, the promise that the TEF will for the first time link funding of teaching to quality is some way off being realised." } ], "id": "10059_2", "question": "How are the awards used?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3424, "answer_start": 2557, "text": "According to the Centre for Global Higher Education, the TEF will provide students with better information about the quality of degree programmes than is currently on offer in commercial rankings. But there is no direct assessment of the quality of teaching. Rather, it is related to students' perceptions of teaching and courses. Also, currently, the awards assess the institution only as a whole, rather than for each particular courses. The Higher Education Policy Institute said: \"In this early guise, the TEF is far from a perfect assessment of teaching and learning. \"While it tells us a lot of useful things, none of them accurately reflects precisely what goes on in lecture halls.\" It urges university applicants to use the results in their decision-making, but to do so with caution, as the ratings are for whole universities rather than individual courses." } ], "id": "10059_3", "question": "How useful is the award?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Raging bushfires have razed properties in Australia and briefly spread to suburbs of Sydney, officials say. Scores of fires are still burning in New South Wales amid temperatures of 35C (95F) and winds of 80km/h (50mph). A feared southerly wind change has now occurred but the \"catastrophic\" day feared has largely been avoided. No deaths were reported on Tuesday but fire chiefs warned that conditions meant the dangers facing the state were far from over. - Have you been affected by the bushfires? Share your experiences by emailing [email protected]. About six million people live in New South Wales (NSW) state. The number of fires still afflicting NSW ranged from 100 to 300 in Australian media reports. Crews have been battling a front spanning 1,000km (620 miles) along the north coast of NSW, with several blazes \"exceeding 100,000 hectares alone\", officials have said. Flame retardant had to be dropped in Sydney's northern suburbs as some bushfires approached within 15km (nine miles) of the city centre. A firefighting plane dropped pink fire retardant in the area between Macquarie University and the Sydney Adventist Hospital in the South Turramurra suburb. Flames came within metres of engulfing the homes of Blake Haymen and Sean Murphy in the affluent suburb. The residents were forced to use pool water to tackle a blaze that had spread from dense bushland across the road from their homes. \"We actually ran out of water pressure, so we had to go to the pool. Sean put out a spot-fire with one of these buckets,\" Mr Haymen told the Sydney Morning Herald. Authorities said one firefighter had suffered a broken arm and suspected fractured ribs. Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said: \"We've really got a long way to go. You can guarantee we're not going to be able to get around all of these fires before the next wave of bad weather. \"Unfortunately there's no meaningful reprieve. There's no rainfall in this change and we're going to continue to have warm dry conditions dominating in the days and weeks ahead.\" Commissioner Fitzsimmons said up to a dozen homes were believed to have been damaged or destroyed on Tuesday. People in vulnerable NSW communities have been urged to stay away from bushland. More than 600 schools are closed across the state. Australia's conservative government has refused to be drawn on whether climate change could have contributed to the fires, in a response that has drawn criticism. Three people have died and more than 170 properties have been destroyed since the fire emergency intensified in NSW on Friday. Authorities had said they were facing what could be \"the most dangerous bushfire week this nation has ever seen\". Mr Fitzsimmons said 3,000 firefighters were on the front lines, boosted by crews from other states and New Zealand, as well as the Australian Defence Force. Experts have compared the situation to the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires in Victoria, when 173 people died. Police are investigating reports that a fire in North Rothbury, in the Hunter Region of NSW, and at least two others, may have been started deliberately. Fire authorities say a million hectares of land have burned in NSW since the fire season began in September. To the north, Queensland has also declared a state of emergency as 55 bushfires rage in the state. Though it was not facing such severe weather on Tuesday, officials warned conditions could deteriorate later in the week. Fire crews in South Australia were tacking about a dozen blazes, while bushfires in Western Australia also sparked emergency warnings. Scientists and experts warn that Australia's fire season has grown longer and more intense due to climate change. Officials have confirmed that 2018 and 2017 were Australia's third and fourth-hottest years on record respectively, and last year the nation experienced its warmest summer on record. The Bureau of Meteorology's State of the Climate 2018 report said climate change had led to an increase in extreme heat events and raised the severity of other natural disasters, such as drought. Even if global temperatures are contained to a 2C rise above pre-industrial levels - a limit set out in the landmark Paris accord, agreed by 188 nations in 2015 - scientists believe the country is facing a dangerous new normal. Last year, a UN report said Australia was falling short in efforts to cut its CO2 emissions. Have you been affected by the bushfires? Share your experiences by emailing [email protected]. Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: - WhatsApp: +44 7756 165803 - Tweet: @BBC_HaveYourSay - 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": 2456, "answer_start": 621, "text": "The number of fires still afflicting NSW ranged from 100 to 300 in Australian media reports. Crews have been battling a front spanning 1,000km (620 miles) along the north coast of NSW, with several blazes \"exceeding 100,000 hectares alone\", officials have said. Flame retardant had to be dropped in Sydney's northern suburbs as some bushfires approached within 15km (nine miles) of the city centre. A firefighting plane dropped pink fire retardant in the area between Macquarie University and the Sydney Adventist Hospital in the South Turramurra suburb. Flames came within metres of engulfing the homes of Blake Haymen and Sean Murphy in the affluent suburb. The residents were forced to use pool water to tackle a blaze that had spread from dense bushland across the road from their homes. \"We actually ran out of water pressure, so we had to go to the pool. Sean put out a spot-fire with one of these buckets,\" Mr Haymen told the Sydney Morning Herald. Authorities said one firefighter had suffered a broken arm and suspected fractured ribs. Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said: \"We've really got a long way to go. You can guarantee we're not going to be able to get around all of these fires before the next wave of bad weather. \"Unfortunately there's no meaningful reprieve. There's no rainfall in this change and we're going to continue to have warm dry conditions dominating in the days and weeks ahead.\" Commissioner Fitzsimmons said up to a dozen homes were believed to have been damaged or destroyed on Tuesday. People in vulnerable NSW communities have been urged to stay away from bushland. More than 600 schools are closed across the state. Australia's conservative government has refused to be drawn on whether climate change could have contributed to the fires, in a response that has drawn criticism." } ], "id": "10060_0", "question": "What's the latest on firefighting efforts?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3225, "answer_start": 2457, "text": "Three people have died and more than 170 properties have been destroyed since the fire emergency intensified in NSW on Friday. Authorities had said they were facing what could be \"the most dangerous bushfire week this nation has ever seen\". Mr Fitzsimmons said 3,000 firefighters were on the front lines, boosted by crews from other states and New Zealand, as well as the Australian Defence Force. Experts have compared the situation to the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires in Victoria, when 173 people died. Police are investigating reports that a fire in North Rothbury, in the Hunter Region of NSW, and at least two others, may have been started deliberately. Fire authorities say a million hectares of land have burned in NSW since the fire season began in September." } ], "id": "10060_1", "question": "How bad are the fires?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3581, "answer_start": 3226, "text": "To the north, Queensland has also declared a state of emergency as 55 bushfires rage in the state. Though it was not facing such severe weather on Tuesday, officials warned conditions could deteriorate later in the week. Fire crews in South Australia were tacking about a dozen blazes, while bushfires in Western Australia also sparked emergency warnings." } ], "id": "10060_2", "question": "What about other states?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4395, "answer_start": 3582, "text": "Scientists and experts warn that Australia's fire season has grown longer and more intense due to climate change. Officials have confirmed that 2018 and 2017 were Australia's third and fourth-hottest years on record respectively, and last year the nation experienced its warmest summer on record. The Bureau of Meteorology's State of the Climate 2018 report said climate change had led to an increase in extreme heat events and raised the severity of other natural disasters, such as drought. Even if global temperatures are contained to a 2C rise above pre-industrial levels - a limit set out in the landmark Paris accord, agreed by 188 nations in 2015 - scientists believe the country is facing a dangerous new normal. Last year, a UN report said Australia was falling short in efforts to cut its CO2 emissions." } ], "id": "10060_3", "question": "Is this linked to climate change?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Iran has detained 35 women for trying to attend a football match. They tried to go to a game between Tehran teams Esteqlal and Persepolis. Iran said they were temporarily held and would be released after the match. Fifa's president, Gianni Infantino, was also in attendance, along with Iranian Sport Minister Masoud Soltanifar. A live broadcast was taken off the air when a journalist asked Mr Soltanifar when women would be allowed to attend football matches. According to the semi-official ISNA news agency, Iranian interior ministry spokesman Seyyed Salman Samani said the female football fans were not arrested - but transferred to a \"proper place\" by police. Earlier reports said two women were held. Iran has barred women from attending football games since the Iranian Revolution in 1979. There were calls on social media before the match for women to protest against the ban outside the Azadi stadium today. Women's rights activist Masih Alinejad on Wednesday called on women to attend Thursday's match. \"The Fifa president will be in the stadium tomorrow (1 March),\" she wrote. \"I wish women would gather outside the stadium to ask men not to enter without them.\" Another user said it was a \"basic right\" for women to enter stadiums with men, and said this match was \"the best chance to break the 35-year-old taboo\". Azadi means \"freedom\" stadium in Persian, and one Twitter user pointed out the hypocrisy of \"naming a stadium freedom but banning half the population from entering\". By Alan Johnston, World Service Middle East regional editor The women caught sneaking into the stadium were trying to attend a particularly significant game, one being watched by the most powerful man in world football, Fifa's boss. It seems they wanted to attract Mr Infantino's attention to the ban on women attending games. And the sensitivity of the issue was apparent as Mr Infantino stood beside the country's sports minister during a live TV interview. A journalist asked this awkward question about when the ban might be lifted. The sound was faded down, and the interview abruptly taken off the air. Mr Infantino had been speaking to reporters about a two-year dispute between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Since 2016, when Saudi Arabia broke off relations with Iran, Saudi clubs have refused to play there, forcing Iranian teams to play home games in Oman. \"It's very clear that politics should stay out of football and football should stay out of politics,\" Mr Infantino said the news conference. \"There are of course political issues between countries all over the world but this should not have an impact,\" he said. Later on, the head of Fifa met with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. Mr Rouhani asked Fifa to make sure that \"people are not deprived of watching competitions in their own stadiums\".", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2100, "answer_start": 1492, "text": "By Alan Johnston, World Service Middle East regional editor The women caught sneaking into the stadium were trying to attend a particularly significant game, one being watched by the most powerful man in world football, Fifa's boss. It seems they wanted to attract Mr Infantino's attention to the ban on women attending games. And the sensitivity of the issue was apparent as Mr Infantino stood beside the country's sports minister during a live TV interview. A journalist asked this awkward question about when the ban might be lifted. The sound was faded down, and the interview abruptly taken off the air." } ], "id": "10061_0", "question": "Why this game?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "An international project featuring a rapist discussing his crime on stage has drawn both condemnation and support. So should a perpetrator be given a platform to share his experience? \"There's a rapist in the building,\" the protesters shouted as they briefly blocked the entrance. \"Get the rapist out.\" Their banners and loudspeakers were an unusual sight outside a venue better known for world-class concert performances than controversy. The anger at London's Royal Festival Hall at the Southbank Centre on Tuesday evening was over South of Forgiveness, an event that would see a woman inviting the man who raped her to discuss the impact of his actions. The discussion between Thordis Elva, from Iceland, and Australian Tom Stranger had already been dropped from a women's festival at the weekend following pressure from campaigners. Watch the full BBC Newsnight interview here But it was rescheduled after organisers of the Women of the World (WOW) Festival said the debate was too important to silence. \"Rape is one of these critical issues and we need to shift the discourse around it, which too often focuses on rape survivors rather than rape perpetrators\", Jude Kelly, artistic director of the Southbank Centre, said in a statement. Diane Langford, one of the protesters waving placards on the banks of the River Thames, condemned the decision. \"I'm here because I feel a rapist is profiting from his rape,\" said the 75-year-old, herself a survivor of rape. \"I don't believe there can ever be impunity for a rapist.\" Thordis Elva was 16 when she was raped by her then 18-year-old boyfriend, Tom Stranger, after a Christmas party in her hometown in Iceland. After years of turmoil she decided to get in touch with him. And to her surprise, he replied with a confession and an offer of \"whatever I can do\". By then it was too late for her to press criminal charges. Instead, they wrote a book together about what happened. A TED talk they filmed last October has been watched by more the 2.7 million people and the pair have since taken part in a handful of stage appearances. Their London fixture prompted a petition by campaigners who warned it would be a \"trigger\" for sexual assault survivors - bringing back painful and dangerous memories - and could \"encourage the normalisation of sexual violence instead of focusing on accountability and root causes of this violence\". They said it risked \"suggesting that standing on a platform alongside one's rapist is a model approach to addressing sexual violence\". The debate comes amid continued concern about the number of victims who report rape to police, both in the UK and around the world. The BBC has previously covered cases - for example in Colombia and Myanmar - where women have been attacked and even raped again for speaking out against sexual assault. Elva, who now lives in Sweden with her husband and son, insists she is not sharing a set of recommendations for others. Instead, she wants to shift the focus of responsibility for sexual violence to the perpetrator rather than the victim, and bring about what she calls the \"demonstrification\" of attackers. \"Demonisation of perpetrators in the mainstream media got in the way of my recovery,\" she said. \"The fact that Tom wasn't a monster, but a person who made an awful decision, made it harder for me to see his crime for what it was.\" When it was Stranger's turn to speak at the Royal Festival Hall on Tuesday, his words appeared very carefully chosen and he still seemed to have some difficulty getting them out. \"I'm not up here as some form of punishment... or searching for some kind of questionable redemption,\" he said. \"I'm not trying to benefit my profile or my bank balance. It would be disrespectful for me to do so.\" From rape to reconciliation: Thordis and Tom's story Organisers of the event said Stranger would not be paid for his appearance and he has vowed to donate any profits from the book to charity. He is being held up as the first and only confessed rapist to speak out publicly and internationally about his crime - without being identified by a court. So there is no guide on how to deal with these sensitivities. But the attempts to make Stranger's involvement more palatable have failed to pacify some activists and victims. \"Even if he's not getting paid, he will benefit from the cultural capital and the media buzz. He will continue to use his position of the vocal rapist to be protected,\" Liv Wynter, an artist, activist and survivor of rape, told the BBC. In a comment piece published before Tuesday's event, Wynter argued that rapists should not be applauded for purely admitting their crime, and worried that such a discussion could encourage other perpetrators to contact their victims. No-one involved in the event encouraged this. But any possibility - however slight - that rapists might be somehow persuaded to contact their victims \"would undoubtedly be concerning\", says Katie Russell, a spokesperson for support group Rape Crisis. \"If there is any rapist reading about this who is considering doing so, we urge them not to; it's not your right or your decision,\" she says. Rape Crisis as well as The Survivors Trust stress that, while they support Thordis Elva's process of recovery, her approach will not be right for everyone. \"We welcome the debate with caution as each experience is unique,\" says Fay Maxted of The Survivors Trust. Campaigners, meanwhile, have questioned how far Tom Stranger will go now to challenge other men who have perpetrated - or could perpetrate - sexual violence. He told the audience in London he would be \"deeply invested in listening to other men\" and encouraged more men to take part the debate about sexual violence and responsibility around the world. \"I recognise I'm a problematic individual. But I think there's a hunger for this discussion and it is high time.\" His involvement in the talk was broadly welcomed by those in the audience on Tuesday - perhaps unsurprisingly as they had devoted the time to listen. \"It was still her story\", said Karla Williams, 34. \"He didn't try to hijack anything or make it about himself.\" \"If you never hear from men, then how is anything ever going to change?\" added her friend Simran Chawla, 41. A handful of the men in the audience also shared their reactions in follow-up discussions after Elva and Stranger's talk. \"I think what they are doing is extraordinary. I'm really pleased this is happening,\" one man said. \"Tom did something quite brave and courageous\" in speaking up, said another. But the small number currently engaging in the debate soon came in sharp focus. It emerged that a separate men-only discussion after Elva and Strange's event only attracted two participants. \"It seems men here weren't ready to have the conversation with themselves,\" one of them said.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5403, "answer_start": 4164, "text": "But the attempts to make Stranger's involvement more palatable have failed to pacify some activists and victims. \"Even if he's not getting paid, he will benefit from the cultural capital and the media buzz. He will continue to use his position of the vocal rapist to be protected,\" Liv Wynter, an artist, activist and survivor of rape, told the BBC. In a comment piece published before Tuesday's event, Wynter argued that rapists should not be applauded for purely admitting their crime, and worried that such a discussion could encourage other perpetrators to contact their victims. No-one involved in the event encouraged this. But any possibility - however slight - that rapists might be somehow persuaded to contact their victims \"would undoubtedly be concerning\", says Katie Russell, a spokesperson for support group Rape Crisis. \"If there is any rapist reading about this who is considering doing so, we urge them not to; it's not your right or your decision,\" she says. Rape Crisis as well as The Survivors Trust stress that, while they support Thordis Elva's process of recovery, her approach will not be right for everyone. \"We welcome the debate with caution as each experience is unique,\" says Fay Maxted of The Survivors Trust." } ], "id": "10062_0", "question": "Wrong signal?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Israel's Supreme Court has disqualified the leader of the far-right Jewish Power party, Michael Ben-Ari, from next month's elections. In doing so, it overturned an earlier decision by the electoral committee. Mr Ben-Ari has faced criticism over his comments about Israeli Arabs. Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit has said they amount to \"incitement to racism\". The court also reinstated Israeli Arab parties previously banned from contesting the 9 April poll. They had been barred from standing for their critical remarks about the state of Israel and the Israel Defense Forces. Ahead of the elections, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had forged an alliance with several far-right parties, including Jewish Power, to try to shore up support. His right-wing Likud party is seen as a strong contender despite an investigation into corruption allegations against him. The long-serving prime minister also faces a serious challenge from the new centrist Blue and White alliance led by ex-military chief Benny Gantz, which is polling just behind Likud. All governments in Israel are coalitions because the country's system of proportional representation makes it unlikely for single parties to be able to govern alone. The court backed an appeal from left-wing politicians who argued that Mr Ben-Ari had made racist remarks. The Times of Israel website reports that the appeal cited Mr Ben-Ari from August 2018, saying: \"We have to change the equation regarding anyone who dares to speak against a Jew. \"[Such a person] is a dead man. He must not come out alive. No expelling him, no stripping him of his citizenship. He does not live! A firing squad takes him out as the Arabs understand [best].\" Mr Ben-Ari has claimed that he was referring to Hamas leadership - not all Arabs. And responding to Sunday's court ruling, he said: \"There is a judicial junta here which wants to take over our lives. \"They tell you there is a democracy here. It's not a democracy, there is a judicial junta here, unfortunately, which took power into its hands.\" It is unlikely to affect the polls, as other members of Jewish Power are still allowed to run. Candidate Itamar Ben-Gvir was approved on Sunday to stand in Mr Ben-Ari's place. The court's decision marks the first time that a single candidate - not an entire party - has been banned from running in elections since electoral law changes were adopted in 2002. Prime Minister Netanyahu's decision to partner with Jewish Power received rare criticism from pro-Israel lobby groups in the US - Aipac and the American Jewish Committee - who described it as a \"racist and reprehensible\" party. The ultra-right party includes disciples of the late anti-Arab extremist rabbi Meir Kahane, who led a right-wing fundamentalist group in the 1980s that advocated attacks on Arabs, and was later outlawed under Israeli anti-terrorist legislation. Israel's Supreme Court also approved on Sunday a candidate from the radical socialist Hadash party, and overturned a ban on an Israeli-Arab alliance called Raam-Balad, which had been accused of links to Palestinian militants.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2042, "answer_start": 1218, "text": "The court backed an appeal from left-wing politicians who argued that Mr Ben-Ari had made racist remarks. The Times of Israel website reports that the appeal cited Mr Ben-Ari from August 2018, saying: \"We have to change the equation regarding anyone who dares to speak against a Jew. \"[Such a person] is a dead man. He must not come out alive. No expelling him, no stripping him of his citizenship. He does not live! A firing squad takes him out as the Arabs understand [best].\" Mr Ben-Ari has claimed that he was referring to Hamas leadership - not all Arabs. And responding to Sunday's court ruling, he said: \"There is a judicial junta here which wants to take over our lives. \"They tell you there is a democracy here. It's not a democracy, there is a judicial junta here, unfortunately, which took power into its hands.\"" } ], "id": "10063_0", "question": "What did the court rule?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3099, "answer_start": 2043, "text": "It is unlikely to affect the polls, as other members of Jewish Power are still allowed to run. Candidate Itamar Ben-Gvir was approved on Sunday to stand in Mr Ben-Ari's place. The court's decision marks the first time that a single candidate - not an entire party - has been banned from running in elections since electoral law changes were adopted in 2002. Prime Minister Netanyahu's decision to partner with Jewish Power received rare criticism from pro-Israel lobby groups in the US - Aipac and the American Jewish Committee - who described it as a \"racist and reprehensible\" party. The ultra-right party includes disciples of the late anti-Arab extremist rabbi Meir Kahane, who led a right-wing fundamentalist group in the 1980s that advocated attacks on Arabs, and was later outlawed under Israeli anti-terrorist legislation. Israel's Supreme Court also approved on Sunday a candidate from the radical socialist Hadash party, and overturned a ban on an Israeli-Arab alliance called Raam-Balad, which had been accused of links to Palestinian militants." } ], "id": "10063_1", "question": "What does it mean for the elections?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "It is \"obvious\" there will be a hard border in Ireland in the event of a no-deal Brexit, the European Commission's chief spokesman has said. Margaritis Schinas made the comments at the commission's daily media briefing. If he was pushed to speculate what might happen in a no-deal scenario, he said, it was \"pretty obvious you will have a hard border\". However, the Irish government has repeated its stance that it will \"not accept a hard border on this island\". In a statement, the office of Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) Leo Varadkar said: \"Regardless of Brexit, the British government will always have responsibilities as co-guarantor of the Good Friday Agreement to ensure that, even in a no deal, there will not be a return to a border.\" In June 2016 the UK voted to leave the EU and negotiations have been taking place since then on the terms of the UK's withdrawal. Unless the EU and UK strike a deal that is accepted by the British parliament, the default position will be for the UK to leave the EU without a deal on 29 March. Mr Varadkar's statement added that avoiding a hard border would be \"more difficult to achieve without the withdrawal agreement and would require very difficult discussions with our EU partners\". \"Working out suitable customs and trade arrangements compatible with our EU membership will require detailed discussion with the commission, while the UK will also need to live up to its responsibilities. \"We are under no illusions about how challenging that would be,\" Mr Varadkar's office added, but it also reiterated its position that the Irish government is \"not planning\" for a hard border. Speaking later in the Dail (Irish parliament) Mr Varadkar said the Irish government would have \"a real dilemma\" if the UK leaves without a deal: \"We would have to negotiate an agreement on customs and regulations that meant full alignment so there would be no hard border. \"We already have that agreement, and that is the backstop,\" he said. He also said that in a no-deal scenario Ireland would have obligations to protect the single market, the United Kingdom would have obligations to protect World Trade Organisation rules and both states would have an obligation to honour the Good Friday Agreement, protect the peace process and honour their commitments to the people of Northern Ireland that there will not be a hard border. Last week, the UK prime minister said the EU had made it \"clear there will be no flexibility on border checks in no deal\". \"The Irish government will be expected to apply EU checks in full,\" added Theresa May. Mr Schinas told reporters at Tuesday's briefing: \"If you'd like to push me and speculate on what might happen in a no-deal scenario in Ireland, I think it's pretty obvious - you will have a hard border. \"And our commitment to the Good Friday Agreement and everything that we have been doing for years with our tools, instruments and programmes will have to take, inevitably, into account this fact. \"So, of course we are for peace; of course we stand behind the Good Friday Agreement but that's what a withdrawal... that's a no-deal scenario, that's what it [would] entail. \"So I will not now speculate on this plan B because, as I said seconds ago, we are for plan A, which is set by the withdrawal agreement and the political declaration as a package.\" Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) has described Mr Schinas's comments as \"a lot of bluff\". The party's Brexit spokesman, Sammy Wilson, said he believed the EU was trying to \"up the ante\" as the Brexit deadlock continues. He said his party would not be scared into voting for the deal that includes the current Irish \"backstop\" - the controversial insurance policy designed to prevent a hard border if the UK leaves the EU without securing an all-encompassing deal. The DUP MP acknowledged there would be pressure on the Irish government now, but he urged the British government not to listen to what the EU has said about a hard border. \"Good luck to them (the EU) if they think they can put a hard border up,\" Mr Wilson added. \"We'll see it for bluff come 1 April, if there is no deal.\" It is written into law that the UK will be leaving the EU on March 29, but the deadline could be extended Last week, the withdrawal agreement was overwhelmingly rejected by Westminster,, with MPs voting against Mrs May's preferred deal by 432 votes to 202. It was the largest defeat for a sitting British government in history. Mrs May was asked to come up with an alternative option and MPs are now due to vote on an amended version of her deal on 29 January. On Monday, the prime minister told the House of Commons she will go back to EU leaders in a bid to secure changes to the Irish backstop. However, there is little consensus in the Commons for any one solution to Brexit, and so MPs are currently putting forward a range of other options ahead of the 29 January vote. Among the amendments suggested so far are plans to prevent a no-deal Brexit and to extend the deadline for leaving the EU. Northern Ireland Affairs Committee chairman Andrew Murrison has submitted an amendment which seeks to time-limit the backstop.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3327, "answer_start": 2573, "text": "Mr Schinas told reporters at Tuesday's briefing: \"If you'd like to push me and speculate on what might happen in a no-deal scenario in Ireland, I think it's pretty obvious - you will have a hard border. \"And our commitment to the Good Friday Agreement and everything that we have been doing for years with our tools, instruments and programmes will have to take, inevitably, into account this fact. \"So, of course we are for peace; of course we stand behind the Good Friday Agreement but that's what a withdrawal... that's a no-deal scenario, that's what it [would] entail. \"So I will not now speculate on this plan B because, as I said seconds ago, we are for plan A, which is set by the withdrawal agreement and the political declaration as a package.\"" } ], "id": "10064_0", "question": "What did the European Commission's spokesman say?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4132, "answer_start": 3328, "text": "Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) has described Mr Schinas's comments as \"a lot of bluff\". The party's Brexit spokesman, Sammy Wilson, said he believed the EU was trying to \"up the ante\" as the Brexit deadlock continues. He said his party would not be scared into voting for the deal that includes the current Irish \"backstop\" - the controversial insurance policy designed to prevent a hard border if the UK leaves the EU without securing an all-encompassing deal. The DUP MP acknowledged there would be pressure on the Irish government now, but he urged the British government not to listen to what the EU has said about a hard border. \"Good luck to them (the EU) if they think they can put a hard border up,\" Mr Wilson added. \"We'll see it for bluff come 1 April, if there is no deal.\"" } ], "id": "10064_1", "question": "How did the DUP respond to those remarks?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5159, "answer_start": 4133, "text": "It is written into law that the UK will be leaving the EU on March 29, but the deadline could be extended Last week, the withdrawal agreement was overwhelmingly rejected by Westminster,, with MPs voting against Mrs May's preferred deal by 432 votes to 202. It was the largest defeat for a sitting British government in history. Mrs May was asked to come up with an alternative option and MPs are now due to vote on an amended version of her deal on 29 January. On Monday, the prime minister told the House of Commons she will go back to EU leaders in a bid to secure changes to the Irish backstop. However, there is little consensus in the Commons for any one solution to Brexit, and so MPs are currently putting forward a range of other options ahead of the 29 January vote. Among the amendments suggested so far are plans to prevent a no-deal Brexit and to extend the deadline for leaving the EU. Northern Ireland Affairs Committee chairman Andrew Murrison has submitted an amendment which seeks to time-limit the backstop." } ], "id": "10064_2", "question": "Can a no-deal Brexit still be avoided?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "North Korea has celebrated the Trump-Kim summit as a great win for the country, with state media reporting that the US intends to lift sanctions. The two leaders met on Tuesday, signing a brief declaration on denuclearisation and reducing tensions. President Donald Trump said afterwards that sanctions would remain in place for now, but would be lifted once \"nukes are no longer a factor\". He also announced an unexpected end to US-South Korea military drills. The move - long demanded by Pyongyang - has been seen as a major concession to North Korea and appeared to take US allies in the region by surprise. The Pentagon has since sought to reassure its allies of its \"ironclad\" security commitments. In his latest tweets after arriving back in the United States, Mr Trump continued his upbeat tone. \"There is no longer a nuclear threat from North Korea,\" he maintained. \"President Obama said that North Korea was our biggest and most dangerous problem. No longer - sleep well tonight!\" North Korea's media are tightly controlled by the government and only ever report positively on officials' activities. They rarely report on leader Kim Jong-un's activities in real time. But Tuesday's summit in Singapore was front page news on Wednesday, with multiple images of Mr Kim alongside Mr Trump. Official newspaper Rodong Sinmun called the summit \"the meeting of the century\" on its front page. State media agency KCNA published an enthusiastic article in English praising the talks as a historic break from the past. The declaration signed at the end of the summit said the two countries would co-operate towards \"new relations\", while the US would provide \"security guarantees\" to North Korea. Pyongyang in return \"commits to work toward complete denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula,\" the document says. Most Western observers have said the deal appears to include significant concessions from the US while including no new commitments from North Korea nor details on how denuclearisation could be achieved. KCNA has focused on those elements as a great breakthrough for North Korea. \"Trump expressed his intention to halt US-South Korea joint military exercises, offer security guarantees to the North and lift sanctions against it along with advance in improving the mutual relationship through dialogue and negotiation,\" it said. Although not part of the joint declaration, Mr Trump said after the summit that sanctions \"will come off\" once the US is sure that the nukes are \"no longer a factor\". He also said he hoped that this would be soon. Depicting the two leaders very much as equals at the meeting, KCNA quotes Mr Kim as saying it was urgent \"to make bold decision on halting irritating and hostile military actions against each other\". KCNA also reported that both leaders had agreed to visit each other in the US and North Korea respectively. Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe spoke to Donald Trump after the summit, saying there was \"great meaning in Chairman Kim's clearly confirming to President Trump the complete denuclearisation\". Tokyo also, however, cautioned that despite Pyongyang's pledge for denuclearisation no concrete steps had been taken and that Japan would not let down its guard. Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera said Japan sees \"US-South Korean joint exercises and the US military presence in South Korea as vital to security in East Asia\". \"It is up to the US and South Korea to decide about their joint exercises. We have no intention of changing our joint drills with the US,\" he said. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi described the Singapore summit as an \"equal dialogue\" between the two sides, adding that \"no-one will doubt the unique and important role played by China: a role which will continue\". Chinese state media described the summit as a \"starting point\" but said \"no-one would expect the half-day summit to be able to iron out all differences and remove deep-seated mistrust between the two long-time foes\".", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2861, "answer_start": 1518, "text": "The declaration signed at the end of the summit said the two countries would co-operate towards \"new relations\", while the US would provide \"security guarantees\" to North Korea. Pyongyang in return \"commits to work toward complete denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula,\" the document says. Most Western observers have said the deal appears to include significant concessions from the US while including no new commitments from North Korea nor details on how denuclearisation could be achieved. KCNA has focused on those elements as a great breakthrough for North Korea. \"Trump expressed his intention to halt US-South Korea joint military exercises, offer security guarantees to the North and lift sanctions against it along with advance in improving the mutual relationship through dialogue and negotiation,\" it said. Although not part of the joint declaration, Mr Trump said after the summit that sanctions \"will come off\" once the US is sure that the nukes are \"no longer a factor\". He also said he hoped that this would be soon. Depicting the two leaders very much as equals at the meeting, KCNA quotes Mr Kim as saying it was urgent \"to make bold decision on halting irritating and hostile military actions against each other\". KCNA also reported that both leaders had agreed to visit each other in the US and North Korea respectively." } ], "id": "10065_0", "question": "Lifting the sanctions?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Ivanka Trump has been inundated with an appeal from celebrities on Instagram, begging her to take action on the separation of migrant families at the border. It comes after US officials separated more than 2,500 children from undocumented adults at the border with Mexico earlier this year, in a \"zero tolerance\" crackdown on illegal immigration. The policy was suspended by Ms Trump's father, President Donald Trump, last month after a fierce backlash. However, hundreds of children remain separated from their parents - the focus of the posts. The post reportedly originated with three women: Sarah Sophie Flicker, Paola Mendoza, and Alyssa Klein - described as \"women's march alums [alumni]\" by website Bustle . It didn't take long for people like comedian Amy Schumer, television presenter Alexa Chung and GirlBoss founder Sophia Moruso - all of whom are followed by the \"first daughter\" - to pick up the baton and try to get Ms Trump's attention. The post addresses Ms Trump directly but what else does it say? Let's break it down. Ms Trump addressed the issue during an interview with the Axios news site last Thursday - the first time she had addressed the crisis in anything more than a tweet. \"That was a low point for me as well,\" she said, according to CNN. \"I felt very strongly about that and I am very vehemently against family separation and the separation of parents and children so I would agree with that sentiment.\" So Ms Trump did address it as a past-tense issue. But while her father signed an executive order on 21 June which promised to \"keep families together\" in migrant detentions, the issue is still affecting hundreds of families. The order did not address those families already separated by the policy. The Instagram post uses the government's own figures, released the same day Ms Trump spoke, to illustrate how it is an ongoing issue. Reports a child had died shortly after leaving an immigration detention facility in Texas emerged last week. However, it is unclear what exactly happened, news agency Associated Press reported. There have also been reports of abuse taking place at the shelters caring for the children, although some of it is historic. A lawsuit alleging children were forcibly injected at one of the centres is currently going through the courts, according to The Texas Tribune. Well, Ms Trump does act as a \"special advisor\" to her father, but does not have any special role regarding immigration. However, it is widely believed Ms Trump is one of the few people who can influence her father. In this case, those sharing the post want her to use that influence to ask him to fire Kirstjen Nielsen, who heads up homeland security - the department responsible for the policy. Ms Trump did not immediately respond to the appeal on Instagram and it is unclear if she will have even seen the posts. Ms Trump follows 1,146 people on Instagram. What's more, despite the page saying it is \"personal\", there is a chance she might not even run it herself. A similar push on social media in 2017 - this time focusing on protecting the \"Dreamers\", young immigrants brought to the US illegally - also failed to reap any tangible rewards. Far more likely to get her attention are the reams of newspaper headlines the campaign has generated.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2331, "answer_start": 547, "text": "The post reportedly originated with three women: Sarah Sophie Flicker, Paola Mendoza, and Alyssa Klein - described as \"women's march alums [alumni]\" by website Bustle . It didn't take long for people like comedian Amy Schumer, television presenter Alexa Chung and GirlBoss founder Sophia Moruso - all of whom are followed by the \"first daughter\" - to pick up the baton and try to get Ms Trump's attention. The post addresses Ms Trump directly but what else does it say? Let's break it down. Ms Trump addressed the issue during an interview with the Axios news site last Thursday - the first time she had addressed the crisis in anything more than a tweet. \"That was a low point for me as well,\" she said, according to CNN. \"I felt very strongly about that and I am very vehemently against family separation and the separation of parents and children so I would agree with that sentiment.\" So Ms Trump did address it as a past-tense issue. But while her father signed an executive order on 21 June which promised to \"keep families together\" in migrant detentions, the issue is still affecting hundreds of families. The order did not address those families already separated by the policy. The Instagram post uses the government's own figures, released the same day Ms Trump spoke, to illustrate how it is an ongoing issue. Reports a child had died shortly after leaving an immigration detention facility in Texas emerged last week. However, it is unclear what exactly happened, news agency Associated Press reported. There have also been reports of abuse taking place at the shelters caring for the children, although some of it is historic. A lawsuit alleging children were forcibly injected at one of the centres is currently going through the courts, according to The Texas Tribune." } ], "id": "10066_0", "question": "So what does the appeal say?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2727, "answer_start": 2332, "text": "Well, Ms Trump does act as a \"special advisor\" to her father, but does not have any special role regarding immigration. However, it is widely believed Ms Trump is one of the few people who can influence her father. In this case, those sharing the post want her to use that influence to ask him to fire Kirstjen Nielsen, who heads up homeland security - the department responsible for the policy." } ], "id": "10066_1", "question": "But what has this got to do with Ivanka Trump?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3280, "answer_start": 2728, "text": "Ms Trump did not immediately respond to the appeal on Instagram and it is unclear if she will have even seen the posts. Ms Trump follows 1,146 people on Instagram. What's more, despite the page saying it is \"personal\", there is a chance she might not even run it herself. A similar push on social media in 2017 - this time focusing on protecting the \"Dreamers\", young immigrants brought to the US illegally - also failed to reap any tangible rewards. Far more likely to get her attention are the reams of newspaper headlines the campaign has generated." } ], "id": "10066_2", "question": "Is the appeal likely to work?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The BBC's web services are all currently blocked in China, following a decision by the corporation to change the website's format. It has altered all of its addresses from beginning \"HTTP\" to \"HTTPS\", which is widely considered to be a more secure connection but is routinely blocked in China. In a statement, the BBC recommended the use of either a virtual private network (VPN) or the Psiphon app. Both of these can circumvent the block. In a recent blog post, James Donohue, principal software engineer in BBC News, explained why the website had made the transition and why BBC pages now had a green padlock next to the address on the top left hand side. \"In a climate of anxiety around fake news, it's vital that users are able to determine that articles have not been tampered with and that their browsing history is private to them,\" he wrote. \"HTTPS achieves both of these as it makes it far more difficult for ISPs [internet service providers] to track which articles and videos you're looking at or selectively suppress individual pieces of content. \"We've seen cases outside the UK, with some of our World Service sites where foreign governments have tried to do this.\" Many people use VPNs in China despite government crackdowns and bans on unlicensed networks. VPNs disguise the location of a device, meaning that it can access online content that may be banned in the region where it physically is. The BBC said that its audience in China had not had official access to its online content for about a week. \"We regret this loss of service,\" said a representative. \"We continue to work with local service providers so that specific BBC content can be made directly available to our audience in China. \"The last time BBC services were blocked to this extent in China was in 2014 and we call on all parties to observe the UN Declaration of Human Rights, article 19.\" Article 19 states that everybody has the right to freedom of opinion and expression and the right to receive and impart information.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1179, "answer_start": 440, "text": "In a recent blog post, James Donohue, principal software engineer in BBC News, explained why the website had made the transition and why BBC pages now had a green padlock next to the address on the top left hand side. \"In a climate of anxiety around fake news, it's vital that users are able to determine that articles have not been tampered with and that their browsing history is private to them,\" he wrote. \"HTTPS achieves both of these as it makes it far more difficult for ISPs [internet service providers] to track which articles and videos you're looking at or selectively suppress individual pieces of content. \"We've seen cases outside the UK, with some of our World Service sites where foreign governments have tried to do this.\"" } ], "id": "10067_0", "question": "Why HTTPS?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Mobile operator O2 has said its data networks have been restored after a day of disruption for smartphone users. A statement on its website, published early on Friday, said the 4G network was working again, having been affected from about 05:30 GMT on Thursday. It said the slower 3G data service had been reinstated on Thursday evening. But some users told the BBC they were still having issues with texting and urged O2 to fix the glitches. \"I have a Tesco mobile [which uses the O2 network] - any texts I send say 'not sent. Tap to try again',\" wrote Lesley. \"Each tap brings the same message! But I find the person I've sent it to actually has received it!\" Another user Steve wrote: \"No, it's most definitely not fixed as there are numerous error messages sending texts as well as duplicated sendings.\" An O2 spokeswoman said: \"A small proportion of customers have reported issues sending text messages. We can see that the vast majority are being sent and received successfully and our technical teams are investigating. \"Our 3G and 4G data services are performing as normal.\" Earlier, O2 and mobile network equipment supplier Ericsson issued a joint apology to the millions of customers hit by disruption to its data services. O2 has 25 million users and also provides services for the Sky, Giffgaff and Lycamobile networks, which have another seven million users. Services such as bus timetable information were also affected, while many businesses faced disruption. Ericsson UK boss Marielle Lindgren said the \"faulty software\" that had caused the issues was being decommissioned. In a joint statement, O2 boss Mark Evans said: \"I want to let our customers know how sorry I am for the impact our network data issue has had on them, and reassure them that our teams, together with Ericsson, are doing everything we can. \"We fully appreciate it's been a poor experience and we are really sorry.\" Ericsson said there had been network disruption for customers in multiple countries. Customers of O2 will be able to claim for any out-of-pocket expenses that resulted from being without their phone, according to consumer expert Helen Dewdney. Ms Dewdney, who writes a blog called The Complaining Cow, said users should be able to claim under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, which states that services should be carried out with reasonable skill and care. That means customers would be able to claim a refund for what they would pay on a contract for the time they were without the use of the phone. They could also claim consequential loss due to breach of contract, for example, if they incurred bank charges because they were unable to move their money, or the cost of having to use a payphone. This must be a genuine loss which can be proved with evidence. So, a taxi driver might be able to prove they lost out on fares owing to the shutdown, but other workers trying to claim a lost day of employment would struggle. Ms Dewdney suggested phone users calculated their losses, and wrote to O2 with the evidence. They should state what they wanted as redress and mention the Consumer Rights Act 2015. If they felt the response was unsatisfactory, it could be referred to Ombudsman Services: Communications of which O2 is a member. The customer would need to ask for a deadlock letter or wait eight weeks from the beginning of the complaint. Ericsson president Borje Ekholm gave more detail about the cause of the disruption. He said \"an initial root cause analysis\" had indicated that the \"main issue was an expired certificate in the software versions installed with these customers\". The company was carrying out \"a complete and comprehensive root cause analysis\", he added. Japan's Softbank network was also affected by the outages, which meant services on Y!Mobile were disrupted. O2 is owned by Spain's Telefonica and has the UK's second-largest mobile network after EE, which is part of BT. The company said voice calls were not affected by the problem, but some O2 customers said they could not make calls or send texts either. The outage had knock-on effects for other services that use the O2 network, including Transport for London's electronic timetable service at bus stops, which stopped working. Tom Morrod at market research firm IHS Markit said data was increasingly important to consumers, with half of UK mobile users prioritising internet connectivity above calls and texts. \"As well as the inconvenience to consumers and the associated frustration, having a major network out of action creates productivity challenges for businesses. \"Many businesses will have employees commuting or out in the field that have lost work time,\" he said. On Thursday, several O2 customers described the effects the outage was having. Allison Rose-Mannall, from Norwich, is an insulin-dependent diabetic who relies on her mobile and was unable to get to a landline. \"I'm disabled ... I'm in a wheelchair,\" she told the BBC. \"So having no data but also no calls as well means I can't contact anyone if I have a fall or if I need anything.\" Lynsey Greaves runs a company in Doncaster providing home visits to the elderly and vulnerable. Her 130 staff all rely on O2 phones to access rotas, schedules, names and addresses. She called in extra office staff to give out the information for each visit over the phone. \"There are nine of us trying to sort it now,\" she said. \"It's been a nightmare.\" Luke Stagg runs a plumbing business and depends on his phone, but he couldn't get through to customers or use his sat nav. \"That's a whole day wasted,\" he said. \"I'll be seeking to recoup my losses, especially as a business customer.\" Mischa Bittar is also a plumber. He said he had been \"unable to contact any of my engineers or customers via email, unable to use our mobile systems to contact any engineers at all, so everyone's just had to down tools today\". \"A lot of money lost and the first thing I know about it is via the BBC website, no contact from O2 at all, disappointing,\" he added. Omeran Amirat said he had been a loyal O2 customer for a long time. He said he had bids on eBay on Thursday morning but he could not do them because the O2 network was down. \"It's Christmas, the budget's tight for me, there were presents I was supposed to be buying for my daughter and my son on eBay today. They've gone now.\" He said he had lost the bids and \"O2 are responsible\".", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3344, "answer_start": 1988, "text": "Customers of O2 will be able to claim for any out-of-pocket expenses that resulted from being without their phone, according to consumer expert Helen Dewdney. Ms Dewdney, who writes a blog called The Complaining Cow, said users should be able to claim under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, which states that services should be carried out with reasonable skill and care. That means customers would be able to claim a refund for what they would pay on a contract for the time they were without the use of the phone. They could also claim consequential loss due to breach of contract, for example, if they incurred bank charges because they were unable to move their money, or the cost of having to use a payphone. This must be a genuine loss which can be proved with evidence. So, a taxi driver might be able to prove they lost out on fares owing to the shutdown, but other workers trying to claim a lost day of employment would struggle. Ms Dewdney suggested phone users calculated their losses, and wrote to O2 with the evidence. They should state what they wanted as redress and mention the Consumer Rights Act 2015. If they felt the response was unsatisfactory, it could be referred to Ombudsman Services: Communications of which O2 is a member. The customer would need to ask for a deadlock letter or wait eight weeks from the beginning of the complaint." } ], "id": "10068_0", "question": "Can I claim compensation?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "South Africa's ruling African National Congress (ANC) has selected Cyril Ramaphosa to succeed President Jacob Zuma as the party's leader. The country's deputy president defeated former cabinet minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Mr Zuma's ex-wife, after a marathon voting process. Mr Ramaphosa is in a strong position to become president in 2019 polls. The leadership battle caused fierce political infighting, raising fears the party might split before the election. Mr Ramaphosa defeated Ms Dlamini-Zuma by 2,440 votes to 2,261, an ANC spokesperson announced. The result triggered celebrations among party delegates in Johannesburg and also on the streets of the city. Media reports said earlier that the announcement had been delayed, with Ms Dlamini-Zuma's camp demanding a recount. The voting process started on Sunday. - Born in Soweto, Johannesburg, in 1952 - Detained in 1974 and 1976 for anti-apartheid activities - Launched the National Union of Mineworkers in 1982 - Chairman of the National Reception Committee which prepared for Nelson Mandela's release from prison in 1990 - Became an MP and chairman of constitutional assembly in 1994 - Moved full-time into business in 1997, becoming one of South Africa's richest businessmen - On Lonmin board during 2012 Marikana massacre - Became South Africa's deputy president in 2014 - Elected ANC leader in 2017 Cyril Ramaphosa: Unionist to boss Mr Ramaphosa, 65, has spoken out strongly against state corruption and has the backing of the business community. He campaigned as the anti-Zuma candidate, promising to target corruption, and his victory could mean that the ANC decides to recall Mr Zuma as national president in the next few weeks. The Supreme Court ruled in October that Mr Zuma should face corruption, fraud, racketeering and money-laundering charges. The ANC recalled Mr Zuma's predecessor, Thabo Mbeki, in 2008 after Mr Zuma replaced him as ANC leader the previous year. Ms Dlamini-Zuma, 68, had been critical of the enduring power of white-owned businesses and had pledged to tackle what she said was continued racial inequality. Analysts said that Mr Zuma had backed his former wife. The ANC election came amid declining support for the party, though opinion polls still suggest backing of about 50%. Lebo Diseko, BBC News, Johannesburg To say the atmosphere inside the plenary was electric would be quite the understatement - the singing inside the hall reached crescendo point as it was announced that Cyril Ramaphosa is the new president of the ANC. There was a touching moment when Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma came on stage and hugged the man who beat her - by less than 200 votes - to the top job in the party, and put a halt to her ambition to be South Africa's first female president. The ANC has been torn apart by infighting of late, and the leadership battle was particularly bitter. There is much work ahead for the new leader of the liberation movement. Not only does Mr Ramaphosa need to unite his party, he also needs to convince the electorate that the ANC still represents the issues of the people it fought to hard to bring freedom to. Andrew Harding, BBC News, Johannesburg Mr Zuma's future looks uncertain. In theory he could remain South African president until national elections in 2019, restricting Mr Ramaphosa's room for manoeuvre. But it's extremely likely that a victorious Mr Ramaphosa will seek the \"recall\" of President Zuma by the ANC. If that happens, then things could move very quickly, and a President Ramaphosa would probably move fast to remove Mr Zuma's allies from key positions. The heads of the National Prosecuting Authority and the state power utility have, for instance, faced particular criticism. Opinion polls suggest that the ANC stands a better chance of shoring up its waning popular support and winning the 2019 elections under Mr Ramaphosa's leadership. Read more from Andrew: What Ramaphosa victory means for South Africa The trials of Jacob Zuma", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2272, "answer_start": 1399, "text": "Mr Ramaphosa, 65, has spoken out strongly against state corruption and has the backing of the business community. He campaigned as the anti-Zuma candidate, promising to target corruption, and his victory could mean that the ANC decides to recall Mr Zuma as national president in the next few weeks. The Supreme Court ruled in October that Mr Zuma should face corruption, fraud, racketeering and money-laundering charges. The ANC recalled Mr Zuma's predecessor, Thabo Mbeki, in 2008 after Mr Zuma replaced him as ANC leader the previous year. Ms Dlamini-Zuma, 68, had been critical of the enduring power of white-owned businesses and had pledged to tackle what she said was continued racial inequality. Analysts said that Mr Zuma had backed his former wife. The ANC election came amid declining support for the party, though opinion polls still suggest backing of about 50%." } ], "id": "10069_0", "question": "What were the differences between the two candidates?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Italian police have arrested a gunman suspected of carrying out a drive-by shooting spree that targeted African immigrants. At least six people were wounded in the central town of Macerata. The suspect, named locally as Luca Traini, 28, had an Italian flag wrapped around his neck when he was detained. He had taken part in regional elections for the anti-immigration Northern League last year and reportedly made a fascist salute when he was captured. Italy votes in national elections on 4 March, with immigration one of the key issues. Mr Traini, who is from the surrounding Le Marche region, did not resist when he was detained after fleeing from his car near the town's war memorial. He is now being questioned. Police found a gun in his car. The shooting had begun two hours earlier at about 11:00 local time (10:00 GMT), La Repubblica website reports. The mayor had warned people to stay indoors during the incident, which saw shootings across a number of locations. The victims are being treated in hospital. At least one of them is said to be in a serious condition. Video of the moment the suspect was apprehended was published by local website, Il Resto del Carlino, showing a white bald man draped in an Italian tricolour being escorted away by police. Italian police also tweeted a photo of the moment of capture, saying one of the wounded had required surgery. Shots had been fired in the Via Spalato and Via dei Velini parts of town, two key areas in an investigation into the murder of an 18-year-old girl whose body was found dismembered and hidden in two suitcases last Wednesday. A 29-year-old Nigerian male migrant has been detained over the killing of Pamela Mastropietro. Several racist comments calling for revenge attacks were posted on the Facebook page of the victim's mother in the run up to Saturday's shootings, Ansa reports. Local reports are linking the two incidents. Right-wing politicians have been using Pamela Mastropietro's killing to promote their anti-migrant message as part of their campaign for the general election. Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni has temporarily suspended campaigning over the shootings. Opinion polls suggest a centre-right bloc, including the Northern League, Forza Italia and the far-right Brothers of Italy, will win the most seats but not a working majority. With about 28% support in the opinion polls, the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement is the most popular single party. This suggests there could be tough coalition negotiations, or even another election, after 4 March.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2549, "answer_start": 539, "text": "Mr Traini, who is from the surrounding Le Marche region, did not resist when he was detained after fleeing from his car near the town's war memorial. He is now being questioned. Police found a gun in his car. The shooting had begun two hours earlier at about 11:00 local time (10:00 GMT), La Repubblica website reports. The mayor had warned people to stay indoors during the incident, which saw shootings across a number of locations. The victims are being treated in hospital. At least one of them is said to be in a serious condition. Video of the moment the suspect was apprehended was published by local website, Il Resto del Carlino, showing a white bald man draped in an Italian tricolour being escorted away by police. Italian police also tweeted a photo of the moment of capture, saying one of the wounded had required surgery. Shots had been fired in the Via Spalato and Via dei Velini parts of town, two key areas in an investigation into the murder of an 18-year-old girl whose body was found dismembered and hidden in two suitcases last Wednesday. A 29-year-old Nigerian male migrant has been detained over the killing of Pamela Mastropietro. Several racist comments calling for revenge attacks were posted on the Facebook page of the victim's mother in the run up to Saturday's shootings, Ansa reports. Local reports are linking the two incidents. Right-wing politicians have been using Pamela Mastropietro's killing to promote their anti-migrant message as part of their campaign for the general election. Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni has temporarily suspended campaigning over the shootings. Opinion polls suggest a centre-right bloc, including the Northern League, Forza Italia and the far-right Brothers of Italy, will win the most seats but not a working majority. With about 28% support in the opinion polls, the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement is the most popular single party. This suggests there could be tough coalition negotiations, or even another election, after 4 March." } ], "id": "10070_0", "question": "Link to teenager's killing?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Scots nurse Pauline Cafferkey is in a \"stable\" condition in a London hospital after being admitted for a third time since contracting Ebola. The 40-year-old from South Lanarkshire was flown south after being admitted to Glasgow's Queen Elizabeth Hospital. She was put on an RAF Hercules aircraft which took her to London where she was taken to the Royal Free Hospital. Ms Cafferkey was treated there twice in 2015 after contracting Ebola in Sierra Leone the previous year. A spokesman for the Royal Free said she had been transferred to the hospital \"due to a late complication from her previous infection by the Ebola virus\". The spokesman added: \"She will now be treated by the hospital's infectious diseases team under nationally agreed guidelines. \"The Ebola virus can only be transmitted by direct contact with the blood or bodily fluids of an infected person while they are symptomatic so the risk to the general public remains low and the NHS has well established and practised infection control procedures in place.\" NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said Ms Cafferkey had been admitted to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow \"under routine monitoring by the Infectious Diseases Unit\". The health board said she was \"undergoing further investigations and her condition remains stable\". Scottish Health Secretary Shona Robison said: \"I'd like to thank the expert NHS staff in Glasgow who have looked after her and helped with her transfer to the Royal Free Hospital, where Pauline has been treated before and where clinicians agreed it would be best to continue her treatment.\" The nurse, from Halfway, Cambuslang, contracted the virus while working as part of a British team at the Kerry Town Ebola treatment centre. She spent almost a month in isolation at the Royal Free at the beginning of 2015 after the virus was detected when she arrived back in the UK. Ms Cafferkey was later discharged after apparently making a full recovery, and in March 2015 returned to work as a public health nurse at Blantyre Health Centre in South Lanarkshire. In October last year it was discovered that Ebola was still present in her body, with health officials later confirming she had been diagnosed with meningitis caused by the virus. Ebola is a viral illness of which the initial symptoms can include a sudden fever, intense weakness, muscle pain and a sore throat, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). And that is just the beginning: subsequent stages are vomiting, diarrhoea and - in some cases - both internal and external bleeding. The disease infects humans through close contact with infected animals, including chimpanzees, fruit bats and forest antelope. It then spreads between humans by direct contact with infected blood, bodily fluids or organs, or indirectly through contact with contaminated environments. Even funerals of Ebola victims can be a risk, if mourners have direct contact with the body of the deceased. Ebola outbreaks occur primarily in remote villages in Central and West Africa, near tropical rainforests, says the WHO. The Ebola outbreak in West Africa was first reported in March 2014, and rapidly became the deadliest occurrence of the disease since its discovery in 1976. Almost two years on from the first confirmed case recorded on 23 March 2014, more than 11,000 people have been reported as having died from the disease in six countries; Liberia, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, the US and Mali. The total number of reported cases is almost 29,000. On 13 January, 2016, the World Health Organisation declared the last of the countries still affected, Liberia, to be Ebola-free. Bodily tissues can harbour the Ebola infection months after the person appears to have fully recovered. Dr Derek Gatherer, lecturer in the Division of Biomedical and Life Sciences at Lancaster University, said it was \"now becoming clear that Ebola is a far more complex disease than we previously imagined\". He said: \"The meningitis that Ms Cafferkey suffered from at the end of last year is one of the most serious complications of all, as it can be life-threatening. \"The other main rare serious complication is inflammation of the eyes (conjunctivitis and/or uveitis) which can lead to blindness, especially if supportive treatments are unavailable.\" Dr Gatherer said major post-recovery complications included \"joint aches, headaches and general tiredness which can last for months\". 30 December, 2014 - Ebola nurse Pauline Cafferkey transferred to London unit 31 December, 2014 - Experimental drug for Ebola patient Pauline Cafferkey 4 January, 2015 - UK Ebola nurse Pauline Cafferkey 'in critical condition' 12 January, 2015 - Ebola nurse no longer critically ill 24 January, 2015 - Ebola nurse: Pauline Cafferkey 'happy to be alive' 10 October, 2015 - Ebola nurse Pauline Cafferkey remains 'serious' 14 October, 2015 - Ebola nurse Pauline Cafferkey now 'critically ill' 21 October, 2015 - Ebola caused meningitis in nurse Pauline Cafferkey 12 November, 2015 - Ebola nurse Pauline Cafferkey 'has made full recovery' 23 February, 2016 - Ebola nurse Pauline Cafferkey flown to London hospital", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2950, "answer_start": 2243, "text": "Ebola is a viral illness of which the initial symptoms can include a sudden fever, intense weakness, muscle pain and a sore throat, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). And that is just the beginning: subsequent stages are vomiting, diarrhoea and - in some cases - both internal and external bleeding. The disease infects humans through close contact with infected animals, including chimpanzees, fruit bats and forest antelope. It then spreads between humans by direct contact with infected blood, bodily fluids or organs, or indirectly through contact with contaminated environments. Even funerals of Ebola victims can be a risk, if mourners have direct contact with the body of the deceased." } ], "id": "10071_0", "question": "What is Ebola?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3635, "answer_start": 2951, "text": "Ebola outbreaks occur primarily in remote villages in Central and West Africa, near tropical rainforests, says the WHO. The Ebola outbreak in West Africa was first reported in March 2014, and rapidly became the deadliest occurrence of the disease since its discovery in 1976. Almost two years on from the first confirmed case recorded on 23 March 2014, more than 11,000 people have been reported as having died from the disease in six countries; Liberia, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, the US and Mali. The total number of reported cases is almost 29,000. On 13 January, 2016, the World Health Organisation declared the last of the countries still affected, Liberia, to be Ebola-free." } ], "id": "10071_1", "question": "Where does it strike?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "For a second consecutive day, Paris is restricting vehicle traffic using a system of odd or even number plates. The move throws the spotlight again on the effects of traffic pollution in the world's major cities. For the past week, Paris has seen a spike in air pollution. Weather conditions are a significant factor. There is a lack of wind along with temperature inversion - warmer air sitting on top of cold. This traps pollutants. Vehicle emissions are being blamed, especially diesels. The chemical culprits are usually particulate matter (PM) and nitrogen oxides (NOx). PM, a kind of fine soot, gets into the lungs and can cause cardiovascular problems. Nitrogen oxides worsen breathing difficulties. The alert has been triggered, according to Airparif, the city's air quality monitoring body, because a type of particulate, PM10, is reaching levels of between 80 and 100 micrograms per cubic metre. Only last month, the European Environment Agency (EEA) warned that air pollution was causing around 467,000 premature deaths in Europe every year. For only the fourth time in 20 years, Paris is banning vehicles according to whether they have odd or even number plates. Only those with odd numbers can use the roads on Wednesday. The day before it was the turn of even numbers. The authorities say the measure could continue on Thursday if pollution levels remain high. \"Clean\" vehicles - electric for example - and buses, taxis, and police and fire brigade vehicles are exempt from the rules. Those flouting the ban face a EUR22 ($24; PS19) fine, and clamping or tow-away. Paris is not the first city to take such action. Athens began using alternate number plate restrictions in the 1990s and Delhi introduced them a year ago. Lyon, France's second city, has announced it will be doing the same as Paris from Friday. How will Delhi's 'odd-even' car rationing work? Airparif reckons that similar measures used in March 2014 led to a 2% reduction in pollution by midday. Close to major traffic routes, the reduction was 6% and during rush hour on the Paris ring road particulate levels fell by 20%. Rush hour levels of nitrogen oxides fell by as much as 30%, according to Airparif. Alan Andrews, air quality lawyer with ClientEarth, says such measures can have an effect. \"Introducing odd and even number plate rules to combat pollution would certainly have an impact, to some degree, on harmful emissions because of the reduced number of vehicles allowed on the roads at any one time. \"It's a method which has been used in Beijing and Delhi for instance. The problem is that motorists might try to get round the rules by buying more than one car and having odd and even number plates in the household.\" Research carried out on a similar system used in the Colombian capital, Bogota, suggested this very problem. Assessing whether the system of odd-even number plates worked in Delhi is tricky, says Alan Andrews, because the city is contending with many other sources of pollution. Another complicating factor is that particulates breathed in in one country can in fact have come from another. Mr Andrews suggests more sophisticated approaches, too, such as London's move to discourage unnecessary journeys during the 2012 Olympics, as well as more wide-ranging international measures to curb pollutants. Major cities move to ban diesel vehicles In Paris considerable. Public transport is free during restrictions on private road vehicles, costing EUR4m a day in 2014, according to the city authorities. Tuesday's use of the alternate number plate system caused severe traffic jams, a cumulative 375km (233 miles), characterised as \"exceptional\" by officials. Paris, like several other cities, including London, is looking into tightening restrictions on more-polluting vehicles on a permanent basis, using low emission zones. From January, vehicles in Paris will have to display a sticker detailing how much pollution they emit. Older vehicles, those registered before 1997, will be banned from most of Paris during working hours. Lorries and coaches registered before 2001 are already banned. Several experts and officials say that low emission zones are a preferable solution as they force motorists to buy cleaner cars.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1053, "answer_start": 213, "text": "For the past week, Paris has seen a spike in air pollution. Weather conditions are a significant factor. There is a lack of wind along with temperature inversion - warmer air sitting on top of cold. This traps pollutants. Vehicle emissions are being blamed, especially diesels. The chemical culprits are usually particulate matter (PM) and nitrogen oxides (NOx). PM, a kind of fine soot, gets into the lungs and can cause cardiovascular problems. Nitrogen oxides worsen breathing difficulties. The alert has been triggered, according to Airparif, the city's air quality monitoring body, because a type of particulate, PM10, is reaching levels of between 80 and 100 micrograms per cubic metre. Only last month, the European Environment Agency (EEA) warned that air pollution was causing around 467,000 premature deaths in Europe every year." } ], "id": "10072_0", "question": "Why are the measures necessary?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1872, "answer_start": 1054, "text": "For only the fourth time in 20 years, Paris is banning vehicles according to whether they have odd or even number plates. Only those with odd numbers can use the roads on Wednesday. The day before it was the turn of even numbers. The authorities say the measure could continue on Thursday if pollution levels remain high. \"Clean\" vehicles - electric for example - and buses, taxis, and police and fire brigade vehicles are exempt from the rules. Those flouting the ban face a EUR22 ($24; PS19) fine, and clamping or tow-away. Paris is not the first city to take such action. Athens began using alternate number plate restrictions in the 1990s and Delhi introduced them a year ago. Lyon, France's second city, has announced it will be doing the same as Paris from Friday. How will Delhi's 'odd-even' car rationing work?" } ], "id": "10072_1", "question": "What steps are being taken?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3666, "answer_start": 3353, "text": "In Paris considerable. Public transport is free during restrictions on private road vehicles, costing EUR4m a day in 2014, according to the city authorities. Tuesday's use of the alternate number plate system caused severe traffic jams, a cumulative 375km (233 miles), characterised as \"exceptional\" by officials." } ], "id": "10072_2", "question": "What are the costs?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "North Korea has said its ruling Workers Party will hold its first congress in nearly 40 years next month. North Korea leadership expert Michael Madden looks at what such a rare gathering might actually do. This is when Kim Jong-un will finally formalise his own succession and set out his agenda. The build-up is part of the mystique and it is here that he will try to balance all the competing interests within the party, army and the state. The congress is also a public opportunity for him to reward loyalists; those who helped his father and those who helped him in his transition. He will also appoint some people his own age into lower-tier positions, a kind of regime-in-waiting. The last one, the 1980 congress, was five years overdue. According to the Party Charter, a party congress is \"the supreme organ of the party\" and should be convened every five years. But in lieu of a full congress, the party can convene a party conference. The Workers' Party of Korea didn't do this until 2010, 30 years later. At that meeting they took out the five-year requirement. It is hard to say exactly what has taken so long, but in this time the Communist world would radically change. There are now far fewer international delegations who might be able to make it. The economic plans that used to be announced at such events, were no longer relevant either. The congress will determine the role of and elect members of the party's leading institutions. It is also there to amend the Party Charter. The Party Charter sets out how the party is organised, how the party bodies relate to North Korea's government, military, society, economy and culture. It is also an ideological document with a preamble that gives a broad definition of the Workers' Party of Korea's views on a number of different domestic and international issues. These will inform North Korean policies until the next congress. It will begin with a report summarising the history of the Workers Party and Kim's contribution in building it. It will hear reports about the party's Central Committee. It will make changes to how the party is organised. And then there will be more reports on ideology, policy, and strategic planning. At some point Kim Jong-un will be elected to the party's highest post and there will be speeches celebrating his election. The Congress will then elect members of the party's most powerful organisation, the Central Committee. Then the sideline meetings begin and Central Committee will elect members of the party's other powerful institutions, such as the Central Military Commission. The last Party Congress was held in October 1980. It served as the first event at which Kim Jong-il was publicly identified as the successor to his father, North Korean founder Kim Il-sung. Essentially, it formalised Kim Family rule through hereditary succession, ushered in changes to North Korea's political institutions and brought in a new generation of officials, some of whom remain in power to this day. Attending the party congress will be delegates and observers elected at meetings of lower level party meetings held in provinces, cities and other communities. In these party \"cells\", all members are equal despite their position in the hierarchy (of course this doesn't apply to Kim Jong-un or his family). In the past, it was possible for a senior government officials to be members of a party cell alongside blue-collar party members, who could then severely criticise these government officials. This structure was introduced in the 1960s and they are gatherings of anywhere from five to 30 party members based on where they live in the country. Through them the party conducts political education, indoctrination, conducts surveillance on party and non-party members. It also mobilises party members for public events and civic projects from sweeping streets to construction projects. Those looking for a bold policy change are likely to be disappointed, but the party congress will probably to provide the framework through which a bold change can occur. We are likely to see something about North Korea continuing the development of its space program, education policy continuing the production and testing of nuclear weapons and very subtle indications about modifying its domestic economic policies. But this meeting is also likely to stop the flotsam and jetsam of the personnel shuffles we've seen during the last six years, with dismissed and disappeared officials and executions, both rumoured and real. In short, we will know more about those at the top of the renegade state.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1901, "answer_start": 1361, "text": "The congress will determine the role of and elect members of the party's leading institutions. It is also there to amend the Party Charter. The Party Charter sets out how the party is organised, how the party bodies relate to North Korea's government, military, society, economy and culture. It is also an ideological document with a preamble that gives a broad definition of the Workers' Party of Korea's views on a number of different domestic and international issues. These will inform North Korean policies until the next congress." } ], "id": "10073_0", "question": "What is it for?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2594, "answer_start": 1902, "text": "It will begin with a report summarising the history of the Workers Party and Kim's contribution in building it. It will hear reports about the party's Central Committee. It will make changes to how the party is organised. And then there will be more reports on ideology, policy, and strategic planning. At some point Kim Jong-un will be elected to the party's highest post and there will be speeches celebrating his election. The Congress will then elect members of the party's most powerful organisation, the Central Committee. Then the sideline meetings begin and Central Committee will elect members of the party's other powerful institutions, such as the Central Military Commission." } ], "id": "10073_1", "question": "What's on the programme?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Last Saturday, 16 February, elections in Nigeria were halted just hours before polling had been due to get under way. It was a huge inconvenience for millions of Nigerians, many of whom had travelled long distances to vote. The poll will now be held a week later, on Saturday, 23 February. With the extra time to prepare, are things now in place for the vote? Both the main parties, the governing All Peoples Congress (APC) and the People's Democratic Party (PDP), condemned the delay and blamed each other for meddling in the elections. This isn't the first time voters in Nigeria have been left in the lurch. It happened in the two previous presidential elections, in 2011 and 2015, and has led many to question the competence of the organising body, the Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec). This time the commission cited various reasons for the delay: - delays in delivering election materials and deploying staff - poor weather conditions - unresolved candidate registration issues - the destruction of election materials and suspected sabotage Some of the issues cited are not within the powers of the electoral commission to control, such as the unpredictable nature of Nigeria's weather. But there are clearly other logistical factors that do need to be addressed if the election is to proceed smoothly. Each of the 84 million registered voters in Nigeria is required to bring a Permanent Voting Card (PVC), which is then verified at the polling station using a smart card reader. However, many potential voters haven't got PVCs - and the electoral commission itself says 11 million of the cards printed haven't been collected. That's a big shortfall and won't be rectified by polling day - meaning millions of registered voters won't be able to cast ballots. Then there are the machines used to verify voters - 180,000 smart card readers have been deployed to polling stations across the country. All these machines were initially programmed to work on the originally planned voting day only, so they have all needed to be reprogrammed. Inec says this process has been completed and the machines are ready for use. It also says it has made up for 4,600 smart card readers destroyed in a fire in Anambra State, by redistributing devices from other states - although that may leave fewer back-up machines for polling stations in other regions. Organising elections in Nigeria is a huge logistical challenge. It's a large country, with an estimated 200 million people, and many regions lack proper roads and infrastructure. The electoral commission says ballot papers and election staff will be in place across the country. Sensitive election materials such as ballot papers and result sheets are being held in local central banks, Inec has told BBC News. However, reports from local media have highlighted further logistical mishaps and the destruction of election materials and resources. Some election material has even been found in the wrong states. Election officials are working with security forces to prevent disruption to the election. Inec maintains voting will take place in all 774 local government areas. And international election observers say it has been moving in the right direction.. \"I think Inec have definitely picked up their game,\" says John Tomaszewski, the International Republican Institute's regional director for Africa. But some concerns around security remain, especially over: - Islamist insurgency in the North East - herder-farmer clashes in the Middle Belt - various threats from bandits and criminal gangs in northern regions and oil-producing states in the South In Borno State, in north-eastern Nigeria, the state most affected by Boko Haram Islamist militants, eight local government areas have prepared satellite polling stations in camps for internally displaced people. But last week, in the run-up to the originally planned election day, Boko Haram coordinated a series of attacks and suicide bombings on military bases and a neighbourhood in the north-eastern city of Maiduguri. And Idayat Hassan, from Abuja-based think tank the Centre for Democracy and Development, says: \"The likelihood of Boko Haram attacking during the elections is high - the insurgents have consistently express aversion towards democracy and elections.\" Meanwhile, in other states, such as Zamfara, in northern-most Nigeria, kidnappings, killings and general lawlessness are also raising voters' fears. Read more from Reality Check Send us your questions Follow us on Twitter", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1325, "answer_start": 360, "text": "Both the main parties, the governing All Peoples Congress (APC) and the People's Democratic Party (PDP), condemned the delay and blamed each other for meddling in the elections. This isn't the first time voters in Nigeria have been left in the lurch. It happened in the two previous presidential elections, in 2011 and 2015, and has led many to question the competence of the organising body, the Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec). This time the commission cited various reasons for the delay: - delays in delivering election materials and deploying staff - poor weather conditions - unresolved candidate registration issues - the destruction of election materials and suspected sabotage Some of the issues cited are not within the powers of the electoral commission to control, such as the unpredictable nature of Nigeria's weather. But there are clearly other logistical factors that do need to be addressed if the election is to proceed smoothly." } ], "id": "10074_0", "question": "Why was the poll postponed?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan has attacked hardliners and appealed for calm after the acquittal of a Christian woman convicted of blasphemy. In a televised broadcast, Mr Khan said hardliners were \"inciting [people] for their own political gain\", claiming they are \"doing no service to Islam\". The landmark Asia Bibi case has already set off violent protests by hardliners who support strong blasphemy laws. Her lawyer has told the BBC she would need to move abroad for her safety. Asia Bibi was convicted in 2010 of insulting the Prophet Muhammad during a row with neighbours. She always maintained her innocence, but has spent most of the past eight years in solitary confinement. Wednesday's verdict by the Supreme Court triggered demonstrations in Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar and Multan. Clashes with police have been reported. A leader of the hard-line Islamist Tehreek-i-Labaik party, Muhammad Afzal Qadri, said all three Supreme Court judges \"deserve to be killed\". The Red Zone in the capital, Islamabad, where the Supreme Court is located, has been sealed off by police. Late on Wednesday, Mr Khan said: \"Which government can function like this, blackmailed by protests? \"And who suffers due to this? Our Pakistanis. The common people, the poor. You block the roads, you rob people's livelihood... \"This is not the service of Islam, this is enmity with the country. Only anti-state elements talk like this, that kill the judges, start a revolt in army... They are only trying to beef up their vote bank.\" The trial stems from an argument Asia Bibi, whose full name is Asia Noreen, had with a group of women in June 2009. They were harvesting fruit when a row broke out about a bucket of water. The women said that because she had used a cup, they could no longer touch it, as her faith had made it unclean. Prosecutors alleged that in the row which followed, the women said Asia Bibi should convert to Islam and that she made offensive comments about the Prophet Muhammad in response. She was later beaten up at her home, during which her accusers say she confessed to blasphemy. She was arrested after a police investigation. Laws enacted by the British Raj in 1860 made it a crime to disturb a religious assembly, trespass on burial grounds, insult religious beliefs or intentionally destroy or defile a place or an object of worship, punishable by up to 10 years in jail. Several more clauses were added in the 1980s by Pakistan's military ruler Gen Zia ul-Haq: - 1980 - up to three years in jail for derogatory remarks against Islamic personages - 1982 - life imprisonment for \"wilful\" desecration of the Koran - 1986 - \"death, or imprisonment for life\" for blasphemy against the Prophet Muhammad What are Pakistan's blasphemy laws? Blasphemy laws around the world The judges said the prosecution had \"failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt\". The case was based on flimsy evidence, they said, and proper procedures had not been followed. The alleged confession was delivered in front of a crowd \"threatening to kill her\". The ruling heavily referenced the Koran and Islamic history. It ended with a quote from the Hadith, the collected sayings of the Prophet Muhammad, which calls for non-Muslims to be treated kindly. Islam is Pakistan's national religion and underpins its legal system. Public support for the strict blasphemy laws is strong. Hard-line politicians have often backed severe punishments, partly as a way of shoring up their support base. But critics say the laws have often been used to get revenge after personal disputes, and that convictions are based on thin evidence. The vast majority of those convicted are Muslims or members of the Ahmadi community, but since the 1990s, scores of Christians have been convicted. They make up just 1.6% of the population. The Christian community has been targeted by numerous attacks in recent years, leaving many feeling vulnerable to a climate of intolerance. Since 1990, at least 65 people have reportedly been killed in Pakistan over claims of blasphemy. Asia Bibi, who was born in 1971 and has four children, was the first woman to be sentenced to death under the laws. Internationally, her conviction has been widely condemned as a breach of human rights. Authorities said she is scheduled for release later this week, after which her plans are unknown. Speaking to the BBC, her lawyer Saiful Mulook said she would need to move to a Western country after the ruling for her own safety. She has been offered asylum by several countries and many expect her and her family to leave Pakistan.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2139, "answer_start": 1518, "text": "The trial stems from an argument Asia Bibi, whose full name is Asia Noreen, had with a group of women in June 2009. They were harvesting fruit when a row broke out about a bucket of water. The women said that because she had used a cup, they could no longer touch it, as her faith had made it unclean. Prosecutors alleged that in the row which followed, the women said Asia Bibi should convert to Islam and that she made offensive comments about the Prophet Muhammad in response. She was later beaten up at her home, during which her accusers say she confessed to blasphemy. She was arrested after a police investigation." } ], "id": "10075_0", "question": "What was Asia Bibi accused of?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3245, "answer_start": 2782, "text": "The judges said the prosecution had \"failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt\". The case was based on flimsy evidence, they said, and proper procedures had not been followed. The alleged confession was delivered in front of a crowd \"threatening to kill her\". The ruling heavily referenced the Koran and Islamic history. It ended with a quote from the Hadith, the collected sayings of the Prophet Muhammad, which calls for non-Muslims to be treated kindly." } ], "id": "10075_1", "question": "What did the Supreme Court say?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4246, "answer_start": 3246, "text": "Islam is Pakistan's national religion and underpins its legal system. Public support for the strict blasphemy laws is strong. Hard-line politicians have often backed severe punishments, partly as a way of shoring up their support base. But critics say the laws have often been used to get revenge after personal disputes, and that convictions are based on thin evidence. The vast majority of those convicted are Muslims or members of the Ahmadi community, but since the 1990s, scores of Christians have been convicted. They make up just 1.6% of the population. The Christian community has been targeted by numerous attacks in recent years, leaving many feeling vulnerable to a climate of intolerance. Since 1990, at least 65 people have reportedly been killed in Pakistan over claims of blasphemy. Asia Bibi, who was born in 1971 and has four children, was the first woman to be sentenced to death under the laws. Internationally, her conviction has been widely condemned as a breach of human rights." } ], "id": "10075_2", "question": "Why is this case so divisive?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4579, "answer_start": 4247, "text": "Authorities said she is scheduled for release later this week, after which her plans are unknown. Speaking to the BBC, her lawyer Saiful Mulook said she would need to move to a Western country after the ruling for her own safety. She has been offered asylum by several countries and many expect her and her family to leave Pakistan." } ], "id": "10075_3", "question": "What happens now?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Ecuador's government has agreed to restore fuel subsidies in a deal with indigenous leaders to end mass protests that have brought the capital, Quito, to a standstill, the UN says. It came after the two sides held talks brokered by the UN and the Roman Catholic Church. The talks, which were broadcast live on state television, came after nearly two weeks of violent demonstrations. President Lenin Moreno had imposed a curfew enforced by the military. A joint statement said the government had withdrawn an order removing the fuel subsidies. \"With this agreement, the mobilisations... across Ecuador are terminated and we commit ourselves to restoring peace in the country,\" it said. The two sides will now discuss a new law to ensure subsidies are not exploited by people who smuggle fuel to neighbouring countries. Government official Juan Sebastian Roldan said talks to start drafting the new law would start immediately. \"Conceding is not losing,\" he said. \"Here we are all conceding.\" A commission will also be set up to re-establish peace in the stricken Andean nation, with mediation by the Catholic Church, the UN and others. Analysis by Will Grant, BBC Central America correspondent The protest leaders in the negotiating room applauded while President Moreno gave no response. This is undoubtedly a blow for him. Decree 883 was the main issue which prompted people to take to the streets in the first place and the president had repeatedly said there would be no going back on it. However, given the intense and widespread protests over the past 12 days, in the end he had little choice. The calls for his resignation have been growing louder with each protest and President Moreno has looked increasingly vulnerable - especially since a number of demonstrators were killed in clashes with riot police. The announcement after Sunday's meeting sparked late-night celebrations in the capital Quito. People shouted \"yes, we could\" and \"the people, united, will never be defeated\". Fireworks were set off and car drivers honked their horns. A resident, Cristina Vasquez, told Reuters news agency she wanted to praise the contribution of Ecuador's indigenous people, who were at the forefront of the protests: \"More than a celebration it is an appreciation of the indigenous people who represented us and helped because this is a win for everyone.\" The indigenous umbrella group Conaie called on its members to come together to \"clean the streets\" of barricades and debris after the damage caused by 12 days of protests. The protests began after the government announced an end to fuel subsidies as part of public spending cuts agreed with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in return for a loan. Mr Moreno said the subsidies, which cost the government $1.3bn (PS1bn) annually and were introduced in the 1970s, were no longer affordable. Eliminating them was part of his plan to shore up Ecuador's flagging economy. But petrol prices soared and thousands took to the streets. Clashes between protesters and riot police led Mr Moreno to declare a two-month national emergency. He accused his opponents of attempting a coup. As the violence grew worse Mr Moreno temporarily moved government operations from Quito to the port city of Guayaquil. Seven people died during the protests, more than 1,300 were injured and 1,152 were detained, according to official figures. Protesters also took dozens of officers hostage in various locations throughout the country. Indigenous-led protests have toppled three presidents in the past few decades.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1134, "answer_start": 453, "text": "A joint statement said the government had withdrawn an order removing the fuel subsidies. \"With this agreement, the mobilisations... across Ecuador are terminated and we commit ourselves to restoring peace in the country,\" it said. The two sides will now discuss a new law to ensure subsidies are not exploited by people who smuggle fuel to neighbouring countries. Government official Juan Sebastian Roldan said talks to start drafting the new law would start immediately. \"Conceding is not losing,\" he said. \"Here we are all conceding.\" A commission will also be set up to re-establish peace in the stricken Andean nation, with mediation by the Catholic Church, the UN and others." } ], "id": "10076_0", "question": "What's in the agreement?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2526, "answer_start": 1814, "text": "The announcement after Sunday's meeting sparked late-night celebrations in the capital Quito. People shouted \"yes, we could\" and \"the people, united, will never be defeated\". Fireworks were set off and car drivers honked their horns. A resident, Cristina Vasquez, told Reuters news agency she wanted to praise the contribution of Ecuador's indigenous people, who were at the forefront of the protests: \"More than a celebration it is an appreciation of the indigenous people who represented us and helped because this is a win for everyone.\" The indigenous umbrella group Conaie called on its members to come together to \"clean the streets\" of barricades and debris after the damage caused by 12 days of protests." } ], "id": "10076_1", "question": "What has been the reaction?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3546, "answer_start": 2527, "text": "The protests began after the government announced an end to fuel subsidies as part of public spending cuts agreed with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in return for a loan. Mr Moreno said the subsidies, which cost the government $1.3bn (PS1bn) annually and were introduced in the 1970s, were no longer affordable. Eliminating them was part of his plan to shore up Ecuador's flagging economy. But petrol prices soared and thousands took to the streets. Clashes between protesters and riot police led Mr Moreno to declare a two-month national emergency. He accused his opponents of attempting a coup. As the violence grew worse Mr Moreno temporarily moved government operations from Quito to the port city of Guayaquil. Seven people died during the protests, more than 1,300 were injured and 1,152 were detained, according to official figures. Protesters also took dozens of officers hostage in various locations throughout the country. Indigenous-led protests have toppled three presidents in the past few decades." } ], "id": "10076_2", "question": "How did the protests come about?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "When infidelity website Ashley Madison was the victim of a hacking attack in 2015, the affected 36 million global users were suddenly very worried indeed. The business, a dating site for married people who wish to cheat on their spouse, had the data of its customers stolen and released on to the internet. All their names, passwords, phone numbers and addresses. While it was a very bleak time for Ashley Madison's users, the company itself faced a major crisis, and it was found to be lacking. As customer numbers and revenues plummeted, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) - the US agency tasked with protecting consumers - ruled that the business had not done enough to protect people's information, both before and after the attack. The FTC fined Ashley Madison $1.6m (PS1.3m), and said that the financial penalty was only that low because it didn't think that the business could afford to pay any more, such was the impact of the hack on its earnings. Where Ashley Madison failed was its insufficient crisis management - it hadn't prepared enough for something bad happening, and how it would react. While the company tells the BBC it has subsequently overhauled all its systems, how should all firms best plan for and then respond to a crisis, be it a cyber-attack, financial scandal or other serious issue? With the UK government confirming last year that two-thirds of large British companies had experienced a cyber-attack in the previous 12 months alone, businesses who have an online presence anywhere in the world simply have to prepare for how they would react to a hack that breaches their system. A business can make its website as secure as possible, but being 100% protected is just not achievable, say IT experts. Thankfully for UK employment agency Page Group it knew exactly how to react when it suffered a data breach of its cloud computing system in October last year. \"We have senior staff in place from across different parts of our organisation that form an issues management team who are well equipped to deal with a crisis, should it arise,\" says Eamon Collins, Page's group marketing manager. \"That is why when we were alerted to a data breach by our IT vendor Capgemini, this team was able to act fast, review the issue, and provide counsel on the best course of action. \"The most important part of the process is putting your customers' interests first.\" He adds: \"Once we had sufficient information around what had happened, and the impact, we could undertake a transparent and open dialogue with the customer.\" At former US mining group National Coal, the crisis it faced was repeated protests in the early 2000s by environmentalists who objected to its opencast mining in east Tennessee. Its then chief executive, Daniel Roling, said the company had plans in place for how it responded to everything it faced - from trespassers, to staff being threatened, entry roads being blockaded, and bomb threats. \"We held a number of run-throughs to test the effectiveness of both communications and operation responses,\" he says. \"The plan should, at a minimum, include an acceptable and effective means of communication, as well as an outline of who can and should provide direction.\" Mr Roling, who left National Coal before it was sold to Ranger Energy Investments in 2010, adds: \"We had everything planned right down to where we would hold a press conference, and how we would set it up. \"In crisis planning, you are looking to create an effective auto-response, so that everyone heads in the right direction, without too much deliberation.\" At UK tourist attraction, the Jorvik Viking Centre, in York, its crisis was a major flood in December 2015 that caused significant damage. Director of attractions Sarah Maltby says the team worked hard to remove precious artefacts before they were damaged. \"Every company needs solid staff to assist, offer advice, and manage elements of disaster recovery,\" she says. The centre is now due to finally reopen in April this year. Crisis management expert Jonathan Bernstein says it is vital that a company responds quickly to a crisis. \"The crisis moves at its own pace, but you need to be faster.\" He adds that firms should be honest about the crisis at hand, especially if it is something they are to blame for, such as a financial scandal. \"Be honest about how you screwed up, and illustrate how you are going to ensure this doesn't happen again,\" says Mr Bernstein. \"Provide clear information to customers on what happened exactly, and what new protocols will be in place.\" Damon Coppola, founder of Shoreline Risk, a company that assists businesses with their risk management, says that when it comes to a firm preparing for a possible crisis \"the public might not necessarily expect perfection\". But he adds: \"[The public's] judgement will be hard if it is perceived that the company failed to act on an obligation to limit or prepare for a known risk, if they were dishonest in their communication, and perhaps in the worst case, if profits came before people.\" These are views echoed by UK public relations expert Benjamin Webb, founder of media relations firm Deliberate PR, which specialises in Swedish start-ups. He says: \"At a time of fast-moving crisis, particularly when people's well-being is at stake, transparency to customers and their family members must exceed any responsibility to shareholders.\" At Toronto-based Ruby Corporation, the owner of Ashley Madison, chief executive Rob Segal, says the company has worked hard to rebuild trust since the 2015 hack. Mr Segal, who joined the firm after the attack, says: \"We partnered with Deloitte's world-leading security team following the breach, and they've been helping the company with privacy and security enhancements and 24/7 monitoring. \"The go-forward lessons for chief executives is to always stay vigilant about cybersecurity, and to continually invest in privacy and security safeguards.\"", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3997, "answer_start": 2543, "text": "At former US mining group National Coal, the crisis it faced was repeated protests in the early 2000s by environmentalists who objected to its opencast mining in east Tennessee. Its then chief executive, Daniel Roling, said the company had plans in place for how it responded to everything it faced - from trespassers, to staff being threatened, entry roads being blockaded, and bomb threats. \"We held a number of run-throughs to test the effectiveness of both communications and operation responses,\" he says. \"The plan should, at a minimum, include an acceptable and effective means of communication, as well as an outline of who can and should provide direction.\" Mr Roling, who left National Coal before it was sold to Ranger Energy Investments in 2010, adds: \"We had everything planned right down to where we would hold a press conference, and how we would set it up. \"In crisis planning, you are looking to create an effective auto-response, so that everyone heads in the right direction, without too much deliberation.\" At UK tourist attraction, the Jorvik Viking Centre, in York, its crisis was a major flood in December 2015 that caused significant damage. Director of attractions Sarah Maltby says the team worked hard to remove precious artefacts before they were damaged. \"Every company needs solid staff to assist, offer advice, and manage elements of disaster recovery,\" she says. The centre is now due to finally reopen in April this year." } ], "id": "10077_0", "question": "Who directs?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Exiting the EU would mean UK citizens losing their EU citizenship. That might sound like a formality, but actually it has big legal consequences. Over the decades of EU membership the UK has incorporated a vast body of European law into its national laws. Unpicking all that is going to be a mammoth task, likely to keep lawyers busy for years. And it's not yet clear when all that will start. No - the UK is not compelled to leave, because the referendum was \"advisory\", not legally binding. But many commentators take the view that the Brexit triumph - 52% for Leave, 48% for Remain - provides a political imperative to exit. The EU's Article 50 - a treaty clause on withdrawal from the 28-nation bloc - provides an orderly procedure for Brexit. That is the way the UK is expected to go. But some legal experts say Article 50 would have to be triggered by an Act of Parliament - they argue that the prime minister alone could not legally do it. And most MPs are in the Remain camp - so they would be voting for something they disagreed with. Article 50 sets a two-year deadline for leaving the EU, once the article is triggered. It assumes that a new agreement would be reached between the departing state and the EU, but does not demand it. In order to scrap EU laws before Brexit the UK could repeal the European Communities Act 1972. But Prof Mark Elliott, a constitutional law expert at Cambridge University, says to do so \"would risk legal chaos by placing the British and EU legal regimes on a collision course with one another prior to the UK's having extricated itself, as a matter of international law, from the EU legal order\". Can the law stop Brexit? Five challenges for UK leaving the EU The UK's EU vote: All you need to know There are various legal opinions about this - it is not clear whether the UK has an unequivocal right to do it. Brexit would set a legal precedent - it is uncharted territory, because no EU member state has left the bloc before. Greenland left as a self-governing territory in 1985, but it remained part of Denmark, which is an EU member. Prof Sionaidh Douglas-Scott, a European law expert at Oxford University, told the BBC that if the UK was no longer in the EU, \"this would suggest its citizens are no longer EU citizens\". But she said a European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruling - the Rottmann case - \"held that deprivation of EU citizenship (albeit in circumstances different from Brexit) might not be a matter just for member states, but that the EU might have a role as well\". In a blog analysis on Brexit, Prof Steve Peers, a law expert at Essex University, says that \"if a country ceases to be a member state of the European Union, then obviously its nationals therefore cease to be citizens of the Union\". Prof Catherine Barnard, a European law expert at Cambridge University, says some argue that \"UK nationality is the gateway to EU citizenship and EU rights and if we are not in the EU any more UK citizens do not get those additional rights\". But, she adds, EU citizenship in the context of Brexit is \"a really big question - and no-one knows the answer\". Brexit does not mean withdrawing from the European Convention on Human Rights - the fundamental rights law enforced by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in Strasbourg. The ECHR is not an EU institution, so Brexit does not affect it. And the convention has legal force in the UK through the 1998 Human Rights Act. There is a move in the Conservative Party to replace that act with a new Bill of Rights. That would be complicated, however, because the rights guaranteed under the convention are also written into the Good Friday Agreement for Northern Ireland. That agreement underpins the Northern Ireland peace process. Various EU rights - such as the Working Time Directive, stipulating working hours and time off - are already enshrined in UK law. But they could be scrapped after Brexit. Brexit could remove rights enshrined in the EU treaties - unless the UK agreed to keep them under a new settlement with the EU. They include the right to move freely to another EU country and work there, and the right to stand for election in another EU country. The Charter of Fundamental Rights, attached to the EU treaties, would no longer apply to UK citizens. Prof Douglas-Scott says \"all Charter rights are currently effective in the UK\", despite a UK opt-out from the Charter's fourth section, called \"Solidarity\", which deals with workers' rights. That opt-out was found to be ineffective, she told the BBC. She says the UK Human Rights Act (HRA) \"would not be an adequate replacement for the Charter\". \"The Charter contains 47 rights - which is about three-and-a-half times as many rights as the HRA. So all those other rights would be lost,\" she said. A debate is raging in the EU about this - it really depends where you stand politically. Some argue that the EU's treatment of Greece - the painful austerity demanded as a condition for the bailout - was itself a violation of human rights. Many Greeks suffered from the cuts to jobs and welfare that were required for Greece to remain in the eurozone. Greece's lenders refused to write off its colossal debts. The EU's deal with Turkey on sending migrants back from the Greek islands has also drawn criticism. There are serious concerns that Turkey may not adequately safeguard the rights of migrants - many of them Syrian refugees.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3108, "answer_start": 1742, "text": "There are various legal opinions about this - it is not clear whether the UK has an unequivocal right to do it. Brexit would set a legal precedent - it is uncharted territory, because no EU member state has left the bloc before. Greenland left as a self-governing territory in 1985, but it remained part of Denmark, which is an EU member. Prof Sionaidh Douglas-Scott, a European law expert at Oxford University, told the BBC that if the UK was no longer in the EU, \"this would suggest its citizens are no longer EU citizens\". But she said a European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruling - the Rottmann case - \"held that deprivation of EU citizenship (albeit in circumstances different from Brexit) might not be a matter just for member states, but that the EU might have a role as well\". In a blog analysis on Brexit, Prof Steve Peers, a law expert at Essex University, says that \"if a country ceases to be a member state of the European Union, then obviously its nationals therefore cease to be citizens of the Union\". Prof Catherine Barnard, a European law expert at Cambridge University, says some argue that \"UK nationality is the gateway to EU citizenship and EU rights and if we are not in the EU any more UK citizens do not get those additional rights\". But, she adds, EU citizenship in the context of Brexit is \"a really big question - and no-one knows the answer\"." } ], "id": "10078_0", "question": "Can the UK government simply strip its citizens of their EU citizenship?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4769, "answer_start": 3109, "text": "Brexit does not mean withdrawing from the European Convention on Human Rights - the fundamental rights law enforced by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in Strasbourg. The ECHR is not an EU institution, so Brexit does not affect it. And the convention has legal force in the UK through the 1998 Human Rights Act. There is a move in the Conservative Party to replace that act with a new Bill of Rights. That would be complicated, however, because the rights guaranteed under the convention are also written into the Good Friday Agreement for Northern Ireland. That agreement underpins the Northern Ireland peace process. Various EU rights - such as the Working Time Directive, stipulating working hours and time off - are already enshrined in UK law. But they could be scrapped after Brexit. Brexit could remove rights enshrined in the EU treaties - unless the UK agreed to keep them under a new settlement with the EU. They include the right to move freely to another EU country and work there, and the right to stand for election in another EU country. The Charter of Fundamental Rights, attached to the EU treaties, would no longer apply to UK citizens. Prof Douglas-Scott says \"all Charter rights are currently effective in the UK\", despite a UK opt-out from the Charter's fourth section, called \"Solidarity\", which deals with workers' rights. That opt-out was found to be ineffective, she told the BBC. She says the UK Human Rights Act (HRA) \"would not be an adequate replacement for the Charter\". \"The Charter contains 47 rights - which is about three-and-a-half times as many rights as the HRA. So all those other rights would be lost,\" she said." } ], "id": "10078_1", "question": "UK law provides enough human rights protection for UK citizens, doesn't it?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5402, "answer_start": 4770, "text": "A debate is raging in the EU about this - it really depends where you stand politically. Some argue that the EU's treatment of Greece - the painful austerity demanded as a condition for the bailout - was itself a violation of human rights. Many Greeks suffered from the cuts to jobs and welfare that were required for Greece to remain in the eurozone. Greece's lenders refused to write off its colossal debts. The EU's deal with Turkey on sending migrants back from the Greek islands has also drawn criticism. There are serious concerns that Turkey may not adequately safeguard the rights of migrants - many of them Syrian refugees." } ], "id": "10078_2", "question": "Doesn't the EU itself infringe some citizens' rights?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "MSPs are to debate legislation allowing for questions about gender identity to be included in the next census. The next census is due in 2021, and ministers want to gather extra details about sexual orientation and identity. MSPs are examining legislation allowing voluntary questions to be included, although there has been disagreement over what people should be asked. Holyrood's culture committee has raised concerns that the way the bill is worded could cause \"confusion\". So what will the bill actually do, and what has the debate been around it? The government wants to gather extra data about sexual orientation and identity, to better inform thinking and policy about different communities and groups. The census is the most comprehensive source of demographic data available to the government, and because the surveys are held every 10 years, changes to the questions often reflect shifting social attitudes. There was talk of including questions on sexual orientation in the 2011 census, but the government's policy memorandum claims that \"the level of public acceptance of the question was not considered sufficient\" at that time. Since then, ministers say research and consultation has identified a \"need for data on sexual orientation and gender identity, especially transgender status and history\". When talking about \"trans\" people, the National Records of Scotland - which conducts the census - defines it as being \"an umbrella term for anyone whose gender expression does not fully correspond with the sex they were assigned with at birth\". The Census (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill was put forward to open the door to questions on these topics. The legislation underpinning the census was penned in 1920, providing for questions about topics including age, sex, occupation, nationality and race. At present, only questions about religion are voluntary. Extra topics are frequently added - for example in 2011 five new questions featured, including on national identity and long-term health conditions - but legislation is needed if they are to be posed on a voluntary basis. This is what the current bill is for. It is a pretty basic bill, simply providing for the possibility of these questions - the detail of what would actually be asked would be decided at a later date. However, this was still the basis for much of the debate when the culture committee was taking evidence. So while the legislation is about voluntary questions, it has sparked a wider debate about what exactly people could be asked in the 2021 census. There is a big debate over the mandatory \"sex question\", which currently asks if the respondent is male or female. National Records of Scotland suggested that the sex question for 2021 should \"provide non-binary options\" - although they stressed that it \"will not seek a declaration of biological or legal sex\". So the options on the census paper could be \"male\", \"female\", or \"other\", with a box for people to write in. When questioned by the committee, head of census statistics Amy Wilson told MSPs that the actual data output would still be \"on a male and female basis\" - so they would \"randomly assign people back into the male and female categories\" if they ticked the \"other\" box. This led Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop to ask: \"If we are not going to use non-binary data as non-binary data and are just going to use binary information, why ask the question in the first place?\" Another possibility would be to retain the male/female sex question, but follow it with a voluntary one asking whether people think of their gender identity as \"man\", \"woman\" or \"in another way, please write in\". Testing has also been carried out on a question asking \"do you consider yourself to be transgender, or have a transgender history\", with \"yes\", \"no\" and \"prefer not to say\" answers. The committee heard a range of \"sincere and strongly held views\" about whether the mandatory sex question should be binary - male or female - or include other options. However, a majority of members said that it should remain binary \"in order to maximise response rates\" and provide \"consistency with previous censuses\". Green MSP Ross Greer voted against this point, while two members abstained in the division. The Scottish Trans Alliance voiced disappointment with the move, saying it meant that \"once again, non-binary people will not be able to answer the question honestly and accurately\". While the culture committee recommended that MSPs back the general principles of the bill, members were strongly critical of the way it has been drafted. Convener Joan McAlpine said the way the legislation was worded had \"created confusion and a perception that the bill conflates issues around sex and gender identity\". She also said there had been \"a serious lack of consultation with a range of women's groups, which has led to legislation being published which is not fit for purpose\". A National Records of Scotland spokeswoman said: \"We welcome the committee's thorough consideration and support for the general principles of the Census Bill, and will consider their recommendations carefully. \"The intention behind the Census Bill has never been to conflate sex and gender identity and we will consider the issues raised in the report. \"We are committed to an ongoing programme of engagement and are currently working closely with stakeholders, including women's groups, LGBT organisations and others, as the specific questions for Census 2021 are developed.\" MSPs hold their stage one debate on the bill in the Holyrood chamber on Thursday. Members from all parties signed up to the culture committee's recommendation that the general principles be agreed, so it is likely the bill will pass this first parliamentary hurdle. It will then return to committee stage for amendments - and the committee has already demanded several. Once changes have been made, the bill will then return to the chamber for a final vote of MSPs, sometime later in 2019. As noted above, passing the bill will not settle the matter of the actual census questions - that issue will come back before MSPs as secondary legislation closer to the census in 2021. The National Records of Scotland is carrying out further testing of possible questions, and consultations are set to continue.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1660, "answer_start": 553, "text": "The government wants to gather extra data about sexual orientation and identity, to better inform thinking and policy about different communities and groups. The census is the most comprehensive source of demographic data available to the government, and because the surveys are held every 10 years, changes to the questions often reflect shifting social attitudes. There was talk of including questions on sexual orientation in the 2011 census, but the government's policy memorandum claims that \"the level of public acceptance of the question was not considered sufficient\" at that time. Since then, ministers say research and consultation has identified a \"need for data on sexual orientation and gender identity, especially transgender status and history\". When talking about \"trans\" people, the National Records of Scotland - which conducts the census - defines it as being \"an umbrella term for anyone whose gender expression does not fully correspond with the sex they were assigned with at birth\". The Census (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill was put forward to open the door to questions on these topics." } ], "id": "10079_0", "question": "What's this all about?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2541, "answer_start": 1661, "text": "The legislation underpinning the census was penned in 1920, providing for questions about topics including age, sex, occupation, nationality and race. At present, only questions about religion are voluntary. Extra topics are frequently added - for example in 2011 five new questions featured, including on national identity and long-term health conditions - but legislation is needed if they are to be posed on a voluntary basis. This is what the current bill is for. It is a pretty basic bill, simply providing for the possibility of these questions - the detail of what would actually be asked would be decided at a later date. However, this was still the basis for much of the debate when the culture committee was taking evidence. So while the legislation is about voluntary questions, it has sparked a wider debate about what exactly people could be asked in the 2021 census." } ], "id": "10079_1", "question": "What does the bill do?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4419, "answer_start": 2542, "text": "There is a big debate over the mandatory \"sex question\", which currently asks if the respondent is male or female. National Records of Scotland suggested that the sex question for 2021 should \"provide non-binary options\" - although they stressed that it \"will not seek a declaration of biological or legal sex\". So the options on the census paper could be \"male\", \"female\", or \"other\", with a box for people to write in. When questioned by the committee, head of census statistics Amy Wilson told MSPs that the actual data output would still be \"on a male and female basis\" - so they would \"randomly assign people back into the male and female categories\" if they ticked the \"other\" box. This led Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop to ask: \"If we are not going to use non-binary data as non-binary data and are just going to use binary information, why ask the question in the first place?\" Another possibility would be to retain the male/female sex question, but follow it with a voluntary one asking whether people think of their gender identity as \"man\", \"woman\" or \"in another way, please write in\". Testing has also been carried out on a question asking \"do you consider yourself to be transgender, or have a transgender history\", with \"yes\", \"no\" and \"prefer not to say\" answers. The committee heard a range of \"sincere and strongly held views\" about whether the mandatory sex question should be binary - male or female - or include other options. However, a majority of members said that it should remain binary \"in order to maximise response rates\" and provide \"consistency with previous censuses\". Green MSP Ross Greer voted against this point, while two members abstained in the division. The Scottish Trans Alliance voiced disappointment with the move, saying it meant that \"once again, non-binary people will not be able to answer the question honestly and accurately\"." } ], "id": "10079_2", "question": "So what could the questions be?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5486, "answer_start": 4420, "text": "While the culture committee recommended that MSPs back the general principles of the bill, members were strongly critical of the way it has been drafted. Convener Joan McAlpine said the way the legislation was worded had \"created confusion and a perception that the bill conflates issues around sex and gender identity\". She also said there had been \"a serious lack of consultation with a range of women's groups, which has led to legislation being published which is not fit for purpose\". A National Records of Scotland spokeswoman said: \"We welcome the committee's thorough consideration and support for the general principles of the Census Bill, and will consider their recommendations carefully. \"The intention behind the Census Bill has never been to conflate sex and gender identity and we will consider the issues raised in the report. \"We are committed to an ongoing programme of engagement and are currently working closely with stakeholders, including women's groups, LGBT organisations and others, as the specific questions for Census 2021 are developed.\"" } ], "id": "10079_3", "question": "Are there other concerns about the bill?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 6289, "answer_start": 5487, "text": "MSPs hold their stage one debate on the bill in the Holyrood chamber on Thursday. Members from all parties signed up to the culture committee's recommendation that the general principles be agreed, so it is likely the bill will pass this first parliamentary hurdle. It will then return to committee stage for amendments - and the committee has already demanded several. Once changes have been made, the bill will then return to the chamber for a final vote of MSPs, sometime later in 2019. As noted above, passing the bill will not settle the matter of the actual census questions - that issue will come back before MSPs as secondary legislation closer to the census in 2021. The National Records of Scotland is carrying out further testing of possible questions, and consultations are set to continue." } ], "id": "10079_4", "question": "What happens next?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Alabama has become the latest US state to move to restrict abortions by passing a bill to outlaw the procedure in almost all cases. The law includes a ban on abortion in cases of rape or incest. Supporters say they expect the law to be blocked in court but hope that the appeals process will bring it before the Supreme Court. They want the court, which now has a conservative majority, to overturn the 1973 ruling legalising abortion. Alabama's 35-seat Senate is dominated by men, and none of its four female senators backed the ban. It was then signed by Alabama's Republican governor, Kay Ivey. Sixteen other states are seeking to impose new restrictions on abortion. Earlier this year the Supreme Court blocked implementation of new abortion restrictions in Louisiana. However the ruling was made by a narrow margin and the case is due to be reviewed later this year. The bill's architects expect that it will be defeated in the lower courts, but hope that it will therefore eventually come before the Supreme Court. They have been emboldened by the addition of two conservative justices nominated by President Donald Trump, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, who give the nine-member court a conservative majority. Their aim, they say, is for the landmark 1973 Roe v Wade ruling to be undermined or overturned completely. Alabama's Lieutenant Governor Will Ainsworth said: \"Roe must be challenged, and I am proud that Alabama is leading the way.\" Eric Johnston, who founded the Alabama Pro-Life Coalition that helped draft the bill, told NPR: \"The dynamic has changed. \"The judges have changed, a lot of changes over that time, and so I think we're at the point where we need to take a bigger and a bolder step.\" Under the bill, doctors face 10 years in prison for attempting to terminate a pregnancy and 99 years for carrying out the procedure. A woman who has an abortion would not be held criminally liable, and abortion in cases where the mother's life is at serious risk are allowed. The state Senate approved the law by 25 votes to six, rejecting exemptions for cases of rape or incest, with some noting all those voting for the bill were men. by Ritu Prasad, BBC News, Alabama Democrats here in Alabama knew they had no chance of stopping this controversial bill, but that only seemed to make the debate on the senate floor even more heated. Activists packed the senate gallery to watch the drama play out - reacting with laughter and gasps in turn. The few women who spoke on the floor were quick to highlight a key fact: this decision about women's bodies was being made almost entirely by men. As one female lawmaker introduced a sure-to-fail amendment to the bill to make it illegal for men to get vasectomies, the gallery and overflow watch room upstairs burst into laughter. On the senate floor, when the amendment failed, the lawmaker made her point, saying: We have never policed men's bodies the way we do women's. Just outside the stark white walls of the state legislature were still more pro-choice advocates, raising signs that called for women's equality, for protecting Planned Parenthood, for men to stay out of women's rights issues. One exasperated young woman told me: \"We've already had this vote about women before. In the 70s. Why are we here again now?\" Earlier this year the governors of four states - Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi and Ohio - signed bills banning abortion if an embryonic heartbeat can be detected. Opponents say this amounts to a ban on abortion because cardiac activity in an embryo can be detected as early as the sixth week, before a woman may be aware that she is pregnant. The Guttmacher Institute, which campaigns for reproductive rights, says none of these bans are yet in effect, but their introduction is part of the same strategy to get the cases heard by the Supreme Court, it says. Overall 28 states are currently considering legislation that would ban abortion in a variety of ways, it says. Dr Yashica Robinson, who is one of the few doctors left providing abortion in Alabama, told BBC Radio Four's PM programme that she would continue to do her job while fighting for women's access to abortion in the state. \"I will still be here taking care of women and doing the things I can legally do,\" she said. \"Then, I will be helping women to the places they need to be in order to get the healthcare that they desire or need if they are going to make it difficult here.\" Alabama Democratic state Senator Bobby Singleton said the bill \"criminalises doctors\" and was an attempt by men \"to tell women what to do with their bodies\". Several Democratic presidential hopefuls also reacted on social media, including Kamala Harris. The National Organization for Women called the ban \"unconstitutional\" and said it was \"a transparent effort to drum up political support for anti-abortion candidates in upcoming elections\". Staci Fox of Planned Parenthood Southeast Advocates called the decision \"a dark day for women in Alabama and across this country\". In a statement she said Alabama politicians would \"forever live in infamy for this vote and we will make sure that every woman knows who to hold accountable\". There are currently three abortion clinics in Alabama, down from more than 20 in the 1990s, according to pro-choice campaigners. Other states have seen similar falls in the number of abortion clinics and in 2017, six states reportedly had just one abortion clinic in operation. However states with liberal majorities are seeking safeguards to the right to abortion in their own constitutions.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1716, "answer_start": 872, "text": "The bill's architects expect that it will be defeated in the lower courts, but hope that it will therefore eventually come before the Supreme Court. They have been emboldened by the addition of two conservative justices nominated by President Donald Trump, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, who give the nine-member court a conservative majority. Their aim, they say, is for the landmark 1973 Roe v Wade ruling to be undermined or overturned completely. Alabama's Lieutenant Governor Will Ainsworth said: \"Roe must be challenged, and I am proud that Alabama is leading the way.\" Eric Johnston, who founded the Alabama Pro-Life Coalition that helped draft the bill, told NPR: \"The dynamic has changed. \"The judges have changed, a lot of changes over that time, and so I think we're at the point where we need to take a bigger and a bolder step.\"" } ], "id": "10080_0", "question": "Why is this happening now?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2153, "answer_start": 1717, "text": "Under the bill, doctors face 10 years in prison for attempting to terminate a pregnancy and 99 years for carrying out the procedure. A woman who has an abortion would not be held criminally liable, and abortion in cases where the mother's life is at serious risk are allowed. The state Senate approved the law by 25 votes to six, rejecting exemptions for cases of rape or incest, with some noting all those voting for the bill were men." } ], "id": "10080_1", "question": "What is in the Alabama bill?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3631, "answer_start": 3288, "text": "Earlier this year the governors of four states - Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi and Ohio - signed bills banning abortion if an embryonic heartbeat can be detected. Opponents say this amounts to a ban on abortion because cardiac activity in an embryo can be detected as early as the sixth week, before a woman may be aware that she is pregnant." } ], "id": "10080_2", "question": "What restrictions are other states enacting?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5168, "answer_start": 3959, "text": "Dr Yashica Robinson, who is one of the few doctors left providing abortion in Alabama, told BBC Radio Four's PM programme that she would continue to do her job while fighting for women's access to abortion in the state. \"I will still be here taking care of women and doing the things I can legally do,\" she said. \"Then, I will be helping women to the places they need to be in order to get the healthcare that they desire or need if they are going to make it difficult here.\" Alabama Democratic state Senator Bobby Singleton said the bill \"criminalises doctors\" and was an attempt by men \"to tell women what to do with their bodies\". Several Democratic presidential hopefuls also reacted on social media, including Kamala Harris. The National Organization for Women called the ban \"unconstitutional\" and said it was \"a transparent effort to drum up political support for anti-abortion candidates in upcoming elections\". Staci Fox of Planned Parenthood Southeast Advocates called the decision \"a dark day for women in Alabama and across this country\". In a statement she said Alabama politicians would \"forever live in infamy for this vote and we will make sure that every woman knows who to hold accountable\"." } ], "id": "10080_3", "question": "What reaction has there been?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5561, "answer_start": 5169, "text": "There are currently three abortion clinics in Alabama, down from more than 20 in the 1990s, according to pro-choice campaigners. Other states have seen similar falls in the number of abortion clinics and in 2017, six states reportedly had just one abortion clinic in operation. However states with liberal majorities are seeking safeguards to the right to abortion in their own constitutions." } ], "id": "10080_4", "question": "What is access to abortion like in the US?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The evacuation of Syrian civilians and rebels from eastern Aleppo is continuing round the clock, as a truce was reported to be holding overnight. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) told the BBC aid workers wanted to keep the momentum going. More than 3,000 people were bussed out on the first day of the evacuation on Thursday, but the UN says as many as 50,000 are still trapped. Syria's army, backed by Russia, has taken nearly all rebel-held districts. Global solidarity over Aleppo Russia hails Aleppo recapture as a victory over terrorism How Srebrenica's survivors view Aleppo What's happening in Aleppo? What happens next? The US accused the Syrian government of carrying out \"nothing short of a massacre\" in the city. \"The only remaining question is whether the Syrian regime, with Russia's support, is willing to go to Geneva prepared to negotiate constructively, and whether or not they're willing to stop this slaughter of their own people,\" US Secretary of State John Kerry said. Syria and Russia have repeatedly denied targeting civilians. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Thursday hailed the \"liberation\" of Aleppo after more than four years of fighting, saying that history was being made. Many thousands of people, including a large number of civilians, have been killed during the fierce fighting. Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia and Turkey were trying to broker a new round of peace talks in Astana, Kazakhstan. These would be in addition to the UN-run efforts in Geneva. Mr Putin said Russia and Turkey were trying to negotiate a \"complete ceasefire across all of Syria\". On Friday, ICRC spokesman Pawel Krzysiek told the BBC that \"the evacuation is ongoing right now\". \"That means we're expected to work around the clock - Syrian Red Crescent volunteers, the ICRC staff. We definitely want to keep this momentum going as the situation of the people is truly desperate there,\" he added. The ICRC said earlier that some 3,000 civilians and more than 40 wounded, including children, were evacuated in two convoys on Thursday. The UN envoy to Syria, Staffan de Mistura, later gave an estimate of the numbers still trapped in eastern Aleppo. \"There are 50,000 people, including 40,000 civilians, unfortunate enough to live in that part of the city.\" In other developments on Thursday: - US President-elect Donald Trump reiterated he would establish safe zones in Syria, which would be partly financed by the Gulf states - At an EU summit, German Chancellor Angela Merkel described the situation in Aleppo as \"heart-breaking\" and regretted European diplomacy had failed - EU Council President Donald Tusk demanded the immediate opening of humanitarian corridors to allow aid into Aleppo - Britain said it would provide a further PS20m ($25m) in aid, including clean water and food, to millions of Syrians John Kerry expressed moral outrage at the fate of Aleppo and he stressed that the Syrian regime was responsible for the failure of a year's worth of US-Russian negotiations aimed at a nationwide ceasefire and peace talks. But he didn't offer any new plan to end the conflict. Nor did he accept that the fall of Aleppo was also due to a failure of US diplomatic strategy. \"You can't make someone do something through diplomacy that they're not prepared to negotiate,\" he told me. Critics in Washington, though, have slammed the Obama administration for refusing to back that diplomacy with the threat of credible force, giving Mr Kerry very little to work with other than good faith. Some have faulted the secretary of state for having too much faith in Russia's willingness for a deal - \"delusional diplomacy\", the Washington Post called it. Mr Kerry made clear he would continue his tireless efforts to reach a peace deal. But the fall of Aleppo almost certainly means he has run out of time to do so in the waning weeks of this administration, and the Syria crisis will be passed on to the next one. Syrian state media said rebels had blown up their ammunition dumps and destroyed documents before leaving the city. The Russian Centre for the Reconciliation of Opposing Sides in Syria, part of Russia's ministry of defence, said the Syrian authorities had guaranteed the safety of all members of the armed groups who decided to leave Aleppo. As operations began, an ambulance service official in eastern Aleppo said that one convoy of ambulances had been shot at, with three people injured. The evacuees were transferred to rebel-held areas in neighbouring Idlib province. Most of Idlib is controlled by a powerful rebel alliance that includes the jihadist group Jabhat Fateh al-Sham. The buses left Aleppo via the road through the government-controlled south-western district of Ramousseh, heading towards the nearby rebel-held towns of Khan Touman and Khan al-Asal. The chief of the Russian military's General Staff, Gen Valery Gerasimov, told a news briefing: \"A humanitarian corridor has been created for the evacuation of militants.\" \"This corridor is 21km (13 miles) long,\" he said. \"Six kilometres lie across Aleppo's territories controlled by government troops and another 15km through territories in the hands of illegal armed groups.\" But Mr de Mistura has warned that the evacuees could face more violence in Idlib. \"If there is no political agreement and a ceasefire, Idlib will become the next Aleppo,\" he said. Turkey, which helped to broker the evacuation, is preparing to receive some of the most vulnerable civilians. In October, President Assad said victory in Aleppo would be \"the springboard... to liberate other areas from terrorists\", a term the government uses to describe all rebel fighters. He singled out Idlib province, west of Aleppo, that is almost entirely controlled by an alliance of Islamist rebel factions and Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, formerly known as al-Nusra Front. Idlib contains border crossings used by rebels to receive supplies from Turkey, a key backer. It also borders the coastal province of Latakia, the heartland of Mr Assad's minority Alawite sect.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5488, "answer_start": 4445, "text": "The evacuees were transferred to rebel-held areas in neighbouring Idlib province. Most of Idlib is controlled by a powerful rebel alliance that includes the jihadist group Jabhat Fateh al-Sham. The buses left Aleppo via the road through the government-controlled south-western district of Ramousseh, heading towards the nearby rebel-held towns of Khan Touman and Khan al-Asal. The chief of the Russian military's General Staff, Gen Valery Gerasimov, told a news briefing: \"A humanitarian corridor has been created for the evacuation of militants.\" \"This corridor is 21km (13 miles) long,\" he said. \"Six kilometres lie across Aleppo's territories controlled by government troops and another 15km through territories in the hands of illegal armed groups.\" But Mr de Mistura has warned that the evacuees could face more violence in Idlib. \"If there is no political agreement and a ceasefire, Idlib will become the next Aleppo,\" he said. Turkey, which helped to broker the evacuation, is preparing to receive some of the most vulnerable civilians." } ], "id": "10081_0", "question": "Where are the evacuees being taken?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 6047, "answer_start": 5489, "text": "In October, President Assad said victory in Aleppo would be \"the springboard... to liberate other areas from terrorists\", a term the government uses to describe all rebel fighters. He singled out Idlib province, west of Aleppo, that is almost entirely controlled by an alliance of Islamist rebel factions and Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, formerly known as al-Nusra Front. Idlib contains border crossings used by rebels to receive supplies from Turkey, a key backer. It also borders the coastal province of Latakia, the heartland of Mr Assad's minority Alawite sect." } ], "id": "10081_1", "question": "What will the government do next?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The US Secretary of State said his visit to the Japanese city of Hiroshima was a \"gut-wrenching\" reminder of the need to get rid of nuclear weapons. John Kerry made the comments at a press conference after laying a wreath at the city's atomic bomb memorial. He is the first US secretary of state ever to visit the memorial or the city. Around 140,000 people, most of them civilians, were killed when the US dropped its atomic bomb on the city in 1945. Describing it as \"a display that I will, personally, never forget\" he said: \"It reminds everybody of the extraordinary complexity of choices in war and of what war does to people, to communities, to countries, to the world.\" Mr Kerry was joined by foreign ministers from the G7 group of nations who are holding talks in the city. They laid wreaths at the memorial and observed a minute of silence. As well as the Hiroshima Peace Park memorial, the ministers also visited the Bomb Dome, over which the A-bomb exploded, and the nearby Hiroshima museum, which tells the personal stories of people who died. At 08:10 local time on 6 August 1945, the US B-29 bomber the Enola Gay dropped a uranium bomb nicknamed \"Little Boy\" on Hiroshima. It exploded 600m (1,800ft) above what is now the Hiroshima Peace Dome. About 70,000 people died immediately. At least 140,000 people had died by the end of the year through injury and the effects of radiation. The bombing, and a second bomb dropped on Nagasaki three days later, forced Japan to surrender, initiating the end of World War Two. The US Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi visited Hiroshima in 2008, but US diplomats have largely avoided official visits. Many in the US believe the bombing was necessary to end the war, and do not want their leaders to take any action which might be seen as an apology. Mr Kerry previously said his time in Hiroshima would \"revisit the past and honour those who perished\" but stressed that his trip was \"about the present and the future\". It also comes amid efforts to strengthen the relationship between the US and Japan, particularly with growing concern about China's assertiveness in territorial disputes in Asia, affecting Japan and other US allies. President Barack Obama is attending a G7 leaders' summit elsewhere in Japan in May, and there are reports he is considering a stop in Hiroshima. If it happens, it will be the first time a sitting US president visits Hiroshima. - The 'sanitised narrative' of Hiroshima's atomic bombing: The US view that the bombing was necessary to end the war ignores a terrible and enduring cost. - Japan revisionists deny WW2 sex slave atrocities: Examining the rise of revisionism and the fraught issue of comfort women.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1529, "answer_start": 1056, "text": "At 08:10 local time on 6 August 1945, the US B-29 bomber the Enola Gay dropped a uranium bomb nicknamed \"Little Boy\" on Hiroshima. It exploded 600m (1,800ft) above what is now the Hiroshima Peace Dome. About 70,000 people died immediately. At least 140,000 people had died by the end of the year through injury and the effects of radiation. The bombing, and a second bomb dropped on Nagasaki three days later, forced Japan to surrender, initiating the end of World War Two." } ], "id": "10082_0", "question": "What happened in Hiroshima?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2205, "answer_start": 1530, "text": "The US Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi visited Hiroshima in 2008, but US diplomats have largely avoided official visits. Many in the US believe the bombing was necessary to end the war, and do not want their leaders to take any action which might be seen as an apology. Mr Kerry previously said his time in Hiroshima would \"revisit the past and honour those who perished\" but stressed that his trip was \"about the present and the future\". It also comes amid efforts to strengthen the relationship between the US and Japan, particularly with growing concern about China's assertiveness in territorial disputes in Asia, affecting Japan and other US allies." } ], "id": "10082_1", "question": "Why is Mr Kerry's visit significant?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2432, "answer_start": 2206, "text": "President Barack Obama is attending a G7 leaders' summit elsewhere in Japan in May, and there are reports he is considering a stop in Hiroshima. If it happens, it will be the first time a sitting US president visits Hiroshima." } ], "id": "10082_2", "question": "Could it lead to further visits?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Labour has promised to give every home and business in the UK free full-fibre broadband by 2030 if it wins the general election. The plan would see millions more properties given access to a full-fibre connection, though Prime Minister Boris Johnson said it was \"a crackpot scheme\". If the plan went ahead and was completed on time, would it still be useful in 2030? There are three main types of broadband connection that link the local telephone exchange to your home or office: - ADSL (asymmetric digital subscriber line) uses copper cables to a street-level cabinet or junction box and on to the house - FTTC (fibre to the cabinet) uses a faster fibre optic cable to the cabinet, but then copper cable from there to the house - FTTP (fibre to the premises) uses a fibre optic cable to connect to households without using any copper cable The old landline telephone infrastructure across the UK used copper cables, but accessing the internet over copper cables is slower than over fibre optic cables. Fibre optic cables are made from glass or plastic and use pulses of light to transmit data, offering much faster internet access. Full-fibre broadband refers to an FTTP connection: the entire line from the telephone exchange to your home uses fibre optic cables. Currently, the UK government defines superfast broadband as having speeds greater than 30 megabits per second (Mbps). Megabits per second is the standard measurement of internet speed. Ultrafast is defined as a speed greater than 100Mbps. A connection using both fibre and copper (FTTC) can usually reach speeds of about 66Mbps. But a full-fibre connection (FTTP) - with no copper - can offer much faster average speeds of one gigabit per second (Gbps) - that's 1,000Mbps. Full-fibre can also deliver very low latency: that means less delay between sending a request and getting a response. That is not just important for video gamers. Low latency connections promise new opportunities for remote work, especially in fast-paced industries that cannot afford delays. There are other types of very fast connection as well. Virgin Media uses a different type of cable for the last section that comes into your house, which in theory can offer speeds of up to 10Gbps. There is also a service called G.fast, which uses a special pod to boost the speed of the standard copper cable connection. Predicting what the future holds for technology is obviously difficult. But full-fibre broadband, where ultra-fast optical cables carry data right into your home or office, is currently the \"gold standard\". \"There is no doubt that we need fibre connectivity, in particular all the way to the home. That's something everybody is on board with across the industry and political parties,\" said Matthew Howett, an analyst at Assembly Research. While full-fibre connections can currently promise speeds of one gigabit per second, future upgrades could potentially offer speeds in terabits per second. (One terabit equals 1,000 gigabits.) That could be made possible by replacing the equipment at either end of the cables - in the telephone exchange and at home - without laying new cables. If, come 2030, there is a new emerging technology and countries are thinking about replacing their full-fibre systems, the UK would start on the same footing. Wireless connections can be a useful way to connect remote homes to the internet, but 5G may not be the answer for sparsely populated areas. 5G networks can operate on several different frequencies, but the higher frequencies do not penetrate buildings and trees as well as the lower frequencies. Using those high frequencies requires many more transmitters, closer to the homes and offices that need internet access. And those so-called nano-masts are typically connected to the internet backbone by fibre. \"Investing in fibre improves both fixed line services and helps to support connecting the many new nano-masts needed for 5G at its highest speeds,\" said Andrew Ferguson from the news site Thinkbroadband.com. However, the government plans to auction lower-frequency spectrum - freed up from the digital TV switchover - for 5G services. \"The 700MHz frequency band that will be auctioned is good at covering large rural areas,\" said Mr Howett. \"Anything freed up from that switchover from analogue to digital TV means you can reach more people with fewer base stations.\" However, even if the UK focused on national 5G coverage, guaranteeing a stable connection to every home would be difficult. Atmospheric conditions can lead to variation in latency with wireless connections. \"The problem with the final leg still being wireless is easily illustrated by the problems people have with existing wi-fi,\" said Mr Ferguson. \"People often find they cannot cover their whole home without additional wireless repeaters. \"And in the worst case scenario, a double decker bus could park between you and the lamp post across the street. \"Full-fibre into the building technically gives a much better experience and avoids the variables that 5G cannot always overcome.\"", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1266, "answer_start": 367, "text": "There are three main types of broadband connection that link the local telephone exchange to your home or office: - ADSL (asymmetric digital subscriber line) uses copper cables to a street-level cabinet or junction box and on to the house - FTTC (fibre to the cabinet) uses a faster fibre optic cable to the cabinet, but then copper cable from there to the house - FTTP (fibre to the premises) uses a fibre optic cable to connect to households without using any copper cable The old landline telephone infrastructure across the UK used copper cables, but accessing the internet over copper cables is slower than over fibre optic cables. Fibre optic cables are made from glass or plastic and use pulses of light to transmit data, offering much faster internet access. Full-fibre broadband refers to an FTTP connection: the entire line from the telephone exchange to your home uses fibre optic cables." } ], "id": "10083_0", "question": "What is full-fibre broadband?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2354, "answer_start": 1267, "text": "Currently, the UK government defines superfast broadband as having speeds greater than 30 megabits per second (Mbps). Megabits per second is the standard measurement of internet speed. Ultrafast is defined as a speed greater than 100Mbps. A connection using both fibre and copper (FTTC) can usually reach speeds of about 66Mbps. But a full-fibre connection (FTTP) - with no copper - can offer much faster average speeds of one gigabit per second (Gbps) - that's 1,000Mbps. Full-fibre can also deliver very low latency: that means less delay between sending a request and getting a response. That is not just important for video gamers. Low latency connections promise new opportunities for remote work, especially in fast-paced industries that cannot afford delays. There are other types of very fast connection as well. Virgin Media uses a different type of cable for the last section that comes into your house, which in theory can offer speeds of up to 10Gbps. There is also a service called G.fast, which uses a special pod to boost the speed of the standard copper cable connection." } ], "id": "10083_1", "question": "How fast is full-fibre?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3298, "answer_start": 2355, "text": "Predicting what the future holds for technology is obviously difficult. But full-fibre broadband, where ultra-fast optical cables carry data right into your home or office, is currently the \"gold standard\". \"There is no doubt that we need fibre connectivity, in particular all the way to the home. That's something everybody is on board with across the industry and political parties,\" said Matthew Howett, an analyst at Assembly Research. While full-fibre connections can currently promise speeds of one gigabit per second, future upgrades could potentially offer speeds in terabits per second. (One terabit equals 1,000 gigabits.) That could be made possible by replacing the equipment at either end of the cables - in the telephone exchange and at home - without laying new cables. If, come 2030, there is a new emerging technology and countries are thinking about replacing their full-fibre systems, the UK would start on the same footing." } ], "id": "10083_2", "question": "Will full-fibre be obsolete in 2030?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5061, "answer_start": 3299, "text": "Wireless connections can be a useful way to connect remote homes to the internet, but 5G may not be the answer for sparsely populated areas. 5G networks can operate on several different frequencies, but the higher frequencies do not penetrate buildings and trees as well as the lower frequencies. Using those high frequencies requires many more transmitters, closer to the homes and offices that need internet access. And those so-called nano-masts are typically connected to the internet backbone by fibre. \"Investing in fibre improves both fixed line services and helps to support connecting the many new nano-masts needed for 5G at its highest speeds,\" said Andrew Ferguson from the news site Thinkbroadband.com. However, the government plans to auction lower-frequency spectrum - freed up from the digital TV switchover - for 5G services. \"The 700MHz frequency band that will be auctioned is good at covering large rural areas,\" said Mr Howett. \"Anything freed up from that switchover from analogue to digital TV means you can reach more people with fewer base stations.\" However, even if the UK focused on national 5G coverage, guaranteeing a stable connection to every home would be difficult. Atmospheric conditions can lead to variation in latency with wireless connections. \"The problem with the final leg still being wireless is easily illustrated by the problems people have with existing wi-fi,\" said Mr Ferguson. \"People often find they cannot cover their whole home without additional wireless repeaters. \"And in the worst case scenario, a double decker bus could park between you and the lamp post across the street. \"Full-fibre into the building technically gives a much better experience and avoids the variables that 5G cannot always overcome.\"" } ], "id": "10083_3", "question": "Why invest in fibre rather than 5G?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "With Iraqi forces gradually gaining the upper hand against so-called Islamic State (IS) in Mosul, the focus is shifting to the assault upon the organisation's de facto capital in Syria - Raqqa. Units are being moved into position. The US has deployed a small contingent of artillery to ensure that firepower is available on tap, irrespective of any bad weather that might hamper air operations. There's a growing sense that IS is on the defensive; the boundaries of its \"caliphate\" are shrinking and one phase of its story may be coming to an end. But an end could also be a beginning. The disintegration of IS as a territorial entity is one thing. But its ideology remains. IS could turn back into an insurgency, feeding off the continuing chaos, instability and sectarian tensions in both Iraq and Syria. Especially in Syria it will have rivals, in groups linked to al-Qaeda. But the likelihood of stability is remote, whatever happens in Raqqa, not least because the struggle in Syria is now dominated by powerful regional players with nobody offering an inclusive or coherent plan for the future, least of all the Americans, who appear largely sidelined. For all President Donald Trump's campaign promises of a new onslaught against IS, all the signs are that whatever new thinking may eventually come from the White House, Mr Trump's policy will essentially be a reinforced version of that pursued by the previous administration. Indeed, if anything, the priority given to the \"defeat\" of IS (whatever the term \"defeat\" may actually mean) suggests that the Trump team will press ahead with as little a plan for the future stability of Syria as did its predecessor. And, if anything, the environment facing the Trump administration is getting even more complex. The strategic map in Syria has changed significantly. Russia's intervention and the Syrian government's recapture of Aleppo suggests that while President Bashar al-Assad rules over a fractured rump of his country, his position is secure for now. The various opposition groups are too divided and too weak to do much about this. Russian air power was backed up by Iranian and Shia militia firepower on the ground, making Tehran a considerable player in Syria. And Turkey's intervention in the north, to push back IS, but principally to constrain the emergence of any Kurdish entity along its border, has underscored Ankara's stake in the country. So internal and external actors are now bound together in the struggle in a way which makes the future of Syria the centrepiece of a much broader regional struggle where outside players do not just arm the various factions - as they did during the earlier phase of the Syrian fighting - but who through their own troops or proxy militias are directly engaged on the ground. This is the constellation of forces in Syria with which the Trump administration must contend. It is a situation where the US remains a prominent - but not the decisive actor. And it is one where Washington risks being drawn deeper into the fighting without a clear end goal in mind. The battle for Raqqa is a case in point. Washington and Ankara disagree as to who should mount this assault, with the US favouring its Kurdish allies, while Turkey - ever suspicious of Kurdish ambitions - prefers to see militias linked to its forces take the lead. Joshua Landis, director of the Centre for Middle Eastern Politics at Oklahoma University and a close watcher of Syria, says it will be very difficult for Washington to allay Turkish President Recep Tayip Erdogan's fears about the Kurds. \"President Erdogan,\" Prof Landis told me, \"is convinced that if 'Rojava' [the term Kurds use to refer to western or Syrian Kurdistan, and the name of a new federal region they want to create] comes into being, Turkey's Kurds will have a rear base from which to make a drive for their own independence. \"Mr Erdogan,\" he adds, \"fears losing eastern Anatolia.\" The complexity of the situation is best illustrated by the struggle in and around the small town of Manbij, where US Army Rangers - their vehicles flying the Stars and Stripes prominently - have been deployed to interpose themselves between Syrian Kurdish units and pro-Turkish militias. The Turkish army itself is not far away, and small numbers of Russian troops have also reportedly entered the town guarding humanitarian convoys. Turkish forces and their allies have already fired on Syrian government troops to the west of the town in a series of villages - originally taken by the so-called Syrian Democratic Forces alliance - but subsequently handed over by them to President Assad's forces in the hope of stemming the Turks' advance. If President Trump is serious and in a hurry to destroy IS, Prof Landis told me, \"he will have to push ahead with the allies he has\". \"They are the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, which do have Arab contingents but are led by the YPG [Popular Protection Units militia], whose overriding goal is to secure autonomy for Syria's Kurds.\" Kurdish commanders are eager to help the US against IS, not least because they want to win US help in training and equipping their forces. In political terms, says Prof Landis, the Kurds are eager \"to capture large chunks of Syrian territory now held by IS to trade them with the Assad government for accommodation over Kurdish autonomy\". Around Manbij this is already happening. So what chance is there of the Kurds getting some kind of deal? President Assad too is not happy about the Kurds in Syria breaking away. But the Syrian government army is weak and exhausted. Much of it has disintegrated into militias run by local strongmen. As Prof Landis notes: \"The likelihood that Assad can prevail against the Kurds is small, especially if they have US backing. Russia, too, is looking to strike a deal between the Kurds and Assad. Thus, the chances of some sort of accommodation between Assad and the Kurds are good.\" This, of course, represents a significant challenge to Turkey which already controls a swathe of territory in northern Syria. But Prof Landis does not believe that the Turks will try to hold onto this land permanently. \"Turkey,\" he says, \"will use its Syrian rebel army for leverage against both the Kurds and Assad. Its primary interest is to limit Kurdish independence and military help to Turkey's Kurds.\" And \"if it can trade Syrian land to Assad and Russia for dependable guarantees that Syria's Kurds will not be able to build a contiguous Kurdish state, it will,\" he adds. Russia, of course, is a strong defender of Syria's territorial integrity. Squaring the circle of Kurdish demands, Moscow's backing for Damascus, and Washington's struggles with Ankara will not be easy. But in the long term, Prof Landis believes that some kind of \"Kurdish autonomous entity might eventually be possible, within a sovereign Syria, much as the US has insisted for the Kurds in Iraq\". None of this suggests that the battle for Raqqa is likely to be the end game in Syria's bitter civil wars. The struggle for Syria is ongoing. Russia (as advocate of the Syrian regime), Turkey and Iran remain the key diplomatic players, with the US and its Gulf Arab allies pushed uneasily to the sidelines. President Trump's focus on destroying IS is only a partial answer to a much wider regional problem which only a broadly based diplomatic solution can address.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 6511, "answer_start": 5351, "text": "Around Manbij this is already happening. So what chance is there of the Kurds getting some kind of deal? President Assad too is not happy about the Kurds in Syria breaking away. But the Syrian government army is weak and exhausted. Much of it has disintegrated into militias run by local strongmen. As Prof Landis notes: \"The likelihood that Assad can prevail against the Kurds is small, especially if they have US backing. Russia, too, is looking to strike a deal between the Kurds and Assad. Thus, the chances of some sort of accommodation between Assad and the Kurds are good.\" This, of course, represents a significant challenge to Turkey which already controls a swathe of territory in northern Syria. But Prof Landis does not believe that the Turks will try to hold onto this land permanently. \"Turkey,\" he says, \"will use its Syrian rebel army for leverage against both the Kurds and Assad. Its primary interest is to limit Kurdish independence and military help to Turkey's Kurds.\" And \"if it can trade Syrian land to Assad and Russia for dependable guarantees that Syria's Kurds will not be able to build a contiguous Kurdish state, it will,\" he adds." } ], "id": "10084_0", "question": "Assad-Kurdish deal?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Eleven Republican senators from the state of Oregon are in hiding. They walked out of Salem's Capitol building on Thursday and state police have been given authorisation to track them down. This bizarre series of events has unfolded amid a deep rift between the state's rival parties. Oregon's Democrats, who have a clear Senate majority, want to pass landmark climate change legislation. Local Republicans have fled to stop that happening. This weekend, the state capitol had to shut down altogether amid apparent security threats from militia groups. Oregon Democrats are trying to become the second US state to pass an ambitious \"cap and trade\" climate plan. House Bill 2020 would set overall limits on state carbon emissions, with permits or allowances auctioned off to polluting industries. The plan aims to encourage businesses to switch to green technology, with the goal of slashing emissions to 80% below 1990 levels by 2050. Under it, petrol and diesel prices are expected to go up. Republicans say these changes will disproportionally affect rural Oregonians, like farm workers and loggers. They argue the plan should be referred to a state-wide ballot so \"every Oregonian has a voice\". Democrats hold 18 of the 30 seats in the state senate, but 20 senators have to be present for a vote to take place. On Thursday, the 11 Republicans who currently hold seats failed to show up for floor proceedings after negotiations broke down, blocking the legislation's progress. Democratic Governor Kate Brown then authorised state police to try to locate them. \"It is absolutely unacceptable that the Senate Republicans would turn their back on their constituents who they are honour-bound to represent here in this building,\" she said in a statement. \"They need to return and do the jobs they were elected to do.\" The Republicans released a statement explaining their walkout. \"Oregonians deserve better. It's time for the majority party to consider all Oregonians - not just the ones in Portland,\" Senate Republican Leader Herman Baerschiger Jr said regarding the rural-city divide. This is the second time they have recently walked out - winning concessions on gun and vaccination laws after another incident last month. Other boycotts have also been known to happen elsewhere, including by Wisconsin Democrats in 2011. They are rumoured to have fled into neighbouring Idaho - where police are not authorised to look for them. The current legislative session is due to end on 30 June and the Republican whip has said they will \"run out the clock\" on it \"until this storm of false narratives and intimidation passes\". Before the walkout, Democrats had already said they would be willing to use police to try to force absent Republicans to come back. One lawmaker, Brian Boquist, responded angrily. Speaking to a local news outlet on Wednesday, he said police should \"send bachelors and come heavily armed\" if they were to try to arrest him. \"I'm not going to be a political prisoner in the state of Oregon. It's just that simple,\" he said. His comments were condemned by Democrats who said \"threats like these are unacceptable\". The senators are being ordered to pay $500 (PS390) each for every day they are absent. An online fundraiser to pay their fines has so far raised almost $38,000 (PS30,000) as of Sunday. State Senate President Peter Courtney, a Democrat, said police had established a possible militia threat and recommended the closure of the Capitol on Saturday. Another Democratic lawmaker, Sara Gelser, tweeted that they had been notified \"we were physically in danger\". Self-described \"patriot\" groups had reportedly planned a two-day \"Rally to Take the Capitol\" event on Facebook for the weekend. Online comments by members of militia groups also pledged to provide armed security and escorts to the Republicans, US media report. It's not the first time that militias and libertarians in the state have made headlines. In 2016, a militia group was involved in a stand-off with federal agents for weeks at an Oregon wildlife refuge. In recent days, the @Oregon_GOP Twitter account has been mocking the militia claims and sharing content from protests and locals who support their walkout. But with the Republicans still in hiding, the rift shows no sign of ending any time soon.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2323, "answer_start": 553, "text": "Oregon Democrats are trying to become the second US state to pass an ambitious \"cap and trade\" climate plan. House Bill 2020 would set overall limits on state carbon emissions, with permits or allowances auctioned off to polluting industries. The plan aims to encourage businesses to switch to green technology, with the goal of slashing emissions to 80% below 1990 levels by 2050. Under it, petrol and diesel prices are expected to go up. Republicans say these changes will disproportionally affect rural Oregonians, like farm workers and loggers. They argue the plan should be referred to a state-wide ballot so \"every Oregonian has a voice\". Democrats hold 18 of the 30 seats in the state senate, but 20 senators have to be present for a vote to take place. On Thursday, the 11 Republicans who currently hold seats failed to show up for floor proceedings after negotiations broke down, blocking the legislation's progress. Democratic Governor Kate Brown then authorised state police to try to locate them. \"It is absolutely unacceptable that the Senate Republicans would turn their back on their constituents who they are honour-bound to represent here in this building,\" she said in a statement. \"They need to return and do the jobs they were elected to do.\" The Republicans released a statement explaining their walkout. \"Oregonians deserve better. It's time for the majority party to consider all Oregonians - not just the ones in Portland,\" Senate Republican Leader Herman Baerschiger Jr said regarding the rural-city divide. This is the second time they have recently walked out - winning concessions on gun and vaccination laws after another incident last month. Other boycotts have also been known to happen elsewhere, including by Wisconsin Democrats in 2011." } ], "id": "10085_0", "question": "Why did the politicians flee?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3316, "answer_start": 2324, "text": "They are rumoured to have fled into neighbouring Idaho - where police are not authorised to look for them. The current legislative session is due to end on 30 June and the Republican whip has said they will \"run out the clock\" on it \"until this storm of false narratives and intimidation passes\". Before the walkout, Democrats had already said they would be willing to use police to try to force absent Republicans to come back. One lawmaker, Brian Boquist, responded angrily. Speaking to a local news outlet on Wednesday, he said police should \"send bachelors and come heavily armed\" if they were to try to arrest him. \"I'm not going to be a political prisoner in the state of Oregon. It's just that simple,\" he said. His comments were condemned by Democrats who said \"threats like these are unacceptable\". The senators are being ordered to pay $500 (PS390) each for every day they are absent. An online fundraiser to pay their fines has so far raised almost $38,000 (PS30,000) as of Sunday." } ], "id": "10085_1", "question": "Where are the senators now?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4296, "answer_start": 3317, "text": "State Senate President Peter Courtney, a Democrat, said police had established a possible militia threat and recommended the closure of the Capitol on Saturday. Another Democratic lawmaker, Sara Gelser, tweeted that they had been notified \"we were physically in danger\". Self-described \"patriot\" groups had reportedly planned a two-day \"Rally to Take the Capitol\" event on Facebook for the weekend. Online comments by members of militia groups also pledged to provide armed security and escorts to the Republicans, US media report. It's not the first time that militias and libertarians in the state have made headlines. In 2016, a militia group was involved in a stand-off with federal agents for weeks at an Oregon wildlife refuge. In recent days, the @Oregon_GOP Twitter account has been mocking the militia claims and sharing content from protests and locals who support their walkout. But with the Republicans still in hiding, the rift shows no sign of ending any time soon." } ], "id": "10085_2", "question": "What has the reaction been?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Members of Venezuela's opposition-led National Assembly declared on Sunday that the government was engaged in \"an ongoing coup d'etat\". In an emergency session, lawmakers said there had been a \"rupture of the constitutional order\". They also threatened to put President Nicolas Maduro on trial. The emergency session was called after the electoral authorities blocked opposition efforts to hold a referendum to remove Mr Maduro from power. The opposition blames President Maduro and his socialist government for the economic crisis which Venezuela is experiencing. The International Monetary Fund has predicted that inflation will rise to 1,660% next year. The South American nation is already suffering from chronic shortages of many goods, including food and basic toiletries. Public hospitals have reported running out of medicine and being barely able to function. The opposition is calling for new elections as well as Mr Maduro's removal. Under Venezuela's constitution, a recall referendum can be held once a president has served half of his term in office and the requisite steps are met. So far, the opposition has completed step one of the process. The opposition was scheduled to start stage two of the process on 26 October. But last week, the electoral authorities announced that the signature drive had been suspended after allegations of fraud in the first stage. The announcement was met with outrage by the opposition, which has long accused the National Electoral Council of doing the government's bidding and causing delays at every possible turn. Election delay causes opposition anger The National Assembly, which is controlled by a coalition of opposition parties, held an emergency session. The Assembly approved a resolution which declares that Venezuela has suffered a coup d'etat and the constitutional order has broken down, and urges Venezuelans to stand up in defence of the constitution. The resolution also advocates - Asking international organisations for help in defending the Venezuelan people - Naming new Supreme Court judges and members of the National Electoral Council - Calling on the Venezuelan armed forces to disobey any order which is unconstitutional or goes against human rights Lawmaker Julio Borges also said that the opposition would bring a political trial against President Maduro \"to get to the bottom of his role in the break with democracy and human rights here\". The session was tense and angry, with both government and opposition lawmakers giving fiery speeches. Chaos erupted when a group of government supporters who had been demonstrating outside the Assembly building pushed past security guards and broke into the chamber. The session had to be halted for 45 minutes while the protesters were removed. The interruption was described in very different ways by the two rival sides. Opposition lawmaker Julio Borges posted a video of the protests and called it \"an attack on Venezuela's parliament\". Government lawmaker Diosdado Cabello on the other hand defended those who had interrupted the session, saying they had only been protecting the legitimate government and would do so another 1,000 times. He also accused the National Assembly of carrying out its own coup d'etat. President Maduro sent a video message from Saudi Arabia, where he was discussing global oil prices. In it he said, \"The revolution will continue to win despite the constant pretentions of the right which is trying to take over power by unconstitutional means.\" President Maduro and his government have accused the opposition of having links to foreign states, and the US in particular, and of seeking to overthrow him to \"lay their hands on Venezuela's oil riches\". The National Assembly has convened another session for 25 October in which it plans to discuss how to proceed next. Analysts say the resolutions passed on Sunday are largely symbolic and unlikely to have much effect as the government and the Supreme Court have so far scuppered any attempts by the opposition to push through bills which President Maduro opposes. The recall referendum, which has been the opposition's main strategy to drive Mr Maduro from office, is also stalled after the suspension of the second stage by the electoral authorities. The opposition will likely look abroad for help in laying pressure on the government, in particular to the regional body Organization of American States (OAS). OAS head Luis Almagro has previously threatened to invoke the Inter-American Democratic Charter, which could lead to sanctions being imposed on Venezuela. The opposition has also called for nationwide protests for Wednesday.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 944, "answer_start": 440, "text": "The opposition blames President Maduro and his socialist government for the economic crisis which Venezuela is experiencing. The International Monetary Fund has predicted that inflation will rise to 1,660% next year. The South American nation is already suffering from chronic shortages of many goods, including food and basic toiletries. Public hospitals have reported running out of medicine and being barely able to function. The opposition is calling for new elections as well as Mr Maduro's removal." } ], "id": "10086_0", "question": "Why does the opposition want Mr Maduro out?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2418, "answer_start": 1606, "text": "The National Assembly, which is controlled by a coalition of opposition parties, held an emergency session. The Assembly approved a resolution which declares that Venezuela has suffered a coup d'etat and the constitutional order has broken down, and urges Venezuelans to stand up in defence of the constitution. The resolution also advocates - Asking international organisations for help in defending the Venezuelan people - Naming new Supreme Court judges and members of the National Electoral Council - Calling on the Venezuelan armed forces to disobey any order which is unconstitutional or goes against human rights Lawmaker Julio Borges also said that the opposition would bring a political trial against President Maduro \"to get to the bottom of his role in the break with democracy and human rights here\"." } ], "id": "10086_1", "question": "What happened on Sunday?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3237, "answer_start": 2419, "text": "The session was tense and angry, with both government and opposition lawmakers giving fiery speeches. Chaos erupted when a group of government supporters who had been demonstrating outside the Assembly building pushed past security guards and broke into the chamber. The session had to be halted for 45 minutes while the protesters were removed. The interruption was described in very different ways by the two rival sides. Opposition lawmaker Julio Borges posted a video of the protests and called it \"an attack on Venezuela's parliament\". Government lawmaker Diosdado Cabello on the other hand defended those who had interrupted the session, saying they had only been protecting the legitimate government and would do so another 1,000 times. He also accused the National Assembly of carrying out its own coup d'etat." } ], "id": "10086_2", "question": "What was the atmosphere like?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3703, "answer_start": 3238, "text": "President Maduro sent a video message from Saudi Arabia, where he was discussing global oil prices. In it he said, \"The revolution will continue to win despite the constant pretentions of the right which is trying to take over power by unconstitutional means.\" President Maduro and his government have accused the opposition of having links to foreign states, and the US in particular, and of seeking to overthrow him to \"lay their hands on Venezuela's oil riches\"." } ], "id": "10086_3", "question": "How did Mr Maduro react?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4639, "answer_start": 3704, "text": "The National Assembly has convened another session for 25 October in which it plans to discuss how to proceed next. Analysts say the resolutions passed on Sunday are largely symbolic and unlikely to have much effect as the government and the Supreme Court have so far scuppered any attempts by the opposition to push through bills which President Maduro opposes. The recall referendum, which has been the opposition's main strategy to drive Mr Maduro from office, is also stalled after the suspension of the second stage by the electoral authorities. The opposition will likely look abroad for help in laying pressure on the government, in particular to the regional body Organization of American States (OAS). OAS head Luis Almagro has previously threatened to invoke the Inter-American Democratic Charter, which could lead to sanctions being imposed on Venezuela. The opposition has also called for nationwide protests for Wednesday." } ], "id": "10086_4", "question": "What happens next?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "North Korea has conducted six nuclear tests since 2006 and every time it has used the Punggye-ri test site. Situated in mountainous terrain in the north-east of the country, it is thought to be the North's main nuclear facility and the only active nuclear testing site in the world. But scientists believe the site has partially collapsed and may be unusable. Much of what we know about it is gleaned from satellite imagery and tracking the movement of equipment at the location. The nuclear tests have taken place in a system of tunnels dug below Mount Mantap, near the Punggye-ri site. North Korea watchers study the details of the excavation of these tunnels to get clues on whether the country is preparing for another nuclear test. Ahead of its most recent nuclear test on 3 September 2017, some had pointed to satellite imagery from August, which showed that the site was in a standby state - indicating readiness for a test. Earlier in the year more tunnelling or excavation work had been detected and unidentified equipment had been placed outside one of the tunnels. The test devices are buried deep at the end of the tunnels, which end in a hook. The tunnel gets backfilled to prevent radioactive leakage and then the device is detonated. Scientists say part of the site collapsed eight and a half minutes after the test in September. It was a \"near-vertical on-site collapse towards the nuclear test centre\", Chinese researchers reported. The US Geological Survey recorded a second seismic event about eight minutes after the test, which it assessed as a \"collapse\" of the cavity. Two aftershocks were detected as late as December, prompting concerns about the stability of the surrounding mountains. We know more about Chinese cities and towns along the border with North Korea than we do about populations that might be closer to the test site inside North Korea. People in several Chinese border cities reported feeling the tremors from the seismic activity at the time of the test. School children ran out into the open in the city of Yanji, which is 10km (6.25 miles) from the border, when they felt the shaking, Global Times reported. Very close to the site is Punngye-ri village and about 80km away is the North Korean city of Chongjin, but it is not known if these towns were evacuated or warned in any way. North Korea claimed that no radiation leaked when it conducted its latest test. China's Nuclear Safety Administration and South Korea's Nuclear Safety and Security Commission do conduct emergency monitoring for radiation immediately after the tests. Experts at the analysis group 38North, who closely track the North's nuclear activities, said that radionuclides, products of the nuclear reactions that are released into the atmosphere, were detected and traced back to a previous nuclear test, in February 2013. They also pointed to the second seismic event. Minutes after the initial seismic event was picked up by sensors when the test occurred, there was another smaller one with a magnitude of 4.6. After previous tests authorities have usually reported very small amounts of radioactive particles or gases in neighbouring countries, although there is no way to test for the amounts inside North Korea.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1711, "answer_start": 1249, "text": "Scientists say part of the site collapsed eight and a half minutes after the test in September. It was a \"near-vertical on-site collapse towards the nuclear test centre\", Chinese researchers reported. The US Geological Survey recorded a second seismic event about eight minutes after the test, which it assessed as a \"collapse\" of the cavity. Two aftershocks were detected as late as December, prompting concerns about the stability of the surrounding mountains." } ], "id": "10087_0", "question": "What about the alleged collapse?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2326, "answer_start": 1712, "text": "We know more about Chinese cities and towns along the border with North Korea than we do about populations that might be closer to the test site inside North Korea. People in several Chinese border cities reported feeling the tremors from the seismic activity at the time of the test. School children ran out into the open in the city of Yanji, which is 10km (6.25 miles) from the border, when they felt the shaking, Global Times reported. Very close to the site is Punngye-ri village and about 80km away is the North Korean city of Chongjin, but it is not known if these towns were evacuated or warned in any way." } ], "id": "10087_1", "question": "What is nearby?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3234, "answer_start": 2327, "text": "North Korea claimed that no radiation leaked when it conducted its latest test. China's Nuclear Safety Administration and South Korea's Nuclear Safety and Security Commission do conduct emergency monitoring for radiation immediately after the tests. Experts at the analysis group 38North, who closely track the North's nuclear activities, said that radionuclides, products of the nuclear reactions that are released into the atmosphere, were detected and traced back to a previous nuclear test, in February 2013. They also pointed to the second seismic event. Minutes after the initial seismic event was picked up by sensors when the test occurred, there was another smaller one with a magnitude of 4.6. After previous tests authorities have usually reported very small amounts of radioactive particles or gases in neighbouring countries, although there is no way to test for the amounts inside North Korea." } ], "id": "10087_2", "question": "Is there a real risk of radiation?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Britons will have to pay EUR7 (PS6.30) every three years to travel to EU countries, as a consequence of Brexit. The European Commission has confirmed that while UK travellers will not need a visa, they will need to apply for and buy another document. It is called an ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System) and although not launched yet, is expected to come into force in 2021. The travel requirement is not just for the UK but for many non-EU countries. Citizens of EU countries - which currently includes British people - are able to travel anywhere in the EU. But anyone from a non-EU country has to apply for a visa - unless they are from a special list of 61 countries, which also includes the US, Japan and Australia. Nationals from these 61 countries can travel within the EU's Schengen zone - the area where people can travel without border checks - for up to 90 days without a visa. However, because of the migrant crisis and security concerns over terrorism, the EU has decided to bring in more controls over the countries on this special list. So it is introducing the ETIAS - an electronic application form - which is Europe's version of the United States' $14 ESTA, although as the EU Commission points out, it is \"way cheaper\". It is not a visa but a travel requirement for anyone on that list of 61 non-EU countries who are coming to the EU for business, tourism, medical or transit-related reasons for up to 90 days. The EU says the ETIAS system will \"to strengthen security checks on those persons who travel visa-free to the EU\". Under the Brexit deal, EU citizens and UK nationals will continue to be able to travel freely with a passport or identity card until the end of the transition period in 2020. After this period ends, the European Commission has offered visa-free travel for UK nationals coming to the EU for a short stay, as long as the UK offers the same in return. But although they do not need a visa, UK nationals will need an ETIAS - deal or no deal. The form - which the EU describes as a \"necessary and small procedural step\" - will take no more than 10 minutes and anyone between the ages of 18 and 70 must pay the fee, the EU says. The details needed for the application form will include passport information as well as background questions about criminal records or medical conditions. Most people will find out if their application has been successful within minutes, the EU says, with more than 95% of applications approved automatically. Applications can also be denied or take up to four weeks to process. If successful, the ETIAS will last for three years and allow an unlimited number of entries. The document will be checked by border guards when crossing the EU border. It is not known what rules will apply to EU tourists coming to the UK, but according to the EU and UK's political declaration, both sides will aim to provide \"visa-free travel for short-term visits\". The European Commission previously said the EU's offer of visa-free travel to the UK was \"entirely conditional upon the UK also granting reciprocal and non-discriminatory visa-free travel for all EU member states\". The proposal - which will come into force on 29 March 2019 when the UK leaves the EU in the event of a no-deal Brexit - must be adopted by the EU Parliament and European Council before it can come into force. The UK already grants visa-free travel to nationals from 56 countries - ranging from the United States to the Maldives - allowing people to stay for a maximum of six months. But they are not allowed to work, study or settle. The news could also lead to a renewed surge in applications for Irish passports by British citizens. Citizens of the Republic of Ireland, an EU member state, will retain visa-free travel benefits after Brexit, no matter the outcome of the UK's negotiations with the EU. UK residents are entitled to an Irish passport if their parents or grandparents were born in Ireland, while most Northern Ireland citizens are entitled to an Irish passport if they wish. Earlier in 2018, it was reported that Irish passport applications by UK citizens were booming.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1568, "answer_start": 476, "text": "Citizens of EU countries - which currently includes British people - are able to travel anywhere in the EU. But anyone from a non-EU country has to apply for a visa - unless they are from a special list of 61 countries, which also includes the US, Japan and Australia. Nationals from these 61 countries can travel within the EU's Schengen zone - the area where people can travel without border checks - for up to 90 days without a visa. However, because of the migrant crisis and security concerns over terrorism, the EU has decided to bring in more controls over the countries on this special list. So it is introducing the ETIAS - an electronic application form - which is Europe's version of the United States' $14 ESTA, although as the EU Commission points out, it is \"way cheaper\". It is not a visa but a travel requirement for anyone on that list of 61 non-EU countries who are coming to the EU for business, tourism, medical or transit-related reasons for up to 90 days. The EU says the ETIAS system will \"to strengthen security checks on those persons who travel visa-free to the EU\"." } ], "id": "10088_0", "question": "What is the ETIAS?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4140, "answer_start": 1569, "text": "Under the Brexit deal, EU citizens and UK nationals will continue to be able to travel freely with a passport or identity card until the end of the transition period in 2020. After this period ends, the European Commission has offered visa-free travel for UK nationals coming to the EU for a short stay, as long as the UK offers the same in return. But although they do not need a visa, UK nationals will need an ETIAS - deal or no deal. The form - which the EU describes as a \"necessary and small procedural step\" - will take no more than 10 minutes and anyone between the ages of 18 and 70 must pay the fee, the EU says. The details needed for the application form will include passport information as well as background questions about criminal records or medical conditions. Most people will find out if their application has been successful within minutes, the EU says, with more than 95% of applications approved automatically. Applications can also be denied or take up to four weeks to process. If successful, the ETIAS will last for three years and allow an unlimited number of entries. The document will be checked by border guards when crossing the EU border. It is not known what rules will apply to EU tourists coming to the UK, but according to the EU and UK's political declaration, both sides will aim to provide \"visa-free travel for short-term visits\". The European Commission previously said the EU's offer of visa-free travel to the UK was \"entirely conditional upon the UK also granting reciprocal and non-discriminatory visa-free travel for all EU member states\". The proposal - which will come into force on 29 March 2019 when the UK leaves the EU in the event of a no-deal Brexit - must be adopted by the EU Parliament and European Council before it can come into force. The UK already grants visa-free travel to nationals from 56 countries - ranging from the United States to the Maldives - allowing people to stay for a maximum of six months. But they are not allowed to work, study or settle. The news could also lead to a renewed surge in applications for Irish passports by British citizens. Citizens of the Republic of Ireland, an EU member state, will retain visa-free travel benefits after Brexit, no matter the outcome of the UK's negotiations with the EU. UK residents are entitled to an Irish passport if their parents or grandparents were born in Ireland, while most Northern Ireland citizens are entitled to an Irish passport if they wish. Earlier in 2018, it was reported that Irish passport applications by UK citizens were booming." } ], "id": "10088_1", "question": "What will UK travellers to the EU have to do?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Scientists have found that our big toe was one of the last parts of the foot to evolve, a study suggests. As our early ancestors began to walk on two legs, they would also have hung about in trees, using their feet to grasp branches. They walked differently on the ground, but were still able to move around quite efficiently. The rigid big toe that eventually evolved gives efficient push-off power during walking and running. The findings have been published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. In this new study, scientists made 3D scans of the toe bone joints from living and fossil human relatives, including primates such as apes and monkeys, and then compared them to modern day humans. They overlaid this information onto an evolutionary tree, revealing the timing and sequence of events that produced the human forefoot. The main finding is that the current shape of the bones in the big toe, or \"hallux\" in anatomical language, must have evolved quite late in comparison with the rest of the bones that they investigated. In an interview with the BBC, lead author of the study Dr Peter Fernandez, from Marquette University in Milwaukee, said: \"Our ability to efficiently walk and run on two feet, or be 'bipedal', is a crucial feature that enabled humans to become what they are today. For everything to work together, the foot bones first had to evolve to accommodate the unique biomechanical demands of bipedalism\". He then said: \"The big toe is mechanically very important for walking. In our study, we showed that it did not reach its modern form until considerably later than the other toes.\" When asked whether the rigid big toe evolved last because it is most or least important, Dr Fernandez commented: \"It might have been last because it was the hardest to change. We also think there was a compromise. The big toe could still be used for grasping, as our ancestors spent a fair amount of their time in the trees, before becoming fully committed to walking on the ground.\" He added: \"Modern humans have increased the stability of the joint to put the toe in an orientation that is useful for walking, but the foot is no longer dextrous like an ape.\" The reason that our ancestors stood upright and then walked on two feet is still a mystery, but there are plenty of ideas. Scientists think that walking may have evolved, either because it freed our hands to carry tools, or because climate change led to a loss of forests, or that overhead arms can be used to support walking on two legs along thin branches. Studies such as this new one show that early human ancestors must have able been to walk upright for millions of years, since the 4.4 million year old fossil Ardipithecus ramidus, but that they did not fully transition to a modern walk until much later, perhaps in closer relatives within our own group, Homo. This new study, alongside other work, now confirms that early walking humans, or \"hominins\" still used their feet to grasp objects. Dr William Harcourt-Smith from City University of New York, who was not involved in this study, said: \"They are suggesting that one of the earliest hominins, Ardipithecus, was already adapting in a direction away from the predicted morphology of the last common ancestor of chimps and modern humans, but not 'towards' modern humans. To me this implies that there were several lineages within hominins that were likely experimenting with bipedalism in different ways to each other.\" Professor Fred Spoor, an expert in human anatomy at the Natural History Museum, London said: \"It was a bit of shock when hominins were found that have a grasping, or opposable, big toe, as this was thought to be incompatible with effective bipedalism. This work shows that different parts of the foot can have different functions. When a big toe is opposable, you can still function properly as a biped.\" The scientists involved say that this work shows that early hominin feet had a mixed and versatile set of functions. Becoming human was not a giant step, but a series of gradual changes, with some of the last and arguably most important changes being made to big toes. Peter Fernandez said that they would like to conduct similar analyses on the remaining bones of the forefoot, in order to fully characterise the changes involved in the evolution of bipedal walking. Follow Angus on Twitter", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2196, "answer_start": 1060, "text": "In an interview with the BBC, lead author of the study Dr Peter Fernandez, from Marquette University in Milwaukee, said: \"Our ability to efficiently walk and run on two feet, or be 'bipedal', is a crucial feature that enabled humans to become what they are today. For everything to work together, the foot bones first had to evolve to accommodate the unique biomechanical demands of bipedalism\". He then said: \"The big toe is mechanically very important for walking. In our study, we showed that it did not reach its modern form until considerably later than the other toes.\" When asked whether the rigid big toe evolved last because it is most or least important, Dr Fernandez commented: \"It might have been last because it was the hardest to change. We also think there was a compromise. The big toe could still be used for grasping, as our ancestors spent a fair amount of their time in the trees, before becoming fully committed to walking on the ground.\" He added: \"Modern humans have increased the stability of the joint to put the toe in an orientation that is useful for walking, but the foot is no longer dextrous like an ape.\"" } ], "id": "10089_0", "question": "Why does it matter?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2997, "answer_start": 2197, "text": "The reason that our ancestors stood upright and then walked on two feet is still a mystery, but there are plenty of ideas. Scientists think that walking may have evolved, either because it freed our hands to carry tools, or because climate change led to a loss of forests, or that overhead arms can be used to support walking on two legs along thin branches. Studies such as this new one show that early human ancestors must have able been to walk upright for millions of years, since the 4.4 million year old fossil Ardipithecus ramidus, but that they did not fully transition to a modern walk until much later, perhaps in closer relatives within our own group, Homo. This new study, alongside other work, now confirms that early walking humans, or \"hominins\" still used their feet to grasp objects." } ], "id": "10089_1", "question": "Why did early humans walk?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3885, "answer_start": 2998, "text": "Dr William Harcourt-Smith from City University of New York, who was not involved in this study, said: \"They are suggesting that one of the earliest hominins, Ardipithecus, was already adapting in a direction away from the predicted morphology of the last common ancestor of chimps and modern humans, but not 'towards' modern humans. To me this implies that there were several lineages within hominins that were likely experimenting with bipedalism in different ways to each other.\" Professor Fred Spoor, an expert in human anatomy at the Natural History Museum, London said: \"It was a bit of shock when hominins were found that have a grasping, or opposable, big toe, as this was thought to be incompatible with effective bipedalism. This work shows that different parts of the foot can have different functions. When a big toe is opposable, you can still function properly as a biped.\"" } ], "id": "10089_2", "question": "What has been the reaction?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Details are slowly emerging about the man suspected of killing 11 worshippers at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Authorities identified the alleged gunman as 46-year-old Robert Bowers. Before the shooting on Saturday, he was apparently unknown to law enforcement and had no criminal record. He was wounded in a gun battle with police and sent to hospital, but was discharged on Monday. According to an affidavit, he told police while receiving medical treatment that \"he wanted all Jews to die and also that they [Jews] were committing genocide to his people\". Here's what we know about the suspect. Neighbours speaking to US media describe Robert Bowers as \"normal\". He was reportedly a truck driver, living in a flat in Baldwin, a suburb of Pittsburgh. He kept to himself, and neighbours never saw him with visitors. Neighbour Chris Hall told AP: \"The most terrifying thing is just how normal he seemed.\" He reportedly often visited a relative's home 10 minutes away, neighbours told the Washington Post. They said he may have been helping care for a disabled man there. Robert Bowers had an active gun licence and owned 21 firearms, officials say. While there are few details about the man himself, he left a trail of anti-Semitic comments on social media. Since January, he had had an active account on the Twitter-rival site Gab - a platform criticised as being an outlet for far-right figures and conspiracy theorists who have been banned from other social networks. On the now-archived Gab profile that appears to be his, he called Jewish people \"the children of Satan\". His feed was full of anti-Semitic and anti-immigrant posts calling Jews \"an infestation\", \"filthy\" and \"evil\". Just an hour before the shooting, that account posted: \"HIAS [Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society] likes to bring invaders in that kill our people. I can't sit by and watch my people get slaughtered. Screw your optics. I'm going in.\" Two days earlier, the user had criticised President Donald Trump for being a \"globalist, not a nationalist\". He also commented that he did not vote for Mr Trump. US media report that he is registered as an unaffiliated voter. \"The actions of Robert Bowers represent the worst of humanity,\" said Scott Brady, the US Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania. He added that justice \"will be swift and it will be severe\". Mr Brady announced on Sunday he is seeking the death penalty, though the final decision on this lies with Attorney General Jeff Sessions. These are the 29 charges against Bowers: - Eleven counts of obstruction of exercise of religious beliefs resulting in death and 11 counts of use of a firearm to commit murder during and in relation to a crime of violence. These can carry the death penalty - Four counts of obstruction of exercise of religious beliefs resulting in bodily injury to a public safety officer - Three counts of use and discharge of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1174, "answer_start": 624, "text": "Neighbours speaking to US media describe Robert Bowers as \"normal\". He was reportedly a truck driver, living in a flat in Baldwin, a suburb of Pittsburgh. He kept to himself, and neighbours never saw him with visitors. Neighbour Chris Hall told AP: \"The most terrifying thing is just how normal he seemed.\" He reportedly often visited a relative's home 10 minutes away, neighbours told the Washington Post. They said he may have been helping care for a disabled man there. Robert Bowers had an active gun licence and owned 21 firearms, officials say." } ], "id": "10090_0", "question": "Who is he?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2165, "answer_start": 1175, "text": "While there are few details about the man himself, he left a trail of anti-Semitic comments on social media. Since January, he had had an active account on the Twitter-rival site Gab - a platform criticised as being an outlet for far-right figures and conspiracy theorists who have been banned from other social networks. On the now-archived Gab profile that appears to be his, he called Jewish people \"the children of Satan\". His feed was full of anti-Semitic and anti-immigrant posts calling Jews \"an infestation\", \"filthy\" and \"evil\". Just an hour before the shooting, that account posted: \"HIAS [Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society] likes to bring invaders in that kill our people. I can't sit by and watch my people get slaughtered. Screw your optics. I'm going in.\" Two days earlier, the user had criticised President Donald Trump for being a \"globalist, not a nationalist\". He also commented that he did not vote for Mr Trump. US media report that he is registered as an unaffiliated voter." } ], "id": "10090_1", "question": "What did he say on social media?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "China's President Xi Jinping has created his own political ideology, in a step towards entrenching his position at the top of the Communist Party. Top officials have made multiple mentions of \"Xi Jinping Thought\" at the Communist Party Congress. The party is widely expected to rewrite its constitution to enshrine this theory before congress ends next week. The move would elevate him to the level of previous leaders Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping. Correspondents say it would signal Mr Xi's enormous authority within the party, and make it virtually impossible for others to challenge him. Mr Xi opened the Communist Party congress - which determines who rules China and the country's direction for the next term - in a three hour speech on Wednesday. On Thursday, numerous senior party officials praised \"Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era\" in state media reports, and said it was \"the latest achievement in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context\". Carrie Gracie, BBC News, China editor China's politics are secretive and coded, but when the members of the Communist Party's Politburo Standing Committee all start using the same phrase at their party congress, it's clear something big is coming. At panel groups to discuss Xi Jinping's keynote speech, top leaders carefully echoed the unwieldy phrase \"Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era\". And the phrase is also now prominent in official media. Both are strong signals that Xi Jinping will achieve what predecessors have failed to do for 20 years - he will officially join the pantheon of China's transformative leaders by getting his name written into the party constitution at the close of congress next week. If the first three decades since the communist revolution formed the Mao Zedong era, and the second chapter was the Deng Xiaoping era, China is now on the brink of declaring this the Xi Jinping era. Previous Chinese leaders have come up with their own political ideologies which have been incorporated into the party's constitution or thinking. How these ideologies are named reflects on the leaders' importance in the party. None, besides party founder Mao Zedong, have had their ideology described as \"thought\", which is at the top of the hierarchy, and only Mao and Deng Xiaoping have had their names attached to their ideologies. \"Xi Jinping Thought\" has 14 main principles which emphasise Communist ideals and also: - Call for \"complete and deep reform\" and \"new developing ideas\" - Promise \"harmonious living between man and nature\" - Emphasise \"absolute authority of the party over the people's army\" - Emphasise the importance of \"'one country two systems' and reunification with the motherland\" Since taking power in 2012, Mr Xi has been taking steps to cement his top position in the party and in wider Chinese society, leading some to accuse him of creating a Mao-like cult of personality. These steps have included a wide-reaching corruption crackdown that has seen high-ranking officials jailed or arrested. Some believe it is a political purge, but Mr Xi previously denied claims there was a \"power struggle\". However, on Thursday, senior official Liu Shiyu said a number of those caught up in the crackdown were arrested because they had plotted against Mr Xi. He named top cadres Bo Xilai, Zhou Yongkang and Sun Zhengcai as among a group of \"hugely corrupt\" high-ranking officials who \"plotted to usurp the party's leadership and seize state power\". The congress, which takes place once every five years, will finish next Tuesday. More than 2,000 delegates are attending the event, which is taking place under tight security.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1944, "answer_start": 992, "text": "Carrie Gracie, BBC News, China editor China's politics are secretive and coded, but when the members of the Communist Party's Politburo Standing Committee all start using the same phrase at their party congress, it's clear something big is coming. At panel groups to discuss Xi Jinping's keynote speech, top leaders carefully echoed the unwieldy phrase \"Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era\". And the phrase is also now prominent in official media. Both are strong signals that Xi Jinping will achieve what predecessors have failed to do for 20 years - he will officially join the pantheon of China's transformative leaders by getting his name written into the party constitution at the close of congress next week. If the first three decades since the communist revolution formed the Mao Zedong era, and the second chapter was the Deng Xiaoping era, China is now on the brink of declaring this the Xi Jinping era." } ], "id": "10091_0", "question": "Start of the Xi Jinping era?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The CIA believes that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, according to US media reports. Sources close to the agency said it had assessed the evidence in detail. It is understood there is no \"smoking gun\" but US officials think such an operation would need the prince's approval. Saudi Arabia has called the claim false and insisted that the crown prince knew nothing about plans for the killing. It says Khashoggi was killed as a result of a \"rogue operation\". US President Donald Trump has spoken to CIA Director Gina Haspel and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo about the CIA's assessment of the Khashoggi murder, the White House says. Press secretary Sarah Sanders gave no details but said Mr Trump had confidence in the CIA. Before the briefing, President Trump stressed the importance of Saudi Arabia to the US, as he has done since news of Khashoggi's killing emerged. \"They have been a truly spectacular ally in terms of jobs and economic development,\" he said. \"I have to take a lot of things into consideration.\" While there has been widespread international condemnation of Khashoggi's murder there has been little in the way of substantial action. The journalist was killed after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on 2 October to obtain a marriage document. His body has not been found. Turkey also insists the order to kill him came from the highest levels. The Washington Post, which Khashoggi worked for, says the CIA assessment was based partly on a phone call made by the crown prince's brother, Prince Khalid bin Salman, the Saudi ambassador to the US. Prince Khalid allegedly called Khashoggi at the direction of his brother and gave him assurances that he would be safe to go to the consulate. Prince Khalid, now back in Saudi Arabia, said on Twitter that he had not been in contact with Khashoggi for nearly a year. He said he had never suggested Khashoggi - who had been in London for a conference until the day before his disappearance - should go to Turkey for any reason. It is understood agents have also examined a call made to a senior aide of Crown Prince bin Salman by the team that carried out the killing. Sources quoted in the US media stressed that there was no single piece of evidence linking the crown prince directly to the murder, but officials believe such an operation would have needed his approval. At a news conference in Riyadh on Thursday, Deputy Public Prosecutor Shalaan bin Rajih Shalaan said Khashoggi was given a lethal injection and his body was dismembered inside the consulate after his death. The body parts were then handed over to a local \"collaborator\" outside the grounds, he added. A composite sketch of the collaborator has been produced and investigations are continuing to locate the remains. Eleven unidentified people have been charged over the journalist's death and the prosecutor is seeking the death penalty for five of them. By Frank Gardner, Security Correspondent, BBC News The reported CIA assessment that MBS ordered the killing of Jamal Khashoggi largely matches those in other Western capitals, including London. The purported intercepted phone call - denied by the Saudis - between MBS's brother in Washington, Prince Khalid bin Salman, and Khashoggi, urging him to visit the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, would appear to be at the behest of the crown prince. A second intercepted phone call was from the hit team on the day of the murder to someone inside MBS's inner circle in Riyadh. Again, it is hard to believe this would have been without the Crown Prince's knowledge Taken together with the SIGINT (signals intelligence), the case against MBS is damning but still circumstantial. Government officials do not believe there is a metaphorical \"smoking gun\" that explicitly ties MBS to the murder. But drawing on well-established diplomatic and intelligence contacts, they know that in that part of the world nothing gets done without sign-off from the top. In the tightly controlled Arab Gulf states there is simply no such thing as \"a rogue operation,\" as Saudi statements have described it. Meanwhile the glaring inconsistencies in the official Saudi explanations have only deepened suspicions of a state-sponsored cover-up.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2398, "answer_start": 1428, "text": "The Washington Post, which Khashoggi worked for, says the CIA assessment was based partly on a phone call made by the crown prince's brother, Prince Khalid bin Salman, the Saudi ambassador to the US. Prince Khalid allegedly called Khashoggi at the direction of his brother and gave him assurances that he would be safe to go to the consulate. Prince Khalid, now back in Saudi Arabia, said on Twitter that he had not been in contact with Khashoggi for nearly a year. He said he had never suggested Khashoggi - who had been in London for a conference until the day before his disappearance - should go to Turkey for any reason. It is understood agents have also examined a call made to a senior aide of Crown Prince bin Salman by the team that carried out the killing. Sources quoted in the US media stressed that there was no single piece of evidence linking the crown prince directly to the murder, but officials believe such an operation would have needed his approval." } ], "id": "10092_0", "question": "What is the CIA's finding based on?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2951, "answer_start": 2399, "text": "At a news conference in Riyadh on Thursday, Deputy Public Prosecutor Shalaan bin Rajih Shalaan said Khashoggi was given a lethal injection and his body was dismembered inside the consulate after his death. The body parts were then handed over to a local \"collaborator\" outside the grounds, he added. A composite sketch of the collaborator has been produced and investigations are continuing to locate the remains. Eleven unidentified people have been charged over the journalist's death and the prosecutor is seeking the death penalty for five of them." } ], "id": "10092_1", "question": "What do the Saudis say happened to Khashoggi?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The United Nations has called for an end to the \"senseless loss of life\" in Iraq as the death toll from anti-government protests nears 100. Demonstrators say they are taking a stand against unemployment, poor public services and corruption in the country. Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, head of the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq, said: \"Five days of deaths and injuries: this must stop.\" Those responsible for the loss of life should be brought to justice. she said. On Saturday, security forces broke up a mass rally in the east of Baghdad. Five people are said to have died in the latest clashes in the capital. Security forces are again reported to have used live rounds and tear gas. At least 99 people have died and nearly 4,000 have been wounded since protests began in the capital on Tuesday before spreading to the south of Iraq, the Iraqi parliament's human rights commission says. It is the deadliest unrest since the so-called Islamic State (IS) group was declared defeated in Iraq in 2017. It is seen as the first major challenge to Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi's fragile government, nearly a year since he came to power. The authorities have been trying to control the protests through curfews and a near-total internet blackout. The daytime curfew in Baghdad was lifted on Saturday, and smaller groups of protesters began to renew their action. The city's Tahrir Square has been the focal point of protests, but it was blocked on Saturday, according to local news agencies. An emergency session of parliament failed to go ahead on Saturday afternoon. Several television stations were attacked, including the offices of the Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya news channel. In Nasiriyah, demonstrators set fire to the headquarters of six different political parties. According to AFP news agency, thousands also descended on the governorate in the southern city of Diwaniyah. The demonstrators do not appear to have any clear leadership at the moment, and their anger is increasingly radicalising their demands, says the BBC's Sebastian Usher. On Friday, Prime Minister Mahdi vowed to respond to protesters' concerns but warned there was no \"magic solution\" to Iraq's problems. He said he had given his full backing to security forces, insisting they were abiding by \"international standards\" in dealing with protesters. Iraq's most senior Shia Muslim cleric, Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, urged the government to respond to the demands for reform, saying it had \"not answered the demands of the people to fight corruption or achieved anything on the ground\". The UN and US have expressed concern over the violence, and urged the Iraqi authorities to exercise restraint. Corruption, unemployment and poor public services are at the heart of the discontent faced by young Iraqis today. The unrest began spontaneously with no formal leadership in mostly Shia areas in the south, and quickly spread. Iraq has the world's fourth-largest reserves of oil, but 22.5% of its population of 40 million were living on less than $1.90 (PS1.53) a day in 2014, according to the World Bank. One in six households has experienced some form of food insecurity. The unemployment rate was 7.9% last year, but among young people it was double that. And almost 17% of the economically active population is underemployed. The country is also struggling to recover after a brutal war against IS, the Sunni Muslim group which seized control of large swathes of the north and west in 2014. Living conditions remain dire in many conflict-affected areas, with insufficient services.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2667, "answer_start": 2045, "text": "On Friday, Prime Minister Mahdi vowed to respond to protesters' concerns but warned there was no \"magic solution\" to Iraq's problems. He said he had given his full backing to security forces, insisting they were abiding by \"international standards\" in dealing with protesters. Iraq's most senior Shia Muslim cleric, Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, urged the government to respond to the demands for reform, saying it had \"not answered the demands of the people to fight corruption or achieved anything on the ground\". The UN and US have expressed concern over the violence, and urged the Iraqi authorities to exercise restraint." } ], "id": "10093_0", "question": "What's been the reaction?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3552, "answer_start": 2668, "text": "Corruption, unemployment and poor public services are at the heart of the discontent faced by young Iraqis today. The unrest began spontaneously with no formal leadership in mostly Shia areas in the south, and quickly spread. Iraq has the world's fourth-largest reserves of oil, but 22.5% of its population of 40 million were living on less than $1.90 (PS1.53) a day in 2014, according to the World Bank. One in six households has experienced some form of food insecurity. The unemployment rate was 7.9% last year, but among young people it was double that. And almost 17% of the economically active population is underemployed. The country is also struggling to recover after a brutal war against IS, the Sunni Muslim group which seized control of large swathes of the north and west in 2014. Living conditions remain dire in many conflict-affected areas, with insufficient services." } ], "id": "10093_1", "question": "Why is this happening now?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Hackers were able to remotely install surveillance software on phones and other devices using a major vulnerability in messaging app WhatsApp, it has been confirmed. WhatsApp, which is owned by Facebook, said the attack targeted a \"select number\" of users and was orchestrated by \"an advanced cyber-actor\". A fix was rolled out on Friday. On Monday, WhatsApp urged all of its 1.5 billion users to update their apps as an added precaution. The surveillance software involved was developed by Israeli firm NSO Group, according to a report in the Financial Times. Facebook first discovered the flaw in WhatsApp earlier in May. WhatsApp promotes itself as a \"secure\" communications app because messages are end-to-end encrypted, meaning they should only be displayed in a legible form on the sender or recipient's device. However, the surveillance software would have let an attacker read the messages on the target's device. Some users of the app have questioned why the app store notes associated with the latest update are not explicit about the fix. \"Journalists, lawyers, activists and human rights defenders\" are most likely to have been targeted, said Ahmed Zidan from the non-profit Committee to Protect Journalists. Android - Open the Google Play store - Tap the menu at the top left of the screen - Tap My Apps & Games - If WhatsApp has recently been updated, it will appear in the list of apps with a button that says Open - If WhatsApp has not been automatically updated, the button will say Update. Tap Update to install the new version - The latest version of WhatsApp on Android is 2.19.134 iOS - Open the App Store - At the bottom of the screen, tap Updates - If WhatsApp has recently been updated, it will appear in the list of apps with a button that says Open - If WhatsApp has not been automatically updated, the button will say Update. Tap Update to install the new version - The latest version of WhatsApp on iOS is 2.19.51 It involved attackers using WhatsApp's voice calling function to ring a target's device. Even if the call was not picked up, the surveillance software could be installed. According to the FT report, the call would often disappear from the device's call log. WhatsApp told the BBC its security team was the first to identify the flaw. It shared that information with human rights groups, selected security vendors and the US Department of Justice earlier this month. \"The attack has all the hallmarks of a private company reportedly that works with governments to deliver spyware that takes over the functions of mobile phone operating systems,\" the company said on Monday in a briefing document note for journalists. The firm also published an advisory to security specialists, in which it described the flaw as: \"A buffer overflow vulnerability in WhatsApp VOIP [voice over internet protocol] stack allowed remote code execution via specially crafted series of SRTCP [secure real-time transport protocol] packets sent to a target phone number.\" Prof Alan Woodward from the University of Surrey said it was a \"pretty old-fashioned\" method of attack. \"A buffer overflow is where a program runs into memory it should not have access to. It overflows the memory it should have and hence has access to memory in which malicious code can potentially be run,\" he explained. \"If you are able to pass some code through the app, you can run your own code in that area. \"In VOIP there is an initial process that dials up and establishes the call, and the flaw was in that bit. Consequently you did not need to answer the call for the attack to work.\" The NSO Group is an Israeli company that has been referred to in the past as a \"cyber-arms dealer\". While some cyber-security companies report the flaws they find so that they can be fixed, others keep problems to themselves so they can be exploited or sold to law enforcement. The NSO Group is part-owned by the London-based private equity firm Novalpina Capital, which acquired a stake in February. NSO's flagship software, Pegasus, has the ability to collect intimate data from a target device, including capturing data through the microphone and camera, and gathering location data. In a statement, the group said: \"NSO's technology is licensed to authorised government agencies for the sole purpose of fighting crime and terror. \"The company does not operate the system, and after a rigorous licensing and vetting process, intelligence and law enforcement determine how to use the technology to support their public safety missions. We investigate any credible allegations of misuse and if necessary, we take action, including shutting down the system. \"Under no circumstances would NSO be involved in the operating or identifying of targets of its technology, which is solely operated by intelligence and law enforcement agencies. NSO would not or could not use its technology in its own right to target any person or organisation.\" WhatsApp said it was too early to know how many users had been affected by the vulnerability, although it added that suspected attacks were highly-targeted. According to the New York Times, one of the people targeted was a London-based lawyer involved in a lawsuit against the NSO Group. Amnesty International, which said it had been targeted by tools created by the NSO Group in the past, said this attack was one human rights groups had long feared was possible. \"They're able to infect your phone without you actually taking an action,\" said Danna Ingleton, deputy programme director for Amnesty Tech. She said there was mounting evidence that the tools were being used by regimes to keep prominent activists and journalists under surveillance. \"There needs to be some accountability for this, it can't just continue to be a wild west, secretive industry.\" On Tuesday, a Tel Aviv court will hear a petition led by Amnesty International that calls for Israel's Ministry of Defence to revoke the NSO Group's licence to export its products. - How many people were targeted? WhatsApp says it is too early in its investigation to say how many people were targeted, or how long the flaw was present in the app - Does updating WhatsApp remove the spyware? While the update fixes the flaw that let this attack take place, WhatsApp has not said whether the update removes any spyware that has already infected a compromised device - What could the spyware do? WhatsApp has not said whether the attack could extend beyond the confines of WhatsApp, reaching further into a device and accessing emails, photos and more \"Using an app as an attack route is limited on iOS as they run apps in very tightly controlled sandboxes,\" said Prof Woodward. \"We're all assuming that the attack was just a corruption of WhatsApp but analysis is still ongoing. \"The nightmare scenario would be if you could get something much more capable onto the device without the user having to do anything,\" he said. The BBC has asked WhatsApp for clarification. _______ Follow Dave Lee on Twitter @DaveLeeBBC Do you have more information about this or any other technology story? You can reach Dave directly and securely through encrypted messaging app Signal on: +1 (628) 400-7370", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3583, "answer_start": 1942, "text": "It involved attackers using WhatsApp's voice calling function to ring a target's device. Even if the call was not picked up, the surveillance software could be installed. According to the FT report, the call would often disappear from the device's call log. WhatsApp told the BBC its security team was the first to identify the flaw. It shared that information with human rights groups, selected security vendors and the US Department of Justice earlier this month. \"The attack has all the hallmarks of a private company reportedly that works with governments to deliver spyware that takes over the functions of mobile phone operating systems,\" the company said on Monday in a briefing document note for journalists. The firm also published an advisory to security specialists, in which it described the flaw as: \"A buffer overflow vulnerability in WhatsApp VOIP [voice over internet protocol] stack allowed remote code execution via specially crafted series of SRTCP [secure real-time transport protocol] packets sent to a target phone number.\" Prof Alan Woodward from the University of Surrey said it was a \"pretty old-fashioned\" method of attack. \"A buffer overflow is where a program runs into memory it should not have access to. It overflows the memory it should have and hence has access to memory in which malicious code can potentially be run,\" he explained. \"If you are able to pass some code through the app, you can run your own code in that area. \"In VOIP there is an initial process that dials up and establishes the call, and the flaw was in that bit. Consequently you did not need to answer the call for the attack to work.\"" } ], "id": "10094_0", "question": "How was the security flaw used?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4922, "answer_start": 3584, "text": "The NSO Group is an Israeli company that has been referred to in the past as a \"cyber-arms dealer\". While some cyber-security companies report the flaws they find so that they can be fixed, others keep problems to themselves so they can be exploited or sold to law enforcement. The NSO Group is part-owned by the London-based private equity firm Novalpina Capital, which acquired a stake in February. NSO's flagship software, Pegasus, has the ability to collect intimate data from a target device, including capturing data through the microphone and camera, and gathering location data. In a statement, the group said: \"NSO's technology is licensed to authorised government agencies for the sole purpose of fighting crime and terror. \"The company does not operate the system, and after a rigorous licensing and vetting process, intelligence and law enforcement determine how to use the technology to support their public safety missions. We investigate any credible allegations of misuse and if necessary, we take action, including shutting down the system. \"Under no circumstances would NSO be involved in the operating or identifying of targets of its technology, which is solely operated by intelligence and law enforcement agencies. NSO would not or could not use its technology in its own right to target any person or organisation.\"" } ], "id": "10094_1", "question": "Who is behind the software?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5963, "answer_start": 4923, "text": "WhatsApp said it was too early to know how many users had been affected by the vulnerability, although it added that suspected attacks were highly-targeted. According to the New York Times, one of the people targeted was a London-based lawyer involved in a lawsuit against the NSO Group. Amnesty International, which said it had been targeted by tools created by the NSO Group in the past, said this attack was one human rights groups had long feared was possible. \"They're able to infect your phone without you actually taking an action,\" said Danna Ingleton, deputy programme director for Amnesty Tech. She said there was mounting evidence that the tools were being used by regimes to keep prominent activists and journalists under surveillance. \"There needs to be some accountability for this, it can't just continue to be a wild west, secretive industry.\" On Tuesday, a Tel Aviv court will hear a petition led by Amnesty International that calls for Israel's Ministry of Defence to revoke the NSO Group's licence to export its products." } ], "id": "10094_2", "question": "Who has been targeted?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "President Donald Trump has denied he is planning to fire special counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating possible Russian meddling in the 2016 election. Tensions have been rising between the White House and Mr Mueller's probe. On Saturday a lawyer for Mr Trump's presidential transition group said thousands of emails had been unlawfully obtained by Mr Mueller's team. Responding to questions over the legal row, Mr Trump said it was \"not looking good\" and his people were \"very upset\". Why attacks on Robert Mueller are mounting \"I can't imagine there's anything on them, frankly, because, as we said, there's no collusion,\" he said, while returning from a weekend trip to Camp David. His administration has denied working with Russia in the 2016 election and Mr Trump has labelled the investigation \"a witch hunt\". Responding to a media question on the White House lawn on whether he was considering firing Mr Mueller amid his criticism, Mr Trump responded \"No, I'm not.\" Several Democratic lawmakers had expressed concern, and on Friday the top Democrat on the House intelligence committee, Adam Schiff, said he feared Republican members wanted to shut the probe down. Several former members of Mr Trump's campaign team are facing charges as part of the investigation. A lawyer working for the Trump for America (TFA) group, who helped Donald Trump's transition to the White House after his election, complained on Saturday after the group became aware Mr Mueller's investigation had obtained tens of thousands of their emails. Kory Langhofer sent a letter to US congressional committees claiming the records had been obtained \"unlawfully\". The TFA group had used the facilities, including email hosting, of a government agency, the General Services Administration (GSA), in the period between Donald Trump's election in November 2016 and inauguration in January. In his letter, Mr Langhofer, says GSA staff \"unlawfully produced TFA's private materials, including privileged communications\" to Mr Mueller's investigation team. The emails obtained reportedly involve 13 Trump transition officials, including former national security adviser Michael Flynn who pleaded guilty to making false statements to the FBI earlier this month. The GSA, he complains, \"did not own or control the records in question\" and maintains the constitutional rights of transition officials were violated. A spokesperson for Mr Mueller said they had done nothing wrong. \"When we have obtained emails in the course of our ongoing criminal investigation, we have secured either the account owner's consent or appropriate criminal process,\" Peter Carr said. GSA Deputy Counsel Lenny Loewentritt has denied another of Mr Langhofer's accusations, that the GSA gave assurances that requests for Trump transition records would go through the group's lawyers. He told BuzzFeed that the transition group knew materials would have to be provided to law enforcement \"therefore, no expectation of privacy can be assumed\". Democratic Representative Eric Swalwell tweeted that the accusations were \"another attempt to discredit Mueller as his #TrumpRussia probe tightens\". US intelligence agencies believe Moscow tried to tip the presidential election in favour of Mr Trump - a charge denied by both Russia and the US president. Mr Trump has labelled Mr Mueller's investigation a \"witch hunt\" while other Republicans accuse it of bias. Earlier this month, Mr Flynn became the most senior Trump official to be charged as part of the inquiry after admitting making false statements to the FBI about meetings with Russia's ambassador. He has confirmed he is now co-operating with the investigation. Another ex-aide, George Papadopoulos, has also pleaded guilty to making false statements to FBI agents. In October, Mr Trump's former campaign manager, Paul Manafort, and his business associate Rick Gates were accused of conspiring to defraud the US in dealings with Ukraine. Both deny the charges, which centre on relations with a former Ukrainian president who was very close to Russia. President Trump's private lawyers are expected to meet Mr Mueller and members of his team next week to discuss the next phases of the inquiry, US media report.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2389, "answer_start": 1277, "text": "A lawyer working for the Trump for America (TFA) group, who helped Donald Trump's transition to the White House after his election, complained on Saturday after the group became aware Mr Mueller's investigation had obtained tens of thousands of their emails. Kory Langhofer sent a letter to US congressional committees claiming the records had been obtained \"unlawfully\". The TFA group had used the facilities, including email hosting, of a government agency, the General Services Administration (GSA), in the period between Donald Trump's election in November 2016 and inauguration in January. In his letter, Mr Langhofer, says GSA staff \"unlawfully produced TFA's private materials, including privileged communications\" to Mr Mueller's investigation team. The emails obtained reportedly involve 13 Trump transition officials, including former national security adviser Michael Flynn who pleaded guilty to making false statements to the FBI earlier this month. The GSA, he complains, \"did not own or control the records in question\" and maintains the constitutional rights of transition officials were violated." } ], "id": "10095_0", "question": "What is the issue with the emails?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3142, "answer_start": 2390, "text": "A spokesperson for Mr Mueller said they had done nothing wrong. \"When we have obtained emails in the course of our ongoing criminal investigation, we have secured either the account owner's consent or appropriate criminal process,\" Peter Carr said. GSA Deputy Counsel Lenny Loewentritt has denied another of Mr Langhofer's accusations, that the GSA gave assurances that requests for Trump transition records would go through the group's lawyers. He told BuzzFeed that the transition group knew materials would have to be provided to law enforcement \"therefore, no expectation of privacy can be assumed\". Democratic Representative Eric Swalwell tweeted that the accusations were \"another attempt to discredit Mueller as his #TrumpRussia probe tightens\"." } ], "id": "10095_1", "question": "What's the reaction been?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4215, "answer_start": 3143, "text": "US intelligence agencies believe Moscow tried to tip the presidential election in favour of Mr Trump - a charge denied by both Russia and the US president. Mr Trump has labelled Mr Mueller's investigation a \"witch hunt\" while other Republicans accuse it of bias. Earlier this month, Mr Flynn became the most senior Trump official to be charged as part of the inquiry after admitting making false statements to the FBI about meetings with Russia's ambassador. He has confirmed he is now co-operating with the investigation. Another ex-aide, George Papadopoulos, has also pleaded guilty to making false statements to FBI agents. In October, Mr Trump's former campaign manager, Paul Manafort, and his business associate Rick Gates were accused of conspiring to defraud the US in dealings with Ukraine. Both deny the charges, which centre on relations with a former Ukrainian president who was very close to Russia. President Trump's private lawyers are expected to meet Mr Mueller and members of his team next week to discuss the next phases of the inquiry, US media report." } ], "id": "10095_2", "question": "What has the Mueller inquiry established so far?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Commentators in Middle East media have responded angrily to the findings of the Chilcot inquiry that the 2003 invasion of Iraq was premature and based on flawed assessments. But with the report's release coinciding with Eid al-Fitr festivities and most media operating below full capacity, reaction has been muted both in traditional and social media. Some pan-Arab TV stations such as Al-Jazeera gave the story top billing with numerous breaking news captions, live coverage of Sir John Chilcot's statements and of a protest against former Prime Minister Tony Blair in London. Iran's state-run rolling news channel IRINN interrupted a news segment to broadcast Prime Minister's Questions live from the House of Commons, and stressed that the report was published after years of delay. How did social media users in the region respond to the report's release? An Arabic hashtag #Chilcot_Report was used on social media where some users lamented what they described as better days, before the \"senseless\" war. Iraqi journalist Othman al-Mokhtar tweeted: \"One year before the occupation, Iraq launched an airspace studies centre in Baghdad/Al-Mathanna airport. That centre now is a headquarters for the (Shia) Al-Da'wa (Call) Party where the rituals of wailing and slapping are performed.\" Another Iraqi journalist, Zyaad al-Senjary, tweeted: \"Had Blair not been the ruler of the UK and Bush not the ruler of the US, there could have been a country called #Iraq where people were safe and did not suffer from killing and the displacement of millions.\" Saddam Hussein's daughter, Raghed Saddam Hussein shared a photo on Facebook of her father, who was executed during Eid al-Fitr. She wrote: \"Our holidays are holidays of blood and martyrdom. May God bless you, my father.\" It is \"a day 30 million Iraqis and millions more love to see!! Sadly, no law can bring back the dead victims\", tweeted @IraqSurveys. Calls to punish Tony Blair and former US President George Bush were also expressed. \"After 13 years, the Chilcot Inquiry has said that the invasion of Iraq wasn't right!!! Shouldn't you have punished yourselves instead of publishing these hollow dossiers???\", the director of programming at Beirut's Al-Ghad TV, Akram Khuzam, posted on Facebook. Abd al-Bari Atwan, editor-in-chief for Lebanon's Ra'i al-Yawm, retweeted a widely-circulated image of George Bush and Tony Blair dummies holding money with bloodied hands. In response one Twitter user wrote: \"The conclusion: Tony Blair is a devil who laughed at everyone.\" \"So Britain is admitting that it was not right to invade Iraq. After what?\" said a sarcastic post on Facebook by Abdul Rahman Majid, an Arabic student at Baghdad University. A Kurdish rights campaigner, @Hevallo, tweeted that the invasion gave Turkey an excuse to commit war crimes against Kurds: \"POST #CHILCOT UK MUST STOP ACQUIESCING in WAR CRIMES AGAINST KURDS BY #TURKEY!\". Arab leaders also come in for some criticism. A user who identified himself as an Iraqi journalist tweeted that while Mr Blair and Mr Bush had been condemned by their peoples and history, in his opinion, what was needed was \"the apology of Arabs who should try to make up for their sin by liberating Iraq from Safavids [a reference to Shias] and stopping the waterfall of blood\". Al-Samarrai Emad, who says he is a Baghdad-based blogger, hopes the report won't lead to compensation being paid to the Iraqi government, \"which consists of militias\" as \"the remaining Iraqis will also get killed\". An Algerian journalist tweeted: \"It is a good thing that Britain formed the Chilcot committee for the Iraqi war and Blair's role in it. But who... opened the borders, received the armies and funded the invasion of Iraq?\" One user says the invasion saved Iraq from Syria's fate. \"Those who say #Iraq would be better if #Saddam was still in power, well have a look at #Syria, where a dictator is still in power.#Kurdistan,\" a Kurdish user tweeted in English. Another, Neem al-Zubaydi, who identifies himself as a professor at Kufa University, criticised Al-Jazeera TV for airing live the toppling of Saddam Hussein and the fall of Baghdad in 2003, and allegedly glorifying the late Iraqi president. BBC Monitoring reports and analyses news from TV, radio, web and print media around the world. You can follow BBC Monitoring on Twitter and Facebook.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4345, "answer_start": 2903, "text": "Arab leaders also come in for some criticism. A user who identified himself as an Iraqi journalist tweeted that while Mr Blair and Mr Bush had been condemned by their peoples and history, in his opinion, what was needed was \"the apology of Arabs who should try to make up for their sin by liberating Iraq from Safavids [a reference to Shias] and stopping the waterfall of blood\". Al-Samarrai Emad, who says he is a Baghdad-based blogger, hopes the report won't lead to compensation being paid to the Iraqi government, \"which consists of militias\" as \"the remaining Iraqis will also get killed\". An Algerian journalist tweeted: \"It is a good thing that Britain formed the Chilcot committee for the Iraqi war and Blair's role in it. But who... opened the borders, received the armies and funded the invasion of Iraq?\" One user says the invasion saved Iraq from Syria's fate. \"Those who say #Iraq would be better if #Saddam was still in power, well have a look at #Syria, where a dictator is still in power.#Kurdistan,\" a Kurdish user tweeted in English. Another, Neem al-Zubaydi, who identifies himself as a professor at Kufa University, criticised Al-Jazeera TV for airing live the toppling of Saddam Hussein and the fall of Baghdad in 2003, and allegedly glorifying the late Iraqi president. BBC Monitoring reports and analyses news from TV, radio, web and print media around the world. You can follow BBC Monitoring on Twitter and Facebook." } ], "id": "10096_0", "question": "Arab apology?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Students and school staff across the US are commemorating the Florida school shooting with a walkout, exactly one month after the killings. They are stopping lessons for 17 minutes in memory of the 17 people killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Pupils at the school, which was targeted by a former student, hugged each other on the football field. Protest organisers accuse Congress of failing to tackle gun violence. The White House revealed a plan this week to deter school shootings which does not include President Donald Trump's repeated calls to raise the age for buying semi-automatic rifles to 21. Instead, it moves ahead with his controversial proposal to provide firearms training to school employees. The walkouts began at 10:00 in the eastern US (14:00 GMT) and moved west across America's time zones. Organisers of the National School Walkout, who were also behind the Women's March in January 2017 against Mr Trump's inauguration, called on \"students, teachers, school administrators, parents and allies\" to take part. On their website, they accuse Congress of \"inaction to do more than tweet thoughts and prayers in response to the gun violence plaguing\" schools and neighbourhoods. Schools taking part included Colorado's Columbine High School where 13 people were shot dead by two students in 1999. In Parkland, families and supporters applauded as thousands of students slowly marched on to the Stoneman Douglas school football field. School principal Ty Thompson called on them to stage the \"biggest group hug\". A large crowd of students from the Washington DC area gathered outside the White House holding signs reading \"Protect People Not Guns\" and chanting \"Never again\" and \"Enough is enough\". Some students also gathered at Capitol Hill where they were addressed by the Senate and House Democratic leaders, Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi. \"We're all moved by your eloquence and your fearless insistence on action to prevent gun violence,\" Ms Pelosi told them. \"Thank you for bringing your urgency to this fight, to the doorstep of America, the doorstep of the Capitol of the United States.\" Students in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, stood in a heart formation to pay tribute to the Parkland victims. In New York, hundreds of students from Fiorello H LaGuardia High School - many dressed in orange, the colour of the gun-control movement - took to the streets of Manhattan. \"Thoughts and prayers are not enough,\" read one sign. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo also joined protesters for a symbolic \"die-in\" - lying down in a street in Lower Manhattan. The disruption to the school day is opposed by some schools, notably in one Texas district where students who walk out have been told they face a three-day suspension. \"We will discipline no matter if it is one, 50, or 500 students involved,\" said Needville schools superintendent Curtis Rhode. In New Jersey, student Rosa Rodriquez has reportedly received a suspension after disobeying the school's order to remain in the auditorium to mark the walkout. A North Carolina student - who was apparently the only one of his classmates to leave - tweeted a video of himself outside his school which has now received thousands of shares. The attack on Valentine's Day, 14 February, was the deadliest US school shooting since 2012. The former pupil arrived on campus and began shooting students and staff before abandoning the weapon and escaping, according to court documents. Fourteen students and three members of staff died. US prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for the attacker who has been charged with 17 counts of premeditated murder and 17 counts of attempted murder. The US House of Representatives on Wednesday voted 407-10 in support of a bill to authorise $50m (PS36m) in federal grants for training, anonymous reporting systems, threat assessments, intervention teams and school and police coordination. It does not address gun control. It is unclear when the Senate, which is expected to take up a separate measure to strengthen background checks for gun buyers, will consider the bill. The House measure would not allow the approved funding to be used to arm teachers or school personnel, a provision the White House has backed. President Trump tweeted his support of the bill on Wednesday afternoon. The White House has proposed an action plan to: - Fund programmes to train school staff to use firearms - Encourage military veterans and retired police officers to become teachers - Improve background and mental health checks In addition, a new federal commission on school safety will examine the age limit issue. Chuck Schumer, leader of the opposition Democrats in the Senate, dismissed the White House's action plan as \"baby steps\". When the state of Florida passed a gun control law which raises the legal age for buying rifles to 21, it was sued by America's main gun lobby, the National Rifle Association, which argues that such curbs violate the US constitution. In a separate incident on Tuesday, a teacher in California is believed to have accidentally fired a gun in a classroom, injuring a student. Police said the teacher at Seaside High School, in Monterey County, had been taking a public safety class when he accidentally discharged the weapon into the ceiling. Officials said one student was injured by either bullet fragments or ceiling debris and was taken to hospital for treatment. The teacher has been placed on administrative leave and the incident is being investigated, police said.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3212, "answer_start": 723, "text": "The walkouts began at 10:00 in the eastern US (14:00 GMT) and moved west across America's time zones. Organisers of the National School Walkout, who were also behind the Women's March in January 2017 against Mr Trump's inauguration, called on \"students, teachers, school administrators, parents and allies\" to take part. On their website, they accuse Congress of \"inaction to do more than tweet thoughts and prayers in response to the gun violence plaguing\" schools and neighbourhoods. Schools taking part included Colorado's Columbine High School where 13 people were shot dead by two students in 1999. In Parkland, families and supporters applauded as thousands of students slowly marched on to the Stoneman Douglas school football field. School principal Ty Thompson called on them to stage the \"biggest group hug\". A large crowd of students from the Washington DC area gathered outside the White House holding signs reading \"Protect People Not Guns\" and chanting \"Never again\" and \"Enough is enough\". Some students also gathered at Capitol Hill where they were addressed by the Senate and House Democratic leaders, Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi. \"We're all moved by your eloquence and your fearless insistence on action to prevent gun violence,\" Ms Pelosi told them. \"Thank you for bringing your urgency to this fight, to the doorstep of America, the doorstep of the Capitol of the United States.\" Students in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, stood in a heart formation to pay tribute to the Parkland victims. In New York, hundreds of students from Fiorello H LaGuardia High School - many dressed in orange, the colour of the gun-control movement - took to the streets of Manhattan. \"Thoughts and prayers are not enough,\" read one sign. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo also joined protesters for a symbolic \"die-in\" - lying down in a street in Lower Manhattan. The disruption to the school day is opposed by some schools, notably in one Texas district where students who walk out have been told they face a three-day suspension. \"We will discipline no matter if it is one, 50, or 500 students involved,\" said Needville schools superintendent Curtis Rhode. In New Jersey, student Rosa Rodriquez has reportedly received a suspension after disobeying the school's order to remain in the auditorium to mark the walkout. A North Carolina student - who was apparently the only one of his classmates to leave - tweeted a video of himself outside his school which has now received thousands of shares." } ], "id": "10097_0", "question": "How is the protest unfolding?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3658, "answer_start": 3213, "text": "The attack on Valentine's Day, 14 February, was the deadliest US school shooting since 2012. The former pupil arrived on campus and began shooting students and staff before abandoning the weapon and escaping, according to court documents. Fourteen students and three members of staff died. US prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for the attacker who has been charged with 17 counts of premeditated murder and 17 counts of attempted murder." } ], "id": "10097_1", "question": "What happened in Parkland?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5507, "answer_start": 3659, "text": "The US House of Representatives on Wednesday voted 407-10 in support of a bill to authorise $50m (PS36m) in federal grants for training, anonymous reporting systems, threat assessments, intervention teams and school and police coordination. It does not address gun control. It is unclear when the Senate, which is expected to take up a separate measure to strengthen background checks for gun buyers, will consider the bill. The House measure would not allow the approved funding to be used to arm teachers or school personnel, a provision the White House has backed. President Trump tweeted his support of the bill on Wednesday afternoon. The White House has proposed an action plan to: - Fund programmes to train school staff to use firearms - Encourage military veterans and retired police officers to become teachers - Improve background and mental health checks In addition, a new federal commission on school safety will examine the age limit issue. Chuck Schumer, leader of the opposition Democrats in the Senate, dismissed the White House's action plan as \"baby steps\". When the state of Florida passed a gun control law which raises the legal age for buying rifles to 21, it was sued by America's main gun lobby, the National Rifle Association, which argues that such curbs violate the US constitution. In a separate incident on Tuesday, a teacher in California is believed to have accidentally fired a gun in a classroom, injuring a student. Police said the teacher at Seaside High School, in Monterey County, had been taking a public safety class when he accidentally discharged the weapon into the ceiling. Officials said one student was injured by either bullet fragments or ceiling debris and was taken to hospital for treatment. The teacher has been placed on administrative leave and the incident is being investigated, police said." } ], "id": "10097_2", "question": "How have the authorities responded?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "\"Facts are stubborn things, but statistics are pliable,\" said Mark Twain. The same could be said of all the power lists that are published, which are based on informed conjecture. They are a publishing construct, designed to draw attention to a publication and (typically) its specialism. Today sees the publication of Art Review's Power 100, now in its twelfth year. The spin it has given to this year's chart, which is topped by Sheikha Al-Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani of Qatar, is that a power shift is taking place in the art world - away from publically-funded museums to the private wealth of individuals and collectors. I'm not sure that's quite right. Or, at least, new. Wealthy individuals have always been major players, from the Medici to Peggy Guggenheim; King George IV to Charles Saatchi. I don't think it's so much a power shift that's happening between public and private - more that the two worlds are converging. To take a recent example, the Qatari royal family sponsored the Tate's Damien Hirst retrospective. It's now moved to Doha, where Tate director Nicholas Serota attended the official launch. It's a symbiotic relationship based on mutual benefit, but one that has led to money being prized over art. It's telling that there are no artists in the top five of Art Review's list. The means has become the end. Quite what Sheikha Al-Mayassa is planning to do with the trophy western art works she is buying is anyone's guess. The 30-year old sister of the new Emir has been head of the Qatar Museums Authority for several years now. She has overseen the completion of the excellent Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, the creation of a museum of modern Arab art, and is in overall charge of an exhibition programme that currently sees the Al Riwaq gallery space covered in Damien Hirst spots. All of this is in the public domain. Information about her acquisitions of modern and contemporary western art is not. There has been much (informed) speculation as to what she has bought. Major works by Warhol, Bacon, Rothko, Koons and Hirst are all thought to have made their way over to Qatar. As has, it is thought, Cezanne's Card Players (1895), the only one of this wonderful series not already in a museum collection, for which it is said, she paid a record-breaking $250 million. What will become of these paintings and sculptures? Are they for private enjoyment, or perhaps to form the basis of a collection for a new museum of modern art to open in time for the 2022 World Cup? And why are the Qataris spending so much on art (more than anyone else in the world according to the Art Newspaper and its art market expert Georgina Adam)? International status and influence would appear to be a factor, along with a desire to compete with Abu Dhabi and Sharjah for the role as the region's cultural centre. Becoming a destination for tourism - both local and global - is likely to be part of the business plan: An investment made with the riches gained from selling oil and gas to prepare Qatar's economy for the time when those natural resources are less plentiful. And, finally, to deliver on the Qatar National Vision 2030, as set out by her father, which aims to \"build a bridge between the present and the future.\" The idea being to move the tiny state, in which there are only about 300,000 Qataris, from an oil and gas economy to a one that is knowledge-based.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3396, "answer_start": 1346, "text": "Quite what Sheikha Al-Mayassa is planning to do with the trophy western art works she is buying is anyone's guess. The 30-year old sister of the new Emir has been head of the Qatar Museums Authority for several years now. She has overseen the completion of the excellent Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, the creation of a museum of modern Arab art, and is in overall charge of an exhibition programme that currently sees the Al Riwaq gallery space covered in Damien Hirst spots. All of this is in the public domain. Information about her acquisitions of modern and contemporary western art is not. There has been much (informed) speculation as to what she has bought. Major works by Warhol, Bacon, Rothko, Koons and Hirst are all thought to have made their way over to Qatar. As has, it is thought, Cezanne's Card Players (1895), the only one of this wonderful series not already in a museum collection, for which it is said, she paid a record-breaking $250 million. What will become of these paintings and sculptures? Are they for private enjoyment, or perhaps to form the basis of a collection for a new museum of modern art to open in time for the 2022 World Cup? And why are the Qataris spending so much on art (more than anyone else in the world according to the Art Newspaper and its art market expert Georgina Adam)? International status and influence would appear to be a factor, along with a desire to compete with Abu Dhabi and Sharjah for the role as the region's cultural centre. Becoming a destination for tourism - both local and global - is likely to be part of the business plan: An investment made with the riches gained from selling oil and gas to prepare Qatar's economy for the time when those natural resources are less plentiful. And, finally, to deliver on the Qatar National Vision 2030, as set out by her father, which aims to \"build a bridge between the present and the future.\" The idea being to move the tiny state, in which there are only about 300,000 Qataris, from an oil and gas economy to a one that is knowledge-based." } ], "id": "10098_0", "question": "World cup gallery?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is \"begging for war\" with his latest and most powerful nuclear bomb test, the US envoy to the United Nations has said. Nikki Haley told an emergency meeting of the Security Council in New York that the US did not want a war but its patience was \"not unlimited\". The US will table a new UN resolution shortly to toughen sanctions. However, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday called sanctions \"useless, ineffective and exhausted\". China, the North's main ally, has called for a return to negotiations and Switzerland has offered to mediate. Meanwhile South Korea's navy carried out live-fire naval drills on Tuesday, warning that if the North provoked them \"we will immediately hit back and bury them at sea\", reported Yonhap news agency. It comes a day after the South's military simulated a missile attack on the North's nuclear test site. Reports suggest the North is preparing new test missile launches. On Sunday, it tested a bomb underground, which was thought to have a power range from 50 kilotonnes to 120 kilotonnes. A 50kt device would be about three times the size of the bomb that destroyed Hiroshima in 1945. In other developments: - German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she would press for tougher EU sanctions on North Korea, agreeing with US President Donald Trump by phone on the need for stricter measures - Japan is planning, in the event of war, for a mass evacuation of nearly 60,000 Japanese citizens currently living in or visiting South Korea, Nikkei Asian Review reports Ms Haley argued that only the strongest sanctions would enable the problem to be resolved through diplomacy. \"War is never something the United States wants,\" she said. \"We don't want it now but our country's patience is not unlimited.\" China's envoy to the UN, Liu Jieyi, reiterated a call for all sides to return to negotiations. \"The peninsula issue must be resolved peacefully,\" he said. \"China will never allow chaos and war on the peninsula.\" Speaking in Berne, Swiss President Doris Leuthard pointed to her country and Sweden's long record in neutral and discreet diplomacy. \"I think it really is time for dialogue,\" she said. \"We are ready to offer our role for good services as a mediator. I think in the upcoming weeks a lot will depend on how the US and China can have an influence in this crisis.\" By Jonathan Marcus, BBC defence and diplomatic correspondent China is key but it is a conflicted party. On the one hand it does not want to see a nuclear-armed North Korea and it has made its view clear to Pyongyang on many occasions. However, it does not want to see the North Korean regime swept away. This would result in millions of refugees flooding into China and would probably result in a unified Korea very much in the US orbit. This is seen in Beijing as worse than having a difficult nuclear neighbour. If China were to take the view that the coincidence of a rapidly advancing North Korean nuclear programme and the uncertainties of the Trump administration's diplomatic capabilities means that there is a very real risk of misunderstanding and catastrophe, then maybe it might bring much greater pressure to bear on Pyongyang. North Korea is a very isolated country and China is both its major ally and economic prop. There is a lot more that China can do. North Korea's recent testing has been as much an embarrassment to China as it has angered the US. But the Chinese have a difficult diplomatic calculation to make. Read Jonathan's analysis in full Last month, the Security Council voted unanimously to ban North Korean exports and limit investments in the country. Ms Haley did not spell out what additional measures might be taken but diplomats have suggested an oil embargo would have a crippling effect. There could also be a ban on the North's national airline, curbs on North Koreans working abroad, and asset freezes and travel bans on officials. On Tuesday, South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha said after a conversation with her Chinese counterpart that she believed Beijing \"could be open to more sanctions\". But Mr Putin, speaking at a summit in China, said sanctions were \"useless\" as they would never force North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons. He also condemned what he called the ramping up of \"military hysteria\", saying it could lead to \"global catastrophe\". He said: \"We need to promote international law and dialogue. There is no alternative to a diplomatic solution.\" It was North Korea's sixth nuclear test to date. The US Geological Survey recorded a resulting tremor at 6.3 magnitude. Kim Jong-un was pictured on camera being shown what state media said was a new type of hydrogen bomb. South Korea said it was now presumed that the North had reduced its nuclear warhead in size to below 500kg, and would be able to attach one to an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). But analysts have said the North's claims about miniaturisation should be treated with considerable caution. Earlier on Monday, a South Korean defence ministry official said there were signs of \"possibly more ballistic missile launches\", including an ICBM. Monday's drills simulated the targeting of the Punggye-ri nuclear site in Kilju County, where North Korea carried out its bomb test. Missiles were fired from the ground and rockets from fighter jets. Seoul has said there will be more live-fire drills this month, as well as a naval battle group training exercise and a joint anti-submarine warfare exercise with the US. South Korea and the US have also agreed after talks to scrap a warhead weight limit on the South's missiles, which are currently capped at 500kg (1,100lb). The defence ministry in Seoul also told parliament the US would seek to deploy a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to seas off the Korean peninsula. Four more launchers of the US Thaad (Terminal High-Altitude Area Defence) missile defence system - strongly opposed by China and Russia - would also be deployed to join two already at a site in Seongju, south of Seoul.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4465, "answer_start": 3513, "text": "Last month, the Security Council voted unanimously to ban North Korean exports and limit investments in the country. Ms Haley did not spell out what additional measures might be taken but diplomats have suggested an oil embargo would have a crippling effect. There could also be a ban on the North's national airline, curbs on North Koreans working abroad, and asset freezes and travel bans on officials. On Tuesday, South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha said after a conversation with her Chinese counterpart that she believed Beijing \"could be open to more sanctions\". But Mr Putin, speaking at a summit in China, said sanctions were \"useless\" as they would never force North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons. He also condemned what he called the ramping up of \"military hysteria\", saying it could lead to \"global catastrophe\". He said: \"We need to promote international law and dialogue. There is no alternative to a diplomatic solution.\"" } ], "id": "10099_0", "question": "What other sanctions remain?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5133, "answer_start": 4466, "text": "It was North Korea's sixth nuclear test to date. The US Geological Survey recorded a resulting tremor at 6.3 magnitude. Kim Jong-un was pictured on camera being shown what state media said was a new type of hydrogen bomb. South Korea said it was now presumed that the North had reduced its nuclear warhead in size to below 500kg, and would be able to attach one to an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). But analysts have said the North's claims about miniaturisation should be treated with considerable caution. Earlier on Monday, a South Korean defence ministry official said there were signs of \"possibly more ballistic missile launches\", including an ICBM." } ], "id": "10099_1", "question": "How big was the latest test?" } ] } ]