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Rolling Stones: Police raid officials in Hamburg over free tickets

Police in Hamburg have raided a local authority and an events company over allegations free Rolling Stones tickets worth €10,000 ($11,800; £9,000) were given to local officials.

A hundred officials were given tickets after the district office approved the September concert, local reports said.
Staff at the Hamburg North district office told Der Spiegel it was "standard practice".
German officials are banned from accepting gifts.
The large number of officials at the concert had led to widespread criticism, Der Spiegel said.
More than 80,000 people attended the concert in September, with some reportedly paying €800 for a ticket on the black market.
Investigators examined computers at the district office and also raided the office of events firm FKP Scorpio following an anonymous tip-off, Die Welt said.
Hamburg North district office head Harald Rösler said the tickets were given to local politicians and office employees plus their partners, Pollstar reported.
He said staff had worked unpaid overtime, to organise the concert, which he said was the biggest ever to have taken place in the city.
FKP Scorpio said it was "unrealistic" to assume that free concert tickets could influence the authorisation process.
A company spokesperson praised the "good and very complex cooperation" with the district office and added that FKP Scorpio didn't mind if the recipients of the tickets had understood them to be a thank-you gesture, Der Spiegel reported.

House Republicans pass $1.4tn tax overhaul bill

House Republicans have passed a controversial overhaul of the US tax code that slashes corporate rates.

Thursday's vote came after US President Donald Trump made a rare visit to Congress to rally lawmakers around the tax overhaul plan.
The Senate is working to build support for its own version of the bill, but one Republican has said he is a 'no'.
The plan also faces stiff opposition from the Democrats, who say it is a give-away to the wealthiest Americans.
The Republicans' attempts to pass the most significant overhaul of the US tax code since 1986 are a critical test for the party and president.
Republicans have called for changes to the code for years, but did not have support from the White House until President Trump's election.
He has served as cheerleader-in-chief for the measure, calling the bill a "big, beautiful Christmas present" for families.
The bill cleared the House 227-205, without Democratic support. Thirteen Republicans also voted no.
Representative Paul Ryan, who leads Republicans in the House, called it a "historic day".
The White House celebrated the House vote as a "big step".
"A simple, fair, and competitive tax code will be rocket fuel for our economy, and it's within our reach," the press secretary said in a statement after the vote. "Now is the time to deliver."

What's the next step?

Analysts also expect Republicans in the Senate to pass the measure without Democratic votes and later reconcile the two versions.
But Republicans are facing some opponents within their own party, which could endanger the legislation's prospects.
Without Democratic support, the Senate can afford to lose only two Republican votes.
On Wednesday Senator Ron Johnson, from Wisconsin, said he does not support the bill and does not think it does enough to help small businesses.

What's in the plan?

Broadly speaking, the Republican proposal would slash the corporate rate from 35% to 20% and change how overseas profits and payment from overseas subsidiaries are taxed.
It would also eliminate a range of targeted benefits for individuals and families, in favour of boosting the amount people can deduct from their tax bill.
Supporters say the bill offers tax relief and will boost economic growth.
Republicans estimate that the average American family of four will see their taxes lowered by $1,182 (£895). 

Critics say the biggest beneficiaries will be large firms and very wealthy families. While many households could see lower taxes at first, over time some of those benefits would expire.
Opponents say the new version does not do enough to simplify the tax code for businesses - one of the original goals of the reform - and they say the proposal is fiscally irresponsible.
The House plan would cost more than $1.4tn to 2027, while the Senate version would cost $1.5tn, according to estimates from the Joint Committee on Taxation.

Republicans hungry for a win

By Anthony Zurcher, BBC News, Washington
After a frustrating year, Republicans desperately need a win - and on Thursday they took a significant step toward one. Clearing a tax bill through the House is just the first leg of an arduous journey for conservatives, however, and even success may come with a price.
The Senate is working on its own set of reforms and, if it can pass them (no small task, given their narrow majority), both chambers of Congress will have to negotiate a compromise bill.
If the finished product looks anything like the drafts, Republicans could be handing a potent campaign issue to Democrats in next year's midterm elections.
While corporate tax cuts will satisfy the conservative donor class, the fact that they are permanent while the personal breaks expire in eight years will make for devastating Democratic campaign commercials.
Add in that the Senate version undermines Obamacare reforms, some cherished tax deductions will be eliminated and middle-class Americans in states with high local or state taxes could see their net federal taxes go up, and it's a recipe for pain for Republicans in at-risk congressional districts.
For now, however, it seems to be full speed ahead.

How do House and Senate bills compare?

• Under the Senate bill, the corporate tax cut would not go into effect until 2019, instead of going into effect immediately.
• The Senate bill would repeal the requirement that individuals have health insurance or face a fine. That is not included in the House plan.
• The Senate bill does not allow households to deduct anything for state and local property taxes, a sticking point for lawmakers in high-cost states. The House plan allows families to deduct up to $10,000 in property taxes.
• The Senate bill doubles the amount of money exempt from inheritance tax. The House plan would also eventually eliminate the inheritance tax entirely.
• The Senate bill maintains seven tax brackets, but cuts the top rate to 38.5%, while the House would slim the number of brackets to four, preserving a top rate of 39.5%.
• The Senate preserves some popular benefits for people with medical expenses and student loans, which the House would eliminate.

      

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Zimbabwe latest: Mugabe in crunch talks over his future

Zimbabwe's long-time President Robert Mugabe has been holding direct talks with the army over his future.

Pictures emerged of the 93-year-old meeting the army chief and two envoys from South Africa at his official residence in Harare.
The army put Mr Mugabe under house arrest on Wednesday after moving in to take control.
Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai says Mr Mugabe must resign but sources suggest the president is resistant.

Why did the military take this action?

President Mugabe has been in control of Zimbabwe since it threw off white minority rule in 1980.
However, the power struggle over who might succeed him, between his wife Grace Mugabe and former Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa, has split the ruling Zanu-PF party in recent months.
Last week, Mr Mugabe came down in favour of his wife, sacking Mr Mnangagwa, a veteran of Zimbabwe's anti-colonial struggle.
That proved too much for military leaders, who seized control of the country on Wednesday.

The story in full

• The view from Zimbabwe: Any change will do
• The basics: Five things you should know about Zimbabwe
• The Mugabes and other key players in profile

So what's going on in Harare now?

It's very unclear.
Photos in the Zimbabwe Herald showed Mr Mugabe meeting army chief Gen Constantino Chiwenga and the two South African envoys from the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) at State House in Harare.
Alongside them was Father Fidelis Mukonori, a Roman Catholic priest known to Mr Mugabe for years who has been brought in to mediate.
Sources close to the talks say Mr Mugabe is refusing to stand down voluntarily before next year's planned elections.


"He is refusing to step down. I think he is trying to buy time," one source close to the army leadership told the AFP news agency.
Zanu-PF officials had earlier suggested Mr Mugabe could remain nominally in power until the party congress in December, when Mr Mnangagwa would be formally installed as party and national leader.

What do South Africa and the region want?

South Africa is hosting millions of Zimbabweans who fled after the country's economy crashed in 2008. It has a special interest in seeing stability restored.
South African Defence Minister Nosiviwe Maphisa-Nqakula and State Security Minister Bongani Bongo are the envoys meeting Mr Mugabe on behalf of Sadc, which South Africa currently leads. 


They will be pushing for a democratic solution. The body, which represents 16 countries, does not support coup-led governments as this would set a dangerous precedent in the largely peaceful region, says the BBC's Pumza Fihlani in Johannesburg.
The head of the African Union (AU), Guinean President Alpha Condé, was clear the AU would "in no case accept" a military seizure of power. He said he was "inviting the army to return to its barracks and return to constitutional order".

And Zimbabwe's opposition?

Mr Tsvangirai, head of the Movement for Democratic Change-Tsvangirai (MDC-T) party and the main opposition leader in Zimbabwe, said on Thursday: "In the interests of the people, Mr Robert Mugabe must resign... immediately."
Mr Tsvangirai, who has been abroad receiving treatment for cancer, also called for a "negotiated all-inclusive transitional mechanism" that would lead to "comprehensive reforms for free and fair elections to be held".
This has been echoed by another Zimbabwean opposition leader, Tendai Biti, who told the BBC: "It is urgent that we go back to democracy... that we go back to legitimacy but we need a transitional period and I think, I hope, that dialogue can now be opened between the army and Zimbabweans."

You might also want to read:

• What next for Robert Mugabe?
• Why did the army act now?
• How to tell if you're in a coup

What's happened to Grace Mugabe?

Early reports suggested Mrs Mugabe had fled to Namibia, but sources now say she is in the family compound along with senior figures from the "Generation-40" group that backs her - cabinet ministers Jonathan Moyo and Saviour Kasukuwere.
On Wednesday, one of her key allies, Zanu-PF youth wing leader Kudzai Chipanga, made a televised apology for criticising the head of the army as a war of words raged prior to the military takeover.


Mr Chipanga is thought to be in army custody but insisted his statement was voluntary.
Local media reports say a number of other senior members of the "Generation-40" group have also been detained.

What are Zimbabweans being told?

Zimbabwe's media usually toe the government line and today's lead stories make it clear there is a new line to follow.
There is a striking absence of tough questions about what the army is doing.
"Business as usual countrywide," says The Herald, a government-owned newspaper. Yesterday it reassured readers there was "no military takeover".
State TV and radio stations have returned to regular programming, with Thursday's lunchtime news bulletin on state TV giving little indication of the political upheaval.
Some privately owned newspapers have dared to address the possible end of Robert Mugabe's rule.
"Transitional govt planned … as Mugabe cornered," the Financial Gazette reports. "Zimbabwe scents the end of an era," it added.
"It could easily have been entitled The end of an error. A 37-year-old error," says a similarly headlined commentary in NewsDay.

Was this a popular uprising?

Not so far, no. There have been no reports of unrest in Zimbabwe, and so far this appears to be a struggle within Zanu-PF.


Correspondents say many people have accepted that President Mugabe is being eased from office. Streets in Harare are said to be quieter than usual but people are going about their business.
On Wednesday, troops and armoured vehicles encircled parliament and other key buildings.
Hours earlier, soldiers took over the headquarters of national broadcaster ZBC and issued a statement saying that the military was targeting "criminals" around President Mugabe.

China 'gay conversion': Accounts of shocks and pills

Powerful first-hand accounts from people in China who have been subjected to forced "gay conversion therapy" have emerged in a new report.

The country's controversial practice has long been known about, but the Human Rights Watch study offers detailed testimony of a kind rarely shared from China.

"Gay conversion therapy" has been declared unethical, unscientific and harmful by the World Psychiatric Association - and it is effectively illegal in China.

But the report highlights 17 cases of forced "gay conversion therapy" between 2009 and 2017. The case studies detail verbal and mental abuse, forced medication and electric shock therapy taking place in Chinese hospitals.

According to the advocacy director of the gay rights programme at Human Rights Watch, Boris Dittrich, it is also profitable. Doctors and clinics can charge up to 30,000 yuan ($4,530; £3,440) to "treat" gay people.

The group is urging the Chinese government to ensure an end to such practices.

Why are people given shocks and pills?

Verbal abuse is the tip of the iceberg, according to the report.

It says 11 of those interviewed were forced to take medication without being informed about its purpose or side-effects.

One 29-year-old gay man who underwent "treatment" at a public hospital in Fujian province three years ago said the doctors and nurses did not tell him what pills he was taking.

"They just told me they were supposed to be good for me and help with the progress of the 'treatment'," he explained.

Zhang Zhikun, a transgender woman, said she was forced to watch gay porn while being injected with a "colourless liquid".

Five of those interviewed were subjected to electric shocks while being shown images or videos - or given verbal descriptions - of homosexual acts.

Gong Lei described his experience.

"The doctor asked me to relax because I was going to practise some kind of hypnosis and to think about sex scenes with my boyfriend - at that moment I felt pain in both wrists. I did not know what was happening."

Another interviewee remembered going through nine electroshock sessions during his two-month "treatment".

"My wrists and arms felt numb, my head too. But the most painful part was my stomach."

Medics say there is no sound scientific evidence for people to be given such so-called treatment - in 2016 the World Psychiatric Association said "so-called treatments of homosexuality can create a setting in which prejudice and discrimination flourish, and they can be potentially harmful".

How does family pressure lead to 'treatment'?

All of those interviewed told Human Rights Watch that they were forcefully taken to "conversion" therapy. This often occurred within days of coming out to their parents, who felt "ashamed" that their children were gay.

Xu Zhen, 21, underwent "gay conversion therapy" at a private clinic three years ago.

She said that she felt under pressure from her parents to undergo the treatment after she came out to them.

"My mum started screaming about unfortunate things happening to our family. My dad said he did not know how to continue living in this world."

She said that her parents feared "facing other family members if people found out I was lesbian". She felt backed into a corner by her parents and, reluctantly, attended the "gay conversion therapy" clinic.

Zhang Zhikun went to so-called therapy sessions at a state-owned hospital in Shenzhen in 2012 under pressure from her parents.

"There wasn't really much I could do to change my parents' mind. I knew it was not going to work if I kept resisting their pressure."

What do doctors say about diseases like Aids?

Most of those forced to undergo therapy say they were subjected to verbal harassment and insults during treatment.

Zhang Zhikun said she was told by her doctor: "If you do not change [your sexuality], you will get sick and die of Aids."

She was also recounted emotional blackmail from those treating her.

"Have you ever considered the happiness of your parents?" she was asked.

A gay man from Hebei province was told: "If you feel like having sex with another man you are sick."

• A gay man from China describes his struggle coming out

What's the situation of LGBT people in China?

There is growing awareness of LGBT issues in China. Homosexuality was decriminalised in 1997 and removed from an official list of mental disorders in 2001.

Big cities have lively gay scenes, and in June, Shanghai held a gay pride parade.

However, advocacy groups say that millions of gay people in China have married heterosexual partners rather than come out as gay as a result of pressure from families. Last year a judge ruled that a gay couple could not register as married, the first case of its kind in China.

Boris Dittrich of Human Rights Watch said that many of those subjected to "treatments" did not report what had happened to them.

"The fear of having their sexuality made public and family pressure make it difficult for them to file an official complaint."

A 2013 mental health law effectively renders conversion therapy in China illegal but it goes on. Despite that, campaigners say there has been some progress on LGBT rights in recent years.

In July, a gay man in central China won an apology and compensation from a mental hospital over forced "conversion therapy".

How does China try to 'convert' gay people?

These are the suggested treatments for homosexuality listed in "Consulting Psychology" published by Guangdong Higher Education Press, a recommended text for mental health education:

1. Platonic love relationship: Find an "elegant and caring" member of the opposite sex. Establish a relationship as friends initially. Then hope it becomes something else.

2. Repulsion therapy: Induce nausea with forced vomiting or fear of electrocution when thoughts of having a lover of the same sex emerge.

3. Shock therapy: Cause major shock to your lifestyle by moving to an entirely new environment in order to sever connection with previous friends, etc.

4. Sexual orientation transfer: When you are aroused, practise channelling that feeling towards somebody of the opposite sex using pictures and audio recordings.

Google Docs offline for 'significant' number of users

Dave Lee                                                                            North America technology reporter

Google Docs was inaccessible for a "significant subset” of users on Wednesday.

The company confirmed the issue on its status page but did not offer more information.

Docs is a core feature of Google’s cloud computing service.

A spokeswoman for Google would not confirm to the BBC how many users encountered the problem, but said she did not believe any customers who paid for extra storage were affected.

Problems were reported by users trying to access the programs across the world.

Downdetector.com, which tracks outages around the world, suggested US users were having the most significant issues - though there were some reports in Europe, where the outage occurred at a time that was outside of typical hours for most business.

The down time lasted for between 30 minutes and an hour, during which many people used Twitter to complain.

At 2209 GMT the Twitter account for Google Docs said: "Docs is back up for most users, and we expect a full resolution for all users shortly.

"Sorry for this disruption and thanks again for your patience with us.”

It is the second time in recent weeks that Google Docs users have been left frustrated by glitches in the system.

In October some users were locked out of a files after they were wrongly tagged as being “inappropriate” content. The company apologised for the disruption.

Cloud computing - where files are stored and edited on the internet rather than locally on your computer - is a major part of the technology sector.

Those services remaining stable and reliable is crucial for businesses that rely on the software for day-to-day work.

Amazon Web Services (AWS) is the market leader by revenue, but it is not immune to down time - an incident at the start of this year saw more than 150,000 websites taken offline due to an Amazon fault.

Nasa forecast: Which cities will flood as ice melts?

A forecasting tool reveals which cities will be affected as different portions of the ice sheet melt, say scientists.

It looks at the Earth's spin and gravitational effects to predict how water will be "redistributed" globally.

"This provides, for each city, a picture of which glaciers, ice sheets, [and] ice caps are of specific importance," say the researchers.

The tool has been developed by scientists at Nasa's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California.

Their findings are published in the journal Science Advances.

Senior scientist Dr Erik Ivins said: "As cities and countries attempt to build plans to mitigate flooding, they have to be thinking about 100 years in the future and they want to assess risk in the same way that insurance companies do."

And this new tool provided a way for them to work out which ice sheets they should be "most worried about".

It suggests that in London sea-level rise could be significantly affected by changes in the north-western part of the Greenland ice sheet.

While for New York, the area of concern is the ice sheet's entire northern and eastern portions.

Another of the scientists, Dr Eric Larour, said three key processes influenced "the sea-level fingerprint", the pattern of sea-level change around the world.

The first is gravity.

"These [ice sheets] are huge masses that exert an attraction on the ocean," said Dr Larour.

"When the ice shrinks, that attraction diminishes- and the sea will move away from that mass."

As well as this "push-pull influence" of ice, the ground under a melting ice sheet expands vertically, having previously been compressed by the sheer weight of ice.

Wobbling planet

The last factor involves the rotation of the planet itself.

"You can think of the Earth as a spinning top," said Dr Larour.

"As it spins it wobbles and as masses on its surface change, that wobble also changes.

"That, in turn, redistributes water around the Earth."

By computing each of these factors into their calculations, the researchers were able to build their city-specific forecasting tool.

"We can compute the exact sensitivity - for a specific town - of a sea level to every ice mass in the world," Dr Larour told BBC News.

"This gives you an idea, for your own city, of which glaciers, ice sheets and ice caps are of specific importance."

Another of the team, Dr Surendra Adhikar, said: "People can be desperate to understand how these huge, complicated global processes impact on them.

"With this tool, they can see the impact on their own city."