A British parenting blogger has said she has been denied working tax credits because she is unable to prove her working hours.

Katie Davis, of Dorset, said she had been turned down despite submitting more than 100 documents, including bank statements, contracts and invoices.
She said maintaining her website and social media took hours, but she worked around looking after her baby daughter.
Working regular hours is essential for claiming the benefit, HMRC states.
The government department has been contacted for comment.
As a single parent, Ms Davis has to work for at least 16 hours per week to be eligible for working tax credits, which are worth up to Â£2,010 per year, according to its website.
Self-employed people who do not work regularly are not able to apply, the site adds.
"I am working far more than that, but it's not permanently paid work - it's maintaining my own site," she told the BBC.
"Sourcing photos, editing, scheduling - often writing the piece is the shortest amount of work."
In a blog post, she wrote she often started work at 06:00 and worked until 01:00, both with her daughter and when the child was asleep.
Daily work involved promotions, photography, social media management, running competitions and writing product reviews for clients, Ms Davis said.
She also spent time reading and commenting on other blog posts across social media in order to drive traffic to her own.
Since launching her blog, Mummy In A Tutu, 10 months ago, Ms Davis has worked with brands including Disney Interactive and Warner Brothers but remains self-employed.
"I'm just getting to point where people want to work with me, I'm not pounding the pavement to find them," she said.
"If I've had a good week, I can switch the computer off at 23:00 instead of 01:00.
"Most bloggers don't earn in their first year."
The issue was not limited to the technology sector, Will Hadwen, benefits adviser at the charity Working Families, told the BBC.
"It's not really about the hours themselves being official - the problem is to get around what the law says, which is you have to be doing something that generates a profit," he said.
"This is an argument we have been having with HMRC [HM Revenue & Customs] for some time.
"It also affects actors, they spend a lot of time doing things that aren't necessarily work, such as spending time on their appearance, but which they hope will get them work.
"Katie is getting work, and she can prove her income.
"She can now ask for a mandatory reconsideration, and if that isn't successful, she can appeal, and I would expect her to win at a social security tribunal.
"It's not necessarily easy - I would recommend she gets advice from the Citizens' Advice Bureau, but the actual cost is free."
Serial entrepreneur Emma Sinclair said she was sympathetic but there was a reason for the current rules.
"The structure of the government's working tax credits scheme reflects the traditional compensation of hourly rates that many people count on," she said.
"That isn't the way many of us earn a living these days - nor do hourly rates necessarily reflect the time we commit to the careers we are pursuing.
"That being said, HMRC needs to have sensible, easy-to-define structures in place, such as those for WTCs.
"It's impossible for it to cater to every scenario - so while I truly sympathise with the blogger in question, the system is designed to support people on hourly rates.
"That's one of the reasons why the entrepreneurial path is so challenging: time spent rarely reflects income accrued on a day to day basis.
"That being said, I do think the government needs to think about the changing way that people work these days."


Labour can win elections with clear messages, strong leadership, and by listening to the "hard things" voters say, the first minister has said.

In an eve-of-conference article, Carwyn Jones said Welsh Labour won the 2016 assembly election by "fronting up" to people's concerns.
He said the party had "not really addressed" the key economic issues in the 2015 general election campaign.
A "community-rooted" response could reconnect with voters, he added.
Writing on the Labour List website, Mr Jones explained how he responded to the general election defeat to ensure the party recovered in time to keep power in Cardiff Bay.
Speaking of how he was "ripped into" at a Labour public consultation event in Gower, which the Tories had won for the first time in a century, he said the "heated contributions" from the floor had been "hard, but necessary".
"We wanted a no-holds barred assessment of what people thought about politics, and about Labour - and we were getting it," he said.
Mr Jones said "ambitious but simple" assembly election pledges had been developed by having "meaningful" conversations with voters, "turning their concerns into visible action and plans for the future".
Labour won 29 of the assembly's 60 seats, and has kept power by agreeing to consult Plaid Cymru on a range of issues.
However, the first minister said surges in support for Plaid and UKIP in the south Wales valleys showed the need for a "new, different and community-rooted response from our local parties".
Mr Jones said such politics was not "quintessentially Welsh", but "quintessentially Labour".
"In London, Sadiq Khan's superb campaign [in the mayoral election] also showed that Labour can win, right now in 2016, when the politicians give our organisers and volunteers the things they need," he wrote.
"Clear messaging, strong leadership, and a willingness to reach out to the public, even when they've got hard things to say back to us."


A moment of madness from Ross County goalkeeper Scott Fox helped Alfredo Morelos to a double and Rangers to the three points in Dingwall.

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Morelos had already headed the visitors ahead when the goalkeeper's Cruyff turn foxed the sliding Colombian striker.
But Fox took an age to clear and Morelos stole in to take possession and roll the ball into the empty net.
County recovered after the break, Thomas Mikkelsen headed a reply, but Eduardo Herrera secured Rangers' win.
Rangers' fifth straight away league victory takes them up to fifth in the Scottish Premiership, equal on points with Hamilton Academical and Hibernian.
County's third league defeat in a row ended a run of three draws between the sides and leaves the hosts still waiting for a victory over Rangers in seven meetings.
If Rangers were to be awarded points for the speed and intensity of their starts, they would probably be top of the table already and so it was again in Dingwall.
Inside the first minute, they carved the County defence wide open and Morelos blasted over the bar.
The main danger was coming down the right-hand side as Daniel Candeias toyed and tormented Ryan Dow and whipped in cross after cross.
At this stage, the home side were were simply hoping Rangers would continue to be off target when the chances fell.
The inevitable opener came just after the half-hour mark as James Tavernier looped in a high cross that was met by the head of Morelos and it nestled neatly into the right-hand corner of the net.
Rangers' pressure continued and, while a second was predicted, nobody inside the Global Energy Stadium could possibly have guessed the manner of its arrival.
It was a calamity of quite epic proportions and one from which Fox may take some time to recover.
Marcus Fraser passed the ball back to his goalkeeper, but Morelos anticipated and decided to press.
Fox dummied his pass to leave the striker swiping fresh air, but instead of clearing, the goalkeeper let the ball linger at his feet, forgot the Rangers striker was behind him and, when Morelos nipped in and passed the ball into the empty net, the Laurel and Hardy moment was complete.
Before the break, Rangers had calls for a penalty waved away when Jason Naismith challenged Morelos inside the box and his strike partner, Kenny Miller, took a sore one from a flailing Andrew Davies elbow.
County manager Jim McIntyre had thrown on Mikkelsen for Jamie Lindsay before half-time. The result was an out ball that eased the pressure on his defence but also provided a new focus in the forward areas.
The reward came when the Danish striker ghosted in between the Rangers central defence and guided a header past goalkeeper Wes Foderingham after a great cross from Craig Curran.
After that, the battle won out over the football as the game swung from end to end.
Rangers worked to keep their shape and their patience in the face of a home side buoyed by the goal and now full of fight.
As the home fans started to make their way to the exits, Herrera converted inside the box after neat build-up play involving Bruno Alves and Lee Wallace.
It was a much-needed and deserved win for Rangers, who head into the international break with morale well and truly boosted.
Match ends, Ross County 1, Rangers 3.
Second Half ends, Ross County 1, Rangers 3.
Attempt missed. Graham Dorrans (Rangers) right footed shot from outside the box is too high.
Goal!  Ross County 1, Rangers 3. Eduardo Herrera (Rangers) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Lee Wallace.
Corner,  Ross County. Conceded by Daniel Candeias.
Corner,  Ross County. Conceded by Ryan Jack.
Attempt blocked. Michael Gardyne (Ross County) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Michael Gardyne (Ross County) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Carlos Peña (Rangers).
Foul by Davis Keillor-Dunn (Ross County).
Jordan Rossiter (Rangers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Corner,  Rangers. Conceded by Ross Draper.
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Delay in match Marcus Fraser (Ross County) because of an injury.
Michael Gardyne (Ross County) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Michael Gardyne (Ross County).
Daniel Candeias (Rangers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Substitution, Rangers. Jordan Rossiter replaces Alfredo Morelos.
Foul by Michael Gardyne (Ross County).
Alfredo Morelos (Rangers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Thomas Mikkelsen (Ross County) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Fábio Cardoso (Rangers).
Attempt missed. Carlos Peña (Rangers) left footed shot from the centre of the box is too high.
Foul by Marcus Fraser (Ross County).
Alfredo Morelos (Rangers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Attempt missed. Craig Curran (Ross County) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left.
Hand ball by Andrew Davies (Ross County).
Davis Keillor-Dunn (Ross County) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by James Tavernier (Rangers).
Jim O'Brien (Ross County) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Carlos Peña (Rangers).
Attempt blocked. Graham Dorrans (Rangers) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Foul by Andrew Davies (Ross County).
Daniel Candeias (Rangers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Ross Draper (Ross County).
Ryan Jack (Rangers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Corner,  Ross County. Conceded by Bruno Alves.
Substitution, Rangers. Carlos Peña replaces Niko Kranjcar.
Foul by Sean Kelly (Ross County).
Niko Kranjcar (Rangers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.


The senior Nato commander in Afghanistan has denied reports that the Pentagon ordered US troops to overlook the sexual abuse of young boys by Afghan police and militias.

Gen John Campbell said in a statement that he had served multiple tours in Afghanistan and no such policy existed.
The allegations emerged in the New York Times on Sunday.
The paper based its report on accounts from numerous soldiers and the father of a marine who was killed in 2012.
"My son said that his officers told him to look the other way because it's their culture," Gregory Buckley Sr was quoted by the New York Times as saying.
The paper said that rampant sexual abuse of children has long been a problem in Afghanistan, especially among armed commanders in rural areas.
Citing interviews with numerous military witnesses, it said that the practice is called bacha bazi, literally meaning "boy play", and US soldiers and Marines were ordered not to intervene - even in those cases where Afghan allies abused boys on military bases.
"Soldiers and Marines have been increasingly troubled that instead of weeding out paedophiles, the American military was arming them in some cases and placing them as the commanders of villages - and doing little when they began abusing children," the paper said.
It said that the US non-intervention policy was intended to maintain good relations with the Afghan police and militia units trained by America to fight the Taliban.
"It also reflects a reluctance to impose cultural values in a country where pederasty is rife, particularly among powerful men, for whom being surrounded by young teenagers can be a mark of social status," it said.
Similar allegations were reported by Canadian Nato troops in 2008.
But Gen Campbell, who commands US and allied forces in Afghanistan, in response said that he had discussed the media reports with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and had concluded that there was no substance to them.
"I want to make absolutely clear that any sexual abuse or similar mistreatment of others, no matter the alleged perpetrator or victim, is completely unacceptable and reprehensible," his statement said.
It went on to say that all US military personnel in Afghanistan were expected to treat others with dignity and report any suspicions of sexual abuse to the chain of command, "regardless of who the alleged perpetrators of victims are".
"I have personally spoken with [Afghan] President Ghani on the issue and he made it clear to me that the Afghan government will not tolerate the abuse of its children, or any of its people, and will thoroughly investigate all allegations and deliver justice appropriately."


A Polish court has given a communist-era interior minister a two-year suspended prison term for his role in the martial law crackdown in 1981.

The ex-minister, retired Gen Czeslaw Kiszczak, was sentenced in absentia.
Another defendant, former Communist Party leader Stanislaw Kania, appeared in the Warsaw court but was acquitted.
Kiszczak was found guilty of criminal association in the crackdown. Thousands of dissidents were arrested and as many as 100 people died.
Sentencing was delayed after a group of former anti-communist dissidents burst into the courtroom shouting "Free Poland!" and "Shame!". They were led by Adam Slomka, who heads the Confederation for an Independent Poland (KPN).
Poland's last communist leader and the man who proclaimed martial law in December 1981, Gen Wojciech Jaruzelski, was also put on trial for his role in the crackdown, but chronic illness prevented him from taking part.
The disruption caused by Mr Slomka and his associates on Thursday prompted the court to move to a smaller room and exclude the public, Polish media report.
Mr Slomka was punished with a 14-day jail term.


Staff at a bakery firm have walked out after complaining they have not paid for several weeks.

Employees at Cooplands, in the Carlton Centre, Lincoln, closed the store in protest over the issue on Thursday.
Store manager Katie Shipman said she was owed Â£1,400 and had not been paid for five weeks.
A spokesman for Cooplands, which employs more than 175 people, admitted it was in arrears but said it hoped to resolve the matter within two months.
Ms Shipman said: "Me and my staff were just fed up of being behind in our wages.
"We started off getting 50% of our wages every week and then it was down to 25% and now we're only getting about 20% of our wages each week.
"It's a nightmare because you can't plan anything."
Cooplands went into administration in February last year with the loss of 303 jobs and the closure of 39 retail stores, together with the bakery and head office in Doncaster.
However, 41 retail stores stayed open following a buyout by restructuring firm ReSolve.
A spokesman for Cooplands said it "massively regrets" the situation and apologised for any hardship caused to any of its staff
He said: "We are in arrears with paying wages. However everybody gets paid something every week and there is no suggestion that wages won't get paid.
"The situation is improving as business performance improves and within two months we expect all wages to be paid up to date."


Peaky Blinders actress Charlotte Riley has been cast as the Duchess of Cambridge in the TV adaptation of the award-winning play King Charles III.

The play, written by Doctor Foster writer Mike Bartlett, is being adapted into a one-off drama for BBC Two.
The Olivier Award-winning play imagines Prince Charles's accession to the throne following the Queen's death.
Tim Pigott-Smith, who played King Charles on stage, is reprising the role for TV.
Charlotte Riley, who has also appeared in the mini-series Close to the Enemy and the film London Has Fallen, said she was "really excited" to take on the "challenge" of playing Kate Middleton.
She said: "It's such a unique project. To be both modern and rich in verse and to play someone who is real but yet totally re-imagined for this story is an exciting prospect for an actor.
"Kate Middleton is a really interesting woman, particularly within the context of this play, and it is a challenge I am really looking forward to."
In the play, King Charles refuses to sign a controversial bill into law, leading to political chaos, a constitutional crisis and rioting in the streets.
Pigott-Smith said it was important that the play, which also transferred to Broadway, was filmed.
"It is a drama about us, now, who we are, and the relevance of our monarchy," he said. "Television gives it an important democratic voice."
Other cast members from the stage version also starring in the adaptation are Oliver Chris as William, Richard Goulding as Harry and Margot Leicester as Camilla.
Bartlett said the production was now fully cast and is about to begin shooting.
"We have an exceptional team, both in front of and behind the camera, and I'm looking forward to bringing this very contemporary royal tragedy to a national television audience," he said.
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Three men accused of plotting a terror attack with a meat cleaver and a pipe bomb have previous terrorism convictions, a court has heard.

Naweed Ali, Khobaib Hussain and Mohibur Rahman pleaded guilty to terrorism charges in 2012.
They and a fourth man, Tahir Aziz, deny preparing for acts of terrorism between 25 May and 27 August 2016.
The judge warned the Old Bailey jury not to let last Wednesday's Westminster terror attack influence their decision.
Naweed Ali, 29, Khobaib Hussain, 25, both of Birmingham, Mohibur Rahman, 32 and Tahir Aziz, 38, both of Stoke-on-Trent were arrested last August in the West Midlands.
Police seized a meat cleaver, a long sword and a partly-built pipe bomb.
The Arabic word for "infidel" was scratched onto the blade of the cleaver.
The court heard how in 2012, Mr Ali and Mr Hussain had travelled to Pakistan intending to train for terrorism and Mr Rahman had admitted possessing copies of a terrorist article.
In both of the cases the men had been under surveillance.
Mr Justice Globe said "no one is suggesting that these defendants on trial before you are in any way connected to any of the events of last Wednesday or the person responsible or to any of his associates."
The men were arrested as part of an operation involving the security services and undercover police officers.
The court heard that on 26 August 2016, Mr Ali arrived for his first shift at a company called Heroes Couriers in Birmingham, not knowing that his new boss Vincent was actually an undercover police officer.
Mr Hussain had already started working for Vincent a few week earlier.
When Mr Ali went out on a delivery, officers searched the Seat Leon in which he had arrived for work and found the partly constructed pipe bomb and machete.
He said the weapons were nothing to do with him and denied conversations with his co-accused were about planning an attack.
Mr Aziz's Ford Fiesta was also searched on the same day and a Samurai sword was found by the driver's seat, the jury heard.
Police examined the defendants' phones and computers allegedly revealed they held extremist views.
They found Mr Rahman had made computer searches for "liquid bomb plot" and Mr Aziz's phone contained partly deleted files with instructions on how to make home-made poisons and bombs.
Gareth Patterson, prosecuting, told jurors the evidence showed that the planned attack in the UK was "imminent".
He told the court it was not necessary to identify which people were to be attacked or when or where it was to happen, "although clearly it would be in the UK".
During the trial, members of the press and public were sent out for 20 minutes so jurors could hear secret evidence from two unnamed prosecution witnesses.


Aston Villa manager Steve Bruce hit out at Cardiff City's physical approach to Jack Grealish after their 1-0 defeat.

In their previous encounter, which Bruce's side won 3-1, Cardiff boss Neil Warnock complained that Grealish was trying to get his players booked.
"They have kicked him from pillar to post in both games," said Bruce.
"But Jack needs to learn not to react. We don't want players throwing arms in the air when they're tackled or think decisions have gone against them."
After Villa beat the Bluebirds on 26 November, Warnock said he was "disappointed" with Grealish's behaviour on the pitch.
"He's a very decent player and he has to be careful he doesn't turn into a circus act, waving his arms around every time he gets challenged," Bruce told BBC WM.
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However, he urged match officials to give Grealish more protection.
"On the continent, they put up with that all the time. But we have to protect him. Every time he gets it, he's getting a kick
"But he can't keep waving his arms around. We don't want to see it in this country, from one of our really good young players."
The defeat left Villa seven points off the play-offs in 12th place and Bruce said his players needed to improve their mental toughness.
"I've now been in charge for three-four months and on the whole we've done ok, but then all of a sudden, we throw a hand grenade in, which is not good for anybody," he added.
"We've got to eradicate that. We're Aston Villa, and we've got to make sure that we play with a bit of a pride, like the club and the jersey deserves."


A family whose house was badly damaged when a lit firework was pushed through their letterbox said their children are too frightened to return home.

The rocket was pushed through the front door of Paul Burton's house in Sunny Hill, Derby, on 5 November, setting light to a cupboard.
The fire caused smoke damage to the building and it could be up to four months before they can return.
But Mr Burton said his youngest child, who is 11, is too traumatised.
The family returned home to watch fireworks after celebrating son Kyle's 21st birthday.
As they stood in the kitchen there was a "massive bang and crackling" from a rocket.
Mr Burton and Kyle ran into the street where they chased off two teenagers before returning to the house.
"As we were coming up the street I could hear my daughter screaming... she was on the floor holding the dog.
"My wife was holding my youngest son because his ears were hurting and he was crying."
It was only then that they discovered the contents of the cupboard were on fire.
Since then they have had to move out while repairs are carried out. They have been told it could be between four and 16 weeks before their house is ready.
Mr Burton said: "I don't want them back in that house, my youngest son is not handling things very well... he's constantly breaking down.
"He's not settling through the night, he's crying in his sleep, he's throwing himself around in his bed. For their sake we can't go back in their home."
Derbyshire police said they were investigating.
A friend has set up a crowdfunding website to raise money for the family for Christmas. About Â£500 has been raised so far.


The entire DNA sequence of a woman who lived to 115 has been pieced together by scientists.

The woman, who was the oldest in the world at the time of her death, had the mind of someone decades younger and no signs of dementia, say Dutch experts.
The study, reported at a scientific conference in Canada, suggests she had genes that protected against dementia.
Further work could give clues to why some people are born with genes for a long life, says a UK scientist.
It is more than 10 years since the first draft of the human genetic code was revealed.
Since then, perhaps a few hundred individuals have had their genes mapped in full, as the technology to "read" DNA gets better and cheaper.
The woman, whose identity is being kept secret, and is known only as W115, is the oldest person to have her genes mapped.
She donated her body to medical science, allowing doctors to study her brain and other organs, as well as her entire genetic code.
Dr Henne Holstege, of the Department of Clinical Genetics at the VU University Medical Center in Amsterdam, says she appeared to have some rare genetic changes in her DNA.
It is not yet clear what role they carry out, but it appears there is something in her genes that protects against dementia and other diseases of later life.
Dr Holstege told the BBC: "We know that she's special, we know that her brain had absolutely no signs of Alzheimer's.
"There must be something in her body that is protective against dementia.
"We think that there are genes that may ensure a long life and be protective against Alzheimer's."
W115 was born prematurely and was not expected to survive.
But she lived a long and healthy life, and entered a care home at the age of 105.
She eventually died from a stomach tumour, having been treated for breast cancer at the age of 100.
A test of her mental skills at the age of 113 showed she had the performance of a woman aged 60-75 years.
At post-mortem examination, doctors found no evidence of dementia or the furring of the arteries seen in heart disease.
They are making her gene sequence available to other researchers, to further the cause of science.
The work, which has yet to be published, was presented at the American Society of Human Genetics annual meeting in Montreal, Canada.
Commenting on the study, Dr Jeffrey Barrett, of the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute in Cambridge, UK, said it was an important proof of principle.
He told the BBC: "Sequencing the genome of the world's oldest woman is an important starting point to understand how DNA variation relates to the process of having a long, healthy life.
"But in order to really understand the underlying biology of living a long, healthy life, we will need to look at the DNA sequence of hundreds or thousands of people."


US President Donald Trump has invited India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit the United States after a phone call between the two leaders.

Washington said Mr Trump saw India as a "true friend and partner in addressing challenges around the world".
"The two discussed opportunities to strengthen the partnership between the US and India in broad areas such as the economy and defence," it said.
The White House said it looked forward to welcoming Mr Modi later this year.
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The US statement added that Mr Trump and Mr Modi resolved to "stand shoulder to shoulder in the global fight against terrorism".
During the US election campaign, Mr Trump was largely positive about India.
He praised Mr Modi for championing bureaucratic reform and economic growth.


There has been much speculation about William Shakespeare's sexuality - so is there a chance that, if it had been acceptable in his time, he might have written his greatest love story about Romeo and Julius instead of Romeo and Juliet?

"I think he probably would if I'm honest," says Nick Bagnall, who's directing a new version of Romeo and Juliet, as the Bard (maybe might possibly have) intended it - with two men in the lead roles.
We know Shakespeare intended Juliet to be played by a young man - all female roles were played by boys and men at that time.
But this version, staged by the Liverpool Everyman, is the first time a major British theatre has made it about gay lovers.
One theory - put forward by Oscar Wilde, among others - says Shakespeare wrote Juliet and other girls' roles for a young actor who was the object of his affections.
"There's a huge debate around what he thought about the actor playing Juliet," says Bagnall.
"I'm pretty good on the archives and research, and I think he probably would have quite liked to have done that [written Juliet as a male] if he'd been allowed, I really do."
The Liverpool production keeps the play's original title, but in the play itself Juliet is now Julius - played by 20-year-old Elliott Kingsley.
"I think he'd totally love it," Kingsley says, continuing the speculation about Shakespeare's true feelings.
"Shakespeare wrote this part for a man. A boy played Juliet originally, and it's widely believed that it was a boy that he was in love with, and that this was his love letter to this actor.
"So it's not beyond the realms of possibility for a man to say these words with truth because originally that's the way it was."
'I'd unearthed something exciting'
The speculation about Shakespeare's sexuality stems from his sonnets, which are dedicated to "Mr WH" and many of which are addressed to a mysterious young man known as the "Fair Youth". But there's scant evidence about who this figure was, or where the Bard's affections lay.
The idea to turn Romeo and Juliet into a gay love story came when an actor delivered one of Juliet's yearning monologues during an audition.
Bagnall says: "Watching a male speaking that rather feminine language about the frustration of needing Romeo to come to him that night, I just thought, I wonder [what it would be like] if I read the whole play again with that in mind.
"And with a few trims and changing 'she' to 'he' and 'mistress' to 'master', I felt like I'd unearthed something really exciting in that play."
In the original Romeo and Juliet, the hero is initially in love with Rosaline before falling for Juliet. In the Liverpool version, Bagnall says Romeo is confused about his sexuality.
"I think when he sees Julius it unlocks an inner turmoil in him and it makes that journey really muscular, and the inner turmoil he lives with is really interesting."
That manliness lends the story unexpected new meanings, says the director. He is speaking just after the cast have rehearsed the final death scene.
"It was a really violent scene, which I've never really seen before," he says. In the past, he's found that ending "quite flowery" and has been "disappointed".
"But watching it this morning with muscularity and a 6ft 2in lump of a lad in tears - there are certainly [new] things that are pinging out more and more."
And there's another meaning pinging out now. In this version, Romeo is white and Julius and the Capulet family are not. That raises questions about attitudes towards homosexuality in some countries and communities.
"It makes it incredibly exciting and devastating when we open up a discussion about young gay men in certain countries around the world where, still happening to this day, they're banished, tortured, abused, sent from their families, disowned for being a gay man.
"Within the company of people I'm working with, that's been quite a big decision that we've embraced - the race, and how you can justify anything, which the Capulets do anyway, with the phrase 'in God's name.'"
Romeo and Juliet opens on Wednesday, but the 14-strong company has been together for three and a half months - performing in the Liverpool Everyman's first rep season for 25 years.
They are following in the footsteps of the likes of Julie Walters, Bill Nighy, Pete Postlethwaite and Jonathan Pryce, who emerged from the illustrious Everyman rep companies of the early 1970s.
This year's company started with a five-star Fiddler on the Roof, followed by the surreal Conquest of the South Pole, children's show The Story Giant, austerity musical The Sum, and ending with Romeo and Juliet.
"If Romeo and Juliet had been the first show in the season I don't think I would be able to do some of the things I've been doing, in terms of just letting your guard down," says George Caple, who plays Romeo.
"I genuinely believe the work is better when people properly trust each other in the room, which we all do."
Romeo and Juliet runs until 7 June, then all five Everyman Rep shows will play in rotation until 1 July.
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Scotland's engineering companies have seen their order books and output volumes slump to their lowest level since 2009, according to a new report.

Scottish Engineering's latest quarterly review also found a drop in employment levels.
The industry body said uncertainty surrounding the Brexit vote was one factor "exacerbating negative trading conditions" for firms.
It said the fall in sterling had added to costs for Scottish businesses.
Order levels were negative for the eighth quarter in a row, according to the review. A total of 45% of firms said their orders were down, while 32% said they remained static and 23% reported orders had gone up.
Almost half of firms (48%) said their output volumes had fallen in the past three months, while 21% reported an increase and 31% said they remained the same.
Staffing levels also dipped "considerably" in the third quarter of this year, according to responses from companies.
Scottish Engineering chief executive Bryan Buchan said: "We appear to have been hit on all fronts.
"The potential benefits of a weaker pound for exports have yet to be realised and our figures show there has been substantial downturn in export orders."
Speaking on the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme, he added: "It would good to see a very clear strategy on the part of the UK government for negotiating the terms of trade and I really think that has to be accelerated.
"If we are into a situation where we have to have two years worth of trade negotiations then that will stifle growth."


Concert promoters in the Republic of Ireland will not be allowed to sell tickets before consulting with local authorities in future.

The Irish government has announced new licensing rules after last year's cancelled Garth Brooks concerts.
The US country star's five gigs at Dublin's Croke Park were scrapped after opposition from residents.
Promoters must now meet with the relevant local authority before applying for an event licence.
Residents living near Croke Park had threatened legal action last year after an initial two planned concerts by Brooks were increased to five due to demand.
They claimed they were not consulted before the organisers announced the extra shows or put the tickets on sale.
The Gaelic Athletic Association, which owns Croke Park, had an agreement with residents that a maximum of three concerts would be held each year in the stadium.
Dublin City Council only granted a three-day licence, leading Brooks to criticise the handling of the controversy and ultimately cancel all of the gigs.
About 400,000 fans had booked tickets.
Now, licence applications from promoters will not be accepted by a local authority unless a consultation has already taken place.
Event promoters will also not be entitled to advertise or sell tickets for events prior to the holding the meeting.
Where tickets have been advertised and sold prior to the holding of a consultation, an application for a licence will not be accepted.
A review group was set up by the Irish government met the four main promoters of outdoor events in Ireland to discuss changes to licensing legislation.
Dublin Chamber of Commerce said the Brooks gigs controversy highlighted a flaw in the Republic of Ireland's licensing laws.
"The Garth Brooks debacle last summer was hugely embarrassing for Ireland and jeopardised our international reputation as a great place to host and attend an event," the chamber's chief executive Gina Quin said.


Music venues "should be not be shy" of applying for arts funding, culture minister Ed Vaizey has said.

"A vibrant music venue which is breaking new acts has just as much right to be considered a cultural venue as a local or regional theatre," said the MP at a conference on live music.
Called Music Venue Day, it highlighted how "grassroots" venues are increasingly under threat.
In London alone, 35% of small and medium venues have closed since 2007.
The stark survey figures, compiled for the Greater London Authority (GLA), have prompted calls for a "Night mayor" for London, who would look after the night-time economy.
Mr Vaizey applauded the idea - if not the job title.
"I like the idea of running to be a nightmare in future elections," he joked.
Live music venues have been closing across the UK in recent years, thanks to rising rents, noise complaints, licensing restrictions and competition for gig-goers' money.
Ultravox star Midge Ure said at Monday's Q Awards that small venues are "the lifeblood of our industry".
"I know there are degrees you can do in pop music, but it's just nonsense really," he added.
"The only way you learn how this stuff works is by going out there and being bad. And the only place you can go out and be bad is small venues.
"So if you take that away, the only other route there is, is this ridiculous route we seem to have contrived for ourselves where, instead of looking for the next John Lennon or the next Kate Bush, we're looking for the next karaoke singer. It's ludicrous."
Noel Gallagher, who won best album at the awards, was also keen to stress the need for small venues.
"You play the small places on the way up. But it seems to be a problem nowadays that there's only really tiny pubs or huge arenas to play."
Mr Vaizey suggested venues could apply to arts bodies in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to help fund their programmes.
Joyce Wilson of Arts Council England agreed, saying that only a "relatively small" number of venues - including Band on the Wall in Manchester, Cecil Sharp House in London and The Stables in Milton Keynes - currently attracted funding.
"Not many of you do apply to the arts council," she told delegates. "It's really hard to support you if you don't come and talk to us."
But venue owners were sceptical.
"What you're proposing isn't actually any help to us," said Mark Davyd of the Music Venues Trust. "We don't have time to fill in hours and hours of very rigorous paperwork. And if I did it, you wouldn't understand anyway.
"I want to put on a guy who's playing white noise through a trumpet for no apparent reason, other than the fact that it might annoy someone and it's just brilliant. It doesn't fit in what you've got."
He added that many concert halls were run-down and unattractive.
"People are walking into these venues and they're thinking, 'wow, live music smells a bit funny.'
"We need money to be put into infrastructure."
Mr Vaizey said the Arts Council "could potentially fund some of the equipment for music venues" but stressed that the body was independent from the government.
Shadow culture minister Michael Dugher also highlighted the disparity in funding between the "high" and "low" arts.
"I do worry that there may be an element of snobbishness in how money is allocated," he told the BBC. "Opera does very well, ballet does well, jazz does very well - but rock and roll doesn't do so well.
"We have a real crisis in the system. We are haemorrhaging small music venues - not just in London, but across the whole of the country. We really need to wake up to that and do something about it."
BBC 6 Music's Steve Lamacq, who claims to have seen more than 5,000 gigs in his career, also voiced concerns about the disappearance of live venues, noting that they had a social and cultural value beyond the music.
"We used to meet in record shops... and by chance you might meet someone there who you'd want to form a band with, or start a fanzine with," he said.
"With virtually no record shops now, venues are where that happens. People can congregate there and share ideas."
But one venue owner sounded a more positive note.
Dominique Fraser, of Guildford's The Boileroom, said her organisation was in the middle of a "real regeneration".
"We're very much taking on a lot of community aspects," she told the BBC. We have six studio spaces upstairs, which are used by everything from illustrators to jewellery designers. So we've diversified what we do - we don't just put on live music any more.
"But people will always go and see live music because there's nothing like being in a venue, being sweaty and seeing music for the first-time, up front and in your face.
"While bands continue to deliver on that - which they are - people will always want to come and see it."


Wolves head coach Kenny Jackett has reiterated they have no intention or need to sell striker Benik Afobe.

The Championship club have rejected an offer from Premier League Norwich City for the former Arsenal forward, 22, who has scored three goals in four games so far this season.
"We're not looking to sell any of our players," Jackett told BBC WM 95.6.
"It's not a situation where we're looking to move players in or out."
Afobe joined Wolves from Arsenal in January and has scored 16 times in 25 appearances for the Molineux side.
That return has thrust him into the spotlight and triggered debate over his potential future, with the Canaries the first club to make a firm bid.
But Wolves issued a statement on Wednesday outlining their position, saying neither Afobe "nor any of Wolves' first team forward players, will be sold this season," adding that Afobe had become a "key" player in their plans for this season.
Afobe netted Wolves' opening goal in Wednesday's 3-2 home defeat by Queens Park Rangers and Jackett is adamant he will not be negatively affected by the talk about his future.
"No, he'll be flattered by the speculation," Jackett said.
"He'll concentrate on his Wolves career and scoring goals for us."


Beavers should be released at more sites in Scotland, a conservation charity has said.

Moray-based Trees for Life said the animals were a "keystone species" that played "a critical ecological role".
Scottish Natural Heritage is due to release a report on the Knapdale beaver trial in Argyll ahead of a government decision on the project's future.
More than 150 beavers, which originated from escapes or illegal releases, also live in waterways in Tayside.
Alan Watson Featherstone, Trees for Life's executive director, said: "The beaver deserves to be welcomed back to Scotland with open arms.
"These remarkable ecosystem engineers can transform the health of our rivers and forest ecosystems, and could benefit communities through an estimated Â£2m tourism revenue annually."
He added: "Reintroducing beavers to Scotland would be the right thing to do and a historic leap forwards for rewilding - the restoration of our damaged ecosystems."
Beavers, once a native species, are thought to have been hunted to extinction in Scotland in the 16th Century.
In recent years, the Cairngorms National Park Authority has looked at the pros and cons of reintroducing beavers.


Police have arrested four people in connection with the death of a Latvian agricultural worker.

Vasilijs Ransevs, 33, was found dead from a head injury in his bedsit in Portland Street, Lincoln, on 16 June.
A 17-year-old girl and three men, aged 20, 29 and 31, were arrested earlier after police executed warrants at several addresses across the city.
They are all helping police with their inquiries and officers are still appealing for information.
Det Supt Stuart Morrison said: "We are still appealing for information in this case and we would urge anyone who knows anything about Mr Ransevs and his death to get in touch with us as soon as possible."
Mr Ransevs had lived in Lincoln for about two years, and in Peterborough prior to that.
Police said a friend found him dead in the bedsit, and he had been last seen alive on 14 June.


The parents of a County Londonderry toddler who was born without a nose or nasal cavities have said that ground-breaking surgery will transform her life.

Two-year-old Tessa Evans from Maghera was born with an extremely rare medical condition called congenital arhinia. It means she has no sense of smell or sinus cavities.
Tessa has undergone the first operation in a new procedure which uses a 3D printer to build an implant to fit under her skin.
A medical tattoo artist will also tattoo on the nostrils and nose contours.
Tessa's face has already changed quite dramatically since her birth.  The small implant has given her a nasal bump and raised the area between the eyes. The surgery will be repeated every two years.
Tessa's mother Grainne described how in the moments after her birth it had been difficult to come to terms with her condition.
"Shock was the absolute biggest emotion at the time - then heartbreak.
"She was tube-fed in the hospital because she had her tracheostomy tube sticking out from her neck and she was so tiny."
Tessa's father Nathan said they've had to learn about her condition as they go.
"She doesn't have sinuses, a nasal cavity. There's nothing there, it's all gone.
"It was funny the very first time she sneezed but we actually found out that it actually comes from your chest.
"However having that wee bit of normality was quite nice."
Having no sense of smell does come with its own dangers.
"She can't smell if something is dangerous, if something was burning or if food is very rotten," Grainne said.
"Another child would automatically lift that up and know not to put it in their mouth whereas with Tessa doesn't have that same early warning system."
The surgery on Tessa's face will not be completed until her teenage years, but Grainne explained how she and Nathan believe it was a "no brainer".
"They say once they have the final, nuanced nose in place that they will then get a medical tattoo artist to tattoo in light and shade to make the more detailed contours of her nose.
"They can then dimple in the nostrils and shade them to look real."


It is "totally fallacious" to suggest that Labour tolerates anti-Semitism, leader Jeremy Corbyn has said.

It comes after Labour peer Lord Levy threatened to quit the party unless Mr Corbyn sent a "clear message" that it would not allow anti-Semitism.
Mr Corbyn said he had always condemned all forms of racism and any complaints of anti-Semitism in the party would be properly investigated.
Labour has been hit by several claims of anti-Semitism recently.
Last week, party member Vicki Kirby was suspended for a second time over anti-Semitic tweets. A Labour spokeswoman said Ms Kirby, vice chair of the Woking constituency party, was being investigated.
Allegations relating to Oxford University Labour Club are also being investigated.
Mr Corbyn told Sky News: "The idea that somehow or other there is a tolerance of any form of racism is wholly and totally fallacious."
He said he was "disappointed" at the comments made by Lord Levy, who on Sunday said "it is now up to the leadership to make sure that there is a clear and unequivocal message out there that anti-Semitism in any form will not be tolerated".
Lord Levy had said: "If they don't make that clear then I will start to question myself and actually question my being a Labour peer and a proud member of the Labour party."
But Mr Corbyn said the peer "clearly hasn't been listening to the seven times since I became leader I have absolutely condemned anti-Semitism, I have condemned Islamophobia, I have condemned any form of racism anywhere within our society".
"It is absolutely something I totally, passionately believe in," he added and said his views were understood throughout the party.
The Labour leader added: "We do take action in the very, very, very small number of cases where anything happens and if we hear any allegations they are properly and thoroughly investigated."
Ms Kirby was first suspended in 2014 for making anti-Semitic comments but later reinstated. She was forced to stand down as an election candidate after tweets including one suggesting Hitler was a "Zionist God".
The Parliamentary Labour Party is also carrying out an investigation into allegations of anti-Semitism in the Oxford University Labour Club after it voted to support Israel Apartheid Week.
Oxford University Labour Club has said previously in a statement: "We are horrified at and whole-heartedly condemn anti-Semitic behaviour in all its forms."


Evidence is emerging that the sharp drop in the pound is boosting UK exports, economists say.

In November, the volume of goods exported rose at a three-month rate of 1.1%, up from the previous report which showed a 2.7% decline, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Economists say that could be a sign that the fall in value of the pound since June is boosting exports.
It could also be behind a rebound in manufacturing output in November.
"Signs are appearing... that the weaker pound is benefitting the economy, especially in terms of rising goods exports," said Chris Williamson chief business economist at IHS Markit.
"Stronger exports do at least seem to be helping drive manufacturing output higher," he added in a research note.
Paul Hollingsworth UK economist at Capital Economics said there were "encouraging signs" that the drop in the pound was "having a positive impact".
Despite those upbeat figures on exports, overall the UK's trade position deteriorated in November.
The deficit on trade in goods and services was estimated at £4.2bn in November, up from £2.6bn in October.
The widening gap reflects a £3.3bn surge in imports.
In particular the ONS noted a rise in imports of laptops and tablets from China. It also highlighted a rise in transport goods, which includes ships and railway equipment, from countries outside the European Union.
For November, the deficit on trading in just goods (and not services) increased to £12.2 billion, widening by £2.3 billion from October.
The monthly trade data tends to be volatile and subject to revisions, so figures for three months can be more useful.
For the three months to the end of November the trade deficit rose a more modest £0.1bn to £35.9bn. That was compared to the three months to August.
Worries over the quality of the trade data prompted regulators to remove its status as a "national statistic" in November 2014. The ONS is currently working on an application to regain that status.
A separate ONS report showed that industrial output rose 2.1% in November, rebounding from a 1.1% decline in October.
The increase reflected the re-opening of a North Sea oil field and an increase in production in the pharmaceuticals industry.
Industrial output figures include mining and quarrying, energy supply, water and waste management industries, as well as the manufacturing sector.
On its own, manufacturing output rose 1.3%, a recovery from October's 1% contraction.
Meanwhile, the construction sector saw a second monthly decline in output, with a 0.2% fall in November.
The latest economic data is a bit of a mixed bag. The construction sector seems to be contracting but industrial production is on the increase, that figure is however quite volatile and the ONS warns it has been affected by the return to production of a North Sea oilfield that was closed for maintenance and a leap in pharmaceutical orders; which can vary a great deal from month to month.
The trade figures, also out today, show that the UK is importing increasing amounts and rising exports are not able to keep pace, thus our trade deficit is widening.
That is to be expected at the moment, although the fall in the pound should reduce imports, as they become more expensive and increase our exports as they become cheaper; that process can take years. In the short term a falling pound just makes already ordered imports more expensive and that increases the trade deficit.
What is missing from today's figures is however the most important factor, the services sector is the biggest part of the economy, almost 80% of it, and figures on its performance are not out until later this month.
Services are likely to be doing well and that means economic growth towards the end of 2016 almost certainly remained robust.


A man has died in hospital following a head-on collision on Saturday, Police Scotland have confirmed.

Alistair Wilson, of New Pitsligo, near Fraserburgh, was taken to hospital with serious injuries, but died on Monday.
The 51-year-old was driving a grey Vauxhall Astra when he crashed into a silver BMW 320 on the A90 at around 09:30 BST.
Both of the men had to be cut free from their vehicles at the crash site near the Murcar roundabout.
Police have appealed for witnesses.


AC Milan have signed striker Mario Balotelli from Premier League champions Manchester City for £19m.

The 22-year-old agreed a four-and-a-half-year deal with the Italian club and completed a medical on Wednesday.
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"I will always have a very special place in my heart for City, it's a great club with a great future," he told the Manchester club's website.
"I thank them for all of their support of me. Maybe one day we will see each other again."
City signed Balotelli from Inter Milan for £24m in 2010 and he scored 30 goals in 80 appearances for the club.
He helped City to the Premier League title last season, but has managed only three goals in 20 matches this time round.
"I think to win the Premier League was a very special moment, and I am proud to have been a part of that," he added.
The forward also revealed he bid farewell to his team-mates at the pre-match dinner before the 0-0 draw at QPR.
I love Roberto, he has been very important for my career, and I will always thank him for having trust and faith in me
"Yes, I said goodbye to everyone at the meal in London before the game at Queens Park Rangers. It was very emotional for me," Balotelli continued.
"I spoke with [manager] Roberto [Mancini] before I went to speak to the players. We spoke for some time about lots of things. He was sad, and I was too. But it was a good conversation. I love Roberto, he has been very important for my career, and I will always thank him for having trust and faith in me.
"Being at City was an important part of my life and career. I needed to grow up like a player and as a person and it has been a very good experience for me."
Balotelli flew to Milan by private jet on Wednesday afternoon with the Italian club's vice-president Adriano Galliani.
Galliani said: "With his arrival, we have reinforced our team a lot. He's a dream come true, wanted by [AC Milan president Silvio] Berlusconi and the club.
"Mario has been in our hearts for many years and finally we've managed to get him."
Milan reached an agreement with City on Tuesday and Balotelli will sign a four-and-a-half-year contract, subject to passing his medical.


CIYMS leg-spinner Jacob Mulder is in line to make his first Intercontinental Cup appearance for Ireland in the game against Afghanistan in India in March.

Mulder impressed in the Desert T20 earlier this month, where he was the competition's leading wicket-taker.
Table-toppers Ireland will be at full strength for the game with second-placed Afghanistan in Greater Noida.
Ed Joyce, Niall O'Brien, Tim Murtagh and John Anderson are named in the 14-man squad after missing the Desert T20.
"While we haven't been at our best in limited-overs cricket in recent times we have a great record in the Intercontinental Cup, where we've won all our four games taking full points," said Ireland head coach John Bracewell.
"Young Jacob Mulder was the standout bowler in the T20 and the selectors felt he deserved his opportunity in the longer format.
"With the conditions in India likely to be spin-friendly, his leg-spin gives us added variety which could be so important."
Ireland will also play three T20s and five one-day internationals against Afghanistan, all in Greater Noida.
The Irish will prepare for the games with a 10-day training camp in the United Arab Emirates, where they will play the hosts in two ODIs on 2 and 4 March.
Pace bowler Boyd Rankin is being rested for the matches in the UAE, but will join the squad during the camp to prepare for the Afghanistan games.
Cricket Ireland also confirmed that top-order batsman Nick Larkin had ruled himself out of the running for a place in the Ireland ranks for the time being.
"After a lengthy period of discussion between Cricket Ireland and Nick Larkin, the player has finally clarified that his focus right now is on advancing his career with the NSW Blues in Australia," said Ireland performance director Richard Holdsworth.
IRELAND SQUADS
ICC Intercontinental Cup v Afghanistan
William Porterfield, John Anderson, George Dockrell, Ed Joyce, Jacob Mulder, Tim Murtagh, Andrew McBrine, Barry McCarthy, Kevin O'Brien, Niall O'Brien, Boyd Rankin, Paul Stirling, Gary Wilson, Craig Young
ODI squad v UAE
William Porterfield, Andrew Balbirnie, George Dockrell, Ed Joyce, Jacob Mulder, Tim Murtagh, Andrew McBrine, Barry McCarthy, Kevin O'Brien, Niall O'Brien, Paul Stirling, Stuart Thompson, Gary Wilson, Craig Young.
ODI squad v Afghanistan
William Porterfield, Andrew Balbirnie, George Dockrell, Ed Joyce, Jacob Mulder, Tim Murtagh, Andrew McBrine, Barry McCarthy, Kevin O'Brien, Niall O'Brien, Boyd Rankin, Paul Stirling, Stuart Thompson, Gary Wilson, Craig Young.
T20 squad v Afghanistan
William Porterfield, George Dockrell, Josh Little, Jacob Mulder, Andrew McBrine, Barry McCarthy, Kevin O'Brien, Boyd Rankin, Paul Stirling, Greg Thompson, Stuart Thompson, Lorcan Tucker, Gary Wilson, Craig Young.
Fixtures
Ireland v UAE, 2 March (ODI)
Ireland v UAE, 4 March (ODI)
Ireland v Afghanistan, 8 March (T20)
Ireland v Afghanistan, 10 March (T20)
Ireland v Afghanistan, 12 March (T20)
Ireland v Afghanistan, 15 March (ODI)
Ireland v Afghanistan, 17 March (ODI)
Ireland v Afghanistan, 19 March (ODI)
Ireland v Afghanistan, 22 March (ODI)
Ireland v Afghanistan, 24 March (ODI)
Ireland v Afghanistan, 28-31 March (Intercontinental Cup)


The boss of Unilever is calling for a strengthening of UK takeover rules to protect "national champions" after the consumer goods giant saw off a Â£115bn bid from Kraft Heinz.

Paul Polman said that companies should have more time to defend themselves in the event of an approach.
He told the Financial Times that there needed to be a "level playing field".
Under the UK Takeover Code, a company has 28 days to prepare a defence before a business returns with a firm offer.
The so-called "put up or shut up rule" was changed in 2011 by the Takeover Panel, the body which polices mergers and acquisitions, so that from the day a company announces it has received an approach, the business making the offer has 28 days to put forward a firm bid.
This was in response to another, but this time successful, bid by Kraft, which bought confectionery group Cadbury for Â£11.5bn.
At the time, it was felt it had become too easy for foreign business to buy UK companies.
Following the vote for the UK to leave the European Union, and the subsequent fall in the value of the pound, those concerns have re-emerged.
British business Arm Holdings, the chip designer, was bought by the Japanese conglomerate Softbank for Â£24bn.
Mr Polman said on Tuesday: "We're not talking about protection; we are saying that when you have a situation like this, with a national champion, there should be a level playing field."
The government has limited powers for intervention. Under existing laws, it can only step in when a deal threatens national security, media plurality and ownership, and financial stability.
For example, it holds a "golden share" in Rolls-Royce and BAE, two UK strategic defence and aerospace companies.
The government is examining adding "critical national infrastructure" such as nuclear power plants to the list.
The business secretary Greg Clark recently said that he would soon publish draft proposals on dealing with controversial takeover offers.


A man who admitted racially abusing an MSP in Glasgow has been ordered to carry out 90 hours of unpaid work.

Christopher Chisholm, 31, abused Humza Yousaf as the politician took part in a Big Issue awareness initiative outside Queen Street station on 7 February.
Glasgow Sheriff Court heard he said "you're not from my country" and also made reference to "a benefits locust".
Chisholm was also ordered to be supervised for 12 months as part of a community payback order.
The court heard that 30-year-old Mr Yousaf, who is minister for external affairs and international development, was taking part in a charity event to highlight poverty.
He was with a Big Issue vendor trying to sell the magazine to commuters when the incident took place.
Chisholm, from Gartcosh, North Lanarkshire, passed by and told those filming the event: "Take a photo of that mate, that's a benefit locust".
The father-of-one then declined to buy a Big Issue from the politician, saying: "You're not from my country".
Chisholm previously admitted acting in a racially aggravated manner.
Imposing the community payback order, Sheriff Andrew Mackie told him: "Your behaviour was deplorable on this occasion, there is no place for the type of conduct you displayed in Scottish society."
The court heard the incident was reported to the police on 13 February and there was a media campaign to try and identify Chisholm after the footage was posted online.
He was eventually traced and invited to the police station but he declined and said he would speak to a lawyer.
When officers arrived at his door he was recognised from CCTV and arrested for a racist breach of the peace.
It also emerged that Chisholm has previous breach of the peace convictions with religious and sexual orientation aggravations.
He was previously fined ??600 at the same court after he ran on to the pitch at Hampden as Rangers beat Celtic in the 2003 League Cup final.


Three people have been arrested over the murder of a 20-year-old man who died days after being found with a stab wound.

Isaac Williams was found on Cropthorne Avenue, Leicester, on Friday afternoon and died in hospital on Monday.
A 19-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of his murder. A 23-year-old man and a woman, 22, have been held on suspicion of assisting an offender.
Leicestershire Police said all three are in custody awaiting questioning.


In our series of letters from African journalists, Ghanaian writer Elizabeth Ohene reflects on Muhammadu Buhari's recent comments about his wife and offers her view of what Nigeria's president got wrong.

I went to a family wedding in Washington DC this past week. I mention it because wives have been on my mind thanks to the comments made by Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari about his wife.
The president had offered what was supposed to be one of the biggest putdowns in public discourse: "My wife belongs in the kitchen, in the living room and in the other room."
In other words, President Buhari was suggesting that his wife had stepped outside her allotted space by talking about politics.
Political talk does not belong in the kitchen, governance talk does not belong in the living room and electoral matters do not belong in the other room.
I acknowledge that the president's spokesperson has urged all of us to get a life and recognize that President Buhari was joking and we should not take his words seriously and I will keep this firmly in my mind.
So where does my family wedding come into the discussion, or maybe the legitimate question is where do marriage ceremonies belong? In the kitchen, in the living room or in the other room?
In Ghana, marriages are the coming together of two families rather than the coming together of two individuals.
At the ceremony that I went to in Washington DC, Naabia the bride is my niece, the daughter of Ghanaian parents, who has lived her life so far in the Washington DC area.
John, the groom was born and bred by Texan parents with Italian, Scottish  and Welsh roots.
I discovered during the weekend of the various ceremonies that John's family was not in the least bit fazed by the prospect of "the coming together of two families" as I had feared.
John's father was however very unhappy with the fact that according to Ghanaian custom, there was no place for men in the marriage ceremony; apart from the groom that is.
The entire Ghanaian traditional marriage ceremony is conducted by the women on both sides of the family and men are only allowed to sit in as spectators.
Elizabeth Ohene:
"The things Aisha Buhari said in her interview with the BBC Hausa Service have probably been said by many other Nigerians and I suspect the president has heard them."
At the end of it all, I promised John's father I might consider leading a movement to change the discrimination against men in Ghana which shuts them out of playing roles in marriage ceremonies.
The events of this past week involving two very high profile wives have brought the issue very much to the fore for me.
The First Lady of the United States (Flotus) Michelle Obama and the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Flofron) Aisha Buhari, within hours of each other had captured the headlines in the most spectacular manner.
The things Mrs Buhari said in her interview with the BBC Hausa Service have probably been said by many other Nigerians and I suspect the president has heard them.
He knows that the same words coming from his wife, however suddenly assume more significance.
Then there has been the dramatic intervention of Michelle Obama in the Donald Trump "locker-room" tape brouhaha.
With one speech, she elevated the US election debate to a higher, more dignified level.
Mrs Obama speaks from the kitchen, she speaks from the living room, she speaks from the street, she speaks from the campaign trail and yes, she speaks from "the other room" also known as the bedroom.
Dear Mr Buhari, we do not shy away from mentioning the bedroom.
Mrs Obama also speaks from the corporate boardroom and wherever she speaks, her words deserve to be listened to.
Aisha Buhari, like Michelle Obama, belongs in, and speaks from, the front room and we hear her.
I think I will support the continuing practice of limiting the marriage ceremony transactions to the females after all.
It emphasizes the point that wives belong in the front room.
More from Elizabeth Ohene:


New legislation which will tighten access to airguns will come into force at the end of the year, the Scottish government has announced.

It will be a criminal offence to have an air weapon without a licence or permit from 31 December 2016.
Under the new legislation approved by Holyrood last June, anyone found guilty of the new offence could be fined or face up to two years in prison.
Owners will have six months to licence their weapons before the law changes.
They will be able to apply to Police Scotland for an air weapon certificate from 1 July.
However critics have raised concerns that it may prove an administrative challenge for the force.
It is estimated that there are about 500,000 unlicensed air weapons in Scotland.
The British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) opposed the introduction of the new laws, claiming they were 'disproportionate' and that airgun offences were declining.
A spokesman said: "However, with the legislation now in place, and licences to be made available from July, we will do all that we can to help the many legitimate air weapon users in Scotland adapt to the new licensing regime.
"The six months 'lead in' period (before a certificate becomes a legal requirement) is shorter than we had anticipated and may present a challenge to Police Scotland staff, who will administer the new regime."
Police Scotland will also operate a "surrender" campaign, during which people can hand in unwanted weapons before the new legislation comes into force.
The Scottish government pledged to introduce the licensing scheme following the death of Glasgow toddler Andrew Morton, who was killed by an airgun in 2005.
The two-year-old died after being hit on the head with an airgun pellet near his home in the Easterhouse area of the city on 2 March.
Justice Secretary Michael Matheson said: "This government has a long-standing commitment to eradicating gun crime in Scotland and this new legislation will better protect our communities by taking these potentially lethal weapons out of the hands of those who would misuse them."
He added that police, animal welfare groups and members of the public had to face the results of air weapon misuse ever day. He said air weapons caused anti-social behaviour, as well as injuries to wildlife, pets and occasionally people.
"We are not banning air weapons outright, but ensuring that their use is properly regulated and users have a legitimate reason for them," he said.
Police Scotland's assistant chief constable Mark Williams said the force "fully supports" the legislation changes.
People who already hold existing firearms or shotgun licences will not require a new certificate until their existing one is due for renewal.


Thirteen sheep have been killed and three others injured following a dog attack in north Wales.

Police said all the affected livestock had neck and leg injuries and were thought to have been attacked at the weekend.
Officers said the incident happened on land off Groes Road, Colwyn Bay, Conwy county.
North Wales Police said the dogs responsible for the attack had not yet been traced.
In June, the force's rural crime unit said 1,500 sheep had been lost to dogs in the past two years, with "weekly or even daily" attacks.


Former France youth international striker Yassine Benzia has pledged his senior future to Algeria.

The 21-year-old told BBC Sport last year that he was considering an approach from Algeria.
The Lille striker was born in France and played for them at every youth level from under-16 but is eligible for Algeria through his parents.
The Algeria Football Federation said it "will immediately begin the process of registering the player with Fifa."
The federation added Benzia met its president Mohamed Raouraoua this week to finalise his choice to play for the Desert Foxes.
Even though Fifa is yet to receive Benzia's request for a switch of nationality, the Algerian football authority is confident of a swift approval by the game's governing body.
Benzia has scored 26 goals in 43 appearances during his time playing for France's youth teams.
His capture will come as a morale boost for Algeria after they were snubbed by Lyon striker Nabil Fekir last year.
Benzia started his career at Lyon where he progressed from the academy to the senior squad and made his senior debut against Nice in May 2012.
He switched to Ligue 1 rivals Lille in August 2015 in search of regular football and has already scored five goals in 20 appearances for the club this season.


Glasgow School of Art (GSA) has replaced 22% of its most popular books that were lost in a fire in June.

The blaze caused extensive damage to the iconic Mackintosh building and destroyed its famous library.
GSA had identified books for priority replacement that were in high demand by students, staff and researchers.
The art school said it had now replaced almost a quarter of these books thanks to the "huge generosity of private individuals and institutions".
Duncan Chappell, academic liaison librarian at GSA said: "In the three-month period since the fire we have successfully replaced 22% of the volumes we identified as a priority because they were in high demand and used regularly by our students, staff and researchers.
"We have been very touched by the generosity shown to us which is testament to the affection in which the Mackintosh Library was held by so many."
Among the many books received were Agnes Miller Parker's XXI Welsh gypsy folk-tales, donated by Blackwells Rare Books.
The volume is illustrated with original wood engravings and published by Gregynog Press (1933), one of the most important British private press of the inter-war period.
The limited edition - number 216 of 250 - has its original mustard bevel-edged sheepskin binding.
An anonymous donor also gave the art school Ver Sacrum (Sacred Spring) 1898-1903, published by Gerlach and Schenk.
This was the official magazine of the Vienna Secession and helped popularise Art Nouveau across Europe.
GSA said the rebuilding of its lost collections "could take many years".


Canadian Prime Minster Justin Trudeau's Liberal government has delivered its first budget, hoping to spur the fragile economy with more spending.

The deficit will hit C$29.4bn (Â£16bn) by 2017 and balancing the books could take at least five years, the government projects.
The budget called is a departure from former the Conservative government's austerity policies.
Dropping oil prices and currency values have contributed to a weakened economy.
"This budget puts people first and delivers the help Canadians need right now," Finance Minister Bill Morneau said, addressing the House of Commons. "It is an essential step in a sustained and strategic effort to restore prosperity and optimism."
The government aims to spur growth by 0.5% in 2016-17 and by 1.0% the next fiscal year.
Mr Morneau said the government will invest in green technology projects and offer tax breaks for energy efficiency.
"Some believe we must choose between a strong economy and a clean environment. They are simply wrong," he said.
Also notable in the budget is C$8.4bn allocated over five years for the country's aboriginal population, with nearly half the money to be spent on education. The allocation is a significant increase from the Conservative budget under former Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
Mr Trudeau promised during his campaign to improve relations with Canada's indigenous peoples.
The government also announced funding to sponsor 10,000 more Syrian refugees, with C$245 million (Â£132 million) over five years. The government hit its goal of resettling 25,000 Syrian refugees by the end of February.
"The world saw the best of Canada in our response to this crisis," Mr Morneau said.
New Democrat Party leader Tom Mulcair said the Liberal budget does not do enough for indigenous children and that "promises are not being kept".
"Families across Canada are worried about their jobs and struggling to make ends meet - but today's budget told them they would have to wait longer for help," said Mr Mulcair in a statement. "The government missed an opportunity today to really deliver change."
Conservative opposition leader Rona Ambrose said the budget is a "nightmare scenario for taxpayers who will be forced to pick up the tab for today's Liberal spending spree".


The Forth Road Bridge has reopened after a lorry which overturned in high winds was safely removed.

Police Scotland said the accident happened at about 14:50 while the bridge was closed to high-sided vehicles amid 50mph winds.
The lorry was righted at about 17:00, and escorted off the bridge an hour later.
Both carriageways, which had been closed over fears the trailer could move in high winds, are now open.
No-one was injured in the incident.
Transport Scotland said engineers loaded the lorry with concrete blocks to weigh it down before it could be towed off the bridge.
Engineers inspected the central barrier and reported no damage.
Earlier, bridge operators said: "Our team is on site assessing the situation - we'll get the lorry removed as soon as it is safe to do so."
It is understood the lorry crashed near the North Tower, close to where another truck crashed in January.
Then the bridge was shut for more than 19 hours after an HGV was blown from the northbound onto the southbound carriageway.
The 54-year-old driver of the lorry involved in that incident was charged with dangerous driving. A hearing on that case is due to take place on Wednesday at Edinburgh Sherriff Court.
Traffic had backed up on both sides of the bridge during the evening rush hour.
Motorists were being diverted via the A985 Kincardine Bridge and faced significant queues.
Police Scotland said:  "Warning signs were in place prohibiting high-sided vehicles from crossing the bridge due to high winds.
"Inquiries are ongoing into the full circumstances."


Former Downton Abbey actress Jessica Brown Findlay is to appear in a new production of Hamlet.

The 26-year-old, who became well known as Lady Sybil Crawley, will play Ophelia in the production at the Almeida Theatre in London.
Sherlock actor Andrew Scott will play Hamlet in the 400-year-old Shakespeare play while Juliet Stevenson will play Hamlet's mother Gertrude.
Robert Icke will direct the production, which opens in February.
Brown Findlay has also previously appeared in Jamaica Inn, Misfits and The Outcast, with film credits including Winter's Tale and The Riot Club.
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McDonald's has apologised for "upset" caused by a TV advert that charity campaigners have said "exploits childhood bereavement".

The fast food giant's latest British advert features a boy who struggles to find something in common with his dead father, until it is revealed they shared the same favourite menu item.
The campaign has attracted criticism from widows who called it "offensive".
A McDonald's spokesperson said: "This was by no means an intention of ours."
"We wanted to highlight the role McDonald's has played in our customers' everyday lives - both in good and difficult times," the spokesperson added.
The campaign, from London-based advertising agency Leo Burnett, first aired on 12 May and is scheduled to run for seven weeks.
In the advert, the boy asks his mum about his absent dad, who then goes on to reminisce about him.
The boy is left to wonder whether he and his father had anything in common, until he arrives at a McDonald's restaurant and orders a Filet-o-Fish and the mother says: "That was your dad's favourite too."
Bereavement charity, Grief Encounter said it had received "countless calls" from parents saying their bereaved children had been upset by the advert.
Sarah Fox's husband died two years ago. The 37-year-old from London said her seven-year-old son, who saw the advert, had only just started to understand the implications of his loss.
She said: "The advert was confusing for him and really upset him. He asked me why the boy on TV wasn't 'sad' and how he could feel happy again?
"It's an unnecessary subject to exploit for the gain of a brand."
Tania Richman, 44 from Brighton, East Sussex, said her teenage children, whose father died last year, were also "upset and offended" by the advert.
She said: "I didn't know how to handle them afterwards."
Leah Miller, 42 from London raised concerns about the lack of support advice offered after the advert.
"What are children supposed to think after watching it? That a simple meal can solve their emotional pain?
"It's irresponsible not to include any support advice or information for families affected by this issue."
The Advertising Standards Authority said it had received complaints regarding the advert, and would "carefully assess them to see whether there are grounds to investigate".
One in 29 children are bereaved of a parent or sibling by the time they are 16, according to Grief Encounter, which offers support to bereaved children and their families.
Dr Shelley Gilbert, founder and president of the charity, said: "McDonald's have attempted to speak to their audience via an emotionally driven TV campaign.
"However, what they have done is exploit childhood bereavement as a way to connect with young people and surviving parents alike - unsuccessfully.
"We fully support children and surviving parents remembering loved ones with memory boxes, family experiences which remind them of happier times and openly talking about the member of the family that has died.
"But trying to insinuate that a brand can cure all ills with one meal is insensitive and shouldn't be a way to show that a brand recognises 'the big moments in life'."


Nye Davies of Cardiff University's Wales Governance Centre profiles the Welsh Liberal Democrats' campaign.

After the vote to leave the EU, many might have expected the Liberal Democrats to position themselves as the main opposition to the Conservatives on Brexit.
The party campaigned heavily for Britain to remain a member of the EU - if this election is about Brexit, surely the Lib Dems will be able to pick up a number of votes from those who wanted to remain?
Also, the party would be hoping to win over voters disillusioned with the current turmoil in the Labour Party. Unfortunately for the Lib Dems, the hoped-for fight back has not materialised.
The party has faced major difficulties following Nick Clegg's decision to go into coalition with the Conservatives in 2010.
It was to have a disastrous effect on the party - it lost 49 of its 57 seats in the 2015 general election, with its vote share falling by 15 percentage points.
The fallout also affected the results of the 2016 Welsh Assembly election with the party losing four of its five seats, only retaining Kirsty Williams's seat of Brecon and Radnorshire. Since then, Mark Williams has become leader of the Welsh Lib Dems while Kirsty Williams has become education secretary in the Labour-run Welsh Government.
The Lib Dem leader Tim Farron has attempted to present the party as the only opposition to the Tories and hard Brexit.
There were early hopes for the Lib Dems that this would be successful.
The by-election victory in Richmond Park in December was fought on the issue of Brexit by Sarah Olney who managed to overturn a 23,015 Conservative majority. This significant result was a cause for optimism for the party - if Brexit is the main issue for voters this election then they would be hoping to maintain this level of success.
In Wales, as across the UK, a Lib Dem fight back has not materialised.
According to my colleague Prof Roger Scully, the party has not made a significant improvement in opinion polls since 2015. The narrative of the election thus far has centred on May vs Corbyn, meaning the Lib Dems are struggling to break through.
The most recent Welsh polling has suggested that the two main parties are squeezing votes from the smaller parties. As such, this has created a very tough presidential-style campaign which has made it tough for the Lib Dems to compete.
This might be because the electorate in Wales does not seem to have much faith in Mr Farron himself. Recent data found that he was less popular than every UK and Welsh party leader except for UKIP's Paul Nuttall and Neil Hamilton.
More worryingly for the party in Wales, results showed that Welsh leader Mark Williams was the least visible party leader by some distance compared to UK and Welsh party leaders. If Welsh Labour is successful in making this an election on Welsh issues, the Lib Dems might struggle for visibility in Wales.
If current polling data is correct, the party should hold on to its only seat in Wales, Ceredigion.
The seat has traditionally been a Liberal seat, stretching back to Sir Thomas Lloyd in 1865, with only brief periods of it changing hands - Thomas Edward Lloyd for the Conservatives in 1874 and Elystan Morgan for Labour in 1966.
However, despite Mark Williams having held Ceredigion since 2005, it was held by Plaid Cymru from 1992 to 2005. Plaid will be targeting this seat, with the difference in vote share between the two parties only being about 3,000.
Plaid's Elin Jones has also held the assembly seat of Ceredigion since 1999. If Plaid can run a very good campaign in Ceredigion, Mark Williams could be at risk.
Many Lib Dem supporters might have assumed that there would be a surge in support for the party from Remainers after the Brexit vote.
However, that surge has not happened and the party faces another difficult election. If the party cannot make a comeback now in a Brexit election and with the Labour Party supposedly in turmoil, it might have to face a long time before it reaches pre-2010 heights.


Jockey Frankie Dettori will miss the 2017 Royal Ascot meeting after a fall at Great Yarmouth last week.

The Italian, 46, had been due for some fancied rides, including favourite Lady Aurelia in the King's Stand Stakes on the opening day on Tuesday.
Dettori, the most successful Royal Ascot jockey currently riding, returned to action at Chantilly on Sunday.
However, he is struggling with an arm injury and was ruled out of the five-day fixture.
As well as the four rides he had booked on opening day, Dettori also had the likes of leading Prince of Wales' Stakes contender Ulysses and Commonwealth Cup hope Bound For Nowhere to partner later in the week.
John Velazquez will replace Dettori on Lady Aurelia, the filly trained in the United States by Wesley Ward.
BBC horse racing correspondent Cornelius Lysaght:
This is a blow to Dettori and his supporters obviously - but perhaps just as much to the famous fixture itself.
Since the first of his Royal Ascot successes way back in 1990, the now veteran rider has become one of the most significant and colourful characters here.
That 'selling point' is especially important at a time when the sport is perhaps a little short on such players.
In particular, American trainer Wesley Ward, who has long expressed his deep admiration for Dettori, will need to find new riders for the string of fancied horses he has brought over.


The Conservatives have accused Welsh ministers of "misleading" people over why a public inquiry into the planned M4 relief road has been delayed.

Economy Secretary Ken Skates has blamed a last minute "unexpected change" to UK government traffic forecasting.
But the Tories say an official's letter shows months of "significant engagement" between the governments.
First Minister Carwyn Jones has written to the Westminster saying no indication was given of the changes being made.
The Welsh Government wants to build a six-lane motorway to relieve congestion at the Brynglas tunnels in Newport.
But there have been objections, including from conservation groups, about the impact on nature reserves.
The new traffic forecasting system, known as Tempro, means Welsh ministers have to re-evaluate their evidence ahead of the public inquiry.
This was due to start on 1 November and has now been delayed until early 2017.
On Monday, the Welsh Government said the new model was "an unexpected change not shared in advance" by the UK government's Department for Transport (DfT) .
Mr Skates said it was "hugely disappointing that the DfT chose only to engage with us on these amendments to their traffic forecasting three days before they were introduced".
But a letter, written by a DfT official to Conservative AM Mohammad Asghar, states the planned changes to the Tempro system were first made public in December 2014 and the Welsh Government was given an "indicative timetable" for its introduction in "early 2016".
The letter, written by the DfT's Pawel Kucharski, says: "Our plans to update Tempro in 2016 were made public in December 2014 in the progress report on our research programme ("Understanding and Valuing the Impacts of Transport Investment") followed by an engagement event in March 2015.
"This publication set out the recommendations for the areas of the model that should be updated."
It added: "In early 2016 we provided Welsh Government officials with the indicative timetable for the release of Tempro 7 at a periodic engagement event between DfT, Transport Scotland, Welsh Government and Northern Ireland Department for infrastructure.
"A high-level overview of national results (not specific to Wales) was presented three weeks before publication, during a general engagement event on a professional forum."
The letter continues: "This event was attended by Welsh Government officials.
"The full dataset was published on 28 July 2016."
South Wales East AM Mr Asghar has now called for Mr Skates to clarify his earlier comments.
"It is becoming clear that the cabinet secretary's statement was, at best, misleading and we now know that there was significant engagement between the governments over many months," he said.
"It is deeply regrettable, therefore, that instead of acknowledging responsibility for yet another delay to this project, that the Welsh Government is seeking to lay the blame elsewhere.
"Despite the cabinet secretary's claims, the Welsh Government has had officials involved at every step of the way since the changes were first announced in December 2014.
"Mr Skates should clarify his earlier comments and issue an urgent statement explaining the apparent inconsistencies."
However, a letter written by Carwyn Jones to Welsh Secretary Alun Cairns claims that while the DfT advised earlier in the year that changes were going to be made, "no indication was given on the scale of changes being made to planning data used within Tempro".
He said Welsh Government was not made aware of when the updated version of Tempro would be released, "even when DfT officials were asked at the beginning of July this year".
"Welsh Government was not given details of the actual changes, nor the new numbers, until they were published on 28 July 2016," he said.
A Welsh Government spokeswoman said: "We stand by our previous comments.
"The Department for Transport gave us no prior indication of the impact that their methodology changes would have on Welsh Government projects including the M4 corridor around Newport.
"This is particularly disappointing as the UK government has publicly called for work on the M4 project to start as soon as possible.
"The Department for Transport's decision not to share base data with us until three days before publication is the direct cause of the delay to the public inquiry."
Welsh ministers have called the delay to the inquiry "regrettable" but said that the start date for building work would not be affected.


The World's End murder trial has heard a DNA sample on the clothes of one of the victims has one in a billion chance of coming from a person other than the accused.

Forensic scientist Martin Fairley examined staining on Helen Scott's coat.
Angus Sinclair, 69, denies raping and murdering teenagers Helen Scott and Christine Eadie in October 1977.
The trial at the High Court in Livingston continues.
Sinclair's special defences are incrimination - blaming his brother-in-law Gordon Hamilton, who is now dead; alibi - saying he was fishing on the banks of the Firth of Forth near Cockenzie power station at the time; and that the two girls consented to sexual intercourse.
Mr Sinclair is alleged to have gagged the girls, bound their wrists and tied a ligature around their necks.
He denies inflicting blunt force injuries on Ms Eadie by repeatedly punching and kicking her on the body and biting her.
He also denies forcing Ms Scott to walk barefoot into a field, ripping the strap from her handbag, repeatedly punching and kicking her on the head and body and stamping on her head.
And he denies stealing clothing, footwear, jewellery and other personal effects from the teenagers in an attempt to pervert the course of justice.