BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaAvalanche leaves two dead in Austrian AlpsPublished43 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Fabrizio Gandolfo/SOPAImage caption, Helicopters and search teams headed to the scene near the village of Vent (file pic)By Bethany BellBBC News, ViennaA major search and rescue operation is under way after an avalanche in the Ötztal Alps in western Austria.Two people have been killed, and at least two others are reported to have been rescued.Austrian reports describe a snow slide of 180m (600ft) in length and 80m in width close to the village of Vent, not far from the Italian border in the province of Tyrol.Initial reports suggest 17 people were in the area at the time.They were described as part of a Dutch group taking part in winter sports.However, not all of them were caught up in the avalanche, which took place close to the Martin-Busch Hut, at an altitude of 2,500m.The local head of emergency services, Bernd Noggler, told the BBC that helicopters, rescue teams, dog teams and the Alpine police had headed to the scene.He warned that the danger of new avalanches was very high so rescue workers were proceeding with extreme caution.Rising temperatures in Tyrol have increased the risk of avalanches. Earlier this week a 19-year-old German hiker died when he became caught up in an avalanche near Lake Achensee to the north-east of Innsbruck.Related TopicsAustriaAlpsMore on this storyAustrian ski gondola crashes injuring Danish familyPublished9 JanuaryTop StoriesBiden vows ‘ironclad’ support for Israel amid Iran attack fearsPublished3 hours agoDazzling artwork found at ancient city of PompeiiPublished6 hours ago’It’s everywhere’ – how Hamas attack haunts Israel’s student soldiersPublished45 minutes agoFeaturesHow gang violence gripped a tourist havenWhat is the minimum salary UK visa applicants need?Arizona pushes abortion to centre stage of 2024All you need to know for tonight’s Bafta Games AwardsUK weather: Is it turning warmer?AttributionWeatherWas South Korea’s president thwarted by a spring onion?Listen: How will Labour plug the gap in NHS funding?AttributionSoundsThe Indian men traumatised by fighting for RussiaLocal elections 2024: Is there an election in my area?Elsewhere on the BBCA man from 1979 takes on the modern worldSurely things can’t have changed that much? Comedy starring Mike BubbinsAttributioniPlayer’You’ll never meet anybody as miraculous as Sanjeev’Get to know Supermann on Da Beat: a prominent producer, songwriter and promoter of Scottish hip hopAttributioniPlayerFrom the Hubble Telescope to Take ThatRelive the major news and music events of 1990AttributioniPlayerWho are the women that have inspired Courtney Love?The iconic singer-songwriter shares the soundtrack to her life and reflects on her influencesAttributionSoundsMost Read1Vietnamese billionaire sentenced to death for $44bn fraud2Sheridan Smith’s show Opening Night to close early3Dazzling artwork found at ancient city of Pompeii4Wilson had affair while in No 10, advisers reveal5US vows support for Israel amid Iran attack fears6Avalanche leaves two dead in Austrian Alps7Police to re-examine Caroline Flack assault charge8Sunak’s smoking ban is nuts, says Boris Johnson9Fake UK stamps blamed on Chinese-made counterfeits10Paralympian urges Nike to allow single shoe sales

[ad_1] A major rescue operation is under way after the avalanche in western Austria.

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityAsiaChinaIndiaEid crash: At least 17 Pakistani pilgrims killed and dozens injuredPublished1 hour agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsEid al-FitrImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, The pilgrims were travelling to a shrine in southwestern Pakistan when their bus went off the roadBy Hannah RitchieBBC NewsAt least 17 Pakistani pilgrims have died in a bus crash while travelling to a shrine in Balochistan for Eid-al-Fitr celebrations. The accident occurred late on Wednesday officials say, when the vehicle lost control before falling into a ravine. More than 40 are also being treated for injuries in Karachi and police have warned casualties could rise. High fatality crashes are common in Pakistan, often caused by driver error and poorly-maintained roads. Balochistan Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah told reporters that two children were among the injured, and that at least five people had sustained serious head injuries. “They were all very poor people,” he said of the victims, describing them as labourers who had been travelling by truck from the Thatta region in the country’s south, to visit a Sufi Muslim temple in the remote city of Khuzdar some 500km (310 miles) away. He added that the details of the accident were still under investigation. Balochistan’s deputy commissioner, Munir Ahmad Kakar, told the BBC that there were some 60 people, including men, women and children riding in the truck when the accident occurred and that it may have been due to a “break fail”. Eid al-Fitr – which means “festival of the breaking of the fast” – is celebrated by millions of Muslims around the world, including those in Pakistan. It marks the end of Ramadan, a month of fasting, spiritual reflection and prayer.Related TopicsPakistanEid al-FitrRamadanMore on this storyRelief as group freed from Pakistan cable carPublished22 August 2023Top StoriesBiden vows ‘ironclad’ support for Israel amid Iran attack fearsPublished1 hour agoDazzling artwork found at ancient city of PompeiiPublished4 hours agoVietnamese billionaire sentenced to death for $44bn fraudPublished47 minutes agoFeaturesHow gang violence gripped a tourist havenWhat is the minimum salary UK visa applicants need?Arizona pushes abortion to centre stage of 2024All you need to know for tonight’s Bafta Games AwardsUK weather: Is it turning warmer?AttributionWeatherThe Papers: ‘Iron clad’ Biden support and ‘radical NHS plan’Was South Korea’s president thwarted by a spring onion?Listen: How will Labour plug the gap in NHS funding?AttributionSoundsThe Indian men traumatised by fighting for RussiaElsewhere on the BBCA man from 1979 takes on the modern worldSurely things can’t have changed that much? Comedy starring Mike BubbinsAttributioniPlayer’You’ll never meet anybody as miraculous as Sanjeev’Get to know Supermann on Da Beat: a prominent producer, songwriter and promoter of Scottish hip hopAttributioniPlayerFrom the Hubble Telescope to Take ThatRelive the major news and music events of 1990AttributioniPlayerWho are the women that have inspired Courtney Love?The iconic singer-songwriter shares the soundtrack to her life and reflects on her influencesAttributionSoundsMost Read1Vietnamese billionaire sentenced to death for $44bn fraud2Dazzling artwork found at ancient city of Pompeii3Wilson had affair while in No 10, advisers reveal4Police to re-examine Caroline Flack assault charge5Fake UK stamps blamed on Chinese-made counterfeits6US vows support for Israel amid Iran attack fears7Trial lawyer ‘repeatedly crossed line’ with rape survivor8Margot Robbie’s company to produce Monopoly film9Pressure grows over rough sleeping clampdown10’Ironclad’ Biden support and ‘radical NHS plan’

[ad_1] Officials say the truck lost control and plunged into a ditch, killing 17 and injuring dozens more.

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityAsiaChinaIndiaTruong My Lan: Vietnamese billionaire sentenced to death for $44bn fraudPublished29 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Truong My Lan is accused of looting one of Vietnam’s largest banks over a period of 11 yearsBy Jonathan Head & Thu BuiIn BangkokIt was the most spectacular trial ever held in Vietnam, befitting one of the greatest bank frauds the world has ever seen. Behind the stately yellow portico of the colonial-era courthouse in Ho Chi Minh City, a 67-year-old Vietnamese property developer was sentenced to death on Thursday for looting one of the country’s largest banks over a period of 11 years.The numbers involved are dizzying. Truong My Lan was convicted for taking out $44bn (£35bn) in loans from the Saigon Commercial Bank. Prosecutors said $27bn may never be recovered.The habitually secretive communist authorities were uncharacteristically forthright about this case, going into minute detail for the media. They said 2,700 people were summoned to testify, while 10 state prosecutors and around 200 lawyers were involved. The evidence was in 104 boxes weighing a total of six tonnes. Eighty-five defendants were tried with Truong My Lan, who denied the charges. “There has never been a show trial like this, I think, in the communist era,” says David Brown, a retired US state department official with long experience in Vietnam. “There has certainly been nothing on this scale.”The trial was the most dramatic chapter so far in the “Blazing Furnaces” anti-corruption campaign led by the Communist Party Secretary-General, Nguyen Phu Trong. A conservative ideologue steeped in Marxist theory, Nguyen Phu Trong believes that popular anger over untamed corruption poses an existential threat to the Communist Party’s monopoly on power. He began the campaign in earnest in 2016 after out-manoeuvring the then pro-business prime minister to retain the top job in the party. Image source, Getty ImagesThe campaign has seen two presidents and two deputy prime ministers forced to resign, and hundreds of officials disciplined or jailed. Now one of the country’s richest women has joined their ranks. Truong My Lan comes from a Sino-Vietnamese family in Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon. It has long been the commercial engine of the Vietnamese economy, dating well back to its days as the anti-communist capital of South Vietnam, with a large, ethnic Chinese community. She started as a market stall vendor, selling cosmetics with her mother, but began buying land and property after the Communist Party ushered in a period of economic reform, known as Doi Moi, in 1986. By the 1990s, she owned a large portfolio of hotels and restaurants.Although Vietnam is best known outside the country for its fast-growing manufacturing sector, as an alternative supply chain to China, most wealthy Vietnamese made their money developing and speculating in property. All land is officially state-owned. Getting access to it often relies on personal relationships with state officials. Corruption escalated as the economy grew, and became endemic. By 2011, Truong My Lan was a well-known business figure in Ho Chi Minh City, and she was allowed to arrange the merger of three smaller, cash-strapped banks into a larger entity: Saigon Commercial Bank. Vietnamese law prohibits any individual from holding more than 5% of the shares in any bank. But prosecutors say that through hundreds of shell companies and people acting as her proxies, Truong My Lan actually owned more than 90% of Saigon Commercial. They accused her of using that power to appoint her own people as managers, and then ordering them to approve hundreds of loans to the network of shell companies she controlled.The amounts taken out are staggering. Her loans made up 93% of all the bank’s lending. Vietnam secret document warns of ‘hostile forces’Xi in Vietnam to rekindle a love-hate relationshipUS denies Cold War with China in historic Vietnam visitAccording to prosecutors, over a period of three years from February 2019, she ordered her driver to withdraw 108 trillion Vietnamese dong, more than $4bn (£2.3bn) in cash from the bank, and store it in her basement. That much cash, even if all of it was in Vietnam’s largest denomination banknotes, would weigh two tonnes. She was also accused of bribing generously to ensure her loans were never scrutinised. One of those who was tried used to be a chief inspector at the central bank, who was accused of accepting a $5m bribe.The mass of officially sanctioned publicity about the case channelled public anger over corruption against Truong My Lan, whose haggard, unmade-up appearance in court was in stark contrast to the glamorous publicity photos people had seen of her in the past. But questions are also being asked about why she was able to keep on with the alleged fraud for so long.Image source, Getty Images”I am puzzled,” says Le Hong Hiep who runs the Vietnam Studies Programme at the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore. “Because it wasn’t a secret. It was well known in the market that Truong My Lan and her Van Thinh Phat group were using SCB as their own piggy bank to fund the mass acquisition of real estate in the most prime locations. “It was obvious that she had to get the money from somewhere. But then it is such a common practice. SCB is not the only bank that is used like this. So perhaps the government lost sight because there are so many similar cases in the market.”David Brown believes she was protected by powerful figures who have dominated business and politics in Ho Chi Minh City for decades. And he sees a bigger factor in play in the way this trial is being run: a bid to reassert the authority of the Communist Party over the free-wheeling business culture of the south.”What Nguyen Phu Trong and his allies in the party are trying to do is to regain control of Saigon, or at least stop it from slipping away. “Up until 2016 the party in Hanoi pretty much let this Sino-Vietnamese mafia run the place. They would make all the right noises that local communist leaders are supposed to make, but at the same time they were milking the city for a substantial cut of the money that was being made down there.”At 79 years old, party chief Nguyen Phu Trong is in shaky health, and will almost certainly have to retire at the next Communist Party Congress in 2026, when new leaders will be chosen. He has been one of the longest-serving and most consequential secretary-generals, restoring the authority of the party’s conservative wing to a level not seen since the reforms of the 1980s. He clearly does not want to risk permitting enough openness to undermine the party’s hold on political power. But he is trapped in a contradiction. Under his leadership the party has set an ambitious goal of reaching rich country status by 2045, with a technology and knowledge-based economy. This is what is driving the ever-closer partnership with the United States. Yet faster growth in Vietnam almost inevitably means more corruption. Fight corruption too much, and you risk extinguishing a lot of economic activity. Already there are complaints that bureaucracy has slowed down, as officials shy away from decisions which might implicate them in a corruption case.”That’s the paradox,” says Le Hong Hiep. “Their growth model has been reliant on corrupt practices for so long. Corruption has been the grease that that kept the machinery working. If they stop the grease, things may not work any more.”Related TopicsVietnamAsiaMore on this storyVietnam’s president out after just year in officePublished21 MarchPower shift in Vietnam as president quitsPublished17 January 2023Top StoriesBiden vows ‘ironclad’ support for Israel amid Iran attack fearsPublished10 minutes agoDazzling artwork found at ancient city of PompeiiPublished3 hours agoPressure grows to rethink rough sleeping clampdownPublished9 hours agoFeaturesHow gang violence gripped a tourist havenWhat is the minimum salary UK visa applicants need?Arizona pushes abortion to centre stage of 2024The Papers: ‘Iron clad’ Biden support and ‘radical NHS plan’All you need to know for tonight’s Bafta Games AwardsListen: How will Labour plug the gap in NHS funding?AttributionSoundsWas South Korea’s president thwarted by a spring onion?The Indian men traumatised by fighting for RussiaLocal elections 2024: Is there an election in my area?Elsewhere on the BBCA man from 1979 takes on the modern worldSurely things can’t have changed that much? Comedy starring Mike BubbinsAttributioniPlayer’You’ll never meet anybody as miraculous as Sanjeev’Get to know Supermann on Da Beat: a prominent producer, songwriter and promoter of Scottish hip hopAttributioniPlayerFrom the Hubble Telescope to Take ThatRelive the major news and music events of 1990AttributioniPlayerWho are the women that have inspired Courtney Love?The iconic singer-songwriter shares the soundtrack to her life and reflects on her influencesAttributionSoundsMost Read1Vietnamese billionaire sentenced to death for $44bn fraud2Dazzling artwork found at ancient city of Pompeii3Wilson had affair while in No 10, advisers reveal4Police to re-examine Caroline Flack assault charge5Fake UK stamps blamed on Chinese-made counterfeits6US vows support for Israel amid Iran attack fears7Trial lawyer ‘repeatedly crossed line’ with rape survivor8Pressure grows over rough sleeping clampdown9Margot Robbie’s company to produce Monopoly film10’Ironclad’ Biden support and ‘radical NHS plan’

[ad_1] Truong My Lan started life as a market trader. Now, she has been convicted of stealing billions.

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaUkraine war: Russian missiles hit Odesa on WWII anniversaryPublished57 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsWar in UkraineImage source, ReutersImage caption, Russia has intensified its attacks on Ukrainian targets in the past few monthsBy Paulin KolaBBC NewsRussian missile strikes have left seven people dead in Ukraine’s southern Odesa region and Kharkiv in the north-east.A girl aged 10 was among four killed in Odesa late on Wednesday, in an attack coinciding with the city’s liberation from the Nazis during World War Two.Two women and a girl of 14 were also killed in an attack on a pharmacy not far from Ukraine’s northern border with Russia, officials said.Russia’s recent attacks have targeted Ukraine’s energy sector in particular.Power infrastructure came under attack in five regions early on Thursday from more than 40 missiles and 40 drones, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky. Some 200,000 people were left without power in the Kharkiv region alone, said officials, and Mr Zelensky appealed for increased international support.”We need air defence and other defence assistance, not turning a blind eye and lengthy discussions,” he said. A multi-billion dollar aid package for Kyiv continues to be blocked by Republicans in the US Congress.The head of the Ukrainian air force said 57 of 82 Russian airborne weapons were destroyed, although air defences failed to intercept either Kinzhal hypersonic ballistic missiles fired by Russian MiG warplanes or guided S-300 missiles.Ukrainian officials have accused Russian forces of targeting civilians with double-tap tactics, where a missile strike is followed by a second which aims to kill emergency service personnel arriving at the scene.Governor Kiper said ballistic missiles had been used in the strikes on Odesa between 18:00 and 18:30 (15:00-15:30 GMT) on Wednesday.Attacks on Kharkiv, the closest big city to the Russian border, have been intensifying in recent weeks. Ukrainian officials have said the city might be the target of a future Russian offensive.The country’s second-largest city has suffered extensive damage from months of Russian bombardment since President Vladimir Putin launched his full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.Ukraine has been suffering setbacks on the ground in the past few months.Ukrainian troops have been running out of ammunition as vital US support has been held up by supporters of former President Donald Trump in Congress.The Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, has been refusing to call a vote on a bill that would provide $60bn (£48bn) in military aid for Ukraine. The US’s top general in Europe told Congress on Wednesday that Ukraine would run out of artillery shells and air defence interceptors “in fairly short order” without American support. Gen Christopher Cavoli said Russia was currently firing five artillery shells for every one fired by Ukrainian forces – a disparity which could soon increase to 10 to one. “Without our support, they will not be able to prevail,” Gen Cavoli said.This video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.Media caption, Watch: ‘Now or never’: Congressmen say US must send Ukraine aidRelated TopicsWar in UkraineRussiaUkraineMore on this storySix Russian planes destroyed by drones – UkrainePublished5 days agoUkraine lowers combat call-up age to boost numbersPublished3 AprilTop StoriesBiden vows ‘ironclad’ support for Israel amid Iran attack fearsPublished2 hours agoDazzling artwork found at ancient city of PompeiiPublished2 hours agoPressure grows to rethink rough sleeping clampdownPublished8 hours agoFeaturesArizona pushes abortion to centre stage of 2024How gang violence gripped a tourist havenWhat is the minimum salary UK visa applicants need?The Papers: ‘Iron clad’ Biden support and ‘radical NHS plan’All you need to know for tonight’s Bafta Games AwardsWas South Korea’s president thwarted by a spring onion?Local elections 2024: Is there an election in my area?The Indian men traumatised by fighting for RussiaHow AI is helping to prevent future power cutsElsewhere on the BBCA man from 1979 takes on the modern worldSurely things can’t have changed that much? Comedy starring Mike BubbinsAttributioniPlayer’You’ll never meet anybody as miraculous as Sanjeev’Get to know Supermann on Da Beat: a prominent producer, songwriter and promoter of Scottish hip hopAttributioniPlayerFrom the Hubble Telescope to Take ThatRelive the major news and music events of 1990AttributioniPlayerWho are the women that have inspired Courtney Love?The iconic singer-songwriter shares the soundtrack to her life and reflects on her influencesAttributionSoundsMost Read1Dazzling artwork found at ancient city of Pompeii2Police to relook at Caroline Flack charge decision3The billionaire facing death over $44bn bank fraud4China blamed for rise in fake stamps in UK5US vows support for Israel amid Iran attack fears6Trial lawyer ‘repeatedly crossed line’ with rape survivor7’Ironclad’ Biden support and ‘radical NHS plan’8Pressure grows over rough sleeping clampdown9Man charged over murder of mum pushing baby in pram10Margot Robbie’s company to produce Monopoly film

[ad_1] Four people were killed in the city on the 80th anniversary of its liberation from the Nazis.

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityCultureMonopoly movie: Margot Robbie’s company LuckyChap to produce filmPublished1 hour agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesA film based on the classic board game Monopoly is preparing to pass go – with Margot Robbie’s production company set to produce it.The Monopoly film has been in development for more than a decade, according to the Hollywood Reporter.But it was announced on Wednesday that Robbie’s production company LuckyChap will produce it.Hasbro Entertainment, part of the American toy company, will also be a producer.Robbie’s company most recently worked on Saltburn and last year’s hit Barbie, which the Australian actress also starred in.Speaking to Variety in February, Robbie, 33, said: “We want to make more films that have the effect that Barbie has.”I don’t know if it has to be Barbie 2. Why can’t it be another big, original, bold idea where we get an amazing filmmaker, a big budget to play with, and the trust of a huge conglomerate behind them to go and really play? I want to do that.” Adam Fogelson, chairman of Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, said they were “tremendously excited” about the project and believe it could be the next blockbuster.Zev Foreman, head of film for Hasbro Entertainment, said: “As one of the most iconic games in the world, Monopoly provides an incredible platform for storytelling opportunities.”Last December Lionsgate extended its development rights to the board game when it bought Hasbro’s Entertainment One (eOne).Barbie was the highest-grossing film last year, making $1.38bn (£1.1bn) globally.Listen: The secret history of MonopolyBestselling board game Monopoly has taught generations of children to buy up property, stack it with hotels and charge fellow players sky-high rents for the privilege of accidentally landing there.It was patented in 1904 by a left-wing American feminist called Lizzy Magie. She called it the Landlord’s Game and it evolved into what we now know as Monopoly. However it hit the mainstream 30 years later when Monopoly was first marketed in the United States during the Great Depression. An out-of-work salesman from Pennsylvania was credited with inventing it.Related TopicsFilmMore on this storyBarbie beats Super Mario Bros as 2023’s top filmPublished4 September 2023Top StoriesBiden vows ‘ironclad’ support for Israel amid Iran attack fearsPublished41 minutes agoMan charged over murder of mum pushing baby in pramPublished6 hours agoPressure grows to rethink rough sleeping clampdownPublished6 hours agoFeaturesThe Papers: ‘Iron clad’ Biden support and ‘radical NHS plan’How gang violence gripped a tourist havenWhat is the minimum salary UK visa applicants need?Was South Korea’s president thwarted by a spring onion?Arizona pushes abortion to centre stage of 2024Local elections 2024: Is there an election in my area?The billionaire facing death over $44bn bank fraudAll you need to know for tonight’s Bafta Games AwardsThe Indian men traumatised by fighting for RussiaElsewhere on the BBCA man from 1979 takes on the modern worldSurely things can’t have changed that much? Comedy starring Mike BubbinsAttributioniPlayer’You’ll never meet anybody as miraculous as Sanjeev’Get to know Supermann on Da Beat: a prominent producer, songwriter and promoter of Scottish hip hopAttributioniPlayerFrom the Hubble Telescope to Take ThatRelive the major news and music events of 1990AttributioniPlayerWho are the women that have inspired Courtney Love?The iconic singer-songwriter shares the soundtrack to her life and reflects on her influencesAttributionSoundsMost Read1The billionaire facing death over $44bn bank fraud2Police to relook at Caroline Flack charge decision3’Ironclad’ Biden support and ‘radical NHS plan’4US vows support for Israel amid Iran attack fears5Man charged over murder of mum pushing baby in pram6Women lose bid to sue Qatar Airways over invasive exams7Pressure grows over rough sleeping clampdown8Margot Robbie’s company to produce Monopoly film9Donald Trump says Arizona abortion ban goes too far10First migraine pill could help 170,000 in England

[ad_1] A Monopoly movie has been in development for over a decade – but the Barbie star will now help produce it.

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaArizona pushes abortion to centre stage before US electionPublished4 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Donald Trump has said Arizona’s Supreme Court went “too far” by paving the way for a near-total ban on abortions in the state.By Anthony ZurcherNorth America correspondentThe Arizona Supreme Court on Tuesday pushed the abortion issue to centre stage in a state that could be pivotal in deciding who wins November’s US presidential election.It has prompted Democrats to go on the attack, and set many Republicans scrambling to align themselves more closely with the public sentiment.The court paved the way for a near-total ban on abortion, a law passed in 1864 when Arizona was still a US territory, to go into effect in the coming weeks if there is no further legal action. The law had been pre-empted for nearly a half-century, as a result of the 1973 US Supreme Court ruling in Roe v Wade that guaranteed a woman’s right to abortion. Two years ago, however, the US Supreme Court overturned that abortion precedent. This gave old bans like the one in Arizona – which became a state in 1912 – new life. The Arizona court decision prompted quick condemnation from the Biden administration as well as from local Democrats and pro-choice activists. “This ruling is a result of the extreme agenda of Republican elected officials who are committed to ripping away women’s freedom,” the president said in a statement provided by the White House.While anti-abortion groups heralded the decision, many Republicans have distanced themselves from the state court action, reflecting polls that suggest a majority of the public – in the US and in Arizona – favour abortion rights and oppose strict bans on the procedure.The party had largely opposed abortion before Roe was overturned, but is now grappling with the fallout from that decision. Kari Lake, the presumptive Republican nominee for an open Arizona Senate seat, provided a vivid illustration of the challenges and contradictions the abortion issue is presenting for conservative candidates.In a statement released on Tuesday, the former television news presenter condemned the court ruling and said that the 1864 law, which she had previously supported, was “out of step with Arizonans”. She said Arizona voters would have the chance to decide the abortion issue in the forthcoming ballot referendum – although she has said she is against its passage. Let states decide abortion rights, Trump saysArizona court reinstates abortion ban law from 1864 She called on the Democrat who beat her in 2022, Governor Katie Hobbs, to work with the Republican-controlled legislature to find a “common sense” solution – without spelling out what that would entail.On Monday, former President Donald Trump released a short video detailing his own shifting position, which included leaving the ultimate decision on legality to individual states. It was a message that Ms Lake echoed.”I wholeheartedly agree with President Trump,” she said. “This is a very personal issue that should be determined by each individual state and her people.”By Wednesday, Mr Trump himself had weighed in on the Arizona ruling, saying it had gone “too far”.While the Arizona Supreme Court left the door open to further legal challenges, if the 1864 ban goes into effect it could provide a stark illustration for voters of what individual states determining abortion policy can look like.Two weeks ago, the Florida Supreme Court ruled that the state’s six-week abortion ban could go into effect. This has fuelled speculation the issue could make the large state, which has trended toward Republican of late, a key presidential battleground.Now there’s a new ground zero in the national abortion fight.Arizona is already an electoral battleground. Joe Biden was the first Democrat in 24 years to win the state, with its 11 electoral votes, by a margin of about 10,000 votes. If he can repeat the feat there, it gives the president a path to victory even if he drops other closely contested states he won four years ago, like Wisconsin, Nevada and Georgia.The state’s Senate race, between Ms Lake and Democrat Ruben Gallego, will also help determine which party controls the upper chamber of Congress.With the abortion-rights referendum expected to appear on the November ballot, Democrats were already hoping the issue would help drive turnout from voters more inclined to support Mr Biden and the rest of the party’s slate of candidates. Similar abortion-rights measures have passed in every state that has put them to a vote, including Republican-dominated states like Kansas, Kentucky and Ohio. Democrats have campaigned aggressively on the abortion issue, and the connection is widely considered to have helped the party post better-than-expected results in the 2022 midterm congressional elections.In a March Fox News poll, 39% of Arizona voters said abortion would be “extremely important” in determining the presidential candidate they would support in November, and that those voters were much more likely to back Mr Biden.With the state court’s decision, the stakes have only been raised. November’s ballot measure could determine whether Arizona enshrines abortion rights in its constitution, or has a virtual ban on the procedure. It’s the kind of clear choice that Democrats will relish.Related TopicsAbortionUnited StatesArizonaMore on this storyDonald Trump says Arizona abortion ban goes too farPublished7 hours agoArizona court reinstates abortion ban law from 1864Published9 hours agoUS Supreme Court appears sceptical of abortion pill casePublished26 MarchTop StoriesBiden vows ‘ironclad’ support for Israel amid Iran attack fearsPublished3 hours agoMan charged over murder of mum pushing baby in pramPublished4 hours agoPressure grows to rethink rough sleeping clampdownPublished4 hours agoFeaturesThe Papers: ‘Iron clad’ Biden support and ‘radical NHS plan’How gang violence gripped a tourist havenWhat is the minimum salary UK visa applicants need?Arizona pushes abortion to centre stage of 2024Local elections 2024: Is there an election in my area?The billionaire facing death over $44bn bank fraudAll you need to know for tonight’s Bafta Games AwardsThe Indian men traumatised by fighting for RussiaHow AI is helping to prevent future power cutsElsewhere on the BBCA man from 1979 takes on the modern worldSurely things can’t have changed that much? Comedy starring Mike BubbinsAttributioniPlayer’You’ll never meet anybody as miraculous as Sanjeev’Get to know Supermann on Da Beat: a prominent producer, songwriter and promoter of Scottish hip hopAttributioniPlayerFrom the Hubble Telescope to Take ThatRelive the major news and music events of 1990AttributioniPlayerWho are the women that have inspired Courtney Love?The iconic singer-songwriter shares the soundtrack to her life and reflects on her influencesAttributionSoundsMost Read1The billionaire facing death over $44bn bank fraud2Police to relook at Caroline Flack charge decision3’Ironclad’ Biden support and ‘radical NHS plan’4US vows support for Israel amid Iran attack fears5Man charged over murder of mum pushing baby in pram6TV doctor exchanged Botox for sex with patient7Pressure grows over rough sleeping clampdown8Donald Trump says Arizona abortion ban goes too far9Vennells accused of false statement on postmasters10First migraine pill could help 170,000 in England

[ad_1] Arizona is already an electoral battleground. Joe Biden was the first Democrat in 24 years to win the state, with its 11 electoral votes, by a margin of about…

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityBusinessMarket DataEconomyYour MoneyCompaniesTechnology of BusinessCEO SecretsAI BusinessUS inflation jumps as fuel and housing costs risePublished2 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesBy Natalie ShermanBusiness reporter, New YorkConsumer prices in the US rose faster than expected last month, in a sign that the fight to slow inflation has stalled.Prices rose 3.5% over the 12 months to March, up from 3.2% in February, the US Labor Department said. Higher costs for fuel, housing, dining out and clothing drove the increase.Analysts warned that the lack of progress in curbing price rises will force the US central bank to keep interest rates higher for longer.Higher rates help stabilise prices by making it more expensive to borrow for business expansions and other spending. In theory, that in turn slows the economy, and eases the pressures pushing up prices. The Federal Reserve’s key interest rate is now at the highest level in more than two decades, in the range of 5.25%-5.5%.Forecasters had expected the bank to start lowering borrowing costs this year, reflecting the fact that the inflation rate, which tracks the pace of price rises, has fallen significantly since hitting 9.1% in 2022.But recent economic data, including strong jobs creation figures last week, has raised doubts about how soon those cuts might come.Shares on Wall Street closed lower on Wednesday as investors had been betting that rates could soon be cut.US jobs boom raises doubts about rate cutsAnalysts, who once expected rate cuts as soon as March, have been rapidly revising bets, with many now not expecting any until later this summer and some predicting the bank could wait until next year.What the Fed decides to do is likely to shape decisions by central banks around the world, said Neil Birrell, chief investment officer at Premier Miton Diversified Funds.”The Fed has got some head scratching to do and if other central banks were waiting for the Fed to move, they have got a conundrum on their hands now,” he said. Inflation cooled rapidly over 2023 as pandemic-era supply issues healed and the spike in food and energy prices sparked by the war in Ukraine faded, but it still remains higher than the bank’s 2% target.An uptick in oil prices in recent months has also pushed energy costs higher, while prices for services show little sign of stabilising. The Labor Department said prices had jumped 0.4% from March to February, the same as in February.Higher petrol and housing costs accounted for more than half the increase. Car insurance, medical care and costs for internet also contributed.So-called core inflation, which is seen by economists as a better indicator of future trends because it does not include more volatile food and energy prices, stood at 3.8%, the same as in February. “We shouldn’t overreact to the jump in headline inflation – which was all about energy,” said Brian Coulton, chief economist at Fitch Ratings. But he added: “The details are not at all reassuring for the Fed.”Related TopicsUS economyUS Federal ReserveInflationMore on this storyUS jobs boom raises doubts about rate cutsPublished5 days agoTop StoriesBiden vows ‘ironclad’ support for Israel amid Iran attack fearsPublished2 hours agoMan charged over murder of mum pushing baby in pramPublished3 hours agoPressure grows to rethink rough sleeping clampdownPublished3 hours agoFeaturesThe Papers: ‘Iron clad’ Biden support and ‘radical NHS plan’How gang violence gripped a tourist havenWhat is the minimum salary UK visa applicants need?Arizona pushes abortion to centre stage of 2024Local elections 2024: Is there an election in my area?The billionaire facing death over $44bn bank fraudAll you need to know for tonight’s Bafta Games AwardsThe Indian men traumatised by fighting for RussiaHow AI is helping to prevent future power cutsElsewhere on the BBCA man from 1979 takes on the modern worldSurely things can’t have changed that much? 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[ad_1] Inflation was 3.5% in March, a sign that cooling has stalled and interest rate cuts may be delayed.

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BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaCould you be a fair juror for Trump? We asked New YorkersThis video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.Could you be a fair juror for Trump? We asked New YorkersCloseJury selection is under way in Donald Trump’s New York City hush-money trial, with hundreds of people selected as potential jurors.They must answer a questionnaire to determine, among other things, if they can be impartial about the former president.The BBC asked some of those questions to Manhattan residents.SubsectionUS & CanadaPublished50 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRead descriptionExplore moreCould you be a fair juror for Trump? We asked New Yorkers. Video, 00:02:16Could you be a fair juror for Trump? We asked New YorkersSubsectionUS & CanadaPublished50 minutes ago2:16Up Next. A view from inside court for Trump’s blockbuster trial. Video, 00:01:15A view from inside court for Trump’s blockbuster trialSubsectionUS & CanadaPublished19 hours agoUp Next1:15Press, police and protesters: Outside Trump courthouse. Video, 00:01:12Press, police and protesters: Outside Trump courthouseSubsectionUS & CanadaPublished1 day ago1:12Trump’s ‘perp walk’ moment explained in 60 seconds. Video, 00:01:00Trump’s ‘perp walk’ moment explained in 60 secondsSubsectionUS & CanadaPublished31 March 20231:00Editor’s recommendationsCopenhagen stock exchange engulfed by huge fire. Video, 00:01:03Copenhagen stock exchange engulfed by huge fireSubsectionEuropePublished12 hours ago1:03Moment spire collapses at Copenhagen stock exchange. Video, 00:00:43Moment spire collapses at Copenhagen stock exchangeSubsectionEuropePublished11 hours ago0:43Dormice ladders built in the Forest of Dean. Video, 00:00:51Dormice ladders built in the Forest of DeanSubsectionGloucestershirePublished1 day ago0:51Liz Truss: The world was safer under Trump. Video, 00:00:35Liz Truss: The world was safer under TrumpSubsectionUK PoliticsPublished22 hours ago0:35Huge fires blaze along Miami highway. Video, 00:00:33Huge fires blaze along Miami highwaySubsectionUS & CanadaPublished12 hours ago0:33Watch: Georgia opposition leader punches MP during debate. Video, 00:00:34Watch: Georgia opposition leader punches MP during debateSubsectionEuropePublished21 hours ago0:34Wheelie bins fly and a caravan overturns in strong wind. Video, 00:00:24Wheelie bins fly and a caravan overturns in strong windSubsectionStoke & StaffordshirePublished1 day ago0:24Hannah Waddingham calls out demanding paparazzi. Video, 00:00:28Hannah Waddingham calls out demanding paparazziSubsectionEntertainment & ArtsPublished1 day ago0:28Endangered California condor chicks hatched in LA. Video, 00:01:28Endangered California condor chicks hatched in LASubsectionUS & CanadaPublished1 day ago1:28

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityUKEnglandN. IrelandScotlandAlbaWalesCymruIsle of ManGuernseyJerseyLocal NewsFirst product of Meghan’s lifestyle brand revealedPublished11 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, ReutersImage caption, Meghan pictured at a polo match in Florida last weekBy Sean CoughlanRoyal correspondentA first glimpse of the new business venture from the Duchess of Sussex has been teased on social media, with pictures of a jar of strawberry jam.In a bid to preserve a sense of mystery, the jam from the new American Riviera Orchard brand seemed to be spread among friends and influencers.Fashion designer Tracy Robbins posted a picture of the jam on Instagram.It was numbered “17 of 50”, suggesting the number of recipients of this first fruit of the new business.The arrival of Meghan’s new California-based lifestyle brand had been signalled on social media last month and this suggests that it will be selling food products.What do we know about Meghan’s new brand?Five things about Harry and Meghan’s brand revampWhy did Harry and Meghan leave the Royal Family?There seemed to be have been something of a re-launch for Meghan and husband Prince Harry’s brands and businesses this year, beginning with the overhaul of their regal-looking website under the sussex.com label.Their latest projects seem to be moving away from a previous focus on their time as working royals, such as their Netflix film Harry and Meghan and Prince Harry’s memoir Spare.The hint about the strawberry jam from Meghan’s American Riviera Orchard brand seems to fit with the couple’s latest Netflix plans.Meghan is going to launch a Netflix show which will “celebrate the joys of cooking and gardening, entertaining, and friendship”.Prince Harry will be involved in another Netflix venture showing the inside track on the world of polo. That’s the equestrian sport, not the mints.Delfina Blaquier, married to Prince Harry’s polo-playing friend Nacho Figueras, also posted a picture of the new jam, with hers labelled “10 of 50”.The social media trail for American Riviera Orchard evokes a sense of the couple’s home in California – and this soft launch for the jam show pictures of the jars in a sunny basket of lemons.It’s not known how much items from the new lifestyle brand will cost. Although there are already plenty of other royals getting into jams. Visitors to the gift shops in royal palaces can get a Buckingham Palace Strawberry Preserve for £3.95 or Windsor Castle Fine Cut Seville Orange Marmalade, also for £3.95.On both sides of the Atlantic they seem to be conserving their finances.Related TopicsUK Royal FamilyMeghan, Duchess of SussexMore on this storyWhat we know about Meghan’s regal lifestyle brandPublished16 MarchMeghan launches surprise new lifestyle brandPublished14 MarchTop StoriesMPs back smoking ban for those born after 2009Published8 minutes agoMuslim student loses school prayer ban challengePublished2 hours agoBowen: Iran’s attack on Israel offers Netanyahu a lifelinePublished7 hours agoFeaturesJeremy Bowen: Iran’s attack on Israel offers Netanyahu a lifelineIranians on edge as leaders say ‘Tel Aviv is our battleground’A really, really big election with nearly a billion votersWhat is the smoking ban and how will it work?Martin Tyler: I nearly lost my voice foreverWho are the millions of Britons not working?How to register to vote for the local elections ahead of midnight deadlinePlaying Coachella after cancer emotional, says DJHow the Alec Baldwin fatal film set shooting unfoldedElsewhere on the BBCFrom weight loss to prolonging lifeIs intermittent fasting actually good for you? James Gallagher investigatesAttributionSoundsCould Nina shake up the unspoken rules of modern dating?Brand new comedy about love, friendship and being your own selfAttributioniPlayerWill the UK introduce tough anti-tobacco laws?Under new plans, anyone turning 15 from this year would be banned from buying cigarettesAttributionSoundsCan William Wisting find the truth?The Norwegian detective returns, tackling more grisly cold casesAttributioniPlayerMost Read1Nursery boss ‘killed baby she strapped to beanbag’2Birmingham Airport flights disrupted by incident3Muslim student loses school prayer ban challenge4First product of Meghan’s lifestyle brand revealed5MPs back smoking ban for those born after 20096Police told to shut down right-wing Brussels conference7Historic Copenhagen stock exchange goes up in flames8Bowen: Iran’s attack on Israel offers Netanyahu a lifeline9Marten a ‘lioness’ who ‘loved her cubs’, court told10Sons of McCartney and Lennon release joint single

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaSupreme Court hears 6 Jan case that may hit Trump trialPublished2 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsUS Capitol riotsImage source, Brent StirtonImage caption, Hundreds of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol after holding a “Stop the Steal” rally on 6 January, 2021By Nadine YousifBBC NewsThe US Supreme Court have begun hearing a case that could undo charges for those who stormed the Capitol in 2021. It focuses on whether a 2002 federal law created to prevent corporate misconduct could apply to individuals involved in the 6 January riots. More than 350 people have been charged in the incident under that law, which carries a 20-year prison penalty.Donald Trump faces the same charge in the pending federal case accusing him of election interference. The law makes it a crime to “corruptly” obstruct or impede an official proceeding. On Tuesday, Supreme Court Justices heard two hours of arguments over the law’s interpretation. However, it remained unclear how they would rule. A lawyer for a man who stormed the Capitol and was prosecuted under the law argued before the Justices that “a host of felony and misdemeanour” crimes already exist to prosecute his clients actions.The 2002 law passed in the wake of the Enron accounting scandal, Jeffrey Green said, was not one of them. US Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar counterargued that rioters deliberately attempted “to prevent Congress from certifying the results of the election,” therefore obstructing an official proceeding. Both fielded sceptical questions from the Justices. At one point, Mr Green argued that there is no historical precedent in which the law was used to prosecute demonstrators.Justice Sonia Sotomayor replied: “We’ve never had a situation before where (there was an attempt) to stop a proceeding violently, so I am not sure what a lack of history proves.”On the other hand, Ms Prelogar fielded questions from Justice Neil Gorusch on whether the law could then be stretched to apply to a “sit-in that disrupts a trial” or “a heckler” at the State of the Union Address. “Would pulling a fire alarm before a vote qualify for 20 years in federal prison?” he asked, appearing to reference an incident in which Jamaal Bowman, Democrat House representative, pressed a fire alarm in the Capitol.How the top court rules could have wide-ranging effects on the hundreds of people charged, convicted or sentenced under the law, as well as the prosecution of Mr Trump. Here is a breakdown of the key players and the law being argued: What is the 2002 federal law at the centre of the trial?The law is called the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. It was passed in response to the Enron scandal in the early 2000s, after it was exposed that those involved had engaged in massive fraud and shredding documents. It criminalizes the destruction of evidence – like records or documents. But it also penalises anyone who “otherwise obstructs, influences or impedes any official proceeding, or attempts to do so.” How has it been used in response to the 6 January riots?Under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, the US Department of Justice (DoJ) has brought obstruction charges against those who participated in the storming of the Capitol. Federal prosecutors argue they did so to impede Congress’ certification of the presidential electoral vote count to cement Joe Biden as the winner of the 2020 election. Therefore, the latter portion of the law that deals with obstructing an “official proceeding” would apply, the DoJ says. Who is challenging the law’s use in this case, and why? The Supreme Court is hearing a challenge to the law’s application brought forward by a former Pennsylvania police officer.Joseph Fischer was charged under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act with obstruction of a congressional proceeding on 6 January, as well as assaulting a police officer and disorderly conduct. His lawyers argue that prosecutors overreached with applying the Act, which they say deals explicitly with destroying or tampering with evidence integral to an investigation. Those who challenge the law’s application in 6 January cases also argue that a broad interpretation of the law would allow the prosecution of lobbyists or protestors who disrupt matters in Congress.How could the Supreme Court ruling impact Trump?The former president is charged under the very same law in a federal case accusing him of working to overturn the results of the 2020 election, which he lost to Mr Biden.If Supreme Court justices rule that the law does not apply to the 6 January rioters, Mr Trump could seek dismissal of half the charges he faces in that case.It also could be seen as a political win for the former president, who is seeking re-election in November, as he repeatedly has accused prosecutors of overreach. A final ruling is not expected until June. Related TopicsUS Capitol riotsDonald TrumpMore on this storySupreme Court to hear appeal over Capitol riot chargePublished13 December 2023A very simple guide to Trump’s indictmentsPublished25 August 2023Supreme Court asked to rule on Trump’s immunityPublished12 December 2023Top StoriesMuslim student loses school prayer ban challengePublished1 hour agoBowen: Iran’s attack on Israel offers Netanyahu a lifelinePublished5 hours agoNo liberty in addiction, says health secretary on smoking banPublished4 minutes agoFeaturesJeremy Bowen: Iran’s attack on Israel offers Netanyahu a lifelineIranians on edge as leaders say ‘Tel Aviv is our battleground’A really, really big election with nearly a billion votersWhat is the smoking ban and how will it work?Martin Tyler: I nearly lost my voice foreverWho are the millions of Britons not working?How to register to vote for the local elections ahead of midnight deadlineMeteorite ‘repeatedly transformed’ on space journeyHow the Alec Baldwin fatal film set shooting unfoldedElsewhere on the BBCFrom weight loss to prolonging lifeIs intermittent fasting actually good for you? James Gallagher investigatesAttributionSoundsCould Nina shake up the unspoken rules of modern dating?Brand new comedy about love, friendship and being your own selfAttributioniPlayerWill the UK introduce tough anti-tobacco laws?Under new plans, anyone turning 15 from this year would be banned from buying cigarettesAttributionSoundsCan William Wisting find the truth?The Norwegian detective returns, tackling more grisly cold casesAttributioniPlayerMost Read1Muslim student loses school prayer ban challenge2Birmingham Airport suspends flights over incident3First product of Meghan’s lifestyle brand revealed4Police told to shut down right-wing Brussels conference5Marten a ‘lioness’ who ‘loved her cubs’, court told6Bowen: Iran’s attack on Israel offers Netanyahu a lifeline7Historic Copenhagen stock exchange goes up in flames8No liberty in addiction, says minister on smoking ban9Sons of McCartney and Lennon release joint single10Boy, 4, dies after fire at family home in Wigan

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaNational Conservatism Conference: Police told to shut down right-wing Brussels eventPublished4 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, ReutersImage caption, Nigel Farage said the decision to shut the conference down was as an attempt to stifle free speechBy Nick Beake in Brussels and Laura GozziBBC NewsBrussels police have been ordered to shut down a conference attended by right-wing politicians across Europe, including Nigel Farage and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.Organisers say the National Conservatism Conference in the Belgian capital is continuing, but guests are no longer allowed to enter. Local authorities had raised concerns over public safety.A UK spokeswoman called reports of police action “extremely disturbing”. She said that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was a “strong supporter and advocator for free speech” and that he was “very clear that cancelling events or preventing attendance and no-platforming speakers is damaging to free speech and to democracy as a result”.Alexander De Croo, the Belgian prime minister, said that the shutting down of the conference was “unacceptable”.Referring to the fact that it was the local mayor, Emir Kir, who opposed the conference, Mr De Croo added that while municipal autonomy was a cornerstone of Belgium’s democracy it could “never overrule the Belgian constitution guaranteeing the freedom of speech”. “Banning political meetings is unconstitutional. Full stop,” Mr De Croo wrote on X.In a message to organisers, Mr Kir had said some of the attendees of Tuesday’s conference held anti-gay and anti-abortion views. “Among these personalities there are several particularly from the right-conservative, religious right and European extreme right,” his statement said.Mr Kir also wrote on X: “The far right is not welcome.”Nigel Farage, who took to the stage this morning, told the BBC the decision to close down the conference because there were homophobes in the audience was “cobblers”, and that he condemned the decision as an attempt to stifle free speech. “Thank God For Brexit”, he said.Organised by a think-tank called the Edmund Burke Foundation, the National Conservatism Conference is a global movement which espouses what it describes as traditional values, which it claims are being “undermined and overthrown”. It also opposes further European integration.The conference said it aimed to bring together “public figures, journalists, scholars and students” who understood the connection between conservatism and the idea of nationhood and national traditions. French far-right politician Eric Zemmour, arriving for the conference after police had blocked the entrance, told journalists that Mr Kir was “using the police as a private militia to prevent… Europeans from taking part freely”.Organisers said Mr Zemmour was not allowed into the venue and that his address would be postponed.Former UK Home Secretary Suella Braverman and far-right French politician Eric Zemmour were listed as keynote speakers. The National Conservatism Conference reportedly started around 08:00 (06:00 GMT) on Tuesday and carried on for three hours until police showed up and asked the organisers to make attendees leave.Later, organisers wrote on X: “The police are not letting anyone in. People can leave, but they cannot return. Delegates have limited access to food and water, which are being prevented from delivery. Is this what city mayor Emir Kir is aiming for?”Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban and the former Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki were due to speak tomorrow. Earlier, the organisers said on X that they would challenge the order to shut the conference down. “The police entered the venue on our invitation, saw the proceedings and the press corps, and quickly withdrew. Is it possible they witnessed how peaceful the event is?,” they wrote on X.The Claridge event space – located near Brussels’s European Quarter – can host up to 850 people. Around 250 people were in attendance on Tuesday afternoon.Mohamed Nemri, the owner of Claridge, told the BBC he had decided to host the event because “we don’t reject any party…. even if we don’t have the same opinion. That’s normal”.”I am Muslim and people have different opinion and that’s it. We are living in a freedom country. I’d like to people to talk freely,” he added.It is the third venue that was supposed to hold the event, after the previous two fell through. Belgian media reported that one venue pulled out after pressure by a group called the “Antifascist coordination of Belgium”.Related TopicsBelgiumTop StoriesMuslim student loses school prayer ban challengePublished43 minutes agoBowen: Iran’s attack on Israel offers Netanyahu a lifelinePublished5 hours agoLive. US expects to impose further sanctions on Iran ‘in the coming days’FeaturesJeremy Bowen: Iran’s attack on Israel offers Netanyahu a lifelineIranians on edge as leaders say ‘Tel Aviv is our battleground’A really, really big election with nearly a billion votersWhat is the smoking ban and how will it work?Martin Tyler: I nearly lost my voice foreverWho are the millions of Britons not working?How to register to vote for the local elections ahead of midnight deadlineMeteorite ‘repeatedly transformed’ on space journeyHow the Alec Baldwin fatal film set shooting unfoldedElsewhere on the BBCFrom weight loss to prolonging lifeIs intermittent fasting actually good for you? James Gallagher investigatesAttributionSoundsCould Nina shake up the unspoken rules of modern dating?Brand new comedy about love, friendship and being your own selfAttributioniPlayerWill the UK introduce tough anti-tobacco laws?Under new plans, anyone turning 15 from this year would be banned from buying cigarettesAttributionSoundsCan William Wisting find the truth?The Norwegian detective returns, tackling more grisly cold casesAttributioniPlayerMost Read1Muslim student loses school prayer ban challenge2First product of Meghan’s lifestyle brand revealed3Police told to shut down right-wing Brussels conference4Bowen: Iran’s attack on Israel offers Netanyahu a lifeline5Superdry boss hits back at ‘not cool’ criticism6Historic Copenhagen stock exchange goes up in flames7MPs to vote on smoking ban for those born after 20098Stabbed TV presenter ‘feeling much better’9Sons of McCartney and Lennon release joint single10Baby hurt in Sydney stabbing out of intensive care

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaNasa says part of International Space Station crashed into Florida homePublished40 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, NASAImage caption, The recovered object was part of a stanchion used to mount batteries to a cargo palletBy Max MatzaBBC NewsUS space agency Nasa confirmed that an object that crashed into a home in Florida earlier this month was part of the International Space Station (ISS). The metal object was jettisoned from the orbiting outpost in March 2021, Nasa said on Monday after analysing the sample at the Kennedy Space Center.The 1.6lb (0.7kg) metal object tore through two layers of ceiling after re-entering Earth’s atmosphere. Homeowner Alejandro Otero said his son was nearly injured by the impact. Nasa said the object was part of some 5,800lbs of hardware that was dumped by the station after it had new lithium-ion batteries installed. “The hardware was expected to fully burn up during entry through Earth’s atmosphere on March 8, 2024. However, a piece of hardware survived and impacted a home in Naples, Florida,” the agency said.The debris was determined to be part of a stanchion used to mount batteries on a cargo pallet. The object, made from metal alloy Inconel, has dimensions of 4in by 1.6in (10.1cm by 4cm).Mr Otero told CBS affiliate Wink-TV that the device created a “tremendous sound” as it blasted into his home.”It almost hit my son. He was two rooms over and heard it all,” he said.”I was shaking. I was completely in disbelief. What are the chances of something landing on my house with such force to cause so much damage,” Mr Otero continued.”I’m super grateful that nobody got hurt.”According to Nasa, the ISS will “perform a detailed investigation” on how the debris survived burn-up.What’s the risk of being hit by falling space debris?Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No it’s more space junkSpace junk has been a growing a problem. Earlier this month, sky watchers in California watched mysterious golden streaks moving through the night sky.US officials later determined that the light show was caused by burning debris from a Chinese rocket re-entering earth’s orbit.In February, a Chinese satellite known as “Object K” burned up as it re-entered the atmosphere over Hawaii.Last year, a barnacle-covered giant metal dome found on a Western Australian beach was identified as a component of an Indian rocket. There are plans to display it alongside chunks of Nasa’s Skylab, which crashed in Australia in 1979. This video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.Media caption, Object thought to be a satellite burns up on re-entering Earth’s atmosphereRelated TopicsSpace debrisNasaFloridaUnited StatesMore on this storyIs it a bird? Is it a plane? No it’s more space junkPublished3 AprilRobot dog trains to walk on Moon in Oregon trialsPublished3 days agoTop StoriesMuslim student loses school prayer ban challengePublished50 minutes agoBowen: Iran’s attack on Israel offers Netanyahu a lifelinePublished4 hours agoLive. US expects to impose further sanctions on Iran ‘in the coming days’FeaturesJeremy Bowen: Iran’s attack on Israel offers Netanyahu a lifelineIranians on edge as leaders say ‘Tel Aviv is our battleground’A really, really big election with nearly a billion votersWhat is the smoking ban and how will it work?Martin Tyler: I nearly lost my voice foreverWho are the millions of Britons not working?How to register to vote for the local elections ahead of midnight deadlineMeteorite ‘repeatedly transformed’ on space journeyHow the Alec Baldwin fatal film set shooting unfoldedElsewhere on the BBCFrom weight loss to prolonging lifeIs intermittent fasting actually good for you? James Gallagher investigatesAttributionSoundsCould Nina shake up the unspoken rules of modern dating?Brand new comedy about love, friendship and being your own selfAttributioniPlayerWill the UK introduce tough anti-tobacco laws?Under new plans, anyone turning 15 from this year would be banned from buying cigarettesAttributionSoundsCan William Wisting find the truth?The Norwegian detective returns, tackling more grisly cold casesAttributioniPlayerMost Read1Muslim student loses school prayer ban challenge2First product of Meghan’s lifestyle brand revealed3Police told to shut down right-wing Brussels conference4Bowen: Iran’s attack on Israel offers Netanyahu a lifeline5Superdry boss hits back at ‘not cool’ criticism6Historic Copenhagen stock exchange goes up in flames7MPs to vote on smoking ban for those born after 20098Stabbed TV presenter ‘feeling much better’9Baby hurt in Sydney stabbing out of intensive care10Martin Tyler: I nearly lost my voice forever

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaFormer Marine jailed for nine years for bombing abortion clinicPublished7 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsUS abortion debateImage source, CBSBy Max MatzaBBC NewsA former US Marine has been jailed for nine years for firebombing a California Planned Parenthood clinic and plotting other attacks to spark a “race war”.Chance Brannon, 24, pleaded guilty to the March 2022 attack on the healthcare clinic, which provides abortions in some of its locations.He also plotted to attack Jewish people and an LGBT pride event taking place at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. At the time of his arrest, he was an active duty member of the US Marines. Prosecutors said Brannon was a neo-Nazi who frequently spoke of “cleansing” the US of “particular ethnic groups”. In November, Brannon pleaded guilty to conspiracy, destruction of property, possession of an explosive and intentionally damaging a reproductive health services facility.Kristen Clarke, the assistant attorney general for the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, said the attack “was designed to terrorise patients seeking reproductive healthcare and the people who provide it”.The explosion damaged the front entrance to the clinic in Costa Mesa, Orange County. No one was injured.However, Mehtab Syed, of the FBI’s Los Angeles field office, said Brannon’s “deep-rooted hatred and extremist views… could have killed innocent people”. Mr Syed added that Brannon plotted to rob Jewish residents in the Hollywood Hills, and had also discussed plans to attack the power grid. Further to this, in 2022, Mr Syed said Brannon, of San Juan Capistrano, placed calls to two US “adversaries” hoping to offer himself as a “mole” providing US intelligence.Two co-defendants, Tibet Ergul and Xavier Batten, have pleaded guilty to similar charges and will be sentenced next month.According to the National Abortion Federation, a group representing US abortion providers, there was a “sharp increase” in violence against clinics in 2022. Related TopicsAbortionUS abortion debateUnited StatesCaliforniaMore on this storyWhat is Planned Parenthood?Published25 September 2015Top StoriesMuslim student loses school prayer ban challengePublished53 minutes agoBowen: Iran’s attack on Israel offers Netanyahu a lifelinePublished3 hours agoLive. Israel demands sanctions on Iranian missile projectFeaturesJeremy Bowen: Iran’s attack on Israel offers Netanyahu a lifelineIranians on edge as leaders say ‘Tel Aviv is our battleground’A really, really big election with nearly a billion votersWhat is the smoking ban and how will it work?Martin Tyler: I nearly lost my voice foreverWho are the millions of Britons not working?How to register to vote for the local elections ahead of midnight deadlineMeteorite ‘repeatedly transformed’ on space journeyHow the Alec Baldwin fatal film set shooting unfoldedElsewhere on the BBCFrom weight loss to prolonging lifeIs intermittent fasting actually good for you? James Gallagher investigatesAttributionSoundsCould Nina shake up the unspoken rules of modern dating?Brand new comedy about love, friendship and being your own selfAttributioniPlayerWill the UK introduce tough anti-tobacco laws?Under new plans, anyone turning 15 from this year would be banned from buying cigarettesAttributionSoundsCan William Wisting find the truth?The Norwegian detective returns, tackling more grisly cold casesAttributioniPlayerMost Read1Muslim student loses school prayer ban challenge2Police told to shut down right-wing Brussels conference3Superdry boss hits back at ‘not cool’ criticism4First product of Meghan’s lifestyle brand revealed5Bowen: Iran’s attack on Israel offers Netanyahu a lifeline6Historic Copenhagen stock exchange goes up in flames7MPs to vote on smoking ban for those born after 20098Stabbed TV presenter ‘feeling much better’9William to return to duties after Kate diagnosis10Baby hurt in Sydney stabbing out of intensive care