BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityCultureMeghan Markle: ‘We’ve forgotten our humanity’ on social mediaPublished7 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingThis video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.Media caption, WATCH: “The bulk of the bullying and abuse I was experiencing… was when I was pregnant”By Leisha Chi-SantorelliBBC News CultureThe Duchess of Sussex has criticised the “seemingly endless toxicity” of social media, revealing she was targeted with “bullying and abuse” while pregnant with Archie and Lilibet.Meghan was the keynote speaker on a high-profile panel marking International Women’s Day at the annual SXSW festival in Austin, Texas.She said she now keeps her distance from such comments for her wellbeing.Prince Harry was in the front row of the audience watching the event. Meghan said people have “forgotten our humanity” in certain parts of the media and digital sphere.”The bulk of the bullying and abuse that I was experiencing on social media and online was when I was pregnant with Archie and with Lili”, she explained.”You just think about that and really wrap your head around why people would be so hateful – it is not catty, it is cruel.”The event was titled Breaking Barriers, Shaping Narratives: How Women Lead On And Off The Screen.The 42-year-old former Suits actress also discussed issues ranging from the importance of diverse representation to portrayals of motherhood in film and entertainment.Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Panellists from left to right: Journalist Errin Haines, Meghan, former news anchor Katie Couric, actress Brooke Shields and sociologist Nancy Wang YuenMeghan said she found it “disturbing” that women were “spewing” hatred at each other online, adding: “I cannot make sense of that.””If you’re reading something terrible about a woman, why are you sharing it with your friends?” she asked. “If it was your friend, or your mum or your daughter, you wouldn’t do it.”I think that is the piece that is so lost right now (with) what is happening in the digital space and in certain sections of the media – we have forgotten about our humanity and that has got to change.”At fellow panellist Katie Couric’s urging, Meghan also re-shared how a letter she sent aged 11 to consumer goods giant Procter & Gamble led to a sexist advert promoting dishwashing liquid being changed.Meghan said that experience showed her the power of speaking up and advocacy. “Your voice is not small, it just needs to be heard,” she told a live audience.Actress Brooke Shields, also on the panel. joked: “This is one of the ways we’re different, when I was 11 I was playing a prostitute,” referring to her background as a child actor and role in 1978 film Pretty Baby.Rare appearancesThe SXSW keynote panel event was also simultaneously streamed on YouTube, with most of the comments about Meghan being overwhelmingly positive.The Duke of Sussex and Meghan have come under heavy criticism, particularly in the UK tabloid press, after they stepped back from the Royal Family. Scrutiny of the couple intensified following a revealing interview on Oprah and a Netflix documentary.The couple’s public appearances have been less frequent since they moved to California and set up the Archewell Foundation. Meghan was last in England in September 2022.Image source, ReutersImage caption, Prince Harry in the audience at the eventThere has been significant online speculation about a possible return to the UK to mark the 10-year anniversary of the Invictus Games – set up in 2014 by Prince Harry.Meghan’s latest appearance comes during a difficult period for the Royal Family as the King undergoes cancer treatment and the Princess of Wales recovers from abdominal surgery in the UK.They have been put further under the microscope by the appearance of Kate Middleton’s maternal uncle, Gary Goldsmith on Celebrity Big Brother.Goldsmith has criticised Meghan on the ITV reality show and reportedly claimed that Prince William has offered an olive branch to his brother.On Friday evening, he became the first housemate evicted from Celebrity Big Brother on ITV.Speaking after his eviction, Goldsmith backed the one-time Dragons’ Den contestant Levi Roots to win, adding that his niece would “100%” support his choice.”[Roots] is somebody who puts other people first and that’s our Kate,” he said.Earlier, Prince Harry’s memoir Spare was shortlisted for the British Book Awards in two categories.Related TopicsSocial mediaMeghan, Duchess of SussexMore on this storyWhy did Harry and Meghan leave the Royal Family?Published28 FebruaryKing’s cancer may bring family closer, says HarryPublished16 FebruaryBob Marley fans Harry and Meghan attend film launchPublished24 JanuaryProfile: Duchess of SussexPublished6 June 2021Top StoriesGaza aid ship expected to set sail from CyprusPublished55 minutes agoFertility clinic licence suspended over concernsPublished6 hours agoFaisal Islam: The Budget was more radical than it lookedPublished6 hours agoFeaturesThe Papers: ‘Camilla to the rescue’ and ‘Budget falls flat’On patrol with the anti-social behaviour squadFF7 actress’s nervous wait for fan reactionsDid State of the Union change how voters see Biden?Why mass abductions have returned to haunt NigeriaWest Bank violence: ‘My child’s destiny was to get killed’Singing, sculpture and a sprint: Photos of the weekWhy does International Women’s Day matter?Weekly quiz: Which billionaire hired Rihanna to celebrate a wedding?Elsewhere on the BBCSeven times cruises have caused commotionFrom the largest ship to disasters on deck…AttributioniPlayerThe mystery of a devastating helicopter crash…A weekend away for those leading the intelligence war in Northern Ireland turns to disasterAttributioniPlayerThe untold story of the first moon landingIt was a journey that changed the way we think about our place in the universeAttributioniPlayerParkinson meets the greatest names in entertainmentHe’s joined by guests Michael Palin, Kate Adie and Ricky GervaisAttributioniPlayerMost Read1’Camilla to the rescue’ and ‘Budget falls flat’2I was cyberbullied while pregnant, says Meghan3Destructive Joshua knocks out Ngannou in second roundAttributionSport4University of Cambridge painting damaged by group5The Brit up for three visual effects Oscars6Fertility clinic licence suspended over concerns7New ‘national stadium’ task force unveiled8Police investigate ‘care of dead’ at funeral homes9Boy, 11, found driving BMW towing caravan on M110Five killed in Gaza aid drop parachute failure – reports

[ad_1] The Duchess of Sussex criticises the “seemingly endless toxicity” of social media while speaking at a festival.

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaJavier Milei: Argentines wait for ‘crazy’ president’s shock therapy to workPublished23 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Javier Milei wielded a chainsaw at one of his campaign rallies to symbolise his plans to slash public spendingBy Ione WellsSouth America correspondent, Buenos AiresThere is one thing that unites those who love and loathe Argentina’s new president – they both describe him as “crazy”.”Most people call him that. I think it’s good,” says 21-year-old Axel Uhrig of Javier Milei, who won the presidential election with 56% of the vote in November.Axel is part of Pibes Libertarios (libertarian lads) – a self-described “militant” group whose battleground is social media.They stick posters around Buenos Aires at night with QR codes linking to videos in support of President Milei’s policies.The new president is trying to get a package of reforms approved to shrink the state, but is struggling to get it through Congress, where he does not have a majority.Mr Milei may have won the election, but the Pibes Libertarios still feel they are fighting a battle for his sweeping reforms to privatise companies and cut regulations to be made into law.Image caption, The Pibes Libertarios support the president’s radical reforms and libertarian ideologyAfter a series of Argentine governments introduced widespread nationalisation, welfare benefits, subsidised prices, and powerful labour laws and unions, Axel feels Mr Milei gave those on the right an “identity” – a libertarian identity.He is keen to stress this is different from “liberals” in the West who are “progressive” and instead captures those who support “freedom from the state”.Axel is glad that the president was “crazy enough” to defy the status quo with a different approach to the economy.He adds he “saw no future in this place” before Mr Milei was elected and says his two best friends left Argentina seeking a better life in the US and Spain – a trend that is widely commented on here.Shock measuresMr Milei’s radically different approach to the economy is why a lot of people voted for him in a country where for many steep inflation feels like the norm. President Milei blames the country’s skyrocketing inflation on years of high government spending, high debt, and money-printing to service it.He argues “shock” measures are needed to tackle it.Image source, ReutersImage caption, The government argues inflation will get worse before it gets betterHe has already slashed the value of the currency, public spending and subsidies for transport, fuel and energy.These measures have in turn driven up prices.New figures published this week showed annual inflation in Argentina had hit more than 250%, making it the highest rate in the world.The monthly figure jumped to 25.5% in December after he came to power, though has since fallen to 20.6%.Mr Milei told the television station La Nación + the figure was “horrifying” but “you have to look at where we were.”Short-term pain, long-term gain?Many Argentines relish what they perceive as his honesty, saying they are willing to put up with more pain if it improves the economy in the long term.Adriana Ignaszewski, 33, runs a discount grocery store in the poorer suburb of El Jagüel.She says in the past “no-one gave us an answer” to inflation, but “today we have someone who tells it how it is.”Image caption, Adriana Ignaszewski is updating prices in her grocery store every dayArgentines will wait as long as they need to, she adds.”If it is the last thing we have to go through, let’s go through it.”Adriana likes the president’s focus on getting inflation down to help with the cost of living, instead of support from the government, because price rises affect her business and customers every day.But down the road her sister Silvia, 40, has relied on state support and fears she cannot afford to wait.She lives with their mother and three of her five children in a house comprised of a few small rooms where “the refrigerator is literally empty”.Silvia sews crates of hair accessories to sell at a market and says her sales have dropped by more than 50%.”People can’t buy food, fewer will be able to buy a hair accessory,” she says.Image caption, Silvia says sales of the hair accessories she sews have dropped because of rising pricesShe stresses that fruit and meat are luxuries and says she cannot even afford to buy basic items like milk, rice or bread. She believes the current price spikes Mr Milei’s plans have caused will lead to people going without anything.”The policies they are carrying out will kill the people, the workers,” she says.”He’s crazy.”Even some of those struggling, though, agree with Mr Milei’s recent argument to the World Economic Forum in Davos that “the state is not the solution, the state is the problem itself.”They don’t want support from the government, they think it is the cause of people’s woes.Cristina, a pensioner who sells old clothes for extra money at the barter market with Silvia, says she cannot afford her rent and living costs on her pension and blames former governments for making people accustomed to receive state support.”They got used to the benefits. Many prefer to steal or be at home and collect benefits without working. The government cannot be there for everything.”Lorena Giorgio, chief economist at the economic analysis centre, Equilibria, says Mr Milei has done good work in explaining to people why changes are needed.Image caption, Economist Lorena Giorgio thinks many Argentines are waiting to see if things improveBut, Ms Giorgio adds, “The problem is that Milei told them that the political sector and the richest were the ones who were going to pay.”This is not happening.”She predicts people may be willing to wait while things get tougher for six or seven months.But she argues that if inflation remains high, and salaries and pensions do not keep up, there could be “social problems” by Christmas.In the past, economic crises here have led to riots, protests and even the toppling of presidents.Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Riot police guard the Argentine Congress during protests in Buenos Aires in JanuaryWith people like Silvia, the woman selling hair accessories, wondering how long they can wait, I asked Mr Milei’s spokesman, Manuel Adorni, when people would be able to judge whether the president’s measures were working.He would not commit to a timeframe but said that in a “short period” the government would begin to “show results in this fight against inflation”.Argentina for many years “swept the garbage under the carpet,” he added, “and we have decided to remove the garbage and always tell the truth.”President Milei’s popularity in part stems from the intense anger, especially from the young, about the country’s economic crisis, and what they perceive as his honesty about that.He has hinged his reputation on curing that by cutting the state, though he is already blaming opposition politicians – whom he calls la casta, the caste – for not letting him cut as much as he wants to.Image source, ReutersImage caption, Prices in Argentina rose by more than 200% last yearHis public support is likely to be defined by how quickly he can show results, when state support is being reduced and some already feel at their limit.At a supermarket where the price of meat has gone up 30% in two months, a woman, Anabela Acuña, break down in tears when asked how life is for her right now.”It’s very, very difficult. I have three jobs and I can’t make ends meet,” she says.”Many people are on the street. That breaks my heart.”All very crazy, very crazy.”Related TopicsArgentinaArgentina economyMore on this story’We’re the country of beef, but we can only afford chicken’Published30 JanuaryMilei’s radical proposals face test of reality in ArgentinaPublished26 November 2023Record inflation: Five ways Argentines try to copePublished17 May 2023Top StoriesLive. Labour overturn big Tory majorities in by-election winsLabour scores double by-election victory over ToriesPublished23 minutes agoParents of Brianna and Molly join forces to combat online harmPublished8 hours agoFeaturesThe Papers: ‘Britain’s recession slide’ and caution on staff rights Will TikTok help take Saltburn from bathtubs to Baftas?Trump faces a $370m fine. How would he pay it?The brewing secrets behind tastier no-alcohol beerMillions of donkeys killed each year to make medicineWeekly quiz: Who could join Sinead in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame?Methane mega-leak exposed in Kazakhstan’Beyoncé can open UK country music floodgates’Parents of Brianna and Molly join forces to combat online harmElsewhere on the BBCThe biggest stories as you’ve never heard them beforeThe Asylum Seeker of Dibley, Rebel Without a Policy, and a nod to Steve WrightAttributionSoundsDouble lives, mental trickery, manipulation and loveVicky Pattison explores the story of a woman who was the target of an online fraudsterAttributionSoundsTime to turn your ‘side hustle’ into a full time job?Deborah Meaden talks about the positives and pitfalls of running your own businessAttributionSoundsThe powerful emotional impact of Pink Floyd’s musicShine On You Crazy Diamond has helped people through their hardest timesAttributionSoundsMost Read1’Britain’s recession slide’ and caution on staff rights2Methane mega-leak exposed in Kazakhstan3BBC cuts Apprentice contestant from spin-off show4Chalamet and Zendaya fever hits Dune 2 premiere5McCann suspect in German trial for unrelated rape6Parents of Brianna and Molly join forces to combat online harm7Get back! Paul McCartney reunited with stolen bass8Two boys, 15, arrested over fatal Bristol stabbing9Robert Hur to testify before House Republicans10The KGB spy who rubbed shoulders with French elites for decades

[ad_1] The new president’s radical measures to overhaul the economy are loved by some, loathed by others.

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaUkraine Russia war: US warns Avdiivka could fallPublished3 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsWar in UkraineThis video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.Media caption, “I will die here”: Evacuation “angels” help front-line town’s last residents fleeBy Jaroslav LukivBBC NewsThe US has warned that Russia could seize Ukraine’s key eastern town of Avdiivka – the scene of some of the fiercest fighting in recent months. “Avdiivka is at risk of falling into Russian control,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said, citing Ukraine’s ammunition shortages. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky vowed to do everything to “save as many Ukrainian lives as possible”.Russian troops have made gains in Avdiivka, threatening to encircle it.The town – which has been almost completely destroyed – is seen as a gateway to nearby Donetsk, the regional Ukrainian capital seized by Russian-backed fighters in 2014 and later illegitimately annexed by Moscow.Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022.Ukraine battles frostbite and shell shortage in ruined town Nothing but rubble: Ukraine’s shattered ghost town AvdiivkaAt Thursday’s briefing in Washington, Mr Kirby said Avdiivka could fall largely “because the Ukrainian forces on the ground are running out of artillery ammunition”.”Russia is sending wave after wave of conscript forces to attack Ukrainian positions,” he said. “And because Congress has yet to pass the supplemental bill, we have not been able to provide Ukraine with the artillery shells that they desperately need to disrupt these Russian assaults.”Russian forces are now reaching Ukrainian trenches in Avdiivka, and they’re beginning to overwhelm Ukrainian defences.”Earlier this week, the US Senate approved a $95bn (£75bn) foreign aid package – including $60bn for Ukraine – after months of political wrangling, but it faces an uphill battle in the House of Representatives.Ukraine is critically dependent on weapons supplies from the US and other Western allies to be able to continue fighting Russia – a much bigger military force with an abundance of artillery ammunition.Nato Secretary General Jen Stoltenberg warned on Thursday that the US failure to approve continued military assistance to Ukraine was already having an impact on the battlefield.Image source, ReutersImage caption, Smoke rises over an industrial site in Avdiivka on ThursdayIn his video address late on Thursday, President Zelensky said: “We are doing everything we can to ensure that our warriors have enough managerial and technological capabilities to save as many Ukrainian lives as possible.”On Friday, Mr Zelensky is visiting Berlin and Paris where is expected to sign security pacts with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron.A similar agreement on security co-operation was signed between Ukraine and the UK in January.Late on Thursday, Ukrainian General Oleksandr Tarnavsky admitted that “fierce battles” were taking place “within” Avdiivka.”We value every piece of Ukrainian land, but the highest value and priority for us is the preservation of the life of a Ukrainian soldier,” he said.Earlier in the day, Ukraine’s military spokesman Dmytro Lykhoviy acknowledged that Ukrainian troops in Avdiivka were being forced to “sometimes move to more advantageous positions… in some places leaving positions”.Some Ukrainian soldiers have privately admitted the town could fall at any moment.”We’re upset,” Ukrainian officer Oleksii, from Ukraine’s 110th Mechanised Brigade in the Avdiivka area, told the BBC earlier this week, standing beside a huge mobile artillery piece as Russian guns boomed in the distance.”Currently we have two shells, but we have no [explosive] charges for them… so we can’t fire them. As of now, we have run out of shells,” said Oleksii. He suggested that the shortages were widespread and having a dramatic impact on the fighting in Avdiivka.”We feel a very strong responsibility for our guys fighting right now in the town, armed only with assault rifles.”Ukraine’s newly appointed commander-in-chief, Oleksandr Syrskyi, visited the frontline in the Avdiivka area this week, acknowledging that the situation there was “difficult”.He said the Russian military did not “count losses”, using its troops as cannon fodder.Kyiv says an elite Ukrainian brigade has now been sent to Avdiivka and reserve artillery has been deployed.In unverified reports, Russian military bloggers said on Thursday that a key Ukrainian defence position in southern Avdiivka – known as Zenit – was now under Moscow’s control.Related TopicsWar in UkraineRussiaUkraineMore on this storyUkraine battles frostbite and shell shortage in ruined townPublished15 hours agoNothing but rubble: Ukraine’s shattered ghost town AvdiivkaPublished30 JanuaryFull cemeteries and empty homes: Ukrainians struggle to endurePublished1 day agoThe Ukrainians ‘disappearing’ in Russia’s prisonsPublished6 days agoTop StoriesLive. Labour overturn big Tory majorities in thumping by-election winsParents of Brianna and Molly join forces to combat online harmPublished7 hours agoGaza hospital in ‘catastrophic’ state as Israeli troops raidPublished8 hours agoFeaturesWhat we can see in video from Nasser hospital raid. VideoWhat we can see in video from Nasser hospital raidWill TikTok help take Saltburn from bathtubs to Baftas?Trump faces a $370m fine. How would he pay it?The brewing secrets behind tastier no-alcohol beerMillions of donkeys killed each year to make medicineWeekly quiz: Who could join Sinead in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame?Methane mega-leak exposed in KazakhstanParents of Brianna and Molly join forces to combat online harm’Beyoncé can open UK country music floodgates’Elsewhere on the BBCThe biggest stories as you’ve never heard them beforeThe Asylum Seeker of Dibley, Rebel Without a Policy, and a nod to Steve WrightAttributionSoundsDouble lives, mental trickery, manipulation and loveVicky Pattison explores the story of a woman who was the target of an online fraudsterAttributionSoundsTime to turn your ‘side hustle’ into a full time job?Deborah Meaden talks about the positives and pitfalls of running your own businessAttributionSoundsThe powerful emotional impact of Pink Floyd’s musicShine On You Crazy Diamond has helped people through their hardest timesAttributionSoundsMost Read1Methane mega-leak exposed in Kazakhstan2BBC cuts Apprentice contestant from spin-off show3Chalamet and Zendaya fever hits Dune 2 premiere4Get back! Paul McCartney reunited with stolen bass5Parents of Brianna and Molly join forces to combat online harm6Two boys, 15, arrested over fatal Bristol stabbing7McCann suspect in German trial for unrelated rape8Trump faces a $370m fine. How would he pay it?9Millions of donkeys killed each year to make medicine10The KGB spy who rubbed shoulders with French elites for decades

[ad_1] The US and Ukraine admit Ukrainian troops are running out of ammunition in the eastern town of Avdiivka.

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaRobert Hur: Biden special counsel to testify before House RepublicansPublished43 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, In his report, Robert Hur said president Joe Biden’s recall of certain events is “extremely limited”By Nadine YousifBBC NewsSpecial Counsel Robert Hur, who was tasked with probing president Joe Biden’s handling of classified documents, is set to testify before Congress in March. US media reported that Mr Hur will testify before the Republican-led House Judiciary Committee on March 12.The news follows Mr Hur’s report in which he raised questions about the president’s memory and mental fitness.The 345-page report provoked a strong reaction from Mr Biden.”I know what the hell I’m doing. I’ve been president and I put this country back on its feet. I don’t need his recommendation,” the president said last week. House Republicans have indicated that they intend to ask Mr Hur about his comments on the president’s memory.They have also asked him to turn over recordings and transcripts of his interviews with Mr Biden, which he made during his year-long investigation. The report, which was published by the US Justice Department last week, said that Mr Biden would not face any criminal charges over “willfully” retaining and disclosing classified materials as a private citizen. The bombshell aspect of the report centred on one of the reasons Mr Hur gave for not prosecuting the 81-year-old president: Mr Biden’s memory. The special counsel wrote that Mr Biden would likely be viewed as a “well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory” by a jury, not as an individual who had committed a crime.That characterisation – one of the biggest issues facing his re-election campaign – did not sit well with Mr Biden, his allies, or his attorneys.A letter sent by White House Counsel Ed Siskel to Attorney General Merrick Garland prior to the release of Mr Hur’s report accused the special counsel of “openly, obviously, and blatantly” violating the Justice Department’s own policies by making comments about Mr Biden’s mental capacity, according to reports by Politico and the New York Times. “The Special Counsel can certainly and properly note that the President lacked memory of a specific fact or series of events,” wrote Mr Siskel in the letter, which was penned on 7 February but first reported on Thursday. “But his report goes further to include allegations that the President has a failing memory in a general sense, an allegation that has no law enforcement purpose.”The White House did not respond to a request for comment.Mr Hur’s report was penned after a year-long inquiry into Mr Biden’s handling of classified documents from his time as vice-president, which included interviews with the president. In it, the special counsel concluded that Mr Biden, 81, had “wilfully” retained classified files after leaving the vice-presidency in 2017. He then emphasised he would struggle to secure a conviction because of Mr Biden’s age, mental fitness, and demeanour.At times, he used specific moments that Mr Biden and his allies said were deeply personal.In one passage, he provided a pointed example of the president’s memory, writing that Mr Biden did not remember “even within several years when his son Beau died”.The report has buoyed criticism by some Republicans, who questioned Mr Biden’s mental capabilities and his old age as he vies for a second term in the White House.Meanwhile, Democrats have accused Mr Hur, a Republican who was previously tapped by former president Donald Trump for the role of US attorney for the District of Maryland, of political bias.Following the release of the report, Mr Biden held a surprise news conference in which he forcefully declared: “My memory is fine.””How the hell dare he raise that?” the president added, referring to the claim that he could not remember when his son died.Related TopicsUnited StatesJoe BidenMore on this storyProsecutor faces political glare after Biden reportPublished6 days ago’My memory is fine’ – Biden hits back at special counselPublished6 days agoFive things in the Biden classified documents reportPublished7 days agoTop StoriesLive. Labour secure thumping double by-election winParents of Brianna and Molly join forces to combat online harmPublished6 hours agoGaza hospital in ‘catastrophic’ state as Israeli troops raidPublished7 hours agoFeaturesWhat we can see in video from Nasser hospital raid. VideoWhat we can see in video from Nasser hospital raidWill TikTok help take Saltburn from bathtubs to Baftas?Trump faces a $370m fine. How would he pay it?The brewing secrets behind tastier no-alcohol beerMillions of donkeys killed each year to make medicineWeekly quiz: Who could join Sinead in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame?Methane mega-leak exposed in KazakhstanParents of Brianna and Molly join forces to combat online harm’Beyoncé can open UK country music floodgates’Elsewhere on the BBCThe biggest stories as you’ve never heard them beforeThe Asylum Seeker of Dibley, Rebel Without a Policy, and a nod to Steve WrightAttributionSoundsDouble lives, mental trickery, manipulation and loveVicky Pattison explores the story of a woman who was the target of an online fraudsterAttributionSoundsTime to turn your ‘side hustle’ into a full time job?Deborah Meaden talks about the positives and pitfalls of running your own businessAttributionSoundsThe powerful emotional impact of Pink Floyd’s musicShine On You Crazy Diamond has helped people through their hardest timesAttributionSoundsMost Read1Methane mega-leak exposed in Kazakhstan2BBC cuts Apprentice contestant from spin-off show3Chalamet and Zendaya fever hits Dune 2 premiere4McCann suspect in German trial for unrelated rape5Parents of Brianna and Molly join forces to combat online harm6Get back! Paul McCartney reunited with stolen bass7Two boys, 15, arrested over fatal Bristol stabbing8Millions of donkeys killed each year to make medicine9Trump faces a $370m fine. How would he pay it?10The KGB spy who rubbed shoulders with French elites for decades

[ad_1] In it, the special counsel concluded that Mr Biden, 81, had “wilfully” retained classified files after leaving the vice-presidency in 2017. He then emphasised he would struggle to secure…

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaAnders Breivik: Mass murderer loses lawsuit over prison isolationPublished9 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, ReutersImage caption, Anders Breivik appeared at a court hearing convened in Ringerike prison on MondayBy James GregoryBBC NewsNeo-Nazi Anders Breivik, who killed 77 people in Norway in 2011, has lost his case against the state in a bid to end his years of isolation in prison. Breivik had sued the Norwegian authorities, claiming his conditions were “inhumane” and he was suicidal.But a court ruled on Thursday that Breivik’s sentencing terms were “not a violation of human rights”. Breivik’s lawyer said his client was disappointed with the outcome and would appeal against the latest judgment.He has been held in isolation ever since he killed eight people with a car bomb and shot dead another 69, most of them teenagers, at a summer youth camp on the island of Utoeya on 22 July 2011. He is currently serving a 21-year sentence, the maximum a court in Norway can impose, though it can be extended for as long as he is deemed a threat.His lawyers claimed he had been living in a “completely locked world” and did “not wish to be alive any more”. They had asked the court to lift restrictions on his correspondence with the outside world.But judges at the Oslo District Court on Thursday said the restrictions placed on Breivik’s communications were justified because he remained a danger to society. They ruled that he enjoyed “relatively great freedom” at the facility and had access to many services in his everyday life. “He studies and works on his political projects,” the verdict said.Norway attacks: The victimsNorway mass killer Breivik sues over jail isolationMass murderer Breivik loses rights caseOeystein Storrvi, Breivik’s lawyer, told Reuters: “He has been in isolation for 12 years and easing of his conditions is vital for his wellbeing in the prison.”Breivik cried during his testimony in January, claiming he was sorry for the attack and that his life had become a nightmare that had left him suicidal. But the following day, a psychologist told the court that she did not consider him to be depressed and there was a “low risk” of suicide. Now aged 45, Breivik currently spends his time in a dedicated section of Ringerike prison – located on the shores of the lake that surrounds Utoeya. At the prison, Breivik has access to a training room, kitchen, TV room and a bathroom.Many of those killed on the island were teenagers involved with the Norwegian Labour Party’s youth wing, the AUF. The attacks remain Norway’s worst peacetime atrocity.Breivik has challenged the terms of his sentence before, winning part of his human rights case against the Norwegian state in 2016 before it was overturned the following year.He unsuccessfully applied for parole in 2022, with the court ruling he had not changed and remained a risk to society.Related TopicsNorwayAnders Behring BreivikMore on this storyNorway mass killer Breivik sues over jail isolationPublished8 JanuaryMass murderer Breivik loses rights casePublished1 March 2017Top StoriesLive. Labour wins Kingswood, as count continues in WellingboroughParents of Brianna and Molly join forces to combat online harmPublished5 hours agoGaza hospital in ‘catastrophic’ state as Israeli troops raidPublished6 hours agoFeaturesWhat we can see in video from Nasser hospital raid. VideoWhat we can see in video from Nasser hospital raidWill TikTok help take Saltburn from bathtubs to Baftas?Trump faces a $370m fine. How would he pay it?The brewing secrets behind tastier no-alcohol beerMillions of donkeys killed each year to make medicineWeekly quiz: Who could join Sinead in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame?Methane mega-leak exposed in KazakhstanParents of Brianna and Molly join forces to combat online harm’Beyoncé can open UK country music floodgates’Elsewhere on the BBCHow did a booming computer manufacturer go bust?Commodore computers were huge in the 1980s, so why couldn’t the business adapt and survive?AttributionSoundsThe sound effect that became the ultimate movie in-jokeIt’s used in everything from Toy Story to Reservoir Dogs, but what is the Wilhelm Scream?AttributioniPlayerThe video game that changed the way we playLouise Hidalgo spoke to Nolan Bushnell, one of the creators of PongAttributionSoundsA paranormal conspiracy, rooted in grisly real-life murderDiscover the dark origins of a legend…AttributioniPlayerMost Read1Methane mega-leak exposed in Kazakhstan2BBC cuts Apprentice contestant from spin-off show3Chalamet and Zendaya fever hits Dune 2 premiere4Get back! Paul McCartney reunited with stolen bass5Parents of Brianna and Molly join forces to combat online harm6Trump faces a $370m fine. How would he pay it?7McCann suspect in German trial for unrelated rape8No DNA test after man mixed sperm with father’s9Two boys, 15, arrested over fatal Bristol stabbing10Greece legalises same-sex marriage

[ad_1] Anders Breivik killed eight people with a car bomb in Oslo and shot dead 69 at a youth camp in 2011.

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaDonald Trump’s hush-money trial set to begin in MarchPublished7 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsIndictments of Donald TrumpThis video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.Media caption, Watch: Why Trump will face his first criminal trial in MarchBy Chloe Kim & Kayla EpsteinBBC News, in courtThe first-ever criminal trial of a former US president is set to start next month, with Donald Trump defending himself against allegations of conducting a hush-money cover-up.The 77-year-old appeared in court in New York on Thursday, seeking to have the trial dismissed or delayed.But Judge Juan Merchan was not swayed by arguments that the trial’s timetable would hurt his presidential campaign.Mr Trump called the decision to start the trial on 25 March a “disgrace”.”Obviously I’m running for election again. How can you run for election and be sitting in a courthouse in Manhattan all day long?” he said outside the courtroom after the hearing.Mr Trump’s lawyers had made similar arguments during the pre-trial hearing, but the New York state judge said they were not rooted in law and that he would only delay for legal reasons.Mr Trump is widely expected to become the Republican nominee for president and face President Joe Biden, a Democrat, in an election rematch in November. He must still go through state primaries to secure the nomination.Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has charged the former president with 34 counts of fraud, alleging Mr Trump falsified business records to disguise payments he made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels as legal fees.Ms Daniels said she was paid $130,000 (£103,000) in 2016 to stay quiet about having sex with the then-presidential candidate. Mr Trump denies they ever had an affair. This is one of four criminal cases against the former president.The first step of the New York trial will be putting together a jury of 12 people.Lawyers and the judge discussed on Thursday how to select jurors for the unprecedented case, given Mr Trump’s global fame and the deep political divisions around him. EXPLAINED: What Trump’s first criminal trial could look likeLawyers from both sides will be able to dismiss people from sitting on the jury. Justice Merchan told them that if they plan to strike possible jurors because they are Democrats or Republicans, then they are going to run out of people very quickly.Prosecutors said they want to ask about some of the most controversial parts of the 2020 presidential election in a screening questionnaire for potential jurors, such as if they believe the election was stolen, if they believe in the QAnon conspiracy theory and if they have belonged to far-right militia groups or far-left groups like Antifa.Prosecutors also want to expand a question about which news media a potential juror consumes to include right-wing commentators such as Sean Hannity, Alex Jones and Tucker Carlson.The defence brought up asking jurors if they ever put a political bumper sticker on their car or candidate sign on their lawn.There are also potential questions about whether a juror has read or listened to anything from the prosecution’s expected star witness, Mr Trump’s former lawyer, Michael Cohen, or if they have read Mr Trump’s book The Art of the Deal.The hearing on Thursday coincided with a separate hearing in Georgia, where a judge is weighing up misconduct allegations against prosecutor Fani Willis, Ms Willis is leading an election fraud case against Mr Trump in the state.Related TopicsNew York CityIndictments of Donald TrumpDonald TrumpUS politicsUnited StatesMore on this storyA guide to Trump’s four criminal casesPublished11 hours agoWhat happened between Stormy Daniels and Trump?Published10 hours ago’It is a lie’: Trump prosecutor defends relationshipPublished1 hour agoTop StoriesLive. Labour win in Kingswood, as count continues in WellingboroughParents of Brianna and Molly join forces to combat online harmPublished4 hours agoGaza hospital in ‘catastrophic’ state as Israeli troops raidPublished5 hours agoFeaturesWhat we can see in video from Nasser hospital raid. VideoWhat we can see in video from Nasser hospital raidWill TikTok help take Saltburn from bathtubs to Baftas?Trump faces a $370m fine. How would he pay it?The brewing secrets behind tastier no-alcohol beerMillions of donkeys killed each year to make medicineWeekly quiz: Who could join Sinead in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame?Methane mega-leak exposed in KazakhstanParents of Brianna and Molly join forces to combat online harm’Beyoncé can open UK country music floodgates’Elsewhere on the BBCHow did a booming computer manufacturer go bust?Commodore computers were huge in the 1980s, so why couldn’t the business adapt and survive?AttributionSoundsThe sound effect that became the ultimate movie in-jokeIt’s used in everything from Toy Story to Reservoir Dogs, but what is the Wilhelm Scream?AttributioniPlayerThe video game that changed the way we playLouise Hidalgo spoke to Nolan Bushnell, one of the creators of PongAttributionSoundsA paranormal conspiracy, rooted in grisly real-life murderDiscover the dark origins of a legend…AttributioniPlayerMost Read1BBC cuts Apprentice contestant from spin-off show2Methane mega-leak exposed in Kazakhstan3Chalamet and Zendaya fever hits Dune 2 premiere4No DNA test after man mixed sperm with father’s5Parents of Brianna and Molly join forces to combat online harm6Get back! Paul McCartney reunited with stolen bass7Two boys, 15, arrested over fatal Bristol stabbing8Greece legalises same-sex marriage9McCann suspect in German trial for unrelated rape10Gaza hospital in ‘catastrophic’ state as Israeli troops raid

[ad_1] A New York judge refused to dismiss a hush money case against the former president and set the trial for 25 March.

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaRussia developing ‘troubling’ new anti-satellite weapon, US saysPublished2 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, EPAImage caption, Experts told the BBC that any weapon could cause chaos for the satellite reliant US (file image)By Bernd Debusmann JrBBC News, WashingtonRussia is developing a “troubling” new anti-satellite weapon, the US has said, but it emphasised that Moscow has yet to deploy it. White House spokesperson John Kirby made the comments a day after a senior House Republican issued vague warnings of a “serious national security threat”. The weapon is space-based and armed with a nuclear weapon to target satellites, the BBC’s US partner CBS News reported.But Mr Kirby did not confirm this and refused to offer precise details on the threat on Thursday. Moscow accused the US of using claims of new Russian weapons as a ruse to force Congress to pass additional Ukraine aid by “hook or by crook”. Mr Kirby, who was recently made a top aide to President Joe Biden, told reporters that there is no immediate threat to the US public. “We’re not talking about a weapon that can be used to attack human beings. or cause physical destruction, here on Earth,” he said. President Biden was briefed on the intelligence, Mr Kirby said, and that his administration was taking the development of the weapon “very seriously”. He added that the president had already ordered “direct diplomatic engagement with Russia” over the threat. House Intelligence Committee chairman Mike Turner issued a cryptic warning about a serious national security threat on Wednesday, sparking a flurry of rumours around the capital. On Thursday, Mr Turner and others from the committee met with National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan to discuss the matter further.”We all came away with a very strong impression that the administration is taking this very seriously and that the administration has a plan in place,” Mr Turner said following the meeting. “We look forward to supporting them as they go to implement it.”While space weapons sound ripped from the pages of science fiction novels or films such as Superman II and James Bond’s GoldenEye, military experts have long warned that space is likely to be the next frontier of warfare in an increasingly technology-dependent world. What do we know about the threat? Other than Mr Kirby’s comments, US government officials have yet to publicly reveal any specific details about the threat. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan suggested the silence is intentional, telling reporters on Wednesday that the US must prioritise the “sources and methods” its security agencies used to collect intelligence about the threat. The New York Times, ABC and CBS reported that the threat was related to Russia developing a nuclear-capable weapon that could be used to strike US satellites in space. Mr Kirby told reporters that there is no evidence that the weapon has been deployed, but emphasised that the US is taking the threat “very seriously”. For years, US officials and aerospace experts have warned that Russia and China have been steadily developing military capabilities in space as they seek to catch up to the US. Lawmaker’s cryptic warning of US ‘security threat’Space, the unseen frontier in the war in UkraineA report released by the Washington DC-based Center for Strategic and International Studies last year suggested that Russia is developing a range of anti-satellite (ASAT) weapons, including a missile that was successfully tested against a defunct Soviet-era satellite in November 2021.One of the report’s authors, former top Pentagon intelligence official Kari Bingen, told the BBC that during its war in Ukraine, Russia has already used a variety of other methods – such as cyber attacks and jamming – to hamper satellite communications. “That is already a part of their warfighting doctrine,” she said. Should the public be worried?Senior lawmakers – including House Speaker Mike Johnson – have said that there is no need for public alarm. Mike Turner has also come under some criticism for announcing the threat, with fellow Republican Andy Ogles accusing him of a “reckless disregard” for the “well-being and psyche of the American people”.Experts and former officials, however, have warned that any threat to US satellites could have a far-reaching impact. More so than any of its potential global adversaries, the US military is heavily dependent on satellite communications for everything from surveillance and missile launch detection to navigation at sea and in the air, GPS-guided bombs and battlefield communications. Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, The US military is heavily dependent on satellites for everything from navigation to targeting.”Our military, the way our military fights today and the investment in weapons that we make is all contingent on space capabilities,” added Ms Bingen, who was the second-highest ranking intelligence official in the US department of defence. “Without that, we would be in a pretty tough situation. We could not fight the way we’ve learned to fight over the last 30 or 40 years.”The dependence on satellites is also evident in the civilian world, where satellites are used for a wide range of everyday functions from GPS-enabled ride-hailing services and food delivery to weather forecasting, precision agriculture and financial transactions that rely on satellite-based time signals.”Satellites are integral to our daily lives,” Ms Bingen added. “Americans, and citizens across the globe, rely on space and don’t even really know about it.” Are there any rules about space weapons? The US, Russia and China already have the capability to attack satellites around the world. But, in theory, they cannot use nuclear weapons there. All three are signatories of the Outer Space Treaty of 1967, which forbids countries from sending into orbit “any objects carrying nuclear weapons or any other kinds of weapons of mass destruction”. Mick Mulroy, a former US deputy assistant secretary of defence, said that the treaty provides no guarantee of safety in the current geopolitical climate. “Russia has shown a complete disregard for the treaties it has signed and has shown a willingness to use military force in Ukraine, counter to all international laws and norms,” he said. “They do not keep to their word or stick to their treaty obligations.” Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, The US Space Force formally became a branch of the US military in December 2019.Will space be the new battlefield? Matthew Kroenig, a commissioner on the Congressional Commission on the Strategic Posture of the United States and a former defence and intelligence official during the Bush, Obama and Trump administrations, told the BBC that it is natural that space has become an increasingly important focus of militaries around the world.”Up until this point, humans have kind of been exploring space,” he said. “But we’re now entering a phase where we’re seeing the commercialisation of space, and we’re just at the beginning.”The next phase, he added, will see countries around the globe focus on “securing” space. “We kind of take it for granted that the seas and the skies are free and open for commercial activity,” Mr Kroenig said. “Ideally, that’s where we would want space to be 30 years from now, traveling, doing business, and maybe even living in space,””We need to make sure that’s a safe, secure domain.” Related TopicsRussiaSpaceUnited StatesMore on this storyLawmaker’s cryptic warning of US ‘security threat’Published14 hours agoRussia accused of firing satellite weapon in spacePublished23 July 2020Radars to help UK counter ‘space warfare’ threatPublished2 December 2023Top StoriesLive. Counting under way in key by-elections, Wellingborough and KingswoodParents of Brianna and Molly join forces to combat online harmPublished3 hours agoGaza hospital in ‘catastrophic’ state as Israeli troops raidPublished4 hours agoFeaturesWhat we can see in video from Nasser hospital raid. VideoWhat we can see in video from Nasser hospital raidWas the UK recession inevitable? AudioWas the UK recession inevitable?AttributionSoundsWhat is a recession and how could it affect me?Rafah images show huge blast craters close to campsWhy Putin’s backing for Biden is not what it seemsUkraine battles frostbite and shell shortage in ruined townTribute to black women wins at Rio Carnival paradeFace to face with inmates in El Salvador’s mega-jailIncident Room – Measles Outbreak: Why Now? VideoIncident Room – Measles Outbreak: Why Now?AttributioniPlayerElsewhere on the BBCHow did a booming computer manufacturer go bust?Commodore computers were huge in the 1980s, so why couldn’t the business adapt and survive?AttributionSoundsThe sound effect that became the ultimate movie in-jokeIt’s used in everything from Toy Story to Reservoir Dogs, but what is the Wilhelm Scream?AttributioniPlayerThe video game that changed the way we playLouise Hidalgo spoke to Nolan Bushnell, one of the creators of PongAttributionSoundsA paranormal conspiracy, rooted in grisly real-life murderDiscover the dark origins of a legend…AttributioniPlayerMost Read1BBC cuts Apprentice contestant from spin-off show2Chalamet and Zendaya fever hits Dune 2 premiere3No DNA test after man mixed sperm with father’s4Get back! Paul McCartney reunited with stolen bass5Murder accused watched poisoned couple die – court6Parents of Brianna and Molly join forces to combat online harm7Two boys, 15, arrested over fatal Bristol stabbing8Gaza hospital in ‘catastrophic’ state as Israeli troops raid9Greece legalises same-sex marriage10UK fell into recession after people cut spending

[ad_1] Former officials warn that anti-satellite weapons could cripple US communications and systems.

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaGreece legalises same-sex marriagePublished1 hour agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingThis video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.Media caption, Watch: Cheers in Athens as same-sex marriage becomes lawBy James GregoryBBC NewsGreece has become the first Christian Orthodox-majority country to legalise same-sex marriage.Same-sex couples will now also be legally allowed to adopt children after Thursday’s 176-76 vote in parliament.Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said the new law would “boldly abolish a serious inequality”.But it has divided the country, with fierce resistance led by the powerful Orthodox Church. Its supporters held a protest rally in Athens.Many displayed banners, held crosses, read prayers and sang passages from the Bible in the capital’s Syntagma Square.The head of the Orthodox Church, Archbishop Ieronymos, said the measure would “corrupt the homeland’s social cohesion”.The bill needed a simple majority to pass through the 300-member parliament.Mr Mitsotakis had championed the bill but required the support of opposition parties to get it over the line, with dozens of MPs from his centre-right governing party opposed. “People who have been invisible will finally be made visible around us, and with them, many children will finally find their rightful place,” the prime minister told parliament during a debate ahead of the vote. “The reform makes the lives of several of our fellow citizens better, without taking away anything from the lives of the many.”Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Opponents of the legislature held a protest rally in front of the parliament building in AthensThe vote has been welcomed by LGBTQ organisations in Greece.”This is a historic moment,” Stella Belia, the head of same-sex parents’ group Rainbow Families, told Reuters news agency. “This is a day of joy.” Fifteen of the European Union’s 27 members have already legalised same-sex marriage. It is permitted in 35 countries worldwide.Greece has until now lagged behind some of its European neighbours, largely because of opposition from the Church. It is the first country in south-eastern Europe to have marriage equality.Related TopicsGreeceMarriageLGBTMore on this storyCheers in Athens as same-sex marriage becomes law. Video, 00:00:28Cheers in Athens as same-sex marriage becomes lawPublished2 hours ago0:28Top StoriesLive. Votes being counted in two key by-elections, Wellingborough and KingswoodParents of Brianna and Molly join forces to combat online harmPublished2 hours agoGaza hospital in ‘catastrophic’ state as Israeli troops raidPublished3 hours agoFeaturesWhat we can see in video from Nasser hospital raid. VideoWhat we can see in video from Nasser hospital raidWas the UK recession inevitable? AudioWas the UK recession inevitable?AttributionSoundsWhat is a recession and how could it affect me?Rafah images show huge blast craters close to campsWhy Putin’s backing for Biden is not what it seemsUkraine battles frostbite and shell shortage in ruined townTribute to black women wins at Rio Carnival paradeFace to face with inmates in El Salvador’s mega-jailIncident Room – Measles Outbreak: Why Now? VideoIncident Room – Measles Outbreak: Why Now?AttributioniPlayerElsewhere on the BBCHow did a booming computer manufacturer go bust?Commodore computers were huge in the 1980s, so why couldn’t the business adapt and survive?AttributionSoundsThe sound effect that became the ultimate movie in-jokeIt’s used in everything from Toy Story to Reservoir Dogs, but what is the Wilhelm Scream?AttributioniPlayerThe video game that changed the way we playLouise Hidalgo spoke to Nolan Bushnell, one of the creators of PongAttributionSoundsA paranormal conspiracy, rooted in grisly real-life murderDiscover the dark origins of a legend…AttributioniPlayerMost Read1BBC cuts Apprentice contestant from spin-off show2Chalamet and Zendaya fever hits Dune 2 premiere3Parents of Brianna and Molly join forces to combat online harm4Get back! Paul McCartney reunited with stolen bass5No DNA test after man mixed sperm with father’s6Two boys, 15, arrested over fatal Bristol stabbing7Murder accused watched poisoned couple die – court8Gaza hospital in ‘catastrophic’ state as Israeli troops raid9Greece legalises same-sex marriage10Tributes paid to young farmer who was shot dead

[ad_1] Parliament’s vote for equality in marriage and adoption was opposed by the Greek Orthodox Church.

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaSenegal election delay ruled unlawfulPublished12 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, ReutersImage caption, There have been widespread riots in Senegal following the president’s announcement of the delay to the election, scheduled for later this monthThe decision to postpone this month’s elections in Senegal is against the country’s constitution, the country’s top court has ruled.The Constitutional Court annulled President Macky Sall’s decree and a contentious bill passed by parliament moving the vote to December. Widespread protests have gripped the West African country, once considered a bastion of democracy in the region. Opposition figures said it amounted to an “institutional coup”. Mr Sall had announced he was pushing the election back because of what he claimed were concerns over the eligibility of opposition candidates. Those opposition candidates and lawmakers, who filed a number of legal challenges to last week’s parliamentary bill which approved the decree, will feel vindicated by the court’s decision on Thursday evening. Khalifa Sall, a leading opponent and a former mayor of the capital Dakar, who is not related to the president, had called the delay a “constitutional coup” while Thierno Alassane Sall, another candidate, also no relation, called it “high treason”.The ruling effectively means the election will go ahead – but it is not clear if it will still happen on the original date of 25 February, due to the short timeframe. Related TopicsSenegalTop StoriesParents of Brianna and Molly join forces to combat online harmPublished36 minutes agoGaza hospital in ‘catastrophic’ state as Israeli troops raidPublished1 hour agoGreece legalises same-sex marriagePublished23 minutes agoFeaturesWhat we can see in video from Nasser hospital raid. VideoWhat we can see in video from Nasser hospital raidFaisal Islam: Should we care that the UK is in recession?What is a recession and how could it affect me?Rafah images show huge blast craters close to campsWhy Putin’s backing for Biden is not what it seemsUkraine battles frostbite and shell shortage in ruined townTribute to black women wins at Rio Carnival paradeFace to face with inmates in El Salvador’s mega-jailIncident Room – Measles Outbreak: Why Now? VideoIncident Room – Measles Outbreak: Why Now?AttributioniPlayerElsewhere on the BBCHow did a booming computer manufacturer go bust?Commodore computers were huge in the 1980s, so why couldn’t the business adapt and survive?AttributionSoundsThe sound effect that became the ultimate movie in-jokeIt’s used in everything from Toy Story to Reservoir Dogs, but what is the Wilhelm Scream?AttributioniPlayerThe video game that changed the way we playLouise Hidalgo spoke to Nolan Bushnell, one of the creators of PongAttributionSoundsA paranormal conspiracy, rooted in grisly real-life murderDiscover the dark origins of a legend…AttributioniPlayerMost Read1Greece legalises same-sex marriage2BBC cuts Apprentice contestant from spin-off show3Parents of Brianna and Molly join forces to combat online harm4Chalamet and Zendaya fever hits Dune 2 premiere5Get back! Paul McCartney reunited with stolen bass6Tributes paid to young farmer who was shot dead7No DNA test after man mixed sperm with father’s8Allegations a ‘distraction’ for Red Bull – HornerAttributionSport9Murder accused watched poisoned couple die – court10Gaza hospital in ‘catastrophic’ state as Israeli troops raid

[ad_1] The Constitutional Court annuls President Macky Sall’s decree moving this month’s vote to December.

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaIsrael-Gaza war: Rafah images show huge blast craters close to campsPublished2 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsIsrael-Gaza warBy Jake Horton & Daniele PalumboBBC VerifyNew satellite images reveal large craters in the city of Rafah in southern Gaza following Israeli strikes. Some of the craters are only about 130m (426ft) away from rows of tents, where many people displaced by the war are sheltering.On 12 February, after two hostages were rescued in an Israeli raid, Rafah came under intense aerial bombardment..flourish-container{position:relative;color:#404040;font-family:’Helmet’, ‘Freesans’, ‘Helvetica’, ‘Arial’, sans-serif;font-weight:400;line-height:1.4}.flourish-embed{position:relative} Your device may not support this visualisation In the latest satellite images, taken on 14 February, several craters can be seen near the site of the operation.BBC Verify has analysed a video provided by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) of the rescue and located the operation to a district of Rafah where there are many plastic greenhouses.Several of the greenhouses, as well as other nearby buildings, have been destroyed. The latest satellite images also show how close the strikes were to areas filled with temporary structures housing people who have been forced from their homes.Israel has repeatedly told Palestinians living in north and central Gaza to move south for their own safety – but fighting has now come to these very areas.The IDF say it is targeting Hamas fighters who operate there.Existing tent cities grow and new ones emergeRafah’s population is thought to have increased five-fold in the months following the 7 October Hamas attacks, with 1.5 million people now estimated to be living there.Vast spaces there have been filled with tents, including a main road.From above, you can see that a main highway through Rafah has been clogged with temporary structures and blocked off to traffic..flourish-container{position:relative;color:#404040;font-family:’Helmet’, ‘Freesans’, ‘Helvetica’, ‘Arial’, sans-serif;font-weight:400;line-height:1.4}.flourish-embed{position:relative} Your device may not support this visualisation BBC Verify has also been tracking some other areas where temporary camps have been set up, including the nearby Al-Mawasi area, where tent numbers have grown considerably over the last few weeks..flourish-container{position:relative;color:#404040;font-family:’Helmet’, ‘Freesans’, ‘Helvetica’, ‘Arial’, sans-serif;font-weight:400;line-height:1.4}.flourish-embed{position:relative} Your device may not support this visualisation Al-Mawasi is a narrow strip of land by the Mediterranean Sea near the coast in southern Gaza. Israeli officials instructed people to take shelter in the area in the first two months of the war in Gaza.Before the conflict it largely consisted of sandy dunes and agricultural land, but now temporary structures have increasingly been built along the coast.A large area in the east – once completely empty – is also now filled with tents. .flourish-container{position:relative;color:#404040;font-family:’Helmet’, ‘Freesans’, ‘Helvetica’, ‘Arial’, sans-serif;font-weight:400;line-height:1.4}.flourish-embed{position:relative} Your device may not support this visualisation Al-Mawasi: Gaza humanitarian zone not humane, evacuees sayBBC Verify looks at how Rafah became home to 1.5 million PalestiniansGraphics by Tural Ahmedzade.Related TopicsIsrael-Gaza warTop StoriesGaza hospital in ‘catastrophic’ state as Israeli troops raidPublished35 minutes agoWhat we can see in video from Nasser hospital raid. VideoWhat we can see in video from Nasser hospital raidPublished4 hours agoUK fell into recession after people cut spendingPublished4 hours agoFeaturesFaisal Islam: Should we care that the UK is in recession?What is a recession and how could it affect me?What we can see in video from Nasser hospital raid. VideoWhat we can see in video from Nasser hospital raidRafah images show huge blast craters close to campsWhy Putin’s backing for Biden is not what it seemsUkraine battles frostbite and shell shortage in ruined townTribute to black women wins at Rio Carnival paradeFace to face with inmates in El Salvador’s mega-jailIncident Room – Measles Outbreak: Why Now? VideoIncident Room – Measles Outbreak: Why Now?AttributioniPlayerElsewhere on the BBCHow did a booming computer manufacturer go bust?Commodore computers were huge in the 1980s, so why couldn’t the business adapt and survive?AttributionSoundsThe sound effect that became the ultimate movie in-jokeIt’s used in everything from Toy Story to Reservoir Dogs, but what is the Wilhelm Scream?AttributioniPlayerThe video game that changed the way we playLouise Hidalgo spoke to Nolan Bushnell, one of the creators of PongAttributionSoundsA paranormal conspiracy, rooted in grisly real-life murderDiscover the dark origins of a legend…AttributioniPlayerMost Read1BBC cuts Apprentice contestant from spin-off show2Allegations a ‘distraction’ for Red Bull – HornerAttributionSport3Tributes paid to young farmer who was shot dead4No DNA test after man mixed sperm with father’s5Gaza hospital in ‘catastrophic’ state as Israeli troops raid6Murder accused watched poisoned couple die – court7Chalamet and Zendaya fever hits Dune 2 premiere8Get back! Paul McCartney reunited with stolen bass9UK fell into recession after people cut spending10Trump to face first criminal trial in historic first

[ad_1] BBC Verify has analysed the latest satellite image from the city in southern Gaza.

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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