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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 & CanadaUkraine Russia war: BBC Russian journalist Ilya Barabanov branded ‘foreign agent’Published1 day agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsWar in UkraineImage source, Personal archive/BBCImage caption, Asya Kazantseva and Ilya BarabanovBy Laurence PeterBBC NewsThe Russian justice ministry has labelled two prominent journalists – BBC Russian correspondent Ilya Barabanov and science reporter Asya Kazantseva – as “foreign agents”.Barabanov has written extensively about Russia’s war in Ukraine and the Wagner mercenary group. The BBC condemned the ministry’s move against him.”The BBC strongly rejects the decision,” a BBC statement said.The “foreign agent” label has very negative connotations in Russia.The government has used it to marginalise not only critics of the Russian invasion of Ukraine but also voices challenging other Kremlin policies, including prominent cultural figures, media organisations and civil society groups.One of Russia’s most popular novelists – Boris Akunin – was put on the list in January. He is a long-standing critic of President Vladimir Putin.The term “foreign agent” recalls the Soviet-era campaign against “enemies of the people”. “Foreign agents” have to identify themselves as such on social media and in other publications, and face burdensome financial reporting requirements.Both Barabanov and Kazantseva are now living abroad. Kazantseva signed an open letter from Russian scientists and science journalists demanding that Russian troops withdraw from Ukraine. She left Russia in January, saying she was being harassed by pro-war figures and seeing her lectures and book presentations cancelled.The justice ministry accused Barabanov – now based in Latvia – of “spreading false information” about Russian government decisions and policies, and of opposing the war in Ukraine.The BBC statement condemned the move, stressing that “the BBC has a global reputation as a trusted and independent source of news”.It went on: “BBC News Russian has been a vital source of accurate and impartial news to Russian-speakers for 80 years. We are incredibly proud of all our journalists and our priority right now is to support Ilya and all his colleagues to ensure that all are able to continue their jobs reporting on Russia at such an important time.” Related TopicsWar in UkraineMediaRussiaVladimir PutinMore on this storyRussia designates popular author ‘a foreign agent’Published13 JanuaryRussia labels ex-PM Kasyanov ‘foreign agent’Published25 November 2023Russia labels Nobel winner Muratov ‘foreign agent’Published1 September 2023Top StoriesLive. Israel shoots down 300 Iranian drones and missiles with US help, says IDFIran launches aerial attack on Israel in major escalationPublished1 hour agoSydney police identify knife attacker who killed sixPublished2 hours agoFeaturesBeing blind helps me connect with people, says diplomatThe 276 schoolgirls whose kidnap shocked the world’I felt anger hearing my dad’s experience of racism’The first ladies no longer happy to sacrifice careers for their husbandsThe trafficked war babies looking for their long-lost familiesWorld watches nervously to see what Iran does nextUkraine could face defeat in 2024. Here’s how that might lookDifficult hunt for 12 impartial jurors to sit on historic Trump trialListen: The Liz Truss Memoir. AudioListen: The Liz Truss MemoirAttributionSoundsElsewhere on the BBCWhat went disastrously wrong at Pontins?An investigation into the state of three holiday parks before their sudden closure…AttributioniPlayerA life-changing declutter!Stacey Solomon and her crack team help families transform their homesAttributioniPlayerFound on every continent and in every oceanSir David Attenborough reveals how mammals have conquered the EarthAttributioniPlayerFancy a film tonight?There’s something for everyone on BBC iPlayerAttributioniPlayerMost Read1Sydney police identify knife attacker who killed six2Boy, 7, died from Aids after doctor ignored rules3Iran launches aerial attack on Israel in major escalation4UK jets deployed to shoot down Iran drones – MoD5New ‘Gen Z’ Scrabble: ‘It feels a bit like cheating’6Russian double-tap strikes hit civilians then rescuers too7Iran’s drone ‘swarm’ and Sydney knife ‘rampage’8British theatre gears up for big night at Oliviers9Are Rayner’s troubles a sign of what’s to come for Labour?10What is Israel’s Iron Dome missile system?

[ad_1] A leading science journalist – Asya Kazantseva – also gets the label used to silence Kremlin critics.

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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 & CanadaArizona abortion ban: Kamala Harris blames TrumpPublished13 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsUS abortion debateImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Democrats are working to tie strict abortion bans to Donald TrumpBy Holly Honderichin WashingtonVice-President Kamala Harris lambasted Donald Trump over abortion restrictions as she held a campaign rally in Tucson, Arizona on Friday. The state was pushed to the front of the US abortion battle this week after the state’s Supreme Court upheld a 1864 law banning almost all abortions.”Donald Trump did this,” Ms Harris said.Her remarks added to recent attacks from the Biden campaign tying Mr Trump to abortion bans nationwide.Mr Trump campaigned in 2016 on appointing justices who would overturn Roe v Wade. He put three conservatives on the court, all of whom voted to overturn Roe in June 2022 and rescinded the nationwide right to abortion. An estimated 18 million women of reproductive age now do not have access to the procedure in their state of residence, according to the pro-choice research group the Guttmacher Institute. “We all must understand who is to blame,” Ms Harris said on Friday. “Donald Trump is the architect of this healthcare crisis.” She claimed that “a second Trump term would be even worse… he will sign a national abortion ban.”A spokesman for the Trump campaign denied supporting a national ban, saying he “could not have been more clear. These are decisions for people of each state to make”.Chants of ‘shame’ as Arizona lawmakers spar over abortionTrump backlash spotlights an abortion balancing actArizona’s 160-year-old law has given Ms Harris and her fellow Democrats another chance to focus their 2024 election efforts on abortion, a strategy that has proven effective in local and state races. Abortion access remains broadly popular among the American public.Mr Trump has sought to distance himself from Arizona’s ban, calling on state politicians to repeal the law. Speaking from his West Palm Beach residence on Friday afternoon, Mr Trump said the 1864 law was “going to be changed by the government”. But he also took credit for “breaking” Roe. “We did something that nobody thought was possible, we gave it back to the states, and the states are working very brilliantly,” he said. “It’s working the way it’s supposed to,” he said.Kari Lake, the presumptive Republican nominee for an open Arizona Senate seat and a close ally of Mr Trump, has also publicly renounced the law, and on Thursday called the ban “out of line” with state voters. Ms Lake previously praised the ban, calling it a “great law”. It is still unclear when and how the 1864 ban will be enforced. The Arizona Supreme Court put the ruling on hold for at least 14 days while a lower court considered added arguments about the law’s constitutionality. The state’s Democrat attorney general, Kris Mayes, has said she would not prosecute anyone performing or obtaining abortions. Initial attempts by Democrats to repeal the law in the state legislature were thwarted by senior Republicans. Arizona’s voters may also have a chance to reverse the law themselves with a likely ballot initiative that, if passed in November, would protect abortion rights until 24 weeks of pregnancy. Pro-choice activists in the state say they have already met the signature threshold required to put the question to voters this autumn.This video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.Media caption, Hear from Arizonans on both sides of the abortion debateRelated TopicsAbortionKamala HarrisDonald TrumpUS abortion debateUnited StatesArizonaMore on this storyTrump backlash spotlights an abortion balancing actPublished19 September 2023Florida takes centre stage in US abortion battlePublished3 April19th Century law fires up anti-abortion pushPublished26 MarchTop StoriesLive. Six dead and baby in surgery after multiple stabbings at Sydney mall, police say’I saw him running with the knife’: Witnesses tell of Sydney stabbing horrorPublished50 minutes agoAre Rayner’s troubles a sign of what’s to come for Labour?Published3 hours agoFeaturesThe children living between starvation and deathDifficult hunt for 12 impartial jurors to sit on historic Trump trialFacing disaster – the Forest fans at HillsboroughAttributionSportHow Zendaya perfected ‘method dressing’Sun, smoke and sport: Photos of the weekHow a North Korean missile researcher became a South Korean MPThe migrant story shining a light on Gulf states’ exploitationSuicide is on the rise for young Americans. Why?’I survived the ferry disaster – but lost 17 of my family’Elsewhere on the BBC’She was the right side of cheeky’Dua Lipa makes a surprise visit to her old schoolAttributioniPlayerFrom the largest ship to disasters on deck…A closer look at times when cruise ships have caused commotionAttributioniPlayerThese adorable mice love Sir David AttenboroughThey bond over Planet Earth III and mountains of poo!AttributioniPlayerRobin Williams: from iconic shots to private snapsTen defining pictures throw a unique lens onto an extraordinary lifeAttributioniPlayerMost Read1Why did all the Little Chefs disappear?2’I saw him running with the knife’: Witnesses tell of Sydney stabbing horror3Are Rayner’s troubles a sign of what’s to come for Labour?4How Zendaya perfected ‘method dressing’5The honeytrap mystery is even stranger than we thought6Bates looking at Post Office private prosecutions7Ukraine could face defeat in 2024. Here’s how that might look8’I was told it might be better if my baby died’9Truss thought ‘why me, why now?’ after Queen’s death10BBC Russian journalist branded ‘foreign agent’

[ad_1] Donald Trump has distanced himself from a revived 1864 law that would ban most abortions.

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

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

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityBusinessMarket DataEconomyYour MoneyCompaniesTechnology of BusinessCEO SecretsAI BusinessUS inflation jumps as fuel and housing costs risePublished2 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesBy Natalie ShermanBusiness reporter, New YorkConsumer prices in the US rose faster than expected last month, in a sign that the fight to slow inflation has stalled.Prices rose 3.5% over the 12 months to March, up from 3.2% in February, the US Labor Department said. Higher costs for fuel, housing, dining out and clothing drove the increase.Analysts warned that the lack of progress in curbing price rises will force the US central bank to keep interest rates higher for longer.Higher rates help stabilise prices by making it more expensive to borrow for business expansions and other spending. In theory, that in turn slows the economy, and eases the pressures pushing up prices. The Federal Reserve’s key interest rate is now at the highest level in more than two decades, in the range of 5.25%-5.5%.Forecasters had expected the bank to start lowering borrowing costs this year, reflecting the fact that the inflation rate, which tracks the pace of price rises, has fallen significantly since hitting 9.1% in 2022.But recent economic data, including strong jobs creation figures last week, has raised doubts about how soon those cuts might come.Shares on Wall Street closed lower on Wednesday as investors had been betting that rates could soon be cut.US jobs boom raises doubts about rate cutsAnalysts, who once expected rate cuts as soon as March, have been rapidly revising bets, with many now not expecting any until later this summer and some predicting the bank could wait until next year.What the Fed decides to do is likely to shape decisions by central banks around the world, said Neil Birrell, chief investment officer at Premier Miton Diversified Funds.”The Fed has got some head scratching to do and if other central banks were waiting for the Fed to move, they have got a conundrum on their hands now,” he said. Inflation cooled rapidly over 2023 as pandemic-era supply issues healed and the spike in food and energy prices sparked by the war in Ukraine faded, but it still remains higher than the bank’s 2% target.An uptick in oil prices in recent months has also pushed energy costs higher, while prices for services show little sign of stabilising. The Labor Department said prices had jumped 0.4% from March to February, the same as in February.Higher petrol and housing costs accounted for more than half the increase. Car insurance, medical care and costs for internet also contributed.So-called core inflation, which is seen by economists as a better indicator of future trends because it does not include more volatile food and energy prices, stood at 3.8%, the same as in February. “We shouldn’t overreact to the jump in headline inflation – which was all about energy,” said Brian Coulton, chief economist at Fitch Ratings. But he added: “The details are not at all reassuring for the Fed.”Related TopicsUS economyUS Federal ReserveInflationMore on this storyUS jobs boom raises doubts about rate cutsPublished5 days agoTop StoriesBiden vows ‘ironclad’ support for Israel amid Iran attack fearsPublished2 hours agoMan charged over murder of mum pushing baby in pramPublished3 hours agoPressure grows to rethink rough sleeping clampdownPublished3 hours agoFeaturesThe Papers: ‘Iron clad’ Biden support and ‘radical NHS plan’How gang violence gripped a tourist havenWhat is the minimum salary UK visa applicants need?Arizona pushes abortion to centre stage of 2024Local elections 2024: Is there an election in my area?The billionaire facing death over $44bn bank fraudAll you need to know for tonight’s Bafta Games AwardsThe Indian men traumatised by fighting for RussiaHow AI is helping to prevent future power cutsElsewhere on the BBCA man from 1979 takes on the modern worldSurely things can’t have changed that much? Comedy starring Mike BubbinsAttributioniPlayer’You’ll never meet anybody as miraculous as Sanjeev’Get to know Supermann on Da Beat: a prominent producer, songwriter and promoter of Scottish hip hopAttributioniPlayerFrom the Hubble Telescope to Take ThatRelive the major news and music events of 1990AttributioniPlayerWho are the women that have inspired Courtney Love?The iconic singer-songwriter shares the soundtrack to her life and reflects on her influencesAttributionSoundsMost Read1The billionaire facing death over $44bn bank fraud2Police to relook at Caroline Flack charge decision3US vows support for Israel amid Iran attack fears4’Ironclad’ Biden support and ‘radical NHS plan’5Man charged over murder of mum pushing baby in pram6TV doctor exchanged Botox for sex with patient7Pressure grows over rough sleeping clampdown8Donald Trump says Arizona abortion ban goes too far9First migraine pill could help 170,000 in England10Vennells accused of false statement on postmasters

[ad_1] Inflation was 3.5% in March, a sign that cooling has stalled and interest rate cuts may be delayed.

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BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaIsrael’s Gaza withdrawal hints at what comes nextPublished26 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsIsrael-Gaza warImage source, ReutersImage caption, The pull-out from Khan Younis caught observers by surprise (file photo)By Sebastian UsherBBC News, JerusalemThe Israeli troop withdrawal from Gaza announced on Sunday was greeted with widespread surprise, even as the Israeli army and government have been at pains to stress that it has no great significance.But to a world that has watched the intensity of Israel’s bombardment, the idea that there was now just one brigade left in the entire enclave seemed to signify some major shift in the war.And then there was the timing of the announcement – on the very day that marked the grim milestone of six months since the Hamas-led assault on Israel ignited this latest and bloodiest phase in the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.”Don’t read too much into it,” a spokesperson for the Israeli prime minister’s office told journalists the next day. Avi Hyman stressed how small the distances involved are and that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) would therefore continue to be able to take whatever action it deemed necessary, with or without troops stationed inside Gaza.As if to prove the point – just hours later, the Israeli army said it “eliminated” a senior Hamas operative, Hatem al-Ghamri, in an air strike.Gazans return to scenes of devastation in Khan YounisThe Israeli media has, however, responded very differently. In the widely read and right-wing Israel Hayom, the paper’s diplomatic correspondent Ariel Kahana tied the troop withdrawal to pressure on the Israeli government to agree a ceasefire deal with Hamas in the latest round of talks.”The formal reasons offered by Israeli spokespersons for halting the war were operational in nature, but every intelligent person can see that the timing is hardly coincidental. Ahead of critical talks, the Israeli capitulation was designed – without saying so explicitly – to signal to Hamas that Israel was being very forthcoming with it from its perspective.”Ben Caspit in the more centrist Maariv newspaper was even more forceful in his interpretation of the move. “If you were to ask Netanyahu (and he was asked), this was done to prepare for the promised operation in Rafah… There is a second explanation, one that has been reported all over the world in every possible language. By that account, the 98th Division’s withdrawal from Khan Yunis is linked to talks for a hostage deal. “Serious media outlets around the world have reported that the conversation between President Biden and Prime Minister Netanyahu was dramatic. Biden led Netanyahu to understand that he wasn’t a pace away from victory, but a pace away from the final destruction of the alliance between Israel and the United States.”In public at least, Mr Netanyahu has continued to ratchet up the rhetoric on Rafah, saying that a date has been set for the operation. His defence minister, Yoav Gallant, has been more nuanced, telling army recruits that now is an “opportune” time to do a deal with Hamas. But he stressed that a ceasefire would not be the end of the war: “There will be difficult decisions and we will be ready to pay the price in order to get the hostages back, and then return to fighting.”The fighting is likely to continue, as Mr Gallant says, but the form it takes may change substantially. With criticism of the way the war has been conducted growing from Israel’s most powerful ally, the US, the drawing down of forces in Gaza seems likely in part to be aimed at showing the Biden administration that Israel is listening to its concerns over civilian casualties and life-threatening aid shortages. An end to bombardments that have reduced cities to rubble, as has been seen in the latest images from Khan Younis, may go some way to restoring the customary whole-hearted support for Israel from Washington.But that will undoubtedly be tested again, if the “future operations” that the Israeli army says troops are being given rest and recuperation to prepare for means a full-scale assault on Rafah where Israel believes Hamas’s remaining military forces are now based, among more than a million displaced Palestinians. Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Much of Khan Yunis has been left in ruins after intense fightingThere may be a belief in the Israeli government and military that a significant number of that population, squeezed into barely functioning shelters, may start moving back to their homes now that the bulk of Israeli troops is gone. But what Palestinians have found on their return to Khan Younis is mass devastation, with many of their homes reduced to rubble. They have described how Gaza’s second city is now unliveable, not even fit for animals, as some have put it. So a major exodus from Rafah, which would make any Israeli operation against Hamas less likely to cause a new catastrophic toll of civilian casualties, may not be on the cards.But the “further operations” may also relate to the conflict on Israel’s northern front with Hezbollah in Lebanon. That confrontation has been steadily escalating since 7 October. And there are fears that it could become far more intense, following the suspected Israeli strike in Damascus that killed several senior commanders in Iran’s powerful Revolutionary Guards last week. Hezbollah is closely allied to Iran and has matched the rhetoric coming from Tehran, vowing revenge. The Israeli army has recently said that it has substantially strengthened its Northern Command. So, this too may have played a part in the troop withdrawal from Gaza.Whatever the true motives were – and they are likely to have involved a number of interlocking factors – it is unlikely that Israel’s military engagement in Gaza is anywhere close to coming to an end, with Hamas fighters already having shown their capacity to regroup in areas that had been subjected to the heaviest onslaught from the IDF.Related TopicsMiddle EastIsrael & the PalestiniansIsrael-Gaza warIsraelPalestinian territoriesTop StoriesMan arrested after woman stabbed pushing pramPublished22 minutes agoLabour vows to fund pledges by tackling tax dodgersPublished1 hour agoLive. Alan Bates giving evidence at Post Office inquiryFeaturesTogether in wonder: North America awed by total solar eclipseThe eclipse at Niagara Falls: ‘Wow! Spectacular’ VideoThe eclipse at Niagara Falls: ‘Wow! Spectacular’The Syria I came back to is not the one I leftHow are the non-dom rules changing?Israel’s Gaza withdrawal hints at what comes next’Why I rewrote Huckleberry Finn to give slave Jim a voice’Record hot March sparks ‘uncharted territory’ fear’Carrot harvest helped me detect ancient coin hoard’The Papers: Labour’s tax loophole plan, and council ‘fat cats’Elsewhere on the BBCThe huge challenge and risk of climbing EverestRebecca Stephens, the first British woman to reach the summit, explores the global obsessionAttributionSoundsThe Monty Python star’s overlooked radio work…John McCarthy invites Michael Palin to celebrate his career, as heard on BBC radioAttributionSounds’She was the right side of cheeky’Dua Lipa makes a surprise visit to her old schoolAttributioniPlayerHow did the Queen jump out of a helicopter?The writer of the scene for the opening ceremony of the 2012 London Olympic Games reveals allAttributionSoundsMost Read1Man arrested after woman stabbed pushing pram2First ever climate change victory in Europe court3Eclipse seen in Scotland but rest of UK misses out4Labour vows to fund pledges by tackling tax dodgers5Wragg quits Commons job over Westminster honeytrap6David Cameron meets Trump in Florida during US visit7Labour’s tax loophole plan, and council ‘fat cats’8Date for planned Rafah offensive set, Netanyahu says9Living near Sure Start boosted GCSEs – study10Billie Eilish announces eco-friendly album plan

[ad_1] The unexpected pull-out could mark a new phase in the months-long war.

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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 & CanadaLet individual states decide abortion rights, Trump saysPublished25 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsUS abortion debateImage source, Getty ImagesBy James FitzGerald & Sam CabralBBC NewsDonald Trump has said decisions about abortion rights should be left to the states, releasing a statement on the contentious election issue on Monday.Many in his Republican Party had wanted him to back a nationwide ban on abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy.But Mr Trump said policies should be set by individual states – as they have been since the Supreme Court overturned the Roe v Wade decision in 2022.Since then, preserving abortion rights has become a top issue for many voters.Some states have been tightening restrictions on abortion, while others have moved to widen access. President Joe Biden, responding to Mr Trump’s statement, said his rival in November’s election was worried voters would punish him on the issue at the polls.In his video, Mr Trump declared: “My view is now that we have abortion where everybody wanted it from a legal standpoint; the states will determine by vote or legislation, or perhaps both.”Mr Trump also said he was “proudly the person responsible” for the change brought about by the US Supreme Court two years ago, when it overturned the longstanding Roe v Wade decision that a woman’s right to terminate a pregnancy was protected by the US constitution.In 2016, Mr Trump campaigned on appointing justices who would overturn Roe v Wade – and went on to put three conservatives on the court during his presidency.In his statement, he acknowledged this would create a piecemeal situation: “Many states will be different. Many will have a different number of weeks or some will have more conservative than others. But he said it came down to “the will of the people”, adding: “You must follow your heart or in many cases, your religion or your faith.” Mr Trump added that he was in favour of exceptions when rape or incest were involved, or the life of the mother was in danger. Four ways the end of Roe v Wade has changed AmericaFlorida takes centre stage in US abortion battle19th Century law fires up anti-abortion pushHe also reiterated he was in favour of fertility treatments including in-vitro fertilisation (IVF), a reference to the Alabama supreme court ruling that opened a new front in the battle over reproductive rights.The former president also falsely claimed that national Democratic leaders have a “radical” abortion position that includes “execution after birth”.Mr Trump, who is all but certain to be the Republican presidential candidate, acknowledged that the abortion issue has caused major problems for his party in elections held since 2022. Voters angry at the Supreme Court decision have showed up at the polls to support Democratic candidates, as well as ballot measures intended to preserve access to abortion. Democrats have seized on the issue as a way to help re-elect Mr Biden in November.On Monday the president sent out a lengthy response to the Trump statement, saying his rival was “scrambling”.”Having created the chaos of overturning Roe, he’s trying to say, ‘Oh, never mind. Don’t punish me for that. I just want to win,'” Mr Biden wrote.He also alleged that Mr Trump would sign off on a federal abortion ban proposed by congressional Republicans if he returned to the White House.Mr Biden has made universal access to abortion a central campaign issue and pledged that he will work to create a federal law based on the Roe decision.Conservative reaction to Mr Trump’s message was largely negative, with the conservative Susan B Anthony Pro-Life America group saying it was “deeply disappointed”.Some took issue with him not saying at what number of weeks he supports a ban – despite previously signalling support for a 15-week limit – and many also said abortion policy should be set by the federal government.South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, a key Trump ally who has proposed a 15-week abortion ban, said he “respectfully [disagrees]” that abortion should be decided by individual states.”The pro-life movement has always been about the wellbeing of the unborn child – not geography,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter).The head of the Students for Life of America reaffirmed her support for Mr Trump but said the group would keep pushing.”We clearly have some work to do to educate President Trump in the many ways that abortion has been made federal,” Kristan Hawkins wrote on X.While conservative states have moved to limit abortion access over the last two years, other states have passed laws to enshrine abortion rights in law. Last week, Florida became the latest state to chart its own course – setting up perhaps the highest-stakes political showdown on the issue so far. First, the state’s supreme court upheld the state’s right to prohibit abortion, giving the green light for a six-week ban to take effect on 1 May. This amounts to a near-total ban, given that many women do not realise they are pregnant at six weeks.But the court is also allowing Floridians to vote in November on whether abortion rights should be protected in the state constitution.Mr Trump, who resides in Florida, won the state in the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections – but the Biden campaign says the abortion debate has made the state “winnable” in November.Related TopicsAbortionFloridaIVFDonald TrumpUS abortion debateMore on this storyFlorida voters to have say on six-week abortion banPublished6 days agoTop StoriesLive. Crowds in Mexico and Texas see partial solar eclipseLive. 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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 & CanadaBrazil Supreme Court judge opens inquiry into MuskImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Elon Musk bought Twitter, now called X, in 2022Mariko OiBusiness reporterPublished2 hours agoA Brazilian Supreme Court judge has opened an inquiry into Elon Musk after the multi-billionaire said he would reactivate accounts on the social media platform X, formerly Twitter, that the judge had ordered to be blocked.Mr Musk posted on the platform, external that the restrictions had been lifted because the court order was unconstitutional.He also called for, external Justice Alexandre de Moraes to “resign or be impeached”.If X fails to comply with the order, it will be fined 100,000 reais ($19,774; £15,670) a day.In his decision, Justice Moraes wrote that Mr Musk had launched a disinformation campaign against the Supreme Court.The platform’s Global Government Affairs team said the company was not allowed to say which accounts were affected.But Mr Musk has since posted, external that “X will publish everything demanded by [Moraes] and how those requests violate Brazilian law”.The profiles are believed to have been linked to far-right movements which posted content related to riots on 8 January last year when thousands of supporters of Brazil’s former President Jair Bolsonaro stormed the country’s Congress, the Supreme Court and the presidential palace.Justice Moraes gained prominence after his decisions to restrict social media platforms in the country. He is also investigating Mr Bolsonaro and his supporters for their roles in an alleged attempted coup d’état.On Saturday, the former president posted a video of a meeting he had with Mr Musk in May 2022.This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on TwitterThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.Skip twitter post by Jair M. BolsonaroAllow Twitter content?This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.Accept and continueThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.End of twitter post by Jair M. BolsonaroHours earlier, Mr Bolsonaro also called on his supporters to gather on 21 April.Meanwhile, Brazil’s communication minister Paulo Pimenta criticised Mr Musk, posting in capital letters that “social networks are not a lawless land”.”We will not allow anyone, regardless of the money and power they have, to affront our homeland,” he added.This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on TwitterThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.Skip twitter post 2 by Paulo PimentaAllow Twitter content?This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.Accept and continueThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.End of twitter post 2 by Paulo PimentaIf X decides to disobey the order, the platform could be blocked temporarily according to Bruna Santos who is the global campaigns manager at non profit organisation Digital Action.”Musk acted to provoke the Brazilian judiciary,” she said. “I think there is a real chance that X might get blocked.”Additional reporting by Mariana Schreiber and Joao Da SilvaRelated TopicsElon MuskInternational BusinessBrazilTwitterTop StoriesUkraine plant drone strike prompts warning of ‘major nuclear accident’Published49 minutes agoBucha’s wounds still raw two years onPublished6 hours agoAbolish the Foreign Office, former top diplomats sayPublished1 hour agoFeaturesThe Papers: ‘Kyiv aid block’ warning and ‘run of a kind’BBC visits ruins of kibbutz Nir Oz, abandoned after Hamas attack. 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[ad_1] A Brazilian Supreme Court judge has opened an inquiry into Elon Musk after the multi-billionaire said he would reactivate accounts on the social media platform X, formerly Twitter, that…

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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 & CanadaChristiania: A Copenhagen hippy commune fights back against drug gangsPublished42 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage caption, Local residents are trying to reclaim Pusher StreetBy Adrienne MurrayCopenhagenFor more than 50 years, the hippy neighbourhood of Christiania has been a haven of counter-culture, in the very heart of the Danish capital Copenhagen.Popular with tourists, it is known for its liberal attitude towards cannabis and the infamous drug market, Pusher Street.However, in recent years organised criminals have increasingly taken over, and growing violence has rattled the community. Residents have now had enough. In a bid to reclaim the street from drug dealers, this Saturday they began physically digging it up, armed with spades and crowbars. There were celebratory claps and cheers of “Christiania”, as locals prised up heavy cobblestones and tossed them into wheelbarrows, one by one. “We’ve been breaking up Pusher Street. It’s closing down today. So it’s a kind of a closing party,” said local Pia Jagger, carrying away a big stone.Now this roughly 100-metre stretch of road has a new sign reading: “Pusher Street is closed today.””In the last five or six years I haven’t been here that much because I have kids and I didn’t feel very safe,” said onlooker Sofie Ostergaard. “Today I brought all three of them, and they’re helping.” Standing beside a rainbow-coloured cargo bike, 40-year resident Hulda Mader told the BBC: “It feels like a historic moment. We’re very happy for it.”A spokeswoman for Christiania’s press group, she said: “We are very tired of people saying Pusher Street is Christiania. It is not.”Though it’s illegal in Denmark, cannabis has been sold openly in Christiania for decades.Image caption, A mural has been painted remembering one person who was shot dead in the areaBut many of the original local dealers have been pushed out, as organised gangs have wrested control. In the last three years, there has been a spate of stabbings and fatal shootings. According to Ms Mader, the community reached a turning point about a year-and-a-half ago. “Two people came in,” she said. “They shot one dead and injured four others. That was absolutely where we said this is enough.””We’re going to dig it up. We’re gonna change all the infrastructure. Then we’re gonna start building other stuff.””For us hash is not the problem, it’s the money in it,” Mette Prag, a representative from the Freetown Christiania Foundation, told reporters. “But the last years with all the violence and all the fighting, we cannot have it in our society. That’s why now this chapter must come to an end.”Among those present on Saturday was Danish Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard. “It is a day that is the beginning of the end, of the very, very deep roots that organised crime gangs have established in this neighbourhood in Copenhagen,” he said.”To safeguard that Christiania will continue to be a vibrant, colourful, creative part of Denmark, it needs to be a place without organised criminal gangs.”Tourists are still welcome to visit Christiania, he added, but not for drugs.Image caption, Cobblestones were dug up by locals during the dayOrdinarily this T-shaped strip is the epicentre of Denmark’s cannabis trade, where so-called pushers hawk weed from behind makeshift stacks of beer crates and plywood market stalls, labelled with names like Green Rocket and Blue Dream. Just three days ago, the BBC counted roughly 20 sellers. Until the late 1990s it was informally tolerated, says Kim Moeller, a professor of criminology at Malmo University. But that ended in the 2000s, as the market grew bigger and more visible. He says about five different gangs now operate, and that has brought more disputes. “If you have a conflict between groups in Copenhagen, they can most likely find each other in Pusher Street where they can shoot at each other,” says Deputy Police Inspector Simon Hansen, who oversees the Copenhagen police force’s operation in Christiania.It is often the people manning these shops who get caught up, he says. “They are sometimes kids. Sometimes people who have some kind of disability, and people who can’t get a job.”Police have repeatedly raided Pusher Street but the dealers have kept coming back.”We clear out the shops 100 times a year”, Mr Hansen said. “That sounds like pushing the same rock up a mountain. But we don’t want the shops to evolve to small houses and sheds.”‘Perfect hippie dream’Found within a kilometre of the Danish parliament, Freetown Christiania was established in 1971 when a bunch of anarchists and hippies squatted inside a vacant military base. They set up an independent commune, with its owns rules and flag. There is no leader and decisions are made by consensus at communal meetings. The Danish state eventually accepted Christiania as a radical “social experiment”, later giving it legal status. Local gallery owner Marios Orozco moved here from the USA in 1981, when he was 19. “I had long hair and found Christiania to be the perfect hippie dream,” he told the BBC.”You can imagine a village filled with people that didn’t fit into society. There were bikers, hippies and nudists running around. It was sort of a chaotic piece of heaven.”Today 1,000 residents, including 250 children, live in the graffiti-covered barracks and wooden cottages along Copenhagen’s historic ramparts. With music venues, vegetarian cafes and souvenir shops, it’s also one of the country’s top tourist destinations. Christiania has often been at loggerheads with the authorities, and for a long time it resisted efforts to shut down Pusher Street. But last August residents agreed it must go. In an extraordinary shift, they collaborated for several months with Copenhagen’s Lord Mayor Sophie Haestorp Andersen, Justice Minister Hummelgaard and police over a new plan.”As a city, we cannot live with [the violence], and the local Christianites have not been able to live with it either, but had been afraid to do something radically about it,” said the mayor. “I told them I would back them up. Now we have a plan and we’re taking the first step.”Image caption, Saturday’s celebrations are not the first time Christianites have tried to kick out the gangsIt’s not the first time Christianites have tried to keep the gangs out. Last August Pusher Street was blockaded with shipping containers and concrete blocks. But the dealers soon returned. And Mr Orozco is among those who are sceptical that Saturday’s initiative will work. “If this does eventually succeed and they manage to disperse [the dealers], they won’t be in one area, there’ll be many areas,” he says. The question of the dealers spilling over into the rest of Copenhagen is something that has often been discussed.”We don’t try to let anyone get the idea that this will kill off the illegal drugs market,” said Mr Hummelgaard. “The police themselves, they assess that they will have an easier job combating the illegal drug trade and crimes related to that, if it’s not all concentrated.”More than five decades after its creation, the commune still survives, though its future faces more uncertainty. Besides shuttering Pusher Street, new plans to revitalise the area include a large social housing development. But others fear it will hurt the commune’s identity. “They want to build 300 apartments,” said Mr Orozco. “It’s going to just destroy the vibe of this place.”New arts spaces, playgrounds and shops are among the ideas for what might eventually replace Pusher Street. “We will reboot the workplaces, the culture places,” said Mette Prag. But also on the cards is potentially a new name for the street. Related TopicsCopenhagenDenmarkMore on this storyWill legalising cannabis unleash chaos in Germany?Published5 days agoArtist took money and ran – now it is payback timePublished18 September 2023Top StoriesThousands of Israelis rally to demand hostage dealPublished1 hour agoPM marks six months of Israel-Gaza war as UK sends Navy ship for aidPublished2 hours agoDozens of UK flights cancelled as Storm Kathleen sweeps inPublished3 hours agoFeaturesThe Papers: ‘Gaza famine’ warning and Corrie ‘budgeting row’Six months on, how close is Israel to eliminating Hamas?’A game of Jenga’: Inside the perilous Baltimore bridge clean-upThe world’s eclipse chasers arrive in North AmericaWhere in the UK can you see Monday’s solar eclipse?Boris Johnson, David Cameron, and the row over arming Israel. 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[ad_1] Today 1,000 residents, including 250 children, live in the graffiti-covered barracks and wooden cottages along Copenhagen’s historic ramparts. With music venues, vegetarian cafes and souvenir shops, it’s also one…