BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityAsiaChinaIndiaMyanmar military loses border town in another big defeatPublished10 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsMyanmar coup Image source, Getty ImagesBy Jonathan HeadSouth East Asia correspondentThe military regime which seized power in Myanmar three years ago has suffered another big defeat, this time on the eastern border with Thailand.Troops had suffered weeks of attacks by ethnic Karen insurgents, allied with other anti-coup forces.Hundreds of troops guarding the vital border town of Myawaddy have now agreed to surrender.Most of Myanmar’s overland trade with Thailand passes through Myawaddy.On Friday, the Karen National Union announced that it had accepted the surrender of a battalion based in the town of Thanganyinaung, about 10km (6.2 miles) west of Myawaddy.It posted a video of its jubilant fighters showing off a substantial arsenal of weapons they had captured.Over the weekend, the Karen forces have been negotiating with the last remaining battalion inside Myawaddy, which has apparently agreed to surrender.This is a serious setback for the military junta, which in recent months has also been driven out of large areas along the Chinese border in Shan State, and in Rakhine State near the border with Bangladesh.Thousands of soldiers have already either been killed, or have surrendered or defected to the opposition, forcing the military to impose conscription on the population to try to make up the losses.Myanmar’s army is losing – and facing fire from a militant monkThe Karen National Union has been fighting for self-rule for the ethnic Karen people since Myanmar’s independence in 1948.However it suffered a series of defeats by government forces in the 1990s, and after 2015 had been part of a national ceasefire.The 2021 coup changed that, with the KNU announcing that the overthrow of the elected government led by Aung San Suu Kyi had invalidated the ceasefire.Because it is relatively close to Yangon, the largest city in Myanmar, and offers the best route to the Thai border, Karen State was a favoured destination for dissidents fleeing the brutal military suppression of protests after the coup.The KNU has helped train many volunteer fighters from the cities, who have joined it in renewed attacks on military positions.The KNU has also been trying to co-ordinate its operations with those of other big insurgent groups like the Karenni Nationalities Defence Force to the north of Karen State, and the Kachin Independence Army in the far north of the country.Myanmar’s military-ruled capital attacked by dronesThe young refusing to become Myanmar’s ‘human shields’The balance of power in Karen State has recently shifted in favour of the opposition, as a powerful militia based on the Thai border, funded by scam centres and which had been backing the military junta, switched sides earlier this year.Overstretched by fighting in so many other parts of Myanmar, the military has also been unable to reinforce its positions in Karen State, and it lost control of the main roads to the border.The junta has responded to these losses by launching more air strikes on the areas now controlled by the insurgents.Thousands of non-combatants have already lost their homes to the conflict in Karen, and many more are now reported to be moving towards the Thai border in anticipation of continued air strikes in the days ahead.Related TopicsMyanmar coup MyanmarAsiaMore on this storyThe young refusing to become Myanmar’s ‘human shields’Published26 FebruaryMyanmar’s army is losing – and facing fire from a militant 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[ad_1] A coalition of opposition forces in Myanmar has taken control of the busiest border crossing into Thailand.

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaRwanda: My return home 30 years after genocidePublished9 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsRwandan genocideImage source, Victoria UwonkundaBy Victoria UwonkundaBBC News, KigaliI left my home in Rwanda, the country of my birth, 30 years ago at the age of 12 – fleeing with my family from the horrors of the 1994 genocide.Growing up in Kenya and Norway and then settling in London, I often wondered what it would be like to go back and see if and how the country and the people had healed.When offered the opportunity to travel there to make a documentary on that very topic, I was excited but also extremely anxious about what I would find – and how I would react.Warning: Some people may find details in this story distressing.I have lived with the emotional scars of these events in the form of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which can be triggered unexpectedly.Like many Rwandans, I lost many family members. In just 100 days, 800,000 people were killed by ethnic Hutu extremists targeting members of the minority Tutsi community, as well as their political opponents, irrespective of their ethnic origin. The mainly Tutsi forces who took power following the genocide were also alleged to have killed thousands of Hutu people in Rwanda in retaliation.Emotions were swirling within me when I landed in the capital, Kigali.The joy of hearing my language Kinyarwanda being spoken all around me. But also the recognition that the last time I was in the city, chaos reigned, with millions of us running for our lives, trying to stay alive.Image caption, Seeing Kigali again brought a mix of emotionsA few of the places I yearned to see during my short trip were my primary school and my last home in Kigali – where I was sitting at the dinner table with relatives on that fateful night of 6 April 1994. This is when we heard that the president’s plane had been shot down – a phone call that turned all our lives upside down.But of all my worries, nothing could beat the sheer sadness that filled me when I could not find my family’s former house. After four attempts, I gave in and called my mum in Norway so she could guide me.Finally standing in front of the closed gate, I choked up remembering the sunny warm afternoons we had sat on the terrace chatting and just being carefree. It also forcefully brought back the turmoil of our leaving – being calmly told to put on three sets of clothes and bundled into the car for a journey none of us could have imagined. Image source, Victoria UwonkundaImage caption, It was the Easter school holidays when the genocide beganI don’t remember any of us speaking or even complaining, despite us children being crammed tight together in the back – and even when hunger hit like I had never known.On the sixth day, we realised no safe place remained in Kigali so we joined the exodus – trying to be as unobtrusive as possible at the roadblocks manned by machete-wielding militia men. It felt like the whole of Kigali, thousands of us – on foot, bikes, cars, trucks – were leaving at the same time. We were heading to our family homestead in Gisenyi, an area near the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo now known as Rubavu district.This time when I did the journey, retracing our path to safety, the traffic flowed smoothly and there were no gunshots or roads lined with people fleeing. This time it was a quiet, sunny, beautiful day. Image caption, The family home in what is now Rubavu district has remained empty since July 1994I found our three-bedroom house, which for some of the three months of the genocide sheltered about 40 people, still standing – despite the fact it has been empty since we left it in July 1994.And I was fortunate enough to meet up with some relatives who survived, including my cousin Augustin, who was 10 years old the last time I saw him in Gisenyi.Hugging him felt like a dream – those you wake up from smiling, your heart full. My favourite memories of him are of us running in the nearby vegetable fields, enjoying what to us felt like an extension to our Easter holidays – unaware of the coming danger.He is now a father of four – but we picked up where we had left off, catching up on our journeys since we became separated after fleeing into DR Congo, then called Zaire. “I fled alone without my parents and went through the countryside, while my parents passed through Gisenyi town to Goma [the city over the border in DR Congo],” he said.Image source, AFPImage caption, Tens of thousands of people crossed the border from Gisenyi to Goma in July 1994I can’t imagine what it must have been like for him, a young boy alone without his parents in what became the vast refugee camp of Kibumba. At least I had my family with me when I fled.Luckily some former neighbours he was with eventually got word to his parents – a time before mobile phones – and they then all remained in Kibumba for two years.”In the first days, life there was very bad. There was a cholera outbreak and people got sick, thousands died from the disease because of poor hygiene and lack of proper diet,” he told me.His story mirrors mine to a point. I remember those first weeks as a refugee in Goma when bodies were piling up on the city’s streets before my family managed to organise more permanent refuge in Kenya. The Documentary: Victoria Uwonkunda retraces her journey to escape Rwanda’s genocide 30 years and meets victims and perpetrators of the violence finding a way to reconcile and forgive.Listen now on BBC SoundsBut back in Rwanda, another young person – 13-year-old Claudette Mukarumanzi – was living through a nightmare of multiple attacks over several days.It is a miracle she survived. She is now 43, has grandchildren and agreed to tell me some of her experiences – along with one of those responsible for her scars.One of the assaults she described happened just a few metres away from where we met in Nyamata, a town in south-eastern Rwanda.This was in the Catholic Church where hundreds of people had gone for refuge but were hunted down and killed, often by people with machetes.”He stood inside the church when he cut me. He was singing when he was slashing me. He cut me in the face and I could feel the blood run down my face.”He ordered me to lie down on my stomach. Then he stabbed me in the back with a spear. I still have those scars today.” As I listened, I was struck by how close in age we were when our worlds imploded. “He stabbed it [the spear] forcefully and left me thinking that the spear had reached the ground,” she continued.Image caption, Claudette Mukarumanzi bears several scars from multiple attacksShe got away after managing to reach behind her to remove the spike lodged deep in her back.Staggering to her neighbour’s house, she thought she would be safe.But the teenager then came face to face with Jean Claude Ntambara, who was then a 26-year-old police officer. “She was hiding in a home whose owner called to us and said there were ‘inyenzi’ there,” Mr Ntambara told me.This term means “cockroach” and was used by the Hutu hardliners and in media broadcasts to describe Tutsi people. “I found her sitting on the bed, already deeply wounded and covered in blood. I shot her on the shoulder to finish her.”We had orders not to spare anyone; I thought I had killed her.”Yet after some time, she did escape from the house and wandered alone until she met someone she knew who tended her wounds.Fully recovering, however, has been much harder – especially given that over the years, she has had to see her attackers on the streets.With wounds this deep – both visible and invisible – how can people move on?Ms Mukarumanzi and Mr Ntambara are among those who have, amazingly, found a way.Image caption, Claudette Mukarumanzi has agreed to forgive her would-be killer Jean Claude NtambaraAs I walked towards them, I was surprised to find them laughing together under the shade of a leafy tree. But their laughter belied how difficult the process has been.When I asked the former police officer if he knew how many people he had killed during the genocide, he silently shook his head.The young man was eventually charged and sentenced to more than 10 years for his role in the massacres. Instead of serving time in prison, he did community service after demonstrating remorse and a willingness to ask for forgiveness. He sought out Ms Mukarumanzi. However, it was only on the seventh time of asking that she agreed to forgive him.”I had to face up to my own actions, recognise the role I played, and not just because of the orders,” he said.Alexandros Lordos, a clinical psychologist who has done field work in Rwanda, says it takes collective healing to initiate personal healing.”The violence was so intimate, where neighbours attacked neighbours and family members attacked family members. So there is a sense of not knowing who can be trusted any more,” he told me.”The ultimate stage of healing is to start forgetting the identity of survivor and perpetrator.” For Ms Mukarumanzi, it has been more about considerations for her own family.”I felt like if I died without forgiving him, the burden could be on my children. If I died and that hatred still lingered, we wouldn’t be building the Rwanda I’d want for my children, it’d be the Rwanda I grew up in.”I cannot pass that on to my children.”Image source, Victoria UwonkundaImage caption, Victoria Uwonkunda pictured with some of her family in Kigali several years before the genocideMany other reconciliation initiatives have been set up. One is a Christian-led project which brings a perpetrator and their victim together via cattle, which are hugely important within Rwandan society.By jointly caring for one cow – and engaging in conversations about reconciliation and forgiveness – they build a better future together and one day hopefully a herd.Rwanda has made strides to unify the country once so divided on ethnic lines – in fact it is illegal to talk about ethnicity.Critics, however, point out the government stomachs little dissent – dissidents are often charged with genocide denial. Certain freedoms are lacking, which could stifle long-term progress, they say.There may still be some way to go to overcome the past, but it is happening – as I witnessed on my trip. It has taken three decades for Rwandans to reach this point of reconciliation.For me to finally return; for Ms Mukarumanzi and Mr Ntambara to live together again as neighbours.For us all to find a place for our collective and individual traumas – a space we can heal, alone and together. The startling realisation for me has been that Rwanda, while it will always hold a piece of my heart, no longer feels like my home. But I have made peace with that on this journey, which has also helped to heal my wounds and allowed me to accept what I have lost.Victoria Uwonkunda is a BBC journalist and presenter of Newsday on the BBC World Service.More on Rwanda’s genocide:Rwanda’s 100 days of slaughterThe radio show which brought children back from the dead’My father, the rapist’: Hidden victims of Rwanda’s genocide’I forgave my husband’s killer – our children married’The genocide orphans still searching for their namesA good man in Rwanda /* sc-component-id: sc-bdVaJa */ .sc-bdVaJa {} .hlroRb{overflow:hidden;display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;background-color:#F2EFEC;-webkit-flex-direction:row-reverse;-ms-flex-direction:row-reverse;flex-direction:row-reverse;-webkit-flex-wrap:wrap;-ms-flex-wrap:wrap;flex-wrap:wrap;box-sizing:border-box;} /* sc-component-id: sc-bwzfXH */ .sc-bwzfXH {} .fWANSt{width:100%;height:100%;object-fit:cover;object-position:50% 50%;position:absolute;background-size:cover;background-position-x:50%;background-position-y:50%;background-image:url(‘https://c.files.bbci.co.uk/assets/175386c5-5b2d-405d-be45-b5bbc8282581’);} /* sc-component-id: sc-htpNat */ .sc-htpNat {} .kUePcj{max-width:743px;width:45%;position:relative;min-height:200px;-webkit-flex:1 1 auto;-ms-flex:1 1 auto;flex:1 1 auto;} /* sc-component-id: sc-bxivhb */ .sc-bxivhb {} .bQGZgI{max-width:100%;position:absolute;bottom:0;left:0;color:#ffffff;background:#000000;opacity:0.7;font-family:Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;padding:5px;word-wrap:break-word;} @media (max-width:599px){.bQGZgI{font-size:12px;line-height:16px;}} @media (min-width:600px) and (max-width:1007px){.bQGZgI{font-size:13px;line-height:16px;}} @media (min-width:1008px){.bQGZgI{font-size:12px;line-height:16px;}} /* sc-component-id: sc-fjdhpX */ .sc-fjdhpX {} .kexypQ{font-family:Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#222222;} @media (max-width:599px){.kexypQ{font-size:16px;line-height:20px;}} @media (min-width:600px) and (max-width:1007px){.kexypQ{font-size:18px;line-height:22px;}} @media (min-width:1008px){.kexypQ{font-size:16px;line-height:20px;}} /* sc-component-id: sc-jzJRlG */ .sc-jzJRlG {} .fsaFRi{list-style:none;padding:0px;margin:0;} /* sc-component-id: sc-cSHVUG */ .sc-cSHVUG {} .dibKIM{max-width:100%;margin-right:20px;} .dibKIM:last-of-type{margin-bottom:8px;} .sc-jzJRlG > .dibKIM{display:inline-block;} .dibKIM > p{margin:0;} /* sc-component-id: sc-kAzzGY */ .sc-kAzzGY {} .UkXjf{font-family:Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-weight:bold;color:#1380A1;display:inline-block;} .UkXjf:first-child{margin-left:0px;margin-right:8px;} .UkXjf:last-child{margin-left:8px;margin-right:0px;} @media (max-width:599px){.UkXjf{font-size:32px;line-height:36px;}} @media (min-width:600px) and (max-width:1007px){.UkXjf{font-size:36px;line-height:40px;}} @media (min-width:1008px){.UkXjf{font-size:32px;line-height:36px;}} /* sc-component-id: sc-kpOJdX */ .sc-kpOJdX {} .iqxmph{display:block;margin-top:15px;font-family:Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;} .iqxmph > strong{font-weight:bold;} @media (max-width:599px){.iqxmph{font-size:15px;line-height:18px;}} @media (min-width:600px) and (max-width:1007px){.iqxmph{font-size:15px;line-height:20px;}} @media (min-width:1008px){.iqxmph{font-size:14px;line-height:18px;}} /* sc-component-id: sc-dxgOiQ */ .sc-dxgOiQ {} .deooVo{font-family:Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#222222;margin:2px 0 0 0;} @media (max-width:599px){.deooVo{font-size:16px;line-height:20px;}} @media (min-width:600px) and (max-width:1007px){.deooVo{font-size:18px;line-height:22px;}} @media (min-width:1008px){.deooVo{font-size:16px;line-height:20px;}} /* sc-component-id: sc-kEYyzF */ .sc-kEYyzF {} .koizFp{width:45%;position:relative;margin:0;padding:15px 20px 25px 10px;word-wrap:break-word;box-sizing:border-box;-webkit-flex:1 1 auto;-ms-flex:1 1 auto;flex:1 1 auto;} /* sc-component-id: sc-kkGfuU */ .sc-kkGfuU {} .gXOHTF{font-family:Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#222222;font-weight:bold;} @media (max-width:599px){.gXOHTF{font-size:20px;line-height:24px;}} @media (min-width:600px) and (max-width:1007px){.gXOHTF{font-size:26px;line-height:30px;}} @media (min-width:1008px){.gXOHTF{font-size:24px;line-height:28px;}} @font-face { font-family: ‘ReithSans’; 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font-weight: bold; } @font-face { font-family: ‘Noto Sans Gurmukhi’; font-display: swap; src: url(https://c.files.bbci.co.uk/graphics/static/media/NotoSansGurmukhi-Regular.ttf) format(“truetype”); } @font-face { font-family: ‘Noto Sans Gurmukhi’; font-display: swap; src: url(https://c.files.bbci.co.uk/graphics/static/media/NotoSansGurmukhi-Bold.ttf) format(“truetype”); font-weight: bold; } @font-face { font-family: ‘Padauk’; font-display: swap; src: url(https://c.files.bbci.co.uk/graphics/static/media/PadaukRegular.ttf) format(“truetype”); } @font-face { font-family: ‘Padauk’; font-display: swap; src: url(https://c.files.bbci.co.uk/graphics/static/media/PadaukBold.ttf) format(“truetype”); font-weight: bold; } @font-face { font-family: ‘Shonar_bangala’; font-display: swap; src: url(https://c.files.bbci.co.uk/graphics/static/media/ShonarRegular.ttf) format(“truetype”); } @font-face { font-family: ‘Shonar_bangala’; font-display: swap; src: url(https://c.files.bbci.co.uk/graphics/static/media/ShonarBold.ttf) format(“truetype”); font-weight: bold; } @font-face { font-family: ‘NotoSansEthiopic’; font-display: swap; src: url(https://c.files.bbci.co.uk/graphics/static/media/NotoSansEthiopic-Regular.ttf) format(“truetype”); } @font-face { font-family: ‘NotoSansEthiopic’; font-display: swap; src: url(https://c.files.bbci.co.uk/graphics/static/media/NotoSansEthiopic-Bold.ttf) format(“truetype”); font-weight: bold; } @font-face { font-family: ‘Mallanna’; font-display: swap; src: url(https://c.files.bbci.co.uk/graphics/static/media/mallanna.ttf) format(“truetype”); } AFPRwanda’s genocide6 April 1994President Habyarimana, a Hutu, killed in plane explosionOver 100 days Hutu extremists kill some 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus4 July 1994 Tutsi-led RPF rebels capture the capital KigaliTwo million Hutus flee to Zaire, now DR Congo, fearing revenge attacks93ringleaders indicted by a UN tribunal12,000community courts try more than 1.2 million suspectsSource: BBC/UNRelated TopicsRwandan genocideRwandaAround the BBCFocus on Africa podcastsAfrica Daily podcastsNews in KinyarwandaTop StoriesIsrael urged to publish full report on aid team deathsPublished11 minutes agoSix months on, how close is Israel to eliminating Hamas?Published1 hour agoWatch: Moment New York landmarks shaken by earthquake. 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[ad_1] BBC presenter Victoria Uwonkunda, who fled Rwanda aged 12, returns to face the past for the first time.

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaEvan Gershkovich: Waiting for her brother, Putin’s ‘bargaining chip’ in Russian jailPublished3 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, National Press ClubImage caption, Danielle Gershkovich’s brother Evan has been detained in a Russian prison for a yearBy Steve RosenbergRussia EditorOne year ago Danielle Gershkovich got a call from her mother. She could hardly believe the news. Her younger brother, Evan, a reporter with the Wall Street Journal, had just been arrested: he was the first US journalist in Russia since the Cold War to be charged with espionage. The maximum possible punishment: 20 years in prison. “It’s been a really difficult year,” Danielle tells me by video call from Washington. “The uncertainty is very hard to deal with.” Writing letters helps. The jailed American journalist has been sending plenty from prison.”The best way to support one another is to keep things light,” Danielle says. “We have a lot of sibling banter back and forth, a lot of teasing with love.”I recently asked him if it’s OK for me see the Dune movie, the sequel. I felt guilty about seeing it, because he can’t. Image source, National Press ClubImage caption, Evan and his sister Danielle stay in contact by writing lettersEvan’s ordeal began one thousand miles from Moscow in the city of Yekaterinburg. On a reporting trip there, he was detained by the FSB, Russia’s domestic security service. The Russian authorities say the American was “caught red-handed” with “classified information”. He, his employer and the US authorities fiercely deny the spying charge.Locked away in a Russian jail, Evan is still managing to surprise his family.”On International Women’s Day he arranged for the women in his life to receive bouquets. We want him to focus on himself and there he was taking care of us. He supports the people in his life. We really miss him.”Since Evan Gershkovich’s arrest, here in Moscow we have had few opportunities to see him. True, he has made several court appearances in the last 12 months. And sometimes the media is allowed in to film him.For no longer than a minute.For us, that is just enough time to get a rough sense of how Evan is holding up. For Evan, it is a chance to spot some familiar faces.Image source, ReutersImage caption, There have been few opportunities to see Evan since he was detained a year agoBut when Evan appeared in court this week no journalists were let in. No explanation was given. Instead, the Moscow City Courthouse filmed and released its own footage of the American journalist as he stood in the courtroom in a glass cage. That video was just six seconds long. At the end of the hearing a judge ruled that Evan Gershkovich must stay in pre-trial detention.”It’s just complete, total and utter nonsense. Evan is not a spy. He’s a journalist,” Emma Tucker, editor-in-chief of the Wall Street Journal, tells me.”Like a lot of reporters a year ago, people were already wary about reporting from Russia. News outlets had begun to withdraw correspondents. They were treading very carefully. So, the arrangement with Evan was that he was based in London and was going in [to Russia] for two or three weeks at a time, and then coming out again.”He’d been writing a lot of interesting reports on the state of the Russian economy in light of the Ukraine war. This was the sort of piece he was doing.”Evan Gershkovich is being kept in Moscow’s Lefortovo jail. Built in Tsarist times, it has held some of Russia’s most high-profile inmates over the years, including political prisoners and dissidents. During the Great Terror of Joseph Stalin, torture and execution were commonplace. Former inmates have spoken of an unnerving sensation of total isolation. “He is managing. He is in good health,” says US ambassador to Russia Lynne Tracy, one of the few people allowed to visit Evan in Lefortovo.”One of the things that has really struck me is how important correspondence has been for him. Corresponding with his family, friends and people he has never met before has really energised him. It gives him focus and something to work for in terms of the day when he gets out.”Image source, National Press ClubImage caption, Evan (pictured with his family) is being held in Moscow’s Lefortovo jailThe US government has designated Evan Gershkovich “wrongfully detained.””The insinuation that he was somehow engaging in some kind of criminal activity is just flat-out false,” insists Ambassador Tracy. “The message is: release him now.”Referring to Evan Gershkovich last month, Vladimir Putin said that he would “like him to go home eventually. I say this sincerely.”But there is a “but”. From the unsubtle hints Moscow’s been dropping, it is clear that the Kremlin wants something – or rather someone – in return. That someone is thought to be FSB security service officer Vadim Krasikov, who is serving a life sentence for murder in Germany.Image caption, US Ambassador to Russia Lynne Tracy is one of the few people who has been given access to Gershkovich in prisonThe Russian authorities barely hide the fact that they see Evan Gershkovich as a bargaining chip. “I think it’s pretty clear that [Evan] was picked up in order to be traded,” believes Emma Tucker.”It’s often referred to as hostage diplomacy, which I absolutely hate because there’s nothing diplomatic about what’s going on. Evan is a hostage. He is a bargaining chip. Putin is holding him as currency. And that is just the brutal reality of it. It makes it very difficult for governments to know how to approach this. Because there’s a lot at stake here, including what might happen in the future.””Russia is stockpiling Americans in its jails in order to be able to trade them at a later date,” says Emma Tucker.And Russia knows that America trades.One example. In December 2022 Washington and Moscow carried out a prisoner exchange, trading US basketball player Brittney Griner, who had been sent to a Russian penal colony for having cannabis oil in her luggage, for convicted Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout. Image source, AFP/ReutersImage caption, Paul Whelan has been held in Russia since 2018 and Alsu Kurmasheva was arrested last OctoberAmong the Americans currently in prison here is former marine Paul Whelan. In 2020 he was convicted of espionage and sentenced to 16 years in a penal colony. As in the case of Evan Gershkovich, US officials have designated Mr Whelan “wrongfully detained”. Last year Alsu Kurmasheva, a journalist with Prague-based Radio Free-Europe-Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), was arrested in Russia. Ms Kurmasheva holds American and Russian passports. She was making a short trip to Russia to visit her ailing mother.She was initially fined for failing to declare her US citizenship. But the accusations grew more serious. She has now been charged with spreading “false information” about the Russian armed forces over a book she helped to edit, which contains criticism of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. If convicted Alsu Kurmasheva could face up to 15 years in prison. Her friends and family maintain the case against her is politically motivated. They are calling on the US authorities to designate her, too, “wrongfully detained”. The ordeal of those behind bars is shared by their families. “To me, this will always be about my brother, getting him home,” Danielle Gershkovich tells me. “He’s an innocent man. His friends and family miss him so much. But, of course, it’s also about journalism and freedom of speech. The world needs him too.”Related TopicsPress freedomFreedom of expressionRussiaUnited StatesMore on this storyPutin names Navalny and claims he agreed swapPublished18 MarchRussia extends US journalist Gershkovich’s detentionPublished26 JanuaryUS citizens jailed by Putin left hostage to a dealPublished20 December 2023Top StoriesSecret papers show Post Office knew case was falsePublished5 hours agoBus plunges off South Africa bridge, killing 45Published7 hours agoTop UN court orders Israel to allow aid into GazaPublished2 hours agoFeaturesWaiting for Evan, Putin’s ‘bargaining chip’ in Russian jailThe Papers: Water bosses a ‘disgrace’ and Easter honours ‘row’Why is Thames Water in so much trouble?Weekly quiz: How much did Kate’s Titanic piece of wood sell for?’We’ve won £80k by entering 50 competitions a day’Could artificial intelligence benefit democracy?Vice, Vice, Baby: Who’ll be Trump’s running mate?AttributionSoundsLife after Pontins swapped tourists for tradespeopleI’m not ashamed of who I am any more, says LionessElsewhere on the BBCHow are jelly beans made?Gregg Wallace visits a Dublin factory that makes over ten million of the sweets per day!AttributioniPlayerIf aliens existed, what would they look like?Let Brian Cox and Robin Ince guide you through the universe’s big questionsAttributionSoundsThe ultimate bromanceEnjoy the genius of Peter Cook and Dudley Moore with a journey through the archivesAttributioniPlayerThe deadly history of wallpaper…Discover the extraordinary stories of the ordinary items all around youAttributionSoundsMost Read1Bus plunges off South Africa bridge, killing 452Questions raised over Temu cash ‘giveaway’ offer3Water bosses a ‘disgrace’ and Easter honours ‘row’4Man arrested after death of Gogglebox star5Beyoncé’s country album: The verdict6Tory donor and four Conservative MPs given honours7Secret papers show Post Office knew case was false8Charge of £90 to clear problem debt axed for poorest9Easter getaways hit by travel disruption10Top UN court orders Israel to allow aid into Gaza

[ad_1] It has been one year since US journalist Evan Gershkovich was arrested in Russia and accused of spying.

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaMillions of Americans caught up in Chinese hacking plot – USPublished1 hour agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, US Department of JusticeImage caption, Seven Chinese nationals have been charged with enacting a widespread “malicious” cyber-attack campaign.By Mattea BubaloBBC NewsMillions of Americans’ online accounts have been caught up in a “sinister” Chinese hacking plot that targeted US officials, the justice department and FBI said on Monday. Seven Chinese nationals have been charged with enacting a widespread “malicious” cyber-attack campaign.The operation allegedly went on for over a decade.The justice department said hackers had targeted US and foreign critics of China, businesses, and politicians.The seven men allegedly sent over 10,000 “malicious emails, impacting thousands of victims, across multiple continents”, in what the justice department called a “prolific global hacking operation” backed by China’s government.”Today’s announcement exposes China’s continuous and brash efforts to undermine our nation’s cybersecurity and target Americans and our innovation,” FBI Director Christopher Wray said.”As long as China continues to target the US and our partners, the FBI will continue to send a clear message that cyber espionage will not be tolerated, and we will tirelessly pursue those who threaten our nation’s security and prosperity,” he added.The charges come after the UK’s government also accused China of being responsible for “malicious cyber campaigns” targeting the country’s Electoral Commission and politicians. UK hits out at Chinese-backed cyber-attacksThe Chinese embassy in London said it “strongly opposes” the accusations, calling them “completely fabricated and malicious slanders”. As for the allegations made in the US, the Chinese embassy in Washington DC is yet to respond.In an indictment unsealed against seven of the alleged Chinese hackers involved, US prosecutors said the hacking resulted in the confirmed or potential compromise of work accounts, personal emails, online storage and telephone call records.The emails they are accused to have sent targets often appeared to be from prominent news outlets or journalists, containing hidden tracking links. If a person opened the email sent to them, their information – including their location and IP addresses – would be sent to a server allegedly controlled by the seven defendants. This information was then used to enable more “direct and sophisticated targeted hacking, such as compromising the recipients’ home routers and other electronic devices”, US prosecutors said.As well as targeting US government officials working at the White House and US state departments, and in some cases their spouses, they were also said to have targeted foreign dissidents globally.In one example cited by the justice department, the men “successfully compromised Hong Kong pro-democracy activists and their associates located in Hong Kong, the United States, and other foreign locations with identical malware”. US companies were hacked too, with the men allegedly targeting defence, information technology, telecommunications, manufacturing and trade, finance, consulting, legal, and research industries. Companies targeted included defence contractors who provide services to the US military and “a leading provider of 5G network equipment”.More on this storyFBI says China state cyber group hacked key assetsPublished1 FebruaryChina tech firm claimed it could hack Foreign OfficePublished22 FebruaryTop StoriesLive. Israel cancels White House visit after US doesn’t block UN ceasefire voteUK hits out at Chinese-backed cyber-attacksPublished1 hour agoMillions of Americans caught up in Chinese hacking plot – USPublished1 hour agoFeaturesJewish settlers set their sights on Gaza beachfrontMoscow survivor: ‘They shot indiscriminately’ VideoMoscow survivor: ‘They shot indiscriminately’Say one thing, do another? 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VideoUkrainian soldiers’ frontline mission captured in BBC documentaryTrolling gets worse when my videos go viralElsewhere on the BBCOne of the most talented bands never to make it…Why did trailblazers Microdisney fail to achieve the commercial success they deserved?AttributioniPlayerA satirical sideswipe at news and current affairsSteve Punt and Hugh Dennis present the week via topical stand-up and sketchesAttributionSoundsCan they take on an elite boarding school?Five black inner-city teens must leave their old worlds behind…AttributioniPlayerCaffeine: Dangers and benefitsFind out what effects this drug can have on dementia and cardiovascular diseaseAttributionSoundsMost Read1Sacha Baron Cohen hits back over Rebel Wilson book2Legoland owner to charge more at peak times3Fritzl could never come to UK, says home secretary4Former Tory MP resigns triggering new by-election5Millions of Americans caught up in Chinese hacking plot – US6Four in court as Moscow attack death toll nears 1407Two men guilty of footballer Cody Fisher’s nightclub murder8Stolen Gary the Gorilla statue discovered in layby9Offline man says smartphone ban would be difficult10UK hits out at Chinese-backed cyber-attacks

[ad_1] Seven Chinese nationals have been charged over a “sinister” hacking plot, the justice department says.

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityAsiaChinaIndiaBlinken in Manila as South China Sea tensions risePublished1 hour agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, ReutersImage caption, Mr Blinken, seen here with his Filipino counterpart, is in Manila at a time of heightened tensions between the Philippines and ChinaBy Tom BatemanTravelling with Antony BlinkenUS Secretary of State Antony Blinken has arrived in the Philippines, a key ally of Washington, amid heightened regional tensions with China. Mr Blinken will discuss trade and will reiterate America’s “ironclad” security commitments to the country, a senior State Department official said.Friction has grown between Manila and Beijing in recent months over competing claims in the South China Sea.US officials say the relationship will “inevitably” be part of discussions. The visit is also likely to be seen as bolstering American support for Philippine president Ferdinand Marcos Jr who has tilted towards Washington, unlike his predecessor Rodrigo Duterte, who pushed ties with Beijing. As Mr Blinken’s plane descended towards the capital, Manila, the lights of the city’s flourishing high-rise blocks were reflected across the bay. The Philippines became Southeast Asia’s fastest growing economy last year, but entrenched inequality in a country which has failed to grapple with long-standing accusations of government cronyism has played into its fractious politics. The Philippines remains a key strategic hub for the US, especially because of its position in an evolving region, where China has emerged as a rival to American power and influence. Philippines stands up to Beijing in South China seaBBC sees Chinese ships blocking Philippine supply boatsThe waters of Manila Bay spread out into the South China Sea, in which the Philippines is one of several Asian nations caught in disputes with Beijing over territory, trade routes and maritime zones.While the disputes are not new, tense encounters between the Philippine and Chinese Coast Guard have increased in recent months, raising fears of a conflict. Collisions between the two countries’ vessels have been reported and the Chinese fired water at Philippine vessels earlier this month. “The main concern will obviously be China’s continued destabilising actions in the South China Sea that are in contravention with international law,” said the senior State Department official. The Secretary of State would reiterate the importance of freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, the official added.This video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.Media caption, Watch: Chinese ships “fire water at Philippine vessels”The US views China’s maritime activity as part of a campaign of harassment against its neighbours. Washington has a long-standing defence treaty with the Philippines and has previously said any armed attack on Philippine vessels “would invoke U.S. mutual defense commitments”. In 2014, Washington also signed a defence agreement with Manila allowing the US to fund development of Philippine military bases and deploy American troops on a rotational basis. And in 2023 the US secured access to four more bases in a crucial deal that signalled closer ties between the two countries. US secures deal on bases to complete arc around ChinaChina has decried the deals due to some of the bases’ proximity to self-governed Taiwan, which Beijing sees as a breakaway province, but which the US has vowed to defend militarily.Beijing also claims historic rights to much of the South China Sea and says the Philippines has ignored proposals to “manage” the dispute. Mr Blinken’s trip will also be seen in the country as a further embrace of Mr Marcos, the son of ousted dictator Ferdinand Marcos, an American ally who ruled for two decades until the mid-1980s. His reign is remembered for years of martial rule, the arrest and torture of dissidents, and rampant corruption that cost the state an estimated $10bn. But the younger Mr Marcos, who was elected in 2022 on the back of a campaign that whitewashed his family’s dark legacy, has proved an indispensable partner for Washington. He was invited to the White House last year as part of a four-day visit that many saw as a reward for his pivot to Washington. Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, US President Joe Biden and Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr at the Oval Office in May 2023His predecessor, Mr Duterte, a strongman who became notorious for his brutal drug war, built relations with Beijing, reportedly viewing China’s growing power as too significant to defy. What a Marcos revival means for the PhilippinesMr Blinken’s visit to Manila follows a trip to South Korea in which he warned against growing authoritarianism and “democratic backsliding” in some countries. The trip is a rare outing in recent months for Mr Blinken beyond the Middle East, where dealing with the Gaza war and a wider regional crisis has dominated his time, with few signs of an imminent breakthrough in ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas. Asked whether China was trying to exploit a situation with the US being distracted by other foreign policy crises, the senior official said they would “categorically reject” the possibility.Related TopicsAsiaPhilippinesUnited StatesTop Stories’Only God can change this place’: Haitians see no end to spiralling violencePublished3 hours agoUS reports death of senior Hamas military leaderPublished5 hours agoPutin hails Crimea annexation after claiming election winPublished2 hours agoFeaturesThe Papers: Kate ‘pictured in public’ and ‘key’ Rwanda voteWhy Gillian Anderson found it scary to play Emily Maitlis’Untreated trauma led to our soldier son’s suicide’Is TikTok really a danger to the West?The highs and lows of First Minister Mark DrakefordBridgerton’s Nicola Coughlan: I hate vanity on screenPredicting Putin’s landslide was easy, but what comes next?Gaza faces famine during Ramadan, the holy month of fastingThe US Navy’s relentless battle against Houthi attacksElsewhere on the BBCIs there a link between gardening and your gut?Michael Mosley learns how getting grubby in the garden can improve your overall healthAttributionSoundsThe most famous waterway in the Americas is running dryThe Global Story explores the impact on the international shipping industryAttributionSoundsThe moment a Russian warship sank in the Black SeaThe vessel was destroyed by a Ukrainian drone near the Kerch BridgeAttributioniPlayerAre The Beatles Ireland’s greatest band?Steven Cockcroft and Jason Carty explore the Fab Four’s connection with the Emerald IsleAttributionSoundsMost Read1Kate ‘pictured in public’ and ‘key’ Rwanda vote2Why Gillian Anderson found it scary to play Emily Maitlis3US reports death of senior Hamas military leader4Rwanda bill amendments overturned in Commons vote5’Only God can change this place’: Haitians see no end to spiralling violence6Trump unable to get $464m bond in New York fraud case7Potholes leave nations’ roads at ‘breaking point’8Putin hails Crimea annexation after claiming election win9Katie Price declared bankrupt for second time10Prince William back to work on homelessness project

[ad_1] Mr Blinken’s trip will also be seen in the country as a further embrace of Mr Marcos, the son of ousted dictator Ferdinand Marcos, an American ally who ruled…

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaIs Canada vulnerable to foreign interference?Published1 hour agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Toronto Star via Getty ImageImage caption, Canadian member of parliament Michael Chong learned through media reports that China allegedly targeted himBy Nadine YousifBBC News, TorontoThe allegations kept mounting in Canada: Election-meddling by China, an Indian-backed assassination on home soil, and a campaign to harass Iranian dissidents. Is Canada especially vulnerable to foreign interference?Michael Chong said it did not take long for him to become a target of Beijing.In testimony before US lawmakers on Capitol Hill last year, the Canadian Conservative politician described how an alleged intimidation campaign against him was born after he spoke out against China’s human rights record in parliament.He said that a Chinese official in Canada began gathering details about his relatives living in Hong Kong shortly after, and that a smear campaign against him was launched on China’s most-popular social media platform, WeChat.”My experience is but one case of Beijing’s interference in Canada,” he said. “Many, many other cases go unreported and unnoticed, and the victims suffer in silence.”Canada launches inquiry into foreign interferenceThe alleged targeting of Mr Chong, which first became public when intelligence reports were leaked to Canadian media, unleashed a fierce debate in the country around its vulnerability to foreign interference and the safety of its citizens.On Monday, he and others will begin testifying before a public inquiry that will look into Beijing’s meddling in Canada, especially its alleged efforts to sway the country’s last two federal elections by backing certain candidates.China has denied any interference and the allegations have soured relations between Beijing and Ottawa. While the inquiry will focus on claims of election interference by China, Russia, India “and other foreign actors”, experts say the problem of foreign meddling in Canada is much more complex and widespread. Solving it, they say, demands a restructuring of the political and social DNA of the country, which has long-failed to prioritise matters of national security. “Generally speaking, we have been neglecting national security, intelligence, law enforcement, defence, and so on,” Thomas Juneau, a political analyst and professor at the University of Ottawa, told the BBC.While it is tough to determine whether Canada is uniquely vulnerable compared to its allies, Mr Juneau argued that other countries have done a far better job in addressing the issue.An outdated system that is slow to adaptOne glaring problem, Mr Juneau said, is the out-of-date act governing the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (csis). It is almost 40 years old, designed with the Cold War in mind, “when the fax machine was the new thing”, he said. Because of this, he said, the nation’s primary intelligence agency has been limited in its operations, focused on sharing information solely with the federal government.This means possible targets are often left in the dark. That was spotlighted by Mr Chong’s story. He only discovered that he had been an alleged target of Beijing through the media, despite csis having monitored threats against him for at least two years.Canada has since launched public consultations into how the law governing csis can be amended to better inform and protect individuals who could be a target.The source of Canada’s security complacency, argued Richard Fadden, a former csis director and national security advisor to two prime ministers, is that Canada has lived in relative safety, largely protected from foreign threats by its geography: the US to the south, and surrounded by three oceans.”I mean, nobody is going to invade Canada,” he said. Canada’s allies – like the US and Australia – have been quicker to adopt certain tools to help catch bad actors, such as establishing a registry of foreign agents and criminalising acts that can be classified as interference.In December, Australia convicted a Vietnamese refugee who was found to be working for the Chinese Communist Party, thanks to a law it passed in 2018 that made industrial espionage for a foreign power a crime.Such laws are not only important for charging and convicting culprits, but can also help educate the public and deter other nations from interfering, said Wesley Wark, a leading Canadian historian with expertise in national security.Diaspora groups are especially vulnerableMr Wark said the country’s diverse population has also made it a convenient target for foreign states.”We are a multicultural society and we have gone to great lengths over decades to preserve and protect that,” he said.But diaspora groups, especially those vocally opposed to the government of their country of origin, have naturally become a target.British Columbia lawyer Ram Joubin has had a first-hand look at the threats facing dissidents in Canada, particularly those from Iran. While investigating people with ties to the Iranian regime who call Canada home, Mr Joubin said he has heard from Iranian-Canadians who say they have been followed and harassed by regime agents in their own communities.”We’ve had death threats, knock-on-the-door type of death threats,” he said. “And then we have a lot of people with their families in Iran being threatened because they engaged in some sort of activism.”Csis has previously said it is aware of alleged intimidation attempts. The Iranian government has not commented publicly on these allegations. In Mr Joubin’s experience, reporting these incidents to officials like the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) has been a challenge, especially when additional work is needed to establish a credible criminal or civil case.Both the RCMP and csis were criticised after the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Sikh separatist that was killed in June in British Columbia, which Canada has alleged was done with the involvement of Indian government agents – something India denies. Prior to his death, Mr Nijjar had said that police were aware he was a target of an assassination plot. Questions were raised about whether something could have been done to stop his killing after the FBI said it was able to foil a similar assassination plot in November against another Sikh separatist leader in New York City. Image source, Bloomberg via Getty ImagesImage caption, Richard Fadden says Canada is only now coming to terms with its vulnerability to foreign meddlingMr Fadden said the events of 2023 represented a seismic shift in Canada’s psyche, forcing the country to finally confront the issue of foreign interference.”Despite a deep reluctance on the part of the government to hold a foreign inquiry, they were compelled to do it,” Mr Fadden said. “I think if there hadn’t been that shift, we wouldn’t have an inquiry.”The inquiry, led by Quebec appellate judge Marie-Josée Hogue, will be conducted in two phases, ending with a final report in December that will include recommendations on what Canada can do to deter future interference.Some have expressed concern about the inquiry’s short mandate, and whether its recommendations will be wide-ranging enough and implemented as Canada inches closer to an election year that could see a change in government.But in the meantime, Mr Fadden and others said they believe urgent action is needed.”There are two big issues: there’s interference in our elections,” Mr Fadden said. “But there’s also interfering and scaring members of the diaspora in this country, which is a very serious matter.””We have a responsibility to protect people who are in Canada, and I don’t think we’re doing as good of a job on this as we could be.”Related TopicsChinaCanadaMore on this storyCanada launches inquiry into foreign interferencePublished7 September 2023US must work with Canada to stop China meddling – MPPublished13 September 2023The long fight for justice over downed plane in IranPublished8 January 2023Top StoriesThree US troops killed in Middle East drone attackPublished4 hours agoDisposable vapes to be banned over fears for children’s healthPublished8 minutes agoPost Office chairman had to go – BadenochPublished3 hours agoFeaturesBBC confronts man who abused boy in secretive Christian churchKey UN Gaza aid agency runs into diplomatic stormWho invented butter chicken? 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Not a lotWould it bother you if you only got mail three days a week?Net closes in on vigilante destroyer of Italy’s speed camerasCould the UK’s ‘pre-war generation’ become a citizen army?Elsewhere on the BBCHow are jelly beans made?Gregg Wallace visits a factory in Dublin that makes over ten million of the sweets per day!AttributioniPlayerIs this the greatest Jurassic predator that ever lived?Sir David Attenborough investigates a unique discovery: the skull of a giant, prehistoric sea monsterAttributioniPlayer’I smashed all my trophies’Bradley Wiggins opens up about his mental health and imposter syndromeAttributioniPlayerA Royle Family reunion and the best of the North!Ricky Tomlinson and Ralf Little set off on an epic camper van adventure across Northern EnglandAttributioniPlayerMost Read1Disposable vapes to be banned for child health2British base jumper dies after parachute fails3Boys aged 15 and 16 killed in stabbing attack4Record UK January temperature in Scottish Highlands5Protesters throw soup at Mona Lisa painting6Three US troops killed in Middle East drone attack7When Louis Vuitton tries to make you change your brand name8I’ll repay mistaken £17K exit payout, says Dorries9UK navy ship shoots down Houthi drone in Red Sea10Post Office chairman had to go – Badenoch

[ad_1] A public inquiry launching on Monday could be a reckoning in the country on national security matters.

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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