BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityCultureOscars 2024: Are films now ‘too long’ as Hugh Grant suggests?Published7 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsBafta AwardsImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Christopher Nolan’s three-hour nuclear epic, Oppenheimer, starring Cillian Murphy (right), may dominate the Oscars this weekendBy Alex TaylorBBC Culture reporter”Oompa-loompa, doompity-dee, now the best director categor-ee. Oompa Loompa doompity-dong, most of these films were frankly too long.”Fresh from starring in Wonka, Hugh Grant’s (life-size) onstage appearance at the Baftas not only saw him revive his inner Oompa Loompa when delivering the award for best director, but also openly question the length of this year’s awards season contenders. He may have been thinking of the evening’s eventual winner, Christopher Nolan’s three-hour epic Oppenheimer, which is also expected to sweep the Oscars this weekend.But three of the five other Bafta nominees – The Holdovers, Maestro, and Anatomy of a Fall – likewise Oscar contenders, also clock in at over two hours each. Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Hugh Grant revived his inner Oompa Loompa to swipe at film runtimes when delivering the Bafta award for best directorGood thing, perhaps, that Grant didn’t have to confront Martin Scorsese’s American introspective, Killers of the Flower Moon, an Academy favourite despite its 3hr 26min runtime – the longest of this year’s best picture contenders.But are this year’s nominated films part of a (growing) trend? If so, what does this mean for audiences, cinemas and directors?From intermission to toilet dashA rainy afternoon trip to the cinema may have reliably lured families, couples and single souls for decades, but film durations have fluctuated throughout this time. The sense of screenings themselves becoming an all-day event can first be traced back to the 1960s, as directors revelled in a golden age for the silver screen. Lawrence of Arabia ran beyond three-and-a-half hours in 1962. Cleopatra, released a year later, originally stretched to four before being cut down. Intermissions were central to this experience as projectionists transferred over physical reels, giving audiences a natural rest break for the loo and the chance to buy ice cream.Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, British director David Lean filming Lawrence of Arabia in 1962But advancements in projector technology saw this staple of movie-going phased out by the early 80s, with 1982’s Gandhi thought to be the last major western feature to include an intermission as standard.In the intervening decades, film lengths have steadily increased, quite literally keeping audiences in their seats. Phil Clapp, chief executive of the UK Cinema Association, told the BBC its members are engaged in “ongoing discussions” with studios, distributors and others relevant parties about potentially reintroducing “structured intermissions”, possibly for films lasting three hours or more.An analysis by The Economist of over 100,000 feature films released internationally since the 1930s found current popular movie runtimes to be the highest on record.And there’s been a significant spike in recent years. Statista research across the decades reveals that, on average, the highest-grossing movies in the US and Canada have grown by around 30 minutes since 2020 alone, hitting 2hrs 23mins by 2023.Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Martin Scorsese (front) with some of this year’s other best picture directors, including Christopher Nolan (centre right) and Greta Gerwig (second left)It’s not only franchise blockbusters that are responsible (yes, Indiana Jones, John Wick and Avengers: Endgame, we’re looking at you), but Oscar nominated films. Avatar: The Way of Water, 2023’s longest best picture nominee also hit the three-hour mark.”We’ve seen epic filmmaking do well at the Oscars in every decade,” says Karie Bible, box office analyst at Exhibitor Relations. “The very first film to win best picture in 1927 was an aviation epic called Wings that ran for two hours and 24 minutes.” “Epic films often mean epic storytelling,” she explains. “These films are larger than life and often encompass a long, developed story that ask people to be emotionally invested.”But this artistic rationale is being pushed to its limits – with audience bladders left bursting as directors are empowered like never before.Streaming ‘Cold War’The Cold War between streaming and cinema over the past decade has made the name behind the camera almost as coveted as any A-list actor. As streaming services vie with Hollywood for credibility and prestige they’ve thrown huge amounts of money at directing talent – often far outmatching anything a legacy studio can offer – with success. Before Scorsese partnered with Apple for Killers of the Flower Moon, he turned to Netflix to fund his Oscar nominated three-and-a-half-hour mob movie The Irishman, telling the BBC he “couldn’t get financing” from Hollywood to match his ambition.This video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.Media caption, “We could not get any financing” from Hollywood, says Oscar-winning director Martin ScorseseThe template has similarly tempted David Fincher, Rian Johnson and latterly Ridley Scott – who has hinted at releasing a four-hour cut of Napoleon on Apple TV, despite his original version already being nearly three hours.The dynamic can weaken producer control and inflate runtimes. In his podcast review for Killers of the Flower Moon, Mark Kermode explained: “We hear stories about… people making films for studios for theatrical exhibition, then you end up having fights with the producers about [length]. If you’re a streaming service, they don’t care.”Image source, AppleTV+Image caption, Killers of the Flower Moon, starring Lily Gladstone and Leonardo DiCaprio, chronicles the Osage Nation murders over oil on tribal landThis challenge comes at a hefty price for traditional film studios, at a time when tinseltown is having to find a delicate balance between squeezed costs – exacerbated by the pandemic – last year’s strikes and the challenge of tempting people away from lockdown-inspired home streaming.”Casual moviegoing, where you wait until the weekend to pick what to see, has pretty much been supplanted by streaming,” Erin Brockovich producer Michael Shamberg told Vanity Fair’s Natalie Jarvey for her aptly named article: Why Are Movies Sooooo Long? “Now when you leave your house to pay to see a movie, you want an emotional sure thing for your time and effort. You also want a bigger experience than streaming a movie in your living room,” he added.The knock-on effect of “event” cinema, increasingly tied to social media buzz, sees the industry – and cinemas themselves – reliant on goldrush titles, be it Top Gun: Maverick post-lockdown or Oppenheimer last year, to mask over the cracks of reduced pulling power. Image source, Scott Garfield/Paramount PicturesImage caption, The vast blockbuster success of Top Gun: Maverick, starring Tom Cruise, was credited with helping cinema stay afloat post-Covid lockdownAnd even taking Nolan’s popularity as a director into account, the mainstream success of Oppenheimer, on paper, a three-hour historical biopic, benefitted hugely from the Barbenheimer phenomenon: an accidental marketing dream.Barbenheimer was wonderful for cinema, Murphy saysImmersive screenings can weaken films – ScorseseOutside that near one-off event, the overwhelming temptation to “go long” seems to be partially wearing thin, with cinemas, audiences and directors.Cinema chains, says Clapp, can struggle with a flurry of longer films, as this “means less screenings”, choice and ultimately tickets sold – only a fraction of which can be made up by popcorn and fizzy drinks, or luxury seating. Image source, Warner BrosImage caption, Oppenheimer was released on the same day as Barbie – inadvertently creating the Barbenheimer phenomenon”We would never want to dictate creative licence, but there’s a desire amongst a proportion of the audience for a break,” he says, pointing to the potential for intermissions, and their confectionary window.Cinema chain Vue was among a handful worldwide to forgo distribution agreements and trial intervals during Killers of the Flower Moon. “Analysis showed customers would like to see the return of intermissions,” Vue’s chief executive, Tim Richards, told The Guardian last October. “We’ve seen 74% positive feedback from those who have tried our interval.”Clapp describes it as a “live debate” especially with intermissions remaining in other global markets. “The concern is that wherever you drop the curtain, so to speak, you’ll kill the narrative structure, but this doesn’t need to be the case with careful planning – arguably people getting up midway through a film causes more disruption,” he says.Image source, Universal PicturesImage caption, Oppenheimer’s runtime revived debate about audience intermissions, but Robert Downey Jr. also noted Nolan’s strictness about cast toilet breaks on setScorsese, for his part, urged viewers to show “commitment” to cinema, lambasting complaints in light of TV binge-watching at home.”You can sit in front of the TV and watch something for five hours… there are many people who watch theatre for 3.5 hours … give cinema some respect,” he told Hindustan Times.But not every director agrees. As Holdovers’ mastermind Alexander Payne bemoaned: “There are too many damn long movies these days.” Lengthy runtimes, he added, should always be “the shortest possible version”.For Nolan, the relationship with the audience remains foremost in his mind: “I view myself as the audience. I make the films that I would really… want to watch,” he told BBC Culture editor Katie Razzall.For younger audiences however, frequently cast as rejecting long-form viewing in the age of TikTok and YouTube shorts, Nolan’s epics – often near three hours – should not appeal.Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Dune director Denis Villeneuve says younger audiences “crave meaningful content” over shorter runtimesBut Dune director Denis Villeneuve says Oppenheimer’s success proves the opposite. He argues younger audiences value watching and paying for longer films, provided they offer “something substantial”. “They are craving meaningful content,” he told The Times.Dune: Part Two, released last week, outlasts the original film’s 155-minute runtime by ten minutes, providing five hours of desert adventure in total.One nationwide chain, Showcase Cinemas, offered both instalments back-to-back across the opening night. Hopefully there was an intermission. Related TopicsStreamingBafta AwardsThe OscarsBritish cinemaFilmCinemasMore on this story17 facts you need to know about this year’s OscarsPublished23 hours agoBarbie misses key Oscar nods for Gerwig and RobbiePublished23 JanuaryBarbenheimer was wonderful for cinema, Murphy saysPublished7 FebruaryLily Gladstone: The actress who could make Oscars historyPublished30 JanuaryCan anything stop Oppenheimer’s march to the Oscars?Published14 January10 things we spotted in the Oscars class photoPublished13 FebruaryTop StoriesLive. Hunt hails National Insurance cut but Reeves says people still worse offWarning of almost 20 years of pay stagnationPublished13 minutes agoRust film armourer guilty over shooting deathPublished6 hours agoFeaturesChris Mason: No fireworks but tax cuts headache for LabourBudget: Key points at a glanceWho will Haley voters support in Trump-Biden election?’We know what’s coming’: East Ukraine braces for Russian advanceThe world’s largest robots are setting sailDeath, disaster and redemption – England’s tumultuous tour of IndiaAttributionSportThe Papers: Hunt cuts NI but is told ‘Britain deserves better’The state of the union is… Americans fill in the blank. 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[ad_1] Actor Hugh Grant recently questioned film runtimes – but have they changed and if so, why?

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaEx-Google engineer charged with stealing AI secretsPublished7 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, ReutersImage caption, Linwei Ding is accused of stealing information used in Google’s supercomputing data centresBy Kathryn ArmstrongBBC NewsA former Google software engineer has been charged in the US with stealing trade secrets about artificial intelligence (AI) while secretly working for two Chinese companies.Linwei Ding, also known as Leon Ding, was indicted in the state of California on four charges and arrested on Wednesday.The Chinese national allegedly stole more than 500 confidential files. He faces up to 10 years in prison and $250,000 in fines on each count. A lawyer for Mr Ding could not be identified to comment on the case, local media reported. The information he is accused of taking relates to the infrastructure of Google’s supercomputing data centres, which are used to host and train large AI models.According to the indictment, Mr Ding was hired by Google in 2019 and his responsibilities included developing this software. He allegedly began uploading information stored in Google’s network to a personal Google account in May 2022. These uploads continued periodically for a year, the indictment reads.Meanwhile, he is said to have spent several months in China working for Beijing Rongshu Lianzhi Technology – a start-up tech company that approached him. The indictment says he was offered $14,800 (£11,620) per month to be the company’s Chief Technology Officer.He is also alleged to have started his own tech firm, Shanghai Zhisuan Technology, which had a focus on AI and machine learning, and made himself the CEO.The BBC has contacted Rongshu, while Zhisuan could not be immediately reached for comment. Prosecutors allege Mr Ding never told Google about his work for either company. The indictment states that he applied to a China-based organisation to help develop this business and presented it at an investor conference in China in November 2023. The following month, he was flagged by Google trying to upload more files to his personal computer while in China, but Mr Ding told Google’s investigator it was to provide proof that he worked for the tech giant.When he returned to the US and unbeknownst to Google, Mr Ding is said to have booked a one-way ticket from San Francisco to Beijing, before resigning on 26 December. Days later, Google once again became suspicious after learning about his actions at the conference and suspended his access – searching his activity history to reveal the unauthorised uploads. The case was then referred to federal authorities. Is it possible to regulate artificial intelligence?Why making AI safe isn’t as easy as you might thinkUS Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement on Wednesday that Linwei Ding was seeking to enrich himself by covertly working for companies that were “seeking an edge in the AI technology race”. “The Justice Department will not tolerate the theft of artificial intelligence and other advanced technologies that could put our national security at risk,” Mr Garland said. FBI Director Christopher Wray said Mr Ding’s alleged actions “are the latest illustration of the lengths” companies in China will go to, “to steal American innovation”.The US and China have been engaged in a bitter trade battle in recent years, with both sides attempting to gain a competitive edge over the other.The dispute has seen both countries impose tariffs on hundreds of billions of dollars’ worth of one another’s goods.Trade relations have worsened under the Biden administration, with the two sides imposing new barriers on trade, including restrictions on computer chip exports. 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[ad_1] Linwei Ding is also accused of secretly working for Chinese competitors.

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaIsrael-Gaza briefings: Biden treading carefully through political minefieldPublished1 day agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsIsrael-Gaza warBy Anthony ZurcherNorth America correspondentOn Monday afternoon, while snacking on ice cream with a late-night television talk show host, US President Joe Biden hinted that a new ceasefire was within reach in the Gaza War, perhaps as early as this coming Monday.”My national security adviser tells me that we’re close,” he said. His words, which the White House has since walked back, landed with a thud for many in the American Palestinian community.Then on Tuesday night in Michigan, one of the key battlegrounds in November’s presidential election, more than 100,000 people in the Democratic primary cast their ballot for “uncommitted” as part of a protest organised by pro-Palestinian groups.”This is a warning sign,” said Lexis Zeidan, one of the organisers, on Tuesday night. This has been a week in which Mr Biden has been reminded that the turmoil in the Middle East, and the White House’s response to it, could translate into electoral peril.Since the start of the conflict after the 7 October attacks, the president has been caught in a vice, forced to make Middle East policy choices that anger key parts of his coalition. But the Biden administration is treading carefully when it comes to substantive policy shifts. And despite this week’s domestic pressure, the White House has largely remained set on its current course. At a briefing on Thursday, US State Department Press Secretary Matt Miller said the US continues to give aid to Israel to support the nation’s “legitimate right” to protect itself and prevent an attack like 7 October from happening again.”There is a mistaken belief that the United States is able to dictate to other countries’ sovereign decisions,” he said. “Israel makes its sovereign decisions – we make clear where we disagree with them.”On background, US officials have said that the Americans are considering delaying further arms shipments to Israel and other measures.Image source, AFPImage caption, Mr Biden is trying to balance competing constituencies in his partyMost opinion polls suggest the US public as a whole tends to support Israel in the conflict, even while key components of Mr Biden’s Democratic coalition – young voters and people of colour – do not.The domestic political calculations are complicated. His administration has to balance competing constituencies within the Democratic Party that could all claim they are essential to the president’s re-election cause. Pro-Palestinian groups in the US have called for a permanent ceasefire, support for diplomatic efforts in the United Nations and the threat of an end to American military aid to Israel if it does not change course.”People are upset, and you’ve got to give them a reason not to be upset,” says Jim Zogby, president of the Arab American Institute. He describes the Biden administration’s efforts so far as “ham-fisted, half-measure statements about how we were sorry we didn’t express more sympathy and we’re working behind the scenes”.The protest vote in Michigan amounted to less than the margin by which Mr Biden beat Republican Donald Trump in the state in 2020, but is much more than the 10,704 votes Democrat Hillary Clinton lost the state to him in 2016.”There’s no doubt that there were some folks in Michigan that wanted to send the president a message,” Mitch Landrieu, the campaign’s national co-chair, said on Thursday. “Every issue is complicated, and this is one of them that needs to be worked through.”Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, The protest vote in Michigan was small but campaigners like Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud wanted to send Mr Biden a message.In reality, while the pro-Palestinian groups are a vocal minority, they are still a minority, says Derry Sragow, a California-based political consultant. “There’s a chunk of the electorate that is very much focused on Gaza, but it’s very small,” he says.”That’s not to say that how the president deals with Gaza is unimportant, but it is just another brushstroke on the canvas that voters are going to be looking at when they cast their vote.”Polls show that the American public is more concerned about the economy, immigration and abortion rights. And even in Michigan, Mr Sragow notes, there are as many Jewish voters who are passionate about supporting Israel as there are pro-Palestinian voters. And Jewish voters continue to overwhelmingly support Democrats, with more than 70% backing him in 2020 and polls showing that majorities approve of his handling of the Gaza War.Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Emotions are raw as civilian bloodshed continues in GazaWith eight months until the election, Biden campaign officials are hoping that the prospect of a binary choice between Mr Biden and Mr Trump will encourage dissenting voices in the Democratic Party’s political coalition to ultimately fall into line.Campaign officials are already pointing to a number of controversial policies Mr Trump implemented during his presidential term, such as moving the US embassy in Israel to Jerusalem and support for Jewish settlements on the West Bank.But with new headlines of civilian bloodshed in Gaza virtually every day, emotions are raw. This week the death toll in Gaza surpassed 30,000, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. And on Thursday at least 117 Palestinians were killed and hundreds were injured during an aid delivery in Gaza.”We’re supposed to be in the position where you hurt us, you ignore us, you pay no attention to our feelings, but we’ll have to vote Democrat?” says Mr Zogby. “Why can’t you apply that same logic on the side of the Jewish community?”Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has being going to lengths to dash any White House hopes that a change in rhetoric will put more pressure on Israel to conclude the war.”From the beginning of the war, I have been leading a diplomatic campaign whose goal is to deflect the pressure to end the war prematurely,” he said this week.Mr Netanyahu seems finely attuned to the US domestic political situation, as well, and says the American public overwhelmingly supports his cause.All of this suggests Mr Biden has few easy means to extricate himself from his current political predicament.”He’s been dealt a very, very limited, difficult hand to play,” says Sragow. “If I was a member of the senior staff advising Biden, I don’t know what I would say other than just do what you think in your heart is the right thing to do.”The pro-Palestinian groups in the US would probably echo this sentiment, except they firmly believe the president’s heart is in the wrong place – and that he is poised to pay a high political price for it come November. Gaza desperately needs more aid but agencies can’t copeIsrael-Gaza war: Death and Israel’s search for ‘total victory’What are routes out of this ‘dangerous moment’ in Middle East?Huge push for Gaza aid – but little hope for those sufferingIran’s sudden strikes show just how perilous region has becomeTough choices for Israel in US’s Middle East visionHuge challenges for Israel on its vague ‘day after’ Gaza planStakes are immense as Biden presses Israel to change courseHamas support soars in West Bank – but full uprising can still be avoidedThe status quo is smashed. The future is messy and dangerousBowen: US sets clearer red lines for Israel as ceasefire endsWhen this truce ends, the decisive next phase of war beginsRelated TopicsIsrael-Gaza warIsraelPalestinian territoriesGazaUS election 2024United StatesJoe BidenMore on this storyGaza desperately needs more aid but agencies can’t copePublished24 FebruaryIsrael-Gaza war: Death and Israel’s search for ‘total victory’Published11 FebruaryWhat are routes out of this ‘dangerous moment’ in Middle East?Published3 FebruaryTop StoriesGaza receives first airdrop of US humanitarian aidPublished40 minutes agoGazans crowdfund thousands for uncertain escapePublished5 hours agoRaye makes history by winning six Brit AwardsPublished4 hours agoFeaturesBrits red carpet: Black dresses, pops of neon and a giraffeThe Papers: Hunt aims to cut tax or risks ‘losing grey vote’How Israel-Gaza war is spilling into cultural life’There was heartache but we had to keep going’Kate, the King and three other big challenges for royalsFive ways to save on train tickets as fares riseThe ‘banned’ Star Trek episode that promised a united Ireland’King of Chaos’ Imran Khan keeps winning even behind barsCan green ‘super powders’ really make you healthy?Elsewhere on the BBCFrom the seizure of Crimea to the war in UkraineThe story of a decade of clashes, told by the Western leaders who traded blows with PutinAttributioniPlayerFrom the largest ship to disasters on deck…A closer look at times when cruise ships have caused commotionAttributioniPlayer’I never tried to be famous…it was accidental’Michael Parkinson with guests Ricky Gervais, Michael Palin and Kate AdieAttributioniPlayerIt’s make or break timeAnother set of eager entrepreneurs hope to impress the fearsome panelAttributioniPlayerMost Read1Nadiya Hussain: A letter to my teenage daughter2Hunt aims to cut tax or risks ‘losing grey vote’3The ‘banned’ Star Trek episode that promised a united Ireland4Raye makes history by winning six Brit Awards5Russia publishes German army meeting on Ukraine6Kate, the King and three other big challenges for royals7Brits red carpet: Black dresses, pops of neon and a giraffe8Gazans crowdfund thousands for uncertain escape9’There was heartache but we had to keep going’10AI and drones in £800m Budget technology package

[ad_1] “There’s no doubt that there were some folks in Michigan that wanted to send the president a message,” Mitch Landrieu, the campaign’s national co-chair, said on Thursday. “Every issue…

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaWhat are routes out of this ‘dangerous moment’ in Middle East?Published23 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsIsrael-Gaza warBy Paul AdamsBBC NewsAs expected, Friday night’s US strikes were carefully calibrated, going further than the US has gone in Iraq and Syria in recent months – but stopping short of directly attacking Iran, the power Washington says is behind much of the Middle East’s recent instability.Is a wider conflagration in the region now more likely – or are there other ways out of what the US has described as this “dangerous moment”?And is a ceasefire in Gaza one of those ways?First of all, let’s look at what the Americans have actually done.The attacks were widespread – 85 targets at seven sites across Iraq and Syria – and designed to degrade the capabilities of pro-Iranian militias and their Iranian backers, the Quds Force (the expeditionary wing of Iran’s powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the IRGC).Follow live: Iraq warns of regional disaster after US strikesWashington will do its own battle-damage assessment, but this is likely to be more about physical disruption than the number of fighters killed.By telegraphing its intentions over several days, Washington gave the Quds Force and its local allies time to get out of harm’s way. Washington has made it clear it is not interested in a direct confrontation with Iran. Friday’s action was all about preventing a repeat of the attack which killed three US service personnel in Jordan on 28 January. Image source, ReutersImage caption, A destroyed building is pictured in al-Qaim, Iraq, at the site of a US airstrikeNor were its actions confined to the purely military.It also imposed sanctions on companies allegedly involved in Iran’s ballistic missile and drone programmes, as well as six officials from the IRGC’s Cyber-Electronic Command.”I think America has gone to great lengths to calibrate and attempt to reset deterrence in the region,” the former commander of UK Joint Forces Command, Gen Sir Richard Barrons, told the BBC.Whether this works remains to be seen. Three days ago, the leader of Kataib Hezbollah, one of the leading Iranian-backed Iraqi militias, said it had suspended operations against US forces, a possible sign that Iran was already looking to avoid a further escalation.But now that the US has struck back, could Tehran’s calculation change?”The United States hasn’t struck Iran, so there isn’t anything for Iran to do,” Prof Mohammad Marandi of Tehran University told the BBC on Saturday morning.While it’s true that the Biden administration resisted the urge to target Iran directly, Tehran’s calculations are not likely to be so black and white. It has also said that it is not interested in a war with America, but through its allies and proxies across the Middle East, from Hezbollah in Lebanon to the Houthis in Yemen, it has a range of options to choose from.Both sides are weighing up their next steps, with Joe Biden saying on Friday that the US response had only just begun.”It will continue at times and places of our choosing,” he said. Image source, US Central CommandImage caption, A B-1 bomber taking off from a runway in the darkBut even as the two sides eye each other suspiciously, and calculate the benefits and costs of further escalation, diplomatic efforts are once again under way to try and address the conflict, whose tsunami-like waves have been crashing across the Middle East for the past four months – the war in Gaza.Biden’s tireless Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, is about to embark on his fifth tour of the region since early October. Over the course of five days, he’ll visit Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, Israel and the West Bank.Every trip so far has been about trying to put out the brush fires threatening to engulf the Middle East. Each time the Secretary of State returns to the region, there seems to be a new one. Mr Blinken’s fire-fighting capabilities are being sorely tested.A brief summary of his agenda released by the State Department, points to the complex web of inter-connected issues he’s grappling with.Hostages and humanitarian assistance in Gaza, freedom of navigation in the Red Sea, US personnel in the region and “lasting security for Israelis and Palestinians alike”.It’s a daunting list, but one which suggests that this is also a moment of opportunity. Why did US wait to retaliate for drone attack on its troops?US blames Iran-backed group for deadly drone strikeLast week, as trouble loomed at Tower 22 – the US base in Jordan where the three US soldiers were killed – reports from Paris suggested that a meeting of senior US, Egyptian, Israeli and Qatari officials had made progress towards arranging a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of Israeli and other hostages. The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said there were still “significant gaps.”Neyanhau himself seemed to pour cold water on the idea of a deal that could involve the release of thousands of Palestinians held in Israeli jails and the redeployment of Israeli forces outside the Gaza Strip. Image source, EPAImage caption, Talks focusing on a possible ceasefire in Gaza are on-goingMost observers agree that such a deal – vehemently opposed by some of the prime minister’s hard-line cabinet ministers – could bring down the Netanyahu government.Hamas officials are also thought to be divided. The Wall St Journal reports that the group’s leaders inside Gaza are willing to accept an initial six-week pause in the fighting, but that leaders outside are pushing for a permanent ceasefire.As things stand, there is no deal, but negotiations haven’t broken down either. Blinken may be hoping for signs of progress as he shuttles across the region.For a ceasefire in Gaza would almost certainly starve the region’s brush fires of the gale force wind that’s currently fuelling them. In Yemen, the Houthis have said that they will cease their attacks on maritime traffic if the war in Gaza comes to an end. In Lebanon, the Shiite militia Hezbollah would have little reason to keep up cross-border attacks into Israel in the event of a ceasefire in Gaza. There are hundreds of thousands of civilians, on both sides of the border, who would dearly like to return to homes in areas affected by the tit-for-tat exchanges of gunfire since October.And while attacks on US forces in Iraq and Syria long predate the conflict in Gaza, the Gaza war has hugely inflamed tensions in both countries. On the face of it, a ceasefire in Gaza would appear to be in everyone’s interest. Western officials in protest over Israel Gaza policyIsraelis tell MPs of Hamas sexual violence evidenceWho wouldn’t want to see Israeli hostages released, relief for the devastated Palestinian population in Gaza, a lengthy (and perhaps permanent) end to fighting there, as well as a significant reduction in regional tensions? If only it were that simple.Hamas and Israel both want to emerge from the Gaza war with something they can call a victory. Benjamin Netanyahu wants to stay in office.Iran and America have competing regional agendas.Hezbollah, the Houthis and the various pro-Iranian militias in Iraq and Syria all have their own local concerns.Blinken’s shopping list may include the ambitious goal of achieving “lasting security for Israel and the Palestinians”, but right now that feels like a remote prospect, tantalisingly visible through the smoke but impossibly distant.It all has to start with a ceasefire in Gaza. The US has done what it said it would do and warned that there may be more to come.Huge push for Gaza aid – but little hope for those sufferingIran’s sudden strikes show just how perilous region has becomeTough choices for Israel in US’s Middle East visionHuge challenges for Israel on its vague ‘day after’ Gaza planStakes are immense as Biden presses Israel to change courseHamas support soars in West Bank – but full uprising can still be avoidedThe status quo is smashed. The future is messy and dangerousBowen: US sets clearer red lines for Israel as ceasefire endsWhen this truce ends, the decisive next phase of war beginsRelated TopicsIsrael-Gaza warIsraelPalestinian territoriesMore on this storyWhy did US wait to retaliate for drone attack on its troops?Published13 hours agoUS blames Iran-backed group for deadly drone strikePublished2 days agoThe election risks for Biden after deadly drone strikePublished3 days agoUS sanctions Israeli settlers over West Bank violencePublished1 day agoIsraelis tell MPs of Hamas sexual violence evidencePublished2 days agoTop StoriesLive. O’Neill makes history becoming Northern Ireland’s first ministerHistoric day stirs painful memories – and hope for change in NIPublished2 hours agoLive. Iraq warns of disastrous consequences for region after US strikesFeaturesCancer doctor takes gamble to treat his brain tumourWhy did US wait to retaliate for drone attack on its troops?Teenage killers tried to get away with Brianna murderCan ‘super libraries’ survive spending cuts?Confronting the Houthis: How powerful are Yemen’s rebel rulers?Watch: Footage of Brianna Ghey’s killers being arrested. 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[ad_1] BBC’s Paul Adams asks whether US strikes on Iraq and Syria made a regional conflagration more likely.

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaUkraine war: Two French volunteers killed in Russian drone strike – Macron confirmsPublished29 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsWar in UkraineImage source, Kherson regional military administrationImage caption, Beryslav and other Ukrainian towns on the right (west) bank of the Dnipro River have been regularly attacked by Russian troopsBy Jaroslav LukivBBC NewsFrench President Emmanuel Macron has confirmed two French aid workers were killed in a Russian strike in Ukraine, condemning the attack as “cowardly”.”My solidarity goes out to all the volunteers who are committed to helping people,” he said in a post on X.Ukrainian officials earlier said two foreign volunteers had been killed in the southern Beryslav town on Thursday.Russia has not publicly commented. A number of foreign volunteers have been killed in Ukraine since the war began.Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of its south-western neighbour in February 2022. Referring to the incident, Ukrainian officials said another four people – including three foreign volunteers – were injured in a “massive” drone attack of the front-line town on the Dnipro River in the Kherson region.French Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné later said that the three injured were also French nationals.Russia would “answer for its crimes” and “barbarity”, Mr Séjourné added. The French volunteers have not been publicly named, and the organisation they worked for has not been revealed.Senior Kherson official Yuriy Sobolevsky said only that the victims had been employed by a “powerful” international organisation working in more than 30 countries, according to Ukraine’s Suspilne broadcaster.In a post on X, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote that “Russian terror knows no boundaries or nationalities.”The brave French aid workers assisted people and we will always be grateful for their humanity,” he added.Beryslav, Kherson and other Ukrainian towns on the right (west) bank of the Dnipro River have been regularly attacked by Russian troops from the territory they have seized on the left bank of the region.Two people were killed and another six injured in Russian shelling of the region over the last 24 hours, local officials said on Friday.In September 2023, Emma Igual, the Spanish director of Road to Relief, and Anthony Ihnat, a Canadian colleague, were killed in a Russian strike in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region.In January 2023, British nationals Chris Parry and Andrew Bagshaw, who had been earlier reported missing in the same region, were confirmed killed. Their families said they had died while “attempting a humanitarian evacuation”. This video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.Media caption, “I will die here”: Evacuation “angels” help front-line town’s last residents fleeRelated TopicsWar in UkraineFranceVolodymyr ZelenskyRussiaEmmanuel MacronVolunteeringUkraineMore on this story‘God Mum, please leave’ – The struggle to exit town under attack. Video, 00:04:43‘God Mum, please leave’ – The struggle to exit town under attackPublished2 days ago4:43The Ukraine schools moving underground to keep pupils safePublished8 hours agoForeign aid workers die in Russian missile strikePublished10 September 2023British pair killed in Ukraine rescue attemptPublished25 January 2023Russia confirms damage to warship in Black SeaPublished26 December 2023Russian warship Moskva sinks in Black SeaPublished15 April 2022Sunken Russian warship: What we knowPublished18 April 2022Top StoriesLive. Brianna Ghey murder: Judge sentencing teenage killers Jenkinson and RatcliffeI’ve never felt such grief, says Brianna’s motherPublished1 hour agoKiller moved to Brianna’s school after spiking girlPublished2 hours agoFeaturesThe Ukraine schools moving underground to keep pupils safeWeekly quiz: Who led the Vikings in Shetland’s fire festival?Watch: Footage of Brianna Ghey’s killers being arrested. 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[ad_1] President Emmanuel Macron condemns as “cowardly” Thursday’s Russian drone attack in southern Ukraine.

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

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityAsiaChinaIndiaMoti Mahal: India curry houses battle over butter chickenPublished4 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Butter chicken is one of the most popular Indian dishes in the worldBy Zoya MateenBBC News, DelhiWho invented butter chicken? The velvety dish, made in a thick tomato-yoghurt gravy with rich notes of butter and mild spices, has inspired mystery novels, travelogues, and countless restaurant orders.But the comforting curry that people from around the world turn to as a familiar favourite has now become the subject of a messy court battle. A lawsuit over the dish’s origins was filed in the Delhi High Court last week. The case involves two competing restaurants and families, each claiming a lineage with the city’s renowned Moti Mahal restaurant founded in 1947, and each calling themselves the inventors of the popular dish.The lawsuit – brought by the family of Kundan Lal Gujral, one the original restaurant’s founders – claims that Gujral created the curry and has sued rival chain Daryaganj of falsely taking credit for it. The Gujral family, which is seeking $240,000 (£188,968) in damages, has also alleged that Daryaganj has wrongly claimed it invented dal makhani, a lentil dish made with butter and cream.But it’s butter chicken that has dominated headlines. Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, There are several Moti Mahal franchises in Delhi nowThere are countless versions of how butter chicken was invented, but all of them start with a man called Mokha Singh, feature three of his employees and involve at least three different restaurants located across the subcontinent.The lore goes back to pre-Independent India and inside the dusty lanes of Peshawar (now in Pakistan), where a young Singh ran a popular restaurant called Moti Mahal, says chef and food writer Sadaf Hussain.In 1947, when India was partitioned, Singh and several of his Hindu employees fled Peshawar and moved to the Indian capital. Soon they lost touch with each other. Until one day, when three of them – Kundan Lal Gujral, his cousin Kundan Lal Jaggi, and Thakur Das Mago – ran into Singh at a makeshift liquor joint, and convinced him to let them open a new Moti Mahal in Delhi. It was at this small open-air diner, located on the crowded Daryaganj street in the old quarters of Delhi, that butter chicken was born, Mr Hussain says.The idea was born out of frugality, using leftover tikkas and mixing it in a thick tomato gravy and dollops of butter. But it did wonders.Within a year, ministers and heads of state, including India’s first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru, had become regular customers at Moti Mahal. “Peace treaties were hammered out in the balcony. And M Maulana Azad… reportedly told the Shah of Iran that while in India he must make two visits – to the Taj Mahal and Moti Mahal,” The New York Times wrote of Moti Mahal in 1984.Image source, Wikimedia CommonsImage caption, The opening team of the Moti Mahal restaurant in 1947For a long time, Kundan Lal Gujral – whom the newspaper described as “a portly, florid” man with a “splendid moustache” – was credited for the booming success.But things changed after his death. In 1960, the Gujral family had to lease out Moti Mahal after facing financial difficulties. (The restaurant is now run by a different family) A few years later, the Gujrals launched a separate chain – this time calling it Moti Mahal Deluxe – and returned to business, opening franchises across the city.But another setback awaited them in 2019, when the grandson of the second partner, Kundan Lal Jaggi, opened a rival chain of restaurants called Daryaganj, added the description “By the inventors of Butter Chicken and Dal Makhani”, and trademarked it. The owners of Daryaganj argued that while Mr Gujral was the face of the restaurant, Mr Jaggi handled the kitchen and so the dishes, including butter chicken, were all his ideas. Image source, Daryaganj restaurantImage caption, One of the restaurant’s original founders Kundan Lal Jaggi (right) with Indira Gandhi, who was a regular visitor thereThe Gujrals, however, rejected this and claimed that Mr Jaggi was a junior partner who did not play a major role in the making of the menu, and that butter chicken, in fact, was created by Mr Gujral while he was still in Peshawar. That’s the battle currently playing out in court: the family is demanding that owners of Daryaganj be restrained from calling themselves the inventors of butter chicken. “You cannot take away somebody’s legacy,” Kundan Lal Gujral’s grandson, who has filed the lawsuit, recently told Reuters news agency. This is not the first time that someone has gone to such lengths to claim ownership of a dish. A bitter tussle broke out between the eastern states of Odisha (formerly Orissa) and West Bengal over which of them invented the rasgulla, a plump sweet milk and cheese dumpling lathered in a sugary syrup. The question was finally put to rest in 2018, after Geographical Indication (GI) authorities ruled in favour of Bengal. In recent years, chefs too have invoked intellectual property rights to defend their restaurants, their signature style and dishes, although it’s still rare for a case to reach the courts. But such disputes are usually commercial in nature and have little to do with customers, says food writer Vir Sanghvi. “People go to restaurants to eat dishes they like and don’t really care who invented them decades ago.”Image source, Wikimedia commonsImage caption, The court battle involves the legacy of two Moti Mahal founders – Kundan Lal Gujral (R) and Kundan Lal Jaggi (L)He adds that sometimes, dishes become so popular that their inventors are forgotten. “Who created the first masala dosa? Some versions give the credit to the Woodlands restaurant chain. Others dispute this and nobody cares enough to dig deeper.”Mr Hussain agrees. “How food travels is magical. It could be through parallel sources,” he says. “People move, they take their recipes with them, adjusting it to local palates along the way.”He gives the example of the UK, where a Pakistan-born restaurateur from Glasgow is widely credited with the invention of chicken tikka masala. But many cooks, especially at Bangladeshi restaurants, claim that they came up with the recipe. Others say the masala wasn’t invented in Britain at all, but came from Punjab.That’s why the fight for butter chicken is also inconsequential, he adds, because the dish goes beyond one restaurant and is found everywhere. “You might get credit for inventing it, but what truly matters is who serves better quality,” says Mr Hussain.Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, There are countless versions of how butter chicken was inventedIn Moti Mahal’s case, things are likely to be trickier because the dispute isn’t about whether the restaurant created butter chicken; it’s about which of its owners played a bigger role in its invention. “It is the story of two men fighting for their grandfathers’ legacies. And those disputes are often the hardest to settle,” Mr Sanghvi says. According to lawyers, the court would have to rely on “circumstantial evidence” and testimonies of people who had the dish decades ago. But even then, how would the judges determine who made the first pot? It is possible that one of the partners had a handwritten recipe which could help settle the issue, Mr Sanghvi says. “So far this has not come to light.”But the owners of Daryaganj know that even if they retract their claims about inventing the dish, it would make no difference to their business. And despite the success of Daryaganj, Moti Mahal would continue to flourish as well, Mr Sanghvi adds. “Either way, it is going to be hard to tell, so many decades later, what really went on in the kitchen.”BBC News India is now on YouTube. Click here to subscribe and watch our documentaries, explainers and features.Read more India stories from the BBC:A jobs crisis in India is driving workers to IsraelIndian villagers taking on a billionaire’s port planNo bail, no trial: Freedom on hold for Indian activistIndia PM opens grand temple on razed mosque siteRelated TopicsPakistanAsiaDelhiIndiaFoodNew DelhiMore on this storyFoodistan: India-Pakistan chefs fight for taste budsPublished24 January 2012The man who made burgers and pizzas popular in IndiaPublished15 October 2022Top StoriesUN agency condemns aid halt after Hamas attack claimPublished7 hours agoPost Office chairman asked to step downPublished2 hours agoEx-minister of secretive sect admits child sex abusePublished5 hours agoFeaturesWho invented butter chicken? Creamy dish centre of court battleWhen Louis Vuitton tries to make you change your brand nameAuschwitz film was ‘like Big Brother’ in house next to campKuenssberg: What do voters think of party leaders? 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[ad_1] But another setback awaited them in 2019, when the grandson of the second partner, Kundan Lal Jaggi, opened a rival chain of restaurants called Daryaganj, added the description “By…

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaIsrael reined in by ICJ rulings on Gaza – but will it obey?Published3 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsIsrael-Gaza warImage source, EPAImage caption, The vast majority of Gaza’s population has been displacedBy Paul AdamsBBC Diplomatic CorrespondentThis was not a complete victory for South Africa, or the Palestinians.The ICJ did not order Israel to halt its military campaign – an implied recognition of Israel’s right to self defence in the wake of the Hamas attacks on 7 October last year.But the UN’s highest legal body has recognised that the situation in Gaza is catastrophic.Crucially, it said that situation was “at serious risk of deteriorating further” before the court delivers its final verdict on the charge of genocide, a process that could take years.As a result, it made several demands of Israel, broadly in line with most of the nine “provisional measures” demanded by South Africa.By large majorities the court’s 17 judges ruled that Israel should do everything in its power to avoid killing Palestinians, causing them serious bodily or mental harm, creating intolerable living conditions in Gaza, or deliberately preventing Palestinian births.It also said Israel should do more to “prevent and punish” public incitement to genocide, citing examples by Israel’s president and defence minister.And there was a call for “immediate and effective measures” to address the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.Not a call for a ceasefire, then, but a series of demands that, if implemented, would drastically change the nature of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.Israel vehemently rejects the allegation of genocide, arguing that it is Hamas that’s responsible for putting Palestinian civilians in harm’s way.It says Hamas operates inside and underneath Gaza’s densely populated towns and refugee camps, making it virtually impossible for Israel to avoid killing civilians.And it says that it has gone to great lengths to warn civilians to avoid danger. This video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.Media caption, Watch: ICJ orders Israel to prevent genocidal actsThe belief that Israel has “the most moral army in the world” is one almost universally held by the country’s Jewish citizens.But since early October, Israel’s actions have resulted in the displacement of around 85% of Gaza’s 2.3 million population. Those who flee the fighting seeking refuge in squalid, overcrowded shelters, with dwindling healthcare and grossly inadequate humanitarian supplies.It was clear, soon after the court’s American president Joan Donoghue began speaking, that the urgency of Gaza’s plight was uppermost in the court’s mind and that Israel had not succeeded in its bid to have the entire case thrown out.UN’s top court says Israel must prevent genocideJudge Donoghue delivered a bleak summary of the suffering being experienced by Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. She said the plight of children was “especially heartbreaking”.This is not the court’s final ruling on genocide – that’s likely to take several years.But the measures called for today are designed to offer the Palestinians of Gaza some measure of protection, while the judges consider South Africa’s fundamental charge against Israel.Israel must now decide how to respond. The ICJ’s rulings are binding, but there’s no enforcement mechanism. Israel could choose to ignore the judges altogether.With diplomatic efforts now apparently concentrating on the possibility of a two-month ceasefire, and efforts still being made to improve the flow of aid into the Gaza Strip, Israel may argue that it’s already taking steps to meet the court’s demands.But even if the situation eases – and there’s no sign yet – the fact remains that Israel still stands accused of genocide, a case the ICJ believes is plausible and thus worthy of further detailed consideration.Israel, a country born out of the ashes of the world’s worst example of genocide, must now live under this legal shadow until the court delivers its verdict.Related TopicsIsrael & the PalestiniansIsrael-Gaza warIsraelPalestinian territoriesHamasSouth AfricaInternational Court of JusticeMore on this storyUN’s top court says Israel must prevent genocidePublished6 hours agoUN agency probes claim staff took part in Hamas attackPublished5 hours agoTop StoriesTrump must pay $83.3m for defaming E Jean CarrollPublished23 minutes agoOil tanker on fire after Houthi missile attack, firm saysPublished50 minutes agoIsrael reined in by ICJ ruling – but will it obey?Published3 hours agoFeaturesIsrael reined in by ICJ ruling – but will it obey?’Crying with exhaustion’: How The X Factor was madeCheese, beef, cars: What UK-Canada trade rift meansWhy hermit crabs are ‘wearing’ our plastic rubbishHow many countries still have the death penalty?Weekly quiz: Whose Brits crown did Raye steal?Has the UK seen the last of this winter’s storms?AttributionWeatherThe ‘quiet rebranding’ of divisive Australia DayCancer survivor targeted by trolls for wearing wigElsewhere on the BBCIs a global megachurch manipulating its followers?Panorama investigates such allegations about the Universal Church of the Kingdom of GodAttributioniPlayerTracing the historical origins of British comedy tropesIan Hislop’s on the hunt for the earliest examples of enduring British jokesAttributionSounds60 years of Rolling Stones glory!Global icon Mick Jagger gives us an exclusive glimpse into his life in the bandAttributioniPlayerHow can you defeat your inner saboteurs?Comedy genius Troy Hawke’s award-winning show battles with a new enemy… psychotherapy!AttributionSoundsMost Read1Trump must pay $83.3m for defaming E Jean Carroll2Oil tanker on fire after Houthi missile attack, firm says3The Traitors reveal themselves in reality TV final4Taylor Swift deepfakes spark calls for US legislation5Twins separated and sold at birth reunited by TikTok6Constance Marten’s baby warm, dry and fed, court told7Duchess’s diagnosis prompts skin cancer searches8Israel reined in by ICJ ruling – but will it obey?9’Crying with exhaustion’: How The X Factor was made10King Charles ‘doing well’ after prostate treatment

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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