BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaParis 2024: Russia seeking to undermine Games, says Emmanuel MacronPublished40 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsWar in UkraineImage source, ReutersImage caption, French President Emmanuel Macron giving a speech earlier this year where he shared his wishes to elite athletes ahead of the GamesBy Hugh SchofieldBBC News, ParisRussia is running a disinformation campaign to undermine the Paris Olympics, according to French President Emmanuel Macron.At the inauguration of a new Olympic swimming centre, reporters asked if he thought Russia was targeting the Games.”Without a doubt,” he said, “including in the field of information.”Every day (Russia) is putting out stories saying that we are unable to do this or that, so (the Games) would be at risk.”The French government says Russia has recently stepped up propaganda attacks on France, using fake accounts on social media to spread rumours and disinformation.It follows Mr Macron’s switch to a more hard-line policy on the Ukraine war, to which he no longer refuses to rule out eventually sending French troops on the side of Kyiv. France believes Russian intelligence was behind the daubing of Israeli Stars of David on Paris walls after the October 7 Hamas attacks, in what was interpreted as a bid to stir up divisions in France.A network of Russian-created websites named Portal Kombat is accused of spreading made-up stories, such as claims that French mercenaries are already serving in Ukraine, or that Mr Macron cancelled a trip to Kyiv because of fears of an assassination attempt.Image source, ReutersImage caption, President Macron and other officials watch synchronised swimmers at the inauguration of the Olympic Aquatics CentreAfter the Crocus City Hall terrorist attack near Moscow, the French and Russian defence ministers had a rare telephone exchange on Wednesday.According to Mr Macron, this was because France had intelligence information that could help the Russians know more about the alleged attackers, from the Afghan section of the Islamic State group.In his account of their conversation, French Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu said he told his counterpart Sergei Shoigu that France was concerned about Russian claims that Kyiv was behind the Crocus City Hall attack – claims for which France said there was no evidence.But in his account of the phone call, Mr Shoigu said: “The Kyiv regime does nothing without the approval of its western minders. We hope that in the case (of the Crocus City Hall attack) the French secret services are not involved.”Asked about Mr Shoigu’s remarks on Thursday, Mr Macron said they were “bizarre and menacing … ridiculous.”French urged to watch out for Russian interferenceThe president confirmed for the first time that there are alternative plans for the Olympics opening ceremony in July, if the terrorist threat worsens.Currently the 26 July ceremony is supposed to take place on boats in the river Seine, with more than 300,000 people watching from the quays. However experts have warned that the occasion is highly vulnerable to terrorist attack.”We will be ready,” Mr Macron said. “We are preparing several scenarios. If the threat were to evolve, if we considered that circumstances made it necessary, we have back-up scenarios.”Mr Macron also lent his support to the popular French-Malian singer Aya Nakamura, whose name has been mentioned as a possible performer at the opening ceremony. Critics on the hard-right of French politics say she would not be a good ambassador because the language of her songs is often crude and difficult to understand.”She speaks to a good number of our fellow citizens and I believe she has every right to be at the opening or closing ceremonies of the Games,” the president said.Related TopicsWar in UkraineIsrael-Gaza warFranceRussiaDisinformationEmmanuel MacronUkraineMore on this storyFrench urged to watch out for Russian interferencePublished27 FebruaryWhy Macron went from dove to hawk on RussiaPublished16 MarchStar of David graffiti – the Russian connectionPublished8 November 2023Top StoriesLive. No aid arrives in northern Gaza since deadly Israeli strikeFears for Gazans as aid groups halt work over air strikePublished3 hours agoRobbery ringleader guilty of PC Sharon Beshenivsky’s murderPublished1 hour agoFeaturesDetective’s promise to murdered PC’s husband’The walls were crumbling’ – escaping Taiwan’s earthquakeIn pictures: Beautiful displays as spring bloomsTrain strikes: How will you be affected?Russia’s neighbours urge Nato allies to bring back military serviceUS visa costs ‘impossible’ to afford, say bandsSchool shooting brings up tough questions for FinlandWhat is Alzheimer’s and how common is it?‘You see skeletons’ – South Africa’s deadly borderElsewhere on the BBCIs mushroom coffee better for you than a regular brew?Greg Foot speaks to a fungi expert to find out what the potential benefits areAttributionSoundsThe heat in the MasterChef kitchen is back on!Join John Torode and Gregg Wallace as they sample their way through this year’s mouth-watering dishesAttributioniPlayerFrom Eurovision to conquering the worldABBA’s current manager, Görel Hanser, looks back at the group’s meteoric rise to stardomAttributionSoundsRobin Williams: from iconic shots to private snapsTen defining pictures throw a unique lens onto an extraordinary lifeAttributioniPlayerMost Read1Denmark shuts shipping strait over missile failure2Robbery ringleader guilty of PC’s murder3Victoria actor Adrian Schiller dies aged 604Mum says employment tribunal win was ‘bittersweet’5No boots on the ground in Ukraine, says Cameron6South African footballer shot dead in car hijacking7DWP take woman’s inheritance over supermarket job8Google using AI to create search answers in UK trial9Russia’s neighbours urge Nato allies to bring back military service10Detective’s promise to murdered PC’s husband

[ad_1] A network of Russian-created websites named Portal Kombat is accused of spreading made-up stories, such as claims that French mercenaries are already serving in Ukraine, or that Mr Macron…

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaAriel Henry: The rise and fall of Haiti’s prime ministerPublished16 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Ariel Henry was appointed by President Jovenel Moïse just two days before the latter’s murderBy Vanessa BuschschlüterBBC News Online Latin America and Caribbean editor When a country’s leader resigns, they are often described as “embattled”. That description is fitting for Haiti’s Ariel Henry. Mr Henry, who has been the country’s prime minister since July 2021, announced on Monday that he would step down as soon as a transitional council was created to replace him.His resignation has seemed inevitable as a wave of gang violence swept through the capital, making it impossible for him to return from a trip abroad.But as this lookback at his time in power shows, his troubles predate the gang violence which has ultimately forced him out of power. The neurosurgeon was named prime minister at the beginning of July 2021 by the then-president, Jovenel Moïse.Under the 1987 constitution, the president is elected by the people as head of state. They then chose a prime minister, who heads the government.It was already a turbulent time in Haitian politics when Mr Moïse chose Mr Henry, a soft-spoken former minister, to replace Claude Joseph.How gangs came to dominate HaitiHaiti spirals to collapse as gangs tighten grip Protesters were demanding that the president resign, arguing that he had overstayed his term, and Mr Moïse often spoke of “dark forces” he said were out to get him. Then he was brutally murdered by a group of Colombian mercenaries. In the days which followed the assassination, confusion reigned as to who should lead the country. Mr Henry had not been sworn in. It took 13 days presided over by Claude Joseph before he was.It did not get any better. Speaking after the ceremony on 20 July 2021, the new prime minister promised to restore order and new presidential elections “as soon as possible”.That time never came and in his 32 months in power no elections were held. Mr Henry argued that the security situation had deteriorated so much that free and fair polls were not possible.During this time, Haitians grew increasingly impatient as rising gang violence mixed with political impotence.On 7 February of this year, the day that new presidents traditionally take office in Haiti, demonstrators took to the streets of the capital to demand Mr Henry’s resignation.Mr Henry responded by stating he planned to hold elections by August 2025. This only seemed to further infuriated Haitians. The prospect of another year and a half of Mr Henry in power was seen by some analysts as the straw that broke the camel’s back.Image source, EPAImage caption, The pressure on Ariel Henry to resign increased in recent weeks amid surging gang violenceOthers point to his visit to Kenya at the end of February as the trigger for the latest wave of violence. Kenya has agreed to lead a multinational police force to be deployed to Haiti to help fight the gangs which are behind the wave of kidnappings and murders which has blighted the capital. But the plan hit a snag when the Kenyan High Court blocked it. Mr Henry travelled to Nairobi at the end of February for talks with Kenyan President William Ruto to try to revive the deployment. Opponents of Mr Henry feared that he could try to use foreign police officers to protect himself and continue to prop up his own power base.The fact that a wave of co-ordinated gang attacks swept through the capital just as Mr Henry met President Ruto is no coincidence. The gangs blockaded Toussaint Louverture airport to prevent Mr Henry from returning, and he has been stuck in Puerto Rico ever since.For 10 days, he did not speak publicly. A smattering of social media posts saw him congratulate a Haitian radio station on its anniversary, and reminding people that the clocks were going forward.He finally reappeared on Monday to announce he would step down “immediately after the installation of (a transition) council”.While it is still unclear when that will be, it will be hard for Mr Henry’s to wield any influence while in effective exile in Puerto Rico.Related TopicsHaitiAriel HenryMore on this storyHaiti’s PM resigns as law and order collapsesPublished4 hours agoStrife-torn Haiti gets new prime ministerPublished21 July 2021Top StoriesGaza medics tell BBC that Israeli troops beat and humiliated themPublished5 hours agoHaiti’s prime minister resigns as law and order collapsePublished4 hours agoMore than a fifth of adults not looking for workPublished33 minutes agoFeaturesThe Ukrainian sea drones hunting Russian warshipsIs pressure on Kate after photo chaos unfair?How the miners’ strike changed the role of womenSchoolboy recounts daring escape from Nigerian kidnap gangWhen wind turbine blades get old what’s next?Kate’s photo apology and Tory donor’s Abbott remarks’We don’t feel the joy of Ramadan in Rafah’ Video’We don’t feel the joy of Ramadan in Rafah’All By Myself songwriter Eric Carmen dies aged 74On Russia’s Arctic border, Nato’s new members prep for warElsewhere on the BBCCrazy urban myth or legitimate punk-pop conspiracy?Comedian Joanne McNally investigatesAttributionSoundsDo you know why the Taj Mahal was built?Test your knowledge with The Seven Wonders of the World quizAttributionBitesizeAre you a descendant of royalty?Geneticist Dr. Adam Rutherford sets out to prove that we all are…AttributionSoundsFind out this foxy family’s BBC favourites…They’ve got their eyes on the MasterChef trophyAttributioniPlayerMost Read1Al Pacino explains awkward Oscars announcement2More than a fifth of adults not looking for work3Andrew Tate detained over UK arrest warrant4Minister defends donor over Abbott remarks5Whole of the Moon artist Karl Wallinger dies at 666Gaza medics tell BBC that Israeli troops beat and humiliated them7Boeing whistleblower found dead in US8Warning pet owners overpaying for medicine9Is pressure on Kate after photo chaos unfair?10Haiti’s PM resigns as law and order collapses

[ad_1] Ariel Henry promised to tackle gang violence and restore the presidency. He failed to do either.

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaHaiti gangs try to take over Port-au-Prince airportPublished30 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, ReutersImage caption, Soldiers have been deployed to guard the international airportBy Vanessa BuschschlüterBBC NewsSoldiers have been deployed to defend the airport of the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince, from an assault by armed gangs.Witnesses reported hearing shots ringing out in the vicinity of Toussaint Louverture Airport as security forces clashed with armed men.The gangs’ aim is to prevent the return to Haiti of Prime Minister Ariel Henry, who is believed to be abroad. Violence has spiralled in his absence with the gangs demanding he resign.Mr Henry left Haiti last week to attend a regional summit in Guyana. From there, he travelled to Kenya to sign a deal on the deployment of a multinational police force to Haiti.His current whereabouts are not known but a spokesman for the US state department said: “It’s our understanding that the prime minister is returning to the country [Haiti]”.While he was in Kenya, a coalition of gangs led by a former police officer, Jimmy “Barbecue” Chérizier, went on the offensive, attacking police stations and storming two of Haiti’s biggest prisons.About a dozen people were killed in the attack on the prisons. Thousands of inmates escaped and remain on the loose. A minister standing in for Mr Henry declared a 72-hour state of emergency.How gangs came to dominate HaitiHaitian newspaper Le Nouvelliste reports that both international and national commercial flights have been suspended for the past days due to the violence. Le Nouvelliste added that no private planes had landed or taken off from the airport either.An attempt by gunmen to breach the airport compound through a hole in a wall was reportedly repelled by security forces.Control of the airport is key to the gangs’ aim of stopping Prime Minister Henry from coming back to the country.The gang leader known as Barbecue has been calling for his ouster since the prime minister was sworn in as the successor to President Jovenel Moïse in July 2021.Already rampant gang violence was further fuelled by the murder of President Moïse by Colombian mercenaries, which left a power vacuum in the country.Armed gangs, wielding weapons smuggled in from the US, have gained control of an estimated 80% of the capital in recent years. Prime Minister Henry has asked the international community to send troops to help fight the gangs. But a plan for Kenya to send 1,000 police officers to help contain the violence stalled after the Kenyan High Court blocked it. Mr Henry was in Nairobi for talks with Kenyan President William Ruto to try to salvage the deployment, when the latest violence flared.In a video posted on social media, Barbecue declared last week that “the first objective of our fight is to ensure that Ariel Henry’s government does not remain in power”.On Saturday, his gang attacked several police stations before freeing thousands of prisoners from the National Penitentiary and from the Croix des Bouquets jail.Only about 100 prisoners remained in their cells at the National Penitentiary, prison officials said. Among those who stayed put were 17 Colombian ex-soldiers suspected of having carried out the assassination of President Moïse.In a video, they pleaded for help, saying that other inmates were trying to get them to leave their cells and were going to use them “as cannon fodder”. The Colombian foreign ministry later announced that the 17 had been transferred to a different prison.Image source, ReutersImage caption, Thousands of Haitians have had to flee their homes in recent weeks and are sheltering in schools and other public buildingsResidents of the capital mainly stayed at home on Monday with only a few people venturing out to get drinking water or food, the AFP news agency reported. Speaking from Haiti, Serge Dalexis from the International Rescue Committee said it had become extremely difficult for people to access basic services such as health care, food and water. “There’s a lack of everything now in Port-au-Prince,” Mr Dalexis said, adding that shooting was being reported in many areas of the city.An estimated 15,000 people have been displaced from their homes over recent weeks due to the violence.Haiti: The basicsPopulation: 11.5 million (estimate)Area: 27,800 sq km (slightly smaller than Belgium, about the same size as the state of Maryland in the US)Location: Caribbean country sharing a border with the Dominican RepublicLanguages: French, Haitian CreoleRelated TopicsHaitiPort-au-PrinceMore on this storyHaiti gangs demand PM resign after mass jailbreakPublished16 hours agoKenyan police to tackle Haiti gang violencePublished3 days agoHaiti leader urges calm as violent protests mountPublished8 FebruaryTop StoriesGirl held and stripped twice by male prison staffPublished3 hours agoChildren starving to death in northern Gaza – WHOPublished9 hours agoUN finds ‘convincing information’ of sexual violence against hostagesPublished2 hours agoFeaturesThe sound that signalled death for IRA ‘informers’In Ukraine, the show must go on – even undergroundWhat is Super Tuesday and why is it important?Inside the Gaza camp for widows and childrenTax, childcare, vapes: What could be in the Budget?Watch: Chinese boats fire water at a Philippine vessel. VideoWatch: Chinese boats fire water at a Philippine vesselTransparency tool launched by BBC Verify. VideoTransparency tool launched by BBC Verify’We feel like it’s us repaying Birmingham’s debt’The Papers: NHS budget warning and Hunt ‘to keep fuel tax cut’ Elsewhere on the BBC’I was mad for stuff but I didn’t realise I wasn’t happy’Stuart Mitchell’s search for happiness will make us all question the true cost of livingAttributionSoundsDid one man from Iraq make Norway rich?Meet the man behind Norway’s rise to oil richesAttributionSounds’No one was treating me seriously’The woman who went for viral for claiming to be Madeleine McCann explains her motivesAttributionSoundsWhat holds us back from exercising as we age?James Gallagher explores the mental and physical barriers that may stop usAttributionSoundsMost Read1Councils to be told to cut diversity plans in Budget2Russian Black Sea ship ‘sunk in drone attack’3Post Office victim settles but feels ‘guilt’4’I earn £1,600 a month and two-thirds goes on bills’5Girl held and stripped twice by male prison staff6Kate’s uncle joins Celebrity Big Brother7Online hate left Traitors star afraid to go out8The sound that signalled death for IRA ‘informers’9UN finds ‘convincing information’ of sexual violence against hostages10One hurt as double-decker bus crashes into building

[ad_1] The gangs want to prevent the return to Haiti of the prime minister, who is thought to be abroad.

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaHaiti gangs: The spiralling power of criminal groupsPublished12 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, ReutersImage caption, Protests against Prime Minister Ariel Henry have been mounting in recent weeksBy Vanessa BuschschlüterBBC News Online Latin America and Caribbean editorThousands of prisoners on the loose after gangs stormed the jails they were in, a government without a single elected official and a gang leader who openly threatens the prime minister. The scenes unfolding in Haiti are shocking even to those who have been following the seemingly unstoppable rise of armed groups in the country in recent years. Here we take a closer look at how gangs have come to dominate huge swathes of the capital and, increasingly, of rural areas of this Caribbean country.Armed groups have long played a bloody role in Haiti’s history. During the 29 years of the dictatorship of François Duvalier, known as Papa Doc, and his son Jean Claude “Baby Doc” Duvalier, a paramilitary force called the Tonton Macoutes used extreme violence to stamp out any opposition to the Duvalier regime.The younger Duvalier was forced into exile in 1986, but gangs have continued to exert varying degrees of power, sometimes shielded and encouraged by the politicians with whom they forged alliances.The most recent widespread outbreak of gang violence has been fuelled by the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse on 7 July 2021.Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Jovenel Moïse was shot dead in July 2021The president was shot dead by a group of Colombian mercenaries at his home outside of Port-au-Prince after he had started denouncing “dark forces” inside Haiti.While the Colombians and a number of other suspects have been arrested, an investigation into his killing has still not determined who ordered the president’s assassination. Gang violence had already been rampant under President Moïse, but the power vacuum created by his murder allowed these gangs to seize more territory and become more influential.And it is not just the position of president which is vacant. Following repeated delays to hold legislative elections, the terms of all elected official have run out, leaving the country’s institutions rudderless. Since Jovenel Moïse’s murder, the country has been governed by Ariel Henry.Mr Henry had been designated by President Moïse as his prime minister shortly before he was killed, but he is unelected and some therefore question his legitimacy. Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Ariel Henry has been serving as prime minister since 2021 – the post of president has remained vacantOpposition to Ariel Henry’s leadership has been increasing as the elections he promised to hold have failed to materialise.Moreover, insecurity has spiralled, forcing hundreds of thousands of Haitians to flee their homes.One of the most outspoken rivals of Mr Henry is Jimmy Chérizier, a former police officer who became a gang leader after he was fired from the police force. Also known by his nickname of Barbecue, the ex-cop leads G9, an alliance of nine gangs founded in 2020 which reportedly has links to late President Moïse’s Tèt Kale Party.Barbecue has opposed Prime Minister Henry from the start. The gang leader used Moïse’s assassination, which he blamed on the “stinking bourgeoisie”, to encourage his followers to engage in what he called “legitimate violence”. Brutal attacks and looting spread, especially in the capital, Port-au-Prince, where Barbecue has his power base.In October 2021, Ariel Henry was prevented from laying a wreath at a monument, when heavily armed members of Jimmy Chérizier’s gang suddenly showed up and fired shots into the air.Dressed in a pristine white suit and flanked by his men, the gang leader then proceeded to lay a wreath at the monument – an extraordinary show of force.His G9 gang has also been fighting a bloody war with G-Pèp, a rival gang which is reportedly linked to the parties who opposed murdered President Moïse.Shootouts and battles over territory between the two groups are common and have spilled over from the poorer neighbourhoods into the centre of Port-au-Prince. Schools and hospitals have had to close and more than 100,000 people fled their homes in 2023, according to the International Organization for Migration. The International Committee of the Red Cross told the BBC its staff had to talk to hundreds of gangs in order to be able to deliver humanitarian aid.Where aid delivery depends on talking to 300 gangsIn a further flexing of its muscles, the G9 gang also blocked access to the Varreux fuel terminal in 2022, causing fuel shortages and hampering other key deliveries, such as medicines and drinking water. Haiti’s national police force – which according to 2023 figures only has 9,000 active-duty officers in the country of 11 million inhabitants – has struggled to confront the gangs, which are well armed with high powered weapons smuggled in from the US.Eighty percent of the capital is now estimated to be under gang control and the people living in these areas face “inhuman” levels of violence, according to the United Nations’ humanitarian co-ordinator, Ulrika Richardson.Ms Richardson said that there had been a 50% increase in sexual violence between 2022 and 2023 with women and young girls in particular targeted by the gangs. Mr Henry has repeatedly called for international support to combat the violence, but so far only The Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados and Chad have formally told the UN that they plan to send security personnel.But none have arrived so far. During this latest spike in violence, Mr Henry went to Kenya to lobby officials there to make good on their promise to deploy 1,000 police officers to Haiti. While Haitian civilians are desperate for more security, the deployment of foreign security personnel is viewed with concern by some.Haiti, which became independent from France after the successful 1791 slave revolt, was occupied by the US from 1915 to 1934. Subsequent US military interventions between 1994 and 2004 have also made many wary of outside “meddling”.Some critics of Mr Henry fear he wants to use the Kenyan police force to prop up his power, just as protests calling for his resignation are mounting.Jimmy “Barbecue” Chérizier is one of those who has accused Ariel Henry of trying to cement his power by inviting in foreign security personnel.Image source, ReutersImage caption, Jimmy “Barbecue” Chérizier is a gang leader who likes to style himself as a revolutionaryIn 2022, the gang leader put forward his own plan for “peace”, suggesting members of his gang be offered an amnesty and a “council of sages” be created with representatives from Haiti’s 10 regions. At the time he also suggested that his gang be given posts in the cabinet. Since then, he has been ratcheting up the pressure, trying to present himself as a “revolutionary” who aims to overthrow what he says is an “illegitimate” leader. On 1 March, Chérizier said he would “keep fighting Ariel Henry”. “The battle will last as long as it needs to,” he added.It is not currently clear where Mr Henry is, but with thousands of prisoners on the run and the powerful leader of the G9 openly calling for him to step down, the odds of the prime minister quickly re-stablishing order have just become more remote. Related TopicsHaitiGangsMore on this storyGangs threaten Haiti takeover after mass jailbreakPublished3 hours agoHaiti leader urges calm as violent protests mountPublished8 FebruaryTop StoriesSarah Everard detective recalls shock at learning killer was PCPublished5 minutes agoLive. US Supreme Court rules Trump can remain on presidential ballot£100m Church fund not enough to address slavery links, says reportPublished4 hours agoFeaturesThe Ukrainian teenagers who returned for their school promDid the last Budget deliver growth and cheap beer?In pictures: Bollywood stars and billionaires at lavish partyTrump supporters target black voters with AI fakesMystery of giant star sand dunes solvedCan a rubberstamp parliament help China’s economy?A pioneering women’s World Cup erased from history’I embrace my alopecia, but I’d love my old hair back’ Video’I embrace my alopecia, but I’d love my old hair back’Why Macron hopes abortion rights are a political winnerElsewhere on the BBCWhat went wrong that fateful night?A new two-part documentary series examines the 1994 Mull of Kintyre Chinook helicopter crashAttributioniPlayer’Bob’s music is an attempt to redeem us’How has Bob Marley’s Redemption Song inspired generations around the world?AttributionSoundsGary Neville returns to the Den…Can the aspiring entrepreneurs win him, and the fiery five over?AttributioniPlayerHow Trump’s golf dream turned into a nightmare…His controversial golf development in Aberdeenshire was greenlit with awful consequencesAttributionSoundsMost Read1Stop ‘rude’ vicar behaviour, wedding photographers say2Rare Ferrari recovered after being stolen in 19953Sarah Everard police recall learning killer was PC4Germany under pressure to explain leaked phone call5O’Connor’s estate asks Trump not to use her music6George Galloway sworn in as MP for Rochdale7Church fund ‘not enough’ to right slavery wrongs8Apple fined €1.8bn for breaking streaming rules9Paul Scully to stand down at general election10Record find leads to record deal for 1980s band

[ad_1] Gang leaders have seized control of large swathes of Haiti, a country without any elected officials.

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaRosenberg: How two years of war in Ukraine changed RussiaPublished2 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsWar in UkraineImage caption, A mural of fallen Russian soldiers in SolnechnogorskBy Steve RosenbergRussia EditorAs I stood watching Russians laying flowers in memory of opposition leader Alexei Navalny, a young man shared his reaction to Mr Navalny’s death in prison.”I’m in shock,” he told me, “just like two years ago on 24 February: when the war started.”It made me think about everything that has happened in Russia these last two years, since President Putin ordered the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. It is a catalogue of drama, bloodshed, tragedy.Russia’s war has brought death and destruction to Ukraine. The Russian military has suffered huge losses, too.Russian towns have been shelled and come under drone-attack;Hundreds of thousands of Russian men were drafted into the army;Wagner mercenaries mutinied and marched on Moscow. Their leader Yevgeny Prigozhin later died in a plane crash.The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Russia’s president for alleged war crimes.Now Vladimir Putin’s most vocal critic is dead.24 February 2022 was a watershed moment. But looking back the direction of travel had been clear. It was in 2014 that Russia had annexed Crimea from Ukraine and first intervened militarily in the Donbas; Alexei Navalny had been poisoned with a nerve agent in 2020 and jailed in 2021. Domestic repression in Russia pre-dates the invasion of Ukraine, but it has accelerated since. As for Vladimir Putin, two years into this war he sounds increasingly confident and determined to defeat his enemies at home and abroad. He rails against America, Nato and the EU and presents Russia’s war in Ukraine as a war on Russia by the “collective West”, an existential battle for his country’s survival. How and when will it end? I can’t predict the future. I can, however, recall the past. In a cupboard at home recently I found a dusty folder with copies of my Russia despatches from more than 20 years ago: the early Putin years.Sifting through them, it was like reading about a different galaxy light-years away.Russia accused of executing prisoners of war in Avdiivka Is Russia turning the tide in Ukraine?”According to a recent poll, 59% of Russians support the idea of Russia joining the European Union…” I wrote on 17 May 2001.”Nato and Russia are actively seeking closer cooperation: a sign to both sides that the real threat to world peace lies not with each other…” [20 November 2001]So, where did it all go wrong? I’m not the only person wondering.Image caption, Former Nato chief Lord Robertson says Russia’s loss of superpower status “ate away” at Vladimir Putin”The Putin I met with, did good business with, established a Nato-Russia Council with, is very, very different from this almost megalomaniac at the present moment,” former Nato chief Lord Robertson told me recently when we met in London. “The man who stood beside me in May of 2002, right beside me, and said Ukraine is a sovereign and independent nation state which will make its own decisions about security, is now the man who says that [Ukraine] is not a nation state.”Lord Robertson even recalls Vladimir Putin contemplating Nato membership for Russia.”At my second meeting with Putin, he said explicitly: ‘When are you going to invite Russia to join Nato?’ I said, ‘We don’t invite countries to join Nato, they apply.’ And he said, ‘Well, we’re not going to stand in line beside a bunch of countries who don’t matter.’ Lord Robertson said he does not think that Putin really wanted to apply for Nato membership. “He wanted it presented to him, because I think he always thought – and increasingly thinks – that Russia is a great nation on the world stage and needs the respect that the Soviet Union had,” he told me. “He was never going to comfortably fit inside an alliance of equal nations, all sitting round the table debating and discussing interests of common policy.”‘Growing ego’Lord Robertson points out that the Soviet Union was once recognised as the second superpower in the world, but Russia can’t make any claims in that direction today. “I think that sort of ate away at [Putin’s] ego. Combine that with the feebleness, sometimes, of the West and in many ways the provocations that he faced, as well as his own growing ego. I think that changed the individual who wanted to cooperate with Nato into somebody who now sees Nato as a huge threat.” Moscow sees things differently. Russian officials claim it was Nato enlargement eastwards that undermined European security and led to war. They accuse Nato of breaking a promise to the Kremlin, made allegedly in the dying days of the USSR, that the alliance wouldn’t accept countries previously in Moscow’s orbit. “There was certainly nothing on paper,” Lord Robertson tells me. “There was nothing that was agreed, there was no treaty to that effect. But it was Vladimir Putin himself who signed the Rome Declaration on 28 May 2002. The same piece of paper I signed, which enshrined the basic principles of territorial integrity and non-interference in other countries. He signed that. He can’t blame anybody else.” Image caption, A war memorial in Solnechnogorsk commemorates Russians killed in the “special military operation”In the town of Solnechnogorsk, 40 miles from Moscow, the last two dramatic years of Russia’s history are on display in the park. I spot graffiti in support of the Wagner mercenary group. There are flowers in memory of Alexei Navalny. And there’s a large mural of two local men, Russian soldiers, killed in Ukraine. Painted alongside is a Youth Army cadet saluting them.In the town centre, at a memorial to those killed in World War Two and the Soviet war in Afghanistan, a new section has been added:”To soldiers killed in the special military operation.”Forty-six names are etched into stone.I ask Lidiya Petrovna, passing by with her grandson, how life has changed in two years. “Our factories are now making things we used to buy abroad. That’s good,” Lidiya says. “But I’m sad for the young men, for everyone, who’ve been killed. We certainly don’t need war with the West. Our people have seen nothing but war, war, war all their lives.” When I speak to Marina, she praises Russian soldiers she says are “doing their duty” in Ukraine. Then she looks across at her 17-year-old son Andrei. “But as a mother I’m frightened that my son will be called up to fight. I want peace as soon as possible, so that we won’t fear what comes tomorrow.”Related TopicsWar in UkraineRussiaVladimir PutinUkraineMore on this storyRussia accused of executing prisoners of war in AvdiivkaPublished2 days agoIs Russia turning the tide in Ukraine?Published5 days agoInside Ukraine’s struggle to find new men to fightPublished12 FebruaryThe Ukrainians ‘disappearing’ in Russia’s prisonsPublished10 FebruaryTop StoriesLive. Speaker Lindsay Hoyle facing calls to quit after Gaza ceasefire vote chaosRosenberg: How two years of war have changed RussiaPublished2 hours agoOur killed daughters asked for help and police failed them, say mothersPublished2 hours agoFeaturesHroza, Ukraine’s village of orphansThe Papers: ‘Fury in Commons’ and ‘King’s tears’Sahil Omar: The real story behind a fake criminalThe sacrifices key to Kenya’s late marathon legendHow AI is helping the search for extraterrestrial lifeWhy US politicians are on a pilgrimage to Taiwan’Recovering from food addiction is like walking a tiger’Olivia Colman on why sweary letters were original trollingMoment giant Antarctica drone takes off. VideoMoment giant Antarctica drone takes offElsewhere on the BBCFive geological wonders from around the worldFrom the very tip of the North Pole to the southernmost point of the AmericasAttributionBitesizeWhich classic did Elbow cover?The band join the BBC Concert Orchestra in the BBC Piano RoomAttributionSounds’We have built the world, perhaps inadvertently, for men’Philanthropist Melinda French Gates on what she’s learned from her life so farAttributionSoundsA tasty swap that could really improve our healthMichael discovers the benefits of incorporating wholegrains into our dietAttributionSoundsMost Read1Whale song mystery solved by scientists2Rosenberg: How two years of war have changed Russia3’Fury in Commons’ and ‘King’s tears’4Police force ‘failed’ women who were killed5Suspensions after ‘Israel’ crossed out on document6US hospital halts IVF after court says embryos are children7Biden’s dog bit Secret Service agents 24 times8Firms must make ‘adjustments’ for menopausal woman9Historical sites in Afghanistan ‘bulldozed for looting’10Baby loss certificates introduced in England

[ad_1] The BBC’s Russia Editor reports on a catalogue of drama, bloodshed and tragedy since the war began.

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaWagner in Africa: How the Russian mercenary group has rebrandedPublished50 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, AFPBy Joe Inwood & Jake TacchiBBC Newsnight & BBC Eye InvestigationsRussia is offering governments in Africa a “regime survival package” in exchange for access to strategically important natural resources, a major new report has found. Internal Russian government documents, seen by the BBC, also detail how it is working to change mining laws in West Africa, with the ambition of dislodging Western companies from an area of strategic importance. This is part of the process of the Russian government taking over the businesses of the Wagner mercenary group, broken up after a failed coup in June 2023. The multibillion dollar operations are now mostly being run as the Russian “Expeditionary Corps”, managed by the man accused of being behind the attempt to murder Sergei Skripal using the Novichok nerve agent on the streets of the UK – a charge Russia has denied.”This is the Russian state coming out of the shadows in its Africa policy,” says Jack Watling, land warfare specialist at the Royal United Services Institute (Rusi) and one of the report’s authors.Back in June 2023, Yevgeny Prigozhin was probably the most feared and famous mercenary in the world. His Wagner Group was in control of billions of dollars’ worth of companies and projects, while his fighters were central to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Then, he decided to march on Moscow, ostensibly calling for the removal of the defence minister and head of the general staff, but in reality threatening President Vladimir Putin in a way no-one had before.Within weeks he had died in a highly suspicious plane crash, along with much of the Wagner leadership. There was widespread speculation at the time about what would happen to the Wagner Group. Now, we have the answer. According to Dr Watling, “there was a meeting in the Kremlin fairly shortly after Prigozhin’s mutiny, in which it was decided that Wagner’s Africa operations would fall directly under the control of Russian military intelligence, the GRU”.Control was to be handed to Gen Andrey Averyanov, head of Unit 29155, a secretive operation specialising in targeting killings and destabilising foreign governments.But it seems Gen Averyanov’s new business was not destabilising governments, but rather securing their future, as long as they paid by signing away their mineral rights. In early September, accompanied by deputy Defence Minister Yunus-Bek Yevkurov, Gen Averyanov began a tour of former Wagner operations in Africa. They started in Libya, meeting warlord Gen Khalifa Haftar. Their next stop was Burkina Faso where they were greeted by 35-year-old coup leader Ibrahim Traoré.After that, they landed in the Central African Republic, possibly the most well-established Wagner operation on the continent, before heading to Mali to meet the leaders of the junta there.Image source, AFPImage caption, This banner in the Central African Republic reads: Russia is Wagner, we love Russia and we love WagnerOn a subsequent trip they also met General Salifou Modi, one of the military men who seized power in Niger last year.Readouts of the various meetings demonstrate that the two men were reassuring Wagner’s partners on the continent that the demise of Prigozhin did not mean the end of his business deals. Reports of the meeting with Capt Traoré of Burkina Faso confirmed cooperation would continue in “the military domain, including the training of Burkinabe officer cadets and officers at all levels, including pilots in Russia”.In short, the death of Prigozhin did not mean the end for the junta’s relationship with Russia. In some ways, it would become deeper still.The three West African states with close links to Wagner – Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso – have all experienced military takeovers in recent years. They have since announced their withdrawal from the regional bloc Ecowas, and the creation of their own “Alliance of Sahel States”. Maybe the most entwined with the mercenaries was Mali, where an ongoing Islamist insurgency, combined with multiple coups, had left an essentially failed state. Previously, security assistance had come in the form of the UN mission known as Minusma, alongside the French military’s long-running counter-insurgency operation.But there was no particular fondness for France, the former colonial power, and so when the Wagner group offered to replace their security operations with Russian backing, the offer was accepted. “The French were tolerated, rather than welcomed,” says Edwige Sorgho-Depagne, an analyst of African politics who works for Amber Advisers. “The French mandate to help in the terror crisis in the Sahel was always regarded as limited in time. So, the fact that the French stayed for that long – over 10 years – without finding a way to end the crisis didn’t help”.Image source, TelegramImage caption, These flowers commemorating Yevgeny Prigozhin and Dmitry Utkin were laid at a monument to Russian mercenaries in CARBeyond pragmatism, there was also nostalgia. “In these countries, Russia is not a new ally. Russia was there before in the 1970s and 1980s.” “There’s this dream of getting back to a better time, which is often associated with the relationship with Russia.”But for the military juntas running these countries, Russia’s military presence has obvious benefits.”Initially, these juntas were transitional leaders. They were supposed to organise elections and bring about a return to democratic institutions.””But now Russian paramilitaries are brought in to protect the military junta, allowing them to stay as long as they want.”The junta ordered the French forces to leave and Mali is now largely dependent on Wagner for its internal security, a change that is having an immediate impact on ordinary Malians. “What the Russians have provided is a strike force, with helicopters with advanced capabilities and a lot of firepower,” says Dr Watling. “They are using pretty traditional Soviet anti-partisan methods. You see fighters who were executed, as well as civilians targeted for enabling or being associated with fighters.”There have been multiple claims that Wagner forces carried out human rights abuses on the African continent, as well as in Ukraine and Syria, where Prigozhin’s organisation previously held a commanding presence. One of the most well-documented incidents took place in the central Malian town of Moura where, according to a UN report, at least 500 people are believed to have been summarily executed by Malian troops and “armed white men”, who eyewitnesses described as speaking an “unknown language”.While independent verification has not been possible, Human Rights Watch identified the unknown white attackers as Russian mercenaries. Image source, TelegramImage caption, A hundred Russian military specialists arrived in Burkina Faso, along with equipment and weapons last month, with more expected soonIn exchange for considerable, if brutal, security assistance, Wagner required something in return.Mali, like many African nations, is rich in natural resources – from timber and gold to uranium and lithium. Some are simply valuable, while others have strategic importance as well.According to Dr Watling, Wagner was operating in a well-established tradition: “There is a standard Russian modus operandi, which is that you cover the operational costs with parallel business activity. In Africa, that is primarily through mining concessions.”In every country in which it operates, Wagner was reported to have secured valuable natural resources using these to not only cover costs, but also extract significant revenue. Russia has extracted $2.5bn (£2bn) worth of gold from Africa in the past two years, which is likely to have helped fund its war in Ukraine, according to the Blood Gold Report.This month, Russian fighters – formerly Wagner mercenaries – took control of Mali’s Intahaka gold mine, close to the border with Burkina Faso. The artisanal mine, the largest in northern Mali, had been disputed for many years by various armed groups active in the region. But there is something else, with potential geopolitical significance. “We are now observing the Russians attempting to strategically displace Western control of access to critical minerals and resources,” says Dr Watling. In Mali, the mining code was recently re-written to give the junta greater control over natural resources. That process has already seen an Australian lithium mine suspend trading on its shares, citing uncertainty over the implementation of the code.While lithium and gold mines are clearly important, according to Dr Watling there is possibly an even greater strategic headache around the corner: “In Niger the Russians are endeavouring to gain a similar set of concessions that would strip French access to the uranium mines in the country.”Image source, AFPImage caption, Many Malians earn their living by mining goldThe report details internal Russian memos focussed on trying to achieve in Niger what was done in Mali. If Russia managed to gain control of West Africa’s uranium mines, Europe could be left exposed once again to what has often been called Russian “energy blackmail”.France is more dependent on nuclear power than any other country in the world, with 56 reactors producing almost two-thirds of the country’s energy. About a fifth of its uranium is imported from Niger. There have previously been complaints about the terms of trade, with suggestions that the former colonial power exploits nations like Niger.”The narrative that Russia is pushing is that Western states remain fundamentally colonial in their attitude,” says Dr Watling. “It’s very ironic because the Russian approach, which is to isolate these regimes, capture their elites and to extract their natural resources, is quite colonial.”In reality, the “Expeditionary Corps” appears more as “Wagner 2.0”, than a radical departure for Russian foreign policy. Prigozhin had built deep political, economic and military ties on the African continent – dismantling this complex web would have been difficult and ultimately counter-productive.The “Expeditionary Corps” is operating in the same countries, with the same equipment and – it seems – with the same ultimate goal. According to Dr Watling, the fundamental change lies in “the overtness with which Russia is pursuing its policy”. Prigozhin’s Wagner Group had always provided Russia with a level of plausible deniability in operations and influence abroad. Following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, many in the Western security apparatus say that Russia’s mask has slipped. “What they are looking to do is to exacerbate our crises internationally. They are trying to start fires elsewhere, and expand those that already exist, making a less safe world,” Dr Watling. “Ultimately, it weakens us in the global competition that we are currently facing. So the impact is not immediately felt, but over time, it is a serious threat.”You may also be interested in:Inside Wagner’s African ‘success story’What is Russia’s Wagner mercenary group? ‘France takes us for idiots’ – Inside coup-hit NigerWhy young Africans are celebrating military takeoversWas Prigozhin a dead man walking? Related TopicsCentral African RepublicRussiaLibyaBurkina FasoMaliAround the BBCBBC Focus on Africa podcastTop StoriesCameron government knew Post Office ditched Horizon IT investigationPublished6 hours agoRussia accused of executing prisoners of war in AvdiivkaPublished5 hours agoNavalny’s body ‘to be held for two weeks’Published6 hours agoFeaturesThe Papers: Navalny wife blames Putin and US’s move to block Rafah offensive’Evacuating was a mistake’: Israelis push to return to border homesHow Russia has rebranded Wagner in AfricaNavalny’s widow faces daunting challengeOne of UK’s ‘most advanced’ vertical farm opensWho is Julian Assange and why is he facing extradition?Boarders: ‘We all have to code switch to survive in life’Lyse Doucet: Rafah deadline raises stakes as Ramadan nearsThe unprecedented case of a migrant manslaughter trialElsewhere on the BBCA dream holiday turns into a nightmareEverything changes for Karl Williams when he is busted with a kilo of drugsAttributioniPlayerCan dental chews really clean your dog’s teeth?Greg hears from a pet nutritionist and a vet who’s an expert in dental careAttributionSoundsEveryone has something to hide…When Sabine’s body is found beneath the cliffs, her sister is convinced she was murderedAttributionSoundsGet to know Cillian Murphy through musicThe Golden Globes and BAFTA-winning actor shares what he’d take with him to a desert islandAttributionSoundsMost Read1Government knew Post Office ditched Horizon probe2US zoo extracts 70 coins from white alligator3Navalny wife blames Putin and US’s move to block Rafah offensive4Navalny’s body ‘to be held for two weeks’5Probe after ‘Israel crossed out on birth certificate’6Bowel cancer checks for anyone with inherited risk7Russia accused of executing prisoners of war in Avdiivka8LGBT veteran in ‘last battle’ for army ban compensation9Illegal abortion investigations rising, BBC told10Hacker group’s site taken over by law enforcement

[ad_1] Russia has taken the mercenary group into its intelligence services, using it to destabilise Africa.

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaIgor Girkin shot down a passenger jet, then insulted Putin. Which one put him in jail?Published1 hour agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsWar in UkraineImage source, MAXIM SHIPENKOV/EPA-EFE/REX/ShutterstockImage caption, Igor Girkin has escaped justice for downing flight MH17 but is going to jail after criticising Vladimir PutinBy Steve RosenbergRussia Editor, MoscowThe last time I saw Igor Girkin was five years ago in the stairwell of a Moscow news agency.”Would you consider giving me an interview?” I asked. “No,” he replied sharply and scurried away.I saw him again today. No stairwell. This time, Girkin was in a caged dock surrounded by police in the Moscow City Court. Along with other media we were allowed in to film him for just one minute before the end of his trial. A police dog kept barking. Girkin found that amusing. The verdict less so. Minutes later he was found guilty on extremism charges and sentenced to four years in a penal colony. This wasn’t his first conviction. In The Hague in 2022, in absentia, Girkin was found guilty of the murder of 298 people: the passengers and crew of Malaysian Airlines flight MH17. The Boeing jet had been shot down over eastern Ukraine in 2014 by Russian-controlled forces in the early stages of Russia’s war there. Girkin was one of three men sentenced to life imprisonment. A judgement he ignored.A year after we’d met in the stairwell, I managed to get through to Girkin on the phone and ask him about the Hague. “I do not recognise the authority of the Dutch court on this matter,” he told me. “I am a military man and I am not going to accept that a civilian court in a foreign country has the authority to convict a person who took part in someone else’s civil war, only because their civilians were killed.”Do you know who shot down [the plane]?””The rebels didn’t shoot down the Boeing. I have nothing more to say.”This video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.Media caption, Russian rebel commander Igor Girkin told the BBC in 2020 he did not recognise the court’s authority”If it wasn’t the rebels, then was it Russian soldiers?” I asked.”That’s it. Goodbye.” He hung up. Now he is going to prison. But not for mass murder. And not for life. So, who exactly is Girkin – also known under his pseudonym as Igor Strelkov – and why has a Moscow court sent him to jail?He is a former FSB officer in Russia’s domestic security service. In 2014 he played a key role in the fighting in Ukraine’s Donbas region: a conflict engineered and orchestrated by Moscow.He organised and commanded pro-Russia militias in eastern Ukraine. The Dutch court would later rule that Russia had been in control of the separatist forces fighting in eastern Ukraine and that Girkin had helped to bring the Buk missile system into Ukraine that was used to shoot down flight MH17. Three guilty of downing airliner over UkrainePutin critic Girkin wants Russia presidential runFollowing Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, ultranationalist Girkin became a prominent pro-war blogger. He became increasingly critical of the way the Russian authorities were waging the war: not hard enough, in his view. He founded a hard line nationalist movement called The Club of Angry Patriots. His problems began when he started to take that anger out on President Vladimir Putin. Public criticisms of the Russian president turned to insults. In a post last year, Girkin described Putin as “a non-entity” and “a cowardly waste of space”. A few days later he was arrested. Now he’s been tried and convicted. Of course, a four-year prison sentence is mild in comparison to other recent punishments delivered by Russian courts. Last year pro-democracy activist Vladimir Kara-Murza was sentenced to a quarter of a century behind bars after being convicted of treason, a case he and his supporters insist was politically motivated.Putin critic jailed for 25 years in Russia’Send back our husbands’ – Russian women in rare protestHow would the “Angry Patriots” react to Girkin’s prison term? Would they pour on to the streets in protest? Image source, MAXIM SHIPENKOV/EPA-EFE/REX/ShutterstockImage caption, Some of Girkin supporters were detained outside the court in MoscowNot exactly. A few dozen supporters gathered outside the Moscow City Court to chant “Freedom to Strelkov!” but there was little hint of optimism in their voices. “They’ve put a Russian national patriot on trial,” Denis tells me. “I hope our people wake up and fight. Unfortunately, we don’t see much pushback. Everyone seems to be hiding away.”Also in the crowd was retired colonel and outspoken ultranationalist Vladimir Kvachkov.Having informed me that “Russia will always be the enemy of the Anglo-Saxon West” and assured me that the break-up of the United Kingdom was inevitable, Mr Kvachkov claimed that Girkin was being punished for “fighting against the system.”In recent years the “system” concentrated on clearing the Russian political landscape of pro-democracy, pro-Western critics and challengers. A prison sentence for Girkin suggests the Russian authorities have now decided to crackdown on critics from the opposite end of spectrum: the so-called ultra-patriots. Last year’s mutiny by Wagner mercenaries led by Yevgeny Prigozhin may be the reason. The Putin system survived the challenge. But that drama will have alerted the Kremlin to the potential dangers from highly motivated nationalistic and patriotic elements in Russian society.Related TopicsWar in UkraineRussiaVladimir PutinMore on this storyPutin critic Girkin wants Russia presidential runPublished19 November 2023Pro-war Putin critic Strelkov detained in MoscowPublished21 July 2023Wanted Russian rebel scorns MH17 trial. Video, 00:01:25Wanted Russian rebel scorns MH17 trialPublished9 March 20201:25Top StoriesFamilies’ anger as triple killer gets hospital orderPublished24 minutes agoWatch: Killer’s rampage and arrest caught on camera. VideoWatch: Killer’s rampage and arrest caught on cameraPublished4 hours agoSturgeon called Johnson a ‘clown’, inquiry hearsPublished28 minutes agoFeaturesCould the UK’s ‘pre-war generation’ become a citizen army?Downed Russian plane leaves unanswered questionsWhy a key crime stat doesn’t tell the full story about sexual offencesThe secrets of Claudia Winkleman’s Traitors styleHow many countries still have the death penalty?UK to loan back Ghana’s looted ‘crown jewels’The crime hotspot helping ex-offenders go straightPostcode check: How’s the NHS coping in your area?Chris Mason: Has Sunak seen off latest Tory wobbles?Elsewhere on the BBCCan you guess what’s happening in an advert you can’t see?Chris McCausland asks a panel of comedians to live in an audio only worldAttributionSoundsHow did Britain lead the world into the jet age?An unlikely story of outstanding aviation achievement at a time of national austerityAttributioniPlayer’Comedy saved my life’First broadcast in 2010, hear Frank Skinner’s desert island picks and personal revelationsAttributionSoundsThe mysterious deaths of Nazi fugitivesThree brothers investigate whether a family connection may explain the truthAttributioniPlayerMost Read1NHS consultants reject offer of double pay rise2Families’ anger as triple killer gets hospital order3Tom Holland bonus sent to Tom Hollander in error4Baby kept in Lidl bag before being dumped, court told5Foreign Office warns man running length of Africa6Microsoft lays off 1,900 gaming division staff7Sturgeon called Johnson a ‘clown’, inquiry hears8Lloyds to cut 1,600 jobs in major branch overhaul9Russian ‘ultra-patriot’ jailed after insulting Putin10Could the UK’s ‘pre-war generation’ become a citizen army?

[ad_1] Igor Girkin escaped justice for downing flight MH17 but goes to jail after criticising Russia’s leader.

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaUAE has funded political assassinations in Yemen, BBC findsPublished59 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Jack Garland/BBCImage caption, The son of Yemeni human rights laywer Huda al-Sarari’s was fatally shot in 2019By Nawal al-MaghafiBBC News Arabic InvestigationsThe United Arab Emirates (UAE) has funded politically-motivated assassinations in Yemen, a BBC investigation has found, exacerbating a conflict involving the Yemeni government and warring factions which has recently returned to the international spotlight following attacks on ships in the Red Sea.Counter-terrorism training provided by American mercenaries to Emirati officers in Yemen has been used to train locals who can work under a lower profile – sparking a major uptick in political assassinations, a whistleblower told BBC Arabic Investigations.The BBC has also found that despite the American mercenaries’ stated aim to eliminate the jihadist groups al-Qaeda and Islamic State (IS) in southern Yemen, in fact the UAE has gone on to recruit former al-Qaeda members for a security force it has created on the ground in Yemen to fight the Houthi rebel movement and other armed factions.The UAE government has denied the allegations in our investigation – that it had assassinated those without links to terrorism – saying they were “false and without merit”. The killing spree in Yemen – more than 100 assassinations in a three-year period – is just one element of an ongoing bitter internecine conflict pitting several international powers against each other in the Middle East’s poorest country. The deadly atmosphere has discouraged the permanent return of Yemen’s internationally recognised government. This, it could be argued, has indirectly helped to embolden the Iran-backed Houthis – currently in the news for attacking ships and disrupting trade in the Red Sea. In recent days, Washington has announced that it will now re-designate the group as “global terrorists”.I have been reporting on the conflict in my native Yemen since it began in 2014. The fighting led to the government losing control of the country’s north to the Houthis – who over the years have become savvier and better equipped. In 2015, the US and the UK supported a coalition of mostly Arab states led by Saudi Arabia – with the UAE as a key partner – to fight back. The coalition invaded Yemen with the aim of reinstating the exiled Yemeni government and fighting terrorism. The UAE was given charge of security in the south, and became the US’s key ally on counter-terrorism in the region – al-Qaeda had long been a presence in the south and was now gaining territory. Yemen’s conflict In 2014, rebels known as Houthis belonging to a branch of Yemen’s minority Shia Muslim community seized the capital, SanaaPresident Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi set up a temporary capital in the southern city of Aden after fleeing house arrest in Sanaa in February 2015 Saudi Arabia and eight other mostly Sunni Arab states began an air campaign against the Houthis, whom they claimed were armed by regional rival Iran. The Saudi-led coalition has received logistical support from the US, UK and FranceThere have even been clashes between those ostensibly on the same side. In August 2019 fighting erupted in the south between Saudi-backed government forces and an allied southern separatist movement, the Southern Transitional Council (STC), which has accused President Hadi of mismanagement and links to IslamistsMilitants from al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and the local affiliate of the rival Islamic State group (IS) have taken advantage of the chaos by seizing territory in the south and carrying out deadly attacks, particularly in AdenThe Houthis have also expanded their own circle of influence – in November 2023 they began carrying out attacks on international shipping routes in the Red SeaBut instead of this establishing greater stability, during my frequent reporting trips at that time I witnessed a wave of mysterious targeted killings, in Yemeni government-controlled southern areas, of Yemeni citizens unconnected to terror groups. Under international law, any killing of civilians without due process would be counted as extra-judicial. The majority of those assassinated were members of Islah – the Yemeni branch of the Muslim Brotherhood. It is a popular international Sunni Islamist movement which has never been classified by the US as a terror organisation, but is banned in several Arab countries – including the UAE where its political activism and support for elections is seen by the country’s royal family as a threat to their rule. Leaked drone footage of the first assassination mission gave me a starting point from which to investigate these mysterious killings. It was dated December 2015 and was traced to members of a private US security company called Spear Operations Group.I finally met one of the men behind the operation shown in the footage in a restaurant in London in 2020. Isaac Gilmore, a former US Navy Seal who later became chief operating officer of Spear, was one of several Americans who say they were hired to carry out assassinations in Yemen by the UAE.Image source, Jack Garland/BBCImage caption, Isaac Gilmore was paid by the UAE to carry out targeted killingsHe refused to talk about anyone who was on the “kill list” provided to Spear by the UAE – other than the target of their first mission: Ansaf Mayo, a Yemeni MP who is the leader of Islah in the southern port city of Aden, the government’s temporary capital since 2015.I confronted Mr Gilmore over the fact that Islah had never been classified as a terrorist organisation by the US authorities.”Modern conflicts are unfortunately very opaque,” he said. “We see this in Yemen – one person’s civil leader and cleric, is another person’s terrorist leader.”Mr Gilmore, and another Spear employee in Yemen at the time – Dale Comstock – told me that the mission they conducted ended in 2016. But the assassinations in southern Yemen continued. In fact they became more frequent, according to investigators from the human rights group Reprieve.They investigated 160 killings carried out in Yemen between 2015 and 2018. They said the majority happened from 2016 and only 23 of the 160 people killed had links to terrorism. All the killings had been carried out using the same tactics that Spear had employed – the detonation of an improvised explosive device (IED) as a distraction, followed by a targeted shooting. The most recent political assassination in Yemen, according to Yemeni human rights lawyer Huda al-Sarari, happened just last month – of an imam killed in Lahj by the same method. Mr Gilmore, Mr Comstock, and two other mercenaries from Spear who asked not to be named, said that Spear had been involved in training Emirati officers in the UAE military base in Aden. A journalist who asked to remain anonymous also told us he had seen footage of such training. The mercenaries would not go into detail about what it had entailed, but a senior Yemeni military officer from Aden, who worked directly with the UAE himself, gave me more details.Image caption, Ansaf Mayo, leader of al-Islah, who was targeted by Spear and now lives in exileAs the mercenaries’ profile had made them conspicuous in Aden and vulnerable to exposure, their brief had been changed to training Emirati officers, “who in turn trained local Yemenis to do the targeting”, the Yemeni military officer told me. Through the course of the investigation, we also spoke to more than a dozen other Yemeni sources who said this had been the case. They included two men who said they had carried out assassinations which were not terror-related, after being trained to do so by Emirati soldiers – and one man who said he had been offered release from a UAE prison in exchange for the assassination of a senior Yemeni political figure, a mission he did not accept. Getting Yemenis to conduct the assassinations meant it was harder for the killings to be traced back to the UAE.By 2017, the UAE had helped build a paramilitary force, part of the Emirati-funded Southern Transitional Council (STC), a security organisation that runs a network of armed groups across southern Yemen.The force operated in southern Yemen independently of the Yemeni government, and would only take orders from the UAE. The fighters were not just trained to fight on active front lines. One particular unit, the elite Counter Terrorism Unit, was trained to conduct assassinations, our whistleblower told us.The whistleblower sent a document with 11 names of former al-Qaeda members now working in the STC, some of whose identities we were able to verify ourselves. American Mercenaries: Killing in YemenBBC Arabic’s Nawal Al-Maghafi reveals how the UAE hired mercenaries to conduct targeted assassinations of its political enemies in Yemen, with American mercenaries starting the killings in 2015.Watch on BBC Two at 23:15 on Tuesday 23 January (23:45 in Northern Ireland) or afterwards on iPlayer. During our investigation we also came across the name Nasser al-Shiba. Once a high-ranking al-Qaeda operative, he was jailed for terrorism but later released. A Yemeni government minister we spoke to told us al-Shiba was a known suspect in the attack on the US warship USS Cole, which killed 17 American sailors in October 2000. Multiple sources told us that he is now the commander of one of the STC military units.Lawyer Huda al-Sarari has been investigating human rights abuses committed by these UAE-backed forces on the ground. As a result of her work, she would frequently receive death threats. But it was her 18-year-old son Mohsen who paid the ultimate price. He was shot in the chest in March 2019 while on a trip to a local petrol station, and died a month later. When Huda returned to work after his death, she says she received messages warning her to stop. “Was one son not enough? Do you want us to kill the other?” they said. A subsequent investigation by Aden’s public prosecutor found that Mohsen was killed by a member of the UAE-backed Counter Terrorism Unit, but the authorities have never pursued a prosecution. Members of the prosecutor’s office – who we cannot name for safety reasons – told us that the widespread assassinations have created a climate of fear that means even they are too afraid to pursue justice in cases involving forces backed by the UAE.Reprieve has received a leaked UAE document that shows Spear was still being paid in 2020, though it is not clear in what capacity. We asked Spear’s founder, Abraham Golan, whether his mercenaries had trained Emiratis in assassination techniques, but he didn’t respond. We put the allegations in our investigation to the UAE government. It said it was untrue that it had targeted individuals with no links to terrorism, and that it supported counter-terrorism operations in Yemen at the invitation of the government of Yemen and its international allies. “The UAE has acted in compliance with applicable international law during these operations,” it said.We asked the US Department of Defense and the State Department to talk to us about Spear Operations Group, but they declined. And the US government’s intelligence agency said in a statement: “The idea that the CIA signed off on such an operation is false.”Related TopicsYemenUnited Arab EmiratesHouthis United StatesMore on this storyYemen: Why is there a war there?Published14 April 2023Top StoriesUS and UK launch fresh strikes on HouthisPublished3 hours ago UK officials probe Iran generals’ antisemitic talks to studentsPublished5 hours agoManhunt as seven found shot dead in Illinois cityPublished1 hour agoFeaturesWar in Yemen: UAE funded political assassinationsThe Papers: ‘Weight-loss horror’ and Elon Musk visits AuschwitzIs North Korea’s leader actually considering war?How Storms Isha and Jocelyn get their namesRankin: I’m trying to change the whole idea of what beauty isWhere have all the UK tech ‘unicorns’ gone?No bail, no trial: Freedom on hold for Indian activist’I slept under airport chairs after Bristol flight diverted to Paris’Dramatic videos show Storm Isha damage so far. VideoDramatic videos show Storm Isha damage so farElsewhere on the BBCA Scottish wild swimming road-trip!Julie Wilson Nimmo and Greg Hemphill take the plunge at Scotland’s breath-taking wild swimming spotsAttributioniPlayerCan you guess what’s happening in an advert you can’t see?Chris McCausland asks a panel of comedians to live in an audio only worldAttributionSoundsScientists uncover alcohol’s hidden dangersInvestigating what alcohol is and why so many people love to drink itAttributioniPlayerThe baffling death of a talented mathematicianHow did a Welsh codebreaker’s body end up inside a bag in his bath in 2010?AttributionSoundsMost Read1’Weight-loss horror’ and Elon Musk visits Auschwitz2US and UK launch fresh strikes on Houthis3Manhunt as seven found shot dead in Illinois city4Storm Jocelyn to bring strong winds and heavy rain5Iran’s antisemitic speeches to UK students probed6MrBeast reveals he made $250,000 from X video7Two million ‘could see energy cut off this winter’8Is North Korea’s leader actually considering war?9Oscar nominations to reflect Barbenheimer success10Russian sanctioned for Australia’s worst data hack

[ad_1] The force operated in southern Yemen independently of the Yemeni government, and would only take orders from the UAE. The fighters were not just trained to fight on active…

Other Story

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