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BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaPalestinians sheltering in Rafah fear impending Israeli ground offensivePublished15 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Dr Ahmed AbuibaidBy Adam Durbin & Alys DaviesBBC NewsA Palestinian doctor in Rafah has said people are terrified about the prospect of an Israeli ground offensive in Gaza’s southern-most city, after a night of some of the worst air strikes he has experienced since arriving there.In a series of messages sent to the BBC by phone overnight, Dr Ahmed Abuibaid described the air strikes as incessant and everywhere.”[The] most popular question on people’s minds is, where can we go?” he said.Last week, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that he had ordered troops to prepare to expand its ground operation into Rafah.More than half of Gaza’s population of 2.3 million is now crammed into the city on the border with Egypt, which was home to only 250,000 people before the war between Israel and Hamas. Many of the displaced people are living in makeshift shelters or tents in squalid conditions, with scarce access to safe drinking water or food.On Monday, UN human rights chief Volker Türk warned that an assault on Rafah would be “terrifying, given the prospect that an extremely high number of civilians, again mostly children and women, will likely be killed and injured”.He also said it could mean that the “meagre” humanitarian aid getting into Gaza might stop, with most deliveries currently going through the Egyptian-controlled Rafah border crossing. His warning follows an unusually sharp criticism from the US last week, with President Joe Biden calling Israel’s retaliatory campaign in Gaza “over the top” and the White House stating that Israel should not mount an operation in Rafah without proper planning to ensure civilians were not harmed..flourish-container{position:relative;color:#404040;font-family:’Helmet’, ‘Freesans’, ‘Helvetica’, ‘Arial’, sans-serif;font-weight:400;line-height:1.4}.flourish-embed{position:relative} Your device may not support this visualisation Those comments were echoed by the EU’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, who urged allies of Israel on Monday to stop sending weapons as “too many people” are being killed in Gaza.The UK Foreign Secretary, Lord Cameron, also said Israel should “stop and think seriously” before taking further action in Rafah.In an interview with ABC News on Sunday, Mr Netanyahu said Israel was “working out a detailed plan” to move civilians to areas north of the city.”Victory is within reach,” he said. “Those who say that under no circumstances should we enter Rafah are basically saying, ‘lose the war, keep Hamas there.'”The Israeli military launched a large-scale air and ground campaign in Gaza after Hamas gunmen killed more than 1,200 people in southern Israel on 7 October and took 253 other people hostage.The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza says more than 28,100 Palestinians have been killed in the fighting since then.Image source, Dr Ahmed AbuibaidImage caption, Dr Abuibaid took this picture of a crater in Rafah caused by what he said was an Israeli air strikeOne of the displaced people in Rafah is Dr Abuibaid, who was forced to abandon his job at Nasser Hospital in the nearby city of Khan Younis after his home was destroyed in an Israeli air strike and his father suffered a traumatic spinal injury.He is now facing the possibility of having to move out of Rafah – but it is unclear where would be safe for him to go.”People are very scared about a possible military ground operation soon in the city,” he said.Overnight Israeli strikes from Sunday into Monday, carried out during a operation to rescue two Israeli hostages, frightened many others who have sought refuge in the city.Abo Mohamed Attya said he was sleeping in a tent with his family when he woke up to the sound of the bombardment.”Suddenly… missiles are being hit everywhere and firing as well and airplanes everywhere, all of this is on the tents and the people in the streets,” he told the BBC.Mr Attya, who previously fled Nuseirat refugee camp in the middle of the Gaza Strip after receiving Israeli evacuation orders, complained that there had been no warning from the Israeli military that they were going to target Rafah overnight.”We hoped there was a warning to evacuate like they did in Nuseirat and we went to Rafah. We would have went out of Rafah to anywhere they told us. We have no problem, we would evacuate for our children,” he explained.This video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.Media caption, The BBC’s Jeremy Bowen on why Rafah is Israel’s next military focus, and what it could meanThe Hamas-run Palestinian health ministry said at least 67 people were killed in the Israeli strikes and hostage rescue raid in Rafah overnight.”There is no safe place anymore; nowhere is safe, even the hospitals are unsafe. One hopes to die instead,” Mr Attya said.Aside from the continuing threat of Israeli air strikes and an impending ground operation, the situation for people in Rafah is made more difficult by the dire living conditions, with little access to water, food and sanitation, and rapidly dwindling medical supplies.Dr Abuibaid said he had observed many diseases among the people in Rafah and that they had been exacerbated by the “severe decrease in the availability of drugs and treatment”.Another medic in Rafah, who did not want to be named, told the BBC that many people were living in cramped and unsanitary conditions.”I live here with 20 people in two rooms… and I know people that are 100 people in three rooms.””We don’t have water to wash, we don’t have clothes, we don’t have the option to do hygiene stuff,” he said.Image source, EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock”My friends, all of the people I meet… all of them are having at least flu, cholera, diarrhoea, scabies, hepatitis A – which is a newcomer for us – and it’s getting worse and worse.””And the aid is less as the siege is increasing, the war is increasing, [Israeli soldiers] are getting closer to Rafah, and it feels very scary right now”, he said.Despite being located next to the only crossing point for goods and people between Gaza and Egypt, Rafah has not received nearly enough aid to satisfy the needs of the people there.One man in the city told the BBC that currently people were waiting days for aid deliveries, and that when they did arrive, supplies of water were insufficient.”We can’t find water nor do we get enough of it, our throats are dry from the shortage of water,” another woman in Rafah said.The head of the UN’s agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), which is the largest humanitarian organization in Gaza, said on Monday that civil order was breaking down, with members of the local Hamas-run police force being killed or reluctant to protect aid lorries because of fears for their own safety.”Yesterday, for the first time, the UN could not operate with a minimum of protection, which was local police. And because we had no local police, our trucks, our convoys at the border have been looted, and trucks have been vandalised by hundreds of young people.” ‘No idea’ where to goFor some of the displaced, however, fears of what could come next are even overriding their daily anxieties of finding drinkable water and food.”Before we were thinking about starvation for the food, for the shortage of water and electricity. But now we are traumatised about what’s the next step, where we should go. This is our daily life right now,” Ibrahim Isbaita told the BBC.Asked where he and his family are considering going if they had to leave Rafah, Mr Isbaita said: “I have actually no idea.”He said his mother needed dialysis treatment, which she is currently able to receive in Rafah when electricity supplies allow – though the treatment is less frequent than is needed. The fear is that if they move, she will not be able to find any treatment in the next place.”I live besides the hospital because of my mother and we are trying our best to find a solution,” Mr Isbaita added.More on this storyIsrael rescues two hostages in Rafah amid deadly strikesPublished7 hours agoTop StoriesPalestinians sheltering in Rafah fear Israeli offensivePublished15 minutes agoLabour defends standing by candidate despite Israel remarksPublished3 hours agoWomen say police failed to look into officer abusePublished2 hours agoFeaturesWhat we know about Israel’s Rafah hostage rescue raidInside Ukraine’s struggle to find new men to fightHow Vogue kept its cover shoot of 40 famous stars secretUsher shines at Super Bowl half-time showDeadpool and Wicked trailers air in Super Bowl adsWatch: Kelce and Swift celebrate at Super Bowl. VideoWatch: Kelce and Swift celebrate at Super BowlWhat now in Pakistan after Khan vote surprise?Six false alarms like Harry Potter wand ‘knifeman’Jeremy Bowen: Why is Rafah the new focus in Gaza war? VideoJeremy Bowen: Why is Rafah the new focus in Gaza war?Elsewhere on the BBCWhat is it really like to be a monk?’To be a monk is something very vast, very high and very beautiful’AttributioniPlayer’They are the cockroaches of broadcasting’Are the iconic BBC Radio 4 pips running out of time?AttributionSoundsWar, negotiations and geopoliticsLearn about Putin’s war in Ukraine in gripping detailAttributioniPlayerIs modern exercise a wellness cult?Drs Chris and Xand explore the science of physical activity and the dangers of inactivityAttributionSoundsMost Read1How Vogue got 40 world-famous women in one place2Contract makes school pay thousands to cut grass3Monty Python star working at 80 for financial reasons4Police contact with triple killer to be investigated5Deadpool and Wicked trailers air in Super Bowl ads6Delivery riders plan Valentine’s Day strike7Women say police failed to look into officer abuse8Labour defends standing by Rochdale candidate9Police drop rape investigation into Tory MP10Man accused of flying without passport is arrested

[ad_1] The UN warns an assault on the city where more than a million people are sheltering would be “terrifying”.

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BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaIs a waning Canadian dream fuelling reverse migration in Punjab?Published5 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage caption, Balkar returned home after a year in TorontoBy Nikhil InamdarBBC News, Bathinda, India Canada has long been a draw for people from India’s Punjab province seeking new opportunities elsewhere. But has the Canadian dream soured?It’s hard to miss the ardour of Punjab’s migrant ambitions when driving through its fertile rural plains.Billboards promising easy immigration to Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the UK jut out through ample mustard fields.Off the highways, consultancies offer English language coaching to eager youth.Single-storey brick homes double up as canvasses for hand-painted mural advertisements promising quick visas. And in the town of Bathinda, hundreds of agents jostle for space on a single narrow street, pledging to speed up the youth’s runaway dreams.For over a century, this province in India’s northwest has seen waves of overseas migration; from the Sikh soldiers inducted into the British Indian Army travelling to Canada, through to rural Punjabis settling in England post-independence.But some, especially from Canada, are now choosing to come back home.One of those is 28-year-old Balkar, who returned in early 2023 after just one year in Toronto. Citizenship was his ultimate goal when he left his little hamlet of Pitho in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. His family mortgaged their land to fund his education. But his Canadian dream quickly lost its allure a few months into his life there.”Everything was so expensive. I had to work 50 hours every week after college, just to survive,” he told the BBC. “High inflation is making many students leave their studies.”Balkar now runs an embroidery business from a small room on one side of the expansive central courtyard in his typical Punjabi home. He also helps on his family’s farm to supplement his income. Opportunities for employment are few and far between in these rural areas, but technology has allowed entrepreneurs like him to conquer the tyranny of distance. Balkar gets the bulk of his business through Instagram.”I have a good life here. Why should I face hardships there when I can live at home and make good money?” he asks.The BBC spoke to at least half a dozen reverse migrants in Punjab who shared similar sentiments.It was also a common refrain in the scores of videos on YouTube shared by Indians who had chosen to abandon their life in Canada and return home. There was a stark difference one young returnee told the BBC between the “rosy picture” immigration agents painted and the rough reality of immigrant life in Toronto and Vancouver.Image caption, Immigration services are a big business in PunjabThe “Canada craze” has let up a bit – and especially so among well-off migrants who have a fallback option at home, says Raj Karan Brar, an immigration agent in Bathinda who helps hundreds of Punjabis get permanent residencies and student visas every year.The desire for a Canadian citizenship remains as strong as ever though among middle- and lower middle-class clients in rural communities. But viral YouTube videos of students talking about the difficulty in finding jobs and protests over a lack of housing and work opportunities has created an air of nervousness among these students, say immigration agents.There was a 40% decline in applications from India for Canadian study permits in the second half of 2023, according to one estimate. This was, in part, also due to the ongoing diplomatic tensions between India and Canada over allegations Indian agents were involved in the murder of Canadian Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar. There are also hints of deeper cultural factors at play, for a waning Canadian dream among an older generation of Indian migrants.The tricky problem of banning Canadian work experience requirementsCanada adds million to population inside a yearHow India-Canada ties descended into a public feudKaran Aulakh, who spent nearly 15 years in Edmonton and achieved career and financial success, left his managerial job for a comfortable rural life in Khane ki Daab, the village where he was born in 1985.He told the BBC he was upset by LGBT-inclusive education policies in Canada and its 2018 decision to legalise recreational cannabis.Incompatibility with the Western way of life, a struggling healthcare system, and better economic prospects in India were, he said, key reasons why many older Canadian Indians are preparing to leave the country.”I started an online consultancy – Back to the Motherland – a month and a half ago, to help those who want to reverse migrate. I get at least two to three calls every day, mostly from people in Canada who want to know what job opportunities there are in Punjab and how they can come back,” said Mr Aulakh.Image caption, Karan Aulakh left Canada after 15 years in the countryFor a country that places such a high value on immigration, these trends are “concerning” and are “being received with a bit of a sting politically”, says Daniel Bernhard of the Institute of Canadian Citizenship, an immigration advocacy group.A liberalised immigration regime has been Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s signature policy to counter slowing economic growth and a rapidly aging population.According to Canada’s statistics agency, immigration accounted for 90% of Canada’s labour force growth and 75% of population growth in 2021.International students contribute to over C$20bn ($14.7bn; £11.7bn) to Canada’s economy each year, a bulk of them Indians who now make up one in five recent immigrants to the country.India was also Canada’s leading source for immigration in 2022. The numbers of those leaving are still small in absolute terms with immigration levels at all-time highs in Canada – the country welcomed nearly half a million new migrants each year over the past few years.But the rate of reverse migration hit a two decade high in 2019, signalling that migrants were “losing confidence” in the country said Mr Bernhard.Image caption, Immigration agencies in Bathinda jostle for attentionCountry specific statistics for such emigrants, or reverse migrants, are not available.But official data obtained by Reuters shows between 80,000 and 90,000 immigrants left Canada in 2021 and 2022 and either went back to their countries, or onward elsewhere.Some 42,000 people departed in the first half of 2023.Fewer permanent residents are also going on to become Canadian citizens, according to census data cited by the Institute for Canadian Citizenship. In 2001, 75% of those eligible became citizens. Two decades later, it was 45%.Canada needs to “restore the value of its citizenship,” said Mr Bernhard.It comes as Canada debates its aggressive immigration targets given country’s struggle to absorb more people.A recent report from National Bank of Canada economists cautioned that the population growth was putting pressure on its already tight housing supply and strained healthcare system.Canada has seen a population surge – an increase of 1.2 million people in 2023 – driven mostly by newcomers.The report argued that growth needed to be slowed to an annual increase of up to 500,000 people in order to preserve or increase the standard of living.There appears to have been a tacit acceptance of this evaluation by policymakers.Mr Trudeau’s Liberal government recently introduced a cap on international student permits that would result in a temporary decrease of 35% in approved study visas.It’s a significant policy shift that some believe may end up further reducing Canada’s appeal amid a wave of reverse migrations.Related TopicsIndiaCanadaMore on this storyCanada sets two-year cap on foreign studentsPublished22 JanuaryIndia suspends visas for Canadians as row escalatesPublished21 September 2023India says will resume Canada visas if diplomats safePublished23 October 2023Canada puts on hold deportation of India studentsPublished14 June 2023Top Stories’My memory is fine’ – Biden hits back after report on classified filesPublished1 hour agoPutin takes charge as Carlson gives free rein to KremlinPublished20 minutes agoLive. Prince Harry hacking case to hear if more claims are settledFeaturesWeekly quiz: Who beat Miley to win Song Of The Year?A political hand grenade disguised as a report’Fat people can be heroes, not just the punchline’Putin takes charge as Carlson gives free rein to KremlinHow Taylor Swift ‘supersized’ the history-making Kelce brothersAttributionSportWatch: Japan earthquake leaves smouldering wasteland. VideoWatch: Japan earthquake leaves smouldering wastelandChris Mason: The politics of Starmer’s U-turn‘Get it up ye!’ How 17-year-old Kevin Bridges conquered the worldA mosque demolished, and orphans displaced in IndiaElsewhere on the BBCHow did a booming computer manufacturer go bust?Commodore computers were huge in the 1980s, so why couldn’t the business adapt and survive?AttributionSounds’It was 23andMe’s biggest ever security breach’Was a recent, unprecedented DNA data theft a racially motivated attack?AttributionSoundsCould you be owed cash over car finance deals?Martin has been investigating and shares his step-by-step guide on how to find outAttributionSoundsAll-out action!A new generation of superhumans take on the ultimate test of speed and strengthAttributioniPlayerMost Read1Putin takes charge as Carlson gives free rein to Kremlin2’My memory is fine’ – Biden hits back at special counsel3Weather warnings across UK for snow and floods4Woman catches police watching Netflix in her home5‘Get it up ye!’ How 17-year-old Kevin Bridges conquered the world6Donald Trump scores huge win in Nevada caucus7US warns Israel sending troops into Rafah risks ‘disaster’8Piers Morgan to move TalkTV show to YouTube9Why the e-bike boom is raising fire fears10Fashion icons assemble for Enninful’s last Vogue

[ad_1] There was a 40% decline in applications from India for Canadian study permits in the second half of 2023, according to one estimate. This was, in part, also due…

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BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaPutin tells Tucker Carlson deal can be reached to free jailed US reporter Evan GershkovichPublished4 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Tucker Carlson NetworkImage caption, Mr Carlson interviewed the Russian president in the KremlinBy Mike WendlingBBC NewsPresident Vladimir Putin has said he believes a deal can be reached to free Evan Gershkovich, a US reporter detained last year in Russia.Speaking with US host Tucker Carlson, Mr Putin said talks were ongoing with the US about the journalist, who is being held on espionage charges. In the interview, Putin held forth on Ukraine, US presidents and the CIA.It’s the first time the Russian leader has sat down with a Western journalist since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.Mr Putin said he believed a deal could be struck to release Mr Gershkovich, 32, “if our partners take reciprocal steps”.”The special services are in contact with one another. They are talking… I believe an agreement can be reached.”Mr Gershkovich, a reporter for the Wall Street Journal, was arrested in the city of Yekaterinburg, about 1,600km (1,000 miles) east of Moscow, on 29 March of last year.In January, Russia again extended his pre-trial detention until the end of March. He faces up to 20 years in prison if found guilty. The interview, more than two hours long, was filmed in Moscow on Tuesday.It began with a question about Mr Putin’s reason for ordering the invasion of Ukraine two years ago.”Tell us why you believe the United States might strike Russia out of the blue,” Mr Carlson asked. “How did you conclude that?””It’s not that America, the United States, was going to launch a surprise strike on Russia,” Mr Putin said through a translator. “I didn’t say that. Are we having a talk show or a serious conversation?”What does Putin gain from Tucker Carlson interview?Mr Putin then spoke at length – more than half an hour – about the history of Eastern Europe, beginning with the establishment of the Russian state in the 9th Century. He argued that parts of Ukraine had long belonged to Russia. He has given various justifications for the invasion, which he repeated during the interview.Mr Putin also insisted that Russia has no interest in invading Poland, Latvia or other Nato countries, calling such a scenario “absolutely out of the question”. He accused Nato member states of trying to intimidate people with what he called an imaginary Russian threat, and accused the CIA of supporting Russian separatist groups, controlling US foreign policy and destroying the Nord Stream pipeline.Mr Putin also discussed his relationship with American presidents, repeating a story he has previously mentioned about Bill Clinton suggesting that Russia could join Nato, only to withdraw the option shortly afterwards. He said he had a “very good relationship” with George W Bush.”He was no worse than any other American or Russian or European politician,” Mr Putin said. “I assure you he understood what he was doing as well as others. I had such [a] personal relationship with Trump as well.”Mr Putin said he did not recall the last time he spoke with President Joe Biden. Before the interview, Mr Carlson claimed “not a single Western journalist has bothered to interview” Mr Putin since 2022. But Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov told the BBC: “Mr Carlson is not correct, and he couldn’t have known that. We receive a lot of requests for interviews with the president.”Countless reporters from Western countries, including the BBC’s Russia Editor Steve Rosenberg, have sent the Kremlin repeated interview requests. All of the BBC’s requests have been ignored.Russian state media spent several days covering Mr Carlson’s visit, broadcasting footage of his various trips to restaurants and a visit to see the Spartacus ballet at the Bolshoi Theater.Mr Carlson was the highest-rated primetime host on Fox News until he was taken off air in April 2023, for reasons the channel has never made clear. He started his own media company and found an outlet on X, formerly Twitter.Content on the Tucker Carlson Network consists mostly of friendly interviews with right-wing politicians – including a chat with Donald Trump timed to coincide with a Republican presidential debate – and other figures such as Andrew Tate and Russell Brand.Related TopicsRussiaVladimir PutinUnited StatesMore on this storyRussia extends US journalist Gershkovich’s detentionPublished26 JanuaryThe former Fox star interviewing Vladimir PutinPublished3 hours agoRussian state media revels in Tucker Carlson visitPublished2 days agoWhat does Putin gain from Tucker Carlson interview?Published6 hours agoTop StoriesNo charge for Biden over classified documents but report questions memoryPublished1 hour agoStarmer defends U-turn on £28bn green spendingPublished5 hours agoUS will not support unplanned Rafah offensivePublished1 hour agoFeaturesFive things in the Biden classified documents report’We are surrounded’ – Guarding the Middle East’s most dangerous borderWhat happened to Labour’s £28bn for green projects?North Koreans working in China ‘exploited like slaves’Why the e-bike boom is raising fire fearsListen: Starmer faces backlash over scaling back of green plan. AudioListen: Starmer faces backlash over scaling back of green planAttributionSoundsParis 2024 medals to include Eiffel Tower metalAttributionSportI rarely saw people like me in lead roles, says One Day starClimbing Everest? You need to bring your poo backElsewhere on the BBC’If I can’t live with you, I don’t want to live anyway’The Hungarian footballer executed for loveAttributionSoundsFrom the seizure of Crimea to the war in UkraineThe inside story of a decade of clashes, as told by the Western leaders who traded blows with PutinAttributioniPlayerFrom The Fall to Fifty ShadesActor Jamie Dornan shares the soundtrack of his life with Lauren LaverneAttributionSoundsHow do they make two million litres of stout per day?Gregg Wallace hops into the world of Irish stout at the Guinness brewery in DublinAttributioniPlayerMost Read1Putin says deal can be reached to free US reporter2US will not support unplanned Rafah offensive3Zelensky sacks Ukraine’s commander-in-chief4No charge for Biden over documents but report questions memory5Snow and ice warnings as cold blast to continue6TikTok and Temu pull cheap heaters over fire risk7Five things in the Biden classified documents report8Fashion icons assemble for Enninful’s last Vogue9What does Putin gain from Tucker Carlson interview?10US court sceptical of move to bar Trump from ballot

[ad_1] The Russian leader spoke to Tucker Carlson in his first interview with a Western journalist since the Ukraine invasion.

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BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaEcuador becomes second Latin American state to decriminalise euthanasiaPublished36 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesBy Patrick JacksonBBC NewsEcuador has become the second country in Latin America after Colombia to decriminalise euthanasia.Its constitutional court voted seven to two in favour of allowing doctors to help a patient die. The court said the crime of homicide would no longer apply to clinicians working to preserve the right to a dignified life.The lawsuit was brought by a woman suffering from a neurological disease known as ALS. She had told the court in November that she was experiencing pain, loneliness and cruelty, and wanted to rest in peace. The Roman Catholic Church, to which most Ecuadoreans belong, remains staunchly opposed to euthanasia. Colombia decriminalised euthanasia in 1997.ALS sufferer Paola Roldán, who is confined to her bed, brought her lawsuit in August, AFP news agency reports.Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is the most common form of motor neurone disease, a rare condition that progressively damages parts of the nervous system, leading to muscle weakness, often with visible wasting.Ms Roldán contested an article of the penal code which made euthanasia a crime of homicide carrying a sentence of between 10 and 13 years in prison, AFP says.”I want to rest in peace,” she told a court hearing in November via video link. “What I experience is painful, lonely and cruel.”The court ruled that “it would be unreasonable to impose an obligation to stay alive on someone who is going through this situation”.”Every human being can make free and informed decisions when their personal development is affected which… includes the option of ending the intense suffering caused by a serious and irreversible bodily injury or a serious and incurable illness,” it said. After the ruling, Ms Roldán told reporters that her country had become a “little more welcoming, freer and more dignified”.”The fight for human rights is never a paved road,” she added.Her father Francisco Roldán told reporters he had mixed feelings because while Paola had been able to achieve a “historic event” and a “legacy for Ecuadorian society” his family had a “half-broken heart because there could be an outcome… which is the death of my daughter”.”We are supporting Paola,” he said.A bill on euthanasia will now have to be drafted and approved by Congress, a process that could take many months, but Ms Roldán’s lawyer Farith Simon argued that the ruling was “immediately enforceable”.Related TopicsMotor neurone diseaseEuthanasia and assisted dyingColombiaEcuadorMore on this storyPortuguese MPs vote to allow limited euthanasiaPublished12 May 2023Canada wrestles with euthanasia for the mentally illPublished14 January 2023Spain legalises euthanasiaPublished18 March 2021Top StoriesWorld tops 1.5C warming threshold for full yearPublished2 hours agoLabour ditches £28bn green investment pledgePublished6 hours ago’We are surrounded’: Guarding the Middle East’s most dangerous borderPublished5 hours agoFeaturesWhy Labour has junked its big money green policyThe Papers: William ‘gives thanks’ and ‘tone-deaf Tories’North Koreans working in China ‘exploited like slaves’I rarely saw people like me in lead roles, says One Day starImmersive screenings can weaken films – ScorseseWe don’t watch from the sidelines like Taylor SwiftWhy Trump ballot eligibility is before Supreme CourtIndian player sparks conversation on sexism in chessCould the Houthis sabotage undersea cables?Elsewhere on the BBC’No one was treating me seriously’The woman who went for viral for claiming to be Madeleine McCann explains her motivesAttributionSoundsA shining performance in Radio 2’s Piano Room!British soul legend Beverley Knight performs at Maida Vale with the BBC Concert OrchestraAttributionSoundsThe cities hidden beneath the waterDive deep and discover real underwater locations all across the worldAttributionBitesize’It really is walking into the unknown’Leicestershire’s youngest cops take on the front line of crimeAttributioniPlayerMost Read1William ‘gives thanks’ and ‘tone-deaf Tories’2US baby’s decapitation in delivery ruled a homicide3French actress accuses director of historical rape4McCann suspect to stay silent in German rape trial5Labour ditches £28bn green investment pledge6’We are surrounded’: Guarding the Middle East’s most dangerous border7World tops 1.5C warming threshold for full year8Men on Viagra may reduce Alzheimer’s risk – study9US drone kills Iran-backed militia leader in Baghdad10Disney boss bets on Fortnite and Taylor Swift

[ad_1] Ecuador’s constitutional court votes seven to two in favour of allowing doctors to help a patient die.

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BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityScience & EnvironmentHuge atom-smasher bid to find missing 95% of UniversePublished46 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Kate Stephens/BBC NewsImage caption, The Atlas detector is the size of a tanker and is used to measure some of the smallest objects in the UniverseBy Pallab Ghosh and Kate StephensBBC News, Cern, SwitzerlandResearchers at the world’s biggest particle accelerator in Switzerland have submitted proposals for a new, much larger, supercollider.Its aim is to discover new particles that would revolutionise physics and lead to a more complete understanding of how the Universe works. If approved, it will be three times larger than the current giant machine. But its £17bn price tag has raised some eyebrows, with one critic describing the expenditure as “reckless”.That money – which is only the initial construction cost – would come from member nations of the European Organization for Nuclear Research (Cern) including the UK, and some experts have questioned whether it makes economic sense.The biggest achievement of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) was the detection of a new particle called the Higgs Boson in 2012. But since then its ambition to track down two holy grails of physics – dark matter and dark energy – have proved elusive and some researchers believe there are cheaper options.Revamped hadron collider switched on for physics revolutionScientists close in on fifth force of natureMachine finds tantalising hints of new physicsThe new machine is called the Future Circular Collider (FCC). Cern’s director general, Prof Fabiola Gianotti, told BBC News that, if approved, it will be a “beautiful machine”.”It is a tool that will allow humanity to make enormous steps forwards in answering questions in fundamental physics about our knowledge of the Universe. And to do that we need a more powerful instrument to address these questions,” she said.Inside the atom-smasherPallab Ghosh and Kate Stephens go inside the biggest particle accelerator in the world to find out why scientists want an even larger one.Available now on BBC iPlayerCern is located on the border of Switzerland and France, near Geneva. The LHC consists of an underground circular tunnel 27km in circumference. It accelerates the inside of atoms (hadrons) both clockwise and anticlockwise to speeds close to the speed of light and at certain points crashes them together harder than any other atom-smasher in the world can.The smaller, sub-atomic particles left over from the collisions help scientists work out what atoms are made of and how they interact with each other.Building on a revolutionary discoveryThe supercollider’s detection of the Higgs Boson particle more than 10 years ago was ground-breaking. The existence of a building block that gives all other particles in the Universe their form was predicted in 1964 by the Scottish physicist, Peter Higgs, but was only discovered at the LHC in 2012. It was the final piece of the jigsaw of the current theory of sub-atomic physics, which is called the Standard Model. The proposal is for the larger FCC to be built in two stages. The first will begin operating in the mid 2040s and will collide electrons together. It is hoped the increased energy will produce large numbers of Higgs particles for scientists to study in detail.The second phase will begin in the 2070s and require more powerful magnets, so advanced that they have not yet been invented. Instead of electrons, heavier protons will be used in the search for brand new particles.The FCC will be nearly three times the circumference of the LHC, a whopping 91km and twice as deep. It has to be deeper to prevent the stronger radiation created by the higher energies from reaching the surface.So why do they need an even larger hadron collider? It is because the LHC, which cost £3.75 billion to build, and started operating in 2008, has not yet been able to find particles that will help to explain 95% of the cosmos. Scientists are still searching for two big unknowns – a force called dark energy which acts like the opposite to gravity, and drives objects in the Universe such as galaxies apart. The other is dark matter, which can’t be detected but its presence is felt through gravity.”We are missing something big,” Prof Gianotti tells us. She says the FCC is needed because the discovery of these dark particles would lead to a new more complete theory of how the Universe works.More than 20 years ago many researchers at Cern predicted that the LHC would find these mysterious particles. It didn’t.Critics, such as Dr Sabine Hossenfelder of the Frankfurt Institute of Advanced Studies, say there is no guarantee that the new collider will succeed.”Particle physics is a research area that is large and well-funded for historical reasons, having grown out of nuclear physics and it needs to shrink back to a reasonable size, maybe a tenth of its current size,” she said.A former UK government chief scientific advisor, Prof Sir David King, told BBC News he believed that spending £17bn on the project would be ”reckless”.”When the world is faced with threats from the climate emergency, would it not be wiser to channel these research funds into the endeavours to create a manageable future?”Image source, ADAM HART-DAVIS/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARYImage caption, Beams of particles are accelerated inside the blue tube located deep under the Swiss French borderAnd there is also a debate among particle physicists themselves about whether a giant circular collider is the best option.Prof Aidan Robson of Glasgow University, told BBC news that a collider built in a straight line would be cheaper.”There are three main advantages. First of all, a linear machine could be done stage by stage. Second the cost profile would be rather different – so the initial stage would cost less, and third the tunnel is shorter, and you could do it quicker,” he said.But the FCC is Cern’s preferred option and it is in the process of gauging reaction to its proposal from its 70 member nations, who will have to pay for the new machine.Follow Pallab and Kate on X, formerly Twitter.Related TopicsParticle physicsLarge Hadron ColliderCERNMore on this storyRevamped hadron collider switched on for physics revolutionPublished22 April 2022Scientists close in on fifth force of naturePublished10 August 2023Machine finds tantalising hints of new physicsPublished23 March 2021Related Internet LinksCernThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.Top StoriesUS says strikes on Iran-linked sites just ‘beginning’Published1 hour agoWoman killed by dogs while visiting grandsonPublished7 hours ago’I thought Clapham attack girl was going to die in my arms’Published3 hours agoFeaturesNew video shows Clapham attack suspect in Tesco. VideoNew video shows Clapham attack suspect in TescoThe Papers: ‘Horrifying’ dog attack and ‘bonkers’ week of weatherGrammy Awards red carpet and ceremony in picturesCan Musk’s Neuralink brain chip really change the world?How Imran Khan plans to win an election from jailDid bodybuilding bring on my early perimenopause?I almost died up a mountain scattering dad’s ashesThey fled as lava spilled into town – and they may never returnTeenage killers tried to get away with Brianna murderElsewhere on the BBCA Scottish wild swimming road-trip!Julie Wilson Nimmo and Greg Hemphill take the plunge at Scotland’s breathtaking wild swimming spotsAttributioniPlayer’I never tried to be famous…it was accidental’Michael Parkinson with guests Ricky Gervais, Michael Palin and Kate AdieAttributioniPlayer’I smashed all my trophies’Bradley Wiggins opens up about his mental health and imposter syndromeAttributioniPlayerBritish television’s greatest double actEric and Ernie share their remarkable journey through TV appearances, rare radio material and BBC archivesAttributioniPlayerMost Read1Woman killed by dogs while visiting grandson2Jockey, 25, dies after fall at horse race in Kent3’Horrifying’ dog attack and ‘bonkers’ week of weather4Kylie, Billie, Joni and Beatles win early Grammys5New atom-smasher could spark physics revolution6’I thought Clapham attack girl was going to die in my arms’7Russian oil getting into UK via refinery loophole8Former Scottish Labour leader admits voting SNP9US says strikes on Iran-linked sites just ‘beginning’10Grammy Awards red carpet and ceremony in pictures

[ad_1] The existence of a building block that gives all other particles in the Universe their form was predicted in 1964 by the Scottish physicist, Peter Higgs, but was only…

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February 4, 2024
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BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWalesWales PoliticsWales BusinessNorth WestNorth EastMidSouth WestSouth EastCymruLocal NewsTryfan: Woman scattering dad’s ashes rescued on mountainPublished13 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingThis video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.Media caption, Woman has to be rescued after getting stuck on mountain whilst scattering dad’s ashesBy Peter ShuttleworthBBC NewsScattering her dad’s ashes on one of the UK’s most recognisable peaks almost ended in tragedy for Kitty Harrison.She had just given her father Steve Parry an emotional send-off on the summit of Tryfan, one of Wales’ highest mountains, when she slipped.Kitty, 32, doesn’t know how far she fell, but clung to a tiny ledge where she balanced precariously above a 300ft (91m) drop for more than three hours.She has thanked the “heroes” who saved her life in a seven-hour rescue.”I was in such a state and I couldn’t have got out there myself,” said the trainee dental nurse. “They deserve so much credit and praise, they are heroes.”A helicopter and a 12-strong mountain rescue team were needed to find and save Kitty who had slipped while ascending the tricky terrain of one of the most notorious climbs in Eryri, also known as Snowdonia.”My foot slipped on the loose shingle and I slipped quite a way and I landed on a tiny ledge,” Kitty told the BBC’s SOS: Extreme Rescues programme.Image source, Kitty HarrisonImage caption, Steve Parry, his daughter Kitty and her husband Michael used to go hill walking together”If I hadn’t gone down that side, I’d have gone straight down the mountain and I’m not sure I’d be here today.”She was almost a third of the way down from the 3,000ft (917m) summit – where she had said her final goodbye to her beloved dad – when volunteers located her using her mobile phone GPS and spotters from the coastguard chopper.Petrified parrot and owner rescued up mountain‘Don’t climb the mountain if you’re not prepared’Drones used as flying mobile signals for mountain rescues”It was cold on that ledge, it was wet and I was there such a long time,” said Kitty, who lives with husband Michael in Wolverhampton.”I tried to climb back up but it was so wet and slippy, I was too scared I’d fall.”Kitty didn’t know what significant challenges the rescue team was trying to overcome to get to her off Tryfan’s rocky and sheer western side. “There’s the initial relief that someone’s coming to get me,” she recalled. “Then you wait and no-one came.Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, The rugged and rocky steep slopes of Tryfan has been voted the UK’s best climb in one poll”Then the helicopter comes and you’re waving but no-one was waving back. I was worried no-one had seen me. That happened again and again. “You go from hope to proper doom, to fear that no-one is going to find me.”As time went on, I was shivering cold and damp and couldn’t move a muscle but because of the exercise climbing up the mountain, my legs were tired and shaking. I thought I could fall off here before they find me.”Due to the rugged topography and tricky wind speeds, the helicopter couldn’t get close to Kitty, who was perched in a gully. The only option for rescuers was to go above her and abseil down.Image source, Darlun | BBCImage caption, Kitty was tricky to spot by rescue teams as she was perched on the western gully of Tryfan”She was quite distraught and in quite a scary place for some time,” said Robin Woodward of Ogwen Mountain Rescue, one of the UK’s busiest rescue agencies.”This was someone properly worrying for their own life. It wouldn’t have turned out well for her if she’d slipped further down.”Robin dropped 100ft (30m) down to rescue a relieved Kitty and carried her to safety – one of a record 178 incidents the Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Team dealt with in 2022, 40% of which were on Tryfan.”When the rescuers said there’s BBC cameras with us, part of me thought I don’t care who’s with you just get me off this mountain,” said Kitty with a smile.They’re among the UK’s busiest rescue teams that try to save lives on the mountains, coast and in the forests of Eryri or Snowdonia.The 12-part series is available on BBC iPlayer and on Mondays at 19:00 GMT on BBC One Wales and BBC Two elsewhere.Kitty joked: “The other part thought ‘that’s typical, I have one bad day and that’s the day the BBC decided to come and see me’.”I’d also ripped my leggings when I fell and I was like ‘please don’t put my bum on the telly’ – my mum would’ve killed me.”It was the end of an emotional summer’s day for Kitty who had scaled Tryfan to give her beloved dad Steve – a nature and outdoors-loving father-of-two – the send-off he wanted after he died suddenly aged 56 in January 2021.Inexperienced walkers told to avoid mountainsInstagram plea after people rescued from quarrySnowdon parking to be pre-booked to stop ‘chaos'”It’s a special place for us as it was dad’s favourite mountain with the best view as well as being the most exhilarating climb,” recalled Kitty.”He once shared on Facebook that he wanted his ashes to be scattered there when he’s gone because he just wanted to see that amazing view for the rest of his days.”Steve, who worked for birds protection charity RSPB, loved photography, wildlife and being outdoors and took the family on holidays to north Wales from the West Midlands regularly to enjoy the countryside.Kitty said she is an experienced climber and was well prepared with emergency provisions while taking her dad on his final journey in June 2022Image source, Kitty HarrisonImage caption, Tottenham Hotspur football fan Steve and Kitty loved going to town together to visit the traditional sweet shop”I felt a real sense of achievement when getting to the top to fulfil his final request,” recalled Kitty.”I found a lovely spot and sat with him just smiling and said to myself ‘I did what you said dad’.”Then as I came down I slipped and carried on falling.”Kitty suffered a number of bumps and bruises, but no serious injuries.”Dad used to call Tryfan the little mountain that bites back – and now I know why,” she added.Related TopicsWalesCapel-CurigMountaineeringMountain Rescue BethesdaWolverhampton More on this storyMountain volunteers risk burnout after 300 rescuesPublished19 December 2023Petrified parrot and owner rescued up mountainPublished25 July 2023Top StoriesLive. US and UK launch strikes on Iran-backed Houthi targets in YemenBan children’s access to social media apps – Brianna’s mumPublished1 hour agoNo more easy deals for Russian convicts freed to fightPublished7 hours agoFeaturesCan Musk’s Neuralink brain chip really change the world?The Papers: ‘We’ll hold Iran to account’ and O’Neill ‘steps into history’Did bodybuilding bring on my early perimenopause?How Imran Khan plans to win an election from jailI almost died up a mountain scattering dad’s ashesThey fled as lava spilled into town – and they may never returnDoes Germany’s economy need more than a cup of coffee?One of worst halves of my coaching career – GatlandAttributionSportHistoric moment stirs painful memories and hope for change in NIElsewhere on the BBCA Scottish wild swimming road-trip!Julie Wilson Nimmo and Greg Hemphill take the plunge at Scotland’s breathtaking wild swimming spotsAttributioniPlayer’I never tried to be famous…it was accidental’Michael Parkinson with guests Ricky Gervais, Michael Palin and Kate AdieAttributioniPlayer’I smashed all my trophies’Bradley Wiggins opens up about his mental health and imposter syndromeAttributioniPlayerBritish television’s greatest double actEric and Ernie share their remarkable journey through TV appearances, rare radio material and BBC archivesAttributioniPlayerMost Read1Ban children’s access to social media apps – Brianna’s mum2No more easy deals for Russian convicts freed to fight3I almost died up a mountain scattering dad’s ashes4They fled as lava spilled into town – and they may never return5’We’ll hold Iran to account’ and O’Neill ‘steps into history’6Did bodybuilding bring on my early perimenopause?7Dua Lipa, Billie Eilish and SZA set to star at Grammy Awards8Video released of search for Clapham attack suspect9UK forces not ready for intensive war, MPs warn10Protesters climbing war memorials could face jail

[ad_1] Kitty Harrison felt “proper doom” while precariously perched on a ledge on a notorious mountain.

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1980s
43bn
February 1, 2024
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BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityUKEnglandN. IrelandScotlandAlbaWalesCymruIsle of ManGuernseyJerseyLocal NewsEU leaders unlock €50bn support package for UkrainePublished13 minutes agocommentsCommentsShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesAll 27 European leaders have agreed to a €50bn ($55bn; £43bn) aid package for Ukraine, European Council President Charles Michel said.”We have a deal,” Mr Michel wrote on X, formerly Twitter.He said that the agreement “locks in steadfast, long-term, predictable funding for Ukraine”.There had been fears that Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban would block the aid package as he had done already at a European summit last December. Mr Orban had said he wanted to force a rethink of EU policy towards Ukraine and questioned the idea of committing to fund Ukraine for the next four years.News of the agreement was announced less than two hours after the summit started, surprising many observers who had expected talks to go on much longer due to the depth of disagreement between Mr Orban and the other EU leaders.Diplomatic sources told Reuters that the new deal includes a yearly discussion of the package and the option to review it in two years, “if needed”. Mr Orban had been pushing for a yearly vote on the package, but this could have left the deal exposed to an annual veto threat from Hungary. “A good day for Europe,” Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, said on X.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he was “grateful” to EU leaders, highlighting that the decision was taken by all 27 heads of state. He also said that the package would “strengthen the long-term economic and financial stability” of Ukraine.This funding was important for Ukraine financially – and because it needs Europe to stay united in its support. Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba had underlined that it was about Europe investing in its own security. He stressed that Ukraine was resisting Russia, for everyone – blocking Vladimir Putin’s attempt to challenge the world order by force. The EU’s aid package is a little more of the stability Ukraine needs, and will help it help pay pensions and salaries and to keep the heating on over the next four years.Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who had been highly critical of what he called Mr Orban’s “strange and egotistic game,” posted on X: “Viktor Orban could be ‘persuaded’… Let’s move on.”More on this storyOrban and EU leaders to face off over Ukraine aidPublished1 hour agoView commentsTop StoriesLive. Family’s injuries ‘could be life-changing’ after Clapham alkaline attackEU leaders unlock €50bn support package for UkrainePublished13 minutes agoLive. UK minister admits deleting all his pandemic WhatsAppsFeaturesLegal scammer costs vulnerable clients thousandsWhy are American XL bullies being banned?Spotify’s filter fails to block explicit lyricsSugar says influencers are kept out of The ApprenticeWho is Bushra Bibi, the faith healer wife of Imran Khan?The Papers: Sturgeon’s ‘crocodile tears’ and ‘ITV want Winkleman’The football terrace singer who’s now a hometown superstarSturgeon fights back tears: Key moments from Covid inquiry evidence. VideoSturgeon fights back tears: Key moments from Covid inquiry evidenceNew wave – how one surf club is changing GhanaAttributionSportElsewhere on the BBCWhat holds us back from exercising as we age?James Gallagher explores the mental and physical barriers that may stop usAttributionSoundsHow did a booming computer manufacturer go bust?Commodore computers were huge in the 1980s, so why couldn’t the business adapt and survive?AttributionSoundsA Brazilian theologian silenced by the VaticanLeonardo Boff faced accusations that his writing and teachings were ‘dangerous to the faith’AttributionSoundsThe surprising health benefits of doing the plankMichael Mosley explores whether it outshines crunches or sit-ups…AttributionSoundsMost Read1EU leaders unlock €50bn support package for Ukraine2Alan Bates snubs ‘cruel’ Post Office scandal payout3Mercedes’ Hamilton on verge of shock Ferrari moveAttributionSport4High Court throws out Trump ex-spy dossier case5Margot Robbie comments on best actress Oscar snub6Fast fashion helps fuel blazing kilns where workers faint from heat7Sturgeon’s ‘crocodile tears’ and ‘ITV want Winkleman’8Minister to step down at election over safety fears9Sugar says influencers are kept out of Apprentice10The football terrace singer who’s now a hometown superstar

[ad_1] The agreement came earlier than expected, overcoming previous opposition from Hungary’s Viktor Orban.

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accidentalMichael
January 29, 2024
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BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaJordan base attack: What options does US have to respond?Published1 hour agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, ReutersImage caption, A US soldier walks towards a burning oil well in southern IraqBy Frank GardnerBBC security correspondentWashington now finds itself facing a dilemma. President Joe Biden has promised a strong response to Sunday’s deadly attack on a US military base in Jordan. But the challenge for the US is to find the right balance between deterrence and escalation. Fail to act decisively and it risks sending a message of weakness that will only encourage more attacks. Act too forcefully and it could trigger an escalatory response from Iran and its allies.So what are the options? And how does this work?The US will already have a number of “on-the-shelf” military options to choose from. These have been drawn up by the US Department of Defense with intelligence input from the CIA and the National Security Agency. They are then presented to the US National Security Council and policymakers, with the president making the final decision and signing off on the chosen course. Option 1: Strike Iran-allied bases and commandersThis is the most obvious choice and one that has been used in the past. There are a large number of bases, weapons stores and training depots across Iraq and Syria belonging to the myriad of Iran-backed militias. These militias are trained, equipped and funded by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Quds Force, but not necessarily directed by them. The US knows who they are and where they are. It could easily carry out more precision-guided missile strikes on these bases – but this has so far failed to deter the militias, who have launched more than 170 attacks on US bases in the region since 7 October.Image source, ReutersImage caption, One arm of the IRGC trains militias in the regionResponsibility for the attack has been claimed by a group calling itself the Islamic Resistance in Iraq. This is an umbrella term for a number of Iran-backed militias, some of which, ironically, have previously fought on the same side as the US against their common enemy in the region: Islamic State. They share common aims with Iran, namely to drive the US military from Iraq and Syria and to punish the US for its military support of Israel.Option 2: Strike IranThis would be a massive escalation and not something the US would consider lightly. It is highly unlikely, although not inconceivable, that the US retaliation would include hitting targets on Iranian sovereign territory. Neither Washington nor Tehran want to get into a full-scale war and both have said so. Iran’s response could well include attempting to close the economically vital Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of the world’s oil and gas flow. This would have a devastating effect on world economies, driving up prices and almost certainly damaging President Biden’s chances of re-election in November.Iran’s sudden strikes show just how perilous region has becomeWhat is Tower 22 and why are US troops in Jordan?Death of US troops ratchets up pressure on BidenOne alternative is to go after senior IRGC commanders in Iraq or Syria. There is a precedent for this, the most notable being four years ago when then-President Donald Trump ordered a drone strike that killed the IRGC Quds Force commander Qassim Suleimani in Baghdad in 2020. But this too would be seen as an escalation, and could well trigger a dangerous response from Tehran.Option 3: Don’t respondThere are those in the US establishment who argue that, given the current tensions in the Middle East, it would be irresponsible for Washington to hit Iranian interests now, especially in an election year. CENTCOM, the part of the US Department of Defense that covers the Middle East, already has its hands full combatting the Houthis’ attacks on shipping in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. It will also be listening to pleas from US allies around the region not to trigger a wider Middle East conflict.But this view is likely to be outweighed by those who say that the US policy of deterrence to date has failed, and that Washington’s reluctance to hit back hard at those who attack its bases has only encouraged them to step up their attacks.There is a time factor in all of this – some would argue that a radical uptick in US military responses may not be necessary or worthwhile in the long term. First, attacks by Iran-backed militias pre-date the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza – but they have dramatically increased since 7 October. Once Israel’s assault on Gaza concludes then tensions in the region may well subside, although Israel warns this could still be months away. Secondly, there are loud calls by some in Washington for the US to decrease its military footprint in the Middle East. President Trump, when he was in office, had to be persuaded by his military and intelligence chiefs not to pull out all US forces from Syria, where they were helping Kurdish forces stop ISIS from returning. There is a strong possibility that should Trump return to the White House in a year’s time, then Iran will get its way anyhow, if he decides to draw down the US presence in Iraq and Syria.Related TopicsMiddle EastUS Armed ForcesJordanIran-US relationsSyriaJoe BidenMore on this storyIran’s sudden strikes show just how perilous region has becomePublished20 JanuaryThree US troops killed in Middle East drone attackPublished16 hours agoWhat is Tower 22 and why are US troops in Jordan?Published3 hours agoDeath of US troops ratchets up pressure on BidenPublished3 hours agoIran denies involvement in attack that killed US troopsPublished7 hours agoTop StoriesLive. Pentagon names three US soldiers killed in Jordan attackWhat options does US have to respond to Jordan attack?Published1 hour agoKing leaves hospital with Camilla hours after Kate is dischargedPublished4 hours agoFeaturesDeath in the Channel – what led a boy to make fatal journey?’Toy poodles’ on the Moon: Japan lander gets to workHas great white shark newborn been caught on film?How dangerous is vaping and what is the disposable vape ban?’Playing Mean Girls’ Karen helps break stereotypes’‘Luton is officially cool’ after Big Weekend revealTrain strikes: All you need to knowElection poll tracker: How do the parties compare?’We drove home with empty baby seat’ – NHS trust accused of avoidable infant deaths Elsewhere on the BBCHow did Britain lead the world into the jet age?An unlikely story of outstanding aviation achievement at a time of national austerityAttributioniPlayerTracing the historical origins of British comedy tropesIan Hislop’s on the hunt for the earliest examples of enduring British jokesAttributionSounds’I never tried to be famous…it was accidental’Michael Parkinson with guests Ricky Gervais, Michael Palin and Kate AdieAttributioniPlayer’Comedy saved my life’First broadcast in 2010, hear Frank Skinner’s desert island picks and personal revelationsAttributionSoundsMost Read1Minister quit as he ‘couldn’t afford mortgage’2Medicine stopped in 80s linked to rare Alzheimer’s3What options does US have to respond to Jordan attack?4Laurence Fox loses libel case over social media row5Constance Marten baby in ‘no clothes’ on cold night6Spears seems to apologise to Timberlake over book7’I found my son’s vape stash in roof tile – we need this ban’8King leaves hospital as Kate recovers at home9Met officer guilty of assaulting crime victim10Weekly fast is important discipline for me – Sunak

[ad_1] This is an umbrella term for a number of Iran-backed militias, some of which, ironically, have previously fought on the same side as the US against their common enemy…