BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaPeter Pellegrini: Russia-friendly populist elected Slovak presidentPublished4 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsWar in UkraineImage source, ReutersImage caption, Peter Pellegrini is an ally of Prime Minister Robert FicoBy Rob CameronBBC News, PraguePopulist Peter Pellegrini has been elected president of Slovakia, succeeding the liberal Zuzana Caputova. Mr Pellegrini, 48, defeated the pro-Western Ivan Korcok, a former diplomat, with 53% of the vote.A former prime minister, he is an ally of Prime Minister Robert Fico, and shares the PM’s dovish attitude towards Russia.Mr Fico and his allies now control Slovakia’s parliament, government and soon the president’s office.Slovakia had been one of Ukraine’s staunchest allies before Mr Fico came to power in October on a pledge to halt supplies of Slovak Army military stocks to Kyiv. With Mr Pellegrini replacing Mrs Caputova, Ukraine has now definitively lost a voice of support in an EU and Nato capital. Mr Fico has called for an end to Western military support for Ukraine, an immediate ceasefire and peace talks with Moscow. Mr Fico said recently President Vladimir Putin had been “unfairly demonised” and argued admitting Ukraine to Nato would mark the beginning of a third world war.Mr Pellegrini’s campaign echoed some of that Moscow-friendly rhetoric, accusing Mr Korcok of being a warmonger who would send Slovak soldiers to fight in Ukraine – a constitutional power the president does not have.Once Mrs Caputova steps down in June, there will no longer be any high-level official in Slovakia – a country which barely a year ago donated its entire fleet of MiG-29 aircraft to Ukraine – who unequivocally backs Kyiv’s effort to defend its territory with force.The liberal pro-Western opposition also accuses Mr Pellegrini – as head of the coalition Hlas party and chairman of parliament – of remaining silent as Mr Fico took a wrecking ball to Slovakia’s criminal justice system, notably abolishing the Special Prosecutor’s Office, which was set up 20 years ago to investigate serious corruption and economic crime.It had tried a number of senior officials in Mr Fico’s Smer party, and had been overseeing the prosecution of those believed to be responsible for the murder of investigative journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancée Martina Kusnirova in 2018.The killings were a seismic event in Slovak politics. The fallout ended Mr Fico’s second premiership in 2018 and led to the liberal, pro-Western Zuzana Caputova being elected president on a wave of popular anger at official corruption and organised crime.Robert Fico’s government recently set its sights on Slovakia’s public broadcaster, submitting plans to abolish the institution and replace it with one under virtual state control. Those plans were put on the back burner after a surprisingly poor showing from Peter Pellegrini in the first round of the presidential election two weeks ago.The opposition fears a reinvigorated Robert Fico will resubmit them – and they say President-elect Pellegrini is unlikely to stand in his way.Related TopicsEuropeWar in UkraineSlovakiaMore on this storySlovakia’s election winner assembles coalitionPublished11 October 2023Populist pro-Moscow party wins Slovak votePublished1 October 2023Top StoriesThousands of Israelis rally to demand hostage dealPublished6 hours agoPM marks six months of Israel-Gaza war as UK sends Navy ship for aidPublished1 hour agoDozens of UK flights cancelled as Storm Kathleen sweeps inPublished7 hours agoFeaturesThe Papers: ‘Gaza famine’ warning and Corrie ‘budgeting row’The eclipse’s 4-minute window into the Sun’s secretsWhere in the UK can you see Monday’s solar eclipse?7 lessons from my first series of University ChallengeThe singer-songwriters who are pop’s new breakout starsIndigenous deaths in custody haunt AustraliaSix months on, how close is Israel to eliminating Hamas?Path of darkness – scroll every mile of total eclipse’A game of Jenga’: Inside the perilous Baltimore bridge clean-upElsewhere on the BBCGet a job, pay the bills. 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[ad_1] Peter Pellegrini accused his rival of being a warmonger who would send Slovak soldiers to fight in Ukraine.

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityAsiaChinaIndiaTaiwan earthquake: How the island’s two-decade preparation saved itPublished2 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingThis video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.Media caption, The impact of the 7.4 magnitude earthquake in TaiwanBy Rupert Wingfield-HayesBBC News, HualienWhen disasters happen, particularly when big earthquakes strike, the world’s media is drawn like flies to the most dramatic destruction. It is understandable. But it often portrays a distorted picture of what has happened.You can see it here in the city of Hualien. Camera teams are crowded around a 10-storey building leaning over at a terrifying angle. It all looks bizarre and scary. But that was only one of a handful of buildings which suffered structurally, in a city of tens of thousands.A hundred metres away beyond the police cordon, the streets of Hualien look entirely normal. Shops and cafés are open, traffic is flowing. Drive through the city and if you didn’t know a big quake had struck days ago, you wouldn’t guess it.The fact that this city has survived largely unscathed has sparked immediate discussion of how and why. Just over a year ago, we saw earthquakes of about the same magnitudes striking Turkey and Syria, causing the deaths of more than 50,000 people. These countries, of course, had far fewer resources. But when a much smaller 6.7 magnitude quake hit the city of Christchurch in New Zealand in 2011, almost the entire city centre was flattened.Taiwan is also often on the fault lines, but it has made significant progress in coping with shakes. Many say the wake-up call was Taiwan’s 1999 Chi Chi earthquake – the worst in its history. It caused the deaths of more than 2,400 people and destroyed tens of thousands of buildings.I witnessed the aftermath of that disaster. In the central county of Nantou many apartment buildings had been toppled. What was most striking was how many of them were brand new. I remember a huge 20-storey building that had snapped off at its foundations and was lying flat on its side – still almost completely intact.The catastrophic damage prompted a lot of anger and soul-searching about why so many brand new buildings had failed. Experts said their design was fundamentally flawed. The base pillars were not big enough, the amount of steel in them too small.Their findings won’t have been entirely a surprise: when I lived in Taipei in the 1990s, there were repeated construction scandals. Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, The loss of life in the 1999 earthquake triggered a public outcry and demands for stronger actionA building I lived in as a student was condemned after it was found to have been built with concrete made with sea sand. Sea sand is much cheaper than river sand, but has a much higher saline content. That corrodes the steel reinforcement bars, causing concrete cancer. We were told even a medium-level quake could have brought the building down. Another investigation by the Taipei city mayor found old oil cans had been placed inside the concrete pillars of a new building.The construction company was accused of using this trick to skimp on concrete and increase its profit.A lot has changed since then. Following the Chi Chi quake, building codes were changed. All new buildings are now required to meet a basic earthquake resistance level that means they can withstand a certain level of shaking without major structural failures.This video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.Media caption, BBC Asia Correspondent Rupert Wingfield-Hayes reports on the hundreds of landslides unleashed by the quakeThe government is also constantly revising the quake resistance levels required of buildings – identifying those that need upgrading. After 1999, they carried out a sweep of seismic retrofitting – that typically involved adding a framework of steel beams to a building’s exterior, or adding reinforcements like extra pillars. That applied to infrastructure like bridges too.Prof Yih-Min Wu at the National Taiwan University, who has worked in the country’s response and prevention departments for decades, says: “Taiwan is hit so frequently by dangerous earthquakes [that] most of the poor quality buildings are already gone.”And corrupt construction practices are prosecuted. Following the Tainan earthquake in the island’s south-west in 2016, when a 17-storey high-rise collapsed killing dozens, five people involved in the building’s construction were prosecuted and jailed.Of the 10 deaths reported so far this week, only one tragic loss of life occurred due to a collapse of a building – that 10-storey building in Hualien I mentioned earlier. The others were associated with landslides and rockfalls.And that points to another main reason for why Taiwan this time saw limited damage.Luck played a part. Wednesday’s quake began offshore before hitting south of the nearest major population centre, Hualien.Seismology maps show how the epicentre was 30km (18 miles) to the south of the city, so Hualien and its environs were spared the worst shaking.This instead happened in the mountains to the south, west and north, where it unleashed huge rock slides, damaging roads and bridges, and tragically, causing deaths.Wednesday’s event contrasts with Nantou in 1999, and Turkey and Syria last year, where earthquakes struck very close to densely populated areas.Still, the 7.4 earthquake was an incredibly powerful event, shaking not only the island but lands beyond that too.Fortunately for Taiwan, this time it was well-prepared.Other pillars of Taiwan’s earthquake response:Early warning system: Sensors placed all around the island are able to pick up the first vibrations of an earthquake and provide mobile and TV alerts to the public near an epicentre with 2-8 seconds lead time. But the system still suffers glitches – Taipei residents did not get some phone alerts.Public awareness: Taiwanese are used to quakes and know what to do, after school and workplace drills were mandated after 1999.Fast responders: The island’s disaster response team actively tracks social media and can tap into surveillance cameras to assess damage – triangulating which locations to send aid to.With additional reporting by Frances Mao in SingaporeRelated TopicsTaiwanEarthquakesTop StoriesIsrael urged to publish full report on aid team deathsPublished1 hour agoSix months on, how close is Israel to eliminating Hamas?Published2 hours agoWatch: Moment New York landmarks shaken by earthquake. 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[ad_1] A quarter of a century ago, an earthquake killed 2,400. This week, barely a building fell down – why?

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityCultureGrammys 2024: The highs, lows and why Taylor Swift won album of the yearPublished27 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsGrammy AwardsImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, SZA was one of the big winners at the 2024 Grammy AwardBy Mark SavageBBC Music CorrespondentThe 2024 Grammy Awards ended with a bang: Taylor Swift taking home her fourth album of the year trophy.It cements her position as the one of the greatest songwriters of her era – although she was gracious enough to use her speech to praise fellow nominee Lana Del Rey, calling her “a legend in her prime” who has set the agenda for an entire generation of female artists.Despite Taylor taking the main title, it was a fairly even-handed night by Grammy standards. Favoured nominees like Miley Cyrus, Billie Eilish, SZA and Boygenius all went home with multiple prizes, while the best new artist went to R&B star Victoria Monét – the first time a female R&B act has scooped that award since Alicia Keys in 2002.Taylor Swift makes history at the Grammy AwardsGrammy Awards: The main winners and nomineesGrammy Awards red carpet and ceremony in picturesAlong the way, there were plenty of surprise appearances (Celine Dion!) and show-stopping performances (Burna Boy, Dua Lipa). Here are the highlights, lowlights and takeaways from “music’s biggest night”.TAKEAWAY: Taylor Swift wasn’t just recognised for her musicImage source, ReutersBy any metric, it’s an incredible feat: Taylor Swift has won album of the year three times more than The Beatles, two more than Adele and one more than Stevie Wonder.In fact, she’s won the prize more than anyone. Ever.Her latest honour is for 2022’s Midnights – a hazy, dream-scrubbed collection of songs about the late-night obsessions.At the time of release, it was not her best-received album. And for that reason, many people thought R&B star SZA or indie band Boygenius were more likely to win.But the Grammys aren’t simply about musical merit, and Swift is currently in the middle of an imperial phase. Her Eras tour has broken box office records, boosted local economies, prompted a government inquiry into Ticketmaster and even caused seismic activity. The singer has also been named Time Magazine’s person of the year, while her romance with Travis Kelce brought new eyes to American football.It’s hard to argue against her cultural dominance – but it all stems from the music.That’s a factor the Recording Academy’s 11,000 voters will have been keenly aware of. They take songwriting incredibly seriously, which means they take Swift – who exists at the crossroads of commercial success and sonic innovation – seriously as well. So her fourth Grammy win was all but inevitable, even if your preferred Taylor Swift album is Folklore (correct answer), 1989 (also acceptable) or Lover (we need to have words).HIGHLIGHT: A standing ovation for Joni MitchellImage source, ReutersJoni Mitchell’s music is like a language of its own. It’s raw, magical, almost painfully beautiful.But over the past 10 years, the singer was almost robbed of language after a life-threatening brain aneurysm. Following intensive rehabilitation, she returned to the stage in 2022 at the Newport Folk Festival – and a recording of that concert earned the singer the Grammy for best folk album on Sunday night.Mitchell followed that up with a performance of Both Sides Now, supported by musicians Brandi Carlile and Jacob Collier. At first, her voice seemed to catch – but as the song continued, she settled into a rich, dusky vocal tone. “They say, Joni, you’ve changed,” she sang, adapting the lyrics to the occasion. “Well something’s lost, but something’s gained / In living every day.”Rich with experience, and laden with significance, the performance was exceptionally moving. It rightly brought the crowd to their feet.LOWLIGHT: Travis Scott vs some chairsImage source, ReutersFor one of rap’s most physically intense performers, Travis Scott’s set was mystifyingly boring. The star performed a medley of My Eyes, I Know? and Fein (key lyric: “Fein, fein, fein, fein, fein, fein”) shrouded in shadow, while a dancer wandered around looking for something to do.There was a brief frisson when Playboi Carti joined him on stage in a burst of pyrotechnics, but it all fizzled out with Scott flinging around plastic chairs like a refugee from a 1980s wrestling match.HIGHLIGHT: Jay-Z goes off scriptImage source, ReutersI say off-script, but I’m not sure Jay-Z even prepared a script. Honoured with something called the Dr Dre Global Impact Award, the rapper used his allotted time to deliver a wide-ranging ramble about the Grammys in general. Straight off the bat, he reminisced about using one of his previous Grammy Awards as a “sippy cup” for his daughter Blue Ivy, who this time accompanied him to the stage.”Blue’s grown up now,” he added. “She doesn’t take a sippy cup and she has her own Grammys.”But he didn’t stop there. He joked about boycotting the 1998 Grammys because his friend DMX had been snubbed. And then he went for the jugular – bringing up Beyoncé.Famously, his wife has more Grammys than anyone in history, with 32 in total. But for all that apparent love, the big prizes have eluded her. Of the 16 times she’s been nominated in the major categories, she has won just once: song of the year for Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It) in 2010.”I don’t want to embarrass this young lady, but she has more Grammys than everyone and never won album of the year,” said Jay-Z. “So even by your own metrics, that doesn’t work. Think about that.”HIGHLIGHT: Boygenius’s childhood ambitions Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Boygenius (L-R): Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus and Julien BakerAlt-rock supergroup Boygenius were also triple winners, for their debut album The Record, which updates the classic 1970s California rock sound with an emphasis on harmony, friendship and feminism.”We were all delusional enough as kids to think this might happen to us,” said Lucy Dacus, picking up their first prize – best rock performance for the song Not Strong Enough.”Phoebe [Bridgers] would sing at the Guitar Center, hoping that she would get discovered. Julien [Baker] wanted to play sold out stadiums. And I would practice writing an acceptance speech, and thank all the people who’d been nice to me – like my bus driver and the guy that held the door at church. “So I feel kind of like a kid, because that was the last time that something like this felt possible.”TAKEWAY: Women “stepped up”, but there’s more to doImage source, Rex FeaturesFemale artists thoroughly dominated this year, taking home all the major prizes and plenty more besides. Kylie Minogue won best pop dance recording, and South Africa’s Tyla (pictured) picked up the inaugural award for best African performance. Meanwhile, the formerly testosterone-soaked rock and alternative categories were dominated by Paramore (led by Hayley Williams) and Boygenius.It’s a reflection of a year in which women were incredibly successful in the charts, and a significant change for the Grammys. As recently as 2018, the ceremony was embroiled in controversy when former chairman Neil Portnow said women needed “to step up” if they wanted a nomination.So has the gap been closed? Far from it. By some counts, only 20% of artists signed to a major record label are female. Last year, only 19.5% of all songwriters across the Billboard Hot 100 songs were women. “What we want is to be seen as equals, not just on the creative side but on the business side,” said Dua Lipa on the red carpet. “We’re still figuring that out but it’s getting there slowly.”HIGHLIGHT: Billy Joel’s brutal honestyImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Billy Joel attended the ceremony with his wife Alexis RoderickSix-time Grammy winner Billy Joel was back at the ceremony this year to perform Turn The Lights Back On – his first new song in almost two decades. Speaking on the red carpet, he explained why it had taken so long to put pen to paper.”I gotta go into my cave and become a caveman,” he told CBS news. “It’s not a fun process for me. It’s very self-centred. It’s very lonely. And sometimes it’s torture. But afterwards, I love having written.”Joel added that he was surprised to be invited back to the Grammys after his last performance in 1994.Back then, he stopped his performance of River Of Dreams mid-song in protest at Frank Sinatra’s speech being cut short earlier in the show.”I looked at my watch and I said, ‘There is a lot of valuable advertising time going by here’,” he recalled. “I stopped for a long time… So they still might be mad at me for that.”HIGHLIGHT: Tracy Chapman joining Luke CombsImage source, ReutersIn a major coup for the Grammys, Tracy Chapman made her return to the stage to duet with country star Luke Combs.The singer, who had a run of successful albums in the 1980s and 1990s, has largely avoided the spotlight since her last tour in 2009.But she was tempted back after Combs covered her signature song Fast Car – a haunting folk-rock story about trying to escape poverty – and took it back into the US top 10 last year.Their performance opened with Chapman picking out the song’s unforgettable riff, then trading verses with Combs before they united on the chorus.Both singers looked delighted. Chapman grinned throughout, and Combs sang along off-mic during her solos.In a video clip ahead of the performance, Combs said: “Just to be associated with her in any way is super humbling for me.” In the audience, Taylor Swift and country star Jelly Roll sang along at the tops of their voices. A simple, but emotional, pleasure.LOWLIGHT: U2 in Las VegasImage source, Getty ImagesLook, I’m fond of U2. I’m from Ireland, where it’s practically a requirement. But sometimes… oh, man.The band beamed in live from The Sphere, the insane globular Las Vegas venue that’s made of 66ft LED screens and was built at a cost of $2.3bn (£1.83bn).U2 are playing a residency there, and if you dream of a gig where you spend more time watching TV screens than watching the band, then you’re welcome to the $750 ticket price.Their performance was basically a huge advert for the venue, set to Atomic City – an underwhelming single they put out to coincide with their opening night last year. Fair enough that the Grammys should highlight innovation in concert technology, but everything about this was disappointingly mediocre. If only they’d played Mysterious Ways.HIGHLIGHT: Practically every other performerImage source, Getty ImagesThe Grammys is always a mixed bag, but this year’s hit rate was high. Dua Lipa bravely opened the show with a brand new song, the pneumatic Training Season, while gyrating on metal scaffolding, and SZA recreated the Crazy 88 swordfight from Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill.Billie Eilish’s rendition of song-of-the-year-winner What Was I Made For? was suitably tear-jerking; and Burna Boy oozed charisma during his medley of On Form, City Boys and Sittin’ On Top Of The World.The In Memoriam section was particularly strong: Stevie Wonder paid touching tribute to his friend Tony Bennett, before Annie Lennox gave a stirring rendition of Sinead O’Connor’s Nothing Compares 2U – backed by Prince’s musical foils Wendy and Lisa.But it was Fantasia Barrino who stole the show, racing through an electric performance of Tina Turner’s Proud Mary before walking into the audience and shimmying with Dua Lipa. The Queen of Rock ‘N’ Roll would have been proud.LOWLIGHT: That one weird photo everyone’s forced to doImage source, Getty ImagesIt’s Grammy law. If you win a trophy, you have to pose awkwardly with it backstage. Bonus points if you kiss it. Double bonus points if you have an armful of the things. Who knows why at this stage? It’s probably some Illuminati thing.Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Multiple award winners Boygenius, Taylor Swift and Jack AntonoffImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Victoria Monét won best new artist, best R&B album and best engineered albumImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Karol G became the first woman to win the award for best musica urbana albumImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Jay-Z has won 24 Grammy Awards over the course of his careerImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Kylie Minogue picked up her second Grammy, for Padam Padam, 20 years after winning best dance recording for Come Into My WorldImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Shankar Mahadevan of the band Shakti won the best global music album award for This MomentHIGHLIGHT: Miley Cyrus vindicatedImage source, ReutersIn her 17-year music career, Miley Cyrus has had dozens of hits – from Wrecking Ball and The Climb to Nothing Breaks Like A Heart and Midnight Sky. But she’d never won a Grammy… until now. The singer won two prizes: song of the year and best pop solo performance, both for the instant-classic break-up ballad Flowers. Cyrus marked the moment with a brilliantly tortured metaphor.”There’s a story I want to tell that sums up this moment,” she explained. “There was a little boy and all he wanted for his birthday was a butterfly. And so his parents gave him a butterfly net and he was so excited. He just went outside, out in the sun, and started swinging and swinging, but with no luck. “Then he sat down on the ground, and he finally let go and he surrendered. He was OK that he wasn’t going to capture this beautiful butterfly.”And right when he did, is when the butterfly came and landed right on the tip of his nose. And this song, Flowers, is my butterfly.”Later, Cyrus performed the song live for the first time, adding some parenthetical asides to the lyrics.”I didn’t want to leave you (but I did) / I didn’t want to fight (but we did) / Started to cry but then remembered… I just won my very first Grammy!”She ended with a mic drop. And rightly so.Related TopicsTaylor SwiftJoni MitchellMiley CyrusGrammy AwardsJAY-ZMusicMore on this storyGrammy Awards: The main winners and nomineesPublished10 hours agoGrammy Awards red carpet and ceremony in picturesPublished57 minutes agoTaylor Swift makes history at the Grammy AwardsPublished1 hour agoKylie wins second Grammy Award after 20 yearsPublished52 minutes agoTop StoriesLive. US launches more strikes against Houthis in YemenParents of sudden-death children ‘let down by NHS’Published1 hour agoTaylor Swift makes history at the Grammy AwardsPublished1 hour agoFeaturesGrammy Awards red carpet and ceremony in picturesMum-of-five embraces mayhem above Insta perfectionThe Papers: ‘Horrifying’ dog attack and ‘bonkers’ week of weatherUK warns of risk of famine in EthiopiaOrlando, Beijing and… the village of Stewartby?Scottish prisons are full, ‘we can’t take any more’Chinese ship’s port call fans India tensionsNew video shows Clapham attack suspect in Tesco. 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[ad_1] Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, SZA was one of the big winners at the 2024 Grammy Award By Mark Savage BBC Music Correspondent The 2024 Grammy Awards ended with…

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaIceland volcano: Grindavik’s people may never return after volcano spills lava into townPublished16 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingThis video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.Media caption, Watch: Drone footage from 14 January shows lava engulf houses in GrindavikBy Hermann GunnarssonReykjavik, IcelandThe resilient community of Grindavik has for the past weeks and months experienced the relentless forces of nature, once again proving why Iceland is often called the “Land of Fire and Ice.”Three homes in this town on the Reykjanes peninsula in southwest Iceland were destroyed this month when molten lava spewed through two fissures created by the Svartsengi volcanic system. Once a thriving fishing village with vibrant sports teams and a youthful population, Grindavik now lies empty. Its people have fled and are beginning to face up to the realisation they may never be able live there again.So uncertain is their future, one woman said she wished her home had been swallowed up by lava.Over the past three years, the peninsula – approximately the size of the West Midlands in the UK – has witnessed five volcanic eruptions.On 10 November, faced with an alarming number of earthquakes and suspicions of magma beneath the town, Iceland’s authorities ordered the evacuation of Grindavik, home to approximately 3,800 residents.Over the following days it became clear that several homes had been completely ruined by seismic activity. Residents hoped to return home as the frequency of the earthquakes diminished – but in mid-December, a strong eruption began in the nearby Sundhnuks crater series, lasting three days.I witnessed the eruption myself then three hours after it had begun I drove home.Image source, NurPhotoImage caption, The town of Grindavik now lies deserted and no-one knows if its people will ever returnAlong the road from the capital, Reykjavik, to Keflavik airport which leads to my town, Reykjanesbaer, I caught sight of fissure almost 4km in length, spewing molten lava. It felt as though I was watching the gates of hell opening. Grindavik was spared for the time being -the eruption took place about 3km (1.85 miles) away – but additional fissures were subsequently discovered in the town, prompting authorities to close them and begin repairing damaged infrastructure.Tragedy struck on 10 January when a man working in the town fell through one of the crevasses. After a brief search, the operation was halted due to the dangers involved.Four days later, another eruption began perilously close to Grindavik.From the Icelandic civil protection’s central command centre in Reykjanesbaer, I witnessed the live feed of the eruption from the Sundhnuks crater series. Image source, Hermann GunnarssonIn the weeks leading up to the January eruption, the government had decided to erect protective walls in an attempt to prevent lava flowing towards Grindavik and the nearby Svartsengi geothermal power plant.For the first few hours the protective walls proved helpful, though the fissure had to some extent opened through one of the walls. That meant some lava flowed toward the town, but the walls kept most of it at bay.Around noon on 14 January, I was watching with other reporters next to the protective walls in Grindavik, when I and others caught sight of smoke appearing from behind the walls, from the town itself.The sheer size of the protective walls prevented us from seeing what was causing the smoke. However, an eerie feeling struck me that this might be another fissure opening behind the walls, leaving the town completely unprotected.In the next few minutes, those fears of mine were realised.They fled as lava spilled into town – and they may never returnA fissure had opened less than 100m away from houses in Grindavik, and every first responder I spoke to on the scene came to the conclusion that now there was really nothing that could be done to save the houses.We were witnessing the most extensive natural disasters Iceland had seen for 51 years.Iceland EruptionIn the land of fire and ice, a volcano erupts after weeks of intense seismic activity. Watch now on BBC iPlayer (UK Only)Glued to their TVs, Icelanders watched as lava engulfed the first houses – a surreal and heart-breaking spectacle. Though the eruption was short-lived, three houses were lost.Now into February the people of Grindavik find themselves scattered across the country, unable to live in their hometown.Pall Valur Björnsson has had to leave his Grindavik home for Reykjavik and feels the government has not sufficiently managed to help ease the uncertainty that the town’s population feel about their future. /* sc-component-id: sc-bdVaJa */ .sc-bdVaJa {} .hlroRb{overflow:hidden;display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;background-color:#F2EFEC;-webkit-flex-direction:row-reverse;-ms-flex-direction:row-reverse;flex-direction:row-reverse;-webkit-flex-wrap:wrap;-ms-flex-wrap:wrap;flex-wrap:wrap;box-sizing:border-box;} /* sc-component-id: sc-bwzfXH */ .sc-bwzfXH {} .hqWQfq{width:100%;height:100%;object-fit:cover;object-position:50% 50%;position:absolute;background-size:cover;background-position-x:50%;background-position-y:50%;background-image:url(‘https://c.files.bbci.co.uk/assets/b771ac9c-fba7-423d-8a78-636060d984f2’);} /* sc-component-id: sc-htpNat */ .sc-htpNat {} .kUePcj{max-width:743px;width:45%;position:relative;min-height:200px;-webkit-flex:1 1 auto;-ms-flex:1 1 auto;flex:1 1 auto;} /* sc-component-id: sc-bxivhb */ .sc-bxivhb {} .bQGZgI{max-width:100%;position:absolute;bottom:0;left:0;color:#ffffff;background:#000000;opacity:0.7;font-family:Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;padding:5px;word-wrap:break-word;} @media (max-width:599px){.bQGZgI{font-size:12px;line-height:16px;}} @media (min-width:600px) and (max-width:1007px){.bQGZgI{font-size:13px;line-height:16px;}} @media (min-width:1008px){.bQGZgI{font-size:12px;line-height:16px;}} /* sc-component-id: sc-gzVnrw */ .sc-gzVnrw {} .blLFIH{width:45% !important;position:relative;margin:0;word-wrap:break-word;color:#404040;font-weight:300;-webkit-flex:1 0 auto;-ms-flex:1 0 auto;flex:1 0 auto;padding:16px;} /* sc-component-id: sc-htoDjs */ .sc-htoDjs {} .kGbKV{display:block;} /* sc-component-id: sc-dnqmqq */ .sc-dnqmqq {} .dHUwnI{font-weight:100;font-family:Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;padding:11px 0 25px 0;} .dHUwnI p{margin:0;} @media (max-width:599px){.dHUwnI{font-size:18px;line-height:22px;}} @media (min-width:600px) and (max-width:1007px){.dHUwnI{font-size:21px;line-height:24px;}} @media (min-width:1008px){.dHUwnI{font-size:20px;line-height:24px;}} /* sc-component-id: sc-iwsKbI */ .sc-iwsKbI {} .jiPRqw{display:block;} /* sc-component-id: sc-gZMcBi */ .sc-gZMcBi {} .honXkL{padding-top:10px;font-family:Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;} /* sc-component-id: sc-gqjmRU */ .sc-gqjmRU {} .klLnaG{color:#404040;font-style:normal;font-family:Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;} .klLnaG > strong{font-weight:bold;} @media (max-width:599px){.klLnaG{font-size:16px;line-height:20px;}} @media (min-width:600px) and (max-width:1007px){.klLnaG{font-size:18px;line-height:22px;}} @media (min-width:1008px){.klLnaG{font-size:16px;line-height:20px;}} @font-face { font-family: ‘ReithSans’; 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font-weight: bold; } @font-face { font-family: ‘NotoSansEthiopic’; font-display: swap; src: url(https://c.files.bbci.co.uk/graphics/static/media/NotoSansEthiopic-Regular.ttf) format(“truetype”); } @font-face { font-family: ‘NotoSansEthiopic’; font-display: swap; src: url(https://c.files.bbci.co.uk/graphics/static/media/NotoSansEthiopic-Bold.ttf) format(“truetype”); font-weight: bold; } @font-face { font-family: ‘Mallanna’; font-display: swap; src: url(https://c.files.bbci.co.uk/graphics/static/media/mallanna.ttf) format(“truetype”); } Pall Valur BjörnssonIt is clear the responders were in no way prepared for an event like thisPall Valur BjörnssonGrindavik resident”So far, all [their] actions have been characterised by haste and bewilderment, and information given to the residents of Grindavik has confused people rather than solving problems,” he complained.”All the administration surrounding the efforts has been completely unacceptable, and it is clear the responders were in no way prepared for an event like this, which is absolutely incredible considering that these earthquakes and eruptions started three years ago.”Their lives have been upended since 10 November. They have not been given a return date by authorities, and it’s not clear if the town will ever be safe to live in. Even if residents are allowed back, some may be too traumatised to return.They also face the financial burden of mortgages on houses they cannot live in. Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Lava spilled into town and covered some of the streets, destroying homes in the processIcelanders and their government are united in offering help. The town’s residents are receiving housing benefit and parliamentary bill will aim to alleviate their problems.When Bryndis Gunnlaugsdottir told a meeting of Grindavik residents in January that she wished the lava had destroyed her house too, she was greeted with thunderous applause..Such a level of despair is hard to imagine, but when I asked her about it, it somehow made sense. /* sc-component-id: sc-bdVaJa */ .sc-bdVaJa {} .rPqeC{overflow:hidden;display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;background-color:#F2EFEC;-webkit-flex-direction:row;-ms-flex-direction:row;flex-direction:row;-webkit-flex-wrap:wrap;-ms-flex-wrap:wrap;flex-wrap:wrap;box-sizing:border-box;} /* sc-component-id: sc-bwzfXH */ .sc-bwzfXH {} .kCvdIh{width:100%;height:100%;object-fit:cover;object-position:50% 50%;position:absolute;background-size:cover;background-position-x:50%;background-position-y:50%;background-image:url(‘https://c.files.bbci.co.uk/assets/5a175698-39c2-4ea3-a1e1-84ea337cd62b’);} /* sc-component-id: sc-htpNat */ .sc-htpNat {} .kUePcj{max-width:743px;width:45%;position:relative;min-height:200px;-webkit-flex:1 1 auto;-ms-flex:1 1 auto;flex:1 1 auto;} /* sc-component-id: sc-bxivhb */ .sc-bxivhb {} .huvKBR{max-width:100%;position:absolute;bottom:0;right:0;color:#ffffff;background:#000000;opacity:0.7;font-family:Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;padding:5px;word-wrap:break-word;} @media (max-width:599px){.huvKBR{font-size:12px;line-height:16px;}} @media (min-width:600px) and (max-width:1007px){.huvKBR{font-size:13px;line-height:16px;}} @media (min-width:1008px){.huvKBR{font-size:12px;line-height:16px;}} /* sc-component-id: sc-gzVnrw */ .sc-gzVnrw {} .blLFIH{width:45% !important;position:relative;margin:0;word-wrap:break-word;color:#404040;font-weight:300;-webkit-flex:1 0 auto;-ms-flex:1 0 auto;flex:1 0 auto;padding:16px;} /* sc-component-id: sc-htoDjs */ .sc-htoDjs {} .kGbKV{display:block;} /* sc-component-id: sc-dnqmqq */ .sc-dnqmqq {} .dHUwnI{font-weight:100;font-family:Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;padding:11px 0 25px 0;} .dHUwnI p{margin:0;} @media (max-width:599px){.dHUwnI{font-size:18px;line-height:22px;}} @media (min-width:600px) and (max-width:1007px){.dHUwnI{font-size:21px;line-height:24px;}} @media (min-width:1008px){.dHUwnI{font-size:20px;line-height:24px;}} /* sc-component-id: sc-iwsKbI */ .sc-iwsKbI {} .jiPRqw{display:block;} /* sc-component-id: sc-gZMcBi */ .sc-gZMcBi {} .honXkL{padding-top:10px;font-family:Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;} /* sc-component-id: sc-gqjmRU */ .sc-gqjmRU {} .klLnaG{color:#404040;font-style:normal;font-family:Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;} .klLnaG > strong{font-weight:bold;} @media (max-width:599px){.klLnaG{font-size:16px;line-height:20px;}} @media (min-width:600px) and (max-width:1007px){.klLnaG{font-size:18px;line-height:22px;}} @media (min-width:1008px){.klLnaG{font-size:16px;line-height:20px;}} @font-face { font-family: ‘ReithSans’; 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font-weight: bold; } @font-face { font-family: ‘Noto Sans Gurmukhi’; font-display: swap; src: url(https://c.files.bbci.co.uk/graphics/static/media/NotoSansGurmukhi-Regular.ttf) format(“truetype”); } @font-face { font-family: ‘Noto Sans Gurmukhi’; font-display: swap; src: url(https://c.files.bbci.co.uk/graphics/static/media/NotoSansGurmukhi-Bold.ttf) format(“truetype”); font-weight: bold; } @font-face { font-family: ‘Padauk’; font-display: swap; src: url(https://c.files.bbci.co.uk/graphics/static/media/PadaukRegular.ttf) format(“truetype”); } @font-face { font-family: ‘Padauk’; font-display: swap; src: url(https://c.files.bbci.co.uk/graphics/static/media/PadaukBold.ttf) format(“truetype”); font-weight: bold; } @font-face { font-family: ‘Shonar_bangala’; font-display: swap; src: url(https://c.files.bbci.co.uk/graphics/static/media/ShonarRegular.ttf) format(“truetype”); } @font-face { font-family: ‘Shonar_bangala’; font-display: swap; src: url(https://c.files.bbci.co.uk/graphics/static/media/ShonarBold.ttf) format(“truetype”); font-weight: bold; } @font-face { font-family: ‘NotoSansEthiopic’; font-display: swap; src: url(https://c.files.bbci.co.uk/graphics/static/media/NotoSansEthiopic-Regular.ttf) format(“truetype”); } @font-face { font-family: ‘NotoSansEthiopic’; font-display: swap; src: url(https://c.files.bbci.co.uk/graphics/static/media/NotoSansEthiopic-Bold.ttf) format(“truetype”); font-weight: bold; } @font-face { font-family: ‘Mallanna’; font-display: swap; src: url(https://c.files.bbci.co.uk/graphics/static/media/mallanna.ttf) format(“truetype”); } Bryndis GunnlaugsdottirI said I wanted my house under lava because then there would be an end to the uncertaintyBryndis GunnlaugsdottirGrindavik resident”It’s been 80 days since the evacuation took place. In those 80 days, the people of Grindavik have not had a home,” she explained. “Our community is hurting, and we have no idea what the future holds for us.”Detailing the evacuation and closure of Grindavik and the death of a man in the town, she said there had been too many tragedies.”I said I wanted my house under lava because then there would be an end to the uncertainty. I’d be compensated and could build a new life and focus on the emotional pain that follows losing a community, at least for some time.”I feel many residents of Grindavik agree uncertainty is the worst enemy now.”Grindavik’s fate is unknown, although its community holds on to the hope of going back.There is no way of telling when or where the next eruption will begin on the Reykjanes peninsula. But Icelandic scientists mostly agree that it is not a matter of if but when. Related TopicsVolcanoesIcelandMore on this storyIceland lava slowing down after day of destructionPublished15 JanuaryTop StoriesWoman killed by dogs while visiting grandsonPublished30 minutes agoPolice hunting Clapham suspect offer £20,000 rewardPublished3 hours agoNew video shows Clapham attack suspect in Tesco. VideoNew video shows Clapham attack suspect in TescoPublished4 hours agoFeaturesNew video shows Clapham attack suspect in Tesco. 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[ad_1] Grindavik now lies empty, its people have fled, after molten lava seeped into the town.

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