BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaClothes of French toddler Emile Soleil found near remains in French AlpsPublished21 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, @GendarmerieImage caption, Emile Soleil had been dropped off at his grandparents’ house hours before he went missingBy Paul KirbyBBC NewsThree days after remains of a French boy were found along an Alpine path not far from where he disappeared nine months ago, police have found some of the clothes he was wearing close by.However, prosecutors say the mystery of Emile Soleil’s disappearance in July last year has still not been solved.A hiker found a skull and some teeth on Saturday, about 25 minutes’ walk from the village where he was last seen.The skull was quickly matched to the missing boy’s DNA.Now a T-shirt, shoes and shorts that Emile was wearing on the day he vanished have been recovered, scattered over a small area about 150m (500ft) from where his remains were found.Details of the new find came from local public prosecutor Jean-Luc Blanchon, who said Emile’s death was still unexplained. It is still unknown if Emile Soleil was the victim of an accident or a crime.”These bones by themselves do not allow us to say what the cause of Emile’s death is,” he told reporters. “Between a fall, manslaughter or murder, no theory can be treated as more likely than another.”Emile, who was two-and-a-half, had been in the village of Haut-Vernet in south-east France for just a few hours when he went missing. His disappearance has been a cause celebre in France ever since.He had gone to stay at his grandparents’ holiday home in Haut-Vernet, a village of 25 people at an altitude of 1,200m (4,000ft) on the slopes of the Massif des Trois-Evêchés mountain range. He was last sighted by neighbours walking on the only street in the village in a yellow T-shirt and white shorts at 17:15 on Saturday 8 July.Despite long and widespread searches of the entire area, no trace of the boy was found.Two days after a re-enactment of his disappearance last Thursday involving 17 people, a local woman out walking just over a kilometre from Haut-Vernet stumbled on some of his remains.”This heart-breaking news was feared, and the time has come for mourning, contemplation and prayer,” the child’s parents said in a statement.The child’s skull was sent away for analysis by forensic teams. Sniffer dogs, soldiers, police and firefighters scoured the area for more evidence. Image source, NICOLAS TUCAT/AFPImage caption, Only 25 people live in Haut-Vernet where Emile disappearedJean-Luc Blanchon told a news conference on Tuesday that the skull had sustained “small fractures and cracks” after the boy’s death, as well as bites from one or more animals.”No trauma has been observed [on the skull] ante-mortem,” he stressed, adding that it was clear the remains had not been buried in the ground.What remains a mystery is why the boy’s skull and clothing had not been detected earlier. The rest of his remains are yet to be found.A spokeswoman for France’s gendarmerie (military police) has already suggested the bones could have been placed there by a person or an animal, or they could have been shifted by changing weather conditions. Or they could have been missed entirely during the extensive searches of the area last summer.The public prosecutor said the female hiker had found the bones between 12:00 and 14:00 on Saturday afternoon on a “narrow, forest path” which she remembered walking on more than a month earlier. The clothes were found further away, close to a stream, he explained.”We cannot be sure Emile’s body was already present in the search area,” said the prosecutor, or “that every square metre was covered by a member of the search teams”. He also made the point that because the original search took place when the undergrowth was especially thick, it was possible the summer temperatures could have affected the sniffer-dogs.He accepted that his conclusions would not satisfy anybody, including Emile’s family and investigators, and said the search would resume on the ground, probably on Wednesday.Related TopicsAlpsFranceMore on this storyFrench toddler’s remains found but death a mysteryPublished1 day agoTop StoriesLive. US ‘outraged’ by Israeli strike on Gaza aid convoyWhat do we know about the aid convoy strike?Published50 minutes agoJK Rowling hate law posts not criminal, police sayPublished3 hours agoFeaturesWho were the seven aid workers killed in Gaza?’I was deepfaked by my best friend’Brain injury: ‘How digger accident left me with depression’The sailors still stranded on ship that crashed into bridgeWhen is it going to stop raining?AttributionWeather’There is space for black women in comedy’The revolution on the way in glass makingLulu: I don’t speak before 12 noon. 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[ad_1] Police find a T-shirt, shoes and shorts, three days after some of Emile Soleil’s bones were recovered.

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaFrench toddler Emile Soleil’s remains found but his death is still a mysteryPublished25 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, @GendarmerieImage caption, Emile Soleil had been dropped off at his grandparents’ house hours before he went missingBy Paul KirbyBBC NewsAlmost nine months after a two-and-a-half year-old boy disappeared in a tiny village in the French Alps, some of his bones have been found by a hiker in an area that had already been searched.Detectives now have to find out whether Emile Soleil’s death was an accident or if he was the victim of a crime.His unexplained disappearance in Haut-Vernet shocked France last July. The discovery of his remains more than 1km away came days after police returned to re-enact what had happened.A communique from local prosecutors did not specify which bones had been found, but they were understood to include Emile’s skull and some teeth. Forensic teams are now searching for the rest of his body.Local Mayor François Balique said he was very sad at the discovery and his thoughts were with Emile’s parents. “It will take a long time to recover from this disappearance and death,” he told French radio.Emile had only just been dropped off to stay at his grandparents’ holiday home when he vanished in the Alpine hamlet on the slopes of the Massif des Trois-Evêchés mountain range. Only 25 people live in Haut-Vernet, at an altitude of 1,200m (4,000ft), and his parents were not there when he disappeared.The last sighting of the child, wearing a yellow t-shirt and white shorts, was at 17:15 local time on 8 July by two neighbours who saw him walking by himself in the only street in the village but then said they had “lost sight of him”.Police were alerted by his grandmother shortly afterwards. Hundreds of people joined police with sniffer-dogs in a search the following day and two investigating judges were quickly appointed to the case, which was by then a major national story. Emile’s disappearance soon became a criminal inquiry into a potential abduction, although detectives did not have any further leads into what had happened.The boy’s parents, who are religious Catholics, said they feared the worst but told a Christian website they still hoped for a miracle.His mother made a public appeal in November, marking what would have been Emile’s third birthday. If he was still alive, she appealed for his safe return, but if he was dead, she asked that he be handed back for burial.Image source, NICOLAS TUCAT/AFPImage caption, Only 25 people live in Haut-Vernet where Emile disappearedLast Thursday investigators returned to Haut-Venet, summoning 17 people including members of Emile’s family, neighbours and witnesses, to reconstruct the last sightings of the boy.French reports have focused on the boy’s 58-year-old maternal grandfather, but his lawyer said she hoped investigators would not “waste too much time on him to the detriment of other lines of inquiry”.Then, on Saturday, a woman found the bones in an area that police said had been searched several times by local residents, police and helicopters with thermal cameras. Forensic scientists announced on Sunday that the DNA matched Emile’s.”This heart-breaking news was feared, and the time has come for mourning, contemplation and prayer,” the child’s parents said in a statement.Police are investigating why the small skull had not been detected earlier. A local woman is said to have made the find while walking in a steep, wooded area that is not easy to access and handed then handed it over to local gendarmes (military police).Marie-Laure Pezant, a spokeswoman for the gendarmerie told French TV that the bones could have been placed there by a person or even an animal, or they could even have been shifted by changing weather conditions.Equally, police are not ruling out the possibility that his remains were missed during searches last summer because of the dense undergrowth at the time.”Is that where he disappeared? Is that where he took his last breath, nobody knows,” said Mayor François Balique. “In any case I have no idea, but the judicial inquiry will no doubt be able to find that out.”Sniffer-dogs have been searching the area for more remains and dozens of police are guarding the site to prevent a potential crime scene being contaminated in any way by hikers.”We’re looking for any trace and any clue,” police commander Pierre-Yves Bardy told reporters on Monday, adding that the search would go on for as long as necessary.A source told Le Figaro newspaper of their frustration that the woman had picked up the skull: “It would have been better if she hadn’t touched anything.”Related TopicsAlpsFranceTop StoriesIsraeli strike destroys Iranian consulate in Syria, says Iran state mediaPublished25 minutes agoJK Rowling in ‘arrest me’ challenge over hate crime lawPublished2 hours agoGaza hospital in ruins after two-week Israeli raidPublished3 hours agoFeaturesWill legalising cannabis unleash chaos in Germany?Is my family still alive? 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[ad_1] Emile had only just been dropped off to stay at his grandparents’ holiday home when he vanished in the Alpine hamlet on the slopes of the Massif des Trois-Evêchés…

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaIsrael-Gaza war: Warnings mount as Israel plans Rafah offensivePublished1 hour agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsIsrael-Gaza warImage source, ReutersImage caption, Some 1.5 million Palestinians – including many children – are estimated to be now living in RafahIsrael is facing growing international warnings over its planned offensive in Rafah – the city in southern Gaza crammed with Palestinian refugees.UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron said “over half of Gaza’s population are sheltering in the area”, while Dutch FM Hanke Bruins Slot said there could be “many civilian casualties”.Saudi Arabia warned of “very serious repercussions” if Rafah was stormed.Gaza’s Hamas rulers said there could “tens of thousands” of casualties.Israel launched its operations in the Palestinian enclave after more than 1,200 people were killed in southern Israel on 7 October by Hamas gunmen.More than 27,900 people have been killed and at least 67,000 injured in Gaza since then, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.Many Gazans have ended up in Rafah having been forced to flee their homes elsewhere at least once. Saturday’s warnings came a day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered his military to prepare to evacuate civilians from the city ahead of an expanded offensive against Hamas.”It is impossible to achieve the goal of the war without eliminating Hamas, and by leaving four Hamas battalions in Rafah. It is clear that intense activity in Rafah requires that civilians evacuate the areas of combat,” Mr Netanyahu’s office said.The prime minister also rejected Hamas’s latest proposed ceasefire terms. The US has already warned Israel that an invasion of Rafah as part of its assault on Gaza would be a “disaster”, while the EU and the UN both expressed their own concerns.Aid groups say it is not possible to evacuate everyone from the city on the border with Egypt. Some 1.5 million Palestinians are believed to be in Rafah, seeking refuge from Israeli combat operations in the rest of the Gaza Strip. Most of them are living in tents..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 In a social media post, Mr Cameron said he was “deeply concerned about the prospect of a military offensive in Rafah.”The priority must be an immediate pause in the fighting to get aid in and hostages out, then progress towards a sustainable, permanent ceasefire.”Meanwhile, Ms Bruins Slot described the situation in Rafah as “very worrying”. “Many civilians in Gaza have fled south. Hard to see how large-scale military operations in such a densely populated area would not lead to many civilian casualties and a bigger humanitarian catastrophe. This is unjustifiable,” she added.Also on Saturday, the Saudi foreign ministry issued a statement that warned against “targeting the city of Rafah in the Gaza Strip, which is the last resort for hundreds of thousands of civilians forced by the brutal Israeli aggression to flee”. The ministry also repeated its “demand for an immediate ceasefire”.In other developments on Saturday:At least five Palestinians were killed in Israeli airstrikes on Rafah, according to the Palestinian news agency, WafaThe Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said its air force killed two Hamas operatives in the southern cityThe IDF also said it discovered a tunnel shaft near a school run by the relief agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) that was leading to an “underground terrorist tunnel beneath UNRWA’s main headquarters”UNRWA head Philippe Lazzarini denied any knowledge of a Hamas tunnel near the agency’s office – a building which he said his staff vacated months ago A six-year-old girl who went missing in Gaza City last month was found dead with several of her relatives and two paramedics – after appearing to come under fire from Israeli tanksThe BBC is unable to independently verify many battlefield claims made during the course of the war.This video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.Media caption, Watch: ‘We’ll never leave Gaza’ – Palestinians who fled to Rafah fear Israeli assaultRelated TopicsMiddle EastIsrael-Gaza warIsraelPalestinian territoriesGazaNetherlandsSaudi ArabiaMore on this storyNetanyahu orders military to plan Rafah evacuationPublished1 day agoUS warns Israel sending troops into Rafah risks ‘disaster’Published1 day ago’We’ll never leave Gaza’ – People in Rafah fear Israeli assault. Video, 00:01:15’We’ll never leave Gaza’ – People in Rafah fear Israeli assaultPublished1 day ago1:15Netanyahu rejects Hamas’s proposed ceasefire termsPublished3 days agoTop StoriesKing thanks public for support after cancer newsPublished5 hours agoCameron leads warnings as Israel plans Rafah offensivePublished1 hour agoAre politicians cooling on tackling climate change?Published13 hours agoFeaturesRussia’s war economy can’t last but has bought timeThe Papers: ‘Democracy in danger’ and King’s heartfelt thanksThe planespotter angering Taylor Swift and Elon MuskTeens fight back against online skincare trendsAre politicians cooling on tackling climate change?‘We had to bury our baby in a stranger’s coffin’Will King’s diagnosis bring Harry and William closer?’There is no right or wrong way to have alopecia’Bad economy, nosy relatives: Young Chinese put off by Lunar New YearElsewhere on the BBCIt’s make or break timeAnother set of eager entrepreneurs hope to impress the fearsome panelAttributioniPlayerHow are jelly beans made?Gregg Wallace visits a Dublin factory that makes over ten million of the sweets per day!AttributioniPlayerIs this the greatest Jurassic predator that ever lived?Sir David Attenborough investigates a unique discovery: the skull of a giant, prehistoric sea monsterAttributioniPlayerThe sound effect that became the ultimate movie in-jokeIt’s used in everything from Toy Story to Reservoir Dogs, but what is the Wilhelm Scream?AttributioniPlayerMost Read1The planespotter angering Taylor Swift and Elon Musk2’Democracy in danger’ and King’s heartfelt thanks3‘We had to bury our baby in a stranger’s coffin’4King thanks public for support after cancer news5Warnings mount as Israel plans Rafah offensive6Hungary president resigns over child abuse pardon7I’d be an eejit not to enjoy Oscars – Cillian Murphy8Teens fight back against online skincare trends9Faisal Islam: Russia’s war economy cannot last but has bought time10Fujitsu bosses paid £26m during Horizon contract

[ad_1] More countries urge Israel against any military operation in the southern Gazan city crammed with refugees.

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaDR Congo violence: Panic in Goma as M23 rebels advancePublished1 hour agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, EPAImage caption, Goma’s population has swelled in recent days as people arrive by motorbike and foot fleeing advancing fightersBy Samba Cyuzuzo & Mayeni JonesBBC Great Lakes & BBC NewsEmile Bolingo is not sure how long he and other residents of Goma, in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, can hold out.This major city in the region, with about two million people, has been cut off from the farms that feed it for several days.It is the latest episode in a resurgence of fighting that has seen tens of thousands added to the nearly seven million who have been forced from their homes in the country because of multiple conflicts.Rebels from the ethnic Tutsi-led M23 movement are blocking the two main roads into Goma from the north and the west and preventing produce from getting through.”We are scared of going hungry if the [Congolese army] do not liberate any of the main roads very soon. You can feel the panic here… people are very scared,” Mr Bolingo told the BBC.Goma’s population has swelled in recent days with people running from the advancing fighters.Image source, Glody MurhabaziImage caption, Mundeke Kandundao, a motorbike taxi rider, has just undergone surgery after a bomb blastSake, a town 25km (15 miles) north-west of Goma, came under attack on Wednesday.”I sustained a pelvic injury caused by shrapnel,” Mundeke Kandundao told the BBC from his hospital bed in Goma where he has undergone surgery.The 25-year-old motorbike taxi driver said a shell was launched by the rebels from a hill overlooking the town on Wednesday.”I was standing behind a cabin and there were a lot of other people there and that’s where it exploded,” he said.”We are scared because you know the war goes on and on, it is meaningless. We are waiting to see if it ends so that we can go back to our homes.”Laurent Cresci, from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), told the BBC from the state-run Bethsaida Hospital in Goma that patient numbers had surged on Wednesday: “It was really a mass casualty. We were before 80 patients in our ward, and now we have 130 patients so it’s really hard to manage.”For many people it is a tragic case of déjà vu.”For how long shall we live like this? Every now and then we keep fleeing,” Pascal Bashali told the BBC after he had arrived in Goma. People are streaming in by foot, on motorbikes and mini buses.Aline Ombeni said she was distraught on her arrival in the city: “We have fled empty-handed just as you are seeing us – no food, no clothes we need help with shelter and food.”Image source, AFPImage caption, M23 fighters are well equipped, but the group denies being a Rwanda proxyAs the conflict edges closer, it brings back memories of 2012 when the rebels occupied the lakeside city for 10 days before abandoning it following international pressure.The M23, formed as an offshoot of another rebel group, began operating in 2012 ostensibly to protect the Tutsi population in the east of DR Congo which had long complained of persecution and discrimination. UN experts have said that the group is backed by neighbouring Rwanda, which is also led by Tutsis, something that Kigali has consistently denied. “We all know that the reason of this war is economic. Rwanda is continuing… for the past 25 years… looting our mineral resources,” Congolese Communications Minister Patrick Muyaya told the BBC, urging the UK to use its influence with Rwanda to ease the situation.There are now fears that the M23 – by far the most organised, disciplined and well-equipped of the many militia groups in the region – could capture Goma once again.Recently re-elected Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi last year said that “Congolese need to learn to trust us, Goma will never fall”. He repeated the promise, in the city itself, during the election campaign in December.Within reach of major mining towns supplying metals and minerals in high demand such as gold, tin and coltan, Goma has become a vital economic hub. Its road and air transport links, and the fact that it has a huge UN peacekeeping base, has attracted a host of businesses, international organisations and diplomatic consulates.As such, Goma is a valuable strategic target, but the M23 says it does not want to capture it and maintains it is on the defensive not offensive.DR Congo squad use Afcon spotlight to call for peaceWhy TikTokers are quitting vapes over DR CongoA quick guide to DR Congo”If you see the military power of the M23, they could take Goma if they wanted to, but this could bring them many problems,” said Onesphore Sematumba, a DR Congo analyst at the International Crisis Group thinktank.The rebels may just be displaying their capabilities, and also thinking back to 2012 and the international opprobrium that followed the seizing of Goma then.In the aftermath of its withdrawal it suffered a series of heavy defeats at the hands of the Congolese army backed by a multinational force that saw it expelled from the country. M23 fighters then agreed to be re-integrated into the army in return for promises that Tutsis would be protected.But, in 2021, the group took up arms again, saying the promises had been broken.It emerged from the mountain forests on the border between DR Congo, Rwanda and Uganda and edged closer to Goma taking swathes of territory.Ceasefires have been agreed, but these have all broken down, with the government and the M23 blaming each other.The M23 has repeatedly said it still wants peace negotiations with Kinshasa.”We asked for the dialogue to resolve this problem peacefully,” M23 spokesman Lawrence Kanyuka told the BBC. “Many cycles of war… don’t resolve the root causes of conflict. The Congolese government itself doesn’t want that, it wants to go on a war, and kill people even more.” President Tshisekedi has said talks are “out of question”.”One thing must be clear is that we as government, we will never negotiate with M23. M23 doesn’t exist. It’s Rwanda acting with its puppet,” his communications minister told the BBC.Image source, ReutersImage caption, Hundreds of thousands of people have already fled their villages to live in makeshift camps; some are on the move againLast year, an East African force, which was in DR Congo to help protect civilians and secure areas that armed groups had withdrawn from, left the country at the government’s request.Its departure in December was followed by the end of the latest ceasefire and the recent upsurge in activity by the M23.President Tshisekedi hopes that a southern African force that recently arrived in its place will have more success as it has a mandate to attack rebel groups.He has also asked the large UN force in the country, known as Monusco, to leave. It has become increasingly unpopular for its failure to end the conflict during its 25-year deployment. But there are concerns that the conflict could get even worse after the Congolese president threatened in December to declare war on Rwanda if the rebels attack again.In an apparent reply to the remarks, Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame said in January that in defending his country “we will fight like people who have nothing to lose”.Meanwhile, Natàlia Torrent, from medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), has warned that the intensification of fighting in “different areas and on different fronts” since mid-January is having a devastating effect on an already vulnerable population.”We are in an area that has been already prone to the spread of different epidemics. We have been already working in the last year on cholera or measles and we are afraid… [a] new wave of epidemics are going to surge again,” she told the BBC.Reflecting on the fighting, Goma resident Mr Bolingo added: “We are the ones who suffer.” Mr Bashali, who fled from Sake with his wife and nine children, agreed: “Men are dying, children are dying, women are dying, those fighting are dying, what for? We are praying that our country will be peaceful.”Additional reporting by journalist Glody Murhabazi in GomaRelated TopicsDemocratic Republic of CongoMore on this storyDR Congo country profilePublished2 JanuaryAround the BBCFocus on Africa podcastsTop StoriesKing thanks public for support after cancer newsPublished4 hours agoSix-year-old Gazan girl found dead days after plea for helpPublished15 hours agoAre politicians cooling on tackling climate change?Published11 hours agoFeaturesRussia’s war economy can’t last but has bought timeThe planespotter angering Taylor Swift and Elon MuskTeens fight back against online skincare trendsThe Papers: ‘Democracy in danger’ and King’s heartfelt thanksAre politicians cooling on tackling climate change?‘We had to bury our baby in a stranger’s coffin’Will King’s diagnosis bring Harry and William closer?’There is no right or wrong way to have alopecia’Bad economy, nosy relatives: Young Chinese put off by Lunar New YearElsewhere on the BBCIt’s make or break timeAnother set of eager entrepreneurs hope to impress the fearsome panelAttributioniPlayerHow are jelly beans made?Gregg Wallace visits a Dublin factory that makes over ten million of the sweets per day!AttributioniPlayerIs this the greatest Jurassic predator that ever lived?Sir David Attenborough investigates a unique discovery: the skull of a giant, prehistoric sea monsterAttributioniPlayerThe sound effect that became the ultimate movie in-jokeIt’s used in everything from Toy Story to Reservoir Dogs, but what is the Wilhelm Scream?AttributioniPlayerMost Read1The planespotter angering Taylor Swift and Elon Musk2’Democracy in danger’ and King’s heartfelt thanks3‘We had to bury our baby in a stranger’s coffin’4King thanks public for support after cancer news5Hungary president resigns over child abuse pardon6I’d be an eejit not to enjoy Oscars – Cillian Murphy7Faisal Islam: Russia’s war economy cannot last but has bought time8Teens fight back against online skincare trends9Six-year-old Gazan girl found dead days after plea for help10Fujitsu bosses paid £26m during Horizon contract

[ad_1] Within reach of major mining towns supplying metals and minerals in high demand such as gold, tin and coltan, Goma has become a vital economic hub. Its road and…

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityAsiaChinaIndiaBad economy, nosy relatives: Young Chinese put off by Lunar New YearPublished55 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsLunar New YearImage source, ReutersImage caption, China’s Spring Festival travel rush is the world’s largest mass migration every yearBy Lok LeeBBC Chinese”If I had the choice, I definitely wouldn’t go back home,” says Yuwen, a 33-year-old who has been unemployed for more than six months, days ahead of the Chinese New Year.Many of China’s nearly 380 million internal migrants only go home once a year – and the Lunar New Year, the most important festival for family reunion, is usually the time to do it. That is why the Spring Festival travel rush, known as “chunyun”, is the world’s largest annual mass migration. Authorities are expecting a record nine billion trips this time for the Year of the Dragon. But Yuwen dreads the homecoming trip because he says he will be grilled by relatives over every aspect of his life, particularly his work situation including salaries and benefits. His parents know he has lost his job and have been understanding about it. They have agreed with Yuwen that the best course of action is to lie to relatives that he still has his old job.Yuwen will also spend just three days with his relatives – usually it would be more than a week. “It will be over soon,” he says. Watch: Crowds roar in Lunar New YearHundreds of young people have taken to popular social media platforms such as Xiaohongshu and Weibo to say that they will not go home for the festival. Like Yuwen, some of them are recently unemployed.Official data released in June 2023 revealed more than one in five city-dwellers aged between 16 and 24 in China were unemployed. China then suspended the release of youth unemployment data until last month. The figure now stands at 14.9% – but the data excludes students. After decades of breakneck growth, the Chinese economy is losing steam and the anticipated post-Covid recovery has not materialised. Its real estate market has crashed, and local government debts are mounting. But the confidence crisis is perhaps the thorniest issue – investors are worried that the Chinese leadership will prioritise party control over economic development. Under China’s leader Xi Jinping, there have been crackdowns on private enterprises from tech to private tutoring. Relations with the West have also deteriorated over the last few years. Image source, HandoutImage caption, Yuwen is cutting short his homecoming tripYuwen is a victim of the clampdowns on private enterprises. In 2014, he decided to pursue a graduate degree in Chinese language education in Beijing, about 185 miles (300km) away from his hometown in Hebei province. It was to “ride the wave of a national policy” – because Mr Xi had launched the Belt and Road Initiative a year before to spread greater influence overseas. After he graduated, he quickly found a job at a private tutoring company and was tasked with managing and training foreign tutors for Chinese students. But in July 2021, the Chinese government banned private, for-profit tutoring in the name of easing the burden on students. This was a death knell for the $120bn (£95bn) tutoring industry. Yuwen was forced to change careers. He got a job at a big tech company in January 2023. He was responsible for formulating live-streaming rules for its overseas platforms and supervising the work of prominent influencers. But it only lasted five months.A regulatory crackdown on big tech since late 2020 had already wiped off more than $1 trillion in its value, according to Reuters. Then the US threatened sanctions against Chinese tech companies over concerns with Beijing’s national security legislation. That proved to be the last straw for Yuwen’s company, which decided to move its overseas operations outside China.Yuwen says he has sent out his CV over 1,000 times in the last six months alone. He has not received any job offers even though he has already lowered his salary expectations. “At the beginning, I felt quite calm but then I became increasingly anxious. I didn’t expect it to be this difficult,” he says. Image source, HandoutImage caption, Qingfeng moved to Shenzhen to be closer to his girlfriend, who is studying in Hong KongIn the southern city of Shenzhen, fitness trainer Qingfeng has decided to go travelling by himself for the Chinese New Year. He will lie to his parents, telling them he cannot buy the tickets to come home. “Who doesn’t want to go home to celebrate the new year? But I just feel embarrassed.” After leaving the military in 2019, Qingfeng started working as a fitness instructor and says he was able to make about 20,000 yuan ($2,800; £2,200) per month in Shanghai. Last year, he moved to Shenzhen to be closer to his girlfriend who is studying in neighbouring Hong Kong. The 28-year-old found a job with a foreign trading company as he wanted more job stability. But the pay was only 4,500 yuan a month. This was unsustainable as monthly rent in Shenzhen is at least 1,500 yuan.Qingfeng left his job after two months and has now got a position at a new gym that will open after the holidays. But he does not want to see his family, because he says he lost almost all his savings last year. He does not want to divulge details, but he says: “You can say that I have failed in the stock market.” In early February, Chinese stocks plunged into a five-year low. The Weibo account of the US embassy became an outlet for the frustrations of Chinese investors, with some even calling on the Americans to help. Some criticised the current leadership. All such posts have since been taken down. Image source, EPAImage caption, Not everyone is looking forward to the Year of the DragonQingfeng is not sure he will be able to build a customer base at the new gym due to the economic downturn. “Many large gyms have shut down lately because of their high debts.” But is is not just the economy that has prevented some young Chinese from wanting to go home for the festival.Some single women – like Xiaoba – say they do not want to be pressurised by their families to get married and settle down. “I have been working across the country. Whenever I go to a city, my mother will find a man out of the blue and tell me to go on a blind date. It’s outrageous,” says the 35-year-old project manager. China’s population has shrunk for two years in a row. Its low birth rate has caused fears that the country will lose young workers, who are a key force in propelling its economy. Young people are increasingly reluctant to get married and have children, and the number of registered marriages has been declining for nine consecutive years, according to official data. In October, Mr Xi said women played a “unique role” in promoting traditional virtues and there was a need to cultivate a “new marriage and childbearing culture” to tackle the ageing population. But the government’s efforts to boost marriage and birth rate so far have been ineffective. Xiaoba no longer panics about getting married and is enjoying her life. She is planning to spend the Lunar New Year with her cat and watch the huge CCTV New Year’s Gala – which is aired every Spring Festival Eve – at her rented flat in Shenzhen. Yuwen, for his part, hopes that the next Lunar New Year will be better. “I believe I will make it because I am determined. I have never considered giving up.”But there are things out of his control. “I am not too optimistic about the economy in 2024.” Interviewees have been given pseudonyms. Related TopicsLunar New YearAsiaChinaMore on this storyIn pictures: Welcoming the Lunar New YearPublished3 hours agoSnowstorms disrupt Lunar New Year travel in ChinaPublished3 days agoA restless Gen Z is reshaping the Chinese DreamPublished3 JanuaryBurnt out or jobless – meet China’s ‘full-time children’Published17 July 2023Top StoriesKing thanks public for support after cancer newsPublished3 hours agoSix-year-old Gazan girl found dead days after plea for helpPublished14 hours agoAre politicians cooling on tackling climate change?Published10 hours agoFeaturesRussia’s war economy can’t last but has bought timeTeens fight back against online skincare trendsThe Papers: ‘Democracy in danger’ and King’s heartfelt thanksAre politicians cooling on tackling climate change?‘We had to bury our baby in a stranger’s coffin’Will King’s diagnosis bring Harry and William closer?’There is no right or wrong way to have alopecia’Bad economy, nosy relatives: Young Chinese put off by Lunar New YearYour pictures on the theme of ‘towers’Elsewhere on the BBCIt’s make or break timeAnother set of eager entrepreneurs hope to impress the fearsome panelAttributioniPlayerHow are jelly beans made?Gregg Wallace visits a Dublin factory that makes over ten million of the sweets per day!AttributioniPlayerIs this the greatest Jurassic predator that ever lived?Sir David Attenborough investigates a unique discovery: the skull of a giant, prehistoric sea monsterAttributioniPlayerThe sound effect that became the ultimate movie in-jokeIt’s used in everything from Toy Story to Reservoir Dogs, but what is the Wilhelm Scream?AttributioniPlayerMost Read1‘We had to bury our baby in a stranger’s coffin’2’Democracy in danger’ and King’s heartfelt thanks3King thanks public for support after cancer news4Hungary president resigns over child abuse pardon5I’d be an eejit not to enjoy Oscars – Cillian Murphy6Teens fight back against online skincare trends7Six-year-old Gazan girl found dead days after plea for help8Fujitsu bosses paid £26m during Horizon contract9Faisal Islam: Russia’s war economy cannot last but has bought time10Are politicians cooling on tackling climate change?

[ad_1] Many of China’s nearly 380 million internal migrants only go home once a year – and the Lunar New Year, the most important festival for family reunion, is usually…

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaEx-US government informant gets life over Haiti president’s murderPublished1 day agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsJovenel Moise assassinationImage source, Getty ImagesBy Malu CursinoBBC NewsA former US government informant has been sentenced to life for his role in the assassination of Haiti’s former president Jovenel Moise.The sentencing comes two months after Haitian-American Joseph Vincent, 58, pleaded guilty to taking part in the plot to assassinate the late president.Before his sentencing in a Miami court, he told the judge: “Please forgive me for what I did.”President Moise was shot and killed at his home in Port-au-Prince in 2021.Vincent, who worked for the US Drug Enforcement Administration, is the fourth of 11 defendants to be sentenced to life in the Miami federal case for his supporting role in the murder plot.The trial is being held in Florida because the US justice department ruled that it fell within its jurisdiction – since part of the plot was developed in south Florida. Vincent, who will be held in a Florida prison, admitted to having discussed the assassination plot and accompanying co-conspirators to Mr Moise’s residence in July 2021.His role included advising his accomplices on Haitian politics, meeting with local political and community leaders and encouraging protests against Mr Moise as a pretext to overthrow him, according to the AFP.It is believed that during those meetings, Vincent wore a US State Department pin to make others believe he worked for Washington. But the DEA said Vincent had not been acting on behalf of the agency.Haiti’s ambassador to the US, Bocchit Edmond, said there was “no way” US drugs agents carried out the attack. Speaking at the time of Mr Moise’s killing, the ambassador said he believed it was the work of “professional mercenaries”.Court documents show that the operation was originally aimed at kidnapping the late president, but later became a full-fledged assassination.US charges four over Haiti president assassination Haiti’s president killed in attack at homeAlso on Friday, another suspect, Frederick Joseph Bergmann Jr. pleaded guilty to submitting false or misleading export information. He has been accused of smuggling ballistic vests as part of the plot.Colombian ex-soldiers and businessmen are also among those accused of helping supply funds or weapons, and carrying out the attack.Haiti has arrested 17 people for the murder of the President Moise, according to the Miami Herald, but none of them have been formally charged.The Caribbean country has not had a president since Mr Moise’s assassination. Since then, the country has plunged into political chaos and witnessed unprecedented levels of gang violence. On Friday, the United Nations said January had been the most violent month in the country in more than two years, with some 1,100 people either killed, injured or kidnapped in the month.Related TopicsHaitiJovenel Moise assassinationUnited StatesMore on this storyUS charges four over Haiti president assassinationPublished1 February 2023Haiti leader urges calm as violent protests mountPublished2 days agoTop StoriesKing thanks public for support after cancer newsPublished2 hours agoSix-year-old Gazan girl found dead days after plea for helpPublished13 hours agoAre politicians cooling on tackling climate change?Published9 hours agoFeaturesIsraeli soldier videos from Gaza could breach international law, experts sayThe Papers: ‘Democracy in danger’ and King’s heartfelt thanksAre politicians cooling on tackling climate change?Will King’s diagnosis bring Harry and William closer?The Ukrainians ‘disappearing’ in Russia’s prisonsDinosaur Island: 40 years of discoveries on SkyeCelebrities and the perils of oversharing daily routines’There is no right or wrong way to have alopecia’Why are attitudes shifting towards climate policies? AudioWhy are attitudes shifting towards climate policies?AttributionSoundsElsewhere on the BBCIt’s make or break timeAnother set of eager entrepreneurs hope to impress the fearsome panelAttributioniPlayerHow are jelly beans made?Gregg Wallace visits a Dublin factory that makes over ten million of the sweets per day!AttributioniPlayerIs this the greatest Jurassic predator that ever lived?Sir David Attenborough investigates a unique discovery: the skull of a giant, prehistoric sea monsterAttributioniPlayerThe sound effect that became the ultimate movie in-jokeIt’s used in everything from Toy Story to Reservoir Dogs, but what is the Wilhelm Scream?AttributioniPlayerMost Read1Hungary president resigns over child abuse pardon2King thanks public for support after cancer news3‘We had to bury our baby in a stranger’s coffin’4’Democracy in danger’ and King’s heartfelt thanks5I’d be an eejit not to enjoy Oscars – Cillian Murphy6Six-year-old Gazan girl found dead days after plea for help7Fujitsu bosses paid £26m during Horizon contract8Celebrities and the perils of oversharing daily routines9Child maintenance enforcement to be sped up10Pakistan army urges unity as ex-PMs both declare win

[ad_1] Joseph Vincent is the fourth of 11 defendants in the case to be sentenced to life by a Miami court.

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaIn pictures: Welcoming the Lunar New YearPublished22 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsLunar New YearImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Dragon dancers performed at a park in BeijingSaturday 10 February marked the start of Lunar New Year, and more than a billion people in countries around the world have been saying farewell to the Year of the Rabbit and welcoming the Year of the Dragon.Lunar New Year is typically celebrated in parts of Asia – notably China, South Korea and Vietnam – but it is also celebrated by diaspora communities around the world such as in Europe and the US.Fireworks, music, fairs, lanterns, dragon and lion dancing filled streets across Asia as locals began celebrations that typically last about 15 days.Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Participants from the Granada Masskara Dance group from the Philippines took part in a parade in Hong KongImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, A performer breathed fire during celebrations in ManilaImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, People in Bangkok headed to the temple of Yaowarat Chinatown to prayImage source, HENRY NICHOLLS/GETTY IMAGESImage caption, A Chinese lion dance team entertained the crowd in central LondonImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, People took to the streets of Philadelphia to celebrateImage source, EPAImage caption, People left food offerings in a temple in Taipei, TaiwanRelated TopicsLunar New YearMore on this storySnowstorms disrupt Lunar New Year travel in ChinaPublished3 days agoLunar New Year: Celebrating the Year of the DragonPublished2 days agoTop StoriesKing thanks public for support after cancer newsPublished42 minutes agoSix-year-old Gazan girl found dead days after plea for helpPublished11 hours agoPolice searching Thames for Clapham attack suspectPublished7 hours agoFeaturesIsraeli soldier videos from Gaza could breach international law, experts sayWill King’s diagnosis bring Harry and William closer?Are politicians cooling on tackling climate change?The Ukrainians ‘disappearing’ in Russia’s prisonsDinosaur Island: 40 years of discoveries on SkyeCelebrities and the perils of oversharing daily routinesWhy are attitudes shifting towards climate policies? AudioWhy are attitudes shifting towards climate policies?AttributionSounds’There is no right or wrong way to have alopecia’Spain’s LGBT matador: ‘More will come out because of me’Elsewhere on the BBCIt’s make or break timeAnother set of eager entrepreneurs hope to impress the fearsome panelAttributioniPlayerHow are jelly beans made?Gregg Wallace visits a Dublin factory that makes over ten million of the sweets per day!AttributioniPlayerIs this the greatest Jurassic predator that ever lived?Sir David Attenborough investigates a unique discovery: the skull of a giant, prehistoric sea monsterAttributioniPlayerThe sound effect that became the ultimate movie in-jokeIt’s used in everything from Toy Story to Reservoir Dogs, but what is the Wilhelm Scream?AttributioniPlayerMost Read1King thanks public for support after cancer news2Hungary president resigns over child abuse pardon3Boyzone ‘excited’ about Chorley FC talks4Six-year-old Gazan girl found dead days after plea for help5Celebrities and the perils of oversharing daily routines6Police searching Thames for Clapham attack suspect7Small plane crashes into back garden of house8England recover to edge past youthful WalesAttributionSport9Farmer protests could escalate, warns organiser10Will King’s diagnosis bring Harry and William closer?

[ad_1] A billion people in countries around the world – mostly in Asia – greet the Year of the Dragon.

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaGaza residents surviving off animal feed and rice as food dwindlesPublished2 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsIsrael-Gaza warImage source, ReutersImage caption, Pipes which carry water for Gaza’s 2.3m population have been damaged or destroyedBy Lucy WilliamsonBBC News, JerusalemPeople living in the isolated north of Gaza have told the BBC that children are going without food for days, as aid convoys are increasingly denied permits to enter. Some residents have resorted to grinding animal feed into flour to survive, but even stocks of those grains are now dwindling, they say.People have also described digging down into the soil to access water pipes, for drinking and washing.The UN has warned that acute malnutrition among young children in the north has risen sharply, and is now above the critical threshold of 15%.The UN’s humanitarian coordination agency, Ocha, says more than half the aid missions to the north of Gaza were denied access last month, and that there is increasing interference from Israeli forces in how and where aid is delivered.It says 300,000 people estimated to be living in northern areas are largely cut off from assistance, and face a growing risk of famine.A spokesman for the Israeli military agency tasked with coordinating aid access in Gaza said in a briefing last month that there was “no starvation in Gaza. Period.” The agency, Cogat, has repeatedly said it does not limit the amount of humanitarian aid sent to Gaza.Netanyahu orders military to plan evacuations from southern Gazan cityIsraeli soldier videos from Gaza could breach international law, experts sayThe BBC spoke to three people living in Gaza City and Beit Lahia, and viewed footage and interviews filmed by local journalists in Jabalia.Mahmoud Shalabi, a local medical aid worker in Beit Lahia, said people had been grinding grains used for animal feed into flour, but that even that was now running out.”People are not finding it in the market,” he said. “It’s unavailable nowadays in the north of Gaza, and Gaza City.”He also said stocks of tinned food were disappearing.”What we had was actually from the six or seven days of truce [in November], and whatever aid was allowed into the north of Gaza has actually been consumed by now. What people are eating right now is basically rice, and only rice.”The World Food Programme (WFP) told the BBC this week that four out of the last five aid convoys into the north had been stopped by Israeli forces, meaning a gap of two weeks between deliveries to Gaza City.’Serious risk of famine'”We know there is a very serious risk of famine in Gaza if we don’t provide very significant volumes of food assistance on a regular basis,” said the WFP regional chief, Matt Hollingworth.The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (Ocha) said there had been a sharp increase in the number of aid missions denied access to northern Gaza: with 56% of deliveries denied access in January, up from 14% in October to December.It also said the Israeli military “at times required justifications” for quantities of fuel destined for health facilities, and “imposed reductions on the volume of assistance, such as the quantity of food”.The BBC asked Israel’s army for a response. They directed us to Cogat, which told us to address our questions to the army.Duha al-Khalidi, a mother of four in Beit Lahia, told the BBC two weeks ago that she walked six miles (9.5km) to her sister’s house in Gaza City, in a desperate search for food, after her children had not eaten for three days.”I don’t have any money, and even if I did, there’s nothing in the town’s main market,” she said. “[My sister] and her family are also suffering. She shared with me the last amount of pasta in her house.””We feel that death has become inevitable,” her sister, Waad, said. “We lost the top floor of our house, but we are still living here despite the fear of collapse. For two weeks, we can’t find anything in the market; and if some products are available, they are 10 times their normal price.”A famine risk assessment, carried out by several UN agencies, estimated that almost a third of residents in northern areas could now be facing a “catastrophic” lack of food, though restrictions on accessing the area make real-time measurements very difficult.Families in northern areas are also struggling to find reliable water supplies.”Many of us are now drinking unpotable water. There are no pipes; we have to dig for water,” explained Mahmoud Salah in Beit Lahia. Image source, ReutersImage caption, People in Gaza are digging for water by handVideo filmed in the Jabalia neighbourhood north of Gaza City shows residents sitting among the rubble of bombed out streets, digging down into the earth to tap large underground water pipes.”We get water here once every 15 days,” Yusuf al-Ayoti said. “The water is dirty. Our children are inflamed and their teeth are eroded from the dirty water. There is sand in it, and it’s very salty.”After four months of war, the makeshift solutions for bridging the hunger gaps are wearing thin. And there are few ways to restock Gaza’s larder.The territory was reliant on food aid before the war; now much of its agricultural industry has been ruined or abandoned.’The destruction is vast’New figures from the UN suggest that more than half the agricultural land in the central region of Deir al-Balah has been damaged. This includes an olive press and farmland belonging to Bassem Younis Abu Zayed.”It looks like the aftermath of an earthquake,” he said. “The destruction is vast, covering neighbouring buildings and farm animals. Even if we manage to restore the mill, 80-90% of the olives have gone. It’s not just a loss for this year, it’s a loss for the next several years.”Further south, in the border town of Rafah, more than a million people displaced by the fighting elsewhere now jostle for space with the town’s 300,000 residents.Israel’s army regularly publishes what it says is recent footage of busy markets and restaurants in Gaza’s southern centres. A majority of the 114 aid missions to southern areas of Gaza managed to get through last month, but residents and aid agencies say many people are still going hungry, and a public health crisis is looming with a lack of shelter, sanitation and medical care.Aid can be blocked by fighting, bureaucracy or rubble. Earlier this week, a food convoy waiting to head north in Gaza was hit by naval gunfire. On Saturday the UN’s agency for Palestinian refugees accused Israel of using financial restrictions to block a month’s worth of food for more than a million Gazans. UNRWA said more than 1,000 shipping containers from Turkey were being held up in a port, telling the AP news agency that a local contractor was ordered by customs authorities not to process any UNRWA goods.Israel has not responded but on Thursday, far-right finance minister Belazel Smotrich ordered the cancellation of customs and other tax relief for UNRWA, saying Israel “will not give tax benefits to terrorist aides”. Israel has accused UNRWA staff of participating in the 7 October attacks.But deliveries are also complicated by the growing desperation of Gaza’s people, says Matt Hollingworth.”We need the law and order issue resolved, so that we’re not having to negotiate our way through crowds of desperately hungry people, to get to other people that we’ve yet to reach,” he said.”It’s probably the level of helplessness that worries me. People have lost hope.” A deal between Israel and Hamas is seen by many as the only way to get more aid into Gaza, and get Israeli hostages out.As Israel bombs Rafah, ahead of a widely expected ground offensive there, leaders on both sides are under pressure to end the suffering of people trapped in Gaza – their enemy’s, and their own.Related TopicsIsrael & the PalestiniansIsrael-Gaza warHamasMore on this storyInjured, hungry and alone – the Gazan children orphaned by warPublished31 JanuaryWhy are Israel and Hamas fighting in Gaza?Published31 January’The unstoppable wars have destroyed our lives’Published20 January’I go to sleep a dead man’ – father’s pain at daughter’s captivity in GazaPublished23 JanuaryTop StoriesSix-year-old Gazan girl found dead days after plea for helpPublished8 hours agoPolice searching Thames for Clapham attack suspectPublished4 hours agoAre politicians cooling on tackling climate change?Published4 hours agoFeaturesIsraeli soldier videos from Gaza could breach international law, experts sayWill King’s diagnosis bring Harry and William closer?Are politicians cooling on tackling climate change?The Ukrainians ‘disappearing’ in Russia’s prisonsDinosaur Island: 40 years of discoveries on SkyeCelebrities and the perils of oversharing daily routinesWhy are attitudes shifting towards climate policies? AudioWhy are attitudes shifting towards climate policies?AttributionSounds’There is no right or wrong way to have alopecia’Spain’s LGBT matador: ‘More will come out because of me’Elsewhere on the BBCIt’s make or break timeAnother set of eager entrepreneurs hope to impress the fearsome panelAttributioniPlayerHow are jelly beans made?Gregg Wallace visits a Dublin factory that makes over ten million of the sweets per day!AttributioniPlayerIs this the greatest Jurassic predator that ever lived?Sir David Attenborough investigates a unique discovery: the skull of a giant, prehistoric sea monsterAttributioniPlayerThe sound effect that became the ultimate movie in-jokeIt’s used in everything from Toy Story to Reservoir Dogs, but what is the Wilhelm Scream?AttributioniPlayerMost Read1Hungary president resigns over child abuse pardon2Six-year-old Gazan girl found dead days after plea for help3Will King’s diagnosis bring Harry and William closer?4England recover to edge past youthful WalesAttributionSport5Celebrities and the perils of oversharing daily routines6Attempted murder charge after suspected poisoning7Are politicians cooling on tackling climate change?8Small plane crashes into back garden9Police searching Thames for Clapham attack suspect10Cricketer ‘killed himself amid sexual assault probe’

[ad_1] The UN says hundreds of thousands of people in the territory are at growing risk of famine.

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaHungarian President Katalin Novak resigns over child abuse pardon scandalPublished27 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, ReutersImage caption, Hungarian President Katalin Novak announced her resignation in a live television addressBy Nick ThorpeBBC News, BudapestThe president of Hungary has resigned live on television over a decision to pardon a man convicted of covering up a child sexual abuse case.It was revealed last week Katalin Novak had given clemency to a man jailed for forcing children to retract sexual abuse claims against a director of a state-run children’s home. Protests calling for her to step down had been growing in Hungary.Ms Novak apologised and said she made “a mistake” in granting the pardon.The controversy which led to her resignation came after the names of 25 people pardoned by Ms Novak in April last year, as part of a visit to Hungary by Pope Francis, were made public by Hungarian media last week.On the list of convicts was the deputy director of a children’s home near Budapest, who had been jailed for three years after forcing children to retract claims of abuse against the director of the home.The director had himself been jailed for eight years over abusing children at the government-run facility.Hungarian opposition parties and protesters had been demanding her resignation, but Ms Novak’s decision to do so was as sudden as it was unexpected.Ms Novak is a popular figure in the ruling Fidesz and a rare female politician in a male-dominated country. She is a key ally of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and previously worked as his family minister.In 2022, she became the first woman to hold the largely ceremonial role of Hungarian president.Who is Viktor Orban, Hungary’s PM halting funds for Ukraine?But the case unleashed an unprecedented political scandal for Hungary’s long-serving nationalist government.In particular, it caused deep embarrassment for Fidesz, which has made traditional family values the cornerstone of its social policy.Speaking in an address live on television, Ms Novak said she granted the pardon in the belief the convicted man “did not exploit the vulnerability of the children under his oversight”.She apologised to victims who “might have felt that I did not stand up for them”.”I made a mistake, as the pardon and the lack of reasoning were conducive to triggering doubts about the zero tolerance that applies to paedophilia,” Ms Novak added.Related TopicsViktor OrbanHungaryMore on this storyWho is Viktor Orban, Hungary’s PM halting funds for Ukraine?Published31 JanuaryTop StoriesSix-year-old Gazan girl found dead days after plea for helpPublished7 hours agoPolice searching Thames for Clapham attack suspectPublished3 hours agoAre politicians cooling on tackling climate change?Published3 hours agoFeaturesIsraeli soldier videos from Gaza could breach international law, experts sayWill King’s diagnosis bring Harry and William closer?Are politicians cooling on tackling climate change?The Ukrainians ‘disappearing’ in Russia’s prisonsDinosaur Island: 40 years of discoveries on SkyeCelebrities and the perils of oversharing daily routinesWhy are attitudes shifting towards climate policies? AudioWhy are attitudes shifting towards climate policies?AttributionSounds’There is no right or wrong way to have alopecia’Spain’s LGBT matador: ‘More will come out because of me’Elsewhere on the BBCIt’s make or break timeAnother set of eager entrepreneurs hope to impress the fearsome panelAttributioniPlayerHow are jelly beans made?Gregg Wallace visits a Dublin factory that makes over ten million of the sweets per day!AttributioniPlayerIs this the greatest Jurassic predator that ever lived?Sir David Attenborough investigates a unique discovery: the skull of a giant, prehistoric sea monsterAttributioniPlayerThe sound effect that became the ultimate movie in-jokeIt’s used in everything from Toy Story to Reservoir Dogs, but what is the Wilhelm Scream?AttributioniPlayerMost Read1Are politicians cooling on tackling climate change?2Hungary president resigns over child abuse pardon3Six-year-old Gazan girl found dead days after plea for help4Will King’s diagnosis bring Harry and William closer?5Small plane crashes into back garden6Attempted murder charge after suspected poisoning7Celebrities and the perils of oversharing daily routines8Police searching Thames for Clapham attack suspect9Farmer protests could escalate, warns organiser10Cricketer ‘killed himself amid sexual assault probe’

[ad_1] Katalin Novak steps down live on TV after pardoning man jailed for covering up sexual abuse at a children’s home.

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityAsiaChinaIndiaPhilippines landslide: Child rescued after 60 hours under rubblePublished5 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, EPAImage caption, The girl was buried in a landslide that hit a gold-mining village in the Mindanao region on TuesdayA three-year-old girl has been rescued from a landslide in southern Philippines sixty hours after she was buried.Rescuers had given up hope of finding more survivors, and hailed the rescue of the child on Friday as “a miracle”.The landslide took place near a gold mining village of Masara in the Davao de Oro province in the Mindanao region on Tuesday.Officials say 35 people have died and about 77 others are missing.Photos and video posted on the Philippine Red Cross Facebook page on Friday show rescue workers carrying the girl, wrapped in an emergency blanket and hooked to an oxygen tank, into a hospital in nearby Mawab municipality.Edward Macapili, a disaster agency official of the Davao de Oro province, said “it’s a miracle,” adding that searchers had believed those missing were probably dead.He told AFP: “That gives hope to the rescuers. A child’s resilience is usually less than that of adults, yet the child survived.”Davao de Oro provincial disaster chief Randy Loy told the news conference: “We’re still hoping to save more people even after four days.” But he warned that that they “can’t really guarantee their chances of survival” after 48 hours.Image source, EPAImage caption, Emergency officials say the girl’s rescue gives them hope that they may find more people who are missingThe landslide struck Tuesday night, destroying houses and engulfing three buses and a jeepney – a type of minibus – waiting to pick up workers from the gold mine.Landslides are a frequent hazard across much of the Philippines because of the mountainous terrain, heavy rainfall, and widespread deforestation from mining and illegal logging.Heavy monsoon rains have pounded parts of Mindanao on and off for weeks, causing landslides and flooding that have forced tens of thousands of people into emergency shelters.Rescuers were forced to pause their operations when a magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck on Saturday.According to the Philippine Star, no fatalities or injuries have been reported so far from the quake.Related TopicsPhilippinesMore on this storyPregnant woman killed in Philippines earthquakePublished3 December 2023Top StoriesSix-year-old Gazan girl found dead days after plea for helpPublished4 hours agoGazans surviving off animal feed and rice as food dwindlesPublished10 hours agoPolice searching Thames for Clapham attack suspectPublished1 hour agoFeaturesIsraeli soldier videos from Gaza could breach international law, experts sayWill King’s diagnosis bring Harry and William closer?Are politicians cooling on tackling climate change?The Ukrainians ‘disappearing’ in Russia’s prisonsDinosaur Island: 40 years of discoveries on Skye’There is no right or wrong way to have alopecia’Spain’s LGBT matador: ‘More will come out because of me’Have we lost faith in tech?Celebrities and the perils of oversharing daily routinesElsewhere on the BBCIt’s make or break timeAnother set of eager entrepreneurs hope to impress the fearsome panelAttributioniPlayerHow are jelly beans made?Gregg Wallace visits a Dublin factory that makes over ten million of the sweets per day!AttributioniPlayerIs this the greatest Jurassic predator that ever lived?Sir David Attenborough investigates a unique discovery: the skull of a giant, prehistoric sea monsterAttributioniPlayerThe sound effect that became the ultimate movie in-jokeIt’s used in everything from Toy Story to Reservoir Dogs, but what is the Wilhelm Scream?AttributioniPlayerMost Read1Six-year-old Gazan girl found dead days after plea for help2Celebrities and the perils of oversharing daily routines3Will King’s diagnosis bring Harry and William closer?4Attempted murder charge after suspected poisoning5Police searching Thames for Clapham attack suspect6Cricketer ‘killed himself amid sexual assault probe’7Ex-Fujitsu boss ‘shocked’ by Post Office’s actions8Farmer protests could escalate, warns organiser9Pakistan army urges unity as ex-PMs both declare win10Taylor Swift Super Bowl cake made by baker

[ad_1] Officials hail the discovery of a three-year-old girl, who was buried in a landslide, as “a miracle”.

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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