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BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaJack Teixeira: US airman pleads guilty to Pentagon documents leakPublished42 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, ReutersBy Mike WendlingBBC NewsAn Air National Guard member has pleaded guilty to posting dozens of classified documents online in one of highest-profile intelligence leaks in recent years.Prosecutors recommend that Jack Teixeira, 22, be sentenced to up to 16 years and eight months in prison.While working at an Air National Guard base, he posted documents to Discord, a platform popular with gamers.The material included maps, satellite images and intelligence on US allies.Teixeira pleaded guilty to six counts of wilful retention and transmission of national defence information in a US federal court in Boston on Monday. Each count carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. However, under the terms of a plea deal, prosecutors said they would ask for 200 months in prison – which Teixeira has agreed not to contest.At minimum, he will serve 11 years and pay a fine of $50,000 (£39,000). Teixeira also agreed to be debriefed by intelligence and defence officials. During the hearing he spoke briefly to confirm his agreement to the plea deal. US prosecutor Joshua Levy told reporters that the government is seeking a “very serious sentence” in order to send “a powerful deterrent message”. “One of the reasons this case is so serious is that once things are posted on the internet, shared on the internet, it’s almost impossible to track down what happens to every document,” Mr Levy said.Teixeira’s attorney Michael Bachrach called his client “very much a kid” and said that his youth played a “significant role” in his actions.Mr Bachrach said he hoped to be able to successfully argue for a jail term of 11 years at a sentencing hearing scheduled for 27 September.Teixeira initially began sharing information in late 2022 to a small community of gun and military enthusiasts on a Discord server, or chatroom.Initially the documents stayed within the group – and Teixeira expressed frustration that his online friends did not realise their significance – but the information was soon re-shared to more public channels.Eventually, the documents spread to fringe message boards and bigger social media networks, and were picked up by pro-Kremlin Telegram channels and military bloggers.Some copies of the documents were later altered by others, for instance to inflate Ukrainian casualty figures. Teixeira was warned by supervisors after he was seen making notes while looking at classified documents, prosecutors said, and he posed specific questions based on classified intelligence during a briefing.Teixeira was based at the Otis Air National Guard Base, near his home a little more than an hour south of Boston, Massachusetts.He worked as a cyber defence operations journeyman – an information technology job maintaining the Air Force communications network – and held the rank of Airman 1st Class. Despite his junior role, he had a top-secret security clearance.The leak prompted an investigation and led the Pentagon to examine its systems for handling classified information. The Air Force disciplined 15 of its members in connection with the case in December. A report from the Air Force’s inspector general said officers were aware of Texiera’s “intelligence-seeking activities” and failed to stop him, and that leaders in his unit knew of up to four instances of “questionable activity” involving his access to classified material.Several officers knew of other incidents, the report said, but did not report them, fearing that security officials would “overreact”.But the report also said Texiera’s supervisors did not know the full extent of his online activity.This video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.Media caption, Watch: How damaging are Jack Teixeira’s US intelligence leaks?The report said there was a lack of supervision during overnight shifts at the base, when a three-person crew was responsible for answering phones and ensuring the heating and air conditioning systems were operating. Teixeira would print and smuggle out classified documents when working those shifts. Screenshots of the classified information appeared to showed creased printouts photographed at his home. Image source, unknownImage caption, Teixeira took photographs of the documents and posted them onlineIn court filings, prosecutors said Teixeira was once suspended from high school after a classmate overheard him making racial threats and discussing weapons. Even though Teixeira said he was talking about a video game, local police then denied him a firearms identification card needed to purchase weapons.He was eventually approved, however, and authorities found a number of guns when they searched his house after his arrest. Prosecutors also said he attempted to destroy evidence, smashing his tablet, laptop and Xbox and encouraging members of a Discord chat room to delete their messages as authorities closed in.Teixeira’s family has a history of military service. His stepfather served 34 years in the Air Force, and his mother previously worked for non-profit organisations focused on veterans. Both attended his plea hearing on Monday.In a statement the family said Teixeira was “a good person” who has “has taken responsibility for his part in this”.They said the Air Force Inspector General report revealed “shocking details” about lack of training and oversight at the base, and that they hoped “substantive changes are made to stop this from ever happening again.”Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Jack Teixeira’s stepfather Thomas Dufault and mother Dawn Dufault arriving at the court house in Boston on MondayMore on this storyHow secret US files first spread then vanished onlinePublished14 April 2023Top StoriesTop court says states can’t ban Trump from ballotsPublished47 minutes agoFrance makes abortion a constitutional rightPublished1 hour agoGeorge Galloway vows to take Angela Rayner’s seatPublished2 hours agoFeaturesCelebrity Big Brother: The rumoured line-upWould a £150,000 wage tempt you to a Scottish island?The Ukrainian teenagers who returned for their school promDaughter ‘desperate’ as mum missing for five monthsDid the last Budget deliver growth and cheap beer?In pictures: Bollywood stars and billionaires at lavish partyTrump supporters target black voters with AI fakesMystery of giant star sand dunes solvedCan a rubberstamp parliament help China’s economy?Elsewhere on the BBCWhat went wrong that fateful night?A new two-part documentary series examines the 1994 Mull of Kintyre Chinook helicopter crashAttributioniPlayerThe powerful emotional impact of Pink Floyd’s musicShine On You Crazy Diamond has helped people through their hardest timesAttributionSoundsGary Neville returns to the Den…Can the aspiring entrepreneurs win him, and the fiery five over?AttributioniPlayerHow Trump’s golf dream turned into a nightmare…His controversial golf development in Aberdeenshire was greenlit with awful consequencesAttributionSoundsMost Read1George Galloway vows to take Angela Rayner’s seat2Stop ‘rude’ vicar behaviour, wedding photographers say3Gatcombe Horse Trials cancelled after 40 years4Would a £150,000 wage tempt you to a Scottish island?5France makes abortion a constitutional right6Celebrity Big Brother: The rumoured line-up7Daughter ‘desperate’ as mum missing for five months8Top court says states can’t ban Trump from ballots9US airman pleads guilty to Pentagon documents leak10Sarah Everard police recall learning killer was PC

[ad_1] Jack Teixeira was accused of one of the highest-profile national security breaches in years.

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

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

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BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityAsiaChinaIndiaUS-Taiwan: Why are so many Congressmen heading for Taipei?Published7 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, EPAImage caption, Protesters ahead of Nancy Pelosi’s visit in 2022By Rupert Wingfield-HayesBBC News, Taiwan”How would you like it if we started sending official delegations to Honolulu to meet with separatist leaders who want Hawaiian independence from the United States? What would you do if we started selling them weapons?” It might seem like a false equivalence, but this is a line of argument often deployed by China’s legion of armchair warriors, who take to social media to condemn any visit to Taiwan by US government officials – and especially members of the US Congress. China sees self-ruled Taiwan as a breakaway province that will eventually be under Beijing’s control, and so, to these social media users, such visits are an unacceptable provocation and interference in China’s internal affairs.Of course, these visits – like the one being made by Representative Mike Gallagher, head of the US House’s China committee, this week – are viewed very differently in Washington and Taipei, which sees itself as distinct from the Chinese mainland, with its own constitution and democratically-elected leaders. But it does raise the question, what is their purpose? Are they a genuine show of support that helps deter China – or are they publicity stunts that serve to provoke Beijing, and solidify the view that Washington is intent on the permanent separation of Taiwan? The visits are not without consequence. How the US handles its relationships with Beijing and Taipei will do much to determine whether the current tense stalemate across the Taiwan Straits remains that way, or gets a lot worse. “We have come here to reaffirm US support for Taiwan and express solidarity in our shared commitment to democratic values,” said Congressman Ami Bera and Mario Díaz Balart as they wound up a trip here in January. They were the first to make the pilgrimage to Taipei following the 13 January presidential election. Now, the hawkish Rep Gallagher – who told the Guardian last year Beijing was aiming “to render us subordinate, humiliated and irrelevant on the world stage” – arrives with a number of colleagues a month later. It is likely they will not be the last. Since 2016, the number of US congressional delegations crossing the Pacific has increased dramatically. In 2018, for example, six lawmakers made the trip. Last year, 32 visited, according to a tally by Global Taiwan.Image source, EPAImage caption, President Tsai Ing-wen met US Representatives Ami Bera (right) and Mario Díaz-Balart in JanuaryThat trend has been actively encouraged by Taiwan’s current President Tsai Ing-wen, and does not appear to have been discouraged on the US side. Indeed, President Joe Biden has been the most explicit of any US leader yet in his defence of Taiwan – albeit while still continuing a commitment to America’s One China policy.What is the ‘One China’ policy?”It’s important,” says J Michael Cole, a former Canadian intelligence officer and one-time advisor to President Tsai. “The United States keeps saying we have a rock-solid commitment to Taiwan. But you need a public component to that exercise. That’s what rattles Beijing, that’s what gets journalists writing about it.” And unlike the $80m (£63m) grant signed off by Biden in November, these visits also represent a low-cost way for the US to re-assure the people of Taiwan that they do mean what they say.”We have research that shows high-level visits increase people’s confidence in the US-Taiwan relationship,” says Chen Fang-yu, a political scientist at Soochow University in Taipei. Such visits promote a more friendly attitude towards America from those who remain sceptical of whether the US would actually turn up if Taiwan were attacked by China, he explains. However, there are others here who have imbibed conspiracy theories, many of which originate from across the Taiwan Strait, that America is pushing Taipei down the road to war with China, just as conspiracy theorists say it did with Ukraine’s war with Russia. Meanwhile, American congressmen and women have their own, not always selfless, reasons for coming here. The pilgrimage to Taipei is increasingly a way for those on the right to burnish their anti-China credentials to voters back home – although these days, the left appears just as keen to prove their own tough stances when it comes to Beijing. This video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.Media caption, Nancy Pelosi in Taiwan: Democracy a source of strengthThe increased frequency, and unabashed publicity, shows how much has changed between Washington and Beijing.”Before 2016, people thought visits here should be low key,” says Chen Fang-Yu. “They wanted to avoid angering China. But now more and more people realise that no matter what they do, they will anger China.”Taiwan just chose a president China loathes. What now?The Taiwan that China wants is vanishingThe paradise islands caught in the US-China crosshairsTaiwan’s relationship with the US Congress is deep and long. When in 1979, President Jimmy Carter broke relations with Taipei, and recognised Beijing, it was the US Congress that forced him to sign the Taiwan Relations Act. That act is what underpins the relationship with Taipei to this day. It explicitly commits the US to opposing any attempt to change the status quo across the Taiwan Strait by force, and to supplying Taiwan with sufficient weaponry to defend itself against China. In the 1970s, Taiwan was a military dictatorship. Its US allies were Republican. The cold war was still very chilly, and the islands were seen as a bulwark against Communism. Today, anti-communism may still play a small part. But far more important is solidarity with a fellow democracy. Taiwan is no longer a Republican Party cause. In the wake of things like Trump’s trade wars, arguments over Covid’s origins and spy balloons being spotted in the US, support for Taiwan among Americans now spreads through both parties. Added to this, the US also has major national security and economic interests tied to Taiwan – in particular, the semiconductor trade.It all means that, unlike with Ukraine, there a no voices in Congress calling for the US to cut military support for Taiwan. If anything, it is the opposite. Image source, ReutersImage caption, Reaction to the Pelosi visit in Chinese mediaBut that question remains. Do the visits do more harm than good? When Nancy Pelosi came here in the summer of 2022, Beijing responded by firing ballistic missiles over the top of the island for the first time, including over the capital Taipei. Opinion polls taken after the visit showed a majority here thought the visit had damaged Taiwan’s security. It is quite common these days to hear those who specialise in Taiwan studies quoting the old maxim from President Theodore Roosevelt to “speak softly and carry a big stick”. J Michael Cole says that is exactly what the US and Taiwan are doing. He says the US congressional visits might be symbolic, but they are good PR for Taipei and for the members of Congress. With the exception of the Pelosi visit, they also fall below the threshold of what really upsets Beijing. But, says J Michael Cole, what do these visits really mean for US-Taiwan relations? After all, “the really substantive aspect … such as the increasingly high-level exchanges on things like intelligence, like defence, those don’t make the news”. “Those are constructive,” he continues. “And the United States is adamant that those shall not be publicised by Taiwanese government.”Related TopicsChinaTaiwanUS CongressChina-US relationsMore on this storyChina tells US it will ‘never compromise’ on TaiwanPublished10 JanuaryThe Taiwan that China wants is vanishingPublished10 JanuaryWhat’s behind China-Taiwan tensions?Published8 JanuaryTaiwan just chose a president China loathes. What now?Published13 JanuaryUS angers China with high-profile Taiwan visitPublished10 August 2020What is the ‘One China’ policy?Published6 October 2021Top StoriesCommons descends into chaos over Gaza votePublished2 hours agoWatch: Angry scenes as MPs clash over ceasefire vote. VideoWatch: Angry scenes as MPs clash over ceasefire votePublished4 hours agoAnti-terror failures leave public at risk – ex-adviserPublished3 hours agoFeatures’Dad, please don’t go out’: The Gazans killed as Israel freed hostages’Premier League caught my online troll. Should I forgive him?’Watch: Chaos in the Commons over Gaza ceasefire vote. VideoWatch: Chaos in the Commons over Gaza ceasefire voteListen: Newscast – Disorder Disorder in the House of Commons. AudioListen: Newscast – Disorder Disorder in the House of CommonsAttributionSoundsK-Pop acts outsold everyone except Taylor Swift in 2023The strangers who saved each other’s livesWatch Big Keith’s iconic scotch egg scene from The Office. VideoWatch Big Keith’s iconic scotch egg scene from The Office’I was raped more than 100 times by grooming gang’Election poll tracker: How do the parties compare?Elsewhere on the BBCCan Molly keep her life afloat?A moving portrayal of a daughter’s love in the face of her father’s struggleAttributioniPlayerThe Swedish furniture king’s billionaire lifestyleDeconstructing IKEA founder Ingvar Kamprad and his eccentric way of livingAttributionSoundsWhat is it really like to be a monk?’To be a monk is something very vast, very high and very beautiful’AttributioniPlayerHow did a booming computer manufacturer go bust?Commodore computers were huge in the 1980s, so why couldn’t the business adapt and survive?AttributionSoundsMost Read1Commons descends into chaos over Gaza vote2Russia ‘struggling with supply of weapons’ for war3New images show British ship in Red Sea has not sunk4Australian bishop Christopher Saunders charged with rape5The Office actor Ewen MacIntosh dies aged 506Met Police take no further action against Wootton7Prevent failures leave public at risk – ex-adviser8King ‘reduced to tears’ by cancer support messages9Cordon around unexploded WW2 bomb to be extended10UK aid supplies air-dropped into Gaza for first time

[ad_1] Representative Mike Gallagher, head of the House’s China committee, is the latest one to make the trip

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BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaDemocrats rally around Biden as report raises age concernsPublished1 day agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Democrats who have spent time with Mr Biden have defended him as sharp and focusedBy Sam Cabral & Madeline HalpertBBC News on Capitol Hill & from New YorkDemocrats are defending President Joe Biden after a report on his handling of classified documents raised concerns about his age and mental fitness. Mr Biden will not be charged for keeping classified documents, but the report cast him as a “well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory”.Vice-President Kamala Harris slammed the description as “gratuitous, inaccurate and inappropriate”.She also alleged the prosecutor was “clearly politically motivated”.Robert Hur, a Donald Trump appointee who has previously clerked for two well-known conservative judges, was appointed to lead the Biden classified document probe last year.Prosecutor faces political glare after Biden reportHis selection by US Attorney General Merrick Garland that January came as the justice department faced criticism from Republicans over a separate special counsel appointment to investigate Donald Trump’s alleged mishandling of top secret files.But Mr Hur’s publicly-released report included a letter from the White House asking that the comments about the president’s memory be revised “in a manner that is within the bounds of your expertise and remit”.Ms Harris, who has previously served as a prosecutor, echoed that criticism at a news conference on Friday.”The way that the president’s demeanour in that report was characterised could not be more wrong on the facts, and clearly politically motivated,” she said.”When it comes to the role and responsibility of a prosecutor in a situation like that, we should expect there would be a higher level of integrity.”Political grenade puts spotlight on Biden’s ageWho is the special counsel in the Biden probe?Democratic allies on Capitol Hill also told the BBC they believed Mr Hur’s remarks went beyond the scope of the investigation. “I think it was an entirely inappropriate way to approach the remit of the special counsel and the role of the special counsel,” Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon said.”It’s unfortunate it wandered into territory that was so inappropriate.”Minnesota’s Tina Smith called Mr Hur’s comments “outrageous” and “despicable”, accusing him of “blatantly politicising” his role as special counsel.Since launching his re-election campaign, Mr Biden has been plagued by concerns about his age and mental capacities.He is 81, just a few years older than the front-runner Republican candidate, former President Donald Trump, 77. This report has done little to assuage voters’ concerns. It alleged that Mr Biden could not remember when his son Beau died of cancer or when he served as vice-president during interviews with investigators. But Democrats who spoke to the BBC on Friday said they remain unconcerned about the president’s mental faculties.Summing up his takeaways from the report, Senator Jon Ossoff from Georgia said: “No charges recommended. Unusual commentary straying from what one would typically expect in a focused and substantive report. Ultimately just noise.”The youngest member of the Senate, Mr Ossoff emphasised that he had spent a “substantial amount of time” with the president in recent months. “I’ve found him to be sharp, focused, impressive, formidable and effective,” he said.Mr Ossoff’s colleagues agreed, including Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, who called the president “thoughtful and experienced” at a Friday news conference. Democrats remain “absolutely confident” in the president, he said. “We want to stick with somebody who understands what this country needs.”This video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.Media caption, Watch: Biden responds to special counsel – “I’m elderly and know what the hell I’m doing”But some of his counterparts across the aisle said Mr Hur’s observations had added fuel to the growing perception that Mr Biden is not up to the job of president. “He’s trying to do his best, and his best is beginning to concern me,” North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis told the BBC. “I don’t care if you’re 78 or 178, if you’re going to be the leader of the free world, you’ve got to be on your game 100%,” the moderate Republican said. Concerns about Mr Biden’s age are “an enduring problem” for his re-election campaign, Larry Sabato, the director for the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia, told the BBC.Experts have noted that polling suggests Mr Trump does not face as much criticism from voters about his age, despite having similar gaffes as Mr Biden on the campaign trail.In recent months, both Mr Biden and Mr Trump have made a series of public errors while publicly speaking, confusing names of world leaders and US politicians on several occasions. But Mr Trump’s bombastic style and “constant offensive posture” may fuel perceptions of him as a more energetic candidate, said Chris Borick, the director of the Muhlenberg College Institute of Public Opinion.Worries about Mr Trump’s age “don’t seem to stick in the same way”, he said. But for Mr Biden, his campaign will have to be focused on addressing the perception that he is not mentally fit for office.”The report adds to the steepness of [Biden’s] efforts to overcome what is undoubtedly a significant hindrance to his campaign,” Mr Borick said. Related TopicsDonald TrumpUS CongressJoe BidenMore on this storyBiden gaffe sparks ‘they’ve both got pyramids’ jokesPublished1 day ago’My memory is fine’ – Biden hits back at special counselPublished1 day agoTop StoriesCameron ‘deeply concerned’ as Israel plans Rafah offensivePublished3 hours agoDeath and Israel’s search for ‘total victory’ in GazaPublished3 hours agoTrump says he ‘would encourage’ Russia to attack non-paying Nato alliesPublished11 minutes agoFeaturesRussia’s war economy can’t last but has bought timeThe Papers: ‘Democracy in danger’ and King’s heartfelt thanks‘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’The planespotter angering Taylor Swift and Elon MuskTeens fight back against online skincare trendsAre politicians cooling on tackling climate change?Your pictures on the theme of ‘towers’Elsewhere on the BBCA billionaire’s playground…What is it really like in the boom town of Mumbai?AttributioniPlayerCould this Italian dream turn into a real nightmare?Amanda Holden and Alan Carr don their boiler suits to renovate a dilapidated house in TuscanyAttributioniPlayerOne of the most densely populated places on earthUncover the hidden systems and armies of people running Hong KongAttributioniPlayer’I smashed all my trophies’Bradley Wiggins opens up about his mental health and imposter syndromeAttributioniPlayerMost Read1Trump ‘encourages’ Russia to attack non-paying Nato allies2The planespotter angering Taylor Swift and Elon Musk3’Democracy in danger’ and King’s heartfelt thanks4‘We had to bury our baby in a stranger’s coffin’5Warnings mount as Israel plans Rafah offensive6I’d be an eejit not to enjoy Oscars – Cillian Murphy7Gove eyes quick shop conversions to boost housing8King thanks public for support after cancer news9Fujitsu bosses paid £26m during Horizon contract10Israel-Gaza war: Death and Israel’s search for ‘total victory’

[ad_1] The US president’s allies say he is “sharp and effective”, and has been “inappropriately” attacked.

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BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaMcCann suspect to stay silent in unrelated German rape trialPublished16 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsMadeleine McCann disappearanceImage caption, Christian Brückner is serving a seven-year jail term for rape committed in Portugal in 2005By Jessica ParkerBBC Berlin correspondentThe prime suspect in the disappearance of three-year-old Madeleine McCann in Portugal in 2007 is expected to stay largely silent at his forthcoming trial in Germany for unrelated sexual offences – according to his lawyer.Christian Brückner is due in court on 16 February, accused of five offences between 2000 and 2017 in Portugal. He is already serving a jail sentence for rape.Brückner has never been charged with Madeleine McCann’s disappearance.He has denied any involvement.Three-year-old Madeleine, from Rothley in Leicestershire, was on holiday with her family at the Ocean Club in Praia da Luz, in Portugal’s Algarve when she disappeared on 3 May 2007. Her whereabouts remain unknown.Brückner, a German national, was made a formal suspect by Portuguese prosecutors in 2022.He had already been identified as a suspect by German prosecutors in 2020, named at the time only as Christian B.Brückner’s lawyer told the BBC via email that he did not expect his client to make “substantive submissions” during the upcoming trial in Braunschweig, in Lower Saxony, which could last for months.”We will see whether the defendant will defend himself in silence or make statements denying individual acts,” said Friedrich Fülscher, a public defender.”At the moment, I do not assume that there will be any substantive submissions.” Brückner’s lawyer said that “no negative conclusions” could be drawn from this. “Whether a defendant declares ‘I have nothing to do with it’, ‘I am innocent’ or the like, or whether he uses his right to remain silent, leads to the same result in criminal proceedings,” said Mr Fülscher.”So this does not mean that there is something to hide, but is simply due to the fact that it makes sense from a procedural point of view.” Brückner would still be expected to confirm biographical details such as his name and date of birth.Braunschweig’s chief prosecutor has charged Brückner with five offences, alleged to have been carried out between 2000 and 2017 in Portugal, including the rape and sexual abuse of children.A subsequent ruling found that the court in Braunschweig had no jurisdiction over the case but that was later overturned. The five charges he faces include:The rape of an unidentified woman aged between 70 and 80 in her holiday home in Portugal at some point between 2000 and 2006The rape of a girl believed to have been at least 14 years old at his home in Praia da Luz at some point between 2000 and 2006The rape of a young woman after entering her apartment in 2004The sexual abuse of a child on a beach in 2007The sexual abuse of a child in a playground in 2017.Originally the case was taken up in Braunschweig because that was the region where he was last officially registered.Christian Brückner is currently serving a seven-year sentence for rape which he committed in 2005 in Portugal.The trial, due to start next week, will determine whether he remains behind bars at the end of that sentence.Related TopicsGermanyMadeleine McCann disappearancePortugalMore on this storyThe Madeleine McCann case: A timelinePublished22 May 2023Portuguese police apologise to Madeleine’s parentsPublished30 October 2023Police analyse objects after Madeleine searchPublished1 June 2023Suspect formally declared in Madeleine McCann casePublished22 April 2022Top StoriesWorld tops 1.5C warming threshold for full yearPublished4 minutes agoLabour ditches £28bn green investment pledgePublished4 hours agoNetanyahu rejects Hamas’s proposed ceasefire termsPublished4 hours agoFeaturesWhy Labour has junked its big money green policyThe Papers: William ‘gives thanks’ and ‘tone-deaf Tories”We are surrounded’: Guarding the Middle East’s most dangerous borderNorth Koreans working in China ‘exploited like slaves’Immersive screenings can weaken films – ScorseseWe don’t watch from the sidelines like Taylor SwiftIndian player sparks conversation on sexism in chessCould the Houthis sabotage undersea cables?Weather data casts doubt on government’s small boats claimElsewhere on the BBCThe mid-life crisis of an aristocrat-turned-pirateJoin Stede and his crew on a voyage of hilarious self discoveryAttributioniPlayerThe art of healthy eatingProfessor Tim Spector offers a new approach to the way we eat foodAttributionSoundsHow are jelly beans made?Gregg Wallace visits a factory in Dublin that makes over ten million of the sweets per day!AttributioniPlayerReady to get off the sofa?The Van Tulleken twins explore the science of exercise and the dangers of inactivityAttributionSoundsMost Read1William ‘gives thanks’ and ‘tone-deaf Tories’2Labour ditches £28bn green investment pledge3US drone kills Iran-backed militia leader in Baghdad4Men on Viagra may reduce Alzheimer’s risk – study5Amber snow and ice warnings issued by Met Office6Woman hit by Tube trains takes TfL to High Court7Netanyahu rejects Hamas’s proposed ceasefire terms8William says public sympathy ‘means a great deal’9Concern raised months before bailed man murdered mum10Clapham suspect arranged to meet victim before attack

[ad_1] Convicted sex offender Christian Brückner is due in court next week, accused of five offences.

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BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaSouth Carolina Democratic primary: Are black voters losing faith in Joe Biden?Published2 days agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsUS election 2024Image caption, Tyrone Dash, pictured left, plays cards with long-time friends in Orangeburg CountyBy Brandon DrenonBBC News in South CarolinaBlack voters were a key part of the coalition that helped Joe Biden win the White House, and he will need their overwhelming support to do it again. In South Carolina, however, many are frustrated with the president – and some are backing Donald Trump. A 40-minute drive from the sparkle and polish of Columbia, South Carolina, is the town of Winnsboro, which lacks both.It’s a place Nocola Hemphill calls home – a home which, as she describes it, sounds like it’s a world away from the state capital. Empty streets, abandoned businesses and vacant homes. Joblessness. Hopelessness.It’s been that way for years, she says. “There’s no one reaching down here to lift anyone up. You have to wonder, does anyone really care?” The 47-year-old is the CEO of the US Black Women’s Chamber of Commerce, an organisation supporting small business development for black women across the country, an effort she says hasn’t been noticeably aided by the Biden administration.”I voted for Joe Biden in 2020, but I’m still waiting,” Hemphill says. “I’m still waiting on tangible change for my vote – for my people.” Just a few days before the Democratic primary election in her state – the first contest in the process to formally pick the party’s presidential candidate – she wasn’t sure if he still had her vote.And she’s not alone. A recent New York Times and Sienna College poll found that in six key swing states 71% of black voters would back Mr Biden in 2024, a steep drop from the 92% nationally that helped him win the White House at the last election. Other surveys suggest black voters are warming to Donald Trump, the current Republican frontrunner and President Biden’s likely November opponent.These are votes the president cannot afford to lose. His 2020 win over Mr Trump was in part driven by black voters. They helped him win in critical swing states, including Georgia, where a historic black voter turnout made Mr Biden the first Democratic presidential nominee to carry the state since 1992.Image caption, Neglected businesses line the street of Orangeburg’s downtown historic district.Todd Shaw, a University of South Carolina political science professor, told the BBC that if Mr Biden fails to get a strong showing from black voters from the state in Saturday’s primary, it could spell trouble for his campaign for re-election.”Black voters in South Carolina mirror trends among black voters nationally. So, what happens here could be an indicator of what’s to come.”President Biden pushed hard to change his party’s rules so that South Carolina is the first state to vote in the nomination process. A Biden campaign adviser told the BBC the move was intended “to make sure the process reflected the diversity of our party”. Over a quarter of South Carolina’s population is black. And it was South Carolina’s black voters who saved Biden’s lacklustre bid for the Democratic nomination in 2020 by handing him his first win. “You’re the reason I’m president,” Mr Biden told a mostly black crowd in the state one evening in January. “You’re the reason Donald Trump is a loser, and you’re the reason we’re gonna win and beat him again.”It was one of several stops Mr Biden and his supporters have made in South Carolina this year, smiling for cameras at historically black colleges, shaking hands at barbershops, all the while, reminding voters of the “record achievements” his administration has made in their communities. The BBC spoke to lots of voters in the state who do support the president – and he’s expected to win the primary comfortably. More on the US electionExplained: A simple guide to the US 2024 electionAnalysis: Four surprises that could upend the electionPolicies: What a Trump second term would look likeGlobal: Why the world is watching so closelyFor many South Carolina black voters, however, the president’s words feel disconnected from their realities.Kenard Holmes, a junior at South Carolina State University (SCSU), told the BBC he was not excited by Mr Biden’s campaign. “I know I’m going to vote. I’m just not sure who I’m voting for.”The 20-year-old remains unconvinced of the historic investments the White House says it has made into black colleges like his. In the university building where Holmes meets weekly with his gospel choir, he says conditions are “embarrassing”. “If it’s cold outside, it’s cold in there. If it’s hot outside, it’s hot in there,” Holmes says. “It’s been like that for years.”Data shows that other black voters in South Carolina have similar reasons to be disenchanted. In 2022, eight of the state’s top 10 counties with the highest poverty rates were majority black – averaging over 27%. And in more bustling areas like Charleston, US census data shows poverty rates were nearly twice as high in one of the city’s majority-black neighbourhoods compared to its majority-white county. Although the state is run by Republicans, there is a sense the president could have done more.Matthew Guah, the dean of SCSU’s business school, agrees that although money has been invested into black communities, it hasn’t been substantive enough to move the needle.”Record investment just means more than before. Record investment doesn’t mean they got everything they need,” he says. Ronnie Bennett, co-owner of the Broughton Street Cafe in Orangeburg County, told the BBC: “If Biden has put money into black communities, I don’t see it.”Ms Bennett plans to vote for Joe Biden again but mostly out of obligation, feeling Democrats offer her the most hope. “Our ancestors fought for the right to vote, so we exercise that right whether we like who’s running or not,” she says.Image caption, Greg Bennett runs the cafe with his wife RonnieHer shop is located in Orangeburg’s downtown historic district, less than a mile away from SCSU. Deserted sidewalks, boarded windows and crumbling buildings hug the downtown streets, save for a scant number of new businesses like Bennett’s. The cafe’s freshly painted exterior and colourful wood-warmed interior injected vibrancy into the neighbourhood when it opened in 2022, but little has come after, Bennett says. Others are eager to support Mr Biden, alarmed by the possibility of Donald Trump returning to the White House.Cecil Williams is the owner of the South Carolina Civil Rights Museum, where relics from one of the darkest chapters in American history are showcased.Inside, an original copy of The Clansman – the early 20th Century novel glamourising the Ku Klux Klan – sits just feet away from emptied shotgun shells used by police to kill unarmed black student protestors on SCSU’s campus. Image caption, Cecil Williams is the founder of the South Carolina Civil Rights Museum – he also took many of the photosThe museum’s artefacts are relics of a racist past that Williams fears Donald Trump is rekindling. The former president has faced accusations of racism – which he denies – including for pushing the false claim that Barack Obama was not born in America and for telling four minority congresswoman to “go back” to where they came from.”We need someone like Joe Biden in the White House now more than ever. Just look at the alternative,” Williams says. “If we stay home, we lose this election. We can’t let that happen.” But as Mr Trump seeks the presidency for a third time, he’ll be looking to take advantage of Democrats’ shrinking stronghold on black voters.”That’s just an opportunity that we would be remiss if we didn’t exploit,” a senior adviser to the Trump campaign said, according to the Associated Press. A very quick guide to US Republican primariesHow does US electoral college choose presidents?In addition to multiple celebrity endorsements from rappers like Lil Wayne and Kodak Black, Mr Trump has increasingly positioned himself on camera with his now-defeated opponent, Tim Scott. Mr Scott, South Carolina’s first black US senator, has been widely discussed as a possible vice-presidential pick for Mr Trump. It’s an idea Mr Scott seems to be courting. “I just love you”, he told the former president from the stage after Mr Trump’s latest victory in the Republican race. Image source, Getty ImagesIn Winnsboro, where the population barely nudges above 3,000, and the fried chicken gets served at the gas station, voter frustration is not hard to find. There’s a barbershop on the town’s main street, one of few businesses not permanently closed. Clarence Pauling, the shop’s owner, has a quick response for anyone who asks him what he thinks of President Biden: “I’ll never vote for Biden again.” The proposition itself sparks a stir in the small black-owned business. “Yes Lord!” one man shouted, listening in while getting his hair cut. “Giving all that money to Ukraine. You got people right here that need it. We got homeless people sleeping at the bus stop.” Image caption, Pauling & Sons barber shop is a family-owned business that’s been in Winnsboro for over 60 yearsMr Pauling, 49, historically has been a staunch Democratic supporter and says he even used his barbershop to register voters to support Barack Obama during the 2008 and 2012 elections. But not this year. He’s strongly considering voting for Donald Trump, a desired change of pace from Mr Biden who he says “talks a good game, but doesn’t deliver”. Others in the barbershop agree and express frustration with the cost of gas and groceries. “Trump tells the truth,” says Pauling, laughing as he recalled when Mr Trump frankly told Hillary Clinton that he uses the “rigged system” to his advantage. “I can dig that. 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[ad_1] Todd Shaw, a University of South Carolina political science professor, told the BBC that if Mr Biden fails to get a strong showing from black voters from the state…