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February 13, 2024
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BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaLakewood Church: Armed woman killed in Joel Osteen Texas megachurch shootoutPublished8 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingThis video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.Media caption, Watch: Footage from inside the church captures the sound of gunshots being firedBy Chloe KimBBC NewsA woman clad in a trench coat and accompanied by a child opened fire in a crowded Texas megachurch before she was gunned down by security, officials say.The suspect, named by police as Genesse Ivonne Moreno, 36, was with her seven-year-old son, who was critically injured in the Houston shootout.Investigators said the attacker had “Palestine” written on the butt of her rifle and they had uncovered antisemitic writings.But they said the motive is unclear.A 57-year-old man was shot in the hip during the incident and has since been discharged from hospital. The gunwoman’s unnamed son was shot in the head during the shootout and is currently “fighting for his life”, said police. It is not clear who shot the boy.The church was in the midst of a live stream service when the first gunshots rang out. Pastor Jorge Basave at first continued on with the recording, telling the Houston Chronicle he wanted to project calm. “I was worried my fear would be contagious,” he said. Police said the suspect used an AR-15 rifle for the attack. She also had a .22 calibre rifle, but did not fire that weapon.Officials told Monday’s news conference the attacker has a history of mental health issues and was placed under an emergency detention order in 2016.Public records indicate Moreno also has a long record of arrests and convictions on assault, drug, and weapons charges. She previously went by several other aliases, including Jeffery Escalante, and is variously listed as male and female in official records. Police described her in the news conference as a Hispanic female.Image source, Texas Department of Public SafetyImage caption, Genesse Moreno has a history of mental health issues, officials sayPolice said they believe she had a familial dispute with her ex-husband’s family, some of whom are Jewish.The site of the shooting was Lakewood Church, one of the largest congregations in the country, run by the renowned televangelist pastor Joel Osteen.Moreno’s connection to the church is still being investigated, but the KHOU local television station reports her mother attended Lakewood.The outlet added that staff at the church may have been questioned during Moreno’s contentious divorce and child custody proceedings, Montgomery County court records indicate.Police said the suspect pulled up to the west side of the building in a white vehicle at 13:53 local time (19:53 GMT) just as a Spanish-speaking service was about to begin.She displayed her weapon to an unarmed security guard, who proceeded to let her inside, and she then opened fire inside the church’s hallway at about 13:55.A 28-year-old Houston police officer and a 38-year-old agent with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC), both of whom were off-duty and had been hired as church security, returned fire.Multiple rounds were fired in the ensuing gun battle, officials said, before the attacker was “neutralised” and pronounced dead at 14:07.This video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.Media caption, Watch: Officers give details on megachurch shooting suspectHouston Police Chief Troy Finner said Moreno was seen spraying “some type of substance on the ground”, but investigators have determined it posed no risk.After being shot, she told the two officers there was a bomb, but a search by law enforcement found no explosives in her backpack or vehicle.TABC chairman Kevin Lilly identified his agency’s officer as Adrian Herrera.Praising the duo for holding their ground in the face of gunfire, he said: “What happened yesterday was the personification of heroism and valour.”They were a wall that existed between worshippers and terror. Between freedom of religion and murder.”Who is Joel Osteen and what is Lakewood Church? Mr Osteen, a 60-year-old televangelist, took the helm of one of the most popular megachurches in the country after his father and Lakewood’s founding pastor died. The 16,000-seat church used to be home to the Houston Rockets, an NBA team, before undergoing renovations in the early 2000s. Under Mr Osteen’s leadership, the church has grown in size and reputation, with 45,000 parishioners attending weekly services in person, in addition to thousands who watch online and on television.It is the third-largest church in the country, according to the Hartford Institute for Religion Research. Image source, ReutersImage caption, The woman entered one of America’s largest churches on Sunday and opened fire”Our community is devastated by today’s events and grateful for the swift actions of law enforcement,” Mr Osteen said in a statement. “In the face of such darkness, we must hold onto our faith and remember evil will not prevail.”Known for promoting what is called the prosperity gospel, Mr Osteen often preaches that financial blessings are gifts from God and has published many books promising that faith will increase one’s wealth. Related TopicsUS gun violenceTexasUnited StatesMore on this storyWhen parents get the blame for a child’s mass shootingPublished6 days agoSix people shot at school in Iowa on first day backPublished5 JanuaryTop StoriesLabour withdraws support for Rochdale candidate after Israel remarksPublished10 minutes agoBiden says Israel must protect vulnerable in RafahPublished3 hours agoExclusive video: Death and trauma at every turn for Gaza’s tireless paramedics. VideoExclusive video: Death and trauma at every turn for Gaza’s tireless paramedicsPublished9 hours agoFeaturesWhy do we eat pancakes on Shrove Tuesday? VideoWhy do we eat pancakes on Shrove Tuesday?Declan McKenna: ‘I realised I don’t have to be serious’The Papers: Labour ‘axes’ candidate and ‘Corrie Ken’s £550k tax bill’Greece on the brink of legalising same-sex marriageWhy US economy is powering ahead of Europe’sIsrael’s Rafah assault looms, but with no plan yet for civiliansWhy it’s expensive to make music festivals greenerWhat does Taylor mania mean for the globe?Flipping great recipes ideas for Pancake Day from BBC FoodElsewhere on the BBCOne of the most divisive industrial disputes in the UK40 years after the miners strike, Chris Jackson speaks to people on both sidesAttributionSoundsWhich Radiohead classic did Beverley Knight cover?It may be Just the song you want to hear today…AttributioniPlayer’All I was trying to do was escape reality…’Karl Williams’ party boy trip changes everything when he is busted with a kilo of drugsAttributioniPlayerWhat is the point of Ofsted inspections?The Education Select Committee has said that Ofsted and the Government must rebuild trustAttributionSoundsMost Read1Man calls 999 to report himself for drink-driving2The rise and fall of The Body Shop3RFK Jr apologises to family over Super Bowl ad4Labour withdraws support for Rochdale candidate5’Pirate of the seas’ in big decline after bird flu6Labour ‘axes’ candidate and ‘Corrie Ken’s £550k tax bill’7Slave trader statue may formally move into museum8Pesticide maker used ‘weak’ data on Parkinson’s9Pay growth slows but still outpaces rising prices10Tear gas fired as farmers march on fortress Delhi

[ad_1] The 36-year-old attacker’s seven-year-old son was critically injured in the shootout in Houston.

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February 13, 2024
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BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityScience & Environment’Pirate of the seas’ Great Skua in big decline after bird fluPublished7 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Great Skuas steal other birds’ food and can prey on smaller creatures like puffinsBy Georgina RannardScience reporter, BBC NewsA powerful bird known as the pirate of the seas has declined dramatically because of avian flu, the RSPB says.Great Skuas soar around the UK’s coasts stealing other birds’ food but their numbers in 2023 were down by 76%, the charity says in a report.Populations of Gannets and Roseate Terns were also seriously reduced after avian flu killed thousands of wild birds in 2021-22.The numbers of the three species had been rising before the outbreak.The H5N1 strain of avian flu spread to wild birds in summer 2021, causing thousands of creatures to die.The findings make it clear that avian flu is “one of the biggest immediate conservation threats faced by multiple seabirds”, says the RSBP.”This is a wake-up call as to how serious avian flu is and it’s coming on top of multiple other threats that these species face,” says Jean Duggan, RSPB avian influenza policy assistant.The RSPB surveyed 13 bird species in May-July 2023, and concluded that avian flu had caused the decline of Great Skuas, Gannets and Roseate Terns, and was very likely to have caused reductions of Sandwich and Common Terns.Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Thousands of Gannets are estimated to have died from avian fluGannet populations are down by 25%, Roseate Terns by 21%, Sandwich Terns by 35% and Common Terns by 42% compared with a major census of bird populations in 2015-2021.Almost the entire UK population of Great Skuas live in Scotland. In 2022, at least 2,591 Great Skuas died – 1,400 from one colony alone on Foula island, Shetland.The total number in the UK has declined from 9,088 to 2,160.Ms Duggan highlighted that Britain was pivotal in protecting the bird worldwide because so many breed in Britain. “It’s empowering to realise that if we take the right actions in the UK it will actually benefit global populations to a very significant degree,” she says.Gannets were also badly affected in 2022, with 11,175 killed in Scotland and an estimated 5,000 mortalities at Grassholm in Wales.In 2023 the total number counted in the UK had declined by 25%, going from 227,129 to 171,048.Avian flu become less acute in the UK in recent months, but it has caused mass mortalities of birds in other parts of the world. In January it was detected in elephant and fur seals in Antarctica for the first time.”While the virus is still present globally, UK birds are still at risk, and the virus will continue to mutate. We need to consider it a long-term threat,” says Ms Duggan.Climate change, mortality linked to fishing, the effects of offshore wind developments and a reduction in the availability of food are other threats facing UK seabirds, according to the RSBP.Related TopicsRSPBTop StoriesLabour withdraws support for Rochdale candidate after Israel remarksPublished24 minutes agoBiden says Israel must protect vulnerable in RafahPublished2 hours agoWatch: ‘Whose daughter is she?’ – on patrol with Gaza’s paramedics. VideoWatch: ‘Whose daughter is she?’ – on patrol with Gaza’s paramedicsPublished8 hours agoFeaturesWhy do we eat pancakes on Shrove Tuesday? VideoWhy do we eat pancakes on Shrove Tuesday?Declan McKenna: ‘I realised I don’t have to be serious’The Papers: Labour ‘axes’ candidate and ‘Corrie Ken’s £550k tax bill’Greece on the brink of legalising same-sex marriageWhy US economy is powering ahead of Europe’sIsrael’s Rafah assault looms, but with no plan yet for civiliansWhy it’s expensive to make music festivals greenerWhat does Taylor mania mean for the globe?Indonesia’s ‘man of the people’ plays kingmakerElsewhere on the BBCOne of the most divisive industrial disputes in the UK40 years after the miners strike, Chris Jackson speaks to people on both sidesAttributionSoundsWhich Radiohead classic did Beverley Knight cover?It may be Just the song you want to hear today…AttributioniPlayer’All I was trying to do was escape reality…’Karl Williams’ party boy trip changes everything when he is busted with a kilo of drugsAttributioniPlayerWhat is the point of Ofsted inspections?The Education Select Committee has said that Ofsted and the Government must rebuild trustAttributionSoundsMost Read1Man calls 999 to report himself for drink-driving2Labour ‘axes’ candidate and ‘Corrie Ken’s £550k tax bill’3RFK Jr apologises to family over Super Bowl ad4Labour withdraws support for Rochdale candidate5’Pirate of the seas’ in big decline after bird flu6What does Taylor mania mean for the globe?7Pesticide maker used ‘weak’ data on Parkinson’s8Slave trader statue may formally move into museum9Pay growth slows but still outpaces rising prices10Trump endorses daughter-in-law for RNC leadership

[ad_1] Sea bird counts after avian flu show serious declines in three species, the charity RSPB says.

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February 13, 2024
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BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaWhy the race to replace George Santos matters beyond New YorkPublished4 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsIsrael-Gaza warImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Republicans and Democrats are pouring millions of dollars race into the race to replace former Congressman George Santos.By Kayla EpsteinBBC News, New YorkGeorge Santos walked the halls of Capitol Hill for less than a year as a congressman before his colleagues expelled him last December over allegations of fraud. Voting is now under way to pick his successor in New York’s Third Congressional District, with the Republican and Democratic parties pouring millions of dollars into the race that ends on Tuesday. Former Congressman Tom Suozzi is running as the Democrat and local official Mazi Pilip, a black Israeli-American who served in the Israel Defence Forces, is the Republican candidate. The winner will represent parts of New York City and Long Island, and polls show the race is neck-and-neck. Mr Santos’ antics may have dominated Washington for months, but voters in this district appear more focused on issues that will likely be a factor in the forthcoming presidential race – the Israel-Hamas war, immigration, and abortion. Both parties are now testing their political messaging in this swing district.With a razor-thin margin in the House of Representatives, Republicans are eager to win the race to more easily pass their legislative priorities before the election. Democrats, meanwhile, want to secure the seat to help their growing coalition and to gain traction before November. Santos expulsion leaves House Republicans vulnerableWho is George Santos and why is he in trouble?The Israel-Hamas war resonates in the raceFollowing the 7 October Hamas attacks, both parties have vowed to back Israel. But in this district, which boasts a large Jewish population, that support could prove crucial to winning the special election. The issue is so important for both candidates that they appeared together at a January event in support of the Israeli hostages being held by Hamas.”Your pain, our pain,” Ms Pilip said to attendees.Image source, Bloomberg via Getty ImagesImage caption, Republican congressional candidate Mazi Pilip has served in the Nassau County legislature since 2022Ms Pilip is an Orthodox Jew who fled her home country of Ethiopia to Israel in 1991 to escape discrimination and later moved the the US. Recruited by the local Republican Party, she has represented Great Neck – a wealthy community in Long Island – in the Nassau County legislature since 2022. Mr Suozzi declared in February that he was “unequivocally pro-Israel” and condemned the recent failure by Congress to pass aid for Israel. He travelled to Israel just before Christmas to further illustrate his support. Jared Konsker, a 33-year-old Jewish voter in the district, told the BBC that he is backing Ms Pilip because she is a “bigtime supporter of Israel, which is crucial in the time we’re living in right now”.Not all Jewish voters are basing their vote solely on Israel, however.Ben Marzouk, a local Republican who was part of a grassroots effort to oust Mr Santos, said he was backing Mr Suozzi because of his experience in government.The border crisis comes to Nassau CountyThe record number of migrants crossing the US southern border has become a key driver for American voters this year, and the candidates in this special election are not ignoring it.Ms Pilip has sought to tie New York City’s influx of migrants and the border crisis to Mr Suozzi and the Democratic party.Anthony D’Esposito, a Republican congressman who represents a neighbouring district and is a key surrogate for Ms Pilip, said the race was “a referendum on policies that have failed the American people, in a district that is legitimately thousands of miles from the southern border”.In turn, Mr Suozzi has blamed Republicans in Congress for failing to pass a bipartisan legislative package that would have reduced border crossings and limited asylum.The former congressman has not ignored the problem but “leaned into” it, according to Jay Jacobs, chair of the New York State Democratic Party.Democrats put abortion front and centreAbortion has proved a winning issue for Democrats since the US Supreme Court ruled in June 2022 that state governments can choose to ban the procedure.Ms Pilip, a mother of seven, has tried to thread the needle on the issue. At a televised debate on Thursday, she said that every woman should be able to make her own choice. “I’m not going to force my own belief to any woman,” she said, though she later admitted that she opposed abortion – a comment Mr Suozzi seized upon.Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Tom Suozzi, a Democrat, said that his opponent is a threat to abortion rightsVivian Brash, 65, and her husband, both Great Neck residents, were torn on which candidate to support due to “the Israel cause”. They chose to vote for Mr Suozzi because of the abortion issue. “We have a daughter, we have granddaughters,” Ms Brash told the BBC. “It’s important for women to make their own decisions.”The third person in this race: George SantosRepublicans want to move past the debacle that was their last congressman and Democrats have found that voters are not moved by using Mr Santos – who faces a multi-count federal indictment for money laundering, fraud and other charges – as a political cudgel.”We’ve been without representation for so long, there’s been a hunger to actually talk about the issues,” said Kimberly Garber Keiserman, who led a grassroots voter group that formed to remove Mr Santos from office. Still, it is inarguable that Mr Santos is looming over the race.Mr Suozzi and his allies have cast Ms Pilip as “Santos 2.0″ and reminded voters what happens when they choose a candidate with a short political resume.Ms Pilip has been accused by her opponent of not engaging enough with the public and the press, which has fed accusations that she, like Mr Santos, lacks transparency. But she maintains any parallels to Mr Santos are all created by Mr Suozzi.”He wants to create these feelings of me and Santos in the same place,” Ms Pilip said recently on Fox News. “Come on, let’s focus on the real issues.”Related TopicsIsrael-Gaza warNew York CityNew YorkUS politicsUS CongressUnited StatesMore on this storySantos expulsion leaves House Republicans vulnerablePublished1 December 2023Who is George Santos and why is he in trouble?Published1 November 2023Top StoriesLabour withdraws support for Rochdale candidate after Israel remarksPublished1 hour agoBiden says Israel must protect vulnerable in RafahPublished1 hour agoWatch: ‘Whose daughter is she?’ – on patrol with Gaza’s paramedics. VideoWatch: ‘Whose daughter is she?’ – on patrol with Gaza’s paramedicsPublished6 hours agoFeaturesThe Papers: Labour ‘axes’ candidate and ‘Corrie Ken’s £550k tax bill’Pesticide maker used ‘weak’ data on Parkinson’sDeclan McKenna: ‘I realised I don’t have to be serious’Greece on the brink of legalising same-sex marriageWhy US economy is powering ahead of Europe’sIsrael’s Rafah assault looms, but with no plan yet for civiliansWhy it’s expensive to make music festivals greenerWhat does Taylor mania mean for the globe?Indonesia’s ‘man of the people’ plays kingmakerElsewhere on the BBCOne of the most divisive industrial disputes in the UK40 years after the miners strike, Chris Jackson speaks to people on both sidesAttributionSoundsWhich Radiohead classic did Beverley Knight cover?It may be Just the song you want to hear today…AttributioniPlayer’All I was trying to do was escape reality…’Karl Williams’ party boy trip changes everything when he is busted with a kilo of drugsAttributioniPlayerWhat is the point of Ofsted inspections?The Education Select Committee has said that Ofsted and the Government must rebuild trustAttributionSoundsMost Read1Labour ‘axes’ candidate and ‘Corrie Ken’s £550k tax bill’2RFK Jr apologises to family over Super Bowl ad3Labour withdraws support for Rochdale candidate4’Pirate of the seas’ in big decline after bird flu5Pesticide maker used ‘weak’ data on Parkinson’s6What does Taylor mania mean for the globe?7Pay growth slows but still outpaces rising prices8Trump seeks Supreme Court pause in 2020 election case9Trump endorses daughter-in-law for RNC leadership10Second police force probed over contact with killer

[ad_1] Mr Santos’ antics may have dominated Washington for months, but voters in this district appear more focused on issues that will likely be a factor in the forthcoming presidential…

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February 13, 2024
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BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaGreece on the brink of legalising same-sex marriagePublished54 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage caption, Christina and Victoria say legalising same-sex marriage would be a big step for GreeceBy Mark LowenSouthern Europe Correspondent, AthensIn her garden in northern Athens, four-year-old Niovi plays make-believe, selling cakes from her imaginary shop. For her two mums, Christina and Victoria, their dream may soon become real, as Greece stands on the brink of legalising same-sex marriage.Parliament will vote on the bill, introduced by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, on Thursday. Facing dissent from members of his own centre-right party, he will need to rely on support from the left-wing opposition to get it through.Christina and Victoria will be there inside the chamber, willing it to pass. Two years ago, they returned to Greece from the UK, where they had moved for work – and to live their relationship freely.They married in the UK and Niovi was born there. If the law passes, they plan to have their marriage recognised under Greek law.’I have no say’After Niovi’s birth in London, they tried to register her at the Greek embassy, but were rebuffed. “The commentary was, ‘You should have thought before having her’,” Christina recalls.”It was awful, I cried in the car for 45 minutes, I couldn’t stop – it still brings bad memories,” Victoria says, welling up with tears. “It’s like being rejected by your country.”Image caption, Niovi was born in the UK and is now four years oldWithout legal recognition for their marriage in Greece, only Victoria, who gave birth to Niovi, is accepted as her mother, even though the egg was from Christina.At school, she has no say over decisions and when Niovi has been admitted to hospital, Christina has been barred from entering her room.”My biggest fear is that if anything really bad happens to Victoria and she dies, our child instantly goes to social services, who then see if any of Victoria’s relatives want to adopt her,” she says.”If they don’t, she goes into an institution. I have no say. So the child wouldn’t just lose one mother, she’d lose both of us.”Opposition by the ChurchFifteen of the European Union’s 27 members have already legalised same-sex marriage. It is permitted in 35 countries worldwide. Greece has lagged behind European neighbours largely because of opposition from its powerful church. If the law passes this week, it would become the first Christian Orthodox-majority country, and the first in Europe’s southeast, to have marriage equality.Same-sex couples would also be legally allowed to adopt children but not to have a baby through a surrogate – a recourse that is only legal here for heterosexual couples who have a medical need for assisted reproduction.”Greece geographically is in the southeast, but culturally and politically it belongs to the West,” says Alex Patelis, the prime minister’s chief economic advisor and a member of the committee that drafted the marriage bill.Image caption, Equal rights fit the centre-right government’s ideology, says PM’s advisor Alex PatelisMr Mitsotakis, recently storming to re-election, faces a weak opposition that has left him the space to tread onto their political turf without jeopardising his own position.Mr Patelis says the bill is a cornerstone of the prime minister’s beliefs: “It’s often thought that human rights and equality are the purview of the parties of the left. This is coming from a centre-right party – and it’s important to recognise that equality under law and individual rights are also the ideology of the right.”But Greek society is split. A recent poll for Proto Thema newspaper found 55% in favour of same-sex marriage and an even slimmer majority backing adoption.Up to 50 of Mr Mitsotakis’s 158 MPs are expected either to vote against the bill or to be conveniently absent from the chamber, meaning they can duck the vote.A letter by the Church of Greece opposing the move was read out in morning mass across the country earlier this month, condemning what it said would “promote the abolition of fatherhood and motherhood… and put the sexual choices of homosexual adults above the interests of future children”.Image caption, Greece’s powerful Orthodox Church has galvanised protests against same-sex marriageOne of the most outspoken prelates has been Bishop Seraphim of Piraeus. At the city’s Agii Anargiri Church, we watch as he leads a packed service, with worshippers in their Sunday best kissing icons and bowing heads.He recently warned that he would block MPs who back the bill from his church, adding it would be preferable if they had not been born. And, he said, he would refuse to baptise children of same-sex couples “to help them understand that what their guardians are doing is a sin.”Outside parliament on Syntagma Square, opponents gather to protest against the bill, beneath banners reading “No children for perverts” and chanting “Take your hands off our kids”.A video shows images including religious icons and, oddly, Bill Gates. Conspiracy theories about a new global order being imposed on Greece have blended with pious Greeks who believe their traditions are being destroyed.”The Bible says marriage is between a man and a woman – and anything else is a big sin,” says Rallou Perperidou. “Like Sodom and Gomorrah, God destroyed people practising homosexuality. God will forgive them if they accept what they do is wrong and denounce it.”Image caption, Protesters hold a banner that reads “Take your hands off our kids. There’s only one family, the traditional one.”Kyriaki Chantzara, 38, is at the protest with her sister, who is expecting her tenth child. “Homosexual people cannot give the right example for children because we think the existence of a female and male example is crucial to them. It is a human right for every child to have a father and a mother,” she says.Back in northern Athens, four-year-old Niovi is practising her English with nursery rhymes. Her mums help as she reads “Hickory Dickory Dock, the mouse ran up the clock…”As time ticks towards the parliamentary vote, the women say their excitement is building. “I’m amazingly happy about it,” says Christina. “It’s the start of accepting diversity in general as a country and accepting that all people have equal rights. And for us it will mean reality, because I am Niovi’s mother, and this should be supported by the law. The legislation will bring truth to the reality.”Additional reporting by Kostas KallergisRelated TopicsGreeceSurrogacyLGBTKyriakos MitsotakisAdoptionMore on this story’We’re under attack’ – how life is changing for Italy’s gay familiesPublished23 September 2023Spain’s LGBT matador: ‘More will come out because of me’Published3 days agoRussian court bans ‘LGBT movement’Published30 November 2023Top StoriesLabour withdraws support for Rochdale candidate after Israel remarksPublished23 minutes agoBiden urges Israel to protect Rafah civiliansPublished2 hours agoWatch: ‘Whose daughter is she?’ – on patrol with Gaza’s paramedics. VideoWatch: ‘Whose daughter is she?’ – on patrol with Gaza’s paramedicsPublished5 hours agoFeaturesThe Papers: Labour ‘axes’ candidate and ‘Corrie Ken’s £550k tax bill’Pesticide maker used “weak” data on Parkinson’sDeclan McKenna: ‘I realised I don’t have to be serious’Greece on the brink of legalising same-sex marriageWhy US economy is powering ahead of Europe’sIsrael’s Rafah assault looms, but with no plan yet for civiliansWhy it’s expensive to make music festivals greenerWhat does Taylor mania mean for the globe?Indonesia’s ‘man of the people’ plays kingmakerElsewhere on the BBCOne of the most divisive industrial disputes in the UK40 years after the miners strike, Chris Jackson speaks to people on both sidesAttributionSoundsWhich Radiohead classic did Beverley Knight cover?It may be Just the song you want to hear today…AttributioniPlayer’All I was trying to do was escape reality…’Karl Williams’ party boy trip changes everything when he is busted with a kilo of drugsAttributioniPlayerWhat is the point of Ofsted inspections?The Education Select Committee has said that Ofsted and the Government must rebuild trustAttributionSoundsMost Read1Labour ‘axes’ candidate and ‘Corrie Ken’s £550k tax bill’2Labour withdraws support for Rochdale candidate3RFK Jr apologises to family over Super Bowl ad4’Pirate of the seas’ in big decline after bird flu5Pesticide maker used “weak” data on Parkinson’s6What does Taylor mania mean for the globe?7Trump seeks Supreme Court pause in 2020 election case8Delivery riders plan Valentine’s Day strike9Women say police failed to look into officer abuse10Trump endorses daughter-in-law for RNC leadership

[ad_1] A bill would allow gay couples to marry and adopt, but it faces opposition from the Orthodox Church.

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BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityAsiaChinaIndiaFarmers’ protest: Delhi turns into fortress as thousands march to India capitalPublished1 hour agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Delhi’s borders have been sealed to prevent farmers from entering the cityBy Meryl Sebastian and Nikhila Henry in DelhiBBC NewsThousands of protesting farmers are marching from neighbouring states to India’s capital Delhi to seek assured prices for their cropsIn 2020, farmers had camped at Delhi borders protesting against controversial agricultural reforms. The year-long protest – in which dozens died – was called off after the government agreed to repeal the laws.Now the farmers have hit the streets again saying their key demands still haven’t been fulfilled.Police in Delhi have sealed the borders on three sides of the city, in an attempt to avoid a repeat of 2020 when protesting farmers hunkered down for months, blocking national highways that connect the capital to its neighbouring states. The movement was seen as one of the biggest challenges to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government.Two rounds of talks between farm union leaders and federal ministers have failed to break the deadlock. Farmers are asking for assured floor prices – also known as minimum support price or MSP – which allows them to sell a majority of their produce at government-controlled wholesale markets or mandis. They are also demanding that the government fulfil its promise of doubling farmers’ income.Families mourn farmers who died during protestsThe march comes just months before the general elections in which Mr Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is seeking a third term in power. Farmers form one of the most influential voting blocs in India and experts say the government would try not to alienate them ahead of the polls. Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Over 200 farm unions are pariticpating in Tuesday’s marchOn Monday, federal ministers held a six-hour-long meeting with farm union leaders. The two sides reportedly came to an agreement on some of the demands, including the withdrawal of cases registered against protesters during the 2020 agitation. But there was no consensus on the MSP. In 2021, after the farm laws were repealed, the government had said it would set up a panel to find ways to ensure support prices for all farm produce. But the committee is yet to submit its report. In the meantime, authorities have deployed barricades, fenced the border with barbed wire and added cement blocks to stop protesters from entering the capital.Families mourn farmers who died during protestsIndia’s farmers end year of mass protestsPolice have also prohibited large gatherings in the city, including at borders points between Delhi and the neighbouring Uttar Pradesh and Haryana states through which the farmers are expected to reach the capital.In Haryana, the BJP-led state government has suspended internet services in seven districts until Tuesday.Over 200 farmer unions are participating in the march. “We will move peacefully and our objective is that the government listens to our demands,” Sarvan Singh Pandher, general secretary of the Punjab Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, told the ANI news agency. Farmers’ and trade unions have also announced a rural strike on 16 February during which no agricultural activities will be carried out. Shops, markets and offices in all villages will be closed while farmers will block major roads across the country.Read more India stories from the BBC:Four dead in clashes over India mosque demolitionIndian textiles tycoon hit with fresh allegationsA mosque demolished, and orphans displaced in IndiaWhy India law against exam cheating may not workWant to live together? Indian state says only if we agreeRelated TopicsAsiaIndiaTop StoriesBiden urges Israel to protect Rafah civiliansPublished1 hour agoLabour withdraws support for Rochdale candidate after Israel remarksPublished4 hours agoWatch: ‘Whose daughter is she?’ – on patrol with Gaza’s paramedics. 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[ad_1] Police in Delhi have sealed the borders on three sides of the city, in an attempt to avoid a repeat of 2020 when protesting farmers hunkered down for months,…