BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaChibok girls feel let down 10 years after Nigeria kidnappingPublished5 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsNigeria schoolgirl kidnappingsImage source, BBC/Simpa SamsonImage caption, Amina Ali became the first Chibok girl to escape prolonged captivity in 2016By Yemisi AdegokeBBC News, northern NigeriaWe had to meet Lisu in secret as she says the local Nigerian authorities are trying to prevent her from talking to journalists.She was one of the 276 girls abducted from their school in the town of Chibok exactly a decade ago – a kidnapping that shocked the world and sparked a global campaign to #BringBackOurGirls, which included former US First Lady Michelle Obama.More than 180 have either since escaped or been freed, including Lisu, who gave birth to two children while she was a hostage of the militant Islamist group Boko Haram, living in a hideout in the Sambisa forest.After escaping, Lisu – which is not her real name – went through the government rehabilitation programme, before being placed in group accommodation with other escapees. “I do regret coming back,” she says, shuffling in her seat. Not exactly the message the authorities want coming out. The Borno state government has denied limiting the former captives’ freedom of speech.Image source, BBC/Simpa SamsonImage caption, Lisu is “deeply unhappy” about the way she has been treated in the government accommodationLisu feels the way she is now treated is worse than what she lived through before.”Sometimes I cry when I remember. I ask myself: ‘Why did I even leave Sambisa to come back to Nigeria, only to come and face such degrading treatment, being insulted almost daily?’ I never experienced such heartache while I was in Sambisa.”Lisu says she is barely surviving under state care; basic provisions like food and soap are not enough, her movements are closely watched and restricted by security guards and she has been subjected to verbal abuse from staff at the group home.”They yell at us all the time, I am deeply unhappy,” she says. “I had more freedom at the Boko Haram camp than I do here.”This is a characterisation that the Borno state government said it did not recognise. In a statement to the BBC, it said there were no restrictions on the movements of the young women in its care except when there were issues of their personal safety. The authorities said they were also providing enough food and nutrition for the former captives and their children. Though the experiences of those who fled or were freed are varied, and they are all at different stages of rehabilitation, a theme that promises made to them over the years had been broken emerged from those we spoke to.In 2016, Amina Ali became the first of the Chibok captives to escape since the immediate aftermath of the kidnapping.She too is dissatisfied with her treatment. The last time she saw the sprawling school campus that now stands in front of her, it was on fire – that was the night of 14 April, 2014.”Wow, this school still exists,” she says softly, gazing at the newly renovated, cream-coloured buildings. “After all that happened to us, it’s still here.””We used to sit under that tree,” she continues, pointing at a towering, barren tree in the corner of the compound. She looks around, noting all the changes.Image source, BBC/Simpa SamsonImage caption, Amina has ambitions to be a journalist and help tell the story of the Chibok girlsThe grass is overgrown, the tiles on the walkways are new. The rust-coloured main gate has been moved and the dormitories do not exist any more. When the grounds were rebuilt, it reopened as a day school in 2021.While the cosmetic changes to the school are significant, outside the gates little has changed in Chibok. Insecurity is still rife. Boko Haram gunmen continue to attack the area, the latest assault late last year.The poorly maintained roads are dotted with checkpoints and there is a heavy military presence in the town. Mobile communication is patchy, a telecom mast lies on its side next to the road, probably felled by militants, a local colleague says.Then there are the emotional scars.Amina spent two years as a hostage in Sambisa. Like many of the captives, she was forced to “marry” a militant and convert to Islam. There was a routine to life in the forest; cooking, cleaning, learning the Quran, but Amina never gave up hope that one day she would escape.”I just thought even if I spend 10 years [as a hostage], one day I will escape,” she says.And one day she did.It took weeks of trekking through thick bush in sweltering temperatures, little food and with her two-month-old baby strapped to her back, but she made it.Parents of Chibok girls heartbroken – againThe secret diaries of the Chibok girlsThe town that lost its girlsBut more than 90 girls are still missing. Her friend Helen Nglada is one of them. Amina and Helen were classmates. They were both singers in the church band that Helen led. After the kidnap, the two grew close in Sambisa forest, spending as much time as they could together. The last conversation Amina had with Helen was about Chibok and how much they wished they could go back there. Image source, BBC/Simpa SamsonImage caption, For Helen’s mother, Saratu, meeting Amina brings back painful memoriesThe agony caused by Helen’s continued absence is etched on the faces of her parents, Saratu and Ibrahim, who are sitting outside their modest home, a short distance from the school.Her mother tightly grips two photographs of Helen and her sister. The girls are wearing matching outfits, headscarves and serious expressions.”I just wish I got my friend back,” Amina says, “so we can share the happiness with her.”Saratu struggles to contain her emotions. “Any time you come to the house and I see you, my mind goes back to my daughter,” she says to Amina.She breaks down into floods of tears and Amina places a hand on her shoulder to comfort her.”I just want our [state] governor to do something and rescue our children,” Ibrahim says quietly. “He should put in more effort to rescue the other children.”Amina’s escape in 2016 was accompanied by huge fanfare and relief.After being debriefed by the military, she met government officials including then President Muhammadu Buhari, who said the course of her life would change for the better.”[The president said] he’s going to take care of us and send us to school and even our children too,” Amina recalls. “Because it’s not our fault to find ourselves in that situation and the children too, they don’t know anything. They’re innocent. So he’s going to take care of them.”Image source, AFPImage caption, When she escaped from Boko Haram in 2016, Amina (L) and her baby met then President Muhammadu BuhariLife today does not look like what was promised.Amina now lives in Yola, about five hours away from Chibok by road, and shares a small room with her daughter. They share an outdoor bathroom with a neighbour and she cooks on firewood outside.Money is tight. She receives 20,000 naira ($15; £12) a month to cover everyday expenses but nothing for her daughter’s education, despite the government’s promises. She pays that bill herself with the little money she makes from farming.”It’s hard for me to look after my daughter,” she says. “What can I do? I have to do it because I don’t have anyone.”Image source, BBC/Simpa SamsonImage caption, Amina struggles with the money she has to bring up her daughter who was born in a Boko Haram campAmina is balancing raising her daughter while studying at the American University of Nigeria (AUN), a private and elite institution.AUN is the only option Amina and the other Chibok girls were given to resume their studies, but many of them have struggled to keep up and some have dropped out. “We didn’t choose AUN because we know the school standards are difficult for us, we girls come from poor backgrounds,” she says. “The former minister forced us to come to this school.” The girls said they would have liked more autonomy in choosing where they could study and wonder if some of the government’s money spent covering the AUN’s high fees could have been better spent directly supporting them. Amina has attended AUN since 2017, but is not close to graduating. Only one of the former captives has graduated.Nigeria’s Women’s Affairs Minister Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye says the government has been paying AUN roughly $350,000 a year for the Chibok girls and their education over the last six years. It is an arrangement she says will be reviewed.”I’m not paying nobody that kind of money. Even if they put it on the budget, I will not release the money,” she says. “The girls should be considered first and foremost. School is important, first and foremost. But you don’t go to school on an empty stomach.”Rakiya Gali is another Chibok girl – she escaped from Boko Haram in 2017. She was a student at AUN briefly, but dropped out due to poor health.Rakiya says she does not receive any financial support and like Amina pays for her son’s education with the money she makes from farming, despite promises from the government.”The government has been unfair to us,” she says in an impassioned voice. “They knew that we went into [Sambisa forest] and came back with children. If they cannot help us, then who will help us?”In addition to the financial burden, Rakiya lives in fear, as her town is still being attacked by Boko Haram. She says militants recently burned down her son’s school.”Whenever I hear any sound, I think it is a gunshot,” she says.Image source, BBC/Simpa SamsonImage caption, The school still exists – though it no longer takes boardersRakiya desperately wants to move forward with her life and secure the best possible education for her son, but the lack of support makes things feel impossible. So much so, she believes the Chibok girls who remain hostages would stay with Boko Haram if they could see how she and those who escaped are living outside the camp.”When [the girls] return [they] will come join us in this situation,” she says. “I would say it is better to stay [in Sambisa forest] with the child and the father will provide support, rather than going through this trouble.”The conditions she describes are a far cry from those of one of their former captors.Muhammad Alli, a former Boko Haram fighter who was involved in the Chibok kidnapping, is now living in Maiduguri with his family – including eight children. He was part of the militant group for 13 years and rose to the rank of commander, even forcefully “marrying” one of the Chibok girls.”At the time I married them, I did not feel any guilt,” he says. “But when I decided to surrender, I started to realise how awful they must have felt being forced to do these things.”Like thousands of other fighters, Muhammad was granted amnesty and completed the state government rehabilitation programme. He has a farm, but also works with the military to help rescue abducted girls.Image source, BBC/Simpa SamsonImage caption, Muhammad Alli is now helping the authorities tackle other hostage situationsLast year he was part of a group that rescued some of the same people he had helped kidnap. “They were in a terrible state when we found them,” he says. “I cried at the sight of them.”The amnesty programme is not without controversy, with some saying that former militants like Mohammad should serve jail time and be held accountable for their numerous crimes. “All I can say in that regard is to ask for forgiveness,” Mohammed counters. “I am remorseful, I am looking for ways to quench the fire we started, and I do this with the men whom I surrendered with. We are doing our best to weaken the effects of insurgency.”But the insurgency rages on, and kidnapping for ransom has become even more widespread in Nigeria. While reporting this story there were three separate kidnappings in north-eastern Nigeria, one of these attacks was on a school and was the largest of its kind since 2021.Mohammad says that the “success” of the Chibok kidnappings has encouraged these types of attacks.”We realised that the event shook the entire nation and Africa as a whole,” he says. “And the core mission of Boko Haram for [group leader] Abubakar Shekau was to ensure our activities attracted attention. “He also got money off some of these actions, which helped pay for transport and food, and that’s why they continued the abductions.”Serious questions remain around Nigeria’s military and its ability to tackle the insurgency that has spanned more than a decade and left hundreds of thousands of people dead, particularly as insecurity spreads to other parts of the country.Gen Christopher Gwabin Musa, Nigeria’s defence chief, has acknowledged the “enormous” challenges facing the military, calling the current state of insecurity in the country a “rude shock”, but is confident the tide is turning.As for the 91 Chibok girls still being held captive, Gen Musa says the military has not given up hope that they will be rescued.Despite her satisfaction with her current situation, Amina is hopeful too. She hopes to become a journalist one day, to be a voice for victims of kidnapping, to be a leader. She also hopes her daughter will finish her education and have a bright, safe future.Most of all, she hopes her classmates will one day be freed.”The only thing I need the government to do is to release some of my sisters that are still in captivity. I have that hope,” she says. “Because when they are still alive [there’s hope] they will come back one day.” You can watch Yemisi’s full report on the BBC Africa YouTube channelFind out more about the Chibok girls:PODCAST: What happened to the Chibok girls?Why was this freed Chibok girl treated differently? The kidnapped woman who defied Boko HaramThe man who brought back the Chibok girlsRelated TopicsNigeriaBoko HaramNigeria schoolgirl kidnappingsAround the BBCFocus on Africa podcastAfrica Daily podcastTop StoriesLive. Israel shoots down missiles and drones as Iran launches unprecedented attackIsrael says its defences in action as Iran attacksPublished1 hour agoSydney knife attacker identified by policePublished59 minutes agoFeaturesThe trafficked war babies looking for their long-lost familiesWorld watches nervously to see what Iran does nextUkraine could face defeat in 2024. Here’s how that might lookDifficult hunt for 12 impartial jurors to sit on historic Trump trialListen: The Liz Truss Memoir. AudioListen: The Liz Truss MemoirAttributionSoundsThe children living between starvation and deathHow Zendaya perfected ‘method dressing’Facing disaster – the Forest fans at HillsboroughAttributionSportSun, smoke and sport: Photos of the weekElsewhere on the BBC’She was the right side of cheeky’Dua Lipa makes a surprise visit to her old schoolAttributioniPlayerFrom the largest ship to disasters on deck…A closer look at times when cruise ships have caused commotionAttributioniPlayerThese adorable mice love Sir David AttenboroughThey bond over Planet Earth III and mountains of poo!AttributioniPlayerRobin Williams: from iconic shots to private snapsTen defining pictures throw a unique lens onto an extraordinary lifeAttributioniPlayerMost Read1Sydney knife attacker identified by police2Israel says its defences in action as Iran attacks3Squatters take over Gordon Ramsay’s £13m pub4US shoots down Iranian drones bound for Israel5Why did all the Little Chefs disappear?6’She is a hero’: Australia PM hails cop who shot attacker7How Zendaya perfected ‘method dressing’8Five arrested after baby’s remains found9Longstanding Tory MP to stand down at next election10Are Rayner’s troubles a sign of what’s to come for Labour?

[ad_1] Most of the Chibok girls abducted 10 years ago in Nigeria are now free but some feel badly let down.

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaTexas wildfire: Fire truck drives through infernoThis video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.Texas wildfire: Fire truck drives through infernoCloseVideo filmed from inside a fire truck shows flames towering above the road as thick smoke obscures the view.Out-of-control fires across the Texas Panhandle – the northern-most region of the US state – have affected more than 250,000 acres (1,000 sq km) of land, triggering evacuations, road closures and power cuts. Pantex, a key nuclear weapons plant, was forced to suspend operations until further notice.SubsectionUS & CanadaPublished12 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRead descriptionExplore moreFire truck drives through raging Texas wildfire. Video, 00:00:37Fire truck drives through raging Texas wildfireSubsectionUS & CanadaPublished12 minutes ago0:37Up Next. ‘Zombie’ fires burn under the snow and soil. Video, 00:00:57’Zombie’ fires burn under the snow and soilSubsectionUS & CanadaPublished13 FebruaryUp Next0:57Huge water leak shoots into air on Texas street. Video, 00:00:12Huge water leak shoots into air on Texas streetSubsectionUS & CanadaPublished19 February0:12Drone footage shows Chile forest fire devastation. Video, 00:00:30Drone footage shows Chile forest fire devastationSubsectionLatin America & CaribbeanPublished5 February0:30Editor’s recommendationsWatch: Inside the famous Sistine Chapel after crowds leave. Video, 00:01:00Watch: Inside the famous Sistine Chapel after crowds leaveSubsectionEuropePublished1 hour ago1:00Ex-Australia PM accepts daughters’ Taylor Swift challenge. Video, 00:01:22Ex-Australia PM accepts daughters’ Taylor Swift challengeSubsectionAustraliaPublished20 hours ago1:22Hope for ceasefire by Monday, says Biden. Video, 00:00:20Hope for ceasefire by Monday, says BidenSubsectionUS & CanadaPublished21 hours ago0:20Watch: Runaway India train speeds past station without driver. Video, 00:00:33Watch: Runaway India train speeds past station without driverSubsectionIndiaPublished1 day ago0:33Brussels: Farmers protest leaves streets in chaos. Video, 00:01:11Brussels: Farmers protest leaves streets in chaosSubsectionEuropePublished1 day ago1:11Thousands attend Bolsonaro rally in Brazil. Video, 00:00:41Thousands attend Bolsonaro rally in BrazilSubsectionLatin America & CaribbeanPublished2 days ago0:41Farmers’ anger erupts at trade show in Paris. Video, 00:01:06Farmers’ anger erupts at trade show in ParisSubsectionEuropePublished3 days ago1:06Watch: A look back at the Ukraine war two years on. Video, 00:04:26Watch: A look back at the Ukraine war two years onSubsectionEuropePublished4 days ago4:26Video shows fire engulfing Valencia tower block. Video, 00:01:10Video shows fire engulfing Valencia tower blockSubsectionEuropePublished4 days ago1:10

[ad_1] Video filmed from inside a fire truck shows flames towering above the road as thick smoke obscures the view. Out-of-control fires across the Texas Panhandle – the northern-most region…

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaTwo years into Russia’s invasion, exhausted Ukrainians refuse to give upPublished10 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsWar in UkraineImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Blocked Western military aid is hampering Ukrainian forces on the front lineBy James WaterhouseBBC News, in Kryvyi Rih, UkraineIt translates as “crooked horn”, but President Zelensky calls Kryvyi Rih his “big soul and heart”.He credits this gritty, industrial city with moulding his character. He grew up in a sprawling block of flats known as the Anthill.When you stand in front of this towering structure, Volodymyr Zelensky’s journey from this setting to wartime leader feels remarkable.”I want the war to end soon,” says Vita, who lived near Zelensky’s parents. “He’s a normal, good guy who fights for people. I just want this war and the sirens to end sooner.”But with minimal Ukrainian progress and growing Russian dominance, there is no end in sight, and that’s both fuelling and being fuelled by influential pockets of Western doubters.At the recent Munich Security Conference, President Zelensky told delegates not to ask Ukraine when the war would end, but instead to “ask why Putin is still able to continue it”.With blocked military aid now directly hampering his forces on the front line, it was a swipe at those delaying the ammunition and weapons his soldiers desperately need. /* sc-component-id: sc-bdVaJa */ .sc-bdVaJa {} .rPqeC{overflow:hidden;display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;background-color:#F2EFEC;-webkit-flex-direction:row;-ms-flex-direction:row;flex-direction:row;-webkit-flex-wrap:wrap;-ms-flex-wrap:wrap;flex-wrap:wrap;box-sizing:border-box;} /* sc-component-id: sc-bwzfXH */ .sc-bwzfXH {} .cGUHIC{width:100%;height:100%;object-fit:cover;object-position:50% 50%;position:absolute;background-size:cover;background-position-x:50%;background-position-y:50%;background-image:url(‘https://c.files.bbci.co.uk/assets/fa67c4ab-c4e9-4fcf-bc7c-13042081d505’);} /* sc-component-id: sc-htpNat */ .sc-htpNat {} .kUePcj{max-width:743px;width:45%;position:relative;min-height:200px;-webkit-flex:1 1 auto;-ms-flex:1 1 auto;flex:1 1 auto;} /* sc-component-id: sc-bxivhb */ .sc-bxivhb {} .huvKBR{max-width:100%;position:absolute;bottom:0;right:0;color:#ffffff;background:#000000;opacity:0.7;font-family:Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;padding:5px;word-wrap:break-word;} @media (max-width:599px){.huvKBR{font-size:12px;line-height:16px;}} @media (min-width:600px) and (max-width:1007px){.huvKBR{font-size:13px;line-height:16px;}} @media (min-width:1008px){.huvKBR{font-size:12px;line-height:16px;}} /* sc-component-id: sc-gzVnrw */ .sc-gzVnrw {} .blLFIH{width:45% !important;position:relative;margin:0;word-wrap:break-word;color:#404040;font-weight:300;-webkit-flex:1 0 auto;-ms-flex:1 0 auto;flex:1 0 auto;padding:16px;} /* sc-component-id: sc-htoDjs */ .sc-htoDjs {} .kGbKV{display:block;} /* sc-component-id: sc-dnqmqq */ .sc-dnqmqq {} .dHUwnI{font-weight:100;font-family:Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;padding:11px 0 25px 0;} .dHUwnI p{margin:0;} @media (max-width:599px){.dHUwnI{font-size:18px;line-height:22px;}} @media (min-width:600px) and (max-width:1007px){.dHUwnI{font-size:21px;line-height:24px;}} @media (min-width:1008px){.dHUwnI{font-size:20px;line-height:24px;}} /* sc-component-id: sc-iwsKbI */ .sc-iwsKbI {} .jiPRqw{display:block;} /* sc-component-id: sc-gZMcBi */ .sc-gZMcBi {} .honXkL{padding-top:10px;font-family:Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;} /* sc-component-id: sc-gqjmRU */ .sc-gqjmRU {} .klLnaG{color:#404040;font-style:normal;font-family:Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;} .klLnaG > strong{font-weight:bold;} @media (max-width:599px){.klLnaG{font-size:16px;line-height:20px;}} @media (min-width:600px) and (max-width:1007px){.klLnaG{font-size:18px;line-height:22px;}} @media (min-width:1008px){.klLnaG{font-size:16px;line-height:20px;}} @font-face { font-family: ‘ReithSans’; font-display: swap; src: url(https://c.files.bbci.co.uk/graphics/static/media/BBCReithSans_W_Rg.woff2) format(“woff2”); } @font-face { font-family: ‘ReithSans’; font-display: swap; src: url(https://c.files.bbci.co.uk/graphics/static/media/BBCReithSans_W_Bd.woff2) format(“woff2”); font-weight: bold; } @font-face { font-family: ‘BBCNassim’; font-display: swap; src: url(https://c.files.bbci.co.uk/graphics/static/media/BBC-Nassim-Regular-1-55-URD-Desktop.ttf) format(“truetype”); } @font-face { font-family: ‘BBCNassim’; font-display: swap; src: url(https://c.files.bbci.co.uk/graphics/static/media/BBC-Nassim-Bold-1-55-URD-Desktop.ttf) format(“truetype”); font-weight: bold; } @font-face { font-family: ‘Iskoola_pota_bbc’; font-display: swap; src: url(https://c.files.bbci.co.uk/graphics/static/media/iskpotaRegular.ttf) format(“truetype”); } @font-face { font-family: ‘Iskoola_pota_bbc’; font-display: swap; src: url(https://c.files.bbci.co.uk/graphics/static/media/iskpotaBold.ttf) format(“truetype”); font-weight: bold; } @font-face { font-family: ‘Latha’; font-display: swap; src: url(https://c.files.bbci.co.uk/graphics/static/media/lathaRegular.ttf) format(“truetype”); } @font-face { font-family: ‘Latha’; font-display: swap; src: url(https://c.files.bbci.co.uk/graphics/static/media/lathaBold.ttf) format(“truetype”); font-weight: bold; } @font-face { font-family: ‘Mangal’; font-display: swap; src: url(https://c.files.bbci.co.uk/graphics/static/media/mangalRegular.ttf) format(“truetype”); } @font-face { font-family: ‘Mangal’; font-display: swap; src: url(https://c.files.bbci.co.uk/graphics/static/media/mangalBold.ttf) format(“truetype”); font-weight: bold; } @font-face { font-family: ‘Noto Sans CJK KR’; font-display: swap; src: url(https://c.files.bbci.co.uk/graphics/static/media/NotoSansCJKkr-Regular.otf) format(“opentype”); } @font-face { font-family: ‘Noto Sans CJK KR’; font-display: swap; src: url(https://c.files.bbci.co.uk/graphics/static/media/NotoSansCJKkr-Bold.otf) format(“opentype”); font-weight: bold; } @font-face { font-family: ‘Noto Sans Gurmukhi’; font-display: swap; src: url(https://c.files.bbci.co.uk/graphics/static/media/NotoSansGurmukhi-Regular.ttf) format(“truetype”); } @font-face { font-family: ‘Noto Sans Gurmukhi’; font-display: swap; src: url(https://c.files.bbci.co.uk/graphics/static/media/NotoSansGurmukhi-Bold.ttf) format(“truetype”); font-weight: bold; } @font-face { font-family: ‘Padauk’; font-display: swap; src: url(https://c.files.bbci.co.uk/graphics/static/media/PadaukRegular.ttf) format(“truetype”); } @font-face { font-family: ‘Padauk’; font-display: swap; src: url(https://c.files.bbci.co.uk/graphics/static/media/PadaukBold.ttf) format(“truetype”); font-weight: bold; } @font-face { font-family: ‘Shonar_bangala’; font-display: swap; src: url(https://c.files.bbci.co.uk/graphics/static/media/ShonarRegular.ttf) format(“truetype”); } @font-face { font-family: ‘Shonar_bangala’; font-display: swap; src: url(https://c.files.bbci.co.uk/graphics/static/media/ShonarBold.ttf) format(“truetype”); font-weight: bold; } @font-face { font-family: ‘NotoSansEthiopic’; font-display: swap; src: url(https://c.files.bbci.co.uk/graphics/static/media/NotoSansEthiopic-Regular.ttf) format(“truetype”); } @font-face { font-family: ‘NotoSansEthiopic’; font-display: swap; src: url(https://c.files.bbci.co.uk/graphics/static/media/NotoSansEthiopic-Bold.ttf) format(“truetype”); font-weight: bold; } @font-face { font-family: ‘Mallanna’; font-display: swap; src: url(https://c.files.bbci.co.uk/graphics/static/media/mallanna.ttf) format(“truetype”); } BBCWe must fight; we won’t tolerate anything else.ValeriyAnthill resident”I’m no politician,” confesses Valeriy, a man in his 80s perched outside a grocery shop. “We can’t ask when the war will stop again.”We must fight; we won’t tolerate anything else. People are so angry now.”That appetite to defend has remained mostly intact since that morning on 24 February 2022. Against a terrifying unknown, people volunteered in their thousands to join Ukraine’s fight.The world’s gaze turned to Kyiv, from where I was reporting.President Zelensky’s profile and popularity went stratospheric as he turned down offers of evacuation and remained in Kyiv.”I need ammunition, not a ride,” he said in a now iconic quote.His needs have not changed, but his pleas have lost their electrifying impact.A failed counter-offensive in 2023 led to uncomfortable questions over whether Ukraine is capable of liberating its territory.Is Russia turning the tide in Ukraine?Frontline medics count cost of two years of Ukraine warRepublican doubters in the US are hindering Ukraine’s ability to fight by blocking billions of dollars worth of military aid. Kyiv says more frontline troops are dying as a result of weapon shortages and dwindling ammunition.All the while, Russia has remained on a war footing, and its allies North Korea and Iran are supplying more missiles to rain down on Ukrainian cities.Image source, BBC/Scarlett BarterImage caption, Ukrainian volunteers are helping the war effort by building smoke grenades and stitching camouflage nettingsKryvyi Rih isn’t immune to the fatigue most of the country feels. Some have had enough of this war, many men are fearful of being conscripted, and yet they say the conflict is still a fight for survival.The idea of a compromise or concession to Russia is viewed as a defeat. It’s existential.In a symptom of the world Ukrainians live in, I now associate playgrounds with death.The last time I saw children play in one was at a school next to my flat in Kyiv, before the invasion. Now they are the site of a devastating missile strike, lying abandoned on a front line, or in Brovary, near Kyiv, the scene of a helicopter crash.Youthful innocence replaced with body bags and destruction.In Kryvyi Rih, we meet a tearful Yuriy as he watches his flat get demolished after a missile strike last year. Exposed wallpaper patterns reveal the different lives destroyed.”No one needs this war, what is it for anyway?” he asks. “So many people are being killed.”So, does he think Ukraine should swap territory for peace?”Definitely not,” he replies bluntly. “A lot of people died for those territories. There is no point in giving them up.”The lack of battlefield progress caused a corrosive rift between President Zelensky and the head of his armed forces Valerii Zaluzhnyi. Now sacked, General Zaluzhnyi is seen as a potential political rival to his old boss.Around Kryvyi Rih, Ukrainians try to help where their country’s allies increasingly will not. In one inconspicuous building, a growing army of volunteers stitch camouflage nettings for troops on the front line.The men and women are kept separate because of “their different jokes,” explains the organiser.In another industrial wing of the city, a former bike club has swapped cycling for smoke. Teams mix chemicals into canisters which will become smoke grenades. A useful military tool if you are trying to attack, or evacuate the injured.”It’s impossible to stay at home with my thoughts when my husband is fighting,” explains Ines, one of the volunteers. “Here I feel I can do something to make it easier for them.”Russia’s decade of aggression towards Ukraine began with the annexation of Crimea in 2014 and then spilled into a draining war in the country’s east. On the 731st day of the full-scale invasion, it’s a different kind of war.While extraordinary, Ukraine’s successes in defence and degrading Russia’s navy have not changed the tide in its favour.The novelty of this war has gone. Ukraine, Kryvyi Rih and its famous son will need to find new reserves of strength and a clever playbook to keep the world engaged.Additional reporting by Hanna Chornous, Scarlett Barter and Svitlana Libet.Related TopicsWar in UkraineVolodymyr ZelenskyRussiaUkraineMore on this story‘I miss you’: Ukraine’s children orphaned by Russian missilePublished2 days agoInside Ukraine’s struggle to find new men to fightPublished12 FebruaryRosenberg: How two years of war have changed RussiaPublished2 days agoTop StoriesTwo years into Russia’s invasion, exhausted Ukrainians refuse to give upPublished10 minutes agoUK reaffirms Ukraine support on war anniversaryPublished4 hours agoWW2 bomb detonated at sea after days of disruptionPublished1 hour agoFeatures’King and tonic’ and potential abortion rule changeThe Creator’s Gareth Edwards on shaking up HollywoodIs this the most chaotic by-election ever? On the campaign trail in RochdaleTwo years into Russia’s invasion, exhausted Ukrainians refuse to give upFashion, fire and water: Photos of the weekWhat are the sanctions on Russia and are they working?Listen: No Return for Shamima Begum. AudioListen: No Return for Shamima BegumAttributionSoundsTurning regret into action after friends’ deathsFive things we learned from Married to The GameAttributionSportElsewhere on the BBCExperience Apollo 11’s adventure first-hand!Discover the awe-inspiring journey of Apollo 11 and its crew with newly released cockpit audioAttributioniPlayerWhat is it really like to be a monk?’To be a monk is something very vast, very high and very beautiful’AttributioniPlayer’I smashed all my trophies’Bradley Wiggins opens up about his mental health and imposter syndromeAttributioniPlayerThe 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 Read1WW2 bomb detonated at sea after days of disruption2’King and tonic’ and potential abortion rule change3Dowden’s cancer check finds no evidence of disease4King Charles enjoys jokes in cards of support5Trump calls on Alabama to protect IVF treatment6Oprah and Nigella deepfaked in influencer ‘manifestation’ ads7Calls for MP to lose whip over ‘Islamist’ comments8Is this the most chaotic by-election ever? On the campaign trail in Rochdale9Odysseus Moon lander ‘tipped over on touchdown’10Ukraine says it downs second A-50 Russian spy plane

[ad_1] Ukrainians may be fatigued by the war, but they still see it as a fight for survival.

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaKGB spy who rubbed shoulders with French elite for decadesPublished1 day agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsCold WarImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, For decades, KGB spy Philippe Grumbach rubbed shoulders with countless political figures and celebritiesBy Laura GozziBBC NewsMajor French magazine L’Express has revealed that its prominent former editor, Philippe Grumbach, spied for the Soviet Union for 35 years. Grumbach was an exceptionally well plugged-in figure in French society for decades. He counted presidents, actors and literary giants as close friends. He was a legendary figure in journalism who shaped the editorial direction of one of France’s most successful publications. When he died in 2003, Minister of Culture Jean-Jacques Aillagon said Grumbach had been “one of the most memorable and respected figures in French media”.But he was also “Brok”, a spy for Russia’s KGB intelligence agency.Extensive proof of Grumbach’s duplicitous life can be found in the so-called Mitrokhin archives – named after the Soviet major who smuggled thousands of pages of documents out of Soviet archives and handed them to Britain in 1992. They were later compiled into a book by Christopher Andrew and Vasili Mitrokhin himself.Among the thousands of pages of documents are profiles outlining the characteristics of Westerners who spied for the Soviet Union. Several months ago, a friend of Etienne Girard, the social affairs editor at L’Express and the co-author of the Grumbach exposé, informed him that an acquaintance who was researching the Mitrokhin files had come across mentions of L’Express. The documents said that an agent with the code-name of Brok worked for the KGB – and spelled out biographical details that matched Grumbach’s. Mr Girard’s interest was piqued immediately.”I started to dig into it and found Grumbach’s name written in Russian, and some photos,” Mr Girard told the BBC. “And then things got much more serious. I got in touch with the French secret service to confirm that Brok was indeed Grumbach – and things snowballed from there.”Born in Paris in 1924 into a Jewish family, Grumbach fled France with his mother and siblings in 1940 – the year Nazi Germany invaded and Marshal Philippe Pétain took power in Vichy with a collaborationist regime. Grumbach joined the US army almost immediately and fought alongside the resistance in Algeria in 1943. After the war, he joined the AFP news agency – but resigned soon after in protest at the French government’s actions in the war in Indochina. Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Philippe Grumbach as a young journalistIn 1954, Grumbach was hired to work at L’Express by Jean-Jacques Servan-Schreiber, its founder. From then onwards, Grumbach began rubbing shoulders with some of France’s most prominent figures of the 20th Century. He helped rehabilitate the then-senator – and future president – Francois Mitterand’s reputation when he was accused of staging a fake assassination in 1960. He was close to the powerful Servan-Schreiber, President Valéry Giscard d’Estaing and prominent statesman Pierre Mendès France, among others. Actors Alain Delon and Isabelle Adjani were guests at his 1980 wedding, where writer Francoise Sagan and Pierre Berge, co-founder of Yves Saint Laurent, were the legal witnesses. And Grumbach was a spy throughout.Some may view his decision to spy for the Soviet Union as a romantic tale of loyalty to a doomed regime. But Mitrokhin himself speculated that while it was probably ideology that initially attracted Grumbach to the KGB, after only a few years his reasons for staying on as a spy had less to do with wishing to advance the cause of communism in Europe, and more with his desire to make enough money to buy a flat in Paris. The financial incentives were certainly appealing. According to the Mitrokhin files, between 1976 and 1978 alone Grumbach was awarded the equivalent of today’s €250,000 (£214,000) for his services to the KGB. On three other occasions in the 1970s, he received an extra bonus for being one of the top 13 Soviet spies in France. Yet it is unclear what missions he carried out exactly. The Mitrokhin files show that during the 1974 presidential election the KGB gave him fabricated files which were meant to create tensions between right-wing presidential candidates. Although L’Express quotes documents as saying that Grumbach was entrusted with the mission of “settling delicate issues” and “liaising with representatives and leaders of political parties, and groups”, there are few other concrete examples of Grumbach actively helping the USSR.Maybe that is the reason why, in the early 1980s, the KGB severed ties with him. According to the Mitrokhin files book, KGB agents in Paris deemed Grumbach “insincere” and felt he exaggerated his abilities to gather information and the value of his intelligence. He was let go in 1981.We will never know whether Grumbach was relieved that his double life was no more, or how he felt about his years of service to the KGB. Whether because of shame or a lingering sense of loyalty, he rebuffed the only known attempt in 2000 by a journalist, Thierry Wolton, to find out more about his years as a spy. Grumbach initially appeared to obliquely admit to his past, but later rowed back, threatening to sue Wolton if he went ahead with the tell-all book he was planning. Wolton dropped the project, but it seems the incident sparked in Grumbach a desire to talk about his experience.His widow Nicole recently told L’Express that, soon after the Wolton visit, her late husband told her the truth. “He explained to me that he had worked for the KGB before we got married,” she told the magazine. She said he mentioned having been “revolted” by the racism he witnessed in Texas while he was in the US army, and implied this led him to seek a collaboration with the USSR instead. “He immediately added that he wanted to stop almost right away, but that he had been threatened,” Nicole told L’Express.Mr Girard says he had no problem unearthing the truth about its former editor-in-chief.”I definitely had the sense that I was doing my job. It’s up to us to do the investigation, because it concerns us – even if it means unearthing uncomfortable truths,” he said.Writing the piece took three months, but it has paid off. Almost every media outlet in France has picked up the story – possibly because many still remember Grumbach as a towering figure who dominated the French media landscape for decades.Some may be tempted to dust off their old copies of L’Express from the Grumbach years in search of subliminal pro-Soviet messaging. But they’re unlikely to find anything. In the 1950s, under Grumbach’s first stint as an editor-in-chief, L’Express leaned left without ever endorsing communism; in the 1970s, when Grumbach was again at the helm, L’Express moved to a resolutely moderate, liberal, centrist space. As the report in L’Express points out, Grumbach’s work as a spy was never to spread propaganda. “He was careful to keep his work as a spy separate from his work as magazine editor,” Mr Girard said. “But this is precisely why it all worked. The KGB wanted him to hold on to his cover of a centrist bourgeois to keep flying under the radar.””It was fully in the spirit of the KGB. It was a smart move. And it worked.”Related TopicsMediaFranceCold WarRussiaTop StoriesLive. Navalny’s death confirmed as family calls for body to be returnedIs Russia turning the tide in Ukraine?Published4 hours agoUkraine troops pull out of key eastern town AvdiivkaPublished2 hours agoFeaturesNavalny’s life in ‘Polar Wolf’ remote penal colonyArrested and poisoned: See Navalny’s moments of defiance. VideoArrested and poisoned: See Navalny’s moments of defianceAlexei Navalny in his own words – dark humour during dark timesCarnival, kisses and snow: Photos of the weekEerie unseen world of Celtic rainforest revealed in UV light’Zombie Fires’ burning at an alarming rate in CanadaHow the fantasy world of D&D can be a home for everyoneGay woman aims to found LGBT-accepting churchI made my Chewbacca suit from 45 bags of hair extensionsElsewhere on the BBCThe 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?AttributioniPlayerWhat is it really like to be a monk?’To be a monk is something very vast, very high and very beautiful’AttributioniPlayer’I smashed all my trophies’Bradley Wiggins opens up about his mental health and imposter syndromeAttributioniPlayerFancy a film tonight?There’s something for everyone on BBC iPlayerAttributioniPlayerMost Read1How Russian state media are spinning Navalny death2Is it even possible to do 28 A-levels – and what’s the cost?3The day I found out I had special ‘neo’ blood4’Zombie Fires’ burning at an alarming rate in Canada5Is Russia turning the tide in Ukraine?6Eerie unseen world of Celtic rainforest revealed in UV light7Fans get rare chance to see Big Yin’s ‘Big Banana Feet’8Ukraine troops pull out of key eastern town Avdiivka9£10k payout ‘cruel’, says bankrupt Post Office victim10Trump ordered to pay $355m in New York fraud case

[ad_1] His widow Nicole recently told L’Express that, soon after the Wolton visit, her late husband told her the truth. “He explained to me that he had worked for the…

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityScience & EnvironmentIs Iceland entering a new volcanic era?Published2 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: Dramatic aerials show fast lava spread after Iceland eruptionBy Rebecca Morelle and Alison Francis BBC News ScienceThis week, Iceland woke up to yet another day of fire, as towering fountains of lava lit up the dark morning sky.This time the evacuated town of Grindavik was spared, but the molten rock still wrought havoc – engulfing a pipe that provides heat and hot water to thousands living in the area and cutting off a road to the Blue Lagoon tourist attraction.It is the third short-lived eruption on the Reykjanes peninsula since December 2023 and the sixth since 2021. But scientists think this is just the start of a period of volcanic activity that could last for decades or even centuries.So what is going on? Image source, ReutersImage caption, A road was swamped with lava in the most recent eruptionIceland is no stranger to volcanoes – it is one of the most volcanically active places in the world.That is because the country is positioned above a geological hotspot, where plumes of hot material deep within the Earth rise towards the surface. But Iceland also sits on the boundary between the Eurasian and North America tectonic plates. These plates are very slowly pulling apart from each other, creating a space for hot molten rock – or magma – to flow up. As the magma builds up underground, the pressure increases until it breaks through the surface in an eruption (at this point the hot rock is called lava). There are more than 100 volcanoes across Iceland and more than 30 are currently active. But the last time the Reykjanes peninsula saw any lava flow was hundreds of years ago – that may have started as early as the 8th or 9th Century and continued until 1240.Now the eruptions have started again – but why has there been an 800-year gap? “Over geological time, the tectonic plates are pulling apart at about the speed that your fingernails grow, so a few centimetres a year,” explains Prof Tamsin Mather, an Earth scientist from the University of Oxford.”But they don’t seem to smoothly pull apart – they go through these pulses of higher activity. And this is likely what we’re seeing right now in the Reykjanes.”The rocks in the region can reveal even more about the past – and they show a pattern of periods of quiet lasting around 1,000 years – followed by eruptions that continue for a few centuries.”There’s evidence for about three of these types of episodes in the last 4,000 years in this area” Prof Mather explains. “So this is proceeding as expected at the moment. And what we’re expecting is a series of these relatively small, relatively short-lived eruptions over the coming years and decades.”Image source, Getty Images/CopernicusImage caption, This satellite image shows the extent of the most recent eruptionWorking out how to predict when the eruptions will happen is a key concern for Iceland right now – especially as the town of Grindavik and a geothermal power plant – a key piece of national infrastructure – are in the danger zone.”Now that the eruptions are repeating themselves, scientists have a much better idea of what is happening,” explains Dr Evgenia Ilyinskaya, a volcanologist from the University of Leeds. “So they’ve been tracking how the ground is inflating as magma is coming out from deep below. And now they actually can tell with a lot more certainty than was possible when to expect the magma to start breaking through the ground.”Image source, ReutersImage caption, In January several houses were destroyed by an eruptionBut pinpointing exactly where an eruption will happen is harder. These aren’t cone-shaped volcanoes like Italy’s Mount Etna, for example, where the lava comes out at more or less the same place.In the Reykjanes Peninsula, the magma is held more loosely under a larger area – and it erupts through cracks – or fissures – that can be miles long.The Icelandic authorities are building large barriers around the town and power station – and these are good at holding lava back. But if a fissure opens up inside the barriers – as was the case in Grindavik in January when some houses were destroyed – not much can be done.A long period of eruptions will have major consequences for Iceland.”This is the most densely populated part of Iceland – so 70% of the population lives within 40km or so,” explains Dr Ilyinskaya.”And all of the key infrastructure is there – so the main international airport, big geothermal power plants, and a lot of tourist infrastructure too, which is a big part of Iceland’s economy.”Key roads being cut off by lava flow and air pollution from the eruptions are just some of the risks.The country’s capital Reykjavik also has the potential to be impacted, says Dr Ilyinskaya.”One scenario that would be hazardous for Reykjavik (Iceland’s capital) is if the eruptions move further east along the peninsula – there are lava flows from 1,000 years ago from the last eruptive cycle that are in what is now Reykjavik, so based on that it is not unfeasible that the lava flows could flow there in future eruptions”So is there a way to predict what will happen in the longer term?Scientists are looking at a number of different volcanic systems that sit across the peninsula.”In the last cycle, the first eruptions started in the systems to the east and migrated to the west, with a few fits and starts here and there,” explains Dr Dave McGarvie from Lancaster University. This time, the first eruptions – which started in 2021 – happened in a system that sits more in the middle of the peninsula.”That system now just seems to have completely switched off – there’s no clear indication of a gathering of magma beneath it. We don’t know whether that’s temporary or whether it’s a permanent thing and it may never erupt again in this cycle.”The most recent eruptions, which began in December, are now in a neighbouring system a little further west.Image source, EPAImage caption, Scientists are learning more with every eruptionDr McGarvie says scientists can get an idea of how much magma is held underground – and whether it is likely to shift away from Grindavik and the power station to another neighbouring volcanic system. “If they saw the rate of magma inflow declining, then that would be an indication that perhaps it’s starting to switch off and if so it may take a few months for it to completely die down.”The question then would be is this a temporary lull or is it actually the end of this phase of activity – we’re into unknown territory at that point.”Scientists are learning more with every eruption, but there’s still a great deal of uncertainty for Iceland as a new volcanic era begins. Follow Rebecca on X (formerly known as Twitter)Related TopicsVolcanoesIcelandMore on this storyThey fled as lava spilled into town – and they may never returnPublished6 days agoIceland lava slowing down after day of destructionPublished15 JanuaryWhy this Iceland volcano won’t cause flight chaosPublished19 December 2023Iceland volcano: What could the impact be?Published14 November 2023Top StoriesClapham attack: Police to search Thames for suspect’s bodyPublished1 hour agoIsraeli soldier videos from Gaza could breach international law, experts sayPublished8 hours agoEx-Fujitsu boss ‘shocked’ by Post Office’s actionsPublished4 hours agoFeaturesDinosaur Island: 40 years of discoveries on SkyeThe Papers: Gaza bloodbath fears and King bonds with FergieIs Iceland entering a new volcanic era?Celebrities and the perils of oversharing daily routinesCash-strapped clubbers make their nights out countHave we lost faith in tech?Swift, swimming and snow: Photos of the weekAn ‘impossible’ country tests its hard-won democracyWeekly quiz: Who beat Miley to win Song Of The Year?Elsewhere on the BBCBritain’s toughest job interview is backLord Sugar’s class of 2024 chase the ultimate investmentAttributioniPlayerThe art of healthy eatingProfessor Tim Spector offers a new approach to the way we eat foodAttributionSoundsThe 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?AttributioniPlayerExpensive vs High Street skincare products…investigating whether more expensive face creams really are worth the moneyAttributionSoundsMost Read1Man’s indefinite sentence a ‘serious injustice’2Ex-Fujitsu boss ‘shocked’ by Post Office’s actions3Tory donors and 27-year-old among new peers4Mum found under coat in A&E died days later5Gaza bloodbath fears and King bonds with Fergie6Police to search Thames for Clapham attack suspect7Celebrities and the perils of oversharing daily routines8Israeli soldier videos from Gaza could breach international law, experts say9Cash-strapped clubbers make their nights out count10Is Iceland entering a new volcanic era?

[ad_1] Scientists think eruptions on the Reykjanes Peninsula could continue for decades or even centuries.

Other Story

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