'Gaza suffering must stop, PM to tell Trump' and 'Pride and Prejudice'
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BreakingNews.ie
5 minutes ago
- BreakingNews.ie
President Higgins calls footage of emaciated Hamas hostages a 'shocking act of cruelty'
President Michael D Higgins has condemned footage which shows the emaciated bodies of two hostages taken on October 7th. In a statement released earlier on Sunday, Mr Higgins said: 'The presentation of the emaciated bodies of two hostages taken on October 7th is a shocking act of cruelty and reflects not only on those responsible for such actions but damages any cause to which they attach themselves. Advertisement "We are now in a position of seeing the nadir of human behaviour with images like these occurring at the same time as children are deprived of medicine and mothers are deprived of water and the necessary means of addressing malnutrition as they watch their children die. "All of these actions must not just receive the opprobrium of the world, but must lead to practical actions that cannot wait until September to be addressed." President Higgins said he hopes that Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter may provide a mechanism for ensuring safe access of aid in the region. The news comes as US President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy told families of hostages being held by Palestinian militant group Hamas on Saturday that he was working with the Israeli government on a plan that would effectively end the war in Gaza. Advertisement Trump has made ending the conflict a major priority of his administration, though negotiations have faltered. Steve Witkoff is visiting Israel as its government faces mounting pressure over the deteriorating humanitarian conditions in the enclave. In a recording of the meeting, reviewed by Reuters, Witkoff is heard saying: "We have a very, very good plan that we're working on collectively with the Israeli government, with Prime Minister Netanyahu ... for the reconstruction of Gaza. That effectively means the end of the war." The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on his remarks. Witkoff also said that Hamas was prepared to disarm in order to end the war, though the group has repeatedly said it will not lay down its weapons. Advertisement In response, Hamas, which has dominated Gaza since 2007 but has been militarily battered by Israel in the war, said it would not relinquish "armed resistance" unless an "independent, fully sovereign Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital" was established. Indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel aimed at securing a 60-day ceasefire in the Gaza war and deal for the release of half the hostages ended last week in deadlock. On Saturday, Hamas released its second video in two days of Israeli hostage Evyatar David. In it, David, skeletally thin, is shown digging a hole, which, he says in the video, is for his own grave. "They are on the absolute brink of death," David's brother Ilay said at a rally in support of the hostages in Tel Aviv, where thousands gathered holding posters of those in captivity and chanted for their immediate release. Advertisement "In the current unimaginable condition, they may have only days left to live." Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs Gideon Sa'ar said the "world cannot remain silent in the face of the difficult images that are the result of deliberate sadistic abuse of the hostages, which also includes starvation". Witkoff, who arrived in Israel with Benjamin Netanyahu's government facing a global outcry over the devastation in Gaza and the starvation growing among its 2.2 million people, met the prime minister on Thursday. Afterwards, a senior Israeli official said an understanding between Israel and Washington was emerging that there was a need to move from a plan to release some of the hostages to a plan to release all the hostages, disarm Hamas and demilitarise the Gaza Strip, echoing Israel's key demands for ending the war. Advertisement On Tuesday, Qatar and Egypt, who are mediating ceasefire efforts, endorsed a declaration by France and Saudi Arabia outlining steps toward a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. As part of it, they said Hamas must hand over its arms to the Western-backed Palestinian Authority. The crisis in Gaza has also prompted a string of Western powers to announce they may recognise a Palestinian state. On Friday, Witkoff visited a US backed aid operation in southern Gaza, which the United Nations has partly blamed for deadly conditions in the enclave, saying he sought to get food and other aid to people there. Dozens have died of malnutrition in recent weeks after Israel cut off all supplies to the enclave for nearly three months from March to May, according to Gaza's health ministry. It said on Saturday that it had recorded seven more fatalities, including a child, since Friday. Ireland Hilary Weston, businesswoman who helped build Penn... Read More Israel blames Hamas for the suffering in Gaza and says it is taking steps for more aid to reach its population, including pausing fighting for part of the day in some areas, air drops and announcing protected routes for aid convoys. The Gaza war began when Hamas killed more than 1,200 people and took 251 hostage in an attack on southern Israel on October 7th, 2023, according to Israeli figures. Israel's offensive has since killed more than 60,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials. According to Israeli officials, 50 hostages now remain in Gaza, only 20 of whom are believed to be alive. Additional reporting Reuters
BBC News
5 minutes ago
- BBC News
Myherin forest illegal rave shut down by police
Police have shut down an illegal rave that took place at a forestry in Police said its officers attended the "large gathering" in the early hours of Sunday 3 event took place at Cefn Croes wind farm in Myherin forest, near Devil's Bridge, according to Natural Resources Wales (NRW), who advised members of the public to avoid the Insp Steve Thomas said unlicensed music events can cause "considerable disruption" and "concern" for safety. Officers attended the event while it was "well underway", according to Dyfed-Powys Police."A number of people and vehicles remained in the area during the day, closely monitored by officers, however most attendees had left the area by late afternoon on Sunday," a spokesperson police said a "small number" of people remained in the Insp Thomas said: "We assure local communities that appropriate action was taken to deal with this event, and we will robustly investigate any criminal offences that come to light."An NRW spokesperson said: "We're supporting Dyfed Powys Police in the ongoing response to an unlicensed music event taking place on land we manage."Our forests and countryside are for everyone to enjoy, but illegal events like this can harm the environment, disturb wildlife, and create unsafe conditions for others."We advise members of the public to avoid the area while we continue to assist the police in resolving the situation."
Daily Mail
5 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Inside disgraced paedophile fixer Ghislaine Maxwell's new plush prison quarters - after she moaned about prisoners having sex...despite serving up underage girls to Epstein
Ghislaine Maxwell is now enjoying playing with puppies at a minimum security jail after moaning about transgender prisoners having loud sex in front of her at the last prison she was held in where guards were unable to keep her safe. Convicted sex trafficker Maxwell, 63, was in Tallahassee Federal prison in Florida before being transferred to the low-security Federal Prison Camp Bryan in southeast Texas on Thursday. She was incarcerated at Tallahassee in the summer of 2022 after being sentenced to 20-years behind bars for sickening child sex trafficking crimes which saw her recruit underage girls for her paedophile friend Jeffrey Epstein. However, sources have revealed how Maxwell struggled with witnessing explicit acts between her fellow inmates, and often bitterly complained about foul conditions in the prison. She was in an 'open unit' where sections of four bunk beds were separated by a small pony wall inside a larger 'dorm-style' room. A source said: 'The trans prisoners would have loud sex, out in the open. 'It drove Ghislaine mad. The grunting and noises kept her and other prisoners awake at night but the trans inmates didn't care what time of day it was or who saw them. They would have sex whenever they could.' Maxwell apparently also complained about the food she was being served during her time at the Florida jail. The source added: 'There was inadequate food. Ghislaine is a vegetarian and each prisoner is supposed to get 8oz of protein a day, but she was getting 2oz or less. The food was mouldy. Everyone, not just Ghislaine, complained about the food.' Prisoners had been able to supplement their food with supplies like Pot Noodles and chocolate from the prison commissary, but that has been closed for weeks because of lack of staff. Tallahassee is worlds away from the plush new low-security unit she is now held in with the likes of Theranos scammer Elizabeth Holmes and former Real Housewife of Salt Lake City Jen Shah. On Thursday, the Epstein acolyte was quietly moved to the minimum security Federal Prison Camp Bryan in southeast Texas where she will be able to purchase beauty and leisure items from the commissary, take up gardening and look after puppies. Bryan allows its female prisoners to roam the facility's sprawling grounds with limited to no perimeter fencing to keep them in. The 37-acre facility, located 100 miles outside of Houston, is home to 635 inmates, according to the prison's website, most of whom are serving time for non-violent offences and white-collar crimes. Other high-profile inmates who have been held there include Hot Pockets heiress Michelle Janavs who served five months in Bryan for bribing university officials to inflate her daughter's exam scores. Lea Fastow, the wife of Enron chief executive and fellow convicted felon Andrew Fastow, also spent 11 months at Bryan in 2005 for tax fraud after the Texas energy company collapsed. According to the prison handbook, life at the prison is centred around work, with prisoners earning up to $1.15 (87p) an hour for their labour. Many of the jobs involve food service and factory work and well behaved prisoners can even snag off-site jobs. They are allowed to spend up to $360 (£271) a month of their earnings on assigned shopping days at a commissary. Beauty products up for grabs include L'oreal Revita anti-ageing cream for $26 (£19.58), a Kerasal nailcare product for $20 (£15), and chest binders for trans prisoners for $26 (£19.58). Inmates are also allowed to take classes on foreign languages, gardening and beautification, as well as play sports, watch television and attend religious services. They are granted freedoms that are not allowed in most low security prisons, including more relaxed visiting hours, extended outside time, and lower guard-to-inmate ratios. Bryan prison has a gym kitted out with treadmills, elliptical trainers, stairmasters and a range of weights. Convicts can take part in sports including football, table tennis, softball, volleyball, weightlifting, yoga, Pilates and the Jumpstart weight loss programme. There are also picnic tables, bleachers and televisions available for prisoners to wind down. Jen Shah and Elizabeth Holmes were recently pictured working out together in the outside yard. Bryan prison subscribes to rehabilitation programmes, such as one named 'assert yourself for female offenders', where 'women learn to be assertive without trampling the rights of others', according to a DoJ document from 2020. Maxwell will rise at 6am each day for a roll-call and will have to dress in a prison-issued khaki shirt and fatigues, according to the handbook. Inmates are allowed to have one approved radio or MP3 player and can wear minimal jewellery, such as a wedding ring or a chain worth under $100 (£75.30). Breakfast is choice of a hot or continental-style meal, while the lunch and dinner menu offers standard federal prison meals such as chicken, hamburgers, hot dogs, macaroni cheese and tacos. Inmates are allowed visitors during weekends and holidays, but are only allowed limited physical contact with friends and family. Victims of Maxwell and Epstein have criticised the decision to move her to Bryan low-security prison, dubbing the move 'a cover up'. A joint statement reads: 'Ghislaine Maxwell is a sexual predator who physically assaulted minor children on multiple occasions, and she should never be shown any leniency. Yet, without any notification to the Maxwell victims, the government overnight has moved Maxwell to a minimum security luxury prison in Texas. 'The American public should be enraged by the preferential treatment being given to a pedophile and a criminally charged child sex offender. 'The Trump administration should not credit a word Maxwell says, as the government itself sought charges against Maxwell for being a serial liar. This move smacks of a cover up. The victims deserve better.' While the convicted sex offender felt 'reasonably safe' in her old Florida prison, guards and prison staff expressed concerns last week after she met with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche who was acting on the instructions of President Trump. 'If she had a target on her back before it has been ten time worse since last week. She has barely slept. She is constantly looking over her shoulder,' the source said. 'She has been in constant fear since the whole thing has blown up again.' Conditions inside Tallahassee were allegedly 'dire', with rat droppings and black mould in the shower areas, leaks in the roof and window plugged using female sanitary hygiene products. The air conditioning system has not worked for months. The prison ran out of medication - including chemotherapy drugs - at the end of last year. One prisoner who suffered a compound fracture of the arm did not receive medical treatment for 24 hours, according to a source. The prison spent millions on buying machines for a new welding project - to teach prisoners how to weld - but had to scrap it when guards discovered the prison's ancient electrical wiring could not support it. Maxwell was not given paper to communicate with her lawyers last week 'because they ran out of paper.' 'Tallahassee was falling apart and is chronically understaffed. The prison governor knew they could not keep Ghislaine safe with the lack of staff,' the source said. 'The main reason she was moved was because they were terrified she would come to harm. When she was in communal areas like the food hall there were not enough staff to keep her safe.' In 2023, she complained that she was living in fear at the Tallahassee facility after she ratted out two violent Cuban inmates for trying to extort her. However conditions seemed to later improve for Maxwell, who spent her days in the Florida prison teaching Pilates and etiquette classes, and she also got a job in the prison library from where she filed hundreds of grievances about conditions in the prison, including her lack of access to hair dye. Maxwell's new prison is described as 'modern and comfortable'. There had been talks about moving her to a prison in Virginia but the Texas jail was decided upon because it offers the most modern facilities and 'it is easier for them to keep her safe.' As it emerged that Maxwell had been moved to a new prison this week, reports said that it was the 63-year-old that reached out to the Department of Justice to set up meetings. She apparently requested what's known as 'proffer immunity' so that anything she revealed couldn't be used against her at a later date. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche interviewed Maxwell for several hours, as the White House grapples with the fallout of its bungled release of the so-called 'Epstein Files.' The meetings resulted in Maxwell being moved to the minimum security prison in Texas, which mostly holds white-collar criminals and, unlike the Tallahassee facility, is only for female criminals. The transfer was handled by the Federal Bureau of Prisons, which was unusual, as transfers are usually led by the US Marshals Service. The move comes as Maxwell's lawyers are pushing for a pardon from Trump, who has not publicly ruled it out. Maxwell's lawyers said she would testify 'openly and honestly' to Congress in exchange for a pardon or immunity. The House Oversight Committee subpoenaed Maxwell last week, with a deposition date set for August 11. But her lawyer David Oscar Markus said she would invoke her 5th Amendment right and decline to testify is her conditions, which include immunity, were not met. 'Ms. Maxwell cannot risk further criminal exposure in a politically charged environment without formal immunity. Nor is a prison setting conducive to eliciting truthful and complete testimony,' Markus said On Monday, Trump was asked about a potential pardon and replied: 'Well, I'm allowed to give her a pardon, but nobody's approached me with it.'
