
Steve Coogan reads out names of children killed in Gaza at Westminster vigil
Actors and activists, including Steve Coogan and Juliet Stevenson, gathered in London to read aloud the names of thousands of children killed in Gaza.
The vigil, organised by Choose Love, took place in the shadow of the Elizabeth Tower outside the Palace of Westminster. Participants sought to honour the more than 16,000 children who have died in the last 19 months.
Standing in front of a banner which read 'Gaza: Actions Not Words', Coogan said he participated to "highlight the plight of starving children in Gaza who are having their aid blocked".
Attendees described the events as a genocide, urging the public to protest against the UK Government 's approach to the conflict.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Daily Mail
32 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Air quality alerts in Minnesota due to Canadian wildfire smoke
An air quality emergency has been issued in a Minnesota city, warning residents that any exposure could lead to serious health effects. Minneapolis and its suburbs are currently experiencing 'Very Unhealthy' air due to toxic wildfire smoke drifting in from Canada. Several large wildfires have been burning across British Columbia, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba over the past week. Blaine, a suburb, currently has the worst air quality in the United States, followed by nearby Saint Paul, Minneapolis and Savage. More than 3.6 million Americans are under the alerts. All of Minnesota is under some level of air quality alert, which officials say will remain in effect through midday Wednesday. Meteorologists warn that due to the size and scope of the Canadian wildfires, Minnesota is likely to face intermittent smoky skies for several more days. Smoke from over 160 active Canadian wildfires is also creating public health concerns in Wisconsin, Iowa and Nebraska. These areas are experiencing conditions classified as from 'Unhealth' to 'Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups,' posing risks to pregnant women, children, the elderly, and those with respiratory conditions. The US Air Quality Index (AQI) considers a value of 50 or below to be 'good' air quality. But current readings in Blaine have reached 253, placing it deep in the 'Very Unhealthy' range. Saint Paul sits at 234, Minneapolis at 210, and Savage at 204, all of which are also hazardous to health. These elevated levels are expected to persist through Tuesday afternoon, before gradually dropping into the 100s, a range still considered 'Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups,' through Wednesday. The official air quality forecast indicates that conditions are expected to improve to healthy levels by Thursday. Eastern Iowa, from Burlington to Maquoketa, is currently experiencing unhealthy air quality, according to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Parts of northern and western Iowa are listed under a moderate air quality ranking. The region's AQI is ranging from 151 to 200, while moderate levels sit from 51 to 100. Meteorologists said showers and thunderstorms are expected in the coming days that will push some of the smoke out of the area. Brooke Hagenhoff, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Des Moines, told Des Moines Register : 'With this incoming system, that's going to help push a lot of the smoke off to the east, so with that we should start to see improvement as far as the haziness in the sky the past several days.' The wildfire smokes is also concentrating in a small region of Nebraska around Blair and Blakely Township where levels are 'Unhealth for Sensitive Groups.' The Canadian province of Manitoba declared a state of emergency on Wednesday, triggering mass evacuations in the area. Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew said: 'This is the largest evacuation Manitoba will have seen in most people's living memory.' 'The military is being called for help here because of the sheer scale of the 17,000 folks that we move relatively quickly.' So far this year, Manitoba has had 102 fires, which officials say is 'well above' the province's average of 77 by this time. Separately, wildfires in Alberta province have prompted a temporary shutdown of some oil and gas production and forced residents of at least one small town to evacuate . That region was affected on Wednesday by wildfires spanning 11.2 square miles near Chipewyan Lake, a small community in the northern part of the province approximately 81 miles west of the oil sands hub of Fort McMurray.


BBC News
38 minutes ago
- BBC News
Well to face Carlisle in behind-closed-doors friendly
Motherwell's pre-season schedule will include a behind-closed-doors friendly against Carlisle match will take place on 8 July, with the Fir Park side's competitive action kicking off four days later when they travel to Clyde for their League Cup group will play non-league football next term following relegation from England's League are yet to appoint a manager following the surprising departure of Michael Wimmer, who left to join German third-tier club Jahn Regensburg almost two weeks ago.


BBC News
38 minutes ago
- BBC News
Hotel group challenges Liverpool's 'tourist tax'
A major hotel group is challenging a £2 "tourist tax" charge added to overnight stays for visitors to which owns Premier Inn, said the visitor levy which came into force on Sunday should be charge was voted for by members of the city's Accommodation Business Improvement District (ABID) in a ballot earlier this the 83 hotels in Liverpool who were asked, 59% (26) were in favour, on a turnout of 53%. The levy is mandatory for all hotels in the city above a certain rateable value, regardless of whether they took part in the ballot or whether they opposed the charge. According to the ABID, a £2 city charge per room per night could bring in over £9m pounds over two years, to support the visitor the idea has had its chief executive Dominic Paul has said that hotels, restaurants and bars were being held back by higher labour costs and faced additional burdens from possible surcharges on overnight in The Times, he said the hospitality industry "finds itself on the receiving end of a series of government interventions which together will significantly hold back our ability to contribute to growth". Concerns raised The government has confirmed it had received a request from Whitbread for the ballot result to be City Council said it was confident the ballot was conducted according to legal requirements, but will look at the concerns raised by the challenge by the deadline of 24 June.A minister will consider the response in determining whether the ballot should be declared government said hotels could continue to collect the cash from visitors, pending the outcome of the challenge, but visitors would be refunded if it is challenge comes as regional mayors, lead by Liverpool City Region's Steve Rotheram, have asked government to devolve powers to raise such taxes at local level, rather than via a BID ballot which is the only means available at the Doyle, Liverpool City Council's cabinet member for health, wellbeing and culture said Whitbread's challenge "reinforced the council's position and that of the mayors that visitor levies would benefit from a new national arrangement, established under the proposals for devolution."He added: "The case for a visitor levy has been made and is being advocated across the UK."The BBC has contacted Whitbread for comment. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.