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News18
3 hours ago
- News18
Britain Re-Establishing Diplomatic Ties With Syria As Lammy Visits Damascus Syria Unrest
The United Kingdom has announced it is formally restoring diplomatic ties with Syria as British Foreign Secretary David Lammy travelled to the capital Damascus to meet with interim Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa. Source: Reuters, APNews18 Mobile App -
The Hindu
3 hours ago
- The Hindu
Songs of outrage
On June 28, at the Glastonbury music festival in the U.K., the BBC staff were on high alert. Scared of the possibility of protest music that could discomfit the powers that be, they had already decided not to live stream the performance of the Irish hip-hop trio Kneecap, which has in the past used its shows to accuse Israel of committing genocide in Palestine. Bob Vylan, the British punk rock duo, was nowhere in their radar. This meant that all those who had tuned into the BBC stream heard the chants 'free, free Palestine' and 'death, death to the IDF' (referring to the Israel Defence Forces), initiated by lead singer Bobby Vylan (real name Pascal Robinson-Foster) and repeated by the large crowd waving Palestine flags. The band, which was just beginning to make its mark outside the punk underground, suddenly found itself at the centre of the global music spotlight as well as a political storm. Although a few pro-Israeli voices criticised them, the band found overwhelming support online, but the establishment was swift in its crackdown. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who had earlier demanded that Kneecap not be given a platform at the festival, called it 'appalling hate speech'. The Avon and Somerset Police launched a criminal investigation against the band. The BBC issued a formal apology, asked some senior staff involved in the event to step back from their duties and put Bob Vylan in the 'high risk' category. The U.S. State Department revoked the visas of the band members, making the band lose close to 20 scheduled shows in the country. Music festivals in France and Manchester dropped them. But Bob Vylan appeared to expect the blowback and was aware of what they stood to lose for saying what they said. 'We are not for the death of Jews, Arabs or any other race or group of people. We are for the dismantling of a violent military machine. A machine that has destroyed much of Gaza,' the band wrote on Instagram. Bob Vylan emerged in 2017 in Ipswich, catching attention with their music which brings together the anti-establishment soul of punk rock and hip-hop. Some of their songs — which have over this week found lakhs of new listeners — and the issues that they talk about are reminiscent of rap metal legends Rage Against the Machine, known for their politically-charged performances. Strongly protective of their privacy from the 'surveillance state', the duo adopted the stage names Bobby Vylan and Bobbie Vylan. Protest music A pro-Palestinian stand has always been a part of the band's ideology, with the lead singer participating in protests since a young age. Their lyrics such as 'The government, their not helping no one out, except for the rich people... It makes me violent' or 'Give Churchill's statue the rope and see if it floats' are designed to provoke and call attention to pertinent issues. In a way, they are sticking to the conventions of the genre, for sparking outrage is par for the course for punk bands. Banning musicians is not a first for the BBC either. It had issued a total ban on the punk band Sex Pistols in 1977 after they released the song God Save the Queen, which asked uncomfortable questions about the British monarchy. Bob Vylan also belongs to a long tradition of protest music, which witnessed its heights during the Vietnam War, when there were songs like Phil Ochs's Draft Dodger Rag, Pete Seeger's Waist Deep in the Big Muddy and Creedence Clearwater Revival's Fortunate Son and Bob Dylan's Masters of War. The current spring of protest music led by Kneecap and Bob Vylan is certainly more direct and hard-hitting, partly due to a sense of helplessness. That is probably why their voices resonated with such a large number of music buffs, who have hit out at even the much-loved band Radiohead for their unclear stand on Palestine. At one point, Bob Vylan appeared to be getting even more media attention than the ongoing deaths in Gaza. But as the band said, 'We are not the story. We are a distraction from the story. And whatever sanctions we receive will be a distraction.' Gaza remains the story.
Hindustan Times
4 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Mel B marries Rory McPhee in a royal London ceremony: Inside Spice Girl singer's two stunning wedding gowns
Melanie Mel B Brown said 'I do' in classic Spice Girl fashion, bold, glamorous, and her own style. The 50-year-old singer and former Spice Girls star got married to her partner, Rory McPhee, on July 5, as reported by People. They exchanged vows at the historic St. Paul's Cathedral in London. It is the same church where Princess Diana and Prince Charles got married in 1981. Mel B married her partner, Rory McPhee, on July 5, 2025, at St. Paul's Cathedral in London, wearing two designer gowns.(officialmelb/Instagram) Also Read: Travis Kelce's heartfelt tribute to Taylor Swift's masters win: Here's how he celebrated Mel B wore two stunning dresses at her wedding Mel B wore not one, but two wedding dresses for the occasion. She first walked down the aisle in a custom ivory gown reportedly from British designer Josephine Scott, selected with help from Evelie Bridal Boutique in London. 'Mel was a dream to work with, bringing her own sense of style to the occasion,' said Caroline Black, the boutique's owner, in a statement to People. Later in the evening, she switched to a second dress by designer Justin Alexander. Also Read: Big Brother turns 25: Top 5 wild moments from the show to celebrate its silver jubilee Mel B's wedding: A ceremony fit for royalty Mel B earned the rare chance of marrying at St. Paul's Cathedral after receiving an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) from Prince William in 2022, recognising her work raising awareness about domestic violence, reports People. 'It's a big deal. Not many people are allowed to get married there. You have to be kind of special,' she said during a Tonight Show appearance earlier this year. On Today with Hoda & Jenna back in January, Mel teased the possibility of multiple outfits and even floated the idea of Victoria Beckham designing one of her dresses. 'I don't think it would be fair to just have one. 'Just have as many as you want,' she joked. Spice Girls energy at the bachelorette bash In true Mel B fashion, the celebrations started long before the big day. People reported she marked her hen party with a group of 36 friends, heading to a lakeside getaway where she wore a leopard-print bikini, a nod to her iconic Scary Spice look. In a video posted to Instagram on June 22, Mel B can be seen sprinting down a dock, tearing off a lace cover-up as she runs to meet her friends by the water. 'HEN DO TIME WITH THE MOST AMAZING GROUP OF 36 WOMEN !!!!!!!' she wrote in the caption. Between the royal venue, designer gowns, and personal touches, the day was unmistakably Mel B as it was equal parts glamorous, grounded, and unapologetically hers. Also, judging by the way she celebrated, it's clear she's still got that Scary Spice spark. FAQs Q1. Who did Mel B marry? She married hair stylist and longtime partner Rory McPhee on July 5, 2025. Q2. Where was Mel B's wedding held? At the historic St. Paul's Cathedral in London, the same church where Princess Diana got married. Q3. Why was Mel B allowed to marry at St. Paul's? She was honoured with an MBE by Prince William in 2022 for her advocacy work on domestic violence.
