US criticises UK decision to sanction two Israeli ministers
In a post on X, Mr Rubio said that the 'United States condemns the sanctions imposed by the governments of United Kingdom, Canada, Norway, New Zealand, and Australia on two sitting members of the Israeli cabinet. These sanctions do not advance US-led efforts to achieve a ceasefire, bring all hostages home, and end the war.'
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The National
32 minutes ago
- The National
Peaceful protest announced for Katie Hopkins Edinburgh gig
Stand Up To Racism (SUTR) Edinburgh have invited those who wish to join their peaceful protest 'against the airing of obnoxious views' to attend the BMC Social Club in the capital, where Hopkins is set to perform a comedy gig on June 19. Hopkins, a former columnist for the Mail Online, The Sun and Canadian far-right website The Rebel Media, has garnered continued criticism for her extremist views on the disabled, migrants and Muslims since her appearance on The Apprentice in 2005. READ MORE: Refugee festival exhibition showcases work by displaced artists Q Manivannan, the Scottish Greens candidate for the upcoming Fountainbridge-Craiglockhart byelection, said: 'Our country is built upon care, hospitality, and tolerance. Not the hate that Katie Hopkins brings, mocking disabled people, calling for a racist 'final solution', and fat-shaming. 'Her hate is recognised worldwide with her readers in Exeter voting to dump her, the likes of Piers Morgan calling her 'despicable', being held guilty of libel in a court of law, being deported from Australia, and impressing the world with her life of distrust. 'Scotland rejects such hate and racism. It has no room in our local communities." READ MORE: UK 'currently' training Israeli soldiers on UK soil, Labour Government admits Steve West, an independent socialist candidate for the byelection, added: "I share Stand Up To Racism's disgust that the BMC Club is hosting the racist, so-called comedian Katie Hopkins, who has also insulted disabled people. 'The club needs to be given a clear message that this is unacceptable. Edinburgh has a proud record of inclusivity and we need to keep it that way." SUTR recently held a successful counter-demo to the 'Great British National Strike' and have garnered the support of major trade union organisations, as well as several Scottish public figures like Frankie Boyle, Humza Yousaf and Aamer Anwar.
Reuters
42 minutes ago
- Reuters
Second Italian journalist targeted with Paragon spyware, watchdog group says
LONDON, June 12 (Reuters) - A second Italian journalist was recently targeted by software made by U.S.-owned surveillance company Paragon, internet watchdog group Citizen Lab said, raising new questions about a surveillance scandal that has already led Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government and Paragon to part ways. Citizen Lab said in a report on Thursday that Italian investigative journalist Ciro Pellegrino's iPhone showed evidence of having been targeted by Paragon's sophisticated spy software. Pellegrino works at the online newspaper Fanpage, whose editor-in-chief Francesco Cancellato earlier disclosed that he was one of scores of users who received January alerts from WhatsApp that they had been targeted using Paragon's technology. Fanpage has published a stream of critical coverage of Meloni's government, notably an exposé tying her party's youth wing to neo-Nazi activity, and the allegation that Fanpage's journalists, among others, were put under surveillance has stirred controversy in Italy. On Monday, the government and Paragon announced that they were no longer working together, offering conflicting explanations about who fired whom. Paragon referred questions back to an earlier statement, opens new tab it provided to the Israeli publication Haaretz in which it said it had offered Italian officials a way to check whether its systems had been used against Cancellato, but that Italian authorities had rebuffed the offer. Italian officials did not return a message seeking comment on the Citizen Lab report. In a text exchange with Reuters, Pellegrino said the discovery that he had been targeted with spyware was "horrible." The Naples-based journalist said his phone was "the black box of my life, which contains everything from personal and health data to journalistic sources." Although an Italian parliamentary panel reported on Monday that the country's spy services had deployed Paragon's tools to intercept the communications of migrant sea rescue activists in the context of law enforcement work, the panel said it had found no evidence that the tools were used by Italian intelligence to go after Fanpage's Cancellato. The discovery of Paragon spyware on the phone of one of Cancellato's colleagues adds to questions about the panel's thoroughness, said Natalia Krapiva, a senior lawyer with Access Now, a human rights group that works with spyware victims. "It sheds serious doubt on the adequacy of the investigation," she said. The Italian parliamentary panel, which has reserved the right to conduct further investigations around the matter, did not respond to a message seeking comment. In its report, Citizen Lab also said that an unnamed European journalist was hacked with Paragon's spyware. The lab, which is based out of the University of Toronto, offered no other details and declined to answer questions about the journalist's identity or the circumstances of their targeting.
The National
an hour ago
- The National
UK accused of 'actively participating in genocide' by training IDF
The news came in response to a written question in Westminster by Labour MP for York Central Rachael Maskell, who asked "when the last time was that a member of the Israel Defense Forces was trained by the UK armed forces". The National reported how Armed Forces Minister Luke Pollard admitted that the UK was "currently" training IDF soldiers in the UK, in a response published on Wednesday. Pollard said: 'As part of routine defence engagement with Israel, the UK is currently training a limited number of Israel Defense Forces personnel on UK-based training courses.' READ MORE: Convoy of 1500 arrives in Libya en route to Gaza to break Israel's blockade on aid The Scottish Greens have now accused the UK Government of "direct, active participation in the genocide of the Palestinian people". The party's co-leader, Patrick Harvie, said Labour were now tied to "every bomb dropped, every home destroyed, every child killed" by Israel. Patrick Harvie (Image: PA) Harvie (above) said: 'The UK is actively training members of the Israeli military while they carry out a brutal assault on Gaza. This is nothing short of disgraceful. "This goes beyond complicity - it is direct, active participation in the genocide of the Palestinian people. Every bomb dropped, every home destroyed, every child killed is a crime that the UK Government is now tied to." Harvie said that the Scottish Greens have "been clear from the start" that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. READ MORE: Absurdity' of UK position on Israel while still supplying arms called out by SNP MP "Tens of thousands of people, most of them women, children and the elderly, have been killed and entire communities have been wiped out. Hospitals, schools, and refugee camps have been targeted," he added. "This is not self-defence - it is the destruction of a people through murder and forced displacement." Harvie continued: "It is appalling that instead of taking action to end the violence, this Labour UK Government are training the Israeli war machine that is committing these crimes. "Training soldiers who are part of these atrocities is a betrayal of every principle of human rights and international law. It must stop now. 'We repeat our calls for an immediate ceasefire, an end to UK participation in genocide, and full accountability for war crimes. Scotland must stand on the side of peace and justice - not with those who commit and support these horrific acts. READ MORE: Scottish Government demands immediate release of Madleen crew detained by Israel "All those who are participating in these atrocities must be brought to justice.' The admission comes despite the Labour Government sanctioning two Israeli ministers – Itamar Ben-Gvir, the security minister, and Bezalel Smotrich, the finance minister. The UK Government has also continued to send military equipment to Israel, and has declined to block exports of parts for F-35 fighter jets despite evidence that they have been used in Gaza. Further, the Government has continued sending spy plane flights over Gaza in missions they say are run to provide Israel with information that could help to recover hostages held by Hamas. The UK Government has been contacted for comment.
