Germany to Halt Military Deliveries to Israel for Gaza Attacks
The ban on deliveries of spare parts for tanks and other defense-related goods will be in place until further notice, Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Friday in a statement. The move was prompted by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's move to secure approval for a military takeover of Gaza City.
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US says UK human rights have worsened in past year
A report produced by the Trump administration says the human rights situation in the UK has "worsened" over the past year. The annual report, which looks at global human rights, specifically pointed to what it said were restrictions on freedom of expression and threats of violence motivated by antisemitism in Britain. The criticism echoes comments previously made by members of the US president's senior team, including Vice-President JD Vance. A UK government spokesperson said: "Free speech is vital for democracy around the world including here in the UK and we are proud to uphold freedoms whilst keeping our citizens safe." The report also describes the human rights situation as having "worsened" in France and Germany. On freedom of speech in the UK, it said "specific areas of concern" included restrictions on political speech deemed "hateful" or "offensive". It said the response to last year's Southport attacks had been an "especially grievous example of government censorship", adding, "censorship of ordinary Britons was increasingly routine, often targeted at political speech". Three young girls were stabbed to death at a Taylor Swift dance class by 18-year-old Axel Rudakubana in July 2024. A peaceful vigil was held in the town the next day, but misinformation spread online about Rudakubana led to violent protests. Posts claiming he was an asylum seeker, who had arrived in the UK on a small boat, were shared widely. In the wake of the rioting, action was taken against internet users who made the false claims and urged revenge. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer promised that those involved would "face the full force of the law". The US state department report said local and national government officials had "repeatedly intervened to chill speech". State department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce, without naming the UK specifically, said online restrictions had targeted "disfavoured voices on political or religious grounds." "No matter really how disagreeable someone's speech may be, criminalising it or silencing it by force only serves as a catalyst for further hatred, suppression or polarisation," Bruce told reporters. The report also pointed to buffer zone laws which prohibit protests outside abortion service centres and Public Spaces Protection Orders, powers local councils can use to ban certain anti-social activities. Scotland implemented 200m (656ft) buffer zones in September 2024. A month later, 150m buffer zones were put in place around abortion clinics in England and Wales. When they were introduced, safeguarding minister Jess Phillips said: "We will not sit back and tolerate harassment, abuse and intimidation as people exercise their legal right to healthcare." In April, a woman was convicted of holding a sign reading "Here to talk, if you want" outside a clinic in Bournemouth. Livia Tossici-Bolt's case was highlighted by Vance and the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labour - a bureau within the US state department. The bureau said it was "disappointed" by the ruling. "Freedom of expression must be protected for all," it added. On a more positive note, the report also highlighted how "the government effectively enforced laws protecting freedom of association, collective bargaining, and the right of workers to engage in a strike or other industrial action". Police get new guidance on releasing suspects' ethnicity Trump administration rewrites and scales back annual human rights report How a deleted LinkedIn post was weaponised and seen by millions before the Southport riot
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New Zealand prime minister says Israel's Netanyahu has 'lost the plot'
(Reuters) -New Zealand's Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said on Wednesday that Israel's leader Benjamin Netanyahu had 'lost the plot' as the country weighs up whether to recognise a Palestinian state. Luxon told reporters that the lack of humanitarian assistance, the forceful displacement of people and the annexation of Gaza were utterly appalling and that Netanyahu had gone way too far. "I think he has lost the plot," added Luxon, who heads the centre-right coalition government. "What we are seeing overnight, the attack on Gaza City, is utterly, utterly unacceptable." Luxon said earlier this week New Zealand was considering whether to recognise a Palestinian state. Close ally Australia on Monday joined Canada, the UK and France in announcing it would do so at a U.N. conference in September. The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has reached "unimaginable levels", Britain, Canada, Australia and several of their European allies said on Tuesday, calling on Israel to allow unrestricted aid into the war-torn Palestinian enclave. Israel has denied responsibility for hunger spreading in Gaza, accusing Hamas militants of stealing aid shipments, which Hamas denies. Ahead of Wednesday's parliamentary session, a small number of protesters gathered outside the country's parliament buildings, beating pots and pans. Local media organisation Stuff reported protesters chanted 'MPs grow a spine, recognise Palestine.' On Tuesday, Greens parliamentarian Chloe Swarbrick was removed from parliament's debating chamber after she refused to apologise for a comment insinuating government politicians were spineless for not supporting a bill to 'sanction Israel for its war crimes." Swarbrick was ordered to leave the debating chamber for a second day on Wednesday after she again refused to apologise. When she refused to leave, the government voted to suspend her. 'Sixty-eight members of this House were accused of being spineless," House speaker Gerry Brownlee said. "There has never been a time where personal insults like that delivered inside a speech were accepted by this House and I'm not going to start accepting it." As Swarbrick left, she called out 'free Palestine.'
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Macron slams disaster waiting to happen in Gaza, wants UN mission
Macron slams disaster waiting to happen in Gaza, wants UN mission PARIS (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday slammed Israel's plans to step up its military operation in Gaza as a disaster waiting to happen and proposed an international coalition under a United Nations mandate to stabilise Gaza. Last week, Israel's security cabinet approved a plan to take control of Gaza City, in a move that expanded its military operations in the shattered Palestinian territory and drew strong criticism at home and abroad. "The Israeli cabinet's announcement of an expansion of its operations in Gaza City and the Mawasi camps and for a re-occupation heralds a disaster of unprecedented gravity waiting to happen and of a drift towards a never-ending war," said Macron, in remarks sent by his office to reporters. "The Israeli hostages and the people of Gaza will continue to be the primary victims of this strategy," added Macron. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office did not immediately return a request for comment. Responding to international criticism in a press conference on Sunday, he said Israel is "applying force judiciously". By proposing a U.N.-mandated mission in Gaza, Macron is seeking to build on the momentum created by his recognition of a Palestinian state last month, which set off a domino of recognitions, with Britain and Canada following suit. Macron said the U.N. mission would be tasked with securing the Gaza Strip, protecting civilians and working in support of unspecified Palestinian governance. He said the U.N. Security Council should work on establishing the mission. "I have asked my teams to work on that with our partners without delay," he added. Solve the daily Crossword
