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The Independent
07-08-2025
- The Independent
Police investigate after video of men spraying water pistol at Orthodox Jews
Police have launched an investigation after a video of two men firing a water pistol at members of the Jewish community was circulated on social media. In a now deleted video, two men were seen laughing as they sprayed traditionally-dressed Orthodox Jewish adults and children with water on the streets of Manchester. Greater Manchester Police said a crime had been reported after the video was shared online. "A crime has been recorded, with multiple lines of enquiry being actively investigated," the force said. "We are working closely with partners to provide reassurance to the communities impacted, and we encourage anyone who has been targeted to contact us on 999 in an emergency, 101, or by reporting on our website.' The video was shared on Instagram and YouTube before it was taken down. Community Security Trust, a charity which monitors antisemitism across the UK, described it as "an appalling antisemitic video". The Independent has contacted the account that uploaded the video. One of the men told The Jewish Chronicle they 'sincerely apologise' if anyone felt offended and said: "I honestly don't understand the hate we're getting right now. It was just a simple water gun prank using a small toy — nothing more. "I have two other 'Water Gun Prank' videos filmed with British people, and everyone was smiling, laughing, and the vibe was great. 'I don't understand how this suddenly became labeled as hate speech. It's not hate speech in any way — it's just a normal human joke, nothing offensive or targeted. "We do not accept being called hateful or being accused of spreading hate speech. That's simply not true. We respect all people regardless of their race.'
Telegraph
01-08-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Why are so many babies being named ‘Yahya'?
Imagine if in 1945 hundreds of Brits christened their newborn sons Adolf. That might have rattled us as a nation, right? I feel similarly about the news that, last year, 583 baby boys in the UK were given the name Yahya. Yes, hundreds of families saw fit to bestow on their little ones the name shared by the one-time leader of Hamas and the architect of the worst mass murder of Jews since Adolf's days – Yahya Sinwar. The Top 100 Boys' Names of 2024 were released this week, and Yahya has really blown up. It reportedly enjoyed a larger spike in popularity than any other male name. It leapt a staggering 33 places up the rankings, to become the 93rd most popular boy's name. The name that made the second largest jump was Vinnie, which went up 20 places to become the 91st most popular boy's name. There were 585 boys called Vinnie and 583 called Yahya: it's like a grainy snapshot of the tense times we live in. As the Jewish Chronicle says, there's no 'definite correlation' between the spike in boys being called Yahya and an outburst of support for Yahya Sinwar. And yet it seems pretty clear something weird is going on. It's the sudden leap in the popularity of Yahya that freaks me out. The calendar year in which the most popular names were compiled started less than three months after Hamas's pogrom of October 7, 2023. It's a year in which Sinwar would have been in the news a lot, including when he was bumped off by the IDF in October 2024. It was also a year in which the dimmest of the 'pro-Palestine' set will have clogged up social media with gushing praise for Sinwar, calling him a 'resistance fighter' and whatnot. Can it really be a coincidence that as Hamas and its then top dog hit the headlines, the name Yahya rose higher up the rankings than any other boy's name? Perhaps. What's in a name, people ask. A lot. Years ago I wrote a piece for the BBC about how the popularity of a name waxes and wanes in tandem with world events. I talked to women in their 80s called Lolita, who as kids had been blissfully unaware of what would become of their name following the publication of Nabokov's infamous novel in 1955. The name Adolf all but disappeared in Europe after World War II. Myra collapsed in the UK following the Moors Murders. I spoke to the only British male to have been named Lucifier – he calls himself Luke now. Names have meaning. So surely it means something that more families than ever called their boys Yahya in the months after a man with that very name gave the go-ahead to the worst anti-Jewish pogrom in decades. Not one baby boy was called Keir last year. That's not surprising. It's an old-fashioned name, and what's more it is now associated with one of the lamest-duck PMs we've ever been saddled with. And yet you don't have to be a demographic doomerist to feel unnerved that while no boy was called Keir, 583 were called Yahya. That where not one kid was named after the Prime Minister, 583 now share the name of one of the wickedest men of our times. Here's a more heartening story. Last week, Jimmy Pacheco, a Filipino migrant worker who spent 49 days in the clutches of Hamas after being kidnapped on 7 October, welcomed his new baby daughter to the world. He called her Israela.
Saba Yemen
04-07-2025
- Politics
- Saba Yemen
UK Celebrities Call for BBC Board Member's Removal over Pro-Israel Bias
London - Saba: Over 400 prominent British figures in culture, arts, and media have signed a letter demanding the removal of BBC board member Robbie Gibb, accusing him of pro-Israel bias. The letter cites concerns over editorial transparency and Gibb's past ties with the Jewish Chronicle, warning these connections undermine the BBC's impartiality. Signatories include actress Miriam Margolyes, writer Alexei Sayle, director Mike Leigh, and 111 anonymous BBC employees. The letter also criticizes double standards, highlighting disciplinary actions against journalists who criticized Israel, while Gibb retains a powerful position. Criticism intensified after the BBC canceled the airing of the documentary Gaza: Doctors Under Attack, citing neutrality concerns. Critics argue this reflects broader editorial bias in the BBC's Gaza coverage. The documentary was later aired by Channel 4. Since October 7, 2023, Israel's war on Gaza has drawn accusations of genocide, with widespread destruction and civilian casualties, despite international calls to halt the assault. Whatsapp Telegram Email Print more of (International)
The National
02-07-2025
- Politics
- The National
111 BBC journalists demand change as Israel reporting 'crippled'
Some 111 BBC journalists have called for Robbie Gibb, the controversial BBC board member for England, to be removed from the role over his impact on the broadcaster's reporting. Gibb's position on the BBC editorial standards committee is also 'untenable' as his well-known political affiliations mean the BBC is not reporting on Israel 'without fear or favour', a letter coordinated by BBC insiders says. READ MORE: UK Government refuses to reveal assessment of Israel's nuclear weapons Gibb, who was Theresa May's director of communication in No 10 and an early editorial adviser to the alt-right broadcaster GB News, led the buy-out of the Jewish Chronicle in 2020 and remained a director of Jewish Chronicle Media until August 2024. The Jewish Chronicle – whose current owner is controversially kept secret – was then plunged into crisis after it was found to have published a series of fake series about Gaza and Hamas, both before and after Gibb was a director. In their letter, published on Wednesday, 111 BBC journalists said the broadcaster was 'crippled by the fear of being perceived as critical of the Israeli government', adding that the 'inconsistent manner in which guidance is applied draws into focus the role of Gibb, on the BBC Board and BBC's editorial standards committee'. 'We are concerned that an individual with close ties to the Jewish Chronicle … has a say in the BBC's editorial decisions in any capacity, including the decision not to broadcast Gaza: Medics Under Fire,' it states. BBC board member Robbie Gibb (Image: BBC) The BBC has refused to broadcast the Gaza: Medics Under Fire documentary for fear of appearing biased. Channel 4 has stepped in and will show the film on Wednesday evening. The journalists' letter says the episode shows that the BBC is 'not reporting 'without fear or favour' when it comes to Israel'. They raise 'concerns over opaque editorial decisions and censorship at the BBC on the reporting of Israel/Palestine'. The letter goes on: 'For many of us, our efforts have been frustrated by opaque decisions made at senior levels of the BBC without discussion or explanation. Our failures impact audiences. READ MORE: BBC accused of 'spurious' defence over Gaza documentary axe 'As an organisation we have not offered any significant analysis of the UK government's involvement in the war on Palestinians. We have failed to report on weapons sales or their legal implications. These stories have instead been broken by the BBC's competitors.' It claims Gibb has a 'conflict of interest' that would not be allowed for reporters, who have 'experienced censorship in the name of 'impartiality''. The letter goes on: 'In some instances staff have been accused of having an agenda because they have posted news articles critical of the Israeli government on their social media. 'By comparison, Gibb remains in an influential post with little transparency regarding his decisions despite his ideological leanings being well known. We can no longer ask licence fee payers to overlook Gibbs's ideological allegiances.' The letter concludes: 'We, the undersigned BBC staff, freelancers and industry figures are extremely concerned that the BBC's reporting on Israel and Palestine continues to fall short of the standards our audiences expect. 'We believe the role of Robbie Gibb, both on the board, and as part of the editorial standards committee, is untenable. We call on the BBC to do better for our audiences and recommit to our values of impartiality, honesty and reporting without fear or favour.' While the 111 BBC journalists to have signed the letter have done so anonymously, other figures to have put their names to it include actors Miriam Margolyes, Alexei Sayle, and Juliet Stevenson, and esteemed Scottish historian William Dalrymple. Gibb, an outspoken Brexiteer whose brother Nick was a Tory MP until 2024 and minister until 2023, was described as an 'active agent' of the Conservative party by former Newsnight host Emily Maitlis in 2022. READ MORE: Scots back independence as Keir Starmer's popularity at record low, new poll finds Maitlis said that on the BBC board an 'active agent of the Conservative party – former Downing Street spin doctor, and former adviser to BBC rival GB News – now sits, acting as the arbiter of BBC impartiality'. A BBC spokesperson said: 'Robust discussions amongst our editorial teams about our journalism are an essential part of the editorial process. We have ongoing discussions about coverage and listen to feedback from staff and we think these conversations are best had internally. 'Regarding our coverage of Gaza, the BBC is fully committed to covering the conflict impartially and has produced powerful coverage from the region. Alongside breaking news, ongoing analysis, and investigations, we have produced award winning documentaries such as Life and Death in Gaza, and Gaza 101.'
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Israel's drone strikes in Iran show why US must halt China's land grab here: experts
National security and China experts are warning that Israel's attack on Iran is an example of why Beijing's efforts to purchase land and other assets within the United States need to be stopped immediately. After the initial attacks began on Friday, news reports began surfacing indicating that Israel had secretly built a drone base on Iranian soil that it used to launch its attacks. The operation was years in the making, one Israeli security official told the Jewish Chronicle, adding that weapons systems and soldiers had been smuggled into the country ahead of time. "Look at the ways Israel penetrated Iran for sabotage operations. Now look at the Chinese companies and assets permeating the US power grid (solar converters), local law enforcement (DJI drones), and social media (TikTok)," China policy expert Michael Sobolik wrote in a post on X. "The CCP is preparing to paralyze us in a crisis." The Real Implications Of The Chinese Fungus Smuggling Gabriel Noronha, president of Polaris National Security, also drew parallels between the China land grab in the United States and the recent Ukrainian drone strike that decimated a significant portion of Russia's air fleet. The attack reportedly involved drones smuggled into Russia and released near airfields. "After Ukraine's drone operation in Russia and Israel's operation in Iran, it is obvious that America's enemies will try to replicate that playbook on our soil," Noronha said. "It is increasingly dangerous to allow Chinese companies and individuals to own land - especially near our military bases and critical infrastructure. Left unchecked, we are opening our land to host clandestine Chinese military bases to launch all sorts of attacks and cripple our nation in wartime." Read On The Fox News App After Ukraine's Surprise Drone Assault On Russia, New Attention Drawn To Sensitive Sites Stateside Officials in the United States have been sounding the alarm for years now about China's efforts to purchase land near military bases, and other strategic assets that could help them sabotage the country. Just recently, the Arizona legislature passed a bill meant to block Chinese entities from obtaining more than a 30% stake in Arizona real estate, but it was vetoed by Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs. According to the bill's sponsor, China had recently been trying to lease property near a major Air Force base in the state. Michael Lucci, the CEO and founder of State Armor Action, a conservative group with a mission to develop and enact state-level solutions to global security threats, warned Friday that if the United States does not get serious about interrupting China's asset grab, it risks losing a war with them. He said land grabs are just the "tip of the iceberg." "CCP land ownership is bad but it's tip of the iceberg," Lucci said. "Their industrial property holdings are worse, as is their port access. Perhaps worst of all is their deep penetration of critical infrastructure and govt systems." "I now understand the potential problem of the Chinese government owning land in America," added writer and podcast host Jamie article source: Israel's drone strikes in Iran show why US must halt China's land grab here: experts
