Latest news with #MassiveAttack
Express Tribune
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Celebrities urge UK to end arms sales to Israel
Lipa has been vocal about genocide in Gaza. Photo: AFP Pop star Dua Lipa joined some 300 UK celebrities in signing an open letter Thursday urging Britain to halt arms sales to Israel, after similar pleas from lawyers and writers. Actors, musicians, activists and other public figures wrote the letter calling on Prime Minister Keir Starmer to "end the UK's complicity in the horrors in Gaza". British-Albanian pop sensation Dua Lipa has been vocal about the war in Gaza and last year criticised Israel's offensive as a "genocide". Israel has repeatedly denied allegations of genocide and says its campaign intends to crush Hamas following the deadly October 2023 attack. Other signatories include actors Benedict Cumberbatch, Tilda Swinton and Riz Ahmed, and musicians Paloma Faith, Annie Lennox and Massive Attack. "You can't call it 'intolerable' and keep sending arms," read the letter to Labour leader Starmer organised by Choose Love, a UK-based humanitarian aid and refugee advocacy charity. Sports broadcaster Gary Lineker, who stepped down from his role at the BBC after a social media post that contained anti-Semitic imagery, also signed the letter. Signatories urged the UK to ensure "full humanitarian access across Gaza", broker an "immediate and permanent ceasefire", and "immediately suspend" all arms sales to Israel. "The children of Gaza cannot wait another minute. Prime Minister, what will you choose? Complicity in war crimes, or the courage to act?", the letter continued. Earlier this month, Starmer slammed Israel's "egregious" renewed military offensive in Gaza and promised to take "further concrete actions" if it did not stop – without detailing what the actions could be. Last September the UK government suspended 30 out of 350 arms export licenses to Israel, saying there was a "clear risk" they could be used to breach humanitarian law. Global outrage has grown after Israel ended a ceasefire in March and stepped up military operations this month, killing thousands of people in a span of two months according to figures by the health ministry in Gaza. The humanitarian situation has also sparked alarm and fears of starvation after a two-month blockade on aid entering the devastated territory. Over 800 UK lawyers including Supreme Court justices, and some 380 British and Irish writers warned of Israel committing a "genocide" in Gaza in open letters this week. 1,218 people were killed in the October 2023 attack, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. Israel's military aggression in Gaza has killed 54,084, mostly civilians, in Gaza according to its health ministry, displaced nearly the entire population and ravaged swathes of the besieged strip. AFP
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Dua Lipa, Massive Attack & More Urge British Government to ‘End U.K. Complicity' in Gaza
Dua Lipa, Primal Scream, Massive Attack and Annie Lennox are among the signatories on a new open letter urging British prime minister Sir Keir Starmer to 'end U.K. complicity' in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. The letter, organized by refugee charity Choose Love, accused the British government of continuing to allow U.K. arms to be sold to Israel and for providing licenses for arms manufacturers. In September 2024, the government suspended 30 licenses from companies involved in sending items to Israel. More from Billboard U2's Bono Calls for Hamas to 'Release the Hostages, Stop the War' During Ivor Novello Awards Speech Zak Starkey Rubbishes Reports He Retired from The Who, Insists He Was 'Fired' Lorde Makes Surprise Appearance at Aotearoa Music Awards Last week, Sir Keir and his French and Canadian counterparts warned Israel that they will take 'concrete actions' if it continues an 'egregious' expansion of military operations in Gaza. 'You can't call it 'intolerable', yet do nothing,' the letter states. 'The world is watching and history will not forget. The children of Gaza cannot wait another minute. Prime minister, what will you choose? Complicity in war crimes, or the courage to act?' The letter comes as the United Nations warns that Gaza's 2.1 million population is facing catastrophic levels of hunger, and the U.N. reports that 47 people were injured on Tuesday (May 27) while aid was distributed to crowds; Israel claims its troops only fired 'warning shots' in the air. 'Those who survive starvation wake up to bombs falling on them,' the letter adds. 'Violence stamped with U.K. inaction — flown with parts shipped from British factories to Israel, could be obliterating families in seconds. Each arms shipment makes our country directly complicit in their deaths.' The war in Gaza began when Hamas launched an attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing 1,200 and taking more than 250 people hostage; 58 are still in captivity. According to the Associated Press, retaliatory attacks by Israel have killed more than 54,000 Palestinians, with Gaza's Health Ministry reporting that most of those killed were women and children. More than 300 personalities from the world of British music, television and film — including director Danny Boyle, Bridgerton's Nicola Coughlan, Benedict Cumberbatch, Riz Ahmed, Tilda Swinton and Gary Lineker — have also added their names to the letter. On Wednesday (May 28) Kneecap was removed from the lineup at Glasgow's TRNSMT festival in July due to safety concerns from the local police force; the band has said the removal was linked to its pro-Palestine advocacy. Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh of the West Belfast rap trio was recently charged with a terror offense in relation to an incident at a show in November 2024. He is due in Westminster Magistrates' Court on June 18. Read the open letter signed by Dua Lipa, Massive Attack and more below: Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Dua Lipa and Benedict Cumberbatch lead group urging Keir Starmer to 'end UK complicity' in Gaza
Benedict Cumberbatch, Dua Lipa, Massive Attack, Danny Boyle, Tilda Swinton and Riz Ahmed are among the hundreds of celebrities urging UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to 'end UK complicity' in Gaza. The request was put forward in an open letter to the PM, led by refugee charity Choose Love. As highlighted by Sky News, the letter demands that all UK arms sales to Israel be immediately suspended and that the government commit to seeking a ceasefire for 'the children of Gaza'. 'We urge you to take immediate action to end the UK's complicity in the horrors in Gaza,' it reads. The letter outlines that children in Gaza are starving, while adequate medicine and food 'sit just minutes away' – a reference to the 11-week blockade of supplies to Gaza by Israel, which was lifted last week. The letter states that 71,000 children under the age of four are 'acutely malnourished', and they 'cry until they can't cry anymore – until hunger takes even their voices'. 'You can't call it 'intolerable', yet do nothing,' it says directly to Starmer. Other famous signatories include Primal Scream, Annie Lennox, Lena Headey, Nicola Coughlan, Maxine Peake, Gary Lineker, Lily Cole and more. Activist Munroe Bergdorf, artist Tracey Emin and Holocaust survivor Stephen Kapos have also signed the letter. The letter ends: 'The world is watching and history will not forget. The children of Gaza cannot wait another minute. Prime minister, what will you choose? Complicity in war crimes, or the courage to act?'
Al-Ahram Weekly
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Dua Lipa, 300 UK public figures urge Westminister to end Israel arms sales - War on Gaza
Pop star Dua Lipa joined some 300 UK celebrities in signing an open letter Thursday urging Britain to halt arms sales to Israel, after similar pleas from lawyers and writers. Actors, musicians, activists and other public figures wrote the letter calling on Prime Minister Keir Starmer to "end the UK's complicity in the horrors in Gaza". British-Albanian pop sensation Dua Lipa has been vocal about the war in Gaza and last year criticised Israel's war as a "genocide". Other signatories include actors Benedict Cumberbatch, Tilda Swinton and Riz Ahmed, and musicians Paloma Faith, Annie Lennox and Massive Attack. "You can't call it 'intolerable' and keep sending arms," read the letter to Labour leader Starmer organised by Choose Love, a UK-based humanitarian aid and refugee advocacy charity. Sports broadcaster Gary Lineker, who stepped down from his role at the BBC after a social media post that contained anti-Semitic imagery, also signed the letter. Signatories urged the UK to ensure "full humanitarian access across Gaza", broker an "immediate and permanent ceasefire", and "immediately suspend" all arms sales to Israel. "The children of Gaza cannot wait another minute. Prime Minister, what will you choose? Complicity in war crimes, or the courage to act?", the letter continued. Earlier this month, Starmer slammed Israel's "egregious" renewed military offensive in Gaza and promised to take "further concrete actions" if it did not stop -- without detailing what the actions could be. Last September the UK government suspended 30 out of 350 arms export licenses to Israel, saying there was a "clear risk" they could be used to breach humanitarian law. Global outrage has grown after Israel ended a ceasefire in March and stepped up military assaults this month, killing thousands of people in a span of two months. The humanitarian situation has also sparked alarm and fears of starvation after a two-month blockade on aid entering the devastated territory. Over 800 UK lawyers including Supreme Court justices, and some 380 British and Irish writers warned of Israel committing a "genocide" in Gaza in open letters this week. Israel's military has killed 54,084 Palestinians in Gaza, displaced nearly the entire population and ravaged swathes of the besieged strip. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Euronews
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Euronews
Celebrities urge UK PM Keir Starmer to 'end UK complicity' in Gaza
Benedict Cumberbatch, Dua Lipa, Massive Attack, Danny Boyle, Tilda Swinton and Riz Ahmed are among the hundreds of celebrities urging UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to 'end UK complicity' in Gaza. The request was put forward in an open letter to the PM, led by refugee charity Choose Love. As highlighted by Sky News, the letter demands that all UK arms sales to Israel be immediately suspended and that the government commit to seeking a ceasefire for 'the children of Gaza'. 'We urge you to take immediate action to end the UK's complicity in the horrors in Gaza,' it reads. The letter outlines that children in Gaza are starving, while adequate medicine and food 'sit just minutes away' – a reference to the 11-week blockade of supplies to Gaza by Israel, which was lifted last week. The letter states that 71,000 children under the age of four are 'acutely malnourished', and they 'cry until they can't cry anymore – until hunger takes even their voices'. 'You can't call it 'intolerable', yet do nothing,' it says directly to Starmer. Other famous signatories include Primal Scream, Annie Lennox, Lena Headey, Nicola Coughlan, Maxine Peake, Gary Lineker, Lily Cole and more. Activist Munroe Bergdorf, artist Tracey Emin and Holocaust survivor Stephen Kapos have also signed the letter. The letter ends: 'The world is watching and history will not forget. The children of Gaza cannot wait another minute. Prime minister, what will you choose? Complicity in war crimes, or the courage to act?' It's been nearly five months since we lost visionary director David Lynch, and now his memorabilia are up for auction. Julien's Auctions and Turner Classic Movies (TCM) have announced the David Lynch Collection, which includes more than 450 items like Lynch's vinyl collection, books, scripts, paintings, instruments and treasured movie collectables. Even some of his woodshop tools and accessories. 'Julien's and TCM are honored to represent and offer to the public for the first time this incredible collection of one of the greatest and most revered filmmakers of all time, David Lynch,' Catherine Williamson, the managing director of entertainment at Julien's Auctions, said in a press release. 'These historical and cherished pieces reflecting David Lynch's singular artistic vision, as well as his passions and pursuits ranging from his director's chair, espresso machine to his guitar, record collections and Twin Peaks style decor, come directly from the home of the visionary artist whose enigmatic films stirred our most imaginative and collective surreal dreams.' You can check out the full collection here. Here are some of the ones we'd love to snap up: The chair is emblazoned with his name on the back in gold. The current bid at the time of writing is $7,000. An original Moviola Midget used for viewing 35mm film reels to assist in the editing process. Current bid: $1,250. Fancy setting up your own Black Lodge? Current bid: $1,750. Find your way to the place 'both wonderful and strange' with this map drawn and signed by David Lynch. Estimate: $40,000 – $60,000. A group of three scripts from the production of Lynch neo-noir masterpiece Mulholland Drive. Current bid: $2,250. The live auction is set for 18 June on Julien's Auction's website and at their Gardena auction house.
