Latest news with #Sabotage
BBC News
6 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Children at risk of being recruited by hostile states, police warn
Counter-terror police have warned the activity of hostile states on British soil is posing a growing threat and urged families to watch for signs their children are being along with petty criminals and disillusioned people, may be more vulnerable to recruitment by Russia, Iran and China, they states are increasingly using proxies to carry out acts of sabotage and targeted violence in the UK, counter-terror police said, adding that investigating such activity now accounts for about 20% of their and teachers should "be inquisitive" and "seek help" if they think a child is at risk, police advised. Since the Salisbury poisonings in 2018 – which targeted Russian double agent Sergei Skripal – there has been a five-fold increase in police work to tackle hostile activity, commanders said."The breadth, complexity and volume of these operations has continued to grow at a rate that I'm not sure that us, or our partners internationally, or any intelligence community predicted," Dominic Murphy, head of the Metropolitan Police's Counter-Terrorism Command, told reporters."We are increasingly seeing these three states, but not just these three states, undertaking threat to life operations in the United Kingdom."The youngest person arrested or investigated on suspicion of involvement is aged in their "mid-teens", he Evans, Counter Terrorism Policing's senior national co-ordinator, expressed concern other children may be encouraged online to carry out activities to earn money, without realising the implications of their actions."We really encourage people, parents, teachers, professionals just to be inquisitive," she said."If they're concerned, ask those questions, and if they think there's something they need to be concerned about, seek help and act, because we want to make sure that we're protecting people from inadvertently being drawn into this sort of activity."The Metropolitan Police is now putting additional resources into tackling hostile state activity, with training for officers in "foreign interference" and hundreds taking part in recent exercises in how to respond."We're working with local force chiefs up and down the country to raise awareness and ensure that there really is an increased understanding about this threat," Ms Evans this month, two low-level criminals were among five people convicted of involvement in an arson attack on a warehouse storing communications equipment for said the attack had been ordered by Russia's Wagner group, and that one of the ringleaders, 21-year-old Dylan Earl, had been plotting to kidnap its owner, a Russian dissident. The Met said it was also dealing with a "high volume" of threats from Iran, focused on those considered to be opponents of the Islamic Republic."We know that they are continuing to try and sow violence on the streets of the United Kingdom, they too are to some extent relying on criminal proxies to do that," Mr Murphy use of criminal proxies offers "arms-length deniability," according to Ms Evans, who blames the rising threat on the "continued erosion of the rule-based international order".The warnings came in the first specific briefing for journalists from counter-terrorism police on the threat of hostile state activity."Foreign regimes are more willing than ever to undertake aggressive actions overseas," Ms Evans said.
Irish Independent
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Galway International Arts Festival 2025: Locals and visitors react as festival opens in Eyre Square
Now in its 48th year, the festival started on Monday July 14 and will run until July 27. Despite the wet start, with Met Eireann issuing a thunderstorm warning for most of Monday afternoon, the event has already attracted hundreds of expectant people from far and wide. Ames: New to Galway, excited for first arts festival Speaking to the Irish Independent at the Festival Garden in Eyre Square, Ames, who has only been living in the town of the Tribes for five weeks, said he loves the atmosphere already. 'It's absolutely lovely. Everybody's very cheerful and the arts are absolutely beautiful. Talking about the shows ahead, he added: 'I'm going to be looking at the schedule soon. It's all new to me, but it's very exciting. I was a big, big fan of the arts festivals in the States and I come from Tucson, which is known for gemstones and art festivals. So I'm just super excited.' John: Galway native celebrates festival tradition Not too far from him we met Galway city native John, who said he has enjoyed GIAF since he was a child. 'It's quite a fun time, it always brings a lovely vibrant energy to the city. I love to just exploring and walk around.' 'There's a lot of stuff when you finish work, people in the city can just run up to it and have a look at it. I think that's what makes the Galway Arts Festival so unique. 'It's so accessible for everyone. We've just walked up the city there and we've been to two installations already and I think that's what makes it so unique. It's kind of alive. It's not in a gallery, behind a building or something, it's alive,' he said. Eve: 20-year resident says festival has 'something for everyone' Eve is also a festival regular as she has been living in Galway city for 20 years. She explained that her favourite thing about the festival is that 'there's something for everyone'. She added: 'I think everybody from Galway loves [the festival],' she said. 'It brings a real great vibe and you get to see nice things. It's something different, like the circus last night was amazing with Sabotage. So I'd say anyone out there, come to Galway.' The festival is also a special event for staff and business owners. The much-loved Tiny Traders Market has been set up in the festival garden and will use the opportunity to showcase some of its vendors. Martha Begley Schade: Author calls festival stall 'fantastic honour' One of those sellers is children books author, Martha Begley Schade, who said it is a 'fantastic honour and pleasure' for her to be part of it and have a stall at the Festival Garden. She said: 'I think it's absolutely wonderful. The atmosphere here is just really great. People are friendly and there's a class, a class feeling about being here. I'm never asked 'are you the author?' Because people just take it for granted that this is the standard that we're bringing. 'It's a wonderful opportunity to actually showcase your products and a bit of Galway to right around the world and it's a lovely feeling because I do feel I'm representing Galway in a small way. 'My dream is that the books will have an impact, so that I have a positive influence on children growing up and being better adults. So can you imagine taking that out onto an international stage? It's a wonderful feeling and I'm really appreciative of the fact that I could be here. Plus all this staff here, the security guys, the guys with the coffee, it's a really fantastic honour and pleasure to be here.' Headline acts and diverse programming A variety of acts are on offer at this year's festival. Locally formed band The Stunning return to familiar territory when they perform at the Heineken Big Top on July 26. Further headline acts consist of Irish bands Kingfishr (July 20), Picture This (July 21-22) and the Mary Wallopers (July 19), while Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Natasha Bedingfield will also take to the Big Top on July 17. There is plenty more on offer outside of just music. A variety of visual arts performances, talks, and theatre shows will take place in venues across the city. The hefty list of shows includes Oh… a solo show by Mikel Murfi set in the main tank of Galway Atlantaquaria and shows Scorched Earth by Luke Murphy and The Cave by Caitríona McLaughlin and starring Aaron Monaghan, Judith Roddy and Tommy Tiernan.
Irish Independent
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
View from the street as Galway International Arts Festival kicks off – ‘It's a fantastic honour to be here'
Now in its 48th year, the festival started on Monday July 14 and will run until July 27. Despite the wet start, with Met Eireann issuing a thunderstorm warning for most of Monday afternoon, the event has already attracted hundreds of expectant people from far and wide. Speaking to the Irish Independent at the Festival Garden in Eyre Square, Ames, who has only been living in the town of the Tribes for five weeks, said he loves the atmosphere already. 'It's absolutely lovely. Everybody's very cheerful and the arts are absolutely beautiful. Talking about the shows ahead, he added: 'I'm going to be looking at the schedule soon. It's all new to me, but it's very exciting. I was a big, big fan of the arts festivals in the States and I come from Tucson, which is known for gemstones and art festivals. So I'm just super excited.' Not too far from him we met Galway city native John, who said he has enjoyed GIAF since he was a child. 'It's quite a fun time, it always brings a lovely vibrant energy to the city. I love to just exploring and walk around.' 'There's a lot of stuff when you finish work, people in the city can just run up to it and have a look at it. I think that's what makes the Galway Arts Festival so unique. 'It's so accessible for everyone. We've just walked up the city there and we've been to two installations already and I think that's what makes it so unique. It's kind of alive. It's not in a gallery, behind a building or something, it's alive,' he said. Eve is also a festival regular as she has been living in Galway city for 20 years. She explained that her favourite thing about the festival is that 'there's something for everyone'. She added: 'I think everybody from Galway loves [the festival],' she said. 'It brings a real great vibe and you get to see nice things. It's something different, like the circus last night was amazing with Sabotage. So I'd say anyone out there, come to Galway.' The festival is also a special event for staff and business owners. The much-loved Tiny Traders Market has been set up in the festival garden and will use the opportunity to showcase some of its vendors. One of those sellers is children books author, Martha Begley Schade, who said it is a 'fantastic honour and pleasure' for her to be part of it and have a stall at the Festival Garden. She said: 'I think it's absolutely wonderful. The atmosphere here is just really great. People are friendly and there's a class, a class feeling about being here. I'm never asked 'are you the author?' Because people just take it for granted that this is the standard that we're bringing. 'It's a wonderful opportunity to actually showcase your products and a bit of Galway to right around the world and it's a lovely feeling because I do feel I'm representing Galway in a small way. 'My dream is that the books will have an impact, so that I have a positive influence on children growing up and being better adults. So can you imagine taking that out onto an international stage? It's a wonderful feeling and I'm really appreciative of the fact that I could be here. Plus all this staff here, the security guys, the guys with the coffee, it's a really fantastic honour and pleasure to be here.' A variety of acts are on offer at this year's festival. Locally formed band The Stunning return to familiar territory when they perform at the Heineken Big Top on July 26. Further headline acts consist of Irish bands Kingfishr (July 20), Picture This (July 21-22) and the Mary Wallopers (July 19), while Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Natasha Bedingfield will also take to the Big Top on July 17. There is plenty more on offer outside of just music. A variety of visual arts performances, talks, and theatre shows will take place in venues across the city. The hefty list of shows includes Oh… a solo show by Mikel Murfi set in the main tank of Galway Atlantaquaria and shows Scorched Earth by Luke Murphy and The Cave by Caitríona McLaughlin and starring Aaron Monaghan, Judith Roddy and Tommy Tiernan.
Russia Today
01-06-2025
- General
- Russia Today
Lavrov and Rubio discuss Ukrainian attacks on Russia
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov spoke with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the phone on Sunday. The two sides have discussed the upcoming Moscow-Kiev talks in Istanbul and recent Ukrainian attacks on Russian territory. Just a day before the talks scheduled in Türkiye, two bridges collapsed in Russia's Bryansk and Kursk border regions, leading to at least seven deaths and dozens of injuries. The incidents were caused by sabotage, according to Russia's Investigative Committee. Later that same day, drones targeted military airfields in Murmansk Region in the country's north, in Ivanovo and Ryazan regions in western Russia, and in Irkutsk Region in Siberia and Amur Region in the Far East. According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, Rubio 'expressed sincere condolences on the civilian casualties resulting from the bombings of railway infrastructure in the Bryansk and Kursk regions on June 1.' Lavrov stressed that the attacks would be thoroughly investigated, and 'the results will be published in the very near future'. 'The guilty parties will be identified and will inevitably face deserved punishment,' the minister added.
RNZ News
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- RNZ News
The close cultural favourites of indie country star Mel Parsons
'Post High Slide' from Ohinehou Lyttleton based singer songwriter Mel Parsons is one of several new songs released ahead of a tour of Aotearoa and Australia that kicks off Sunday March 25 in Poneke Wellington. That's just ahead of the Aotearoa Music Awards, where Parson's sixth album Sabotage is nominated for Te Tino Pukaemi o te Tau Album of the Year. And Mel's song '5432', from that album, has also just been announced as a finalist for 2025 APRA Best Country Music Song. Mel Parsons joins Culture 101 for 'Fast Favourites'. They include an annual music festival she can walk to - Port Noise - and a fellow artist who also grew up in Westport, Becky Manawatu. The cover artwork for Sabotage features paintings by a favourite painter, Emma Hercus (also up for an AMA for that artwork). Mel's "Instagram go-to when she needs a laugh" meanwhile is Tom Sainsbury. As for music: she's looking forward to Jeff Parsnips' album for children in June, and Otautahi's Mim Jensen is her pick of emerging musicians who are going to make an impact.
