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A letter signed by over 1,000 business leaders, human rights activists and celebrities has condemned the UK government and the Labour party for their complicity in Israel’s bombing and blockade of Gaza. The letter, published in The Guardian, calls for an urgent and lasting ceasefire and an end to Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestinian territories. UK’s role in arming and supporting Israel The letter accuses the UK government of providing political cover and military aid to Israel, which has been carrying out a brutal bombing campaign against the besieged population of Gaza. The letter says that the UK has licensed…

A former Labour Party official in Scotland has resigned from his role after being told not to discuss the situation in Gaza at a local branch meeting. He said the leadership’s “gag order” was indicative of Keir Starmer’s fear of democracy. Why did Peter Duffy quit? Peter Duffy was the secretary of Glasgow Kelvin’s constituency Labour Party (CLP) until Thursday, when he quit along with nine others, including Baroness Pauline Bryan. He said the local branch had intended to debate a motion on Gaza at their monthly meeting, but received an email from Scottish Labour saying no branches were to…

A man in Brechin, Scotland, has built a wall around his garden to protect his home from the floods caused by Storm Babet. He says he will not leave his home despite the evacuation order from the local authorities. Storm Babet brings heavy rain and floods to Scotland Storm Babet is a powerful weather system that has brought torrential rain and strong winds to parts of Scotland. The Met Office has issued a red weather warning for eastern Scotland, indicating a danger to life from flooding and disruption to transport and power supplies. Storm Babet could bring up to 220mm…

Red weather warning issued for parts of Angus and Aberdeenshire A rare red weather warning for rain has been issued by the Met Office for parts of Angus and south Aberdeenshire, as well as western parts of Tayside, on Thursday. The warning, which means there is a danger to life from fast flowing or deep floodwater, is the first of its kind since Storm Dennis in February 2020. Storm Babet is expected to bring 70mph gusts and more than a month’s worth of rain in the worst-affected regions of the UK. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) has said they…

Killers of the Flower Moon is a masterpiece of cinema history and storytelling Martin Scorsese, Robert De Niro and Leonardo DiCaprio have teamed up for the first time to create a stunning western that exposes the dark truth behind America’s frontier myth. Based on a true story, Killers of the Flower Moon reveals how a conspiracy of greed and murder targeted the Osage Nation, who became rich from oil discovered on their land in Oklahoma in the 1920s. The film is based on a best-selling book by David Grann The film is adapted from David Grann’s 2017 non-fiction book of…

Sky News presenter Kay Burley is facing an Ofcom probe after she claimed the Palestinian ambassador to the UK said “Israel had it coming” when Hamas attacked. What did Kay Burley say? On October 10, 2023, Burley was interviewing Pat McFadden, the shadow chancellor for the Duchy of Lancaster, on her show Breakfast With Kay Burley. She asked him: “Will the shadow foreign secretary [David Lammy] sit with the Palestinian ambassador, appearing with him, at an event, given that the Palestinian ambassador basically said, the last couple of days, that ‘Israel had it coming’?” She repeated the same question to…

Gaza conflict sparks fears of wider confrontation The recent violence between Israel and Hamas in Gaza has raised concerns about the possibility of a broader regional war involving other actors, such as Hezbollah, Iran, and Egypt. The conflict, which started on May 10 after Hamas fired rockets at Jerusalem, has killed more than 200 Palestinians and 12 Israelis, and displaced tens of thousands of people in Gaza. The international community has been calling for an immediate ceasefire, but the efforts have been hampered by the lack of trust and dialogue between the parties. US President Joe Biden, who met with…

Severe weather warnings issued for eastern and northern Scotland The Met Office has issued red and amber weather warnings for parts of Scotland as Storm Babet is expected to bring heavy rain and strong winds from Thursday to Saturday. The storm could cause flooding, landslides, power cuts, and travel disruption. The red warning, which means danger to life, covers parts of eastern Scotland, including Edinburgh, Dundee, Perth, and Aberdeen. The amber warning, which means be prepared, covers central and northern Scotland, including Glasgow, Stirling, Inverness, and Fort William. The Met Office advises people to avoid travelling in the affected areas…

The latest round of violence between Israel and Hamas has raised the specter of a wider regional conflict that could drag in major powers and destabilize the Middle East. Here are some of the factors that could escalate the situation and the implications for the world. The refugee crisis and Egypt’s role One of the immediate humanitarian consequences of the Israeli bombardment of Gaza is the displacement of thousands of Palestinians who have lost their homes or fled for safety. Many of them are seeking refuge in neighboring Egypt, which shares a border with Gaza and has a peace treaty…