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Category: Global

  • London protest will mark seven years since Sudan’s 2018 revolution

    London for Sudan has sent details of an upcoming demo that will mark seven years since the 2018 Sudanese revolution:

    Ongoing war in Sudan

    The proxy counter-revolutionary war in Sudan is more than a distant tragedy. It’s a UK-backed atrocity. We are witnessing one of the most heinous and documented crimes in modern history.

    Rivers of blood, visible even from satellite images, mark a catastrophe that shames humanity and challenges our collective conscience.

    This Saturday, 20 December, we are marching in London once again to commemorate the bravery of the Sudanese people who, seven years ago, rose up to demand an end to oppression, militarism, and dictatorship.

    Sparked by rising living costs and the worsening economic conditions across Sudan, in 2019, President Omar al-Bashir was ousted in a military coup, ending his 30-year dictatorship.

    The Sudanese revolution stands as a symbol of resistance, with grassroots efforts for the freedom of the Sudanese people and a transition to a democratic civilian rule.

    We are taking to the streets of London to demand urgent action, accountability, an end to the genocide and atrocities:

    Saturday 20 December
    1:00pm
    START: Church St, Edgware Rd, W2 1EB | END: Marble Arch

    The world’s largest humanitarian catastrophe

    Since the outbreak of war on 15 April 2023, the people of Sudan have endured unimaginable suffering due to the ongoing conflict between the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF). They persist in their struggle for power, control, and resources, while the civilian death toll continues to rise.

    Since the conflict erupted in April 2023:

    14 million people have been forcibly displaced and entire regions are being decimated, from Darfur to Bara to Kordofan to Al Obeid and beyond.

    More than 25.6 million people are facing acute hunger, with regions such as Darfur reaching the level 5 IPC – the highest and most severe Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, with numerous hunger-related deaths being reported. This is a completely human-made famine.

    Displaced families are living in dire conditions, lacking basic necessities for survival from clean water, food, shelter and healthcare, to protection and psychological support.

    The United Arab Emirates (UAE)-funded RSF has seized El-Fasher for its strategic importance, forcing thousands to flee the humanitarian hub for Sudan’s five Darfur states. The militia has launched a multi-front genocidal assault, carrying out ethnic cleansing and sexual violence.

    A deepening crisis due to global complicity, inaction and power-driven destruction

    There is no denying that the UK has a hand at enabling this destruction. Recent reports seen by the UN Security Council have raised serious concerns about UK arms exports to the UAE, one of the UK’s biggest arms customers.

    Over the past three years, the UK has exported £417m worth of weapons. British-made military equipment has been found in combat zones being used by the genocidal RSF.

    A whistleblower has accused the Foreign Office of censoring warnings of genocide in Sudan, with an analyst claiming UK officials deleted alerts about the threat of genocidal violence by paramilitaries to protect the UAE. This is fuelling the world’s largest humanitarian crisis.

    The RSF can only sustain itself in carrying out these brutal assaults with the extensive backing of the UAE. For years, the UAE has funded and armed the militia, smuggling weapons into Sudan under the guise of humanitarian aid, and siphoning valuable minerals directly to infamous Emirati gold markets.

    Its aim is to secure economic and political control by destabilising Sudan, controlling ports, and exploiting Darfur’s mineral and agricultural resources, all the while ensuring mayhem in one of the worlds most advantageous regions.

    The Sudanese people have endured unimaginable suffering from the conflict between the RSF and SAF. Sudan is being torn apart in a proxy counter-revolutionary war fuelled by foreign interests in gold, resources, and Red Sea access, with global powers like the UAE, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Russia, China, Iran, Turkey, US and the UK pulling the strings. The pursuit of power and resources is at the cost of countless Sudanese lives and it must end now.

    Why should the media cover the Sudan demo?

    This demonstration was brought together by diverse groups from the Sudanese community, uniting both young and older generations. Covering this demonstration offers a chance to reveal the hypocrisy of international politics and amplify Sudanese voices silenced by violence and neglect.

    This demonstration is a call for the media to do its job: shine a spotlight on this grotesque human tragedy. This proxy counter-revolutionary war bears Western fingerprints, with the UK and US deeply implicated. Yet media coverage barely scratches the surface. This protest demands an end to the apathy, pushing for urgent media attention to address the vested interests of global powers sustaining the conflict.

    It’s time for the UK to take action to prevent further atrocities. You can view the list of our current demands for the UK government.

    Help us amplify the cause for a free Sudan and the liberation of all Sudanese people. Join us in letting the world know that the people of El-Fasher, Darfur and Sudan will not be forgotten, but rather fought and advocated for.

    Featured image via Dabanga Sudan / Amgad Abdelgadir

    By The Canary

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • Palestinian prisoners — Israeli lawyer branded traitor for exposing torture

    Since the beginning of the genocide in Gaza, conditions for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails have deteriorated significantly. Testimonies from human rights organisations, lawyers, and former detainees describe a system where overcrowding, beatings, deprivation, and isolation have intensified to levels previously unseen.

    Palestinian political prisoners have no visits

    The United Nations Committee Against Torture claims the Israeli regime has a “de facto State policy of organised and widespread torture and ill-treatment” against Palestinian prisoners.

    Palestinian prisoners’ rights groups describe the last 26 months as “one of the most brutal periods in the history of the Palestinian prisoner movement”. Ben Marmarelli is an anti-Zionist Israeli lawyer and sociologist. He tells the Canary:

    Since 7 October 2023, the prisoners’ most basic needs and human rights are not being met. They are being humiliated from every interaction they have with the prison guards. The only visits are from their specific lawyer. That’s it.

    They don’t get any information about the outside world, and don’t know what’s going on with their families. And lawyers are forbidden from telling them anything about this.

    Marmarelli tells us all personal belongings are taken from detainees. They often do not even have a mattress to sleep on. They are in their cells 24 hours a day, and are not permitted to go outside. All Palestinian prisoners have lost weight, he says, as there is not enough food, but what is available is extremely poor quality. In some prisons, prisoners also get no medical treatment at all.

    I have a client in Ganot, southern Israel, who has a medical condition, but has never been checked or treated. The only personal belongings prisoners are allowed is the Quran. But my client cannot even read this, as he can’t see anything without his glasses, which he is not allowed.

    Since October 7, the Israeli Prison Service (IPS) has also tried to reduce and limit lawyer visits. This is because lawyers are the only connection to the outside world that Palestinian prisoners have.

    Marmarelli says there have been various methods used to limit lawyers’ visits. These have changed over the past two years, because lawyers have fought in a variety of ways, such as through petitions.

     In the beginning, they got the lawyer to go to the prison, but did not allow him in. One time I stayed outside the prison for four hours. They then told me there was an emergency, and I wouldn’t get in today.

    Preventing lawyers from visiting Palestinian prisoners

    After that, another method used was to delay prisoner visits. Marmarelli wanted to visit his client so sent a request in May, but his visit date was set for October. He says he signed a petition about this. The District Court accepted his petition, and ordered the IPS to make visits as soon as possible. This ruling was in July, and since then, he has only had to wait about 10 days to get a visit. But Marmarelli says he is unable to do anything about the latest tactic used to stop his visits.

    Every time I came to visit, they tortured my client. They beat him and raped him. I was his only connection to the outside world but, through his initiative, he asked me not to see him any more. Of course, they would torture him anyway, but now they torture him every time that I come to visit. I did file a petition, but the court said they would not discuss torture and rape. They told me if I want to discuss this, I would have to file a complaint with the police.

    The police have not answered Marmarelli’s complaints. So there is nothing more he can do, other than to stop visiting his client altogether, which he has done.

    The far-right settler and criminal, Ben- Gvir, is ‘Israel’s’ national security minister. He oversees the Israeli occupation’s Police, Prison Service, and related law-enforcement bodies. According to Marmarelli, “torture against Palestinians has always been a widespread phenomenon in ‘Israeli prisons”.

    But the situation has become much worse under Ben-Gvir. He is proud of the worsening conditions he has created for Palestinian prisoners. And tells his political base he is delivering on his election promises. He has also pushed a controversial bill to allow the death penalty to be imposed on Palestinian prisoners.

    Marmarelli explains:

    There’s a certain genocidal atmosphere in Israel right now. Of course, all the guards, police officers and soldiers, they’re all part of this genocidal society. They commit crimes, think it’s OK and are proud of it. Many prisoners have said they were filmed by the phones of the guards and soldiers, while they were being tortured and raped.

    This is done purely for enjoyment and fun. No one’s hiding anything, and everyone’s collaborating in these crimes against humanity being committed by the Israeli state  against the Palestinian political prisoners. This includes the courts, and the justice department of the state.

    A third of all deaths in custody has happened under Ben-Gvir’s watch

    Under Ben-Gvir’s policies, a record 110 Palestinians prisoners have died in custody in the past two and a half years. 323 detainees — those who we know of — have died since the occupation of the West Bank, in 1967. This means a third of all Palestinian prisoners deaths in custody, have died under Ben-Gvir’s watch. These figures do not include those detainees from Gaza in military detention camps, who have died.

    Marmarelli says the Zionists are now continuing the work of the British, that began in 1919. They continue the same practices — the laws and regulations the British put in place, and they continue their colonialism.

    Palestinians are often imprisoned and charged with terrorism offences just for a sympathetic social media post with an organisation or charity working for Palestinian human rights. Al Haq, Addameer, Defense for Children International–Palestine and the Union of Agricultural Work Committees are just some of the organisations proscribed by the Israeli regime.

    All these terrorist charges, the idea of terrorism and what we call terrorist organisations — it’s all a colonialist way of looking at things. Terrorism is a colonial construct, invented by the British in order to fight resistance against colonialism. It doesn’t matter if they are violent or not. We see this in Britain today, with the proscription of Palestine Action. It is non violent, opposes genocide in Gaza and colonialism in Palestine.

    Proscribing an organisation makes it easier for the state to punish the members and supporters of these organisations more severely. So the terrorism label is implemented against any organisations they don’t like which are, of course, those opposing genocide, colonialism and apartheid in Palestine.

    Marmarelli has risked everything to speak out about ‘Israel’s’ abuses he has witnessed. He says the Zionists in ‘Israel’ call him “kapo”. A kapo was a Jewish prisoner in the Nazi concentration camps who was assigned by the SS to supervise and control other prisoners. In return for their services, kapos usually received privilages, creating resentment among other prisoners. Many viewed kapos as collaborators helping the camp system function.

    They say I am even worse than a kapo, because I’m not doing this to save myself, but for money. This is the mindset of the Zionists. Morality is always under the ideological propaganda of the Israeli state. If reality and the truth serve Israeli state propaganda then of course they will tell the truth.

    But if truth harms the state propaganda, then your job as an Israeli, as a zionist, is to hide it and never tell the truth. So that’s why they see me as an enemy, because I’m telling the truth.

    Marmarelli is now dealing with a complaint against him. He says the Israeli Bar Association wants to revoke his license, because he has spoken out and told the truth.

    With courts complicit and lawyers punished for speaking the truth, the IPS operates as an extension of the criminal Zionist state. Abuse is routine, oversight absent, and Palestinian lives treated as expendable.

    featured image provided by the author

    By Charlie Jaay

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • ‘Everything is worse since Drax came here’ – activists occupy Drax’s head office unfurling ‘Drax Kills’ banner

    Activists have crashed Drax’s head office in London demanding justice for communities suffering severe health consequences from the company’s pellet producing operations abroad. Activists unfurled a banner reading ‘Drax Kills’ and occupied the office lobby until security removed them.

    Drax in Mississippi

    The occupation follows a damning report published yesterday in the Guardian, detailing the suffering experienced by residents of Gloster, Mississippi living under the shadow of Drax’s pellet mill.

    As Drax celebrates its 10 year anniversary of operating its Gloster, Mississippi pellet plant, residents of Gloster are suing the company over air pollution and the associated severe health issues caused by wood pellet production.

    Over the last 10 years Drax has paid nearly $3m in fines since the facility opened and racked up nearly $6m in violations for its operations in Mississippi and Louisiana over the past four years.

    The company has been repeatedly accused of driving environmental racism by siting its pellet mills next to majority-Black communities with high poverty rates in Louisiana and Mississippi, where they have exceeded the legal emission limits for air pollutants linked to cancer, breathing difficulties, and other health effects.

    In April 2025, after strong community resistance and powerful testimony residents of Gloster won a victory in getting the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality to reject a permit application from Drax, which would have raised its pollution permit from a minor to a major source of Hazardous Air Pollutants. In October 2025 Drax appealed this decision and were ultimately successful in raising their permitted pollution levels.

    UK government funding

    Drax has received over £7bn in green subsidies since 2012 and the UK government recently announced plans to extend subsidies for the power station by another £2bn by the end of the decade despite the fact that Drax is the UK’s single largest emitter of carbon dioxide with a history of misreporting the sustainability of its wood pellet sourcing.

    Molly Brown, who took part in the occupation said:

    I find it a complete disgrace that my energy bills are going to propping up Drax and their poisonous pollution. In Gloster children are suffering from asthma, unable to play outside while elderly residents rely on expensive medication to survive.

    This community wouldn’t be suffering in this way if it wasn’t for Drax’s deadly operations. It doesn’t matter how much Drax spends on lobbying or PR, they can’t hide the fact that Drax kills.

    Rosie Gloster said:

    Drax’s claims of being a ‘good neighbour’ couldn’t be further from the truth. This is a company that’s sacrificing Black lives for profit, that’s sacrificing their own workers here in the UK – all to keep scamming the British public out of their hard earned money.

    Rather than stopping their illegal pollution, Drax just lobbied to legalise their poison. Drax’s operations are killing people, and it’s past time they were shut down.

    Featured image via Axe Drax

    By The Canary

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • UEFA fines Macabbi Tel Aviv and issues fan ban for racist chanting — someone show Starmer

    UEFA has issued a €20,000 (£17,550) fine to football club Maccabi Tel Aviv because of its fans’ racist conduct.

    Remember Maccabi Tel Aviv? They’re that Israeli football club whose fans Keir Starmer and a host of UK politicians insisted we should allow to attend a match in Birmingham, in spite of a police assessment deeming them a high risk of violence.

    Maccabi fan-ban

    UEFA’s control, ethics and disciplinary body (CEDB) made the decision to issue the fine. It stated that the penalty was a consequence of their fans’ conduct at an 11 December Europa League game against Stuttgart.

    The disciplinary body also slapped the club with a suspended one-match away ban for its fans, calling their behaviour “racist and discriminatory”. In particular, Maccabi fans chanted anti-Arab slogans on the streets of Germany at their Stuttgart match.

    As such, Maccabi won’t be permitted to sell tickets to their own fans for their ‘next’ UEFA away match. However, this aspect of the sanction is suspended for a two-year probationary period.

    Maccabi Tel Aviv haven’t issued a statement on the fine itself. However, club CEO Jack Angelides told Sky News back in November that there is a problem with racism among its fans:

    We know we’ve got a long road ahead. There are elements in the club that are not in line with our values, our morals, and we do expend a lot of energy and have been for many, many years in trying to… eradicate that.

    Maccabi’s history of violent racism

    That ‘long road ahead’ is going to be very long indeed. Maccabi Tel Aviv fans have a long and storied history of deeply racist hooliganism behind them.

    Just last month, at a match in Amsterdam, Maccabi fans chanted “kill the arabs” and “gas Gaza”, brawled in the streets, and ripped down Palestinian flags. 

    Then, just last week, police in Germany launched an investigation into Maccabi fans. One fan allegedly made a provocative Nazi salute at an officer, and another group repeatedly set off fireworks. The Anadolu Agency also reported that:

    Police said they were investigating hateful, offensive slogans chanted by Maccabi Tel Aviv fans in close coordination with the public prosecutor’s office.

    Social media footage showed some fans singing songs with lyrics such as “There are no schools in Gaza because there are no children left,” along with other chants containing hateful and violent language against Palestinians.

    Even in Israel itself, authorities cancelled a derby match between Maccabi and Hapoel Tel Aviv because of the violence and rioting of Maccabi fans.

    The team’s own fan site, Maccabipedia, lists a popular chant named ‘The Rape Song’. Its lyrics don’t bear translating or repeating. Suffice it to say that it names the opposing team as “Arab whores”, and makes lurid sexual and violent threats.

    Charming stuff.

    Aston Villa match ban

    Which brings us on to the ban of the Maccabi fans in Birmingham. Leaked UK police intelligence from the run-up to the Aston Villa game ban revealed yet more of the same on the way.

    As Skwawkbox reported, police sources who leaked the intel stated that:

    • Large numbers of extremist Maccabi fans proven to be violent and racist would be travelling to the Villa game
    • Dutch police told the UK that Maccabi fans were the cause of riots in Amsterdam around a Maccabi fixture there in 2024
    • Maccabi fans had gone looking in Amsterdam for Muslims to attack, despite the deployment of thousands of Dutch police – which then led to reprisal attacks
    • Some Jewish people in Birmingham wanted the Maccabi thugs banned from the match, as ascertained from a community assessment
    • Birmingham’s Safety Advisory Group made the decision to ban the Maccabi fans. It came after an intelligence assessment was conducted by West Midlands police, shared with the national UK football policing unit.
    • The UK’s football policing unit endorsed the local force’s decision.

    Starmer and co.

    In spite of all that, numerous UK politicians tried to portray the fans as innocent victims of antisemitism. Accordingly, they fought tooth and nail to reverse the ban on the Maccabi supporters. Prime minister Keir Starmer said:

    This is the wrong decision. We will not tolerate antisemitism on our streets. The role of the police is to ensure all football fans can enjoy the game, without fear of violence or intimidation.

    Likewise, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch posted that Starmer should:

    Guarantee that Jewish fans can walk into any football stadium in this country.

    If not, it sends a horrendous and shameful message: there are parts of Britain where Jews simply cannot go.

    The government even tried to step in at one point to force local authorities to lift the ban. A Downing Street spokesperson stated:

    Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy is meeting officials to discuss what more can be done to try and find a way through to resolve this, and what more can be done to allow fans to attend the game safely.

    The Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Steve Reed, spoke to the local council this morning, and the Home Office is urgently working to support police to try and find a way through this.

    Somebody needs to fetch Keir Starmer. They need to find Lisa Nandy, Kemi Badenoch, Ed Davey and every other politician and talking head who went to bat for the Maccabi fans.

    It would be absolutely thrilling to find out if they plan to call out UEFA authorities for issuing the club a fine. We could ask whether they plan to issue complaints to Stuttgart, Amsterdam and Israeli authorities for their discriminatory treatment of those poor little hooligans.

    Or, better yet, they could apologise to everyone they accused of antisemitism for opposing fans who are well known for their violent racism.

    Like that’ll ever happen.

     

    Featured image via Badil

    By Alex/Rose Cocker

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • Will Diego Garcia base become a nuclear weapons staging ground?

    A UK minister has implied that US nuclear weapons could be located at the UK-owned Diego Garcia military base. The base, which is located in the Indian Ocean, is operated by the US.

    Historically, Diego Garcia, which today forms part of the wider Chagos Islands, belonged to Mauritius. A treaty signed in May 20205 between the UK and Mauritius will officially end colonial rule over the Islands. However, the UK will retain ownership of the Diego Garcia base.

    Chagossians, the islands’ native inhabitants, were forcibly displaced from Diego Garcia. This displacement was to make way for the US military’s Naval Support Facility (NSF). The US uses the island as a launch pad to project its imperial power into the Middle East.

    Before US stealth bomber strikes on Iranian nuclear sites this summer, B2 stealth bombers were forward deployed to Diego Garcia. This served as a stark warning to the Iranian Government. It’s worth noting that B2 bombers are capable of carrying and using nuclear weapons.

    Sovereignty transfer means business as normal

    In a House of Lords debate on 25 November, peers discussed the Diego Garcia Military Base and the British Indian Ocean Territory Bill. The legislation would put the 2025 treaty on the British Indian Ocean Territory, Chagos Archipelago, into law.

    Conservative shadow defence minister Annabel Goldie raised concerns that the Bill could lead to a ban on allies’ nuclear weapons from the island.

    Responding, defence minister Vernon Coaker said:

    I appreciate that they have questions about how the treaty protects the full operation of the base, and I want to reassure them that the treaty enables the continued operation of the base to its full capability.

    The treaty and the Bill we are debating today will have zero impact on the day-to-day business on Diego Garcia. Importantly, it will not reduce our ability to deploy the full range of advanced military capabilities to Diego Garcia.

    Describing the military capabilities as “advanced” could imply that they are not conventional, which, could possibly provide cover for nuclear weapons.

    Coaker went on to say:

    Noble Lords will understand that I pick my words with care in this particular context. I cannot and will not discuss operational matters on the Floor of this place, but I am confident that the Chamber would not necessarily want me to.

    The location of nuclear weapons sites is not disclosed by the UK and US governments. This is in line with non-disclosure policies. This was iterated by a ministry of defence spokesperson, who told the Canary:

    It remains a long-standing UK and NATO policy to neither confirm nor deny the presence of nuclear weapons at a given location.

    The thorny question of nuclear weapons at Diego Garcia

    The chairperson for Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, Tom Unterrainer, told the Canary that his organisation believes that an agreement between the UK and US allows nuclear weapons to be transferred through the island.

    Commenting on whether such weapons would be stored at Diego Garcia, Unterrainer said:

    The US Naval Support Facility, stationed on Diego Garcia, is considered to be a key component of the US global military network. It is the case that nuclear-capable submarines and aircraft are regularly at the island, including B-2 nuclear-capable bombers.

    We understand that part of the agreement between the UK and US granting access to Diego Garcia considers the transfer of nuclear weapons to be acceptable.

    However, it is impossible to determine whether or not nuclear weapons are stored – medium- or long-term – at the base because as with many nuclear-related issues, governments are not truthful about exactly what is going on.

    A key point of debate regarding the potential presence of nuclear weapons at Diego Garcia is the possibility that their presence could be a breach of the African Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty. Unterrainer added:

    The Chagos Islands or, as it has been known, the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT), is not a party to the Treaty of Pelindaba / African Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty.

    The British and American governments refuse to recognise the Chagos Islands as part of the zone. Mauritius is a signatory to the Treaty. So, as things stand there is no obvious, definite, violation of the Treaty of Pelindaba and any disputes are parcelled with ongoing territorial considerations.

    When the Chagos Islands, Diego Garcia included, are transferred to Mauritius it will be under an agreed Treaty that will no doubt seek to account for the presence or potential presence of nuclear weapons on Diego Garcia.

    It will be interesting to see the full text of the Treaty and I’m certain that experts in the field will seek to probe any possible contradictions. Such muddles as these indicate the degree to which nuclear-armed states seek to ignore or undermine anti-nuclear treaties.

    Diego Garcia: A guarantor of Western security

    The Diego Garcia plays a critical role in hosting nuclear-capable submarines and bombers. The charity, Friends of the British Overseas Territories, told the Canary:

    Diego Garcia is a guarantor of Western security…[And]…while the extent of nuclear stockpiling remains unclear, its role in supporting nuclear platforms is well‑established. The UK could have shielded the base from being disputed by invoking Article 298 of UNCLOS, which exempts the sovereignty of military installations from compulsory arbitration.

    Once the territory is surrendered to Mauritius, any nuclear presence in the Chagos Islands would breach the Pelindaba Treaty and trigger fresh legal disputes and uncertainties.

    It is a bad deal for the US, destabilising for the UK, and should be stopped.

    The transfer could be the lynchpin for new legal disputes.

    The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) aims to limit nuclear stockpiles. Introducing or developing new nuclear weapons on Diego Garcia would violate the treaty’s principles. Unterrainer told the Canary that Britain’s colonial occupation of the island predates the NPT. Nevertheless, deploying such weapons there would represent a double violation, with limited mechanisms in the NPT to hold states accountable.

    Featured image via the Canary

    By Tom Pashby

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • Activists graffiti hunger strikers’ demands across David Lammy’s office

    Activists have graffitied the demands of eight hunger strikers across the North London office of David Lammy. The action, at the office of the deputy prime minister and justice secretary, took place early this morning, 17 December. And it happened as prison staff were denying medical care to an activist near death.

    Hunger strikers’ demands

    The demands of eight prisoners from Palestine Action, daubed in red on the North London office exterior, call for an end to media censorship, immediate bail, the right to a fair trial, the de-proscription of Palestine Action and to close all sites of Israel’s main arms supplier, Elbit Systems.

    A spokesperson from Shut The System said:

    These blood-red words will forever be a stain on Labour for valuing imperialist profits above life. Labour’s refusal to engage with hunger strikers critically close to death yet again exposes the extreme lengths our leaders will go to – unless we stop them.

    We act against a common imperialist enemy driving genocide and climate chaos. Arms companies profit from weapons tested on Palestinian families while Chevron and BP profit from oil and gas extracted from Palestinian lands.

    The British government’s inaction prolongs unimaginable trauma – all in the name of profit. Nobody is free till Palestine is free.

    The action builds on pressure from more than 50 MPs and peers who signed an open letter published yesterday, urging Lammy to meet the hunger strikers’ lawyers. The letter told him to show “responsibility and some humanity before it is too late”.

    Lammy caused outrage last week when he refused to meet the MPs worried about the health of their hunger-striking constituents. They’re being held without trial for alleged offences relating to Palestine Action.

    Featured image supplied

    By The Canary

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • Winter doubles the tragedy in Gaza as chaos takes hold once again

    The head of the Gaza Strip Municipalities Union, Yahya Al-Sarraj, warned of grave dangers threatening the lives of residents and displaced persons with the arrival of a new low-pressure system, amid widespread destruction of infrastructure and the worsening humanitarian crisis in the Strip.

    Gaza: further chaos for millions

    Al-Sarraj stressed that the Gaza Strip has already been decimated by Israel’s genocide, noting that the current low pressure system doubles the risks, especially for tens of thousands of displaced persons living in tents and shelters that lack the minimum safety requirements.

    Heavy rains on Monday 15 December evening flooded and destroyed hundreds of tents for displaced persons west of Gaza City, with the damage concentrated in the areas of Shalih and Tel al-Hawa, due to strong winds and heavy rains.

    Al-Sarraj warned of the dangers of flooding in tents and shelters, especially in low-lying and densely populated areas, in the absence of safe shelter and heating, which exacerbates the suffering of children, older, and sick people.

    He explained that emergency and civil defence teams are working with limited resources to try to limit the damage and rescue citizens, at a time when a severe fuel shortage is hampering the operation of heavy machinery and water pumping stations, further exacerbating the humanitarian situation.

    He also warned of the possibility of collapses in damaged buildings housing forcibly displaced persons, cautioning that the continuation of these conditions could lead to civilian casualties.

    Al-Sarraj called on the international community and humanitarian organisations to intervene urgently to provide emergency aid, shelter and fuel, and to work to protect civilians from the repercussions of repeated low pressure systems in the context of an extremely fragile humanitarian situation.

    Featured image via the Canary

    By Alaa Shamali

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • Israeli occupation forces assault elderly Palestinian amputee and international activists

    On the morning of 15 December, Israeli occupation forces descended on Sheikh Said’s land in Rakiz, a village in Masafer Yatta. The International Solidarity Movement reports:

    Occupation forces turn up instead of police

    The Palestinian family had recently erected a razor wire fence to prevent settler sheep and ATVs entering their land. The fence had only been there a short while when a settler came and began tearing it down.

    Sheikh Said called the police multiple times though they never arrived at the scene. However, at least twelve members of the Israeli military showed up to intimidate and harass the Palestinian family further.

    Together the army and the settlers removed the fence, allowing a settler ATV to pass further onto Sheikh Said’s land.

    Part of this military harassment included the Israeli occupation forces brutally assaulting Sheikh Said. He lost his leg in April when he was shot by settler security Binyamin Bodenheimer and prevented from receiving immediate medical care by armed forces.

    The soldiers stole his crutches and laughed loudly as Sheikh Said clutched his amputated leg whilst screaming in pain. They violently arrested Sheikh Said and forcibly carried him to a military vehicle, all while he continued screaming in pain.

    He has since been released but is in hospital due to injuries sustained during the arrest.

    Attacks on human rights activists

    In the afternoon, at around 4.05pm, more than three army and police vehicles invaded the nearby village of Tuwani. At least 15 armed soldiers then raided the home of prominent human rights activist Hafez Hureini and many of his neighbors.

    Then, ten to 12 heavily armed occupation soldiers arrived at an apartment where international activists were staying. They demanded entry to the apartment, and threatened to break the door down.

    When a volunteer agreed to open the door, the soldiers assaulted her as they barged into the apartment. They showed no documentation and refused to give a reason as to why they were there.

    Soldiers forced activists out of bed, demanded IDs and aggressively photographed volunteers alongside their passports. They detained the activists in the apartment for about 20 minutes.

    These actions are indicative of the rapidly escalating incursions and land grabs across the West Bank. From attacks on both Palestinian families and international activists in Al Mughayyir, to multiple raids in refugee camps, state-sanctioned violence continues to ramp up daily.

    These are just two incidents in an area where there are many inexcusable acts of violence aiming to drive Palestinians off their land. We call on the international community not to let these acts of increasing violence and intimidation go unchecked.

    As the International Solidarity Movement was preparing this statement, at 3am 16 December, several settlers invaded a Palestinian family at their own home. They attacked both the family and international volunteers. They arrived with sticks and bolt cutters to beat the family, injuring one Palestinian with the bolt cutters.

    Featured image via International Solidarity Movement

    By The Canary

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • People Against Genocide targets 11 HSBC branches over Elbit investments

    People Against Genocide has launched a clandestine network, with a national series of actions against HSBC. HSBC invests in Israel’s biggest weapons producer, Elbit Systems.

    In the early hours of Saturday 13 December, groups across Britain conducted operations at 11 locations of Britain’s largest bank, shattering windows and dousing buildings in red paint to symbolise the bloodshed of the Palestinian people.

    Actions took place at HSBC branches in: Catford, Lewisham, Ilford, Tottenham Court Road, Fulham, Birmingham, Wokingham, Brighton, Newcastle, Edinburgh, and Glasgow (on 12 December).

    HSBC investments

    In 2018, HSBC announced it would be divesting from the Israeli arms firm, but has since reneged on that decision. As of 13 November 2025, it owned 16,317 shares in Elbit Systems Ltd, valued at $8,318,407 in September 2025.

    Not only has HSBC reinvested in weapons production, but it continues to buy more shares. It increased its holdings by 27.22% during the quarter, from 12,826 shares in August 2025.

    HSBC claims to be:

    bringing together the people, ideas and capital that drive progress and growth, helping to create a better world.

    In fact, says People Against Genocide, it’s bank-rolling an arms company specifically linked to genocide by the United Nations. Elbit markets its weapons as “combat proven“, and its military drones have been directly linked to the deaths of thousands of Palestinian civilians, and specifically targeting children.

    The company is currently under suspension from tendering for NATO contracts because of corruption allegations.

    Direct Action previously forced Barclays Bank to sell its holdings in Elbit. And groups like People Against Genocide are now using the same tactics against HSBC. The sustained number of actions against Barclays forced the bank to re-think its investment strategy, and sell off its 16,345 shares in Elbit.

    A spokesperson for People Against Genocide said:

    Despite divesting from Israeli weapons firm Elbit Systems in 2018, HSBC has since amassed millions of dollars worth of Elbit shares right under our noses, cementing its complicity in the ongoing genocide in Gaza and brutal occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

    Banks such as HSBC invest in the production of weapons used to commit genocide as they prioritise their profits over the lives of the Palestinian people. By taking direct action and costing HSBC, we are making investing in genocide unprofitable. It’s now not only the ethical decision, but it’s also financially strategic to pull all shares out of Elbit Systems.

    Our actions were taken in solidarity with the Palestinian people, and the prisoners for Palestine hunger strikers, who are calling for Elbit to be shut down. Some are on their 41st day of hunger strike, and their resistance inspires us all to escalate our actions and to shut Elbit down.

    Featured image supplied

    By The Canary

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • ‘Where Love Lives’? Not in the Naqab Region – John Lewis accused over Israeli SodaStream products

    Achingly middle class retailer John Lewis has once again pulled off a touching, if slightly hokey, Christmas ad. An uncommunicative teenager gives his Dad a vinyl copy of Alison Limerick’s house classic Where Love Lives and bonding ensues.

    But behind the festive mush, there are allegations that John Lewis is failing to address concerns over its SodaStream products.

    SodaStream

    Following a legal letter to four major retailers, regarding their supply of SodaStream products, John Lewis has responded. But its response fails to address concerns over SodaStream’s exploitation of Palestinian workers and displacement of Bedouin communities.

    Previously, in July 2025, the International Centre of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP) filed a formal complaint to the UK Advertising Standards Authority over SodaStream’s misleading advertising.

    The Israeli company was based in the illegal settlement of Ma’ale Adumim in the occupied West Bank until 2015. It subsequently relocated into the Naqab (Negev) region following international criticism.

    Reports show its current facility benefits from the displacement of Bedouin communities whose homes were demolished for industrial expansion, including SodaStream’s plant.

    ICJP writes to retailers

    Following this submission, ICJP contacted major retailers on 29 October: John Lewis, Rymans, Currys, and Argos. It warned of serious legal and regulatory risks tied to their continued sale of SodaStream products.

    These products were not just previously linked to illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory. Now they also benefit from the displacement of Bedouin communities in the Naqab region, and the exploitation of Palestinian workers.

    This plausibly places the retailers in breach of obligations under domestic and international law.

    ICJP formally urged these retailers to suspend sales of SodaStream products, citing serious concerns over the company’s practices.

    Evidence submitted to the Advertising Standards Authority shows that SodaStream’s promotional messaging misrepresents the reality of its operations. Contrary to the company’s claims, Palestinian workers have been segregated from Israeli colleagues and subjected to discriminatory treatment, exploitative labour conditions, and denial of religious accommodations.

    The advertising further obscures the fact that Palestinians work for SodaStream out of economic necessity under Israel’s continuing occupation. It misleadingly portrays their presence as a reflection of SodaStream’s workplace culture.

    ICJP warned that such practices expose retailers to reputational, consumer, and regulatory risks, and requested a response outlining due diligence measures, supply chain audits, and steps to review SodaStream’s compliance with human rights standards.

    John Lewis’ response

    John Lewis are the only one of the four retailers to respond to the letter so far. Its reply, however, is wholly unacceptable. It fails to meet the standards of accountability expected of a leading UK retailer.

    The response leans heavily on compliance rhetoric and internal codes of conducts, but crucially sidesteps the central ethical concerns raised.

    Simply citing adherence to frameworks such as the UN Guiding Principles on Human Rights, without demonstrating any concrete action, is dismissive and inadequate.

    This approach fails to reassure consumers that John Lewis is taking allegations of harm to Palestinians and complicity in illegal occupation seriously.

    The vague commitment to “keep this under review” (ICJP’s letter) is insufficient and passive in the face of credible concerns. By refusing to acknowledge the seriousness of the allegations, and failing to provide a plan of action, John Lewis undermines its own reputation for transparency.

    This response does not reflect the ethical leadership or responsible product sourcing practices that the public expects. So it leaves the company exposed to reputational and regulatory consequences.

    By continuing to stock SodaStream products, John Lewis and other retailers are putting profit over human rights concerns. They are enabling and profiting from economic activity linked to displacement of Bedouin communities and exploitation of Palestinian workers.

    ICJP’s Head of Legal, Mutahir Ahmed, said:

    Around this time of year, John Lewis would rather focus on Christmas whitewashing of their brand. Their Christmas advert this year is ‘Where Love Lives’. The answer is certainly not in the Naqab region, where Bedouin communities are being displaced, and Palestinian workers are exploited to make the products that John Lewis sells on its shelves.

    Featured image via YouTube screenshot / John Lewis

    By The Canary

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • Israel arrests US solidarity activists in the West Bank

    Israeli authorities have arrested two US citizens in the West Bank. They were showing solidarity with the Abu Hamam family, who Israeli settlers have repeatedly targeted. The International Solidarity Movement has sent details:

    Solidarity

    Trudi Frost and Irene Cho were arrested on 12 December, in the West Bank village of al-Mughayyer, north-east of Ramallah. They were standing in solidarity against the forcible displacement of the Abu Hamam family.

    Officials revoked their staying permits through a summary procedure and refused to review evidence of the illegality of the arrest. They’ve transferred the two to the Givon prison near the city of Ramla.

    The legal team representing New York-based Cho and Boston-based Frost expect the detention to extend over a prolonged period. The two are refusing to cooperate with their deportation. And their lawyers are challenging the legality of the deportation order itself.

    Military order

    The arrest took place after Israeli forces claimed to present a month-long military order sealing the area.

    The area marked as off limits in the map accompanying the order, however, did not include the Abu Hamam residence. This makes the detention unlawful.

    In contrast, the closed area does include the outpost from which Israeli settlers regularly set out to terrorise the family.

    Despite that fact, Israeli forces didn’t take any steps to enforce the order against the settlers. They continue to harass and assault the family undisturbed, often with the cooperation of the Israeli armed forces.

    In a statement prior to her arrest, Frost spoke of her motivation to volunteer with the International Solidarity Movement because:

    the ethnic cleansing happening in Palestine goes against international law and against humanity.

    Cho described her admiration for:

    the long legacy of protective presence and the collective efforts to reduce settler violence.

    Frost and Cho’s detention was illegal, as their time in custody before appearing in front of an immigration officer extended for several hours beyond the legal limit of 24 hours.

    During the hearing, the officer refused to examine the maps accompanying the order. These prove the detention was arbitrary and without cause, as well as politically motivated.

    In further infringement of due process, Israeli authorities prevented the lawyer representing the two from attending the interview for several hours. Eventually, they conceded it’s their legal right to have legal representation.

    Cho and Frost are due to face a custody review panel within 72 hours from the decision to deport them.

    Following their illegal detention, the two were questioned for obstructing a police officer and being in violation of lawful direction. They were transferred to the Neve Tirza maximum security prison before being moved to Ben Gurion for a deportation interview.

    Regular attacks

    The Abu Hamam family has been the target of ceaseless harassment and assault at the hands of Israeli settlers and armed forces for over a year in an attempt to drive them away from their lands. Over the past week these attempts have escalated drastically, with near daily attacks.

    Last Sunday, 7 December, a settler attack on the family took place in coordination with a military raid on the village, which prevented residents and medics to come to the family’s help. The attack resulted in the injuries of the family’s matriarch, 59-year-old Fadda Abu Naim, 13-year-old Riziq Abu Naim, as well as two UK nationals, a Colombian-American and a French national.

    On the following day, Monday 8 December, settlers dismantled Palestinian owned corrugated metal sheds under the protection of the military.

    On Wednesday 10 December, military forces raided the family’s property. They presented a 24-hour military zone order and arrested a US and an Australian national. Friday saw the unlawful arrest of Cho and Frost, while several military raids took place on Saturday and Sunday, as the forces looked for solidarity activists. Meanwhile, settlers are allowed to roam the area, attacking and harassing Palestinian communities completely undisturbed.

    These attacks by settlers and soldiers aim to displace the Abu Hamam family forcibly from their land. It’s part of the implementation of the Israeli policy of ethnic cleansing Palestinians. In this case, displacing the family would also allow Israel to create an unbroken line of settlements and settlement outposts. This would run all the way from East Ramallah to the South Nablus area, and down to the Jordan Valley.

    Featured image via International Solidarity Movement

    By The Canary

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • Gaza flooding: Child dies as winter storms drown displacement camps

    Medical sources reported on Thursday that a nine-month-old baby girl died as a result of the severe cold inside a tent in Khan Yunis, southern Gaza. While a civil defence spokesperson revealed that Gaza flooding left  thousands of tents damaged and blown away.

    Activists on social media shared a photo of the infant who died from the cold, amid mounting calls to help the residents of the Strip and save them from the heavy weather.

    The Civil Defence Agency said it had received more than 2,500 distress calls in 24 hours. It confirmed that the current tents are unable to withstand the weather conditions, calling on the international community to take urgent action.

    Gaza flooding is worsening humanitarian conditions

    For its part, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) stressed that alleviating the suffering of Gaza’s residents is possible if humanitarian aid is allowed to enter without hindrance. It will enable them to get through the winter with a degree of safety and dignity.

    UNRWA explained that the rains falling again on Gaza are exacerbating the humanitarian situation in light of the widespread destruction caused by the Israeli war over the past two years. It added that flooded streets and wet tents are worsening fragile living conditions and increasing health risks.

    The agency also warned that severe cold, overcrowding, and lack of sanitation services are promoting the spread of disease and infection. It noted that the flow of humanitarian aid, including medical supplies and shelter materials, can alleviate this worsening suffering.

    The Civil Defence Agency confirmed yesterday that more than 250,000 displaced families are facing winter cold and floods in dilapidated tents that do not provide even minimal protection.

    Featured image via AlJazeera

    By Alaa Shamali

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • Gaza: 9,300 children treated for acute malnutrition in October

    9,300 children in the Gaza Strip were treated for acute malnutrition in October, according to UNICEF. This is despite a so-called ‘ceasefire’ which started the same month. Aid agencies had hoped food, medical supplies and shelters would now be reaching the population, but there has been no sign of any rapid improvement.

    Acute malnutrition in children

    UNICEF says this figure is “shockingly high“. It is lower than the roughly 14,000 children treated in August. But it is about five times greater than the number reported during the brief February-March ceasefire. This indicates that aid delivery and food access are still extremely inadequate, despite the supposed ‘ceasefire.’

    At least 165 children have died from starvation since the start of the genocide in Gaza. For some, the immediate threat of famine may now have eased. But good quality nutrition is still almost impossible to find in Gaza. Many pregnant and breastfeeding women are also becoming malnourished, and they then give birth to underweight or premature babies. This can have serious effects on the health of a newborn.

    The agreed target in the “ceasefire” agreement is for 600 aid trucks to enter Gaza daily. But in November, UN experts warned:

    The volume of aid trucks entering Gaza has never reached the agreed target of 600 per day and has frequently fallen below half that number.

    Only 39% of aid trucks required entering Gaza

    According to the Gaza Government Media Office, just over 14,500 trucks have crossed in 62 days, an average of just 234 per day — less than 40 percent of what the ceasefire agreement requires. Officials and aid workers argue these figures point to a continuing, deliberate restriction of aid, reinforced by Israel’s control over what items are allowed in. Low-value goods continue to be permitted, while essential supplies including food, medicine, spare parts and emergency materials are being blocked.

    Delays at border crossings, slow inspections and denials of aid deliveries continue every day. This calculated chokehold is pushing Gaza toward famine, which not only breaches the ceasefire terms but also violates international law.

    Heavy rains and winter storms have now compounded Gaza’s humanitarian crisis. Tents and displacement camps have flooded, worsening the conditions for children already struggling with hunger and disease. The Civil Defense report thousands of calls for help as families struggle with soaked bedding, collapsed shelters and limited protection from the cold.

    bedding, collapsed shelters and limited protection from the cold. This intensifies the risk of illness for malnourished children whose weakened immune systems make them especially vulnerable. Eight-month-old Rahaf Abu Jazar was one such vulnerable child. She froze to death due to the extreme cold in her displaced family’s worn-out shelter.

    Urgent action needed

    The worsening combination of limited supplies, harsh winter conditions and widespread displacement has left civilians in Gaza facing severe and persistent risks. Children, pregnant women and newborns are among the most vulnerable, with malnutrition and exposure contributing to a growing number of preventable illnesses and deaths.

    As winter sets in more deeply, the lack of adequate shelter, heating and essential goods continues to endanger thousands of families, underscoring the extent of ‘Israel’s’ manufactured humanitarian crisis and the urgent need for conditions that allow basic living standards to be restored.

    Featured image via UNRWA

    By Charlie Jaay

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • Palestinians in Jordan Valley will lose 11,000 acres because of fence ‘Israel’ is constructing

    According to Haaretz, the Israeli occupation army is erecting an internal separation wall deep inside the Northern Jordan Valley — at least 12 kilometres west of the Jordanian border. This barrier is intended to separate the illegal colonial settlements from Palestinian villages in the West Bank.

    Israeli occupation to construct a 22 km wall in Jordan Valley

    The wall will extend 22 km in length and 50 metres in width. Any Palestinian homes and buildings lying in its path will be demolished. When constructed, Palestinian farmers and shepherds will be cut off from 11,000 acres of their lands — also from each other.

    The barrier is also expected to completely encircle the herding community of Khirbet Yarza, isolating around 70 residents and thousands of livestock. In this way, the separation barrier shifts effective control of territory away from Palestinian residents, into the hands of the Israeli occupation. The project not only includes a physical fence, but also security roads, earthen embankments, and trenches.

    The Jordan Valley is one of the most agriculturally productive regions of the West Bank. It is also essential to the survival of many Palestinian families and communities. Restricting access to land here will have a severe economic toll. It is also an area of the occupied West Bank especially sought after by the Israeli regime. This is because it is essential to the sovereignty of a future Palestinian state, being the only direct land crossing between the West Bank and Jordan external to ‘Israel’.

    ‘Creeping Annexation’ of West Bank

    Physical barriers sever communities from farmland and water sources, constrict movement, and undermine the viability of farming as a livelihood. Palestinians have historically cultivated fields, tended orchards and grazed livestock in the valley. But new barriers risk enclosing their fields on the “other” side of restricted zones.

    ‘Israel’ is consolidating control over the West Bank without formal annexation. Analysts from the International Crisis Group describe a trend of “creeping annexation”. Control is extended through infrastructure, legal regimes and settlement expansion rather than explicit legislative change. This context is reflected in developments such as the recent approval of nearly 800 new homes in three illegal West Bank settlements- which entrench illegal settler presence and shift demographics.

    For Palestinian farmers and shepherds in the Jordan Valley, the barrier will mean repeated loss of access to fields, orchards and grazing lands. These losses ripple into food insecurity, declining household incomes and deepening rural poverty. Beyond economics, the barrier will also reshape social life. It will restrict mobility between villages and isolate residents. It will also make education and healthcare access more burdensome.

    Main purpose of ‘security barrier’ is land theft and ethnic cleansing

    What ‘Israel’ describes as a security barrier will be part of a broader pattern of control and land grabbing. Just like the illegal 700km West Bank separation barrier, it will deepen Palestinian isolation. It will also disrupt livelihoods rooted in agriculture and pastoralism. And it will reinforce a system in which the Israeli occupation’s civilian and security priorities override fundamental Palestinian rights. Rights to land, movement and community.

    The human costs — economic, social, psychological — will continue to grow as construction progresses and access to land and resources becomes more diminished.

    Overlaying all this is the broader plan approved by the Israeli occupation’s Security Cabinet in May 2025. This is the construction of a $1.7Bn 425 km “security barrier” along the Jordan border. When completed it will extend from Syria’s southern occupied Golan Heights to north of Eilat in southern ‘Israel’.

    The occupation’s Defense Ministry claims this project is necessary for national defence. But its main purpose is to entrench occupation, undermine Palestinian rights, and ultimately extend control over Palestinian land. It has also led to widespread condemnation from Jordan.

    Multilayered fences, advanced surveillance systems, mobile military units, and advanced information systems will all be used to supposedly help “strengthen settlement along the border” and “reduce smuggling and security threats”.

    On the ground, these barriers recalibrate power, redraw lived geographies and erode Palestinian presence in regions of the West Bank. Each new fence, trench or military road tightens a system of control. Palestinian families are left with fewer options, fewer rights and fewer ways to remain on their land. For many communities, the question is no longer whether they can farm, build or move freely. It is whether they can stay at all.

    Featured image via the author

    By Charlie Jaay

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • NATO boss Mark Rutte is horny for a massive nuclear war

    NATO boss Mark Rutte says we must all prepare for a world war-level conflict with Russia. A senior British minister has echoed the call. The UK and European population don’t get a say, it seems. Rutte delivered a fearmongering speech at a conference in Munich:

    The full transcript is here. He said:

     We must be prepared for the scale of war our grandparents or great-grandparents endured

    Rutte painted a grim picture:

    Imagine it, a conflict reaching every home, every workplace, destruction, mass mobilisation, millions displaced, widespread suffering and extreme losses.

    As ever, the speech was a pitch for massive hikes in military spending:

    Allied defence spending and production must rise rapidly, our armed forces must have what they need to keep us safe, and Ukraine must have what it needs to defend itself – now.

    NATO casts the shadow of war?

    UK defence minister Al Carns echoed Rutte’s comments. Carns is a former marine who war-horny Labour MPs have been gushing over. They see him as their next leader.

    Carns said:

    The shadow of war is knocking on Europe’s door once more. That’s the reality. We’ve got to be prepared to deter it.

    For Carns, the whole of society would have to be recruited to this hypothetical war:

    There’s a whole load of work going on now between us [Ministry of Defence], the Cabinet Office, and the whole of society approach, and what conflict means, and what everybody’s role in society means if we were to go to war and the build up to war.

    It’s not clear who these people think they’re kidding. War expenditure is already vast — and rising. Wars are underway (or about to break out) in many locations around the world.

    Less war, not more

    The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute warns military spending spiked again in 2024. Global arms firms are the only winners there. At the moment, there is war in Ukraine and western-backed genocides in Gaza and Sudan. Meanwhile, the UK has started to re-shape its economy around war. And the Trump administration is preparing for an assault in oil-rich Venezuela. 

    And let’s not forget: war with Russia is a potential nuclear conflict.

    The world is a dangerous place but the answer to that is not throwing money at arms firms. Far from protecting us, the UN claims the sheer vastness of war spending is actively pulling us towards war. UN chief Antonio Guterres said in September 2025:

    At this critical moment, the international community must confront the stark reality that rising military expenditures are not yielding greater peace but are instead undermining our shared vision for a sustainable future.

    There is ample fighting in the world right now. All in all, there are more than enough profits for arms firms already. Ultimately, more wars will deepen poverty and inequality. And it follows that a NATO hot war in Europe will empower far-right and fascist parties and governments around the world. Not to mention the nuclear potential…

    Rutte and Carns might be okay with that calculation. There’s no reason we should be.

    Featured image via Dutch News

    By Joe Glenton

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • One million fans in the stands; Arab Cup 2025 records largest attendance in its history

    In an exceptional achievement reflecting the growing popularity of Arab football, total attendance at the Arab Cup Qatar 2025 has surpassed the one-million-fan mark after just 28 matches, up to the end of the quarter-finals.

    This unprecedented milestone places the 2025 edition at the top of Arab tournaments in terms of attendance and confirms both the depth of public enthusiasm and the success of the organisation in attracting fans from across the Arab world.

    Morocco vs Saudi Arabia: the most attended match

    The highest attendance of the tournament was recorded during the match between Morocco and Saudi Arabia, which drew 78,131 spectators — the largest crowd in the history of the Arab Cup to date. The stands were filled in spectacular fashion on a memorable night for the competition.

    Saudi Arabia vs Palestine: remarkable turnout

    The match between Saudi Arabia and Palestine also attracted an impressive crowd of 77,197 fans, making it one of the most attended fixtures of the tournament. The game was played amid an exceptional atmosphere, with a strong Arab presence reflecting widespread support for both teams.

    Arab Cup — record-breaking growth compared to the 2021 edition

    The 2025 edition has clearly surpassed the previous tournament held in 2021, not only in terms of on-pitch performance but also in attendance figures. The group stage alone drew 812,318 fans, compared to 262,742 spectators in 2021 — more than tripling attendance and highlighting the tournament’s rapid growth and rising popularity.

    World-class organisation enabling fan attendance

    These record numbers would not have been possible without the professional organisation that has characterised the tournament, including:

    • Smooth entry and exit from stadiums through smart systems and highly efficient crowd management

    • Integrated logistics services that made the fan experience more comfortable and seamless

    • Modern stadiums providing an ideal environment to watch matches at the highest standards

    • Large Arab crowds transforming the stands into a unified display of flags, chants, and celebration

    Arab Cup, a tournament beyond competition

    The Arab Cup is no longer just a football tournament. This year, it has evolved into a broader Arab festival, bringing together fans from different countries in a spirit of unity and brotherhood — sending a clear message that football can unite people before igniting competition on the pitch.

    As the tournament continues, expectations remain high for more records to be broken in what is already being hailed as one of the most successful and popular editions in the history of Arab football.

    Featured image supplied via author

     

    By Jamal Awar

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • Arab celebration of unity and culture in the fan zones of the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025

    The fan zones of the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025™ welcomed tens of thousands of fans in a festive atmosphere that brought visitors together in a vibrant space reflecting the unity and diversity of Arab culture. Located around the six stadiums hosting the tournament, these zones allow fans to enjoy rich cultural experiences, including folkloric and artistic performances, as well as cuisine from local restaurants representing the region’s diverse culinary traditions.

    In a move aimed at strengthening the role of the local community, the tournament’s Local Organising Committee has given more than 77 local food businesses the opportunity to participate in the fan zones, providing them with free space to showcase their products to the public.

    Arab Cup — beyond football

    Arab cup

    Hassan Rabia Al Kuwari, Executive Director of Marketing, Promotion and Commercial Affairs at the Local Organising Committee, said:

    The Arab Cup goes beyond football; it is a platform that celebrates the talent and culture of our region. The fan zones are the heartbeat of the tournament, reflecting the diversity and cultural richness of the Arab world. We see this initiative as a unique opportunity to support local projects that play an important role in enhancing the fan experience.

    For her part, Sahab Youssef from Anbara Kitchen emphasised that their participation in the tournament is an opportunity to showcase the diverse flavours of the Arab world.

    She said:

    The presence of a small project like ours at a major event such as the Arab Cup gives restaurants like ours a real opportunity to shine,

    We are excited to introduce Levantine flavours to Arab audiences. Celebrations are not complete without good food, and we are here to celebrate as one family.

    Mohammed Alaa El Din Ibrahim, manager of the Egyptian folk restaurant Dukani, also expressed his delight at participating, saying:

    The event is wonderfully organised, and everyone is enjoying the happy atmosphere. I would like to thank Qatar and the tournament organisers for hosting the Arab Cup, which celebrates our culture and brings us together. We are proud to contribute to this experience and give fans the opportunity to taste the flavours of our region.

    The festive atmosphere

    The fan zone experience was not limited to food alone. The tournament also brought together dozens of artists from different Arab countries, who added to the festive atmosphere with musical performances, folk dances, and traditional arts reflecting the identity of each participating nation. The group stage alone featured 103 artistic performances involving more than 686 artists from across the Arab world.

    Jordanian artist Al-Walid Al-Attiya, leader of the Al-Salam Artistic Troupe, said:

    I would like to thank Qatar for hosting tournaments such as the Arab Cup, which give the world an opportunity to see the beauty of our region and its people. It is wonderful to see fans gathering and celebrating before the matches, which is what makes this tournament unforgettable.

    Featured image supplied via author

    By Alaa Shamali

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • Palestine 36 packs out Leeds Palestinian Film Festival

    A film festival in Leeds had to book extra screenings after Palestinian film Palestine 36 sold out in no time.

    The 11th Leeds Palestinian Film Festival has closed with its biggest audiences yet. Venue partner Hyde Park Picture House had to schedule additional screenings of Palestine 36.

    The historical drama, from director Annemarie Jacir, is Palestine’s submission for Best International Feature Film at the 2026 Oscars.

    Much more than a period film

    It tells the story of a Palestinian revolt against British colonial rule in the years before World War Two.

    Jacir says:

    It has been a long-time dream to tell the story of the 1936-39 revolt, and telling it through the
    different points of views of an ensemble of characters came naturally. The 1936 uprising marks the most pivotal moment of our history and I was interested in telling the story in an intimate, raw and personal way.

    PALESTINE 36 is a period film, but I never conceived it as something of the past. It has always been current, relevant and alive. Sometimes critical, never nostalgic, always searching. Set in a time I never lived, PALESTINE 36 is deeply personal. We do not choose the circumstances of our lives, we do not choose war or the million painful moments we learn to survive. Sometimes we choose how we react to them.

    The cast features noted Palestinians Hiam Abbass and Saleh Bakri, alongside newcomers including Yafa Bakri and Wardi Eilabouni. Jeremy Irons, Billy Howle, Liam Cunningham and Robert Aramayo portray some of the colonists.

    The film makers had to overcome numerous challenges due to Israel’s war on Gaza. Producer Ossama Bawardi reflected on the process, saying:

    Making a film of this size once is a feat; to prepare it twice, amid war and instability, was an ordeal. After years of preparation, we lost almost everything we had built.

    The war forced us to restart and rebuild from the ground up, navigating instability, delays, and the heavy emotional toll borne by everyone involved.

    It was a reminder of the trauma we have lived over and over, a trauma inherited by generation after generation.

    Sell-out

    Palestine 36 sold out so rapidly that the cinema needed to add extra dates mid-festival. This rare move shows the growing appetite for Palestinian cinema in the North of England. Seven of the festival’s 13 events reached full capacity, with three more nearly sold out.

    Paul Rogers, emeritus professor of Peace Studies at the University of Bradford, introduced the movie to a packed house. He said:

    Presenting Palestine 36 to a capacity crowd at Hyde Park Picture House, a film now submitted for an Oscar, demonstrated the hunger for historical narratives that challenge mainstream framings of the region. The turnout showed these stories resonate far beyond academic circles.

    The festival’s partnership with Leeds International Film Festival brought further institutional weight. Chris Fell, Festival Director at Leeds International Film Festival, said:

    We were delighted to partner with Leeds Palestinian Film Festival for the screening of Yalla Parkour. The enthusiasm from the audience continues to highlight the strong demand in Leeds for new and urgent narratives on the big screen.

    The festival’s curatorial judgment proved prescient. The Voice of Hind Rajab sold out before going on to win the Audience Award for Best Fiction Feature at Leeds International Film Festival. The 2025 programme also featured five UK Premieres.

    Leeds Palestinian Film Festival Co-Director Frances Bernstein said:

    Leeds audiences turned up in force. We presented challenging, artistically excellent work, and people responded. In particular, we saw huge empathy and hunger to know more about Gaza.

    Organisers are now planning the 12th edition in November 2026 and exploring larger venue capacity.

    Featured image via Watermelon Pictures

    By The Canary

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • Philippines typhoon survivors take Shell to court over climate damage 

    A group of over 100 Filipinos is seeking financial compensation from Shell. This is after the super typhoon Odette devastated their communities. The landmark case against the UK’s biggest oil company argues that it contributed to climate change. And they say this made typhoon Odette more likely and more severe.

    The case could have a major impact on the fossil fuel industry.

    The Philippine Movement for Climate Justice, Greenpeace Philippines and Fossil Free London staged a demonstration outside the Royal Courts of Justice on 11 December, to mark the filing of the case.

    Super typhoon Odette

    On 16 December 2021, Odette killed or severely injured over 1,800 people and destroyed over 2 million homes. It affected eight million people overall. At the time, marked as an off-the-scale event, it was the second costliest typhoon on record in the Philippines. It caused nearly $1bn worth of direct damage.

    The survivors argue that Shell’s actions contributed to climate change, which made Odette significantly more likely and more severe. It is the first case to link death, injury and property destruction in the Global South directly to a fossil fuel giant in the Global North.

    Odette destroyed Batasan fish vendor Trixy Elle’s home. She said:

    Odette took everything from me and my family. We were forced to sell our precious belongings just so we could afford to rebuild our home.

    We’ve done nothing to cause the climate crisis, but because companies like Shell chose profit over people, our lives have been turned upside down.

    Tessa Khan, International Climate Change Lawyer and Executive Director at Uplift, added:

    This kind of devastating weather event was anything but natural. It was a disaster born out of decades of extraction and profiteering.

    The bravery demonstrated by the survivors makes clear that fossil fuel companies can no longer act with impunity.

    This case strengthens the growing push by communities to hold fossil fuel giants to account for the harm they have caused.

    Shell’s role in the climate crisis

    The case draws on emerging science which can now directly attribute individual extreme weather events to climate change, and emissions to specific fossil fuel companies. In June, scientists found that the likelihood of a disaster like Odette in the Philippines has roughly doubled due to global warming.

    Shell is one of the world’s largest emitters, accounting for 2.04% of historical global emissions. By contrast the Philippines, the country with the highest risk of climate hazards, has contributed just 0.2%.

    The case also argues that Shell has known since 1965 that fossil fuels were the primary cause of climate change. Furthermore, that the company had been warned that failing to curb emissions would lead to major economic consequences by 2038, yet chose not to change course.

    The claimants are seeking financial compensation in line with the ‘polluter pays’ principle, as well as remedial measures consistent with their right to a healthy environment.

    The claimants are seeking damages for severe losses including serious property damage, personal injury, bereavement, psychological trauma and loss of earnings.

    They’re also seeking further relief in relation to the violation of their constitutional right to a balanced ecology.

    The claim alleges that Shell’s actions materially contributed to anthropogenic climate change. And this significantly intensified the typhoon’s impact and likelihood, thereby increasing the damage suffered by the clients.

    More climate impact cases

    They join a growing list of communities using the courts to send a message that the era of consequence-free polluting is over.

    As of September 2024 86 cases had been filed globally, with 33 relating to companies’ responsibilities for climate impacts. There are growing signs that the legal tides are turning.

    In May, a German court delivered a precedent-setting verdict in the high-profile Saul vs RWE case. It ruled that major emitters can be held liable for climate-related damages abroad.

    In July, the International Court of Justice advised that governments have a binding duty to protect people and the planet from the climate crisis.

    So the potential liabilities for fossil fuel companies are substantial. Climate Analytics estimates that the climate damages attributable to the 25 largest oil and gas companies exceed $20tn.

    Jefferson Chua, Greenpeace Philippines Climate Campaigner, said:

    Carbon majors like Shell can no longer hide behind their corporate veil, far away from those who bear the heaviest costs because of the decisions they make in their board rooms. It’s not right for them to continue to profit at the expense of the death and hardship of communities. Survivors of Odette have had enough of the climate crisis and are bringing the fight to Shell’s doorstep.

    And Aaron Pedrosa, legal team head of the Philippine Movement for Climate Justice (PMCJ), summed up:

    Our communities have suffered unimaginable losses. Their case shows that no corporation operates in a vacuum. When their actions materially worsen the impacts of climate disasters, the courts have a role in ensuring those responsible are held accountable. They cannot continue to contribute to climate harm with impunity.

    Featured image via Fossil Free London

    By The Canary

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • Lebanon faces betrayal in Trump’s secret Israel ‘side-letter’ deal

    It must be a day ending in ‘Y’ because the US and Israel are up to something nefarious in the Middle East. This time it’s in Lebanon. A barely reported so-called ‘side-letter’ details the US commitment  — or the lack of — to peace in Lebanon. And Trump’s new year threat to restart hostilities if Hezbollah doesn’t disarm risks destroying the US-brokered ‘ceasefire’.

    Meanwhile, the US has been extending its influence and infrastructure in the country. The Americans are building a gigantic fortress embassy. And with a US-trained president leading Lebanon, it’s worth taking a deeper look.

    On 3 December 2025, around a year into a ‘ceasefire’ between Israel and Lebanon, it was reported that diplomats from the two countries would meet. Israel’s 2024 assault in southern Lebanon was the sixth in the last 50 years. It ran from October 2023 until November 2024 — against the backdrop of ongoing genocide in Gaza.

    But this is a very distinct kind of ceasefire: one with Israeli characteristics. Case in point: by 4 December Israel was hitting targets inside Lebanon again. In fact, since the November 2024 ‘truce’, the UN has said: “Israel continues to strike Lebanese territory almost daily.” While the Christian Science Monitor termed the arrangement “the ceasefire that isn’t”.

    Israeli exceptionalism

    Naturally, Israel claims that it is hitting Hezbollah targets legitimately. Hezbollah is Israel’s old adversary in the south of Lebanon. It is a Shia political party with a paramilitary wing that was conceived in the heart of Israeli-occupied southern Lebanon in 1982. But implicit in the continued attacks is an acute Israeli exceptionalism —  an outgrowth of the US’s global exceptionalism.  We decided to take a deeper look at the terms of the ceasefire. In particular, an underreported so-called ‘side-letter‘ from US president Donald Trump to Israel.

    The document pledges full US political, material and technical military support to Israel in a return to war. Taken with Trump’s threat to attack Lebanon if it hasn’t disarmed Hezbollah by the New Year’s Eve, it deserves scrutiny if we are to understand what is at stake.

    The ‘side letter’ Lebanon knew nothing about

    The Times of Israel published the full terms of the ceasefire. It contains twenty ‘points’ with various lettered subsections. Point 4 gives the deal an appearance of equality between the two countries:

    These commitments do not preclude either Israel or Lebanon from exercising their inherent right of self-defense, consistent with international law.

    The US is broker and guarantor of the peace deal. Yet the Trump administration also made clear it is willing to destroy it. According to a second piece in the Times of Israel dated 27 November 2024, the ‘side-letter” commits the US:

    to providing Israel with intelligence information pertaining to violations of the terms of the ceasefire deal, and in particular, regarding any indication that Hezbollah is attempting to infiltrate the ranks of the Lebanese Armed Forces, which will be deployed to southern Lebanon.

    The agreement also mentions Iran. It reiterates

    the US’s commitment to cooperating with Israel to prevent Iran from continuing its destabilizing operations in Lebanon, including the smuggling of Iranian weapons to Hezbollah.

    The letter goes on to state that if Israel feels it needs to strike inside Lebanon, regardless of where, it has to notify the United States wherever possible.

    It even had a bit of satire in it stating that:

    Israel [has the] right to conduct reconnaissance flights over Lebanon, for intelligence purposes, so long as they do not break the sound barrier.

    Big words from the best guarantor of a ceasefire agreement that has ever existed. Thank you Mr. Trump.

    US influence in Lebanon

    Lebanon is not formally a US ally, yet relations have deepened since early 2025. Pro-US president Joseph Aoun took power in January.  Aoun is a career military officer. The US even trained him in counter-terrorism tactics:

    He steadily rose through the ranks, undergoing various training in Lebanon and abroad, including with the US counterterrorism programme. He also was awarded Lebanon’s Medal of War three times, along with several other medals and honours.

    For some, Aoun’s leadership signals a move away from Iran, whose influence in Lebanon has long been powerful.

    Widely seen as the preferred pick of army backer the United States, as well as regional heavyweight Saudi Arabia, he is perceived as being best placed to maintain a fragile ceasefire and pull the country out of financial collapse.

    An American fortress embassy

    American influence is also wielded through its Beirut ‘mega-embassy’. CNN reported in 2023 that the

    massive new US embassy complex in Lebanon is causing controversy for its sheer size and opulence in a country where nearly 80% of the population is under the poverty line.

    Located some 13 kilometers (about 8 miles) from the center of Beirut and built on the site of the current embassy, the US’ new compound in Lebanon looks like a city of its own.

    Researchers from Middle East Research and Information Project (MERIP) described this imperial project in 2024 as:

    [a] 19-structure ziggurat that dwarfs any government facility in Lebanon, is the second largest in the world after Baghdad’s.

    The sheer size of the project raised questions. Especially given that Lebanon is a small nation:

    Its billion-dollar estimated budget rivals the cost of the US embassy in London, and it is about four times its size, despite Britain having ten times Lebanon’s population and 130 times its GDP.

    Yet “no specific reason has been offered for building such a massive compound”. The US says its embassies are helping US citizens in the region. Naturally, MERIP says the answer is less innocent:

    Rather, the new embassy, like that of Baghdad, speaks to longstanding US military interests and activity in Lebanon and the wider region.

    US influence

    The recent MAGA-influenced National Security Strategy (NSS) has recalibrated US foreign policy. There is a strong sense of withdrawal from Europe. China, Russia and Iran have all been deprioritised. But the Middle East has not been abandoned. The new mega-embassy suggests Lebanon will be a key node for US influence.

    At the same time, its clear that the main US ally in the region remains Israel. And virtually unconditional support for the settler-state is assured — at virtually any cost. In this grand scheme, peace and stability in Lebanon is small change for the US and for the expansionist Zionist project it will continue to back to the hilt.

    Featured image via the Canary

    By Joe Glenton

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • Fascist pals Modi and Netanyahu reaffirm India-Israel Strategic Partnership

    Far-right Indian leader Narendra Modi has reaffirmed his country’s relationship with Israel. The two violently Islamophobic governments agreed on a “zero tolerance approach” to terrorism. And Modi said the pair had agreed “to further strengthen cooperation” on X:

    In November 2025, the countries signed a Memorandum of Understanding. Security and military exchange was the main focus. The Middle East Observer reported the document as:

    a shared vision to deepen cooperation across a spectrum of domains including strategic dialogue, military training, defence-industrial partnerships, research & development (R&D), technological innovation, artificial intelligence (AI) and cybersecurity.

    The agreement emphasised:

    co-development and co-production of advanced military technologies—an important pivot from transactional procurement toward joint manufacturing and innovation.

    Modi x Natenyahu — the ethno-nationalist weirdo gang

    Basically, Benyamin Netanyahu and Modi are expert internal repressors with a long history of violence against Muslims. Modi was governor of Gujarat province back in 2002. Essentially, he oversaw violent pogroms against Indian Muslims which left 2000 people dead.

    Certainly, Hindutva nationalism unites Modi’s followers at home. But diaspora communities in the UK have felt Hindutva’s power too.  Hindutva’s Hitler-inspired paramilitary wing is Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). In fact, even Norwegian mass killer Anders Breivik felt an affinity for RSS ideology.

    Like Hindutva, Zionism is a violent ethno-supremacist supremacy. In truth, Zionism is deeply linked to British imperialism. And Hindutva is no different. As one commentator has it:

    Granted, Israel and India are two very different countries. What they have in common is the intrusion of the British.

    Accordingly, University of Leicester politics lecturer Dr Vikram Visana said Hindutva founder Vinayak Damodar Savarkar:

    praised Zionism as the perfection of ethno-nationalist thinking. The way Zionism seamlessly blended ethnic attachment to a motherland and religious attachment to a holy land was precisely what Savarkar wanted for the Hindus.

    “This double attachment,” Visana adds:

    was far more powerful to his mind than the European model of “blood and soil” nationalism without sacred space.

    Peas in a pod

    All in all, Netanyahu and Modi share a fascistic politics and a militarist impulse. New Internationalist reports:

    Indian companies like Adani-Elbit Advanced Systems India, Premier Explosives, and the state-owned Munitions India are actively supplying drones and weapons to Israel as it continues its genocidal war against the people of Gaza.

    In April [2024], careful not to jeopardize these arrangements, India abstained from a UN ceasefire resolution that included calls for an arms embargo on Israel.

    In return, Israel:

    has continued its uninterrupted supply of military equipment to India – a significant commitment as Israel has delayed over $1.5 billion in arms exports to other countries since October 2023.

    Far-right and ethno-nationalism are the dominant forces in Indian and Israeli politics. And their leaders are committed to militarism and internal repression along racial lines. Ultimately, as products of British imperialism, what else could they be?

    Featured image via the Canary

    By Joe Glenton

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • Trump goes full Captain Sparrow in brazen seizure of Venezuelan oil tanker

    The US military has seized an oil tanker in the Caribbean. Troops stormed the deck by helicopter in what US officials later justified as being an attack on “an illicit oil shipping network”. The US has been militarising the Caribbean for months. The seizure is a major escalation by Trump. Venezuela has called it ‘piracy’.

    Certainly, it’s no small irony that in Trump’s war for Venezuelan oil — which the US has tried to claim is about drugs — the first thing he seized was an oil tanker. And here’s the key point: less than a year ago Trump was condemning others for attacking shipping. Even though those attacks were aimed at stopping a genocide.

    Shortly after, Trump told reporters:

    We’ve just seized a tanker on the coast of Venezuela, a large tanker, very large, largest one ever seized, actually.

    Asked what would happen with the oil, he said:

    Well, we keep it, I guess.

    Homeland Security chief Kristi Noem posted on X:

    And Attorney General Pam Bondi claimed:

    for multiple years, the oil tanker has been sanctioned by the United States due to its involvement in an illicit oil shipping network supporting foreign terrorist organisations.

    CBS News identified the tanker as the Skipper:

    The Skipper was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department in 2022 for alleged ties to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Hezbollah. At the time, it sailed under the name Adisa. The 20-year-old tanker previously sailed under the name The Toyo in 2005, according to public maritime data.

    The Venezuelan government condemned the move as an act of piracy.

    Trump’s Dirty war in the Caribbean

    US forces have killed 86 people in the region since 2 September. Officially, the campaign of airstrikes is aimed at ‘narco-terrorists’ in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific. Critics reject the Trump claim about narcotics. Lawyers say there is no legal basis for the strikes. And regional actors say Trump is simply after Venezuelan oil.

    And here is the thing. Earlier in 2025 Trump was lambasting Yemen’s Houthis for attacking shipping in the Red Sea:

    It has been over a year since a U.S.-flagged commercial ship safely sailed through the Suez Canal, the Red Sea, or the Gulf of Aden. No terrorist force will stop American commercial and naval vessels from freely sailing the Waterways of the World.

    Our economic and national security have been under attack by the Houthis for too long. Today, President Trump’s action and leadership are moving to end this.

    Houthis have been hitting vessels in the vital shipping lane to oppose the Gaza genocide. Their operations were successful enough that the US bombed Yemen intensively. In August 2024, the Houthis even attacked an oil tanker. The Pentagon even condemned them for it.

    US exceptionalism

    Evidently the US Monroe Doctrine is back with a vengeance.  In US eyes, the western hemisphere is its personal fiefdom. Ultimately, the US thinks it has a God-given right to intervene as it likes — in the Caribbean and beyond. This is American exceptionalism writ large. And as broader US empire fades, Trump has turned his gaze back to the Caribbean, the eastern Pacific and the southern reaches of the continent.

    Never mind that the US itself spent the early part of 2025 calling out the Houthis for attacking shipping. It has just done more or less the same thing itself. However, this US action was not in the name of solidarity with a besieged people. As a matter of fact, it is part of the buildup towards the latest American resource war.

    Featured image via the Canary

    By Joe Glenton

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • Israeli settlers continue violent attacks in the West Bank

    Further to a brutal attack by settlers on 7 December in Al Mughayyer, north of Ramallah, the International Solidarity Movement has sent details of more violence.

    Continuing violence from settlers and army

    For the fourth consecutive day of Israeli assaults, a gang of armed Israeli settlers raided the Abu Hamam family home on 10 December. Later at night, the Israeli army abducted a US and an Australian citizen.

    At around 6:45pm, settlers attacked those present on location, Palestinians and solidarity activists alike, trying to intimidate them. Settlers cocked a rifle in the activists’ face. The Abu Hamam home stands in the al-Khalayel area of al-Mughayyer on the outskirts of the village.

    Soon after the attack began, Israeli soldiers joined the settlers and shot live ammunition at residents of al-Mughayyer trying to come to the family’s aid.

    A pregnant woman and the children living at the Abu Hamam residence were eventually evacuated to safety. The settlers only left towards the Havat Shlisha outpost around 9:30pm, with the soldiers following about half an hour later. For the entire time soldiers were there, they kept pointing laser scopes at family members and international activists. They also occasionally shot live fire in the air, and a military drone constantly hovered overhead.

    Police harassment

    At around 11:00pm, five military jeeps carrying over 20 soldiers and border police officers stormed the compound again. They declared the entire al-Khalayel area a closed military zone for 24 hours.

    Closed military zone orders usually have an exemption for residents, who can remain in the area. However, this order didn’t, raising concerns over the intent of Israeli authorities and a possible threat of forced displacement.

    In a prime example of cooperation between Israeli authorities and settlers, the closed area didn’t include the Havat Shlisha outpost, from which the assailants set out. As is the norm, Palestinians were punished for being victims of Israeli violence.

    During the raid, border police officers detained two internationals, US and Australian citizens. They warned the rest they would come back in an hour and arrest anyone who remained there.

    Officers took the two detainees to the Shaar Binyamin police station for questioning. But they then sent them away without any questioning and told them to return in the morning.

    Other attacks

    In a similar development, the Israeli police announced last night that they’d finished investigating the assault by settlers in Ein al-Duyuk on 30 November. They closed the case on the grounds that “no evidence was found that a crime was committed”. Even though the incident sent one Canadian and three Italian activists to hospital.

    Masked settlers allegedly stole passports, phones and other equipment. But police didn’t even bother to interview the victims of the attack who filed the complaint.

    Earlier on 10 December, a settler ran over a German citizen with an ATV, causing him minor injury. He was one of two solidarity activists making their way from the village to the Abu Hamam home.

    A similar incident took place on 7 December, only hours before the brutal attack in which eight Israeli settlers raided the Abu Hamam residence, resulting in the injury of 13-year-old boy Riziq. That time, settlers chased and hit two activists with their car, causing them extensive bruising.

    The family of Abu and Umm Hamam is the only one currently standing between the settlers and achieving unbroken territory between al-Mughayyer and Ein Samia. Displacing them would allow the settlers to create a line of settlements and settlement outposts all the way to the South Nablus area, and going down from there all the way to the Jordan Valley.

    Featured image via International Solidarity Movement

    By The Canary

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • UK councillors can now take a ‘Pledge for Palestine’

    The Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) launched a “Councillor Pledge for Palestine” on 10 December. It asks all councillors across the UK to use their position to “uphold the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people”.

    PSC has launched the pledge five months ahead of the local elections. Palestine is likely to be a major issue in many closely fought contests, including the all-out elections in London.

    PSC research has found that local council administered pension funds invest more than £12.2 billion in companies complicit in Israel’s genocide, ethnic cleansing, military occupation and apartheid against Palestinians.

    This includes more than £450m invested in BAE Systems, an arms company that manufactures components for Israel’s F-35 fighter jets. Israel has used these extensively to bomb Gaza. And they’ve taken part in attacks likely to have broken international humanitarian law.

    The Councillor Pledge for Palestine

    As a councillor, I will take all appropriate steps to:

    Uphold the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people.

    Support efforts to prevent, and ensure accountability for, Israel’s crimes of genocide, military occupation, ethnic cleansing and apartheid.

    Ensure my council is not complicit in and does not help to normalise Israel’s violations of international law, including through the council divesting pensions and any other funds it administers from complicit companies and through its procurement policies.

    PSC has contacted all councillors in Britain to ask them to make the pledge. It will also encourage supporters to contact their local councillors to make the commitment.

    In the coming months, it will publish a list of councillors who have made the pledge. And it’ll continue to encourage others to follow suit.

    This initiative aims to build a network of councillors supportive of the rights of the Palestinian people. It will also encourage them to use their roles to advocate for Palestine.

    Public backing

    Labour support in the polls has collapsed. The party is competing with other centrist and progressive parties such as the Greens, the Liberal Democrats, Plaid Cymru and now Your Party. So the issue of Palestine is set to be a significant factor in councillor elections.

    Polling conducted earlier this year on behalf of PSC found that more than three times as many voters support councils divesting pension funds [Excel spreadsheet] from companies complicit in Israel’s crimes as oppose it.

    That ratio is six-to-one for Labour voters, seven-to-one for Liberal Democrat voters, and 11-to-one for Green voters.

    The Councillor Pledge for Palestine builds on an ongoing PSC campaign – Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) Divest. This has led to 27 councils across Britain passing motions or issuing statements in support of divesting pension funds from companies complicit in Israel’s crimes.

    It took inspiration from the Local Authority Action Against Apartheid campaign. This launched in 1983 to build support within local government for South African anti-apartheid initiatives.

    At its height, two-thirds of Britain’s population lived in councils that had adopted anti-apartheid policies. Nelson Mandela acknowledged this when he visited Britain after his release. He paid a specific tribute to the local authority anti-apartheid campaign.

    Ben Jamal, Director of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, said:

    It is not just Westminster politicians who have enabled Britain’s complicity in Israel’s horrific crimes. That guilt extends to council chambers as well, with more than £12 billions of local government pension scheme funds invested in companies profiting from Israel’s military occupation and system of apartheid against the Palestinian people.

    Our Councillor Pledge for Palestine gives elected representatives an opportunity to show their constituents they are on the right side of history and that they vow to end this complicity.

    After more than two years of Israel’s genocide – which continues to this day, despite the so-called ‘ceasefire’ – people up and down the country are demanding politicians stand up and be counted. Councillors across Britain should answer this call and pledge for Palestine today.

    Featured image via the Canary

    By The Canary

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • FIFA Club World Cup Qatar 2025™️: Brazil’s Flamengo crowned champions of the Americas

    Brazilian club Flamengo was crowned champion of the FIFA Confederations Cup Qatar 2025™ after defeating Mexican club Cruz Azul 2-1 at Ahmed bin Ali Stadium in Doha. Flamengo got off to a strong start in the final three matches of the FIFA Club World Cup Qatar 2025™.

    This is the first of the last three matches of the global tournament hosted by Qatar during the break in the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025™.

    The fan zone around the stadium hosted a variety of entertainment and cultural activities before the match, adding to the festive atmosphere of the event.

    Brazilian club Flamengo will face Egyptian club Pyramids in the FIFA Qatar 2025™ Challenge Cup on 13 December at 8 p.m. at Ahmed bin Ali Stadium.

    The tournament will conclude with the FIFA Club World Cup Qatar 2025™ final on 17 December at 8 p.m., which will see French club Paris Saint-Germain take on the winner of the FIFA Challenge Cup Qatar 2025™.

    Featured image via the Canary

    By Jamal Awar

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • Gaza flooding: Israel’s blockade leaves a trapped population at the mercy of storms

    The Palestinian Civil Defence and the Gaza Government Media Office have issued an urgent warning to Palestinians in the Strip, on 10 December. The polar storm “Byron” will hit within 72 hours. Gaza flooding is imminent.

    More than 90 percent of Gaza’s residential buildings have been damaged or destroyed by the Israeli occupation. This storm threatens more than 1.5 million displaced Palestinians, living in worn out tents across the Strip. Officials say that it is expected to bring flash flooding to Gaza — along with strong gusts of wind capable of uprooting tents, rising sea waves, and thunderstorms.

    This will be hell for all those enduring displacement, with no viable alternatives or protective infrastructure.

    The night before this warning was issued, heavy rainfall submerged thousands of tents — soaking beddings and belongings. Displacement camps and tents across the besieged and destroyed Gaza Strip became flooded. This has been catastrophic for millions of Palestinian families.

    The situation has been made worse because the Israeli occupation continues deliberately to prevent the entry of tents and humanitarian supplies into Gaza. ‘Israel’ has banned 300,000 tents and shelter units from entry. It also continues to block the entry of construction materials, tents, caravans, and any heavy equipment to help shelter families. The Israeli regime’s intentional plan is to try and make life unbearable for Palestinians in Gaza. Then they will choose to ‘voluntarily migrate’ from the Strip.

    With nowhere safe to turn, and ‘Israel’ still withholding essential aid, the coming days threaten to deepen an already unprecedented humanitarian disaster. What is urgently needed now is protection and relief, before an already devastating humanitarian situation becomes even worse.

    Featured image provided by the author 

    By Charlie Jaay

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • The US military is using the white supremacist Jerusalem Cross on its propaganda

    On Monday 8 December, the US Southern Command tweeted an announcement that the US military was deploying forces to its area of responsibility. However, one particular design element of the tweet’s image was particularly noticeable:

    The soldier in the image is depicted wearing a Jerusalem cross on their helmet. That’s the badge there with the cross-and-four-crosses design. Whilst it’s still used today as a Christian symbol, that’s not what’s going on here. Rather, it’s found a secondary meaning in modern times: it’s a dogwhistle symbol of white supremacy. 

    US military — Jerusalem cross

    First up, a bit of background on the Jerusalem Cross. It usually includes a central cross potent, which is made up of two lines of equal length with crossbars at the ends. Then, in each quadrant of the cross potent, there’s a smaller Greek cross (a plus sign).

    The four smaller crosses are often interpreted as being symbolic of the four evangelists, or else the four corners of the world. In either case, it has close ties to evangelism (the idea of spreading a Christian message) as a concept.

    Immediately after the first crusade (1096-99) the Kingdom of Jerusalem adopted the Jerusalem cross as its coat of arms. Christian pilgrims who visited the holy land often wore the symbol as a sign of devotion. Some even had the Jerusalem cross tattooed on their bodies — most famously king Edward VII in 1862.

    Today, the Jerusalem Cross forms the basis of the flag of Georgia. The Catholic Order of the Holy Sepulchure still use it as their main symbol, as does the Catholic church in Jerusalem itself, along with several other Christian groups.

    Adoption by white supremacists

    Because of the connotations of the Jerusalem cross as a symbol of Christian invasion of Muslim lands, and of Christian evangelism, the symbol has gained popularity with white supremacists in recent years.

    Often, white supremacists will use it alongside the phrase “Deus vult”, Latin for “God wills it”. The crusaders also used this phrase as an expression of their belief that God wanted them to conquer Jerusalem.

    As the BBC explained, the Jerusalem cross and other crusader iconography has seen widespread adoption by white supremacists and Islamophobes:

    When a white supremacist shot dead 50 people in mosques in Christchurch in New Zealand in March last year, his so-called manifesto was reported to include references to the Crusades.

    Banners depicting the Jerusalem Cross, along with the term “Deus vult” (God wills it) that was associated with the Crusaders, were deployed by the far-right during a violent rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017. […]

    Last week, the US president’s son, Donald Trump Jr, defended posting a photo of himself holding a rifle (known as a “Crusader”) that featured a Jerusalem Cross – as well as an image of Hillary Clinton in jail.

    Military propaganda

    The Southern Command oversees US military activities in South America and the Caribbean. Its tweet announced the mobilisation of military forces to assist with Operation Southern Spear. This is the name of the Trump administration’s attacks on Venezuelan sea vessels that it claims — without evidence — are drug boats. 

    The strikes on Venezuelan vessels are illegal under international law. Worse still, the Trump admin has also threatened land-based strikes and bombing runs on Venezuelan soil.

    The US has also declared several South American drug-smuggling gangs as terrorist organisations in order to justify the use of military force against them. One of those gangs is the cartel de los soles — likely does not exist — which the US claims is run by Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro and some of his top generals.

    Trump wills it

    Now, as it gears up for what amounts to a war with Venezuela, the US is putting white supremascist symbols on its military propaganda.

    The USA is, quite famously, not a Christian group. It is not using the Jerusalem cross as a Christian symbol.

    Rather, it is quite openly using it as a crusading symbol — a symbol of a white nation invading and conquering a brown nation. Sure, Venezuela is a majority-Catholic nation. But then, white supremacists have never particularly been known for their understanding of history.

    Unless they are referring to the Fourth crusade?

    The fact that the US military is using the Jerusalem cross in its propaganda is yet another example of saying the quiet part out loud. The Trump regime is a white-supremacist regime. Its war on Venezuela is not, and never has been, about drugs.

    Instead, the war on Venezuela is about demonstrating that the US can and will manufacture any reason it can to inflict its aggression on any (brown) state it sees fit. The one and only reason, as for so much US policy, is that Trump wills it.

    Featured image via Twitter

    By Alex/Rose Cocker

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • On International Human Rights Day David Lammy says nope

    Wednesday 10 December is International Human Rights Day. It’s “a day meant to reaffirm dignity and protection for all”, according to Amnesty International UK.

    But it’s also the day of a Council of Europe summit. Deputy Prime Minister, Justice Secretary and perpetual disappointment David Lammy is representing the UK.

    And he’ll be taking a message that sounds very much at odds with the spirit of Human Rights Day. Because he’ll apparently be suggesting that the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) was “never intended to be frozen in time“.

    Human rights, up to a point

    According to reports, UK ministers want to reinterpret or restrict protections under Article 3 of the ECHR. This prohibits torture and inhuman or degrading treatment.

    They also want to change Article 8, covering the right to family life. These proposals would narrow protections for people fleeing war, persecution or serious harm. Even though Article 3 is absolute, without ambiguity, exception or compromise.

    Amnesty said that on an anniversary recalling the founding spirit of universal dignity, it would be a profound betrayal if the government used this moment to retreat from fundamental human rights protections.

    How far the UK has fallen

    Steve Valdez-Symonds, Amnesty International UK’s Refugee and Migrant Rights Programme Director, said:

    There is a dreadful irony in our Justice Secretary working with his counterparts to remove or reduce rights on the anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

    It shows how far we have drifted from the moral resolve of the last century, when our grandparents determined that the fact we are all born free and equal must be protected in law.

    Human rights were never meant to be optional or reserved for comfortable and secure times. They were designed to be a compass, our conscience, when the politics of fear and division try to steer us wrong.

    To weaken ECHR protections now, on a day meant to reaffirm dignity and protection for all, is not reform. It is moral retreat.

    You cannot protect the majority’s rights by attacking the rights of minorities. That is the opposite of universal human rights.

    Appeasement of anti-rights demands has never satisfied those who want full withdrawal from the ECHR. It only encourages them to push further.

    The very idea that Mr Lammy might soften our commitment to those fleeing war and danger, simply because times are politically difficult, should shame us all.

    International human rights treaties are promises. As was clear when they were first made, when times are hardest it is most vital these promises are kept.

    Amnesty warns that undermining Article 3 and Article 8 protections will not fix asylum pressures. Instead it will create a two tier system in which some families and lives are treated as disposable.

    It adds that the government’s recent asylum plans indicate a shift toward weakening human rights for those most in need. These include restricting refugee status and reducing protections for families and people at risk of destitution.

    Not what the public wants

    Polling commissioned by Amnesty International UK shows strong opposition to any weakening of the ECHR:

    48% of UK adults say the UK should remain part of the ECHR, while only 26% support withdrawal. This is a near 2 to 1 margin in favour of staying.

    87% agree rights and laws must apply equally to everyone, rejecting selective or politically motivated restrictions.

    78% believe rights should be permanent, not something a government can reduce.

    These findings show that, despite political pressure, the public remains committed to universal and binding human rights protections. The public doesn’t want temporary concessions or politically convenient reinterpretations.

    Amnesty is urging the UK government and all participating states to reaffirm, not rewrite, what human rights stand for. Weakening these protections would betray decades of human rights leadership, endanger lives and cast a long-lasting moral shadow over the UK’s commitment to justice and dignity.

    Featured image via the Canary

    By The Canary

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • Israeli settlers attack and injure Palestinian family and solidarity activists

    The International Solidarity Movement has sent details of an attack by Israeli settlers near Ramallah, in the West Bank. It marks yet more settler violence and bears the hallmarks of attempted ethnic cleansing:

    Settlers and military in collusion?

    Eight Israeli settlers, masked and armed with clubs, brutally attacked the Abu Hamam home in the village of al-Mughayyer, east of Ramallah.

    The settlers injured a 13-year-old boy, Riziq Abu Naim, and a 59-year-old woman, Fadda Abu Naim (Umm Hamam). They also injured four international solidarity activists from the UK, Colombia-US and France.

    All six were evacuated to the Ramallah Hospital, suffering bruises and gashes to their heads, limbs and torsos. During the attacks, the settlers threatened the family that they will return and burn the houses with them in it if they did not leave within two days.

    The Abu Naim residence is on the outskirts of al-Mughayyer. It’s the target of near-daily Israeli attacks and harassment by both settlers and soldiers, often working in coordination.

    The attack took place at 1:40am on 7 December, only a short time after an Israeli military force raided the village, and ended before the army exited the village.

    During and following the attack, soldiers prevented medics and residents from coming to the family’s aid. They even threatened medics with arrest. The military raid did not have any clear purpose, as the soldiers simply patrolled the town and did not make or attempt any arrests.

    International solidarity

    UK activist Phoebe Smith, who was injured in the incident, said:

    The attack is part of the ongoing attempt by both Israeli authorities and the settlers to displace Palestinian families from their lands. The settlers and military work in tandem to create a reality which will force the Abu Hamam family into leaving their land, and they do so with complete impunity and by whatever means necessary.

    The village of al-Mughayyer has been a flashpoint of attacks by the military and Israeli settlers. These have drastically intensified over the past several months.

    On 22-23 August this year, the Israeli army uprooted thousands of olive trees on the eastern side of the village. Major General Avi Bluth, the head of Israel’s Central Command, gave the direct order for this destruction.

    A press release following the uprooting made clear that it was a collective punishment in order to send a message.

    Over the past month, similar settler attacks have repeatedly taken place in conjunction with military raids on the town.

    On several occasions, settlers from nearby outposts have cut off and uprooted hundreds of olive trees on the western side of the village.

    Featured image via International Solidarity Movement

    By The Canary

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • Hunger strike supporters target Labour Party offices

    Campaigners have spray painted two local Labour Party offices in support of hunger strikers in UK detention. A group called ‘Justice for the Hunger Strikers’ carried out the actions on 7 and 8 December. They targeted the Harrow office of Gareth Thomas MP and the Sheffield office of Louise Haigh MP.

    On 2 November, 7 prisoners began a collective open-ended hunger strike. An eighth, with diabetes, is on a partial hunger strike. They’re all on remand in relation to two actions by Palestine Action, which took place before proscription. This includes a raid at Israeli weapons firm Elbit Systems in Filton, Bristol and an action at RAF Brize Norton. They each face up to two years on remand before trial, far exceeding the pre-trial custody time limit of six months.

    The hunger strikers’ demands

    They’re now entering their sixth week on hunger strike, and are demanding an end to censorship, a right to a fair trial, bail, de-proscription of Palestine Action and an end to Ministry of Defence contracts for Elbit Systems. The demand for an end to censorship means allowing them to have unrestricted access to their own mail and books, as well as being able to freely associate with one another.

    The hunger strikers are entering a critical phase of the hunger strike, where irreversible damage to their health is likely. Despite this, the Ministry of Justice has failed to respond to their demands. When confronted by family members of the hunger strikers at a local MP event on 5th December, Labour’s Justice Secretary David Lammy said “I didn’t know anything about this”.

    A spokesperson for Justice for the Hunger Strikers said:

    If the Labour cabinet is so intent on ignoring the hunger strikers then we will take the demands to their doors. We have started with only paint but we make a promise to our hunger strikers – and to our so-called government – that we shall continue the campaign each day their demands are not met.

    David Lammy has failed to abide by his own policy of responding to communications in relation to the hunger strike, and his proclaimed ignorance is no defence to permitting the political prisoners’ condition to rapidly decline without so much as a response.

    This is an emergency, and we all must act as such. We stand by the hunger strikers, and their resistance from behind bars inspires us all to escalate our resistance on the outside.

    Featured image supplied

    By The Canary

    This post was originally published on Canary.