UK

JOHNATAN SWIFT REDUX

Channel 4 viewers bamboozled by Gregg Wallace mockumentary about ‘eating human meat’


Isobel Lewis
Mon, 24 July 2023

In this article:
Gregg Wallace
Chef and pudding enthusiast

Channel 4 viewers have been left baffled by a Gregg Wallace-fronted mockumentary about eating human meat.

On Monday (24 July), the channel aired a new “documentary” from the Masterchef presenter, with the unassuming title Gregg Wallace: The British Miracle Meat.

On the Channel 4 website, the episode description reads: “With food prices soaring, Gregg Wallace investigates a controversial new lab-grown meat product that its makers claim could provide a solution to the cost-of-living crisis.”

However, the show in question was actually a mockumentary created by comedy writer Matt Edmonds. It sees Wallace – who hosts BBC Two documentary series Inside the Factory – introduced to a fake company called Good Harvest who are pioneering technology in the sales of “human meat” used by struggling people during the cost-of-living crisis.

Wallace, 58, is shown visiting a human meat-harvesting plant in Lincolnshire, where he meets some of the donors. Looking around the factory, he explains that “under EU law, we couldn’t possibly operate machines like this due to legislation. But now we can harvest people and pay them for their flesh”.

The host then travels to London, where TV chef Michel Roux Jr cooks the “meat” for him at his Michelin-starred restaurant Le Gavroche.

The cooks try the so-called human meat and attempt to guess which person it came from in a line-up.

In one shocking scene, viewers are also told that children under the age of seven, volunteered by their families, make for particularly good donors. Wallace is then offered some “toddler tartare”. 

The mockumentary was created to raise awareness of the cost-of-living crisis and the lengths people will go to to keep their families out of poverty.

Wallace is shown meeting Gillian, a 67-year-old retired receptionist who has been forced to donate to look after her family when her plasterer husband’s back went.

“Am I excited about donating?” she asked Wallace. “You know there’s something wrong when you’ve got to jump on a bus and have some flesh scooped out of your arm for money.”

At the episode’s end, Wallace explains: “No wonder the state is behind their sacrifice 100 per cent. The Trussell Trust says a future without food banks requires a benefits system that works for all and secure incomes so people can afford essentials. So it’s no surprise eating children seems a more likely path for our country.”

While The British Miracle Meat was a parody, many viewers admitted to falling for the episode’s conceit.

In The Guardian, Lucy Mangan wrote that “it took a shamefully long time for me to work out what was going on”.

The Telegraph’s Anita Singh, meanwhile, called it “a Black Mirror episode stripped of cleverness and subtlety”.

Twitter users were equally bamboozled, with one commenter writing: “Just caught the end of some kind of f***ed up Black Mirror style s*** on Gregg Wallace’s The British Miracle Meat in which a scared woman was having her flesh harvested to pay her energy bills. That couldn’t have been real surely?! Surely? It’s impossible to tell nowadays.”

Others also fell for the episode, one viewer asking: “Gregg Wallace: The British Miracle Meat on Channel 4 is like an episode of Black Mirror. Harvested human meat… is it April first?”

“This Gregg Wallace meat program on C4 had me going for about 30 seconds, nice try mate…. I’m assuming this is a test to see how people can fall for fake news?” one commenter asked.

“Is anyone watching this Gregg Wallace show on Channel 4? This absolutely cannot be real. WTF am I watching. My stomach is turning,” another commenter said.

“I am not buying this Gregg Wallace miracle human meat program on C4,” another tweet read. “It has to be a spoof, they all look like actors. Is it a joke?”

Food critic Jay Rayner seemed equally baffled by the whole thing, writing: “So @Channel4 is currently running a two-minute sixth form comedy sketch, as a 30-minute fake doc. Fronted by Greg Wallace. I mean. Okay. On you go.”

 

Gregg Wallace: The British Miracle Meat review – this look at eating human flesh is a total curveball

Lucy Mangan

THE GUARDIAN
Mon, 24 July 2023

Gregg Wallace
Chef and pudding enthusiast


Gregg Wallace: The British Miracle Meat begins in the usual way – with me reaching for the volume button, checking the running time (only half an hour – hurrah!) and wondering, yet again, why this man is shouting at me. This time it is about “THE COST OF LIVING CRISIS! NOW IT COSTS A PACKET JUST TO BRING HOME THE BACON! AND DON’T GET ME STARTED ON EGGS!”

Off we go with GREGG to a guarded processing plant in Lincolnshire belonging to a food technology firm which houses a production line and clinical facilities, that for the last eight months, have been producing meat made from human cells. Line manager Mick Ross explains that it is a relatively new process. “Under EU law we couldn’t possibly operate machines like this.” We see little shavings of flesh (donors are paid about £250 a time, which as Wallace points out is enough to cover an average fortnight’s energy bills) hanging in a nutrient-rich vat and quickly developing into huge slabs of meat (“STUNNING!”). They can yield up to 100 steaks which – according to taste tests carried out with men and women in the street by co-presenter Michelle Ackerley – are remarkably fine substitutes for the real thing and at a fraction of the price. Could this be the answer to part of the cost of living crisis?

Wallace takes three steaks from different donors to Michel Roux Jr at Le Gavroche to see if their provenance makes a difference to the quality. Is human terroir a thing? The third steak is by far the best, but that is part of a premium line, the details of which are still under wraps.

Now, at some point in this description or when viewing the programme the penny will have dropped. It took a shamefully long time for me to work out what was going on, but I am never at my best when Wallace is on screen. I flinch, I cower, I basically experience him as some form of minor assault. But for anyone even more gullible than I am, and especially if they have read their Swift, the next twist leaves no room for doubt about what is – quite unexpectedly on a weekday evening from mischievous Channel 4 and writer Matt Edmonds – actually happening.

The CEO of the company, Tamara Ennett takes him to the donor facilities, where fearful 67-year-old retired receptionist Gillian is being prepared for her extraction surgery. “Will it hurt?” asks Wallace. “It’s pain-subjective,” replies Tamara before ushering him smoothly into the boardroom to reveal the secrets of their new premium line.

Have you guessed it yet? Yes – it’s babies. Well, under-sevens anyway. Tender, unstressed meat, there for the taking. Toddler tartare canapes are on the table. Wallace – uniquely, as far as I am aware, in the annals of television history – falls silent. And then asks quietly and uncertainly if they are expecting any moral objections to be made when the product goes public. “It’s testing very positively,” says Ennett.

He is given a tour of the children’s facilities (“Like livestock on the way to the abattoir, any stress could affect the quality of their meat”) and meets Gillian’s grandson, who is about to make his contribution to the family finances, too. He is nervous, so Tamara crouches down to reassure him. “Have you heard of inflation, Jimmy? Price spikes? The cost of living crisis means that decent people like you don’t have many options. This is an amazing opportunity for you to do your bit and make your nana proud.”

No, Gregg Wallace: The British Miracle Meat is not subtle. And it gets even less so with Wallace’s outro (“No wonder the state is behind their sacrifice 100%! The Trussell Trust says a future without food banks requires a benefits system that works for all and secure incomes so people can afford essentials. So it’s no surprise eating children seems a more likely path for our country!”) though it gains something from being delivered in his trademark bluff, mansplainy, unhinged tones. He was the right choice for the part.

It is a neat idea, cleverly executed in the half hour and has the attraction and value of novelty. It could have been more pointed, more vicious, or packed more in to satiate those who are already aware of the issues it raises, but that isn’t what it is aiming to do. Rather, it is a nice little curveball thrown into the schedule to capture the attention of a slightly different demographic, perhaps, those who wouldn’t necessarily sit down to watch a documentary about the food crisis, or poverty or politics.

I’d just keep a close eye on any suggestions for solving the cost of living crisis that the Tories come up with in the next few months after broadcast, that’s all.

• Gregg Wallace: The British Miracle Meat is on Channel 4.

Suspicion and regret on Arctic border still open with Russia


Pierre-Henry DESHAYES
Sun, 23 July 2023 

Norwegian Sergeant Lars Erik Gausen scans the Russian border with his binoculars as he patrols the Pasvik River (James BROOKS)

Assault rifles at the ready, binoculars pointed at the Russian shore, the patrol boats carrying Norwegian soldiers power up the Pasvik River at full speed.

This is NATO's most northern border, the only one still officially open between Russia and Europe.

It may be 3,000 kilometres (1,900 miles) from Ukraine's front lines, but the war has turned lives upside down here, and left the Arctic region torn between vigilance against the Russian threat and its historic ties and dependence on cross-border trade with its giant neighbour.


On each bank, watchtowers rise above the canopy of pine and birch trees.

"When I arrived here in the early 2000s, we used to play football with the Russian border guards," recalled Sergeant Lars Erik Gausen, sitting in the stern of the boat.

Nowadays, they watch each other like hawks and barely say hello.

The men and women of the Pasvik company patrol the river that runs along more than half of the 198-kilometre border between Norway and Russia by boat, 4x4, snowmobile and on foot.

It was across this frozen frontier that Andrei Medvedev, a suspected deserter from the Russian mercenary group Wagner, fled to Norway to seek asylum in January after fighting in Ukraine.

He claims to have got over the barbed wire at the border with dogs on his heels after being fired on by Russian guards.

- 'Wake-up call' -

Norway is Russia's only European neighbour with which it has never been at war.

"The conflict in Ukraine has been a wake-up call for many," said Lieutenant-General Yngve Odlo, head of the Norwegian Joint Headquarters. Even so, "(military) activity in the High North is fairly stable".

For once, Norwegian forces now outnumber Russian troops in the border region.

The Russian 200th Motor Rifle Brigade and the 61st Naval Infantry Brigade -- which are normally stationed nearby -- were among the first to be sent to Ukraine, where they have lost thousands of soldiers.

"We're following them and have a good idea of what they're doing, but whether there are 1,000 or 10,000 soldiers, that's not what makes the difference," said Odlo.

Because the Kola Peninsula on the other side of the border is also home to Russia's fearsome Northern Fleet and the largest concentration of nuclear weapons in the world.

Yet despite the war in Ukraine, Norway's ever-pragmatic diplomacy means it is the last Western country to keep its border with Russia open, at least on paper.

The frontier post at Storskog, 15 kilometres from the town of Kirkenes, is the only land entry point for Russians into Europe's Schengen area.

But the border is not open to anyone who wants to breeze through, said Gøran Johansen Stenseth, the head of the police unit controlling it.

Oslo has in reality stopped issuing tourist visas to Russians, and the documents of many border residents -- who don't need visas under a bilateral agreement -- have expired, generally because they were not renewed during the pandemic.

Crossings dropped to 5,600 in June, around a fifth of what they were a few years ago. Those who do cross are mainly fishermen and people who have both Norwegian and Russian nationality.

- Sharing the cod -

A customs dog sniffed through a bus that had just brought Russian fishermen to the border barrier.

While the rest of Europe has closed its ports to them, Norway still welcomes Russian fishing boats.

Oslo justifies this exception to the sanctions by pointing to the importance of its agreement with Moscow to co-manage the world's largest stock of cod in the Barents Sea.

Kirkenes is one of three Norwegian ports where Russians are allowed to land their catches -- a cause for concern in a country that has become Europe's biggest supplier of natural gas since the war via a vast network of undersea pipelines.

The explosion that cut the Nord Stream pipeline that was carrying Russian gas to Germany in the neighbouring Baltic Sea has shown how vulnerable they are.

Russia is using scores of military and civilian vessels in northern Europe to scout for possible sabotage targets, according to a documentary broadcast in April on Nordic public service channels.

Adding to the growing suspicion, Soviet-era radios were discovered in locked compartments during inspections of Russian trawlers.

And in January, two Russian sailors were fined after disembarking in Kirkenes in military-like uniforms -- an episode reminiscent of the "little green men" who appeared, armed and without insignia, in Crimea before its annexation by Moscow in 2014.

- 'They're part of us' -

On a hill above Kirkenes, a monument to the Red Army has been newly adorned with a wreath of flowers in Russian colours.

With the Danish island of Bornholm, the region was the only one in Europe that Soviet troops voluntarily withdrew from after World War II after liberating it from the Nazis.

And the links have endured. Many street signs in Kirkenes are written in Cyrillic, and on the ground floor of the town hall, a statue celebrating friendship between the two countries has a Norwegian lion dancing with a Russian bear.

"I don't know how long we're going to leave it here," the mayor admitted.

From her office, Lena Norum Bergeng looks out on the Russian consulate, an imposing yellow building with windows protected by thick bars. The trees on the road facing it have been hung with hearts in Ukrainian colours.

Some 400 of Kirkenes's residents have Russian nationality.

"They are part of us," insisted the Labour party mayor.

The invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 plunged the population into shock and disbelief, then into sadness, she said.

Even though she was on the same side as the government in Oslo, the mayor was initially against supplying arms to Kyiv before changing her mind.

- Economy hurting -

Coming hard on the heels of the pandemic, the local economy, which was largely oriented towards Russia, is suffering badly from the drop in cross-border traffic.

The largest private employer, the Kimek group, which mostly serviced Russian ships, is no longer allowed to do so because of sanctions. Twenty jobs have just gone in the first batch of layoffs out of a workforce of 86.

"Everyone is furious," said Kim Rune Lydersen, 36, who got a new job before his was cut. "We didn't start this war with Putin. We understand that sanctions are needed, but then we need the government to help us."

Oslo has tried to cushion the local economy with 105 million kroner (9.3 million euros) in aid.

But the fear in Kirkenes is that young people will leave as skilled jobs disappear, when many insist Norway needs to keep a strong presence in the region in the face of an unpredictable neighbour.

Before Covid and the war, Russians came to buy nappies, instant coffee, jam and other consumer goods, while Norwegians went to Nikel on the other side of the border to fill up on cheap petrol.

Today, the aisles of Spar Kjøp, a discount store with signs written in both languages in Kirkenes are virtually empty.

"There are very, very few Russians coming in to do their shopping now," said manager Ann Kristin Emmanuelsen.

Emmanuelsen has mixed feelings about the sanctions.

"We had such a good relationship with Russia. I think it's a real shame... to make it so difficult for them to come here," she said.

At the Barentssekretariat, an organisation dedicated to cross-border cooperation, projects have dried up. It is impossible now to work with Russian universities and other state bodies.

For Marit Egholm Jacobsen, its acting head, restoring the old harmonious relationship will take "at least" a generation.

phy/fg/yad

Vast underwater desert ‘home to thousands of unknown species’ at risk from mining

Our Foreign Staff

THE TELEGRAPH
Mon, 24 July 2023 

A carnivorous sponge, Axoniderma mexicana, found in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone - AFP

A vast area at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean earmarked for controversial deep-sea mineral mining is home to thousands of species unknown to science, according to several new studies.

Miners are eyeing an abyssal plain stretching between Hawaii and Mexico, known as the Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ), for the rock-like “nodules” scattered across the seafloor that contain minerals used in clean energy technologies like electric car batteries.

The lightless ocean deep was once considered a virtual underwater desert, but as mining interest has grown, scientists have scoured the region exploring its biodiversity, with much of the data over the last decade coming from commercially funded expeditions.


And the more they look the more they have found, from a giant sea cucumber dubbed the “gummy squirrel” and a shrimp with a set of elongated bristly legs, to the many different tiny worms, crustaceans and mollusks living in the mud.

A 'mount-building' shrimp photographed by an autonomous marine robot during an expedition to the NE Pacific abyss - AFP

The abyssal urchin Plesiodiadema globulosum, one of the most abundant invertebrates found in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone - AFP

That has intensified concerns about controversial proposals to mine the deep sea, with the International Seabed Authority on Friday agreeing a two-year roadmap for the adoption of deep-sea mining regulations, despite conservationists’ calls for a moratorium.

Abyssal plains over three kilometres underwater cover more than half of the planet, but surprisingly little is known about them.

They are the “last frontier”, said marine biologist Erik Simon-Lledo, who led research published on Monday in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution that mapped the distribution of animals in the CCZ and found a more complex set of communities than previously thought.

“Every time we do a new dive we see something new,” said Mr Simon-Lledo, of Britain’s National Oceanography Centre.

Campaigners say this biodiversity is the true treasure of the deep sea and warn that mining would pose a major threat by churning up huge plumes of previously undisturbed sediment.

The nodules themselves are also a unique habitat for specialised creatures.

“With the science as it is at the present day, there is no circumstance under which we would support mining of the seabed,” said Sophie Benbow of the NGO Fauna and Flora.

The CCZ has both its age and its size to thank for the unique creatures discovered there, scientists say.

A glass sponge from the Euplectellidae family - AFP

The region is “mind-bogglingly vast”, said Adrian Glover, of Britain’s Natural History Museum, a co-author both on the study with Mr Simon-Lledo and on the first full stocktake of species in the region published in Current Biology in May.

That study found that more than 90 per cent of species recorded in the CCZ - some 5,000 species - are new to science.

The region, which was considered to be essentially barren before an increase in exploration in the 1970s, is now thought to have a slightly higher diversity than the Indian Ocean, said Mr Glover.

He said sediment sampling devices from the region might only capture 20 specimens each time - compared to maybe 20,000 in a similar sample in the Antarctic - but that in the CCZ you have to go much further to find the same creature twice.

Scientists are now also able to use autonomous underwater vehicles to survey the seabed.

These are what helped Mr Simon-Lledo and his colleagues find that corals and brittlestars are common in shallower eastern CCZ regions, but virtually absent in deeper areas, where you see more sea cucumbers, glass sponges and soft-bodied anemones.

He said any future mining regulations would have to take into account that the spread of animals across the area is “more complex than we thought”.

Catalan independence could hold key to power for Spain’s Socialists

Graham Keeley
Mon, 24 July 2023

Carles Puigdemont, the former Catalan leader, who is exiled in Belgium - Anadolu Agency

Catalan separatists have demanded an independence referendum in exchange for propping up Spain’s Socialists to form a government after yesterday’s election failed to find an outright winner.

Carles Puigdemont, the former Catalan leader who is wanted by the Spanish state and has spent nearly six years in self-imposed exile in Belgium, is now an unexpected kingmaker for Spain’s next government.

The former Catalan leader is the ideological head of the Together for Catalonia, a hardline separatist party which has seven MPs.

Mr Puigdemont could help the ruling Socialists form a coalition government but in return his party has demanded a referendum on independence and an amnesty for those convicted of crimes in connection with the failed 2017 Catalan independence bid.

“Puigdemont or deadlock”, read the front-page headline in ABC, a right-wing daily.

However, hopes the exiled leader would help get Spain out of political deadlock were dealt a blow on Monday when a Spanish prosecutor asked a judge to issue a warrant for Mr Puigdemont’s arrest.
Embezzlement

Mr Puigdemont is wanted by the Spanish justice system for disobedience and embezzlement charges over his role on the breakaway plot six years ago. The offences carry a jail term of up to eight years.

“One day you are decisive in order to form a Spanish government, the next day Spain orders your arrest,” Mr Puigdemont said in response to the request for his arrest.

Spain was heading for a hung parliament after no party won a majority in Sunday’s election.

The opposition conservative People’s Party (PP) and the far-right Vox party won the most seats in parliament with a combined 169 – short of the 176 needed for a majority and confounding a series of poll predictions. No parties are likely to join a coalition with these parties because of the involvement of Vox.

Despite not living up to pollsters expectations to win Sunday’s election, People’s Party (PP) leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo was trying to form a government.

The PP won 136 seats which means if these were added to the 33 of far-right Vox, both right-wing parties only have 169 seats short of the 176 needed for a majority in the 350-seat parliament.

Mr Feijóo said he was conducting talks with Vox, the Basque Nationalist Party, which has five seats, Coalicion Canarias, a regional party with one seat, and the Navarrese People’s Union, which also has one MP.

If all parties supported a PP-Vox coalition it would give seven seats - just enough to form a government, but it is unlikely these political groups would back a coalition in which Vox was a part.

“My duty is to lead talks to form a government,” Mr Feijóo said.

Vox has said it was content to join the opposition to continue the fight to oppose “left-wing extremists”.

Vox leader Santiago Abascal accused the PP leader, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, of “demobilising” the right-wing vote by distancing himself from a coalition with the far-right party he described as extremist.

Despite Mr Feijóo baulking at the far-right party’s wish to repeal legislation protecting women from gender violence and its climate change scepticism, the PP spent the pre-electoral period negotiating alliances with Vox in several Spanish regions.

If Mr Sánchez does a deal with Mr Puigdemont, it will play into the hands of the right, which portrays the socialist prime minister as an ally of those who want to “destroy Spain”.

After the results were in on Sunday night, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, the Madrid regional president, tweeted: “Thanks to the more than eight million Spaniards who have voted for us. The result of these elections, which the PP has won, cannot become a weapon in the hands of those who want to destroy Spain.”
‘Window of opportunity’

The Socialists and far-left Sumar won 153 but have more chances of negotiating deals with Basque and Catalans as they did in 2020.

In order to grant a referendum, Mr Sánchez, who opposes Catalan independence would have to change the Spanish Constitution with the support of parliament which he is unlikely to achieve.

It is within the prime minister’s power to grant amnesties, but the move could be politically damaging.

Mr Sánchez has already come under fire for pardoning jailed Catalan leaders.

Jordi Turull, secretary general of Together for Catalonia, said his party would use the “window of opportunity” created by the election to push for independence.

“The state knows that if it wants to negotiate with us, there are two issues that are fundamental and generate consensus in Catalonia which are amnesty and self-determination,” he said during an interview on RAC1 radio station.
Hard to negotiate

José Ignacio Torreblanca, head of the Madrid office of the European Council on Foreign Relations, said any deal between the Socialists and Mr Puigdemont would be hard to negotiate.

“Sanchez could try to get the help of Puigdemont but it will not be easy. He will have to make more concessions to Catalonia. A referendum or amnesty is not possible,” he told The Telegraph.

Talks on a deal on Gibraltar will stall without a government in Madrid, adding to the uncertainty for the Rock’s 34,000 residents.

The prospect of weeks of political wrangling might dent the economy which is slowing down after the post-pandemic rebound, analysts said.

Efforts to find a new government have already started but once parliament returns on Aug 17, politicians have two months to form another government, or another election is called.

 

Woman adopts wallaby rejected by mum - and now he lives in her home as a pet

Mon, 24 July 2023 

TRANSCRIPT

A wallaby saved from death row lives in a house - and loves naan bread and Cadbury's chocolate. Hayley Bateman, 50, rescued six-year-old Willow who was brought into a vet surgery to be put to sleep. Willow's mum rejected her and died hours later, and the joey was written off by zoo bosses. But mum-of-four Hayley took a chance on her, and made a 'pouch' for Willow to sleep in. Gran-of-five Hayley says Willow 'thinks she's her mum' and follows her around. Willow gets half a chocolate digestive biscuit before bed. She sleeps in a heated stable in the family's garden in Hornsea, East Yorks, but loves to cuddle on the sofa. And she gets along with the family's five dogs, sleeping in their beds too. Hayley said: "All together we've got 18 pets. "Willow came to me when she was still needing six months in her mother's pouch. "She thinks she's one of the family. "She sleeps with the dogs, and she's got a temperament like a cat - she does what she wants, when she wants. "We considered getting another wallaby for company for her but it would be hand-reared, so we got a giant rabbit for her as a friend. "We don't want her to eat what we eat, but she comes up to the table and steals it. "She will try and steal whatever she's not supposed to have. "Wallabies forage 80 per cent of their diet, and we give her a lot of fresh fruit and veg. "She also loves Cadburys chocolate - and she gets half a digestive biscuit before bed." After taking Willow in to save her being euthanised, Hayley began researching how to raise a wallaby. She contacted a wildlife charity in Oz and was told to feed her soy milk, and she sewed a fleecy pouch for Willow to sleep in. Hayley carried the pouch by wearing it around her waist, and tied it to the end of her bed for six months. Wallabies are silent so she knew Willow needed feeding when the pouch began to bounce. She even took it into her work, at Haven Vets, in Hull, East Yorks. Hayley added: "She used to sleep in the house all the time. "She comes and sits on the step and we let her in. "It's a bit chaotic, some of my daughter's friends think we're a bit eccentric. "It's chaotic but it's fun." The family even had an alpaca who lived in the house, named Pumpkin, but he passed away. Hayley said: "Wallabies are solitary animals so she doesn't miss being in a herd. "I contacted a wildlife charity in Australia which had hand-reared kangaroos. "They told me to feed her lactose-free milk and I sewed up a pouch with a hole for her. "I wore it around my waist and hung it from doorhandles. "They pop in and out but they do bounce quite vigorously. "I would take her to work and my boss would come in and say 'Willow needs feeding' because the pouch was bouncing. "Willow thinks I'm her mum, so she follows me about. "She can still be standoffish with new people. "If she doesn't want to go to bed, my daughter will tell me, and I will be able to get her to go. "She's bonded to me because I did all the legwork." Willow even came on holiday in North Yorkshire and was treated like a newborn baby. Hayley added: "It was just like having a baby. "She was brought in by East Park in Hull as the vets did work for them, and they don't hand-rear. "Her mum was ill and refused to let her in the pouch. "They brought her in to have her put to sleep even though she was completely healthy. "I wasn't working that day but someone phoned me and said 'Fancy trying a wallaby?'. "I've rescued several pets which were brought in to be put down." Willow likes to be petted but wants it on her terms, just like a cat. Hayley said: "She will let you know when she's had enough. "I wouldn't really recommend them as pets, I think a lot of people wouldn't understand the temperament. "They still have a fight or flight instinct. "She's much calmer and has been hand-reared. "She will stay on the sofa while I potter around." Willow hasn't been house trained but her toilet habits are similar to rabbit droppings so are easy to clean up. Hayley added: "She likes all weathers and will sit outside in the rain and snow. “I love her - she is hilarious and cheeky. “I have probably hand reared and re-homed more than 150 animals - all my brothers, sisters and friends have cats and kittens from me. “I took her home to hand rear her but never had the intention of keeping her, but she just became so imprinted." Daniel Dzunda is a mixed veterinary surgeon at Haven Vets, which has two practices and also provides veterinary care for wildlife at East Park in Hull in support of its own zoo vet. He goes every year to listen to Willow’s heart and check her skin, ears, eyes and nose while also looking to see whether her claws need to be clipped. Daniel said: “The health check takes some time, a bit of patience and maybe a few treats like different fruits or nuts. "Willow is in good health and happy. "She has the company of a large rabbit and the dogs, who all respect each other, while she also has her own space if she wants to hide. “I know a few wallabies that are kept in a garden or on a small holding, but Willow is the only wallaby that is let inside the house."

Biden supporters exploit Republican’s $1 donation cashback campaign pledge: ‘I gave $1 to you and $20 to Biden’

Kelly Rissman
Mon, 24 July 2023 

Doug Burgum
33rd governor of North Dakota

Republican presidential candidate and North Dakota Gov Doug Burgum is offering $20 gift cards to donors who give $1 to his campaign — but some supporters of Joe Biden say they have been funneling the gift card money to the president’s re-election campaign.

Mr Burgum’s campaign site says: “Donate $1 and receive a $20 gift card!” The Republican candidate also took a direct hit at Mr Biden, “The burden on American families caused by the Democrats is unruly, and Joe Biden is doing nothing to fix it. We want to help, so we’re offering YOU a $20 gift card, and all YOU have to do is contribute $1 to claim it.”

The gift cards are ironically called “Biden inflation relief gift cards.”

Doug Burgum (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

However, some donors say they are taking advantage of the extra cash and sending it to the incumbent. One Twitter user wrote, “I gave @DougBurgum $1 so he would send me $20. Then I gave the $20 to @JoeBiden.” He attached photos of his donations.

Another user tweeted that he “donated $1 to Doug Burgum and turned around and donated $20 to Joe Biden.” Yet another said, “Ok I gave him $1 and when my $20 gift card arrives I will give Biden-Harris a $19 contribution in honor of Doug Burgum.”

“We passed the 40,000 mark today. We’ve got more gift cards to give out. We’re going to keep on going,” the North Dakota governor said, indicating he reached the unique donor threshold to qualify for the GOP presidential primary in August.

Still, Fivethirtyeight shows Gov Burgum polling average at a mere 0.1 per cent. Former President Donald Trump is handily leading the Republican polls, with 51 per cent. Florida Gov Ron DeSantis is trailing him with only 18.9 per cent.

One dead after 'likely tornado' hits Switzerland



AFP
Mon, 24 July 2023 

One person was killed and around 15 others injured in northwestern Switzerland on Monday after a "likely tornado" struck a city in the Jura mountains, causing significant damage.

The storm hit the watchmaking city of La Chaux-de-Fonds in the Neuchatel region bordering France.

The storm "unfortunately caused the death of one person in their 50s following the toppling of a construction crane", the Neuchatel police said.

"About 15 injured people were taken care of by the emergency services."

The storm passed through quickly but the strong winds caused significant damage.

Vehicles were damaged or destroyed, roofs were torn off, street furniture was blown away and trees were uprooted.

"A likely tornado associated with a rapidly developing storm along the Jura" hit La Chaux-de-Fonds in the late morning, according to the Swiss national weather service.

"A gust of 217 kilometres (135 miles) per hour was recorded by our station at La Chaux-de-Fonds aerodrome this Monday morning, under a storm cell which suddenly strengthened when arriving in the region," MeteoSwiss said on Twitter.

Rescue and clean-up operations are under way, while the Neuchatel police urged people not to expose themselves to risks such as falling tiles or trees.

It also warned that further storms were likely and urged people to avoid going outside.

Before reaching Switzerland, the storm hit eastern France. The Doubs department authorities told AFP that Montlebon, around 18 kilometres from La Chaux-de-Fonds, had been hit the hardest.

The village hall, the church and the school as well as "around 15 houses" suffered roof damage. There were no injuries.

Elsewhere on the French side of the border, around 30 houses were also affected, with the full extent of the damage as yet unknown.

apo/rjm/imm

 

UK

Labour backs down on gender self-ID and will not follow SNP’s law change

Dominic Penna
Mon, 24 July 2023 

Anneliese Dodds at Pride in Soho, London with Labour's deputy leader Angela Rayner and leader Keir Starmer - NIKLAS HALLE'N/AFP via Getty Images

Labour has backed down on gender self-identification as the party confirmed it will not follow Nicola Sturgeon’s ill-fated trans law.

Party chairman Anneliese Dodds insisted “sex and gender are different” and that a formal diagnosis would still be needed for transgender people to receive treatment on the NHS.

Sir Keir Starmer, the Labour leader, previously pledged to change the law to allow trans people to self-declare their gender – echoing plans by Ms Sturgeon, which were vetoed in Westminster, to allow anyone over the age of 16 to self-identify without consulting a doctor.


Ms Dodds admitted in an article for the Guardian that Labour’s new position, which is expected to be taken forward into the general election, would “not please everyone” amid a backlash from her party.

“The requirement to obtain a medical diagnosis of gender dysphoria remains an important part of accessing a gender recognition certificate,” she wrote.

“We need to recognise that sex and gender are different – as the Equality Act does. We will make sure that nothing in our modernised gender recognition process would override the single-sex exemptions in the Equality Act.”

Ms Dodds accused the SNP of a “cavalier approach” to self-ID, adding: “The safeguards that were proposed to protect women and girls from predators who might abuse the system were simply not up to scratch.

“As a result, the Scottish Government is still picking up the pieces, with trans rights no further forward.”

Ms Dodd's said the Scottish Government is 'still picking up the pieces' of Nicola Sturgeon's ill-fated trans law - Peter Jolly

She reaffirmed Labour’s commitment to reforming the Gender Recognition Act (GRA) to make it easier for Britons to transition.

This would involve gender dysphoria being diagnosed by one doctor, in a break from the current setup which involves a panel of anonymous clinicians.

Sir Keir had promised the LGBT community in 2021 that he would take similar action to Scotland on self-ID in England and Wales if elected, telling PinkNews: “We are committed to updating the GRA [Gender Recognition Act] to introduce self-declaration for trans people.”

After the row triggered by Ms Sturgeon’s legislation, Sir Keir said “99.9 per cent of women… haven’t got a penis” and called for a “reset” of the transgender debate in Scotland.

Last month saw shadow domestic violence minister Jess Phillips urge the party to protect single-sex spaces in an apparent challenge to her leader.

Rosie Duffield, the Labour MP for Canterbury, has spoken of feeling “cold-shouldered” in the party over her gender-critical views, likening the experience to a past abusive relationship.

Pride Mardi Gla in Glasgow earlier this month called for support for trans people 

- Skully / Alamy Live News

Scottish Labour distanced itself from Ms Dodds’s remarks with Richard Leonard, the MSP for Central Scotland, writing on Twitter: “Scottish Labour’s position on this is clear.

“We support self-ID for trans people and oppose the UK Government’s attempt to block the necessary reform we voted for.”

Paul O’Kane, the Scottish Labour social justice spokesman, said his party “continues to support the de-medicalisation of the process in Scotland”.

Anas Sarwar, the Scottish Labour leader who whipped his MSPs to support the SNP’s legislation, remained silent on the issue on Monday.

In a statement, the LGBT Labour pressure group said: “It is very concerning that the Labour Party are signalling a retreat on their policy of medicalised self-ID for the trans community at the next general election.”

However, Labour Women’s Declaration, a Left-wing gender-critical group which was refused a stall at the party’s annual conference in Liverpool last year, welcomed “the shift to support clarification of the definition of woman in the Equality Act and abandonment of self-ID”.

Labour rules out self-id in gender recognition reform U-turn

Andrew Learmonth
Mon, 24 July 2023 

Shadow chancellor Anneliese Dodds

LABOUR reforms of the Gender Recognition Act will not include self-ID, the party’s shadow secretary of state for women and equalities has said.

That’s despite Sir Keir Starmer previously promising that he would scrap the need for a trans person to obtain a medical diagnosis of gender dysphoria before being eligible for a gender recognition certificate.

The shift in policy — outlined in a column for the Guardian by Anneliese Dodds — is also a humiliating rebuke for the leadership north of the border.

Last Christmas, Anas Sarwar whipped his MSPs to back the Scottish Government's Gender Recognition Reform Bill, which included so-called self-ID.

Ms Dodds described the legislation backed by her Holyrood colleagues as "simply not up to scratch."

Scottish Conservative MSP Murdo Fraser said the Scottish Labour leader should apologise for backing the legislation.

READ MORE: Sacked Tory MSP was 'punished' by Douglas Ross for backing gender law reform

In her column, Ms Dodds said that transgender rights needed “reform and leadership.”

She described both the Gender Recognition Act and the 2010 Equality Act as “one of Labour’s crowning achievements, not just of the last period of government, of any period.”

The frontbencher continued: “But now, in 2023, we have a much better understanding of the barriers trans people face.

“That is why Labour has committed to modernising the Gender Recognition Act. Changing gender is not a decision anyone makes lightly. The process is intrusive, outdated and humiliating.

“So we will modernise, simplify and reform the gender recognition law to a new process. We will remove invasive bureaucracy and simplify the process.”

HeraldScotland:

However, Ms Dodds said the law “must also protect legitimate applications.”

“Last year, the Scottish National Party’s cavalier approach to reforming gender recognition laws seemed to be more about picking a fight with Westminster than bringing about meaningful change.

“The safeguards that were proposed to protect women and girls from predators who might abuse the system were simply not up to scratch. As a result, the Scottish government is still picking up the pieces, with trans rights no further forward.

“We will not make the same mistakes," Ms Dodds added, despite the legislation being backed by Labour as well as the SNP, the Greens, the Lib Dems and a handful of Scottish Tories.

She continued: “The requirement to obtain a medical diagnosis of gender dysphoria remains an important part of accessing a gender recognition certificate.

“That’s especially the case now that gender dysphoria is no longer classified – and stigmatised – as a psychiatric disorder. It can help refer trans people into the NHS for support services – nearly a quarter of trans people don’t know how to access transition-related healthcare.

“Requiring a diagnosis upholds legitimacy of applications and confidence in the system.”

READ MORE: Sarwar refuses to criticise Keir Starmer over gender reforms concerns

Ms Dodds said Labour would “protect and uphold” the protected characteristics and provision for single-sex exemptions in the Equality Act.

She continued: “We need to recognise that sex and gender are different – as the Equality Act does.

“We will make sure that nothing in our modernised gender recognition process would override the single-sex exemptions in the Equality Act.

“Put simply, this means that there will always be places where it is reasonable for biological women only to have access.

“Labour will defend those spaces, providing legal clarity for the providers of single-sex services.”

Ms Dodds said she expected the policies to be “attacked from all sides, in good faith and bad.”

“But responsible politics is not about doing what is easy, it’s about doing what is right,” she added.

Labour’s 2019 manifesto, said the party was committed to “reforming the Gender Recognition Act 2004 to introduce self-declaration for transgender people.”

During the party’s 2020 leadership contest, Sir Keir Starmer told PinkNews: “Trans rights are human rights and I support the right to self identification.”

READ MORE: Court date set for challenge to UK veto over gender reform bill

Earlier this year, Humza Yousaf confirmed that the Scottish Government would take UK ministers to court over their veto of Holyrood’s Gender Recognition Reform Bill.

Scottish Secretary Alister Jack used Section 30 of the Scotland Act in January to use section 35 of the Scotland Act 1998 to prevent the Bill from gaining royal assent, despite being passed by MSPs.

He said the UK Government had concerns that the bill would have an “adverse impact” on UK-wide equalities law.

Responding to Ms Dodds' column, Murdo Fraser tweeted: "In this confused & rambling article, what sticks out is the attack on the SNP-Green ⁦@scotgov⁩ for legislating for self-ID in Scotland.

"So why on Earth did ⁦@AnasSarwar⁩ whip his MSPs to vote for it? And will he now apologise for this error?"

The Green MSP, Maggie Chapman said Ms Dodds had "shown a total lack of understanding about what has happened in Scotland."

She told The Herald: "Far from being 'cavalier', Gender Recognition Reform was one of the most scrutinised bills in the history of our Parliament and was supported by the overwhelming majority of MSPs, including most Labour MSPs.

"What Labour is proposing would go against the fundemantal principle of self-identification.

"Trans rights are human rights. Yet, over recent years in particular, we have seen some of the most vicious and disgraceful disinformation and smears used against our trans siblings.

"This is a time for pro-equality MPs and MSPs from all parties to speak out and stand up for what is right.

"Instead, Labour is threatening to U-turn on basic equality legislation that is already used around the world."

Scottish Labour Social Justice spokesperson Paul O’Kane said "Labour is committed to modernising and reforming the outdated and intrusive Gender Recognition Act, as well as ensuring exemptions in the Equality Act are upheld.

“Scottish Labour continues to support the de-medicalisation of the process in Scotland.”

UK
Tory MPs targeted in ‘offensive’ Barbie bus stop poster campaign

Noah Vickers
Mon, 24 July 2023

The ‘offensive’ poster campaign cast Tory MPs as characters in the new Barbie film (composite/ @lgsmigrants)

Transport bosses have ordered the removal of a set of “offensive” Barbie-themed posters from several London bus stops - which cast Tory MPs as characters in the film.

The images are thought to have been placed behind the glass advertising panels on the sides of the bus stops by anti-Government protesters.

A Transport for London (TfL) spokeswoman said: “These offensive adverts are not authorised by TfL or our advertising partner JCDecaux.

“We have instructed our contractors to remove any of these posters found on our network immediately.”

The organisation said it would investigate how the posters’ creators were able to open the glass panels without breaking them, as no damage was caused to the bus stops.

The posters show Suella Braverman (Home Secretary), Rishi Sunak (Prime Minister), Jacob Rees-Mogg (MP for North East Somerset), Robert Jenrick (Immigration Minister), Lee Anderson (Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Party) and Priti Patel (MP for Witham).

The images use derogatory language and insults towards the MPs, with a particular focus on the party’s approach to immigration policy.

Pictures of the posters were uploaded to Twitter by the campaign group Lesbians and Gays Support the Migrants.

The group, who posted the Twitter thread on the same day that Barbie was released in cinemas, wrote: “This week not only marks the cinematic event of the summer, but the Illegal Immigration Bill also passed a few days ago and it looks as though someone has been doing some alternative promo.”

They added: “This government’s treatment of migrants and asylum seekers is an outrage that violates human rights and fails to protect those fleeing from persecution and conflict. It will make life even more dangerous for people on the move.”

The Government has said the Illegal Migration Bill is intended “to make it unambiguously clear that, if you enter the UK illegally, you should not be able to remain here. Instead, you will be detained and promptly removed either to your home country or to a safe country where any asylum claim will be considered”.

It has said that UK asylum system is “broken” and costs the UK some £3 billion a year.

“We cannot continue, year on year, with this inexorable rise in the number of illegal arrivals adding unacceptable pressures on our health, housing, educational and welfare services,” the Home Office has said.

It is not known how many of the posters were printed and posted across the capital. One of the images featuring Ms Braverman was spotted at the southbound Priory Park bus stop, on Lee Road in Blackheath. Another was reported in Bethnal Green.

UK

Rishi Sunak casts doubt on 2030 petrol and diesel car ban

Ben Riley-Smith
Mon, 24 July 2023 

Rishi Sunak pictured pumping gas into a Kia Rio outside a Sainsbury's last March - Eddie Mulholland for The Telegraph

The ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2030 was thrown into uncertainty on Monday after Rishi Sunak failed to publicly back the policy.

The Prime Minister declined to explicitly say that the ban would take effect that year when asked, for the second time this month.

On Monday morning, Andrew Mitchell, the foreign minister, also declined to fully commit to the 2030 ban remaining government policy in the future.

Downing Street sources moved to play down suggestions that a change was imminent, saying Mr Sunak was not currently considering a change.

However, senior Tories are calling for a rethink on some net zero measures after Labour failed to win the Uxbridge by-election amid a voter backlash to London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez), which is being expanded next month by Sadiq Khan, the Labour Mayor of London.

Andrew Mitchell said the PM is 'well on target' to achieve the goal of net zero emissions by 2050 - Jamie Lorriman

Other green policies such as the effective ban on the installation of new gas boilers, which will kick in for newly built homes in 2025 and all homes from 2035, are also in the crosshairs of some Tories.

On Monday, both Mr Sunak and Downing Street figures toughened their rhetoric on protecting households from any immediate financial impact caused by efforts to make the UK a “net zero” carbon emitter by 2050.

Mr Sunak said: “We’re going to make progress towards net zero but we’re going to do that in a proportionate and pragmatic way that doesn’t unnecessarily give people more hassle and more costs in their lives – that’s not what I’m interested in and prepared to do.”

During the same brief TV interview, Mr Sunak was asked to confirm the 2030 new petrol car sale ban and the 2050 net zero target. His response only focussed on the latter point.

Mr Sunak said: “Of course net zero is important to me. So yes, we’re going to keep making progress towards our net zero ambitions and we’re also going to strengthen our energy security.

“I think the events over the last year or two have demonstrated the importance of investing more in home-grown energy, whether that’s more nuclear or offshore wind. I think that’s what people want to see and that’s what I’m going to deliver.”

Asked to give a cast iron commitment that the ban would be implemented in 2030, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman talked about the need to be “pragmatic”.

The spokesman said: “That remains our commitment. I think as you heard from the Prime Minister this morning, what we want to do is ensure that this approach is proportionate and pragmatic and doesn’t unfairly impact the public.”

The spokesman also said technological advances would be considered as it scrutinises other net zero commitments.

Asked about the gas boiler ban, they said: “That remains our commitment. But it’s obviously right that we consider how technology evolves over time as we progress towards 2035.”

Asked earlier in the day if the ban could be pushed back in the short term, Mr Mitchell told Times Radio: “Well, I think the important thing is to wait for any announcement from the Government but as I say, the measures we have taken are affordable, they have been very carefully thought through and we are setting a good lead in this matter.”

Plans for net zero

The 2030 ban is only on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars, meaning they can still be sold second hand. Also new hybrid cars, part petrol and part electric, can be sold until 2035.

The date of the ban was brought forward by Boris Johnson in a flagship announcement for the Cop 26 UN climate change summit, which was hosted in Glasgow in 2021.

The European Union’s ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars is from 2035, meaning that if the UK delayed its ban by five years it would still be moving as quickly as Brussels.

But critics of any delay on climate change measures have pointed to the record high temperatures this month, and wildfires in Greece, to argue that it would be the wrong time to water down commitments.

A senior Downing Street source moved to quash speculation of an imminent change to the 2030 ban, saying a change “is not being looked at by any level from the Prime Minister down”.

Tories attempting to plot the path to an unlikely election win next year took note of the voter backlash last week to the expansion of Ulez, which levies a £12.50 daily charge on polluting cars.

A wider search for green policy “wedge issues” that can help peel voters away from Labour is expected in the coming month, as Mr Sunak’s focus increasingly turns to the election in the year ahead.

UK

Met Police refers itself to police watchdog after distressed woman wrongly held over fare evasion

BECAUSE SHE IS BLACK
Sky News
Updated Mon, 24 July 2023 


The Metropolitan Police has referred itself to the police watchdog after a mother was filmed being restrained and handcuffed after inspectors suspected her of fare evasion.

The footage, which went viral on Twitter, shows the bus passenger being held by two officers during the incident in Croydon, south London.

Her child can be heard crying in the background while being consoled by a female officer.

As the woman's arms are being held she is heard shouting "what the hell, what are you doing, what the f*** is going on" as bystanders surrounding the scene also demanded answers from the officers.

The Met responded to the backlash in a statement from Assistant Commissioner Matt Twist published on Twitter on Monday, saying the woman did have a valid ticket and acknowledging the incident had been distressing for her and her child.

He said an initial review of the officers' actions "did not identify any conduct matters", however the force said it would "reflect" on the incident and engage in discussions with the local community in case things can be done differently in the future.

"Given the level of community concern generated we believe it is in the public interest to voluntarily refer the matter to the Independent Office for Police Conduct to review," he added.

Police were at the scene to support Transport for London (TfL) ticket inspectors as part of a "pre-planned operation". Mr Twist said.

He said the woman "did not" provide her ticket as she got off the bus and when spoken to by a TfL inspector, a police community support officer (PCSO) and lastly by a police officer "she continued to walk away and did not provide her ticket for inspection".

The statement said: "When officers were able to take her ticket from her so that the TfL inspectors could check it, they were able to confirm it was valid.

"She was immediately de-arrested and her handcuffs were removed."

The statement added: "Throughout the incident, the child was comforted by a PCSO who immediately recognised his distress. Anyone seeing how upset he was would be moved by this, and we regret any impact it may have on him.

"We recognise that the use of handcuffs can be a cause of concern, particularly given the context of this incident and the type of offence involved, but when a person is trying to physically leave an incident it is an option officers can consider. All uses of force must be proportionate and necessary in the circumstances."

It clarified that those without a valid ticket should provide their details to a TfL inspector so a penalty fare can be issued, with police only getting involved when these are not provided or when they try to leave when challenged.

Croydon mum wrongly arrested for bus fare evasion in front of crying son

Poppy Huggett

Sutton and Croydon Guardian
Mon, 24 July 2023 

Arrest of mum wrongly accused of bus fare evasion to be reviewed by watchdog 

(Image: Google)

Police treatment of a mum who was wrongly arrested for bus fare evasion in front of her tearful young son is to be reviewed by a watchdog.

Video footage of the woman shouting as two male Metropolitan Police officers held her arms and handcuffed her in Croydon on Friday (July 21) provoked criticism on social media.

She was arrested after wrongly being accused of failing to pay a bus fare, with police saying she had refused to show her pass to a Transport for London (TfL) ticket inspector.

The woman was later de-arrested when it was confirmed that she had paid the fare.

Assistant Commissioner Matt Twist said: “It is clear from the video that has been shared online that this incident was distressing for the woman involved and particularly for her child.

“We understand why it has prompted significant public concern and we want to be transparent about our position and the role of our officers.”

Police were working with TfL ticket inspectors in Windmill Road, Croydon, Mr Twist said, only becoming involved when customers without a valid ticket refused to provide personal details for a fine to be issued.

He said: “The woman involved in this incident was asked to provide her ticket as she got off the bus, but did not do so.

“She was spoken to by a TfL inspector, then by a police community support officer (PCSO) and finally by a police officer. She continued to try to walk away and did not provide her ticket for inspection.

“She was arrested on suspicion of fare evasion and was handcuffed. When officers were able to take her ticket from her so that the TfL inspectors could check it, they were able to confirm it was valid. She was immediately de-arrested and her handcuffs were removed.

“Throughout the incident, the child was comforted by a PCSO who immediately recognised his distress. Anyone seeing how upset he was would be moved by this, and we regret any impact it may have on him.

“We recognise that the use of handcuffs can be a cause of concern, particularly given the context of this incident and the type of offence involved, but when a person is trying to physically leave an incident it is an option officers can consider.”

Watchdog the Independent Office for Police Conduct has been called in to review what happened.

Mr Twist continued: “Ticket inspection operations of this nature are difficult. They place police officers in direct confrontation with frustrated members of the public and could escalate what would otherwise be civil matters to a different level.

“This incident raises questions about the extent to which officers are having to intervene in this way when supporting TfL in their operations.

“We will now work with TfL to ensure that the balance is right between officers tackling the most serious crime on the transport network and supporting their own operations to ensure revenue protection.

“An initial review of the officers’ actions did not identify any conduct matters but we will reflect on it carefully, in discussion with communities locally, to urgently identify any opportunities to do things differently.

“Given the level of community concern generated we believe it is in the public interest to voluntarily refer the matter to the Independent Office for Police Conduct to review.”

Vauxhall Labour MP Florence Eshalomi said she has contacted London Mayor Sadiq Khan about the incident.

Fellow MP Claudia Webbe said: “The most disrespected person is the black woman. The most unprotected person is the black woman. The most neglected person is the black woman.

“The Met Police is the boot of the state; they do not care about black people, and black women in particular.”

MORE CROYDON NEWS
Investigation after man dies in police custody in Croydon

LBC reported that a bus worker called Joe accused the arrested woman of being abusive to staff and police.

He told breakfast show host Nick Ferrari: “The inspector told her to please show the pass and she started being abusive to the inspector.

“And when the police asked her to show the pass, she started abusing the police as well. She could have just shown the pass and walked away – and that would have been the end of the matter.”

Footage posted online shows the woman shouting “What the hell?” and “What the f*** is going on?” while handcuffed, as two male officers hold her arms.

She repeatedly asks one of the officers to let go and says “I haven’t done anything wrong”, while a member of the public films what is happening and asks why she is being arrested.

Oppenheimer’s use of sacred text in sex scene angers Hindu right wing in India

Hannah Ellis-Petersen in Delhi

THE GUARDIAN
Mon, 24 July 2023 

Photograph: Melinda Sue Gordon/AP

Christopher Nolan’s biopic Oppenheimer has prompted outrage among the Hindu right wing in India, who have alleged that a sex scene featuring a scared text has offended religious sentiments.

The blockbuster tells the story of Robert Oppenheimer, known as the father of the atomic bomb and includes a sex scene in which the tortured physicist, played by Cillian Murphy, reads
the Bhagavad Gita to his lover Jean Tatlock, played by Florence Pugh.

The words he reads aloud, which he translates from Sanskrit, are those of the god Krishna – “I am become death, the destroyer of worlds” – a quote the real Oppenheimer recalled after the first detonation of the atomic bomb he had invented. Oppenheimer taught himself Sanskrit and during his life, he spoke of drawing from the Hindu text.

The presence of the Bhagavad Gita in the middle of the sex scene prompted a member of India’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) government to call the film an “attack on Hinduism”.

In an open letter, Uday Mahurkar, an information commissioner, said the scene was “a direct assault on religious beliefs of a billion tolerant Hindus”. He alleged it amounted to “waging a war on the Hindu community” and almost appeared to be part of a “larger conspiracy by anti-Hindu forces”.

Anurag Thakur, the information and culture minister, was among those to demand that the scene be removed and called for action to be taken against India’s Central Board of Film Certification. The film was rated U/A, which recommends parental guidance for viewers aged under 12.

Oppenheimer has proved popular with Indian audiences, taking £1.2m on the first day alone, the biggest box office opening day for a Hollywood film in India this year.

The blockbuster is not the first to fall afoul of rightwing Hindu groups since the BJP government came to power. The BBC/Netflix television adaptation of A Suitable Boy was also accused of hurting religious sentiments by senior BJP ministers and subjected to police complaints for a scene of a Hindu girl and Muslim boy kissing near a temple.

Tandav, an Amazon series, was forced to delete several scenes after its creators faced charges in court and were summoned by the BJP government for allegedly insulting Hindu gods and the office of the prime minister.

‘Oppenheimer’ Sex Scene Involving Sacred Text Stirs Backlash in India: ‘It Amounts to Waging a War on the Hindu Community’

IT'S CALLED TANTRA

Ryan Lattanzio
Mon, 24 July 2023 

Updated: Variety has added to reports that a nude scene featuring Florence Pugh in “Oppenheimer” was censored with a computer-generated black dress to secure release in India and the Middle East.

Earlier: A sex scene in “Oppenheimer” is facing backlash and protests in India, where a moment involving J. Robert Oppenheimer (Cillian Murphy) and his lover Jean Tatlock (Florence Pugh) reading a sacred Hindu text in bed together has sparked outrage and reportedly censorship.

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'Barbie' and 'Oppenheimer' Are More Than Massive Hits: They're the New 'Bonnie and Clyde' and 'Easy Rider'


“Oppenheimer” was passed with a U/A certificate — meaning children under 12 can see the film with parental guidance — by India’s Central Board of Film Certification. Christopher Nolan’s three-hour IMAX-shot epic also performed well at the box office in India, where Nolan has a strong contingent of fans. But now officials in India are calling for the movie to be further censored despite it now allegedly featuring a CGI-created dress superimposed over Pugh’s naked body during one post-coital moment later in the film. (IndieWire has reached out to “Oppenheimer” studio Universal about this allegation shared online and seemingly corroborated by India-residing audiences as well as those in Indonesia.)

The scene criticized by Indian officials involves Oppenheimer and Tatlock mid-intercourse when she stops to pull a copy of the “Bhagavad Gita” out of a bookshelf and asks Murphy to read a passage. He reads, “I am become Death, destroyer of worlds,” which came to mind for Oppenheimer during the detonation of the atomic bomb he developed out of Los Alamos. The “Bhagavad Gita” is featured in the “Mahabharata” and depicts dialogue between a prince and the divine Krishna mid-battle.

In a letter addressed to Christopher Nolan shared on Twitter, India’s Information Commissioner and Save Culture Save India Foundation founder and Hindu nationalist party affiliate Uday Mahurkar called the film a “scathing attack on Hinduism” over the weekend.

Mahurkar wrote: “It has come to our notice that the movie ‘Oppenheimer’ contains a scene which make a scathing attack on Hinduism. As per social media reports, a scene in the movie shows a woman makes a man read Bhagwad Geeta aloud while getting over him and doing sexual intercourse. She is holding Bhagwad Geeta in one hand, and the other hands seems to be adjusting the position of their reproductive organs. The Bhagwad Geeta is one of the most revered scriptures of Hinduism. Geeta has been the inspiration for countless sanyasis, brahmcharis and legends who live a life of self-control and perform selfless noble deeds. We do not know the motivation and logic behind this unnecessary scene on life of a scientist. But this is a direct assault on religious beliefs of a billion tolerant Hindus, rather it amounts to waging a war on the Hindu community and almost appears to be part of a larger conspiracy by anti-Hindu forces.”

The letter concluded, “We urge, on behalf of billion Hindus and timeless tradition of lives being transformed by revered Geeta, to do all that is needed to uphold dignity of their revered book and remove this scene from your film across world. Should you choose to ignore this appeal it would be deemed as a deliberate assault on Indian civilisation.”

According to Variety, India’s minister for information and broadcasting Anurag Thakur requested per NDTV that the scene be deleted entirely.

THE FAUX OUTRAGE IS NOT ABOUT HINDUISM BUT HINDUIST NATIONALISM

HINDUISM IS FAR MORE VARIED THAN THAT

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