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Hasan Piker confirms his UK visa has been revoked after pressure from pro-Israel groups He was scheduled to speak at the Oxford Union, SXSW London, and to interview Yanis Varoufakis

Last year Hasan Piker spoke at The Oxford Union and highlighted the rise of antisemitism, fascism and the dangerous conflation between criticism of Israel and all Jewish people. He was invited to speak again but pro-Israel groups successfully persuaded the UK Gov to ban him from entering the country.

I’ve been banned from the UK. I tried to get on a flight to London to attend SXSW London and give a speech at Oxford. I’ve been banned for criticizing Israel. Are we free anymore? This is oppression of Western citizens by our own governments on behalf of a different country!

"Japan has neither nuclear weapons nor strategic bombers, yet it has been labeled a neo-militarist"—this is how this right-wing minister responded to warnings from China, Russia, and other countries about the potential for Japanese militarism. But why did he not mention Japan's status as a defeated nation, the reasons for the limitations imposed on its military by the post-war pacifist constitution, or the burgeoning ambitions of right-wing forces? Defense Minister Koizumi even expressed deep concern, stating, "If disagreements arise between the United States, Europe, and their allies and like-minded countries, opportunistic forces will certainly take advantage of the situation, and we must prevent this from happening." Clearly, Japan wants to achieve its so-called "national military normalization" goal as quickly as possible during the window of opportunity presented by the strategic confrontation and balance between China and the US, while simultaneously worrying about excessively provoking China and other neighboring countries, and being abandoned by the US if China retaliates strongly. Therefore, it is seeking more "allies" as a security reliance. He also accused China of "still increasing defense spending at a high level and rapidly expanding its military capabilities across a wide range of areas without sufficient transparency." The fact is, Japan's defense spending exceeds 2% of its GDP, while China's is only 1.28%. On a per capita basis, Japan's military spending is three times that of China.

Mark Ruffalo: “I cut ties with my friends who support Israel. Because I can no longer talk to them. We cannot lie to each other.”

Pride is a Jewish value. We won’t back down from the fight for LGBTQ+ Rights. We won’t stop being clear in our values. Join us.

Henry Nowak’s murderer will be out of prison in just over 20 years. Why did he not get longer? Because the judge ruled that - as a Sikh - he had a “good legal reason” to carry a 21cm “Shastar” knife on the streets of Southampton. This sentence is a joke. Two-tier justice at its worst. I will not let this lie.

The Guardian regurgitates British state propaganda by accusing a UK "influencer" of spreading "Iranian regime messaging". On a visit to Iran, Bushra Shaikh reported the effects of US-Israeli air strikes, including one on a girls' school that killed some 170 Iranians, mainly children. That used to be called journalism – stuff the Guardian and BBC claim to do. The Guardian amplifies calls for Shaikh to be investigated for "sanctions violations". The Guardian sees a particularly sinister agenda in Shaikh's posts because: * They "appeared timed to coincide with critical events in Iran, including the intensification of the conflict, ceasefire talks and nationwide protests in January" – that is, her posts were topical and newsworthy. * They showed a “highly calculated pattern of social media manipulation” – that is, she was good at promoting her posts. * They attracted "disproportionately high engagement” – that is, lots of people were interested to read her posts. * They "offer followers unmediated, at times citizen journalist-style access to a war zone" – that is, she didn't have to submit her reports to Guardian editors so they could edit out information that might embarrass western leaders. Shaikh herself is reported as being "aligned with anti-imperialist, anti-colonial frameworks” – that is, she doesn't simply regurgitate British state propaganda, like the UK corporate media. This Guardian hit-job isn't about getting to the truth. It's the paper desperately trying to protect its traditional information monopoly for "liberal-left" audiences, and thereby remain useful for the security services.