Fresh evidence of Israeli war crimes in attacks on Rafah, says Amnesty International
AT LEAST 95 civilians were killed in four unlawful air strikes on an alleged “safe” area in Rafah, a damning new report by Amnesty International revealed today.
The dead included 42 children. The Gaza Health Ministry says more than 12,300 minors have been killed in the besieged enclave since Israel began its invasion of Gaza following the Hamas attack on it on October 7.
According to Israeli authorities, 1,139 people died during the Hamas assault and more than 200 people were taken as hostages.
It also comes as Israel intensified its bombing of Rafah in preparation for an expected ground assault. Palestinians had been ordered to evacuate to the area by Israeli authorities as a place of safety from the battle that raged in northern Gaza.
According to Amnesty the evidence shows that Israeli forces are flouting international humanitarian law in their military operations in Gaza.
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Schools crippled by soaring PFI bills
https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/schools-crippled-soaring-pfi-bills
UNIONS and campaigners slammed private firms today for imposing crippling maintenance bills on schools locked into Private Finance Initiative (PFI) contracts.
PFI schools are bound by 25 to 30-year contracts with private firms, who own and maintain the schools until taxpayers’ money repays the debt.
Over 900 schools have been built through PFI contracts since the 1990s. The initiative was eventually scrapped in 2018.
The BBC spoke to one head teacher in Liverpool who said that nearly 20 per cent of the school’s entire budget is being squandered on contracts.
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https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/schools-crippled-soaring-pfi-bills
Eighteen climate activists involved in non-violent protests to stand trial next week
TRIALS of 18 climate activists who participated in non-violent action are set to begin next week as the government enforces authoritarian laws curbing the right to protest.
Five Extinction Rebellion activists are accused of causing criminal damage to the European headquarters of the half-a trillion-dollar financial firm JP Morgan, during a protest in September 2021 against its funding of fossil fuel firms.
Eight Insulate Britain supporters are accused of causing public nuisance by peacefully stopping traffic on the M25 motorway in the same month to press the government to insulate Britain’s homes to end fuel poverty and cut carbon emissions.
And five Just Stop Oil supporters face trial for alleged conspiracy to cause a public nuisance after they they occupied tunnels close to Grays oil terminal in August 2022 in pursuit for their demand for a halt to all new oil, coal and gas projects.
The trials coincide with fresh government attempts to undermine trials by jury.
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Protests planned as Scottish Parliament welcomes ‘profiteers of genocide’
PALESTINE solidarity campaigners are planning a reception of their own as Holyrood prepares to welcome “profiteers of genocide.”
Despite the Scottish Parliament backing calls for an immediate ceasefire in the Israeli invasion of Gaza in November, and the International Court of Justice since ruling that there was a “plausible” case that genocide was being committed by Israeli forces, Holyrood is set to host weapons suppliers on February 21.
The reception for aerospace trade body the ADS Scotland Council, which includes firms such as Raytheon Systems — which controversially received £600,000 in Scottish government funding via Scottish Enterprise in 2021 — and drone manufacturer Thales, had been sponsored by Labour MSP Paul Sweeney.
After investigative journalist co-operative the Ferret exposed the reception, Mr Sweeney withdrew his sponsorship, but the corporate body that oversees the operation of the parliament building has taken the unusual step of allowing the event to go ahead without a parliamentary sponsor, adding to the fury felt by campaigners.
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