Nigel Farage’s Nephew Dodges Jail After Admitting to Upskirting
Buy Now An error occurred. Buy Now An error occurred. Book Novotel Hotel Nigel Farage’s Nephew Dodges Jail After Admitting to Upskirting Banzai Japan Music Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPElmgQJGBo • Joseph Farage, nephew of Nigel Farage, admitted to upskirting a woman but avoided the sex offenders register and jail time, sparking criticism over perceived leniency. • He was fined £1,091 in total, including a victim surcharge and prosecution fees, with no further legal action to be taken. Joseph Farage, nephew of far-right Reform Party leader Nigel Farage, confessed to placing his mobile phone beneath the clothing of his victim with the intent to record and share the footage with a third party, aiming to distress and humiliate the victim. Book Novotel Hotel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJsGZL-zb54 The offence occurred at the Orpington branch of Co-Op on July 17 last year. Farage of Orpington, pleaded guilty to the offence and appeared at Croydon Magistrates’ Court for sentencing last Friday (January 17). Despite the gravity of the act, the 31-year-old, who owns an electrical firm in Kent and is a father of two, was not added to the sex offenders register. Authorities assert that, since the victim was over 18, automatic inclusion on the register does not apply. This ruling has sparked controversy, particularly given Nigel Farage’s outspoken criticism of so-called two-tier policing. The incident does little to bolster the credibility of such arguments. Banzai Japan Music Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3syHHGzkF_s In addition to a fine and compensation for the victim, Joseph Farage was ordered to pay £230 victim surcharge and an £85 in prosecution fees, bringing the total financial penalty to £1,091. Astonishingly, no further legal action will be pursued. Upskirting has been recognised as a criminal offence following the introduction of the Voyeurism (Offences) Act 2019. Before this legislation, upskirting incidents were typically prosecuted under the common law offence of Outraging Public Decency or existing voyeurism laws outlined in Section 67 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003. Book Novotel Hotel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RR8YYeb4PMk Banzai Japan Social Media Fumi Fujisaki Idol Riko Ueno Idol Rino Ibusuki Idol Yunagi Nino Idol Shiori Fujisaki Idol Kana Ichinose Idol Hoshino Arice Idol Sasa Sasagawa Idol Kosaka Yuu Idol Tsukumo Aira Idol Maika Ando Idol Yuuki Mochimaru Idol
Nigel Farage’s nephew dodges prison after upskirting woman in a shop
Buy Now An error occurred. Buy Now An error occurred. Book Novotel Hotel Nigel Farage’s nephew dodges prison after upskirting woman in a shop Banzai Japan Music Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPElmgQJGBo After admitting to the courts that he committed the act of upskirting, Nigel Farage’s nephew Joseph escaped with a fine. It’s not been a great few weeks for Reform, or its leader. Following rumblings from Elon Musk and lacklustre by-election performances, a new PR nightmare has emerged – after Nigel Farage’s nephew was found guilty of upskirting. Book Novotel Hotel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJsGZL-zb54 What is upskirting? The offence, criminalised six years ago, is the practice of placing a photographic device beneath a woman’s clothing without consent, with the intention of enabling oneself or a third person to observe the genitals, buttocks or underwear of the victim. Appearing in the dock last Friday, Nigel Farage’s nephew – named Joseph – pleaded guilty at Croydon Magistrates’ Court. Although this crime is punishable by a prison sentence, the defendant escaped with a fine of £576 – plus £200 in compensation. Banzai Japan Music Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3syHHGzkF_s Who is Nigel Farage’s nephew? Details of the case are not extensive, but Joseph Farage admitted to placing his mobile phone beneath the clothing of his victim, for the purpose of sharing with a third-party and with the intention to ‘humiliate and distress’ the woman in question. The offence took place in the Orpington branch of Co-Op. The 31-year-old also runs his own electrical firm in Kent, and has two children of his own. In what may come as a surprise to some, he was not placed on the sex offenders register for this offence. Why Nigel Farage’s nephew will only pay a fine for his upskirting offence… Authorities state that, because the victim was over the age of 18, there is no automatic submission to the register. At a time where Nigel Farage and his colleagues are sounding off about ‘two-tier policing’, this incident does very little to help their cause. Alongside the fine and compensation, Nigel Farage’s nephew was also ordered to pay a further £230 for a victim surcharge, and £85 in prosecution fees, taking his total bill to £1,091. No further action will now be taken. Book Novotel Hotel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RR8YYeb4PMk Banzai Japan Social Media Fumi Fujisaki Idol Riko Ueno Idol Rino Ibusuki Idol Yunagi Nino Idol Shiori Fujisaki Idol Kana Ichinose Idol Hoshino Arice Idol Sasa Sasagawa Idol Kosaka Yuu Idol Tsukumo Aira Idol Maika Ando Idol Yuuki Mochimaru Idol
Orpington man Joseph Farage fined for upskirting offence 240125
Buy Now An error occurred. Buy Now An error occurred. Book Novotel Hotel Orpington man Joseph Farage fined for upskirting offence Banzai Japan Music Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPElmgQJGBo Nigel Farage’s Nephew An Orpington man has been fined £576 after he was convicted of ‘upskirting’ a woman at Co-op. Book Novotel Hotel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJsGZL-zb54 Joseph Farage, 31, of Foxwood Grove, admitted placing a mobile phone beneath her clothing without consent with the intention of enabling himself or a third person to observe the genitals, buttocks or underwear of the woman. Banzai Japan Music Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3syHHGzkF_s Upskirting was made an offence in England and Wales six years ago. The offence took place on July 17 last year. He pleaded guilty to the offence and appeared at Croydon Magistrates’ Court for sentencing last Friday (January 17). He was ordered to pay £200 compensation and was fined £576. Book Novotel Hotel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RR8YYeb4PMk Banzai Japan Social Media Fumi Fujisaki Idol Riko Ueno Idol Rino Ibusuki Idol Yunagi Nino Idol Shiori Fujisaki Idol Kana Ichinose Idol Hoshino Arice Idol Sasa Sasagawa Idol Kosaka Yuu Idol Tsukumo Aira Idol Maika Ando Idol Yuuki Mochimaru Idol
Tommy Robinson to face contempt of court proceedings 120422
Buy Now An error occurred. Buy Now An error occurred. Book Novotel Hotel Tommy Robinson to face contempt of court proceedings Banzai Japan Music Video Tommy Robinson has been summonsed to face contempt proceedings after he failed to attend court to answer questions over his finances. The English Defence League founder, real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, missed last month’s High Court hearing. He was due to be quizzed over unpaid legal bills after he lost a libel case brought by a Syrian teenager last year. Mr Justice Nicklin said an arrest warrant could be issued if Yaxley-Lennon fails to attend court on 6 May. In an order dated last Friday, the senior judge said the defendant’s previous non-attendance was referred to him as a potential contempt of court. Book Novotel Hotel Yaxley-Lennon was successfully sued by Jamal Hijazi, a former schoolboy who was the victim of an attack at a Huddersfield school featured in a viral video. A court found Yaxley-Lennon had falsely claimed in two Facebook videos posted in October 2018 that Mr Hijazi had attacked female pupils. The defendant was ordered to pay more than £43,000 in legal costs at a preliminary hearing in November 2020, and declared bankruptcy about four months later. March’s hearing was told this was later discharged. Tommy Robinson fails to appear at court hearing Tommy Robinson pursued by creditors for up to £2m Banzai Japan Music Video Mr Hijazi’s lawyers, who successfully applied to bring Yaxley-Lennon to court to discuss his finances, claim his bankruptcy application was “not a full account of [his] assets”. Judge John Dagnell, who presided over the missed hearing, agreed the defendant “knew perfectly well” he was required to be in court and referred the case. Robinson was jailed for contempt of court in May 2018 after he livestreamed footage of defendants in a grooming gang case, in breach of a reporting ban. He served two months of a 13-month jail term before being freed upon appeal, only to be jailed again for the offence in July 2019 after the case was referred back to the Attorney General. Book Novotel Hotel Banzai Japan Social Media Fumi Fujisaki Idol Riko Ueno Idol Rino Ibusuki Idol Yunagi Nino Idol Shiori Fujisaki Idol Kana Ichinose Idol Hoshino Arice Idol Sasa Sasagawa Idol Kosaka Yuu Idol Tsukumo Aira Idol Maika Ando Idol Yuuki Mochimaru Idol
Japan chain shuts shops after pests found in food
Buy Now An error occurred. Buy Now An error occurred. Book Novotel Hotel Japan chain shuts shops after pests found in food Banzai Japan Music Video One of Japan’s biggest restaurant chains is closing its outlets for deep cleaning, after two incidents of customers finding pests, including a rat, in their food. Sukiya, known for its beef-on-rice dishes, announced the temporary closure after an insect was found by a customer. Last weekend, it admitted that a rat had been discovered in a bowl of miso soup in January. The chain, which has nearly 2,000 restaurants, said most of its sites would be shut between 31 March and 4 April “to prevent external intrusion and internal infestation of pests and vermin”. In a statement, external, it apologised for the “great inconvenience and concern caused”. Book Novotel Hotel Rumours about the rat-in-miso incident had been circulating on social media for weeks before Sukiya was forced to confirm that the rodent had been found “before it was eaten”. The restaurant, in the city of Tottori, was temporarily closed, and Sukiya said measures had been taken to address cracks in the building that could lead to contamination. It then announced that all of its outlets would be regularly checked for gaps and rubbish would be refrigerated. The company has now taken the more drastic measure of closure after the insect – widely reported to have been part or all of a cockroach – was found on Friday by a customer in Tokyo. The manager apologised to the customer and gave them a refund, it said. Sukiya is part of Zensho Holdings, which owns a number of restaurant chains in Japan. Banzai Japan Music Video Last Monday, following the disclosure about the rat, its share price tumbled before recovering later in the week. Its shares will face scrutiny after Saturday’s announcement. Book Novotel Hotel Banzai Japan Social Media Fumi Fujisaki Idol Riko Ueno Idol Rino Ibusuki Idol Yunagi Nino Idol Shiori Fujisaki Idol Kana Ichinose Idol Hoshino Arice Idol Sasa Sasagawa Idol Kosaka Yuu Idol Tsukumo Aira Idol Maika Ando Idol Yuuki Mochimaru Idol
National Insurance: What are NI and income tax and what do I pay?
Buy Now An error occurred. Buy Now An error occurred. Book Novotel Hotel National Insurance: What are NI and income tax and what do I pay? Banzai Japan Music Video The government has announced an increase in the amount of National Insurance (NI) paid by employers. Before the Budget, the chancellor and prime minister had promised not to increase the main rates of income tax and National Insurance (NI) for working people and these will not change. NI rates paid by workers and the self-employed have already been been cut in 2024, but previous changes to the way tax is calculated mean the amount many people pay overall has risen. Budget 2024: Key points at-a-glance How the Budget will affect you and your money Book Novotel Hotel What is National Insurance and what does it pay for? The government uses National Insurance contributions (NICs) to pay for benefits and to help fund the NHS. It is paid by employees, employers and the self-employed across the UK. Those over the state pension age do not pay it, even if they are working. Eligibility for some benefits, including the state pension, depends on the NICs you make across your working life., external How does National Insurance work?, external Check your National Insurance record Banzai Japan Music Video How much do employers pay in National Insurance? At the moment businesses pay a rate of 13.8% on employees’ earnings above a threshold of £9,100 a year. In the Budget Chancellor Rachel Reeves said this rate would increase to 15% in April 2025, and the threshold would be reduced to £5,000. The employment allowance – which allows companies to reduce their NI liability – will increase from £5,000 to £10,500. In total Reeves said the changes would raise £25bn a year by the end of the period covered by the Budget. Neither employers nor employees pay NI on pension contributions. There had been widespread speculation that the Budget could set out plans for employers to start doing so, but it did not. Would raising employer National Insurance break Labour’s pledge? How much do employees pay in National Insurance? Workers start paying NI when they turn 16 and earn more than £242 a week, or have self-employed profits of more than £12,570 a year. The starting rate for National Insurance for 27 million employees fell twice in 2024: from 12% to 10%, and then again to 8%. The previous Conservative government said that the two cuts were worth about £900 a year for a worker earning £35,000. For the self-employed, Class 4 NI contributions on all earnings between £12,570 and £50,270 fell from 9% to 6%. At the time, the previous government said this was worth £350 to a self-employed person earning £28,200. Self-employed workers also no longer have to pay a separate category of NI called Class 2 contributions. The NI rate on income and profits above £50,270 remains at 2% for all workers. National Insurance rates, external What are the current income tax rates? Income tax is paid on earnings from employment and profits from self-employment during the tax year, which runs from 6 April to 5 April the following year. It is also paid on some benefits, external and pensions, income from renting out property, and returns from savings, external and investments, external above certain limits. The basic rate is 20% and is paid on annual earnings between £12,571 and £50,270. The higher rate is 40%, and is paid on earnings between £50,271 and £125,140. Once you earn more than £100,000, you also start losing the £12,570 tax-free personal allowance. You lose £1 of your personal allowance for every £2 that your income goes above £100,000. Anyone earning more than £125,140 a year no longer has any tax-free personal allowance. The additional rate of income tax of 45% is paid on all earnings above £125,140 a year. These rates apply in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Some income tax rates are different, external in Scotland, where a new 45% band took effect in April 2024. At the same time the top rate also rose from 47% to 48%. What is happening to NI and income tax thresholds and why do they matter? Despite the NI cuts for workers and the self-employed in 2024, millions will still pay more tax overall because of changes to the tax thresholds. These are the income levels at which people start paying NI or income tax, or have to pay higher rates. These used to rise every year in line with inflation. However, the previous government froze the NI threshold and tax-free personal allowance at £12,570 until 2028. Higher-rate tax will continue to kick in for earnings above £50,270. Freezing the thresholds means that more people start paying tax and NI as their wages increase, and more people pay higher rates. According to the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) think thank, the freeze cancels out the benefits of the NI cuts for some workers. In the 2024-25 tax year, it says an average earner will have a tax cut of about £340 – from the combined tax changes – and people earning between £26,000 and £60,000 will be better off. But by 2027, the average earner would be only £140 better off – and only people earning between £32,000 and £55,000 a year would still benefit. Before the Budget there had been speculation that the chancellor would extend the freeze until 2030 but she said she had decided not to do so. Who pays most in income tax? For most families, income tax is the single biggest tax they pay. But for less well-off households, a greater share of family income goes on taxes on spending, known as indirect taxes. For the poorest fifth of households, VAT is the biggest single tax paid. How do UK taxes compare with other countries like France and Germany? You can look at the amount of tax raised as a proportion of the size of the economy, or GDP. In 2022
The seven bills going up this week
Buy Now An error occurred. Buy Now An error occurred. Book Novotel Hotel The seven bills going up this week Banzai Japan Music Video A series of essential bills are rising at the start of what some commentators have described as “awful April”. The exact amount you pay will depend on your individual circumstances, and where you live. Although minimum wages are also increasing, and wages on average have been outpacing inflation, household finances could still come under extra pressure. Here are seven ways in which you could be affected from 1 April. Book Novotel Hotel 1. Water bills Water bills for households are going up in England and Wales by £10 more per month on average, but there’s a lot of variation depending on the company, external. For example, the annual Southern Water bill will jump 47% to £703, while Anglian Water customers will pay 19% more, or £626. Factors including whether households have a meter and how much water used will also impact bills, which are being front-loaded for the next five years, meaning the big increase is coming this year. Water companies in England and Wales have said the increases are needed to invest in creaking infrastructure, including sewage, and to build more reservoirs. In Scotland, water bills are rising by almost 10%. Scottish Water, which is a public body, said spending was needed to cope with periods of “drought and intense rainfall” brought on by climate change. Domestic customers in Northern Ireland are not billed for water, with the system funded by the devolved government. 2. Energy bills The annual energy bill for a household using a typical amount of gas and electricity is going up by £111 a year to £1,849 from April. Regulator Ofgem increased the energy price cap because of higher wholesale costs and inflation. The cap is set every three months and limits the amount suppliers can charge for each unit of gas and electricity, but not the total bill, so if you use more, you will pay more. It affects 22 million homes in England, Wales and Scotland. Standing charges – fixed fees to connect to a gas and electricity supply and vary by region – are rising again for gas but dropping for electricity, but it depends on where you live. Ofgem is suggesting households consider a fixed tariff for a bit of stability. Energy price cap: Why are gas and electricity bills going up and can I fix? 3. Council tax It is likely the tax you pay to your local authority is going up. In England, local authorities with responsibility for delivering social care can increase council tax every year by up to 4.99% without triggering a referendum or local vote. Smaller councils without social care duties can increase bills by up to 2.99%. For 2025-26, the government is allowing Bradford, Newham, Birmingham, Somerset, and Windsor and Maidenhead to bypass the 4.99% cap, meaning they could raise council tax by more. Council tax rates in Scotland have been frozen or had limited increases since 2007, but they are are going up, in some cases by as much as 10%. The Scottish government says it is offering local authorities an extra £1bn in 2025-26 to help reduce the scale of any rise. In Wales, council tax rates could jump by as much 15% in some areas. Local authorities were given £253m by the Welsh government in its draft budget, but council leaders say more money needed. Northern Ireland uses a domestic rates system, external instead of council tax. All of Northern Ireland’s councils have reported district rate increases for the next year. What is council tax and how much is it going up? 4. Car tax The standard rate of tax for cars registered after April 2017 is rising £5 to £195 a year. According to the RAC,, external you may pay less or more if your car was first used before 2017. The exact amount for your road tax will depend on the year your car was registered and the type of fuel it uses. One big change is that electric vehicles (EVs) will no longer be tax exempt. EVs registered from April 2025 will pay the lowest rate of £10 in the first year, then move to the standard rate. The standard rate will also apply to EVs first registered after April 2017. Banzai Japan Music Video 5. Broadband, phone and TV licence Rule changes introduced by the telecoms regulator this year mean that mobile and broadband providers must now tell customers “in pounds and pence” about any price rises, as well as when they occur. The new rules typically only apply to new customers, so any price rise will depend on when you took your contract out, but prices ususally increase around now. For instance, under the new rules, someone with a mobile Sim only contract with EE will see their bill go up by £1.50 a month, or £18 a year. But for the majority of EE customers who took their contract out before 10 April 2024, they will face an increase of 6.4%, which is based on the inflation rate last December together with an additional charge. Similarly, most Virgin Media broadband customers will face a 7.5% rise in bills, but for anyone who took out a contract after 9 January this year, their monthly bill will go up by £3.50. The cost of a TV licence is also going up by £5 to £174.50, and for a black and white TV is going up by £1.50 to £58.50. 6. Stamp duty House buyers in England and Northern Ireland will start paying stamp duty on properties over £125,000, instead of over £250,000. First-time buyers currently had paid no stamp duty on homes up to £425,000, but this is dropping to £300,000. A host of homebuyers had been trying to beat the deadline or face paying more. What is stamp duty land tax and how is it changing? 7. Hidden tax rises The government
Trump says he ‘couldn’t care less’ about higher car prices
Buy Now An error occurred. Buy Now An error occurred. Book Novotel Hotel Trump says he ‘couldn’t care less’ about higher car prices Banzai Japan Music Video Donald Trump has said he “couldn’t care less” if carmakers raise prices after his 25% tariffs on foreign-made vehicles comes into effect. Some analysts have warned that Trump’s charges on businesses importing vehicles could lead to the temporary shutdown of significant car production in the US, increase prices, and strain relations with allies. But speaking to NBC News on Saturday, the US president said he hoped foreign carmakers raise prices as it means “people are gonna buy American-made cars. We have plenty”. On Wednesday, Trump announced new import taxes of 25% on cars and car parts entering the US from overseas, which go into effect on 2 April. Charges on businesses importing vehicles are expected on 3 April, and taxes on parts are set to start in May or later. Book Novotel Hotel When asked about what his message was to car bosses, he said: “The message is congratulations, if you make your car in the United States, you’re going to make a lot of money”. He went on to say: “If you don’t, you’re going to have to probably come to the United States, because if you make your car in the United States, there is no tariff.” The 25% import tax on carmakers was briefly implemented but then paused at the beginning of March following pleas from major carmakers in North America like Ford, General Motors and Stellantis. But Trump told NBC he did not plan to delay imposition of the car tariffs any further, saying he would consider negotiating “only if people are willing to give us something of great value. Because countries have things of great value, otherwise, there’s no room for negotiation”. Banzai Japan Music Video The UK is in last-minute negotiations with the White House and is trying to get an exemption, arguing that – unlike other countries – the UK has a relatively equal trading relationship with the US. The prime minister Sir Keir Starmer has said he does not want to jump into a trade war. Several major economies have also vowed to retaliate in response to Trump’s tariffs. Germany has said it “will not give in” and that Europe must “respond firmly”, France’s president branded the move “a waste of time” and “incoherent”, Canada calling it a “direct attack”, and China accused Washington of violating international trade rules. Book Novotel Hotel Banzai Japan Social Media Fumi Fujisaki Idol Riko Ueno Idol Rino Ibusuki Idol Yunagi Nino Idol Shiori Fujisaki Idol Kana Ichinose Idol Hoshino Arice Idol Sasa Sasagawa Idol Kosaka Yuu Idol Tsukumo Aira Idol Maika Ando Idol Yuuki Mochimaru Idol
JD Vance’s ominous pitch to Greenland
Buy Now An error occurred. Buy Now An error occurred. Book Novotel Hotel JD Vance’s ominous pitch to Greenland Banzai Japan Music Video A green shimmer, like a curtain of light being drawn across the night sky, formed beside the impossibly bright stars above Nuuk late on Friday evening. The appearance of the spectacular northern lights – a common wonder in these parts – seemed to mark the end of a hugely significant day in the arctic, one that brought icebound Greenland’s hopes and challenges into the sharpest relief. It was a day in which an acquisitive foreign power had sent an uninvited delegation to the world’s largest island with an uncomfortable message. Book Novotel Hotel On a brief visit to a remote US military base in the far north of Greenland, US Vice-President JD Vance may have tried at times to soften his boss’s stated aim of simply annexing the autonomous Danish territory. “We do not think that military force is ever going to be necessary,” Vance said, perhaps attempting to sound reassuring. But the vice-president’s overarching message remained stark and intimidating: the world, the climate, and the Arctic region are changing fast, and Greenland needs to wake up to threats posed by an expansionist China; long-standing Western security partnerships have run their course; the only way the island can protect itself, its values and its mineral wealth is by abandoning weak and miserly Danish overlords and turning instead to the muscular and protective embrace of the US. Banzai Japan Music Video “We need to wake up from a failed, 40-year consensus that said that we could ignore the encroachment of powerful countries as they expand their ambitions,” Vance told US troops at America’s Pituffik military base. “We can’t just bury our head in the sand – or, in Greenland, bury our head in the snow – and pretend that the Chinese are not interested in this very large landmass.” If you look at a map of the world that has the north pole at its centre, rather than the equator, it is easy to see how Greenland suddenly switches from being an easily overlooked smudge of uninhabited territory and into a key strategic landmass. It is at the heart of what many analysts now accept as an emerging power struggle between China, the US, and Russia, for control of the arctic, its minerals and its shipping lanes. But the speed and contempt with which the Trump White House has rejected its traditional reliance on Western allies – Nato in particular – has left its partners bewildered. “Not justifiable,” was the bristling response of Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen after hearing Vance attack her government as he stood on its sovereign territory. ‘Like a threat’ But 1,500km (930 miles) south of the Pituffik base, in Greenland’s capital, Nuuk, the American story vied for attention with a very different local event on Friday. “We will prevail,” a smiling crowd sang, at a ceremony to celebrate the formation of a new coalition government for Greenland. The mood felt mostly joyful and communal, with people locking arms and swaying gently as a band played inside the town’s house of culture. It was a powerful reminder of the shared values that bind Greenland’s tiny, and overwhelmingly native Inuit population together – the need for consensus and co-operation in an often hostile natural climate, the desire to protect and celebrate Inuit culture and the wish to be respected by outsiders, be they from familiar but distant Denmark or marginally closer America. “There are many ways to say things. But I think the way [Trump] is saying it is not the way. It’s like a threat,” said Lisbeth Karline Poulsen, 43, a local artist attending the ceremony. Her reaction appeared to capture the broader mood here – a recent poll showed just 6% of the population support the idea of being part of the US. The journey to independence Under its new government, and with overwhelming public support, Greenland is beginning a slow, very cautious move towards full independence from Denmark. It’s a process that will likely take many years, and which will involve lengthy dialogue with both Copenhagen and Washington. After all, Greenlanders well understand that their economy needs to be far more developed if their bid for independence is to stand any realistic chance of success. But they need to balance that development against realistic fears of exploitation by powerful outside commercial forces. Which brings us to the fundamental confusion, in Greenland and beyond, about the Trump administration’s approach towards their territory. What does America want? On his visit, Vance mentioned Greenland’s aspirations for independence, and implied that America’s real intention was not a sudden annexation of the island, but something far more patient and long-term. “Our message is very simple, yes, the people of Greenland are going to have self-determination. We hope that they choose to partner with the United States, because we’re the only nation on earth that will respect their sovereignty and respect their security.” If that is genuinely the American pitch – Trump’s messaging remains more aggressive than Vance’s – then Greenlanders can surely relax a little and take their time. There are still large reserves of goodwill towards the US here, and a keen interest in doing more business with American companies. On the security front, a 74-year-old treaty with Denmark permitting the US to increase its military presence in Greenland at any time – from new bases to submarine harbours – should surely take care of Washington’s concerns about countering the threat from China, just as it did during the Cold War years. What remains puzzling is Donald Trump’s impatience – the same impatience he’s displayed in attempting to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine. Short of owning Greenland, America could get everything it desires and needs from this vast island without much difficulty. Instead, many people in Nuuk feel they’re being bullied. It’s a deeply counterproductive approach, which has already forced Washington into
Tommy Robinson and Katie Hopkins reinstated on X
Buy Now An error occurred. Buy Now An error occurred. Book Novotel Hotel Tommy Robinson and Katie Hopkins reinstated on X Banzai Japan Music Video Anti-Islam activist Tommy Robinson has had his account reinstated on social media platform X, formerly Twitter. Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, was reinstated alongside political commentator Katie Hopkins. Hopkins was banned in 2020 and Robinson’s account was suspended in 2018 – Twitter accused both of breaking its rules on hateful conduct. A number of controversial figures have been allowed back on the platform since it was bought by Elon Musk last year. Book Novotel Hotel In November 2022, Mr Musk – a self-styled “free speech absolutist” – announced a “general amnesty” to suspended accounts that had “not broken the law or engaged in egregious spam”. Research by BBC Monitoring found that of 1,100 reinstated accounts it examined, nearly 190 were promoting hate and violence. X has also reinstated the controversial influencer and self-proclaimed misogynist Andrew Tate, whose accounts are banned by YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Nick Lowles, chief executive of anti-hate campaigners Hope Not Hate, criticised the latest move by X. “Reinstating Tommy Robinson and Katie Hopkins means Elon Musk is allowing hateful content and misinformation to take place on his watch on X/Twitter,” he said. The group said it would be writing to X to “make it clear the danger that their content poses”. Banzai Japan Music Video Hopkins, a former LBC presenter and MailOnline columnist, has repeatedly attracted criticism for her views – including an incident where she compared migrants to cockroaches and another when she claimed that a photograph of a drowned three-year old Syrian refugee had been staged. In 2017 she caused anger when she tweeted that there must be a “final solution” to dealing with terrorists following the Manchester Arena attack. She later changed the term “final solution” to “true solution”, describing the earlier version as a “mis-type”. Hopkins had more than one million Twitter followers before her permanent suspension in 2020. The ban was for violating the platform’s hateful conduct policy but it did not, however, say which of her tweets had prompted the action. Following her reinstatement Hopkins posted on X: “Thank you @elonmusk. And thank you to all the Twitter family who have brought Tommy & I back to @X. “Know this. You are not alone. We are many. And we are stronger together. The fight back for your freedom is on.” Robinson founded the far right English Defence League, best known for protests against what it calls “radical Islam”, but stepped down in 2013. In July 2021 Robinson was ordered to to pay £100,000 in libel damages to a Syrian schoolboy who was filmed being attacked in a playground. In two videos posted to Facebook, Robinson made a number of false accusations about the boy. In November 2013, Robinson pleaded guilty to fraud, and he was subsequently jailed for 18 months. He also has convictions for stalking, assault, using someone else’s passport, using threatening behaviour and contempt of court. Premium boost Mr Musk and X have repeatedly proclaimed “freedom of speech, not reach” as a mantra, meaning that they intend to provide free speech for all – while simultaneously limiting the reach of offensive and misleading posts. In practice, it hasn’t always worked that way, and many accounts prone to spreading misinformation on the platform have access to X Premium (formerly Twitter Blue). For Premium subscribers the platform actually boosts their posts in the algorithm. Thousands of accounts that were previously banned from Twitter have been reinstated since Mr Musk’s takeover. These include accounts with fringe views that were suspended for hateful conduct, accounts that shared health misinformation and anti-vaccine content during the Covid pandemic, and those that spread conspiracy theories about the 2020 US election. Some of those accounts have since been resuspended by X for repeating past offences. The BBC has approached X for comment. Book Novotel Hotel Banzai Japan Social Media Fumi Fujisaki Idol Riko Ueno Idol Rino Ibusuki Idol Yunagi Nino Idol Shiori Fujisaki Idol Kana Ichinose Idol Hoshino Arice Idol Sasa Sasagawa Idol Kosaka Yuu Idol Tsukumo Aira Idol Maika Ando Idol Yuuki Mochimaru Idol