admin – Page 303 – Bundlezy

admin

Greta Thunberg bizarrely claims she DIDN’T KNOW her ‘Freedom Flotilla’ crewmates had shown support for Hamas & Hezbollah

GRETA Thunberg claims she didn’t now her “Freedom Flotilla” crewmates had shown support for Hamas and Hezbollah.

The 22-year-old activist told Swedish media she hadn’t “heard about it or what this person has said”.

Greta Thunberg arriving at Stockholm airport after deportation from Israel.
AFP
Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg (C) is greeted on arrival at Stockholm-Arlanda airport[/caption]
Girl sitting in airplane seat.
Twitter/OSINTdefender
Thunberg looks stunned as she sits on a flight to Paris[/caption]
Group of people wearing Free Flow shirts and keffiyehs.
Getty
Thunberg with part of the crew of the ship headed to the Strip[/caption]

Upon being asked why she didn’t know about the views of the people she was on the boat with, she said: “Because I haven’t had a phone.”

Greta was also challenged in questions from reporters on why she hadn’t looked into the issue before setting off on the ship bound to Gaza.

She responded: “Should I ask exactly everyone what exactly they have said about everything?

“It would take some time.”

Thunberg, 22, was one of 12 passengers on board the British-flagged Madleen – a boat carrying aid destined for people in war-torn Gaza.

The vessel’s controversial crew includes figures who have openly supported terrorist organizations and have made inflammatory public statements.

Brazilian activist Thiago Avila attended the funeral of slain Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, calling the terrorist a “beloved” leader and a “martyr”.

Avila said he was “very honoured” and “very happy” to attend, and described the funeral as something that “amazed him”.

He wrote that Nasrallah was an “important figure” who “inspired people all over the world”.

Also on board was Yasemin Acar from Berlin, who reportedly danced as Iranian rockets rained down on Israel and once told a white woman at a protest: “You’re a white person, you shouldn’t tell us what to do.”

Man speaking into a microphone, holding a phone and making an "okay" gesture.
Zaher Al-Birawi, who is close to the Hamas leadership, speaks at anti-Israel protest in London
Group photo of men and women standing together.
Courtesy of Ministry of Strategic Affairs
Mr Birawi pictured with Ismael Haniyeh, the former Hamas Leader, in 2012[/caption]
Protestors with Palestinian flags by the sea.
Getty
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition says it was carrying essential supplies to the Gazan population[/caption]

French journalist Omar Faiad, of Al-Jazeera, sparked outrage for comparing the IDF to Nazis.

On X, he wrote: “The Israeli army resembles the Nazi army,” and claimed: “Israel is committing a new Holocaust in Gaza.”

Rima Hassan, meanwhile, previously tweeted:  “Kfir, Ariel, and Shiri Bibas were killed by an Israeli attack,” despite Hamas being responsible for their abduction and deaths.

She was also seen at a protest where demonstrators chanted: “We die for jihad.”

Greta was taken to dry land on Monday after Israeli authorities seized the yacht.

Adalah, a legal rights group in Israel representing those on board, said Thunberg and two other activists and a journalist had agreed to be deported and leave Israel.

Other activists refused deportation, were being held in detention, and their case was set to be heard by Israeli authorities.

Israel accused the group who were aboard the boat of supporting Hamas terrorists who detonated Middle East mayhem by massacring 1,200 and kidnapping 251 hostages.

Woman on a boat holding a Palestinian flag.
Greta Thunberg was one of the 12 people aboard the vessel
People wearing life vests in a crowded boat.
Freedom Flotilla Coalition
A photo posted on Telegram purportedly showing activists with their hands up on board the Madleen[/caption]
People carrying salvaged belongings walk through rubble-strewn streets amidst destroyed buildings.
Getty
Gaza has been hammered by the IDF as it aims to wipe out Hamas[/caption]

The activists said they were protesting the ongoing war and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

But Israel says such ships violate its naval blockade of Gaza.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said that he had instructed the Israeli Defence Forces to screen footage of the 7 October attacks for the activists as soon as they arrive.

The disturbing footage – titled “Bearing Witness” – shows innocent people being massacred and mutilated.

And all the footage was taken from the Hamas terrorists’ body cams as they filmed their massacre.

But Greta and the other activists refused to watch the clips as soon as they were told about it, Katz told reporters.

The boat was carrying a “tiny amount of aid” on board – which will be sent to Gaza, officials said.

Hamas branded the interception of the yacht as a “crime of piracy”.

The group said in a statement that activists were on a “humanitarian mission aimed at breaking the siege on the Gaza Strip and exposing the crime of mass starvation.”

The flotilla’s latest voyage follows a failed attempt in May, when another of its vessels was struck by two drones in international waters off Malta.

The group accused Israel of being behind the attack.

Despite the risks, activists aboard the Madleen attempted to enter Gaza’s territorial waters on Sunday.

Greta Thunberg – Swedish climate activist

Rima Hassan – French-Palestinian MEP

Yasemin Acar – German activist

Thiago Avila – Brazilian activist

Omar Faiad – French journalist

Pascal Maurieras – French activist

Yanis Mhamdi – French reporter

Suayb Ordu – Turkish activist

Sergio Toribio – Spanish activist

Marco van Rennes – Dutch activist

Reva Viard – French activist

Liam Cunningham – Irish Game of Thrones actor

Baptiste Andre – French Physician

Read More »

Southampton release 12 players including ex-England star Adam Lallana after Premier League relegation

Headshots of two men, one in a tan sweater and the other in a gray Southampton FC training top.

SOUTHAMPTON have made a ruthless end-of-season cull following their relegation to the Championship.

The south-coast side were relegated from the Premier League in April with SEVEN GAMES to spare.

Southampton players looking dejected on the pitch.
REUTERS
Southampton were relegated to the Championship with seven games to spare[/caption]
Adam Lallana, assistant manager of Southampton F.C., inspecting the pitch.
GETTY
Saints have released 12 players, including Champions League winner Adam Lallana[/caption]

Dropping back to the second tier of English football will put some serious financial strain on the club.

And to cut costs, they have released 12 players – including former Liverpool star and England international Adam Lallana.

Youngsters Derrick Abu, Josh Lett, Josh McNamara and Lewis Payne have all been released from their respective contracts at St Mary’s.

Scholars James Martin, Tevin Myers, Alfie Prescott, Ben Sheaf and Harry Upstell have also been moved on.

Lallana, 37, isn’t the only big name to depart the Saints this month.

Kyle Walker-Peters and Joe Lumley are also set to leave the club following the expiration of their respective contracts.

Lallana, however, could still be at St Mary’s come the start of the Championship season in August.

The midfielder has been linked with a coaching role under new gaffer Will Still.

JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS

Will Still, manager of Southampton FC, at St Mary's Stadium.
SHUTTERSTOCK
Will Still has inked a three-year deal at Southampton[/caption]

Still, 32, inked a three-year deal with Saints last month to succeed Ivan Juric, who left the club after confirmation of their return to the Championship.

Still is relishing the challenge on his hands, saying: “There is huge potential here and we have a great opportunity to do something special.

“The project that has been laid out to me is very impressive and, all together, I believe we can build a clear identity and a very positive future for the team.

“I’m eager to get to work this summer and start building a close-knit group that can make everyone proud and ultimately get us back to where we belong; in the Premier League.”

Read More »

Inside the rumoured Liverpool-Manchester rail link plan

A CGI visual of what the Liverpool Lime Street station could look like after the new rail link.
What the Liverpool Central train station could look like if it’s revamped as part of the new rail link plan (Picture: GMCA)

Train journeys between Liverpool and Manchester could soon be half as quick if the rumoured rail link goes ahead.

The quicker rail link has been on the wishlist of the Greater Manchester and Liverpool mayors after the HS2’s northern leg was axed.

The multi-billion pound rail link, which would cut journey times between the cities by 20 minutes, could become a reality if it receives government funding in the Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ £113 billion spending review today.

Journeys between the cities usually take between 45 and 55 minutes, with multiple stops in between.

The government is expected to announce funding for the project today, a source told Metro.

Sign up for all of the latest stories

Start your day informed with Metro's News Updates newsletter or get Breaking News alerts the moment it happens.

A CGI visual of what the Manchester Piccadilly railway station could look like after the new rail link.
Manchester Piccadilly would also be revamped as part of the proposal (Picture: GMCA)

Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham said the Victorian rail infrastructure is ‘now acting as a brake on growth,’ while Steve Rotheram, the Liverpool City mayor, argued that the faster link is ‘something that the people in the North quite rightly deserve.’

It comes after the Chancellor announced £15 billion funding to transport projects in the North and Midlands last week, including for Greater Manchester buses and the Stockport tram extension, a new rapid transit link in Liverpool, and the new West Yorkshire and Leeds tram system.

The £3 bus cap will also remain in place for at least two more years, the Chancellor confirmed.

Here is everything that has been revealed about the new rail link so far.

What is the new Liverpool-Manchester rail link?

A map showing the proposed Liverpool-Manchester Railway Link.
A map shows where the new rail link would run between Liverpool Lime Street and Manchester Piccadilly (click to zoom) (Picture: Liverpool-Manchester Railway Board)

The Liverpool-Manchester Railway could ‘supercharge economic growth’ with a £15 billion boost and 22,000 new jobs during the construction, which could start in the early 2030s, the region’s leaders said.

Plans show the express rail link would have only three stops between Manchester Piccadilly and Liverpool Lime Street.

The proposed stops would be at Manchester Airport, Warrington Bank Quay and Liverpool Gateway, although the exact gateway location has not been confirmed yet.

Liverpool Lime Street, the seventh busiest train station outside London, and Manchester Piccadilly would be revamped.

The city’s stations have become ‘bottlenecks’ with limited platforms and track capacity, Rotheram said.

Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, Huw Merriman, Chair of the Liverpool-Manchester Railway Partnership Board and Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region
Andy Burnham (left), Huw Merriman, the chair of the Liverpool-Manchester Railway Board, and Steve Rotheram want construction for the new rail link to start by the early 2030s (Picture: PA Wire)

The new railway would help alleviate the ‘immense pressure’ on the existing network, the mayors said.

The areas around each station, will be redeveloped as new ‘growth zones,’ with new homes, jobs and regeneration in the pipeline ahead of the new rail link.

As many as 500,000 new homes could be build along the rail corridor.

People in Liverpool reacted to the news on social media, with many saying there should be a direct rail link to John Lennon Airport first.

One person said: ‘Create a direct link to John Lennon Airport, South Parkway is a total waste of time for people trying to use our airport.’

Another Liverpool resident said: ‘Manchester has the most to gain out of this plan – not Liverpool.’

Burnham said: ‘Just over 200 years ago, the world’s first passenger railway was built to connect Liverpool and Manchester, transforming the nation’s fortunes for centuries. But Victorian infrastructure is now acting as a brake on growth.

‘A new Liverpool-Manchester Railway would be shorter than both London’s Elizabeth line and East West Rail connecting Oxford and Cambridge, but would punch well above its weight in both growing the UK’s economy and better connecting our high-growth sectors.

‘For too long, such major infrastructure projects in the UK have been delivered in a top-down way.  

‘We want to work hand-in-hand with government to plan and deliver this railway from the ground up, enabling us to maintain our growth momentum for Greater Manchester. A new, locally-led delivery model will mean we can build our pipeline of regeneration, new homes, skilled jobs and green growth around the rail line with real certainty.’

The northern mayors travelled to Westminster ahead of the spending review to ramp up the pressure on the government to back their plans.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

Read More »

British wine tycoon found dead in his Spanish villa after car rally

Tarik Wildman - tycoon found dead at luxury villa in Spain FOR DAN SANDERSON
Tarik Wildman, 65, was found dead in his home in Marbella

Mystery is surrounding the death of a British multi-millionaire at a gated community for some of the wealthiest people in Spain.

Tarik Wildman was found dead at his luxury villa in La Virginia complex in Marbella, hours after returning from a car rally he had organised in Italy.

It is understood that the 65-year-old died ‘peacefully’ in his sleep but, at this moment, the cause is still not known.

Tributes have been pouring in for Wildman, who was the managing director of PJ Investments, according to his LinkedIn page.

His paternal grandfather founded the wine empire Frederick Wildman and Sons, while his British mother, the late Hon Corinna Cunliffe, was a fashion magazine editor and the daughter of a baron.

The Classic and Sports Car Club of Andalucia, of which he was a member, described Wildman as a ‘legend and a titan’.

A memorial they posted online read: ‘He had just returned from organising and running his Team Schh rally in Italy which he had done in his beautiful Lancia Flamina, a car he loved.

‘He died peacefully in his sleep but, at this moment, the cause is not known.

‘He had amazing friends all over the world, had competed in the Monte Carlo Classic rally and had a depth of knowledge of all things that always astonished me.

‘His passion for life in general and motoring in particular was something that others could only envy.

‘The world here will never see the like and will never be the same again. RIP Tarik Wildman, a legend and a titan.’

Another friend, US TV personality Ingrid Hoffman, described Wildman as ‘stand up kind and generous friend, host extraordinaire, creator, planner, navigator and pilot to the most fun adventures and Team Shhhh rally’s’.

She wrote on Facebook: ‘I am going to miss you and the days and nights spend cooking, talking, drinking, driving and telling stories at your Marbella “La Virginia” and Casa Hombre Salvaje center of the universe of all things fun.

‘Capileira, that little house above the clouds you loved so much and took all of your friends so we could love it too.

‘Grateful for all the cast of characters now friends you introduced me too. You always wanted all of us to be friends.

‘You leave behind a beautiful family a bigger than life legacy.

‘I will miss your naughty spirit, history lessons, poetry, writings, waking all up to beautiful classical music.’

Got a story? Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk. Or you can submit your videos and pictures here.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

Follow Metro.co.uk on Twitter and Facebook for the latest news updates. You can now also get Metro.co.uk articles sent straight to your device. Sign up for our daily push alerts here.

Read More »