English guitarist Johnny Marr, 61, has spoken out in support of Northern Irish hip-hop band Kneecap, following news of a co-ordinated campaign to oust them from this month's Glastonbury Festival.
Kneecap have been in the headlines since their performance at the Coachella music festival in April, calling for a free Palestine and proclaiming that Israel was committing genocide in Gaza with US backing.
Last month, member Mo Chara was charged with a terror offence by British authorities after he allegedly displayed a Hezbollah flag at a London gig.
“After learning that calls have been made for Kneecap to be censored during their Glastonbury set, I think it's important that I make my own position clear,” Marr, co-founder of The Smiths, said in a message posted on Kneecap's Instagram account on Monday.
“I've played Glastonbury many times, and the festival has always had a political aspect. It was founded as a place of free expression and political activism, and it's a fact that I agreed to play there with The Smiths in 1984 purely because to do so at the time was a political act.
“We are living through very troubling times, but for anyone who's been interested in me or my music over the last 40 years, I feel like my political stance has always been very clear,” Marr added.
“Oppression fears artistic expression. I respect all musicians who use their platform to speak out against injustice, who promote compassion and equality and give voice to the voiceless. I stand with my audience and fellow musicians who call for an immediate end to the atrocities and a free Palestine.”
Marr's message comes days after English DJ Toddla T claimed he had seen a “private and confidential letter” signed by “30 individuals from within the music industry”, who have urged Glastonbury organisers to remove Kneecap from the line-up.
Glastonbury Festival, one of the world's largest music festivals, is set to take place from June 25 to 29.
“What we're seeing is a co-ordinated attempt by 30 members of the musical elite, people with systematic influence, to silence the voices of three working-class artists from Belfast. And all of it was done behind closed doors,” Toddla T, who's also performing at the festival, posted on Instagram.
He added that he and 100 others, including English trip-hop group Massive Attack and Northern Irish electronic duo Bicep, have signed a letter in support of Kneecap.
“At the heart of this is not just a dispute over a festival slot. It's about Palestine and the ongoing genocide we're witnessing,” Toddla T added.
“The lives lost, the unbearable images, the children, the parents, the communities being erased, it has pushed many of us to question humanity itself.”
Rapping in the Irish language, the three-member band Kneecap have become known for politically charged music and lyrics since their formation in 2017. While they have long been critical of Israel, often flying the Palestinian flag at their shows, it was their Coachella set that grabbed headlines around the world.
“The Palestinians have nowhere to go. It's their home, and they're bombing it from the sky. If you're not calling it a genocide, what are you calling it?” said member Moglai Bap on stage, wearing a keffiyeh.
He went on to lead the audience in a “free, free Palestine” chant, as the Palestinian flag was displayed across the screens.
The performance led to calls for the group to be banned from performing in the US. Kneecap also split from their booking agency Independent Artist Group soon afterwards.
Television celebrity Sharon Osbourne said the group “took their performance to a different level by incorporating aggressive political statements”, and called for a revocation of their US work visa.
In response, Kneecap told the BBC: “Statements aren't aggressive, murdering 20,000 children is, though.”
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- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
SM Town Live is on Friday, April 6 at Autism Rocks Arena, Dubai. Tickets are Dh375 at www.platinumlist.net
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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Director: Joseph Kosinski
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The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
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THE BIO
Bio Box
Role Model: Sheikh Zayed, God bless his soul
Favorite book: Zayed Biography of the leader
Favorite quote: To be or not to be, that is the question, from William Shakespeare's Hamlet
Favorite food: seafood
Favorite place to travel: Lebanon
Favorite movie: Braveheart
Where to buy
Limited-edition art prints of The Sofa Series: Sultani can be acquired from Reem El Mutwalli at www.reemelmutwalli.com
Global Fungi Facts
• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
• Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered
• Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity
• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil
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Results
6.30pm: Dubai Millennium Stakes Group Three US$200,000 (Turf) 2,000m; Winner: Ghaiyyath, William Buick (jockey), Charlie Appleby (trainer).
7.05pm: Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Cliffs Of Capri, Tadhg O’Shea, Jamie Osborne.
7.40pm: UAE Oaks Group Three $250,000 (Dirt) 1,900m; Winner: Down On Da Bayou, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer.
8.15pm: Zabeel Mile Group Two $250,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Zakouski, James Doyle, Charlie Appleby.
8.50pm: Meydan Sprint Group Two $250,000 (T) 1,000m; Winner: Waady, Jim Crowley, Doug Watson.
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- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Alaan%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202021%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Parthi%20Duraisamy%20and%20Karun%20Kurien%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20FinTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%247%20million%20raised%20in%20total%20%E2%80%94%20%242.5%20million%20in%20a%20seed%20round%20and%20%244.5%20million%20in%20a%20pre-series%20A%20round%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Lamsa
Founder: Badr Ward
Launched: 2014
Employees: 60
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: EdTech
Funding to date: $15 million
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
South Africa World Cup squad
South Africa: Faf du Plessis (c), Hashim Amla, Quinton de Kock (w), JP Duminy, Imran Tahir, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Dale Steyn, Rassie van der Dussen.
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SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20M3%20MACBOOK%20AIR%20(13%22)
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The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 611bhp
Torque: 620Nm
Transmission: seven-speed automatic
Price: upon application
On sale: now
The specs: 2018 Nissan Patrol Nismo
Price: base / as tested: Dh382,000
Engine: 5.6-litre V8
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 428hp @ 5,800rpm
Torque: 560Nm @ 3,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km
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