The wanton violence perpetrated by far-right rioters across several areas of Britain over the past six days has come to overshadow the purported cause of the unrest – the murder of three young girls in the English city of Southport on July 29. Despite pleas from the bereaved families for these troublemakers to stop attacking the police, property and minorities, the rampage continued. It is among the worst disorder seen on British streets since the London riots of 2011.
The riots of 2024 should be described accurately – they are neither “protests” nor “demonstrations”, but pogroms. In several smaller cities, racist and anti-Muslim mobs have been seen roaming side streets looking for targets. Such criminality demands a swift response. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer – a former top prosecutor – reportedly plans to mirror elements of the government’s response to the London riots more than a decade ago. Back then, measures included drafting in more police officers and fast-tracking court cases.
But the situation is complex; this unrest did not spring from nowhere. It is the result of a knot of multi-layered problems that include an emboldened far right, misinformation and propaganda on social media, the exploitation of genuine grievances and mistrust of the police in some of Britain’s working-class communities. In a globalised world, the UK’s challenges with migration have not manifested in a vacuum, and unresolved conflicts continue to fuel a steady flow of irregular migrants to European shores – including those of Britain.
In the short term, a robust but nuanced strategy to defuse this volatile situation is needed. This early test for the UK’s new government should combine effective policework against rioters and the opportunists who incite them with an acknowledgement of the fears – often distorted – than can coalesce around migration. There are signs that such an approach is taking shape; in a televised address Mr Starmer told rioters they would "regret taking part in this disorder, either directly or those whipping up this disorder online", correctly identifying the role of digital agitators.
Many western societies are experiencing a surge in far-right fear mongering that often results in hostility towards racial and religious minorities, as well as migrants and asylum seekers. In the UK, extremists have been quick to capitalise on a sense of grievance among some sections of the British public that is amplified and exploited by political and social media bad actors, and thrives when it is not engaged with and defused by the authorities. Many of these same extremists are shrewd enough to avoid prosecution themselves by using loopholes in the law or carefully wording their statements, while the footsoldiers gain criminal records.
The reality is that Britain already has a relatively strict immigration and asylum policy. On paper, the country is not an easy place to move to for long periods. Enforcement of Britain’s immigration rules, however, is another matter. The country’s politicians, Home Office and law enforcement agencies have struggled for years to make the system robust enough to deal with surges in asylum seekers and prevent irregular migration without also punishing those who enter the UK legally for work or to join their families.
In search of quick fixes, too many of the country’s politicians have often opted for blunt instruments, such as restrictions on lower-income Britons marrying foreign spouses or the previous government’s risible plan to deport failed asylum seekers to Rwanda. Some have opted for radicalising, dog-whistle politics that endangers not just immigrants, but British-born minorities, too.
The reality is that Britain already has a relatively strict immigration and asylum policy. On paper, the country is not an easy place to move to for long periods
These phenomena may be particularly pronounced in the UK, but they have been repeated in some form or another across much of Europe as the West’s migration mismanagement continues. It is time for western politicians to see the bigger picture and take steps to build a stronger foundation for the diversity their societies have benefited from so much.
In Britain, whatever the government’s response is, it must come quickly; more protests are being arranged, and those involved have had a sample of what violence mixed with impunity feels like. A British government confronted by the country’s own toxic mix of societal pressures and far-right opportunists should actually urgently and decisively.
MATCH INFO
Karnatake Tuskers 114-1 (10 ovs)
Charles 57, Amla 47
Bangla Tigers 117-5 (8.5 ovs)
Fletcher 40, Moores 28 no, Lamichhane 2-9
Bangla Tiger win by five wickets
The specs: 2018 Chevrolet Trailblazer
Price, base / as tested Dh99,000 / Dh132,000
Engine 3.6L V6
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Power 275hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque 350Nm @ 3,700rpm
Fuel economy combined 12.2L / 100km
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The major Hashd factions linked to Iran:
Badr Organisation: Seen as the most militarily capable faction in the Hashd. Iraqi Shiite exiles opposed to Saddam Hussein set up the group in Tehran in the early 1980s as the Badr Corps under the supervision of the Iran Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC). The militia exalts Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei but intermittently cooperated with the US military.
Saraya Al Salam (Peace Brigade): Comprised of former members of the officially defunct Mahdi Army, a militia that was commanded by Iraqi cleric Moqtada Al Sadr and fought US and Iraqi government and other forces between 2004 and 2008. As part of a political overhaul aimed as casting Mr Al Sadr as a more nationalist and less sectarian figure, the cleric formed Saraya Al Salam in 2014. The group’s relations with Iran has been volatile.
Kataeb Hezbollah: The group, which is fighting on behalf of the Bashar Al Assad government in Syria, traces its origins to attacks on US forces in Iraq in 2004 and adopts a tough stance against Washington, calling the United States “the enemy of humanity”.
Asaeb Ahl Al Haq: An offshoot of the Mahdi Army active in Syria. Asaeb Ahl Al Haq’s leader Qais al Khazali was a student of Mr Al Moqtada’s late father Mohammed Sadeq Al Sadr, a prominent Shiite cleric who was killed during Saddam Hussein’s rule.
Harakat Hezbollah Al Nujaba: Formed in 2013 to fight alongside Mr Al Assad’s loyalists in Syria before joining the Hashd. The group is seen as among the most ideological and sectarian-driven Hashd militias in Syria and is the major recruiter of foreign fighters to Syria.
Saraya Al Khorasani: The ICRG formed Saraya Al Khorasani in the mid-1990s and the group is seen as the most ideologically attached to Iran among Tehran’s satellites in Iraq.
(Source: The Wilson Centre, the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation)
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• Landfill gas is composed of 50 per cent methane
• Methane is 28 times more harmful than Co2 in terms of global warming
• 11 million total tonnes of waste are being generated annually in Abu Dhabi
• 18,000 tonnes per year of hazardous and medical waste is produced in Abu Dhabi emirate per year
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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
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Day 3, Dubai Test: At a glance
Moment of the day Lahiru Gamage, the Sri Lanka pace bowler, has had to play a lot of cricket to earn a shot at the top level. The 29-year-old debutant first played a first-class game 11 years ago. His first Test wicket was one to savour, bowling Pakistan opener Shan Masood through the gate. It set the rot in motion for Pakistan’s batting.
Stat of the day – 73 Haris Sohail took 73 balls to hit a boundary. Which is a peculiar quirk, given the aggressive intent he showed from the off. Pakistan’s batsmen were implored to attack Rangana Herath after their implosion against his left-arm spin in Abu Dhabi. Haris did his best to oblige, smacking the second ball he faced for a huge straight six.
The verdict One year ago, when Pakistan played their first day-night Test at this ground, they held a 222-run lead over West Indies on first innings. The away side still pushed their hosts relatively close on the final night. With the opposite almost exactly the case this time around, Pakistan still have to hope they can salvage a win from somewhere.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
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Another way to earn air miles
In addition to the Emirates and Etihad programmes, there is the Air Miles Middle East card, which offers members the ability to choose any airline, has no black-out dates and no restrictions on seat availability. Air Miles is linked up to HSBC credit cards and can also be earned through retail partners such as Spinneys, Sharaf DG and The Toy Store.
An Emirates Dubai-London round-trip ticket costs 180,000 miles on the Air Miles website. But customers earn these ‘miles’ at a much faster rate than airline miles. Adidas offers two air miles per Dh1 spent. Air Miles has partnerships with websites as well, so booking.com and agoda.com offer three miles per Dh1 spent.
“If you use your HSBC credit card when shopping at our partners, you are able to earn Air Miles twice which will mean you can get that flight reward faster and for less spend,” says Paul Lacey, the managing director for Europe, Middle East and India for Aimia, which owns and operates Air Miles Middle East.
The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
LILO & STITCH
Starring: Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Maia Kealoha, Chris Sanders
Director: Dean Fleischer Camp
Rating: 4.5/5
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Dr Amal Khalid Alias revealed a recent case of a woman with daughters, who specifically wanted a boy.
A semen analysis of the father showed abnormal sperm so the couple required IVF.
Out of 21 eggs collected, six were unused leaving 15 suitable for IVF.
A specific procedure was used, called intracytoplasmic sperm injection where a single sperm cell is inserted into the egg.
On day three of the process, 14 embryos were biopsied for gender selection.
The next day, a pre-implantation genetic report revealed four normal male embryos, three female and seven abnormal samples.
Day five of the treatment saw two male embryos transferred to the patient.
The woman recorded a positive pregnancy test two weeks later.
