A Britain First rally in Kent, south-east England, where the arrival of more than 28,000 migrants in small boats last year fuelled tensions. Reuters
A Britain First rally in Kent, south-east England, where the arrival of more than 28,000 migrants in small boats last year fuelled tensions. Reuters
A Britain First rally in Kent, south-east England, where the arrival of more than 28,000 migrants in small boats last year fuelled tensions. Reuters
A Britain First rally in Kent, south-east England, where the arrival of more than 28,000 migrants in small boats last year fuelled tensions. Reuters

Far-right fitness groups emerge in UK promoting racial division


Paul Peachey
  • English
  • Arabic

Fascist fitness groups have emerged as propaganda cells to promote racial division in the UK fuelled by anger over migration and the rising cost of living, according to a new report by anti-fascism researchers.

The most extreme fringes of the right-wing movement believe in the inevitability of ‘race war’ and use online fitness chat groups to recruit and spread far-right views under the banner of health and well-being, says campaign group Hope Not Hate.

Its ‘State of Hate’ annual report told of a resurgence of the anti-migrant far-right in the UK caused in part by the end of lockdown, rising living costs, the British withdrawal from Afghanistan and disenchantment with the current government.

It said established far-right groups in the UK were using discontent over migration as a rallying point for recruitment, with 125 known protests outside hotels and accommodation used by asylum seekers last year.

Many of the protests were in northern England, where the leadership of the best-known far-right political party, Britain First, is based. Extremists have also protested on the south coast of England, where more than 28,000 people arrived in small boats last year from northern Europe.

The report said migration, combined with continuing mistrust of politicians over lockdown policies, during the Covid-19 pandemic, provided far-right groups with a big opportunity to secure new followers.

Hope Not Hate chief executive Nick Lowles said: “After years in the political wilderness, the crises we’ve collectively faced over the past two years have emboldened cynical far-right activists to exploit our fears and uncertainties and return to traditional methods of campaigning.

“As hostile rhetoric around migration continued to make headlines and conspiracy theories regularly began to infiltrate mainstream media and politics, an increasingly welcome environment for authoritarianism and populism has developed.”

Hope Not Hate said the fascist fitness boom follows a trend seen elsewhere in Europe, turning an individual project of self-improvement into an ideological movement.

The groups mix “extreme fascist ideology with self-improvement and camaraderie”, which can bring people into the movement.

“Worryingly, others view it as preparation for violence towards minorities, anti-fascists and race war,” said the report.

Members post pictures of themselves on Telegram along with weight loss goals. The posts are mingled with far-right messages and postings of far-right imagery.

One administrator wrote: “When you lift alone, you lift with Hitler”, according to Hope Not Hate.

It cited the case of one fitness group on Telegram with about 30 members that vows to “fight degeneracy through honour, tradition, and brotherhood” and stages an annual hike for members of the group. Members are eventually expected to fight another member of the group as part of the regime.

The group said it fed into a long-term trend among the far-right that their goals cannot be achieved through the ballot box and want “the total overhaul of the system and the start of a race war”.

It said language in far-right forums was becoming increasingly extreme. Last year, 18 far-right activists and sympathisers were convicted of terrorism offences in the UK – double the number from 2020.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Short-term let permits explained

Homeowners and tenants are allowed to list their properties for rental by registering through the Dubai Tourism website to obtain a permit.

Tenants also require a letter of no objection from their landlord before being allowed to list the property.

There is a cost of Dh1,590 before starting the process, with an additional licence fee of Dh300 per bedroom being rented in your home for the duration of the rental, which ranges from three months to a year.

Anyone hoping to list a property for rental must also provide a copy of their title deeds and Ejari, as well as their Emirates ID.

Stree

Producer: Maddock Films, Jio Movies
Director: Amar Kaushik
Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Shraddha Kapoor, Pankaj Tripathi, Aparshakti Khurana, Abhishek Banerjee
Rating: 3.5

RACECARD%20
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Racecard
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French business

France has organised a delegation of leading businesses to travel to Syria. The group was led by French shipping giant CMA CGM, which struck a 30-year contract in May with the Syrian government to develop and run Latakia port. Also present were water and waste management company Suez, defence multinational Thales, and Ellipse Group, which is currently looking into rehabilitating Syrian hospitals.

Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EWafeq%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJanuary%202019%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENadim%20Alameddine%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%2C%20UAE%3Cstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EIndustry%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Esoftware%20as%20a%20service%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunds%20raised%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%243%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ERaed%20Ventures%20and%20Wamda%2C%20among%20others%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Results
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStage%203%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3E1.%20Einer%20Rubio%20(COL)%20Movistar%20Team%20-%204h51%E2%80%9924%E2%80%9D%3Cbr%3E2.%20Remco%20Evenepoel%20(BEL)%20Soudal%20Quick-Step%20-%2014%22%3Cbr%3E3.%20Adam%20Yates%20(GBR)%20UAE%20Team%20Emirates%20-%2015%22%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EGeneral%20classifications%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3E1.%20Remco%20Evenepoel%20(BEL)%20Soudal%20Quick-Step%3Cbr%3E2.%20Lucas%20Plapp%20(AUS)%20Ineos%20Grenaders)%20-%207%22%3Cbr%3E3.%20Pello%20Bilbao%20(ESP)%20Bahrain%20Victorious%20-%2011%22%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?

1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull

2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight

3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge

4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own

5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed

Real estate tokenisation project

Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.

The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.

Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.

Fines for littering

In Dubai:

Dh200 for littering or spitting in the Dubai Metro

Dh500 for throwing cigarette butts or chewing gum on the floor, or littering from a vehicle. 
Dh1,000 for littering on a beach, spitting in public places, throwing a cigarette butt from a vehicle

In Sharjah and other emirates
Dh500 for littering - including cigarette butts and chewing gum - in public places and beaches in Sharjah
Dh2,000 for littering in Sharjah deserts
Dh500 for littering from a vehicle in Ras Al Khaimah
Dh1,000 for littering from a car in Abu Dhabi
Dh1,000 to Dh100,000 for dumping waste in residential or public areas in Al Ain
Dh10,000 for littering at Ajman's beaches 

Our legal advisor

Ahmad El Sayed is Senior Associate at Charles Russell Speechlys, a law firm headquartered in London with offices in the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Hong Kong.

Experience: Commercial litigator who has assisted clients with overseas judgments before UAE courts. His specialties are cases related to banking, real estate, shareholder disputes, company liquidations and criminal matters as well as employment related litigation. 

Education: Sagesse University, Beirut, Lebanon, in 2005.

MATCH INFO

Real Madrid 3 (Kroos 4', Ramos 30', Marcelo 37')

Eibar 1 (Bigas 60')

UAE squad

Esha Oza (captain), Al Maseera Jahangir, Emily Thomas, Heena Hotchandani, Indhuja Nandakumar, Katie Thompson, Lavanya Keny, Mehak Thakur, Michelle Botha, Rinitha Rajith, Samaira Dharnidharka, Siya Gokhale, Sashikala Silva, Suraksha Kotte, Theertha Satish (wicketkeeper) Udeni Kuruppuarachchige, Vaishnave Mahesh.

UAE tour of Zimbabwe

All matches in Bulawayo
Friday, Sept 26 – First ODI
Sunday, Sept 28 – Second ODI
Tuesday, Sept 30 – Third ODI
Thursday, Oct 2 – Fourth ODI
Sunday, Oct 5 – First T20I
Monday, Oct 6 – Second T20I

Updated: March 09, 2022, 12:01 AM