Six In The Morning Saturday 8 June 2024

 

Deadly daylight raid deep into Gaza frees Israeli captives

By Alex Therrien, BBC News • Hugo Bachega, Middle East correspondent

Four hostages kidnapped by Hamas from the Nova music festival during the 7 October attacks have been rescued in a daylight raid deep in central Gaza.

Noa Argamani, 26, Almog Meir Jan, 22, Andrei Kozlov, 27, and Shlomi Ziv, 41, were freed during a "high-risk, complex mission" from two separate buildings in the Nuseirat area, the Israel Defense Forces said.

The IDF said the four are in good medical condition and have been transferred to the 'Sheba' Tel-HaShomer Medical Center, where they have been pictured embracing family members.

Many people, including children, have been killed and injured in the area where the operation took place, with images and footage showing significant numbers of casualties.

A group of far-right media figures is using social media to recruit for its newly formed militia

The group is recruiting on Instagram, despite Meta’s previous crackdowns on militias

WRITTEN BY ALEX KAPLAN

RESEARCH CONTRIBUTIONS FROM PAYTON ARMSTRONG

A group of far-right media figures has announced the formation of a militia group that is dedicated to “mobiliz[ing] to DEFEND this Republic from any enemy.” The newly formed group includes Rumble streamers Pete Santilli and Stew Peters, who have both called for political opponents to be killed. The militia has established several social media accounts with the apparent aim of recruiting members, including an account on Instagram.

On June 3, podcaster and alleged January 6 participant Jake Lang announced a “NATIONAL CONSTITUTIONAL MILITIA” called the “North American Patriot and Liberty Militia,” or “NAPALM” for short. Lang claimed that NAPALM was “organized and ready to mobilize to DEFEND this Republic from any enemy. Forgien or Domestic.” Lang — who wrote that he would serve as “national chairman” of the militia group — “faces multiple charges of assaulting law enforcement officers” and has been held in jail ahead of his September trial for his alleged crimes and what a judge called “a continued willingness to engage in violence.”

‘You can feel a shift’: will the French be lured by Le Pen?

National Rally is making gains with higher-earning professionals and older voters previously put off by party founder Jean-Marie Le Pen

By Angelique Chrisafis in Boulogne-Billancourt

Céline, a civil servant and administrator in several French government ministries, used to keep quiet about the fact that she voted for the far-right, anti-immigration party of Marine Le Pen. “I couldn’t talk about it at work; people would say: ‘You’re a fascist.’ It was frowned upon – it was almost a sackable offence,” said the 68-year-old, who retired three years ago.

But today, even in her hometown of Boulogne-Billancourt, west of Paris, where the largely well-off residents have been historically closed to the far right, and voted 83% for the centrist Emmanuel Macron in the 2022 presidential final round, Céline has noticed a shift in the public mood. Across France, Le Pen’s far-right National Rally (Rassemblement National (RN) is polling at a historic high of about 33% in Sunday’s European elections, more than double Macron’s grouping on about 16%. National politics has become increasingly focused on the far-right’s progress to the next presidential race in 2027, and whether anything will be capable of holding it back.

Vietnam detains journalist over Facebook posts

Vietnamese police have arrested two well-known Facebook users, charging them with abusing democratic freedoms. Despite openness and reforms, the country's Communist leadership tolerates little criticism.

Vietnam's Ministry of Public Security on Saturday said police had arrested a journalist and a lawyer for "abusing democratic rights" by posting articles on Facebook.

One of the men, journalist Truong Huy San, was detained over posts that "violate the interests of the State, the legitimate rights and interests of organizations and individuals", the ministry said.

While Vietnam has introduced sweeping economic reform and is increasingly open to social change, its ruling Communist Party retains tight media censorship.

Putin threatens to expand the war to Western strategic targets – but can he deliver?

President Vladimir Putin said this week that he reserves the right to supply long-range weapons to Russian allies for possible use against Western strategic interests – a response to Ukraine getting the green light to use NATO-supplied weapons for limited attacks inside Russia. But some military experts say Putin’s latest threat might be limited on the ground.

As US President Joe Biden arrived in France for a four-day visit aimed at commemorating 80 years since D-Day and deepening transatlantic ties, Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a new threat. 

At an economic summit in St. Petersburg on Wednesday, Putin warned that Russia could provide long-range weapons to countries that might use them to strike Western strategic facilities.

Putin presented his latest threat as a response to NATO members – notably the United States and Germany – reversing course to allow Ukraine to use Western weapons for limited strikes inside Russia.

Israel kills more than 200 in attack on central Gaza: Gov’t Media Office

Health Ministry reports ‘large numbers’ of killed and wounded rushed to hospital as a result of nonstop Israeli bombardment

The Israeli military is conducting intense assaults across the Gaza Strip by air, land and sea, killing more than 200 people and spreading fear among its war-weary displaced population.

Dozens of air raids hit the besieged territory on Saturday, particularly in Deir el-Balah and Nuseirat in central Gaza, homes west of the city of Rafah in the south and multiple areas in Gaza City to the north.

The Ministry of Health in Gaza said “large numbers” of killed and wounded were arriving at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, the majority of whom are children and women.