Over the weekend, the Canary has followed an ongoing feud between former Daily Mail showbusiness editor Nicole Lampert and Green leader Zack Polanski.

It’s over Lampert’s recent Mail article claiming to have interviewed Polanski’s family members, which ran with the headline:

Zack Polanski is facing rebellion from his OWN family as they fear being forced to leave UK if Green Party leader becomes Prime Minister

Normally, Polanski seems quite happy to face the slings and arrows of the right-wing media with a smile. However, the Mail’s claims of poking around his family have been three steps too far.

Polanski: ‘all refused to talk to you’

On 29 March, the Green leader tweeted:

Spoke to my family today – all refused to talk to you.

You then started hunting down random “anon” relatives.

People are holding your shit rag accountable.

You’ve not just “touched a nerve.”

You’ve absolutely spurred on a movement ready to take on the Daily Mail. Congrats. https://t.co/95Oq3SUxAf

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— Zack Polanski (@ZackPolanski) March 29, 2026

The Mail claimed to have spoken to three members of Polanski’s “extended family”. Of course, these family members are anonymous. However, they have Nicole Lampert’s journalistic seal of approval.

That counts for a lot – we know Lampert goes so far to guarantee her stories that she’s embroiled in an ongoing phone-hacking court case. Allegedly, not even the law or basic human decency can stop her in pursuit of the truth.

100% extended, 100% family, 100% definitely real

That established, one bona fide extended relative said:

He’s currently the leader of the future Islamic party of Britain, that’s what the Green Party is fast becoming. And there would be no place for Jews in an Islamic state of Britain.’

On the words “Islamic state”, the Mail helpfully linked to its page on ISIS. So, you know, they definitely don’t have an agenda there.

A separate anonymous relative, guaranteed by the Mail’s exacting editorial standards, said that:

If the Zionism-is-racism motion is passed it will make the Greens the most anti-Semitic party in British history since Oswald Mosley’s British Union of Fascists. The idea of it is one of the most sickening things I’ve heard in a long time.

It’s somewhat remarkable that the definitely real family member is happy to denounce Polanski in the Daily Mail here, given that the rag actually supported the British Union of Fascists. 

A third family member said:

The mad thing is that he’s gay, he’s Jewish but he’s cosying up to people whose ideology is the complete antithesis of everything that he’s supposed to stand for. It’s like he’s a chicken, telling us to vote for KFC.

Quite apart from the antisemitic notion that all Jewish people must support Israel, this is textbook pinkwashing. Unless, that is, Israel is suddenly taking care not to genocide all of the gay Palestinians along with the straight ones.

Stop the Hate UK

In the tweet Polanski quoted, Lampert was herself quoting the nebulous organisation ‘Stop the Hate UK’ (StHUK):

You’d think the leader of a political party would have better things to do than continuing to send hatred in my direction.
My story, in which his family expressed fears about the dangerously Jew-hating place the Greens are going to, appears to have touched a nerve.
Because he… https://t.co/7umEbltNr1

— Nicole Lampert (@nicolelampert) March 29, 2026

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Note that StHUK manages to remember that Lampert is Jewish, but conveniently forgets that Polanski is also Jewish. Understandable, given that he’s the only Jewish leader of a major political party in the UK.

As the Canary’s Hannah Sharland previously wrote, StHUK first emerged in early 2024. Its twitter profile shows that the group registered an account in April 2024, when it immediately began posting graphics with counter-protest callouts against Palestine marches.

The group’s co-founder, Itai Galmudy, appears to have been coordinating counter-demos, though under a different name – Enough Is Enough – since at least March 2024.

Likewise, it appears that it’s Galmudy who’s been front and centre of Zionist instigators colluding with the Met to get pro-Palestine activists arrested. He’s reportedly a former IDF soldier, who served during the 2014 attacks on Gaza.

So we’re sure he’s posting about Polanski from a place of good faith.

Bring it on

However, in spite of the condemnation of his definitely non-fictional family members, Polanski remains buoyant:

And what’s delightful is every time you and other right wing hacks try this crap – our membership and poll ratings rise.

Because people hate the lies and toxicity.

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They want a party taking on the billionaires and those who serve them.

Your game is up.https://t.co/0qbagSvIYp

— Zack Polanski (@ZackPolanski) March 29, 2026

And, just to hammer the point home:

🚨 The Greens are FOUR points off Reform UK.

The real opposition to Reform is the Green Party. 💚 pic.twitter.com/Q6TAceRbs5

— Green Elects (@GrnElects) March 29, 2026

The UK public are increasingly bored of this song and dance. It’s clear that the right-wing establishment are rattled at the Green’s success – and they’re throwing anything at the wall to see what sticks.

As always, if the Daily Mail hate you, it’s a sure sign you’re doing something right.

Featured image via the Canary

You may have seen that BBC just helped out disgraced Labour Together MP Josh Simons with a softball 40 minute interview. The Beeb’s arch anti-Left journalist Laura Kuenssberg even conducted it. You can read our first report on the interview here.

Simons was forced to resign from his cabinet job on 28 February. He’d instructed a PR firm to investigate multiple journalists, it had been revealed. Ex-Canary journo and Declassified UK reporter John McAvoy was one of those affected. Paul Holden – author of The Fraud, a forensic, gritty, play-by-play takedown of the right-wing project to lie a Starmer government into existence – was another.

Holden has now responded to the BBC interview at length:

PAUL HOLDEN STATEMENT IN RESPONSE TO INTERVIEW WITH JOSH SIMONS ON BBC NEWSCAST

Yesterday, BBC Newscast published a lengthy, forty-minute interview with former Cabinet Minister Josh Simons MP. The interview addressed how Simons, as a director of @LabourTogether, had appointed a…

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— The Fraud (@StarmertheFraud) March 29, 2026

BBC flunks on journalistic basics

Holden, unlike the hacks at the BBC it seems, is an old-fashioned muckraking reporter in the South African tradition. As he told the Canary recently, that’s a model built on journalists not being pals with politicians. Imagine?! Naturally, Holden was not happy that the vaunted corporation hadn’t even got the basics right:

Yesterday, BBC Newscast published a lengthy, forty-minute interview with former Cabinet Minister Josh Simons MP. The interview addressed how Simons, as a director of Labour Together, had appointed a firm called APCO Worldwide to investigate me and my colleagues.

He went on:

I was not told by the BBC ahead of the broadcast that the episode was being recorded or aired. I was not approached to respond to the lengthy comments made about me or the small anti-corruption organisation Shadow World Investigations, that I run with my colleague Andrew [Feinstein], who is also repeatedly mentioned, was also not approached for comment.

This failure of the BBC to adhere to basic journalistic standards is truly shocking even by the BBC’s recent performance. I would expect the Director General to respond to explain how this has happened or, failing that, a Board member to intervene. https://t.co/zRpBbPhUtz

— John McDonnell (@johnmcdonnellMP) March 29, 2026

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Holden only found out that the BBC interview was going ahead from a friend:

I only found out last night, when a friend texted me, that the person who hired a major multinational reputation management firm that produced a despicable and defamatory report on me and my colleagues, and who reported me on the basis of these false and defamatory reports to the UK’s security services, was being given forty minutes to give his version of events on a major podcast published by our national broadcaster.

Holden reiterated that the BBC hadn’t so much as whispered in his direction about what is clearly a major story in which he is a key figure:

To be clear, the BBC has NEVER – not once – approached me to comment on a story that is, ultimately, about me, my investigations, my family and my colleagues. They did not approach me when the story first broke, and they did not approach me for this episode.

False ‘hack’ allegations

The BBC seem to have given free and unchallenged rein to Simons. He then painted an allegedly false picture – unchallenged.

Here’s Holden’s take:

If the BBC had done so, I would have raised several issues with the way in which matters related to me were discussed. For example, Simons repeatedly stated in the interview that he instructed APCO to investigate whether my reporting or sourcing derived from a ‘hack’ of the Electoral Commission.

He added:

The word ‘hack’ is used eight times in the interview. At no time was it acknowledged in this discussion that this allegation – that I might have received hacked materials – is entirely false, and I have repeatedly proven it to be false.

Laura,

You and the BBC have serious questions to answer about this interview.

A statement from Paul Holden @StarmertheFraud:

‘the BBC has NEVER – not once – approached me to comment on a story that is, ultimately, about me, my investigations, my family and my colleagues.’… pic.twitter.com/xx21GSbXLM

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— Media Lens (@medialens) March 30, 2026

Holden contacted the BBC about the major issues with the interview. The BBC said additional reporting would be added.

However:

This has not yet happened with regards to the podcast, although I note some online reporting finally reflects a very small and limited sampling of my comments. I will wait to see if amendments and updates will follow. If they do not, I will be escalating this matter to OFCOM.

Point-by-point debunking

Holden used his initial statement to advance many criticisms of the interview and to defend his work.

Holden set out how:

• his reporting on Labour Together and Morgan McSweeney was entirely factually accurate and based on impeccable, legal sourcing
• Revelations based on his book, The Fraud, had subsequently been covered widely across the mainstream media in outlets such as The Times, Daily Mail, The Guardian, The National and ITV.
• Josh Simons states that he never intended for APCO Worldwide to investigate Holden or his colleagues. However, a copy of the contract between APCO Worldwide and Labour Together, addressed to Simons, has now been published. The contract sets out a scope of work written in plain English.
• This contract is clear. APCO were hired to investigate Holden to produce materials that would ‘proactively undermine’ my factually accurate, public interest reporting.
• Josh Simons was provided with a report called Operation Cannon. It is the result of a lengthy investigation into Holden by APCO Worldwide. Holden has seen a copy of this report and claims it mades a series of extremely defamatory allegations against him.
• Multiple media freedom advocacy organisations, including the NUJ, have strongly criticised the APCO investigation and these related matters.

Saturday’s BBC Newscast iv with Josh Simons was ridiculously cosy.

Simons was caught red-handed attempting to smear journalists and political opponents. His defence – I was only trying to smear the left wing ones!

The BBC then invited him on and allowed him to make a whole… https://t.co/W3d9Rq6eBw

— Richard Sanders (@PulaRJS) March 29, 2026

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Holden added that he is “still reviewing the Newscast interview”:

I will be responding in due course and I hope that the BBC will, this time, give me the platform to set out what really happened and why.

If you’re a disgusted by the BBC’s mate’s rates style of softball journalism, you can start reading part one our twelve-part serialisation of Paul Holden’s investigative masterpiece The Fraud here. The Canary will be covering this story as it develops further – have no doubt. And we have our own deep-dive interview with Paul Holden in the works as we speak…

Featured image via the Canary

Double Olympic champion runner Caster Semenya has announced that she will challenge the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) new ban on intersex and trans athletes. She’s also encouraging fellow Olympians to join her in a class action lawsuit.

On Thursday 26 March, the IOC announced that it was reinstating mandatory sex testing for eligibility to compete in women’s athletics. It plans to require all participants to undergo an SRY test, which detects the presence of a Y-chromosome-linked gene.

Caster Semenya: ‘I was told I needed to have surgery’

Semenya has become a figurehead of the battle around the borderlines of women’s sport after facing years of highly public legal battles over her natural testosterone levels. In an article for the New York Times, she explained that:

In 2009, as I prepared to run in the Berlin World Championships, athletic authorities sent me for some medical testing. Because of my looks, there had been speculation from my fellow athletes, sports officials, the media and fans that I was not what I said I was.

I arrived at the medical appointment expecting to be checked for performance-enhancing drugs. Instead, at age 18, I had my first gynecological exam. Afterward, I learned that I had XY chromosomes, rather than the typically female XX pairing, and high levels of testosterone, produced by undescended testicles I didn’t know I had. In order to continue racing as a woman, I was told, I needed to have surgery to remove them.

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After Semenya refused to undergo the unnecessary operation, authorities instead required her to take medication to lower her testosterone. The medication caused extreme fatigue, nausea, headaches, and brain fog. When Semenya stopped taking it, she was barred from competing, and instead became a coach.

Despite having lived her entire life as a woman, the IOC’s new document refers to people like Semenya as “biological males”. It insists that this “does not and cannot change”.

‘It came as a failure’

As such, it’s unsurprising that Semenya has been a vocal critic of the IOC’s ruling, and its new president, Kirsty Coventry of Zimbabwe. On Sunday 29 March, at a press conference in Cape Town, Semenya said of Coventry that:

For me, personally, for her being a woman coming from Africa, knowing how African women or women in the global south are affected by that, of course, it causes harm.

Black and brown women have been targeted by a disproportionate level of arbitrary sex testing in sports.

Semenya went on to criticise the IOC’s previous requirement for sex testing:

It came as a failure. And that’s why it was dropped.

For you as a woman, why will you be tested to prove that you fit? You know, it’s like now we need to prove that we are worthy as women to take part in sports. That’s a disrespect for women.

The IOC abandoned its previous requirement of blanket sex tests for women in 1999. The tests were of questionable scientific merit, and often caused severe identity crisis, social isolation, demeaning reactions from the public, depression, and suicide.

Following its U-turn, the IOC will now require girls to take the test from age 15 and up.

‘It does not save women’s sport’

In an exclusive interview with Sky News, Semenya stated that:

I’m fighting for women’s dignity. Those who say, ‘I am not going to be tested to prove that I’m a woman’ … I will encourage them to do that to stop this nonsense.

As such, she also announced her plans to tackle the IOC in court:

I will encourage athletes to come together as a class action … because this does not make sense. It does not save women’s sport.

The interviewer questioned Semenya on the IOC’s new guidance. It states that there is a “10-12 per cent Male performance advantage” in running and swimming, and up to 100% in punching and lifting sports.

However, the document somehow failed to mention that intersex and trans athletes often reduce their testosterone. Just five years ago, the IOC held that this eliminated their potential advantage.

Semenya replied:

Based on what? There’s no scientific proof about what has been said. It’s an ideology.

She’s right to question the IOC’s science, given that the Olympic body has failed to share it with the public. What we do know is that this latest ruling completely contradicts the IOC’s science from just five years ago, which stated that trans people “should not be deemed to have an unfair or disproportionate competitive advantage”.

The IOC’s ‘new science’ now happens to align with the views of Donald Trump. When he came to office, the far-right American president moved to ban trans athletes from all sport in the US. This is particularly convenient, given Los Angeles will host the next Olympic games.

Ideology over all

Semenya is also correct in her statement that this is an ideological battle. In the Guardian’s article on Semenya’s criticism of the IOC, it states that:

The best-known DSD [difference of sex development] athlete of recent years is Semenya, who has male XY chromosomes.

Semenya doesn’t have ‘male XY chromosomes’. She has XY chromosomes – she hasn’t nicked them from some bloke; she’s a woman, who has lived her whole life as a woman. These are neutral statements that nobody – not even Semenya herself – started questioning until she started winning.

Across humanity, both sex and gender are a spectrum filled with countless variations. The belief that men have XY chromosomes and women have XX chromosomes is just that – a belief. It isn’t a fact – in fact, it’s demonstrably false, as in Semenya’s case.

We’re told that the distinction is natural, and therefore good and right. In fact, the distinction is so natural that we require women like Semenya (and countless intersex babies) to undergo unnecessary, often non-consensual surgeries and take medication in order to make them more ‘natural.’

Separating men and women into two distinct categories and insisting that they can never meet is a legal fiction. It relies on the perpetuation of intersexist and transphobic violence against anyone caught in the borderlands. Natural, universal distinctions don’t need police at their boundaries. 

Featured image via the Canary

Once upon a time, a productivity app called Habitica turned the industry of productivity apps upside down. It turned routine tasks that people were bored with doing into a game. And voila! Millions of people found it saving!

I was one of them and have used Habitica for quite some time now. Not to lie, the app really works. But since it was launched, almost 15 years have passed! The industry evolved, and productivity apps are not limited to gamifying habits.

There are thousands of Habitica alternatives, but these 3 work for me like a charm. They’re cheaper, more comprehensive, and nicer to look at.

Why Seek a Replacement for Habitica?

Habitica is a pioneer in the industry of productivity apps. It became successful due to its strong concept. But user experiences on Trustpilot, Reddit, the App Store, and Google Play collectively report several problems with the app:

• Technical issues. There have been no significant updates to the app in years, and hence, many users experience slow loading, and the app simply turns off.
• Rude staff. User feedback on Reddit frequently highlights that moderators within the app are no help, to the point that staff were posting threatening messages. We’ll return to the matter of Habitica’s staff later.
• More distracting than helpful. Yes, tracking habits is important, but what’s more important is actually doing these tasks. Habitica users, including me, found it hard to exist without the app because the gamified interface pushed our dopamine buttons. For me, it meant more screen time and less productivity.
• Subscription issues. Several users reported that Habitica had charged them for a subscription without their consent. Not to mention that premium features are underwhelming, like buying outfits or some gems, in-app currency.

These are all valid reasons to look for Habitica alternatives, but for me, it was simply not enough. Productivity doesn’t depend on consistency or planning alone. Our health or life events significantly impact mood and energy, and it’s okay because we’re all humans. I would like my productivity to be healthy, and healthy productivity is born from being satisfied with your life.

The last straw for me quitting Habitica was their scandal over how they mistreated their employees and volunteers. I want to support businesses that treat their staff with respect (and not delete the best features within the app).

Top 3 Replacements for Habitica

1. Breeze Wellbeing

If Habitica focuses on what you do, Breeze Wellbeing focuses on why you do it. Breeze doesn’t force you to stay consistent through guilt or overworking yourself. It’s a comprehensive app that boosts productivity by improving your mental well-being.

Breeze also includes a habit builder that lets users create customisable tasks and set reminders/frequency. The features of the Breeze app also include:

• Mood tracker and analytics that show your average mood during a week/month/year and what events triggered what emotions.

• Self-discovery tests include an ADHD evaluation, a charisma level test, a love languages test, and 30 more quizzes.
• Guided journaling to process thoughts and behaviors.
• Community and knowledge base features are available only in the US, UK, and Canada (so far).
• Mindfulness exercises to reduce sensory overload and return to the present moment.

I’ve been using Breeze Wellbeing for two months primarily as a habit and mood tracker. It helped me significantly to finally see myself as a person who’s allowed to have bad days and be sad, not a productivity robot who has to keep up with everything. Habitica, in this case, would just erase my streak, and that’s demotivating.

Another advantage is that Breeze feels less distracting. There’s no game layer pulling attention away. This makes it especially useful for people who feel that gamification works short-term but doesn’t address deeper issues.

Breeze is particularly helpful if your challenges with habits are connected to:

• Burnout or low energy
• Anxiety or overthinking
• Difficulty staying consistent
• Confusion about what you should do

In that sense, it’s not just a productivity tool. It’s a behavioral self-discovery system that helps you build habits in a way that adapts to you.

2. Focus Friend by Hank Green

Hank Green’s “Focus Friend” isn’t a different type of productivity app. The concept is built around a virtual companion, Bean. When you set a timer, you and Bean “work” together. While you focus on your tasks, Bean knits socks and scarves, in-app currency that you can use to decorate Bean’s space.

This isn’t necessarily a gamification of planning but a gamification of a process. Shortly put: a timer on steroids.

Hank Green, as TikTok’s favorite science blogger, explains that his app works due to a straightforward reward system. Our brain loves dopamine, and it doesn’t see the difference between earning real or “fake” in-app money. The release of dopamine when you get something for free then motivates you to initiate and proceed with tasks more easily.

Oh, and have I mentioned that the app is completely free? There are no premium versions. It’s a fully free initiative with limited details that don’t distract users from the app’s initial aim.  

However, “Focus Friend” has limitations. Users complain about the app becoming repetitive quite quickly. Once you’ve decorated Bean’s space, the reward system loses its sense. This can reduce long-term engagement.

That said, as a short-term motivation tool, Focus Friend is extremely effective. Plus, it’s actively maintained. Hank Green listens to users and adds new rooms to keep the app relevant.

3. Todoist

Todoist is one of the most well-known productivity tools, and it offers a much more structured alternative to Habitica. Instead of gamification, Todoist focuses on organisation and prioritisation.

Some users call Todoist boring, and it’s valid. But its simplicity makes it highly customisable and accessible. Among the main features of Todoist are:

• Creating tasks
• Setting deadlines
• Organising tasks into projects
• Assigning priorities
• 80+ plugins to personalise your space
• Syncing across devices
• Creating public projects
• Visualisation

However, don’t forget that Todoist isn’t a productivity app. It’s a task manager whose main aim is to focus on what needs to be done. It doesn’t take nuances into consideration: your mental health, motivation, and reward system.

In my case, procrastination was driven by anxiety and overthinking, and lists with perfect structure in Todoist didn’t help me at all. So, this app will work best for people who are motivated but need a clear system to organise and execute tasks efficiently.

Habitica Alternatives in Short Comparison

Don’t have time to analyse which habit tracker is for you? Here’s a quick overview of three main Habitica alternatives: 

What to Consider While Choosing a Habit Tracker App

Choosing a habit tracker isn’t about finding the perfect app. It’s about finding the best fit for your needs. Here are some questions I asked myself before sticking to one productivity app:

• What do I need help with?

Are you trying to build discipline, stay organised, or improve your well-being? It’s okay not to know exactly what you need help with. In this case, I’d start with Breeze Wellbeing as a universal, comprehensive option. Depending on what features felt the most helpful, you can go into more niche directions.

Gamification works for some people, but not for everyone. Ask yourself what actually motivates you: rewards, inner feelings of satisfaction, social accountability, etc. For me, the best motivator was crossing off tasks from to-do lists and getting recognised for that. 

• What can I do so that the app sticks?

It’s a frequent experience that users start using productivity apps with the mindset “I’m starting a new life.” But it’s actually a toxic approach because it’s impossible to cram 5 new healthy habits in a day if you previously did nothing (speaking from experience).

Consider whether you can realistically keep using it when motivation drops. For example, determine the bare minimum or take breaks. But what I personally recommend is to treat these apps as supportive tools, not a must-do every day. It takes off some pressure.

Why Habit Trackers Work

One study found that when people simply wrote down what they ate, how many steps they walked, their weight, etc., 85% adhered to healthy habits, compared to 37% among those who didn’t self-monitor.

But why does simply seeing our accomplishments written down make us want to stick to them more? In psychology, this is called positive reinforcement: rewarding desired behavior. The human brain loves dopamine, and it will be motivated to repeat things that produce it. That’s why gamification works.

Another reason why habit trackers work is predictability. Once again, human brains are lazy. When there is a plan vs. unpredictability, they will choose to adhere to a plan. For example, that’s why some people don’t like weekends. They simply don’t know what to do without their work routine.

An important disclaimer: habit trackers don’t build habits on their own. Simply downloading the app doesn’t make a person more or less productive. These apps help to stay consistent and aware, but only when users invest some time and effort in them.

1) It may be beneficial for your joints

2) It can boost your mood

3) It could help you live longer

4) It’s really, really good for your heart

5) It can strengthen your bones

6) It’s a great way to get a good night’s sleep

7) It can make your legs stronger

8) Your endurance will improve

What about the downsides?

Qesser Zuhrah, the youngest member of the Filton 24 prisoner group, was re-arrested on Monday 30th March 2026, having been granted bail in February 2026 after 15 months on remand.

🇵🇸🔻Qesser, la plus jeune des prisonnier•es des #Filton24, qui a été incarcérée pendant 15 mois avant d’être libérée sous caution, a été de nouveau arrêté ! Elle avait lancé la grève de la faim historique des prisonnier•es pour la Palestine en Angleterre le 2 novembre dernier. pic.twitter.com/Mdgnw0swjM

— Samidoun Paris Banlieue (@SamidounPB) March 30, 2026

Counter-terrorism police raided Qesser’s bail address at 6:20 this morning while she was sleeping.

She has been booked into custody under Section 1 of the Terrorism Act and Section 44 of the Serious Crimes Act 2007.

🚨‼️ URGENT: QESSER ZUHRAH HAS BEEN ARRESTED AND IS CURRENTLY IN CUSTODY, MOBILISE OUTSIDE HATFIELD POLICE STATION NOW TO SUPPORT HER‼️🚨

‼️🚨At 6.20 am this morning whilst she was sleeping, counter terrorism police turned up at Qesser’s bail address and abducted her under the… pic.twitter.com/CefRw9SSYd

— The Crispin Flintoff Show (@CrispinShow) March 30, 2026

Zuhrah, speaking at a recent press conference, said Prisoners for Palestine “are the collateral damage of Britain’s immoral allegiance to the Israeli state.” She recounted being assaulted twice in prison, once for requesting help for a suicidal prisoner and once for the mere act of crying. During her hunger strike, she was left on her cell floor for 22 hours with the door open, unable to move, and was only taken to the hospital after public pressure.

🚨BREAKING — Declassified attended the Filton 24 press conference today, where five recently released Palestine Action activists revealed shocking details about their experience in prison.

Teuta Hoxha began by explaining that her mind is “not as sharp as it used to be before… pic.twitter.com/YnmRuOPQ4p

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— Declassified UK (@declassifiedUK) March 25, 2026

Last December, Qesser nearly died on a hunger strike inside HMP Bronzefield. Supporters, including MP Zarah Sultana, spent over 12 hours outside the prison demanding that an ambulance be called.

At Zuhrah’s release in February, she was greeted by MP Zarah Sultana.

Last December, Qesser nearly died on hunger strike, and we spent over 12 hours outside Bronzefield demanding an ambulance.

Yesterday, she walked out into the arms of friends and family.

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It has been beautiful to see videos of Palestine Action prisoners released across the UK… pic.twitter.com/Z2sfV0i6BU

— Zarah Sultana MP (@zarahsultana) February 21, 2026

Netpol’s recent report noted that repression has become routine in British protest policing. New and overlapping laws, combined with a growing tendency to treat protest as a security issue, have normalised surveillance, heavy-handed policing, and punishment, with harm concentrated on marginalised groups.

The report said:

As powers have proliferated, mechanisms to restrain or scrutinise their use have weakened. Accountability is being eroded through legislative and policy changes, undermining routes to redress. Alongside this, rising levels of surveillance mark an increasingly preemptive approach to protest policing that resists democratic scrutiny. Meanwhile, the environment for those documenting police violence and repression – namely, journalists and legal observers – is becoming increasingly dangerous. The result is a widening accountability gap in which violence and punitive outcomes multiply while meaningful checks and balances are hollowed out.

Featured image via the Canary

Italian port authorities and dockworkers have intercepted multiple shipments of raw materials and precision components heading for the weapon factories of the genocidal “Israeli” state.

The Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement reported that three of four Indian shipments of military-grade steel were detained and placed under investigation in Italy.

This specialised steel is essential for the production of 155mm artillery shells, which are manufactured by the “Israeli” company IMI Systems, (formerly known as Israel Military Industries), a subsidiary of Elbit Systems, the Israeli occupation’s largest private defence contractor.

A BDS investigation identified approximately 600 tonnes of this steel, which was being transported from India to “Israel” via the Mediterranean using 23 Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) vessels.

These 155mm artillery shells have been used extensively by the Israeli occupation in its genocide in Gaza and were used by “Israel” in early March when it attacked the Southern Lebanese town of Yohmor with white phosphorus — a crime under international law.

According to BDS, there is enough steel in these shipments to produce up to 13,000 artillery shells.

Israel’s military-grade steel seized

The blockade intensified after 13 tonnes of weapon components were seized at the Italian port of Ravenna. These precision-machined cannon parts were produced by the Italian firm, Valforge, and heading for IMI Systems. However, investigators found the cargo did not have the mandatory “dual-use” export licences required by Italian law, which strictly prohibits the export or transit of military material to countries involved in armed conflict without explicit government authorisation.

The physical enforcement of this blockade is being led by the Italian trade unions, Collettivo Autonomo Lavoratori Portuali (CALP) and the Unione Sindacale di Base (USB). They have implemented a “Friday for Peace” schedule where, every week, workers refuse to service vessels flagged as carrying cargo for “Israel”.

The focus of their actions are on the Israeli-owned ZIM shipping line and MSC vessels like the MSC Vega and MSC Danit. These ships have faced protests and docking complications in Italy, Greece, and Spain, leading to the rerouting of several to other ports.

A national petition launched by BDS Italy, calling for a comprehensive military embargo and stricter checks on containers at Italian ports and airports, has so far gathered more than 10,000 signatures. The demand is based on Article 11 of the Italian Constitution, which “repudiate[s] war as an instrument of offence”.

Under Italian Law 185/1990, shipping companies and their directors face severe criminal and financial penalties for transporting restricted military goods without a valid licence. Individual directors can face between two and six years in prison, while corporate fines can reach up to 5% of global annual turnover.

Featured image via the Canary

Production on the upcoming TV adaptation of Tomb Raider is currently on hold after its leading star Sophie Turner suffered an injury.

A spokesperson for the production company Amazon MGM Studio confirmed on Monday that the former Game Of Thrones actor had “recently experienced a minor injury” leading to production being “briefly paused to allow her time to recover” on a precautionary basis.

“We look forward to resuming production as soon as possible,” they added.

Sophie previously enthused: “I am thrilled beyond measure to be playing Lara Croft. She’s such an iconic character, who means so much to so many – and I am giving everything I’ve got.”

Tomb Raider’s heroine Lara Croft has previously been played on the big screen by Oscar winners Angelina Jolie and Alicia Vikander, with Hayley Atwell also lending her voice to the character in a Netflix animated series.

Of her predecessors, Sophie added last year: “They’re massive shoes to fill, following in the steps of Angelina and Alicia with their powerhouse performances, but with Phoebe at the helm, we (and Lara) are all in very safe hands. I can’t wait for you all to see what we have cooking.”

Phoebe also beamed: “It’s not very often you get to make a show of this scale with a character you grew up loving.

“Everyone on board is wildly passionate about Lara and are all as outrageous, brave, and hilarious as she is. Get your artifacts out… Croft is coming…”