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From Tragedy To Turmoil: The UK’s Struggle To Contain Violence And Hate

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From Tragedy To Turmoil: The UK's Struggle To Contain Violence And Hate

The fatal stabbing of three young girls at a dance class in Southport, England, has sparked the worst unrest in the UK in over a decade. Misinformation online, far-right ideologies, and anti-immigration sentiment have fueled the violence, which has spread across England and Northern Ireland.

On July 29, Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, were killed in a knife attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance and yoga event. Eight more children and two adults were injured. Later that day, police said they had arrested a 17-yearold from a village nearby and that they were not treating the incident as terror-related.

Almost immediately after the attack, social media posts falsely speculated that the suspect was an asylum seeker who arrived in the UK on a boat in 2023, with an incorrect name being widely circulated. There were also unfounded rumors that he was Muslim. In fact, as the BBC and other media outlets reported, the suspect was born in Wales to Rwandan parents.

The violence spread rapidly, with riots breaking out in towns and cities across England and Northern Ireland. Far-right influencers amplified false claims about the attacker’s identity, reaching a large audience. Tommy Robinson, founder of the English Defence League, posted inflammatory messages to his nearly a million followers.

Riots have taken place in Plymouth, Sunderland, Belfast, and other locations, with crowds attacking mosques, accommodation housing asylum seekers, cars, and buildings. Police are investigating a racially motivated hate crime in south Belfast.

Communities have responded with peaceful anti-racism protests, clean-up operations, and shows of solidarity. Thousands gathered on Wednesday, August 7, to promote unity and peace.

The government has promised to tackle the disorder, working with social media companies to remove misinformation and disinformation. Over 600 arrests have been made, with more than 150 people charged, including children as young as 11. Prosecutors are considering terrorism offences for some suspects.

The UK is grappling with a nuanced picture of local coordination and online influence, with far-right rioters, frustrated locals, and counter-protesters involved. As the nation struggles to come to terms with the violence, one thing is clear: the deadly consequences of misinformation and far-right extremism will not be tolerated.

The unrest has prompted concern from outside the UK, with Malaysia, Nigeria, Australia, and India issuing travel advisories. Police Federation chair Tiffany Lynch estimated over 100 police officers had been injured, some receiving hospital treatment.

The government has promised to make over 500 new prison places available to ensure those taking part in the violence can be jailed. Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds visited a riot-hit library in Liverpool, pledging support.

Faith leaders in Merseyside have called for calm and peacefulness, remembering that there is “far more that unites than divides us”. Fundraisers have been launched for those affected, with one surpassing its initial target in 15 minutes.

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Court, Congress Pile Pressure on DHS Over Minnesota Operations

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US Congress to Review Relations with South Africa, Sudan

Court, Congress Pile Pressure on DHS Over Minnesota Operations

 

US House Democrats have threatened to begin impeachment proceedings against Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem over her handling of the immigration crackdown in Minnesota, unless President Donald Trump removes her from office.

 

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries warned that Democrats could proceed “the easy way or the hard way,” describing the actions of Noem’s department as “disgusting.”

 

The crisis follows the fatal shooting of US citizen Alex Pretti by a federal agent, which has triggered backlash in Minneapolis and led to the planned departure of Border Patrol Chief Gregory Borvino and some agents from the city.

 

Trump has deployed his “border tsar,” Tom Homan, to take charge of on-the-ground operations, while a Minnesota judge has ordered acting ICE director Todd Lyons to appear in court over alleged violations of court orders.

 

Trump has distanced himself from claims by senior adviser Stephen Miller that Pretti was a “would-be assassin,” saying he did not believe the victim was acting as one.

 

Video footage shows Pretti holding a phone while filming agents, not a gun, although police say he was a legal firearm owner.

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UN Raises Alarm Over ‘Spare No-One’ Rhetoric by South Sudan Army Chief

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Trafficking: Libya Deports 700 Sudanese Migrants

UN Raises Alarm Over ‘Spare No-One’ Rhetoric by South Sudan Army Chief

 

The United Nations has expressed concern after South Sudan’s Deputy Army Chief, Gen. Johnson Oluny, was heard urging troops to “spare no-one,” including children and the elderly, ahead of military operations in opposition-held areas of Jonglei State.

 

In a video posted on Facebook, Oluny, addressing members of his Agwelek militia, called for total destruction during the deployment.

 

The UN Mission in South Sudan condemned the remarks, describing them as “utterly abhorrent,” and warned that inflammatory rhetoric targeting civilians must stop immediately.

 

South Sudan’s government, however, said the statement did not amount to an official order, insisting it remains committed to protecting civilians.

 

Minister of Information Ateny Wek Ateny said civilians were being warned only to avoid being caught in crossfire.

 

The development comes amid escalating fighting in Jonglei, where forces loyal to suspended Vice-President Riek Machar have seized several areas.

 

The military has ordered civilians, UN personnel and aid workers to evacuate three counties—Nyirol, Uror and Akobo—ahead of an imminent operation.

 

The UN says more than 180,000 people have been displaced by the renewed violence.

 

Meanwhile, tensions remain high as opposition forces threaten to advance towards the capital, Juba, a claim dismissed by the army.

 

South Sudan has been unstable since a 2018 peace deal ended a five-year civil war that killed nearly 400,000 people, but lingering political rivalry and ethnic tensions continue to threaten fragile peace.

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Diplomacy

Rwanda sues UK over scrapped migrant deal payments

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Rwanda sues UK over scrapped migrant deal payments

 

The Rwandan government has initiated arbitration proceedings against the United Kingdom, seeking payments it says are owed under the now-abandoned asylum partnership agreement between both countries.

 

Rwanda has filed the case at the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague, arguing that the UK failed to honour financial commitments contained in the deal signed under the former Conservative government.

 

The agreement, designed to relocate some asylum seekers from the UK to Rwanda, was scrapped in 2024 by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, with the Home Office saying about £220m in future payments would no longer be made.

 

UK authorities insist the policy was costly and ineffective, pledging to defend the case to protect taxpayers’ funds.

 

Rwanda, however, says the arbitration concerns unmet treaty obligations and is seeking a legal determination of both parties’ rights under international law.

 

The PCA lists the case as pending, with no timetable yet announced for hearings or a ruling.

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