PALESTINE ACTION TO BE BANNED The home secretary will move to proscribe the Palestine Action group in the coming weeks, effectively branding them as a terrorist organisation, the BBC understands. Yvette Cooper is preparing a written statement to put before Parliament on Monday. The decision comes as a security review begins at military bases across the UK, after pro-Palestinian activists broke into RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire and sprayed two military planes with red paint. A spokesperson for Palestine Action said: "When our government fails to uphold their moral and legal obligations, it is the responsibility of ordinary citizens to take direct action." In a separate post on X, it said the group represented "every individual" who is opposed to Israel's military action in Gaza, adding: "If they want to ban us, they ban us all". Under UK law, the home secretary has the power to proscribe an organisation under the Terrorism Act 2000 if they believe it is "concerned with terrorism". If the group is proscribed it would become illegal to be a member or invite support for it. There are currently 81 groups proscribed as terrorist organisations in the UK under the Terrorism Act. Former Home Secretary Suella Braverman said the move to ban the group was "absolutely the correct decision". "We must have zero tolerance for terrorism," she wrote in a post on X. But Amnesty International UK said it was "deeply concerned at the use of counter terrorism powers to target protest groups." "Terrorism powers should never have been used to aggravate criminal charges against Palestine Action activists and they certainly shouldn't be used to ban them," it wrote on social media. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer earlier condemned Friday's incident as "disgraceful". The group's actions sparked outrage among some MPs, with Reform UK leader Nigel Farage and shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick calling for the group to be banned. 1:28 Watch: BBC looks at how activists breached RAF base Brize Norton South East counter terrorism police earlier confirmed its specialist officers were investigating the incident alongside Thames Valley Police and the Ministry of Defence. Counter-terrorism police added the incident happened in the early hours of Friday and that enquiries were "ongoing to establish the exact circumstances". Footage posted online by Palestine Action showed two people inside the Oxfordshire airbase in darkness, with one riding on a scooter up to an Airbus Voyager and spraying paint into its jet engine. After sharing the footage, a spokesperson said: "Despite publicly condemning the Israeli government, Britain continues to send military cargo, fly spy planes over Gaza and refuel US and Israeli fighter jets." Greg Bagwell - a former RAF deputy commander and now a distinguished fellow at the Royal United Services Institute (Rusi) - told the BBC the aircraft targeted by the group "do not do what these protesters think they do. They're largely used for moving passengers or fuel". He added that Voyagers had "the wrong connectors" that would stop them being used to help refuel Israeli or US jets, as the action group suggested. But he said if the activists "wanted to create an effect - they've clearly done that". Since the start of the current war in Gaza, Palestine Action has engaged in activities that have predominantly targeted arms companies. In May, it claimed responsibility for the daubing of a US military plane in Ireland. RAF Brize Norton serves as the hub for UK strategic air transport and refuelling, including flights to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus. The air force has conducted reconnaissance flights over Gaza out of the Cyprus base. 24th June,2025

FLIGHT EVACUATES BRITISH NATIONALS FROM ISRAEL The RAF has evacuated 63 British nationals and their dependants from Israel as the country continues to exchange fire with Iran, the foreign secretary has said. The flight left Tel Aviv on Monday afternoon, taking vulnerable Britons and their immediate family to Cyprus, from where they will be taken to the UK. A British national was also injured in Israel during an Iranian missile attack, David Lammy said. In a statement to MPs, Lammy repeated his plea to Iran to return to the negotiating table following the US's strikes on its nuclear programme. He said: "My message for Tehran was clear, take the off ramp, dial this thing down, and negotiate with the United States seriously and immediately. "Be in no doubt, we are prepared to defend our personnel, our assets and those of our allies and partners." Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Iran would not accept aggression "from anyone under any circumstances". Follow live coverage of the Israel-Iran conflict The RAF A400 aircraft departed Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport with 63 passengers, made up of British nationals plus their immediate family, who are eligible to travel, Lammy said. The BBC understands the UK's Chief Rabbi, Sir Ephraim Mirvis, is one of the passengers. The Foreign Office said further flights would be based on demand and the security situation. British nationals still in Israel have been urged to register their presence with the UK government. Downing Street said "around 1,000" people had asked for a seat on an evacuation flight – a quarter of the 4,000 who have registered their presence in Israel or the Occupied Palestinian Territories with the Foreign Office. Israeli airspace has been closed - leaving thousands of British nationals stranded - since the conflict started earlier this month when Israel attacked nuclear sites in Iran, prompting Tehran to respond with missile strikes. SWNS Taken from behind, a group of people stand at the back of a plane which has a large ramp open. They have luggage, and soldiers help them on board.SWNS British nationals and their families were flown to Cyprus from Israel British citizen Gabriella Somerville, 58, told PA news agency that the situation is "really difficult" as she tries to find a way to leave Israel. She said she had registered and paid for a British evacuation flight, but had heard no updates. "We've been here 10 days now and most other countries have had secure coaches to get to the border with Egypt or Oman or Jordan," she said. "Yet we were told by the Foreign Office to make our own way to the borders. "I really feel for the people out here now. It's really difficult, we've been going down to shelters for 10 days and we're living out of packed suitcases but with no communication." Elsewhere, British nationals in Qatar were advised to shelter in place on Monday evening, shortly before Iran launched missiles at the US al-Udeid Air Base near Doha. The advice was later lifted following the attack. All UK military personnel in Qatar were accounted for, the BBC understands, and there were no injuries or casualties as a result of the attack, according to the Qatari government. The airspace over the country was closed temporarily and flights grounded. A BBC News employee at Doha airport said he had got on a plane headed for Bangladesh on Monday afternoon, but the plane's journey was then delayed and its passengers removed and made to wait at the airport. 24th June,2025

MIGRANT DETENTION CENTRE Florida has begun building a detention centre - dubbed the 'Alligator Alcatraz' - to temporarily hold migrants on an air strip in the Everglades. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the facility would be funded "in large part" by the Federal Emergency Management Agency's shelter and services programme, which was previously used to provide accommodation and other aid for undocumented migrants. The plan has been criticised by several lawmakers, including the mayor of Miami-Dade County, who argued it could be environmentally "devastating". The proposal comes as Trump tries to deliver on a campaign pledge to ramp up deportations of illegal migrants. "Under President Trump's leadership, we are working at turbo speed on cost-effective and innovative ways to deliver on the American people's mandate for mass deportations of criminal illegal aliens," Noem said in a statement. "We will expand facilities and bed space in just days, thanks to our partnership with Florida." The facility is to be built on the site of the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport, a public airport around 58km (36 miles) from Miami. It will cost about $450m (£332m) a year to run. In a video posted on X, Florida's Attorney General James Uthmeier called the airport a "virtually abandoned facility". He said the detention centre could be built in 30 to 60 days and hold an estimated 1,000 people. He argued the location acted as a natural deterrent for escapees. Uthmeier said in the video: "[If] people, get out, there's not much waiting for them other than alligators and pythons. Nowhere to go, nowhere to hide." The mayor of Miami-Dade County, Daniela Levine Cava, a Democrat, criticised the plan, saying "the impacts to the Everglades ecosystem could be devastating". The Florida Everglades are a unique environmental region comprising marshes, prairies, forests, mangroves and estuaries. Uthmeier said the facility would not be located within Everglades National Park. 24th June,2025

EUROPE MUST END US DEFENSE 'FREE-RIDE' German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has called for Europe to boost its defense spending and reduce reliance on the United States, warning that American support is no longer guaranteed. Speaking in Berlin, he emphasized the need for strategic independence, resilience against hybrid threats, and long-term support for Ukraine. Germany is targeting 2.4% of its gross domestic product (GDP) on defense-related spending this year and increase it gradually to 3,5% by 2029. Meanwhile, nearly two-thirds of Germans now back the idea of a European nuclear deterrent that doesn't rely on the US, according to a new Forsa poll. Support stands at 64%, with solid backing across age groups, regions, and party lines — something rare in German foreign policy debates. The blog, with major updates from Germany on Monday, June 24th June,2025

KUFUOR DEEPLY WORRIED ABOUT NPP’S CURRENT STATE Member of Parliament(MP) for Okaikwei Central, Patrick Yaw Boamah has disclosed that former President John Agyekum Kufuor is increasingly concerned about the waning culture and internal discipline of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), describing the party’s current state as a source of deep worry for the statesman. Speaking on The Point of View on Channel One TV on Monday, June 23, Boamah revealed that the former President recently expressed his unease about the cohesion and direction of the party, citing a personal interaction at the funeral of retired Justice Sulemana Gbadegbe. “He is worried about the state of the party, that I can tell you for free,” Boamah stated. “I saw him on Friday at late Justice Gbadegbe’s funeral. The first question he’ll ask you is how is the party front? Because it is the party that made him. It is part of him, so he must be worried, Bernard,” he said. The lawmaker’s remarks reflect broader concerns within the NPP about internal divisions, weak leadership, and the party’s readiness to regroup after losing power in 2024. Boamah has in recent days joined calls for the national executives of the party to do more to restore discipline and unity, arguing that the absence of strong internal leadership is harming the party’s cohesion and public image. The legislator observed that the NPP has historically thrived under firm and principled chairmen and leaders who were willing to intervene decisively in party matters—even when it meant challenging the president or flagbearer. “We’ve been used to strong chairmen who could correct even the flagbearer or marshal his National Executive Officers to sit the president or the flagbearer down to put in place some arrangement for the betterment of the party,” Mr. Boamah said. Presidential Primary The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has set Saturday, January 31, 2026, as the official date for its presidential primary to elect a flagbearer for the 2028 general elections. The announcement was made by the party’s General Secretary, Justin Frimpong Kodua, following a crucial meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) on Tuesday, June 17, 2025. The decision was subsequently approved by the party’s National Council. “The Committee also spoke about the time for our presidential primaries. And again, the Committee agrees that that decision does not warrant amendment of our Constitution. And the National Council today also made the decision that the date for our presidential primaries is set for January 31, 2026. That will be the date that we shall hold our presidential primaries,” Mr. Kodua stated. In the weeks ahead, the party is expected to release detailed guidelines covering nomination procedures, campaign timelines, and a code of conduct for aspirants. Party leadership has pledged a transparent and democratic process in line with the NPP’s core values. 24th June,2025

PARTY STRUCTURE IS KEY, NOT EGO-DRIVEN ENDORSEMENTS Member of Parliament for Afadjato South, Frank Afriyie, has challenged the political viability of New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer hopefuls outside the support of party structures, arguing that none of the aspirants, regardless of their popularity, can secure more than 5% of national votes running independently. Speaking on Channel One TV’s Breakfast Daily on Tuesday, June 24, the MP criticised the notion that any single figure within the NPP could claim overwhelming electoral strength without the party’s machinery backing them. “It is not for nothing that candidates who stand in the name of the NDC or NPP always perform very well in general elections. It is because of the machinery that they represent and the party structures,” he stressed. Afriyie’s remarks come amid a growing wave of endorsements within the NPP, particularly the recent declaration of support by a coalition of 220 former Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) in favour of Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia as the party’s flagbearer for the 2028 general elections. But Afriyie pushed back, arguing that such endorsements inflate personal egos while ignoring the critical need to rebuild trust and support at the party’s base. “If Dr. Bawumia, Kennedy Agyapong or any of the aspirants believe they are that formidable, they should try going as independent candidates; they won’t cross 5%,” he challenged. “Any right-thinking party officer should be more interested in fixing the party from the base, not engaging in premature public endorsements,” he added. On Monday, June 23, a coalition of 220 former MMDCEs, who served between 2017 and 2024 under the NPP administration, held a press conference at the Alisa Hotel to publicly declare their support for former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia to lead the party into the 2028 general elections. The group claimed that after extensive consultation and analysis, Bawumia emerged as the most capable and visionary candidate. They pledged to offer their full support, political, financial, and strategic, to ensure his victory in the upcoming internal primaries scheduled for January 31, 2026. 24th June,2025

CAUTIONS AG AGAINST MEDIA COMMENTARY Former President of the Ghana Bar Association (GBA), Yaw Boafo, has criticised the Attorney General’s growing tendency to announce criminal charges in the media before initiating formal court processes, warning that the practice could undermine the integrity of Ghana’s legal system. Mr. Boafo’s comments come amid increasing scrutiny of the Attorney General, particularly by the Minority in Parliament, for pre-trial public disclosures on high-profile cases. These include the $49 million fraud case involving former National Signals Bureau Director-General Kwabena Adu-Boahene, and the payroll scandal at the National Service Authority, which implicates Gifty Oware-Mensah and several others. Speaking after the launch of the 20th Law Students’ Union (LSU) Week celebration at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) on Monday, June 24, Mr. Boafo said the practice of public commentary before court action could amount to trial by media. “You are going to go to the courtroom and still bring your indictment and let the charge be read to the person, for the person to plead guilty or not guilty. So, how then do you go and put the matter in public that ultimately is going to end up in the courtroom?” he questioned. He further noted that individuals publicly named by the Attorney General often have no formal charges filed against them at the time, denying them the opportunity to respond appropriately. “The AG can give a rendition of events or facts in public, and then the bill of indictment may be something else entirely. It is a bit prejudicial. Because proceedings are going to be held in public, not in camera, there is no need for press conferences that preempt the judicial process,” he added. Mr. Boafo’s concerns echo those of Supreme Court nominee Justice Kweku T. Ackaah-Boafo, who last Friday, June 20, during his vetting in Parliament, also urged caution in public communication on cases under investigation. While acknowledging the public’s right to be informed, Justice Ackaah-Boafo warned that state prosecutors, including the Attorney General, must avoid commentary that could jeopardize fair trial standards or violate the principle of presumption of innocence. The criticisms highlight growing unease within legal circles over how high-profile prosecutions are being handled in the media before reaching the courtroom. “If the Attorney General or the prosecutor has a role to play and he or she says ‘I have investigated a matter and I am providing information to the public’, it may be within his mandate. But anything else that may go on to prejudice the trial, certainly if the occasion arises, it can be dealt with,” he stated 24th June,2025

MASTERCARD FOUNDATION PARTNERS WITH KTU Over 2,000 youth in the country are expected to be trained in entrepreneurial skills within a period of 10 years to help curb and address the alarming unemployment situation among Ghanaian youth in the country. The 10 year Nkabom Project by the Koforidua Technical University (KTU) with support from the MasterCard Foundation will also provide start-up kits for successful graduates to help enable them set up their own businesses after completion. In an interview with Citi News at the initiation ceremony, the Vice Chancellor of the Koforidua Technical University Professor John Owusu described the project as a game changer. “This Nkabom Project is absolutely a game changer because you just look at the number of graduate unemployed in the system and you realise that even poses threats to us as a country but with this Nkabom Project we are not only going to train them with life skills sets but we are going to help them start their own business and also employ others immediately. “As a technical university we are focused on ensuring that all our graduates receive the necessary skills that industries require, skills that will enable them stand on their feets alone and make a living solving basic problems within their localities,” he said. The Coordinator of the Project, William Odoom who also revealed that more than 592,000 youth are jobless reaffirmed that the entrepreneurship training will help create more employment opportunities for the youth. “This collaborative initiative between MasterCard Foundation and Koforidua Technical University will train more youth in the area of entrepreneurship. “Those who will benefit from the training will be given some start up funds to get their business rolled up. Oover 2,000 youth will be trained under this programme for the next 10 years and the impact will be great as far as job creation is concerned,” Odoom said. On his part, the Eastern Regional Director of the Youth Enterprise Agency, Foli Dakpo Atigah pledged his outfit’s commitment towards empowering the Ghanaian youth through collaboration with the Koforidua Technical University. “There is the need to empower and package the local artisans to be able to take advantage of emerging opportunities. President John Dramani Mahama has rolled out another of initiatives geared at tackling the youth unemployment situation in the country. “We are shifting to provide sustainable jobs for the youth under the YEA programme. Hence in the coming days I will be engaging management of the Koforidua Technical University to set up booth camps and help also in the training of these local talented artisans who may need just some polishing, marketing and packaging strategies to maximize profits,” Atigah said. He also explained that, the Koforidua Technical University, MasterCard Foundation is basically to inculcate into the youth some entrepreneurial skills to shift the focus from over reliance on white coloured jobs. 24th June,2025