Chinese state media have seized on Paul Keating’s much-criticized meeting with the country’s top foreign affairs official, praising the Labor hero as an “insightful Australian”.

Mr Keating has become a prominent critic of Australia’s approach to the United States and China, speaking with the economic powerhouse’s foreign minister, Wang Yi, in Sydney during a diplomatic visit on Thursday.

Pictures of the pair’s meeting at the Chinese consulate were published last night, with the Chinese government claiming Mr Keating said ‘China’s development and revitalization cannot be stopped’.

“Keating said that China’s huge economic volume and vast space for development do not pose a threat to other countries and are conducive to regional peace and stability,” said a press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China.

“He expressed his full confidence in the prospect of Australia-China relations.”

In the footage, Mr Wang placed his hand comfortably on Mr Keating’s back and led the former prime minister into the meeting room.

Mr Wang described Mr Keating as a “world-renowned statesman” as the pair sat opposite each other in oversized armchairs with cups of tea.

In a separate article published by Global Times, China’s state-run newspaper, Keating was described as an “insightful Australian” for his vehement criticism of the AUKUS deal.

“Some insightful Australians have already realized that Australia is surrendering its sovereignty to the US,” the article reads.

‘Former Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating recently criticized the AUKUS deal as the ‘worst international decision’. Hopefully, such words can sound the alarm for countries interested in joining AUKUS, regardless of which pillar it may be.”

After the meeting, Mr Keating issued a statement praising the “very pleasant and engaging event” and accepting that Mr Wang’s meetings with government officials were productive.

‘Mr Wang Yi emphasized China’s ability to continue to grow strong and strong, pointing out that China is still only 55 percent urbanized – another 20 percent to go.

‘Mainly [it was] a major discussion about the geostrategic balances and influences in the world.

“He said the world will continue to benefit from China’s ability to provide relatively low-priced, high-quality goods, which will help raise living standards in the West.”

Mr Keating has repeatedly criticized the Albanian government’s approach to China, claiming Foreign Minister Wong had been co-opted into taking a “foolish pro-American stance”.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong, who has faced much of Keating’s criticism, released a statement noting that the former prime minister does not represent Australia or speak for Australia.

‘Mr Keating is entitled to his opinion. He does not speak for the government or the country,” Senator Wong said in an earlier statement to The Australian.

And opposition Foreign Affairs spokesman Simon Birmingham raised questions earlier this week about the format of Keating’s meeting.

‘Look what Paul Keating had to say about Penny Wong and the Albanian government. And he has been very critical of them,” Mr. Birmingham noted.

On Friday he doubled down on his position, describing Mr Keating’s “attitude towards the way we view regional security issues” as “misguided, ill-considered and downright dangerous”.

“In terms of what Paul Keating has to say and how this affects Australia, it is critical that Australian governments reject much of his vision and approach as it gives far too much gloss and ignores the real strategic challenges.

“Frankly, it was quite pointed of the Chinese embassy to seek and request that meeting, and somewhat insulting to Penny Wong and the Albanian government, of whom Paul Keating has been such a critic.”

At the opening of the Australia-China Foreign and Strategic Dialogue, Ms Wong reiterated her pledge to confront Chinese leaders on key issues.

She said she “looks forward to speaking candidly about Australians detained in China, human rights, maritime security and regional and international issues.”

Ms Wong spoke of China’s “unsafe conduct” in the South China Sea and urged the nation to adhere to international law.

Her input on the subject in the past has angered Mr Keating, who has emerged as an outspoken supporter of China and critic of the AUKUS deal.

Speaking at the ASEAN Summit, Ms Wong said: “We are facing destabilizing, provocative and coercive actions, including unsafe behavior at sea and in the air and militarization of contested features.

“We know that military power is expanding, but measures to limit military conflict are not – and there are few concrete mechanisms to avert this.”

Just a day later, Mr Keating criticized her comments, claiming that ‘it doesn’t take much to encourage Penny Wong, with her ‘deeply concerned’ frown, to rattle the China can.’

These comments prompted a swift response from Mr Albanese, who considers Ms Wong one of his closest confidantes.

‘Penny Wong is someone who gives Australia a lot of respect. “She is someone who is diligent, she is someone who is committed, she is someone who ticks all the boxes,” he said.

‘Paul is responsible for what he says, he knows that. But as far as Penny Wong is concerned, I think he is clearly wrong.”

Mr Albanese attended Ms Wong’s wedding to her long-time partner Sophie Allouache at the Bird in Hand Winery in the Adelaide Hills on Saturday.

The Princess of Wales was reportedly spotted looking ‘happy, healthy and relaxed’ on a visit to a local farm shop over the weekend, marking the first time she has been seen out and about since undergoing planned abdominal surgery.

Kate and William were reportedly seen at one of their favourite spots, around a mile from their Adelaide Cottage, in Windsor on Saturday after having watched their three children – George, 10, Charlotte, eight, and Louis, five – take part in sports.

The sighting at The Windsor Farm Shop will provide a much needed boost to the British public who have been growing more concerned about the Princess’ health in the midst of a tsunami of speculation over her unknown condition.

A witness who saw the couple told The Sun last night: ‘After all the rumours that had been going round I was stunned to see them there. Kate was out shopping with William and she looked happy and she looked well.

‘The kids weren’t with them but it’s such a good sign she was healthy enough to pop down to the shops.’

While no pictures were taken of the couple – adhering to their request for privacy as Kate recovers – their alleged appearance is an encouraging sign that she is taking her first steps towards a return to official royal engagements. 

The Princess, who made her last public engagement at Sandringham on Christmas Day, is expected to return to public duty after April 17, when her children start back at Lambrook School, near Ascot, following the Easter Holidays.

Yet there is suggestion that Kate could now make an earlier return and may even be seen walking into the annual Easter Matins service at St George’s Chapel on the Windsor estate. 

According to the Telegraph the Princess has not ruled out making a return to the public eye on Easter Sunday and could join her family for the traditional walk about, which would be photographed. 

A palace source told the paper there had been ‘no confirmation either way’ adding that anything else was speculation.

The reports of an early return and her Windsor sighting come just a few days after the Princess was pictured in the back of a car alongside Prince William as they left Windsor Castle last Monday. 

The Prince of Wales was on his way to Westminster Abbey for the annual Commonwealth Day service while MailOnline understands Kate was headed to a ‘private appointment’.  

In recent weeks wild rumours – fuelled by social media and the foreign press – have speculated over the reason why Kate has not been seen, despite the Kensington Palace’s laying out her recovery timeline.

‘Katespiracies’ online have ranged from claims she was recovering from a ‘Brazilian bum lift’ or in a coma, a theory sparked by a journalist on Spanish television. 

Some joked she was a contestant on The Masked Singer television show – or may have even been bumped from the Royal Family.

Other trolls and conspiracy theorists have used her absence and the lawlessness of social media to spread deeply sinister and highly libellous claims. Even Kim Kardashian has wade in posting selfies captured: ‘On my way to go find Kate.’

The absurd claims only intensified when the Princess took the blame for the family photograph released by Kensington Palace on Mother’s Day, which was ‘killed’ by six of the world’s top picture agencies over concern that it had been ‘manipulated’.

It came after it was pointed out that part of Princess Charlotte‘s sleeve and the misaligned edge of her skirt were missing, with other speculation including the positioning of Kate’s zip. 

In addition to the numerous imperfections in the image, viewers also spotted that Kate appeared to not be wearing her wedding ring, which sparked multiple unfounded theories online about the state of her marriage. 

The furor on social media led the Princess to make a personal apology on X, writing ‘Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing.’ 

It is understood that Kate had only intended to ‘bring a bit of joy’ and release a reassuring image to thank the public for their ongoing support, and that she and William are both ‘shaken and devastated’ at the speculation about their marriage. 

William is said to have taken the picture in a 40-minute window on a £2,900 Canon camera on Friday before the Princess edited it twice in Photoshop to ‘make it the best it can be’. 

Despite calls for the original image to be published, Kensington Palace insisted it would not be reissuing the unedited photograph of Kate and her children. 

One insider said: ‘I worry about all this attention on Catherine. She did not look happy at all in the car on Monday.’

Over the weekend, a source close to the Wales’ said that the couple will disclose more information about Kate’s illness and recovery in due course. 

‘In Kate’s case, there is almost nobody else in the world whose face, body, clothes are more judged than hers,’ the insider told The Sunday Times. 

‘What is happening is exactly what they said would happen — she would spend two weeks in hospital and be back after Easter. So what if they haven’t pushed her out there to wave from the back of a car? She is not a show pony.’  

A friend said the Waleses are fully aware about the circulating rumours but claimed: ‘They’re not like [Prince] Harry, obsessing and scrolling through Twitter, but they know it has broken through. 

‘They follow the news and see the BBC breaking news alerts.’

The insider added that the speculation around the couple’s marriage is ‘just cruel’, especially while William, Kate and their children are ‘going through the hardest time they’ve had to go through as a family’.

Kate was admitted to the London Clinic – the private hospital where the King underwent treatment for an enlarged prostate – for planned abdominal surgery.

She left the hospital on January 29 – almost two weeks later – and returned to Adelaide Cottage in Windsor.

Speculation grew online as she recuperated in Windsor which was only stoked further when William pulled out of a memorial service for his late godfather, King Constantine of Greece, for an unexplained ‘personal matter’. 

The Ministry of Defence also came under fire after it suggested that Kate would be attending the Trooping the Colour event in June before her appearance was quickly stripped from the Army’s official website.  

Details of her condition have not been revealed but Kensington Palace previously said it was not cancer-related and that the Princess wished her personal medical information to remain private.

Another friend said: ‘She and William are at their most open when out interacting with the public. I can see a world in which the Princess might discuss her recovery out on engagements.

‘If she was going to do it, that’s how she would do it. They appreciate the public’s love and affection for their children and know there is a public appetite to see them on their birthdays.’

Kensington Palace has maintained that Kate is ‘doing well’ and will only provide significant updates.

The couple are refusing to publish any details until they feel ready, with a friend adding: ‘They will want to be clear and more open, but they’ll do it when they feel ready. 

‘I would expect that to be her instinct and it will be her call. They are not going to be rushed.’ 

Sources told the Mail that that there is no pressure or hurry on her to do so and her focus remains on ‘what is important’ – her recovery and her three children. 

Despite this tumultuous few weeks for the Royal Family, it is expected that William and Kate will still uphold the tradition of releasing a new photograph to mark their children’s birthdays, the next being Prince Louis on April 23.

‘They appreciate the public’s love and affection for their children and know there is a public appetite to see them on their birthdays,’ an aide told the Times.

While there has been no official confirmation that Kate will be well enough to attend Trooping the Colour in June, the King, who is suffering from cancer, is determined to attend his official birthday celebrations.

The Mail revealed last night that aides are already exploring ways that Charles will be able to part within the constraints of his ongoing cancer treatment. 

This could include watching the military spectacular from a podium, instead on horseback as usual, and being driven to Buckingham Palace, like his late mother did.

A firm decision will be made at the time and will be dependent on medical advice. The event will take place on June 15 and the Mail understands the planning is a source for optimism. 

‘There are a number of key events His Majesty would love to attend coming up in the diary and this is at the top of the list,’ a source said. 

The Princess of Wales will attend Trooping the Color in three months as part of her comeback to royal duties after Easter following abdominal surgery.

The Ministry of Defense has confirmed that Kate Middleton will be at the parade on Saturday 8 June from 10.30am at the Horse Guards Parade in Westminster.

Although this is Kate’s first official role since undergoing surgery, Kensington Palace has not yet confirmed her participation in the final rehearsal.

And a royal source told MailOnline that William or Kate’s presence at events will be announced by Kensington Palace, which ‘was not consulted’ in this MoD update.

More than 1,400 soldiers from the Household Division and The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery will take part, including 400 musicians from the Massed Bands.

They will parade on Horse Guards for the second of two formal talks, while 250 Foot Guards soldiers will also line the route along The Mall.

Two more Trooping the Color parades are being announced by the Ministry of Defense – one reviewed by Major General James Bowder on June 1 and another by King Charles III on June 15. Buckingham Palace has not yet confirmed the monarch’s presence.

Also this morning, the King was photographed with Chancellor Jeremy Hunt ahead of tomorrow’s Budget at a meeting in his private audience room at Buckingham Palace.

When Kate attends Trooping the Colour, it will be almost exactly the same as when the King discusses the parade – except for the fact that there will be fewer mounted officers riding.

The general public can watch Horse Guards Parade from the stands by requesting tickets via the MoD website, which cost £15. The parade ends at 12.25 pm.

From 9am there will also be limited visibility from public viewing points on The Mall or on the edge of St James’s Park overlooking Horse Guards Parade.

Charles is being treated for cancer and Kate is recovering from abdominal surgery, but it is understood that planning for major royal events continues and organizers remain flexible in case of potential changes.

Trooping the Color has marked the official birthday of the British sovereign for more than 260 years. The parade brings together more than 1,400 soldiers, 200 horses and 400 musicians each June for a display of military precision and fanfare.

On a ticket booking website for Trooping the Colour, the Ministry of Defense said that Kate, as Colonel of the Irish Guards, will carry out the inspection at the event on June 8.

A section on the event information stated: ‘Trooping the Color judged by Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales is identical to Trooping the Color judged by His Majesty the King, with the exception that some additional mounted officers ride when His Majesty the King is present is .

More than 1,400 soldiers from the Household Division and The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery will take part, including 400 musicians from the Massed Bands, all of whom will parade on Horse Guards for the second of two formal reviews.

‘Trooping the Colour, judged by Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales, will also include 250 soldiers from the Foot Guards who will line the procession route along The Mall.

‘The soldiers will be inspected by Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales, Colonel Irish Guards.’

Kate will not return to her official duties until after Easter and William has temporarily stepped back from his royal role to juggle caring for her and their children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.

The princess was admitted to the London Clinic on January 16 for a planned operation and left the hospital on January 29 – almost two weeks later.

The 42-year-old then returned to Adelaide Cottage in Windsor to be reunited with her three children. Details about the princess’s condition have not been released.

However, Kensington Palace previously said it was not cancer-related and that Kate wanted her personal medical information to remain private.

A week after the princess left hospital, Buckingham Palace announced that King Charles III had been diagnosed with cancer and was receiving treatment.

Kate’s parents, Carole and Michael Middleton, and siblings, Pippa Matthews and James Middleton, are said to be currently active in helping the Waleses.

Yesterday, TMZ published a photo of Kate near Windsor Castle in the passenger seat of a black Audi car driven by her mother Carole Middleton.

The photo of the princess, who wore dark sunglasses, is the first of Kate since she was photographed walking on Christmas Day in Sandringham, Norfolk.

Meanwhile, Kate’s ‘black sheep’ uncle Gary Goldsmith – Carole’s brother – praised her as ‘perfect’ as he entered the Celebrity Big Brother house last night.

He added that she could watch the new ITV program ‘behind a sofa’.

When asked by presenter AJ Odudu if Kate would be watching, Mr Goldsmith, 58, said: “If she is, it will be behind a sofa I think… It will be a fun one in a nice house, I can . guarantee that.’

In a pre-recorded interview that aired before he entered the house, Goldsmith said, “She’s just perfect.”

‘The first time I met William, Catherine was cooking and William said, ‘Hello, would you like a cup of tea?’ Very normal.’

Towards the end of the programme, he told housemate Fern Britton: ‘I absolutely adore my family’, after the TV presenter praised his decision to come on the show.

Speaking to The Sun before entering the house, Goldsmith described his niece as a ‘loving mother’.

“She’s beautiful on the outside but even more beautiful on the inside and she’s a really loving mother… so the way the monarchy is developing is family-oriented.”

He added that he became “angry” at the Duke and Duchess of Sussex “because you don’t stick a stick in that spoke and reinvent history.”

“Throwing your family under the bus just seemed inappropriate, especially what happened to the Queen. “I just thought it was completely unnecessary,” he added.

Vice President Kamala Harris, who has emerged as one of the leading voices for Palestinians in closed-door meetings at the White House, is expected to join a member of Israel’s war cabinet, Benny Gantz, in pushing for a pause in the fighting in Gaza. White House on Monday afternoon.

The vice president is also expected to emphasize the urgency of reaching a hostage agreement and reducing the humanitarian crisis that has developed alongside Israel’s war against Hamas in response to the October 7 attacks, a US official said. White House who shared details of its plans. the condition of anonymity.

The official said Ms. Harris would discuss post-war plans for Gaza, which would involve the Palestinian Authority, reiterate U.S. goals to increase aid to the region through food drops that began on Saturday, and express her concerns about the more than a million displaced Palestinians in Rafah, southern Gaza, as Israel prepares to deploy ground troops there.

While Ms. Harris has not strayed too far from Mr. Biden’s war message, she struck a tougher tone in a speech on Sunday, demanding an “immediate ceasefire.” Still, she addressed her comments at Hamas, not Israel’s leadership, reiterating that she and the president “remain unwavering in our commitment to Israel’s security.”

But at meetings at the White House, she has strongly urged the administration not to ignore the anger of Palestinian Americans and others in the United States, who say Mr. Biden has not done enough to prevent the deaths of tens of thousands of civilians . in Gaza, according to four people familiar with the matter.

Her comments mark a shift in the administration’s public stance on Gaza and are aimed in part at addressing Mr. Biden’s increasing political liability as he campaigns for re-election this year. In Michigan, about 150,000 voters cast “uncommitted” ballots in the Democratic primary last week, many expressing anger at the president’s continued support for Israel.

Ms. Harris’ focus on Israel could also help promote her foreign policy credibility at a time when many in her party are wondering whether she is prepared to take over for Mr. Biden if something were to happen to him .

Ms. Harris has repeatedly advised Mr. Biden and senior White House officials that the administration should show more empathy for Palestinian civilians by speaking publicly about the high death toll in Gaza and the plight of survivors, the people familiar with the matter said the case. The vice president has said this should come in addition to continuing to condemn the Hamas attacks on October 7, which killed 1,200 people in Israel.

The vice president’s public comments come as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza has worsened. After 100 Palestinians were killed in a chaotic scene at a food convoy last week, she issued a statement that went beyond the careful comments of other US national security officials.

“Just a few days ago we saw hungry, desperate people approaching aid trucks, simply trying to secure food for their families, after weeks of virtually no aid reaching northern Gaza,” she said. “And they were met with gunfire and chaos.”

On Sunday she said that “the people of Gaza are starving. The conditions are inhumane. And our common humanity compels us to action.”

She later added that the “Israeli government must do more to significantly increase the flow of aid. No excuses.”

Mr. Gantz, a former Israeli army chief of staff who visited Washington last year, will meet separately with Jake Sullivan, the national security adviser, his office said in a statement, as well as with members of Congress and pro-general members. -Israeli lobbyists.

US officials told reporters this weekend that negotiations were continuing and that Israel had “more or less accepted” a framework for the hostage agreement, but also that Hamas had not yet accepted it. Hamas has rejected the proposal to release the more than 100 Israeli hostages because it does not include a permanent ceasefire and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza – concessions that Israel has said would prevent Hamas from being destroyed.

Mr. Gantz told Mr. Netanyahu on Friday of his intention to fly to the United States to coordinate the messages he would deliver during his meetings with American officials, Mr. Gantz’s office said in a statement on Saturday.

Mr. Netanyahu was dissatisfied with Mr. Gantz’s plans and told him he thought they were “counterproductive,” according to an Israeli official close to Mr. Gantz, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details of the call between discuss the leaders. Mr. Netanyahu refused to coordinate with Mr. Gantz, the official said.

In a statement, Netanyahu’s office said it had not approved Mr. Gantz’s trip to Washington. An official in Mr Netanyahu’s office, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Mr Gantz did not represent the government during his trip to Washington and insisted the prime minister continued to communicate openly with President Biden.

Ms. Harris’ aides have long felt that foreign policy is an opportunity for her to chart her own course and shape a powerful role as vice president. The White House has also previously deployed Ms. Harris to speak on issues that galvanize young voters and voters of color. Ms. Harris is now trying to do both at once: using an urgent foreign policy issue to appeal to a frustrated bloc of voters and define her own distinct political identity.

But some groups that have called for a permanent ceasefire said Ms. Harris did not go far enough. They said her comments amounted to little more than appealing to the rhetoric of those who have protested the war, without actually calling for a radical policy change that could change the situation.

Layla Elabed, the campaign manager for Listen to Michigan, the group that mobilized more than 100,000 voters to vote “unfettered” against Mr. Biden in the Michigan primary, said in a statement that it was clear the administration was responding to pressure.

“But let’s be clear: this is a temporary ceasefire, or what they used to call a humanitarian pause,” Ms. Elabed said in a statement. “The demands of our movement have been clear: a lasting ceasefire and an end to US funding for Israel’s war and occupation against the Palestinian people.”

Adam Ragon And Aaron Bokserman contributed reporting from Jerusalem.

A controversial pro-life association that expelled female students from the University of Manchester ‘out of fear for their safety’ has held its first meeting – which was met with fierce protests.

The Manchester Pro Life Society, founded to “create a pro-life culture on campus,” shared an image with its official Instagram page to “thank everyone” for standing up for “life and freedom of expression on campus.”

After the association faced criticism for appointing a male president and a male treasurer as pressure to disband the group began to mount, the committee moved forward with organizing its first meeting.

A photo of the first meeting, which took place on Thursday evening, was posted on the website Manchester Pro Life Society‘s Instagram page – where 17 of the 23 attendees were men, while only six were women.

The photo was captioned: ‘Thank you everyone who came to our first meeting! It was great to meet so many of you tonight. We will continue to vigorously stand up for life and freedom of expression on campus.”

Upon seeing this image, one viewer commented that the attendees were ‘90% guys’ in a comment on the post – which now appears to have been deleted.

Because the event took place on the University of Manchester campus, it sparked huge protests from students calling for the dissolution of the association, organized by the Stop Manchester Pro Life group.

Members posted videos on Instagram capturing the action, which shows hundreds of students demonstrating near their student union as supporters shout ‘stop it’.

A representative said of the event: ‘A huge thank you to everyone who attended last night and to all the people who helped make this happen. So overwhelmed by the support and so grateful for each and every one of you!”

After labeling the evening a ‘complete success’, they added that there had been a scuffle between ‘some drunk guys’ at the event, but claimed the men involved had no links to the union.

The speaker added: “We have fully cooperated with the legal observers. There was no impediment to the police escorting the community out of the building despite being unnecessarily rough with the crowd.”

The group revealed they were keen to organize another demonstration soon – as part of measures to ‘disband’ the Manchester Pro Life Society.

They concluded: ‘Next week we will meet with the SU and set the ball rolling for a vote to dissolve the association, and implement the measures proposed in our demands.

“Again, thank you so much to all of you and good luck with last night.”

The Manchester Pro Life Society – which launched on January 11 and has a male president and a male treasurer – says it aims to “create a pro-life culture on campus, engage students in life issues and respect the promote dignity of human life from conception. ‘.

However, its existence has caused so much anger that a petition was opened on February 12 to disband the activities. Since then, more than 16,000 signatures have been collected.

The petition, first posted by an anonymous student, says they are “deeply disturbed by the potential harm that could be caused by our university’s Pro-Life Society” and encourages people to sign it “if you believes that every woman should have her right’. respected without fear or stigma within our university community’.

However, the University of Manchester Students’ Association has said that the association has been established within the rules of the association registration process.

The petition, posted on Change.org, claims the male-led society “adds to an already widespread stigma surrounding abortion, a legal right in our country.”

It added: ‘Women at our university should not have to face additional pressure or judgment over such personal matters.’

As the anonymous writer implores people to sign the petition, they argue that society “has the potential to cause unrest among students who need access to abortion services now or in the future.”

The society’s president is George Vincent, a student of the history of art who lists GK Chesterton’s St Francis of Assisi as his ‘Desert Island Discs’ book that he would take with him if he were exiled to a remote part of the world.

In October 2023, Vincent spoke to the Guardian about his pro-life views when he took part in an experiment where he had dinner with a man who held different political views.

He said: ‘I realize how much pain there must be for a woman in this situation. But I don’t think an abortion solves that problem, the trauma doesn’t go away.

‘We have to support them. And if that means adoption, we shouldn’t exclude people because they gave up their child.’

The association’s treasurer is Jacob Karinatan, a medical student whose favorite book is Lord of the Rings.

A female student at the University of Manchester previously told The Independent that the formation of the society was ‘the beginning of a Margaret Atwood novel’ and accused the student association of ‘enabling misogynistic hate speech’.

Heather Bowling, a second-year linguistics student, said, “Society makes me feel weak and inferior to my male counterparts. I have received endless messages from girls who fear for their safety.’

She further accused the SU of representing the interests of the men who founded the association, ahead of the many thousands who had signed the petition.

Heather revealed that she has spoken to women on campus who have had abortions in the past and who say they now feel “personally victimized and threatened” by society’s presence.

Another student who has opted for an abortion in the past recalled the “feelings of guilt” she experienced at the time, which she said were made worse by the things “people say” about abortion.

While she acknowledged that she believes in free speech, she added, “I don’t understand why men form anti-abortion groups when there are so many men’s issues they can work on.”

Amid criticism of the group’s “all-male” origins, the Manchester Pro-Life Society announced on Tuesday that the committee had gained two new female members: Inge-Maria as vice-president and Lajoie as diversity and inclusion officer.

Inge-Maria studies dental hygiene and therapy, while Lajoie studies pediatric nursing.

As backlash against the society grows, a competing Instagram profile titled ‘Stop Manchester Pro-Life’ has been set up, encouraging people to organize and protest against the controversial society.

When contacted by FEMAIL, a spokesperson for the Instagram campaign said: ‘This isn’t just a women’s issue, it affects everyone assigned female at birth and there are plenty of male allies and people of different genders supporting us.’

They added that campaign leaders “understand freedom of speech” but claimed the Pro-Life group “continues to post facts and statistics that are simply inaccurate and have no source.”

“We call on the university to do something,” the report concluded.

In a statement to FEMAIL at the time, Manchester University’s Pro-Life Society said: ‘The Pro-Life Society exists to promote the well-being and dignity of every human life, from conception.

‘We are a positive society that exists primarily to help and support people at all stages of life. We exist to encourage students to think critically about the way we define and value human life.”

The statement continued to claim that the membership is diverse, with women playing a “critical role” in the association’s work.

It added: ‘However, we believe that these issues are relevant and important to people of both genders, they affect everyone. The right to life is not a gender-specific issue. It is also important to point out that we are not an anti-abortion society, but a pro-life society.

‘This means that while we oppose abortion, we are also concerned about other threats to life, including assisted suicide, the death penalty, deaths from poverty and poor living standards, structural problems in critical infrastructure such as the NHS , and climate change.”

The statement added that the association will “promote a culture of campus life” by organizing events and fundraising, as well as “campaigning for greater support for students who are pregnant or parenting from the university, the student association and the government’.

The association also alleged that its members and supporters were subjected to “hatred,” which it denounced.

“We hope that in the future we can have reasonable and dignified conversations with everyone so that we can create a better campus and society, one in which everyone is valued and respected,” the report concluded.

The association did not specify who had directed “hatred” against its members – but an edit of the Change.org petition emphasized that the purpose of the movement was “in no way to call for any intimidation or intimidation of the members/committee of the Pro movement’. Live society personally’.

FEMAIL has contacted the association for further comment following this week’s demonstrations.

Vice President Kamala Harris meets with Benny Gantz, a member of the Israeli war cabinet, Monday in Washington, according to a White House official and a spokesman for Mr. Gantz.

During the meeting with Mr Gantz, Ms Harris is expected to discuss the urgency of concluding a hostage agreement, which would allow a temporary ceasefire, and the need to significantly increase aid to Gaza, said the White House official. who provided details about the condition of anonymity.

The meeting, which will take place at the White House, comes as the Biden administration is under pressure to secure a temporary ceasefire and hostage deal in the war between Israel and Hamas and to stem the escalating to tackle the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza more forcefully.

On Saturday, another senior government official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive diplomatic efforts, told reporters that negotiations were continuing and that Israel had “more or less accepted” a framework for the deal and that the ball was now in its hands . Hamas court.

The proposal could lead to a six-week lull in fighting, as well as the release of some hostages in Gaza and Palestinian prisoners in Israel. President Biden had expressed hope that an agreement could be reached on Monday as US officials said they were working to reach an agreement by the start of Ramadan, the Muslim holy month that will start around March 10 this year .

The United States also delivered its first airdrop of food into Gaza on Saturday, amid warnings that the besieged enclave was on the brink of famine. Israel has imposed strict restrictions on the entry of humanitarian aid, while international aid agencies have suspended some convoys due to increasing anarchy and the looting of some aid trucks in Gaza.

Ms. Harris is also expected to discuss the U.S. commitment to increasing the flow of aid to Gaza, including more food drops, the official said. She plans to convince Mr Gantz on the need to reduce civilian casualties and express concern for the safety of more than a million displaced Palestinians in Rafah, southern Gaza, as Israel plans to deploy ground troops there to put.

The meeting was previously reported by the Reuters news service.

The number of Palestinians killed in the war exceeded 30,000 this week, according to health officials in Gaza. More than a hundred Palestinians were killed on Thursday after Israeli forces opened fire around a convoy of aid trucks in northern Gaza, where crowds had descended in a desperate bid to get food. The Israeli military said most were killed in a clash around the vehicles, some of which ran over panicked Gazans as they tried to free themselves. Palestinian witnesses and doctors have said Israeli forces fired widely, wounding and killing dozens.

The deadly toll and dire conditions have led to increasing international calls for an immediate ceasefire, which the Biden administration has so far refrained from.

At the meeting, Ms. Harris plans to reiterate the U.S. position that Israel has the right to defend itself against Hamas, which led a brutal attack on Oct. 7 that Israeli officials say left more than 1,200 dead. She also expects to discuss post-war plans for the reconstruction of Gaza, which would be governed by the Palestinian Authority.

Mr. Gantz, who visited Washington last year, will also meet separately with Jake Sullivan, the national security adviser, his office said in a statement, as well as with members of Congress and pro-Israel lobbyists.

It was unclear whether Mr Gantz’s visit had the full support of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The two men belong to different parties and have often faced off, but Mr. Gantz, a centrist former defense minister and army chief, joined the emergency war cabinet when the war began. Mr Gantz’s office said he had informed the prime minister about his visit to coordinate talking points.