Three Indian scientists win Tata Transformation Prize for groundbreaking innovationsMG has a storied history, and in recent years it has established a strong presence in the Australian market, primarily by selling cheap cars with mass-market appeal. or signup to continue reading It's currently ranked seventh in Australia's new-vehicle sales chart, and while it isn't on track to surpass its 2023 sales record, it's still a top contender with an ever-expanding local model lineup. MG's model range is being bolstered by the arrival of new and upgraded vehicles across a variety of market segments, which are serving to help the brand elevate itself up and away from its cheap-and-cheerful roots roots. Indubitably, it's cheap cars like the MG 3 hatch that come to mind when MG is mentioned, though the all-new MG 4 electric hatch, the long-awaited new MG 3 and subsequent renewals of other models like the HS mid-sized SUV and ZS small SUV are helping to shift perceptions – as is the arrival of the $100,000-plus Cyberster electric sports car. But MG as we know it now is just its latest iteration, and there's a lot more to the brand name than what's happened in only the past 15 years. Most car enthusiasts and anyone middle-aged won't be surprised to read MG was originally an entirely British manufacturer most notable for small sports cars loaded with charm. But did you know the MG name came from modifying another company's vehicles? Or that the brand established its historical sporting pedigree through motorsport success as long ago as the 1930s? Here we'll break all that down, including the factors that led to its eventual downfall in the early 2000s and its subsequent rebirth as a global automotive powerhouse under Chinese ownership. As the marque celebrates its 100th birthday, here's everything you need to know about MG. MG – specifically MG Motor – is headquartered in Shanghai, China, and has been owned by the Chinese state-owned carmaker SAIC Motor since 2007. Many will know the MG badge for its much older origins though, and there's plenty to unpack from its 100-year history. MG was established in 1924, when the first vehicles created by British car designer Cecil Kimber appeared in Oxford. Its origins aren't as clear cut as other carmakers though, because the brand effectively began as an unofficial spin-off of Morris Garages – owned by British motor manufacturer William Morris. Morris Garages was an automobile retail sales and service centre in Oxford, where Mr Kimber was hired as a sales manager in 1921 and promoted to general manager in 1922. He went on to become the founder of MG. He began by modifying the standard production Morris Oxford, a model that had been in production since 1913. Mr Kimber's modified versions were dubbed Kimber Specials, and they featured both Morris and MG badges. A reference to MG with its iconic octagon badge first appeared in a local newspaper in late 1923, and the symbol was later registered as a trademark by Morris Garages in 1924. In the same year, the MG 14/28 appeared as the company's first recognised model, and in 1925 the MG Old Number One went on sale. Continued expansion over the coming years led to Morris Garages moving to several new locations, until a facility near the main Morris factory in Cowley, Oxford became its home in 1927. That factory provided the company its first opportunity to employ an actual production line. MG continued to grow and by 1928 it was large enough to warrant the establishment of an identity separate to the original Morris Garages, and so it was subsequently dubbed the M.G. Car Company in March 1928 – a name derived from its origins. 1928 also saw the launch of the first MG model that wasn't a modified Morris, the MG 18/80. In October of that year it hosted its first exhibit at the London Motor Show, followed by another necessary relocation to a larger factory in Abingdon, Oxfordshire in 1929. In that year, it launched the first in a long line of its iconic sporty Midgets, the Morris-derived M-Type. The official M.G. Car Company was incorporated on July 21, 1930. It soon rolled out several small T-Series models that were later exported worldwide following World War II. Those cars achieved unexpectedly high success thanks to models like the MG TC, TD, and TF – all of which were based on the pre-war MG TB. Throughout the 1930s, MG also began enjoying success in motorsport after toppling British giants like Bentley. Mr Kimber stayed with the company as its managing director until 1935, when Mr Morris – who was still the company's main shareholder – formally sold the M.G. Car Company to Morris Motors, which meant Mr Kimber was no longer the sole controlling owner. In the coming years the outbreak of WWII halted car production at MG, but it continued making basic items for the British army until Mr Kimber controversially obtained a contract to work on aircraft. He did so without prior approval, which led to company executives asking him to resign. He left in 1941 and soon found work elsewhere, though he was tragically killed in a railway accident at London's King's Cross station in 1945. In 1952, the M.G. Car Company and Morris were absorbed into the British Motor Corporation (BMC), which was created through a merger between Morris Motors and the Austin Motor Company. MG soon departed from its earlier pre-war designs to release the MGA in 1955. It was later followed by the iconic MGB in 1962, in response to demand for a more modern and comfortable sports car. From 1967 to 1969 a short-lived MGC was produced, which was based on the MGB but featured a larger, heavier six-cylinder engine and noticeably worse handling. Aside from those small sports cars though, many of MG's cars under BMC were simply badge-engineered versions of models from other marques. One such car was the MG Midget of 1961, which was a rebadged and slightly restyled Austin-Healey Sprite. In 1966, BMC merged with Jaguar Cars to form British Motor Holdings (BMH), which itself merged with the Leyland Motor Corporation in 1968 to form the British Leyland Motor Corporation (BLMC). From the early 1970s under BLMC, the M.G. Car Company name disappeared and the MG marque began to only be used for rebadged models from BLMC's other brands. The exception was the unsuccessful MGB GT V8, which was only in production from 1973 to 1976. While both the MGB and Midget designs were frequently modified to keep up to date with changing safety regulations, primarily in the United States, those two popular models were becoming outdated under BLMC ownership. MG's step back during this period was largely caused by BLMC, later British Leyland, whose management and engineering staff were predominantly carried over from the former Leyland organisation. That was unfortunate for MG, as the Leyland company previously incorporated Triumph – its historically close rival. In fact, while Triumph was able to release new models during the 1970s like the TR7 and Dolomite, no new MG models were introduced except for that short-lived V8 MGB. Several distinct tiers emerged at British Leyland, with Triumph, Rover and Jaguar bundled into its Specialist Division, while MG was placed in the Austin-Morris division that generally made mass-produced family cars. Despite its lower status, MG proved to be profitable, though its profits were offset by substantial losses mounting from the rest of the Austin-Morris division. That meant any funding allocated to the division by British Leyland was diverted away from MG and instead to desperately needed mass-market models. That left MG with limited funding to maintain its tired lineup, let alone develop new models. The Abingdon plant closed as a result (bringing with it the death of the MGB and Midget), and in the 1980s MG returned to being used for badge-engineering Austin Rover models like the Metro, Maestro, and Montego. It wasn't until 1992 that the MG marque reappeared in its own right, with the MG RV8 – an updated MGB Roadster with a V8 engine from Rover – previewed at that year's Birmingham Motor Show. It entered low-volume production in 1993. That car was followed by the MG F in 1995, which was the first mass-produced all-new MG sports car since the death of the MGB in 1980. By that point, MG ownership had shifted hands multiple times. British Leyland became the Rover Group in 1986, which led to the MG marque being passed to British Aerospace in 1988 and then BMW in 1994. BMW sold the business in 2000, when the MG marque was passed on to the MG Rover Group based at the historic car factory in Longbridge, Birmingham. MG's own sports cars continued to be sold alongside rebadged Rovers, and the lineup included the models like the MG ZS small sedan (a rebadged Rover 45) and the Rover 75 mid-sized sedan, both of which were sold in Australia in the mid-2000s. In 2005, the overarching MG Rover Group entered administration with £1.4 billion (~A$2.7 billion) in debt, and car production was suspended on April 7, 2005. Interestingly, the group wasn't formally dissolved until May 2023. China had entered the MG picture as early as 2004, when reports of a joint venture between SAIC and MG Rover led to speculation from British media that a takeover was imminent. That initial venture fell through, and SAIC denied it had tried to purchase the company. In July 22, 2005, Nanjing Automobile Group purchased the rights to MG along with the MG Rover Group's other assets, but it couldn't acquire the Rover name from BMW and thus created Roewe. The company formed was titled NAC MG UK, and Nanjing Automobile later merged with SAIC Motor in 2007. Earlier in 2007 though, Nanjing had restarted MG production, which saw sports cars like the MG TF manufactured at Longbridge from 2008 to 2010. The company was renamed to MG Motor UK in 2009, and MG continues to be controlled by SAIC to this day. The first all-new MG in 16 years hit the market in the form of the MG 6 in 2011 – though it was derived from the SAIC-owned Roewe 550 and was thus distantly related to the Rover 75, which ended production in 2005. It was built both in China and in the United Kingdom at Longbridge, and was followed by the MG 3 in 2013. MG Motor ended production at the Longbridge plant in September 2016. MG vehicles have been primarily built in China ever since – with the exception of localised operations in countries like Thailand and India. SAIC has since designated MG as its main international brand, and it became China's largest single-marque car exporter in 2019. MG Motor went on to sell around 840,000 units globally in 2023, when 88 per cent of its sales were outside of China. Apart from of SAIC-developed MG models, MG Motor also sells rebadged versions of other vehicles from SAIC-owned brands like Roewe (successor to Rover) and Maxus (founded by SAIC in 2011). One such vehicle is the second-generation MG HS, which is a rebadged version of the Chinese-market Roewe RX5. The new HS was released in 2024, alongside new-generation versions of the MG 3 and ZS, replacing Australia's top-selling light car and small SUV, respectively. MG Motor has also since released its first roadster under Chinese ownership, the battery-electric Cyberster. Between 2020 and 2023, MG was one of the fastest-growing brands in the UK and Europe, and during the same period its Australian sales quadrupled. Its most popular global model continues to be the ZS, while MG's sales were boosted by the arrival of its first electric vehicle (EV) developed from the ground up – the MG 4 in 2022. In 2023, China was MG Motor's largest market with 99,441 sales. It was followed by the UK with 81,289, Mexico with 60,128, and Australia with 58,346. MG currently sells six distinct models in Australia, though there are several caveats. Prices for the MG 3, 4, and 5 are all as-listed, though specific drive-away pricing for the MG 4 range is only listed for the base-spec Excite 51. It's also worth noting there are currently several factory bonus deals available, which bring discounts for models like the ZS EV – check for more details. There are also several ZS models, which can be explained as standard (ZS), updated and restyled (ZST), electric (ZS EV), and new-generation (ZS Hybrid+) – the latter of which is hitting showrooms this month and will be followed by new petrol versions early next year. The HS and 3 are now officially in their second-generation guises, while the all-new Cyberster has only just arrived in Australia and will go on sale next month. While the HS and 3 are two models that received significant updates this year, you can still purchase new previous-generation versions of both models while stocks last. The is currently discounted through MG's run-out sale for $19,990 drive-away, alongside the for either $28,990 drive-away or $30,990 drive-away depending on the variant. Similarly, the outgoing HS Plus EV plug-in hybrid is on sale for either $34,990 drive-away or $37,990 drive-away. We'll now provide a top-line overview of each of the new and incoming models, though it's worth checking out our individual price and specs articles for detailed information. These will be linked to the model's name below. The is the brand's smallest model, and it's available as either a standard petrol variant or the electrified Hybrid+. Each employ a 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine, and non-hybrids get a continuously variable transmission (CVT) compared to the 'hybrid' transmission in the Hybrid+. Drive is sent to the front wheels only. It's a similar story with the , though its higher-spec version adds a turbocharger and a dual-clutch transmission to its 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine. Lower grades utilise a CVT, and all are front-wheel drive. A has been revealed in China, and it'll likely arrive in Australia early next year. As for MG's SUVs, there are currently two in the lineup. The smallest of the pair is the ZS, which has been on sale for some time and has just been released in next-generation Hybrid+ form. The only has one variant available, which utilises a 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine and a four-speed torque converter transmission. It's front-wheel drive only. Above that is the , which is updated and restyled compared to the standard ZS. It's front-wheel drive only and there are four variants; the bottom two use a 1.5-litre four-cylinder mated with a CVT, while the top two gain a 1.3-litre turbo three-cylinder and a six-speed torque converter automatic. The new-gen is arriving this month in two variants, both with a 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine. That's mated with a three-speed motor-assisted hybrid transmission, with drive again sent to the front wheels only. There's also the , which is now in its second generation. It's sold in three variants, and all use a 1.5-litre turbo four-cylinder mated with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. MG's EV range also includes SUVs with the , which is sold in three variants. The two cheapest variants utilise a 50.3kWh battery pack for 320km of WLTP range, while the top-spec Long Range gains a 72kWh unit for a claimed range of 440km. Then there's the dedicated-electric , Australia's cheapest EV, that is sold in five variants. The base Excite 51 is the only one to use a 51kWh battery for a claimed range of 350km, while the next two up use a 64kWh battery for ranges of 450km and 435km respectively. The Long Range 77 has a 77kWh battery pack and a claimed range of 530km, and all are rear-wheel drive. The odd one out is the XPower at the top of the range, which has a dual-motor all-wheel drive setup, a 64kWh battery, and 400km of driving range. Finally, MG Motor's most unique global car to date is the all-electric . It's coming to Australia in one all-wheel drive variant, and it's the most expensive car MG has ever brought here. The scissor-door convertible utilises a 77kWh battery pack for a claimed range of 443km, while MG says it can reach 0-100km/h in just 3.2 seconds. MG is primarily competing against auto brands that sell similarly affordable cars in Australia, namely Chery, GWM, Suzuki, Mitsubishi, and – at a stretch – Mazda. Firstly Chery, as it's another Chinese brand competing in similar Australian market segments. Its and are strong rivals for the ZST and ZS respectively, largely due to their price and size. The entry-level Omoda 5 FX is priced at $27,990 drive-away, compared to the ZST Core's $26,990 drive-away price tag. On the cheaper end, the Tiggo 4 Pro costs as little as $23,990 drive-away, while the ZS is priced from $20,990 drive-away. In terms of larger SUVs, the closest matched vehicles are the ($39,990 drive-away) and the MG HS ($34,990 drive-away). GWM – another Chinese manufacturer – competes against MG's SUVs with its Haval-branded and models, while the is also a strong rival for the MG 4. The MG 3 is MG's cheapest and smallest car, therefore making it a rival for the . There are some differences though – the MG 3 is cheaper than the Swift Hybrid, and the cheapest Swift Hybrid offers a manual transmission instead of a CVT. Mitsubishi's small SUV goes up against the ZS on price in particular, while its larger models like the and can also be compared to the HS in size and price – though the HS wins out on standard tech. Mazda isn't a direct rival for MG, though its smaller and older models like the and would likely be cross-shopped against the MG 3 (MG 5 in sedan guise) and ZS respectively. The key difference is Mazda's cheapest models tend to offer a slightly higher level of luxury (albeit without being legitimately luxurious) than comparable MGs. Similarly, the Cyberster doesn't currently have any direct competitors, given its unique positioning as an all-electric high-performance roadster. MG is currently Australia's seventh-best selling auto brand, sandwiched between Mitsubishi in sixth and Isuzu in eighth. Against the above rivals on yearly sales to the end of October this year, MG (41,302) ranks considerably higher than both Chery (8956) and Suzuki (17,670), though there's a much smaller gap to GWM (35,143). It's still well behind Mazda (81,143) and Mitsubishi (62,588), the latter of which is currently enjoying a year-to-date sales increase of a sizeable 20.1 per cent. MG, meanwhile, is currently down 15.6 per cent on its figure from this time last year. That means MG is on track to fall short of its record sales figure of 58,346 in 2023, if it maintains October's monthly sales of 5206 for the rest of the year. It is, however, only around 8000 units down on its 2022 sales figure of 49,582. MG remains Australia's top-selling Chinese brand, with GWM currently its closest rival on the charts. The brand's best-selling model here is the ZS, which has found 18,668 new homes so far this year. It's worth noting that figure combines sales of the ZS, ZST, and ZS EV. It's followed by the MG 3 on 10,421, but after that is a sizeable gap to the MG 4, its second most popular model with 5258 sales. Making up the rest of the total are the HS and MG 5 with 3530 and 3425 sales respectively. Interestingly, both the ZS and MG 4 made the sales top 20 for the month of October this year. The ZS ranked 11th, ahead of cars like the and , while the MG 4 was 16th and ahead of the and . MG has multiple new models on the way in 2025 alone, following the launch of several others in late 2024. The two recently launched new models are the and the , which will be on sale shortly. The next new MG expected to arrive here is the , which entered production in China in 2022. It'll fill the large sedan space currently unoccupied by MG, whose only current sedan is the smaller MG 5. On that note, an is expected to arrive at a similar time to the MG 7, and it's expected to improve the current model's ANCAP safety rating. Next up is the , which is expected to arrive in the first half of 2025. Though it follows the Hybrid+ version, it'll feature the same design and bring the rest of the ZS range into the current generation. Similarly, a replacement for the ZS EV is expected to arrive in first half of next year – though it'll likely look different to the new ZS and more like the spied in Australia earlier this year. Unlike the MG 3-based ZS, the S5 will share its platform with the MG 4. Another MG 4-influenced car is the , which is another electric SUV but appears to be closer in size to the HS. The current Marvel R has been sold overseas for some time, but never in Australia. The second-generation version is expected to arrive in local showrooms in the first half of 2025. As MG's largest SUV, however, the HS is expected to gain in mid-2025. They'll join the latest petrol HS, which itself arrived in Australia earlier this year. MG is also looking to bring to Australia in the future, and – like the HS – it's expected to be a rebadged SUV from fellow SAIC brand Roewe. In this case it'll be the RX9, but timing is unconfirmed. While MG has confirmed the RX9 for the Philippines, it may need a different name in Australia given Mazda owns the rights to the RX-9 trademark here. Content originally sourced from: Advertisement Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date. 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Police hunt for UnitedHealthcare CEO's masked killer after 'brazen, targeted' attack on NYC street NEW YORK (AP) — UnitedHealthcare’s CEO has been shot and killed in what police say is a “brazen, targeted attack” outside a Manhattan hotel where the health insurer was holding its investor conference. The shooting rattled the city and set off a massive dragnet hours before the annual Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting. Police say 50-year-old Brian Thompson was shot around 6:45 a.m. Wednesday as he walked alone to the New York Hilton Midtown from a nearby hotel. New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch says the shooter appeared to be “lying in wait for several minutes” before approaching Thompson from behind and opening fire. Police have not yet established a motive. UnitedHealthcare CEO kept a low public profile. Then he was shot to death in New York NEW YORK (AP) — Brian Thompson led one of the biggest health insurers in the US but was unknown to millions of people his decisions affected. The fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare's chief executive on a midtown Manhattan sidewalk Wednesday became a mystery that riveted the nation. Police say it was a targeted killing. Thompson was 50. He had worked at the company for 20 years and had run health care giant UnitedHealth Group Inc.'s insurance business since 2021. It provides health coverage for more than 49 million Americans and brought in $281 billion in revenue last year. Thompson's $10.2 million annual compensation made him one of the company’s highest-paid executives. Hegseth fights to save Pentagon nomination as sources say Trump considers DeSantis WASHINGTON (AP) — Pete Hegseth, Donald Trump’s Pentagon pick, is fighting to hold on to his Cabinet nomination amid growing questions about his personal conduct as the president-elect’s team considers alternatives, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. But Hegseth says, “We’re not backing down one bit." The Trump transition team is concerned about Hegseth’s path to Senate confirmation and is actively looking at potential replacements, according to a person familiar with the matter. Hegseth is under pressure as senators weigh a series of allegations that have surfaced against him. Beyond DeSantis, there have been discussions about shifting Michael Waltz, who was named by Trump as his national security adviser, to the Defense Department Supreme Court seems likely to uphold Tennessee's ban on medical treatments for transgender minors WASHINGTON (AP) — Hearing a high-profile culture-war clash, the Supreme Court on Wednesday seemed likely to uphold Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for minors. The justices’ decision, not expected for several months, could affect similar laws enacted by another 25 states and a range of other efforts to regulate the lives of transgender people, including which sports competitions they can join and which bathrooms they can use. The case is being weighed by a conservative-dominated court after a presidential election in which Donald Trump and his allies promised to roll back protections for transgender people. The Biden administration’s top Supreme Court lawyer warned a decision favorable to Tennessee also could be used to justify nationwide restrictions on transgender healthcare for minors. Peter Navarro served prison time related to Jan. 6. Now Trump is bringing him back as an adviser WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump is bringing Peter Navarro back to the White House for his second administration. Trump announced Wednesday on Truth Social that Navarro will serve as a senior counselor for trade and manufacturing. He was a trade adviser in Trump's first term. Navarro served four months in prison after being held in contempt of Congress for defying a subpoena from the House committee that investigated the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Trump also chose Daniel Driscoll as Army secretary, Jared Isaacman as NASA administrator and Adam Boehler as special presidential envoy for hostage affairs. Israeli strikes on a Gaza tent camp kill at least 21 people, hospital says KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP) — A Palestinian health official said Wednesday that at least 21 people were killed in Israeli strikes on a camp housing displaced people in Gaza. The Israeli military said it struck senior Hamas militants. The strikes hit in the Muwasi area, a sprawling coastal camp housing hundreds of thousands of displaced people. It came after Israeli forces struck targets in other areas of Gaza. According to Palestinian medics, strikes in central Gaza killed eight people, including four children. The war in Gaza is nearly 14 months old and showing no end in sight, despite international efforts to revive negotiations toward a ceasefire. South Korean President Yoon's martial law declaration raises questions over his political future SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — President Yoon Suk Yeol’s stunning martial law declaration lasted just hours, but experts say it raised serious questions about his ability to govern for the remaining 2 1/2 years of his term. The opposition-controlled parliament overturned the edict, and his rivals on Wednesday took steps to impeach him. Yoon's move baffled many experts. One analyst called his action “political suicide.” Yoon’s political fate may depend on whether a large number of people in coming days take to the streets to push for his ouster. Yoon hasn't commented on the impeachment bid. But the political instability he unleashed could make it more difficult for his government to nurse a decaying economy. French lawmakers vote to oust prime minister in the first successful no-confidence vote since 1962 PARIS (AP) — France’s far-right and left-wing lawmakers have joined together to vote on a no-confidence motion prompted by budget disputes that forces Prime Minister Michel Barnier and his Cabinet to resign. The National Assembly approved the motion by 331 votes. A minimum of 288 were needed. President Emmanuel Macron insisted he will serve the rest of his term until 2027. However, he will need to appoint a new prime minister for the second time after July’s legislative elections led to a deeply divided parliament. Macron will address the French on Thursday evening, his office said, without providing details. Barnier is expected to formally resign by then. White House says at least 8 US telecom firms, dozens of nations impacted by China hacking campaign WASHINGTON (AP) — A top White House official says at least eight U.S. telecom firms and dozens of nations have been impacted by a Chinese hacking campaign. Deputy national security adviser Anne Neuberger offered the new details Wednesday about the breadth of the sprawling Chinese hacking campaign that gave officials in Beijing access to private texts and phone conversations of an unknown number of Americans. Neuberger divulged the scope of the hack a day after the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency issued guidance intended to help root out the hackers and prevent similar cyberespionage in the future. White House officials cautioned that a number of telecommunication firms and countries impacted could still grow. Harris found success with women who have cats, but Trump got the dog owner vote: AP VoteCast WASHINGTON (AP) — The lead-up to the 2024 election was all about cat owners. But in the end, the dogs had their day. Donald Trump won more than half of voters who own either cats or dogs, and he had with a big assist from dog owners. That's according to AP VoteCast, a survey of more than 120,000 voters. Dog owners were much more likely to support Trump over Kamala Harris. Cat owners were evenly split between the two candidates. Harris did end up decisively winning support from women who own a cat but no dog. Past comments by Trump's running mate, JD Vance, about “childless cat ladies” briefly became a campaign issue.

AN AMERICAN MOMENT"Too many of our people worship a false ideal, and that ideal is called Zionism. It takes our biblical story and turns it into colonialism and genocide. From the start, Zionism has violated human freedom and killed Palestinian children," accuses Naomi Klein, the Canadian activist and author. "October 7 was an act of military resistance. It is neither terrorism nor antisemitism – it was an attack on Israelis," claims prominent American philosopher and gender theorist Judith Butler. Though long associated with feminist values, Butler questioned reports of sexual assaults and rapes during the October attack in Israel, stating: "We want to see proof that these events occurred. It’s not a crime to demand evidence of rape and assault." "The military operation in Gaza goes far beyond self-defense. It enters the realm of collective punishment," analyzes Dr. Norman Finkelstein, a political scientist and outspoken critic of Israel. Finkelstein, who has previously referred to Gaza as a "concentration camp," described the October 7 events as "heroic." What ties these harsh criticisms together is their source: They all come from Jews. These individuals, often labeled "self-hating Jews" or "antisemitic Jews," belong to a phenomenon that has accompanied the Jewish people for generations, reappearing at critical junctions in history. Since the establishment of the State of Israel, anti-Zionist Jews have not hesitated to attack it, questioning the concept of Jewish self-determination and even the legitimacy of Israel's founding. Roots of Anti-Zionist Jewish criticism How can one explain the phenomenon of Jews opposing the legitimacy of Israel? Professor Maoz Azaryahu of the University of Haifa, head of the Herzl Institute for the Study of Zionism, explains: "What we’re seeing now, after the October 7 attack, is the same narrative dominating the global radical left for years – anti-Zionism on steroids. It aligns perfectly with old Catholic ideology, which is why it resonates strongly in countries like Spain and Ireland. Today, anti-Zionism is a socially acceptable stance among educated circles and global academia. From their perspective, Zionism is a moral injustice that should be eradicated." ( Naomi Klein denounces 'false Zionism' ) Azaryahu continues: "When Jews openly and vehemently oppose Zionism, it’s a sign of an antisemitic climate. These are Jews who feel the need to say, ‘We are not them – they are the bad Jews; we are the good ones.’" Why has Zionism become such a global obsession? "I think their obsession with Israel stems from the country’s success," Azaryahu posits. "Israel is one of the last nation-states to emerge, and the radical left is inherently against the idea of the nation-state. According to their thesis, Israel was ‘born in sin.’ That’s their entire story: the sin is the Nakba, and what is born in sin must be erased. In their eyes, there was a Palestinian people here, and suddenly imperialist nations and Jewish-Zionist colonialism collaborated to dispossess the Palestinian Arab people, leading to the establishment of Israel. That’s their narrative." Even if historical events occurred as they claim, what do they expect to happen now, in 2024? What, in their view, could 'correct' this so-called sin? "They want a state of all its citizens, something akin to Syria or Lebanon. Then October 7 comes along, delivering a massive slap in the face, as they see the reality of their ‘dream.’ October 7 proves that their solution – a state where everyone coexists peacefully without a Jewish or Zionist identity – cannot materialize. Perhaps that’s their greatest fear because they’ve received a stark reflection of what would happen here without borders or an IDF. The anti-Zionists have built an 80-story tower of arguments against Israel, but the problem is their theories lack a ground floor. That’s why October 7 is so horrifying for them, and why they try to downplay or deny parts of the attack, shifting the focus to Israel’s response." Naomi Klein and the politics of memory One of the most prominent Jewish voices against Israel is Naomi Klein, a Canadian journalist and author well-known in radical leftist circles. In a recent article in The Guardian, Klein argued that Israel’s "commemoration industry" surrounding the events of October 7 is an attempt to weaponize trauma to justify its actions in Gaza. ( 'October 7 was uprising': Judith Butler ) "To understand her argument, you first need to understand where Klein is coming from," explains Azaryahu. "She belongs to a school of thought that divides the world into two categories: victims and aggressors. The intellectual battle is over who qualifies as the victim, as the victim is seen as the moral victor. In their worldview, Jews in Israel are not allowed to claim victimhood. When we assert that we were the target of a brutal attack, she accuses us of deception because, in her view, we are inherently the aggressors – ‘white colonialists.’ We’re playing a role that, according to her, doesn’t belong to us. Essentially, she’s ordering us: ‘Don’t touch my victims, the Gazans.’" Klein goes further, claiming that Israel’s memorial efforts – such as ceremonies, monuments, songs, tours of affected areas, and exhibitions like the Nova music festival memorial – are merely tactics to shock the public and legitimize Israel's military response. As a scholar of commemoration, Azaryahu sees this as Klein’s attempt to protect her constructed narrative of victimhood. "What she’s saying is that to preserve her victims' narrative, she must deny what happened on October 7. This borders on Holocaust denial. ‘Don’t recount what happened because it detracts attention from the real victims.’" A culture of commemoration Israelis engage in extensive and diverse forms of commemoration, according to Azaryahu. "Commemoration is part of Israel’s cultural DNA," the professor explains. "It’s a deeply ingrained sense of obligation to memory that transcends politics or the current conflict in Gaza. This commitment to remembrance dates back to 1945, immediately after the Holocaust, when Jewish communities sought to document the world that was destroyed and the crimes committed. 1 View gallery Norman Finkelstein ( Photo: A Katz / Shutterstock.com ) "It’s intrinsic to Israeli culture and has nothing to do with Klein’s political critiques. Who is Naomi Klein to dictate to families and communities how they should remember and mourn? Political arguments against the state are one thing, but she has no right to interfere with communal or familial remembrance." Technological advancements have also influenced modern commemoration practices. "In the past, during the Holocaust or the Yom Kippur War, there was no TikTok or WhatsApp. Today, we have tools that allow for one-to-one documentation, creating vivid memorials. These aren’t politically motivated but arise organically from people’s desire to remember and show exactly what happened." Get the Ynetnews app on your smartphone: Google Play : https://bit.ly/4eJ37pE | Apple App Store : https://bit.ly/3ZL7iNv Israel indeed leads the world in commemoration efforts, with more memorials per capita and per square kilometer than any other country. "It’s part of our cultural tradition, perhaps because we are an ancient people with a long memory. The detailed documentation of every incident from October 7 may also stem from a need to counter denial narratives, a lesson learned from Holocaust denial efforts." Jewish schism over Zionism In Israel and the broader Jewish world, many are grappling with the question of why some Jews so aggressively oppose the Jewish state. For Azaryahu, "Jews who publicly and vehemently oppose Zionism are often responding to antisemitic pressures. They feel the need to declare, ‘We aren’t like them – the bad Jews. We’re the good ones.’ Today, the barriers against antisemitism have collapsed, and some Jews feel compelled to align themselves with what they see as the ‘just side.’" Israeli response to such critics often points to a harsh reality: When antisemites come for the Jews, they won’t differentiate between "good" and "bad" Jews. Azaryahu recalls a debate he once had with a Jewish woman from England: "She was criticizing me over various things Israel does. I finally told her, ‘Don’t worry – if things get bad and they come for you in England, you’ll always have a place here under the Law of Return.’ You should’ve seen her face – it was priceless," he laughs. >

Hybrid classes coming to Surrey high schools to combat overcrowdingSavion Williams rushed for two touchdowns and Josh Hoover threw for 252 yards as TCU pulled away from Arizona in the second half, winning 49-28 on Saturday in Fort Worth, Texas. The Horned Frogs (7-4, 5-3 Big 12) scored touchdowns on five consecutive possessions, starting late in the first half after the Wildcats (4-7, 2-6) pulled within 14-13. Williams carried nine times for 80 yards, scoring on runs of 1 and 20 yards in the first half. Hoover completed 19 of 26 passes, with one touchdown and one interception, before being pulled midway through the fourth quarter when the Frogs were up by 21. TCU took control after leading 21-13 at halftime, going up 35-13 on a 38-yard reception to JP Richardson midway through the third. Arizona kept its hopes alive, ending a 15-play, 75-yard drive with a 3-yard touchdown pass to Chris Hunter on fourth down on the first play of the fourth quarter. The two-point conversion made it 35-21. But the Horned Frogs responded with another TD drive, capped by a 6-yard run by Cam Cook for a 42-21 advantage. Arizona added a 70-yard fumble return touchdown with one minute to go for the game's final score. Tetairoa McMillan caught nine passes for 115 yards to become the Arizona career leader in receiving yardage with 3,355. He surpassed his receivers coach, Bobby Wade (3,351), at the top spot. The Wildcats' Noah Fifita completed 29 of 44 passes for 284 yards with two touchdowns and an interception, which happened on the game's first snap. TCU promptly scored on a 4-yard run by Trent Battle, and Williams added a 1-yard TD run late in the first quarter for a 14-0 lead. But the Wildcats fought back, getting a 17-yard touchdown reception by Hunter and field goals of 53 and 43 yards from Tyler Loop to climb within 14-13 with 1:55 go before halftime. That's almost how the half ended, but the Horned Frogs converted third-and-18 on the ensuing drive and then gained 24 yards on third-and-25 to the Arizona 20. That set up a 20-yard run by Williams on fourth-and-1 with 13 seconds left for a 21-13 lead. --Field Level Media

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