World News

Gun Stash Near Berlin Linked to Suspected Russian Plot

Germany

Gun Stash Near Berlin Linked to Suspected Russian Plot

German security authorities discovered handguns stashed in a forest near Berlin last year and believe the weapons were intended for assassinations carried out on behalf of Russian intelligence, Süddeutsche Zeitung reported on Friday.

The report, published together with the broadcasters NDR and WDR, cited unspecified sources and said prosecutors were investigating the case under allegations relating to planning serious violence that could pose a threat to the state.
The Russian embassy did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Weapons Found Near Berlin
Süddeutsche Zeitung said German investigators uncovered the weapons in the forest near Berlin last year. The newspaper did not specify where exactly in the area the cache was located, or provide additional details about the handguns beyond describing them as firearms stored for operational use.
The report said federal authorities regarded the stash as connected to a wider effort they believed involved Russian services.
Investigation And Suspected Set-Up
According to Süddeutsche Zeitung, one suspect was arrested in Romania and may have been involved in arranging the storage of the weapons.
The federal public prosecutor’s office is investigating the matter on suspicion of planning a serious act of violence that would pose a threat to the state, the report said. It added that Germany’s domestic intelligence service had been warning of a higher risk of Russian sabotage or assassination attempts.
The newspaper reported that the domestic intelligence service was convinced that those responsible for setting up the weapons cache were acting on instructions from Russian services.
Prosecutors and the domestic intelligence service declined to comment on the allegations.
Possible Assassination Targets
The report said the domestic intelligence service assessed that the planned violence could have been aimed at people connected to Germany’s defence sector, including defence industry executives.
It also said possible targets included exiled opposition figures and supporters of Ukraine.
Süddeutsche Zeitung did not name any individuals and did not provide further information about any confirmed links between the weapons cache and the people investigators believed could have been targeted. It also did not specify whether charges had been brought against any of the suspects.
Russia’s embassy had not responded to a request for comment at the time of publication.


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21 August 2026

• 9 comments
• 386 views

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August 21Aug 21

French Forces Halt More Small Boats Bound for Britain

UK-Asylum crisis

French Forces Halt More Small Boats Bound for Britain

French police tactics are becoming more effective at preventing small boats from reaching Britain across the English Channel, the Home Office said.

The department credited French authorities with intercepting 185 potential crossings involving 4,300 migrants over four separate weeks this summer. It also said French forces stopped 12 boats at sea using new techniques.
Footage released by French police shows officers running across a beach in jeeps to intercept a launch. After a boat is abandoned, an officer slashes through it lengthways with a knife.
Home Office Figures On This Summer’s Stops
The Conservatives dismissed the announcement, describing it as a “joke” and saying Channel crossing preventions were “down by half” over the past year.
Arrivals have fallen compared with last year, with crossings down by about 40%. However, thousands of people are still reaching the UK, including 250 who arrived on Monday.
In late July, a record 165 migrants reached Britain in a single boat that arrived in Dover on 23 July. Border Security Command footage showed the boat towing a “mega dinghy” estimated to be around 13m (42ft) long.
The Home Office said that, based on French police figures, since the UK reached a deal with France three months ago—supported by additional funding—61% of small boats have been intercepted. It said this was an increase of 5 percentage points on the previous year.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the “UK-France deal is already having a real impact”.
Deal Funding And Interception Methods
The UK-France Border Security deal, agreed in April under the Starmer government, includes £501m over three years to strengthen operations in northern France, and £161m for new approaches.
The UK said the new French techniques have not been disclosed. It added that French authorities previously allowed most dinghies to head towards the UK once they had launched because of the risk of intercepting them in deep water, when boats were loaded with people.
Of the 12 dinghies stopped so far at sea, the Home Office said three interceptions took place in the last two weeks.
Charlie Eastaugh, director of maritime and small boats at the Border Security Command, said on BBC coverage that the French stopped “all three of the boats that tried to cross” last Thursday. He said two were prevented at sea and one was prevented on land.
He also said claims that bad weather was responsible for fewer crossings “demonstrates absolutely that the French are being effective” at stopping boats. Eastaugh said the authorities must keep working with French partners to prevent people continuing to cross.
The Home Office said 425 migrants crossed the Channel on five boats during three days of good weather in the last week.
Wider Strategy Against Smuggling Networks
Stopping the supply chain for crossings is described as a first layer of tactics. Police in Germany have seized items including dinghies, outboard engines and life preservers, while nearer the coast officers have found boats buried on beaches and in cars being moved towards the shoreline.
It said smugglers have turned to using bigger boats when equipment becomes harder to obtain. Earlier this month, a “mega-dinghy” carrying 230 people was intercepted in the Channel.
A second layer is focused on stopping migrants launching from beaches. The Home Office said a BBC team previously witnessed police slashing an inflatable boat with a knife to prevent it being used, and that this technique is now being used more often.
Eastaugh said the most difficult challenge is interception at sea, adding that if boats reach British waters, Border Force is legally obliged to pick them up, reducing the deterrent for would-be smugglers.
Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said the UK needs “a proper deterrent”, arguing that if people believe they can stay in the UK, be housed in hotels and claim benefits, crossings will continue.
Earlier this month, Reform UK said that if elected it would intercept boats crossing the English Channel and return migrants to French ports, even if France disagreed. The French interior ministry said the approach would “constitute a violation of French sovereignty”.


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21 August 2026

• 7 comments
• 385 views

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August 21Aug 21

Meghan May Return To Acting After UK Move

Report

Meghan May Return To Acting After UK Move

The Duchess of Sussex could resume an acting career if she and Prince Harry move back to Britain, according to media reports. Sources close to the Sussexes have not denied claims that Meghan has been offered a role in an upcoming project.

The suggestion first appeared in Australian outlet news.com.au, which reported that one reason for the couple’s decision to return to the UK was that the duchess had received an offer related to a forthcoming production.
No details about the part or the project have been confirmed.
Return Dates and Children’s School Start
Harry and Meghan are expected to arrive back in Britain before the end of August. Their children—Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five—are due to begin school in September.
Meghan’s acting work previously centred on the US legal drama Suits, in which she played lawyer Rachel Zane for seven seasons. Her final episode of the show aired in 2018.
After marrying Prince Harry, the duchess placed her acting career on hold. In an earlier interview with the BBC, she said she did not see stepping back from acting as something she was losing, describing it instead as “a new chapter”.
Acting Cameo After Long Break
Nearly a decade after stepping away from regular work, Meghan returned to acting for the first time in around nine years. She appeared in a cameo as herself in the upcoming comedy Close Personal Friends, which stars Lily Collins and Brie Larson.
The reports of a possible new role suggest she may be considering another return to the industry once based in the UK again.
A return to acting could also provide financial benefits. The BBC understands that, while she plans to be based in Britain, Meghan also intends to develop the global reach of her US-based lifestyle and cooking brand, As Ever.
Private Move Outside London
Prince Harry and Meghan plan to relocate from the US to a private, non-royal residence outside London. The move is also described as part of preparations for their children’s education, with Archie and Lilibet enrolled to start school in September.
The decision comes after a July visit by Harry, Meghan and their children to see King Charles III at his Highgrove home in Gloucestershire.
It was the first time the King had met his grandchildren in person for more than four years. It was also the couple’s first visit to the UK together since 2022.
The BBC understands that the King was not aware of the move before the weekend before the report, but that he welcomes the chance to see the Sussex family more often in a private and personal capacity.
There are no current plans for either Prince Harry or Meghan to resume duties as working royals.
Harry’s Legal Case Costs Expected
Separately, Harry is expected on Friday to learn more about how much the Daily Mail publisher would have to pay in costs, alongside other prominent claimants, after a failed legal battle.
The group included Sir Elton John, Baroness Doreen Lawrence and Elizabeth Hurley. They sued Associated Newspapers Limited over allegations of unlawful information gathering, but last month all their claims were dismissed.



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21 August 2026

• 19 comments
• 352 views

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August 21Aug 21

Record El Niño raises risk of extreme global weather

Weather

Record El Niño raises risk of extreme global weather

The Met Office has warned that the El Niño weather pattern developing over the Pacific Ocean is likely to be the strongest in living memory, with implications for global temperatures and the risk of extreme weather.

El Niño events can push up average temperatures worldwide and can alter rainfall and wind patterns across the globe. The Met Office said the effects of human-driven climate change, alongside El Niño, make it “very likely” that 2027 will be the warmest year on record.
There is already evidence that the changing climate patterns associated with El Niño are taking hold, including below-average monsoon rainfall in India and lower hurricane activity in the Atlantic.
The Met Office also warned that the UK could face a higher chance of a wet and stormy autumn as the event develops.
What Met Office Forecasts Suggest
The Met Office said sea-surface temperature anomalies across a key region of the Pacific are currently well above normal, with measurements showing levels more than 2C higher than average. Forecasts indicate the anomalies could rise beyond 3C later this year as El Niño approaches its peak.
The Met Office’s forecasts suggest this would be unprecedented in temperature records dating back to 1950, and could be the most intense event since the 19th century.
The warning comes as warmer conditions deeper in the ocean may add to the strength of the episode. In some places, temperatures at around 100m (330ft) in the Pacific are about 8C above average, providing additional heat that can help reinforce the event.
Prof Adam Scaife, head of long-range forecasting at the Met Office, said the signal in forecasts has been exceptionally strong, adding: “I have never seen an El Niño signal this intense in our forecasts.”
How El Niño Works
El Niño is a naturally occurring climate pattern that typically appears every two to seven years and lasts for around a year. It is linked to changes in Pacific trade winds, which usually blow from east to west.
During El Niño, these winds can weaken or reverse, allowing warm surface water to spread eastwards. As heat is released from the ocean into the atmosphere, global temperatures rise and rainfall patterns shift.
Scientists identify an El Niño when sea-surface temperatures in the central Pacific are at least 0.5C above average. Current measurements are well beyond that threshold, according to the Met Office.
In comments reported by the Met Office, Dr Zeke Hausfather, a climate scientist at Berkeley Earth, said the ongoing development over coming months has increased confidence the event could be record-setting. Other climate groups have projected an even stronger outcome, potentially reaching around 4C above average.
Hausfather said it is possible, though not certain, that the event could be among the most intense El Niños for centuries, adding that evidence for such comparisons becomes increasingly difficult further back in time.
Impacts Seen Around the World
El Niño does not affect every region in the same way, and impacts can differ from one event to the next. However, the Met Office said there are signs that influences are already being felt.
It pointed to suppressed southwest monsoon rainfall in South Asia, with 2026 running well below normal. It also said shifts in wind patterns in the Caribbean and tropical Atlantic can reduce hurricane activity, with only three named storms recorded so far this season.
In areas near the tropical Pacific, the Met Office said El Niño can contribute to drought and bushfire risk in Australia, while also increasing the threat of flooding in parts of Peru, Ecuador and the southern United States.
What It Could Mean for the UK
The Met Office said El Niño is not thought to be a major driver of the record-breaking heatwaves seen this summer. It suggested the pattern could have greater influence on weather later in the year.
It said the risk of wetter and stormier conditions could increase across north-west Europe during autumn and early winter, including the UK. It also noted that El Niño can affect the odds of cold weather later in winter, although the link is described as less clear.
2027 “Very Likely” Hottest Year
During El Niño, heat released from the ocean into the atmosphere can raise global average temperatures, particularly in the calendar year following the winter peak of the event. Dr Nick Dunstone, a climate scientist at the Met Office, said this makes 2027 “very likely” to replace 2024 as the warmest year on record.
Earlier this month, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization warned that El Niño could threaten tens of millions of people in at-risk countries with crisis-level acute food insecurity.


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21 August 2026

• 46 comments
• 502 views

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August 21Aug 21

Trump Wants Kim’s Friendship, South Korea Faces the Risk

USA

Trump Wants Kim’s Friendship, South Korea Faces the Risk

South Korea’s annual military exercises with the United States ended abruptly on Friday after the US ordered a substantial reduction in the programme, days after President Donald Trump criticised the drills as costly and “inappropriate and hostile” towards North Korea.

The Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises, which involve 18,000 South Korean troops and 11 other American ally nations, were stopped with only half of the planned schedule completed. The decision came after Trump instructed the Pentagon to scale down the drill.
The abrupt change caught Seoul’s allies off guard. Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said the move reflected mutual agreement, but he also acknowledged that officials in South Korea had not been informed in advance of Trump’s intention to reduce the exercise.
The development is likely to worry other partners in the region, including Taiwan and Japan, which have relied on US security guarantees. It also adds to uncertainty around what Trump may do next with the US military presence in Asia.
Alliance, Consultations and South Korea’s Concerns
Seoul has traditionally viewed the annual drills as central to the alliance, demonstrating US commitment to defend South Korea against Pyongyang. While the exercises have sometimes been scaled down or suspended to encourage dialogue with North Korea, Trump’s unilateral and sudden action has shaken South Korean confidence in the reliability of the alliance, according to Jo Bee-yun, a senior research fellow at the Atlantic Council.
There is concern that the Trump administration could go further, including drawing down the 27,000 US troops stationed in South Korea, or reversing the longstanding policy of seeking North Korea’s denuclearisation without consulting Seoul.
The two Koreas are still technically at war because they did not sign a peace treaty after the Korean War. Reunification has remained a key element of North Korea’s ideology, though Kim Jong Un abandoned the goal in 2024.
Even as diplomacy efforts fluctuate, threats against South Korea have continued. North Korea launched ballistic missiles towards Japan days before the drills were due to start and repeated warnings that it could use nuclear weapons if the country was threatened. More missiles were launched on Thursday.
Security Meets Trade Pressure
Beyond security, Trump’s approach has increasingly connected military and economic issues. He has criticised South Korea for not joining US action against Iran and has also raised complaints about South Korea’s commercial and financial commitments.
US officials have said South Korea’s $1bn (£734m) annual spending to host US troops is insufficient, that it has been slow to invest the $350bn it pledged, and that it discriminates against American companies operating in the country.
As trade disputes move into the national security sphere, some analysts have argued that South Korea may need to reduce its reliance on the United States.
Cheong Seong-chang, vice-president at the Sejong Institute and a proponent of South Korea developing its own nuclear weapons, said Seoul should keep the alliance but also take steps to build an independent nuclear deterrent. He said that position reflects a debate over whether South Korea should acquire a bomb.
Public support for such a move is reported to be strong, but the government has argued that acquiring nuclear weapons is unnecessary and could harm South Korea’s broader network of alliances. That view could shift if the United States withdraws further from Asia, according to analysts cited in the discussion.
South Korea Tries To Manage the Fallout
South Korea’s leadership has sought to frame Trump’s decision as a step towards peace. President Lee Jae Myung praised Trump in a post on X, saying the decision was bold and reflected deep consideration to achieve peace. Lee also pledged to increase defence spending and said South Korea agrees it should take responsibility for its own security.
Trump has said he expects to meet Kim Jong Un later this year, while also claiming he has a “great relationship” with Kim, telling reporters on Wednesday: “He likes me”. Kim Yo Jong, Kim Jong Un’s sister, said she knew nothing about Trump’s claim that her brother had contacted him and said it “must be the only thing I am unaware of” in foreign policy. She also reiterated that North Korea would never give up its nuclear weapons and said the scaling down of the drills did not merit her country’s interest or comment, adding it does not change their “hostile and offensive nature”, according to state media.
Experts say another summit is unlikely unless Trump is prepared to publicly accept North Korea as a nuclear state. They point to Kim’s strengthening ties with Russia and China, which may reduce incentives for further concessions.
The reduction in drills is seen as a major concession for North Korea and also for Beijing, which views the exercises as a threat. Jo Bee-yun said South Korea has limited options to defend itself against North Korea, making the US alliance a matter of life and death.


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21 August 2026

• 9 comments
• 327 views

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August 21Aug 21

Swiss Tourist Jailed for Insulting Bali’s Day of Silence

Report

Swiss Tourist Jailed for Insulting Bali’s Day of Silence

A court in Bali has sentenced a Swiss tourist to one year in prison for insulting a sacred Hindu observance, after he posted messages online during the island’s Day of Silence.

Luzian Andrin Zgraggen, 26, was convicted on Thursday by the Denpasar District Court of violating Indonesia’s new criminal code. The court found that he posted social media content about Nyepi, known locally as the Day of Silence, when people are expected to stay at home and remain quiet while meditating.
Bali’s Day of Silence
Nyepi usually takes place in March. On the day, Bali’s beaches and streets are empty, with only special patrols operating to help ensure the observance is followed.
The restrictions also include shutting the airport and switching off the internet. The rules apply to everyone on the island, regardless of religion or nationality.
Posts Defied the Shutdown
The court said Zgraggen continued with his behaviour even after staff at the villa where he was staying informed him of the rules.
Prosecutors said the tourist posted messages to social media saying he had ignored the restrictions that bar residents and visitors from leaving their homes or accommodation except in emergencies.
In Instagram posts and accompanying video clips shared online, Zgraggen showed himself smiling at the camera and described walking to a beach during the observance. In one video, he referred to the tradition as “crazy” and used an expletive.
Condemnation and Arrest
The posts were widely shared on social media and drew condemnation from Balinese residents, who said the content was disrespectful.
Authorities tracked Zgraggen down after public complaints and arrested him at a villa in Legian, a tourist area near Kuta Beach.
Court Findings and Defence
At the hearing, which began in June, the Swiss tourist told the court he had not intended to insult the Hindu holiday or the Balinese people. He said he made the posts while hungry and frustrated that he could not obtain food during the shutdown, and he added that he had not fully understood the scope of the restrictions.
In his defence plea, Zgraggen said he regretted what he did and apologised.
The judge said Zgraggen’s actions offended Balinese people, harmed their faith and provoked public anger, and that he needed to be held accountable.
Officials have previously detained foreign and domestic tourists for leaving their accommodation during Nyepi, but such cases have often been resolved without prosecution.

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21 August 2026

• 35 comments
• 815 views

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August 20Aug 20

USS George Washington Arrives to Cover Lincoln Deployment

Middle East

USS George Washington Arrives to Cover Lincoln Deployment

The US Navy’s aircraft carrier USS George Washington has arrived in the Middle East to relieve the USS Abraham Lincoln from a prolonged deployment, as concerns have been raised about conditions onboard and crew morale.

US Central Command said on Thursday that the Washington reached the region on Wednesday. The command posted an image of sailors working on the carrier’s flight deck during the ship’s transit through the Arabian Sea. Central Command did not announce a date for the Lincoln’s return to the United States.
Carrier Expected To Swap Roles
The Lincoln has been deployed for more than 250 days supporting US operations against Iran, with reports saying it has had no significant port visit and no stated timeline for the 5,000 sailors aboard to go home. The Washington is expected to take over the tasking currently assigned to the Lincoln.
Families Describe Shortages And Strain
This comes as family members of sailors serving on the Lincoln have described worsening living conditions and morale. A sailor’s wife, speaking to the Guardian, said she had been able to see only brief glimpses of life aboard the ship through text messages, and that the tone of her husband’s messages changed as the deployment continued.
She said he rarely complained directly, but that photos he sent of meals led her to believe supplies were running low and that sailors were not getting enough calories. She also described concerns about fatigue and the impact of staying at sea for an extended period without regular breaks.
Her account echoed reporting by US military newspapers, including Navy Times and Stars and Stripes, which cited reports from crew families of food and water shortages, disrupted mail services, plumbing problems and low morale. Those reports also raised concerns about mental health and prompted Democratic lawmakers to seek answers from the Pentagon.
US Command Says Mental-Health Cases Are Lower
During a visit over the weekend, Adm Brad Cooper of US Central Command said in a statement that the Lincoln currently has among the lowest number of mental-health cases among the navy’s 11 active aircraft carriers. He added that this did not mean conditions were “perfect” and said long deployments at sea are “uniquely challenging and tough”.
A navy official, responding to earlier reports, said the war had disrupted traditional supply hubs. The official also stated that recent reporting from the ship confirmed continuous access to clean water, functional air conditioning and healthy meal options.
Even with that, the sailor’s wife said she remained worried about the long-term effect on her husband and shipmates, citing the stress of operating in a war zone and the absence of stops to reset routines.
Retired Captains Cite The “Human Element”
Carl Otis Schuster, a retired US navy captain, said attention should be given to the “human element” of carrier deployments to avoid similar problems recurring. He argued that crew members can reach a “breaking point”, especially on long deployments, and noted that carriers operate with limited rotation.
Schuster said carriers such as the Lincoln effectively have one crew fulfilling a mission that would normally be shared between two. He added that for ships like the Lincoln, around 70% of the crew are aged 26 or younger and live and work together in confined conditions.
Schuster also addressed remarks by US President Donald Trump last Friday, who said the Lincoln’s deployment was “not nearly long enough”. He said the president may be correct about the strategic need for a carrier in the region for longer, but that the comments “ignore the human element”.
Lory Manning, who served more than 25 years in the navy, said sailors typically leave with expectations about when they will return, and that changes to that timeline can undermine morale. She said aircraft carriers are noisy and crowded, with demanding schedules and little privacy, and that shortages can make extended deployments harder even as crews continue to complete their assigned missions.

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21 August 2026

• Military

• 1 comment
• 115 views

webfact

August 20Aug 20

Israel's Ben-Gvir Posts Video of Gallows for Palestinians

Israel

Israel's Ben-Gvir Posts Video of Gallows for Palestinians

Israel’s national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, has shared a video showing the construction of a gallows complex where Palestinians convicted of terror offences by the military courts system would be hanged.

In the post, Ben-Gvir said the site would include viewing areas for relatives of victims to watch the executions. The minister toured an unidentified location, pointing at foundations being laid as heavy construction work continued in a cordoned-off area, reported to be near a prison.
Ben-Gvir, who has been the subject of international sanctions and criticism, used the video to say he had delivered on plans to tighten punishment for “terrorists” and to advance legislation on the death penalty. He referenced earlier pledges to “worsen” conditions for detainees convicted of terror offences and said the death row and hanging facility were now being built.
Death Penalty Law Narrowly Applies
Reports on the gallows construction follow the passage earlier this year of a law requiring military courts to impose the death penalty as the only sentence available for specified terror-related murder cases, unless judges identify special circumstances that allow life imprisonment.
Under the framework, Palestinian defendants tried in the military court system could face execution, while Jewish extremists are effectively shielded from the death penalty. The distinction comes from a clause that limits the law to murders committed with the intent to “deny the existence of the state of Israel”.
Amnesty International said the law dismantled safeguards intended to prevent arbitrary deprivation of life and accused it of empowering discrimination against Palestinians.
The death penalty legislation was among two laws passed by Israeli MPs this year after a Knesset vote of 62 to 48, drawing widespread international condemnation.
Ben-Gvir’s Record and Calls for Violence
Ben-Gvir has a history of controversial statements and was convicted on charges including incitement to racism, interfering with a police officer carrying out duties, and supporting a terrorist organisation linked to Meir Kahane’s banned Kach movement. He has served as national security minister since 2022, except for a two-month period last year.
In May, he marked his 50th birthday with a cake decorated with an iced image of a noose, according to Israeli media.
More recently, he faced renewed condemnation after comments advocating punitive killings in Gaza. He said he believed there should be “30 to 40 targeted assassinations per night”, adding that people he described as not posing an immediate threat “don’t deserve to live”.
French foreign minister Jean-Noël Barrot said the remarks were “unacceptable and inhuman”. German chancellor Friedrich Merz said he strongly condemned what he described as “inhumane appeals” by the minister that violate international law. The UN secretary general, António Guterres, also criticised the comments as appalling, outrageous, dehumanising and dangerous.
Wider International Criticism Over Settlements
The video emerged as international criticism of Israel’s policies has widened, including new tenders for the E1 settlement block outside Jerusalem. The UK foreign secretary, Ed Miliband, described the E1 move as “unacceptable and destructive”, warning it could separate the West Bank from East Jerusalem. He summoned Israel’s charge d’affaires in protest.
Miliband said the UK opposes E1 privately and publicly and supports a two-state solution as the only route to long-term security for both Palestinians and Israelis, adding that settlements damage that prospect and breach international law.


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21 August 2026

• 68 comments
• 650 views

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August 20Aug 20

Western Powers Condemn Israel E1 Settlement Tender Plans

Israel

Western Powers Condemn Israel E1 Settlement Tender Plans

The UK, France, Germany, Italy and Canada have condemned Israel’s decision to move forward with tenders for new settlement housing in E1, a corridor area east of Jerusalem in the occupied West Bank, calling the step unacceptable and urging it to be withdrawn.

In a joint statement released on Thursday, the five European allies and Canada said the plans should be retracted immediately. They also reiterated that settlements are illegal under international law and said earlier Israeli delays on building in E1 had been linked to international pressure.
Concerns Over Peace Prospects
The statement said the move came at a time of heightened instability in the West Bank, citing unprecedented levels of violence by settlers against civilians and further restrictions on the Palestinian economy.
It said the tendering process would take negotiations further from peace and would also undermine Israel’s standing internationally.
Several governments and Palestinian representatives have warned that the E1 project would damage prospects for a two-state solution. They argue it would effectively split the West Bank and leave east Jerusalem more isolated.
UN Warns Of A Threat To Continuity
Separately, UN Secretary General António Guterres said the E1 plan posed an “existential threat” to a contiguous Palestinian state. Belgium’s foreign minister also issued a similar warning.
Earlier on Thursday, UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband voiced condemnation of the plans. Israel’s foreign minister rejected the criticism, calling it outright.
Tender Details And Wider Context
Despite legal challenges, including a case brought by Bedouin Palestinians in the area and by Israeli peace groups, Israel’s housing ministry issued tenders for construction on Wednesday.
The tender covers 1,234 of the 3,401 housing units approved by the Israeli government last August. The development would cover about 12 sq km (4.6 sq miles) between east Jerusalem and the settlement of Maale Adumim.
RELATED
Israel Opens Tenders for 1,200 West Bank Homes
When the plans were unveiled, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, described by critics as an ultranationalist and settler, said the prospect of a Palestinian state was being removed.
The deadline for bids is 19 October, only days before Israel’s general election on 27 October. That timing, according to opponents, could make it harder for a future government to reverse any tenders already issued.
Israel has built around 160 settlements containing about 700,000 Jewish residents since it captured the West Bank and east Jerusalem in the 1967 Middle East war. Palestinians say the land is needed, alongside Gaza, for a future state. An estimated 3.3 million Palestinians live alongside the settlements.
International criticism has not stopped successive Israeli administrations from allowing settlement expansion. Growth has accelerated since Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu returned to power in late 2022 leading a right-wing, pro-settler coalition, and since the start of the Gaza war following Hamas’s attack on 7 October 2023.
Opponents of E1 have said the project would block a Palestinian state by cutting off the north of the West Bank from the south. They also warn it would prevent the development of a connected urban area in the centre linking Ramallah, east Jerusalem and Bethlehem.

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21 August 2026

• 3 comments
• 233 views

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August 20Aug 20

EU Warns of Escalating Threats After Romania Destroys Drone

EU

EU Warns of Escalating Threats After Romania Destroys Drone

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said a naval drone carrying explosives destroyed by Romania near a Black Sea gas project forms part of a wider escalation in the region.

Romania said F-16 fighter jets destroyed the drone after it was spotted a few hundred metres from the Neptun Deep offshore gas project. The European Commission said the incident highlighted the rising danger to critical energy infrastructure in the Black Sea, where drones and mines linked to Russia’s war in Ukraine have increasingly targeted shipping and energy routes.
Black Sea Threat to Energy Assets
Neptun Deep is expected to help make Romania the European Union’s largest gas producer when it comes onstream in 2027.
NATO-member Romania shares a 614km land border with Ukraine and has faced repeated incursions linked to the war, including Russian drones breaching its airspace over the past four years, as well as mines floating in the Black Sea across key trade and energy corridors.
"This is hybrid warfare. The founding mission of our Union is to preserve peace. Today, that also means having the capacity to deter provocation and aggression." Ms von der Leyen said the country’s action took place against a backdrop of repeated attacks on sensitive infrastructure.
Von Der Leyen: Escalating Campaign of Threats
"Today, Romania destroyed a naval drone carrying explosives near its Neptun Deep platform in the Black Sea. An escalating campaign of threats is under way, unsettling our citizens and seeking to divide our Union," Ms von der Leyen said.
She added that the incident should be viewed as part of hybrid warfare, saying the EU’s task is to preserve peace while maintaining the ability to deter provocation and aggression.
Earlier Drone Disposals in the Region
The latest destruction follows a similar incident earlier this month, when army divers destroyed two Gerbera-type drones drifting in Romania’s exclusive economic zone near the offshore Neptun Deep project.
"In order to protect the lives of the several hundred people working on the platform and to secure critical infrastructure, the decision was made to destroy (the marine drone)," Mr Miruta said in a Facebook post. He did not state where the drone came from, but said Ukraine had confirmed it did not belong to its forces.
Romanian President Nicusor Dan blamed Russia for the kinds of incidents, saying such events had intensified.
"I strongly condemn the intensification of these types of irresponsible incidents on the part of the Russian Federation," he wrote in a separate Facebook statement.
"We remain vigilant alongside NATO allies to defend ourselves and repel such challenges."
NATO Mine-Clearing and Regional Cooperation
NATO has said Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey, which all border the Black Sea alongside Georgia, Russia and Ukraine, have neutralised more than 150 mines drifting across trade lanes.
In July, the three countries agreed to expand a joint task force that clears mines floating in the Black Sea. The expanded work is intended not only to remove mines, but also to carry out missions to protect critical infrastructure.
Romania’s Neptun Deep is jointly owned by OMV Petrom and state gas producer Romgaz.

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20 August 2026

• 1 comment
• 116 views

webfact

August 20Aug 20

Engraved Bullet Says Charlie Kirk Was Killed Over Politics

USA

Engraved Bullet Says Charlie Kirk Was Killed Over Politics

Prosecutors in the case of Charlie Kirk’s killing have told a court that an engraved bullet found with the suspected weapon points to a political motive.

In filings submitted on Tuesday, prosecutors said the inscription on the ammunition—“Hey Facist! CATCH!”—was an explicit political reference. They argued it shows that the defendant, Tyler Robinson, was targeting Kirk because of how Robinson viewed his politics.
Death Penalty eligibility at issue
The arguments are central to whether Robinson, 23, could face the death penalty if convicted. Prosecutors and defence lawyers have lodged competing documents on aggravating factors that would make him eligible.
Among the issues raised are whether the shooting was politically motivated, and whether the attack put thousands of people at risk during Kirk’s event at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10. Robinson is charged with aggravated murder and other offences and has not entered a plea. He turned himself in a day after the shooting.
Evidence presented in July hearing
The latest court submissions came after a five-day preliminary hearing in July. Prosecutors presented what Kirk’s family described as “overwhelming” evidence, while defence attorneys challenged analysts’ findings and the reliability of some evidence.
After the hearing, Kirk’s family said in a statement that the case had shown “the overwhelming evidence of what occurred” and called for a process that is fair, transparent and based on facts. Judge Tony Graf said he would decide whether the case proceeds to trial after hearing arguments again from both sides on Sept. 1.
Texts, notes and witness statements cited
Prosecutors also pointed to alleged communications tying Robinson to Kirk. They said Robinson wrote in a text message about Kirk: “I had enough of his hatred. Some hate can't be negotiated out.”
Robinson’s lawyers have argued that the message is not sufficient to prove political animus. They did not respond immediately to a request for comment on Tuesday’s filing.
Before his death, Kirk co-founded Turning Point USA and helped galvanise the conservative youth vote ahead of Donald Trump’s second-term victory. Prosecutors said Kirk’s positions on same-sex marriage and gender-affirming care contrasted with Robinson, whose politics, they allege, were aligned against Kirk.
Prosecutors said Robinson was in a romantic relationship with his roommate, Lance Twiggs. Twiggs told investigators he had considered gender transition around the time of Kirk’s killing. Prosecutors also cited a handwritten note they say Robinson left for Twiggs, which read: “I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk, and I took it.”
In a recorded interview shown in court last month, Twiggs said he had not heard Robinson talk about Kirk before the shooting. Twiggs told investigators that Robinson rarely discussed gender or LGBTQ+ rights, but did sometimes talk about politics, including Mr Trump. The Associated Press asked Twiggs’ attorney for comment.
Dispute over risk to others
Defence lawyers have also challenged a potential sentence enhancement connected to endangering others. They argued the shooter “hit the intended target”.
Prosecutors said many people were within a “zone of danger” when Kirk was shot from a rooftop, and that the crowd at the university event meant thousands could have been at risk.

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20 August 2026

• 19 comments
• 367 views

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August 20Aug 20

Trump Unveils Another White House Construction Project

USA

Trump Unveils Another White House Construction Project

President Donald Trump gave reporters an impromptu tour of White House construction on Wednesday, showing the replacement of the residence’s driveway and progress on a new helipad, while also addressing earlier changes to the landing site.
Driveway Replacement Completed
Standing on the South Lawn, Trump invited journalists to walk through work that he said had already been finished: the replacement of the driveway surface. He said it had previously been asphalt and that it was “not appropriate for a great house”, before pointing out a new white granite.
Trump described the stone as California-mined and called it “very special.” During the walkthrough, he appeared to focus on details of the installation, including the positioning of posts and the shaping of the granite, which he said was meant to remove potholes.
The tour also included Trump signing a large slab of granite. He said the slab would be “flipped” and then set into the helipad as part of the ongoing work.
Changes To the Helipad
Trump also said he had been unhappy with the slope of the helipad when it was first built, and that he had pushed for it to be adjusted earlier this month.
Construction on the landing zone began shortly after his UFC fight in June, but CNN reported that the stone was dismantled weeks later. The White House previously declined to explain the change. Trump told reporters on Wednesday that he believed the slope was too steep, saying it was meant for rain but that he wanted it to be “dead flat”.
When speaking later to construction workers, Trump said the effort had taken “an extra week-and-a-half”, and said lifting the surface had been beneficial. He also indicated additional updates to the White House facade, saying paint had been stripped and redone.
Before leading the group back toward the helipad perimeter, Trump stopped the tour to highlight newly placed topsoil and grass on areas that were still being finished. He remarked that the landscaping was designed to “make” grass “very happy”.
Ballroom Construction And Court Fight
While the tour did not stop at the ballroom project, Trump repeatedly brought it up, describing it as his most important White House construction work. The administration is pursuing a legal challenge that has reached the Supreme Court, arguing that the 90,000-square-foot structure and the bunker facility planned underneath are matters of national security.
Trump has sought to frame the project as a broader defence installation, at times calling it a “military complex.” He said he did not expect the Supreme Court to block construction, adding that he “can’t imagine it happening.”
Construction is continuing, according to a court filing submitted earlier this month. The filing said a 250-person crew was working 20 hours a day, seven days a week, and that the complex was “65% complete in its entirety.”
During the tour, Trump also joined workers at the helipad, where granite has been carved with the presidential seal. He compared the work to his restoration of the Wollman Rink in Central Park and signed the back of an eagle image intended to be fitted inside the seal.
Use For State Visits
Trump said the projects were intended to enhance how dignitaries are received during state visits. He described a route in which guests would leave vehicles, walk along the new driveway and path, and arrive at the helipad area before entering the ballroom for events.
A recent review by Politifact found that, in 2026, Trump has spent substantial time talking about these construction projects during public remarks, more than any other topic except his conflict with Iran.

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20 August 2026

• 0 comments
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August 20Aug 20

Poll Finds 63% Say Trump Crypto Profits Inappropriate

USA

Poll Finds 63% Say Trump Crypto Profits Inappropriate

Most Americans think it would be inappropriate for President Donald Trump and his family to profit from cryptocurrency while he is in office, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll.

The survey found that 63% of respondents said Trump and his family benefiting financially from cryptocurrency is inappropriate. A further 32% disagreed. The poll also recorded 5% of respondents who did not answer the question.
Growing Focus In Washington
The findings come as senior Senate Democrats have renewed scrutiny of Trump’s reported digital-asset earnings. Last month, they pressed the president over more than $1 billion in cryptocurrency-related income he reported for the previous year, and called for investigations into whether his cryptocurrency holdings could create national security concerns.
Earlier in the summer, the Trump administration released the president’s financial disclosures, which set out details of his reported crypto income and the structure of related holdings.
Disclosures Show Large Crypto Earnings
According to the disclosures, Trump reported making about $594 million from a crypto venture he launched with his sons two years ago, World Liberty Financial. The disclosures also showed additional earnings of $635 million connected to a so-called meme coin.
Senators said the scale of the reported income and the parties involved raised questions. They cited the earnings and referenced unspecified “third parties” that, they said, own more than half of World Liberty Financial.
Democrats Cite Third-Party Ownership
The lawmakers making the case included Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, Gary Peters of Michigan, Dick Durbin of Illinois and Ron Wyden of Oregon.
Their concerns centre on potential implications linked to the president’s position and the ownership structure of the crypto venture tied to the reported profits. They argued that the situation warranted scrutiny given the presence of third parties with controlling interests.
Trump Denies Any Wrongdoing
In early July, Trump rejected claims that the reported profits involved illegality. In an interview with CNBC, he said there was nothing illegal and nothing wrong with the cryptocurrency earnings and that he could have had knowledge of them, while maintaining there was no wrongdoing associated with them.
The Reuters/Ipsos poll was conducted between Aug. 14 and Aug. 17. It included 1,166 respondents, with a margin of error of 3 percentage points.

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20 August 2026

• 12 comments
• 263 views

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August 20Aug 20

Trump Orders Maximum Economic Pressure On Iran

Iranian Conflict

Trump Orders Maximum Economic Pressure On Iran

President Trump said on Wednesday evening that the United States would launch what he called the “most crushing economic operation” against Iran, as negotiations continue aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a key oil shipping route that has been largely shut since early March.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump described the move as economic warfare and isolation on an “unprecedented” scale. He said the US would impose “tremendous economic consequences” on any country that provides Iran with a lifeline.
Trump also warned that a range of channels used to support Tehran must stop, naming oil smuggling, swap arrangements, cash transfers, exchange houses, ship registries and front companies. He added that “all of our Allies” should stand with the US to isolate and defeat what he termed the Iran threat.
US Pledges Economic Pressure And Isolation
The announcement builds on warnings from within the administration. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said last week that the US would seek to increase economic pressure on Tehran in order to reopen the strait.
On Thursday, Bessent told Newsmax’s Rob Schmitt Tonight that Trump had ordered the Treasury Department to apply maximum pressure on the Iranian regime. He said it would involve economic isolation alongside the continuation of the blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, aimed at preventing goods entering or leaving Iranian ports.
Trump has previously indicated he intends to intensify sanctions and maintain enforcement of a US naval blockade in the Arabian Sea, which he said would prevent vessels from departing Iranian ports.
Talks Continue On Reopening The Strait
Trump’s comments come while talks are under way to reopen the strait. Shipping activity has picked up slightly but remains limited compared with pre-war levels. Ship-tracking firm Kpler reported that there were 12 successful crossings on Monday and 10 on Tuesday.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important maritime passages for oil. Since early March, the route has been effectively closed, though some traffic continues to pass through.
Regional Shifts Follow Missile Strike
Trump’s announcement followed a statement from the United Arab Emirates on Thursday that it would cut off trade with Iran after Tehran’s forces fired two missiles at the UAE.
The US president has also criticised Oman earlier this week, warning Muscat that it would face retaliation if it “gets in the way” of efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Trump threatened to bomb Oman and framed his remarks around the ongoing negotiations.
US Territory Bid For The Strait
Trump also said last week that he would declare the strait a US territory. In his latest remarks, he signalled the goal again but did not set out how the US would achieve it, given that the waterway is under shared jurisdiction between Oman and Iran.

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20 August 2026

• 32 comments
• 322 views

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August 20Aug 20

Kim Yo Jong Denies Knowing of Trump-Kim Talks

Korea

Kim Yo Jong Denies Knowing of Trump-Kim Talks

Kim Yo Jong, a senior adviser to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his sister, said she was not aware of any discussions between the United States and North Korea, in remarks carried by state media on Wednesday.

The comment came after Donald Trump told reporters earlier in the day that Kim Jong Un had responded to a request for a conversation and that the two leaders would meet later this year. Their relationship has been strained by North Korea’s concerns about joint annual military exercises involving the United States and South Korea.
Trump Flags Possible Meeting This Year
Trump said Kim Jong Un had agreed to take up his request for a call and suggested a meeting would follow later this year. The remarks were made against the backdrop of tensions over the scheduled drills and North Korea’s reaction to them.
Kim Yo Jong Denies Knowing Of Talks
In a statement translated by South Korean outlet The Chosun Daily, Kim Yo Jong said: “There has been no communication between the leaders of North Korea and the U.S. that we are aware of.” She added: “I am not aware of it at all,” saying it may be “the only thing” she does not know about foreign policy decisions by her country’s top leadership.
She also described the relationship between Washington and Pyongyang’s leaders as “still excellent”.
The Hill said it had contacted the White House for comment.
Ulchi Freedom Shield Denounced As Hostility
Kim Yo Jong also renewed North Korea’s criticism of Ulchi Freedom Shield, describing the exercise as “an expression of open hostility” towards the country. Her remarks were issued despite Trump’s decision on Sunday to scale back the drills following a warning from North Korea.
Ulchi Freedom Shield is one of the annual training events involving US forces and South Korean troops. The US military has taken part in joint exercises with South Korea for more than 70 years, a period it cites as aimed at maintaining readiness in the region.
North Korea has long characterised the drills as threatening. After the announcement of this year’s exercise, Pyongyang carried out several ballistic missile tests.
Decision To Reduce Training Draws Criticism
Trump’s instruction to Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth to “substantially reduce” the exercises drew criticism from Democrats and foreign policy experts.
Arizona Senator Mark Kelly, a Democrat who took part in the annual exercises during his time in the Navy, criticised the move in a social media post. He said Trump should “read some history and get his priorities straight”, adding that the drills help US forces and allies such as South Korea remain “well trained and coordinated”.
Kelly also argued that scaling down the exercises “only helps North Korea”.

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20 August 2026

• USA

• 2 comments
• 119 views

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August 20Aug 20

Trump Calls White House Ballroom a ‘Military Complex’

USA

Trump Calls White House Ballroom a ‘Military Complex’

The Trump administration has asked the US Supreme Court for an emergency stay against a federal order that would halt most above-ground work on a planned White House ballroom, arguing the project is tied to national security and presidential power.

The request comes three days before the order is due to take effect. In its filing on Wednesday, Solicitor General John Sauer urged the court to pause the injunction and, ultimately, to take up the case and dismiss it.
Urgent Bid For a Stay
Sauer said that delaying completion would expose the President to unacceptable risk, pointing to the ballroom’s connection with security features described by the government as part of a “military complex”.
He added that the administration believes the construction has passed a point where stopping work would be irreversible, after previously telling the court that the concrete-and-steel structure is effectively “beyond the point of no return”.
National Security And Presidential Powers
The government said the final build is required for “continuity of government” and would act as a “safe room” for the Presidency through integrated engineering.
The administration also argued that courts should not be able to second-guess how the executive branch carries out the construction, and that requiring congressional approval would intrude on presidential authority.
According to Sauer, giving Congress a role would create what he described as “dangerous leverage” over the President, particularly if unforeseen structural problems or vulnerabilities emerge during the project.
Standing Of The Trust
The dispute centres on a challenge by a legal group described in the case as a trust, which argues that construction should not proceed without congressional approval.
Sauer’s filing said the trust lacks standing to bring the case. He argued that the challenge is rooted in a visual objection to the development, which he said is not enough to establish the kind of legal injury required for a court to hear the matter.
He warned that accepting the trust’s position would allow what he described as a wide range of “spectator” complaints to block government projects, including by people planning to visit Washington or viewing information about buildings online.
Project Progress Cited
In previous court submissions, the administration said the ballroom project is already well advanced. It told the Supreme Court last week that the build is 65% complete and that a 250-person crew is working 20 hours a day, seven days a week, to finish it.
The lower courts
The latest Supreme Court appeal follows a decision by the US Court of Appeals, which upheld the injunction in a 2-1 ruling. That order would halt most above-ground construction while the legal dispute proceeds.
With the injunction due to begin at the end of the week, the justices are expected to rule on whether to issue a stay. They could also choose to extend the timetable through an administrative order, giving the court additional time to consider the matter.

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20 August 2026

• 1 comment
• 105 views

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August 20Aug 20

US Debt Tops $40tn as Long-Yield Costs Climb

USA

US Debt Tops $40tn as Long-Yield Costs Climb

US national debt has more than doubled over the past decade, passing $40tn (£29.4tn), according to Treasury data that show the level of borrowing accelerating faster than expected.

The Treasury figures put the total at $40.05tn as of 18 August, covering all outstanding Treasury bonds, bills and notes. In 2016, the US debt was just under $20tn, according to the same data series.
Debt Growth And Debt-Ceiling Pressure
The expansion has been driven by years of high government spending under both the Trump and Biden administrations, alongside rising interest payments that have added to the overall total.
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) had projected that total borrowing would reach $39.6tn only by the end of fiscal year 2026. The faster-than-expected rise has intensified concerns about how quickly the government’s borrowing needs are increasing and what that could mean for future interest costs.
The CBO has also said the US is nearing its $41.1tn debt ceiling, with debt expected to rise to about $64tn by 2036.
Treasury Actions As Yields Reach Two Decades High
A rise in government spending to finance budget deficits has fed through to broader borrowing costs, with higher interest rates and inflation affecting consumers.
Bond yields, which determine what borrowers—including the government, companies and households—pay, have climbed sharply. On Tuesday, the interest rate on 30-year bonds reached 5.34%, the highest in almost 20 years. Freddie Mac data cited in the report show the average rate on 30-year fixed mortgages is 6.67%.
The recent increase in yields has been linked to rising oil prices related to the US-Iran war, with investors concerned about inflation.
In response, the Treasury said it planned to increase its intervention in the long-term bond market. The department described the move as reflecting “desire to provide greater liquidity support” for longer-term securities.
It said it would raise buyback operations by at least double from $2bn to $4bn, effective from 9 September to 4 November. Following the announcement, the 30-year borrowing rate eased to 5.18%.
John Canavan, lead analyst at Oxford Economics, said the buyback increase appears aimed at providing relief on longer-term borrowing costs, which he said were under “significant pressure” from higher oil prices, inflation risks, and heavy supply linked to global sovereign and corporate borrowing.
Rene Albrecht, a senior analyst at DZ Bank, said the Treasury was trying to reduce the risk of “pain of 5% or higher yields” over the long term, warning that the impact would also extend to the private sector. He said the move reflected the need for tools as the midterm elections approach.
There were also concerns about the scale of cash being raised by tech firms to develop artificial intelligence (AI), with uncertainty over timelines and returns.
Debt Load And Fed Concerns On Inflation
The report also highlighted the overall burden of US debt relative to the size of the economy. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimates the debt-to-GDP ratio at 125.8%, one of the highest among major economies. The IMF puts the UK and China at 103.6% and 106.9% respectively. It said Japan has the highest debt burden among major economies, with a debt-to-GDP ratio of more than 200%.
Minutes released on Wednesday by the Federal Reserve, which sets US interest rates, showed policymakers’ inflation concerns had deepened at their last meeting. The Fed kept its benchmark rate in the 3.50% to 3.75% range for a fifth consecutive meeting, after “several participants” favoured higher rates.
The minutes also noted that rate hikes would “likely be necessary if inflation did not decline”, with some participants saying the policy rate was not high enough to bring inflation back to the Fed’s 2% target. The Fed is expected to keep rates unchanged again at its September meeting after recent data showed inflation easing slightly and firms shed jobs unexpectedly in July.

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20 August 2026

• Economy

• 27 comments
• 260 views

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August 20Aug 20

Kyiv Hit by Massive Russian Missile Attack, Five Dead

Ukraine Conflict

Kyiv Hit by Massive Russian Missile Attack, Five Dead

Russian missile strikes overnight killed at least five people in Kyiv and the surrounding region, Ukrainian authorities said. The State Emergency Service of Ukraine (DSNS) said apartment blocks and warehouses were hit in what it described as a “massive attack” on Thursday.

It said at least 23 people were injured. Emergency crews were searching for people trapped under rubble, with rescuers already pulling one survivor from damaged buildings.
Missile Strikes Hit Kyiv And Nearby Areas
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said a children’s hospital in the city had been damaged. He added that windows were broken and that cars were set alight in the area during the overnight strikes. The mayor also said missiles hit an industrial centre in the Solomyanskyi district, south-west Kyiv.
In the Brovary district of the wider Kyiv region, the regional governor, Tymur Tkachenko, said one man was killed and another person was wounded.
Ukrainian regional authorities issued alerts earlier in the night urging residents to take shelter, warning that air defence operations could be under way in the area. Additional missile warnings were later issued, citing information from the Ukrainian air force.
Neighbouring Countries Respond To Drone Incursion
Romania said a drone crossed into its airspace at the northern border with Ukraine, prompting an air alert. The Romanian defence ministry said the unmanned aircraft entered national airspace about 13 kilometres east of the city of Galați in the early hours of Thursday.
It said the drone crashed in an uninhabited area, starting a small fire that was extinguished. The ministry added that no casualties or material damage were reported and that the initial alert had been lifted.
The Polish military also said it had started “defensive air operations” to protect Polish airspace, with Poland sharing part of its south-eastern border with Ukraine.
Power Cuts In Kyiv Region
The strikes disrupted electricity supplies. Kyiv region authorities said the missile attacks cut power to thousands of properties overnight, plunging parts of the area into darkness. Technicians were working to repair damaged sections of the energy grid.
Kyiv has faced near-nightly attacks in recent weeks, with some strikes previously killing dozens of people and injuring many others.
The new wave of attacks follows continued pressure on Moscow to enter peace talks to end the war, which began when Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Russia currently controls about one-fifth of Ukrainian territory, largely in eastern border regions.
This week, separate attacks on Russia killed at least 16 people, including one child, according to reports earlier.

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20 August 2026

• 0 comments
• 120 views

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August 20Aug 20

Prince Harry and Meghan Plan UK Return After Six Years

UK Monarchy

Prince Harry and Meghan Plan UK Return After Six Years

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are planning to relocate to the UK later this month, the BBC understands, ending their period living in the US.

Prince Harry and Meghan are expected to move to a private, non-royal home outside London, according to reports first published by the Daily Telegraph and the Sun.
Their children, Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five, are due to begin at a British school in September.
King Charles was informed about the planned move on Sunday. However, there are no plans for Harry or Meghan to return to official roles as working members of the Royal Family.
Family informed
The King was not aware of the move before last weekend, but is said to welcome the chance to spend more time with the Sussexes and their children privately.
Prince William and Princess Catherine have also been told about the plans.
The couple and their children visited Charles and Queen Camilla at Highgrove in Gloucestershire in July. The planned relocation was not discussed during that meeting, which Buckingham Palace described as a "private family occasion".
The visit was significant because it was the first time Charles had seen his grandchildren in person for more than four years.
Harry and Meghan have not travelled to the UK together since 2022, when they attended the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.
No return to royal duties
The Sussexes left the UK and stepped back from royal duties in early 2020 before moving to California.
Relations between Harry, Meghan and other members of the Royal Family have been strained since then, although the July meeting was seen as an important development in Harry's relationship with his father.
Despite their planned return, Harry and Meghan will continue to have no official royal role and will remain private individuals.
Security concerns
Security arrangements have been a longstanding source of tension for Harry, particularly when visiting the UK.
The couple's July meeting with Charles was reportedly reconsidered after Harry's request for police protection was rejected.
Last year, Harry lost a legal challenge against the decision to reduce the level of security provided to him and his family in the UK after he ceased to be a working royal and moved to the US.
Harry has previously said concerns over the safety of his wife and children have made him reluctant to bring them to Britain.

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20 August 2026

• 60 comments
• 603 views

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August 19Aug 19

UK Asylum Seeker Guide Covers Sex, Consent, Gender Equality

UK-Asylum crisis

UK Asylum Seeker Guide Covers Sex, Consent, Gender Equality

The Home Office has published new behavioural guidance for asylum seekers in England and Wales, setting out how laws and social customs in the UK may differ from those in their countries of origin.

The nine-page booklet has been uploaded online and covers issues including respect in public, sex and consent, and gender equality. It also explains that asylum seekers may face consequences if they break UK law, including effects on their asylum claim and support while their case is considered.
Guidance Warns of Legal Consequences
The document states that the impact of breaching UK rules can range from police involvement to the loss of asylum support, and that it could also “affect” an applicant’s asylum claim.
A Home Office spokesman said the department expects people coming to the UK to follow UK laws, adding that failure to do so can lead to “consequences”, including the refusal of an asylum claim and removal from the country.
The booklet was published as latest Home Office statistics show that 93,525 people applied for asylum in the UK between April 2025 and March 2026, down by 12% compared with the previous year.
The Home Office said removals of failed asylum seekers have reached their highest level since 2010 under the current government.


Gender, Sex and Consent Sections Included
A section on gender explains that women in the UK have equal rights with men and do not need permission from a husband, father, brother or any other man to work, study, travel or make decisions.
The booklet’s section on sex and consent states that both people must agree to sexual activity or any sexual contact. It adds that consent cannot be given if someone is asleep, drunk, or unable to respond.
Respect in Public and Support Details
Another section, titled Respect in Public, says it is not acceptable to whistle or make kissing noises at people in the street. It also warns against making sexual comments to someone, even if the person making the comment believes it is a compliment.
The guidance also includes contact details for organisations providing support for victims and people seeking help with the issues raised in the document.
Opposition Criticises, Labour Declines Comment
The Conservatives said asylum seekers who break UK law should be deported. Reform UK said the publication showed the government “knows that they are a menace”.
Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said the approach should focus on deportations rather than trying to train asylum seekers to behave differently. In remarks cited from earlier comments, he argued that communities were not integrating properly, leaving what he described as “backwards” standards to persist.
Reform UK’s home affairs spokesman Zia Yusuf posted a two-minute video on social media describing the booklet as “a disgrace”. He said the government had published what he characterised as a guide for illegal migrants on what he said people should not do, including committing sexual offences and other violent behaviour.
A Labour spokesperson declined to comment. The Liberal Democrats and the Green Party were contacted for comment.
Separate government figures cited by the Home Office show nearly 70,000 illegal migrants and foreign criminals have been returned or deported since Labour came to power in July 2024. The BBC reported that nearly 10,000 foreign criminals, including murderers and rapists, have been removed since the last election, a 36% increase compared with the previous 21 months.

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20 August 2026

• UK-Politics

• 172 comments
• 583 views

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August 19Aug 19

US Air Force Plane Turns Back After Russia Missile Alert

Report

US Air Force Plane Turns Back After Russia Missile Alert

A U.S. Air Force transport aircraft bound for Antarctica turned back to Christchurch, New Zealand, on Tuesday after a warning about a potentially hazardous activity affecting international airspace.

The C-17 Globemaster, operating under the call sign ICE28, departed Christchurch at about 9:00 a.m. local time, before returning less than three hours later. The change was prompted by a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) issued at the direction of New Zealand’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
Warning Issued by New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority
In a statement on Tuesday, the CAA said it had been notified of potentially hazardous activity by Russia’s state air traffic management organisation, which led to the issuance of a NOTAM to alert pilots.
On Wednesday, the agency said it had received further information from Russia about the hazard, identifying it as a planned missile launch.
“The [CAA was] made aware by the Russian air traffic agency of a planned missile launch and associated potential hazard to international airspace, within New Zealand’s Oceanic Flight Information Region (FIR),” the CAA said.
Oceanic Flight Information Region Covers High Seas
The Oceanic FIR is the airspace over the high seas that New Zealand manages under an International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) regional air navigation agreement.
New Zealand’s air traffic management authority describes the FIR as covering an area of about 30 million square kilometres, largely over international waters across the South Pacific Ocean, the Southern Ocean and the Tasman Sea.
Danger Area and NOTAM for Operators
The CAA said it established a danger area and issued the NOTAM to inform aircraft operators of the potential risk.
It added that the measure does not automatically block flights through the area. “This does not prevent aircraft from flying through the area; operators make their decisions based on the information available,” the agency said.
Part of Winter Resupply Flights to Antarctica
The C-17 flight was scheduled as part of the U.S. Air Force’s winter fly season. The mission involves moving researchers and essential equipment to Antarctica before the summer research period begins.
The aircraft is one of the operations scheduled annually to fly between Christchurch and research bases in Antarctica in both the United States and New Zealand.

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20 August 2026

• 41 comments
• 854 views

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August 19Aug 19

Israel Opens Tenders for 1,200 West Bank Homes

Israel

Israel Opens Tenders for 1,200 West Bank Homes

Israel has opened tenders for the construction of about 1,200 homes in the E1 area of the occupied West Bank, a move that would further entrench Israeli settlement development ahead of a national election.

The Israeli housing ministry has issued a tender for 1,234 homes out of 3,401 units approved last August. The planned development is in the E1 zone, east of Jerusalem, covering about 12 sq km (4.6 sq miles) between East Jerusalem and the settlement of Maale Adumim.
E1 Project And International Condemnation
The E1 plan has long attracted international criticism. Opponents say it would divide the West Bank in two and isolate East Jerusalem, effectively undermining hopes for a future Palestinian state.
Settlements are illegal under international law. Israel has built around 160 settlements housing about 700,000 Jews since it captured the West Bank and East Jerusalem from Jordan during the 1967 Middle East war, in land Palestinians want, along with Gaza, for a hoped-for state. An estimated 3.3 million Palestinians live alongside settlements in the West Bank.
Israel’s government has allowed settlement growth despite years of international opposition. Expansion has increased sharply since Benjamin Netanyahu returned to power in late 2022 leading a right-wing, pro-settler coalition, as well as after the start of the Gaza war following Hamas’s 7 October 2023 attack on Israel.
Election Deadline Limits Reversal
Israel had previously delayed plans for E1 under external pressure, but the current government approved construction about a year ago. It did so, according to Israeli officials at the time, to “erase” the idea of a Palestinian state.
The tender deadline is 19 October, with Israel’s general election scheduled for 27 October. The timing would give the government a short window to sign contracts with contractors, potentially making it harder for a future administration to cancel work.
A year ago, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, an ultranationalist and settler, said the concept of a Palestinian state was “being erased”.
Court Challenge And Settlement Strategy
Bedouin Palestinians living in the area and Israeli peace groups have challenged the E1 plan in court. Despite that legal opposition, the housing ministry has proceeded with the tender process covering a portion of the approved units.
Peace Now, an Israeli anti-settlement watchdog that has sought to overturn the plans through legal action, said the government was attempting to lock in contracts before the election. It warned that even partial implementation would “fundamentally” change the area’s geographic and strategic character by severing the northern West Bank from the south and isolating East Jerusalem.
Peace Now also said building in E1 would “ruin” prospects for ending the conflict through a two-state arrangement.
Reactions From Palestinians And The UN
Jamal Juma, a Palestinian activist with the Stop the Wall campaign who lives in Jerusalem, said the project would have a major impact on Palestinian communities. He said it would destroy communities and families, and added that more than 40 Bedouin communities would be affected and would need to be evicted.
A spokesperson for UN Secretary-General António Guterres said he was “deeply alarmed” by the new tenders and called on Israel to refrain from taking further steps in that regard.

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20 August 2026

• 9 comments
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August 19Aug 19

Israel Probes Death of Gaza Girl Hind Rajab

Gaza

Israel Probes Death of Gaza Girl Hind Rajab

Israel’s military has confirmed for the first time that it opened fire on a car carrying five-year-old Palestinian girl Hind Rajab, who was killed in Gaza in 2024 along with six relatives.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it has now launched a criminal investigation into the deaths of Hind, her family and two paramedics, as well as into the killings of 15 Palestinians in a separate incident in March 2025.
Hind Rajab Call and Ambulance Attack
The IDF said Hind survived the initial shooting and took a telephone call during which she appealed for help. It said the call lasted for hours, while efforts to send an ambulance to the location were coordinated with the army.
When the ambulance was dispatched, it was hit by shelling, killing two paramedics. The IDF said Hind’s body, along with those of the other people killed in the car, was recovered days later.
In its statement, the IDF said the probe would be carried out by the Military Police Criminal Investigation Division, citing alleged co-ordination failures relating to the movement of the Palestine Red Crescent ambulance.
The military said its review indicated that IDF troops fired at a vehicle that was travelling in the area “contrary to” advanced notice previously published to residents by the IDF spokesperson.
The IDF had initially told reporters that no troops were in the area at the time. That position was later questioned. It subsequently said it had carried out raids on “terror targets” with forces operating in neighbourhoods of Gaza City, including Tel al-Hawa, where Hind was located.
Wider Investigation After March 2025 Deaths
Alongside the case involving Hind, the IDF said it will investigate the deaths of 15 Palestinians in an incident during an emergency call-out in the Tal al-Sultan area of Rafah in southern Gaza on 23 March 2025.
It said an IDF unit fired at ambulances, a fire engine and a marked United Nations vehicle. The bodies were found a week later, buried in shallow graves near the crushed vehicles.
The IDF had first said its troops fired on “suspicious” vehicles driving in darkness with headlights and emergency lights switched off. It later said that explanation was wrong after material from a mobile phone belonging to one of the paramedics, Rifaat Radwan, suggested the convoy was using its emergency lights.
In its latest statement, the IDF said that after reviewing its findings, it had found enough for a “reasonable suspicion of criminal misconduct” and decided to open an investigation.
Condemnation and Questions Over Accountability
Hind Rajab’s death drew international condemnation after a recording of her speaking to paramedics from the Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) was widely broadcast in 2024.
According to PRCS, the Red Crescent crew had obtained prior co-ordination to reach the scene. The organisation later confirmed that paramedics Yusuf al-Zeino and Ahmed al-Madhoun were killed when the ambulance was hit by Israeli forces.
The story was later adapted into the Oscar-nominated film The Voice of Hind Rajab. The UN has cited her case in a commission of inquiry, accusing Israel of war crimes, which Israel rejects.
After the IDF announcement, the Hind Rajab Foundation, based in Brussels, said it had “no confidence” in the investigation, arguing that internal probes should not be treated as genuine accountability and that Israel’s mechanisms were “fundamentally flawed”.
The IDF said its announcement reflected its role in examining exceptional incidents that occur during combat, adding that it has conducted operations across multiple fronts for more than a thousand days.
The military also said it has not found grounds for criminal investigations in three other cases, including the deaths of seven World Central Kitchen workers in Deir al-Balah two years ago and two separate incidents in which four Médecins Sans Frontières staff were killed.
World Central Kitchen said it strongly condemned the IDF prosecutor’s account of the 2024 deaths and called for an independent investigation.
The Hind Rajab announcement is the first time the IDF has published a comprehensive report on alleged war crimes since the start of Israel’s Gaza war, triggered by Hamas-led attacks on Israel on 7 October 2023.
More than 73,000 people have been killed in Gaza since Israel launched its military campaign, including about 1,200 since a ceasefire was announced last October, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, with the UN describing the figures as reliable.
Israel is facing mounting pressure to show it can investigate itself, amid concerns about possible action by the International Criminal Court. Israeli rights groups have said criminal investigations of Israeli forces rarely result in convictions, with Ziv Stahl of Yesh Din telling the BBC that almost no indictments are filed relative to the number of complaints.

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20 August 2026

• Israel

• 12 comments
• 108 views

webfact

August 19Aug 19

Seven Killed as Safari Helicopter Crashes in Northern Kenya

Accident

Seven Killed as Safari Helicopter Crashes in Northern Kenya

A helicopter carrying tourists on a safari crash-landed in remote northern Kenya on Wednesday, killing all seven people on board. The passengers were mostly foreign tourists, according to officials.

The aircraft went down at 9.13am local time (06.13 GMT) while flying from Loisaba Conservancy to the Ewaso Nyiro area in Samburu County, the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority said. It added that an investigation was under way.
Crash Location and Victims
Officials said six passengers and the pilot were on board. Samburu police commander David Nkoroi told reporters that all seven people had died, but he did not disclose their identities.
Ecuador’s Transport Minister Roberto Luque later said that the country’s intelligence chief, Michele Sensi-Contugi, and his wife, Stephany Hollihan, were among those killed. Luque wrote on X that they had “left us too soon” and said he was thinking of their family, including their children and parents.
Sensi-Contugi, 42, was a former businessman appointed head of Ecuador’s National Intelligence Center in 2024. He was described as a close associate of right-wing President Daniel Noboa, whose country is dealing with a security crisis.
US broadcaster NBCUniversal also said its journalist Jose Alberto Suarez died in the crash. The company said Suarez was president and general manager of Telemundo 31, Telemundo 49 and Telemundo Fort Myers–Naples.
A spokesperson for the US Department of State said five US citizens were among the dead. The spokesperson said the US Embassy was in contact with local authorities and providing consular assistance, and extended condolences to families and loved ones.
Search and Recovery Operations
Kenya Red Cross emergency response teams were participating in a multiagency effort as rescue teams worked to access the crash site, the organisation said.
Local media reported that the helicopter came down in rugged ground in the foothills of Mount Ololokwe, a popular tourist destination. Kenya’s Daily Nation said three bodies were still trapped in the wreckage by Wednesday evening, and that recovery operations would continue on Thursday due to ongoing flames at the scene.
The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority said the aircraft was a Eurocopter EC130 B4. Lady Lori Helicopters, the operator that owns the helicopter, said it was conducting a charter flight when it crashed and that it was carrying guests arranged by travel company &Beyond.
Tropic Air Kenya, a safari operator, said it had dispatched two helicopters to help with search and rescue.
Safety Record in Kenya
Kenya’s tourism industry relies heavily on air links to move visitors to remote game parks and conservancies, which are often reached by charter flights. Helicopter crashes have occurred with increasing frequency, with operators transporting guests to areas such as Mount Ololokwe.
In February, a Kenyan legislator was among six people who died after a helicopter crash in a hilly area of western Kenya.


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20 August 2026

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August 19Aug 19

US Prisoner Spared Execution Eight Times Dies At 101

USA

US Prisoner Spared Execution Eight Times Dies At 101

Francis Clifford Smith, the longest-serving prisoner in the United States, has died aged 101, state officials said. He spent more than 70 years behind bars in Connecticut after being convicted of murder, and had been spared execution on eight separate occasions.

Smith was convicted in 1950, having been accused in 1949 of killing Grover Hart, a night watchman at a yacht club in Connecticut. He was 25 at the time and, throughout his incarceration, maintained that he was innocent.
Spared Execution Eight Times
Officials said Smith received his last meal eight times before execution was halted and his sentence was repeatedly reviewed. Over the years, his case became closely followed, including by people within the prison system who described him as determined and unusually visible among inmates.
Andrius Banevicius, public information officer for Connecticut’s Department of Correction, said Smith developed a reputation for feeding birds while imprisoned at Osborn. According to Banevicius, Smith would hide bread in his clothing to feed birds inside the prison, and staff were generally willing to overlook it because he was simply feeding them.
Banevicius said Smith died in June. He served a long term with brief periods outside prison.
Conviction Challenged Over Decades
At the time of his arrest, Smith was one of two men taken into custody over Hart’s death. The other suspect reached a plea agreement and provided evidence against Smith, who was later found guilty of first-degree murder.
Over subsequent years, Smith’s conviction and the evidence supporting it were called into question. Witnesses later recanted their statements, and another inmate subsequently confessed to the killing.
One officer involved in early questioning later told the Board of Pardons that he believed Smith was innocent, according to reporting at the time.
Smith’s time in custody was also marked by repeated disruptions to his confinement. He escaped from prison in 1967 but was caught 12 days later. In 1974, he was allowed to go home for Christmas Eve and returned the next day, according to Banevicius. In 1975, he was granted parole and was released for about 10 months before being arrested again for petty larceny and possession of a weapon, a violation of his parole terms.
After that, Smith refused later attempts to return to parole for many years until 2020, when he received supervised parole and was moved to a care home within the justice system.
Ageing In Prison And Care Options
Smith’s later life reflected a wider issue faced by correctional systems as populations age. Dr Stephanie Prost, a researcher at the University of Louisville focusing on older adults and prison settings, told the BBC that jurisdictions in the United States, and other countries including Australia and England, are dealing with similar challenges.


Picture courtesy of BBC

A 2025 study found the number of people aged 55 and over in prison rose by nearly 400% between 1991 and 2021. The US Census Bureau has forecast that by 2030, at least one-third of the incarcerated population will be older than 50.
Researchers say governments are seeking what they call “smart de-carceration” policies, including compassionate release and elderly or medical parole, to match care to age-related needs. Prost said such approaches take into account higher risks faced by older inmates, including expensive medical conditions and mobility problems, as well as challenges such as fall risk, incontinence and hearing impairments in highly regimented settings. Experts said there are few facilities willing to accept convicted prisoners into specialist care arrangements.
Final Years At A Nursing Facility
Smith was among the first people supported under the MissionCare Health scheme, which provides care for incarcerated individuals. The programme has three facilities in the north-eastern United States.
David Skoczulek, a spokesman for 60 West, the facility where Smith spent his final years, said he died in his sleep in June and was later cremated. Skoczulek said the end of life was managed with skilled nursing and long-term care services, and that Smith’s death was attributed to old age.
Skoczulek added that research indicates imprisonment can lead to accelerated ageing, with conditions such as dementia arriving earlier than they would for people who have not been incarcerated. He said Smith reportedly had dementia near the end of his life, and Banevicius said he was not able to confirm that to the BBC but that Smith had been dealing with issues associated with old age. Banevicius said Smith was “101 and a half”.

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19 August 2026

• 1 comment
• 570 views

webfact

August 19Aug 19