World News

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
• 584 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
• 856 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
• 131 views

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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

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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

• 0 comments
• 127 views

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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
• 573 views

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August 19Aug 19

Families Seek Answers As Thousands Remain Missing In Gaza

Gaza

Families Seek Answers As Thousands Remain Missing In Gaza

Families in Gaza are searching for relatives whose whereabouts are still unknown, as thousands of people remain missing amid widespread destruction from the war between Hamas and Israel.

Ahmed al Madhoun, a 21-year-old man with Down’s syndrome, disappeared in May 2025 after leaving home to visit a local shop. His mother, Majdiya, has shown the BBC videos of him on her phone, including clips of him cuddling a kitten and laughing after belly-flopping into a swimming pool.
A Son’s Last Trip
Majdiya said Israeli strikes hit the area that day and she fears Ahmed may be dead, but she has not received confirmation. “I am not at peace,” she said. “I have not lost hope but whether they find him alive or dead, buried under the rubble, only then will I be at peace.”
Counting The Dead, Tracing The Unaccounted
Since Israel launched its military campaign, more than 73,000 people have been killed in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. The UN has described the ministry’s figures as reliable, and Israeli media reported in January that a senior Israeli security source said the military accepts the data as accurate.
However, the death toll may be an underestimate because bodies buried under rubble are not counted by the health ministry. The Red Cross said it has received more than 5,000 requests to trace missing people who could be buried amid the destruction. Gaza’s Civil Defence agency estimated the number of missing people at more than 8,000.
Bodies continue to be found on a daily basis. Earlier this month, a mass funeral was held in Gaza City for more than 100 people killed in an Israeli attack in 2023. Their remains were only recently recovered and identified, enabling them to be buried.
The Red Cross said recovery work is made harder by the scale of destruction and a lack of bulldozers. It said identification is also difficult when remains have been dead for a long time and when DNA testing is limited, partly because of Israeli restrictions on what can enter Gaza.
Fear Of Detention And Limits On Records
Ahmed’s family believes he may have been killed, but it is also concerned he could have been detained by Israeli security forces. Over almost three years of war, Israeli forces detained about 7,000 Palestinians from Gaza, according to the Israel-based Public Committee Against Torture. The group said more than 5,000 were later released without being charged.
HaMoked, an Israeli human rights group, said that as of this month around 1,300 detainees from Gaza were being held in Israeli jails without charge or trial. HaMoked said its figures do not include people held directly by the Israeli military.
Palestinian families have often not been told by Israel about arrests or where relatives are being held, HaMoked and other rights groups said. The BBC asked the Israeli Defence Forces and the Israel Prison Service about their reported failure to contact relatives of detainees. Israeli authorities have previously said prolonged detentions were carried out for wartime security reasons and denied that detentions are arbitrary.
Aida al Drimli from the Sabra district of Gaza City said her son Mahmoud disappeared in 2024. She initially feared he had been killed in an Israeli attack after her husband checked hospitals. This summer, she said a photo circulated on social media showing two Israeli soldiers posing with a Palestinian detainee blindfolded and bound, and she believed it was Mahmoud.
Aida said she was certain based on facial features and how the detainee sits, but she acknowledged that with only one photograph, she cannot be fully sure. She said seeing her son in that condition was both “relieving” and humiliating.
The BBC asked the Israel Prison Service about Mahmoud and about Ahmed. The IPS said it had no record of holding either man. The BBC also put questions to Israel’s military, which runs detention centres and prisons, but it did not respond.
Israel does not allow international journalists, including the BBC, independent access to Gaza. The Red Cross, the families said, has been asked to try to clarify whether Mahmoud is being held, but Israel has not permitted the organisation to access prison records.
Israeli lawyer Tal Steiner, who works on locating detainees, told the BBC that changes since October 7 have made the process harder, including the ban on International Committee of the Red Cross prison visits and the lack of lists of people held by Israel. She said families carry the strain of not knowing whether a relative is dead or alive, adding that tracing has become more difficult over the past three years.

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19 August 2026

• 0 comments
• 128 views

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August 19Aug 19

US Sanctions ICC Chief, Prosecutor Over Gaza War Probe

Gaza

US Sanctions ICC Chief, Prosecutor Over Gaza War Probe

The United States has sanctioned the president of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and a senior prosecutor linked to investigations into crimes alleged during Israel’s war in Gaza, the State Department said.

The designations were announced by Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state. In a statement, he accused the ICC, based in The Hague, of being corrupt and driven by politics, saying it had misused its powers and gone beyond its mandate.
Rubio Names ICC President and Prosecutor
Rubio said the US would sanction Tomoko Akane of Japan, the ICC president, and Abdoulaye Seye of Senegal, an ICC senior trial lawyer.
He said they had “directly engaged” in efforts by the ICC to investigate, arrest, detain or prosecute officials from a country that has not consented to ICC jurisdiction.
The State Department last month unveiled what it described as a campaign to counter the ICC’s impact on US sovereignty, arguing that the court posed a threat to the US and its officials.
In that earlier statement, the department said the aim was to reduce the ICC’s ability to function, including by preventing it from targeting American servicemen or officials, or otherwise undermining US sovereignty.
Call for Withdrawal and Response From Trump
Rubio urged the 125 countries that are members of the ICC to withdraw from the court. Donald Trump, the US president, has said his administration is targeting the ICC because of what it views as the risk to Israel.
The US has sanctioned ICC personnel before. It previously designated Karim Khan, an ICC prosecutor who had pursued arrest warrants for Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and for Yoav Gallant, Israel’s former defence minister, in relation to alleged war crimes during the Gaza war.
In an executive order in 2025, Trump said the court had carried out actions he described as illegitimate and baseless, targeting the United States and its ally Israel.
Rubio did not specify the precise steps taken by Akane and Seye, beyond saying they were involved in ICC efforts to investigate and pursue proceedings against officials.
Reported Gaza-Linked ICC Work and Wider Sanctions
Israeli media have reported that Seye is also involved in overseeing an ICC investigation into claims relating to Israeli funding for illegal settlements and the provision of weapons to settlers in the West Bank.
Separately, Israeli officials warned local media in May that the ICC could seek a further set of arrest warrants. They said the court may request warrants for five ministers and senior military officials tied to violence against Palestinians in the West Bank.
The US has designated at least 11 ICC officials through sanctions linked to other cases as well, including investigations that also cover alleged actions by US soldiers in Afghanistan.
Neither the United States nor Israel is a member of the ICC, and both do not recognise its jurisdiction.
Legal Challenge by Rights Groups
Four human rights organisations sued Trump last week, arguing that the administration’s move targets the ICC. The groups said the sanctions prevent victims of alleged war crimes from seeking justice.


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19 August 2026

• USA

• 34 comments
• 347 views

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August 19Aug 19

Iran Speaker Says Bessent, Hegseth Are ‘Out of Their League’

Iranian Conflict

Iran Speaker Says Bessent, Hegseth Are ‘Out of Their League’

Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf on Tuesday attacked the US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, saying they were “out of their league” in efforts to bring Tehran back to peace negotiations.

In a post on the social media platform X, Qalibaf said Washington believed that applying greater pressure to Iran would produce concessions that, he argued, were not part of any existing agreement. He added that Hegseth and Bessent should not be relied upon to steer the approach, urging US officials to stop waiting for them to reverse the situation.
Criticism Of US Pressure Approach
Qalibaf’s comments came as the Trump administration continues to seek ways to increase pressure on Iran. He framed the current strategy as a misunderstanding of what Iran would accept, and criticised the attempt to use force and sanctions to move Tehran towards talks.
The speaker’s remarks also followed a period in which Hegseth, who oversees the US Department of Defence, has made limited public comments about the status of the US war against Iran in recent weeks. On Monday, he defended the Trump administration’s military actions during a public appearance at the Iowa State Fair.
Hegseth Defends Military Actions
At an event honouring service members, veterans and their families, Hegseth repeated a line from President Trump that the war is necessary to prevent Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
Speaking at the event, Hegseth said there is a “cost” associated with difficult decisions involving national defence, which he linked to the objective of ensuring Iran does not acquire nuclear capability. He also said he was unwilling to accept a future in which a chance to address the threat had been missed.
Hegseth’s intervention, which focused on the rationale for continued military pressure, came alongside broader efforts by Washington to push Iran towards negotiations.
Sanctions Signal And No Talks
Bessent, the US Treasury Secretary, meanwhile indicated last week that Washington would consider sanctions on Iran that he described as unprecedented. His remarks suggested the administration is looking for further economic measures to increase leverage.
The US has also tried to pressure Iran over access through the Strait of Hormuz and to return the sides to negotiations. However, officials have said that efforts to bring Iran back to talks have not produced significant results.
On Tuesday, President Trump said there were no current negotiations with Iran. He said the war, now in its sixth month, has no clear end in sight, extending uncertainty over how the conflict might be resolved.

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19 August 2026

• 2 comments
• 126 views

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August 19Aug 19

Palestinian American Confronts Settlers Besieging Home

Israel

Palestinian American Confronts Settlers Besieging Home

Lou Ridi, a Palestinian American, said his home in the West Bank has been besieged by Israeli settlers for more than a week, leaving him and others in the village “terrified”.

Ridi travelled from the United States to visit his home, where his brother has been living. After arriving at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport from Ohio on Monday, he told reporters that he had watched the confrontation remotely for days using security cameras at the property.
“I have been watching this live for many days and now it is the second week, I can’t sleep,” Ridi said. “I can’t let the settlers to steal my house while I was watching … so I prefer to be with [my brother] in the house and not stay watching on the security cameras.”
Settlers Surround Multiple Homes
Verified video shared with ABC News showed groups of settlers surrounding more than one home in the village. People inside the houses said they were unable to leave for several days.
The Israeli military, the IDF, has declared the area a “closed military zone” but, according to witnesses and footage, has not dispersed the settlers. Videos also showed soldiers mixing with the settlers outside the Palestinian homes, including scenes of soldiers shaking hands, sharing drinks and praying.
Ridi told ABC News last week that watching the events unfold was “terrifying”, after settlers attacked his home.
Water Cut Claims
Palestinian families said they were in a “state of terror”. They accused the settlers of cutting off water lines and preventing them from leaving the area.
On Tuesday, Reuters reported filming Ridi confronting the settlers outside his house. The dispute escalated quickly as the two sides exchanged accusations.


Picture courtesy of ABC News

“You came to make a mess, ha?” an Israeli settler was heard saying in the recording. Ridi responded by saying: “You are a terrorist settler, you are a garbage settler, you know what that means? You stink. Move, move.”
Israeli soldiers intervened soon afterwards and the settler moved away from the home. A tent set up near the village houses was taken down, ABC News reported, but settlers continued to enter and leave the area, according to witnesses.
IDF, UN And US Responses
The confrontation has attracted national and international attention amid wider concern over escalating violence and displacement affecting Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.
Last week, the IDF issued a statement saying “dozens of illegal structures erected by Israeli civilians have been removed from the area in an effort to curb this serious phenomenon, protect the residents, and maintain public order”. Despite that, after more than a week there appeared to be Israeli settlers still present in the area.
On Monday, the United Nations said the siege in Qusra had “eased”, and that food and water had been delivered to trapped families. UN teams also reported that three Palestinian families remained surrounded by a heavy presence of Israeli soldiers and settlers.
The events also drew a reaction from Mike Huckabee, the US ambassador to Israel. He criticised what he called “Israeli terrorists”, while also saying in a separate comment on social media that “the IDF & Israel Police have gone at our request to remove the Israeli terrorists doing this.”
Netanyahu Comments
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said settler violence against Palestinians was being carried out by only 150 “juveniles”, despite international criticism of Israel’s policies in the West Bank.

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19 August 2026

• 33 comments
• 155 views

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August 19Aug 19

Davey Hits Farage Over Brexit And Small Boat Crisis

UK-Asylum crisis

Davey Hits Farage Over Brexit And Small Boat Crisis

Ministers have faced renewed pressure to act on small boat crossings after critics said Brexit has left the UK less able to respond to the crisis.

Sir Ed Davey, leader of the Liberal Democrats, urged Britain to sign up to the EU’s new Migration and Asylum Pact, arguing it would give the UK further tools to return people whose asylum claims fail. The call comes after a Labour minister, borders minister, acknowledged last week that leaving the EU has made it harder to deal with small boats.
Davey Trains Fire On Farage
Speaking as the government weighs its approach to migration controls, Mr Davey said Nigel Farage and Conservatives bear responsibility for creating conditions that critics say traffickers exploit.
He accused Mr Farage of “exploiting a mess he helped create”, saying: “Farage and the Conservatives should hang their heads in shame for breaking our borders with their bad Brexit deal. But instead of apologising to the British public, they are now exploiting the mess they created for their own gain."
The Lib Dems framed their argument around the practical effect of being outside EU systems, including access to biometric information.
What Joining The Pact Would Provide
The party said moving towards the EU agreement would enable the UK to use mechanisms the bloc is developing under the pact. Its supporters argue it would help the UK return failed asylum seekers and regain access to biometric data used to identify individuals.
They also point to the return of operational capabilities that were available while the UK was in the EU but were lost after Brexit, including access to fingerprint and related identification systems.


Graphic courtesy of BBC
Research Cited On Return Agreements
The Lib Dems referred to research by the Migration Observatory, which they said found that people who travel by small boat often cite the absence of a firm return arrangement as a factor in their decision to attempt the crossing.
The study, as described by the party, said the link was especially strong for those who have been refused protection in other EU countries.
Government Push On EU Databases
The UK government has been seeking access to the Schengen Information System (SIS) and the EU’s fingerprinting database, Eurodac, which it no longer has after Brexit. Officials believe those systems would make it easier to identify asylum seekers whose claims should be rejected.
The Lib Dems argued that pursuing the new EU migration pact would unlock the tools needed to tackle crossings while allowing the government to operate a process they described as humane and cost-effective.
Max Wilkinson, the party’s home affairs spokesman, said: “Time and time again, Nigel Farage and the architects of the dangerous small boats chaos tell us they have a new plan to end the crisis they created. They would sooner send in the navy at taxpayers’ expense and strip British people of hard-won rights by leaving the ECHR than admit they’re responsible.
“We can end small boat crossings and have a humane and cost-effective asylum system by joining the EU’s new pact.”

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19 August 2026

• 3 comments
• 127 views

webfact

August 19Aug 19

Ukraine Ex-Defence Minister Calls For Wartime Elections

Ukraine Conflict

Ukraine Ex-Defence Minister Calls For Wartime Elections

Former Ukrainian defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov has urged Ukraine to hold elections during the war, presenting the call as a challenge to Volodymyr Zelensky’s leadership at a time when the country is battling Russia’s invasion.

Fedorov, 35, made the case in a video posted on YouTube on Tuesday, saying that Ukraine is fighting because it wants to remain a “free European state”. He added that “democracy cannot be held hostage by Russia”, but did not mention Zelensky by name.
Martial Law Halts Polls
Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, Ukraine has operated under martial law. That framework suspends elections, leaving the government without a route to nationwide voting while the conflict continues.
In his video, Fedorov said Ukraine needed a “legal, safe, and realistic mechanism” to restore a full democratic process even during a prolonged war.
Dismissal Sparks Political Tensions
Fedorov was unexpectedly removed as defence minister in late July, just six months after taking up the post. Zelensky has not publicly responded to the video, and protests followed Fedorov’s dismissal across Ukraine.
During his time in the role, Fedorov was credited with energising the ministry, including an anti-corruption push and efforts to use data to assess performance and improve the work of units on the front line.
His firing has been widely linked to strained relations with army commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrskyi. Syrskyi was replaced several weeks after Fedorov’s departure, following weeks of demonstrations that increased pressure on Zelensky.
Call For Change And Governance Reform
Fedorov did not outline a new political programme in the video, focusing instead on what he described as a governance crisis in Ukraine. He said the country was “scared of change” and pointed to corruption as one factor undermining the effectiveness of the war effort.
Zelensky has since appointed Yevgeniy Khmara, a career intelligence official with a low public profile, as acting defence minister. After Fedorov’s dismissal, the government offered him other posts, including deputy prime minister for military innovation.
Fedorov said he would return only if he could serve as defence minister.
From Digital Role To Drone And Technology Focus
Before joining the defence ministry, Fedorov served as minister of digital transformation. Early in the war he set up the volunteer “IT Army of Ukraine”, which carried out cyber-attacks against Russian forces.
He later led a fundraising drive known as the Army of Drones, and brought elements of “gamification” into military operations. Under that approach, Ukrainian units received credits for hitting Russian targets.
As defence minister, he continued to concentrate on drones, high-tech warfare and procurement. He also asked SpaceX founder Elon Musk to stop Russia using Starlink satellite services for drone attacks, a move credited with disrupting parts of Russia’s frontline operations and advances.
Shortly after his dismissal, Fedorov posted on Facebook listing his achievements and said he would “continue... to defeat the enemy through asymmetry, speed of innovation, and organisational strength”.

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19 August 2026

• 2 comments
• 105 views

webfact

August 19Aug 19

Swedish MP Condemns Brexit Deportations of Elderly Britons

EU

Swedish MP Condemns Brexit Deportations of Elderly Britons

A Swedish MP has criticised the deportation and removal of elderly British citizens from Sweden over Brexit residency rules, saying the cases are harming relations with the United Kingdom as both countries seek to improve ties.

Häkan Svenneling, an opposition lawmaker for Värmland, said he had written to Sweden’s migration minister, Johan Forssell, after Joyce Thomas, a 78-year-old British widow, was given four weeks to leave Sweden following 21 years living in the country.
Letter Sparks Questions Over Deportations
Svenneling said Thomas was ordered to leave after an appeal failed a week earlier, and he asked Forssell what steps the government plans to take “to stop the deportations”. Svenneling is due to meet Thomas on Wednesday.
Thomas moved to Sweden in her late 50s to live nearer one of her sons and her grandchildren. Her husband, who did administrative work in their household, died of cancer in 2023. Thomas said she and friends had checked whether they needed to complete forms to remain after Brexit, and were told they did not.
She later submitted a late application in 2023, several weeks after returning from the UK, but missed the deadline of 31 December 2021. Thomas told the Guardian that she is in “shock” and said her situation has left her feeling unwell, with her removal imminent.
Withdrawal Agreement And Missed Deadlines
Svenneling argued that British citizens who were legally resident in Sweden before the UK’s exit from the EU should retain their existing rights under the withdrawal agreement. He said the EU-UK treaty was not intended to strip people who had lived in Sweden for decades of their right to remain due to a missed deadline or alleged shortcomings in an application.
RELATED
Dementia-hit British man faces deportation from Sweden
Brexit Rules Threaten British Widow After 21 Years in Sweden
His intervention also adds to growing pressure on Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and his centre-right minority coalition to address concerns about how Sweden is applying the legally binding withdrawal agreement.
Svenneling said the UK had long been an important partner for Sweden and described the removals as damaging bilateral relations.


Picture courtesy of The Guardian
Another Elderly Case Highlighted
The MP also cited another case involving Horace (George) Mason, 74, who has dementia and Parkinson’s disease and is in full-time care. Mason moved to Sweden 25 years ago to be near his son Carl and grandchildren and was also given four weeks to leave.
Mason’s family tried a second legal route to remain, arguing that European human rights rules require him to be able to stay close to relatives who rely on him. The migration court of appeal ruled against the request, saying the state’s interest in regulated immigration outweighed Mason’s interest in continuing to reside in Sweden.
Writing in the Guardian, David Milstead, who leads the campaign group Brits in Sweden, said the group had raised concerns about Sweden’s approach as far back as 2020 and said the safeguards were “untested”. He said that among cases of genuine late applications brought to the group, it could not verify an instance where Sweden accepted the reasons for applying after the deadline.
UK Says Sweden Takes Stricter Approach
The UK Foreign Office said it had repeatedly raised concerns with the European Commission that Sweden takes a considerably stricter approach than other EU member states to late applications, with a disproportionate number of refusals. It said that in practice people were unlikely to have their grounds for a late application accepted.
Sweden’s migration agency said it could not comment on individual cases. It added that not knowing that a Brexit-related application needed to be made to remain in the country was not considered a reasonable ground.

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19 August 2026

• UK

• 84 comments
• 686 views

webfact

August 18Aug 18

Trump Posts Map Labeling Strait of Hormuz ‘New US Territory’

Iranian Conflict

Trump Posts Map Labeling Strait of Hormuz ‘New US Territory’

President Trump has renewed his push to claim the Strait of Hormuz for the United States, posting a revised map of the waterway that labels it “new US territory”.

On Tuesday, Trump shared the image on his Truth Social account and then made further claims in subsequent posts. He said the strait had been cleared of Iranian mines and that no additional talks with the Islamic Republic were planned.
The latest move follows warnings from Iran and growing uncertainty over shipping routes through the strait, a key passage for oil and other trade between the Gulf and the open sea.
Map Posted On Truth Social
Trump posted the revised map shortly after previously raising the idea of a permanent US presence in the strait during an election campaign event on Long Island on Friday.


Truth Social / realDonaldTrump

In his later comments, the president linked his claim to the expectation that the conflict with Iran would eventually end, reiterating that he intended to declare the Hormuz Strait a US territory after what he described as the defeat of Iran.
Separately, Trump’s posts also suggested that the security situation around the waterway had changed, saying that mines in the area had been cleared.
Long Island Remarks And Nuclear Warning
At the Long Island event, Trump told supporters that once the campaign against Iran was finished, he would declare the Strait of Hormuz a territory of the United States.
He also argued that preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon was worth paying extra for fuel, saying it would mean motorists would pay “a tiny little bit more for your gasoline”. He added that he would not apologise for his approach, saying he had “done the right thing”.
Since then, he has repeatedly floated the idea of declaring the strait US territory following the war with Iran, which is in its sixth month.
Ceasefire Collapse And Route Through Oman
Earlier, an initial ceasefire arrangement collapsed last month after Iran renewed attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
The renewed strikes came after ships used a route approved by the United States along the coast of Oman.
The breakdown has left the situation around the strait tense, with Trump continuing to underline US plans and Iran responding with sharp criticism of his assertions.
Iran Response And Shipping Disruption
Iran has said Trump’s claim amounts to “delusions”. In a statement, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said the strait would only be opened and closed under Iran’s command, adding that Iran would keep enforcing what he described as a blockade unless the US accepted defeat and stopped indulging in those claims.
The uncertainty has contributed to reduced traffic through the waterway, with fewer than a dozen ships transiting per day and only six crossing on Monday.
Markets have also reacted to the latest developments. Brent crude, the global benchmark, rose to $91 a barrel on Tuesday after the US ruled out extending the ceasefire deal.

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19 August 2026

• 39 comments
• 568 views

webfact

August 18Aug 18

Burnham Rejects Russia's Warning Over UK Drone Support

UK-Politics

Burnham Rejects Russia's Warning Over UK Drone Support

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said the UK will continue to back Ukraine “100%” after Russia warned of “consequences” over confirmation that British-made drones were used in recent Ukrainian strikes inside Russia.

Burnham said London would remain committed to supporting Kyiv, adding that the UK would not change its position as the war continues. He was responding to comments from the Russian embassy in London, which accused Britain of choosing to escalate the conflict by deepening its involvement.
The embassy said that the longer Britain stays involved, the greater the cost Moscow expects it to face, without specifying what form any response might take.
Burnham Rejects Russian Warnings
Asked about the threat on Tuesday, Burnham said the UK was providing support so that Ukraine could defend itself, describing the approach as consistent with the stance taken by previous prime ministers.
He also noted that Russia has raised warnings before about British support, including over drone technology and Storm Shadow cruise missiles.
The Ministry of Defence said the UK remains committed to providing equipment Ukraine needs to defend itself against Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “illegal invasion”, which began with Moscow’s full-scale assault in February 2022.
Drones Used in Strikes as Death Toll Rises
Kyiv’s campaign of long-range attacks has intensified in recent months, with strikes reported against oil refineries and warehouses linked to the online retailer Wildberries, as well as targets in multiple Russian regions.
The latest phase of the war has also affected Russia’s domestic fuel supplies and damaged parts of its economy, according to reporting cited by the BBC.
Two UK-based companies are understood to have built drones supplied to Kyiv. A military source told the BBC that British drones had been used in recent attacks on Russia, which were reported to have caused more than £35bn in economic damage.
Russia has frequently singled out the UK, alongside the United States, for supporting Kyiv politically and financially since the start of the war. London supplied anti-tank weapons early in the conflict under Boris Johnson, helping to slow Moscow’s advance on Kyiv.



The UK has continued to provide newer systems and training for Ukrainian forces, including by visiting Kyiv in July, Burnham’s first trip abroad as prime minister.
While fighting has continued, UN officials say civilian deaths in Ukraine were highest since May 2022. They put last month’s death toll at 437.
In Russia, a foreign ministry spokesman told the Tass news agency that 69 people, including three children, were killed in the past week.
Ukrainian attacks reported over the past days left at least 17 people dead in Ukraine on Tuesday, including 10 in the village of Pechenihy in north-eastern Ukraine. Russian strikes hit private homes as well as a cafe and a post office. Elsewhere, three people were killed in Sumy, two in Zaporizhzhia and two in Kherson.
Moscow’s warning to the UK followed a weekend wave of Ukrainian strikes, in which Russia said five people were killed in a residential area of Rostov region in the south.
IAEA Notes Drone Incident Near Zaporizhzhia
Hundreds of drones have been launched towards the Moscow region in the past two days, regional governor Andrey Vorobyov said on Tuesday. He said a 10-year-old girl was injured and a Wildberries warehouse was damaged.
Ukraine has also relied on home-grown drone and missile technology, including the FP-5 Flamingo cruise missile, alongside imported systems.
Separately on Tuesday, the UN nuclear watchdog IAEA said it had been informed about “a drone exploded at a bus stop used by staff” travelling to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Russian-occupied southern Ukraine. The IAEA said the plant director installed by Moscow told it that one person was killed and three others were seriously injured, and that there was no report of nuclear safety or security damage.
Russia and Ukraine have also reported large drone salvos near Moscow. On Monday night, Russian officials said about 620 drones were flown towards the region, with air defences destroying more than 180, while several people were wounded. On Saturday night, Ukraine reportedly launched 822 drones towards Russia, with 600 aimed at Moscow, and Russian officials said seven people died.
Germany Highlights Hybrid Drone Threats
Attention on Russian threats to Western allies has included concerns about hybrid warfare. Although incidents are rarely confirmed as Russian-sponsored, Europe has reported multiple cases involving drones flying close to sensitive military and industrial sites.
Last week, German officials warned of a “real, very acute” risk after a drone loaded with explosives was defused near a Ukrainian cargo plane at Leipzig/Halle airport, which serves as a military hub for Germany and Nato allies. The German government said it plans to expand powers for its BND and BfV spy agencies to counter drone threats and to disrupt hostile actors.

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19 August 2026

• Ukraine Conflict

• 1 comment
• 118 views

webfact

August 18Aug 18

Brazil's Lula Calls Amazon Oil Find ‘Passport to Future’

Energy

Brazil's Lula Calls Amazon Oil Find ‘Passport to Future’

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has hailed an oil discovery near the mouth of the Amazon river, saying it could help shape the country’s future.

Speaking after the find was announced by state-run oil firm Petrobras, Lula said the result could be “a passport to the country’s future”. He backed the next steps for exploration in a frontier offshore area known as the Brazilian Equatorial Margin, despite criticism from environmentalists concerned about the risks to a sensitive ecosystem.
Oil Discovered off Amazon Coast
Petrobras said drilling at sea about 175km (110 miles) off the Amazon coast found oil. The company has not yet released details on the size of the field.
It is also not clear whether producing the resource would be commercially viable. The oil is located at a depth of 2,886m (9,469ft), where deep-water extraction would require complex and costly operations.
Conservationists have warned that the Equatorial Margin is highly biodiverse, raising concerns that any spill could damage marine life and habitats, including nearby reefs. They also fear currents could carry oil towards coastal wetlands rich in wildlife.
Lula Backs Exploration Despite Criticism
Lula, who is seeking another four-year term in elections scheduled for October, said he remains committed to eventually reducing fossil fuel use to tackle climate change.
He previously dismissed concerns from conservationists as “meddling” and again rejected criticism from abroad on Monday. He said foreign interference would not be accepted, arguing that Brazil should control decisions linked to its natural resources.
“This means national sovereignty. Any country which has oil of this quality won’t allow anyone to butt in,” he said.
The environmental backlash intensified after Lula approved exploratory drilling shortly before Brazil hosted COP30 last November. Environmentalists said the timing showed a lack of alignment with climate commitments.
Petrobras Says Discovery Confirms Strategy
Petrobras began the deep-water exploration operation in the area in October 2025. The company’s chief executive, Magda Chambriard, said the discovery confirmed that Petrobras’s “optimism” about finding oil in the Brazilian Equatorial Margin was justified.
Chambriard added that the firm was committed to “ensuring the country’s energy security”.
Lula has argued that revenues from oil would be needed to finance Brazil’s shift towards non-fossil fuels. On Monday, he said Brazil would continue developing renewable energy and biofuels.
“I’m not denying my commitment to the fight for a day when we no longer need fossil fuels, because Brazil will continue to be the king of biofuel innovation and will remain a major player in renewable energy.”
Lula also referred to anger he faced at the time of the licence approval, including opposition in Europe. He said some critics argued that announcing Petrobras’s win of the licence before COP would provoke European reactions.
Local Hopes Rise Ahead of Election
The prospect of oil production has already affected communities near the coast. In Oiapoque, in Amapá state, local housing authorities said the expectation of jobs and opportunities has driven an influx of residents.
With less than two months to go before the presidential election, Lula is seeking support for economic development in a remote part of Brazil while trying to manage concerns over potential environmental impacts.

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19 August 2026

• 4 comments
• 123 views

webfact

August 18Aug 18

Iran War Puts Republican Midterm Hopes at Risk

USA

Iran War Puts Republican Midterm Hopes at Risk

Some Republicans are growing frustrated with President Donald Trump’s war in Iran, now approaching six months, as it risks worsening their prospects in the US midterm elections.

In the most competitive House and Senate contests, vulnerable Republicans are broadly sticking with the president, betting that voters will accept the economic strains of the conflict in the name of national security. The GOP is defending a narrow majority in the House and is also trying to hold its Senate majority.
Worried About Gas Prices And Daily Costs
Rep. Zach Nunn of Iowa, a combat veteran who served in Afghanistan and Iraq, said on Monday that Congress should “deal with this now” and “get it done”. He contrasted his approach with Democrats, whom he said were backing “just giving up”.
Republican strategist Barrett Marson in Arizona said the situation had become a political test for the party. “There is one person in this country who doesn’t care about gas prices — just one — and unfortunately that one person kind of controls our fate,” he said. Marson described a “balancing act” for Republicans trying to support Trump while dealing with the pain voters feel.
Sen. Jim Justice of West Virginia said the war has turned into a political and economic problem for the party. Speaking on Monday in Washington, he called the conflict a “mess” and said Republicans needed to do more to address concerns about costs. He also argued that Americans had not received enough acknowledgement of how households were being affected.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, a close Trump ally, made a similar point while campaigning in Virginia on Monday with swing-district Rep. Jen Kiggans, who faces former Democratic Rep. Elaine Luria in November. Johnson said the Iran conflict had driven up gas prices and that the effect had “drug on”.
At the same time, Johnson said he expected a shift. He suggested the country was heading into a “new phase” that would bring down gas and grocery prices.
Most Stay With Trump Despite Private Reservations
Republican strategists and lawmakers say Trump’s continued popularity inside the party has helped limit open dissent, even as polls show the war is widely unpopular. They also note that Republicans face election pressure while trying to avoid breaking publicly with a president who remains a key political asset for their candidates.
Trump has not always been accommodating to Republicans concerned about the political fallout from rising fuel prices. He has played down worries about gas costs, saying he would “never apologize” for using military force against Iran, and he has questioned the need to campaign in the midterms because he is not on the November ballot. He has also approved the use of millions of dollars from his personal political action committee to help candidates.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Monday found that just 3 in 10 voters approved of Trump’s handling of the Iran war, a figure Democrats are using to frame the conflict as a liability for Republicans.
During a rally on Sunday in Atlanta, Sen. Jon Ossoff of Georgia, one of the Democrats in the most threatened races, attacked Trump as disengaged and distracted while Americans face the impact of a war he said Trump started.
Democrats Press “Endless War” Attacks On Cost
Democratic campaign messaging increasingly depicts Republicans as supporting an extended conflict and higher costs. VoteVets, a group aimed at electing Democratic veterans, launched an advertisement last week that targeted Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan over the Iran war. The ad blamed him for $9-per-gallon gas in Dillingham, Alaska, while noting that rural parts of the state have long had higher prices than the national average. It also focused on Sullivan’s voting record on efforts to limit Trump’s war powers.
Sullivan’s campaign spokesman, Nate Adams, said in a statement that the senator “supported decisive action” to prevent Iran, which Adams described as the world’s leading state sponsor of terror, from acquiring a nuclear weapon. Adams added that the action was a threat to the United States, American service members, allies and global energy markets.
Among threatened House Republicans, Reps. Tom Barrett of Michigan and Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania have stood out for voting to limit Trump’s Iran war powers. However, the rest of the GOP field has largely argued that the conflict should be seen through.
In a podcast interview earlier this month, Kiggans said she would like to see a “quick resolution” to the conflict, but urged support for Trump’s approach. She said the aim should be to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons and to keep the Straits of Hormuz open, while backing the military actions and standing with service members and their families.
The National Republican Congressional Committee said the election is a choice between Republicans focused on disarming Iran and Democrats it accused of having funded the regime for a decade. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee said Republicans were “blindly following Donald Trump’s ego”, adding that it would cost them control of the House.

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18 August 2026

• 7 comments
• 117 views

webfact

August 18Aug 18

British Honeymoon Couple Dies in Greece Helicopter Crash

Accident

British Honeymoon Couple Dies in Greece Helicopter Crash

A young British couple who were on their honeymoon, along with their pilot, died in a private helicopter crash on the Greek island of Sifnos on Monday, Greek police said.

The victims were identified as newlyweds Alexander Cromie and Marie Ebert. Police said the third person killed in the crash was a Greek national who was piloting the aircraft.
Crash Near Landing pad
Greek police said the helicopter went down just metres from a landing pad on Sifnos. Reporting from local officials and the police indicated that the crash occurred in very close proximity to where the helicopter was expected to land.
A Times report said the crash happened shortly before the helicopter’s scheduled landing time of 18:15 local time (16:15 GMT).



Sifnos Deputy Mayor Manolis Foundoulakis arrived at the scene shortly after the incident and told local media that the aircraft was left in almost “nothing left” condition. He said residents saw the helicopter crash within metres of their homes and had described a “bizarre engine noise” as the aircraft was about to land.
Foundoulakis added that two of the victims were found in the wreckage, while the third was found a short distance away.
Investigators Heading To The Site
Greece’s aviation safety authority said it was investigating the crash and that its investigators were travelling to the scene on Tuesday to gather evidence and speak to witnesses.
The BBC said it had contacted Greek authorities and the aviation company for comment.
A Foreign Office spokesperson said: “Our thoughts are with the families during this difficult time. We are providing consular support and in contact with the Greek authorities.”
Tributes From Employers
Cromie worked at Blackstone, an asset management firm, where colleagues paid tribute in a statement. The company said it was “shocked” by the deaths of three people, including Cromie and his wife, adding that the couple had been celebrating their honeymoon.
It said Cromie was “beloved by everyone who knew and worked with him” at Blackstone, and that its thoughts and prayers were with his relatives.
Ebert worked as a senior specialist at consultancy brand Bain & Company. The company also issued a statement saying it was shocked by reports of a tragic accident in Greece involving one of its employees and her husband, and that its thoughts and support were with the families.
Fire After The Crash
Firefighters were called to the crash site and tackled a blaze that broke out following the impact. The flames had been extinguished by Monday evening, local reporting said.


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18 August 2026

• 5 comments
• 274 views

webfact

August 18Aug 18

UK Warned Gas Shortages Could Hit Homes by 2030s

UK

UK Warned Gas Shortages Could Hit Homes by 2030s

Great Britain could face gas shortages in the 2030s unless the government takes “unprecedented” steps to protect supplies from a major disruption, according to an official assessment of gas security.

The government is considering financial support for the country’s ageing gas infrastructure after a consultation warned that a “high stress scenario” could leave homes and businesses without gas within the next decade.
Officials are examining measures to support the gas sector after most consultation respondents said companies were unlikely to prepare for “low probability, high-impact events”. Such a disruption could occur as North Sea gas production continues to decline.
Supply shock risk
Three-quarters of respondents agreed with a warning from the National Energy System Operator (NESO) last year that an “emerging risk to gas supply security” could mean homes and businesses face shortages during prolonged cold weather by 2030.
Michael Shanks, the energy minister, said any government intervention in the gas market would be unprecedented and would require careful consideration.
Support for ageing infrastructure
Possible measures include financial assistance for owners of gas storage facilities and gas pipeline operators, helping make upgrades and long-term maintenance economically viable.
Shanks said the UK would continue reducing its dependence on fossil fuels by expanding clean energy, but acknowledged that the transition would take time.
“The gas system will still play an important role in our energy system for decades to come,” he said, adding that the government had a responsibility to households that would continue to use gas for heating, industries dependent on it and a power system in which gas remains important.
The government’s renewed focus on gas security comes as it prepares decisions on two controversial North Sea oil and gas projects, Rosebank and Jackdaw.
Prime Minister has said he would take a “pragmatic” approach to North Sea drilling, arguing that the UK could not ignore its domestic resources while people were struggling.
North Sea production declines
Gas accounted for more than a third of the UK’s energy consumption last year, according to government figures. However, gas demand is expected to fall by just over three-quarters by 2050 under guidance from the Committee on Climate Change.
Domestic production is expected to decline faster. The government forecasts that North Sea oil and gas output, which has already fallen for 25 years, will decrease by about 5% annually.
NESO’s first official gas supply assessment warned that potential shortages could still occur on unusually cold days as the country shifts away from gas. The risks would be greater if European storage levels were low or if an unexpected failure affected a gas import terminal or pipeline.
Reliance on imports
North Sea fields supplied almost half of the gas used by UK homes and businesses over the past five years. Norway accounted for just over a third.
Liquefied natural gas delivered by tankers from the United States and the Middle East made up about a fifth of supplies, while around 1% came through pipelines from continental Europe.
Shanks said the government was working to create a gas system capable of supporting the country's transition to clean, domestically produced energy while maintaining secure supplies and providing certainty for investment.

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18 August 2026

• Energy

• 0 comments
• 143 views

webfact

August 18Aug 18

British Student Detained After US Entry Refusal

USA

British Student Detained After US Entry Refusal

Laith Alani, a British law student, says he was profiled and unlawfully removed from the United States after being held for nearly 24 hours on arrival at Orlando international airport.

Alani, 20 and from Oxford, said he had planned a one-week trip to visit Florida theme parks and relatives, including a relative in California. He was detained by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) after arriving on 3 July, before being sent back to the UK on a British Airways flight.
Detained At Orlando Airport
Alani said he was questioned for nine hours and then kept in a holding cell for a further 14 hours. He said the process left him feeling “as if he had been kidnapped”, and he described being threatened with handcuffs during the interview.
He said officers searched his electronic devices and looked through his social media accounts. Alani said he was interrogated about his relatives, neighbours, hobbies and travel history before being escorted out of the airport and placed on the outbound flight.
A CBP document he received, Alani said, showed a signature bearing his name and stated that he had withdrawn his application to enter the country.
CBP has said the handling of the case was based on an assessment during inspection, and that Alani withdrew his application for admission after inconsistencies were identified in his travel history.
Visa History And Device Searches
Alani said his case followed earlier difficulties obtaining entry clearance. He said he was previously refused a fast-track ESTA visa waiver after disclosing travel to Iraq, where he has relatives. He later received a 10-year, multi-entry B1/B2 US tourist visa, which allows entry for tourism and for visiting family.
In his account, Alani said his prior travel was examined in detail, particularly a trip to Tunisia taken in July last year, a month after he obtained the visa. He said CBP staff implied he needed permission in advance to travel there, despite the trip being arranged at short notice and without plans made before receiving the visa.
Alani also said that correspondence seen by The Guardian following a complaint included CBP’s explanation of its decision-making. In that correspondence, CBP said an officer determined that Alani, who holds a British passport, was inadmissible because he was “unable to overcome the presumption he was an intending immigrant”.
Alani, who studies law at the University of West London, said he is autistic, has a heart disorder, and is legally disabled. He said he informed the officer and believed his health and vulnerability were not considered during the interrogation.
A US CBP spokesperson told The Guardian that “inconsistencies were identified” in Alani’s travel history “during inspection” and that he “withdrew his application for admission”.
UK MP Raises Case With Foreign Office
Alani’s local MP, Anneliese Dodds, said she raised the matter with the Foreign Office. Muslim and Arab organisations have also expressed concerns about the treatment of travellers at US airports.
The Muslim Council of Britain said such outcomes were a “regular occurrence” for British Muslim families, with detainees being held for hours, questioned, and having devices confiscated and searched, it said, often on disputed grounds.
Alani said he believed his detention reflected his faith and that he was profiled because he is Muslim. He said he was only returned to the UK after being told he would be deported, and that the circumstances made him feel at risk throughout the process.

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18 August 2026

• Immigration

• 5 comments
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webfact

August 18Aug 18

Greene: ‘I Can’t Remember’ Last Time Someone Wore MAGA Hat

USA

Greene: ‘I Can’t Remember’ Last Time Someone Wore MAGA Hat

Former Republican representative Marjorie Taylor Greene said she could not remember the last time she saw someone wearing President Donald Trump’s “MAGA” hat, after sharing a post on the social platform X showing a billboard promoting a “Trump Superstore” that was “going out of business”.
Billboard Sparks Comment On MAGA Hat
Greene posted an image of the billboard, which read “Trump Superstore”, alongside a message indicating the business was closing. She wrote that she “can’t remember the last time” she had seen someone wearing a “maga hat or Trump shirt”.
The remarks come as Greene, a former close ally of Trump in Congress, continues to criticise the president following a split that has unfolded over several months.


Facebook Rockaway Primetime Reporting
Shift Away From Trump
Greene, who married her husband, Brian Glenn, in Las Vegas last month, had previously been one of Trump’s closest supporters. Her relationship with the president deteriorated as criticism grew ahead of the release of documents and files connected to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein by the Trump administration.
Greene was one of four Republicans who backed a discharge petition aimed at forcing a House vote on the Epstein Files Transparency Act. The bill was authored by Representative Thomas Massie, a Republican from Kentucky, and Representative Ro Khanna, a Democrat from California.
Both chambers later passed the legislation, and Trump signed it into law shortly afterwards. However, lawmakers including Massie, Khanna and Greene said they were angered by the Justice Department’s approach to releasing the documents, as well as by redactions made throughout the files.
Shutdown Fallout And Trump’s Retaliation
As the dispute over the Epstein material fed broader tensions, Greene and others increasingly criticised Trump. The friction also reflected frustration from Greene over the handling of what she described as the longest government shutdown in modern United States history by Republican congressional leadership.
Trump responded to Greene in turn, referring to her as “Marjorie Traitor Brown”.
In November, Greene announced she would resign from the House of Representatives in January, saying she refused to be a “battered wife”. Since leaving office, she has continued attacking Trump and his policies, according to the accounts in her recent statements.
Iran War, Cost Of Living
Greene has also criticised the impact she says the Iran war has had on Americans concerned about the cost of living. In an interview with conspiracy theorist Alex Jones in April, she said the public should “open their eyes” and “deal with reality” and “truth”.
She also argued that many people may have supported Trump “for 10 years” and suggested they needed to reassess what she described as current conditions, in remarks presented as part of her ongoing criticism of the president.

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18 August 2026

• 129 comments
• 265 views

webfact

August 18Aug 18

Trump Dismisses USS Lincoln Concerns as 'CNN Fake Report’

Trump

Trump Dismisses USS Lincoln Concerns as 'CNN Fake Report’

President Donald Trump has rejected reports about poor conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, calling concerns about the aircraft carrier a “CNN fake report” as questions grow over the wellbeing of sailors deployed in the Middle East.
Trump Rejects Reports
Trump made the comments on Monday during an exchange with reporters in the Oval Office. After a CNN reporter questioned him, Trump told her to be quiet and accused her of being disrespectful before another journalist asked whether sailors aboard the Lincoln had enough food.
“Yeah, it was a CNN fake report,” Trump said, arguing that the carrier had been deployed for a long time but had remained away from home for longer periods in the past.
Trump said a retired general had told him the Lincoln was “beautifully maintained and beautifully taken care of”. He added that other people had visited the carrier and reached the same conclusion, describing CNN’s coverage as “fake news reporting”.
Democrats Share Food Photo
Democratic members of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee responded on social media by posting a photograph of a meal said to have been served aboard the carrier. The image showed diced carrots, a hamburger patty and what lawmakers described as “a gray slab of processed meat”.
The photograph, which did not carry a caption, was first published by USA Today.
CNN correspondent Pamela Brown reported last week on conditions aboard the Lincoln after an official said a sailor had gone overboard while wearing a vest. The Navy said the incident was considered a mental health episode.
Other recent reports have described problems aboard the aircraft carrier, including moldy showers and spoiled food. They have also reported that several sailors had attempted to jump overboard.
Navy Addresses Mental Health Concerns
Navy leaders have reportedly met with relatives of sailors serving aboard the Lincoln as concerns increased that the lengthy Middle East deployment could worsen mental health conditions and increase the risk of self-harm.
Adm. Brad Cooper, the head of US Central Command, visited the Lincoln on Saturday, a day after acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao announced that the carrier was returning home.
Cooper acknowledged that life aboard an aircraft carrier can be difficult and stressful. In a statement on Sunday, he said mental health should receive attention alongside physical and spiritual health.
He also praised the Lincoln’s leadership, particularly senior enlisted leaders, for making mental health and crew resilience a priority.
Long Deployment Draws Scrutiny
The Lincoln had remained deployed in the Middle East for more than 260 days, longer than initially expected. The carrier left San Diego in November as the United States prepared for the war involving Iran.
Retired Adm. Mike Mullen, a former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said on ABC News’s “This Week” on Sunday that he had “great concern” about conditions aboard the ship.
Mullen said the Lincoln’s commanding officer, Capt. Daniel Keeler, was working hard to address the problems. But he added that he believed “the truth probably lies somewhere in the middle.”


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18 August 2026

• Military

• 42 comments
• 428 views

webfact

August 18Aug 18

Virgin Trains Gains ORR Track Access For Europe Services

UK

Virgin Trains Gains ORR Track Access For Europe Services

Virgin Trains has been granted access to UK rail infrastructure that would allow it to run services from London to Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam from 2030, in another step towards challenging Eurostar’s cross-Channel dominance.
The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) said it has approved track access for Richard Branson’s company to use the High Speed 1 (HS1) route between London St Pancras and the Channel tunnel. Under the arrangement, Virgin would be able to operate up to 20 daily return services for the period from 1 October 2030 to 31 December 2040.
HS1 runs from St Pancras to the tunnel terminals, but the approval covers only that UK section of the journey. Virgin still needs to obtain access to the tunnel and rail networks in mainland Europe before it can begin running the planned international services.
Access Covers HS1 Only
The ORR said the decision represents an important move forward, allowing Virgin to progress through the regulatory process required to launch international operations. The track access agreement is limited to the HS1 line, meaning further permissions will still be required for the parts of the route beyond the UK.
Virgin previously cleared another hurdle last October, when it was granted permission to share Eurostar’s Temple Mills depot in east London. The depot is the only one that can be accessed from HS1 for maintenance and storage.
More Approvals Needed For 2030 Launch
Alongside securing access to continental infrastructure, Virgin must also obtain safety approvals from the ORR and the relevant EU regulators ahead of the start date in 2030.
The ORR said its approval was an “important next step” but added that additional work remains before services can run. Martin Jones, the ORR’s deputy director of access and international, said the regulator was supporting Virgin and the wider industry as international rail services grow, while noting further steps are required to complete the process.
Virgin plans to operate from St Pancras to the same destination stations in Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam that are currently served by Eurostar.
The ORR’s decision comes as competition pressures remain focused on the Channel tunnel passenger market. Eurostar has held a monopoly on cross-Channel passenger services since the tunnel opened in 1994, and Eurotunnel operates the LeShuttle service for vehicles.
Pressure Builds As UK-To-Europe Demand Rises
Eurostar, which is controlled by the French rail operator SNCF, has faced scrutiny over ticket prices and has reduced its network over the past decade, withdrawing services from Ashford and Ebbsfleet in Kent.
Virgin has said it is aiming to break that 30-year monopoly and has previously described its plans as a way to bring more competition to the route.
More broadly, demand for international rail travel from the UK has been increasing. Eurostar announced last year that it would introduce double-decker trains through the tunnel, while a joint UK-German taskforce is considering proposals for direct services from London to Berlin.
Virgin has said it intends to invest £700m in its cross-Channel project and create about 400 jobs in the UK.
A Virgin Group spokesperson said the track access pre-approval is moving the plans “at pace”, adding that it would allow the company to bring competition and its approach to customer service to the Channel tunnel route.
Eurostar said the ORR decision confirms the “huge potential for growth” in international rail and that it would continue to pursue its own plans, including investing in its fleet and carrying 30 million passengers a year.

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18 August 2026

• Transport

• 0 comments
• 136 views

webfact

August 18Aug 18

South Korea's Lee Pushes To Regain Wartime Control

Korea

South Korea's Lee Pushes To Regain Wartime Control

South Korea’s President Lee Jae Myung has renewed calls for wartime military command to be controlled in Seoul, after Donald Trump ordered the reduction of this week’s joint drills with the United States.

Speaking on Tuesday, Lee said Seoul should continue efforts to take over wartime operational control, known as Opcon, from the US during his term. He also urged faster progress on South Korea’s nuclear-powered submarine programme and on training officers for integrated operations.
US Cuts Joint exercises This Week
On Sunday night, Trump directed the Pentagon to “substantially reduce” the joint exercises running this week. He said North Korea, which possesses nuclear weapons, had been “unthreatening and respectful”, and he pointed to what he described as a strong personal relationship with Kim Jong-un.
The drills, which began on Monday, were due to last 10 days under the name Ulchi Freedom Shield. They are one of two main annual exercise series between the US and South Korea.
They were expected to involve about 18,000 South Korean troops, working alongside US personnel and contingents from 11 of the 18 member states of the United Nations Command (UNC). The UNC is the multinational body overseeing the 1953 armistice that stopped the Korean War.
US and South Korean military officials have said the exercises were designed to evolve in response to changing threats, including lessons North Korea has drawn from its recent battlefield involvement abroad.
Why Opcon Control Is Central
Lee said Seoul should proceed without disruption with the planned Opcon transfer. Wartime Opcon is the authority to direct South Korean forces if fighting resumes.
The issue traces back to the Korean War, which ended in an armistice rather than a peace treaty in 1953. As a result, the two Koreas remain technically at war, and US troops have stayed in South Korea since the conflict. The country hosts Camp Humphreys, the largest American base outside the United States. The two militaries train and operate together closely, including during large-scale annual exercises.
Since the war began, wartime Opcon has been held by the US, exercised through the Combined Forces Command. The head of that command has always been an American four-star general.
South Korea regained peacetime control of its military in 1994, but wartime authority has remained a long-running symbol of sovereignty. Reclaiming it has been a top security goal for more than two decades, repeatedly delayed under successive governments.
This week’s exercise schedule was intended to support certification for South Korea’s eventual assumption of wartime command, a process Lee has pushed to accelerate since taking office.
Lee also called for quicker advancement of the nuclear-powered submarine programme and efforts to develop officers able to coordinate across units for future conflicts.
North’s Tactics And South’s Denials
The renewed focus on command and capability comes after Trump’s decision to curtail the drills at a time when he has sought diplomacy with Kim.
During questioning in the Oval Office on Monday, Trump said Kim had responded to his order to the Pentagon, but he did not provide details. When asked about the stage of discussions, Trump described them as “very positive” without elaboration. He repeated praise for Kim, saying he believed their relationship had reduced tensions.
Trump previously halted major exercises after summits with Kim. Following his first summit in 2018, the Ulchi Freedom Guardian exercise was cancelled, while other drills were suspended or scaled back. Exercises were later redesigned and resumed under modified formats and changed names.
The US decision also came despite warnings from US and South Korean military officials that Kim’s government could apply new battlefield tactics learned from sending troops to Ukraine. Last week, officials said Ulchi Freedom Shield would include aspects reflecting North Korea’s experience with drones.
North Korea has also deepened military links with Russia since they signed a strategic partnership pact in June 2024, with Pyongyang providing troops, artillery ammunition and ballistic missiles for Russia’s war in Ukraine. Col Ryan Donald, public affairs director for the US-led commands in South Korea, said the training accounts for those changes and that exercises have evolved over the past five years.
On Tuesday, South Korea’s presidential office said the drills did not signal any intention to attack North Korea or to escalate tensions on the peninsula. It added that the fundamental purpose was not to treat any side as an adversary, but to safeguard the safe and peaceful daily lives of people.

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18 August 2026

• 0 comments
• 141 views

webfact

August 18Aug 18

Student Shot Dead in Philippine School Shooting

Crime

Student Shot Dead in Philippine School Shooting

A student at a Catholic junior high school in the southern Philippines was killed after he was shot by a fellow pupil, a local official said on Tuesday. The suspected attacker later took his own life, the official added.
Attack Inside Classroom
The alleged shooter brought a .45-calibre pistol into a classroom at the school in Zamboanga City, Mayor Khymer Adan Olaso told local radio.
Olaso said the suspect fired at a teacher who was seated at a table, but missed. The attacker then moved to another classroom and shot a student, who later died.
The mayor said the suspect subsequently died by suicide.
Livestream Footage Reported
Local media reported that footage circulating online appeared to show the shooting from a first-person perspective, AFP reported.
Authorities said the incident was brought under control and there were no further active shooters.
Link To Other Recent Violence
The Zamboanga incident comes two months after a high school shooting in Tacloban City, in the central region, that killed three students and left 20 others wounded.
In that earlier case, the suspects were two teenage boys. One was found to have been regularly playing an explicitly violent online game.
The game, Gorebox, has been banned in the Philippines. The country’s Senate is investigating the effects of violent computer games on young people.
Wider Focus On Online Content
Across South East Asia, officials have been examining ways to restrict social media use for minors, citing potential harms.
Earlier this month, a Thai teenager killed eight people, and then himself, at his school. Thai authorities said he consumed violent content on social media.

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18 August 2026

• 5 comments
• 234 views

webfact

August 18Aug 18