World News

Kyiv Warehouse Blast Kills 37 After Russian Drone Strike

Ukraine Conflict

Kyiv Warehouse Blast Kills 37 After Russian Drone Strike

A Russian drone strike triggered an explosion at a warehouse in the Kyiv region on Friday night, killing 37 people and prompting the evacuation of nearly 400 others, Ukrainian officials said.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said the blast damaged nearby residential buildings and a care home. He said an investigation had been launched into whether ammunition was being stored at the site in the Bucha district.
Search and rescue work was under way early on Saturday. Tymur Tkachenko, head of the Kyiv region, said 42 people were injured, including four children.
Blast Damaged Homes And Care Home
Zelensky said more than 300 emergency service personnel were sent to Myla, the village where the warehouse explosion occurred.
He said the care home for elderly people and people with disabilities was among the properties damaged.
Tkachenko added that the rescue response continued at the scene in the Bucha district.
Investigation After Zelensky Warned On Ammo Rules
Zelensky said ammunition must not be stored near houses or other residential buildings, and that “appropriate conclusions” would follow.
He said criminal proceedings had been opened on charges of official negligence.
Ukraine’s prosecutor general said it was reviewing the legality of the placement and storage of explosive objects and materials near residential buildings. It added that it would also investigate the actions of officials who made the relevant decisions.
Russia’s Ministry of Defence said its forces had targeted an “ammunition depot” in Myla. It said the facility stored components and launch boosters for FP-1/FP-2 long-range unmanned aerial vehicles.
Other Deaths And Injuries Reported In Ukraine
Meanwhile, officials reported additional casualties in separate attacks in the Kyiv area.
Tkachenko said a 14-year-old was killed in an attack in the Boryspil district. Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko said a two-year-old died after a Russian drone crashed in Obolonskyi.
Tkachenko said five people, including an 18-year-old girl, were injured in fresh strikes on the capital on Saturday morning.
Zelensky also reported overnight strikes in Odesa, Dnipropetrovsk, Sumy and Zaporizhzhia. The Ukrainian army said it shot down 233 Russian drones during the night.
In Russia, local officials said two people were killed and 21 injured in strikes in the Belgorod and Rostov regions over the previous 24 hours.
Drone Strikes Hit Ozon Logistics Sites
Ukrainian drone attacks also affected business infrastructure in Russia. Online retailer Ozon said one of its logistics centres was hit in an overnight strike.
It said it had suspended operations at a second logistics centre and evacuated staff due to danger in the area. Ozon said its facilities in Krasnodar, Dagestan, Stavropol and Adygea were targeted in strikes earlier this week, resulting in several injuries and widespread damage.
Russia and Ukraine have intensified attacks in recent months, with Kyiv focusing on Russian economic targets. Ukraine has said it has struck sites belonging to Wildberries, its biggest online retailer, because it supplies components to the military, a claim Moscow denies.

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29 August 2026

• 5 comments
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August 29Aug 29

Trump Eyes Yosemite Land Swap With Private Company

USA

Trump Eyes Yosemite Land Swap With Private Company

The Trump administration is considering a land swap that would allow part of Yosemite National Park to be conveyed to a private company, according to a document submitted to Congress.

A National Park Service (NPS) document obtained by The Hill says a landowner wants to connect their property to a park service road, with the aim of enabling commercial development. The file sets out that the NPS would exchange land interests to accommodate the proposal.
Land Exchange Proposal
The document describes the exchange as a mechanism for the NPS to “convey an interest in land”. It adds that the landowner would need to purchase property either within Yosemite National Park or inside other National Park Service units in California.
The NPS said it was working with the landowner on an exchange that would require that land purchase as part of the arrangement. The document framed the process as an exchange rather than a transfer without compensation.
Interior Department Response
The Interior Department, which oversees the NPS, told a Senate office—according to responses shared with The Hill—that the land swap was a “priority”.
Asked about the proposal, the department said it had not made any final decisions. It said that if a proposal progressed, it would follow “established procedures” designed to ensure coordination, transparency and public involvement in line with federal law.
The department also rejected claims that it was secretly trying to hand over NPS land to a private developer. It said there had been no political pressure to reach a predetermined outcome and described the allegations as false.
The proposed swap was first reported by NOTUS, which said the administration was looking to give the land to a firm operated by real-estate developer and investment company Kingsbarn Realty Capital.
The Hill attempted to contact Kingsbarn for comment.
Private Developer And Legal Arguments
NOTUS reported that Lanny Davis, described as an attorney for Kingsbarn, had argued for the land exchange. In comments to NOTUS, Davis said he was not acting for President Donald Trump, but described himself as having gone to the Department of Interior to make the case.
Davis said the decision would be “pro-environmental” because it would allow construction of a road intended to provide access to and from a privately owned property. He said the road involved would be built in a way that did not endanger endangered species, and he described it as “simply a road”.
Criticism From Democrats And Advocates
The proposal has drawn criticism from Democrats in Congress. Sen. Alex Padilla, a Californian Democrat, said in a written statement to The Hill that the administration was “most corrupt” and that the Land and Water Conservation Fund exists to acquire land and interests in land to protect natural areas, water resources and cultural heritage.
Padilla said projects should be chosen on merit rather than on connections to senior Trump administration figures. His office said it was working with the Senate Appropriations Committee to seek to block the project from moving forward.
A spokesperson for Sen. Jeff Merkley of Oregon, the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Subcommittee, told The Hill that Merkley also opposed the swap.
Parks advocates also criticised the plan. Mark Rose, senior Sierra Nevada programme manager for the National Parks Conservation Association, said in a written statement that the administration’s actions threatened the country’s conservation legacy and that the deal would turn NPS land over to a private developer.

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29 August 2026

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August 29Aug 29

Gordon Brown Predicts Irish Unity Is Inevitable

UK-Politics

Gordon Brown Predicts Irish Unity Is Inevitable

Former Labour prime minister Gordon Brown has said that Irish unity is inevitable at some point, although he added that any transition would require time and mutual agreement.

In an interview with the Guardian ahead of the publication of his new book, The Future Starts With Us, Brown said the political route to a united Ireland would be long, and would depend on whether people on all sides could come to agreement. He framed Northern Ireland as a territory that has a different relationship to the rest of the United Kingdom than Scotland does, pointing to links across the Irish Sea.
Peace Process Role
Brown’s comments come despite his longstanding opposition to Scottish independence and after his own involvement in government efforts to secure peace in Northern Ireland.
He served as Tony Blair’s chancellor when the Good Friday peace agreement was signed in 1998. A decade later, when he was prime minister, justice and policing powers were devolved to Northern Ireland’s power-sharing institutions, a step Brown described as part of the wider reconciliation process.
Opposition To Scottish Independence
Asked about continued pressure for Scotland to seek independence, Brown argued that Scotland should instead find a way to live in cooperation with other countries and that independence was not the right direction.
He said Scotland, and the rest of the UK, are geographically, economically, socially and culturally intertwined with other parts of Britain, as well as with areas of Ireland. Brown also indicated that Northern Ireland’s ties to the Republic of Ireland make unification, in the longer term, a plausible outcome.
He said Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland are linked by geography, and that, over time, Ireland would be united. In his view, the key question was whether communities would be able to agree on the terms and process.
Energy Policy And North Sea Transition
Elsewhere in the interview, Brown turned to energy and environmental policy, including what he described as a misconception around the choices facing Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester.
Brown said he did not want to act as a “backseat driver” on decision-making, but he made the case for continued oil and gas drilling in the North Sea. He referred to politically sensitive issues ahead of decisions, including the Rosebank and Jackdaw fields, where consultations had already closed.
Brown said government discussions about North Sea oil and gas and renewables were sometimes presented as a binary choice. He argued instead that the transition to renewables could build on existing capacity, keeping North Sea infrastructure and skills in place and gradually adapting them for wind, hydrogen—including hydrogen production—and carbon capture and storage.
He also said the shift could be managed through a European consortium model, involving Norway, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and Denmark. Brown added that environmental policy should be viewed as beneficial rather than solely as a cost, saying renewable energy costs have fallen over time.
He argued that, while producing electricity from coal and oil and gas may have been cheaper in the past, advances in solar power and wind mean that investment in environmental measures could also deliver financial advantages.

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29 August 2026

• 6 comments
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August 29Aug 29

Iceland Votes on Restarting EU Accession Talks

EU

Iceland Votes on Restarting EU Accession Talks

Icelanders are casting ballots on whether to restart EU accession negotiations, with opinion polls showing the race is too close to call and a narrow lead for a “Yes” vote weakening in the final days. Results are expected early on Sunday.

The vote decides whether Iceland should move back towards EU membership talks or reject even beginning discussions on what an agreement might involve.
How The Vote Works
Polling stations open from 9am to 10pm local time.
A “Yes” vote would not commit Iceland to joining the EU. Instead, it would reopen accession talks, and any eventual deal would be submitted to another referendum before any change took place.
The referendum is advisory and not legally binding, but a clear “Yes” outcome would place political pressure on Reykjavik to move forward.
Background To EU Talks
Iceland first applied to join the EU in 2009 following its financial crisis. In 2013, a new Eurosceptic government took office and suspended EU accession negotiations. The country later formally withdrew its candidate status in 2015.
A pro-EU coalition then won the 2024 election after campaigning on a pledge to hold a referendum on resuming the process, and the vote is taking place today.
Tight Polling And Early Turnout
With just under 400,000 residents, Iceland would become the EU’s smallest member state by population, a position currently held by Malta. Despite its size, the referendum is being closely watched because it offers a test of whether the EU can still attract wealthier Nordic countries, with Norway monitoring events.
Early voting has been unusually high. Icelandic media reported that more than 40,000 people, or nearly 15% of the electorate, had cast ballots by Wednesday. Early voting had opened on 27 July, and the unusually long early-voting period makes direct comparisons with previous elections difficult.
Polls have tightened steadily, leaving the outcome uncertain. A latest survey by market research firm Maskína, conducted between 21 and 25 August, put support for resuming negotiations at 51.3%, compared with 48.7% for “No”.
A Gallup poll released on Thursday showed “No” narrowly ahead, although the difference was within the margin of error, suggesting the final picture may have shifted further.
What Happens Next
Initial results are expected in the early hours of Sunday morning, following a day-long vote that will determine whether EU accession talks resume.
If the majority backs “Yes”, Iceland would face renewed negotiations, while any potential membership would still require a separate referendum at a later date.

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29 August 2026

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August 29Aug 29

Trump Faces Backlash from Americans Over 'Lake America'

USA

Trump Faces Backlash from Americans Over 'Lake America'

President Donald Trump’s order to rename Lake Ontario as “Lake America” has drawn ridicule and scepticism from residents and politicians in New York, where several communities border the Great Lakes.

Trump signed an executive order on 27 August directing federal officials to carry out the change amid deteriorating US-Canada relations. The move followed the collapse of tariff negotiations and the escalation of a trade dispute between the two countries, according to the order.
While US administration officials announced the plan on social media the same day, many local residents said they saw no reason to change a name that predates both the United States and Canada.
Trump Administration Moves Ahead
US officials and departments posted details of the proposed renaming on 27 August, with some praising it among a small group of conservative figures.
Utah Senator Mike Lee and US Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, among others, backed the idea. Burgum wrote: “Make the Great Lakes Great Again!” The administration has also since floated the concept of renaming an ocean, according to reports referenced in the coverage.
In an emailed statement to USA TODAY, White House spokesperson Allison Schuster said that most of Lake Ontario’s volume lies within the United States and that the new name would reflect the lake’s “place in America and her heritage”. The White House did not respond to questions about public reaction to the proposal.
New York Officials Reject the Name
Local politicians in New York moved quickly to distance themselves from the change.
Monroe County Executive Adam Bello said he would not adopt the new label. Posting on social media on 27 August, he wrote that “Lake Ontario will remain Lake Ontario”, adding that Ontario Beach Park would also keep its existing name. He also said the Genesee River and the Erie Canal remained unchanged.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul said in response to Trump’s order that “New York won’t be calling it that.”
RELATED
Trump Signs Order Renaming Lake Ontario to Lake America
Elsewhere in the US, some Republicans criticised the proposal. Wisconsin Representative Tom Tiffany said he believed the Great Lakes “are the Great Lakes” and should keep their current names, including Lake Superior, Lake Michigan and Lake Ontario. Vermont Governor Phil Scott described the move as “petty and disappointing”.
Residents Say There Are Bigger Priorities
People living near the lake in New York told the Democrat and Chronicle that they were surprised by the announcement.
Sharee Turpin, of Gates, said her first reaction was that the plan was “funny”. She described visiting Lake Ontario every summer since childhood and said it would always remain Lake Ontario to her. She added that she wanted the name to stay because it formed part of local history.
Other residents expressed similar disbelief. Mike Olcott and Pat Vito, also near Lake Ontario, said the president had more pressing issues than changing the name of the water. Vito said the lake itself would still remain there regardless of any attempt to rename it.
John Melder, from Greece, said he laughed at the idea, citing Trump’s earlier attempt to rename the Gulf of Mexico, which he said had not changed the name in practice.
Critics Call It a Distraction
Democratic politicians said the naming initiative reflected wider tensions with Canada rather than a genuine policy priority.
Democratic Representative Joseph Morelle, whose district includes cities on the lake, said the trade war was harming families in Rochester while Trump focused on “playing games with a map”, the USA TODAY Network reported. Rochester Mayor Malik Evans said the name change distracted from issues that, he argued, were causing undue harm to low-income and middle-class consumers and to small business owners.


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29 August 2026

• 41 comments
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August 29Aug 29

Burnham Won’t Vote on Assisted Dying Bill for England & Wales

UK-Politics

Burnham Won’t Vote on Assisted Dying Bill for England & Wales

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said he will not vote on the assisted dying bill for England and Wales, setting him apart from his predecessor Sir Keir Starmer.

MPs are expected to debate and vote on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill in about two weeks’ time. Burnham’s decision means he will abstain at Second Reading, the stage when MPs indicate whether they support the bill in principle.
Burnham Rejects A Second Reading Vote
Writing to Labour MPs on Friday, Burnham said he has “own personal views on the issue”, but described the matter as one for Parliament to decide.
He said the prime minister’s role was to lead a government that implements the will of Parliament on whether to change the law, and added that he did not want to influence the debate. Burnham wrote that he did not want every colleague to know his stance, saying it should be a “genuinely free vote”.
“For these reasons, I have taken the decision that it is most appropriate for me not to vote at Second Reading,” he added.
He also said there was “no single right position” and that the issue was “incredibly important and personal”, adding that different views should be handled with dignity and respect.
Starmer Backed A Previous Bill
The bill Burnham is now addressing is identical to the one introduced to Parliament last year. It passed in the House of Commons, but stalled in the Lords after an unprecedented number of amendments meant it ran out of time.
Starmer, who voted in favour of the earlier bill when he was prime minister, did not campaign for it and remained officially neutral. Burnham’s stance is therefore a departure from Starmer’s support, although it does not signal a break in Labour’s position.
Burnham stressed that while he personally would not vote, the government would remain officially neutral on the bill as an entity.
When Burnham was Greater Manchester mayor, he indicated he supported assisted dying in principle. In June, he suggested it would be difficult to implement unless social care and palliative care improved.
The assisted dying law would apply to adults aged 18 and over who are expected to die within six months, subject to safeguards.
Ministers Told To Stay Out Of The Debate
Burnham told ministers they could vote as they wished. In a separate letter on Friday, however, he said they “should avoid being part of the public debate” and should not comment on what the bill would mean for their departments’ responsibilities.
Health Secretary Yvette Cooper previously voted in favour of assisted dying. Her predecessor, Wes Streeting, had been more publicly cautious, raising concerns about the implications for the NHS.
Supporters of the bill, introduced by Labour MP Lauren Edwards, are aiming for it to pass the Commons unamended. They want to avoid changes in the House of Commons that could remove powers under the Parliament Acts, which would otherwise allow legislation to be made law if the Lords rejected it.
That strategy relies on peers voting on the choice of some sceptical amendments versus an entirely unamended bill becoming law. During the previous attempt this year, the House of Lords tabled more than 1,200 amendments, largely from opponents.
Assisted dying campaigner Dame Esther Rantzen, who has terminal cancer, accused opponents of trying to sabotage rather than scrutinise the bill after the scale of amendments earlier this year.
Opponents have said they will continue scrutinising the proposal.
Scotland Vote And Timing
The bill concerns England and Wales. A separate assisted dying proposal for Scotland was rejected by the Scottish Parliament in March 2026.

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29 August 2026

• 6 comments
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August 29Aug 29

US to Control 65bn Barrels Under Venezuela Oil Deal

Venezuela

US to Control 65bn Barrels Under Venezuela Oil Deal

The US has agreed a deal with Venezuela under which it will control more than 65 billion barrels of the South American country’s proven oil reserves, President Donald Trump said.

Trump said the agreement would “more than double” American oil reserves, increase the US supply, and help lower gas prices. He gave few operational details, while describing the arrangement as historic.
Deal Arrives As US Presses On Venezuela
Trump said he intended to draw on Venezuela’s reserves, which are the largest in the world, after the US seized President Nicolás Maduro earlier this year. The president has also faced growing pressure to bring down domestic petrol prices, which rose during the period of tension linked to the Iran conflict.
Venezuela’s interim President, Delcy Rodriguez, welcomed the agreement, saying it would support her country’s economic revival.
Investment, Taxes And Partnership Claims
Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the deal as a win for both the United States and Venezuelans. He said it would bring nearly $100 billion in private investment, support thousands of jobs and help reconstruct Venezuela’s economy, adding that Rubio’s remarks were also posted on social media.
Trump said Rubio and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth had reached the agreement with Venezuela’s leadership through a partnership with private business. He did not set out what specific commitments the US or private firms would make, but said the accord would be reached “at no cost to the American Taxpayer”.
Rodriguez said the deal involves developing 17 strategic oil fields with proven potential of 65 billion barrels. She also cited plans for more than $100 billion in investment and more than $209 billion in taxes for the state.
She said the investments would support the recovery and modernisation of the oil industry, boost economic growth, strengthen energy security in the hemisphere, and improve balance in international markets.
US Control Of Joint Venture; Legal Issues Unclear
Under the arrangement, the US government will hold 55% control of a joint venture run through an “experienced private operator in Venezuela”, a US official told BBC media partner CBS News. Rodriguez granted the venture a 100-year concession to operate in the fields.
Trump’s account of the agreement did not provide the full terms, and the deal’s structure has been described as unusual because it appears to give the US direct governance over access to a foreign state’s sovereign resources. The arrangement also appears broader than the US-led Coalition Provisional Authority’s oversight of Iraq’s oil revenues after Saddam Hussein was removed in 2003.
It is unclear whether the Venezuelan deal could face legal and constitutional challenges in Venezuela. The official text of the agreement between Washington and Caracas has not been released.
The announcement comes after Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were seized in a US special forces operation authorised by Trump on 3 January. In the hours after the raid, Trump said the US would run Venezuela until a “safe, proper and judicious transition” could be established, adding that Washington would indefinitely control the sale of Venezuela’s oil.
Venezuela has estimated proven reserves of about 303 billion barrels, although output has fallen sharply since its peak in the late 1990s. Trump has previously asked US oil firms to invest at least $100 billion to restore Venezuela’s industry, and he has said he has rights to the country’s oil after Venezuela “unilaterally seized and sold American oil, American assets and American platforms”, costing the US billions of dollars.

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29 August 2026

• USA

• 31 comments
• 292 views

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August 29Aug 29

Trump Attacks New York Times Over 9/11 Plans

USA

Trump Attacks New York Times Over 9/11 Plans

President Donald Trump pushed back on a New York Times report saying he will not attend a ceremony in New York City marking the anniversary of the 11 September 2001 attacks, after organisers rejected his request to speak at the event.

The Times said on Friday that Trump’s team had conveyed the president’s interest in taking part to the ceremony’s organisers over recent weeks. It cited three unnamed sources familiar with the discussions.
The National September 11 Memorial and Museum has prohibited speeches by politicians at the ceremony since 2012, a policy that has been in place for more than a decade.
Pentagon Plan and New York Representation
The New York Times reported that Trump is now expected to attend a memorial service at the Pentagon on this year’s anniversary. It also said that Vice President J D Vance would represent the White House at the New York event.
Trump’s response to the report was posted on Truth Social. He criticised the Times’ account and said he had been to New York “many times over the years” and that “no one ever speaks”, describing the event as a “solemn ceremony”.
He also wrote that he “would love not to speak”, adding: “because I’m speaking all the time.”
Trump Targets New York Times Reporter
Alongside his comments about the ceremony, Trump attacked one of the journalists who worked on the story. He derided Maggie Haberman as a “Fake Reporter” and said she was “an unattractive person both inside and out” in a post on Friday.
Trump also claimed Haberman had been “falsely writing about me for years” and said she was a “stalker”. In the same post, he added that she should be forced to turn over money he said she had earned through reporting he described as “fake”.
The post included no evidence or documentation to support those claims. The report referenced officials and procedures around the memorial event, rather than addressing the personal criticism directly.
Previous Legal Action Linked to Air Force One
Trump has frequently criticised coverage from The New York Times.
Last month, his Justice Department subpoenaed four Times journalists after they reported on potential security risks linked to a new Air Force One aircraft that Trump described as having been gifted by Qatar. The department later withdrew the subpoenas.
The Hill said it had contacted The New York Times for comment.

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29 August 2026

• 26 comments
• 544 views

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August 28Aug 28

Russia Struggles to Replace Ukraine War Losses

Ukraine Conflict

Russia Struggles to Replace Ukraine War Losses

Russia is losing about 6,000 more troops in Ukraine each month than it can recruit, western officials have said, despite an ongoing flow of new personnel to the battlefield.
Recruitment Gap
Officials estimated that Russia recruits about 1,000 people a day. However, they said the pace has not been enough to offset casualties in the past two months.
One western official said the difference between the number of people Russia loses to casualties and the number it can recruit is roughly 6,000 per month.
They said President Vladimir Putin’s response has been to broaden the pressure on Ukraine rather than rely solely on personnel replacement. Western officials pointed to an increase in strikes against civilian infrastructure and civilians.
Missile Campaign And Energy Targets
The assessment was that Russia is trying to wear down Ukrainian morale by targeting energy infrastructure during the winter. Officials said Moscow has fired more than 360 missiles since early July and has sought to take advantage of what they described as Kyiv’s limited defences against ballistic missiles.
Western officials said the Kremlin has few options to address the scale of battlefield losses through recruitment alone. They added that further mobilisation would carry major political and economic risks.
They cited the last such drive in autumn 2022, when about a million Russians left the country, often including people with valuable skills, with fewer than half returning afterwards. Officials also said it was unclear whether the Russian military could absorb several hundred thousand additional recruits because of shortages of equipment and officers.
Ukraine Appeals For More Help
Ukraine has repeatedly targeted facilities linked to Russian oil, which officials say has contributed to fuel shortages in Russia. Kyiv has also continued to urge allies to provide more support, including longer-range offensive missiles and additional air and missile defence systems.
Andy Burnham, visiting Kyiv on his first overseas trip as prime minister, told Volodymyr Zelenskyy that the UK will share previously classified information about British-manufactured components used in long-range cruise missiles. Burnham also urged the international community to do more to protect Ukraine from Russian attacks, including by supplying more US-made Patriot interceptor missiles.
He is expected to press the case at the UN general assembly in New York next month.
Nato Risks And Possible Retaliation
In response, Russia has issued repeated threats of retaliation, including claims about attacks on UK military targets both inside and outside Ukraine. Western officials said the danger remains significant, but added that their view is that Putin is aiming to avoid a direct confrontation with Nato.
They described Russia’s hostile rhetoric as consistent with established military practice, saying it is used to heighten fears among opponents and influence decision-making. Officials said Russia still has the capability to strike the UK through cyberattacks or through proxies against civilian targets, such as factories or warehouses.
They pointed to last year’s conviction of six men linked to an attack ordered by Russia on a warehouse in east London housing aid for Ukraine.
Western officials said Putin’s overall aim is to continue a war of attrition, counting on allied support for Ukraine to weaken over time. They said public concern about Russian threats could contribute to that outcome.
One official said such threats are intended to help create a “fractured and more vulnerable Europe”. Another added that this approach is not new, pointing to Russia’s repeated references to the possible use of nuclear weapons in recent years to deter support for Ukraine.

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29 August 2026

• Russia

• 22 comments
• 499 views

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August 28Aug 28

Judge Rejects Trump's Criminal Hush Money Case Transfer Bid

USA

Judge Rejects Trump's Criminal Hush Money Case Transfer Bid

A federal judge in New York has rejected for a second time President Donald Trump’s request to transfer his criminal hush money case from state court to federal court, where his conviction could be set aside.

Judge Alvin Hellerstein said Trump had not shown good cause or diligence and that the reasons given for the second bid were not new and not legally sufficient.
Judge Denies Second Removal Request
The judge’s order, issued on Friday, followed a requirement from a federal appeals court that he reconsider the removal attempt after a US Supreme Court decision on presidential immunity.
Hellerstein wrote that the grounds cited by Trump were not supported by new facts and did not meet the legal threshold for removal. “I reaffirm my former decision. The president's motion is denied,” he said.
Trump’s attorneys said they plan to appeal the latest ruling.
Why The case Returned For Reconsideration
In ordering Hellerstein to reconsider, the appeals court pointed to the Supreme Court ruling on presidential immunity, which changed how courts were expected to treat actions a president carries out in an official capacity.
Trump’s latest bid aimed at moving his prosecution to federal court, but Hellerstein said the removal request did not satisfy the requirements for a second attempt, noting that Trump did not identify new, legally relevant material.
Conviction Linked To $130,000 Daniels Payment
Trump was convicted of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records connected to a $130,000 hush payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. Daniels’ legal name is Stephanie Clifford. Trump is appealing the conviction.
After Friday’s decision, the case remains in state court for now, as Trump seeks appellate review of the underlying conviction. Trump’s conviction appeal challenges the result of the trial and, separately, his request to transfer the case. By denying removal, Hellerstein prevented the matter from moving to federal court at this stage.
The judge rejected Trump’s argument that, under the immunity framework for “official acts”, certain categories of testimony and documents used by prosecutors could not be considered in the case. Hellerstein said the asserted basis was not new and therefore did not justify a second transfer attempt.

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29 August 2026

• 6 comments
• 392 views

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August 28Aug 28

British Right-Wing Commentator Yiannopoulos Held by ICE

USA

British Right-Wing Commentator Yiannopoulos Held by ICE

British right-wing commentator Milo Yiannopoulos has been detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), according to entries in the agency’s records.

The 41-year-old former Breitbart News editor and former employee of rapper Kanye West is listed in an ICE inmate registry search as being held in Louisiana, the records indicate.
ICE and Yiannopoulos have not responded to requests for comment from the BBC, and the circumstances of the detention were unclear. His name and British nationality appear in a search of detainees across the United States.
Where Yiannopoulos Is Listed
Yiannopoulos, who has been living in the United States, appears under the agency’s records with British origins.
The reference to his detention comes from an online search of the ICE inmate registry, which shows his location in Louisiana. No additional details about the reasons for detention were given in the records, and neither ICE nor Yiannopoulos has provided an explanation.
Trump Campaign Booster, Later Break From Movement
Yiannopoulos grew up in Kent in southern England before moving to the US. He was an early supporter of Donald Trump during the 2016 election campaign and took part in an event called Gays for Trump during the Republican National Convention that year.
After moving away from parts of Trump’s political movement, Yiannopoulos continued to support the Republican president’s agenda. Last year, he posted on X calling for “Total legal immunity for ICE agents when they’re on duty”.
In March this year, he wrote on X that Trump “has lost his way, bought off by foreign interests”.
Criticism Over Comments And Self-Described Identity
Yiannopoulos has repeatedly attracted controversy for his remarks about transgender people, Muslims, Black Lives Matter, feminists and gay people, despite identifying as gay. He now describes himself as an “ex-gay”.
His writing has included provocative column titles such as “Birth Control Makes Women Unattractive and Crazy” and “Would You Rather Your Child Had Feminism or Cancer?”
He has also presented himself as a provocateur, calling himself the “most fabulous supervillain on the internet”. Critics have described him as promoting hate speech.
CPAC Uninvited After Footage, Then Resignation
In 2017, Yiannopoulos was uninvited from speaking at CPAC, a US conservative conference that also hosted Trump, after footage emerged in which he appeared to condone paedophilia.
Yiannopoulos later apologised and resigned from Breitbart. He denied the allegations, saying he had been speaking about his own experiences as a child.
He has also been regularly linked with the alt-right, a loose movement known for opposing political correctness and feminism and associated by critics and analysts with neo-Nazis and white supremacists. Yiannopoulos has said he does not see himself as part of the alt-right, although he has described it as “energising and exciting”.

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29 August 2026

• 15 comments
• 512 views

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August 28Aug 28

US Considers Cutting Military Aid to Key Middle East Ally

Iraq

US Considers Cutting Military Aid to Key Middle East Ally

The Trump administration is planning to stop or sharply reduce US military assistance to the Peshmerga, the Kurdish forces in Iraq, according to four sources familiar with internal discussions.

The US Department of Defense has told leaders in Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdistan region in recent meetings that it is not preparing to renew an expiring arrangement that supports the Peshmerga with security assistance, the sources said. The talks have not previously been reported.
Representatives from the BBC, speaking to two officials who attended the meetings and two other people briefed on the matter, described discussions on condition of anonymity.
Funding Deal set to Expire on 30 September
A memorandum of understanding between the Pentagon and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) is due to end on 30 September. That date coincides with the day the US and other countries plan to withdraw their remaining troops from Iraq.
The troop withdrawals will formally end the international campaign against Islamic State (IS). The Peshmerga fought alongside coalition forces during the campaign to strip IS of territory in parts of Iraq and Syria.
The last remaining US military base in Iraq is at Irbil, the capital of the Kurdish region, and is scheduled to close after coalition troops leave next month.
The Pentagon and the KRG originally signed the memorandum in 2016, and renewed it in 2022. One source said a final decision on the scope of US security engagement with Kurdistan is still under review.
Kurdish Officials Warn of Wider Security Risks
Kurdish officials fear the funding cut could create a security vacuum in the region and strengthen Iran’s influence, particularly at a time when Tehran has been escalating attacks on Iraqi Kurdistan.
Since President Donald Trump began the war with Iran, Iran has launched hundreds of missiles and drones into Iraqi Kurdistan, according to the article’s sources and data cited from a Washington think tank. A separate research compilation by the Foundation for Defense of Democracies counted 158 missile or drone attacks inside Iraqi Kurdistan by late May, carried out by Iran and Iranian-backed militias.
Analysts quoted in the reporting said ending Peshmerga support would undermine a long-standing partner and send a signal that the US could not reliably back allies in the region.
Officials in both Iraq’s Kurdish region and Washington have also raised concerns about how any transition in US involvement would affect the ability of Kurdish forces to defend territory after the US drawdown.
Pentagon Budget Proposal, Congress and an Internal Review
The Peshmerga, which numbers about 180,000 troops in Iraqi Kurdistan, received $61 million in fiscal year 2026 for weapons, military training and stipends through the Pentagon’s counter-IS programme.
In a fiscal year 2027 budget request, the Pentagon proposed cutting security assistance for the Peshmerga entirely on the grounds that IS has been defeated and the funds should be reassigned. That spending plan has not yet been implemented because it is on hold amid a wider budget dispute in the US Congress.
While the proposal alarmed officials in Iraqi Kurdistan, some had expected an extension through a deal due to expire in September.
Despite the scale of Iran-related attacks on the KRG, multiple sources said defence department officials told Iraqi and Kurdish leaders in recent meetings that the US was not planning to extend the memorandum.
The sources also said the US is looking at ways to retain some security support for both Iraq and Iraqi Kurdistan after the troop withdrawal.
State Department and KRG Declined to Comment
The KRG and the US State Department declined to comment on the discussions. The Pentagon referred questions to a statement summarising Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth’s meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi in July, which said Iraqi security forces, including the Peshmerga and other Kurdish-region forces, would lead the fight against terrorists in Iraq following coalition success against IS.
The Kurdish security discussions were linked to broader negotiations between the US, Baghdad and the KRG over the timing and terms of the troop withdrawal. The departure date was set under a 2024 agreement between Washington and Baghdad to withdraw US troops remaining in Iraq that had been deployed after IS surged in 2014, following the 2011 withdrawal of American combat troops.
The administration has said it is open to a bilateral security agreement with Iraq, and the sources said the two sides discussed a possible defence pact, though the shape of any agreement and the role of Iraqi Kurdistan remain unclear.

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29 August 2026

• USA

• 16 comments
• 664 views

webfact

August 28Aug 28

Judge Temporarily Blocks Trump Admin Mail Voting Plan

USA

Judge Temporarily Blocks Trump Admin Mail Voting Plan

A federal judge on Thursday night issued a temporary order blocking the Trump administration from putting in place key provisions of a newly finalised rule aimed at restricting mail-in voting.

U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani said the order prevents the United States Postal Service from increasing its oversight of mail-in voting, after President Donald Trump signed an executive order that would effectively place the Postal Service in the role of primary enforcer for whether mail voters meet eligibility requirements.
Temporary Order Halts key Provisions
Talwani’s ruling blocks the implementation of the newly finalised rule for at least 14 days. The decision restricts the government’s plan to expand the Postal Service’s involvement in the mail-voting process by limiting action that would increase oversight relating to mail-voter eligibility.
The order was issued as the administration moved to finalise and advance the rule following the executive order issued by Trump.
Court Limits Postal Service Role
Under Talwani’s temporary injunction, the Postal Service is barred from taking steps that would amount to additional supervision of mail-in voting in connection with the eligibility standards referenced in the administration’s approach.
The executive order that led to the rule sought to use the Postal Service as the central mechanism for enforcing eligibility requirements for mail voters. Talwani’s latest action halts that effort, at least temporarily, by stopping the rule’s key components from taking effect.
Prior Block on Executive Order Lifted
Talwani had previously blocked Trump’s executive order, but that decision was later reversed. On Wednesday, she lifted her own block after the Supreme Court ruled on Monday that she had moved too quickly at the time.
The Supreme Court’s decision meant the executive order could proceed, prompting the administration to finalise the rule restricting mail-in voting further. Shortly thereafter, the judge returned with the new temporary order.
New Ruling Adds Delay of at Least 14 Days
Thursday night’s order keeps the newly finalised rule from being implemented immediately, giving the challenge an additional pause while the dispute remains before the courts.
The ruling lasts for at least 14 days, delaying the administration’s attempt to apply the rule’s core provisions that would involve the Postal Service more directly in oversight of mail-voter eligibility.

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28 August 2026

• 5 comments
• 281 views

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August 28Aug 28

Norway’s King Harald V Dies Aged 89

Royalty

Norway’s King Harald V Dies Aged 89

Norway’s King Harald V has died aged 89 after being taken to hospital last week for treatment of a rare blood condition, the royal palace in Oslo said.

The palace said he died peacefully at 06:35 local time (04:35 GMT) on Friday at the National Hospital in Oslo. The Norwegian royal flag at the palace was lowered to half-mast. During the 24 hours before his death, members of the royal family visited the king, and crowds laid flowers at the palace.
Death And Succession
The king’s death came as the country prepares for a change of reign. Harald will be succeeded by his son, Crown Prince Haakon, 53. An extraordinary council of state with the government is scheduled for later on Friday.
International leaders sent condolences. King Charles III said he offered his “most heartfelt condolences”. King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden said Harald would be remembered as “a good friend” to him, his family and Sweden, and he wished Haakon “success and good fortune”.
Major Reforms And National Role
Harald became Norway’s first king born in the country since the 14th century. He spent 35 years on the throne and was widely seen as a popular, reforming monarch who helped modernise the monarchy.
During his reign, the palace and the royal household moved towards greater transparency and a more egalitarian approach, including changes relating to finances and health. Harald also broke with long-standing tradition by marrying a commoner, Queen Sonja, in 1968, and his stance was later credited with making it easier for members of the next generation to marry outside the aristocracy.
In Norway’s darkest hours, Harald positioned himself as a unifying figure. After the 2011 attacks in Oslo and on the island of Utøya, which left 77 people dead, he appealed to people to support one another and not allow fear to take hold.
Accounts from royal observers described Harald as approachable and emotionally open. When Norway’s national football team returned after reaching the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time, he welcomed them back at the palace.
Health Decline And Family Turmoil
In April 2024, as his health deteriorated, Harald permanently reduced his public engagements. More recently, he was treated with cortisone for haemolytic anaemia, a condition that reduces the number of red blood cells. He was admitted to hospital on 17 August, and Haakon took over the king’s duties as regent.
The monarch’s final months also unfolded against a period of intense scrutiny of the royal family. Marius Borg Høiby, the queen’s son, was convicted of rape in June and later appealed a four-year jail term. He was present at Harald’s bedside shortly before the king died. Borg Høiby’s case had drawn attention for months, alongside revelations about Queen Mette-Marit’s association with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. She apologised to Harald and Queen Sonja and admitted “poor judgement”, saying she wished she had never met him.
After the end of her son’s trial, Mette-Marit received a lung transplant. Her doctors said they would not declare her stable until about a year after the procedure. Haakon is expected to face continued demands as he supports her during the succession period.
Alongside these events, historians and commentators noted that criticism during times of crisis often fell more broadly than on Harald personally. They said many people continued to view him warmly.
Early Life And Service
Harald was born on 21 February 1937 at the Skaugum estate near Oslo, long after Norway became a constitutional monarchy following its independence from Sweden. When Nazi Germany invaded Norway in the early phase of the Second World War, he was three. His mother fled with her children to Sweden and later travelled to the United States after an invitation from President Franklin D Roosevelt.
Harald returned to Norway at the end of the war, completed school and compulsory military service, and became crown prince in 1957. He studied social science, history and economics at Balliol College, Oxford, from 1960 to 1962.
He met Sonja Haraldsen at a party, but after a delay of nine years, he married her in Oslo Cathedral on 29 August 1968. When his father King Olav V fell ill in 1990, Harald served as regent and then succeeded to the throne when Olav died on 17 January 1991.
Harald was also known as a keen athlete and environmentalist. He helped drive the Norwegian branch of the World Wide Fund for Nature and served as president of the organisation’s Norwegian chapter for 20 years. He represented Norway in sailing at the Olympics three times and ended his competitive sailing career in 2022.
Harald is survived by Queen Sonja, their daughter Princess Märtha Louise, their son King Haakon and six grandchildren.

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28 August 2026

• 1 comment
• 110 views

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August 28Aug 28

Trump Positions Republicans As Culprits For Midterm Losses

Analysis

Trump Positions Republicans As Culprits For Midterm Losses

President Donald Trump has been signalling for weeks that congressional Republicans could face blame of their own if the party suffers major losses in the 2026 midterm elections

ANALYSIS

Trump has long disliked losing elections, repeatedly trying to explain setbacks by pointing to unsubstantiated claims of mass voter fraud. Ahead of November, he has instead turned his focus inward, suggesting that Republicans would be responsible if they fail to meet expectations at the ballot box.
Resharing And Threat Of “Frustration”
On Wednesday, Trump drew attention by re-sharing a month-old post by a loyal supporter, Matt Van Swol, who warned that Republicans were “sleepwalking toward a midterm reckoning they don’t see coming”.
In the original post, Van Swol argued that Republicans in Congress had not delivered legislative progress to support Trump’s agenda, and said that if lawmakers did not begin producing “tangible results”, voters’ frustration would have consequences.
Trump later posted additional material listing what he said were his own achievements. He also shared an image declaring “mission accomplished” in the Iran war, underscoring the contrast he was drawing between his record and what he suggested the party has not done enough to secure.
Leavitt Response And False Claims
Asked on Thursday whether Trump was distancing himself from congressional Republicans, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said: “The president is wholeheartedly committed to helping Republicans across the board retain the majority.”
But Trump had set out the case more directly earlier in the month, including in an interview with Punchbowl News in which he claimed—falsely—that voters were angry at other Republicans rather than him. He said: “The question is, will (people) vote? Because a lot of them are very angry at Republicans, to be honest with you,” adding: “They’re angry at Republicans, but they’re not angry at me.”
The article also references polling figures from CNN Poll of Polls, saying 63% of Americans disapprove of Trump and that fewer than 1 in 5 strongly approve of him in most quality polls.
Trump’s broader messaging has also suggested voters would reward him personally while withholding support from other Republican figures, setting up the possibility of a sharper intraparty fight if the GOP does poorly.
Push On Elections Bill And Filibuster
Earlier in the summer, Trump urged Senate Republicans to abandon the filibuster and pass his elections bill, the “Save America Act”, repeatedly framing the issue as a test for the party’s electoral prospects.
At Mount Rushmore on July 3, he said Republicans could only “lose the midterms” if they failed to pass the legislation, adding that refusing to do so could be “foolish, stupid, and unwise”. Later in July, he warned that if Republicans did not “get it done”, it would be “a very bad thing for the party”.
On July 29, Trump said that if there was not “unanimous GOP support”, voters should look at the Republicans who withheld it. He also targeted Senate Majority Leader John Thune in posts that implied disappointment with efforts to remove the filibuster, including a message stating: “Remember, stupidity always brings LOSING & DEATH!”
Trump has also encouraged voters to “pretend” he is on the ballot and vote accordingly, while seeking to keep the midterms focused on him through a Trump-branded midterm convention next month. The Atlantic reported that the convention and related advertising plans featured Trump prominently in super PAC materials, according to the article.
Midterm Strategy And Potential Fallout
The warning from Trump’s approach is that the political coalition that supports him may be less reliable when he is not personally on the ballot. With his approval ratings described as low, Republicans have acknowledged they face limited space to win over swing voters, with CNN reporting that sources pointed instead to mobilising MAGA supporters.
If Republicans were to lose one or both chambers of Congress, the narrative would likely turn quickly to how much damage Trump’s role has done to the party and to whether he is a weakened lame-duck president with two years remaining. In that scenario, he would be expected to respond to any suggestion his leadership is responsible for the results.
If, however, Trump chooses to lay the blame primarily on congressional Republicans, the GOP could face a difficult internal struggle shortly after an election defeat, just as it looks for a new direction beyond the Trump era.

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28 August 2026

• 13 comments
• 457 views

webfact

August 27Aug 27

Russia Warns UK It Is ‘Playing With Fire’

Russia

Russia Warns UK It Is ‘Playing With Fire’

Russia has warned that it could retaliate against the United Kingdom for its support of Ukraine, including by striking military targets inside and outside Ukraine, as reports said the director of the CIA warned the Kremlin against attacking Nato.

On Monday, Andy Burnham, the UK’s prime minister, said the government will allow Kyiv access to classified technology to help it begin producing Storm Shadow long-range cruise missiles. He said France has also agreed to provide missile technology. Russia’s foreign ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, said on Thursday that Britain and France were “playing with fire”.
RELATED
Burnham Accuses Russia of ‘Outrageous Threats’ in Kyiv
In response to the latest Russian threats, a Ministry of Defence official reiterated UK support for Kyiv. They said Britain is committed to supplying equipment Ukraine needs to defend itself against Russia’s “illegal invasion”, and warned that Russia should not doubt the government’s resolve to stand against aggression both in Ukraine and against the UK and its allies.
CIA Director Visit and Nato Attack Warning
The Wall Street Journal reported that John Ratcliffe, the CIA chief, visited Moscow on Tuesday after a US intelligence assessment that Russia might be preparing to test Nato with a limited assault on an allied country. The assessment described a range of possible actions, from a cyber-attack to a small-scale incursion, with a Baltic state considered likely.
Russia has repeatedly issued threats against western allies during the war in Ukraine, including statements interpreted as veiled nuclear warnings and others aimed at diplomatic missions in Kyiv.
RELATED
CIA Director Warned Russia Against Attacking NATO Countries
Asked about the report of Ratcliffe’s visit, Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesperson, dismissed it on Thursday by saying that much of the material being published was designed to cause alarm and had no link to Russia’s intentions.
Missile Interceptor Shortages in Europe
The focus on Russia’s intentions has coincided with fresh reporting about shortfalls in missile interceptors available to European forces. The Associated Press said the US military is facing a “beyond critical” shortage of advanced missile interceptors in Europe, citing a US defence official in Europe and a Nato official, and linking the shortage largely to the disruption of supplies during Donald Trump’s conflict with Iran.
The report said the most serious gap concerns Patriot missile interceptors, which can be used against high-speed ballistic missiles. The Nato official confirmed low Patriot inventories among American and Nato forces stationed in Europe. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter.
Escalation Signals and European Readiness
Russia is widely viewed as considering further escalation after months of increased Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil refining infrastructure and other sites that have added economic pressure. The Kremlin’s rhetoric has also grown more hardline as the war has moved closer to Russia’s borders.
Recent statements included a nuclear warning directed at Japan linked to the disputed Kuril Islands, alongside descriptions of relations with the United States as being in a “crisis” at a historic low.
The Ratcliffe warning, according to reports, resembled an earlier caution given by his predecessor, William Burns, in 2021 ahead of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which Moscow denied it was planning at the time.
Meanwhile, Nato countries neighbouring Russia have begun increasing readiness. Poland said this week it received its first shipment of South Korean Black Panther main battle tanks, with plans to deploy them near the border with Russia’s Kaliningrad region. Poland’s deputy defence minister, Cezary Tomczyk, said Warsaw was preparing for the possibility of a full-scale conflict and, in remarks reported by Super Express, said the country was preparing for war while hoping it would not happen.


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28 August 2026

• UK-Politics

• 63 comments
• 705 views

webfact

August 27Aug 27

UEFA Prepares Criminal Case Against FIFA Chief Infantino

Sport

UEFA Prepares Criminal Case Against FIFA Chief Infantino

Uefa says it is preparing criminal legal proceedings against Fifa president Gianni Infantino over a plan to sell stakes in the World Cup and other Fifa competitions to private investors that was later dropped.

Documents seen by BBC Sport state that Uefa has applied for access to evidence and files to use in Switzerland, where it is seeking proceedings against Infantino. The European governing body accuses him of “criminal mismanagement” and says it is also considering action against other Fifa officials.
Uefa set out the plan after Infantino proposed, shortly after the summer World Cup, creating a new company, Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE). The proposal would have transferred commercial stakes in Fifa tournaments to outside investors. It was abandoned following widespread backlash.
Uefa Seeks Evidence for a Switzerland Case
Uefa said key decisions were made without consultation. It also states that it wants to take steps in Switzerland using material held in the United States.
In a statement sent to the media, Uefa said representatives at a meeting in Monaco before the Champions League draw unanimously instructed the Uefa president and administration to pursue “every available institutional, political and legal avenue” to deliver reform and limit presidential authority, arguing Fifa should be governed as an institution rather than around one individual.
Uefa’s application also says it is preparing to bring criminal claims in Switzerland against Infantino and, possibly, other Fifa officials and advisers.
Valuation And Sale Terms Challenged
In its legal submissions, Uefa argues that the stakes proposed for sale were not independently verified and would have been priced too cheaply, calling the sale “a fraudulently off-market price promoted by Infantino for his own benefit”.
Uefa says the terms announced by Infantino would have allowed investors to take a permanent financial interest in Fifa’s commercial arm for $4.2bn. It adds that this implied an “absurdly low enterprise value” of about $20bn, which it says was not the result of an open auction or assessed by an independent valuer.
Uefa also claims the company structure and the way the scheme was pushed through internal approvals amounted to conduct designed to benefit Infantino and a small circle around him.
The document argues Infantino announced the FFE plan on July 28, 2026 “without consulting” the Fifa Council, Uefa, the other confederations or the 211 member associations. Uefa says the public announcement was the unveiling of a proposal it claims had been developed in secret for more than a year.
Further Court Filings Across the US
Uefa says it is taking steps in US courts to obtain documentation for later use in Switzerland. It has applied to a court in Florida to try to access files held by two Fifa businesses based there: Fifa Americas and FWC2026.
BBC Sport was told a separate filing has been lodged in New York seeking documents involving Thrive Capital, the business proposed to take up an interest in FFE, and its founder Josh Kushner, described in the filings as the brother of US president Donald Trump’s son-in-law. The American investment bank JP Morgan is also named.
A third application has been made in Colorado, concerning former Formula 1 chief Greg Maffei, referred to in the filings as “the key commercial adviser” on the proposed FFE transaction, and his Bann Ventures firm.
Uefa says its 55 member nations could have been harmed by the sell-off, and that it may pursue criminal proceedings against other Fifa officials in addition to Infantino.
Why the Plan Triggered Backlash
Infantino offered Fifa’s 211 member associations $40m (£30m) if they backed the proposal for private investment in its tournaments via FFE, including the men’s and women’s World Cups. Uefa led opposition, saying it had lost confidence in Infantino and that its members would boycott World Cups unless the FFE plan was scrapped.
Infantino has faced calls to step down after he withdrew the proposal earlier this month. He is seeking a fourth term as Fifa president in March.
Uefa and other confederations accused Infantino of breaking trust “through deception” in an open letter. While home nations withdrew support for him, Infantino retains backing from Conmebol and Caf, and some countries have broken ranks with their confederations to support him.

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28 August 2026

• 2 comments
• 142 views

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August 27Aug 27

Trump Signs Order Renaming Lake Ontario to Lake America

USA

Trump Signs Order Renaming Lake Ontario to Lake America

US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order aimed at renaming Lake Ontario as “Lake America”, adding a further flashpoint to a deepening trade dispute with Canada.

The decision follows the breakdown of US-Canada trade talks late last week. The US then imposed new 50% tariffs on C$28bn ($20bn) worth of Canadian goods, while Canada said it will respond with “dollar for dollar” counter-tariffs next month.
Trump had previously warned on social media that he would seek to change the name of the lake, one of the five Great Lakes shared by the two countries. On Thursday, he said the order was “official, effective immediately” and that his administration had completed the paperwork needed to carry out the change.
US Department To Update Geographic Name Records
In the order, Trump directed the US Department of the Interior to update the Geographic Names Information Service, the official repository of domestic geographic names in the United States, to reflect the new name.
He argued that the lake’s renaming was not intended as a direct message to Canada, but said the country had “been ripping us off for a long time on trade”.
Speaking as he signed the order in the Oval Office, Trump said he had been considering the change “for a long time” and drew a comparison with other US geographic name changes, saying there was a “gulf” and a “lake”, before suggesting that the Atlantic or Pacific could also be renamed.

There is no single internationally recognised body that sets official names for international waters. The order therefore concerns how the US officially recognises a place within its own geographic records, rather than creating a global naming authority to compel other states.
Canada Says Lake Ontario Will Remain
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said the name Lake Ontario can be traced back more than 400 years. In a post on Thursday, he pointed to its use before the formation of the Canadian Confederation and the US Declaration of Independence.



Carney wrote that Canada recognises the lake as Lake Ontario “today and forever”, adding that the United States was “changing” in areas including trade relations, foreign policy and national monuments.
Canada’s response also included reference to long-standing naming origins across the Great Lakes region. Names of four lakes — Ontario, Huron, Michigan and Erie — come from indigenous words, while Lake Superior was named after an anglicised French term. Lake Ontario, the smallest of the Great Lakes, borders the Canadian province of Ontario and the US state of New York.
Earlier this week, Canadian Industry Minister Melanie Joly rejected the notion that Canada would adopt the US change, saying: “We’ll always call it Lake Ontario.”
Officials have also previously argued that one country’s decisions do not oblige others to follow.
Past US Name Changes And Mexico Dispute
Trump’s latest executive order follows a similar move during his first term beginning in 2025. At that time, he signed an order changing the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. Mexico rejected the change, saying a single country cannot rename a shared body of international water.
That renaming dispute also affected how the gulf is shown on maps. In the earlier case, Google Maps displayed “Gulf of America” for users in the US, while users in Mexico saw “Gulf of Mexico”. For other countries, the listing included both names in a combined format.
The Lake Ontario order comes amid US-Canada relations deteriorating to new lows, with both sides trading insults during the dispute over tariffs and trade conditions over the past week. On Friday night, talks collapsed at the last moment, with both sides accusing the other of pushing for last-minute changes to a tentative deal.
There was, however, a sign on Thursday that there could be room for renewed negotiation. Canadian US trade minister Dominic LeBlanc said in a post on X that the US had withdrawn some demands around labelling requirements in French, and that measures to promote French language and Canadian culture would not be subject to future US trade actions. He said Canada looked forward to further clarifications that could enable a mutually beneficial agreement reflecting Canadian sovereignty.

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28 August 2026

• Canada

• 168 comments
• 915 views

webfact

August 27Aug 27

Two Teens Among 33 UK Nationals Missing in Nepal Floods

Natural Disaster

Two Teens Among 33 UK Nationals Missing in Nepal Floods

A deadly flash flood near the Nepal-Tibet border has left dozens of people feared dead and more than 1,300 others missing, with 33 UK nationals reported among those unaccounted for, including a 13-year-old girl and a 14-year-old boy.
Nepali police said the death toll had risen to 359. Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority said more than 1,300 people were missing. The Nepal Tourism Board said 644 tourists were also out of contact.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the UK had offered £5m to help the Nepalese government and described the situation as “very distressing and devastating”. The King and Queen said they were “heartbroken” and sent their “most profound sympathy” to those affected. Burnham earlier urged Britons in the region to follow guidance from local authorities and UK travel advice.
The UK Foreign Office said it was working closely with Nepali authorities after “concerning reports” of British nationals missing. It urged people in Nepal to follow local guidance and remain alert to the changing situation.
UK Tour Groups Report Britons Unaccounted For
Excursion company Alpine Eco Trek, which provides guided expeditions in Nepal, said it had been unable to establish contact with a group of 12 Britons booked on a tour to Mount Kailash and present in the area when the flood struck. The company said its records showed the group’s ages ranged from 13 to 65, with the youngest a 13-year-old girl.
Alpine Eco Trek said it tried to charter a rescue helicopter but could not fly because of poor conditions. The company added it would keep supporting rescue efforts on Thursday and that four Nepali guides employed by the firm were also missing.
Kumar Adhikari, the firm’s manager, said he had been in contact with the guides until 08:40, when they were due to reach Tibet’s immigration office, but that their phones were later disconnected. He said a video released by China’s government indicated that even Tibet’s side had been hit.
RELATED
Deadly Nepal Floods Leave 291 Foreigners Missing
Other operators also reported missing people. The Trekkers’ Society, which runs tours across Nepal, Tibet and Bhutan, said nine UK nationals on a Mount Kailash pilgrimage were missing after they crossed the Nepal-Tibet border. It said four men aged 14 to 50 and five women aged 40 to 53 were unaccounted for, and that it had lost contact with the tour guide.
Himalayan Glacier US told the BBC it had lost contact with a group of 47 guests and staff who were making the pilgrimage to Mount Kailash, considered the spiritual home of the Hindu god Shiva. The company said the group included two British citizens. Kailash Journeys also reported a group of 27 guests and staff missing, saying it last heard from them early on Wednesday local time. A list of names provided to the BBC included two men who were British citizens.
Fishtail Tours, a Nepali travel agency running trips in Nepal and Bhutan, said one British person was missing.
Calls For Caution As International Help Offered
In East Sussex, Pramod Pudel, who lives in the UK but is originally from Nepal, told BBC Radio Sussex that “nothing remains” where his family lives. He said he was flying back to search for his wife, mother, brother and uncle, and described a lack of information and communications. He said bridges were damaged, preventing travel, and that power outages meant he could not contact people.
On Thursday, UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said he had spoken to his Nepali counterpart and pledged that Nepal would receive support. He said he had offered financial assistance, search and rescue help and other support for the disaster response.
In a joint statement with Australia, the EU, Finland, France, Norway and Switzerland, the UK embassy in Nepal urged British nationals to “exercise caution in affected areas”.
What Caused The Flood
The flood hit early on Wednesday in Rasuwa, just north of Kathmandu. Preliminary information suggested it may have been triggered by an earthquake, but the US Geological Survey said additional analysis indicated the seismic energy was instead generated by a landslide.
The USGS said a magnitude 5.2 event caused by a “glacial collapse and debris flow” occurred near the border at 08:37 local time.
Chinese state media reported that a mudslide in Tibet’s Gyirong killed three people and left 265 missing, with rescue efforts under way.


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27 August 2026

• 0 comments
• 162 views

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August 27Aug 27

War Criminal Ratko Mladić Dies While Serving Life Sentence

Report

War Criminal Ratko Mladić Dies While Serving Life Sentence

Ratko Mladić, the convicted Bosnian Serb war criminal, has died in a UN detention facility at The Hague aged 84, according to UN confirmation following early reports from Serbian media.
Mladić was serving a life sentence imposed by an international tribunal for crimes committed during the wars in the former Yugoslavia between 1992 and 1995. The court convicted him of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Life Sentence upheld On Appeal
Mladić was jailed for life in 2017. After the Bosnian war ended, he remained at large for 16 years before being found in rural Serbia in 2011 and brought to trial in The Netherlands.
In 2021, an appeal court upheld his sentence. At the end of his life, he was receiving palliative care in the hospital at the UN detention facility, where he died. He had been held there since 2011.
UN Court Rejects Release Bid
In May, a UN court at The Hague rejected a request for Mladić’s release as he neared the end of his life. The judge said his situation was “dire”, but ruled that he was being given “comprehensive and compassionate treatment” in detention.
News of his death was first reported by Serbian media and later confirmed by a UN official.
Role In The 1990s War
In the 1990s, Mladić commanded Bosnian Serb forces during fighting against Bosnian Croat and Bosniak (Bosnian Muslim) armies.
During the conflict, his troops carried out policies and attacks described by the tribunal as “ethnic cleansing” across Bosnia-Herzegovina. The court also found that forces under his command besieged Sarajevo, where more than 10,000 people died, and that they perpetrated the massacre of 8,000 men and boys at Srebrenica.

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27 August 2026

• 3 comments
• 151 views

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August 27Aug 27

Trump Trades Oil Stocks Amid Iran War

Trump

Trump Trades Oil Stocks Amid Iran War

President Donald Trump’s personal investment accounts have continued buying and selling shares in oil and gas companies while he has overseen the US war with Iran, according to financial disclosure filings available through the second quarter of 2026.

The Office of Government Ethics (OGE) records show that, during the period when the conflict persisted, paused for a ceasefire and then resumed, his accounts carried out trades worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. The most recent data in the filings were compiled by OGE from submissions made under federal disclosure rules.
Broad Portfolio and Large Trade Volume
Mr Trump holds assets across all 11 sectors, and a CBS News review found that his accounts completed about 3,600 stock or securities trades in the first three months of the year. The trades were reported as totalling between $212 million and $695 million, based on the ranges disclosed in the filings.
Democrats on the Joint Economic Committee estimated this week that the value of Mr Trump’s holdings in oil and gas companies rose from a range of $13 million to $46 million at the start of the year to $17 million to $61 million by mid-August. The lawmakers based their calculations on his 2025 holdings and said they did not factor in trading activity that occurred after that period, which is reported in later filings as transaction ranges rather than exact figures.
Energy stocks climbed during a timeframe that included US operations in Venezuela in early January and the war with Iran, which began at the end of February. Global oil prices stayed elevated during the conflict, supporting profits for publicly listed energy companies.
Specific Trades, Including Ceasefire Day
One large transaction highlighted in CBS News’ review involved ExxonMobil. On April 7, the day Mr Trump declared a ceasefire in the Iran war, his investment accounts sold between $500,000 and $1 million of ExxonMobil shares, according to a disclosure report filed in late June.
That trade occurred the evening before markets reflected the ceasefire announcement. ExxonMobil’s share price closed at $163.91 on April 7, then fell to open at $153.52 on April 8, down 6.5%.
During the first half of the year, Mr Trump also bought and sold shares worth hundreds of thousands of dollars in Chevron, ConocoPhillips and other energy companies, based on OGE disclosures.
OGE rules require public officials to report stock purchases and sales above $1,000 within 45 days of the transaction, or within 30 days of learning about it. As a result, the OGE records do not always show trades as promptly as the underlying transactions occur. The filings reviewed also show that Mr Trump was late in submitting some 2026 disclosures.
White House Position on Independence
The White House said Mr Trump is not involved in decisions about his trading. In a statement, White House spokesman Davis Ingle said that Mr Trump’s stock and bond portfolio is handled by independent third-party financial institutions.
Ingle added that the holdings are kept in discretionary accounts and are managed through computer-based model portfolios designed to mirror recognised indexes, including a Schwab 1000 index model. He said no family member has the ability to direct, influence or provide input into how investments are chosen or when they are bought and sold.
Mr Trump has not placed his assets in a blind trust. Holding individual securities, rather than index funds or other pooled vehicles, means his investments remain visible through his disclosures.
Criticism Over Conflicts and Trade Strategy
When CBS News reported on earlier trades in June, some fund managers suggested the activity could be linked to tax planning, including strategies such as tax-loss harvesting—selling positions at a loss to offset gains elsewhere. David Salem, a portfolio manager at Hedgeye Asset Management, said at the time that such activity could be automated and that direct indexing and similar approaches require specialised technology and tax expertise. Those comments were described as his view.
Critics including Donald Sherman of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) said the president should not financially benefit from higher energy prices tied to the conflict. Sherman argued that higher prices and related costs are borne by the public, while trades by Mr Trump’s brokers could increase his profits amid global instability.
Presidents and other federal officials are legally permitted to trade individual stocks, although some lawmakers in both parties have proposed banning the practice.

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27 August 2026

• Iran

• 14 comments
• 482 views

webfact

August 27Aug 27

Trump’s Approval Hits Record Low in New Poll

USA

Trump’s Approval Hits Record Low in New Poll

President Donald Trump’s approval rating in his second term has fallen to a new low, according to a Reuters/Ipsos survey.

The poll found his approval at 33 percent. That is down 14 points from the start of his second term, when it stood at 47 percent, and down four points from about a month ago, when it was measured at 37 percent.
Disapproval Widens
At the same time, Trump’s disapproval rating rose to 65 percent in the survey. It was up 24 points from the beginning of his second term, when it was recorded at 41 percent, and up four points from last month, when it was at 61 percent.
Midterms Put Pressure on Republicans
The new figures come as Republicans face a tough political run-up to the midterm elections. The poll is set against a backdrop of public dissatisfaction about the war in Iran, which is nearing its six-month mark, and heightened economic concerns reported in other recent polling.
A separate polling average compiled by Decision Desk HQ showed Trump’s approval rating at 38.7 percent on Tuesday morning, while his disapproval rating was at 57.9 percent.
Endorsements Claim Versus Election Losses
On Sunday, Trump promoted his endorsements as “stronger than ever”, despite losses for some candidates backed by him in recent primaries.
Posting on Truth Social, he said: “My Endorsements are stronger than ever — Not to mention the fact that good people are getting elected that never had the chance.” He added that 254 candidates he supported won their races this election season.
However, recent weeks have also seen defeats for candidates backed by Trump in congressional contests in Florida, Tennessee and Michigan.
Poll Timing and Method
The Reuters/Ipsos poll was conducted from August 21 to 24 and included 1,215 respondents. The margin of error was 3 percentage points.

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27 August 2026

• 57 comments
• 651 views

webfact

August 27Aug 27

Iran War Starts Shaping US Midterm Race

USA

Iran War Starts Shaping US Midterm Race

The war involving Iran, which Donald Trump initially said would be short, has run past the six-month mark and is beginning to shape the mood ahead of November’s midterm elections, particularly in closely fought House and Senate races.

Mike Gibbons, a 33-year-old restaurant server in eastern Pennsylvania, said he is considering voting for Democrats for the first time since he sat out the 2020 presidential election. Two years ago, he said he struggled with supporting Republican Donald Trump and felt Democrats did not take a harder line on Israel’s war in Gaza. This year, as the Iran conflict continues and fuel prices rise, he is more focused on day-to-day costs than foreign policy.
Gibbons said the price of petrol is about $1 per gallon higher than last year, and that higher transport costs feed into prices for other essentials even though his wages have not increased. He plans to vote for any Democratic candidate he can, adding that the impact of the war is being felt locally.
War Expected To End Quickly Now Drags On
Trump’s early messaging that the conflict would last only weeks has been overtaken by events. The longer duration has undermined a campaign line that sought to keep attention away from foreign entanglements and has also put pressure on Republicans who would prefer to concentrate on domestic issues, including tax cuts, while they hold narrow majorities in Congress.
In voter interviews, people described how the war’s economic spillover is competing with other political concerns. While Trump supporters appear largely unmoved, the combination of unpopularity around the war and higher costs could influence results in districts where margins are small.
One example is Bethlehem in eastern Pennsylvania, where Republican Representative Ryan Mackenzie is among the party’s most vulnerable incumbents heading into the midterms.
Public Doubts Widen Beyond Partisan Lines
Nationwide polling shows broad scepticism. About two-thirds of US adults say the Iran war has not been worth fighting, according to a July survey by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. The view spans most Democrats and independents and also includes more than a third of Republicans.
Trump has continued to defend the conflict’s direction while rejecting the idea that Americans should focus on its costs. He has said he would “never apologise” for higher prices linked to the war and argued that the administration acted to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. This week, his government announced additional sanctions aimed at further isolating Tehran.
The administration has also relied on actions abroad rather than building sustained public support at home. The article notes that, unlike George W. Bush’s pre-war approach for Iraq, Trump did not spend an extended period laying out a coalition or arguing publicly for the likelihood of a long campaign.
Republicans Split Quietly As Democrats Try To Reframe It
Within Congress, Republican support has shifted from enthusiasm for Trump’s Iran moves to more frequent worry about the toll. Even so, the party has largely stayed united against measures that would limit the president’s war powers. Leaders have also shown little appetite for cutting off funding for the conflict, while seeking to portray Democrats as unable to manage the economy and national security.
Democrats see an opportunity to reset blame on Republicans. As part of Sherrod Brown’s comeback bid for the US Senate in Ohio, he released an advertisement filmed at a gas station portraying fuel prices as a burden on households. In western Maryland, Democratic Senator Angela Alsobrooks similarly pointed to higher prices as a consequence of the war and urged Democrats to keep attention on what she frames as Trump’s leadership record.
But there is also a risk for Democrats: some voters remain willing to adjust to higher costs without attributing them to Republican leaders, while others do not want Democrats to regain power. In North Carolina, for instance, a farm owner said she trusts Trump and argued that opposition figures would not be campaigning against him without broader reasons. In Iowa, a Republican said gas prices are part of the economic “nature of the beast” and backed keeping Republicans in control.
Other voters offered a more mixed picture. In Bakersfield, California, a fast-food worker described gas costs as adding to financial pressure and said he planned to support a Democrat’s challenge. An older retiree said she was surprised by a recent rise at the pump and emphasised the need to manage household budgets. In Arizona, a retired electronics salesman said he had expected the conflict to end sooner and suggested that any later impact could come through sanctions. In Virginia, a 26-year-old said rising fuel costs and concerns about the ability to retire have not yet resolved his choice between parties.

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27 August 2026

• 64 comments
• 323 views

webfact

August 27Aug 27

CIA Director Warned Russia Against Attacking NATO Countries

Russia

CIA Director Warned Russia Against Attacking NATO Countries

CIA Director John Ratcliffe travelled to Moscow earlier this week to deliver warnings to Russia against attacking NATO countries, sources familiar with the trip told ABC News.

Ratcliffe visited in part to convey that message to Russian counterparts, the sources said. The meetings took place in Moscow, according to one source, who added that Ratcliffe also raised the issue of Iran during discussions.
Purpose Of The Trip
The Wall Street Journal first reported that Ratcliffe’s visit was linked to warnings concerning NATO. The CIA declined to comment on the trip when asked about the reports.
ABC News said the information about the trip’s aim came from people familiar with the discussions Ratcliffe held while in Russia.
Warnings Over NATO And Iran
In addition to the warning about potential attacks on NATO members, Ratcliffe brought up Iran during the meetings, one source said.
The Kremlin has faced growing scrutiny over its actions and posture towards Europe, while US officials have also highlighted concerns about Iran’s regional activity and broader international pressures. No further details about what was discussed in Moscow were provided by the sources cited by ABC News.
Trump Confirms Visit, Russia Says No Meeting With Putin
President Donald Trump confirmed Ratcliffe’s trip earlier on Wednesday in an interview with Glenn Beck. Trump described the visit as “semi-routine” and said it was not connected to increased Russian aggression against NATO or to increased Iranian economic pressure, when asked about the reasons for the travel.
A spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin told reporters that Ratcliffe was in contact with Russian intelligence agencies, but did not meet with Putin.
The CIA director’s trip comes amid ongoing tensions between Washington and Moscow, particularly around NATO and security issues in Europe.

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27 August 2026

• USA

• 7 comments
• 351 views

webfact

August 27Aug 27

16-Year-Old Girl Dies in Suspected Sex Choking Case

Australia

16-Year-Old Girl Dies in Suspected Sex Choking Case

Sydney police are investigating the death of a 16-year-old girl in a suspected case of choking during sex, local media reported.

Police said emergency services were called to a home in Elanora Heights on Sydney’s Northern Beaches at about 17:45 local time on Sunday after the teenager was found unconscious.
Emergency Response And Hospital Care
Officers and paramedics treated the girl at the scene before she was airlifted to Royal North Shore Hospital in a critical condition. She later died on Tuesday night.
Police have not released details of how the death occurred or what injuries were found. However, police sources told several local news outlets, including the ABC and the Sydney Morning Herald, that she was believed to have been choked during sex.
Police Have Not Disclosed Cause
Investigators have not said what type of injuries were involved or whether charges have been considered. The case is still being examined.
Sexual consent advocate Chanel Contos said the death was “likely preventable”, and criticised the portrayal of violence in online pornography. She said pornography companies “have blood on their hands”, adding that mainstream pornography routinely depicts violence against women such as slapping and strangling, while portraying women as enjoying or accepting it.
Contos, 28, founded Teach Us Consent in 2021 after she prompted a national conversation about consent. She said the organisation was created following reports from hundreds of young people who told her they had been sexually assaulted during their school years.
Advocates Cite Research On Strangulation
Contos also said there is “no safe way” to engage in choking during sex. She referred to research suggesting some young people believe the act is risky but safe, and said people can underestimate the potential harm.
“Even when young people believe they are consenting, they're often uninformed about its potential consequences, which are fatal at worst, and can cause permanent brain injury even when there are no visible signs of harm,” she said.
Experts also said sexual strangulation has become more prevalent among young people in Australia. They pointed to possible impacts including headaches, memory loss and brain damage, and in rare cases death.
A 2024 report by the University of Melbourne and the University of Queensland found that more than half of Australians aged between 18 and 35—57%—had been strangled during sex at least once. The study, which surveyed 4,700 people, also found that among those who had been choked during sex, one third first experienced it between the ages of 19 and 21.
Police continue to investigate the circumstances around the girl’s death.
META: Sydney police are investigating the death of a 16-year-old girl after she was found unconscious in Elanora Heights, with sources saying she was believed to have been choked during sex.

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27 August 2026

• 25 comments
• 1,230 views

webfact

August 27Aug 27