5,603 events tracked
geopolitical · geopolitical
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Thursday Washington would not accept any Iran deal allowing Tehran to impose fees on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, warning it would cause "total chaos." His remarks came after an attack on a vessel forced the United Nations to suspend mariner evacuation efforts.
military · geopolitical
A battle of narratives emerges as Mamdani-backed candidates sweep NYC primaries Submitted by Azad Essa on Thu, 06/25/2026 - 16:28 The primary wins in New York have been framed as a victory for the pro-Palestine movement, but some argue the movement is being absorbed by timid mainstream liberalism Diana Moreno, David Orkin, Samantha Kattan, Aber Kawas and NYC Congressional candidate Claire Valdez raise their hands during a primary-night watch party at 99 Scott Studio on 23 June 2026 in the East Williamsburg neighbourhood of the Brooklyn borough in New York City (Michael M. Santiago/AFP) Off With establishment Democrats in a tailspin after three incumbent congressmen were unseated and five local seats were taken by Zohran Mamdani-backed candidates in New York City, a battle of narratives is unfolding across domestic and national circles in the US. Former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander defeated Congressman Dan Goldman, while Darializa Avila Chevalier unseated veteran Congressman Adriano Espaillat in one of Tuesday's biggest upsets. Claire Valdez, meanwhile, secured victory in an open congressional race. Five others running for a seat in the State Senate, including Aber Kawas , a Palestinian-American, also won their primaries against opponents. If Kawas wins in November's election, she would become the first Palestinian-American to make it to the New York State Senate. .push({}); Sections of the Republican party, along with some Democrats, have raised alarms about the spectre of a socialist takeover of the US's largest city and a mobilisation against the Jewish community in New York. But others, including some pro-Palestine activists, have pointed to the results as evidence of a Democratic electorate looking for candidates who break with the party establishment on issues like Palestine. Reacting to the results in New York, Beth Miller, political director at Jewish Voice for Peace - Action, the political and advocacy arm of Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP), said the "Democratic establishment has been put on notice". On candidates Claire Valdez and Darializa Avila Chevalier, JVP Action said that both campaigns had been driven by a massive ground game from their movements. "Tonight there was a pro-Palestine sweep of New York City," Miller said. "Voters want candidates who will put forward clear and bold positions: tax the rich, abolish ICE and free Palestine." JVP Action said that the race proved the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (Aipac) was a "toxic brand" in the Democratic party, and that Democratic voters were tired of lawmakers who support or defend genocide. .push({}); It wasn't only pro-Palestine advocates who chose to read the result this way. In the United States, The New York Times described the results as "Victories by Pro-Palestinian Democrats Show the Party’s Shift on Israel", while The Times of Israel wrote: "Mamdani-backed primary sweep further cements anti-Zionist politics in NYC." Meet the Mamdani-endorsed candidate that could become the first Palestinian in New York Senate Read More » "The primary wins cemented the mayor as a kingmaker, furthered the role of anti-Zionist politics in the city that is home to the world's largest Diaspora Jewish population, and sent a message to Democratic leaders as the party turns increasingly against the Jewish state," the Israeli paper said. Meanwhile, establishment Democrats, like US Senator John Fetterman, told Fox News that the results showed it had "become the dancing days of the dirtbag left”. But these narratives do not fully explain what happened, or what its limits may ultimately be. Several pro-Palestine Democratic Socialists did win local seats - in positions that typically deal with day-to-day issues such as rent, healthcare and eviction laws - and three candidates critical of Israel's genocidal war in Gaza defeated opponents backed by Aipac . However, other pro-Palestine activists and political observers have been quick to caution that framing these results as outright victories for the Palestine movement may be overstating their significance, and that pro-Palestine mobilisation is being funneled into electoral politics with the intent to ultimately rehabilitate the Democratic party. "We must remember that opposing Aipac alone does not make one a defender of Palestinian liberation. Consider Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and her vote to fund the Iron Dome ," Nazia Kazi, professor at Stockton University, told Middle East Eye. Kazi said US empire would know that the tides of public opinion on Israel have changed in the US, and have likely "assembled ways to allow the facade of Palestine solidarity in ways that do little to change the facts on the ground". Class issues Activists say the results in New York, while shaped in part by mass mobilisation around ending US complicity in the genocide in Gaza, were more a referendum on the Democratic party's aloofness on a range of issues, with Palestine seen as one element within a broader set of concerns linked to the economy. Mamdani has repeatedly promised to reshape politics in the city, using his newly minted political capital to back candidates who centre the city's working class. 'There's something surreal in seeing self-identified Zionist Brad Lander's face on schnazzy posters rendering him not the lesser evil, but a legitimate hero for the left' - Nazia Kazi, Stockton University In this way, political observers say, voter concern for Palestine risks being reshaped into a broader economic critique, one that speaks to the material grievances facing ordinary New Yorkers, but which can also reduce or dilute the Palestinian struggle to questions of economic policy rather than self-determination. In an interview with MSNBC's Chris Hayes on Wednesday, Mamdani reiterated that he has been clear that he believed "the only majority in our country is that of the working class... I made a promise to New Yorkers that I would use every tool at my disposal to actually transform this city into one that they could afford". "And one of those tools is using your political capital to ensure that the people who will fight hardest for that same agenda are going to be there, whether it's in Albany or whether it's in DC," he said. Mamdani's comments reinforce the findings of a Data for Progress poll from 2025 that showed that voters in the city were primarily driven by domestic economic concerns, with affordable housing and cost of living ranking as the most important issues shaping voter choice. Around 27 percent of voters said "US foreign policy and relations with Israel" was an issue that played a role in their vote. The survey said that even if US foreign policy, or more specifically, Washington's relationship with Israel, was seen as important to voters, it still played a secondary role. The findings pointed to a coalition shaped by both economic justice concerns and support for Palestinian rights, rather than a single-issue electorate. Kawas, the Palestinian-American who won her primary on Tuesday and who is almost certainly set to win November's election, told MEE earlier in June that expressing support for Palestine was a signal that "you are willing to speak out and speak truth to power, and I think that's what people want out of their local politicians". "What you are saying is, I'm going to fight for the most marginalised, forgotten communities that so many politicians don't centre," she said. But the suggestion that pro-Palestine support had moved beyond ending the genocide, or opposing US military support for Israel, or ending the criminalisation of Palestinian resistance to Israeli occupation, is inaccurate, these activists say. .push({}); For them, the Palestine movement has been hampered instead by an overly narrow focus on the rejection of Aipac in New York. In his interview with Hayes, Mamdani acknowledged that Palestine had "a major role" in the support received by the candidates he had endorsed and who had won. Congressional candidate Brad Lander stands with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani after declaring victory over his opponent, Rep. Dan Goldman (D-NY), in Brooklyn on 23 June 2026 (Spence Platt/AFP) He specifically pointed to Brad Lander, who won the primary for New York's 10th congressional district. He said Lander made it clear that he "is going to Congress not only to fight against bigotry, whether it be antisemitism or Islamophobia, but also to make clear that he is going to fight against the occupation, against the genocide". "I think that's what's in line with what so many New Yorkers are desperate to see," he added. 'The lesser evil' Activists say Mamdani's endorsement of Lander lends a certain legitimacy to keeping the issue within the contours of a liberal critique of Israel that rotates around US "funding" and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing government, rather than Zionism itself. Lander, who ran for Mayor of New York before endorsing Mamdani, has previously declared his opposition to the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign against Israel, and also increased New York City's pension fund investments in Israel's largest weapons company, Elbit Systems, during his time as city comptroller. In the contest for New York's 10th congressional district, Lander challenged Dan Goldman, a two-term incumbent Democrat from Brooklyn. Both candidates describe themselves as liberal Zionists. The key distinction in the race was that Goldman was endorsed by Aipac, while Lander was endorsed by Mamdani - a difference that activists argue is relatively minor in the broader context of the Palestine question. Meet the Mamdani-endorsed candidate that could become the first Palestinian in New York Senate Read More » "While Lander 'proudly' defended investing in genocide just last year, he now claims that if elected to Congress he will 'fight to end occupation and apartheid and genocide'. His record says otherwise, " the New York-based pro-Palestine group Within our Lifetime said in a statement on X. Meanwhile, Aipac, which has poured millions of dollars into primary races across both parties around the country, said in a statement on Wednesday that 180 of the group's endorsees around the country won their primaries and were headed to November's elections. "There’s something surreal in seeing self-identified Zionist Brad Lander's face on schnazzy posters rendering him not the lesser evil, but a legitimate hero for the left," Kazi told MEE. "At a time when those in the Palestine solidarity movement who disrupted the operations of Elbit Systems face the harshest of state crackdowns, it's a sucker punch to see elements of the same movement celebrate Lander, given his own involvement with the arms manufacturer Elbit." Kazi said that the results showed "Zionism can absolutely flourish without Aipac". The mayor's office did not immediately reply to MEE's request for comment. US Politics News Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:19 Update Date Override 0
geopolitical · geopolitical
Iran warns vessels to use only Tehran-approved routes as IMO halts Hormuz evacuation after ship struck.
military · geopolitical
World Cup 2026: Bosnia advances to next round surrounded by 'Free Palestine' chants Submitted by MEE staff on Thu, 06/25/2026 - 19:38 Bosnia's World Cup run puts 'Free Palestine' chants back in the spotlight as fans hail Edin Dzeko's wartime story Bosnia and Herzegovina's supporters celebrate in the streets at the end of the World Cup 2026 football match against Qatar in Sarajevo on 24 June 2026 (Elvis BarukciAFP) Off Bosnia and Herzegovina's historic run to the Fifa World Cup knockout stage has reignited online attention not only for the team's performances, but also for the pro-Palestine chants that have followed Bosnian supporters throughout the tournament. After a 3-1 victory over Qatar secured Bosnia's place in the Round of 32, videos of fans chanting "Free Palestine" once again spread widely across social media, with many users drawing connections between Bosnia's own experience of war and genocide in the 1990s and Israel's ongoing genocide in Gaza. Ahead of the match between Bosnia & Herzegovina and Qatar in Seattle yesterday, Bosnian fans chanted “Palestine” both before kickoff and inside the stadium during the game, showing solidarity with Palestinians at the World Cup. Bosnia and Herzegovina went on to win the match… pic.twitter.com/kecbtpZvLI — The New Arab (@The_NewArab) June 25, 2026 The chants have become a recurring feature of Bosnia's World Cup campaign, with supporters heard chanting "Free Palestine" inside stadiums and during fan marches in host cities, earning praise from pro-Palestine audiences online. For many Bosnians, the solidarity is deeply personal. Captain Edin Dzeko, widely regarded as the country's greatest-ever footballer, spent his childhood living through the Siege of Sarajevo during the Bosnian War. Born in Sarajevo in 1986, Dzeko was just six years old when the siege began. In a recent letter published in The Players' Tribune, he recalled growing up surrounded by shelling and sniper fire, making dangerous trips to collect water because his family had none, and finding moments to play football whenever the violence briefly subsided. .push({}); His family's apartment was destroyed during the war, forcing 15 members of his extended family to live together in his grandparents' small apartment for years. Perhaps the most haunting memory Dzeko has shared is of the day his mother refused to let him go and play football with other children. Minutes later, a shell struck the pitch, killing several youngsters. Years later, Dzeko reflected simply: "My mother saved my life." The 40-year-old made his 150th appearance for Bosnia against Qatar on Wednesday, continuing a career that has become symbolic of the country's journey from war to the world stage. 🥹 Sobrevivió a las bombas de pequeño. 🤱 Su madre evitó que le mataran como a sus amigos, diciendo que no fuera a la plaza de su ciudad, donde iba a jugar al fútbol. 💪 Tiene 40 años, pero ha liderado a Bosnia para volver a un Mundial 12 años después. 🇧🇦 EDIN DZEKO, LEYENDA pic.twitter.com/dhU0mayq3o — Jonay Amaro (@AmaroJonay) June 24, 2026 The Bosnian War, which lasted from 1992 to 1995, claimed around 100,000 lives and displaced more than two million people. Its final months saw the Srebrenica genocide, in which more than 8,000 Bosniak Muslim men and boys were murdered by Bosnian Serb forces after the UN-declared "safe area" fell. Bosnians view the country's wartime experience as inseparable from their solidarity with Palestinians. Comparisons between Bosnia in the 1990s and Gaza have been common in public discourse since Israel launched its military assault on the enclave in October 2023. .push({}); Supporters on social media echoed that sentiment following Bosnia's victory, describing the team's success as carrying significance beyond football. Many shared clips of the "Free Palestine" chants alongside images from the Bosnian War, saying a nation that experienced ethnic cleansing and mass atrocities had chosen to stand publicly with Palestinians. Bosnia fans’ chant for Palestine echoed through the whole stadium as Bosnia and Herzegovina booked their place in the next round of the WC. Whatever attempts are made to silence it, solidarity with Palestine keeps finding its way into football’s biggest stages. Even in the U.S. pic.twitter.com/1Ky4ibN4Pm — Leyla Hamed (@leylahamed) June 24, 2026 Bosnia's qualification means those chants are likely to be heard again. World Cup 2026 World Cup 2026: Bosnia advances to next round surrounded by 'Free Palestine' chants Trending Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:29 Update Date Override 0
geopolitical · geopolitical
IRGC warns ships to use Iran-approved routes through Strait of Hormuz Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has warned commercial vessels to use only its approved routes through the Strait of Hormuz, reopening a point of tension in fragile negotiations between the United States and Iran over the strategic waterway. The warning came after Oman announced a new shipping transit route through the strait on Wednesday, saying it had coordinated the route with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) as traffic resumes following weeks of disruption. The dispute remains one of the unresolved issues after the United States and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding last week. The agreement largely halted hostilities in the four-month US-Israeli war on Iran and launched a 60-day negotiation process aimed at reaching a broader peace deal. The MoU, which includes the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, followed months of severe disruption to shipping after Iran effectively closed the waterway and the US imposed a corresponding naval blockade on Iranian ports.
geopolitical · geopolitical
Explosions were heard in Kyiv on the evening of 25 June. Ukraine's Air Force reported a missile.
geopolitical · geopolitical
NORSI, Russia's fourth-largest oil refinery and second-largest producer of petrol, suspended operations on 24 June following a Ukrainian drone attack.
military · geopolitical
Andreas Krieg said Iran possesses sufficient geographic and military leverage in the Strait of Hormuz.
military · geopolitical
US and Gulf states say Palestinians must not be forced out of Gaza The US and Gulf states have said Palestinians must not be forcibly displaced from Gaza, in a joint statement issued as Israel's genocide has devastated the enclave and displaced much of its population. "No one will be forced to leave Gaza, and those who wish to leave will be free to return," the foreign ministers said. The statement also backed US-facilitated talks between Israel and Lebanon, saying negotiations should continue regardless of other conflicts. On Lebanon, the ministers said "full Lebanese sovereignty cannot be achieved while non-state armed groups maintain military capabilities outside the Lebanese state authority". They called for "the full disarmament of all such groups and the restoration of the Lebanese state's monopoly of force", while also recognising the importance of supporting the Lebanese Armed Forces. The ministers also said Iran must not acquire a nuclear weapon and called for its ballistic missiles, drones and regional allies to be addressed. They also rejected "any tolls, fees, or attempts to assert control over the Strait [of Hormuz]".
military · geopolitical
Majority of US voters think Iran war 'not worth it', new poll finds Submitted by MEE staff on Thu, 06/25/2026 - 18:07 The US deal with Iran has failed to inspire confidence in American voters who see it as a failure to achieve war objectives An attendee wears a hat with buttons featuring US President Donald Trump and US Vice President JD Vance during the Great American State Fair Kickoff Celebration on the National Mall on 24 June in Washington DC (Al Drago/Getty Images via AFP) Off Sixty percent of American voters think US military action against Iran was "not worth it", according to a national poll from Quinnipac University. Public sentiment appears to have shifted sharply after the signing of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Iran, a pact to end hostilities for 60 days while the US and Iran negotiate terms for a permanent end to the war. Voters, however, are split on the matter, with Democrats overwhelmingly feeling it wasn't worth it (93 percent) while 75 percent of Republicans felt the war was worth it. A majority of independents, 66 percent, felt the war was not worth it. The scepticism extends to the diplomatic settlement itself, with the poll determining that 59 percent of American voters are either "not so confident" or "not confident at all" in the MoU. Once again, Republicans had greater confidence in the deal, with 76 percent saying they were either "very" or "somewhat" confident the deal with Iran would work. .push({}); On 28 February, US President Donald Trump, alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, began the US-Israeli war on Iran to " eliminate imminent threats from the Iranian regime ". The total destruction of Iran's nuclear programme and military infrastructure was one of their primary stated objectives. The poll shows that the subsequent deal has weakened perceptions of the US's ability to achieve its primary objective, with 61 percent believing it remains likely that Iran will develop nuclear weapons. Democrats and Republicans are not as split on this, with a majority of both political camps believing that Iran is "very likely" or "somewhat likely" to still develop nuclear weapons. Trump framed the attempt to enforce regime change as an altruistic mission, announcing to the Iranian people: "When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take. This will be, probably, your only chance for generations." Iran's ballistic missiles were 'never on the table' in US talks Read More » But regime change in Iran failed, despite the US and Israel assassinating the former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as well as a slew of other top leaders. Khamenei was replaced by his son Mojtaba as the new Supreme Leader of Iran, but is reported to have been severely wounded in the strikes that killed his father. The US has now also conceded that it was not able to destroy Iran's ballistic missile programme, a stated aim of its war, and has even now defended Iran's right to possess a ballistic missile programme. The MoU shifted voters' geopolitical perception, with 45 percent of American voters believing the US is in a weaker position in the world due to the war. Steep economic strain caused by Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz after the war has likely encouraged public antagonism. Middle East Eye has reported that the three-month war cost the US almost $60bn , and that the Iranian closure of the Strait of Hormuz forced the average household to spend an additional $447.19 on fuel expenses. The Quinnipac poll surveyed 1,165 self-identified registered voters nationwide from 18-22 June, with a margin of error of +/- 3.4 percentage points. Perceptions of Israel hit new low The US's primary partner in the war was Israel, and US officials have stated that Israel helped convince the US to go to war with Iran. Public opinion in the US has slowly been shifting in opposition to Israel, and the Quinnipac poll shows that 48 percent think the US is too supportive of Israel. Quinnipac noted that this was the highest they have recorded since it started asking this question in 2017. .push({}); Republicans generally have a more favourable view of Israel, and according to this poll just 20 percent felt the US was too supportive, while 66 percent of Democrats and 55 percent of independents felt the US was too supportive. It's not just in the US where people feel there is nothing to celebrate after the MoU, as a new poll has found that 92 percent of Israelis believe Iran won the war. The survey, conducted by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, found that Israelis overwhelmingly view the war and subsequent deal with the US in a negative way, with 83 percent of those polled saying the campaign has weakened Israel's long-term security and 86 percent feeling negatively about the outcome. This public perception mirrors the feelings of Israel's political and military elite, many of whom see the end of the war on Iran as representing a turning point that could weaken Israel's regional influence. Drones and decomposing babies: What's in UN report on Israel's genocide of Palestinian children Read More » The poll found that 72.5 percent of Israelis do not believe Netanyahu when he says Israel achieved significant gains and removed an existential threat, a feeling that also reflects the growing uncertainty around the prime minister's future. Nearly 88 percent of respondents said Israel had either failed to achieve its objectives or achieved only some of them. Fifty-six percent said Netanyahu's management of the war on Iran had been poor or had failed altogether. These feelings about how Iran has emerged from the war are not matched by a desire for Israel to withdraw from Lebanon, which has been a key stumbling block during negotiations between Washington and Tehran. Iran has insisted that a ceasefire cannot hold while Israel continues to bomb Lebanon and Israeli troops remain stationed several kilometres inside southern Lebanon. According to the poll, 48 percent of Israelis support Israel's military campaign in Lebanon , where it claims to be focused on targeting Hezbollah, the Iran-aligned political party and military group. Among those respondents, support remained even if the campaign risked a confrontation with Trump. .push({}); The poll was conducted by the Agam Institute in collaboration with the Hebrew University of Jerusalem between 17 June and 20 June. The survey questioned 3,644 Israelis aged 17 and over in a weighted sample to reflect the population. The maximum sampling error is 2.2 percent at a 99-percent confidence level, the pollsters said. War on Iran News Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:19 Update Date Override 0
geopolitical · geopolitical
A cargo ship reported a suspected attack as it attempted to pass through the Strait of Hormuz close to the coast of Oman on Thursday, British navy agency UKMTO said. The UN’s International Maritime Organisation is currently assisting ships escape the Gulf, hundreds of which have been stranded there since the Iran war began at the end of February. “A cargo vessel has been hit on the starboard side by an unknown projectile, causing damage to the bridge. Master has reported no casualties and no...
military · geopolitical
Italy and France are cautious about the European Union's proposal to introduce a ban on entry to the EU for former Russian military personnel.
military · geopolitical
Israel says it will remain in southern Lebanon until Hezbollah disarms Israel says it will continue to occupy parts of southern Lebanon until Hezbollah is disarmed, even as US-mediated talks between Israel and Lebanon continue in Washington, DC. Israeli government spokesperson David Mencer told reporters that Israel would not withdraw its troops unless Hezbollah is disarmed and southern Lebanon is demilitarised. "We will not withdraw our forces from southern Lebanon as long as Hezbollah remains a threat, is not disarmed and demilitarised," Mencer said. Asked about the ongoing talks, Mencer said Israel was making "extremely clear" that its priority was the security of its northern citizens and the rest of the country. "We will not allow any terrorist force anywhere near our border, which means that any redeployment of forces comes after, not before, but after the demilitarisation of southern Lebanon and the disarming of Hezbollah," he said.
military · geopolitical
As Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces mass around the strategic city of el-Obeid, fears are growing of atrocities similar to those seen in Darfur's el-Fasher. Could sanctions still prevent bloodshed?
geopolitical · geopolitical
Wars regularly make headlines. Preventing them rarely does.
military · geopolitical
A decline in humanitarian assistance is worsening the suffering of millions of people in Myanmar after five years of conflict-related violence, the UN human rights office, OHCHR, said in a report published on Monday.
geopolitical · geopolitical
Four decades after AIDS first emerged as a global crisis, world leaders, advocates and community representatives gathered at UN Headquarters on Monday issued a stark warning: progress against HIV is slowing just as financial pressures and shrinking support threaten to reverse decades of gains.
military · geopolitical
The deaths come amid escalating Israeli military raids and settler attacks across the occupied territories.
military · geopolitical
Billionaire who owns Camden Market 'finances' Israeli military programmes Submitted by MEE staff on Thu, 06/25/2026 - 11:32 Novara report finds that VPN and prize draw magnate Teddy Sagi made donations worth millions to Israeli military causes Israeli troops during a raid in Nablus city in the occupied West Bank on 27 August 2025 (AFP/Jaafar Ashtiyeh) Off British consumers who spend money on three popular online competitions to win cars and cash are funding an Israeli billionaire who finances the Israeli military, according to a report in Novara Media. Teddy Sagi, the owner of the tourist hotspot Camden Market in London, is also the majority shareholder (69.5 percent of shares) of Winvia Entertainment Group, a British prize draw operator which owns the websites Rev Comps, Best of the Best (BOTB) and Click Competitions. According to Novara’s report, hundreds of thousands of Britons pay money into these sites, hoping to win luxury cars, homes, watches, tech prizes and more. BOTB says it has over half a million winners, and has awarded more than £147m in prizes. Sagi is worth around $7.1bn, according to Forbes. .push({}); He also owns the gambling software company Playtech, the iconic Camden Market in London, the British-Israeli company Kape Technologies, as well as a string of VPN companies including ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, Private Internet Access and ZenMate. He has made several donations to the Israeli military, including since the genocide in Gaza began in October 2023. Novara reported that in November 2023, when Israel had already killed over 15,000 people in Gaza, Sagi donated 1 million shekels ($340,000) towards taxi rides for Israeli troops from the front lines back to their homes while on leave. Prior to that, Sagi donated more than $3m to an Israeli defence ministry scheme which provided discharged soldiers with scholarships. He also offered jobs to Israeli troops in his companies during a gala in 2019. Epstein files reveal messages with UK billionaire Blavatnik Read More » The Israeli billionaire was named in the 2021 Pandora Papers , in which he was linked to at least 60 companies headquartered in tax havens. In 1996, Sagi served five months in an Israeli jail after being convicted of fraud and bribery. Winvia Entertainment was approached by Novara Media for comment. A UN commission of inquiry report released this week found that Israel had committed genocide in Gaza due to the deliberate targeting of Palestinian children. Israeli forces have killed over 20,000 children and injured 44,000 more since 7 October 2023, Srinivasan Muralidhar, chair of the commission, told reporters during a press conference. “Even after the October 2025 ceasefire, children continue to be killed and seriously injured, with continued disregard by Israel for the ceasefire and for the protection owed to Palestinian children under international law,” he said. In total, Israeli forces have killed over 73,000 people and wounded more than 170,000 others since the genocide began. Israel's genocide in Gaza News Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:19 Update Date Override 0
military · geopolitical
Billionaire who owns Camden Market 'finances' Israeli military programmes British consumers who spend money on three popular online competitions to win cars and cash are funding an Israeli billionaire who finances the Israeli military, according to a report in Novara Media. Teddy Sagi, the owner of the tourist hotspot Camden Market in London, is also the majority shareholder (69.5 percent of shares) of Winvia Entertainment Group, a British prize draw operator which owns the websites Rev Comps, Best of the Best (BOTB) and Click Competitions. According to Novara’s report, hundreds of thousands of Britons pay money into these sites, hoping to win luxury cars, homes, watches, tech prizes and more. BOTB says it has over half a million winners, and has awarded more than £147m in prizes. Read more: Billionaire who owns Camden Market 'finances' Israeli military programmes Israeli troops during a raid in Nablus city in the occupied West Bank on 27 August 2025 (AFP/Jaafar Ashtiyeh)
military · geopolitical
Crimson Thread: The new Israeli separation wall that cuts through the 'breadbasket of Palestine' Submitted by Muhammad Ateeq on Tue, 06/23/2026 - 16:45 Israel's latest wall in the northern Jordan Valley is cutting Palestinian farmers off from their land, destroying crops and accelerating displacement Palestinian farmers in the Jordan Valley have been forced to flee their lands, known as the 'breadbasket of Palestine' as Israel accelerates construction of another separation wall (Muhammad Ateeq/MEE) Off Khairallah Bani Odeh feels as if he's living in a giant prison. Forced to leave his lands in the village of Atouf in the northern Jordan Valley, he relocated to the town of Tammoun, south of Tubas, after a combination of settler attacks, water shortages and sweeping Israeli land grabs made life unbearable. Like many Palestinians in the northern Jordan Valley, Bani Odeh relied on sheepherding and farming for his livelihood. But since Israel began construction on a new separation wall and road that will cut through the Buqe'aa Plain, large areas of land have been swallowed up, reshaping daily life for residents. Israel has named the project "Crimson Thread". It involves the construction of a 22-kilometre-long and 50-meter-wide separation wall and accompanying road along the eastern lands of Tubas. .push({}); The project will leave large parts of the Buqe'aa Plain and eastern Atouf behind the road and wall, making it impossible for farmers and shepherds to access their agricultural land and grazing areas. Bani Odeh told Middle East Eye that when construction began, Israeli settlers used bulldozers to destroy water lines supplying hundreds of hectares of farmland in the plain, causing crop damage and leaving livestock without water. Khairallah Bani Odeh was forced to leave his village after the Israeli military began excavating the lands of Atouf in order to construct a 22-kilometre-long separation wall (Muhammad Ateeq/MEE) For many families, it was the final push to leave. .push({}); "They cut off our water supply, so I had to buy water from neighboring villages for the livestock. I used to walk long distances to fetch water. Then they burned the barley and made our lives unbearable, so we were forced to leave," he added. Dozens of families, including Bani Odeh's, depended on livestock farming in Atouf, while hundreds more relied on agriculture across the plain. Residents say both sources of income have been devastated by the new project. Three months after leaving Atouf, Bani Odeh says he still feels trapped. He struggles to find grazing land for his livestock and dreams of returning home every day. Crops left to wither Local estimates indicate that more than 20,000 dunams (2000 hectares) are threatened by drought or damage because of water shortages. Many families in Atouf and Ras al-Ahmar depend on livestock farming. As pastureland shrinks and access to water becomes more limited, farmers fear declining livestock numbers and rising production costs. .push({}); Anis Bisharat once carefully tended fields of melons, okra, cucumbers and zucchini. But after water lines were cut, his crops began to wither as irrigation became impossible, resulting in significant losses. "In addition to the water cut, they closed the road we used to reach the plain. Now we have to travel twice the distance and pay twice the fuel cost," he told MEE. Israeli settlers and soldiers have blocked Palestinians from accessing villages in the fertile Jordan Valley (Muhammad Ateeq/MEE) Muhammad Gharaibeh, another farmer, says a settler established an outpost on a hilltop overlooking the Buqe'aa Plain and has repeatedly targeted local agriculture. "This plain is the breadbasket of Palestine, and most of the fruits and vegetables distributed in the West Bank come from here," he said. After a year of displacement, Tulkarm's Palestinians allowed home for two hours Read More » "But now they have a massive plan that not only involves building a road but also seizing more than 70,000 dunams. Our losses are enormous because the crops need irrigation and care, and they've been left to suffer," he added. Farmers are attempting to save nearby crops with whatever water they can access, but fields farther away have largely been left to dry out. "More than 40,000 dunams of crops are now without water. My crops have been without water for two weeks, and this is just the beginning of the scorching summer season, which means the entire harvest will be lost," he lamented. According to preliminary data from the Atouf Village Council, 24,000 dunams belonging to about 300 farmers are facing drought and damage because of the ongoing bulldozing operations. The affected area represents roughly a quarter of the Buqe’aa Plain, which covers 96,000 dunams. 'Nothing remains' Last November, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz revealed details of the "Crimson Thread" project, describing it as a military road and separation wall stretching across Palestinian land from the village of Ein Shibli in the central Jordan Valley to the Tayasir military checkpoint. Following the report, Israeli authorities issued military seizure orders for 1,042 dunams of Palestinian land along the route of the planned barrier. Since the beginning of this year, bulldozers have been carrying out continuous work on the project, which residents and experts say will isolate vast areas of land and place thousands more dunams beyond Palestinian access. 'The annexation process is taking place on the ground in full view of the entire world. It has been halted in the media, but it hasn't stopped on the ground' - Mu'taz Bisharat, settlement expert The Israeli human rights organisation B’Tselem said in a report published in April that the Jordan Valley is among the areas where Palestinian presence is most heavily restricted, despite accounting for approximately 30 percent of the occupied West Bank. According to the report, 62 Palestinian communities in Areas B and C, home to more than 4,100 Palestinians, had been displaced by April as a result of a combination of settler violence and Israeli restrictions. The rights group also reported that 53.4 percent of the Jordan Valley has been designated as "state land," 45.7 percent as military firing and training zones, and about 20 percent as nature reserves. Settlement expert Mu'taz Bisharat told MEE that developments in the Jordan Valley amount to a tightening of Israeli control over large areas and are threatening the continued presence of Palestinian communities there. He said many families have already been displaced and described the destruction of water infrastructure as an attack on the foundations of life in the region. "There is no agriculture left," he said. "Today, 70 percent of the land in this area has been lost due to the compounded crimes committed by the Israeli occupation against the Palestinian people, the Palestinian presence, and Palestinian agriculture. Nothing remains for the Palestinian citizen," he added. Bisharat believes the new road is intended to establish new boundaries in the Jordan Valley and further separate the area from the rest of the occupied West Bank. "Today, the annexation process is taking place on the ground in full view of the entire world," he said. "It has been halted in the media, but it hasn't stopped on the ground." Occupation Fayha Shalash Atouf and Tubas, occupied West Bank News Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:19 Update Date Override 0
military · geopolitical
Rubio says Europe’s refusal of military bases weakens transatlantic alliance with US US Secretary of State Marco Rubio criticised Europe for not allowing the use of their military bases, saying it undermined the alliance between Europe and the United States. Rubio also said Iran posed a greater threat to Europe than to the United States.
military · geopolitical
Drones and decomposing babies: What's in UN report on Israel's genocide of Palestinian children Submitted by Sondos Asem on Thu, 06/25/2026 - 12:55 Israel has killed over 20,000 Palestinian children since 7 October 2023. The UN has detailed instances of torture, rape and murder in a landmark report Wounded children wait for medical care at Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip on 25 May 2026 (AFP) Off Israeli forces deliberately targeted Palestinian children as a central element of their genocide in Gaza , the UN's top investigative body on Palestine and Israel concluded this week. The finding comes in an 88-page report examining the full scope of harm inflicted on children since 7 October 2023, from precision shootings by snipers and drones to torture in detention, reproductive violence and the destruction of schools and hospitals. "The evidence shows that Palestinian children have been deliberately targeted and killed by the Israeli security forces," said Srinivasan Muralidhar, chair of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem and Israel. "Even after the October 2025 ceasefire, children continue to be killed and seriously injured, with continued disregard by Israel for the ceasefire and for the protection owed to Palestinian children under international law," the Indian lawyer and judge said. The commission, which previously concluded that Israel bore responsibility for genocide in Gaza, found that children were targeted in two ways: directly, through precision weapons including quadcopters and sniper rifles, and indirectly, through the systematic destruction of the conditions necessary for their survival. .push({}); It named specific Israeli military units responsible for killings and urged the International Criminal Court (ICC) to prioritise crimes against children in its ongoing investigation. Below, we highlight the report's key findings. At least 20,179 children killed Between the Hamas-led attack of 7 October 2023 and 7 October 2025, Israeli military operations killed at least 20,179 children and wounded 44,143 others in Gaza, representing 30 percent of those killed and 26 percent of those injured. Children under five accounted for at least 5,031 of the deaths, including 1,029 under the age of one and around 420 newborns. A further 5,160 children are estimated to be buried under rubble. .push({}); The commission noted that the true figure is certainly higher, as many deaths went unrecorded. Children shot in a deliberate pattern The commission investigated and documented a consistent pattern of Israeli forces deliberately targeting children using precision weapons. Seventeen medical practitioners who worked across different hospitals in Gaza described treating large numbers of children with single gunshot wounds to the head and upper body, fired by Israeli snipers or quadcopters. One doctor said the pattern suggested Israeli soldiers were "deliberately shooting teenage boys in a game of target practice". The commission forensically analysed 15 out of 17 cases brought by doctors. In 12 of those cases, the wounds were consistent with a single gunshot. .push({}); Among the specific cases documented: On 29 January 2024, Israeli forces shot and killed five-year-old girl Hind Rajab in Tal al-Hawa, Gaza City, along with six of her family members. Five-year-old Palestinian girl Hind Rajab was shot and killed by Israeli forces (Supplied) When two Palestinian Red Crescent paramedics drove to rescue her, Israeli forces shelled their ambulance and killed them too. The commission concluded the 401st Brigade of the 162nd Division deliberately shot the family and obstructed the medical rescue. On 24 January 2024, Israeli soldiers shot dead a 15-year-old boy in Khan Younis while he held a white flag, stepping out of his family home following an Israeli evacuation order. When his 20-year-old brother ran to help him, Israeli soldiers shot him too. The commission found the 98th Division was operating in the area and concluded the shooting was deliberate. An Israeli quadcopter operator shot a 10-day-old baby boy in the head while his mother was breastfeeding On 12 April 2024, an Israeli quadcopter operator shot a 10-day-old baby boy in the head while his mother was breastfeeding him inside a tent in Nuseirat camp. The baby survived but now suffers from seizures. The commission concluded the operator had a clear view inside the tent before firing. On 24 August 2024, an Israeli quadcopter operator shot a four-year-old girl in the head while she was eating with her family in their tent in Khan Younis. She survived but her left side was paralysed. The commission concluded she was deliberately targeted. On 10 December 2024, an Israeli sniper shot an eight-year-old boy in the buttock while he was playing outside in the Bureij refugee camp. The bullet lodged in his abdomen wall. Surgeons removed a 3cm bullet. The commission found the 99th Division was operating in the area and assessed the boy was hit by an Israeli sniper rifle. Children shot at food distribution sites From May 2025, Israeli soldiers shot children at or near Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) aid sites. Several doctors told the commission they treated children with gunshot wounds sustained there. A GHF truck driver who spent seven weeks in Gaza told investigators he witnessed two teenagers shot in the head by Israeli soldiers while sprinting away. One soldier was overheard remarking that "fingers are light on the trigger". Children killed after ceasefire The October 2025 ceasefire did not stop Israeli forces from killing children. The commission documented more than 100 children killed and hundreds more wounded in the weeks that followed. Israeli forces redeployed to a newly established demarcation line inside Gaza known as the yellow line, shooting civilians including children who crossed it while trying to return to their homes or collect firewood. Death toll in Gaza surpasses 73,000 as Israel continues post-ceasefire killings Read More » On 29 November 2025, Israeli forces from the Kfir Brigade fired a drone strike that killed two brothers aged nine and ten near Bani Suheila in southern Gaza while they were gathering firewood for their wheelchair-bound father. Israeli forces claimed the boys were suspects crossing the yellow line. The commission found the claim baseless: the boys were more than 300 metres from Israeli soldiers, were visibly children collecting wood, and the drone operator had an unobstructed view of them before firing. On 10 December 2025, Israeli soldiers shot a 16-year-old boy from Jabalia camp and an Israeli tank then ran over his body. 213 children killed in West Bank Israeli forces killed 213 Palestinian children in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, between 7 October 2023 and 20 October 2025. The commission found that Israeli forces systematically targeted boys there as a distinct group, labelling them as "terrorists" or "future terrorists". On 25 January 2025, soldiers from the Israeli Menashe Brigade shot a two-year-old girl in the back of the head while she was having dinner with her family in south Jenin. She died immediately and is the youngest child killed by Israeli forces in the West Bank since 7 October 2023. Palestinian children near Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, 22 April 2026 (Mohammed Torokman/Reuters) On 28 January 2025, soldiers from the Israeli Ephraim Brigade shot a 10-year-old boy at his father's house during a military incursion in Tulkarm. CCTV footage showed the boy was unarmed. Israeli soldiers delayed the ambulance taking him to hospital for 30 minutes. One soldier told the boy's father: "I am the one who shot your son. God willing, he will die." The boy died of his wounds on 7 February 2025. 'I am the one who shot your son. God willing, he will die' – Israeli Ephraim Brigade soldier On 16 November 2025, soldiers from the Israeli Paratrooper Battalion, operating under the Menashe Brigade, shot a 14-year-old boy during a military raid on the Al-Faraa refugee camp in Tubas. Israeli soldiers then left him bleeding on the ground for 45 minutes while standing around him. One soldier filmed him on his phone while another placed a stone next to him, in what the commission assessed was an attempt to frame the shooting as a response to stone throwing. Israeli soldiers also pointed gun laser sights at the heads of paramedics to prevent them from reaching the boy, who died. Israeli authorities withheld his body. Settlers attacked and abducted children In the first half of 2025, Israeli settlers carried out more than 1,000 attacks across 230 Palestinian communities. In April 2025, two settlers abducted two siblings under five years old at knifepoint while they were playing outside their home, dragged them to an olive grove and tied them to a tree. In August 2024, armed settlers abducted two 15-year-old boys herding cattle, beat them, blindfolded them, stripped them, and sexually assaulted them. A settler urinated on one of the boys and fractured his leg. Children tortured and sexually abused Israeli forces have detained over 1,655 children in the West Bank since 7 October 2023, 600 of them in 2025 alone. As of 31 December 2025, 51 percent of child detainees were held under administrative detention, meaning imprisonment without charge, a record number. Israeli soldiers subjected the detained children to beatings, blindfolding, handcuffing, stress positions on gravel, and terror by dogs from the moment of arrest. Israeli prison authorities denied children food, water and medical care. ‘I wished for death’: Sexual violence in Israel’s prisons is an ‘organised state policy’ Read More » One 15-year-old boy held at the Sde Teiman facility told the commission he was the only child among 70 adults in his cell. Israeli soldiers entered the cell with dogs and ordered detainees to lie on their stomachs before releasing the animals on them. He described his 23 days there as "the worst days of my life". Another 15-year-old, detained during mass arrests in Gaza in December 2023, told the commission that Israeli interrogators electrocuted him through a needle inserted into his shoulder, denied him food and water, and forced him into painful positions for up to 12 hours at a time over 54 days before releasing him at the Kerem Shalom crossing with no medical care and no means of reaching his family. The commission also received testimony that Israeli prison guards raped boys in detention and subjected them to other forms of sexual violence as a systematic component of the detention regime. On 22 March 2025, a 17-year-old boy from Ramallah died in Megiddo Prison , the commission said. Israeli prison authorities had been aware since December 2024 that he was suffering from head trauma, inadequate food and severe weight loss, but failed to provide proper care. A post-mortem found he died from severe prolonged malnutrition. Israeli authorities withheld his body from his family for months. The commission found that Israeli prison authorities caused his death and that it amounted to the war crimes of torture, inhuman treatment and wilful killing. Hospitals and neonatal units destroyed Israeli forces attacked and forced the closure of all three major paediatric hospitals in Gaza within the first two months of hostilities. Before October 2023, Gaza had 178 incubators across eight neonatal intensive care units. Israeli attacks and the siege reduced that number to 54 by November 2024. Medical staff described placing three or four infants in a single incubator. At Al-Nasr Paediatric Hospital, Israeli forces cut electricity and prevented staff from evacuating patients, giving them only 30 minutes to leave. When a ceasefire allowed access weeks later, investigators found four babies decomposing in the neonatal unit, still attached to defunct life-support machines. The grandmother of baby Idres Al-Dbari, who was killed in an Israeli strike, holds his body at Abu Yousef al-Najjar hospital, Rafah, on 12 December 2023 (Reuters/Mohammed Salem) At least 15 newborns died of preventable hypothermia between December 2024 and February 2025 as a direct result of conditions imposed by the Israeli siege. Israel's blockade and attacks on reproductive healthcare caused miscarriage rates to increase by up to 300 percent after October 2023. By October 2024, women in Gaza were three times more likely to die in childbirth than before the war. By March 2026, 70 percent of newborns were classified as premature or underweight. Schools bombed, demolished and occupied Israeli forces directly hit 459 of Gaza's 564 school buildings between 7 October 2023 and October 2025. Over 97 percent of schools were damaged or destroyed. 'In my childhood, I've always dreamed of blowing up my school. Today I'm blowing up a school. Wow' – Israeli soldier Children in Gaza have missed three full school years, and more than 668,000 school-age children were denied access to formal education. Israeli soldiers filmed themselves demolishing schools and posted the videos online. In one video, a soldier says before blowing up a school: "In my childhood, I've always dreamed of blowing up my school. Today I'm blowing up a school. Wow." In another, a soldier mocks Palestinian students, saying they will "not be engineers any more". The commission found that Israeli forces from the 252nd Division carried out controlled demolitions of at least two UN schools in Beit Hanoun in November 2023. Israeli forces also seized schools and used them as military bases, weapons stores and barracks. In the West Bank, Israeli authorities issued demolition orders against 85 schools. Israeli forces raided and expelled more than 550 children from three UN schools in Shu'fat Camp in May 2025. Siege starved children and brought back polio By October 2025, Unicef reported 151 child deaths from malnutrition caused by Israel's siege and blockade. July 2025 was the deadliest month, with 24 children under five dying from malnutrition. Israel's blockade also halted a fourth round of polio vaccinations for 600,000 children planned for April 2025. Polio returned to Gaza in August 2024 after 25 years of eradication. It was confirmed in a 10-month-old baby who, a year later, was still unable to stand or move his legs. Soldiers destroyed children's belongings The commission documented at least 35 instances of Israeli soldiers filming themselves in Palestinian homes, schools and public spaces destroying or mocking children's toys, trophies and belongings, and posting the footage online. In one video, an Israeli soldier rides a child's wooden toy horse in a wrecked apartment. In another, Israeli soldiers hang a teddy bear by its neck from a tank barrel. The commission concluded these acts were not isolated but reflected a deliberate culture of dehumanisation across different units and time periods, with no disciplinary action taken by Israeli military commanders. The legal findings The commission concluded on reasonable grounds that Israeli authorities and security forces have continued to commit genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in Gaza, and war crimes in the West Bank. On genocide, the commission found that Israeli forces' deliberate targeting of children is one of the key elements establishing genocidal intent. Children embody the biological and social continuity of the Palestinian group. The commission found that Israeli forces killed children, caused them serious bodily and mental harm, and deliberately imposed conditions of life calculated to destroy them as part of the broader Palestinian group in Gaza. She survived an Israeli raid that left babies decomposing. Now she awaits treatment Read More » On crimes against humanity, the commission found that Israeli forces' killings and maiming of children amount to extermination and murder. Their mistreatment of children in detention amounts to torture and other inhumane acts. On war crimes, the commission found wilful killing, torture and inhuman treatment, sexual violence, intentional attacks on civilian objects including hospitals, schools and orphanages, and the use of starvation as a method of warfare. The commission named specific Israeli military units responsible for killings in individual cases and called for accountability for those with command responsibility. Israel did not respond to any of the commission's 13 requests for information or access. Israel's genocide in Gaza News Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:19 Update Date Override 0
geopolitical · geopolitical
Two people killed in Israeli drone strike on car in South Lebanon An Israeli drone strike on a car in southern Lebanon killed two people on Thursday, medical and security sources said. It is the second consecutive day such an event occurred, after a similar strike on Wednesday killed at least two people despite a ceasefire, Lebanese security and medical sources told Reuters.
geopolitical · geopolitical
Archbishop of Canterbury vows to help Palestinians achieve 'freedom you deserve' Submitted by MEE staff on Thu, 06/25/2026 - 13:38 Dame Sarah Mullally, head of the Church of England, made the comments in the Palestinian Christian town of Birzeit Sarah Mullally, the archbishop of Canterbury, in Rome on 28 April 2026 (AFP) Off The archbishop of Canterbury has pledged to help Palestinians achieve "the peace you desire and the freedom you deserve" and praised their "faithful resistance" on a visit to the occupied West Bank. Dame Sarah Mullally, the head of the Church of England, made the comments last Sunday during a sermon at St Peter's, an Anglican church in the Palestinian Christian town of Birzeit. She told the congregation that "your faithful, hopeful resistance is also visible as fathers and mothers navigate the web of checkpoints daily to provide an income for their family, or to get their children to school to provide for their future, or as you gather to break bread together week by week in this church. "All these acts of faithful resistance point to our hope in Jesus Christ and reflect your ongoing struggle for freedom and dignity." The archbishop added that she was aware that she enjoys certain freedoms that Palestinians don't, such as "being able to cross borders and checkpoints, spending time in neighbouring communities, and going to Jerusalem". .push({}); "I will use my role as archbishop to seek the peace you desire and the freedom you deserve," she said. "I hope that, through my visit, you may also know that you are not forgotten by the wider body of Christ. "The church is called to rejoice with those who rejoice and to weep with those who weep. The church stands with you in your right to live in freedom and dignity." Meeting with Palestinian detainee On her trip, Mullally met Layan Nasir, a 26-year-old Palestinian Christian woman who has been detained three times by Israel in the past five years. "I’m grateful to Layan’s family for their hospitality in their home,” Mullally said. .push({}); "I will pray for them, and for God’s blessing and healing for Layan after the terrible ordeal of her incarceration. I pray for the release of all people who have been unjustly imprisoned, here in Palestine and Israel and around the world." Israeli settlers attack Christian village as West Bank violence escalates Read More » The archbishop also visited Jerusalem, Nazareth and Bethlehem. She travelled with Archbishop Hosam Naoum, the Anglican archbishop in Jerusalem. Mullally said: "This visit is an opportunity to listen to both their hopes and fears, their joys and immense challenges, and to pray with them for justice and peace that will bring healing to their lives and to this land." Four senior bishops in the Church of England last year called on the British government to take urgent action against Israel’s escalating settler violence, warning it was undermining Palestinian life and threatening the Christian presence in the Holy Land. “As the war in Gaza persists, the situation in the West Bank is in freefall,” they wrote, citing "increasing levels of settler violence and intimidation" – including attacks on land and churches in Taybeh, a Christian-majority town in the occupied West Bank. In December 2025, Stephen Cottrell, the archbishop of York, said in a sermon that he was stopped at checkpoints and told by "militias" that he could not visit Palestinian families in the West Bank. "It was sobering for me to see this wall for real on my visit to the Holy Land, and we were stopped at various checkpoints and intimidated by Israeli militias who told us that we couldn't visit Palestinian families in the occupied West Bank," he said. A delegation from the Higher Presidential Committee for Church Affairs in Palestine warned European Union officials last month that Israeli policies pose a serious threat to the survival of the historic Palestinian Christian presence in the region. UK Politics News Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:19 Update Date Override 0
military · geopolitical
Three killed in Israeli strike on southern Lebanon An Israeli strike on a car in Mefdoun, in Lebanon's Nabatieh district, has killed three people and wounded another, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry. The attack comes as Iran, Hezbollah's main backer, has warned Israel to halt its attacks on Lebanon, threatening a response if they continue. Israel is also facing growing international pressure to withdraw its troops from the parts of southern Lebanon they continue to occupy, a key demand raised by Tehran during negotiations with Washington.
military · geopolitical
Vance says US and Iran to establish direct military channel with IRGC US Vice President JD Vance says Washington and Tehran have agreed to establish a direct channel with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to help prevent further escalation. In an interview with the British right-wing outlet UnHerd, Vance said the arrangement would involve Iranian and US military officials meeting in Doha to resolve disputes. "They were like, 'OK, fine, we'll send somebody from the IRGC to go hang out in Doha with somebody from [US Central Command]' and that's how we're going to settle a lot of these disputes," Vance said, describing discussions with Iranian officials. He also said the United Arab Emirates had opened channels with Iran that had not previously existed, including direct communication with the IRGC. According to Vance, Emirati officials are "having conversations with the Iranians that have never happened before, including with the IRGC, about various types of economic incentives".
military · geopolitical
Italy denies authorising use of airbases for US attacks on Iran Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani says he held a phone call with his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, in which he denied that Italy had authorised the use of its airbases for US attacks on Iran. "Italy has never taken part in any military initiative and has never authorized the use of bases for war actions against Iran, in the strictest respect of the treaties with the United States," Tajani wrote on X. The comments come a day after Italy rebuked remarks by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte suggesting otherwise. Rutte's remarks sparked a political row in Italy, where Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni had denied that Italian bases were used for direct military action against Iran. Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said the airbases were used exclusively for technical and logistical activities.
geopolitical · geopolitical
Laborious and bombastic thriller set in a forest where a maniacal woodsman and a cast of irritating victims converge with gory results No low-budget horror movie can apparently now be greenlighted without featuring the obligatory posse of supremely irritating victims ripe for the culling. Pitfall director James Kondelik is evidently unbothered that this might make his bloody agenda too blatant; even his “sympathetic” characters – a pair of grieving siblings on a wilderness trip to commemorate their parents – bleat out their issues at such length that it’s sweet relief when a maniac woodsman (played by former UFC fighter Randy Couture) arrives to shut them up in a laborious and bombastic survival horror. Pitfall plays a bit as if the cast of Friends had strayed into Deliverance. Ashley (Alexandra Essoe) and her brother Scott (Marshall Williams) are returning several years later to the forest location where their parents died in a car accident after hitting a deer. Their respective other halves, Charlie (Matt Hamilton) and Gwen (Jordan Claire Robbins), are in tow – as well as carping spare wheel Lars (Richard Harmon). But Scott and Charlie’s credentials as outdoorsmen are rumbled when, fleeing from wolves, the former falls into a spiked hunting pit of the type he’d warned everyone to avoid a few hours earlier. Continue reading...
geopolitical · geopolitical
Report by Commons committee says government has failed to make concrete changes after recent security failures Britain’s museums and galleries are being left vulnerable to thefts and cyber-attacks that could put priceless collections at risk, MPs have warned. A report by the public accounts committee (PAC) said big security failures in recent years, including the theft of thousands of artefacts from the British Museum and a devastating cyber-attack on the British Library, had exposed serious weaknesses across the sector, but that the government had failed to take a strategic approach to preventing similar incidents. Continue reading...