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Trump takes on Hamas

BBC News 6/3/25"Trump issues 'last warning' to Hamas as US confirms direct hostage talks" 'US President Donald Trump has issued what he called a "last warning" to Hamas to release the hostages being held in Gaza."I am sending Israel everything it needs to finish the job, not a single Hamas member will be safe if you don't do as I say," Trump said in a lengthy post on his Truth Social platform.Hamas accused the US president of encouraging Israel to break the ceasefire deal currently in effect between the two sides.Trump's statement came just hours after the White House confirmed it was holding direct talks with Hamas over the remaining hostages.Washington has until now avoided direct engagement with the group, and there is a longstanding US policy against having direct contact with entities it lists as terrorist organisations.In his social media post, Trump said there would be "hell to pay" if the hostages were not released, while not specifying the nature of the support he was sending Israel."Release all of the hostages now, not later, and immediately return all of the dead bodies of the people you murdered, or it is OVER for you," he added."For the leadership, now is the time to leave Gaza, while you still have a chance."He also appeared to issue a wider threat: "Also, to the People of Gaza: A beautiful Future awaits, but not if you hold Hostages. If you do, you are DEAD!"At last perhaps the force required to crush these terrorist killers and the destruction of their craven leadership not already hiding in exile.

John Hawkes ● 18d16 Comments ● 18d

Arab leaders approve $53bn alternative to Trump's Gaza plan

Previously I posted a report of Trump's plan turn Gaza into a holiday resort: away from being a base solely for Hamas Palestinian terrorists intent on annihilating Israel and its Jewish citizens.Though I commented it being somewhat fanciful I did feel that the concept was a good one for both civilising the area and providing meaningful employment for Gazans.An alternative to murder, kidnapping and digging tunnel repositories for arms and the corpses of its captives.I have also commented on the fact that near by Arab states with great wealth have kept their distance from the 'freedom fighting' of their Palestinian, Iranian and Syrian neighbours.And particularly had not offered to invest their wealth for the betterment of all. However, on BBC News today -'A $53bn (£41.4 billion) reconstruction plan to rival President Donald Trump's idea for the US to "take over Gaza" and move out more than two million Palestinians has been approved by Arab leaders at an emergency summit in the Egyptian capital Cairo."The Egypt plan is now an Arab plan," announced the secretary general of the Arab League Ahmed Aboul Gheit at the end of this hours-long gathering.Without referring specifically to President Trump's ideas, he underlined that "the Arab stance is to reject any displacement, whether it is voluntary or forced".Good news.An Arab solution to an Arab problem and no displacement of peace seeking Gazans.I wonder how Hamas will respond ?

John Hawkes ● 19d3 Comments ● 19d

Thought on a new world order ...

I've been pondering what Trump and Putin are up to and Steve Rosenberg (BBC's Russian correspondent) brought my ideas together - he proposed they want a "Yalta 2" to determine the future world order. Appears it's essentially what they're trying to do in Ukraine, and Trump is attempting for in Gaza. However, I can't see how they do this and not include Putin's far east ally, Xi, so tariffs and canal disputes with China don't fit. I guess North Korea and Israel would follow them for their own self interest? I guess the EU, UK, Saudis and others in the middle east would just be sidelined if they ignored the new order? Basically a new world order governed by oligarchs? But does alienating all your friends and neighbours help?A slight issue is there's a lot of internal backlash to many of Trump's internal moves inthe US; there's talk of withholding federal taxes because of the emasculation of some federal agencies - no taxation without representation ... would Trump risk internal conflict?There's another aspect to this; perhaps Trump really does hate war? I'm not sure criticising his miraculous bone spurs is altogether fair. Going back to that time, there was a strong anti Vietnam war movement in the US and elsewhere. (I was glad Wilson and others didn't involve the UK.) Aside from not wanting to get killed many didn't feel the US should be there for reasons of conscience - and eventually the US had to pull out. Perhaps, that's given him a particular viewpoint, although the Russian aggression against Ukraine doesn't seem comparable with the US in Vietnam? Mind you, my memory of those days is a little distant!Alternatively,  perhaps Trump's only plan is Buckingham all the world's wealth into his control and Russia's a useful vehicle for that?

Michael Ixer ● 20d7 Comments ● 19d

I Want My Country Back ~ Lee Anderson MP

I want my country back.Just sat on the train scribbling a few notes.Tell me what you think
'What exactly do you mean when you say you want your country back?' 
This is the question every wet, woke and weak left leaning liberal individual asks me. The response they want is based on the colour of a person's skin, their ethnicity, or their religion. These people are the race baiters who love nothing more than to describe anyone who does not agree with them as a 'racist.
So here are a few examples of what I mean.I remember a time when children went to school and were not told that they could be a different gender, or they may have to use a different toilet and they did not have to sit down and watch a drag queen reading them stories. If people had been told this would happen 30 years ago then they would have been told you that you were insane. Yet it has been happening under our watch.I want this nonsense to stop, let kids be kids and let them grow and develop as they have always done. Just because a little boy picks a doll up it doesn't mean he wants to be a girl and every girl that kicks a football does not want to be a boy.
I want my country back and the country I am talking about would not tolerate this stupidity.
Imagine telling people just 20 years ago that over 130,000 illegal migrants would cross the English Channel in three years and would be picked up by British boats then placed in 4-star hotels, given free legal advice, and then allowed to settle in our country. Then tell the same people from 20 years ago that over 90% of these arrivals would be voung men destined for a life of crime and and some would go on and murder and rape British citizens.Imagine telling them that the government of the day would pass three Acts of Parliament to try and stop these crossings, but the young men kept coming and coming.
I want my country back and the country I am talking about would not tolerate this stupidity.
Many people remember the 1970s when East German female shot-putters had to undergo a sex test to see if they were really females. Have no fear as sex tests are not needed these days. A six-foot 6 hairy arsed bloke can put on an ill-fitting wig, a charity shop dress, and a bit of lippy and enter sporting competitions alongside women. To make matters worse on his way home he can then nip into a lady's boutique and try on a pair of size 16 stilettos whilst sat in a lady's changing room.
I want my country back and the country I am talking about would not tolerate this stupidity.
Back in the 80s and 90s if you applied for a council house you would get the choice of three houses but nowadays you have literally no chance of even being considered for one, yet we are letting over 1 million people a year into this country. That's hundreds of thousands of people putting extra pressure on our public services and whilst decent hard-working Brits struggle to get a GP appointment, a dental appointment, a school place for their kids the politicians tell them that immigration makes us all better off.
I want my country back and the country I am talking about would not tolerate this stupidity.
Back in the day if we had civil unrest on our streets, you could be rest assured that our boys in blue would be quickly on the scene to get stuck in so as decent folk could go about their daily business. Imagine telling folk on the picket lines of the 80s that in the future that a load of under nourished grey-haired vegans in their 60s could turn up in their Jesus sandals and bring London to a standstill whilst the Met police stood by and did nothing?
I want my country back and the country I am talking about would not tolerate this stupidity.Don't even start me on the pro-Palestinian marches.I want my country back.
WE WANT OUR COUNTRY BACK 

Sue Hammond ● 22d23 Comments ● 20d

Doubleplusgood Newspeak

"The Republican House Foreign Affairs Committee chair instructed GOP staff to refer to the West Bank by its biblical name, Judea and Samaria.The term is still used by Israel’s government to refer to territory of the West Bank along the Jordan River, claimed by both Israelis and the Palestinians. Rep. Brian Mast (R-Fla.), chair of the committee, wrote in a staff memo that all “formal correspondence, communication, and documentation” would refer to the territory of the West Bank as Judea and Samaria. The term is often used by Israel’s religious and political right to emphasize Israel’s claim over the territory. Mast said he was making the change to recognize the “inherent right of the Jewish people to their ancient homeland” and demonstrate the U.S.’s “unbreakable bond with Israel.”https://thehill.com/homenews/5165472-gop-house-committee-west-bank-name/"In the U.S., the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) has officially updated “Gulf of Mexico” to “Gulf of America.” As we announced two weeks ago and consistent with our longstanding practices, we've begun rolling out changes to reflect this update.10 Feb 2025""President Donald Trump appeared to make a U-turn on his opinion on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, denying he ever called him a dictator.When asked about that comment, he told reporters in the Oval Office: 'Did I say that? I can't believe I said that. Next question.'" (Daily Mail)"‘Don’t you see that the whole aim of Newspeak is to narrow the range of thought? In the end we shall make thoughtcrime literally impossible, because there will be no words in which to express it."" (1984)

David Ainsworth ● 20d0 Comments ● 20d

Israel air-dropped 600 highly [and widely] destructive 2000 lb bombs in 6 weeks on Gaza

"BOSTON, MA – October 10, 2024 A new study reveals that between October 7 and November 17, 2023, the Israeli military air-dropped nearly 600 highly destructive 2000 lb bombs with the capacity to damage hospital infrastructure and kill or cause severe injury hundreds of meters away. One-third of the bombs identified were within dangerous proximity of hospitals across the Gaza Strip.“This study supports emerging evidence that the Israeli military has disregarded the protection of hospitals, mandated by international humanitarian law, through the systematic pattern of dropping massive M-84 bombs close enough to hospitals to knowingly cause significant damage, injury, and death. The damage to hospitals due to these and other munitions will have immediate and long-term effects on the health of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip,” said Yara M. Asi, PhD, Assistant Professor at the University of Central Florida, Visiting Scientist at the FXB Center, and one of the authors of the study.Using publicly available data from CNN and The New York Times satellite imagery investigations, the authors created a map of the Gaza Strip with the locations of craters formed by air-dropped 2000 lb bombs. They then overlaid this map with geospatial data from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN-OCHA) and Open Street Map to measure the distances of these bomb craters to hospitals in the Gaza Strip. The 2000 lb bombs, made by the American arms manufacturer General Dynamic and Ordinance Tactical System, have a blast radius that can kill people 360 m away from the point of detonation and can cause severe injury and damage building infrastructure 800 m away. Data analysis showed at least one bomb crater within 800 m of 83% percent of the 36 hospitals in the Gaza Strip, and nine of those hospitals had 2000 lb bomb craters within 360 m. Most hospitals in Gaza had several bomb craters within dangerous proximity. During the time when this satellite imagery was captured, tens of thousands of civilians used these hospitals and their surrounding areas as places to seek refuge, all while the hospital system itself was losing capacity to treat the overwhelming number of casualties. This analysis raises serious concern for the violation of international humanitarian law. “The ongoing genocide in Gaza is an escalation amongst a litany of catastrophic events of a mass genocidal plan spanning decades. Almost a year bearing witness to an abhorrent imperialist violence, there is a total failure to comply with the International Court of Justice (ICJ) rulings or normative framework of international law,” said Dr. Tlaleng Mofokeng, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the right to health. “I continue my call on Israel and its allies to immediately ceasefire and end the occupation.” The analysis also found the Israeli military air-dropped over one hundred 2000 lb bombs in the officially designated evacuation zone for civilians. In the time span that this analysis covers, approximately 1 million people (about the population of Delaware) were estimated to have evacuated from the northern Gaza governorates to the southern governorates below the Wadi Gaza."https://fxb.harvard.edu/2024/10/10/new-study-shows-israel-air-dropped-2000lb-bombs-within-lethal-and-damage-ranges-of-hospitals-in-gaza/#:~:text=The%202000%20lb%20bombs%2C%20made,building%20infrastructure%20800%20m%20away.

David Ainsworth ● 27d8 Comments ● 22d

Foreign Aid Cut To Fund Increase To Defence Spending

I have been waiting for an outraged bleeding heart to post about this and I am shocked nobody has, so I am kindly doing it instead. Starmer slashes aid to fund major increase in defence spending:Keir Starmer has announced that Britain will “fight for peace in Europe” with a generational increase in defence spending paid for by slashing the foreign aid budget.The move, just two days before the prime minister is due to meet Donald Trump, raised immediate concerns that he was pandering to the US president, and fury from aid groups that say it could cost lives in countries that rely on UK support.In a surprise announcement, Starmer announced the biggest increase in defence spending since the end of the cold war, with the budget rising to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 – three years earlier than planned – and an ambition to reach 3%.https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/feb/25/starmer-slashes-aid-to-fund-major-increase-in-defence-spendingThe fact that Starmer announced it 2 days before his face to face meeting with Trump, was this purely coincidental, or a panic move to take something positive to the table in order to ingratiate himself? I would say the latter.  However I am glad that the foreign aid budget is being cut at long last.   Over the decades it has become hugely bloated and open to corruption and no longer fit for purpose.  Farage and Reform have always advocated for it to be cut, so at least Starmer has listened. I doubt that #NoCharmerStarmer will sleep much tonight and I would love to be a fly on the Oval Office wall tomorrow!🥹

Sue Hammond ● 26d4 Comments ● 23d

Didn't reach their first birthday in Gaza

I suppose that without independent confirmation of this, it will not be accepted. It comes from the Gaza Health Ministry via AlJazeera.Noura Walid Abdulsalam Shaheen (0 years old)Maryam Nour Al-Din Wael Daban (0 years old)Fatima Louay Rafiq Al-Sultan (0 years old)Watan Mohammed Abd Al-Rahim Al-Madhoon (0 years old)Mohammad Al-Jabbari Said Misbah Al-Khour (0 years old)Diyaa Ahmed Abd Al-Aati Saleh Moussa (0 years old)Oday Mohammed Rafiq Al-Sultan (0 years old)Mohammed Nidal Hisham Attallah (0 years old)Ahmad Shadi Talal Al-Haddad (0 years old)Masa Mohammed Youssef Nasr (0 years old)Ayat Abd Al-Aziz Omar Farwana (0 years old)Maalek Mohammed Shafeeq Abu-Al-Kas (0 years old)Sarah Abd Al-Rahman Mohammed Hamad (0 years old)Mohammed Saleh Mahmoud Al-Deiri (0 years old)Mecca Ahmed Eid Abu-Sherekh (0 years old)Iyad Abd Al-Rahman Jihad Muhaysen (0 years old)Adam Mohammed Sameer Abu-Ajwah (0 years old)Alayan Abd Al-Rahman Alayan Al-Ashqar (0 years old)Alma Moumen Mohammed Hamdan (0 years old)Diyaa Mohammed Zuheir Al-Bar'ai (0 years old)Misk Abd Al-Hai Sami Al-Halabi (0 years old)Elina Moumen Riad Al-Rifi (0 years old)Ali Raed Khalil Rahmi (0 years old)Younis Wissam Abdullah Afaneh (0 years old)Celine Abd Al-Hadi Adel Zahir (0 years old)Asil Amir Ali Al-Ashi (0 years old)Mira Abd Al-Rahman Fathi Radwan (0 years old)Fatima Mohammed Kamel Faisal Akela (0 years old)Mohammed Abd Al-Karim Mohammed Jabir Al-Safadi (0 years old)Anas Abdullah Bahaa Al-Din Sakik (0 years old)Sobhi Hamdan Sobhi Hassouna (0 years old)Celine Ehab Ayman Al-Bahtiti (0 years old)Mohammed Mazen Abdullah Al-Sanwar (0 years old)Mohammed Abd Al-Samad Maher Mohsen (0 years old)George Sobhi George Al-Souri (0 years old)Osama Ahmed Mohammed Hamada (0 years old)Elaf Karim Abdullah Al-Aywa (0 years old)Masa Jalal Moein Al-Harkaly (0 years old)Hassan Hamza Hassan Al-Omosa (0 years old)Anas Abd Al-Aziz Mohammad Zahir (0 years old)Daughter/Sona Hani Awada (0 years old)Niveen Mohammad Sameer Saadeh (0 years old)Issam Mohammad Issam Farag (0 years old)Ismail Ahmed Ismail Farhat (0 years old)Jouri Anas Bassam Shamia (0 years old)Aliya Abd Al-Noor Sami Al-Souri (0 years old)Kinan Amin Marwan Abu-Shakian (0 years old)Roz Abd Al-Aziz Mohammad Al-Ghoul (0 years old)Mohammad Hamid Nidal Aloua (0 years old)Salama Mohammad Marwan Abu-Atiwi (0 years old)Sham Ahmed Fawzi Al-Qafidi (0 years old)Luay Mahmoud Saleh Al-Ajrami (0 years old)Daughter/Shahd Omar Al-Qattati (0 years old)Lana Yasser Nassif Hijazi (0 years old)Abdullah Mohammad Abd Al-Hamid Mehana (0 years old)Son/Ahmed Fouad Sikeik (0 years old)Raed Ehab Raed Salmanaly (0 years old)Omar Ahmed Abd Al-Nasir Shamlakh (0 years old)Moaz Abd Al-Fattah Khaled Al-Zuhairi (0 years old)Maria Yasser Kamal Al-Masry (0 years old)Raed Khaled Raed Rajab (0 years old)Malak Abd Al-Salam Ali Abu-Saif (0 years old)Iyla Mohammad Salem Al-Dremli (0 years old)Sela Mahmoud Jamal Abu-Dhahir (0 years old)Layan Rami Anwar Faisal (0 years old)Najwa Mahmoud Fathi Radwan (0 years old)Mohammad Ahmed Salem Al-Qanou (0 years old)Yomna Omar Riyadh Al-Rifi (0 years old)Basil Mohammad Hossam Abu-Jaser (0 years old)Yasmine Khalil Jawad Abu-Binat (0 years old)Ayla Adi Abd Al-Jawad Abu-Ras (0 years old)Noor Yousef Bassam Abu-Hasira (0 years old)Juwan Ali Nasr Amer (0 years old)Saba Ahmed Ali Al-Qazzaz (0 years old)Fadel Maysara Mohammad Abu-Hasira (0 years old)Anisa Mahmoud Ahmed Ali (0 years old)Omar Jihad Omar Al-Bahtini (0 years old)Sundus Mohamed Sobhi Samara (0 years old)Farah Hosam Abd Al-Karim Hanoun (0 years old)Kenan Ahmed Ismail Al-Hattab (0 years old)Layan Abd Al-Karim Asaad Al-Dahshan (0 years old)Mahmoud Fadi Khaled Al-Baba (0 years old)Abd Al-Khaleq Fadi Khaled Al-Baba (0 years old)Maha Fadi Khaled Al-Baba (0 years old)Khaled Fadi Khaled Al-Baba (0 years old)Hamza Mohamed Abd Al-Hamid Ashour (0 years old)Yasmin Ramez Abd Al-Razzaq Al-Masri (0 years old)Reem Zakaria Yehia Badawi (0 years old)Joud Bahaa Eldin Haidar Al-Nadeem (0 years old)Najwa Ahmed Fathy Radwan (0 years old)Mahmoud Eid Mohamed Nabhan (0 years old)Suzan Iyad Mohamed Al-Ashi (0 years old)Kanary Moatasem Mahmoud Aql (0 years old)Atef Majd Atef Darwish (0 years old)Tala Mohamed Rafeeq Abu-Ghali (0 years old)Ghaith Rami Khaled Abu-Riya (0 years old)Sidra Yehia Khalil Abu-Zarifa (0 years old)Mohamed Hosam Ashraf Shahin (0 years old)Sahar Mohamed Raed Musleh (0 years old)Waad Waleed Sameer Sabah (0 years old)Bassam Mohamed Jamil Al-Maqousi (0 years old)Ali Islam Sameer Abu-Al-Einin (0 years old)Esraa Ahed Mohamed Radwan (0 years old)Son/ Ghadir Mohamed Kaid Shafoot (0 years old)Saber Sabri Abdullah Al-Farra (0 years old)Samar Bara Mohamed Abu-Ghbit (0 years old)Mohamed Ahmed Sami Al-Amawi (0 years old)Hour Khamis Suleiman Al-Khateeb (0 years old)Maria Khaled Nasr Al-Jed (0 years old)Kanzy Mohamed Ayman Al-Khateeb (0 years old)Nada Anas Ayman Abd (0 years old)Odai Adel Mohamed Al-Ghosein (0 years old)Malak Murad Ammar Barash (0 years old)Jory Murad Ammar Barash (0 years old)Hour Osama Suleiman Abu-Sanima (0 years old)Misk Ahmed Abd Al-Karim Hararah (0 years old)Hour Youssef Rashad Abu-Safi (0 years old)Daughter/Aisha Mohamed Ibrahim Abu-Matwi (0 years old)Daughter/Suhair Mohamed Shahda Khattab (0 years old)Son/Ilham Ahmed Hammad Khattab (0 years old)Daughter/Ilham Ahmed Hammad Khattab (0 years old)Jouri Mohamed Mohamed Abu-Sultan (0 years old)Maram Mohamed Mustafa Abu-Ghoula (0 years old)Mahmoud Hassan Khalil Obeid (0 years old)Yamen Mahmoud Abbas Muqata (0 years old)Yusuf Saher Nasr Abu-Sahlool (0 years old)Nazira Saher Nasr Sahlool (0 years old)Malak Saher Nasr Abu-Sahlool (0 years old)Carmel Alaa Walid Hamdan (0 years old)Asil Mansour Khaled Al-Louh (0 years old)Misk Yusuf Zuhair Al-Qanousi (0 years old)Amal Mohamed Jumaa Abu-Soueis (0 years old)Kenan Shadi Hashem Mushtaha (0 years old)Sila Islam Mousa Al-Talbani (0 years old)Mai Ibrahim Labad (0 years old)Baraa Mohamed Fawzi Shaldan (0 years old)Tariq Mohamed Fawzi Shaldan (0 years old)Raafat Mohamed Raafat Abed (0 years old)Mohamed Naim Nasr Ayad (0 years old)Ziad Mohamed Jamil Habib (0 years old)Suhaib Ahmed Moein Zakout (0 years old)Fatima Saleh Yasser Al-Hout (0 years old)Habiba Hesham Abd Al-Aty Abu-Jarri (0 years old)Masa Mohamed Hamza Al-Rifi (0 years old)Kamla Rabee Faraj Al-Ata'out (0 years old)Mohamed Malik Mahmoud Al-Marnakh (0 years old)Daughter/ Zeinab Mohamed Al-Abed Nawwas (0 years old)Abd Al-Rahman Zayed Ziad Mahani (0 years old)Salma Ahmed Ezzat Azzam (0 years old)Samira Ahmed Ezzat Azzam (0 years old)Ibrahim Abd Al-Fattah Said Salam (0 years old)Son/ Anwar Ahmed Mohamed Darwish (0 years old)Habiba Hesham Hassan Abu-Jarri (0 years old)Rahaf Deeb Mahmoud Al-Skafi (0 years old)Maysaa Deeb Mahmoud Al-Skafi (0 years old)Tabarak Ahmed Mahmoud Abbas (0 years old)Son of Israa Jamal Salem Abu-Mazkour (0 years old)Sewar Hossam Talal Abu-Atiwi (0 years old)Khitam Bara'a Abd Al-Bari Abu-Foul (0 years old)Ahmed Saed Amer Ayash (0 years old)Girl/Randa Mohammed Abd Al-Qader Wahba (0 years old)Daughter/Mona Jamal Mohammed Abu-Layla (0 years old)Mohannad Ahmed Jumaa Azzam (0 years old)Yasser Salah Yasser Al-Dalou (0 years old)Daughter/Nidal Jalal Al-Banna (0 years old)Zain Omar Zuhair Al-Daour (0 years old)Son/Alaa Murad Ali Binat (0 years old)Wissam Wissam Naeem Abu-Anza (0 years old)Insam Mahmoud Jihad Al-Louh (0 years old)Son/Nabila Nasr Mohammed Nofal (0 years old)Mohammad Ehab Eddin Khaled Owaidah (0 years old)Son/Rahima Saadi Mohammed Shahin (0 years old)Sara Arafat Hameed Al-Arjani (0 years old)Wateen Yahya Khaled Abu-Hilal (0 years old)Siyala Raafat Jamal Shatat (0 years old)Nisreen Mohammed Mohammed Al-Najjar (0 years old)Rakan Moumen Mousa Rabee (0 years old)Sanad Bilal Nabil Amara (0 years old)Hala Yasser Hamed Al-Sinnwar (0 years old)Hamadah Ibrahim Mohammed Al-Hajj Yousuf (0 years old)Maria Maher Yahya Al-Sikk (0 years old)Mohammad Saeed Adel Abu-Al-Rous (0 years old)Rateel Yasser Juma Abu-Al-Fita (0 years old)Bisan Ibrahim Mohammed Al-Mallahi (0 years old)Jannat Naji Abd Al-Rahman Abu-Hammad (0 years old)Ahmed Mohammed Amin Nofal (0 years old)Malak Abd Al-Rahman Ayash Darwish (0 years old)Rital Khalil Yahya Al-Batsh (0 years old)Ahmed Alaa Abd Al-Majeed Issa (0 years old)Qais Mohammed Ramadan Obeid (0 years old)Ibrahim Ammar Saad Al-Qara (0 years old)Karam Amjad Hafez Shamlakh (0 years old)Rafif Mahmoud Aref Al-Faqaawi (0 years old)Al-Anoud Suleiman Jaber Al-Qirinaawi (0 years old)Hour Mohammed Ibrahim Al-Mamlouk (0 years old)Maimouna Saher Said Al-Sayyid (0 years old)Rami Raafat Nidal Al-Amawasi (0 years old)Hour Rashad Said Habib (0 years old)Mohammed Omar Mustafa Shehab (0 years old)Raafat Khalil Raafat Anan (0 years old)Sanaa Ghassan Wagdi Hamouda (0 years old)Mohammed Nour Al-Din Yahya Al-Aqad (0 years old)Hassan Mohammed Hassan Abu-Dakkah (0 years old)Saif Ashraf Karim Abu-Hijr (0 years old)Abd Al-Raouf Ibrahim Abd Al-Raouf Al-Farra (0 years old)Hassan Ibrahim Abd Al-Karim Abu-Dwaba (0 years old)Tulin Ibrahim Barjas Awaijeh (0 years old)Khaled Bilal Mohammed Abu-Al-Omrein (0 years old)Tasnim Ramzi Awda Qarman (0 years old)Habiba Ashraf Mahmoud Abu-Assi (0 years old)Samira Ziyad Abd Al-Qader Al-Smeiri (0 years old)Mohammed Basel Mahmoud Al-Khayat (0 years old)Huda Mustafa Hatem Abu-Seif (0 years old)Abd Al-Rahman Samir Salama Saad (0 years old)Doaa Ali Hassan Al-Ghandour (0 years old)Ghaith Yasser Nabil Noufal (0 years old)Mohammed Mustafa Khalil Tammous (0 years old)Misk Mahmoud Ibrahim Hejazi (0 years old)Malak Walid Yousef Abu-Al-Khair (0 years old)Mazeen Hassan Mazen Al-Tawil (0 years old)Muayyad Mohammed Masoud Ashour (0 years old)Rafif Alaa Labib Al-Tabatabai (0 years old)Useid Haider Moen Al-Aff (0 years old)Batoul Khaled Shaaban Dawas (0 years old)Lynn Khaled Shaaban Dawas (0 years old)Sewar Khaled Saber Abu-Qashlan (0 years old)Wateen Bara'a Abd Al-Rahman Al-Hour (0 years old)Rafif Walid Sabri Al-Nabahin (0 years old)Fatima Mohammed Rizk Al-Wawi (0 years old)Bilal Khaled Mohammed Sobh (0 years old)Zein Al-Din Suleiman Moin Al-Najjar (0 years old)Malak Jihad Mohammed Al-Nemnem (0 years old)Rajwa Mahmoud Zuhdi Abu-Sharia (0 years old)Kinan Akram Sameeh Karim (0 years old)Jannah Hisham Mohammed Hamouda (0 years old)Tolin Ibrahim Jihad Al-Maghari (0 years old)Miyan Yahya Yousef Al-Astal (0 years old)Mostafa Mohammed Farid Qandil (0 years old)Moatasem Kanaan Farid Al-Jamal (0 years old)Mohammed Eyad Maher Abu-Leila (0 years old)Tahani Ezz Al-Din Ahmed Zourob (0 years old)Ayloul Omar Kamel Abu-Rahmeh (0 years old)Hanan Mohammed Abd Al-Hakim Asfour (0 years old)Hour Omar Mahmoud Al-Azib (0 years old)Lana Yousef Emad Lolo (0 years old)Wateen Sharif Bakr Al-Batniji (0 years old)Raghad Ahmed Oudah Abu-Khattab (0 years old)Aisha Jihad Jalal Shaheen (0 years old)Mohammed Hussein Mohammed Abu-Hamed (0 years old)Osayd Hussein Mohammed Abu-Hamed (0 years old)Badr Yasser Rafiq Abu-Habib (0 years old)Asia Hussein Ahmed Hamad (0 years old)Aseel Mohammed Jumah Dhahir (0 years old)Alma Adnan Jamal Al-Qatraoui (0 years old)Moaz Hani Mohammed Al-Aidi (0 years old)Mohammed Alaa Othman Mohammed (0 years old)Belal Mohammed Kamal Hamdan (0 years old)Hamza Abd Al-Samad Taysir Abu-Warda (0 years old)Maryam Khaled Suhail Abed (0 years old)Hour Hazem Ahmed Al-Madhoun (0 years old)Ryan Abd Al-Rahim Jamal Al-Qatraoui (0 years old)Eliana Mohammed Nabil Mukhaimer (0 years old)Sari Mahmoud Abd Al-Aziz Alayan (0 years old)Mohammed Hani Mohammed Al-Zahar (0 years old)Mohammed Mohammed Hosni Abu-Sharar (0 years old)Zaher Mohammed Zaher Abu-Awaili (0 years old)Ibrahim Ahmed Salem Azzam (0 years old)Omar Ismail Omar Sharaf (0 years old)Hind Khaled Ahmed Jahjouh (0 years old)Saba Ramez Mohammed Abu-Maamar (0 years old)Mervat Wissam Maher Al-Daalesa (0 years old)Shaimaa Saeed Nabil Al-Laham (0 years old)Maria Khaled Zakaria Al-Shantti (0 years old)Rima Mohammed Sabri Al-Braim (0 years old)Issa Mahmoud Mohammed Qarmoot (0 years old)Abd Al-Rahim Ahmed Abd Al-Rahim Awad (0 years old)Wateen Munzer Saher Khattab (0 years old)Zain Mohammed Ali Al-Zard (0 years old)Mohammed Taher Ahmed Abu-Younis (0 years old)Majd Ismail Jad Hamad (0 years old)Khaled Hamza Khaled Al-Louh (0 years old)Abd Al-Hakim Mohammed Abd Al-Hakim Hussein (0 years old)Taj Arafat Ramadan Al-Balawi (0 years old)Ibrahim Al-Mu'tasim Waleed Al-Qouqa (0 years old)Ahmed Saeed Ahmed Fouda (0 years old)Mohammed Suleiman Kamel Farajallah (0 years old)Amr Mahmoud Tayseer Abu-Al-Laban (0 years old)Hadeel Othman Khalil Saydam (0 years old)Mira Omar Fares Sukkar (0 years old)Sila Mohammed Suleiman Abu-Amsha (0 years old)Mu'tasim Billah Moad Hamad Hamad (0 years old)Layan Mohammed Youssef Hussein (0 years old)Zain Shihada Mustafa Al-Shaer (0 years old)Jehad Mohammed Ra'fat Al-Da'lais (0 years old)Mahmoud Amjad Saeed Bakhit (0 years old)Yaqeen Karam Khadr Al-Turk (0 years old)Qutaiba Diaa Mohammed Abu-Qaliq (0 years old)Zain Mohammed Khaled Al-Houbi (0 years old)Raseel Ahmed Abd Al-Bari Abu-Foul (0 years old)Mohammed Tamer Muslih Al-Qanoua (0 years old)Osama Mohammed Adeeb Asleem (0 years old)Abd Al-Hakim Mohammed Abd Al-Hakim Abu-Al-Shaar (0 years old)Abdullah Amir Abdullah Al-Khour (0 years old)Alma Ahmed Mohammed Al-Atal (0 years old)Ahmed Moamen Ahmed Daloul (0 years old)Zaid Khaled Jumaa Al-Bahbahani (0 years old)Youssef Haitham Youssef Abu-Mahadi (0 years old)Fatima Ahmed Salah Al-Sawafiri (0 years old)Wateen Abd Rabbo Taleb Abu-Jrei (0 years old)Mohammed Talaat Ibrahim Al-Hassaineh (0 years old)Salma Adnan Abd Al-Karim Abu-Mustafa (0 years old)Judy Ahmed Akram Al-Araqaan (0 years old)Sanad Mohammed Sami Salman (0 years old)Obaida Bilal Youssef Abu-Mailaq (0 years old)Sama Ibrahim Majid Al-Wadeeah (0 years old)Noor Rami Naeem Al-Asmar (0 years old)Qais Ali Nabil Al-Aidi (0 years old)Moustafa Hani Issam Saqallah (0 years old)Salma Ibrahim Basem Shaaban (0 years old)Wael Amir Sharif Assaf (0 years old)Moaz Mohammed Jawad Al-Wadeeah (0 years old)Yazan Ahmed Mohammed Al-Attar (0 years old)Joud Abdullah Ahmed Qassem (0 years old)Nasr Alaa Nasr Jargon (0 years old)Nabil Saif Al-Islam Nabil Al-Hallol (0 years old)Khaled Moamen Amin Shubair (0 years old)Sama Mohammed Yousef Darwish (0 years old)Alaa Al-Din Ali Kamal Balatah (0 years old)Rayan Abdullah Zakaria Al-Astal (0 years old)Nabil Bilal Nabil Al-Aidi (0 years old)Aws Mohammed Hussein Al-Atal (0 years old)Salam Wael Ahmed Al-Astal (0 years old)Sanad Yaseen Moustafa Al-Zeinati (0 years old)Jewel Atallah Ibrahim Al-Amash (0 years old)Hurriya Ahmed Imran Ghabn (0 years old)Mohammed Fadi Mohammed Al-Loqa (0 years old)Taqa Mousa Khalil Abu-Nussairah (0 years old)Malek Azzouz Ali Awad (0 years old)Warda Mahmoud Allam Al-Yazji (0 years old)Mohammed Ahmed Riyad Abu-Zurqa (0 years old)Adam Majdi Jaber Al-Dahdouh (0 years old)Mohammed Amr Mohammed Magari (0 years old)Basima Ibrahim Mohammed Al-Souri (0 years old)Sobhi Ramzi Sobhi Al-Ajal (0 years old)Mousab Mohammed Smeeh Subeih (0 years old)Elias Mohammed Emad Iyyad (0 years old)Marah Homam Yousef Bahar (0 years old)Farah Homam Yousef Bahar (0 years old)Yahya Jawad Mohammed Al-Labban (0 years old)Firas Mohammed Abd Al-Aziz Tamraz (0 years old)Abd Al-Jawad Meer Jamal Housso (0 years old)Yousry Bahaa Jun Musleh (0 years old)Amir Mahmoud Zuhdi Al-Masri (0 years old)Sarah Ahmed Medhat Abu-Bakr (0 years old)Ammar Islam Omar Harb (0 years old)Manal Moamen Majid Abu-Al-Aouf (0 years old)Munir Fadi Munir Shabat (0 years old)Rakan Hossam Hussein Mousa (0 years old)Dana Khaled Saleh Abu-Labda (0 years old)Diyaa Majed Ahmed Kashkou (0 years old)Jud Karam Ahmed Abu-Shawish (0 years old)Fahd Uday Imad Al-Ajez (0 years old)Maria Ahmed Nayef Ryan (0 years old)That is half the list for the under-ones. I doubt that it will convince.Anyhow:-"Israeli Intelligence Has Deemed Hamas-Run Health Ministry’s Death Toll Figures Generally Accurate":-https://www.vice.com/en/article/israeli-intelligence-health-ministry-death-toll/

David Ainsworth ● 29d28 Comments ● 27d

Yet more evidence of Hamas barbarity. Trump should act.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14417465/Hamas-sickens-world-parade-hostages-coffins-condemned-Israel.htmlHamas has been condemned for parading the coffins of hostages in Gaza, with the United Nations rights chief saying the 'abhorrent' treatment of the October 7 attack victims 'flies in the face of international law.'How low can the cowards that refuse to show their faces go ?But they should still worry: the IDF will deal with them in the end.And why is President Trump fighting with potential allies in Ukraine and not going to sort out Hamas and other Arabic terrorists ?https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/clydwlxykzyo"Israel's 'hearts lie in tatters' as Hamas hands over first dead hostages" - BBC News today.'"The hearts of an entire nation lie in tatters," Israel's president has said, as the bodies of four hostages taken alive by Hamas in its attack on 7 October 2023 were returned to Tel Aviv.Hamas says the bodies are those of a mother and two children from the Bibas family, whose unknown fate has gripped Israel, and Oded Lifschitz, 84, a veteran peace activist.It is the first time the group Hamas has returned captives dead since the ceasefire began last month, with Israel saying it will confirm their identities after forensic examinations.In choreographed scenes reminiscent of recent handovers of living hostages, four black coffins were laid out on a stage decked with propaganda in Khan Younis in southern Gaza in front of crowds of spectators.A Red Cross official appeared to sign documents at a table alongside armed Hamas fighters before the coffins were driven away in Red Cross vehicles.Earlier the Red Cross had called for a dignified handover by Hamas following widespread denunciation of the way in which it had released hostages in recent weeks.It is not known how Shiri, Kfir and his brother Ariel - if confirmed - died. Hamas said in November 2023 that they had been killed in an Israeli air strike, without providing evidence. At the time, then-member of Israel's war cabinet Benny Gantz said there was no confirmation of the claim.The family were taken along with the father, Yarden, from kibbutz Nir Oz when hundreds of Hamas gunmen burst through the border with Israel and attacked communities, security forces sites and a music festival.About 1,200 people - mostly civilians - were killed in the attack and 251 others taken back to Gaza as hostages.Sixty-six hostages taken on 7 October are still being held in Gaza. Three other hostages, taken more than a decade ago, are also being held. About half of all the hostages still in Gaza are believed to be alive'.The whole orchestrated event is sickening to look at and just shows how depraved Hamas Palestinians are.Another question.Is the BBC impartial in its reporting of the Israel/Hamas conflict ?Earlier -"BBC faces questions over Gaza film's Hamas link"https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c9wpk5re5e1o'The culture secretary has said she will raise concerns with BBC bosses about a documentary on Gaza that was narrated by the son of a Hamas official.The broadcaster has been criticised for Gaza: How To Survive A War Zone, which centred on a 13-year-old boy who is the son of Hamas's deputy minister of agriculture.Lisa Nandy said she would discuss the matter with the BBC's director general and chairman, "particularly around the way in which they sourced the people who were featured in the programme".The BBC said it had not been informed of the family connection in advance by the film's production company, and has apologised "for the omission of that detail".Wonderful editorial control from an organisation we are legally obliged to pay for.

John Hawkes ● 32d5 Comments ● 28d

Trump's Controversial Speech ~ Very Long Post

Much condemnation has been expressed over Trump's outburst but there is an article in tobay's Spectator that is worth reading.  I think it's probably behind a paywall so I have copied it:"The cruellest thing about Trump vs Zelensky? Trump’s right. And just like that, we are back in 2017. Donald Trump, the President of the United States, is posting ridiculous hyperbole on his socials and mouthing off from Mar-a-Lago, as he always has.

In the last 24 hours, however, the global political and media classes have gone back to gnashing their teeth and wailing in way they did in Trump’s first term. It’s disgraceful! It’s sub-literate! He’s Vladimir Putin’s puppet! He’s reckless and utterly out of control! And that, of course, is the point.

Trump’s re-election proved that he is no aberration, so in 2025 the liberal, western world order has tried to come to terms with him. Western statesmen took turns to recognise his achievements, or his mandate, and to distance themselves from their past condemnations. But this was all insincere politesse and it was never going to work. Trump doesn’t care. His mandate is to cripple their authority. And on the international stage, Ukraine was always going to be the breaking point. The West has invested a huge amount of capital – political, economic and strategic – in the fight against Russia, and it has failed. Trump knows that and so he’s ending the war: if that means insulting Volodymyr Zelensky, parroting Russian talking points and playing nice with Putin, so be it.

Fact-checkers have been queueing up to rebut Trump’s incoherent Truth Social post last night, which is worth reposting here in full:

‘Think of it, a modestly successful comedian, Volodymyr Zelensky, talked the United States of America into spending $350 Billion Dollars, to go into a War that couldn’t be won, that never had to start, but a War that he, without the U.S. and “TRUMP,” will never be able to settle. The United States has spent $200 Billion Dollars more than Europe, and Europe’s money is guaranteed, while the United States will get nothing back. Why didn’t Sleepy Joe Biden demand Equalization, in that this War is far more important to Europe than it is to us – We have a big, beautiful Ocean as separation. On top of this, Zelenskyy admits that half of the money we sent him is “MISSING.” He refuses to have Elections, is very low in Ukrainian Polls, and the only thing he was good at was playing Biden “like a fiddle.” A Dictator without Elections, Zelenskyy better move fast or he is not going to have a Country left. In the meantime, we are successfully negotiating an end to the War with Russia, something all admit only “TRUMP,” and the Trump Administration, can do. Biden never tried, Europe has failed to bring Peace, and Zelenskyy probably wants to keep the “gravy train” going. I love Ukraine, but Zelenskyy has done a terrible job, his Country is shattered, and MILLIONS have unnecessarily died – And so it continues...’ And so it does.
To westerners who have spent years grandstanding against Putin, such words are anathema. To the many Ukrainians who have fought and died fighting Russian forces in their country, such rhetoric is beyond reprehensible. But if you can somehow look through the insensitivity, the febrile exaggerations, the score-settling with Zelensky, the half-lies and the cruel braggadocio, you have to admit that he is right – or at least not wrong.

Only offensive, odious Donald could end the war in Ukraine, which he is now doing. Europe has failed to bring peace. In a press conference on Tuesday, Trump said that Ukrainians shouldn’t complain about not being involved in his dialogue with Russia: ‘Well, you’ve been there for three years... you should have ended it three years... You should have never started it. You could have made a deal.’ That’s been widely interpreted as him saying that Ukraine started the war, and while his choice of words was poor, in context he is clearly referring to the thwarted efforts to achieve peace in the conflict’s early days in 2022. Trump is also right to say that vast amounts of western funding to Ukraine have gone missing, because the country is – and always has been – deeply corrupt.For European leaders who have spent years advocating on behalf of Ukraine, the most painful part will be Trump’s reckoning on Zelensky. In the days and months that followed Russia’s invasion, when Ukraine’s President bravely stayed in Kyiv and led Ukraine’s impressive resistance, Zelensky became a western hero. People called him a 21st-century Churchill. He was fêted in European capitals, Hollywood and on the cover of Vogue magazine as young men killed each other on the front line.There’s no doubt that, in our eagerness to champion the man in the military fatigues, we overlooked the more sordid aspects of his leadership. The Pandora papers showing his links to shady offshore bank accounts were forgotten about. His ties to deeply corrupt and double-dealing oligarchs, such as Ihor Kolomoisky, were brushed over. His ruthless suppression of Moscow-affiliated religious groups was dismissed as Kremlin ‘disinformation’.Western politicians, and military-industrial types who have made a lot of money from the war effort, have always known, deep down, that in supporting Ukraine against Putin they have covered up awkward truths. What really frightens them now is not necessarily Trump’s recklessness. It’s that the murkier realities of the Ukraine-Russia relationship and the West’s involvement in the conflict going back to 2014 and before, may soon come to light."

Sue Hammond ● 32d19 Comments ● 31d

Palestinian refugees given right to come to Britain

Palestinian refugees given right to come to Britain under Ukraine settlement scheme - as Home Office warns the move could open 'floodgates'The family of six from Gaza - a mother, father and four children between seven and 18 years old - had reportedly applied to the Ukraine Family Scheme asking to join their brother already living in the UK, but the Home Office rejected their application.The scheme allowed Ukrainians and their family members to find refuge in Britain if they have a relative who is either a UK national or settled in the UK. It closed last February, nearly two years after it was set up in March 2022. An immigration tribunal initially refused the claim because the scheme for Ukrainians did not apply to the situation of the Palestinian family.The judge ruled that it should be up to Parliament to decide which countries should benefit from resettlement schemes. But this decision was overturned by judge Hugo Norton-Taylor at a higher-level tribunal.He granted the Palestinians the right to live in the UK with their brother under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), which outlines the right to a family life. Judge Norton-Taylor reportedly said that the family's 'extreme and life-threatening' situation was outweighing the 'public interest' of rules regulating the entry to the UK.Shadow secretary Mr Philp criticised the 'alarming and dangerous' ruling, telling the Telegraph that it provides 'a basis for anyone in any conflict zone anywhere in the world with relations in the UK to come here'.https://mol.im/a/14386875So a senior judge uses Article 8 of an ECHR dictate to overrule an asylum claim that had already been rejected twice by the Home Office.This is why we MUST leave the ECHR and only Reform U.K.will do this if it forms the next government!

Sue Hammond ● 41d48 Comments ● 35d