WORLD NEWS
Caught in the middle, as Hezbollah deadline looms – DW – 12/17/2025
On the weekend, the Israeli military issued a warning that has become familiar to civilians living in southern Lebanon.
Israel would shortly attack what they claimed was infrastructure belonging to the militant Lebanon-based group, Hezbollah, in the town of Yanouh.
“You are located near buildings used by Hezbollah, and for your own safety you must evacuate them immediately,” the Arabic-language spokesperson for the Israeli military said on Saturday afternoon.
Then something rather unusual happened. The Lebanese army requested that, instead of an Israeli air strike, it should be allowed to inspect the premises for weapons itself. In what Israeli media would later describe as a “rare” and “unprecedented” event, the Israelis agreed and called the air strike on Yanouh off.
It was a positive moment in what is becoming an extremely difficult situation for Lebanon, as a November 2024 ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon looks in danger of collapsing.
After the ceasefire came into effect, Israeli soldiers mostly withdrew and Lebanese civilians were able to return homeImage: Hussein Malla/AP Photo/picture alliance
Why was a ceasefire necessary?
Almost immediately after the attack on Israel by the Gaza-based militant group Hamas on October 7, 2023, the Israeli military began to strike at Hezbollah in Lebanon too.
Hezbollah is part of a group of pro-Iranian militias that have long opposed Israel and the US, from inside Yemen, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon. Hezbollah is not just a militia, though; it is also an important political and social force in Lebanon, often described as a “state within a state,” with a social welfare network and military to rival actual Lebanese institutions.
Between October 2023 and November 2024, the Israeli military attacked Hezbollah and Lebanon by land and air. In November, a ceasefire was brokered by France and the US, with one of the conditions being that Lebanon disarm Hezbollah by December 31. In return, Israel would stop attacking Lebanon and withdraw its troops.
As that deadline draws closer, Lebanese authorities are under pressure to prove they’re disarming Hezbollah. They say they’ve achieved a lot. The Lebanese Armed Forces, or LAF, say they have detonated so many arms caches that they ran out of explosives. But, as observers regularly point out, it’s hard to prove this. There’s also ongoing disagreement as to whether the disarmament only happens in the south, nearer the Israeli border, or throughout the whole country.
Additionally, despite the ceasefire, Israel has been bombing Lebanon almost daily since November, with over 120 Lebanese civilians killed as a result, and has not fully withdrawn its troops.
Israel says a side letter to the ceasefire allows it to respond to alleged violations as long as it informs the US firstImage: Ramiz Dallah/Anadolu Agency/IMAGO
Intractable stalemate
“Both sides allege that the other is not complying with the ceasefire, so they won’t comply with it either,” David Wood, the senior Lebanon analyst at the think tank, Crisis Group, told DW. “So the question is who will blink first.”
For example, Israel says it will only withdraw all of its soldiers from Lebanon when Hezbollah is disarmed. Hezbollah says it will only do that when Israeli soldiers have left and Israel stops bombing the country — that is despite the fact Israel has clear military superiority, Wood points out.
The Lebanese state is caught in the middle and, over the past few weeks, has come under increasing pressure from Israel and the US.
Lebanon has been mired in an economic crisis for around seven years now and the Lebanese army is dependent on foreign aid. The US has said that if the LAF doesn’t hurry up and disarm Hezbollah, it will cut LAF funding. But if the LAF was defunded, they would obviously no longer be able to do this.
Israel is also pressuring Lebanon, with Defense Minister Israel Katz recently warning that if disarmament didn’t progress faster, Israel would escalate its military operations in Lebanon again.
But in fact, Israel’s bombing may be hindering that process, Nicholas Blanford, a senior fellow with the Atlantic Council’s Middle East programs, argues.
“The belligerent actions of Israel, ironically, are undermining the process of achieving Hezbollah’s disarmament,” he wrote in an October briefing. “If Israel were to withdraw from Lebanese territory and significantly reduce its kinetic actions, it would place Hezbollah under far greater pressure to relinquish its arms.”
Hezbollah claims the Lebanese government isn’t doing anything to stop Israel and argues it is defending the country because the actual government can’t or won’t.
“The result of all this is a potential stalemate,” Blanford explains. “Even if Hezbollah remains obstinate and refuses to hand over its weapons, the Lebanese government cannot, will not, and should not deploy the LAF against the party, as that would almost certainly lead to the collapse of the army and potentially spark a civil war.”
Even if the LAF could fight Hezbollah, it wouldn’t be able to for fear of upsetting the country’s delicate political balance, he explained.
Most of Hezbollah’s supporters are Lebanese Shiite Muslims who live in the south of the country Image: Fadel Itani/NurPhoto/IMAGO
“Lebanon is trapped between a set of impossible demands,” journalist and commentator Hala Jaber argued in the online media outlet Middle East Eye last week. “Disarm its only deterrent, but expect protection; rely on the army but deny it weapons; trust diplomacy but accept bombs the next morning; believe in mediation, while mediators propose mass-casualty strikes.”
An untenable situation
The late November Israeli strike on Beirut in which a Hezbollah commander was killed shows that “the status quo that has taken shape since the November ceasefire is unravelling,” Fadi Nicholas Nassar, a political science professor at the Lebanese American University in Beirut, wrote for the Italian Institute for International Political Studies last month.
So is there anything that could break the stalemate before the upcoming deadline?
In November, Israel struck Lebanon’s crodwed capital Beirut in order to kill Hezbollah’s chief of staff; five locals were also killed in the attackImage: Adri Salido/Getty Images
In an October analysis for the Washington-based Middle East Institute, Nassar suggested that gradual steps, with “tangible milestones,” should be taken to build trust. For example, he argues that if the Lebanese state disarmed Hezbollah outside of areas where it has already done so, that could help.
This week, Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Raggi criticized Iran for its negative role in Lebanon, although Hezbollah’s main international backer is unlikely to change course with regard to the organization anytime soon. Hezbollah has also argued that the more Lebanon concedes, the more Israel will demand.
Crisis Group analyst Wood believes tensions will ratchet up further toward the end-of-year deadline. “Based on Israel’s conduct for over a year now, it seems very unlikely that Israel’s leaders would decide to cease military operations [in Lebanon] for as long as they see some sort of security advantage in continuing them,” he told DW.
“But,” he concludes, “that would be exactly the moment where the US, as the main broker of the ceasefire, can step in and say, ‘why don’t we focus on what the Lebanese army has achieved, rather than what they haven’t,’ and to lean on Israel not to overreact and to work constructively rather than continuing to erode public confidence in the [Lebanese] state.”
Edited by: Andreas Illmer
Tensions high between Lebanon and Israel despite ceasefire
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Fifteen years ago, a Tunisian fruit seller, Mohamed Bouazizi, despairing at official corruption and police violence, walked to the centre of his hometown of Sidi Bouzid, set himself on fire, and changed the region forever.
Much of the hope triggered by that act lies in ruins. The revolutions that followed in Tunisia, Libya, Egypt and Syria have cost the lives of tens and thousands before, in some cases, giving way to chaos or the return of authoritarianism.
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Only Tunisia appeared to fulfil the promise of the “Arab Spring”, with voices from around the world championing its democratic success, ignoring economic and political failings through much of its post-revolutionary history that stirred discontent.
Today, many of Tunisia’s post-revolutionary gains have been cast aside in the wake of President Kais Saied’s dramatic power grab in July 2021. Labelled a coup by his opponents, it ushered in a new hardline rule in Tunisia.
Burying the hopes of the revolution
Over the following years, as well as temporarily shuttering parliament – only reopening it in March 2023 – Saied has rewritten the constitution and overseen a relentless crackdown on critics and opponents.
“They essentially came for everyone; judges, civil society members, people from all political backgrounds, especially the ones that were talking about unifying an opposition against the coup regime,” Kaouther Ferjani, whose father, 71-year-old Ennahdha leader Said Ferjani, was arrested in February 2023.
In September, Saied said his measures were a continuation of the revolution triggered by Bouzazzi’s self-immolation. Painting himself a man of the people, he railed against nameless “lobbyists and their supporters” who thwart the people’s ambitions.
However, while many Tunisians have been cowed into silence by Saied’s crackdown, they have also refused to take part in elections, now little more than a procession for the president.
In 2014, during the country’s first post-revolution presidential election, about 61 percent of the country’s voters turned out to vote.
By last year’s election, turnout had halved.
“Kais Saied’s authoritarian rule has definitively buried the hopes and aspirations of the 2011 revolution by systematically crushing fundamental rights and freedoms and putting democratic institutions under his thumb,” Bassam Khawaja, deputy director at Human Rights Watch, told Al Jazeera English.
In the wake of the revolution, many across Tunisia became activists, seeking to involve themselves in forging what felt like a new national identity.
The number of civil society organisations exploded, with thousands forming to lobby against corruption or promote human rights, transitional justice, press freedom and women’s rights.
At the same time, political shows competed for space, debating the direction the country’s new identity would take.
Tunisian President Saied attends a ceremony with President Xi Jinping in China [ingshu Wang/Getty Images]
“It was an amazing time,” a political analyst who witnessed the revolution and remains in Tunisia said, asking to remain anonymous. “Anybody with anything to say was saying it.
“Almost overnight, we had hundreds of political parties and thousands of civil society organisations. Many of the political parties shifted or merged… but Tunisia retained an active civil society, as well as retaining freedom of speech all the way up to 2022.”
Threatened by Saied’s Decree 54 of 2022, which criminalised any electronic communication deemed by the government as false, criticism of the ruling elite within the media and even on social networks has largely been muzzled.
“Freedom of speech was one of the few lasting benefits of the revolution,” the analyst continued.
“The economy failed to pick up, services didn’t really improve, but we had debate and freedom of speech. Now, with Decree 54, as well as commentators just being arrested for whatever reason, it’s gone.”
In 2025, both Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch slammed Tunisia’s crackdown on activists and nongovernmental organisations (NGOs).
In a statement before the prosecution of six NGO workers and human rights defenders working for the Tunisian Council for Refugees in late November, Amnesty pointed to the 14 Tunisian and international NGOs that had their activities suspended by court order over the previous four months.
Included were the Tunisian Association of Democratic Women, the Tunisian Forum for Social and Economic Rights, the media platform Nawaat and the Tunis branch of the World Organisation against Torture.
‘Plotting against state security’
Dozens of political figures from post-revolution governments have also been arrested, with little concern for party affiliation or ideology.
In April 2023, 84-year-old Rached Ghannouchi, leader of what had been Tunisia’s main political bloc, the Ennahdha Party, was arrested on charges of “plotting against state security”.
According to his daughter, Yusra, after a series of subsequent convictions, Ghannouchi currently faces a further 42 years in jail.
Later the same year, Ghannouchi’s principal critic, Abir Moussi, the leader of the Free Destourian Party, was jailed on a variety of charges.
Critics dismiss the charges, saying the criteria for arrest have been the person’s potential to rally opinion against Saied.
“This is not just the case for my father,” Yusra continued, referring to others, such as the leading post-coup opposition figure Jawhar Ben Mubarak.
“Other politicians, judges, journalists, and ordinary citizens … have been sentenced to very heavy sentences, without any evidence, without any respect for legal procedures, simply because Tunisia has now sadly been taken back to the very same dictatorship against which Tunisians had risen in 2010.”
The head of Tunisia’s Ennahdha, Rached Ghannouchi, greets supporters upon arrival at a police station in Tunis on February 21, 2023, in compliance with the summons of an investigating judge [Fethi Belaid/AFP]
Ghannouchi and Moussi, along with dozens of former elected lawmakers, remain in jail. The political parties that once vied for power in the country’s parliament are largely absent.
In their place, since Saied’s revised 2022 constitution weakened parliament, is a body that is no longer a threat to the president.
“The old parliament was incredibly fractious, and did itself few favours,” said Hatem Nafti, essayist and author of Our Friend Kais Saied, a book criticising Tunisia’s new regime. He was referring to the ammunition provided to its detractors by a chaotic and occasionally violent parliament.
“However, it was democratically elected and blocked legislation that its members felt would harm Tunisia.
“In the new parliament, members feel the need to talk tough and even be rude to ministers,” Nafti continued. “But it’s really just a performance… Nearly all the members are there because they agree with Kais Saied.”
Hopes that the justice system might act as a check on Saied have faltered. The president has continued to remodel the judiciary to a design of his own making, including by sacking 57 judges for not delivering verdicts he wanted in 2022.
By the 2024 elections, that effort appeared complete, with the judicial opposition to his rule that remained, in the shape of the administrative court, rendered subservient to his personally appointed electoral authority, and the most serious rivals for the presidency jailed.
“The judiciary is now almost entirely under the government’s control,“ Nafti continued. “Even under [deposed President Zine El Abidine] Ben Ali you had the CSM [Supreme Judicial Council], which oversaw judges’ appointments, promotions, and disciplinary matters.
“Now that only exists on paper, with the minister of justice able to determine precisely what judges go where and what judgements they’ll deliver.”
Citing what he said is the “shameful silence of the international community that once supported the country’s democratic transition”, Khawaja said: ”Saied has returned Tunisia to authoritarian rule.”
A protest against Saied on fourth years after his power grab. Tunis, July 25, 2025 [Jihed Abidellaoui/Reuters]
SOURCE PAGE
South Africa has accused the US of using Kenyan nationals who did not have work permits at a facility processing applications by white South Africans for refugee status.
Seven Kenyans were arrested after intelligence reports revealed that people “had recently entered South Africa on tourist visas and had illegally taken up work” at the centre, said a statement from South Africa’s department of home affairs.
The BBC has approached the US State Department for comment.
While the US is trying to reduce overall levels of migration, it says that members of South Africa’s white Afrikaner community can get asylum because they face persecution – a claim South Africa’s government strongly rejects.
The US has reduced its yearly intake of refugees from around the world from 125,000 to 7,500, but says it will prioritise Afrikaners, who are mostly descendants of Dutch and French settlers.
This is one of the issues that have caused a sharp deterioration in relations between South Africa and the Trump administration.
South Africa says the Kenyan nationals arrested in Tuesday’s raid will now be deported and will be banned from entering the country for five years.
They had previously been denied work visas but were found “engaging in work despite only being in possession of tourist visas, in clear violation of their conditions of entry into the country”, the statement said.
South Africa also expressed concern that foreign officials appeared to have coordinated with undocumented workers and said it had reached out to the US and Kenya to resolve the matter.
The home affairs department said the raid showcased the commitment that South Africa shared “with the United States to combating illegal immigration and visa abuse in all its forms”.
No US officials were arrested and the operation was not at a diplomatic site, it said.
While the State Department is yet to respond to the BBC’s request for comment, in a statement issued to US publications, Tommy Pigott, principal deputy spokesperson for the State Department, said the department was “seeking immediate clarification from the South African government” on the issue and expected “full cooperation and accountability”.
“Interfering in our refugee operations in unacceptable,” US publication The Hill quoted Pigott saying.
The processing of applications by white South Africans is being done by two companies, RSC Africa and Amerikaners, according to the US embassy in South Africa.
RSC Africa is a Kenyan-based refugee support centre operated by Church World Service (CWS) while Amerikaners is a South African platform aimed at providing information to white South Africans interested in the US resettlement offer.
US President Donald Trump has repeatedly claimed that Afrikaners are being subjected to a “genocide” in South Africa, even though there is no evidence that white farmers are more likely to be the victims of crime than their black counterparts.
He offered Afrikaners refugee status earlier this year after South African President Cyril Ramaphosa signed a law allowing the government to seize land without compensation in rare instances.
Because of the legacy of the racist apartheid system, the majority of privately owned farmland in South Africa is owned by the white community and South Africa’s government is under pressure to provide more land to black farmers. However, it stresses that no land has yet been seized under the new law.
South Africa has repeatedly tried to mend fences with the Trump administration, most famously when Ramaphosa led a high-level delegation to the White House earlier this year.
However, this backfired when Trump ambushed him with images, videos and news reports allegedly showing that the government was persecuting white people.
One video featured firebrand South African opposition figure Julius Malema singing: “Shoot the Boer [Afrikaner], Shoot the farmer”.
However, a South African court has ruled that this song, which Malema often chants at his political rallies, is not hate speech.
Last month, the US boycotted the G20 summit in South Africa and has said it would not invite South African officials to its meetings since it took over leadership of the grouping of the world’s biggest economies.
Additional reporting by Mayeni Jones
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What are frozen assets and who freezes them?
Frozen assets are financial funds or property that the owner can not access or use for any transaction or transfer, due to restrictions imposed by a government — or bloc like the EU.
In Russia’s case, both its sovereign assets — in the form of cash, bonds and securities held abroad — as well as private assets such as yachts and real estate owned by sanctioned Russian billionaires, were frozen.
Assets are usually frozen via sanctions.
“The implementation of the freezes lies with financial institutions,” such as commercial banks or central securities depositories (CSDs) which must block transactions and cut off access to frozen assets, Agathe Demarais, Senior fellow at the European Council of Foreign Relations (ECFR), told DW.
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Why were Russian assets frozen?
Russian assets were frozen as a result of Western sanctions after it invaded Ukraine in 2022. The move was intended to constrain Russia financially and ensure it couldn’t use that money to fund the war.
Some experts say the presence of the largest chunk of frozen Russian assets in EU member states offers the bloc key leverage in driving the peace talks in Ukraine’s favor.
Why Russia’s frozen assets are a ‘trump card’ for Europe
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Where are Russian assets?
Out of a total of around €300 billion in frozen assets, around €210 worth of assets are held under EU Member States’ jurisdictions.
The rest are scattered across the US, Japan, the UK, Switzerland, and Canada.
But the largest chunk — €180 billion — is at an institution called Euroclear in Belgium.
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What is Euroclear — and why is it against the EU using Russia’s assets?
Euroclear is a major financial-market infrastructure firm — called a securities depository.
Euroclear is worried that seizing Russian money will damage its reputation among international investors and could even trigger litigation by Moscow. Russia’s central bank has already decided to sue Euroclear for €200 — to recover both the frozen money and interest lost.
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Which countries want to use Russia’s assets – and for what?
Most European countries including Germany and France want Russia to pay for the damages it has caused by inflicting a war of aggression on Ukraine.
The frozen assets could therefore be used to both strengthen Ukraine’s defenses and rebuild the country.
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Which countries do not want to use Russia’s assets — and why not?
From a legal perspective, using Russian frozen assets is a tricky area and there has been an extensive debate over whether these assets, particularly the principle amount, can legally be used to help Ukraine.
Belgium has vetoed the use of the frozen assets due to fears it may get into legal trouble with Moscow. It is also worried about being on the hook to pay back the amount at a later date if Moscow asks.
In addition, European heavyweight Italy, as well as Malta and Bulgaria, have asked the EU to look for alternative ways to fund Ukraine’s needs.
Merz: Frozen Russian assets should be used to support Kyiv
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What is happening to the frozen assets in the interim?
They remain frozen or as the EU says, immobilised. That means that any transaction, or transfer back to Russia is blocked.
Last year, the EU decided to use windfall profits earned on the assets in Euroclear and paid the first tranche of €1.5 billion to Ukraine mid 2024.
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Where does the US stand on the use of Russia’s assets?
Under President Joe Biden the US — which holds less than €5 billion of Russian assets — agreed to the use of windfall profits to aid Ukraine. The current Trump administration wants to use a part of the frozen Russian assets toward joint projects with Moscow.
Experts however say the US can only decide what to do with assets lying in its own jurisdiction and not with those in EU countries.
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What does Trump’s peace plan say about the frozen assets?
According to the leaked version of Trump’s initial 28 point peace proposal, €86 billion ($100 billion) in frozen Russian assets would be invested in “US-led efforts to rebuild and invest in Ukraine” and the US would receive 50% of the profits. According to Demarais of the ECFR, Trump intends to take that money out of Russian assets frozen in Europe, and use that to profit both the US government and US companies.
The rest of the frozen funds, still more than €200 billion, would be invested in a joint US-Russian investment vehicle, “to create a strong incentive not to return to conflict,” according to the proposal. For Demarais however, this would merely benefit Washington and Moscow, but not Ukraine.
European leaders have said that only EU member states can decide what to do with Russian assets lying in their countriesImage: Daniel Torok/White House/ZUMA/picture alliance
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Why has the EU “indefinitely immobilized” Russian assets?
Originally, the freeze on Russian assets was renewed every six months. And each time it was up for renewal, there was the fear that Hungary’s Russia-friendly Prime Minister Viktor Orban could veto the renewal.
The EU’s decision to “Indefinitely immobilize” Russian assets achieves two goals: It prevents the need for renewal and hence Hungary’s potential veto, but also guards the funds from the US.
“In essence it puts the assets out of reach of the US, complicating Trump’s plans to transfer the assets to American firms or to a US-Russian investment fund,” Demarais explained. “The move also paves the way for the EU to issue a loan to Ukraine.”
Edited by: Andreas Illmer
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
The 24-year-old man who allegedly perpetrated the terror attack in Australia on Sunday with his 50-year-old father was slapped with charges on Wednesday, according to news releases.
In addition to “15 counts of murder” and “40 counts of cause wounding/grievous bodily harm to person with intent to murder,” other offenses he has been charged with include “Commit terrorist act,” “Discharge firearm etc intend cause grievous bodily harm,” “Cause public display of prohibited terrorist org symbol” and “Place explosive in/near building with intent cause harm,” according to the announcements.
10-YEAR-OLD GIRL, HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR AMONG VICTIMS OF DEADLY AUSTRALIA HANUKKAH ATTACK
Police walk on a street after a shooting incident at Bondi Beach in Sydney on Dec. 14, 2025. (DAVID GRAY / AFP via Getty Images)
Police shot the father, who “died at the scene,” while the son, who sustained “critical injuries,” remains hospitalized, the releases note.
The deadly shooting resulted in 15 fatalities, while others were injured, including two officers who were shot during the episode.
SENATORS TED CRUZ AND JOHN FETTERMAN AGREE ON HATING ONE ‘EVIL’ DURING BIPARTISAN INTERVIEW
Of those who have passed away, “police believe their ages range between 10 and 87,” the releases state.
AUSTRALIA MOVES TO TIGHTEN GUN LAWS AFTER HANUKKAH MASS SHOOTING LEAVES 15 DEAD AT BONDI BEACH
Police inspect at the scene of a shooting at Bondi Beach in Sydney on Dec. 15, 2025. (DAVID GRAY / AFP via Getty Images)
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The attack “was an act of pure evil,” “antisemitism,” and “terrorism” that was “deliberately targeted at the Jewish community on the first day of Hanukkah,” Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has said.
Alex Nitzberg is a writer for Fox News Digital.
WORLD NEWS
Trump to deliver prime time address after ramping up Venezuela tensions with oil tanker blockade: Latest
Report reveals cracks in Trump’s MAGA base
The survey found that support for the GOP leader has continued to leak away since April, with his approval figures continuing to worsen throughout his presidency.
The poll, conducted by the NBC News Decision Desk, found that both mainstream Republicans and those who identify as MAGA reported dissatisfaction with Trump.
Read the full report here…
Owen Scott17 December 2025 11:03
Vanity Fair journalist hits out at criticisms of article:
Chris Whipple, the Vanity Fair writer who conducted a fiery interview with Susie Wiles, has hit back at the White House’s accusation that he wrote a “hit piece” on the Trump administration.
In the piece, he wrote that Wiles claimed that Trump had an “alcoholic’s personality.”
He also reported that Wiles believes JD Vance is a conspiracy theorist and that Elon Musk was an “avowed” ketamine user.
Although Wiles has since claimed that the context of her claims had been “disregarded,” Whipple says that “Everything is on tape.”
Read the full report here…
Owen Scott17 December 2025 10:59
Watch: Karoline Leavitt slams bombshell Vanity Fair article
Karoline Leavitt has claimed that the Vanity Fair article detailing an interview with Susie Wiles was “disingenuous reporting.”
She also suggested that the reporter behind the article, Chris Whipple, was trying to push a narrative of “chaos and confusion” at the White House.
Karoline Leavitt hits out at ‘disingenuous’ Vanity Fair
Owen Scott17 December 2025 10:53
Pete Hegseth won’t release unedited footage of his double-tap strike on alleged drug boat
Pete Hegseth will not release footage of the double-tap strike on an alleged drug boat (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)
“In keeping with longstanding policy, of course we’re not going to release a top-secret, full, unedited video of that to the general public,” Hegseth said.
He has been accused of issuing an order to “kill everybody” on board the vessel on September 2, prompting the military to strike the vessel.
When it was revealed that there were survivors clinging to the wreckage, a second strike was launched.
Chuck Schumer, the Democratic Senate Minority Leader, has said that every senator has a right to see the footage of the attack.
“If they can’t be transparent on this, how can they be transparent on all the other issues swirling about the Caribbean?” he said.
Owen Scott17 December 2025 10:40
Gavin Newsom trolls Trump with website tracking ‘criminal cronies’
California Governor Gavin Newsom has found a new way to troll the Trump administration by launching a website that tracks President Donald Trump’s “criminal cronies.”
Newsom’s team launched the site Tuesday, along with crime statistics that show falling rates of violent crime across major cities in California.
“With crime dropping — again — California is proving what real public safety leadership looks like,” Newsom said. “Meanwhile in D.C., Trump is a felon who surrounds himself with scammers and drug traffickers.”
Rhian Lubin has the full report…
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Gavin Newsom unveils new method to troll Trump
Gavin Newsom has launched a new site to ‘detail the criminal records, corruption cases, and extremist ties of the people Donald Trump elevates, protects, pardons, and surrounds himself with’
Owen Scott17 December 2025 10:29
Watch: MTG blasts Trump for his comments on Rob Reiner’s death
Marjorie Taylor Greene has slammed Donald Trump in their latest verbal spat since their political break-up.
Greene has branded his comments about the death of Rob Reiner as “classless” and “below the office of the President of the United States.”
MTG calls Trump classless over Rob Reiner comments
Owen Scott17 December 2025 10:19
US strikes more alleged drug boats from Venezuela
“On 15 December at the direction of @SecWar Pete Hegseth, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted lethal kinetic strikes on three vessels operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations in international waters,” U.S Southern Command confirmed on X.
That has raised the number of people killed by the U.S. in bombing raids on the boats to 95. The attacks began in September and have become increasingly controversial as critics question their legality.
Owen Scott17 December 2025 10:11
Trump scrambles to defend his Chief of Staff following Vanity Fair article
Susie Wiles is battling rising criticism of her interview with Vanity Fair (AFP/Getty)
She also claimed that Musk was using ketamine and that JD Vance was a conspiracy theorist.
However, Trump told the New York Post that Wiles is “fantastic,” despite the scandal.
The Vanity Fair interview was unexpected, given Wiles’ reputation for being extremely private.
She is often referred to as the “Ice Maiden” for her role in ruthlessly driving Donald Trump’s campaign.
Owen Scott17 December 2025 10:08
Trump orders ‘complete’ blockade of Venezuelan oil
Donald Trump has called for a ‘complete blockade’ on Venezuelan oil tankers (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)
Last week, U.S. troops seized a tanker with the president claiming on Truth Social that Venezuelan President Maduro is using oil to fund his alleged “drug terrorism, human trafficking, murder and kidnapping.”
“Venezuela is completely surrounded by the largest Armada ever assembled in the History of South America,” Trump wrote. “It will only get bigger, and the shock to them will be like nothing they have ever seen before — Until such time as they return to the United States of America all of the Oil, Land, and other Assets that they previously stole from us.”
It is unknown what land or oil has been stolen by Venezuela.
Owen Scott17 December 2025 09:58
Watch: Trump claims fentanyl is ‘weapon of mass destruction’ amid feud with Venezuela over alleged drug boats
Donald Trump has classified fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction, claiming that “two hundred thousand, three hundred thousand” die every year from the drug.
He has long claimed that fentanyl has entered the United States via drug boats from Venezuela.
That idea has formed the basis of Pete Hegseth’s strikes on the alleged drug boats, although the former Fox & Friends host has now been accused by critics of committing a war crime.
Trump declares fentanyl a ‘weapon of mass destruction’ in escalation of Venezuela drug war
Owen Scott17 December 2025 09:53
NEED TO KNOW
- Around 20,000 dinosaur tracks have been discovered in the Alps in northern Italy
- The discovery was made in September by photographer Elio Della Ferrera, the Milan Natural History Museum (MNHM) said
- The footprints were found near venues for the 2026 Winter Olympics Games, which begins in February
Thousands of dinosaur footprints have been discovered near locations for the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.
The dinosaur tracks were found in Stelvio National Park in the central Alps of northern Italy by nature photographer Elio Della Ferrera on Sept. 14, the Milan Natural History Museum (MNHM) wrote on Instagram on Tuesday, Dec. 16. The footprints date back about 210 million years to the Triassic period, according to the museum.
“This represents one of the most important deposits of Triassic trace fossils in the world,” MNHM said of the discovery. The footprints are located in the Alps’ Fraele Valley, between Livigno and Bormio, which are venues for the upcoming Games in February.
“Ferrera spotted hundreds of meters of dinosaur tracks on extensive, nearly vertical dolomite walls,” said the MNHM. “The tracks, preserved in excellent condition despite the altitude, show traces of toes and claws imprinted on tidal flats at the end of the Triassic.”
Dinosaur footprints found in the central Alps, near 2026 Winter Olympics venue in Italy.
Elio Della Ferrera/Soprintendenza archeologia
An estimated 20,000 footprints were located in the area, spanning about three miles. The tracks are believed to have been left behind by long-necked bipedal herbivores, measuring up to 33 feet in length and weighing four tons, the Associated Press reported.
“There are very obvious traces of individuals that have walked at a slow, calm, quiet rhythmic pace, without running,’’ Dal Sasso said, per the AP. “The huge surprise was not so much in discovering the footprints, but in discovering such a huge quantity … tens of thousands of prints up there.”
The Superintendence of Archaeology, Fine Arts, and Landscape for the provinces of Como, Lecco, Sondrio, and Varese and the Stelvio National Park assisted the MNHM in carrying out a detailed analysis of the dinosaur tracks and their origin, the museum shared.
Dinosaur footprints found near 2026 Winter Olympics venue in Italy.
Elio Della Ferrera/Soprintendenza archeologia
“The area cannot be reached by trails: drones and remote sensing technologies are needed to study it,” explained the MNHM. Photos, geo-paleontological evidence and videos were also produced of the footprints for further analysis.
“It is the largest site in the Alps and one of the richest in the world,” said the MNHM. “Never before reported or studied, it will engage geologists and paleontologists for decades.”
The footprints were discovered around a mile from the Italian town of Bormio, per the AP. The men’s alpine skiing for the 2026 Winter Olympics is set to take place in the resort in February.
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Lombardy regional governor, Attilio Fontana, called the discovery the “gift of the Olympics” and is planning for the remote site where the tracks were found to be accessible to the public in the future, the AP reported.
WORLD NEWS
Gen Z are behind huge surge in Christmas churchgoing with 60% of youngsters set to attend a festive service
Christmas churchgoing is on the rise with nearly half of Brits planning to attend a service or event this year, a major survey has found – with Gen Z leading the trend.
Some 45 per cent of UK adults say they expect to visit a church this Christmas – up from 40 per cent last year, according to the study for the charity Tearfund.
Younger people were found to be far more likely to go to church, with reasons given ranging from tradition to spiritual reflection and support to the atmosphere.
Many within Gen Z have taken to TikTok in recent weeks to post videos about their experiences of attending church, with some talking about going for the first time.
Among them was content creator @1pro_yapper who said it was his ‘first time in church’ and he ‘overall enjoyed it’ because of the singing and ‘really great people’.
But he added that he disagreed with the theme of ‘trying to make your enemies your friends’ and did not like ‘woke’ chat about climate change – but he ‘will go back’.
Another video by @belsspamms saw two young women attend a traditional carol service at Eton, joking that they hoped to hear the Chappell Roan song Hot To Go.
Young people at other churches have been posting videos promoting services, with one in Liverpool promising ‘lots of singing, lots of instrumentals and lots of praise’.
Gen Z, those aged between 18 and 28, were the largest generation to say they plan to go at 60 per cent; followed by Millennials, aged from 29 to 44, at 59 per cent.
This falls to 36 per cent for Gen X, aged from 45 to 59; then 30 per cent of Baby Boomers, aged 60 to 79; and 24 per cent of the Silent Generation, aged 80-plus.
Nearly a quarter (22 per cent) of Gen Z churchgoers said they would attend because they can get practical support such as food banks or warm spaces.
The poll also found that more than a third (34 per cent) of non-Christians plan to attend a church service or event this year, up from 30 per cent last year.
Of those planning to go, 39 per cent said it was part of their Christmas tradition, while 34 per cent go for the atmosphere and 28 per cent for spiritual reflection.
Breaking down attendance by different age groups, 66 per cent of those aged 25 to 34 plan to go; then 59 per cent of 35 to 44 year olds; 39 per cent of 45 to 54 year olds; 31 per cent of 55 to 64 year olds; and 29 per cent of those 65-plus.
Stuart Lee, director of global fundraising at Tearfund, a Christian humanitarian and development charity, said the figures on high Gen Z attendance were in line with other recent surveys suggesting young people are returning to church.
He told the Daily Mail: ‘In our poll they are telling us it’s part of their Christmas traditions, it offers a unique atmosphere or because of friends and family attending.
‘A few years ago, I couldn’t even get a ticket to my own church’s annual carol service and had to stand in the foyer, peeking through the doors. As I looked around, most of those attending were young people.
‘This is fascinating – you might have expected attendance to be in decline over the years, but instead, young people are turning to church at Christmas.’
He added that this suggests ‘something good is happening in the church, both in the UK and in the communities we work in around the world’.
Mr Lee concluded: ‘Perhaps it is about being part of something bigger, taking time to reflect, and being in community and this is what we see all over the world, churches becoming the centre of communities especially for those in need.’
Savanta interviewed 2,017 UK adults aged 18-plus online between November 28 and 30 this year, with data weighted to be nationally representative by key demographic characteristics.
The rise in the proportion of people planning to attend church compared to last year refers to asking respondents if they went last year, and if they plan to go this year, rather than tracking data year-on-year.
@adventureoftheswan
My first experience in church was a beautiful one. Goosebumps ran throughout my body as I took in the words of GOD and others experiences. To see the churches getting busier each and every day is a huge sign that a religious shift has been taking place amongst the western world in recent times. Young men and women are picking up the bible for the first time. Families are attending church for comfort, guidence and hope. The power of Christ is flowing through the nation and now is the time to question your own beliefs and see what works for you. Anyone is welcome, accepted and looked after. I experienced, Christian’s, Jews and Arabs speak and bring peace to each others communities through hard times. Maybe this is how the world heals 🙏🏼✝️⛪️ #church #brokenbritain #god #godisgood
♬ original sound – adventureoftheswan
The survey’s results follow the much-cited ‘Quiet Revival’ report in April from the Bible Society and YouGov about rising church attendance in England and Wales by younger people.
This surveyed 13,146 adults in November 2024 and found that Christians who go to church at least once a month made up 12 per cent of the total population, rising from 8 per cent in 2018.
For people aged 18 to 24, the proportion rose to 16 per cent from just 4 per cent in 2018, making this age group the second most likely to go to church regularly after those aged 65 and over.
The increase was particularly pronounced among younger men, 21 per cent of whom said they were regular churchgoers versus 12 per cent of women aged 18 to 24.
The report was later criticised by Humanists UK who claimed it contradicted other reputable data sources such as the British Social Attitudes Survey and attendance figures from major denominations – but it was defended by the Bible Society.
The common medication could struggle to work properly if combined with this juice
People should avoid these two drinks when taking this medication(Image: Getty)
People taking one of Britain’s most commonly prescribed blood thinners have been reminded to avoid two types of drink that could lead to a dangerous situation. Recent reports suggest more than 2.5 million people take this medication across England alone.
Warfarin is categorised as an “anticoagulant” medicine, as described by the NHS website, which is used to make blood flow through veins more easily. This means that blood will be less likely to form a dangerous clot that could lead to potentially life-threatening issues like a stroke, heart attack or a pulmonary embolism.
Doctors may prescribe warfarin to treat blood clots and help prevent future blood clots if you’ve had one previously. People who have had conditions such as an irregular heartbeat, deep vein thrombosis or a pulmonary embolism may be considered for this medication.
People tend to take this tablet once a day and will need regular blood tests to make sure the dosage is working correctly for them. The NHS has a warning on its website regarding these risks, ensuring the public understands the potential dangers associated with this medication and certain food and drink items.
A spokesperson said: “While warfarin has enormous benefits, the downside is that it can make you bleed more than normal. This is because while you’re taking warfarin, your blood will not clot as easily. Apart from the risk of bleeding, warfarin is a very safe medicine. It’s safe to take for a long time, even many years.”
The NHS website comes with a ‘do not drink’ alert to anyone on these tablets(Image: Getty)
Common side effects include:
- bleeding for a little longer than usual if you cut yourself
- occasional nosebleeds (that last for less than 10 minutes)
- bleeding from your gums when you brush your teeth
- bruises that happen easily and take longer than usual to fade
- a mild rash
- hair loss
Occasionally, you can have serious bleeding from taking warfarin. This is where you bleed suddenly or without a cut or injury, or bleeding will not stop. This can be dangerous and needs urgent medical attention.
According to the NHS website, managing food and diet is crucial for people taking warfarin. Sticking to a healthy and stable diet means patients are likely to stay on the same dose of warfarin.
The NHS says: “Any big changes in what you eat or drink can change how your body responds to warfarin. Speak to your doctor or nurse before changing what you eat – for example, before you go on a diet to lose weight.”
Cranberry juice was listed as something to dodge(Image: Getty)
People are told that foods rich in vitamin K play a crucial role in determining how well the drug works. Foods like green, leafy vegetables, egg yolks, mature cheeses, avocados, and olive oil are some of the sources that people need to monitor closely.
“It’s important that you eat foods containing vitamin K,” the health service added. “So, rather than leaving them out of your diet, make sure you eat similar amounts of them regularly.”
What two drinks should you avoid?
As part of the diet rules, the NHS stresses that two types of fruit juice should also be avoided, and this information should be included on the medication’s leaflet. A spokesperson said: “Do not drink cranberry or grapefruit juice while you’re taking warfarin. It can increase the effect of your medicine and put you at higher risk of bleeding.”
Grapefruit juice is known to mix badly with several medications(Image: Javier Zayas via getty)
Grapefruit and cranberries contain naturally occurring compounds that inhibit cytochrome, an enzyme found in the small intestine and liver. This results in elevated medication levels building up in the bloodstream, with the drug remaining in the system longer than the label states, which could lead to an unintentional overdose or make side effects last longer and feel worse.
People are warned off drinking these juices when they are prescribed other medications as well, such as statins, for the same reason. Speak to your doctor if you want to know any other specific foods or drinks that could interact with the medication prescribed.
WORLD NEWS
Israel to advance plans for 9,000 houses in occupied East Jerusalem | Israel-Palestine conflict News
Israeli authorities are engaged in multiple major efforts, including building settlements and pursuing annexation, to ensure there will be no Palestinian state in the future.
Israeli authorities are expected to advance plans to build 9,000 new housing units in an illegal settlement on the site of the abandoned Qalandiya airport in occupied East Jerusalem, in another attempt to cut off Palestinian lands from each other and block any possibility of a contiguous Palestinian state ever emerging.
The so-called Atarot neighbourhood in northern East Jerusalem, reminiscent of the E1 plan to undermine Palestinian statehood, is to be discussed and have its outlines approved on Wednesday by the District Planning and Building Committee, according to Israeli group Peace Now.
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The advocacy group said the new settlement is envisioned to be built within a densely populated Palestinian urban area, stretching from Ramallah in the occupied West Bank and Kafr Aqab in the north through the Qalandiya refugee camp, ar-Ram, Beit Hanina and Bir Nabala.
It would build an Israeli enclave in an area where hundreds of thousands of Palestinians live in close proximity, with the aim of blocking development in a key area and further damaging the likelihood of a sovereign Palestinian state being established.
“This is a destructive plan that, if implemented, would prevent any possibility of connecting East Jerusalem with the surrounding Palestinian area and would, in practice, prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state alongside Israel,” Peace Now said.
Translation: The massacre government is working to establish a new ultra-Orthodox mega-settlement across the Green Line north of Jerusalem. The new political attack called ‘Atarot’ is planned to be built in the heart of the Palestinian state that will be established alongside Israel. This involves 9,000 housing units that Israel will have to evacuate. Isn’t it a shame?
The organisation said the far-right government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is seizing every moment to bury chances for a future of peace and compromise.
“Especially now, when it is clear to everyone that the ideas of ‘managing the conflict’ and ‘decisive victory’ have led to a security disaster for Israel, we must act to resolve the conflict.”
The plan’s advancements date back to early 2020, when Israel’s Housing Ministry sent it to the Jerusalem municipality to prepare it for approval. It completed the bureaucratic preparation process within months, but faced objections from the Environmental Protection and Health ministries, according to Peace Now, which said the administration of United States President Barack Obama had also opposed it.
It would need further government consideration and approval before being given legal effect and moving towards tender processes to select construction contractors.
Most of the plan area is designated as “state land” by Israeli authorities, meaning they would not have to seek permission from Palestinian landowners.
Israel has been quickly advancing with several major projects to build illegal settlements on occupied Palestinian territory and pursuing annexation of the occupied West Bank, alongside its genocidal war on Gaza that started in October 2023 and has now killed more than 70,000 people.
The E1 plan, which would see the construction of thousands of illegal Israeli homes in the occupied West Bank, is hailed by Israeli officials despite international condemnation.
Israel’s security cabinet last week signed off on plans to formalise 19 illegal settlements across the West Bank.
Demolitions and widespread arrests
Israeli forces continue to launch raids across the occupied West Bank and support violent settlers in attacking Palestinian lands while issuing permits to demolish Palestinian homes.
Israeli authorities began carrying out demolition operations Wednesday morning in the town of Biddu, located northwest of occupied East Jerusalem, under the pretext that the Palestinian buildings lacked permits.
In the central part of the West Bank, settlers, who have been rampaging with impunity often backed by the Israeli military, burned Palestinian vehicles and wrote racist slogans in the village of Ein Yabrud in Ramallah on Wednesday.
Several Palestinians were also arrested during raids across the West Bank, including in Nablus.
Local authorities said the Israeli military plans to demolish 25 residential buildings in the Nur Shams refugee camp this week.
WORLD NEWS
Streeting questioned by Commons health committee as resident doctors begin strike – UK politics live | Politics
Streeting gives evidence to Commons health committee
Wes Streeting, the health secretary, is giving evidence to the Commons health committee. There is a live feed here.
Wes Streeting answers questions at parliament committee starts – watch live
At the start of the hearing Layla Moran, the chair, said they would cover the resident doctors’ strike in the hearing, but she said she wanted to start with other topics.
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Streeting says, even though staff are on strike, people should still go to hospital if they need emergency help
Streeting says he does not want people to stay away from hospitals today if they need emergency medical help.
The most important message that I want us all to convey collectively as, as parliament and the NHS, is to the public’ I do not want people who need to access health care to think [they’d] better not try.
So if it’s an accident or an emergency, people should have access.
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Streeting says he is in ‘violent agreement’ with BMA on need for action on resident doctors’ jobs
McIntyre moves on to the resident doctors’ strike.
Streeting say he won’t go over all he has said already about the BMA.
He explains what the government has done for resident doctors on pay and on jobs.
On jobs, he says the government is in “violent agreement” with the BMA.
He says the government has proposed legislation that would make it easier for resident doctors to get jobs.
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At the health committee Wes Streeting is now being asked about strikes.
Alex McIntyre (Lab) starts by asking about what he says is the longest running strike in the NHS – the strike by phlebotomists in Gloucestershire.
Streeting says no one has covered themselves in glory in this dispute. He says Unison and the NHS are involved in a “constructive” period of dialogue at the moment. He says he hopes it will be over soon.
He also declares an interest, saying he is a Unison member.
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Streeting says apologises to patients for disruption, saying government did ‘everything we could’ to avert resident doctors’ strike
Wes Streeting, the health secretary, has apologised to patients over the strike by resident doctors in England today.
Speaking to broadcasters before he started giving evidence to the Commons health committee, he said:
We did everything we could to avert these strikes and to stop strike action from taking place.
When we came into government, we recognised what resident doctors were saying about pay, and that’s why they received a 28.9% pay rise from this government.
Of course, we’re willing to talk to them about what we do in future years.
I think people can see that I’ve tried my absolute best to avoid these strikes on what is the worst time for the NHS.
I’m really sorry to patients for the disruption that is happening as a result.
Wes Streeting on a visit to NHS England HQ at Wellington House early this morning. Photograph: Lucy North/PAShare
UK inflation falls sharply to 3.2% amid slowdown in food price rises
UK inflation fell by more than expected in November amid a slowdown in food prices, official figures show, strengthening the case for the Bank of England to cut interest rates on Thursday, Richard Partington reports.
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Streeting gives evidence to Commons health committee
Wes Streeting, the health secretary, is giving evidence to the Commons health committee. There is a live feed here.
Wes Streeting answers questions at parliament committee starts – watch live
At the start of the hearing Layla Moran, the chair, said they would cover the resident doctors’ strike in the hearing, but she said she wanted to start with other topics.
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Labour support on course to fall to 10% in Senedd elections, poll suggests, with Plaid Cymru set to win most seats
Steven Morris
Steven Morris is a Guardian reporter who covers Wales.
Labour is on course to be crushed in next year’s elections for the Senedd, a new YouGov poll implies.
Previous polls have shown Plaid Cymru and Reform UK on course to be the two largest parties in the Senedd, with Labour and the Conservatives far behind, but the new poll, conducted by YouGov for Cardiff University, shows Labour’s support falling even further, to 10%.
YouGov poll for Senedd elections in 2026 Photograph: Jac Larner/Cardiff University
According to Jac Larner from Cardiff University, these results would result in the following seat distribution.
Plaid Cymru – 39
Reform UK – 34
Labour – 10
Conservatives – 6
Green – 4
Lib Dem – 3
Labour has been in power continuously in Cardiff since the first elections to what was then called the Welsh assembly in 1999 and a result like this – even though it is in line with that polls have been suggesting for months – would be devastating for the party.
Commenting on the poll in a post on his Substack newsletter, Will Hayward, the Welsh political commentator, says:
The magic number under the new Senedd system is 49. You need 49 seats to get a majority. As it is highly unlikely that one party will get that alone, parties will need to work together.
With that in mind here are some key takeaways from the polling:
-Plaid and Labour together have exactly 49.
-Plaid alongside the Greens and Lib Dems are on 46 – three short of a majority.
-Together Reform and the Tories are nine short of a majority.
Once we start getting into the realms of Plaid potentially being able to form a government without Labour we are truly in uncharted waters.
In a joint blog on the poll for Cardiff University, Larner and fellow academic James Griffiths say “while Reform UK’s growth reflects broader British patterns, Plaid Cymru’s consolidation of progressive votes represents a Wales-specific political development”. They explain:
England’s disaffected Labour voters are increasingly drifting to the Greens or Liberal Democrats. Wales’ progressive voters have a credible alternative in Plaid Cymru, but specifically in devolved electoral competition, where the choice is about Welsh governance and Plaid can credibly claim to fight for Welsh interests within Wales.
This creates a bifurcated realignment with different mechanisms on each side. Reform’s consolidation of the British-identifying right reflects British politics playing out in Wales. Plaid’s consolidation of the Welsh-identified left reflects Welsh politics asserting autonomy within the devolved electoral context.
For the first time in a century, Welsh Labour faces the prospect of opposition or junior coalition partnership. That prospect, more than any survey, signals how profound this realignment truly is. The bloc structure that has organised Welsh politics for decades persists, but the hierarchy within those blocs has been overturned.
Commenting on the poll, a Plaid Cymru spokesperson said:
Something big is truly happening in Wales.
Coming so soon after our Caerphilly by-election win, this poll shows the momentum is firmly with Plaid Cymru and that next year’s election is shaping up to be a straight choice for Wales’ future.
After years in power, Labour have given up on Wales. People are tired of broken promises and being taken for granted and yearning for something new: fairness, ambition, and a government that finally puts Wales first.
And a Welsh Labour source told ITV:
There will be many polls before May. This doesn’t mean this is where we’ll be by election day. Welsh Labour is focused on protecting jobs, bringing down waiting lists, supporting our communities. This is what makes a difference to everyone’s everyday lives. We know we’ve got work to do, but we’re determined to earn back the trust that voters have put in us before.
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Updated at 10.53 CET
Jeremy Corbyn speaking with resident doctors on the picket line outside St Thomas’ hospital in London this morning. Photograph: Jonathan Brady/PAShare
Updated at 10.26 CET
Labour says Farage’s refusal to apologise over racism allegations shows he’s ‘unfit for high office’
Nigel Farage has been told to apologise for his alleged teenage racism by 26 school contemporaries who have written an open letter telling of their “dismay and anger” at his response in recent weeks. Daniel Boffey, Henry Dyer and Mark Blacklock have the story.
This morning Anna Turley, the Labour party chair, said in a statement that Farage’s refusal to apologise, and to even fully account for what happened, shows that he is “unfit for high office”.
It’s shameful that Nigel Farage’s refusal to have a proper answer as to whether he racially abused people at school has led to this. He should finally do the right thing now and apologise fully to those who have bravely come forward.
His inability to answer basic questions about his past behaviour leaves the impression he may have something to hide. It really shouldn’t be that difficult for him to explain his actions, or to take responsibility for them. Once again, Nigel Farage has proven he’s unfit for high office.
In his various comments on these stories, Farage has veered between denying the allegations in their entirety, suggesting people misremembered what happened, and dismissing the comments alluded to as banter that was not intended to cause offence.
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Starmer urged by Lib Dems to ensure rejoining Erasmus is ‘first step to closer relationship’ with EU
Good morning. As Pippa Crerar revealed for the Guardian yesterday, the government will today announce that the UK is rejoining the EU’s Erasmus student exchange programme.
Photograph: Guardian
The move has been welcomed by pro-EU parties. The Liberal Democrats released this comment from their universities spokesperson, Ian Sollom.
After years of campaigning by the Liberal Democrats, we welcome the news that the UK is finally set to rejoin the vital Erasmus+ student exchange scheme from 2027.
This is a moment of real opportunity and a clear step towards repairing the disastrous Conservative Brexit deal.
However, while this is a welcome breakthrough, it must be viewed as a crucial first step on a clear roadmap to a closer relationship with Europe. Starting with negotiating a bespoke UK-EU customs union, and committing to a youth mobility scheme for benefit of the next generation.
The SNP has also been calling for the UK to rejoin Erasmus, and it issued this statement from Joe FitzPatrick MSP.
Scotland did not vote for Brexit. Our young people, our universities, and our communities have already been paying the price of Farage’s campaign to leave for years while Starmer refuses to admit that the whole thing was a mistake.
The SNP has campaigned tirelessly for Scotland’s access to Erasmus, while Labour and the Tories ignored the voices of the young people most affected by Brexit.
It is baffling how Labour is only now realising what Scots figured out a long time ago. This isn’t leadership, it’s a desperate scramble to fix a mess they helped create. Scottish students shouldn’t be used as pawns in Westminster’s Brexit blunders.
But from the Conservative party and Reform UK – so far, we’ve just had silence. It is not hard to see why. Do they defend Boris Johnson’s decision not to join Erasmus, and the replacement scheme, Turing, that he set up as an alternative (which is not reciprocal, and which is less generous)? And, if they are going to criticise the decision, do they commit to pulling out again if they win the next election – a pledge that would be unpopular with young people, and the university sector?
We may find out later today, although the Tories will probably want to say as little as possible on this topic.
And it is not as if there are not other issues to discuss. Here is our story about the strike by resident doctors in England starting this morning.
Wes Streeting, the health secretary, will be speaking to MPs about this within the hour.
Here is the agenda for the day.
9.30am: Wes Streeting, the health secretary, gives evidence to the Commons health committee.
Morning: The government is due to confirm that the UK is joining the EU’s Erasmus programme.
10am: Unison is due to announce the results of its leadership election. Christina McAnea, the incumbent who is seen as one of Keir Starmer’s main union allies, is being challenged by a leftwinger, Andrea Egan.
11am: The Green party is due to announce what it calls a “significant” defection. Politico says it’s Jamie Driscoll, the former Labour North of Tyne mayor.
Noon: Keir Starmer faces Kemi Badenoch at PMQs.
With recess starting tomorrow afternoon, the government is also making 14 announcements in the form of written ministerial statements, including ones covering the local government settlement for 2026-27, the bid to buy the Telegraph, and progress on the Grenfell Tower inquiry recommendations.
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Updated at 10.11 CET