Rachel Savage

At least 175 people killed, most of them children

"politically correct wars" - a phrase that definitely, totally makes sense

Meet Philip Lewis, HuffPost editor and President of the Washington Association of Black Journalists "It can be challenging when people expect you to speak for all Black men. We're not a monolith."

"For a long time, objectivity has been a stand-in for, ‘Here's what White people think about the world and how they view it.' ... People are inherently biased; we all have biases."

Great interview with @phillewis.bsky.social by my fab former colleague @lintaylor.bsky.social, for her newsletter

Axel Springer buys Telegraph in £575mn deal [FREE TO READ] German media group has gatecrashed a proposed acquisition by the owner of the Daily Mail

LIke reading that Jarndyce v Jarndyce has been settled out of court. Can it really be true?

Israel launches huge strikes against south Beirut after mass evacuation order Residents fled Lebanese capital in panic before assaults on claimed Hezbollah targets while Tehran continues to launch retaliatory attacks

Israel launched massive air strikes against south Beirut yesterday after ordering more than 500,000 people to leave.

At least 102 people have been killed and 638 injured in Lebanon. At least 1,230 people have been killed by US and Israeli strikes in Iran and about a dozen people in Israel by Iran

Mugabe case postponed due to court power outage, no fuel for generator Poor conditions at the Alexandra Magistrate’s Court, including a week-long electricity outage, led to the bail hearing of former Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe’s son, Bellarmine Mugabe, and his co...

The bail hearing for Bellarmine Mugabe and his co-accused in a case of attempted murder was postponed again yesterday. This time it was because of a power outage at Alexandra Magistrates Court. The court does have a generator, but it doesn't work.

Bozell demands a sea change on Iran but offers hope of a detente with Washington | News24 The new US ambassador to Pretoria, Leo Brent Bozell, has called on South Africa to send a clear foreign policy signal that could shift the Trump administration’s perception of the country’s ties with ...

Interesting interview with the new US ambassador to South Africa. He's obviously singing from Trump's hymnbook, but his language is a lot more... diplomatic than his boss

Words schmords

Roses are red
Orchids are wired

Sounds like a character in a knock-off Marvel film

You heard it here first - being locked up without due process for eight months isn't being "imprisoned", it's being "accommodated in a secure environment".

Three men deported by US file legal case against Eswatini over detention The men, who had been released after completing criminal sentences, are from Cuba, Jamaica and Yemen

Three men deported by the US to Eswatini – rather than their home countries – have filed a case against Eswatini’s government with the African Union’s human rights body.

Eswatini's govt said: "These individuals are not detained or imprisoned. They are being accommodated in a secure environment."

South African President Talks Trump, Racism and That Oval Office ‘Ambush’

South Africa's president has given an unusually direct interview about Trump, to the NYT.

“I do think the Afrikaner policy is racist... It is that racist sort of demeanor that we want to be able to whittle down so that he can see the truth of the situation.”

This is a lovely timeline cleanse for a foggy morning 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Ah the heady days of crowdfunding...

The stories write themselves

Footage has emerged of a powerful Iranian strike on a US military base in Bahrain

So far, Iran has also attacked Israel, Bahrain, the UAE, Qatar, and Kuwait.

There are unconfirmed reports of explosions in Saudi Arabia and Jordan.

US and Israel launch joint attack on Iran as Trump urges regime change US president calls on Iranian people to ‘take over your government’, as explosions heard across central Tehran

Trump has called on Iranians to rise up and "take over your government".

It remains to be seen if the US and Israel have a plan that works "better" (depending on your POV) than previous outside attempts at regime change in the Middle East

Labour’s *majority* in Gorton and Denton in 2024 – just 19 months ago – was 13,000+. Tonight it got fewer than 10,000 votes total, on an almost identical turnout. In its heartland. That’s what a collapse of your core vote looks like.

It's a new classic of the genre

I almost replied to point them in the direction of my bio. Then I muted the post and made dinner

A photo released by the official North Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (R) gesturing while his daughter Kim Ju Ae looks on during a military parade to celebrate the ninth congress of the ruling Workers' Party at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, North Korea, 25 February 2026 (issued 26 February 2026). Both are wearing black leather trenchcoats. The event marked the conclusion of the week-long Ninth Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) in Pyongyang.

Matching daddy-daughter leather trenchcoats - an interesting addition to the Authoritarian Chic lookbook.

Photo released by the state North Korean Central News Agency (KCNA)

PRESS RELEASE-CLARIFICATION ON REPORTS REGARDING BATSWANA ALLEGEDLY RECRUITED INTO RUSSIAN WAR GABORONE, 26th February 2026: The Government of the Republic of Botswana has noted a press report published in The Botswana Guardian online publication dated Friday, 27 February 2026, under the headline “Batswana recruited into Russian war possibly dead.” The article attributes the information to the Ambassador of Ukraine to Botswana, His Excellency Dr Oleksiy Syvak. The Government wishes to state unequivocally that it has not received any official communication confirming the information cited in the article. Through the Ministry of International Relations, and in collaboration with international law enforcement mechanisms including INTERPOL, the Government continues to engage relevant authorities to establish the facts and determine the whereabouts of the three identified Batswana currently believed to be in the Russian Federation in connection with the Russia–Ukraine conflict. Diplomatic engagement on this matter remains ongoing. In December 2025, the Minister of International Relations, Honourable Dr Phenyo Butale, held discussions with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Mr Sergey Lavrov, in Egypt, during which this issue was formally raised. Subsequent written communication has been transmitted through established diplomatic channels, requesting cooperation and assistance from the Russian authorities.

Given the transnational dimensions of the case, Botswana is also working closely with international partners and counterparts in the Republic of South Africa. At this stage, no verified information has been received confirming the location or status of the individuals concerned. The Government remains fully committed to safeguarding the welfare and interests of Batswana abroad. All appropriate diplomatic, legal and law-enforcement avenues are being actively pursued to establish the status of the affected individuals. The Ministry of International Relations and relevant officials continue to engage the families with due sensitivity and care. It is worth recalling that in December 2025, the Government successfully facilitated the safe return of another Motswana in a separate but related matter. This underscores Botswana’s unwavering commitment to the protection of its citizens wherever they may be. The public will be informed of any verified developments through official channels.

Botswana's foreign ministry just put out a statement, responding to a local news report that three Batswana fighting for Russia may be dead.

"At this stage, no verified information has been received confirming the location or status of the individuals concerned."

I was at the Baftas – and while hearing the N-word was unsettling, all anger should be aimed at the BBC | Jason Okundaye By failing to remove John Davidson’s tic from the broadcast, editors let down both black and disabled people, says Guardian assistant Opinion editor Jason Okundaye

I haven't been able to stop thinking about the BAFTAs and the failure of care of both BAFTA and the BBC to Michael B Jordan, Delroy Lindo and John Davidson.

I recommend reading and listening or watching
@jaseokundaye.bsky.social on the debacle

An official from Botswana's foreign ministry finally replied to my questions about the two Batswana men allegedly tricked into fighting for Russia. He declined to comment.

"We cannot take your questions, because this is a sensitive matter and we are still with the ministry leadership."

Dirco Minister Lamola briefs media on return of SA men from Russia YouTube video by SABC News

South Africa's foreign ministry says two South African men have died "on the front lines" fighting for Russia.

Minister Ronald Lamola said they went to Russia via "another recruitment drive or another scheme", separate to the group of 17 men allegedly lured there by Duduzile Zuma

we finally reached the end of this calendar event i accidentally made 12 years ago

Conned into combat: From war zone to home, families reunite with men back from Ukraine | News24 One of the 11 men who arrived at King Shaka International Airport on Wednesday – after travelling to Russia for training as bodyguards for the MK Party and being deceived into fighting for Russia in i...

Video here of the 11 South African men arriving at Durban's international airport yesterday. One was in a wheelchair and he and some others hid their faces.

"I have no words to describe how happy I am," one relative told News24

Kansas Sends Letters To Trans People Demanding The Immediate Surrender Of Drivers Licenses "The legislature did not include a grace period." ERIN REED FEB 25, 2026 88 5 21 Share Kansas Sate Capitol // farzinvousoughian

1. Numerous transgender people in Kansas are reporting that the state has sent them a letter demanding the immediate surrender of drivers licenses.

Those driving could be arrested, charged, and see privileges revoked.

Subscribe to support our journalism.

www.erininthemorning.com/p/kansas-sen...

Senegal's PM introduces bill doubling prison terms for same-sex relations Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko announced that he had introduced a bill toughening penalties for same-sex relations and making them punishable by five to 10 years in prison amid a wave of homo...

Senegal's prime minister has introduced a bill to parliament that would double the maximum penalty for same-sex relations, from 1-5 years in jail to 5-10 years.

The proposal comes amid a wave of arrests under the current law