Joy

WASHINGTON-Before the U.S. went to war, Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told President Trump that an American attack could prompt Iran to close the Strait of Hormuz. Caine said in several briefings that U.S. officials had long believed Iran would deploy mines, drones and missiles to close the world's most vital shipping lane, according to people with knowledge of the discussions. Trump acknowledged the risk, these people said, but moved forward with the most consequential foreign-policy decision of his two presidencies. He told his team that Tehran would likely capitulate before closing the strait-and even if Iran tried, the U.S. military could handle it. Now, two weeks into the war, Iran's leaders have refused to back down, and the Strait of Hormuz has emerged as Tehran's most potent leverage point.

How Trump alone got the US - and the world - into a crisis in the Middle East. From the WSJ.

Map of the ME showing the two straits

Yemen’s Houthis have announced they’ll be joining the war in support of Iran shortly. Analysts expect them to shut down another strait, Bab El-Mandeb, which will close the Suez Canal. The global economy hangs by a thread.

Just your regularly scheduled share of this masterpiece by @tomgauld.bsky.social

Imagine his shock if he ever becomes PM.

He's never put in the graft during his whole career. He attended only one out of 42 meetings of the EU Fisheries Committee during his time as a member.

He seems to spend more time jetting off to the US than in Clacton & he also missed the Spring Statement.

Who are the Scottish Conservatives? Oh aye, they'll be that party Scots haven't voted into power in over 50yrs, irrelevant and unwanted in Scotland.

Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez criticises the US and Israel for their attack on Iran,

"I say to the right and the far-right, they cannot support those who set the world on fire and then complain about the smoke caused by that fire"

The BBC doesn't mention RAPE in its title to the story of all charges being dropped in Israel against the idf soldiers who gang-raped a Palestinian detainee.
Raffi Berg will approve.

bbc.in/3N33xzk t.co/QhDXNdXQTr

shadi.sharqawi 15h PRESS Harrowing footage of massive devastation in Gaza, shared by U.S. contractor Mcintosh, exposes the scale of destruction and the brutality on the ground Mcintosh accused Israeli forces of committing war crimes against civilians, saying:"They freely commit war crimes with ease." C)2 543 + ) 21 C2 170 25

Footage of devastation in #Gaza, shared by U.S. contractor Mcintosh.

McIntosh accused Israeli forces of committing war crimes against civilians, saying: "They (Israel) freely commit war crimes with ease.”

🇵🇸 www.threads.com/@shadi.sharq...

EXCLUSIVE - I've just been passed the latest copy from the Papua New Guinea Courier's USA correspondent.

Subscribe to my Substack for more!
mrhenrymorris.substack.com/p/the-latest...

Doomed hereditary peers spy chance to stay in the Lords The Tories are deciding which hereditary peers to keep after being offered 15 seats in a compromise deal.

Surprise, surprise, there's a "hereditary lifeboat."

The Conservatives have been offered the opportunity to retain 15 of their hereditary members by converting them into life peers, allowing them to continue passing laws until they choose to retire.

Photo shows Mandelson and former prince Andrew together with Epstein Ex-UK minister and former prince have both tried to downplay their friendships with convicted sex offender The picture was taken in 1999 or 2000 on Martha's Vineyard, an island off the coast of Massachusetts, according to ITV News https://www.ft.com/content/2aab61ff-12ab-444a-817a-002bc6e879ab

let's all meet up in the year 2000

In December 2024, Perry was announced as the executive director of the newly-formed Heartland Institute UK/EU, a US-based organisation that describes itself as "the world's most prominent think tank supporting scepticism about man-made climate change."

Wealthy British nationals fleeing Gulf conflict bypass UK to avoid tax bills High-net-worth residents of UAE heading to Ireland and France to wait out missile attacks before tax year ends

“I’m happy to pay income tax and tax on investments next tax year, but I don’t want the sale of a business that I sold years ago to fall within UK capital gains tax,” he said. “I paid for my own travel home, by the way”

Wealthy enough to live in the UAE. Wants points for paying for his own travel

They've probably been brainwashed about immigration & small boats by the media, which would be pretty crazy considering how few non-white people there are in Methil.

Lord.

That's not AI? 😂

That's ex Fox News presenters for you.

Thank you, Beth x

1) Iran
2) Lebanon
3) Gaza

I’m pleased that agreement has been reached with the EIS and COSLA to suspend planned teacher strikes.

This deal supports teachers, protects learning time for pupils, especially those preparing for exams, and shows what can be achieved through constructive partnership.

So they literally steal everyone's work & feed it into their AI's - art, fiction, journalism, science etc etc.... they build huge data centres which eat up our utilities, that we'll probably end up paying for.....and then WE have to buy 'intelligence' from THEM. Insanity.

Fire chief accuses Anas Sarwar of spreading ‘inaccurate’ information after fire A TOP firefighter boss has accused Anas Sarwar of sharing “inaccurate and alarmist” information after suggesting fire crews were inadequately…

As a public servant, Sarwar should step down as leader for misusing his position and media presence! @anassarwar.bsky.social
Fire chief accuses Anas Sarwar of spreading ‘inaccurate’ information after fire
www.thenational.scot/news/2593520...

🤦‍♀️

It’s so funny that FIFA gave Trump a Peace Prize and a few months later he threatened to kill a national team that qualified for the World Cup.

Thanks for replying

At this point, I'm beginning to think it's more than a tinfoil hat option that Putin has something on Trump.

Glasgow’s only high-ladder fire engine unavailable during office block inferno Revelation prompts questions over Scottish fire service’s capacity to deal with large fires after 2023 cuts

Here's the bloody guardian shit-stirring like a red top.
If you read past the headline, you'll find it was on scene in 19 minutes and not needed for 2 hours.
So not in fact unavailable.
It's specialist kit so they're understandably spread out across the area.

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...

Do you think she realizes what she just typed?

I'm a 55 year old woman, I'm not married & have no children.
I didn't choose that. It's just the way life turned out. I must admit it came as a bit of a shock to discover that all these tech bro billionaires see me as the enemy.

Absolutely