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‘These Extrajudicial Killings Are Becoming Normalized,’ Amnesty Warns After More Trump Boat Bombings

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Article by Jake Johnson republished from Common Dreams under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). 

“Not only are these killings illegal, they are immoral. People of good conscience cannot allow this to continue.”

The Trump administration on Wednesday killed two more people in the eastern Pacific by bombing a vessel accused—without evidence—of trafficking drugs, bringing the death toll from the US military’s illegal campaign of boat attacks in international waters closer to 200.

Amnesty International, which has spoken out forcefully against the boat strikes since they began in September 2025, warned in a statement Wednesday that “these extrajudicial killings are becoming normalized” as they fade from the headlines and lawmakers do nothing to stop the administration.

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Screengrab of targeting of boat in east Pacific.

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“Not only are these killings illegal, they are immoral,” said Amanda Klasing, Amnesty’s national director for government relations. “People of good conscience cannot allow this to continue, yet Congress has so far failed to halt, or even slow down, this lethal and unlawful campaign.”

The US Southern Command announced strikes in the eastern Pacific Ocean on Tuesday and Wednesday, attacks that killed three people total.

SOUTHCOM called the victims “narco-terrorists” without any evidence. According to a tracker maintained by The Intercept’s Nick Turse, the Trump administration’s boat bombing campaign has killed 197 people since September 2025.

“Numbers alone cannot capture the unimaginable human toll of this horrific campaign of murder at sea,” Klasing said Wednesday. “Every single person that the U.S. has killed at sea was arbitrarily deprived of their right to life, and they and their families have a right to justice. Lawmakers must do everything in their power to halt this campaign and hold everyone responsible accountable for their role in these extrajudicial killings.”

“We are witnessing the height of lawlessness—a government taking military action to kill people who it unilaterally deems ‘criminals’ or ‘terrorists’ and then bragging about it on social media and stonewalling members of Congress demanding explanations,” Klasing added. “Regardless of whether the victims committed crimes or not, killing them is completely illegal under both US and international law. Alleged criminal suspects should be dealt with by law enforcement who are bound by international human rights law, which prohibits using lethal force unless absolutely necessary based on an imminent threat to life.”

Few of the nearly 200 victims of the US military’s assault on vessels in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific have been publicly identified. Earlier this year, family members of two Trinidadian men—Chad Joseph and Rishi Samaroo—killed by a US strike in October filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Trump administration.

“Rishi was a hardworking man who paid his debt to society and was just trying to get back on his feet again and to make a decent living in Venezuela to help provide for his family,” said Sallycar Korasingh, Samaroo’s sister. “If the US government believed Rishi had done anything wrong, it should have arrested, charged, and detained him, not murdered him. They must be held accountable.”

Ana Piquer, Amnesty’s Americas director, called for urgent action from the international community to rein in the lawless Trump administration.

“Beyond US authorities, we need to see leadership from other governments in the region, as well as the Organization of American States,” said Piquer. “The international community must speak out firmly against these murders, which constitute a serious threat to human rights and respect for international law. Governments must immediately suspend intelligence sharing that may contribute to these operations. They further should suspend export licenses to any defense material that could be used to perpetuate these murders.”

Article by Jake Johnson republished from Common Dreams under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). 

Donald Trump sings and dances, says that it's fun to kill everyone ...
Donald Trump sings and dances, says that it’s fun to kill everyone …
Climate science denier Donald Trump confirms that he knows nothing about democracy and that more liquid gold is being secured according to his policy of global privateering.
Climate science denier Donald Trump confirms that he knows nothing about democracy and that more liquid gold is being secured according to his policy of global privateering.
Continue Reading‘These Extrajudicial Killings Are Becoming Normalized,’ Amnesty Warns After More Trump Boat Bombings

13% energy price hike makes ‘workers pay for Trump’s war’

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https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/13-energy-price-hike-makes-workers-pay-trumps-war

 Go further, faster: Paul Nowak

HOUSEHOLDS must not bear the brunt of US President Donald Trump’s illegal war, campaigners warned today, as energy bills are set to rise by 13 per cent.  

Ofgem’s new price cap from July 1 will see the typical household face an annual energy cost of £1,862 — up £221 on current levels, or £18 a month. 

The regulator said higher wholesale gas prices, “driven by ongoing conflict in the Middle East,” were behind the increase. 

Energy costs have soared since the US and Israel began their war on Iran and the subsequent blocking of the Strait of Hormuz.

Calls have mounted for the government to set out action to support the most vulnerable with bills, but Chancellor Rachel Reeves has refused any immediate energy measures in her cost-of-living plan. 

TUC general secretary Paul Nowak said the government must “go further and faster to protect households from punishing energy price rises in the coming months.”

“Households must not bear the brunt of costs from Trump’s illegal war,” he said.

“Painful energy price rises are coming down the track — and working people are already feeling the pinch with fuel costs rising because of Trumpflation.

…

Eva Watkinson of Debt Justice called it a “scandal” that the cap was rising while energy companies continued to post enormous profits, saying the government must “immediately act to write off debts that have built up during the cost-of-living crisis.”

Green MP Hannah Spencer demanded immediate government intervention, telling Ms Reeves to freeze the cap before bills go up. 

“And if she’s wondering how to pay for it, there are some people doing very well out of this crisis,” she said. 

“The government should start by taxing 100 per cent of the huge windfall profits oil and gas giants have made since the start of the illegal war on Iran.”

https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/13-energy-price-hike-makes-workers-pay-trumps-war

Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel's genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism "without qualification". Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel’s genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism “without qualification”. Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Continue Reading13% energy price hike makes ‘workers pay for Trump’s war’

Report ‘phone hack’ to police or I will do it for you, Labour chair tells Farage

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https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/may/27/nigel-farage-phone-hacking-claims

Nigel Farage has claimed that ‘foreign state actors’, most likely serving Moscow, accessed his phone. Photograph: Ryan Jenkinson/Getty Images

Anna Turley gives Reform leader 24 hours to report Russian hacking claim in ‘public and national interest’

The Labour chair has given Nigel Farage 24 hours to report to security services the claim that his phone was hacked by Russia-linked actors or the party will do it for him.

In a letter to the Reform UK leader, Anna Turley said it was “in the public and national interest” to ensure that a suspected overseas hack of a senior politician’s phone by a hostile state was properly investigated.

A Reform spokesperson said the incident had been reported to “the relevant authorities”, without saying who these were.

Scepticism has continued over Farage’s claim, made in a Sunday newspaper, that “foreign state actors”, most likely serving Moscow, had accessed his phone and leaked information about the £5m gift he received from Christopher Harborne, a cryptocurrency billionaire based in Thailand.

In her letter, Turley asked Farage, who has largely avoided media scrutiny in recent weeks, to set out why Harborne gave him the money, in the run-up to the 2024 general election. Farage initially said the sum was intended to pay for his security, but later characterised it as a reward for his campaigning on Brexit.

…

On Monday, Ciaran Martin, the former head of the National Cyber Security Centre, called Farage’s version of events “an entirely unsubstantiated claim and one without any merit”, saying it would be difficult to conclude the involvement of Russia based on the examination of a phone.

Martin said given the seriousness of the matter, Farage should formally report what happened to the authorities.

…

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/may/27/nigel-farage-phone-hacking-claims

Nigel Farage reminds you that he's the man that brought you Brexit and asks what could possibly go wrong.
Nigel Farage reminds you that he’s the man that brought you Brexit and asks what could possibly go wrong.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/picture/2026/may/28/ben-jennings-cerne-giant-cartoon

Continue ReadingReport ‘phone hack’ to police or I will do it for you, Labour chair tells Farage

Trump’s Gaza ‘Board of Peace’ in collapse as fund receives ‘zero dollars’ from donors

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This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. 

US President Donald Trump attends the Board of Peace session held as part of the 56th World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland on January 22, 2026. [Harun Özalp – Anadolu Agency]

Donald Trump’s self-styled Board of Peace for Gaza is facing a deepening crisis after its official reconstruction fund failed to receive any donor money, despite $17 billion in pledged support, raising fresh questions over whether the US-backed body is little more than a hollow political project.

According to the Financial Times, the World Bank-administered fund established for the board has received no donor contributions four months after its creation. One person familiar with the matter said: “Zero dollars have been deposited.” The failure comes despite member states pledging $7 billion for a Gaza “relief package”, while Trump promised a further $10 billion in US funding.

Gaza vanishing: Trump’s Board of Peace

Instead of using the World Bank mechanism, which is endorsed by the UN and subject to reporting requirements, donations have reportedly been directed through a JPMorgan account. The arrangement has raised serious concerns, as no independent disclosure rules appear to apply to the private account.

A Board of Peace official told the Financial Times that “a number of options were established to receive funding” and that contributors had chosen “other options”. The official added that the board would report its finances to its own executive board, made up of Trump administration officials and advisers, “at a time deemed appropriate”.

The limited funds that have been provided appear to have done little to address Gaza’s devastation. Morocco’s $20 million contribution has reportedly helped fund the office of Nickolay Mladenov, the board’s “high representative” for post-war Gaza, and salaries for the Palestinian technocratic committee formed to govern the Strip. A separate $100 million UAE contribution intended to train a new Gaza police force has not been used, with the programme yet to begin and the funds frozen.

Nor has promised US funding materialised on the ground. The US State Department intends to redirect around $1.2 billion in aid spending towards projects linked to the board’s agenda, but the money has not yet been spent and would not be managed directly by the board.

Read: Trump’s Gaza ‘peace’ board in turmoil as funding pledges fail to materialise

A senior congressional aide said none of the money had gone to the board and that “there’s no intent” for it to be managed by the body. A further $50 million intended to fund board operations has also not been distributed, pending financial controls and systems required to receive US funds.

Revelations in the FT is likely to be seen as further evidence of a bankrupt Trump policy. The president had presented the board as one of the “most consequential” international organisations ever created, while his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, promoted glossy visions of a futuristic, AI-powered Gaza with luxury developments. Yet an EU, UN and World Bank survey estimated that Gaza’s reconstruction will require more than $70 billion over the next decade.

The board has also failed to move beyond planning. Although it has begun tendering for security and reconstruction work, no contracts have been awarded.

The legal basis of the board remains equally unclear. US lawmakers have pressed the Trump administration for answers about its status and operations, including whether it qualifies as an international organisation eligible to receive US funds.

The uncertainty has also alarmed would-be contractors. One would be contractor reported in the FT asked: “Who is responsible for Gaza? What law is applicable in Gaza?” Others involved in planning questioned what happens when the board’s supposed role as a “transitional administration” expires.

This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. 

Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel's genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism "without qualification". Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel’s genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism “without qualification”. Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Donald Trump explains why he established his Bored of Peace
Donald Trump explains why he established his Bored of Peace
Orcas discuss how Trump was re-elected and him being an obviously insane, xenophobic Fascist.
Orcas discuss how Trump was re-elected and him being an obviously insane, xenophobic Fascist.

Continue ReadingTrump’s Gaza ‘Board of Peace’ in collapse as fund receives ‘zero dollars’ from donors

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps says it targeted US airbase in Kuwait

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This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. 

Smoke rises after an Iranian drone attack struck fuel tanks at Kuwait International Airport in Kuwait City, Kuwait on April 01, 2026. [Stringer – Anadolu Agency]

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said early Thursday that it targeted a US airbase in Kuwait in response to an American aerial strike near Bandar Abbas Airport in southern Iran, Anadolu reports.

According to Iran’s semi-official Tasnim News Agency, the IRGC said the retaliatory strike came at 4.50 am (0120GMT), hours after what it described as a US assault on a point near the port city’s airport using aerial projectiles.

“This response is a serious warning so that the enemy knows that aggression will not go unanswered, and if repeated, our response will be more decisive,” it said.

Later, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said Thursday through US social media company X that Iran launched “a ballistic missile toward Kuwait” at 10.17 pm ET (0217GMT) on Wednesday, and that the missile was “successfully intercepted by Kuwaiti forces.”

CENTCOM described the launch as an “egregious ceasefire violation by the Iranian regime.”

It also said Iranian forces earlier launched “five one-way attack drones that posed a clear threat in and near the Strait of Hormuz,” adding that all were intercepted by US forces.

The command further said US forces “prevented a sixth drone launch from an Iranian ground control site in Bandar Abbas.”

Earlier in the day, a US official told Anadolu that US forces shot down four Iranian drones that posed a threat near the Strait of Hormuz and struck an Iranian ground control station in Bandar Abbas that was preparing to launch a fifth drone.

“These actions were measured, purely defensive, and intended to maintain the ceasefire,” said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

CENTCOM said US forces and regional partners “remain vigilant and measured” as they continue defending “forces and interests from unjustified Iranian aggression.”

READ: Kuwait sends IRGC-linked suspects to court over ‘illegal entry’

The latest strikes came after CENTCOM earlier this week confirmed a previous round of strikes on southern Iran targeting missile launch sites and Iranian boats allegedly attempting to lay mines. Iran condemned those strikes as a “grave violation of the ceasefire.”

Earlier, commenting on the state of the negotiations to end the war on Iran, US President Donald Trump said he is “not satisfied with it, but we will be. Either that, or we’ll have to just finish the job.”

Regional tensions escalated on Feb. 28, when the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran, prompting Tehran to retaliate with barrages of drones and missiles that hit targets across the region and to close the Strait of Hormuz.

A ceasefire took effect on April 8 through Pakistani mediation, but talks in Islamabad failed to produce a lasting agreement.

Trump later extended the truce indefinitely while maintaining a blockade on vessels traveling to or from Iranian ports through the strategic waterway and periodically saying a peace deal was close.

This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. 

Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel's genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism "without qualification". Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel’s genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism “without qualification”. Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Donald Trump sings and dances, says that it's fun to kill everyone ...
Donald Trump sings and dances, says that it’s fun to kill everyone …
Orcas discuss how Trump was re-elected and him being an obviously insane, xenophobic Fascist.
Orcas discuss how Trump was re-elected and him being an obviously insane, xenophobic Fascist.

Continue ReadingIran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps says it targeted US airbase in Kuwait