Andy Burnham’s statement on Gaza. He refers to and apologises for the Labour party’s initial response which I think is a reference to Keir Starmer saying that Israel does have the right to withhold power and water from Gaza. There can be no argument with that, Starmer was wrong to support collective punishment. There’s a reference to bombs and bullets while there is plenty of other support for Israel’s genocide from UK. Is it correct that no UK bombs and bullets are reaching Israel? Burnham’s statement is measured, we’ll have to see what happens.
8.10p.m. 20 minutes or so later. I would expect that this blog has had a big effect on making Starmer and the Labour party unpopular through relentlessly attacking Starmer & Co, Labour actions and policies. I have a real hatred of the UK Labour party from the Blair era when they were attacking me while hiding and intend to continue. Burnham may have it easier, I don’t particularly have any issues with him. We’ll see.
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The aftermath of Israeli airstrikes revealed in the Dahieh district of southern Beirut, Lebanon, on March 07, 2026. [Houssam Shbaro – Anadolu Agency]
Amnesty International on Thursday called for an investigation into three Israeli air strikes in southern Lebanon carried out in March, saying they may amount to war crimes after killing 24 civilians.
In a report published on Thursday, the rights group said the three Israeli strikes “killed 24 civilians, including 12 children, and wiped-out entire families”, adding that they “must be investigated as war crimes”.
The strikes targeted homes in the cities of Tyre and Nabatieh, as well as the town of Erkay near Sidon, between 6th and 13th March.
Kristine Beckerle, the organisation’s Deputy Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, said: “Within the space of just a week – the Israeli military obliterated entire families, including a dozen children, in Lebanon, demonstrating a callous disregard for civilian lives.
As part of its investigation, Amnesty International interviewed 15 people, including survivors, relatives of victims, paramedics, journalists who visited the strike sites and local officials.
The organisation said the evidence it gathered provided “reasonable basis to conclude that “Israeli forces violated international humanitarian law, including by failing to distinguish between civilians and military objectives, by carrying out attacks directed against civilians or civilian objects, or by failing to take all feasible precautions to minimize harm to civilians.”
Donald Trump sings and dances, says that it’s fun to kill everyone … unless he gets distracted or falls asleep.Orcas discuss rotting brain, front Orca says Sundown Syndrome is a dead givaway and he wishes someone would Lock Him Up
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In this photo illustration, US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are seen behind the Iranian flag, with all of them displayed on screens, in Ankara, Turkiye on June 24, 2025. [Dilara İrem Sancar – Anadolu Agency]
A former deputy chief of the Pakistan Air Force, Muhammad Aryan, has said the success of the memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran will depend primarily on the willingness of both governments to fully implement its provisions.
Speaking in an interview on Egypt’s Cairo News Channel, Aryan said Pakistan continues to support diplomatic engagement with both Washington and Tehran but stressed that responsibility for resolving the dispute ultimately rests with the two sides.
He argued that military action cannot resolve the crisis, saying previous US strikes against Iran had failed to produce a lasting solution.
Aryan also suggested that statements by US President Donald Trump should be viewed cautiously, arguing that the president’s positions can shift rapidly in response to changing political circumstances.
He said that even if Trump were to declare the memorandum of understanding no longer valid, such a position could change quickly and might be intended as leverage during negotiations. At the same time, he said Iran could either maintain its current demands or choose to make concessions during future talks.
Aryan emphasized that continued negotiations remain the only viable path to resolving the dispute and called for the full implementation of the memorandum of understanding through diplomacy.
He added that the crisis extends beyond the United States and Iran, arguing that other regional actors have an interest in preventing the agreement from succeeding.
According to Aryan, those actors should be closely monitored, specifically mentioning Israel as a country whose strategic interests could influence the course of the negotiations.
His remarks reflect his personal assessment of the regional situation and do not represent an official position of the Pakistani government.
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A screen grab from a video shows Hezbollah Secretary General Naim Qassem in Beirut, Lebanon on October 30, 2024. [Stringer – Anadolu Agency]
Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem on Wednesday rejected the framework agreement signed between Lebanon and Israel, declaring that it would not be implemented and urging the Lebanese government to abandon it.
Speaking during a public address held alongside memorial events for Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Qassem argued that the agreement serves Israeli interests and lacks legal and national legitimacy.
“Not a single clause of this agreement will pass, and you will be powerless to stop it,” Qassem said, addressing Lebanese authorities.
He credited Hezbollah’s military resilience and Iran’s support with securing the ceasefire in Lebanon, describing them as the two pillars behind what he called the resistance’s achievements.
Qassem also reaffirmed Hezbollah’s strategic relationship with Iran, saying the partnership strengthens Lebanon, while sharply criticising the United States. He accused Washington of exercising undue influence over Lebanon and claimed that US policies primarily serve Israeli interests.
Turning to the framework agreement, Qassem argued that it was negotiated in Israel’s favour and accused the United States of facilitating its terms. He criticised the document’s reported use of the term “redeployment” rather than “withdrawal,” claiming it implied continued Israeli control over parts of Lebanese territory.
Qassem also cited continued Israeli military operations in Lebanon, referring to what he described as hundreds of ceasefire violations, including a recent strike in Nabatieh that reportedly killed a school principal, her mother and two employees traveling in a civilian vehicle.
He called on the Lebanese government to withdraw from the agreement, arguing that abandoning it would help preserve national unity rather than deepen political divisions.
“The framework agreement is entirely in Israel’s interest,” he said. “Throw it away and discard it.”
His remarks come as debate continues within Lebanon over the framework agreement and its implications for the country’s security, sovereignty and future relations with Israel.
Donald Trump calls for help from NATO allies in securing the Straight of Hormuz despite saying only 9 days ago that they don’t need people to join wars after they’ve already won.Orcas discuss rotting brain, front Orca says Sundown Syndrome is a dead givaway and he wishes someone would Lock Him Up
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U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance speaks during a press briefing in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House in Washington, D.C., United States, on June 18, 2026. [Mehmet Eser – Anadolu Agency]
Vice President JD Vance said Wednesday that the US would continue military strikes against Iran if it resumes attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, saying Tehran had violated an agreement to halt the actions, Anadolu reports.
Speaking to reporters during a visit to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Vance said the US agreed to lift its naval blockade after Iran pledged to stop targeting ships in the strategic waterway.
“The basic deal that we cut was we’ll lift our blockade if you stop shooting at ships, but if you shoot at ships, we’re going to punch back, and we’re going to punch back harder than ever before,” he said.
Iran resumed attacks on ships about a week after the agreement was reached, according to Vance.
“If they shoot at ships, we’re going to knock the hell out of them. It’s that simple,” he said, adding that President Donald Trump “maintains a lot of options” for responding.
Vance said Trump has made clear that the Strait of Hormuz “is going to be open,” adding, “If they try to close it down, there’s going to be a response from the American military.”
His remarks came hours after Trump said the memorandum of understanding signed with Iran to end the war was “over,” and that the US will “probably” hit Iran again Wednesday night.
The US military US Central Command (CENTCOM) said it conducted strikes on Tuesday night “in immediate response to Iranian attacks on commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz.”
Meanwhile, Iran accused the US of violating a framework agreement between the two countries, saying Washington’s “unilateral” actions and attacks undermine the memorandum of understanding.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei wrote on the US social media company X that the memorandum “was, from the very first step, based not on trust but on a clear mechanism of ‘commitment in return for commitment.’”
He said despite the explicit wording of Article Five of the memorandum, which entrusts Iran with determining arrangements for the safe passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz, “the US has challenged the provision and, through its unilateral actions as well as its aggressive attacks against Iran, has effectively violated the framework of the agreement.”
Donald Trump calls for help from NATO allies in securing the Straight of Hormuz despite saying only 9 days ago that they don’t need people to join wars after they’ve already won.Orcas discuss rotting brain, front Orca says Sundown Syndrome is a dead givaway and he wishes someone would Lock Him Up
