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Zelensky threatens ‘every airline’ in Russian airspace

RT | September 1, 2026

Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky has issued what he called a “warning” to every single airline using Russian airspace, stating that any aircraft flying through it would be threatened by Ukrainian drones. President Vladimir Putin called the statement a “declaration of state terrorism.”

The Ukrainian military has been ramping up long-range drone and missile attacks against civilian and infrastructure targets deep inside Russia. The strikes have repeatedly disrupted the work of Russian civilian airports, particularly around Moscow.

On Tuesday, Zelensky claimed that Kiev would be “closing” Russian airspace by virtually darkening the skies with drones. “Today, we want to warn every airline that uses Russian airspace, every insurer, and everyone who still uses Russia’s key airports: Russian airspace is becoming completely unsafe,” he stated in a video address published on Telegram.

“Safe days in Russia’s skies are over,” he claimed, adding that his threat was addressed to “the airlines currently flying to airports primarily in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and other key destinations in Russia.”

Threats to close Russian airspace amount to a “declaration of state terrorism,” Putin said at a press conference on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. According to the Russian president, such actions make any of Kiev’s claims about seeking peace talks with Moscow null and void. “One does not hold negotiations with terrorists,” the president said. … Full article

New US ‘precision’ missiles responsible for multiple civilian deaths in Iran – report

RT | September 1, 2026

The US killed multiple civilians in southern Iran using new “precision” missiles with a wide damage radius, conflict monitoring group Airwars has found. Tehran has repeatedly accused Washington of war crimes since the US and Israel launched a war on Iran which has killed up to 3,000 civilians.

In an investigation published on Monday, the London-based watchdog examined three February 28 strikes in the city of Lamerd that killed at least 21 civilians, including seven children. It concluded that the weapons used were likely Lockheed Martin’s Precision Strike Missiles (PrSM), which made their combat debut during the opening phase of the US-Israeli war on Iran.

The PrSM is designed to explode above the ground, spraying tens of thousands of dense tungsten pellets in all directions rather than relying primarily on the blast itself. … continue

Shrapnel from US strike hits wedding reception in southern Iran, martyring five, including a child

RT | September 1, 2026

At least five people have been martyred and 68 others wounded after shrapnel from a United States’ attack hits a residential building holding a wedding reception in a city in the southern Iranian province of Hormozgan.

The casualties occurred in the city of Kouhestak in the province’s Sirik County, which was targeted during the attack.

Hormozgan’s Red Crescent Society described the aggression as “a US missile strike that sent shrapnel into a residential home in Kouhestak, where a wedding celebration was taking place.”

Head of Public Relations and Information Center at Iran’s Ministry of Health, Hossein Kermanpour confirmed the casualties, citing sources at Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences. “A child is among those killed,” he wrote in a post on X.

Earlier reports had put the death toll from the aggression at two. … Full article

Iran vows ‘crushing’ retaliation following latest US airstrikes on southern provinces

Press TV – September 1, 2026

Iran’s armed forces have vowed to deliver “crushing and devastating” blows to the United States following a new wave of American airstrikes targeting military positions in the southern provinces of Sistan and Baluchestan and Hormozgan.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces issued the warning on Tuesday, declaring that the terrorist US Army will face severe consequences for its latest acts of aggression.

“In response to the aerial aggression by the US Army against points in Sistan and Baluchestan and Hormozgan, the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran will inflict crushing and devastating blows upon the vile and evil American enemy,” the military command stated in an official release.

The statement emphasized that the more Washington insists on its “malicious behavior” in the region, the heavier the losses it will be forced to bear.

“We have repeatedly declared and [shown in action] that under no circumstances will we compromise the rights of the heroic Iranian nation, and we will impose heavy costs on the American enemy,” the command added.

Separately, IRGC Spokesperson Brigadier General Hossein Mohebbi warned that “severe punishment awaits the aggressors” and that America will deeply regret launching the new attacks.

The reactions follow a fresh series of US acts of aggression, which hit the counties of Chabahar and Konarak in Sistan and Baluchestan, among other areas. … Full article

Belgium’s Leuven mayor refuses to host Europa League match against Israeli club

MEMO | September 1, 2026

The mayor of the Belgian city of Leuven, Mohamed Ridouani, has refused to allow Belgian football club Union Saint-Gilloise to host Israeli side Hapoel Beer Sheva at the city’s Den Dreef Stadium in a UEFA Europa League match scheduled for Oct. 22, Anadolu reports.

Ridouani cited public safety and security concerns for his decision, saying the match could not be held in Leuven even behind closed doors, Belgian daily Le Soir reported on Tuesday.

“Union is welcome here, but in this specific case, it’s an Israeli team, and I’m consistent on that point,” Ridouani said during a municipal council meeting.

He recalled that he had previously refused to allow Belgium’s women’s national team to play Israel in Leuven. … Full article

Vance seeks support from pro-‘Israel’ voters, donors: Politico

Al Mayadeen| September 1, 2026

US Vice President JD Vance sought to ease tensions with pro-“Israel” Republicans during a closed-door meeting in Las Vegas, addressing concerns over his approach to the US-“Israel” relationship and receiving several standing ovations from attendees.

Vance spoke Monday at the Republican Jewish Coalition’s leadership summit, where he acknowledged growing skepticism among younger Americans toward the relationship between Washington and the Israeli regime, Politico reported.

“There is a growing suspicion among, I would call it, under-40s of the US-Israel relationship,” Vance said during a moderated conversation with former Senator Norm Coleman, who chairs the RJC board.

“I think my view is, what we have to do is articulate why this is in the best interest of the United States of America, and actually get out there and talk about the ways in which it is in the best interest of the United States of America.”

Vance argues for a new case for US-Israeli relationship

Rather than relying on traditional Republican rhetoric surrounding the US-“Israel” alliance, Vance argued that the party needs to present a case based on what he described as concrete shared interests, according to Politico.

Republicans should “talk about the concrete alignment of interest and to hook a relationship on that, rather than something that may have made a lot of sense rhetorically 30 or 40 years ago, but just doesn’t have … the same purchase as it did 30 or 40 years ago because the country is different and because young people are looking at this in a different way,” he said.

His comments come as Vance faces skepticism from parts of the pro-“Israel” Republican donor network. His position has drawn criticism over his relatively dovish approach to the war on Iran and his criticism of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. … Full article

WFP halves food aid to occupied West Bank as funding for UN agency collapses

Israel’s campaign of ethnic cleansing in the occupied Palestinian territories has stripped thousands of families of their livelihoods, worsening the food crisis

The Cradle | September 1, 2026

Severe funding shortages have forced the World Food Programme (WFP) to cut the number of Palestinians receiving food assistance in the occupied West Bank in half, the agency announced on 1 September, at a time when food needs have more than doubled since 2023.

The agency had been sending vital food aid to 400,000 of the most vulnerable people in the occupied territory, a figure that drops to 200,000 this month.

An estimated 900,000 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank are already food insecure, as escalating settler violence and forced displacement under Israeli military guard cuts families off from their land, and pushes families deeper into crisis.

WFP’s most recent quarterly assessment recorded a steep income drop in 76 percent of West Bank households. Food and fuel now cost more in the occupied territory than almost anywhere in West Asia, forcing families to sell their possessions and cut back on meals to make ends meet.

The same assessment found 12 percent of Palestinians consuming too little food, while a third of families cannot afford a nutritious diet as the economy deteriorates. … Full article

All Christian schools in Jerusalem shut after Israel refuses entry to Palestinian teachers

RT | September 1, 2026

Christian schools in Jerusalem have been forced to indefinitely delay the start of the new academic year after Israeli authorities failed to renew entry permits for more than 70 teachers and staff living in the occupied West Bank.

Palestinians holding West Bank IDs generally require Israeli-issued permits to cross checkpoints into East Jerusalem. But Israeli authorities failed to renew entry permits for more than 70 teachers and staff “suddenly and without prior notice,” the General Secretariat for Christian Educational Institutions in Jerusalem said in a press statement shared with the media on Monday.

“Accordingly… it has been decided to suspend school attendance in the schools of the city of Jerusalem beginning Tuesday morning, 1 September 2026, until the necessary permits for teachers and staff are reissued and renewed,” the Secretariat said.

The schools said they were committed to protecting their students’ right to education, but the situation “makes it impossible to ensure a safe and stable start” to the academic year. … Full article

Israeli occupiers attempt to set fire to mosque in northern West Bank

MEMO | September 1, 2026

Israeli occupiers attempted to set fire to a mosque in the northern West Bank early Tuesday, in the latest attack in the occupied territory, according to the official Palestinian news agency Wafa.

Local sources told Wafa that the occupiers tried to break into the Nur al-Din Zengi Mosque in the town of Bazariya, northwest of Nablus.

After failing to force open the mosque’s doors, they set fire to a room near the mosque and sprayed racist slogans at the site.

The Palestinian Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs condemned the attack, describing the targeting of mosques and places of worship as a “dangerous and systematic escalation” aimed at provoking Muslims. … Full article

Gaza interior ministry says IOF abducted officer in al-Katiba raid

Al Mayadeen| September 1, 2026

Israeli occupation forces abducted a wounded Internal Security officer during a raid on Gaza City’s al-Katiba area on Tuesday, Gaza’s Ministry of Interior and National Security said, in an operation that killed at least four Palestinians and wounded eight others.

The ministry identified the abducted officer as Moein Mohammed al-Arabeed, who was wounded in clashes with the invading force. His wife was martyred in the raid, and several of his children were wounded. The ministry said al-Arabeed had simply been carrying out his regular duties, maintaining security and civil peace in the Gaza Strip, when he was abducted.

The raid unfolded near the American Hospital in al-Katiba, west of Gaza City, when an Israeli special forces unit infiltrating the area in civilian vehicles was surrounded by the Resistance. Heavy clashes followed, and Israeli warplanes launched an intense bombing campaign to cover the unit’s withdrawal, with dozens of aircraft carrying out at least 12 attacks, according to Israeli media.

Local sources said Israeli occupation forces also bombed two civilian vehicles whose occupants were trying to flee the area. Al-Shifa Hospital director Mohammed Abu Salmiya said four people, including three children and a woman, were martyred and eight wounded in what he called an “extraordinary incident,” adding that the toll was preliminary and could rise. Al-Haris, a platform affiliated with the Resistance’s security services in Gaza, said its forces had thwarted a major Israeli operation aimed at a senior resistance commander. … Full article

Israeli warplanes, artillery bomb multiple southern Lebanon towns

Al Mayadeen| September 1, 2026

The Israeli occupation continued its attacks across southern Lebanon on Tuesday, targeting multiple towns via airstrikes, artillery shelling, and ground operations.

Israeli drone attack hit the town of Nabatieh al-Fawqa, while Israeli warplanes separately raided the outskirts of Dabsha Heights, near Dawhet Kfar Rumman. Israeli artillery separately shelled Houla and al-Mansouri, and also targeted the outskirts of Aita al-Jabal and the area between the towns of Baraachit and Beit Yahoun, according to Al Mayadeen’s correspondent in southern Lebanon.

On the ground, the IOF carried out demolitions of civilian homes with explosives in the towns of Rsheif and Houla, and opened machine-gun fire during a sweeping raid on the outskirts of Aita al-Jabal. Lebanon’s National News Agency reported that heavy Israeli military vehicles advanced into al-Mansouri’s fourth district, where several homes were demolished. … Full article

Israel’s ‘pilot zones’ become a cover for permanent occupation

A US-brokered experiment in southern Lebanon has stalled at its first test

By Grace Mikhael | The Cradle | September 1, 2026

Israel has turned a supposedly phased withdrawal from southern Lebanon into another instrument for prolonging its occupation. As its military raids, demolitions, and restrictions on residents intensify, the US-sponsored “pilot zones” scheme increasingly appears to give Tel Aviv fresh grounds for postponing withdrawal rather than restoring Lebanese control over occupied territory.

Israeli officials have informed Washington that the pilot program has failed, blaming the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) for allegedly failing to dismantle military structures linked to Hezbollah. According to Israeli reporting, officials in Tel Aviv are dissatisfied with the army’s performance and are therefore in no hurry to approve additional zones. […]

For the residents still unable to return, the cost of this delay is measured in destroyed homes and another month of displacement. The pilot zones were presented as a means of restoring Lebanese authority. If every deployment brings another Israeli condition, Beirut risks negotiating indefinitely over land whose return should never have depended on the occupier’s approval. – Full article

Turkish Foreign Minister: Netanyahu is a threat to humanity and the international order

Al Mayadeen | August 31, 2026

… Addressing “Israel,” Fidan said, “Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a perpetrator of genocide, has become a common enemy of humanity, the international community and global security.” He called on the international system to confront the threat posed by Netanyahu. … Full article

SCO leaders sign Bishkek Declaration against ‘western unilateralism’

The Eurasian bloc condemned the US war on Iran as Washington widens secondary sanctions on Tehran’s trading partners

The Cradle | September 1, 2026

Leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) adopted the  Bishkek Declaration on 1 September, marking the organization’s 25th anniversary and setting out a joint position on West Asia, global security, and economic cooperation.

The 10-member Eurasian bloc used the anniversary text to press for a “representative, democratic, and equitable multipolar world order,” rejecting bloc-based and confrontational approaches to international affairs.

Member states opposed unilateral coercive measures, such as banking restrictions, asset freezes, and secondary sanctions on third-country firms, that contradict the UN Charter and World Trade Organization (WTO) rules. They also condemned the unlimited buildup of global missile defense systems, calling attempts to secure one state at the expense of others unacceptable.

The declaration reiterated the bloc’s condemnation of the unprovoked US-Israeli attacks on Iranian territory, which have stretched on for 6 months and caused significant economic damage and disruption to global energy and shipping markets.

Member states called the attacks a violation of international law and the UN Charter that created “serious risks to international peace, security and stability.” … continue

EU surrenders sovereignty to US coercion, becomes accessory to economic terrorism: Iran FM spokesman

Press TV – August 31, 2026

The European Union has surrendered its sovereignty, laws, values and ethics to American coercion and turned itself into an accessory to Washington’s lawless economic war against Iran, Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei has said.

In a statement posted on his official X account on Monday night, Baghaei pointed to the EU’s own Blocking Statute, which prohibits European operators from complying with extraterritorial laws of third countries and treats such measures as contrary to international law.

“How, then, can the Union now support the most predatory and unlawful unilateral coercive measures against Iran?” he asked. … continue

Washington sanctions regime reaches its breaking point

By Samuel Geddes | Al Mayadeen | September 1, 2026

Trump’s desperate bid to crush Iran’s economy without military escalation places the US’ sanctions regime against Iran, Russia, China and all its other adversaries at existential risk.

So far, 2026 has been the most sobering year in living memory for the American self-image. Having at long last achieved the war against Tehran that has been sought since 1979, the Washington establishment is confronted not with the Islamic Republic’s collapse but its solidification.

Far from regaining its unquestioned dominion over the Persian Gulf region, it must now accept perpetual management by Tehran of the most critical waterway on Earth, or else face a global economic calamity. Instead of weakening Iranian leverage, the US-Israeli aggression has magnified it exponentially, needlessly handing it a level of global power and influence undreamt of in the more than five centuries of the Western world’s dominance.

As the administration flails ahead of the midterms and the imminent exhaustion of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, which cushioned the true magnitude of the energy shock, it is soon to witness yet another previously unchallenged instrument of its power vaporize alongside its dwindling munitions stocks. That instrument is its economic sanctions policy. … continue

Economy will withstand US sanctions, Iran Central Bank governor says

Al Mayadeen| September 1, 2026

Claims suggesting Iran is heading toward an economic collapse are unfounded, said the Governor of the Central Bank of Iran, Abdolnaser Hemmati, on Tuesday, stressing that the country’s economic system continues to operate robustly despite new sanctions imposed by its adversaries every week.

Hemmati said Iran’s collection of its foreign-currency receivables remains ongoing and that its resources continue to flow, alongside domestic reserves. He added that Iran has financial resources whose details cannot be disclosed, noting that the Central Bank is fully prepared to inject $2 billion in foreign currency into the market.

In a message addressed to US President Donald Trump, Hemmati said, “I say to Trump: Iran has enough foreign-currency reserves”. … continue

Ukrainians turn anger on Kiev for storing explosives near their homes

RT | August 31, 2026

Residents of the Kiev suburb of Milaya have accused Ukrainian officials of placing an ammunition depot dangerously close to civilian homes, according to interviews published by The Guardian on Monday.

The military storage site was hit last week during a Russian barrage. The Russian Defense Ministry said the attack targeted a warehouse complex storing components for Ukrainian long-range kamikaze drones used in strikes on logistics and e-commerce facilities in Russia.

Secondary explosions continued for hours after the strike, scattering stored military ordnance around homes just hundreds of meters from the depot, local residents told the British newspaper.

“Those who set up the depot here are to blame. There are people here, this is a village. You can’t keep something like that here,” Vera, 65, reportedly said. … Full article

India’s anti-terror agency to question jailed Ukrainian mercenary

RT | September 1, 2026

India’s federal anti-terror agency will interrogate a Ukrainian and an American who were arrested in March for allegedly entering the country’s restricted areas without permits, and crossing over into neighboring Myanmar to provide training to armed groups.

A Delhi court on Monday allowed the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to interrogate Ukrainian Viktor Kaminskyi and American Matthew VanDyke on September 2 and 3.

Both men are currently in Delhi’s Tihar jail. The two, along with five other Ukrainians – Petro Hurba, Taras Slyviak, Ivan Sukmanovskyi, Marian Stefankiv, and Maksim Honcharuk – were arrested from three different cities while trying to fly out of the country. … continue

Trump Censorship Machine Loses Again in Court

By James Bovard | Mises Wire | August 31, 2026

The Trump administration’s crusade to crush campus criticism took another wallop on Friday in a California courtroom. Federal judge Noël Wise ruled that the Trump administration’s “ideological-deportation policy” brazenly violated the US Constitution.

The Stanford Daily—one of the best-known college student newspapers in the nation—sued the Trump administration for changing its “immigration policy and pattern of enforcement, namely by arresting, detaining, and deporting students with F-1 visas when those students use their freedom of speech to express opinions that the government does not like.” It asserted that the Trump administration’s “actions have specifically impacted Stanford Daily by decreasing the quantity and diversity of opinion pieces The Stanford Daily is able to publish on the conflict between Israel and Palestine.” Foreign students who had written on the issue requested that their previous articles be deleted, and other foreign students were no longer willing to comment on hot issues. … continue

EU targets ChatGPT, Reddit and Roblox under censorship law

RT | September 1, 2026

The European Union has placed ChatGPT, Reddit and Roblox under the strictest tier of its online regulations, giving the US-based services four months to comply with rules denounced by Washington and leading tech figures as censorship.

The European Commission on Monday designated ChatGPT a Very Large Online Search Engine (VLOSE), while Reddit and Roblox were classified as Very Large Online Platforms (VLOPs) under the Digital Services Act (DSA). All three reported at least 45 million average monthly users in the EU, crossing the threshold for heightened oversight.

They now have until the end of December to comply with additional requirements, including assessing and mitigating “systemic risks” linked to illegal content, minors, users’ physical and mental well-being, fundamental rights, elections and public security. Violations of the DSA can carry fines of up to 6% of a company’s annual global turnover.

Brussels argues the law makes powerful platforms safer and more accountable. Critics, however, say its broad demands to police harmful content and mitigate vaguely defined societal risks pressure companies to suppress lawful speech to avoid punishment. … Full article

YouTube’s Account Enforcement Practices Face Possible FTC Lawsuit

By Dan Frieth | Reclaim The Net | August 31, 2026

The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is investigating YouTube’s (Google’s) controversial moderation and account-enforcement policies, a probe that is now in its final stages, according to a report from Bloomberg.

The agency is reportedly considering a potential lawsuit, but no decision has been made. YouTube has not been accused of wrongdoing, and the inquiry may end without enforcement action.

The FTC’s inquiry, which began in 2025, is said to be looking into whether the video giant’s suspension of accounts and removal of content, as well as the way it informs users about these decisions, violates consumer protection laws.

The agency is also reportedly examining whether YouTube broke its own rules when it took down content or reduced its visibility.

Another question the FTC is reportedly trying to answer is if YouTube’s publicly available community guidelines are in line with how content is actually treated on the platform.

In other words, the probe may be looking into the difference between what YouTube says it does, and what it actually does, regarding content policing and censorship.

If the FTC decides to sue Google, it would test whether YouTube’s published rules and its actual enforcement practices diverged in ways that violated consumer-protection law.

But even if the FTC were to find that YouTube had in fact violated consumer-protection laws, the case would not necessarily be about restoring content or accounts that were taken down or giving a particular group of users the right to remain on the platform.

Rather, it would be about making sure that YouTube’s public rules and the way it enforces those rules are in sync. But this could give the government leverage to influence how YouTube does its content policing. … continue

The Israeli Blueprint That Put an Italian Mail Server on America’s Terror List

By Freddie Ponton | 21st Century Wire | August 31, 2026

For twenty-five years, a few dozen volunteers in Italy have run free email accounts, virtual private networks and Noblogs, a platform for activists who would rather not entrust their politics to Google or Meta. On 26 August 2026, the United States Treasury designated their collective, Autistici/Inventati, a Specially Designated Global Terrorist, placing a volunteer-run mail service in the legal company of al-Qaeda and Islamic State.

Nobody was charged, and no court was asked to examine the evidence, yet under Executive Order 13224, Washington was able to freeze the collective’s assets after deciding that it had provided “material or technological support” to an act of terrorism. By the State Department’s own count, Autistici/Inventati, also known as A/I, supported 16,000 mailboxes, 1,500 websites and 10,000 blogs. Within forty-eight hours, autistici.org went dark, PayPal cut it off, and its Italian bank moved to close the account, placing that entire network at risk. Everyone else has until 25 September to sever ties or risk the reach of American sanctions, even though the government, as Reason noted, “hasn’t accused Autistici/Inventati of committing any crimes.” … continue

Greece inks $3.5bn arms deal with Israel for ‘multi-layered’ air defenses

The Cradle | August 31, 2026

Israel and Greece signed on 31 August an air defense agreement worth $3.5 billion, which will see Tel Aviv beef up Athens’ defenses and build a “multi-layered” system for the country.

According to the Israeli War Ministry, it is the largest-ever defense export deal with Greece and one of the biggest in Israeli history.

It has been dubbed the “Achilles Shield” agreement, referencing the Greek mythological figure Achilles.

It will see Israel export several air defense systems, including its David Sling, SPYDER, and BARAK MX, the War Ministry said.

It is the “largest defense export deal in the history of Israel-Greece relations, and one of the largest in the history of the State of Israel,” the War Ministry statement added… continue

Why Israel Can Brag About Murdering Western Aid Workers

By Nate Bear | ¡Do Not Panic! | August 28, 2026

The Israeli commander who gave the order to bomb the World Central Kitchen convoy in April 2024 which killed six aid workers – three Britons, an American-Canadian, a Pole, an Australian and a Palestinian – said yesterday he’s not sorry for ordering the strike and that the aid workers were “not innocent.”

Last week Israel (which originally lied and said the bombing was a mistake) said no one would be prosecuted for the murders.

The episode is astonishing.

Israel murdered the citizens of five of its supposed allies, using weapons and intelligence supplied by those countries, has refused to prosecute anyone, and the commander who ordered the bombing is now bragging about it.

This is Zionism.

This is what happens when you have swallowed the logic of an ethno-supremacist ideology that enables and forgives any action, no matter how heinous, because the action was undertaken by the most indulged and protected state in modern history. And obviously, this indulgence and protection flows directly from the fact that Israel is the so-called “Jewish state.” And Jewishness, objectively, is the most protected characteristic in the modern world. Grannies are prosecuted as terrorists not because they oppose genocide, but very specifically because they oppose the genocide committed by the Jewish state. Through cultural brainwashing, political infiltration, and using the shield of antisemitism to guard against all criticism, Israel can kill whoever it wants, whenever it wants, wherever it wants. And it can kill them in whatever quantities it desires. Because the killers are Jews, and we can’t criticise Jews because of antisemitism and the holocaust, which, through deep cultural programming has been instrumentalised to make Jews morally untouchable. Through this weaponisation of memory and elevation of unimpeachable Jewishness we end up with an inverted political morality: genocide is moral, anti-genocide is immoral. … continue

The exodus Israel cannot afford

New data: Israelis heading for the exits include doctors, engineers, tech workers, and high-income taxpayers on whom the occupation’s war economy depends.

By Kamran Yeganegi | The Cradle | August 31, 2026

In the early hours of 7 October 2023, an Israeli journalist identified only as Asaf booked flights for himself, his wife, and their two daughters. The next day, carrying only hand luggage, the family boarded a flight to Berlin. What began as an emergency exit became permanent. Two years later, they had not returned. … continue

Israeli rabbi calls for Palestinians’ expulsion from occupied West Bank

MEMO | August 31, 2026

An Israeli rabbi has called for Palestinians to be expelled from the occupied West Bank, claiming that non-Jews have no national rights in what he described as the “land of Israel,” Anadolu reports.

In footage published Sunday by Al Jazeera English, Menachem Ben Shahar is heard telling a group that Arabs who refuse to accept Jewish sovereignty should leave the territory.

Ben Shahar also said that even a 5-year-old child “loses his right to exist” if the child’s parents are considered “enemies,” according to the broadcaster. … Full article

IOF razes several homes, seizes over 37 dunums of land in West Bank

Palestinian Information Center – August 31, 2026

WEST BANK – The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) demolished on Monday several homes in the al‑Saqi area of Birzeit, north of Ramallah, citing construction without permits.

According to local sources, Israeli bulldozers demolished two apartment buildings belonging to the Karim al‑Nabali family, reducing them to rubble.

Each building consisted of four floors, with each floor measuring about 250 square meters.

Meanwhile, the Israeli occupation army issued a new military order seizing 37.481 dunums of Palestinian land in Beitunia, west of Ramallah in the central West Bank, to expand a military site established on the city’s land near the illegal Beit Horon settlement.

Such military orders effectively strip Palestinian landowners of their right to access and use their property by placing it under direct army control, according to the Wall and Colonization Resistance Commission on Monday.

In separate incidents, a horde of extremist Jewish settlers removed and stole several gates installed by Palestinian farmers at the entrances of their agricultural lands in the Abu Najim and Khalayel al-Luz areas, southeast of Bethlehem.

In southern Nablus, Israeli bulldozers continued, for the second day, to uproot olive trees and level land in the al‑Harayek area of Beita town as a prelude to building a settler road.

West Bank: While Protecting Colonizers, Army Shoots Four Palestinians

IMEMC | August 31, 2026

Israeli forces, protecting illegal colonizers, shot four Palestinian citizens and injured others, on Sunday, in the village of Al-Mughayyir, northeast of Ramallah in the central occupied West Bank.

Media sources reported that a group of colonizers stormed Al-Mughayyir village on Sunday evening, accompanied by occupation soldiers.

Colonizers attacked citizens’ vehicles and attempted to storm the home of the citizen, Shaaban Abu Aliya, among others, before residents confronted them.

Occupation forces, providing protection for the invading settlers, opened fire with live rounds, rubber-coated steel rounds, and tear gas canisters, resulting in several injuries.

At least four citizens sustained injuries from live ammunition, several others suffered inhalation injuries, and some were shot with rubber-coated steel rounds.

Among those shot with live rounds, two citizens were shot in the legs, one was shot in the chest, and one was shot in the abdomen; they were transported to the hospital for medical treatment. … Full article

Five Gaza fishermen injured in Israeli attacks

Palestinian Information Center – August 31, 2026

GAZA – Five Palestinian fishermen sustained bullet injuries on Monday morning following Israeli attacks on their boats off the coast of Gaza City.

According to local sources, two fishermen, Ahmad al‑Sharafi and Ahmad al‑Sheikh, were injured when Israeli gunboats opened machinegun fire on a small fishing boat near the shores of Gaza City.

Earlier, an Israeli quadcopter dropped a bomb on a small fishing boat near Gaza Port, injuring three fishermen.

The Israeli occupation army has systematically destroyed fishing boats and gear belonging to Gaza fishermen, effectively denying them the ability to exercise their profession and secure a livelihood.

Five Palestinians killed, others wounded in Israeli attacks in Gaza

Palestinian Information Center – August 31, 2026

GAZA – Five Palestinian civilians were martyred and several others were injured in Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip on Monday.

According to media sources, an Israeli drone bombed a car in Gaza City’s Tal al-Hawa neighborhood, killing three citizens.

Earlier, two young men were killed and others were wounded when Israeli aircraft targeted a group of citizens south of the municipal park in the west of Gaza City.

In northern Gaza, a teenager was injured when an Israeli drone dropped a bomb in Beit Lahia town. … Full article

Araghchi accuses Netanyahu of deceiving US over war on Iran

Al Mayadeen | August 31, 2026

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of practicing deception and duplicity, describing him as a “serpent.”

Araghchi stated that Netanyahu openly boasts in Hebrew about having deceived the US administration and pushed it into waging a war on Iran on behalf of “Israel”.

In a post on X, the Iranian foreign minister also pointed to Netanyahu’s contempt toward Washington, noting that “Netanyahu explicitly laughs about how he ‘influenced’ America through 1,000 hours of airtime on U.S. networks”.

Araghchi added, highlighting what he called a stark contradiction in Netanyahu’s positions: “In English, he praises POTUS’ leadership.” … continue

Over 1,000 Israeli soldiers killed in Iran’s retaliatory strikes: Armed Forces spokesman

Press TV – August 31,2026

The spokesman for the Iranian Armed Forces says at least a thousand Israeli soldiers have been killed in the Islamic Republic’s retaliatory attacks targeting military installations, strategic sites and intelligence centers across the occupied territories.

Brigadier General Abolfazl Shekarchi stated on Monday that thousands more Israeli military personnel were also wounded during the joint US-Israeli war of aggression against Iran, which began late in February.

Evidence suggests that the United States also lost hundreds of servicemen, while thousands of its troops were injured during the latest round of Iranian drone and missile attacks on US regional bases in July, he further noted.

Brigadier General Shekarchi condemned both Washington and Tel Aviv for their dishonesty regarding military casualties and for obscuring the real statistics.

He noted that the US had only disclosed the deaths of its troops in the Afghanistan and Iraq wars years after they had occurred, and only subsequently returned the remains to their families. … Full article

Iran’s Kharg Island oil operations continue despite bombing, NIOC says

Al Mayadeen | August 31, 2026

Oil operations at Iran’s Kharg Island have not stopped, the chief executive of the National Iranian Oil Company, Hamid Bovard, told Nour News on Monday.

Bovard rebuked claims by US President Donald Trump in a social media post that the country’s main oil terminal had been destroyed, saying  “the tweets by Trump are laughable, and the situation in Kharg is calm,” according to the agency.

He confirmed that the island, which handles 90% of Iran’s oil exports, had been subjected to repeated bombing by US and Israeli forces in the past, but that oil sector workers “did not allow operations to stop for even a single moment.”

Bovard added that contractors are currently working to rebuild and upgrade storage tanks and marine piers.

Earlier, Trump posted an artificial intelligence-generated video that he said showed Iran’s Kharg Island “leveled to rubble,” during US strikes that targeted Iran’s Larak Island the previous day. … Full article

Trump threatens to take action against South Korea for refusing to take part in war on Iran

Press TV – August 31,2026

US President Donald Trump has threatened to downgrade its ties with South Korea over Seoul’s refusal to participate in the US-Israeli war on Iran.

In an interview with Fox News released on Sunday, Trump threatened that Washington may decide to reconsider the scope of US military presence in South Korea.

“We have very little help from other countries, and we help other countries; we spend billions and billions of dollars helping NATO and other countries, South Korea as an example.”

He added he would be a “fool” if he did not punish Seoul for refusing to do as it was told by the US.

“When they are not willing to do anything for you, you can’t be a fool and help them.” … Full article

Iranian Army targets US base in UAE in response to Larak attack

Al Mayadeen | August 31, 2026

The Iranian Army said Monday that it had targeted the US military presence at Al Minhad Air Base in the United Arab Emirates with suicide drones, describing the operation as a response to the US attack on Larak Island in southern Iran.

According to a statement issued by the Iranian Army’s Public Relations Department, the drones targeted positions used by US forces and helicopter units at the base, which serves as an important support and air-transport hub for foreign military forces.

The operation comes following US attacks on Iranian territory and a series of Iranian retaliatory operations against US military positions across the region. […]

Iranian forces also reported a separate success over the Strait of Hormuz. Mehr News Agency, citing a statement from the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC), reported that the IRGC had shot down a US MQ-9 drone over the strategic waterway. … Full article

Bessent Threatens ‘Financial Violence’ as US Plans New Iran Sanctions

Sputnik – 31.08.2026

Treasury Secretary warns of severe consequences for those continuing business with Tehran.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced the US is preparing to sanction another bank in its escalating campaign to clamp down on Iran-related transactions, warning of severe consequences for those who continue doing business with Tehran.

“This is going to be financial violence if we have to,” Bessent told the Associated Press. “We are showing people that we know who you are, you know who you are, and this has got to stop.”

Bessent did not name the bank that would face sanctions this week.

Earlier this week, the US Treasury issued a proposed rule that would, if finalized, sever the Emirati branches of Banque Misr, Egypt’s second-largest bank, from access to the US financial system.

Bessent added that he plans to meet with G20 counterparts in Asheville, North Carolina, to encourage cooperation against Iran, noting that “all options are on the table” in terms of sanctioning Beijing for its continued purchases.

The Treasury’s first official action in this campaign of economic pressure was the proposed rulemaking on Friday, which stops short of imposing full sanctions on the Egyptian bank—a move that appeared to signal the administration’s reluctance to penalize major trading partners that do business with Iran, including China and India.

Bessent spoke with the AP ahead of Group of 20 meetings where he will huddle individually with his counterparts from the world’s major and developing economies. … Full article

Arab states call US sanctions on Iran unrealistic: Report

Press TV – August 31, 2026

Leaders of the Arab Persian Gulf states have reportedly told Washington that sanctions imposed on Iran by the US Treasury Secretary are “unrealistic” and difficult for the countries to accommodate, citing their geographic proximity and close ties with Iran.

Officials from the Persian Gulf states formally conveyed to the US side that the directive issued by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, as part of an economic war against Iran, was “not realistic” and could not be tolerated given their geographic circumstances, neighboring status and proximity to Iran.

The regional newspaper Rai al-Youm reported that Western diplomatic circles believe the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Qatar are unlikely to show the same willingness as European countries to comply with decisions and memoranda issued by the US Treasury Department.

According to the report, some foreign governments, including Qatar, may not adhere to US threats of economic sanctions, viewing them as unrealistic and evidence of the continued escalation of tensions in the region.

Such measures, the report said, could also undermine efforts to pursue scenarios aimed at reducing regional tensions. … continue

Ex-Pakistani envoy: Trump’s economic war on Iran to ‘backfire like his bombing campaign’

Press TV – August 31,2026

A former Pakistani ambassador says US President Donald Trump’s latest economic pressure campaign against Iran could prove ineffective, citing Washington’s multiple strategic miscalculations concerning the Islamic Republic.

In an article that appeared on Pakistan’s Dawn newspaper on Saturday, Maleeha Lodhi, a former envoy to the US, the UK, and the United Nations, said Trump’s declaration of his so-called “economic war” against Iran “is likely to backfire just like his bombing campaign failed to force Iran to surrender.”

Her remarks concerned US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s announcing new coercive economic measures last week under what Washington had termed as “Economic D-Day.” The announcement, Lodhi added, “also exposed the limits of US military options.” […]

The article went on to point to the global resistance in the face of the campaign, including Qatar’s describing the sanctions as unilateral and calling for mediation and China’s rejection of Washington’s approach. A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman said Beijing “will take all necessary measures to firmly safeguard its own interests” from “illegal unilateral sanctions” and warned of retaliation if such sanctions were imposed, it mentioned as a case in point.

“The US expectation that countries will fall in line assumes they will give preference to ingratiating themselves with Washington over their own economic interests. This will turn out to be another miscalculation,” she wrote. – Full article

NATO creating new Arctic front against Russia – Lavrov

RT | August 31, 2026

NATO is seeking to turn the Arctic into a new “hotbed” of tensions with its active military buildup in the region, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has warned. The bloc’s activities sow an atmosphere of distrust and risk a potentially dangerous armed confrontation not only with Moscow but with other nations as well, he warned in an article published by Arctic.ru on Monday.

The US-led military bloc ramped up its military activities in the Far North earlier this year by launching the Arctic Sentry initiative. The move was touted as a response to US President Donald Trump’s effort to annex the Danish autonomous territory of Greenland on the grounds that it was allegedly under threat from Russia and China.

Both Moscow and Beijing have repeatedly dismissed the accusations, with China arguing that the US was merely using the claims as a pretext for its own military buildup in the Arctic. Russia has also maintained that, although it has no stake in the feud over Greenland, it would defend its interests in the broader Arctic.

In his Monday article, Lavrov stated that Russia is mainly interested in “preserving the Arctic as an area of peace and cooperation” while accusing NATO of “driving the region towards militarization.”

“Intensive military preparations are underway in close proximity to our northern borders. NATO is conducting large-scale military exercises involving non-regional countries and introducing new components of its command-and-control system,” the minister said. … continue

Hydrocarbon Reserves in Russia’s Far East Comparable to World’s Largest Basins – Rosnedra

Sputnik – 30.08.2026

MOSCOW – The Russian Far East’s hydrocarbon reserves are comparable in volume to the world’s largest oil and gas basins, Russian Federal Agency for Mineral Resources (Rosnedra) head Oleg Kazanov said in an interview Sputnik ahead of the Eastern Economic Forum.

“The Far East’s hydrocarbon resource volumes are comparable to the world’s largest provinces,” he said.

The Persian Gulf basin is the world’s largest oil and gas province. Other major basins are the West Siberian, Mexican, Permian and Venezuelan.

Kazanov said that Russia’s Far East is often called a geological “gray spot.” He argued this was not entirely accurate since more than 7,800 mineral deposits have been discovered there.

At the same time, much of the territory is indeed less explored than Western Siberia. The main reasons are remoteness, lack of infrastructure, challenging climate and terrain, and the historical priority of investment in Western Siberia, the Rosnedra head said.

The Eastern Economic Forum will be held in Vladivostok from September 1-4. Sputnik is a general media partner of the forum.

Excess Winter Deaths Cover Up

By Paul Homewood | Not A Lot Of People Know That | August 25, 2026

For more than a decade, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) published annual reports detailing excess winter mortality in England & Wales. In other words, how many more people had died in winter on average, compared to the rest of the year.

Or at least they did until 2022, when their final report was published, which told us that excess winter deaths in 2021/22 had amounted to 13,400.

After that, the publications ceased, ostensibly with no explanation whatsoever. It took a Freedom of Information request to elicit the reason… continue

IRGC strikes two US airbases in Jordan over Larak aggression

Al Mayadeen| August 31, 2026

Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guard Corps Aerospace Force struck technical, maintenance and fighter jet infrastructure at two US-operated airbases in Jordan, King Hussein and Al-Azraq, using a combined ballistic missile and drone operation.

The IRGC said the attacks caused “heavy damage” and were launched in direct response to the US strike on Larak Island.

The IRGC warned that “aggression and crime” will not remedy the enemy’s desperation over its weakening control of the Strait of Hormuz, and that every shot fired at Iran will be met with a more crushing response.

The operation follows Sunday’s US strike on Larak Island, the first known US military attack against Iran since late July, which the IRGC said killed and wounded “several of our fighters and compatriots.” … continue

Iraq committed to full US withdrawal deadline – media

RT | August 30, 2026

Iraq is committed to a full withdrawal of US-led coalition forces by the end of September, UK-based Saudi daily Asharq Al-Awsat reported on Saturday, citing an Iraqi official.

US forces have been in the country for 23 years since the 2003 invasion and subsequent smaller-scale operations against Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS).

Reports that US and other foreign troops could remain after September “contradict what was agreed upon between the previous Iraqi government and the US administration,” Asharq Al-Awsat cited the official as saying.

The comments followed media reports suggesting that Washington was only planning a drawdown, rather than a full withdraw by the end of the September deadline. … continue

Finland’s Nuclear Moves Will Bring ‘Commensurate’ Response – Russian MFA

Sputnik – 30.08.2026

Finland’s decision to abandon its policy of military non-alignment after joining NATO “not only fails to strengthen its national security but, on the contrary, significantly increases the risks for it in this area,” Artem Studennikov, Director of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s First European Department, tells Sputnik.

According to Studennikov, Russia will take effective measures in response to Finland’s decision to overturn its Cold War-era ban on nuclear weapons, allowing NATO allies to import, transport and store nuclear devices on Finnish territory.

“As for specific response measures to the decisions taken in Helsinki, these fall within the competence of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. The new security situation will, of course, be taken into account in our military planning. I can only say that no one should doubt that such measures will be taken; they will be commensurate with the threats and effective,” he said.

Finnish lawmakers voted to overturn the ban on nuclear weapons in June, allowing NATO’s nuclear deterrent to be deployed in the Nordic region and bringing nuclear weapons directly to Russia’s doorstep.

Russia, which shares a roughly 1,336 km border with Finland, previously warned that such a move would be seen as a direct threat, and the response could include an increased military presence. along the Finnish border.

Finland’s opposition condemns government’s military pact with Israel as ‘historic shame’

Press TV – August 30, 2026

Finland’s opposition parties have condemned the ruling party’s government for extending military cooperation with the Israeli regime.

According to a report by Finland’s national public broadcasting company (Yle) on Saturday, the government had quietly signed a memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on military cooperation with Israel, extending military ties until 2034.

The MoU covers research, development and procurement of military equipment and was proposed by Finland in early 2024, when the previous five-year agreement was due to expire. […]

Finland has already established several major military links with Israel, including a more than €300 million deal for the David’s Sling air-defense system approved shortly before October 2023.

Yle also revealed that the new memorandum created a joint coordination group between Finland and Israel that is expected to meet at least once a year.

Finnish arms corporation Patria has also worked with Israeli companies on military systems for armored vehicles, including Rafael’s Trophy active protection system and Israeli anti-tank weapons. … Full article

Trump’s Stolen Venezuelan Crude Oil Sent to Israel

By Kurt Nimmo | Another Day in the Empire | August 30, 2026

… The United States sold much of the pilfered oil to Vitol, a Geneva-based energy and commodity trading firm, and also Trafigura, a Singaporean‑based multinational commodities company. The theft and sale of oil have raised concerns about transparency and accountability, especially regarding the management and distribution of its proceeds. […]

Swiss company Vitol is involved in shipping Venezuelan oil to Israel, which is used in part to fuel its apartheid and ongoing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza and attacks on Shia communities in southern Lebanon. Vitol’s Saras refinery in Sarroch, Sardinia, Italy provided 17% of Israel’s imports of oil and refined products.

“At a time when Palestinians are being slaughtered, ethnically cleansed, and deprived of the most basic necessities,” declared Maren Mantovani with the Palestinian-led BDS movement, “any company fueling Israel’s genocide, apartheid and military occupation is deeply complicit and must be held accountable—as should its executives and board members, according to international law.”

In February, it was reported the first shipment of heisted oil went to Israel. The shipment was not the result of a decision made by Venezuela or its Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA), but rather as “an indirect consequence of the reconfiguration of the global energy market orchestrated by Washington,” writes Misión Verdad for the Orinoco Tribune.

On February 10, Bloomberg Línea, a Spanish and Portuguese language news website, reported the oil cargo was transported to the Bazan Group, an oil refining and petrochemicals company located in Haifa Bay, Israel. It is the largest refinery in Israel. … Full article

No Matter Who Is In Power, Israel Will Stay Genocidal.

By Justin K.P. | The Dissident | August 29, 2026

There is a possibility that Benjamin Netanyahu will no longer be Prime Minister of Israel following the upcoming elections in October, with the opposition party Yashar led by former IDF Chief of the General Staff Gadi Eisenkot leading in many polls.

But removing Netanyahu and replacing him with Gadi Eisenkot will not change Israel’s genocidal nature.

In fact, it was Gadi Eisenkot who invented the Israeli military doctrine that functioned as the blueprint for the Genocide in Gaza, called the Dahiya Doctrine.

This Doctrine was invented by Eisenkot when he was Chief of Northern Command during the Israeli assault on Lebanon in 2006.

“What happened in the Dahiya quarter of Beirut in 2006 will happen in every village from which Israel is fired on… We will apply disproportionate force on it (village) and cause great damage and destruction there. From our standpoint, these are not civilian villages, they are military bases… This is not a recommendation. This is a plan. And it has been approved”, Eisenkot said, referring to the doctrine in 2008. … continue

Masked Israeli occupiers attack Palestinian woman, NBC News crew in occupied West Bank

MEMO | August 30, 2026

Masked Israeli occupiers attacked and injured a Palestinian woman and three members of an NBC News team in the occupied West Bank on Saturday, the US broadcaster reported, Anadolu reports.

The journalists were interviewing Aida Ahmed Abdullah, 51, and her family in the Palestinian town of Jalud, near Nablus, when the attack occurred.

Abdullah told the team that Israeli occupiers had forced her family from their home. She and the journalists were walking down a hill toward the house when a vehicle with Israeli license plates reversed toward them, according to video footage of the incident.

At least four masked men then got out of the vehicle and attacked Abdullah and the journalists with sticks and rocks, NBC News reported.

International correspondent Matt Bradley said he was struck twice in the arm and later treated at a nearby clinic.

“They jumped out, beat us, then jumped back in the car,” Bradley said.

A cameraman and producer working with Bradley were also injured and received treatment following the attack.

Abdullah was taken for medical treatment by the Palestinian Red Crescent. Her injuries were not life-threatening, according to a joint statement from the Israeli army and Israel Border Police cited by NBC News. … Full article

Israeli troops ‘stood by and watched’ as settlers carried out new West Bank pogrom

The Cradle | August 30, 2026

No arrests have been made over the latest settler attack on the Palestinian town of Qusra in the occupied West Bank over the weekend, Hebrew media confirmed on 30 August – while Palestinian families are still trapped and settlers and occupation troops remain in the area.

According to Israeli reports, the Israeli army “stood by” and “allowed” the attack to take place.

Some of the illegal settlers who participated in Saturday’s pogrm had their photos published online as well as in the media, but Tel Aviv has taken no measures against them, Israel’s Channel 12 said.

Dozens of settlers had attacked one of the besieged homes on Saturday, where Palestinian civilians have been trapped for weeks. […]

Hebrew reports on Sunday coincided with confirmation that Israeli police are holding in custody a UK activist who was abducted by armed settlers on 29 August.

Settlers reportedly handed the activist over to Israeli police, which said they have arrested the British man – identified as Finn Joughin – and are investigating settler claims that he “assaulted a minor.”

Video footage shows the activist attempting to block a Jewish settler child and other settlers from harassing locals in the West Bank town of Umm al-Kheir, where attempts to establish illegal outposts remain ongoing. … Full article

Israeli terrorism is getting worse because Western leaders are cowards, hypocrites

By Robert Inlakesh | Al Mayadeen | August 30, 2026

Israeli terrorism against civilians across the occupied West Bank has recently triggered condemnation from Western leadership – this shallow rhetoric is overshadowed by their actions, which are driven by a cowardly refusal to push back against the Zionist lobby.

Condemnations and statements of concern have been recently issued by US, UK, and EU officials alike, in what appears at first glance to be pushback against Israeli settler violence and expansionism in the occupied West Bank.

In fact, what we are witnessing is the continuation of a decades-long tradition of hollow statements that act to save face by pretending as if the settlers themselves are somehow rogue elements that can be judged independent of the rest of the Zionist project.

In reality, settlement expansion is a regime project, as the violence of the settlers themselves is too.

The Zionist armed forces are hand in glove with the settlers, to the point that military units such as the ‘Desert Frontier’ have been set up to integrate the settler militias into the occupation forces. … continue

Israel provides covert intelligence, security assistance to Sudan’s RSF militia: Report

The Cradle | August 30, 2026

The leadership of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a militia accused of genocide in Sudan, has maintained secret, high-level security and intelligence contacts with Israel since before the start of the civil war in 2023, Africa Intelligence reported on 28 August.

According to the report, RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti, secretly visited Tel Aviv in May 2025 and February 2026 for meetings with the Israeli Foreign Ministry’s Africa Division and Israeli intelligence officers.

Hemedti was joined by his two brothers, Abdul Rahim, the RSF’s second-in-command, and Algoney, on both trips.

Links between the RSF, which is fighting against the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), and Israel have emerged previously. … continue

Araghchi urges Japanese to hold government accountable over US actions

Al Mayadeen| August 30, 2026

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has called on the Japanese people to hold their government accountable for the United States’ use of military assets stationed in Japan in operations against Iran.

Speaking to Japan’s Kyodo News Agency on Saturday, Araghchi said, “The peace-loving people of Japan should ask their government to be held accountable for the crimes committed by the United States.”

F-16 fighters stationed in Japan deployed in US war on Iran

Earlier, the UK-based UK Defence Journal reported that F-16 fighter jets stationed at the US air base in Misawa, in Japan’s Aomori Prefecture, had been deployed to the Middle East to participate in the war on Iran in March and April.

Referring to the possible role of the fighter jets in US military operations against Iran, Araghchi stressed the Japanese government’s responsibility regarding the use of military facilities and capabilities stationed in Japan against the Islamic Republic. […]

Elsewhere, Araghchi accused elements within the US government and actors aligned with “Israel” of attempting to manipulate energy markets and influence oil prices to serve their own interests.

According to Araghchi, US government elements were using media outlets to influence energy prices for personal gain while seeking to keep US President Donald Trump involved in a “losing war”. He also accused actors aligned with “Israel” of promoting the continuation of the war through overly optimistic assessments of the situation.

“Our intelligence shows major efforts to game energy markets. U.S. Govt elements use gullible media to influence prices for personal gain and keep POTUS mired in a losing war. Israel-aligned actors also promote war with rosy assessments. U.S. consumers feel the real bottom line,” Araghchi wrote in a post on X on Saturday. … Full article

No Ship Passes Hormuz Without Iran’s Permission — Foreign Ministry

Sputnik – 30.08.2026

Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Kazem Gharibabadi, stated that the Strait of Hormuz remains completely closed. Claims by the US that ships can pass freely are “absolutely not true,” Gharibabadi said.

“If any ship passes through it, it is definitely with the coordination and permission of Iran.”

Iran reached understanding with Oman on passage arrangements, he added, but the strait will not open until the United States fulfills its commitments.

Iran has demonstrated readiness through an agreement with Oman regarding the Strait of Hormuz in meetings with Qatari and Pakistani mediators, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi confirmed.

Implementation of commitments rests with the United States, which has suspended them, he added. … Full article

Funding crisis forces UNRWA to shut schools, sparking alarm in Lebanon

Palestinian Information Center – August 30, 2026

Palestinian refugees in Lebanon fear that recent UNRWA’s school closures and relocations are not isolated moves, but the start of a gradual reduction in the agency’s educational network.

UNRWA’s decision to close Rafah School in Tripoli and al‑Bireh School in Burj al‑Barajneh refugee camp has renewed the debate over the future of Palestinian education in Lebanon, particularly amid UNRWA’s funding crisis and mounting pressure on its essential services.

The Palestinian Democratic Youth Union (Ashad) in Lebanon said that shutting down two UNRWA schools in quick succession sets a “dangerous precedent,” warning that “continuing down this path will push Palestinian education into a deeper crisis.” … Full article

From Nabatieh to Mansouri: Israel’s Artillery and Warplanes Pound Southern Lebanon

Al-Manar | August 30, 2026

Israeli occupation forces launched a fresh wave of heavy artillery shelling and airstrikes across southern Lebanon on Sunday, targeting the Zawtar River corridor, the Ali al-Taher heights, and the outskirts of multiple towns in what appears to be a systematic campaign of bombardment despite a nominal ceasefire agreement.

Al-Manar’s correspondent on the ground reported that Israeli artillery shelling targeted the course of the Zawtar River, with simultaneous strikes pounding the Ali al-Taher heights. Israeli warplanes also carried out a series of airstrikes on Wadi al-Salouqi and Tell Ali al-Taher in the Nabatieh district areas that have witnessed near-daily bombardment in recent weeks.

Artillery fire also struck the outskirts of Mansouri and Bayt al-Sayyad, while the Doha Kfar Rumman area was subjected to intermittent shelling throughout the day. … Full article