Politics
USS Gerald Ford beset by mystery fire and clogged toilets
The ‘supercarrier’ USS Gerald Ford isn’t doing super well. The ship is being sent to Crete for repairs after a mystery fire caused severe damage. Some open source accounts and legacy media claim the fire took 30 hours to control and affected hundreds of sailors.
The fire on the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford took over 30 hours to put out last week, with over 600 crew losing their berths. pic.twitter.com/Bl6Lm6bJEC
— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) March 17, 2026
The Ford has been at sea for nearly a whole year. It was involved in the US attack on Venezuela on 3 Jan.
US-Israel attacked Iran first on 28 February without provocation. Iran was offering unprecedented concessions in negotiations at the time. The Pentagon has since stated there was no imminent threat from Iran. And the UN’s atomic watchdog, the IAEA, has said there is no evidence Iran was developing a nuclear weapon.
Reuters reported:
The officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, did not say how long the Ford was expected to remain in Crete.
One of the officials said nearly 200 sailors were treated for smoke-related injuries when the fire broke out in the ship’s main laundry area. The fire took hours to bring under control and had an impact on roughly 100 sleeping berths.
However a US defence official said the ship was still part of the US attack on Iran:
🔴#LATEST — Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group continues to operate in Red Sea in support of Operation Epic Fury against Iran, US defense official says pic.twitter.com/vNYg44D3Vl
— Türkiye Today (@turkiyetodaycom) March 18, 2026
the ship’s toilet system was subject to “unexpected and frequent clogging” and requires acid flushes on a regular basis to clear it, at a cost of $400,000 each time.
Sabotage on the USS Gerald Ford?
The sailors aboard the USS Gerald Ford have low morale. Even US senator Mark Warner – a former navy man – said:
The Ford and its crew have been pushed to the brink after nearly a year at sea, and they have been paying the price for President Donald Trump’s reckless military decisions.
First, dissenters:
The dissenters were part of what became known as the GI movement, soldiers publishing ‘underground’ newspapers, signing antiwar petitions, attending protest rallies and engaging in various forms of public speech to demand an end to the war.
Second, resisters:
The resisters were those who disobeyed orders, defied military authority, refused orders, went absent without leave, committed acts of sabotage, and in some cases attacked their own officers and sergeants.
There is no hard evidence of sabotage or mutiny. But this is a deeply unpopular and quickly failing war. The personnel aboard the Ford have been at sea for nearly year. There is clearly poor leadership and strong sense in the US that the war is connected to Epstein files. That environment is a tinderbox for dissent, at the very least.
Featured image via the Canary
Politics
released Palestinian woman speaks out
Palestinian-American Leqaa Kordia has been released by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after being held in an ICE prison for a year. But she says she is not free. Not yet.
Kordia was one of around 100 victims arrested for peacefully protesting outside Columbia University against Israel’s genocide in Gaza in 2024. No one was charged. But ICE then imprisoned her in March 2025 on the ridiculous grounds that Homeland Security claimed she was “found to be providing financial support to individuals living in nations hostile to the U.S.”. She had sent money to relatives overseas to help support them.
Kordia was hospitalised after suffering a seizure in detention and an immigration judge ordered her release on bond after New York mayor Zohran Mamdani asked for her release during his recent meeting with Donald Trump.
ICE: all their victims need to be released
On her release, Kordia said that she might be physically free – but is not really free until all ICE’s victims are released:
I’m just breathing the air right now but I’m not free inside until everyone is free and I’m holding them in my heart. We’re gonna keep fighting … there is a lot of injustice in this place.
Trump’s racist deportation gang has expelled more than 675,000 people from the US since he re-entered the White House. More than 68,000 others are held without charge in ICE and Customs and Border Patrol detention facilities. The Trump regime boasts of these numbers. ICE has murdered, or tried to murder, members of the public and smeared them as “domestic terrorists”, Yet it continues to avoid accountability for its crimes with the collusion of the federal government.
A relative of Kordia said that the impact on her had been “unimaginable“:
This past year has taken an unimaginable toll on Leqaa and our entire family. We are grateful to our community that stood beside us every step of the way, and for the countless prayers offered during this past Ramadan — those moments of sincerity and hope carried us through some of our darkest days.
Immigrant rights lawyer Sarah Sherman-Stokes said her legal team was “elated and relieved” but that the fight goes on for her and other victims:
We are elated and relieved that Leqaa can finally return home to her family in New Jersey after a long year in ICE detention. This is an important step in restoring Leqaa’s rights as she continues to be unlawfully targeted by the government for her advocacy for Palestinian rights.
We will continue this fight in both immigration and federal courts for as long as it takes, not only for Leqaa but for the freedom of all people facing unjust retaliation for speaking out against genocide.
Travis Fife, another lawyer working for Kordia’s freedom, added:
Today we are celebrating the long-delayed news that Leqaa will be reunited with her family in New Jersey. Since her detention over one year ago, the government has taken every effort to deny her basic rights and freedom, blocking her release not once but twice. Leqaa going home today is the bare minimum. We must continue to assert the fundamental First Amendment principle that the government cannot abuse power to punish people for using their voice.
Leqaa Kordia is not the only person who is unfree outside a prison. As Nelson Mandela said, “our freedom is incomplete without the freedom of the Palestinians”. While the Palestinians and other oppressed peoples remain under the heel of imperial powers, none of us are really free.
Featured image via the Canary
Politics
Rand Paul Attacks Markwayne Mullin
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Politics
Mullin Pressed On Pretti Comments
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Politics
Trump Sends Bizarre Warning To ‘Non-Responsive’ Allies Over Iran War
Donald Trump has issued a bizarre threat to his “non-responsive” allies who are not supporting the US’s war against Iran.
The president has called for Nato members to send warships to the Strait of Hormuz, the major oil shipping lane which Iranian forces have effectively closed by targeting all vessels which pass through there.
But allies, including Britain, have refused to get drawn into the wider war even as the cost of oil continues to climb.
So the president fumed on TruthSocial: “I wonder what would happen if we ‘finished off’ what’s left of the Iranian Terror State, and let the Countries that use it, we don’t, be responsible for the so called ‘Strait?’
“That would get some of our non-responsive ‘Allies’ in gear, and fast!!!”
Trump also attacked Nato on Tuesday, claiming the defensive alliance had abandoned the US “in its time of need”.
Speaking from the Oval Office, he insisted “we don’t need any help” from Nato, before adding: “But they should’ve been there.”
The president has also lashed out repeatedly at the UK in particular for not backing the US’s strikes.
Keir Starmer rejected America’s first request to use British military sites to attack Iran before granting permission to a second query, asking to use the bases for “defensive” and “limited” strikes.
Trump has raged about this decision, claiming this week that the UK-US relationship was “always the best” until “Keir came along”.
He said the war a “great test” of the so-called “special relationship” with America.
Politics
working in hand in hand with rotten media
The gutter press are back demonising disability benefit claimants again – just as the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) are trying to push through benefit cuts.
The Daily Mail ran with the breathless headline:
One in 10 working age Brits are on disability benefits with 1,000 successful claims A DAY – as pressure piles on Keir Starmer to face down Labour MPs on cutting welfare bill
However, if you can suffer through reading the bile, you’ll see where they got this maths from. There are 43.4 million working-age people in the UK. As of January this year, there are 3.93 million claimants on PIP, which is clearly not 10%.
Unusually for the Mail, I’m sure, they’ve been sneaky cunts. What they’ve done is taken all PIP claimants ever, since the benefit began in 2013, which is 4.5 million. From that, they’ve made an estimation that there are 1,000 claims a day.
DWP claimants: it should be much higher
The thing is, this is true. But it should be much higher.
For starters, that 1,000 is the number of successful claims. The Mail article glosses over the fact that, in those 13 years, 4.4 million claims were denied. It also completely ignores the scale of the backlog to even get PIP.
As the Canary has previously reported, the DWP has diverted staff from dealing with new claims to make it look like they’ve got a handle on the backlog of reassessments. Up until October 2025, there were 40,000 new claimants waiting for their claim to be processed. As a result, clearance for new claims fell by 25%, despite there being 6% less claims than the year before. This also means the decision time has risen, from 14 weeks in October 2024 to 16 weeks in October 2025.
There’s also the fact that just 3.9 million people claim PIP. The DWP and press make this sound like a huge number, but it’s only a fraction of how many disabled people there are in the country. 16.8 million people self-identify as disabled in the UK, so that’s less than a quarter of them claiming PIP.
There might be a huge uproar over ‘1 in 10 people claiming PIP’, but disabled people make up 25% of the population. It should be 1 in 4.
Why now?
It’s also a question of why now? Why is the Mail deciding to publish what they’re packaging as massively informative about the ‘ballooning welfare bill’ on a random day in March? Well, because we have to look at what was happening last year in March.
This time a year ago, Labour was declaring its new war on disabled people with the cuts announcement coming on 18 March 2025. All around this, we saw weeks and months of ramped-up hate levelled at disabled benefits claimants. Labour tried every dirty trick in the book with giving the press sound bites of wild claims about benefit claimants.
In fact, Labour minister Wes Streeting made this exact claim almost a year to the date of this article being published. The Labour cuts, of course, didn’t all go through, because disabled campaigners rallied, leading to Labour MPs to ‘rebel’.
However, it coming back again isn’t a coincidence. A year on, Labour are still trying to push through its cuts on disability benefits.
Labour is ramping up hatred again
A big reason for the campaigning against cuts last year was that the DWP wanted to change the criteria for who can qualify. This is something that’s still being considered by the Timms Review, for both new and existing claimants. The review is typically a complete fucking shambles, by the way.
Whilst the DWP attempts to make it harder for those with mental health and neurodivergent conditions to claim, the Department of Health is carrying out reviews into whether the conditions are overdiagnosed. This is despite 32 health professionals calling out Streeting’s bullshit on this.
Alongside this, the department is cutting the amount a disabled person who can’t work is entitled to. In April new claimants will be entitled to £200 less a month. This, according to the DWP will ‘tackle perverse incentives’ to not work, such as y’know being able to afford to keep a roof over your head.
The department also wants to eventually move the ‘UC health element’, which people get when they can’t work, over to PIP, which has nothing to do with work and is a harder benefit to qualify for, even before they tighten the criteria. Of course, this will push disabled people into further poverty.
Demonisation of poor people
At the end of the day, the welfare system is supposed to be there to help those who need extra support. We should be proud to support so many people. But instead, in a system where the rich hold all the cards, it’s the poorest in society who are blamed.
Yes, 1000 people a day do qualify for PIP, but we should be supporting far more. And so many will be left without support if the DWP has their way. The press needs to take a long hard look at the way they report on welfare cuts, because they’ll be complicit in a fresh wave of welfare deaths.
Featured image via the Canary
Politics
Israel is openly ethnically cleansing Lebanon
Israel has openly admitted that it will not allow displaced Lebanese people to return home, which is the textbook definition of ethnic cleansing.
UPDATE: Israel says displaced Lebanese people won’t be allowed to return home
🔴 LIVE updates: https://t.co/xF53WiBO7j pic.twitter.com/4lK2SzLwtE
— Al Jazeera Breaking News (@AJENews) March 16, 2026
So far, the IDF has displaced over one million people in Lebanon as it expands its illegal ground invasion.
So while we’re fighting Israel’s war, they displace 1 Million people in Lebanon and they won’t be allowed to return home. https://t.co/6EV4BZRei2 pic.twitter.com/4Nj2JKkumw
— Maze Love (@MazeLove14) March 16, 2026
But the world should have expected this, given that the Zionists have forcibly displaced the entire population of Gaza since October 2023. Not to mention its previous invasions of Syria, Egypt, and Lebanon.
that’s called ethnic cleansing. https://t.co/Kic52sbf6q
— 17 years of song a day (@songadaymann) March 16, 2026
Nakba
But Israel set the precedent right back in 1948 during the Nakba – when it ethnically cleansed 700,000 Palestinians and almost totally destroyed Palestinian society.
Another Nakba. https://t.co/3FH8xraXVr
— Phryne Astynome (@PAstynome) March 17, 2026
This is ethnic cleansing. Under the Genocide Convention, it is a form of genocidal violence aimed at destroying the foundations that constitute a group. https://t.co/T3LOF9VJyv
— Dr Nafeez Ahmed (@NafeezAhmed) March 16, 2026
The very creation of the Zionist state included the forced expulsion of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians. So how could we ever expect a normal society that doesn’t rely on blood and violence to come from that?
Greater Israel
Israel has been talking about its ‘Greater Israel’ project since 1967.
It’s about invasion, occupation, genocidal war mongering expansionism of the likes not seen since Hitler pic.twitter.com/j8BEb9h2Uz
— Gus Lefty Aussie Patriot (@GusLefty) March 16, 2026
It is used to refer to the territories Israel illegally stole in 1967: the Palestinian territories, the Golan Heights in Syria, and Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula.
However, the Zionists have also referred to it to as including all of Palestine, Lebanon and Jordan, along with significant parts of Syria, Iraq, Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
You’re still called an alarmist anti-Semite if you correctly state their long-term trajectory is of slowly but surely taking over the entire levante region and beyond. https://t.co/JrUkvgXKds
— Orikron 🇵🇹 骆培思 (@orikron) March 17, 2026
In 2024, Bezalel Smotrich, Israel’s finance minister, advocated for the expansion of their borders. He said:
It is written that the future of Jerusalem is to expand to Damascus, invoking the “Greater Israel” ideology.
According to Middle East Eye, he then suggested that:
Israel would gradually grow to encompass not only all Palestinian territories but also parts of Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Syria, Iraq and Saudi Arabia.
Additionally, during Israel’s genocide in Gaza, an IDF soldier wore a patch showing a map of “Greater Israel” on his uniform. This map included parts of Syria, Iraq, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia.
For a long time now, Israel has made its intentions clear. It’s textbook colonialism wrapped up in ‘never again’.
textbook imperial invasion and colonisation, while the world sits back. “Never again” and yet it still happens right in front of our eyes https://t.co/MbcRsdgFnw
— φ🕊️ (@bjorkspears) March 16, 2026
Destruction
Now, Israel is carpet bombing Beirut in the same way it did to Gaza.
Israel just demolished a big residential building in central Beirut.
Israel has illegally and forcibly displaced one million people from South Lebanon. Many sheltering in central Beirut
Israel is now bombing central Beirut
Israel is a terrorist state
— Philip Proudfoot (@PhilipProudfoot) March 18, 2026
The illegal terrorist state has proven it can take out military officials with extreme precision – to the point of being able to target specific apartments in buildings.
Despite this, the genocidal entity still feels the need to wipe out whole apartment blocks – just because it can.
Israel just demolished a big residential building in central Beirut.
Israel has illegally and forcibly displaced one million people from South Lebanon. Many sheltering in central Beirut
Israel is now bombing central Beirut
Israel is a terrorist state
— Philip Proudfoot (@PhilipProudfoot) March 18, 2026
It has no regard for human life – at least not Black and Brown lives.
Israel is a terrorist state. https://t.co/28n3RfO2bC
— Eamon Melia (@EamonMelia) March 16, 2026
Israel and the US are committing 9/11 style massacres every single day – yet still, pointing it out is ‘AnTIsEmITiSm’.
But I say, my arse. The world should not need any more proof that Israel is the problem.
Featured image via AFP News Agency/YouTube
Politics
How Digital Media Is Transforming Modern News Platforms
Have you ever asked yourself how news reaches your phone so fast today?
Why do updates appear instantly on apps, websites, and social media? Many readers ask these questions because news platforms now work in a very different way compared to earlier days.
Digital media has brought new ways for people to read, watch, and understand news quickly and comfortably. It allows news organizations to share information with people in many places at the same time. Because of this change, modern news platforms are becoming more reader-friendly, interactive, and informative.
Digital media also allows readers to participate in the news experience. People can comment, share opinions, and discuss topics with others. This creates a friendly connection between journalists and readers. News platforms now focus on delivering clear information in ways that fit daily life.
The Growth Of Digital News Platforms
Digital technology has opened many new opportunities for news organizations. Today, most people read news on smartphones, tablets, or laptops. This makes information easy to access at any time during the day.
Digital news platforms now publish stories faster and reach more readers than before. Online platforms also allow updates in real time, which helps readers stay informed about current events.
Faster News Delivery
Digital tools help journalists publish updates quickly. News stories can be written, edited, and shared within minutes. Readers receive fresh information almost instantly.
Online news platforms often use notifications, alerts, and social media updates to inform readers. This keeps audiences connected with important events as they happen.
Some benefits of faster news delivery include:
- Readers receive updates quickly
- Information spreads across different regions easily
- Audiences stay informed throughout the day
Wider Audience Reach
Digital media helps news platforms connect with readers across different countries and cultures. A single article can reach thousands or even millions of readers online.
People can access news from anywhere with an internet connection. This creates a shared space where information flows between communities and audiences.
News platforms also publish content in multiple formats such as articles, short videos, and live updates. This allows readers to choose how they prefer to receive information.
The Role Of Interactive Features In News Platforms
Digital news platforms now include interactive tools that make reading more enjoyable. These tools allow readers to take part in conversations and share their thoughts.
Reader Comments And Community Discussions
Comment sections allow readers to share opinions and ideas about news stories. Many readers enjoy participating in conversations and learning from different viewpoints.
Community discussions create a sense of connection among readers. People feel that their voice matters and that they can contribute to public discussions.
This interaction also helps journalists understand what readers care about most.
Multimedia Content In Modern News
Modern news platforms include images, short videos, audio clips, and infographics. These elements help explain complex topics simply and clearly.
For example, a video clip can show important moments during an event. Infographics help readers understand numbers and facts easily.
Multimedia storytelling makes news more informative and enjoyable to read.
How Technology Supports Modern Journalism
Technology has become an important part of journalism. It helps reporters gather information, verify details, and present stories clearly.
Smart Tools For Journalists
Journalists now use digital tools that help them write, edit, and publish content efficiently. These tools assist in organizing information and maintaining accuracy.
One helpful concept that many writers discuss today is humanize ai. This idea focuses on using technology in a way that keeps writing natural and friendly. News articles still feel like they are written by real people who care about clear communication.
Writers use digital tools to support their work while keeping the human touch in every story.
Data And Visual Storytelling
Modern news platforms often include data and charts to explain important topics. Visual storytelling helps readers understand information quickly.
Charts, graphics, and visual summaries make articles easier to read and follow. They also help readers remember important details.
Technology allows journalists to combine text with visuals so that information becomes clearer and more interesting.
How Digital Media Builds Reader Trust
Digital media has also helped strengthen communication between news platforms and their audiences. Readers appreciate platforms that share information openly and clearly.
Transparency In Modern Journalism
Online platforms often update articles when new information becomes available. This helps readers stay informed with the most recent details.
Journalists can also share background information, interviews, and additional sources. This builds trust and helps readers understand how stories are created.
Accessibility For Everyone
Digital news platforms work hard to make content easy for all readers. Many websites now offer features such as adjustable text size, audio versions of articles, and mobile-friendly design.
These features allow people of different ages and reading preferences to enjoy the news comfortably.
Digital media also makes it possible for readers to explore topics that matter to them and learn more every day.
Final Thoughts
Digital media has changed modern news platforms in many positive ways. News now reaches readers quickly, clearly, and in formats that fit daily life. Online platforms connect journalists and audiences through comments, multimedia storytelling, and interactive discussions. Technology also supports writers while keeping articles natural and easy to understand. As digital media continues to grow, news platforms will keep finding helpful ways to share information and bring readers closer to the stories that matter to them.
Politics
Kemi Badenoch calls Trump’s criticisms of Starmer ‘childish’
Kemi Badenoch is continuing to distance herself from the illegal war on Iran being waged by the US and Israel, as she calls the US President’s comments towards the prime minister “childish”.
Still firmly expressing she is a critic of Keir Starmer, the Conservative leader is now openly criticising Trump’s rhetoric.
In a video shared on her social media, Badenoch said:
I’m Keir Starmer’s biggest critic. There’s a lot of stuff that I believe he’s done wrong, but the words coming from the White House are completely wrong. I think it’s actually quite childish. There is a lot that can be said behind closed doors.
She went on to add:
The western alliance having an argument with itself, I think sends the wrong signal to our opponents in Iran or in Russia.
We need to be strengthening the relationship between the UK and the US, irrespective of who is president or who is prime minister. But I think those words coming from the White House were childish.
I’m Keir Starmer’s biggest critic, but the war of words coming from the White House is childish. pic.twitter.com/8Gax3Jhwn3
— Kemi Badenoch (@KemiBadenoch) March 17, 2026
Badenoch changes sides
Still, Badenoch’s criticisms appear motivated by ego and by the unease of being associated with a reckless, self-centred, bloodthirsty president.
She has long supported the orange buffoon and sought to win his favour. Now she chooses to diverge because Trump’s arrogant rants speak the ugly truths that were previously only whispered.
The conversations will still remain the same ‘behind closed doors’ as Badenoch would clearly prefer.
Everything he does is childish – https://t.co/xAET4WUove
— Greg Canty (@GregCantyFuzion) March 18, 2026
Right-wing leaders start to panic (finally)
In a move that will likely lead many to breathe a sigh of relief, many right-wing leaders and public officials have begun to distance themselves from the US and Israel’s devastating battering of Iran.
Day one of bombing saw an entire primary school obliterated, murdering 175 Iranians, most of whom were between the ages of seven and 10.
Likewise, Israeli forces have carried out mass bombardments in Lebanon, displacing hundreds of thousands of people from their homes and communities. Since the bombs began falling at the end of February, they have killed thousands of innocent civilians.
An Israeli airstrike struck an apartment building in central Beirut, on Wednesday. The Israeli army had warned residents to evacuate about an hour before completely flattening it as day broke. pic.twitter.com/JfUEfHDMbu
— The Associated Press (@AP) March 18, 2026
Britons will have heard countless times in their lives about the “special relationship” between the US and UK. However, that relationship has now been entirely exposed; the UK are merely lap dogs for US imperial interests, simply asking how high or how much of the colonialist tyrants.
Across the UK, more people now recognise that US interests often run counter to our own, and thankfully that awareness is growing by the day. Trump’s own rhetoric reflects a continuation of colonial-era thinking, with his characteristic arrogance exposing the true posture of Western leadership.
Britain: ‘a racist little rock clinging to delusions of grandeur’
The Canary’s Rachel Swindon wrote of this relationship and the UK’s irrelevance:
I know the patriots (busy protecting “our girls”) would disagree with me wholeheartedly when I say cloutless Britain — once the envy of empires — now squats in the global corner like a has-been aristocrat clutching a faded tiara, and the aforementioned “special relationship” with the US means we are reduced to begging for pathetic scraps from Washington’s neoliberal feast.
Britain twitches on the world stage like a severed limb still jerking from one of those phantom nerve signals. Ask around the world what they think of us, and if you don’t want to do that, I can tell you we are seen as utterly fucking irrelevant, a racist little rock clinging to delusions of grandeur while the planet rightfully leaves it to rot in a pile of its own Brexit-fuelled misery.
Swindon closed out by stating “Starmer’s cowardice endangers the world”.
If Britain won’t call out its closest ally’s lawlessness, who will? Starmer’s passivity isn’t pragmatism, it’s moral bankruptcy, paving the way for more Putins, Netanyahus, and Trumps.
Right-wing parties do appear to be waking up, even the German far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD). Italy’s far-right prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, has also publicly refused to support the US war.
Even AfD are warning against backing Trump
Maybe Badenoch and Farage need to learn somethng https://t.co/Ub1JlODay9
— dave lawrence 🐟🐟🐠 (@dave43law) March 18, 2026
BREAKING : Italian 🇮🇹 Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has given shock to US & Israel
“Italy will withdraw the army from US led adventure in Middle East and will not participate in the war against Iran” 🔥
Leaders with spine and courage are standing for humanity. Mad Respect 🫡 pic.twitter.com/3fDwWF6kOO
— Amock_ (@Amockx2022) March 13, 2026
Nevertheless, these ‘challenges’ are likely more performative shows to save face publicly with domestic voters. After all, they’ve shown they’re more than comfortable with mass murder if they think the odds are they can get away with it.
The western leaders who are right now congregating in Davos and some of whom are being labeled heroes for standing up to trump, are sharing the spoils of the genocide of half a million Palestinians.
They killed people in the most heinous way and are now selling off their land. https://t.co/GcibcCurUA— that poonam ka chaand (@sabsezyadaa) January 22, 2026
We have witnessed a clear example of leadership guided by principles, values and integrity. Spain’s PM, Pedro Sanchez, has received widespread support and respect for their continued resistance to colonialist oppression and violence.
“I’ve Never Been a Patriot, but Spain Standing Up to Trump Has Made Me One”
Paco Cerdà @nytimes https://t.co/J5n7owh4kf— barrejon (@barrejon) March 13, 2026
Challenges must have weight or they’re just performative crap
It’s clear a line has been crossed by the US and Israel that Western leaders are feeling increasingly uncomfortable with. On the other hand, the world has been watching a genocide carried out against Palestinians without any tangible push back. Therefore, the nature of the relationship with the US and its Western leaders is exposed: bow to imperial interests or be punished.
As a result, this manipulative and coercive relationship has driven a global climate that works only for the richest and most powerful. The rest of the global population pay the price — facing displacement, destruction, hardship, or the strain of surging costs on their daily lives and finances in the UK. As always, ordinary people end up beneath the boot of the rich and powerful.
Western leaders might think publicly shaming Trump will help him find humility and change course, and they’re giving it a good go. Yet, they simply reveal that they miss the point once again. It is undeniable that the Epstein class have shown themselves to be incapable of humility and self-awareness. Their desires and fantasies are all they listen to.
Alas, we’ve given them rope and they’ve run miles with it. Now we must pull that rope firmly back and leave the US and Israel isolated like the hostile, rogue states they are.
Featured image via the Canary
Politics
2026 Bin Changes: Rules And Everything You Need To Know
As a part of their “Simpler Recycling” initiative, the government is going to change the rules around how bins are collected across England this month.
It will mean councils will have to offer collections for the same four kinds of waste.
Here’s when it comes into place, what it means, why it’s happening, and what you need to do next:
When do the bin changes come into place?
For households, the changes begin on 31 March, 2026.
For workplace recycling, they have been in place at businesses with 10 or more employees since 31 March, 2025.
If you need more information on changes that might affect your local area, check your council’s website or contact them directly.
Where do the bin changes apply?
They will apply in England.
What do the new “Simpler Recycling” rules mean?
The standard requirement for businesses and households will be the following four bins:
- residual (non-recyclable) waste,
- food waste (mixed with garden waste if appropriate),
- paper and card,
- all other dry recyclable materials (plastic, metal and glass).
That means they’ll be collected separately.
“Plastic film packaging and plastic bags will need to be collected with plastic recycling from 31 March 2027,” the government explained on its website.
In the meantime, the four options bullet-pointed above will become the standard ones in England.
They must be collected from all households, including flats.
Why has the government created this change?
They hope it will make recycling easier.
Recycling rates have stayed under 45% since 2015 in the UK. But the government wants us to reach a 65% recycling rate by 2035.
It is hoped that by getting rid of a “muddled and confusing patchwork of approaches to bin collections,” people will be more likely to recycle.
Currently (prior to the March 21 change), some households would have to use seven bins to get all of their waste collected properly.
The government hopes a country-wide approach will “end the ‘postcode lottery’ of bin collections in England whereby councils collect different materials for recycling, causing confusion for households”.
This way, you won’t have to check with your specific council to see whether your waste can be collected. It will be the same across England.
Simpler Recycling aims to make recycling simple and consistent. It will include food waste bins nationally, which will get rid of “bad-smelling” food waste. At the moment, lots of UK households don’t get food waste collection.
So, what do I put in each bin under the new rules?
1) Paper and card
This covers all paper and card, except that which has been laminated, contains glitter, or is dirty, wet, and/or sticky.
This will also not include books, wallpaper, or padded envelopes.
2) Mixed recycling
That includes glass items like jars and bottles.
But waste collectors don’t have to collect glass not used as packaging, like mirrors, drinking glasses, microwave plates, light bulbs, or glass vases as mixed recycling.
The category also excludes ceramics like earthenware or crockery.
Mixed recycling also includes metals, like aluminium and steel cans, tins, and spray cans, foil, food trays, jar and bottle lids, and tubes (like empty tomato puree tubes).
But it does not include “laminated foil, like pet food pouches and coffee pouches”, electrical items like batteries, kitchenware like knives and forks, kettles, irons, or containers that held white spirits, paints, engine oils or antifreeze.
Plastics like bottles, tubs, trays, tubes (like toothpaste tubes), and cartons for food or drink (like Tetra-Pak) also count as mixed recycling.
But any plastic labelled “biodegradable” or “compostable,” like coffee pods, or plastic containers that held white spirits, paints, engine oils or antifreeze, does not count as mixed recycling.
Mixed recycling also does not cover bulky plastics like garden furniture, or polystyrene or PVC packaging.
3) Food waste
This counts for all food waste except liquid. That can include eggshells, vegetable peels, etc.
The food waste caddy liners that your food waste will sit in can also be collected.
4) Residual waste
That includes things that can’t be recycled, like plastic film, foil, kitchen roll, food containers that can’t be wiped clean, and nappies.
You can also put some garden waste in here, like grass clippings.
But it does not cover animal bedding, sand, sawdust, plastic, rocks, plant pots, gardening tools, bulky waste like fencing or garden furniture, or very large branches that have not been cut down.
Politics
Rayner slams Labour’s ‘hostile’ immigration policies
Angela Rayner gave an impassioned speech slamming Shabana Mahmood’s cruel immigration proposals as a “breach of trust”. Going even further, the former Labour deputy leader claimed that the public now view the Labour Party as pro-establishment and “un-British”.
Home Secretary Mahmood is proposing changes to migration which would double the time required for migrants to qualify for permanent residence from five to ten years. Even more heartlessly, the Labour government intend to subject refugees to an anxious wait of up to 20 years for the right to remain permanently.
Whilst Mahmood deems this to be “fair” in order to avoid draining public finances, Rayner appears to be attempting to remind the former party of the people of its supposed values and principles.
However, against the backdrop of our colonial history and ongoing support for imperialism, the proposed policy feels unmistakably “British” – and that is precisely the problem we must confront. It is entirely British to operate a hostile environment.
Rayner’s challenge is little more than limp lettuce
And when Andy Burnham addressed the immigration proposals, he showed little real unease with the cruelty at the heart of the immigration reforms.
Speaking to BBC R4′s Today programme, Burnham appears to suggest there may be legitimacy to the government’s proposal. Apparently, the Labour government simply have been ‘clear’ enough with their reasoning. The Labour Mayor said the “impatience to deliver change is shared right across government” and acknowledged Angela Rayner’s argument as worth heeding. Nonetheless, he ultimately chose to side with the government:
I do think the government has a story to tell here and it needs to tell it more effectively.
I think the government really needs to point to that to then allow some breathing space for a considered debate on the proposals around changes to the immigration system.
Therefore, if we dig a bit deeper into Rayner’s apparently “explosive” comments, we soon realise there’s little challenge actually present. On the other hand, it appears she is only concerned by existing refugees and migrants than how this harmful policy would impact future arrivals to the UK.
Labour double standards and lip service once again – no surprise there.
She claimed the system must become fairer and work for working people yet avoided confronting the super-rich interests prioritising profits. Instead, she appeared to accept the narrative that immigration harms workers rather than employers. In the end, her concern seemed confined to migrants already contributing to the economy not having their deal changed “halfway through” – everyone else, apparently, can be disregarded.
She added:
The people already in the system, who made a huge investment, now fear for their future – they do not have stability and do not know what will happen.
We cannot talk about earning a settlement if we keep moving the goalposts.
Because moving the goalposts undermines our sense of fair play. It’s un-British.
Let us be a country that has sustainable economic migration rules, but one that upholds the British values we want all who live here to respect.
Nevertheless, she has more to say ‘apparently’:
🚨 NEW: Angela Rayner has attacked Labour’s direction tonight
– Labour’s “running out of time” with its “very survival at stake” as populism rises
– Migration reforms are a “breach of trust” and “un-British”
– “A lot more to say” soon- “been waiting for this moment”
— Politics UK (@PolitlcsUK) March 17, 2026
Make it count or it’s worthless
Once, Labour stood against the hateful immigration policies of right-wing Conservative governments. Now in power, it has chosen cruelty instead—targeting people trying to build a life with dignity and integrity. Mahmood’s reforms will strip away the opportunities they need to do so.
Seeking to protect those already here while taking hope and protections away from others in war-torn countries is manipulative and coercive. It is also, frankly, beyond pathetic. Nevertheless, championing the interests of the super-rich whilst punishing vulnerable people has been the hallmark of this government. Subsequently, it has seen them lose a significant part of their traditional base to left-wing competitors in the Green’s and Your Party.
If Rayner and Burnham actually care about human rights or British values and principles, they’d walk away from this captured, corrupted party.
Featured image via the Canary
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