Jordan, a staunch U.S. ally that hosts American forces in the Mideast, has paid a price for its relationship with Washington, which has made the kingdom’s military bases a target of repeat Iranian strikes.

Hundreds of drone and missile attacks have added to other strains on Jordan that include a slumping economy and volatility in the neighboring West Bank, where Israeli settlers have ramped up attacks on Palestinians.

Despite the risk of more strikes, Jordanian leaders say they are committed to maintaining the relationship after decades of courting deeper security ties with American officials and offering to be a reliable partner with the West in a region rocked by conflict. Analysts say the alliance offers Jordan a way to guard against Iran’s attempts to destabilize its neighbors.

King Abdullah II of Jordan seemed to acknowledge the need for such alliances last year, when he warned that destabilization fueled by the COVID-19 crisis, Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and multiple Israeli military campaigns in the Middle East could trigger chaos far beyond the region.

“We are living through wave after wave of disruption, without pause,” he told European lawmakers. “There is no telling where the boundaries of this battleground will end. That, my friends, is a threat to people everywhere.”

Jordan embraces Washington to weather stormy Middle East

The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is a puzzle-piece-shaped nation bordering Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Israel and the West Bank. More than 11 million Jordanians live between the Jordan River, the Red Sea and eastern deserts strewn with ruins.

Besides the threat from Iran, Jordan faces other challenges, such as an economy that has buckled under millions of refugees fleeing regional conflicts. Soaring energy prices and inflation have added to the burden as the tourism sector struggles to draw visitors to landscapes lionized in Hollywood by Peter O’Toole, Harrison Ford and Matt Damon.

And next door, growing Israeli settler violence in the West Bank is deeply unsettling to Jordanians who fear instability could drive many of the 2.8 million Palestinians there to flee into the kingdom, said Sean Yom, a professor at Temple University and author of a 2025 book titled “Jordan: Politics in an Accidental Crucible.”

Since taking the reins from his father, King Hussein, in 1999, Abdullah has forged ever-stronger links between his capital, Amman, and Washington. The monarch — a fluent English speaker whose dynasty claims to be descended from the Prophet Muhammad — enjoys widespread support among world leaders and Democratic and Republican lawmakers in the U.S.

President Donald Trump once called the king “one of the true great leaders of the world.” Joe Biden also praised his leadership. First lady Jill Biden was a guest at the wedding of Abdullah’s son Hussein to a Saudi aristocrat in 2023. Pope Leo welcomed Abdullah to the Vatican in 2025.

As part of its partnership with the West, Jordan provided logistical help and intelligence for the U.S.-led 2003 invasion of Iraq, and it contributed to the fight against Islamic State militants in Syria and Iraq.

Jordanian elites see Iran’s support of Shiite militias in Iraq, armed Palestinian groups and Syrian drug traffickers as direct threats to the royal court, Yom said.

“Very few people in Jordan think the Islamic Republic is good for the Middle East,” he said.

US military operations rely on a dozen sites in Jordan

Amman and Washington signed a defense-cooperation agreement in 2021 that granted U.S. forces and contractors access to 12 military installations across the kingdom. The NATO military alliance opened its first liaison office in the region in Jordan in 2025.

In the run-up to the Iran war, Jordan’s sprawling Muwaffaq Salti Air Base became “a key logistics hub” for U.S. C-17 transport planes and about 60 combat aircraft, said David Schenker, a fellow at the Washington Institute.

“Jordan provides great strategic depth,” he said, calling the kingdom’s position “essential” to the U.S. campaign against Iran. “This makes Jordan a target, not just targeting U.S. forces but also targeting the king.”

About 50,000 U.S. troops are currently deployed across the Middle East, with an unknown number in Jordan. Schenker estimates that at least 8%, or $1.47 billion, of the kingdom’s annual budget comes directly from U.S. grants.

Adm. Charles Bradford, commander of the Pentagon department covering the Middle East, said in May that the U.S. military had relocated personnel and assets from its mission against the Islamic State from Iraq to Jordan. The shift was part of a broader, long-running strategy to put more distance between American forces and Iranian missiles.

Those troops were enough to draw fire to Jordan from the Islamic Republic. Most of the incoming missiles and drones were knocked down by U.S. air defenses.

Speaking Thursday in Vienna, Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi defended his country’s right to make its own decisions.

“Iran has been attacking us and many other countries in the region long before even this war started,” he said, referring to Iranian “meddling in internal affairs” and other clandestine efforts. “So we do not buy their argument. We are a sovereign country. We were not a party to this war.”

___

Associated Press video journalist Philipp-Moritz Jenne contributed to this report.

Children being trafficked to Scotland are also being made to work in nail bars, car washes and the hospitality industry.

Vietnamese children are being trafficked into Scotland and sexually abused, the Daily Record can reveal.

Shock statistics show that since 2020, Police Scotland has received 342 case referrals where south-east Asian ­youngsters have been kept in slavery.

Thirty-one cases involve children being sexually exploited, usually through prostitution or escort work. They are often made to work in flats or “pop-up” brothels.

Data released via a freedom of information request by Police Scotland show most cases since 2020 were in Edinburgh with 74, Glasgow with 72 and Ayrshire with 49. In the first six months of this year there were 19 child trafficking cases, with three linked to sexual exploitation.

Victims can be forced to work in cannabis farms, nail bars and car washes. Others are made to cook and clean for Vietnamese families.

Karen Miller, of the anti-slavery charity Restore Glasgow, said: “We are horrified to see these latest figures.

“As a Glasgow-based anti-trafficking charity we are naturally aware that ­trafficking happens under our noses all the time, but it’s still shocking to ­contemplate the figures when you remember that each of these numbers is a frightened, exploited child.

“Vietnam is one of the top two source countries for victims of trafficking in the UK, supplying unwilling workers to ubiquitous dodgy nail bars and the cannabis industry.

“Cynical trafficking gangs will recruit people from rural areas, including children, because they lack the education and street smarts to understand the danger of these ‘job offers’.”

Karen added: “What is most horrifying is seeing that Vietnamese children are also being sexually exploited.

“This is the sad truth of the prostitution industry – most victims are first ­prostituted when they are still children, because their age makes them ­particularly vulnerable.

“People, including children, can be excluded from receiving support after trafficking, on public order grounds, because of convictions for crimes they were forced to commit. We would like to see less posturing and instead see the ­government engage in the difficult work of combating the international gangs that drive the trafficking.”

Trafficking expert Kieran Walsh says organised crime groups are often behind the scandal. From 2017 to 2022, he served as a manager for the Salvation Army’s Anti-Trafficking and Modern Slavery ­Operations department where he encountered victims.

Kieran said: “The trafficking of ­Vietnamese people, both children and adults, has been going on for a ­considerable time as evidenced by your figures.

“Vietnamese organised crime groups can be quite ruthless in how they carry out their activities in trafficking children for illegal and immoral purposes, Either through forced labour or sexual exploitation.”

He says the ­Vietnamese crime groups will bring the children into Europe where local organised crime groups including those from Britain will take over.

He says trafficked ­children often end up working illegally in the ­hospitality industry in kitchens.

Others can be made to work in the construction industry or for removal and logistics firms.

Those made to work in cannabis farms are normally unable to leave while they grow the plants.

He said: “The whole aim to the criminal is to reduce the risk to them of being captured.

“Unfortunately the young people who are brought into the UK are used as the front and the person who will be detained by the police.”

Kieran also says that trafficked children in Scotland are often made to work on fishing boats or in remote hospitality locations.

He added: “They will be made to provide labour where labour is short. It is a very similar picture across the UK.”

Joy Gillespie, chief executive of the Survivors of Human Trafficking in ­Scotland charity, explained that the ­organisation is working with Scottish Government, Police Scotland and the Crown Office to raise awareness of the plight of victims of all ages.

Joy said: “Most victims of trafficking are exploited for many purposes including sex, labour, crime and domestic servitude.

“It is unusual for victims to be only used for one purpose whether they are children or adults.”

Mary Glasgow, Chief Executive of national children’s charity, Children First said: “These figures are deeply concerning, but what’s more troubling is they may just be the tip of the iceberg. We don’t have a grasp of the true scale of child criminal exploitation in Scotland and gathering clear data is an urgent priority to ensure the right resources are put into tackling it. “Behind these numbers are children who are living through a nightmare of exploitation, coercion and abuse and without protection, the impact on them will be long-lasting and devastating.

“Every child in Scotland who needs it should have access to specialist help to heal and recover.

“I would urge anyone worried about a child to contact Children First’s confidential support line on 08000 28 22 33. If a child is in immediate danger, contact the police straight away.”

Reform UK has been reported to the police over allegations it breached political donation rules by having polling paid for by an overseas company.

Nigel Farage’s party took funding from a US firm for three polls it commissioned earlier this year costing £32,500, Channel 4 News reported.

The purported donors were in fact undercover reporters from investigative group Verbatim posing as an American financier and his UK-based son.

Foreign companies are not a permissible source of funding for parties, including for payments for studies and research, and accepting donations from them could constitute a criminal offence.

Reform claimed it was the victim of a hoax. A spokesperson said: “Reform UK has been the target of a hoax perpetuated by foreign-funded, climate change activists posing as would-be party donors. The party denies any wrongdoing.

“Reform UK has a robust vetting process for prospective donors approved by the Electoral Commission.”

The Liberal Democrats have written to the Metropolitan Police and Electoral Commission. Labour also intends to report the matter to the police, it is understood, and the Greens have called for an investigation.

The Met said it is assessing the reports.

In a letter to the force’s special enquiry team, Lib Dem Cabinet Office spokesperson Lisa Smart wrote: “I am writing to report to your unit a potential serious breach of electoral law, involving the acceptance and concealment of a donation from an impermissible donor.

“The breach raises alarming questions about whether there has been a wider complacency toward foreign interference by the individuals involved.”

Ms Smart said that James Orr, a senior adviser to Mr Farage, facilitating the £32,500 donation from an impermissible donor would mark a breach of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act.

She continued: “The funding appears to have been channelled into political spending on behalf of Reform UK, and therefore a donation in kind, in a manner apparently structured so as to avoid the payment being recorded and reported as a donation to the Electoral Commission. This would constitute a clear breach of section 61 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act.”

Mr Orr, Reform’s policy head who is at the centre of the allegations, said that “no money reached Reform UK at all”.

“It was a public poll arranged by an independent person paying an independent pollster, and those polls were published immediately for the general public,” he said in a video posted to X.

It comes at a sensitive moment for Reform, members of which have gathered for its annual conference in Birmingham with Mr Farage set to deliver his comeback speech on Friday afternoon.

Mr Farage is already under investigation by the parliamentary watchdog over a £5 million donation he received just before becoming an MP from crypto billionaire Chris Harborne, which he failed to declare.

The Reform UK leader has always insisted the money was a private gift for his personal security and not political, so it did not need to be declared.

But other questions have been raised about gifts and donations from his long-term associate George Cottrell, known as Posh George, and his mother.

The latest allegations also come as Reform has been sliding in the polls, averaging around 23 per cent. This is around 10 points down from last year, and the party is trailing Labour in most surveys.

A More in Common poll earlier this week also had Kemi Badenoch’s Tories ahead of Reform.

Mr Farage hoped to have drawn a line under the allegations with his by-election victory in Clacton last month, but the sting operation took place while he was campaigning there.

Labour Party chair Bridget Phillipson said: “This scandal goes right to the top of Reform UK. Nigel Farage needs to urgently prove today that his top team haven’t broken the law and secretly plotted to undermine our democracy.

“It’s not just Farage’s secret £5 million ‘gift’. Time and again he and his mates think the rules don’t apply to them. The sleaze and scandal now engulfing him and his party isn’t going away – it’s getting worse.

“It’s time to stop the deflections and desperate excuses. Farage and Reform must co-operate with the authorities to establish the truth and prove just how deep this scandal goes.”

Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey told Channel 4 News: “Let’s not pre-empt the police investigation and what the Electoral Commission find. But if they are found guilty, he (Mr Farage) should face the full force of the law, and that could be very, very heavy fines. It could even be a prison sentence.”

Green Party leader Zack Polanski said: “These very serious claims should be fully investigated by the Electoral Commission and the police.

“There are millions of reasons why Nigel Farage is happy to take money from billionaires, climate science deniers and secret foreign backers, and not one of them is because he has any interest in improving people’s lives.”

Chair of the Commons Foreign Affairs Select Committee, Dame Emily Thornberry, said: “It is a criminal offence to knowingly receive a donation for a political party from a foreigner with no connection to the UK.

“What has been caught on camera by Channel 4 looks to be very serious indeed. I expect the police to investigate.

“We must protect our democracy from foreign interference and keep all dodgy money out.”

A Met Police spokesperson said: “We’re aware of media reporting on Thursday 3 September involving political party donations and an alleged breach of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 relating to polling.

“We will assess this matter and any information provided to us.”

An Electoral Commission spokesperson said: “The law requires political parties to report all permissible donations they accept with a value over £11,180 and all impermissible donations over £500.

“Information about any potential attempt to evade the controls on donations is for the police to consider.”

I READ The Press’ excellent article from Emma Clayton about sandwiches with great interest.

I am now quite ancient, originally from the East End of London, and when I first came to York many years ago went in to a popular cafe in the city and ordered a bacon sandwich, only to be astounded when it arrived at my table.

A large flaccid very soft flat bread roll containing four shrivelled pieces of dubious-looking bacon!

I took it over to the servery and spoke (very politely) to the lady serving there and said that I had ordered a ‘sandwich’ not a bread roll.

She looked at me quizzically and said it was a ‘sandwich’, bacon and a bread bun!

I am very careful these days to specify my desires when ordering any sort of ‘sandwich’

anywhere.

Phill Thomas,

Brecksfields,

Skelton

Read more:

Why this is the wrong move and a waste of money

IN trying to justify the latest ATTRO (Anti Terror Traffic Regulation Order) officials say they are seeking to reduce vehicle attacks.

It is not vehicles that attack us. It is certain people who get into those vehicles that are the problem. People who support an ideology that is completely alien to British values and Western civilisation.

Those people can just as easily kill with a backpack full of explosives, firearms and knives as they can by driving vehicles into pedestrians.

The money being spent on futile traffic restrictions would be far better expended on tackling the root cause of the problem and dealing with those that seek to destroy our society.

Matthew Laverack,

Lord Mayors Walk,

York

—

Can you help and donate to flood appeal?

DEVASTATING flash floods struck Nepal at the end of August, affecting around 65,000 people, including more than 22,000 children.

Many people remain missing, and communities are facing an uncertain future after homes, livelihoods and vital infrastructure were swept away.

Entire villages in the flood’s path have been largely destroyed.

In response, international disaster relief charity ShelterBox has launched an urgent appeal to help families who have lost everything and are now in desperate need of safe shelter and essential household items.

In disasters such as this, ShelterBox works closely with local partners, including Rotary members, to understand people’s needs in Nepal and help ensure support reaches those most affected.

Together, we are preparing to provide emergency items including blankets, sleeping mats, pillows and tarpaulins, helping families protect themselves from the elements as they begin the difficult task of rebuilding their lives.

ShelterBox has a long history of responding to disasters in Nepal, including the 2015 earthquake, as well as major flooding across South Asia. That experience is helping us prepare to support families affected by these latest floods.

Every donation, no matter the size, can help provide urgently needed support. I would urge your readers to consider donating to the appeal or sharing information about it. At a time when many families have lost loved ones, their homes and any sense of certainty about the future, public support can make a real difference.

To find out more or donate, visit shelterbox.org

Alice Jefferson

Head of Emergency Response and Preparedness

ShelterBox

—

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The Stig was one of Top Gear’s most iconic and mysterious characters – now the identities of all drivers who played him have been confirmed after much debate among fans

Some say he can communicate with pigeons, and balance 14 spoons on the tip of his nose at a moments’ notice – all we know is, he’s called The Stig. The legendary Top Gear figure made his debut in 2002 – and gained even greater fame through host Jeremy Clarkson’s weird and wonderful introductions of him.

For years, audiences attempted to learn The Stig’s true identity, but the mystery only added to the intrigue as the show continued. Now, it has been revealed The Stig was played by three professional racing drivers, with each sharing their stories throughout the years.

Who was The Stig?

The Stig was developed for the relaunched edition of Top Gear in 2002 by Jeremy Clarkson and producer Andy Wilman.

His primary responsibility was to evaluate vehicles around the programme’s renowned circuit at Dunsfold Aerodrome and establish lap times.

He also assisted in coaching celebrities participating in the “Star in a Reasonably Priced Car” segment.

The running gag was that nobody understood who The Stig truly was. He never uttered a word on camera, maintained his helmet throughout and was consistently presented with Clarkson’s celebrated “Some say” characterisations.

The original Black Stig – Perry McCarthy

The initial Stig was Perry McCarthy, a former Formula One driver who donned a completely black racing suit.

McCarthy portrayed The Stig from 2002 until 2003, featuring in the opening two series before the character was dramatically “killed off” when he purportedly drove a Jaguar off an aircraft carrier. His identity was ultimately uncovered, partly through his autobiography, prompting the programme to introduce a new Stig clad in white.

The White Stig – Ben Collins

The Stig most viewers likely recall was Ben Collins, a professional racing driver who assumed the role in 2003.

For years, fans attempted to determine who lurked beneath the white helmet, with Collins frequently connected to the position.

In 2010, the BBC found itself embroiled in a legal dispute regarding Collins’ autobiography, which disclosed his identity as The Stig.

Collins possessed a motorsport pedigree and had also served as a stunt driver, including on Quantum of Solace, rendering him an ideal candidate for the part.

Was Michael Schumacher The Stig?

In 2009, Top Gear seemingly unveiled The Stig’s identity at last – with seven-time Formula One world champion Michael Schumacher removing the helmet.

However, it was merely a prank.

Schumacher completed a lap in the reasonably priced car before Clarkson essentially confirmed that he wasn’t genuinely The Stig.

Collins remained the individual beneath the white suit during that period.

The final Stig – Phil Keen

Following Collins’ departure from the programme in 2010, another driver stepped in.

The third Stig was Phil Keen, who continued in the role until Top Gear concluded in 2022.

Keen holds the distinction of being the most accomplished driver in British GT history, having secured runner-up in the premier class on three occasions.

After his time on Top Gear, he now races in the European Le Mans Series for JMW Motorsport.

Jeremy Clarkson subsequently confirmed Keen’s identity in 2024, revealing the three principal Stigs were Perry McCarthy, Ben Collins and Phil Keen.

Rescuers in Nepal pulled two workers alive from a hydropower project tunnel on the Trishuli river during an ongoing operation on Friday, officials said.

Nepalese lawmaker Shri Ram Neupane posted the second rescue on his Facebook page shortly after army spokesperson Brigadier General Raja Ram Basnet confirmed the first trapped worker’s rescue from the tunnel at the Upper Trishuli 3A site.

The workers were rescued nine days after flash floods, likely caused by a glacier collapse, devastated entire towns and valleys along the Nepal-China border.

The rescued workers were Sanjay Sah, a mechanical foreman, and Kabir Maharjan, a mechanical supervisor, energy minister Biraj Bhakta Shrestha’s office said in a statement.

Mr Maharjan cannot move his hands and legs but Mr Sah’s injuries are not critical. They are being taken to a hospital in Kathmandu.

Mr Maharjan’s brother said he had not received any news officially but had been told to go to the hospital”.

“I have ⁠been hearing from the news that my brother ‌has been found. ​The entire family is ‌very happy,” Amir Maharjan said.

The 26 August floods killed at least 1,259 people and left more than 5,000 missing, according to Nepal’s national disaster management agency.

China said 21 people were killed and 541 were missing on its side of the border in Tibet.

Rescue efforts are increasingly centred on hydroelectric project tunnels along the Trishuli river where authorities believe that many workers remain alive after being cut off by floodwaters and debris.

Nearly 900 workers are still missing from 12 hydropower projects in the country, with 500 believed to be trapped in tunnels, according to local authorities.

At the Upper Trishuli 3A facility, it took rescue workers almost six days to find the tunnels because of thick ‌mud.

Rescuers said there was a dry chamber inside and expected oxygen to be flowing through the tunnel. They were also using pipes to push oxygen inside.

The funeral of Jakub Matusiak – one of the five people in the Volkswagen Passat who died in the South Bank crash on August 22 – is set to take place tomorrow (September 4). 

The head-on crash, which took place between a marked Cleveland Police armed response vehicle and the Passat, which was travelling the wrong way, also took the lives of PC Matthew Blades and PC Tom Clough. 

Several schools, as well as Normanby Medical Centre on Normanby Road, have today announced that they will be closing early due to the disruption expected by the funeral. 

It will take place at St John the Evangelist Church on Normanby Road. 

Earlier today, the Shadow Education Secretary said children should not be kept out of classrooms and called on Education Secretary Lucy Powell to “ensure that this does not impact on the honest and decent pupils, parents and teachers”. 

Now, Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council leader, Cllr Alec Brown, has said it is “awful” that children’s education is being disrupted. 

He also issued a clear message that any dangerous riding, reckless driving, or antisocial behaviour is not acceptable.

He said: “I fully understand that funerals are deeply personal occasions, and I respect the right of families to grieve. 

Two police officers are among seven people who have died following a devastating crash on the A66 in Teesside (Image: North News & Pictures Ltd)

“But I am deeply concerned that schools in our area have felt they have no option but to close early because of fears about the impact on our roads, including the potential presence of large numbers of motorcycles, quad bikes and other vehicles.

“Our children should be able to attend school safely and without their education being affected by events happening elsewhere. 

“Parents should not be put in the position of having to make alternative arrangements for their children because schools are worried about road disruption or potentially dangerous behaviour.

“And potentially losing income for work.

“I think it is awful that our children’s education is being disrupted because of concerns about what might happen on our roads.

“If anyone intends to use tomorrow as an excuse for dangerous riding, reckless driving, road blockages or antisocial behaviour, my message is clear: that is not acceptable.

“Our children, teachers and families should not have to bear the consequences.

“As leader of Redcar and Cleveland Council, I am seeking assurances that everything possible is being done to keep our communities safe and minimise disruption.

“We can show compassion for grieving families while still being absolutely firm about protecting our children, our roads and our communities.”

A spokesperson for the council said the decision to close schools early followed discussions between local headteachers and the authority over anticipated traffic and transport disruption.

They said the decision was made after “careful consideration of the potential impact on home-to-school transport and the departure of pupils, staff and families at the end of the school day”.

Jakub Matusiak, 23. (Image: SOCIAL MEDIA)

They said: “Schools have worked with the local authority and transport providers to consider arrangements for pupils, including those who travel to and from specialist educational settings.

“We recognise that early closure may cause inconvenience for some parents and carers, and we thank them for their understanding and co-operation.”

Planned school closures tomorrow include:

• Archway Academy Teesville: 11.45am
• St Peter’s: 12pm
• South Bank Primary School: 12pm
• Outwood Academy Normanby: 12pm
• St Margaret Clitherow’s Catholic Primary School: 12.15pm
• Mackenzie Thorpe School will be closed all day.
• Nunthorpe is due to remain open as usual.

At South Bank Primary, pupils using local authority transport will be collected from school at 11.30am.

Parents and carers have been advised to collect children from their usual collection points when their school closes.

Children who usually walk home alone can leave at an earlier time to normal.

A previous memorial for Matusiak near the crash site, featuring orange balloons, fireworks and masked bikers, sparked mixed reactions within the local community over the tone of the event.

Police investigations into the circumstances of the collision are continuing.

Earlier this week, a fundraiser launched for the families of the two Cleveland Police officers reached its target, surpassing £1.2 million.