Politics
Do These Heatwave Hacks Work?
With record-breaking heat sweeping across the country and around the world, people are increasingly seeking ways to stay cool and turning to all kinds of tips, tricks and folk remedies to do it.
But how many of those heat-beating hacks are actually grounded in science?
HuffPost asked experts to weigh in on some of the most common old wives’ tales about surviving the heat, from damp sheets to cabbage leaves to yoghurt on windows.
The verdict? Some have truth to them, others don’t hold up to scrutiny, and a few could actually backfire depending on the conditions.
1. “Sleeping under a damp sheet cools you down.”
“The ‘Egyptian method’ involves sleeping under a damp sheet to cool down,” Dr. Swapnil Patel, vice chair of the department of medicine at Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center, told HuffPost. “A damp towel can be used as an alternative.”
The cooling effect is the result of a simple evaporation process.
“A lightly damp sheet or cloth can cool through evaporation,” said Dr. Anthony T. Lagina, an associate professor in the department of emergency medicine at Wayne State University, Detroit Medical Center. “As water evaporates from the fabric, it pulls heat away from the skin. This works best in dry, well-ventilated conditions.”
Thus, the effectiveness of sleeping under a damp sheet is limited based on environment. And, the technique can in fact have the opposite effect in the wrong conditions.
“It works poorly in high humidity because water and sweat do not evaporate efficiently,” Lagina explained. “In humid conditions, a damp sheet may feel clammy, disrupt sleep or irritate skin.”
There are other ways to make your sleep environment safe in hot conditions, however.
“To deliver true peace of mind and comfort, I recommend focusing on proven environmental controls such as keeping your bedroom well-ventilated, utilizing lightweight, breathable bedding, taking a cool shower before bed and prioritizing consistent fluid replenishment throughout the day,” said Dr. Scott Braunstein, chief medical officer at Sollis Health.
2. “Smear yoghurt on your windows to keep the heat out.”
The idea behind putting yoghurt on windows – a tip that has circulated in the UK – is that the light-coloured yoghurt forms a thin film on the glass that reflects incoming solar radiation, so less heat passes through the window.
“Putting something reflective on your windows will help keep the sun out and cool your home,” said Anna Bershteyn, an associate professor in the department of population health at NYU Langone Health. “I would suggest a reflective window film, metallic foil or shades rather than yoghurt – that would be more effective and less messy.”
Lagina also advised against putting yoghurt on your windows to keep heat out in favour of more practical options. “It is not a reliable cooling strategy and creates sanitation concerns, including odor, bacterial or mold growth, insects and potential surface damage,” he said.
He also weighed in on a similar hack – putting wet towels or cloths on your windows.
“A wet towel or damp cloth over a window can provide only mild cooling if the air passing through it evaporates,” Lagina explained.
“In humid weather, this may simply add moisture indoors, making sweating less effective. Better home-cooling approaches include blocking direct sunlight with curtains or reflective shades, opening windows only when the outside air is cooler and using fans to move air across the skin.”
Ekaterina Goncharova via Getty Images
3. “Hot beverages cool you faster than cold ones.”
“Some studies have found that hot drinks and spicy foods increase sweating, which could be helpful in dry heat,” Bershteyn said. “Think deserts – where your sweat evaporates so fast that your skin is dry. If your sweat is dripping off of you – as it does in muggy, humid heat – more sweat won’t cool you any faster.”
When sweat evaporates, heat is removed from your body, but in humid conditions, drinking a hot beverage will instead probably just be uncomfortable and add heat initially.
“During heat stress, cool water or an electrolyte-containing drink is usually more practical,” Lagina said. “Moderate caffeine is generally acceptable for many adults, but excessive caffeine and alcohol should be avoided during extreme heat. Alcohol reduces judgment and can worsen dehydration and heat illness risk.”
Indeed, the type of beverage – hot or cold – that you consume makes a big difference.
“Cold water or targeted electrolyte solutions are consistently the better choice because they are refreshing, encourage people to consume a higher volume of fluids, and provide immediate physical relief from the heat,” Braunstein said.
“Also keep in mind that many hot drinks, such as coffee or tea, are caffeinated, and the caffeine both speeds up your metabolism increasing heat production, and acts as a diuretic contributing to fluid losses and dehydration.”
4. “Cooling your pulse points lowers your temperature more quickly.”
“Cooling the neck, armpits, groin, wrists and the backs of the knees can help, as major blood vessels are near the skin surface,” Lagina said. “Cool packs or wet towels can remove heat from blood and skin.”
Basically, you can quickly cool the body by cooling the parts where blood flows close to the skin.
“Applying cold can briefly cool circulating blood locally, which produces a perception of relief,” said dermatologist Dr. Brendan Camp. “However, this effect is modest and does not significantly lower overall core body temperature on its own. It is best understood as a sensory or comfort-based strategy rather than a true systemic cooling method. It works best when combined with airflow or general body cooling.”
Lagina similarly noted that this trick is “not magic,” as some situations require cooling across the fuller surface of the body.
“For serious overheating, broader cooling is better – a cool shower or bath; misting with a fan; cold, wet sheets; or cold-water immersion when safe and appropriate,” he said.
Pay attention to potential heatstroke symptoms, which require urgent medical attention.
“If you begin to experience symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, heavy sweating, muscle cramps or unusual fatigue, it is critically important to immediately seek medical care, most often at an urgent care or ER,” Braunstein said. “Heat-related illness is a spectrum that ranges from very mild to life-threatening, so time is truly of the essence.”
5. “Placing a cold cabbage leaf under your hat or on your body can cool you down.”
“Using cabbage leaves is a real folk remedy, for their cooling properties,” Patel said. “While more commonly studied for reducing pain and swelling in conditions like osteoarthritis, the cooling effect of the leaves, with their water content, is real.”
In the context of heat, cabbage leaves can provide a brief, localised cooling sensation, but experts say don’t get too excited about it.
“My mother has tried to treat quite a few of my childhood illnesses with cabbage leaves,” Bershteyn said. “Sadly, I’m not aware of any special cooling powers of cabbage leaves. But anything cold and wet on your head can feel nice.”
The effect is not long lasting, however. “It warms quickly, does not maintain consistent heat transfer and does not meaningfully affect core temperature,” Camp said. “It is not an effective or reliable cooling strategy from a physiologic standpoint.”
The cabbage leaf trick has historical precedent. Baseball legend Babe Ruth was known to place a cold cabbage leaf under his cap during games to stay cool in the sweltering summer heat.
“A cold cabbage leaf can cool by contact and moisture, just like any cold wet object,” Lagina said. “There is no special heat-related medical property in cabbage. A clean, damp cloth, a cooling towel, a chilled bandana or an ice pack wrapped in cloth is more practical and hygienic. Folk remedies should not delay standard cooling or emergency care.”
Uma Shankar sharma via Getty Images
6. “Placing a bowl of ice in front of a fan works like air conditioning.”
Placing a bowl of ice in front of a fan is a popular TikTok hack for cooling down a room, but experts say the effect is more limited than most people expect.
“This can create a small area of cooler air for someone sitting close by, but it is not an effective way to cool an entire room,” Lagina said. “The ice absorbs heat as it melts, and then the effect stops. It may be useful for short-term personal comfort, especially with good airflow, but it should be paired with hydration, reduced activity, shade and access to air conditioning when possible.”
Bershteyn also noted that a bowl of ice in front of a fan probably won’t meaningfully cool a room.
“In fact, if the ice was made in a freezer in the same room, the heat coming from the back of the freezer would offset the cooling from the ice,” she said. “But if you sit directly in front of the ice, you might get a personal, chilled breeze.”
Here’s what experts actually recommend for staying safe in the heat.
“Many folk cooling methods work only when they improve evaporation, conduction, shade or airflow,” Lagina said. “They are not substitutes for air conditioning, hydration, rest and urgent medical care when heat illness is suspected.”
There are other important facts and precautions to keep in mind as you try to stay safe and cool in extreme heat.
“It takes several weeks for a body to adjust to heat, which is why the U.S. sees more heat-related deaths in the spring than in the summer,” Bershteyn said. “While scientists don’t yet know the exact best way to condition yourself for heat, one thing is clear: Being in good physical shape is a huge benefit.”
She recommended trying to stay physically fit in the springtime and all year-round to make those heatwave days easier to get through. Still, don’t assume that healthy athletes can’t fall victim to heat-related illness.
“Fitness does not eliminate risk,” Lagina said. “Athletes, outdoor workers, children, older adults, pregnant people and people with chronic health conditions are all vulnerable.”
The wrong combination of conditions and exertion can affect even the healthiest people. “We see healthy young adults and children develop heat exhaustion after prolonged sun exposure, strenuous activity or dehydration,” Braunstein said.
He noted that the best prevention is much simpler than those interesting at-home remedies.
“Stay hydrated before you feel thirsty, wear lightweight clothing, seek shade during the hottest part of the day and take breaks in air-conditioned spaces whenever possible,” Braunstein said.
Loose, thin, light-coloured clothing and hats can provide helpful protection, as can periodic cool showers and baths, misting fans, ice packs and damp cloths.
When you reach the peak heat of the day, take advantage of air conditioning and avoid strenuous activity. Drink plenty of water and keep your electrolytes replenished if you’re exercising or otherwise sweating a lot.
“Never leave children, older adults, vulnerable people or pets in parked cars,” Lagina said. “Check on older adults, children, outdoor workers, people living alone and anyone with chronic medical conditions. High humidity, poor airflow, dehydration and prolonged heat exposure all increase risk.”
Knowing how to recognize heat illness and act quickly is also incredibly important. Signs of heat exhaustion include heavy sweating, weakness, dizziness, headache, nausea, muscle cramps, cool or clammy skin and feeling faint.
“If these occur, move to shade or air conditioning, stop activity, loosen clothing, sip cool fluids if alert, and use cool, wet cloths, misting, fanning or a cool shower,” Lagina said.
Heatstroke is a more serious medical emergency with warning signs that include confusion, altered behavior, fainting, seizure, slurred speech, severe weakness, a very hot body or an inability to cool down.
If you suspect heatstroke, immediately call 999 and begin cooling while waiting for help by moving to a cooler place, removing excess clothing and applying cool water, fan mist, ice packs and/or cold, wet towels to your neck, armpits and groin.
“If symptoms like dizziness, vomiting, confusion, fainting or difficulty breathing develop or don’t quickly improve after cooling down and rehydrating, don’t rely on home remedies,” said Braunstein. “Early treatment can prevent progression to the life-threatening conditions that are on the far end of the clinical spectrum.”
Rupert Lowe has offered his former colleague Nigel Farage an alliance to unite the right.
The leader of Restore Britain, a far-right splinter group which formed after Lowe was kicked out of Reform UK, suggested it was time for the two rivals to “put our differences aside” in a public address.
It comes after the right-wing vote was split in the Greater Manchester mayoral contest, leading to Labour candidate Bev Craig’s victory.
Reform’s Sian Astley finished second with 111,928 votes while Restore’s Marlon West finished fourth with 46,289 votes in the first round.
In a video statement on X, Lowe said this result “showed what Restore Britain can deliver”, and suggested they work together to defeat the left-wing.
He said: “Nigel, my message is simple. If you are prepared to work together around serious policies, serious reform, and serious government, then so are we.
“Millions of British people deserve a patriotic government to put our national interest before any personal differences that you and I may have…
“Now is the time to put our differences aside and cooperate for the good of the country that we all love.”
However, he said any deal relied on several key conditions Reform must agree to.
That included a call for mass deportations to “reverse” mass immigration, restoring the “demographic security” for so-called native Brits and tackling the rise of Islamism by banning the burka.
He also called for a referendum on the death penalty and urged Reform to restore a “self-sufficient Britain” by cutting welfare.
His olive branch comes after Reform started to slump in the polls against Labour, amid growing scrutiny over Farage’s finances and Andy Burnham’s takeover of the government.
The Reform UK leader is currently fighting a by-election in Clacton which he triggered last month.
He decided to start a “people versus the establishment” contest following a sleaze probe into a £5 million donation which he failed to register with parliament.
Farage later issued a lengthy statement on X which appeared to respond to Lowe on Sunday.
He said: “Only one party truly has the possibility of delivering change.
“To deliver that change, I understand Reform UK will need the support of people from other parties, as well as millions who have never voted before.
“That is the broad coalition I am building.”
He added that Reform “will always be open to anyone who shares our commitment to restoring Britain’s borders, rebuilding our economy, renewing our democracy and putting the British people first.”
He promised to “put country before party but insisted “I will never turn my back on my team”.
He said: “There will always be a home in Reform UK for those who believe that 14 years of Conservative government, followed by the last 2 years of Labour, have failed the British people… and that our country now needs a fundamentally different direction.
“I will continue to do whatever is necessary to defeat the left and provide Britain with the strong, serious leadership it deserves.
“This is the last chance for our country, and we cannot afford to waste it.”
Listen to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.
Andy Burnham has promised his government will be “relentless” in curbing how many people arrive in the UK on small boats.
Speaking from Dover, the prime minister said the number of English Channel crossings are down by 50% this year compared to the same period in 2025.
“The month we’ve just had in July has been the lowest number for six years,” he said. “So clearly progress has been made.
“But we’re not complacent, that’s why I’m here, it’s why I’ve come down on Sunday to see the team, to listen to what they think needs to be done, what further can be done.
“We’re just going to be relentless.”
He promised the government was “changing the whole approach” by putting enforcement officers on either side of the Channel to tackle people-smuggling gangs.
He made it clear that Labour would also look to build more safe routes for asylum seekers to come to the UK.
“That also takes away the selling points of the gangs. So on every level we’ve got to come at this, but crucially increasing the enforcement activity,” he said.
“So there’s been a doubling of officers through the National Crime Agency on the UK side of the Channel and French officers are now similarly doubled in number working on the beaches over there.”
The Home Office announced the number of NCA officers tackling smuggling gangs had risen to almost 800 from 376 at the start of 2025.
Concerns over illegal migration have grown after tens of thousands of migrants swam into the Spanish exclave of Ceuta last week.
The prime minister acknowledged that 98% of those people have already been returned to Morocco.
But he added: “There’s a broader issue about the Schengen area and our relationship with it, and of course, I would want to be in regular dialogue with the EU on those issues.”
Burnham has been criticised by his right-wing opponents for not focusing on the matter during his first fortnight in power.
More than 2,000 migrants have arrived on small boats since he got the keys to No.10 on July 20.
But the PM said he wants to “deal with the issue rather than play politics with the issue”.
He added: “The public don’t like the idea that the border looks like it’s not controlled. We need to bring back that control. But also we need to offer support for people who genuinely need it.”
Listen to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.
People have criticised generative AI for the many ways in which it’s corrupting what it means to be human. The latest example of this comes from OpenAI CEO, Sam Altman.
What if you just talked to your children
— Alex Hirsch (@_AlexHirsch) July 31, 2026
OpenAI…
Young people today are growing up at a time when they can use generative AI to do their assignments for them. Workers can use AI to write their emails. Half of what you read online could be written by AI. In other words, we live in a world in which human communication is increasingly devoid of the human element.
As such, it’s unsurprising people have reacted to Altman with messages like the following from BuccoCapital Bloke:
Over the next few years you are going to have to fight with everything you’ve got to retain your humanity. They will try to convince you to give up connecting with each other, to give up truly being alive. It will be the most important fight of your whole life
Helen Lewis wrote:
I’m in awe of how sociopathic this comes off. What if I… actually enjoy talking to my family about their lives and interests?
Dylan Dittrich commented:
“Cool use case of chatgpt” and it’s just the worst, most dehumanizing idea you’ve ever heard.
Some responded sarcastically, including the Wild Geerters account:
Seems like a lot of hassle. A cool idea would be to replace the kids with AI chatbot kids and then have chatgpt talk to the chatbot kids on the drive, and maybe let AI drive the car while you chill at home watching an AI generated movie about a guy driving his kids to school
Jathan Sadowski remarked:
Telling my child to stop talking because I’m listening to the AI podcast about their soccer game and upcoming birthday.
Let’s stay human everyone
Despite claims to the contrary, generative AI is not an intelligent technology, and it seems unlikely it ever will be. That doesn’t mean it can’t act as a substitute for human interaction, though, and the threat to what that could mean for society is grave.
Be sure to speak to your children and loved ones and be grateful for the opportunity to do so.
Featured image via EPA/ BBC
By Willem Moore
The US has dropped a 2,000-pound bomb on the home of an Iranian family on Qeshm Island, murdering a two-year-old and his parents. Two other children were pulled from the rubble alive.
The U.S. dropped a 2,000-pound bomb on an Iranian family’s home this week on Qeshm Island, killing a 2-year-old and his parents.
Barbaric savagery by soulless ghouls. pic.twitter.com/n4EfzZsxIG
— Rania Khalek (@RaniaKhalek) August 1, 2026
The US attacked the residedential area of Iran overnight on Thursday 30 July.
According to the New York Times, the size of the crater and weapon fragments suggest that the bomb was a 2,000-pound Mark-84. This is one of the US military’s largest conventional bombs.
Additionally, the location and time of the strikes are consistent with where the US military was operating at the time.
US has created a pattern of destruction
Of course, this is part of a pattern.
For years, Israel, funded by the US, has dropped 2,000-pound American bombs on Gaza, in an attempt to systematically wipe out Palestinians, including refugees in tents.
2,000-pound Mark 84 bomb was what Biden-Harris sent to lsrael on a regular basis to kill and flatten Gaza in their genocidal campaign. https://t.co/aTIoTr2A5k
— CanCanGirl&TobyBear
(@ApricotForever) August 1, 2026
Both the Trump and Biden regimes green-lighted it.
Now, the US is doing the same to Iran.
For years, Israel was using 2,000lb American bombs to kill Gazan refugees in tents. Both the Biden and Trump administrations permitted it.
A precedent was set.
Now it appears the US is doing the same in Iran.
A 2000lb bomb was dropped on a family house in Qeshm, killing a taxi…
— Trita Parsi (@tparsi) August 1, 2026
During the first month of Israel’s genocide in Gaza, Israel dropped hundreds of these bombs. Many of them are capable of killing or wounding people more than 1,000 feet away.
At the time, satellite images revealed more than 500 impact craters over 12 metres in diameter. This is consistent with those left behind by 2,000-pound bombs.
The U.S. should be held accountable for these war crimes https://t.co/hsrFKxcWCY
— Ray Jackson (@RayJackson123) August 2, 2026
International humanitarian law dictates that militaries should take “all feasible precautions” to minimise civilian harm. Of course, that means not attacking innocent civilians.
“The choice to use that type of munition in such a densely populated area is “very difficult to reconcile with” https://t.co/2zu3d2utPE
— Reem Rifai (@ReemRifai_) August 1, 2026
But the US and Israel have never cared about the lives of Palestinian, Lebanese, or Iranian families. They are rogue terrorist states, and as long as the world continues to whitewash their crimes, they will continue destroying, bombing and murdering the people of West Asia.
On Thursday, an airstrike killed 3 a mom, a dad, and their 2-year-old son on Qeshm Island in southern Iran.
Our visual investigation (drawing on photos/videos from the site, satellite imagery, weapon fragments, and a crater size estimate, analyzed by weapons experts… pic.twitter.com/54xGryP0CI
— Christiaan Triebert (@trbrtc) August 1, 2026
Feature image via New York Times
By HG
Of all the self-help videos that sneak into my algorithm, the ‘Sunday Reset’ is my favourite. In a kind of tribute to Marie Kondo, a Japanese ‘organising consultant’, glamorous influencers manage to make loading the dishwasher and meal prep look aspirational. My Sunday follows a similar, if slightly less aesthetic, formula: three loads of washing, the weekly shop and off to Mass. My Catholic identity is a significant part of my life and so Sunday Mass is an important part of my routine – it gives me time to reflect and think. It tethers my week to something constant and reassuring.
As Christians, we’re taught to ‘keep holy the sabbath’. Although I’m sure theologians will have more to say on this, I have never felt guilty going straight from morning Mass to Lidl. Growing up in Scotland, it’s not something I’d ever thought about. There we can’t buy alcohol until after 10pm, sure, but the shops open whenever they want for everything else.
When I moved down south, I thought it was odd, and annoying, that the big Lidl near me had very different opening hours from the wee Tesco. When I learned the real reason – that the law demands shops over 280 square metres can only open for six consecutive hours between 10am and 6pm – I was baffled. Even more so when I discovered that, in 2016, there were many Scottish MPs who voted against the easing of England and Wales’ Sunday restrictions.
There is no coherent reason for the rules to remain as they are. When you consider that the rules only apply to shops over a certain (arbitrary) size and that even those larger shops are allowed to open for some of the day, the idea that they are doing anything to keep Sunday special is ludicrous. There are no similar restrictions on any other kind of Sunday activity. Making the Sunday shopping experience inconvenient is doing nothing to protect our immortal souls.
Most people in the UK have the same two days off: Saturday and Sunday. How they spend their time over the weekend depends on their priorities. The state should not be infringing on the British people’s rights to enjoy their Sunday. In any case, for people who do prefer a slow Sunday, there would be nothing compelling them to change.
For retail staff, the truth is that even when these larger retail shops are closed, they don’t automatically get the evening off. There are hundreds of tasks to be done when the doors of the shop are locked. Restocking shelves, tidying the storeroom, refolding knitwear, marking down prices – the law doesn’t prohibit the shop from scheduling shifts for staff, only from serving customers.
That aside, why should retail workers be compelled to have Sunday evenings off? Hospitality endures no such restriction. Taxi drivers, hairdressers, public-transport staff, pilots, nail technicians – none of these professions has special rules. They are allowed to make decisions about their schedules that suit them. There are plenty of reasons people are happy to work on Sundays: teenagers and students looking for weekend jobs, or people who prefer shift work to match their spouse’s schedule.
The government’s own figures show that the repeal of these laws could generate up to £1.4 billion annually for the UK economy. It would open up thousands of work hours for people who would be happy to work weekend shifts. Given the rate of unemployment among young people, the government should consider this a gift.
Retail workers and shoppers are adults. They should be allowed to make decisions that are best for them. An absence of Sunday restrictions in Scotland has not ushered in a new golden age of retail. But it has opened more jobs, created flexibility in rotas and relieved some packed-lunch-related stress.
If keeping holy the sabbath isn’t possible from inside a Tesco larger than 280 square metres before 11am, then that’s a conversation for me and my maker, not for the government.
Lucy Rogers is the head of community at Looking for Growth, the political movement to end decline and save Britain.
Calls have grown for FIFA President Gianni Infantino to resign or face a vote of no confidence.
According to the Telegraph, UEFA’s stance is no longer limited to objecting to the proposed sale of a share of the World Cup’s commercial rights; it has evolved into questioning Infantino’s ability to continue leading FIFA.
UEFA officials believe that the recent crisis over the now-dropped FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) project has exposed a flaw in the body’s decisionmaking mechanisms.
The project being pursued without sufficient consultation with the continental confederations and member associations, is a breach of the principles of governance and transparency, officials argue.
Infantino U-turning hasn’t been enough
Opposition is no longer confined to Europe as the Asian Football Confederation and Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) have joined the ranks of those rejecting the way Infantino has managed the project.
Reports suggest that this alignment gives the opposition considerable political clout within the international federation.
There’s a belief in European circles that it may be possible to rally the necessary support to call for an extraordinary FIFA Congress, which could see a vote of no confidence in Infantino if the crisis persists. Infantino has led FIFA for the past 10 years.
Nevertheless, no official announcement has yet been made confirming that the opposition camp has the legally required number of votes to impose such a move. Given that Infantino continues to enjoy the support of influential confederations, most notably the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL), the balance of power within FIFA remains open to all possibilities.
FIFA’s backtracking hasn’t ended the crisis
The Guardian noted that the current battle represents the greatest political challenge Infantino has faced since taking office as FIFA president. He has never before faced a coalition of this scale, bringing together continental confederations that wield significant electoral clout within the General Assembly.
The fate of any formal motion of no confidence remains dependent on the opposition’s ability to secure the required majority. However, the current crisis reveals a widening rift in trust between Infantino and a number of his key football partners, which opens the door to a significant struggle for leadership.
Featured image via the Canary
By Alaa Shamali
The post Zack Polanski: an incitement to murder Nigel Farage? appeared first on spiked.
Just a few days ago, Faten Ben Omar El Azizi, a young Moroccan woman footballer, was chasing her dream on the pitch. She believed her best years were still ahead of her and that football might lead her to a brighter future.
Sadly, her final journey did not end on a football pitch, but rather in the waves of the sea separating Fnideq, in northern Morocco on the Mediterranean coast, and the Spanish city of Ceuta.
Faten Ben Omar El Azizi, who played for both Moghreb Atlético Tetuán and Morocco Athlétic Tangier, died while attempting to swim to Spanish enclave Ceuta.
Ceuta crossing death toll at 72, media reports
Tributes have flooded in for the sportswoman who was making her mark in Moroccan women’s football.
Faten’s death comes at a time when the northern coast of Morocco is witnessing a rise in attempts at irregular migration towards the city of Ceuta, on the North African coast.
These perilous journeys often result in death due to strong sea currents and the difficult conditions surrounding them.
Meanwhile, the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) is taking place in Morocco for the third consecutive year.
Featured image via the Canary
By Alaa Shamali
Richard Tice is the deputy of Reform UK, and do you know what really winds him up? The idea that people of faith might want to acknowledge and learn from the horrors of the past.
We’d like to say this is unexpected, but Tice was promoting an alleged human trafficker a few weeks ago, so it really isn’t.
Did you thank Jesus for giving great courage and vision to the British for abolishing the slave trade, spending vast amounts of money and sacrificing brave Royal Naval sailors in the process?
As a Christian, you don’t speak for me, nor millions of other Christians in the UK… https://t.co/21mO5eW5jf — Richard Tice MP
(@TiceRichard) August 1, 2026
Richard Tice. Nickname: Mr Offended
In full, this is what Sarah Mullally, the Archbishop of Canterbury, said in her post:
Today I visited Cape Coast Castle. Seeing the horrific conditions that thousands of people were kept in, it is impossible not to feel the weight of the immense evil that drove the transatlantic slave trade.
I pray not only in lament for the Church’s involvement in the slave trade, but also for hope – hope that the God of healing can bring justice and reconciliation to all who are still impacted by its legacy.
In the name of Jesus Christ, who came to set people free, I pray that we have the courage to continue our journey of repentance, and to strive for a world in which all of God’s children are treated with dignity.
And this is how Tice responded:
Did you thank Jesus for giving great courage and vision to the British for abolishing the slave trade, spending vast amounts of money and sacrificing brave Royal Naval sailors in the process?
As a Christian, you don’t speak for me, nor millions of other Christians in the UK
Why should we donate to the Church of England for you to waste it on woke virtue signalling?
If you’re confused as to what Tice is so upset about, it’s presumably the idea that anyone should feel repentant about the past.
Guilt can be an unproductive emotion in that it encourages defensiveness, but Mullally clearly isn’t urging her followers to be overwhelmed by the feeling. In her message, she acknowledges the evils of the past, and argues that there’s hope to be taken from the journey society has taken, even though there is more yet to be done.
To some, this is the essence of Jesus’s teachings, in that it encompasses redemption, loving your neighbours, etc. For people like Tice, however, the essence of Christianity is moaning about literally everything, and mistrusting everyone outside your immediate family.
There’s so much hypocrisy in his reply
There’s a couple of other things to note about Tice’s response, starting with this:
Did you thank Jesus for giving great courage and vision to the British for abolishing the slave trade, spending vast amounts of money…
Speaking on how Britain ‘abolished’ the slave trade, Maddison Wheeldon wrote for the Canary:
Conveniently, Braverman makes no mention of what happened when the “abhorrent” slave trade and, later, slavery itself were abolished. It wasn’t the enslaved who were compensated – it was the slave owners. They received such vast sums to cover their supposed financial “losses” that the British government borrowed heavily to fund the payouts.
The debt from that borrowing was paid off by taxpayers for generations, with the final payments only being completed in 2015. Thus, ordinary people effectively spent almost two centuries paying to compensate slave owners, while enslaved people received nothing.
If nothing else, we should be aware of our past to prevent it happening again. Whether you feel guilt about the past is up to you, but if we don’t learn from our mistakes, we will have plenty to regret in the present.
As noted, Tice recently promoted a post from Andrew Tate, who has been charged with three counts of arranging or facilitating trafficking for sexual exploitation, alongside several other charges for unforgivable offences.
To align himself with someone like that suggests that Tice’s objections to the Archbishop stem from a lax attitude towards human rights and not her framing of the matter.
Reform’s downfall
As we’ve reported elsewhere, we’re not particularly optimistic Andy Burnham will change this country’s fortunes. At the same time, it is nice to see Reform sliding down the opinion polls.
Yet another opinion poll this week that puts Reform several points behind https://t.co/YIvAaUjJEg
— dave lawrence
(@dave43law) August 1, 2026
Partially, this is down to the ‘Burnham bounce’. At the same time, it seems the more people see of Reform, they less they trust the party. And with posts like the above from Tice, it’s not hard to see why.
Featured image via Louise Haywood-Schiefer
By Willem Moore
Nigel Farage and Reform UK are facing multiple police and parliamentary investigations into various donations and benefits they’ve received. When it comes to the notorious £5 million ‘gift’, Farage’s defence has included the claim that he wasn’t involved in politics at the time. Now, a new scoop from the Times has blown Farage’s claim out of the water.
EXCLUSIVE
Nigel Farage struck secret deal for return as Reform leader months before election — challenging claim he wasn't involved in politics so didn't need to report gifts.
In May 24 he showed deal to treasurer, who tonight acknowledged its existence https://t.co/HkD5bKIw5d — Gabriel Pogrund (@Gabriel_Pogrund) August 1, 2026
Farage claimed crypto bro gave him funds
We previously reported the following on his £5m problem:
Farage accepted the £5m gift from Harborne – a crypto billionaire – in 2024. At the time, he’d said he wouldn’t run in the general election, but this changed after he received the £5m. The problem is that after he became an MP, he was supposed to declare any ‘registrable benefits’ from the previous 12 months. Farage did not declare the £5m, and now it looks like he was purposefully trying to hide it.
Since taking the £5 million, Farage has gone on to publicly support crypto, and as Reform Party UK Exposed noted:
Out of nowhere, Farage who previously was stating cash is king and despite claiming he was in to crypto in 2020 had not advocated publicly for it.
His only tweet with an opinion on it was in 2022 where he criticised Biden for taking donations from… a tech entrepreneur (Sam Bankman-Fried, jailed for wire fraud).
Then magically Reform UK produce a Cryptoassets and Digital Finance Bill, with no prior advocacy in May 2025. Reform UK then accepts donations in crypto.
This chain of events demonstrates why MPs are expected to declare money or donations they receive in the run-up to entering Parliament. Farage’s conversion to becoming a crypto-booster looks a lot different when you know about the gift. And now, the meager defence Farage had is being torn to shreds.
Reform leader shifts his stories
Farage previously excused not declaring the gift on the following basis:
At that period of my life, from 2021 to the third of June 2024, I was a broadcaster, I was someone that appeared on celebrity TV programmes, I was somebody that promoted some financial market products, but I was an influencer, I wasn’t in politics.
Now, new revelations published by the Times suggest he had agreed to return to politics by June 2024.
Nigel Farage struck a secret deal to return as leader of Reform UK months before the general election.
Farage negotiated the pact with Richard Tice, then the leader, in March and April 2024. George Cottrell, the convicted fraudster who had been secretly bankrolling Farage, supervised the discussions.
Reform has attempted to excuse the deal by saying it was “drafted for if, not when, Farage became leader”. As the Times has noted, however, Farage signed the agreement, which seems like an odd thing to do if he was undecided. Reform claims doing so “kept his options open”, which again, doesn’t seem to make sense.
The Times also revealed that this agreement saw Reform paying back Richard Tice several hundred thousand pounds. In the process of returning this money, however, the party accidentally sent a lump sum to Tice’s personal account instead of the relevant business account. This means the party gave false information to the Electoral Commission, which could be treated as a criminal offence.
He said he sought to address the erroneous £200k payment to Tice's account, but was blocked.
Reform sources say Tice transferred the money from his account to his company, effectively remedying the matter.
— Gabriel Pogrund (@Gabriel_Pogrund) August 1, 2026
Shot in the foot
While Farage is running the Clacton by-election, the parliamentary investigation into him is paused. This could end up working against him because the longer the pause is, the more investigators may uncover.
Featured image via Andrew Crowley
By Willem Moore
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