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Iraq hopes for an upset at the 2026 World Cup

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Ali Al-Hamadi of Iraq, who also plays for Ipswich, drives the ball during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Play-Off tournament final match between Iraq and Bolivia at Estadio Monterrey on March 31, 2026 in Guadalupe, Mexico.

Ali Al-Hamadi of Iraq, who also plays for Ipswich, drives the ball during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Play-Off tournament final match between Iraq and Bolivia at Estadio Monterrey on March 31, 2026 in Guadalupe, Mexico.

Forty years after its sole World Cup appearance, Iraq returns to the world stage carrying the dreams of an entire generation that never experienced Mexico 1986.

Between memories of the past and aspirations for the future, the Lions of Mesopotamia enter the 2026 World Cup with ambitions that go beyond simply making an appearance. The squad hopes to prove their return was no fluke and that Iraqi soccer is capable of regaining its place among the elite.

Qualifying for the World Cup was a historic milestone that brought the team back to the forefront of international football after many years of challenges. The question that arises today is: will Iraq be content with simply fulfilling the dream of a comeback or does it possess enough quality to pull off an upset in the tournament?

Iraq’s new generation carries a heavy legacy

Iraq enters the 2026 World Cup with a squad that blends experience and ambition, led by a number of players who have gained significant professional experience both within and outside Asia.

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Ayman Hussein, the striker who has become the team’s offensive icon, leads the way alongside Zidan Iqbal, who brings technical flair to the midfield and enhances the team’s ability to retain possession and build attacks.

The national team also boasts promising young players such as Youssef Amin, Ali Jassim, and Mirhas Doski—names that represent the generation on which Iraqis are counting to lead a new era of development. This group is characterised by speed, energy and a desire to prove themselves on the world’s biggest football stage.

Nevertheless, limited World Cup experience remains one of the biggest challenges facing Iraq. Its players will face levels of pressure and competition they have never experienced before, against teams accustomed to competing for the title in every World Cup, such as France.

New World Cup format could give an advantage

The new World Cup format gives emerging teams greater opportunities to compete for spots in the knockout stages, which could work in Iraq’s favor. The gaps between teams are no longer what they were in past decades, and the ability to organise and maintain tactical discipline has become a decisive factor in achieving results.

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Realistically speaking, advancing past the group stage would be an unprecedented historic achievement for  Iraq, which has never won a single match in its only previous appearance in 1986. Reaching round 16 or beyond, however, will require an exceptional performance and the ability to capitalise on small details against more experienced teams.

But what gives Iraq hope is its competitive spirit, which it has consistently demonstrated in continental tournaments.

More than just participation

Iraqis do not view the 2026 World Cup merely as a soccer tournament but as a national event with implications that extend far beyond the pitch. The national team, which has become a symbol of unity and hope at many historic junctures, enters the tournament representing the aspirations of millions of fans who have waited decades for this moment.

Iraq may not be among the favorites to win the title, but its presence in the World Cup alone confirms the return of Iraqi soccer to the international stage. Between the dream of advancing to the second round and the ambition to pull off another upset, Iraq has a chance to write a new chapter in their soccer history.

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Iraq kicks off its World Cup campaign against Norway on 16 June, before facing France on 22 June. Players will wrap up the group stage against Senegal – the 2018 World Cup champions and one of Africa’s strongest teams. The inclusion of Norway, led by star Erling Haaland, also makes this one of the tournament’s toughest groups.

Featured image via Azael Rodriguez/ Getty Images

By Alaa Shamali

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The Easiest High-Protein High-Fibre Breakfast And Lunch Prep

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My chia seed pudding

As a sometimes gym girl, I do care about my protein intake. But for me, the priority is usually fibre.

Don’t get me wrong: protein helps us to feel fuller and keeps our muscles healthy (especially crucial as we age). But many of us are actually getting too much of it.

Meanwhile, only 10% of us eat the recommended 30g of fibre a day. That’s a shame, because it’s linked to lower heart disease, cancer, and dementia risk.

Whatever your health goals, though, one struggle remains constant: eating healthily throughout the week without feeling either exhausted by endless cooking or bored by bland meal prep.

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I’m not saying my picks are the perfect answer: no meal is thrilling on day three. But I have found a mostly make-ahead breakfast and dinner combo that requires next to no effort to cook and means I can enjoy 22g fibre and 50g protein by 2pm, leaving my evenings more flexible for CBA dinners.

Here are the recipes if you want to give them a go:

1) Mango Skyr chia pudding

My chia seed pudding

While writing an article about Icelandic yoghurt Skyr, I realised I should probably try the low-fat, high-protein, creamy option. I used to make this meal with coconut milk, which was delicious, but I’ve found Skyr keeps me fuller longer.

Ingredients:

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  • 2 ripe mangoes (this is a good way to use up overripe ones)
  • 500g Skyr
  • 150g chia seeds
  • Cardamom spice (optional)
  • Tablespoon maple syrup (optional)

Method:

  1. Peel and slice the mangoes over a large plastic or metal mixing bowl or blending jug to catch all of their juices. The liquid is important here, because it makes the pudding softer.
  2. Add the yoghurt and, if you want, cardamom spice and maple syrup. Either use a stick blender or blend in a jug until smooth. If you don’t want to blend it – I don’t always – chop the mangoes finely right over the pudding container, making sure again to catch the juices.
  3. Add the chia seeds and stir, pushing every last seed you can under the mix.
  4. Store in the fridge in an airtight container or containers. I find it’s good for the work week, but follow the yoghurt’s best before date if you’re not sure.

2) Harissa butter beans with eggs

Harissa butter beans (it's not the most photogenic food)
Harissa butter beans (it’s not the most photogenic food)

I was going to call this a shakshouka, but it’s really not – it’s just a sort of beany, tomato-ey, eggy mix that feels vaguely related. It takes about three minutes to heat up on my stove, but it’s important that your pan has a lid. This helps to finish the whites before the yolks get chalky, and the steam also helps to prevent food from sticking to the bottom of my pan.

Ingredients:

  • 3 cans butter beans (any other white bean will do)
  • 90g jar harissa (I like mine spicy: if you don’t, try less, or use tomato puree)
  • Sprinkle paprika
  • Small onion
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • Tablespoon olive oil
  • 8 eggs
  • 1 tin chopped tomatoes
  • (Optional) lemon, for its juice
  • (Optional) 80g feta, for crumbling on top

Method for the make-ahead part:

  1. Warm the pan to a low or medium heat and add the oil once hot.
  2. Add the onions and a pinch of salt and heat until softened: I waited about 10 minutes for a sweet, soft base.
  3. Add the garlic and paprika and cook ’til fragrant. This takes about 30 seconds.
  4. Add the tomatoes and cook until it’s become thicker, 3-5 minutes.
  5. Add the beans and harissa and stir. Cook for 1-2 minutes more.
  6. Cool a little before placing in an airtight container or containers and placing in the fridge.

Method for cooking on the day:

  1. Put a quarter of the prepared bean mix per person in a pan on medium heat.
  2. Make little holes with a spatula and crack two eggs per person into them.
  3. Put a lid over the pan (this is crucial) and leave it for about three to five minutes, depending on how “done” you like your yolks.
  4. Lift the eggs out of the pan first so as not to break their yolks and spoon the bean mix around them.
  5. Top with 20g crumbled feta, if using. It’s also great with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice if you have it.

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8 Eyebrow-Raising Takeaways From The Peter Mandelson Files

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8 Eyebrow-Raising Takeaways From The Peter Mandelson Files

The government has released the highly-anticipated second tranche of internal files on Peter Mandelson and his brief appointment as ambassador to the US.

The ex-Labour peer fell from grace last September after the depth of his friendship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein was revealed.

But questions remain around why he was appointed in the first place and what kind of influence he had with ministers.

The Conservatives forced the Cabinet Office to release all documents related to the controversial hire earlier this year via a parliamentary procedure called a “Humble Address”.

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The first tranche of documents showed that Mandelson had got the top job against recommendations from security officials.

Most ministers and civil servants have handed over their private exchanges with the former Washington attache for the second batch of documents.

Some of the files have been redacted amid concerns about international security and the ongoing Metropolitan Police probe into Mandelson’s conduct in public office.

The ex-Labour peer has not been charged and insists he is not guilty of any wrongdoing.

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Deciding to appoint Mandelson into the top diplomatic post has cast a huge shadow over Keir Starmer’s premiership.

He has repeatedly accused Mandelson of creating a “litany of deceit” around his ties to Epstein, but his critics continue to lambast him over it.

Here’s a look at the most eye-catching findings within the 1,400 pages…

1. Pat McFadden Criticises ‘Tax-Raising’ Labour MPs

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McFadden made clear his frustration with Labour MPs in private messages with Mandelson.

Speaking around the time Labour MPs were rebelling over planned welfare cuts in May last year, McFadden said: “Every meeting I have is ‘who can we tax in order to pay benefits to others’. They’re asking the wrong questions.”

The government was eventually forced into a huge climbdown on cutting welfare amid the backlash from Labour MPs.

2. Mandelson Refused To Hand Over His Own WhatsApps

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The documents make it clear that the ex-ambassador did not want to assist the Humble Address process.

The report reads: “On 31 March the [Cabinet Office] wrote to Peter Mandelson – via his solicitors – to request any information held on his personal phone. Peter Mandelson declined to comply with this request. The Government has no further recourse to search the personal devices of Peter Mandelson.”

3. ‘Thick Of It’ Row Over Trump Red Box Gift

Olly Robbins, the most senior civil servant in the Foreign Office who was dismissed over the Mandelson’s vetting row, exchanged messages with top officials – including the ex-ambassador – about a potential gift for Trump.

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In August 2025, Robbins wrote: “As I’m sure you know, [it] is clear that one of the gifts that would mean the most to the President would be a red dispatch box with the gold crest and lettering mimicking a UK Government Ministerial box with ’President of the United States”.

Mandelson was involved in lengthy emails with other officials in trying to get the gift secured.

He then complained in a private email to No.10′s former chief of staff Morgan McSweeney that “the saga goes one… this is like something out of [the] Thick of It… I have gone tonto on this.”

4. Praise For Mandelson From Those Within Labour

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The messages showed many Labour figures welcomed Mandelson’s appointment when it was first announced.

Then-health secretary Wes Streeting told Mandelson that the “PLP [Parliamentary Labour Party] WhatsApps are stratospheric in praise” over Mandelson’s first public appearance in Washington.

Pensions minister Torsten Bell messaged Mandelson when he was announced as ambassador, writing: “You. Are. Here.”

He added: “Very proud of what is yet to come! Hope this comes off.”

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However, several ministers – including then justice secretary Shabana Mahmood and transport secretary Heidi Alexander – appeared to Mandelson’s messages.

Then assistant government whip and now transport minister Keir Mather also ignored all contact from Mandelson.

5. Wes Streeting’s ‘Mid-Life Crisis’

Streeting, previously considered one of Mandelson’s “proteges”, was heavily criticised by Mandelson in his messages to Pat McFadden.

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Mandelson said it was “pathetic” for Streeting to have circulated “a series of videos and a note” to the cabinet after his intervention on alleged war crimes in Gaza.

Mandelson then wrote: “I think Wes is experiencing an early mid-life crisis.”

6. Tearing Down Ed Miliband

Mandelson wrote disparagingly about energy secretary Ed Miliband’s spat with ex-prime minister Tony Blair about net zero in late 2025.

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He claimed Miliband “couldn’t resist yesterday. So person and stupid. If he had played differently it would have had [a] fraction of attention.”

7. Attacks On Keir Starmer

Discussing one of Starmer’s trips to the White House to discuss the Ukraine war, Mandelson tore into the prime minister’s “completely reductionist” approach.

Speaking to Pat McFadden over WhatsApp, Mandelson said: ”[Starmer] Wants to avoid any encounter with journos that might involve him answering a question. No sense of opportunity for personal projection. Just avoid all risk. Always the same. They/he have no confidence.”

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He also attacked the No.10 operation, calling it “beleaguered and bereft” last July and said the top team “don’t think Keir knows what he wants”.

8. Mandelson Told Lammy He Would ‘Never Regret’ Appointing Him

On November 18, 2024, Mandelson wrote a hand written letter to Lammy, then the foreign secretary, insisting that he was the right appointment as US ambassador.

He said: “I just wanted you to know that if you were minded to appoint me I would make sure you never regret it.”

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He added: “I fear that navigating Britain’s interests through the Trump administration will require super-human skills and luck and a massive team effort.”

He continued: “For me, it would be the last thing I do in public life and it would be a huge honour to serve you and the government in this role.”

Subscribe 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.

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Mandelson told Starmer to take advice from Tory John Major

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Keir Starmer, Peter Mandelson, and John Major

Keir Starmer, Peter Mandelson, and John Major

New Labour’s enemies on the left have often accused the Blairites of being ‘red Tories’: figures like like Peter Mandelson disputed this accusation, and yet we now know he advised Keir Starmer to take advice from John Major.

Mandelson, w e’ve heard this Tory before

The latest revelation emerged in the new release of messages from Mandelson’s time in government. The reason the government is releasing his correspondence is another email tranche – specifically that which the US released in relation to the dead paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

As it turned out, Mandelson was bosom buddies with Epstein, and he was secretly talking to him about British state secrets. We say ‘as it turns out’, but we did warn the government Mandelson was friends with Epstein before Starmer made him the ambassador to the US.

The latest release of messages contains the following exchange between Mandelson and Starmer. As you can see, it took place not long after Starmer became PM:

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[17/07/2024, 21:41] Peter Mandelson: Keir, hope you are well, you have got off to a flying start. I was at a dinner with John Major this evening and if you don’t know him I think good idea to invite him for a chat. As well as being a very nice person, he is interesting and thoughtful. Just a thought. No need to reply.

[25/07/2024, 13:25] Keir Starmer: Thanks Peter. Its so good to be getting on with the job of governing. A million times better than opposition – you know that! I’ll reach out to John M, he’s a very thoughtful man. See you soon I hope.

Who could have guessed that Starmer was taking his cues from a Tory ex-prime minister?

The wrong track

As you may or may not know, Starmer recently re-nationalised the railways. Major was the one to privatise them, and as Tom Nicholas recently covered, this ended up being a long and winding disaster:

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Before you think we’re praising Starmer, there’s something else to point out. Namely, that Starmer performed a typical half measure by failing to renationalise the companies which own the actual trains. As James Wright wrote for the Canary:

the party will not nationalise the rolling stock companies – Eversholt, Porterbrook, and Angel Trains. These companies own the majority of the trains that we rent. That’s despite the company shareholders making over £2bn in the past decade in dividends.

So basically, Conservative prime minister John Major sold off the trains when he privatised the railways in 1993. Now we rent them back at higher costs and still will under Labour’s plans.

So yeah – consider us unsurprised to learn that Mandelson, Starmer, and Major may have been chatting it up behind closed doors.

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Featured image via Carl Court (Getty Images) / Dimitrios Kambouris (Getty Images) / Carl Court (Getty Images)

By Willem Moore

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Sam Levinson Praises ‘Game’ Sydney Sweeney Over Euphoria OnlyFans Scenes

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Sam Levinson Praises 'Game' Sydney Sweeney Over Euphoria OnlyFans Scenes

Euphoria creator Sam Levinson has said that Sydney Sweeney had a gung-ho approach to her controversial storyline in the show’s most recent season.

Throughout season three, Sam has spoken out in support of Sydney’s performance, after scenes depicting her Euphoria character turning to OnlyFans modelling to help pay for her elaborate wedding raised eyebrows among fans and critics.

As the discourse has raged on, Sydney has mostly kept schtum, although Sam did have some things to say during an interview on the New York Times’ Popcast podcast.

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He recalled: “When I first wrote [Sydney’s season three storyline], I thought, ‘Well, maybe, we shoot all of this, and we don’t have any nudity’.

“I was [telling her], ‘maybe, there’s ways to shoot around certain [things]’ – and she looked at me, and she was like, ‘Are you kidding? I’m playing an OnlyFans model!’.”

Praising Sydney, he added: “I think she’s a totally fearless actor. She’s also just wonderfully professional, and shows up just game every day.

“I adore working with her, because there’s such a flexibility in terms of the performance.”

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Sam previously weighed in on Cassie’s OnlyFans storyline before the new season had even begun airing.

“What we wanted to always find is the other layer of absurdity that we’re able to tie into it so that we’re not too inside of her fantasy or illusion,” he insisted, pointing out the use of lighting and the inclusion of Cassie’s housekeeper as a makeshift photographer was intended to provide a “gnarly and jarring” contrast between the character’s more supposedly glamorous moments.

He added: “We wanted to capture what she’s trying to show the audience and be inside of it, but then also pull back wider and see how depressing it is.”

Euphoria is now streaming on Now and Sky.

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Euphoria Star Toby Wallace Addresses Divided Reaction To Season 3

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Euphoria Star Toby Wallace Addresses Divided Reaction To Season 3

Euphoria actor Toby Wallace has had his say on the mixed response the most recent run of episodes has received.

He recalled: “I remember walking on to their season going like ‘okay this is definitely a little bit of a different show, like it feels different’.”

“I don’t think you can really treat it as exactly the same vibe as the last two seasons, because it’s not in a lot of ways. [Sam Levinson, Euphoria’s creator] always wants to recreate and build something original,” Toby continued, noting that the showrunner didn’t want “to replicate or do something that’s already been done”.

Toby added that, while Euphoria’s third outing has received plenty of criticism, there’ve been some “really good” responses from fans and critics, too.

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In terms of the story that we set out to tell, which is a story about addiction and its consequences, this feels like the end to me,” he claimed.

“I want to finish this as strong as I can,” he noted at the season three premiere back in April.

All three seasons of Euphoria are now streaming on Now and Sky in the UK.

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Starmer bans streamer Hasan Piker ‘at behest of Israel’

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Hasan Piker, Keir Starmer, Benjamin Netanyahu, and Donald Trump

Hasan Piker, Keir Starmer, Benjamin Netanyahu, and Donald Trump

Critics of Israel have long faced repression for speaking out in defence of Palestinians. In the latest example of this, the UK has now banned US streamer Hasan Piker from entering the country:

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Israel influence

Hasan Piker is a streamer on Twitch. He also uploads videos to YouTube, and is famous for content like the following:

As Piker notes in the following video, he was set to interview Jeremy Corbyn, Zack Polanski, and Yanis Varoufakis before speaking at the Oxford Student Union:

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Piker has spoken at the Oxford Student Union before, where he said the following:

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Here’s one of the pensioners in question:

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In a video he posted after having his visa revoked, Piker said:

Listen, I’m going to say something. This is a warning. I hope you guys understand the Western world and liberal democracy is a sham. And all of the supposed things that they claim to care about, they do not actually care about.

We are moving into a very different timeline. This is why I constantly reiterate that fascism is here, right? Like the administration trying to deploy subpoenas against political dissident in the United States of America or the UK, that’s like completely captive to the interests of of pro-Israel advocacy organizations. …

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The Labor government is supposed to be the liberal government… and the American government is the right-wing government… We are we are in the 1930s era ,where I think that the administrations in both the UK and the United States of America – regardless of their supposed ideological differences – are absolutely moving as a uni party.

And things are going to get even worse from here on out.

Genocide-denying stooge VS Hasan Piker

One of the most prominent voices calling for Hasan’s ban was Labour MP David Taylor. We’ve reported on Taylor before, noting that he seemingly denied Israel’s genocide in Palestine as a vector to attack the Green Party:

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Taylor wouldn’t be the first to describe the genocide as an ‘antisemitic conspiracy theory’, and no doubt he won’t be the last.

Israel’s defenders have repeatedly insisted that you can’t call out the state’s crimes if they resemble historic antisemitic conspiracies. It’s a ‘get-out-of-jail’ free card, and we’ve seen it deployed in the most heinous ways imaginable since the genocide began:

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Before Piker’s ban, Taylor said:

It’s shocking that SXSW would invite someone who has openly supported a proscribed terrorist organisation and spouted these kinds of vile antisemitic rants to speak at their festival.

With the unacceptable rise in antisemitism on our streets leaving British Jews in a constant state of anxiety, Hasan Piker is clearly not conducive to the public good.

The “vile antisemitic rants” are criticisms of Israel. While we’re told its antisemitic to blame all Jews for the actions of Israel, the state’s defenders are happy to label all criticism of Israel ‘antisemitism’.

On ‘support for a proscribed terrorist organisation’, Taylor is referencing comments like the following (as reported by the Independent):

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Last month, Mr Piker publicly stood by remarks made during an episode of Pod Save America, where he asserted that Hamas was “1,000 times better” than Israel and that he “would vote for Hamas over Israel every single time.”

Given that Gaza is in rubble and Israel is not, it’s hard to disagree with the maths here.

Also, do you know who supported Hamas in a more material fashion than Piker? That’s right – Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu – who notoriously said the following:

Anyone who wants to thwart the establishment of a Palestinian state has to support bolstering Hamas and transferring money to Hamas … This is part of our strategy – to isolate the Palestinians in Gaza from the Palestinians in the West Bank.”

Israeli politicians made it impossible for the Palestinians to peacefully pursue liberation; the inevitable result of this was Hamas.

Establishment protection

As we’ve reported previously:

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There are obvious reasons why the British establishment has sought to defend Israel at the expense of its own citizens:

Here’s what scumbag MP David Taylor said when it was pointed out how weird it is for senior British politicians take hundreds of thousands of pounds from donors whose primary interest is the betterment of a genocidal foreign power:

Is there any way Israel can interfere in our politics that wouldn’t be considered antisemitism?

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Oh, and to give a further idea of how preposterous this all is, look at how Fox News covered the Piker ban:

Zionist advocacy groups

Zionism is the ideology of Israel existing as an expansionist colonial state that serves as America’s foothold in the Middle East. While many advocacy groups in the UK and the US pose as being against ‘antisemitism’, the reality is they spend more time defending the rights of Zionists.

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One of the Zionist advocacy groups calling out Hasan was Community Security Trust (CST). The group said:

Hasan Piker has a record of promoting rhetoric that includes antisemitic themes, denial of well documented atrocities and apparent support for extremist groups.

Once again, they’re talking about criticism of Israel. And CST has form on this, as Fréa Lockley reported for the Canary in 2019 after Labour revoked the press pass of journalist Asa Winstanley:

The Community Security Trust (CST) is a charity, initially set up to protect “British Jews from antisemitism and related threats”. On 4 August, it published a report called Engine of Hate: the online networks behind the Labour Party’s antisemitism crisis. This report stated:

the single most popular website for article shares about the subject of antisemitism, the Labour Party and Israel/Palestine was Electronic Intifada, a radical anti-Zionist website which has consistently promoted the idea that allegations of antisemitism in the Labour Party are false, and are part of a smear campaign against Jeremy Corbyn that is orchestrated by the Israeli government.

The campaign against the Canary

Here at the Canary, we’ve also faced attacks from pro-Zionist advocacy groups. As Paul Holden noted in his book The Fraud:

In 2021, Impress launched an investigation into the Canary alongside Skwawkbox, another independent, pro-Corbyn political website. Impress acted pursuant to a report published by Lord Mann, a vehement Corbyn critic and former Labour MP who was promoted to the House of Lords by the Tories. Mann’s report had accused both online publications of antisemitism.

The accusation was based, in part, on the research of Daniel Allington, an academic based at King’s College London. Allington was also ‘Head of Online Monitoring’ for the Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) between June 2016 and September 2018.

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As Holden also reported, IMPRESS cleared us, and:

It felt moved to add that those who:

disagree with the Publisher’s views on subjects such as Zionism may find these views offensive, adversarial or provocative but this in itself does not rise to the level of threat to, or targeting of, persons or groups on the basis of their protected characteristics.

Over in the US, Piker has faced a campaign which is nearly identical to what we’ve endured here in the UK.

The campaign against Hasan Piker

Piker has faced numerous attacks from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). As people have noted, the ADL seems to be much more concerned about anti-Zionism than antisemitism:

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Piker himself has also observed this discrepancy:

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Explaining itself, the ADL said the following:

ADL has seen firsthand how extreme and demonizing rhetoric and ugly expressions of anti-Zionism can be the driving force behind antisemitic discrimination against Jews

Even if the above is true, maybe the solution isn’t to police anti-Zionism; maybe it’s to stop supporting a political project which necessitates the ethnic cleansing and murder of Israel’s neighbours in the Middle East?

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White supremacy certainly gives white people a bad reputation, but the correct response isn’t to suggest anti-Nazis are the real problem.

In the past, the ADL has nominated Hasan for the position of ‘Antisemite of the Year’ alongside Greta Thunberg (!):

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The ADL and donor group AIPAC have also worked with US politicians to try to deplatform Piker:

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After reading out a headline titled “Jewish groups call on UK to bar dangerous Hasan amid antisemitic attacks”, Piker said the following in his latest video:

[the UK government] did because Israel advocacy organizations have unbelievable amounts of power over what even the United Kingdom has to say and do. Yeah. If you’re an avowed anti-Zionist, your travel will be restricted. It’s totally ridiculous, dude.

Connections

Canary reporter Ranjan Balakumaran noted this is all happening on the same day that more Peter Mandelson files come out:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Canary (@thecanaryuk)

Another way of looking at this is that these are not separate stories.

Peter Mandelson is the godfather of Labour Together – the group which maneuvered Keir Starmer into power. As we, Paul Holden, and others reported, this included fabricating smears of antisemitism (including against the Canary specifically). Now, the government which Mandelson helped create isn’t just smearing its opponents with bogus antisemitism accusations; it’s barring them from the country.

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Point any of this out, however, and figures like David Taylor MP will accuse you of being an antisemite. And in future, you may face consequences far graver than reputational damage.

Featured image via Amy Sussman (Getty Images) / WPA Pool (Getty Images) / Joe Raedle (Getty Images)

By Willem Moore

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The House | “A case study in what the stage does best”: Baroness Chakrabarti reviews ‘Inter Alia’

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'A case study in what the stage does best': Baroness Chakrabarti  reviews 'Inter Alia'
'A case study in what the stage does best': Baroness Chakrabarti  reviews 'Inter Alia'

Cormac McAlinden as Harry and Rosamund Pike as Jessica | Photo (c): Manuel Harlan


3 min read

With its commanding lead performance by Rosamund Pike, I challenge you not to be enthralled and provoked by this urgent legal drama

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Light and humorous moments aside, Australian lawyer-turned-writer Suzie Miller’s Inter Alia (“among other things”) is a very serious play. As with Miller’s 2019 stage work Prima Facie, a legal professional woman protagonist becomes the device for exploring wider, urgent societal issues. In the earlier work, it was a criminal defence barrister whose worldview is rocked by her own rape. That piece garnered international plaudits for both Miller and the phenomenon that is Jodie Comer in the starring role in the UK.

Rosamund Pike
Rosamund Pike as Jessica | Photo (c): Manuel Harlan

This time, the equally glittering and formidable Rosamund Pike plays Jessica Parks, a Crown Court judge and unabashed feminist who has sent many a sex offender to the slammer. Her work-life balance is non-existent, or at least impossibly demanding, thanks to the oblivious entitlement or passive-aggressive resentment of her hapless, less obviously successful criminal silk husband Michael. He is portrayed with understated aplomb by Jamie Glover. Jess’ life of juggling plates, cases, family duties and domestic dinner parties is sent into shock after an incident involving her only child, 18-year-old Harry. In this West End Wyndham’s Theatre transfer from the National Theatre, the darling boy is played with sensitivity and flair by Cormac McAlinden.

Pike delivers what we expect of a cinema star returning to the stage after many years. She commands the space, audience and material in a performance which combines physical energy and dexterity with charisma, empathy and warmth. Would any politicians reading this please take note? Pike’s own discipline and stamina in essentially carrying the one hour and 45 minutes, without interval and at a rate of knots, is well worthy of her character. Crucially, she is completely believable as an obviously class-privileged senior woman who has given her life to public service, towards the less glamorous end of our very precious and much-maligned UK judiciary. I have met and admired a great many Jesses over the years. Some are lawyers and judges, but others are senior doctors, journalists and, dare I say it, even parliamentarians.

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Rosamond Pike delivers what we expect of a cinema star returning to the stage after many years

While the energy and pace are impressive, and at times almost mesmerising, there were moments when I did not need quite so much rock guitar and well-choreographed but dizzying actor-driven prop movement, as clothes and dishes are disposed into the well-placed magic doors and cupboards, worthy of legendary National set-design.

Ultimately, however, while the screen is – for me at least – unrivalled as the medium for transcending worlds and developing three-dimensional characters, this production is a case study in what the stage does better or even best. That is providing challenge. While many of us applauded Adolescence, and welcomed all its well-deserved accolades, the parents in the last episode of that Netflix drama let themselves too very easily off the hook. This piece does the opposite.

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Inter Alia group
Harry (Cormac McAlinden), Michael (Jamie Glover) and Jessica (Rosamund Pike)

Photo (c): Manuel Harlan

I loved it, of course, for humanising lawyers and judges, who are fast becoming a demonised minority, but mostly for doing so with critical honesty, integrity and intelligence. Readers might expect this review of me, but I challenge anyone not to be enthralled and provoked.

Baroness Chakrabarti is a Labour peer

Inter Alia

Written by: Suzie Miller

Directed by: Justin Martin

Venue: Wyndham’s Theatre, WC2 – until 20 June

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How UK Government Is Attempting To Address Cost Of Living Crisis

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How UK Government Is Attempting To Address Cost Of Living Crisis

Labour has announced a raft of measures to help alleviate the soaring cost of living for Brits this week.

It comes as Donald Trump’s war against Iran, and the subsequent blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, continues to impact the global economy.

The waterway usually transports around 20% of the world’s oil and 25% of its liquefied national gas supplies, meaning its effective closure has hit energy-dependent countries everywhere.

A food security crisis is looming as a result, and the UK’s household energy price cap is expected to rise by £209 a year from July.

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Here’s a look at the measures chancellor Rachel Reeves unveiled this week as part of her £300 million “Great British Summer Savings” scheme.

5p Cut On Fuel Duty

The government announced on Wednesday that it will keep the current 5p cut on fuel duty until the end of the year.

The reduced tax rate for petrol and diesel was meant to be phased out in September.

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The policy was announced by the previous Conservative government to help ease the impact of the Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Now, with a fresh energy crisis emerging from the Middle East conflict, the government has decided to extend the scheme.

Red diesel duty will also be cut by one-third and road hauliers will receive a year’s grace on road tax to help the farming community.

A 12-month road tax holiday for HGVs and a 10p per mile in tax-free mileage rates, backdated to April 2026, is also set to be rolled out.

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Free August Travel For 5-15 Year-Olds

Children will travel for free on participating local buses in England for one month over the summer, Reeves announced on Wednesday.

The £100 million fare-free scheme will save a family with two children who make a weekly return trip at £1.50 per fare approximately £27, according to the government.

Those eligible can take an unlimited number of trips and do not need to register to enjoy the perk.

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Similar schemes were successfully trialled in the West of England throughout the summer, Easter and Christmas holidays.

VAT On Ticket Prices Cut

The chancellor announced a temporary cut to VAT on some attractions from 20% to 5% over the summer holidays.

“This will apply to ticket prices for both adults and children, covering attractions such as fairs, theme parks, zoos and museums,” Reeves told the Commons on Thursday.

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“It will include children’s tickets for cinemas, concerts, soft play and the theatre, and it will cut the cost of children’s meals in restaurants and cafes from 20% VAT to 5% as well.

“These changes will apply across the UK from the start of the Scottish school holidays on 25th June, and run until the end of school holidays in England, Wales and Northern Ireland on the 1st of September.”

Tariff Suspension On Supermarket Goods

The chancellor announced plans to suspend tariffs on certain supermarket goods on Thursday.

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Tariffs – import taxes on goods paid by companies in the supply chain – will be lifted on more than 100 types of products, including biscuits, chocolate, dried fruit and nuts.

Supermarkets will then have to pass that saving onto product prices so shoppers can enjoy a price cut.

The full list of products will be published next week but the scheme is expected to save consumers more than £150 million a year.

What About Supermarket Price Caps?

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There were reports the government was going to force price caps to supermarkets to try to keep the price of essential products – like eggs, bread and milk – down.

However, even the idea of a voluntary scheme was dismissed by the supermarket sector.

Marks & Spencer’s chief executive, Stuart Machin, said the idea was “completely preposterous”.

There were fears that could lead to shortages on shelves and trigger pressure throughout the supply chain.

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Is This Enough?

These measures might improve summer, but there is more pain around the corner.

While inflation did fall this week, it is expected to rise as the conflict in the Middle East triggered sky-high fuel prices.

The Office for National Statistics announced that Consumer Prices Index inflation fell to 2.8% in April, down from 3.3% in March, which is the lowest rate since March 2025.

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However, that was driven by regulator Ofgem reducing the energy price cap from the start of April by £10 a month.

The energy price cap is expected to increase significantly from July, too, from the current rate of £1,641 per year to £1,850 for a typical dual fuel household, according to predictions.

But the chancellor will wait until September before finalising any package of targeted support for households in winter when energy use increases.

Ministers are also trying to avoid offering a universal bailout for all households so as not to drive up an increase in government borrowing costs and inflation, leading to the kind of economic disaster seen under Liz Truss.

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The government insists it is offering “practical steps that help right now”.

Prime minister Keir Starmer said: “We know many hard‑working families are still feeling the squeeze and too often think they have to hold back.

“By giving every child free bus travel throughout August and cutting tariffs on everyday food items, we’re putting money back into people’s pockets and making life that bit easier.

“This government is focused on practical steps that help right now — easing pressure on household budgets, supporting parents during the school holidays, and backing British businesses.”

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Subscribe 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.

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Russell T Davies Slams Gwyneth Paltrow For Intimacy Coordinator Comment

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Russell T Davies Slams Gwyneth Paltrow For Intimacy Coordinator Comment

Tip Toe creator Russell T Davies singled out Gwyneth Paltrow while lambasting Hollywood A-listers who have spoken unfavourably about working with intimacy coordinators on the sets of their films and TV shows.

During a recent interview with The Mirror, the creator of hit shows like Queer As Folk and It’s A Sin sang the praises of intimacy coordinators, but lamented that there’s been a “rash recently of very famous actors saying” that their work isn’t “needed”.

“They have so much power and so much privilege and they have no idea what it is like to be a jobbing actor with no power on a set. Shame on them.”

Recalling one incident, when the film’s intimacy coordinator asked if she was happy with a particular move, she told Vanity Fair that she’d responded: “Girl, I’m from the era where you get naked, you get in bed, the camera’s on.”

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“We said, ‘I think we’re good. You can step a little bit back’, ” she later admitted. “I don’t know how it is for kids who are starting out, but… if someone is like, ’OK, and then he’s going to put his hand here’… I would feel, as an artist, very stifled by that.”

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Reform councillor accused of stealing a constituent’s video

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Reform politicians Zia Yusuf and Matthew Lambert

Reform politicians Zia Yusuf and Matthew Lambert

Since Reform UK did well in the 2025 local elections, there’s been a steady stream of stories about how weird their new councillors are. Because Reform won even more seats in the 2026 locals, that stream is fast becoming a river, with stories like this regularly bubbling to the surface:

Reform: you wouldn’t steal a car

If your councillor posts a video of them walking around the local area, you’d no doubt assume it’s their own. The fact that this may not be could say worrying things about this man’s integrity.

Of course, Lambert isn’t the only Reform politician who’s failing to perform their job as you’d expect:

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A fish rots from the head, as they say.

Ironically, Lambert has previously posted AI slop in which he promised to represent Christian values:

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We say ‘ironic’, because surely “thou shall not steal”, right? And yet now he stands accused of stealing some random constituent’s walking video.

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Lambert is a councillor in Wigan, which is the same area as the ongoing Makerfield by-election. Another candidate, Rob Kenyon, also has a pretty dubious record when it comes to understanding the Christian faith:

As YouTuber Jimmy the Giant commented:

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They’ll do anything to restore our christian heritage but go to church

Tip of the iceberg

When it comes to Farage’s awful councillors though, there’s far worse to point at than what Lambert has done, as we’ve reported:

There’s also the endless racism, as we reported in the runup to the recent locals:

This Lambert story does show something, however, and it’s that these far-right politicians are constantly attracting the wrong sort of attention – whether it’s allegedly stealing some random video or failing to declare a £5m ‘gift’:

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Featured image via Facebook

By Willem Moore

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