Iran has slammed a new wave of US strikes in the besieged nation’s south. Meanwhile Donald Trump has demanded various countries normalise relations with Israel as a condition of ending his failed war. Yet several expert voices have said that the US has already lost the war, with Trump in no position to make demands.

Middle East Eye reported:

Iran’s foreign ministry accused the US of violating ceasefire agreement after Washington carried out strikes south of the country.

The ministry said:

Undoubtedly, the Islamic Republic of Iran will not leave any act of mischief unanswered and will not hesitate in defending the country’s integrity.

Drop Site News reported that Iranian sailors and fishermen were killed:

NEW: Iranian sailors and fishermen were killed today after U.S. forces struck vessels near Bandar Abbas, according to reports and images circulating on social media.

IRGC-linked Fars News reported explosions in Bandar Abbas and similar sounds near Sirik and Jask a few hours… https://t.co/gUl45sMQrh pic.twitter.com/b8yMO4IDEF

— Drop Site (@DropSiteNews) May 26, 2026

US-Israel attacked Iran first on 28 February without provocation. Iran was offering unprecedented concessions in negotiations at the time. The Pentagon has since stated there was no imminent threat from Iran. And the UN’s atomic watchdog, the IAEA, has said there is no evidence Iran was developing a nuclear weapon.

The US has achieved none of its original war aims. Iran predictably closed the Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil channel, once attacked – creating a global energy crisis. Far from being defeated, Iran has said the war will continue until “the enemy’s inevitable and permanent humiliation, disgrace, regret, and surrender”. Trump came to power on an anti-war ‘America First’ ticket. He now faces worldwide humiliation.

It is widely felt that Trump is groping for an off-ramp from his own war. Drop Site‘s Murtaza Hussein posted on X:

If Trump continues the war he will have to deal with an escalating global economic crisis with no clear victory or exit strategy. If he ends it however he will have to deal with backlash from the ruthless Israel Lobby that will continue inflicting political harm on him for the…

— Murtaza Hussain (@MazMHussain) May 26, 2026

Iran holds the cards amid Trump’s desperation

Meanwhile, Middle East Eye editor David Hearst wrote that Iran “holds all the cards”:

however tortuous the path, and even if this deal fails and Trump decides to attack Iran for a third time, it is brutally clear that the US has just lost another war in the Middle East – its sixth in 25 years.

Iran has all the cards, chiefly the Strait of Hormuz, but also the deterrence its drones and missiles have achieved over its Gulf neighbours – and other cards still it has yet to play, like the closure of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait at the mouth of the Red Sea. Trump has none.

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Yet Trump has continued to make improbable demands more suited to a man who is winning. For example, he has insisted that a number of Middle East states sign the Abraham Accords. The Accords bind signatories into normalising relations with Israel.

Trump said:

After all the work done by the United States to try and pull this very complex puzzle together, it should be mandatory that all of these Countries, at a minimum, simultaneously, sign onto the Abraham Accords.

Those Countries discussed are Saudi Arabia, The United Arab Emirates (already a Member!), Qatar, Pakistan, Turkiye, Egypt, Jordan, and Bahrain (already a Member!).

Pakistan, which is acting as peace broker between the US and Iran, has rejected the idea entirely. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said, referring to Israel:

How will you sit down with those people whose word cannot be trusted.

We have a very clear stance that this is not acceptable to us.

Trump seems to be oscillating between desperation and brazen posturing. The self-proclaimed ‘master of the deal’ seems to be completely incapable of finding such a thing. That is one thing on a reality TV boardroom. It is quite another when it is the lives of Iranian civilians are reduced to bargaining chips in Trump’s failed imperial adventure.

Featured image via Getty/Andrew Harnik

By Joe Glenton

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Nigel Farage’s desperate claim that a Russian hacker leaked his financial records to the Guardian is “without any merit”, according to Ciaran Martin, the founding chief executive of the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC).

Over the weekend of 23 May, Farage told the Mail that Reform-employed ‘counter-espionage experts’ found “sophisticated hallmarks” of “hostile state actors” behind the alleged data-security breach.

Farage is begging us not to look at the donation

The ‘Russian hack’ gambit was the Reform leader’s latest attempt at a distraction from his undeclared £5m ‘gift’ from crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne. Farage originally claimed the gift was for ‘security’ before changing his tune, calling the money a ‘reward’ for his hard work campaigning for Brexit.

Whatever the purpose, Farage purchased, in cash, a £1.4m house mere months after Harborne’s kind gesture. In the same month he also put in applications to redevelop another Kent property. Likewise, later that year, Farage’s partner Laure Ferrari splashed £885,000 up front on a Clacton property.

Apparently, this was too much corruption even for the UK political establishment. The parliamentary standards commissioner has confirmed that they’re investigating Farage for a potential breach of the members’ code of conduct. Fingers crossed, this could even end up triggering a by-election in Clacton-on-Sea.

Understandably, given the potentially massive ramifications, Reform’s usually limelight-loving leader has been ducking interviews left, right, and centre. And then, of course, there’s his claim that he only started talking about the dodgy £5m because of a Russian hack.

‘The sophisticated hallmarks of a nation state actor’

On 23 May, Farage stated that counter-espionage experts in the employ of his party had uncovered signs that Moscow-linked hackers used spear phishing techniques to access his bank accounts, phone, and email. In the Mail, a Reform source claimed the alleged incident:

bore all the sophisticated hallmarks of a nation state actor using destabilisation techniques in the run-up to this month’s local elections.

You heard it straight from the horse’s mouth, folks. The Russians are using every tool at their disposal to stop Reform from taking control of Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council. If only Putin had known that he could just wait for the far-right party to take itself out.

According to Farage, just four people were even aware of the £5m gift. However, as the Canary’s Willem Moore reported, no one actually cares how the financial records leaked. Instead, people are very concerned with the fact that the far-right stooge has failed to provide any evidence for this alleged hack.

‘He’s not produced a shred of evidence’

Now, ex-NCSC chief Ciaran Martin has come forward to state that Farage’s wild claims would have massive repercussions for the UK’s policies regarding Russia. If, that is, any of the story were actually true. Martin explained that:

An aspiring prime minister has essentially claimed that Russia has launched an unprecedentedly aggressive intervention – a malicious intervention – in British politics, and he’s not produced a shred of evidence to support that claim.

He’s made a serious foreign policy and national security allegation which if true would have massive implications for British policy towards Russia.

It is a very, very serious thing to allege. It would be a national security issue. If it is true, the government should be in emergency session in COBR [Cabinet Office Briefing Rooms] right now considering their response to the most serious Russian intervention in internal British affairs for years.

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On the contrary, the Guardian reported its understanding that Farage hasn’t even bothered to ask for the NCSC’s help with his scary (and definitely 100% real) Russian hacker yet.

Russians ‘don’t leave a little flag’

Martin was also quick to call out the outlandish nature of Reform’s claim to have employed ‘counter-espionage experts’. Likewise, he also questioned how exactly they arrived at the conclusion that ‘Moscow did it’. Martin explained that the Russians “don’t leave a little flag on a device”:

To take one phone and say my phone, email and bank account has been hacked, and it’s got the imprint of the Russian state, that’s a hell of a technical leap to do that on the basis of a single device analysis. […]

You need detailed technical evidence, some of which is sometimes not even available to the private sector. That is why for an accusation of this magnitude the only right port of call is the British security services, and in this case, specifically the National Cyber Security Centre in GCHQ [Government Communications Headquarters].

Martin didn’t want to rule out the possibility of a hack completely. That’s probably fair, given that (like the rest of the country) he hasn’t seen any of Reform’s evidence yet. However, he was unequivocal on the point that Farage – if he is telling the truth – is making a pig’s ear of the incident:

What he has described would not just be hacking by Russia, but what we call a hack-and-leak operation, which is a different thing.

It is way more serious because it violates international norms, and it’s a direct intervention aimed at destabilising our democracy and our politics in a way that spying isn’t. […]

An aspiring prime minister should treat it with the utmost seriousness and cooperate fully with the National Cyber Security Centre and any other relevant authority; otherwise you should not make these accusations, because they’re way too serious to just be bandied around.

Lying, incompetent, or both?

So, let’s run through things, just to sum it up. Farage claimed that Russian agents hacked his accounts to leak his financial details to the Guardian. His party’s supposed counter-espionage experts, if they exist, are apparently working at a level beyond the private sector’s actual capabilities.

In spite of public pressure, the Reform leader has provided no evidence to back up his story. It’s a massive allegation against Russia, which could have lasting effects on UK foreign policy towards the Putin administration.

However, Farage is utterly failing to treat the incident with the magnitude it deserves – he hasn’t even gone to the government agency specifically set up to handle matters of national cyber-security.

That leaves us with a simple question: is Farage lying, incompetent, or both? Personally, the Canary’s money is on ‘both’. And this is the tosser who wants to be the next prime minister? You’re having a laugh.

Featured image via Getty/Toby Melville

By Alex/Rose Cocker

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The Department for Transport this month delivered yet more humiliating news on the HS2 railway, the high-speed rail project that first broke ground in 2011. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander explained to the House of Commons that completion of the line, now reduced to a single route between London and Birmingham, can cost between £87.7bn and £102.7bn, against an original 2012 estimate of around £33bn.

The first trains are announced not to run until, at the earliest, 2036, and full operation has fallen somewhere between 2040 and 2043, with no confirmation given that deadlines may not change further. In the interests of saving money, the high-speed trains will be slower, at only 320km/h, rather than the originally promised 360km/h.

As previous Canary coverage of Britain’s outsourcing state has set out, the temptation is to read this as a story about incompetence. To do so presumes good intentions frustrated by bad management, when the truth is that this outcome was written into the structure of the project from the beginning through the infrastructure contracts themselves.

The contract model

The story of HS2 has been one of continuous failure, and a key demonstration of the incapacity of the modern British state to execute large-scale infrastructure under the immense weight of its immobile bureaucratic machinery. Contrary to endless ministerial briefings about complex engineering challenges, Britain has not forgotten how to build railways.

As Mark Wild – the chief executive of HS2 Ltd brought in to reset the project – set out in his assessment to the Transport Secretary, the contracts operate on a ‘cost-plus’ basis, whereby contractors were paid whatever they spent with little penalty for overshooting. The Institution of Civil Engineers described the resulting arrangement as an “imbalance of power” tilted toward the construction firms. The Guardian‘s financial editor put it more plainly, noting that the companies:

rang rings around the department and its arm’s-length body.

Almost the entire long-term downside risk sat with HS2 Ltd, the public body, rather than with the firms responsible for delivery.

The consequences naturally followed from that design. Freed from the risk of their own overruns, contractors chased short-term construction schedules and juggled multiple contracts at once, in tandem with engineering problems and unforeseen difficulties that were billed back to the public. Concrete was poured and tunnels were dug before planning consent would be secured and blueprints finalised, forcing mid-construction redesign to adhere to local regulations, halting work and leaving expensive plant and labour idle.

There was, in short, no party to the contract with both the power and the reason to keep costs down. The public had the reason but not the power; the contractors had the power but not the reason.

The State as a conduit

HS2 is only the largest example of a much broader pattern. It is the clearest available illustration of a model that has governed British infrastructure since the 1990s, under which an asset-deprived state exists to funnel public funds into the hands of private capital for the continuation of fickle-profit margins, thereby absorbing risks and reaping the rewards.

Where the state nationalises, the form of nationalisation is such that it rarely means the public taking command of an asset and running it in the public interest. Rather, it means the public takes the liabilities, debts and long-term risks, while day-to-day operations, and the profit that flows from them, remains contracted to private firms.

The same logic recurs across the public sector. The railways, even after nominal return to public ownership, still run on private operators, private maintenance firms and rolling stock leased from private financiers, with the state underwriting the structure and absorbing the losses. The PFI deals struck under New Labour saddled the NHS with decades of repayments for hospitals, which it will end up paying several times over, long after the firms that built them banked the return. However the arrangement is dressed up, from one part of the public realm to the next, it works to the same end: sparing private firms the consequences of their own failures and socialising the costs to the people that fund them.

Allegations of outright fraud now hang over the HS2 supply chain. HS2 Ltd has referred a subcontractor to HMRC over claims that workers were misclassified and inflated rates charged. But the fraud, real as it may be, is the smaller scandal. The larger one is entirely legal, and describes a state that has stripped itself of the capacity to be the prime mover of the economy, contracting its capacity to build to the private sector at a price it cannot negotiate.

More workable models exist

Workable models have been shown to exist. France’s maîtrise d’ouvrage tradition keeps the public legally in command of its own projects and Italy’s contratto di rete binds multiple firms into a single transparent framework with shared risks and obligations. The barrier has never been knowing how to do this differently; it is that too many powerful people have grown comfortable with it being done badly.

The same financial logic that made HS2 a vehicle for private extraction and criminal enterprise is hardwired into the basic operation of the state. Any government that seriously proposed a plan to claw back public control over money, to build through capable public bodies rather than rent that capacity back from the market, would be met by a run on the pound, a spike in gilt yields and a familiar invocation of the spectre of Liz Truss.

The country deserves a full accounting of where the money has gone. That means a thorough investigation into the nature of HS2 contracts, the naming and holding to account of the politicians and contractors responsible, and an argument the political class has so far refused to have – namely, the wholesale overhaul of UK public contract law toward a system that is fair, transparent and flexible.

Featured image via Christopher Furlong/Getty Images

By Rares Cocilnau

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Turkey is one of the most popular rhinoplasty locations on a global scale. The country hosts hundreds (if not thousands) of international patients every year. The reason why is pretty clear. They offer a combination of world class medical knowledge, operate using the latest technology, and they have a rich history of success in facial aesthetics. 

For a whole lot of people, the journey toward a more balanced facial profile begins here, because patients seeking a nose job in Turkey now have more options than ever before.

However, the sheer volume of available clinics can make selecting the right one a pretty daunting process. As you probably know, choosing the right rhinoplasty surgeon is the single most important decision you can make as a patient. 

That’s why we created this ranking list. We want to give you a fully transparent guide to finding the best rhinoplasty surgeon in Turkey for 2026.

Why Turkey Is a Global Hotspot for Rhinoplasty

The main reason why Turkey is still a leading destination for rhinoplasty in 2026 is, basically, the fact that their experts have a ton of procedural experience. They handle a much, much higher volume of nasal surgeries per year compared to Western Europe or North America. Turkish surgeons often get a career’s worth of experience in half the time.

This high demand simply leads to rapid innovation. Top clinics in Istanbul, which is the primary hub for rhinoplasty surgery, now utilize advanced techniques such as 3D imaging for pre operative planning and Piezo (ultrasonic) technology. 

These innovations lead to more precise modifications to the nasal structure without the trauma that’s typically associated with traditional methods. 

Furthermore, quality is strictly regulated here. Top facilities have to keep their JCI accreditation and Ministry of Health authorization when it comes to quality benchmarks, which, in fact, rival any Western institution, and all that at a fraction of the cost compared to the UK or USA.

How We Selected the Top 10 Rhinoplasty Surgeons

We want to make sure that this list serves as a reliable editorial resource, and so, we went with a transparent methodology to evaluate leading rhinoplasty surgeons currently practicing in Turkey. We checked each of them based on a strict set of quality benchmarks:

• Years of experience and the total volume of successful rhinoplasty procedures performed;
• The quality, consistency, and natural appearance of their before and after gallery;
• International board certifications and active memberships in prestigious global aesthetic societies;
• Verified patient reviews and testimonials from independent platforms;
• Specialization in complex cases, such as revision surgery or ethnic rhinoplasty;
• Adherence to international safety standards and the use of an advanced surgical technique like Piezo or 3D imaging and post operative care.

Top 10 Best Rhinoplasty Surgeons in Turkey 2026

Check out our overview of the leading specialists who are currently defining the standards of nasal surgery in Turkey.

#1 Dr. Ufuk Durgun – Cosmedica Aesthetic

Dr. Ufuk Durgun is a rhinoplasty surgeon with a whole lot of experience in the aesthetic and functional aspects of human nasal anatomy. His international patient base spans over 40 countries. Also, he is a distinguished member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) and the Turkish Society of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (TPCD). 

But he is not only an expert in the operating room. His work is published in academic publications pretty frequently, and he also hosts lectures. All this proves his professional authority in plastic surgery.

His clinic is Cosmedica Aesthetic, where he uses Piezo ultrasonic rhinoplasty, which is a cutting edge surgical technique that uses ultrasonic energy to reshape bone and cartilage. This lends to great precision, and the result is great for the patient: less tissue trauma and a faster recovery. 

His clinic uses 3D imaging for pre operative planning so that the results align with the patient’s unique facial features.

Cosmedica Aesthetic offers comprehensive care, all inclusive packages that cover hospital stays, luxury hotel accommodations, airport transfers, 24/7 patient support, and post operative care. 

It doesn’t matter if you need a primary procedure, or if you are searching for “revision rhinoplasty Turkey,” or “nose tip correction Turkey.” He’ll be there for you. 

All this makes him a top choice in 2026 (and beyond) for facial harmony.

#2 Dr. Suleyman Tas (Istanbul) 

He is a specialist in closed atraumatic rhinoplasty with over 15 years of experience, and recognized for his international fellowship training and contributions to European aesthetic societies.

#3 Dr. Muhammet Dilber (Istanbul) 

This doctor focuses on advanced rhinoplasty procedures, and he has a solid reputation for natural looking results and long term structural stability.

#4 Dr. Hasan Duygulu (Istanbul) 

This man specializes in facial plastic surgery with a heavy focus on complex nasal surgeries, and he is known for a detailed approach to tip refinement and ethnic rhinoplasty.

#5 Dr. Ozan Balık (Istanbul) 

This doctor is certified by the National Board of Medical Examiners. He can do Reverse-B rhinoplasty techniques and uses digital simulation tools.

#6 Dr. Yunus Kaplan (Istanbul) 

He is an expert in high volume nasal reconstruction and aesthetic surgery, and the medical community says good things about his precision in treating dorsal humps and septal deviations.

#7 Dr. Seçkin Ulusoy (Istanbul) 

He is an expert in ENT and facial plastic surgery, focusing on a clear balance between breathing function and facial aesthetics.

#8 Dr. Murat Songu (Izmir) 

He is a leading academic and surgeon specializing in revision surgery and pediatric nasal cases. He is a recipient of numerous national surgical awards.

#9 Dr. Mehmet Emre Dinç (Istanbul) 

This man is an Associate Professor who graduated from Istanbul University. His focus is on Piezo technology and structural rhinoplasty.

#10 Dr. Bora Ok (Istanbul) 

This doctor specializes in ethnic rhinoplasty and gender affirming rhinoplasty with a focus on keeping the patient’s unique facial features.

Types of Rhinoplasty Procedures in Turkey

Here’s a brief overview of the different types of procedures to help you pick one that’s right for you.

• Primary rhinoplasty is the initial surgery to reshape the nose for aesthetic or functional goals;
• Revision rhinoplasty is a corrective surgery for patients who have had unsatisfactory results from a previous procedure;
• Ultrasonic/Piezo rhinoplasty uses ultrasonic energy to reshape the bone and cartilage, resulting in less bruising and faster healing;
• Ethnic rhinoplasty is an approach that enhances the nose while carefully preserving the patient’s ethnic facial features and nasal anatomy;
• Functional rhinoplasty includes septoplasty to correct breathing issues and appearance;
• Nose reconstruction is one of the more advanced techniques for complex cases involving significant structural rebuilding of the nasal structure.

Rhinoplasty Cost in Turkey (Updated 2026)

The average cost of an all inclusive package in Turkey typically is between €2,500 and €5,000. The price ultimately depends on several factors, like: 

• Years of experience; 
• The clinic’s international accreditation levels;
• The complexity of the case (specifically whether it is a primary or revision surgery);
• The techniques used.

Here’s a quick price comparison table.

Top clinics provide all inclusive packages to simplify the experience for international guests. These generally include pre operative tests, the surgery and anesthesia, a hospital stay of 3 to 4 nights, luxury hotel accommodation, airport transfers, necessary medication, and 24/7 patient support.

What Results You Can Expect

Here’s what a typical healing timeline looks like:

• During the first 7 days, you can expect swelling and bruising, and the nasal splint will be in place during this week; 
• Weeks 2 or 4 is when most visible bruising starts disappear, and you can return to your social life;
• After 3 to 6 months, the residual swelling will continue to subside, and the refined shape of the nose will become clear; 
• After about 12 months, the final result will be fully visible.

Now, you need to understand that there is a difference between natural and dramatic results. It all depends on your facial harmony and your unique facial features. It also depends on the type of procedure (whether you went for tip refinement, bridge shaping, or nostril adjustment).

Also, it’s important that you understand the potential risks of plastic surgery. Temporary swelling and breathing changes are common during healing. There are also some rare risks like asymmetry or the need for revision surgery, but if you choose a qualified surgeon who provides a regular check and post operative care, you don’t have to worry about that.

How to Choose the Right Rhinoplasty Surgeon in Turkey

Here’s a practical checklist to help you pick the right rhinoplasty surgeon:

• Board certification in plastic and reconstructive surgery; 
• Portfolio consistency with a quality before and after gallery with different nose types;
• Years of experience with your specific nasal anatomy and procedure type;  
• Verified reviews on independent platforms; 
• Clinic accreditations like JCI or Ministry of Health authorization; 
• 3D imaging and digital simulation for planning;
• Transparent post operative care plan and clear communication.

Conclusion

So, as we learned, Turkey is a leading destination for rhinoplasty and facial aesthetics in 2026, and picking the right rhinoplasty surgeon depends on their credentials, techniques, safety protocols, and aftercare. Cosmedica Aesthetic and Dr. Ufuk Durgun stand out as a natural first choice for patients seeking care in 2026, with elite credentials and an all inclusive approach that prioritizes safety. 

Explore your options and book a free consultation with your chosen surgeon.

By Nathan Spears

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New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, alongside the City’s Commissioners in the Department of Finance (DOF) and the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), has announced that his administration has managed to recover over $9m in previously unpaid fines.

These fines came from idling violations committed by Bezos’ delivery vehicles and third-party contractors, and despite the Amazon’s $2 trillion valuation, the company has ignored them – until now.

This serves as a timely reminder that authorities can hold dominant corporations accountable and make them pay up accordingly when political will exists.

Amazon is worth $2 trillion. But it didn't deign to pay the millions of dollars it racked up in unpaid fines as its’ trucks illegally polluted our air and forced New Yorkers to breathe in their exhaust. 
⁰We collected every dollar they owe the people of this city — and will… pic.twitter.com/LzlPXP7hR3

— Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@NYCMayor) May 22, 2026

Mamdani: “No company – no matter how large or powerful – is above the law”

This huge sum recovered from billionaire Jeff Bezos’ Amazon was due as a result of New York City’s anti-idling laws, which were introduced to tackle air pollution. These laws subsequently made it illegal for most vehicles to keep the engine running whilst idle for more than three minutes. In turn, this would then improve public health and also work to improve action against climate change.

Speaking about the lack of accountability amongst billionaires compared to ordinary, hard-working people, Mamdani said:

Amazon is worth $2 trillion. Yet, it did not deign to pay the millions of dollars it racked up in unpaid fines as its trucks illegally polluted our air and forced New Yorkers to breathe in their exhaust. We are going to collect every dollar they owe the people of this city.

These laws exist for a reason: cleaner air, healthier communities, and a city where corporations are held to the same standard as everyone else.

Today we are making clear that no company – no matter how large or powerful – is above the law.

Richard Lee, Commissioner for the DOF, showed his support for holding companies accountable, saying:

As part of the Mayor’s directive to ensure fairness, collaboration, and accountability in our agency’s service to New Yorkers, the Department of Finance is committed to collecting debts owed to the city and supporting enforcement efforts that protect New Yorkers’ quality of life.

The successful collection effort led by DOF Deputy Commissioner Annette Hill and her team, demonstrates the effectiveness of this administration working collaboratively with companies to ensure compliance, holding entities accountable for meeting their financial obligations to the City, and assisting companies like Amazon to prevent accumulating debt.

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Similarly, Lisa Garcia – Commissioner for the DEP – applauded the Mamdani administration’s successful efforts to confront one of the “worst idling offenders in the city”, stating:

I applaud Mayor Mamdani and the Department of Finance for securing more than $9 million in illegal idling fines from Amazon, which has long been among the top worst idling offenders in the city.

Through the Citizens Air Complaint Program, New Yorkers can report idling with a video upload – helping us cut air pollution and improve quality of life.

Adding a particular poignancy to this news is the fact that it followed Jeff Bezos’ public criticisms of Mamdani’s moves to tax wealth to better fund education.

Contrary to establishment politicians who bend to big money and corporations, Mamdani did not back down and made it clear that society should hold everyone to the same standards, rather than continually burdening the 99% while letting the super-rich escape accountability.

New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani has collected $9m (£6.6m) in unpaid fines from Amazon, which has been violating the city's clean air laws by leaving engines running on its parked vehicles.

His office announced the recovery of the money last week, days after Amazon CEO Jeff… pic.twitter.com/BGoJb5eHft

— It's politics (@uspolitics1111) May 25, 2026

Citizen-led justice

New Yorkers can make anonymous reports about idling vehicles by calling 311, filing an online complaint, or participating in the NYC Department of Environmental Protection’s Citizens Air Complaint Program.

As a result, this gives ordinary citizens a powerful tool to take action in their local communities and helps ensure they apply accountability without fear or favour, with citizen-led justice as an underlying principle.

Needless to say, this issue is likely also a problem in the UK, where Amazon operates heavily. It will be interesting to see whether UK leaders consider introducing a similar policy. However, that would require them to be willing to make sure that extreme wealth does not shield powerful actors from accountability while they accumulate more wealth at the expense of our society and the environment.

Nevertheless, we won’t be holding our breath.

Featured image via Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

By Maddison Wheeldon

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Activists have responded to a new report showing the extent of state and corporate crackdown on protest. And they’ll be discussing the implications at a central London meeting later on Tuesday 26 May.

As Abi Perrin has written for the Canary:

This report focuses on multiple responses to protest it describes as “grossly disproportionate”. This includes harsh sentences and “indiscriminate” use of remand – sending protesters to prison for many months before their cases are heard in court.

The report, Britain’s Political Prisoners, was co-published by researchers at the Centre for Climate Crime and Climate Justice at Queen Mary University of London and Defend Our Juries.

It found that repression especially targeted activists taking direct action against climate breakdown and the destruction of Gaza. Perrin adds:

It details evidence that the UK ministers have been under pressure from both the Israeli government and arms company Elbit to treat Palestine-related protests harshly. It also points to the influence of fossil fuel industry funded think tanks in the crackdown on climate protests.

Key findings from the report show that:

• The average detention period was 28 weeks, equivalent to more than six months.
• One in three protesters (34%) were jailed for six months or more.
• One in five (21%) were imprisoned for more than a year.
• In 60% of cases, final sentences were more lenient than the time already spent in custody on remand.
• The most common category of offence leading to imprisonment was contempt of court, accounting for 40% of recorded cases.
• Conspiracy offences accounted for 17% of cases analysed.

Pre-emptive punishment of activists

The report argues that the growing use of contempt of court proceedings and conspiracy charges has enabled courts to impose custodial sentences in ways that can limit access to jury trials and expand pre-emptive forms of punishment.

The analysis also found that Palestine solidarity activists experienced particularly lengthy periods of remand detention, with 60% held for longer than six months before sentencing.

Professor David Whyte of Centre for Climate Crime and Climate Justice at Queen Mary said:

This report documents a remarkable shift in how protest is being policed and punished in Britain. Our findings show the routine use of remand exceeding statutory time limits.

Exceptionally high levels of contempt proceedings and custodial sentencing in response to acts of civil disobedience and direct action show that the courts are progressively degrading the right to protest.

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Tim Crosland of Defend Our Juries said:

This report strips away the illusion that the UK remains committed to democratic principles. It reveals that peaceful protesters are being jailed in ever increasing numbers, under pressure from the oil and arms industries, the Israeli government and their lobbyists.

Most shocking of all is the finding concerning the use of remand. In the majority of cases, final sentences are more lenient than time already spent in custody before people have been convicted of anything. It would be dishonest to present this as anything other than punishment without trial.

Zoë Blackler, founding director of radical events space Kairos, said:

In the face of this clampdown on the right to peaceful protest we need to come together in solidarity and defiance. Kairos exists to inspire imaginative thinking in response to the extreme challenges we face.

We encourage anyone shocked by the imprisonment of climate and anti-war protesters to join us on Tuesday evening in developing a strategic vision for how to resist.

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To coincide with the launch of the report, central London events space Kairos is hosting an event at 6.30pm on Tuesday 26 May. It’ll discuss strategic ways forward for the climate and anti-war movements in the light of these revelations.

The event will include a series of short presentations by:

• Professor David Whyte of the Centre for Climate Crime and Climate Justice at Queen Mary University of London.
• Tim Crosland of Defend Our Juries.
• Huda Ammori, lead applicant in the judicial review against the government’s proscription of Palestinian solidarity (via video link).
• Amy Pritchard, previously jailed climate protester.
• Athene Dilke of the Public and Commercial Services Union.
• Guy Zilberman, author of the report.

After the presentations there’ll be an open mic session, supper and discussion.

Journalists can attend a briefing on the report at Kairos, 84 Tottenham Court Road, London W1T 4TG from 5pm.

Featured image via Dan Kitwood / Getty Images

By The Canary

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Our friends at investigative outlet Declassified UK are demanding Brits who served in Israel’s genocidal war machine are held to account. And their new open letter, addressed to home secretary Shabana Mahmood and  foreign secretary Yvette Cooper, outlines exactly how to do so.

2000 Brits served in the IOF

The letter was written with International Centre of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP). ICJP have fought a long battle against the genocide themselves.

Declassified said on 26 May that many prominent figures had already signed the letter:

Our campaign letter has already been signed by over 60 prominent figures – from lawyers and genocide scholars to military veterans and politicians.

They include human rights lawyer Michael Mansfield, genocide scholar Martin Shaw, former British army general Charlie Herbert, anti-apartheid campaigner Andrew Feinstein, Green party leader Zack Polanski, and the Mother of the House of Commons, Diane Abbott MP.

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Declassified reported in February 2026 that over two thousand Brits has served in the Israeli military during the genocide. Yet the UK police announced on 5 May they would not arrest those involved.

The Declassified letter opens:

We, the undersigned, are politicians, lawyers, campaigners, human rights defenders, journalists, and concerned members of the public who believe the public interest is best served by monitoring the entry of British-Israeli dual national citizens into the UK and investigating potential links to war crimes, in cases where they have served in the Israel Defence Forces (IDF).

Adding:

Such concerns are well-founded given extensive documentation of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide perpetrated by the IDF since October 2023.

Recommendations for accountability

The document makes two recommendations, firstly:

Implement a disclosure requirement regarding service in the Israeli military, subjecting travellers with Israeli travel documents or arriving from an origin of Tel Aviv airport to potential secondary screening at ports of entry under domestic war crimes inadmissibility rules and/or adjusted visa policies.

And secondly:

Conduct robust, impartial and independent investigations and prosecutions at national or international levels, in compliance with the obligation to ensure accountability for the most serious crimes under international law, to ensure justice for all victims and the prevention of future crimes.

Declassified have repeatedly exposed British collusion with Israel’s genocidaires. This includes spy flights, training military personnel and secretive arms shipments.

The outlet said:

The UK government’s failure to collect data on the movements of potential Israeli war criminals raises serious concerns. Individuals who have returned from fighting in Gaza may now be living alongside us and working in public institutions such as hospitals, the police, and schools.

Adding:

Nobody wants to live next to a potential war criminal – not least members of the Palestinian community in the UK who have family or friends who have been subjected to war crimes.

Israeli politicians under investigation for war crimes

Declassified reminded the two ministers that senior Israeli politicians like Benyamin Netanyahu were under investigation for war crimes. And that:

the International Court of Justice (ICJ) found “plausible” evidence that genocide has taken place in Gaza, and the UN Commission of Inquiry (UN COI) concluded that “Israel has committed genocide in the Gaza strip” and that “the Israeli authorities have committed the crime against humanity of extermination in the Gaza Strip”.

The authors added:

In light of the opinions of the ICC, the ICJ and the UN COI, the UK government must immediately implement the above measures in order to ensure sufficient scrutiny of IDF soldiers returning to the UK, in the interests of international and domestic law, transparency, and public safety.

The police refusal to pursue potential war criminals, coupled with British government collusion with Israel, are an abject disgrace. The current inaction speaks to the degree to which Palestinian life is disregarded. That might be acceptable to the UK establishment, but it is not acceptable to the Canary, Declassified and many others.  Add your name to the letter here.

Featured image via Joel Carillet / Getty Images

By Joe Glenton

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UK temperatures this week have hit 34.8℃ – by far the highest ever recorded in May. Whilst this made for an enjoyable bank holiday for some, the way we talk about heatwaves often misses the true extent of the danger and who is most at risk from it. As climate impacts intensify, we remain unprepared for the extreme heat that lies ahead.

Heat warnings

Europe is heating up particularly fast as the climate crisis accelerates. Temperatures here are rising more than twice as quickly as the global average. And whilst the overall temperature increases may look small, they have a massive impact on how often and how severely we experience extreme heat.

A stable climate is now a thing of the past, and this month’s erratic UK weather is an example of how this can play out: May started off warmer than average, experienced a cool period, then launched into the record-obliterating heatwave we are now witnessing.

The impacts of heatwaves across this continent are already devastating, with over 60,000 heat-related deaths estimated in 2024 and severe impacts on our ability to grow food.

Professor Hannah Cloke of the University of Reading explains why the current unseasonable heat is so dangerous to food production:

A prolonged spell of heat and dry weather at this stage of the growing season brings real concern. Many crops are at a critical point of development and sustained high temperatures, combined with a lack of rainfall, can cause stress, reduce yields and in some cases cause irreversible damage.

This can be disastrous for farmers, and filters through to all of us through food shortages and price inflation: climate impacts are already thought to be the biggest driver of rising food bills in the UK.

Extreme heat and injustice

Most of us will have experienced the unpleasant effects of dehydration, exhaustion or irritability when we have been unable to – or have chosen not to – avoid the heat. But for many in the UK, the impacts go far beyond discomfort. Health conditions and disabilities make people significantly more vulnerable.

Both mental and physical health factor here, as psychiatric registrar Dr Amelia Cussans told me:

Extreme heat impacts upon both the body and the mind. People living with mental health conditions often experience worsening symptoms during heatwaves. Many people will also experience a worsening of side effects from their psychiatric medications, which in turn interferes with the body’s ability to regulate temperature.

The effects can be extremely serious, as Dr Cussans explains:

This makes everyday coping much harder. During heat waves, A&Es see a spike in mental health-related admissions. Sadly, there is also a documented rise in suicides.

Whether it’s because your home isn’t built to deal with the heat or you have little choice but to work in sweltering conditions, extreme heat disproportionately harms people with the least access to cool spaces. Hence heatwaves both expose and deepen inequalities in wealth and power.

The global injustice is stark, with the most catastrophic heat impacts hitting the countries least responsible for driving them. For anyone recuperating from heatstroke or disrupted sleep after the bank holiday, it might be especially sobering to imagine how the blistering 50℃ heatwaves across West Africa and the Indian subcontinent must feel.

Connecting the dots

The enormity of the threats posed by heatwaves is not reflected in how we generally talk about them. Media coverage rarely references how much worse they’ll become, how poorly prepared the UK is, nor the inequalities at play. Even where health risks and climate warnings are part of the story, images of happy people flocking to the beach (or of dogs wearing sunglasses) can undermine these messages.

We need a media, and a wider culture, that connects the dots. For as long as we focus on simply reporting – or even enjoying – heatwaves without putting them in the context of climate breakdown, we can only expect them to become even more frequent, even more deadly and even more unfair.

Featured image via Ritesh Shukla/Getty Images

By Abi Perrin

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On 13 May, we reported that Nigel Farage was suing Reform UK defector Ben Habib. He’s doing so because Habib accused Farage of conspiring with Boris Johnson and an offshore crypto billionaire to rig the 2019 election. Now, Chris Harborne – the billionaire in question – has also announced his intent to sue Habib:

Remember when Ben Habib claimed that Christopher Harborne gave £1M each to Boris Johnson and Nigel Farage to help Boris get elected & persuade Nigel to stand down in 2019, then challenged him to sue?

Well, Harborne has accepted the challenge and is now suing Ben Habib. pic.twitter.com/Xgq4815eDv

— Mukhtar (@I_amMukhtar) May 25, 2026

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Reform sue-K

Habib was once the co-deputy leader of Reform. When he left, he made it clear that his problem with Reform was Farage and how he runs the party:

Advance UK is a democratic movement. Members endorse our mission, not the other way around. No censorship. No cronyism. Just serious, open politics. pic.twitter.com/lItBkNsKBz

— Ben Habib (@BackBrexitBen) August 9, 2025

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It’s worth noting that Habib has the same awful opinions as Farage; he just doesn’t like being micromanaged by him.

The comments from Habib, which landed him in trouble, are as follows:

I have never said this publicly before, but … now that we’ve discovered five million quid went to Farage in 2024, I am obliged to disclose the million quid, which I believe went to Farage in late 2022 as well. And that smacks to me of a deal.

The 2019 general election was sewn up between Nigel Farage, Christopher Harborne and Boris Johnson. And it was a monetary deal. That’s how I see it.

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Farage responded:

My lawyers have formally written to Ben Habib.

They demanded an immediate apology and public retraction for the baseless allegations he made today.

I do not take legal action often. But I will not accept slander & politically motivated smears after winning a national election.

While some have reported Habib said Harborne gave Farage and Johnson £1m each in 2019, Habib actually said these payments came later. He did, however, describe 2019 as a “monetary deal”. And this is important, because Reform UK (then the Brexit Party) stood down to give Johnson and the Tories a better shot at winning.

Habib has responded to the latest legal case by stating:

No one can bully me.

Foreign interference

Christopher Harborne – the man now suing Habib – is a longtime funder of Farage. This recently attracted headlines because we learned Farage had accepted a £5m ‘gift’ from the man – allegedly to pay for his security – which Farage neglected to declare:

NEW: Christopher Harborne is suing Advance UK leader Ben Habib for defamation.

Christopher is the Thai-based billionaire who gave Nigel Farage £5 million to fund his security. pic.twitter.com/0BgC41qRna

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— The Mercian (@TheMercianNews) May 25, 2026

This is all causing problems for Farage, with the BBC’s Victoria Derbyshire highlighting the following (paraphrased by Alonso Gurmendi):

1) Farage says he won’t run
2) crypto billionaire pays him £5mill
3) Farage U-turns and runs
4) Farage hides the donation
5) Farage announces if he wins the election he will slash capital gains tax for crypto firms

The BBC has since said Farage is ducking them. This is a shocking turn of events, because Farage was previously the most-interviewed man in British politics. He was also holding regular press conferences. Now, Farage is mostly appearing via pre-recorded videos like the following:

The optics say it all: Farage, a public school boy in cords and tweed, fresh from receiving £5m from another public school boy, nodding along as Kenyon argues that Britain’s real problem is teenagers who cannot be hired on the minimum wage. https://t.co/gA42bUhOKE

— Dr Iain Overton (@iainoverton) May 23, 2026

Excuses

Farage’s most recent excuse is claiming the Russians hacked his phone. According to him, only four people knew about the £5m gift. The problem is no one cares how the info got out, and Farage has failed to provide evidence for this alleged hack.

On the same day he said no one can bully him, Habib shared the following message from podcaster David Henry Headley:

Nigel, you’re missing the point.

I don’t care who hacked your phone. The real story is that you’ll happily take money from almost anyone.

Spare us the “man of the people” routine.

You’re a grifter, and people can see it.

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Farage and Harborne can sue Habib if they like, but in doing so they’re going to draw more attention to the suspicious £5m gift. And as Maddison Wheeldon reported for the Canary:

Nigel Farage could finally face his comeuppance as the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner launches one investigation, while a further probe may follow after a complaint from the Conservatives.

Following reports and widespread coverage of Farage taking a ‘gift’ of £5m from foreign-based crypto-billionaire Christopher Harborne, which he failed to declare, the commissioner is now finally investigating the Reform UK leader for breaching the code of conduct.

In other words, we encourage both men to launch as many legal cases as they can.

Featured image via Ryan Jenkinson (Getty Images) / Christopher Furlong (Getty Images)

By Willem Moore

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