The 'Starmer appointed Mandelson because he needed someone to manage Trump' - not true. What happened was:
1) From the general election there was a desire in Downing Street for a political appointee
2) There was no question that the US embassy had good Trumpworld links as it was
Another story in the developing saga over the ongoing sale of DBIC in Doncaster...
@chrisburn.bsky.social is also able to reveal the 'former Labour cabinet member' in his questions, which I covered for the LDRS recently, was Cllr Joe Blackham
Doncaster Council refused to comment for this story and have previously edited a councillor's question about the matter out of a YouTube recording of a meeting. Fair to file this one under 'more to come out':
www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/business/don...
In Bruges scene where Colin Farrell is pointing a gun at his head and Brendon Gleeson is also pointing a gun at Colin Farrell's head
Current status of the Strait of Hormuz dispute
Leaflet of three candidates, white blokes with limited hair, all in glasses. --- **GATESHEAD IS BROKEN. VOTE REFORM UK TO FIX IT** Introducing your Reform UK candidates for Low Fell leaflet text: **ATKINSON, John** Reform UK John has lived in Low Fell for 30+ years. His background is in civil engineering, policing, teaching and transport. He wants to bring back a sense of community, listen to residents' concerns and focus on local issues such as crime, roads and streets, and better services. --- **HENDERSON, Iain** Reform UK Iain has lived and worked in Gateshead all his life. Now retired, he wants to give something back to the borough. With a positive outlook, Iain is looking forward to making a real difference to the lives of the residents of Low Fell and to working closely with them. --- **MURRAY, Arthur** Reform UK Arthur has owned several businesses for many years. He has lived locally for 50 years and employs local staff, servicing the northeast and Scotland. His priorities are to see the ward and area prospering once again, caring for the old and infirm and maintaining our parks and open spaces. ---
This Reform leaflet from three Gateshead candidates looks like a timelapse of the same person
BEIRUT (AP) - Multiple Israeli airstrikes hit central Beirut hours after US and Iran announce ceasefire.
@apnews.com
Screenshot of Iranian state TV. Shows the Ayatollah's face in the top-left.
This is the (Google translated) chyron on Iranian state TV right now:
"Accepting Iran's conditions to end the war, Trump announced a two-week ceasefire."
Remember: this isn't the first time Trump has threatened to engage in large-scale destruction of Iran's power plants and bridges and then backed down saying talks were now doing wonderfully. It's the fourth.
So hopefully this time it's real. But we've been here before.
Ed Davey: PM must withdraw US access to UK bases to avoid being complicit in Trump's war crimes
This is a point which could become a lot more pertinent for Downing Street in the next day or so.
Yes Trump's posts are horrendous but they're also completely incoherent. It's pretty obvious he doesn't know what to do.
The hope has to be that Donald Trump is pursuing 'Madman Theory' to force a negotiation with his threat to wipe out Iran and won't actually go through with it. But God knows at this point. Scary, awful times.
That Trump post is a clear expression of genocidal intent. Clear cut case with zero caveats.
'God bless the great people of Iran' (who I'm explicitly threatening to wipe out in a few hours).
BLOOMBERG: Markets remain bullish on continuing coyote elevation prospects
Clean up our clock tower: New campaign launched for developers to sort out the state of one of Leeds' most famous landmarks - the Yorkshire Post and Yorkshire Evening Post clock tower www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/business/yor... | @yorkshirepost.co.uk | @yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk
Markets wanna believe in the Taco so bad. Give it up, lads.
Me, 300 clicks, etc
- as.ft.com/r/21e53628-d...
BREAKING: Andrew Milne has been arrested.
A spokesperson for South Yorkshire Police told The Tribune: "Detectives investigating allegations linked to the purchase and sale of freeholds in Sheffield have arrested a man on suspicion of fraud and blackmail."
"Bailey’s latest intervention feels like a notable change in tone compared to the March meeting," said J.P. Morgan economist Allan Monks.
"Bailey’s comments suggest April is too soon for a majority for a hike to develop, and we now shift to expecting one hike in June."
Pete Hegseth too dim to realise that it's a lot easier for other countries to just cut a deal with Iran for using the strait rather than send their own militaries to fight a unwinnable battle that the US doesn't want to touch itself.
Great question. The problem, of course, is that every other journalist in the room didn't keep asking it until they got an answer.
Very important article: was the whole Epic Fail the first war caused by #LLM s telling the credulous what they wanted to hear?
I fear they at least influenced it.
These are very powerful tools. They can do terrible harm if used unwisely.
houseofsaud.com/iran-war-ai-...
Breaking: Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen have officially joined the war, launching a ballistic missile toward southern Israel and triggering air raid sirens. Israeli defenses intercepted the missile.
www.ft.com/content/4f09...
Genuinely hard to overstate how much of a strategic defeat it would be for the United States if the war ends with effective Iranian control of the Strait.
BREAKING: South Yorkshire Police have confirmed detectives have now formally launched a criminal investigation into Andrew Milne.
The solicitor bought hundreds of freeholds, then begun a campaign of “very aggressive” letters to pressure homeowners into buying them for more than their true worth.
Lot of excitement about very small numbers of US troop deployments. The Iraq invasion in 2003 involved almost 300,000 troops. Idea of scale: the day before Baghdad fell I spent the whole day overtaking an endless column heading north towards Hilla.
If you didn't read this amazing piece in december then here's another chance today as the extraordinary Nathan Newby receives the UK's high gallantry honour, the George Medal as.ft.com/r/57d73632-e...
New: UK Government data shows how Iran war is having an impact at the pumps - diesel up 8.1p per litre in the last week to average 166.88p with petrol rising 3.9p to average 144.16p.
