ISRAEL - Antony Blinken in Israel: “I come before you, not only as the US Secretary of State, but also as a Jew. My grandfather… fled pogroms... My stepfather…survived concentration camps. So... I understand... the harrowing echoes that Hamas’ massacres carry... for Jews everywhere.”

IRAN - With Iran's hardliners pushing hard, some form of retaliation against Israel following the assassination of Hamas's leader seems inevitable, said Dr Burcu Ocelik. Iran is likely to be pondering two options as it mulls retaliation against Israel following the assassination of two high-profile military commanders, a UK-based expert has said. Meanwhile, frantic negotiations are continuing to wrap up a Gaza ceasefire which could be key to dissuading Tehran from sanctioning an attack that could have “severe” worldwide implications, Dr Burcu Ocelik told Express.co.uk.

IRAN - Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has warned that Tehran’s retaliation over the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh may only come after a long wait, according to Reuters. Following the incident, Iran promised to inflict “harsh punishment” on Israel, which has neither denied nor acknowledged any role in the killing. The Middle East has been bracing for Iran’s avowed retaliation, which has not so far materialized. “Time is in our favor and the waiting period for this response could be long,” Alimohammad Naini, spokesperson for IRGC, an elite and influential branch of the Iranian military, reportedly said on Tuesday, adding “the enemy” should wait for a “calculated and accurate” response. The killing of Haniyeh has sparked global concerns about an all-out war between Israel and Iran.

USA - If you’re worried about the recent market volatility…You need to see what Former CIA and Pentagon Advisor Jim Rickards is predicting for this November. Jim is a lawyer and economist who’s worked at the highest levels of Wall Street and international finance across five decades. And he correctly predicted the last two major financial crises in America.

HOLLAND - Several Dutch MPs from the right-wing Party for Freedom (PVV) have grilled the country's government on whether it is prepared to “reconsider” relations with Ukraine, should it be found to have sabotaged the Nord Stream pipeline. Three PVV members, including leader Geert Wilders, submitted a written query to the country’s top officials, including Prime Minister Hendrikus Schoof, on Thursday asking for their reaction to recent reports alleging that Germany had issued the first arrest warrant related to the Nord Stream explosion in September 2022.

UK - The summer is yet to officially end but many haven't let that stop them getting in the Christmas spirit this August. Pubgoers and shoppers alike have been left baffled as festive sweet treats begin to appear on supermarket shelves, and firs cascaded with baubles begin to sprout in boozers.The Air Balloon pub in Filton, Bristol, has not let the time of the year get in the way of their Christmas spirit, putting up Britain's first festive tree of the year. Although the floor-to-ceiling looks stunning with its blue fairy lights and co-ordinated glittery ornaments, punters were shocked to see the tree as well as a board advertising their festive menu so early in the year. One customer, Laura, said: 'I came up for a pint in the sun - I wasn't expecting to see a Christmas tree.'

USA - Harley-Davidson has been forced into backtracking on their DEI policies after being targeted by a conservative activist. The $6 billion-a-year firm known for its macho and rebellious image faced backlash after campaigners exposed its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts and urged riders to steer clear of the American icon. Conservative influencer and filmmaker Robby Starbuck cited CEO Jochen Zeitz's support for hardline policies on trans care for kids, critical race theory, climate change and diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. In a statement released on Monday, the company said they had renounced DEI and other initiatives that had caused bikers to abandon the legendary brand.

USA - Do you remember what happened when the Democrats held their convention in Chicago in 1968? The Democrats are really hoping to avoid a repeat of what we witnessed 56 years ago, and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson insists that law enforcement authorities in his city are ready. We shall see. Tens of thousands of protesters from 264 different radical protest groups have descended upon Chicago, and the war in the Middle East is what they are upset about more than anything else. They are determined to get as much attention as possible, because so far the Biden administration has not been responsive to their demands.

USA - Those that are applying for jobs with the Harris campaign have “nine different options for pronouns” that they are allowed to choose from…The presidential campaign for Kamala Harris is now including special pronoun options for job applicants, as part of their commitment to diversity and inclusion. The job application for the Harris campaign includes nine different options for pronouns, including ‘xe/xem,’ ‘ze/hir,’ ‘ey/em,’ ‘fae/faer’ and ‘hu/hu.’ ‘Fae/faer,’ indicates a gender-fluid person but non-masculine, sometimes of Celtic origin. ‘Hu/hu,’ pronouns are third person gender-neutral pronouns referring to both a man and a woman.

GERMANY - Germany plans to reduce its military support for Ukraine to about 6 per cent of what it is now by 2027. Earlier this summer, Berlin announced it would halve its funding for Kyiv from the current €8 billion (£6.8 billion) to just €4 billion in 2025. But a draft budget seen by the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper reveals plans to cut spending to a mere €500 million in 2027. The draft budget has sparked a torrent of criticism as Ukrainian forces seek to defend the country against Russia’s invasion. Olaf Scholz, the German chancellor, has struggled to find budget cuts to meet a huge hole in Berlin’s finances, with aid to Ukraine apparently falling victim to the shortfall.

USA - In a new interview with independent journalist Tucker Carlson, brother and sister whistleblowers Calley and Casey Means detail how Big Pharma has co-opted government agencies and the food industry in order to keep Americans sick and in need of medication. Casey Means pointed to historically high rates of autism, diabetes, infertility, and obesity as Americans’ life expectancy has decreased. “The thing that people need to understand is that all of these conditions are caused or driven by the exact same thing, which is metabolic dysfunction. This core foundational issue of how our bodies on the cellular level function, which is driven by our toxic food system and our toxic environment,” she added.

USA - The last time we checked on highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), better known as the “bird flu,” ten Colorado poultry workers had developed symptoms of bird flu (mainly pink eye). Cattle that are infected continue to have only mild symptoms. There is currently no evidence than humans can catch this disease except through the direct contact with the body fluids of infected animals. It appears America’s cattle ranchers and dairy farmers are quiet-quitting pandemic madness, and are not testing their animals.

GIBRALTAR - A leading politician has said Spain cannot afford to "surrender" Gibraltar again as he warns the current government to pressure the UK in current negotiations. In an interview La Razon, the fierce advocate for Spanish sovereignty over Gibraltar warned the current Madrid government, led by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, against giving up on "co-sovereignty" of The Rock. The MEP rued that Spain had failed to seize the "golden opportunity" of Brexit and instead had allowed Gibraltar to become the "Cayman Islands in southern Europe" due to its tax policy. He slammed Spain and the EU for allowing Gibraltar to have a personal income tax rate and a corporate tax rate half of Spain's.

USA - “Nor shall any man’s entreaty prevail upon me to administer poison to anyone; neither will I counsel any man to do so.” So says the Hippocratic Oath. Alas, the oath is as dead as the patients some doctors now assist in suicide. In California, the Sutter Family Residency Medical Program even offers residencies to train doctors in assisted suicide — euphemistically called medical aid in dying (MAID). Chillingly, most of the doctors who participated in a small study on assisted suicide and who prescribe poison as part of their job like it.

UK - An astonishing new study claims the Church of England is leaning towards a "daft" decision to drop the word "church" in favour of more "relevant and modern-sounding" terms. The report from the Centre of Church Planting Theology and Research suggests when creating new places of worship the Anglican church is more likely to discuss them as "communities" and "congregations". "Planting" is the traditional term used for establishing a new church and this new study looked at 11 dioceses considering adding a new place of worship to their roster.