Still, 22 hours without being able to lie down would be pretty awful, but if it reduces the end-to-end travel time by eliminating a stopover it might be better overall.
Still, 22 hours without being able to lie down would be pretty awful, but if it reduces the end-to-end travel time by eliminating a stopover it might be better overall.
When I was hoping to and fro to NZ I used to do it in one go with 3-6 h in Singapore (usually). So about 22 h in economy with a decent break (shower, walk around etc). I usually tried to sleep as much as possible, especially on the second leg as you usually arrived in the morning.
Still, 22 hours without being able to lie down would be pretty awful, but if it reduces the end-to-end travel time by eliminating a stopover it might be better overall.
When I was hoping to and fro to NZ I used to do it in one go with 3-6 h in Singapore (usually). So about 22 h in economy with a decent break (shower, walk around etc). I usually tried to sleep as much as possible, especially on the second leg as you usually arrived in the morning.
I wouldn’t see an issue with non-stop.
I've done ~20-24 hours in a coach a few times (no idea what the seat pitch in those was) and I found it a real slog, because I wasn't able to sleep sitting mostly upright. And that had the benefit of occasional stops where you could get out and wander around.
My wife pointed out that the 22-hour flight time is almost exactly the same as the new 21.5 hour ferry service from Cork to Boulogne, which would be a rather different experience (with the potential additional excitement of a run-in with the Russian navy). But then you're in Boulogne and not Sydney.
Did you ever wake up, kiss the person sleeping beside you and feel glad you're alive?
I did.
Can’t fly with QANTAS any more though.
This morning actually.
Lucky you.
I absolutely got bodied my eldest son recently.
He's doing his exams and we were talking about his future, and I told him his grandparents might want him to have an arranged marriage, my son's response was
'I might go for that, they've been married for over 50 years, you've not had a relationship that's lasted more than 5 years.'
I don't think Big_G or Old King C have arranged marriages ? They seem to have done OK.
Did you ever wake up, kiss the person sleeping beside you and feel glad you're alive?
I did.
Can’t fly with QANTAS any more though.
This morning actually.
Lucky you.
I absolutely got bodied my eldest son recently.
He's doing his exams and we were talking about his future, and I told him his grandparents might want him to have an arranged marriage, my son's response was
'I might go for that, they've been married for over 50 years, you've not had a relationship that's lasted more than 5 years.'
I don't think Big_G or Old King C have arranged marriages ? They seem to have done OK.
(37 yrs and counting, myself.)
My wife [of nearly twelve years] told me earlier today that she's too tired to be able to complete the divorce paperwork. I think she intended for me to find that reassuring (!)
"The Plaid Cymru-led Welsh Government has failed to back the UK’s membership of Nato.
Elin Jones, the country’s finance minister, declined to say whether the minority Welsh Government supported the military alliance when asked to do so by Jo Stevens, the Welsh Secretary.
Labour has accused Plaid of being “completely irresponsible” by failing to set out its position on Nato at a time of significant geopolitical instability."
You have to wonder about turnout. Will people be arsed?
Why wouldn't you. It's the most consequential thing to happen in Makerfield in my lifetime. Although the Grateful Dead at the Bickershaw Festival comes close.
Carville theory is he wont be able to cope with the midterm consequences plus health issues and will do a deal with Vance for a pardon of Trump and all family and associates. Otherwise he is relying on self-pardon.
Still, 22 hours without being able to lie down would be pretty awful, but if it reduces the end-to-end travel time by eliminating a stopover it might be better overall.
When I was hoping to and fro to NZ I used to do it in one go with 3-6 h in Singapore (usually). So about 22 h in economy with a decent break (shower, walk around etc). I usually tried to sleep as much as possible, especially on the second leg as you usually arrived in the morning.
I wouldn’t see an issue with non-stop.
I've done ~20-24 hours in a coach a few times (no idea what the seat pitch in those was) and I found it a real slog, because I wasn't able to sleep sitting mostly upright. And that had the benefit of occasional stops where you could get out and wander around.
My wife pointed out that the 22-hour flight time is almost exactly the same as the new 21.5 hour ferry service from Cork to Boulogne, which would be a rather different experience (with the potential additional excitement of a run-in with the Russian navy). But then you're in Boulogne and not Sydney.
Brave. The longest coach I've done was London to Paris and that was bad enough. £4 though...
Still, 22 hours without being able to lie down would be pretty awful, but if it reduces the end-to-end travel time by eliminating a stopover it might be better overall.
When I was hoping to and fro to NZ I used to do it in one go with 3-6 h in Singapore (usually). So about 22 h in economy with a decent break (shower, walk around etc). I usually tried to sleep as much as possible, especially on the second leg as you usually arrived in the morning.
I wouldn’t see an issue with non-stop.
I've done ~20-24 hours in a coach a few times (no idea what the seat pitch in those was) and I found it a real slog, because I wasn't able to sleep sitting mostly upright. And that had the benefit of occasional stops where you could get out and wander around.
My wife pointed out that the 22-hour flight time is almost exactly the same as the new 21.5 hour ferry service from Cork to Boulogne, which would be a rather different experience (with the potential additional excitement of a run-in with the Russian navy). But then you're in Boulogne and not Sydney.
I did the Caledonian Express last year. Boarded London 10:30pm, arrived Edinburgh 7:30am, detrained 8am. I may have mentioned it.
Still, 22 hours without being able to lie down would be pretty awful, but if it reduces the end-to-end travel time by eliminating a stopover it might be better overall.
When I was hoping to and fro to NZ I used to do it in one go with 3-6 h in Singapore (usually). So about 22 h in economy with a decent break (shower, walk around etc). I usually tried to sleep as much as possible, especially on the second leg as you usually arrived in the morning.
I wouldn’t see an issue with non-stop.
I've done ~20-24 hours in a coach a few times (no idea what the seat pitch in those was) and I found it a real slog, because I wasn't able to sleep sitting mostly upright. And that had the benefit of occasional stops where you could get out and wander around.
My wife pointed out that the 22-hour flight time is almost exactly the same as the new 21.5 hour ferry service from Cork to Boulogne, which would be a rather different experience (with the potential additional excitement of a run-in with the Russian navy). But then you're in Boulogne and not Sydney.
I did the Caledonian Express last year. Boarded London 10:30pm, arrived Edinburgh 7:30am, detrained 8am. I may have mentioned it.
"Point 6: Money for Iran reconstruction The sixth point of the MoU says the US and regional partners will develop a "definitive, mutually agreed plan" worth at least $300bn (£224bn) for reconstruction and economic development in Iran. The final mechanism will be agreed within 60 days of the final deal, and all licences, waivers and permissions will be granted by the US. However, this does not mean the US will be financially involved. One official noted that the US is not required to pay "a cent of money" to Iran, or contribute to the fund. As a hypothetical example, the official said that if Iran "behaves", Emirati authorities could build a power plant in Iran, with US blessing. Trump and other officials have gone to great lengths to make clear to the US public that it will not be paying Iran directly, which the administration says stands in stark contrast to the 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and the Obama administration."
So the stuff about Trump paying billions to Iran was guff?
@mikeysmith Incredible coincidence that @nigel_Farage watched the England game in the same spot in the same pub, with the same flags up, wearing the same top and standing next to someone wearing an identical top as he did during the Euros in 2024.
Still, 22 hours without being able to lie down would be pretty awful, but if it reduces the end-to-end travel time by eliminating a stopover it might be better overall.
When I was hoping to and fro to NZ I used to do it in one go with 3-6 h in Singapore (usually). So about 22 h in economy with a decent break (shower, walk around etc). I usually tried to sleep as much as possible, especially on the second leg as you usually arrived in the morning.
I wouldn’t see an issue with non-stop.
I've done ~20-24 hours in a coach a few times (no idea what the seat pitch in those was) and I found it a real slog, because I wasn't able to sleep sitting mostly upright. And that had the benefit of occasional stops where you could get out and wander around.
My wife pointed out that the 22-hour flight time is almost exactly the same as the new 21.5 hour ferry service from Cork to Boulogne, which would be a rather different experience (with the potential additional excitement of a run-in with the Russian navy). But then you're in Boulogne and not Sydney.
I did the Caledonian Express last year. Boarded London 10:30pm, arrived Edinburgh 7:30am, detrained 8am. I may have mentioned it.
Still, 22 hours without being able to lie down would be pretty awful, but if it reduces the end-to-end travel time by eliminating a stopover it might be better overall.
When I was hoping to and fro to NZ I used to do it in one go with 3-6 h in Singapore (usually). So about 22 h in economy with a decent break (shower, walk around etc). I usually tried to sleep as much as possible, especially on the second leg as you usually arrived in the morning.
I wouldn’t see an issue with non-stop.
I've done ~20-24 hours in a coach a few times (no idea what the seat pitch in those was) and I found it a real slog, because I wasn't able to sleep sitting mostly upright. And that had the benefit of occasional stops where you could get out and wander around.
My wife pointed out that the 22-hour flight time is almost exactly the same as the new 21.5 hour ferry service from Cork to Boulogne, which would be a rather different experience (with the potential additional excitement of a run-in with the Russian navy). But then you're in Boulogne and not Sydney.
They're both nice places. Slight edge to Sydney I guess. Except in football where USC Boulogne would thrash any of the Sydney clubs.
"Point 6: Money for Iran reconstruction The sixth point of the MoU says the US and regional partners will develop a "definitive, mutually agreed plan" worth at least $300bn (£224bn) for reconstruction and economic development in Iran. The final mechanism will be agreed within 60 days of the final deal, and all licences, waivers and permissions will be granted by the US. However, this does not mean the US will be financially involved. One official noted that the US is not required to pay "a cent of money" to Iran, or contribute to the fund. As a hypothetical example, the official said that if Iran "behaves", Emirati authorities could build a power plant in Iran, with US blessing. Trump and other officials have gone to great lengths to make clear to the US public that it will not be paying Iran directly, which the administration says stands in stark contrast to the 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and the Obama administration."
So the stuff about Trump paying billions to Iran was guff?
Was it ?
The agreement is all carrot and no stick. The only incentive for Iran to stick to it is for the US to adhere to the commitments it made.
Trump's track record of "going to great lengths" to make something "very clear" is one of telling lies.
And here he is letting slip the kind of leverage Iran had, and still has.
Trump said the world would have run out of oil reserves in 4 weeks, put pressure for a peace agreement.
“We want to give Keir time and space to come to terms with the reality of his situation. Andy wants a managed transition. It’s what Labour MPs want. We need to keep the government on track,” a close Burnham ally said.
“Andy won’t be launching an immediate challenge or laying down the gauntlet in the early hours of Friday or over the weekend. He wants it to be as bloodless as possible.”
The Guardian can reveal that Burnham met Wes Streeting in secret – a putative leadership rival even though many MPs remain sceptical he has the numbers – in Makerfield on Monday. Aides denied there had been a Granita-style pact over the timing of any contest.
The pair had independently come to the view that Starmer should be given time to reflect on his position, they said. “No deals were done,” one source said.
Starmer has said he expects to talk to Burnham “after the weekend”. But close allies of the Labour mayor warned that clinging on to power for more than a few weeks would result in Burnham triggering a contest.
“We would rather this happens in a dignified and respectful way. There are big challenges facing the country so it would be much better … But if he digs in at Downing Street then we’ll force him out,” a senior campaign figure said..
“We want to give Keir time and space to come to terms with the reality of his situation. Andy wants a managed transition. It’s what Labour MPs want. We need to keep the government on track,” a close Burnham ally said.
“Andy won’t be launching an immediate challenge or laying down the gauntlet in the early hours of Friday or over the weekend. He wants it to be as bloodless as possible.”
The Guardian can reveal that Burnham met Wes Streeting in secret – a putative leadership rival even though many MPs remain sceptical he has the numbers – in Makerfield on Monday. Aides denied there had been a Granita-style pact over the timing of any contest.
The pair had independently come to the view that Starmer should be given time to reflect on his position, they said. “No deals were done,” one source said.
Starmer has said he expects to talk to Burnham “after the weekend”. But close allies of the Labour mayor warned that clinging on to power for more than a few weeks would result in Burnham triggering a contest.
“We would rather this happens in a dignified and respectful way. There are big challenges facing the country so it would be much better … But if he digs in at Downing Street then we’ll force him out,” a senior campaign figure said..
“We want to give Keir time and space to come to terms with the reality of his situation. Andy wants a managed transition. It’s what Labour MPs want. We need to keep the government on track,” a close Burnham ally said.
“Andy won’t be launching an immediate challenge or laying down the gauntlet in the early hours of Friday or over the weekend. He wants it to be as bloodless as possible.”
The Guardian can reveal that Burnham met Wes Streeting in secret – a putative leadership rival even though many MPs remain sceptical he has the numbers – in Makerfield on Monday. Aides denied there had been a Granita-style pact over the timing of any contest.
The pair had independently come to the view that Starmer should be given time to reflect on his position, they said. “No deals were done,” one source said.
Starmer has said he expects to talk to Burnham “after the weekend”. But close allies of the Labour mayor warned that clinging on to power for more than a few weeks would result in Burnham triggering a contest.
“We would rather this happens in a dignified and respectful way. There are big challenges facing the country so it would be much better … But if he digs in at Downing Street then we’ll force him out,” a senior campaign figure said..
FFS Labour he's had months already.
Good morning, everyone.
Agree entirely. Starmer won't go unless he's pushed. Ultimatum, then immediate challenge if he doesn't go. Otherwise it's prevarication verging on bottling.
Still, 22 hours without being able to lie down would be pretty awful, but if it reduces the end-to-end travel time by eliminating a stopover it might be better overall.
My Australian family who pop over to the UK now and again, call it the sardine can. Me - can't do more than 8 hours without wanting to go postal.
You couldn’t pay me enough to sit on a plane for a straight 22 hours . Even First Class would be a stretch , I can’t sleep on planes and like to do my oblutions in peace with my own en suite !
"Point 6: Money for Iran reconstruction The sixth point of the MoU says the US and regional partners will develop a "definitive, mutually agreed plan" worth at least $300bn (£224bn) for reconstruction and economic development in Iran. The final mechanism will be agreed within 60 days of the final deal, and all licences, waivers and permissions will be granted by the US. However, this does not mean the US will be financially involved. One official noted that the US is not required to pay "a cent of money" to Iran, or contribute to the fund. As a hypothetical example, the official said that if Iran "behaves", Emirati authorities could build a power plant in Iran, with US blessing. Trump and other officials have gone to great lengths to make clear to the US public that it will not be paying Iran directly, which the administration says stands in stark contrast to the 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and the Obama administration."
So the stuff about Trump paying billions to Iran was guff?
Was it ?
The agreement is all carrot and no stick. The only incentive for Iran to stick to it is for the US to adhere to the commitments it made.
Trump's track record of "going to great lengths" to make something "very clear" is one of telling lies.
And here he is letting slip the kind of leverage Iran had, and still has.
Trump said the world would have run out of oil reserves in 4 weeks, put pressure for a peace agreement.
You couldn’t pay me enough to sit on a plane for a straight 22 hours . Even First Class would be a stretch , I can’t sleep on planes and like to do my oblutions in peace with my own en suite !
"Point 6: Money for Iran reconstruction The sixth point of the MoU says the US and regional partners will develop a "definitive, mutually agreed plan" worth at least $300bn (£224bn) for reconstruction and economic development in Iran. The final mechanism will be agreed within 60 days of the final deal, and all licences, waivers and permissions will be granted by the US. However, this does not mean the US will be financially involved. One official noted that the US is not required to pay "a cent of money" to Iran, or contribute to the fund. As a hypothetical example, the official said that if Iran "behaves", Emirati authorities could build a power plant in Iran, with US blessing. Trump and other officials have gone to great lengths to make clear to the US public that it will not be paying Iran directly, which the administration says stands in stark contrast to the 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and the Obama administration."
So the stuff about Trump paying billions to Iran was guff?
Well the Emirati authorities definitely won’t see it that way around. They have a lot of frozen Iranian assets, and will first use them to cover their own costs of the Iranian invasion of the UAE.
If he's said that during a Select Committee then it'll be because it's the government line that he's duty bound to follow. You should direct your ire towards the government not the Civil Servsnt.
It will be amusing if Burnham gets close to the %age he got in the last mayoralty election after all the Twitter experts telling me 'he's not even that popular' and the endless tedious podcasts.
So, for the political betting angle, does England’s win tonight help Burnham, Reform, or Restore, in Makerfield?
And what does England winning do for the by-elections in Scotland?
Sod all any more than Scotland winning did, the Aberdeen S by election depends entirely on how much the Tories can squeeze Reform to beat the SNP while the Makerfield by election in large part depends on how much Restore take from Reform
Fake news is surging in local Ashton in Makerfield Facebook groups and misinformation has quadrupled as a share of news posts
Analysis by the Social Market Foundation found that one in six news items shared in the groups during the campaign is false, with misinformation heavily targeting Andy Burnham
Their analysis found that all of the misinformation in local Facebook was anti-Labour or pro-Reform in nature (except for one piece that related to 5G conspiracies).
Fake news is surging in local Ashton in Makerfield Facebook groups and misinformation has quadrupled as a share of news posts
Analysis by the Social Market Foundation found that one in six news items shared in the groups during the campaign is false, with misinformation heavily targeting Andy Burnham
Their analysis found that all of the misinformation in local Facebook was anti-Labour or pro-Reform in nature (except for one piece that related to 5G conspiracies).
We need somebody who can take on Reform and prevent them getting power.
Starmer is clearly not up to that task.
You reckon Burnham is ?
I hope he is but I just think he’s a more charismatic version of Starmer.
It depends if you prefer a former quangocrat with no answers to this country's problems or a professional politician with seven answers to each of this country's problems depending on the time of day.
The 2020s here really are the definition of a lost decade.
If he's said that during a Select Committee then it'll be because it's the government line that he's duty bound to follow. You should direct your ire towards the government not the Civil Servsnt.
Yes, that's the point. The new minister doesn't have the balls either to stand up to Starmer/Reeves, Or to announce his surrender himself.
It looks as though China might have been better prepared for Trump's war than was Trump (or us).
Fascinating argument by Bloomberg's top energy analyst Javier Blas 👇: he argues that China effectively saved the world economy during the Iran war by absorbing the brunt of the global oil supply shock on its own, without visible economic damage.
According to his calculations, China "cut its average daily waterborne oil imports by the same amount as the combined oil consumption of Germany, France and the UK."
And, still according to Blas, they "did so without suffering economic harm" because they could rely on many levers: their huge strategic petroleum reserve, a massive surge in EV usage, their remaining coal-fired electricity capacity, and coal-to-chemicals replacing lost feedstocks... https://x.com/RnaudBertrand/status/2067153947257930227
It looks as though China might have been better prepared for Trump's war than was Trump (or us).
Fascinating argument by Bloomberg's top energy analyst Javier Blas 👇: he argues that China effectively saved the world economy during the Iran war by absorbing the brunt of the global oil supply shock on its own, without visible economic damage.
According to his calculations, China "cut its average daily waterborne oil imports by the same amount as the combined oil consumption of Germany, France and the UK."
And, still according to Blas, they "did so without suffering economic harm" because they could rely on many levers: their huge strategic petroleum reserve, a massive surge in EV usage, their remaining coal-fired electricity capacity, and coal-to-chemicals replacing lost feedstocks... https://x.com/RnaudBertrand/status/2067153947257930227
Confidence in geopolitics seems to be a dangerous thing. I hope that Chinese confidence following the humiliation of the US, and their own preparedness, doesn't encourage them to do something stupid and dangerous.
Yes, and this refinery is only 16km (10 miles) from Red Square. Not far at all.
More at risk must be St. Basils, given the Russians trashed the Kyiv Cathedral.
I think Ukraine will keep targeting the oil, military-industrial and logistics targets.
A destroyed oil refinery is more consequential for the progress of the war than a cathedral.
Though Russian air defences did intercept some Ukrainian drones, debris from which started a fire at a large shopping centre. So it's always possible for other locations to get hit in the crossfire.
Today's Ukrainian drone attack on the Moscow Oil Refinery is causing so much smoke that you can see it using low-resolution geostationary weather satellites.
The really basic & incredibly obvious lesson of Russia-Ukraine and Israel/US-Iran is that wars are hard and unpredictable. Even when one side appears to have a clear initial advantage.
If he's said that during a Select Committee then it'll be because it's the government line that he's duty bound to follow. You should direct your ire towards the government not the Civil Servsnt.
Yes, that's the point. The new minister doesn't have the balls either to stand up to Starmer/Reeves, Or to announce his surrender himself.
Feeble stuff from a former Para.
I had a look at the Committee website and this was part of the Committee's inquiry into SDR Implementation. It's normal during an inquiry to hold multiple sessions where you hear from groups of stakeholders at a time. One panel of officials, another of academics etc and then the final one is usually with ministers. So it's not improper that the official is out there giving evidence but none the less they can't stray from the policy they're being asked to implement by the government. I haven't watched the session but normally questions will be around how the department is implementing that policy rather than asking for comment on thr policy itself, although politicians will often ask a cheeky question to try and catch a Civil Servant out.
The MOU is signed and Israel, who started this conflict, is currently the big loser.
One potentially big winner is everyone else (in the long-term, once oil is flowing again).
Trump obviously got a taste for foreign military adventures in Venezuela. It was easy and got the result he wanted.
With Iran showing that weaker countries can cause asymmetric harm, perhaps he will pivot to other interests. Cuba is probably the one exception as it's sufficiently close to the US and small so doesn't pose the same threat.
Likewise, the GCC needs to recognise its own weakness on relying on a narrow Strait and build 10x its current pipeline and shipping facilities via another route.
The below link is to a video showing a Ukrainian FP-1 drone approaching the Moscow oil refinery. Air defences can be seen trying, and failing, twice to shoot it down, before the drone hits its target.
“We want to give Keir time and space to come to terms with the reality of his situation. Andy wants a managed transition. It’s what Labour MPs want. We need to keep the government on track,” a close Burnham ally said.
“Andy won’t be launching an immediate challenge or laying down the gauntlet in the early hours of Friday or over the weekend. He wants it to be as bloodless as possible.”
The Guardian can reveal that Burnham met Wes Streeting in secret – a putative leadership rival even though many MPs remain sceptical he has the numbers – in Makerfield on Monday. Aides denied there had been a Granita-style pact over the timing of any contest.
The pair had independently come to the view that Starmer should be given time to reflect on his position, they said. “No deals were done,” one source said.
Starmer has said he expects to talk to Burnham “after the weekend”. But close allies of the Labour mayor warned that clinging on to power for more than a few weeks would result in Burnham triggering a contest.
“We would rather this happens in a dignified and respectful way. There are big challenges facing the country so it would be much better … But if he digs in at Downing Street then we’ll force him out,” a senior campaign figure said..
No, he ain't arrogant. Not one little bit.
Come on voters of Makerfield - you've got a chance to burst his bubble.
Comments
And not one yellow card the whole match?
3 points are a great start. Croatia faded fast, that pressing game was unsustainable, and England kept the energy.
I hope whoever is making Dr Who next has the same idea. Maybe Captain Jack in the shower?
Aberdeen South -> Con gain from SNP
Arbroath & Broughton Ferry -> SNP hold (with strong Ref UK performance)
Makerfield -> very narrow Lab hold
Aberdeen South, Arbroath and Broughton Ferry both SNP holds against very split opposition.
I'm guessing they don't want a dozen blood clot deaths in the first six months to scare people off.
This Airbus webpage says there will be a "wellbeing zone" where passengers can stretch. https://www.airbus.com/en/newsroom/stories/2026-06-countdown-to-the-worlds-longest-commercial-flights-the-airbus-a350-1000ulr
Still, 22 hours without being able to lie down would be pretty awful, but if it reduces the end-to-end travel time by eliminating a stopover it might be better overall.
I wouldn’t see an issue with non-stop.
Me.
My wife pointed out that the 22-hour flight time is almost exactly the same as the new 21.5 hour ferry service from Cork to Boulogne, which would be a rather different experience (with the potential additional excitement of a run-in with the Russian navy). But then you're in Boulogne and not Sydney.
They seem to have done OK.
(37 yrs and counting, myself.)
They seemed to have drifted to 3.7
Elin Jones, the country’s finance minister, declined to say whether the minority Welsh Government supported the military alliance when asked to do so by Jo Stevens, the Welsh Secretary.
Labour has accused Plaid of being “completely irresponsible” by failing to set out its position on Nato at a time of significant geopolitical instability."
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2026/06/17/plaid-cymru-fails-to-back-britains-nato-membership
Although the Grateful Dead at the Bickershaw Festival comes close.
4 to 5am result expected.
"The son of a bitch is just gonna walk away"
https://x.com/MarcoFoster_/status/2067353082350932260
Carville theory is he wont be able to cope with the midterm consequences plus health issues and will do a deal with Vance for a pardon of Trump and all family and associates. Otherwise he is relying on self-pardon.
Aaron Rupar
@atrupar
·
1m
Trump: "It's signed. I signed it in Versailles. I just signed it."
But, so like the French to edge in on the glory.
The sixth point of the MoU says the US and regional partners will develop a "definitive, mutually agreed plan" worth at least $300bn (£224bn) for reconstruction and economic development in Iran.
The final mechanism will be agreed within 60 days of the final deal, and all licences, waivers and permissions will be granted by the US.
However, this does not mean the US will be financially involved.
One official noted that the US is not required to pay "a cent of money" to Iran, or contribute to the fund.
As a hypothetical example, the official said that if Iran "behaves", Emirati authorities could build a power plant in Iran, with US blessing.
Trump and other officials have gone to great lengths to make clear to the US public that it will not be paying Iran directly, which the administration says stands in stark contrast to the 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and the Obama administration."
So the stuff about Trump paying billions to Iran was guff?
Mikey Smith
@mikeysmith
Incredible coincidence that @nigel_Farage
watched the England game in the same spot in the same pub, with the same flags up, wearing the same top and standing next to someone wearing an identical top as he did during the Euros in 2024.
https://x.com/mikeysmith/status/2067377452331004179
The agreement is all carrot and no stick. The only incentive for Iran to stick to it is for the US to adhere to the commitments it made.
Trump's track record of "going to great lengths" to make something "very clear" is one of telling lies.
And here he is letting slip the kind of leverage Iran had, and still has.
Trump said the world would have run out of oil reserves in 4 weeks, put pressure for a peace agreement.
Says it would have been "bedlam"
https://x.com/Osinttechnical/status/2067289063204217319
I suspect a significant portion of that $300bn will get paid, one way or another.
Awkward for the new Defencd Secretary.
"One of the best forms of deterrence is a strong economy"🗣️
A top MOD official has warned that cuts to other government departments to fund defence could ultimately damage the UK's security
https://x.com/ForcesNews/status/2067310053900665251
Trump: "If [the Iran deal] works out, I'm going to take the credit; if it doesn't work out, I'm blaming [Vance]."
https://x.com/Osinttechnical/status/2067294052370809311
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/WySZmPXEXZU
A very enjoyable game !
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/jun/17/exclusive-burnham-team-convince-ministers-delay-resignations-avoid-chaos
..Supporters of Burnham expect senior cabinet ministers to tell the prime minister over the weekend to agree to a handover of power, rather than fighting a bitter leadership contest that could stretch on for months.
“We want to give Keir time and space to come to terms with the reality of his situation. Andy wants a managed transition. It’s what Labour MPs want. We need to keep the government on track,” a close Burnham ally said.
“Andy won’t be launching an immediate challenge or laying down the gauntlet in the early hours of Friday or over the weekend. He wants it to be as bloodless as possible.”
The Guardian can reveal that Burnham met Wes Streeting in secret – a putative leadership rival even though many MPs remain sceptical he has the numbers – in Makerfield on Monday. Aides denied there had been a Granita-style pact over the timing of any contest.
The pair had independently come to the view that Starmer should be given time to reflect on his position, they said. “No deals were done,” one source said.
Starmer has said he expects to talk to Burnham “after the weekend”. But close allies of the Labour mayor warned that clinging on to power for more than a few weeks would result in Burnham triggering a contest.
“We would rather this happens in a dignified and respectful way. There are big challenges facing the country so it would be much better … But if he digs in at Downing Street then we’ll force him out,” a senior campaign figure said..
Agree entirely. Starmer won't go unless he's pushed. Ultimatum, then immediate challenge if he doesn't go. Otherwise it's prevarication verging on bottling.
https://x.com/marionawfal/status/2067381428711797210?s=61
The MOU is signed and Israel, who started this conflict, is currently the big loser.
We need somebody who can take on Reform and prevent them getting power.
Starmer is clearly not up to that task.
https://www.txse.com/
The Times - Granite city dismay at ‘empty promises’ puts by-election up for grabs
'Every voter interviewed by a focus group in Aberdeen South prioritised oil and gas, which the Conservatives are hoping will steer them to victory'
https://www.thetimes.com/article/9bfa3ee6-eed0-409c-bd52-2f244bc840b0?shareToken=ef84e901d55d0fa066eaa30daf9139b3
I hope he is but I just think he’s a more charismatic version of Starmer.
https://x.com/bayraktar_1love/status/2067482310006411769
Nice top hat on that storage tank.
Analysis by the Social Market Foundation found that one in six news items shared in the groups during the campaign is false, with misinformation heavily targeting Andy Burnham
Their analysis found that all of the misinformation in local Facebook was anti-Labour or pro-Reform in nature (except for one piece that related to 5G conspiracies).
https://aboutmanchester.co.uk/fake-news-is-surging-in-makerfield-by-election/
As trustworthy as BBC Verify
I would guess this photo will get used in plenty of places as the definitive image of Ukraine's campaign against Russian oil infrastructure.
https://x.com/tendar/status/2067456010025918789
https://x.com/tendar/status/2067462120120189002
There’s at least four or five large fires at the site now, looks somewhat apocalyptic.
https://x.com/bohuslavskakate/status/2067449379816902726
Hopefully we see the demise of endless slow sideways and back passing. Ultimately fans need some entertainment.
The 2020s here really are the definition of a lost decade.
The new minister doesn't have the balls either to stand up to Starmer/Reeves, Or to announce his surrender himself.
Feeble stuff from a former Para.
Some junior engineer must have mixed up mm and metres doing the data sheet.
Burnham is syphilis.
You don't really want either, but if you have to choose...
Fascinating argument by Bloomberg's top energy analyst Javier Blas 👇: he argues that China effectively saved the world economy during the Iran war by absorbing the brunt of the global oil supply shock on its own, without visible economic damage.
According to his calculations, China "cut its average daily waterborne oil imports by the same amount as the combined oil consumption of Germany, France and the UK."
And, still according to Blas, they "did so without suffering economic harm" because they could rely on many levers: their huge strategic petroleum reserve, a massive surge in EV usage, their remaining coal-fired electricity capacity, and coal-to-chemicals replacing lost feedstocks...
https://x.com/RnaudBertrand/status/2067153947257930227
A destroyed oil refinery is more consequential for the progress of the war than a cathedral.
Though Russian air defences did intercept some Ukrainian drones, debris from which started a fire at a large shopping centre. So it's always possible for other locations to get hit in the crossfire.
Today's Ukrainian drone attack on the Moscow Oil Refinery is causing so much smoke that you can see it using low-resolution geostationary weather satellites.
https://bsky.app/profile/cruickshank.bsky.social/post/3mok7hjzdmk2c
The really basic & incredibly obvious lesson of Russia-Ukraine and Israel/US-Iran is that wars are hard and unpredictable. Even when one side appears to have a clear initial advantage.
https://bsky.app/profile/duncanweldon.bsky.social/post/3mok76xk63s2d
Trump obviously got a taste for foreign military adventures in Venezuela. It was easy and got the result he wanted.
With Iran showing that weaker countries can cause asymmetric harm, perhaps he will pivot to other interests. Cuba is probably the one exception as it's sufficiently close to the US and small so doesn't pose the same threat.
Likewise, the GCC needs to recognise its own weakness on relying on a narrow Strait and build 10x its current pipeline and shipping facilities via another route.
https://t.me/noel_reports/47960
Come on voters of Makerfield - you've got a chance to burst his bubble.
Aberdeen South close SNP hold.
Arbroath and Broughty Ferry easy SNP hold
Makerfield easy Labour win by 5k+