125 people crossed from France on a single small vessel over the weekend
A small boat carrying 125 people crossed the English Channel from France to the UK on Saturday, the largest number ever recorded on a single vessel, Bloomberg has reported, citing the Home Office.
The previous record was set in August, when 107 people arrived on what the British media described as a “mega-dinghy.”
The latest crossing comes despite Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s pledge to “smash” the smuggling gangs behind the journeys. It also follows the appointment of new Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, who has called small boat crossings “utterly unacceptable” and promised to “explore all options” to address the issue.
Official figures show that around 33,000 people have crossed into the UK since the start of the year, the highest total for this point in the year since records began in 2018, according to The Independent.
Public discontent over illegal migration has grown sharply in Britain, with polls showing it among voters’ top concerns. Many see the rising number of crossings as evidence the government has lost control of the borders, while communities voice frustration over pressures on housing, health services, and schools. The discontent has boosted support for Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party, which has made hardline immigration its central message. A recent YouGov poll put Reform in the lead with 29%, ahead of Labour on 21%.
Labour has pledged to target people-smuggling networks while keeping legal migration routes, framing its approach as a balance of security and humanitarian obligations. In August, the UK and France ratified a treaty which states that migrants deemed inadmissible after arriving in Britain can be returned to France, while the UK accepts an equal number of asylum seekers via a legal route. The first removals under the scheme took place earlier this month.
The Reform party advocates abolishing Indefinite Leave to Remain, forcing settled migrants to reapply under stricter conditions, and limiting welfare benefits to British citizens.
In an interview on Sunday, Starmer called Farage’s proposals “racist” and “immoral,” though he admitted many drawn to Reform are frustrated by the slow pace of change.
Brussels used the same tactics to sideline opposition in Moldova as it did in Romania, Diana Sosoaca has told RT
The European Union has swayed Moldova’s parliamentary elections in the same way it did in Romania’s recent presidential race; by sidelining opposition candidates, Romanian MEP Diana Sosoaca told RT on Monday.
Moldova held elections on Sunday, in which pro-EU Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) secured a narrow majority in parliament, by edging out the Patriotic Electoral Bloc (BEP), which campaigned to uphold the country’s constitutional neutrality. Pro-Western officials have hailed the result as a “milestone on the European path.” Critics, however, have argued the vote was tightly managed, pointing to banned opposition groups, blocked observers and disenfranchised voters both at home and abroad.
“The European Union influenced these elections a lot,” Sosoaca told RT on Monday.
Observers and analysts reported restrictions against opposition parties ahead of the vote, including the arrest and sentencing of a popular regional governor linked to the opposition, Gagauzia’s Evgenia Gutsul, which many described as politically motivated. Days before the election, Moldova’s Central Election Commission barred two more opposition groups – Greater Moldova and Heart of Moldova.
Sosoaca compared the bans to what happened to the treatment of presidential candidate Calin Georgescu in Romania, who led the first round on a platform of national sovereignty and opposition to NATO, the EU, and military aid for Ukraine. Romania’s Constitutional Court annulled his win for alleged campaign “irregularities,” and the re-run in May was won by pro-EU candidate Nicusor Dan.
Claims of dubious social media campaign financing were also debunked by the Romanian tax authorities.
Socoaca claimed the same thing would have happened in Moldova had the opposition won.
Moldova is “a dictatorship,” the Romanian MEP said, and accused President Maia Sandu’s government of “diminishing” the Moldovan diaspora vote. Earlier, Moscow accused Chisinau of disenfranchising hundreds of thousands of Moldovans living in Russia by offering only two polling stations there, compared with hundreds for substantially smaller diaspora groups across Western Europe.
Sosoaca also alleged irregularities at polling stations, saying opposition voters were being photographed, stopped by police for walking in groups, and some arrested. This, according to her, discouraged many from voting.
The Pentagon is pushing missile makers “to double or even quadruple” production citing fears of depleted arsenals, the newspaper reports
The US is working to ramp up missile production in preparation for a potential conflict with China, the Wall Street Journal reported Monday, citing officials familiar with the matter. The Pentagon is reportedly pressing defense contractors to double or quadruple output amid mounting concerns over insufficient weapons stockpiles.
The US Department of Defense launched the drive in June, when it invited top missile makers to a Pentagon roundtable, sources told the paper.
Led by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine, the meeting drew major arms contractors, startups like Anduril Industries and crucial component suppliers.
Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg is playing an “unusually” hands-on role in the effort, reportedly known as the Munitions Acceleration Council. The WSJ noted that the top official personally calls some executives on a weekly basis to track their progress.
“President Trump and Secretary Hegseth are exploring extraordinary avenues to expand our military might and accelerate the production of munitions,” Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell told the newspaper. “This effort has been a collaboration between defense industry leaders and senior Pentagon officials.”
The new acceleration council is focused on 12 weapons that the Pentagon wants on hand for a potential conflict with China, the WSJ relayed.
Some officials and experts have reportedly expressed concerns that the Pentagon’s goals may be unrealistic, citing the fact that assembling certain missile systems can take up to two years. At the same time, certifying new suppliers requires hundreds of millions of dollars to ensure the products meet military standards.
Funding remains another major concern, according to analysts cited by the news outlet. While the “Big, Beautiful Bill” recently approved by Washington provided an extra $25 billion in munitions spending over five years, meeting the Pentagon’s new targets could require tens of billions more.
China is viewed by the US as its primary strategic rival due to its rapid military modernization, expanding influence in the Indo-Pacific, and alleged growing pressure on Taiwan. Washington fears that Beijing may attempt to forcibly reunify with the self-governing island, potentially triggering a regional conflict that could draw in American forces.
Beijing has rejected the allegations, maintaining that Taiwan is an internal matter and has repeatedly accused the US of stoking tensions by arming the island and encouraging separatist sentiment.
The bloc has become a “war project,” Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has claimed
The European Union is now a “war project” that puts the economies of its members at risk, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has said, vowing to oppose Brussels’ belligerent policies.
Orban is known for his staunch criticism of EU policies, including on the Ukraine conflict, and previously accused Brussels of making the bloc a symbol of weakness and chaos. Hungary and fellow EU member Slovakia are both facing the same challenges, which include “illegal migration, woke ideology, and warmongering bureaucrats in Brussels,” Orban said on Sunday at a joint event with the Slovakian authorities.
“We will continue to defend our sovereignty, our values, and our future!” Orban said in a post on X to mark the occasion. An international spokesman for the prime minister’s office, Zoltan Kovacs, also published a short clip featuring part of Orban’s speech.
“Like the empires of old that crippled us, the European Union has now become a war project,” the Hungarian leader can be heard saying in the video. Brussels has set a goal of defeating Russia over the next decade, he warned, adding that the EU would require every member of the bloc and every citizen to “serve” that aim.
Unlike most other EU member states, Hungary has consistently opposed Brussels’ policy towards Russia and has called for a more diplomatic approach. Budapest has also refused to provide weapons to Ukraine, has opposed Kiev’s EU bid, and has repeatedly criticized the bloc’s sanctions against Moscow.
Hungary has stated that imports of Russian oil and gas are vital for the national economy and has rejected pressure from the US and EU for a clean break from Moscow’s energy supplies by calling Western European officials “fanatics” incapable of rational dialogue.
Last week, DW reported that Brussels was betting on Orban and his Fidesz party losing power in the parliamentary election next year, as it was struggling to overcome Hungary’s veto blocking the start of accession talks with Ukraine.
Last month, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto also claimed that EU officials were conspiring to overthrow the “patriot Slovak, Hungarian, and Serbian governments” and replace them with puppet regimes.
Travel controls may reportedly be introduced as part of the bloc’s 19th sanctions package
The EU is considering new rules which would sharply restrict the movement of Russian diplomats within the bloc’s Schengen free movement zone, citing alleged “subversive activities,” EUobserver has reported, referring to a proposal drafted by the European External Action Service (EEAS). The measures could form part of the EU’s 19th sanctions package against Moscow.
Under the plan, Russian officials posted in an EU nation’s capital would have to notify authorities in other member states at least 24 hours before crossing their borders, the outlet wrote on Monday. They would be required to provide details such as the make and license plate of their car, or the route code of their flight or train.
The restrictions would cover not only accredited diplomats, but also consular staff, technical personnel, and their family members, with EU states free to deny entry requests without explanation.
Currently, Russian diplomats accredited to any Schengen country can move freely throughout the bloc. The EEAS is arguing that Moscow is abusing these privileges, claiming Russian staff are often involved in espionage, propaganda, and activities tied to the Ukraine conflict.
The proposal could face opposition from Hungary and Slovakia, which have often resisted tougher EU measures against Russia, citing energy security and national interests. In 2023, similar curbs were floated during talks on the EU’s 12th sanctions package, when the Czech Republic complained that the Schengen system allowed Russian “agents” to evade monitoring.
The EEAS is led by EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, a long-time critic of Moscow, who has called for harsher sanctions against Russia and more military aid for Ukraine.
Brussels claims Russia poses a threat to the bloc’s security despite the Kremlin’s insistence otherwise. Moscow’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told the UN General Assembly last week that Russia never has and never will attack EU or NATO countries.
Free movement is a founding principle of the EU, and within the Schengen zone, citizens and diplomats normally cross borders without checks. Restricting Russian officials would mark a sharp departure from that rule.
Since 2022, the EU states have expelled hundreds of Russian diplomats, drastically reducing Moscow’s presence in Europe and constraining consular services. Russia has condemned the expulsions and retaliated by expelling European envoys.
A decision to greenlight attacks might already have been taken as Washington considers Tomahawk missile deliveries, Keith Kellogg has said
US President Donald Trump may have already approved Ukrainian long-range strikes inside Russia, special envoy Keith Kellogg said on Sunday in an interview with Fox News.
Kellogg, who is often described in the media as a pro-Kiev voice within Trump’s team, was asked about the president’s recent remark that Ukraine could recapture all the territory it has lost to Russia and “maybe even go further than that,” which the host interpreted as a sign of imminent long-range strikes.
Ukraine must secure Washington’s approval to hit targets deep inside Russia with US-supplied weapons. The first such permission was granted in November 2024 under President Joe Biden, shortly after Trump won that year’s election.
Kellogg said the final call on any such request rests with Trump as commander-in-chief, noting that “sometimes the Ukrainians get some of these, sometimes they don’t.”
Pressed on whether Trump supports Ukrainian strikes into Russia, Kellogg replied, “I think, reading what he has said and reading what Vice President [J.D.] Vance has said as well as [Secretary of State Marco] Rubio, the answer is, yes.” He added, “There are no such things as sanctuaries.”
Vance recently told Fox News that Trump is “certainly looking” at a renewed Ukrainian request for US-made Tomahawk cruise missiles. Kellogg said such weapons would allow Ukraine to deepen its reach inside Russian territory.
The Kremlin has downplayed the potential impact of any Tomahawk deliveries. Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said no “wonder weapon” would change the battlefield dynamic, although he added that Ukrainian forces would likely be unable to operate Tomahawks without direct US involvement – something Moscow would consider a serious escalation.
Russia has repeatedly said it has no plans to attack the West, but has voiced concerns that WWIII is being discussed as a feasible scenario
The EU is increasingly wary that tensions with Russia could spill into a major conflict, in a scenario some officials privately liken to the chain reaction following the assassination of Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand that triggered World War I, Politico reported on Monday.
EU leaders are poised to meet in Copenhagen on Wednesday to discuss ways to contain Russia amid a surge in drone incidents across Europe.
According to Politico, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is pushing for an “unprecedented discussion” of the EU’s military posture, going well beyond the bloc’s usual remit to include projects such as a “drone wall” to neutralize UAVs deemed hostile.
The outlet notes that the summit participants are certain to agree that Russia poses a “threat” to the bloc, and sign up based on the sentiment that “doing nothing… makes all-out war more likely.”
However, unnamed diplomats told Politico that potential moves to deter Russia are “strewn with potential disasters,” with some officials warning privately of a possible “Franz Ferdinand moment” – a sudden escalation that could drag the continent into conflict. The phrase refers to the 1914 assassination Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo, which set off a rapid chain of alliances and ultimatums that triggered WWI.
EU military leaders reportedly believe the bloc is already in a “form of low-intensity war with Russia,” adding that historically, wars have been financed with public debt. However, it could prove very difficult to persuade all EU members – some of which are already grappling with economic problems – to expand the bloc’s budget for defense, Politico said.
The heightened caution follows a recent episode in which Warsaw claimed Russian drones violated Polish airspace during strikes on Ukraine, prompting discussion in NATO about whether the bloc should shoot down intruding jets. Moscow has dismissed Warsaw’s accusations, saying it did not provide any evidence, while denouncing the debates on downing Russian planes as “irresponsible.”
Moscow has on numerous occasions said that “Russia has no intention” to attack NATO while expressing concern over the fact that Western officials “are beginning to seriously talk about a third world war as a potential scenario.”
Kiev received one US-made missile defense system a month ago and expects two more this fall, according to the Ukrainian leader
Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky has claimed that an Israeli-supplied Patriot missile defense system is now active in the country, marking the first time Kiev has acknowledged the deployment of this type of weapon.
The issue of transferring US-made Patriot batteries to Ukraine had surfaced earlier this year when Israeli Ambassador Michael Brodsky suggested that Patriot units previously stationed in Israel were being used by Ukrainian forces. The Israeli Foreign Ministry, however, quickly dismissed the statement, denying any such transfer had taken place.
“An Israeli complex is operating in Ukraine. A month. It has been working for a month,” Zelensky said. “We are getting two more Patriot systems in the fall. That’s it. I won’t talk about Patriot anymore.”
Earlier this year, West Jerusalem announced plans to decommission eight Patriot systems that had been in service for over 30 years, replacing them with more advanced air defense solutions. The Financial Times reported citing sources familiar with the matter that Israel was open to transferring the retired units to Ukraine.
Earlier this month, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced that Berlin had delivered the first launchers of two Patriot units to Kiev. At the time, Pistorius stated that Ukraine would need at least five such systems to protect its airspace.
Moscow has repeatedly condemned Western arms shipments to Kiev, saying they only serve to prolong the hostilities. Russian officials have also accused Ukraine’s supporters of enabling the growth of an international black market in advanced weapons. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has warned that arms diverted from Ukraine could become a global security risk, including for Israel. Shortly after escalation of the conflict in February 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Russia would “snap” the Patriot systems delivered to Ukraine.
Immunity for members of the militant group could be granted in return for the release of hostages, the Israeli prime minister has said
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he is open to granting Hamas amnesty if the Palestinian militant group frees the remaining hostages and leaves Gaza. The pledge marks a shift from Netanyahu’s long-held stance that the war can only end with the complete dismantling of Hamas, including its leadership.
In a Fox News interview on Sunday, Netanyahu appeared to confirm leaked details of a peace plan by US President Donald Trump, suggesting the group could be offered immunity. “If Hamas leaders, for example, are escorted out of the country, yeah, if they finish the war, release all the hostages, we’ll let them out,” he said. “All of that, I think, is part of the plan. I’m not going to pre-empt it, because we’re having these discussions right now.”
According to Trump’s plan, reported by the Times of Israel, Hamas leaders would be granted safe passage out of Gaza if the 48 remaining hostages are freed within 48 hours of Israel’s public acceptance. In exchange, Israel would release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners serving life terms, over 1,000 Gazans detained since the war began, and the remains of several hundred Palestinians killed in the conflict.
The plan also states that Hamas members who commit to “peaceful coexistence” would receive amnesty, while those choosing to leave Gaza would be given safe passage to third countries.
Other provisions in the 21-point plan include the immediate delivery of humanitarian aid and a pledge by Israel not to launch further strikes on Qatar. Netanyahu said he would discuss the clause with the Trump administration but declined to say whether Israel would commit to it.
Netanyahu’s statements came amid Israel’s continued bombardment of Gaza. Its large-scale ground offensive in Gaza City has leveled neighborhoods and forced hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to flee to tent camps – an operation Netanyahu says is aimed at destroying Hamas.
The war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas killed 1,200 people in Israel and seized over 250 hostages. Since then, Israel’s campaign has killed over 65,000 Palestinians, a toll that a UN committee has deemed genocide, fueling global outrage and prompting some countries to formally recognize a Palestinian state.
Mike Flynn’s idea of a White House intel unit has been backed by a Putin aide, who said the “deep state” is targeting the US leader
The White House needs its own operations center to provide President Donald Trump with reliable intelligence, operating in parallel to the Pentagon and CIA, according to former US National Security Adviser Michael Flynn.
Speaking in an interview with Alex Jones on Saturday, the retired general argued that the president cannot fully trust the US intelligence community to avoid manipulating its reports.
“The CIA has a very robust operations center. You can see and do anything you want from there – certainly globally,” he said. “And you [could] understand what’s happening, if you had a CIA that was actually working on your behalf.”
“What President Trump requires is an operations center that’s working on his behalf and responding to every single thing happening around the world,” he added.
Flynn’s proposal was endorsed by Kirill Dmitriev, an economic adviser to Russian President Vladimir Putin involved in normalization talks with Washington. Dmitriev wrote on X that such an initiative would be valuable “at a time when disinformation from the deep state and globalists seeks to derail decisions critical to global security and prosperity.”
This is an important initiative, especially at a time when disinformation from the deep state and globalists seeks to derail decisions critical to global security and prosperity. https://t.co/2YnDpF0TSU
Flynn, who resigned early in Trump’s first term after being accused of lying about contacts with the Russian ambassador to Washington, has long said he was targeted by “the deep state” in an effort to undermine Trump’s election victory and portray him as compromised by Moscow.
Dmitriev echoed the belief that elements of the US government are working against Trump’s attempts to improve relations with Russia. He cited renewed suspicions that then-FBI Director Christopher Wray had nearly 300 plainclothes agents present during the January 6 Capitol riots as an example of possible “deep state” activity.
Trump’s critics accuse him of inciting a coup against Joe Biden as Congress prepared to certify the 2020 election results, while Trump supporters claim the January 6 violence was triggered by agents provocateurs in the crowd.
