News and Views 25th August 2025

Israel and Gaza

BBC falsely attributes Gazan woman’s death to starvation. The BBC recently reported that a Gazan woman had died of malnutrition, when in fact she was being treated for cancer - Israeli authorities confirming that she had been suffering from leukaemia. After countless people had read the report, the BBC later issued a statement saying: “We were not initially aware that Marah Abu Zuhri was being treated for leukaemia”, and simply amended its wording, declining to apologise. Sir Michael Ellis, a former attorney general, accused the BBC of fuelling rising cases of anti-Semitism by spreading such “shocking misinformation”. Mike Huckabee, Donald Trump’s ambassador to Israel, wrote, “Will the BBC retract the story and apologise? Of course - the same day a Baskin Robbins opens a franchise in hell.”
UN underreported aid delivered to Gaza by 6,000 trucks since May. There have been “severe reporting discrepancies” made by the UN as to the amount of aid that has reached Gaza, the Israeli agency COGAT (Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories) said. Since May, according to UN data, only 3,553 trucks have entered Gaza. In reality, Israel facilitated the entry of nearly 9,200 trucks. UN figures only records the trucks facilitated by UN agencies and a small number of aid organizations working with them. It fails to include aid delivered by other actors in the humanitarian system, including various states, additional international organizations, the private sector, airdrops, and the distribution centres of the American company.

Broken Society

St George’s Cross removed by Councils. Council workers in the East London borough of Tower Hamlets, which previously prided itself on its displays of Palestine banners, began tearing down St George's Crosses last week, saying any England flags attached to council property as part of an online movement called 'Operation Raise the Colours' (OPC) were not acceptable. Tower Hamlets has the highest Muslim population of all boroughs in England and Wales - at just under 40%. The Labour-run council in Birmingham similarly ordered the removal of British and English flags from lamp posts, claiming that such “unauthorised attachments” can be “dangerous”. The movement has already spread all over the country as Britons show their patriotic pride. An estimated 50,000 Union flag and English flags have been put up in the UK since Monday - and counting.
Growth of 'Operation Raise the Colours' Telegraph columnist Isabel Oakeshott wrote that “By crushing a patriotic flag campaign … woke councils are simply stoking fear about multiculturalism.” Brendan O’Neill characteristically highlights the fallen state of Britain in noting “you’ll get an easier ride if you fly the flag of a foreign nation than if you fly one of the flags of the kingdom itself.” The Telegraph’s Michael Deacon fears that “Britain is a tinderbox” and that “This crackdown on Union flags could make it explode.” But some fear that the organised campaign, rather than being purely about patriotism, may have a racist, anti-migrant element. A controversial black studies professor, Kehinde Andrews, went as far as claiming that England’s national flag is deep-rooted in racism. Rather, Raise the Colours is a quiet rebellion against multiculturalism and national self-loathing, says Tom Slater, Editor of Spiked. 'Operation Raise the Colours' gained over 800 online supporters in less than 40 hours and is continuing to proliferate. Read also here and here.

World Events

Massive global growth in Messianic Judaism. Jeff Morgan of Jews for Jesus has reported a global surge in Jewish belief in Jesus across the world. In 2012, there were an estimated 350,000 Messianic Jews worldwide. Today, there are around 1 million, with 870,000 living in the United States. When Israel was established as a modern nation in 1948, there were only 23 Messianic Jews in the country - yet today, that number has grown to at least 15,000, with some estimates exceeding 30,000. A 2022 study reported that the number of Messianic Jews in Israel has "more than tripled in the last 20 years." Some of those coming to faith are former Orthodox Jews, who tend to keep their faith secret; otherwise, "because of community pressure, they can lose their families", Morgan stated. Ukraine has one of the largest Jewish communities in Europe and also has the world’s largest Messianic synagogue congregation.

Covid and the Vaccines

Home Office awards contracts for mass fatality tents. The Home Office has awarded a series of contracts worth over £1m to prepare for a 'mass fatality' scenario where casualties will need to be treated or stored in huge coronavirus pandemic-style marquees. The large structures, with capacity to store up to 700 bodies, are being ordered in preparation for what the department calls "a major incident resulting in a large number of fatalities which could overwhelm existing body storage capacity". Other than The Daily Express, mainstream media has almost entirely failed to pick up on the story. See also.
UK commits £1billion on covid vaccines. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has established ‘preferential channels’ to purchase covid vaccines worth up to £1billion between 2024 and 2028. It is, in the words of Tom Jefferson and Carl Heneghan, who brought it to public attention, ‘an eye-watering sum set aside for the purchase of vaccines with an uncertain effectiveness and harms profile’.
‘Inside mRNA Vaccines’. The documentary ‘Inside mRNA Vaccines’ explores the unprecedented global rollout of mRNA vaccine technology, and the complex scientific and regulatory questions it continues to raise. At its heart, the story follows scientists and physicians who voice concerns about potential gaps in data transparency, risk assessment, and long-term safety – not to discredit science, but to uphold its highest standards. “We turned the body into a factory, with no clear controls”, Dr Robert Redfield, former CDC Director, stated. The film, which premiered on 12 August, features exclusive 3D animations and in-depth interviews with scientists and medical professionals such as Dr Peter A. McCullough, Dr Paul E. Marik and Dr Robert W. Malone. You can watch the 1-hour documentary here.
‘Follow the Silenced’. Another recent bold documentary, Follow the Silenced, gives voice to those vaccine-injured and silenced in America during the Covid era, exposing how vaccine victims were dismissed, silenced and gaslit while authorities looked the other way. Featuring exclusive recorded calls with FDA’s Dr Peter Marks and CDC officials, the film reveals the hidden cost of government censorship. After fleeing California amid backlash, the filmmakers returned for a triumphant Hollywood premiere—where the film took home “Best of Fest” and “Best Director” at the Santa Monica Film Festival. Watch the 90-minute documentary here.

Islam

Islamic prayer demonstrations or politicised agenda? There are repeated claims that public Islamic prayer demonstrations in the US and in Canada are “being used as political weapons — seizing control of streets, silencing critics through harassment, and driving a broader agenda of chaos” and destabilisation of the West. Earlier this month, Chicago’s streets were said to have been ‘hijacked’ by an Islamic procession that was more of “a manifesto — a loudspeaker call to jihad, Sharia economics, and the subjugation of non-believers.” Read also here and here.
From Florida to Texas. Similar concerns relate to many other towns and cities across the US, including Orlando, Florida, and the Texan town of Plano, where a religiously exclusive Islamic neighbourhood comprising “74 homes, a sprawling mosque, Islamic schools, a medical clinic, and Sharia-compliant financial services” is said to exist, as well as a fortress-like residence directly beside the local Police Academy.

Science

Artificial womb robot sparks deep ethical fears. Scientists are developing robot surrogates with artificial wombs designed to “give birth” to human babies. These ‘wombs’ are designed to mimic a pregnancy from conception to delivery, with the infant receiving nutrients through a tube. The technology is already said to be in a “mature stage”. The process would likely involve some form of in vitro fertilization, with the human embryo later implanted in the machine. The robot is allegedly intended to address rising infertility rates in China and elsewhere. Critics have warned that the practise is unethical and cruel, noting:

Concerns as to whether the artificial womb could replicate human gestation;
Complex biological processes, like maternal hormone secretion, cannot be replicated by robots;
The unborn baby and its mother exchange cells during pregnancy, aiding the baby’s immune system, and potentially reducing the risk of autoimmune disease;
Babies begin to recognize their mother’s voice while in the womb, fostering bonding, language development, etc.
Read also.

Archaeology

3,800-year-old inscriptions in Sinai may reference Moses. American–Israeli epigraphist Michael Bar-Ron has made the startling new claim that at least two ancient inscriptions found at the turquoise mining site of Serabit el-Khadim in the Egyptian desert appear to read: ‘This is from Moses’ (Zot M’Moshe) and ‘Declaration of Moses’ (Ne’um Moshe). If confirmed, this would mark the oldest written reference to Moses outside the Bible, predating the earliest Hebrew Scriptures by centuries. The inscriptions also reference the name El, the early Israelite term for God. But scepticism remains high in academic circles, proto-Sinaitic writing being among the oldest alphabetic scripts and notoriously difficult to decipher. Bar-Ron himself admits his work is in early stages and plans to release 3D scans of the inscriptions for scholarly review.

Feedback:

	Peter Morrow (Guest)	20/08/2025 19:51
It's been a while since a posted here, but it's been interesting to continue following the social and political developments, and the flags issue is a particular note of interest. In many of my previous contributions I tried highlighting how developments on the 'Mainland' were becoming increasingly similar to home near Belfast -and now with the flags, it's exactly the same - and so predictable. It's the 'Ulsterisation' of your religion and politics, and I can only say what I have said previously: the Church in Britain needs a better answer than 'patriotism' and 'we're a Christian nation' - and you need it quickly.
	(Guest)	21/08/2025 22:05
Any suggestions?
	Peter Morrow (Guest)	22/08/2025 10:47
I think that any suggestions or solutions have now become much more difficult than they were even a couple of years ago, because our society and Church is now so divided that we're all looking in different directions. And this means that luxuries, like, for example, a national Church or a common sense of national and religious identity have gone. And perhaps the first step is recognising this, and saying some difficult things which are true, but which may be misunderstood. Specifically, and in the context of the recent surge of patriotism by way of street protest and the flying of flags, the phrase "Britain is a Christian nation" has become as much a political and patriotic statement as a religious one, and that needs clarified. I have absolutely no objection to patriotism, but we need to be clear that 'Christian' means faith in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus for the salvation of our eternal souls, and is not a description of national identity. Salvation is found in Christ, rather than in national identity. And it's difficult because many people are in two minds - we are British and we are Christian, so we don't like criticising patriotism, and I've lived with this tension all my life. But the word must be sounded clearly that Jesus is King and everything is subject to Him. But given where we are now, that's a difficult stance to take, and a difficult message to communicate.
	Nick Thompson (Guest)	23/08/2025 07:16
Good point Peter. What I find, living in rural Lincolnshire is that a great many people despite not being what I would call a Christian, holds a deep seated belief in God and Jesus. Indeed sometimes I suspect they challenge us in the hope we will confirm that beluef and go away immensely disappointed when some fail to. I lean towards the idea that as born again spirit filled Christians we are akin to the Levites in Israel and there is a block/mass of people who have a believing covenant loyalty to God and it is those who are compelled to come from the byways and hedgerows to attend the Great Feast. I guess I am saying there is a need for Godly leadership.
	Geoff Lumley (Guest)	25/08/2025 17:08
Yes, Peter Morrow, as a Christian I agree with you. BUT--- we have to be aware of what the protests and the counter-protests are about. Is it the FLAG or is it the CROSS? The reason the Moslem majority areas want the flag removed is because it has the Cross on it. Therefore, if we say "the Flag is unimportant" what they hear is "the Cross is unimportant". So I think we do need to stand for the Flag (i.e. the Cross) when countering other religions objection to it, and also we need to re-educate the English protesters about the meaning of the Cross on the Flag.
	Peter Morrow (Guest)	25/08/2025 18:27
Hi, Geoff, your question is a good one: "Is it the FLAG or is it the CROSS?"