Gavan Titley

🚨 WATCH: Keir Starmer says he will not "walk away" and "plunge the country into chaos" "These results reflect voters who don't feel their lives have changed enough. We were elected to do with that - and I'm not going to walk away from that"

Ex president is out of the traps settling scores. Effectively all serving diplomats are criticised (the only one name-checked positively retired decades ago) and accuses them of leaking against him. Makes the absurd claim below over the European Commission's stance on the left's great obsession - the Palestinian cause. It would be a great service if someone wrote a warts-and-all account of his presidency. It would be a hell of a read.

Victor Orban is out, the new Prime Minister of Hungary Péter Magyar has just invited Benjamin Netanyahu to visit him in Budapest.

Hezbollah dragged Lebanon into the war, but Israel’s right to defend itself does not justify inflicting such massive destruction. Israeli strikes killed hundreds last night, making it hard to argue that such heavy-handed actions fall within self-defence. Israeli actions are putting the U.S.-Iran ceasefire under severe strain. The Iran truce should extend to Lebanon. Hezbollah must disarm. The EU supports Lebanon’s efforts to disarm Hezbollah.

It is unfortunate that the UN Security Council has once again failed to demonstrate effectiveness and act decisively in the face of such a global threat as the Iranian regime's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. No one should be allowed to block such globally significant sea lanes or undermine the security of dozens of nations through terrorist attacks against the freedom of navigation. We faced a similar challenge in the Black Sea when the Russians attempted to block our ports and civilian shipping—Russia was trying to suffocate our economy. And we found a way to solve that problem through decisive action, not inaction. Now, we see a similar problem on a global scale. The Strait of Hormuz must remain open to all vessels that sustain vital economy lifelines and maintain normal international trade. Countries in the region have spoken clearly on this, and we support the aspirations of the people of the Middle East and the Gulf for peace. Peace and security in this region directly impact stability, market predictability, and the cost of living in every single country. Such problems and this war must not be prolonged. The world needs a functional UNSC that acts more decisively to resolve acute security challenges of global magnitude.

One of the darkest days in Lebanon’s recent history! 100 Israeli strikes in 10 minutes across different regions. More than 250 have been killed and 1,200 wounded, with the toll expected to rise as civilians remain trapped under the rubble. My heart is aching. I’m still in shock.