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Two Palestine Action hunger strikers in UK prisons admitted to hospital

Two Palestine Action hunger strikers in UK prisons admitted to hospital

London, United Kingdom – Two Palestine Action-affiliated remand prisoners on hunger strike have been taken to hospital, according to a family member and a friend, adding to fears that the young Britons refusing food in protest could die at any moment. Twenty-eight-year-old Kamran Ahmed, who is being held at Pentonville prison in London, was hospitalised on Saturday, his sister, Shahmina Alam, told Al Jazeera. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list Amu Gib, 30, who has not eaten food for 50 days at HMP Bronzefield in Surrey, was taken to hospital on Friday, said the Prisoners for Palestine group and friend Nida Jafri, who is in regular contact with them. Gib uses the pronoun they. Ahmed and Gib are among six detainees protesting across five prisons over their alleged involvement in break-ins at the United Kingdom’s subsidiary of the Israeli defence firm Elbit Systems in Bristol and a Royal Air Force base in Oxfordshire. They deny the charges against them, such as burglary and violent disorder. “It’s day 42 [of Ahmed’s hunger strike], and at this point, there’s significant risk of organ damage,” said his sister, Alam. “We know that he’s rapidly been losing weight in the last few days, losing up to half a kilogram [1.1lbs] a day.” Ahmed’s last recorded weight was 60kg (132lbs). When Al Jazeera first interviewed Alam on December 12, Ahmed, who is 180cm (5′ 11”), weighed 64kg (141lbs), having entered prison at a healthy 74kg (163lbs). On Thursday, Alam told journalists at a news conference in London that he weighed 61.5kg (136lbs). Advertisement Ahmed’s speech was slurred in a call with the family on Friday, said Alam. He is said to be suffering from high ketone levels and chest pains. “Honestly, I don’t know how he’s going to come out of this one,” said Alam. It is the third time Ahmed has been hospitalised since he joined the hunger strike. Shahmina Alam with her younger brother, Kamran Ahmed, a Palestine Action-linked hunger striker [Courtesy of the Alam family] ‘Critical stage’ The hunger strikers’ demands include immediate bail, the right to a fair trial and the de-proscription of Palestine Action, which accuses the UK government of complicity in Israel’s war crimes in Gaza. The UK government banned Palestine Action in July, branding it a “terror” group, a label that applies to groups such as ISIL (ISIS). The protesters have called for an end to their alleged censorship in prison, accusing authorities of withholding mail, calls and books. They are also urging that all Elbit sites be closed. The six are expected to be held for more than a year until their trial dates, well beyond the UK’s six-month pre-trial detention limit. Qesser Zuhrah, a 20-year-old who has refused food for 50 days, is also in hospital, having lost 13 percent of her body weight, according to her lawyers. The other protesters are Heba Muraisi, Teuta Hoxha and Lewie Chiaramello, who is diabetic and refuses food every other day. There was no immediate comment from either Pentonville or HMP Bronzefield. ‘I’m scared’ Gib called their friend, Jafri, on Thursday from prison, telling her they needed a wheelchair to attend a doctor’s appointment where their vital signs would be checked. Prison staff at first “refused” to provide a wheelchair, and later, after offering one, “refused to push” it, Jafri said. “So they laid there with … no check of their vitals on day 47 of their hunger strike,” Jafri said. When they are hospitalised, the prisoners are unable to call their loved ones, as they can from jail. Jafri told Al Jazeera, “I’m scared they’re there alone with no phones and no calls allowed.” Gib, who has lost more than 10kg (22lbs), is below the normal range for most health indicators, which is “highly concerning” for their immune system, their lawyers have said. Prison officials have “failed to provide [Gib] with thiamine [a vitamin] consistently, and Amu is feeling the effects on their cognitive function”, the lawyers said. Gib’s eyes are also “sore with the bright [prison] lights”, Jafri said. Amu Gib (left) with their friend, Nida Jafri [Courtesy: Nida Jafri] The lawyers have demanded a meeting with Secretary of State for Justice David Lammy, hoping his intervention could be life-saving. Thousands of everyday Britons, hundreds of doctors and dozens of MPs have urged Lammy to heed their call. But so far, he has refused, leading critics to accuse the UK government of wilfully ignoring the issue. Advertisement The UK media have also been accused of downplaying the protest and its dangers. The protest is said to be the largest coordinated hunger strike in UK prisons since 1981, when Irish Republican inmates led by Bobby Sands refused food. “In contrast to the robust media coverage of the Irish hunger strikes in the 1980s, the Palestine Action hunger strikes have been largely met with media silence,” wrote Bart Cammaerts, a professor of politics and communication at the London School of Economics. “What will it take for the British media to pay attention to the plight of jailed pro-Palestinian activists? The death of an activist? Or the awakening of a moral conscience?” Adblock test (Why?)

DHS responds after reports CISA chief allegedly failed polygraph for classified intel access

DHS responds after reports CISA chief allegedly failed polygraph for classified intel access

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is disputing reports that acting Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) Director Madhu Gottumukkala failed a polygraph after seeking access to highly sensitive intelligence, as an internal investigation and the suspension of multiple career cybersecurity officials deepen turmoil inside the agency, according to a report. Politico reported that Gottumukkala pushed for access to a tightly restricted intelligence program that required a counter-intelligence polygraph and that at least six career staffers were later placed on paid administrative leave for allegedly misleading leadership about the requirement, an assertion DHS strongly denies. The outlet said its reporting was based on interviews with four former and eight current cybersecurity officials, including multiple Trump administration appointees who worked with Gottumukkala or had knowledge of the polygraph examination and the events that followed. All 12 were granted anonymity over concerns about retaliation, according to Politico. DHS pushed back on the reporting, saying the polygraph at issue was not authorized and that disciplinary action against career staff complied with department policy. KRISTI NOEM SAYS BIDEN USED DHS ‘TO INVADE THE COUNTRY WITH TERRORISTS’ “Acting Director Madhu Gottumukkala did not fail a sanctioned polygraph test. An unsanctioned polygraph test was coordinated by staff, misleading incoming CISA leadership,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement provided to Fox News Digital. “The employees in question were placed on administrative leave, pending conclusion of an investigation.” “We expect and require the highest standards of performance from our employees and hold them directly accountable to uphold all policies and procedures,” she continued. “Acting Director Gottumukkala has the complete and full support of the Secretary and is laser focused on returning the agency to its statutory mission.” Politico also reported that Gottumukkala failed a polygraph during the final week of July, citing five current officials and one former official. WHITE HOUSE CALLS REPORT ABOUT TRUMP CONSIDERING FIRING NOEM ‘TOTAL FAKE NEWS’ The test was administered to determine whether he would be eligible to review one of the most sensitive intelligence programs shared with CISA by another U.S. spy agency, according to the outlet. That intelligence was part of a controlled access program with strict distribution limits, and the originating agency required any CISA personnel granted need-to-know access to first pass a counter-intelligence polygraph, according to four current officials and one former official cited by Politico. As a civilian agency, most CISA employees do not require access to such highly classified material or a polygraph to be hired, though polygraphs are commonly used across the Pentagon and U.S. intelligence community to protect the government’s most sensitive information. ICE LEADERSHIP SHAKEUP EXPOSES GROWING DHS FRICTION OVER DEPORTATION TACTICS, PRIORITIES Politico reported that senior staff raised questions on at least two occasions about whether Gottumukkala needed access to the intelligence, but said he continued pressing for it even if it meant taking a polygraph, citing four current officials. The outlet also reported that an initial access request in early June, signed by mid-level CISA staff, was denied by a senior agency official who determined there was no urgent need-to-know and noted that the agency’s previous deputy director had not viewed the program. That senior official was later placed on administrative leave for unrelated reasons in late June, and a second access request signed by Gottumukkala was approved in early July after the official was no longer in the role, according to current officials cited by Politico. KRISTI NOEM FACES FIRST MAJOR HOMELAND SECURITY GRILLING AS LAWMAKERS PRESS HER ON TERROR THREATS Despite being advised that access to the most sensitive material was not essential to his job and that lower-classification alternatives were available, Gottumukkala continued to pursue access, officials told the outlet. Officials interviewed by Politico said they could not definitively explain why Gottumukkala did not pass the July polygraph and cautioned that failures can occur for innocuous reasons such as anxiety or technical errors, noting that polygraph results are generally not admissible in U.S. courts. On Aug. 1, shortly after the polygraph, at least six career staff involved in scheduling and approving the test were notified in letters from then–acting DHS Chief Security Officer Michael Boyajian that their access to classified national security information was being temporarily suspended for potentially misleading Gottumukkala, according to officials and a letter reviewed by Politico. NOEM HITS BACK AT FEMA CRITICS, REVEALS VISION FOR DISASTER RELIEF AGENCY “This action is being taken due to information received by this office that you may have participated in providing false information to the acting head of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) regarding the existence of a requirement for a polygraph examination prior to accessing certain programs,” the letter said. “The above allegation shows deliberate or negligent failure to follow policies that protect government information, which raises concerns regarding an individual’s trustworthiness, judgment, reliability or willingness and ability to safeguard classified information.” In a separate letter dated Aug. 4, the suspended employees were informed by Acting CISA Chief Human Capital Officer Kevin Diana that they had been placed on paid administrative leave pending an investigation, according to current and former officials and a copy reviewed by Politico. Gottumukkala was appointed CISA deputy director in May and previously served as commissioner and chief information officer for South Dakota’s Bureau of Information and Technology, which oversees statewide technology and cybersecurity initiatives. CISA said in a May press release that Gottumukkala has more than two decades of experience in information technology and cybersecurity across the public and private sectors.

DOJ restores Trump photo to Epstein files after determining no victims depicted

DOJ restores Trump photo to Epstein files after determining no victims depicted

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) said Sunday it restored a photo featuring President Donald Trump to its latest release of Jeffrey Epstein–related documents after a review determined the image did not depict any Epstein victims. In a post on X, the DOJ said the photo was initially taken down “out of an abundance of caution” after the Southern District of New York flagged it for additional review to protect potential victims. Following a review, officials concluded no Epstein victims were shown in the photograph, and it was reposted without “alteration or redaction,” according to the DOJ. “The Southern District of New York flagged an image of President Trump for potential further action to protect victims,” the DOJ wrote. “Out of an abundance of caution, the Department of Justice temporarily removed the image for further review. After the review, it was determined there is no evidence that any Epstein victims are depicted in the photograph, and it has been reposted without any alteration or redaction.” JEFFREY EPSTEIN ACCOMPLICE GHISLAINE MAXWELL MOVES TO VACATE CONVICTION DAYS BEFORE DEADLINE TO RELEASE FILES Earlier Sunday, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the removal of the photo had “nothing to do with President Trump” and was instead driven by concerns for the women depicted, he said during an appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” The explanation came after reports that at least 16 files had disappeared from the DOJ’s Epstein-related public webpage less than a day after they were posted on Friday, without public notice or an initial explanation, The Associated Press reported. EPSTEIN FILES EXPLODE OPEN AS DOJ DETAILS DISCOVERY OF POWERFUL FIGURES AND MORE THAN 1,200 VICTIMS The missing files included one that showed a series of photos displayed on a cabinet and inside a drawer. In the drawer, there was a photo of Donald Trump pictured alongside Melania Trump, Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, AP reported. On Saturday, Democrats on the House Oversight Committee criticized the removal of the photo, writing, “We need transparency for the American public.” “This photo, file 468, from the Epstein files that includes Donald Trump has apparently now been removed from the DOJ release,” Democrats on the House Oversight Committee posted on X. “[Attorney General Pam Bondi] is this true? What else is being covered up? We need transparency for the American public.” HOUSE VOTES OVERWHELMINGLY TO FORCE DOJ TO RELEASE JEFFREY EPSTEIN FILES The DOJ released the trove of files after The Epstein Files Transparency Act, signed by President Trump on Nov. 19, 2025, required AG Pam Bondi to release all unclassified records, communications and investigative materials related to Epstein within 30 days. The agency posted thousands of pages on a government website Friday related to Epstein’s and Maxwell’s sex-trafficking cases. The files were released as the result of a deadline imposed by the Epstein Files Transparency Act. Fox News Digital’s Lori Bashian contributed to this report.

Trump’s team reports concrete progress in Ukraine peace negotiations with European partners

Trump’s team reports concrete progress in Ukraine peace negotiations with European partners

U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff said talks in Florida between American, Ukrainian and European officials have produced concrete progress toward a structured peace framework, fueling signs that negotiations to end Russia’s war in Ukraine may be entering a decisive phase. “Over the last three days in Florida, the Ukrainian delegation held a series of productive and constructive meetings with American and European partners,” Witkoff wrote on X. “The Ukrainian delegation included Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, Rustem Umerov, and the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Lieutenant General Andriy Hnatov.” The American delegation included Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and White House staff member Josh Gruenbaum, alongside key national security advisors from Europe. “A separate constructive meeting was also held in a U.S.–Ukraine format, during which four key documents were focused on: further development of a 20-point plan, aligning positions on a Multilateral security guarantee framework, aligning positions on a US Security guarantee framework for Ukraine, and further development on an economic & prosperity plan,” Witkoff said. “Particular attention was given to discussing timelines and the sequencing of next steps. MOMENTUM BUILDS IN UKRAINE PEACE PUSH, BUT EXPERTS FEAR PUTIN WON’T BUDGE “Ukraine remains fully committed to achieving a just and sustainable peace,” he continued. “Our shared priority is to stop the killing, ensure guaranteed security, and create conditions for Ukraine’s recovery, stability, and long-term prosperity. Peace must be not only a cessation of hostilities, but also a dignified foundation for a stable future. “Ukraine highly values the leadership and support of the United States and the continued close coordination with its partners in the next stages of this important work,” Witkoff concluded. The special envoy’s comments come after Finland President Alexander Stubb said Sunday that negotiators are closer than at any point during the war to securing a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine, crediting U.S. diplomacy and pressure from sanctions on Russian oil as talks enter what he described as their most difficult final stage. PUTIN CALLS TRUMP’S PEACE PLAN A ‘STARTING POINT’ AS HE WARNS UKRAINE TO PULL BACK OR FACE ‘FORCE’ “We’re probably closer [to reaching a peace agreement] than we have been at any time of this war,” Stubb said on “The Sunday Briefing.” He added that Kushner and Witkoff have spent the past several weeks “working around the clock” to narrow differences between the two sides. Stubb also credited unity between Western allies after talks last weekend in Berlin, making note of two key takeaways. PUTIN DERIDES EUROPEAN LEADERS AS HE INSISTS RUSSIA’S WAR GOALS IN UKRAINE WILL BE MET BY FORCE OR DIPLOMACY “One was that Europe, Ukraine and the United States were united in our resolve to get a just and lasting peace… and the second one was the idea of security guarantees for Ukraine,” Stubb said. “So, we’re sort of almost there, but the most difficult 5% are still left.” Stubb said Russia’s private negotiating posture may be more flexible than President Vladimir Putin’s public rhetoric but warned Moscow’s core objective remains the destruction of Ukraine’s existence. The Finnish president added that he has been in close contact with Trump, Witkoff and Kushner as talks intensify, arguing that mounting economic pressure on Russia is making the negotiating strategy effective. RUSSIA WARNS IT MAY REJECT US-UKRAINE PEACE PLAN IF IT FAILS TO UPHOLD ALASKA SUMMIT ‘UNDERSTANDINGS’ U.S. sanctions on Russian oil giants Lukoil and Rosneft are biting, Stubb said, warning that a flat rejection of a U.S.-Ukraine-Europe peace framework should trigger even tougher measures. He argued that U.S. sanctions targeting Russian oil giants Lukoil and Rosneft have been particularly effective. If Russia were to flatly reject a peace framework agreed upon by Ukraine, Europe and the U.S., “that’s when it’s time to hike up the sanctions,” Stubb said, “because they work.” Fox News Digital’s Max Bacall contributed to this report.

Byron Donalds urges conservatives to ‘focus on the mission’ at AmericaFest after 2025 setbacks

Byron Donalds urges conservatives to ‘focus on the mission’ at AmericaFest after 2025 setbacks

Florida Republican Congressman Byron Donalds said Sunday the best response to recent electoral setbacks for conservatives is to put in the work and focus on instituting their vision for the country and delivering tangible results to the American people. “It’s about what you actually get done,” said Donalds, who spoke earlier in the day about congressional gridlock and failure to get some tenets of conservatives’ agenda through an otherwise Republican-majority legislature. “And I think it’s part of the message here at Turning Point.” “Look, we have disagreements, that’s all well and good. We’ve got to be focused on the mission in front of us. We got to be focused on what’s actually going to get voters to the polls and making sure that they turn out to vote. It’s about having a set of positions, a philosophy, a vision for the future of this country. We have that vision. We got to continue to communicate it.” VIVEK RAMASWAMY TURNS TO CONSERVATIVE YOUTH TO SHAPE THE MOVEMENT’S NEXT PHASE, ANALYZES 2026 RACES Asked about electoral losses in recent months – including in Trump-friendly Miami; not far from Donalds’ district in Collier County – the congressman said it shows conservatives cannot “rest on their laurels” in that they successfully elected Trump and dispatched with the far-left’s governance. “And trust me, I’m happy he’s president, but you got to keep at it. You’ve got to keep getting people to the polls. That’s what it always comes down to,” he said, adding that Democrats were motivated to turn out in races like Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Miami – and that the latter was notably a runoff in the middle of the holiday season. “We have to meet that motivation knowing that when our policies are in place, it’s better for the American people. It’s better for our nation. It’s better for every state in America.” DAVID MARCUS: ERIKA KIRK IS THE MOTHER SQUABBLING CONSERVATIVES NEED In Miami, Democrats won back the mayorship for the first time this century, while the prior Democratic mayor in 1998 – Xavier Suarez – himself later became a Republican and is the father of outgoing Republican Francis Suarez. Donalds suggested the city’s race offered lessons for contests nationwide. “Specific to Miami, there’s been independent mayors and so on and so forth… One, you had a runoff election a couple weeks before Christmas. Those are very tough elections to turn people out. And this is why we have to be mission-minded on the nuts and bolts of what campaigns are,” he said. VANCE DELIVERS POST-ELECTION REALITY CHECK, CONTENDS GOP MUST MAKE LIFE AFFORDABLE OR GET WALLOPED IN 2026 “And they’re always about getting people out to the polls. It’s about messaging. It is about direct contact with the candidate. That’s what we have to be focused on. As long as we’re doing those things, we have the policies, and we have vision.” In that regard, Donalds said he was encouraged by the young people attending AmericaFest, which numbered in the thousands. “I remember, you know, 15 years ago, we would never even thought you could do an event like this… where you had this many high schoolers coming out, college students coming out,” he quipped. TIM SCOTT TELLS MAGA VOTERS TRUMP ‘IS ON THE BALLOT’ AS GOP FIGHTS TO GROW SENATE MAJORITY IN 2026 “And it’s here, it’s been built, and it’s all really about the life and legacy of Charlie Kirk. Now the responsibility is making sure we keep that movement going on.” In that regard, he criticized “pettiness and silly divisions” that have cropped up as of late, reiterating that conservatives must “focus on the mission.” “The mission is winning elections. You win elections in order to pass your agenda and institutionalize your agenda.” CHARLIE KIRK ALLY WARNS GOP NOT TO TAKE GEN Z FOR GRANTED, CALLING FOR ‘SENSE OF URGENCY’ While considered the front-runner in his own race – to succeed Gov. Ron DeSantis – there have been suggestions that other big-name Florida Republicans could jump in the race and potentially force voters to pick a side in the primary. Asked about the prospect, Donalds said his race is going “incredibly well” and that he has garnered the important support of Trump, Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., and several top congresspeople from the Sunshine State and beyond. “We’re very blessed to be in the position that I’m in right now… You know, primaries happen. We have that debate, we have that contrast. I firmly believe that when you stack up the records and when you stack up the policies, you stack the vision that I’m gonna be very successful,” he said. “And then the focus is gonna be about reuniting our party once the primaries are over to be focused on victory – that’s the recipe for success.” Fox News Digital’s Paul Mitchell Picasso contributed to this report.