August 22, 2026Share to FacebookShare to XArticle printing is available to subscribers onlyPrint in a simple, ad-free formatSubscribeComments: Zen reading is available to subscribers onlyAd-free and in a comfortable reading formatSubscribeAugust 22, 2026UpdatesPalestine Action activists spared terrorism sentencing over Barclays attackFive Palestine Action activists who vandalized a Barclays bank branch in England will not be sentenced as terrorists, a judge ruled Friday, saying the 2024 attack did not meet the legal threshold for terrorism-related sentencing.Demonstrators sit outside the Westminster Magistrates Court in London in July, as a plea hearing for 25 people accused of showing support for Palestine Action takes place. Credit: AP Photo/Alberto PezzaliDemonstrators sit outside the Westminster Magistrates Court in London in July, as a plea hearing for 25 people accused of showing support for Palestine Action takes place. Credit: AP Photo/Alberto PezzaliThe activists, known as the "Barclays five," were convicted in June of causing more than £200,000 ($270,000) in damage after smashing windows and throwing red paint at a Barclays branch in Burnley, Lancashire, in protest over the bank's financial ties to Israeli weapons company Elbit Systems, according to The Guardian.Judge Altham, the recorder of Preston, ruled that while the damage was significant, it did not justify a terrorism-related sentencing enhancement. He noted that the branch was not a sensitive target, such as an arms company facility, unlike previous Palestine Action cases involving direct attacks on defense-related sites, The Guardian reported.A demonstrator is arrested by the police outside the Westminster Magistrates Court in London, July, as a plea hearing for 25 people accused of showing support for Palestine Action takes place. Credit: Alberto Pezzali/AP A demonstrator is arrested by the police outside the Westminster Magistrates Court in London, July, as a plea hearing for 25 people accused of showing support for Palestine Action takes place. Credit: Alberto Pezzali/AP The five activists – Brendon O'Hagan, Amanda Kelly, Hmeera Atiqnisar, Mohammed Malik and Alma Yaniv – will still be sentenced next month for criminal damage, but will face shorter prison terms as a result of the ruling.Read the full articleU.S. Treasury Secretary to announce new Iran sanctions plan MondayU.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will hold a news conference Monday as the Trump administration prepares to unveil a new round of sanctions aimed at increasing economic pressure on Iran.Bessent is expected to announce measures after pledging to impose "the toughest sanctions in history" on Tehran. Bessent is also expected to urge China to cooperate with Washington's pressure campaign, as the Trump administration seeks to curb Iran's remaining sources of revenue.U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent speaks to reporters at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., Friday. Credit: Kevin Lamarque/REUTERSU.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent speaks to reporters at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., Friday. Credit: Kevin Lamarque/REUTERSThe announcement comes as the United States signals a renewed effort to tighten economic restrictions on Iran, with additional sanctions expected to target key sources of income.The news conference is scheduled for 2 P.M. Eastern Time (9 P.M. Israel time).Iran says pilots held by Qatar are in poor condition, urges transfer to hospitalAn Iranian military official called on Qatar on Saturday to transfer detained Iranian pilots to a hospital on land, saying ‌they were being held on water and were in "poor physical condition", Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency reported.Mohammad Baqerzadeh, commander of the Committee for the Search for Missing Persons of Iran's Armed Forces General Staff, said the location where the pilots were being held ⁠was unsuitable and requested that the International Committee of the Red Cross send an air ambulance to Qatar to expedite the return of injured and sick detainees to Iran.Qatar denied last week that it was holding Iranian pilots, saying they had violated Qatari airspace earlier this year and failed to respond to attempts to contact them.Doha said it had contacted Iran to coordinate the handover of the ‌remains ⁠of one pilot and had invited Tehran to review details of its search and rescue operations, but had received no response.A foreign ministry spokesperson said on Tuesday that the invitation remained open for an Iranian ⁠delegation to visit over the pilots issue.In his latest statement, Baqerzadeh welcomed Qatar's decision to receive a team of Iranian experts and called on Doha ⁠to provide them with the necessary cooperation. Baqerzadeh had previously said an Iranian Air Force expert and fact-finding team had been waiting ⁠for months to enter Qatar and accused Qatari officials of repeatedly delaying the investigation.11 hours agoSmuggling boom in Gaza fuels black market for goods banned by Israel Palestinians in Gaza are paying soaring prices for basic goods, while hospitals and businesses have increasingly turned to smugglers to obtain medicine, fuel, equipment and other supplies banned or restricted by Israel, according to an Associated Press investigation.A Palestinian vendor offers bottles of diesel for sale in al-Maghazi refugee camp, central Gaza Strip, Saturday. Credit: Abdel Kareem Hana/AP A Palestinian vendor offers bottles of diesel for sale in al-Maghazi refugee camp, central Gaza Strip, Saturday. Credit: Abdel Kareem Hana/AP The investigation, based on Israeli court documents and interviews with five major traders involved in smuggling, three merchants, two truck drivers, Palestinian officials, United Nations personnel and Gaza residents, found that a sprawling underground economy has expanded during the war, generating millions of dollars in profits for networks on both sides of the Gaza border.Smugglers, Israeli soldiers, Palestinian intermediaries and Hamas authorities have all benefited from a trade that has grown around Israel's restrictions on goods entering Gaza, while residents pay soaring prices for basic necessities.Cigarettes and tobacco products, which Israel has prohibited from entering Gaza since the start of the Israel-Hamas war in October 2023, have become among the most lucrative items. But smugglers also bring in a wide range of other goods, including smartphones, solar panels, fuel, medical supplies and anesthetics.Smuggling attempt at the Lachinsh Crossing: thousands of cigarettes were found concealed inside hundreds of pineapples meant to reach Gaza today, hidden inside a shipment of aid from the private sector.