Hugh Sykes
@hughsykes.bsky.social
Former BBC foreign correspondent reporting from
Iraq, Iran, Egypt, Israel, Lebanon, Syria, N-Ireland, Pakistan, India, South Africa.
Book: http://hughsykes.substack.com
Biog: https://bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08pnq3d
Archive: https://soundcloud.com/hughsykes
Iraq, Iran, Egypt, Israel, Lebanon, Syria, N-Ireland, Pakistan, India, South Africa.
Book: http://hughsykes.substack.com
Biog: https://bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08pnq3d
Archive: https://soundcloud.com/hughsykes
Fact checking the 'president'.
September 23, 2026 at 8:41 AM
Fact checking the 'president'.
Reposted by Hugh Sykes
As a criminal lawyer, it is wild to see so many obviously prosecutable offences committed by a single individual over a short period of time with such apparent impunity.
Worrying scenes in the Channel today, for all interested in asylum policy and maritime tactics.
A small boat from Normandy spent more than 30 hours at sea. Those on board now on their 2nd rescue vessel as Border Force forced to play cat and mouse with far-right activists who have their own boat.
A small boat from Normandy spent more than 30 hours at sea. Those on board now on their 2nd rescue vessel as Border Force forced to play cat and mouse with far-right activists who have their own boat.
September 22, 2026 at 9:24 PM
As a criminal lawyer, it is wild to see so many obviously prosecutable offences committed by a single individual over a short period of time with such apparent impunity.
I'm pretty sure from this that he's not slashing an RNLI dingy, but there is an RNLI volunteer on board, so bringing charges of assault or more should be straightforward - especially as the repeated shouts of Get Off The Boat are evidence of an intention to endanger life.
That he’s decided to livestream his crimes should speed up the process of him being banged up.
Video of the fascist Danny Tommo slashing a Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) boat rescuing migrants at sea
www.instagram.com/reel/DdmJaD4...
www.instagram.com/reel/DdmJaD4...
September 22, 2026 at 7:31 PM
I'm pretty sure from this that he's not slashing an RNLI dingy, but there is an RNLI volunteer on board, so bringing charges of assault or more should be straightforward - especially as the repeated shouts of Get Off The Boat are evidence of an intention to endanger life.
This is simply nauseating
Trump at the UN:
"I have a big decision to make. Will a deal be made with Iran? ...Or do I annihilate the Islamic Republic, and do it quickly?"
"I have a big decision to make. Will a deal be made with Iran? ...Or do I annihilate the Islamic Republic, and do it quickly?"
September 22, 2026 at 2:55 PM
This is simply nauseating
Reposted by Hugh Sykes
@bendorgrosvenor.bsky.social Your chat on @bbcpm.bsky.social omitted another reason
for photographing paintings.
I do it. A lot. No, NOT for selfies (never!).
I do it for the quality (as you said)
but also, more importantly,
because galleries seldom
have postcards of the works
I want to recall.
for photographing paintings.
I do it. A lot. No, NOT for selfies (never!).
I do it for the quality (as you said)
but also, more importantly,
because galleries seldom
have postcards of the works
I want to recall.
September 21, 2026 at 8:15 PM
@bendorgrosvenor.bsky.social Your chat on @bbcpm.bsky.social omitted another reason
for photographing paintings.
I do it. A lot. No, NOT for selfies (never!).
I do it for the quality (as you said)
but also, more importantly,
because galleries seldom
have postcards of the works
I want to recall.
for photographing paintings.
I do it. A lot. No, NOT for selfies (never!).
I do it for the quality (as you said)
but also, more importantly,
because galleries seldom
have postcards of the works
I want to recall.
#Netanyahu
"On the basis of evidence examined by my Office,
I have reasonable grounds to believe
that Benjamin NETANYAHU, the Prime Minister of Israel,
& Yoav GALLANT, the Minister of Defence,
bear criminal responsibility
for war crimes & crimes against humanity".
www.icc-cpi.int/news/stateme...
"On the basis of evidence examined by my Office,
I have reasonable grounds to believe
that Benjamin NETANYAHU, the Prime Minister of Israel,
& Yoav GALLANT, the Minister of Defence,
bear criminal responsibility
for war crimes & crimes against humanity".
www.icc-cpi.int/news/stateme...
Statement of ICC Prosecutor Karim A.A. Khan KC: Applications for arrest warrants in the situation in the State of Palestine
Today I am filing applications for warrants of arrest before Pre-Trial Chamber I of the International Criminal Court in the Situation in the State of Palestine. Image ICC Prosecutor Khan on applicatio...
www.icc-cpi.int
September 21, 2026 at 7:55 PM
#Netanyahu
"On the basis of evidence examined by my Office,
I have reasonable grounds to believe
that Benjamin NETANYAHU, the Prime Minister of Israel,
& Yoav GALLANT, the Minister of Defence,
bear criminal responsibility
for war crimes & crimes against humanity".
www.icc-cpi.int/news/stateme...
"On the basis of evidence examined by my Office,
I have reasonable grounds to believe
that Benjamin NETANYAHU, the Prime Minister of Israel,
& Yoav GALLANT, the Minister of Defence,
bear criminal responsibility
for war crimes & crimes against humanity".
www.icc-cpi.int/news/stateme...
Statement of ICC Prosecutor Karim A.A. Khan KC: Applications for arrest warrants in the situation in the State of Palestine
Today I am filing applications for warrants of arrest before Pre-Trial Chamber I of the International Criminal Court in the Situation in the State of Palestine. Image ICC Prosecutor Khan on applicatio...
www.icc-cpi.int
September 21, 2026 at 7:54 PM
#Netanyahu
"On the basis of evidence examined by my Office,
I have reasonable grounds to believe
that Benjamin NETANYAHU, the Prime Minister of Israel,
& Yoav GALLANT, the Minister of Defence,
bear criminal responsibility
for war crimes & crimes against humanity".
www.icc-cpi.int/news/stateme...
"On the basis of evidence examined by my Office,
I have reasonable grounds to believe
that Benjamin NETANYAHU, the Prime Minister of Israel,
& Yoav GALLANT, the Minister of Defence,
bear criminal responsibility
for war crimes & crimes against humanity".
www.icc-cpi.int/news/stateme...
Three Cheers for Fox News!
LOL -- Fox News cuts away from Vance's speech and a host says, "we will bring you back to this rally if he starts to make news"
September 21, 2026 at 7:50 PM
Three Cheers for Fox News!
Russia elections.
Heading into a polling station to vote,
a man discovered that 'he' had voted already.
"Who did I vote for?" he asked.
I think this qualifies as 'Kafkaesque'
Heading into a polling station to vote,
a man discovered that 'he' had voted already.
"Who did I vote for?" he asked.
I think this qualifies as 'Kafkaesque'
September 21, 2026 at 7:42 PM
Russia elections.
Heading into a polling station to vote,
a man discovered that 'he' had voted already.
"Who did I vote for?" he asked.
I think this qualifies as 'Kafkaesque'
Heading into a polling station to vote,
a man discovered that 'he' had voted already.
"Who did I vote for?" he asked.
I think this qualifies as 'Kafkaesque'
Russia elections.
Genuine democracies
don't need
armed masked military
to supervise voters
posting their ballots.
It looks like Putin is Afraid of his People.
Genuine democracies
don't need
armed masked military
to supervise voters
posting their ballots.
It looks like Putin is Afraid of his People.
These rigged Russian "elections" were designed so that the war would receive political support regardless of the outcome. There was effectively no anti-war choice on the federal ballot. All the parties that were allowed to participate supported Putin’s war course in one way or another⤵️
September 21, 2026 at 7:12 PM
Russia elections.
Genuine democracies
don't need
armed masked military
to supervise voters
posting their ballots.
It looks like Putin is Afraid of his People.
Genuine democracies
don't need
armed masked military
to supervise voters
posting their ballots.
It looks like Putin is Afraid of his People.
Reposted by Hugh Sykes
#Israel Netanyahu:
The Reckoning
[also #Hamas leaders - but dead already]
Starvation of civilians,
Wilfully causing great suffering,
Wilful Murder - all as a war crime.
Intentional starvation, as a crime against humanity.
Israel has a right to defend its population, but not by criminal action.
The Reckoning
[also #Hamas leaders - but dead already]
Starvation of civilians,
Wilfully causing great suffering,
Wilful Murder - all as a war crime.
Intentional starvation, as a crime against humanity.
Israel has a right to defend its population, but not by criminal action.
Lawyers applied for five arrest warrants from the International Criminal Court.
Israeli government: Benjamin Netanyahu, Yoav Gallant
Hamas: Yahya Sinwar, Mohammed Diab Ibrahim Al-Masri (Deif), Ismail Haniyeh
None of the Hamas accused survived.
Israeli government: Benjamin Netanyahu, Yoav Gallant
Hamas: Yahya Sinwar, Mohammed Diab Ibrahim Al-Masri (Deif), Ismail Haniyeh
None of the Hamas accused survived.
Statement of ICC Prosecutor Karim A.A. Khan KC: Applications for arrest warrants in the situation in the State of Palestine
Today I am filing applications for warrants of arrest before Pre-Trial Chamber I of the International Criminal Court in the Situation in the State of Palestine. Image ICC Prosecutor Khan on applicatio...
www.icc-cpi.int
September 21, 2026 at 5:34 PM
#Israel Netanyahu:
The Reckoning
[also #Hamas leaders - but dead already]
Starvation of civilians,
Wilfully causing great suffering,
Wilful Murder - all as a war crime.
Intentional starvation, as a crime against humanity.
Israel has a right to defend its population, but not by criminal action.
The Reckoning
[also #Hamas leaders - but dead already]
Starvation of civilians,
Wilfully causing great suffering,
Wilful Murder - all as a war crime.
Intentional starvation, as a crime against humanity.
Israel has a right to defend its population, but not by criminal action.
Lawyers applied for five arrest warrants from the International Criminal Court.
Israeli government: Benjamin Netanyahu, Yoav Gallant
Hamas: Yahya Sinwar, Mohammed Diab Ibrahim Al-Masri (Deif), Ismail Haniyeh
None of the Hamas accused survived.
Israeli government: Benjamin Netanyahu, Yoav Gallant
Hamas: Yahya Sinwar, Mohammed Diab Ibrahim Al-Masri (Deif), Ismail Haniyeh
None of the Hamas accused survived.
Statement of ICC Prosecutor Karim A.A. Khan KC: Applications for arrest warrants in the situation in the State of Palestine
Today I am filing applications for warrants of arrest before Pre-Trial Chamber I of the International Criminal Court in the Situation in the State of Palestine. Image ICC Prosecutor Khan on applicatio...
www.icc-cpi.int
September 21, 2026 at 5:34 PM
. Your Airspace Remains Important To Us. ☺️
September 21, 2026 at 3:59 PM
. Your Airspace Remains Important To Us. ☺️
Mr. Vice-president,
gas prices are 'so high'
because of Donald J. Trump
& an egomaniac in Jerusalem.
Thank You For Your Attention To This Matter.
gas prices are 'so high'
because of Donald J. Trump
& an egomaniac in Jerusalem.
Thank You For Your Attention To This Matter.
We could have just not done any of this.
JD Vance: "I think we all have to accept that so long as the Iranians are trying to terrorize international shipping -- we of course are gonna try to push back against that -- but that is why gas prices are so high"
September 21, 2026 at 3:30 PM
Mr. Vice-president,
gas prices are 'so high'
because of Donald J. Trump
& an egomaniac in Jerusalem.
Thank You For Your Attention To This Matter.
gas prices are 'so high'
because of Donald J. Trump
& an egomaniac in Jerusalem.
Thank You For Your Attention To This Matter.
The Yellow President Will Hate This.
BREAKING: TV pool will not be providing coverage of presidential events until further notice b/c of CNN's ban, pool chair and FOX News Washington Bureau Chief Bryan Boughton said.
It's effectively a boycott by the fellow members — ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX:
www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...
It's effectively a boycott by the fellow members — ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX:
www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...
September 21, 2026 at 1:55 PM
The Yellow President Will Hate This.
Even Fox News
are against Trump
on this one...
are against Trump
on this one...
September 19, 2026 at 7:09 PM
Even Fox News
are against Trump
on this one...
are against Trump
on this one...
Israel & Iran, reacting to films that make them look at themselves in the mirror: almost identical response:
"Two-faced, hypocritical & despicable."
"Treason against the state."
"We will revoke citizenship of anyone who defames our military."
Can you tell??
Autocrats shoot the messenger.
"Two-faced, hypocritical & despicable."
"Treason against the state."
"We will revoke citizenship of anyone who defames our military."
Can you tell??
Autocrats shoot the messenger.
September 19, 2026 at 5:14 PM
Israel & Iran, reacting to films that make them look at themselves in the mirror: almost identical response:
"Two-faced, hypocritical & despicable."
"Treason against the state."
"We will revoke citizenship of anyone who defames our military."
Can you tell??
Autocrats shoot the messenger.
"Two-faced, hypocritical & despicable."
"Treason against the state."
"We will revoke citizenship of anyone who defames our military."
Can you tell??
Autocrats shoot the messenger.
Reposted by Hugh Sykes
Gaza
"The type of drone
that the IDF used
has HD cameras,
which would have seen
the teenager
approaching the body
of the wounded paramedic,
who was calling for help."
[To find this article,
all I had to search for was:
Israel & Killed & Child.]
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/s...
"The type of drone
that the IDF used
has HD cameras,
which would have seen
the teenager
approaching the body
of the wounded paramedic,
who was calling for help."
[To find this article,
all I had to search for was:
Israel & Killed & Child.]
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/s...
September 18, 2026 at 6:09 PM
Gaza
"The type of drone
that the IDF used
has HD cameras,
which would have seen
the teenager
approaching the body
of the wounded paramedic,
who was calling for help."
[To find this article,
all I had to search for was:
Israel & Killed & Child.]
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/s...
"The type of drone
that the IDF used
has HD cameras,
which would have seen
the teenager
approaching the body
of the wounded paramedic,
who was calling for help."
[To find this article,
all I had to search for was:
Israel & Killed & Child.]
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/s...
The disuniting Kingdom?
"Never before have the four
nations of the UK jointly demanded freedom to vote for its dissolution.
Yet, London politics have treated the declaration as on a par with the Oxfordshire village of Piddington voting to go it alone."
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
"Never before have the four
nations of the UK jointly demanded freedom to vote for its dissolution.
Yet, London politics have treated the declaration as on a par with the Oxfordshire village of Piddington voting to go it alone."
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Slowly then all at once: this emboldened Celtic alliance could spell the end of the UK | Simon Jenkins
It’s something akin to a quiet earthquake: home nations jointly declaring their wish to be freed from English domination. A big move needs a big response, says Guardian columnist Simon Jenkins
www.theguardian.com
September 19, 2026 at 12:13 PM
The disuniting Kingdom?
"Never before have the four
nations of the UK jointly demanded freedom to vote for its dissolution.
Yet, London politics have treated the declaration as on a par with the Oxfordshire village of Piddington voting to go it alone."
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
"Never before have the four
nations of the UK jointly demanded freedom to vote for its dissolution.
Yet, London politics have treated the declaration as on a par with the Oxfordshire village of Piddington voting to go it alone."
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
. Strangelove Scenario
CNN: A fake A.I. intelligence report just “almost started a war” with China when the military almost boarded one of their ships
Nothing to see here, folks! 😕
www.cnn.com/2026/09/18/p...
Nothing to see here, folks! 😕
www.cnn.com/2026/09/18/p...
September 18, 2026 at 7:57 PM
. Strangelove Scenario
Reposted by Hugh Sykes
. The scary (one of many scary) thing is
that Trump
has only been in office
since January l a s t year.
that Trump
has only been in office
since January l a s t year.
Any thinking person could have told you two year ago that Trump’s presidency would be really terrible, but that 1/3 would still approve.
September 18, 2026 at 5:51 PM
. The scary (one of many scary) thing is
that Trump
has only been in office
since January l a s t year.
that Trump
has only been in office
since January l a s t year.
Gaza
"The type of drone
that the IDF used
has HD cameras,
which would have seen
the teenager
approaching the body
of the wounded paramedic,
who was calling for help."
[To find this article,
all I had to search for was:
Israel & Killed & Child.]
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/s...
"The type of drone
that the IDF used
has HD cameras,
which would have seen
the teenager
approaching the body
of the wounded paramedic,
who was calling for help."
[To find this article,
all I had to search for was:
Israel & Killed & Child.]
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/s...
September 18, 2026 at 6:09 PM
Gaza
"The type of drone
that the IDF used
has HD cameras,
which would have seen
the teenager
approaching the body
of the wounded paramedic,
who was calling for help."
[To find this article,
all I had to search for was:
Israel & Killed & Child.]
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/s...
"The type of drone
that the IDF used
has HD cameras,
which would have seen
the teenager
approaching the body
of the wounded paramedic,
who was calling for help."
[To find this article,
all I had to search for was:
Israel & Killed & Child.]
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/s...
. The scary (one of many scary) thing is
that Trump
has only been in office
since January l a s t year.
that Trump
has only been in office
since January l a s t year.
Any thinking person could have told you two year ago that Trump’s presidency would be really terrible, but that 1/3 would still approve.
September 18, 2026 at 5:51 PM
. The scary (one of many scary) thing is
that Trump
has only been in office
since January l a s t year.
that Trump
has only been in office
since January l a s t year.
Reposted by Hugh Sykes
And in small print below:
"The cost of one admission is your mind."
"The cost of one admission is your mind."
September 18, 2026 at 5:37 PM
And in small print below:
"The cost of one admission is your mind."
"The cost of one admission is your mind."