The Aporia · Maira Butt

2026-08-18 · The Independent

Iran-US war latest: Tehran spells out demands to reopen Strait of Hormuz after Trump’s threat against Oman

🔮 The attack comes as Trump told reporters on Monday that Iran would not make the type of deal with his country that he thought was “necessary”. assertive

2026-08-19 · The Independent

Iran threatens to attack US targets in Europe if Trump escalates war, says report

🔮 The fifth clause of the MOU states that the Islamic Republic of Iran will “make arrangements using its best efforts for the safe passage of commercial vessels, with no charge for 60 days only, from the Persian Gulf to the Sea of Oman, and vice versa.” assertive

2026-08-19 · The Independent

Ukraine-Russia war latest: Russians ‘withdraw billions’ from banks amid fears Putin could seize money

🔮 People in Russia are withdrawing billions from the nation’s banks over fears that the Kremlin could begin to seize money to finance the war with Ukraine, a report says. assertive

2026-08-20 · The Independent

Iran-US war latest: Over 770 US service members killed or injured since conflict began, new data shows

🔮 Foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said that it would only bring “further defeat” to the US and said the leader was using it as a “diversion from America’s own crisis: unprecedented debt and surging interest costs.” assertive

2026-08-21 · The Independent

Iran-US war latest: Tehran accuses Trump of ‘economic terrorism’ after he vows to crush it with sanctions

🔮 Iran has accused US president Donald Trump of threatening "economic terrorism" after the US treasury said it would introduce the “toughest sanctions in history" against Tehran. assertive

2026-08-21 · The Independent

Strait of Hormuz tracker: The maps and charts that debunk Trump’s claim the route has reopened

🔮 He added: “If Trump repeats these types of remarks, then it will be more difficult for Oman to act as a trusted diplomatic bridge between Washington and Tehran.” assertive

2026-08-26 · The Independent

Ukraine-Russia war latest: Kyiv agreed not to strike Moscow during CIA chief’s mysterious visit

🔮 It was the first known trip to Moscow by a US spy chief since his predecessor, William Burns, held talks with Vladimir Putin in November 2021. assertive

2026-08-27 · The Independent

Ukraine-Russia war latest: New details of CIA chief’s Kremlin trip emerge after Trump makes first comment

🔮 Earlier this month, the Wall Street Journal reported that US intelligence assessments had indicated that Putin could test Nato’s resolve with a limited assault on an allied country over the coming years. mixed

2026-09-14 · The Independent

Ukraine-Russia war latest: Kyiv ‘wipes out all of Moscow’s battlefield gains since March’ in blow to Putin

🔮 Sam Kiley: Kremlin will celebrate Russia’s attack close to Boris Johnson’s train Analysis: assertive

2026-09-14 · The Independent

Nato would defeat Russia quickly if ‘we took our gloves off’, says Poland

🔮 Poland says it would defeat Russia quickly if Moscow attempted an attack on the alliance amid an increasing number of hybrid attacks on Europe. mixed

2026-09-15 · The Independent

Ukraine-Russia war latest: Zelensky celebrates major ‘hit’ against Moscow after anti-drone weapon test success

🔮 If confirmed, it would be the first known instance of a Russian military drone entering Lithuania since last summer, when two Russian drones accidentally crashed in the country. assertive

2026-09-16 · The Independent

Building collapse in Gaza kills at least 21 people including eight children seeking shelter

🔮 And we know that these buildings will collapse, especially now with the upcoming winter,” he added. mixed

2026-09-16 · The Independent

War between Russia and Europe would be ‘very short’, Putin’s foreign minister warns

🔮 Russia’s foreign minister Sergei Lavrov has warned a war with Europe would be “very short”, amid mounting tensions with Moscow. assertive

2026-09-18 · The Independent

What Putin’s war in Ukraine means for Russian elections as polls open

🔮 The country’s electoral system is tightly controlled and Putin’s United Russia party is expected to retain its majority in the State Duma, which comprises 450 members. mixed

2026-09-18 · The Independent

Poland won’t give up ‘a single inch’ of territory says Tusk after warning over Russian drones

🔮 Poland’s prime minister Donald Tusk has insisted that his country will not surrender any territory whatsoever in any future conflict with Russia. mixed

2026-09-18 · The Independent

Millionaire businessman among Britons killed in Swiss Alps plane crash

🔮 Paying tribute, a statement from Amcanu said “family was always at the centre” of his life, describing their former colleague as “strong-willed, spirited, determined and deeply caring”. assertive

2026-09-20 · The Independent

‘We’re terrified all the time’: Fear and anger in South Africa after nine women’s bodies found in three months

🔮 President Ramaphosa promised “no stone would be left unturned” in the quest for answers. assertive

2026-09-21 · The Independent

Arrests, armed soldiers and opposition parties banned: How Putin controlled Russia’s ‘sham’ elections

🔮 Vladimir Putin’s party is set to win by a comfortable majority as voting closed in the country’s tightly-controlled parliamentary elections, widely branded a sham. assertive

2026-09-22 · The Independent

British father admits causing toddler son’s death after fall from Cyprus hotel

🔮 A further hearing will take place on October 5 when the prosecutor will set out the facts of the case and the defence will present mitigation, a court official confirmed. assertive

2026-09-22 · The Independent

Trump calls International Criminal Court ‘evil’ and demands members resign immediately

🔮 “We will never allow U.S. service members or anyone else to be investigated or given show trials by an anti-American tribunal with no jurisdiction over us.” assertive

2026-09-23 · The Independent

How Ukraine’s devastating attacks on Putin’s oil refineries brought the war to Russia’s doorstep

🔮 Over 450 drones were shot down in what the region’s mayor Sergei Sobyanin called “the most massive” attack it had seen. assertive

2026-09-23 · The Independent

Mother accused of stabbing 5 year-old son to death and leaving two siblings critical on family picnic

🔮 He added that there is currently no “rationale or reason as to why that was that location” and said that it will “form part of the investigation.” mixed

2026-09-23 · The Independent

Iranian president accuses US of ‘terrorism’ and flouting international law in defiant UN speech

🔮 The US leader warned he could send Iran to “hell” during his combative address to the United Nations General Assembly Tuesday, seven months after the war he started alongside Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu. assertive

2026-09-24 · The Independent

Iranian president accuses US of ‘terrorism’ and flouting international law in defiant UN speech

2026-09-24 · The Independent

Iranian president’s defiant UN speech accuses US of ‘terrorism’ and flouting international law

2026-09-25 · The Independent

The critical infrastructure Europe - and Nato - needs to protect from Russia

🔮 In one of the starkest warnings by a western security service yet, Danish intelligence said on Thursday that Moscow could launch an attack against Nato in months. mixed

2026-09-26 · The Independent

‘Whoever wins AI, wins’: How artificial intelligence is transforming the future of war

🔮 Earlier this month, an Anthropic researcher issued a doomsday warning straight out of a sci-fi novel - there’s a 10 per cent chance of Artificial Intelligence could destroy humanity. mixed

2026-09-28 · The Independent

Trump offered to sell arms to China, US ambassador claims

🔮 “He actually asked President Xi, would he like to buy some at one point.” assertive

2026-09-28 · The Independent

Iran wants one thing in its war with the West

🔮 Last week, foreign minister Ed Miliband told his Iranian counterpart Abbas Aragchi that Britain will “not tolerate intimidation, threats or hostile activity on UK soil” from groups connected to Iran during a face-to-face meeting on the margins of the UN General Assembly in New York. assertive

2026-09-28 · The Independent

Google Earth exposes devastation in Gaza with new updated images

🔮 Thousands are expected to be buried underneath. assertive

2026-09-29 · The Independent

Politician beaten to death after radio interview promoting Ebola awareness

🔮 The WHO also warned about a shortage of healthcare workers to contain the disease and at least 50 healthcare workers have died since the outbreak was announced on 15 May this year, according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. mixed

2026-09-29 · The Independent

Elderly disabled woman evicted after 71 years allowed to return home following protests

🔮 On Tuesday, her lawyer Beatriz Duro told reporters that discussions had taken place with “goodwill from both parties” and that a new contract would be continued allowing her to continue paying a similar amount of rent as she had been previously. assertive

2026-09-29 · The Independent

Trump envoy warned Greek minister US can bring down ‘any country we want’, report claims

🔮 Papastavrou pointed out that the US could not replace the government of Greece, given it is elected by its citizens, the WSJ added. mixed

2026-10-02 · The Independent

How a six-year-old girl helped avert Israel flight disaster after pilot stabbed

🔮 Cpt Machchhar, covered with blood and lying on the floor, had managed to click open the release on the cockpit door so help could get through. assertive

2026-10-03 · The Independent

How ‘Israel’s 9/11’ was averted after midair stabbing as co-pilot’s motive remains a mystery

🔮 Aviation experts told the BBC that the rapid descent led to damage pictured on the plane’s rudder adding that the incident could easily have led to the plane breaking up in mid-air. Captain Smit Machchhar, an Indian national, was identified as the victim of the attack, while his arrested co-pilot was identified as Hamam al-Hammami on Saturday by sources cited in CNN. assertive

2026-10-03 · The Independent

Women given cycling shorts to wear on popular Oktoberfest ride after upskirting incidents

🔮 Elisabeth Polaczy, 80, who operates the popular attraction, told the BBC that she has been forced to hand out free shorts to women and girls to protect them from people who may be filming in the crowd at the beer festival. assertive

2026-10-03 · The Independent

Israel flight hijacking latest: FlyDubai co-pilot who used crash axe in ‘terror incident’ studied at UK university

🔮 “That will probably change now and crew members will be subject to heavier screening. mixed

2026-10-04 · The Independent

Iran-US war latest: Houthis claim attack on major Saudi oil refinery as ships attacked in Strait of Hormuz

🔮 In pictures: US carrier George HW Bush visits Thailand after six-month Middle East deployment Iran says Strait of Hormuz will not reopen until conditions are met, Nournews reports The Strait of Hormuz will not reopen until conditions set out in a June interim agreement with the US are met, Nournews reported Iran's parliament speaker Mohammad Bager Ghalibaf as saying on Sunday, a few days after Tehran received Washington's reply to its diplomatic proposal. assertive

2026-10-05 · The Independent

Ukraine-Russia war latest: Anti-Putin protesters arrested in Moscow as Germany pledges €1bn in military aid to Kyiv

🔮 Meanwhile, Russia hit Kyiv’s North Bridge on Sunday, the capital’s mayor said. assertive

2026-10-06 · The Independent

Estonia moves troops to Russian border as fears grow of Putin attack on Nato: report

🔮 As the country lacks its own air force it would be entirely dependent on the Nato alliance to secure the safety of its skies. mixed

2026-10-07 · The Independent

One-year-old infant hospitalised after being hit by firework as school protests sweep France

🔮 Footage of Saint-Denis mayor Bally Bagayoko went viral as he appeared to shield protesters from police in protests. assertive

2026-10-08 · The Independent

Israel to close British consulate in East Jerusalem today after sanctions on illegal West Bank settlements

🔮 He added that the British consul general along with 20 diplomats (including the consul general) are ending their assignments and will leave Israel. assertive

2026-10-08 · The Independent

FlyDubai attacker called women ‘rotten flesh’ in misogynistic social media posts: report

🔮 He added that he would not “chase after cheap, rotten flesh”. assertive

2026-10-09 · The Independent

Former UN human rights chief Navi Pillay wins 2026 Nobel Peace Prize as Trump loses again

🔮 Whenever might overtakes right, it undermines stability, trust and peaceful coexistence. assertive

2026-10-10 · The Independent

A dead pensioner, a snap election and protesters camping in tents: Inside Spain’s housing crisis

🔮 When 87-year-old Maricarmen Abascal received an eviction notice from the apartment she’d lived in for over 70 years, she could not have imagined that the letter would send thousands onto the streets. assertive

2026-10-11 · The Independent

‘I wish I had stayed with you’: Gaza mother died of cancer after waiting months to be evacuated

🔮 “One of her greatest fears was that her condition would continue to worsen because of delays and lack of adequate care, and that she would ultimately lose her life not because the cancer could not be treated, but because she was denied the chance to receive the treatment she needed.” assertive

2026-10-13 · The Independent

Trump accuses Europe of hypocrisy after diesel deal with Russia

🔮 He said the US would import 300,000 tons of the fuel as energy prices soar. mixed

2026-10-14 · The Independent

Poland blasts Musk for restricting Ukraine’s Starlink access: ‘Big man, are you playing politics again?’

🔮 Coincidentally, the dispute at the time was around the use of Starlink when Musk bragged that Ukraine’s “entire front line would collapse if I turned it (Starlink) off”. assertive

2026-10-15 · The Independent

Musk blames Trump for slowing down Starlink access for Ukrainian army

🔮 Usage of Starlink is limited to civilian or defensive activities and cannot be used for offensive military action, as doing so would be inappropriate for a commercial company.” assertive

2026-10-16 · The Independent

Zelensky defies Trump over oil refineries attack after accusing US of ‘betraying’ Ukraine

🔮 Ukrainians fear the growing rift between Washington and Kyiv could have severe consequences on the battlefield, where the Ukrainian military still depends on technology provided by the US. assertive

Forward-looking sentences extracted from their articles, oldest first. Nothing here checks whether any of it turned out to be right.

👤 Maira Butt

About this journalist

What they cover

Leaning

More from this journalist

What they said would happen