Rift

South Asians have played a prominent role in President Trump’s universe, especially in his second term.

Second Lady Usha Vance is the daughter of Indian immigrants who came to California to study and never went back. Harmeet Dhillon, born in India and a devout Sikh, is currently his U.S. assistant attorney general for the Civil Rights Division. And the head of the FBI, Kash Patel, is (like potential New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani,) of Indian descent by way of Uganda.

Some Republicans have taken pride in this kind of diversity, citing it for the gains Trump made in 2024 with Black and Latino voters.

But these days, the MAGA big tent seems to be collapsing fast.

Last week, MAGA had a total anti-Indian meltdown on social media, revealing a deep, ugly racism toward South Asians.

It comes amid the first real rebellion about rampant and increasingly open antisemitism within the MAGAverse, creating a massive rift between traditional conservatives and a younger, rabidly anti-Jewish contingent called groypers whose leader, Nick Fuentes, recently posted that he is “team Hitler.”

Turns out, when you cultivate a political movement based on hate, at some point the hate is uncontrollable. In fact, that hate needs to be fed to maintain power — even if it means feasting on its own.

This monster of white-might ugliness is going to dominate policy and politics for the next election, and these now-public fights within the Republican party represent a new dynamic that will either force it to do some sort of soul searching, or purge it of anything but white Christian nationalism. My bet is on the latter. But if conservatives ever truly believed in their inclusive talk, then it’s time for Republicans to stand up and demand the big Trump tent they were hailing just a few months ago.

Ultra-conservative commentator Ben Shapiro, who opposes much of Fuentes’ worldview, summed up this Republican split succinctly.

Fuentes’ followers “are white supremacists, hate women, Jews, Hindus, many types of Christians, brown people of a wide variety of backgrounds, Blacks, America’s foreign policy and America’s constitution,” Shapiro explained. “They admire Hitler and Stalin and that splinter faction is now being facilitated and normalized within the mainstream Republican Party.”

MAGA’s anti-Indian sentiment had an explosive moment a few days ago when a South Asian woman asked Vice President JD Vance a series of questions during a Turning Point USA event in Mississippi. The young immigrant wanted to know how Vance could preach for the removal of nearly 18 million immigrants? And how could he claim that the United States was a Christian nation, rather than one that valued pluralism?

“How can you stop us and tell us we don’t belong here anymore?” the woman asked. “Why do I have to be a Christian?”

Vance’s answer went viral, in part because he claimed his wife, although from a Hindu family, was “agnostic or atheist,” and that he hoped she would convert to Christianity.

“Do I hope eventually that she is somehow moved by the same thing that I was moved in by church? Yeah, I honestly do wish that,” he said.

Vance later tried to do some damage control on social media, calling Usha Vance a “blessing” and promising to continue to “support her and talk to her about faith and life and everything else, because she’s my wife.”

But many South Asians felt Vance was dissing his wife’s heritage and attempting to downplay her non-whiteness. They vented on social media, and got a lot of MAGA feelings back.

“How can you pretend to be a white nativist politician who will ‘bring america back to it’s golden age’ … when your wife is an indian immigrant?” wrote one poster.

Dhillon received similar feedback recently for urging calm and fairness after a Sikh truck driver allegedly caused a fatal crash.

“[N]o ma’am, it is CRYSTAL CLEAR that sihks and hindus need to get the hell out of my country,” one reply stated. “You and your kind are no longer welcome here. Go the [expletive] home.”

Patel too, got it, after posting a message on Diwali, a religious holiday that celebrates the victory of light over darkness. He was dubbed a demon worshipper, a favorite anti-Indian trope.

Perhaps you’re thinking, “Duh, of course MAGA is racist.” But here’s the thing. The military has been scrubbed of many Black officers. The federal workforce, long a bastion for middle-class people of color, has been decimated. Minority cabinet members or top officials are few. Aside from another South Asian, Tulsi Gabbard, there’s Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Labor Secretary Lori Chavez‑DeRemer and HUD head Scott Turner.

South Asians are largely the last visible sign of pluralism in Republican power, an erstwhile proof that the charges of racism from the left are unfair. But now, like Latinos, they are increasingly targets of the base.

At the same time anti-Indian hate was surfacing last week, a whole load of MAGA antisemitism hit the fan. It started when Tucker Carlson, who in his post-network life has re-created himself as a hugely popular podcaster with more than 16 million followers on X, invited Fuentes on his show.

In addition to calling for the death of American Jews, Fuentes has also said women want him to rape them and should be burned alive, Black people belong in prison and LGBTQ+ people are an abomination.

Anyone who is not his kind of Christian “must be absolutely annihilated when we take power,” he said.

Turns out far-right Charlie Kirk was a bulwark against this straight-up American Nazi. Kirk’s popularity kept Fuentes — who often trolled Kirk — from achieving dominance as the spirit guide of young MAGA. Now, with Kirk slain, nothing appears to be stopping Fuentes from taking up that mantle.

After the Fuentes interview, sane conservatives (there are some left) were apoplectic that Carlson would support someone who so openly admits to being anti-Israel and seemingly pro-Nazi. They demanded the Heritage Foundation, historical backbone of the conservative movement, creators of Project 2025 and close allies of Tucker, do something. The head of Heritage, Kevin Roberts, offered what many considered a sorry-not-sorry. He condemned Fuentes, saying he was “fomenting Jew hatred, and his incitements are not only immoral and un-Christian, they risk violence.”

But also counseled that Fuentes shouldn’t be banished from the party.

“Join us — not to cancel — but to guide, challenge, and strengthen the conversation,” Roberts said.

Are Nazis really all bad? Discuss!

The response from ethical conservatives — Jewish and non-Jewish alike — has been that you don’t politely hear Nazis out, and if the Republican Party can’t clearly say that Nazis aren’t welcome, it’s got a problem.

Yes, the Republican Party has a problem.

The right rode to power by attacking what it denigrates at “wokeism” on the left. MAGA declared that to confront fascism or racism or misogyny — to tell its purveyors to sit down and shut up — was wrong. That “canceling,” or banishment from common discourse for spewing hate, was somehow an infringement on 1st Amendment rights or even terrorism.

They screamed loud and clear that speaking out against intolerance was the worst, most unacceptable form of intolerance itself — and would not be tolerated.

You know who heard them loud and clear? Fuentes. He has checkmated establishment Republicans with their own cowardice and hypocrisy.

So now his young Christian white supremacists are empowered, and intent on taking over as the leaders of the party. Fuentes is saying what old guard Republicans don’t want to hear, but secretly fear: He already is dangerously close to being the mainstream; just read the comments.

Roberts, the Heritage president, said it himself: “Diversity will never be our strength. Unity is our strength, and a lack of unity is a sign of weakness.”

Trying to shut Fuentes up or kick him out will likely anger that vocal and powerful part of the base that enjoys the freedom to be openly hateful, and really wouldn’t mind a male-dominated white Christian autocracy.

The far right has free-speeched their way into fascism, and Fuentes is loving every minute of it.

So now this remaining vestige of traditional conservatives — including senators such as Ted Cruz and Mitch McConnell — is faced with a painful reckoning. Many mainstream Republicans for years ignored the racism and antisemitism creeping into the party. They can’t anymore. It has grown into a beast ready to consume its maker.

Will they let this takeover happen, call for conversation over condemnation to the glee of Fuentes and his followers?

Or will they find the courage to be not just true Republicans, but true Americans, and declare non-negotiable for their party that most basic of American ideals: We do not tolerate hate?

Aerial footage from Elgeyo-Marakwet County shows massive mudslides and flash flooding stretching over vast distances.

Heavy rains have triggered landslides in Kenya’s western Rift Valley region, killing at least 21 people and destroying more than 1,000 homes, according to officials.

Kenyan Cabinet Secretary for the Interior Kipchumba Murkomen, in a statement on X on Saturday, said at least 25 people with “serious injuries” have been airlifted from Elgeyo-Marakwet County to the city of Eldoret for medical attention, while at least 30 remain missing.

He said that rescue efforts would resume on Sunday, with help from the military and the police.

“Preparation to supply more food and non-food relief items to the victims is underway. Military and police choppers are on standby to transport the items,” he added.

The landslide occurred overnight in Elgeyo-Marakwet County’s hilly area of Chesongoch in western Kenya, which has been battered by heavy rains amid the country’s ongoing short rainy season.

Local Stephen Kittony told the Citizen Television station that he heard a deafening sound and, together with his children, rushed out of his house and ran in different directions.

The Kenyan Red Cross shared aerial images from the region that showed massive mudslides and flash flooding stretching over vast distances.

It said it was coordinating rescue efforts with the government, including air evacuations for the injured.

“Access to some of the affected areas remains extremely difficult due to flooding and blocked routes,” it said in a statement on X.

Aerial views show the extent of destruction in Chesongoch after heavy overnight rains triggered a landslide and flash floods.

Kenya Red Cross teams, working with the National and County Governments, are coordinating rescue and relief efforts, including air evacuations for the… pic.twitter.com/SrVmFYF5fr

— Kenya Red Cross (@KenyaRedCross) November 1, 2025

The hilly area of Chesongoch is prone to landslides, which left dozens of people dead in separate incidents in 2010 and 2012. A shopping centre was washed away in 2020 by raging floods.

FOR years, Victoria Beckham’s been branded the biggest spoilsport when it comes to a potential Spice Girls reunion – thanks to her refusal to ever sing on stage again.

But – following reports that it’s Geri Horner, not Victoria, who’s “dragging her heels” on plans to mark the girls’ 30th anniversary next year – a different picture is emerging. One which reveals a bigger “diva” hiding in plain sight.

Yes, all evidence suggests that Geri’s doing what she’s always done behind the scenes – vying to be top dog. And if she doesn’t get her way, she’ll simply do what she did before: quit. 

Speaking exclusively to the Sun, an insider tells us that whispers of Geri’s obstinance behind closed doors are nothing new. 

We’re told: “Although it’s always Victoria who gets the reputation for being a diva, it’s actually Geri.

“There’s always been that slight distance between her and the rest of them as she did leave them high and dry at the biggest point of their career during that world tour in 1998 [when she shocked the world and left the band at the height of their fame and fortune]. 

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“Obviously that was years and years ago and they’ve all moved on but the four others do have a slightly different bond. But Geri is quite selfish and will always put herself first to get what she wants and she likes to be the one in control making all the decisions.”

Earlier this week, The Sun revealed that Geri, Victoria and their fellow bandmates Emma Bunton, Mel B and Mel C have been involved in discussions ahead of the 30th anniversary of the release of their debut single Wannage next year.

According to sources: “A variety of projects are being talked about to mark the occasion, including a documentary and a possible tour or performance by the group.”

There’s also apparently hope of a biopic being made for Netflix by Orchid Pictures, which is headed by The Crown producer Suzanne Mackie.

But time is closing in on making a final decision – and Geri’s reportedly gone quiet, with insiders reporting she’s been “dragging her heels” for almost a year now. 

Our source says Geri’s reluctance stems from a number of factors: one, she’s always been in the driving seat when it comes to the Spice Girls – ever since they first got put together in 1994.

Long-time fans might remember that Geri often positioned herself as the creative force behind the band, and was known to butt heads with their management. 

She even infamously led the band’s coup against their then-manager Simon Fuller in 1997, firing him because he was too controlling.

They initially managed themselves in the aftermath – with Geri largely taking the reins – before subsequently taking on a different team to steer them forwards. 

As a result, Geri has long been considered to be the de facto leader – a crown she’s worn proudly. The fact that she’s not the instigator of these latest plans is therefore apparently causing discomfort for Ginger Spice.

Husband’s scandal

The other factor that seems to be waylaying her decision-making right now is the ongoing controversies surrounding her husband, Christian Horner. 

Racing legend Christian served as head of Red Bull for 20 years, but was let go as team principal in July following a slump in the team’s performance and amid reports of internal power struggles.

But the elephant in the room at his leaving-do was the fact that – just 12 months earlier – he’d been embroiled in a text scandal.

A female employee accused him of “inappropriate, controlling behaviour”, before an independent investigation cleared him of wrongdoing.

In the aftermath, Christian denied all allegations – and Geri loyally stood by him. But the controversy inevitably played a part in Christian’s Red Bull exit, and – according to sources – it did a number on Geri, who felt understandably humiliated.

Granted, Christian’s rumoured £80million payout will have softened the blow, but being married to Christian has always carried a certain sense of pride and prestige for Geri.

Geri’s still embarrassed by all the Christian allegations, and feels she’s lost some of the power she had

Insider

So, seeing his name dragged through the mud will have undoubtedly done a number on her.

Our insider reveals: “Geri’s still embarrassed by all the Christian allegations, and feels she’s lost some of the power she had. 

“She now wants to be the one who plans all the 30th anniversary celebrations.” 

Cheeky spice

On the face of it, Geri’s undoubtedly transformed before our eyes over the past 30 years.

Back in 1994, she assumed the highest rank among her new bandmates thanks to her ballsy attitude and outspoken antics – and that was something she dialled up when they hit it big. 

Taking the title Ginger Spice with pride thanks to her box-dyed, flaming red hair, Geri earned a name for herself for being cheeky, headstrong, and loudly screaming “girl power!” to anyone who would listen.

The origins of that famous Spice Girls pop feminist slogan are debatable, but Geri’s certainly repeated it enough over the past three decades to claim a majority share in its inception. 

Back then, part of her calling card was being messy, cheeky and pushing boundaries, like the time she kissed Prince Charles on the cheek – and, rumour has it, pinched his bum at the premiere of The Spice Girls’ movie Spiceworld in 1997.

She later clarified: “I didn’t pinch Prince Charles’ bum, as reported. I patted it.” 

Meanwhile, her legendary Union Jack dress – which she boasted she’d made herself using a tea towel – became a lasting emblem of the band as a whole. As a result, Geri promulgated herself as the group’s mascot. 

When she left the Spice Girls in May 1998 – saying at the time it was due to “differences between us” – she inevitably sirened the beginning of the end for the band.

The girls continued as a foursome for another album, but while Geri’s solo career soared, they couldn’t quite match their previous success – which, one can only assume, will have fed her feelings of importance all the more. 

Over the years, feelings of bad blood softened – even as we learnt more and more about the in-fighting that had plagued the band, as it emerged that Geri and Mel B had often come to blows. 

In 2007, they reformed as a fivesome for the first time for their Return of the Spice Girls world tour, and Geri proudly flew the flag again – literally – in a Union Jack inspired outfit. 

She may have mellowed slightly, but she still upheld that cheeky Ginger Spice persona that had initially made her famous.

A triumphant performance at the Olympics Closing Ceremony in 2012 reunited them again – followed by a photocall at the London premiere for the Spice Girls’ inspired West End musical, Viva Forever! 

At the latter, Geri stood between her bandmates in a massive blue ballgown, again reminding us who was queen bee. 

Who’s Posh?

But – over time – as Victoria’s fashion career skyrocketed, it became more and more difficult to maintain the Spice Girls as a five-piece. 

Crucially, Victoria’s ambivalence to the band wasn’t sparked by any need for control; it was simply her coming to the inevitable conclusion that her talents lay elsewhere, and she gave them her blessing to continue regardless.

In the meantime, Geri’s metamorphosis continued. Over time – and especially after meeting Christian in 2013 – she dropped the cheeky, outspoken, ballsy act, and started becoming….well, just a little Posh. 

After she and Christian married in 2015, they settled in a country mansion in Oxfordshire, welcomed their son Monty, now eight (Geri’s also mum to Bluebell, 19, from a previous relationship), and duly became lord and lady of the manor.

In the process, Geri’s taken to wearing an all-white wardrobe, speaking in clipped vowels, and blushing at the memory of some of her more brassy stunts of the past.

When she and Mel B, Mel C and Emma reunited as a foursome for the Spice Girls’ second reunion tour in 2019, she directly addressed her twentysomething behaviour, saying she’d been a “brat” for leaving the band in 1998.

But – according to our source – while Geri may have softened on the outside, and now prefers cooking with her Aga and tending to her farm animals than causing a scene at showbiz events, she’s still just as headstrong as ever. 

She may not be about to pinch a monarch’s bum anytime soon, but she refuses to be sidelined. 

The others feel if Victoria is onboard, then they need to get it all sorted, and fear that Geri dragging her heels could cause Victoria to change her mind

Insider

So, now that she’s feeling on shaky ground as the group’s 30th anniversary approaches, we’re told she’s keeping her distance until they reassure her, in no uncertain terms, that she’s still de facto leader.

To that end, our insider says Geri kept a wide berth from the others when all five girls attended the premiere for Victoria’s new Netflix docuseries Victoria Beckham earlier this month.

Our source tells us: “Even at Victoria’s premiere, she kind of stayed away with Christian and his daughter, while Emma and Mel C mingled with everyone. Geri didn’t pose on the carpet with them. 

“When The Spice Girls first got together, it was Geri and Mel B making most of the decisions because they were the loudest, but they’ve all found their voices and the others feel if Victoria is onboard, then they need to get it all sorted, and fear that Geri dragging her heels could cause Victoria to change her mind. 

“But Geri likes to feel needed so will want them to be flattering her and giving her more control so that she agrees.” 

As rumours of in-fighting spread earlier this week, Geri took to Instagram, upholding her reinvention as the true Posh Spice by announcing she’d be appearing at The Royal Commonwealth Society’s Christmas Concert in December. 

She told fans she was “looking forward” to it – while making no mention of the big music milestone anniversary on the horizon. 

It seems the issue comes down to power: who wants it absolutely, and who’s willing to share.

Geri may have long trailblazed the world’s need for girl power, but she might just have been talking about one specific girl only: herself. 

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And if she doesn’t get that absolute power, she’s fully prepared to Stop right there, thank you very much.

Representatives for Geri Horner were approached for comment.

WHEN you date one ­Beckham, you date the whole brood.

So make no mistake, news that middle son Romeo has reunited with Kim Turnbull after a five-month break is a ­significant development for everyone concerned.

After all, his former flame was blamed earlier this year for igniting the feud between the Beckhams and their eldest lad, Brooklyn.

It came as rumours swirled that she dated their first-born long before coupling up with his younger brother.

Reports suggested at the time that Brooklyn’s wife, Nicola Peltz-Beckham, felt “uncomfortable” around Kim and didn’t want her in the fold.

And although Kim vehemently denied that she and Brooklyn were ever an item, the pressure no doubt contributed to her decision to step away from the family circus in May.

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At the time, insiders argued that Kim and Romeo’s break was amicable and undramatic, and had nothing to do with soaring tensions with his now estranged brother.

But there is no denying that all the scrutiny had an impact, as Kim herself lashed out at the “harassment” and “lies” levelled against her.

Cut to this week and Romeo, 23, posted a cosy snap of himself with 24-year-old Kim, a model and DJ — seemingly confirming whispers they had reunited after he liked several of her Instagram snaps in recent weeks.

Once again, the implications for the family are huge.

Let’s remember, we are fast approaching a year since Brooklyn and Nicola were last pictured with the Beckhams, in December 2024.

Respectful silence

In the interim, their silent estrangement has been deafening, as they failed to publicly acknowledge David’s 50th birthday in May or his long-hoped-for knighthood the following month.

Likewise, they did not blink as Victoria won plaudits for her Paris Fashion Week show and launched her self-titled Netflix documentary series earlier this month.

Likewise, they did not blink as Victoria won plaudits for her Paris Fashion Week show and launched her self-titled Netflix documentary series earlier this month.

What Brooklyn and Nicola did do was loudly declare their devotion to one another.

But now that David and Victoria have implicitly co-signed on Romeo’s reunion with Kim, insiders say there really is “no going back”.

If Brooklyn and Nicola were testing his parents’ loyalty, Kim’s proud return to the family fold says a lot.

Consider again the tenets of the Beckham clan. As we know, the family comes as a package deal and — like the monarchy — it is built on hierarchy, bloodlines and loyalty.

If Brooklyn and Nicola were testing his parents’ loyalty, Kim’s proud return to the family fold says a lot

Try to overstep your status or stage a coup and you will be cast out quicker than you can say, “Bend it like Beckham”.

But align yourself with the status quo — and the brand — and the pay-off can be huge.

Just look at Jackie Apostel, the girlfriend of their youngest son Cruz, who has been flying the flag for the next gen Beckham Wags in recent months.

Earlier this week, Victoria and David, who are also parents to Harper, 14, wished Jackie a happy 30th birthday on Instagram — with Victoria declaring, “We all love you” and David calling her “a very special person inside and out”.

This follows Jackie’s dutiful dedication to her would-be in-laws over the past year.

She cheered Victoria on in Paris, and also walked the red carpet with the brood at the premiere of Vic’s Netflix series.

Over the summer, she was a mainstay on their £16million yacht in St Tropez and the Amalfi Coast.

And, of course, she was dressed to the nines in a Victoria Beckham number at David’s black-tie 50th bash.

Notably, Kim was also in attendance at that star-studded event — also dressed in Victoria Beckham threads.

But it proved to be her last public outing with the clan as, just weeks later, reports emerged that she and Romeo had split after some seven months together.

At the time, scrutiny was at an all-time high over Brooklyn and Nicola’s shocking snub of David’s big birthday events. Meanwhile, reports swirled from Nicola’s camp that she was fuming over Kim’s omnipresence.

And Brooklyn has since made it clear countless times that his wife comes first. He doubled down on that message in May, calling Nicola his “whole world” and writing in a gushing tribute: “I always choose you baby.”

Most recently, he said in an interview at the Ryder Cup celebrity golf match: “There’s always going to be people saying negative things, but I have a very supportive wife.

“Me and her — we just do our thing, we just keep our heads down and work. And we’re happy.”

There’s always going to be people saying negative things, but I have a very supportive wife

Brooklyn

While it was widely reported that Brooklyn and Kim had dated when she was 17 and he was 16, those rumours were dispelled.

Cruz was first to rubbish the claims on Instagram. When one fan commented under a photo of Romeo and Kim, “It’s appropriate to date your brother’s ex too? Cool”, Cruz bluntly responded: “Brooklyn and Kim never dated.”

Then, in the immediate aftermath of her break-up from Romeo, Kim took the matter into her own hands. She wrote on Instagram in June: “I’ve avoided speaking on this topic to prevent adding fuel to the fire, however it’s come to a point where I feel the need to address it.

“I will not continue to receive harassment or be embarrassed on the basis of lies, to fit a certain narrative.

“I have never been romantically involved in ANY capacity at ANY point with the person in question.”

She then took a step away from the famous family.

But, crucially, she has maintained a respectful silence since.

And that has undoubtedly made her return to the fold all the more seamless.

Meanwhile, in August, Brooklyn and Nicola went for the jugular, holding an elaborate vow renewal ceremony that demonstrably erased the Beckhams from the narrative. Nicola’s billionaire father Nelson Peltz presided over proceedings, while the “bride” wore her mother Claudia’s wedding dress.

She and Brooklyn then spent the summer holidaying with her family on their £85million yacht in Europe — casting a large shadow over the Beckhams’ relatively smaller vessel.

The message was clear: Nicola does not plan to walk in Victoria’s shadow; instead, she is ready to leave her in-laws in the shade.

All this has, of course, been devastating for Victoria.

But her one saving grace has been the people she has supporting her.

Perhaps, surprisingly, it is singer Jackie who has devotedly cemented herself in recent months as the de facto daughter-in-law.

As a pay-off, she is now living the gilded life that only those in the Beckhams’ inner circle enjoy.

She has become one of Victoria’s most valued brand ambassadors, and recently had the honour of promoting her beauty brand online.

What’s more, she has landed lucrative ads for brands including Dior Sauvage, Sol De Janeiro and Jimmy Choo, and signed deals with the likes of Burberry and Summer Fridays.

Playing by the rules

Experts say she can now earn £10,000 per sponsored post.

As well as finding love, Jackie, who grew up in Brazil, has been granted access to an exclusive world and is playing by the rules.

Now, provided that Kim treads the same path, there is no reason why she should not also be fully welcomed back into the fold — and get to enjoy certain perks along the way.

She herself is no stranger to the gilded life of a well-heeled clan.

Raised in North London, she is part of the bohemian Turnbull dynasty and — as a teenager — socialised with the likes of Brooklyn and fellow nepo baby, Madonna’s son Rocco Ritchie.

Following Kim and Romeo’s tacit soft launch as a reunited couple this week, Kim has kept sensibly quiet on Instagram

Her grandfather was the renowned post-war sculptor and painter William Turnbull, whose work has been exhibited at galleries including London’s Tate.

Meanwhile, her dad Alex founded influential hip-hop label Ronin Records and is a longtime member of the post-punk band, 23 Skidoo.

As a DJ and influencer, Kim already has some high-profile events under her belt.

But being closely associated, for the right reasons, with one of showbiz’s most famous families will only help her career.

Following Kim and Romeo’s tacit soft launch as a reunited couple this week, Kim has kept sensibly quiet on Instagram.

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But it is only a matter of time before we see her hit the red carpet, dressed once more in Victoria Beckham fineries.

It’s a case of date one, date them all. But always play by the rules.

The two foreign ministers presented their argument in the letter directed at EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas. They contended that the EU should impose carefully planned sanctions on Israeli government ministers and settlers of the West Bank. In addition, they demanded simultaneously new sanctions against the Hamas leadership in Gaza. The letter was dated August 27. It called on the EU to act fast. The ministers emphasized that restrictions should be imposed on those people who will encourage illegal settlement activity. Moreover, they further cautioned that ministers who act against a two-state solution need to be held answerable.

The West Bank, which is left in a state of occupation, has seen Israelis perpetrating recurrent incursions against the Palestinians. Maria Malmer Stenergard, the Swedish Foreign Minister, has been talking about it for months. She has called for sanctions on far-right Israeli cabinet officials since May. A big number of them advocate apparent annexation of Palestinian territory. This was announced by Stenergard on Thursday in Swedish public radio:sanctions need to cause such ministers to face difficulties. Her words emphasize an augmented annoyance of the situation in Europe as Israel continues to advance settlements.

The Dutch standing too has become hard. But action was postponed by internal quibbling. Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp quit last week. He was unable to give national sanctions against Israel through his cabinet. He was recently superseded by Ruben Brekelmans, who co-signed the new letter.

The ministers went further. They insisted on cessation of the commercial part of the EU-Israel association deal. However, free trade in many areas such as agriculture and industry is allowed in this agreement. Falling victim to cutting off this benefit would cost Israel extremely economically. Over the years, opponents have claimed that Israel cannot be provided with preferential trade access as it continues to expand settlements on the occupied territory. Conserving this, the Swedish and Dutch ministers now want to make that argument into policy.

In the letter, the focus is not solely on Israel. The EU foreign services are required to present additional propositions to pressurize Hamas. The organization already managing the Gaza Strip is declared as a terrorist organization by the EU and a few of the Western states.

Nevertheless, the ministers insist there is still a need for further sanctions. They are worried that Hamas continues being an important factor in the struggle. They would like to add an additional stress layer by attacking the political hierarchy of Hamas.

Furthermore, the position adopted by Pakistan is unambiguous. Pakistan identifies with the entire community of states that champion humanity, justice, and long-term peace. The foreign policy has stood firmly behind the Palestinian cause, and the country has made numerous demands for a fair and peaceful resolution of the conflict. It is the country’s position that all countries should respect international law as well as humanitarianism. Besides, to assert this is the moral duty of the world community to act firmly for the innocent civilians that are being killed and starved.

The appeal of Pakistan to the EU to act immediately and in unison is by itself essential. It is said to be essential to this move to prevent constantly recurring atrocities and implement international humanitarian law. Pakistan also sincerely requests the EU to follow the appeal concerted by Sweden and the Netherlands. The era of contemplation is over; the call to act is on.

The timing of the letter is not random. There was an official announcement of famine in Gaza by the United Nations on Friday. The UN accuses Israel of what it terms systematic defiance on the facilitation of aid. The crisis is the result of over 22 months of war that led to considerable loss of civilian lives and the destruction of many properties.

The humanitarian catastrophe has brought the appeal for more forceful steps in Europe. It has been said that assistance cannot be delivered to the needy without pressure on Israel by the politicians. Others think that the strategies of Hamas also extend the suffering.

The problem this time will be brought to the EU foreign ministers on Saturday. Proposals will be debated there by the member states. The extent to which Sweden and the Netherlands will collect support is not certain. There are those governments in the EU that like conservative diplomacy. Others fear that quotas might carve up relationships with Israel or with the United States. Yet momentum is building. Notably, the urgency has been introduced through the famine declaration.

In the EU, Sweden and the Netherlands have frequently been active participants in Middle East debates. Their last move indicates that they are ready to go to greater extremes. Accountability of settlement expansion, in the case of Stenergard, is the question. In the case of Brekelmans, it is the policies of Israel as well as the activities of Hamas.

The way they did things reflects a broader European trend. Greater information is frustrating governments that the peace process is not forthcoming. Settlement expansion is seen by many as the greatest barrier to a two-state solution. It is also claimed by others that diplomacy is compromised by the constant attacks by Hamas.

Despite these cries, the EU has internal cracks. Such nations as Germany and Hungary have always feared sanctioning Israel. France and Spain have assumed more hardline stances, but they are also wary of trade measures. Getting consensus will not come easy.

Nevertheless, the Swedish Akademisk holändsk Bulletin is a telling sign. The pressure on Israel no longer remains a fringe concept in the EU. It is entering into mainstream debate. This is in the wake of United States and Israel negotiations on post-war Gaza. Washington has called on restraint, yet it is on the side of Israel militarily. On the same day, Tel Aviv reported that a complete evacuation of Gaza City is inevitable. These trends make EU decisions more important. The sanctions would become a landmark should they be passed. The Israeli settlement policy has received many criticisms from the EU, but very few measures have been taken by the body. The most powerful thing that could be done, however, is to suspend the trade deal.

The Netherlands and Sweden have gone bold. Their open letter to Kaja Kallas asks to target sanctions against violent settlers and monopolist Israeli ministers. It also requires additional actions against the political leadership of Hamas. Also, they desire that the EU-Israel trade agreement be suspended.

The proposals come at a time when Gaza struggles with famine and when the war will turn 23 months old. The EU foreign ministers meeting in Copenhagen will debate the issue. The result may remodel the policy of Europe in the Middle East. Somehow the sanctions may pass or not pass, but one thing is evident. Increasing pressure is within the EU. The humanitarian crisis and the continuing conflict are moving governments to action. With the strikes by Sweden and the Netherlands, the issue of sanctions now rests squarely on the European stage.

America First was the slogan Donald Trump championed during his re-election campaign as he promised to put the interests of Americans above those of foreign governments, immigrants and large corporations. However, the United States president has made several policy decisions that have divided his electoral base. The two guests in this episode of The Stream voted for Trump in the 2024 election but now find themselves on the opposite side of several issues: economic policy, foreign military spending and the Jeffrey Epstein files.

Presenter: Stefanie Dekker

Guests:
Ethan Levins – Social media journalist
Erol Morkoc – Spokesman, Republicans Overseas UK

MOLLY-Mae Hague’s sister Zoe seems to have forgiven Tommy Fury as he recovers from his alcohol misuse.

Fans of the former Love Island couple saw how Zoe warned her younger sister from reuniting with Tommy after their split last year.

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Molly-Mae gave people a raw view into her split from the boxer, and the reasons behind it in her Amazon Prime docuseries Behind It All.

The influencer explained Tommy’s alcohol use played a big role in their split, and Zoe is seen warning Molly-Mae from getting back together with him in a tense exchange.

But the famous couple have rekindled their romance and continue to parent their daughter Bambi, two, together.

Now, it seems Zoe and Tommy’s relationship has improved after Molly-Mae showed them working out in the same gym with Bambi in tow.

She took to her Instagram stories to film Zoe showing her niece how to do a burpee on the gym floor.

In Molly-Mae’s next story, Tommy is running on a treadmill as Bambi looks on sceptically.

“I think she may feel the same about the gym as I do,” she captioned a close-up photo of Bambi’s face.

The three adults then went for a stroll in the town they were in, where Zoe and Bambi watched a local artist do some painting and the Tommy held his daughter on his shoulders.

Tommy and Molly-Mae recently confirmed they were an item again after splitting last August.

They are now working hard to put past cheating allegations and Tommy’s alcohol-fuelled partying problems behind them.

Molly-Mae recently opened up to fans about the real reason Tommy doesn’t appear frequently on her vlog – like he used to prior to their split.

The influencer addressed criticism levelled at Tommy by some fans who accused him of being an absent dad.

In hurtful comments, they claimed that Molly’s sister Zoe, 28, is more of a father figure due to her regular appearance in the videos.

Ex Love Island star Molly explained: “I’ve seen so many comments saying ‘Zoe is more the dad’ I only vlog when I am not with Tommy, I am with Tommy literally 80 per ceent of the week and he is with Bambi the majority of the week.

Molly-Mae Hague and Tommy Fury – Reunion Clues

MOLLY-Mae Hague and Tommy Fury are on holiday in Dubai after splitting in August. Yet have they dropped clues about their reunion before?

“But I vlog when we are here and he is at his because it’s just something that I am not ready to like open up with yet and like flinging the camera around like when we’re a family.

“I just think like we’re not there yet and still figuring out life and living situations. I’m not ready to vlog like we used to.”

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Prosecutors in Colombia open a probe into an alleged plot to overthrow President Petro as ties sharply deteriorate.

The United States and Colombia have called home their respective top diplomats in an acceleration of worsening ties, against the backdrop of an alleged plot against Colombia’s left-wing leader.

Washington, DC went first, recalling its charge d’affaires John McNamara on Thursday, “following baseless and reprehensible statements from the highest levels of the government of Colombia,” State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said, without giving specifics.

In addition to McNamara’s recall, Bruce said the United States “is pursuing other measures to make clear our deep concern over the current state of our bilateral relationship”, without further details.

Within hours, Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro announced he was calling home his top diplomat in Washington, DC, in response.

Ambassador Daniel Garcia-Pena “must come to inform us of the development of the bilateral agenda,” Petro wrote on X, such as tapping South America’s “great potential for clean energy” and the fight against “drug lords and their international finances”.

The diplomatic row came on the heels of the resignation of Colombia’s foreign minister earlier on Thursday – the latest top-ranking official to exit Petro’s government.

“In recent days, decisions have been made that I do not agree with and that, out of personal integrity and institutional respect, I cannot support,” Laura Sarabia, who was also Petro’s former chief of staff, wrote on X.

Deterioration of ties

Colombia was until recently one of the US’s closest partners in Latin America, with decades of right-wing rule, before bilateral relations sharply deteriorated.

Prosecutors in the South American nation opened an investigation this week into an alleged plot to overthrow Petro with the help of Colombian and American politicians, following the publication by the Spanish daily El Pais of recordings implicating former Foreign Minister Alvaro Leyva.

“This is nothing more than a conspiracy with drug traffickers and apparently, the Colombian and American extreme right,” Petro said on Monday.

During a speech in Bogota on Thursday, Petro said he did not think US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, whom he had previously linked to the alleged overthrow attempt, was “in the midst of a coup d’etat” against his government.

“I don’t believe that a government that has Iran as its enemy and nuclear weapons pointed at it … is going to start fooling around with a coup d’etat” in Colombia, he said.

In late January, the US briefly suspended consular services to retaliate for Petro’s refusal to allow US military planes to return Colombian refugees and migrants to their homeland.

Petro accused the US of treating them like criminals, placing them in shackles and handcuffs.

The two countries issued threats and counter-threats of crippling trade tariffs of up to 50 percent.

A backroom diplomatic deal involving the deployment of Colombian air force planes to collect the refugees and migrants averted a looming trade war at the eleventh hour.

Al Jazeera’s Alessandro Rampietti, reporting from Bogota, said the first crisis between the two countries over the deportation of migrants was resolved quickly in January.

“The current situation is obviously very worrisome as it is unclear what will happen in this case,” he said.

“But it shows that ties that were taken for granted might now be unravelling,” Rampietti added.

Colombia’s left-wing government also recently refused a US request to extradite two prominent rebel leaders wanted by Washington, DC, for alleged drug trafficking.

Last month, Colombia was rattled by bombing attacks in Cali in the southwest of the country that killed seven people, and the attempted assassination of a conservative opposition senator and presidential hopeful, Miguel Uribe Turbay, at a campaign rally in Bogota. The eruption of violence raised fears of a return to the darker days of previous decades, of assassinations and bombings.

When a top official responsible for oversight of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department announced recently that he is being forced out of his position, it brought to a fever pitch tensions that had been building for months.

On one side are watchdogs who say efforts to bring reforms and transparency to the Sheriff’s Department are being stymied. On the other are county officials who claim fresh perspectives are needed on the Civilian Oversight Commission.

The showdown is playing out as the commission continues fighting the county for access to internal sheriff’s department records on deputy misconduct, including investigations into gang-like cliques said to rule over certain stations and promote a culture of violence.

Robert Bonner, the oversight commission chair, wrote in a letter last month that he was “involuntarily leaving” the body he has been a member of since its founding in 2016. Bonner, 83, said in an interview that he was chairing the commission’s May meeting at the L.A. County Hall of Records when he unexpectedly received a letter from County Supervisor Kathryn Barger stating that she would be appointing someone to replace him.

On Thursday, Bonner gave his first address to the commission since revealing his time as chair will end this month.

Bonner said he was “still surprised” that he had been “dismissed without so much as a phone call from Supervisor Barger.”

And he had choice words for other county operators that he described as thorns in the commission’s side.

“It can be treacherous. The county bureaucrats — and this includes, by the way, the county counsel’s office — they guard their turf and see an independent commission as a threat to that turf,” Bonner said.

“There are forces within the county,” he added later, “that do not want to see real, effective and meaningful oversight over the sheriff’s department.”

Helen Chavez, a spokesperson for Barger, said in an email that Bonner’s claims that the supervisor summarily dismissed him were made “for dramatic effect” and “are not only inaccurate but also mischaracterize the circumstances of his departure” from the commission.

“His assertion that his presence alone was essential to achieving reforms is both self-serving and dismissive of the dedicated Commissioners and staff who are collectively advancing the Civilian Oversight Commission’s mission,” the statement said. “These reforms are bigger than any one individual, and they will continue without interruption.”

Barger, who chairs the county‘s Board of Supervisors, told The Times in a statement last month that she is “committed to broadening the diversity of voices and expertise represented on the Commission.”

Fifth District Supervisor Kathryn Barger attends a Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors meeting in 2023.

(Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)

She said her decision to replace Bonner “reflects my desire to continue cultivating public trust in the oversight process by introducing new perspectives that support the Commission’s vital work.”

On Thursday, Patti Giggans, an ally of Bonner’s on the commission, stood up for the departing chairman during what he said would likely be the last of the body’s monthly meetings he’d attend as a commissioner.

“I have a feeling all of us here, all the commissioners, appreciate your leadership, your tenacity, your brilliance and courage to go up against forces that are not necessarily yet in agreement with what effective oversight means,” she said.

The County Counsel’s office said in an email that it “has fully supported the COC, as an advisory body to the Board, in its efforts to seek the information it needs to play a powerful oversight role on behalf of LA County citizens.”

But some observers note that the county counsel is in an awkward position, since the office represents multiple parties involved. That includes the Civilian Oversight Commission, which has been trying to enforce subpoenas, as well as Barger’s office and the sheriff’s department.

Peter Eliasberg, chief counsel at the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California, said it seems to him that nearly every time such a dispute comes up, the county’s lawyers side with the sheriff’s department.

“It’s either intentional or it’s incredibly short-sighted for Commissioner Bonner to be pushed out at this point, at a time when he’s been spearheading incredibly important reforms,” Eliasberg said. “It feels to me like this is an effort once again to hamstring this commission.”

Bonner, who previously served as a federal judge and was head of the Drug Enforcement Administration, isn’t the only commissioner to acrimoniously leave the oversight body this year.

Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna, right, talks with former oversight official Sean Kennedy during the annual Baker to Vegas law enforcement relay on April 5 in Baker, Calif.

(William Liang / For The Times)

In February, Loyola Law School professor Sean Kennedy resigned after county lawyers sought to stop him from filing a brief in court in support of Diana Teran, an advisor to former L.A. County Dist. Atty. George Gascón who faced felony charges from the state. Teran was accused of improperly accessing records about sheriff’s deputies, but a state appellate court recently moved to dismiss the case.

Kennedy said in February that he quit because he believed it was “not appropriate for the County Counsel to control the COC’s independent oversight decisions.”

Last month, Kennedy received notification that a law firm had “been engaged by the Office of the County Counsel” to investigate him for allegedly retaliating against a sergeant in the sheriff’s department who had faced oversight scrutiny. Kennedy has denied any wrongdoing, claiming the probe against him is politically motivated.

In an email this week, Kennedy described Bonner’s removal as “the death-knell for meaningful civilian oversight of the LASD.” He claimed that the Board of Supervisors “supports the sheriff in preventing the commissioners from accessing confidential documents to do their job.”

Barger’s office pushed back against the criticism, pointing to correspondence from Bonner earlier this year that the supervisor’s office said suggested he was willing to step down.

In an April 18 email to Barger, Bonner wrote that “if you decide not to reappoint me, please be assured that I am fine with that.”

Chavez, Barger’s spokesperson, questioned the “stark contrast” between “his posture and tone” then compared with Bonner’s recent public remarks.

Bonner told The Times he followed up his April 18 email to express that he “wanted to be extended” to achieve his goals as chair.

“I never wanted to her to think I lusted for the job,” Bonner said in a text message.

The abrupt departures of Bonner and Kennedy have raised concerns about who will fill the void they leave behind.

The Civilian Oversight Commission voted on Thursday for the body’s co-vice chair, Hans Johnson, to fill Bonner’s shoes when his time in the role concludes on July 17.

“The loss of Rob and Sean, who were deeply committed to getting to the bottom of problems in the sheriff’s department, is a blow to the county,” said Bert Deixler, former special counsel to the oversight commission. “These were two special guys who knew what they were talking about. Long, long history.”

Deixler attributed the turmoil to “political machinations” within the county and decried the move to replace Bonner.

“I just can’t understand it,” he said. “There couldn’t be a merits-based reason for making that decision.”

At the commission’s meeting Thursday, Bonner listed several goals he had hoped to accomplish before his time as chair ends. His priorities included bolstering the board’s ability to conduct effective oversight and compelling a commitment by Sheriff Robert Luna to enact a ban on deputy gangs and cliques.

It’s not yet clear how Bonner’s dismissal will affect those plans.

“I’m leaving,” he said. “You guys have got to pick up the ball here after July 17.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has often tried to paint himself as a close friend of United States President Donald Trump, but the relationship has rarely been as straightforward as the Israeli premier has portrayed it.

And recently, speculation across the Israeli media that the relationship between the two leaders, and by extension, their countries, has begun to unravel is becoming unavoidable.

Some idea of the gap was apparent in Trump’s recent Middle East trip, which saw him visit Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates but not Israel, the state that has typically been the US’s closest ally within the region.

Likewise, US negotiations with two of Israel’s fiercest regional opponents, Iran and the Houthi rebels in Yemen, have been taking place without any apparent input from Israel, a country that has always regarded itself as central to such matters. Lastly, against a growing chorus of international condemnation over Israel’s actions in Gaza, there was the decision of US Vice President JD Vance to cancel a planned visit to Israel for apparently “logistical” reasons.

Appearing on national television earlier this month, Israeli commentator Dana Fahn Luzon put it succinctly: “Trump is signalling to Netanyahu, ‘Honey, I’ve had enough of you.’”

“We’re seeing a total breakdown of everything that might be of benefit to Israel,” Mitchell Barak, an Israeli pollster and former political aide to several senior Israeli political figures, including Netanyahu, told Al Jazeera. “America was once our closest ally; now we don’t seem to have a seat at the table. This should be of concern to every single Israeli.”

‘Many Israelis blame Netanyahu for this,” Barak continued. “He always presented Trump as somehow being in his pocket, and it’s pretty clear Trump didn’t like that. Netanyahu crossed a line.”

‘No better friend’

While concern over a potential rift may be growing within Israel, prominent voices in the US administration are stressing the strength of their alliance.

Last Sunday, President Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, said that, while the US was keen to avert what he called a “humanitarian crisis” in Gaza, he didn’t think there was “any daylight between President Trump’s position and Prime Minister Netanyahu’s position”.

Also doubling down on the US’s commitment to Israel was White House National Security Council spokesperson James Hewitt, who dismissed reports that the Trump administration was preparing to “abandon” Israel if it continues with its war on Gaza, telling Israeli media that “Israel has had no better friend in its history than President Trump”.

The Trump administration has also been active in shutting down criticism of Israel’s war on Gaza in public spheres and specifically on US college campuses.

Several international students have also been arrested and deported for their support of Palestine, including Rumeysa Ozturk, whose arrest as she was walking on a street in a Boston suburb for an opinion piece co-authored in a student newspaper was described by Human Rights Watch as “chilling”.

Spatting

Those policies have made it clear that the Trump administration sits firmly in Israel’s corner. And looking back at Trump’s policies in his first presidential term, that is not surprising.

Trump fulfilled many of the Israeli right’s dreams in that term, between 2017 and 2021, including recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, despite its eastern half being occupied Palestinian territory, recognising the annexation of the Golan Heights, despite it being occupied Syrian territory, and pulling out of the Iran nuclear deal.

But those actions are partly to blame for the bumpy relationship between Trump and Netanyahu, with the US president reportedly resentful of what he saw as a lack of gratitude for those pro-Israel policies.

Trump was also furious after Netanyahu congratulated former US President Joe Biden following his 2020 election victory over Trump, which the current president still disputes.

“The first person that congratulated [Biden] was Bibi [Benjamin] Netanyahu, the man that I did more for than any other person I dealt with. … Bibi could have stayed quiet. He has made a terrible mistake,” Trump said in an interview in 2021.

Nevertheless, in the build-up to the 2024 US election, Netanyahu and his allies actively courted candidate Trump, believing him to be the best means of fulfilling their agenda and continuing their war on Gaza, analysts said.

“Netanyahu had really campaigned for Trump before the election, emphasising how bad Biden was,” Yossi Mekelberg, an Associate Fellow at Chatham House, said.

“Now they don’t know which way Trump’s going to go because he’s so contractual. He’s all about the win,” Mekelberg added, referring to the series of victories the president claimed during his recent Gulf tour, adding, “but there’s no win in Palestine”.

Across the Israeli press and media, a consensus is taking hold that Trump has simply tired of trying to secure a “win” or an end to the war on Gaza that Netanyahu and his allies on the Israeli hard right have no interest in pursuing.

Israeli Army Radio has even carried reports that Trump has blocked direct contact from Netanyahu over concerns that the Israeli prime minister may be trying to manipulate him.

Quoting an unnamed Israeli official, Yanir Cozin, a reporter with Israeli Army Radio, wrote on X: “There’s nothing Trump hates more than being portrayed as a sucker and someone being played, so he decided to cut off contact.”

“There’s a sense in Israel that Trump’s turned on Netanyahu,” political analyst Nimrod Flaschenberg said from Tel Aviv. “Supporters of Netanyahu are panicking, as they all previously thought that Trump’s backing was unlimited.”

What now?

A break in relations between Netanyahu and Trump might not mean an automatic break between Israel and the US, Flaschenberg cautioned, with all factions across the Israeli political spectrum speculating on what the future may hold under a realigned relationship with the US.

US financial, military and diplomatic support for Israel has been a bedrock of both countries’ foreign policy for decades, Mekelberg said. Moreover, whatever Trump’s current misgivings about his relationship with Netanyahu, support for Israel, while diminishing, remains hardwired into much of his Republican base, analysts and polls have noted, and particularly among Republican – and Democratic – donors.

“Those opposed to Netanyahu and the war are hoping that the US may now apply a lasting ceasefire,” Flaschenberg said, with reference to Israeli reliance upon US patronage. “That’s not because of any great faith in Trump, but more the extent of their dismay in the current government.”

However, equally present are those on the hard right, such as Israel’s Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who Mekelberg speculated may also hope to take advantage of whatever direction US policy towards Israel heads in.

“Ben-Gvir, Smotrich and their backers could take advantage of American disinterest, depending upon what shape it takes,” Mekelberg told Al Jazeera. “If the US continues to provide weapons and diplomatic cover in the UN while letting [Israel] get on with it, then that’s their dream,” he said of Smotrich, who has reassured his backers that allowing minimal aid into the besieged enclave did not mean that Israel would stop “destroying everything that’s left of the Gaza Strip”.

However, where Netanyahu may figure in this is uncertain.

Accusations that the Israeli prime minister has become reliant upon the war to sustain the political coalition he needs to remain in office and avoid both a legal reckoning in his corruption trial, as well as a political reckoning over his government’s failures ahead of the October 7, 2023 attack, are both widespread and longstanding.

“I don’t know if Netanyahu can come back from this,” Barak said, still uncertain about whether the prime minister can demonstrate his survival skills once again. “There’s a lot of talk about Netanyahu being at the end of his line. I don’t know. They’ve been saying that for years, and he’s still here. They were saying that when I was his aide, but I can’t see any more magic tricks that are available to him.”