Western democracies, including the UK, France, Canada and Australia, are facing backlash after allowing Iran and other authoritarian regimes to secure seats on influential United Nations (U.N.) bodies, with the United States standing alone in opposition.

The controversy stems from decisions by the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), a 54-member body that plays a central role in shaping U.N. policy and staffing key committees.

Critics warn the outcome could allow governments accused of human rights abuses to influence global policy and control which civil society groups are granted access to the United Nations.

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ECOSOC nominated the Islamic Republic of Iran to the U.N.’s Committee for Program and Coordination Wednesday, a body that helps shape policy on human rights, women’s rights, disarmament and counterterrorism.

The nomination is widely expected to be finalized, as the United Nations General Assembly typically approves such recommendations without a vote.

At the same session, ECOSOC elected China, Cuba, Nicaragua, Saudi Arabia and Sudan to the Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations, which oversees accreditation and access for thousands of NGOs operating within the U.N. system.

The United States was the only member state to formally break from consensus.

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In remarks delivered April 8, U.S. Representative to ECOSOC Ambassador Dan Negrea said the U.S. "disassociates from consensus" on both decisions, calling several of the countries involved unfit for such roles.

"The regime threatens its neighbors and has, for decades, infringed on the Iranian people’s ability to exercise their basic human rights," Negrea said, adding that "we believe Iran is unfit to serve" on the committee.

The decision drew sharp criticism from UN Watch, a Geneva-based watchdog group.

Hillel Neuer told Fox News Digital: "By their cynical actions at the UN, major Western states have betrayed their own human rights principles, severely undermining the rules-based international order that they claim to support."

"We note that the EU states clearly had another option. They did take action in recent years to stop Russia from getting elected to similar bodies, and so we deeply regret that they failed to do the same now to stop the election of serial violators such as Iran, China, China, Cuba, Nicaragua, Saudi Arabia and Sudan."

"We salute the United States for their moral clarity and leadership in objecting to the election of the Islamic Republic of Iran and other brutal regimes."

Neuer warned the composition of the NGO committee could allow authoritarian governments to influence which organizations are accredited, potentially sidelining independent human rights groups.

"This means dictatorships will have a majority on the committee in order to deny United Nations accreditation to independent organizations that call out their human rights violations, and to accredit more fake front groups created by the regimes," he said.

Israel’s mission to the United Nations also pointed to political tensions surrounding the vote, saying Iran attempted to challenge Israel’s candidacy during the same ECOSOC session.

AMBASSADOR MIKE WALTZ LAYS OUT ‘AMERICA FIRST’ VISION FOR US LEADERSHIP AT THE UN

Israel was elected to several U.N. bodies, according to the Permanent Mission of Israel to the United Nations, including the Commission on the Status of Women and the NGO Committee, despite opposition.

"Iran also tried to turn the elections at the UN into an arena for incitement against Israel and failed," Israeli Ambassador Danny Danon said. "Those who oppress women and trample on human rights in their own country will not teach us what women's rights are."

Ahead of the vote, around 70 civil society groups warned that countries with poor human rights records could secure seats on key oversight bodies, but the elections proceeded without a formal vote, a process known as approval "by acclamation."

Critics argue that this procedure allows controversial candidates to secure influential roles with limited transparency or accountability.

The developments are likely to intensify scrutiny over how U.N. bodies are staffed and whether political considerations are outweighing human rights concerns.

Fox News Digital reached out to the UK, France, Canada, Australia and U.S. mission for comment but did not receive responses in time for publication.

The Iranian mission to the United Nations declined to comment.

U.K. Defense Minister John Healey warned Russian President Vladimir Putin of "serious consequences" Thursday after revealing a weeks-long military operation to deter Russian meddling in the North Sea.

"To President Putin I say we see you, we see your activity over our cables and our pipelines, and you should know that any attempt to damage them will not be tolerated and will have serious consequences," he cautioned. 

The defense minister detailed an operation involving a Royal Navy frigate, a Royal Air Force patrol plane and hundreds of personnel deployed to deter a trio of Russian submarines that were detected near underwater cables in Britain’s economic exclusionary zone.

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One of the submarines, Healey announced, was a nuclear-powered Akula-class submarine, while the other two were spy submarines from Russia’s Main Directorate of Deep Sea Research, also known as GUGI. Subs from this unit were directed specifically by Putin "to conduct hybrid warfare activities against the UK" and its allies, Healey said.

At least one of those allies, Norway, was involved in the deterrent operation, Healey revealed. Norway’s Defense Minister Tore O Sandvik confirmed the cooperation in a Thursday statement. 

"Norway has participated in a coordinated military operation with our allies to send a clear message: covert activities in our waters will not be tolerated," Sandvik wrote.

The submarines left U.K. waters after a protracted period of monitoring from the U.K. and Norway, and there is no evidence of damage to any underwater infrastructure, Healey said. 

Fox News Digital has reached out to the U.K.’s Defense Department for more information. 

The Russian incursion marked the second time in less than six months that the U.K. detected Russian seacraft near its territorial waters. Healey announced a similar military operation in November after Russia deployed the spy ship Yantar to the North Sea in 2025.

TRUMP, STARMER AGREE STRAIT OF HORMUZ MUST REOPEN AS MIDDLE EAST CONFLICT ESCALATES

Healey also cited this year’s incident as an example of why the U.K. hasn’t sent troops to the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway in the Persian Gulf key to global energy markets that Iran has choked off in recent weeks.

"I understand people questioning why all UK military assets and personnel have not been deployed to deal with it. But that is not in Britain’s national interest," he said, later calling Russia "the primary threat to the UK and to NATO." 

President Donald Trump has criticized NATO allies and the organization itself for not acceding to requests to help open the Strait of Hormuz. 

"NATO WASN’T THERE WHEN WE NEEDED THEM, AND THEY WON’T BE THERE IF WE NEED THEM AGAIN," he wrote in a Thursday morning Truth Social post.

The U.K., while holding a planning meeting on how to reopen the Strait of Hormuz after the Iran War is over, initially refused to let the U.S. use a British air base to launch military strikes against Iran. 

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer eventually allowed the U.S. to launch "defensive strikes" from Royal Air Force bases after Trump slammed him as "not Winston Churchill."

The United Kingdom’s only warship deployed to the eastern Mediterranean during the Iran conflict has been forced into port over a "technical" issue, abruptly sidelining a key piece of Britain’s regional military presence as pressure mounts on Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s handling of the crisis.

The docking of HMS Dragon — a Type 45 destroyer tasked with defending U.K. assets and projecting force near the conflict zone — weakens Britain’s visible military posture at a sensitive moment, as a fragile U.S.-brokered pause takes hold and criticism from Trump administration officials and conservative voices builds over delays and restrictions that they say damaged London’s credibility with allies.

HMS Dragon was facing issues with its "onboard water systems," which impacted water provisions for sailors on board, The Daily Mail first reported.

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"HMS Dragon is undertaking a routine logistics stop and a short maintenance period in the Eastern Mediterranean, allowing the ship to take onboard provisions, optimise systems and conduct maintenance," the Ministry of Defense said in a statement to the outlet.

The ministry said in a statement to the Daily Mail that if necessary the ship will be "able to sail at short notice."

"The UK continues to maintain a robust and layered defensive presence in the Eastern Mediterranean, working in coordination with allies. This includes Typhoon and F-35 jets, Wildcat and Merlin helicopters, and advanced counter-drone and air defence systems."

While the Iran war began on Feb. 28, the U.K. did not announce the deployment of HMS Dragon to protect its air bases in Cyprus until five days later. The announcement came a day after Iranian-backed militia group Hezbollah struck RAF Akrotiri, one of the United Kingdom's air bases in Cyprus. HMS Dragon did not depart from Portsmouth, England, until March 10 — a week after Starmer's announcement.

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Trump and Starmer have been at odds since the conflict's onset. While the United Kingdom has allowed the U.S. military to operate out of those bases, Starmer restricted the U.S. military from carrying out offensive missions from its bases. Trump compared Starmer's approach to Iran to former United Kingdom Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, who adopted an appeasement policy toward Nazi Germany during World War II.

During a press briefing, War Secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday called on "so-called allies," referring to the United Kingdom, to "take notes" on what the U.S. and Israel accomplished.

Criticism of Starmer's handling of Iran is also coming from United Kingdom Shadow Housing Secretary James Cleverly, a member of the Tory Party who is also a military reserve officer. Cleverly scrutinized Starmer's decision to visit the Middle East after the ceasefire was brokered in an interview with GB News.

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"He was opposing the United States using their own aircraft from British bases. Then he was in favor of it. He delayed the decision to deploy British naval assets," Cleverly said.

"He left British military personnel and our allies in the region not properly defended, and now he's finally engaging properly with this situation," Cleverly continued.

He claimed that Starmer's conduct had cost the country "credibility on the world stage."

"I know a lot of our friends and allies in the region and beyond are very disappointed in Britain's response. And that is entirely because of decisions that Keir Starmer failed to make," Cleverly said.

British journalist Patrick Chrysty, host of GB News, also criticized the United Kingdom's efforts in the Iran war. He called Secretary of Defense John Healey a "bumbling idiot."

"It took us a month to get HMS Dragon to Cyprus after Iranian-backed terror group Hezbollah attacked our military base there... And right as the world holds its breath, HMS Dragon has a fault with its fresh water supply. It's gone to dock for repairs. It's out of action. This is an abomination!"

John Hemmings, director of the National Security Centre at the Henry Jackson Society, said in a statement to Fox News Digital that Starmer's visit to the Gulf is his way of showing the United Kingdom is in support of Western allies' efforts in Iran.

"UK Prime Minister Starmer’s trip to the Persian Gulf shows the pressure he is under to ‘fly the flag’ and it’s clear that he’s trying to use Britain’s traditional networks and connections amongst the Gulf Arabs. In some ways, the Starmer team’s behind-the-scenes mediation strengths were proven in the Hamas-Israel peace deal with Jonathan Powell leading,

"This time, Yvette Cooper at the FCDO has been in the lead, running a virtual meeting of over 40 countries to coordinate a response to Iran’s blockade in early April."

Fox News Digital reached out to the U.K.'s Ministry of Defense for comment.

LONDON: The left-wing British Green Party has said it wants to separate the Church of England from the state if it wins the next general election, which must be held before August 2029.

The Church of England has been the "established" church since the 16th-century Reformation, with the British monarch serving as its supreme governor. For traditionalists, this link is not merely ceremonial but is the foundational bedrock of British identity.

The Greens have come under fire for seeking to remove centuries of British history and tradition by separating the church from British politics, with critics characterizing it as the latest move against Christianity in the U.K.

GB News reported last month that the Green Party policy document stated: "No person shall hold office in the state, or be excluded from any such office, by virtue of their or their spouse's membership or non-membership of any religion or denomination of religion."

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Michael McManus, the director of research at the Henry Jackson Society, a U.K. think tank, told Fox News Digital, "Britain is a tolerant society but with clear Christian origins and culture. Aiming to disestablish the Church of England could be seen as an attempt to reject that ethical foundation without being clear what would replace it instead."

High-profile figures have also weighed in on the debate, with actor and comedian John Cleese responding to a comment about the Greens' proposal by stating on X: "The UK has always been based at the deepest level on Christian values, regardless of dogma. Despite the many mistakes made by churches, for centuries British people have been influenced by Christ's teaching. If these values are replaced by Islamic ones, this will not be Britain anymore."

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The Greens are a growing political force, placing second behind Reform UK in a recent YouGov poll. Another YouGov poll linked the Greens' rise in popularity with younger voters in the country, finding a majority of those between 18 and 24 supported them, while also doing well with women and other groups.

A spokesperson for the Green Party told Fox News Digital, "We will be setting out our detailed plans for government at the time of the next General Election, just as we did at the last General Election. As always, our members will be shaping our priorities. These will again address the real and immediate needs of people and the planet, such as tackling the climate crisis, bringing down the cost of living and rebuilding our public services, including the NHS. Our focus is on the issues that impact ordinary people most."

CHURCHILL, SHAKESPEARE AND THE UK FLAG ALL UNDER SIEGE IN MODERN BRITAIN, COMMENTATORS SAY

Green Party leader Zack Polanski has defended a secular state. He has also drawn criticism for his support of legalizing drugs such as heroin and cocaine, his climate policies and anti-Israel positioning.

The timing of the Green Party's push is particularly sensitive as it comes on the heels of the House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Act 2026, which passed last month, removing the last hereditary aristocrats from Parliament. With the hereditary principle gone, the presence of the "Lords Spiritual" has become the next logical target for constitutional reformers. There are currently 26 seats reserved for Church of England archbishops and bishops in the House of Lords.

As the U.K. heads toward a local 2026 election cycle, the "Church and State" debate looks set to become a wedge issue. For the Greens, it represents their commitment to a "diverse and inclusive" Britain. For their detractors, it is a dangerous move that risks "de-Christianizing" the country at a moment of profound social uncertainty.

Whether the proposal will mobilize a new "religious vote" or simply fade behind the urgency of other issues remains to be seen. What is clear, commentators say, is that the image of the established Church is increasingly being viewed through the lens of a much sharper and more polarized political fight.

British prosecutors charged three suspects — ages 17, 19 and 20 — in an alleged arson attack targeting Jewish community ambulances in north London.

The March 23 incident unfolded at around 1:45 a.m. in the Golders Green neighborhood, where four ambulances operated by a volunteer emergency service serving the Jewish community were deliberately set ablaze in a synagogue parking lot.

Hamza Iqbal, 20, Rehan Khan, 19, and a 17-year-old boy are accused of arson with intent to damage property while recklessly endangering life, according to the Metropolitan Police. 

Officials said two of the suspects are British citizens, while one holds dual British and Pakistani citizenship.

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All three were arrested Wednesday at separate locations across London.

They did not enter pleas and remained in custody after a roughly 45-minute hearing Saturday afternoon at Westminster Magistrates’ Court, according to The Standard.

Prosecutors said a fourth suspect was also arrested and taken into custody at the courthouse where the three charged men were appearing, according to Reuters.

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U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer previously condemned the attack as a "horrifying" antisemitic act.

"An attack on our Jewish community is an attack on us all. We will fight the poison that is antisemitism," Starmer wrote on X March 23.

A report from the SITE Intelligence Group says an Iran-backed network calling itself the Islamic Movement of the People of the Right Hand has claimed responsibility, according to Reuters.

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Despite the claim, officials have not formally classified the case as terrorism. However, counterterrorism police are leading the investigation, Metropolitan Police said.

Police in the United Kingdom previously arrested two other men, ages 45 and 47, in the days after the attack. They were later released on bail, according to the Metropolitan Police.

"I want to reiterate that the support we had from the local community since this attack took place has been incredible, and we will continue to work closely with local policing colleagues to do everything we can to keep the public safe," Commander Helen Flanagan, head of Counter Terrorism Policing London, said in a statement.

The Metropolitan Police did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

Fox News Digital's Efrat Lachter and Greg Norman and Reuters contributed to this report.

A Russian man convicted of assaulting a woman in London in an attack witnessed by Barron Trump, President Donald Trump’s youngest son, on a video call was sentenced to four years in prison by a London court on Friday. 

Matvei Rumiantsev, 23, an MMA fighter, was convicted by a jury on Jan. 28 of assault with bodily harm but was acquitted of rape and choking charges. He was also convicted of perverting the course of justice stemming from a letter he sent the woman from jail asking her to retract her allegations.

After the assault, Rumiantsev admitted he was jealous of his girlfriend's friendship with the 19-year-old son of President Donald Trump.

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"Your lack of insight and empathy was apparent at trial," Justice Joel Bennathan said. "You continue to try to blame the complainant for everything that has happened."

Trump told investigators he had placed a late-night FaceTime call to the woman, whom he had met on social media, and had been startled when the call had been briefly answered by a shirtless man on Jan. 18, 2025.

"That view lasted maybe one second and I was racing with adrenaline," Barron Trump said. "The camera was then flipped to the victim getting hit while crying, stating something in Russian."

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Barron Trump called the police in London.

"It’s really an emergency … I’m calling from the U.S., uh, I just got a call from a girl, you know, she’s getting beat up," he told an operator. 

Police responded to the address and arrested Rumiantsev, a London-based receptionist.

At his trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court, Rumiantsev was acquitted of rape and choking related to the attack, as well as a separate rape and assault allegation from November 2024.

His attorney, Sasha Wass, said that Trump wasn't aware the woman had a boyfriend and questioned how much he could have seen in just a few seconds of video. 

Trump never testified in the case. However, the judge praised him for his quick-thinking actions. 

"Mr, Trump properly and responsibly, despite being in the United States, made sure the emergency services here were called, and he told them what he had seen," he said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

Police in the United Kingdom arrested two men Wednesday who were allegedly behind what Prime Minister Keir Starmer described as an "antisemitic arson attack" as detectives are investigating a possible Iran link. 

Metropolitan Police said the men, ages 45 and 47, were detained at addresses in northwest and central London on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life and that their properties are being searched. On Monday, "Four ambulances from Hatzola, a volunteer-led ambulance service operating in the Golders Green area of north London, were set on fire," according to police. 

"The antisemitic arson attack in Golders Green is horrifying," Starmer said on X in reaction to the incident. 

A video circulating online purports to show Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiyya, an Iran-linked group that has claimed responsibility for recent attacks on Jewish sites in Belgium and the Netherlands, taking credit for the London attack, according to the Jewish Chronicle.

UK COUNTERTERRORISM POLICE PROBE ANTISEMITIC ARSON ATTACK AS IRAN-LINKED GROUP CLAIMS RESPONSIBILITY

"We are aware of an online claim from a group taking responsibility for this attack," Detective Chief Superintendent Luke Williams of the Metropolitan Police previously said. "Establishing the authenticity and accuracy of this claim will be a priority… but it is not something we can confirm at this point." 

When asked about the possible Iran link on Wednesday, the Metropolitan Police told Fox News Digital that establishing any potential motivation behind the attack is part of the ongoing investigation but that it could not comment further at this time. 

Commander Helen Flanagan, head of Counterterrorism Policing London, which the Metropolitan Police said is leading the investigation, said Wednesday, "We have been working around the clock since this appalling attack took place and this has led to these arrests being made this morning."

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"This appears to be an important breakthrough in the investigation, but we’re also mindful that CCTV footage of the incident suggests there were at least three people involved," she added. "We fully recognize the local community will still be concerned, and our investigation very much remains active, and we will continue to work to identify and seek to arrest all of those who may have been involved." 

"We know that community concerns remain heightened, and I want to reassure the community that an enhanced, bespoke policing plan and activity, which is particularly focused around vulnerable areas right across London, will continue over coming days and weeks," Williams said Wednesday.

"This includes specialist officers and capability being deployed alongside local officers to help protect certain locations and will also involve highly visible armed police patrols to serve as a deterrent to anyone seeking to cause our communities harm," he continued. "I must stress that these are precautionary and not in response to any specific threat, and we continue to work alongside our colleagues in counterterrorism policing to support their investigation." 

Fox News Digital’s Efrat Lachter contributed to this report. 

President Donald Trump spoke with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Sunday to discuss escalating tensions in the Middle East, with a focus on the urgent need to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and restore global shipping.

The leaders discussed the current situation in the Middle East, and in particular, the need to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to resume global shipping, Downing Street said in a statement.

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"They agreed that reopening the Strait of Hormuz was essential to ensure stability in the global energy market. They agreed to speak again soon."

The call came amid a rapidly intensifying conflict in the region, with Iran blocking the strategically vital strait since the United States and Israel launched coordinated strikes against Iranian targets on Feb. 28.

The military action triggered swift retaliation from Tehran and has since escalated into a broader regional war as Iran has sent missiles into numerous neighboring countries not directly involved in the initial conflict.

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On March 21, Trump issued a 48-hour ultimatum to Iran demanding the reopening of the key maritime route, through which approximately 20% of the world’s oil supply passes.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump warned that failure to comply would result in further U.S. action, including potential strikes on Iran’s energy infrastructure.

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Sunday's conversation between Trump and Starmer perhaps reflected a thaw in the tense relationship between the two leaders.

Trump had publicly criticized the U.K. government, stating that Britain "should have acted a lot faster" in allowing the U.S. to use British military bases for strikes targeting Iranian missile sites.

Starmer had also maintained that the use of U.K. bases could only be justified under the principle of "collective self-defense" in the region.

He had initially declined to support the U.S.-Israeli military operation, drawing repeated criticism from the White House.

Meanwhile, Trump appeared to apply public pressure, sharing a "Saturday Night Live" clip Sunday mocking the British prime minister’s handling of the crisis.

A British nuclear-powered submarine has been deployed to the Arabian Sea amid rising tensions in the region and came ahead of Iran’s failed ballistic missile attempt targeting Diego Garcia, a key U.S.-U.K. military base in the Indian Ocean, according to reports.

HMS Anson — a Royal Navy Astute-class submarine armed with Tomahawk Block IV cruise missiles and Spearfish heavyweight torpedoes — traveled about 5,500 miles from HMAS Stirling, near Perth, Australia, to the region earlier in March.

The submarine is reportedly operating in the northern Arabian Sea, positioning Britain to respond quickly if the conflict escalates.

HMS Anson periodically surfaces to maintain communications with the U.K.’s Permanent Joint Headquarters in London, GB News reported.

TRUMP SAYS US ‘OBLITERATED’ TARGETS IN STRIKE ON KEY IRANIAN OIL HUB

The outlet reported that Anson is typically based at Faslane in Scotland, where an Iranian man has been charged with attempting to gain entry.

The deployment was said to have come shortly after the U.K. government authorized the United States to use British military bases for defensive operations targeting Iranian missile capabilities that have threatened shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

In a statement, Downing Street said the aim of those operations was to "degrade the missile sites and capabilities" used in attacks on ships, while emphasizing that Britain does not want to be drawn into a wider regional conflict.

Tensions intensified Sunday after Iran launched two ballistic missiles toward Diego Garcia, according to multiple reports. Neither missile reached its target; one reportedly failed in flight, while the other was intercepted.

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The attempted strike has raised concerns about Iran’s missile range, as Diego Garcia is roughly 2,485 miles from Iran.

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi had warned Britain against supporting U.S. or Israeli military action, saying such involvement could further escalate the conflict.

Araghchi told U.K. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper that Iran views Britain’s decision to allow U.S. forces to use its bases as "participation in aggression," according to his account of the call, the BBC reported.

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He also criticized what he described as the U.K.’s "negative and biased" approach and demanded that it cease cooperation with the United States.

The U.K. did not allow the U.S. to use its bases for initial offensive strikes against Iran but later granted permission for defensive operations in response to Iranian missile threats.

Downing Street said: "We didn’t participate in the initial strikes, and we’re not getting drawn into the wider war."

Tehran has said it would exercise what it calls its right to self-defense if threatened.

Meanwhile, the U.K. Ministry of Defence said Sunday that Royal Air Force assets, including Typhoon jets, remain engaged in defensive operations in the region.

The ministry added that British forces have helped counter Iranian drone threats while coordinating closely with allies.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the U.K. Ministry of Defence for comment.

Over a century ago, Britain was seen as the place to be. It pioneered science, including medicine. It built industries such as railroads, major bridges and created a strong middle class. And despite what some would say, it was the only major empire that abolished slavery and policed the oceans, at its own considerable expense, to make sure other countries didn’t enslave people. And it had the largest Navy in the world. Now, many say, that all seems like a distant memory.

The latest controversy involves images or statues of some of the United Kingdom’s most lauded people. The face of Winston Churchill, the British prime minister during WWII, is being removed from the five-pound note by the Bank of England. The Reform U.K. leader Nigel Farage called the decision "absolutely crackers," noting the proposal was to replace Churchill and others with a picture of a beaver. 

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Churchill’s statue in Westminster was vandalized in 2020 and again last month. Churchill led the defense of Britain, which was the only country in Europe that didn’t fall during WWII. 

"Decades of woke education policy have taught people to deny and decry the history of this country as it is deemed to be oppressive, racist and unfair," Alan Mendoza, founder and executive director of the Henry Jackson Society, told Fox News Digital. He says the teaching labor unions controlled by the hard left have enforced their agenda on generations of pupils. "It is no surprise, therefore, that at least some of their victims have imbibed this philosophy and are acting on it."

Statues of British people who lived centuries ago have been targeted to be pulled down and then destroyed. Some of these efforts have been successful. Some have not. William Gladstone, Robert Peel, James Cook and Francis Drake were targeted for destruction by activists, according to Sky News. These men were, respectively, a reformist prime minister, the founder of the police force, a naval explorer and a privateer. Luckily, their statues remain largely intact.

Now William Shakespeare is under attack. Apparently, being White is a bad thing, and some say the Bard was really a Black woman. The activist summary is that Shakespeare might be used to advocate White nationalism.

These attempts to erase high-achieving Brits from history might appear trivial, Matt Goodwin, a GB News presenter, wrote on X. "It matters far more than many people realize," he wrote. "Across the Western World, an assortment of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion [DEI] bureaucrats, radical activists, and increasingly compliant public institutions are engaged in a cultural project that seeks to delegitimize our national."

It’s not just statues and images that have been targeted. Flying your own country’s flag can get you in trouble. Left-wingers in Britain, such as Labor Party supporters, often view the flying of the United Kingdom’s Union Jack flag, or St. George's Cross, as racist or anti-immigration.

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"So strong has become the voice of DEI and immigrants that any sign of a proud U.K. gets denounced," Ben Habib, founder of the Advance UK political party, told Fox News Digital. "DEI cannot bear strong nations – it wants them set aside so minorities feel at ‘home.’"

Habib also notes there’s an added complication with the Union Jack and St. George's cross – they both represent Christian saints. "That is offensive to the growing numbers practicing foreign religions in the U.K.," he told Fox News Digital.

Much of this flag-hating began following the invasion of Israel by Hamas, an Iran-backed terrorist organization. The U.K. then witnessed a surge in Palestinian flags flying on public buildings. This upset more than a few British patriots, who then stepped out with the British flags. "We need to start cohering around national stories and symbols, and the flag is the most visual way of doing that," Colin Brazier, a British culture commentator, had previously told Fox News Digital.

Planning authorities, usually the local U.K. councils, do not need to grant permission for people to fly either the Union Jack flag or the St. George's Cross. Other flags are seen as an advertisement. However, spray-painting a St. George's Cross on a building that’s not yours is not allowed.

Despite the George Cross being seen as anti-immigrant in the U.K., the historical St. George, who died approximately 1,700 years ago, is mentioned in the Koran as a friend of Moses. And some religious scholars suggest he is a servant of God.

At the same time, Britain’s economy has slowed to a near total stop under the present center-left Starmer government. The unemployment rate increased to 5.4% in December, up from 3.6% in August 2022, according to data from Trading Economics. The country’s GDP growth has been stuck at 1% or less since the first quarter of 2022. 

Part of the rush to take up flags may be the disastrous economy in Britain. One outstanding, poorly thought-through government policy came from the Labor Party, which mandated an increase in National Insurance contributions (the U.S. equivalent to FICA) by corporations, undermining any chance of increasing employment, as the jump in costs effectively acted as a tax on employment.

Fox News Digital's Michael Saunders contributed to this report.

The Islamic Republic of Iran significantly escalated its war effort against the U.S. with its launch of two intermediate-range ballistic missiles on Friday toward Diego Garcia, a key U.S.-U.K. military base in the Indian Ocean.

The targeting of Diego Garcia, roughly 2,500 miles from Iran, means Tehran’s missile capabilities appear to have exceeded previously acknowledged limits.

In the period leading up to Operation Epic Fury Feb. 28, Iran Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi claimed, "We intentionally kept the range of our missiles below 2,000 kilometers so we don’t have that capability. And we don’t want to do that because we do not have hostility against the United States people and all Europeans."

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On Saturday, Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said, "Just yesterday, Iran launched a two-stage intercontinental ballistic missile with a range of 4,000 kilometers [2,500 miles] toward an American target on the island of Diego Garcia. These missiles were not intended to hit Israel. Their range reaches the capitals of Europe — Berlin, Paris and Rome are all within direct threat range."

IDF spokesman Nadav Shoshani blasted the alleged Iranian deception on X, writing, "Just 3 days before the war, the Iranian regime said they don’t obtain long-range missiles. Today, their lies were exposed once again, when missiles were fired 4000km away from Iran. They hoped to lie their way into becoming a force that can terrorize the world. We didn’t buy it."

Jason Brodsky, the policy director of United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), told Fox News Digital, "The Trump administration, in citing Iran's missile threat as a rationale for Operation Epic Fury, was therefore justified in its decision to undertake military action as Iran has consistently refused to negotiate over its missile program.

"It also shows how dangerous it is to solely rely on Iranian nuclear weapons fatwas and the supreme leader’s public rhetoric in formulating U.S. policy. As long as Iran retains the technical capability beyond public pronouncements, it is a threat."

BEFORE-AND-AFTER SATELLITE IMAGERY OFFERS A RARE LOOK AT DAMAGE INSIDE IRAN

"I think it's a message that the IRGC is in charge in Iran after Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's death," Brodsky said. "When Khamenei was alive, he limited the range of Iran's missile program to 2,000 kilometers. Khamenei recounted in 2018 how he had rejected overtures from IRGC commanders seeking to increase the range to as much as 5,000 kilometers.

"But now that he has died, those voices in the IRGC seeking to increase the range are likely driving the agenda. The launch of the missiles was likely meant as a signal of the IRGC's capabilities to threaten U.S. allies beyond the Middle East. For example, this threatens Europe."

The two long-range Iranian missiles did not hit the base, but the attempted attack marked a significant expansion of Iran’s reach beyond the Middle East and toward a major U.S. strategic hub. One missile reportedly failed in flight, while a U.S. warship launched an SM-3 interceptor at the other, officials said. It was not immediately clear whether the interception was successful. The remote base is a critical launch point for U.S. bombers, nuclear submarines and other strategic assets.

Ilan Berman, vice president of the American Foreign Policy Council in Washington, D.C., told Fox News Digital, "The launch hammers home the president’s point about Iran being an imminent threat. It’s easy for casual observers to ignore, but the increasing maturity of Iran’s strategic programs, plural, has been exponentially expanding the threat that the Islamic Republic poses beyond the Middle East. 

"That is what Epic Fury is seeking to address. The administration believes, absolutely correctly in my view, that these types of capabilities cannot be left in the hands of a radical, predatory regime.

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"Despite its public denials, it’s been clear that the Iranian regime has been working on expanding the range of its ballistic missile capabilities for years. The launch toward Diego Garcia confirms that it has made real progress toward that goal and is already able to put targets in the same range as Central and Eastern Europe at risk. Moreover, it’s clear that the regime is seeking still greater capabilities and that, if left intact, Iran’s ballistic missiles would attain intercontinental range soon."

Berman, the author of "Iran’s Deadly Ambition: The Islamic Republic’s Quest for Global Power," added, "The parallel development Iran has been carrying out on its space program is significant. The booster used to put payloads into orbit can be married onto a medium-range missile to create intercontinental range capabilities. Before the war, we were seeing a clear convergence of the regime’s strategic programs: its ballistic missile work, its space capabilities and its nuclear program."

He warned about the serious Iranian threat to continental Europe. 

"Europe is absolutely at risk as the recent launch makes clear," Berman said. "I wouldn’t say that a failure to recognize this to date has been due to a grand deception by Tehran, though. It is more attributable to willful blindness on the part of European elites about the extent of the threat that the Iranian regime poses as well as undue faith in diplomacy and arms control in containing it."

On Saturday, the United Kingdom condemned the attack. 

"Iran’s reckless attacks, lashing out across the region and holding hostage the Strait of Hormuz, are a threat to British interests and British allies," the U.K. Ministry of Defense said in a statement. "RAF jets and other U.K. military assets are continuing to defend our people and personnel in the region.

"This government has given permission to the U.S. to use British bases for specific and limited defensive operations."

Fox News Digital's Greg Norman and Jasmine Baehr contributed to this report.

An Iranian man and a Romanian woman have been charged after allegedly unsuccessfully attempting to enter a nuclear missile base in Scotland this week, Police Scotland announced Saturday. 

The agency said around 5 p.m. Thursday, "we were made aware of two people attempting to enter HM Naval Base Clyde." 

"A 34-year-old Iranian man and a 31-year-old Romanian woman have been arrested and charged in connection with the incident. They are due to appear at Dumbarton Sheriff Court on Monday, March 23," Police Scotland said. "Enquiries are ongoing."

Fox News Digital has reached out to Police Scotland for further comment.

IRANIAN MAN, SECOND PERSON ARRESTED AFTER ALLEGEDLY TRYING TO ENTER UK NUCLEAR MISSILE BASE

Citing the Times, the Telegraph newspaper reported that the suspects were turned away from the base because they lacked the correct passes and were later arrested nearby for allegedly "acting suspiciously in the vicinity." 

HM Naval Base Clyde, commonly known as Faslane, is considered the primary base for the United Kingdom's missile fleet. 

The Royal Navy says the base is home "to the core of the Submarine Service, including the nation's nuclear deterrent, and the new generation of hunter-killer submarines." 

TRUMP WARNS OF IRANIAN 'SLEEPER CELLS' AS CANADA ACCUSED OF HARBORING REGIME OPERATIVES

The U.K. Parliament says the Royal Navy operates a fleet of nine submarines, and the entire fleet is based at HM Naval Base Clyde.

"Five of those are conventionally-armed nuclear-powered attack submarines of the Astute class. A further four are ballistic missiles submarines (SSBN) of the Vanguard class that comprise the UK’s submarine-based nuclear deterrent," it added. 

"Police Scotland have arrested two people who unsuccessfully attempted to enter HM Naval Base Clyde on Thursday 19 March," a Royal Navy spokesperson said in a statement to Fox News Digital Friday.

"As the matter is subject to an ongoing investigation, we will not comment further." 

Two people were arrested after allegedly unsuccessfully attempting to enter HM Naval Base Clyde in Scotland on Thursday, authorities confirmed to Fox News Digital. 

One suspect was an Iranian man, while the other was a woman of unknown nationality, The Telegraph reported.

"Around 5pm on Thursday, 19 March, 2026, we were made aware of two people attempting to enter HM Naval Base Clyde," Police Scotland said in a statement to Fox News Digital. "A 34-year-old man and 31-year-old woman have been arrested in connection and enquiries are ongoing."

The Telegraph reported that the man was Iranian, while the woman's nationality was not immediately known. Citing the Times, the Telegraph said the suspects were turned away from the base because they lacked the correct passes and were later arrested nearby for allegedly "acting suspiciously in the vicinity."

IRAN'S NEW SUPREME LEADER LINKED TO PROPERTIES WITH ‘LINE OF SIGHT’ INTO ISRAELI UK EMBASSY

A Royal Navy spokesperson said in a statement to Fox News Digital, "Police Scotland have arrested two people who unsuccessfully attempted to enter HM Naval Base Clyde on Thursday 19 March. As the matter is subject to an ongoing investigation, we will not comment further."

HM Naval Base Clyde — commonly known as Faslane — is considered the primary base for the United Kingdom's missile fleet.

PENCE BACKS TRUMP'S IRAN STRIKES, SAYS PRESIDENT ‘IGNORED’ GOP ISOLATIONISTS

The Royal Navy says the base is home "to the core of the Submarine Service, including the nation's nuclear deterrent, and the new generation of hunter-killer submarines."

The U.K. Parliament says the Royal Navy currently operates a fleet of nine submarines, with the entire fleet based at HM Naval Base Clyde.

"Five of those are conventionally-armed nuclear-powered attack submarines of the Astute class. A further four are ballistic missiles submarines (SSBN) of the Vanguard class that comprise the UK’s submarine-based nuclear deterrent," it added.

Iran’s supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has been linked to two luxury apartments overlooking the Israeli Embassy in London, a location that security experts said could provide "permanent surveillance," according to multiple reports.

The multimillion-dollar Kensington properties sit next to the high-profile embassy compound and were identified by UK media, drawing on findings from a yearlong probe into Khamenei’s potential overseas assets.

The Times of London reported on March 5 that the one building "sits next to the Israeli Embassy on Palace Green," placing the residences in exceptional proximity to one of Israel’s most sensitive diplomatic sites.

LETHAL ELITE 'BLACK-CLAD' KILL SQUAD GUARDS IRAN'S NEW SUPREME LEADER MOJTABA KHAMENEI

The revelations stem from a Bloomberg investigation that alleged that the Khamenei portfolio could span multiple countries and include high-value real estate in London, totaling around $138M as well as assets in Europe and the Gulf.

The two London apartments were reportedly acquired in 2014 and 2016 via intermediaries and occupy upper floors of the building, offering a direct vantage point toward the rear of the Israeli embassy compound, UK media reported.

A terrorism specialist quoted in reports said the positioning effectively means "Iran owns the view into the back of the Israeli Embassy from less than 50 meters away," describing the situation as a potential "serious security breach."

US OFFERS $10M REWARD FOR INFO ON IRAN’S NEW SUPREME LEADER, TOP IRGC OFFICIALS

Roger Macmillan, a former director of security at the Iranian dissident satellite channel Iran International, also said the two apartments had "a direct line of sight, held through Mojtaba Khamenei. That's not a property portfolio — it's a permanent surveillance platform."

"This is a serious security breach," he added.

Further details from Bloomberg’s investigation indicated that a businessman acted as a financial conduit, buying up high-end properties on Khamenei’s behalf and channeling funds through a network of investments.

TRUMP SAYS HE'S 'NOT HAPPY' WITH IRAN'S CHOICE OF NEW SUPREME LEADER

The investigation also found that 11 mansions on London's "Billionaire’s Row" were purchased using an Isle of Man shell company.

The Financial Times has also similarly reported on links between Khamenei’s associates and luxury assets across Europe.

Khamenei, 56, has been viewed as a powerful figure within Iran’s ruling establishment, ultimately becoming the leading successor to his father, who was killed in a Tehran compound strike on Feb. 28. 

So far, since he was selected by Iran's Assembly of Experts, he has not been seen in public.

EXCLUSIVE: The leader of an international pro-life group is criticizing a bill being considered in the United Kingdom that would protect women from criminal liability for abortions up until birth.

In an interview with Fox News Digital, 40 Days for Life CEO Shawn Carney said British lawmakers are following efforts by Democrats in the U.S. in seeking to allow abortion in these instances, which he described as "absolutely absurd."

"They haven't really lobbied for this," Carney said. "Typically, Europe is far more conservative on abortion than the United States. Most European countries regulate abortion to 12 weeks. England has 16. In some cases, they do late term, up to 24 weeks. But now they want abortion through all 40 weeks. And this just seems sort of out of nowhere."

Carney said he fears this bill, if enacted into law, would "start an unfortunate trend throughout Europe."

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The Crime and Policing Bill includes a provision, Clause 208, that would remove criminal penalties for women in England and Wales who end their own pregnancy at any stage. The bill is now in its final stages in the House of Lords and is expected to receive a vote as early as Wednesday. If the House of Lords approves the clause, the bill would return to the House of Commons for any final changes before receiving Royal Assent to become law.

Under the provision, a woman can no longer be investigated, arrested or prosecuted for ending her own pregnancy at any gestation, even though the current standard legal threshold for most abortions in England and Wales is 24 weeks.

While women who terminate their pregnancies would be exempt from criminal liability, doctors and others who assist in an abortion after 24 weeks without medical necessity can still face prosecution.

As lawmakers consider Clause 208, several amendments have been offered, including removing it entirely, modifying it to exclude late-term abortions and adding an in-person requirement for medical consultations to end so-called "pills-by-post" services.

PUERTO RICO GOVERNOR SIGNS LAW RECOGNIZING UNBORN BABIES AS HUMAN BEINGS

Carney argued that the latter two amendments should still be unacceptable, stating that the clause appears to represent "a desire to kill."

"I think it's insane," he said. "I know what they're trying to do, but you need to combat the laws by saying we're not aborting children at 40 weeks. The left built an entire movement on being able to survive outside the womb with viability. Then, as science and medicine progressed, viability changed because we could do a lot for unborn children. So they said at first it was 24 weeks, and then it was 22 weeks. Some say it's 20 weeks. Others say it's still 22 weeks. Nobody's ever said it was 40 weeks. They've all said, of course, you can survive outside the womb. This is just a desire to kill, it seems, at 40 weeks."

"I understand the idea of trying to make a legal compromise," he continued. "But the compromise would be that you people have lost your minds. You want to abort a child the day before he or she is born. And it's not medically necessary. The baby's completely viable… so that's how I think that you have to defeat these bills."

Carney also said that "people don't want to celebrate abortion" and "certainly don't want to brag about how they can have an abortion up to 40 weeks," adding that opponents of the U.K. bill are "missing common sense responses" to efforts to allow any abortion up until birth.

He added that while most people are not "monsters" seeking abortions at 40 weeks, removing legal liability for women at that point could make abortion more socially acceptable.

"I think what it does is it takes a little bit of a stigma away from abortions at 8, 10, 12, 16 weeks, because typically what we've seen in the U.S. is when you have states that say, hey, you're going to have an abortion through all 40 weeks, what they do is say, well, OK, I'm not that bad. My abortion is not that bad because it's only at 10 weeks, it's only at 12 weeks, it's only at 16 weeks," Carney said.

"It's not that you're going to see a lot of abortions at 40 weeks. It's the mentality that abortion is not a big deal. You can even do it the day before birth, and so it's more acceptable to most people," he continued.

"People aren't monsters," he added. "The monsters write these bills, which are typically very liberal White people who say, you know what, we need to be able to have an abortion the day before your birthday. And most people look around at a party and say that person's clinically insane."

The left "has just married themselves to this," Carney said.

"They believe you need unfettered abortion at all times in order to be a free and just society," Carney said. "But nobody's actually really medically needing that whatsoever."

The son of a British couple who have remained jailed in Iran for more than a year is appealing to President Donald Trump as the war in Iran complicates the situation.

"Conditions have intensified over the last couple of weeks, to say the least, as you might imagine with the complexity of war," Joe Bennett told Fox News on Saturday.

He said the notorious Evin prison where his parents are being held in Tehran was already at capacity and a recent surge of protesters has created severely crowded conditions.

"Food is scarce," he added. "We’re worried about the replenishment of their stocks of food. I mean, it’s unsanitary conditions. It has been described as ‘hell on Earth’ by them."

FREED IRANIAN PRISONER SAYS ‘IN TRUMP, THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC HAS MET ITS MATCH’

He added, "With the bombs that are dropping and the activity that’s happening there at the moment, the anxiety is heightened for us and for them as well."

Craig and Lindsay Foreman were arrested in January 2025 by Iranian authorities in January 2025, while on a global motorcycling trip, and were later sentenced to 10 years in prison on suspicion of spying.

Bennett spoke in Washington, D.C., Thursday at the McCain Institute’s US-UK Transatlantic Conference on Hostage-Taking and Arbitrary Detention, criticizing British leaders' — namely Prime Minister Keir Starmer — "non-existent" advocacy for his parents, BBC News reported.

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"The clear message to the U.K. government and Starmer is to stop hiding behind this as a consular case," Bennett told Fox News. "I think that was put out the window when they were sentenced to 10 years for espionage, accused of being spies for the Israeli Mossad and the U.K. government."

Bennett continued, "What we haven’t seen is leadership qualities from Keir Starmer. We haven’t seen him advocate since their sentencing to, as you say, condemn this sham process and the treatment of U.K. nationals." 

Starmer's silence has left Bennett's family feeling "let down," he said. "We feel there’s an opportunity to do so and there still is."

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Bennett stressed that his parents’ detention and sentencing "is hostage-taking."

"It affects not just the U.K., the U.S. as well, and Western civilization," Bennett added. "Innocent people are being targeted for leverage as political pawns."

He also urged Trump to be "concise" with Iranian strikes and not to forget that Brits and Americans are in that prison.

"Two things I’d like to say to Mr. Trump is, firstly, that safety is important," Bennett told Fox News. "Missiles have hit Evin in June of last year but also were very close, so I think the target — I just want him to be concise that, you know, so that Evin isn’t a part of that, and, secondly, is to not forget that they are there."

He noted that, along with his parents, U.S. nationals are also imprisoned at Evin.

"And as a humanitarian plea, from a son for his mother’s release is what I’m asking for," he said.

King Charles III will reflect on "the increasing pressures of conflict" across the world in a "time of great challenge" during a speech planned for Monday, according to multiple reports. 

"We join together on this Commonwealth Day at a time of great challenge and great possibility," a preview of the 77-year-old’s Commonwealth Day speech says.

The king's speech continued: "Across our world, communities and nations face the increasing pressures of conflict, climate change and rapid transformation. Yet it is often in such testing moments that the enduring spirit of the Commonwealth is most clearly revealed."

The speech will come a little more than a week after the U.S. and Israel launched coordinated strikes against Iran, which British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the United Kingdom didn’t take part in for the sake of their national interest.

"This is not Winston Churchill we are dealing with," President Donald Trump said earlier this week in a criticism of Starmer amid a perceived lack of support for the U.S. and Israel’s joint military operation against Iran.

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"By the way, I’m not happy with the U.K. either," the president said, referring to Starmer blocking the United States’ use of U.K. bases to launch attacks on Iran.

Britain has since allowed the U.S. to use its bases in the region for defensive purposes against Iran’s retaliatory strikes. It has also mobilized fighter jets and plans to send a destroyer and possibly an aircraft carrier. 

The president referenced the Chagos Islands Tuesday, which are British territories in the Indian Ocean, saying it has taken "three, four days for us to work out where we can land there."

"It would have been much more convenient landing there as opposed to flying many extra hours, so we are very surprised," he said.

Later, the president said the United Kingdom has been "very, very uncooperative with that stupid island." 

"It’s a shame," Trump said. "That country, the U.K., and I love that country, I love it."

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"This is not the age of Churchill," he added.

Trump slammed Starmer again on Saturday, accusing the prime minister of joining the war after the U.S. had "already won."

"The United Kingdom, our once Great Ally, maybe the Greatest of them all, is finally giving serious thought to sending two aircraft carriers to the Middle East," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "That’s OK, Prime Minister Starmer, we don’t need them any longer – But we will remember. We don’t need people that join Wars after we’ve already won!"

Starmer has defended his decision to stay out of the conflict, saying the U.K. was "not involved in the ​initial strikes against Iran, and we will not join offensive action now."

"But in the face of Iran's barrage of missiles and ⁠drones, we will protect our people in the region," Starmer said in an address Monday to Parliament. "President Trump has expressed his disagreement with our decision not to get involved in the ​initial strikes, but it is my duty to judge what is in Britain's national interest. That is what I’ve done, and I stand by it."

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The king and other senior royals will gather at Westminster Abbey on Monday for the annual Commonwealth Day celebration, which recognizes the 56 countries voluntarily connected to the U.K., many of which were once part of the British Empire.

The preview of the speech continues: "Working together, we can ensure that the Commonwealth continues to stand as a force for good — grounded in community, committed to the kind of restorative sustainability that has a return on investment, enriched by culture, steadfast in its care for our planet, and united in friendship and in the service of its people."

Charles’ speech at the abbey will also be the largest gathering of the royal family since former Prince Andrew was arrested on Feb. 19.

Fox News' Brooke Singman contributed to this report.