An important story from i’s reporting team. Whitehall and intelligence sources believe there is a growing possibility that Israel may attack Iranian nuclear sites. They say this increases the chance of a wider regional conflict. Meanwhile three former intelligence chiefs believe it may hasten Iran’s attempts to develop its own nuclear bomb.
Their comments – given off the record, so that the officials could speak candidly – are a sobering reminder of the potential consequences. With the US presidential election in 30 days, Netanyahu is a man in a hurry.
There is hope yet, with other governments stepping in to call for restraint. The UK is playing a role in these talks, using its unusual position – having diplomatic relations with both sides – to urge them to step back from the brink.
A guinea pig’s verdict on the news
Small children are blessedly ignorant of such developments. In August I mentioned the arrival of two new members of our family, Aslan and Ferdinand – guinea pigs who are now referred to simply as “my sons”.
For pet owners, one of the benefits of working in a newsroom is the limitless supply of old newspapers. Obviously, Aslan and Ferdinand value i’s comfortable and absorbent journalism.
But they have varied reading tastes, beyond the pages of this title. Each week it is possible to compile a chart of their favourite journalism, based on the articles they have eaten or chosen to defecate on. Last night’s audit showed them to have especially enjoyed: 1. an aerial photograph of the Chagos Islands, 2. a Financial Times column about Ozempic, 3. an i feature on Gen Z rejecting nightclubs, and 4. a Guardian column by Adrian Chiles repeating an earlier column by Adrian Chiles about having a urinal in his flat.
