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Men guilty of felling much-loved British ‘Sycamore Gap’ tree

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Two men were found guilty on Friday of cutting down Britain’s ‘Sycamore Gap’ tree two years ago, felling the much-loved landmark whose dramatic silhouette had featured in a Hollywood movie in what prosecutors described as a «moronic mission».

The sycamore, estimated to be almost 200 years old, stood at the centre of a dramatic dip in the landscape alongside the historic Hadrian’s Wall in northern England, making it a popular spot for photographers, hikers and even marriage proposals.

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2 MEN CHARGED WITH FELLING 150-YEAR-OLD ‘ROBIN HOOD’ TREE IN ENGLAND

Such was its fame that it featured in the 1991 film «Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves» and its felling in September 2023 provoked widespread grief and anger.

Prosecutor Richard Wright told jurors at Newcastle Crown Court last month that Daniel Graham, 39, and Adam Carruthers, 32, were responsible for the «mindless vandalism», expertly and deliberately cutting it down with a chainsaw.

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The felling also caused damage to part of Hadrian’s Wall, built by the Romans almost 2,000 years ago and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

General view of the felled Sycamore Gap in Northumberland, Britain, September 28, 2023. (REUTERS/Lee Smith)

Graham and Carruthers, who travelled to the site in the Northumberland National Park from their homes in the Carlisle area, about 25 miles away, had denied any involvement. But they were convicted of two counts of criminal damage.

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The men will be sentenced on July 15.

«For over a century, Sycamore Gap has been an iconic natural landmark in the north east of England, bringing immeasurable joy to those visiting the area,» Chief Crown Prosecutor Gale Gilchrist said.

«In just under three minutes, Graham and Carruthers ended its historic legacy in a deliberate and mindless act of destruction.»

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During the trial, the jury was shown a video of their «moronic mission», filmed on Graham’s mobile phone, which showed grainy footage of what appeared to be the iconic tree being cut down.

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The prosecution said the men had taken a wedge of the tree as a trophy and messages they sent to each other afterwards showed they had been «revelling» in the worldwide reaction to the incident. No explanation has been given for their actions.

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The National Trust, a heritage conservation charity which looks after the site, said last August there were signs of life at the base of the tree, giving hope it might live on.


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Russian missile strike kills 10 in Ukraine as Trump says ‘hatred’ between countries complicating peace deal

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A Russian ballistic missile strike on a residential building in Kharkiv, Ukraine, killed at least 10 people, including two children, and wounded 16 others Saturday, officials said.

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The strike was part of a broader overnight assault in which Russia launched 29 missiles and 480 drones targeting Ukrainian energy infrastructure, with damage reported in Kyiv and at seven other locations across the country, according to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Zelenskyy called for an international response following the attack.

«There must be a response from partners to these savage strikes against life. I thank everyone who will not remain silent. Russia has not abandoned its attempts to destroy Ukraine’s residential and critical infrastructure, and therefore support must continue,» he said in a post on X.

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The ruins of an apartment building burn following a Russian missile attack in Kharkiv, Ukraine, on Saturday.  (Andrii Marienko/AP Photo)

«We count on active work with the European Union to guarantee greater protection for our people,» he added. «I am grateful to everyone who helps strengthen our protection.»

Preliminary Ukrainian data showed air defense systems downed 19 missiles and 453 drones, while nine missiles and 26 strike drones hit 22 locations.

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Russia’s Defense Ministry said the strikes targeted Ukrainian military factories, energy facilities and air bases.

TRUMP SAYS ‘HATRED’ BETWEEN PUTIN, ZELENSKYY BLOCKING UKRAINE PEACE DEAL

Firefighters respond after a Russian ballistic missile strike on a residential building in Kharkiv, Ukraine

Ukrainian firefighters work at the scene of an apartment building following a Russian missile attack in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Saturday. (Andrii Marienko/AP Photo)

Speaking Saturday at the Shield of the Americas Summit in Doral, Florida, President Donald Trump said the «hatred» between Russia and Ukraine was complicating efforts to reach a peace deal.

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«It’s so great that, you know, Ukraine, Russia, you’d think there would be a little bit of camaraderie, [but] there’s not. And the hatred is so great. It’s very hard for them to get there. It’s very, very hard to get there. So we’ll see what happens,» Trump said. «But we’ve been close a lot of times and one or the other would back out.» 

«But we’re losing, you know, they’re losing, you know, doesn’t really affect us very much because we’ve got an ocean separating. I’m doing it as a favor to Europe, and I’m doing it as a favor to life because they’re losing 25,000 souls,» Trump added. «Think of that every month. 25,000. Last month, 31,000.  Both sides, 31,000 people died, mostly soldiers.»

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firefighters put out fire after Russian missile struck an apartment building

Firefighters tackle a fire in an multi-story apartment building following a Russian missile attack in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Saturday.  (Andrii Marienko/AP Photo)

Last month, Zelenskyy told Fox News that Russia is trying «to play with the president of the United States» and stalling U.S.-brokered efforts to end the war.

Fox News Digital’s Greg Norman-Diamond and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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GOP senators say Trump’s strikes ‘significantly degraded’ Iran but emphasize attacks not ‘forever wars’

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PALM BEACH, Fla. — One week into the U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran, two Republican senators on the Senate Armed Services Committee say the military operation has «degraded» Tehran’s ability to strike back.

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But in exclusive interviews with Fox News Digital, senators Rick Scott of Florida and Ted Budd of North Carolina emphasized the fighting will not lead to U.S. involvement in «forever wars» in the volatile Middle East.

«Our military is doing a great job,» Scott said. Pointing to Iran, he added, «They want to destroy America. We’ve got to stop them.»

Budd highlighted that «we have significantly degraded Iran’s ability to shoot back at us. … Their capacities are degraded. We’ve had great success.»

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Budd and Scott spoke while attending an economic conference in Florida hosted by the Club for Growth, an influential and politically potent conservative group that pushes for fiscal responsibility.

President Donald Trump, who called for Iran’s «unconditional surrender,» said Saturday that Tehran will be «hit very hard» and warned the U.S. is considering «areas and groups» not previously considered as targets.

Over the past week, Operation Epic Fury has widened in scope as Iran has retaliated against a growing number of nations in the region. This week, the Republican-controlled House and Senate, in separate votes nearly entirely along party lines, rejected moves by Democrats to restrict the president’s ability to steer the fighting.

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WHAT COULD COME NEXT IN THE ATTACKS ON IRAN

The president said Thursday in an interview with Axios he should be involved in choosing Iran’s next leader. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in the initial strikes against Iran a week ago.

And there are concerns among many on the right that the strikes against Iran could lead to prolonged American military involvement in the region, which Trump has repeatedly campaigned against during his three runs for the presidency.

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It’s been one week since the U.S. and Israeli launched military strikes against Iran. (Contributor/Getty Images)

«Trump doesn’t want to be in forever wars. Every time I’ve talked to him, he doesn’t want that,» Scott said. «But I think what we do want to make sure we don’t have another Ayatollah that wants to … chant ‘Death to America’ and ‘death to our allies’ and try to destroy us.»

Budd added that «we’re not up for forever wars. We want to get in, get this thing done, get out and have peace for our country and the rest of the region.»

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The latest Fox News national poll indicated that American voters are divided on the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran even as a majority sees the country as a security risk. 

Sixty-one percent of those questioned viewed Iran as a danger to the U.S., according to the survey conducted Feb. 28-March 2. But that concern did not translate into majority support for the current U.S. military action, as 50% approved and 50% disapproved.

Support for the attacks was lower in national polling from other news organizations.

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But the Fox News poll and the other surveys indicated widespread support among Republicans.

«Trump’s doing the right thing. He’s saving American lives by making sure that Iran does not have a nuclear weapon or ballistic missile. So, he’s doing the right thing,» Scott emphasized.

Budd added, «I’m very excited [about] what President Trump’s done. … The goal is American prosperity and American safety, and that’s what President Trump wants.»

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Oil prices have shot up since the start of the fighting, instantly resulting in higher costs for gasoline across America. That’s a major concern for Republicans as they aim to keep control of the House and Senate majorities in this year’s midterm elections.

A driver refuels a vehicle at a Wawa gas station in Media, Pennsylvania on Monday, March 2, 2026.

A driver refuels a vehicle at a Wawa gas station in Media, Pa., March 2, 2026. Oil and gas prices have shot up in the past week amid the strikes against Iran. (Matthew Hatcher/Bloomberg/Getty Images)

«Hopefully it’s all going to be short term. Hopefully … the demolition of the Iranian military will happen quickly and actually will get lower oil prices,» Scott said.

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Budd acknowledged «we are going to have some short-term disruptions.»

But the senator was optimistic that «very soon we’ll have gas prices much cheaper than ever before. We were already on that pathway. President Trump is all about stability. He’s all about the price of oil.»

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Trump amenaza a Irán con una «destrucción total» y advierte que habrá muchos más muertos

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Cuando se cumple una semana de guerra de Estados Unidos e Israel contra Irán, el presidente Donald Trump presionó este sábado al régimen iraní para que se rinda incondicionalmente, bajo amenaza de que lanzará una ofensiva aún más poderosa que implicaría “destrucción total y muerte segura”.

Desde su resort de golf en El Doral, Miami, donde se reunió con una docena de jefes de Estado y Gobierno de Latinoamérica para firmar una iniciativa contra el narcoterrorismo en la región, Trump estuvo atento al conflicto que hoy más le preocupa y que podría extenderse mucho más allá de lo que él desea.

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«¡Hoy Irán será muy golpeado!», escribió Trump antes de la cumbre, de la que también participó el presidente Javier Milei. «Bajo serias consideraciones para la destrucción total y la muerte segura, debido al mal comportamiento de Irán, hay áreas y grupos de personas que no se habían considerado para ser atacados hasta este momento.»

La amenaza de Trump llegó después de que el presidente iraní Masoud Pezeshkian rechazara un pedido de “rendición incondicional” que le hiciera Trump. El líder iraní le respondió que eso era “un sueño que deberían llevarse a la tumba”, en un discurso emitido por la televisión estatal más temprano el sábado.

Pezeshkian también afirmó que su país ya no atacaría a sus vecinos de Oriente Medio, siempre que no se lanzaran ataques contra Irán desde esos países, algo que la Guardia Revolucionaria dijo que no es nada nuevo porque el objetivo son las bases militares de EE.UU. en esos país. De todos modos, el episodio reflejo disidencia en el régimen.

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De hecho, un total de 86 misiles y 148 drones llovieron sobre Bahrein en unos pocos días y solo este sábado Emiratos Arabes reporta que los atacaron con 15 misiles balísticos y 119 drones y una persona murió. También sufrió ataques Jordania.

Pero Trump se atribuyó el mérito de la nueva política, y escribió en Truth Social que el anuncio iraní «solo se hizo por el implacable ataque de Estados Unidos e Israel.»

«Es la primera vez en miles de años que Irán pierde, en miles de años, frente a los países circundantes de Oriente Medio», afirmó. «Han dicho: ‘Gracias, presidente Trump.’ He dicho: ‘¡De nada!’ Irán ya no es el ‘Matón de Oriente Medio’, sino ‘EL PERDEDOR DE ORIENTE MEDIO’, y lo será durante muchas décadas hasta que se rinda o, más probablemente, colapse por completo!»

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La Casa Blanca lanzó su operación en conjunto con Israel el pasado sábado, con una serie de ataques que mataron al líder supremo, el ayatollah Alí Khamenei y a decenas de otros altos funcionarios del régimen. Desde entonces, Trump ha insistido con la rendición total y piensa en un nuevo gobierno en Irán.

«¡No habrá ningún acuerdo con Irán salvo una RENDICIÓN INCONDICIONAL!», escribió el viernes. «Después de eso, y de la selección de un GRAN y ACEPTABLE Líder(es), nosotros, y muchos de nuestros maravillosos y valientes aliados y socios, trabajaremos incansablemente para devolver a Irán del borde de la destrucción, haciéndolo económicamente más grande, mejor y fuerte que nunca.»

Seis soldados estadounidenses han muerto desde el inicio del conflicto y la cifra puede ampliarse. Trump adelantó el inicio de la cumbre en Miami este sábado y se fue antes para viajar a la base aérea de Dover, en Delaware, para recibir a los cuerpos de los caídos. En un año electoral, con legislativas en noviembre y cuando el 60% de los estadounidenses desaprueban la ofensiva contra Irán, la imagen de sucesivos ataúdes regresando de la guerra es algo que inquieta al presidente.

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Además, en medio del conflicto en Oriente Medio, los precios del combustible subieron 32 centavos por galón el viernes en comparación con la semana anterior, y el precio de un barril de crudo había subido más de 20 dólares desde el inicio de la guerra, el mayor salto de una semana en la historia. El aumento de precios se atribuye en gran medida al caos en el Estrecho de Ormuz, una vía de tránsito vital para el 20 % del petróleo crudo mundial que Irán amenaza con cerrar.

El aumento del combustible podría convertirse en una pesadilla para Trump a nivel interno porque disparará los precios en las góndolas de los supermercados y la inflación es la principal preocupación de los estadounidenses de cara a las legislativas.

Una columna de humo y llamaradas durante uno de los ataques de Estados Unidos e Israel sobre Teherán. Reuters

Pero el presidente insiste en que Estados Unidos e Israel «hicieron un favor al mundo» al ir tras Irán, alentado por el primer ministro israelí, Benjamín Netanyahu, que tiene intereses propios que resolver con Irán. «Son malas personas», dijo Trump en la cumbre de El Doral este sábado.

«Son simplemente malas personas. Cuando miras el 7 de octubre (el día del ataque terrorista de Hamas a Israel desde Gaza) y más allá… mira todas las matanzas que han cometido durante 47 años. Esto tenía que hacerse. Estuvieron muy cerca de un arma nuclear. Habrían tenido una si no hubiéramos hecho nuestra exitosa operación Martillo de Medianoche. Están locos. Y la habrían usado.»

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Mientras tanto, el Departamento de Estado está en un fuerte operativo para sacar a los estadounidenses de Oriente Medio, que buscan escapar de la guerra. Dylan Johnson, subsecretario de Estado para asuntos públicos globales, declaró que ya habían completado ya «más de una docena de vuelos charter», evacuando de forma segura «a miles de estadounidenses de Oriente Medio».

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