May 2, 2016

Calling all neutrals. Do any of you genuinely want Spurs to win the League?

Or, like me are, you rooting for Leicester?

April 26, 2016

Hillsborough inquests: Fans unlawfully killed, jury concludes

At long last.

Ninety-six football fans who died as a result of a crush in the 1989 Hillsborough disaster were unlawfully killed, the inquests have concluded.

The jury found match commander Ch Supt David Duckenfield was "responsible for manslaughter by gross negligence" due to a breach of his duty of care.

Police errors also added to a dangerous situation at the FA Cup semi-final.

The prime minister said the inquests had provided "official confirmation" fans were "utterly blameless".

After a 27-year campaign by victims' families, the behaviour of Liverpool fans was exonerated.

The jury found they did not contribute to the danger unfolding at the turnstiles at the Leppings Lane end of Sheffield Wednesday's ground on 15 April 1989.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-36138337

April 25, 2016

Essex UKIP accused of false election signature

The United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) has been accused of using someone's name and signature on an election form without their knowledge.

Rupert Duke's name appears on nomination papers for a UKIP candidate in council elections in Essex.

Mr Duke, who was not a member of the party, said it was "a disgrace" and he had reported the matter to police.

UKIP's election agent for Castle Point Borough Council said it was an "administration error".

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-36124069

Hardly a surprise.

April 25, 2016

Rip Off Britain: Faeces bacteria found on KFC ice

Bacteria from faeces has been found on ice that was served to an undercover researcher at a KFC restaurant.

The discovery was made by the BBC's Rip Off Britain, which was investigating food hygiene at branches of several big-name takeaways and coffee shops.

A scientist who examined the results told the programme the presence of the bacteria increased the risk of anyone who consumed the ice becoming ill.

KFC said it was extremely disappointed and had launched an investigation.
Dr Margarita Gomez Escalada studied the sample, taken from a Birmingham KFC restaurant, at Leeds Beckett University.

She told the programme: "We found high levels of bacteria in the ice.

"The presence of faecal coliform suggests that there's faecal contamination either on the water that made the ice, or the ice itself, and so it increases the risk of getting sick from consuming this ice."
Undercover researchers visited a branch of Costa in Loughborough, the Chicken Cottage in Hampstead, a Café Nero in Bath and the Wimpy in Basildon, as well as the KFC at Martineau Place in Birmingham.

At each location, Rip Off Britain said its researchers asked for a cup of tap water with ice, as this can be an good indicator of standards behind the scenes.

Most of the samples that were taken turned up low and harmless levels of bacteria when tested, Rip Off Britain said.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-36126788

April 21, 2016

Liz Windsor at 90.

Liz turned 90 today. It's the lead story on the BBC website, and the usual sycophants are lining up to pay tribute. In fairness, she's tended to keep her nose out of politics, is said to have a good sense of humour and gives good advice. How many people alive today have been in the same room as Churchill and FDR.

The Queen has been "a rock of strength for our nation" and the Commonwealth, Prime Minister David Cameron has said in a tribute to mark her 90th birthday.

The Prince of Wales has recorded a special radio broadcast for the day, in which he reads an edited passage from William Shakespeare's Henry VIII.

Celebrations get under way later as the Queen takes part in a walkabout in Windsor and lights a symbolic beacon.

A photograph of the monarch with young Royal Family members has been released.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-36093306

April 20, 2016

'Insult Turkey's Erdogan' contest set up by Spectator magazine

From the BBC.

A UK-based magazine has offered a prize to the author of the most offensive poem about Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is suing a German comedian over a satirical verse.

The Spectator is offering £1,000, donated by a reader.

It comes after Germany opened the door for a comedian to potentially be prosecuted over a TV broadcast.

Jan Boehmermann had recited a satirical poem on the TV channel ZDF which made sexual references to President Erdogan.

Mr Boehmermann is now under police protection and Angela Merkel's government has approved a criminal inquiry, under a little-used law concerning insults against foreign heads of state.




Mrs Merkel stressed that the courts would have the final word, and it was now up to prosecutors to decide whether to press charges.

Announcing the competition, commentator Douglas Murray wrote: "The fact such a trial could even be contemplated demonstrates that Germany is becoming little more than a satrapy [province] of Erdogan's."

"I'm a free-born British man... In honour of this fact I have spent the weekend writing rude limericks about Mr Erdogan.

"And I would hereby like to invite all readers to join me in a grand Erdogan limerick competition."

Since Mr Erdogan became president of Turkey in 2014, almost 2,000 cases of insulting him have been opened.

The Boehmermann case has opened a debate about free speech in Germany.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-36086563

Normally I don't agree with The Spectator, it's a right wing rag, but this time they're spot on.

April 18, 2016

‘Illegal’ Syrian antiquity found on sale for £30,000 in London

Source: Sunday Times.

AN ANCIENT stone ornament illegally removed from Syria has been found on sale for tens of thousands of pounds in an upmarket antiques shop in Mayfair, central London.

After being told that antiquities looted in Syria and Iraq may be on sale in Britain, Channel 4’s Dispatches programme sent two academics undercover to pose as collectors.

Augusta McMahon, a senior lecturer in archaeology at Cambridge, and Alessio Palmisano, from University College London, wore hidden cameras as they browsed antiques shops.

During a visit to a shop owned by Elias Assad, a dealer in Middle Eastern and Islamic antiquities, they spotted an ornate 6ft piece of carved stone that they recognised as a lintel. The academics suspected that it originated from Syria.


Read more: http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/uk_news/Arts/article1688008.ece

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I heard this on the Radio today. The Dispatches programme will be shown tonight. We're not going to beat IS if we keep buying knocked off antiques from them.

April 14, 2016

EU Big Five launch tax crackdown

Source: BBC

The five largest economies in the European Union have agreed to share information on secret owners of businesses and trusts.

It is a concerted attempt to show their leaders are responding to public concern over the Panama Papers leak.

The UK, Germany, France, Italy and Spain have agreed to the data exchange.

Treasury officials told the BBC the move would make it harder for businesses and wealthy individuals to operate without paying correct taxes.

Information on the ultimate "beneficial owners" of companies and trusts would now be automatically exchanged.


Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-36049817

April 11, 2016

Saudi-Egyptian deal on Red Sea islands sparks anger

Egypt's decision to cede sovereignty over two Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia has sparked anger from some commentators online.

The move comes while Saudi King Salman is on a rare visit to Egypt during which he has announced plans for Saudi aid and investment for Egypt.

Some Egyptians have been expressing outrage at the decision on the islands.

But some Saudis have taken the opportunity to boast of their country's new possessions.
An Egyptian government spokesman told the ONTV channel the decision on the islands had come after 11 rounds of negotiations by experts from the two countries over more than six years, the Associated Press reports.

But some Egyptians were quick to see the deal as a sign of the country's weakness, saying Egypt had effectively sold the islands.

Well-known satirist Bassem Youssef mocked the deal in a tweet suggesting President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi was selling the islands to the highest bidder in the style of someone conducting an auction.
Other users commented that the giving up of the islands had led to a loss of legitimacy for President Sisi, and that it may even be in contravention of the constitution.

Memes also appeared mocking the perceived blind loyalty of supporters of President Sisi, as opposed to the criticism levelled at previous Islamist President Mohamed Morsi.

One joke circulated on Facebook goes that in answer to the question of whether the islands are Egyptian, "if Morsi sold them, they're Egyptian, but if Sisi sold them, they're Saudi".

Some Saudi tweeters, in contrast, seemed to relish the opportunity to needle their Egyptian counterparts.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-36010965

April 10, 2016

Brussels group 'initially planned to hit France'

Source: BBC

The suspected surviving bomber in the Brussels attacks has admitted the group was initially planning a new attack on France, Belgian prosecutors say.

Mohamed Abrini said the group had decided to attack Brussels instead after the arrest of fellow suspect Salah Abdeslam.

He also reportedly admitted being the third bomber in the airport attack, fleeing without setting off his device.


Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-36009196