Seen in the News

[Tizer]

More trouble for the Kamchatka submarine bases...
`Russian volcano erupts for first time in more than 500 years' LINK
A volcano in far eastern Russia has erupted for the first time in more than 500 years, which experts say may be linked to last week's massive earthquake. The Krasheninnikov Volcano in Kamchatka threw up an ash plume up to six kilometres (3.7 miles) high overnight. There are no threats to populated areas, Russia's emergency ministry said. Hours later, another large earthquake in Russia led to tsunami warnings in three areas of the peninsula...

[Tripps]

quote=Tizer post_id=250429 time=1754123510 user_id=102]
The earthquake is reported to have damaged the bases although, not surprisingly, little information is available.
[/quote]

As far as I can tell - the only verifiable fact in the story is that there was a strong earthquake. The rest is imaginatively invented by the BBC. They cannot possibly know about the other matters.

:smile

More trouble for the Kamchatka submarine bases..

A volcano has erupted - we are not told where or how near the submarine bases it is. How is that "more trouble". Another non story from the BBC which has a large unit, said to be verifying such items.

[Stanley]

See THIS BBC report of the latest news about the trapped Chilean miners......
Updated 4 hours ago
Rescuers in Chile have found the body of the last of five workers who had been trapped in the world's largest underground copper mine after an earthquake on Thursday. The announcement was made by regional prosecutor Aquiles Cubillos, who said the focus now was on a criminal investigation into the incident at El Teniente mine, run by the state-owned Codelco company. The four other bodies had been discovered on Saturday and earlier on Sunday during a desperate search in collapsed mine tunnels, about 70km (43 miles) south-east of the capital Santiago. The overall death toll is now confirmed at six, as another person was killed at the time of the incident on Thursday. The collapse of some of the tunnels was caused by a 4.2 magnitude tremor on Thursday. Miners had been working deep below the surface.

[Stanley]

See this BBC In Depth report on the state of the relationship between Putin and Trump.
Has the relationship between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin gone off the rails? A popular Russian newspaper thinks so. It turned to trains to illustrate the current state of US-Russian ties. "A head-on collision seems unavoidable," declared tabloid Moskovsky Komsomolets recently. "The Trump locomotive and the Putin locomotive are speeding towards each other. "And neither is about to turn off or stop and reverse." For the 'Putin locomotive', it's full steam ahead, with the so-called 'Special Military Operation': Russia's war in Ukraine. The Kremlin leader has shown no desire to end hostilities and declare a long-term ceasefire.
Worth a read I think....

[Big Kev]

This has caused quite a reaction

A zoo in Denmark has appealed to the public to donate their healthy unwanted pets as part of a unique effort to provide food for its predators.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0r7z2ynd2lo

[Stanley]

I saw the report Kev. It's a practical solution but I think there was probably a better way of doing it!

See THIS but only if you can stand being exposed to idiotic policies!
Updated 1 hour ago
The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) plans to cancel $500m (£376m) in funding for mRNA vaccines being developed to counter viruses like the flu and Covid-19. The move will impact 22 projects being led by major pharmaceutical companies, including Pfizer and Moderna, for vaccines against bird flu and other viruses, HHS said. Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, a vaccine sceptic, announced he was pulling the funding over claims that "mRNA technology poses more risks than benefits for these respiratory viruses". Doctors and health experts have criticised Kennedy's longstanding questioning of the safety and efficacy of vaccines and his debunked views on health policies.
It's unbelievable that in this day and age such idiocy can be contemplated, let alone deployed as policy.

[Tizer]

It will have a severe effect worldwide on our ability to fight new virus diseases because so much of the research and development has been progressing in conjunction with scientists in the US. Even if all other countries worked together to develop and apply mRNA virus vaccines there would still be a problem. America could end up being ground zero for a new virus, possibly worse than Covid. What happens then? Do all other countries ban Americans from entering? These are dark days for Americans. In the future they're going to look back and think how did we come to let Trump and his sidekicks take over the country? Trump's claims about making America great again are all built on sand - his claims that the economy is booming are fairy dust. Some rich Americans are getting richer but the major part of the population is going to be less well off. His MAGA supporters are already angry because he's getting more involved in wars abroad which is the opposite of what he promised before the election.

[Tripps]

A quote from the BBC article says-

"Moderna and Pfizer's mRNA vaccines were tested in thousands of people before being rolled out and were found to be safe and effective."

That is simply an untrue statement. .

I'm getting bored with being on the "wrong" side of all these discussions. Believe whatever you wish. The information is out there if you have an open mind, and do not worship at the shrine of the BBC.

[Stanley]

THIS initiative seems sensible to me.
2 hours ago
The government has announced plans to crack down on dodgy cosmetic practitioners who it says are exploiting people and causing harm. Under the new proposals, only qualified health professionals will be able to carry out risky non-surgical Brazilian butt lifts (BBLs) and clinics will need to meet strict rules to obtain licences to offer fillers and Botox. Under-18s will also be protected from potentially dangerous beauty trends on social media with age restrictions on certain procedures. The industry has welcomed the plans, although the government says it now needs to consult further to figure out exactly how this will work in practice. There has been concern over the lack of rules in parts of the non-surgical cosmetic industry for some years. Many procedures, such as liquid BBLs, are marketed as non-surgical but are invasive and carry serious risks, experts say. Non-surgical BBLs are one of the most high-risk procedures which involve filler being injected into the buttocks to make them bigger, more rounded or lifted.
I simply don't understand the need for cosmetic surgery. End of!

[Stanley]

See THIS breaking news.....
Israel's security cabinet has approved a plan to take control of Gaza City, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office says. The decision was taken after "an absolute majority of Cabinet ministers believed that the alternative plan presented to the Cabinet would not achieve the defeat of Hamas or the return of the abductees", a statement says. The UN warns the move could risk "catastrophic consequences", and hostage families fear it could endanger their loved ones. The announcement comes as Israel faces growing international pressure, including from its allies, to end the war in Gaza and allow more aid into the territory - here's the latest from Gaza. Israel launched its war in Gaza following Hamas's 7 October 2023 attack, in which it killed about 1,200 people and took 251 back to Gaza as hostages. Israel's massive military offensive has killed at least 61,158 Palestinians since then, according to Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry.

[Stanley]

See THIS BBC update on the latest Gaza situation....
7 hours ago
Israel has strongly rejected criticism from world leaders after its security cabinet approved a plan to take control of Gaza City. Defence Minister Israel Katz said countries that condemned Israel and threatened sanctions would "not weaken our resolve". "Our enemies will find us as one strong, united fist that will strike them with great force," he added. Israel's decision to expand its war in Gaza sparked condemnation from the UN and several countries including the UK, France and Canada, and prompted Germany to halt military exports to Israel. The plan, approved by the Israeli security cabinet, lists five "principles" for ending the war: disarming Hamas, returning all hostages, demilitarising the Gaza Strip, taking security control of the territory, and establishing "an alternative civil administration that is neither Hamas nor the Palestinian Authority". Reports in Israeli media say the plan initially focuses on taking full control of Gaza City, relocating its estimated one million residents further south. Forces would also take control of refugee camps in central Gaza and areas where hostages are thought to be held. A second offensive would follow weeks later in parallel with a boost in humanitarian aid, media say. The move to escalate the conflict has drawn fierce opposition from some within Israel, including from military officials and the families of hostages being held in Gaza. Hamas has said the plan to occupy Gaza City "constitutes a new war crime" and will "cost [Israel] dearly".
Moving over a million Palestinians from Gaza into a concentration camp in the south is bad enough but the rest of this plan is nothing short of genocide. Netanyahu is not going to stop until he has got complete control of Gaza and the West Bank and can start to expand the settlements....
Is the world going to stand back and do nothing to stop these crimes?

[Whyperion]

Can we ask our MPs . Who Owns Gaza ?

[Stanley]

See THIS piece of news from London....
Police have arrested 474 people at a demonstration in London in support of banned group Palestine Action. The Metropolitan Police said 466 protesters were arrested for supporting the group, five for assaults on police officers, two for public order offences, and one for a racially aggravated offence. Scores of people simultaneously unveiled handwritten signs with the message "I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action" at the protest, organised by Defend Our Juries at Westminster's Parliament Square. The government proscribed the group in July under the Terrorism Act of 2000, making membership of or support for it a criminal offence, punishable by up to 14 years in prison. No officers were seriously injured, and the Met Police said the number of arrests was the largest made by the force on a single day in the last 10 years. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper thanked police for their response, while charity Amnesty International described the mass arrests as "deeply concerning".
I agree with Amnesty International. This is indeed deeply disturbing. The impression given is that protest against genocide is wrong.

[PanBiker]

This is one of the reasons that I will be jacking in my membership. I am waiting to see what happens at the branch AGM as the Secretary and Chairperson are both standing down. I cant see any volunteers stepping forward in which case the dual ward (Barnoldswick & Earby) branch will become moribund.

[Tripps]

Will you be transferring to Jeremy Corbyn's and Zarah Sultana's new venture which sounds as if it would suit your needs better?

They haven't christened it yet - the best suggestion I've seen is "The Rum and Raisin Party" because he's a rum'n and shes. . . .


Childish but fun. . . .

[PanBiker]

Not made my mind up yet David. I have to sort out my constituency role as well. I am the admin for all the electoral data and the software platform that it runs on. I will have to contact the regional party to dump that as the role can only be held by the constituency secretary unless delegated as in my case. I cant do that myself even though I am admin of the whole job lot.

[Tripps]

The news from Bradford is all good this year. It is the European City of Culture after all.

This article in the Telegaph and Argus continues in that vein, and the whole matter is highly commendable.

Community group's 20th anniversary

Did you spot the 'elephant in the room' though? It's there in plain sight.

[Stanley]

Thanks for the clarity Ian. I have been agonising about resignation and needed confirmation that I wasn't being hysterical. You have given it to me. Let me know when you resign and I will cancel my membership then.
Before you ask David, no I won't be immediately transferring to Corbyn's lot. Ditching a loyalty that started before most people were born isn't a question of stepping off one bus and boardig another. It's a bit more complicated than that....

HERE'S the latest news on the arrests.....
The number of arrests at Saturday's demonstration in London in support of banned group Palestine Action has risen to 532. The Metropolitan Police said the majority of arrests - 521 - were for displaying placards in support of Palestine Action at Westminster's Parliament Square, and one at a Palestine Coalition march. Six arrests were for assaulting police officers, two for breaching Public Order Act conditions, one for obstructing a constable and one for a racially aggravated public order offence. It was the biggest protest since the government proscribed the group in July under the Terrorism Act, making membership of or support for it a criminal offence, punishable by up to 14 years in prison. The force previously said that the number of arrests was the largest made by the force on a single day in the last 10 years. The average age of those arrested was 54, and the most arrests - 147 of them - were of people aged between 60 and 69.
This is more a matter of demonstrating the confusion in government thinking and legislating than an indictment of those arrested. I do not agree with Palestine Actions methods but the principle they acted on is sound.

[Tripps]

I won't be immediately transferring to Corbyn's lot. Ditching a loyalty that started before most people were born isn't a question of stepping off one bus and boardig another. It's a bit more complicated than that....

I'm most surprised (staggered) that either of you is about to resign from the Labour Party, and as you imply Ian, I doubt the Branch will survive without you. Have either of you raised your concerns personally with Mr Hinder? I'd love to see his response - as it will have dawned on him by now, that he is unlikely to be the MP beyond the next election, and I think he has high ambitions.

[Stanley]

I'm not interested in anyone's response to me resigning. I am not doing it for effect or attention. It's too distressing for that. All that history and all those good people and look what they have reduced it to.
Have a look at THIS.
President Donald Trump said he was deploying the National Guard to Washington DC and taking control of the city's police force as he pledged to crack down on crime and homelessness in the city. Trump declared a "public safety emergency" on Monday, deploying 800 National Guard troops to bolster hundreds of federal law enforcement officers who were deployed over the weekend. "It's becoming a situation of complete and total lawlessness," he told reporters at the White House. The city's Mayor Muriel Bowser has rejected the president's claims about crime, and while there was a spike in 2023, statistics show it has fallen since then. Violent crime in the city is also at a 30-year low. "I'm announcing a historic action to rescue our nation's capital from crime, bloodshed, bedlam and squalor and worse," Trump said during a news conference in which he was flanked by US Attorney General Pam Bondi, who will lead the city's police force while it is under federal control. "This is liberation day in DC, and we're going to take our capital back," he said. Trump said Washington DC had been "taken over by violent gangs and bloodthirsty criminals" as well as "drugged out maniacs and homeless people". According to data from the city's Metropolitan Police Department, homicides dropped by 32% between 2023 and 2024 and reached their lowest level since 2019. There has been another substantial drop this year of 12%, the data shows
Another politician posturing for the cameras and ignoring reality......

[Stanley]

Not often Settle and Malham get into national news but have a look at THIS.....
Remains of an extinct species of Bronze Age cattle have been discovered by archaeologists in a cave in the Yorkshire Dales. Researchers working with cave explorers uncovered the remnants of an aurochs while surveying a number of caverns and sinkholes near Ingleborough. The team also found evidence of the area being used as a human burial site during the Neolithic period. A spokesperson said the discoveries had helped shed light on how the caves were used by those who lived and farmed in the Dales prehistory. Aurochs were once found across Europe before habitat loss and hunting wiped them out in the 17th Century. They are regarded as the wild ancestor of modern cattle.

[Tizer]

How strange, deja vu! See the Attention thread on 5 August...

[Stanley]

. I missed that one Peter..... Well spotted!

[Stanley]

See THIS local news item .....
7 hours ago
A woman has died after she was struck by a falling tree branch in a Lancashire park. She had been walking with a child in Blackburn's Witton Country Park, the Local Democracy Reporting Service, external said. Emergency services found the woman, believed to have been in her 30s, unresponsive near the Buncer Lane entrance to the park just after 20:30 BST on Monday. She was pronounced dead at the scene. The area was cordoned off and Blackburn with Darwen Council, which owns the 480-acre park, said it had since felled the beech tree from which the branch fell.
Just when you thought it was safe.... I hope the child is not damaged to badly by what must have been a terrible experience.
Beech trees are notorious for shedding branches on calm days for what seems no reason.

[Tizer]

`AI can make us UK's biggest firm, Rolls-Royce says' LINK
Rolls-Royce's plan to power artificial intelligence (AI) with its nuclear reactors could make it the UK's most valuable company, its boss has said. The engineering firm has signed deals to provide small modular reactors (SMRs) to the UK and Czech governments.