General News Thread

[Super_horns]

47 minutes ago, Lionator said:

Yes that’s the point, create a two tier society that you can blame all your problems on. Including people with cancer, chronic health conditions etc while at the same time advocating for policies like bringing back smoking in indoor spaces and encouraging heavy binge drinking. 

And  a number of their own voters probably rely on benefits too .

[Robo61]

2 hours ago, Super_horns said:

And  a number of their own voters probably rely on benefits too .

You won't be surprised to learn that the  Clacton constituency is 15th in the table of PIP claimants nationwide.  Doubt though they will see that Reform are now coming for them.

[leicsmac]

https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/palestinian-freshwater-springs-being-seized-by-israeli-settlers-2026-08-14/

 

An insight into how vital water is as a resource... and how bereft of conscience some of those are who would apparently use denial of it as a mass scale weapon of war. 

[Lionator]

Apparently there’s a tiktok craze in Ireland where young people drive the wrong way down the motorway at high speeds which predictably leads to tragic outcomes.

 

https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16056283/Multiple-people-killed-head-crash-Irish-motorway.html

[Trav Le Bleu]

12 hours ago, leicsmac said:

https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/palestinian-freshwater-springs-being-seized-by-israeli-settlers-2026-08-14/

 

An insight into how vital water is as a resource... and how bereft of conscience some of those are who would apparently use denial of it as a mass scale weapon of war. 

Been siege warfare tactic for millennia.

[leicsmac]

21 minutes ago, Trav Le Bleu said:

Been siege warfare tactic for millennia.

...and the Geneva Conventions, while designating directly killing or wounding civilians to be a war crime, doesn't extend such license to nicking or destroying their property and vital resources - which would include water, I guess. (Though I believe it does have things to say about such "irregular" "settlers", rather than official soldiers, engaging in such activities.)

 

Naturally still incredibly shitty behaviour from those without a conscience that our species really shouldn't tolerate, though.

[leicsmac]

On 15/08/2026 at 13:44, leicsmac said:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c8en2z9jp2xo

 

South Korea's president has proposed talks with its northern neighbour on officially ending the war between the two that is technically still active.

Lee Jae Myung suggested a "multi-layered security system" to avoid flare-ups along the countries' de-facto border, known as the demilitarised zone (DMZ), and offered to discuss practical ways of halting Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions.

North Korea has continually tested ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads, which has been perceived in Seoul and nearby Japan as an attempt to intimidate and project power.

The conflict between the two occupants of the Korean peninsula has been effectively frozen since an armistice was signed in 1953.

 

Better international news. 

 

Jong-un was keen to talk to Moon Jae-in on this one, let's hope he's similarly keen to talk to Myung on it too. 

Further related to this, Felon#47 stirring the pot a bit.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2lll7zvn0o

[Lionator]

1 hour ago, leicsmac said:

Further related to this, Felon#47 stirring the pot a bit.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2lll7zvn0o

Something is clearly going on behind the scenes here. I wonder if this is all part of concessions to genuinely de-escalate tensions

[leicsmac]

7 minutes ago, Lionator said:

Something is clearly going on behind the scenes here. I wonder if this is all part of concessions to genuinely de-escalate tensions

It's possible, I guess we'll see what happens. 

[Trav Le Bleu]

2 hours ago, leicsmac said:

Further related to this, Felon#47 stirring the pot a bit.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2lll7zvn0o

Well they've both got the same gold handicap 

[LCFCJohn]

13 hours ago, Lionator said:

Apparently there’s a tiktok craze in Ireland where young people drive the wrong way down the motorway at high speeds which predictably leads to tragic outcomes.

 

https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16056283/Multiple-people-killed-head-crash-Irish-motorway.html

Sounds like social media ‘challenges’ again…I’ve never even seen it myself but that TikTok sounds like an absolute cesspit. The ban for U16’s is great and hopefully has a positive effect over the years.

 

Hopefully the people in the other car pull through. It might sound harsh but those in the other car, no sympathy whatsoever. For their families yes.

[Super_horns]

The PM caught out by the classic trick of a  hoax pretending to be someone they aren’t  at the other end ?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clyvj5zdjj2o

[Lionator]

I feel like the reform benefit reform is a bit murky and is some dangerous stuff being performed under the guise of punishing immigrants.

 

Who will decide what a ‘severe disability’ is? I presume mental health conditions won’t be classed as that so are we going to force people with schizophrenia, depression and early stage cancers to do 20 hours of unpaid work to earn their welfare payments? Good luck with that! Then when people have no money, and turn to crime as a source of income, where are we going to send them? To prison? There are none! 
 

Ultimately I feel like it’s about watching and revelling in suffering which a lot of people in the country seem to have a fetish for. We are Leicester city fans after all.

Edited 17 August by Lionator

[leicsmac]

10 minutes ago, Lionator said:

I feel like the reform benefit reform is a bit murky and is some dangerous stuff being performed under the guise of punishing immigrants.

 

Who will decide what a ‘severe disability’ is? I presume mental health conditions won’t be classed as that so are we going to force people with schizophrenia, depression and early stage cancers to do 20 hours of unpaid work to earn their welfare payments? Good luck with that! Then when people have no money, and turn to crime as a source of income, where are we going to send them? To prison? There are none! 
 

Ultimately I feel like it’s about watching and revelling in suffering which a lot of people in the country seem to have a fetish for. We are Leicester city fans after all.

One thing the last few years has unfortunately shown me is that there are more unrepentant sadists out there than I might have expected, and quite a few of them either have or are making a good attempt to have the levers of power to apply that sadism. 

 

Which, of course, is not great for quite a few reasons. 

[Foxdiamond]

15 hours ago, Lionator said:

Apparently there’s a tiktok craze in Ireland where young people drive the wrong way down the motorway at high speeds which predictably leads to tragic outcomes.

 

https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16056283/Multiple-people-killed-head-crash-Irish-motorway.html

Nothing can explain why any young person would engage in such madness. 

[bovril]

26 minutes ago, Lionator said:

I feel like the reform benefit reform is a bit murky and is some dangerous stuff being performed under the guise of punishing immigrants.

 

Who will decide what a ‘severe disability’ is? I presume mental health conditions won’t be classed as that so are we going to force people with schizophrenia, depression and early stage cancers to do 20 hours of unpaid work to earn their welfare payments? Good luck with that! Then when people have no money, and turn to crime as a source of income, where are we going to send them? To prison? There are none! 
 

Ultimately I feel like it’s about watching and revelling in suffering which a lot of people in the country seem to have a fetish for. We are Leicester city fans after all.

At the same time it will be quite amusing watching EU countries responding by doing the same thing to British 'expats' there

[bovril]

So inevitably many of those in academia today have received invites to discussions and emails reaffirming commitment to DEI and support for those who are neurodiverse, and about the need to create safe spaces and check on the emotional wellbeing of our colleagues. This was not really the case following the suicides of other UK based academics in the last few years due to workplace pressures that continue to get worse.

[Super_horns]

6 hours ago, Lionator said:

I feel like the reform benefit reform is a bit murky and is some dangerous stuff being performed under the guise of punishing immigrants.

 

Who will decide what a ‘severe disability’ is? I presume mental health conditions won’t be classed as that so are we going to force people with schizophrenia, depression and early stage cancers to do 20 hours of unpaid work to earn their welfare payments? Good luck with that! Then when people have no money, and turn to crime as a source of income, where are we going to send them? To prison? There are none! 
 

Ultimately I feel like it’s about watching and revelling in suffering which a lot of people in the country seem to have a fetish for. We are Leicester city fans after all.

What sort of jobs do they have in mind?

Not every disabled person is the same in terms of what can or cannot do.


Some might look fit and healthy but have issues that aren’t obvious like epilepsy or motor control issues for example.

[Jon the Hat]

6 hours ago, Super_horns said:

What sort of jobs do they have in mind?

Not every disabled person is the same in terms of what can or cannot do.


Some might look fit and healthy but have issues that aren’t obvious like epilepsy or motor control issues for example.

The proportion of young people out of work due to a work-limiting health condition has jumped by 70% over the past decade.  Most of that increase is due to mental health or anxiety.  We need to fix this.

[LCFCJohn]

3 hours ago, Jon the Hat said:

The proportion of young people out of work due to a work-limiting health condition has jumped by 70% over the past decade.  Most of that increase is due to mental health or anxiety.  We need to fix this.

You’d have to look at the reasons firstly. Social media and living in a tech world doesn’t help. Young people have anxiety about the future, employment prospects, cost of living and political turmoil. 
 

There is so little advice for young people about what they could do. But if you asked people and could be sure the answers were honest, I would bet a massively large majority would actually want to work. Easier said than done, but it is about creation of opportunities and ensuring young people have the advice and guidance to support them into career paths that will make them want to work. 
 

Not being funny but the Reform agenda is literally going to do nothing to improve physical or mental health. It will make it worse as it is all about division and hatred. 

[ALC Fox]

It's a scary world when people would limit help to people who are disabled and ill because they don't like the thought that a slim proportion of those might be getting an easy ride rather than increase taxes for billionaires who can shoulder the burden.

[Trav Le Bleu]

20 minutes ago, ALC Fox said:

It's a scary world when people would limit help to people who are disabled and ill because they don't like the thought that a slim proportion of those might be getting an easy ride rather than increase taxes for billionaires who can shoulder the burden.

It's the same world that pays people who care for the sick and elderly or who save people's lives, very little, but pays people who kick a ball around a field for a few hours a week staggering amounts.

 

What a mess!

[leicsmac]

1 hour ago, ALC Fox said:

It's a scary world when people would limit help to people who are disabled and ill because they don't like the thought that a slim proportion of those might be getting an easy ride rather than increase taxes for billionaires who can shoulder the burden.

Unfortunately that self centred, "prosperity gospel" mentality has been with us in society for rather a long time. 

 

It did look like we were finally overcoming it (to a degree) in the last few decades, but it seems that we may be backsliding again (for several reasons). 

Edited 18 August by leicsmac

[Trav Le Bleu]

On 14/08/2026 at 22:13, when_you're_smiling said:

Hard To Explain.

I see what you did there.

 

 

[Super_horns]

4 hours ago, Jon the Hat said:

The proportion of young people out of work due to a work-limiting health condition has jumped by 70% over the past decade.  Most of that increase is due to mental health or anxiety.  We need to fix this.

Maybe and perhaps some feel they cannot work or find a job that suits them but then everyone is encouraged to think about their mental health situation and take care of that first .

 

And getting rid of PIP totally won’t help people’s of all ages anxiety .

 

Obviously there will be some who are just very lazy but they probably always will be .