General News Thread

[leicsmac]

2 minutes ago, FoxesDeb said:

I think everything recent has been deleted...

There seems to have been some of that and, yes, as per above, seems like other things were on people's minds today. 

 

But to give a latest update, it appears Felon#47 has likely selected Cuba as his next target. 

[Tommy G]

51 minutes ago, Trav Le Bleu said:

So...

 

Have...

 

@leicsmac

@Lionator

@danny.

@Md9

@CornwallFox

@Sampson

@kenny

 

And @Tommy G

 

All been banned from this thread? It's very quiet.

Spent the weekend smashing my head against a concrete wall instead 

[Trav Le Bleu]

13 minutes ago, Tommy G said:

Spent the weekend smashing my head against a concrete wall instead 

Much more productive.

[CornwallFox]

1 hour ago, Trav Le Bleu said:

So...

 

Have...

 

@leicsmac

@Lionator

@danny.

@Md9

@CornwallFox

@Sampson

@kenny

 

And @Tommy G

 

All been banned from this thread? It's very quiet.

I seem to be restricted on how many times I can post so not much point in posting unless it's worthwhile. Not sure why, surely if I've said something bad you wouldn't want me saying it at all, not only a few times a day 🤷

[Free Falling Foxes]

54 minutes ago, leicsmac said:

There seems to have been some of that and, yes, as per above, seems like other things were on people's minds today. 

 

But to give a latest update, it appears Felon#47 has likely selected Cuba as his next target. 

He was forced into a rethink after Denmark bolstered Greenlands defences.

 

[bovril]

5 minutes ago, CornwallFox said:

I seem to be restricted on how many times I can post so not much point in posting unless it's worthwhile. Not sure why, surely if I've said something bad you wouldn't want me saying it at all, not only a few times a day 🤷

I can only assume I haven't been banned or restricted because the mods have me on ignore 

[Sampson]

1 hour ago, Trav Le Bleu said:

So...

 

Have...

 

@leicsmac

@Lionator

@danny.

@Md9

@CornwallFox

@Sampson

@kenny

 

And @Tommy G

 

All been banned from this thread? It's very quiet.

I was playing an Arcs campaign all day today.

 

Playing shit-talking diplomacy and politics board games all day instead of shit-talking diplomacy and politics on message boards all day.

Edited 11 January by Sampson

[danny.]

2 hours ago, Trav Le Bleu said:

So...

 

Have...

 

@leicsmac

@Lionator

@danny.

@Md9

@CornwallFox

@Sampson

@kenny

 

And @Tommy G

 

All been banned from this thread? It's very quiet.

not sure what you mean, I rarely go on this thread

[Trav Le Bleu]

1 hour ago, Sampson said:

I was playing an Arcs campaign all day today.

 

Playing shit-talking diplomacy and politics board games all day instead of shit-talking diplomacy and politics on message boards all day.

I really wanna try Arcs. One of those games you've really got to commit to and put everything else on hold.

 

Speaking of which, should've been playing part 7 of Jaws of the Lion today but due to two of us being ill, never happened. Me being one of them

[Vacamion]

 

"Lord"  (Ewwww)  Mandelson came across awfully in that BBC report of his interview.

 

There's no way back, surely?

 

 

[danny.]

Grok seems to have stopped responding to requests on X so hopefully a fix is underway. 

[foxes1988]

50 minutes ago, danny. said:

Grok seems to have stopped responding to requests on X so hopefully a fix is underway. 

Well done Starmer 

[Leicesterpool]

There's threats around the world possible invasions here there everywhere, thousands crossing the channel on boats yet Starmer is more bothered about Grok. 

[Trav Le Bleu]

4 hours ago, Leicesterpool said:

There's threats around the world possible invasions here there everywhere, thousands crossing the channel on boats yet Starmer is more bothered about Grok. 

Not necessarily.

 

Grok is the British media's hot topic for the month is more the truth.

[st albans fox]

Seems like the momentum in the Iranian protests has eased in the face of govt crackdowns 

trump only likes to back a winner so he may not now intervene.  of course once the internet comes back up there will be hundreds of v unpleasant videos - he’ll just bat away criticism of his comments that he wouldn’t allow that to happen on the basis that he got the regime to step back from doing even worse. 

[Jon the Hat]

10 hours ago, Vacamion said:

 

"Lord"  (Ewwww)  Mandelson came across awfully in that BBC report of his interview.

 

There's no way back, surely?

 

 

Back to what?  I read a bit of the story, and while it's not great an apparently clever man had zero idea what his friend was up to, I don't see why the bloke should have to apologise to the Epstein victims.  No suggestion he was involved with anything dodgy.

[Tommy G]

9 hours ago, danny. said:

Grok seems to have stopped responding to requests on X so hopefully a fix is underway. 

What did you ask it to do? 

[Alf Bentley]

Fancy some good news for a change?

 

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/jan/12/london-homicide-rate-drops-to-lowest-in-more-than-a-decade

 

I'm sure some will question the figures and it certainly doesn't mean crime isn't a problem in London, but....

 

"London’s murder rate has dropped to its lowest in more than a decade with police in the capital and the mayor saying it is now one of the safest cities in the western world. [...] 

 

In 2025, the Metropolitan police recorded 97 homicides in London, down from 153 in 2019, and down from 109 in 2024. In terms of longer term trends, a decade ago there were 120 homicides; in 2005, 181 homicides were recorded, with the peak this century being 216 in 2003. Homicides of those aged under-25 have fallen dramatically, with 18 recorded in 2025 compared with a peak of 69 in 2017.

 

[...] The fall in the number of homicides comes despite a rise in London’s population, to 9.1 million compared with 8.1 million in 2010. Thus the chance of being a victim of homicide has fallen and according to Met figures there were, in 2025, 1.1 killings for every 100,000 residents of London, compared with 3.2 for Berlin, 2.9 in Brussels and 1.6 in Paris. According to the figures, London is safer than many if not all major North American cities, having a fraction of their homicide rate, which in New York is 2.8 for every 100,000 members of the city’s population, 5.6 in Los Angeles, 10.5 in Houston and 12.3 in Philadelphia. For young people in London who were at a greater risk of homicide, they are now at lower risk than older adults. In 2017, there were 2.51 killings for every 100,000 people aged under-25, while the rate for adults was 1.65. In 2025, the figure for adults was 1.1 for every 100,000, while for those under-25 the rate was 0.65".

[CornwallFox]

8 hours ago, Leicesterpool said:

There's threats around the world possible invasions here there everywhere, thousands crossing the channel on boats yet Starmer is more bothered about Grok. 

Starmar will be across all of those things.

Do you expect the prime minister to do only one thing at once? They oversee all government business of all types. They get questioned about every facet of national life. I think you need to give your head a wobble.

Edited 12 January by CornwallFox

[Vacamion]

2 hours ago, Jon the Hat said:

Back to what?  I read a bit of the story, and while it's not great an apparently clever man had zero idea what his friend was up to, I don't see why the bloke should have to apologise to the Epstein victims.  No suggestion he was involved with anything dodgy.

 

He saw fit to resign.

 

He's wormed his way back in to positions of power after previous resignations.

 

This interview appeared to be a further attempt to re-enter the arena of high politics.

 

I don't think he came across well enough to do so.

 

[Brizzle Fox]

I thought Reform were meant to be a refreshing move away from the "Uniparty" political establishment in the UK.

 

Kind of feels they are properly evolving into a really shit Conservative tribute act, with more and more Tory has beens moving across, maybe reaching its nadir with that ultimate chancer Zahawi making the very small leap today. 

 

You would have to think this will royally backfire on them at some point.

 

 

[SMX11]

5 minutes ago, Brizzle Fox said:

I thought Reform were meant to be a refreshing move away from the "Uniparty" political establishment in the UK.

 

Kind of feels they are properly evolving into a really shit Conservative tribute act, with more and more Tory has beens moving across, maybe reaching its nadir with that ultimate chancer Zahawi making the very small leap today. 

 

You would have to think this will royally backfire on them at some point.

 

 

Farage can't work with anybody that might challenge him so you will only get these sorts joining them. 

[Bellend Sebastian]

3 hours ago, Alf Bentley said:

Fancy some good news for a change?

 

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/jan/12/london-homicide-rate-drops-to-lowest-in-more-than-a-decade

 

I'm sure some will question the figures and it certainly doesn't mean crime isn't a problem in London, but....

 

"London’s murder rate has dropped to its lowest in more than a decade...whilst attempts by individuals and organisations of dubious intent to make everyone feel everything is f***ed when it isn't have reached record highs" 

They should've added the above in for clarity.

 

Those comparative stats for murder rates across different cities are interesting, aren't they?

[danny.]

1 hour ago, Brizzle Fox said:

I thought Reform were meant to be a refreshing move away from the "Uniparty" political establishment in the UK.

 

Kind of feels they are properly evolving into a really shit Conservative tribute act, with more and more Tory has beens moving across, maybe reaching its nadir with that ultimate chancer Zahawi making the very small leap today. 

 

You would have to think this will royally backfire on them at some point.

 

 

I imagine they will be more of the same, democracy is an illusion, and I genuinely don't think government really hold executive power in many countries.

[Trav Le Bleu]

4 hours ago, Alf Bentley said:

Fancy some good news for a change?

 

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/jan/12/london-homicide-rate-drops-to-lowest-in-more-than-a-decade

 

I'm sure some will question the figures and it certainly doesn't mean crime isn't a problem in London, but....

 

"London’s murder rate has dropped to its lowest in more than a decade with police in the capital and the mayor saying it is now one of the safest cities in the western world. [...] 

 

In 2025, the Metropolitan police recorded 97 homicides in London, down from 153 in 2019, and down from 109 in 2024. In terms of longer term trends, a decade ago there were 120 homicides; in 2005, 181 homicides were recorded, with the peak this century being 216 in 2003. Homicides of those aged under-25 have fallen dramatically, with 18 recorded in 2025 compared with a peak of 69 in 2017.

 

[...] The fall in the number of homicides comes despite a rise in London’s population, to 9.1 million compared with 8.1 million in 2010. Thus the chance of being a victim of homicide has fallen and according to Met figures there were, in 2025, 1.1 killings for every 100,000 residents of London, compared with 3.2 for Berlin, 2.9 in Brussels and 1.6 in Paris. According to the figures, London is safer than many if not all major North American cities, having a fraction of their homicide rate, which in New York is 2.8 for every 100,000 members of the city’s population, 5.6 in Los Angeles, 10.5 in Houston and 12.3 in Philadelphia. For young people in London who were at a greater risk of homicide, they are now at lower risk than older adults. In 2017, there were 2.51 killings for every 100,000 people aged under-25, while the rate for adults was 1.65. In 2025, the figure for adults was 1.1 for every 100,000, while for those under-25 the rate was 0.65".

Shows the benefits of being an Islamic state