General News Thread

[FoxesDeb]

5 hours ago, Happy Fox said:

BBC reporting re the numbers killed now in the thousands. Our inept PM doesn't say a word as per usual.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/starmer-iran-protests-britain-france-germany-b2897864.html

 

Sir Keir Starmer has denounced the killing of protesters in Iran, calling on Tehran to "exercise restraint" amid a crackdown on anti-regime demonstrations.

 

In a joint statement with the leaders of France and Germany, the Prime Minister said he was “deeply concerned about reports of violence by Iranian security forces” and “strongly” condemned the killing of protesters.

 

The leaders added: “The Iranian authorities have the responsibility to protect their own population and must allow for the freedom of expression and peaceful assembly without fear of reprisal.

[leicsmac]

A bit of news from elsewhere:

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cq6vyqq5r0do

 

Prosecutors have asked for South Korea's former president Yoon Suk Yeol to be handed a death sentence if he is found guilty over his botched attempt to impose martial law.

A court in Seoul heard closing arguments in Yoon's trial, in which he was accused of being the "ringleader of an insurrection".

The charge stems from Yoon's attempt in December 2024 to impose military rule in South Korea - an act that lasted just hours but plunged the country into political turmoil. He was later impeached by parliament and detained to face trial.

Yoon has denied the charges against him, arguing that martial law was a symbolic gesture to draw public attention to the wrongdoings of the opposition party.

 

The prosecution team not messing around here then, but if I know the game I'm pretty sure this is mostly for intimidation rather than actual follow-through. There will be a deal met and he'll get life, and probably get released in some kind of horsetrade a way down the line.

[leicsmac]

20 minutes ago, st albans fox said:

He condemned it days ago 

when most who are criticising him probably didn’t even know what was happening ! 

 

5 minutes ago, FoxesDeb said:

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/starmer-iran-protests-britain-france-germany-b2897864.html

 

Sir Keir Starmer has denounced the killing of protesters in Iran, calling on Tehran to "exercise restraint" amid a crackdown on anti-regime demonstrations.

 

In a joint statement with the leaders of France and Germany, the Prime Minister said he was “deeply concerned about reports of violence by Iranian security forces” and “strongly” condemned the killing of protesters.

 

The leaders added: “The Iranian authorities have the responsibility to protect their own population and must allow for the freedom of expression and peaceful assembly without fear of reprisal.

The wonders of social media, that allow for incredible whoppers to be told with next to no accountability.

[ramboacdc]

2 minutes ago, leicsmac said:

A bit of news from elsewhere:

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cq6vyqq5r0do

 

Prosecutors have asked for South Korea's former president Yoon Suk Yeol to be handed a death sentence if he is found guilty over his botched attempt to impose martial law.

A court in Seoul heard closing arguments in Yoon's trial, in which he was accused of being the "ringleader of an insurrection".

The charge stems from Yoon's attempt in December 2024 to impose military rule in South Korea - an act that lasted just hours but plunged the country into political turmoil. He was later impeached by parliament and detained to face trial.

Yoon has denied the charges against him, arguing that martial law was a symbolic gesture to draw public attention to the wrongdoings of the opposition party.

 

The prosecution team not messing around here then, but if I know the game I'm pretty sure this is mostly for intimidation rather than actual follow-through. There will be a deal met and he'll get life, and probably get released in some kind of horsetrade a way down the line.

It was a strange few hours when he did that out of nowhere and blamed the opposition. It was 100% a power grab of some sort but there never really seemed to be much of a clear motive. 

Will be interesting to see if they do go for the death penalty

 

[leicsmac]

Just now, ramboacdc said:

It was a strange few hours when he did that out of nowhere and blamed the opposition. It was 100% a power grab of some sort but there never really seemed to be much of a clear motive. 

Will be interesting to see if they do go for the death penalty

 

I said at the time that the only motive that made sense was that he knew the axe was coming down anyway in terms of corruption allegations (particularly against his wife) and it was a rather desperate last gamble that thankfully didn't pay off. 

 

I don't think they'll actually go for the DP for reasons suggested above, but I guess we'll find out soon enough. 

[danny.]

This is getting a bit of attention again https://www.nspcc.org.uk/about-us/news-opinion/2024/online-grooming-crimes-increase/

[Voll Blau]

Wout Faes loaned to Monaco. Our inept PM doesn't say a word as per usual.

[bovril]

11 minutes ago, Voll Blau said:

Wout Faes loaned to Monaco. Our inept PM doesn't say a word as per usual.

Haven't seen it mentioned anywhere in any of the media I consume (Al Jazeera Latin America and the Lynn News obituaries) 

[bovril]

LMAO

 

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/jan/13/new-proposed-ukip-logo-compared-to-iron-cross-used-by-nazi-regime

[Sampson]

Reform definitely seem to have peaked in the polls now, latest Yougov poll has them at 24% (also still only 10% with 18-24 year olds and only 19% with 25-49 year olds) which is their lowest in the polls since April. Mostly seems to be a lot of older voters switching back from Reform to the Tories who seem to be increasing again having bottomed out. We'll see whether Labour start doing the same after hemmoraging votes mostly to the LibDems and Greens.

 

Edited 13 January by Sampson

[danny.]

15 minutes ago, Sampson said:

Reform definitely seem to have peaked in the polls now, latest Yougov poll has them at 24% (also still only 10% with 18-24 year olds and only 19% with 25-49 year olds) which is their lowest in the polls since April. Mostly seems to be a lot of older voters switching back from Reform to the Tories who seem to be increasing again having bottomed out. We'll see whether Labour start doing the same after hemmoraging votes mostly to the LibDems and Greens.

 

Imagine intending to vote Tory after watching them destroy the country for 14 years. 

[Robo61]

42 minutes ago, danny. said:

Imagine intending to vote Tory after watching them destroy the country for 14 years. 

Or reform given the number of former Tories now grifting there

[Zear0]

1 hour ago, danny. said:

Imagine intending to vote Tory after watching them destroy the country for 14 years. 

Political equivalent to KPFC.

[Corky]

1 hour ago, danny. said:

Imagine intending to vote Tory after watching them destroy the country for 14 years. 

Reform appear to be Farage plus plenty of that Tory government.

[Super_horns]

Another watering down of an idea after coming under pressure form those against the original plans? 

 

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/digital-id-card-starmer-work-b2899886.html

[bmt]

6 hours ago, bovril said:

LMAO

 

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/jan/13/new-proposed-ukip-logo-compared-to-iron-cross-used-by-nazi-regime

Think that might be intentional

[leicsmac]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cpqyn58v0dxo

 

It's crunch time. The US Vice President, JD Vance, is hosting the Danish and Greenlandic foreign ministers, as well as their US counterpart, Marco Rubio, in the White House on Wednesday.

The focus of the talks: the future of the world's biggest island, Greenland.

 

The whole idea of this being anything about "security" is laughable in the first instance, and the Danes and Greenland representatives should make that clear. Neither Russia nor China have the ability, and in China's case likely not the inclination, to control Greenland now or at any point in the near future.

 

This is about ego, greed and avarice - for resources and for the legacy of a single man at the cost of a great many human lives, nothing more.

[Trav Le Bleu]

22 minutes ago, leicsmac said:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cpqyn58v0dxo

 

It's crunch time. The US Vice President, JD Vance, is hosting the Danish and Greenlandic foreign ministers, as well as their US counterpart, Marco Rubio, in the White House on Wednesday.

The focus of the talks: the future of the world's biggest island, Greenland.

 

The whole idea of this being anything about "security" is laughable in the first instance, and the Danes and Greenland representatives should make that clear. Neither Russia nor China have the ability, and in China's case likely not the inclination, to control Greenland now or at any point in the near future.

 

This is about ego, greed and avarice - for resources and for the legacy of a single man at the cost of a great many human lives, nothing more.

No need for renewables if you own all the fossil fuel left.

 

Not for now, anyways.

[leicsmac]

5 minutes ago, Trav Le Bleu said:

No need for renewables if you own all the fossil fuel left.

 

Not for now, anyways.

There's decent reserves elsewhere than the Arctic, but yes. Avarice and utterly criminal short term thinking. 

[Md9]

41 minutes ago, leicsmac said:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cpqyn58v0dxo

 

It's crunch time. The US Vice President, JD Vance, is hosting the Danish and Greenlandic foreign ministers, as well as their US counterpart, Marco Rubio, in the White House on Wednesday.

The focus of the talks: the future of the world's biggest island, Greenland.

 

The whole idea of this being anything about "security" is laughable in the first instance, and the Danes and Greenland representatives should make that clear. Neither Russia nor China have the ability, and in China's case likely not the inclination, to control Greenland now or at any point in the near future.

 

This is about ego, greed and avarice - for resources and for the legacy of a single man at the cost of a great many human lives, nothing more.

Hopefully they wear a suit and say thank you to them for trying to take their land or things will get really nasty 

[Jon the Hat]

Excellent article in the times today about why many on the far lef including the likes of Jeremy Corbyn support the Iranian regime until recently.  Essentially saying Lenin argued that anti-western-colonialism war and revolution around the world would hasten the downfall of capitalism in the West, so examples like the 1979 revolution were to be supported, however horrible they might turn out to be.  Essentially Lenin was wrong, and the left find themselves aligned with some complete murderous scum for decades. 

[leicsmac]

3 minutes ago, Jon the Hat said:

Excellent article in the times today about why many on the far lef including the likes of Jeremy Corbyn support the Iranian regime until recently.  Essentially saying Lenin argued that anti-western-colonialism war and revolution around the world would hasten the downfall of capitalism in the West, so examples like the 1979 revolution were to be supported, however horrible they might turn out to be.  Essentially Lenin was wrong, and the left find themselves aligned with some complete murderous scum for decades. 

That schism between parts of the "left" has existed pretty much as long as the "left" itself has. Even before the 1917 revolution there was violent discussion (shall we say) about how things should go revolution-wise.

[danny.]

1 hour ago, Jon the Hat said:

Excellent article in the times today about why many on the far lef including the likes of Jeremy Corbyn support the Iranian regime until recently.  Essentially saying Lenin argued that anti-western-colonialism war and revolution around the world would hasten the downfall of capitalism in the West, so examples like the 1979 revolution were to be supported, however horrible they might turn out to be.  Essentially Lenin was wrong, and the left find themselves aligned with some complete murderous scum for decades. 

Also the left, especially the far left loves Islam, which is ironic as Islamic ideology is closer to hard-right.

[danny.]

12 hours ago, Robo61 said:

Or reform given the number of former Tories now grifting there

I don't personally think Reform are going to be much different to the LibLabCon uniparty, but I do understand moreso why people would vote for them, over Tory, as they have never been in power. Taking a subset of members with new leadership doesn't equate to the same as the origin of those members, it happens all the time in business with a subset of employees creating a new startup under new leadership.

[danny.]

2 hours ago, leicsmac said:

There's decent reserves elsewhere than the Arctic, but yes. Avarice and utterly criminal short term thinking. 

I love reading your posts and learning new words, top vocabulary, sir.