Muted reception for Theresa May and roars of approval for the Labour leader reflect changing balance of power in Commons
Queen’s speech debate: Corbyn castigates ‘out of ideas’ government | Politics | The Guardian
hmmm
What goes through my my mind when I read the news with my morning coffee. …Or for the Simon's Rockers in the group, this is my response journal.
Muted reception for Theresa May and roars of approval for the Labour leader reflect changing balance of power in Commons
Queen’s speech debate: Corbyn castigates ‘out of ideas’ government | Politics | The Guardian
hmmm
Is the new French president the man the world’s liberals have been waiting for?
France’s Emmanuel Macron: Birth of the anti-Trump? – BBC News
hmmm
Reserving prison for the worst offenders has hefty benefits. First, it saves money. In America, for example, incarcerating a federal convict costs eight times as much as putting the same convict on probation. Second, it avoids mixing minor offenders with more hardened criminals, who will teach them bad habits.
…Rehabilitation programmes that focus on factors other than crime, such as creative abilities, physical conditioning and self-esteem do not reduce criminal behaviour, argues Edward Latessa of the University of Cincinnati. Boot camps are especially ineffective: they foster aggression and bond criminals together.
Too many prisons make bad people worse. There is a better way
hmmmm
The U.K. government should reassess its invitation to U.S. President Donald Trump for a state visit later this year, according to London Mayor Sadiq Khan.
…Khan’s comments came after Trump criticized the mayor’s reaction to Saturday’s London attack. Trump said on Twitter: “At least 7 dead and 48 wounded in terror attack and Mayor of London says there is ‘no reason to be alarmed’.” Khan responded saying the president had taken his comments out of context. The mayor had said: “Londoners will see an increased police presence today and over the course of the next few days. There’s no reason to be alarmed.”
Trump’s UK trip should be canceled, says London Mayor Sadiq Khan
hmmmm
The White House Facebook page failed to acknowledge First Gentleman of Luxembourg Gauthier Destenay, married to Prime Minister Xavier Bettel, in a post featuring the spouses of world leaders attending this week’s G7 summit in Sicily.
White House Excludes Gay First Spouse of Luxembourg From Photo Caption
WH: Bunch of backwards loser living in a delusional fiction.
The episode drew ire on social media, including from French politician Cécile Duflot.”He kisses her by force, she tries to get away, he holds her by the neck and everyone… laughs #tired,” the Green MP wrote on Twitter (in French).
Quoted by the Huffington Post France, Ms Thomas described the player’s actions as “frankly unpleasant”.
“If I hadn’t been live on air, I would have punched him.”
French Open bans Hamou over attempts to kiss reporter on live TV – BBC News
Assault charges would be a nice touch.
The French Tennis Federation has revoked the accreditation of Maxime Hamou after he repeatedly tried to kiss a female reporter during an interview following his first-round loss in the French Open.
[Hamou] also held Eurosport TV journalist Maly Thomas around her neck as she tried to move away during a live interview at Roland Garros.
French Open bars Maxime Hamou for trying to kiss TV reporter during interview
That’s a good start, let’s see some actual charges. An example clearly needs to be made of idiots who think they are entitled to subjugate other human beings based on gender or skin color.
The ULB Confessions page also published a response it had received from a student: “No one has the right to tell you how you should feel in your skin. Nobody has the right to tell you how to dress. No one has the right to tell you how to play your role as a woman. No one has the right to take away this freedom that has been (and is still being) obtained with such difficulty.”
Belgium: Female students asked to wear low-cut tops to graduation – BBC News
WTF?!
Malcolm Rifkind, who is heading the probe into intelligence services in the wake of the London attack, talks to CNN.
What did MI5 know before London attack?
hmmmm
Police said that Papademos, his driver and another passenger were taken to a local hospital but did not suffer life-threatening injuries.
Former Greek Prime Minister Lucas Papademos Injured by Explosion in Car – NBC News
hmmm
The Conservative lead has halved in the past week.
What is the ‘dementia tax’ and will it cost Theresa May the election? – Business Insider
hmmm
PRISTINA, Kosovo – Kosovo’s government on Wednesday lost a no-confidence vote, setting the scene for an early election following months of political deadlock over a border demarcation deal that critics say would mean a loss of territory for the tiny Balkan country.
Kosovo government loses no-confidence vote, coalition fails – NEWS 1130
hmmm
Interviewed on TV show screened in Ireland, Fry asked ‘Why should I respect a mean-minded, stupid god who creates a world so full of injustice and pain?’
Stephen Fry investigated by Irish police for alleged blasphemy | Culture | The Guardian
sigh
The first daughter was put on the spot during her first trip abroad as a representative of America.
Ivanka Trump gets booed, hissed at during Berlin event – POLITICO
hmmmm
Suspension follows arrests targeting alleged network of US-based cleric blamed by Turkey for failed coup attempt.
Turkey suspends 9,000 police officers for ‘Gulen links’ | Turkey News | Al Jazeera
hmmm
‘Where is this Europe?’ asks one Pakistani migrant worker as they share stories of abuse and working without pay.
‘My biggest regret’: Being a migrant worker in Greece | Greece | Al Jazeera
hmmm
As the French prepare to vote Sunday in a presidential election marked by acrimonious debate about Russian influence in Europe, there’s little doubt about which candidate Moscow backs.
Last month, the combative populist Marine Le Pen of the right-wing National Front flew to Moscow to meet with President Vladimir Putin.
…American politics was jolted when 17 intelligence agencies concluded in January that Russia had covertly intervened in the 2016 presidential campaign with the aim of electing Donald Trump. Such activity is nothing new in Europe, where Russia has launched a series of clandestine and open efforts to sway governments and exert influence, according to European and U.S. national security officials, diplomats, academics and other experts interviewed by ProPublica in recent weeks.
“The Russians have had an aggressive espionage presence here for a long time,” a senior French intelligence official said. “The Russians now have more spies, more clandestine operations, in France than they did in the Cold War.”
Russia is engaged in a full-scale shadow war in Europe
hmmmm
A former CIA officer spared jail time in Italy tells Fox News that despite her commutation, she may be forced to testify to Italian lawmakers about the secret post-9/11 “rendition” program – and warns the testimony could be extremely damaging.
Ex-CIA officer says she’s being forced to testify in Italy on ‘rendition’ | Fox News
hmmm
FRENCH spooks have proof that the Syrian government used chemical weapons in a deadly attack on its own people, the foreign minister has revealed.
hmmm
Twenty coffins were discovered, including that of Richard Bancroft, the Archbishop of Canterbury who chaired the committee that wrote the King James Bible in 1611.
U.K. museum says tombs of five archbishops discovered below church | Toronto Star
Wild!
Immediately after winning Sunday’s referendum, President Tayyip Erdogan promised to reinstate the death penalty, a reform put in place 15 years ago that was seen as fundamental to Turkey’s efforts to join the European Union.
Erdogan death penalty vow likely to be tough sell in divided Turkey
hmmmm