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Analysis Israel's options don't look good - but a full-scale military campaign in the near future is inevitable
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Thailand's New 300-Baht Tourism Tax: Aid or Hindrance?
300 Baht will do nothing to stop the Benidorm Brits or Indians. 3000 would be better to kull the 7/11 cheese toastie brigade. -
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Ireland’s Migrant Crisis Sparks Violence as Tensions Reach Breaking Point
Meanwhile Euros here are posting about trump. As if America is the one with problems -
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Met Police Urged to Adopt Softer Approach in Stop and Search Relaunch
The Metropolitan Police have been advised to adopt a “less aggressive” stance when carrying out stop and search procedures as the force unveils a revised strategy aimed at tackling weapons and drug-related crime in London. The new approach comes as senior officers acknowledge that while knife crime remains a pressing issue, the number of street searches has declined by nearly 20 per cent in the past year. Concerns over high-profile stop and search incidents have led to frontline officers facing misconduct allegations, with some stating they feel uneasy using their powers for fear of career-damaging complaints. In response, a newly developed stop and search charter, crafted in collaboration with both police officers and young people, seeks to improve the way searches are conducted. It emphasizes professionalism, the responsible use of technology, and a strengthened complaints system. Public feedback has underscored the need for a shift in police conduct, urging officers to approach searches with less aggression and avoid creating unnecessary tension. Londoners have advocated for more targeted and considerate searches to reduce the risk of embarrassment and trauma. The Met has committed to carrying out stop and search procedures with “professionalism, showing basic forms of respect,” stressing that officers must understand what it feels like to be subjected to a search. Deputy Assistant Commissioner Ade Adelekan emphasized the urgency of addressing knife crime in the city. “One young person being stabbed on the streets of London is unacceptable. There are too many young black people being stabbed. Our job is to save lives and prevent people being injured but it’s also to do it in a way that garners community trust and confidence,” he said. “If the charter saves more lives as a result of more stop and search then I am happy to defend it. I’d rather have a conversation with a parent who has asked, ‘Can you come and engage with my son?’ than deliver a death message.” The creation of a stop and search charter was first recommended by Baroness Casey of Blackstock in her 2023 review of the Met, following a series of scandals that damaged public trust, including the kidnapping, rape, and murder of Sarah Everard by a serving firearms officer in 2021. Casey highlighted the need for a “fundamental reset” in how stop and search is conducted, criticizing many searches as being carried out “really rudely and horribly.” She advocated for independent monitoring of compliance with the charter, including reviewing police bodycam footage. Although the charter was initially set for release in October 2023, the Met continued its consultations and writing workshops into the following year to ensure a thorough review process. The force maintains that stop and search remains a vital policing tool, reporting that 17,500 weapons have been seized over the past four years through these efforts. Senior leaders argue that when performed correctly, stop and search prevents crime and protects communities. However, they acknowledge that when done poorly, it erodes trust among those the police are meant to serve. The relaunch of the policy comes as stop and search numbers in London fell by 17 per cent, with 120,783 searches conducted in the year leading up to January. Data shows that Black individuals accounted for 40 per cent of those searched, with drugs being the primary reason in 57 per cent of cases. Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley has defended the continued use of stop and search, asserting that much of London’s violence is connected to gangs and drugs. “Academics like to pretend that drug searches are done for one purpose and weapons searches are conducted for an entirely separate purpose — that’s a theoretical, desk-based analysis and not the real world,” he stated during a recent meeting at City Hall. “When drugs and weapons are so entwined, those searches are part of the same package of keeping our streets safe.” Based on a report by The Telegraph 2025-02-28 -
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Masked Pro-Palestinian Demonstators Barge Into University One Worker sent to Hospital
Pro-Palestinian demonstrators staged a sit-in at Barnard College’s Milbank Hall on Wednesday, protesting the expulsion of two students who had disrupted a class on Israel. The protest escalated when the demonstrators, many of whom were masked, pushed past a security guard and physically assaulted a campus employee, sending the worker to the hospital, according to a Barnard College spokeswoman. Video footage taken by the protesters showed them entering the building around 4 p.m. with the goal of occupying the space outside the office of Dean Leslie Grinage. A Police Department spokesman confirmed that a 41-year-old man was transported to Mt. Sinai Morningside Hospital at 4:08 p.m., reporting pain and remaining in stable condition. By Wednesday night, the college administration had set a deadline for the protesters to leave and warned that further measures, including police intervention, could follow. “Tonight, a small group of masked protesters attempted to undermine Barnard’s core values of respect, inclusion, and academic excellence,” President Rosenbury said in a statement. “But let us be clear: Their disregard for the safety of our community remains completely unacceptable.” Faculty intermediary Kristina Milnor, chair of Barnard’s classics department, informed the students that Dean Grinage had offered to meet with up to three protesters on the condition that they remove their masks and show identification. The students rejected this condition. At 8:30 p.m., Barnard spokeswoman Robin Levine issued a statement saying that if the protesters did not vacate the building by 9:30 p.m., the college would be “forced to consider additional, necessary measures to protect our campus.” She added that the college could not confirm whether all protesters were Barnard students and that there had been violence during the protest. “We have made multiple good-faith efforts to de-escalate. Barnard leadership offered to meet with the protesters—just as we meet with all members of our community—on one simple condition: remove their masks. They refused. We have also offered mediation,” she stated. As the deadline approached, some students were seen escaping through a first-floor window. By 10:40 p.m., the protesters exited peacefully, still chanting and beating drums. At least nine police vans were stationed on Riverside Drive near the campus. The protest stemmed from the recent expulsions of two students who had interrupted Professor Avi Shilon’s “History of Modern Israel” class at Columbia University on January 21. The students, along with two others, had entered the class masked and filmed themselves calling it a “Zionist class” that was “intellectualizing and normalizing a genocide.” They also distributed antisemitic fliers, including one depicting a Jewish star being stomped by a jackboot. Professor Shilon, an Israeli visiting history professor, recalled being shocked but invited them to stay and study rather than disrupt. They refused and left after about five minutes. Barnard’s decision to expel the students was revealed by Columbia University Apartheid Divest, a student protest group. The college declined to comment on their status, citing privacy concerns. A third student, from Columbia, has been suspended pending an investigation, while the fourth remains unidentified. President Rosenbury later emphasized that Barnard prioritizes campus safety and academic integrity. “Barnard will always take decisive action to protect our community as a place where learning thrives, individuals feel safe, and higher education is celebrated,” she stated, adding that the expelled students had shown “no reflection, and no willingness to change.” Meanwhile, Columbia University Apartheid Divest celebrated the classroom disruption on social media, encouraging others to follow suit by posting, “STUDENTS DISRUPTED A ZIONIST CLASS, YOU SHOULD TOO!” Based on a report by NYT | X 2025-02-28 -
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Angela Rayner Faces Backlash as Civil Servants Threaten Strike Over Office Attendance
Angela Rayner, Labour’s deputy leader and a former shop steward, is facing mounting pressure as hundreds of civil servants in her Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) consider strike action. More than 1,100 union members from the department have begun balloting for industrial action, citing frustration over strict attendance policies that require them to work from the office at least three days a week. The dispute has placed Rayner in an awkward position as she spearheads legislation aimed at expanding rights for trade unions and millions of workers. The Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union, representing the disgruntled staff, argues that these policies contradict the very principles the government claims to support. In addition to their concerns over office attendance, workers are also protesting the planned closure of six regional offices across England, which they believe will undermine the government’s commitment to boosting economic growth. PCS general secretary Fran Heathcote criticized the government’s stance, saying, “The government’s actions are in stark contradiction to its own promises. First, the Deputy Prime Minister is championing the Employment Rights Bill, promising to improve workers’ rights, yet risks having her own workers taking strike action. And second, the department cannot claim to empower local communities while stripping away the very support they need.” Heathcote also warned that the closure of regional offices would have far-reaching consequences beyond the affected employees, impacting local government operations, housing initiatives, and even emergency response efforts. “The impact of these closures won’t just be felt by staff; it will affect local government, housing projects, and even emergency response efforts. We call on the Deputy Prime Minister to intervene and stop this dispute before it starts,” she added. The brewing conflict is further complicated by previous demands from MHCLG staff for a four-day workweek with no reduction in pay. As the ballot for industrial action continues, the outcome could prove a significant challenge for Rayner and her position as a champion of workers’ rights. Based on a report by Daily Mail 2025-02-28
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