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Not So Friendly: Thai-Belgian Friendship bridge closed for minimum of 30 days after fire
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7
Taking Someone Home: Ever Reach Down and Get an Unexpected Surprise?
Nothing more upsetting than finding out your date has a bigger dk than you ! 😉👍- 1
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213
Something smelling musky -- the age of undemocratic in your face oligarchy in the USA.
Sadly, this is the wrong forum to do that. Sides have been clearly delineated. You will never change a MAGA opinion. This is red meat to them, they LOVE to eff with you! An interesting read here, explaining how the US has become a factionalized anocracy [a degenerating democracy] that is quickly approaching the open insurgency stage. A second civil war is brewing, we're closer than we want to admit. https://fpif.org/how-to-counter-fascism/ -
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BREAKING NEWS Biden lifts restrictions on Ukraine using US weapons to strike deep inside Russia.
Wow, that is quite amove considering Putin said he would consider USA and NATO directly at war with Russia if that happens... -
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Foreign Driver in Fatal EV Collision with Motorbike, Drags It Over 50 Metres
This is just about 500 m from the site of the accident. Do you think the authority would set the speed limit to 60 kph on this kind of road? Not just bends, there are many junctions with no road marking at all, and shops or housing area entrances just by the roadside. Common sense tells me, even a 50 kph speed limit is already high. There was someone who said 80 kph. I am not sure if he/she has a driving license...... https://maps.app.goo.gl/W87EHVkQJdQne7g48 Since the car was probably doing down a slope from the overhead bridge, and the road in front is a little wider, I assume he/she increased the speed. So, at the site of the accident (probably the + junction), the car was most likely quite fast. As a result, it took about 45-50 meters to stop. This is the distance between the + junction and the entrance of housing area where the CCTV is. -
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BREAKING NEWS Biden lifts restrictions on Ukraine using US weapons to strike deep inside Russia.
c177bca2a65e6d4f2e72e01e9bf4c640.mp4 -
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Female Journalists Rally Around Allison Pearson Amid Fears for Press Freedom
The investigation into journalist Allison Pearson has sparked a wave of support among female journalists, who warn they could face similar scrutiny over their work or social media posts. Pearson, a columnist for *The Telegraph*, is currently under investigation by three police forces for a now-deleted tweet. The controversy has ignited broader discussions about freedom of expression and the role of the police in regulating speech. On Remembrance Sunday, Pearson was visited at her home by Essex Police. They informed her of a complaint related to her tweet but declined to provide details about the alleged offense or the identity of the complainant. This incident has drawn criticism from fellow journalists, including *Daily Mail* columnist Sarah Vine, who described the situation as a "frightening moment for press freedom." Vine remarked on the pressures faced by journalists, particularly women, saying: “Journalists, and especially female journalists, are used to receiving a lot of abuse. It’s not easy, but it comes with the territory. We console ourselves with the thought that the police and responsible authorities have our back. What has happened to @AllisonPearson has shown that is no longer true. It’s a frightening moment for press freedom. The fact that @Keir_Starmer seems okay with it is even more chilling.” *Daily Mail* journalist Rachel Johnson, the sister of former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, echoed these concerns. Sharing an article written by her brother in Pearson’s defense, she stated: “Hear hear – and so say all of us standing with @AllisonPearson. They messed with the wrong Welshwoman this time, but any one of us could be next.” The investigation centers on whether Pearson’s tweet constituted a Non-Crime Hate Incident (NCHI) or violated the Malicious Communications Act. Although NCHIs are not criminal offenses, they are recorded by police. Essex Police recently clarified that Pearson is now being investigated under section 17 of the Public Order Act for allegedly stirring up racial hatred with a post made in November last year. The controversy has prompted a government review of how police handle NCHIs. Donna Jones, the former chair of the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners, criticized the approach, arguing that police should not be engaging with individuals unless a crime has been committed. “The police should not be going to somebody’s home if they have not committed a crime,” Jones stated. She added, “If it is a non-crime, it should stop there. Yes, collect the data, feed it into the Home Office, but going further only wastes police resources.” The sentiment was shared by Kemi Badenoch, leader of the Conservative Party, who told *The Telegraph*: “We need to stop this behavior of people wasting police time on trivial incidents because they don’t like something, as if they’re in a nursery.” Other politicians, including Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, and Suella Braverman, former home secretary, have voiced similar frustrations with the policing of speech. Renowned barrister Geoffrey Robertson KC also criticized the investigation, calling it “a waste of public money.” The incident, he suggested, illustrates the need for a reassessment of priorities in policing. As the debate over Pearson’s case continues, the outpouring of support highlights concerns among female journalists about the implications for press freedom. “Any one of us could be next,” Rachel Johnson warned, a sentiment that resonates widely in a profession increasingly under scrutiny for expressing contentious views. Based on a report by Daily Telegraph 2024-11-18 -
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Trump Aide Urges UK to Embrace US Free Market Over 'Socialist' EU
Britain should align its trade priorities with the United States rather than the European Union's "socialist model," according to Stephen Moore, a senior economic adviser to Donald Trump. Moore's comments come as the former president-elect considers policies that could include sweeping tariffs, potentially sparking global trade tensions and significantly impacting the UK economy. Moore, speaking from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida, suggested the US would be "less interested" in pursuing a free trade agreement with Britain if it moves toward closer alignment with the EU. "I’ve always said that Britain has to decide — do you want to go towards the European socialist model or do you want to go towards the US free market? Lately, it seems like they are shifting more in a European model, and so if that’s the case, I think we’d be less interested in having [a free trade deal]," he stated. The UK’s trade relationship with the EU remains a critical issue. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has prioritized negotiating closer ties with Brussels, aiming to bolster economic growth. Similarly, Andrew Bailey, governor of the Bank of England, recently emphasized the need to rebuild trade relations with the EU, arguing that Brexit had weighed on the UK economy. Labour has proposed easing post-Brexit checks on goods crossing the Channel and securing EU recognition of UK professional qualifications. Moore noted that Trump’s proposed tariffs — as high as 20% on imports generally and up to 60% on goods from China — reflect his mandate to revitalize American manufacturing and create jobs. While tariffs could trigger a global trade war, Moore argued they might also "shift production more to domestic" industries, stating, "I’m a free trader, but the public agrees with Trump, and so I think we will see tariffs." Trump himself recently declared that “tariffs” were “the most beautiful word in the dictionary.” The potential implications for Britain are substantial. The National Institute of Economic and Social Research has estimated that Trump’s tariff policies could halve the UK’s GDP growth, creating a £21.5 billion shortfall in the country’s tax and spending plans while driving inflation up by 3 to 4 percentage points. While the EU has prepared retaliatory tariffs targeting iconic American goods like Levi’s jeans and Harley Davidson motorcycles, the UK is unlikely to follow suit, fearing escalation. Instead, ministers are reportedly seeking a carve-out from US tariffs. A free trade deal between the US and UK remains a contentious issue. Boris Johnson’s government previously pursued such an agreement during Trump’s administration, but talks stalled over disputes regarding American agricultural standards. Current Labour leadership, including Chancellor Rachel Reeves, has ruled out allowing imports of chlorine-washed chicken or hormone-treated beef, emphasizing, "We are not going to allow British farmers to be undercut by different rules and regulations in other countries." Moore, who has warmed to Trump’s protectionist rhetoric, explained the strategy: "What he’s talking about is using — he put it very well — raising taxes on things made in China, Mexico, and Europe but lowering taxes on things made here." He acknowledged concerns about trade wars but echoed Trump’s sentiment that such conflicts already exist in practice. Lord Mandelson, a contender for the role of British ambassador to Washington, has advocated for a pragmatic approach. He suggested the UK pursue a limited agreement focusing on digital services and technology. Meanwhile, Lord Darroch, a former British ambassador to the US, predicted that Trump would act decisively on tariffs, leveraging them to demand concessions from trading partners. As the UK navigates its post-Brexit trade strategy, the choice between closer ties with the EU or the US looms large, with significant economic and political consequences tied to either path. Based on a report by the Times and Sunday Times 2024-11-18 -
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Magnetic North Pole's Unusual Shift Stuns Scientists as it Moves Towards Russia
The magnetic North Pole, a crucial element of navigation systems worldwide, is shifting toward Russia in an unprecedented manner, as revealed by new data from the British Geological Survey (BGS). While the pole's movement is not new, its current behavior and pace have intrigued scientists. In the northern hemisphere, compass needles point to the magnetic North Pole, a location shaped by the Earth's ever-changing magnetic field. Unlike the geographic North Pole, which remains stationary at the convergence of longitude lines, the magnetic pole has been in constant motion. Historically, it meandered near northern Canada’s coast but began accelerating toward Siberia in the 1990s. From 1600 to 1990, the pole moved approximately six miles annually. That rate surged to 34 miles per year in the 2000s, only to slow to 22 miles per year in the past five years—a deceleration that scientists have never recorded before. The findings come from the BGS, which collaborates with the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to maintain the World Magnetic Model. Updated every five years, this model predicts the pole’s location and underpins technologies ranging from smartphone compass tools to military navigation systems. William Brown, a global geomagnetic field modeller at the BGS, emphasized its significance, stating, “Planes, boats, submarines, you name it, it’s in there.” The pole’s movement originates deep within the Earth, where molten iron churns in the planet's outer core. This liquid iron, driven by heat escaping from the core, generates the Earth’s magnetic field. Variations in the swirling patterns, roughly 2,000 miles below the surface, influence the magnetic field’s strength and the pole’s position. Describing this dynamic process, Brown compared it to a “giant cup of tea,” noting that the molten outer core has the viscosity of water and is in constant motion. Monitoring these shifts, however, remains complex. When Sir James Clark Ross, a Royal Navy officer and polar explorer, first located the magnetic pole in 1831, he relied on a magnetic needle that pointed directly downward. Today, the BGS employs advanced technology, using satellites and a network of ground stations to observe and map the Earth’s magnetic field. This data sheds light on the behavior of the molten core and its impact on the pole’s location. Professor Phil Livermore from the University of Leeds has offered an explanation for the pole’s unusual recent activity. He describes it as a “tug-of-war” between two magnetic patches—one beneath Canada and another under Siberia. Livermore explained that the Canadian patch seems to have stretched and split, slightly increasing the relative strength of the Siberian patch. This imbalance likely accounts for the pole’s gradual shift toward Russia. While predicting the future behavior of the magnetic North Pole remains elusive, the ongoing monitoring by scientists ensures a better understanding of these complex processes, which are vital for navigation and technology worldwide. Based on a report by the Times and Sunday Times 2024-11-18
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