polymerpunkah

I love the bit at the end: People bashing each other's brains out with 2x4s--brought to you by Tik-Tok!

Trump, on the other hand, is 100% positive that "Francois Mitterrand" is the currency they use in France.

The bipartisan legislation unveiled Sunday night and promptly endorsed by Biden is primarily focused on military aid for Ukraine and Israel as well as overhauling U.S. immigration policy. But it includes a provision regarding funding for the chief aid organization focused on Palestinians: the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, or UNRWA. Breaking with the U.S.’s historic approach as UNRWA’s chief donor, the bill states no money it approves can go to UNRWA and prevents UNRWA from even receiving U.S. funding that has already been approved for the agency. The Republicans in the House (though perhaps those in the Senate will get there first) are set to kill this bill without a vote: they'd love to starve the Palestinians in Gaza and do something to solve the migrant situation, but they don't want to send money to help Ukraine defend itself, and most of all they don't want "to give Biden a victory". Conversely, the Dems are okay with starvation and blocking migrants if it means aid to Ukraine (and a political victory). American politics in action: an immoral process of horse-trading the blood of others in hopes of making domestic political gains. I'm waiting to see what my, Canada's, "leaders" decide to do--my guess is they'll do whatever their US masters tell them to do. The spineless bastards.

"Dancing in the Glory of Monsters" by Jason K. Stearns. Mentioned it elsewhere, and was going to put it in the book thread, but maybe better here. Book explaining the wars in the now DRC (Zaire, Congo) following the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, and, in part, that country's role in those wars during which millions died, many of them refugees. Same leaders then as now. I'd wager that Sunak hasn't read it. Perhaps he should.

DANCING IN THE GLORY OF MONSTERS. The Collapse of the Congo and the Great War of Africa By Jason K. Stearns Looks at the wars fought in the Congo c. 1996-2002 following the genocide in Rwanda. An incredibly complicated situation, with most of DRC's neighbours involved at one point or another, and some throughout. The only constant being innocent people dying. Book could have been much longer and more detailed, but I think the situation was so complex that might always be the case. Well worth reading without doubt.

Cote D'Ivoire with the winner in ET of ET. Fully deserved, played most of the match with ten men, and played to win in ET.

Cote D'Ivoire with a 90th minute equalizer vs Mali. Entertaining match, headed for extra time.

Word of a possible staged settlement: The deal currently on the table would see Israel cease all military action in the Gaza Strip for six days while Hamas gathers and delivers all remaining civilian hostages to Israel. Depending on the success of this phase, the ceasefire would be extended to allow for all female Israeli military personnel, and a third stage would see the release of male soldiers. At the same time, Hamas is demanding the release of thousands of Palestinian prisoners held in Israel.

This. And the minute they're elected, they'll be running for re-election. Running scared.

Dead Man's Bones "Lose Your Soul"

It's almost as if the manager is trying to display his ability to play "modern football" to other potential employers, rather than attempting to keep his own club in the premier league.

Postecoglu high-line-at-all-costs is suicidal. Brentford up 1-0, on the break (at the third opportunity in the first 15 minutes).

But if they go into administration, they won't have to pay for Beto.

THREE-STAGE TRUCE A senior Hamas official told Reuters the Gaza ceasefire proposal involved a three-stage truce, during which Hamas would release the remaining civilians among hostages captured on Oct. 7, then soldiers, and finally the bodies of dead hostages. The proposal followed talks in Paris involving intelligence chiefs from Israel, the U.S. and Egypt, with the prime minister of Qatar. Palestinians welcomed the possibility of a ceasefire but said fighting must end permanently. "Any ceasefire that doesn't end the war and return us to our homes in Gaza City and the north is not worth it," Ahmed, who fled his home in Gaza City for Rafah in the south, said by telephone. "We are exhausted." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu repeated his vow not to pull troops out of Gaza until "total victory". Israel says it will not stop fighting until Hamas is eradicated. Hamas says it will release its remaining captives only as part of a wider deal to end the war permanently. The conflict has triggered concern of an escalation in an already tense region. So if there is a permanent ceasefire, negotiated between Israel and Hamas, what does that do to Israel's claims that the reason they are murdering these tens of thousands of innocent men women and children is to destroy Hamas completely?

Left-Eye O'Lopes

Watched some of "Foyle's War" a few weeks ago. He was in one story. Played an English businessman collaborating with the Nazis. Absolute scumbag. It was like they wrote the role for him.

Wasn't SA supporting the army, in return for Sudanese troops serving in the conflict in Yemen? Or has that deal ended with the decline in fighting in Yemen?

New manager bounce.

Oooof. I was expecting a blow-out. But Senegal sat back when they should have continued to attack, IMO. They're a very good team, but they've let CI have control all match.

Senegal already up 1 vs Cote D'Ivoire. Mane gets a yellow card for what could have been red.

They really are putting themselves between a rock and a hard place accepting money in advance from 777, or getting involved with them at all, for that matter: https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/flair-airlines-unpaid-taxes-cra-seizure-order-1.7098045 Court documents show Flair Airlines owes the federal government $67.2 million in unpaid taxes, prompting the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) to obtain an order for the seizure and sale of the carrier's property. The CRA said it cannot comment on specific cases for confidentiality reasons but that it looks to make arrangements with a company "based on their ability to pay" before it garnishees revenues or goes even further. "As a last resort, we may take additional legal collection actions such as seizing property or assets to protect the interests of the Crown," spokesperson Kim Thiffault said in an email to The Canadian Press. The Canadian Transportation Agency in 2022 launched an investigation of Flair to ensure that 777 Partners was not exerting effective control of the airline, in violation of laws that require an airline be Canadian controlled. The CTA’s preliminary inquiry found that 777 Partners owned 25 per cent of Flair but held “dominant” influence as a major lender and provider of leased aircraft. Three of Flair’s five directors were tied to 777 Partners.

Which has me thinking about Overton windows, and our apparent inevitable slide to the right, and the role of the media and the internet in that slide....

Sorry, this is in Canada. As it stands, our centrist Liberal government has "only" suspended funding temporarily. The lesser of two evils, as always.

The leader of the Conservative Party here, in the wake of the allegations against UNRWA, has proceeded to call them a "terrorist organization" and promised to cut our funding to it. Knee-jerk reaction is always to the extreme, no nuance, no thought, just senseless destructive attack at every opportunity.

Played in the heat and humidity of Africa. With the prospect of returning, in most cases, for a second half of a professional season.