On 23/6/2016 UK held referendum on Brexit. On 24/6/2016 vote counting was over. UK had voted to leave EU by 51.89% to 48.11% votes. Brexit issue had divided parties. Conservative Party was divided. Prime Minister David Cameron and Chancellor of the Exchequer were in Remain Camp. Former London Mayor Boris Johnson and Justice Secretary Michael…
Category: World
Brexit
Brexit On 23/6/2016 UK will have referendum on Brexit i.e., whether the British should exit EU. Margaret Thatcher was opposed to EU. She said all empires put together either by force or by benevolence come to an end. The Greek Empire came to an end. The Roman Empire came to an end. The Spanish Empire…
Panama Papers
On 4/4/2016 International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, The Indian Express and Suddeutsche Zeitung made public many documents, around 11.5 million, related to firms registered in Panama. Mossack Fonseca is a law firm in Panama. Documents of Mossack Fonseca that have become public have resulted in problems for those who figure in them. Ramon Fonseca, founding…
Donald Trump on Muslims
Donald John Trump is making news all over the world for his comments about Muslims. He said visas should not be issued to Muslims till a system is in place. He said some mosques should be under surveillance and there should be detention centres for Muslims. In London and Paris there are areas inhabited by…
Fight against ISIS
Ever since ISIS terrorists stuck Paris, France’s President Francois Hollande is on a mission to form a coalition against ISIS. He has met UK’s PM David Cameron, USA’s President Barack Obama, Italy’s PM Matteo Renzi, Germany‘s Chancellor Angela Merkel and Russia’s President Vladimir Putin. France wants to withdraw its soldiers from Mali and other African…
Coalition of the killing
On 10/9/2014 on Al Jazeera there was a discussion on ISIS also known as ISIL, IS or Caliphate. Phyllis Bennis referred to John Kerry’s plan to put together a coalition of the willing as a coalition of the killing. She said in American media the beheadings of two American journalists have been portrayed as danger…
Death of Jacintha Saldanha
What two radio jockeys thought or claim was a prank proved tragic to Jacintha Saldanha, a nurse in King Edward VII Hospital. She was 46, married to Benedict Barboza and mother of two children, Junal Nevile (16) and Lisha (14). She was found dead around 9.35 a.m. GMT on 7/12/2012. The jockeys Mel Greig and Michael Christian of 2Day FM, claimed on phone they were Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles. They wanted information about Kate Middleton’s pregnancy. Jacintha Saldanha took the call and transferred it to duty nurse who gave the required information. The incident got publicity to radio station and caused embarrassment to royal family and hospital. Many people were outraged at the invasion of privacy of a pregnant woman. The jockeys were happy about the publicity they got.
Mitt Romney loses
Willard Mitt Romney lost U.S. Presidential election. This election did not have a White Anglo-Saxon Protestant (WASP) or anyone who had served in the military as presidential or vice presidential candidate from Democratic or Republican side. It is said that the proportion of whites in American population is decreasing. It is 72%. If it had…
House of Lords
House of Lords consists of 26 Anglican bishops (Lords Spiritual), 92 hereditary peers, life peers and peeresses and judges of the Supreme Court of Judicature (Law Lords).
There is talk of reforming House of Lords. On 10 July 2012 David Cameron’s government introduced a bill in House of Commons for reform of House of Lords. Its size was to be reduced from 826 to 450. It will be called Senate and 80% of the members will be elected. The demand for reform is from Liberal Democrats who are in coalition with David Cameron’s Conservatives. More than reform it is replacement of House of Lords with another house.
Peace with Pakistan
On 18/4/2012 Pakistan’s General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani called for resolution of Siachen and other issues. He said the two countries cannot keep spending on defence alone and forget about development. This came after Pakistan’s 127 soldiers and 11 civilians were buried alive by an avalanche on 7/4/2012 and searches are on for them.
Kayani’s statement is welcome but India should not throw caution to the wind. India should not vacate Siachen in a hurry. We know what happened in Kargil. After Kayani’s retirement next General may have different ideas about peace with India. Nawaz Sharif wanted peace with India. Atal Behari Vajpayee took bus to Lahore. A few months later Kargil War happened. Then Pervez Musharraf deposed Nawaz Sharif and sent him to jail.