What a hoot. I mean, I nearly landed in hospital with laughter split sides. Did Russia actually believe that US and British intelligence would launch a major cyber-attack on the American government in order to cast blame on Moscow? To be fair to Sergei Naryshkin, head of Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), he didn't actually categorically blame the CIA, National Security Agency, MI6 and GCHQ for the December Solar Winds hack into US government departments and about 100 private companies. Naryshkin simply denied Russian culpability and claimed that the tactics were similar to those used by American and British intelligence. ...
Current The Complete Short Stories of Guy de Maupassant City of Blades, by Robert Jackson Bennett Last books finished All the Fabulous Beasts, by Priya Sharma Doctor Who: The Pandorica Opens: Exploring the Worlds of the Eleventh Doctor, by Frank Collins Jurassic Park, by Michael Crichton Finna, by Nino Cipri Next books Wonder Woman: The Golden Age, Vol. 2 by William Moulton Marston The Mammoth Book of SF Stories by Women, ed. Alex Dally MacFarlane
Rightly or wrongly our royal family share with the BBC the distinction of being one of Britain's most internationally admired institutions. That being the case Princes William and Harry may come to regret their outspoken welcomes for Lord Dyson's highly critical report on the BBC in relation to Martin Bashir's interview with their mother in 1995. Of course those of us who have not experienced similar family disruptions cannot begin to understand the pain the two boys must have experienced at the time, and which they still feel. Psychologists tell us that all children see their parents, even those that ...
Following reports that a ceasefire between the Israeli government and Hamas has now been agreed, Layla Moran MP, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs commented: "Sixty six children have died since the outbreak of violence last week. Every death was totally preventable. And while a ceasefire is welcome, we cannot afford yet another return to a status quo which will only lead to more innocent deaths in the future."The potential evictions, demolitions and settlement expansions in the West Bank - which are breaches of international law - must be stopped. The status quo arrangements in Jerusalem must be restored. It ...
Responding to the National Audit Office's report on the Windrush Compensation Scheme, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Home Affairs Alistair Carmichael commented: "The Government's response to the appalling Windrush Scandal is rapidly turning into a new scandal all of its own. "It should never have been left to the Home Office - which caused so much harm in the first place - to put things right. That's why Liberal Democrats called for the compensation scheme to be fully independent from the start. "Conservative Ministers must finally admit their mistake and take the Compensation Scheme out of the hands of the discredited ...
There are many things about Andy Burnham I dislike but I have to credit him with one thing: the guy always finds new ways to make me like him even less than I already do. During one of his recent copious interviews in which he is in no way seeking to put himself in the shop window to be next Labour leader, Burnham said that the reason Labour had been deserted by so many of its former voters was because of its pro-EU tendencies and that "people are embracing the fact that this is a new reality now in the ...
Why is PR a good thing? What's the route to securing it for more elections? How much should Liberal Democrats talk about it?
Like me, Ros has been working from home since last March, and it's been something of an adjustment for both of us. Technology, and the willingness to use it, has changed how we operate. But there are always those who romanticise the way things were, and exist that nothing must change. The House of Lords has its fair share of those. Ros isn't one of them... My Lords, that the House was able to continue doing its work almost from the start of the pandemic is nothing short of miraculous and is a real tribute to the commitment of a ...
Thu, 16:37: RT @swordlesbi: PLS WHO MADE THIS THIS IS THE BEST VIDEO ON THE INTERNET I— https://t.co/fJjoF06y3T Thu, 18:39: In the Days of the Comet, by H. G. Wells https://t.co/PXDOEVxLtU Fri, 09:30: Whoniversaries 21 May https://t.co/AiqUbon76G Fri, 10:45: RT @hhesterm: Some thoughts on a trade tweet that - as many have pointed out - is wrong. Now I try to no longer critcise tweets of others,...
Please see below information on planning applications received in our local area in the last month. Please don't hesitate to get in touch if you require any further information or have queries. First floor side and front extension 11 Knights Close, Prestwich, Manchester, M25 1PPRef. No: 66980 | Received: Thu 06 May 2021 | Validated: Thu 06 May 2021 | Status: RegisteredPrior approval for proposed single storey rear extension 93 Polefield Hall Road, Prestwich, Manchester, M25 2WWRef. No: 66965 | Received: Fri 30 Apr 2021 | Validated: Fri 30 Apr 2021 | Status: RegisteredProposed 20m high phase 8 monopole c/w ...
Congratulations to our local football team, Prestwich Heys, who are celebrating promotion to the North West Counties League Premier Division. The promotion is as a result of a restructure of non-professional leagues. As one of the top teams in Division One North Heys was entitled to apply for the Premier Division which has now been confirmed. Congratulations to the club for for its success. The Premier Division season starts on 31st July. More details here.
It isn't just Boris Johnson who has been busy renovating his 'grace and favour' flat, though in his case there are still legitimate and unanswered questions as to who paid and whether any loans were properly declared. The Guardian reports that a secret plan to renovate five "grace and favour" flats on the parliamentary estate for senior House of Commons staff has cost nearly £700,000 of public money: Emails released under the Freedom of Information Act show that officials were initially given a budget of £280,000 for the refurbishment. But after installing new kitchens, bathrooms, carpets and floors, receipts released ...
A total of 103,821 people registered with a Bury GP have now had their first dose of the coronavirus vaccine – and 66,172 residents have now received their second jab. If you are aged 34 and over you can visit the NHS National Booking Service or call 119 to book your first dose appointment, or book an appointment locally at: https://covid.nhsbookings.com/gmpcn However, residents are being warned against complacency, and urged to keep up the fight against Covid-19. Lesley Jones, Bury's director of public health, said: "We're making great progress in getting people vaccinated – but coronavirus is still very much ...
From 21 June our Waste Management Service will introduce new, more efficient collection rounds. This will mean: a change in collection day for most households, but not all;around 5% (approx 4,000 households) will have a separate collection day for their brown bin. How often we empty bins will not changeDuring June extra one-off collections will be provided to some households (those that would otherwise have to wait too long between collections as we transition from the existing to the new rounds). You should already have received a Pre-notification leaflet (delivery to all households between 10 and 28 May) Extra one-off ...
i) births and deaths 21 May 1953: birth of Trevor Cooper, who played security chief Takis in Revelation of the Daleks (Sixth Doctor, 1985) and Friar Tuck in Robot of Sherwood (Twelfth Doctor, 2014) 21 May 1985: birth of Calvin Dean, who played the Slitheen in the form of a boy called Chris in The Gift (Sarah Jane Adventures, 2009) and security guard Ha-Ha in Nightmare in Silver (Eleventh Doctor, 2013). ii) broadcast anniversaries 21 May 1966: broadcast of "The O.K. Corral", last episode of the story we now call The Gunfighters, and the last episode before 2005 to have ...
It is difficult for councillors to set their own allowances. It always generates controversy. Yesterday, councillors agreed the recommendations of an independent review to increase the backbencher allowance by 4% to £12,000 (which does not restore a previous cut of 6%). More importantly, it agreed to my proposal to raise allowances in line with the annual increase in council staff wages. We need never discuss backbench allowances again. We will need to debate adjustments on how much cabinet members and committee chairs receive. These roles change when the way the council works changes. Many councillors work their socks off, not ...
Blether Tay-Gither is the Dundee Storytelling Group. From Sheila Kinninmonth, Blether Tay-Gither's secretary : Hope you can join us for our May Blether on Zoom Tuesday 25th May - 7pm to 9pm This month's theme for those who want a theme is is Gardens but feel free to share any story, poem or song you would like to share. We're very informal and not at all strict. Limit 10 mins max please. There's no shortage of tales about what goes on in the gardens of Scotland. It is often the dwelling place for all sorts of odd creatures, as well ...
"There is a lot of common ground between most councillors about the pragmatic methods needed to deliver services and a better future for those they represent. That common ground too often gets dissipated by an unnecessary tribalism and arrogance with people defending their tribe to the end instead of accepting compromise and joint working and rightful involvement." Richard Kemp looks at the new coalitions emerging after this month's local elections. Maddy Shaw Roberts reports that musicians and music businesses are warning time is up for UK grassroots acts and European orchestras are resistant to booking UK artists because of 'paperwork ...
