International Relations

https://www.newsweek.com/satellite-phot … c-11191117

The Chinese are rebuilding an old military airfield that assist locals in Micronesia with their essential civilian transport links.

The press are showing this as some sort of evil act by mentioning it was a Japanese military airfield, and how it's very close to a militarised island that is under US occupation.

Meanwhile, in an act of pure bigotry, Austria has banned children from wearing their prefered type of dress.

It seems a headscalf sexualises young girls, but a bikini does not.

Apart from being bigots, they are clearly stupid.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/ … s-under-14

Meanwhile, in an act of pure bigotry, Austria has banned children from wearing their prefered type of dress.
It seems a headscalf sexualises young girls, but a bikini does not.
Apart from being bigots, they are clearly stupid.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/ … s-under-14 - @Fred

Old news.....

Meanwhile, in an act of pure bigotry, Austria has banned children from wearing their prefered type of dress.
It seems a headscalf sexualises young girls, but a bikini does not.
Apart from being bigots, they are clearly stupid.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/ … s-under-14 - @Fred
Old news..... - @SimCityAT

11 Dec 2025 is old?

Meanwhile, in an act of pure bigotry, Austria has banned children from wearing their prefered type of dress.
It seems a headscalf sexualises young girls, but a bikini does not.
Apart from being bigots, they are clearly stupid.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/ … s-under-14 - @Fred
Old news..... - @SimCityAT
11 Dec 2025 is old?
- @Fred

Oh dear Fred, you seem to have forgotten where I live!

Meanwhile, in an act of pure bigotry, Austria has banned children from wearing their prefered type of dress.
It seems a headscalf sexualises young girls, but a bikini does not.
Apart from being bigots, they are clearly stupid.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/ … s-under-14 - @Fred
Old news..... - @SimCityAT
11 Dec 2025 is old?
- @Fred
Oh dear Fred, you seem to have forgotten where I live! - @SimCityAT

No, but it seems your reading comprehension is limited. It's 24 hours old news.

The news of their bigotry is new, or at least this vote is.

The question is, why would you want to make yourself look stupid by denying very well reported news?

Would you be trying to defect attention from their neo-nazi law for some reason?

I'm with SimCityAT. 

That story and theme has been around here for some years.  There was another law doing the same thing but for 8 year old children and that was struck down as unconstitutional. So this is a second attempt with a different age range.

Austria has a large Turkish population and it's general antagonism over their presence.   It's an old story and just more of the same.  Austrian village I lived in was populated by many Turkish people.  Nothing ever happened there between the different ethnic groups.  Everyone seemed to get along without any serious issues.

Meanwhile, in an act of pure bigotry, Austria has banned children from wearing their prefered type of dress.
It seems a headscalf sexualises young girls, but a bikini does not.
Apart from being bigots, they are clearly stupid.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/ … s-under-14 - @Fred
Old news..... - @SimCityAT
11 Dec 2025 is old?
- @Fred
Oh dear Fred, you seem to have forgotten where I live!  - @SimCityAT
No, but it seems your reading comprehension is limited. It's 24 hours old news.
The news of their bigotry is new, or at least this vote is.
The question is, why would you want to make yourself look stupid by denying very well reported news?
Would you be trying to defect attention from their neo-nazi law for some reason? - @Fred

Fred, It was just made law, but we have known about this for the past year. It just had to be voted on in parliament. So yes, its old news.

Meanwhile, in an act of pure bigotry, Austria has banned children from wearing their prefered type of dress.
It seems a headscalf sexualises young girls, but a bikini does not.
Apart from being bigots, they are clearly stupid.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/ … s-under-14 - @Fred
Old news..... - @SimCityAT
11 Dec 2025 is old?
- @Fred
Oh dear Fred, you seem to have forgotten where I live! - @SimCityAT
No, but it seems your reading comprehension is limited. It's 24 hours old news.
The news of their bigotry is new, or at least this vote is.
The question is, why would you want to make yourself look stupid by denying very well reported news?
Would you be trying to defect attention from their neo-nazi law for some reason? - @Fred
Fred, It was just made law, but we have known about this for the past year. It just had to be voted on in parliament. So yes, its old news. - @SimCityAT

But the news story was about the NEW law, not old ones.

It's a NEW storty on the NEWS as a NEW story.

I'm trying to think of a reason why you would want to try to deflect from a far right, bigoted law that is clearly intended to attack a given part of the population.

Perhaps you could explain.

I'm with SimCityAT.
That story and theme has been around here for some years. There was another law doing the same thing but for 8 year old children and that was struck down as unconstitutional. So this is a second attempt with a different age range.

Austria has a large Turkish population and it's general antagonism over their presence. It's an old story and just more of the same. Austrian village I lived in was populated by many Turkish people. Nothing ever happened there between the different ethnic groups. Everyone seemed to get along without any serious issues. - @fluffy2560

  I know when we went to school they had a dress code. I know, I was sent home a few times to change out of jeans into a skirt.

My husband in Hungary wore a uniform;

Those seems restrictive at first but actually they are a good idea.

No one can judge each other by how expensive their outfits are etc;

School is suppose to be about learning, not a fashion show.

Then again if people want to follow religious customs then send your children to a religious school of your own faith.

I'm with SimCityAT.
That story and theme has been around here for some years. There was another law doing the same thing but for 8 year old children and that was struck down as unconstitutional. So this is a second attempt with a different age range.

Austria has a large Turkish population and it's general antagonism over their presence. It's an old story and just more of the same. Austrian village I lived in was populated by many Turkish people. Nothing ever happened there between the different ethnic groups. Everyone seemed to get along without any serious issues. - @fluffy2560
I know when we went to school they had a dress code. I know, I was sent home a few times to change out of jeans into a skirt.
My husband in Hungary wore a uniform;
Those seems restrictive at first but actually they are a good idea.
No one can judge each other by how expensive their outfits are etc;
School is suppose to be about learning, not a fashion show.
Then again if people want to follow religious customs then send your children to a religious school of your own faith. - @Marilyn Tassy

Those are general restrictions that apply to all, and they don't restrict the movements of people who feel it's unseemly to go out without hair coverings. If I were to pass a law forcing you to go topless in the street you would feel restricted, and very probably like you were some sort of whore.

That's how it is for many Muslim girls with their head coverings.

It's strange how it will be illegal for a Muslim girl to go outside with a head covering, but not if she goes outside with a head covering.

I have to be honest - I can't believe how stupid extremists are (right, left, religious, or whatever else works as an excuse to hate).

When they get power, they always destroy the country they claim to love.

I'm absolutely shocked that anyone even bothers with extremist politics after we have seen the downfall of so many countries that have tried it.

I'm with SimCityAT.
That story and theme has been around here for some years. There was another law doing the same thing but for 8 year old children and that was struck down as unconstitutional. So this is a second attempt with a different age range.

Austria has a large Turkish population and it's general antagonism over their presence. It's an old story and just more of the same. Austrian village I lived in was populated by many Turkish people. Nothing ever happened there between the different ethnic groups. Everyone seemed to get along without any serious issues. - @fluffy2560
I know when we went to school they had a dress code. I know, I was sent home a few times to change out of jeans into a skirt.
My husband in Hungary wore a uniform;
Those seems restrictive at first but actually they are a good idea.
No one can judge each other by how expensive their outfits are etc;
School is suppose to be about learning, not a fashion show.
Then again if people want to follow religious customs then send your children to a religious school of your own faith. - @Marilyn Tassy

It's very common to wear a school uniform in the UK.   

The idea is to equalise how the kids look so you cannot tell who is rich and who is poor and indeed which kids are on the street when they should be in school.  By law kids must be in school. Apart from the home schooled ones or those that are ill.   Going on holiday is not an excuse for missing school.  Anyway, that's all pretty normal in the UK. 

I don't know any schools in developed countries that allow kids to wear hats in class. 

@Fred

Its not old laws. It was said a year ago that this would happen.

Sorry Fred, its YOU who is out of touch with what is happening in Europe.

@Fred
Its not old laws. It was said a year ago that this would happen.
Sorry Fred, its YOU who is out of touch with what is happening in Europe. - @SimCityAT

Said is one thing.

Done is news.

I have no idea why you want to downplay the Nazi agenda.

From The Economist:

America’s Supreme Court should strike down Donald Trump’s tariffs

It's behind a paywall.  Summary is:

"America’s trade policy might seem to have settled down since the spring, but it could soon take another dramatic turn. The Supreme Court is expected to rule imminently on the legality of roughly half of President Donald Trump’s tariffs—those imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) of 1977. By means of this law, the president claims to have the discretion to set tariffs as he pleases, having declared America’s trade deficit and the influx of fentanyl to be national emergencies. Yet three courts have ruled the tariffs illegal. The Supreme Court could concur."

This is going to upset the Trump apple cart if SCOTUS follows precedent and the law.

Is the US leading us into WWIII?

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/12/ … ran-report

Heavily armed US pirate forces attacked and held a ship traveling between China and Iran.

The US claim sanctions bustling,  but those sanctions are imposed by the US and have no legal force in China, Iran, or on the high seas.

If US pirate attacks continue,  I can see a future where countries will use an escorted convoy system to protect their unarmed civilian shipping from the United States.

A US military attack on such a convoy would be an act of war, and that could very easily turn into something very nasty.

Not really international relations but....

Orbán’s challenger Magyar calls for accountability at Budapest protest after government’s child protection failures

"Thousands gathered in central Budapest on a weekday afternoon as an opposition-led march moved from Deák Square to the Sándor Palace, where the leader of the Tisza Party, Péter Magyar delivered a powerful speech focused on the failures of Hungary’s child protection system. Speaking after 6 PM, Magyar framed the demonstration not as a political rally, but as a moral stand for abused and neglected children living in state care."

Mrs Fluffy was there but I wasn't up for the walk and standing about in the crowd.

We have not yet seen numbers of attendees yet.

Interesting development which removes Slovakian and Hungarian vetoes on potential Ukraine funding.

Orbán sidelined: Sanctions no longer need Hungary’s approval under new EU emergency mechanism

"Emergency powers to keep EUR 210 billion in Russian assets frozen Under the new rules, the European Commission will have the authority to keep Russian state assets frozen until Moscow ends its war in Ukraine and pays reparations. The assets, totalling around EUR 210 billion and held largely within Euroclear in Belgium, form part of a larger EU plan to provide Ukraine with a reparations-backed loan, according to Politico."

BTW, it also screws up Trump's plan to get that money to Putin while agreeing a peace plan that doesn't involve Ukraine or Europe.

Interesting development which removes Slovakian and Hungarian vetoes on potential Ukraine funding.
Orbán sidelined: Sanctions no longer need Hungary’s approval under new EU emergency mechanism

"Emergency powers to keep EUR 210 billion in Russian assets frozen Under the new rules, the European Commission will have the authority to keep Russian state assets frozen until Moscow ends its war in Ukraine and pays reparations. The assets, totalling around EUR 210 billion and held largely within Euroclear in Belgium, form part of a larger EU plan to provide Ukraine with a reparations-backed loan, according to Politico.". - @fluffy2560

Yes, a fine example of EU democracy.

If they don't agree, you simply freeze them out so they can't have a say.

Some interesting aspects relating to Donald Trump's outburst on Rob and Michele Reiner's murders.

DARVO - "Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim and Offender"

NPD - Narcissistic personality disorder

Looks like Donny outdid himself this time.  I wonder now if he's mentally ill.  I was thinking it was dementia but that's too generous.  Now I think it's chronic NPD.

This one went somewhat under the radar:

Commission launches infringement procedure against Slovakia over controversial constitutional reform

The European Commission announced on Friday that it has opened an infringement procedure against Slovakia, following its recent controversial constitutional amendment.

Slovakia’s constitutional reform, adopted on 26 September, recognises only two genders, bans surrogacy and same-sex marriage, and states that Slovak law prevails over EU norms in “value-based” issues.

Slovak law prevails over EU norms.  Nope, wrong!  EU law is akin to the Supremacy laws of the USA.  If Slovakia doesn't like it, then leave the EU and don't let the door hit you on a derriere on the way out.  And that includes you Orban!

The European Commission announced on Friday that it has opened an infringement procedure against Slovakia, following its recent controversial constitutional amendment.
- @fluffy2560

Here we see one of the major issues with the EU - If the beaurocrats see something they don't like, they force it on members without a vote.

We saw the same with the stolen Russian money. They knew they were in danger of democracy beating their game, so they stopped countries that would block them. Nice one, 'mein furious'.

This issue is very controversial,  so I suggest an EU wide public referendum designed to ask the people how many genders there are, and should same sex marriages be allowed.

You could add yes or no questions about birth genders and sports.

Throw in gender and public toilets.

It would be very interesting to see true public opinion,  but it won't happen because the EU paper dictatorship are far too scared their gravy train will get derailed.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/12/ … rn-pacific

Yet more murdering at sea.

No proof of anything,  but fired upon by attackers they have no defence against.

It's time for arrest warrants against those who order the killings, and the "only following orders " actual murderers.

There should also be immediate sanctions against the US.

https://www.bbc.com/news/videos/cz94qp0758wo

Media tycoon and pro-democracy advocate Jimmy Lai has been found guilty of foreign collusion following a landmark trial in Hong Kong.

It took me about two minutes to find Lai and the NED were in bed together, and that's on the NED's own site.

This crime is being painted as the Chinese government being very naughty boys, but they actually stuffed a traitor in gaol.

https://www.wiley.law/alert-Former-New- … Violations

On Tuesday, September 3, 2024, Linda Sun, a former high-ranking official in New York State’s government, was arrested in Brooklyn and charged with violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) for allegedly acting as an undisclosed agent of the People’s Republic of China (PRC

Ah, it's good news when the US does it, but evil when China or Hungary do the same.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4gej5ezyypo

The US is trying to put a new government in Venezuela in order to get hold of their heavy crude.

Murder and piracy for money.

UK gives Abramovich final warning to transfer £2.5bn to Ukraine fund

UK gives Abramovich final warning to transfer £2.5bn to Ukraine fund - @SimCityAT

Yes, read that. 

He wants it for all war victims and I can see his point but I tend to agree with the HMG,  Russia and Russians should not benefit from their aggression. 

And besides that, he's fence sitting to avoid getting targeted and probably bumped off by Putin. Or he's hoping for a miracle he can keep the cash.

HMG will take the money anyway - one way or another.   He's got no chance.  Might as well throw in the towel now.

UK gives Abramovich final warning to transfer £2.5bn to Ukraine fund - @SimCityAT

Yes, the UK government forced a sale, made sure the money can't be used, and ultimately want to force him to give it away.

Why? Because he is friends with the 'wrong' man.

That doesn't mean I respect the guy in any way - he seems pretty much corrupt to the core - but is stealing acceptable because of his nationality or his choice of friends?

This is a fine example of selective 'justice'. Blair, the British tax avoiding corrupt war criminal, has not so much as a parking ticket,  but Mr. A gets his cash stolen for doing a lot less.

HMG, Russia and Russians should not benefit from their aggression.

- @fluffy2560

I think you will find the vast majority of Russians are far more interested in paying their electricity bill and getting their kids to school than they are in politics.

Blanket statements about 'Russians' are pure bigotry.

However, you have a posting history of such (including pure lies against 'the Chinese') so more bigotry is hardly a shock.

It's disturbing,  but not surprising.

In the aftermath of the pirate attack and theft of a tanker off Venezuela,  fleets are hiding in port .... but not all ships.

The drug terrorists in the Venezuelan government are still selling and shipping oil to the United States.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-ne … 57714.html

Given the US fabrications about massive Venezuelan government drug running,  and efficiently blockaded the country to stop their supposed narcotics trade, it seems the drug kingpins are being paid by the US.

I'm amazed anyone believes US propaganda any more.

Congress passes $901bn defense bill that includes support for Ukraine and Europe

Senate advances 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, which White House says Trump will sign into law

Congress passes $901bn defense bill that includes support for Ukraine and Europe
Senate advances 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, which White House says Trump will sign into law - @SimCityAT

That looks significant but it's only $800M for Ukraine and the estimate is €90B needed over the next two years. In other words, not enough.  EU is on the job with the seized assets but the current divisions are a work in progress.

I think the RIF (Reduction in Force) for Europe is interesting. I believe the US has 150,000 personnel in Europe so the minimum level is half of the present time.

One wonders what the previous NSS (National Security Strategy) was about as the NDAA seems to be contrary to some of Trump's aims.  Maybe the NSS is in fact, nothing at all.

Trump says he's giving $1776 to each serving military member.   A dividend.  For what? He also denied the emergent affordability crisis.  I can see other members of the Fed government asking where their checks (UK: cheques) are.

@fluffy2560

Did you watch the speech?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67ESj3hDZ9U

@fluffy2560

Trump has also stuck up plaques in the President's Hall of Fame.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0zs_t952RI

The man is losing his mind.

@fluffy2560Trump has also stuck up plaques in the President's Hall of Fame.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0zs_t952RIThe man is losing his mind. - @SimCityAT

Not to worry, the next President might even more nuts and is going to put them in an incinerator on TV or send them back with CANCELLED stamped on them.  Absolute waste of time and money.

I wonder where Jimmy Kimmel is going to turn up when he's done there?  Netflix? Amazon?  Apple?

Jay Leno turns up regularly on car programmes.  He has a magnificent collection of specialist vehicles.

@fluffy2560Did you watch the speech?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67ESj3hDZ9U - @SimCityAT

I saw some highlights but I really could not sit through that crap for more than a couple of minutes.

600% less for drugs.  Maths 101 Donny, Maths 101.

Update: Interesting presentation on MSNOW refuting the economics.

Ay carumba.

In the murderous race to control oil supplies, the US is trying to force an end to free enterprise and impose its rules other countries.

India is so financially powerful, it's giving a very clear middle finger to the Yanks.

US law is not world law unless nations bow down to the bully.

https://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News … tions.html

Europe rolled over and allowed the US to profit from the Ukraine conflict when it replaced Russian oil with more expensive US oil - hang on - does this open up the possibility that the Ukrain thing is actually an oil and gas war?

Remind me to take another look at the almost exact match in the rise of US shale oil and gas production timeline against key events in the Ukraine revolution that removed that country's democracy.

Ah, I made a spreadsheet  - The match is uncanny.

https://www.politico.eu/article/cricket … er-x-fine/

The US is threatening EU companies because US companies aren't allowed to break EU laws.

The big problem here is for the US as many countries move away from US tech companies, and hunt for new export markets outside the US.

One of the most noticeable losers is Microsoft.  The US did a few counties,  Russia and North Korea included, a favour by sanctioning them, but other countries are opting out.

Germany, France, and Denmark are leading the escape in Europe.

I can see a time in the not so distant future where regions develop their own software,  all hosted on local servers,  and freeze Microsoft out.

Other US tech companies are likely to suffer in the same way as US threats make using US products undesirable, and even a national security issue.