Best Of

I see that Hamas chief Sinwar's body has been found, in a tunnel underneath a hospital. With journalists being taken to the tunnels underneath the hospital.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c62veqrq3yzo

I seem to recall @bondegezou insisting a few days ago that Hamas were actually using a school, not the hospital, a few metres away as the human shields, so that makes it OK by Hamas and a war crime by Israel to strike at him at the hospital where his body has now been found.

Good on Israel for striking another Hamas leader. A shame for the poor, innocent Palestinians who are caught in the middle and being denied refuge from this war by neighbouring states until Hamas surrenders.

War crimes are being committed by both sides. Of the two, the greater are now those being committed by Israel, which appears to have a policy of, at the minimum, expelling the Palestinian population of Gaza and, perhaps, given the starvation blockade, simply killing off 2 million people or a substantial proportion of them.

For those who say 'but it's a war; nasty stuff happens', yes: that's why there are rules under international law. Sometimes innocent civilians get killed in wars, especially urban wars and even more so urban wars where one side is using civilian infrastructure as shields (and the other doesn't care that they are). That is to be expected and, while deaths should be minimised where possible, armed forces still have to be able to engage the enemy. However, the deliberate starvation of a nation is a war crime and occupying powers - which Israel now is - have duties to the civilians under their control.

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I see that Hamas chief Sinwar's body has been found, in a tunnel underneath a hospital. With journalists being taken to the tunnels underneath the hospital.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c62veqrq3yzo

I seem to recall @bondegezou insisting a few days ago that Hamas were actually using a school, not the hospital, a few metres away as the human shields, so that makes it OK by Hamas and a war crime by Israel to strike at him at the hospital where his body has now been found.

Good on Israel for striking another Hamas leader. A shame for the poor, innocent Palestinians who are caught in the middle and being denied refuge from this war by neighbouring states until Hamas surrenders.

The tunnels situation is quite interesting. In such a densely-packed area as Gaza, it's quite possible that a tunnel network starting from (say) a shop, spreads not just downwards, but laterally, to cover an area that encompasses the footprints of both a school and a hospital. They may (or may not) be connected to those buildings (*), but even if they are not connected, they are using those civilian structures as cover.

The idea that "it starts from a school, not the hospital" seems rather simplistic.

But on the other hand: if the network is widespread, how could the journalists know whether they are under the hospital or elsewhere (given the tunnel was apparently accessed through freshly-dug earth just outside the hospital)?

(*) It would make sense for them to be connected, even if not the primary route used.

It is astonishing that some (not you) still try to pretend that hospitals and schools are not used by Hamas for their command and control centres making them both legal targets for the Israelis and putting their own vulnerable people at risk. The evidence to the contrary is overwhelming.

Does this excuse what Israel is doing? Of course not. Much of what they are doing are war crimes. But bombing hospitals used in this way is not. It’s merely abhorrent.

Abhorrent but sadly necessary to defeat Hamas.

Too many here don't want to see Hamas defeated, or their unconditional surrender though.

The Tamil Tigers were defeated. There's no reason Hamas can't be. All it takes to end the fighting is for them to surrender.

What do you think of Israel’s latest plan to defeat Hamas, by arming ISIS-affiliated groups in Gaza? https://edition.cnn.com/2025/06/06/middleeast/israel-arming-hamas-rivals-gaza-intl

I think it's bloody stupid and Netanyahu is the wrong person to be Israeli PM.

Israel should be seeking a monopoly of violence, as any state does.

Thank goodness Israel is a democracy and Israelis have had multiple opportunities (checks notes: since 1996) to get rid of Netanyahu, unlike the vile Gazans who bear all responsibilty for Hamas being in power since a single election in 2006.

If I had one wish it would be that someone would drop Bartholomew Roberts in the middle of Gaza with his laptop and see whether he develops into a human being

I want the war to end, with the surrender of Hamas.

That won't happen until the grievances that Hamas feeds off are addressed. Even if Hamas were somehow destroyed, some successor organisation would take its place.

Unlike, say, the Ukraine war, which is basically one man's folly, though he is backed by a band of opportunists and fanatics, the Palestinian cause seems genuinely popular and has survived God knows how many military defeats.

Until Israel offers genuine concessions and deals with the Palestinians as equals, entitled to at least some share in the land the Israelis occupied last century, the tragic, pointless sore will continue to fester.

Israel has repeatedly offered genuine concessions, this century. Such as the agreement spurned by Arafat, or the subsequent withdrawal from Gaza which Hamas then stepped into the void with. Both were before Netanyahu returned to power.

I would love nothing more than to see Hamas defeated, then some Palestinian leadership stepping into the void that settles and ends the fighting. I'm confident most Israelis would vote for that too, if it were an option.

Its not an option until Hamas is eradicated though.

The way Israel is carrying on is more likely to radicalise not only Palestinian opinion but Arab and muslim opinion more widely (as indeed we see in this country).

But I don't accept the premise that a Hamas regime was inevitable; it wasn't in the West Bank (which admittedly wasn't kept under such tight restrictions - though the restrictions followed the Hamas coup rather than vice versa). That the Palestinian leadership have previously rejected genuine offers is their own stupid fault; that doesn't give Israel a green light to make even worse decisions.

Hamas does need removing from Gaza; that's not going to happen militarily unless you remove the population - which seems to be the conclusion Israel has come to: and a a war crime and a crime against humanity. It's also a bloody stupid precedent given that extreme Arab opinion holds much the same view of the presence of the state of Israel.

If peace isn't possible without the population being moved then the population should be moved, which happens regularly in conflicts most recently in Azerbaijan without so much as a murmur from most of the world.

Though hopefully it won't come to that and Hamas can surrender instead, as the Tamil Tigers did.

And for those who say the problem can be solved by the removal of Israel? Once you start down that road, be careful where you go.

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I see that Hamas chief Sinwar's body has been found, in a tunnel underneath a hospital. With journalists being taken to the tunnels underneath the hospital.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c62veqrq3yzo

I seem to recall @bondegezou insisting a few days ago that Hamas were actually using a school, not the hospital, a few metres away as the human shields, so that makes it OK by Hamas and a war crime by Israel to strike at him at the hospital where his body has now been found.

Good on Israel for striking another Hamas leader. A shame for the poor, innocent Palestinians who are caught in the middle and being denied refuge from this war by neighbouring states until Hamas surrenders.

The tunnels situation is quite interesting. In such a densely-packed area as Gaza, it's quite possible that a tunnel network starting from (say) a shop, spreads not just downwards, but laterally, to cover an area that encompasses the footprints of both a school and a hospital. They may (or may not) be connected to those buildings (*), but even if they are not connected, they are using those civilian structures as cover.

The idea that "it starts from a school, not the hospital" seems rather simplistic.

But on the other hand: if the network is widespread, how could the journalists know whether they are under the hospital or elsewhere (given the tunnel was apparently accessed through freshly-dug earth just outside the hospital)?

(*) It would make sense for them to be connected, even if not the primary route used.

It is astonishing that some (not you) still try to pretend that hospitals and schools are not used by Hamas for their command and control centres making them both legal targets for the Israelis and putting their own vulnerable people at risk. The evidence to the contrary is overwhelming.

Does this excuse what Israel is doing? Of course not. Much of what they are doing are war crimes. But bombing hospitals used in this way is not. It’s merely abhorrent.

Abhorrent but sadly necessary to defeat Hamas.

Too many here don't want to see Hamas defeated, or their unconditional surrender though.

The Tamil Tigers were defeated. There's no reason Hamas can't be. All it takes to end the fighting is for them to surrender.

What do you think of Israel’s latest plan to defeat Hamas, by arming ISIS-affiliated groups in Gaza? https://edition.cnn.com/2025/06/06/middleeast/israel-arming-hamas-rivals-gaza-intl

I think it's bloody stupid and Netanyahu is the wrong person to be Israeli PM.

Israel should be seeking a monopoly of violence, as any state does.

Thank goodness Israel is a democracy and Israelis have had multiple opportunities (checks notes: since 1996) to get rid of Netanyahu, unlike the vile Gazans who bear all responsibilty for Hamas being in power since a single election in 2006.

.

I see that Hamas chief Sinwar's body has been found, in a tunnel underneath a hospital. With journalists being taken to the tunnels underneath the hospital.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c62veqrq3yzo

I seem to recall @bondegezou insisting a few days ago that Hamas were actually using a school, not the hospital, a few metres away as the human shields, so that makes it OK by Hamas and a war crime by Israel to strike at him at the hospital where his body has now been found.

Good on Israel for striking another Hamas leader. A shame for the poor, innocent Palestinians who are caught in the middle and being denied refuge from this war by neighbouring states until Hamas surrenders.

The tunnels situation is quite interesting. In such a densely-packed area as Gaza, it's quite possible that a tunnel network starting from (say) a shop, spreads not just downwards, but laterally, to cover an area that encompasses the footprints of both a school and a hospital. They may (or may not) be connected to those buildings (*), but even if they are not connected, they are using those civilian structures as cover.

The idea that "it starts from a school, not the hospital" seems rather simplistic.

But on the other hand: if the network is widespread, how could the journalists know whether they are under the hospital or elsewhere (given the tunnel was apparently accessed through freshly-dug earth just outside the hospital)?

(*) It would make sense for them to be connected, even if not the primary route used.

It is astonishing that some (not you) still try to pretend that hospitals and schools are not used by Hamas for their command and control centres making them both legal targets for the Israelis and putting their own vulnerable people at risk. The evidence to the contrary is overwhelming.

Does this excuse what Israel is doing? Of course not. Much of what they are doing are war crimes. But bombing hospitals used in this way is not. It’s merely abhorrent.

Abhorrent but sadly necessary to defeat Hamas.

Too many here don't want to see Hamas defeated, or their unconditional surrender though.

The Tamil Tigers were defeated. There's no reason Hamas can't be. All it takes to end the fighting is for them to surrender.

What do you think of Israel’s latest plan to defeat Hamas, by arming ISIS-affiliated groups in Gaza? https://edition.cnn.com/2025/06/06/middleeast/israel-arming-hamas-rivals-gaza-intl

I think it's bloody stupid and Netanyahu is the wrong person to be Israeli PM.

Israel should be seeking a monopoly of violence, as any state does.

Thank goodness Israel is a democracy and Israelis have had multiple opportunities (checks notes: since 1996) to get rid of Netanyahu, unlike the vile Gazans who bear all responsibilty for Hamas being in power since a single election in 2006.

If I had one wish it would be that someone would drop Bartholomew Roberts in the middle of Gaza with his laptop and see whether he develops into a human being

I want the war to end, with the surrender of Hamas.

That won't happen until the grievances that Hamas feeds off are addressed. Even if Hamas were somehow destroyed, some successor organisation would take its place.

Unlike, say, the Ukraine war, which is basically one man's folly, though he is backed by a band of opportunists and fanatics, the Palestinian cause seems genuinely popular and has survived God knows how many military defeats.

Until Israel offers genuine concessions and deals with the Palestinians as equals, entitled to at least some share in the land the Israelis occupied last century, the tragic, pointless sore will continue to fester.

A Spanish winner and an Italian the closest ever runner-up in the longest match possibly ever in Paris and each gave their winner and loser speech in English. That's our contribution. we really must rejoin this gang. it's madness being out

Tough competition, but possibly your silliest post.

I understand things look different from the bright lights of Carnforth

No, your comment made no sense. Some Italian people / Spanish people can speak good English, therefore we ought to be in a political union with them? By that logic we should also be in a political union with the USA, Canada, Australia, NZ, India, South Africa ... half the world, really.
There might be valid reasons for wanting to be in a political union with the EU. But what you've just highlighted isn't logically one of them.

Wouldn't you like Sale to be able to be fully integrated with Paris Madrid and Florence with your kids able to live and work in any of those places with the ease they could the Stretford Arndale Centre?

Well watching Roland Garros reminded what things were like just a few years ago and what they could be now. We each have our own advantages. We have the most popular language Paris and Florence are the most beautiful but we could freely share in them all.

Being in France reminds me of that daily . It's a big beautiful melting pot of shared cultures.

If things are so great on mainland Europe why is almost every EU country veering to the hard or far Right, forcing the mainstream parties to try and outlaw them in desperation (and, I suspect, failing, in the end)?

You literally live in a corner of France that voted Le Pen so hard, she won in the First Round

A hard right Europe could appeal to people like me, I am not sure why it should appeal to many of the leftier types on here, or indeed you

At this time of the year I'm reminded what an amazing and beatiful place France is. . The film festival is in Cannes. The Grand Prix is in Monaco. I get on my scooter and I'm in Italy in 40 minutes. People are coming from all over the world. Nowhere outside of Venice is more photographed. The place is heaving. The harbour is full of boats. The galleries are full of school kids.

We were part of it .We're not now. I never see the right-wingery. I see young Irish waiters and waitresses and a lot of non French Europeans working there. Just not English. We are missing out and it's sad.

Are we supposed to just forget that 41% voted for Le Pen at the last election?

EU countries don’t see FOM as that portrayed by the leave campaign . It’s not something forced onto a country but a freedom that all EU citizens enjoy. The debate in France isn’t about FOM but migration from outside the EU . You don’t see Le Pen and the RN attacking EU nationals from other countries . The disgraceful anti EU rhetoric against other Europeans was unique to the UKs vile right wing press during the EU ref campaign .

On topic -

The tragedy of DOGE style slashing goes beyond the damage it will do, in the short term.

For a political generation or two, all reasonable attempts to increase productivity in government will be tarred with this shite.

The main saving the US DOGE seems to have made is the shuttering of USAID.

That can't be done in the UK as between the asylum bills, Sunak’s cut, and Starmer’s cut, UK aid has already been shuttered.

Good.

The corrupt circlejerk of "charities" hiring the likes of David Miliband, who then lobby for taxpayers money to go to those charities, should never return.

Taxpayers money should go on public services.

Charity should be something people choose to donate to, not get taxed to go towards.

If you donate to Water Aid, or World Vision, or Comic Relief, or CAFOD or anything else then all power to your elbow. I regularly do too. But that's a choice, it shouldn't be compelled by the State, and those donations shouldn't be funding ex-
politicians who exist to lobby for more taxpayers money.

International development is not charity

Correctly implemented it address our strategic objectives, increases international security (by downregulating radicalism), builds alliances and creates new markets for commercial activities.

As third world countries get richer the people in them are more able to afford people smugglers

But the incentive for economic migration decreases.

No, it doesn't.

All economic data shows emigration increases as countries develop, until past the point they're classed as a developed country.

Because migration is higher up the order of needs. It's a want to have, not a need to have. People who are too poor to afford food, shelter, travel or tourism aren't booking trips abroad.

At some point it must. Why would I be an economic migrant to a poorer country?

Pensioners move to spain all the time

They are not 'economic migrants'.

Edit: And they don't now, at least not from the UK since Brexit - it's not allowed for mere mortals.

The has been no migration of retirees from the UK to Spain since Brexit?

Ben is talking absolute bollocks, people went to settle in spain before the eu, they still do because countries like spain and portugal have put in place schemes to encourage them to do so.

To be fair, a lot of them went to settle in Spain before the EU because Spain was (a) poor, (b) was desperate for people to come and bring their savings, and (c) didn't have an extradition treaty with the UK.

Yes and only c has changed

I’m in the Canary Islands right now and it doesn’t feel poor

Nowhere feels poor when you stick to the tourist areas....I was in casablance morroco a few years back...didnt feel poor till I wandered of the tourist areas and got lost in the slums where the poverty was totally apparent

When I was staying in Rabat, a number of years ago, the family put us up in the old house in the Old Town. They told all the neighbours about us - was a unique experience, since we were living, for a few days in the heart of a really ancient district. We were quite safe - but noticed family & friends keeping an eye on us.

I will say I never felt in danger in those slum lands of either casablanca or vegas,,,,when residents realised you werent on some sort of poverty tour they were quite welcoming. In casablanca for example ended up drinking hot mint tea in a cafe with a load of mad islamics, mad in the sense they were a hoot rather than mad in the sense they wanted to cut my head off. Vegas did get a gun pointed at me but when they realised I wasn't american got invited back for a few smokes and a party

Rabat was safe because we were protected as known friends of the family. I wouldn't have set foot in the area otherwise.

I think the most unsafe I've felt was in New Orleans (pre-flood). Some idiot said to go a few blocks out of the tourist area in the Quarter. We ended up in a bar that was seriously edgy and had the vibe of a clubhouse that we weren't invited to.

Precisely what I mean by going off the tourist area, new orleans the french quarter you are pretty safe, wander off and you need to know how to handle yourself

Sadly even the French Quarter is no longer safe. In truth it was never “that” safe - but now the danger is overt almost everywhere

A good friend of mine has lived in Nawlins for 15 years - and has now moved away for that reason

The closest I’ve come to being shot - outside actual warzones - was NOLA. It is an extremely hostile place if you are unlucky

Such a shame. It should be marvellous

I have friends from new orleans that came over last year they would disagree with you, had more guns pointed at me in the uk by far than abroad....6 times in the uk once in vegas

How on earth have you managed to have guns pointed at you 6 times in the UK?

Laserquest?

@Pagan2 is an armed robber, and it was the police who were pointing the guns at him.

@Pagan2 is an adrenaline junky?

Nope just lived the life with the hands I was dealt

I've been to some interesting places - Algeria in their civil war, Somalia, Colombia, Yemen, Equatorial Guinea after the "Wonga" coup attempt, where the President who took power reputedly ate his deposed uncle's bollocks - but I have had ex SAS/ex French Foreign Legion Special Forces as close protection. So no real risk.

My most "interesting" journey was between the Nairobi Club and the Lilian Towers hotel. The taxi was called for us by this very odd old colonial gentleman with who we had a meeting (for a legitimate business arrangement). The car that picked us up (this is circa 1985) was late 1960s Toyota Corona with a driver who when we got back into Nairobi didn't know the way to the Hotel (there weren't many Western Hotels in Nairobi in 1985). So the driver wanted to stop to pick up a random guy on a random street corner to help him with directions. My boss was a lot more worldly wiser than me and grabbed the driver around the neck calmly explaining if he stopped and let the guy in he would snap his neck. Remarkably the driver remembered the directions to the hotel. My boss released him from the neck hold only on arrival.

I treated myself to a beer. My boss treated himself to a hooker.

I woke up in Huntingdon once at 2am after falling asleep on the train. I tell you it was vicious: it was drizzling. Luckily I phoned an enquiry number and got a taxi. Whew, that was close. The taxi driver and I laughed about it on the way, but it could have gone horribly wrong.

On topic -

The tragedy of DOGE style slashing goes beyond the damage it will do, in the short term.

For a political generation or two, all reasonable attempts to increase productivity in government will be tarred with this shite.

The main saving the US DOGE seems to have made is the shuttering of USAID.

That can't be done in the UK as between the asylum bills, Sunak’s cut, and Starmer’s cut, UK aid has already been shuttered.

Good.

The corrupt circlejerk of "charities" hiring the likes of David Miliband, who then lobby for taxpayers money to go to those charities, should never return.

Taxpayers money should go on public services.

Charity should be something people choose to donate to, not get taxed to go towards.

If you donate to Water Aid, or World Vision, or Comic Relief, or CAFOD or anything else then all power to your elbow. I regularly do too. But that's a choice, it shouldn't be compelled by the State, and those donations shouldn't be funding ex-
politicians who exist to lobby for more taxpayers money.

International development is not charity

Correctly implemented it address our strategic objectives, increases international security (by downregulating radicalism), builds alliances and creates new markets for commercial activities.

As third world countries get richer the people in them are more able to afford people smugglers

But the incentive for economic migration decreases.

No, it doesn't.

All economic data shows emigration increases as countries develop, until past the point they're classed as a developed country.

Because migration is higher up the order of needs. It's a want to have, not a need to have. People who are too poor to afford food, shelter, travel or tourism aren't booking trips abroad.

At some point it must. Why would I be an economic migrant to a poorer country?

Pensioners move to spain all the time

They are not 'economic migrants'.

Edit: And they don't now, at least not from the UK since Brexit - it's not allowed for mere mortals.

The has been no migration of retirees from the UK to Spain since Brexit?

Ben is talking absolute bollocks, people went to settle in spain before the eu, they still do because countries like spain and portugal have put in place schemes to encourage them to do so.

To be fair, a lot of them went to settle in Spain before the EU because Spain was (a) poor, (b) was desperate for people to come and bring their savings, and (c) didn't have an extradition treaty with the UK.

Yes and only c has changed

I’m in the Canary Islands right now and it doesn’t feel poor

Nowhere feels poor when you stick to the tourist areas....I was in casablance morroco a few years back...didnt feel poor till I wandered of the tourist areas and got lost in the slums where the poverty was totally apparent

When I was staying in Rabat, a number of years ago, the family put us up in the old house in the Old Town. They told all the neighbours about us - was a unique experience, since we were living, for a few days in the heart of a really ancient district. We were quite safe - but noticed family & friends keeping an eye on us.

I will say I never felt in danger in those slum lands of either casablanca or vegas,,,,when residents realised you werent on some sort of poverty tour they were quite welcoming. In casablanca for example ended up drinking hot mint tea in a cafe with a load of mad islamics, mad in the sense they were a hoot rather than mad in the sense they wanted to cut my head off. Vegas did get a gun pointed at me but when they realised I wasn't american got invited back for a few smokes and a party

Rabat was safe because we were protected as known friends of the family. I wouldn't have set foot in the area otherwise.

I think the most unsafe I've felt was in New Orleans (pre-flood). Some idiot said to go a few blocks out of the tourist area in the Quarter. We ended up in a bar that was seriously edgy and had the vibe of a clubhouse that we weren't invited to.

Precisely what I mean by going off the tourist area, new orleans the french quarter you are pretty safe, wander off and you need to know how to handle yourself

Sadly even the French Quarter is no longer safe. In truth it was never “that” safe - but now the danger is overt almost everywhere

A good friend of mine has lived in Nawlins for 15 years - and has now moved away for that reason

The closest I’ve come to being shot - outside actual warzones - was NOLA. It is an extremely hostile place if you are unlucky

Such a shame. It should be marvellous

I have friends from new orleans that came over last year they would disagree with you, had more guns pointed at me in the uk by far than abroad....6 times in the uk once in vegas

Ok I’ll tell my friend he’s simply wrong. Even though

1 he lives in New Orleans (or did)

and also

2. I’ve been to the city many times. It’s my favourite city in all the Americas - no joke - but on my last visit (2023) it felt obviously more dangerous than any other time

I am currently chatting on discord with my friend from new orleans, she is laughing at you
by chatting I mean voice chat we are watching a movie

New Orelans is the 7th most dangerous city in the USA (for 2023)

Given that the top 6 are total shitholes that no one foreign will ever visit (with the possible exception of Memphis for weirdos), that makes Nawlins the most dangerous American city that any European will likely encounter

1 St. Louis, Missouri
2 Birmingham, Alabama
3 Baltimore, Maryland
4 Memphis, Tennessee
5 Detroit, Michigan
6 Cleveland, Ohio
7 New Orleans, Louisiana


https://www.forbes.com/sites/laurabegleybloom/2023/01/31/report-ranks-americas-15-safest-and-most-dangerous-cities-for-2023/

Birmingham is on a big upswing right now. I think it was in the top three cities in the US for economic growth last year.

Any particular reason? A new MAGA hat factory?

Good university, decent food scene and very low cost of living. We're probably opening an office there, because we can get good data science staff at a fraction of the cost of the West Coast.

Birmingham also has the National Carbon Capture Center (note the awful spelling).

If that isn't a recommendation for visiting, I don't know what is!

That was my reason for visiting the city, unsurprisingly.

Somewhat related - I remember someone I worked with visiting the University of Wolverhampton a few years ago. They had ultra-fancy water coolers with touch-screens on them. When you pressed the 'Water' button on the screen it just lit up a message saying 'Press below' - which pointed to just a regular old water cooler nozzle.

Would have made Douglas Adams proud.