Allow me to expand. Firstly they're a really good footballing side. Very attractive to watch. Secondly. The entire ethnic makeup of the team is a middle finger to MAGA. Thirdly. It would be a real boost to the profile of MLS. Which isn't a Trumpist heartland. It's very hip, young and urban. Fourthly. Their kit design is the best of the world cup. But mostly the first point. Couldn't imagine them playing like Portugal or Paraguay.
Allow me to expand. Firstly they're a really good footballing side. Very attractive to watch. Secondly. The entire ethnic makeup of the team is a middle finger to MAGA. Thirdly. It would be a real boost to the profile of MLS. Which isn't a Trumpist heartland. It's very hip, young and urban. Fourthly. Their kit design is the best of the world cup. But mostly the first point. Couldn't imagine them playing like Portugal or Paraguay.
The problem is that MAGA is immune to things it doesn't want to see. There's no logic in there.
So all you will get is USA! USA! USA! drowning out everything else.
Rumours he's been dead a while but the Republicans are terrified of the consequences of admitting it.... He went into an unknown hopsital for an unknown condition 2-3 weeks ago.
Rumours he's been dead a while but the Republicans are terrified of the consequences of admitting it.... He went into an unknown hopsital for an unknown condition 2-3 weeks ago.
His wife has reportedly flown overseas, so there's no next of kin to authorise the ventilator being turned off. Another 2-3 weeks and they can avoid a special election.
Rumours he's been dead a while but the Republicans are terrified of the consequences of admitting it.... He went into an unknown hopsital for an unknown condition 2-3 weeks ago.
He's almost certainly dead. Not been seen since admitted to hospital on 14th June, three weeks ago now. Rumour is he had another stroke and they got to him too late.
But I don't know why the US doesn't want to announce it? Surely any special election will be won by the Republicans when Trump puts in a call to Infantino?
Rumours he's been dead a while but the Republicans are terrified of the consequences of admitting it.... He went into an unknown hopsital for an unknown condition 2-3 weeks ago.
He's almost certainly dead. Not been seen since admitted to hospital on 14th June, three weeks ago now. Rumour is he had another stroke and they got to him too late.
But I don't know why the US doesn't want to announce it? Surely any special election will be won by the Republicans when Trump puts in a call to Infantino?
Can't see this doing much for their future economic management.
On Sunday, June 28, 2026, former Tsinghua University associate professor Dr. Zheng Yuhuang was giving a high-ticket business lecture at the Hilton Beijing Capital Airport. During the session, he characterized China's trajectory as "macroeconomically pessimistic," warning of a potential 20 to 30-year stagnation period mirroring Japan's lost decades.He frankly argued that internal structural failures such as unequal pension distributions and the rigid household registration system are fueling the downturn rather than global economic trends.
Mid-lecture, two police officers suddenly marched into the venue and escorted Dr. Zheng out for interrogation under suspicion of hosting an "illegal gathering." The intervention occurred after an audience member reportedly called the authorities to denounce the professor's "defeatist" economic analysis. While he was permitted to return and finish the seminar after a brief five-minute clarification, a massive digital purge followed shortly after.
By July 1, 2026, Dr. Zheng's short-video profiles, Weibo, and WeChat accounts were entirely wiped and permanently banned across all major mainland platforms. The swift deletion destroyed 16 years of accumulated educational content, marketing research, and public media archives overnight. This extreme response underscores a broader pattern where Beijing treats objective economic data as a national security threat, weaponizing citizen-on-citizen surveillance to enforce absolute narrative control... https://x.com/Unveiled_ChinaX/status/2073559356482949240
Trump: "The game tonight's going to be amazing. We're going to have a full team and Belgium is going to have a full team…If they beat us, we'll say it was — I say it was rigged just like the election was rigged in 2020." https://x.com/BulwarkOnline/status/2074142932525875304
"We should have been given 20 mins of extra time."
Rumours he's been dead a while but the Republicans are terrified of the consequences of admitting it.... He went into an unknown hopsital for an unknown condition 2-3 weeks ago.
Wonder if @POTUS sees any irony in acting as a champion for Balogun, who only is eligible to play for the U.S. because of birthright citizenship.
He probably read it here.
Funny thing is Balogun is only a birthright citizen because the airline deemed his mother too heavily pregnant to fly back to London.
The World Cup invariably throws up a rich catalogue of back stories but the tale of how the boy who came through Arsenal’s academy and scored a bunch of goals for England Under-21s ended up with a US passport is up there with the best of them. And it was all thanks to a concerned airline staffer.
Balogun was still in his mother Florence’s tummy when, seven months pregnant, she visited New York on holiday in 2001. Only the return journey never happened as planned because the airline would not let her fly due to the size of her belly which, in her own words, was “massive”.
Rumours he's been dead a while but the Republicans are terrified of the consequences of admitting it.... He went into an unknown hopsital for an unknown condition 2-3 weeks ago.
Why would they be terrified of admitting it?
Because it would trigger an election they'd likely lose. Currently the GOP majority in the Senate is 53-47 and an election defeat would make this 52-48, an inauspicious margin.
On topic: LOL, did they Nazi that Platner was a wrong’un months ago? Some of us on here might have been saying it well before the primaries.
The problem with this allegation is that it’s from a Democrat, so the party machine can’t simply try to smear her, as they did with the previous women who came forward.
This is what happens when everything becomes about politics, you end up defending the indefensible and have to walk it back later. Many elected Democrats with very well-deserved egg on their faces today, having spent months trying to defend the guy with the Nazi tattoo on his chest and a long record of poor behaviour.
On topic: LOL, did they Nazi that Platner was a wrong’un months ago? Some of us on here might have been saying it well before the primaries.
The problem with this allegation is that it’s from a Democrat, so the party machine can’t simply try to smear her, as they did with the previous women who came forward.
This is what happens when everything becomes about politics, you end up defending the indefensible and have to walk it back later. Many elected Democrats with very well-deserved egg on their faces today, having spent months trying to defend the guy with the Nazi tattoo on his chest and a long record of poor behaviour.
Well done, genius.
Now tell us about Ken Paxton, who will still be a candidate. Or Supreme Court judge Kavanaugh. Or Trump himself, of course.
Prior to today's revelations, we conducted focus groups with Maine Democratic voters. They said they were sticking by Platner unless one thing happened. That thing: he was credibly accused of sexual assault. https://x.com/samstein/status/2074277514428416092
Rumours he's been dead a while but the Republicans are terrified of the consequences of admitting it.... He went into an unknown hopsital for an unknown condition 2-3 weeks ago.
Why would they be terrified of admitting it?
Because it would trigger an election they'd likely lose. Currently the GOP majority in the Senate is 53-47 and an election defeat would make this 52-48, an inauspicious margin.
Background: in most States (and indeed Kentucky until recently), the Governnor appoints a replacement if a Senator dies (or ascends to -say- the Vice Presidency), until a regular scheduled November election. However, in Kentucky, a Democrat, Andy Beshear, is Governor. Now, Beshear said he would appoint a Republican in the event of McConnell's passing, but there was the -understandable- fear that he would appoint a moderate Republican, who might actually succeed in keeping his job come the next scheduled elections.
The Kentucky legislature therefore changed the law to require an almost immediate (an 8 week timetable) Special Election to replace a dead Senator, who would complete his term.
Personal view: the Democrats could -as in Alabama- win a Special Election. But they'd give it straight back up again in November. With that said, such an event might meaningfully constrain the ability of ability of the Republicans to replace either Thomas or Alito, should one choose to retire in the Autumn. Two reliable Republican Senators, Bill Cassidy and Thom Tillis, are no longer standing again, and neither feels quite the same degree of pressure to confrm. (See Tillis refusing to confirm the new Fed Chair until investigations into the outgoing one were dropped. And Cassidy was unseated by a Trump backed Primary challenger.)
In addition, Lisa Murkowski likes to maintain a healthy distance from the adminstration (as she benefits from ranked choice voting in Alaska). So, were Kentucky to go temporarily Red, it could mean no ability to confirm a Justice in the lame duck session.
With that said... this is pretty theoretical. And Kentucky is a deeply Red State, with Trump defeating Harris by a clear two-to-one margin. A Democrat victory is possible (Andy Beshear won the Governor's race, after all)... But I would want good odds to bet on it.
On topic: LOL, did they Nazi that Platner was a wrong’un months ago? Some of us on here might have been saying it well before the primaries.
The problem with this allegation is that it’s from a Democrat, so the party machine can’t simply try to smear her, as they did with the previous women who came forward.
This is what happens when everything becomes about politics, you end up defending the indefensible and have to walk it back later. Many elected Democrats with very well-deserved egg on their faces today, having spent months trying to defend the guy with the Nazi tattoo on his chest and a long record of poor behaviour.
Well done, genius.
Now tell us about Ken Paxton, who will still be a candidate. Or Supreme Court judge Kavanaugh. Or Trump himself, of course.
Prior to today's revelations, we conducted focus groups with Maine Democratic voters. They said they were sticking by Platner unless one thing happened. That thing: he was credibly accused of sexual assault. https://x.com/samstein/status/2074277514428416092
Unlike in 2020 and 2014, when she was broadly popular in her State, she is now the second most unpopular Senator in the country behind only Mitch McConnell. (Dan Sullivan, of Alaska, is third.)
Given an approval rating that had dropped from 60% to 41%. Give the fact Maine has become Blue-r, that she got a huge amount of stick for assuring voters that Kavanagh would uphold Roe v Wade, and that this is a midterm election with an unpopular incumbent.
Well, I thought her luck had run out.
Maybe not.
Platner is by far the most damaged of the serious Democratic Senatorial candidates.
Right now, I would reckon that Collins has to be favourite to hold on Maine.
Nigel Farage set to be interviewed by standards watchdog over £5m gift
The Reform UK leader is facing scrutiny over money from the cryptocurrency billionaire Christopher Harborne and his links with George Cottrell
Nigel Farage is expected to be interviewed by parliament’s standards watchdog within the next fortnight over a £5 million gift he received from a cryptocurrency billionaire.
The Reform UK leader is facing mounting scrutiny over his financial affairs over the gift from Christopher Harborne and benefits he received from George Cottrell, a convicted criminal and crypto-gambler.
Daniel Greenberg, the parliamentary commissioner for standards, is already investigating Farage over whether he should have declared the £5 million gift from Harborne, which he received shortly before he became an MP. Farage has also been referred to the commissioner over the benefits he received from Cottrell.
Parliamentary rules require new MPs to register any gifts worth more than £300 that they received in the previous 12 months, except where the gift “could not be reasonably thought by others” to relate to their political activities.
The Reform UK leader is already understood to have provided Greenberg with a copy of a contract he drew up with Harborne stating that the £5 million was a gift. He is due to be interviewed before the summer recess.
A deed is not a contract. They exist to give legal force to non contracts.
A contract represents an exchange of value in some form, quite distinct from a gift. It could just be the reporter that's confused the terms, of course.
North Britons have a different approach to contract so just be careful when you are north of the border.
Rumours he's been dead a while but the Republicans are terrified of the consequences of admitting it.... He went into an unknown hopsital for an unknown condition 2-3 weeks ago.
Why would they be terrified of admitting it?
Because it would trigger an election they'd likely lose. Currently the GOP majority in the Senate is 53-47 and an election defeat would make this 52-48, an inauspicious margin.
Background: in most States (and indeed Kentucky until recently), the Governnor appoints a replacement if a Senator dies (or ascends to -say- the Vice Presidency), until a regular scheduled November election. However, in Kentucky, a Democrat, Andy Beshear, is Governor. Now, Beshear said he would appoint a Republican in the event of McConnell's passing, but there was the -understandable- fear that he would appoint a moderate Republican, who might actually succeed in keeping his job come the next scheduled elections.
The Kentucky legislature therefore changed the law to require an almost immediate (an 8 week timetable) Special Election to replace a dead Senator, who would complete his term.
Personal view: the Democrats could -as in Alabama- win a Special Election. But they'd give it straight back up again in November. With that said, such an event might meaningfully constrain the ability of ability of the Republicans to replace either Thomas or Alito, should one choose to retire in the Autumn. Two reliable Republican Senators, Bill Cassidy and Thom Tillis, are no longer standing again, and neither feels quite the same degree of pressure to confrm. (See Tillis refusing to confirm the new Fed Chair until investigations into the outgoing one were dropped. And Cassidy was unseated by a Trump backed Primary challenger.)
In addition, Lisa Murkowski likes to maintain a healthy distance from the adminstration (as she benefits from ranked choice voting in Alaska). So, were Kentucky to go temporarily Red, it could mean no ability to confirm a Justice in the lame duck session.
With that said... this is pretty theoretical. And Kentucky is a deeply Red State, with Trump defeating Harris by a clear two-to-one margin. A Democrat victory is possible (Andy Beshear won the Governor's race, after all)... But I would want good odds to bet on it.
Theoretical or not, McConnell has effectively been disappeared for three weeks, after collapsing, with no update at all on his medical condition.
Don't you think he looks... not exactly tired (as the canonical phrase puts it)... but old?
There's always been something of the silver fox about him, but much less so in that clip.
A friend of mine was at an event at which Farage was present a couple of weeks ago, before all this blew up. He said exactly that - Farage looked “old and tired”.
It seems strange to say this about a party with a clear lead in the polls, but I wonder if we’re seeing the end of Reform.
Allow me to expand. Firstly they're a really good footballing side. Very attractive to watch. Secondly. The entire ethnic makeup of the team is a middle finger to MAGA. Thirdly. It would be a real boost to the profile of MLS. Which isn't a Trumpist heartland. It's very hip, young and urban. Fourthly. Their kit design is the best of the world cup. But mostly the first point. Couldn't imagine them playing like Portugal or Paraguay.
Lol, they are not a good footballing side. What was interesting about the game was how outdated Pochettino’s tactics looked. It’s like he’s stuck in 2018.
Belgium are nothing special, but had far too much quality for the USA’s pressing. Football has moved on from the likes of Pochettino and Klopp.
The whole point of cheating is you win. If you're going to be crushed 4 - 1 you want to do it honourably.
Good morning, my fellow Belgians.
Be fair. If the red card hadn't been magically nullified they might've lost 4-0. A glorious 4-1 defeat is very much in accord with Trump's Iranian 'win'. The Versailles President strikes again!
Rumours he's been dead a while but the Republicans are terrified of the consequences of admitting it.... He went into an unknown hopsital for an unknown condition 2-3 weeks ago.
Why would they be terrified of admitting it?
Because it would trigger an election they'd likely lose. Currently the GOP majority in the Senate is 53-47 and an election defeat would make this 52-48, an inauspicious margin.
Why on earth does the MP gift code for any gifts upto 12 months before becoming an MP have exemptions for personal or family gifts.
FFS.
Everything. All of it. In the open.
You can see why, say, your brother giving you an expensive Lego set (most expensive regular gift I could think of off the top of my head) for Xmas doesn’t need to be declared and why it would be a faff to make MPs have to declare it. The wording of the Code of Conduct is pretty clear that almost everything does need declaring. I think it unlikely that the investigation will conclude that Farage was right about not declaring the £5m or the contributions from Cottrell.
However, maybe the Code could be tweaked to be even clearer. Maybe any gift over £300 definitely had to be declared, or something like that.
As any law student in England & Wales can tell you, a contract requires an offer, acceptance, consideration*, and an intent to create legal relations. A gift has no such strings. A contract for a gift is an oxymoron.
(*PB pedants please note I am aware of the exception when executed as a deed)
It's odd he doesn't just stonewall and say "wait for the committee to report". Maybe shutting up isn't his millieu.
Is it wise to let your opponents control the story?
Also, the committee is probably going to say he was wrong. He needs to get his defence out there in advance.
That requires him to have a defence. And that defence needs to work with both a formal committee and an informal court of public opinion. So far, he seems to have bluster that makes things worse.
The only advice I can give would-be MPs and PMs is don't take huge piles of spondoolicks from anyone until after you retire.
Rumours he's been dead a while but the Republicans are terrified of the consequences of admitting it.... He went into an unknown hopsital for an unknown condition 2-3 weeks ago.
Why would they be terrified of admitting it?
Because it would trigger an election they'd likely lose. Currently the GOP majority in the Senate is 53-47 and an election defeat would make this 52-48, an inauspicious margin.
Background: in most States (and indeed Kentucky until recently), the Governnor appoints a replacement if a Senator dies (or ascends to -say- the Vice Presidency), until a regular scheduled November election. However, in Kentucky, a Democrat, Andy Beshear, is Governor. Now, Beshear said he would appoint a Republican in the event of McConnell's passing, but there was the -understandable- fear that he would appoint a moderate Republican, who might actually succeed in keeping his job come the next scheduled elections.
The Kentucky legislature therefore changed the law to require an almost immediate (an 8 week timetable) Special Election to replace a dead Senator, who would complete his term.
Personal view: the Democrats could -as in Alabama- win a Special Election. But they'd give it straight back up again in November. With that said, such an event might meaningfully constrain the ability of ability of the Republicans to replace either Thomas or Alito, should one choose to retire in the Autumn. Two reliable Republican Senators, Bill Cassidy and Thom Tillis, are no longer standing again, and neither feels quite the same degree of pressure to confrm. (See Tillis refusing to confirm the new Fed Chair until investigations into the outgoing one were dropped. And Cassidy was unseated by a Trump backed Primary challenger.)
In addition, Lisa Murkowski likes to maintain a healthy distance from the adminstration (as she benefits from ranked choice voting in Alaska). So, were Kentucky to go temporarily Red, it could mean no ability to confirm a Justice in the lame duck session.
With that said... this is pretty theoretical. And Kentucky is a deeply Red State, with Trump defeating Harris by a clear two-to-one margin. A Democrat victory is possible (Andy Beshear won the Governor's race, after all)... But I would want good odds to bet on it.
They’re not worried about a Democrat winning a special election. They’re worried about Massie winning, or even just standing.
It's odd he doesn't just stonewall and say "wait for the committee to report". Maybe shutting up isn't his millieu.
Is it wise to let your opponents control the story?
Also, the committee is probably going to say he was wrong. He needs to get his defence out there in advance.
That requires him to have a defence. And that defence needs to work with both a formal committee and an informal court of public opinion. So far, he seems to have bluster that makes things worse.
The only advice I can give would-be MPs and PMs is don't take huge piles of spondoolicks from anyone until after you retire.
Depending upon his objective it needs to work with the committee or the court of public opinion.
Committee accepts it and there's no by election.
Public accepts it and he could still win.
The bigger issue is as you say neither are accepting it.
On topic: LOL, did they Nazi that Platner was a wrong’un months ago? Some of us on here might have been saying it well before the primaries.
The problem with this allegation is that it’s from a Democrat, so the party machine can’t simply try to smear her, as they did with the previous women who came forward.
This is what happens when everything becomes about politics, you end up defending the indefensible and have to walk it back later. Many elected Democrats with very well-deserved egg on their faces today, having spent months trying to defend the guy with the Nazi tattoo on his chest and a long record of poor behaviour.
Well done, genius.
Now tell us about Ken Paxton, who will still be a candidate. Or Supreme Court judge Kavanaugh. Or Trump himself, of course.
Prior to today's revelations, we conducted focus groups with Maine Democratic voters. They said they were sticking by Platner unless one thing happened. That thing: he was credibly accused of sexual assault. https://x.com/samstein/status/2074277514428416092
Unlike in 2020 and 2014, when she was broadly popular in her State, she is now the second most unpopular Senator in the country behind only Mitch McConnell. (Dan Sullivan, of Alaska, is third.)
Given an approval rating that had dropped from 60% to 41%. Give the fact Maine has become Blue-r, that she got a huge amount of stick for assuring voters that Kavanagh would uphold Roe v Wade, and that this is a midterm election with an unpopular incumbent.
Well, I thought her luck had run out.
Maybe not.
Platner is by far the most damaged of the serious Democratic Senatorial candidates.
Right now, I would reckon that Collins has to be favourite to hold on Maine.
Platner won't be the candidate by next week, it seems pretty clear. Pretty well every senior Democrat came out last night to say (quite correctly) that he must step down.
You could quite fairly argue, as Sandpit has, that this should have happened earlier, but he was selected by a very large majority of primary voters. This latest accusation is an entirely credible one of rape. He is entitled to defend himself; hanging on to the nomination is another matter.
It's odd he doesn't just stonewall and say "wait for the committee to report". Maybe shutting up isn't his millieu.
Is it wise to let your opponents control the story?
Also, the committee is probably going to say he was wrong. He needs to get his defence out there in advance.
That requires him to have a defence. And that defence needs to work with both a formal committee and an informal court of public opinion. So far, he seems to have bluster that makes things worse.
The only advice I can give would-be MPs and PMs is don't take huge piles of spondoolicks from anyone until after you retire.
Oh, indeed, and that’s a problem for Farage.
Defence 1 was to talk about his personal security. There are problems with that argument, but it still feels better than defence 2, it was a reward for Brexit. However, he’s now on defence 3, the none-of-your-business line.
On topic: LOL, did they Nazi that Platner was a wrong’un months ago? Some of us on here might have been saying it well before the primaries.
The problem with this allegation is that it’s from a Democrat, so the party machine can’t simply try to smear her, as they did with the previous women who came forward.
This is what happens when everything becomes about politics, you end up defending the indefensible and have to walk it back later. Many elected Democrats with very well-deserved egg on their faces today, having spent months trying to defend the guy with the Nazi tattoo on his chest and a long record of poor behaviour.
On topic: LOL, did they Nazi that Platner was a wrong’un months ago? Some of us on here might have been saying it well before the primaries.
The problem with this allegation is that it’s from a Democrat, so the party machine can’t simply try to smear her, as they did with the previous women who came forward.
This is what happens when everything becomes about politics, you end up defending the indefensible and have to walk it back later. Many elected Democrats with very well-deserved egg on their faces today, having spent months trying to defend the guy with the Nazi tattoo on his chest and a long record of poor behaviour.
Well done, genius.
Now tell us about Ken Paxton, who will still be a candidate. Or Supreme Court judge Kavanaugh. Or Trump himself, of course.
Prior to today's revelations, we conducted focus groups with Maine Democratic voters. They said they were sticking by Platner unless one thing happened. That thing: he was credibly accused of sexual assault. https://x.com/samstein/status/2074277514428416092
Unlike in 2020 and 2014, when she was broadly popular in her State, she is now the second most unpopular Senator in the country behind only Mitch McConnell. (Dan Sullivan, of Alaska, is third.)
Given an approval rating that had dropped from 60% to 41%. Give the fact Maine has become Blue-r, that she got a huge amount of stick for assuring voters that Kavanagh would uphold Roe v Wade, and that this is a midterm election with an unpopular incumbent.
Well, I thought her luck had run out.
Maybe not.
Platner is by far the most damaged of the serious Democratic Senatorial candidates.
Right now, I would reckon that Collins has to be favourite to hold on Maine.
Platner won't be the candidate by next week, it seems pretty clear. Pretty well every senior Democrat came out last night to say (quite correctly) that he must step down.
You could quite fairly argue, as Sandpit has, that this should have happened earlier, but he was selected by a very large majority of primary voters. This latest accusation is an entirely credible one of rape. He is entitled to defend himself; hanging on to the nomination is another matter.
One of the many problems with the US system is that in trying to stymie party stitch ups they allow total lunatics to capture the party system.
Platner, Trump, Abbot, etc are all just symptoms of a wider malaise.
And now we have hundreds of politicians hastily deleting posts from the last few months, all hoping to get away with ever having supported him in the first place, as today they call in unison for him to stand down. When they thought he could win, they didn’t care about the obvious flaws in his character, but now they think he’ll lose they’re all running to throw him under the bus.
And now we have hundreds of politicians hastily deleting posts from the last few months, all hoping to get away with ever having supported him in the first place, as today they call in unison for him to stand down. When they thought he could win, they didn’t care about the obvious flaws in his character, but now they think he’ll lose they’re all running to throw him under the bus.
Wonder if @POTUS sees any irony in acting as a champion for Balogun, who only is eligible to play for the U.S. because of birthright citizenship.
it pales in comparison to the irony that without birthright citizenship Trump would not be eligible to be president.
The counterfactual doesn’t really work there. Had there been no birthright citizenship, there would presumably have still been a path to citizenship that his father or grandfather would have gone down.
And now we have hundreds of politicians hastily deleting posts from the last few months, all hoping to get away with ever having supported him in the first place, as today they call in unison for him to stand down. When they thought he could win, they didn’t care about the obvious flaws in his character, but now they think he’ll lose they’re all running to throw him under the bus.
This would be a stronger criticism if it wasn’t coming from someone who supported Matt Gaetz to be Attorney General.
It matches what an obstetrician told me a year or too back. He could trust the staff to do a planned section safely, while had concerns about how well they could monitor and manage a vaginal delivery, particularly when short staffed and not working as a team out of hours.
Rumours he's been dead a while but the Republicans are terrified of the consequences of admitting it.... He went into an unknown hopsital for an unknown condition 2-3 weeks ago.
Why would they be terrified of admitting it?
Because it would trigger an election they'd likely lose. Currently the GOP majority in the Senate is 53-47 and an election defeat would make this 52-48, an inauspicious margin.
Background: in most States (and indeed Kentucky until recently), the Governnor appoints a replacement if a Senator dies (or ascends to -say- the Vice Presidency), until a regular scheduled November election. However, in Kentucky, a Democrat, Andy Beshear, is Governor. Now, Beshear said he would appoint a Republican in the event of McConnell's passing, but there was the -understandable- fear that he would appoint a moderate Republican, who might actually succeed in keeping his job come the next scheduled elections.
The Kentucky legislature therefore changed the law to require an almost immediate (an 8 week timetable) Special Election to replace a dead Senator, who would complete his term.
Personal view: the Democrats could -as in Alabama- win a Special Election. But they'd give it straight back up again in November. With that said, such an event might meaningfully constrain the ability of ability of the Republicans to replace either Thomas or Alito, should one choose to retire in the Autumn. Two reliable Republican Senators, Bill Cassidy and Thom Tillis, are no longer standing again, and neither feels quite the same degree of pressure to confrm. (See Tillis refusing to confirm the new Fed Chair until investigations into the outgoing one were dropped. And Cassidy was unseated by a Trump backed Primary challenger.)
In addition, Lisa Murkowski likes to maintain a healthy distance from the adminstration (as she benefits from ranked choice voting in Alaska). So, were Kentucky to go temporarily Red, it could mean no ability to confirm a Justice in the lame duck session.
With that said... this is pretty theoretical. And Kentucky is a deeply Red State, with Trump defeating Harris by a clear two-to-one margin. A Democrat victory is possible (Andy Beshear won the Governor's race, after all)... But I would want good odds to bet on it.
They’re not worried about a Democrat winning a special election. They’re worried about Massie winning, or even just standing.
Would the Democrats stand down to allow Massie a free run? I could see him winning if they did.
Rumours he's been dead a while but the Republicans are terrified of the consequences of admitting it.... He went into an unknown hopsital for an unknown condition 2-3 weeks ago.
Why would they be terrified of admitting it?
Because it would trigger an election they'd likely lose. Currently the GOP majority in the Senate is 53-47 and an election defeat would make this 52-48, an inauspicious margin.
Background: in most States (and indeed Kentucky until recently), the Governnor appoints a replacement if a Senator dies (or ascends to -say- the Vice Presidency), until a regular scheduled November election. However, in Kentucky, a Democrat, Andy Beshear, is Governor. Now, Beshear said he would appoint a Republican in the event of McConnell's passing, but there was the -understandable- fear that he would appoint a moderate Republican, who might actually succeed in keeping his job come the next scheduled elections.
The Kentucky legislature therefore changed the law to require an almost immediate (an 8 week timetable) Special Election to replace a dead Senator, who would complete his term.
Personal view: the Democrats could -as in Alabama- win a Special Election. But they'd give it straight back up again in November. With that said, such an event might meaningfully constrain the ability of ability of the Republicans to replace either Thomas or Alito, should one choose to retire in the Autumn. Two reliable Republican Senators, Bill Cassidy and Thom Tillis, are no longer standing again, and neither feels quite the same degree of pressure to confrm. (See Tillis refusing to confirm the new Fed Chair until investigations into the outgoing one were dropped. And Cassidy was unseated by a Trump backed Primary challenger.)
In addition, Lisa Murkowski likes to maintain a healthy distance from the adminstration (as she benefits from ranked choice voting in Alaska). So, were Kentucky to go temporarily Red, it could mean no ability to confirm a Justice in the lame duck session.
With that said... this is pretty theoretical. And Kentucky is a deeply Red State, with Trump defeating Harris by a clear two-to-one margin. A Democrat victory is possible (Andy Beshear won the Governor's race, after all)... But I would want good odds to bet on it.
They’re not worried about a Democrat winning a special election. They’re worried about Massie winning, or even just standing.
Would the Democrats stand down to allow Massie a free run? I could see him winning if they did.
Even if they didn’t, or even if they did and Massie lost, it would be weeks of people talking about Epstein. Trump would have to go to war with another country.
As someone on twitter pointed out, Trump’s America cheating and still losing (convincingly) is a great metaphor for the current state it’s in. Trump doesn’t really care of course, for him the win is that yet again individuals and institutions were willing to publicly abase themselves before him.
It matches what an obstetrician told me a year or too back. He could trust the staff to do a planned section safely, while had concerns about how well they could monitor and manage a vaginal delivery, particularly when short staffed and not working as a team out of hours.
On topic: LOL, did they Nazi that Platner was a wrong’un months ago? Some of us on here might have been saying it well before the primaries.
The problem with this allegation is that it’s from a Democrat, so the party machine can’t simply try to smear her, as they did with the previous women who came forward.
This is what happens when everything becomes about politics, you end up defending the indefensible and have to walk it back later. Many elected Democrats with very well-deserved egg on their faces today, having spent months trying to defend the guy with the Nazi tattoo on his chest and a long record of poor behaviour.
Well done, genius.
Now tell us about Ken Paxton, who will still be a candidate. Or Supreme Court judge Kavanaugh. Or Trump himself, of course.
Prior to today's revelations, we conducted focus groups with Maine Democratic voters. They said they were sticking by Platner unless one thing happened. That thing: he was credibly accused of sexual assault. https://x.com/samstein/status/2074277514428416092
Unlike in 2020 and 2014, when she was broadly popular in her State, she is now the second most unpopular Senator in the country behind only Mitch McConnell. (Dan Sullivan, of Alaska, is third.)
Given an approval rating that had dropped from 60% to 41%. Give the fact Maine has become Blue-r, that she got a huge amount of stick for assuring voters that Kavanagh would uphold Roe v Wade, and that this is a midterm election with an unpopular incumbent.
Well, I thought her luck had run out.
Maybe not.
Platner is by far the most damaged of the serious Democratic Senatorial candidates.
Right now, I would reckon that Collins has to be favourite to hold on Maine.
Platner won't be the candidate by next week, it seems pretty clear. Pretty well every senior Democrat came out last night to say (quite correctly) that he must step down.
You could quite fairly argue, as Sandpit has, that this should have happened earlier, but he was selected by a very large majority of primary voters. This latest accusation is an entirely credible one of rape. He is entitled to defend himself; hanging on to the nomination is another matter.
Basically everyone who backed him except Bernie Sanders has said he should drop out, seems like he's done. It's RCV so if the rest of the party want to back someone else they can do it without worrying about splitting their vote.
Rumours he's been dead a while but the Republicans are terrified of the consequences of admitting it.... He went into an unknown hopsital for an unknown condition 2-3 weeks ago.
Why would they be terrified of admitting it?
Because it would trigger an election they'd likely lose. Currently the GOP majority in the Senate is 53-47 and an election defeat would make this 52-48, an inauspicious margin.
Background: in most States (and indeed Kentucky until recently), the Governnor appoints a replacement if a Senator dies (or ascends to -say- the Vice Presidency), until a regular scheduled November election. However, in Kentucky, a Democrat, Andy Beshear, is Governor. Now, Beshear said he would appoint a Republican in the event of McConnell's passing, but there was the -understandable- fear that he would appoint a moderate Republican, who might actually succeed in keeping his job come the next scheduled elections.
The Kentucky legislature therefore changed the law to require an almost immediate (an 8 week timetable) Special Election to replace a dead Senator, who would complete his term.
Personal view: the Democrats could -as in Alabama- win a Special Election. But they'd give it straight back up again in November. With that said, such an event might meaningfully constrain the ability of ability of the Republicans to replace either Thomas or Alito, should one choose to retire in the Autumn. Two reliable Republican Senators, Bill Cassidy and Thom Tillis, are no longer standing again, and neither feels quite the same degree of pressure to confrm. (See Tillis refusing to confirm the new Fed Chair until investigations into the outgoing one were dropped. And Cassidy was unseated by a Trump backed Primary challenger.)
In addition, Lisa Murkowski likes to maintain a healthy distance from the adminstration (as she benefits from ranked choice voting in Alaska). So, were Kentucky to go temporarily Red, it could mean no ability to confirm a Justice in the lame duck session.
With that said... this is pretty theoretical. And Kentucky is a deeply Red State, with Trump defeating Harris by a clear two-to-one margin. A Democrat victory is possible (Andy Beshear won the Governor's race, after all)... But I would want good odds to bet on it.
They’re not worried about a Democrat winning a special election. They’re worried about Massie winning, or even just standing.
Would the Democrats stand down to allow Massie a free run? I could see him winning if they did.
Even if they didn’t, or even if they did and Massie lost, it would be weeks of people talking about Epstein. Trump would have to go to war with another country.
Another argument for ditching the guy, even if it means Massie running unopposed.
There are a large number of people who say that the Democrats “machine” politicians are not much better than Trump.
You get this from independents in the centre, and core Democrat voters on the left.
The former, the Democrats are trying to win over. The later to re-enthuse to vote and campaign.
If they keep this asshole, what do they win?
Integrity, at this point, might just be the best politics at this point.
Important judgement today for France, and possibly the whole of Europe, whether Marine Le Pen can stand for the upcoming presidential election. If she wins the case she will be the candidate for the far right Rassemblement National in the upcoming presidential election. If she loses it will be her deputy Jordan Bardella who on current polling is a bit more likely to win the presidency. Her appeal against a five year ban on political office for misusing EU funds doesn't look likely to succeed.
It's odd he doesn't just stonewall and say "wait for the committee to report". Maybe shutting up isn't his millieu.
Is it wise to let your opponents control the story?
Also, the committee is probably going to say he was wrong. He needs to get his defence out there in advance.
Blaming the process or the rules themselves is tried and tested, it works in supporters all the time and sometimes even beyond them.
So you get people delaying and overcomplicating and then complaining things were delayed and complex, or apply a ridiculously high standard and complain that no crime was committed.
Because as we know if conduct is not criminal its impossible for it to be criticised.
As someone on twitter pointed out, Trump’s America cheating and still losing (convincingly) is a great metaphor for the current state it’s in. Trump doesn’t really care of course, for him the win is that yet again individuals and institutions were willing to publicly abase themselves before him.
No one enjoys the exercise of power more. And Fifa don't give a shit who criticises them, since nothing is ever going to be done about it.
It's odd he doesn't just stonewall and say "wait for the committee to report". Maybe shutting up isn't his millieu.
Is it wise to let your opponents control the story?
Also, the committee is probably going to say he was wrong. He needs to get his defence out there in advance.
Blaming the process or the rules themselves is tried and tested, it works in supporters all the time and sometimes even beyond them.
So you get people delaying and overcomplicating and then complaining things were delayed and complex, or apply a ridiculously high standard and complain that no crime was committed.
Because as we know if conduct is not criminal its impossible for it to be criticised.
Farage's problem with that sort of process complaint is that the heart of the story is immediately and obviously easy to understand: politician gets £5m in exchange for 'nothing' and doesn't declare it.
To reiterate, it seems entirely reasonable to me, and I'm baffled why no crypto billionaires have accepted my generous offer to receive £5m in exchange for nothing.
It's odd he doesn't just stonewall and say "wait for the committee to report". Maybe shutting up isn't his millieu.
Is it wise to let your opponents control the story?
Also, the committee is probably going to say he was wrong. He needs to get his defence out there in advance.
Blaming the process or the rules themselves is tried and tested, it works in supporters all the time and sometimes even beyond them.
So you get people delaying and overcomplicating and then complaining things were delayed and complex, or apply a ridiculously high standard and complain that no crime was committed.
Because as we know if conduct is not criminal its impossible for it to be criticised.
It's not the committee, it's the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner and then maybe the committee. There are also reasons for not getting Farage's defence out there (assuming he has one). Jacob Rees-Mogg describes the process:-
Important judgement today for France, and possibly the whole of Europe, whether Marine Le Pen can stand for the upcoming presidential election. If she wins the case she will be the candidate for the far right Rassemblement National in the upcoming presidential election. If she loses it will be her deputy Jordan Bardella who on current polling is a bit more likely to win the presidency. Her appeal against a five year ban on political office for misusing EU funds doesn't look likely to succeed.
On topic: LOL, did they Nazi that Platner was a wrong’un months ago? Some of us on here might have been saying it well before the primaries.
The problem with this allegation is that it’s from a Democrat, so the party machine can’t simply try to smear her, as they did with the previous women who came forward.
This is what happens when everything becomes about politics, you end up defending the indefensible and have to walk it back later. Many elected Democrats with very well-deserved egg on their faces today, having spent months trying to defend the guy with the Nazi tattoo on his chest and a long record of poor behaviour.
Well done, genius.
Now tell us about Ken Paxton, who will still be a candidate. Or Supreme Court judge Kavanaugh. Or Trump himself, of course.
Prior to today's revelations, we conducted focus groups with Maine Democratic voters. They said they were sticking by Platner unless one thing happened. That thing: he was credibly accused of sexual assault. https://x.com/samstein/status/2074277514428416092
Unlike in 2020 and 2014, when she was broadly popular in her State, she is now the second most unpopular Senator in the country behind only Mitch McConnell. (Dan Sullivan, of Alaska, is third.)
Given an approval rating that had dropped from 60% to 41%. Give the fact Maine has become Blue-r, that she got a huge amount of stick for assuring voters that Kavanagh would uphold Roe v Wade, and that this is a midterm election with an unpopular incumbent.
Well, I thought her luck had run out.
Maybe not.
Platner is by far the most damaged of the serious Democratic Senatorial candidates.
Right now, I would reckon that Collins has to be favourite to hold on Maine.
Platner won't be the candidate by next week, it seems pretty clear. Pretty well every senior Democrat came out last night to say (quite correctly) that he must step down.
You could quite fairly argue, as Sandpit has, that this should have happened earlier, but he was selected by a very large majority of primary voters. This latest accusation is an entirely credible one of rape. He is entitled to defend himself; hanging on to the nomination is another matter.
Basically everyone who backed him except Bernie Sanders has said he should drop out, seems like he's done. It's RCV so if the rest of the party want to back someone else they can do it without worrying about splitting their vote.
Bernie's character judgment is seriously in question these days. Platner was always a risk (as I said when he got the nomination), but it was possible to avoid full throated endorsement, while still saying Collins needs to be defeated - as (for example) AOC did.
Important judgement today for France, and possibly the whole of Europe, whether Marine Le Pen can stand for the upcoming presidential election. If she wins the case she will be the candidate for the far right Rassemblement National in the upcoming presidential election. If she loses it will be her deputy Jordan Bardella who on current polling is a bit more likely to win the presidency. Her appeal against a five year ban on political office for misusing EU funds doesn't look likely to succeed.
Yeah, I have no time for Le Pen who, in my opinion, is just better at hiding her monstrous views than her father was, but I really don't like lawyers and courts deciding who can stand and who people can vote for. It just feels wrong.
As any law student in England & Wales can tell you, a contract requires an offer, acceptance, consideration*, and an intent to create legal relations. A gift has no such strings. A contract for a gift is an oxymoron.
(*PB pedants please note I am aware of the exception when executed as a deed)
Liked because yet again PB proves itself as a classroom.
It's odd he doesn't just stonewall and say "wait for the committee to report". Maybe shutting up isn't his millieu.
Is it wise to let your opponents control the story?
Also, the committee is probably going to say he was wrong. He needs to get his defence out there in advance.
That requires him to have a defence. And that defence needs to work with both a formal committee and an informal court of public opinion. So far, he seems to have bluster that makes things worse.
The only advice I can give would-be MPs and PMs is don't take huge piles of spondoolicks from anyone until after you retire.
Oh, indeed, and that’s a problem for Farage.
Defence 1 was to talk about his personal security. There are problems with that argument, but it still feels better than defence 2, it was a reward for Brexit. However, he’s now on defence 3, the none-of-your-business line.
The voters will make it their business. By not voting for him whilst he keeps coming up with wanky excuses for taking multi-millions.
As any law student in England & Wales can tell you, a contract requires an offer, acceptance, consideration*, and an intent to create legal relations. A gift has no such strings. A contract for a gift is an oxymoron.
(*PB pedants please note I am aware of the exception when executed as a deed)
Liked because yet again PB proves itself as a classroom.
Many thanks Doug.
In Scotland we don't bother with that "consideration" nonsense and we also allow enforcement of unilateral promises. Makes it a lot simpler.
Their manager was quite decent about the affair: ..Manager Rudi Garcia, however, played down the row when asked if it had fuelled his players.
“No, it wasn’t needed or necessary ... what really mattered to us is our gameplan,” he said, adding that he had spoken with Balogun after the final whistle. “He came to talk to me, I really like that. … It’s not his fault, he’s not the one to blame and that’s what I told him.”
Important judgement today for France, and possibly the whole of Europe, whether Marine Le Pen can stand for the upcoming presidential election. If she wins the case she will be the candidate for the far right Rassemblement National in the upcoming presidential election. If she loses it will be her deputy Jordan Bardella who on current polling is a bit more likely to win the presidency. Her appeal against a five year ban on political office for misusing EU funds doesn't look likely to succeed.
Yeah, I have no time for Le Pen who, in my opinion, is just better at hiding her monstrous views than her father was, but I really don't like lawyers and courts deciding who can stand and who people can vote for. It just feels wrong.
Agree with you that it feels wrong. On the other hand, what's the more acceptable meaningful sanction?
(Which is the game that scofflaws like to play; if you can make something to difficult/embarrassing to punish, or it only gets a gentle wrist-slap, it becomes de facto permitted.)
Why on earth does the MP gift code for any gifts upto 12 months before becoming an MP have exemptions for personal or family gifts.
FFS.
Everything. All of it. In the open.
I might say family gifts below £1,000. Otherwise you get disclosure of the £20 your aunt puts under the tree at Christmas
How is 3 staff paid to look after your social media "personal"? Farage's and Reform's position on this is nothing short of ludicrous.
Of course it is. It was pure unadulterated grift. Fortunately corruption has t been normalised in the UK as it has been in the US so he’s getting called out for it
Important judgement today for France, and possibly the whole of Europe, whether Marine Le Pen can stand for the upcoming presidential election. If she wins the case she will be the candidate for the far right Rassemblement National in the upcoming presidential election. If she loses it will be her deputy Jordan Bardella who on current polling is a bit more likely to win the presidency. Her appeal against a five year ban on political office for misusing EU funds doesn't look likely to succeed.
Yeah, I have no time for Le Pen who, in my opinion, is just better at hiding her monstrous views than her father was, but I really don't like lawyers and courts deciding who can stand and who people can vote for. It just feels wrong.
Agree with you that it feels wrong. On the other hand, what's the more acceptable meaningful sanction?
(Which is the game that scofflaws like to play; if you can make something to difficult/embarrassing to punish, or it only gets a gentle wrist-slap, it becomes de facto permitted.)
Lutfur Rahman was banned for five years. Is it really different just because President is the top job? I suppose Le Pen's crime wasn't directly electoral, but funding-related which makes it of a different character.
Important judgement today for France, and possibly the whole of Europe, whether Marine Le Pen can stand for the upcoming presidential election. If she wins the case she will be the candidate for the far right Rassemblement National in the upcoming presidential election. If she loses it will be her deputy Jordan Bardella who on current polling is a bit more likely to win the presidency. Her appeal against a five year ban on political office for misusing EU funds doesn't look likely to succeed.
Yeah, I have no time for Le Pen who, in my opinion, is just better at hiding her monstrous views than her father was, but I really don't like lawyers and courts deciding who can stand and who people can vote for. It just feels wrong.
Agree with you that it feels wrong. On the other hand, what's the more acceptable meaningful sanction?
(Which is the game that scofflaws like to play; if you can make something to difficult/embarrassing to punish, or it only gets a gentle wrist-slap, it becomes de facto permitted.)
Well, for example, her or her party could have been fined multiples of the money she misapplied so there is a positive disadvantage correlated to the original offence. I don't know all the details of this but my understanding is that she was accused of misusing money from the EU Parliament which is something of a joke in itself and highly suggestive of selectivity.
The Americans use the phrase Lawfare and it is something we don't want to copy. Some of the litigations or prosecutions of Trump were bordering on the ridiculous. Others weren't of course but once you go down that path both the law and respect for it suffer greatly.
It's odd he doesn't just stonewall and say "wait for the committee to report". Maybe shutting up isn't his millieu.
Is it wise to let your opponents control the story?
Also, the committee is probably going to say he was wrong. He needs to get his defence out there in advance.
That requires him to have a defence. And that defence needs to work with both a formal committee and an informal court of public opinion. So far, he seems to have bluster that makes things worse.
The only advice I can give would-be MPs and PMs is don't take huge piles of spondoolicks from anyone until after you retire.
Oh, indeed, and that’s a problem for Farage.
Defence 1 was to talk about his personal security. There are problems with that argument, but it still feels better than defence 2, it was a reward for Brexit. However, he’s now on defence 3, the none-of-your-business line.
The voters will make it their business. By not voting for him whilst he keeps coming up with wanky excuses for taking multi-millions.
It must be nice to be such a thoroughly good egg that your friends just feel the need to give you presents like millions of pounds and free housing.
Until Nigel came along I thought I was popular, I would get invited to parties, openings, lunches all the time, I have loads of friends on social media but I’ve realised now that this was all a bit shallow as I haven’t been given material things and tonnes of lovely money.
What do I have to do to move into this Boss level of friendships?
Important judgement today for France, and possibly the whole of Europe, whether Marine Le Pen can stand for the upcoming presidential election. If she wins the case she will be the candidate for the far right Rassemblement National in the upcoming presidential election. If she loses it will be her deputy Jordan Bardella who on current polling is a bit more likely to win the presidency. Her appeal against a five year ban on political office for misusing EU funds doesn't look likely to succeed.
Comments
David Axelrod
@davidaxelrod
Wonder if @POTUS sees any irony in acting as a champion for Balogun, who only is eligible to play for the U.S. because of birthright citizenship.
Tom Nichols
@RadioFreeTom
Welp, @davidfrum called it a month ago:
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/06/democrats-have-choose-between-character-and-power/687464/?gift=otEsSHbRYKNfFYMngVFweIppfv1QKVYQzB16k9lj-hk&utm_source=copy-link&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=share
USA 2.66
Belgium 3
Draw 3.5
To Qualify
USA 1.86
Belgium 2.18
http://betfair.com/exchange/plus/football/market/1.259667170
Do these odds take account of the Trump phone call to Infantino at 89 minutes?
Firstly they're a really good footballing side. Very attractive to watch.
Secondly. The entire ethnic makeup of the team is a middle finger to MAGA.
Thirdly. It would be a real boost to the profile of MLS. Which isn't a Trumpist heartland. It's very hip, young and urban.
Fourthly. Their kit design is the best of the world cup.
But mostly the first point. Couldn't imagine them playing like Portugal or Paraguay.
Very very very alone.
I've made peace with it.
So all you will get is USA! USA! USA! drowning out everything else.
Come on Belgium...
https://x.com/PpollingNumbers/status/2074277259574206516
Another 2-3 weeks and they can avoid a special election.
But I don't know why the US doesn't want to announce it? Surely any special election will be won by the Republicans when Trump puts in a call to Infantino?
On Sunday, June 28, 2026, former Tsinghua University associate professor Dr. Zheng Yuhuang was giving a high-ticket business lecture at the Hilton Beijing Capital Airport. During the session, he characterized China's trajectory as "macroeconomically pessimistic," warning of a potential 20 to 30-year stagnation period mirroring Japan's lost decades.He frankly argued that internal structural failures such as unequal pension distributions and the rigid household registration system are fueling the downturn rather than global economic trends.
Mid-lecture, two police officers suddenly marched into the venue and escorted Dr. Zheng out for interrogation under suspicion of hosting an "illegal gathering." The intervention occurred after an audience member reportedly called the authorities to denounce the professor's "defeatist" economic analysis. While he was permitted to return and finish the seminar after a brief five-minute clarification, a massive digital purge followed shortly after.
By July 1, 2026, Dr. Zheng's short-video profiles, Weibo, and WeChat accounts were entirely wiped and permanently banned across all major mainland platforms. The swift deletion destroyed 16 years of accumulated educational content, marketing research, and public media archives overnight. This extreme response underscores a broader pattern where Beijing treats objective economic data as a national security threat, weaponizing citizen-on-citizen surveillance to enforce absolute narrative control...
https://x.com/Unveiled_ChinaX/status/2073559356482949240
https://x.com/BulwarkOnline/status/2074142932525875304
"We should have been given 20 mins of extra time."
Lol
The World Cup invariably throws up a rich catalogue of back stories but the tale of how the boy who came through Arsenal’s academy and scored a bunch of goals for England Under-21s ended up with a US passport is up there with the best of them. And it was all thanks to a concerned airline staffer.
Balogun was still in his mother Florence’s tummy when, seven months pregnant, she visited New York on holiday in 2001. Only the return journey never happened as planned because the airline would not let her fly due to the size of her belly which, in her own words, was “massive”.
So Florian ended up being born in Brooklyn, not London, and spent the first couple of months of his life there in Florence’s sister-in-law’s two-bedroom apartment before mother and baby were considered well enough to fly home.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2026/06/13/usmnt-vs-paraguay-world-cup-2026-live-score-latest-updates/ (£££)
Sanctions imposed on Russian scientists and research labs involved in developing chemical weapons – including the Novichok nerve agent
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/russia-sanctions-chemical-dawn-sturgess-alexei-navalny-b3009688.html
And a reminder that the Foreign Secretary is a player, cynics might add, regarding the Burnham hegemony.
The problem with this allegation is that it’s from a Democrat, so the party machine can’t simply try to smear her, as they did with the previous women who came forward.
This is what happens when everything becomes about politics, you end up defending the indefensible and have to walk it back later. Many elected Democrats with very well-deserved egg on their faces today, having spent months trying to defend the guy with the Nazi tattoo on his chest and a long record of poor behaviour.
Now tell us about Ken Paxton, who will still be a candidate.
Or Supreme Court judge Kavanaugh.
Or Trump himself, of course.
Prior to today's revelations, we conducted focus groups with Maine Democratic voters.
They said they were sticking by Platner unless one thing happened.
That thing: he was credibly accused of sexual assault.
https://x.com/samstein/status/2074277514428416092
The Maine Democratic Party is calling on Graham Platner to withdraw as the Democratic Senate nominee.
https://x.com/VoteHub/status/2074254391687958745
Narrative shifting on Fox already from attacking Platner to attacking Democrats for “not caring about the will of the voters”
https://x.com/Acyn/status/2074301831375892736
The Kentucky legislature therefore changed the law to require an almost immediate (an 8 week timetable) Special Election to replace a dead Senator, who would complete his term.
Personal view: the Democrats could -as in Alabama- win a Special Election. But they'd give it straight back up again in November. With that said, such an event might meaningfully constrain the ability of ability of the Republicans to replace either Thomas or Alito, should one choose to retire in the Autumn. Two reliable Republican Senators, Bill Cassidy and Thom Tillis, are no longer standing again, and neither feels quite the same degree of pressure to confrm. (See Tillis refusing to confirm the new Fed Chair until investigations into the outgoing one were dropped. And Cassidy was unseated by a Trump backed Primary challenger.)
In addition, Lisa Murkowski likes to maintain a healthy distance from the adminstration (as she benefits from ranked choice voting in Alaska). So, were Kentucky to go temporarily Red, it could mean no ability to confirm a Justice in the lame duck session.
With that said... this is pretty theoretical. And Kentucky is a deeply Red State, with Trump defeating Harris by a clear two-to-one margin. A Democrat victory is possible (Andy Beshear won the Governor's race, after all)... But I would want good odds to bet on it.
Unlike in 2020 and 2014, when she was broadly popular in her State, she is now the second most unpopular Senator in the country behind only Mitch McConnell. (Dan Sullivan, of Alaska, is third.)
Given an approval rating that had dropped from 60% to 41%. Give the fact Maine has become Blue-r, that she got a huge amount of stick for assuring voters that Kavanagh would uphold Roe v Wade, and that this is a midterm election with an unpopular incumbent.
Well, I thought her luck had run out.
Maybe not.
Platner is by far the most damaged of the serious Democratic Senatorial candidates.
Right now, I would reckon that Collins has to be favourite to hold on Maine.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scots_contract_law
It requires some sort of explanation.
It seems strange to say this about a party with a clear lead in the polls, but I wonder if we’re seeing the end of Reform.
Belgium are nothing special, but had far too much quality for the USA’s pressing. Football has moved on from the likes of Pochettino and Klopp.
Be fair. If the red card hadn't been magically nullified they might've lost 4-0. A glorious 4-1 defeat is very much in accord with Trump's Iranian 'win'. The Versailles President strikes again!
Also, the committee is probably going to say he was wrong. He needs to get his defence out there in advance.
However, maybe the Code could be tweaked to be even clearer. Maybe any gift over £300 definitely had to be declared, or something like that.
(*PB pedants please note I am aware of the exception when executed as a deed)
The only advice I can give would-be MPs and PMs is don't take huge piles of spondoolicks from anyone until after you retire.
Committee accepts it and there's no by election.
Public accepts it and he could still win.
The bigger issue is as you say neither are accepting it.
Pretty well every senior Democrat came out last night to say (quite correctly) that he must step down.
You could quite fairly argue, as Sandpit has, that this should have happened earlier, but he was selected by a very large majority of primary voters. This latest accusation is an entirely credible one of rape.
He is entitled to defend himself; hanging on to the nomination is another matter.
Defence 1 was to talk about his personal security. There are problems with that argument, but it still feels better than defence 2, it was a reward for Brexit. However, he’s now on defence 3, the none-of-your-business line.
The US trying to park the bus but they don't really have a functioning public transport system
https://x.com/economissive/status/2074287412675788903?s=61&t=LYVEHh2mqFy1oUJAdCfe-Q
Platner, Trump, Abbot, etc are all just symptoms of a wider malaise.
Thank God for birthright citizenship, I say.
https://x.com/natesilver538/status/2062737357074481537
Keep in mind that if you're defending Platner at this point you're signing up for 5 more months of defending an obvious pathological liar.
And now we have hundreds of politicians hastily deleting posts from the last few months, all hoping to get away with ever having supported him in the first place, as today they call in unison for him to stand down. When they thought he could win, they didn’t care about the obvious flaws in his character, but now they think he’ll lose they’re all running to throw him under the bus.
How could anyone do such a thing?
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/jul/07/chosen-caesarean-ockenden-amos-reports?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other
It matches what an obstetrician told me a year or too back. He could trust the staff to do a planned section safely, while had concerns about how well they could monitor and manage a vaginal delivery, particularly when short staffed and not working as a team out of hours.
Perhaps rather sad, but there we are.
For the love of the sky fairies, send him this - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normalization_of_deviance
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2821100/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25742063/
haven’t seen America this thoroughly embarrassed on the world stage since we lost that war we started with Iran like 3 weeks ago
@sethcotlar.bsky.social
The technical term for getting beaten soundly by Belgium in soccer is “getting waffle housed.”
Or at least they shouldn't.
There are a large number of people who say that the Democrats “machine” politicians are not much better than Trump.
You get this from independents in the centre, and core Democrat voters on the left.
The former, the Democrats are trying to win over. The later to re-enthuse to vote and campaign.
If they keep this asshole, what do they win?
Integrity, at this point, might just be the best politics at this point.
https://bsky.app/profile/mijrahman.bsky.social/post/3mpzzyczu6s2t
So you get people delaying and overcomplicating and then complaining things were delayed and complex, or apply a ridiculously high standard and complain that no crime was committed.
Because as we know if conduct is not criminal its impossible for it to be criticised.
politician gets £5m in exchange for 'nothing' and doesn't declare it.
To reiterate, it seems entirely reasonable to me, and I'm baffled why no crypto billionaires have accepted my generous offer to receive £5m in exchange for nothing.
An Establishment Stitch-up of Nigel?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwmVpIC3W74
Platner was always a risk (as I said when he got the nomination), but it was possible to avoid full throated endorsement, while still saying Collins needs to be defeated - as (for example) AOC did.
Many thanks Doug.
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jul/06/belgium-reaction-victory-usa-world-cup-red-card
Their manager was quite decent about the affair:
..Manager Rudi Garcia, however, played down the row when asked if it had fuelled his players.
“No, it wasn’t needed or necessary ... what really mattered to us is our gameplan,” he said, adding that he had spoken with Balogun after the final whistle. “He came to talk to me, I really like that. … It’s not his fault, he’s not the one to blame and that’s what I told him.”
(Which is the game that scofflaws like to play; if you can make something to difficult/embarrassing to punish, or it only gets a gentle wrist-slap, it becomes de facto permitted.)
The Americans use the phrase Lawfare and it is something we don't want to copy. Some of the litigations or prosecutions of Trump were bordering on the ridiculous. Others weren't of course but once you go down that path both the law and respect for it suffer greatly.
Until Nigel came along I thought I was popular, I would get invited to parties, openings, lunches all the time, I have loads of friends on social media but I’ve realised now that this was all a bit shallow as I haven’t been given material things and tonnes of lovely money.
What do I have to do to move into this Boss level of friendships?
National Rally are more likely to win with her deputy rather than her.