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Random question. I didnt find posts about what's happening in Mexico, Barcelona and/or Chile (maybe i missed them?). Is it because you guys are not aware or because you dont care?
Genuine question.

If I was going to answer honestly it's mainly a lack of information for me combined with the fact that even if I did research it to have a fully informed opinion and expressed support it would do very little on a forum like this. Unfortunately most people discuss what is close and relevant to them, which for the majority of posters on here would be Brexit I believe and the British Isles + Ireland.

Personally in terms of Chile, while conditions may have deteriorated and people are suffer, violent protests rarely end well in the long run and lose you support. My girlfriend is from Sudan and their peaceful protest appears to have achieved more (hoping it continues) then the violent protests in other African countries. However I really don't know enough about the issues.

As for Barcelona, I stick with my previous argument that violent protests aren't the answer. I also believe that nationalism is an antiquated ideology and that humans need to move past such narrow labels that separate them. Independence movements such as Barcelona and even Brexit only deepen divisions between people when we need to start putting aside such petty differences such as where we were born. It's one of the main reasons I support the E.U, even if it does need reforming, is that it's united existing countries far more than any other previous organisation.

Finally as for Mexico, I believe you are referring to the drug lord's son and the armed fighting on the street. Mexico has had a terrible problem with drug lords in that they are so powerful and parts of the police/politics are so corrupt it's hard to eliminate them completely. However any fighting that could be termed a war, for example a war on drugs that leads to fighting in the streets is likely to lead to innocent people getting killed. I don't think it was an easy choice to let the son go, but I think there were larger considerations than simple arresting a known drug lord.

Other examples of news around the world would be Thailand's King gaining more and more power, taking the country closer and closer to an absolute monarchy. Turkey's offensive in Syria, where Erdogan has turned himself nearly into a dictator with his changes to the power structure and the facts that the Kurds are constantly being abandoned by western powers after they have helped them in the region.

Put it simply, there are huge problems across the world and that's before you take into account we might be heading for global warming crisis that affects everyone. There are terrible things happening across the world, but until humans actually start working together to benefit each other and put aside their differences then those with power will continue to abuse their positions and the majority of those with wealth and power will seek to protect it, whilst those below just look after themselves and try to make the best of what they have. It's human nature that we need to overcome, but are unlikely to do so.
 
Random question. I didnt find posts about what's happening in Mexico, Barcelona and/or Chile (maybe i missed them?). Is it because you guys are not aware or because you dont care?
Genuine question.
As above really.
I'm aware of the broad strokes of what's going on, but I don't feel well enough informed to offer sensible comment. The British press is much more geared up to report from the English speaking world (interesting that your 3 examples are from the Spanish speaking world), and even then only really care about British news and Trump. Combine that with an expectation of the same comparative ignorance from the regular posters in this thread, and that I have better places to talk about such things should I wish (where I mostly read, rather than comment).

There's plentynfoing on in the world that doesn't get mentioned here, where it's basically Brexit and Trump as theynhave the largest effect on the largest number of posters. It's a weakness of having a politics thread, rather than a politics sub-board, where you could divide things by region. So we don't talk about Mexico, Catalunya or Chilli, or Syria, Hong Kong, Thailand, Bosnia or anywhere much else - including much detail from USA.
There's plenty going on in the world that we'll be completely unaware of, and plenty where we just don't have enough information (or shared interest) to actually discuss.
 
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Random question. I didnt find posts about what's happening in Mexico, Barcelona and/or Chile (maybe i missed them?). Is it because you guys are not aware or because you dont care?
Genuine question.
The only one of those I heard about is the Barcelona protests over the sentencing of referendumers.
I think the sentences are a bit insane but I don't know too much about the situation.
I haven't listened to the news today so I hadn't heard about the others.

American news can barley keep up with what's going on with trump and brexit. I guess Spain got to be the third story. We've also had another unarmed black person shot by a police person (they were in their house playing video games). That story was on about equal footing to the Catalonia protests.
 
The only one of those I heard about is the Barcelona protests over the sentencing of referendumers.
I think the sentences are a bit insane but I don't know too much about the situation.
I haven't listened to the news today so I hadn't heard about the others.

American news can barley keep up with what's going on with trump and brexit. I guess Spain got to be the third story. We've also had another unarmed black person shot by a police person (they were in their house playing video games). That story was on about equal footing to the Catalonia protests.
Not the Dem primaries and the Rep.s forcing their way into closed-door hearings?
 
Thanks for the answers. I generally get my fair share of euro and latam news, and it's hard to avoid what's going on in the US. Was just wondering what kind of focus you guys had.

I was asking as these are pretty big events. What happened in Mexico is the type of thing you'd expect from an over the top action movie. You'd probably think "the scrip writers went too far here".
And regarding Chile, i'm surprised the kind of coverage. The basic claim is that although Chile has grown more than any of it's peers it has done so unequally in terms of distribution.
The problem with that argument is that although Chile's income distribution metrics lag behind others (say Gini index) they have been improving consistently for the last 30 years.

There is reasonably big left vs right (whatever that means) divide in the region.
 
We've talked before about Pasty Cockwomble's fear of scrutiny and accountability (though I can't be bothered to go and find the posts); here's just the latest example:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-50160505

Boris Johnson has pulled out of a scheduled appearance before a panel of senior MPs, saying he has to "focus on delivering Brexit".
The prime minister had been due to be grilled by the Commons liaison committee - made up of the chairs of select committees - on Thursday.
He has asked committee chair Sarah Wollaston for a date "five or six months" from him becoming PM.
Dr Wollaston accused the PM of "refusing to face detailed scrutiny".
The former Conservative - now Lib Dem - MP said it was the third time the prime minister had cancelled.

Article Continues...
 
Stories starting to emerge that Cockwomble and Cummings are now prioritising an election win over delivering Brexit. So despite all the 'Get Brexit done' talk it looks like their top priority is now trying to lock in power for another five years. Seems as though Grandpa Corbyn wants Brexit before an election so that he can 'Get Brexit done' and then blame the Tories for it during the election campaign. How did these two become PM and LOTO. If Cummings wants an election then it's a tad concerning what his polling numbers might be showing.
 
An absolute tragedy with these 39 people found dead in a lorry most likely having froze to death. Eight women and thirty one men all thought to be Chinese nationals. Puts Cockwomble's antics into perspective.
 
An absolute tragedy with these 39 people found dead in a lorry most likely having froze to death. Eight women and thirty one men all thought to be Chinese nationals. Puts Cockwomble's antics into perspective.

yeah I suspect that they were being taken to be enslaved. Authorities have got to get to the bottom of whatever slavery ring is behind it. But unfortunately this thing is still going on since the Morecambe bay cockle drownings which first highlighted this issue back in 2004.
 
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-50174402
Boris Johnson has said he will give MPs more time to debate Brexit deal, but only if they agree to a 12 December general election.
"If they (MPs) genuinely want more time to study this excellent deal, they can have it - but they have to agree to a general election on 12 December,"
So he wants a GE before the students get home to vote, and hopes that it's before the weather is severe enough to reduce the old-folk vote.
Parliament is only allowed to do its job IF they agree to his will.
Even that much is still begrudged, and is obviously with the hope that he can immediately subvert the will of this parliament by having a majority and the ability to undo anything this parliament decides before any new deadline.
It looks like he'll be trying the FTPA again - which would be allowed, as his first attempt was before prorogation - he's obviously still scared that if he tries the "simple bill" method, it gets ammended against his will, and passed against his will.
For someone who campaigned so hard on "parliamentary soveriegnty" he really, REALLY doesn't like it when parliament exerts its sovereignty.

ETA: On which - if we get another day when the backbenches control the order paper, could somone else propose a "simple bill" for a new GE, already ammended as the opposition parties would want?
 
Of course, if he does get a GE under the FTPA, he's in charge of the process; meaning that he can dissolve parliament whenever he wants - so that there's no-one at home to receive or debate any extension offer from the EU - and we crash out without a deal.
 
Of course, if he does get a GE under the FTPA, he's in charge of the process; meaning that he can dissolve parliament whenever he wants - so that there's no-one at home to receive or debate any extension offer from the EU - and we crash out without a deal.
If they offer 31st january he legally has to accept it, otherwise it is up to parliament (I don't what the Benn act stipulate's if parliament is dissolved).
 
If they offer 31st january he legally has to accept it, otherwise it is up to parliament (I don't what the Benn act stipulate's if parliament is dissolved).
That's true (I think).

My understanding of the Benn act is that any non-31/01/20 extension needs to be discussed and voted on by parliament. Which isn't possible because parliament is dissolved. Woops, we've dropped out, what a pity (which was a ploy earlier on in this debacle prior to the Benn Act IIRC)
 
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It amazes me at how many bites at the cherry the Tories are getting to deliver Brexit. They initiated it and then chose Theresa May as the person they wanted to deliver it. She then squandered their majority by holding a snap GE and they also weren't happy with her deal and so took her down and replaced her with BoJo. He is now creating a Parliament v People narrative when really it is the Tories who have botched the whole thing up.

If the next GE returns another hung Parliament and he still can't get his deal through surely the only remaining option is a second ref.
 
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Then it's 2-1 EU and we stay ;)


It's not necessarily about the winning margin but more a confirmatory vote knowing what we know now.
Vote leave broke multiple laws and the result would have been overturned if it hadn't just been an advisory referendum. They also lied about pretty much everything wrt to deals, economic impact etc
Now that we actually can start to see what brexit will do to the country it makes sense to have a confirmation vote
 
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