Tag Archives: politics

January 11, 2026 · 12:59 pm

#HeadlineTherapy Pope Leo criticises how countries are using force to assert their dominon amid ‘zeal’ for war.

Thanks to Sky News Online for this Headline

#HeadlineTherapy King of Spain warns about the risk of ‘dismantling’ the link between Europe and the US

Thanks to Miguel Gonzalez of El Pais Online for the Headline.

Unusually I have combined two Headlines today as Pope LeoXIV and the King Felipe VI of Spain were both speaking at the ” Conference of Ambassadors , the Pope at the Vatican with the Vatican Diplomatic Corps in Rome, while King Felipe VI held a two day conference with the heads of Spanish diplomatic missions worldwide in Madrid.

I suppose we forget about the history of the Catholic Church and it’s relationship with Spain, but the fact that they both call it a “Conference of Ambassadors” is interesting. I must admit at first I thought they had both attended the same event, but they were separate, but both asking for Peace and Level-Headedness when dealing with the challenges that their Ambassadors face.

Pope Leo did not mince his words denouncing countries for ” completely undermining ” peace, saying ” was is back in vogue and a zeal for war is spreading”. He was talking about the many conflicts in the World today and said that” consensus- based diplomacy is being replaced by a diplomacy based on force, by either individuals or groups of allies.” Perhaps we do need to read that in black and white. With the big child in the Whitehouse who’ll throw his toys at you if you won’t be his friend , yes consensus is going out of fashion, Donald might as well sing “if you want to be in my Gang”

King Felipe’s stance is very similar to the Pope, neither want conflict. Spain with it’s common language and most probably a lot of business trade with South America the King’s hope is that his Ambassadors can act with great patience and diplomatic courage, particularly with respect to Venezuela. Also that the closeness of Europe and America must continue, as the benefits are too great and isolationism would be catastrophic as it nearly was in the first half of the last Century. We all need each other

King Felipe was able to be secular and pragmatic, where Pope Leo as leader of the Catholic Church was from a religious point of view, however, they both have valuable messages and maybe all Countries should have a “Conference of Ambassadors” to set out plans for consensus and understanding.

Namaste and Thank You for Reading.🙏

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January 5, 2026 · 2:47 pm

#HeadlineTherapy ‘Everyone feels so afraid about what is going to happen next’ Caracas-based journalist tells Sky News

Thanks to Callum Tennant, news reporter Sky News Online for the Headline.

Inevitably when Power and Resources become an unseemly tussle , the only ones that suffer are the local people. The article describes now that the people have resorted to queuing at Pharmacies, Petrol Stations and Marketplaces in order to be able to buy essentials when they can, because the uncertainty now in what was already a fairly fragile economy looks like it will get worse for the foreseeable future.

There is no news, as that has been shut down , with the only station broadcasting endless repeats of past speeches by Nicolas Maduro. Interestingly enough, there are at least five or more other leaders within Venezuela who are basically stronger and controlled Nicolas Maduro, the implication being Nicolas Maduro was a puppet. The people know that those leaders will now take charge, they were the strong ones. If the Americans had wanted to take Venezuela then they would have had to taken them all.

So now the people are left with the ‘colectivos’, a sort of armed militia wandering the streets, previously used by the government to control demonstrations and basically use violence. They are largely uncontrolled and undisciplined. Meanwhile the different municipal police run their own check points where their district starts and ends. As you can imagine, movements are going to be restricted and it introduces the danger of being harassed for whatever reason while you are trying to go about and do your daily business.

Recent events have made the situation so much worse for the majority of people in Venezuela, I understand even the Chinese who bought the oil rights from Nicolas Maduro, are keeping their distance and watching to see what happens next. The Oil rights are worth only 3% of the Chinese requirement for Oil so, it is not critical to them. So in truth I don’t think the oil can be the main driver for the United States. Authorising the kidnapping of a Leader of another Country is not going to help President Trump’s prospects for winning the Nobel Prize, though I suppose stranger things have happened.

Namaste and Thank You for Reading.🙏

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January 1, 2026 · 6:16 pm

#HeadlineTherapy Government set to defend decision to strip *****’s UK citizenship.

Thank you to Suzanne Leigh and BBC Online News for the Headline

I choose not to continue the media hype, it’s a case currently highlighted and does not need me to further publicize the complainant.

Frankly when the incidents occurred that caused this debacle, the lady concerned was 15 years old, so I cannot see how you can argue that she was capable of making a decision that would mean her Citizenship of the UK would be revoked. So personally I think the Government is trying to defend that which cannot be defended.

However, as the Media (probably the liberal media) has taken hold of this and has made two films about it, with a lot of discussion in newspapers and television about the case. The said young woman now is in a refugee camp in Syria with no nationality as her Bangladeshi parentage does not entitle her to live in Bangladesh either, the Bangladeshi’s have refused her entry to Bangladesh.

She was born in the UK and has up until she left the UK at 15 only ever lived in the UK. Went to school here. So refusing her reentry and encouraging her to go to Bangladesh, stinks of the worst drunken pub rascist saying ” go back to where you came from” to someone who is a second generation Britain , but who is not as white as said rascist.

This was our Government then and it seems our Government now wants to follow through on that line. Which absolutely seems incredible to me and strikes me as desperation for votes from the quiet majority of homespun supremacist’s who crawl out of the woodwork to vote in elections that matter to them. Anything to do with race or the death penalty.

I have no idea what the Security Forces know about this woman and if there are concerns about her motives. The reality is that if she does return to the UK then she should be closely monitored and it must be quite clear to her that if radicalisation is still part of her make up , then that is a criminal offence and will be treated as such. We are not powerless, and we need to be able to deal with that should it occur, using the Criminal Laws of this Country.

What I find unacceptable is the emphasis on her appearance and this hair, makeup and sunglasses idea , it shouldn’t matter what she looks like. She was born in the UK and she is our problem or if the Human Rights Lawyers and Her Media Supporters are right our solution , not anyone else’s.

Yes she may need financial support when she comes back, let’s face it with youth unemployment in the UK as bad as it is , she may have needed that anyway if she stayed. What is everyone so scared of , do we not think we have the resource to deal with her. I actually think if we continue to disown her and leave her in what is the maelstrom of the Middle East that we may turn her completely against any chance of leading a humane life. She was misguided at 15, I’m sure lots of people have made mistakes at 15 , and wouldn’t expect to pay for that mistake for a lifetime. If she has committed international crimes try her, but to continue denying her rights that she was born with , is basically wrong and makes the Government look foolish.

This is an AI generated image which represents the fear of the unknown.

Namaste and Thank You for Reading.🙏

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December 28, 2025 · 4:32 pm

#HeadlineTherapy Investigation Reveals Thousands of Russians Fraudently Gained Romanian Citizenship by Descent.

Thanks to Moustafa Daly, IMI Cairo and Le Monde for the Headline

Fortunately Romania does not have a channel for people to cross in boats and look to gain Citizen rights in their Country. No newspaper headlines or promises of one to one exchanges.

They do however have a different problem caused by their descent laws.

As a remnant of border changes going back to 1918 ; territories which use to be part of the Kingdom of Romania that either due to conflict or as the result of the aftermath of World War Two; changed hands ; and are now either Russian satellites or indeed occupied by Russia.

The Kingdom of Romania’s territory between 1918 and 1940 included land that has now( under a Law passed in Romania in 1991), given the residents of those territories during that period the right to apply for Romanian Citizenship and subsequently entitlement to a Romanian Passport. Romania being part of the EU, this is a valuable asset to have. Giving freedom of travel and the ability to do business within Europe to the passport holder.

Hence , sometimes with the aid of crooked Romanian Officialdom, the addresses have been used of locations within “descent countries” and passports applied and given to Russian Nationals. The Romanian Authorities now estimate that over 18,700 citizens from the former Soviet republics have now registered under the “descent” criteria, with fake genealogy and using genuine addresses where they have never lived in order to obtain a Romanian passport.

I can’t help but wonder what was behind the “descent law ” that has been in operation since 1991, did Romania genuinely want some of the people they had lost back. Is there just simply not enough people in Romania and they thought that with a Romanian passport these people would choose to move back?

Sad to say , this admirable gesture has been abused by a criminal fraternity , advertising Romanian Citizenship for sale on the internet for thousands of euros, and in these instances the likelihood is that there is no benefit to Romania, indeed there may be harm.

Thankfully , the Romanian authorities have ascertained what has been happening and are now taking steps to prevent it , the” active citizens” did not appear in towns where they were registered and thus they are back to square one with their plan to embrace their population from the “Old Romanian Kingdom”

Namaste and Thank You for Reading. 🙏

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December 28, 2025 · 2:35 pm

They haven’t.

How have your political views changed over time?

I’ve always been a bit confused by Politics and Politicians. They harp on about being Public Servants, but the ones that get to the top are on the whole megalomaniacs, who initially may have had a plan to do good, but with the onset of the status quo of a crashing economy, low growth prospects and aggressors coming at them from every angle , they choose the path of least resistance and the one that helps them line their pockets. Let’s face it if we were in their position we would do the same.

When I was young I was at their mercy , now I’m older I still am. Politics and Greed solve nothing. Politics and the People just causes confusion.

When did a politician ever ask you what do you want? They wouldn’t dare, even if they wanted to they could never give it to you.

Being called a great politician is like calling someone a great real estate agent. Everyone needs them but no one loves them and everyone thinks that their job is easy whereas they are at the beck and call of the market. There are potentially big gains , but then the bottom can fall out of the market just as easily as it was flying upwards when it hit a ceiling. They then look foolish and are left with no sale and no commission.

There is no requirement to trust a politician, because you simply can’t . They have a system and they are part of it. What the people want or need is irrelevant and perhaps all they are is a necessary evil, elected individuals whom may have won fairly or unfairly. There should be legislative structures in place to protect us from their corrupt actions, but these can be dismantled and are hard to replace once they have gone.

When the people are not represented we still have Politicians, and those Politician’s will insist that they are protecting democracy. They are not , they are protecting themselves and their hangers on.

Namaste and Thank You for Reading.🙏

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December 14, 2025 · 8:44 am

#US forces stormed cargo ship travelling from China to Iran: Report

Thanks to Aljazeera news online and Al Jazeera Staff for the headline

#Being homeless eats away at your self-worth says care leaver.

Thanks to BBC News Online and Annika Grosser at the BBC England Data Unit for this headline

I decided to do two headlines today as much as the fact that the American’s are playing at Pirates amuses me, on the other hand the debacle that is the Social Service System in the UK is accurately described and the vast amounts of money that are wasted on it while not achieving results or support needs to be highlighted too.

You might not see the connection , but I do. Yes , we can worry about the Americans who according to the Chinese in Bejing ” opposes unilateral illicit sanctions and long-arm jurisdiction that have no basis in International Law or authorization of the UN Security Council, and the abuse of sanctions” Guo Jiakun , the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said.

In truth, I think the Americans are on a sticky wicket with their interceptions of tankers and container ships in order to impose their will on Countries who the American Government feel are not playing ball.

However, the rest of the World is left with the prospect that safe maritime traffic is being put under threat and goods that quite reasonably should be reaching a destination are not and in the case of the Chinese vessel going to Iran , this could mean that they Iranian Public are subjected to further shortages.

At the time of the seizure of the Chinese Tanker, Bejing chose to keep quiet, perhaps to allow the investigation of what the ship contained to be completed. The cargo was released as there was no evidence that goods which were part of the Worldwide Sanctions on Iran were on board. End of story, until the Americans seized a Venezuelan Oil Tanker the following month and this very much upset the Chinese.

You might ask why I see the sad situation of a young lady who was as a 16 year old in the care system in the UK, reduced to seeing her Social Worker every now and then and only when she was to be given £50 in cash from her Universal Credit allowance. Most of the time the Social Worker was on “leave” as connected to the above story. The young lady was inspired to become a Social Worker herself , and got the necessary qualifications in order to “improve” the system”, which I’m sure with her actions she already has and in whatever role she has in the future will continue to do so.

I was surprised how defensive the Council that looked after her were, saying that “they had made improvements and that “cover arrangements ” were always in place. This struck me as denying what was really going on.

Also another quote is from the Charity Become is

” Part of the problem is that young people aren’t reaching out for support.”

Their concern being that some children are overlooked and are not in the statistical data analysis. My concern is how do you expect a young person , who already feels neglected and whose belonging are handed to them in a black plastic bag(like a prisoner leaving prison) to feel like reaching out to anyone.

The common factor between these two stories, is the conviction that everything is being done right by the Powers that Be ,whether it being the American Government or a Local British Council. The self righteousness and arrogance is obvious and the talk or money and big budgets being used for the good of all is bandied about. Meanwhile on the ground there is a lack of achievement or any ability to do what’s right because those right at the top have decided what they want to do and the money is being spent the way they want it to be spent. Whether it’s sending soldiers on to ships or not helping vulnerable young people who are looking to leave care and build a life for themselves.

Namaste and Thank You for Reading.🙏

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December 8, 2025 · 7:23 am

#HeadlineTherapy Drivers throwing “bottles of wee” from cars on the A46 in Warwickshire

Thanks to Coventry Live and Rachel Stretton and Andy Mitchell and Local Democracy Reporter for the Headline

HS2 Contractors will be questioned by Council Authorities about the amount of litter , including bottles filled with wee that has been deposited at the roadside and had to be collected by local waste workers.

The waste workers noticed a significant increase in the amount and type of waste collected from the A46 dual carriage and the surrounding area and have identified the Contractors as having been responsible. HS2 and Balfour Beatty Vinci will now be questioned by the Council.

In truth , with the amount of house building underway along with the associated infrastructure this has became a Nationwide problem and will have to be addressed Nationally. There are so many contractors doing all sorts of work in Utilities and Building , it’s obvious some Companies look after their employees with locations where they can take their breaks and portable facilities that they can use for toilet breaks. It is obvious some companies don’t and my experience in my local area is that it makes the said workers( who are obviously on a very tight timetable) very grumpy. Unsurprisingly.

Gone are the days when grateful locals will offer the workers a cup of tea or even the chance to use the toilet. Nowadays it seems we are at loggerheads with each other. The result is resentment from both sides. It is a sad state of affairs and if the bad employers are made to improve it will result in additional costs and therefore reduced headcount and more pressure on the employees who are left to do the work. While in truth, all the bad employer was being asked to do was to provide a basic requirement. I think in modern language this is regarded as negotiation, which explains why working conditions for many continue to be eroded.

Namaste and Thank You for Reading. 🙏

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December 5, 2025 · 5:48 am

#HeadlineTherapy Farage insists Thai-based crypto billionaire wants nothing in return for £9m donation to Reform UK

Thanks to David Maddox Political Editor for the Independent Online

Well my immediate reaction to the above Headline was , the one person in this World who knows that is not how the World works is Nigel Farage. Mr Farage has been foisted on us as a Political Representative by forces unknown. Is he a clown? Is he a political monster that amplifies all that is rotten in the misguided beliefs of a loud minority within any Country , not just ours. Farage’s media profile is huge and as he first came to prominence being an MEP who hated the European Union, along it seems with 49% of the UK population, he is gone from strength to strength, despite murmurs and scandals of a history of racism at school and his potentially incriminating property deals involving his wife and probably him and most likely half of parliament.

So Nigel is a wheeler and dealer, believer of the benefits of Crypto Currency and certainly no altruist. This Headline caught my eye and made me think about who this Christopher Harborne is and why he feels the need to donate to a party like Reform; and if as is the case; our Christopher lives in Thailand why does he choose to want to promote and ( presumably influence) British Political life and thus determine how I live, who am not a millionaire , but who does live on a low income in the UK and has watched as our real economy of jobs, shops , infrastructure has been decimated.

Ah , perhaps someone will one day say ,” let them eat Crypto Currency”. I assure you having checked Wikipedia, I can honestly say that dear ol’ Chris comes from a privileged background, his money seems to have been made from the sale of aviation fuel, and he is an ex Westminster School boy and has a degree from Cambridge and is an ex McKinsey management consultant.

None of this explains why he wants to take an interest in UK Politics, why he; having lived abroad for the last twenty years ;felt that the UK should not be in the EC ( he donated millions to the Campaign to exit it ) worked with Boris Johnson and for reasons best known to Boris Johnson did a joint visit to the Ukraine with him while Boris was in British Politics.

Christopher Harborne knows as much about real life in the UK as I know about real life in Thailand. I suppose the cost of living is cheaper, but it is a Country that perhaps has it’s attractions for tourists with climate and beaches and probably the local people appreciate having a multi-millionaire Crypto entrepreneur on their side, but it’s very different from the mature economy the UK is( or perhaps was). The success or otherwise of an economy in chaos lead by politicians in a panic. Prime pickings for outside interests.

One thing I’d like to know is where does Ol’ Chris buy his aviation fuel, from Russia? We must follow the money.

As for “tethering” us to Crypto Currency and causing our financial markets to collapse, perhaps that is the next step to acquiring the resource which is the “British Economy”. Perhaps that is why Nigel Farage and Christopher Harborne speak on the phone once a month to each other.

Suppose Ol’ Chris had put £9m into a business in the UK that provided jobs and a future for young people in the UK, or even invested in Social Housing, or put his money into something that had a future, not a Political Party which with it’s scandal ridden members and it’s unseemly ability to pick on those who cannot help themselves seems at odds with an altruistic no strings donation.

My suspicion is there are bigger fish to fry and maybe Crypto is more exciting than boring old Aviation fuel and the whole thing makes life more interesting when you’re sitting on a beach in Thailand with nothing else to do than sign cheques.

Namaste and Thank you for Reading 🙏

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November 10, 2025 · 9:22 am

#HeadlineTherapy A seismic moment that shows rift at top of BBC

This headline is courtesy of Katie Razzall BBC Online News Culture and Media Editor

This story of the Director General of the BBC and his Head of News resignations are news to the BBC and it’s media followers aswell as reason for joyful celebration by the mainly right wing Politicians who are gunning for the demise of the BBC aswell as taking away it’s licence fee.

If there is a rift at the top , the little people don’t really care. I call them the little people because in all of this , apart for from viewing figures they’ve never really mattered. Joe Public, whatever you want to call them, have long given up in caring what the BBC produce or what they say, because it is run by people who are so out of touch with reality that they feel they have to push their opinion onto others.

I’m not going to name the characters who have resigned, in truth I only heard of these people because they had resigned. Are they ashamed of themselves and are shocked that it has come to this. That their leaving party has been cancelled.

Whatever, the outcome of all of this, the sex scandals, the political football that is high profile figures wanting Peace in This World and potentially trying to scupper the American Election, it is clear that “influencing” was clearly part of the plot. The chattering classes chattered too much and forgot the basic rules of journalism. They have shamed not just themselves but the BBC which was a great institution, but it will never be trusted again and will slowly be dismantled from the inside.

I would add a conspiracy theory to this, recently the BBC’s Panorama has unearthed very seedy goings on in the Police and also in the Private Care Sector. Did they become a target by those with a vested interest in these organisations. On the face of it it was excellent journalism , but did it upset some key people.

Sad to say the real people who suffer are us, Joe Public, because we need facts and information to make informed decisions. Not hearsay and opinions foisted on us by those who think they are better than us.

There were three Headlines , neigh four about this story in a matter of hours, the chattering classes couldn’t help themselves.

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November 9, 2025 · 5:36 am

#HeadlineTherapy Reform school taxi letter used as “political football”

Thanks to Vic Minnett and Shannen Headley BBC CWR West Midlands for the Headline. ( the opinions expressed in this therapeutic article are purely my own misguided or otherwise thoughts)

My feelings on this headline were initially , oh not The Reform UK Party. As the only member of the Reform Party( he might be the leader for all I know) is Nigel Farage.

I associate Mr Farage with being irresponsible in the EU Parliament while he was an MEP. Guffawing and neigh saying anything good about what other MEP’s were trying to do. At the same time creaming off the expense system and taking an MEP’s salary at the same time as decrying the EC as an institution .

Is Nigel Farage a journalist ?Have his journalist and media friends given him so much exposure that we think him far more influential than he is?

And now I know another Reform Party member, George Finch, who is the Council Leader for Warwickshire County Council at 19 years old. As Head of the Council he wrote a letter to Bridget Philipson, the current government’s Education Secretary, his request was for the Council to be given permission to reform the “walking distances” between home and school in order to reduce the money spent on transporting the 10,000 children who currently qualify for transport aid to get them to school in the County.

Unfortunately, Bridget after reviewing the letter accused Reform of dragging children ” back to the Victorian Era”.

Please stick to the facts Bridget and don’t flounce off about what you may see as the bigger picture of Reform UK or UK Reform , whatever they are called, potentially being a party that would like Orphaned Children in Workhouses and fed on gruel and made to pick oakum. While their more fortunate peers will sit quietly in class having walked to school through bad weather , with leaky shoes and a summer coat.

As Head of the Council, George Finch wants to understand if there are better ways to organise school transport. They offer subsidised transport to 10,000 children , George thinks the figure should be closer to 2500. Unless someone looks at the facts no one can really be sure.

Unfortunately accusing a fellow Politician of living in the Victorian Era, particularly a 19 year old elected Head of Warwickshire Council, seems Victorian and a bit Old School Mam’ ish to me. Stick to the facts Bridget.

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