A View from the Mountains

By Paul Whitelock

After the devastating storms and floods in eastern Spain last week, which washed away cars, people, livestock and buildings, the authorities have estimated that some 100,000 vehicles have been turned into scrap. And they are in the way of clearing-up operations.                             

Aftermath of La DANA in Valencia [Photo courtesy of MN]

¡Vaya temporada!

La Dana is the worst for over 100 years. It hit the Valencia region with unbelievable force, causing some 315 deaths so far (around 80 people are unaccounted for), damage to homes and businesses and the destruction of thousands and thousands of vehicles, 100,000 according to official estimates, in el País Valenciano alone.

The cars are the biggest problem because they are in the way of clean-up operations.

As a result several desgüaces have been set up in the Valencia region, the worst affected area.

The cars have been logged and insurance assessors are on the way. The bill will be enormous.

 An impromptu desguace in Valencia [Photo: El Periódico Mediterráneo]

Infrastructure repairs

The autovias A1and A7 are expected to re-open soon, although access roads into the affected areas remain closed.

It is expected that the AVE high-speed rail connection between Madrid and Valencia will re-open tomorrow, Monday 11 November, after non-stop repair teams have worked their magic.

    Photo courtesy of 20 Minutos

Who’s to blame?

Carlos Mazón, the beleaguered president of the Generalitat Valenciana, is taking most of the blame for the slow reaction to the emergency. President of the national government in Madrid, Pedro Sánchez, is also being criticised for not intervening sooner.

Last Saturday, during a visit to the area, both were attacked with mud and stones by an angry crowd. The king and queen, Felipe and Letizia, who accompanied the politicians, were also mobbed.     

                                                      Carlos Mazón [Photo: El País]

Yesterday, there was a massive demonstration in Valencia City calling on Mazón to resign. People are angry, understandably.

                 Massive demo in Valencia [Photos courtesy of Diario Público and YouTube]

This is going to run and run ….

.

© Paul Whitelock

Links:

El desguace más grande de la historia de España

The King and Queen, and the prime minister attacked by flood victims in Valencia

Acknowledgements:

Diario SUR

MSN

RTVE

Photos:

Diario Público

El País

El Periódico Mediterráneo

Europa Press

MN

YouTube

Tags:

100,000 vehicles, autovía A1, autovía A7, AVE, AVE high-speed rail connection, buildings, Carlos Mazón, cars, car scrapyard, damage to homes, desgüace, destruction of thousands and thousands of vehicles, Felipe, Generalitat Valenciana, king, La Dana, Letizia, livestock, Madrid, País Valenciano, Paul Whitelock, Pedro Sánchez, people, president of the Generalitat Valenciana, president of the national government, queen, scrap, scrapyard, storms and floods in eastern Spain, Valencia, Valencia region

By Paul Whitelock

The Berlin Wall "fell" 35 years ago on 9 November 1989. Soviet guards stood and watched as hundreds, if not thousands, of East Germans walked across borders unchallenged in Berlin and elsewhere on the Oder-Neisse-Linie, the border between the DDR (German Democratic Republic - surely the greatest misnomer in the history of mankind) and the BRD (Federal Republic of Germany).

What happened on 9 November 1989?

After several days of confusion, the Chancellor of East Germany, Erich Honicker, bowed to the inevitable and, under pressure from Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, a fan of perestroika and glasnost keen to "buddy up" to the West, instructed his police and troops to do nothing to prevent this mass exodus.

    Photo courtesy of CNN                                                   Photo courtesy of the BBC

The Berlin Wall had been built overnight in 1961 and divided the city into two, splitting up families and friends.

The collapse of the Wall after nearly 30 years was the start of the Wiedervereinigung Deutschlands, the re-unification of Germany.

What happened next?

Pushed through relatively quickly by West German chancellor Helmut Kohl, it has not been a happy "coming together". The East German infrastructure and economy were in a poor state, so bringing together two economies and two currencies was always going to be difficult.

    L to R: Helmut Kohl, Mikhail Gorbachev and Olaf Scholz [Photos courtesy of the BBC]

Those 35 years have led to increasing discontent in the former East, culminating in the rise of the far right AfD (Alternative for Germany).

With a snap German general election, probably in February, forced by the collapse last week of the Ampel-Koalition, the three-way coalition of socialists, liberals and greens led by chancellor Olaf Scholz, it remains to be seen whether the AfD gains more support and more seats in the Bundestag (German parliament).

Image courtesy of Wikipedia

Watch this space!

© Paul Whitelock

Links:

Berlin Wall anniversary: What was the Berlin Wall? - BBC Newsround

Is the German government about to collapse?

Photos and images:

BBC

CNN

Wikipedia

Tags:

1961, 1989, 35 years, 9 November 1989, AfD, Alternative for Germany, Ampel-Koalition, Berlin Wall, BBC, BRD, Bundestag, CNN, DDR, Federal Republic of Germany, German Democratic Republic, glasnost, Gorbachev, Honicker, Kohl, Oder-Neisse Linie, perestroika, re-unification of Germany, Scholz, Wiedervereinigung Deutschlands, Wikipedia

By Paul Whitelock

Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SDP – The German Socialist Party) sacked his finance minister Christian Lindner (FDP – The German Liberal Party) yesterday evening, Wednesday 6 November.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz [Photo courtesy of El Mundo]

Subsequently Lindner withdrew his fellow MdBs (MPs) from the coalition government, leaving the remaining two partners, the SDP and Bündnis 90/Die Grünen (The Green Party) in a minority situation.

This unexpected move has thrown Europe’s largest economy into political disarray and could lead to snap elections in March.

Breaking news

The German government was left on the brink of collapse yesterday after the chancellor, Olaf Scholz, unexpectedly sacked his finance minister, Christian Lindner (FDP).

Lindner was thrown out of the three-way coalition of socialists, greens and liberals during a meeting of high-level government members on Wednesday evening. This followed months of bitter infighting that has contributed to the administration’s growing unpopularity.

Government insiders had suggested Donald Trump’s electoral victory would focus minds in Berlin on a new kind of political future. Not the case, it would seem.

Christian Lindner [Photo courtesy of Stern] 

Hours after Lindner’s sacking, the FDP withdrew the rest of its ministers from the cabinet, spelling the end of the beleaguered and unpopular three-way coalition.

Scholz addresses the nation

In a televised address to the nation, Chancellor Scholz said that he will seek a vote of confidence in January 2025 that would pave the way for early elections by March.

Scholz said he had offered Lindner a plan to bring down energy costs, boost investment and maintain support for Ukraine.

But Lindner had shown “no willingness” to accept it, Scholz said.

“The situation is serious,” Scholz added. “There is war in Europe, tensions are increasing in the Middle East. At the same time, our economy is stagnating.”

Olaf Scholz Press Conference [Photo: The Objective]

He said: “We need to invest considerably more in our defence and in the Bundeswehr (armed forces), especially now, after the outcome of the USA elections.”

Scholz made little effort to hide his frustration, accusing Lindner of egotism, refusing to compromise and using “small-minded, party-political tactics” at a time of growing insecurity.

The chancellor apologised to the German people, saying he “would have liked to have spared you this difficult decision, especially in times like these when uncertainty is growing”, a direct reference to the USA presidential election.

What caused this drastic action?

Lindner, 45, is the head of the pro-business FDP, which on Friday delivered a controversial 18-page ultimatum calling on the government to radically redraw its budget plans for next year.

He had repeatedly warned of “an autumn of decisions” as difficult budget talks have loomed.

His sacking is likely to lead to snap elections in March, six months ahead of schedule.

Scholz announced his intention to hold a vote of confidence in the Bundestag (Lower House) in mid-January and suggested that – depending on the outcome of that –elections could be held in March.

After Scholz’s announcement, a clearly fuming Lindner accused the chancellor of having “long failed to recognise that our country needs a new economic awakening” and of “trivialising the economic concerns of citizens”.

    German Parliament, Berlin [Photo: Wikipedia]

The FDP currently stands at about 4% in the polls – below the threshold needed to gain a place in parliament – but he made little secret of his plans to campaign for a place in a new government. “We remain ready to take responsibility for this country and we will fight to do the same in another government next year,” he said.

What is likely to happen next?

The fallout is expected to plunge Germany into a prolonged period of uncertainty at a time when European leaders have been trying to pull together in the face of challenges including a possible trade war with the USA.

As the second biggest backer of Ukraine after the USA, Germany also faces concerns that it will be left to take on a far bigger share of the war effort if President Trump carries out his threat to reduce support for Kyiv.

In a poll by Forsa published on Wednesday, 82% of Germans said they had no faith that the government would fix Germany’s economic crisis before the federal election, which had been scheduled for next September.

    Kyiv, capital of Ukraine [Photo: Britannica]

© Paul Whitelock

Acknowledgements:

The Guardian

Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung

Kate Connolly

Wikipedia

Photos:

Britannica

El Mundo

Stern

The Objective

Wikipedia

Tags:

Britannica, Bündnis 90/Die Grünen, Christian Lindner, El Mundo, Forsa, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, FDP, German Liberal Party, Germany, German Socialist Party, Germany, Green Party, Guardian, Kate Connolly, Kyiv, Olaf Scholz, Paul Whitelock, President Trump, Scholz, SPD, Stern, The Objective, Trump, Ukraine, USA, Wikipedia

For racist, I could have substituted 'fascist', or 'misogynist', even 'Nazi'. They all apply to Donald J Trump, who has today been elected president of the United States for the second time.

[Photo courtesy of RTVE]

How the US electorate could have voted en masse for this disgrace of a man, who is an adulterer and a liar, as well as a convicted felon, facing more trials for a range of crimes, is beyond me.

Didn’t they suss him out when he was president from 2016-2020?

What happened?

Yesterday morning, the day after the election on 5 November, Trump reached the magic figure of 270 electoral college votes he needed to secure his second term, as the 47^th President of the United States of America.

As if that wasn’t bad enough, the US voters also presented him with a majority in the Senate and probably in Congress also!

There’ll be no stopping him now, unless some of the more sensible Republicans can rein him in.

What damage can Trump do?

With his claimed friendships with Putin (Russia), Xi Jinping (China) and Kim Jong Un (North Korea), the world must surely be concerned.

    [Photos of Putin, Xi-Jinping and Kim Jong Un courtesy of Wikipedia]

Added to these pariahs, Trump is also rather too “pally” with rogue leaders in the West and the Middle East, people like Erdogan (Turkey), Netanyahu (Israel), Orban (Hungary) and Al-Assad (Syria).

    [Photos of Erdogan, Netanyahu, Orban, and Al-Assad courtesy of Wikipedia]

Some reactions from around the world

Brenda Mellor (retired lawyer - UK)

“We don’t want or need to be exposed to every post, speech, picture, video of the POTUS over the next four years. His bonkers thoughts, word omelettes, illiterate scribblings, terrible dancing, bizarre fashion sense, ridiculous face are of no interest to us.”

    [Photo courtesy of RocketReach]

Katherine Viner (Editor – The Guardian UK)

“We’ve just witnessed an extraordinary, devastating moment in the history of the United States. …..

….. “Now, with Trump months away from taking office again – with dramatic implications for wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, the health of American democracy, reproductive rights, inequality and, perhaps most of all, our collective environmental future – it’s time for us to redouble our efforts to hold the president-elect and those who surround him to account.”

    [Photo courtesy of The Guardian]

Kristin Tadlock-Hunter (American living in London since 2016)

“Devastated doesn’t cover it ….. It feels like you’re watching your house burn down from across the street, with all your friends and family still inside. People say: ‘Oh, you’re so lucky not to be in the house that’s on fire,’ and you’re like: ‘No, that’s my memories, that’s the people I love, that’s the places I love.’ It’s a really painful experience to watch what you love being dismantled.”

    [Photo courtesy of inkl]

Senator Cory Booker (Democrat – New Jersey )

“I can’t imagine, I can’t even get my mind around what it would be like if Donald Trump won, because he is telling us such dark and sinister things that he’s going to do, and I believe him.”

    [Photo courtesy of CNN]

Marina Hyde (Columnist - The Guardian UK)

“A dastardly plot is afoot to burn it all down by any means necessary. Sound familiar? Well … we finally got to 5 November. Of course, you know the story. Once upon a time, there was a bad guy who wanted to set fire to a country’s political system.”

    [Photo courtesy of The Irish Times]

Jamie Lee Curtis (American actor and Oscar winner)

Curtis wrote that it would be “a return to a more restrictive, some fear draconian time” and that minority groups will now be more afraid. “But what it really means is that we wake up and fight,” she wrote. “Fight for women and our children and their futures and fight against tyranny, one day at a time. One fight at a time. One protest at a time. That’s what it means to be an American.”

    [Photo courtesy of El Mundo]

John Cusack (American actor)

“The fact that the country would choose to destroy itself by voting in a convicted felon, rapist and Nazi is a sign of deep nihilism. To put it mildly.”

    [Photo courtesy of elDiario,es]

Stephen King (US author)

“There’s a sign you can see in many shops that sell beautiful but fragile items: LOVELY TO LOOK AT, DELIGHTFUL TO HOLD, BUT ONCE YOU BREAK IT, THEN IT’S SOLD. You can say the same about democracy.”

    [Photo courtesy of XL Semanal]

Cardi B (US Rapper)

“I hate y’all bad. …..I’m sick of you! Burn your f***ing hats, mother***er. I’m really sad. I swear to God I’m really sad.”

    [Photo courtesy of The New York Times]

The beginning of the end?

    [Photo courtesy of El Correo]

Q.E.D.

© Paul Whitelock

Acknowledgements:

New York Times

Paul Whitelock

RTVE

The Guardian

Wikipedia

Photos:

CNN

El Correo

elDiario,es

El Mundo

Guardian

inkl

New York Times

RTVE

RocketReach

The Irish Times

XL Semanal

Tags:

Brenda Mellor, Cardy B, Cory Booker, CNN, El Correo, elDiario,es, El Mundo, Guardian, inkl, Irish Times, Jamie Lee Curtis, John Cusack, Katherine Viner, Kristin Tadlock-Hunter, Marina Hyde, New York Times, RTVE, RocketReach, Stepehen King, The Guardian, Trump, Wikipedia, XL Semanal

A View from the Mountains has received this anonymous post this morning. I sympathise with much of what she writes.

It is almost certain that Donald J Trump will become the 47^th President of the United States of America later today. With few states left to declare he is only four electoral college votes short of the number he needs for a majority.

    [Photo courtesy of France24]

The US Presidential Election 2024

So, the American people have shown once again that they are so unsophisticated that they cannot be trusted to make a reasonable choice for president.

Apart from being a fascist, a racist and a misogynist, he is is a convicted felon; has been impeached twice; is (allegedly) guilty of inciting the insurrection against the Capitol on 6 January 2021, following his defeat by Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election; and is facing further lawsuits.

Despite all of this he has succeeded in being re-elected as president. Unbelievable!

He should already be in gaol, but, of course, that won’t happen, as he appoints the Supreme Court judges.

Should I be wrong and he does indeed “do time”, according to the Constitution, he can continue to serve as president from behind bars! Shocking! Time to amend the Constitution, guys!

    Official sketch of Trump in court [BBC]

What the future holds

So, what are we looking forward to over the next four years:

The USA could cease to be a democracy and become a dictatorship. Don’t laugh!

The Ukraine will lose the war with Russia and end up conceding territory to Russia. The country’s ambition to join NATO and the European Union will be over.

The Middle East? God knows what he will come up with his murderous Israeli chum Benjamin Netanyahu.

Women will no longer have a say over their own bodies. I’m talking about the anti-abortion issue. As a woman of child-bearing age, I find this outrageous!

Endword

I suspect no western European country wanted a second Trump presidency, yet, of course, they have all congratulated him already and they will have to “kow-tow” to him.

The only heads of government likely to stand up to him are Sir Keir Starmer (UK), Emmanuel Macron (France) and Pedro Sánchez (Spain). Perhaps Olaf Scholz (Germany) as well. Maybe there are others, but I don’t know who they are at this time.

Thank God Trump doesn’t take over until January 2025. Time for someone to assassinate him (“Third time lucky!”)

   Trump shot in the ear in failed assassination attempt [Reuters]

© Anonymous

Photos:

BBC

France24

Reuters

Tags:

47^th President of the United States of America, Anonymous, anti-abortion, assassinate, A View from the Mountains, Benjamin Netanyahu, BBC, Capitol, Constitution, convicted felon, day democracy died, democracy, dictatorship, Donald Trump, Emmanuel Macron, European Union, fascist, France, France24, Germany, impeached, insurrection, Israeli, Keir Starmer, lawsuit, Middle East, misogynist, NATO, Olaf Scholz, Pedro Sánchez, president of the USA, racist, Reuters, Russia, Spain, Supreme Court, Ukraine, UK, USA, US Presidential Election 2024

By Paul Whitelock

The president of the Generalitat Valenciana, Carlos Mazón, has announced direct aid of 6,000 euros for each of those affected by the disaster and has requested another 15,000 euros for the victims of the DANA from the national government in Madrid.                                                    

Valencia President Carlos Mazon giving a Press conference

Main points

At the moment the death toll for the region is 215 dead and another 300 missing.

All health personnel have been declared an "essential service" and a grant of 2,200 million euros has been applied for to fund a flood prevention scheme.

The regional government in Valencia (Generalitat Valenciana) has announced a first package of financial aid totalling €250 million to help victims of last week’s flood disaster.

The death toll has climbed to 215 in the Valencia region, with four other deceased elsewhere.

It is estimated that up to 300 bodies may have been washed into the Mediterranean Sea.

Details were given by Valencian president Carlos Mazón at a news conference held at the region’s Emergency Coordination Centre.

Mazón was joined by the president of the Valencia Provincial Council, Vicent Mompo, who pledged €25 million of aid.

These grants will be processed through the "maximum urgency route" and they should be available to collect this week, Mazón indicated.

Further aid

Mazón also revealed that he has applied to Spain’s national government for an amount of 31,402 million euros that he has described as "a recovery plan whose implementation is fundamental and imperative".

The regional government aid will be “bureaucracy-free” according to Mazón,  “to rebuild the lives of those affected”.

   Regional president Carlos Mazón

What is the aid?

People hit by the devastating floods will get a minimum of €6,000 each to help with cleaning and to buy furniture and household equipment.

The president said that scheme will offer quick aid.

Another tranche of money will be allocated for social aid to help “dependents and people of high vulnerability” to cover, for example, a change of home.

Assistance will also be provided to get free copies of identity and other personal documents, free cards to use for public transport, and psychological help for relatives of victims and any affected person.

Money will also be given for infrastructure aid to individual councils to enable repair work to be carried out without delay.

The Generalitat Valenciana (regional government) intends to apply for a grant from the European Union Solidarity Fund.

Further reading:

• Spain suffers deadliest floods in over a century as 95 people are killed following DANA storms
• What is a DANA? The weather phenomenon behind this week’s deadly floods in Spain
• Mazón denuncia que el Gobierno desactivó tres veces la alerta de desbordamiento del barranco que provocó la tragedia
• Sánchez todavía no ha pedido ayuda a la UE por la DANA pese a que el sábado dijo que ya había iniciado los trámites
• Fricciones entre Moncloa y Zarzuela por el despliegue del Ejército ante la DANA de Valencia
• Moncloa se vuelve a esconder tras uniformados como en pandemia para no dar la cara ante la prensa por la DANA

© Paul Whitelock

With thanks to:

ABC online

Alex Trelinski

Olive Press Online

vozpópuli

Tags:

ABC, Alex Trelinski, DANA, European Union Solidarity Fund, Generalitat Valenciana, Moncloa, Olive Press Online, vozpópuli, Zarzuela

By Paul Whitelock

During a walkabout in Paiporta (Valencia), one of the worst-hit towns by la DANA which struck the area last Tuesday, King Felipe, Queen Letizia, prime minister Pedro Sánchez and regional president Carlos Mazón were attacked with mud, cans and insults hurled by frustrated locals who have seen their houses destroyed, their cars washed away and who have lost relatives and friends.                                        

Photo courtesy of YouTube

The King was clearly shaken and the Queen burst into tears at one point as the royal couple talked to devastated locals. Sánchez was nowhere to be seen.

The monarchs were then whisked away to safety and some parts of their planned itinerary were cancelled over fears for their safety. It is alleged that Sánchez went AWOL fearing for his safety.

    Queen Letizia in tears [Photo: BBC]

This incident was widely reported internationally on TV, in newspapers and online.

However, it is noticeable that of the free local English-language papers in southern Spain only The Olive Press website has covered the story. The Euro Weekly News and SUR in English are once again “off the pace”.

***

This how ABC online saw it:

La visita a Paiporta: un Rey que consuela, una Reina que rompe a llorar y Sánchez que desaparece

El paso de las autoridades por el municipio valenciano, uno de los más afectados por la tragedia de la DANA, se ha convertido en una multitudinaria protesta de los vecinos.

© Paul Whitelock

Links:

Angry crowds hurl mud and insults at King of Spain as he visits town devastated by floods | World News | Sky News

El minuto a minuto de la visita a Paiporta: un Rey que consuela, una Reina que rompe a llorar y Sánchez que desaparece

Spain's king and queen pelted with mud in flood-hit Valencia

Spanish royals, PM and regional president pelted with mud by flood survivors - Spain in English

Watch: Queen Letizia of Spain in tears after being pelted with mud during visit to Valencia's flood disaster zone alongside King Felipe - Olive Press News Spain

Acknowledgements:

ABC Online

BBC News

Sky News

Spain in English

The Olive Press

Photos:

Alexander Fiske-Harrison

BBC

The Telegraph

YouTube

Tags:

ABC Online, BBC News, Carlos Mazón, DANA, King Felipe, Paiporta, Paul Whitelock, Pedro Sánchez, prime minister, Queen Letizia, regional president, Sky News, Spain in English, The Olive Press, Valencia

By Paul Whitelock

People affected by the devastating storms and floods in eastern Spain accuse the authorities of being slow to respond.

    Photo courtesy of 20 Minutos

Background

The first deluges and extensive flooding brought about by the worst DANA in living memory were last Tuesday. The worst area affected was the Valencia region in eastern Spain. Other areas such as Castilla-La Mancha and Andalucia were also hit.

Latest news

Today, six days on, locals are starting to criticise the authorities for a lack of warnings about the bad weather to come; slow reaction by regional and national government; an inadequate response from the police, fire services and the army; and a lack of resources to deal with a catastrophe on this scale.

President of the Generalitat Valenciana Carlos Mazón is under pressure to resign.

                  Sanchez [Agencia efe]                        Feijóo [Wikipedia]                            Mazón [elDiario.es]

Both Spanish prime minister Pedro Sánchez (PSOE) and opposition leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo (PP) were quick to visit the worst areas, but they are accused of not mobilising support quickly enough.

Feijóo used the opportunity to score political points by criticising the government of Sánchez. What a “pr**k”! At a time like this he should be pledging to work together with the government to assist the desperate people affected.

To his credit Sánchez has promised all the government help the disaster zone needs.

© Paul Whitelock

Acknowledgements:

ABC

BBC

RTVE

Photos:

20 Minutos

Agencia efe

BBC

elDiario.es

Wikipedia

Tags:

20 Minutos, ABC Online, Agencia efe, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, Andalucia, backlash, BBC, Carlos Mazón, Castilla-La Mancha, DANA, elDiario.es, opposition leader, PP, PSOE, Paul Whitelock, Pedro Sánchez, President of the Generalitat Valenciana, RTVE, Spanish prime minister, Valencia, Wikipedia

Following the crushing defeat of “The Tories” in the UK General Election on 4 July this year, former prime minister Rishi Sunak’s resignation as Tory leader, and the lengthy process of choosing a new leader, Kemi Badenoch was named as new leader shortly after mid-day today (2nd November) Spanish time.

Why am I reporting this on a blog about Spanish news? Because the one million or so British people who live in Spain will surely have an interest in who is the new leader of the opposition.

So, who is Kemi Badenoch?

Olukemi Olufunto Adegoke Badenoch née Adegoke, was born on 2 January 1980 in Wimbledon, London.

She is one of three children born to Nigerian Yoruba parents. Her father, Femi Adegoke, was a GP and her mother, Feyi Adegoke, was a professor of physiology. 

Badenoch spent her childhood living in Lagos, Nigeria, and in the United States, where her mother lectured. 

She returned to the UK at the age of 16 to live with a friend of her mother's owing to the deteriorating political and economic situation in Nigeria, which had affected her family. 

Although a British citizen and born in the UK, during her parliamentary maiden speech Badenoch stated that she was "to all intents and purposes a first-generation immigrant".

She has served as the (MP) for North West Essex, previously Saffron Walden, since 2017.

Badenoch gained A Levels from Phoenix College, a further education college in Morden, south London, whilst working at a branch of McDonald's among other jobs.

During this time, she said she "became working class". 

Badenoch studied Computer Systems Engineering at the University of Sussex, completing a Master of Engineering (MEng) degree in 2003.

Early career

She initially worked within the IT (Information Technology sector, first as a software engineer at Logica (later CGI Group) from 2003 to 2006. While working there she read Law part-time at Birkbeck, University of London, graduating as Bachelor of Laws (LLB) in 2009. 

Badenoch then worked as a systems analyst at the Royal Bank of Scotland Group, before pursuing a career in consultancy and financial services, working as an associate director at private bank and wealth manager Coutts from 2006 to 2013 and later a digital director for The Spectator from 2015 to 2016.

Now she takes over as the Conservative Party Leader and Leader of the Opposition. She is the third woman to lead the party and the first black woman.

    Official portrait 2024

Watch this space …..

© Paul Whitelock

Acknowledgements:

Sky News Online

Wikipedia

Photos:

Paul Whitelock

Tags:

Conservative Party, Conservative Party Leader, Kemi Badenoch, Lagos, Leader of the Opposition, Nigeria, Rishi Sunak, Robert Jenrick, Sky News Online, Tories, Tory, Wikipedia, Wimbledon

The Ayuntamiento de Ronda, the Town Council, which is led by PP's Mari-Paz Fernandez, the mayor, plans to restrict use of the Puente Nuevo only to people whose cars are registered in Ronda. This was announced after the monthly plenary council meeting on Monday. The scheme will start in 2025.

Initial thoughts

A very good idea, it would seem, as the heavy traffic during the day, especially in the high season, makes this area, linking Ronda with the Casco Antiguo, The Old Part, overcrowded and potentially dangerous, with the numbers of tourists who seem to think they own the road and jay-walk constantly.

To close the bridge entirely to vehicular traffic, which happened a few years ago when PSOE ran the council, is not really an option, particularly for the residents of Barrio San Francisco who use the bridge to get to and from work. They formed an action group and made successful representations to Ronda Council.

So, the politicians have come up with a compromise. Ronda residents whose cars are registered in Ronda may apply for a permit to use the bridge.

Cameras will be installed, so that unauthorised cars, particularly hire cars or foreign registered vehicles, which use the bridge can be identified, prosecuted and fined.

Possible hitches

What about Ronda residents who have their cars registered elsewhere?  Like me, my wife and no doubt countless others. Shouldn't they be able to use the bridge?

PSOE have suggested that people who live in nearby villages should also be allowed to cross the bridge, as they all have to come to Ronda for official business, for the bank and for the hospital. Many choose to do their shopping in Ronda, since certain types of shop are not available in the small villages of the Serrania de Ronda.

Conclusion

A good move but only fair and just if permitted users include the categories above.

© Paul Whitelock

Acknowledgements:

Alamy

Fenix

Ronda Semanal

Tags:

action group, Alamy, Bank, Barrio San Francisco, Casco Antiguo, Fenix, hospital, Mari-Paz Fernandez, official business, PP, PSOE, Paul Whitelock, Puente Nuevo, Ronda residents, Ronda Semanal, Serrania de Ronda

Friday 1 November 2024

Some 50 people, including children, have been detained while ransacking and looting premises affected by flooding in Pais Valenciano.

Can you believe it?

    Looting in Valencia [Video courtesy of Daily Mail Online]

What happened?

At a time when the area has been devastated by the DANA* and over 150 deaths have been confirmed in the Valencia area alone with more dead bodies expected to be discovered as the clean-up operation gets under way, when the government has declared the area a disaster zone and has declared three days of national mourning, some people seem to think it’s OK to ransack and steal from shops, pharmacies, offices and private homes damaged by the floods. It’s unbelievable!

If these sinvergüenzas were stealing food, water and other essential supplies to help survive the aftermath of the disaster, it might be excusable, but these people are taking advantage of other people’s misfortune to help themselves to electronic equipment, sports goods, perfume, mobile phones, tablets, anything small and portable and with a monetary value.

A swift response

Policia nacional and guardia civil officers have mobilised quickly, caught some of these looters red-handed and made some 50 arrests.

Fiscalía, the Prosecutor’s Office (similar to the Crown Prosecution Service in the UK) has announced that they will be calling for gaol sentences for those found guilty.

Groups of neighbours have organised themselves into shifts to guard these premises.

Burned out building looted [Olive Press News Spain]

A Personal View

I come back to my question: “What are these people thinking of?”

To call them animals is to do a disservice to our four-legged friends. They are quite simply scum. A strong word to use but justified in the circumstances, in my opinion.

From their appearance, how they’re dressed, etc, these aren’t even poor people. They are just cynical chancers.

I say, “Throw the book at them! Make an example of them as a deterrent to others.”

Note:

* DANA = Depresión Aislada en Niveles Altos (Isolated Depression at High Levels), is also known as a "gota fria” (cold drop) and occurs when a cold air mass becomes isolated in the atmosphere. When this cold air collides with the warm, humid air of the Mediterranean, it triggers torrential rains and extreme weather conditions.

© Paul Whitelock

Links:

looting - Olive Press News Spain

Shocking moment looters raid Valencia store as mobs hit shops while desperate families resort to rummaging through mud to find food in flooded supermarkets - as death toll passes 150 | Daily Mail Online

Acknowledgements:

BBC News

Daily Mail

RTVE

The Olive Press

Tags:

50 arrests, BBC, Crown Prosecution Service, DANA, Daily Mail, disaster zone, Fiscalía, flooding, gaol sentences, guardia civil, looting, offices, Olive Press, País Valenciano Paul Whitelock, pharmacies, Policia nacional, private homes, Prosecutor’s Office, RTVE, scum, shops, sinvergüenzas, three days of national mourning, Valencia