In todays news...

[Horse]

Is the Ever Given in there somewhere?

There was a similar view either end of the Suez Canal when it was stuck.

[Horse]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-61042598

Snippets

Nearly three million people around the world have multiple sclerosis. Scientists think they have now uncovered a mystery cause of this incurable disease. It is a virus that nearly every one of us can expect to catch. So what does it mean for treating and even preventing MS?


Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is so common that nearly all of us can expect to catch it during our lives. Most of us won't even notice, but the virus is famous for "the kissing disease", which is also known as either glandular fever or mononucleosis. EBV has been on the list of suspects for MS for decades, but definitive proof has been hard to gather because the virus is so common and multiple sclerosis is so rare.

The crucial piece of evidence has come from the US military, which takes blood samples from soldiers every two years. These are kept in the freezers of the Department of Defense Serum Repository and have proven to be a goldmine for research.

A team at Harvard University went looking through samples from 10 million people to establish the connection between EBV and multiple sclerosis.

Their study, published in the journal Science, found 955 people who were diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and, using the regular blood samples, they were able to chart the course of the disease.

"Individuals who were not infected with the Epstein-Barr virus virtually never get multiple sclerosis," Prof Alberto Ascherio, from Harvard, told me.

"It's only after Epstein-Barr virus infection that the risk of multiple sclerosis jumps up by over 30-fold."

The team checked for other infections, such as cytomegalovirus, but only EBV had a crystal clear connection with the neurodegenerative disease.

The soldiers caught the virus. Then signs of injury to the brain - called neurofilament light polypeptide, which is essentially the rubble from damaged brain cells - started to appear in the blood. Then they were diagnosed with MS around five years after the infection.

[JamJar]

I had to check if it was April 1st but apparently this is not a joke:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-61097114

Some asylum seekers who arrive in the UK on small boats across the Channel will be given a one-way ticket to Rwanda, under new government plans.

Home Secretary Priti Patel is in the African nation to sign a deal for a £120m trial involving mostly single men arriving in Britain via crossings.

BBC home editor Mark Easton said ministers face significant legal hurdles and substantial costs.

Refugee organisations have criticised the plans as cruel and urged a rethink.

Labour said the plan was "unworkable, unethical and extortionate" - the Lib Dems said it would be expensive and ineffective.

Precise details of the plan are yet to be confirmed, but, reporting from Rwanda, Mark Easton said the trial would be restricted to mostly single men the British authorities believe are inadmissible.

Under the proposal, Rwanda would take responsibility for them, put them through an asylum process, and at the end of that process, if they are successful, they will have long-term accommodation in Rwanda.

The Rwandan government said migrants will be "entitled to full protection under Rwandan law, equal access to employment, and enrolment in healthcare and social care services".

The UK Home Office believes existing asylum law will be enough to implement the plan, but questions remain about the legality of the scheme.

Opponents have also said the annual cost of the full scheme would be far higher than the initial £120m payment.

[Lutin]

This must be one of the most idiotic ideas the tories have come up with yet and will do nothing to combat the people smugglers.

In the unlikely event that any asylum seeker is successful, under this new scheme, I presume that the UK will then fly the individual back to UK. But what of the unsuccessful candidates? Are they told to make their own way home or are they to be transported elsewhere? And where exactly is elsewhere?

If the UK were to desist on selling weapons that destabilise countries and their economies in the first place it would help

The tories piling idiocy on stupidity on incompetence.


Edit: Has anyone even asked if Rwanda are prepared to accept an unknown number of disaffected, homeless and penniless young men?

[JamJar]

This must be one of the most idiotic ideas the tories have come up with yet and will do nothing to combat the people smugglers.

In the unlikely event that any asylum seeker is successful, under this new scheme, I presume that the UK will then fly the individual back to UK. But what of the unsuccessful candidates? Are they told to make their own way home or are they to be transported elsewhere? And where exactly is elsewhere?

If the UK were to desist on selling weapons that destabilise countries and their economies in the first place it would help

The tories piling idiocy on stupidity on incompetence.


Edit: Has anyone even asked if Rwanda are prepared to accept an unknown number of disaffected, homeless and penniless young men?

If a person is successful in their application they are give Rwandan residency and are not given UK asylum! Rwanda are being paid £120 million for this initial trial and if it "works" they will be paid millions more to continue.

[KungFooBob]

At least he weather is nicer in Rwanda.

[Noggin]

If a person is successful in their application they are give Rwandan residency and are not given UK asylum! Rwanda are being paid £120 million for this initial trial and if it "works" they will be paid millions more to continue.

This doesn't make sense. Apart from the bizarre idea of accepting refugees only to 'ship them on', surely this will be far more expensive that just accepting the refugees in the UK?

[MrLongbeard]

If a person is successful in their application they are give Rwandan residency and are not given UK asylum! Rwanda are being paid £120 million for this initial trial and if it "works" they will be paid millions more to continue.

This doesn't make sense. Apart from the bizarre idea of accepting refugees only to 'ship them on', surely this will be far more expensive that just accepting the refugees in the UK?

It makes perfect sense, they're hoping that once word gets out that as soon as you land in blighty you'll be shipped to Rwanda that the number of people trying to come here will drop, they're not really expecting to send 1000's over there.

Or that's my take on it anyway.

[Noggin]

If a person is successful in their application they are give Rwandan residency and are not given UK asylum! Rwanda are being paid £120 million for this initial trial and if it "works" they will be paid millions more to continue.

This doesn't make sense. Apart from the bizarre idea of accepting refugees only to 'ship them on', surely this will be far more expensive that just accepting the refugees in the UK?

It makes perfect sense, they're hoping that once word gets out that as soon as you land in blighty you'll be shipped to Rwanda that the number of people trying to come here will drop, they're not really expecting to send 1000's over there.

Or that's my take on it anyway.

Yup, that does make sense.

I am so glad I found somewhere else to live. Hopefully by the time that LePenn changes this country to be like the UK (France is generally 20 odd years behind!) I'll be too old to notice

[slowsider]

This must be one of the most idiotic ideas the tories have come up with yet and will do nothing to combat the people smugglers.

In the unlikely event that any asylum seeker is successful, under this new scheme, I presume that the UK will then fly the individual back to UK. But what of the unsuccessful candidates? Are they told to make their own way home or are they to be transported elsewhere? And where exactly is elsewhere?

If the UK were to desist on selling weapons that destabilise countries and their economies in the first place it would help

The tories piling idiocy on stupidity on incompetence.


Edit: Has anyone even asked if Rwanda are prepared to accept an unknown number of disaffected, homeless and penniless young men?

If a person is successful in their application they are give Rwandan residency and are not given UK asylum! Rwanda are being paid £120 million for this initial trial and if it "works" they will be paid millions more to continue.

It's not like Rwanda has ever had issues with minority ethnic groups...

[slowsider]

This doesn't make sense. Apart from the bizarre idea of accepting refugees only to 'ship them on', surely this will be far more expensive that just accepting the refugees in the UK?

It makes perfect sense, they're hoping that once word gets out that as soon as you land in blighty you'll be shipped to Rwanda that the number of people trying to come here will drop, they're not really expecting to send 1000's over there.

Or that's my take on it anyway.

Yup, that does make sense.

I am so glad I found somewhere else to live. Hopefully by the time that LePenn changes this country to be like the UK (France is generally 20 odd years behind!) I'll be too old to notice

Your snow-white eyrie is not exactly one of the banlieues, is it?

[DefTrap]

It makes perfect sense, they're hoping that once word gets out that as soon as you land in blighty you'll be shipped to Rwanda that the number of people trying to come here will drop, they're not really expecting to send 1000's over there.

Or that's my take on it anyway.

Are we sure this isn't an April Fools - it's so dark it's almost funny. Like everything this government does, it constructs a scheme that will cost tens of millions to set up and is destined to fail (because with threats you actually have to be prepared to go through with it) and yet one that appeals to the cruel, immigrant-hating masses. Well, "those types that cross in small boats" anyway, and we know who those are. Taking send-the-buggers-home to new depths. They haven't really thought this through - isn't there anywhere any further they could send them? South Pole? Down a mine shaft?

[Horse]

Has anyone even asked if Rwanda are prepared to accept an unknown number of disaffected, homeless and penniless young men?

!Rwanda are being paid £120 million for this initial trial and if it "works" they will be paid millions more to continue.

Plus a few quid to cover costs back here?

Presumably someone has done some sums to show this is cheaper.

[JamJar]

Plus a few quid to cover costs back here?

Presumably someone has done some sums to show this is cheaper.

With this current Government I will assume that cost is irrelevant and that they will have picked personal contacts to benefit from this financially.

[Horse]

they're hoping that once word gets out that as soon as you land in blighty you'll be shipped to Rwanda that the number of people trying to come here will drop, they're not really expecting to send 1000's over there.

£120M for even a 1000 makes it a bargain ... Err ... Doesn't it? ??? (And that's not including ongoing costs and new costs incurred - border staff, flights, support staff, legal, etc)

Have to wonder what current costs actually are?

[MrLongbeard]

they're hoping that once word gets out that as soon as you land in blighty you'll be shipped to Rwanda that the number of people trying to come here will drop, they're not really expecting to send 1000's over there.

£120M for even a 1000 makes it a bargain ... Err ... Doesn't it? ??? (And that's not including ongoing costs and new costs incurred - border staff, flights, support staff, legal, etc)

Have to wonder what current costs actually are?

To be honest and up front, and only replying as you quoted me, I really don't care and I'm not going to put any effort into finding anything about it out.

[irie]

It makes perfect sense, they're hoping that once word gets out that as soon as you land in blighty you'll be shipped to Rwanda that the number of people trying to come here will drop, they're not really expecting to send 1000's over there.

Or that's my take on it anyway.

Are we sure this isn't an April Fools - it's so dark it's almost funny. Like everything this government does, it constructs a scheme that will cost tens of millions to set up and is destined to fail (because with threats you actually have to be prepared to go through with it) and yet one that appeals to the cruel, immigrant-hating masses. Well, "those types that cross in small boats" anyway, and we know who those are. Taking send-the-buggers-home to new depths. They haven't really thought this through - isn't there anywhere any further they could send them? South Pole? Down a mine shaft?

Or back to France, or wherever they first entered the EU, where according to EU law (the Dublin Regulation) they should have claimed asylum long before they travelled "in small boats"? Now there's a novel idea. Not.

[JamJar]

It makes perfect sense, they're hoping that once word gets out that as soon as you land in blighty you'll be shipped to Rwanda that the number of people trying to come here will drop, they're not really expecting to send 1000's over there.

Or that's my take on it anyway.

Are we sure this isn't an April Fools - it's so dark it's almost funny. Like everything this government does, it constructs a scheme that will cost tens of millions to set up and is destined to fail (because with threats you actually have to be prepared to go through with it) and yet one that appeals to the cruel, immigrant-hating masses. Well, "those types that cross in small boats" anyway, and we know who those are. Taking send-the-buggers-home to new depths. They haven't really thought this through - isn't there anywhere any further they could send them? South Pole? Down a mine shaft?

Or back to France, or wherever they first entered the EU, where according to EU law (the Dublin Regulation) they should have claimed asylum before they travelled "in small boats"? Now there's a novel idea. Not.

We left the EU.

[irie]

Are we sure this isn't an April Fools - it's so dark it's almost funny. Like everything this government does, it constructs a scheme that will cost tens of millions to set up and is destined to fail (because with threats you actually have to be prepared to go through with it) and yet one that appeals to the cruel, immigrant-hating masses. Well, "those types that cross in small boats" anyway, and we know who those are. Taking send-the-buggers-home to new depths. They haven't really thought this through - isn't there anywhere any further they could send them? South Pole? Down a mine shaft?

Or back to France, or wherever they first entered the EU, where according to EU law (the Dublin Regulation) they should have claimed asylum before they travelled "in small boats"? Now there's a novel idea. Not.

We left the EU.

So what?

The EU is not applying its own laws.

[JamJar]

So what?

The EU is not applying its own laws.

The EU law is about people seeking asylum in the EU, these people aren't seeking asylum in the EU.