Thought Id start this one going because its rather dead on this board at the moment and I suppose all my usual muckers are either at the Stella tennis event watching Dim Tim (lose again) or at Henly Regatta eating cucumber sandwiches (they wish,...NOT).

Anyway please feel free to just talk to yourself blast away and let it go on any company or subject you wish. Just wish Id thought of this one before.

cheers GF.

Saudi Arabia Accused of Not Taking in Refugees Despite Having 100,000 Empty, Air Conditioned Tents

As Saudi Arabia continued to face criticism from world leaders for not taking in enough refugees fleeing war in Syria, the news station TeleSUR discovered that the nation has more than 100,000 empty, air-conditioned tents that could be used to house refugees. The tents, used only a few days a year in the town of Mina for hajj pilgrims, remained unused, as the nation's leaders insisted they are doing all they can for refugees.

More than half of the 380,000 refugees who have arrived on Europe's shores since January are Syrian refugees, the United Nations reported. Saudi Arabia and other neighboring Arab nations have been criticized for not being as willing as some European nations to take refugees.

The campsite is approximately 2,150 miles from Syria and could house up to three million people. Syria has taken some 500,000 refugees already, according to TeleSUR, though Saudi officials claimed that the number is closer to 2.5 million. Syrians do not enjoy refugee status in Saudi Arabia, however, so it is difficult to know the exact numbers.

hahaha! ..... since when did one of the arab countries actually help another in such a situation?
because saudi and others are ruled by shi'ite minority tribes, and they are shit scared of upsetting the sunni majority, let alone the large cliques of fundamentalist wahhabi and al quaeda adherents

See what can happen when you use your head , instead of getting carried away on a sea of sympathy , some element in the EU should have forecast problems and had measures in place long ago . It's taken people on the ground in these countries to say we can't cope , stop it . While certain egotistical leaders make stupid unworkable promises that can't work . Sorry if this is basic .

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/news/middle-east/21059-saudi-we-have-taken-in-25m-syrian-refugees

Saudi Arabia has received approximately 2.5 million Syrian refugees since the start of the conflict and spent $700 million in aid, a statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported this weekend.

“The Kingdom of #SaudiArabia does not intend to speak about its efforts to support #Syrian brothers and sisters, during their distress, as it has, since the beginning of the problem, dealt with the situation from a religious and humane perspective, and did not wish to boast about its efforts or attempt to gain media coverage,” the ministry wrote on Facebook.

Adding that following misleading media reports, the Kingdom has decided it is important to reveal details of the efforts it has taken to help the refugees.

The statement explained that the refugees have “been given the freedom to move about the country and those who wish to remain in Saudi Arabia (some hundreds of thousands) have been given legal residency status like the remaining residents.” This leaves them able to receive free medical care, get jobs, and attend schools and universities. “The public school system has accepted more than 100,000 Syrian students.”

In addition to this, the Kingdom has provided support and care for refugees living in other countries including Jordan and Lebanon, the statement explained. “Efforts included providing them with humanitarian assistance, in coordination with the host governments and with international human aid organisations. Aid was provided, in cash and kind.”

Humanitarian aid provided to Syrians by the Kingdom consisted of food, medical, academic, residential supplies and included the establishment of Saudi clinics in refugee camps, especially at Zaatari Camp in Jordan, the ministry explained.

The statement comes after the Gulf states received international condemnation last week for their lack of action towards the plight of Syrian refugees and their unwillingness to take in those most in need who are instead endangering their lives in search of a better life in Europe

i wonder if that can be supported with documentary evidence?
if not, i view it sceptically or even cynically

Maybe there's a few oil barrels in each tent .

I saw Saudi officials interviewed on CNN a few days ago talking about the refugees that they have been taking.

what they say and what they do often bear little similarity
i'm sure there are many saudi ministers and the like who would also claim that saudi is progressive and fosters the advancement of women

all eu countries should just put all migrants on transport to Germany they are responsible for the crises telling them they are welcome let the germans sort it out
they have created a massive problem . send them all to Germany

trades union reform
The second reading in the Commons is the key test of whether legislation is likely to get through a vote of MPs – but the bill now has to go through a lengthy stage of line-by-line scrutiny in committee

i hope that some of the more plain spiteful clauses are at least amended
the concept of the reform is spot-on, but the detail looks in places to have gone overboard

Already done.

The second reading of the Trades Union Bill passed last night with a vote of 317 vote to 284, a majority of 33, following more than six hours of debate. I watched the vote last night on the Parliament channel. Labour looked a bit muffed when the result came in. Committee stage next.

or national strike

hungry the only leaders with common sense and balls well done 3 cheers for a great leader

Poland will not take forced migrants they do not want them

breaking news on bbc Germany giving 5b euros Italy 3b the rest nothing

france spain Poland have said they will not donate any money

it's the committee stage that i hope will modify some of the more silly clauses, notwithstanding that the gov't will have the most members therein
i think much good and hard work gets accomplished at this stage

Following second reading the House of Commons agreed a programme motion which schedules the public bill committee to conclude by Tuesday 27 October 2015, but could finish earlier.