Author Archives: Bodger

Liz Truss replaces Dominic Raab as UK Foreign Secretary

This afternoon.

London, England.

Liz Truss has been appointed foreign secretary, replacing Dominic Raab in Boris Johnson’s cabinet reshuffle.

The appointment was confirmed by Downing Street in a tweet shortly after Ms Truss was seen entering No 10.

Her promotion came as it was announced that Michael Gove was being moved to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, with a new cross-government responsibility for Mr Johnson’s “levelling up” agenda.

Dominic Raab has been appointed deputy prime minister after being removed from his role as foreign secretary. Mr Raab has also become the justice secretary and Lord Chancellor in the first appointment of the prime minister’s cabinet shuffle.

Earlier this afternoon, Gavin Williamson was removed as education secretary and Robert Jenrick was ousted as housing secretary.

Truss Outs Raab In Cabinet Reshuffle (Independent.co.uk)

Getty

President Michael D Higgins with Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II in Windsor Castle on his State Visit to the UK in 2014

This afternoon.

Further to President Higgins’ intention to skip a church service with Britain’s Queen Elizabeth next month to mark Northern Ireland’s centenary…

…via RTE:

Áras an Uachtaráin has not explained why President Higgins will not be at the service.

A spokesman for President Higgins said he is not in a position to attend the ceremony.

It is understood that the President’s attendance had been expected at the event.

The Catholic primate of All Ireland, Archbishop Eamon Martin, will attend along with the heads of the Church of Ireland, the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, the Methodist Church in Ireland and the Irish Council of Churches.

In a statement, the churches leaders said the service of “Reflection and Hope” will mark the centenaries of the partition of Ireland and the formation of Northern Ireland.

They said it was being held to contribute towards the work of building community and deepening relationships.

A spokesperson for Archbishop Martin said they had no further comment on the President’s attendance at the event.

Anyone?

President will not attend NI centenary service with Queen Elizabeth (RTÉ)

Earlier: A Limerick A Day

RollingNews

‘sup?

This morning.

Julius Caesar, ‘JC’, a loggerhead turtle is being repatriated to Gran Canaria today aboard Aer Lingus flight EI 782.

Via RTE:

JC was discovered on a Donegal beach in January 2019, just 9 months old, suffering from hypothermia and malnourished. Today, 3 years old and weighing 25KG, JC will travel in a specially designed crate in the Aer Lingus cabin to a wildlife sanctuary in Gran Canaria where he will be monitored closely over the coming days before being released into the sea. Loggerhead turtles are an endangered species and thrive in a warm climate.

Turtle, rescued as a shell-shocked baby, jets off to Spanish sun (RTE)

Sasko Lazarov/Photocall Ireland

 

This afternoon.

Several federal cabinet ministers were called to a top-secret meeting in Canberra on Wednesday ahead of a major international development expected out of the United States today

Sources familiar with the development said some members of cabinet were granted border exemptions to urgently fly to Canberra for the hastily arranged meeting, which sources say will have international significance.

Anyone?

Ministers granted border exemptions to attend urgent meeting in Canberra (Sydney Morning Herald)

Meanwhile…

Cri.

Key.

Senator Lynn Ruane with Katherine Zappone in 2015

ESB writes:

Why has Lynn Ruane not clarified any attendance at the Merrion event and refused to respond to questions on email and social media?

The TCD Senator has also deleted her Twitter account. Regardless of her position. No comment is not good optics IMO.

Anyone?

Yesterday: Trim The Sails

Pic via Twitter

This morning.

The European Parliament Strasbourg, France.

Von der Leyen warns against ‘pandemic of the non-vaccinated’ (RTÉ)

Meanwhile…

Today’s Irish Daily Mail

Um.

Give that man a booster.

Earlier: David Langwallner: On The Question Of Vaccination

Meanwhile…

This afternoon.

Earlier…

General Mark Milley (left), the United States’ highest-ranking military officer, with former President Trump

Last night/this morning.

United States General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is facing accusations of treason.

Via Newsweek:

Calls for Milley’s ouster stem from a Washington Post article yesterday  about two phone calls the general reportedly made to General Li Zuocheng of China on October 30, 2020, and January 8, 2021.

According to the article, Milley wanted to reassure Li that the U.S. was not going to attack China amid concerns about former President Donald Trump. He told Li he would inform him if there were to be an attack.

The second call was prompted in part by Milley’s call with Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi on January 8, when she expressed concern about Trump’s mental state. She told Milley: “You know he’s crazy.”

“I agree with you on everything,” Milley said, according to a transcript cited by the Post.

Mark Milley Accused of Treason As Republicans Urge Joe Biden to Fire Him (Newsweek)

Meanwhile…

Former US President Donald Trump dismissed as “fake news” a new book saying General Mark Milley secretly warned China of a possible attack, but he said such a betrayal would have merited a treason charge against the officer.

“If the story of dumbass General Mark Milley, the same failed leader who engineered the worst withdrawal from a country, Afghanistan, in US history… is true, then I assume he would be tried for treason,” Trump said in a statement on Tuesday. He noted that the general would have been giving Beijing notification of an attack, if the report were true. “Can’t do that,” he said.

Trump doubts report of Milley calling Chinese general but says it’s ‘treason’ if true (Fox)

This morning.

Major changes to alcohol licensing laws will be discussed by the Cabinet today.

Via RTÉ

Staggered and extended closing times for bars and possibly nightclubs are under consideration as well as bringing Sunday trading times into line with the rest of the week

Night-Time Economy Committees will be established in six cities and towns across the country.

Supports for venues such as cafes and clubs to stay open later for culture or live events from Monday to Thursday are also set to be examined.

There is a possibility too that planning codes could be changed to allow empty buildings be used for events.

Hic.

Staggered closing times part of major licensing law changes being considered (RTÉ)

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