Monday 15 December 2014

Monday 15 December

Mostly wet with occasional light rain. News dominated by a hostage situation in Sydney, Australia, with some references to Islamic extremism. The guy holding the hostages is apparently using the wrong flag, it's not an ISIS flag. Not very professional, but no less dangerous. Muslim people in Sydney felt very vulnerable, but folks on Twitter rallied to their support, offering to ride with them on public transport if they felt threatened. After the attack in Ottawa, the killing of a soldier in Woolwich, London, this seems to be the pattern of things to come. In the aftermath of 9/11, now 13 years ago, there seem to be an awful lot of idiots who seek to abuse religion for their cause.

Last night, I was watching a documentary about African and Middle East refugees and migrants whose sole wish is to get into Europe, by whichever means. The boat trade between Tunisia and Lampedusa, for Italy, is well documented, and the thousands lost at sea are a disgrace. Two land crossings exist between Africa and Europe, namely at two enclaves in Morocco, at Ceuta and Melilla. 24 ft high fences have been erected along the borders, but people still scale them in an attempt to cross. 4,600 did so successfully this year alone.

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