This is a profile of the woman
politician who was gunned down in León last week. It's in English
but I wonder how accurate some of the translation from the original
Spanish is. For example, I doubt that tener mucho carácter
is best conveyed by 'to have a strong personality.' Unless you're
indulging in British understatement.
I think the last time I mentioned the
forecast of how many Spaniards would turn out for the EU elections it
was 64%. Well, now it's down to 43%. And this in a country which is
still very positive about the EU. Talking about voting . . . Postal
voting is possible in both Spain and the UK. I wonder what proof of
identity is required in both countries. Anyone know?
Talking of the EU . . . It
financed €30bn of Spanish infrastructure projects between 2004
and 2013 but is now worried about the extent and level of the cost
overruns. In every case, apparently. Read more here.
In Germany it's a crime to express Nazi
sentiments. In Spain you can be tried for 'glorifying murder'. This
relates mostly to ETA, of course. I'm not sure that a similar crime
exists in the UK, despite the IRA campaigns. But, anyway, the Spanish
police have arrested 3 young men for making what they consider to be
criminal internet statements in respect of the murder of the León politician. And I bet more are to come. Can this really be
consistent with freedom of speech? Are they really inciting anyone to
murder?
Talking of harsh laws . . . It's reported that an
Islamic court in the Sudanese capital of Khartoum has sentenced a
pregnant woman to hang for apostasy after she married a Christian.
However, in a gesture of mercy, she'll be allowed to give birth
before she's executed. Whenever you read things like this you wonder
what the 'moderate Muslim' world is doing to stop what they see as an
evil misinterpretation of the Qu'ran. Likewise Boko Haram in Nigeria,
of course.
Finally . . . I wonder just how
many people know what 'whence' means. It's: from
which/where. Which means that a phrase
like 'to the fringe from whence it came' is wrong, as the 'from' is
superfluous. Just thought I'd mention this.
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