(0830) Slept in, good thing too, now upandattem.

ddddd

2. DAD at 1542

a) Protesters in the Bulgarian city of Varna pelted European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s motorcade with fruit, vegetables, and eggs during a rally against her visit, Report informs referring to the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA). The rally was held under the slogan “Varna wants peace, not war!” Von der Leyen was met with shouts of “Ursula, you are not welcome here!” and calls to leave the city.

b) German Authorities Start Initiative To Evaluate Public Register For Climate “Disinformation” Spreaders! Back to the Dark Ages… Elements within the German government are poised to take the authoritarian step of suppressing and restricting scientific discourse.

c) Hoax bomb threats empty hundreds of Italian schools as alerts spread to UK. The emails, signed with the same alias used in recent hoaxes against European flights and broadcasters, also threatened Italy’s Prime Minister.

d) Poland’s Supreme Court has overturned the suspensions of Constitutional Tribunal President Bogdan Święczkowski and his deputy, dealing a major legal blow to the attempted takeover backed by Donald Tusk. Yet the pro-government judges who seized control have refused to recognise the ruling, deepening the crisis on the eve of Independence Day.

e) Thousands of Muslims are being deported from France – here’s why.

1. The quality of Englishness is not strained

… it droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven.

It’s not as if it’s a new issue … Somerset Maugham and Mr. Know-All (1925):

I had scarcely started before a man came up to me and asked me if he was right in thinking my name was so and so. “I am Mr. Kelada,” he added, with a smile that showed a row of flashing teeth, and sat down.

“Oh, yes, we’re sharing a cabin, I think.”

“Bit of luck, I call it. You never know who you’re going to be put in with. I was jolly glad when I heard you were English. I’m all for us English sticking together when we’re abroad, if you understand what I mean.”

I blinked. “Are you English?” I asked, perhaps tactlessly.

“Rather. You don’t think I look like an American, do you? British to the backbone, that’s what I am.”

To prove it, Mr. Kelada took out of his pocket a passport and airily waved it under my nose.

This was the latest attempt:

Ed Davey (Mr. Post Office) spoke in parliament on “Englishness” … comment on that:

Lisa is what people might call “white English” but she sports the Union Flag, not St George:

In my time in Russia, I was often spoken of like: “Он наполовину русский,” or “He’s half Russian.” It was an honorary title, not a citizenship claim … I was still “иностранец” or “a foreigner”, officially … but a friendly one who spoke the language passably.