Friday, 15 July 2016

The world outside

Although I am having a very happy time here in Italy, feeling mostly very detached from reality, I am aware that there is much going on in the world.
For a start we have a new prime minister since we left the UK; Theresa May has taken over from David Cameron a couple of months earlier than expected because her last remaining opponent, Andrea Leadsom, withdrew from the contest. So the Camerons have left No. 10 already and Theresa May has been sworn in by the Queen. The resulting cabinet reshuffle has caused much comment, especially Boris Johnson's unexpected comeback to be appointed Foreign Minister.
Then yesterday there was a horrific attack on innocent people celebrating Bastille Day in Nice - a man drove a lorry along the pavement and killed 84 people, with many others injured. Whether or not this was a terrorist act (which I believe is still unclear), I can't imagine how that man could have had the heart to do this terrible thing. 
And right now - in the last couple of hours - there has been a coup going on in Turkey by a section of the army. Both sides are saying that they will prevail and that it will all be democratic and peaceful - but shots have been fired in Istanbul and Ankara, and Istanbul's Ataturk Airport is closed. I hope that it is as peaceful as they think and that more people don't get hurt.

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