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The AFD are a good example of the far right being sympathetic to Russia. Remarkably, they meet in the middle with the far left on the topic.

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Orban in Hungary is pro Russia.
Le Pen in France is pro Russia
Trump in the US is pro Russia


Trump welcomed the AFD result
They are all against the EU

https://www.ft.com/content/06f51592-d259-4f53-b74c-31279414674d?syn-25a6b1a6=1

 But the huge surge in support for the Alternative for Germany party in Saxony-Anhalt on Sunday is truly an event of global significance. The AfD's Saxony branch has been classified as rightwing extremist by Germany's domestic intelligence services. Some in the party flirt with Nazi imagery and slogans. Nonetheless, the governments of Russia and the US — two nations that take great pride in their role in defeating Nazism — are applauding its rise. Vladimir Putin's circle had been eagerly anticipating an AfD breakthrough in the Saxony-Anhalt elections. Last month, Kirill Dmitriev, a key Russian intermediary with the Trump administration, posted excitedly on X: "Germany Awakens on September sixth". Both the language and the date of that post seemed significant. "Germany Awake" was a Nazi slogan. Dmitriev's post appeared on August 23 — the anniversary of the signing of the 1939 Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union. Perhaps that was just an unfortunate coincidence. Perhaps not. Either way, Russia has concrete reasons to support the AfD. The party is campaigning to end German aid to Ukraine, restore economic ties with Russia and an increase in Russian-language teaching in German schools. One of its senior officials in Saxony-Anhalt was discomfited when reporters spotted a Russian army mug in his office. As well as being a cheerleader for the AfD, Dmitriev is a key linkman between the Kremlin and the White House. He was one of five principals seated round the table in Moscow on Saturday as Putin received Steve Witkoff, Trump's peace emissary. Like the Kremlin, the Trump administration has flirted energetically with the German far right. At the Munich Security Conference last year, JD Vance, the US vice-president, met Alice Weidel, the leader of the AfD — while pointedly not finding time to meet Olaf Scholz, Germany's then chancellor. The US national security strategy published late last year claimed that Europe faces "civilizational erasure" — in large part because of its tolerance of mass migration. There is no doubt that Angela Merkel, Germany's then chancellor, badly mishandled the 2015 refugee crisis. (And, yes, I wrote that at the time.) The surge in migration played a big role in driving up the AfD's support. Party officials now campaign for "remigration" — a usefully ambiguous term that could mean anything from deporting illegal immigrants to attempting to expel all German citizens with an immigrant background. Far-right and anti-immigrant parties have already entered governments elsewhere in Europe — including Austria and the Netherlands. But the history and size of Germany give its political trajectory a special significance. The memory of Nazism means that Germany's mainstream parties remain absolutely determined to maintain a "firewall" against the AfD — and not to go into coalition with the far right. That firewall may be about to crack in Saxony-Anhalt, where the AfD fell just three seats short of an absolute majority. Even if it holds, by forming a grand coalition, excluding a political party that got 44 per cent of the vote, over 25 per cent more than its nearest rivals, the CDU, is morally and practically difficult. The AfD's nationwide support is significantly below its level in Saxony-Anhalt. But it nonetheless regularly tops polls. Even if the traditional centre parties continue to prop up the firewall, they may start adopting AfD-lite policies on issues such as migration, the EU or the war in Ukraine. Any such development could shake the continent. German rearmament is a signature policy of Chancellor Friedrich Merz's government and critical to European efforts to deter Russia. But the rise of a Russia-friendly party may ultimately throw it into question. The resurgence of a nationalist party in Germany could also pose profound questions for the EU. The AfD, for example, has pledged to pull out of the single European currency — and potentially out of the EU itself. Any possible disintegration of the EU would be welcomed in Russia and the Trump White House. But it would be greeted with dismay by liberal democracies outside Europe — such as Canada and Japan — that look to the EU to counterbalance the nationalism and power politics of Russia, China and a Trump-led America. The worst-case scenarios now have to be considered. But they are far from inevitable. Despite the confident predictions of Weidel that Merz will be out of power by the end of the year, the AfD is still a considerable way from achieving national power. Indeed for all the interest that the party is currently generating, the biggest story in European politics in the coming year is likely to be France — not Germany. The Rassemblement National looks poised for victory in next year's French presidential election — with Marine Le Pen, the party's standard-bearer, currently leading in opinion polls. Le Pen has done a lot to try and moderate her image and has repudiated the AfD's talk of "remigration" and its revisionist statements about Nazism. But she too has a history of friendliness towards America's Maga movement and towards Russia. The rise of the AfD is an extraordinary story. But Putin and Trump's most immediate hope for changing Europe still lies in France, not Germany.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2026/09/07/barnes-interview-why-blame-tuchel-when-england-poor/
John Barnes launches into a forensic breakdown of all the key events that followed Anthony Gordon's opening goal, analysing the decisions Tuchel made. There is a perception that Argentina's changes meant they were playing with six attackers, but Lionel Scaloni only replaced players like-for-like.

Tuchel, Barnes argues, only had four players he could possible change as England protected their lead and they were Gordon, Morgan Rogers, Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham. But, as he points out, was he really going to take his captain and/or best player off with the clock ticking down?

"Why do we blame the manager when everybody drops on the six-yard box and then Enzo Fernández has a free shot from 20 yards out?" Barnes asks. "People say: 'They're dropping too deep! Tuchel should be telling them!' You think Tuchel isn't doing that?
"Do you think Tuchel, from what he sees in training, in practice games and everything they do and everything he sees happening is actually telling them to stand on the six-yard box? Of course he doesn't! So why do we blame Tuchel for that?"
We knew what kind of performance to expect," Barnes says. "It was going to be hard work; we weren't going to play with flair. There was no Cole Palmer or Phil Foden. We hadn't played expansive football so why was that going to suddenly change in the last 20 minutes of a World Cup semi-final?"
He is in his stride now. In time we will talk about dealing with pressure and the way it can alter a player's decision-making, but the narrative since the World Cup has bemused a man who was capped 79 times by his country and went to four major tournaments.
 Barnes played for England at the 1986 and 1990 World Cups Credit: Simon Bruty/Getty Images"As a nation, we like to feel we have the answers to everything," he says. "So if that didn't work, that would have worked. We believe in ourselves [but] let me tell you, England are not the best team. So why should we win the World Cup?
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"Football fans feel they know better than everybody else. That's genuine around the world but in England more than anywhere else. We feel we know – not just in football, in life. Look at the British colonialism. We think we're better than everybody else in the world. The narrative is Tuchel made the wrong substitutions. So we need to scapegoat – and everybody now needs to speak about it.
Once the narrative gets over, that is what is called a 'performative utterance'. Everybody's now coming on to it, all of the pundits and I'm thinking these pundits should know better because these pundits are football people. Take the result out of it and think.
"If you're one-nil up with five minutes to go, are you really going to bring on two strikers to catch them on a counter-attack when they're attacking? Come on! But if you ask anyone now, we lost the World Cup because Thomas Tuchel made the wrong substitution. Who would be a manager?"
Turns out he would, actually, if given the chance. The conversation has turned in a totally different direction but it is necessary to go this way. Barnes will be 63 in November but it is obvious, given his enthusiasm and passion, that he misses the day-to-day grind

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/09/07/protesters-chase-migrant-vans-from-portsmouth-to-dover/Protesters chased vans carrying migrants from Portsmouth to Dover overnight following demonstrations against the arrival of a mega-dinghy.

Footage posted on X by one of the protesters shows a car travelling down a motorway behind a convoy of white vans and coaches.

The video was captioned: "In pursuit of migrant coaches from Portsmouth NOW!! We are heading towards DOVER."

Protesters clashed with police in Portsmouth on Sunday evening after a mega-dinghy carrying 140 migrants reached the UK from Normandy.

Around 500 demonstrators, thought to be supporters of Daniel Thomas, an anti-migrant activist, are believed to have joined a protest in the area, with some dressed in all black.

Fair dues, Ireland stood up to give the girl the send off of all send offs. Be a long time waiting for anything or anybody surpassing her achievements on a national or world stage.

Take a big bow Katie.

Paul Brady's achievements surpass this for me. Not given the same spotlight of course

Bernadette McAliskey .

The Stardust Families had to beat Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil over 10,000 rounds.

AFD the far right German version of Reform won the election in Saxony Anhalt today

They have the same policies as Reform and tney are pro Kremlin and pro Israel.

"Won" is correct, but an understatement.

"Pro-Israel" is very debatable.

Reform is pro Israel
https://x.com/KerryBurgess/status/2047523340965859695

The far right dude in Hungary is pro Israel

Bardella in France with LePen is pro Israel.

The "far-right dude in Hungary"? You mean Orban?

Yeah, I know Reform is, and I think it's a mistake. It seems they've probably got a certain amount of Jewish funding. Leaves them compromised, in my book. I suppose the Jews are worried about Islam in Europe - and in general! - even though a certain segment of them encouraged it. Sort of ironic!

But AfD and the Jews is mixed, to say the least. Sure, they don't love Islam either, but that doesn't make them 'pro-Israel'.

I think they like Zionism because the Zionists are powerful.
But there must be an alliance between the far right and the Zionists.

The zionists hate the EU.


https://www.ft.com/content/7e389a94-707f-4bce-b091-251503d40b8e

Attempts to freeze Israel out of the programme, along with the wider EU association agreement, have failed due to opposition from governments including Germany and Hungary.

I think a job that suits your personality is important. You are more likely to enjoy it and do it well.

The job that you got 30 years ago was better than the jobs going now imo. You could have a decent house if you were a garda or a nurse or in the civil service. In 1996 a house in Dublin cost 85,000 pounds.

Effort and outcomes don't always move together anymore. Developing another income generating skill can be a practical way to create more flexibility instead of simply working longer hours

That could be based on skills that you can't use in a job.

I think it's important for young people to develop their interests.

AFD the far right German version of Reform won the election in Saxony Anhalt today

They have the same policies as Reform and tney are pro Kremlin and pro Israel.

"Won" is correct, but an understatement.

"Pro-Israel" is very debatable.

Reform is pro Israel
https://x.com/KerryBurgess/status/2047523340965859695

The far right dude in Hungary is pro Israel

Bardella in France with LePen is pro Israel.

AFD the far right German version of Reform won the election in Saxony Anhalt today

They have the same policies as Reform and tney are pro Kremlin and pro Israel.

What sort of cut would Heearn get from that boxing match ?

Monaghan being held back by a bad manager....

Not so sure.

Last two years have reached the last eight of the championship which is better than some counties have done who consider themselves around the same level if not better than Monaghan.

 

Will Monaghan ever win the All Ireland? Would Mayo inspire them ? It is a great football county that produces great players like Nudie and Beggan and McManus with strong clubs like Scotstown and the Harps

https://x.com/thomasniblock/status/2094509929436516838


Conor McManus was doing the commentary beside Thomas Niblock saying how amazing it was for Mayo but it would be even more amazing if he was talking about Monaghan winning the All Ireland.


Where is Niblock from?

Farage posted a plan

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/09/06/only-reform-can-save-britain-and-we-have-the-plan-to-do-it/

delighted to sign a pact with Jordan Bardella, who is in pole position to be the next prime minister of France, to stop the boats forever. For the first time, Britain can be assured that a senior French politician genuinely wants to work in our interests when it comes to the vexing matter of illegal immigration – not least because stopping it altogether is in France's interests, too. My pledge in Birmingham was to guarantee that the boats will stop coming within 100 days of us forming a government.
 Jordan Bardella and Nigel Farage hold their 'memorandum of understanding' on stage in Birmingham Credit: Paul GroverRobert Jenrick, our shadow chancellor, pledged to raise the personal tax allowance from £12,570, where it has been frozen since 2021, to £15,000. This measure will save workers £486 each annually – almost £1,000 per couple. It will benefit 40 million taxpayers and take 2.9 million earners out of income tax altogether. It will also ensure that the state pension remains untaxed, keeping more money in the pockets of Britain's 13 million pensioners.
Suella Braverman, Reform's shadow education secretary, pledged to cut student loan issuance by 20 per cent, to lift the cap on medical school places – thereby enabling hundreds of British applicants with top grades to obtain places – and to introduce 0 per cent interest loans for nursing students.
In the same vein, Richard Tice, our energy spokesman, explained how he would cut household energy bills by £250 per year. This would be done by slashing the carbon costs on energy bills, by removing policy costs and by permanently scrapping VAT on household energy bills.
We estimate that implementing these commitments would cost in the region of £28bn by the fifth year of a Reform UK government. Other previously announced policies would cost a further £30bn, creating a total cost of £58bn.
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But against this, we have identified £91bn in itemised savings and new revenue sources. It is hard to see who in their right mind could argue with a strategy that promotes the interest of law-abiding Britons, saves public money and can be seen as an investment in our collective future

Similarly, if the judiciary attempted to block our plans and, by extension, the will of the people, Parliament would pass new laws to force them through.
And any civil servant who tried to obstruct our programme would lose their job, come what may. Professionals from outside would be brought in to get the job done if it became necessary.

Eddie Hearn intimated that Croker should go full time as a boxing arena. It could be a goer.
The likes of Semple could fulfil any particular GAA requirements after the Croker rebrand.

The fees from the boxing woukd pay for Casement !

Ah sure lads it was a great wee night although I did struggle with Bono's shite, that did test my resolve.

French girl only really threw anything of note in the 7th round, maybe a draw in a few others rounds.

Eddie Hearn was crying all the way to the bank.
Wondering if he took the opportunity to visit his mate in the Joy while he was in Dublin?

What sorta dough is Katie pocketing?

According to the Irish Times she is worth €20 million.

Between the NFL, boxing, concerts and not soccer (Man U v Leeds) we are seeing far more general use of Croke Park as a venue.

I wonder if a Champions League Final in Dublin might happen at some stage?

The suits in the GAA would rent out Croke Park for the Champions League after the League. They are a crowd of money grabbers.

I think Croke Park is the 4th biggest stadium or something like that in Europe.