Even better than the news that Chris Froome will be in the TdF.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-44688909
Missing Thai boys ‘found alive’ in caves
Missing Thai boys ‘found alive’ in caves
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That’s fantastic news. I’ve been following this story. What a relief.
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Can’t have too much Excellent/Good News… 
I think we might need this Thread to keep us cheerful… we can add Good News as and when it occurs… 
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Is it possible to merge this thread with the identical one which appeared later?
On the 5th July The European Court is hearing a case to nullify the Referendum, as all those who had been out of UK for more than fifteen years were not allowed to vote.
EU law still takes preference.
Tricky.
If the ECJ says that it was reasonable to exclude Brits who had lived abroad for 15 years there is a danger that it will be seen as validating the whole referendum.
If they say that this group should have been given a vote then what? I would expect Brexiters to use it as evidence that the ECJ is an interfering busy-body. May has already ruled out a second referendum - I imagine that includes a re-run of the first.
It is sad (in the sense that more time will be wasted with no progress) that her “third way” seems to have been leaked and rejected by the EU - it seems that the only option that they feel solves the Irish border problem (and does not annex NI) is EEA membership - which May has ruled out and which would not be acceptable to JRM and his cronies.
If May favoured EEA membership it might be time to tell JRM to put up or shut up. The problem is that she has painted herself into a corner with her own silly red lines.
I remain hopeful that a deal will be done but I don’t think it will really please anyone and it will require industrial quantities of fudge.
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'eaps of 
ummm? out voters I’m sure now, immigrants, kids future ?
I LOVE this topic. Thanks.
I’m looking around for something with good news specific to France… in the meantime, I saw this one about the 2020 Olympics (in Tokyo, but… aren’t the ones in 2024 going to be in France? I read that somewhere…):
This one seems great; by ‘seems’ I guess I mean… I hope it lasts.
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Denying your citizens a say on what will affect themmost amounts to dictatorship and needs to be addressed.
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Yes I get that and agree, although just to play devil’s advocate for a second anyone who has been living outside the UK for 15 years has probably acquired the right to live where they have settled (and probably the right to citizenship even if not taken up) so can insulate themselves from the effect of Brexit if they choose.
However the time for this review was somewhere in 2016, not now - I understand that it has been difficult to get the case heard by the ECJ.
If the ECJ rules that the referendum was illegal because of lack of representation of this group we will have Farage, JRM and all the other rabid Brexiteers come out and denounce the ruling as an example of exactly why the ECJ and EU interfere with British domestic politics.
From a purely legal perspective (which is what the ECJ will surely take) the referendum was advisory so somewhat divorced from triggering of Article 50 (even though politically, of course the two are inextricably linked). So I suspect that the ECJ will find that the Government was wrong to exclude this cohort but within its rights to trigger Article 50 on whatever evidence or sounding of the population’s views it chose to make. That way they give both sides what they want but neither will really be able to take an advantage from the ruling. Expect accusations of interfering anyway in the same manner that all legal reviews have resulted in vitriol even when their only practical effect was to suggest that Parliament should get some sort of say, not just the Government.
If the Referendum is seen as being illegal because voters were prevented from having their say, the UK cannot proceed. The government must follow the rule of law and at the time of the Referendum the ECJ was the highest body.
I see we are back to doom and gloom again already - this is for happy, or at least good news!!
That is good news.
The rule of law has to prevail, not what is most expedient at the time for a group of isolationists.
My understanding (which was borne out by comments regarding the Vote Leave campaign irregularities) is that you can declare the referendum void all you like (it can’t exactly be declared “illegal”) but as it was only advisory you cannot draw the conclusion that the government acted illegally to trigger Article 50 - and that’s what matters.
However, I await the judgment and any development with interest.
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Void will do.