SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 11:54 P.M. ET: 

WARNING – FROM THE JERUSALEM POST:   Germany's spy chief said Saturday that ISIS is planning a large scale attack at the Euro 2016 championship in France, the Daily Mail reported.  Hans-Georg Maassen, head of the German Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution said that while there were no known plans in action, German intelligence admitted they had heard "quite a lot of background noise" which suggested the plot.  At least 2.5 million people are due to attend the championship, spread across 10 stadiums. The games are set to begin June 10.  Tensions remain high in France, still recovering from the November 2015 attacks in Paris, which included three explosions near the Stade de France national sports stadium.  France is preparing in advance for any potential attacks, saying that some games may be played behind closed doors depending on the threat level.   And one has to wonder about the vulnerability of the Rio Olympics, set to begin in early August.

INCREDIBLE PROGRESS:  FROM RED STATE:   Pakistan is considering a measure that would allow husbands to beat their wives “lightly,” – which, if enforced, would actually be a huge step in the right direction.  Of course, this was in response to a group that proposed a law that would forbid husbands from beating their wives at all, a measure which was condemned as being “anti-Islam.”  In the 75-page proposal, Mohammad Khan Sheerani suggests a light beating is acceptable should the need arise to punish a woman. The proposal bans forceful beating, saying only a small stick is necessary to instill fear.  The Council of Islamic Ideology is a powerful constitutional body that advises the Pakistani legislature whether laws are in line with the teachings of Islam.  Its proposed bill is seen as a response to the rejected Punjab Women Protection bill for abused women. The council shunned it as “un-Islamic” and wrote its own bill, which includes the recommendation for the light beating.  Don't you love to see progress?  Why, pretty soon Islamic women might be allowed out of the house without a man's permission.  Who said Islam isn't hip?

RISKY HEALTH RULING – FROM THE BBC:  The World Health Organization (WHO) has rejected a call to move or postpone this summer's Rio Olympic Games over the Zika outbreak.  It said this would "not significantly alter" the spread of the virus, which is linked to serious birth defects.  In an open letter to the WHO, more than 100 leading scientists had said new findings about Zika made it "unethical" for the Games to go ahead.  They also said the global health body should revisit its Zika guidance.  The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has said it sees no reason to delay or move the Games because of the mosquito-borne disease.  The outbreak began in Brazil a year ago, but now more than 60 countries and territories have continuing transmission.   Come on, the Olympics are about money.  The health of athletes and spectators isn't on the radar screen.  And all that TV revenue won't be sent down the drain.  Pray for a healthy Olympics.

May 28, 2016