Tessera

So how many clowns have now declared they will run against @countbinface.bsky.social?

'It makes your heart sing’, by @patrickbarkham.bsky.social "Here, however, we were standing on a large slab of ordinary countryside that until three years ago had been an arable field. Now it was a wetland, roiling with life." www.theguardian.com/news/2026/ju... #Rewilding

‘It makes your heart sing’: can a pioneering project show that rewilding really works?

The long read: Intensive farming has all but destroyed England’s ancient woodlands and freshwater wetlands. On a farm in Lincolnshire a radical aristocrat hopes to show there’s money in protecting nat...

theguardian.com

It's going to be Boaty McBoatface all over again but with a Binface.

Not the neutral language we generally expect from these readouts. "The Prime Minister underlined the strength of the UK team and said while the UK and Norway were close allies and friends, when it came to the match on Saturday all bets were off." www.gov.uk/government/n... 🇳🇴

PM meeting with Prime Minister Støre of Norway: 7 July 2026

The Prime Minister hosted the Prime Minister of Norway Jonas Gahr Støre at the British Residence in Ankara today.

gov.uk

Looking like other parties will give a clear run to Count Binface standing against Nigel Farage in Clacton, and winning.

As reported in the London Illustrated News, 30 June 1855: "Dr. Acland said, with reference to the new @morethanadodo.bsky.social, that Oxford was about to perform an experiment: it was about to try how Gothic art could deal with those railway materials -- iron and glass..."

"At the annual meeting of the Oxford Architectural Society, on the 13th inst., Dr. Acland said, with reference to the new Museum, that Oxford was about to perform an experiment: it was about to try how Gothic art could deal with those railway-materials-iron and glass; and he was convinced, when the interior court of this Museum was seen, with its roof of glass supported by shafts of iron, while the pillars and columns around' were composed of variously-coloured marbles, illustrating different geological strata and ages of the world, and the capitals represented the several descriptions of Floras, that it would be felt that a problem had e been solved of the greatest importance to architecture."

The Illustrated London News, 30 June 1855, page 652

Wondering if Pope Leo will be the first pope to receive the Nobel Peace Prize... Pope Leo XIV awarded Liberty Medal: 'God bless America' www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news...

Pope Leo XIV awarded Liberty Medal: 'God bless America' - Vatican News

Accepting the prestigious Liberty Medal from the U.S. National Constitution Center for his lifelong commitment to promoting religious liberty and ...

vaticannews.va

"It is with complete commitment to the Ukrainian people that I have the honour of presenting this Reconstruction Transport Strategy for the city of Kharkiv, developed as part of the enduring partnership between the United Kingdom and Ukraine." www.gov.uk/government/p... @kateinkharkiv.bsky.social

Kharkiv reconstruction transport strategy

Provides a framework for rebuilding Kharkiv's local transport system and supports ambitious reconstruction plans with practical pathways for delivery.

gov.uk

Just a bit racist then. Immigration and Asylum Bill 2026: equality impact assessment assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6a43e2...

Race (this encompasses, nationality, ethnicity, colour and national or ethnic origins)

a. Direct discrimination

The introduction of a power to recover asylum costs applies to individuals who have received asylum support under immigration legislation and does not apply to British citizens. While British citizens are not required to repay welfare benefits, asylum support is provided under a distinct statutory framework to individuals who are subject to immigration control and who are not ordinarily eligible for mainstream benefits. While we identify the potential for direct discrimination on the basis of race (nationality), that is inherent in legislation relating to immigration. We rely on the limited exceptions that exist in the 2010 Act, which permits direct discrimination on grounds of race (nationality ethnic or national origins). Safeguards, including affordability thresholds, will help to ensure that no one is pushed into destitution and that the policy remains proportionate.

Anastasia @100yearsofsolitude.bsky.social · last mo.

Government is either being ripped-off by hotels or the dispersal units provide less than basic facilities. Or both. "The Home Office estimates the average cost per person per night of accommodating asylum seekers is £23.25 in dispersal accommodation and £144 in hotels..." www.gov.uk/government/n...

Asylum seekers will pay towards costs of accommodation

Asylum seekers who can afford to will be required to repay a flat-rate contribution towards the cost of their accommodation and support.

gov.uk

with the inevitable consequence that refugees who WORK but have a low income - nurses, shop workers, cleaners etc - will NEVER be eligible for ILR because they will never earn above this threshold and/or will never be able to afford it. astoundingly evil AND astoundingly STUPID...

Jon Featonby@jonfeatonby.bsky.social · last mo.

It almost goes without saying that a government that is serious about improving integration outcomes is not a government that puts refugees into 1000s of pounds of debt, gives them shorter periods of leave that has to be renewed and makes them wait 2 decades before they can settle.

"Tim Bearder and his Liberal Democrat-led Oxfordshire County Council were vindicated. Four people associated with Raise the Colours agreed to stop hoisting England flags on lamp-posts after the judge granted the council a high court injunction." www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...

‘Not a culture war’: the council that won its case over England flags on lampposts

Leader of local authority in Oxfordshire faces backlash over injunction ‘to maintain neutral, safe space for residents’

theguardian.com

"Shabana Mahmood should be moved out of the Home Office and her asylum policies of 'performative cruelty' ripped up by Andy Burnham’s administration, Alf Dubs has said." www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...

Remove home secretary Mahmood and rip up her asylum plans, says Alf Dubs

Exclusive: Labour peer who fled Nazis as a child says Andy Burnham has chance to ‘correct mistakes’ on refugees

theguardian.com

Katherine McDonald@katherinemcdon.bsky.social · last mo.

Thread of appreciation and a petition to sign. www.change.org/p/stop-redun...

Sponsor Stop Redundancies at the University of Exeter · Change.org

change.org

A brief appreciation thread for some of my colleagues in Classics at Exeter, who the University of Exeter have put at risk of redundancy @exeter.ac.uk. A few are on here, most are not, but I'm going to say nice things about them anyway.

Let's talk about the weather...

Map of England from the Met Office with multiple weather warnings (red, amber, yellow for heat and thunderstorms)

Scots, wha hae wi' Wallace bled, Scots, wham Bruce has aften led; Welcome to your gory bed, Or to victory!

We now go live to the #Encaenia ceremony in the Sheldonian Theatre (if today were Weds, 13 June 1866)... "At ten o'clock the ladies were admitted; there was a great crush for places; and we hear that by an oversight the Regius Professors had not their usual share of ladies' tickets."

Commemoration Day

At 10 o'clock the usual crush at the various inlets of the Sheldonian Theatre began, and immediately the gates were opened, in Eton par-lance a "rouge," in Rugby a "scrummage" occurred not only among the Undergraduates, but also among the "Mistresses of Hearts, who were anxious to secure good seats for viewing the conferring degrees do. &c. An appeal had been issued to their juniors by the Vice-Chancellor and Proctors to allow the proceedings to go on quietly, and not to disturb the recitations by unseemly noises, as on former occasions.
At ten o'clock the ladies were admitted; there was a great crush for places; and we hear that by an oversight the Regius Professors had not their usual share of ladies' tickets. Before the usual proceedings commenced there were cheers for "Gathorne Hardy;" and the Ladies in "Blue" in "Stripes" in "Hats" and "Bonnets;" also for "the Ladies now going up the steps;" while Gladstone's name was received with mingled cheers, hisses and groans.

At eleven o'clock the great doors opened, the organ pealed forth, and the Vice-Chancellor entered; behind him came the Marquis of Bute, Lord Warkworth, the Hon. G. Monckton, Lord Dalmeny, and Lord Emlyn; and next the Heads of Houses, and Proctors; followed by the Bishop of Brisbane. The Senior Proctor, Mr. Hornby, B.N.O., was loudly cheered, as was also his colleague, Mr. Thorley Wadham, who prudently prevailed on a man with a white coat to leave the room. Another obnoxious individual with a sub-fuse coat refused to budge; at last all the gallery pointed the finger of scorn at him and hissed loudly; the surrounding crowd then formed a passage, down which he was hustled to the door, where he turned round to his persecutors, and kissed his hand with the utmost serenity.

The Vice-Chancellor then reviewed the events of the year, and mentioned the names of those who were to receive degrees this day, in a Latin speech. He was much interrupted by cries of "Never mind your stops; "False…

Oxford University had relaxed the academic dress code for Encaenia tomorrow, "In light of the warning, the usual expectations regarding formal attire have been relaxed across all Encaenia events. Guests are welcome to dress in a way that is comfortable and appropriate for the conditions."

"The UN commission said in its report that Palestinian children were deliberately targeted & killed during the ‌war, including after a ceasefire came into effect ‌in Oct 2025. It said this was a key element in establishing genocidal intent by Israeli authorities.." www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...

Israel continues to commit genocide by targeting children in Gaza, UN inquiry finds

Independent report says by aiming at children Israel is undermining capacity of Palestinian people to exist

theguardian.com

Commemoration week, Oxford "Certain journals have lately taken it into their heads to abuse this holiday festival of ours. We are told that it is a Saturnalia of muscularity, an occasion for extravagance, and an utter break-up of University discipline." -- Oxford Undergraduate's Journal, June 1871

THE
Oxford Undergraduate's Journal,
THURSDAY, JUNE 15, 1871.

COMMEMORATION.

CERTAIN journals have lately taken it into their heads to abuse this holiday festival of ours. We are told that it is a Saturnalia of muscularity, an occasion for extravagance, and an utter break-up of University discipline. There is about as much truth in this account as there generally is in the most telling articles of the journal especially referred to; enough to make the falsehood dangerous. A Carnival this time unquestionably is: but then it remains to be proved whether a Carnival is necessarily a bad thing. We English, who take our pleasure sadly, may be the better of a little utter relaxation and, if you will, delirium of enjoyment; nor is it usually thought that the end of an Academical year is an unfit time for the reins of authority to be loosened for a day or two. The term is properly over on Saturday; and those who stay up steal the time out of their vacation, not out of their working season. The purse-strings may surely be allowed, once a year, to follow the example of the reins of authority, and better by far that money should be spent on the innocent and comparatively unselfish amusements of this season, than in pampering the [personal gratifications of the Undergraduate during his more solitary times.]

The three stages of cherry clafoutis.

A layer of cherries (stoned) in a dish sitting upon sugar and melted butter.

Overhead view of tart dish holding cherries and clafoutis batter prior to going into oven.

Overhead view of cooked clafoutis on rack.

#WorldRefugeeDay This year marks 30 years of @asylumwelcome.bsky.social, a charity offering warmth, dignity & practical support to people seeking sanctuary in Oxfordshire. Asylum Welcome, and those they support, need all the help we can give. www.asylum-welcome.org/donate/?mtm_... #RefugeesWelcome

Donate - Asylum Welcome

Make a donation Thank you for helping refugees and asylum seekers in Oxfordshire feel welcome, safe and confident. Every day, people seeking safety arrive in Oxfordshire with hope, but also fear an...

asylum-welcome.org

Kyiv Independent is the leading English-language newspaper in Ukraine. Founded on 2021 and led by Daryna Shevchenko & Olga Rudenko, @kyivindependent.com is independent, award-winning & free to read. Currently seeking 4,000 new members, with just 620 remaining. kyivindependent.com/membership/?...

Membership

News, analyses, investigations, opinions, podcasts and more. On-the-ground reporting from Ukraine

kyivindependent.com

#Wordle1825 Every starting word has its day... Wordle 1,825 1/6 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩