Everyone knows by now - even Burnham - the cure for small boats is big boats. Provide a safe legal route and eliminate the need for people smugglers, with all of its attendant ills. Heck, charge for the service if you have to, as long as you're massively undercutting the smugglers.

Dan Sohege@danielsohege.bsky.social · 3d ago

Even Home Office's own analysis shows tougher measures force more people into longer, more dangerous routes and exploitation. Tackling smugglers starts with ensuring people don't have to use them. Meanwhile, Labour's own policies mean more people are forced to use them. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

A new venture for you, @cliffchapman.bsky.social , perhaps? (Not the arrested part, obvs..)

In Otter News@in-otter-news.bsky.social · 4d ago

Sounds like otter chaos.

It would be great if trees and plants that died on me would conduct an exit survey and tell me what it was that I did so wrong... So that I didn't repeat the mistake. (Lost a fruit tree to this year's drought onslaught, despite - I thought - sufficient watering. Lost redcurrant bushes - AGAIN.)

Rather than gifting mega US tech companies permission to build all-consuming data centres in the UK while ripping off artists and replacing employment with AI licences, the UK government should charge all UK employers that want to use AI in their workplace a tax towards retraining employees.

Went to the BFI to see "Ish" because a friend: Avin Shah, is in it (and is brilliant in it). It is a absolute DELIGHT to see/read/listen to things created by creative, brilliant, surprising friends. You don't get that with AI. Doesn't matter how "good" AI gets, there's no-one human to celebrate.

Joining our Patreon today gets you access to Issue Four early + a bunch of cool goodies and potentially the chance of naming our lost astronaut mascot. We'll see. www.patreon.com/Adventitious...

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Join the expedition! There's a lot of world out there, and like this handsome froggy guy, it's all waiting for your eyes, ears, and other se

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"The recent report by the White House Domestic Policy Council is nothing less than a declaration of political war on the historians' profession," David Blight in powerful testimony defending the historical craft and the Smithsonian. #OAH #AHA #historymatters 🗃️ www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbz2...

WATCH: David Blight makes opening statement in hearing on how Smithsonian presents history

YouTube video by PBS NewsHour

youtube.com

Hey @artsemergency.bsky.social has their call open for mentors again! You get paired with a young person approx. 16-17 and talk to them once a month, it's great and not very much work at all and the organisation is ALWAYS short of mentors who work in games

Science cuts are education cuts, environment cuts, growth cuts, economy cuts, health cuts, future cuts. Investment in research - not just science, across the board - pays dividends. Science funding isn't something that you can just turn off and back on - we lose the scientists AND the data record.

James O'Malley@jamesomalley.co.uk · last wk.

Terrible news. Aside from learning more about the universe, we're not going to get much economic growth by cutting science funding. (If only we had a Prime Minister who was interested in supporting the north, and Manchester in particular, who could stop this.) www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

It is not "hateful" to arrest an ICC suspected war criminal. It IS hateful to be one. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Netanyahu accuses NYC's Mamdani of 'fomenting hate' after arrest threat

Mamdani walked back his threat last week, acknowledging he lacked the legal power to arrest Netanyahu on a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court.

bbc.co.uk

It is not, it appears, in the government or media interest to report marches and protests that pass by entirely peacefully, an outpouring of support for an increasingly marginalised community. (Seems it's only news if some far-right thugs attack the police...)

Matthew Hodson@matthewhodson.bsky.social · 2w ago

An estimated 150,000 trans people and their allies showed up for Trans Pride in London yesterday. Phenomenal!

"Fledge" by Liam Hogan is now free to read! www.patreon.com/Crep...

Over 17,000 people have already added their name 🩵🩷🤍 Will you join them? goodlawproject.org/petition/tra...

I stand with trans people | Good Law Project

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Apparently it's racist for a black man not to like Trump. Hmm...? (Maybe there are PLENTY of other reasons not to like Trump, other than his race? Maybe LeBron James liking or not liking Trump has very little to do with his status as a sporting legend? Maybe...) www.bbc.co.uk/sport/basket...

President Donald Trump says NBA star LeBron James 'maybe a racist'

United States President Donald Trump said LeBron James might be "a racist" when asked if the basketball star is the "best ever" to play the sport.

bbc.co.uk

Gosh, I wonder if these two things are related: "Trump vows to investigate EU over fining of US tech companies" www.bbc.co.uk/news/article... "Major tech companies, including Google, Meta, Apple, and Amazon, have donated millions of dollars to funds behind Trump's campaign and presidency."

Trump vows to investigate EU over fining of US tech companies

The US president says fines against Google, as well as Apple, Meta and Amazon, should be "entirely reversed."

bbc.co.uk

TOMORROW! Shrewsbury hosts the Shropshire Book Fair at Palmer's (across from Loopy Shrew) AND the Big Read in the Square. Servicing all your literary needs for you and your family! Talk to authors and find your summer read! @originalshrews.bsky.social @shropshirestar.com @shrewsburybid.bsky.social

Trump's tariffs were never about whatever act he hides behind, whether emergency powers or accusations of forced labour failings. They were never about American jobs, economy, or reducing imports. They weren't about who pays - exporters, importers, or US customers. Trump's tariffs ARE the point. (+)

The US criticises and threatens consequences for the UK not supporting them, Iran criticises and threatens consequences for the UK for supporting the US. And I have to say you can kind of see Iran's point of view, more than the US's.

I'm not sure all that many people in the UK do either. Whatever happens in the next election, the chances of Tories forming a government seem slim to zero. But they will keep banging the odious drum of their failed Rwanda policies.

The Guardian@theguardian.com · 2w ago

Nobody in Europe knows or cares what Kemi Badenoch thinks. That’s a big mistake | Simon Nixon

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www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/ce... One wonders why the US doesn't just steal the enriched Uranium from Iran and give it the Saudi Arabia. That WOULD be the Trump move, surely? (With a counter move 30 years down the line when the Saudis are no longer US chums...)

US to announce deal allowing Saudi Arabia to develop nuclear power

The agreement could be worth billions of dollars to the US, whose companies could be involved in building a facility to produce enriched uranium.

bbc.co.uk

As tweeted by Trump: Venezuela War: 1 day, 0 DEAD. So I guess that confirms exactly what sort of operation it was, and not - as Trump claimed - "a law-enforcement action, with military support, that the president has "inherent constitutional authority" to undertake.

PREORDER from @waterstones.bsky.social and get a summertime 25% off Flame Tree Press's dark romantasy collection, "Of Blood and Petals" - featuring a story by me! ("Love, and Other Distractions"). Discount code "SUMMER26" is good until Friday! www.waterstones.com/book/of-bloo...

Burnham's "No 10 North" (Manchester) plans makes sense of his pledge to restore HS2 to Manchester leg. He wants a quick commute between the two. Which... fine, but it does seem rather like it's all about him.

Burnham's electricity VAT giveaway sounds like a winning wheeze, but can only be considered progressive if it is paid for in a way that targets higher earners or larger (tax avoiding...) corporations. Since everyone benefits, the rich as much as the poor, it is imperative that the rich pay for it.

Who won the World Cup? Spain. Erling Haaland. England v France (with added bonus of no Trump pitch invasion). Omar Abdulkadir Artan (despite not getting into US). Spidercam. Who lost? The USA. Fifa. Trump. Infantino. Hydration Breaks. Half time shows. VAR. Argentina. Spidercam. Football. Spectators.

Astonishing that James Cleverly - or anyone - can say "If he is really serious about Government, he should lay out proposals (to) cut welfare, fund defence..." Because what the UK really needs is more people unable to manage, and more missiles.

Used to be you could tell the politics of the politician from the colour of tie he wore. (Good times, good times...)

Swindlers gonna swindle... Look too closely at any part of Farage's business dealings, his policies, his sound bites, and it's all suspect. Because, like Trump, he's in it for his own aggrandisement. Man of the people? Don't make me laugh!

Josiah Mortimer@josiahmortimer.bsky.social · 2w ago

This feels like it got buried amid all of the mounting allegations around Reform and Farage's funding. Farage leases property that he owns, to his own company, at exactly £10,000/year. That's a penny under the "over £10,000" rental-income declaration threshold. What is he trying to hide?

New PM. Who dis?