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Reposted by alina

Hamilton Nolan @hamiltonnolan.bsky.social · 7h

Has lived in the US since he was NINE MONTHS OLD.

Lynn Becker @cmgiulini.bsky.social · 8h

After spending 43 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit, evidence hidden by the prosecution reversed his conviction. Rather than finally enjoying freedom, ICE abducted him for deportation

Depraved.

www.miamiherald.com/news/local/i...

He was wrongfully imprisoned for 43 years. Moments after being released, ICE took him

Subramanyam “Subu” Vedam now faces deportation.

www.miamiherald.com

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alina @ramshackle78.bsky.social · 16h

This is really cool. Do you happen to have Black Sea as well? Thanks

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Paul Kelly @pjthinker.bsky.social · 1d

True on the last point but hard to see how any UK institution could compete with a £20m+ endowment in the field of economics. This is Christiano Ronaldo level economics - we’re more at the Harry Kane level…

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Stanley Pignal @spignal.bsky.social · 1d

The Chinese have been saying the quiet bit ("we want to use rare earths as an economic weapon", basically) out loud for many, many years. It just took us all a long time to actually think they were serious.

Finbarr Bermingham @fbermingham.bsky.social · 1d

In the same vein, from the same book.

May 2019 as Xi Jinping touted a rare earths processing plant in Jiangxi following Huawei’s addition to the entity list.

People's Daily: "Don't say you were not warned"

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Borners @borners.bsky.social · 1d

I've never met a Libertarian who didn't believe in the redemptive power of state coercion to order society as they would wish it.

"Online Rent-a-Sage" Bret Devereaux @bretdevereaux.bsky.social · 1d

So the absolute insane stupidity of this is the idea that he could set up a theocratic state and also get a 'significantly smaller government.'

The folks on the authoritarian right do really seem to be believe there is a secret government liberalizer ray they can just switch off to change society.

Max Kennerly @maxkennerly.bsky.social · 1d

Ross Douthat treats this guy like they're having some deep conversation about the relationship of Christianity and the government, but the dude is a garden-variety dull, shallow, hateful, worthless bigot with nothing interesting to say, just endless riffs on "God hates everything/everyone I do."

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James Plunkett @jamestplunkett.bsky.social · 1d

Are there any live proposals to get DSIT (and/or CLG?) to create a Civic Tech Fund? An initiative to support the UK’s civic tech movement (pro-social platforms like Library of Things, Olio, Park Run, etc) and shared infrastructure for community organising. 1/n

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Prof. Damian Roland @damianroland.bsky.social · 1d

Great listen from @drguddisingh.bsky.social

Lots of learning & eye-opening statistics for both the public and professionals.

What is being described is the need to centre care around children, not bring children to care.

The Foundation of Neighbourhood health

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...

BBC Radio 4 - Three Ages of Child, Episode 1: The Early Years

A journey through the landscape that shapes the health of our children.

www.bbc.co.uk

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alina @ramshackle78.bsky.social · 1d

And the cherry on top is the fact that they've been trying to fill the National Armaments Director position since last year and not yet filled it, despite the fact it comes with salary >500k/year (PM gets ~170k)

Suitable candidates could get much more in private & not have to handle hot potatoes

alina @ramshackle78.bsky.social · 1d

2024 March - HoC Public Accounts Committee – “No credible plan to deliver desired capabilities”

2024 Dec - National Audit Office MoD review (hardly any green)

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alina @ramshackle78.bsky.social · 1d

To see how deep the rot goes (even in 'official speak'):

2009 - Gray review of MoD acquisition (foundational work)

2023 July - House of Commons Defense Committee report

2023 Dec - National Audit Office report on the equipment plan

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Sander Tordoir @sandertordoir.bsky.social · 1d

The inability of the US and Europe to build an own supply of rare earth refining - knowing for years it was a huge vulnerability - must be one of the most catastrophic policy failures of the decade.

One reason it‘s hard: the West cannot free trade its way out when China controls the price mechanism

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alina @ramshackle78.bsky.social · 1d

It's like with military, Europe left everything to the last minute, and now it's scrambling to set up sovereign capabilities. You don't get processing set up from one day to another.
Why did it take to March 2024 to have a European Critical Raw Materials Act?

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alina @ramshackle78.bsky.social · 1d

It's very silly world. There's the rhetoric, lots of it and then there's the stuff happening behind the scenes.
I was looking at the military logistics stuff (specifically for Ro) & worrying about Hungary causing a problem and actually behind the scenes things are progressing

alina @ramshackle78.bsky.social · 1d

Don't think any of these countries are going to change their orders and suspect a few will add

alina @ramshackle78.bsky.social · 1d

You understand better from a military pov updated 4th gen vs 5th gen. But I feel this is political solution when you're stuck in a very very tight and unpleasant spot.
Not just the high-wire game with Trump but timelines/deadlines in Europe (bit like moving house but for jets). And not just for 🇩🇰.

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alina @ramshackle78.bsky.social · 1d

From Reuters reporting on this

alina @ramshackle78.bsky.social · 1d

Did hey have a choice though with the F-35? If they wanted 5th gen now and they're already in the process of replacing their F-16 with F-35 and got 15x F-35 (with 11 more coming by end next year), not sure what else could they do.

And then there might be a Patriot for Ukraine angle
bit.ly/4o6Xgza

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alina @ramshackle78.bsky.social · 1d

It will be a series of far right opportunist popping up and winning in one place then losing in another, then winning in another, then losing and so on. Will continue for at least as long of similar forces are in US (with its gravitational pull) & Putin still in Russia.
Same past 10y

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alina @ramshackle78.bsky.social · 1d

Of course not. The problem is what the liberal forces are not resolving.
And sometimes they're very bad at campaigning, playing by old rules, complacent.

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alina @ramshackle78.bsky.social · 1d

Oh, very good move Ms Machado. Smart

alina @ramshackle78.bsky.social · 1d

It's the housing, stupid

www.politico.eu/article/port...

Portugal’s local elections poised to be another win for Europe’s far right

Who will govern the biggest cities is anyone’s guess, but anger over the housing crisis may help the ultranationalist Chega party conquer smaller city halls.

www.politico.eu

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alina @ramshackle78.bsky.social · 1d

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Jacob Ware @jacobware.bsky.social · 1d

"The battlefield is no longer confined to physical territory but extends into cyberspace."

Terrific work by @pybaillet.bsky.social, shedding light on #Hezbollah's internal deliberations over its information warfare doctrine for the Irregular Warfare Initiative.

Hezbollah’s Information Warfare in the Post-October 7 Era

Explore how Hezbollah’s information warfare has evolved since October 7—using AI, cyberattacks, and propaganda to challenge Israel’s digital advantage.

irregularwarfare.org

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Senator Scott Wiener @scottwiener.bsky.social · 1d

MAJOR NEWS: @GavinNewsom signed SB 79, my bill allowing more housing near public transit — rail, subway, rapid bus.

It’s a huge step for housing in California. It’ll create more homes, strengthen our transit systems & reduce traffic & carbon emissions.

Thank you, Governor!

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alina @ramshackle78.bsky.social · 1d

Maybe it had to do with this great citizen action: a Danish guy set up a website where you can very easily and quickly send your objection to loads of MEP and it email-DDOSed all the MEPs inboxes

www.politico.eu/article/one-...

One-man spam campaign ravages EU ‘chat control’ bill

A software developer from Denmark is having an outsized influence on a hotly debated law to break open encrypted apps.

www.politico.eu