Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Anna Bowles

@annabowles.bsky.social

1.1K followers 660 following 71 posts

Activist volunteering in East Ukraine and London. Poet, novelist and freelance children's book editor. My travel and activism blog is at annabowles.substack.com

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Pinned

Anna Bowles @annabowles.bsky.social · Dec 8

annabowles.substack.com/p/everyone-h... My latest blog post looks at the controversial topic of big aid agencies working in #Ukraine - or, many would say, NOT working while sucking up all the donations. #redcross #unicef #nafo

Everyone Hates Aid Agencies (Part 1)

They do? Why?!

annabowles.substack.com

1 6

Anna Bowles @annabowles.bsky.social · 1d

@newadrian.bsky.social I haven't seen that interview (more than one?). Please could you link it?

Reposted by Anna Bowles

Banshee Press @bansheepress.bsky.social · 17d

We hope you can join us for the launch of FILLY by @rosamundtaylor.bsky.social on Wednesday 15 October at @booksupstairs.bsky.social in Dublin! It kicks off at 6pm with Banshee poetry editor @jesstraynor.bsky.social introducing Rosamund. All are welcome! ✨

bansheepress.org/read/celebra...

Celebrate the launch of Filly by Rosamund Taylor — Banshee Press

We hope you can join us to raise a glass to Filly , the beautiful new verse novel by acclaimed poet Rosamund Taylor, in Books Upstairs on Wednesday 15 October! Banshee poetry editor Jessica…

bansheepress.org

5 7

Anna Bowles @annabowles.bsky.social · Sep 10

Life in Occupied Kherson City
open.substack.com/pub/annabowl...

Life in Occupied Kherson City

Lately there's talk about a 'land swap' with Russia. In truth, that means handing over currently free people to torture. Albina lived under occupation for 8.5 months before the liberation of her city.

open.substack.com

Anna Bowles @annabowles.bsky.social · Jul 10

Yes, please don't burn yourself out! You are a unique asset to the Ukraine infosphere.

Reposted by Anna Bowles

Suzanna Fitzpatrick @suzannafitzpatrick.bsky.social · Jul 3

Honoured to win 3rd prize in the 2025 Ironbridge Comp with Helen Eastman of @livecanon.bsky.social & Sharon Ashton. 2nd prize @annabowles.bsky.social & first prize Chrissy Banks. Thanks to judge Liz Lefroy & @pandemonialists.bsky.social You can hear the poem here: youtu.be/HuHM9LbgSkE?...

The conductor changes the way she talks about rhythm by Suzanna Fitzpatrick - 3rd Ironbridge 2025

YouTube video by Poets, Prattlers and Pandemonialists

youtu.be

3 3

Reposted by Anna Bowles

Magma Poetry @magmapoetry.bsky.social · Jun 30

Delighted to announce Magma 92 'Ownership' is now published and available to buy on our website.
Edited by @pimlottkathy.bsky.social Danne Jobin and Paul Stephenson.

#magma #poetry
#ownership #magma92
#poetrymagazine
#magmapoetry

Get your hands on a copy here: magmapoetry.com/archive/magm...

1 4 8

Reposted by Anna Bowles

Mira of Kyiv 🇺🇦 @reshetz.bsky.social · Jun 17

Good writing is when Zelensky sits in the US president’s chair at G7 after he left early

22 130 870

Reposted by Anna Bowles

Anonymous @youranoncentral.bsky.social · Jun 13

A question being asked by Ukrainians.

Russia is launching up to 500 Iranian Shahed drones per day at #Ukraine. Not a single UK or US jet was sent to help intercept them.

But when 100 Shahed drones were launched toward #Israel — for the first time in months — Western fighter jets took off within hours.

This isn’t about capability. It’s about will.

Ukraine isn’t asking for favors. We’re asking for consistency. If defending non-NATO airspace is possible — why not ours?

100 920 3K

Reposted by Anna Bowles

Tim White @twmcltd.bsky.social · Jun 1

Today's "Operation Web" which I think is the biggest ever single attack on Russia or its previous incarnation of the Soviet Union, was in the planning for a year + a half.

Pres Zelenskyy is said to have supervised the operation, but the glory belongs to Vasyl Malyuk + his team.

5 22 120

Anna Bowles @annabowles.bsky.social · Jun 1

Loving it! As ever, thanks so much for gathering the most valuable and credible snippets together in one thread.

1 5

Reposted by Anna Bowles

Coast of Life 🔔🇺🇦 @coastoflife.bsky.social · May 30

#UAarmy fellas got ⛔🦟🕯️ that were transferred to them by Svitlana.
Svitlana is a #volunteer whose main activity is sewing soft stretchers for transporting the wounded. Now she is looking for a new 🪡🤖. Maybe someone in #Odesa can gift her one in used but in good condition.
#UkrainianView

1 11 22

Reposted by Anna Bowles

Poetry Wales @poetrywales.bsky.social · May 14

We are over the moon to share the 13 shortlist poets for the Poetry Wales Award 2024-25, sponsored by Literature Wales and judged by Jeremy Dixon.

You can read the full collection on our website: poetrywales.co.uk/poetry-wales...
Stay tuned for information about our online Awarding Ceremony.

1 12 38

Reposted by Anna Bowles

suesuzanne.bsky.social @suesuzanne.bsky.social · May 11

Another remarkable insight into the work of volunteer groups on the ground in Ukraine, often in very dangerous zones, and the desperate need for more aid of kinds. annabowles.substack.com/p/operation-...

Operation Change

In six weeks in Dnipro/Kramatorsk I’ve hardly encountered any other Westerners, but there are a couple of impressive exceptions: one of them is the Swedish group Operation Change.

annabowles.substack.com

1 2

Anna Bowles @annabowles.bsky.social · Apr 17

#Ukraine An interview with a Ukrainian Army military chaplain in Sloviansk.

A military chaplain's patch on his sleeve.

Anna Bowles @annabowles.bsky.social · Apr 15

#ukraine, #reedsy The site where I find clients (and who are a genuinely wonderful organisation for all freelancers and authors in need of services) featured me on their blog. blog.reedsy.com/freelancer/w...

Working In a War Zone: How Reedsy Helps Me Freelance in Ukraine

Top children's book editor Anna Bowles shares how freelancing via Reedsy allows her to volunteer in Ukraine.

blog.reedsy.com

Reposted by Anna Bowles

Tim White @twmcltd.bsky.social · Apr 11

Nice little tale here from one of my followers, @annabowles.bsky.social, who's back in Ukraine.
As she admits herself, this was not really her "scene" but sounds amazing all the same.

annabowles.substack.com/p/undergroun...

Underground Rap

Literally. A megastar in a Kramatorsk school basement.

annabowles.substack.com

1 5 27

Anna Bowles @annabowles.bsky.social · Apr 9

#Kramatorsk is under attack by shaheds right now. A few minutes ago one zoomed over my building and there were two explosions in - I think - the city centre.

Reposted by Anna Bowles

Timothy Snyder @timothysnyder.bsky.social · Mar 28

1/7. In case you haven’t been following, here is a short summary of the misnamed Russian-American "peace process" regarding Ukraine.

65 1.3K 2.8K

Anna Bowles @annabowles.bsky.social · Mar 25

annabowles.substack.com/p/undergroun... #ukraine, #zaporizhzhia Schools in Ukraine are reopening underground, often with help from international donors.

Underground Schooling

Garne Mistse and Zherelo's new classrooms give Zaporizhzhia's children an education, whatever happens overhead.

annabowles.substack.com

Anna Bowles @annabowles.bsky.social · Mar 23

Remember Mariupol?
open.substack.com/pub/annabowl...

Remember Mariupol?

Can we please avoid a repeat?

open.substack.com

Reposted by Anna Bowles

Salena Godden @salenagodden.bsky.social · Mar 17

Raise The Bar | Poetry & Resistance Exhibition| Arnolfini, Bristol
22 March – 01 June 2025 | Free entry | A powerful exhibition featuring poetry of revolution, resistance and activism, showcasing the power of poetry to question authority, speak up for the oppressed, and call for radical change...

1 6 9

Reposted by Anna Bowles

Mira of Kyiv 🇺🇦 @reshetz.bsky.social · Mar 17

Most adequate NYT opinion piece

24 43 370

Reposted by Anna Bowles

Alex Churchill @alexchurchill.bsky.social · Mar 7

Also, true story

430 3.6K 24K

Reposted by Anna Bowles

Shaun Pinner @olddogua.bsky.social · Mar 6

The American President is looking more and more like he is supportive of an invading Russian army and its coalition intent on torture, ethnic cleansing, false imprisonment and committing the most awful atrocities and war crimes.

What’s to stop him doing this to Americans? 🤔

38 85 330

Anna Bowles @annabowles.bsky.social · Mar 6

Periodic shoutout to Tim for being amazing. He really does never tire, and his threads sift through the rumours to report real events. If you're following news from #ukraine you need to follow Tim, and ideally drop him a few quid too.

Tim White @twmcltd.bsky.social · Mar 6

Hello again. This is the start of the daily thread with all the important news about Ukraine, fair, fact checked and free of gratuitous gore

It's now 1107 times I've done this since Russia's invasion - no holiday or sickness breaks.
So without further ado, let's start the day..

1 6 31