Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Helsbels @helenus3.bsky.social · 7h

It was excellent, thank you.

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Prof Christina Pagel @chrischirp.bsky.social · 14h

🧵🚨

The UK’s independent scientific bodies are highly vulnerable to politicisation - over the past 5 months I've been working with @martinmckee.bsky.social to map out their vulnerabilities and it's not good news.

Today our report is published!
www.ucl.ac.uk/policy-lab/n...

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UK’s arm’s length public bodies are highly vulnerable to politicisation

Seven in ten Britons say it is important for top scientific institutions to be independent in exclusive new polling.

www.ucl.ac.uk

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Hedley Thorne @hedleythorne.bsky.social · 11h

Old Winchester Hill, looking east towards Butser Hill and the Meon Valley. The Bronze Age barrows stand out beautifully in the foreground — the colours of the surrounding fields were stunning today. 🌾🍂 #SouthDowns #Hampshire #LandscapePhotography

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Esther @elhopkins.bsky.social · 11h

This is really shocking.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

US anti-fascism expert blocked from flying to Spain at airport

Rutgers University professor who published book on antifa was informed at boarding gate that his trip was cancelled

www.theguardian.com

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Helsbels @helenus3.bsky.social · 9h

Marvellous.

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Helsbels @helenus3.bsky.social · 9h

Strength and honour 💪 Wine is the answer.

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Helsbels @helenus3.bsky.social · 9h

Why doesn't #NigelFarage go and live in America? He seems to spend most of his time there, hobnobbing with Trump, Bannon & their neo-fascist cronies, moaning about the UK & praising the US regime's actions. Perfect for him.
Britain would be so much better off without him.
#Reform #racism #FarRight

Otto English @ottoenglish.bsky.social · 10h

Man who hates everything else about Britain hates our schools too.

Hardly news.

The Guardian @theguardian.com · 13h

Nigel Farage says UK teachers are ‘poisoning our kids’ and predicts strikes as PM

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Helsbels @helenus3.bsky.social · 13h

Well she's a reasonably intelligent mother of three, and it doesn't take a pile of academic studies to see that she's right. It's good from someone that high-profile because it gets noticed, & might make the average parent think more carefully about their own phone use & that of their kids.

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Helsbels @helenus3.bsky.social · 20h

Felt like time travel, sitting in one of those stone window seats looking out at the quiet unchanged landscape with the silvery river slipping by.

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Helsbels @helenus3.bsky.social · 21h

#AdoorableThursday & a late #windowsonWednesday #medieval
Stokesay Castle, Shropshire
My 📷 Dec 2023

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Kevin Wilbraham @kpw1453.bsky.social · 23h

A Saxon doorway from the south side of the tower of All Saints’ Church at Brixworth in Northamptonshire. Using recycled Roman tiles, the doorway was originally internal and led to a now demolished cell. 📸 My own. #AdoorableThursday #Brixworth #Northamptonshire

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Helsbels @helenus3.bsky.social · 22h

Dig at Attingham Park near Shrewsbury unearths evidence of Roman habitation and an Iron Age roundhouse 🏺
#Roman #Shropshire #NationalTrust
#archaeology www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Roman artefacts unearthed at Attingham Park - BBC News

People were invited to take part in a two-week dig at Attingham Park in September.

www.bbc.co.uk

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Ron Filipkowski @ronfilipkowski.bsky.social · 7d

July 24, 2024

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Otto English @ottoenglish.bsky.social · 1d

UAE has no democratically elected institutions, no free speech and an appalling human rights record.

Its economy functions on completely different metrics to the ours & ranks well below us for GDP

No serious person would ever think that we should emulate it.

But here's Tice calling us decadent

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Nina Willburger @drnwillburger.bsky.social · 1d

An amazing miniature portrait of the #Roman empress Agrippina Minor (15-59 AD), made from chalcedony. Agrippina was the mother of Nero, and married to her uncle, emperor Claudius. It was rumoured that she poisoned her husband with a dish of mushrooms.

📷me

On display at British Museum

🏺

A green stone bust of a woman displayed in a museum. The sculpture features an elaborate hairdo and a solemn expression. The bust is mounted on a clear stand, with a blurred background showcasing other artifacts in the exhibition.

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Prof Bill McGuire @profbillmcguire.bsky.social · 1d

“Now it seems a seminal report by the joint intelligence committee on the threats to UK security of the collapse of critically important ecosystems is being swept under the carpet by a government embarrassed by its failure to provide....leadership"

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

National security threatened by climate crisis, UK defence chiefs due to warn

Report by joint intelligence committee delayed, with concerns expressed that it may not be published

www.theguardian.com

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Helsbels @helenus3.bsky.social · 1d

Well. At Maiden Castle the wind was buffeting so extremely I'm sure we managed at least a 30 degree lean 🤥 it was mad, couldn't walk round top of ramparts. Had to risk a standing-up selfie to get us & the view in...my sister's more sensible.

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Joel Morris @gralefrit.bsky.social · 1d

This is a good game.

I have an English degree and boosted a major publishing house’s share price, and saved a high street retail chain from closure.

If a Mickey Mouse degree lets you create actual Mickey fucking Mouse, it’s probably easily as good “for the economy” as business studies.

Patrick Ness @patricknessbooks.bsky.social · 1d

*deep sigh* Again, I have an English degree and have contributed rather extensively to the British economy, including writing a show that pumped £10 million into Wales. But the stupidity is the point here, of course.

Otto English @ottoenglish.bsky.social · 1d

Badenoch and Co see education only as a means to a massive income in some soul destroying career.

Devoid of imagination and the power of knowledge they view life entirely through the prism of the CV.

My advice always is to study what interests you and the rest will follow

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Helsbels @helenus3.bsky.social · 1d

Apparently useful for all sorts of things
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...

Bafflement over Tory MP's admission she hacked Harriet Harman's website

Former hacktivists say action by Kemi Badenoch breaches Computer Misuse Act and question potential for prosecution or reform

www.theguardian.com

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Patrick Ness @patricknessbooks.bsky.social · 1d

*deep sigh* Again, I have an English degree and have contributed rather extensively to the British economy, including writing a show that pumped £10 million into Wales. But the stupidity is the point here, of course.

Otto English @ottoenglish.bsky.social · 1d

Badenoch and Co see education only as a means to a massive income in some soul destroying career.

Devoid of imagination and the power of knowledge they view life entirely through the prism of the CV.

My advice always is to study what interests you and the rest will follow

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Christopher Webb @cwebbonline.com · 2d

Stephen Miller said the quiet part out loud. Trump has “plenary authority,” then suddenly went silent. Their plan wasn’t to be public yet. Clearly, someone hit the panic button in his earpiece.

It gets weirder: CNN uploaded the interview with the “plenary authority” comment edited out.
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Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · 2d

The Bishop of Birmingham has written to the Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick about his comments about Handsworth

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Jonathan Foyle @jonathanfoyle.bsky.social · 2d

Been in the making for years. www.theguardian.com/politics/201...

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Ed Davey @eddavey.libdems.org.uk · 2d

We have an independent judiciary in this country. Robert Jenrick wants puppet judges.

The Conservative Party once believed in the rule of law and our shared British values - no longer.

Robert Jenrick holds up a judges wig like a puppet during his speech to the Conservative Party Conference.

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Helsbels @helenus3.bsky.social · 2d

Enjoying this! Haven't seen it before. You're a dab hand at the drawing...

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