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Paul Knott @paulknott11.bsky.social · 1d

And massive thanks to you @collinstony.bsky.social for a great book that does full justice to the brilliant Roy Francis. Buy it, people.

Tony Collins @collinstony.bsky.social · Sep 5

Massive thanks to Gavin Willacy for this review of ‘Roy Francis: Rugby’s Forgotten Black Leader’ in @theguardian.com www.theguardian.com/sport/no-hel...

Roy Francis: the black rugby league coach who triumphed in a white world

The Welshman was a brilliant, original coach who had to fight against a culture that was prejudiced against him

www.theguardian.com

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Paul Knott @paulknott11.bsky.social · 1d

An outstanding one by @jonathanliew.bsky.social about the tawdry court jesters who went to perform comedy in a medieval autocracy.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

We know what the comedians got out of the Riyadh comedy festival. What about the Saudi regime? | Jonathan Liew

The tawdry event was an ultimately doomed attempt by the Saudi government to buy the kind of authentic grassroots culture it is unwilling to countenance, says Guardian columnist Jonathan Liew

www.theguardian.com

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Paul Knott @paulknott11.bsky.social · 1d

@hco96.bsky.social's "A Flower Traveled in My Blood" is a brilliant book about the horrors of Argentina's 1970's military junta & the incredible Abuelas (Grandmothers) de Plaza de Mayo. If you have people this brave & dedicated to bending it, then that arc really can be shifted towards justice.

Paul Knott @paulknott11.bsky.social · 1d

Excellent idea. Let's help these unfortunate people to escape from their self-segregated, restrictive and insular communities.

Sarfraz Manzoor @sarfrazmanzoor.bsky.social · 2d

I have written a very serious piece about Robert Jenrick for The Observer. observer.co.uk/news/opinion...

Robert Jenrick is right, we have an integration problem: ...

The shadow chancellor has railed against the lack of integration in parts of Britain. But it’s the ‘flag-bothering patriots’ who don’t want to mix

observer.co.uk

Reposted by Paul Knott

Philip Shishkin @philip-shishkin.bsky.social · 5d

Someone Tipped Me Off About a Crypto Story. What I Found Was Crazy. www.nytimes.com/2025/10/05/o...

Opinion | Someone Tipped Me Off About a Crypto Story. What I Found Was Crazy.

www.nytimes.com

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Nigel Gould-Davies @nigelgould-davies.bsky.social · 3d

Time may no longer be on Russia's side.

US, EU and Chinese policies, and domestic strains, are reshaping Russia's calculus. So it is challenging Western resolve in risker ways. This is certain to escalate unless Europe responds.

www.iiss.org/online-analy...

The Russia–Ukraine war has entered a new phase

Recent policy choices by America, Europe and China, and domestic economic strains, are reshaping Russia’s calculus. Since time may no longer be on its side, it is challenging Western resolve in more risky and aggressive ways. This is certain to escalate unless Europe responds.

www.iiss.org

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Reposted by Paul Knott

Simon Hattenstone @shattenstone.bsky.social · 4d

Crumpsall is an amazing melting pot where so many cultures, classes and religions have lived peacefully alongside each other. That mustn't be forgotten amid the horror of the Heaton Park synagogue attack
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

I didn’t realise how much I loved my home town until a terrorist attacked it. I pray unity prevails there | Simon Hattenstone

Last week’s attack on the synagogue in Crumpsall, Manchester, was also an assault on a model and diverse community, says Guardian features writer Simon Hattenstone

www.theguardian.com

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Daniel Knowles @dlknowles.bsky.social · 6d

I visited the apartment building ICE raided on Tuesday today. Story to come, but you can walk right in. Half of the apartments have no doors on them. Children's stuff abandoned in some flats. *Citizen* residents told me they were arrested and held for hours in zipties. This is America

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Peter Jukes @peterjukes.bsky.social · 6d

🔴NEW🔴

Thread 🧵

@bylinetimes.bsky.social can now reveal that, during the crucial period when convicted Reform leader Nathan Gill was most active, working directly with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s most senior ally in Ukraine, he was also one of Nigel Farage’s closest confidantes 1/12

‘Thick as Thieves’: Nathan Gill and Nigel Farage’s Putin Problem

Far from being distant from the Reform UK Leader, insiders told Byline Times that the former MEP convicted of bribery was one of Farage’s closest aides, while we reveal how Gill worked on the Kremlin’...

bylinetimes.com

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Paul Knott @paulknott11.bsky.social · 7d

I do hope so (and understand the irony of saying so on social media).
on.ft.com/46Q8Bgh

Have we passed peak social media?

As platforms degrade into outrage and slop, users are turning away

on.ft.com

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Reposted by Paul Knott

Anne Applebaum @anneapplebaum.bsky.social · 7d

President Macron:
“We were very naive to leave our public space to social media networks controlled by US or Chinese companies that don’t share our interests and not interested in survival of our democracies.”
www.youtube.com/watch?v=MggN...

French President Macron Speaks at German Unity Day Ceremony | WION LIVE

YouTube video by WION

www.youtube.com

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Paul Knott @paulknott11.bsky.social · 7d

Uruguay's former President José “Pepe” Mujica was one of the most interesting (and successful) politicians of recent times. It's well-worth reading and listening to his thoughts on life.
thebaffler.com/latest/free-...

Free Radicals | Sammy Feldblum

Though José Mujica did not publish much writing, his views on life and politics live on through the corpus of interviews.

thebaffler.com

Paul Knott @paulknott11.bsky.social · 7d

"Fainthearts worry about escalation, but declining to act threatens escalation of a different kind. If Russia thinks it can get away with limited acts of aggression, something really dangerous might one day happen".
www.economist.com/leaders/2025...

Vladimir Putin is testing the West—and its unity

NATO must resist Russia’s efforts to corrode it from within

www.economist.com

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Paul Knott @paulknott11.bsky.social · 8d

Please read this piece by @rmcunliffe.bsky.social in The New Statesman. If you really must "pick a side", the pick the side of decent, caring and peaceful people everywhere and stand together with them, whoever and wherever they are.

The New Statesman @handle.invalid · 8d

What it’s like to be Jewish in Britain now. The war in Gaza has exposed a level of anti-Semitism I didn’t realise was there. @RMCunliffe.bsky.social

The 7 October attacks changed what it means to be Jewish in Britain

The war in Gaza has exposed a level of anti-Semitism I didn’t realise was there

www.newstatesman.com

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Paul Knott @paulknott11.bsky.social · 8d

Crucial point made (again) by @keirgiles.bsky.social @chathamhouse.org today. "It's failing to confront Russia & set boundaries that has got us into this position". Don't fall for the Kremlin's fearmongering. They live by Stalin's maxim "if you feel mush, you push. If you find steel, you withdraw".

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Paul Knott @paulknott11.bsky.social · 9d

I have nothing but disgust for these vile terrorists who arrogantly think their twisted views entitle them to murder innocent people. Deepest condolences to the victims and their families.

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HOPE not hate @hopenothate.org.uk · 9d

HOPE not hate condemn the appalling, violent attack at a synagogue in Manchester which has taken place on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. Our thoughts are with the Jewish community and all affected.

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Otto English @ottoenglish.bsky.social · 9d

Elon Musk: “I love Javier Milei.”

Kemi Badenoch: “Javier Milei is the template.”

Donald Trump: “My favourite president.”

Nigel Farage: "Amazing. Cutting and slashing … doing all the things he’s done … that’s leadership.”

Meanwhile... in Argentina

www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Farage, Trump, Musk: your boy Javier Milei just took one hell of a beating. Why so quiet? | Aditya Chakrabortty

The wild politics and chainsaw made Argentina’s president an economic hero for the right. And now, with his nation’s finances in chaos: silence, writes Guardian columnist Aditya Chakrabortty

www.theguardian.com

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Paul Knott @paulknott11.bsky.social · 9d

It's often hard to believe that the Russians could stoop any lower. And then they do.

Anton Gerashchenko @antongerashchenko.bsky.social · 9d

Russians disguise mines as firewood&leave them along the border areas of the Kharkiv region,where centralized heating is partially unavailable,Viacheslav Zadorenko,head of the Derhachi community,reported

"Russians use so-called 'decoy firewood,'which contain detonators&initiation boards"he said

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Paul Knott @paulknott11.bsky.social · 9d

Rather than picking their US or China poison, "Other countries should dare to pursue a more independent course, together, including on managing global public goods, such as health, climate, even security. Could the EU help lead the way?" says Martin Wolf.
In @financialtimes.com
on.ft.com/4nTsKc4

A world with two predatory superpowers

Nations must work out how to contend with Trump’s America and China

on.ft.com

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René Smits @rs-lawsociety.bsky.social · 9d

read this - on revenge by Trump and backlash against @opensocietybr.bsky.social
on.ft.com/4pVuUtK Why Trump is going for Soros
by @edwardluce.bsky.social in today’s @financialtimes.com

Why Trump is going for Soros

The philanthropist is as close as the world’s strongmen get to a cross-border demon

on.ft.com

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Paul Knott @paulknott11.bsky.social · 9d

"There have been 56 deaths of successful businesspeople & officials under strange circumstances since February 2022. Many of them have fallen out of windows". Plus 1 million war casualties. Russians are amazingly passive in the face of their persecutor, Putin.
www.foreignaffairs.com/russia/russi...

Russia’s New Fear Factor

How the war is driving a wave of purges and suicides among the country’s elites.

www.foreignaffairs.com

Paul Knott @paulknott11.bsky.social · 11d

Putin wasted millions of the Russian people's money on trying to buy, frighten & intimidate Moldova. And failed - again.
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/s...

Moldova’s president Maia Sandu hails voters’ refusal to be ‘bought’ by Moscow

Ruling party holds on to its majority in Sunday’s poll, which it says is ‘strong mandate for EU accession’

www.theguardian.com

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Paul Knott @paulknott11.bsky.social · 11d

As with Germany after the defeat of Hitler, we do need a plan for dealing with Russia when Putin falls. Yulia Navalnaya has some thoughts to get us started.
www.economist.com/by-invitatio...

Yulia Navalnaya on why Europe needs a better Russia strategy

Despite all the sanctions and strong words, thinking has been lamentably short-term, writes Alexei Navalny’s widow

www.economist.com

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Paul Knott @paulknott11.bsky.social · 13d

Rugby League - blimey. (Watch it to the end).
youtu.be/d2dYEbNyLnY?...

Highlights | Leeds Rhinos v St Helens | 2025 Betfred Super League, Eliminator

YouTube video by Super League

youtu.be

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