Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Ross McNally @rossmcnally.bsky.social · 15h

Say what you like about the Maduro government, the Nobel Committee has just given legitimacy to a Trump-backed neoliberal who advocates for privatising Venezuelan oil and supports the crippling sanctions that have made the situation in Venezuela so much worse.

The Guardian @theguardian.com · 15h

Nobel peace prize 2025 live: María Corina Machado wins for work promoting democratic rights in Venezuela

US president had been conducting campaign to influence prize committee

www.theguardian.com

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Ross McNally @rossmcnally.bsky.social · 1d

Reform blames the NHS crisis on immigrants (who run the NHS, btw) to whip up the 'hate' voters, so that they can win power, sell off the NHS for parts and introduce US style private insurance that holds you to ransom for potentially life-saving treatment. Kudos to Zack for calling them out.

The Green Party of England & Wales @greenparty.org.uk · 1d

“You can’t blame austerity on one hand, but then say it’s the immigrants. The immigrants haven’t caused austerity.”

Zack Polanski takes on Reform’s Zia Yusuf over spreading of misinformation on #BBCQT

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Ross McNally @rossmcnally.bsky.social · 1d

This is both enormously encouraging, and terrifying at the same time.

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Ross McNally @rossmcnally.bsky.social · 1d

I think you'll find they let women into the arena, so it's fine that they took hundreds of thousands of dollars to whitewash a genocidal authoritarian theocracy that chops up foreign journalists.

The Guardian @theguardian.com · 1d

‘Amoral, evil’: vitriolic backlash builds against comics who played Riyadh festival

Murder by bone-saw, lashings for rape victims, punitive amputation, jail for satirists … these are the human rights abuses fuelling the fury now being directed at the likes of Louis CK and Dave Chappelle. How have they reacted?

www.theguardian.com

Ross McNally @rossmcnally.bsky.social · 1d

Does nobody else remember how Trump has happily given unconditional military and political support to Israel's genocide for the last year and claimed that he wants all the Palestinians to leave so that he can turn Gaza into a giant casino resort? But sure, let's all give him a pat on the back now.

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Ross McNally @rossmcnally.bsky.social · 1d

Nobody cares how you rationalise your blood money.
officialdavidcross.com/blogs/press/...

My Thoughts on the Riyadh Comedy Festival

I’ve been asked for my opinion on the Riyadh Comedy Festival and rather than answer the same question 23 times, I’ll just put this out here. Oh, and I should preface this with the fact that I was not ...

officialdavidcross.com

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Ross McNally @rossmcnally.bsky.social · 2d

Sorry, but nobody cares how you rationalise your blood money. See David Cross for further repudiation.
officialdavidcross.com/blogs/press/...

Ross McNally @rossmcnally.bsky.social · 2d

The sheer anarchy of more rural bus routes and children getting school meals! As for insulating homes to save energy and lower people's bills – I can practically hear Big Ben falling into the Thames in outrage! How dare @greenparty.org.uk try to destroy Britain by making it better!

Zack Polanski @zackpolanski.bsky.social · 2d

My secret evil plot to ‘destroy Britain’ has been unveiled by (checks notes) the same paper that endorsed Liz Truss.

If I don’t know better I’d say we’ve got them entirely rattled.

Join.greenparty.org.uk

Greens who want to save the world by destroying Britain.

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Ross McNally @rossmcnally.bsky.social · 2d

So utterly ridiculous.

WePlanet @weplanetint.bsky.social · 2d

🚨 European Parliament votes to ban ‘veggie burger’ & ‘plant-based sausage’.

Today in Brussels, MEPs approved restrictions on common names like burger, steak, and sausage for plant-based foods (355 for, 247 against, 33 abstentions).

Read our full statement 👇

European Parliament votes to ban use of ‘veggie burger’ and‘plant-based sausage

European Parliament votes to ban use of ‘veggie burger’ and ‘plant-based sausage’: coalition calls decision misguided and counterproductive

www.weplanet.org

Ross McNally @rossmcnally.bsky.social · 2d

Secondly, the role of a party isn't merely to chase after an imaginary 'Mondeo Man,' but to actively influence the political debate. The more exposure the Greens get, the more people tend to like them. Vice versa for centre/centre-right parties, hence Labour's historic unpopularity. 3/3

Ross McNally @rossmcnally.bsky.social · 2d

If you look instead at support for key policies, it's more aligned with the @greenparty.org.uk – most people support nationalisation of water & electricity, wealth taxes, rent controls... But the media treats the Left like lepers, so a fairly apolitical voter wouldn't label themselves as such. 2/3

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Ross McNally @rossmcnally.bsky.social · 2d

A survey like this tells us little of any substance, for several reasons. Firstly, asking people to score themselves on a left-right scale is generally pretty useless, as many people don't really know what these terms mean, and their perception of them is heavily influenced by the media. 1/3

The Conversation UK @uk.theconversation.com · 2d

Labour and the Liberal Democrat members are the most aligned with the average voter in the UK.

Reform and Green party members the most ideologically removed from the average voter

Labour and the Liberal Democrat members are the most aligned with the average voter in the UK.

tcnv.link

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Reposted by Ross McNally

Oceana UK @oceanauk.bsky.social · 2d

🚨 BREAKING: Half the UK’s top 10 fish stocks are being overexploited

🐟 We’ve done one of the most comprehensive health checks of UK seas & the data is undeniable

⚠️ #Overfishing is emptying our seas, & it’s a political choice

📩 Tell PM Keir Starmer to act: act.oceana.org/page/178303/...

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Ross McNally @rossmcnally.bsky.social · 2d

You mean the guy who expressed exactly the same sentiment when he quoted Enoch Powell?

The Guardian @theguardian.com · 2d

Starmer says Jenrick is ‘hard to take seriously’ after Birmingham comments

PM says Jenrick is ‘still running his leadership campaign’ after he complained about ‘not seeing another white face’ Keir Starmer has criticised Robert Jenrick’s comments complaining about “not seeing another white face” in parts of Birmingham, saying the shadow justice secretary was “hard to take seriously”. The prime minister suggested Jenrick’s comments were part of a stealth Conservative leadership campaign and said he did not believe he painted a true picture of the area of Handsworth, which Jenrick had described as “as close as I’ve come to a slum in this country”. Continue reading...

www.theguardian.com

Ross McNally @rossmcnally.bsky.social · 3d

For some general background about wart biter bush crickets: 2/2
sussexbylines.co.uk/news/environ...

A new innings for a rare form of Sussex cricket

Rare wart-biter crickets risk extinction through lost habitats but restoration of chalk grassland in South Downs points to a brighter future

sussexbylines.co.uk

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Ross McNally @rossmcnally.bsky.social · 3d

I'm proud to have played a small part in collecting individuals for this translocation. The new site will hopefully be supplemented by further releases over the next few years. 1/2
www.theargus.co.uk/news/2552475...

Rare species released in Sussex in attempt to 'establish new population'

A group of rare Wart-biter Bush-crickets have been released in the South Downs in Sussex in an attempt to "establish a new population".

www.theargus.co.uk

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Ross McNally @rossmcnally.bsky.social · 3d

Soulless corporate goon who takes pride in her contempt for the natural world.

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Ross McNally @rossmcnally.bsky.social · 3d

If you eat beef in Europe, you are contributing to one of the leading causes of habitat destruction in the Amazon and around the world.

Greenpeace International 🌍 @greenpeace.org · 3d

A recent Greenpeace Brazil investigation links JBS, the world’s largest meat producer, to cattle raised illegally on protected Indigenous land in the Amazon.

Yet EU leaders are pushing the #EUMercosur deal that would boost such exports.

At #COP30 they must choose forests over profit.

Meat from illegal farms imported into Europe - Greenpeace

The report comes shortly after the European Commission approved the EU-Mercosur trade agreement.

www.brusselstimes.com

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Ross McNally @rossmcnally.bsky.social · 3d

I can't help but hear echoes of the same arguments used by climate deniers: 'the climate is always changing... it's human hubris to think we can stop it... give it 250,000 years and it'll be fine.'

But we don't have that long. And native/non-native species are meaningful ecological concepts.

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Ross McNally @rossmcnally.bsky.social · 3d

Excellent to see. Hopefully soon to be joined by wildcats.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Pine martens released on Exmoor in 'positive sign for nature'

They are

www.bbc.co.uk

Ross McNally @rossmcnally.bsky.social · 3d

Except he wasn't doing that.

Ross McNally @rossmcnally.bsky.social · 3d

This is a disgustingly cynical weaponisation of a tragic event. The people exploiting last week's terrorist attack to try and silence those protesting the genocide are among the lowest scumbags in the country.

The Guardian @theguardian.com · 3d

MPs and Jewish leaders call for Bob Vylan’s Manchester gig to be cancelled

Letter says they are ‘deeply concerned’ about Manchester Academy concert after last week’s synagogue attack MPs and Jewish leaders have called for the punk-rap duo Bob Vylan’s forthcoming Manchester gig to be called off. The Jewish Representative Council of Greater Manchester (JRC) – in a letter backed by 10 MPs – has urged Manchester Academy to cancel the 5 November show. Continue reading...

www.theguardian.com

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Ross McNally @rossmcnally.bsky.social · 3d

Glasman and his ilk typify the inversion of reality on which far-right populism relies. Billionaires like Trump and Peter Thiel are apparently saving the working class from the 'elites,' by which they mean anybody who has a higher education qualification, or isn't cis-, white and heterosexual.

George Monbiot @georgemonbiot.bsky.social · 7d

This is his repeated attacks on what he calls the "lanyard class". Who are the terrible people who wear lanyards? Doctors & nurses, care workers, teachers, managers, administrators, secretaries. The people who hold society together, who keep everything running, who do the jobs he wouldn't stoop to.

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Reposted by Ross McNally

Oceana UK @oceanauk.bsky.social · 3d

Dutch supermarkets to stop selling Atlantic mackerel due to overfishing concerns 🚨

Northeast Atlantic mackerel is on the brink & experts have warned catch limits must be slashed by 70% to save them

This is serious. If we don't respect the science, our seas will suffer.
nltimes.nl/2025/10/06/d...

Dutch supermarkets halt Atlantic mackerel sales amid overfishing concerns

Albert Heijn, Lidl, and Jumbo, the Netherlands’ largest supermarket chains, are halting sales of Atlantic mackerel due to overfishing concerns, NOS reports.Current stock will still be sold, but Lidl p...

nltimes.nl

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Ross McNally @rossmcnally.bsky.social · 6d

Great Thunberg and the hundreds of civilians participating in the Gaza aid flotilla are being illegally held hostage and tortured by Israel. Every country with citizens captured must immediately expel Israeli ambassadors and impose sanctions (which they should have been doing anyway).

The Guardian @theguardian.com · 6d

Greta Thunberg says she is being detained by Israel in cell ‘infested with bedbugs’

Exclusive: Activist tells Swedish officials she has been subjected to harsh treatment, including insufficient food and water Environmental campaigner Greta Thunberg has told Swedish officials she is being subjected to harsh treatment in Israeli custody after her detention and removal from a flotilla carrying aid to Gaza, according to correspondence seen by the Guardian. According to the correspondence, Israeli forces are also reported by another detainee to have taken photographs where Thunberg was allegedly forced to hold flags. The identity of the flags are unknown. Continue reading...

www.theguardian.com

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