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Reposted by Ian Black

Mark Wallace @wallaceme.bsky.social · 5h

Spooks on the BBC: “We have to climb onto the roof, through a skylight and plug this thumb drive into the Chinese server.”

Spooks on Chinese TV: “We’ve just bought the British data centre. Job done.”

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Ian Black @balmachreuchie.bsky.social · 4h

Very interesting thread, the far right specifically, deliberately and self-consciously targets democracy and democratic culture to destroy it - left populism doesn’t do that.

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Zohran Kwame Mamdani @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social · 23h

On Sunday, I visited DEAR NEW YORK, Brandon Stanton's "love letter" to the city he's been documenting for years as "Humans of New York" for their family reception with student artists.

It's a gorgeous exhibit that's transformed Grand Central Station. See it before 10/19!

Zohran and Brandon standing in Grand Central Station. Brandon has his arm around Zohran's shoulder showing him the exhibit.

A group photo with Zohran and Brandon sitting on the floor with a dozens of students around them.

Zohran and a student artist admiring a photographer.

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[email protected] @francescrook.bsky.social · 1d

New law to give police powers to stop repeat demonstrations will allow police to stop trades union pickets. Labour serreptitiously cutting union and workers’ rights

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

Civil liberty groups express concern over plan for more anti-protest powers

Home secretary says police can consider ‘cumulative impact’ of rallies as Palestine Action ban opponents vow ‘escalation’

www.theguardian.com

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Marisa Kabas @marisakabas.bsky.social · 1d

This is the response I received from ICE when I inquired about the 13-year-old they abducted from Everett, Mass. on Friday:

Good afternoon, Marisa.
Please see the below from DHS on the 13-year-old alien.
Please feel free to direct any questions to them.
Respectfully,
James

Tricia McLaughlin
@TriciaOhio • 6h
S...
Here are the facts: he posed a public safety threat with an extensive rap sheet including violent assault with a dangerous weapon, battery, breaking and entering, destruction of property.
He was in possession of a firearm and 5-7 inch knife when arrested.

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Carl Quintanilla @carlquintanilla.bsky.social · 1d

POLITICO: “.. They referred to Black people as monkeys and ‘the watermelon people’ and mused about putting their political opponents in gas chambers. They talked about raping their enemies .. and lauded Republicans who they believed support slavery.

@politico.com
www.politico.com/news/2025/10...

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NY Times Pitchbot @nytpitchbot.bsky.social · 1d

I recruited Janet Mills to run for Senate because, at 72, Susan Collins is too young for the job.

by Chuck Schumer

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VSquare.org @vsquare.bsky.social · 1d

🔎🇷🇺 Our new analysis reveals the scale of Russia’s massive propaganda offensive in Moldova:

134 activists managing 30 Telegram channels, receiving €2.8M until the first half of 2025.

9,900 AI-generated TikTok videos with over 93 million views.

24/7 Russian Propaganda Blitz Hit Moldova Before the Elections - VSquare.org

Moldovans had faced months, if not years, of an information onslaught at levels beyond what just about any society has faced. In the end, the pro-European ruling Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) won 50.2% of the vote, while the pro-Russian Patriotic Bloc managed only 24.2%, despite well-documented foreign interference, mainly from Russia and pro Kremlin actors.

vsquare.org

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VSquare.org @vsquare.bsky.social · 1d

⚡️🔎 In the 2010s, Hungarian intelligence began spying in Brussels against the EU and tried to recruit Hungarians working in EU institutions. However, Orbán's spies did it so blatantly that they were exposed.

The EU Commission has now launched an internal investigation.

Inside the Fall of Viktor Orbán’s Secret Brussels Spy Network - VSquare.org

In the 2010s, Hungarian intelligence began spying in Brussels against the EU and tried to recruit Hungarians working in EU institutions for this purpose. However, Hungarian intelligence carried it out so blatantly and clumsily that they were exposed, and their network collapsed.

vsquare.org

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Ian Black @balmachreuchie.bsky.social · 1d

Wonder what the o’level English pass rate in England (leaving A levels out of it for now)

Ian Black @balmachreuchie.bsky.social · 1d

Easier to put up with them shouting words slowly than to have to suffer them murder the Spanish language

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Ted Mann @whereisted.bsky.social · 1d

“This is essentially despotism as a service.”

Clara Jeffery @clarajeffery.bsky.social · 1d

1/Stop everything and read/watch/bookmark this massive investigation between @motherjones.com @lighthousereports.com Le Monde, Der Spiegel, Paper Trail Media a vast global surveillance empire used to target politicians, journalists, tech CEOs, and... Jared Leto.
ow.ly/2LUF50Xb7KE

The surveillance empire that tracked world leaders, a Vatican enemy, and maybe you

We uncovered a massive data trove. It revealed the hidden world of First Wap, whose untraceable tech has targeted politicians, journalists, celebrities, and activists around the globe.

ow.ly

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Iain Alexander @iaingalexander.bsky.social · 1d

What does this even fucking mean? A-Level English isn’t about conversational fluency. Is the Government seriously suggesting that the ability to produce a reasonable academic dissection of the themes of bloody Middlemarch or whatever the fuck is going to be a prerequisite for entry? Moronic.

The Independent @the-independent.com · 1d

Migrants will need A-level standard English to work in UK

www.independent.co.uk

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Ian Black @balmachreuchie.bsky.social · 1d

That would have been punchier if he’d written “it’s not funny, and it’s not clever”

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Ian Black @balmachreuchie.bsky.social · 1d

They did not mean “negotiate a return” when they adopted the slogan “make it work”
Yes, of course it’s happened and guess what, it’s a disaster. That’s a long way from “make Brexit work” which was an attempt to a) adopt it and b) imply that the “problem” was Tory implementation incompetence.

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Adam Ramsay @adamramsay.bsky.social · 1d

I’m calling it - I think it’s now very likely that there are more Green members across the UK than Tories as of today.

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

The Green surge is breaking limits! 😲

Together, we can make hope normal again! 💚

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Ian Black @balmachreuchie.bsky.social · 1d

So has “make Brexit work” been ditched?

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The Tennessee Holler @thetnholler.bsky.social · 1d

ICYMI: “And now, a response from the leader of the frog resistance...” 🐸 🎵 #Colbert

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Mother Jones @motherjones.com · 1d

EXCLUSIVE: This tech has been used to track heads of state, journalists, and maybe even you.

@lighthousereports.com uncovered a vast surveillance empire whose untraceable tech has been used to target people in more than 100 countries.

It has operated under the radar for decades. Until now.

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Adam Serwer @adamserwer.bsky.social · 1d

Free speech is when Republicans can say what they want and when you can say what they want. bsky.app/profile/noup...

Renee DiResta @noupside.bsky.social · 1d

I'm sorry, is the Trump Administration talking to a tech platform?

Is it...requesting content moderation?

Today following outreach from @thejusticedept, Facebook removed a large group page that was being used to dox and target @ICEgov agents in Chicago.
The wave of violence against ICE has been driven by online apps and social media campaigns designed to put ICE officers at risk just for doing their jobs. The Department of Justice will continue engaging tech companies to eliminate platforms where radicals can incite imminent violence against federal law enforcement.

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Lucy Bailey @labailey.bsky.social · 1d

'Right to protest is under sustained attack in the west, report finds.

Counter-terror laws being ‘weaponised’ against pro-Palestine groups in UK, US, France and Germany, says FIDH'

From @theguardian.com

www.theguardian.com/world/2025/o...

Right to protest is under sustained attack in the west, report finds

Counter-terror laws being ‘weaponised’ against pro-Palestine groups in UK, US, France and Germany, says FIDH

www.theguardian.com

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jamelle @jamellebouie.net · 1d

we’ll see how his mayoral tenure shakes out but i am convinced that Mamdani has the juice. not just the charisma to win an election but the temperament to govern and the measured pragmatism of someone who genuinely believes what they’re saying and wants to accomplish real things.

Inside the Improbable, Audacious and (So Far) Unstoppable Rise of Zohran Mamdani

www.nytimes.com

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jamelle @jamellebouie.net · 1d

one of my takeaways from this great piece is that weiss just doesn’t…sound like an intelligent person? or at least, not someone who has thought even a little bit about how and why they think the things that they do. www.youtube.com/watch?v=gieT...

Bari Weiss: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)

YouTube video by LastWeekTonight

www.youtube.com

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Jill Lawrence @jilldlawrence.bsky.social · 1d

Good discussion with @gregsargent.bsky.social on No Kings and the right to protest: "They’re trying to turn it into something really evil. But that’s because they’re scared of it, and they know it turns public opinion... I think they should be worried, because nothing they’re doing is popular."

Greg Sargent @gregsargent.bsky.social · 1d

If Republicans are going to label you a terrorist for peacefully protesting Trump's failing presidency, abuses of power, and treatment of blue America as an enemy nation, let's turn out in even bigger numbers.

On the pod, @jilldlawrence.bsky.social and me on this:
newrepublic.com/article/2016...

MAGA Rage at “No Kings” Boils Over—and It Quickly Backfires on Trump

As Trump allies smear the coming protests, a good writer on MAGA skewers the absurdity of these attacks on large swaths of Americans—and explains why our best recourse will be to turn out in force.

newrepublic.com

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Reposted by Ian Black

Joni Askola @joniaskola.bsky.social · 1d

1/5 Zelensky has just revoked the citizenship of Odesa Mayor Hennadiy Trukhanov.

The reason? He allegedly holds a Russian passport.

If confirmed, this could finally bring an end to the reign of one of Ukraine’s most corrupt and controversial leaders

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