Diara J.
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curiousscout.bsky.social
Diara J.
@curiousscout.bsky.social
Environmental engagement journalist ~ locally reporting in NC. A disinfo researcher, media strategist and fantasy book nerd. Also a normal nerd. Poodle puppy mom. Saving up for my trip to Rivendell.

✍️ 📚 👩🏾‍🏫

https://thecuriousscout.beehiiv.com/
Pinned
As my freelance #journalism expands in North Carolina, I'm sharing my journey with something new.

Welcome to ✨The Curious Scout✨

Join me as I uplift local stories on service, climate, the economy & the voices driving change, with a sprinkle of curiosity thecuriousscout.beehiiv.com/p/curiosity-...
Curiosity as a Superpower
Welcome to The Curious Scout, your monthly guide to quirks, questions, and big issues shaping Central North Carolina and beyond.
thecuriousscout.beehiiv.com
Reposted by Diara J.
See America? It is possible
BREAKING

The former president of South Korea has been sentenced to serve five years in prison in one of eight criminal trials.

The most significant charge he is facing is leading a rebellion, which carries a potential sentence of death.

Full Story: bit.ly/4aWpzgC
January 16, 2026 at 6:35 AM
Reposted by Diara J.
Stunning photos from Minneapolis, including this one by John Locher for the Associated Press. www.theatlantic.com/photography/...
January 15, 2026 at 7:22 PM
Reposted by Diara J.
#Coralrestoration
Corals grown in mid-water nurseries face fewer predators and less smothering sediment... Some species...can double in size several times annually when suspended on “coral trees” or attached to floating lines."

share.google/UubtlL4Vwwuo...
Millions Of Coral Fragments Grown In Underwater Nurseries Are Rebuilding Reefs, Sheltering Fish And Restoring Ocean Life
Around her, rows of coral fragments sway on thin ropes like laundry hung out in a gentle underwater breeze. A parrotfish crunches in the background, a
share.google
January 12, 2026 at 10:28 PM
Reposted by Diara J.
How it’s going
January 12, 2026 at 1:19 AM
Reposted by Diara J.
Fully Funded Reuters Institute Journalist Fellowships

reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/fellowships
Our Journalist Fellowship
The Journalist Fellowship Programme is one of the world’s leading schemes for practising, mid-career journalists.
reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk
January 13, 2026 at 6:05 AM
Reposted by Diara J.
INBOX: Atlanta City Council will introduce legislation next Tuesday to rename Old Wheat Street to Cornelius Taylor Street.

Cornelius Taylor was bulldozed to death by City of Atlanta employees during a homeless encampment sweep in 2025 to make way for dignitaries attending MLK Day festivities.
Man killed during clearing of homeless encampment honored at public visitation
Family, friends and community members gathered at a public visitation for a man who was killed during the clearing of a homeless encampment.
www.atlantanewsfirst.com
January 13, 2026 at 6:43 AM
Reposted by Diara J.
I am so very sorry to hear about the passing about my friend and colleague Professor Kimuli Kasara. She was a brilliant scholar and a bright, funny, warm person. I remember first meeting her as the only other Black woman/faculty at the Columbia political econ seminar and feeling relief/happiness
January 12, 2026 at 7:07 PM
Reposted by Diara J.
Pretty willd how the DOJ just straight up stopped releasing the Epstein files even though they're legally obligated to do so.
January 12, 2026 at 7:39 PM
Reposted by Diara J.
An ecosystem of smuggled tech holds Iran’s last link to the outside world
An ecosystem of smuggled tech holds Iran’s last link to the outside world
Despite internet blackout, a small number of Iranians are risking their lives to share messages as protests continue
www.theguardian.com
January 13, 2026 at 7:51 AM
Reposted by Diara J.
Historians: Quibbling Over Exact Definition Of Concentration Camp Sign Of Healthy Society https://theonion.com/historians-quibbling-over-exact-definition-of-concentration-camp-sign-of-healthy-society/
December 28, 2025 at 4:00 PM
Reposted by Diara J.
The effect of wind on world politics surprised Author Simon Winchester the most.

Swedish scientists picked up radioactive traces carried by an atypical wind from Chernobyl — a shift that exposed the disaster instead of letting the Soviet regime hide it, Winchester tells Jason P Dinh.
Lessons on Climate Futures from Wind’s Tempestuous Past: An Interview with Author Simon Winchester
A newly published history of the wind turns to sea gods and early wind turbines to show how today’s challenges to renewable energy repeat a centuries-old pattern.
www.thexylom.com
December 10, 2025 at 2:38 PM
The session pitches rolling in for the 2026 NC News Summit are 🔥 Got ideas on transparency, news innovation, climate, DEI or community engagement? Only 3 weeks left to get your pitch in! Deadline: Dec 31 bit.ly/PitchNCNewsSummit26
#NCNews #localnews #climatejournalism #localjournalism #northcarolina
December 9, 2025 at 8:51 PM
Reposted by Diara J.
Democratic Senator Murray Condemns ICE After Agents Release Attack Dog on Constituent
Democratic Senator Murray Condemns ICE After Agents Release Attack Dog on Constituent
In Washington state, Democratic Senator Patty Murray is condemning an incident where ICE agents released an attack dog on one of her constituents last month in Vancouver.
www.democracynow.org
December 9, 2025 at 8:23 PM
Reposted by Diara J.
First thing on every undocumented worker’s mind upon arriving in the United States: use a huge stockpile of cash to make a down payment and lock into a 30-year mortgage.
JD Vance: "Why did homes get so unaffordable? Because we had 20 million illegal aliens in this country taking homes that ought by right go to American citizens."
December 2, 2025 at 6:04 PM
Need help shaping your pitch idea for the 2026 NC News & Information Summit? 🤔

Sign up for our Office Hours session happening THIS Thursday, Dec 4, at 12p ET! Cant wait to see what ideas you all have for the #NCNews & info ecosystem
#localnews #opengovernment #journalism
bit.ly/NCSummitOfficeHours
Welcome! You are invited to join a meeting: Office hours: Pitch a session for the 2026 NC News & Info Summit. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the meeting.
Got questions about pitching a session for the 2026 NC News & Information Summit? Join NC Local for an informal office hours session where you can ask anything, from brainstorming pitch topics to und...
bit.ly
December 1, 2025 at 11:06 PM
Sometimes the best way to understand authoritarianism is through a Thanos metaphor 😆 My latest newsletter on SNAP benefits, election victories, and why nothing is 'inevitable.'

The SNAP: When Power Becomes Tyranny
thecuriousscout.beehiiv.com/p/trump-powe...
The Snap: When Power Becomes Tyranny
When reality turns to dust, who will resist? New from The Curious Scout.
thecuriousscout.beehiiv.com
December 1, 2025 at 12:07 AM
Reposted by Diara J.
NEW: The governor of West Virginia says that two members of the state National Guard shot today in DC have died.
November 26, 2025 at 8:49 PM
Reposted by Diara J.
A tornado that raced through residential areas north of Houston damaged more than 100 homes, tearing off roofs, moving garages off their foundations and smashing windows, authorities in Texas said.
Torn roofs and smashed windows among damage to over 100 homes in a tornado near Houston
A tornado has damaged over 100 homes north of Houston, tearing off roofs and moving garages off foundations.
bit.ly
November 26, 2025 at 7:00 AM
Thinking about submitting a session idea for the 2026 NC News & Info Summit but not sure if it's the right fit?

Join @nclocal.bsky.social and @ncopengov.org for our office hours session on Dec 5 at 12 p.m. ET! And let's get you ready to pitch! bit.ly/NCSummitOfficeHours #northcarolina #localnews
Welcome! You are invited to join a meeting: Office hours: Pitch a session for the 2026 NC News & Info Summit. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the meeting.
Got questions about pitching a session for the 2026 NC News & Information Summit? Join NC Local for an informal office hours session where you can ask anything, from brainstorming pitch topics to und...
bit.ly
November 24, 2025 at 6:23 PM
Reposted by Diara J.
I'm just glad that Pulitzer Prize winner Ed Yong caught the last chopper out of The Atlantic because what the hell is this
Over many interviews, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told Michael Scherer about how he plans to remake America’s public-health system. Can he lead the scientific establishment he’s spent much of his life crusading against?

Read more in our new cover story: theatln.tc/q9hXxlbM
November 24, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Reposted by Diara J.
The Jameis Winston experience, summed up in one play.
November 23, 2025 at 8:30 PM
Reposted by Diara J.
Our office is aware of reports that the Border Patrol is bringing its operation to Raleigh.
November 18, 2025 at 1:04 AM
🚨 to my fellow NC journalists in the Triangle!

and h/u @maddow.bsky.social
BREAKING: U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents will be deployed in the Raleigh area on Tuesday, Democratic legislative sources briefed by Gov. Josh Stein’s office told The Assembly and INDY on Monday.

www.theassemblync.com/news/politic...
Immigration Agents Coming to Raleigh Tuesday, Sources Say
Democratic legislative sources briefed by Gov. Josh Stein’s office told The Assembly and INDY agents are coming to the state capital.
www.theassemblync.com
November 18, 2025 at 1:19 AM
Reposted by Diara J.
Ms. Rachel wore a dress designed by Palestinian children in Gaza while being honored at this awards ceremony.

"Rana made this beautiful drawing, she lost both of her sisters in the genocide."

(AJ+)
November 12, 2025 at 7:23 AM
Reposted by Diara J.
INBOX: In a detailed LinkedIn post, investigative reporter @mackoxenden.bsky.social accuses Suncoast Searchlight, a nonprofit news outlet based in SW Florida, of firing her in retaliation for raising concerns about her executive editor's use of AI, leading to the insertion of hallucinated quotes.
November 14, 2025 at 11:56 PM