Elsa
@elsabenedict.bsky.social
Northumberland, Vegan, Books, Alpacas, Cats
Reposted by Elsa
The USA should not be able to participate in the world cup, let alone be part of hosting it, so yes I support those calling for a boycott.
Sport, especially football, brings people together. That unity matters. We must ensure the President's actions do not go unchallenged.
Sport, especially football, brings people together. That unity matters. We must ensure the President's actions do not go unchallenged.
January 19, 2026 at 8:57 PM
The USA should not be able to participate in the world cup, let alone be part of hosting it, so yes I support those calling for a boycott.
Sport, especially football, brings people together. That unity matters. We must ensure the President's actions do not go unchallenged.
Sport, especially football, brings people together. That unity matters. We must ensure the President's actions do not go unchallenged.
Reposted by Elsa
The Norwegian government is staying fairly quiet for now, but as a sign of the shifting vibe here the former head of Norway’s armed forces has come out and called the US a “neo-fascist banana republic” and a “hostile great power without norms”. www.dn.no/politikk/tid...
Tidligere forsvarssjef om Trumps USA: – Neo-fascistisk bananrepublikk (+)
Tidligere forsvarssjef Sverre Diesen mener USA er blitt «en normløs og fiendtlig innstilt stormakt», og advarer samtidig mot å feste vår lit til Europa. Harald Sunde mener det haster med en plan B.
www.dn.no
January 19, 2026 at 8:56 PM
The Norwegian government is staying fairly quiet for now, but as a sign of the shifting vibe here the former head of Norway’s armed forces has come out and called the US a “neo-fascist banana republic” and a “hostile great power without norms”. www.dn.no/politikk/tid...
Reposted by Elsa
The world’s wrongest man, Daniel Hannan, contending that Trump’s utter unfitness for office only emerged *yesterday*…
Because it’s the only way the irredeemable idiot can cling on to the delusion that he’s not an irredeemable idiot.
Because it’s the only way the irredeemable idiot can cling on to the delusion that he’s not an irredeemable idiot.
January 19, 2026 at 8:35 PM
The world’s wrongest man, Daniel Hannan, contending that Trump’s utter unfitness for office only emerged *yesterday*…
Because it’s the only way the irredeemable idiot can cling on to the delusion that he’s not an irredeemable idiot.
Because it’s the only way the irredeemable idiot can cling on to the delusion that he’s not an irredeemable idiot.
Reposted by Elsa
I feel like this official letter is an inflection point, convincing European elites that not only is Trump genuinely insane, but the people serving him in the U.S. government are either insane or too cowardly to object.
NORWAY PM: I HAVE REPEATEDLY CLEARLY EXPLAINED TO TRUMP THAT IT IS AN INDEPENDENT COMMITTEE THAT AWARDS THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE
January 19, 2026 at 7:53 PM
I feel like this official letter is an inflection point, convincing European elites that not only is Trump genuinely insane, but the people serving him in the U.S. government are either insane or too cowardly to object.
Reposted by Elsa
🔴How Neo-Nazis Posing as ‘Ordinary Parents’ Embedded Themselves in Anti-Immigrant Protests
A year long investigation by Katherine Denkinson exposes the Neo-Nazi and far-right extremists operating openly inside anti-immigration protests
bylinetimes.com/2026/01/19/h...
A year long investigation by Katherine Denkinson exposes the Neo-Nazi and far-right extremists operating openly inside anti-immigration protests
bylinetimes.com/2026/01/19/h...
How Neo-Nazis Posing as 'Ordinary Parents' Embedded Themselves in Anti-Immigrant Protests
A year long investigation by Katherine Denkinson exposes the Neo-Nazi and far-right extremists operating openly inside anti-immigration protests
bylinetimes.com
January 19, 2026 at 3:17 PM
🔴How Neo-Nazis Posing as ‘Ordinary Parents’ Embedded Themselves in Anti-Immigrant Protests
A year long investigation by Katherine Denkinson exposes the Neo-Nazi and far-right extremists operating openly inside anti-immigration protests
bylinetimes.com/2026/01/19/h...
A year long investigation by Katherine Denkinson exposes the Neo-Nazi and far-right extremists operating openly inside anti-immigration protests
bylinetimes.com/2026/01/19/h...
Reposted by Elsa
Far from cementing America’s place as a world superpower, breaking faith with America’s allies mean the historic period of political and cultural domination is coming to its end. The world will reconfigure around you.
January 19, 2026 at 6:36 PM
Far from cementing America’s place as a world superpower, breaking faith with America’s allies mean the historic period of political and cultural domination is coming to its end. The world will reconfigure around you.
Reposted by Elsa
America has shown that her structures and safeguards were not sufficient to rise to the moment. A country with such outsize military and economic power must behave rationally and thoughtfully and with restraint, or it is nothing but a global danger.
January 19, 2026 at 6:40 PM
America has shown that her structures and safeguards were not sufficient to rise to the moment. A country with such outsize military and economic power must behave rationally and thoughtfully and with restraint, or it is nothing but a global danger.
Reposted by Elsa
Seeing Americans recognising that their current disaster is one wholly of their own making, which is true. However very little reflection on the effect it has on the rest of the world who had nothing to do with making it.
We are afraid. The trust is broken. That trust is never coming back.
We are afraid. The trust is broken. That trust is never coming back.
January 19, 2026 at 6:31 PM
Seeing Americans recognising that their current disaster is one wholly of their own making, which is true. However very little reflection on the effect it has on the rest of the world who had nothing to do with making it.
We are afraid. The trust is broken. That trust is never coming back.
We are afraid. The trust is broken. That trust is never coming back.
Reposted by Elsa
In particular this man…
January 19, 2026 at 9:20 AM
In particular this man…
Reposted by Elsa
We've spent ten years being proved right about all the things the loudest, biggest voices in the UK media insisted, often obnoxiously, we were wrong about. The real kicker is that there's no consolation whatsoever in being correct. Brexit, Putin, Johnson, Truss, Trump, Twitter, Netanyahu etc etc...
January 19, 2026 at 9:12 AM
We've spent ten years being proved right about all the things the loudest, biggest voices in the UK media insisted, often obnoxiously, we were wrong about. The real kicker is that there's no consolation whatsoever in being correct. Brexit, Putin, Johnson, Truss, Trump, Twitter, Netanyahu etc etc...
Reposted by Elsa
The former Norwegian Chief of Defence has several other quotes worth mentioning👇
He describes Trump's behaviour as a "mentally retarded bull in a Greenlandic glass shop"
The US has become "a normless and hostile superpower"
"Norway should not buy American defence equipment."
He describes Trump's behaviour as a "mentally retarded bull in a Greenlandic glass shop"
The US has become "a normless and hostile superpower"
"Norway should not buy American defence equipment."
Former Norwegian Chief of Defense calls the US under Trump a "neo-fascist banana republic"
#norge #Norway @aftenposten.no
#norge #Norway @aftenposten.no
Tidligere forsvarssjef: Kaller USA under Trump en «neo-fascistisk bananrepublikk»
Det sier tidligere forsvarssjef Sverre Diesen til Dagens Næringsliv.
www.aftenposten.no
January 19, 2026 at 6:38 PM
The former Norwegian Chief of Defence has several other quotes worth mentioning👇
He describes Trump's behaviour as a "mentally retarded bull in a Greenlandic glass shop"
The US has become "a normless and hostile superpower"
"Norway should not buy American defence equipment."
He describes Trump's behaviour as a "mentally retarded bull in a Greenlandic glass shop"
The US has become "a normless and hostile superpower"
"Norway should not buy American defence equipment."
Reposted by Elsa
I'm pleased to welcome Andrew Rosindell to Reform. With any luck most people will have forgotten he was a Tory MP, because he didn't come into Parliament for nearly two years while he was being investigated for sexual assault and rape.
January 18, 2026 at 10:30 PM
I'm pleased to welcome Andrew Rosindell to Reform. With any luck most people will have forgotten he was a Tory MP, because he didn't come into Parliament for nearly two years while he was being investigated for sexual assault and rape.
Reposted by Elsa
Danish Parliament Deputy Speaker Lars-Christian Brask:
"If I could come with some advice, it would be for the Senate & House to start to take control of political power in America because with this erratic & mad behaviour, you have to ask the question, is the President capable of running the US?"
"If I could come with some advice, it would be for the Senate & House to start to take control of political power in America because with this erratic & mad behaviour, you have to ask the question, is the President capable of running the US?"
January 19, 2026 at 4:50 PM
Danish Parliament Deputy Speaker Lars-Christian Brask:
"If I could come with some advice, it would be for the Senate & House to start to take control of political power in America because with this erratic & mad behaviour, you have to ask the question, is the President capable of running the US?"
"If I could come with some advice, it would be for the Senate & House to start to take control of political power in America because with this erratic & mad behaviour, you have to ask the question, is the President capable of running the US?"
Reposted by Elsa
In Sweden, removing VAT on fruits, vegs and whole-grain products, but adding taxes on red meat & sugar-sweetened beverages could bring:
1️⃣A drop in climate foodprints = to 8% of emissions from all cars
2️⃣Healthier diets preventing >2 x as many premature deaths/year as all deaths in traffic accidents.
1️⃣A drop in climate foodprints = to 8% of emissions from all cars
2️⃣Healthier diets preventing >2 x as many premature deaths/year as all deaths in traffic accidents.
Samtal om matskatteväxling
Matskatteväxling innebär att skatter justeras för att främja hållbara matvanor, exempelvis genom att sänka skatten på hälsosam mat, och höja den på klimatbelastande livsmedel.
foodtaxshift.com
January 19, 2026 at 5:56 PM
In Sweden, removing VAT on fruits, vegs and whole-grain products, but adding taxes on red meat & sugar-sweetened beverages could bring:
1️⃣A drop in climate foodprints = to 8% of emissions from all cars
2️⃣Healthier diets preventing >2 x as many premature deaths/year as all deaths in traffic accidents.
1️⃣A drop in climate foodprints = to 8% of emissions from all cars
2️⃣Healthier diets preventing >2 x as many premature deaths/year as all deaths in traffic accidents.
Reposted by Elsa
Something something States’ rights something something overbearing federal government something something well-organised militias something something tyrannical government something something second amendment something something founding fathers something something better to die free something.
Senior White House official says local and state police in Minneapolis “have been ordered to stand down and surrender.”
What?
What?
January 19, 2026 at 5:58 PM
Something something States’ rights something something overbearing federal government something something well-organised militias something something tyrannical government something something second amendment something something founding fathers something something better to die free something.
Reposted by Elsa
I’m the one in the brown hat.
What you might not see is the victim in the car. His feet are pointing out the open car door. An agent is sitting on one of his legs. He’s only wearing crocs.
Bystanders found his legal work visa in his abandoned car.
#AbolishICE
What you might not see is the victim in the car. His feet are pointing out the open car door. An agent is sitting on one of his legs. He’s only wearing crocs.
Bystanders found his legal work visa in his abandoned car.
#AbolishICE
This is what happened in our neighborhood yesterday. ICE snatched a human being off of our streets, roughed them up badly, and then pepper sprayed legal observers as they documented it all. This is a daily occurrence happening all throughout Minnesota right now.
January 19, 2026 at 5:50 PM
Reposted by Elsa
Far from standing down, Governors and citizens should be demanding local and state police step up and start prosecuting the criminal conduct of ICE officers for unlawful detentions, assault, affray, administering noxious substance ..or the USA equivalents
bsky.app/profile/anna...
bsky.app/profile/anna...
Senior White House official says local and state police in Minneapolis “have been ordered to stand down and surrender.”
What?
What?
January 19, 2026 at 6:01 PM
Far from standing down, Governors and citizens should be demanding local and state police step up and start prosecuting the criminal conduct of ICE officers for unlawful detentions, assault, affray, administering noxious substance ..or the USA equivalents
bsky.app/profile/anna...
bsky.app/profile/anna...
Reposted by Elsa
“You will not go mad.
If you cling to sanity, even when all the rest of the world is mad, you will not be mad.
They will not be able to drive you mad.
Sanity is not statistical.”
Nineteen Eighty-Four, Part One, Chapter 7
If you cling to sanity, even when all the rest of the world is mad, you will not be mad.
They will not be able to drive you mad.
Sanity is not statistical.”
Nineteen Eighty-Four, Part One, Chapter 7
January 19, 2026 at 9:55 AM
“You will not go mad.
If you cling to sanity, even when all the rest of the world is mad, you will not be mad.
They will not be able to drive you mad.
Sanity is not statistical.”
Nineteen Eighty-Four, Part One, Chapter 7
If you cling to sanity, even when all the rest of the world is mad, you will not be mad.
They will not be able to drive you mad.
Sanity is not statistical.”
Nineteen Eighty-Four, Part One, Chapter 7
Reposted by Elsa
“Governments worldwide are making the wrong choice; choosing to defend wealth, not freedom”
https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2026/jan/19/brazen-political-influence-rich-laid-bare-wealth-billionaires-inequality-poverty-instability-oxfam
https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2026/jan/19/brazen-political-influence-rich-laid-bare-wealth-billionaires-inequality-poverty-instability-oxfam
‘Brazen’ political influence of rich laid bare as wealth of billionaires reaches $18.3tn, says Oxfam
Governments opting for oligarchy while brutally repressing protests over austerity and lack of jobs, charity report says
www.theguardian.com
January 19, 2026 at 6:11 PM
“Governments worldwide are making the wrong choice; choosing to defend wealth, not freedom”
https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2026/jan/19/brazen-political-influence-rich-laid-bare-wealth-billionaires-inequality-poverty-instability-oxfam
https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2026/jan/19/brazen-political-influence-rich-laid-bare-wealth-billionaires-inequality-poverty-instability-oxfam
Reposted by Elsa
Perhaps the most depressing thing I've read in a long while (h/t Politico's email)
"Stocks fell across the globe as fears over Trump's new tariffs intensified – though London was shielded somewhat thanks to gains among defence manufacturers who could rake it in as the world destabilises."
"Stocks fell across the globe as fears over Trump's new tariffs intensified – though London was shielded somewhat thanks to gains among defence manufacturers who could rake it in as the world destabilises."
January 19, 2026 at 6:13 PM
Perhaps the most depressing thing I've read in a long while (h/t Politico's email)
"Stocks fell across the globe as fears over Trump's new tariffs intensified – though London was shielded somewhat thanks to gains among defence manufacturers who could rake it in as the world destabilises."
"Stocks fell across the globe as fears over Trump's new tariffs intensified – though London was shielded somewhat thanks to gains among defence manufacturers who could rake it in as the world destabilises."
Reposted by Elsa
The Americans voted for this TWICE. Even after his attempted coup. And they’re not stopping him now. This is not like the other autocracies. Americans wanted this
January 19, 2026 at 12:52 PM
The Americans voted for this TWICE. Even after his attempted coup. And they’re not stopping him now. This is not like the other autocracies. Americans wanted this
Reposted by Elsa
Reposted by Elsa
Yes, the screeching sound you’re hearing across the continent is Europe’s far right performing U-turns on Trump. One to watch: the UK’s Nigel Farage (“under the weather”’ yesterday).
Here is only at first paradoxical reaction I believe we will see more of - AfD member of the Bundestag Kay Gottschalk argues the US tariffs over Greendland call for more European sovereignty, a European military alliance, a German nuke and ends his video with the slogan "Long live Europe".
January 19, 2026 at 1:09 PM
Yes, the screeching sound you’re hearing across the continent is Europe’s far right performing U-turns on Trump. One to watch: the UK’s Nigel Farage (“under the weather”’ yesterday).
Reposted by Elsa
German Finance Minister
January 19, 2026 at 12:53 PM
German Finance Minister
Reposted by Elsa
The very stable geniuses of British politics should not be allowed to forget their sycophancy towards Trump.
January 18, 2026 at 8:40 PM
The very stable geniuses of British politics should not be allowed to forget their sycophancy towards Trump.