Jon Collins
@jcollins.bsky.social
Reporter @MPRNews. '25 Nieman fellow. Co-creator of Peabody Award-winning 74 Seconds podcast. Victory gardener.
"The trip is the first visit to the United States for Mohammed since the 2018 murder of Jamal Khashoggi, a contributing columnist to The Post and an outspoken critic of the Saudi government."
www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
White House to host Saudi prince tied by intelligence to journalist’s killing
Trump’s formal dinner for Mohammed bin Salman marks a dramatic step in the public rehabilitation of a man once condemned as a pariah.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 15, 2025 at 6:41 AM
"The trip is the first visit to the United States for Mohammed since the 2018 murder of Jamal Khashoggi, a contributing columnist to The Post and an outspoken critic of the Saudi government."
www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Jon Collins
NEW: Trump ordered a crackdown on a US group he calls "antifa." But no such group exists. Now, Rubio designates four European groups as "foreign terrorist organizations." The Trump administration could try to draw a link between them and Americans. Story: www.nytimes.com/2025/11/14/u...
As Trump Targets Antifa in U.S., Rubio Labels European Groups as Terrorists
www.nytimes.com
November 15, 2025 at 12:17 AM
NEW: Trump ordered a crackdown on a US group he calls "antifa." But no such group exists. Now, Rubio designates four European groups as "foreign terrorist organizations." The Trump administration could try to draw a link between them and Americans. Story: www.nytimes.com/2025/11/14/u...
Reposted by Jon Collins
A yearslong effort to create an urban farm in south Minneapolis could soon come to a halt. A neighborhood group faces a Monday deadline to buy the Roof Depot site from the city — but they’re millions of dollars short after promised state funding fell through.
Environmental advocates face final deadline to buy Roof Depot site in Minneapolis
A yearslong effort to create an urban farm in south Minneapolis could soon come to a halt. A neighborhood group faces a Monday deadline to buy the Roof Depot site from the city — but they’re millions ...
www.mprnews.org
November 14, 2025 at 1:58 PM
A yearslong effort to create an urban farm in south Minneapolis could soon come to a halt. A neighborhood group faces a Monday deadline to buy the Roof Depot site from the city — but they’re millions of dollars short after promised state funding fell through.
Reposted by Jon Collins
NEW: We’ve uncovered the first known example of taxpayer money flowing from DHS to businesses controlled by Kristi Noem’s allies and friends.
It’s part of a money trail that’s been shrouded in secrecy—and involves $220 million, a mysterious Delaware LLC & a horse named Gill.
It’s part of a money trail that’s been shrouded in secrecy—and involves $220 million, a mysterious Delaware LLC & a horse named Gill.
November 14, 2025 at 12:20 PM
NEW: We’ve uncovered the first known example of taxpayer money flowing from DHS to businesses controlled by Kristi Noem’s allies and friends.
It’s part of a money trail that’s been shrouded in secrecy—and involves $220 million, a mysterious Delaware LLC & a horse named Gill.
It’s part of a money trail that’s been shrouded in secrecy—and involves $220 million, a mysterious Delaware LLC & a horse named Gill.
People close to the case say they can see a throughline as the momentum built in those early protests after Clark’s death in 2015 to the global uprising that spread from Minneapolis after George Floyd’s killing in 2020. www.mprnews.org/story/2025/1...
Outrage around Jamar Clark’s killing by police has rippled through the last decade
It’s been 10 years since a Minneapolis police officer shot Jamar Clark, an unarmed 24-year-old Black man, during a confrontation. The frustration, anger and highly visible demonstrations led to change...
www.mprnews.org
November 13, 2025 at 7:33 PM
People close to the case say they can see a throughline as the momentum built in those early protests after Clark’s death in 2015 to the global uprising that spread from Minneapolis after George Floyd’s killing in 2020. www.mprnews.org/story/2025/1...
"The threat of Mei’s dismissal has sparked concerns and outrage among other USDA workers and members of the Federal Unionists Network, who argue that the move is part of a concerted effort by the Trump administration to chill speech among federal employees."
www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
www.washingtonpost.com
November 13, 2025 at 6:53 PM
"The threat of Mei’s dismissal has sparked concerns and outrage among other USDA workers and members of the Federal Unionists Network, who argue that the move is part of a concerted effort by the Trump administration to chill speech among federal employees."
www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Jon Collins
ProPublica found that Fox News repeatedly provided a misleading picture of what was happening in Portland leading up to Trump's attempt to deploy troops, including using old video and scenes of protests happening elsewhere, via @oregoncapitalchronicle.com and @statesnewsroom.com
'Riots Raging': The misleading story Fox News told about Portland before Trump sent troops • Oregon Capital Chronicle
ProPublica examined months of Fox News’ coverage and reviewed more than 700 video clips posted to social media by protesters, counterprotesters and others in the three months preceding the Sept. 4…
buff.ly
November 13, 2025 at 5:30 PM
ProPublica found that Fox News repeatedly provided a misleading picture of what was happening in Portland leading up to Trump's attempt to deploy troops, including using old video and scenes of protests happening elsewhere, via @oregoncapitalchronicle.com and @statesnewsroom.com
Must read: "Cloaked in secrecy, insulated from press scrutiny, and cut off from the rest of society, these places often conceal violence, harm, and deadly oppression—all inflicted in the name of, and funded by, a public generally left unsuspecting and unaware." inquest.org/when-reporti...
When Reporting Is a Crime - Corinne Shanahan & Andrew Crespo - Inquest
States have restricted, surveilled, and punished prison journalism for decades, with dire consequences—for incarcerated people and for democracy.
inquest.org
November 13, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Must read: "Cloaked in secrecy, insulated from press scrutiny, and cut off from the rest of society, these places often conceal violence, harm, and deadly oppression—all inflicted in the name of, and funded by, a public generally left unsuspecting and unaware." inquest.org/when-reporti...
"Long says the aftermath left her in one of the darkest places of her life. She said she and her family received death threats, and her campus friends largely abandoned her...
But her career hasn’t been hurt much."
www.washingtonpost.com/style/2025/1...
But her career hasn’t been hurt much."
www.washingtonpost.com/style/2025/1...
Influencers are royalty at this college, and the turf war is vicious
The University of Miami has embraced influencer culture, but the dean had to break up a TikTok spat last month.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 13, 2025 at 9:19 AM
"Long says the aftermath left her in one of the darkest places of her life. She said she and her family received death threats, and her campus friends largely abandoned her...
But her career hasn’t been hurt much."
www.washingtonpost.com/style/2025/1...
But her career hasn’t been hurt much."
www.washingtonpost.com/style/2025/1...
“This has never been about money per se,” he said. “It’s about getting a large enough number so that the next crazed cop who thinks it would be good idea to raid a newspaper says, ‘Whoa, Nelly, I don’t think I want to do that.’”
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/11/u...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/11/u...
Kansas County Agrees to Pay $3 Million Over Police Raid of Newspaper
www.nytimes.com
November 13, 2025 at 4:06 AM
“This has never been about money per se,” he said. “It’s about getting a large enough number so that the next crazed cop who thinks it would be good idea to raid a newspaper says, ‘Whoa, Nelly, I don’t think I want to do that.’”
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/11/u...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/11/u...
Reposted by Jon Collins
When your local reporter needs the same protection as a war correspondent
Check out this story by @zenagrossa.bsky.social in @poynterinstitute.bsky.social:
Check out this story by @zenagrossa.bsky.social in @poynterinstitute.bsky.social:
When your local reporter needs the same protection as a war correspondent - Poynter
Five months of covering ICE raids taught our small LA newsroom hard lessons — and we're still figuring out how to sustain it
www.poynter.org
November 7, 2025 at 4:40 PM
When your local reporter needs the same protection as a war correspondent
Check out this story by @zenagrossa.bsky.social in @poynterinstitute.bsky.social:
Check out this story by @zenagrossa.bsky.social in @poynterinstitute.bsky.social:
Reposted by Jon Collins
I cannot stress this enough right now: share journalism that you think is good.
You might not always be able to afford subscriptions or to tip journos but since everyone seems able to hate on headlines they dislike etc., they must also have the power to elevate good quality writing! We need it.
You might not always be able to afford subscriptions or to tip journos but since everyone seems able to hate on headlines they dislike etc., they must also have the power to elevate good quality writing! We need it.
Between the widespread layoffs in the news industry, and the widespread adoption of AI tools that consistently make up total bullshit, it is going to be more and more difficult to get accurate information about what is happening in the world.
Which is both deeply sad and utterly terrifying.
Which is both deeply sad and utterly terrifying.
November 11, 2025 at 6:00 PM
I cannot stress this enough right now: share journalism that you think is good.
You might not always be able to afford subscriptions or to tip journos but since everyone seems able to hate on headlines they dislike etc., they must also have the power to elevate good quality writing! We need it.
You might not always be able to afford subscriptions or to tip journos but since everyone seems able to hate on headlines they dislike etc., they must also have the power to elevate good quality writing! We need it.
An estimated 111,000 spiders created this web, a "singular work of cooperation by two usually-hostile species of spider." www.nytimes.com/2025/11/08/s...
Stinking, Spongy, Dark, Huge: A Spider Web Unlike Any Seen Before
www.nytimes.com
November 10, 2025 at 6:33 PM
An estimated 111,000 spiders created this web, a "singular work of cooperation by two usually-hostile species of spider." www.nytimes.com/2025/11/08/s...
I love this statement from AP editor and National Press Club President Mike Balsamo. Refusing to be manipulated by people in power is the core of the journalist's job.
November 10, 2025 at 6:02 PM
I love this statement from AP editor and National Press Club President Mike Balsamo. Refusing to be manipulated by people in power is the core of the journalist's job.
Reposted by Jon Collins
You might have seen that story about the monkeys -- supposedly infected w/ herpes and COVID -- that escaped a crashed truck in Mississippi.
It was not journalism's finest hour. (With an exception or two.)
In today's Laurels & Darts, via @columjournreview.bsky.social
www.cjr.org/laurels-and-...
It was not journalism's finest hour. (With an exception or two.)
In today's Laurels & Darts, via @columjournreview.bsky.social
www.cjr.org/laurels-and-...
Laurels and Darts: Monkey business.
Primate prevarication in the Deep South. Plus, the immigration crackdown in Chicago, and the wonderfully wonky world of Bolts.
www.cjr.org
November 7, 2025 at 12:37 PM
You might have seen that story about the monkeys -- supposedly infected w/ herpes and COVID -- that escaped a crashed truck in Mississippi.
It was not journalism's finest hour. (With an exception or two.)
In today's Laurels & Darts, via @columjournreview.bsky.social
www.cjr.org/laurels-and-...
It was not journalism's finest hour. (With an exception or two.)
In today's Laurels & Darts, via @columjournreview.bsky.social
www.cjr.org/laurels-and-...
Reposted by Jon Collins
The AP tracked down details of some of the people killed in President Trump's military strikes on drug smugglers he describes as narco-terrorists.
They were, with one exception, not high-level criminals. One was a fisherman. One was a bus driver; another a taxi driver.
apnews.com/article/trum...
They were, with one exception, not high-level criminals. One was a fisherman. One was a bus driver; another a taxi driver.
apnews.com/article/trum...
November 7, 2025 at 3:18 PM
The AP tracked down details of some of the people killed in President Trump's military strikes on drug smugglers he describes as narco-terrorists.
They were, with one exception, not high-level criminals. One was a fisherman. One was a bus driver; another a taxi driver.
apnews.com/article/trum...
They were, with one exception, not high-level criminals. One was a fisherman. One was a bus driver; another a taxi driver.
apnews.com/article/trum...
Reposted by Jon Collins
The utter unpredictability of Mr. Hegseth’s moves, as described in interviews with 20 current and former military officials, has created an atmosphere of anxiety and mistrust that has forced senior officers to take sides and, at times, pitted them against one another. www.nytimes.com/2025/11/07/u...
Hegseth Is Purging Military Leaders With Little Explanation
www.nytimes.com
November 7, 2025 at 4:04 PM
The utter unpredictability of Mr. Hegseth’s moves, as described in interviews with 20 current and former military officials, has created an atmosphere of anxiety and mistrust that has forced senior officers to take sides and, at times, pitted them against one another. www.nytimes.com/2025/11/07/u...
She also took on more credit card debt to pay for groceries.
“It’s just shameful. I feel bad about it,” she said of her situation. “I feel like I’m failing as an adult.” www.nytimes.com/2025/11/07/u...
“It’s just shameful. I feel bad about it,” she said of her situation. “I feel like I’m failing as an adult.” www.nytimes.com/2025/11/07/u...
Down to $1.18: How Families Are Coping With SNAP Cuts
www.nytimes.com
November 7, 2025 at 3:25 PM
She also took on more credit card debt to pay for groceries.
“It’s just shameful. I feel bad about it,” she said of her situation. “I feel like I’m failing as an adult.” www.nytimes.com/2025/11/07/u...
“It’s just shameful. I feel bad about it,” she said of her situation. “I feel like I’m failing as an adult.” www.nytimes.com/2025/11/07/u...
Reposted by Jon Collins
When deception’s more profitable than honesty, users lose.
Internal documents suggest that Meta earns $3.5B(!) every 6 mo. from scam ads, revealing a deeper systemic problem: the economic incentive to tolerate “higher legal risk” content still outweighs any penalty. www.reuters.com/investigatio...
Internal documents suggest that Meta earns $3.5B(!) every 6 mo. from scam ads, revealing a deeper systemic problem: the economic incentive to tolerate “higher legal risk” content still outweighs any penalty. www.reuters.com/investigatio...
Meta is earning a fortune on a deluge of fraudulent ads, documents show
Meta projected 10% of its 2024 revenue would come from ads for scams and banned goods, and it internally estimates that its platforms show users 15 billion scam ads a day, company documents show.
www.reuters.com
November 7, 2025 at 4:14 AM
When deception’s more profitable than honesty, users lose.
Internal documents suggest that Meta earns $3.5B(!) every 6 mo. from scam ads, revealing a deeper systemic problem: the economic incentive to tolerate “higher legal risk” content still outweighs any penalty. www.reuters.com/investigatio...
Internal documents suggest that Meta earns $3.5B(!) every 6 mo. from scam ads, revealing a deeper systemic problem: the economic incentive to tolerate “higher legal risk” content still outweighs any penalty. www.reuters.com/investigatio...
Reposted by Jon Collins
New: Conde Nast fired four employees who were among a group that confronted the company's head of human resources on Wednesday over the decision to fold Teen Vogue into Vogue/recent cuts. Employees who were fired included journalists from the New Yorker, Wired, and Bon Appétit.
November 6, 2025 at 5:49 PM
New: Conde Nast fired four employees who were among a group that confronted the company's head of human resources on Wednesday over the decision to fold Teen Vogue into Vogue/recent cuts. Employees who were fired included journalists from the New Yorker, Wired, and Bon Appétit.
Reposted by Jon Collins
Inside Axel Springer’s Weds town hall, where editorial staffers pressed execs on AI, leaving with no real answers and a confirmation that more pain is coming
“The truth is, you either embrace A.I. or you die,” CEO Mathias Döpfner said
status.news/p/axel-springer-ai-business-insider-mathias-dopfner
“The truth is, you either embrace A.I. or you die,” CEO Mathias Döpfner said
status.news/p/axel-springer-ai-business-insider-mathias-dopfner
Axel Springer Boss to Staffers: 'Embrace A.I. Or You Die'
Axel Springer staffers confronted chief Mathias Döpfner over the publishing giant’s rapid embrace of A.I., which many fear could cost them their jobs, according to a video of the meeting leaked to St...
status.news
November 6, 2025 at 12:52 AM
Inside Axel Springer’s Weds town hall, where editorial staffers pressed execs on AI, leaving with no real answers and a confirmation that more pain is coming
“The truth is, you either embrace A.I. or you die,” CEO Mathias Döpfner said
status.news/p/axel-springer-ai-business-insider-mathias-dopfner
“The truth is, you either embrace A.I. or you die,” CEO Mathias Döpfner said
status.news/p/axel-springer-ai-business-insider-mathias-dopfner
Minneapolis' Barebones is one of the highlights of every year, made better by the fact that hundreds of residents work tirelessly without pay to make it happen. Fire, puppets, kids in raccoon costumes and the sense of community when they sing "We remember" as people shout out loved ones they lost.
November 6, 2025 at 3:38 AM
Minneapolis' Barebones is one of the highlights of every year, made better by the fact that hundreds of residents work tirelessly without pay to make it happen. Fire, puppets, kids in raccoon costumes and the sense of community when they sing "We remember" as people shout out loved ones they lost.
Reposted by Jon Collins
The better of the motions headed to the public safety committee is this one from Councilmember Bob Blumenfield, which requests the City Attorney w/ the Council to draft “substantive limitations” on non-lethal use of force. It references a previous injunction from 2021
www.latimes.com/california/s...
www.latimes.com/california/s...
November 6, 2025 at 3:26 AM
The better of the motions headed to the public safety committee is this one from Councilmember Bob Blumenfield, which requests the City Attorney w/ the Council to draft “substantive limitations” on non-lethal use of force. It references a previous injunction from 2021
www.latimes.com/california/s...
www.latimes.com/california/s...
"Common Crawl has opened a back door for AI companies to train their models with paywalled articles from major news websites. And the foundation appears to be lying to publishers about this..." www.theatlantic.com/technology/2...
The Company Quietly Funneling Paywalled Articles to AI Developers
“You shouldn’t have put your content on the internet if you didn’t want it to be on the internet,” Common Crawl’s executive director says.
www.theatlantic.com
November 5, 2025 at 11:10 PM
"Common Crawl has opened a back door for AI companies to train their models with paywalled articles from major news websites. And the foundation appears to be lying to publishers about this..." www.theatlantic.com/technology/2...
Reposted by Jon Collins
Flying Squirrel Loves It Every Time
November 5, 2025 at 11:00 PM
Flying Squirrel Loves It Every Time