The AfD qualified for three mayoral run-offs in cities in North Rhine-Westphalia today, and lost all by big margins. The lesson is not that we have overdone the AfD's rise, but that we do perhaps sometimes underestimate the counter-mobilisation effects - including in east Germany, incidentally.

🚨 BREAKING: The pro-EU Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) is firmly in the lead of Moldova’s election, with around half of votes counted so far and PAS-sympathetic constituencies still to tally. Full story: www.politico.eu/article/poll...

Die AfD verliert alle drei OB-Stichwahlen in NRW. In Gelsenkirchen, Duisburg, Hagen. Die AfD wird in NRW weiterhin keinen Oberbürgermeister stellen! #KommunalwahlNRW #Kommunalwahl

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CEO pay is up 1,094% since 1978, while worker pay is up just 26%. Why do we always hear "we can't afford to pay our workers more" but never "we can't afford to pay our CEO more"?

the british think they are unique to have pro-putin, anti EU types driving the politics funded by rubles. Moldova & Georgia says hi! No doubt, we'll discover the right wingnuts in Ireland have a similar source of funds. Here's a decent splainer on Moldovan elections from RTE 👇

Families Join us for an Open Day: Words on the Wave – Ireland & St. Gallen exhibition 🗓️ Sat 4 Oct | 11.00–16.00 📍 NMI, Kildare St Talks: Maeve Sikora (11:30), Dr Ó Riain (12:30), Prof Ó Cróinín (14:30) Take part in free Workshops & handle replica artefacts 🎟️ Free admission museum.ie/en-IE/Museum...

Interesting results from the Democracy report 2025. Norway is number 1; Ireland 8th; UK 17th & US is 28th.

Goodnight from Nellie Hopper, crying mascara tears as she waves her Embassy Number 1 cigarette as a wand to undo the spell of doomed love. Goodnight from Matt Dent, terrified to have travelled to a dimension where there’s only static on the FM band of the radio. Goodnight from Hookland.

Cuando Apple pone la excusa de "riesgo para la seguridad de los usuarios", en realidad quiere decir que les molesta que no les permitan aplicar cláusulas abusivas, funciones que limiten la experiencia del usuario o trabas/tasas a la competencia para favorecer sus propios productos y servicios

La persecución humana es la principal causa de muerte de lobos, según un estudio de la Estación Biológica de Doñana

El arrogante discurso de Netanyahu ante una Asamblea General de la ONU casi vacía plasma el creciente aislamiento Israel, en una semana en la que ha cristalizado la indignación por la masacre de Gaza en la política, la economía, la cultura o el deporte

🇦🇷 "C'était un narco-féminicide !" Plusieurs milliers de personnes ont manifesté samedi à Buenos Aires, en Argentine, pour réclamer justice après le meurtre cette semaine de trois jeunes femmes, une affaire qui serait liée au narcotrafic. ➡️ u.afp.com/SW8K

⚡️ Moldova's election infrastructure targeted in mass cyberattacks during consequential parliamentary elections. The targets included Moldova's Central Electoral Commission website, according to the Information Technology and Cyber Security Service. kyivindependent.com/moldovas-ele...

Who in the world would declare antifascists their enemy? Oh, right.

Ladies and gentlemen, the meritocracy

There was double gold joy for Ireland at the World Rowing Championships in Shanghai as Fiona Murtagh in the women's singles and Fintan McCarthy and Mags Cremen in the mixed double sculls both assumed top place in their respective podiums

Pollutting now and cleaning up later is not a viable strategy: Direct Air Capture (DAC) is hitting a hard reality check. Costs are falling much slower than anticipated, casting doubts on the nascent technique’s role in tackling climate change.

So, Sunday Times runs with latest poll showing Farage winning if there was an election now. But makes NO mention of Reform’s collusion with Russia. And this is how democracy gets beaten to death in the dark. Voters are not being told the truth. Reform is given the stage but is NEVER held to account.

Okatsuka posted the censorship rules for the controversial comedy festival, noting how many "You can’t say anything anymore!" comedians have signed on. www.avclub.com/riyadh-comed...

Las bibliotecarias que arriesgan hasta la vida contra la ofensiva censora en EEUU

Nathan Gill, the former Welsh leader of Nigel Farage’s right-wing party Reform UK has admitted to taking bribes in exchange for making pro-Russia statements while a member of the European Parliament.

The South Korean Ministry of Defense has awarded medals of merit to 11 officers for disobeying direct orders of superiors during the martial law fiasco, orders that they deemed to be contrary to the constitution and endangerment to democracy. www.chosun.com/english/nati...

Former Brexit Party Member of Parliament Nathan Gill has confessed to making pro-Russia statements in exchange for money. www.euronews.com/my-europe/20...

Moldova’s Central Electoral Commission has annulled the registration of the pro-Russian Moldova Mare party led by Victoria Furtună, citing illegal foreign funding and allegations of voter bribery. The decision comes before the Sept 28 parliamentary vote and follows a separate ban on Heart of Moldova

#FlintFriday! Stunning 🤩 Mesolithic scraper from submerged #Doggerland 🌊 found on the beach by Maurits a couple of weeks ago.

As we scale up renewables, one thing becomes crystal clear: without storage, the energy transition will stall. Batteries aren’t just for cars. They’re also crucial for grids, industry, and heating. Great short from DW.

🇬🇧🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 The former leader of Reform UK in Wales, Nathan Gill, has pleaded guilty to eight bribery charges while an elected member of the European Parliament. The charges relate to making favourable statements about Russia in exchange for money during his time as a member of the European Parliament.

Completely normal country where I wake up every day and see some polling asking people whether or not I should be allowed to live here and and exactly how much of a scourge to society I am. Very cool. I feel great, actually.

Walter Benjamin, verfolgt von den Nationalsozialisten, versucht 1940 die Flucht über die spanisch-französische Grenze. Die spanische Grenzpolizei verweigert ihm die Einreise. Ihm droht die Abschiebung nach Frankreich. In der Nacht des 26. September nimmt er sich das Leben.

"The former leader of Reform UK in Wales has pleaded guilty to bribery charges relating to statements in favour of Russia in the European parliament" www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

Those claiming there’s no energy transition only an “energy addition,” are wrong. I told FT: Yes, it’s correct that we are not on track globally to reduce emissions fast enough. But if you look at what’s happening across sectors, technologies, and geographies, you see real transitions underway.

"As soon as those flags went up, something changed in the wind, something didn't feel right." www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Paul Starrett Sample (American, 1896-1974) "Celebration," 1933 Oil on canvas 40.12 x 48.12 in #art #painting #painters #BlueSkyArt

La justicia vuelve a dar la razón a Consumo y avala el bloqueo de 65.000 anuncios ilegales de pisos turísticos en la plataforma Airbnb. Vamos a hacer que en España ninguna empresa, por grande o poderosa que sea, esté por encima de la ley.

She says this like we didn’t all see the post Trump deleted

🧵Spotted While Roaming in Aotearoa New Zealand: A family is cycling near the beach. Mum and Dad leisurely pedalling up front, admiring the view. Big Sister (11?) seems lost in thought. Little Sister (8?) bringing up the rear, roaring. "I'm SO HUNGRY! I hope we're having FISH AND CHIPS soon!" (1)

Goodnight from Jennie Hoar, feeling the swell of nausea every time she contemplates her secret dealings with the Grinning Man being exposed. Goodnight from Georgie Ash, learning the divinatory language of thrown bones instead of doing her French homework. Goodnight from Hookland.

Prof. Andrew Sinclair who discovered the SRY gene says: “ Science does not support the overly simplistic assertion of World Athletics’ that SRY testing is a “reliable proxy” for determining biological sex.”

I don't want Starmer's Brit Card. I am not now and have never been British. I'm Scottish and European, not part of Starmer's flag obsessed British nationalist Greater England. Take yer Brit card and ram it.

La Armada ultima los detalles para que parta de Cartagena el buque 'Furor' que protegerá a la flotilla que va rumbo a Gaza dozz.es/8ib8u4

🇹🇭 Thaïlande: une partie d'une route très fréquentée de Bangkok s'est effondrée, laissant un immense gouffre de 50 mètres de profondeur et obligeant les personnes à proximité à évacuer, sans faire de victime ⤵️

Heat pumps remain the cheapest way to heat in Germany for 2025. Despite overall increases, heat pumps rise only ~5% and still beat gas, oil, pellets, and district heat on annual costs. Fossil systems are a long-term cost trap. @co2online.bsky.social

Le monde de l'infiniment petit.

What do mermaids and marines have in common? The parts 'mer-' and 'mar-' of these words have the same origin: the Proto-Indo-European word *mori, meaning "large body of water". It has descendants in many languages, including the Germanic, Romance, Slavic and Celtic languages. Click for more: 1/

Critics slam renewables for land use but ignore fossil fuels' huge impact. Germany's Hambach lignite mine: 85 sq km pit, 300m deep, snapped from ISS. My first ever energy research protect professionally was on the externalities of lignite. In short: they are very significant!

How not to illustrate the similarity of bone structures between humans & horses.

Ayer se superaron en España los 70.000 turismos 100% eléctricos nuevos vendidos en lo que va de 2025 🎉 Felicidades❗