Projected most populous countries in the year 2100 (UN 2024 estimate): India: 1,505m China: 633m Pakistan: 511m Nigeria: 477m DRC: 431m United States: 421m Ethiopia: 367m (European Union: 348m) Indonesia: 295m Tanzania: 263m Bangladesh: 209m

Argentina has just begun playing Egypt in the World Cup. Despite its recent decline, Argentina maintains a much higher rating in V-Dem's electoral democracy index, making it the more democratic country.

Better late than never, I guess www.theguardian.com/society/2026...

This is a great close reading of the American declaration of independence on its 250th anniversary, arguing for its historical significance and inherent - often underestimated - radicalism. acoup.blog/2026/07/04/c...

The only definition I will be accepting.

Finally attempted to remove these fake polls, only for a Wikipedia editor hours later to revert the edit and reinstate the fake polls. What a website.

The latest EU Parliament projection is out! It tracks how the political mood is shifting across the EU. The Left group rises to its highest projected seat share since 2018, reaching 61 seats (8.5%). #EP2029 Explore: https://europeelects.eu/ep2029/

I wasn't expecting one of my favourite songs of the year to launch with a mini music video starring ʻOumuamua www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdN6...

Okay, but this would go pretty hard as a Scottish party name

Malaysia (Johor regional parliament election), candidates by party: UMNO (Conservative): 37 PKR (Centrist): 20 AMANAH (Centrist): 19 (+3) DAP (Centre-left): 17 (+3) ... +/- vs. 2022 election Seats up for election: 56 ➤ http://asiaelects.com/malaysia

Thailand, NIDA poll: Bangkok, gubernatorial election Chadchart (*): 74% (+21) Mallika (*): 12% Chaiwat (PPLE-Centre-left): 8% Anucha (DP-Centre-right): 3% Kornkasiwat (*): 1% +/- vs. 2022 election Fieldwork: 22-25 June 2026 Sample size: 3,000 ➤ asiaelects.com/thailand

What if European Parliament elections were held today? The latest projection shows the centre-left S&D leading in the Nordics, the far-right ESN in Germany, the centre-right EPP in Eastern Europe and Spain, the right-wing PfE in France, Austria, and Czechia,... Explore: europeelects.eu/ep2029/

I do 100% think that "Never Ever Doom" is one of the single strongest and most consistent themes of everything Tolkien ever wrote lol. Dooming is *always, always* the wrong call, it always leads to worse outcomes, and defiance is always right even when there is literally no hope

Pls RT and share these far and wide

Guess I'll need to expand the "what is an island?" part of my thesis introduction when I eventually seek to get it published

Yes, we're getting reports of a stunning phenomenon: at noon, rods in Alexandria and Syene are casting two entirely different shadows!

Peak forecast temperatures in the next week: Paris: 42 Rome: 38 London: 37 Cardiff: 35 Berlin: 35 Dublin: 26 Edinburgh: 25 Belfast: 25 Inverness: 24 Shetland: 18

Happy Father's Day 🖤

Our cat Pip would sit just like this against the arm of her favourite chair. Don't think she liked people enough to have ever considered doing this in public, though.

I never did figure out how my (apparently middling) ability to navigate a person through a room of invisible walls was particularly helpful in deciding whether I'd make a good project worker.

"The problem is that [CBT] frequently gets used wildly inappropriately. It’s like trying to use a frying pan for every job in the kitchen... the pan [isn't] defective because it can’t slice an onion or dry the dishes." jadefarrington.substack.com/p/is-cbt-sui...

Hadn't realised, until reading Robert Chapman's Empire of Normality, just how widespread eugenicist ideas were in early twentieth century psychiatry, many of which provided a "scientific" basis for Nazi policies. Pretty grim (though important) reading.

Listening to a @theresthistory.bsky.social episode where the presenters suggest that Belgium and (checks notes) Italy are “made up countries” as opposed to England and (checks notes again) the United States. So it’s time for this:

Can't believe this was 20 years ago - I remember the campaign so clearly as a kid at the time www.shetnews.co.uk/2026/06/06/r...

Updated my island populations graph - the long sweep of the past century really is quite grim for the Western Isles (and Scottish islands generally), while Faroe and the Crown dependencies continue to surge upwards.

One of the Reform Jersey MPs suggested that they need to consider changing their name, because they think voters might have confused them with Reform UK.

Jersey (UK Crown Dependency) election: chief minister (head of government) Lyndon Farnham (Ind.-*) has been re-elected on the senatorial ballot. Centre-left Reform Jersey (RJ-*) leader Sam Mézec failed to win a seat on the ballot, and has lost his seat in the parliament. #JerseyElection2026

So annoying — getting William the Conqueror's emails again

I'm watching coverage of the Jersey General Election results. Not 100% certain how it all works, but the BBC's coverage is fab. www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/epis...

Every new piece of information I learn about electoral systems in the Channel Islands causes me to question every life decision that led me to this point

Just heard and saw a low plane flying over - turns out it's a London to Seattle flight that turned around over the Highlands and got diverted to Edinburgh?

Enjoyed my first proper visit to @cymerafestival.co.uk today! I was impressed by how committed the organisers seem to promoting and highlighting new and upcoming writers, even providing slots to deliver readings at the beginning of panels with more established authors.

Not now, devastating mice plagues in Australia

In just five days, my local weather station has recorded almost as much rain as in each of the past two months

My Grandad served in the Royal Navy during D-Day - the only detail he recounted in his memoirs was helping to recover sailors from a wrecked ship, but he also added: "Eisenhower, who was Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces, sent us all an encouraging letter, which was nice of him."

This feels like losing a beloved uncle.

Oh, bloody hell. Far too young. And it was such a intelligent, influential, and painfully honest book.

A major fire broke out at St. Petersburg’s oil terminal after a mass drone attack on Russia’s Leningrad region. The blaze erupted just hours before the opening of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum — often referred to as Russia’s version of Davos. www.kyivpost.com/post/77390

Interesting changes to FMQs, now held twice a week with a session for backbench MSPs and one for party leaders. A separate session for backbenchers is unique internationally in terms of how parliaments organise the questioning of heads of government in the plenary. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

When a new Australian pollster is formed, God flips a coin and it gets a name that's either like "Agenda C Synesis" or "Fox & Hedgehog"

"The Earth is getting warmer because..." Mostly because of human activity: 48% (+3) Mostly because of natural patterns: 22% (-4) No solid evidence of it: 12% (-2) Pew Research / March 22, 2026 (% Change With 2022)

National Parliament Election in Malta 🇲🇹 🇪🇺 The final results show that the centre-left Labour Party (S&D) wins the most seats in parliament. Only two parties enter the national parliament. #Malta Explore the data: europeelects.eu/2026/05/16/e...

An impressively detailed Wikipedia article about a by-election in Samoa (24 citations!) - things like this remind me why it's such a valuable resource en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Va...

🤔 Peter Jackson Is Negotiating with the Tolkien Estate for More Rights — Including The Silmarillion www.theonering.com/peter-jackso...

There should be a German word for the grief of losing easy access to journals once you're no longer affiliated with a university.

Pointing the way.

Where is the most beautiful place in the world? And why is it Shetland?

Lovely migration story: www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...