Timeline cleanse

Horrific, horrific news from Alder Hey in Liverpool. And I’m already seeing anti-vax nonsense in response to this tragic news on social media. We are living in such dangerous times.

The impact of cuts to US data will be global: my letter in @financialtimes.com today on.ft.com/465WTiF

My first time in Le Monde, on how the US administration is erasing vital global datasets, and what to do about it: www.lemonde.fr/idees/articl...

Ahead of our Data for Development event on 17 June feat. @clairemelamed.bsky.social @timdobermann.bsky.social & others as part of #LSEFestival our Zambia senior country manager outlines the challenges of data in developing countries & what a demand-first strategy looks like. Read the blog:

Very excited to contribute to panel on data & development, 17 June, come along!

The US rep to the IEA said that "pursuing offshore wind power would make countries reliant on China." It's instructive to explore this sort of claim, in particular for what it reveals about those claiming it. Two points:🧵

This. Spain has the good fortune to have vast wind and solar resources and the good sense to invest enthusiastically in them. It's on track to being Europe's green energy superpower.

As the dust begins to settle in the post-USAID funding landscape, one thing is becoming clear for the development sector: this moment offers a critical opportunity to reshape digital systems and data policy. Read our latest blog as we discuss what this reimagined data ecosystem could look like.

Locking up the classics/econ crossover audience

I have tariffed the penguins that are on Heard Island and which you were probably assuming did not export goods forgive me they were taking advantage of us so cunning and so cold

No spoilers but Wordle is backing #TeamPenguin today

What's going on with #data in the US? Good summary of present and possible future implications... www.ft.com/content/a2cb...

Delighted and honoured to have been appointed to the UN Working Group on Data Governance. The agenda is BIG: fundamental principles; interoperability frameworks; fair sharing of benefits & safe data flows. Please get in touch if you have ideas or views! unctad.org/topic/commis...

EXCL: Anneliese Dodds, the international development minister, has quit her post over Keir Starmer’s decision to slash the international aid budget by almost half to pay for a generational increase in defence spending.

Find open data about USAID programmes (and some sources which have been taken down) @mikerstephens.bsky.social @ruthtownend.bsky.social @alanbeattie.bsky.social @duncangreenlse.bsky.social @joethwaites.bsky.social @dhnnjyn.bsky.social @mclem.org @davidmcnair.bsky.social @terencewoodnz.bsky.social

What a chart. Source: energyathaas.wordpress.com/2025/02/03/s...

Today seems a good day to read @samuelmarclowe.bsky.social. But then, why would you ever not read someone who writes the sentence: 'I quite enjoy working my way through retaliatory tariff lists and reverse engineering the rationale'. mostfavourednation.substack.com/p/the-art-of...

📣 Very nearly the last call for the @data4sdgs.bsky.social 2024 Partners survey 🤔 We need to know what you think so we can use the team's time in the best way to support the network ⌛ And it only takes a few minutes to fill out 👏 Thank you!!! www.surveymonkey.com/r/2024Partne...

Absolutely loved this. Will restore, in a very thoughtful & realistic way, your faith in the UN & international action. Thank you @tomfletcherun.bsky.social @therestpolitics.bsky.social podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/l...

We are very excited to introduce two new members of our Board of Trustees: Claire Melamed (@clairemelamed.bsky.social) and Michael Blastland! We are truly grateful that the two of them have chosen to dedicate their time and expertise to help us achieve our mission. Welcome, Claire and Michael!

So excited to be joining the Board of an organisation I've long admired, and really looking forward to working with @hetanshah.bsky.social @maxroser.bsky.social and the team.

I really love our Global Partnership holiday card this year... www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqC_...

Striking how the international development sector mostly has 'data' 'digital' and 'AI' in 3 separate boxes, when it comes to programing, policy engagement and advocacy. This is limiting how useful the work is to people who are actually trying to solve these challenges in government. 2 examples:

It's v hard to integrate new things like data and tech into established institutions, structures & hierarchies But you have to try! Ongoing FCDO reviews are a chance to align domestic policy, global influence & effective development on data & tech www.bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk/blog/power-o...

UK government has big plans for how data and tech can drive growth domestically - how can that approach be the basis for strong partnerships and global influence? Reforms in FCDO offer an opportunity to make this work for UK and the world. www.bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk/blog/power-o...

Reliable & accessible data boosts economic growth. Not just me, @worldbankgroup.bsky.social says so too: blogs.worldbank.org/en/developme...

Yep Conclave is as good as everyone says. Loved it.

For anyone considering Christmas donations, let me strongly recommend this brilliant cause in a local comprehensive school, renovating their Assembly Hall to create an asset for the whole community. @samfr.bsky.social @alastaircampbell2.bsky.social donate.biggive.org/campaign/a05...

Oh, my new book is already available to pre-order - out in April! www.amazon.co.uk/Measure-Prog...

This wrecks me—every single time.

Night reading at Sumbrungu community library in Ghana

Not the biggest thing happening in UK politics today, but this is still a notable moment.

Interesting blog arguing that rise of industrial policy and tensions in multilateralism are creating creeping protectionism in global AI landscape. @bennettinstitute.bsky.social www.bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk/blog/tech-pr...

Interesting interview just now with Azerbaijan ambassador on @SkyNews with @SkyYaldaHakim. He insicates UK has NEVER scrutinised them or challenged them on the fact that UK car exports rose by an unprecedented 1,900% after sanctions were imposed on Russia 👇

There’s a place where China, Russia & North Korea meet & where there are giant boars & tigers. David Attenborough remaining v calm but possibly the scariest place in the world on every level? www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/epis...

10 years ago I was launching 'A World That Counts' at the UN - and the rest is history www.linkedin.com/feed/update/...

London please help. I’m praying for a miracle, I’ve just got into the office and noticed my mums locket (in all these photos) that I wear every day has fallen off my neck on my walk in. My mum died when I was seven and her jewellery is most of what I have of her. I’m devastated

Intrigued by the People’s Bookshelf at the National Library of Latvia. Each book in the collection has been donated by a member of the public and is inscribed by its former owner, telling a personal story relating to the book.

Denver gave people experiencing homelessness $1k/month. A year later, nearly half had housing. They also had fewer ER visits, nights spent in a hospital, and jail stays. The report estimates that this reduction in public service use SAVED the city $589k. www.businessinsider.com/denver-basic...

The Jaguar rebrand. Don’t care, won’t care. Will never care.

We accidentally ended up with a clinical trial in the music scene here.

Looking good @hampsteadheathcol.bsky.social

A very partial list of people on working on international development or adjacent issues... very UK-dominated so let me know who else I should add or put your own hand up to be added (or removed of course) go.bsky.app/QQqkvjt

Strongly recommend this great @devex.com diary from #COP29 for anyone wanting a sense of what it's actually like there www.devex.com/news/reporte...

Great week in beautiful Medellin for #UNDataForum. Pleasure to be on a panel describing how the UN/World Bank/Global Partnership’s Power of Data platform bring together UN convening & World Bank financing to scale up progress. www.data4sdgs.org/initiatives/...

What the #SudlowReview has to do with data for development... (spoiler: it's not products, it's politics!) www.linkedin.com/feed/update/...

Please. Someone. Make it stop.

Typically great paper from Stefaan Verhulst on challenges in the climate data ecosystem. Key message is moving away from model of data 'ownership' to 1 of 'stewardship' in order to tackle the big questions of power, inequality in a way that supports public interest www.cambridge.org/core/journal...