Rostock #DDR, 1978 © Lars Henrik Pontoppidan via Facebook. Run-down for sure, but those of us who still have fond memories of the time & the place will also see a softness, a tranquility, a lack of pretentiousness, a simplicity & a reminder of a time when appearances and money weren't everything

Life in the #DDR: #Naumburg 1988, returning home with the shopping © Reimund Schwarz via mittelhessen.de I love this one! That old lady with the bike's going to be me in a few years' time! 😉 #GDR #EastGermany

Today, Donald Trump must have woken up today to the news of the world supporting President Zelenskyy. May trump’s fall be never-ending. #SlavaUkraini 🇺🇦

UK Prime Minister Starmer hugs Zelensky as he welcomes him to 10 Downing Street. This is how you welcome the leader of the free world.

HEY EVERYONE REMEMBER WHEN TRUMP WAS IMPEACHED FOR DENYING AID TO UKRAINE BECAUSE HE WANTED ZELENSKY TO LIE AND SAY BAD THINGS ABOUT BIDEN AND ZELENKSY WOULDN’T DO IT? Maybe literally one fucking American newspapers could mention this in their, “think pieces,” about what happened yesterday.

Calling all #Canadians! #Petition calling on the Prime Minister of #Canada to revoke Elon Musk's citizenship: www.ourcommons.ca/petitions/en... Please share widely even if you're not Canadian yourself

So in the end, and rather unsurprisingly, the CDU did not win any voters from the far-right AfD by aligning their positions on migration and voting with them in parliament. Instead, they lost almost a million voters to the AfD

This was very reassuring, I must say. No more pretending everything is normal anymore as during the election campaign. Things have to move now, and fast.

Honestly: just imagine. And imagine the implication for Ukraine. For all our miserabilism and self-deprecation, British actions currently matter a great deal, especially now that America is in retreat.

Some excellent recommendations here

"Be careful. When a democracy is sick, fascism comes to its bedside, but it is not to inquire about its health." Attributed to Albert Camus

I tend to find Owen Jones a bit hit and miss as a commentator, but this paragraph (taken from www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...) is absolutely spot on in my view.

Here is something from a contract lawyer's perspective. Trump is not "transactional", for he will never be bound. Indeed, he is anti-transactional. A transaction is an exchange, an agreement. But for Trump the agreement is only there to be repudiated, so to gain leverage for his next demand.

These people are amazing. If you're concerned about what's happening in the US right now – and who in their right mind isn't? – I really recommend giving them a follow.

Was schützt vor Desinformation? Ein starker, unabhängiger öffentlich-rechtlicher Rundfunk trägt mit dazu bei, Menschen vor Fehl- und Desinformation zu schützen Deshalb: Hier kann man die Petition „Unser ORF“ unterstützen, und sich gegen eine Zerstörung des ORF aussprechen Empfehlung!

Angela Merkel kritisiert Friedrich Merz. Ein Schritt, den sie bisher nie gehen wollte. Damit macht sie noch einmal deutlich, was für eine Zäsur das gestern war. Egal wem Merz und Linnemann das in die Schuhe schieben wollen. Sie haben sich nicht an ihre eigenen Standards und Versprechen gehalten.

NEW Public Resource Tracker: Legal Challenges to Trump Administration Actions A catalogue compiling all the legal challenges facing the #TrumpAdministration’s executive orders and actions.

Another miserably short-sighted move. Our adversaries, like Russia & China, are busily expanding as the BBC WS contracts. Key tools of UK soft power are being sacrificed - & thanks to cuts to BBC Monitoring, the UK won't even know what narratives it needs to counter.

Posted by the Buddenbrookshaus on FB today, for reasons my German-speaking followers who have been following the news from Germany (www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...) will immediately understand. If you haven't yet read it, Klaus Mann's Mephisto is a Must Read for our times, whether in ENG or GER.

Just three in 10 Britons (30 per cent) say that it was right for the UK to vote to leave the EU, compared to 55 per cent who say it was wrong, a new YouGov poll has shown www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...

Astonishing. I felt panic for @bbcstever.bsky.social. It went on for 30mins. Lukashenko kept coming back to him, more and more annoyed. "We don't shut anyone's mouth. Prison is for people who opened their mouth too wide ... You're asking me whatever you want. Don't overdo it, Steve!" Chilling. ~AA

Another great piece from the Guardian. It could not be clearer that we liberals need to wake up to the fact that the old ways of doing politics – discourse, argument, nuance, facts and details – just don't – can't – work anymore. www.theguardian.com/news/2025/ja...

I'm exhausted by all the people out there who are trying to prove they're each the most cynical world-weary disillusioned person who's not gonna ever do a fucking thing ever except dump on everything and expect to be admired for that. Wrote about that in 2016:

Didn't vote for Starmer, don't like the bloke and the overall trajectory of his government... but fair's fair, credit where credit is due and all that. Twenty positives that, as @bylinetimes.bsky.social says, you're unlikely to know much - if anything - about. I certainly didn't.

I agree - understanding positions we don't agree with, from a place of curiosity not emotionality, is key. Difference is inherently difficult, which is why we must engage with it!

More details in the thread. Please share widely.

Kein Wunder, dass der Eindruck entsteht, Gewaltkriminalität in Deutschland sei vor allem eine Sache von Ausländern. Stimmt nur nicht.

I realise you probably don't *think* you want to look at photos of slime mould, but I promise you you really do. Some of the most extraordinary and beautiful images you'll ever see. www.barrywebbimages.co.uk/Images/Macro...

The people of Ukraine have valiantly fought to defend their democracy and freedom. Donald Trump has only ever fought to enrich himself and his cronies. Britain must stand with Ukraine against Putin. Article by @mikeysmith.com

Quite simply THE BEST article I've read on the rise of the populist far-right and the urgent need for progressives to wake up to the new realities. I can't recommend it highly enough.

This is the face of courage and compassion. Thank you Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde for speaking truth to power on behalf of the marginalized.

If you don't want a diverse workplace, you don't deserve a diverse consumer base……… ✊🏾

Note: The person giving the sermon in question is Bishop Mariann Budde, the Episcopal Bishop of Washington. Rep. Collins is suggesting deporting a U.S. citizen and bishop for delivering a sermon in a house of worship in accordance with her faith.

Let’s just stop buying American products. We did it with South Africa. I’ve got zero interest in propping up an authoritarian regime. We’ve got plenty of countries we can trade with.

Wow. Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde fearlessly calls out Trump and Vance to their faces. This is heroic. (posting in 3 parts due to Bluesky's 1 minute limit)

I mean my German is rudimentary at best but I don’t think this means “he was sending his heart to the crowd”

Please move left and address the poverty and inequality @teamlabouruk.bsky.social 🙏🏼 I fear that the angry and marginalised will vote Reform out of anger if you don’t. ( I will never understand how anyone could vote for such a party) God forbid- this could be us in 4 years time otherwise)

If you’re craving wholesome news, the farm sanctuary where I volunteer made a wonderful goat named Bonnie their mayor today.

Serious question: who is it now?

"Give not this rotten orange to your friend" (Much Ado About Nothing, Act IV, Sc 1)

I'm not normally vindictive. But I'm prepared to make exceptions ...

Today, honor a King, not a Felon. #mlkday2025

Word

I didn't think anything could make me genuinely LOL today, but this has just done it. Though I cried afterwards, obviously.

"Masculine Energy"

This individual is about to become Assistant Secretary of State and Chief of Protocol of the United States of America.

From Red Bird, © Mary Oliver, 2008

Lots of really useful tips here for anyone who's still on Facebook and/or Instagram: www.eff.org/deeplinks/20...