Was in die Stasi ist das?! “Applicants could be asked to supply all phone numbers they have used in the past five years, all email addresses from the past 10 years, and detailed information about immediate family members, including their names, dates and places of birth, and current addresses.”

🇮🇪+🇪🇸 demonstrated principled leadership, yet again, on the issue of Israeli genocide. The EuSoCo is and always has been political. Countries including 🇬🇧🇫🇷🇩🇪🇮🇹 hiding behind a charade of neutrality to avoid a tough decision (which should be easy) is an abdication of moral responsibility. #eurovision

It’s so telling that the G20 is far more effective on climate without certain destructive elements present. A permanent G18 (sans the two pariahs across the Bering strait) could be a great option.

COP30 was a failure. When a coalition of petro states led by Saudi Arabia and Russia red-line mention of fossil fuels, and the outcome is treating the symptom not the cause, it’s a failure. This jamboree needs massive overhaul. Much like the UN itself.

As predicted, and incredibly smart diplomacy: Australia controls the negotiations, gets moral praise from the Pacific for ‘trying’ to host COP, and incurs none of the costs. Well played. #auspol

Reports of the death of democracy are, happily, greatly exaggerated. Australia’s principled and proactive approach to securing democratic norms in the Pacific is a tremendous tribute to quiet, effective middle power diplomacy. #auspol

🐝 Pretty cool / un-bee-lievable🐝 #bee #conservation #australia

This is grotesque in a world with malnutrition and environmental degradation. 12.5% could fund the entirety of global tropical forests protection. A single figure %’age could rebuild Gaza. No one deserves $1 TRILLION. Shareholders should be ashamed. @teslatakedown.com @lilyjamali.bsky.social

A perfect example of why the Australian government cannot be trusted on climate - it fails at every step. And that’s both sides of the aisle - for decades. Pacific nations are right to call out Australia’s hypocrisy in seeking to host a climate COP while actively undermining climate progress.

“To survive, the United Nations must leave America” - a short essay by Carl Bildt @cbildt.bsky.social

The @theguardian.com cartoonist @bjennings90.bsky.social absolutely nails it. Highly recommend his piercing observations 👌🏻

The UN concludes that Israel is committing genocide. “Israel is responsible for genocide in Gaza…there is an intent to destroy the Palestinians in Gaza through acts that meet the criteria set forth in the Genocide Convention” - Navi Pillay, Chair of UN Commission. #ohchr #israel #genocide

🤷🏼‍♂️ there goes that Swedish prize 😏

Don’t suppose you could do a piece on the Daily on why an ex-Victorian State Premier was invited to (and actually) stood in this motley line-up? @andrewmueller.bsky.social

Collective punishment of civilians is a war crime under international law: one war crime amongst many in Israel’s ongoing slaughter of the Palestinian population. The ICC should indict Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz for war crimes, in addition to its existing indictment of Israel’s PM.

Sophocles’ ancient play Antigone ~440 B.C., says "no one loves the messenger who brings bad news". Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra used the same motif. Plutarch described kings decapitating messengers who brought news of invading armies, leading to a lack of information and eventual downfall.

🇦🇺 In a principled response to Netanyahu’s personal attacks on Australia’s PM, our Minister for Home Affairs @tonyburkemp.bsky.social noted that "Strength is not measured by how many people you can blow up or how many children you can leave hungry.” Israel should indict its PM for war crimes per ICC.

📊 “Firing the head of a key government agency because you don’t like the figures they report is what happens in authoritarian countries, not democratic ones” - Larry Summers, former US Treasury Secretary.

🇨🇦🍁 Now the indicted war criminals crimes against humanity threaten hundreds of billions in North American trade via a slavish and complicit US administration. History will be the judge. May the True North remain strong and free. 🇨🇦

Over 2 million people in Gaza are facing man-made starvation at the hands of the Israeli government, headed by a man wanted by the #ICC for war crimes. Those turning a blind eye to an unfolding genocide are morally complicit.

✈️ We can only hope that one day, the Russian criminals responsible for this crime against humanity are brought to justice ⚖️

Persian literature is ancient and fascinating. One of my favourite quotes is “whoever sows the wind shall reap the whirlwind.” 🌪️

Called out by the UN - another terrific example of the incompetence of this government - supporting fossil fuel projects which actively destroy 40,000 year old indigenous heritage. @tanyaplibersekmp.bsky.social #auspol

🔥 Exactly what we’ve come to expect from the Albanese government: retrogressive policy based on a complete lack of vision. This is exactly why we’re seeing the two-party duopoly falling in favour of progressive independents.

🦘🇦🇺 Sounds about right for Australia.

So Netanyahu’s 55,000 person ongoing #genocide and egregious war crimes wasn’t enough to stop the slaughter but pictures of Israel’s artificial famine-stricken innocent Palestinian children might be. Grim progress of a sort. His arrest by the ICC can’t come soon enough.

🤞🏻 an Angus and Jacinta victory = electoral oblivion for the next six years #auspol

Summing up the UK-US ‘trade deal’, the latter’s Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins said “It can’t be understated how important this deal is”. Agreed.

@patskarvelas.bsky.social - Please could you could ask the ‘why’ on The Nationals so fulsomely supporting nuclear? David Speers hasn’t asked the right questions. It’s because the Nats want to avoid having to mitigate livestock emissions, and so want to impose $300b + on taxpayers for their inaction.

“A nation of courage and kindness”. Congratulations Australia. 🇦🇺

🇦🇺 Election day in Australia where voting is compulsory - a major factor behind our largely centrist politics. I’m reminded that only 8% of the world enjoys the privilege of living in a full democracy. In true Aussie tradition, I’ll celebrate casting my ballot by eating a democracy sausage 🌭 #auspol

The end of the source of ‘exorbitant privilege’ and democratic rot can’t come soon enough.

A devastating sign of the grim times. 📡

Searching for the word for a leader of a country who ignores the decisions of the judicial system and acts without fear of repercussion…

Could not agree more. 🚫

The title of the report by one of the world’s leading human rights organisations speaks for itself. @hrw.org - thank you for speaking truth to power and for the incredibly important work you do 🙏🏻

Vive le Canada 🇨🇦

‘Competitive authoritarianism’ - government using window-dressed democracy for credibility, with rigged scales (Levitsky, Way, 2002 and 2020). The evisceration of a professional civil service, media suppression and weaponisation of the state apparatus á la Turkey, Venezuela, Russia, and now the US.

Germany's new Chancellor called the US 'indifferent' to Europe. Shocking, but an understatement. If a hostile populist US won't honour Article 5, the old NATO is already dead. A new democratic alliance is needed (EU, UK, KR, JP, NZ, AU, CA etc) to counter authoritarian China, US, Iran, Russia axis.

“It is worth being decent”. Poland’s foreign minister is one of the most effective communicators on the international stage: compelling, clear, deliberative, and utterly mesmerising. He has a way of cutting through to the kernel of truth matter of factly. Slava Ukraine. @radek-sikorski.bsky.social

🤔💭 In this age of active disinformation, critical thinking is more important than ever. “If you're not careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed, and loving the people who are doing the oppressing.” Malcolm X: assassinated 60 years ago. History rhyming.

🎵 oh what a treat! Complete with military marching bands no doubt @feap.bsky.social

“A people that loves freedom will in the end be free.” - Simón Bolívar

That US$500 bn might best be partly used to support the fundamental critical architecture on which success relies.

“Those who fail to learn from history are condemned to repeat it." - Winston Churchill

I imagine this is somewhat akin to watching the enthronement of Emperor Caligula and the fall of Rome in one. Morbidly fascinating, and best viewed from a safe distance.

Glad for the ceasefire. I’m sure that once the dust has settled, and when the reputational risk to naming it genocide and calling for accountability for war crimes and crimes against humanity has gone, those silent millions will suddenly be voiceless no more. Tyranny relies on apathy and cowardice.

💡Funding dynamics & the progressives’ (in)ability to achieve objectives, including our allergy (through a misplaced sense of loyalty) but desperate need to name and cut: “existing but ineffective… zombie ‘base-building’ organizations that should have sunsetted … [and] lumber along without purpose.”

🔥 2024 was the first year to reach this grim milestone. The lack of urgency in tackling its causes will ensure it sadly won’t be the last. +2 degrees is now spoken of as optimistic. We must redouble our efforts 🌏.

🔥 The recent fire has been devastating. 8,000 businesses and up to 30,000 livelihoods destroyed by the flames. No, not the one with wall-to-wall media coverage because it affects the well-heeled of Hollywood - but in Kantamanto, the world’s largest secondhand textile market in Accra, Ghana.