Taking a quick step back from yesterday's news to remind everyone that the annual Agnes Flues memorial park run will take place tomorrow (8/11) at 9 AM. Throw on some @UCU.org.uk colours and join us as we honour this absolute legend.

That the UK - one of the architects of this fund, designed to save the world’s forests - is now refusing to put any money into it is frankly shameful. Starmer’s claim that he still continues to back the fund is meaningless without resources - so much for climate leadership

A cowardly and stupid response. Social media needs regulation.

AI in journalism is an important discussion to have but can we talk about humans in journalism first?

I've just seen a 15 second Sunday Times advert on YouTube which can only be described as a political attack. It was just a bloke saying Labour has broken its promises on tax. No mention of the paper or other product. Just a logo. How is this within the advertising code?

The government has announced yet another proposed anti-protest law: a new criminal offence of protesting outside the home of someone in public office "where their intention is to influence them in their role or an aspect of their private life", with a maximum sentence of 6 months’ imprisonment.

In what world is a major communication network allowed to spread far-right false news? We need serious regulation of social media and in particular bot/ai activity.

It's not a grassroots working class movement. "Wherever we looked for prominent flaggers and leaders of this movement, we found people smugglers and sex doll salesmen, people with dubious criminal pasts and people willing to put in a good word for Adolf Hitler." manchestermill.co.uk/the-men-who-...

Next Saturday (8/11) at 9 AM, we will honour our dearly missed colleague Agnes Flues with our annual park run in Wollaton Hall. Arrive in time to volunteer, participate, or spectate, and please wear UCU colours (pink and purple) in remembrance of Agnes! www.parkrun.org.uk/wollatonhall/

As paramilitary forces seized control of El-Fasher, journalists became both witnesses and victims of the city’s collapse. At least 13 reporters are missing under blackout, others abducted or sexually assaulted by RSF fighters. “Every hour, we lose another voice.” Read more:

“I haven’t seen violence like this since Rwanda. The velocity and ferocity of the RSF killing civilians since Sunday is unlike anything I’ve seen in 26 years of doing this work, and HRL [Yale Humanitarian Research Lab] has been reporting on the RSF and the Sudanese war for a while.” Incredibly grim

“The right to protest has come under sustained attack from the British government across administrations and party lines,” - new report @fidh-official.bsky.social

#IDEI2025📢: Since the start of 2025, 99 journalists have been killed. Rising violence against media professionals threatens press freedom everywhere. We demand justice and accountability: fighting impunity is a universal responsibility. #EndImpunity ➡️ www.ifj.org/end-impunity...

We keep hearing about “difficult choices” to justify spending cuts. Real difficult choices are between heating and eating, paying your rent or your bills. The government can make another choice, and it’s not difficult: tax the super-rich.

A damning report on how Police in Scotland handled protests about Gaza. Full report available here: www.scottishactivistlegalproject.co.uk/from-scotlan... Oh, and I did the report's layout & design.

Nottingham is on the list: Tuesday 18th November, 1pm. An odd day/time but presumably there are reasons.

Some really amazing photos from @tregenza.bsky.social of our most recent rally. Was an honour to host @drjogrady.bsky.social from @UCU.org.uk HQ to hear how our fight in Nottingham is in lock step with the fight for higher education nationally and globally.

UK journalist Sami Hamdi detained in the U.S. for criticizing Israel. Apparently, free speech is fine… until it’s inconvenient. #FreeSamiHamdi #PressFreedom #ChillingEffect Trump ally Laura Loomer, who has called herself a “proud Islamophobe”, took credit for it. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

s/o to @tregenza.bsky.social for making me look all cool and stuff at @uonucu.bsky.social's latest rally (he's also responsible for my new profile picture)

Voted! 15,000 jobs and counting at risk across HE. Including now UoN: 350 lost in P1, how many in P2? A failed market sector championed by employers. A derisory 1.4% pay offer, in case we did not realise how staff are valued! @ucu.org.uk @uonucu.bsky.social

9% still trust Labour? I'm surprised it's that high.

I love living in a country where the law about what bathroom I can use is genuinely UNKNOWABLE, it’s like something from a Joseph Heller novel

Describe a character in Greek mythology the way someone trying to defend a politician would. I’ll start. Oedipus: Like you’ve never had sex with someone and regretted it later

I've been digging around in academic research on "journalistic accuracy". It's a broad and complicated topic but the best attention grabbing single number is: "Sources found errors in 61% of local news and feature stories" www.researchgate.net/publication/... 1/2

#Ukraine: Awful news 🔴 We condemn the killing of war correspondent Olena Gramova and cameraman Yevgen Karmazin by a drone attack in Kramatorsk on 23 October. Only this month, 4 journalists have been killed in Ukraine. We call for a swift investigation. @efjeurope.bsky.social @stommedia.bsky.social

We're fighting on the local level, but it's a fight we are all a part of, across the sector, and across higher education nationally and globally. HUGE thank you to @drjogrady.bsky.social for joining us today. When we fight together, we win! Solidarity!!! ✊

How Accurate is this BBC News Report about the Accuracy of AI News Reports? Out of curiosity I decided to check that "45%" figure mentioned below and which features in the headline of the BBC report. Now maybe I'm being dumb, but that 45% number sort of appears from nowhere. To explain... 1/

All Labour had to do was oppose a Genocide, not pick battles with vulnerable groups in society and make peoples lives just slightly better. It wasn’t a hard task but they failed spectacularly.

The London Business School might want to rethink the name of this course. www.london.edu/executive-ed...

The death toll of media workers who have died during the war in Gaza has increased to 224 following the death of Ahmed Abu Mutair. He was killed during a rocket strike whilst working as an engineer for Palestine Media Production for the German public broadcaster ZDF www.nuj.org.uk/resource/pal...

I could write 10,000 words on this shirts semiotics and how the far-right measures patriotism by quantity not quality. Photo from Lincoln's small "Unite The Right" demo and the much larger counter-protest. Full gallery: tregenza.com/lincoln-unit...

"Tax wealth, not work" This is a brilliant line and should be the Green party's slogan. Not because of its politics but because it is a conversation starter. It opens doors to talk about a vast array of subjects and yet clearly defines where the party stands.

Not every journalist needs to worry about location tracking — but when it matters, it really matters. Our latest guide helps you assess when location tracking risks apply to your work — and what steps you can take to mitigate those risks when they do.

It's clear Trump isn't killing these people for the reason he claims, but why are these people being targeted? It all seems too deliberate and targeted for Trump.

Sign of the day.

Fellow US faculty, it might be a good idea to begin drafting resolutions opposing the Trump loyalty oaths, if you haven't already. Happy to share some resources sent around by the AAUP yesterday, if interested--just DM me.

There is a difference between going into a bar and seeing a few Nazis in it; and going into a bar you know is owned by a nazi, with Nazi propaganda on the wall, and selling a beer called Zyklon B.

The transcripts from the OceanGate investigation are heavily redacted to protect the witnesses anonymity.

Can we stop using mental health as an excuse for being racist l.

One of the things I liked about Starmer when he first became leader was his political adroitness. After Corbyn's clumsy footwork, it was pleasing to see someone who knew how to manoeuvre. But since being PM, Starmer has taken every opportunity to find political quicksand.

“In a letter to Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, Council of Europe human rights commissioner Michael O'Flaherty said law changes had allowed authorities to ‘impose excessive limits on freedom of assembly’.” https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy4pl4pzg87o

A solicitor and the shadow justice minister claiming people fighting in the street is part of the "Rhythm of British life". It's a sentence that would be absurd even 12 months ago. [Photo: The Rhythm of Life, Long Eaton, 6th September]

The Council of Europe has warned that the UK gov’s treatment of trans people may breach human rights law. This must be a wake up call. We’ve seen an increase in hostility towards trans in recent years. Everyone deserves dignity, safety, & respect - that includes trans people.

At every far-right demo there are people who go on about lefty counter protesters being paid and genuinely seem to believe it. It's an amazing bit of cognitive dissonance to explain away the fact other people have different opinions.

Reporting on the Palestinians being released, the BBC News talks of "detainees" who are Palestinians snatched of the street without even the pretence of a legal system. But remember, you are only a hostage if you come from the Ostage region of Isreal, otherwise you are just a sparkling nobody.

Many women with low incomes struggle to access the mental health support they need. Nottingham Women's Centre is raising funds to provide free, life-changing specialist therapy for these women in our city. Donate to their campaign here: donate.biggive.org/campaign/a05...

The targeted Oct. 13, 2023 Israeli attack that killed @reuters.com journalist Issam Abdallah and wounded 6 others in south Lebanon was a war crime, a United Nations rapporteur said Friday. Journalists are civilians under international humanitarian law — they are #NotATarget. tinyurl.com/y6e42uhb

Have you noticed how the BBC keeps describing the Gaza ceasefire as "Trump's agreement"? Why? What did he actually do to claim credit?

Big thank you to whoever has been putting these up around Beeston.

Future historians are going to have a tough time explaining this.