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David Owen

@dodo938.bsky.social
2.2K followers 683 following 369 posts

Sportswriter, biographer of racehorses, Francophile, ex-FT, Authors CC. New book: Aux Armes! - Sport and the French - www.thenightwatchman.net/buy/aux-ar…

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John Harris @johnharris1969.bsky.social · 4h
Latest from me: social care was this big thing at Labour conference. So why did neither Andy Burnham nor Yvette Cooper mention disability? www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
theguardian.com
Social care for disabled adults is in as much crisis as support for elderly people – so why is the government silent about it? | John Harris
Working-age adults such as my son, who is autistic, face an unreliable system, yet ministers talk only of a national care service for older people, says Guardian columnist John Harris
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David Owen @dodo938.bsky.social · 55m
You can't any longer treat pensioners as a monolithic group. Those on basic state pension will almost all be struggling. Those with a private pension will very often be doing fine. The former probably still need the TL. The latter don't. What % of pensioners are the latter?
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Nick Webb @nickwebb2017.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
🏏BBC county championship cricket live text page gets 27.8 million page views across the summer, averaging 464K per day Thanks to all who’ve joined us to follow red-ball cricket this year 👏🏽😎
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Somerset Confidential @somersetconf.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Well folks if you follow Somerset Confidential you might like to know that we’ve been interviewed by @Channel4news.bsky.social who are doing a series on modern journalism and combatting news deserts. We are told it will be shown on 7pm Channel 4 news either tonight (1 Oct) or tomorrow (2 October)…
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Gavin Esler @gavinesler.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
I do wonder what some politicians are scared of ….
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Manchester University Press @manchesterup.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Join authors @lilydunn.bsky.social and Blake Morrison at @gowerst-books.bsky.social where they'll be discussing their latest books on the power and importance of memoir writing. A must-attend event for any writer or reader of memoir. Tickets: www.waterstones.com/events/the-p... #London #booksky
waterstones.com
The Power of Memoir: Lily Dunn & Blake Morrison in conversation with Richard Beard | Events at Waterstones Bookshops | Waterstones
Events at Waterstones get you closer to the books and authors you admire most. Find information and tickets about The Power of Memoir: Lily Dunn & Blake Morrison in conversation with Richard Beard…
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Paul Bernal @paulbernal.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
The ‘harm’ from immigration is illusionary. The harm from too little immigration is all too real.
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Matthew Stewart @roguestrands.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
No way I can compete with the major poetry publishers who get collections stocked by bricks-and-mortar bookshops But I do have word of mouth and all you wonderful people here on Bluesky, pushing the numbers of readers of Whatever You Do, Just Don't far beyond the sales of the big boys. Thank you!
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BladeoftheSun @bladeofthes.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
The number of people who go bankrupt every year because of medical bills. Norway - 0 UK - 0 France - 0 Spain - 0 Portugal - 0 Denmark - 0 Australia - 0 Iceland - 0 Italy - 0 Finland - 0 Ireland - 0 Germany - 0 Netherlands - 0 Sweden - 0 Japan - 0 Canada - 0 United States - 643k
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Anti-Reform @antireform.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
"Representing the magical melting pot of the Midlands" via Birmingham Now "Birmingham artist makes community Union Jack from lamppost flags" www.birmingham-now.co.uk/news/2657889...
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Alan Beattie @alanbeattie.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Will keep boringly saying this (no disrespect to OP): it's not a health surcharge. It's not hypothecated to the NHS; you can't choose not to pay it and thereby eschew healthcare. You could equally call it an education or roads surcharge. It's using the NHS's sanctified status to rip off immigrants.
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Tony Tassell @tonytassell.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
100th anniversary today of the birth of Don Dunstan, former premier of my home state. I would not describe many politicans as an inspiration but he was really one. Remarkable list of achievements. An interview here with Mike Rann, another premier here on Dunstan www.abc.net.au/news/2026-09...
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Alice Fraser @alicefraser.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
One downside of algorithmic enshittification is artists get trained to be repetitive. If I’m told 2% of my audience will see any given post, it’s an incentive to repeat a joke or a plug 50x. Which means the most loyal people who TRY to follow all your stuff will get hosepiped away by boredom.
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Cornish Skipper #FBPE #RejoinEU 🇪🇺🔶🌹💚💙 @cornishskipper.wsocial.eu · 14/09/2026
“UK goods exports to the EU have fallen by £27 billion since Brexit. Exports remain roughly 18% below pre-2019 levels. And around one in seven UK businesses have stopped trading with the EU altogether.” #RejoinEU www.eureporter.co/world/uk/bre...
eureporter.co
The impact of Brexit on trade uncertainty
The UK’s trade ambitions are clear: open new markets, reduce border friction, and make it genuinely easier for small businesses to compete globally. The government’s 2025 Trade Strategy frames this as...
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Financial Times @financialtimes.com · 11/09/2026
Breaking news: A military aircraft entering 'spurious' flight data into the UK’s air traffic control system led to an outage that caused thousands of planes to be grounded and unleashed a crisis that threatens to topple the head of the agency.
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Julia Laite @julialaite.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
25 years ago, almost every plane that was over the North Atlantic when the second tower was hit was forced to land in Newfoundland. A call was on the radio: they needed folks who spoke various languages to come to the stadium to help organize the sea of humanity that just showed up at our door.
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Giles Wilkes @gilesyb.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
It's always the way, isn't it giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...
Graph shows far right support higher where the number of foreign nationals is lowest
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Lucy Fisher @lucyfisher.ft.com · 09/09/2026
EXC: Anthropic declined to submit its latest model to Britain’s AI Security Institute for testing before release, the first time a major model withheld from AISI Move has prompted fears in UK govt that tech firms are falling into line with Trump admin’s AI protectionism www.ft.com/content/560e...
ft.com
Anthropic withheld latest AI model from UK testing agency
Decision to exclude Aisi has prompted fears inside British government of protectionist shift among tech groups
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Cold War Steve @coldwarsteve.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
The Haywain 2026
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Dr Jo Kershaw @mthrjo.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
The RNLI have some of the best people in Britain volunteering for them. They put their lives on the line when they are called on and they will rescue anyone who needs them. Because every life matters, and offering help is the right thing to do. You can donate here: rnli.org
rnli.org
RNLI - Royal National Lifeboat Institution - Saving Lives at Sea
The RNLI is the charity that saves lives at sea. We do this through lifeboat search and rescue, lifeguards, water safety education and international interventions.
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Le Monde @lemonde.fr · 07/09/2026
Météo-France a enregistré 40,3 °C à Lavaur, dans le Tarn, dimanche, nouveau record national de chaleur pour septembre
lemonde.fr
Météo-France a enregistré 40,3 °C à Lavaur, dans le Tarn, dimanche, nouveau record national de chaleur pour septembre
Le précédent record était de 40,2 °C à Pissos dans les Landes et datait du 12 septembre 2022.
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Gregory Norminton @gregorynorminton.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
Now let’s get one hundred climate protestors in balaclavas to block a road and see how little talk there is from politicians and the BBC about ‘legitimate concerns’, even though it’s impossible to think of concerns that could be more legitimate.
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Lee Hurley @hleehurley.com · 05/09/2026
As gangs of masked men block Dover port, I will just leave this here www.theguardian.com/environment/...
theguardian.com
Five Just Stop Oil activists receive record sentences for planning to block M25
Campaigners receive longest ever sentences for non-violent protest after being convicted of conspiracy to cause public nuisance
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Hetan Shah @hetanshah.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Support the journalist that did the actual work ⬇️
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The Long Play Sessions @kingsofliam.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
We're excited to welcome @sathnam.bsky.social to The Long Play Sessions to discuss his book, 'Tonight The Music Seemed So Loud', on the life, music and legacy of #georgemichael. Early-bird tickets are available for £5 on the link below. gigantic.com/sathnam-sang... #80sMusic #90sMusic #wham
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Massimo (mirror) @rainmaker1973-m.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
That tiny blue dot is a whale navigating busy ship traffic in Chile’s Gulf of Ancud, tracked for a week. Original post
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Stefan Bienkowski @sbienkowski.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Average transfer fee paid for Premier League players this summer: • When another Premier League club buys them: €33.4m • When a European club buys them: €8.9m
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East Anglia Bylines @eastangliabylines.co.uk · 26/08/2026
Sea Kale's white blooms. Yellow Horned Poppy's waxy leaves. Poisonous Sea Pea seeds. These remarkable plants survive where almost nothing else can. They need to be protected, not swept aside. Rachel Fulcher reports.
eastangliabylines.co.uk
Our rare and fragile Suffolk shingle beaches
Unsuspected treasures – some of national significance – are under your feet as you trip down the beach to run into to the sea
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Jennifer Williams @jenwilliamsft.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
Burnham: vb. to relentlessly pummel with political activity
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Jessica Schulberg @jessicaschulberg.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
Today is my last day at HuffPost. After 11 years, I was laid off as part of the 33% cuts at BuzzFeed. My team, the National desk, was cut from 7 reporters to 3, after being cut from 14 to 7 just over a year ago
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Anders H. Eide @anderseide.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
The Norwegian Government strongly disapproves of the latest US sanctions against officials of the International Criminal Court. Targeting individuals who perform their legal duties undermines the integrity and independence of the international justice system. www.icc-cpi.int/news/icc-str...
icc-cpi.int
The ICC strongly rejects new US sanctions designations
The International Criminal Court deplores the announcement of new designations for sanctions by the US administration against Judge Tomoko Akane (Japan), the President of the Court, and Mr Abdoulaye S...
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Paul Garrard @paulgarrard.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
Good night comrades
Patriotism exists to control you.
With a Joy Division graphic
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Barry Collins @bazzacollins.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
This is a bit strong… confirm your address within 30 days or we’re going to remove you from your GP’s practice list. Especially at this time of year, when people are away and come home to a mat full of mail.
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Neil Miles @neilsmiles.com · 17/08/2026
29th August 1985 - An excited Michael Fish gets to deploy the rarely seen red number as the temperature gets up to an incredible 26 degrees in London!
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Rosamunde Van Brakel @rosamundevb.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
A Dutch bank has warned that Europe risks falling into a “doom loop” in which climate damage slows economic growth, prompting governments to weaken climate policy, and so leaving the continent even more exposed to future heatwaves. euobserver.com/232026/eu-fu...
euobserver.com
EU fuelling economic ‘doom loop’ by weakening climate rules during record heatwave, Dutch bank says
Dutch bank Triodos argues that by prioritising “competitiveness” over tougher carbon pricing amid this summer's heat crisis, the EU is leaving its economy more exposed to future climate shocks.
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Dr E Drew 🌻 @edrew.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
"There is no way but by government to represent the collective, and there is no way but by reparations to make real the responsibility." Tulsa Race Riot A Report by the Oklahoma Commission to Study the Tulsa Race Riot of 1921 February 28, 2001 Oklahoma Historical Society share.google/yiQFRaGa2Vkc...
share.google
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James Ball @jamesrball.com · 16/08/2026
A former director of BBC News speaks:
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Philippe Auclair @philippeauclair.bsky.social · 16/08/2026
This is how @josimarfootball.bsky.social reported (in September 2025) on the recruitment/abduction by Russia of African nationals left behind in Qatar after the 2022 World Cup. josimarfootball.com/2025/09/25/t...
josimarfootball.com
The migrant soldiers - josimarfootball.com
For months, the Russian army has secretly recruited hundreds, if not thousands, of jobless migrant workers in Qatar to fight on the frontline against Ukraine.
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Scott Horton @robertscotthorton.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
Jeremy Banks
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Reuters @reuters.com · 14/08/2026
Two slicks appear in Gulf as huge oil spill off Oman threatens disaster reut.rs/4ckkbne
reut.rs
Two slicks appear in Gulf as huge oil spill off Oman threatens disaster
Two slicks have appeared in Iranian waters, satellite imagery and video verified by Reuters show, as ​tit-for-tat attacks on oil tankers and other vessels by Iran and the United States spark concerns about environmental damage to ‌the Gulf.
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Scott Dougal @scottdougal.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
ANYWAY If you haven’t read this, I strongly recommend it.
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Ohio Capital Journal @ohiocapitaljournal.com · 14/08/2026
Haitians living in Springfield, Ohio are being required to wear ankle monitors and turn their passports over to United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement. ohiocapitaljournal.com/2026/08/14/h...
ohiocapitaljournal.com
Haitians in Springfield are required to report to Ohio's ICE offices and wear ankle monitors • Ohio Capital Journal
Haitians living in Springfield, Ohio are being required to wear ankle monitors and turn their passports over to United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
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David Owen @dodo938.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
Nowhere quite as stultifying as Paris in a heatwave.
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Dr Paul Dorfman @drpauldorfman.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
Nearly six billion fish, crustaceans and jellyfish fall victim to French nuclear power plants every year. www.lemonde.fr/en/environme...
lemonde.fr
Nearly six billion fish, crustaceans and jellyfish fall victim to French nuclear power plants every year
Based on internal documents from France's electric utility company, NGOs warn of the impact reactor cooling systems have on aquatic life. EDF maintains that this has no effect on the survival of speci...
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GrumpyGirdle 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿〓〓🇪🇺🇫🇷🇺🇦🇵🇸🐈‍⬛🐾📚🌊☮️ @grumpygirdle.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
Every time you open a news site, Google gets paid, but journalism dies. Big Tech’s monopoly is starving newsrooms. The EU can break it up. Tell them: Save journalism, stand up to Big Tech now!
action.wemove.eu
Break up Big Tech
Share the petition and you'll help multiply the impact of this campaign: Break up Big Tech
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LadyFluffyOrca 🫍📎 🇬🇧🇵🇸🇺🇦 @ladyfluffyorca.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
Bins in Clacton on their way to vote tomorrow
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Leyla Boulton @leylaboulton.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
Absolutely heartbreaking in Lebanon: ‘the FT saw entire villages with barely a building left standing: historic markets, squares and winding streets reduced to a sea of concrete. The sound of blasts, apparently from building demolitions, continued through the day.’ as.ft.com/r/153a7c25-e...
as.ft.com
How Israel is making southern Lebanon ‘unliveable’
Israeli forces have systematically destroyed homes, roads, farmland and forests despite ceasefire with Hizbollah
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David Owen @dodo938.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
Tres bien. Just about 15 years too late.
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