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Sarah V

@sarahvbn.bsky.social
324 followers 610 following 2 posts

EU and international affairs. Civil servant with experience of working in the UK and Scandinavia. Policy interests: economics and security, human rights, climate and sustainability, labour market reforms. Lover of sailboats, picnics and cats. Views my own

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Reposted by Sarah V
Jan Rosenow @janrosenow.bsky.social · 25/04/2026
Denmark's coal-to-wind transition is one of the most dramatic energy transformations of the past three decades. In 1990, coal provided 90% of Danish electricity. Today it is under 3%. Wind now covers roughly 60% of electricity generation. The last coal plant is scheduled to close by 2028.
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Anne Applebaum @anneapplebaum.wsocial.eu · 25/02/2026
Viktor Orban is now 20 points behind in the polls - and so he has ordered the military to guard “key energy facilities” against a possible Ukrainian “attack.” Hungarians fear he plans a fake national security emergency or false-flag incident before the April 12 election apnews.com/article/hung...
apnews.com
Hungary's leader orders extra security at energy sites, claiming Ukraine plots disruptions
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán ordered extra security at critical energy infrastructure sites after claiming Ukraine was attempting to disrupt Hungary’s energy system.
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Financial Times @financialtimes.com · 07/05/2025
Opinion from the FT's Editorial Board: 'The US and European countries that tout Israel as an ally that shares their values have issued barely a word of condemnation. They should be ashamed of their silence, and stop enabling Netanyahu to act with impunity.' www.ft.com/content/f5fd...
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Brandon Friedman @brandonfriedman.bsky.social · 16/03/2025
This is blood-boiling. Charles Rogers was awarded the Medal of Honor in Vietnam after being wounded three times leading the defense of a position. Google his name and the entry below comes up. When you click, you'll see the page has been deleted and the URL changed to include "DEI medal."
Wikipedia image of Major General (Ret.) Charles C. RogersDefense.gov google return: Medal of Honor Monday: Army Maj. Gen. Charles Calvin Rogers Defense.gov
404 - Page Not Foundhttps://www.defense.gov/News/Feature-Stories/Story/Article/2824721/deimedal-of-honor-monday-army-maj-gen-charles-calvin-rogers/
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CheckFirst @checkfirst.network · 13/03/2025
🚨 NEW REPORT 🔎 The Russian propaganda and disinformation “Pravda” network extended its coverage and aims (and succeeds) at polluting large language models (LLMs) and Wikipedia.  🗒️ X’s Community notes are unable to aptly address the spread of “Pravda” content on the platform.
checkfirst.network
“Pravda” Network: Worldwide Expansion and LLM, Wikipedia Pollution - CheckFirst
CheckFirst, in partnership with DFRLab, shows how the Russian propaganda and disinformation “Pravda” network extended its coverage and aims (and succeeds) at polluting large language models (LLMs) and...
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Andrew Cutting @andrewcutting.coe.int · 13/03/2025
The Council of Europe has adopted the first ever international treaty protecting lawyers 👇 🔗 www.coe.int/en/web/porta... States can sign up to it from this May. @coe.int #RuleOfLaw #Justice #HumanRights
coe.int
Council of Europe adopts international convention on protecting lawyers
Council of Europe Strasbourg 12 March 2025
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OSINTtechnical @osinttechnical.bsky.social · 10/03/2025
France is racing to accelerate defense production, more than doubling its output of Rafales, AASMs, anti-tank missiles, and drones. French MOD Lecornu confirmed in an interview yesterday that French companies were working on civil-military production partnerships to do so.
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Anne Applebaum @anneapplebaum.wsocial.eu · 08/03/2025
Denmark lost 52 soldiers fighting alongside the US. Now they feel threatened by Trump www.bbc.com/news/article...
bbc.com
Denmark lost 52 soldiers fighting alongside the US. Now it feels threatened by Trump
Danes, who have been loyal allies of Washington, are blindsided by Trump's insistence on taking over Greenland.
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Yashar Ali 🐘 @yasharali.bsky.social · 28/02/2025
In an extraordinary display of public support, heads of state, heads of government, and foreign ministers from all over Europe and Canada are posting in support of Ukraine in response to the Oval Office meeting with Trump, Zelenskyy, and Vance.
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Seth Abramson @sethabramson.bsky.social · 28/02/2025
Lindsey Graham immediately following up an Oval Office meeting at which Trump and Vance disgraced themselves and the United States with a call for Zelenskyy to leave Ukraine's presidency only makes me feel more strongly that this whole event today was pre-planned and in service of Kremlin interests.
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Phillips OBrien @phillipspobrien.bsky.social · 17/02/2025
Hi All--Just sent out this piece (free for all) on the most important example of Trump and Putin aligning. Its about the issue of Ukrainians holding elections soon. Before the US elections, neither Trump nor Kellogg cared about the issue--but for Putin is was key. open.substack.com/pub/phillips...
open.substack.com
Trump and Putin: Aligning over Ukrainian Elections
An Example of Them Working Together--and Reasons Why
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(((Tendar))) @tendar.bsky.social · 08/02/2025
The Baltic states Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have today fully decoupled their energy grid from Russia. At the moment they are running in an island mode, but starting tomorrow the energy grid will be reconnected with the European Union.
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POLITICO Europe @politico.eu · 06/02/2025
Russian bots have driven a dramatic surge of disinformation on the social media platform X days before Germany's election, according to a government report seen by POLITICO.
politico.eu
Putin’s disinformation networks flood social media in bid to skew German election
A Kremlin-backed campaign is trying to influence voters ahead of Feb. 23 poll, according to government report obtained by POLITICO.
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Emily Thorson @emilythorson.bsky.social · 05/02/2025
This is why every political scientist you know has been in a state of panic for the past week. This isn't about policy disagreement, it's about the Constitution being destroyed before our very eyes.
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Anne Applebaum @anneapplebaum.wsocial.eu · 03/02/2025
Most important thread you will read today
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Paul T. Levin @paultlevin.bsky.social · 31/01/2025
Sweden presents its biggest military aid package to Ukraine yet. It also includes weapons for Russia’s next likely target, Moldova, to “constrain Russia’s … ability to do harm” says defense minister Pål Jonson.
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James O’Brien @mrjamesob.bsky.social · 31/01/2025
Happy Brexit Day! www.youtube.com/watch?v=06ua...
youtube.com
James O'Brien's top 10 Best Brexit calls | LBC
YouTube video by LBC
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Jim Pickard @pickardje.bsky.social · 31/01/2025
China’s military is building a massive complex in western Beijing that US intelligence believes will serve as a wartime command centre far larger than the Pentagon, according to current and former American officials www.ft.com/content/f376...
ft.com
China builds huge wartime military command centre in Beijing
Complex will be bigger than Pentagon and include bombproof bunkers for leaders, say US officials
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Mike Galsworthy @mikegalsworthy.bsky.social · 31/01/2025
🔥 This is an absolutely devastating set of figures on the UK public's view of Brexit. Absolutely damning. Look at each category one by one - particularly the economic ones. YouGov article on these data here. 👉 yougov.co.uk/politics/art...
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The Guardian @theguardian.com · 31/01/2025
What has the UK Covid inquiry learned so far about vaccines and treatments?
theguardian.com
What has the UK Covid inquiry learned so far about vaccines and treatments?
In fourth part of the inquiry, questons were asked about vaccine trials, procurement and the UK’s preparedness for future pandemics The Covid inquiry has spent the past three weeks delving into the UK vaccine rollout and the decision-making around new…
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The Guardian @theguardian.com · 31/01/2025
Nearly half of Danes see US as threat and 78% oppose Greenland sale, poll shows
theguardian.com
Nearly half of Danes see US as threat and 78% oppose Greenland sale, poll shows
Exclusive: More Danish people regard US as a threat than see North Korea or Iran as danger Almost half of Danish people now consider the US to be a considerable threat to their country and the overwhelming majority oppose Greenland leaving to become…
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Scott Galloway @profgalloway.com · 30/01/2025
Confirming what I've said and written before about how GLP-1 drugs will disrupt many industries in unexpected ways.
thetimes.com
Ozempic is causing trouble on Savile Row
The city’s most celebrated tailors are overwhelmed. Their customers’ bespoke suits and shirts are suddenly baggy and require drastic readjustment. Tom Chamberlin reports from the high-end front line o...
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The Kyiv Independent @kyivindependent.com · 29/01/2025
⚡️NATO on track to send Kyiv over $40 billion in 2025. "Allies are on track to deliver on the pledge made at the Washington summit," a NATO press statement said following a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council on Jan. 29.
kyivindependent.com
NATO on track to send Kyiv over $40 billion in 2025
"Allies are on track to deliver on the pledge made at the Washington summit," a NATO press statement said following a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council on Jan. 29.
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Ed Larrissy @edlarrissy.bsky.social · 28/01/2025
Denmark boosts Arctic defense spending by $2 billion after Trump’s Greenland interest www.cnn.com/2025/01/27/e...
cnn.com
Denmark boosts Arctic defense spending by $2 billion after Trump’s Greenland interest | CNN
Denmark said on Monday it would spend 14.6 billion Danish kroner ($2.05 billion) boosting its military capabilities in the Arctic – a decision that comes amid continuing furor following US President D...
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Maria Turtschaninoff @turtschaninoff.bsky.social · 29/01/2025
The most Nordic picture you’ll see :-D (The Prime Ministers of Norway, Denmark and Sweden and the President of Finland having dinner at the Danish PM’s residence). Imagine the leaders of any other countries sitting together this informally? (Photo by the Danish PM Mette Frederiksen)
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Anton Gerashchenko @antongerashchenko.bsky.social · 29/01/2025
"Hitler wanted to kill me for being a Jew. Now, Putin is trying to kill me for being Ukrainian." Roman Shvartsman, an 88-year-old Holocaust survivor from Odesa, compared Russia's military aggression against Ukraine to the barbaric crimes of the Nazis during World War II. 📹: DW
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Josh Marshall @joshtpm.bsky.social · 29/01/2025
Central feature of the chaos is that the OPM memo requires agency lawyers to, inter alia, review programs to see if they "advance Marxist equity". But since that phrase has no meaning in law or reality they can't. Might as well as be talking about orcs and warlocks or Wizard Thought.
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Brian Klaas @brianklaas.bsky.social · 29/01/2025
The Trump whirlwind is exhausting and depressing. Here’s my advice on how to cope—keeping yourself sane while also fighting back more effectively. (I’ve lifted the paywall temporarily—so it’s free to read). www.forkingpaths.co/p/how-to-sur...
forkingpaths.co
How to survive the second Trump era
He's back. Here's my advice on how to best cope with—and fight back against—the return of Donald Trump.
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NOELREPORTS @noelreports.com · 25/01/2025
Sweden is preparing its largest military aid package to Ukraine since 2022, with CV90 repairs set to take place in Ukraine. The aid for 2025-2027 is expected to reach $7.1 billion. Sweden is also working to establish armored vehicle maintenance facilities in Ukraine en.defence-ua.com/news/sweden_...
en.defence-ua.com
​Sweden Prepares Largest Aid Package Since 2022 with CV90 Repairs Planned in Ukraine | Defense Express
Details of Sweden's largest aid package to Ukraine and the bilateral defense cooperation agreement
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Andrew Weissmann @weissmann.substack.com · 28/01/2025
My new piece for @justsecurity.org relevant to the Kash Patel hearing ⬇️
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Søren Pind @soerenpind.bsky.social · 28/01/2025
“Europa skal genfinde sin egen styrke. For første gang siden Anden Verdenskrig er det op til os at organisere vores egen sikkerhed og sørge for, at krigen igen forsvinder fra Europa. Det er vores Europa, og vi har ikke et andet!”
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Jessica Simor KC @jmpsimor.bsky.social · 27/01/2025
The flip side of MAGA is MEWA (make Europe weak again). MEWA involves MAGA backing far right nationalists; breaking us apart. Trump understood that with Brexit. Musk & the rest also know it now. European nations are only strong in solidarity with each other. Alone, we are chickenfeed.
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Marcus Chown @marcuschown.bsky.social · 27/01/2025
Where hate leads. Wedding rings of Holocaust victims, near the Buchenwald concentration camp, 1945 #HolocaustMemorialDay
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Ken Klippenstein @kenklippenstein.bsky.social · 27/01/2025
Corporations are becoming more powerful than nation states, U.S. intelligence admits
kenklippenstein.com
Big Brother Becomes Little Brother
Corporations are the new nation state, U.S. intelligence admits
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Bob Lucore @boblucore.bsky.social · 27/01/2025
This blows me away. @stephaniekelton.bsky.social asked the hottest AI, Deepseek, to model the impact on the Canadian economy of a U.S. Tariff for 25%. The Impact of 25% Tariffs on Canadian GDP open.substack.com/pub/stephani...
open.substack.com
The Impact of 25% Tariffs on Canadian GDP
The Bank of Canada vs Deepseek
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Anton Gerashchenko @antongerashchenko.bsky.social · 27/01/2025
On Holocaust Remembrance Day,I'd like to share this clip of Sir Nicholas Winton getting to meet the children he rescued from the Nazis 4decades earlier Many of you have probably seen this before.I feel it's worth reminding ourselves that 1person can make a huge difference,even in the darkest times
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Brandon Wolf @brandonwolf.bsky.social · 27/01/2025
I know there’s a lot right now. But folks need to understand what this means. A suspension this long would mean people living with HIV lose their medicine for months. People around the world lose their PrEP for months, putting millions at risk of getting HIV. Drug-resistant strains could emerge.
NYT headline about Trump pausing PEPFAR disbursements
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The Washington Post @washingtonpost.com · 26/01/2025
Greeted with loud cheers, Elon Musk virtually delivered a short speech Saturday at a rally for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, where he urged the crowd to not be ashamed of their country’s history.
washingtonpost.com
Elon Musk urges far-right German party to move beyond ‘past guilt’
The billionaire was received by cheers while addressing a rally for Alternative for Germany where he told attendees they shouldn’t be ashamed of their history.
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Gesine Weber @gesineweber.bsky.social · 27/01/2025
Clear shift in mindset: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
bloomberg.com
NATO Plans to Share Classified Military Information With Industry, EU
NATO has started a process to share some of its highly classified capability targets — which determine what kind of weapons and equipment member countries need to produce — with the defense industry, ...
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The Kyiv Independent @kyivindependent.com · 26/01/2025
⚡️Ukrainian troops avoid encirclement in Velyka Novosilka, military says. Ukrainian troops successfully withdrew from some areas to avoid being encircled, but fighting is ongoing around the village, according to the 110th Separate Mechanised Brigade.
kyivindependent.com
Ukrainian troops avoid encirclement in Velyka Novosilka, military says
Ukrainian troops successfully withdrew from some areas to avoid being encircled but fighting is ongoing around the village, which lies around 15 kilometers east of the neighboring Dnipropetrovsk Oblas...
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Mike Galsworthy @mikegalsworthy.bsky.social · 26/01/2025
“Over the past 50 years, there has been a drastic loss in the global wildlife population that will gradually get worse. Currently, an estimated 200 species have been lost in the UK.”
northwestbylines.co.uk
Climate change is affecting our wildlife. Can we help nature?
Wildlife loss is prominent in Greater Manchester. Why is this happening, and is there anything we can do to prevent further loss?
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POLITICO Europe @politico.eu · 26/01/2025
German Green Party chancellor candidate and Economy Minister Robert Habeck issued a stark warning on Sunday that Germany could face a far-right political takeover akin to Austria’s current trajectory.
politico.eu
Germany’s Habeck warns of an Austria-style right-wing wave
The economy minister and Green Party chancellor candidate says Germany could follow Austria’s far-right path, as the CDU signals willingness to erode its firewall against the AfD ahead of a pivotal…
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Republicans Against Trumpism @rpsagainsttrump.bsky.social · 26/01/2025
Ted Cruz says that Trump’s threat to take over Greenland is a ‘very serious policy proposal.’ He then says that he responded to the Danish Ambassador to the U.S., who told him ‘Greenland isn’t for sale,’ with, ‘everything is for sale.’
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Allison Gill @muellershewrote.com · 25/01/2025
NEW: The Chairperson for the Council of Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency has sent a letter to the OPP advising they consult White House Counsel on the legality of ousting 17 inspectors general. 👀
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UNITED24 Media @united24media.com · 25/01/2025
⚡ The European Union has begun developing a strategy to protect transatlantic undersea cables.
united24media.com
EU Takes Steps to Secure Transatlantic Undersea Cables Amid Growing Security Concerns
The EU is formulating a strategy to safeguard transatlantic undersea cables vital for transactions between North America and Europe amid security concerns.
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Peter Stefanovic @peterstefanovic.bsky.social · 25/01/2025
UK climate and nature bill dropped after deal with Labour backbenchers “Ministers insisted on the removal of clauses that would have required the UK to meet the targets it agreed to at Cop and other international summits” www.theguardian.com/environment/...
theguardian.com
UK climate and nature bill dropped after deal with Labour backbenchers
Ministers avoid internal party row by promising potential rebels they will have input into environmental legislation
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The New York Times @nytimes.com · 24/01/2025
Instagram and Facebook have recently blurred, blocked or removed posts from two abortion pill providers. Instagram also suspended the accounts of several abortion pill providers and hid the providers from appearing in search and recommendations. nyti.ms/4h3PF1x
A hand holding a silver pill pack is pictured. Headline reads: "Instagram and Facebook Blocked and Hid Abortion Pill Providers’ Posts." Photo credit: Maddie McGarvey for The New York Times.
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Anne Applebaum @anneapplebaum.wsocial.eu · 25/01/2025
Firing independent watchdogs is straight out of the authoritarian playbook. Removes another obstacle to corruption and abuse of power www.reuters.com/world/us/tru...
reuters.com
Trump fires at least 12 independent inspectors general, Washington Post reports
U.S. President Donald Trump's administration fired the independent inspectors general of at least 12 major federal agencies late on Friday, the Washington Post reported.
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