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Susan Owens

@susanowens.bsky.social
1.3K followers 679 following 791 posts

Writer | Reporter | Former correspondent London 🇬🇧Paris 🇫🇷 I follow people with full names. 🔹 Book in the works - modernist architect Roy Simpson (1914-1997) Profile illustration: Thierry Perez

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Susan Owens @susanowens.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Dario Amodei, one of the brightest minds, reaching out for over $2trn in the world’s most highly valued IPO warns investors of AI’s “existential risk to humanity”. Come, invest in the biggest threat to mankind.
Screen shot of lead story in FT with pic of Amodei
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Susan Owens @susanowens.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Where’s the photographer’s byline on this fab front page @thetimes.com?
Scowling: both Melania and Trump on balcony with President Xi
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Susan Owens @susanowens.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Australia’s Department of Defence is Palantir's largest client Aus - more than $31 million in cumulative contracts…#auspol Thiel IS Palantir. Axel Springer is Germany’s major publisher, recent owner of The Telegraph UK…
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Susan Owens @susanowens.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
The goose that laid the $75 billion golden egg for Elon’s SpaceX IPO does not look like it’s helping achieve his life mission: “securing the future of human civilization”. Now the A.I. bros warn of the opposite - an extinction threat, a cyber catastrophe. Help me here Elon…
bbc.com
AI 'kill switch' may need to be mandatory, Anthropic co-founder tells BBC
Jack Clark says "most labs have different ways of being able to pull the plug", but says this may need to be a requirement.
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Susan Owens @susanowens.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
Bravo Kakapo you’ve hit the headlines in France @liberation.fr
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Susan Owens @susanowens.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
Patrick Wintour, diplomatic editor @theguardian.com shares (on X) exceptional words by Ezio Mauro writing in La Repubblica. #Trump “As if plunged into a South American novel, Donald Trump is now a prisoner in his own labyrinth. The most powerful man on the planet, who has transformed American…
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Susan Owens @susanowens.bsky.social · 23/08/2026
Sydney makes world-wide headlines but it’s not a shark attack. Medals for runners who complete the August 30 Marathon feature a German football stadium. Piffle seems to be the organisers attitude, saying it’s an; “unfortunate error”. Via @lemonde.fr
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Susan Owens @susanowens.bsky.social · 23/08/2026
Dreaming of a vast swimming pool in Melbourne’s Yarra for hot summers. Paris can, can you Lord Mayor? @nicholasreece.bsky.social
giftarticle.ft.com
Parisians take the plunge after €1.4bn Seine clean-up
City’s new designated open-air swimming sites offer respite amid heatwaves
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Susan Owens @susanowens.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
Australian government’s Space Agency assisting recovery of #Elon’s SpaceX junk -*marine vandalism* in other words. Near Christmas Island.
theguardian.com
SpaceX Starship the talk of remote Australian island as Elon Musk’s engineers sent to retrieve it
Christmas Island locals who woke to see the spacecraft floating off the coast hope global attention will encourage tourists
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Susan Owens @susanowens.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
Our beautiful planet… while we sleep Earth heals, resets and renews. All we have to do is take care of it. But the American president chooses vandalism. Via @nytimes.com #paywall
nytimes.com
Trump Administration Moves to Allow Logging in Pristine National Forests
The move to repeal the ‘roadless rule’ would pave the way for road construction and logging in nearly 45 million acres of untouched back country.
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Susan Owens @susanowens.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
How to launder money. 🇺🇸$12.5 billion to be precise.
Screenshot of FT headline on Kushner Iger purchase of Lakers
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Susan Owens @susanowens.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
Thrilling day in Clacton as UK 🇬🇧 votes in snap by-election. Love André Carrilho’s @andrecarrilho.bsky.social illustration of @countbinface.bsky.social and @NigelFarage.bsky.social for The New Statesman ⬇️
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Susan Owens @susanowens.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
‘Twiggy’ has spent over $60M in US legal fees against Meta which carried scam ads using his image, duping innocent investors of millions. He talked about it at length in illuminating Betoota Talks #podcast June 7
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Susan Owens @susanowens.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
News making news…Joe Aston’s biz publication #Rampart - the essential daily digest for top tier biz - has raised $2.3M from private investors, boosting one of Australia’s fastest growing media brands on its upward trajectory. #media
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Susan Owens @susanowens.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
Silent Night #SpringStreet. Rather wonder if our politicians can bring some dignity to this wondrous building tomorrow. #auspol
Parliament House Melbourne 9pm Monday
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Susan Owens @susanowens.bsky.social · 26/07/2026
Emily Wilson anticipated her 2017 translation of The Odyssey might achieve sales of around 1,000. But driven by Christopher Nolan’s film adaptation, sales have now topped 1 million. Aside: Her dad is writer & critic AN Wilson; her late mother was Katherine Duncan-Jones, an Oxford English prof.
thetimes.com
What The Odyssey gets right and wrong: the scholar’s verdict
Professor Emily Wilson has dedicated decades (and much tattoo space) to Homer. This is what she thinks of the film her translation inspired
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Susan Owens @susanowens.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
Pauline’s on brand - she just won’t know it. In 2018 a Dolce & Gabbana ad was slammed as “racist and culturally insulting”- it showed an Asian model eating pizza with chopsticks. Chinese celebs boycotted D&G Shanghai show, e-com sites dropped the label, the ad was pulled & the founders apologised
Pauline Hanson at Dolche & Gabbana fashion show in Sicily, July 13 during her Euro travels with Gina Rinehart (the other woman in the pic is Brisbane jeweler Margot McKinney)
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Susan Owens @susanowens.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
Paris: July 14 military parade Champs Élysées - ‘Coalition of Volunteers’ (also known as ‘Coalition of the Willing) is led by Australia 🇦🇺 Around 500 allied troops from the coalition marched alongside 25 Ukrainian soldiers. Via @bfmtv.com
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Susan Owens @susanowens.bsky.social · 11/07/2026
Love European newspapers grappling for translation of Count Binface: French 🇫🇷: Comte Tête-de-Poubelle (bin-head, more accurate than bin-face) Italian 🇮🇹: Conte Faccia-da-Bidone
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Susan Owens @susanowens.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
Belgium’s favourite son, Magritte, did not design this
Illustration of hand holding red card with text in French: “This is not a red card”
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Susan Owens @susanowens.bsky.social · 05/07/2026
A pardon? Trump ethics in action on field or off. #FIFA @ftweekend.com
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Susan Owens @susanowens.bsky.social · 23/06/2026
What does it mean for Anthropic, OpenAI and related AI companies preparing their stock market debuts? Graph: @data.ft.com
Graph shows SpaceX shares now below listing price
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Susan Owens @susanowens.bsky.social · 18/06/2026
12 apartments for the elderly sit empty at Glenloch. So HousingFirst forgoes significant rental income while claiming rent rises for others are; "necessary to maintain properties." In a housing crisis.
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Susan Owens @susanowens.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
Lululemon adds icing to slow growth, falling stocks and boardroom turmoil with a tin ear on China. Must be the only western brand to show in 🇨🇳 and not embrace a cultural advisor via @financialtimes.com
giftarticle.ft.com
Lululemon apologises after Japanese drum controversy at Great Wall yoga event
Canadian athleisure company says it ‘should have been more cautious and thorough’
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Susan Owens @susanowens.bsky.social · 15/06/2026
Petite pop sensation Kylie Minogue’s Signature Rosé is the #1 selling rose in the UK. She reached a massive milestone last month, notching up sales of 27 million bottles worldwide since launching in 2020. via @thetimes.com
thetimes.com
Rosé left on the shelf as chilled red wine has its time in the sun
No longer the preferred summer drink, rosé has been pushed aside by Gen Z drinkers inspired by Europe to pop light-bodied reds in the fridge
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Susan Owens @susanowens.bsky.social · 15/06/2026
Evening at The White House. Photo: Evan Vucci. Pulitzer Prize winner.
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Susan Owens @susanowens.bsky.social · 15/06/2026
A fringe spectacle, banned in 36 states, branded “human cockfighting”by Senator John McCain. Great piece by Bryan Armen Graham @theguardian.com on 2 failing entrepreneurs who, to mutual benefit, fired up both #UFC & Trump’s failing casino…
theguardian.com
From ‘human cockfighting’ to the White House lawn: the stratospheric rise of the UFC’s Dana White
Strange things are afoot at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, giving rise to an obvious question: how did we get here?
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Susan Owens @susanowens.bsky.social · 10/06/2026
I’d never heard of a UFC fight. Turns out it will be two fellas normalising violence on the White House lawns in a ‘sport’ where the path to victory is to beat your opponent’s head to the point of incapacitation. 🔹#UFC just confirmed ERIKA KIRK will host the White House Fight Night on June 14. 🔹
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Susan Owens @susanowens.bsky.social · 04/06/2026
Hunter Biden starts posting on X/Twitter on May 19. Excels in exposing Trump family corruption. Humour, honesty…meteoric rise. Wednesday post 4.3 million views. Go Hunter. via @forbes.com
forbes.com
Hunter Biden Is Going Viral For Talking Drugs, Trump and His Father’s Legacy
In the weeks since Hunter Biden joined X, his posts have racked up tens of millions of views and millions of likes and re-posts.
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Susan Owens @susanowens.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
Since around 50% of luxury purchases are made by 5% of customers, look out for shiny new things on America’s profiteering class via @reuters.com
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Susan Owens @susanowens.bsky.social · 28/05/2026
One in the eye for you Elon
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Susan Owens @susanowens.bsky.social · 26/05/2026
Tina Brown @tinabrownlm.bsky.social ever the sharpest commentator, in full flight with @alastaircampbell2.bsky.social and @rory-stewart.bsky.social on #podcast Leading
podcasts.apple.com
How the Media Still Misunderstands Trump (Tina Brown)
Podcast Episode · The Rest Is Politics: Leading · 24 May · 1hr 9min
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Susan Owens @susanowens.bsky.social · 18/05/2026
How’s your $499 Trump “T1” gold mobile phone coming along Eric and Don Jr?
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Susan Owens @susanowens.bsky.social · 18/05/2026
Quote of the week from Troy Setter; “birds were chewing into crops and equipment, and presented mental health and biosecurity risks.” You plant the crops Troy, the birds will come. Newcastle Waters was famously owned by Kerry Packer until sold to British private equity firm Terra Firma in 2009.
abc.net.au
Outback cattle station granted permit to cull 20,000 native birds
A permit to cull 20,000 native birds has been granted to a cattle station in the Northern Territory in response to an "overpopulation" of destructive and "exceptionally noisy" galahs and little corell...
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Susan Owens @susanowens.bsky.social · 06/05/2026
So Kara Swisher @karaswisher.bsky.social + her podcast @pivotpod.bsky.social (with @profgalloway.com) may go to ‘a’ Murdoch - just not Rupert. James in advanced talks to acquire New York Magazine + podcast division @vox.com
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Susan Owens @susanowens.bsky.social · 03/05/2026
Quite the take down. Authored by Robin Givhan, former long time, much admired fashion writer at WashPost. In a nutshell: Sanchez Bezos and the end of good taste via @nytimes.com
nytimes.com
Opinion | Lauren Sánchez Bezos and the Fashion End Times of ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’
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Susan Owens @susanowens.bsky.social · 30/04/2026
FIFA pays $100M to country hosting World Cup, presided over by FIFA Peace Prize winner. ⚽️The president of the Norwegian football assn has called for the abolition of the Prize which was never approved by the FIFA Board #worldcup #FIFA
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Susan Owens @susanowens.bsky.social · 29/04/2026
Hello James #Comey… 😉 my Easter Sunday table….seashore is ever and only joyous..
Pic of table laid with seashells
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Susan Owens @susanowens.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
That’s a winning smile Dave. Meet David Brat, Trump’s nomination for next 🇺🇸US Ambassador to 🇦🇺Australia. Ultra-conservative, rigid ideology, anti-immigration views.
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Susan Owens @susanowens.bsky.social · 17/04/2026
Illustration: Ben Wiseman ❤️ From Die Zeit @zeit.de
Illustration Trump walking ahead of the Pope whose foot is on Trump’s flailing red tie
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Susan Owens @susanowens.bsky.social · 09/04/2026
And the very good news: after Berkshire Hathaway invested US$350M in @nytimes.com in Feb this year, along comes a Soros investment in #independentmedia Medias Touch
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Susan Owens @susanowens.bsky.social · 31/03/2026
King Charles & Queen Camilla’s US visit has the appearance of legitimising a war that European leaders (largely) view as illegal. Plus ca change. As it was with Wallace and Edward VIII. Charles is #notmyking
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Susan Owens @susanowens.bsky.social · 30/03/2026
Australia’s Meg O’Neil takes the helm at BP on Wednesday, taking home a minimum £11.7million for her contribution to climate chaos. The former Woodside boss will steer the company away from it current clean energy focus - back to coal and gas via @financialtimes.com
giftarticle.ft.com
BP loses head of EV charging as it accelerates pivot back to oil and gas
Martin Thomsen’s departure comes ahead of arrival of oil major’s new chief executive this week
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Susan Owens @susanowens.bsky.social · 30/03/2026
BBC reports from *London* and *Sydney*….fugitive shot dead in rural Australian town…
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Susan Owens @susanowens.bsky.social · 25/03/2026
Two robots walk into a….
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Susan Owens @susanowens.bsky.social · 24/03/2026
Right up there among the world’s most shameful farming practices. This is the UK. via @thetimes.com #paywall
thetimes.com
Salmon farming branded unsustainable after millions of fish die
Campaigners question whether regulators have the resources to act after discovering a steep rise in incidents where welfare rules had been broken
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Susan Owens @susanowens.bsky.social · 22/03/2026
Deeply troubling story - paywalled but sharing the last par: “The World Cup is expected to bring in $116 billion in revenue to Fifa, while (its President) Infantino is on course to receive $8 million in bonuses. He has not replied. “ @thetimes.com
thetimes.com
Iran women’s football team: inside their doomed dash for freedom
Almost all the players granted asylum in Australia returned home last week after making the impossible choice. Their story is like a Hollywood film with no happy ending
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Susan Owens @susanowens.bsky.social · 20/03/2026
Not an airport bookshop…possum calls my balcony home. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
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Susan Owens @susanowens.bsky.social · 20/03/2026
The Fig Tree on Kangaroo Island gets a fine review in the @ftweekend.com So well deserved, for an island devastated by the 2019-20 bushfires which burnt 48% of the landscape. And still recovering.
giftarticle.ft.com
Postcard from Kangaroo Island: the restaurant hidden in a fig tree
The sparsely populated Australian island offers a unique culinary experience — Mediterranean feasts served beneath the boughs of a 130-year-old tree
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Susan Owens @susanowens.bsky.social · 19/03/2026
When mongrels became “designer” dogs. Reminds me of when tomatoes became “heritage”. Tomatoes better option.
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