Ben Niblett

Why a NASA satellite that scientists and farmers rely on may be destroyed on purpose The Trump administration has asked NASA staffers to draw up plans to end at least two satellite missions that measure carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, according to current and former NASA employees.

Today's bit of crazy - guess who is moving to destroy a key GHG monitoring satellite, not just defund the program. www.npr.org/2025/08/04/n...

The #PlasticsTreaty negotiations have officially begun! Follow us for updates from the second part of the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution. WATCH LIVE webtv.un.org/en/asset/k1n... (🧵) #INC52

NEW DATA: UK car market continues shift to electric

EV +9.1%
PHEV +33.0%

Petrol -14.7%
Diesel -7.9%
Hybrid -10.0%

Data from SMMT

Delighted to hear it

Chris Woakes for Sports Personality of the Year, just for this.

England vs India: Tourists win one of all-time great Tests at The Oval to draw series England are denied a record-breaking run chase by an irresistible India, who snatch victory by six runs in one of the most dramatic conclusions in Test cricket history.

Gutted to lose this morning - so close! What a game though, and what a series. Isn't test cricket wonderfull?

And what a hero Chris Woakes is.

www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricke...

Not really - more flights means more climate change, which means more floods and heatwaves, and puts up food and insurance prices that are too high already. It's not good for growth. You have a point about selling more duty free whisky though.

Daft. Massive extra emissions, with air pollution and noise. Huge disruption to the M25 for years. And big risk of the government picking up some of the tab.

Cover of Sugar in the Blood

Enjoyed Sugar in the Blood by Andrea Stuart. History of Barbados and slavery traced through her family tree. Fascinating, and beautifully written.

Pots and pans piled up on the pavement outside Keir Starmer's house

Crowd at the gates of Downing Street. Palestinian flags, pots and pans, and police all there in large numbers

Left my pan on the pile at the gates of Downing Street. Each one commemorates a Palestinian shot while queuing for food. It was very moving, and very loud with a huge crowd of compassionate people banging pots and pans. @pscupdates.bsky.social

🚨EMERGENCY ACTIONS THIS FRIDAY 🇵🇸

We will be laying a pot outside Downing Street for every Palestinian killed while queuing for aid in Gaza. Across the country similar actions will be taking place.

Tell Starmer: Stop Starving Gaza!

Find your local action: palestinecampaign.org/events/emerg...

Serious questions remain about what the UK Government & other western countries must now do to put further pressure on Israel and act.

The Government must start by suspending all arm sales to Israel and recognising the state of Palestine. 2/2

Top UN court says countries can sue each other over climate change The decision from the world's highest court has been welcomed by developing nations at most risk from climate change.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article... This is very good news. Congratulations to the campaigners who brought the case!

Desperate Pleas from Starving Palestinians Shouldn’t Be Ignored Imagine watching your children cry inconsolably because their stomachs are cramping with emptiness and there’s nothing you can do. These are the desperate pleas coming out of Gaza.

Palestinians’ starvation, which has likely resulted in thousands of deaths, is entirely human-made. It’s the product of Israel’s intentional policy to use starvation of civilians as a weapon of war, a war crime. www.hrw.org/news/2025/07...

Cricket Has A Huge Climate Change Problem The new Hit for Six report highlights extreme heat's impact on the world's second biggest sport. Players and fans are increasingly at risk due to rising temperatures.

Cricket & the #IPL has a #climate problem...

'Nearly 50% of the Indian Premier League’s (IPL) 2025 matches were played in conditions of “Extreme Caution” or “Danger” on the Heat Index '

www.forbes.com/sites...

We're left wondering

#Today doing a good job holding David Lammy to account on Gaza. He's not done nothing, but not enough in the face of genocide. Good to hear the UK is not providing intelligence to Israel.

But why does he claim it's ok to go on selling some arms to Israel? When will we stop?

Back from watching England Women beat India, and the rain, with my brothers. A nice birthday treat.

Embrace calls on UK Government to act on the ICJ’s Advisory Opinion on Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territory — Embrace the Middle East 19 July 2025 marks 1 year since the International Court of Justice released its Advisory Opinion stating categorically that Israel’s entire presence in the occupied Palestinian territory is unlawful. ...

Embrace calls on UK Government to act on the ICJ’s Advisory Opinion on Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territory.

Read the letter here:

embraceme.org/news-1/embra...

“His Holiness renews his appeal for an immediate ceasefire and expresses his profound hope for dialogue, reconciliation, and lasting peace in the region."

VATICAN “His Holiness Pope Leo XIV has learned with deep sorrow of the loss of human lives and the injuries caused by the military attack on the Holy Family Catholic Church in Gaza, and assures the parish priest, Father Gabriele Romanelli, and the entire parish community of his spiritual closeness.”

Sad news.

I hope those bridges are rebuilt soon. As you said so well on Today, Labour need MPs like you who listen diligently to their constituents, think carefully about making good policies, and work hard for justice.

But how much damage will the exra emissions cause if they do build it? How many floods, droughts and storms will be worse, how much will food prices rise, and how many people will die? So important to be shrinking aviation, not growing it, while it's still unsustainably powered.

BREAKING 🚨: We've just dropped a massive banner off Westminster Bridge to demand the UK Government #StopRosebank

It's time for Keir Starmer make the right choice 👀

England vs India: Ben Stokes conjures tense victory at Lord's Ben Stokes once again inspires England to a 22-run win over a stubborn India on an unbearably tense final day of the third Test at Lord's.

www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricke... what a great game that was, slow burning drama at its finest! #EngvInd

On the way home from this epic game. Great England win off the last ball! Loved it, apart from England's awful catching- 6 drops I think. But great spirit to hang in and get back into the game.

Bumper June for UK new car market as one in four buyers goes electric - SMMT New car market up 6.7% in June to 191,316 units as manufacturers use every channel to drive registrations to highest level since 2019.

In June, 1 new car in 4 was electric, and 1 in 3 had a plug.
The government ZEV mandate is making the industry cut prices and sell more EVs; they probably won't hit this year's 28% full electric target but will be close enough not to pay fines @smmt-ukauto.bsky.social www.smmt.co.uk/bumper-june-...

Killer clown is about right