David Taylor

Foundered

The BBC coverage is absolutely terrible.

It leads on "sharply contested narratives"

It has a dramatic skew to the US government

It has posted the video but has failed to report on what it shows: it shows the US govt account is untrue

A story about how celebrations of Timket, an Ethiopian Orthodox festival, have been muted in Minnesota due to ongoing immigration enforcement. Ethiopian and Eritrean families are choosing to stay at home rather than risk going to church.

A photograph of high priests conducting a Timket festival in Batu, Ethiopia.

A tale of two Timkets. In @thecontinent.org this week.

Disabled son of ICE detainee dies after 30 days of hospitalization It had been months since Wael Tarabishi seen his father. The family is calling on ICE to release Maher Tarabishi so he may attend his son's funeral.

In October, ICE grabbed Maher Tarabishi.

He was a 24/7 caregiver for his disabled son Wael.

At the time of Maher’s detention, disability advocates warned that taking away Wael’s caregiver put his life at risk.

Wael died on Friday at age 30.

ICE caused his death.

They didn’t get to say goodbye.

You what?

Photo by Pierre Lavie. Yes this is me. And I threw my Leica. It landed on the bass plate with hardly a scratch. Another Photographer grabbed it along with my phone and I was able to track him later. I was held face down tear gas deployed right in front of me and pepper sprayed directly into the eye.

YouTube video by Federal Reserve Statement by Federal Reserve Chair Jerome H. Powell

Video message from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome H. Powell:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KckG...
www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/s...

US intentions towards Greenland threaten NATO’s future. But European countries are not helpless US threats to annex Greenland following the attack on Venezuela should be taken seriously. European countries have important leverage they should be prepared to use.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has said that an attack on Greenland would end NATO. This is not an exaggeration.

Time of Receipt: 20:59 GMT on 06 January 2026 "President Trump has made it well known that acquiring Greenland is a national security priority of the United States, and it's vital to deter our adversaries in the Arctic region. The President and his team are discussing a range of options to pursue this important foreign policy goal, and of course, utilizing the U.S. Military is always an option at the Commander in Chief's disposal." - Karoline Leavitt

Full White House statement to the BBC:

🇫🇷 Foreign minister Barrot: “the military operation leading to Maduro’s capture violates the principle of non use of force which is the basis of international law”.

Altarpiece at Christ’s Chapel Dulwich after midnight service at Christmas.

Merry Christmas from Christ’s Chapel, Dulwich.

As the piece reflects, this has been a year when those with the most vocal anti-asylum views were visible & vocal. Thousands of those v sympathetic to asylum seekers & refugees are part of a quiet movement seeking to play a practical part in welcoming asylum seekers & refugees around the country

A sixth of public - 10 million - report being very sympathetic to people crossing the Channel in boats. Up to half have a fair amount of sympathy. A broad majority want to play our part protecting refugees in a better managed way. Contact between refugees & local people should be part of that

Wonderful article, just lovely.

Pitch perfect, sadly.

We are nearing the darkest day of all. No, we are not referring to the state of the English Test team, but rather the lack of daylight in Iceland. On 21st December, the sun will rise at 11:22 and set at 15:29. Then, everything gets brighter, and our cricket season begins in May.

Can't think of a stronger endorsement for Erasmus.

Morning.

Utter guff from the Home Office discussing claiming asylum. “We have become the destination of choice in Europe”.
I mean, that country would be at the top of the graph. *checks graph* Oh!
More Farage is right, don’t vote Farage!
No.
Farage is a lying racist with no concern for the UK.

“If [economic] growth was actually your priority, you would not be doing this,” said Jonathan Portes, a professor at King’s College London.

Really appreciate the clarity of the president saying black people are ruining the country and this entire room of groveling empty suits saying nothing bsky.app/profile/just...

The war will end when Russia stops fighting. Therefore, pressure has to be put on Russia, so that they stop believing that they will win. Why is that so hard to understand?

Thank you Southwark

Always a Borough of Sanctuary

Southwark Council and local organisations are today standing together and urging the Government to rethink its new asylum proposals

Read the full statement www.southwark.gov.uk/news/2025/al...

New asylum policies making homeless refugees “targets for the far right” Labour’s abrupt return to the 28-day move-on period is pushing vulnerable people into rough sleeping and exposing them to fraud and abuse.

The government’s decision to halve the time limit for refugees to leave Home Office accommodation is driving people into homelessness and exploitation, according to migrant rights campaigners and homelessness charities

By me, for @theleaduk.bsky.social national.thelead.uk/p/new-asylum...

It is so obvious...and the place I volunteer at is bracing itself.

5 weeks for a UC claim to be paid, so even if you apply on day 1, which most people don't, you are left without money.

28 days to get a bank account, Evisa, UC, and the small matter of somewhere to live.. 56 days was just enough

I wish I didn’t have to share this. But the BBC has decided to censor my first Reith Lecture.

They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1

This chart (which applies even more to social media than it did to TV) lives in my head rent free.

Social media enveloping traditional media means everything and everyone is now competing in the entertainment market. Boring stuff like policy that affects millions of lives doesn’t stand a chance.

Trump Has a Recipe for War and Corruption, Not Peace Who would benefit from the White House’s 28-point proposal for Ukraine?

This is not a peace plan. It is a proposal that weakens Ukraine and divides America from Europe, preparing the way for a larger war in the future. In the meantime, it benefits unnamed Russian and American investors, at the expense of everyone else.
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...

Important thread