Michael Sparkes

Important read 👇

4/6 The Danger

This isn’t just about Ukraine’s borders. It’s about every security guarantee, every treaty, every alliance that means something to our democracies. If Trump sells Ukraine out here, what does that say to Taiwan, the Baltics, or NATO’s eastern flank?

@Tatarigami_UA

Since 1991, #Russia ’s been carving out chunks of its neighbors like a butcher:
Transnistria from #Moldova in ’92,Abkhazia and #SouthOssetia from #Georgia in ’08, #Donbas and #Crimea from #Ukraine in ’14, and then in ’22 again. But trust me bro, this time it’s going to be different!

Rightwingers warn of another blaze of summer riots in Britain – but they’re the ones striking the match | John Harris Grim predictions of ‘societal collapse’ and ‘civil war’ will hit home so long as Labour fails to address the country’s problems, says Guardian columnist John Harris

“The spectacle of politicians knowingly peddling inflammatory narratives is nauseating – and… they are starting to look like desperate people throwing matches on kindling that refuses to ignite. That is a remarkable way for self-styled patriots to behave”

Indeed.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Brexiters complaining about the "absolute chaos" of the impact of Brexit, expecting special treatment from the EU, & pointing the finger elsewhere.
Same old dogs, same old tricks.

Barely an hour ago, Palestinian journalist Anas Al-Sharif warned us all:

“If this madness doesn’t end, Gaza will be reduced to ruins, its people’s voices silenced, their faces erased — and history will remember you as silent witnesses to a genocide you chose not to stop.”

Israel just killed him.

Trump, Putin and the future of Ukraine There is a danger for both Kyiv and Europe that they lose sight of a strategic vision of where they want to get to

A realistic analysis by @gideonrachman.bsky.social of what Ukraine can achieve. on.ft.com/4lin1uz Trump, Putin and the future of Ukraine

Brexit was an attempted counter-revolution against many of the changes this country has gone through since 1945. It has turned out to be a failure with elements of farce. This has driven many people on the Right completely mad.

I agree. This should be nailed repeatedly.

Thousands seen sitting with placards that all read “I oppose genocide. I support Palestine action.” Big Ben is seen in the background

NEW: Parliament Square, London right now.

Thousands in a silent, peaceful protest against both the genocide in Gaza and the UK Government prescribing protest group Palestine Action as a terrorist group.

Police now making arrests.

(📸 Saul Staniforth)

BBC among media misreportimg/exaggerating scale of asylum protests

Median protest is a few dozen, below 100.

"Usually Several hundred at a time" is false.
- should say *occasionally*
< 1/10 protests have 200 people

"Sometimes thousands"
I dont think a single 2025 protest had > 2000 people yet

Ceding Donbas to Russia would destroy Ukraine’s strategic defense line, ISW warns. The loss of this barrier would open the way for further Russian advances, and ISW notes Russia would likely violate any truce without strong guarantees and controls for Ukraine
www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder...

There will come a time when the rich own all the media and it will be impossible for the public to make an informed opinion ALBERT EINSTEIN

That time is now.

A man with an international arrest warrant meeting with a man with multiple felony convictions.

Gee, what could possibly go wrong?

'People are angry': Behind the wave of asylum hotel protests The BBC visits sites of protests to hear the voices of those opposed to the hotels and others in support of asylum seekers.

This isn't journalism, this is a PR piece by the BBC promoting Reform Ltd, calling rw thuggery 'protests'.
'People with little experience of street campaigning, including mothers with families and professional careers, like Orla'.
Orla is a Reform candidate...

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Sign the petition: Stop all UK support for the Israeli military in Gaza I've signed a petition calling for Keir Starmer to end all UK military support in Israel.

Israel plans to take over Gaza City. Starmer says their plan is wrong & they must rethink it, but the UK is still supporting Israel with arms sales, training, RAF surveillance flights & more. Sign the petition: tell Keir he MUST end this support: 38d.gs/vkqt

Ukraine will not give land to ‘occupiers’, says Zelenskyy, as Trump and Putin prepare to meet Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismisses remarks by US president, who said end to war will involve ‘some swapping of territories’ before announcing meeting

The Ukrainian Government is absolutely right to reject ceasefire proposals that require Ukraine to give unoccupied parts of Donetsk oblast to Russia.

It would be the Munich agreement if this century, and thr UK and EU must stand with Ukraine against it.

www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

(1/2)

How times change.

In 1867, Russia sold Alaska to the United States for $7.2 million.

157 years later, Russia owns the White House, and they didn't fork out a single dime.

Interesting ay?

'It's up to him' — Trump says ceasefire deadline depends on Putin U.S. President Donald Trump said the ceasefire deadline he set for Russia — scheduled for Aug. 8 — now depends on Vladimir Putin. "We’re going to see what he has to say. It's going to be up to him," T...

⚡️'It's up to him' — Trump says ceasefire deadline depends on Putin.

U.S. President Donald Trump said the ceasefire deadline he set for Russia — scheduled for Aug. 8 — now depends on Vladimir Putin. "We're going to see what he has to say. It's going to be up to him," Trump told reporters on Aug. 7.

Damn the evil prick ending $500 million in vaccine research while children die of preventable diseases.

Today, habeas corpus was accidentally deleted from the US Constitution; the Library of Congress said it was a coding error/glitch. Though it is back now, we should not think we are out of the woods.

Russia’s energy revenues crash by 19% as war devours civilian budget With gas exports to Europe halved and oil profits plunging, the Kremlin raids its welfare fund while fueling the front.

Russia’s oil and gas revenues dropped 19% in the first half of 2025, forcing deep cuts to civilian spending as the Kremlin diverts funds to the war

Falling crude prices, a shrinking European gas market, and a manipulated ruble are worsening the crisis euromaidanpress.com/2025/08/07/r...

Nearly 2 million Americans on unemployment, highest since pandemic era Continuing unemployment claims jumped to 1.97 million in late July, according to a Labor Department report, highlighting a weakening labor market.

The number of Americans receiving unemployment benefits for at least a week rose to the highest level since late 2021, according to Labor Department data.

Parts of the Constitution were erased from the Library of Congress website, including the section featuring the foreign emoluments clause.

The removal was blamed on a "coding error."

Here's a reminder of what the clause says, just in case Congress ever decides to enforce it...

At a time in history when the most influential leaders of the U.S. need to stand up loudly and clearly for the rule of law, democracy, and decency, they are leading the charge in the opposite direction — fawning over the most dangerous authoritarian America has ever witnessed.

Monthly fentanyl data from US border agency. Black line is Mexico. Yellow line is Canada.

A river is now in crisis One or two dry summers away from disaster, the River Cam is choking on sewage and neglect

Raw sewage. Off-the-scale pollutants – while water companies blame regulators, and regulators blame water companies. This is happening across England.

Read how one councillor has started testing river the water himself ⤵️

@eastangliabylines.co.uk

400,000 fewer tourists estimated for New York alone.

Empty planes.

Russia's new mobilization law yet another sign Kremlin is preparing for war with NATO, analysts say Increased spending on defense and a new Russian conscription law are signs of the Kremlin's increasingly aggressive posture and preparations for future conflict with Europe and NATO states, according ...

Increased spending on defense and a new Russian conscription law are signs of the Kremlin's increasingly aggressive posture and preparations for future conflict with Europe and NATO states, according to analysts.