Hugh Sykes
@hughsykes.bsky.social
Former BBC foreign correspondent reporting from
Iraq, Iran, Egypt, Israel, Lebanon, Syria, N-Ireland, Pakistan, India, South Africa.
Book: http://hughsykes.substack.com
Biog: https://bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08pnq3d
Archive: https://soundcloud.com/hughsykes
Iraq, Iran, Egypt, Israel, Lebanon, Syria, N-Ireland, Pakistan, India, South Africa.
Book: http://hughsykes.substack.com
Biog: https://bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08pnq3d
Archive: https://soundcloud.com/hughsykes
Coordinated protests in US against unaccountable Elon Musk, urging Tesla shareholders to dump their stock - and Tesla drivers to sell their cars.
Tesla's share price has already dropped 30% since December.
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Tesla's share price has already dropped 30% since December.
www.bbc.com/news/article...
#TeslaTakeover protests take aim at Elon Musk
Protesters organized small #TeslaTakeover demonstrations on BlueSky, the rival to Musk's platform X.
www.bbc.com
February 16, 2025 at 11:53 AM
Coordinated protests in US against unaccountable Elon Musk, urging Tesla shareholders to dump their stock - and Tesla drivers to sell their cars.
Tesla's share price has already dropped 30% since December.
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Tesla's share price has already dropped 30% since December.
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Plaudits to BBC News Clive Myrie
for revealing, and worrying
radio and TV #NHS reports today
from @royalfree.bsky.social
BBCOne
www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/...
for revealing, and worrying
radio and TV #NHS reports today
from @royalfree.bsky.social
BBCOne
www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/...
Watch: Clive Myrie finds corridors filled with patients at London hospital
Clive Myrie spends a day inside the Royal Free Hospital to see how the NHS is coping after intense, annual winter pressures.
www.bbc.co.uk
February 13, 2025 at 11:05 PM
Plaudits to BBC News Clive Myrie
for revealing, and worrying
radio and TV #NHS reports today
from @royalfree.bsky.social
BBCOne
www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/...
for revealing, and worrying
radio and TV #NHS reports today
from @royalfree.bsky.social
BBCOne
www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/...
"Things fall apart."
@RobertKennedyJr confirmed as health secretary by the US Senate - 52 votes to 48, thanks to two senators once regarded as thoughtful moderates, Susan Collins & @lisamurkowski.bsky.social .
Childhood polio survivor, Republican Mitch McConnell - honourably - voted against.
@RobertKennedyJr confirmed as health secretary by the US Senate - 52 votes to 48, thanks to two senators once regarded as thoughtful moderates, Susan Collins & @lisamurkowski.bsky.social .
Childhood polio survivor, Republican Mitch McConnell - honourably - voted against.
February 13, 2025 at 6:41 PM
"Things fall apart."
@RobertKennedyJr confirmed as health secretary by the US Senate - 52 votes to 48, thanks to two senators once regarded as thoughtful moderates, Susan Collins & @lisamurkowski.bsky.social .
Childhood polio survivor, Republican Mitch McConnell - honourably - voted against.
@RobertKennedyJr confirmed as health secretary by the US Senate - 52 votes to 48, thanks to two senators once regarded as thoughtful moderates, Susan Collins & @lisamurkowski.bsky.social .
Childhood polio survivor, Republican Mitch McConnell - honourably - voted against.
#Israel #Jordan
At secret talks in the late 1980s,
instead of Israelis negotiating direct with Palestinians, King Hussein of Jordan
& Israeli foreign minister Shimon Peres
drew up a peace plan known the London agreement.
It was sabotaged by
@likud prime minister, Yitzak Shamir.
At secret talks in the late 1980s,
instead of Israelis negotiating direct with Palestinians, King Hussein of Jordan
& Israeli foreign minister Shimon Peres
drew up a peace plan known the London agreement.
It was sabotaged by
@likud prime minister, Yitzak Shamir.
February 12, 2025 at 10:49 PM
#Refugees #AsylumSeekers
In 2024, 82 refugees died trying to cross the English Channel in overcrowded small boats.
The highest number came from #Afghanistan, followed by #Iran.
There are no safe routes for asylum applications
from either of those countries,
nor from most of the others:
In 2024, 82 refugees died trying to cross the English Channel in overcrowded small boats.
The highest number came from #Afghanistan, followed by #Iran.
There are no safe routes for asylum applications
from either of those countries,
nor from most of the others:
February 10, 2025 at 12:01 PM
#Refugees #AsylumSeekers
In 2024, 82 refugees died trying to cross the English Channel in overcrowded small boats.
The highest number came from #Afghanistan, followed by #Iran.
There are no safe routes for asylum applications
from either of those countries,
nor from most of the others:
In 2024, 82 refugees died trying to cross the English Channel in overcrowded small boats.
The highest number came from #Afghanistan, followed by #Iran.
There are no safe routes for asylum applications
from either of those countries,
nor from most of the others:
#USAID #DOGE
How Elon Musk's 'kids' took over.
The young men, all under the age of 26 & with almost no government experience, tapped into the treasury department’s federal payment system & vacuumed up employment histories at the office of personnel management.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
How Elon Musk's 'kids' took over.
The young men, all under the age of 26 & with almost no government experience, tapped into the treasury department’s federal payment system & vacuumed up employment histories at the office of personnel management.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Doge v USAid: how Elon Musk helped his acolytes infiltrate world’s biggest aid agency
Exclusive: Takeover of USAid agency by Doge operatives seen as pilot for large-scale overhaul of federal government
www.theguardian.com
February 6, 2025 at 8:04 PM
#USAID #DOGE
How Elon Musk's 'kids' took over.
The young men, all under the age of 26 & with almost no government experience, tapped into the treasury department’s federal payment system & vacuumed up employment histories at the office of personnel management.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
How Elon Musk's 'kids' took over.
The young men, all under the age of 26 & with almost no government experience, tapped into the treasury department’s federal payment system & vacuumed up employment histories at the office of personnel management.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
#Israel The river & the sea.
#Gaza
Deputy #Jerusalem mayor
Fleur Hassan-Nahoum
told @Channel4News
that #Hamas
are "the only people with ethnic cleansing in their charter."
Not true. @likud's founding 1977 platform says:
"Between the Sea & the Jordan there will only be Israeli sovereignty."
#Gaza
Deputy #Jerusalem mayor
Fleur Hassan-Nahoum
told @Channel4News
that #Hamas
are "the only people with ethnic cleansing in their charter."
Not true. @likud's founding 1977 platform says:
"Between the Sea & the Jordan there will only be Israeli sovereignty."
February 5, 2025 at 10:58 PM
#Israel The river & the sea.
#Gaza
Deputy #Jerusalem mayor
Fleur Hassan-Nahoum
told @Channel4News
that #Hamas
are "the only people with ethnic cleansing in their charter."
Not true. @likud's founding 1977 platform says:
"Between the Sea & the Jordan there will only be Israeli sovereignty."
#Gaza
Deputy #Jerusalem mayor
Fleur Hassan-Nahoum
told @Channel4News
that #Hamas
are "the only people with ethnic cleansing in their charter."
Not true. @likud's founding 1977 platform says:
"Between the Sea & the Jordan there will only be Israeli sovereignty."
Trump, Gaza etc:
'Traditional media don’t hesitate to use phrases like “increasing instability” and “corruption”
when discussing so-called developing nations.
But they refuse to use such unequivocal language about their own countries and leaders.'
open.substack.com/pub/anandwri...
'Traditional media don’t hesitate to use phrases like “increasing instability” and “corruption”
when discussing so-called developing nations.
But they refuse to use such unequivocal language about their own countries and leaders.'
open.substack.com/pub/anandwri...
An insider speaks out on why legacy media is failing us right now
Trump and Musk are hijacking the state. Why can’t much of the press say so?
open.substack.com
February 5, 2025 at 6:19 PM
Trump, Gaza etc:
'Traditional media don’t hesitate to use phrases like “increasing instability” and “corruption”
when discussing so-called developing nations.
But they refuse to use such unequivocal language about their own countries and leaders.'
open.substack.com/pub/anandwri...
'Traditional media don’t hesitate to use phrases like “increasing instability” and “corruption”
when discussing so-called developing nations.
But they refuse to use such unequivocal language about their own countries and leaders.'
open.substack.com/pub/anandwri...
Reposted by Hugh Sykes
Two Robins briefly on our feeder.
February 2, 2025 at 4:19 PM
Two Robins briefly on our feeder.
Tariffs? What tariffs?
Breaking news: The Trump administration has agreed to pause sweeping tariffs on Mexico for a month while the two sides hammer out an agreement, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced Monday. The tariffs had been set to take effect early Tuesday.
Live updates: Trump pauses tariffs on Mexico, Mexican president says
Get the latest news on President Donald Trump’s return to the White House and the new Congress.
www.washingtonpost.com
February 3, 2025 at 4:39 PM
Tariffs? What tariffs?
#Tariffs? What tariffs?
US-Mexico tariffs paused for a month
Cat and mouse.
[The text is up to date, the headline is not]
www.reuters.com/world/us/tru...
US-Mexico tariffs paused for a month
Cat and mouse.
[The text is up to date, the headline is not]
www.reuters.com/world/us/tru...
Trump says Americans may feel 'pain' in trade war with Mexico, Canada, China
President Donald Trump said the sweeping tariffs that he has imposed on Mexico, Canada and China may cause "short term" pain for Americans as global markets reflected concerns the levies could undermine growth and reignite inflation.
www.reuters.com
February 3, 2025 at 4:31 PM
#Tariffs? What tariffs?
US-Mexico tariffs paused for a month
Cat and mouse.
[The text is up to date, the headline is not]
www.reuters.com/world/us/tru...
US-Mexico tariffs paused for a month
Cat and mouse.
[The text is up to date, the headline is not]
www.reuters.com/world/us/tru...
#Gaza The real scandal: the spotters who were ignored.
19-year-old Eshel, a border spotter, 'detailed with calm precision the movements of #Hamas fighters as they breached the fence just 500 metres away.'
The IDF ignored her.
She was killed.
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/f...
19-year-old Eshel, a border spotter, 'detailed with calm precision the movements of #Hamas fighters as they breached the fence just 500 metres away.'
The IDF ignored her.
She was killed.
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/f...
Israel’s female spotters are free – now their families want to know why warnings were ignored
Mix of chauvinism and complacency led senior officers not to heed young women who saw Hamas preparing attack
www.theguardian.com
February 2, 2025 at 3:00 PM
#Gaza The real scandal: the spotters who were ignored.
19-year-old Eshel, a border spotter, 'detailed with calm precision the movements of #Hamas fighters as they breached the fence just 500 metres away.'
The IDF ignored her.
She was killed.
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/f...
19-year-old Eshel, a border spotter, 'detailed with calm precision the movements of #Hamas fighters as they breached the fence just 500 metres away.'
The IDF ignored her.
She was killed.
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/f...
Reposted by Hugh Sykes
Just taken my own HIV meds this morning. And imagined what it would be like to turn up to a clinic and be told, there’s no more pills for you
#trump #hiv #treatmentforall #evil
#trump #hiv #treatmentforall #evil
The Trump administration instructed organizations in other countries to stop disbursing HIV medications purchased with U.S. aid, even if the drugs have already been obtained and are sitting in local clinics.
Read more: nyti.ms/4hvI8s0
Read more: nyti.ms/4hvI8s0
January 28, 2025 at 11:34 AM
Just taken my own HIV meds this morning. And imagined what it would be like to turn up to a clinic and be told, there’s no more pills for you
#trump #hiv #treatmentforall #evil
#trump #hiv #treatmentforall #evil
Trump
The Fu*king Nightmare by @rbreich.bsky.social
"Over the last forty years, starting with Reagan, America went off the rails: stagnant wages for most, staggering wealth for a few, big money taking over our politics, undermining the foundations of America."
open.substack.com/pub/robertre...
The Fu*king Nightmare by @rbreich.bsky.social
"Over the last forty years, starting with Reagan, America went off the rails: stagnant wages for most, staggering wealth for a few, big money taking over our politics, undermining the foundations of America."
open.substack.com/pub/robertre...
The Fu*king Nightmare
Trump II, week 2
open.substack.com
February 2, 2025 at 12:34 PM
Trump
The Fu*king Nightmare by @rbreich.bsky.social
"Over the last forty years, starting with Reagan, America went off the rails: stagnant wages for most, staggering wealth for a few, big money taking over our politics, undermining the foundations of America."
open.substack.com/pub/robertre...
The Fu*king Nightmare by @rbreich.bsky.social
"Over the last forty years, starting with Reagan, America went off the rails: stagnant wages for most, staggering wealth for a few, big money taking over our politics, undermining the foundations of America."
open.substack.com/pub/robertre...
Washington DC Plane Crash
Learner-President Trump said the helicopter was flying too high "by a lot."
How did he know?
"I have common sense, okay?"
His own choice of defense secretary Pete Hegseth said that was just speculation.
DC mayor Muriel Bowser set Trump an example with:
"We don't know."
Learner-President Trump said the helicopter was flying too high "by a lot."
How did he know?
"I have common sense, okay?"
His own choice of defense secretary Pete Hegseth said that was just speculation.
DC mayor Muriel Bowser set Trump an example with:
"We don't know."
January 31, 2025 at 8:13 PM
Washington DC Plane Crash
Learner-President Trump said the helicopter was flying too high "by a lot."
How did he know?
"I have common sense, okay?"
His own choice of defense secretary Pete Hegseth said that was just speculation.
DC mayor Muriel Bowser set Trump an example with:
"We don't know."
Learner-President Trump said the helicopter was flying too high "by a lot."
How did he know?
"I have common sense, okay?"
His own choice of defense secretary Pete Hegseth said that was just speculation.
DC mayor Muriel Bowser set Trump an example with:
"We don't know."
DeepSeek: What use an AI platform which has China state censorship built into it and which has to comply with Chinese national intelligence law?
Stay well away.
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
Stay well away.
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
Chinese AI chatbot DeepSeek censors itself in realtime, users report
Depending on version downloaded, app approaches its answers with preamble of reasoning which it then erases
www.theguardian.com
January 29, 2025 at 6:54 PM
DeepSeek: What use an AI platform which has China state censorship built into it and which has to comply with Chinese national intelligence law?
Stay well away.
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
Stay well away.
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
Holocaust Remembrance Day
Auschwitz 80
Two children deep in thought
at the Holocaust Memorial in Berlin.
Auschwitz 80
Two children deep in thought
at the Holocaust Memorial in Berlin.
January 27, 2025 at 10:34 PM
Holocaust Remembrance Day
Auschwitz 80
Two children deep in thought
at the Holocaust Memorial in Berlin.
Auschwitz 80
Two children deep in thought
at the Holocaust Memorial in Berlin.
Reposted by Hugh Sykes
Will
@secdef.bsky.social @petehegseth.bsky.social,
like other members of the military,
have to submit to breath and blood tests
if there is any suspicion of alcohol intake
before he is allowed into situation rooms
or critical military facilities?
@secdef.bsky.social @petehegseth.bsky.social,
like other members of the military,
have to submit to breath and blood tests
if there is any suspicion of alcohol intake
before he is allowed into situation rooms
or critical military facilities?
January 26, 2025 at 2:28 PM
Will
@secdef.bsky.social @petehegseth.bsky.social,
like other members of the military,
have to submit to breath and blood tests
if there is any suspicion of alcohol intake
before he is allowed into situation rooms
or critical military facilities?
@secdef.bsky.social @petehegseth.bsky.social,
like other members of the military,
have to submit to breath and blood tests
if there is any suspicion of alcohol intake
before he is allowed into situation rooms
or critical military facilities?
Reposted by Hugh Sykes
January 26, 2025 at 7:43 PM
January 26, 2025 at 7:43 PM
Will
@secdef.bsky.social @petehegseth.bsky.social,
like other members of the military,
have to submit to breath and blood tests
if there is any suspicion of alcohol intake
before he is allowed into situation rooms
or critical military facilities?
@secdef.bsky.social @petehegseth.bsky.social,
like other members of the military,
have to submit to breath and blood tests
if there is any suspicion of alcohol intake
before he is allowed into situation rooms
or critical military facilities?
January 26, 2025 at 2:28 PM
Will
@secdef.bsky.social @petehegseth.bsky.social,
like other members of the military,
have to submit to breath and blood tests
if there is any suspicion of alcohol intake
before he is allowed into situation rooms
or critical military facilities?
@secdef.bsky.social @petehegseth.bsky.social,
like other members of the military,
have to submit to breath and blood tests
if there is any suspicion of alcohol intake
before he is allowed into situation rooms
or critical military facilities?
Tourism backlash against #Thailand if they do this?
China's treatment of Uyghurs amounts in practical terms, and by the very legal definition, to genocide. Returning people to that is tantamount to a death sentence.
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/j...
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/j...
Relatives plead with Thailand not to deport 48 Uyghur men to China
Detainees fear their return could be imminent despite UN experts urging Bangkok to halt possible transfer
www.theguardian.com
January 26, 2025 at 12:58 PM
Tourism backlash against #Thailand if they do this?