Iain King
@iainbking.com
Author, former Director of NATO Mission Iraq, diplomat and academic. Fascinated by philosophy and thrillers. CBE, likes tea.
Pinned
Iain King
@iainbking.com
· Nov 15
All - Bluesky Directory
A curated collection of all things relating to the Blue Sky social media platform.
blueskydirectory.com
The easiest way to start on BlueSky:
1: think of the topics you want to follow
2: type them in as search terms and click 'follow all' on the 'starter pack' - here: blueskydirectory.com/starter-pack...
1: think of the topics you want to follow
2: type them in as search terms and click 'follow all' on the 'starter pack' - here: blueskydirectory.com/starter-pack...
Grok labels GB News impartial and suggests the BBC is propaganda:
November 15, 2025 at 2:03 AM
Grok labels GB News impartial and suggests the BBC is propaganda:
There’s a solution to this. It’s called fiction.
James Bond’s death in No Time to Die is causing a nightmare for the next film. Writers are stuck because Bond “was blown to pieces.”
Anthony Horowitz, author of three 007 novels, says:
“You can't have him wake up in shower and saying it was all a dream."
radaronline.com/p/james-bond...
Anthony Horowitz, author of three 007 novels, says:
“You can't have him wake up in shower and saying it was all a dream."
radaronline.com/p/james-bond...
November 11, 2025 at 3:23 PM
There’s a solution to this. It’s called fiction.
Reposted by Iain King
Hundreds of thousands of people, dead because of a decision made by the world's richest man
One analytical model shows that, as of November 5th, the dismantling of U.S.A.I.D. has already caused the deaths of 600,000 people, two-thirds of them children. https://newyorkermag.visitlink.me/jUzNSc
The Shutdown of U.S.A.I.D. Has Already Killed Hundreds of Thousands
The short documentary “Rovina’s Choice” tells the story of what goes when aid goes.
newyorkermag.visitlink.me
November 7, 2025 at 12:20 PM
Hundreds of thousands of people, dead because of a decision made by the world's richest man
Detailed expose into how X secretly promotes pro far-right bias in the UK: news.sky.com/story/the-x-...
Elon Musk is boosting the British right - and this shows how
Elon Musk is boosting the British right - and this shows how
news.sky.com
November 6, 2025 at 8:15 AM
Detailed expose into how X secretly promotes pro far-right bias in the UK: news.sky.com/story/the-x-...
This shocking image shows a settlement in Sudan where widespread killing of unarmed civilians is believed to have taken place this week. The brown-red is blood. (Full story by Kaamil Ahmed in The Guardian)
October 31, 2025 at 8:00 AM
This shocking image shows a settlement in Sudan where widespread killing of unarmed civilians is believed to have taken place this week. The brown-red is blood. (Full story by Kaamil Ahmed in The Guardian)
Is it just me, or has Threads going the way of Xitter? Many more bots spouting thoughtless material, political ragebait, and less humanity?
October 29, 2025 at 7:07 AM
Is it just me, or has Threads going the way of Xitter? Many more bots spouting thoughtless material, political ragebait, and less humanity?
Excellent journalism from Carole Cadwalladr - well worth a read
www.thenerve.news/p/nathan-gil...
www.thenerve.news/p/nathan-gil...
The glamorous TV host, the web of influence and a mysterious trip to Moscow – inside the downfall of Reform’s disgraced MEP
Ahead of a critical Welsh byelection for Reform next week, part two of our investigation into Nathan Gill uncovers the web of Russian influence that encircled him – and asks why it took so long to cha...
www.thenerve.news
October 19, 2025 at 7:33 AM
Excellent journalism from Carole Cadwalladr - well worth a read
www.thenerve.news/p/nathan-gil...
www.thenerve.news/p/nathan-gil...
Paul McCartney is probably the greatest composer of the 20th century. (If he isn’t, who is?)
I just watched Paul McCartney play 2.5 hours of time capsule-worthy classics. My verdict is that he’s the greatest songwriter in the history of rock n roll.
October 18, 2025 at 11:29 AM
Paul McCartney is probably the greatest composer of the 20th century. (If he isn’t, who is?)
Is there any way to assess - ideally, to get rigorous data on - the algorithm on X? (I’m sure it’s changed again, with politically-dubious posts promoted even more than before).
October 18, 2025 at 9:27 AM
Is there any way to assess - ideally, to get rigorous data on - the algorithm on X? (I’m sure it’s changed again, with politically-dubious posts promoted even more than before).
If large, official accounts have opened on Bluesky, then X may collapse sooner.
October 18, 2025 at 3:05 AM
If large, official accounts have opened on Bluesky, then X may collapse sooner.
Lowest ever murder rate in London:
October 15, 2025 at 9:18 AM
Lowest ever murder rate in London:
I’ve not watched BBC news for a week. It’s far too obsessed with immigration. I haven’t missed it.
October 5, 2025 at 1:13 PM
I’ve not watched BBC news for a week. It’s far too obsessed with immigration. I haven’t missed it.
Quoted from my 2006 book on Kosovo, but named as 'Liane King'
www.haaretz.com/israel-news/...
www.haaretz.com/israel-news/...
Trump's Gaza peace plan sounds promising in theory, but clashes with reality on the ground
In Exchange for the Immediate Release of Hostages, Trump's Plan Excludes Israel's Primary Objective of the War: Destroying Hamas. Although Hamas Will Not Serve in Gaza's Interim Civil Administration, ...
www.haaretz.com
October 1, 2025 at 7:34 PM
Quoted from my 2006 book on Kosovo, but named as 'Liane King'
www.haaretz.com/israel-news/...
www.haaretz.com/israel-news/...
Excellent article on how smart phones are creating a post-literate society, with all the grim consequences that entails (by James Marriot):
substack.com/@nickcohen/n...
substack.com/@nickcohen/n...
Nick Cohen (@nickcohen)
Brilliant piece. Every word rings true
“Politics in the age of short form video favours heightened emotion, ignorance and unevidenced assertions.”
substack.com
September 28, 2025 at 7:48 AM
Excellent article on how smart phones are creating a post-literate society, with all the grim consequences that entails (by James Marriot):
substack.com/@nickcohen/n...
substack.com/@nickcohen/n...
The most senior British politician guilty of illegally aiding a hostile foreign power since… WW1?
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Reform UK's ex-Wales leader Nathan Gill admits pro-Russia bribery
Nathan Gill admits eight charges of bribery while being a Member of the European Parliament.
www.bbc.co.uk
September 27, 2025 at 1:00 PM
The most senior British politician guilty of illegally aiding a hostile foreign power since… WW1?
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Reposted by Iain King
There is “absolutely no evidence” that Russia’s Vladimir Putin wants to negotiate peace in Ukraine, Sir Richard Moore, the outgoing chief of Britain’s Secret Intelligence Service, or MI6, said Friday in a speech.
Britain spy chief says he sees no evidence Putin wants to negotiate peace in Ukraine
The head of Britain's foreign intelligence agency says there is "absolutely no evidence" that Russia's Vladimir Putin wants to negotiate peace in Ukraine.
bit.ly
September 19, 2025 at 8:49 AM
There is “absolutely no evidence” that Russia’s Vladimir Putin wants to negotiate peace in Ukraine, Sir Richard Moore, the outgoing chief of Britain’s Secret Intelligence Service, or MI6, said Friday in a speech.
Excellent rebuke of Russia by the Polish foreign minister, Radek Sikorsky:
www.linkedin.com/posts/jaanik...
www.linkedin.com/posts/jaanik...
Still one of the best russian propaganda debunkings and more timely than ever.
By the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland, Radoslaw Sikorski responds to the russian ambassador in UN Security… | Jaan...
Still one of the best russian propaganda debunkings and more timely than ever.
By the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland, Radoslaw Sikorski responds to the russian ambassador in UN Security Council...
www.linkedin.com
September 18, 2025 at 8:35 AM
Excellent rebuke of Russia by the Polish foreign minister, Radek Sikorsky:
www.linkedin.com/posts/jaanik...
www.linkedin.com/posts/jaanik...
Privately educated people are already over-representated in senior positions; the shock is that the numbers are getting worse, and Britain becoming less meritocratic:
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Privately educated still have ‘vice-like grip’ on most powerful UK jobs
Those in top roles are five times as likely to have been to private school than general population, study finds
www.theguardian.com
September 18, 2025 at 7:04 AM
Privately educated people are already over-representated in senior positions; the shock is that the numbers are getting worse, and Britain becoming less meritocratic:
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Excellent work by Canada to counter bad activities which seek to rile, fragment and implode our democracies and open societies:
www.international.gc.ca/world-monde/...
www.international.gc.ca/world-monde/...
Combatting foreign disinformation and information manipulation
Combatting foreign disinformation and information manipulation
www.international.gc.ca
September 17, 2025 at 3:13 PM
Excellent work by Canada to counter bad activities which seek to rile, fragment and implode our democracies and open societies:
www.international.gc.ca/world-monde/...
www.international.gc.ca/world-monde/...
It’s possible to be fully in favour of free speech and also concerned about the unfair distribution of opportunities to make use of that right.
September 14, 2025 at 8:51 AM
It’s possible to be fully in favour of free speech and also concerned about the unfair distribution of opportunities to make use of that right.
This is exactly what AI is for
if you thought captchas couldn’t possibly become worse, i have upsetting news for you
September 12, 2025 at 6:56 AM
This is exactly what AI is for
Is this genuine? It appears that a holocaust museum was forced to apologise for asserting that no group should be targeted for genocide. Surely this can’t be real… anyone?
September 7, 2025 at 9:58 AM
Is this genuine? It appears that a holocaust museum was forced to apologise for asserting that no group should be targeted for genocide. Surely this can’t be real… anyone?
If a UK political party bans serious journalists from its annual conference (which seems to have happened this weekend), shouldn’t other serious journalists stay away in protest?
September 7, 2025 at 9:05 AM
If a UK political party bans serious journalists from its annual conference (which seems to have happened this weekend), shouldn’t other serious journalists stay away in protest?
