Anna Macdonald
@annamac33.bsky.social
Why take the same road twice if there might be a better path to change? Activist, adventurer, and believer in bold new directions.
Reposted by Anna Macdonald
Twelve of England’s regional mayors back plan to create ‘national active travel network’
Twelve of England’s regional mayors back plan to create ‘national active travel network’
Exclusive: Unprecedented move to focus initially on helping children to walk, cycle or scoot to school safely
Twelve of England’s regional mayors have signed up to an unprecedented plan to create a “national active travel network”, focusing initially on helping children to walk, cycle or scoot to school safely.
The scheme, which involves all non-London regional mayors other than one from Reform UK, is intended to fit into wider efforts to devolve transport planning, working with Active Travel England (ATE) to implement schemes they think would help their area.
Tracy Brabin (Labour) of West Yorkshire.
Paul Bristow (Tory) of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.
Andy Burnham (Labour) of Greater Manchester.
Luke Campbell (Reform UK) of Hull and East Yorkshire.
Oliver Coppard (Labour) of South Yorkshire.
Helen Godwin (Labour), the West of England mayor.
Ben Houchen (Tory) of Tees Valley.
Kim McGuinness (Labour), the North East mayor.
Richard Parker (Labour) of the West Midlands.
Steve Rotheram (Labour), the Liverpool City Region mayor.
David Skaith (Labour) of York and North Yorkshire.
Claire Ward (Labour), mayor of the East Midlands. Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
July 1, 2025 at 11:19 PM
Twelve of England’s regional mayors back plan to create ‘national active travel network’
A terrible short-sighted decision by @latvianmfa.bsky.social @MineBanTreaty has saved countless lives of civilians esp children by banning weapons that continue killing long after wars end. Withdrawing undercuts global humanitarian norms, puts lives at risk. See @icrc.org for more details
Latvia Parliament Votes To Withdraw From the UN Landmines Treaty as the Baltic states bordering Russia seek to reinforce security amid the Ukraine war, joining Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland in their withdrawal. disarmament.unoda.org/anti-personn...
Latvia Parliament Votes To Withdraw From Landmines Treaty
Latvian lawmakers voted Wednesday to quit a treaty banning anti-personnel mines, as the Baltic state bordering Russia seeks to reinforce its security amid the Ukraine war.
www.barrons.com
April 16, 2025 at 7:37 PM
A terrible short-sighted decision by @latvianmfa.bsky.social @MineBanTreaty has saved countless lives of civilians esp children by banning weapons that continue killing long after wars end. Withdrawing undercuts global humanitarian norms, puts lives at risk. See @icrc.org for more details
Reposted by Anna Macdonald
There is no such thing as the ‘responsible use of landmines’—landmine is always a blind killer, and civilians will always pay the price for their use.
#Latvia and #Finland must remain in the convention!
#MineFreeWorld #ProtectMineBan
#Latvia and #Finland must remain in the convention!
#MineFreeWorld #ProtectMineBan
April 3, 2025 at 12:56 PM
There is no such thing as the ‘responsible use of landmines’—landmine is always a blind killer, and civilians will always pay the price for their use.
#Latvia and #Finland must remain in the convention!
#MineFreeWorld #ProtectMineBan
#Latvia and #Finland must remain in the convention!
#MineFreeWorld #ProtectMineBan
Reposted by Anna Macdonald
Fossil fuel companies should be forced to pay the public trillions in damages for the costs of their planetary arson. Instead they are trying to shut down one of the most important and storied environmental groups in the world. It's shameless - and it's not over. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Greenpeace must pay hundreds of millions over Dakota pipeline protests, says jury
Non-profit said in statement lawsuits like this aimed at ‘destroying the right to peaceful protest’
www.theguardian.com
March 19, 2025 at 9:10 PM
Fossil fuel companies should be forced to pay the public trillions in damages for the costs of their planetary arson. Instead they are trying to shut down one of the most important and storied environmental groups in the world. It's shameless - and it's not over. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Huge lines and every seat taken @UNICEF @UNwomen.bksy.social and others #Power4Girls event as #CSW69 kicks off two weeks of meetings, also marking 30 years since the Beijing Platform for Action
March 10, 2025 at 3:35 PM
Huge lines and every seat taken @UNICEF @UNwomen.bksy.social and others #Power4Girls event as #CSW69 kicks off two weeks of meetings, also marking 30 years since the Beijing Platform for Action
Loved @mollycrabapple.bsky.social’s fierce essay of resistance and righteous anger at @bklynlibrary.bsky.social brilliant Night at the Library.
Wonderful that so many people chose to spend Sat night listening to talks and panels to 2am.
Wonderful that so many people chose to spend Sat night listening to talks and panels to 2am.
March 9, 2025 at 3:21 PM
Loved @mollycrabapple.bsky.social’s fierce essay of resistance and righteous anger at @bklynlibrary.bsky.social brilliant Night at the Library.
Wonderful that so many people chose to spend Sat night listening to talks and panels to 2am.
Wonderful that so many people chose to spend Sat night listening to talks and panels to 2am.
Reposted by Anna Macdonald
If, for example, Trump says nobody is allowed to dance, on penalty of death, he has no legal power to make that declaration and no power to enforce it, but if everyone stops dancing it's as good as if he did. Reporting as though Trump has these powers helps give him those powers.
Shocking But Not Surprising Strikes Again (and Again)
The Caprices of the Oligarchs
Shocking but not surprising is a phrase I've often reverted to in the past eight years, for things that are both hideous and predictable, maybe transgressive against the...
www.meditationsinanemergency.com
March 6, 2025 at 1:42 AM
If, for example, Trump says nobody is allowed to dance, on penalty of death, he has no legal power to make that declaration and no power to enforce it, but if everyone stops dancing it's as good as if he did. Reporting as though Trump has these powers helps give him those powers.
Reposted by Anna Macdonald
Keir Starmer to carry out largest cut to UK overseas aid in history
Keir Starmer to carry out largest cut to UK overseas aid in history
NGOs accuse prime minister of following US by accepting ‘false choice’ of cutting aid to fund defence
Sir Keir Starmer is to take UK overseas aid to its lowest level as a percentage of national income since records began, even if he manages to halve the…
www.theguardian.com
February 28, 2025 at 8:14 AM
Keir Starmer to carry out largest cut to UK overseas aid in history
Reposted by Anna Macdonald
Just want to add that "restoring" a program or team or mission is like glueing the fragments together after you broke something. It's not as though it didn't happen, as though you didn't damage it (and in this case, the glue has not been supplied or applied).
Every news outlet reporting Elon Musk's comment about accidentally canceling Ebola prevention efforts and quickly restoring them should also say they haven't been restored, they're still canceled, the outbreak-fighting teams are dismantled, the money is gone
www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
Musk says DOGE ‘restored’ Ebola prevention effort. Officials say that’s not true.
USAID’s initiatives to fight Ebola and other diseases have been gutted, current and former agency officials said.
www.washingtonpost.com
February 27, 2025 at 3:40 PM
Just want to add that "restoring" a program or team or mission is like glueing the fragments together after you broke something. It's not as though it didn't happen, as though you didn't damage it (and in this case, the glue has not been supplied or applied).
Excellent practical ideas to restore hope and most importantly, inspire action. Watch and share!
Includes transcript of @anandwrites.bsky.social and @anatosaurus.bsky.social discussion
Includes transcript of @anandwrites.bsky.social and @anatosaurus.bsky.social discussion
The month of moping ends now.
Here is an incredibly practical plan for fighting fascism. And it involves you acting, not waiting for Democratic spinal growth.
Let’s go. Watch and share Anat Shenker-Osorio’s brilliance.
open.substack.com/pub/anandwri...
Here is an incredibly practical plan for fighting fascism. And it involves you acting, not waiting for Democratic spinal growth.
Let’s go. Watch and share Anat Shenker-Osorio’s brilliance.
open.substack.com/pub/anandwri...
WATCH: An *actual* plan to beat fascism
A masterclass from political sage Anat Shenker-Osorio on how you can fight back against Trump II, create "social proof," mobilize your community, stop waiting for Democrats, and start getting it DONE
open.substack.com
February 23, 2025 at 6:44 PM
Excellent practical ideas to restore hope and most importantly, inspire action. Watch and share!
Includes transcript of @anandwrites.bsky.social and @anatosaurus.bsky.social discussion
Includes transcript of @anandwrites.bsky.social and @anatosaurus.bsky.social discussion
Reposted by Anna Macdonald
Stop arming Israel.
Oxfam and 231 organisations call on the UK and other nations involved in producing F-35 fighter jet parts to immediately halt all F-35 arms transfers to Israel.
READ MORE:
Oxfam and 231 organisations call on the UK and other nations involved in producing F-35 fighter jet parts to immediately halt all F-35 arms transfers to Israel.
READ MORE:
Campaigners urge F-35 fighter jet producing nations to stop supplying Israel
Exclusive: More than 200 civil society groups say governments have failed to prevent planes from being used to violate international law
www.theguardian.com
February 18, 2025 at 1:27 PM
Stop arming Israel.
Oxfam and 231 organisations call on the UK and other nations involved in producing F-35 fighter jet parts to immediately halt all F-35 arms transfers to Israel.
READ MORE:
Oxfam and 231 organisations call on the UK and other nations involved in producing F-35 fighter jet parts to immediately halt all F-35 arms transfers to Israel.
READ MORE:
Reposted by Anna Macdonald
Over 160 NGOs, trade unions, and civil society organizations, including Human Rights Watch, have called on the European Union to ban trade and business with Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem.
Read more:
Read more:
NGOs, Trade Unions, Call on EU to Ban Trade with Israel’s Illegal Settlements
Over 160 nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), trade unions, and civil society organizations, including Human Rights Watch, have called on the European Union to ban trade and business with Israeli set...
www.hrw.org
February 4, 2025 at 10:18 PM
Over 160 NGOs, trade unions, and civil society organizations, including Human Rights Watch, have called on the European Union to ban trade and business with Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem.
Read more:
Read more:
Reposted by Anna Macdonald
Through comments, I learned about other big myths Americans believe about foreign aid:
1/ it's risen past 1% in recent years, esp. due to Ukraine - false, max is about 0.5% in 2022 $80B
2/ it's used mostly *not* for humanitarian aid - nope
3/ It's mainly about military objectives - nope
1/ it's risen past 1% in recent years, esp. due to Ukraine - false, max is about 0.5% in 2022 $80B
2/ it's used mostly *not* for humanitarian aid - nope
3/ It's mainly about military objectives - nope
February 3, 2025 at 7:21 PM
Through comments, I learned about other big myths Americans believe about foreign aid:
1/ it's risen past 1% in recent years, esp. due to Ukraine - false, max is about 0.5% in 2022 $80B
2/ it's used mostly *not* for humanitarian aid - nope
3/ It's mainly about military objectives - nope
1/ it's risen past 1% in recent years, esp. due to Ukraine - false, max is about 0.5% in 2022 $80B
2/ it's used mostly *not* for humanitarian aid - nope
3/ It's mainly about military objectives - nope
Reposted by Anna Macdonald
MORE OF THIS FOR THE LOVE OF GOD
February 3, 2025 at 6:06 PM
MORE OF THIS FOR THE LOVE OF GOD
Reposted by Anna Macdonald
I honestly believe our most powerful position in a toxic time that feeds on cynicism, apathy,& despair is to genuinely care and act for a better world.
Cynicism is our enemy. We should check it, incl. on the left. It’s not intellectually superior. It’s the virus they’re trying to infect us with. NO
Cynicism is our enemy. We should check it, incl. on the left. It’s not intellectually superior. It’s the virus they’re trying to infect us with. NO
January 31, 2025 at 7:04 PM
I honestly believe our most powerful position in a toxic time that feeds on cynicism, apathy,& despair is to genuinely care and act for a better world.
Cynicism is our enemy. We should check it, incl. on the left. It’s not intellectually superior. It’s the virus they’re trying to infect us with. NO
Cynicism is our enemy. We should check it, incl. on the left. It’s not intellectually superior. It’s the virus they’re trying to infect us with. NO
Reposted by Anna Macdonald
“Once I heard, I cried for everything we have endured in the past 15 months.”
Ghada, from the Oxfam team in Gaza, reflects on the loss and destruction suffered in her reaction to the pause in hostilities.
Donate today: bit.ly/GazaLebanon__appeal
Ghada, from the Oxfam team in Gaza, reflects on the loss and destruction suffered in her reaction to the pause in hostilities.
Donate today: bit.ly/GazaLebanon__appeal
January 31, 2025 at 11:05 AM
“Once I heard, I cried for everything we have endured in the past 15 months.”
Ghada, from the Oxfam team in Gaza, reflects on the loss and destruction suffered in her reaction to the pause in hostilities.
Donate today: bit.ly/GazaLebanon__appeal
Ghada, from the Oxfam team in Gaza, reflects on the loss and destruction suffered in her reaction to the pause in hostilities.
Donate today: bit.ly/GazaLebanon__appeal
The Empire State Building lit in honor of former President Carter tonight.
“We will not learn how to live together in peace by killing each other's children. The bond of our common humanity is stronger than the divisiveness of our fears and prejudices.”
“We will not learn how to live together in peace by killing each other's children. The bond of our common humanity is stronger than the divisiveness of our fears and prejudices.”
December 30, 2024 at 1:21 AM
The Empire State Building lit in honor of former President Carter tonight.
“We will not learn how to live together in peace by killing each other's children. The bond of our common humanity is stronger than the divisiveness of our fears and prejudices.”
“We will not learn how to live together in peace by killing each other's children. The bond of our common humanity is stronger than the divisiveness of our fears and prejudices.”
Reposted by Anna Macdonald
The 39th time we've had to post this, and this time about The Onion's original hometown.
‘No Way To Prevent This,’ Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens
MADISON, WI—In the hours following a violent rampage in Wisconsin in which a lone attacker killed at least two individuals and injured six others, citizens living in the only country where this kind o...
theonion.com
December 16, 2024 at 9:48 PM
The 39th time we've had to post this, and this time about The Onion's original hometown.
Some excellent detail from a longstanding landmine expert on all the many risks of Biden’s terrible decision to authorize landmines transfers to Ukraine
In a nutshell, the United States just said that Ukraine is producing antipersonnel landmines, wants antipersonnel landmines, and therefore we’re going to give Ukraine antipersonnel landmines and damn the Mine Ban Treaty - my interview with Meduza meduza.io/en/feature/2...
Pulling at the ‘fine fabric’ of international humanitarian law The U.S. is sending antipersonnel landmines to Ukraine. Here’s why human rights groups are raising concerns. — Meduza
Russia’s invasion has turned Ukraine into the most heavily mined country in the world. And this is just one reason why the Biden administration’s decision to provide Kyiv with antipersonnel landmines ...
meduza.io
December 2, 2024 at 9:44 PM
Some excellent detail from a longstanding landmine expert on all the many risks of Biden’s terrible decision to authorize landmines transfers to Ukraine