Jon Letman
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jonletman.bsky.social
Jon Letman
@jonletman.bsky.social
Hawaii-based independent journalist covering human rights, the environment, and the impact of US foreign policy, militarism, and nuclear weapons in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.
Pinned
"We are maybe of different color. We are maybe of different area, but we belong to this one Mother Earth, and despite our difference of color, language and other things, we belong together." —Gabra pastoralist elder Molu Kulu of northern Kenya speaking at the IUCN WCC in Honolulu 9/3/2016.
At at time when those with control over nuclear weapons are making all the wrong decisions, this is an important film with a message everyone should take to heart. Take 33 minutes to watch this important film: youtu.be/DhrSXF74SYo?...
Golden Rule: The Journey for Peace | Full Documentary
YouTube video by Mane Co
youtu.be
November 11, 2025 at 5:59 PM
Reposted by Jon Letman
When the Central Asian presidents gathered in Washington DC, their summit was the crowning achievement for a decade-old format.
US & Central Asia: What Is the C5+1?
On November 6, 2025, the Central Asian presidents will gather in Washington DC. The summit will be the crowning achievement for a decade-old format.
buff.ly
November 7, 2025 at 8:38 AM
Reposted by Jon Letman
Rather than pick a flashy headline for clicks, Inkstick is committed to honest, in-depth, on-the-ground reporting and fearless analysis.

If you contribute to support Inkstick's nonprofit newsroom today, NewsMatch will match your donation.
Support Inkstick’s Adversarial Reporting — from Washington DC to Gaza
Thanks to NewsMatch, any donation you provide before the end of the year will count as double.
inkstick.substack.com
November 6, 2025 at 12:26 PM
His social media is vague and incoherent but exceedingly reckless nonetheless. I have a hard time believing he actually means explosive nuclear testing. We’ve been warned about this person for years. Was the danger not obvious?
October 30, 2025 at 5:45 AM
October 10, 2025 at 9:21 AM
Reposted by Jon Letman
Join me this Thursday for a virtual panel on the state of play on US scientific research, along with Obama Administration Science Advisor John Holdren and @thebulletin.org President and CEO Alex Bell.
Earlier this year, President Donald Trump issued an executive order and budget proposal aimed at cutting support for the scientific research community.

How will possible cuts affect scientists, and what solutions may exist? This Thursday, join the Bulletin for an expert discussion.
Under Attack: Science, Research, and the Trump Administration
Thursday, September 25, 2025 at 10:30 A.M. CDT / 11:30 A.M. EDT
pages.thebulletin.org
September 22, 2025 at 7:19 PM
Reposted by Jon Letman
As the world marks the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, Kazakhstan’s youth and civil society lead the fight for justice and awareness.

inkstickmedia.com/kazakh-activ...
Kazakh Activists Shine a Light on Nuclear Fallout
As the world marks the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, Kazakhstan’s youth and civil society lead the fight for justice and awareness.
inkstickmedia.com
September 25, 2025 at 2:01 PM
Reposted by Jon Letman
Banking on Pollen

When seed saving doesn’t work, pollen may be the answer to preserving botanical heritage.

by @toughcitywriter.bsky.social

www.biographic.com/banking-on-p...
Banking on Pollen
When seed saving doesn’t work, pollen may be the answer to preserving botanical heritage.
www.biographic.com
September 10, 2025 at 1:52 PM
Reposted by Jon Letman
Today in 1979, the massive concrete dome on Runit Island at Enewetak Atoll was completed, entombing 4,700 cubic meters of radioactive debris and more than 83,000 cubic meters of contaminated soil scraped off neighboring islands—the dangerous residue of 43 US nuclear tests from 1948-58.
September 6, 2025 at 5:26 PM
Reposted by Jon Letman
Marshall Islands picks up the pieces after fire destroys its ‘heart of democracy’
Marshall Islands picks up the pieces after fire destroys its ‘heart of democracy’
The slow process to rebuild parliament, the Nitijela, begins as the Pacific nation confronts the loss of a vital cultural landmark
www.theguardian.com
September 2, 2025 at 1:29 AM
The Most Environmentally Imaginative Country on Earth Is Under Assault www.nytimes.com/2025/08/15/o... #Ecuador #biodiversity
Opinion | The Most Environmentally Imaginative Country on Earth Is Under Assault
www.nytimes.com
August 15, 2025 at 9:08 AM
The atomic bombings of #Hiroshima and #Nagasaki killed and injured tens of thousands of Koreans who continue to fight for justice, recognition and an apology. thediplomat.com/2025/06/kore...
Korea’s Nuclear Landscape: Past and Present
Some in South Korea are considering the development of nuclear weapons, but Koreans have already experienced the horrors of nuclear war.
thediplomat.com
August 14, 2025 at 2:42 PM
She Was 19 When the Atomic Bomb Dropped

Akiko Takakura survived the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. This is her story, in her words. www.nytimes.com/2023/04/04/o...
Opinion | She Was 19 When the Atomic Bomb Dropped (Published 2023)
www.nytimes.com
August 12, 2025 at 10:24 AM
Reposted by Jon Letman
VIDEO: Poetry helps Omanis preserve an ancient language.

Against the backdrop of southern Oman's lush mountains, men in traditional attire chant poems in an ancient language used by just 2% of the population. The majority of Omanis speak Arabic, but in region of Dhofar, people speak Jibbali
August 12, 2025 at 5:01 AM
I see lots of op-eds, articles, etc. explaining why nuclear weapons are so horrific and the threat so grave. I do not see nuclear weapons proponents telling us why these weapons are so important that we must invest trillions of $$ and put all life at risk. Why so silent nuclear weapons supporters?
August 7, 2025 at 9:14 PM
Reposted by Jon Letman
Even a “small” nuclear weapon could precipitate the use of a gigaton’s worth of nuclear arsenal being used, causing the collapse of civilization. “The public needs to be focused on asking our respective governments to lower the risk of nuclear war.”
Threat of Nuclear War Is Rising, But Scientists Say the Public Can Change That
Scientists and others are calling on civil society to heed growing nuclear dangers and revive the anti-nuclear movement.
truthout.org
August 4, 2025 at 6:47 PM
Reposted by Jon Letman
Speaking at the UN, Hamasumi Jiro invokes the humanitarian cost of nuclear weapons — and the fading voices of survivors — as global powers continue to ignore the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.

inkstickmedia.com/on-the-80th-...
On the 80th Anniversary of the World's First Atomic Attack, Hiroshima’s Youngest Survivors Call for Disarmament
On the 80th Anniversary of the World's First Atomic Attack, Hiroshima’s Youngest Survivors Call for Disarmament
inkstickmedia.com
August 6, 2025 at 3:08 PM
We’ve seen the horror of #Hiroshima and #Nagasaki yet we allow ourselves to be held hostage by nine nuclear armed nations who have the equivalent of 146,605 Hiroshima-sized bombs (nearly 90% belong to 🇺🇸& 🇷🇺). Learn more at @banmonitor.bsky.social and @scientistsorg.bsky.social
August 6, 2025 at 11:14 AM
Reposted by Jon Letman
The world urgently needs both Russia and the United States to take concrete steps to prevent a war of words from spiraling into actual conflict between two nuclear-armed countries. The stakes could not be higher.

www.nti.org/news/stateme...
August 1, 2025 at 10:32 PM
Reposted by Jon Letman
Trump’s announcement that he has ordered “two nuclear submarines” into position in response to Medvedev’s equally stupid statement is deeply irresponsible and reckless. It is unnecessary, escalates the situation, and shows Trump is unfit to be president. www.reuters.com/world/trump-...
Trump orders nuclear submarines moved near Russia
U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday said he had ordered two nuclear submarines to be positioned in regions near Russia in response to threats from former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.
www.reuters.com
August 1, 2025 at 6:01 PM
Intentionally (or unintentionally) starving people or actually targeting people trying to feed their families is one of the cruelest and most sadistic things I can think of. Yes, I am talking about you Netanyahu and enablers. This policy is bad for #Israel, much worse for #Palestine.
July 31, 2025 at 7:24 PM
Reposted by Jon Letman
A first-hand report from the site of the Nobel Laureate Assembly for the Prevention of Nuclear War, from Bulletin editor-in-chief @meckdevil.bsky.social.
Nobel laureates and nuclear experts gather at University of Chicago on Trinity anniversary, press world leaders for action on nuclear dangers
A first-hand report from the site of the Nobel Laureate Assembly for the Prevention of Nuclear War.
thebulletin.org
July 17, 2025 at 7:49 PM
The risk of nuclear war is increasing. #Nuclearweapons spending is rising and arsenals are being modernized and expanded. But this group of experts and Nobel laureates has a plan to reduce risks (and there is a role for the public): www.usatoday.com/story/news/p...
'Heed our warnings': Nobel laureates plea for diplomacy to prevent nuclear war
Top nuclear experts gathered in Chicago to offer world leaders a playbook for reducing the risk of nuclear war.
www.usatoday.com
July 22, 2025 at 9:29 PM
“Civil society” means all of us. You, me, your family and friends. We need to turn up the pressure on policy makers.

“…we call on scientists, academics, civil society, and communities of faith to help create the necessary pressure on global leaders to implement nuclear risk reduction measures.”
This week, the Nobel Laureate Assembly for the Prevention of Nuclear War, a group of Nobel laureates and leading nuclear experts, met to discuss today's nuclear challenges.

During this session, the Assembly announced its list of actionable recommendations for preventing nuclear war. Watch for more:
Nobel Laureate Assembly for the Prevention of Nuclear War
Announcement of the recommendations of the Nobel Laureate Assembly for the Prevention of Nuclear War
youtu.be
July 19, 2025 at 5:04 PM