Hugh Annett

“A beautiful deal”, "a rotten fish" and a very long journey back to Russia. My reflections on a dramatic week. And Valentina has sent me a present. #ReadingRussia

10 October 1944 | SS detained four female Jewish prisoners: Ella Gartner, Róża Robota, Regina Safir & Estera Wajsblum. They were involved in smuggling explosives that were used by the Sonderkommando prisoners during their revolt on 7 October 1944. The women were hanged on 6 January 1945.

Sweet old Kyiv tonight

💯. It’s not just stupid electorally. It’s utterly shameful.

Today one Russian newspaper doubts that Vladimir Putin will attend the G20 summit in Miami and predicts “an even tougher and bloodier phase of the Ukraine conflict this winter.” Its headline: “Ahead Russia has not peace, but war.” #ReadingRussia

Here's today's column on the astonishing, ongoing mistreatment of people with #ME/CFS. Please spread it far and wide: the only thing which can break the media's wall of indifference is seeing an article about the issue go viral. Thank you. 1/2 www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Not a dicky bird about thugs trying to sink a dinghy with a rescue worker on board or their claims to be "forming an army". Two boats of people seeking safety land and bingo bango they're the ones portrayed as the issue. Labour is complict in the rise of the far right. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Anything short of total and vocal condemnation of these far right thugs, and none of this bs about "understanding legitimate concerns" from Labour can at this stage only be seen as a tacit acceptance of their actions, which is exactly how the far right sees it and which ultimately emboldens them.

It’s amazing that the US has become so pathetic, that the most vocal backers of Trump are trying to make the case that the US successfully bullied Denmark (when it really didn’t). And all the while they avoid the reality of US bowing to China and doing Russia’s dirty work.

The abandonment of Taiwan--the most geopolitically catastrophic. The China policy--the most craven. The destruction of US relations with its allies--the most stupid.

When historians look back on Trump's foreign policy in a century, I bet these are their verdict on his most famous policies: The support of Russia--the most evil. The pillaging of Venezuela--the most corrupt. The decision to go to war with Iran--the most incompetent.

Europe has spent a long time fretting about the US under President Donald Trump. It should worry more about Russia and China, who both have clear incentives to escalate rather than compromise in their dealings with the EU. My latest for @theguardian.com www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

In future I'm to be found at @goosetracks.bsky.social

Pas Gaza 2025, mais Jaffa 1948, après la Nakba. Le quartier de Manshiya à Jaffa a été détruit lors d'une série de bombardements menés par l'Irgoun pendant la Nakba de 1948 afin d'en chasser les habitants palestiniens. #ÇaN'APasCommencéLe7Oct #L'HistoireSeRépète

💙💛 The First Couple of the Free World.

Members of my family were tortured and killed in the Holocaust because countries like Britain said it wasn't their problem. Everyone said never again. And here we are. It's sickening beyond belief.

Neoliberal destruction of the NHS UK has 2.4 hospital beds per 1,000 people Germany 7.6 OECD average 4.6 Worse in many places. Hackney in London 0.9, lower than Mexico. Bedfordshire 1.7, same as Colombia. Sick people can't work. Can't boost GDP & productivity without better healthcare.

The scale of suffering and bloodshed in Gaza is intolerable. Alongside party leaders from across the UK, I have written to the Prime Minister demanding immediate action. Parliament must be recalled to end arms sales, introduce sanctions and uphold international law.

I know--and people really thought you would put sanctions on me! What rubes!

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A very good analysis of where we are now. And why.

An outstanding, thoroughly researcher and profoundly disturbing article. There may be a glimmer of hope that will come from the Sudanese who want to help and to build a nation for all, the many not the few. The seeds are being sown

'Let's go fly a kite': Capturing wind for clean energy in Ireland

“Nothing prepares you for the realization that you are part of a society committing genocide. This is a deeply painful moment for us,” said B’Tselem Executive Director Yuli Novak www.btselem.org/press_releas...

Israeli rights org B'Tselem has released a report titled "Our Genocide". They warn Israel is "already replicating its patterns of destruction and annihilation...in the West Bank...albeit on a smaller scale" (h/t @yairwallach.bsky.social) www.btselem.org/press_releas...

www.facebook.com/share/p/1Nci...

Saint Thomas is back on #NotreDame's spire. He joined another 15 statues dating back to 1850s which had been removed for restoration only days before the fire. In a month, Notre Dame's #flèche will be visible from miles away. 📷Romaric Toussaint©RebâtirNotreDame

It grovels to the racist right while dissing and imprisoning its own supporters. The Labour Party under Keir Starmer has become the enemy of all that is decent and kind, the enemy of its own voters, the enemy of what it once was.

In Steve Rosenberg's engrossing and charming vignettes of Valentina he lays before us the wonderful Russian people whom we see and hear so little of. Thanks Steve and I hope you visit Kursk to give us further news of Valentina and the hopefully good outcome of her cancer treatment.

Brazilian colleague recently reminded me, after hearing me speak about autocratic influence campaigns, that the greatest threat to Brazilian democracy is not from Russia or China, but rather the United States www.nytimes.com/2025/07/09/w...

Grip of the state. The UK is less open and transparent than Colombia, Denmark, Estonia, France, Ireland, Korea, Lithuania, Poland, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden. Weak parliament, press, civil society makes democracy difficult in a secretive state, facilitates elective dictatorships.

When the histories are written I fear that one portrayal of European leaders in 2024 and 2025 will be far more critical than that of 1938 and 1939. We are watching a masterclass on unnecessary weakness.

Letter from Iran open.substack.com/pub/persuasi...

Does our future depend on technology? Is truth always convincing? Do we need art? Are we always free? This morning, 530,000 French 18-year-olds started their baccalaureate exam with the Philosophy dissertation. 4 possible subjects to choose from. #Bac2025 #Philo www.leparisien.fr/etudiant/lyc...

Best image of the day:

I’ve been re-reading a newspaper I bought in Moscow 35 years ago. I knew at the time that the front-page story was important. But I couldn’t imagine what would happen a year later. #ReadingRussia

The explanation for that U-Turn is risky and risible. To not be truthful and honest in government is a dangerous way to survive in a post-truth environment. Labour becomes complicit and at some point cannot stand up to Farages populism with a straight face anymore.

I recently heard a high-profile pundit argue that the Trump movement cannot be Fascistic as -its supporters don't wear uniforms; -Trump dislikes foreign wars; -he hasn't tried to amend the Constitution. It's a dangerously complacent view, that misses the sheer gravity of the current situation. 🧵

Sir Ken Bloomfield had more influence for longer than any other civil servant in Northern Irish history. In the Troubles, he personified the quiet defiance of most people. His death reemphasises the lamentable state of the once-august institution he led.

"Every time we go to the polls, politicians will say that every election matters and every vote counts. They will be right" www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...

Another setback for Liberal democracy in Europe

HMRC admits not collecting £40bn tax last yr. Others say over £100bn. Big accounting/law firms, banks mastermind tax dodges. Rarely prosecuted. No big accounting firm prosecuted; get govt contracts. Fewer than FIVE criminal cases brought in 2023-2024, 16 in 2018-2019. Govts chase little people.

Sigh. Austria, a country governed by a coalition without the far-right party but with far-right policies and rhetoric. A People's Party chancellor who says he wants to outdo the far right with harsh immigration and asylum policies. The problem is, this doesn't work. Study after study shows this.

WTF? If this Government can’t even agree to this smallest of initiatives, which has no cost to them & absolutely no down-sides, what hope that it will step up to the bigger nature challenges we face? This is a *popular* policy, for heavens sake. Obstinate tin-eared stupidity doesn’t come close …

Much to note here from @antonspisak.bsky.social From his conclusion: ‘What this week has revealed is a glimpse into the new post-Brexit reality: one of continuous negotiation with the EU… a cycle of structured but perpetual negotiations, where unresolved legacy issues require patching and…