Socialist insomniac - still dreaming of a fairer world. tweets on Human Rights, Social Justice and UK/US politics. #SaveOurNHS
Cambs, UK
Joined August 2011
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They say a picture paints a thousand words.
But sometimes words can convey the anguish that no picture can convey.
Please read. #GazaGenocide
Today she came. Pale. Trembling. A young woman no older than twenty-five, clutching in her arms her son, her last living fragment of hope. The boy was limp, his little arms hanging as though life itself had slipped from them. His eyes were two dead stars. Behind her walked the grandmother. A grandmother who had already buried too many. Her face so worn that it seemed older than the land itself, older than grief.
The mother spoke haltingly, every word torn from her throat like a piece of flesh.
“Diarrhea. Five days,” she whispered, as if naming an unforgivable sin.
“But what frightens me…” Her voice cracked. “He no longer eats.”
“Since when?” I asked, though I was afraid to know.
Ah, that silence. That silence was like a bell tolling for the dead. She looked at her mother, as though asking for permission to speak. Then, with a kind of resigned despair, she confessed: “For a long time.”
I gave her medicine. A hollow gesture. A lie we tell ourselves so we do not collapse. She left without a word. But the grandmother stayed.
She came closer. Each step was heavy, as if she were carrying not her own body but the body of every mother who ever lived. She leaned toward me and spoke with the voice of someone who has seen hell.
“Do not ask her,” she said. “She cannot say it. The child stopped eating on the day he saw his father fall. He saw the blood. He saw the body. He saw everything.”
Then she too left, and I was alone with the weight of the world.
I am no psychologist. But I have seen the abyss in men’s hearts, and I know what it means when a child refuses life itself. This is not a disease of the stomach. This is the soul crying out: No more.
Tell me, what happens to a child’s mind when the first god he ever knew, his father, is struck down before him? What happens when the one who was meant to shield him from death becomes death?
The father’s blood was not the only thing spilled that day. The child’s faith was spilled with it. The world collapsed for him. There is no food sweet enough to make him want to taste life again.
And this is the deepest cruelty of genocide. It is not the heap of corpses that marks its victory. It is not the smoking ruins. It is not the screams at night. Its triumph is when a living child sits in the dust and refuses the breast, refuses the bread, refuses the world itself.
This child will grow, if he grows, with a hollow inside him no bread will ever fill. No embrace will ever close. He will learn to love with fear, to sleep with ghosts beside him. And one day, when he becomes a father, he will place into his child’s hands not only his love but also his terror.
And this is how extermination stretches its fingers into the future. It kills not only the body but the capacity to live.
Gaza is not merely a place under bombs. It is a factory of grief, a workshop of despair. What is being forged here is not just ruin. It is a generation of children who will one day walk the earth carrying death in their memories, in their dreams, in the way they touch the world.
As I write this, my chest burns. My hands tremble. I feel as though my own heart is being gnawed from the inside by rats. If there is a God, and I dare still to believe, then He must be weeping over Gaza tonight.
Yes, the father was killed. But the greater crime, the eternal crime, is this: the slow, unseen murder of the child’s soul.
This is our apocalypse. Not fire from heaven. Not angels with trumpets. But a child sitting in the rubble, lips pressed shut, eyes empty, refusing to swallow the world’s cruelty.
#GazaGenocide
Angus Carruthers retweeted
This was an article in the New York Times two years ago.
He’s done all of it.
Angus Carruthers retweeted
Donald J. Trump repeatedly falsely describes the math section of the MoCA cognitive test. I've included footage of @Acosta taking the actual math section of the same test with @DrRobDavidson of Paging America. As usual Trump is inventing reality.
Angus Carruthers retweeted
A reporter just asked Trump about the removal of Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia, but referred to him only as "Lt. Gen. Sylvia."
"She’s got problems," Trump said. "She’s gonna have big problems. We’re very much looking for leakers"
Angus Carruthers retweeted
Breaking: For the 34th time in a row, the world overwhelmingly votes to condemn and end the illegal US 🇺🇸 blockade of Cuba 🇨🇺.
Here's a map I made of the official vote.
Angus Carruthers retweeted
Trump: I'm the only president to pass. I passed 3 cognitive tests. And they're hard. They have a lion, a bear, a snake, and a camel. They say, which one is the snake? It's a very powerful test, very highly respected test, very well known test, 30 questions, very hard. I passed it all 3 times. I aced it
Angus Carruthers retweeted
According to Le Monde, citing sources, U.S. special envoy Witkoff held a tense meeting in Florida on October 9 with Budanov, head of Ukraine’s Presidential Office.
Sources claimed that Witkoff spoke to Budanov “like a child,” trying to “teach” him how to make money.
Witkoff proposed a postwar “regional prosperity plan” that included fully restoring Russian oil and gas transit to Europe through Ukrainian territory.
Witkoff argued that Ukraine would earn transit revenues while Europe would benefit from lower energy costs.
Budanov reportedly replied that Ukraine’s model is “not Belarus, but Poland,” then stepped out to call President Zelenskyy, who advised him not to show any reaction.
When the talks resumed, the Ukrainian side was shown a document outlining a U.S.-Russia diesel deal.
An irritated Witkoff reportedly said: “Accept this diesel deal and stop striking Russian oil refineries — you are putting the world at risk!”
Ukrainian participants were described as shocked, viewing the plan as creating dependency on Moscow and noting that the United States appeared to have secured nothing in return from Putin.
A source close to the delegation told Le Monde: “I have never seen the Ukrainians so stunned and alarmed after a meeting.”
Analysts contrasted the episode with the February 28, 2025 Oval Office incident, saying this one involves concrete policy decisions that could affect Ukraine’s ability to defend itself ahead of a potentially harsh winter.
lemonde.fr/international/art…
Angus Carruthers retweeted
Israel is dropping thermal balloons over southern Lebanon, according to Lebanon’s NNA.
The Lebanese army has warned that similar balloons carry explosive and incendiary materials and urged residents not to approach them.
🔴 LIVE updates: aje.news/k3v777
Angus Carruthers retweeted
⭕️ Israel's Arab parties say they're ready to help oust Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot hasn't taken them up on it.
🔸"The Joint List will do everything in its power to bring an end to Netanyahu's rule," the alliance said in a statement Wednesday, adding that it was "prepared for political cooperation to establish an alternative government," according to Ynet. Its chairman, Yousef Jabareen, said the first step is "removing Netanyahu and the Knesset speaker."
🔸Joint List lawmaker Ahmad Tibi said the party would support a government from outside without seeking cabinet posts. In return, it wants a serious crackdown on crime in Arab communities and an end to home demolitions in Bedouin villages.
🔸Eisenkot and his partners must "show courage," Tibi said. Ra'am chairman Mansour Abbas credited his community's record turnout to far-right ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich.
Eisenkot hasn't reached out, Tibi said. Eisenkot has repeated that his priority is a "Zionist government committed to military conscription."
📊 Three-quarters of Jewish Israelis don't want the Joint List in the next government, not even backing it from outside, according to a pre-election survey by the Israel Democracy Institute. ⬇️
Angus Carruthers retweeted
Israeli democracy has been given a chance. It may not get another. Gadi Eisenkot must now persuade his partners to accept his leadership, build a framework for cooperation with the Arab parties and form a government. Netanyahu knows that many Israelis who flew in to vote won't do it again | @alufbenn
haaretz.com/israel-news/elec…
Angus Carruthers retweeted
Foi a maior votação árabe e a maior quantidade d cadeira.
Netanyahu faz o que?
Chama de fraude e manda bater nos árabes israelenses
הליכוד:
הבחירות במדינת ישראל נגנבו על ידי מפלגות ערביות שתומכות בטרור ובחיסול המדינה היהודית באמצעות עבירות פליליות חמורות של שוחד, איומים, אלימות, זיופים ושימוש בתוכנות אסורות להמרצת מצביעים.
מפלגת הליכוד מעבירה למשטרה, לשב״כ ולוועדת הבחירות מאות עדויות וראיות על גניבת בחירות בקלפיות ערביות רבות- אלפי מעטפות עם כסף מזומן ופתקי רע״ם, איומים ואלימות כלפי חברי הקלפי, ריבוי מצביעים מאחורי הפרגוד, הצבעות בזהות כפולה, פערים בין מספר המעטפות למספר המצביעים, שימוש בתוכנות המרצה אסורות ועוד.
אנו דורשים מהמשטרה ומהשב״כ חקירה יסודית בגין גניבת הבחירות על ידי המפלגות הערביות ומיצוי הדין עם העבריינים.
אנו דורשים מוועדת הבחירות התייחסות מיידית לחקירת העבירות הפליליות הללו שפגעו באופן קיצוני בטוהר הבחירות בישראל ובתוצאות הבחירות.
זו פגיעה חמורה בדמוקרטיה הישראלית ובזכות הבחירה של אזרחי ישראל. גופי האכיפה מוכרחים לפעול ביד קשה ובאופן מיידי.
Angus Carruthers retweeted
Netanyahu's bloc remains at 53 seats with all votes counted except "double-envelope" ballots, Israel's Channel 12 reported. That leaves the bloc eight short of a majority, with Eisenkot's bloc at 48 and the Arab lists at 19.
Those remaining ballots could still shift the result. Israel's Central Election Committee estimates about 480,000 of them remain to be counted. They're cast by soldiers, diplomats, hospital patients and others voting outside their home polling stations.
Meanwhile, the opposition camp has reportedly contacted the Palestinian Joint List to "explore the possibility of future cooperation" and to coordinate on possibly replacing the Knesset speaker, Joint List head Ahmad Tibi told Al Jazeera.
⭕️ Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc is on track for 53 of the Knesset's 120 seats, with 85.6% of votes counted, according to Haaretz. That's eight short of a majority.
Opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot's bloc is projected to win 48 seats. With 19 seats estimated won by Arab parties, the opposition would hold 67. Without the Palestinian (“Arab”) parties, neither side can reach the 61 needed to govern.
Leading opposition figures, including former Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman of Yisrael Beiteinu and former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, have said they won't join a government that depends on Palestinian-party support.
Two small right-wing parties, the Reservists (2.6%) and Amcha Yisrael (1.6%) are currently below the 3.25% threshold needed to enter the Knesset. If they end up below the threshold, their votes are wasted. They would have likely favored the opposition bloc.
Angus Carruthers retweeted
🚨 SUMMARY: John Healey's first Budget
SUPPORT FOR BILLS:
- Eligible households in council tax bands A–D will receive a £100 cash payment from January to help with energy bills
- The cut to VAT on electricity bills will be extended until July 2027
- Gas standing charges will be abolished by the end of 2027 or soon after, with costs shifted to gas unit rates
- Targeted energy debt relief will be introduced to help households struggling with energy arrears
- Local authorities in England will receive an extra £100m to support households on benefits facing severe energy pressures
- Energy-intensive manufacturers will receive a 20–25% electricity discount from April 2027
- The 5p fuel duty cut will be extended until 1 July 2027
- The 3.7p-per-litre red diesel duty cut will be extended until 1 July 2027
- The HGV vehicle excise duty holiday will be extended until 1 July 2027
- £100m will be invested over two years to reduce the cost of local, lower-powered public EV chargers
TAX:
- Tax on savings income will rise by a further 2% from April
- Tax on property income will rise by a further 2% from April
- The tax on bank profits will rise from 3% to 6% from January 2027 to March 2028
- Machine Games Duty will rise from 20% to 25% on machines with stakes over £1 from April
- Business rates relief will be removed for vape shops and adult gaming centres from April
- Online marketplaces will have to collect VAT on sales by UK businesses making over £90,000 from October 2027
- Certain overseas businesses will have to account for UK VAT on services sold to UK businesses under tightened rules
- Certain UK property income and gains earned by foreign sovereign investors will become subject to UK tax following a consultation
- From April 2028, tax rules will change to stop shareholders from using certain methods to pay less tax on money taken out of their companies
- HMRC will gain new powers to seize lower-value unpaid tax directly from the bank accounts of people who can afford to pay but fail to do so
- The business rates threshold for retail, hospitality and leisure in England will rise from £12,000 to £18,000 - meaning 70,000 businesses will pay no business rates
- Alcohol duty will increase in line with inflation from February 2027, potentially increasing prices for beer, wine and spirits
- Small breweries and cider makers will receive £10 million a year in extra tax relief to help reduce their costs
- Rachel Reeves' plans to cut the annual cash ISA allowance have been scrapped - it will remain at £20,000 rather than falling to £12,000
- From April 2027, the amount of profit eligible for tax relief when selling a business will be reduced from £1 million to £500,000
- From April 2027, eligible business founders selling their businesses will pay just 10% Capital Gains Tax on up to £10 million in profits over their lifetime
WAGES, INCOME AND COST OF LIVING:
- Import tariffs will be temporarily removed on more than 100 food and drink products from 26 November 2026 until December 2028
- Tariffs on heating kerosene will be suspended until December 2028
- Tariffs on specified fertilisers will be suspended until December 2027
- The tax-free allowance for pensioners relying solely on the state pension will be increased to match the rise in the pension to £13,097
- The minimum wage will rise to £13.21 for over 21s, £11.27 for 18 to 20 year olds and £8.31 for under 18s and apprentices - all rises of 3.9%
- Eligible self-employed fathers, partners and adopters will gain access to parental pay from April 2029
- The tax-free mileage allowance for employees using their own cars for work will be made permanent: 55p per mile for the first 10,000 business miles and 35p (from 25p) per mile above that
- Carers earning over £204 a week after tax will no longer automatically lose their entire Carer’s Allowance; a tapered reduction will be introduced from 2029 instead (lose £1 for every extra £1 earned)
HOUSING:
- £4.7bn will fund the new Your First Home scheme to help around 70,000 households buy a home, with deposits as low as 2.5% and interest-free Government loans for the first five years, starting April 2027
- A new ISA for first-time buyers will launch in April 2029. You can save up to £4,000 a year, and for every £100 you save, the Government will add £25, up to £1,000 a year, to help you buy your first home costing up to £450,000
- From tomorrow, people with an existing Lifetime ISA will face a lower penalty when using their savings to buy a home costing over £450,000. The penalty will drop from 25% to 20%
- An extra £432m will be provided over 2027–28 and 2028–29 to help rough sleepers get off the streets
- An extra £1bn will go towards social and affordable housing in England, taking funding for the 10-year programme to more than £40bn
DEFENCE:
- A new target date of spending 3% of GDP on defence in 2030
- The £298 billion Defence Investment will be "fully funded" through "capital reprioritisation across Whitehall"
- £10bn in economic and military support for Ukraine
DEVOLUTION AND LOCAL INVESTMENT:
- Mayors in England will begin retaining 20% of business rates from April 2027 with the aim of allowing all business rates to be retained locally by 2030
- Mayors will receive a share of income tax receipts from April 2028
- The Government will work with mayors to develop a £1.5bn borrowing facility, expected to be available from 2028, to help fund larger local projects
OTHER:
- A new £15m fund will tackle misogyny in schools, workplaces and communities
Angus Carruthers retweeted
Fun fact: 400,000 native Palestinian residents of Jerusalem are defined by Israeli law as neither Palestinian citizens, nor Israeli. As a result, they don't have political representation anywhere and vote nowhere - not even in the fake occupation instrument called 'the Palestinian Authority'.
With the knowledge, blessing and approval of almost every country in the world, and every international institution, on top of every other atrocity and crime against humanity documented, Israel holds 400,000 people under full ,formal denial of every political right given to any other human being on this planet.
No vote. No parliament. No representation. Transparent subjects.
Angus Carruthers retweeted
A Brazilian Supreme Court justice ordered a police investigation into alleged ties between a donor network co-founded by Vice President JD Vance and the presidential campaign of Flávio Bolsonaro in the run-up to Sunday’s election. wapo.st/4ir5DEM
Angus Carruthers retweeted
Israel's exit polls tell two stories: a decisive 70-50 victory for the opposition, or a narrow 53-50 lead for the Jewish opposition bloc. The difference? Whether the Arab parties' historic gains are counted – or effectively erased from the political picture | @noa_landau
haaretz.com/israel-news/elec…
Angus Carruthers retweeted
With the permanent UN Security Council members so far blocking the lead Latin American women candidates to become UN secretary-general, two absurd outsiders are now being suggested -- the longtime former autocratic leader of Hungary, Viktor Orban, and a United Arab Emirates diplomat who took the lead in falsely denying her governments involvement in sending arms and mercenaries to the genocidal Rapid Support Forces in Sudan, Lana Nusseibeh. Both would destroy the UN's reputation and should be firmly rejected. genevasolutions.news/global-…
