Simon Cullen
Twitter exile
Now: comms at Asian Development Bank.
Past: journo at CNN, BBC, ABC Australia.
(All views my own... unless you want them too)
- This is a wind map of the Philippines right now (Sunday, 7:45pm local time) Manila is approx where the little green circle is. This is the second major typhoon in less than a week. #typhoonfungwong
- Super Typhoon Ragasa has crossed the coast of northern Philippines. Strong wind gusts here in Manila, but a long way away from the worst of it.
- Reposted by Simon CullenWorth a read if you are interested in transparency in Government, FOI and what Labor is cooking up. theconversation.com/yes-freedom-...
- Reposted by Simon Cullen"You can say what you like, I don’t care, because that’s what free speech is," Nigel Farage has just told the House Judiciary Committee, about three hours after his party banned me from covering its conference this weekend.
- Nigel Farage is about to give evidence to the US Congress on threats to free speech in the UK. So here's one for him: Reform UK has just banned me (and @thenewworldmag.bsky.social) from attending its party conference this weekend. www.thenewworld.co.uk/james-ball-w...
- Reposted by Simon CullenThe UK has experienced a “solar surge” this year as a run of sunny days and new panels on rooftops generated record amounts of electricity. Solar power output has broken records for the last five months in a row, @ember-energy.org found.
- Reposted by Simon CullenAs we seem to, yet again, be talking about the hot UK summer of 1976, a reminder that the UK is not the world. Yes, it was hot that summer over our small region, but the bigger picture tells a different story. And, we've had hotter UK summers since.
- We have a new Pope! edition.cnn.com/world/live-n...
- "In the global game of trade poker, Trump inherited a weakening hand and is playing it extremely badly," writes @alanbeattie.bsky.social in today's @financialtimes.com www.ft.com/content/c2eb...
- What do 30 years of FEMA stats show us about climate-driven disasters in the United States? - 2024 was the second highest number of Major Disasters in a year. That's one every four days. - 41% (137m people) of population lived under a Major Disaster or Emergency Declaration at some point in 2024.
- The International Institute for Environment and Development @iied.bsky.social crunched 30 years of FEMA data, and cross referenced it with census estimates for each affected county. Read more here: www.iied.org/major-disast...
- At a time when the Trump administration wants to scrap FEMA, the data shows an undeniable reality: climate change is already affecting the United States and the government needs to help people adapt. edition.cnn.com/2025/03/24/c...
- Elon Musk's social media platform X has suspended several accounts belonging to opposition figures in Turkey amid widespread civil unrest in the country. Musk, a self-proclaimed protector of free speech, said he acquired X to restore free speech on the platform. www.politico.eu/article/musk...
- Reposted by Simon CullenWe should worry about migrant rape gangs, says the man who just pressured Romania to free the Tate brothers so they could return to the U.S.
- Reposted by Simon CullenThe British public has a very positive opinion of Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and very negative opinions of Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin Volodymyr Zelenskyy: +48 Donald Trump: -51 Vladimir Putin: -85 yougov.co.uk/politics/art...
- Maybe even Norway, with its colossal sovereign wealth fund, could pitch in? www.theguardian.com/world/2025/f...
- Only 13 countries met the Feb 10 deadline for updated climate targets. And one of those is the United States (which has since announced it will withdraw from the Paris Agreement). Some big names still missing: The European Union, China, India, Australia, etc, etc. www.iied.org/only-13-coun...
- The number of new marriages recorded in China fell to a record low last year. Some 6.1 million couples registered their marriages in 2024, a plunge of 20.5% from the previous year. edition.cnn.com/2025/02/10/c...
- With Donald Trump back in the White House, where does that leave climate action globally? Take a listen to the latest episode of the Make Change Happen podcast with Subhi Barakat from the @iied.bsky.social #climatechange #ParisAgreement #DonaldTrump soundcloud.com/theiied/30-t...
- Tesla's sales plummeted 59% last month in Germany, where Elon Musk asserted himself in national politics like never before. The company registered only 1,277 new cars in January, its lowest monthly total since July 2021. www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
- UK monthly sales stats out today: Tesla's car sales in January 🔽 by 7.78% in January 2025, compared with Jan 2024. That's despite a 41.6% 🔼 in electric car sales for the same time frame.
- Tesla car sales plummeted across parts of Europe in January 2025, compared with same month last year. 🇫🇷: 🔽63.4% 🇳🇴: 🔽37.9% 🇸🇪: 🔽44.3% 🇳🇱: 🔽42.4% 🇪🇸: 🔽75.5%
- Trump 2.0: what does it mean for the future of climate action? Take a listen to the latest @iied.bsky.social podcast. on.soundcloud.com/cyxzANvHYuPX...
- Reposted by Simon CullenFive years on, few Britons think Brexit has been good for anything % saying Brexit has had a positive impact on... Control the UK has over its laws: 31% UK's ability to respond to COVID-19: 23% UK's level of international trade: 11% NHS: 6% Full list in chart 👇 yougov.co.uk/politics/art...
- In the past 2 days, Switzerland and the UK have submitted their climate targets. So, we're at 6 now. (5 if you remove the United States... which submitted its target under Joe Biden).
- Just 4 countries have submitted a new national climate plan a fortnight before a UN deadline The UK has announced its plan, so will likely submit before 10 Feb, making 5 The plans are for emissions cuts by 2035: they're a v important part of Paris Agreement process Graphic by @iied.bsky.social
- Reposted by Simon CullenJust 4 countries have submitted a new national climate plan a fortnight before a UN deadline The UK has announced its plan, so will likely submit before 10 Feb, making 5 The plans are for emissions cuts by 2035: they're a v important part of Paris Agreement process Graphic by @iied.bsky.social
- I like this line: ‘In a democracy, ignorance is never the right answer’ I’ve definitely limited my intake of news over the past couple of years. But we still need to be informed.
- For @slate.bsky.social I wrote about why I'm suddenly scared to read the news (even though writing it used to be my full-time job). But this piece is also about how we might reevaluate for the better our relationship to news — and to the act of living — under Trump 2.0 slate.com/life/2025/01...
- Remember when Elon Musk accused Australian authorities of trying to censor the internet? (They had asked 'X' to remove a Sydney stabbing video from the platform). Well, that's the exact video that a UK killer watched minutes before murdering 3 young girls. on.ft.com/4gcyYiQ
- So, when Elon posts these kinds of tributes... remember that the killer watched a stabbing video on X moments before he murdered the girls.
- Reposted by Simon CullenVery interesting. Would be fascinating to combine with questions about media consumption.
- UK currently generating 40% of its electricity from wind power. #StormEowyn
- Reposted by Simon Cullendiplomacy career paths (expanded edition)
- One of the people who served jail time for taking part in the US Capitol riot four years ago has refused a pardon from President Donald Trump, saying: "We were wrong that day." www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
- Rupert Murdoch’s U.K. tabloids made a rare apology to Prince Harry in settling his privacy invasion lawsuit and will pay him a substantial sum, his lawyer announced Wednesday. apnews.com/article/prin...
- Here's a copy of Murdoch's News Group Newspapers' apology:
- This seems like a good time to finally become a financial supporter of @theguardian.com. Sure, no outlet is perfect. But we need non-billionaire owned media more than ever right now.
- Reposted by Simon CullenThis is George Monbiot's "X" leaving speech, and wow ❤️ @georgemonbiot.bsky.social
- There have been two major spikes in Google searches for 'what is the Paris agreement' during the past 5 years - both times coinciding with Inauguration Day in the US.
- The White House website reflects the new administration
- US President Joe Biden has issued pre-emptive pardons for several figures "threatened with criminal prosecutions", including Dr Anthony Fauci and former chairman of the Joint Chiefs Mark Milley. www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/ce...
- Here's the White House statement re pre-emptive pardons for Fauci, Milley, and others: www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-roo...
- The 100 wealthiest Americans got more than $1.5 trillion richer over the last four years... www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
- Elon Musk's attempts to meddle in European politics is not going well, in the UK at least. yougov.co.uk/politics/art...
- Steve Bannon: “I will have Elon Musk run out of here by inauguration day. He will not have full access to the White House. He will be like any other person.” www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
- Reposted by Simon Cullen2024 was also a record for the amount of water vapour in the atmosphere. Water vapour is a powerful greenhouse gas and a warmer atmosphere can hold more moisture, amplifying the CO₂ induced warming. The increased levels of water in the atmosphere mean that heavy rainfall events become more severe.
- Reposted by Simon Cullen2024 @copernicusecmwf.bsky.social #climate data out today: 📈 2024 - first year more than 1.5°C above pre-industrial; for ERA5 it was 1.6ºC 🌡️ the past 10 years were the 10 warmest years on record 📈 2024 was warmest year for all continental regions, except Antarctica and Australasia 🌍🌡️🧪⚒️🌊
- The same location, exactly four years apart. Via @axios.com (Photos: Jon Cherry and Jemal Countess/AFP via Getty Images)
- It's been quite something to watch how Elon Musk has been radicalised by his own social media platform's algorithm.
- Canada's public broadcaster is reporting that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau intends to announce his resignation later today. www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cl...
- Reposted by Simon Cullen+++NEW ANALYSIS+++ UK electricity was the cleanest ever in 2024, with emissions per unit falling by more than two-thirds in a decade Highlights: 🏭end of coal power after 142yrs 🔥fossil fuels at record-low 29% share 🌄renewables at record-high 45% www.carbonbrief.org/... 1/9
- Reposted by Simon Cullenthis kind of obviously biased headline is so frustrating when MSM is fighting for credibility 1) New Year’s Honours list is nominated by public not by political leaders 2) Khan has won three elections so the average Londoner clearly doesn’t think he’s a failure
