I’m leaving Twitter and joining Bluesky as VeronikaSimons.bsky.social. Twitter is no longer the friendly and informative platform it used to be and Elon Musk has corrupted it. Thank you to my 4k followers - I hope you will follow me to Bluesky.

Tim and Gwen Walz put it all on the line for democracy the past 100 days, and they aren't done fighting yet. RETWEET if you love the Walz Family! 💙

OTD 2017 we lost Joy Lofthouse, an Ab Initio pilot who joined ATA in 1943. A bank employee before ATA. Her brother & friends were pilots. She flew many aircraft types, delivering fighters and heavy bombers towards the end of WWII. Joy married a Czech pilot, then an RAF pilot.

🚨 Breaking News 🚨 Today, you will see 2 pieces from Save Windermere in the Guardian. This time, instead of focusing on the volume of sewage dumping into England’s largest lake, we reveal data showing the staggering number of days on which illegal spilling has occurred. With analysis from Professor Peter Hammond of Windrush Against Sewage Pollution (WASP), evidence now shows over 500 days with illegal spilling in and around Windermere (and now Coniston Water) between 2018-2023. This is a national issue. Illegal spilling is not confined to Windermere—it’s happening across the UK. As OFWAT nears the end of its draft determinations, water companies are pushing to raise bills over the next five years to cover the cost of investment that you have already paid for. Evidence of this illegality is crucial, as OFWAT’s Chief Executive, David Black, has made it clear that “we [OFWAT] do not expect customers to pay to regain compliance with existing permit conditions.” The people cannot, and should not, be made to pay twice. OFWAT, the Environment Agency, the Environmental Audit Committee, and the government have all acknowledged the validity of Professor Hammond’s analysis. As the EA consistently fails to demonstrate the extent of illegality, particularly around Windermere, Professor Hammond’s work stands as the most reliable measure of non-compliance. Together with WASP, we have presented this evidence to OFWAT, and today’s analysis is even more comprehensive, incorporating information that we’ve never accessed before. United Utilities and the Environment Agency have failed to protect this country’s most iconic lake. There is more to this story in our latest blog now on our website 👉 savewindermere.com/news/500-… @carolvorders @CarolineLucas @GeorgeMonbiot @PeterStefanovi2 @joelycett @Feargal_Sharkey @campbellclaret

🐶 REMI 💖 is looking for a forever family in #RockyMount #NorthCarolina 🇺🇸 9.4lbs sweet loving #puppy girl 🥰 She came in a little nervous but has quickly warmed up & loves to play & snuggles! #AdoptMe $45 🙏🏼🏡♥️ Come find me 11/19‼️ #FostersSaveLives 📧 rmcriticalnetworking@gmail.com for ℹ️ petfinder.com/dog/remi96708-…

Andrew Bailey is right. Most people don't realise how shockingly *bad* the UK's goods trade has been after Brexit and the pandemic. UK exports are 23% lower than the pre-2020 trend and imports are 16% below the trend.

🅳🅸🆂🅿🅻🅰🆈 December 2, 2024: SOE agent Noor Inayat Khan’s George Cross medal for gallantry will go on display at the @RAFMUSEUM at Colindale in north-west London along with the logbook of the pilot who flew her to France. #NoorInayatKhan #SOE #WW2 1/3 indianexpress.com/article/ne…

This will probably come as no surprise to anyone but..

In Cannock we had a strong community, strong industries and a very strong identity built on mining, graft, and driving innovation from the heart of this country. Miners earned good money for a brutal job and that was spent in town and Cannock thrived, along with supplementary industries that supported mining. A clean, tidy town with a strong community identify. When did it end? When industry was broken because of ideology and working class communities being destroyed by Thatcherism. She literally turned working class communities into what we see now. Hooked on "me, me, me, I'm alright Jack". There was no other way, really, because from thriving communities, destroyed overnight, individualism trumped community. That's the Thatcher legacy. I'll never forget. Nor forgive.

Do you support President Zelensky? Yes or no

Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya has arrived in Kyiv this morning for an unannounced visit. Japan continues to be a consistent partner for Ukraine in its struggle against Russia: ▪️Ukraine and Japan have signed a bilateral security agreement for 10 years. It covers assistance in the fields of security and defense, cooperation in humanitarian, technical, and financial sectors, joint efforts to implement the points of the Peace Formula, and sanctions against Russia. ▪️Japan has enacted sanctions against Russian companies and individuals, who participate and fund its illegal war in Ukraine. Tokyo’s robust sanctions regime also cracked down on evasion efforts by sanctioning entities from China, India, UAE, and other countries. ▪️Japanese government committed to provide $3.3 billion of income from frozen Russian assets to Ukraine under the financial package of G7. They have also promised to provide $4.5 billion of assistance by the end of 2024. ▪️The cooperation between Kyiv and Tokyo is crucial for the safe and secure demining of our country. Japan provides training, funding and equipment to Ukrainian emergency services. Thankful to the people of Japan for unwaveringly standing with Ukraine! 🇺🇦 🇯🇵

Please retweet to help Alfie find a home #LANCASHIRE #UK - Registered British Charity ✅ This lovely little boy is Alfie, he is a very young looking 10 year old Jack Russell cross. He came in to Bleakholt because his owners were unable to take care of him. Alfie is an active boy who loves his walks but is very anxious and will be vocal towards other dogs. He is looking for a pet free home where he can get lots of love and attention, he enjoys sitting on your lap and receiving affection. Alfie would be suitable for a single person, a couple or a family with teenagers. If you feel you can offer him a new home where he will feel safe please fill in the online application. Details or apply below👇 bleakholt.org/lancashire-ani… #dogs #dog #adoptdontshop #Blackpool #Preston

David Beckham went partridge shooting on Guy Richie’s estate. We don’t care if you’re rich or a celebrity—we’ll call you out.

Please don't chase. Report sightings

Scottish salmon will never be anything other than diseased factory farmed fish who’ve come from appalling conditions

16 November 1910 | A Ukrainian, Roman Polutranka, was born. A clerk. In #Auschwitz from 20 July 1942. No. 49737 He perished in the camp on 14 August 1942.

Daisy is around 16mths old and she was picked up straying with Poppy, Both dogs are very friendly, can live with older kids and haven't been bothered by other #dogs #germanshepherd #Cornwall gsrelite.co.uk/daisy-10/

I'm old enough to remember when polio ripped through the globe and put my six-year-old friends into iron lungs. We dutifully lined up at school to get vaccinated. We eradicated the disease. We protected the common good. RFK Jr being tapped to lead HHS is a disgrace.

I would love to tell you about the times vaccines prevented me from getting sick, but every time it happens, I don’t notice. I just keep feeling well. Neither do you. Public health, when it’s working, is invisible.

Kerry Kennedy, sister of RFK Jr. and daughter of Robert Kennedy, on her brother: "I am disgusted by my brother’s obscene embrace of Donald Trump. And I completely disavow and dissociate myself from Robert Kennedy Jr. and his flagrant efforts to desecrate my father's memory."