Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted

Jessica Ritchey @jmritchey.bsky.social · 3h

If I had explain American history in one sentence, I could do worse than "John Brown was hung for treason, but Robert E. Lee was not."

Jacobin @jacobinmag.bsky.social · 14h

John Brown’s raid on Harpers Ferry began on this day in 1859.

44 2.3K 6K

Reposted

Andy Craig @andycraig.bsky.social · 1h

They fired a top-level commander, the top of the chain of command but for SecDef and POTUS, because the wanton murder spree on the high seas as it's been conducted so far wasn't enough for them.

Brad Duplessis @bradduplessis.bsky.social · 1h

And there you have it. These strikes are clearly not legal. Pete will push commanders aside until he finds one who won’t question these extrajudicial killings. #SOUTHCOM

17 260 810

Reposted

Adam Klasfeld @klasfeldreports.com · 45m

Unions that just won an order YESTERDAY blocking mass firings during the shutdown report that "multiple credible sources" say the Department of the Interior plans another wave of layoffs on Monday.

The judge convened an emergency hearing tomorrow.

Background www.allrisenews.com/p/trump-voug...

7 120 340

Reposted

voltairesrage.bsky.social @voltairesrage.bsky.social · 6h

It will end up around 100 - 150 billion to stabilize their markets.

They are giving away your tax dollars because the Rightwing Billionaires from around the world are losing their asses on investments in Argentina .

1 11 32

Reposted

Veronica 🇺🇸 🇮🇹 🇺🇦 🇳🇴 🇲🇽 🇩🇪 @vero1986.bsky.social · 50m

I remember on election night, someone came up to me and said, 'I don't think they're going to swear you in because of those Epstein files,'" Grijalva says. "And I thought, 'oh my gosh, that's very much a conspiracy theory. Zthat's not going to happen, and here we are."
www.npr.org/2025/10/16/g...

Adelita Grijalva can force a vote on the Epstein files, but she's still not sworn in

The Arizona Democrat would be the decisive signature on a petition to force a vote on releasing the records. But Speaker Mike Johnson says he will not swear her in until after the shutdown is over.

www.npr.org

3 29 84

bertalinii.bsky.social @bertalinii.bsky.social · 3h

www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

Queer and trans immigrants allege forced labor and sexual assault in Ice facility: ‘I was treated worse than an animal’

At the South Louisiana Ice Processing Center in Basile, detainees say they were forced into hard labor – and sexually assaulted and stalked by an assistant warden

www.theguardian.com

Reposted

The Bulwark @thebulwark.com · 5h

[email protected]l on the use of the IRS to target political opponents: "This is an absolutely textbook way of abusing the arms and the powers of the state that were set up by all of us to benefit all of us."

Applebaum joins @timmiller.bsky.social on today's Bulwark Podcast:

6 160 600

Reposted

Brian Finucane @bcfinucane.bsky.social · 4h

Not great that fishermen fear being randomly murdered by the U.S. government.

Or that the U.S. President jokes about it.

www.bbc.com/news/article...

Venezuelan fishermen in fear after US strikes on boats in the Caribbean

At least 27 people have been killed in US strikes on alleged "narco-boats" in the Caribbean.

www.bbc.com

14 320 660

Reposted

Marc Elias @marcelias.bsky.social · 3h

🚨BREAKING: North Carolina’s top elections official is pressing the state’s Division of Motor Vehicles for unprecedented access to voters’ full Social Security numbers — a move that could erode voter privacy protections and lay the groundwork for mass voter purges

North Carolina Elections Chief Demands Voters’ Full Social Security Numbers From DMV

Read more here.

www.democracydocket.com

200 1.8K 3.2K

Reposted

The Tennessee Holler @thetnholler.bsky.social · 22h

CHICAGO: “Feds chased a car through a residential neighborhood… intentionally crashed into the car.. responded to the crowd by hurling smoke grenades, shooting pepper balls and deploying 3 rounds of tear gas with children & seniors in the area…” chicago.suntimes.com/immigration/...

210 1.7K 3K

Reposted

Yashar Ali 🐘 @yasharali.bsky.social · 5h

MIAMI (AP) — Federal prosecutors have charged voting technology firm Smartmatic with money laundering and other crimes arising from more than $1 million in bribes that several executives allegedly paid to election officials in the Philippines.

14 41 120

Reposted

Bradley P. Moss @bradmossesq.bsky.social · 4h

I have read the Bolton indictment. I am thoroughly unimpressed by these allegations. If this manages to make it to trial and a conviction, DOJ just opened a Pandora’s Box for future Administrations to go all out after all senior officials’ handwritten notes every time there is a change in power.

160 980 3.4K

Reposted

Mark Zaid, Esq @markzaidesq.bsky.social · 4h

I've handled countless classified prepublication & Espionage Act cases. Bolton indictment, which is very similar to Gen Petraeus case (2 years probation, $100k fine), should raise concerns for every senior govt official who writes a book.

Because this is generally how it is done.

Zoe Tillman @zoetillman.bsky.social · 5h

Happening now: DOJ has charged John Bolton, a former national security adviser to President Donald Trump who became one of his fiercest critics, for his mishandling classified material.

Story: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

Indictment: assets.bwbx.io/documents/us...

8 37 120

Reposted

Marc Elias @marcelias.bsky.social · 4h

Washington Post v. Democracy Docket on today's Bolton news.

I cannot express how dangerous it is that legacy media is normalizing Trump's targeting of his political opponents. I don't like Bolton. But what is happening here is dangerous and wrong.

Support independent media. hubs.ly/Q03M8rql0

76 640 1.9K

Reposted

The Atlantic @theatlantic.com · 4h

Apple markets its new AirPods as being able to translate other languages directly in your ears. When @matteowong.bsky.social tested out the tool, it was barely able to help him buy flowers or tamales:

Lost in AirPod Translation

Apple promises to put an AI interpreter in everyone’s ears. It couldn’t even help me order tamales.

bit.ly

3 4 38

Reposted

Purple Teacher @peaceandteachin.bsky.social · 14h

Trump was asked multiple times to return US classified documents to the Archives. He refused. The case had mountains of evidence.
As for #Jan6, we all saw what happened.
These weren’t politically motivated cases.
They were criminal.
#ProudBlue#Voices4Victory
#OneV1
www.theguardian.com/us-news/20

Jack Smith hits back at claims that Trump prosecutions were politically motivated

Former justice department special counsel said accusations were ‘ludicrous’ and criticized Trump’s DoJ in rare interview

www.theguardian.com

15 280 770

Reposted

Simon Rosenberg @simonwdc.bsky.social · 5h

Incredible.

Igor Sushko @igorsushko.bsky.social · 5h

😇 Utah real estate developer Dell Loy Hansen has spent over $140 million building and repairing homes across Ukraine since 2022.
He even built an entire community near Kyiv for war refugees.
apnews.com/article/ukra...

US developer builds homes for displaced Ukrainians, offering hope despite war and crisis

As Ukraine’s war displaces millions, one privately funded housing project is giving families a rare sense of stability.

apnews.com

2 37 150

Reposted

Tom Nichols @radiofreetom.bsky.social · 5h

👀

jdsazimuth.me @jdsazimuth.me · 5h

@radiofreetom.bsky.social

Leaders know when to signal trouble

51 210 780

Reposted

Financial Times @financialtimes.com · 6h

Conservation charities estimate that 150 tonnes of mercury, used by informal miners to separate gold from sediment, are released into the Amazon basin region every year. Indigenous groups say it is slowly poisoning them. on.ft.com/4hfwAKA

2 30 53

Reposted

The Atlantic @theatlantic.com · 6h

Colorado Governor Jared Polis drinks raw milk and opposes vaccine mandates. No other prominent Democratic politician has been more willing to work with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., writes Nicholas Florko.

The MAHA Democrat

Colorado Governor Jared Polis is walking a fine line with RFK Jr.

bit.ly

21 17 43

Reposted

Anna from Ukraine @annafromukraine.bsky.social · 6h

🔥 Russia’s troubles are mounting: not just economic collapse, but even Putin fears his own soldiers. They tried a “Time of Heroes” to give war criminals government jobs—now regions like Sakha won’t pay for Putin’s bloody dreams. Russia’s collapse is near. 📉

8 40 130

Reposted

Marc Elias @marcelias.bsky.social · 8h

🚨BREAKING: Arizona Supreme Court UNANIMOUSLY RULES that the State's Election Procedures Manual is not subject to the state’s Administrative Procedure Act rulemaking requirements.

A BIG victory for our clients and the voters of Arizona and another defeat for the GOP.

🚨 Republican National Committee v. Fontes

Learn more.

www.democracydocket.com

61 800 3.4K

Reposted

The Atlantic @theatlantic.com · 7h

Nine months into the Trump administration’s assault on academic science, Harvard’s public-health school is on life support, @katherinejwu.com reports:

Harvard’s Public-Health School Is on Life Support

Its dean is stumbling through the political reality of the Trump administration.

bit.ly

2 28 43

Reposted

Scott Horton @robertscotthorton.bsky.social · 1d

Here's the transcript of Trump's disclosures of CIA allegedly covert actions in Venezuela. These actions are no longer covert as a result of Trump's disclosure. At this point the entire program of activities in Venezuela needs to be reported in full to Congress to comply with the War Powers Act.

22 130 320

Reposted

emptywheel @emptywheel.bsky.social · 7h

Sydney Reid acquitted.

This was a case where someone filming was assaulted, and then arrested and charged with felony assault.

The grand jury no billed that, so they took her to trial on a misdemeanor charge. There were a bunch of discovery problems.

And now this.

Kudos to the FPDS!

A verdict form for Sydney Lori Reid. She was found Not Guilty.

52 900 3.4K