Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Chris Cummins @christianccummins.bsky.social · 2h

I really want to read this memoir - she's so human. #Malala www.theguardian.com/world/2025/o...

How smoking a bong brought back the trauma of being shot by the Taliban – an exclusive extract from Malala Yousafzai’s memoir

In the activist’s new memoir, she remembers how trying weed at university brought on terrifying flashbacks

www.theguardian.com

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Chris Cummins @christianccummins.bsky.social · 12h

Today on @fm4.orf.at FM4's #sunnysideup, I'm going to play an entirely crazy song an Indian-Tamil artist called Usha Uthup. There's also wonderful #shark-inspired music by Haitheque, the latest very, catchy release from Hearts Hearts and a Proustian chanson! 10am CET fm4.orf.at/player/live

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Chris Cummins @christianccummins.bsky.social · 13h

"I’d come to the region for the landscape, but it was the friendly generosity of the Waldviertler community that left the biggest impression." #cycling #austria
open.substack.com/pub/christia...

Waldviertel on Two Wheels

Riding the Granittrail through northern Austria's stony, forested highlands.

open.substack.com

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Chris Cummins @christianccummins.bsky.social · 1d

"#RadioFreeEurope's journalists have been pissing off dictators for 75 years. And when you are making that kind of enemy, you are doing the right thing"

Apparently press freedom day was in May, but in 2025 it seems important to celebrate it every day.

youtube.com/shorts/tYckn...

R.E.M. - Radio Free Europe 2025: MICHAEL STIPE + MIKE MILLS #rem #worldpressfreedomday #shorts

YouTube video by remhq

youtube.com

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Chris Cummins @christianccummins.bsky.social · 1d

"The whole country celebrates our team heroes"

I find this endearing. Austria just overcame San Marino in a football match

(admittedly it was 10-0)

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Reposted by Chris Cummins

Royce Kurmelovs @roycerk2.bsky.social · 1d

It really does say something when an article about reactions to a coal power plant continuing to operate says nothing about climate change, the existential threat it poses and the need to phase out oil, gas and coal.

ABC News Bot (unofficial) @abcnewsbot.bsky.social · 1d

Communities across Queensland have welcomed plans to keep coal and gas burning across the state, though some warn a lack of future planning could undermine short-term benefits.

Plan to extend life of coal-fired power stations sends 'mixed messages'

Communities across Queensland have welcomed plans to keep coal and gas burning across the state, though some warn a lack of future planning could undermine short-term benefits.

www.abc.net.au

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Chris Cummins @christianccummins.bsky.social · 2d

The #Trump Administrations new definition of #freespech according to @theatlantic.com :

"conservatives can say what they want, and everyone else can say what conservatives want."

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Chris Cummins @christianccummins.bsky.social · 2d

" #Renewables provided more than 40% of the planet's electricity last year and attracted twice as much investment as #fossilfuels. The US generates 236 times more solar power than it did 20 years ago."source #NYT

Political leadership seems to have failed, but decarbonisation still continues apace.

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Chris Cummins @christianccummins.bsky.social · 3d

All three of us learned a lot about #waldviertel culture. #itsNotAllBad

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Chris Cummins @christianccummins.bsky.social · 4d

Getting the Game of Thrones feeling… #waldviertel #austria

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Chris Cummins @christianccummins.bsky.social · 5d

Forgive me a time-out from the worries of the world to luxuriate in the beauty of the #waldviertel in #Austria. Beautiful nature and lovely people. There are moments of happiness to grasp hold of, even in anxious 2025.

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Chris Cummins @christianccummins.bsky.social · 5d

Very cute railway station in #Waldviertel #Austria

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Reposted by Chris Cummins

KOJAMF🤘🖤🤘 @kojamf.bsky.social · 7d

Dr. Jane Goodall filmed an interview with Netflix in March 2025 that she understood would only be released after her death.

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Chris Cummins @christianccummins.bsky.social · 7d

Nearly a thousand children were murdered by the Nazis very close to my house. They were condemned as "life unworthy of life" under #Nazi ideology.

It's not a very comfortable Sunday night posting, but, you know, #Nazis are despicable people and their crimes shouldn't be forgotten nor trivialized

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Chris Cummins @christianccummins.bsky.social · 7d

On today's @fm4.orf.at #sunnysideup we have a taster of the new cinematic, nostalgic-contemporary album from Catania's Roberto Agosta, exciting new Latin American sounds from Coco Maria's compilation, Nenda's new song, PRESSYES's Utopia and 80s funk from Bengal
10am CET
fm4.orf.at/player/live

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Chris Cummins @christianccummins.bsky.social · 9d

and because I can't resist a mobile phone video... www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBJG...

Writer Jonathan Coe on the Radicalisation of Britain's Right-Wing

YouTube video by Christian Cummins

www.youtube.com

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Chris Cummins @christianccummins.bsky.social · 9d

Here is the full interview (we all love a podcast, right?) sound.orf.at/podcast/fm4/...

@fm4.orf.at @folioverlag.bsky.social

FM4 Interview Podcast - FM4 Interview with novelist Jonathan Coe

Jonathan Coe is a British novelist known for his satirical, politically engaged fiction that often captures the zeitgeist of contemporary Britain. His latest novel The Proof of My Innocence has just b...

sound.orf.at

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Chris Cummins @christianccummins.bsky.social · 9d

For many years Jonathan Coe's entertaining but reflective books have helped me understand my home country better;
So it was a privilege to meet him to discuss his latest novel which deals with the roots of why the British conservatives lurched fatefully to the right:

fm4.orf.at/stories/3050...

How The British Right Was Radicalized - fm4.ORF.at

Novelist Jonathan Coe has been called „The chronicler of Britishness“. His new novel explores the Liz Truss era and how the British conservative movement became more „extreme“.

fm4.orf.at

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Chris Cummins @christianccummins.bsky.social · 9d

I found it so moving hearing about #JaneGoodall from her close friend Richard Ladkani that I made it into a @fm4.orf.at #podcast.

He says she was like "another mother" to him and she gave him purpose in life, to use his talents as a film-maker to help the planet

sound.orf.at/podcast/fm4/...

FM4 Interview Podcast - FM4 Interview with Richard Ladkani on Jane Goodall

Austrian filmmaker Richard Ladkani made an Oscar nominated film about Jane Goodall in 2009 called 'Jane’s Journey'. He has been working on a new intimate portrait of the great naturalist and spent man...

sound.orf.at

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Chris Cummins @christianccummins.bsky.social · 10d

And this is the radio version of Richard Ladkani's thoughts on #JaneGoodall fm4.orf.at/player/20251...

Filmmaker Richard Ladkani on his relationship with Jane Goodall

fm4.orf.at

Chris Cummins @christianccummins.bsky.social · 10d

This is how we honoured #JaneGoodall on @fm4.orf.at today

fm4.orf.at/player/20251...

The Legacy of Jane Goodall

fm4.orf.at

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Chris Cummins @christianccummins.bsky.social · 10d

We will miss #JaneGoodall - the world needs such a feisty, charismatic, erudite campaigner for a better environment more than ever.

Austrian filmmaker Richard Ladkani knew Jane very well - this emotional radio FM4 interview is about their very beautiful relationship: fm4.orf.at/stories/3050...

"The Jane Goodall I Knew" - fm4.ORF.at

Austrian filmmaker Richard Ladkani made an Oscar nominated film about Jane Goodall in 2009 and has been working on a new intimate portrait of the great naturalist. We spoke with him about Jane Goodall...

fm4.orf.at

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Reposted by Chris Cummins

Sue Wilson MBE @suewilson91.bsky.social · 11d

"Is Andy Burnham drawing some clear red lines between himself & Keir Starmer?"
www.thelondoneconomic.com/politics/and...

'I want to rejoin the EU... Brexit has been a disaster' - Andy Burnham

Andy Burnham has pulled no punches in his assessment of Brexit - saying that leaving the EU has 'weakened immigration control'.

www.thelondoneconomic.com

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Reposted by Chris Cummins

Dr. Lucky Tran @luckytran.com · 10d

"If we lose hope, we're doomed."

We must continue Dr. Jane Goodall's mission and all fight for the future of the planet.

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Chris Cummins @christianccummins.bsky.social · 10d

A fearless, compassionate woman who blazed a trail and did so with grace and modesty but also an unmistakable ferocity of spirit.

I admired #JaneGoodall so much I was ridiculously nervous for this interview when I asked her the question we all ask nowadays:

What reasons are there for hope?

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