Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Rain Liivoja @liivoja.com · 17d

Misleading headline — there's no international framework; rather some kind of a framework for international students.

*But* the story helpfully shows the Gov't continuing struggle to grasp why int'l students come to metropolitan unis and why rents increase futurecampus.com.au/2025/09/20/h...

New International Framework Aims to Reshape Australian HE

A new framework for international education is set to reposition the sector.

futurecampus.com.au

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Rain Liivoja @liivoja.com · 25d

Health care professionals in Melbourne have been denied an opportunity to discuss the impact of war on children's health — seemingly to appease supporters of Israel. Seriously?
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...

Complaint letter emerges after Melbourne hospital’s decision to cancel ‘children and war’ panel angers staff

Exclusive: Letter to CEO argued event would pose a risk of ‘moral injury, vicarious trauma and harmful workplace behaviours’ to staff and patients

www.theguardian.com

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Asia-Pacific Institute for Law and Security — APILS @apils.org · Sep 9

We have published a report of the 3rd Expert Meeting on the Legal Review of Autonomous Weapon Systems held in March 2025. The report provides an insight into current State practice on legal reviews, and a snapshot of non-governmental initiatives and scholarly contributions doi.org/10.5281/zeno...

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Rain Liivoja @liivoja.com · Sep 7

Orakhelashvili's response looks pretty comprehensive. I took the AAP journalist through a shorter analysis of the Montevideo criteria, but they didn't use that.

In any event, not sure why a British peer would ask Shaw, a counsel for Israel, for an opinion on Palestinian statehood

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Rain Liivoja @liivoja.com · Sep 7

The debacle at ANU must be enormously distressing for colleagues over there. Senior leaders still fail to grasp that a university's two biggest assets are its people and its reputation. And if you lose one, you also lose the other
www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/educati...

Exclusive: Inside the Australian National University’s leadership crisis

Amid mounting scandals and a loss of confidence in her management, the Australian National University vice-chancellor is negotiating an exit from her role.

www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au

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Rain Liivoja @liivoja.com · Sep 7

If true, this means that Russian authorities will have written records of the political views and activities of these asylum seekers on their return to Russia. Yet we all know what Putin's regime does to dissident. Some of these people will likely die in some penal colony in Siberia

Scott Horton @robertscotthorton.bsky.social · Sep 6

BREAKING: ICE is sending Russian dissidents back to Russia. When the dissidents arrived in Russia, the Russian authorities were given documents relating to their asylum applications in the US which under US law are confidential. This seems to be part of a secret agreement between Trump and Putin.

‘I escaped a Russian prison — only to end up in an American jail’

Dozens of Russian dissidents have been expelled from the US and forcibly returned to Russia with the co-operation of immigration authorities

www.thetimes.com

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Rain Liivoja @liivoja.com · Sep 7

Concise explanation from @aapfactcheck.bsky.social as to why the recognition of the State of Palestine does not breach international law. I'm glad to have been able to contribute a few comments

AAP FactCheck @aapfactcheck.bsky.social · Sep 4

Social media critics of Australia's decision to recognise Palestine as a state are falsely claiming that it would breach international law.

www.aap.com.au/factcheck/no...

No, Australia's plan to recognise state of Palestine doesn't breach international law

Social media critics of Australia's decision to recognise Palestine as a state are falsely claiming that it would breach international law.

www.aap.com.au

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Scott Horton @robertscotthorton.bsky.social · Sep 6

BREAKING: ICE is sending Russian dissidents back to Russia. When the dissidents arrived in Russia, the Russian authorities were given documents relating to their asylum applications in the US which under US law are confidential. This seems to be part of a secret agreement between Trump and Putin.

‘I escaped a Russian prison — only to end up in an American jail’

Dozens of Russian dissidents have been expelled from the US and forcibly returned to Russia with the co-operation of immigration authorities

www.thetimes.com

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AAP FactCheck @aapfactcheck.bsky.social · Sep 4

Social media critics of Australia's decision to recognise Palestine as a state are falsely claiming that it would breach international law.

www.aap.com.au/factcheck/no...

No, Australia's plan to recognise state of Palestine doesn't breach international law

Social media critics of Australia's decision to recognise Palestine as a state are falsely claiming that it would breach international law.

www.aap.com.au

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Rain Liivoja @liivoja.com · Aug 16

The good folks at TWAIL Review maintain a helpful list of readings on #internationallaw and #Palestine, which includes writings by—*checks notes*—actual Palestinian scholars twailr.com/internationa...

International Law & the Question of Palestine: A Reading List

A resource for anyone researching, teaching or writing about international law’s impacts, iniquities and incapacities in Palestine.

twailr.com

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Australian and New Zealand Society of International Law @anzsil.org · Aug 16

Join us for a joint IILAH/MCF/ILA/ANZSIL OIELIG webinar on the 2025 UN Oceans Conference — Reflections on Proposed Actions to Sustainably Use the Oceans, on 20 August 2025, at 1–2PM AEST / 3–4PM NZST #internationallaw www.eventbrite.com.au/e/iilah-webi...

IILAH Webinar: The 2025 United Nations Oceans Conference

The 2025 United Nations Oceans Conference – Reflections on Proposed Actions to Sustainably Use the Oceans

www.eventbrite.com.au

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Rain Liivoja @liivoja.com · Aug 15

This does help explain Judge Sebutinde's recent dissents regarding Palestine. But divine revelation is not really a recognised method of interpreting international law
www.middleeasteye.net/news/icj-vic...

ICJ vice-president: 'The Lord is counting on me to stand on the side of Israel'

Judge Julia Sebutinde says signs of the end times 'are being shown in the Middle East'

www.middleeasteye.net

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Rain Liivoja @liivoja.com · Aug 15

With NATO #CCDCOE support, I had the pleasure of collaborating with Aleksi Kajander and Maarja Naagel on a project looking at the legal requirements and tech standards for the #cybersecurity of weapon systems. Our paper is now out in OUP's Journal of Cybersecurity

academic.oup.com/cybersecurit...

An image of an unmanned ground vehicle (Milrem THeMIS) and a remote-controlled weapon station. The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.

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Rain Liivoja @liivoja.com · Aug 15

Reason 783 to ditch Meta "products"

Dr. Damien P. Williams Wants A Better Sociotechnical Paradigm @wolvendamien.bsky.social · Aug 14

Robby fucking Starbuck as an "AI Bias Advisor?"

I say again: the very concept of "AI" and everything attendant to it has been pulled inside-out to become a child-voiced chittering demon, hunting me and everyone and everything I love.
www.advocate.com/news/meta-ro...

Meta appoints anti-DEI and anti-LGBTQ+ conspiracy theorist Robby Starbuck as AI bias advisor

Robby Starbuck has been appointed as an AI bias advisor at Meta with the goal of making the company's chat bot less "woke."

www.advocate.com

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Rain Liivoja @liivoja.com · Aug 15

Great speakers and a highly topical issue 👇🏼

Australian and New Zealand Society of International Law @anzsil.org · Aug 15

Ahead of #UNGA80, where several states are expected to recognise the State of #Palestine, we're co-hosting a webinar on "Recognition of Palestine in International Law: Australian and New Zealand Perspectives", on 18 Aug 2025, 3-4PM AEST (5-6PM NZT). Register now www.eventbrite.co.nz/e/recognitio...

Recognition of Palestine in International Law

A webinar

www.eventbrite.co.nz

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Australian and New Zealand Society of International Law @anzsil.org · Aug 15

Ahead of #UNGA80, where several states are expected to recognise the State of #Palestine, we're co-hosting a webinar on "Recognition of Palestine in International Law: Australian and New Zealand Perspectives", on 18 Aug 2025, 3-4PM AEST (5-6PM NZT). Register now www.eventbrite.co.nz/e/recognitio...

Recognition of Palestine in International Law

A webinar

www.eventbrite.co.nz

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Dr. Damien P. Williams Wants A Better Sociotechnical Paradigm @wolvendamien.bsky.social · Aug 14

Robby fucking Starbuck as an "AI Bias Advisor?"

I say again: the very concept of "AI" and everything attendant to it has been pulled inside-out to become a child-voiced chittering demon, hunting me and everyone and everything I love.
www.advocate.com/news/meta-ro...

Meta appoints anti-DEI and anti-LGBTQ+ conspiracy theorist Robby Starbuck as AI bias advisor

Robby Starbuck has been appointed as an AI bias advisor at Meta with the goal of making the company's chat bot less "woke."

www.advocate.com

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Atlantic Council @atlanticcouncil.bsky.social · Dec 4

“As Donald Trump attempts to implement his campaign promise and end the war in Ukraine, he is likely to discover that his famed deal-making skills are no match for Putin’s single-minded obsession with the destruction of Ukraine,” writes Yuliya Kazdobina in #UkraineAlert.

Vladimir Putin does not want a peace deal. He wants to destroy Ukraine.

Donald Trump has vowed to end the war in Ukraine, but there is no sign that Vladimir Putin has any interest in a peace deal that would prevent him from achieving his goal of extinguishing Ukrainian st...

www.atlanticcouncil.org

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Adam Schembri (ˈʃɛmbɹi/ˈʃkɛmbri) @adamcschembri.bsky.social · Nov 27

"The number of UK universities forced to cut staff has reached an unprecedented 83 (60 per cent of the sector) amid predictions that 10,000 jobs could be lost by the end of the year as more institutions inevitably join the list." Phil Baty
qmucu.org/qmul-transfo...

UK HE shrinking

This is a live page of all the redundancies, restructures, reorganisations, and closures taking place across the sector at the moment. Solidarity to all. This sector is vital to the country’s…

qmucu.org

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Mike Beggs @mikejbeggs.bsky.social · Dec 6

Someone at ANU really needs to set up a webinar and sort all this out

Dear ANU colleagues
We write to you collectively as leaders within the ANU community because we are concerned by recent media reporting of the organisational change taking place at the University and to show our support for the Vice-Chancellor, our Deans, and other colleagues who have been named in media reporting this week.
These articles are based on misrepresentations of institutional information. We are all trusted to keep such information confidential. Failing to do so is not only unprofessional, it affects many of our colleagues who, through this action, have had their character, integrity or performance brought into question.
They also paint a false picture of the University's culture, and this is why we have taken the step of writing this statement. As leaders of ANU, we fully support the strategic direction of Council and the Vice-Chancellor and are grateful for their leadership through this period.
We are all grappling with the practical realities of ensuring in our areas that ANU is able to operate within its
means.
We are concerned for our colleagues that have been personally named in reporting this week. The task is not an easy one but as leaders we are fully committed to this challenge and collectively reshaping ANU to ensure it is financially sustainable.
Sincerely
Rebekah Brown, Provost & Senior Vice-President
Jonathan Churchill, Chief Operating Officer
Alex Furman, Vice-President Advancement
Peter Yu, Vice-President First Nations
Grady Venville, Deputy Vice-Chancellor - Academic
Lachlan Blackhall, Deputy Vice-Chancellor - Research & Innovation
Michael Lonergan, Chief Financial Officer
Kate Witenden, Chief People Officer
Steven Fanner, Chief Marketing & Communications Officer
Paul Hargreaves, Chief Information Officer
Jeremy Matthew, Chief Campus Environment Officer

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Asia-Pacific Institute for Law and Security — APILS @apils.org · Dec 9

In case you missed our webinar on the functional approach to the legal review of autonomous weapon systems, we have released the audio recording as part of our reinvigorated Law and the Future of War podcast www.buzzsprout.com/1403818/epis...

A functional approach to the legal review of Autonomous Weapon Systems - webinar recording - Law and the Future of War

This episode is a recording of the  Asia-Pacific Institute for Law and Security  webinar hosted on 21 November 2024 on the functional approach to the legal review of autonomous weapon system...

www.buzzsprout.com

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Dr Melanie O'Brien @drmelob.bsky.social · Dec 9

UN has found sexual violence against #Ukraine men in detention in #Russia, w/much going unreported due to gendered stigma. #humanRights #IHL #torture www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/11...

Ukrainian men face sexual torture in Russian detention centres: UN

The UN says most reported cases of sexual violence against men occur in detention centres.

www.aljazeera.com

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REUNIR @reunir.bsky.social · Dec 16

🇬🇪 Where does it end?

🔮 3 possible outcomes of the political turmoil in Georgia

Prof. Kornely Kakachia and Dr. Shota Kakabadze, @GIP_ge

1. Belarusization of Georgia
2. Status quo remains
3. Rose Revolution 2.0

Potential Pitfall: Escalation into Conflict

reunir-horizon.eu/where-does-i...

Where does it end? Three possible outcomes of the political turmoil in Georgia - REUNIR

Prof. Kornely Kakachia, Dr. Shota Kakabadze. Georgian Institute of Politics A couple of weeks before what was described by many […]

reunir-horizon.eu

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Barb McQuade @barbmcquade.bsky.social · Dec 19

Charges against Luigi Mangione brand his alleged conduct for what it is — terrorism. My thoughts in @MSNBCDaily.
www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnb...

Opinion | The case for charging Luigi Mangione with terrorism

DA Alvin Bragg is sending a message that society will not tolerate political violence.

www.msnbc.com

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Dr Liz Allen @drdemography.com · Dec 19

An estimated 4.5% of Australians aged 16+ among queer community, with the majority aged 16–34 years. www.abs.gov.au/statistics/p...

Proportion of people 16 years and over who are LGBTI+ by age

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Andrew Chakhoyan 🇺🇦 @andrewchak.bsky.social · Dec 15

This is what I think about the creeping mold nypost.com/2024/12/07/o...

Russia’s push into Ukraine exposed its expansionist desires — and obsession for conquest

Russia may look like a country, but it was born an aggressive empire and never built a true civic nation. It cannot help but invade.

nypost.com

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MeidasTouch @meidastouch.com · Dec 23

Donald Trump says it is an “absolute necessity” for the United States to annex Greenland.

“For purposes of National Security and Freedom throughout the World, the United States of America feels that the ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity.”

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paulusthewoodgnome @paulusthewoodgnome.bsky.social · Dec 23

'Laws allowing 16-year-olds to vote in elections could be introduced as early as next year, a Labour minister has said. Lucy Powell said that an Elections Bill – which would include lowering the voting age – could come in the next parliamentary session.'
www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...

Labour could introduce votes for 16-year-olds from next year

A minister has said that an Elections Bill could come in the next parliamentary session, which will begin in spring

www.thetimes.com

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Rex Patrick @mrrexpatrick.bsky.social · Jan 5

Scores of top university bureaucrats earn more than the Federal Treasurer while teaching staff have been victims of massive wage theft. Our universities have become greedy corporations, no longer the nation building institutions they’re meant to be. 1/2 #auspol

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Guardian Australia @australia.theguardian.com · Jan 26

‘They did not come to destroy’: Sussan Ley praises First Fleet and likens it to Elon Musk’s Mars mission

It’s the latest example of the Coalition appearing to echo or praise US president Donald Trump’s new administration * Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates * Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Deputy…

www.theguardian.com

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