Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

D Franklin @dlibris.bsky.social · 6h

"Books are mortal. They die. A book is an act; it takes place in time, not just in space. It is not information, but relation."

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Emissary Of Night | ليلى @diplomatofnight.com · 21h

Sums it all up

Martin Konený
@MartinKonecny
X.com
EU Commission press briefing
yesterday:
Journalist: You've said that Russia should repay for reconstruction of Ukraine. Do you believe Israel should repay for reconstruction of Gaza?
EU chief spox: It's an interesting question, on which I have no

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Travis @someforeignfield.bsky.social · 21h

As with all previous agreements that Israel is party to, it will lie and claim the other side violated it, and begin massive unilateral violations. Israel has bombed Lebanon thousands of times, killing dozens (including several children who were US citizens) since the Nov 2024 ceasefire.

Drop Site @dropsitenews.com · 21h

🚨In blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement, Israel has announced it will slash agreed aid shipments in half and keep the Rafah crossing closed, after Hamas returned four of the 28 bodies of Israeli captives believed to be in Gaza.

Hamas officials had repeatedly told mediators...

Video below⬇️

According to Reuters who cited three Israeli officials, the Rafah crossing will remain closed through Wednesday, and aid deliveries will be sharply reduced. And Israeli outlets are claiming Hamas violated the deal, with Channel 12 citing an official alleging Hamas is “in severe breach” by not releasing more bodies. Egypt has reportedly deployed teams in Gaza to help locate them.

In a formal COGAT communication, Israel tied humanitarian aid directly to the return of bodies — a move amounting to collective punishment of a famine-stricken population:

“Yesterday, Hamas violated the agreement… As a result, political leadership has decided to impose a number of sanctions related to the humanitarian agreement. Starting tomorrow, only half of the agreed number of trucks — 300 — will be allowed to enter, all belonging to the UN and humanitarian NGOs. No fuel or gas will be allowed into the Strip, except for limited humanitarian needs.”

Senior Hamas leader Mousa Abu Marzouk told Drop Site’s Jeremy Scahill last week that a prisoner exchange “would be impossible” while Israeli forces remain in Gaza’s population centers:

“We don’t know exactly where the prisoners are. Even the negotiators don’t know their locations. There cannot be an exchange if Israeli forces remain.”

Marzouk warned that Israel’s refusal to withdraw proves it “does not want Trump’s ceasefire plan to be implemented.”

As early as October 3, when Hamas first delivered its response to Trump’s plan, Marzouk said on television that locating remains “would take months” after Israel destroyed and blocked off delivery of desperately needed heavy machinery. It would be “impossible” in 72 hours.

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D Franklin @dlibris.bsky.social · 23h

NO ONE TOLD ME THAT @ursulakleguin.com PUT TRANS PEOPLE IN KESH! I mean it isn't the language we'd use now but it's still totally trans people in Kesh!

D Franklin @dlibris.bsky.social · 2d

The whole section on repatriation and statue toppling in this interview makes me think this is a man ripe and due for @ichotiner.bsky.social...
observer.co.uk/culture/inte...

Nicholas Cullinan: ‘I don’t think it’s ever a good idea t...

The British Museum director on toppling statues, the Parthenon marbles and hosting London’s new star-studded answer to the Met Gala

observer.co.uk

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OnlyFangs @onlycans.bsky.social · 3d

forensic strategy sir

Wikipedia article entitled Category: Roman emperors murdered by the Praetorian Guard

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Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign @ipsc.bsky.social · 3d

Great article by our friend Sarah
Clancy, who was kidnapped by apartheid Israel in international waters trying to get aid into Gaza. Our governments' complicity in the genocide of Palestinians compels us to act in all the different ways we can. #FreePalestine
www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/comm...

Sarah Clancy: Flotillas show that ordinary people must be the antidote to toxic world powers

After arrest, imprisonment, and deportation from Israel, Sarah Clancy, an Irish Gaza flotilla participant, reflects on solidarity, conscience, and the power of ordinary people

www.irishexaminer.com

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D Franklin @dlibris.bsky.social · 3d

The truce isn't even agreed, the ceasefire is barely in effect, no one has been freed... and the Israeli government is already talking about visiting further destruction and ecocide on Gaza.
www.theguardian.com/world/live/2...

Ceasefire live: aid trucks enter Gaza as Hamas confirms it will begin releasing Israeli hostages on Monday morning

Israel’s military says it has completed first phase of withdrawal, ahead of Monday peace summit in Egypt

www.theguardian.com

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Stew Hotston (he/him) @stewarthotston.com · 5d

More evidence of what i had to report to the @bsfa.bsky.social and @britfantasysoc.bsky.social this year - that publishers made a lot of noise about inclusion but have largely, in my experience, stopped working on this.

As you might imagine i have opinions.

Louie Stowell @louiestowell.bsky.social · 5d

One of the things about this study is that a lot of baby and toddler books are written in house, by editors. So the study reveals the whiteness of editorial in kidlit even if not explicitly. But, big picture, this trend is unacceptable. I remember so many promises www.theguardian.com/books/2025/o...

‘Catastrophic decline’ in Black representation in children’s books

A report by charity Inclusive Books for Children found that of the 2,721 books surveyed, only 51 featured a Black main character, down by 21.5% since 2023

www.theguardian.com

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Al Kennedy @alkennedy.bsky.social · 7d

Can you believe there is a contingent of people who think this Supernatural Season 7 villain is the future and a bunch of them post on here

LGBTQ Nation @lgbtqnation.com · 7d

Gavin Newsom vetoes gender education bill, declines to sign other trans protections - buff.ly/MTUAV85

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Doug Mack @douglasmack.bsky.social · 7d

the most delightful version of logging on to see what news you've missed

Dr Ramsdell, whose phone had been on airplane mode when the Nobel committee tried to call him, told the BBC's Newshour Programme that his first response when his wife said, "You've won the Nobel prize" was: "I did not."

To which Ms O'Neill replied that she had 200 text messages that suggested he had.

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Henry Mance @henrymance.ft.com · 7d

I know this is uncomfortable to admit, but there is a small area in England's second city where people are just not integrated with the rest of society. Many of them hold views that arguably go against British values.

Yes, we need to talk about the Tory conference in Manchester.

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D Franklin @dlibris.bsky.social · 7d

I see the industry had a serious bout of backsliding last year, always disappointing
www.thebookseller.com/news/report-...

Report reveals 'stark inequalities' and 'precipitous decline' in representation in children's publishing

Literacy charity Inclusive Books for Children has published its annual Excluded Voices report, revealing 'stark inequalities' in UK children’s publishing.

www.thebookseller.com

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Dr. Damien P. Williams Wants A Better Sociotechnical Paradigm @wolvendamien.bsky.social · 10d

Like… it's kind of right there, no?

"AI" generated image of woman with dark hair sitting in a chair in front of posters with random shapes and symbols meant to look like images and text on movie posters, all superimposed with a post from k.w.bogen reading
"AI actresses can't negotiate. They can't say they'd prefer their bodies not be shown certgain ways. They can't refuse degrading scenes. They can't express distress about disturbing content. They can't ask the creators :why would you do that to me? Why put any woman through watching that? If AI film winds up being the path, we're about to see an entirely new generation (and more brutal depiction) of media misogyny."

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Naomi Klein @naomiaklein.bsky.social · 13d

Israel has just arrested Greta Thunberg and many others.

Statement from the Global Sumud Flotilla:

“People of conscience have been abducted. The flotilla broke no laws. What is illegal is Israel’s genocide, Israel’s illegal blockade of Gaza, and Israel’s use of starvation as a weapon.”
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Naomi Klein @naomiaklein.bsky.social · 13d

Close to 65k watching the livefeed from the Global Sumud Flotilla off the coast of Gaza.

Israel seems to be intercepting right now.

All eyes needed.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEN2...

24/7 LIVESTREAM OF GLOBAL SUMUD FLOTILLA

YouTube video by Global Sumud Flotilla

www.youtube.com

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D Franklin @dlibris.bsky.social · 14d

I know I'm late to this but FUCK YOU, SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT. @snp.org, remember when trans rights were a fucking manifesto commitment? Gonnae just completely reverse on that then, aye? Get all the way to fuck, you bunch of wanks.
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

Scottish government says schools must have separate toilets for boys and girls

Schools encouraged to also offer gender-neutral facilities for trans pupils or access to disabled and staff toilets

www.theguardian.com

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D Franklin @dlibris.bsky.social · 14d

No one told me I was getting a queer poly ghost story in my Cinderella retelling, @freyamarske.bsky.social! *Phenomenal*, Cinder House is just brilliant.

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D Franklin @dlibris.bsky.social · 15d

I see the US wants to establish a new Mandate in Palestine and may have even chosen their preferred British war criminal to lead it.

History really does fucking rhyme.
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/s...

Postwar Gaza authority potentially led by Tony Blair ‘would sideline Palestinians’

Draft plan’s critics say it hands power to international figures and splits Gaza from Palestinian Authority in West Bank

www.theguardian.com

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D Franklin @dlibris.bsky.social · 17d

Oh shit that's PRETTY. Feels like a very different but also very accurate vibe!

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Cheryl Morgan @cherylmorgan.bsky.social · 18d

This petition gained a million signatures yesterday. If we can keep up that growth it will terrify people at the Labour conference.
#PapersPlease
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/73...

Petition: Do not introduce Digital ID cards

We demand that the UK Government immediately commits to not introducing a digital ID cards. There are reports that this is being looked at.

petition.parliament.uk

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D Franklin @dlibris.bsky.social · 18d

Surely surprising no one, What Stalks The Deep is extremely good; @tkingfisher.com's Sworn Soldier series remains top tier cozy horror, and the alienness of the entity is phenomenally fun. Really loved this one.

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D Franklin @dlibris.bsky.social · 18d

Well this feels... conveniently timed from @lighthousebks.bsky.social, @suchmayer.bsky.social!
lighthousebookshop.com/events/edinb...

Lighthouse | Edinburgh's Radical Book Fair 2025: Ecosystems of Change

lighthousebookshop.com

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Didi is a trans immigrant 🏳️‍⚧️ @didichanoch.bsky.social · 20d

How about a deal? You stop doing and saying nazi shit, and if you refrain constantly for a few years, we'll consider not calling you a nazi.

You nazi.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 20d

Vance: "If you want stop political violence, stop telling your supporters that everybody who disagrees with you is a Nazi."

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Strahan Cadell 🇨🇦🇻🇦🇺🇦🇬🇱 @quincunctial.bsky.social · 20d

Chotiner: So you chose to kill your slavewomen as well as the suitors who had taken over your home. Why?

Odysseus: Well, I was in a frenzy understandably, plus they had probably slept with the suitors.

C: Ah. And as slaves did they do this voluntarily?

O: I didn’t ask because

C: They were dead?

Adam Rothman enjoys a good sandwich @adamrothman.bsky.social · 21d

Odysseus had his crew lash him to the mast to keep him from doing an interview with Chotiner.

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Adam Rothman enjoys a good sandwich @adamrothman.bsky.social · 21d

Odysseus had his crew lash him to the mast to keep him from doing an interview with Chotiner.

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