Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Liz Bourke @hawkwinglb.bsky.social · 13h

No, I am unjust. Some years it is earned, and even when it is awarded to unpleasant people it has generally been for a specific achievement on a path towards peace. (Regardless of whether I believe those people deserve it or not.)

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Liz Bourke @hawkwinglb.bsky.social · 13h

(Awarded 1999.)

Liz Bourke @hawkwinglb.bsky.social · 13h

MSF already have one though. They'd be the first multiple awardee.

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Liz Bourke @hawkwinglb.bsky.social · 13h

It remains not *quite* the most corrupt Operation-Condor-ified prize for peace imaginable. Not quite. Some years it is even touchingly symbolic!

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Hannah Bowman @hannahnpbowman.com · 16h

Like: this right here IS the normative context of the Eucharist. This is what it is FOR ⚓️

Jack Jenkins @jackjenkins.me · 16h

Side note: lest you think this is a one-off, a sizable group of Catholic nuns, priests and lay leaders have announced plans to do the same thing — offer communion to detainees in the Broadview ICE facility — tomorrow.

Jack Jenkins @jackjenkins.me · 17h

NEW: Clergy are at the Broadview, IL ICE facility today — where clergy have been shot w/pepper balls in recent days.

UMC minister Rev. Hannah Kardon, one of those shot w/pepper balls in the past, among those asking to give communion to those detained. Attendees (who sent photos) say police declined

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John Rogers @johnrogers.bsky.social · 16h

A billion dollars is the socio-political equivalent of a loose nuke, and we should work as ruthlessly and diligently to prevent the acquisition of the former as we do the latter.

Liberal Currents @liberalcurrents.com · 21h

“The problem with billionaires isn’t that they’re hoarding money that would otherwise pay for a Scandinavian social utopia. It’s that their money has become a source of wildly distorted political power that allows a few men with extremist views to wreak havoc on the rest of us.”

Billionaires Are Hoarding Power, Not Money

Billionaire money has become a source of wildly distorted political power that allows a few men with extremist views to wreak havoc on the rest of us.

www.liberalcurrents.com

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Anna Phylaxis @quatoria.bsky.social · 1d

This has been my assumption and belief for many years - civilian control, whether it be from Mayors or Governors, over police is effectively limited to whatever discretionary control they have over the police budget.

Jane the (Scary) Ghost 🇵🇸🏳️‍⚧️ @janetheghost.bsky.social · 1d

Personally, I suspect it's both. Pritzker was never going to directly confront Trump in any material way. But at the same time, I don't think there is effective civilian control over the police at basically any level, in any state. They follow instructions and laws when they want to, and ignore/

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Middle East Eye (Unofficial) @middleeasteye-rss.bsky.social · 20h

Israel attacks displaced Palestinians’ return route in Gaza despite ceasefire - https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/israel-attacks-displaced-palestinians-return-route-gaza-despite

Israel attacks displaced Palestinians’ return route in Gaza despite ceasefire

<article data-history-node-id="429943" about="https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/israel-attacks-displaced-palestinians-return-route-gaza-despite" class="live-blog-update default clearfix"> <h2> <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/israel-attacks-displaced-palestinians-return-route-gaza-despite" rel="bookmark"> <span class="field field-title">Israel attacks displaced Palestinians’ return route in Gaza despite ceasefire</span> </a> </h2> <div class="content"> <div class="field field-field-text"><p>Israeli forces on Friday conducted strikes on the displaced Palestinians' return route in Gaza despite the ceasefire, Anadolu news agency reported. </p> <p>Thousands of displaced Palestinians headed towards Gaza City via Rashid Street after the ceasefire was announced. Israeli tanks were also filmed withdrawing from an area near the Jordanian Hospital in southern Gaza City.</p> <p>The interior ministry in Gaza on Friday said it will begin restoring order in the areas from which Israeli forces have withdrawn, urging citizens to be careful. </p> <p>In a statement, the ministry said that Israeli forces continue to block the road between the north and south of the Gaza Strip.</p> <p>"We call on citizens to be careful before the ceasefire comes into effect, to ensure their safety," the statement said. </p> </div> </div> </article>

www.middleeasteye.net

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Rebecca Makkai @rebeccamakkai.bsky.social · 22d

This got lost enough that I, at least, didn't see it. Tr*mp sues Penguin Random House for $15 billion for publishing a book that cast him in a negative light. Going after comedians is indeed terrifying. Going after publishers is at least equally terrifying.
www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/...

Trump Sues Penguin Random House, ‘New York Times’ for $15 Billion

President Donald Trump has filed a lawsuit accusing the New York Times and four of its reporters, as well as Penguin Random House, which published the book Lucky Loser, of trying to undermine his 2024...

www.publishersweekly.com

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🎃👻David 👻🎃 @rebelalliance77.bsky.social · 17h

Ah here. Hurling n all??

#Áras25

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Mia Brett @queenmab.bsky.social · 17h

We’re also seeing this supposed “deception” being used as a “trans panic defense” when the men kill trans women. Even when they have been in long term relationships

Alejandra Caraballo @esqueer.net · 18h

A man gets a blowjob from a trans woman and his friends make fun of him so he goes to the police to claim she lied about being a woman. She was convicted of sexual assault and sentenced to nearly 2 years in prison because of a man's shame.

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

Thornaby transgender woman jailed for deception sex assault

Ciara Watkin's victim says he would not have agreed to sex had he known she was biologically male.

www.bbc.com

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Dr. Nick Posegay @nposegay.bsky.social · 17h

It's genuinely shocking how little of Rafah is left. An ancient city that had a pre-war population of ~200k, forced to take over 1,000,000 refugees from Gaza City and Khan Younis, then completely levelled for the crime of being the only city in Gaza with an escape route.

Resist 🕎🍉 @antizionistjew.bsky.social · 1d

This is a GENOCIDE

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Matt Gabriele @profgabriele.com · 17h

glad my department of religion is being shut down because there's no need to understand what's going on here

unraveled @unraveledpress.com · 17h

Chanting, "we are the body of Christ! The body of Christ will be free!"

This crowd has swelled considerably. Few hundred here now.

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Will McKinley @willmckinley.bsky.social · 17h

"CBS is no longer independent, but under the tutelage of a conservative billionaire who is putting more than his thumb on the scale."

Kudos to Dan Rather, a 44-year veteran of CBS News, for speaking truth to power.

deadline.com/2025/10/dan-... #CBS #Paramount

Dan Rather Says Bari Weiss Hire And Skydance-Paramount Merger Mark “A Dark Day In The Halls Of CBS News”

Rather said that Weiss' hire will add to fears journalists have of losing their jobs.

deadline.com

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Nico Mara-McKay 🦇 (they/iel) @nicomaramckay.com · 2d

Canadians: The federal government is seeking public input on how AI should be developed and used in business, research, and the military.

If this scares the shit out of you, please let them know:

Help define the next chapter of Canada's AI leadership

Current status: Open from October 1 to October 31, 2025 Canada helped invent modern AI. To stay a leader—and protect our digital sovereignty—we're running a 30-day national sprint to shape a renewed...

ised-isde.canada.ca

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Maggie Tokuda-Hall @maggietokudahall.bsky.social · 16h

Today my daughter's preschool is holding a farewell assembly for one of her classmates whose mother has no choice but to self deport. The school is hoping it will be joyful in tone, so we might make this less upsetting for this 3 year old.

There's just no words for the uselessness of this cruelty.

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ryan cooper @ryanlcooper.com · 18h

this is correct. and while you would get a nontrivial one off sum from a billionaire tax (not enough for a welfare state, but a lot), the ongoing point of that tax would be prevent billionaires from existing

Liberal Currents @liberalcurrents.com · 21h

“The problem with billionaires isn’t that they’re hoarding money that would otherwise pay for a Scandinavian social utopia. It’s that their money has become a source of wildly distorted political power that allows a few men with extremist views to wreak havoc on the rest of us.”

Billionaires Are Hoarding Power, Not Money

Billionaire money has become a source of wildly distorted political power that allows a few men with extremist views to wreak havoc on the rest of us.

www.liberalcurrents.com

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KJ Charles @kjcharleswriter.com · 2d

"Christ, we don't want people studying English, they might waste their time becoming teachers of our children! Or working in a massively profitable industry that gives us huge global soft power! Or just being able to parse the nonsense we spout and spot our Chat GPT bullshit!"

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KJ Charles @kjcharleswriter.com · 2d

a) an English degree does not prevent you from getting and doing a [scare quote] real job [scare quote]
b) there are things, goals, and values in the world other than money
but also c) last year the publishing industry's estimated worth to the UK economy was ELEVEN BILLION QUID.

Ian Dunt @iandunt.bsky.social · 2d

Calling English a 'rip-off degree' is one of the most blatant exhibitions of personal barbarism I've ever seen. You've demonstrated nothing but the poverty of your own mind.

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Kate from Kharkiv @kateinkharkiv.bsky.social · 18h

Voice with heavy Ukrainian accent from Viktor Orban's smartphone:

Hello Viktor. This is your conscience speaking. We’ve been trying to reach you.

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Stephanie Burgis @stephanieburgis.bsky.social · 21h

Sooo...remember how I said I'd give away 2 of these gorgeous paperback ARCs of Enchanting the Fae Queen in my first October newsletter?

A quick heads-up: that newsletter goes out Monday morning! Subscribe here: stephanieburgis.com/newsletter

#romancelandia

A small box of advance paperback reading copies of Enchanting the Fae Queen, by Stephanie Burgis. The illustrated cover shows a mischievously grinning woman with long blonde curls, a moonstone crown, a pink dress and bare feet, sitting perched in a tree teasing the uniformed general who stands before her, his expression determined and one of his hands around her closest leg while she pokes his strong nose with one finger. Vines of leaves sweep magically out from the tree around her to draw him towards her. The tagline reads: All’s fae in love and war.

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Jonathan Healey @jonathanhealey.bsky.social · 21h

It was two OUP books.

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Prof Christina Pagel @chrischirp.bsky.social · 18h

Also, if you're "in bed with flu", it's almost certainly Covid.

Prof Christina Pagel @chrischirp.bsky.social · 18h

After a long pause, I've just done another England Covid & NHS update as we head into the autumn/winter season.

TLDR: we're in a significant Covid wave now, the NHS is stretched, get boosted if you're eligible.

christinapagel.substack.com/p/england-is...

England is now experiencing a significant Covid wave, after 10 months of relative quiet

The latest Covid situation in England and a look at where NHS services are as we head into winter

christinapagel.substack.com

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Liz Bourke @hawkwinglb.bsky.social · 18h

Good luck in your quest.

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Matthew Cheney @melikhovo.bsky.social · 1d

At an academic conference and the most common conversations I've had is stuff like, "How many faculty is your school trying to fire? Do you still have professional development funds? Do you still have an English department?" Fun times!

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