Author | Lightnews

Neil MacFarquhar @nmacfarquhar.bsky.social · 1d

NYC tabloid goes to town on Mamdani win with even a little Cyrillic abuse.(aka faux Cyrillic) Theme continues inside with headlines like “Mamdani Paints the town red” No boldface reference to Islam, however..

16 4 26

Neil MacFarquhar @nmacfarquhar.bsky.social · 6d

Happy Halloween!!

Reposted by Neil MacFarquhar

Robert Reich @rbreich.bsky.social · 8d

Amazon just announced 14,000 layoffs. Its CEO made over $40M last year.

UPS announced 48,000 layoffs. Its CEO made over $24M last year.

Intel announced 20,000 layoffs. Its new CEO's pay package is valued at nearly $69M.

This is what I mean when I say the system is rigged.

990 11K 28K

Neil MacFarquhar @nmacfarquhar.bsky.social · 13d

E-bikes in NY:
Recently, mayoral candidate Mamdani was filmed releasing one of the hefty e-bikes on the Upper East Side. A bystander, apparently not a fan, yelled out: “Communist!”
The candidate smiled as he pedaled away.
“It’s pronounced ‘cyclist,’” he said.

www.nytimes.com/2025/10/24/n...

Speed Limits Are Taking the Wind Out of Cyclists’ Exhilarating Commutes

www.nytimes.com

3

Neil MacFarquhar @nmacfarquhar.bsky.social · 22d

The United States used to dominate the list of the world's most powerful passports, defined by how many countries grant U.S. citizens entry without a visa. As of this year, it is not even in the top 10 anymore. Waning influence...
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

US falls out of world’s 10 most powerful passports list for first time in 20 years

Declining strength of US passport, tied with Malaysia’s at 12th, signals ‘shift in global mobility’, says index creator

www.theguardian.com

2 3

Neil MacFarquhar @nmacfarquhar.bsky.social · 26d

The global drift toward right-wing populism must also be confronted, she said, otherwise “the world itself and people will become even more terrifying, even more monstrous.”

“The people who hold power today are trying to shut us up,” she added. www.nytimes.com/2025/10/11/w...

Understanding Post-Soviet Tyranny, in Order to Fight It

www.nytimes.com

1 5

Reposted by Neil MacFarquhar

Karen Attiah @karenattiah.bsky.social · Oct 2

Today, Oct.2nd, is the anniversary of Jamal Khashoggi’s murder by Saudi agents.

150 2.1K 5.5K

Reposted by Neil MacFarquhar

Scott Rose @rprose.bsky.social · Oct 1

I dunno... Signaling you'll nationalize the Russian units of Raiffeisen & UniCredit kinda sounds like threatening EU regulators with a good time
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

Russia Drafts Plan to Seize Assets If EU Acts on Funds

Russia may nationalize and swiftly sell off foreign-owned assets under a new privatization mechanism in retaliation for any European moves to seize Russian holdings abroad, according to a person close...

www.bloomberg.com

1 8 32

Neil MacFarquhar @nmacfarquhar.bsky.social · Sep 29

Disapproval of the Gaza war appears to have prompted a striking reassessment by American voters of their sympathies in the decades-old conflict, with slightly more voters siding with Palestinians 1998.https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/29/polls/israel-gaza-war-us-poll.html?smid=url-share

Americans’ Support for Israel Dramatically Declines, Times/Siena Poll Finds

www.nytimes.com

1

Reposted by Neil MacFarquhar

jennieother1.bsky.social @jennieother1.bsky.social · Sep 23

Jumbo bottles of Tylenol are America's version of universal healthcare.

1 2

Reposted by Neil MacFarquhar

Robert Reich @rbreich.bsky.social · Sep 23

Health insurance costs are about to rise by a record amount.

This is happening after the seven largest publicly traded health insurance companies reported a combined $71 BILLION in profits in 2024.

Instead of addressing this, Trump is spreading misinformation about Tylenol.

80 910 2.3K

Neil MacFarquhar @nmacfarquhar.bsky.social · Sep 19

The judge gave Trump a month to refile the suit.

3

Neil MacFarquhar @nmacfarquhar.bsky.social · Sep 19

“A complaint is not a public forum for vituperation and invective,” the judge wrote. “Not a protected platform to rage against an adversary.”

1 2

Neil MacFarquhar @nmacfarquhar.bsky.social · Sep 19

The judge criticized Mr. Trump’s lawyers for waiting until the 80th page to lodge a formal allegation of defamation, and for including, ahead of it, dozens of “florid and enervating” pages lavishing praise on the president and enumerating a range of grievances.

1 1 2

Neil MacFarquhar @nmacfarquhar.bsky.social · Sep 19

The Florida judge said that Trump’s 85-page complaint against the NYTimes was unnecessarily lengthy and digressive. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/19/b...

Judge Dismisses Trump’s Lawsuit Against The New York Times

www.nytimes.com

5 5 12

Neil MacFarquhar @nmacfarquhar.bsky.social · Sep 18

советские мужчины

1

Neil MacFarquhar @nmacfarquhar.bsky.social · Sep 16

"But everyone, regardless of their politics, should be troubled by the growing anti-press campaign led by President Trump and his administration, which challenges not just journalists but our right to ask questions on behalf of the American people."

1

Neil MacFarquhar @nmacfarquhar.bsky.social · Sep 16

Part of statement from the NYT publisher regarding what he called a "frivolous" lawsuit: We are confident in our journalism and confident in the First Amendment protections behind it.

1

Neil MacFarquhar @nmacfarquhar.bsky.social · Sep 16

Most media organizations sued by Trump caved because their giant corporate parents fretted that fighting would harm their larger business interests. The New York Times is family owned and has long been anticipating this battle. The lawsuit is basically whining that he dislikes the coverage.

1 2 7

Neil MacFarquhar @nmacfarquhar.bsky.social · Aug 31

A half-dozen families have returned to what was once 24 apartments in a six-story family building. Nobody goes out at night, when there are no people, cars or lighting on the pitch-dark streets, only roaming packs of wild dogs. 'It is still better than living under the old regime,' said Ms.Sadiq.

2

Neil MacFarquhar @nmacfarquhar.bsky.social · Aug 31

The utter devastation of so many Syrian cities is difficult to grasp and around Damascus there is simmering anger that the capital was spared while their lives are wrecked.

www.nytimes.com/2025/08/31/w...

A Shattered City Asks for Its Sacrifice to Be Repaid

www.nytimes.com

1 3 4

Neil MacFarquhar @nmacfarquhar.bsky.social · Aug 25

In the U.S., paltry social benefits like broad lack of health care compared to a place like Sweden is one reason losing your job here can be so devastating. @petersgoodman.bsky.social
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/25/b...

The Real Reason Americans Worry About Trade

www.nytimes.com

1 1 6

Neil MacFarquhar @nmacfarquhar.bsky.social · Aug 18

Sitting next to President Zelensky in the Oval Office on Monday, Trump offered vague statements about Kyiv’s security guarantees. “We will give them very good protection and very good security,” Mr. Trump said, without mentioning any specifics.

Neil MacFarquhar @nmacfarquhar.bsky.social · Aug 18

“We reaffirm our repeatedly stated position of categorical rejection of any scenarios involving the presence of a military contingent from NATO countries in Ukraine,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in its statement.

1

Neil MacFarquhar @nmacfarquhar.bsky.social · Aug 18

The statement raised further questions about what Trump and Putin discussed last Friday. Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy, said Sunday that Moscow had agreed that Washington and its European allies could extend security guarantees to Ukraine that would resemble NATO’s collective defense mandate.

1 1