Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Peter Howitt @peterhowitt.bsky.social · 2m

There's never a great time for the West to swing towards fascism but right now is particularly acute for the other animals we share the planet with...

More than half of world’s bird species in decline, as leaders meet on extinction crisis

Biodiversity losses are growing, the IUCN reports as summit opens, but green turtle’s recovery ‘reminds us conservation works’

www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Peter Howitt

Ahmed Baba @ahmedbaba.bsky.social · 2h

The purging of the federal bureaucracy of nonpartisan civil servants is a central component of Project 2025.

You can read more about this in my newsletter. If you like the piece, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber:

Trump & Russell Vought Plan To Exploit The Shutdown To Accelerate Project 2025

The Trump Administration is using the government shutdown as a pretext to speedrun their planned purges of federal workers, executing a key goal of Project 2025 - which Russell Vought helped craft.

www.ahmedbaba.news

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Peter Howitt @peterhowitt.bsky.social · 1h

I doubt they choose someone supported by America to spite him, more to placate him. They would have chosen Greta if they wanted to be really brave. This was a careful political choice.

'Peace' Has No Meaning When Right-Wingers Like Maria Corina Machado Win the Nobel Prize | Common Dreams

As Venezuelan-American, I know exactly what Machado represents: the smiling face of Washington’s regime-change machine, the polished spokesperson for sanctions, privatization, and foreign intervention...

www.commondreams.org

Peter Howitt @peterhowitt.bsky.social · 1h

A bad apple from a rotten tree

Reposted by Peter Howitt

Darth Putin @darthputinkgb.bsky.social · 7h

Day 1324 of my 3 day war. I asked my generals how we will deal with Tomahawk missiles if we can’t even stop Ukrainian drones. They looked nervously at the window.

I remain a master strategist.

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Reposted by Peter Howitt

European Journal of Political Research @ejprjournal.bsky.social · 1h

🆕 Research by @dasalgon.bsky.social and @tevoelker.bsky.social shows how far-right actors increasingly shape the agendas of mainstream parties—especially around Islam, migration & cultural issues.

📖 buff.ly/PbHSKpC
#politics #communication #mainstreaming”

Far-right agenda setting: How the far right influences the political mainstream | European Journal of Political Research | Cambridge Core

Far-right agenda setting: How the far right influences the political mainstream

buff.ly

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Reposted by Peter Howitt

Normal Island News @normalisland.co.uk · 2h

Who could be more deserving? x

www.normalisland.co.uk/p/venezuelan...

Venezuelan woman who begged Trump to bomb her country wins Nobel Peace Prize

María Corina Machado has become the first person since Barack Obama to win the Nobel Peace Prize for doing absolutely nothing.

www.normalisland.co.uk

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Peter Howitt @peterhowitt.bsky.social · 3h

Thank you for sharing :)

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Peter Howitt @peterhowitt.bsky.social · 3h

I thought the Nobel choice was odd (and possibly placatory): "I dedicate this prize to the suffering people of Venezuela and to President Trump for his decisive support of our cause!' she wrote on X."

"'I dedicate this prize to the suffering people of Venezuela and to President Trump for his decisive support of our cause!' she wrote on X.

'We are on the threshold of victory and today, more than ever, we count on President Trump, the people of the United States, the peoples of Latin America, and the democratic nations of the world as our principal allies to achieve Freedom and democracy,' she added."

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Peter Howitt @peterhowitt.bsky.social · 3h

Lest we forget: the USA has provided over $20bn of military aid for Israel to help it pursue its genocide of the people of Gaza as well as deep international legal and political cover. Over 20,000 or more children murdered. Every one of them counts. costsofwar.watson.brown.edu/sites/defaul...

costsofwar.watson.brown.edu

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Reposted by Peter Howitt

God @thegodpodcast.com · 21h

Thou shalt not shoot pastors in the head with smoke bombs. I shouldn’t have to say this.

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Rima I Anabtawi @rimaanabtawi.bsky.social · 13h

This is not a story of two sides finally finding peace. It is a story of two peoples who will wake up tomorrow under two very different skies: one free to heal, the other trapped in the ruins

Nagham Zbeedat

www.haaretz.com/israel-news/...

For Palestinians, the relief of the Gaza cease-fire belongs to others

This Is Not a Story of Two Sides Finally Finding Peace. It Is a Story of Two Peoples Who Will Wake Up Tomorrow Under Two Very Different Skies: One Free to Heal, the Other Trapped in the Ruins

www.haaretz.com

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Peter Howitt @peterhowitt.bsky.social · 4h

Interesting

Galen Stone @galenstone.bsky.social · 4h

I trust Common Dreams far more than I do my own limited reporting.
Still, a better choice than effing Donald.

'Peace' Has No Meaning When Right-Wingers Like Maria Corina Machado Win the Nobel Prize | Common Dreams

As Venezuelan-American, I know exactly what Machado represents: the smiling face of Washington’s regime-change machine, the polished spokesperson for sanctions, privatization, and foreign intervention...

www.commondreams.org

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Reposted by Peter Howitt

Philip Bump @pbump.com · 18h

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Reposted by Peter Howitt

David Gilbert @davidgilbert.bsky.social · 11h

BREAKING:

"Just landed."

Mark Bray confirms to me this morning that he and his family did, on the second attempt, make it out of the US and to Spain

www.wired.com/story/mark-b...

He Wrote a Book About Antifa. Death Threats Are Driving Him Out of the US

Rutgers historian Mark Bray is trying to flee to Spain after after an online campaign from far-right influencers was followed by death threats. He was turned back at the airport on his first attempt.

www.wired.com

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Reposted by Peter Howitt

NewsCurrentNow @newscurrentnow.com · 1d

We’re watching an entire political party actively protect the single most infamous sex-trafficking operation of our time.

This isn’t just silence—it’s complicity at the highest level.

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Reposted by Peter Howitt

Josie Glausiusz @josiegz.bsky.social · 5h

The Welsh Government will extend European Protected Species status to European beavers, making it illegal to deliberately harm them or damage their habitats.

European beavers may help create natural flood defences and cleaner rivers across Wales.

www.gov.wales/wales-gives-...

Wales gives beavers dam good protection | GOV.WALES

European beavers will become a protected native species under Welsh law.

www.gov.wales

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Peter Howitt @peterhowitt.bsky.social · 5h

And leaving aside his personal corruption and his culpability in Gaza, it would be beyond belief given the USA has provided over $20bn of military aid to Israel to pursue its genocide (as well as political cover). costsofwar.watson.brown.edu/sites/defaul...

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Reposted by Peter Howitt

Benjamin Zac @benjaminzac1.bsky.social · 6h

‘This genocide is being enabled and fuelled by our own governments, our institutions, our media and companies. It is our responsibility to end that complicity.’ Greta Thunberg.

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Reposted by Peter Howitt

Briony Kidd @brionykidd.bsky.social · 7h

I can only imagine that for Penny Wong the fantasy that Trump is a humanitarian and a skilled negotiator is preferable to living in reality, in which she and Albanese spent so long following the USA in enabling genocide. She wants Trump to be a hero because then somehow she did the right thing.

Peter Murphy @peterwmurphy1.bsky.social · 8h

AUS Foreign Minister Penny Wong's fawning praise of Trump is vomitous. No mention by Wong of the billions of dollars of arms provided to Israel by the USA for its genocide in Gaza? Srsly?! This is abhorrent commentary from Wong. 😔 #auspol #USPolitics #NobelPeacePrize #GazaGenocide

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Peter Howitt @peterhowitt.bsky.social · 7h

The USA has provided over $20bn of military aid to Israel to pursue its genocide (as well as political cover). costsofwar.watson.brown.edu/sites/defaul...

costsofwar.watson.brown.edu

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Reposted by Peter Howitt

Andrew Gregory @andrewgregory.com · 1d

The Nobel prize in chemistry has been awarded to three scientists who created revolutionary porous materials that can harvest water from desert air, capture carbon dioxide from industrial facilities and remove toxins from water.

Nobel prize in chemistry awarded to scientists for work on ‘Hermione’s handbag’

Trio honoured for developing revolutionary materials for applications ranging from gas storage to drug delivery

www.theguardian.com

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Peter Howitt @peterhowitt.bsky.social · 8h

So no need to DM me to use the notebook as is but let me know if you want me to add a query for all to see the result

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Peter Howitt @peterhowitt.bsky.social · 8h

Thread: I created an AI notebook for people who wish to query all 227 submissions to the recent Australian Select Committee on Information Integrity on Climate Change and Energy.
www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentar...

Peter Howitt @peterhowitt.bsky.social · 8h

View and query /chat access (only a Google account is needed): notebooklm.google.com/notebook/e25...

Sign in - Google Accounts

notebooklm.google.com

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