Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

stevewolgast.bsky.social @stevewolgast.bsky.social · 13h

Preparing for tomorrow’s Burgon Society meeting at The Charterhouse in London: Gown and two hoods. The Fellow’s hood on the right for the ceremonies; the festal hood on the left for the 25th-anniversary celebration. @burgonsociety.bsky.social

A master’s gown hanging with two hoods: the Fellow’s hood on the right for the ceremonies; the festal hood on the left.

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Freedom of the Press Foundation @freedom.press · 2d

Law enforcement needs to rein in ICE's anti-press abuses and investigate ICE attacks on independent journalists in Chicagoland.

A coalition of Chicago and national press freedom orgs explained why in a letter to the Broadview Police Department and Illinois State Police today.

Independent journalists must be protected from ICE attacks

Letter calls on local authorities to investigate all attacks on journalists

freedom.press

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Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project @occrp.org · 1d

The move targets Serbia’s largest energy company, majority-owned by Russia’s Gazprom Neft, increasing pressure on Belgrade to reduce its reliance on Moscow.

www.occrp.org/en/news/us-s...

U.S. Sanctions on Serbian Oil Giant NIS Take Effect Despite Expected Delay

The move targets Serbia’s largest energy company, majority-owned by Russia’s Gazprom Neft, increasing pressure on Belgrade to reduce its reliance on Moscow.

www.occrp.org

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Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project @occrp.org · 1d

A new mosque and Uyghur cultural center in London is owned by the son of a businessman who colluded with corrupt officials to dominate the flow of Chinese imports into Central Asia.

www.occrp.org/en/scoop/son...

Son of Alleged Smuggling Tycoon Spent $3 Million on London Mosque

The Satuq Bughra Khan mosque in Palmers Green is also a Uyghur cultural and educational center. The owner’s family is implicated in vast corruption in Central Asia.

www.occrp.org

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Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project @occrp.org · 1d

Rallies resume on Thursday despite signs the government is ready to tackle corruption

www.occrp.org/en/news/amne...

Amnesty Slams Morocco for “Excessive Force” as Anti-Corruption Protests Resume

Rallies resume on Thursday despite signs the government is ready to tackle corruption

www.occrp.org

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Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project @occrp.org · 1d

Gold Taps and Towel Racks: How a Plane Used by Turkmenistan’s Ruling Family Got a Royal Makeover

www.occrp.org/en/scoop/gol...

Gold Taps and Towel Racks: How a Plane Used by Turkmenistan’s Ruling Family Got a Royal Makeover

In authoritarian Turkmenistan, even a single airplane trip abroad is out of reach for most citizens. But the country’s ruling Berdimuhamedov family, which has held power across two generations, recently...

www.occrp.org

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Columbia University Press @columbiaup.bsky.social · 1d

We are pleased to announce that Maebh Long and Matthew Hayward's THE RISE OF PACIFIC LITERATURE is the Winner of the 2025 Modernist Studies Association Book Prize. buff.ly/THSpdk5 @moderniststudies.bsky.social

Graphic announcing that Maebh Long and Matthew Hayward's THE RISE OF PACIFIC LITERATURE is the Winner of the 2025 Modernist Studies Association Book Prize. It includes the book's cover and a 20% discount code with CUP20SM at cup.columbia.edu

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stevewolgast.bsky.social @stevewolgast.bsky.social · 1d

Anybody else notice something backward about his scientific method?

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 1d

RFK Jr on Tylenol and autism: "It is not proof. We're doing the studies to make the proof."

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stevewolgast.bsky.social @stevewolgast.bsky.social · 1d

🇳🇴 🇸🇪 🇫🇮 🏆

Maida ☠️ @emmaidama.bsky.social · 1d

😂🤣 Newsom’s trolling is now at a whole new level 😂🏅
#NobelPeacePrize #Pinks 🌸

stevewolgast.bsky.social @stevewolgast.bsky.social · 1d

“You don’t even have stores anymore” in Portland.

George Conway 👊🇺🇸🔥 @gtconway.bsky.social · 1d

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Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project @occrp.org · 1d

Iraqi Kurdistan’s ruling Barzani family are well-connected in the U.S. — Joe Biden once reportedly said that he knew all the grandchildren’s names.

Leaked documents show that five brothers spent $100m+ on U.S. properties and luxury shopping.

www.occrp.org/en/investiga...

Mansions, Horses, and Designer Bags: How the Ruling Family of Iraqi Kurdistan Splurged in the U.S.

The five sons of Iraqi Kurdistan’s founding president acquired real estate across the United States and went on luxury shopping sprees. At least some of the money came from major Kurdish…

www.occrp.org

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KCUR (Kansas City's best news source) @kcur.org · 1d

The Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission recently approved $1.7 million of general revenue funds for an extra run of the Amtrak River Runner starting in April 2026. Kansas City is hosting six World Cup matches next summer. (@stlpublicradio.bsky.social)

Amtrak is adding extra daily service between Kansas City and St. Louis for World Cup

The Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission recently approved $1.7 million of general revenue funds for an extra run of the Amtrak River Runner starting in April 2026. Kansas City is hosting six World Cup matches next summer.

www.kcur.org

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c0nc0rdance @c0nc0rdance.bsky.social · 1d

A Brit looks at this letter: Z
and says "zed" while
an American says "zee".

Why?

The answer lies in the Norman Conquest, American nationalism & Noah Webster of Merriam-Webster fame.

It starts with the Greek letter: zeta (Z, ζ), which entered Old French as "zède" via Church Latin.

An ornate version of the letter Z, with inked oak clusters, flowers and leaves behind it. It's in black and white, from getty images.

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The Kansas City Star @kansascity.com · 1d

A federal judge ruled the government cannot search his phone — for now.

Immigration lawyer critical of ICE has phone seized at MA airport, lawsuit says

A federal judge ruled the government cannot search his phone — for now.

bit.ly

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stevewolgast.bsky.social @stevewolgast.bsky.social · 1d

Maybe PH should re-read the first five words of the First Amendment.

Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press @rcfp.org · 1d

“We still have concerns with the updated language of the [Pentagon press] policy and expect that it will pose a significant impediment as journalists weigh with their employers whether or not to sign this revised version,” said @rcfp.org's Gabe Rottman.

Learn more in @washingtonpost.com:

Pentagon’s revised press rules are unacceptable, journalists’ group says

The Pentagon Press Association said the government’s policy still appears “designed to stifle a free press and potentially expose us to prosecution.”

www.washingtonpost.com

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Keith W. Dickinson @keithwdickinson.bsky.social · 2d

Today is a day when arts degrees are worthless, but the product of those degrees is so valuable it would kill an entire industry if they were made to pay for it.

The Verge @theverge.com · May 26

Nick Clegg says asking artists for use permission would ‘kill’ the AI industry

Paul McCartne, Elton John and others signed an open letter.

buff.ly

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stevewolgast.bsky.social @stevewolgast.bsky.social · 2d

Photography is not a crime.

Molly Jong-Fast @mollyjongfast.bsky.social · 3d

This strikes me as pretty bad

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Melanie D’Arrigo @darrigomelanie.bsky.social · 3d

I feel like this photo of masked, armed men pepper spraying a pastor protecting his community is going to be a defining picture of this moment in America for a long, long time.

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David DeWitt @daviddewitt.bsky.social · 2d

Ohio educators will keep their voices on the STRS board for now due to an appellate court upholding a temporary block on a new state law. After this court loss, the GOP House speaker wants to remove some judicial power ohiocapitaljournal.com/2025/10/08/o...

Ohio educators to remain on STRS as court upholds temporary block on board changes • Ohio Capital Journal

Ohio educators will keep their voices on the STRS board for now due to an appellate court upholding a temporary block on a new state law. After this court loss, the GOP House speaker wants to remove…

ohiocapitaljournal.com

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Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project @occrp.org · 8d

New OCCRP investigation: Doctors banned for serious misconduct — including harming patients — are quietly rebuilding their careers abroad.

Our cross-border project with 49 media partners uncovers how they keep practicing across Europe and beyond #badpractice: www.occrp.org/en/project/b...

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Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project @occrp.org · 8d

In response to an investigation by OCCRP and partners, Norway's health minister proposed creating a new system to prevent doctors from moving across borders to practice after being barred in other countries.

www.occrp.org/en/news/heal...

Health Officials Call For Action Over Banned Doctors Still Practicing in Europe

In response to an investigation by OCCRP and partners, Norway's health minister proposed creating a new system to prevent doctors from moving across borders to practice after being barred in other countries.

www.occrp.org

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Damon Kiesow @damon.kiesow.net · 9d

I have found the media literacy in self-governing focused-topic niche communities (Reddit is another)to be very high, effective and fascinating to observe.

Renee DiResta @noupside.bsky.social · 9d

Let's be clear a what's happening here: the "censorship" and "bias" narrative is being extended to Wikipedia bc the far right knows that getting bullshit into LLMs is how to shape reality as "answer engines" replace search engines.

Wikipedia is core to that fight so the grievance blitz is here.

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stevewolgast.bsky.social @stevewolgast.bsky.social · 9d

Yes! Comments in footnotes.
And may I add: Please, @microsoft.com, please make Word stop changing fonts and sizes just because I’m starting a new ¶.

Katie Turner @katieturnerphd.com · 9d

Literally all we want is to be able to add comments in footnotes.

The Verge @theverge.com · 11d

Microsoft launches ‘vibe working’ in Excel and Word

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Damon Kiesow @damon.kiesow.net · 10d

“I became a journalist because information is power.” - Maria Ressa, 2025 Missouri Honor Medal honoree.

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Paul Tullis @tullis.bsky.social · 9d

The best assignment I ever had was 10 days following #JaneGoodall around Gombe, Burundi, and her 80th birthday party in San Francisco. She was a one of a kind scientist, teacher, leader, and activist. RIP

www.nytimes.com/2015/03/15/m...

Jane Goodall Is Still Wild at Heart (Published 2015)

www.nytimes.com

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