Author | Lightnews

Ziya Meral @ziyameral.bsky.social · 1d

Kedi forever

Ziya Meral @ziyameral.bsky.social · 1d

A few reached out asking about my silence on social media.. I have decided to take a step back in life to reflect and use my free time and few years ahead to restore this old walled garden on Rathlin island and re-open it as a vibrant haven.. On left garden now, on right an inspiration from Scotland

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Omar Kadkoy @omarkadkoy.bsky.social · Sep 11

Turkey-Syria defense cooperation in effect: “One source said around 300 Syrians, mostly soldiers, but also some police officers, are currently being trained at two bases in central and eastern Turkey.” www.middleeasteye.net/news/turkey-...

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Ian Bond @cerianbond.bsky.social · Sep 4

In other words, the coalition of the willing is unwilling to help until Ukraine doesn't need its help. Surely at some point someone has to realise that this approach just incentivises Putin to keep the war going?

Gesine Weber @gesineweber.bsky.social · Sep 4

On troop deployment:

Macron *very* clear twice: only the day *after* the ceasefire, and any deployment must be part of a "ceasefire, a truce, or a peace agreement". In other words: no European boots on the ground before an agreement.

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Balderdash @balderdash.bsky.social · Sep 4

Outstanding news that should be shared.

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Phillips OBrien @phillipspobrien.bsky.social · Sep 4

Hi All, Book deals on both sides of the Atlantic for War and Power: Who Wins Wars and Why--my latest book. If you want to buy a signed first edition from the UK bookseller Toppings, you can order it from this link. www.toppingbooks.co.uk/books/philli...

War and Power: Who Wins Wars — and Why by Phillips Payson O'Brien

'Phillips O'Brien is one of the keenest observers of modern strategy, and his new book takes a deep historical look at the evolution of warfare and its implications for conflicts like the ongoing one ...

www.toppingbooks.co.uk

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Jennifer Hattam @jenhattam.bsky.social · Apr 8

📣 I'm actively looking for new journalism assignments, writing or editing gigs, or other work that uses my communications skills, ideally to make positive social, cultural, or environmental impact. Check out what I do and hit me up if you have projects that might be a match! www.jenniferhattam.com

Jennifer Hattam

Freelance journalist in Istanbul covering culture, environment, social issues, and urban spaces

www.jenniferhattam.com

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Quentin Sommerville @sommervilletv.bsky.social · Sep 2

Strangely reassuring

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Mike Brady @mikebrady.bsky.social · Sep 1

Wow!

I have found that Musk's support of Advance UK and Operation Raise the Colours (the flags campaign) has skewed the X algorithm so that Tommy Robinson posts now have greater reach than those of Nigel Farage.

Statistics in this thread.

Mike Brady @mikebrady.bsky.social · Sep 1

"Musk acts as Kingmaker"

Musk switching allegiance from Reform UK to Advance UK impacts their reach on X and has real-world consequences.

So says Musk's AI bot Grok (which I ask, so Musk can't dismiss the analysis so easily).

Follow me here and on ko-fi (link in bio) for my full analysis.

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Adil Ray @adilray.bsky.social · Sep 1

Elon Musk, one of the world’s most powerful and richest men is posting far right ideology. Remigration is commonly seen as a far right concept of ethnic cleansing. To deport migrants and their descendants to their place of racial ancestry. That would include me. Why are we not talking about this?

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WarTranslated (Dmitri) @wartranslated.bsky.social · Aug 30

The EU is weighing legal ways to bypass unanimity in foreign policy, Bloomberg reports. A group of 12 countries backs shifting to qualified majority voting to speed up decisions on Ukraine and Russia, often blocked by Hungary.
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

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Shashank Joshi @shashj.bsky.social · Aug 30

The first ever successful & impactful cyber-physical attack on European critical infrastructure outside of Ukraine? “Russian hackers took control of a Norwegian dam this year, opening a floodgate and allowing water to flow unnoticed for four hours, Norway’s intelligence service has said.”

Ciaran Martin @ciaranm.bsky.social · Aug 30

Just caught up this this. Wild.

www.theguardian.com/world/2025/a...

Russian hackers seized control of Norwegian dam, spy chief says

Beate Gangås says attack in April by Norway’s ‘dangerous neighbour’ aimed to cause fear and chaos

www.theguardian.com

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The Associated Press @apnews.com · Aug 30

The disappearance of U.S. aid in Nigeria's northeast has threatened a school that supports children who are victims of Boko Haram extremists.

In Boko Haram's birthplace, USAID's collapse threatens a school for victims of extremism

The disappearance of U.S. aid in Nigeria’s northeast has threatened a school that supports children who are victims of Boko Haram extremists.

bit.ly

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Ziya Meral @ziyameral.bsky.social · Aug 25

Key question:

War on the Rocks @warontherocks.bsky.social · Aug 25

Britain stands at a crossroads: follow an unpredictable America, or help shape Europe’s defense future.

British Grand Strategy Without America - War on the Rocks

William D. James, British Grand Strategy in the Age of American Hegemony (Oxford University Press, 2024) Back in June, academics and naval officers from

warontherocks.com

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Abu Aardvark’s Ghost @abuaardvark.bsky.social · Aug 25

What it’s like to be a Middle East Studies Professor in fall 2025 - my new post surveys the field, and my colleagues.

Basically it sucks and it’s getting worse. But we haven’t given up.

abuaardvarkghost.ghost.io/what-its-lik...

What it's like to be a Middle East Studies professor in 2025

Basically, it sucks. Last week, Tuft's Dan Drezner and my GW colleague Dave Karpf published really good pieces on what it's like to be, respectively, a dean of international affairs and a professor o...

abuaardvarkghost.ghost.io

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Jeremy Cliffe @jeremycliffe.bsky.social · Aug 25

“Europe is risking its political soul. It has put itself in a situation in which leaders cannot say publicly what they are actually trying to do. That is a recipe for distrust and a poison for democracy”

on.ft.com/3HH41Ze

Europe is selling its soul to Trump

What masquerades as pragmatism is self-harming opportunism

on.ft.com

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Phillips OBrien @phillipspobrien.bsky.social · Aug 23

Conversation with Paul Krugman appeared just a little while ago. We discuss the war in Ukraine, and the appalling state of military analysis, the power of groupthink, etc. We also delve into my new book, War and Power. Enjoy.

open.substack.com/pub/paulkrug...

Talking With Phillips O'Brien

As the war goes on ...

open.substack.com

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Matthew Palmer @so3brocktree.bsky.social · Aug 20

With the recent flurry of diplomatic activity this past week, there has been renewed interest in the proposed 'Multinational Force Ukraine'.

I write here on the proposed structure of this Reassurance Force, its pros, cons, and the question over its strategic utility.

Reassurance Force Redux: Ukraine and the Allies

On deploying western forces to Ukraine

crackingdefence.substack.com

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Adam Schwarz @adamjschwarz.bsky.social · Aug 22

Trump unpromptedly shows reporters a photo of Putin and himself, who he says may be a guest at next year's World Cup in the US:

"I'm going to sign this for him... I thought it was a nice picture of him."

Putin bombed an American non-military factory in Ukraine yesterday.

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Ziya Meral @ziyameral.bsky.social · Aug 22

Agree

ECIU @eciu.net · Aug 22

Block Elon Musk’s bid to supply UK home energy, Ed Davey urges

Lib Dem leader says giving Tesla a foothold in Britain’s energy market could be national security risk.

Block Elon Musk’s bid to supply UK home energy, Ed Davey urges

Exclusive: Lib Dem leader says giving Tesla a foothold in Britain’s energy market could be national security risk

buff.ly

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The Associated Press @apnews.com · Aug 21

BREAKING: A Ukrainian citizen suspected of participating in the undersea explosions in 2022 that damaged the Nord Stream gas pipelines between Russia and Germany has been arrested, German prosecutors said.

Ukrainian suspected in the Nord Stream pipeline blasts arrested in Italy, German prosecutors say

German prosecutors have announced the arrest of a Ukrainian citizen suspected of involvement in the 2022 Nord Stream gas pipeline explosions.

bit.ly

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Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · Aug 20

I have not heard anything at all from government ministers nor the opposition nor many media outlets about the dangers of this epidemic of sweeping casual racism. It is sometimes seen as comical - as with Rupert Lowe and the rowers - but it is dangerous and dehumanising

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Ziya Meral @ziyameral.bsky.social · Aug 20

Lol

Olga Nesterova @onestpress.onestnetwork.com · Aug 20

Putin is not willing to meet with Zelensky now or in the future, — CNN

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