Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

David Owen @artsofdenial.bsky.social · 1d

Asylum hotel provider makes £180m profit despite claims of inedible food and rationed loo paper - BBC News
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Asylum hotel provider makes £180m profit despite claims of inedible food and rationed loo paper

Asylum seekers and charities tell BBC of

www.bbc.co.uk

1 4

Reposted by David Owen

Mike Sowden @mikeachim.bsky.social · 1d

Damn. This is amazing. £325 per week, paid monthly, for 3 years - and the result was a profit for the Irish economy:
www.citizensinformation.ie/en/employmen...

Post from Threads user rodneyowl: "Ireland has declared the Basic Income for Artists scheme permanent. This will be officially announced in tomorrow’s budget. Details to follow. Congratulations to all who fought for it and the present and future artists of all sorts in Ireland. That includes me 👌We’re just comin to the end of a 3 year pilot scheme. It’s been a roaring success. For every €1 paid out to the 2000 participants, the government got €1.46 back. Can’t argue with that. Other countries are already taking note."

130 5.2K 15K

Reposted by David Owen

Bradley Hillier-Smith @bradleyhsmith.bsky.social · 2d

'The Ethics of State Responses to Refugees offers a novel, thoughtful, and persuasive ethical analysis
of how states should respond to refugees.'

From a recent review of my book in Ethics and International Affairs!

You can read the full review here:

www.cambridge.org/core/journal...

#PhilSky

The Ethics of State Responses to Refugees, by Bradley Hillier-Smith (New York: Routledge, 2025), 286 pp., cloth $170, eBook $48.44. | Ethics & International Affairs | Cambridge Core

The Ethics of State Responses to Refugees, by Bradley Hillier-Smith (New York: Routledge, 2025), 286 pp., cloth 48.44. - Volume 39 Issue 2

www.cambridge.org

1 4

Reposted by David Owen

Mollie Gerver @mgerver.bsky.social · 3d

The article states “The Conservatives say they would task officials with removing 750,000 illegal immigrants.” This is inaccurate: the plan would include migrants *legally* in the country, because it is legal for refugees to enter to claim asylum without first getting a visa.

David Owen @artsofdenial.bsky.social · 3d

In a desperate attempt to boost their poll standing, Tories propose to abandon the rule of law
www.bbc.com/news/article...

Conservatives pledge to remove 750,000 migrants under borders plan

The party unveils new policies on illegal migration as its annual conference begins in Manchester.

www.bbc.com

2 15

Reposted by David Owen

TheBossRoss @thebossross.bsky.social · 3d

Only yesterday, the Guardian had this interesting piece on research into 80+ elections across decades & 12 countries that showed: anti-immigrant rhetoric never serves traditional parties. It only serves the far-right. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Our research makes it clear: by capitulating to the right, Labour is driving voters to Reform UK | Tarik Abou-Chadi and Stuart Turnbull-Dugarte

Mimicking Farage on immigration is senseless. Labour voters feel betrayed; anti-immigration voters see through the ruse, say academics Tarik Abou-Chadi and Stuart Turnbull-Dugarte

www.theguardian.com

1 3 6

David Owen @artsofdenial.bsky.social · 2d

Ha!

David Owen @artsofdenial.bsky.social · 2d

Nice, thanks.

1

David Owen @artsofdenial.bsky.social · 2d

An opening for a critical/democratic theory person at the University of Malta
www.um.edu.mt/hrmd/recruit...

#philsky
#philosophy

Resident Academic Full Time Post in Philosophy - L-Università ta' Malta

Resident Academic Full Time Post in Philosophy

www.um.edu.mt

1

David Owen @artsofdenial.bsky.social · 3d

I didn't know it was out yet.

1

David Owen @artsofdenial.bsky.social · 3d

In a desperate attempt to boost their poll standing, Tories propose to abandon the rule of law
www.bbc.com/news/article...

Conservatives pledge to remove 750,000 migrants under borders plan

The party unveils new policies on illegal migration as its annual conference begins in Manchester.

www.bbc.com

3 11 27

David Owen @artsofdenial.bsky.social · 5d

www.theguardian.com/world/2025/o...

Deaths, disappearances and forced recruitment: refugees recount horrors of relentless war in Sudan

Refugees who left Darfur and Khartoum for South Sudan say they feared being targeted by both sides in conflict

www.theguardian.com

5 3

David Owen @artsofdenial.bsky.social · 10d

Brilliant essay
www.bostonreview.net/forum/the-re...

The Responsibility of Intellectuals in the Age of Fascism and Genocide - Boston Review

Speaking the truth and exposing lies is not enough.

www.bostonreview.net

1 5

David Owen @artsofdenial.bsky.social · 11d

www.theguardian.com/football/202...

Gianni Infantino’s Faustian pacts face biggest test as prospect of Israel ban moves closer

Sport should not be used to normalise abnormal conduct and it’s no longer possible to dispute the idea that Israel shouldn’t currently be participating

www.theguardian.com

1 2

Reposted by David Owen

Rebecca Taylor FRSA @rebeccataylor.bsky.social · 20d

Book 130: ‘Stand out of our Light: Freedom and Resistance in the Attention Economy’ by James Williams

#booksky #bookchallenge #philsky #techsky

1 1 8

Reposted by David Owen

Anita Leirfall @anitaleirfall.bsky.social · 20d

David Hume vs literature

Hume distrusted literature and worked to discredit character sketches as legitimate forms of philosophy | by Katie Ebner-Landy aeon.co/essays/how-d... #Hume #literature #philosophy #philsky

How David Hume split literature from philosophy | Aeon Essays

Hume distrusted literature and worked to discredit character sketches as legitimate forms of philosophy

aeon.co

1 3 12

David Owen @artsofdenial.bsky.social · 22d

BBC News - Israel has committed genocide in Gaza, UN commission of inquiry says
www.bbc.com/news/article...

Israel has committed genocide in Gaza, UN commission of inquiry says

The panel finds that four of the five genocidal acts defined under international law have been carried out against Palestinians during the war.

www.bbc.com

1 2

David Owen @artsofdenial.bsky.social · 22d

An asymmetry: monetizing hate is an established human activity, arguably exacerbated under capitalist society; monetizing love is not, because if it is monetized, it is not love: love can only be a gift.

2

Reposted by David Owen

Matt Lindauer @mattlindauer.bsky.social · 23d

New paper with @jowylie.bsky.social and @anagantman.bsky.social on art, morality, and the true self, forthcoming in Cognition! #philsky #psysky

ana gantman @anagantman.bsky.social · 23d

you're having a sliding doors moment--you can either become a great artist or a great philanthropist. what path will make you feel like you've found your true self? @jowylie.bsky.social & @mattlindauer.bsky.social and i find that arts provide a unique one static1.squarespace.com/static/679ee...

3 8

David Owen @artsofdenial.bsky.social · 24d

Common sense
observer.co.uk/news/columni...

If Farage starts deporting ‘illegals’ en masse, the ‘lega...

In a climate of fear, everyone is at risk of mistreatment – just look at the States

observer.co.uk

1

Reposted by David Owen

Jo Wolff @jowolff.bsky.social · 24d

Er, the words may have been appropriated and mis-used in various ways but being Anti-Fascist is good, actually. And brave. And, who could have believed it?, still necessary.

1 23 100

Reposted by David Owen

Pontus Odmalm @podmalm.bsky.social · 24d

Important read 👇

James Ball @jamesrball.com · 24d

I spent much of yesterday at the Tommy Robinson march. I couldn’t find a way to write about it that didn’t sound contentious and maybe even condescending – so I didn’t try. www.thenewworld.co.uk/james-ball-t...

Tommy Robinson’s march was a drunken, coked-up mess

He claimed the world was watching, but most of London barely noticed - and much of what was on view was appalling

www.thenewworld.co.uk

3 4

Reposted by David Owen

Pontus Odmalm @podmalm.bsky.social · 24d

Thread 👇 (esp “nobody seems to have addressed Musk's chilling Rivers of Blood call for British people to prepare for inevitable violence & to "fight back or die")

Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · 24d

Observer: 10 refused to comment on the Robinson march, on Musk's call to bring down the government (OK) or for his "fight back or die" declaration that violence is inevitable and necessary (not OK)

The home secretary criticised those arrested for violence.

2 2

Reposted by David Owen

Anthony Zacharzewski @anthonyzach.be · 24d

Review of Michel Barnier's Brexit diaries by someone who is a keen observer of British and European politics @nwhyte.bsky.social : fromtheheartofeurope.eu/my-secret-br...

My Secret Brexit Diary: A Glorious Illusion, by Michel Barnier

My perceptions are not very different from Barnier’s.

fromtheheartofeurope.eu

1 3 4

David Owen @artsofdenial.bsky.social · 24d

Sadly so.

David Owen @artsofdenial.bsky.social · 25d

www.theguardian.com/world/2025/s...

‘We took the gloves off’: ex-IDF chief confirms Gaza casualties over 200,000

Retired general Herzi Halevi says ‘not once’ had legal advice constrained Israel’s military decisions in the strip

www.theguardian.com

2 2 2