Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Ben Tonra @bentonra.bsky.social · 3h

Rare leadership

Reposted by Ben Tonra

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 3h

Pritzker: "This guy is unhinged. He's insecure. He's a wannabe dictator. And there's one thing I really want to say to Donald Trump. If you come for my people, you come through me. So come and get me."

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Governor JB Pritzker @govpritzker.illinois.gov · 7h

I will not back down.

Trump is now calling for the arrest of elected representatives checking his power.

What else is left on the path to full-blown authoritarianism?

Donald Trump Truth Social Post: Chicago Mayor should be in jail for failing to protect Ice Officers! Governor Pritzker also.

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Ben Tonra @bentonra.bsky.social · 7h

A lot rests on US line commanders. Quite a bit of churn of late… new appointees, resignations etc. If it came to a crunch I’m not sure which way it would go.

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Alex Dukalskis @alexdukalskis.bsky.social · 7h

Trump is calling for politicians he doesn’t like to be jailed.

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James Ker-Lindsay @jameskerlindsay.bsky.social · 14h

#Ireland has a truly fascinating, controversial, but often misunderstood, foreign policy history. From WWII to Ukraine, neutrality to peacekeeping, Good Friday to Brexit, Trump to Palestine. Really great to discuss all this with @bentonra.bsky.social
youtu.be/hv5ggSV2-vQ

Understanding Irish Foreign Policy | Ben Tonra

YouTube video by Prof James Ker-Lindsay

youtu.be

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Ben Tonra @bentonra.bsky.social · 14h

If you’re ever in the mood for a 40min survey of Irish foreign policy you might enjoy this: youtu.be/hv5ggSV2-vQ?... Me in conversation with Prof James Jer-Lindsay. Bring a salt shaker. 😆

Understanding Irish Foreign Policy | Ben Tonra

YouTube video by Prof James Ker-Lindsay

youtu.be

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Anthony Zacharzewski @anthonyzach.be · 16h

Listening to a radio story about a Belgian trade mission to the US which is buying US defence materiel and securing a big investment by Amazon in Belgium “which will support Belgian small business” - genuinely not sure which is the more strategically short-sighted.

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MAKS 25 👀🇺🇦 @maks23.bsky.social · 1d

▪️This project is one of the fastest industrial defense projects in the recent history of the Netherlands. Usually the creation of such facilities takes years, but at VDL the first production lines were put into operation after just a few months.

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Ben Tonra @bentonra.bsky.social · 1d

I want a halt to all AI development until we’ve stitched in Azimov’s three laws of robotics into the algorithms

a robot sits on a couch with the words that makes perfect sense written below it

ALT: a robot sits on a couch with the words that makes perfect sense written below it

media.tenor.com

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Alex Dukalskis @alexdukalskis.bsky.social · 1d

Authoritarians in the Academy: How the Internationalization of Higher Education and Borderless Censorship Threaten Free Speech

by @sarahemclaugh.bsky.social via @jhuartssciences.bsky.social press (2025)

#AutumnReading

Authoritarians in the Academy

How the Internationalization of Higher Education and Borderless Censorship Threaten Free Speech

www.press.jhu.edu

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Conor Hogarty @conorhogarty.bsky.social · 1d

The EU is preparing for war - are we?
Edward Burke is writing in todays @irishexaminer regarding the defence capabilities that 🇮🇪 should be focusing on.
Pick up a copy today.

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Keir Giles @keirgiles.bsky.social · 2d

Interesting article on Ireland's (hopefully) evolving defence posture.

If true that 75% of data cables carrying up to 95% of international traffic pass through or near Irish waters, then long past time Ireland took at least some interest in protecting them.

www.atlanticcouncil.org/in-depth-res...

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Ben Tonra @bentonra.bsky.social · 2d

💯

The US is attacking Europe diplomatically, politically, economically and culturally - even as it withdraws from underpinning European security and defence.

This is the theme of a talk I’m giving next week @ucddublin.bsky.social University Club.

ECFR @ecfr.eu · 2d

The current EU and US relations go beyond policy debates or trade clashes. It's a culture war imposed on Europe by the current US administration.

Tune in to our European Compass 2025 launch debate to learn more about transatlantic relations 🔗 https://bit.ly/4ng3GMI

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Ben Tonra @bentonra.bsky.social · 2d

What I’d characterise as another ‘whistling past the graveyard’ piece.

CSIS | Center for Strategic & International Studies @csis.org · 2d

“There is presently an uneasy peace in transatlantic relations. Yet, this peace may not last, especially as new transatlantic policy collisions emerge,” writes @erep.csis.org expert @maxbergmann.bsky.social.

Read more about the current state of transatlantic relations: www.csis.org/analysis/tra...

Transatlantic Relations Under Trump: An Uneasy Peace

President Trump’s transactional stance and skepticism toward Europe has shocked transatlantic ties linking trade, security, and Ukraine. Europe has been cautious, but looming fights over defense, tech...

www.csis.org

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Ben Tonra @bentonra.bsky.social · 2d

The politicisation of US armed forces is not just the how/when/why they are being deployed illegally by the Tr*mp regime. It also speaks to the delegitimisation of the armed forces in the eyes of a large part of the citizenry. Generals may wish to ponder the medium/longer term implications of that.

Yashar Ali 🐘 @yasharali.bsky.social · 2d

Statement from Illinois Governor JB Pritzker

This evening, President Trump is ordering 400 members of the Texas National Guard for deployments to Illinois, Oregon, and other locations within the United States. No officials from the federal government called me directly to discuss or coordinate.
We must now start calling this what it is: Trump's Invasion. It started with federal agents, it will soon include deploying federalized members of the Illinois National Guard against our wishes, and it will now involve sending in another state's military troops.
I call on Governor Abbott to immediately withdraw any support for this decision and refuse to coordinate. There is no reason a President should send military troops into a sovereign state without their knowledge, consent, or cooperation.
The brave men and women who serve in our national guards must not be used as political props. This is a moment where every American must speak up and help stop this madness.

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Yashar Ali 🐘 @yasharali.bsky.social · 2d

Statement from Illinois Governor JB Pritzker

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Andy Scollick @andyscollick.bsky.social · 2d

Russia is already doing it: you don't attack a country then tell them it's a "warning", even in a hybrid sense.

Europe's response should, indeed must be to shock Russia's economy into total collapse. Ordinary Russians will blame Putin for 'his' war and tear the regime to shreds.

THEN we negotiate.

UNITED24 Media @united24media.com · 2d

⚡️ Medvedev says that a spate of drone-related disruptions across Europe should serve as a warning of what war could look like on the continent.

Medvedev Says Drone Disruptions Show Europe What War Would Look Like

Former Russian leader Medvedev warns Europe of potential war conditions, dismissing accusations of Russian involvement in recent drone incidents.

united24media.com

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Governor JB Pritzker @govpritzker.illinois.gov · 2d

We must now start calling this what it is: Trump’s Invasion. It started with federal agents, it will soon include deploying federalized members of the Illinois National Guard against our wishes, and it will now involve sending in another state’s military troops.

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Governor Gavin Newsom @governor.ca.gov · 2d

This is a breathtaking abuse of the law and power by the President of the United States.

America is on the brink of martial law.

Do not be silent.

Governor JB Pritzker @govpritzker.illinois.gov · 2d

This evening, President Trump is ordering 400 members of the Texas National Guard for deployments to Illinois, Oregon, and other locations within the United States. No officials from the federal government called me directly to discuss or coordinate.

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Sander Tordoir @sandertordoir.bsky.social · 5d

The SAFE instrument, whereby the EU level provides loans to member-states to ramp up defence, has been more of a success than I had anticipated. The uptake by member-states is huge.

And, of course, profoundly driven by the threat perception of Russia (see Baltics!).

Great chart from Daniel Kral.

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Ben Tonra @bentonra.bsky.social · 5d

Terrific forthcoming event @ria.ie 4 November 1230-1430 "Irish Foreign Policy, the Troubles and EC membership 1969-1973" brought to you by the RIA's Committee for International Affairs and the Documents in Irish Foreign Policy project.

www.ria.ie/events/the-t...

The Troubles and the European Community: Exploring DIFP XIV (1969-73) - Royal Irish Academy

Witness seminar on the latest volume of Documents in Irish Foreign Policy, covering the years 1969-73. In this event co-hosted by The Standing Committee for International Affairs and Documents in Iris...

www.ria.ie

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Doctors Without Borders / Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) @msf.ca · 6d

MSF strongly condemns the killing of Omar Hayek by Israeli forces this morning in #Gaza. Our thoughts are with his family and colleagues.

Omar is our fourteenth colleague to be killed in Gaza since the war started. We call yet again for an end to the genocide.

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Ben Tonra @bentonra.bsky.social · 6d

Éirígí says Ursula Ní Shionnáin still member in 2018 when employed by Catherine Connolly in Leinster House

www.irishtimes.com/politics/202...

Éirígí says Ursula Ní Shionnáin still member in 2018 when employed by Catherine Connolly in Leinster House

Socialist republican group says language activist was still member of the group in year she got out of jail

www.irishtimes.com

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William Sheehan @willsheehan.bsky.social · 6d

Yes, there is, and it's mainly in a government that will not invest appropriately in Defence.

www.irishtimes.com/politics/202...

There is ‘naivety’ in Ireland over Russian threat, says Taoiseach

Micheál Martin says Moscow must pay for Ukraine’s reconstruction as deterrence against waging war

www.irishtimes.com

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