Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Edward Burke @edwardburke.bsky.social · 9h

I’d sign off on that research expenses receipt which is probably why i am not in a position to sign off on receipts

Edward Burke @edwardburke.bsky.social · 10h

Five and a half years sentence? Light.

Sergeant Brendan Eddery was fortunate to survive - his courage and that of another garda got him through. And good for him for refusing to yield his city to, as he puts it correctly, “to bullies, a mob” 👏

www.irishtimes.com/crime-law/co...

Man receives 5½-year sentence for livestreamed assault of garda during Dublin riot

Sergeant recalls fearing serious injury or death when mob of up to 30 assailants attacked

www.irishtimes.com

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Reposted by Edward Burke

Adam Bienkov @adambienkov.bsky.social · 19h

"15 years ago, Polish workers came here to find opportunity. Now Poland is growing twice as fast as we are," says Kemi Badenoch.

Any ideas what may have happened in the interim?

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Reposted by Edward Burke

Stephen Bush @stephenkb.bsky.social · 18h

If you want to read an actually good piece about integration in the United Kingdom, try @samfr.bsky.social:

The Truth About Integration

I have been challenged by readers to write something less depressing about the state of the country.

samf.substack.com

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Edward Burke @edwardburke.bsky.social · 21h

economist.com/internationa...

Europe struggles to put homeland defence first

Years of expeditionary operations leave it vulnerable if America abandons the continent

economist.com

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Edward Burke @edwardburke.bsky.social · 23h

“Israel seems more important — and less desirable — than ever for British Jews”
www.ft.com/content/14d4...

Israel seems more important — and less desirable — than ever for British Jews

Amid rising antisemitism at home, our lifeboat abroad seems less attractive

www.ft.com

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Edward Burke @edwardburke.bsky.social · 1d

And also make it illegal for them to sell - 100%

Edward Burke @edwardburke.bsky.social · 1d

i have addressed this already. remove public subsidies from companies selling to states carrying out systematic war crimes. I have no problem with this. if connolly said this in a specific criticism I would agree with her. rather than her crude intervention.

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Edward Burke @edwardburke.bsky.social · 1d

I have no problem removing public subsidies / investment from companies that refuse to comply

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Edward Burke @edwardburke.bsky.social · 1d

You are evidently speaking about German arms companies - private sector - selling so Saudi, Israel etc. That is not in Germany‘s defence budget. If you would like the German gov to regulate / prevent that - and they should - that is a separate political initiative.

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Edward Burke @edwardburke.bsky.social · 1d

These are exactly the central, critical instruments of defence that Germany is investing in. If she objects to a part of Germany‘s defence budget but not others then she should say so - instead of making crude 1930s Nazi era analogies.

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Edward Burke @edwardburke.bsky.social · 1d

She has criticised a European democracy for its investment in precisely these capabilities to defend itself and other EU member states against an aggressive autocracy.

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Tessa Szyszkowitz @tessaszy.bsky.social · 1d

On October 7th we remember the victims of the Hamas attack on Israel. Sharone Lifschitz writes in @theguardian.com how her mother, a peace activist, was kidnapped from kibbutz Nir Oz to Gaza and shook hands with her captors when she was released. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Two years after 7 October and the kidnap of my parents, hate is in fashion. For all our sakes, we need compassion | Sharone Lifschitz

So many were killed – yet on her release, my mother said ‘shalom’ to her captors. Let’s learn from that moment of grace, says Sharone Lifschitz, London-based film-maker and academic

www.theguardian.com

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Edward Burke @edwardburke.bsky.social · 1d

"Catherine Connolly’s horror at the remilitarisation of Europe is understandable. But it is a very strange lesson to take from the history of the 1930s that democracies, faced with the threat from aggressive autocracies, should not prepare to defend themselves."

www.irishtimes.com/opinion/2025...

Pat Leahy: Ireland faces a stark choice in the face of the threat from Russia

Catherine Connolly’s horror at the remilitarisation of Europe is understandable, but she has taken the wrong lesson from the history of the 1930s

www.irishtimes.com

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Conor Hogarty @conorhogarty.bsky.social · 2d

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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Edward Burke @edwardburke.bsky.social · 1d

My article in today’s Irish Examiner on the Copenhagen defence summit and the ramifications for Ireland.
www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/comm...

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Deirdre O'Shaughnessy @deshocks.bsky.social · 2d

Today's bonus episode of The Deirdre O'Shaughnessy Podcast - Jim Gavin drops out of the Áras race, with Paul Hosford - is now live.

Listen here: www.irishexaminer.com/news/spotlig...

The Deirdre O'Shaughnessy Podcast: Jim Gavin drops out of Áras race

Irish Examiner acting political editor Paul Hosford joins Deirdre O'Shaughnessy to discuss what led up to Jim Gavin's decision to drop out; the pressure on candidates in the political race; and the re...

www.irishexaminer.com

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Edward Burke @edwardburke.bsky.social · 3d

Naive is generous. Silicon Valley / Social Media companies have spent exorbitant amount of money on PR / lawyers to lobby, limit and prevent oversight by democratic legislatures. @johnnyryan.bsky.social

Abe Newman @abenewman.bsky.social · 3d

1/Striking speech by Macron: The future of European democracy depends on taking back its digital information space. A remarkable turn from Silicon Valley as source of enlightenment to being a purveyor of slop. And the stakes aren't just ad revenue but the nation.
defenddemocracy.eu/macron-democ...

"Europeans, let's wake up!" — Defend Democracy

“We have been incredibly naive in entrusting our democratic space to social networks.” President Macron on the occasion of German Unity Day, 3 October 2025.

defenddemocracy.eu

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Abe Newman @abenewman.bsky.social · 3d

1/Striking speech by Macron: The future of European democracy depends on taking back its digital information space. A remarkable turn from Silicon Valley as source of enlightenment to being a purveyor of slop. And the stakes aren't just ad revenue but the nation.
defenddemocracy.eu/macron-democ...

"Europeans, let's wake up!" — Defend Democracy

“We have been incredibly naive in entrusting our democratic space to social networks.” President Macron on the occasion of German Unity Day, 3 October 2025.

defenddemocracy.eu

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Reposted by Edward Burke

Nicolas Tenzer @nicolastenzer.bsky.social · 3d

If you read only one thing today, read this letter written from prison, where she has been languishing for several months, by the awesome Georgian journalist Mzia Amaghobeli.
She dared to speak the truth to the Moscow's puppets.
EU leaders don't have her courage.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

From my prison cell in Georgia, I implore Europe not to abandon us to Russia | Mzia Amaglobeli

My fellow journalists are putting their lives in danger every day, but we refuse to surrender to a regime that threatens Europe’s own security, says imprisoned Georgian journalist Mzia Amaglobeli

www.theguardian.com

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Reposted by Edward Burke

alr.lykke🦋 @anettelykke.bsky.social · 4d

❤️🇺🇦✌🏻

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Reposted by Edward Burke

Alona Ferber @aloner.bsky.social · 4d

The Board of Deputies’ response to the Israeli government inviting Tommy Robinson to visit

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Edward Burke @edwardburke.bsky.social · 4d

‘Assertions that Ireland’s colonial past mean “we” always side with the oppressed do not withstand examination when it comes to anti-Semitism. Acknowledging this does not affect one’s ability to express solidarity with Palestinians; nuance is not a weakness.’
www.irishtimes.com/culture/book...?

Mark Mazower’s On Antisemitism: A Word in History - Clear, comprehensive and nuanced

A book that can contribute to honest discussions that are desperately needed in a new age of racism, war and genocide

www.irishtimes.com

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Edward Burke @edwardburke.bsky.social · 5d

I realised in work today that I still can’t calmly articulate my feelings about the firing of Nuno #NFFC I have to step away from football conversations for a bit.

Brian Clough GIF

ALT: Brian Clough GIF

media.tenor.com

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Edward Burke @edwardburke.bsky.social · 5d

This is how it is done.

UCU @ QUB @ucuatqub.bsky.social · 5d

We are horrified by the attack on the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue yesterday, which was also Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year in Judaism. We stand with the Jewish community in Manchester & Belfast, & condemn those who fan the flames of antisemitism in our divided society.

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