Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

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nathan kim @nathanckim.bsky.social · 3h

Did you know that the university of Michigan is building the world’s largest supercomputer for Los Alamos National Labs’ nuclear weapons production programs, and paying for $830 million of it despite not being able to use >90% of it?

I wrote about it here:

www.michigandaily.com/opinion/umic...

UMich says the Ypsi Data Center won’t “manufacture nuclear weapons.” What does Los Alamos think?

University administration must make a choice: Will it side with the public and live up to its stated ideals of serving the public good and public interest? Or will it side with LANL and spend hundreds...

www.michigandaily.com

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Mark Bray @mark-bray.bsky.social · 4h

“Someone” cancelled my family’s flight out of the country at the last second.

We got our boarding passes. We checked our bags. Went through security. Then at our gate our reservation ‘disappeared.’

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Al Jazeera English @aljazeera.com · 3h

BREAKING: Israeli war planes continue to launch raids on Gaza City as Palestinians celebrate the ceasefire announcement, according to an Al Jazeera Arabic correspondent on the ground.

🔴 LIVE update: aje.io/xqppys

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Katie Prout @katieprout.bsky.social · 11h

At least 6 unhoused Chicagoans have been abducted by federal agents since September: 2 have been released, while the status of the remaining 4 is unknown. But the Chicago Coalition to End Homelessness is investigating reports of an additional 19 people disappeared.

chicagoreader.com/news/make-it...

Make It Make Sense: ICE targets Chicago’s homeless community

Plus: state and local leaders crack down on anti-ICE protesters and advocates ask the chief judge to keep ICE out of county courthouses.

chicagoreader.com

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Aaron Cynic @aaroncynic.bsky.social · 3h

Chicagoans have arrived at Trump Tower, chanting "all power to the people, no human is illegal!"

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Julie DiCaro @juliedicaro.bsky.social · 3h

Meanwhile, here's part of the amicus brief from the military brass also filed today in the same case, in support of neither party, but definitely not in support of Trump.

Our experience as military leaders has taught us that this commitment keeps our military
stronger and our communities safer. Any domestic deployment that fails to comply with the
foundational principles of the Posse Comitatus Act and similar authorities5
poses multiple risks to
the core mission of the Guard, the well-being of the troops, and the safety of the communities they
are committed to protect. First, deploying military personnel in the context of domestic law
enforcement diverts them from their primary mission, which is to train and to be ready to fight and
win the nation’s wars and protect communities after disasters. Accordingly, such assignments
come at the expense of local, state, and national safety, as well as troop morale. Second, activeduty National Guard personnel are neither intended nor specifically trained to conduct domestic
law enforcement operations. This poses a danger to the safety of both the troops and the public.
Third, use of federal military personnel in the context of law enforcement operations should be a
last resort to avoid the politicization of the military, which inevitably erodes public trust, hurts
recruitment, and undermines troop morale. Peaceful protests of government actions are
constitutionally protected political speech deserving of the highest protection, not intimidation by
the military

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Sarah Posner @sarahposner.bsky.social · 3h

Ed Martin:

He works from an office dubbed the “Freedom Suite” on one end of a hallway on the deputy attorney general’s fourth floor, which visitors have described as being decorated with oversize photos of Trump and a small cup of holy water on the wall.

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unraveled @unraveledpress.com · 7h

At the Broadview ICE detention center outside Chicago this afternoon, things are (relatively) calm.

A vet-organized protest is planned for 4-6pm. After 6, curfew is in place.

Masked agents enter the building. ~1 month ago we would've been able to photograph them from Beach St, but not anymore.

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Matthew Kirschenbaum @mkirschenbaum.bsky.social · 11h

Virginia State Senate Dems just brought down fire and fury regarding the “Compact,” notifying the President and Rector that UVA would lose ALL STATE APPROPRIATIONS if it signs and cedes the University to “federal political control.” Notably, their letter directly restates points made here by @siva.

Siva @sivav.bsky.social · 12h

The “compact” for higher ed is an unserious document written by unserious people from a position of spectacular ignorance. No one should take it seriously. Sadly, my bosses are taking it seriously.

newrepublic.com/article/2013...

Why This Essay Could Cause the University of Virginia to Shut Down

How Linda McMahon’s latest “compact” would do deep and permanent harm to American higher education

newrepublic.com

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Dave Byrnes @djbyrnes1.bsky.social · 8h

Ellis highlights the attacks Reverend David Black has suffered at the Broadview facility, finding plaintiffs have sufficiently alleged that the feds' use of force against praying people "substantially burdens their excercise of religion."

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Dave Byrnes @djbyrnes1.bsky.social · 8h

Ellis rules that the plaintiffs have standing for their case. She cites the "ongoing and sustained record of conduct" by federal agents gathered over the last month.

She further finds the plaintiffs have plausibly shown feds have "frustrated" efforts to "protect journalist safety."

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Dave Byrnes @djbyrnes1.bsky.social · 8h

Ellis shoots that down. Any restraining order she grants won't be limited to the Broadview ICE facility.

"Given the record before me... these issues are not limited to Broadview," she says.

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Dave Byrnes @djbyrnes1.bsky.social · 8h

Back in federal judge Sara Ellis' courtroom in Chicago for a second day of discussion on a proposed restraining order to rein in federal immigration agents' violent behavior.

Debate began on this issue on Monday, and ended without the court entering a formal order.

Dave Byrnes @djbyrnes1.bsky.social · 2d

@unraveledpress.com & other press have been threatened, shot with less-lethals and arrested while reporting on federal immigration activities in Chicagoland and on the resulting protests at Broadview.

I'm now at a hearing asking the federal court to rein ICE & co in. I'll let you know how it goes.

unraveled @unraveledpress.com · 2d

Well, yeah, we're suing ICE.

This wasn't really a hard decision. As little faith as we have in institutions, we recognize the value of drawing visible lines in the sand. We drew ours personally a while ago, but better late than never.

May every protester be freed and may this occupation end.

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Mother Jones @motherjones.com · 8h

Federal officers are firing so much tear gas at protesters outside an ICE facility in Broadview, Illinois, that some nearby community members who aren’t even protesting are struggling to breathe when they leave their homes to run errands.

ICE is hounding Chicago area locals with excessive chemical munitions

Agents are firing tear gas and pepper balls on lawful protesters, lawsuits say, sickening even uninvolved residents.

www.motherjones.com

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niki grayson @nikigrayson.com · 10h

this shit is destroying us in so many ways and we have to grab the people around us by the shoulders and stop them from feeding this stupid ass machine. it will drive one of your family members off the deep end otherwise

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Kashmir Hill @kashhill.bsky.social · 10h

Now we’re stuck in Denver to refuel. Flight attendant tells me they can’t charge dude’s credit card a premium seat fee while we’re in the air and it becomes a safety issue when a person in exit row won’t comply.

If he had gone to biz class seat instead, they could have dealt with it after flight.

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Kashmir Hill @kashhill.bsky.social · 11h

This is absolutely wild. I’m on a cross country flight. We are being diverted midway through to Denver. The reason? Some dude is sitting in the exit row who didn’t pay the $155 fee and he refuses to move back to his seat.

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Jack Jenkins @jackjenkins.me · 9h

Oh — new reporting on Pope Leo from El Paso Matters, citing footage they have of yesterday's meeting.

Sounds like the pope was even *more* forceful in urging U.S. bishops to speak out about immigration than first reported.

I mean, that's…not subtle. elpasomatters.org/2025/10/08/e...

“I was struck at the beginning (of the video), it talks about the feeling of powerlessness, which I think is so much. I think it’s so important that we as a church give a message of hope in the midst of these horrible struggles, what’s going on in so many cities in the United States right now. At least the church cannot be silent,” the pope told the El Pasoans, according to a video of the meeting provided to El Paso Matters by Hope Border Institute.

Seitz responded: “You’ve spoken very strongly. We’re trying to do the same in our country and yet not get into the political fray the best that we can.”

Pope Leo told Seitz that he’d like to see the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops become more vocal on immigration issues.

“I mean, even within the conference, there are challenges. That’s one place they should be … I wish they were stronger in their own voice,” Leo said, adding that Archbishop Timothy Broglio, the president of the conference, should speak out more on immigration.

“There’s been some good movement in that sense, but I certainly intend to continue to encourage” U.S. bishops to address immigration, Leo said.

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So Sayeth Black Lord: @jmood88.bsky.social · 8h

Republicans don’t care about anyone or anything that doesn’t come with a bribe

NOLA.com @nolanews.bsky.social · 9h

Louisiana AG Liz Murrill is asking the DOJ to drop a $128 million lawsuit against insurers tied to the nation’s longest-running oil spill, saying it harms the state’s energy industry.

An oil spill has been leaking off Louisiana for 21 years. State wants a lawsuit over it dropped.

Louisiana AG Liz Murrill is asking the DOJ to drop a $128 million lawsuit against insurers tied to the nation’s longest-running oil spill, saying it harms the state’s energy industry.

bit.ly

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Scott Horton @robertscotthorton.bsky.social · 9h

CNN’s Van Jones is among 16 mainstream journalists—including two New York Times reporters—serving as mentors in a new journalism fellowship explicitly created to help Israel's Likud regime win its “information war” against Palestinians.

Legacy Journalists from NYT, CNN Are Mentors in a Fellowship Founded for Pro-Israel “Information War”

Hardline Israel advocate Jacki Karsh says she founded the new journalism fellowship to help “shift some of the narrative” in Israel’s favor.

www.dropsitenews.com

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Ryan Cordell @ryancordell.org · 1d

Hey @queermedieval.bsky.social your illustration prints *beautifully*!!

Anti-fascist frogs hot off the press

A print made from wood type and linoleum. The linocut is an early-modern style woodcut rendition of a protester in a frog costume facing off against two ICE officers in riot gear. The text reads

STAND UP
TO
FASCISM!

The ink is green on an off white paper.

wood type and linoleum set for printing in a proofing press. The linocut is an early-modern style woodcut rendition of a protester in a frog costume facing off against two ICE officers in riot gear. The text reads

STAND UP
TO
FASCISM!

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kate conger @kateconger.com · 10h

Jonathan Rinderknecht, a white man, was charged with starting the Palisades Fire. But on X, the company's news summary tab shows a photo of a black man.

Screenshot depicting posts on X, one showing the suspect accused of starting the Palisades Fire, a white man. The X news tab reports on the suspect's arrest, but shows a photo of a black man instead.

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Raimo Kangasniemi @rk70534.bsky.social · 8h

"There are 17-long-term prisoners who have been incarcerated since before the Oslo Accords, including Ibrahim Abu Mokh, Ibrahim Bayadseh, Ahmad Abu Jaber, and Samir Abu Na’meh, all detained continuously since 1986."

english.wafa.ps/Pages/Detail...

#FreePalestine #Israel #News #Palestine #WorldNews

Number of Palestinian detainees in Israeli custody surpasses 11,100 - Palestinian prisoners’ institutions

english.wafa.ps

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Bobby Kogan @bbkogan.bsky.social · 8h

Elon Musk said he was going to cut spending by $2 trillion dollars, but instead spending is higher this year than we thought it would be before Trump took office. Truly incredible stuff.

Bobby Kogan @bbkogan.bsky.social · 9h

CBO fy2025 projections for deficit/spending/etc are out

Some issues make simple comparisons apples-to-oranges, so I'll do apples-to-apples & explain in the thread

Relative to pre-Trump projections:
-Primary deficits ⬆️ $34 bn
-program spending ⬆️ $97 bn
-revenues ⬆️ $63 bn
www.cbo.gov/publication/...

2025 (January estimate, adjusted to fix issues) 2025 CBO estimate (remove student loan one-time revaluation) 2025 (adjusted for student loans) vs. 2025 projection (adjusted to fix issues)
Spending 7061 7166 105
Program spending 6108 6205 97
Interest 953 961 9
Revenue 5163 5226 63
Primary deficit 945 979 34
Total deficit 1898 1940 42

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It's Going Down @igd.bsky.social · 10h

"The video, by Parente’s account, doesn’t show a militant activist with a gun; it shows an agent losing his temper, cursing at a woman through a windshield, then firing point-blank. That’s not self-defense—it’s vengeance with a badge."

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