Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Meera Ashar । મીરાં @meerashar.bsky.social · 13h

“Concerns about the potential use of the F-35 by Israel to carry out violations of international humanitarian law have led to much criticism of transfers of the aircraft or its parts to Israel”

All the ‘non lethal’ parts, a very lethal genocide make!

#auspol #ICC #F-35

Italy’s Meloni says ICC complaint accuses her of Gaza genocide complicity

A complaint lodged with the ICC points to the Italian government's role supplying lethal weapons to Israel amid Gaza war

www.aljazeera.com

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Meera Ashar । મીરાં @meerashar.bsky.social · 2d

I am terrified for my brave and empathetic compatriots, as I am for myself & us all with the realization that if we were in danger, we may get little to no help from our government.
#auspol #humanrights #flotilla

Australian Gaza flotilla activists detained by Israel complain of ‘degrading and humiliating’ treatment

One tells consular officials his arm was dislocated and head slammed into ground while another fears she may have a stroke

www.theguardian.com

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Reposted by Meera Ashar । મીરાં

Eddy Jokovich @eddyjokovich.bsky.social · 2d

The National Press Club shoots the messenger and cancels Chris Hedges, and instead of speaking truth to power, becomes a part of the establishment that it’s meant to hold to account. The Monday Essay from New Politics. #AUSPOL #NPC open.substack.com/pub/newpolit...

The National Press Club shoots the messenger

The Club shows itself to be just another weak symbol of timidity, a gatekeeper of acceptable speech rather than a defender of free expression.

open.substack.com

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Reposted by Meera Ashar । મીરાં

Ronni🧂Salt @ronnisalt.bsky.social · 5d

My latest article in The Shot

"The largest contributors to the breakdown of social cohesion in Australia are the governments of Australia, practising a privileged fuck-you version of democracy that makes its own rules & caters for those within the club"

#pffft
theshot.net.au/uncategorize...

The myth of 'social cohesion' - do as they say, not as they do - The Shot

There’s an established principle in law: he who comes looking for equity must come with clean hands. The clean hands...

theshot.net.au

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Meera Ashar । મીરાં @meerashar.bsky.social · 4d

The National Press Club of Australia, caving to the Israeli lobby, Cancels My Talk on Our Betrayal of Palestinian Journalists

The National Press Club of Australia cancelled my talk on how the media, by amplifying Israeli lies, have betrayed Palestinian journalists, 278 of whom have been assassinated by Israel.

chrishedges.substack.com

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Reposted by Meera Ashar । મીરાં

Guardian Australia @australia.theguardian.com · 5d

At least five Australians reportedly detained while carrying aid to Gaza on pro-Palestinian flotilla

Australian government says officials in Tel Aviv requested early consular access to those detained from Global Sumud Flotilla At least five Australians are reported to be among those detained by the Israeli government on a pro-Palestinian flotilla carrying aid to Gaza. Israel said overnight it had stopped the flotilla, with its navy intercepting all but one of the vessels trying to breach the blockade. Of the Global Sumud flotilla (GSF)’s 42 vessels, 41 were listed as having been confirmed or assumed to have been stopped by Israeli forces. The flotilla was carrying around 500 people, including parliamentarians, lawyers and activists such as Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg. Continue reading...

www.theguardian.com

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Reposted by Meera Ashar । મીરાં

The Cathy Wilcox @cathywilcox.bsky.social · 7d

Peace plan.
My @smh cartoon.

Four frames. Breakfast table scene. Frame 1 Person 1 with newspaper. “So, Trump, Blai and Netanyahu have a peace plan for Gaza!” Person 2: “Wait - DONALD Trump? ‘Lies about everything’ Trump? ‘Riviera of the Middle East’ Trump?” Fr 2, person 1: “Yeah, well…” person 2: “and Blair - TONY Blair? ‘Weapons of Mass Destruction’ Blair? ‘10000 Iraqi civilians as collateral damage’ Blair?
Fr 3, person1, “Sure, but…” Person 2: “and Netanyahu? BIBI Netanyahu? ‘Propped up Hamas’ Netanyahu? ‘There will be no Palestinian State’ Netanyahu?” Frame 4: Person 1: “Yeah, so fingers crossed!” (Gestures same). Person 2: *eyeroll*.

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Meera Ashar । મીરાં @meerashar.bsky.social · 12d

Ah yes that makes sense! Thank you!

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Meera Ashar । મીરાં @meerashar.bsky.social · 12d

Yes, they’ve not qualified since 1970 and there’s no way they’ll win against Norway even if they get through the rest.
But if they get banned from playing the qualifiers, but not by FIFA, is there a possibility they get a free spot in the World Cup next year?

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Meera Ashar । મીરાં @meerashar.bsky.social · 12d

How does this work? If UEFA imposes the ban and FIFA doesn’t, do they get a free pass/ shoo in?

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Meera Ashar । મીરાં @meerashar.bsky.social · 12d

“…a Year 2 Victorian child [was] told by a Jewish student they "can't wait to help the IDF (Israeli Defense Force) go kill Palestinians"…

#auspol #colonialism #racism #school #TeachingHate

Anti-Palestinian racism 'unbelievably prominent' in schools, report says

The Australia Palestine Advocacy Network releases its first national register report to examine "the climate of fear, censorship, intimidation and punishment" experienced by students, teachers and mem...

www.abc.net.au

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Meera Ashar । મીરાં @meerashar.bsky.social · 15d

Absolutely! Brings us back to the core issue: higher education needs more public funding to afford lower student fees, higher research scholarships, research-led teaching, lower burnout of academics…

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Meera Ashar । મીરાં @meerashar.bsky.social · 15d

From a lecturer whose seminars get high attendance & excellent evals: let’s stop infantalising students! They are there to learn & engage with serious content, not be entertained!

The lectures I remember as a student were ones that got me thinking and excited to read, research and learn more…

Jayne Persian @drjpersian.bsky.social · 16d

theconversation.com/to-save-in-p...

To save in-person lectures, unis need to provide lessons worth showing up for

In-person lectures have been a staple of university learning for centuries. But they are going out of style in an age of TED Talks and Tiktoks.

theconversation.com

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Meera Ashar । મીરાં @meerashar.bsky.social · 15d

My 7 yo, who was initially sad about not being able to watch Star Wars, came around with great gusto after we explained the power of boycott to him. Now he’s looking through the BDS list to see what else we can cancel/ give up/ quit…

Meera Ashar । મીરાં @meerashar.bsky.social · 16d

David Pope, hitting the mark as always.

#auspol #Palestine

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Meera Ashar । મીરાં @meerashar.bsky.social · 17d

Hmmm, this should be interesting.

#India #Modi

Social News XYZ @socialnews.xyz · 17d

PM Modi to address nation at 5 pm today #PMModi #socialnewsxyz

PM Modi to address nation at 5 pm today

New Delhi, Sep 21 (SocialNews.XYZ) Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to address the nation at 5 p.m. on Sunday, according to sources. While the exact subject of his address has not been confirmed, speculation is strong that he may speak on the Goods and Services Tax (GST) 2.0 reforms, which are scheduled to come into effect on Monday (September 22).

www.socialnews.xyz

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Reposted by Meera Ashar । મીરાં

Asher Wolf @asherwolf.bsky.social · 18d

Gee I wonder how an ex-politician who did not solve Robodebt will also not solve the issues within the higher education sector?

Hannah McCann @binarythis.bsky.social · 18d

Absolutely horrific concepts for the university sector from Bill Shorten, now VC of the University of Canberra. A vision for the utter decimation of higher education

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Meera Ashar । મીરાં @meerashar.bsky.social · 18d

“Malik’s report cites 84 sources, spanning a full four pages, as well as the names 30 national and international academics, experts he consulted.

Segal’s report cites no sources at all.”

This tells me everything.

#auspol

The Klaxon News @theklaxon.bsky.social · 19d

🚨Antisemitism Envoy Jillian Segal is a current - not former - top executive of pro-Israel lobby group the Executive Council of Australian Jewry.
Has held role at all times since appointed Envoy.
Explosive revelations. Foreign interference questions...
theklaxon.com.au/y8fq

Jillian Segal a top executive at pro-Israel lobby group - The Klaxon

Antisemitism Envoy Jillian Segal — who has called for pro-Palestine demonstrations to be banned from cities — is a top executive of a pro-Israel lobby group.

theklaxon.com.au

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Meera Ashar । મીરાં @meerashar.bsky.social · 18d

Can’t agree more! Not trying to get it right but merely trying to convince people of anything is what accounts for the proliferation of bullshit (à la Harry Frankfurt).

Each year I have at least one student who is a great debater… and the one who learns the least.
#bullshit #auspol #debate

John Quiggin @johnquiggin.bsky.social · 20d

I was a champion debater in high school. The aim of the game was to argue either side of any issue equally well, and I was good at it.

I gave it up and I'm glad I did.

Now I mute and block anyone who is debating, rather than engaging in good faith discussion.

Debating corrupts truth.

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Meera Ashar । મીરાં @meerashar.bsky.social · 19d

“Until you’ve killed countless civilians, the word ‘genocide’ shouldn’t even come out of your damn mouth,” said Netanyahu…

#genocide #UN

Netanyahu: ‘These So-Called Genocide Experts Have Probably Never Committed A Genocide In Their Lives’

JERUSALEM—In response to an independent United Nations inquiry concluding that Israel is committing an ongoing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a defiant...

theonion.com

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Reposted by Meera Ashar । મીરાં

The Cathy Wilcox @cathywilcox.bsky.social · 19d

The march.
My @smh @theage cartoon.

Single frame. Title: Exodus. Trail of humanity bearing their belongings streams from distant left to foreground right, across wasteland with smoke puffs in the distance. Road sign mid-way pointing in both directions of the human procession: GENOCIDE ; GENOCIDE.

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Meera Ashar । મીરાં @meerashar.bsky.social · 21d

An accurate picture of our mainstream media and relations with our fav ‘ally’.

#auspol #media #abc #america #DavidPope

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Meera Ashar । મીરાં @meerashar.bsky.social · 23d

“When meritocrats consult, we must deliberate. Where meritocrats cherish distance, we need to seek proximity. If meritocrats show contempt, we ought to foster dignity—talk and listen respectfully, observe and act deliberately.”

A thought-provoking piece by my colleague, Nick Cheesman.
#auspol #uni

Has meritocracy gotten the better of our universities? Why events at ANU are grounds for hope - ABC Religion & Ethics

It’s not every day that the students and staff of a university succeed in forcing a vice-chancellor from office — that’s what happened last week at ANU, but why did change take so long when it was cle...

www.abc.net.au

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Meera Ashar । મીરાં @meerashar.bsky.social · 24d

And another 12 billion “amid pressure from Trump”. Apart from the colossal waste, stashing tools of war does often lead to war!

#auspol #manufacturingWar #sub #AUKUS

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Meera Ashar । મીરાં @meerashar.bsky.social · 25d

And a quick reminder of Frydenberg’s commitment to social cohesion
#AntiIndianHate #racism #auspol

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