Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Meg Kelly @megkelly.bsky.social · 7d

AND genius graphics @arturgalocha.bsky.social & Eric Lau with design from Irfan Uraizee plus insanely generous and patient editing from Eric Rich, @nadineajaka.bsky.social , @kamaria.bsky.social , Emma Brown & Jesse Mesner-Hage

Meg Kelly @megkelly.bsky.social · 7d

This months-long project wouldn't have been possible without so, so many people ➡️ the one & only
@joyceshlee.bsky.social, the data genius from Sarah Blaskey & @abtran.bsky.social, sensitive reporting from Rael Ombuor & Elisha Iragi, the great Katharine Houreld & photos from Arlette Bashizi 8/

1 1

Meg Kelly @megkelly.bsky.social · 7d

These medications and supplies are among those life-saving HIV and malaria commodities that the administration said would continue to reach the most vulnerable places around the world -- commodities for more than 40 countries.

A look at severe malaria meds impacted 7/

1

Meg Kelly @megkelly.bsky.social · 7d

By the end of June, shipments worth nearly $76 million were not delivered, including the majority of medication needed to combat severe malaria.

An additional $63 million worth were delivered late to the warehouses per USAID standards -- on average by 41 days. 6/

1

Meg Kelly @megkelly.bsky.social · 7d

Suza's medication was paused when it was already in Congo.

But more than 1600 other orders worth more than $190 million were stuck before they got there -- at manufacturers, in transit or stuck in customs -- at the time of the stop work order. 5/

1

Meg Kelly @megkelly.bsky.social · 7d

So when the doctor asked, and he did ask, no medication was provided.

Suza's dad went to three different hospitals trying to find what she needed to make her well.

She died just days after she got sick. 4/

1 1

Meg Kelly @megkelly.bsky.social · 7d

The medication was in the nearby local warehouse. But it never arrived.

That's because, despite Rubio's blanket waiver for life-saving aid, each USAID program needed an individual waiver. The program that delivered the malaria medications in Congo did not get one for months. 3/

1 1

Meg Kelly @megkelly.bsky.social · 7d

Suza, a girl who loved frilly dresses, got sick with malaria in February. First a cough, then a fever. Then she couldn’t breathe. But the local clinic near her house ran out of the severe malaria medication she needed in January.

No refills came. 📷 Arlette Bashizi 2/

1 1

Meg Kelly @megkelly.bsky.social · 7d

. @secrubio.govpeeps.us keeps saying no one has died because of USAID cuts. 5-year-old Suza Kenyaba did.

A six-month investigation with a slew of reporters on two continents proved as much.

Our latest 1/ 🎁 wapo.st/46GSwcv

Trump’s USAID pause stranded lifesaving drugs. Children died waiting.

USAID antimalarial and HIV supplies valued at nearly $140 million were delayed in the first half of the year or not delivered at all due to the Trump administration’s foreign aid pause, The Post found...

wapo.st

1 2 2

Reposted by Meg Kelly

Sarah Kaplan @sarahkaplan48.bsky.social · 8d

Vital, devastating reporting from @megkelly.bsky.social @joyceshlee.bsky.social & co. on the human consequences of President Trump's suspension of foreign aid
wapo.st/46GSwcv

Trump’s USAID pause stranded lifesaving drugs. Children died waiting.

USAID antimalarial and HIV supplies valued at nearly $140 million were delayed in the first half of the year or not delivered at all due to the Trump administration’s foreign aid pause, The Post found...

wapo.st

5 7

Reposted by Meg Kelly

Glenn Kessler @glennkessler.bsky.social · 8d

We all know that Trump’s USAID pause killed people. This important story by @megkelly.bsky.social and colleagues documents how children died waiting for lifesaving drugs. Read it and weep --> www.washingtonpost.com/investigatio...

Trump’s USAID pause stranded lifesaving drugs. Children died waiting.

USAID antimalarial and HIV supplies valued at nearly $140 million were delayed in the first half of the year or not delivered at all due to the Trump administration’s foreign aid pause, The Post found...

www.washingtonpost.com

4 6 14

Reposted by Meg Kelly

Nilo Tabrizy @ntabrizy.bsky.social · May 2

Our investigation into the explosion in #BandarAbbas — it was likely caused by a violent chemical reaction that resulted in a fire and led to the blast.

Big team effort w/ @megkelly.bsky.social @yjtorbati.bsky.social & Susannah George

wapo.st/4cZMYNb

1 2

Reposted by Meg Kelly

Charlie Savage @charliesavage.bsky.social · Apr 30

My 100-day take:

Trump’s Maximalist Assertion of Presidential Power Tests the Rule of Law

The United States has never seen an effort to expand presidential authority at the scale of Donald J. Trump’s second term.

www.nytimes.com/2025/04/30/u...

In 2nd Term, Trump Pushes Bounds of Presidential Power, Testing Rule of Law (Gift Article)

The United States has never seen an effort to expand presidential authority at the scale of Donald J. Trump’s second term.

www.nytimes.com

22 55 140

Reposted by Meg Kelly

Drew Harwell @drewharwell.com · Apr 29

Incredible and haunting reporting by @catebrown.bsky.social, @osviz-jarrett.bsky.social, Catherine Belton, Anastacia Galouchka & others: “She took risks not for the sake of bravery or being recognized, but because she believed it was her duty" www.washingtonpost.com/world/intera...

She tried to expose Russia’s brutal detention system — and ended up dead

A consortium of international journalists continued the work of Viktoriia Roshchyna, who was investigating reports of torture and detention of Ukrainian civilians in occupied Ukraine.

www.washingtonpost.com

2 64 170

Reposted by Meg Kelly

Brian Finucane @bcfinucane.bsky.social · Apr 29

Use of force recap of the first 100 days of Trump 2.0:

--US airstrikes against ISIS and AQ in Syria
--US airstrikes against ISIS in Iraq
--US airstrikes against ISIS and Al Shabaab in Somalia
--US airstrikes against the Houthis in Yemen, w/o any pretense of congressional authorization

2 12 19

Meg Kelly @megkelly.bsky.social · Apr 11

A critical read on what is really happening as Trump's PEPFAR cuts upend lives via Katharine Houreld.

🎁 wapo.st/44lRao1

Trump’s PEPFAR cuts upend the lives of Kenyan families battling HIV

U.S. aid allowed Mary, a former sex worker, to do HIV outreach work and support eight children. Her future, and the U.S.-led fight against HIV, are now in doubt.

wapo.st

2

Reposted by Meg Kelly

Wesley Morgan @wesleymorgan.bsky.social · Apr 10

“Everyone we encounter is an enemy,” a Golani Brigade lieutenant colonel told his troops on video ahead of the current Gaza operation.

“If a figure is identified, we open fire, eliminate, and move forward. Don’t get confused about that.”

About as clear as it gets.

3 33 60

Meg Kelly @megkelly.bsky.social · Apr 10

How Palestinian first responders ended up in a mass grave in Gaza

via the unstobble, brilliant team of Miriam Berger, @leloveluck.bsky.social, @imogenpiper.bsky.social, Hajar Harb, Hazem Balousha & @cheesemanab.bsky.social put it all together:

wapo.st/4cowWMq

How Palestinian first responders ended up in a mass grave in Gaza

Israel says they were fired on for moving “suspiciously.” Dispatcher records, witness testimony, and video and audio evidence offer a more disturbing narrative.

wapo.st

1 5 16

Reposted by Meg Kelly

Andrew Golden @andrewgolden.bsky.social · Mar 19

An article telling the story of Jackie Robinson's Army career is no longer is accessible on the Department of Defense's website.

Asked Josiah Gray and Bob Kendrick, president of the Negro League Baseball Museum, for their thoughts.

w/@cindyboren.bsky.social

Jackie Robinson’s Army story deleted in Defense Department DEI purge

The deletion appears to be part of the Trump administration’s push against diversity, equity and inclusion programs. A Nats pitcher found the move “upsetting.”

www.washingtonpost.com

9 63 120

Reposted by Meg Kelly

John Hudson @johnphudson.bsky.social · Mar 18

Trump's ceasefire in Gaza is officially over: Israel announces it is "attacking targets of the Hamas terrorist organization throughout the Gaza Strip."

"Israel will, from now on, act against Hamas with increasing military strength," says the prime minister's office.

3 5 10

Reposted by Meg Kelly

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · Mar 11

Leavitt: "Secretary Rubio reserves the right to revoke the visa of Mahmoud Khali. Under the immigration and nationality act, the secretary of state has the right to revoke a green card or a visa for individuals who are adversarial to the foreign policy and national security interests of the USA."

250 140 640

Meg Kelly @megkelly.bsky.social · Mar 11

“It is death that made me flee,” Ag Mohamed said. “I saw death everywhere.”

A haunting piece on the Wagner's continued foot print in Mali from Sarah Cahlan and Rachel Chason: www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/0...

3 7

Reposted by Meg Kelly

Annie Shiel @annieshiel.bsky.social · Mar 4

Brig. Gen. Matt Isler (Ret.): Civilian Harm Mitigation Advances US Interests matt-isler.medium.com/operational-...

Operational Effectiveness and Civilian Harm: Mitigation Advances US Interests

Some have recently argued that Defense Department efforts to mitigate civilian deaths in war inappropriately constrain U.S. forces. This could not be farther from the truth. Reducing risks of…

matt-isler.medium.com

3 7

Meg Kelly @megkelly.bsky.social · Mar 5

thank you for looking into this !

1

Reposted by Meg Kelly

Dan Lamothe @danlamothe.bsky.social · Mar 4

NEW: Pentagon moves to gut operations focused on reducing civilian harm.

Some expect to fired. Others will be reassigned, per a memo obtained by The Washington Post.

www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...

Pentagon moves to gut operations focused on reducing civilian harm

Officials at the Defense Department’s Civilian Protection Center of Excellence, which seeks to limit collateral damage from military strikes against enemy combatants, were told to accept a buyout or b...

www.washingtonpost.com

15 27