Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Simon Frankel Pratt

Eliot Higgins @eliothiggins.bsky.social · 4h

Russia's disinformation campaign is now using deepfaked audio of Holocaust survivors to attack Armenia, in videos published on the 2nd anniversary of the Hamas October 7th attack on Israel.

3 95 200

Simon Frankel Pratt @simonpratt.bsky.social · 4h

As much as we remember the dead, it is to the living that we owe our care and compassion. This horrible war has traumatised countless thousands. Here are some of their stories.

Josie Glausiusz @josiegz.bsky.social · 5h

Some of the saddest stories are the ongoing trauma suffered by survivors of the Nova Festival.

Arad Katz fled the festival in a car with friends. He saw Eden Ben Rubi standing with police officers at a junction, so didn't offer her a ride. She was later shot dead.

www.haaretz.com/israel-news/...

They survived the Nova party massacre. Two years on, they are still hiding

The State Expects Survivors of the Nova Festival to Recover, but With Hostages Still in Gaza and the War Dragging On, the Personal Tragedy Persists. 'I Knew We Had an Army, We Hade a Police Force; I B...

www.haaretz.com

2

Simon Frankel Pratt @simonpratt.bsky.social · 9h

On BBC news in a few minutes to discuss peace negotiations between Israel and Hamas, for those interested to tune in

1 5

Reposted by Simon Frankel Pratt

Betcy Jose @betcy.bsky.social · 20h

This is horrific

Rutgers professor moving to Europe after threats over antifa accusations

Mark Bray says threats intensified after a Turning Point USA petition accused him of promoting political violence

www.theguardian.com

2 2

Reposted by Simon Frankel Pratt

Justin Ling @justinling.ca · 18h

A reminder that, for all the unhinged attacks on it, the ICC is still a functional institution that is capable of holding world leaders accountable for atrocities they commit.

Democracy Now! @democracynow.org · 18h

ICC Convicts Former Sudanese Militia Leader of War Crimes in Darfur

The International Criminal Court has convicted a former Sudanese militia leader of war crimes and crimes against humanity for his role in mass executions, rapes and torture in the Darfur region.

www.democracynow.org

4 36 130

Reposted by Simon Frankel Pratt

Finbarr Bermingham @fbermingham.bsky.social · 2d

The torrent of UK China news keeps coming. So much for the reset...

China threatened to retaliate against the UK government if ministers targeted parts of its security apparatus under foreign influence rules, the Guardian can disclose.

China threatened to retaliate against UK over foreign influence rules

Exclusive: Chinese officials warned that targeting its security apparatus would negatively affect relations

www.theguardian.com

1 7 11

Reposted by Simon Frankel Pratt

New Lines Magazine @newlinesmag.bsky.social · 18h

“Nearly everyone I asked said that they had noticed the increased presence of settlers in Tel Aviv but seemed not to understand when they moved to the city, or why.”

@lisang.bsky.social reports on the West Bank settlers arriving in Tel Aviv.

The Settlers Bursting Tel Aviv’s Bubble

The religious-nationalist right has targeted Israel’s most secular, liberal city

newlinesmag.com

8 8

Reposted by Simon Frankel Pratt

Barak Ravid ברק רביד @barakravid.bsky.social · 16h

How two years of war in Gaza have changed the Middle East forever. Read my story on @axios.com about the 2nd anniversary of the Hamas October 7 terror attack on Israel
www.axios.com/2025/10/07/o...

How two years of war in Gaza have changed the Middle East forever

Even if President Trump's peace push proves successful, the human tragedy and the geopolitical shifts will be felt for generations.

www.axios.com

3 11

Reposted by Simon Frankel Pratt

Bill Grueskin @bgrueskin.bsky.social · 1d

Imagine being the Kyiv correspondent for CBS News, calling into the morning news meeting, and hearing this fellow telling you what to cover.

16 100 490

Simon Frankel Pratt @simonpratt.bsky.social · 1d

A whole day wondering what I could post about two whole years and I got nothing more than this.

Simon Frankel Pratt @simonpratt.bsky.social · 1d

יִזְכּוֹר

1

Reposted by Simon Frankel Pratt

Quantian @quantian.bsky.social · 1d

Sora is not the real problem here. The real problem is that in 12, at most 24 months, there will be a Sora clone from Tencent or Alibaba that is just as good and can be run by anybody with a 5099, at which point everyone in society needs to rapidly agree to treat all digital video as fake, period.

38 260 1.7K

Reposted by Simon Frankel Pratt

BeijingPalmer @beijingpalmer.bsky.social · 1d

The Bluesky anti-semitism problem is a little bit more serious than the “getting into fights with the CEO” problem.

14 52 400

Reposted by Simon Frankel Pratt

BeijingPalmer @beijingpalmer.bsky.social · 1d

Whole lot of rancid replies here, unsurprisingly.

Anthony Albanese @albomp.bsky.social · 1d

4 25 270

Reposted by Simon Frankel Pratt

Szabolcs Panyi @szabolcspanyi.bsky.social · 1d

💥🔎🇷🇺 Our analysis reveals the scale of Russia’s massive propaganda offensive in Moldova: in 3 weeks, 9,900 TikTok videos were published and generated over 93 million views, created with artificial intelligence. Yet despite Moscow’s efforts, the pro-European PAS secured 50.2% in the Sept 28 election.

24/7 Russian Propaganda Blitz Hit Moldova Before the Elections - VSquare.org

Moldovans had faced months, if not years, of an information onslaught at levels beyond what just about any society has faced. In the end, the pro-European ruling Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) w...

vsquare.org

15 180 430

Reposted by Simon Frankel Pratt

Rima I Anabtawi @rimaanabtawi.bsky.social · 1d

How the KGB used John le Carré to airbrush its image

The Soviet intelligence agency drew on the writer’s books to portray themselves as professional and rational

www.telegraph.co.uk/books/author...

How the KGB used John le Carré to airbrush its image

The Soviet intelligence agency drew on the writer’s books to portray themselves as professional and rational

www.telegraph.co.uk

5 17

Reposted by Simon Frankel Pratt

Council on Foreign Relations @cfr.org · 1d

Moldova has written a playbook for defeating hybrid warfare, and it is one that others can learn from, writes Linda Robinson.

Moldova’s Victory over Russia

A majority of voters in Moldova reaffirmed the country’s desire to break free of Russian interference and continue its path to join the European Union. The victory for reformist leader Maia Sandu, wh…

www.cfr.org

4 10

Reposted by Simon Frankel Pratt

Steve Saideman @smsaideman.bsky.social · 2d

I have been talking about US autocracy but @dhnexon.bsky.social lays it out more clearly-- the American system has failed. The checks and balances didn't work, so we will need a new constitution and new institutions once the regime is eventually toppled www.lawyersgunsmoneyblog.com/2025/10/the-...

33 160 520

Reposted by Simon Frankel Pratt

Cleo Davies @cleodavies.bsky.social · 2d

Another PM quits in 🇫🇷, less than 24 hours after announcing the ministers in his government. Sébastien Lecornu quit this morning; he was nominated by President Macron immediately after Francois Bayrou quit as PM 9 September after loosing a vote of confidence. This is what could happen next 1/4

1 8 16

Simon Frankel Pratt @simonpratt.bsky.social · 2d

For those interested, an edited clip of my earlier interview today on CNBC can be found here www.cnbc.com/video/2025/1...

Netanyahu "anxious" to not be faulted if Israel-Hamas ceasefire fails

Simon Pratt, Senior Lecturer at The University of Melbourne, explains Netanyahu's agenda in negotiations to end the war in Gaza as he continues his military offensive despite mounting domestic and int...

www.cnbc.com

Reposted by Simon Frankel Pratt

Joel S. @joelhs.bsky.social · 2d

I was told not to teach a class on the intellectual histories of Zionism and Anti-Zionism next year - not because they doubted I could teach it fairly, but because it would attract too many politicians scrutinizing the syllabus.

A society where that is a valid fear is no longer fully democratic.

29 680 2.6K

Simon Frankel Pratt @simonpratt.bsky.social · 2d

I've heard similar stories from colleagues elsewhere

1

Reposted by Simon Frankel Pratt

Laura Seay @texasinafrica.bsky.social · 2d

Fascism is an ideology. What Tom is describing here is totalitarianism, which is a level of absolute government control. We are not anywhere near the latter yet, but the governing ideology of this White House is definitely fascist.

Tom Nichols @radiofreetom.bsky.social · 3d

If we were living under fascism, none of you would be here daring to post things. You'd be erasing your social media accounts and keeping your head down; you'd know that peacocking your faux-bravery on a network would expose you to being disappeared.
You have no idea what "fascism" really means.

shane @mouthfulofcavities.bsky.social · 3d

the regime is zip tying toddlers and ripping them away from their mothers unclothed... calling it fascism upsets this neo-con.

5 32 130

Simon Frankel Pratt @simonpratt.bsky.social · 2d

The UK government's response to the unpopularity of its policies regarding Israel and Gaza is to simply ban public demonstrations of dissent, it seems.

Defend Our Juries @defendourjuries.bsky.social · 2d

UNLAWFUL ARREST

This woman was arrested for holding a sign with “I do not support the proscription of Palestine Action” on it, a totally lawful statement to make, even under the Labour government’s absurd new laws proscribing the direct action group.

wedonotcomply.org

1 3 10

Simon Frankel Pratt @simonpratt.bsky.social · 2d

'tired'

derek guy @dieworkwear.bsky.social · 2d

we need a word for a type of person who spends all their time working to live in a city so they can be near cool things, but they don't actually like going out

1 3