Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Tony Gallagher @tgeducation.bsky.social · 28d

On 9 November 1938 the German diplomat Ernst vom Rath was assassinated by Herschel Grynszpan, a 17-year-old German-born Polish Jew living in Paris. The Nazis used this as an excuse for launching Kristallnacht, an assault on Jews in Germany.

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Reposted by Tony Gallagher

Tom Pepinsky @tompepinsky.com · Jul 24

Pause to consider what this means: The Trump administration will audit admissions data by race, color, and test score.

RACE AND COLOR. COLOR. That’s exactly what Columbia agreed to do.

When’s the last time that someone asked you what color you are? Are you sure the Trump admin agrees with you?

Kevin Carey @kevincarey1.bsky.social · Jul 24

Columbia University has handed over its undergraduate admissions process to Donald Trump and his MAGA allies, who will now decide at their sole discretion whether the university has admitted enough white people. It's no longer an independent institution.

Screenshot of Columbia's settlement with the White House

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Tony Gallagher @tgeducation.bsky.social · Jul 11

In Trump’s America I assume Reagan’s last speech as President would be banned for its ‘woke’ sentiment youtu.be/2R8QxCD6ir8?...

The last speech of Ronald Reagan as president was on immigration

YouTube video by Montclair Immigration Network

youtu.be

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Tony Gallagher @tgeducation.bsky.social · Jul 9

Fascinating conversation with Kristina Kallas on Education in Estonia on Teachers Talk Radio. Key to the system's success: set high standards for entry to teacher education, but then trust teachers with high levels of autonomy. Listen at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=McVQ...

The Estonian Education System - with Kristina Kallas

YouTube video by Teachers Talk Radio

www.youtube.com

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Tony Gallagher @tgeducation.bsky.social · Jun 22

Brooke Nichols, a Boston University health economist, is calculating the consequences of Trump’s cuts to humanitarian aid across the world. Currently the level of additional deaths is 340,000 and rising.

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Tony Gallagher @tgeducation.bsky.social · Jun 18

'I embrace you with all my heart.' When Albert Camus was awarded the Nobel Prize he wrote a letter to his first teacher. Worth remembering on #thankateacher day.

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Tony Gallagher @tgeducation.bsky.social · Jun 12

www.crisisgroup.org/europe-centr...

Bosnia in Deadlock as Serbs Strain for Exit | International Crisis Group

Once again, leaders of the majority-Serb entity Republika Srpska are threatening to break away from Bosnia. While tensions between the entity and Sarajevo are longstanding, national collapse may be cl...

www.crisisgroup.org

Tony Gallagher @tgeducation.bsky.social · Jun 9

Inflammatory language by Trump and his acolytes as he directly challenges the elected leader of California. Is this the start of an assault on Democrat-controlled States? www.nytimes.com/2025/06/08/u... via NYTimes

Trump Jumps at the Chance for a Confrontation in California Over Immigration

www.nytimes.com

Tony Gallagher @tgeducation.bsky.social · Jun 2

NASA engineer Ed Smylie died last month. He was most famous for using bits and pieces of materials, all held together by duct tape, to save the lives of the Apollo 13 crew. He firmly believed this stick-fast wonder could fix anything (from The Economist) economist.com/obituary/202...

Ed Smylie knew this stick-fast wonder could fix anything

The NASA engineer who saved the crew of Apollo 13 died on April 21st, aged 95

economist.com

Tony Gallagher @tgeducation.bsky.social · May 28

Three FT articles today - 1) international students speak anonymously out of fear of Trump’s ban, (2) questioning the defunding of public radio and (3) criticism of crypto-currency. Trump’s response: ‘Apparently the Financial Times has dumb writers listening to even dumber sources.’

Reposted by Tony Gallagher

UNRWA @unrwa.org · May 25

Children in #Gaza are enduring unimaginable suffering.
According to @unicef.org, over 950 have reportedly been killed in just two months.

They are starving, displaced, and exposed to indiscriminate attacks.

This must stop.
Children must be protected.

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Tony Gallagher @tgeducation.bsky.social · May 25

Wonderful article suggesting we set aside Kurt Vonnegut’s advice and celebrate the semicolon. ‘A comma brings a pause; a semicolon brings the drama.’ www.ft.com/content/80c3...

Semicolons bring the drama; that’s why I love them

Neither full stop nor comma, they symbolise a nuance that is disappearing in a polarised world

www.ft.com

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Tony Gallagher @tgeducation.bsky.social · May 22

On May 22, 1998, the Good Friday/Belfast Agreement was endorsed by referendums in both parts of Ireland

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Tony Gallagher @tgeducation.bsky.social · May 20

‘Democracies don’t turn into autocracies overnight. There has to be a critical mass of true believers [and] of appeasers.’ @fotoole examines how some US universities are bending to Trump and thereby threatening democracy. www.irishtimes.com/opinion/2025...

Fintan O'Toole: If you want to see how democracies cede to autocracies, watch as US universities bend to Trump

If a rich and famous institution such as Columbia doesn’t stand up for itself, what chance have millions of ordinary people?

www.irishtimes.com

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Reposted by Tony Gallagher

Jennifer Rankin @jenniferrankin.bsky.social · May 19

A pretty significant concession from the EU that likely helped the breakthrough. The UK has granted the EU full access to British waters until 30 June 2038 - a 12-year extension. But UK gets the SPS deal indefinitely, so not tied to fishing.

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Tony Gallagher @tgeducation.bsky.social · May 18

Good news ftom Romania! www.nytimes.com/2025/05/18/w...

In Upset, Centrist Wins Romania’s Presidential Election

www.nytimes.com

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Tony Gallagher @tgeducation.bsky.social · May 14

Great to see the Fighting Words supplement in today’s Irish News, showcasing the power and joy of creative writing by young people across the island of Ireland.

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Tony Gallagher @tgeducation.bsky.social · May 11

Interesting article claiming to provide insight on the voting patterns in the Papal Conclave, with three main candidates emerging early on. One thing it doesn’t explain is why Cardinal Tagle’s candidacy appears not to have taken off. www.nytimes.com/2025/05/11/w... via @NYTimes

How a Quiet American Cardinal Became Pope

www.nytimes.com

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Tony Gallagher @tgeducation.bsky.social · May 7

The state of things in the USA. Hard to believe it has come to this so quickly. www.nytimes.com/2025/05/01/o...

Opinion | There Is a Way Forward: How to Defeat Trump’s Power Grab

www.nytimes.com

Reposted by Tony Gallagher

Roxana Minzatu @roxanaminzatu.bsky.social · May 5

📍To attract top researchers to the EU, the European Commission launched a €500 million package.

We’re also preparing the first-ever EU Innovation Act and a Startup & Scaleup Strategy to fast-track ideas from lab to market.

#ChooseEurope for the future of science! (3/3)

Ursula von der Leyen @vonderleyen.ec.europa.eu · May 5

Europe’s choice is clear.

To put science at the heart of its economy.

To become the home of scientific freedom and collaboration.

And to welcome talent from all over the world.

I’m glad to present the first elements of our Choose Europe Initiative.

→ europa.eu/!TTbWbJ

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Reposted by Tony Gallagher

Daryl Maguire’s tractor @daryltractor.bsky.social · May 3

“We are breaking the bodies and minds of the children of Gaza. We are starving the children of Gaza.

“If we do nothing about it, we will be complicit in what is happening before our eyes.”

— Michael Ryan, WHO

Jeff Nascimento @jnascim.info · May 3

“Estamos quebrando os corpos e as mentes das crianças de Gaza. Estamos fazendo as crianças de Gaza passarem fome. Porque, se não fizermos nada sobre isso, seremos cúmplices do que está acontecendo diante dos nossos olhos”

— Michael Ryan, Chefe de Emergências da OMS

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Tony Gallagher @tgeducation.bsky.social · May 2

www.nytimes.com/2025/05/02/u...

Trump Says He’s ‘Taking Away’ Harvard’s Tax Exempt Status

President Trump on Friday said he would be “taking away” the university’s status, renewing a threat he made last month. It was not immediately clear if the I.R.S. was moving forward with a change.

www.nytimes.com

Tony Gallagher @tgeducation.bsky.social · May 1

First report from a Salzburg Global project looking at polarisation and violent threats against democracy. www.salzburgglobal.org/fileadmin/us...

www.salzburgglobal.org

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Tony Gallagher @tgeducation.bsky.social · May 1

Trump Ends $1 Billion in Mental Health Grants for Schools. The funds were authorized by Congress in the 2022 Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which passed after 19 students and two teachers lost their lives in a school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. www.edweek.org/policy-polit...

Trump Ends $1 Billion in Mental Health Grants for Schools

The Education Department told grantees that their awards reflected the Biden administration's priorities.

www.edweek.org

Reposted by Tony Gallagher

Dr Shani Hartley @shhartley.bsky.social · Apr 28

Love when @nicolemockler.bsky.social drops truth bombs. “Respect matters. Valuing what teachers actually know and do, and recognising that it’s complex…would be a pathway to reinstating trust in the teaching profession.”
blog.aare.edu.au/just-because...

Just because you went to school doesn't make you an expert on teaching

Reinstate trust in the teaching profession. That might just be the perfect place to start in fixing the teacher shortage.

blog.aare.edu.au

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