Bessma Momani
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bmomani.bsky.social
Bessma Momani
@bmomani.bsky.social
3.1K followers 950 following 310 posts

Professor at the University of Waterloo in Political Science and Senior Fellow at CIGI, interested in International Affairs.

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Political science 34%
Economics 31%
Posts Replies Media Videos

Reposted by Bessma Momani

edswaine.bsky.social
Edward Swaine @edswaine.bsky.social · 1d
The simplest explanation just may be that the president gave responsibility to real estate guys he trusts and understands, and who think about the issues as he does. But as this is their first tour in the political cone, they lack experience or expertise, and operate without relying on those who do.
How the U.S. Drafted a Russia-Friendly Peace Plan for Ukraine
Crucial input from a Kremlin confidant influenced the document that for a week roiled relations among the U.S., Ukraine and Europe.
www.wsj.com

Reposted by Bessma Momani

ldobsonhughes.bsky.social
Lauren Dobson-Hughes @ldobsonhughes.bsky.social · 1d
Take a few million of all the new defence spending, and fund African excellence in disease surveillance and Disease X tracking

For the cost of a wing mirror on a fighter jet, we could avoid the next pandemic www.independent.co.uk/news/world/a...
Inside the African lab hunting for Disease X – and the next pandemic
As rich countries turn their back on foreign aid, the Institut Pasteur in Senegal is preparing the continent to fight deadly diseases that can spread silently across borders. Rachel Schraer reports
www.independent.co.uk

Reposted by Bessma Momani

ldobsonhughes.bsky.social
Lauren Dobson-Hughes @ldobsonhughes.bsky.social · 1d
Do Less Things, Do Them Really Well: A Recipe for Canadian Aid.

Spurred by an excellent @charlesjkenny.bsky.social piece on global aid, I did some thinking about what this should mean for Canada

ldhconsulting.org/2025/11/25/d...

www.cgdev.org/publication/...
Do Less Things, Do Them Really Well: A Recipe for Canadian Aid
Even before the Budget 2025 announcement of $2.7bn in cuts to Canada’s aid budget, there was a recognition Canadian aid needed to change. Partly driven by the destruction of USAID, partly by the el…
ldhconsulting.org

Reposted by Bessma Momani

nytimes.com
The New York Times @nytimes.com · 2d
Dialing down the use of social media for a week reduced symptoms of anxiety, depression and insomnia in young adults, according to a study published on Monday in the journal JAMA Network Open.
Study Finds Mental Health Benefit to One-Week Social Media Break
Young adults who engaged in a social media “detox” reported reductions in depression, anxiety and insomnia, though it was unclear how long the effects would last.
nyti.ms

Reposted by Juan Cole, Bessma Momani

matthewfacciani.bsky.social
Matthew Facciani @matthewfacciani.bsky.social · 2d
A new paper shows how social media accelerates extremism by flooding users with emotionally charged, divisive content that algorithms naturally amplify, making extremist narratives far more visible, engaging, and persuasive than they would be otherwise.

Reposted by Juan Cole, Bessma Momani

heatherbarr.bsky.social
Heather Barr @heatherbarr.bsky.social · 2d
In Feb 26, it will be 80 years since the UN selected its first secretary-general, a man. Since then, eight others have had that job, all men. Surely it’s long past time a woman held the post. In these perilous times we cannot afford an all-men’s club at the top of the UN.
www.hrw.org/news/2025/11...
Seventy-Nine Years Without a Woman Leader at the UN
In February 2026, it will be 80 years since the United Nations selected its first secretary-general, a man. Since then, eight other people have had that job, all men.
www.hrw.org

bmomani.bsky.social
Bessma Momani @bmomani.bsky.social · 3d
Disgusting
dominicervolina.com Dom Ervolina @dominicervolina.com · 3d
Instagram’s former head of safety and well-being Vaishnavi Jayakumar testified the company had a “17x” strike policy for accounts that engaged in the trafficking of humans for sex.

“You could incur 16 violations and upon the 17th violation, your account would be suspended"

time.com/7336204/meta...
7 Allegations Against Meta in Newly Unsealed Filings
Court filings allege Meta tolerated sex trafficking, hid harms to teens, and prioritized growth over user safety for years.
time.com

Reposted by Bessma Momani

eff.org
Electronic Frontier Foundation @eff.org · 3d
Left unchecked, company and government use of automated decision-making systems in areas such as housing, health care, law enforcement, and employment have already caused discriminatory outcomes based on protected statuses. www.eff.org/deeplinks/2...
The Trump Administration’s Order on AI Is Deeply Misguided
Widespread news reports indicate that President Donald Trump’s administration has prepared an executive order to punish states that have passed laws attempting to address harms from artificial
www.eff.org

Reposted by Daniel W. Drezner, Bessma Momani

bloomberg.com
Bloomberg News @bloomberg.com · 3d
Donald Trump’s targeted attacks against India, Brazil and South Africa are pushing three of the world’s major emerging economies to forge closer ties
Trump’s Attacks Push India, Brazil, South Africa Closer Together
US President Donald Trump’s targeted attacks against three of the world’s major emerging economies are prompting leaders of those countries to forge closer ties and push back against his aggressive trade policies.
bloom.bg

Reposted by Brendan Nyhan, Fabián Muniesa, Bessma Momani

dominicervolina.com
Dom Ervolina @dominicervolina.com · 3d
Instagram’s former head of safety and well-being Vaishnavi Jayakumar testified the company had a “17x” strike policy for accounts that engaged in the trafficking of humans for sex.

“You could incur 16 violations and upon the 17th violation, your account would be suspended"

time.com/7336204/meta...
7 Allegations Against Meta in Newly Unsealed Filings
Court filings allege Meta tolerated sex trafficking, hid harms to teens, and prioritized growth over user safety for years.
time.com

Reposted by Bessma Momani

universityaffairs.bsky.social
University Affairs | Affaires universitaires @universityaffairs.bsky.social · 5d
🏗️ The 2025 budget includes a $51B, 10-year infrastructure fund that finally recognizes universities as community infrastructure. It could modernize labs and learning spaces—but big questions remain.

➡️ https://bit.ly/4puQPHb

#HigherEd #Infrastructure #Budget2025
Universities eligible for $51B infrastructure fund - University Affairs
The Build Communities Strong Fund, announced in this month’s budget, is the first long-term federal infrastructure program open to post-secondary institutions.
bit.ly

Reposted by Bessma Momani

stelhami.bsky.social
Shibley Telhami @stelhami.bsky.social · 5d
Latest Poll: Only 6% of Americans Say Epstein Likely Did Not Collaborate with Foreign Intelligence, as 45% Say He Likely Did; Russian and Israeli Intelligence Top List of Public Suspicion; Republicans Specify Israel's First, Dems. Specify Russia's First.
sadat.umd.edu/sites/sadat....

bmomani.bsky.social
Bessma Momani @bmomani.bsky.social · 5d
🤯

Reposted by Bessma Momani

lanoszka.bsky.social
Alexander Lanoszka @lanoszka.bsky.social · 5d
My own thoughts on Trump’s peace plan for Ukraine.

Regardless of how I feel, I don’t see it bringing about a durable peace. However, it could be something that the Trump administration has devised to find its own off-ramp, and that might be what matters the most. open.substack.com/pub/alanoszk...
On Trump's Peace Plan
It could be much, much better for Ukraine, but it could also be worse.
open.substack.com

Reposted by Bessma Momani

reuters.com
Reuters @reuters.com · 6d
Alleged AI chip smuggling to China leads to US calls for chip tracking reut.rs/47T2mKh
Alleged AI chip smuggling to China leads to US calls for chip tracking
The U.S. Justice Department has charged four people in a scheme to illegally export Nvidia AI chips to China, prompting a key House Republican to call for urgent passage of a chip-tracking bill on Thursday.
reut.rs

Reposted by Peter Thorne, Brendan Nyhan, Jesse H. Kroll , and 20 more

littlebadger.bsky.social
Darcie Little Badger @littlebadger.bsky.social · 6d
This week, I withdrew from a speaking engagement at a public university because they sent me a list of prohibited “words & concepts.” I will not humor this censorship. It does a disservice to the stories I’m discussing & the audience, who deserve unfettered access to information & conversation.
“Prohibited words and concepts: Equity, diversity, & inclusion; anti-racism; Bias; Critical race theory; implicit bias; oppression; intersectionality; prohibited discriminatory practices; racial privilege; promoting stereotypes based on personal identity characteristics.”

Reposted by Bessma Momani

mbazzi.bsky.social
Mohamad Bazzi @mbazzi.bsky.social · 6d
“With little restraint on his power, Trump has expanded his corrupt and transactional method of governing in his second term. And autocrats like MBS are eager to benefit from Trump’s brazen effort to use the presidency to enrich himself and his family” — my latest for @theguardian.com
Saudi Prince Mohammed is being lavished with praise by Trump. It’s clear why | Mohamad Bazzi
Autocrats like Prince Mohammed are eager to benefit from Trump’s brazen effort to use the presidency to enrich himself and his family
www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Wim Thiery, Gerald Friedman, Bessma Momani , and 1 more

janrosenow.bsky.social
Jan Rosenow @janrosenow.bsky.social · 6d
First electric cars and buses, now trucks: in the past we were often told that electric trucks would not be feasible.

But the market is picking up speed and electric trucks have become a reality. Expectations are for significant market expansion in the coming years.

Reposted by Bessma Momani

jricole.bsky.social
Juan Cole @jricole.bsky.social · 7d
Trump Shifts to Monarchy Promotion in Middle East
Trump Shifts to Monarchy Promotion in Middle East
Forget about democracy promotion. The Trump administration is advocating for monarchy
dlvr.it

Reposted by Nandita Sharma, American Library Association, Bessma Momani , and 4 more

dieworkwear.bsky.social
derek guy @dieworkwear.bsky.social · 7d
The people who make Shein's clothes labor for ten to twelve hours per day (in violation of China's labor laws), some up to seven days a week, and earn as little as 15 to 30 cents per t-shirt.
Excerpt from a BBC article: ""We usually work, 10, 11 or 12 hours a day," says a 49-year-old woman from Jiangxi unwilling to give her name. "On Sundays we work around three hours less." She is in an alleyway, where a dozen people are huddled around a row of bulletin boards. They are reading the job ads on the board, while examining the stitching on a pair of chinos draped over it. This is Shein's supply chain. The factories are contracted to make clothes on order - some small, some big. If the chinos are a hit, orders will ramp up and so must production. Factories then hire temporary workers to meet the demand their permanent staff cannot fulfil. The migrant worker from Jiangxi is looking for a short-term contract - and the chinos are an option. "We earn so little. The cost of living is now so high," she says, adding that she hopes to make enough to send back to her two children who are living with their grandparents. "We get paid per piece," she explains. "It depends how difficult the item is. Something simple like a t-shirt is one-two yuan [less than a dollar] per piece and I can make around a dozen in an hour.""

Reposted by Bessma Momani

insideevs.com
InsideEVs @insideevs.com · 7d
More than 500 stalls capable of delivering 1 megawatt of power are on the list of projects funded by the European Commission.

insideevs.com/news/779413/...
The EU Is Spending Big To Install Thousands More DC Fast Chargers
Over 500 stalls capable of delivering 1 megawatt of power are on the list of projects funded by the European Commission.
insideevs.com

Reposted by Mark Petticrew, Euan G. Ritchie, David Johnson , and 11 more

luckytran.com
Dr. Lucky Tran @luckytran.com · 7d
I really hate it when scientists keep saying that “we need to rebuild trust in science,” because it implies that scientists are to blame for the mistrust rather than the millions of dollars of dark money that have funded political attacks on science in order to advance a far right agenda.

Reposted by Bessma Momani

heissenstat.bsky.social
Howard Eissenstat @heissenstat.bsky.social · 7d
Politicians can deny the costs of climate change.

Insurers will not.

www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Rising Home Insurance Premiums Are Eating Into Home Values in Disaster-Prone Areas
Changes in the insurance market have started to affect home prices in the most disaster-prone areas, new research finds, pushing some homeowners’ finances to the breaking point.
www.nytimes.com

Reposted by Stefan Reis, David Johnson, Gerald Friedman , and 3 more

rbreich.bsky.social
Robert Reich @rbreich.bsky.social · 7d
Five corporations control 90% of the US media market.

Airlines merged from 12 major carriers in 1980 to 4 today.

Four giants control 80% of meat processing.

A handful of companies control the pharmaceutical industry.

The evidence of corporate concentration is everywhere.

Reposted by Bessma Momani

johngcole.bsky.social
Cake or Death @johngcole.bsky.social · 7d
one of the things I really do not understand is why so much of the development of robots seems to be focused on making them bipedal like humans. Why? It's an insane allocation of resources when it would be much easier to give them three or four "legs" or come up with some new system

Reposted by Bessma Momani

politico.eu
POLITICO Europe @politico.eu · 7d
Poland will close Russia’s last consulate in the country in retaliation to what the government says was a Moscow-backed attempt at sabotaging an important rail line last weekend, Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski said today.
Poland to shut last Russian consulate after rail attack sparks outcry
However, Warsaw will not break off diplomatic relations with Moscow, foreign minister says.
www.politico.eu

Reposted by Bessma Momani

reuters.com
Reuters @reuters.com · 7d
The fate of Wall Street's staggering bets on artificial intelligence will rest squarely on Nvidia when the chipmaker reports results later today, with investors seeking signs that bubble worries are overblown reut.rs/48ntFMU

Reposted by Nikolas K. Gvosdev, Bessma Momani

judah-grunstein.bsky.social
Judah Grunstein @judah-grunstein.bsky.social · 7d
For anyone keeping score at home, this is the now the EU backing down to China on a high-stakes tech standoff, just weeks after the US did the same.

Like Bidenism before it, Trumpism and its European corollaries are more the last gasp of a dying global order than a viable path forward.
Netherlands Hands Back Control of Chinese-Owned Chipmaker Nexperia
www.nytimes.com

Reposted by Bessma Momani

deanobeidallah.bsky.social
Dean Obeidallah @deanobeidallah.bsky.social · 7d
Trump telling Catherine Lucey, Bloomberg’s White House correspondent: “Quiet Piggy!” was disgusting. The fact that no other member of the White House reporter pool stood up for Catherine at that moment and instead just asked Trump their own questions sums up corporate media so well!

bmomani.bsky.social
Bessma Momani @bmomani.bsky.social · 8d
Congrats and well deserved. 😊