Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Toomas Hendrik Ilves @ilvestoomas.bsky.social · 13h

www.theguardian.com/world/2025/o...

‘I’m leaving,’ Trump said. ‘There’s no reason to be here any more’: inside the meeting that brought Nato to the brink

Former secretary general Jens Stoltenberg recalls the rollercoaster ride of dealing with Donald Trump – and how close the US president brought the alliance to the point of collapse

www.theguardian.com

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Patrick Chovanec @prchovanec.bsky.social · 16h

It's amazing how public officials who willingly go on TV to talk about these issues can claim ignorance about the very things they've come on to talk about, and it's treated like a legitimate answer.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 17h

Jim Jordan after he's played clips from videos of ICE brutalizing people, including American citizens: "I don't know the specifics of those examples you gave. What I do know is these ICE agents are under tremendous pressure ... I think they're doing a good job."

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John Sipher @johnsipher.bsky.social · 18h

Impressive work by Biden to control the FBI while Trump was President.

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Hamilton Nolan @hamiltonnolan.bsky.social · 1d

Has lived in the US since he was NINE MONTHS OLD.

Lynn Becker @cmgiulini.bsky.social · 1d

After spending 43 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit, evidence hidden by the prosecution reversed his conviction. Rather than finally enjoying freedom, ICE abducted him for deportation

Depraved.

www.miamiherald.com/news/local/i...

He was wrongfully imprisoned for 43 years. Moments after being released, ICE took him

Subramanyam “Subu” Vedam now faces deportation.

www.miamiherald.com

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Kelly @broadwaybabyto.bsky.social · 1d

Chicago journalist Debbie Brockman, who was thrown to the ground & handcuffed by ICE, has been released without charges

DHS said she assaulted an officer, but eye witnesses claim she didn’t

The lack of charges makes it clear that ICE is lying to try and cover up the fact that they attack the press

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Rich Raho @richraho.bsky.social · 1d

Chicago priest Fr. Larry Dowling describes procession to ICE facility: “No one had the courage to speak directly to us. No one from Homeland Security could stand in the presence of the Monstrance holding the Blessed Sacrament. No wonder. Evil is repelled, recoils in the presence of Christ.”

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Toomas Hendrik Ilves @ilvestoomas.bsky.social · 17h

The Pope the world has needed since Wotyla died.

Bill Kristol @billkristolbulwark.bsky.social · 17h

Pope Leo quotes Hannah Arendt:

“The ideal subject of totalitarian rule is not the convinced Nazi or the convinced Communist, but people for whom the distinction between fact and fiction and the distinction between true and false no longer exist."

www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news...

Pope Leo calls for news agencies to stand as bulwark against "post-truths," lies and manipulation

Pope Leo XIV has encouraged international news agencies to stand firm as a bulwark against the "ancient art of lying" and manipulation.

www.cbsnews.com

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Bill Kristol @billkristolbulwark.bsky.social · 17h

Pope Leo quotes Hannah Arendt:

“The ideal subject of totalitarian rule is not the convinced Nazi or the convinced Communist, but people for whom the distinction between fact and fiction and the distinction between true and false no longer exist."

www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news...

Pope Leo calls for news agencies to stand as bulwark against "post-truths," lies and manipulation

Pope Leo XIV has encouraged international news agencies to stand firm as a bulwark against the "ancient art of lying" and manipulation.

www.cbsnews.com

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Ukraine War Brief Podcast @ukrainewarpod.bsky.social · 1d

This is a fantastic Reuters article detailing how “layoffs” work (or don’t) in Russia. Unemployment is at record lows because Russian companies tend not to fire, but cut job hours or wages.

1. Cemros, largest cement maker, 4 day workweek.

www.reuters.com/world/europe...

Russia's industrial titans furlough workers as its war economy stalls

From railways and automobiles to metals, coal, diamonds and cement, some of Russia's biggest industrial companies are putting employees on furlough or cutting staff as the war economy slows, domestic demand stalls and exports dry up.

www.reuters.com

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Nils Gilman @nilsgilman.bsky.social · 1d

A new order from the MAGA Dept of Education will require that, in order to have an ideologically balanced curriculum, the University of Houston also needs to offer a course on “Celebrating Oppression and Injustice.”

Alan Dettlaff @alandettlaff.com · 1d

Yesterday I was told that the class I’m scheduled to teach this month, Confronting Oppression & Injustice, is no longer part of our curriculum. This is a required class yet there was no discussion, no faculty vote, just an email saying the class no longer exists. This is what it’s like in Texas now.

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Tõnu Runnel @runnel.bsky.social · 1d

Worm really did consume his brain apparently.

ScubaSuzyQ💙🦋 @susanmcgraw88.bsky.social · 1d

True! RFK, Jr DID say this!
He should be forced to resign. He is incompetent and mentally deranged. He is harming Americans with his false conspiratorial theories.
#ProudBlue #DemVoice1 #DV1 #Pinks

www.snopes.com/fact-check/r...

RFK Jr. said children circumcised early had 'double' rate of autism linked to Tylenol use

The U.S. secretary of health and human services cited a preprint study to back his claim.

www.snopes.com

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Toomas Hendrik Ilves @ilvestoomas.bsky.social · 22h

There goes sending Christmas presents to people in the US this year.

derek guy @dieworkwear.bsky.social · 1d

About a month ago, the Trump administration got rid of the de minimis exemption, whereby packages valued under $800 could slide in without import duties. Now there's a backlog as the government can't process all of this paperwork, leading to UPS just destroying packages

Business Insider headline reads: UPS is telling customers that their packages coming to the US are marked for destruction.

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Toomas Hendrik Ilves @ilvestoomas.bsky.social · 22h

There goes sending Christmas presents to people in the US.

Josh Manning @joshmanning.bsky.social · 1d

Just like Trump campaigned on — I’ll make sure your packages get destroyed!

derek guy @dieworkwear.bsky.social · 1d

About a month ago, the Trump administration got rid of the de minimis exemption, whereby packages valued under $800 could slide in without import duties. Now there's a backlog as the government can't process all of this paperwork, leading to UPS just destroying packages

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Josh Manning @joshmanning.bsky.social · 1d

Just like Trump campaigned on — I’ll make sure your packages get destroyed!

derek guy @dieworkwear.bsky.social · 1d

About a month ago, the Trump administration got rid of the de minimis exemption, whereby packages valued under $800 could slide in without import duties. Now there's a backlog as the government can't process all of this paperwork, leading to UPS just destroying packages

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Franz-Stefan Gady @hoanssolo.bsky.social · 1d

Würde Russland Österreich angreifen, wenn es in Europa zu einem Krieg mit der NATO käme? In meiner heutigen Kolumne gehe ich genau dieser Frage nach – und auch, wo und wie ein solcher Angriff aussehen könnte. www.kleinezeitung.at/politik/auss...

Gadys Geopolitik: Ein Angriff auf Österreich?

Österreich könnte im Krisenfall ein Ziel russischer Angriffe werden. Die Neutralität schützt nicht mehr vor modernen Bedrohungen.

www.kleinezeitung.at

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The Moscow Times @themoscowtimes.com · 1d

A Ukrainian initiative that encourages enemy combatants to surrender said it had data on more than 1,000 Cubans recruited by Russia since 2023.

Cuba Denies Participating in Ukraine War - The Moscow Times

Cuba on Saturday denied U.S. assertions that it is involved in the military conflict in Ukraine or had sent soldiers there.

www.themoscowtimes.com

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Alex Panchenko @alexpanchenko2.bsky.social · 1d

The reason why Donald Trump has been playing games with / about Ukraine: he can't afford to openly side with Russia so far - Americans are still too much united in their support for Ukrainians👇

The Kyiv Independent @kyivindependent.com · 1d

⚡️Over 75% of Americans support additional sanctions on Russia, poll finds.

Over 75% of Americans support additional sanctions on Russia, poll finds

More Republican voters than Democrats supported the additional sanctions with 86% of Republican in favor of the new measures, while 71% of Democratic voters agreeing that the U.S. should impose the me...

kyivindependent.com

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Institute for the Study of War @thestudyofwar.bsky.social · 1d

The RU defense industry is implementing long term efforts to increase T-90 tank production and recreate RU’s pre-war tank reserves, indicating that RU intends to present a long term military threat to NATO. (1/5)

Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, October 11, 2025: isw.pub/UkrWar101125

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Zack Polanski @zackpolanski.bsky.social · 1d

Glad to see Nigel Farage has finally remembered Nathan Gill, former leader of Reform in Wales - found guilty of taking bribes from Russia.

Maybe he'll now remember how much he took from Putin's propaganda broadcaster Russia Today for all his TV appearances when he was a MEP?

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Kelly @broadwaybabyto.bsky.social · 1d

A 15 year old boy with autism went missing earlier this week

He was selling fruit with his family in Springbranch when he disappeared

They filed a missing person’s report & begged the public to help find him

Turns out he was in a Houston ICE detention facility

They kidnapped a disabled child!

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heepst @heepst.bsky.social · 1d

Largest political parties in Europe according to polls

⚫ Far-right
🔵 Center-right
🟡 Center-liberal
🔴 Left

Antti Metsänkylä @antmetsa.bsky.social · 1d

Ei hyvältä näytä.

yle.fi/a/74-20186913

Yksi kuva näyttää, kuinka laitaoikeistosta tuli Euroopan suurin voima

Ääriliikkeet kasvavat sosiaalisessa mediassa ja digialustoilla. Niiden kautta amerikkalaiset kulttuurisodat siirtyvät Eurooppaankin.

yle.fi

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Toomas Hendrik Ilves @ilvestoomas.bsky.social · 23h

www.economist.com/europe/2025/...

Russia is torturing its Ukrainian captives

“Worse than the worst horror film” says the former mayor of Kherson

www.economist.com

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🇩🇰🇺🇦🇬🇪Tordenskjold🔔 @tordenskjoldcph.bsky.social · 2d

Another ignorant comment from the same source.

I think most of us (up North) are more than happy that Nordstream is gone. Any dependence on 🇷🇺 is a security problem.

But ofc no politician will say it publicly.

Law and order actually matters in Europe - unlike where the analysts is located.

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wergenga @wergenga.bsky.social · 2d

Ilves: 40.0% vowels
Sikorski: 37.5% vowels
...
Ashford: 28.6% vowels

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HCSS - The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies @hcss.bsky.social · 1d

Russia continues to test NATO’s borders. What does this mean for Europe’s security?

Join Estonia’s former president @ilvestoomas.bsky.social, HCSS research director Tim Sweijs and @yoerialbrecht.bsky.social in discussion on October 15 at @debalie.bsky.social in Amsterdam

De Balie | At the frontline of Russia’s shadow war: In conversation with Estonia’s former president Toomas Hendrik Ilves - HCSS

Russian MiG-31 fighters entered Estonian airspace on September 19th. The incursion lasted only twelve minutes, but the message was clear: Russia continues to test NATO’s borders. What does this mean…

buff.ly

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