Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Dr. Michael Shank @michaeljohnshank.bsky.social · 7h

“Hyperlocal responses and preparation for natural disasters have gotten increased attention as climate change effects have mounted. The focus is growing more now that Trump seeks to reduce the role of the federal government in disaster preparedness and response.”
www.context.news/climate-risk...

As Trump seeks disaster response cuts, mutual aid networks grow | Context by TRF

As Trump aims to reduce the role of the federal government in disaster preparedness and response, local communities fill the gap

www.context.news

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Reposted by Dr. Michael Shank

Dean Obeidallah @deanobeidallah.bsky.social · 7h

GOP Speaker Johnson refusing to swear in Rep-elect Adelita Grijalva despite winning her election 2 weeks ago with 70% of the vote is a practice run for what GOP plans to do after 2026 election. They will not seat Democrats who won to keep control of the House. Dems need to fight hard this issue now!

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Reposted by Dr. Michael Shank

George Conway 🇺🇸🚫👑🐸 @gtconway.bsky.social · 7h

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Dr. Michael Shank @michaeljohnshank.bsky.social · 22h

Props to all my theater comrades who are replicating this art activism in the modern day. Much needed.

www.npr.org/2025/10/15/n...

Dr. Michael Shank @michaeljohnshank.bsky.social · 23h

Love the art activism. The melting of democracy.

www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/202...

Dr. Michael Shank @michaeljohnshank.bsky.social · 2d

Way to resist, NPR. “Today, NPR will lose access to the Pentagon because we will not sign an unprecedented Defense Department document, which warns that journalists may lose their press credentials for "soliciting" even unclassified information from federal employees.”

www.npr.org/2025/10/14/g...

Dr. Michael Shank @michaeljohnshank.bsky.social · 2d

#PeoplePower matters. Trump recognised that global opinion was turning against Israel due to the horrific atrocities in Gaza. “The world is big and is strong, and ultimately, the world wins,” Trump said.
aje.io/zjaw4l

Five key takeaways from Donald Trump’s Gaza remarks in Middle East

Trump takes credit for ceasefire agreement and promotes 'a new Middle East' without addressing rights of Palestinians.

aje.io

Dr. Michael Shank @michaeljohnshank.bsky.social · 3d

These 8 pillars are essential for any peace-related vetting and evaluation.

Dr. Michael Shank @michaeljohnshank.bsky.social · 3d

Given all the chatter in America right now re: Nobel Peace Prizes, peace processes and presidential credit for ending wars, I thought this evergreen 8-point assessment I wrote for CSM would be a timely repost.
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www.csmonitor.com/Commentary/O...

Eight ingredients for a peaceful society

What makes for a peaceful society? Hot spots from Congo to the Middle East would benefit from such knowledge. But so would the United States, which, at home, isn’t always so harmonious and abroad, is ...

www.csmonitor.com

Dr. Michael Shank @michaeljohnshank.bsky.social · 3d

Given all the chatter in America right now re: Nobel Peace Prizes, peace processes and presidential credit for ending wars, I thought this evergreen 8-point assessment I wrote for CSM would be a timely repost.
.

www.csmonitor.com/Commentary/O...

Eight ingredients for a peaceful society

What makes for a peaceful society? Hot spots from Congo to the Middle East would benefit from such knowledge. But so would the United States, which, at home, isn’t always so harmonious and abroad, is ...

www.csmonitor.com

Dr. Michael Shank @michaeljohnshank.bsky.social · 3d

Powerful protest. “The signs — nailed to trees or wrapped around electricity poles — have appeared across some of the District’s heavily immigrant neighborhoods, marking the anger in a majority-Democratic city where federal immigration arrests have escalated.”

www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/202...

Signs popping up around D.C. note: ‘ICE kidnapping happened here’

The signs range in style and mark numerous locations where people have been taken by federal agents.

www.washingtonpost.com

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Dr. Michael Shank @michaeljohnshank.bsky.social · 3d

In China, more wind turbines and solar panels were installed last year than in the rest of the world combined. China’s clean energy boom is going global. Chinese companies are building electric vehicle and battery factories in Brazil, Thailand, Morocco, Hungary...

www.nytimes.com/interactive/...

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Dr. Michael Shank @michaeljohnshank.bsky.social · 3d

The earth has reached its first catastrophic tipping point linked to greenhouse gas emissions, with warm water coral reefs now facing a long-term decline and risking the livelihoods of hundreds of millions of people, according to a new report.

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Planet’s first catastrophic climate tipping point reached, report says, with coral reefs facing ‘widespread dieback’

Unless global heating is reduced to 1.2C ‘as fast as possible’, warm water coral reefs will not remain ‘at any meaningful scale’, a report by 160 scientists from 23 countries warns

www.theguardian.com

Dr. Michael Shank @michaeljohnshank.bsky.social · 3d

This lands. Time to innovate.

Dr. Michael Shank @michaeljohnshank.bsky.social · 4d

Way to bring the comedy, y’all.
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/11/u...

Among Portland Protests, It’s Frogs and Sharks and Bears, Oh My!

www.nytimes.com

Reposted by Dr. Michael Shank

Gillian Brockell @gbrockell.bsky.social · 9d

Claim: 10 cars rammed ICE
Truth: No cars rammed ICE

Claim: She boxed ICE in
Truth: ICE boxed her in

Claim: She shot a rifle at ICE
Truth: She did not have a rifle

Claim: ICE returned fire
Truth: Only ICE fired

Claim: She drove herself to the hospital
Truth: Paramedics found her

Chicago Sun-Times @chicago.suntimes.com · 9d

Body-camera video appears to contradict the government’s claim that Marimar Martinez, 30, drove toward officers before one of them opened fire at her late Saturday morning in Brighton Park, her attorney claimed.
trib.al/9Sxu9IN

Attorney for woman shot by Border Patrol claims officer said 'Do something b-----' before shooting

Body-camera video appears to contradict the government's claim that Marimar Martinez, 30, drove toward officers before one of them opened fire at her late Saturday morning in Brighton Park, her attorney claimed. A judge ordered Martinez and a co-defendant released pending trial.

trib.al

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Dr. Michael Shank @michaeljohnshank.bsky.social · 5d

This lands.

Dr. Michael Shank @michaeljohnshank.bsky.social · 5d

“It’s a perplexing choice,” says Greg Grandin, a historian of Latin America. “They’ve given it to somebody who’s completely aligned with the most militarist and darkest face of U.S. imperialism.”

www.democracynow.org/2025/10/10/n...

2025 Nobel Peace Prize for Anti-Maduro Leader María Corina Machado “Opposite of Peace”: Greg Grandin

The Norwegian Nobel Committee has awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize to María Corina Machado, a leading Venezuelan opposition figure. Machado was set to run for president last year, but she was disqua...

www.democracynow.org

Dr. Michael Shank @michaeljohnshank.bsky.social · 5d

Resistance from within. “The Trump administration said that its immigration crackdown is hurting farmers and risking higher food prices for Americans by cutting off agriculture’s labor supply.”

www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...

Trump administration says immigration enforcement threatens higher food prices

U.S. farmers face labor shortages and potential food price hikes due to Trump’s immigration policy, the administration acknowledged in a Federal Registry document.

www.washingtonpost.com

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Reposted by Dr. Michael Shank

Ahmed Baba @ahmedbaba.bsky.social · 5d

Mike Johnson is falsely generalizing the “No Kings” protestors as extremists to justify crackdowns. The truth is, they’re patriots.

These protestors don’t “hate America.” They oppose an authoritarian president who tramples on the freedoms and principles America was founded on.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 6d

Mike Johnson: "This hate America rally that they have coming up for October 18? The antifa crowd, the pro-Hamas crowd, and the Marxists, they're all gonna gather on the Mall. It is an outrageous gathering for outrageous purposes ... all this has gotta come to an end."

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Dr. Michael Shank @michaeljohnshank.bsky.social · 5d

LEADERSHIP

fortune.com/2025/10/10/b...

Billionaire MacKenzie Scott doubles down on DEI with $42 million donation | Fortune

In a signal to nonprofits and boardrooms, the Yield Giving philanthropist is backing diversity and equity with no‑strings grants—building on more than $19 billion she’s distributed in five years.

fortune.com

Dr. Michael Shank @michaeljohnshank.bsky.social · 5d

Apolitical motivation for tackling air pollution. “For every additional 10 micrograms of particulates per cubic meter of air there was a corresponding 10 percent increase in infertility risk.”

www.nytimes.com/2025/10/08/c...

She Found a Link Between Air Pollution and Infertility

www.nytimes.com

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Dr. Michael Shank @michaeljohnshank.bsky.social · 5d

This lands.

Reposted by Dr. Michael Shank

The Washington Post @washingtonpost.com · 5d

Breaking news: President Trump will impose a new 100 percent tariff on goods from China, escalating tensions after Chinese leader Xi Jinping issued new export restrictions that upended months of trade negotiations between the two countries.

Trump announces new 100 percent tariffs on China

President Donald Trump said he is unhappy about China’s “hostile” move to limit access to rare minerals and may cancel an upcoming meeting with Xi Jinping.

www.washingtonpost.com

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Dr. Michael Shank @michaeljohnshank.bsky.social · 5d

Way to resist, MIT.

apnews.com/article/mit-...

MIT president says she 'cannot support' proposal to adopt Trump priorities for funding benefits

MIT's president said she “cannot support” a White House proposal that asks MIT and eight other universities to adopt President Donald Trump’s political agenda in exchange for favorable access to feder...

apnews.com