Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Peter Relph ᴀᴜ

Rosie de Kat 🌱🍉🍉 @rosiedekat.bsky.social · 2h

In June, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu admitted his government was arming some Gazan clans, gangs and militias, such as the Popular Forces, led by Yasser Abu Shabab.

Netanyahu’s rationale was that any opposition to Hamas helped Israel.

Hamas is battling powerful clans for control in Gaza – who are these groups and what threat do they pose?

Many clans and gangs are taking advantage of a security vacuum in Gaza to reassert their authority – some backed by Israel.

theconversation.com

3 2

Peter Relph ᴀᴜ @peterrelph.bsky.social · 1h

The electoral system is divorced from the selection of government

you may have the best system in the world for the casting & counting of votes

but that system does not choose the candidates nor how they associate nor the structure of the bodies they form

even in the best, let alone the worst

1

Reposted by Peter Relph ᴀᴜ

Geelan Mitchell Media @victoriannews.com.au · 13h

"Since elections cannot be determined by turnout, they are decided by swing voters and won in the centre ... That is one reason Australia's version of the far right lacks anything like the power of its European or American counterparts."

(Waleed Aly, Monash University, Political Science).

2 1

Reposted by Peter Relph ᴀᴜ

PapaJ @michiganpapa.bsky.social · 1d

"You can never get justice in a world where criminals make the rules."

Bob Marley

9 58 190

Peter Relph ᴀᴜ @peterrelph.bsky.social · 14h

You know that scene in Space Odyssey 2001 where the ape-like creatures are pushing & shoving each other?

We have not progressed

3

Reposted by Peter Relph ᴀᴜ

OpheliaPG @opheliapg.bsky.social · 20h

Secret IDF Base Hit by Iran during 12-Day war youtu.be/lOKj-jCwA6o?...

5 4

Reposted by Peter Relph ᴀᴜ

Alt National Park Service @altnps.bsky.social · 1d

410 3.1K 14K

Reposted by Peter Relph ᴀᴜ

John Pfaff @johnpfaff.bsky.social · 21h

To be clear:

LA County has declared a state of emergency BECAUSE OF the federal government.

The Feds, LA County is (correctly) saying, have CAUSED the emergency.

This is a striking political moment of internal collapse. Local govts feeling compelled to protect their ppl from … their own govt.

Los Angeles County declares state of emergency over immigration raids

Los Angeles County officials voted on Tuesday to declare a state of emergency over ongoing federal immigration raids.

abcnews.go.com

270 7.6K 19K

Reposted by Peter Relph ᴀᴜ

Sarajadebl @sarajadebl.bsky.social · 16h

#SussanLey responds to #JamesPaterson speech BL Covert chin raiser can’t hide feeling superior Sussan . You will always leak BL. Her contemptuousness is a Micro expression on her face that is now permanent. Lip is distorted and permanently pulls up to the left. Smug contempt.

4 22

Reposted by Peter Relph ᴀᴜ

Krassensteins @krassenstein.bsky.social · 1d

640 4.9K 16K

Reposted by Peter Relph ᴀᴜ

BladeoftheSun @bladeofthes.bsky.social · 15h

The 'protect our women thugs' standing outside Asylum Seeker residences threatening women with rape while the Police do nothing.

60 190 280

Reposted by Peter Relph ᴀᴜ

Motivist @motivist.bsky.social · 15h

NZ could use a couple of near new ferries. We can give you a couple of slabs for them.

1 4 18

Reposted by Peter Relph ᴀᴜ

Tim Lyons @picketer.bsky.social · 15h

So to summarise: the Tas government bought two ships, that are years late, to run between Devonport and Geelong, but there is no wharf at all for them at Devonport because people forgot to build one and they can't safely use the wharf at Geelong.

ABC News (Unofficial) @abc-news.bsky.social · 17h

Breaking: Spirit of Tasmania IV ship unable to berth at Point Henry in Geelong, report finds: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10-15/spirit-of-tasmania-iv-unable-to-berth-at-geelong/105883912

Breaking: Spirit of Tasmania IV ship unable to berth at Point Henry in Geelong, report finds

The ABC understands that a recent safety assessment found the berth would need two additional bollards for the ship to berth there at a cost of $2 million.

www.abc.net.au

29 42 99

Reposted by Peter Relph ᴀᴜ

Peter Relph ᴀᴜ @peterrelph.bsky.social · 21h

The rest of the world watches America sinking, self-flagellating into a bottomless bog of its own careful design

thinks "what can be learn from that?"

"No, I don't think we can improve on that, let's do it too"

#politics

1 5 11

Reposted by Peter Relph ᴀᴜ

Laura Webster @lauraewebster.bsky.social · 1d

NEW: A Scottish counter-terrorism board found that Palestine Action's activities weren't close to the threshold to be considered terrorism .... before the group was banned by the Labour Government

www.thenational.scot/news/2554306...

Palestine Action 'not close' to being terror group, files show Scottish board found

A SCOTTISH counter-terrorism board found that Palestine Action’s activities fell below the threshold to be considered terrorism before the group…

www.thenational.scot

5 110 210

Reposted by Peter Relph ᴀᴜ

Sarajadebl @sarajadebl.bsky.social · 16h

FFS this man #AndrewHastie wants to be the leader of the opposition and dreams of being Prime Minister? This is a dangerous man with a huge ego, lacking in empathy and vindictive. Sounds like a threat there as well.

5 5 26

Reposted by Peter Relph ᴀᴜ

Peggy Sanders @peggysanders.bsky.social · 19h

Michael Pascoe:
“If anyone was hoping for significant economic reform to improve Australia’s outlook, to realise this nation’s enormous potential, hope buried Monday 13/10 when Treasurer Chalmers announced PM Albanese’s reformed superannuation reform.”

michaelwest.com.au/albos-supera....

Albo’s super dance: one step forward, one backward, one to the side - Michael West

It was Jim Chalmers’ superannuation reform but we get Anthony Albanese’s reform of the reform - Government is risk-adverse and incremental

michaelwest.com.au

11 38 60

Reposted by Peter Relph ᴀᴜ

Jenny Frecklington-Jones #IStandWithWatermelon🍉🍉 @joneshowdareyou.bsky.social · 17h

It’s an exciting week for the penguin community, we’re all waiting to see who is the winner … I mean loser
— First Dog on the Moon
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

10 28

Reposted by Peter Relph ᴀᴜ

jondmaas.bsky.social @jondmaas.bsky.social · 1d

How to turn down an invitation c/o Harold Pinter, born on this day in 1930.

1 22 85

Peter Relph ᴀᴜ @peterrelph.bsky.social · 21h

The rest of the world watches America sinking, self-flagellating into a bottomless bog of its own careful design

thinks "what can be learn from that?"

"No, I don't think we can improve on that, let's do it too"

#politics

1 5 11

Reposted by Peter Relph ᴀᴜ

Jon Cooper @joncooper-us.bsky.social · 1d

Cartoon by @mluckovich.bsky.social.

23 330 970

Reposted by Peter Relph ᴀᴜ

Kathryn Tewson @kathryntewson.bsky.social · 1d

Whooooooo.

MR. KHOJASTEH: Your Honor, with respect, do you
doubt the fact that a retainer [sic] is in place in -- a
detainer is in place?
THE COURT: I absolutely doubt the fact until I see
it. Because you know what? You all have taken a position over
and over again that you have done things lawfully, and then a
witness gets on the stand yesterday and admits you haven't done
it lawfully.
MR. KHOJASTEH: What did the witness say yesterday
that was unlawfully?
THE COURT: I'm not here to answer your questions,
sir. You're here to answer mine.

19 140 740

Reposted by Peter Relph ᴀᴜ

Kathryn Tewson @kathryntewson.bsky.social · 1d

It gets worse

THE COURT: What is -- what are the defendants
willing to do in terms of advanced notice to Mr. Abrego's
counsel or to this court as to which fork in the road you
choose?
MR. KHOJASTEH: My understanding is Mr. Abrego Garcia
is going to have the ability to contact his counsel when he's
in the detention facility.
THE COURT: That means you're not willing to answer
my question. Have the ability, what does that mean? What specifically are you going to do?

6 18 190

Reposted by Peter Relph ᴀᴜ

Acyn @acyn.bsky.social · 23h

Stevens: There’s $1.3 trillion of credit card debt. There are people putting grocery bills on credit cards and then paying interest on them. We are in an affordability crisis. Coffee is up 20%, beef is up 16%, bacon is up over 10%. And now we’re going to see health care costs skyrocket.

350 3.2K 8.6K

Reposted by Peter Relph ᴀᴜ

Mueller, She Wrote @muellershewrote.com · 1d

This isn’t a peace plan. It’s a ceasefire. Why is the media calling it a peace plan?

1.5K 3.8K 18K