Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Rory Taylor @rorytaylor.bsky.social · 7h

So these supposed narcoterrorists are so dangerous that they need to be executed by drone strike at sea, but if captured it's safe to just repatriate them and not prosecute them? Or perhaps the US has just been murdering people in the Caribbean?

NYT: Breaking News: The Trump administration has decided to repatriate two survivors of a deadly U.S. strike on suspected drug runners in the Caribbean Sea rather than prosecute or hold them in military detention, people with knowledge of the matter said.

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Rory Taylor @rorytaylor.bsky.social · 4d

There it is

BBC breaking news:
Military says it is seizing power - reportspublished at 14:30
14:30Breaking

Following the vote to impeach Rajoelina, elite military unit CAPSAT says it is taking power, the Reuters news agency reports.

AFP reports that an "army colonel" says the military has taken charge.

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Reposted by Rory Taylor

Henry Mance @henrymance.ft.com · 5d

The right-wing campaign group that helped topple Roe v Wade in the US is now working to roll back abortion laws in the UK, with the help of Nigel Farage.

Its first step? Trying to create a debate around "free speech"
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/13/w...

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Rory Taylor @rorytaylor.bsky.social · 6d

If Paul Biya gets defeated in Cameroon that would really cap it all off

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Rory Taylor @rorytaylor.bsky.social · 6d

So in one weekend we've had:
🇯🇵 Japan's decades long ruling coalition splits
🇫🇷 France gets a new(ish) PM
🇵🇪 Peru's president impeached
🇲🇬 Madagascar's president possibly ousted
🇻🇪 Nobel Peace Prize awarded
🇵🇸 Gaza ceasefire comes into force
🇵🇰 Pakistan-Taliban clashes

Anything I've missed?

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Rory Taylor @rorytaylor.bsky.social · 6d

Rajoelina might be about to leave office the way he entered it

The Associated Press @apnews.com · 6d

BREAKING: An attempted coup is underway in the Indian Ocean island of Madagascar, the country's president says.

An attempted coup is underway in Madagascar, the country's president says

The president of madagascar says an attempted coup is underway in the Indian Ocean island country. A statement from President Andry Rajoelina’s office said it “wishes to inform the nation and the international community that an attempt to seize power illegally and by force” has been “initiated” on S

bit.ly

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Reposted by Rory Taylor

The Associated Press @apnews.com · 8d

Peru’s Congress has voted to remove deeply unpopular President Dina Boluarte from office as a crime wave grips the South American nation.

Peru’s Congress votes to remove President Boluarte as a crime wave grips the country

Peru’s Congress voted to remove deeply unpopular President Dina Boluarte from office as a crime wave grips the South American nation.

bit.ly

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Rory Taylor @rorytaylor.bsky.social · 9d

Obviously very very welcome news but I have a real sinking feeling that as soon as the hostages are returned, Netanyahu will hit resume and plunge Gaza back into violence. As far as I can tell there are no safeguards against this, but I really hope I am proven wrong.

Unofficial BBCNews (World) Bot @bbcnews-world-rss.bsky.social · 9d

Watch: Scenes of celebration in Gaza after peace deal announcement

Palestinians celebrate on the streets of Khan Younis after the first phase of a Gaza peace deal was agreed.

www.bbc.com

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Rory Taylor @rorytaylor.bsky.social · 10d

Quite the headline

Reuters: "Trump calls for jailing Democratic leaders as troops prepare for Chicago deployment"

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Rory Taylor @rorytaylor.bsky.social · 12d

Monsieur Macron I am ready to serve

POLITICO Europe @politico.eu · 12d

🚨 BREAKING: French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu and his government have resigned.

Read the developing story: ow.ly/6uzZ50X6TAz

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Rory Taylor @rorytaylor.bsky.social · 18d

Prime example of why the immigration conversation is so misinformed:

@thetimes.com writes an article about the 1.3m people who've moved to the UK since Brexit, vast majority of whom came on work/study/family visas...

And yet every single photo in the article is of small boat/Channel crossings

The Times & Sunday Times @thetimes.com · 18d

Tough new conditions to be imposed on migrants who want to settle in the UK will not apply to more than a million people who arrived in the UK under the post-Brexit immigration surge

Labour’s tough new rules will not apply to migrants already in UK

www.thetimes.com

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Wales Governance Centre | Canolfan Llywodraethiant Cymru @walesgovernance.bsky.social · Sep 16

Our new BARN Cymru poll run with @itvcymruwales.bsky.social and @yougov.co.uk has landed 📈 #Senedd26 #Wales #Cymru

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Rory Taylor @rorytaylor.bsky.social · Sep 11

I'm wary of speculating on someone's health but it's hard to deny that he's looking increasingly like post-2013 Bouteflika

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · Sep 11

Trump at a 9/11 commemoration

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Rory Taylor @rorytaylor.bsky.social · Sep 4

The frankly insane political maneuvring that's been going on in Thai politics is the subject of my most recent video. It's hard to write anything about it that isn't instantly overtaken by a dramatic new twist!

youtu.be/tk9n3EDqeN4

Thailand's Neverending Political Crisis Explained

YouTube video by TLDR News Global

youtu.be

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Rory Taylor @rorytaylor.bsky.social · Sep 4

Looks like Thailand's influential ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra is returning to self-imposed exile ahead of tomorrow's PM vote and next week's verdict that could see him jailed.

He says he's heading to Singapore for a checkup and will be back tomorrow, but that's definitely not the way to Singapore...

Flightradar24 screenshot showing Thaksin Shinawatra's private jet. Was heading south to Singapore but sharply diverted west and is now heading in the direction of India, perhaps ultimately to Dubai.

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Rory Taylor @rorytaylor.bsky.social · Aug 20

And yet the best we can muster is "don't do it".

David Lammy tweet: The UK condemns the decision by Israel’s Higher Planning Committee today to approve the E1 settlement plan.

If implemented, it would divide a Palestinian state in two, mark a flagrant breach of international law and critically undermine the two-state solution.

The Israeli government must reverse this decision.

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Rory Taylor @rorytaylor.bsky.social · Aug 20

Happening right in front of our eyes

Reuters headline: Israel approves settlement plan to erase idea of Palestinian state

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Rory Taylor @rorytaylor.bsky.social · Jul 14

Ishiba gone by the end of next week?

Tobias Harris @tobiasharris.bsky.social · Jul 14

I think we're going to see a political earthquake in Japan, folks. This chart is likelihood of voting one week out this year compared to 2022. Not only is turnout looking higher, but look at the age groups that are planning to vote at higher rates (green bars).

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Nadja Lovadinov @lovadinov.bsky.social · Jul 14

Among the interesting pieces in TooLong005🗽 is
@alonso-gd.bsky.social's great article, plus insights from several other experts, including an interview with Prof. @jameskerlindsay.bsky.social, conducted by Zac and I, on the weakening of the international order. 🌐 Make sure to pick up your copy!🗞️

Alonso Gurmendi @alonso-gd.bsky.social · Jul 5

I have an article coming up in this on “what drives anti-establishment feeling in Peru”. Be sure to get it an support the good folks at TLDR

TLDR News @tldrnews.bsky.social · Apr 28

01/08/25

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Reposted by Rory Taylor

Alonso Gurmendi @alonso-gd.bsky.social · Jul 5

I have an article coming up in this on “what drives anti-establishment feeling in Peru”. Be sure to get it an support the good folks at TLDR

TLDR News @tldrnews.bsky.social · Apr 28

01/08/25

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Rory Taylor @rorytaylor.bsky.social · Jun 30

This one simple trick could make Rachel Reeves' life so much easier.

HS2? That's military spending.
The entire NHS? Military spending.
Welfare state? Military spending.
Bridge from Scotland to Northern Ireland? Military spending.

POLITICO Europe @politico.eu · Jun 30

Faced with a daunting new NATO spending target, Italian politicians are proposing that a long-discussed €13.5 billion bridge to Sicily should be defined as military expenditure.

Italy’s grand plan to meet NATO target: A €13.5B bridge to Sicily

Meloni’s deputy prime ministers are keen to class the bridge as a NATO-related project. But does it really mesh with Europe’s military goals?

ow.ly

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Rory Taylor @rorytaylor.bsky.social · Jun 23

Each ready to watch here:
youtu.be/QUllOiNkjCg
youtu.be/KBZ6tzyij2c
youtu.be/lScgM7mKeaw

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Rory Taylor @rorytaylor.bsky.social · Jun 23

It's not quite The Lord of the Rings or the Cornetto trilogy, but my latest video on Lula completes a trilogy of Latin American polling videos on TLDR Global:

🇧🇷 Why Lula's popularity is fading
🇲🇽 Why Claudia Sheinbaum is so popular
🇵🇪 Why Dina Boluarte is the world's most unpopular leader

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Rory Taylor @rorytaylor.bsky.social · Jun 13

Regime change at TLDR. Patriots are in control. Trust the plan.

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Rory Taylor @rorytaylor.bsky.social · Jun 12

You weren't far off: "Sánchez also announced a restructuring of the PSOE's federal executive committee"

El Paid news update:
Sánchez: “We shouldn't have trusted him.”

The Prime Minister and Secretary General of the PSOE has stated that he will launch an "external audit" of the party's accounts and lamented the trust placed in Santos Cerdán: "We shouldn't have trusted him."

Sánchez also announced a restructuring of the PSOE's federal executive committee. "It causes me enormous indignation and profound sadness to see that an entire political project, in which millions of people trust and on which millions depend, is affected by the conduct of a few," he said.

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