Lightnews

Model Accuses Trump of Rape Former Swiss model Béatrice Keul accused U.S. President Donald Trump of raping her in 1993, according to a Democratic report on his ties to Jeffrey Epstein; Trump denied the allegation. With replies by 🎓Michael D. McDonald, 🎓Olúfẹ́mi Táíwò +42 more scholars.

Bolsonaro reportedly breaches travel ban Brazilian senator Flávio Bolsonaro reportedly traveled to the United States despite a court order barring him from leaving Brazil and requiring him to surrender his passport. With replies by 🎓Cas Mudde, 🎓Walter Russell Mead, 🎓Albert Weale +82 more scholars.

Serbian students oust longtime president Serbia’s student-led opposition list won Sunday’s parliamentary election, ousting nationalist President Aleksandar Vučić after 14 years in power and leaving the movement’s governing plans uncertain. With replies by 🎓Antje Wiener +29 more scholars.

Israelis Vote in Record Numbers Israelis voted in record numbers Tuesday, with turnout reaching its highest level since 1973 amid a close parliamentary contest between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and challenger Gadi Eisenkot. With replies by 🎓Matthew Søberg Shugart +79 more scholars.

Israelis Vote as Turnout Soars Israelis began voting in the first election since the Oct. 7 Hamas attack, with turnout so far the highest since 1973, as Netanyahu accused Arab parties of election theft. With replies by 🎓Matthew Søberg Shugart, 🎓Victor Asal, 🎓Filip Reyntjens +67 more scholars.

Envoys seek to avert war Envoys from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey met Iran’s top security official seeking to prevent a new Gulf war, as Islamabad balanced defense commitments with ties to Tehran. With replies by 🎓Juan Cole, 🎓Vali Nasr, 🎓Scott Lucas +7 more scholars.

The richest 0.1% outpollute billions Oxfam said the world’s richest 0.1% produce more emissions than 3.5 billion people combined, highlighting the outsized climate impact of extreme wealth. With replies by 🎓Helmut Haberl, 🎓Roger A. Pielke, 🎓Prem Sikka +19 more scholars.

Jordan strikes Islamic State targets Jordanian forces struck Islamic State targets in southern Syria after a deadly church attack in Jordan, while Damascus said civilians were killed and it was not consulted. With replies by 🎓Patrick Dunleavy, 🎓Steven Heydemann, 🎓Shibley Telhami +9 more scholars.

AI boom stokes job fears The AI boom prompted concerns across China, Australia and Europe about jobs, cyberattacks and electronics supply as investment and data-center demand surged. With replies by 🎓Brian M. Lucey, 🎓Pedro Domingos, 🎓International Monetary Fund +28 more scholars.

Iran war overshadows Israeli election Israel’s election was overshadowed by its war with Iran, as voters remained divided on major issues but showed greater agreement on continuing the conflict. With replies by 🎓Matthew Søberg Shugart, 🎓Victor Asal, 🎓Jonathan Wolff +60 more scholars.

Israelis face a close vote Israelis voted Tuesday in parliamentary elections pitting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against former army chief Gadi Eisenkot, with polls forecasting a close contest. With replies by 🎓Matthew Søberg Shugart, 🎓Daniel W. Drezner, 🎓Victor Asal +65 more scholars.

Bolsonaro defies reported travel ban Brazilian presidential election loser Flávio Bolsonaro left for the United States despite a reported travel ban, while facing a money-laundering investigation. With replies by 🎓Cas Mudde, 🎓Martha Albertson Fineman, 🎓Jonathan Wolff +55 more scholars.

Young sues Trump over song Neil Young sued Donald Trump’s political action committee for $10 million in a second lawsuit, alleging it used “Rockin’ in the Free World” without permission at recent campaign rallies. With posts by 🎓Steve Peers, 🎓Michael E. Mann, 🎓Timothy D. McBride.

CDC deputy director plans to resign CDC Deputy Director Jennifer Shuford plans to resign after next week’s midterm elections, citing family reasons, amid turmoil over President Donald Trump’s vaccine policies. With replies by 🎓Lawrence O. Gostin, 🎓Joshua S. Weitz, 🎓David Darmofal.

UK weighs local AI investment The UK government was considering requiring data-center developers to invest locally under a new AI covenant, while an investigation found it had not consulted environmental groups. With replies by 🎓International Monetary Fund, 🎓Konstantin Sonin +16 more scholars.

Demographic pressures squeeze pension systems Pension systems in Greece, Italy and the United States face pressures from demographic strain, potential erosion of Italian minimum benefits and U.S. pension funds’ exposure to artificial-intelligence… With replies by 🎓OECD +4 more scholars.

Model Accuses Trump of Rape Former Swiss model Béatrice Keul accused U.S. President Donald Trump of raping her in 1993, according to a Democratic report on his ties to Jeffrey Epstein; Trump denied the allegation. With replies by 🎓Michael D. McDonald, 🎓Olúfẹ́mi Táíwò +51 more scholars.

Anthropic filing reveals steep losses Anthropic filed for a U.S. stock-market listing, revealing soaring revenue alongside multibillion-dollar losses driven by hefty spending on data centers. With replies by 🎓Paul Langley, 🎓Pedro Domingos, 🎓Alex Callinicos +3 more scholars.

Bolsonaro reportedly breaches travel ban Brazilian senator Flávio Bolsonaro reportedly traveled to the United States despite a court order barring him from leaving Brazil and requiring him to surrender his passport. With replies by 🎓Cas Mudde, 🎓Walter Russell Mead, 🎓Albert Weale +77 more scholars.

Serbian students oust longtime president Serbia’s student-led opposition list won Sunday’s parliamentary election, ousting nationalist President Aleksandar Vučić after 14 years in power and leaving the movement’s governing plans uncertain. With replies by 🎓Antje Wiener +28 more scholars.

Israelis Vote in Record Numbers Israelis voted in record numbers Tuesday, with turnout reaching its highest level since 1973 amid a close parliamentary contest between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and challenger Gadi Eisenkot. With replies by 🎓Matthew Søberg Shugart +77 more scholars.

Oxford Street Now Welcomes Pedestrians London’s Oxford Street was pedestrianized under Mayor Sadiq Khan to revive retail, as shoppers praised added space while bus rerouting and possible harm to British retailers drew criticism. With replies by 🎓Ben H. Ansell, 🎓John Appleby +3 more scholars.

Young adults explore chatbot intimacy An Italian study found young adults used chatbots for intimacy as companies marketed AI romance services, though sexting remained a minority behavior. With replies by 🎓Justin Lewis, 🎓Shannon Vallor, 🎓Robert Black +2 more scholars.

Houthis claim Saudi refinery attack Yemen’s Houthi rebels claimed they attacked Saudi Arabia’s Ras Tanura refinery and repelled a hostile advance near the Bab al-Mandab strait. With replies by 🎓Marc Lynch, 🎓Shibley Telhami, 🎓Scott Lucas +5 more scholars.

Israelis Vote as Turnout Soars Israelis began voting in the first election since the Oct. 7 Hamas attack, with turnout so far the highest since 1973, as Netanyahu accused Arab parties of election theft. With replies by 🎓Pippa Norris, 🎓Matthew Søberg Shugart, 🎓Victor Asal +71 more scholars.

Russian Attack Injures Twelve People A Russian attack struck a key bridge and a university building in Kyiv, where Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said 12 people were injured. With posts by 🎓Matthew Bunn, 🎓Scott Lucas, 🎓François Guesnet +2 more scholars.

Students Oust Vučić in Serbia Serbian students defeated longtime leader Aleksandar Vučić at the ballot box, taking power as the European Union offered support, though some victors oppose sanctions on Russia. With replies by 🎓Antje Wiener, 🎓Nathalie Tocci, 🎓Denisa Kostovicova +18 more scholars.

Co-stars debate Brody's Gaza remarks Adam Brody’s Gaza genocide accusation and call for a “free Palestine” drew criticism and support from Jewish co-stars on Netflix’s “Nobody Wants This,” who said disagreements would not disrupt work. With replies by 🎓Shibley Telhami +23 more scholars.

Spain's Right Coordinates Senate Candidates Spain’s conservative People’s Party and Vox agreed to coordinate Senate candidacies for the Nov. 29 election, with each withdrawing in selected provinces to avoid splitting votes. With replies by 🎓Bonnie N. Field, 🎓Pascal Delwit +3 more scholars.

Iran Urged to Avoid Conflict Saudi, Turkish and Pakistani military officials met Iranian counterparts in Tehran, urging Iran to avoid the U.S. conflict as Houthi missile attacks heightened regional tensions. With replies by 🎓Juan Cole, 🎓Vali Nasr, 🎓Scott Lucas +7 more scholars.

Kane wins the Ballon d’Or Harry Kane won the Ballon d’Or in a World Cup year, with analysts saying his individual qualities outweighed the usual preference for a standout from the reigning champions. With replies by 🎓Harry Anthony Patrinos, 🎓Mel Bartley, 🎓Glenn Lyons +8 more scholars.

Hackers Target Italian Parliament Computers Hackers targeted the Italian Chamber of Deputies’ computer systems, including Premier Giorgia Meloni’s parliamentary email account, though it remained unclear whether attackers accessed it. With posts by 🎓Beatriz Gallardo Paúls +2 more scholars.

Court detains Attalah, closes site A Cairo court ordered the independent news site Mada Masr closed and detained editor Lina Attalah over alleged unlicensed operation, after its license applications went unanswered. With posts by 🎓Juan Cole, 🎓Marc Lynch, 🎓Naomi Klein +2 more scholars.

Israeli Voters Turn Out Strongly Israeli voters turned out in large numbers in an election on Tuesday, according to a Swiss newspaper’s daily roundup, which gave no turnout figures. With replies by 🎓Matthew Søberg Shugart, 🎓Victor Asal, 🎓Daniel W. Drezner +12 more scholars.

AI boom stokes job fears The AI boom prompted concerns across China, Australia and Europe about jobs, cyberattacks and electronics supply as investment and data-center demand surged. With replies by 🎓Brian M. Lucey, 🎓Pedro Domingos, 🎓International Monetary Fund +32 more scholars.

Iran war overshadows Israeli election Israel’s election was overshadowed by its war with Iran, as voters remained divided on major issues but showed greater agreement on continuing the conflict. With replies by 🎓Pippa Norris, 🎓Matthew Søberg Shugart, 🎓Victor Asal +63 more scholars.

Bolsonaro defies reported travel ban Brazilian presidential election loser Flávio Bolsonaro left for the United States despite a reported travel ban, while facing a money-laundering investigation. With replies by 🎓Cas Mudde, 🎓Martha Albertson Fineman, 🎓Jonathan Wolff +49 more scholars.

Anthropic warns of AI risks Anthropic unveiled plans to go public in the United States, releasing pre-listing documents that detailed its business and warned of possible multibillion-dollar losses and risks to humanity from AI. With replies by 🎓Pedro Domingos, 🎓Paul Langley +8 more scholars.

Israelis face a close vote Israelis voted Tuesday in parliamentary elections pitting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against former army chief Gadi Eisenkot, with polls forecasting a close contest. With replies by 🎓Pippa Norris, 🎓Matthew Søberg Shugart, 🎓Daniel W. Drezner +64 more scholars.

EU Proposes Expanded Frontex Powers The European Commission proposed Tuesday expanding Frontex’s mandate to monitor public social media, support migrant returns beyond EU borders and deploy a rapid-response force, drawing rights concerns. With posts by 🎓Steve Peers +2 more scholars.

French students plan school blockades French students and student groups planned more demonstrations and school blockades despite government promises of more teachers and renovation funds, which protesters and educators called insufficient. With replies by 🎓Alberto Alemanno +9 more scholars.

Romania tightens security after fire Romania tightened security at strategic sites after a fire at the Carfil industrial platform in Brasov, which prosecutors said was linked to a Russia-directed sabotage network. With posts by 🎓Kori Schake, 🎓Scott Lucas, 🎓José Antonio Noguera +3 more scholars.

US charges Comey over secrets U.S. prosecutors charged former FBI Director James Comey for a third time, alleging he disclosed information related to national security. With replies by 🎓Valerie P. Hans, 🎓Brendan Nyhan, 🎓Jack Goldsmith +10 more scholars.

Germans saved nearly a fifth German households saved nearly one-fifth of their disposable income in 2025, less than in 2024 but more than all European countries except one, according to data. With posts by 🎓Klaus Adam, 🎓Peter Tillmann, 🎓Stefan Bach +2 more scholars.

EU urges climate resilience plans The European Commission proposed a climate-resilience framework urging member states to prepare for a world three degrees Celsius warmer, saying emissions cuts alone are insufficient. With replies by 🎓Roger A. Pielke, 🎓James M. Bullock +20 more scholars.

Nordic outreach exposes European divisions Finland’s President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre held a 90-minute call with Vladimir Putin as they sought to revive Ukraine peace talks, urging de-escalation and reaffirming… With replies from 20 scholars.

Kane wins 2026 Ballon d'Or Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane won the 2026 men’s Ballon d’Or in London, becoming the first Englishman to claim football’s top individual award in 25 years. With replies by 🎓Steve Fuller, 🎓Harry Anthony Patrinos, 🎓Glenn Lyons +8 more scholars.

Ebola outbreak tops 10,000 cases The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo surpassed 10,000 cases and nearly 4,900 deaths, with infections also confirmed in Kenya and Nigeria. With posts by 🎓Óscar Zurriaga, 🎓Devi Sridhar, 🎓Timothy D. McBride +2 more scholars.

Israeli election could topple Netanyahu Israelis voted Tuesday in a closely contested election that could end Benjamin Netanyahu’s rule, with Arab parties potentially pivotal in forming a parliamentary majority. With replies by 🎓Pippa Norris, 🎓Matthew Søberg Shugart +58 more scholars.

UN Says Israel Continued Genocide A U.N. commission of inquiry said Israel continued committing genocide in Gaza after last October’s cease-fire, a charge Israeli officials rejected. With replies by 🎓Patrick Dunleavy, 🎓Omer Bartov, 🎓Philip N. Cohen +41 more scholars.