Izumi Sakamoto

Israel orders closure of al-Awda Hospital, a ‘lifeline’ in north Gaza Dozens of people remain at the medical centre, the last functioning hospital in the north of the Palestinian territory.

Dozens of people remain at the medical centre, the last functioning hospital in the north of the Palestinian territory.

There’s a new COVID variant driving up infections. A virologist explains what to know about NB.1.8.1 Early signs suggest NB.1.8.1 may be more transmissible than earlier variants, likely due to mutations in the spike protein. But there’s no evidence it’s more severe.

theconversation.com/theres-a-new...

Your School House Rock moment......

This priest has advocated for LGBTQ Catholics. Here's what he thinks of the conclave Pope Francis worked to make the Catholic Church more open to the LGBTQ community. NPR's Scott Detrow speaks with the Rev. James Martin about what direction the new pontiff could take the church.

Pope Francis worked to make the Catholic Church more open to the LGBTQ community. NPR's Scott Detrow speaks with the Rev. James Martin about what direction the new pontiff could take the church.

How Israel’s ‘plan’ for Gaza could turbocharge ethnic cleansing Israel has launched a new plan for Gaza which could induce ethnic cleansing and advance a genocide, say experts.

Israel has launched a new plan for Gaza which could induce ethnic cleansing and advance a genocide, say experts.

Also, the process of colonisation usually involved playing off tensions between rival ethnic groups. So they’d create a sectarian war, escalate it to genocidal levels, then say “we’re off home, your border is around there somewhere, I’m sure you’ll figure it”.

The Guardian has an 'explainer' about the India-Pakistan conflict that manages to avoid stating that the border between the countries was originally drawn by an Englishman who had never been to India and signed off on in a hurry by Lord Mountbatten because he had to get back to Britain for a party.

Research at risk: Life-saving heart pumps for babies | Cornell Chronicle After receiving a stop-work order from the federal government, the future of a device to help children with heart defects is uncertain.

One of grants frozen at Cornell: $6.7M (4 yrs) to develop heart pumps for babies born w/ heart defects.

It took decades of work to get to point of prepping device for in-human clinical trials. No private company could do this.

The cruelty of the Trump administration is heartbreaking. So to speak.

You are all invited to register for the new Affilia webinar on May 8 -- this time about arts-based research! bit.ly/AffiliaWebinarMay2025

I was thrilled to share survey and interview findings from the Eloping Project at the University of Sheffield yesterday. Thanks to @davidbenshannon.bsky.social and the School of Education for hosting!

Slides available through the link.

uwaterloo.ca/scholar/m23g...

Worked with colleagues from YUFA (York), OCADFA, SGPPUM (Montréal), & AUNBT (UNB) to ask @caut.bsky.social to form a Task Force (including a researcher on Palestine) on the repression of freedom of expression & research on Palestine on university & college campuses. Thanks Council for passing it!

oh fuck

there's been an E. Coli outbreak and the Trump administration essentially hid it

How tariffs could impact the availability of baby products NPR's Mary Louise Kelly speaks with Steven Dunn founder and CEO of Munchkin a U.S.-based company selling lifestyle products for mothers, babies and children. Dunn has written an open letter to Preside...

NPR's Mary Louise Kelly speaks with Steven Dunn founder and CEO of Munchkin a U.S.-based company selling lifestyle products for mothers, babies and children. Dunn has written an open letter to President Trump and Congress about how tariffs could harm his business and American families.

Congratulations!!

Power up and great work #WHO #WorldHealthDay2025
@aphapublichealth.bsky.social @populationhealth.bsky.social @wilsoncentermhi.bsky.social @maternalhealth.bsky.social @asha617.bsky.social @mmhalliance.bsky.social @acog-org.bsky.social

www.who.int/news/item/21...

Another lavender scare!

Migrants, Deported to Panama Under Trump Plan, Detained in Remote Jungle Camp The group of unauthorized migrants, which includes children, were bused to the camp late Tuesday night. “It looks like a zoo, there are fenced cages,” said one of the detainees.

Asylum seekers are deported to Panama, locked in a hotel without access to counsel, and then sent to a jungle detention camp which one migrant described as “a zoo with cages.” Among them are 8 children.

www.nytimes.com/2025/02/19/w...

STAT is backing up and monitoring CDC data in real time: See what's changing STAT is backing up and monitoring CDC data in real time: See what's changing.

Just in case: @statnews.com has backed up and is monitoring #CDC 's data. www.statnews.com/2025/02/14/t...

It’s important to know that a lot of productive activity is happening in person and offline, too.

Not all of it can be broadcast online, but we’ve had hundreds of people showing up to our trainings, mobilizations, and more.

Keep going. Tyranny is eroded by a sea of small acts. Everything matters.

Declassified CIA Guide to Sabotaging Fascism Is Suddenly Viral The World War II-era "Simple Sabotage Field Manual" is full of steps that office workers can take to resist leadership.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a declassified World War II-era CIA guide to sabotaging fascism in the workplace has become one of the most popular free ebooks on the internet:

www.404media.co/declassified...

Yes, this administration is dangerous and cruel, but they are also shockingly dim and incompetent.

Opportunities are everywhere.

Make everything as hard as possible. Resist every demand. Refuse entry without a warrant. Don’t take the buyout. Their problem solving skills are 📉

Nearly all coffee consumed in the United States is imported, and the largest source of that coffee is Colombia. Trump is putting a 25% tax on our top source of coffee, and that tax will be passed on to American consumers

Trump has threatened the visas of international student protesters. A post-grad at risk shares his fears | CNN Post-grad student Momodou Taal nearly lost his student visa after taking part in protests. He says international students may face the same dilemma as him.

On the campaign trail, President Trump promised to deport visa-holders that participated in pro-Palestinian protests on campus.

Now, he has issued an executive order that could be used to do just that.

A photo of a person holding up a handmade rally sign reading "A world without trans people has never existed and never will" among a group of protesters.

Trans people have been here since the beginning.

And we're not going anywhere.

📍 The People's March
📸 Will Martinez

🍉🍉🍉

😡😡😡

Great news! Keep on fighting! #marriageforall
#lgbtq+
#japan

Honoring Palestinian Poets in a Time of Genocide: Poems from National Book Award Winner Lena Khalaf Tuffaha + Finalist Fady Joudah - Mizna Love takes the form of rain clouds: we accumulate despite our im/possible wounds, gather even in miraculous conditions. We join our kin in the swarm, all of whom gathering, like us, as waters from unk...

For Mizna, I reflect on this moment of honoring Palestinians at the National Book Awards @nationalbook.bsky.social & sit more deeply with @lenakt.bsky.social & Fady Joudah's earth-shattering books. An honor to publish both finalist readings, including Fady's new poem 🍉🇵🇸

mizna.org/mizna-online...

LGBTQ Centers in US Experience Increased Harassment, Threats, and Violence - Women’s Media Center A new report documents connections between violent threats and anti-LGBTQ rhetoric and legislation.

73% Increase in Harassment, Threats, and Violence at LGBTQ Centers- Women’s Media Center
womensmediacenter.com/news-feature...