Bessma Momani
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bmomani.bsky.social
Bessma Momani
@bmomani.bsky.social
3.1K followers 980 following 330 posts

Professor at the University of Waterloo and Senior Fellow at CIGI, interested in International Affairs and geopolitics of technology.

Videos
Political science 34%
Economics 31%
Posts Replies Media Videos

Reposted by Bessma Momani

bloomberg.com
Bloomberg News @bloomberg.com · 6h
Gen Z is unleashing a wave of protests that have already toppled multiple governments. These countries face a heightened risk of civil unrest in 2026. bloom.bg/3MTsEEf

📷: Anadolu/Anadolu

Reposted by Tom Clark, John Horgan, Steve Peers , and 8 more

donmoyn.bsky.social
Don Moynihan @donmoyn.bsky.social · 7h
I did not understand this: one of the five Europeans the US has barred from traveling to the United States...is a permanent resident who lives with his family in the US.

Now he is worried about being arrested and deported for the crime of monitoring online hate.
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/25/u...
Judge Blocks Detention of British Researcher Who Scrutinizes Online Hate
www.nytimes.com

Reposted by Steven Heydemann, Martin Tomko, Alessandro Nai , and 4 more

newrepublic.com
The New Republic @newrepublic.com · 12h
President Trump’s spiteful defamation suit against the Pulitzer Prize Board may backfire, as the latter is now demanding Trump’s psychological records, prescription medication records, and tax returns in the discovery process. trib.al/LUCScTR

Reposted by Bessma Momani

politico.eu
POLITICO Europe @politico.eu · 19h
In February, Britain’s Labour government cut international development spending. MPs, aid experts and officials have told us that the scale of the cuts is on a par with the U.S. under Trump.

But barely anyone made a noise.

🔗 politi.co/3MGSf2R

bmomani.bsky.social
Bessma Momani @bmomani.bsky.social · 1d
Beautiful

Reposted by Bessma Momani

ryanlcooper.com
ryan cooper @ryanlcooper.com · 1d
in seriousness I did some rough arithmetic some years back to figure this out. it’s a political question but the money is mostly already there theweek.com/articles/792...

Reposted by Anna O. Law, Jacob T. Levy, Bessma Momani

proptermalone.bsky.social
post malone ergo propter malone @proptermalone.bsky.social · 1d
low stakes posting today reminds me that 1) Facebook is for talking to people you know IRL but don’t like and 2) microblogging sites are for talking to people you don’t know but do like.

we forget these things at our peril

Reposted by Anna O. Law, Eric Goldman, Robert C. Richards , and 5 more

radleybalko.bsky.social
Radley Balko @radleybalko.bsky.social · 1d
So I have the cover story in next month's TNR.

I interviewed the heads of police groups; immigration defense attorneys, ex-judges and ex-prosecutors; former DOJ and DHS officials, and the former head of Border Patrol.

They're all horrified at what we've seen, and they all fear what's coming.
Trump’s Immigration Nightmare: It Is Happening Here
With astonishing speed, the administration has toppled the most cherished pillars of a free society. And the experts agree: It’s all going to get much, much worse.
newrepublic.com

Reposted by Bessma Momani

carnage4life.bsky.social
Dare Obasanjo @carnage4life.bsky.social · 2d
One of the most startling statistics from OpenRouter’s State of AI report is that there is more usage of Open Source models like DeepSeek and LLaMa for AI girlfriends than for programming.

I’m sure selection bias plays a part but it seems the loneliness epidemic and AI is an under-explored subject.

Reposted by Lesley A. Hall, Rebecca Williams, Carlos Nunes Silva , and 1 more

watershedlab.bsky.social
Dr Dan Shugar 🇨🇦 @watershedlab.bsky.social · 2d
🚨Extremely short notice: Looking for prospective PhD or postdoc w/ geological engineering or modelling experience, w/ interests in mountain geohazards for project focused on landslide-triggered tsunamis in subarctic w/ me & @geocron.bsky.social 🧵 🧪⚒️ Pls share!

nserc-crsng.canada.ca/en/news/laun...
Launch of new Canada Impact+ Research Training Awards
As announced in Budget 2025 -
nserc-crsng.canada.ca

Reposted by Will Jennings, Steve Peers, Rosemary A. Joyce , and 4 more

Reposted by Bessma Momani

gord.games
Gord Little @gord.games · 3d
In Canada, the 60 Minutes clip about CECOT that Bari Weiss canned was broadcast. @jasonparis.bsky.social‬ captured it. Enjoy. Bluesky only allows 3 minute videos max. I hope this works. 1/5.

Reposted by Brendan Nyhan, Rebecca Tushnet, David R. Miller , and 3 more

paleofuture.bsky.social
Matt Novak @paleofuture.bsky.social · 4d
Trump says he’s appointing Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry as “special envoy” to Greenland.

Landry has previously expressed support for Trump’s plan to invade Greenland.
Trump: I am pleased to announce that I am appointing the GREAT Governor of Louisiana, Jeff Landry, as the United States Special Envoy to Greenland. Jeff understands how essential Greenland is to our National Security, and will strongly advance our Country's Interests for the Safety, Security, and Survival of our Allies, and indeed, the World. Congratulations Jeff! 4 ReTruths 18 Likes 12/21/25, 6:21 PM

Reposted by Bessma Momani

debcha.bsky.social
Deb Chachra @debcha.bsky.social · 4d
The work that scholars and researchers actually do is the work that people *think* AI is doing. You read all sorts of things. You make connections. You notice where the holes are — what *hasn’t* been observed, questioned, investigated. You synthesize it into something that has never existed before.

Reposted by Bessma Momani

us.theconversation.com
The Conversation U.S. @us.theconversation.com · 4d
ByteDance’s agreement to sell TikTok puts app’s algorithm in the spotlight – a social media expert explains how the ‘For You’ page works and what’s to come buff.ly/JjOckYg
ByteDance’s agreement to sell TikTok puts app’s algorithm in the spotlight – a social media expert explains how the ‘For You’ page works and what’s to come
With a change of ownership in the works, TikTok’s algorithm – the secret sauce of its success – is going to be reset for US users. What differences users will see is unclear, but changes are coming.
theconversation.com

Reposted by David Kaufman, Martin Tomko, Gerald Friedman , and 2 more

maddow.bsky.social
Rachel Maddow @maddow.bsky.social · 4d
"Babies in the randomized, controlled trial will or will not receive the vaccine at birth...

"It is a breach of scientific ethics to withhold an intervention that has been proven safe and effective."

www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
US plan for $1.6m hepatitis B vaccine study in Africa called ‘highly unethical’
Experts decry ‘neocolonialist’ Guinea-Bissau study after Trump administration changed advice for US babies
www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Bessma Momani

washingtonpost.com
The Washington Post @washingtonpost.com · 6d
Indian H-1B visa holders who traveled back to India this month to renew their American work permits are now stranded after their appointments were abruptly canceled and rescheduled for months later, according to immigration lawyers.
H-1B workers flew to India to renew U.S. visas. Now they’re stuck.
H-1B holders who returned to India this month to renew their visas had consular appointments canceled, stranding them far from their homes and jobs, lawyers said.
www.washingtonpost.com

bmomani.bsky.social
Bessma Momani @bmomani.bsky.social · 6d
😂

bmomani.bsky.social
Bessma Momani @bmomani.bsky.social · 6d
Wow. Thank you for sharing that. Young academics are so hard on themselves not finding a position but these odds are crazy, even with a solid and remarkable record. Be kind to yourselves, people!

Reposted by Bessma Momani

bloomberg.com
Bloomberg News @bloomberg.com · 6d
The world’s biggest Earth science conference had a shocking backdrop this year, with the Trump administration announcing that it plans to close an iconic climate research lab. Suffice to say, that changed the tone of the gathering.
Five Takeaways From the World’s Biggest Earth Science Meeting
The world’s biggest Earth science conference had a shocking backdrop this year, with the Trump administration announcing that it plans to close an iconic climate research lab. Suffice to say, that changed the tone of the gathering.
bloom.bg

Reposted by Bessma Momani

washingtonpost.com
The Washington Post @washingtonpost.com · 6d
The Trump administration has moved to appeal a federal judge’s ruling in favor of Harvard University on research funding, signaling that its high-profile fight with the university continues.
Trump administration appeals ruling in Harvard research funding case
A district judge’s ruling had restored funding to the university.
www.washingtonpost.com

Reposted by Richard S.J. Tol, Bessma Momani, Alfie Kohn , and 1 more

darrigomelanie.bsky.social
Melanie D’Arrigo @darrigomelanie.bsky.social · 6d
The 6 richest men in the world are all Trump allies.

They control your algorithms and data on X, TikTok, Twitch, Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads, and YouTube.

Just in case you’re wondering why more isn’t done to stop right-wing bots and misinformation on social media.

Reposted by Anna O. Law, Mark D. White, Robert C. Richards , and 3 more

bachynski.bsky.social
Kathleen Bachynski @bachynski.bsky.social · 6d
New School “administrators have started to implement a plan to close, overhaul or merge about 30 academic programs or majors; pause nearly all admissions to doctoral programs; and offer buyouts or early retirement to what professors say is about 40 percent of the full-time faculty.”
Falling Enrollment, Money Woes: The New School Seeks a Path to Survival
www.nytimes.com

Reposted by Bessma Momani, Simon Lester

apnews.com
The Associated Press @apnews.com · 7d
Police are investigating a link between the Brown University shooting and the killing of an MIT professor, AP sources say.
Police are investigating link between Brown shooting and killing of MIT professor, AP sources say
Authorities are investigating a connection between the mass hooting at Brown University and the killing of an MIT professor, according to three people familiar with the matter who were not authorized to discuss an ongoing investigation and spoke on condition of anonymity.
bit.ly

Reposted by Richard S.J. Tol, Stefan Rahmstorf, Gavin A. Schmidt , and 18 more

atrupar.com
Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 7d
FOX: If you cut something by 100%, the cost goes down to 0. If you cut it by 600%, the drug companies are actually paying you

LUTNICK: What he's saying is if a drug was $100 and you bring it down to $13, it's down 7 times

F: Not a 600% cut

L: But it's 700% higher price before. It's down 700% now

bmomani.bsky.social
Bessma Momani @bmomani.bsky.social · 8d
“Canada’s population fell by roughly 76,000 over the 3rd quarter, largest decline this country has seen in records dating to the 1940s, and a result of major policy changes by Ottawa to curb immigration” gift link www.theglobeandmail.com/gift/ce33a5b...
Canada reports biggest population decline on record
Drop marks the country’s first population decrease outside the pandemic, as Ottawa moves to curb immigration
www.theglobeandmail.com

Reposted by Tom Griffin, Bessma Momani

sandertordoir.bsky.social
Sander Tordoir @sandertordoir.bsky.social · 8d
Woah.

Potentially a big story.

A shenzhen team completed a working prototype of a EUV machine - ASML's most cutting edge - in early 2025. It was built by former ASML engineers, but has not yet produced working chips.

China hopes to produce by 2028-30.

www.reuters.com/world/china/...
Exclusive: How China built its ‘Manhattan Project’ to rival the West in AI chips
In a high-security Shenzhen laboratory, Chinese scientists have built a prototype of a machine capable of producing cutting-edge semiconductor chips that power artificial intelligence, smartphones and...
www.reuters.com

Reposted by Bessma Momani

chadbourn.bsky.social
Mark Chadbourn @chadbourn.bsky.social · 8d
Venezuela’s government has ordered its Navy to escort ships carrying oil out of port following Trump's blockade announcement.

This has the potential to go very badly.

Reposted by Bessma Momani

haleaziz.bsky.social
Hamed Aleaziz @haleaziz.bsky.social · 8d
SCOOP: The Trump administration plans to ramp up efforts to strip some naturalized Americans of their citizenship, according to internal guidance obtained by The New York Times.

www.nytimes.com/2025/12/17/u...
Trump Administration Aims to Strip More Foreign-Born Americans of Citizenship
www.nytimes.com

Reposted by Shannon Vallor, Will Jennings, Steve Peers , and 6 more

bencollins.bsky.social
Tim Onion @bencollins.bsky.social · 8d
The Onion, 23 years ago.

theonion.com/no-blood-for...
Point/Counterpoint: No Blood For Oil vs. Exactly How Much Oil Are We Talking About?