Masoud Abkenar

From the scholar who was once invited to lecture in the Munich University (LMU) but then was dis-invited due to pressure:

"I have been travelling in countries that have a very repressive record and seeing still my word has not been silenced, and still I have not been receiving remote vauge subliminal threats that I could be arrested. So let's be honest, this is the heart of Europe and it looks pretty scary."

Francesca Albanese, Italian legal scholar and expert on human rights. She has served as the United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories.

If you are German, this interview might be interesting for you:

UN Rapporteur Francesca Albanese on Germany's Role in Gaza Genocide & Repression of Dissent
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dGR74upAjoA

#FrancescaAlbanese #Palestine #Israel #Genocide #Germany

> A brave leader is not someone who is armed with all the answers. A brave leader is not someone who can facilitate a flawless discussion on hard topics. A brave leader is someone who says *I see you. I hear you. I don't have all the answers, but I'm going to keep listening and asking questions.* We all have the capacity to do that. We all have the ability to foster empathy. If we want to do good work، it's imperative that we continue to flesh out these harder conversions, to push against secrecy, silence, and judgement.

Brené Brown, Dare to Lead (2018)

#DareToLead #Leadership #Empathy #Mamagement

RE: @j9t@mas.to

This is not your typical grassroots campaign for collecting signatures. You should absolutely continue supporting those other campaigns as well, but this is different.

This is a mechanism in the EU by which such a campaign, called an ECI [1], can set the agenda for the European Commission to formally debate a Regulation [2] or Directive [3].

As if we, the people who sign the campaign, are in the same position as the European Parliament to directly initiate this process.

In just two months the campaign has collected more that half (558k) of its target number of signatures (1M). We are in a good position to achieve the goal in one year. But I think we should smash the goal and reach 10M to send a strong message.

If you are a citizen of EU, or have friends who are, you know the 2 things you can do now ;)

SIGN and SHARE!

#Israel #Palestine #EU #ECI #EuropeanCommission #Gaza #War #IranWar #Genocide

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Citizens'_Initiative
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regulation_(European_Union)
[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Directive_(European_Union)

Excuse me to repost stuff from elsewhere, but it was so funny!
Source: https://m.youtube.com/shorts/SU7n3NqmnOo
#Politics #US #Iran

Der Krieg muss ein für alle Mal enden. Ein Deal allein wird die brandgefährliche Politik von Donald #Trump nicht verändern.Wir stehen an der Seite der Menschen im Iran, die für Freiheit kämpfen, und wir verurteilen das autoritäre Regime der Mullahs genauso klar. Wer für Frieden ist, muss beides sagen können: Nein zum Krieg und nein zur UnterdrückungDass die europäischen Staatschefs zu dieser Eskalation weitgehend schweigen, allen voran #Merz, ist beschämend. Der einzige europäische Regierungschef, der derzeit einigermaßen Haltung beweist, ist #Sánchez in Spanien. Europa darf sich nicht weiter wegducken.Auch in #Deutschland muss Schluss sein mit blinder Gefolgschaft gegenüber den #USA. Wenn von deutschem Boden aus Kriege unterstützt werden, macht uns das mitverantwortlich. Das muss Konsequenzen haben: #Ramstein muss geschlossen werden.

@inesschwerdtner@linke.social @dielinke@mastodon.social #DieLinke

Just stumbled upon this recent #survey from the #US population, via Axios. The screenshot is my favorite page of the survey.

Source: https://www.atlasintel.org/poll/usa-national-2026-05-11

#AtlasNationalPoll #AtlasIntel #poll

Will other countries join?

#Spain removes ambassador from #Israel in protest to Iran #war, #Gaza #genocide

Madrid recalls ambassador amid rising diplomatic tensions and criticism of #US-Israeli actions in #Iran.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/3/11/spain-removes-ambassador-from-israel-as-opposes-war-on-iran-gaza-genocide

AI is best served local. No cloud, no crumbs, no one else at the table.

As horrible as the news of #war in the middle east are, I have to also worry about all my nearest family members, relatives, and long-time friends who are living in #Iran 😢

We as a civilization are failing miserably this time around, but we have to at least keep our strengths to make a better, more just world for our children.

Please, whoever you are and wherever in the world you live, don't underestimate your power. Yes, I am talking to you!

Actions, no matter how small, have long-term impacts. Together, they can change history. Please get active in your own communities. Say loud what you think is right and do what you think is worthwhile.

When we all do, we can change history our children will read. They will be proud.

I look around the world and I see it's those brave women who are trying and who will save us.

Today I learned that staying away from television and algorithmic-feeds and not following war-hungry genocide-complicit mainstream media is necessary, but not enough.

#TIL

RE: @Geri@mastodon.online

I did not know about this at all. Wow.

RE: @masoud@persadon.com

Oh my God, Trump and Vance and Leavitt and Netanyahu are all lying about the ceasefire? I cannot believe it 😱

#Trump #Vance #Leavitt #Netanyahu

At a random book shop in Munich, Germany: We are mainstream!

Notice that Enshittification (the original English book) is not in the "English Books" shelf, rather under "Toptitel" 😁
#Enshittification #Cory_Doctorow

Excellent opinion piece in The Guardian by Nathalie Tocci:

Europe’s reaction to Trump’s war on Iran is a disaster – for Europe itself

Meloni, Merz and von der Leyen may believe they are being more realistic and pragmatic than their idealistic predecessors. The opposite is true. If #Europe abdicates its commitment to democratic rules, norms and law, it simply ceases to exist as a collective entity. #European integration is hollowed out from within.

This is precisely what is at risk of happening today. And if Europe abandons its principles and laws externally, rather than working to reassert them alongside other middle powers, it will not emerge as a muscular global player but will instead be pushed and pulled by predatory powers such as Vladimir Putin’s #Russia and Donald Trump’s #US.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/mar/16/europe-reaction-donald-trump-war-iran-legal-iraq
#Iran #IranWar #Merz #Meloni #VonDerLeyen #Germany #France #Italy #EU

RE: @anildash@me.dm

Early stages of #enshittification that we may still be able to block. Great post that explains the problem very well and makes it clear why it matters.
#podcast

The FIRST page of JCPOA (a.k.a. lran nuclear deal of 2015, which Trump abandoned in his first term):

> Iran reaffirms that under no circumstances will Iran ever seek, develop or acquire any nuclear weapons. [1]

Meanwhile today:

> Speaking to reporters [...] [Trump] said Iran was “talking to us and they’re talking sense.”

> He continued: “It all starts with they cannot have a nuclear weapon,” adding: “I don’t want to say in advance, but they’ve agreed they will never have a nuclear weapon. They’ve agreed to that.” [2]

[1] https://www.europarl.europa.eu/cmsdata/122460/full-text-of-the-iran-nuclear-deal.pdf

[2] https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/mar/24/iran-war-live-updates-trump-ursula-von-der-leyen-oil-prices-energy-crisis-israel-strikes?page=with%3Ablock-69c2dae18f089e6ac8d2fdd7#block-69c2dae18f089e6ac8d2fdd7

#Iran #IranWar #Trump

Volkswagen CEO Oliver Blume confirms talks on cooperation with Israel's Rafael.

VW arms production for Israel would violate international law, experts warn
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/economy/volkswagen-arms-production-for-israel-would-violate-international-law-experts-warn/3881496

#Volkswagen #Israel #Genocide #Germany

This is enough reason (for me at least) to do ANYTHING to support more women climb the ladder and reach management and leadership positions across companies and other kinds of institutions.

Firms with more women in top roles more likely to dismiss abusive men, study finds
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/28/firms-with-more-women-in-top-roles-more-likely-to-dismiss-abusive-men-study-finds

PS. Please suggest hashtags, I don't know the right ones.

But Trump definitely cannot do it to Germany, right?

> If Trump wants to steal Greenland, he doesn't need tanks or missiles. He can just tell Microsoft and Oracle to brick the entire Danish state and all of its key firms, blocking their access to their email archives, files, databases, and other key administrative tools. If Denmark still holds out, Trump can brick all their tractors, smart speakers, and phones. If Denmark still won't give up Greenland, Trump could blackhole all Danish IP addresses for the world's majority of transoceanic fiber. At the click of a mouse, Trump could shut down the world's supply of Lego, Ozempic, and delicious, lethally strong black licorice.

https://pluralistic.net/2026/04/04/digital-subjugation/

RE: @masoud@aleph.land

In the last minute of the interview, he says that while all of this sounds very depressing, there are no easy solutions and we have to support multi-polarism at all levels. This alone tells me that he is not selling us a narrative. Instead, he is showing us a way to walk into. A very difficult way, but at least a way.

Brian Berletic: U.S. Is Grooming #Europe for War with Russia
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ef0sHx33C-g