Mike Toole #I stand with Ukraine and Palestinians
@profmiketoole.bsky.social
Retired epidemiologist. Worked in global health for almost 50 years. Based in Melbourne, Australia with my two Coton de Tulear dogs. Associate Principal Research Fellow at the Burnet Institute. I stand with Gaza, Lebanon and Greenland.
This is a grim account of the future of genocide and how Trump's plans for Gaza exclude any accountability by Israeli leaders for their genocidal acts. @joneshowdareyou.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/2026/07/21/o...
Opinion | The Grim Lessons of Israel’s War in Gaza
Israel has not been held accountable for its actions in Gaza. The nation and the individuals and countries enabling it to escape punishment may only benefit.
nytimes.com
The world's gravest humanitarian crisis is in Sudan. The civil war pits the military against the genocidal RSF, which has massacred 1000s of Black Africans. The RSF is funded and armed by the UAE. But, Trump and other world leaders remain silent because UAE IS RICH. www.nytimes.com/2026/07/11/o...
Opinion | In Sudan, a Preventable Atrocity
Hundreds of thousands of people in Sudan are bracing for their city to be overrun by a militia notorious for committing atrocities.
nytimes.com
The whole world is celebrating the humiliation of the US Soccer team and their commander-in-chief by the tiny country of Belgium. Rest of the World 4 - US 1. Woohoo.
What a great win 4-1 by Belgium over the US Cheaters led by Trump. I imagine that the whole world were barracking for Belgium.
The list of Trump's misdeeds is long. However, this caught my eye because I worked with refugees for many years. While there are millions of needy refugees around the world, the Trump administration has prioritised white South Africans, the architects of apartheid. www.nytimes.com/2026/06/23/u...
How Trump Turned America’s Refugee Program Into a Pathway for White People
nytimes.com
Australia's stunning victory over the talented Turkiye team highlighted the contribution refugees and immigrants have made to Australian society. The first goal was scored by a young refugee from Burundi. The Socceroos reflect the Australians that we really are. www.theage.com.au/national/und...
Under Hanson, Socceroo heroes would never have called Australia home
The pathway to safety that brought Nestory Irankunda’s family to Australia is one that is rapidly closing.
theage.com.au
I was thinking how fragile our world is. Even in peaceful Cairo, the Armenian Catholic Church next to my hotel is barricaded with a heavy police presence. The potential for violence is everywhere in the world, as we Australians discovered in Bondi. Very sad. How can we change it?
This is a disturbing article about the human cost of Trump's dismemberment of the US overseas aid programs. Millions will die, mostly children, because of the callous indifference to human life by Musk, Trump, and his allies. www.nytimes.com/2026/05/09/o...
Opinion | This Is What Happened When Trump Abandoned the World’s Poorest Children
nytimes.com
This is an excellent article about the murderous conflict in Sudan, which has caused the gravest humanitarian crisis in the world. More than 100,000 have been killed, and 13 million displaced from their homes. Yet the world has hardly noticed. www.nytimes.com/2026/04/15/o...
Opinion | The World Has Forgotten My Country, but I Haven’t
nytimes.com
Has Trump been intentionally throwing JD Vance under the bus? First, he sent him to Budapest to rally support for Orban, who was destined to lose the Hungarian election. Then he sent him to Islamabad for negotiations he probably knew would fail. Is Rubio his now favoured successor? Or maybe Ivanka?
Well, Trump's "ceasefire" looks like a dud. Israel has ramped up its assault on Lebanon, killing 254 civilians in a single day. The Strait is still closed. Iran retains its enriched uranium. The Iranian regime is still strong, with no uprising. What the f**k has Trump achieved by this war of choice?
This article made me feel good about Australia. Two brothers born in an African refugee camp are now striving to play for Australia in the World Cup. www.nytimes.com/athletic/711...
Mohamed and Al Hassan Toure were born in a refugee camp. Now they are dreaming of the World Cup
Both players are in contention to make the Australia squad and could play against the United States this summer
nytimes.com
A reminder of the cruelty of the Iranian regime. These two 16 year old boys were hanged because they were gay.
It's hard to believe that it's four years since Putin's Russia attacked Ukraine and committed war crimes within weeks. Here in Melbourne, Pro-Palestinians have protested weekly since 7 October 2023. But, there are few protests against Putin's atrocities. Why the different responses? Very puzzling.
"Terrible things are happening outside. At any time of night and day, helpless people are dragged out of their homes. Families are torn apart; men, women, and children are separated. Children come home from school to find that their parents have disappeared.” —Anne Frank, 1943 Minneapolis today.
The words of Hannah Arendt have been haunting me this week. As she looked back at the Holocaust, she described the "banality of evil"; the silence of Germans who averted their eyes. It's happening in America today; citizens turning their eyes away from cold-blooded state murders in Minnesota.
During my long career in international health, I worked in many war zones and refugee camps. I managed to retain optimism that the world would eventually prevent these tragedies. Now, in my 70s, I see a world in chaos, directed by a deranged US president motivated by greed and power. I'm devastated.
I recently posted that Stephen Miller is the most evil of Trump's goons. I still hold that view. But Kristi Noem has leapt to #2. I guess a woman who bragged about executing her puppy in cold blood would have no problem with her ICE agent murdering a young mother in cold blood. Impeach her now.
I don't need to explain why I think that Stephen Miller has emerged as the most evil man in the White House. His pronouncements come straight from the mouth of Joseph Goebbels. He is a descendant of Jewish refugees, and yet he frequently vilifies refugees and immigrants. A disgraceful human being.
As the year comes to an end, I've tried to rank the top 12 jerks in Trump 2.0, from the worst onwards. I've looked at their policies/actions, demeanours, and respect for the law. TRUMP, Hegseth, Vought, RFK Jr, JD Vance, Miller, Bondi, Patel, Lutnick, Noem, Gabbard, Rubio. I welcome alternatives.
Ahmed el Ahmed, a Syrian Muslim refugee to Australia, has become a global hero. A small but important glimmer of light in the darkness since last Sunday's tragedy in Bondi. www.nytimes.com/2025/12/18/o...
Opinion | The Righteousness of Ahmed el Ahmed
nytimes.com
One positive from the Bondi tragedy was the heroism of a Muslim Syrian refugee, Ahmed Al Ahmed. Bravo. www.theage.com.au/national/nsw...
Bondi hero Ahmed ‘in good spirits’ after being shot twice saving lives
Ahmed el Ahmed’s parents have spoken after their son was injured following his disarming of one of the shooters in the attack.
theage.com.au
I just watched the opening of the Grand Museum of Egypt on YouTube. The Egyptians sure know how to put on a show. Orchestras at the Pyramids, Eiffel Tower, Sydney Opera House, Statue of Liberty, and Rio de Janeiro. Spectacular. The largest museum ever built in the world. DRM (fully) and France 24.
The US public health community is fighting back against the purge of the CDC by RFK Jr and the Trump administration. open.substack.com/pub/thebulwa...
The CDC Diaspora Fights Back
How America’s scientific army is trying to stand up for public health—and stand up for itself.
open.substack.com
Trump is not worthy of the Nobel Peace Prize - not now, not ever. www.theage.com.au/world/north-...
Trump is not worthy of the Nobel Peace Prize – not now, not ever
The Middle East peace deal is a big step, but it’s not assured. Otherwise, Trump has made unilateral decisions that could cause the death of millions of people.
theage.com.au
Here is my article on the famine in Gaza published today in The Conversation. It's a technical paper and does not describe the current impact of starvation. That should be written by someone on the ground in Gaza. theconversation.com/child-famine...
Child famine has reached the highest level in Gaza, with tens of thousands of kids affected – new study
By August,15.8% of children aged under five were suffering from acute malnutrition.
theconversation.com
My article in The Conversation about the global impact of the turmoil at the CDC. I welcome feedback. theconversation.com/what-chaos-a...
What chaos at the US CDC could mean for the rest of the world
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is a key institution when it comes to public health in the US, but it’s also instrumental in global health.
theconversation.com
There seems to be no end to the nastiness of the Trump administration. RFK Jr alone will be responsible for the deaths of 1000s of Americans. www.nytimes.com/2025/08/27/h...
New C.D.C. Director Resists Ouster as Other Officials Resign
nytimes.com
Phew. The mushroom trial is over at last. The media coverage was over the top. But I'll never eat Beef Wellington again. www.nytimes.com/2025/07/07/w...
Australian Woman Is Convicted of Murder in Mushroom Poisoning Case
nytimes.com
