How Legos went from a humble toy to a criminal black market fueled by LA heists Los Angeles Times
Mysterious monoliths appear all over the world. Here’s what we know. Vox
What If We Are Stuck Here? A rebel
Climate/Environment
The 14 hottest places on Earth from Tunisia to Kuwait, as heat waves sweep across much of the world
Extreme Weather Report, June 22, 2024. pic.twitter.com/Sgkl6hBnV8
— Yellow Dot Studios (@weareyellowdot) June 22, 2024
Down to Incentivize Retrenchment. Deck: “Private investment cannot and should not drive decarbonisation. It’s clear: we need the state.”
Miami gets bogged down: Adapting to climate change can’t fix city’s water woes Floodlight
It was meant to be a Christian utopia. Now this Nigerian society is helpless against the rising sea of AP
Water
Not just a Gulf problem: Mississippi River farm runoff polluting upstream Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
An epidemic
Infection with COVID poses risks to pregnancy and infants. Why are parents not warned? The Gauntlet
BMJ Paper on Center for COVID Vax Deaths Controversy Gets Exposure on Concern MedPage Today
Foresight*: Viruses from the Permafrost German Institute for International and Security Affairs. “Combating the Spread of Animal-Borne Diseases with and without Russia.”
India
BRICS and G7: India’s trapeze act WION
Africa
Why exactly are big international firms leaving the Nigerian market? An African perspective
Coup-hit Niger was betting on a China-backed oil pipeline as a lifeline. Then the problems started for AP
Japan
Marines Add New “Littoral” Warfare Unit to Okinawa to Protect Japan and Philippine Maven
Only 10.4% want PM Kishida to stay in office: Kyodo poll Kyodo News
Are Tokyo’s public toilets a new tourist attraction? Here are 13 unique must-visit Channel News Asia
China?
China’s Vulnerability Paradox: How the World’s Largest Consumer is Transforming Global Commodity Markets (book excerpt) Pekingnology
South China Sea: Philippines’ anti-ship missile base puts Scarborough Shoal in the crosshairs South China Morning Post
In Southeast Asia, Authorities Are The Biggest Gun Dealers In The City Diplomat
Syracistan
Dozens were killed in northern Gaza when Israel tried to kill The Cradle
JENIN: Israeli soldiers tied an injured Palestinian man to the hood of their car, using it as a human shield during a raid in the Occupied West Bank city. pic.twitter.com/wht3rBVuhX
— Hamdah Salhut (@hamdahsalhut) June 22, 2024
The Fall of Zionism New Left Review
***
US offers assurances to Israel this week in case of full-scale war with Hezbollah CNN
Addendum: And no, the US helping out with two squadrons of air strikes from coastal aircraft will not significantly change the balance of operations in South Lebanon. pic.twitter.com/enIcBy9H91
— Armchair Warlord (@ArmchairW) June 23, 2024
***
Yemen, Iraqi Resistance jointly target five ships to Israel Al Mayadeen
Houthi claims of attack on US airline are false: US officials Al Arabiya
The breakup of Europe
A dangerous Putin Puppet Left Bloc. Clare Daly.
The EPP cancels the hearing before the Brussels court regarding the appointment of von der Leyen’s Commission Euractiv
German automakers pressure EU leaders to lower China EV prices in Nikkei Asia
Paris’ Rise as Finance Hub at Risk After Macron’s Election Call Bloomberg
🇫🇷 election. Bardella: as PM I will order an audit of the public finances because they are in such a bad state that we will not be able to fulfill our expensive promises regarding pensions, VAT etc.
In fact, all statistics are public, published by the treasury 🇫🇷 every month. RN gives back again.— Giovanni Capoccia @gcapoccia.bsky.social (@gcapoccia1) June 22, 2024
The New Cold War
South Korea, Japan, US agree to ‘freeze’ security cooperation following Putin-Kim summit Anadolu Agency
The EU is accused of scrutinizing security relations with Japan, South Korea
Nothing to worry about? South Korea is sounding the alarm Gilbert Doctorow
South Korean Military Power: Lessons Europe Can Learn from Seoul Royal United Services Institute for Defense and Security Studies
***
Talks were needed to end the war in Ukraine but Putin ‘cannot be trusted,’ says Mark Milley of The Kyiv Independent.
Oxford Economics Intellinews says: Russia’s trade recovery to boost Caucasus, Central Asia growth in 2024-2025.
Old Blighty
Farage’s Children are the Wrong Side of History
Sunak, Starmer slam Farage, say EU, NATO ’caused’ Ukraine attack Politico
The housing market scam the Labor Party has decided to settle is the Canary
South of the Border
Driving Capital Phenomenal World. “The USMCA, the IRA, and Mexico’s electric car boom.”
Spook Land
Biden DHS documents suggest Trump supporters, military and religious figures may be violent terror threats Fox News
Trump
GOP measure pressures SCOTUS to intervene in Trump case Axios
Democracies en déshabille
Strategy for Small Partners on the Left Notes
The Democratic National Convention Will Host Influencers Like Press This Year Gizmodo
2024
Democrats step up efforts to block RFK Jr. that it does not appear in national polls CNN
Imperial Collapse Watch
Zero Sovereignty System Philip Pilkington, The Postliberal Order
Boeing
The front windshield of a Virgin Atlantic Boeing 787 cracks 40 feet, forcing panicked crew to redirect the flight to San Francisco at the New York Post.
Problems at Boeing cast a shadow over the certification of conversion of the cargo 777 Loadstar
The US is still unable to return its astronauts to Earth due to Boeing’s technical problems.
(The US used to rely on Russia to transport its astronauts to and from the International Space Station (ISS)).
“It was intended to be a one-week stay in space for astronaut Suni Williams and… pic.twitter.com/JLgreqx1Nd
— ⏳Towhee 🌏☮️ (@amborin) June 22, 2024
Health care?
These Major Health Insurance Companies Will Cover Fewer People in the Commercial Market in 2023 Than They Did in 2013. However, Profits Were Increased. Here’s the Way. HEALTH CARE is not covered
FDA Warns Yet Another Birth Tissue Company MedPage Today
Not being trusted
Inside FICO and the Credit Bureau Cartel BIG by Matt Stoller
Police State Watch
COMPANY LINKED TO FEDERAL EXECUTION SPREE SAYS IT WILL NO LONGER MAKE KEY DRUG Intercept
Academe qualifications
The Crackdown on Campus Protests Has Just Begun These Times
A digital clock
Publishers’ lawsuit leads to release of 500,000 books from Internet Archive Techspot
Microsoft denies UK police data privacy guarantee Computer Weekly
Zuckerberg, other Meta officials reject workers’ pleas to fund youth safety programs: Report Washington Examiner
Guillotine Watch
Thirteen were arrested after the explosions from the yacht spark in the forest on the Greek island The Guardian
Bezzle
Arizona toddler rescued after stuck in Tesla with dead battery The Verge
The Government Wants to Make Second National Debt Funds. What Could Go Wrong? The Mises Institute
Class War
Does the US have a housing shortage—or an affordable housing shortage? 48 Hills
Antidote du jour (with):
See yesterday’s links and the Antidote du Jour here.
