Butterflies accumulate enough static electricity to attract pollinators without contact (press release) University of Bristol
Killer Whales Sink Yacht in Med: ‘I Didn’t Know What They Were Doing’ Daily Beast
When a private company buys a hospital, assets decrease, a new WaPo study finds
Private Equity Specialists Are “Fighting Fire” In Their Portfolios, Discounting The Recovery Institutional Investor
BlackRock’s top executives benefit from unusual ‘points-style’ bonus pay FT
The Olympics
COVID-19 hits Paris Olympics: Athletes forced to withdraw and hide AP. “Team Canada’s chief health officer, Mike Wilkinson, said his team ‘continued to use many of the infection prevention measures that have been successful during the Covid crisis including hand washing, sanitation and good hygiene practices.’
US Olympic Swimmers David Johnston, Luke Whitlock Test Positive for Covid-19 at Paris Swim Swam
Olympic Triathlon Goes Ahead on River Seine After E.Coli Cliffhanger Deadlinel
****** “Power of the main character”:
The “Main Character Energy” I have ever seen in my life comes from Kim Ye-ji (Republic of South Korea) just breaking the world record and winning the gold medal. #Olympics2024 #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/mlTGZQappE
— The Something Guy 🇿🇦 (@thesomethingguy) July 30, 2024
****** Quote of the Day, Olympic Edition: “They Enjoy themselves at our expense, and expect us to applaud?” China Digital Times
The ‘Last Supper’ Olympic scene was in fact based on a drawing of Greek gods, art experts The Guardian
The weather
Permafrost melting is accelerating climate change, studies warn BNE Intellinews
Rush to Strengthen Power Grid Against Storms, Heat and Hail WSJ
NIFC: When the whole West is burning at once, this is who is facing the Wildfire Today
Decolonization, dependency and incoherence—the challenge of Ireland’s Decentralization Center for Understanding Sustainable Development
These 17th century solar diagrams by Kepler add fire to the mystery of the solar cycle Space.com
Syndemics
Cruisers contract COVID-19 during summer surgery as health care recommendations change FOX35
China?
China’s factory labor contracts for third straight month FT
China’s small cash-strapped banks are facing restrictions amid the shake-up, without an easy fix South China Morning Post. Comment:
4/4
banks or national-level banks?), the state in which it leaves bank balance sheets, and the ways in which financial obligations will be divided, will all have a major impact on the evolution of China’s long, difficult economic recovery.— Michael Pettis (@michaelxpettis) July 31, 2024
China’s Tianqi opposes Chilean regulator’s move to offer lithium storage facility to S&P Global.
Before the Times: Flag-Waving Connections and Japan’s Dōjima Rice Exchange Nippon.com
India
How Lawyer Used Race & Caste To Get US Citizenship The Madras Courier
Africa
Volume and Shape New Left Review
Hello Old Blighty
Criminals have hijacked Southport and families are suffering, says the Member of Parliament
False information about the suspect who attacked Southport has spread on Guardian social media
The New Cold War
Talking about Ukraine in “The Duran” (video) John Mearsheimer
Ukrainian society tends to make agreements (Google translation) Vzglyad
SITREP 7/31/24: Die Welt Reveals Dire NATO Camp Outlook for Ukraine Simplicius, Simplicius the Thinker
Would the US Consider Killing Putin? Foreign Policy
****** Neo-Nazi Azov Battalion profile quietly removed from Stanford Noir activist group list. Comment:
Naziified extremists like Azov are useful as war-motivated assassins, but a frankenstein’s monster when you need to switch to firefight/peace mode. Azov is too big now (and just one of many extremely good military approaches) to be put back in the bottle
— Mark Ames (@MarkAmesExiled) July 30, 2024
****** Ukraine-Russia latest: Kyiv hit by biggest drone attack in war so far as F-16s receive advanced weapons
****** Ukrainian businesses are furious over the government’s proposed tax hike to fund war with Russia Kyiv Independent
Lithuania criticizes Hungary’s decision to reduce entry conditions for Russians and Belarusians: it threatens the security of the EU Ukrainska Pravda
Russia to legalize cryptocurrency in efforts to avoid sanctions Ukrainska Pravda
South of the Border
Fresh protests in Venezuela as anger grows over contested election result BBC Comment:
BREAKING: Venezuela’s opposition and US media say there was “fraud” in the election based on an exit poll by US government-affiliated company Edison Research.
Edison works with US propaganda linked to the CIA and has been active in Ukraine, Georgia, and Iraq
— Ben Norton (@BenjaminNorton) July 29, 2024
Lula and Biden want Venezuela to release the results of the presidential election full of France24
National Lawyers Guild election observers recommend Venezuela’s election process MR Online
Syracistan
Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh is killed in Iran in an alleged Israeli strike, threatening to increase AP
Israeli Airstrike Kills Hamas Leader in Tehran: IF-35 Precision Strike Suspects Military Watch
Israel carried out a rare strike in Beirut claiming to have killed a Hezbollah commander AP. Comment:
It tells Israel (allegedly) that it can carry out precision operations thousands of kilometers away to find a target, but just two kilometers from home, use 5 ton bombs on families to eliminate small threats.
PS hostages in Gaza.
— Etan Nechin (@Etanetan23) July 31, 2024
More:
Israel recently attacked Beirut, killing civilians including at least two young children aged 6 and 10, in what they said was a strike by a Hezbollah commander. It’s very simple: All of Tel Aviv is a legitimate strike target to oust the Israeli administration. Everything pic.twitter.com/XsKlYVDl86
— ☀️👀 (@zei_squirrel) July 30, 2024
****** ‘Scarier than Abu Ghraib’: Lawyer recounts visit to Israeli detention center 972 Magazine. Dear Teiman. A long series of commetnary:
Military police were to arrest nine soldiers – apparently all soldiers – who were working at the camp. They were wanted for involvement in the rape of a prisoner by a gang who was rushed to the intensive care unit of the camp with serious injuries.
– Mouin Rabbani (@MouinRabbani) July 30, 2024
It’s a chaotic day in Israel as far-right protesters attack military bases Axios. “[A] A Hamas operative detained at the facility was rushed to the hospital after bleeding from one of his private parts. ” Comment:
I feel stupid and ashamed. In May, it appeared on CNN describing the abuse of Sde Taiman. After that, the NYT published their own article about it. Both were supported by Israeli and Palestinian sources.
I dismissed them because my government and Israeli sources…
– Shaiel Ben-Ephraim (@academic_la) July 29, 2024
The Biden Administration
The Uncompetitive Revolution Begins in Wealth Management
Supply Chain
Red Sea crisis hits volumes at Piraeus port Seatrade Maritime News
Trump’s big changes could throw a wrench into US chains Seatrade Maritime News
A digital clock
OpenAI approves Senate bills that could shape US AI policy TechCrunch
The W3C says that Google’s cookie ban ‘undermines’ much of the Registry’s functionality
Instagram allows users to create their own chatbots with the AI Business Standard studio
Zeitgeist Watch
The number of people interested in violence has increased, the police warned the BBC
Imperial Collapse Watch
US needs more nukes, mobile ICBMs and smart nukes: Heritage report Breaking Defense
Catholic group Opus Dei accused of child recruitment FT
Class War
For Big Companies, Felony Convictions Are a WSJ Footnote
WhatsApp Mutual Aid Grassroots Economic Organizing
The problem of busy work Chloe Humbert, Teams Human
Florida HOA Decides It’s Above State Law, Won’t Allow Residents to Build Trucks at Home Drive
Remaining in Mind 3 Quarks Daily
Antidote du jour (Adrian Pingstone):
And bonus (AM):
AM writes: “The third generation of the Roger Williams Park escape horse family is doing well. They are cousins, I think. The slightly larger one is about 2 and a half weeks older than its 3 smaller relatives. Other adults were nearby – 10 in total. One is missing. I hope it’s still there.”
See yesterday’s links and the Antidote du Jour here.
