The banana apocalypse is coming. Can we stop at this? ZME Science
Can Art Save the “Post-Apocalyptic” Salton Sea? Sapiens
The epidemic
Structure and inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 spike refolding in the membrane Science. It seems important.
As the new school year opens, the COVID-19 outbreak forces the sudden closing of classes at US WSWS
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Key drug ineffective against deadly new mpox virus, study finds Politico
Mpox is at risk of spreading in Congo’s crowded mines, Bloomberg refugee camps
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Plant diseases: They are the next major infectious diseases and pose threats to food security worldwide
Climate/Environment
“Dark Oxygen” Discovery Could Sink Deep Sea Mining IEEE Spectrum
Hurricane Ernesto arrived early. It’s a scary sign. Grist
Africa
The geopolitics of war in Sudan An Africanist Perspective
China?
Bond market struggle; PRC views on US elections; Stock market; Ride in the US; Sabina Shoal; Foreign car manufacturers hit Sinocism (Micael)
China to restrict exports of strategic metal antimony Asia Times
China’s new Goliath poised to patrol disputed seas Asia Times (Kevin W)
Syracistan
Israel reduces ‘aid area’ to 11% of Gaza, says UN Anadolu Agency
At least 10 killed in Israeli attack in southern Lebanon Al Jazeera
Israeli airstrikes have killed at least two Palestinians in the West Bank, the Health Ministry told Reuters
He wrote and published evidence that Israel was hitting children on the head
– Jennine (@liearthquakess) August 16, 2024
Gaza sees first polio case in 25 years as UN urges mass vaccination The Guardian
Israel kills Gaza family following two ‘constructive’ days of ceasefire talks The Cradle
Biden ‘optimistic’ about Gaza ceasefire deal Anadolu Agency
“‘All due respect.'” The Flautist
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Leaked Israeli Documents Reveal Attempt to Evade Law on Foreign Agent Lee Fang
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Iraq postpones announcing end date for US troop presence in Cradle
CIA gives head of Qatari intelligence top prize Axios
The breakup of Europe
The strange death of Germany’s powerful political class Defend Democracy Press. (Micael): “This is premature.”
Polish leader urges Nord Stream backers to ‘keep quiet’ as pipeline mystery returns to spotlight AP
The New Cold War
America’s JASSM Air to Shoot Down Stealth Missiles and Russia’s Plans to Use Smart Nukes Gilbert Doctorow
Russia informs IAEA about alleged Ukrainian plans to target Zaporizhzhia, Kursk nuclear power Anadolu Agency
Ukrainian soldiers were trained in the UK before attacking the Kursk WSWS. Comment:
The feeling here in Russia seems to me to have changed a lot, the friends who were open about the Conference are now very few,
Since the attack on Kursk, it has become more and more relevant to me that this will have to be finished on the battlefield. the concept of “brotherhood…
– Chay Bowes (@BowesChay) August 17, 2024
Ukraine’s attack on Kursk Oblast disrupts secret talks with Russia on stopping attacks on power plants – WP Ukrainska Pravda. Comment:
“Sir, we are losing the war! The frontline can’t hold out for long! “
“You have considered committing an act of apparent suicide that will kill any hope of negotiating our way out of this and completely destroy us?”
— Philip Pilkington (@philippilk) August 17, 2024
Nato’s Prospect Magazine nonsense
Fitch downgrades Ukraine to ‘RD’ – Default The International Affairs (Micael)
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FBI searches US home of Soviet-born Biden RT critic
Russian Messianism: Conversations Around Landmarks: Journal of International Dialogue
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Kadyrov said he received the Tesla Cybertrack from Elon Musk. He promised to send it to a “special military facility” and attached a machine gun to it.
“Elon, thank you! Come to Grozny, I will welcome you as a very pleasant guest! I don’t think our Russian MFA will be… pic.twitter.com/m72fg2G2PU
— Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) August 17, 2024
South of the Border
Elon Musk’s X will shut down operations in Brazil amid legal battle over Al Jazeera
White House Pushes Back on Biden’s Call for New Venezuela Elections: Here Are Some Leaders Who Want Forbes
Spook Land
Google: Iranian hackers targeting officials of both US presidential campaigns The Record
OpenAI Says It Hosted ChatGPT-Powered ‘Iranian Influence Operation’ Gizmodo
Kamala
Kamala Harris outlines the pro-corporate economic agenda in the campaign to stop the WSWS of North Carolina.
Harris’ plan to stop inflation could cause more problems than it solves CNN (Kevin). So Harris comes up with a non-plan to deal with price increases. His campaign can’t even explain what the excess profits would cover, what the ban on discounting would target, or how it would be enforced. Maybe obfuscation is the point. Harris has also expressed his opposition to concentration and price-fixing, yet failed to express support for Jonathan Kanter and the DOJ antitrust division and Lina Khan and the Federal Trade Commission for the first time in decades to pursue these practices aggressively? It seems like that’s what Harris could include in his major economic policy release if he’s up to it.
Another idea:
1. Ok why is Kamala Harris talking about price fixing, gouging, collusion, and general price gouging? Apparently it polls well. But why? Let’s examine the *evidence* of why Americans are angry at big business over price. Let’s start with hiring. pic.twitter.com/z9Wed8C9bb
— Matt Stoller (@matthewstoller) August 16, 2024
So why doesn’t Harris just say he supports Khan with results like this:
Where can I find the Lina Khan yard sign?
– Molly White (@molly0xFFF) August 17, 2024
Not being trusted
Judge temporarily blocks sports streaming service Venu, sides with Fubo over CNBC’s antitrust issues
Kroger now says it will cut prices by $1 billion after the merger, double the previous claim. Either (1) they magically get a billion dollars worth of additional efficiency, or (2) they *still* have pricing power… which will increase consolidation.
— John Mark Newman (@johnmarknewman) August 16, 2024
Democracies en déshabille
See who is funding the Democratic Party 48 Hills. San Francisco.
Budget Cuts Threaten SF Food Programs for Seniors and Adults with Disabilities San Francisco Public Press
The toxic conversation about the unemployed must end. Hurting people with disabilities is a big problem
Police State Watch
Oakland’s Summer of Discontent Bleeding Edge
Imperial Collapse Watch
America’s Out-of-Control Client States Nonzero Newsletter
The US needs more advanced air bases around the world to keep adversaries guessing Democratic Defense Base
Navy Running Out of Pants for Its Active Uniforms – Won’t Get More Until October Military.com
Academe qualifications
‘Police state’: US universities impose rules to avoid repeat of Gaza protests The Guardian
Our Famously Free Press
One year after Marion County Record raid, authorities continue to ignore media rights Freedom of the Press Foundation
Health care?
California moves forward to lower drug prices with novel agreement on opioid overdose FT drugs. (Phil)
Big Brother Watching Watching
US Department of Transportation announces strong, state-of-the-art road safety plan The Detroit News (Kevin W)
The AI
Popular AI sites ‘nudify’ sued amid alarming rise in victims worldwide Ars Technica
What comes after the AI crash? Disconnect
Bezzle
The Dubai court recognizes crypto as a valid payment for Coin Telegraph
Google has threatened tech activists unless they ‘choose’ the Pixel The Verge
Class War
The Kaleckian approach to capitalization and the distribution of labor income: Austria and Finland in a comparative perspective Institute for International Political Economy Berlin. From the abstract: “…we expect financialization to affect aggregate wages through three channels: (1) industry restructuring, (2) financial costs and employer benefit claims, and (3) the bargaining power of unions and workers. We analyze long-term trends for each channel before and after the Great Financial Crisis and the Great Recession in Austria and Finland. Overall, we find evidence of all three redistributive channels contributing to changes in income distribution. The explanatory power of individual channels, however, varies greatly due to the diversity of countries. “
“Disensitify or Die” Cory Doctorow, Pluralistic
Public Ownership of Public Goods How Things Work
Antidote du jour (via):
See yesterday’s links and the Antidote du Jour here.
