The Sad Truth About ‘Healing’ Crystals Wall Street Journal (Li)
The Case for Non-Defamation Mythology Plow (Anthony L)
A falling birth rate threatens a costly disaster so no politician dares to think about it Guardian (Kevin W). It shows a lack of sense of proportion. The climate crisis is devastating, unstoppable, and costly if anyone is serious enough.
#Covid 19
Exclusive: The Government has burned or destroyed £1.4 BILLION worth of Covid PPE, supplied by a single supplier in the summer of 2020 – the most wasteful public contract of the entire pandemic. Thread 1/ pic.twitter.com/Wl06kNowHf
– Jon Ironmonger (@JonIronmonger) June 25, 2024
Climate/Environment
51.7C and Swiehan in the Emirates.
Most stations in the Middle East are currently above 50C, while Northern China is touching 47C.
Thousands of records are being hacked from China to Algeria. Global climate history is being rewritten.
Nothing like this has ever happened. pic.twitter.com/JcmoYetAFd– Extreme Temperatures Around the World (@extremetemps) June 23, 2024
Ending growth will not save the planet… Ending economic growth will not save the planet from catastrophic climate change. Washington Post. The only reason the argument is correct is that we are past the point of being able to stop a catastrophic revolution.
A number of UK renewable projects fail to get past the Financial Times editorial stage
Widespread protests erupt in Iraq over power outages as temperatures reach 50°C and higher in New Arab
A global tax deal is in conflict over fears of the US Senate’s Financial Times
China?
South China Sea: Philippines’ anti-ship missile base puts Scarborough Shoal in the crosshairs South China Morning Post
Beijing: new Treasury rules amount to ‘divisiveness’ Asia Times (Kevin W)
Our China policy is a disaster for the security and prosperity of responsible US Statecraft
In Unusual Reprimand, US Ambassador Accuses China of Undermining Diplomacy Wall Street Journal
The Koreans
US aircraft carrier arrives in South Korea amid tensions with North Korea Aljazeera
India
India avoids China’s calls to resume passenger flights after 4 years, Reuters officials say
JPMorgan Ignites $40 Billion Rush Into Indian Bonds Bloomberg
South of the Border
July 7 & 14 Webinars: ‘Venezuela Votes: What’s at Stake in the Upcoming Election?’ Orinoco Tribute (Robin K)
Africa
Another Crescent: The Influence of Iran’s Making on the Sahel’s Geopolitics
The breakup of Europe
France could cause the next euro crisis Financial Times
The greatest destruction of wealth in the history of the Federal Republic Nachdenkseiten by machine translation (Akos G)
Poll: French far-right party to lead first round of election TRT World
France, the new Popular Front, prospects and contradictions Defend Democracy
EU officials ready for financial struggle with Le Pen’s International Affairs group (Micael T)
Old Blighty
‘Children’s playground’: Inside the scandal at the old school of King Charles’s Telegraph
Gaza
🚨 Israel has intensified its war on hunger in the Gaza Strip by targeting centers and aid distribution centers. Within 24 hours, they bombed the United Nations headquarters, killing aid workers. They also bombed a medical clinic where the director of emergency… pic.twitter.com/cVBvvENbXg
– Ramy Abdul| رامي عبدو (@RamAbdu) June 24, 2024
Hello Mohammed, my friend, how are you?
Here I am at home, burying them all in the house and sleeping next to them.
My wife, my children, my father, mother, brothers and sisters. I am left alone.One of thousands of untold stories in Gaza.… pic.twitter.com/5DiP2SakLm
— Mohammed Omer ALMOGHAYER ✊🏽 د. Muhammad Al-Gheer (@Mogaza) June 24, 2024
Deep Listen Caitlin Johnstone, YouTube (Dr. Kevin)
What is the role of revenge in Jewish life, literature and culture? aeon (Dr. Kevin)
Israel’s Iron Dome batteries face the risk of being overwhelmed in the face of any more intense clashes with the Hezbollah Guardian.
Israeli energy chief faces ouster after warning of war with Lebanon The Cradle (Kevin W)
Yemen’s Houthis say they have jointly attacked Israeli ships with Iraqi forces Aljazeera
Supply Chain Under Strain as Houthis Intensify Red Sea Strikes New York Times (Kevin W)
Netanyahu will only agree to a ‘partial’ ceasefire, but not an end to the war in Gaza Arab News
Israeli war criminals: can the ICC arrest them? The Cradle
Netanyahu says he won’t accept a deal to end the war in Gaza, testing the latest proposal by the Associated Press (Kevin W)
The New Cold War
Ukraine updates: Russia summons US ambassador over Crimea strike DW
How are US-made ATACMS missiles being used by Ukrainian forces? Gilbert Doctorow
Ukraine’s Debt Ticking Time Bomb (What the West Will Have to Pay) Antiwar.com (Kevin W)
Yeah, That Didn’t Age Well. Andrei Martyanov. Sy Hersh account withdrawal
EU foreign ministers approve decision to transfer profits from Russian assets to Ukraine TASS (guurst)
Poland closes the border with Belarus, says the minister Euractiv
Assange
JULIAN ASSANGE FREE
Julian Assange is free. He left Belmarsh maximum security prison on the morning of June 24, after spending 1901 days there. He was granted bail by the High Court in London and released to Stansted Airport this afternoon, where he boarded the …
– WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) June 24, 2024
Julian Assange agrees plea deal, leaves UK jail and heads to US territory BBC
VIDEO: State Department Won’t Give Details on How Assange Harmed “National Security”. Anyway “Russiagate” – Used to Demonize WikiLeaks – May Really Have Been Israelgate. Sam Husseini. Husseini is uncomfortable with some of the implications of the plea deal and linked bak to this post to show why.
Imperial Collapse Watch
‘Draft Notice’ from Shop of Horrors Dennis Kuchinch (Robin K)
I have a cold and the only prescription is Peter Turchin. albrt
Trump
Trump promised green cards to all immigrants who graduated from the US. After that his campaign took him back to the Independent. Dan K also flagged the report, which revealed a pushback: The campaign is walking back Trump’s promise of green cards.
“She’s distancing herself”: Melania Trump is unlikely to return to the White House Salon. The press has really taken to him even though I understand he’s had some very nice dinners. They attacked his Christmas decorations and I didn’t see why. And the White House as a building is clearly a dump.
Biden
Angry Democrats are trying to end talk of replacing Biden on The Hill. Note the Streisand effect!
US judges block parts of CNBC’s Biden student aid program
The World That Forgot the Law: The Supreme Court and New York’s Legal Environment Jonathan Turley
Ours is No Longer Free
Turns out Australia is the most secretive democracy in the world…oh and we don’t really have a free press, we don’t have freedom of speech and our whistleblower protection laws do nothing. Albo can fix it but he hasn’t had time for some reason #australia #auspol pic.twitter.com/NWKpEt0xTy
– Punter’s Politics (@punterspolitix) June 24, 2024
The AI
Situational Awareness Leopold Aschenbrenner (Steve S)
Nvidia’s Stock Rout 13% Has Bloomberg Support Traders Hit Charts
The Hidden Environmental Impact of AI Jacobin (Robin K)
Apple’s App Store Policies Charged Under New EU Competition Law New York Times (BC)
Rising Costs Put New US LNG Shipping Projects at Risk for OilPrice Delays
Largest Car Dealers Begin Warning of Impact of Ransomware Attack Crippling Dealer Software Provider CDK Wolf Richter. We linked this story a few days ago. Still not resolved…
Class War
I live for free in NYC. Getting into a van has allowed me to save, avoid debt, and live an adventurous life. Business Insider. Not the Onion
Amazon Labor Union, Airplane Hub Workers Ally and Teamsters Organize Workers Nationally New York Times
Blood on the Wine Black Sea: A Naval History, Part 1 The Big Serge
Antidote du jour. Ann M:
The third generation of the iconic goose family at Roger Williams Park 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
