Do birds enjoy flying? Phys.org
Salad greens under scrutiny as cyclosporiasis outbreak spreads Stateline
Cacti spines, snake teeth, snail love arrows – oh my! How work drives the evolution of natural drilling tools Discussion
Bananas as we know you are in trouble WBUR
Climate/Environment
US Heave breaks records as wildfires blow toxic air across North America
Does your building have advanced air filters? At these levels we are seeing rapid increases in hospital ER visits and heart attacks, and most of that respirable air pollution is occurring indoors. We highly recommend MERV13 or higher, preferably a “MERV-A” rated filter that… pic.twitter.com/VyktaOm2xX
— Joseph Allen (@j_g_allen) July 15, 2026
Anyone riding the train in Canada during global warming?
Armstrong in Northern Ontario, Canada.
The crew is believed to have escaped safely. pic.twitter.com/kwCcjDZWYj
— Matthew Todd 🌏🔥 (@MrMatthewTodd) July 15, 2026
Rare Atlantic Niña Emerges, Joins Super El Niño to Build U.S. Storm Shield
The new normal? US experiences biggest blackout EVER in month of 2026 Electrek
Ebola
More health workers strike as Ebola cases in Congo top 2,000, including 754 deaths
Water
FEDS PLACE BIG CHECK TO KEEP LA WATER PACKED IN LAKE MEAD Hoodline
The Boulder City Council wants to set up a data center on BLM land in Nevada Current. On the shores of Lake Mead.
The Koreans
A former CIA chief in Korea is now selling the country’s weapons to the US Government All-Source Intelligence.
Cargo trucks arrive at the China-North Korea border in the Daily NK trade
China?
Trump Aides See China Manipulating on Trade, But Avoid Retaliation at Bloomberg
Beijing is pulling money back into the real economy CHINA POLICY
China’s War on ‘Lying’ Comes to Companion Chatbots Gizmodo
Southeast Asia
Malaysia says it is investigating a tech commune in Forest City run by ex-Coinbase executive Straits Times
Syracistan
Israel has killed more than a dozen Palestinians in 24 hours in Gaza in the latest violation of the US-backed ‘ceasefire’.
House defeats bid to freeze military aid to Israel as more than 100 Democrats vote for it The Guardian
Former Trump Campaign Manager Runs Israel Influence Work Targets MAGA Base TIME
Iran Sent Message to JD Vance Warning that Kushner and Witkoff were “Misusing” Their Access to the Negotiations Area.
Iran says US strikes have hit a grain silo, another site in Khuzestan Anadolu Agency reports
UAE Awarded Coveted AI Chips for Supporting US War on Iran WSJ
Exclusive: Iraq puts Lebanon’s Hezbollah on New Arab bank sanctions list
Iraq, the US will reveal economic agreements worth 60 billion dollars
The breakup of Europe
VW Wants to Save the Military Truck Industry. Qatar Has Some Ideas Car Scoops
The American base in Vicenza has become the starting point for a new robot war! Are CyberPunk and Terminator out of the movies as human enemies? ComeDonChisciotte.org (via GeoPolitiQ)
Kushner’s luxury Albanian project plunges into new scandal involving forged documents News am
Lithuania’s new PM says allowing Taiwan’s de-facto embassy ‘may be too bold’
Old Blighty
Res Judicata and Extreme Unionism Craig Murray
The New Cold War
Ukraine to buy Chinese drone parts with EU FT money
Zelensky Fires Kiev Defense Chief Tank War Fails; EU Faces Gas Crisis Funds in Kiev Buy China Drones Duran
Kremlin “Indifference:” The Biggest Threat to the Future of the Russian Federation? Oliver Boyd-Barrett
Why Moscow Is Still Talking to Trump: Three Insights into the Russian Diplomatic Mind Kautilya The Contemplator
Moscow wants IAEA to act on ‘terrorist’ killing of nuclear plant workers RT
South of the Border
French Company Suspends Shipments to Cuba Following Top US TeleSur Order. “Among the affected shipments are those containing more than 3.5 million syringes and needles for the health care system.”
US Navy SEALs Deploy to Trinidad and Tobago After Action Report
The US will impose a 25% tariff on most Brazilian imports DPA International
Brazil: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs warns of the danger of the US Plenglish military
Trump 2.0
Leak: Rubio’s WMD Scandal “Left Terrorism” Ken Klippenstein
House Republicans revived the Save America Act by adding it to the spending bill The Guardian
FBI Looks to Use Questionable AI Tech to Review Signatures on Withheld Mail-In Ballots ProPublica
RUSSELL VOUGHT USES THE PLUMBING OF FISCAL FEDERALISM TO CREATE A NEW PATRONAGE SYSTEM Notes on Issues
As states experience Medicaid funding cuts, family caregivers face financial crisis STAT
SECRET MONEY POWERS TRUMP’S SECOND TERM WSJ
Democracies are simple
Jeffries Opposes Bid to Cut Israel Aid After Recording AIPAC Earmark Sludge
Police State Watch
Trump reinstates ICE traffic stop after fatal shooting involving Al Mayadeen
The Accelerationists
Trump is quietly clearing the way for Musk’s robotaxis Oligarch Watch
WORKER DEATH AT SPACEX FACTORY FOLLOWS HUNDREDS OF INJURIES IN RECENT YEARS, Texas Observer
SpaceX stock hit record low, falling below IPO price Yahoo! Finance
The political economy of billionaire derangement Programmable Mutter
Not being trusted
FCC plans to crack down on local TV station Engadget’s copyright laws
Imperial Collapse Watch
People in Many Countries Now View China More Favorably Than the US Pew Research Center
What If America’s Power Is a Problem? Dame Magazine
Dramatic video shows the US Navy Blue Angels performing a low-altitude flight over Pensacola Beach, Florida, on Wednesday. Navy officials confirmed in a statement that Blue Angels leadership is “reviewing the circumstances surrounding this mission and conducting full security … pic.twitter.com/ZUa1ryk4X8
— ABC News (@ABC) July 15, 2026
Hegseth Orders Mandatory Testosterone Testing, Optional TRT for Troops 30 & Older Military.com
FDA drug approval affects health care worldwide, but political hurdles could damage agency’s international reputation The Conversation
Critics decried the idea of creating a US command of robotics Responsible Statecraft
American Slop and the Empire of Optimization Muftah
The AI
Winning the AI Pentathlon Requires Patience RAND
Demand for data center electricity is expected to drive up costs after The Hill’s recent electricity auction
26 Meta employees sue, saying AI-driven layoffs hit workers with medical and parental leave
AI Music App Suno Hacked, Gives a Glimpse of How Much Music Has Ended Gizmodo
What you hate about AI is capitalist Grace Blakeley
Casino Nation
I breathe in smoke fumes as I get exploding diarrhea in a salad, the sky turns orange when oil companies drill in protected areas, worms eat cattle alive and the president just paid $6 million for rape. And I can bet on everything!
— davey (@jerseyh0mo) July 15, 2026
“Independence Day”
Democratic opposition to Trump’s tariffs complicates Russia sanctions pressure The Hill
Supply Chain
Airbus, Boeing are flying parts of the giant Antonov plane to ease supply problems
Class War
The case for triple union membership is the Economic Policy Institute
Wall Street Wants an Economic Populist for Your Child
Antidote du jour (via):
See yesterday’s links and the Antidote du Jour here.
