In a world filled with diverse stories, ranging from environmental insights to global political tensions, one can often find compelling narratives that both inform and challenge our understanding of current events. Below is a collection of noteworthy articles that delve into various issues, shedding light on humanity’s resilience and the complexities of our societies.
‘Their resilience is a lesson to us all’: The maritime lions hunting seals on the beach – BBC (Kevin W)
The Best Medicine For Joint Pain Isn’t What You Think, Expert Says – The Conversation (Chuck L). This kind of oversimplified advice can be frustrating: “Individuals who regularly exercise are effectively safeguarding themselves against the development of osteoarthritis and its severe consequences.” I vehemently disagree. My condition, chondromalacia patella, is a direct consequence of physical activity. The article fails to recognize that some exercises can exacerbate joint issues, especially for women, who often experience more joint laxity. One of my doctors, a leading specialist in non-invasive approaches, concurs, stating that jogging can lead to surgeries for many women due to joint vulnerabilities.
Breakthrough Discovery Could Finally Be the Key to Male Birth Control – SciTech Daily (Chuck L)
Your type of depression could shape your body’s future health – ScienceDaily (Kevin W)
A Japanese screw craftsman who single-handedly produces 400,000 screws a day — and How to Make It – YouTube (resilc)
The Limits of Data – Issues in Science and Technology (resilc). A must-read for today.
Climate/Environment
The regional level of Absorbed Solar Radiation increased by 4.2 W/m² in 20 years! That’s more than the global greenhouse gas forcing increase since 1750! The 2 W/m² Net Flux increase signifies that significant regional warming is forthcoming.https://t.co/yUYNtlsBaM pic.twitter.com/HD2nT2rSDI
— Leon Simons 🌍 (@LeonSimons8) October 10, 2025
Guess who’s back, back again. La Niña’s back, tell a friend. For the fifth time in six years, La Niña has returned. How is this reoccurrence influenced by rising global temperatures? Understanding the effects of El Niño and La Niña on weather patterns is crucial! pic.twitter.com/kPT754RjbJ
— Ben Noll (@BenNollWeather) October 10, 2025
China?
Bessent says China wants to ‘pull everybody else down’ – Financial Times. Lead story. This exclusive interview is intriguing. Historically, I’ve found Bessent to be less than credible, but perhaps he’s echoing his superior’s sentiments. Unfortunately, I don’t have a non-paywalled link to the content.
Many wonder: why did China delay using rare earths as leverage against the US? Why not during the initial Trump administration when trade tensions arose, or when Biden implemented chip export controls?
— Arnaud Bertrand (@RnaudBertrand) October 12, 2025
Western executives visiting China return with a sense of dread – Telegraph (resilc)
US-China trade tensions escalate as port fees gain traction – BBC
A message from Beijing: documents released without Word format amidst tensions with the US – South China Morning Post (guurst)
Hu Xijin: Silence is not golden – Pekinology. Discusses rising self-censorship.
India-Pakistan
Pakistan closes border with Afghanistan following deadly overnight clashes – France24
The Ganges Water Crisis: A Thirsty Nation Faces a Parched River – Dainik Jagran
Southeast Asia
Images capture a town devastated by civil war in Myanmar – Independent
Thailand spirals into debt – BBC. Pinpointing loan shark rates.
Africa
A Massacre in Sudan Claims at Least 53 Lives, Including Many Women and Children – Sky News
The President of Madagascar Flees After Losing Key Military Support – The Guardian
South of the Border
The US versus Venezuela: The Odds – Top War (Micael T)
How the IMF and the US Exploited Argentina’s Debt – Thomas Palley
Protesters Clash with Police in Ecuador Amid Nationwide Strikes Over Fuel Prices – Independent
A Nation Starves: Haiti’s Hunger Crisis Endangers 6 Million People – Modern Diplomacy
European Discussion
The Future of Europe Depends on Dismantling the EU — Part Four – Thomas Fazi
The Impact of Nord Stream 2 on Europe’s Stability – Unherd
European Policy Missteps Leading to Decline – Gordon Hahn (Micael T)
“Insane” Social Cuts Worsen Divisions – Sozialismus (Micael T)
Old Blighty
Reeves Confronts a Historic Challenge with Record State Spending – The Times
£7 Million Awarded to Pro-Israel Organization for Antisemitism Training – Middle East Eye
England Faces Second-Worst Harvest on Record, Analysis Reveals – Independent
Israel vs. The Resistance
Living Israeli Captives and Hundreds of Palestinians Released; Trump Addresses the Knesset – DropSite
Released Hostages in Gaza: Ceasefire Issues Remain – Bloomberg. This resource features a banner headline with no paywall.
They began implementation: Israel plans to target any Palestinian crossing beyond the “Yellow Line” it allegedly retreated to. A classic illustration of what is termed “Israeli Ceasefire.” https://t.co/Y2QEf1kdOM pic.twitter.com/KrKKDqVemO
— B.M. (@ireallyhateyou) October 14, 2025
The Israeli occupation has restricted families of Palestinian captives from celebrating or speaking to the media after their loved ones are released. They distributed leaflets to families that stated:
“Israeli security forces will not permit demonstrations in…” https://t.co/ngFIZBVZxl
— Drop Site (@DropSiteNews) October 13, 2025
An Unstable Ceasefire in Gaza – Daniel Larison
Trump’s Approach to Gaza: A Wedding Without Participants – Larry Johnson (resilc)
What lies ahead for Gaza? 🧵
Post hostage release, Israel will retain control over a fully depopulated 58% of Gaza. Following the entrance of an international force, Israel will control 40% of Gaza, where the IDF’s proxy groups will flourish! Genocide or Remodeling? The specifics are crucial! pic.twitter.com/vvlNQDJAyQ— Muhammad Shehada (@muhammadshehad2) October 12, 2025
The October 7 Incident – American Conservative (Kevin W)
* * * Private US Military Advisors Rush to Support the Lebanese Military – Intelligence Online
Israeli Air Strikes Result in Casualties in Southern Lebanon – Aljazeera
IMF Warns Yemen is on the Verge of Economic Collapse with Public Debt Exceeding 100% of GDP – Yemen Online
New Not-So-Cold War
As Russia Turns its Aggression Towards the West, Poland Declares Readiness – Wall Street Journal
🇱🇻🇷🇺 “Second class”: Latvia plans to forcibly deport Russian pensioners by November
By November, individuals failing to pass the Latvian language exam face expulsion. Reported by Riga City Council deputy Yulia Sokhina. pic.twitter.com/EZT0PybDzn
— Zlatti71 (@Zlatti_71) October 13, 2025
The Taliban Claims the Crocus Terrorist Attack was Coordinated from Pakistan – Andrew Korybko
Hillary Clinton’s Response to the Ukraine War Raises Eyebrows – Lucy Komisar. A glimpse into a neocon’s alternative perspective.
Imperial Collapse Watch
Who Safeguards Freedom’s Framework? – Shruti Rajagopalan
The U.S., Israel, and Their Alleged “Right” to Kill – Rebelión, via machine translation (Micael T)
The Nobel Peace Prize Committee’s Shift in Focus – American Conservative
Nobel Piss Prize – Julian Macfarlane (Micael T)
Trump 2.0
Trump’s Promised Shipbuilding Boom is Facing Challenges – Washington Monthly (resilc)
JPMorgan Announces a $1.5 Trillion Investment Initiative in the U.S. – Axios
Marc Benioff Reassesses His Approach to Intervention in San Francisco – The Register
Coal Miners Facing Black Lung Claim They Feel Abandoned Under Trump’s Administration – New York Times
Immigration
ICE Raids Are Just the Beginning – YouTube. Chris C:
A video discussing farm labor and the H2A visa system. Important information regarding changes implemented by the Trump administration, detailing the role of farm owners and labor contractors in these changes and highlighting farm labor issues in the U.S.
Shutdown
The Futility of Democratic Negotiations for a Shutdown Deal – New Republic (resilc)
Waning Paychecks Increase Pressure on GOP, Trump, and Democrats to Resolve Shutdown – The Hill
Supremes
The Absence of Defensive Measures in Court Actions – Steve Vladeck
Our No Longer Free Press
News Outlets Reject Pentagon’s New Press Regulations – Axios. This is a lead story.
AI
A Limited Number of Samples Can Contaminate Large Language Models of Any Size – Anthropic (resilc)
The Grand Illusion of AGI – Gary Marcus
AI is Boosting the Economy, But is it Increasing American Workers’ Productivity? – Wall Street Journal
The Impact of AI on Craft Beer – 404 Media
Mr. Market is Moody
Anxiety Over Stock Bubbles among Central Bankers in Washington – Bloomberg
Beware of Unexpected Events: Financial Crashes are Rarely Foreseen by Regulators – This Is Money
Preliminary Signs of Distress in the Shadow Banking Sector – Yahoo News
AI Rally Driven by Risky Debt as Concerns About a Crash Intensify – Telegraph. Worth reading.
Economy
Surge in Congo’s Cobalt Exports Sparks Rally and Concerns Over Supply – Bloomberg
Mixed Signals: Strong Growth Amid Weaker Hiring Trends – Wall Street Journal
Rising Issues: Many Americans Struggle to Keep Up with Car Payments – Wall Street Journal
The Dismal Science
Exploring the Legacy of the Physiocrats – Relearning Economics (Chuck L)
Understanding Process Knowledge in Economic Development – Programmable Mutter (resilc)
Trio Awarded the Nobel Prize in Economics for Innovations in Growth and Creative Destruction – Reuters. Referencing the Swedish central bank prize named after Alfred Nobel.
The Bezzle
The Largest Crypto Collapse Reveals a Market with Numerous Pitfalls – Bloomberg
$19 Billion Crypto Market Crash: Identifying Causes and Concerns – CoinTelegraph
Class Warfare
The Rise of Cosmetic Surgery Amongst Waistlines – New York Times (resilc)
Antidote of the Day: Janet T shares, “Duchess (a yellow lab who brings immense joy) and Moogie (a fluffy, affectionate kitty) enjoying the sights of birds and chipmunks.”
Additionally, here’s a bonus:
They understood 🥹🤌 that he was aiding their baby. Instead of attacking, they🦢 expressed gratitude. Nature’s beauty shines through. 🥰 pic.twitter.com/i7ckZYroU7
— Nature & Animals🌴 (@naturelife_ok) October 12, 2025
Another bonus:
The backflip, a gymnast is born
— Science girl (@gunsnrosesgirl3) October 13, 2025
And a third:
Mission: Save the pandas from extinction. Obstacle: The pandas. 🐼 pic.twitter.com/Agf1ci5JiR
— Nature is Amazing ☘️ (@AMAZlNGNATURE) October 13, 2025
For further insights and updates, you can view yesterday’s collection of links and the Antidote of the Day here.
