Courage Before Greatness: The Albert Camus Story Classical Literature (Micael T)
The World’s Highest-Living Mammal Is Rewriting the Limits of Life SciTech Daily (guurst)
#COVID-19/Pandemics
Why Epidemics Breed Rage at Health Workers New York Times (Dr. Kevin)
Climate/Environment
The Deep Ocean Is Changing Our Climate Far Faster Than We Realised Oceanographic Magazine
The British Scientists Battling to Dim the Sun Telegraph
Scientists Warn: Earth’s Waters Are Quietly Running Out of Oxygen Science Daily (Kevin W)
In the Canadian Arctic, an Experiment Aims to Stabilize Thinning Sea Ice Mongabay
Canada Issues Air Quality Warnings Over US Wildfire Smoke After Trump Tariff Threat Guardian (Kevin W)
Latest Precipitation Models Underestimate Risk as ‘1,000-Year’ Rain Events Pummel Texas Inside Climate News
Puerto Rico Announces Emergency Water Rationing as Drought Worsens Independent
China?
China – A Hidden Reality Michael Nicoletos. PlutoniumKun:
An estimate reveals ‘real’ banking losses from the Chinese property crash, which is believed to be significantly higher than the official figure of $520 billion in bad property loans. Analysts suggest that when considering local government debt, regional banks, wealth and trust products, insurance, and unrealized losses in bonds, total economic losses may reach between $3.86 trillion and $12.20 trillion depending on the scenario.
‘Payback’: Why China’s World-Beating Car Industry Faces Plummeting Sales at Home South China Morning Post
The Calm Is the Anomaly: Why the Taiwan Strait Is More Dangerous Than Headlines Suggest Modern Diplomacy
China Flattens the Duck with Molten Salt to Generate Solar Power at Night Kevin Walmsley
Koreas
US, ROK and Japan Military Chiefs Reaffirm North Korea’s Denuclearization Goal NKNews
India
Indian Police Bash and Gas Youth-Led ‘Cockroach’ Protesters Asia Times (Kevin W)
Climate Change: Dengue and Flu Are No Longer Just Seasonal Threats in India NDTV
India’s Weak Monsoon Revives Push for This Ancient Food Staple Bloomberg
Africa
‘You Cannot Hide from a Drone Strike’: The Terror Falling from the Sky in Sudan CNN
At Least 16 Soldiers Killed in Terror Attack in West Niger News.AZ
O Canada
Trump Slaps 50% Tariffs on Canada While Carney Vows to ‘Intensify’ Trade Talks BBC (Kevin W)
Canada Unveils New Pipeline to Reduce Reliance on U.S. Oil Routes OilPrice
South of the Border
Report: Pentagon Develops Options for Striking Cuba Miami Herald (Robin K)
Hundreds of Thousands of Venezuelans Need Aid After Earthquakes: ‘We Have No Income Left’ LeMonde
‘It’s Total Devastation’: Inside the Amazonian Struggle Against Illegal Gold Mining Guardian
European Disunion
Diesel Squeeze in Europe Set to Deepen, Morgan Stanley Reports Bloomberg
Food Prices Set to Rise Again, Driven by This Summer’s Extreme Heat Murica Today
Drones, AI, and White Paint: Europe’s Race to Protect Infrastructure from Heat Reuters
EU Unveils Proposals to Slow Cuts to Businesses’ Greenhouse Gas Emission Limits BBC
What’s Driving Germany’s Planned €800 Billion Remilitarization? Andrew Korybko
Beyond LNG: Berlin’s Diplomatic Moves Indicate a Greater Commitment to Algeria Aljazeera
Cyprus: No More Bases, No More Wars DiEM25 in Cyprus (Robin K)
Old Blighty
Starmer Was a Fabricator and a Fraud. Good Riddance. Middle East Eye (resilc)
Did UK Intelligence Stage the Salisbury Novichok Attack? Tim Norman
Water Shortages Could Derail Plans for One Million New Homes Telegraph
Israel vs. The Resistance
Israel Threatens to Seize Ancient Water Reservoirs Near Bethlehem Guardian
Israeli Ministers Join March to Gaza to Demand Return of Settlements Aljazeera
‘We Have No Future Here’: Lebanese Families Share the Story of a Nation in Collapse National News
In the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, chaos is unfolding rapidly.
The Houthis announced this week the closure of the strait to Saudi vessels, escalating a naval blockade in response to the air and land blockade imposed by Saudi Arabia on Yemen.
Until last week, Saudi Arabia was… pic.twitter.com/gnpoH2n4UE
— Patricia Marins (@pati_marins64) July 21, 2026
The masters of empire cannot be bothered to learn about the people they declare as enemies. Ignorant of their history, unable to speak their language, indifferent to their legitimate interests, they always underestimate them. https://t.co/WOe6Pq6IUC
— Will Schryver (@imetatronink) July 19, 2026
Clashes Resume Between Yemeni Forces and Houthis in Al Hudaydah YeniSafak
Israel’s Dolphin-Class Submarine Alters the Iran War Brandon Weichert
U.S. Aircraft Suffer Heavy Losses as Iran Strikes Key Bases in the Middle East Military Watch
New Not-So-Cold War
Russia Launches Its Largest Ballistic Missile Attack: Ukraine’s Capital Becomes Increasingly Indefensible Military Watch
Instability in Kiev Amid Russian Advances Olivier Boyd-Barrett
‘Everyone’s Afraid to Die’: The Struggle to Recruit Soldiers in Ukraine Turns Violent BBC
Ukrainian Drones Target Russian Warehouses and Oil Sites DW
Kazakhstan Condemns Reported Drone Attacks on Oil Tankers in the Black Sea Export Route Anadolu Agency
Big Brother is Watching You Watch
This Fraudulent Apple App Can Unlock Your Mac’s Password Vault Malwarebytes
Imperial Collapse Watch
Does Trump’s Lack of Credibility Impact the Deep State? Karen Kwiatkowski. A Thoughtful Essay.
Trump 2.0
Spain Humiliates Trump After His Refusal to Leave Victory Photos New Republic (Dr. Kevin)
Ralph Nader: Citizens’ Impeachment Project, Symposium July 22, 2026 YouTube
Trump’s Officials Are Removing Evidence of Women’s Fight for Freedom and the Vote WA Lawrence
Report: Vance’s Getting ‘Royal Treatment’ Bay Area News Group. Robin K: Pro-Rubio Forces at Work.
The Odds of Congress Passing Another Reconciliation Bill Are Dwindling Michael Shedlock
Our No Longer Free Press
“The implication is clear: Secretary of State Marco Rubio believes a modern-day blacklist of the political left is necessary. The report explicitly references ‘blacklists, McCarthy-era investigations and prosecutions’ from the 1950s and their ‘effectiveness’ at…
— Max Blumenthal (@MaxBlumenthal) July 20, 2026
<p><a href="https://zeteo.com/p/a-warning-for-the-us-from-an-indian-journalist" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">This Renowned Indian Journalist Has a Dire Warning for U.S. Media Under Trump</a> Zeteo</p>
Police State Watch
For context, under INA’s “Alien Terrorist Removal Procedures,” a non-citizen on U.S. soil can be charged with “endorsing or espousing” terrorist views and deported/detained based on secret evidence they never see. https://t.co/iX0gOHVyx8
— Eric Lee (@EricLeeAtty) July 18, 2026
<p><a href="https://www.stevevladeck.com/p/239-the-alien-terrorist-removal-court" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Alien Terrorist Removal Court</a> Steve Vladeck</p> <p><a href="https://www.404media.co/new-orleans-cops-published-policy-document-allowing-weaponized-drones/?ref=daily-stories-newsletter" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">New Orleans Police Publish Policy on Allowing Weaponized Drones</a> 404 Media</p>
Dubious Statistics
Shaky Political “Science”: A Breakdown of the Peer Review Process Democracy SOS
It’s All About the Super PACs: How the New York Times Misreported Campaign Contributions in the Maine Senate Race Statistical Modeling, Causal Inference, and Social Science
Economy
Condo Prices Have Declined by 15% to 33% in 30 Major Cities. Some Have Returned to 2006 Levels Wolf Richter
AI
Big Tech Needs to Justify AI Spending as Investors Dump Stocks Bloomberg
The Made-in-China Anxiety Gripping America’s AI Industry Bloomberg
OpenAI Executive Laments That China Is Offering Superior AI Models Free of Charge Futurism
The Rise of “Sovereign AI” in the Global South: China’s Cooperative Responses China Affairs. The Branding Raises Suspicion.
The Bezzle
U.S. Day Traders Flock to ‘The Most Dangerous Product in Crypto’ Financial Times
Trump Has Normalized Crypto: Is It the Path to the Next Financial Collapse? Guardian
UK Pension Insurers Increase Exposure to Opaque Private Credit Financial Times
ASIC Raises Alarm on Australians’ Exposure to Risks in Private Credit ABC Australia
Class Warfare
The Points of the Oligarchs Commissioned Blueprint, #PowellMemos, to Destroy Democracy Began Its Successful Implementation Under Reagan, Thatcher, and Every Administration Since—Until the USA Fell Under Total Corporate Capture!
— Theresa Sanders (@arealmermaid2) July 19, 2026
<p><a href="https://mltoday.com/the-mummification-of-the-afl-cio/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Mummification of the AFL-CIO</a> Marxism-Leninism Review</p> <p><a href="https://floodlightnews.org/louisiana-toxic-air-monitoring/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Louisiana Communities Remain Uninformed About Toxic Air—Industry Helped Keep It That Way</a> Floodlight (Rosie G)</p>
Antidote du jour. Tracie H: “Marine Blue Butterfly. Fullerton, CA.”
And a bonus:
A walrus in Southern Norway?
Meet Magnus, one of several walruses that have been venturing further south in recent years, surprising locals along Norway’s coastline.
[🦭 Spectacular Norway]pic.twitter.com/CJr8NPbvNd
— Massimo (@Rainmaker1973) July 18, 2026
And a second bonus:
Cat’s best reaction ever to a magic trick pic.twitter.com/GMPgCQpJrm
— Massimo (@Rainmaker1973) July 18, 2026
And a third:
You can feel the love and respect that they have for each other. pic.twitter.com/zpr5szXOd2
— The Figen (@TheFigen_) July 15, 2026
For yesterday’s links and antidote of the day, see here.
