In recent times, a collection of significant news pieces has emerged, covering various topics such as environmental concerns, health outbreaks, and geopolitical tensions. These stories highlight critical ongoing issues and developments that demand our attention.
Long Presumed Dead, a West African Reef Is Found Thriving Yale Environment 360
Deadly Snail Venom Could Lead to Pain Relief Without Opioids, Study Shows StudyFinds
FDA Investigating Second, Smaller Cyclospora Outbreak USA Today
Climate/Environment
Thousands of Tourists Forced to Evacuate as Fire Rages in Southwest France France24
Extreme Heat Drives Demand for Nordic ‘Coolcations’ FT
Climate Crisis-Driven Heat ‘Sucking Soils Dry’ as Extreme Drought Hits Europe The Guardian
Super El Niño Forecast Pushes Toward Record Strength as Winter 2026/2027 Signals Emerge Severe Weather Europe. Shorter version:
People always ask how El Niño impacts are felt this time of year. The biggest effects are often in the Southern Hemisphere. However, it’s crucial to recognize how El Niño will appear in the Northern Hemisphere (subtropical) jet stream in late fall/winter/spring… https://t.co/DjjjzEuf50
— Jeff Berardelli (@WeatherProf) July 22, 2026
Beware Media Hype. It’s Not the El Niño! Climate Uncensored
It turns out that austerity doesn’t help fight wildfires…
From Ottawa Citizen: “Approximately 50 of the roughly 100 positions at the Government [of Canada’s Wildfire] Operations Centre have been eliminated under the federal ‘comprehensive expenditure review,’ according to the… https://t.co/zTA6GcYe6L
— Prof. Ryan Katz-Rosene (@ryankatzrosene) July 22, 2026
⛈️ Video from Local Team depicting damage to solar panels at a photovoltaic park in Chiaretto, Teramo. The area suffered extensive damage from severe hailstorms yesterday, with hailstones up to 15 cm in diameter. pic.twitter.com/dygCVWEgo4
— Italia 24H Live 🔴 – Notizie dall’Italia (@Italia24HLive) July 22, 2026
8 Ways to Protect Your Solar Panels from Hail Storm Damage Ecoflow
Weather Disasters Provide Lessons That Could Help Reduce Future Impacts – But We Aren’t Looking for Them Balanced Weather
Pandemics
Measles Surge Dramatically in California Among Children and Young Adults Los Angeles Times
HHS Changes Two Vaccine Committee Charters MedPage Today
Water
Egypt and Sudan Brace for Water Crisis as Ethiopia Tightens GERD Flows New Arab
After Decades of Drought, Water is Rising in the African Sahel Yale Environment 360
The Koreas
S. Korea Seizes Cargo Vessel Suspected of Violating U.N. Sanctions on N. Korea Yonhap
Japan
Japan’s “Make China Great Again” Energy Policy in Southeast Asia Japan Economy Watch
China?
Pentagon Expands Blacklist to Include China’s Top Civilian Universities South China Morning Post
U.S. Not Getting Enough Critical Minerals from China, Greer Says as Xi-Trump Meeting Looms South China Morning Post
China Rejects U.S. Tariff Coercion, Counters EU Sanctions Al Mayadeen
How Long Can China Defy History and Logic with Its Imbalances? FT
The Problems with the “China Shock 2.0” Narrative Global Currents
Syraqistan
Ben-Gvir Joins Mass Storming of Al-Aqsa Compound During Tisha B’Av Under Israeli Police Protection New Arab
Two-Thirds of Gaza May Face Acute Hunger by Year-End Despite Improvements, Global Food Monitor Says Reuters
Trump Ties Saudi Nuclear Deal to Normalization with Israel The Cradle
IRGC Finishes Off Amazon Data Center, Says U.S. Fatalities in Hundreds Al Mayadeen
European Disunion
Brussels Slaps €890 Million Fine on Google Despite Looming New U.S. Tariffs Euronews
Albanian Police Use Water Cannons as Anti-Government Protesters Clash in Tirana Intellinews
Energy is the Exposed Flank in Europe’s Rearmament Semafor
EU Companies: A ‘Capitalism of Rent’? Michael Roberts
New Not-So-Cold War
Five Takeaways from the Secret Russian-German Talks in Baku Andrew Korybko
Ukraine Bafflingly Battles Warehouse Chain as Russia Pulls Plug on Port Odessa Simplicius
European Capitals Approve Sale of Confiscated Russian Oil Euractiv
Kremlin Rhetoric Hints at Escalation Jamestown Foundation
As War Drags On, Ukraine’s Population is Collapsing Responsible Statecraft
Laura Loomer Becomes the Ukrainian Government’s New Agent of Influence The Dissident
Humanoid Robots ‘Robert’ and ‘Matilda’ Wed in Russia’s First Robot Wedding Ceremony The Bridge Chronicle
South of the Border
Prosecutor Investigating U.S. Boat Strikes and Claims of Torture Was Murdered in Ecuador Drop Site
CIA Cutout Head Boasts About Meddling in Nicaragua. The Dissident
L’affaire Epstein
A Network Unraveling Nolan Higdon, Savage Minds
Trump 2.0
Trump to Impose ‘Sweeping’ New Tariffs on 60 Trade Partners as Global Duties Expire CNBC
The Plot Against the Midterms Seymour Hersh
Suspicion and Doubt at the National Civics Contest NOTUS
Trump Administration Wants to Hold World’s First Deep-Sea Mining Lease Sale Inside Climate News
GOP Funhouse
Republicans Attempt to Use OSHA Heat Standard Confined Space
Democrats Suck
House Democrats Voted to End Iran War—After Giving Up Their Best Leverage to Actually Stop It Capital & Empire
The Post-Trump Iran Debate Sawahil
Would You Entertain a Nazi for Clout? Who Broke It
Imperial Collapse Watch
AI
How American AI Companies Are Colonizing Global Cultural Heritage Muftah Magazine
Oracle Signs 10-Year Software Contract with Pentagon Worth Up to $7 Billion CNBC
Forgot Your Google Password? Now You Can Log In with a Selfie. Ars Technica. What’s that scraping sound?
Mr. Market
Goldman Offers Way to Trade AI Junk Bonds for $250 Million at a Time Bloomberg
Everything is Going Wrong for Oil Markets Right Now Yahoo Finance
Economy
More Americans Say Inflation and Economy Are Driving Them to Shoplift TNND
Sports Desk
Elite Young Runners Are Becoming Freakishly Fast. Welcome to ‘Trackflation’ Wired
Our Famously Free Press
Healthcare?
Man Sues OpenAI for Unlicensed Practice of Medicine Becker’s Hospital Review
Insurers Are Rejecting More Prescriptions Than Ever, New Study Finds HEALTHCARE uncovered
Immigration
Texas has constructed a floating wall of blade-studded, one-ton buoys to deter individuals attempting to cross the Rio Grande. This week, the cruelty came back to impact the state when over a hundred of these buoys broke loose in flooding and slammed into Laredo… pic.twitter.com/odgah9ntr5
— Socialist Planning Beyond Capitalism (@beyond_capital) July 22, 2026
Guillotine Watch
How America’s Corporate Class Became Legally Unaccountable (w/ Marie Gottschalk) The Chris Hedges Report
Class Warfare
SNAP Tracker: People Are Losing Food Assistance as the Harmful 2025 Republican Reconciliation Law Is Implemented Center for Budget and Policy Priorities
The Mummification of the AFL-CIO ML Today
Antidote du jour (via):
For further insights, see yesterday’s Links and Antidote du Jour.
