A transformative biblical map that reshaped perspectives ScienceDaily (Kevin W)
Exploring Heritability: A Mask for Change Freddie deBoer
In only 28 days, eliminating parabens and phthalates from diets halted breast-cancer-linked activity in healthy breast cells.
Researchers tracked women using common personal care products—like shampoos, body washes, and makeup—that often contain… pic.twitter.com/diKZJjPAF7
— Science girl (@sciencegirl) December 2, 2025
Link between early smartphone use and adverse health effects emerges Axios
Singapore to extend smartphone ban in secondary schools throughout the school day Straits Times
#COVID-19/Pandemics
Proposed changes to FDA vaccine approval process could endanger COVID and flu protection for children Scientific American (Kevin W)
A new study reveals that immune profiles months after COVID-19 differ significantly from those post-influenza, showing SARS-CoV-2 leaves behind unique and more prolonged immune disruptions. 1/ pic.twitter.com/ZRavHq1gsP
— Vipin M. Vashishtha (@vipintukur) December 1, 2025
Research indicates that COVID vaccinations significantly reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
A comprehensive analysis of nearly 46 million adult health records concludes that COVID-19 vaccination dramatically lowers risks, directly challenging previous assertions to the contrary. pic.twitter.com/0k9T2e5Msv
— Massimo (@Rainmaker1973) November 30, 2025
Evaluating Influenza Vaccine Efficacy for the 2024-2025 Respiratory Viral Season MedRxiv. Not a supporter of flu vaccines due to low efficacy. Further confirmation of this.
Climate/Environment
Amphibian populations decline sharply: Study shows 788 species diminishing over four decades Down to Earth
Worsening climate exacerbates plastic pollution; immediate action is imperative, warn researchers PhysOrg
Increased frequency of El Niño occurrences observed, now happening every 2 to 5 years Earth
China?
China’s service sector activity drops to a three-year low while factory troubles persist Financial Times
Chinese authorities instruct statistics providers to cease publication of home sales data Bloomberg:
The delay in data release followed a move by China Vanke Co.—perceived as a pillar of the sector—to seek a delay on a local bond repayment for the first time last week. This unexpected decision compounded industry challenges following falling sales and substantial defaults by firms such as China Evergrande Group and Country Garden Holdings Co.
China’s ambitious strategy to dominate global publishing Asia Times (Kevin W)
Widespread anti-corruption protests erupt in the Philippines CGTN
Southeast Asia
Flood survivors in Asia recount harrowing escapes, as currents threaten lives Guardian (Kevin W)
Thailand closes border crossings amidst intensifying clashes in Myanmar–Karen regions Nation Thailand
Africa
Famine in Sudan: A look at how starvation is weaponized by those in power Forbes
Urgent Alert: Is Mali at Risk of Becoming the Next Afghanistan? Politics UK
South of the Border
Trump’s Role as a Catalyst for Disruption Daniel Larison
Venezuela seeks OPEC’s support against US threats Aljazeera
🇺🇸🇻🇪 A conversation that never occurred: “Maduro expressed to Trump his willingness to leave Venezuela if he and his family, along with over 100 officials, were granted amnesty” — Reuters
Another misconception propagated by mainstream media pic.twitter.com/Hbpuig9ucY
— Lord Bebo (@MyLordBebo) December 2, 2025
Trump cautions Honduras regarding election delays, alleging that the commission is obstructing vote counts Anadolu Agency
European Disunion
Europe’s Economy Experiences Its Slowest Growth in Sixty Years Hungary Today
Europe’s Resurgence in Drilling Pushes Back Against US Energy Commitments Reuters
EXCLUSIVE: Police Conduct Raids on EU External Action Service and College of Europe Amid Fraud Investigations Euractiv. A significant warning sign?
Greek farmers clash with police during protests over the delayed disbursement of EU subsidies Aljazeera
Old Blighty
Lammy: Courts must not cling to jury trials merely for tradition’s sake Telegraph. Colonel Smithers’ retort to my “!!!!”:
Lammy was interviewed earlier on BBC breakfast news. During this segment, he faced challenges about previous tweets advocating for jury trials based on diversity and the necessity for increased funding for the justice system. He responded evasively, stating that while jury trials are essential, they should not be required in every instance.
The urgency of his comments is partly influenced by upcoming Palestine-related trials. An especially notable case involves a decorated retired Colonel and the son of Holocaust survivors, Chris Romberg, along with a retired Anglican priest. Current charges against six Palestine protesters are ongoing, with some on hunger strike for the last three weeks—a fact that has not been widely reported.
It’s hardly surprising given that Lammy, while serving as a north London councillor, confided in a colleague that his Harvard scholarship was arranged by a Zionist oligarch, who also introduced him to his Jewish wife.
Eliminating jury trials won’t lessen the number of trials. Instead of a jury of twelve citizens determining guilt or innocence, a single judge will make that decision. @DavidLammy‘s plans will necessitate additional courtrooms, judges, barristers, court staff, and prison facilities.
Government proposals are fundamentally flawed and destined to fail.
Decades of…— Anna Soubry 🇬🇧🏴🇺🇦🇪🇺🖤🤍 (@Anna_Soubry) December 2, 2025
UK shoppers hesitant to visit high street amidst economic concerns during Black Friday Guardian
Revealing documents unveil Britain’s covert D-Notice censorship system The Grayzone (Kevin W)
Israel vs. The Resistance
UN reports that Israel has a “de facto state policy” of organized torture WSWS
Live updates: Israeli forces kill multiple unarmed Palestinians across the West Bank and Gaza Middle East Eye. Notably, there has been no ceasefire.
Arms purchases from Germany finance Israel’s genocide Nachdenkseiten via translation (Micael T)
Beit Jinn: The ambush that debunked Israel’s misconceptions in southern SyriaThe Cradle
Iran halts power generation at a key dam due to drought Iran International
The New Not-So-Cold War
The ECB refuses to back €140bn loan for Ukraine Financial Times. Not unexpected, and it marks a turning point, as Ursula von der Leyen can no longer harangue about seizing Russian assets. Euroclear has declared they will take legal action if pressured to proceed without joint indemnity from EU member states—something virtually impossible to obtain. The ECB backstop was the only feasible alternative.
CDU-Politician Roderich #Kiesewetter on #Lanz: We must be determined to “win the war against #Russland” to prevent Moscow from expanding the conflict, claiming, “it has been Russia’s goal for 100 years to project war beyond its borders.” Suffice it to say, open confrontation with Russia is perilous. pic.twitter.com/HyFlovHTuM
— Sahra Wagenknecht (@SWagenknecht) November 30, 2025
Recent U.S.-Ukraine negotiations revolved around post-war borders Axios. The delusion displayed here is astounding, compounded by Ukraine standing firm against the U.S.: Macron insists there is no ‘finalized’ peace plan for Ukraine Politico (Kevin W)
Europe’s humiliation regarding Ukraine is evident Unherd. Disturbingly, Munchau’s analysis, rather than critiquing the EU, dismisses Orban’s influence altogether.
NATO’s flirtation with preemptive cyber strikes against Russia poses severe risks Andrew Korybko
Relations between Kazakhstan and Ukraine strain following oil infrastructure assault Times of Central Asia
Calumny Scott Ritter. Micael T: “A humorous retort from Scott to Doctorow.” My view: Ritter may be impassioned and dramatic, but he often shares valuable insights not found elsewhere. Conversely, I find Doctorow beneficial only when summarizing discussions from prominent Russian political media, and his YouTube presence fails to resonate.
Big Brother Is Watching You Watch
Flock employs overseas gig workers to develop its surveillance AI 404 Media
Imperial Collapse Watch
The Financialization Hoover Effect and The Demise of the American Dream Ian Welsh
A Critical Review of the DC Shooting Incident Corbin Trent and America’s Undoing (resilc). A significant piece.
After the Fall: Navigating America Beyond Late-Stage Capitalism Futuredude. Micael T: “While there may not be a hit list of individuals to eliminate (e.g., billionaires), this can come across as virtue signaling. Wealthy individuals might staunchly resist parting with their assets, to which change-makers might respond, ‘I would be happy to help.’”
Trump 2.0
Since Trump’s Return, Confidence in His Brand Diminishes Wall Street Journal (Dr. Kevin)
Authority Crisis
White House defends Hegseth after strike on alleged drug vessel results in civilian casualties Wall Street Journal. Lead story. See Nat’s coverage of this news in an update, plus extensive background analysis.
It’s a noteworthy moment. When offering explanations is necessary, it signifies the loss of authority. Congress has largely complied with Trump (and previous administrations) when it comes to the overreach of his authority, particularly in matters of war-making. However, military personnel and veterans are visibly pushing back. Recall Larry Wilkerson’s prior warnings that Trump’s erratic behavior could serve as a means for the administration to identify military personnel sympathetic to Trump, possibly preparing for a confrontational stance against American citizens, including a military declaration of martial law. If this was part of a strategy, Trump delivered a major misstep by summoning top officers for Hegseth’s bizarre Patton-themed speech. During that event, Hegseth came across as a brash and arrogant junior officer while simultaneously warning about an “internal enemy.” The directive to fire on unarmed vessels posing no threat—a seemingly minor overreach—became a highly publicized case, providing grounds for military backlash. Furthermore, Hegseth’s attempt to shift blame onto Admiral Mitch Bradley will not be well received within the armed forces. True leaders take responsibility for their actions.
Hegseth ordered a lethal strike without regard for the lives of survivors, officials assert New York Times. One must question how “eliminate everyone” is not interpreted as “eliminate everyone.”
Service members have a ‘duty to refuse’ Hegseth’s immoral orders Moon of Alabama (Kevin W)
Tariffs
Costco initiates legal action over Trump’s tariffs in efforts to obtain reimbursement Business Insider
L’affaire Epstein
Epstein Revelations are Unlikely to Undermine Trump’s Position American Conservative (resilc)
Our No Longer Free Press
Rebellious Nuns in Austria Resist Abandoning Instagram to Remain in Their Convent NPR
Economy
Record number of 3.13M passengers screened at airports on Sunday The Hill. Reflecting deferred travel from the pandemic lockdown.
Navigating a recession characterized by decreasing employment yet rising GDP? Menzie Chinn
Are We Unconsciously Heading Towards a Diesel Crisis? Honest Sorcerer (guurst)
America’s Deteriorating Energy Grid Faces a Critical Challenge as Winter Approaches OilPrice (resilc)
Electricity costs rise sharply for numerous Americans Washington Post (guurst)
Anticipating an approaching copper shortage Money Week
Mr. Market is Moody
The Disruption of the Credit Market by $260 Billion Mom-and-Pop Funds Bloomberg. Significant observation.
Global economy: Can we endure the consequences of a potential triple bubble? World Economic Forum
The AI Bubble: Insights from More Than a Century Ago The Conversation
AI
EXCLUSIVE: Sam Altman’s OpenAI is revealed as a ‘money-losing operation’ Breaking Points, YouTube. A digestible explanation meant for the general public, highlighting the growing mainstream awareness of these concerns. An interesting note: OpenAI’s announcements no longer boost stock prices. Oops!
Colleges Are on the Brink of Self-Destruction Atlantic
New York mandates that retailers disclose when AI determines pricing New York Times (Kevin W). Consider routing your VPN through New York City while shopping online!
Virginia Democrat wins a state legislature seat by standing against data centers Guardian (resilc)
Warnings arise as ChatGPT-5 purportedly offers harmful guidance to those with mental illness Guardian (Kevin W)
The Bezzle
Lane Kiffin’s Move to LSU: A Disturbing Precedent Amidst Ongoing Hypocrisy in College Football The Athletic (resilc)
Guillotine Watch
Class Warfare
Young Workers, Assessing Their Futures, Learn to Value in-Person Work EnvironmentsNew York Times (resilc)
Antidote du Jour: John U: “Still life portrait with deer outside my window”:
Bonus:
A duck slide at the South Carolina state fair brings joy every year.
📹missblanton
— Science girl (@sciencegirl) December 1, 2025
Second Bonus:
A mongoose helps its companion up a ledge using its mouth. 🥰 pic.twitter.com/iNQWzGQ5kG
— Nature & Animals🌴 (@naturelife_ok) December 1, 2025
Third Bonus:
This Puma Believes It’s a House Cat! 😍 pic.twitter.com/hKy34Ocx2W
— Beauty of music and nature 🌺🌺 (@Axaxia88) December 1, 2025
For previous links and the antidote from yesterday, you can find them here.
