Spectacular whale migration surprises scientists BBC
climate
Did the terminal temperature acceleration event begin in December 2024? Arctic News
The explanation for 2023’s record temperatures is finally revealed NewScientist
toilet
A shock-free mechanism for delivering water to terrestrial planets and exoplanets From the abstract: “We believe that primordial asteroids were icy, and that when the ice sublimated, it formed a gaseous disk that then reached the planet. We suggest that we can provide water.
syndrome
How close is a new avian influenza (H5N1) pandemic? Christina Pagel, details on data and decision-making
EID Journal: Replication restriction of influenza A(H5N1) clade 2.3.4.4b viruses by human immune factors, 2023-2024 Avian Influenza Diary
China?
China’s attitude becomes unstable as Trump trade war looms WSJ
China reaffirms confidence in its economy, vows to remain a driver of global growth CGTN
China loosens purse strings to stimulate demand as economic conference ends South China Morning Post
Report says US military airfields in the Indo-Pacific could be easily disabled Channel News Asia
South Korea
South Korea’s Yun defends martial law as an act of governance and vows to “fight to the end” to the Associated Press. Explanation:
The South Korean president’s story that tens of thousands of North Koreans sent to Russia to fight Ukraine have yet to show up (a story initially rejected by Washington) has led to this same coup d’etat to win support for Biden. It’s similar to the story that he was participating in a false flag operation. https://t.co/rof7EQmC6I
— Mark Ames (@MarkAmesExiled) December 11, 2024
Cyber fraud is an incurable disease in Southeast Asia The Diplomat
wasabinippon.com
syrakistan
Syria’s Assad has fallen – just as the Pentagon planned 23 years ago Jonathan Cook
Map of Syria’s factions WSJ
Israel aims for Syria’s sovereignty with an occupier mentality: Turkish Foreign Minister Anadolu Agnetci
* * *
Syrian prisoner hospitalized in ‘devastating state of mental shock’ released France 24
INCREDIBLE MOMENTS CNN’s Clarissa Ward rescues a “hidden prisoner” from Assad’s hellish prison during a search for American journalist Austin Tice Daily Mail.
This is really, really hard to believe.
The Air Force Intelligence Headquarters where this is being done (according to the full CNN report: https://t.co/YmZZ9QSrUd) has been open since December 7, 4-5 days ago (https://t. co /auNuPNKF3C And… https://t.co/LdJJI4prPG
— Arnaud Bertrand (@RnaudBertrand) December 12, 2024
and:
They took the man outside, but instead of taking him directly to a hospital or doctor (naturally for a man who had been kept in a windowless cell for three months and given no food or water for four days). ), they made him sit in a room. chair and interview him pic.twitter.com/kDRAW4BKfW
— Charlie Nash (@CharlieNash) December 12, 2024
* * *
‘We need time’: Syrians in Europe resist demands to return FT
* * *
What is Iran signaling after the fall of Syria’s Bashar al-Assad regime? Al Jazeera
Houthis say they targeted US destroyers, ships and Israeli military targets Anadolu Agnesy
* * *
Hamas admits Israeli military presence in Gaza Strip, raising expectations for hostage deal WSJ
These Palestinians go missing after encounter with Israeli forces in Gaza Associated Press
Africa
Adani’s troubles in Kenya undermine Narendra Modi’s Africa ambitions
new amazing game
“If we don’t stop crypto mining, Abkhazia will sink into darkness.” Jam News
discord in europe
Romania’s election cancellation is a lesson for social media manipulation FT. but:
Interestingly, the allegations made by the Romanian authorities against Georgescu’s campaign relate to foreign political funding. This very issue caused outrage in Europe when it was picked up by Georgian Dream. There is no coherent story. This work has come to an end. 🇷🇴🇬🇪 pic.twitter.com/v4fI99vXih
— Philip Pilkington (@philippilk) December 12, 2024
Romania’s Judicial Coup Compact
Hungarian Prime Minister responds to Zelensky’s criticism, says ‘Christmas truce’ proposal has been rejected Ukraineska Pravda
A new war that’s not so cold war
Russia announces retaliation on Alabama moon after US ATACMS attacks on strategic targets
US concludes Abrams tanks are ‘useless’ to Ukraine after heavy losses Military Observer
Putin’s regime may be closer to the collapse of the Soviet Union than we think Ambrose Evans-Pritchard, Telegraph
* * *
Lawmakers seek intelligence assessment on cutting U.S. aid to Ukraine
Biden administration lends $20 billion to Ukraine backed by profits from ‘stuck’ Russian assets New York Post
Hungarian Prime Minister responds to Zelensky’s criticism, says ‘Christmas truce’ proposal has been rejected Ukraineska Pravda
Zelensky: “Ukraine cannot legally recognize the occupied territories as Russia’s Ukraine Pravda”
Trump administration transition
Where are all the bureaucrats? Kevin Drum. Useful charts:
The Housing Emergency and Trump’s Second Term Cory Doctorow, Pluralism
Will Chinese President Xi Jinping attend the inauguration ceremony at President Trump’s invitation? South China Morning Post
Dozens of Democrats press Biden to pardon environmental lawyers targeted by Chevron Zeteo
adjuster
Luigi Mangione’s fingerprints match those from the crime scene, police say on BBC
Suspect in UnitedHealthcare CEO’s murder may be returned to New York on governor’s warrant The Associated Press
Who is the attorney representing Luigi Mangione in his Pennsylvania lawsuit? ABC (Murcilk).
NY Times doesn’t want to see gunman’s face Ken Clipperstein
* * *
Rest in peace, Bruno Latour, you would have loved United Health Group Closed Form
Debate over whether Luigi Mangione is a ‘hero’: glimpse into America’s extraordinary moment Associated Press
People cheering on the gunfight. This theory may explain why. Politician (Acacia). Deck: “The theory of ‘social banditry’ explains our dire political moment.”
* * *
How AARP funded UnitedHealthcare Robert Kuttner, The American Prospect
I worked in public relations for a health insurance company. Here’s what I think is missing from Backlash STAT
Jacobin i (AG), the news organization is complicit in America’s medical disasters.
digital clock
OpenAI CFO believes business users will pay thousands of dollars per month for AI tools Business Standard
‘Truly amazing progress’: Google’s new quantum chip hits precision milestone Nature
south of the border
US-Cuba rum war, Biden law incites Havana Club riots and spills over BNE Intellinews
the final frontier
ORC in space! Astronomers discover another giant odd-radius circle on Space.com in a ‘totally unexpected discovery’
zeitgeist watch
According to the BBC, euthanasia in Canada now accounts for nearly one in 20 deaths. Rule number two.
Luxury real estate brokers charged with sex trafficking FT
class war
Poultry farmers benefit from Trump’s threatened ‘labor documents’
Pentagon says mysterious drone over New Jersey ‘doesn’t belong to the U.S. military’, says it likely isn’t foreign TechCrunch
Antidote (Donald Hoburn):
Click here for yesterday’s link and Antidote du Jour.
