At 1,000 years old, Sherwood Forest’s main oak tree has finally died Nottingham Post (Michael T)
Comments on the definition of Christian humanism (Robin K)
Byzantine and Medieval Art Shouldn’t Look ‘Authentic’ Sacred Images Project (Micael T)
Forget Stoicism. Skepticism is an ancient philosophy that we need today. think big
Ghost Road of the Great Irish Famine JSTOR (Micael T)
The Cult of the Enhanced Self Derek Thompson (Michael T.)
ebola hemorrhagic fever
🇨🇩 The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has spread to 33 health zones in three provinces, with 896 confirmed cases and 232 deaths reported one month after the outbreak was declared.
WHO officials warned that the virus could still be spreading undetected. pic.twitter.com/LM99VBh2pq
— DropSite (@DropSiteNews) June 19, 2026
Climate/Environment
The ocean has protected us from the worst of climate change. Currently running Fever Guardian
The expansion of El Niño is not only increasing Niño 3.4. Across the world’s oceans, daily sea surface temperatures are breaking records. Yesterday we set a new daily record for the 14th consecutive day.
Color stripes updated daily include: pic.twitter.com/bvGShRndkT
— Professor Elliot Jacobson (@EliotJacobson) June 16, 2026
El Niño is caused by Kelvin waves that have moved large amounts of warm water from west to east on the Pacific ocean floor since April.
And now a new Kelvin wave is forming.
However, warmer waters are moving toward the eastern Pacific Ocean, and the El Niño forecast could become even stronger. pic.twitter.com/Me2Y8sItWd
— Ben Noll (@BenNollWeather) June 17, 2026
Ocean rancidity: Ocean acidification threatens the world’s food supply Oceanography
Combined droughts hit plant growth far more severely than scientists expected
Russia sends emergency workers to Siberia as Krasnoyarsk wildfire nearly quadruples in size Moscow Times
toilet
Nairobi: Eastland residents struggle to cope with worsening water shortages
Rising temperatures could increase flood risk from river ‘whiplash’, study finds The Guardian
China?
China expresses “serious concerns” over Japan and US’ “expansion of nuclear deterrence” Anadolu Agency
Taiwan presses Washington for billions of dollars in arms as tensions with China rise
First detailed look at China’s unique up-and-coming nuclear submarine with enhanced stealth military watch
Japan
Yen falls to 40-year low, wobbles against pound Reuters
Japan raids ice cream giant over price-fixing allegations BBC
South Korea
North Korea says treaty with Russia is ‘indispensable legal weapon’ for stability Korea Herald
Southeast Asia
Myanmar military kills 7 civilians in airstrike on Al Jazeera in Rakhine state
south of the border
Cuban churches forced to distribute communion wafers Cass News
Bolivia’s lockdown puts economic pressure on center-right leaders Financial Times
Shattered peace: Inside Colombia’s never-ending drug war San Juan Daily Star
Ecuadorian military deploys to Guayas to strengthen security against criminal organizations Reuters
Africa
Africa Multipolar Scramble GIS Report
Armed groups attacked Niger’s capital Al Jazeera airport, killing 11 soldiers and two civilians, authorities say, five months after the large-scale attack.
2026 Ethiopian general election: Tigray region excluded, in crisis DW
Sudan’s al-Obeid atrocity warns Western countries of impending RSF escalation Reuters
Somalia warns Israel against interference in Somaliland Al Jazeera
discord in europe
“We are living in a time of permanent crisis,” says former ECB president Trichet Trustnet.
Hegseth slams NATO allies at Brussels meeting as he announces review of US forces in Europe Euronews
old blighty
UK records biggest budget deficit in May since pandemic, Bloomberg
The number of shoplifters brandishing weapons soars
NHS patients face worst drug shortage in history, pharmacists and GPs tell the Guardian
Despite sending four Palestinian activists to prison last week with sentences totaling 32 years, Mr Justice Johnson is dogging lead barrister Mr Menon, who was summoned to the High Court this morning to face a fresh application for contempt of court. Rajiv… pic.twitter.com/JieAw1h0fV
— Real Media (@RealMediaGB) June 19, 2026
Hollow State End Game John Robb (Michael T)
Authoritarian Babyism All That Is Solid (Michael T.)
israel vs resistance
Tanker owners remain reluctant to send vessels to the Strait of Hormuz TradeWinds
Diplomatic deal could lead to escalation between Israel and Iran, former naval commander warns Jerusalem Post
syrakistan
Syria reports new Israeli invasion of Quneitra village as border tensions continue Arab News
A new war that’s not so cold war
Stanislav Krapivnik: Russia’s offensive accelerates, sparking anger in Moscow Glenn Diesen
President Zelenskiy issues 7-day ultimatum to Belarus over unexpected threat Simplexius
Finnish parliament passes bill supporting lifting ban on nuclear weapons Euronews
New Arctic-class gas carrier begins operation in Russia
▪️At the “Zvezda” shipyard, the gas carrier “Konstantin Posiet” was put into service. The ship was built to transport liquefied natural gas (LNG) in the Arctic year-round, Sovcomflot said. pic.twitter.com/RJM6xu40Pv
— S Printer (@SprinterPress) June 18, 2026
big brother is watching over you
If you thought Flock’s camera was worrying, just look at what happens next.
A company called Leonardo has developed a system called ELSAG SignalTrace. This information became public knowledge only a few days ago and has already been marketed to law enforcement agencies across the country. it is… pic.twitter.com/3LZRr2EfCF
— 0️⃣BlackBetty ⚓️ (@BabyD1111229) June 18, 2026
>
imperial collapse watch
The specter of a “rules-based world order” CounterFire
Trade war gives rise to ‘open multilateralism’ Bloomberg
See this part of the tweet.
Every time you drive past one of these upgraded cameras, the sensor collects a unique electronic identifier for every device in the car. your mobile phone. your smartwatch. wireless headphones. your fitness tracker. your laptop. your tablet. Your car’s own infotainment system. Tire pressure sensor. Vehicle Bluetooth hotspot.
Scoop: FulcrumSec leaks Novo Nordisk data after $25 million in unpaid demands DataBreaches.Net (Micael T)
Trump 2.0
Trump says his power has “no limits” to The Hill. Well, Trump is praying to God to strike him.
What Americans think about President Trump’s handling of Iran, according to a new Associated Press-NORC poll The Associated Press
Israel’s NDAA provision ‘Section 219’ faces bipartisan pushback from members of Congress Military.com
Meloni says he’s “stunned” by President Trump’s remarks, cancels special envoy’s visit to US CBS: “Neither I nor Italy will beg.”
republican clown car
‘Coordinated effort’: Kansas Republican leaders plan to cancel the 2026 U.S. Senate election Kansas Reflector. If this conspiracy is underway in Kansas, similar conspiracies are sure to be afoot in other states.
supremes
Supreme Court limits federal government’s power to disarm drug users CNN
economy
Fertilizer price shock could have ‘lasting impact’ on food production GTR
Global fertilizer trade falls by 30% ANBA
From human urine to insect manure: the unusual fertilizer fueled by the Gulf conflict Financial Times
Global export slump deepens in May as war hits services trade S&P Global
Insurers seek to define ‘war’ as increased risk of global power conflict Financial Times
Central bank repatriates Vzglayd gold bullion through machine translation (Micael T)
Mr. Market needs a therapist
Watch both bank and nonbank activity for warning signs of the next global financial crisis Atlantic Council
A.I.
‘We created a monster’: Companies rein in AI use as costs squeeze budgets Financial Times
Norway drastically reduces AI use in primary schools Reuters
Exclusive: Neuroscience journal editor resigns over automation concerns Transmitter (timotheus)
The new geopolitics of AI: The battle for water, energy, and computing power Modern diplomacy
guillotine watch
It turns out there’s actually a cabal of elite madmen trying to control the world Esquire (Anne)
An immediate antidote. Tracy H: “This is a male Costa hummingbird. I don’t know if I’ve told you yet, but he always hangs out on this branch when there’s a strong wind. He seems to love balancing and fighting the wind. I think it’s aerobics for birds.”:
And bonus:
The speed of Merganser running on water.pic.twitter.com/HD4rTpyx7j
— Wonder of Science (@wonderofscience) June 14, 2026
Second bonus:
🤣😅 Which parrot is a better actor? pic.twitter.com/nAGn1vWFiD
— Amazing Nature (@AmazingNature00) June 14, 2026
Third:
How it started and how it’s progressing pic.twitter.com/niYv78tQ9I
— Puppies and Positivity (@Puppieslover) June 14, 2026
And another kind of bonus:
When a Vermont family asked Baltimore restaurant owner Steve Chu for the recipe for a favorite dish their terminally ill loved one had eaten, they hoped to receive instructions.
Instead, they received something much more meaningful.
Steve Chu, co-owner of Ekiben. pic.twitter.com/u9BTRrOCNE
— Wolf of X (@WolfofX) June 14, 2026
Click here for yesterday’s link and Antidote du Jour.
