Paradise Revisited Atlantic (Michael T.)
Scientists are stunned to discover traces of ancient life in places no one expected Science Daily (Kevin W)
How Himalayan blackberries conquered the Pacific Northwest JSTOR (Micael T)
Global trade in cocaine and methamphetamines soars, UN drug report reveals Reuters
Left-wing ideology, mental health, and body modification Journal of Public Research in the Behavioral Sciences. Michael T:
“This study focuses specifically on aspects of the social left, which is defined by particular attitudes towards issues such as gender, race, immigration, sexual orientation, and individual expression. This conceptualization differs from the economic left, which is concerned with views on redistribution, market regulation, and social welfare.”
So they’re actually studying those who propagate a neoliberal identity that has nothing to do with the left.
“Study” for the commentators to chop into pieces.
https://joibs.org/index.php/joibs/article/view/78/47
Climate/Environment
Climate risk ‘no longer peripheral’ to inflation and monetary policy FTAdviser
https://www.ftadviser.com/content/7b51a2b4-10ea-40b6-86d5-0653ebcbaf4
In June, record westerly winds blew across the Pacific Ocean.
This will create new Kelvin wave activity, moving more warm water into the eastern Pacific, culminating in what is likely the strongest El Niño on record this year. pic.twitter.com/dBI8mba6QP
— Ben Noll (@BenNollWeather) June 23, 2026
At the bottom of the apocalyptic charm
ISO from altitude 0 to 4500 meters…plus 30 degrees to altitude 1000 meters, Annecy 40
Le Mont Blanc and Degoulinen Glacier. Nous pardons notreaux pottables. 3e The most important issues and ambiguities regarding climate change pic.twitter.com/qqoISHS2WD
— RESILIENCE MONTAGNE President Valerie Paumier (@Valerie_Paumier) June 24, 2026
Do you think it’s hot? The Antarctic Peninsula is also unusually warm. British Antarctic Survey
Utah officials warn of ‘totally unprecedented’ water shortage as towns run dry Salt Lake Tribune
How much deforestation does your country import through trade? Hannah Ritchie (Michael T.)
Hedge fund targets $500 million to trade El Niño crop risks Bloomberg
China?
China condemns US’s ‘egregious’ trade practices, but vows to seek tariff cuts from US South China Morning Post
Strategic Mineral Corridor, Germany’s foreign policy towards China
China leverages critical mineral advantage against Japan Bloomberg
New Zealand internal report warns of Chinese military expansion into French Pacific region24
“China Initiative 2.0”: US crackdown on Chinese scholars intensifies South China Morning Post (Garst)
China prepares second LNG terminal to receive two Arctic LNG cargoes Gaobei News
Japan
US missile launches against Japan send a clear message to China: The arrival of a new era Japan Times
South Korea
North Korea’s Kim monitors weapons tests, calls for ‘deadly and destructive’ military posture
Southeast Asia
China built Indonesia’s nickel boom. Will it remain for the bust? Asia Times (Kevin W)
Africa
Weaponizing the womb: Reproductive genocide in Tigray genocide surveillance
Sudan: New UN Human Rights Report – “Brutal Sexual Violence in Sudan” Pan-Africa
What the surge in anti-immigration protests says about South Africa The Economist
Demand for government to manage city that accelerates risk of Johannesburg collapse Bloomberg
south of the border
Economic losses increase as death toll rises from Venezuela earthquake Al Jazeera
As earthquake death toll rises, Venezuelans take matters into their own hands to search for missing people Associated Press (Kevin W)
Venezuela: Earthquake death toll rises, US Southcom deploys military assets Venezuela Analysis (Robin K)
Hussein Dorgu (Robin K.), who was massacred for supporting Che Guevara
Colombia’s cocaine trade exceeds oil exports in crude oil prices
discord in europe
Europe hit by intense heatwave; France records hottest day on record NBC
old blighty
‘Dangerous’: How schools, care homes and other UK workplaces are coping with scorching heat The Guardian
Britain’s June heat record is broken for third day in a row, as ministers urge action, The Guardian (Kevin W)
British housebuilders warn of ‘shock’ over doubling of steel import duties Financial Times
Tough US tariffs as UK food and drink exports fall to 10-year low
Farmers criticize government plans to tackle threats to UK food security Guardian
israel vs resistance
Moderate by Trump standards. President Trump uses “Islamic Republic of Iran” when he wants to show some respect.
According to Lloyd’s List Information data, at least 26 ships of 10,000 dwt or more were transiting the Strait of Hormuz via the southern passage with AIS from 14:10 on June 25, when the Ever Lovely collided, to 12:00 on June 26. Eight vessels used the Iranian-approved Northern Passage. pic.twitter.com/eCznPh6eVD
— Lloyds List (@LloydsList) June 26, 2026
New report reveals true extent of destruction at US 5th Fleet headquarters in Simplicius, Bahrain
Underlying report: How Iran destroyed a US naval base and triggered a US recount Wall Street Journal
Details of the Framework Agreement between Israel and Lebanon signed today are as follows: Here’s why this is not a starter:
1) This agreement is not a peace agreement, but merely a framework for future negotiations. Perception doesn’t matter.
2) The central mechanism is two “pilot zones”. The Lebanese…
— Shayer Ben Ephraim (@academic_la) June 26, 2026
The war between the US and Iran may be over, but the death toll continues to rise
Safety is when no one dies New York Book Review (guurst)
Soldiers injured in Iran war accuse Pentagon of downplaying injuries Independent
Gulf states pressure US not to ignore Iranian missile threat
Israel says military will not withdraw from ‘security zones’ in Lebanon, Gaza and Syria New Arab
Forever war: Israel’s conflict cycle shows no endpoint Al Jazeera
Yemen’s Houthis vow to target Israel in breakaway Somaliland and Anadolu
Holmes again? The Red Sea Threat to the World Economy Council on Foreign Relations
A new war that’s not so cold war
France seizes five Russian ‘shadow fleet’ tankers involved in Ukraine war Al Jazeera
Ukraine’s Belarus machinations: When strategic pressure breeds political escalation Kautilya
Russia’s fuel crisis and Crimea’s logistics problems: Has the Kremlin lost its grip on reality? TopWar (Michael T)
Russia is preparing a possible “provocation” in the Baltic states or Poland, sources told the Guardian. At the risk of offending readers who are exceptions, isn’t “Latvian intelligence” an oxymoron?
Kazakhstan from Moscow to Beijing and Baku GIS
big brother is watching over you
Nearly 1 million passports have just been published on the public internet, and anyone can access them using a simple CA URL. Since the beginning of this month, there is still a close relationship
imperial collapse watch
U.S. military base hosts important mineral plant as domestic base, boosting Mining.com
Trump 2.0
John Bolton pleads guilty to classified documents charge The Hill
John Bolton pleaded guilty Friday to unlawfully retaining classified national security information. Under the plea deal, he faces up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, a $2.25 million fine, and forfeiture of his public pension, going forward… https://t.co/ptTon5ucHJ
— DropSite (@DropSiteNews) June 27, 2026
immigration
More than 425,000 U.S. children receive deportation hearings without lawyers DropSite
economy
‘Core services’ inflation soars, plus AI impact on electricity and goods: Inflation beyond gasoline Wolf Richter
Mr. Market needs a therapist
Asian stocks suffer fresh decline as roller coaster week draws to a close Channel News Asia
‘Very problematic’: Former Wall Street regulator is nervous about politicians
SpaceX bond sale suggests market is in ‘bubble territory’, Allianz CIO warns Financial Times
A.I.
The tokenpocalypse is here: companies are scrambling to stop spending heavily on AI 404 media
The month Generative AI lost its mojo Gary Marcus
Current state of the AI economy Exponential View (Micael T)
Why do people use AI to text their friends? Terry Nguyen (Michael T.)
elite cheating
Medicare Advantage pays $342 million to government amid claims investigation KFF Health News
basil
Stablecoin crash? barry ritholtz
Ares Management’s flagship private fund hit hard by withdrawal requests CitiAM
This year’s Fed stress test is a hollow exercise waiting for the final blow to market improvement.
Think tank profiles the billionaire power couple who advocated ‘communism for landlords’ and a global welfare state while living in $30 million mansions New York Post (Michael T.)
guillotine watch
‘You can’t make billions without hurting people’: Corey Doctorow on Elon Musk, the AI bubble and the cruel fantasies of bosses The Guardian
class war
The United States can afford to modernize itself. Capital simply refuses to pay William Murphy (Michael T.)
Evaluation racket CADTM (Michael T)
Techno-oligarchy and the privatization of sovereignty: A new stage of capitalism: Rebellion through machine translation (Micael T)
Ion, the violence specialist
An immediate antidote. Tracy H:
A female sparrow on the roof of my house.
She meows and peeks over the edge of the roof. I think she’s a little jealous of the hummingbirds who enjoy bathing in tiny birds that are too small for sparrows.
And bonus (Chuck L):
A failed flight leads to a new life for the eagle
A few months ago, park visitors began noticing something strange near a quiet pond by the woods. A young eagle followed a family of swans across the grass and snuggled up behind them as if they owned them. First,… pic.twitter.com/KOAZbkxAax
— The Husky (@Mr_Husky1) June 25, 2026
