Is ambient music bad? blackbird reconnaissance plane
The San Andreas Fault has gone eerily quiet. Scientists finally fear collapse Los Angeles Times
Private equity is buying up Canada’s disaster economy. Consumers will suffer from the Globe and Mail
James Webb Space Telescope discovers how black holes feed themselves Space.com
Climate/Environment
Holy smoke! Tariffs, sanctions, and threatening letters, oh my! trade off
Massive fire destroys more than 100 homes, making it Norway’s largest modern-day fire Associated Press
Wildfire burns 13,000 hectares in Spain’s National Post Office, forcing hundreds of people to evacuate
It is now estimated that nearly 400,000 acres have been burned by wildfires sparked by lightning across Oregon and Washington.
This is a live view of the Agawa Butte Fire in Jefferson County this afternoon. This is due to global warming… https://t.co/7hwdWvmLbJ pic.twitter.com/ExRYXUY1tN
— Hotshot Wake Up (@HotshotWake) July 19, 2026
The Pantanal, home to the world’s largest tropical wetlands and largest flooded grasslands:
Massive wildfires are burning in the Pantanal region near Bolivia and Brazil, with thick smoke visible across the river and could reach Paraguay’s central Chaco region. pic.twitter.com/qvJ0Whpb7R
— Surajit (@surajit_ghosh2) July 18, 2026
Heavy rains caused flash flooding and flooded roads across New York City.
It’s becoming all too familiar to see New York streets turning into canals after a storm. Please stay safe. pic.twitter.com/FR2vsAPIpj
— Augustin Brian🇺🇸 (@AugustinBrian3) July 20, 2026
toilet
More water pipes burst in Venice and Hollywood as Sunset Strip repairs continue into fourth day Los Angeles Times
🚨Breaking news:
A 110 year old water supply system??
A West Hollywood water main broke Thursday morning, releasing more than 17 million gallons of water, and CBS LA reports that the 110-year-old water pipe, which dates back to 1916, was the culprit. pic.twitter.com/9AXwuuAToi
— Conservative Dad (@AConservativeDa) July 18, 2026
China?
China prepares to hit an asteroid with a projectile traveling 26 times faster than the speed of sound Interesting engineering
Chinese government intervenes to stop Chinese stocks from falling with $8.9 billion in Treasury purchases South China Morning Post
Rice grown only on paper Peking studies
India
India bans ‘Cockroach’ activists from marching on parliament, looming confrontation, Straits Times. Live updates.
syrakistan
‘Gaza is ours’ says Ben Gvir, who joins Israeli ministers in march demanding return of settlements
Israel opens legal path to Ben Gvir’s plan to surround Palestinian detainees with crocodiles
Israel issues eviction and demolition order for Palestinian housing in northern East Jerusalem Anadolu Agency
U.S. military casualties continue as Iran moves into the town of U.S. military base Simplicius
Foreign Minister Lavrov warns that Western weapons and ammunition are being sent from Ukraine to ISIS-K in Afghanistan Andrei Korivko
Uncle Sam’s Ultimatum: Why Washington Forces KDP and PUK to Unite Peshmerga Forces? Burhan NS JAF
The reported agreement will allow Saudi Arabia to enrich uranium domestically under the U.S.-Saudi Nuclear Cooperation Agreement. Riyadh would sign the 123 Agreement, but apparently without first adopting the IAEA Additional Protocol. https://t.co/G4X66hJRAq
— Nicole Grajewski (@NicoleGrajewski) July 19, 2026
discord in europe
EU faces collapse in support for new Russia sanctions FT
Former Hungarian government secretly invested around 300 million euros in Rheinmetall’s tank development Daily News Hungary
Thousands of Italian military and police personnel march in Rome over pay, pensions Euronews
Africa
Mysterious Boeing plane flies on Sudanese war route with US veterans Reuters
Or Canada
A blueprint for Canada’s food future Canadian Affairs
old blighty
Burnham announces new North Sea oil and gas drilling plans BBC
Burnham makes first major policy pledge to abolish digital IDs in favor of cost of living BBC
Britain’s Big Brother nation is already here – we just don’t realize it yet Jonathan Cook
A new war that’s not so cold war
Apparently, Trump’s super-sleuths have not yet made the connection between Trump approving U.S. targeting information for deep attacks on Russia in Ukraine and Russia providing targeting information to Iran on U.S. sites. People who are slow learners. https://t.co/AldbWgod6W
— Mark Ames (@MarkAmesExiled) July 18, 2026
Russia has many logistics ports. There is only one in Ukraine.
If Odessa suffers more severe damage, Kiev’s ability to receive vital supplies from its partners and resupply its forces in the south could be seriously affected. https://t.co/F9WS1MSGtN
— Zagonel (@Zagonel85) July 19, 2026
Ukraine accelerates privatization drive with sale of strategic industrial assets Intellinews
Turbulence in Sea of Azov puts pressure on Black Sea wheat logistics Mirror Magazine
Kazakhstan bans wheat imports for 6 months – Ministry of Agriculture orders APK-Inform.Includes Eurasian Economic Union member countries. Almost 100% of Kazakhstan’s wheat is imported from Russia.
Trump 2.0
They launch the new Cointel Pro for the 21st century Caitlin Johnston. According to statements by President Lavrov’s senior leadership, he will pursue the left while arming ISIS-K in Afghanistan through fascists in Ukraine.
President Trump downplays China despite overwhelming claims in election The Hill
TrumpRx promised supermarkets with cheaper medicines, but delivered boutique NPR
republican funhouse
‘Cancer doesn’t care what party you belong to’: Poisoned water is turning this rural politics blue
Democrats are the worst
Shah resigns, paving the way for Jackson to win Senate nomination Maine Morning Star
I am considering running for Congress against AIPAC Ivy Sam Husseini
Brooklyn reformers seek to oust embattled Democratic Party chairwoman Rodonese Bichotto Hamelin
Abdul El-Sayed beats Haley Stevens, but super PACs dominate Senate race Bridge Michigan
police state surveillance
ICE shares Medicaid data it shouldn’t have with Palantir NPR
Inside ICE’s plan to stop leasing detention space and start construction on the Saltbox project
big brother is watching you
In light of overwhelming backlash, Flock discontinues creepy audio surveillance feature
Apple has reportedly started recording Genius Bar conversations and summarizing them using AI Gizmodo
academy glove
Texas schools at risk of arresting children under 10 Texas Observer
accelerationist
Exclusive: California Forever loses $3.2 billion shipyard contract as defense startup chooses Texas San Francisco Chronicle
imperial collapse watch
New $500 million shell factory fails to produce 155mm parts in war zone
Drugs as a technology of power Hakan Iratiksi
A.I.
With AI, people are less likely to admit they don’t know something.
Politicians are trying to change what chatbots say The New York Times
Amsterdam activists throw acid at Microsoft data center project
our famous free news agency
The story of the decline and fall of Fergie Chambers
I was taken for a drive.
Robotaxis disrupted by smoke, Zoox issues software recall TechCrunch
Robotaxis passengers fall asleep, prompting emergency calls Bloomberg
Cybersecurity risks posed by wireless technology in cars worries analysts CNBC
5 Ways to Be a Happy Skeptic Skye Cleary
Antidote (via):
Click here for yesterday’s link and Antidote du Jour.
