James Bond fans launch fundraising campaign to build a statue of supervillain Blofeld in his ‘homeland’ of Poland Notes from Poland
Pabst discontinues beloved American lager brand VinePair Schlitz
The rise of physics in ready-to-wear home construction
Climate/Environment
Rising sea levels are engulfing mid-Atlantic farmland faster than expected, study finds by Virginia Institute of Marine Science
Record ice loss in Central Asia in 2025, increasing water risks for millions of people Phys.org
Severe urban flash flooding hits two major U.S. cities, but responses vary widely Balance Weather
Hard Rain Harpers. “The battle over weather modification”
Scenarios, plans… RealClimate
Is community the answer to fragility? Snapforward
Honey collector who risked his life at Tiger Country Atmos
As reptiles adapt to a changing world, the risk of snakebite increases, says Guardian study
pandemic
Coronavirus and large-scale layoffs University of Michigan School of Law
This may be one of the most important long-form COVID papers in a while.
A new study in Frontiers in Immunology suggests that the novel coronavirus may cause the development of new insulin resistance, which may lead to abnormal NETosis in neutrophils months after infection 🧵
— Zdenek Vrozina (@ZdenekVrozina) May 21, 2026
ebola hemorrhagic fever
And this is exactly what I have been saying will happen in a pandemic with a mortality rate of 40% or more. Everything will be destroyed. anarchy. People who can’t accept things. They are going to set fire to the hospital (which is a place you should never set fire to).
Supply chains break quickly. What you need… https://t.co/G8NJP4uKzg
— Roger Seheult, MD (@RogerSeheult) May 21, 2026
Former CDC director on Ebola outbreak: ‘This could be a very serious pandemic’ The Hill
Fears arise as Ebola cases are reported in rebel-held areas hundreds of kilometers from the epicenter
***
US ‘just choosing not to stop’ Ebola outbreak after massive public health cuts, says expert
The White House resisted reinstating an Ebola doctor to the WaPo. Second: American doctor infected with Ebola to be treated in strict isolation in Prague Radio Prague International
U.S. selects small-scale San Diego biotech for experimental Ebola treatment as Ebola outbreak worsens Fierce Biotech
hantavirus
Some areas of the Pacific Northwest Medical Express have high rates of hantavirus infection. in rodent populations.
toilet
Woman files lawsuit after arrest over Facebook post about Trinidad water issue FOX4
China?
Each American CEO came to China with a specific issue they wanted to address. Almost everyone left empty-handed.
What was most intriguing about this article was the confirmation that China did indeed block Maxwell from selling solar power manufacturing equipment to Elon Musk. https://t.co/4Zp9Xvshdp
— Kyle Chan (@kylechan) May 22, 2026
Acting Navy Secretary: Suspends Taiwan arms sales to secure ammunition for Iran war The Hill
Trump got the show, Putin got the bromance — Xi took the stage George Chen
Southeast Asia
Indonesia signed letter of intent but did not commit to US on airspace access: Defense Minister Shahri the Hindu
India
From “chess pieces” to “bags of blood”? What the Trump-Xi summit brings to India The Wire
syrakistan
The well-documented devastation of villages in southern Lebanon was on display at the Israeli troops’ “homecoming” party, which drew cheers and laughter from the crowd of soldiers, their relatives and families.
This is a sight that can only be seen outside of Israel. pic.twitter.com/EkAwH3jL9s
— Israeli Genocide Tracker (@trackingisrael) May 21, 2026
Gaza Platoon activist deported for ‘abuse’ and ‘torture’ in Israeli custody New Arab
They’re not mad that Ben Gvir is evil, they’re mad that he’s honest Caitlin Johnston
US threatens to revoke visa of Palestinian ambassador to the UN NPR
Today, the Lebanese resistance targeted Col. Meir Biderman, commander of the Israel Defense Forces’ 401st Armored Brigade, in south Lebanon. Israeli media reports that he is fighting for his life.
This is the same brigade that killed Hind Rajab, attacked Al Shifa Hospital, and terrorized Rafah. pic.twitter.com/11h3djyvg0
— Diab Abu Jajah (@Aboujahjah) May 20, 2026
***
President Trump calls off last-ditch attack after reports Iran is timing US tactics
discord in europe
President Trump to send 5,000 US troops to Poland after canceling original plan France 24
Brussels condemns China. Data points for other places where the Orient is read
Germany’s political establishment is losing its mind as the AfD consolidates its dominance in the Ugippian constituency
Or Canada
Military Minerals: How U.S. military demand is fueling extraction in indigenous land transition security projects
old blighty
Sadiq Khan clashes with Metropolitan Museum of Art over blocking £50m AI contract with Palantir The Guardian
A new war that’s not so cold war
Has the Ukraine-Russia war entered its final phase? Cliodynamica by Peter Turchin
NATO Incrementalism: First, they denied that NATO airspace was used to attack Russia. And they claimed that the Ukrainian drone did not have permission to enter NATO airspace. Now Sweden’s prime minister says NATO should help Ukraine direct its attacks in the “right direction”… pic.twitter.com/i88txcdbzs
—Glenn Diesen (@Glenn_Diesen) May 21, 2026
Finland’s massive air raid shelter draws the world to Helsinki for safety The Straits Times
🚨⚠️🚨Ukrainian troops deliberately attacked sleeping children in the LPR and targeted school buildings and dormitories of Starobelsk University.
There were 86 children between the ages of 14 and 18 in the building at the time of the attack. At least 35 people were injured. pic.twitter.com/vzrkK0C0wD
— Ignorance, the root of all evil (@ivan_8848) May 22, 2026
Ukraine tests balloon-launched drone system to expand attack range Intellinews
imperial collapse watch
A Matter of Time John Karpis “The Duran”
U.S.: New data highlights AIPAC’s relationship with the U.S. and Israeli governments DAWN
south of the border
The provocative reality behind the downing of a Cuban plane Accuracy.org
Lafaire Epstein
Who is Sarah Kellen? Why wasn’t she charged with Epstein-related crimes? The Epstein Files by Julie K. Brown
Trump 2.0
Trump’s allies and enemies seek payments from ‘anti-weaponization’ fund WSJ
Republicans insist on reconciliation amid bitter disagreement over ‘anti-weaponization’ fund The Hill
Is Trump’s Justice Department going after Obama? seymour hersh
Democrats are the worst
Biden team failed Kamala Harris in 2024, Democratic autopsy says USA Today
DNC autopsy author Paul Rivera met with the pro-Palestinian group IMEU Policy Project in July 2025 and said the war in Gaza would hurt Democrats in the 2024 election, according to two people familiar with the meeting.
However, the final report does not mention “Israel” or “Gaza.” pic.twitter.com/zDjGZ80K9p
— Holly Otterbein (@hollyotterbein) May 21, 2026
California’s ‘groundbreaking’ fast food council is leaderless and hasn’t met in more than a year Cal Matters
unity party
Data center divides Harper’s
police state surveillance
New: Multiple ICE warehouses sold by people close to Trump who were sitting on the properties and losing money.
When we looked into it further, we found that some properties were purchased by the federal government for 10 times the list price.
This is a new level of corruption and you are paying the price. pic.twitter.com/MmUDL9kFsW
— More Perfect Union (@MorePerfectUS) May 20, 2026
Immigrants detained in ICE jails despite consenting to leave the U.S. will be documented
ICE spent more money in January than NASA did all year on immigration information.
Newly released footage highlights ICE’s use of facial recognition technology.
big brother is watching you
City council members go wild after city bans crowds, proposes internet and phone bans 404 Media
A.I.
See the math behind OpenAI and Anthropic’s latest headlines Gary Marcus
AI will disrupt cheap smartphones by David Oks
The existential crisis of generative AI: What we have lost
420
Would you fly with marijuana? How small changes to TSA guidelines can affect you The Hill
agriculture
President Trump defends China’s purchase of U.S. agricultural land clips
The United States is in a food system crisis, not a food shortage William Murphy
class war
Western leaders play their part in a sham democracy. Can you find the teachings? Jonathan Cook
Imperfect Guardians California Law Review. “…confidence in the relatively reactionary character of the ordinary working-class poor in the United States is in no way proportionate to the evidence. That confidence reflects ideology and belief in the necessity of elite rule rather than any well-founded findings. The extremely concentrated wealth and power that characterize modern life It is especially dangerous to leave these promises untested in the face of authoritarian politics. Such discourse distracts from the fundamentally undemocratic nature of the American state and allows governing elites to blame “the people” for problems that elites are unfairly implicated in and caused.
Rent strike aims for tax cuts, data: Tenants organize beyond legal campaign Shelterforce
Antidote (via):
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