Compassionate Human Convinces a Lonely Left Behind Cat Living in the Woods for Six Years to Come Inside Laughing Squid
Meet the world’s rarest mineral. It was found only once ZME Science
New-to-science stick insect is the heaviest ever found in Australia New Scientist
Climate/Environment
Has it seemed particularly humid to you? A staggering 18 states and D.C. have experienced record-breaking humidity during July.
This map shows how average dew points ranked in each state, compared with that state’s historical data.
🧵 Where and why it’s been so sticky pic.twitter.com/UZyF2f3bTv
— Ben Noll (@BenNollWeather) July 31, 2025
Turkish city of Silopi calls for help after temperatures top record 50 degrees C Turkish Minute
Hedging against rising insurance premiums Moving Day
Abu Dhabi company plans data centers in space Semafor
Hot and power-hungry: ‘Manhattan-sized’ data centers are just the beginning Fast Company
Inside the relentless race for AI capacity FT
She’s an iconShe’s a legendAnd she is the moment✨ pic.twitter.com/MDkIj71JZf
— U.S. Department of Energy (@ENERGY) July 31, 2025
Pandemics
Anticipation of a virtual infectious pathogen is enough to prompt real biological defenses Phys.org
Scientists Develop “Lung-on-a-Chip” That Could Help Stop the Next Pandemic SciTech Daily
Japan
Tokyo Says: If We Don’t Put Anything in Writing, We Don’t Have to Fulfill Trump’s Demands Japan Economy Watch
Japan, U.S. discussing scenario for nuclear weapons use: sources Kyodo News
China?
China, Russia forces to hold joint military exercises in Vladivostok Anadolu Agency
Republic of China Army’s Reserves Missing 30 Percent of Equipment: Armoured Vehicles Cracking Due to Poor Welding Military Watch. Sounds an awful lot like “Russia is using dishwasher chips”
India
India Officially Rejects the F-35: Why Delhi Doesn’t Want America’s Top Stealth Fighter Military Watch
Africa
Why Ghana’s conflict on the Burkina border is raising alarm among security experts AFP
My most important takeaway from the dramatic turnaround in fortunes of the Sahelian states especially Burkina Faso (which used to be a nothing-country in West Africa), is the the State is by far the most powerful and most impactful entity in the development of an impoverished… https://t.co/BaPYqUJbnf
— David Hundeyin (@DavidHundeyin) July 30, 2025
Syraqistan
Anthony Aguilar gives a heartbreaking firsthand account of a child who “walked 12km to get food, got nothing but scraps, thanked us for it, and died,” in an interview with @UnxeptableD.https://t.co/usFDM9Dewh
— Katie Halper (@kthalps) July 31, 2025
These lawyers include Lord David Pannick, patron of UK Lawyers for Israel, a fact neither the BBC nor the Times mentions anywhere in their reporting.
Totally irresponsible journalism presenting lobbyists as neutral actors. https://t.co/aCWXxOTqPd
— Rivkah Brown (@rivkahbrown) July 31, 2025
US support for Israel’s genocide in Gaza hits new low: Poll The Cradle
The Economics of Sanctions: Why the U.S. Targeted Francesca Albanese LPE Project
When you stand for justice, defend humanity, and choose the right side of history.
The Iron Lady. pic.twitter.com/hb8qVGV6r2
— Zohran Mamdani (@zohranmamdani) July 31, 2025
***
The Zionists Are King on the Syrian Chessboard with Washington’s Support Vanessa Beeley
The Unit That Didn’t Exist The High Side. “How the CIA’s elite Afghan spies tried to recruit one of Daniel Pearl’s killers.”
Old Blighty
“I see no ships!” Ian Proud
European Disunion
Charles de Gaulle is Sentenced to Death History Today. How would a de Gaulle fair in Europe today?
Vague trade deal allows new US attacks on EU tech rules Politico
EU considers pooling demand from companies to buy more US gas Reuters
EU demands ‘immediate tariff relief’ from US from 1 August Euractiv
EU capitals ask Brussels for nearly €130B to spend on defense Politico
New Not-So-Cold War
Trump wants end to Russia’s war in Ukraine by 8 August, US tells UN Euractiv
Footage of Russian strikes on Kiev published by Reuters/ABC News.
No one’s afraid of Trump. pic.twitter.com/81g5qb8pSy
— Gabe (@GabeZZOZZ) July 31, 2025
Ukraine – Anti-Corruption Independence Restored, Zelenski Weakened, Four Cities Are Falling Moon of Alabama
Russia Advances in Ukraine as Trump’s impotent military, economic, and diplomatic policy is in shambles & chaos. Mark Sleboda (video)
‼️from the network ✔️Western channels write something strange, and it is difficult to verify it:
At night, Russian special forces landed in Ochakov on several boats and penetrated the command center. They captured British soldiers who coordinated the use of British missiles and… pic.twitter.com/i7poKPs4qv
— Peacemaker (@peacemaket71) July 31, 2025
Sorosites and Banderites Bandera Lobby Blog
As Marco Rubio’s State Department acts vigilantly against Israel’s critics on the pretext of “combatting antisemitism,” his department continues to support *actual neo Nazis* abroad
Ukrainian scholar @I_Katchanovski explains how: pic.twitter.com/JzETgimFiW
— Harrison Berger (@BergerPosts) July 29, 2025
The Caucasus
Russia-Azerbaijan crisis continues to deepen Intellinews
Turkiye
Russian Gas Enigma in Turkey Pluralia
First gas flow to Syria set for August 2: Turkish energy minister Anadolu Agency
South of the Border
El Salvador approves indefinite presidential reelection and extends presidential terms to 6 years AP. The tech loons getting one of those dictatorships they so crave.
“Liberation Day”
Trump rejigs tariff rates ahead of deadline, levies 40% duties on all transshipped goods CNBC
Trump unleashes a flurry of trade surprises on eve of deadline The Business Times
Trump 2.0
AMERICANS WANTED A COST OF LIVING WARRIOR. TRUMP IS THE OPPOSITE Rolling Stone
Leavitt: “The president has now ended conflicts between Thailand and Cambodia, Israel and Iran, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, India and Pakistan, Serbia and Kosovo, and Egypt and Ethiopia. This means President Trump has brokered on average about one peace deal… pic.twitter.com/NopEkpC8a6
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 31, 2025
DONALD TRUMP JR.’S DRONE VENTURES COULD MAKE A KILLING — THANKS TO DAD’S BIG BEAUTIFUL BUDGET The Intercept
RussiaGate
New Whistleblower Report Drops as Pressure Mounts in Russia Case Matt Taibbi
Also, what always happens with CIA/FBI crimes and misconduct is happening now:
Those who point it out when it’s happening are called crazy because (most of) the evidence is hidden.
When the proof is finally revealed, we’re told: why focus on this? It was so long ago!
— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) July 31, 2025
Democrats en déshabillé
Democrat Touts Opposition to Starvation in Gaza — But Blames US Protesters Truthout. CIA Slotkin.
Senator Slotkin missed the vote on banning arms sales to Israel yesterday. Instead she went on the Colbert show, where she called for aid to Gaza (to thunderous applause): pic.twitter.com/PzU79Ll0sl
— Ken Klippenstein (@kenklippenstein) July 31, 2025
More if you can stomach it:
Senator Slotkin says of the CIA: “These are good, corn-fed people who just want to help their country.” pic.twitter.com/ApFhXE4E3J
— Ken Klippenstein (@kenklippenstein) July 31, 2025
***
The Anti-Abundance Critique on Housing Is Dead Wrong Derek Thompson. He is co-author of Abundance, which is being held up as the way forward for Democrats and conveniently backed by billionaires like Reid Hoffman. Here’s a Stoller thread dismantling his arguments:
I’m baffled by @DKThomp‘s piece on Dallas housing.
He claims that Dallas builds so many houses that there can’t be an oligopoly fostering a lack of housing.
He also claims Dallas doesn’t build enough houses because of zoning choices.
Which is it? https://t.co/aesE8ki4jl
— Matt Stoller (@matthewstoller) July 31, 2025
Will Democrats defend society? Unherd
The Démodé Party Harper’s. From 1970, still germane.
GOP Funhouse
there’s the funders of the anti Massie super PAC. Miriam Adelson’s PAC, John Paulson and Paul Singer. pic.twitter.com/qLpeIHIwed
— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) July 31, 2025
Antitrust
Epic just won its Google lawsuit again, and Android may never be the same The Verge
AI
What Happened When I Tried to Replace Myself with ChatGPT in My English Classroom Lit Hub
Police State Watch
The Prison Conference Money Shower n+1 Magazine
Trump Administration Halted Lawsuits Targeting Civil Rights Abuses of Prisoners and Mentally Ill People ProPublica
Accelerationists
IOM=UN International Organization for Migration
🧵 THREAD: Layoffs, Loyalty, and Optics at IOM under Amy Pope
1- 6,000+ IOM staff have been laid off citing budget constraints making field programs suffer, & migrant services being disrupted.Amid this, several senior leadership appointments have continued, including close… https://t.co/oeoiQDTtno pic.twitter.com/oSpKoGUWli
— Hala Jaber (@HalaJaber) July 30, 2025
You can’t fight enshittification Cory Doctorow.
Eugenics
Sentiments like these are eugenics and should have no place at government health agencies, whose mission is to protect the health of all people regardless of anyone’s circumstances. pic.twitter.com/HF8iWU1EQ1
— Dr. Lucky Tran (@luckytran) July 31, 2025
This is German journalist Tobias Huch on the forced starvation of children in Gaza. This is not a marginal view in influential German circles.
The idea that Germany has conclusively dealt with its Nazi past is laughable. pic.twitter.com/uFyPwFbh11
— Trita Parsi (@tparsi) July 31, 2025
The latest embryo selection company is live, and guess what:
They’re publicly letting people select for IQ!
If you want to see what they can do for your family for a variety of traits, go check out their website where they’ve got a calculator app available. https://t.co/zaGbuIpSEz pic.twitter.com/LuIZFUY1dj
— Crémieux (@cremieuxrecueil) July 30, 2025
Inside the Silicon Valley push to breed super-babies WaPo. From a few weeks ago, still germane.
Our Famously Free Press
ICE, Georgia Sheriff’s Office Combine Forces To Keep A Salvadoran Journalist Locked Up Indefinitely Tech Dirt
The Friendly Skies
NTSB hearing reveals air traffic controllers should have warned passenger plane about helicopter before collision, but didn’t CNN
The Bezzle
SEC debuts ‘Project Crypto’ to bring U.S. financial markets ‘on chain’ CNBC
Class Warfare
07/31/2025: Advice Memo Indicates New GC Won’t Pursue Non-Solicitation Clauses Matt Bruenig
Lessons from Urban Ore’s 40-Day Strike Emergency Workplace Organizing Committee
In a digital age, old-fashioned watchmaking schools, including a new one from Rolex, are in demand Los Angeles Times
Last Of The Traditional Wood Craftsmen, II 3 Quarks Daily
A Language Made of Blue Diary of a Deer
Antidote du jour (via):
See yesterday’s Links and Antidote du Jour here.
