Dear patient readers:
You have a Links overdose today. Too many things of import happening that are going more under the media radar than they should due to the Iran war. So that this Links could cover these many other fronts, nearly all Middle East news is in our daily Iran war post.
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Words Lost and Stolen Peter Gelderloos (Micael T)
Ebola
At least 100 deaths reported in Ebola outbreak in DR Congo as six Americans exposed BBC
It looks more and more like MV Hondius ANDV outbreak was a super spreader event
One person infected 8 to 10 others
Very common with airborne pathogens pic.twitter.com/y30COOnod8
— Barry Hunt (@BarryHunt008) May 16, 2026
Hantavirus
The Ebola outbreak in DRC has some serious red flag warnings. See below. And very problematic: the most commonly used test platform in the region cannot pick up this strain. That is a big handicap. https://t.co/pfSHZfKny5
— Marion Koopmans, publications: https://pure.eur.nl (@MarionKoopmans) May 17, 2026
Climate/Environment
Gas prices are rising. So is public transit ridership. Grist
Wood burning is reintroducing lead pollution into the air, US scientists find Guardian
Gooey blue blobs are washing up on U.S. beaches—here’s why National Geographic
El Niño ocean-atmosphere coupling is coming soon.
Rising air is predicted to develop across the tropical Pacific, signaling an atmosphere that’s responding to the fast-warming ocean.
Weather-related impacts from this building El Niño should begin to be felt over the next month. pic.twitter.com/SahofoH89r
— Ben Noll (@BenNollWeather) May 14, 2026
The last time an El Niño this strong hit, it killed 50 million people. That was 3 to 4% of the entire world population. Scale that to today and you’re looking at 250 million equivalent.
The 1877 Super El Niño triggered simultaneous droughts across India, China, Brazil, and East… https://t.co/Z7vNJVhYnA
— Aakash Gupta (@aakashgupta) May 18, 2026
Declare climate crisis a global public health emergency, experts tell WHO Guardian
Scientists find climate change is reducing oxygen in rivers worldwide Independent
Israeli tech company aiming to cool the Earth with masses of tiny particles Times of Israel
Melting of Greenland ice sheet could release methane ‘fire ice’ New Scientist
Hundreds of extra French communes recognised as ‘natural disaster’ zones ConnexionFrance
Landslides are New Zealand’s most expensive natural hazard, and the costs are rising quickly eos.org
China?
China’s April slowdown highlights dilemma between growth and inflation Think.ing
Australia deserves the isolation it is determining for itself with self-harming aggressions against China. Forced divestments in rare earths will deter all Chinese investment in Australia, incur retaliatory measures.
Who sold Australia jet fuel last month? China. https://t.co/2cwmWmWx8c
— Kathleen Tyson (@Kathleen_Tyson_) May 18, 2026
Could China limit Japanese airlines’ access to its airspace as ties sour? South China Morning Post
Lai says Taiwan won’t be sacrificed as Trump weighs arms deal Japan Times. Oh really?
Japan
Exclusive: Japan’s extra budget to include funding from fresh debt, source says Reuters
Koreas
North Korea enshrines automatic nuclear strike if Kim is killed MSN
Kim Jong Un Sends Troops to the Border with South Korea Nasha Niva
Africa
Protesters block major Sudan-Egypt highway over power cuts Sudan Tribune
US lifts Ethiopia’s ban on arms dealing as Red Sea tensions reshape regional alliances Business Insider
South Africa’s biggest city descends into chaos Daily Investor
South of the Border
‘Feels like an illusion’: inside post-Maduro Venezuela’s bewildering new era Guardian
Bolivia deploys thousands of troops to break La Paz siege as economic crisis bites Intellinewshttps://www.intellinews.com/bolivia-deploys-thousands-of-troops-to-break-la-paz-siege-as-economic-crisis-bites-443234/
Cuba accuses US of fabrication after Axios report alleging drone threat Reuters
European Disunion
Ranked: Where Inflation is Highest in Europe in 2026 Visual Capitalist. Micael T: “I can tell that for Germany this is pure bollocks. My weekly food expenses go up even though I buy less meat & fish and more beans and pasta.”
EU races to find deal compromise as Trump tariff deadline looms Financial Times
NATO’s biggest special forces exercise in Europe takes place as US reduces support for allies Sky
In closed-door talks, U.S. demands a major role in Greenland New York Times
US and EU officials converge on Greenland as Denmark stays away Euractiv
Biotech lobby groups are set to trap farmers and breeders in patent minefield Corporate Observatory Europe (Micael T)
President Connolly ‘very proud’ of her sister who was detained by Israel on Gaza-bound flotilla The Journal. Go Ireland!
Comments from PlutoniumKun by e-mail:
Yes – its widely reported here, but very neutrally, I don’t think the media quite knows how to report it.
https://www.rte.ie/news/world/2026/0518/1573901-gaza-flotilla/
She is a doctor, married to a well known independent leftist politician.
The President was meeting King Charles at the time.
https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2026/0518/1573827-connolly-visit-uk/
Privately, I think the Irish government will be furious – they don’t like Connolly, they don’t see her as a ‘safe pair of hands’, but constitutionally they have to keep quiet about it. They will be fully aware Israel will do whatever they want to her, and don’t care too much about how it looks. They already have a history of interfering in Irish presidential elections.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/jul/31/david-norris-ireland-mercy-letter.
In the latter case, its widely believed that Israel deliberately released the story to stop Norris getting elected.
The Irish government is caught in a very awkward position between being pushed internally and externally to take a strong pro-Palestine stance and the enormous external pressure from Trump, Brussels and London. They are very aware of various forms of US and Israeli pressure (something like 75% of all Twitter posts on Irish politics are from outside Ireland).
Old Blighty
‘Unprecedented’ police operation to control rival London protests Sky
THOUSANDS march at HUGE London ‘Unite The Kingdom’ rally with FURY aimed at ‘abhorrent’ Starmer Daily Express. A compilation of footage, including drone shots which show the crowd was very large.
MEP and far-right influencers barred from UK rally: Who are they and what was the reason? Euronews
Starmer sabotages Burnham on Brexit Telegraph
Is the bond market making Britain ungovernable? Guardian
Drones spreading seaweed to keep Britain growing BBC
Israel v. The Resistance
اعتراض أسطول غزة 2026 من قبل الجيش الإسرائيلي (التقرير رقم 1)
بقلم العقيد (متقاعد) آن رايت
تم اعتراض أكبر أسطول مدني في تاريخ الدعم للفلسطينيين في غزة والضفة الغربية ابتداءً من الساعة 10:30 صباحًا بتوقيت تركيا، يوم الإثنين 18 مايو 2026، على بعد 250 ميلًا بحريًا من غزة.
أطلقت… pic.twitter.com/JDuSOiIgN7
— Ramy Abdu| رامي عبده (@RamAbdu) May 18, 2026
Israel launches strikes on southern Lebanon despite extending ‘ceasefire’ Aljazeers
You can follow the Strait of Hormuz. https://t.co/AGHQqnS1RJ
— Vijay Prashad (@vijayprashad) May 18, 2026
Israel advances plan to seize Palestinian property near Al-Aqsa Mosque Middle East Eye
Syraqistan
Pakistani forces kill 35 terrorists in Balochistan operation, capture 3 high-profile commanders Indian Express
Can new Pakistan-Afghanistan tensions lead to another border clash? Aljazeera
New Not-So-Cold War
🛢️ U.S. Treasury Issues Third Extension of Russian Oil Waiver — as Tasnim Reports Washington Has Agreed to Suspend Iranian Oil Sanctions During Negotiations
🔹Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced Monday a new 30-day general license allowing “vulnerable nations” to access… https://t.co/YNsx7MpE50
— Drop Site (@DropSiteNews) May 18, 2026
Nuclear weapons ‘cornerstone’ of Russia’s national security: Kremlin Turkiye Today
Why’s The Russian Foreign Ministry Downplaying The Likelihood Of TRIPP’s Implementation? Andrew Korybko
Please click through to read the entire tweet. One of its important points: “Starlink is no longer a commercial venture; it is the enemy’s orbital backbone, a de facto NATO asset branded with Musk’s name.”
Russian Military Strategic Assessment: Operational Readiness for Neutralization of Starlink Constellation and Allied NATO Orbital Assets
In the ongoing Special Military Operation, the Russian Federation’s Aerospace Forces have achieved a level of space-domain superiority that… pic.twitter.com/ShGVuLm8Zj
— 𝐃𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐝 𝐙 🇷🇺🇮🇪 (@SMO_VZ) May 17, 2026
Why we do not allow links to ZH (plus they other sites’ copyrighted work, including ours):
Incorrect. There are actually plenty of able, cargo-empty tankers within the US Navy blockade perimeter but Iran has already lowered its oil production to match consumption and some storage buildup on land. The storage situation does not appear to be dire for the time being. https://t.co/mmlpHIr9ZI
— TankerTrackers.com, Inc. (@TankerTrackers) May 18, 2026
Big Brother is Watching You (and Maybe Blowing You Up) Watch
Do not buy Apple. pic.twitter.com/igDzbo6UgE
— Seyed Mohammad Marandi (@s_m_marandi) May 18, 2026
Imperial Collapse Watch
Should India Mediate The Iran-US War? Retd. Maj. Gen. GD Bakshi Explains Republic World. The headline does this fine talk a disservice. Maj. Gen. Bakshi takes a broad view of the role of America, BRICS, and India.
Please click through to read entire tweet:
The five-second epistemology of the novel technology just discovered by America’s Silicon Valley and defense-tech genius fluids, called concreteDay 48. Ask a Stanford alum to name the top defense technologies. Hypersonics. AI. Quantum. Sixth-gen. Ask him about UHPC. Carburetor… https://t.co/vxsQWSBIFN
— Donald J. Gorbachev (@donaldgorbachev) April 16, 2026
THE SEVEN THUCYDIDES LINES WHICH PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN AND PRESIDENT XI JINPING SHOULD DISCUSS THIS WEEK BUT CAN’T BECAUSE THEY ARE TOO SUPREMACIST, TOO SUSPECTING John Helmer
Trump 2.0
Trump’s approval rating slides to lowest since 2023, CBS News poll shows CBS
This is a THEFT far worse than Watergate. There is no other word for it. They are stealing $1.78 BILLION dollars to pay Trump‘s allies, despite knowing that these people are not legally entitled to any money and be laughed out of court if they filed a lawsuit for money damages. https://t.co/9tKgsdxKMn
— Aaron Reichlin-Melnick (@ReichlinMelnick) May 18, 2026
Billionaire Trump’s Secret Trading Spree Alarms Wall Street Daily Beast
Pentagon says Hegseth campaigning against Massie in ‘personal capacity’ The Hill. Trump allies could not hire someone more credible as part of the first team?!?! This is the best gift Trump could have given to Massie.
Our No Longer Free Press
X Agrees to Review Illegal “Hate” Within 48 Hours Under UK Online Safety Act Reclaim the Net
Economy
Our fragile world is being hammered by one crisis after another. It’s about to get worse. The Age
The Chip Shortage Is A Gulf Energy Crisis Wearing A Different Costume Forbes. This was not a hard call, but comparatively few (including yours truly) made it early
China quietly turns off sulphuric acid supply amid disruption from Iran war ABC Australia
Shipping industry faces bunker fuel shortages amid Iran conflict Associated Press. We discussed this issue at least a week ago
Food Inflation in America by Product: It Boils down to a Sharp Acceleration on Top of Already Very High Prices Wolf Richter
Mr. Market Needs a Therapist
Global bond rout deepens as inflation fears trigger rate-hike bets Reuters
G7 finance chiefs seek to look through bond volatility Reuters. Shades of “subprime is containted.”
Oil Breaks Above $111 as US-Iran Conflict Enters Dangerous New Phase Action Forex
Mortgage costs rise sharply on Middle East conflict Financial Times
AI
From Andrew Ross Sorkin’s e-mailed Dealbook newsletter, subject line Booing A.I.:
Cue the boo birds: In a commencement address at the University of Central Florida this month, Gloria Caulfield, a real estate executive, called A.I. the “next industrial revolution” and was met with a loud chorus of boos. Stunned, she asked, “What happened?”
Yesterday, Eric Schmidt, the former C.E.O. of Google, was booed repeatedlywhen he began talking about A.I. during his commencement speech at the University of Arizona. “I know what many of you are feeling about that,” Schmidt said. “I can hear you.”
Schmidt told the grads that he understood there was “a fear” that the machines were coming and jobs were disappearing.
Scary numbers: According to new research from the employment site ZipRecruiter, some 47 percent of recent graduates say that A.I. has already affected hiring in their field, and nearly 51 percent of soon-to-be grads believe that A.I. will reduce the number of entry-level jobs.
American Jobs with AI Exposure Really Are Starting to Disappear, Data Show Gizmodo (Ann)
A 45,000-person labor strike at Samsung’s memory chip plants could throw a wrench into the AI boom Fortune (Ann). BWAHAHA.
The Bezzle
BlackRock Private Credit Fund’s Valuations Are Probed by DOJ Bloomberg. From over the weekend. Important. The SEC oversees private fund managers. See for instance this ACA report from March Private Credit Under SEC Scrutiny as Liquidity Pressures Rise. This means the SEC found enough that it did not like that it not only made a DoJ referral but the DoJ took it up. The SEC has plenty of power to impose fines but only the DoJ can pursue a criminal case. Mind you this is just an investigation but is looks mighty serious. But again remember this action is only against one fund so in theory the implications for BlackRock, which is ginormous, look limited. But this is a big deal in that it suggests that investor worries about valuations are bona fide.
Lawmakers zero in on sports gambling regulation as scandals boom The Hill
Guillotine Watch
The AI trial of the century ends with a whimper Gary Marcus
Class Warfare
The Affordability Case for Public Factories Washington Monthly
LIRR Strike Brings Five-Hour Commutes, Bleary Travelers THE CITY
Antidote du jour (Retaj):
And a bonus. My last cat, Gabriel, was loved by the vets because he acted like a dog and would accept all sorts of handling. They also seemed to have PTSD related to his breed, Abyssinians, because they were typically hostile. For instance, after my first cat, Winston, had a catheter put in him to clear some urinary blockage, the vets had to wear full-arm welding gloves to deal with him.
He chose peace over violence.. 😅 pic.twitter.com/FNnSxBmpzn
— Buitengebieden (@buitengebieden) May 16, 2026
A second antidote. Cats heart science experiments!
The cat’s reaction is adorable. pic.twitter.com/5TPb9SQ6jr
— The Best (@Thebestfigen) May 16, 2026
And a different sort for the third:
The mascot had no idea that approaching the security guard would become one of the most legendary moments ever. pic.twitter.com/5T1y97NZWy
— The Best (@Thebestfigen) May 16, 2026
See yesterday’s Links and Antidote du Jour here.
