Infant with rare, incurable disease is first to successfully receive personalized gene therapy treatment National Institutes of Health
World Economic Forum Chases Lagarde as Its Next Leader After Founder’s Abrupt Exit Bloomberg
Climate/Environment
Analysis: Clean energy just put China’s CO2 emissions into reverse for first time Carbon Brief
Earth is heading for a second year above 1.5°C climate goal New Scientist
The Heat of the Moment The BREAK—DOWN
Earth’s Energy Imbalance More Than Doubled in Recent Decades AGU Advances
Japan
Japan’s economy shrinks as US tariff hit looms Business Times
China?
Rare earths race heats up with US-Saudi deal and Shenghe acquisition Nikkei Asia
THE PENTAGON IS USING A FABRICATED CHINESE THREAT TO BUILD GENETICALLY ENGINEERED SOLDIERS MintPress News
Prof. Wang Jisi on Trump and US Foreign Policy (Part 2) Sinification. “When the world’s most powerful country abandons its principles and loses any sense of morality, it becomes exceedingly dangerous and may inflict great harm upon the world.”
India
Trump wants Apple to stop moving iPhone production to India Business Times
Old Blighty
Man charged over fires at homes linked to PM BBC
Palestinians mark Nakba as hearing on UK government’s arms sales to Israel continues The New Arab
Labour see ‘massive increase’ in UK military equipment sent to Israel The National
UK blocks Labour MP from asking about Israeli bombers using British airbase Middle East Eye
British Intelligence: A Law Unto Themselves Kit Klarenberg
European Disunion
Spy agency report on the alleged “extremism” of Alternative für Deutschland turns out to be so stupid that it destroys all momentum for banning the party Eugypsius
Germany turned out to be everything my grandmother warmed me that Germany is. I see the ineptitude, the prevarication, the sheer imbecility of the German political class and I feel I have been conned by a bunch of unscrupulous insurance salesmen into buying cans of moral placebo. https://t.co/osYEPPvVAp
— Martin Gak (@DrMartinGak) May 15, 2025
Syraqistan
As Trump Declares “Golden Era” in the Arab Gulf, Gaza Burns and Netanyahu Threatens to Wipe Palestinians Off the Map Drop Site
No mention of Gaza or of the US being “troubled” by the humanitarian situation in this readout, despite the reports. https://t.co/jVnXCPngjp pic.twitter.com/GgvoVksgfk
— Mairav Zonszein מרב זונשיין (@MairavZ) May 15, 2025
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‘Too good to be true’: investors eye Syria after Trump sanctions move Reuters
Trump’s sanctions on ICC prosecutor have halted tribunal’s work AP
Report: Israel holding talks with Syria on Sharaa regime joining Abraham Accords Times of Israel
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Trump’s regional strategy is a dangerous game of brinkmanship that will plunge the Resistance into a final stand against the Zionist movement Vanessa Beeley
The mood at the end of liberalism Kültürkampf. “On the dissolution of the PKK and Trump’s Middle East policy.”
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RASHIDA TLAIB REINTRODUCES RESOLUTION TO COMMEMORATE 77TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NAKBA TAG24
Philly weaponized robotics firm is in hiding All-Source Intelligence. “Philadelphia-based Ghost Robotics Corporation has concealed its new headquarters since January, following a sustained local human rights campaign against the firm’s work with the Israeli military.”
New Not-So-Cold War
Top US diplomat says Ukrainian conflict cannot be solved militarily TASS
Brief Frontline Update – May 15, 2025 Marat Khairullin Substack
Russia is in the driving seat Ian Proud
Zelensky has set a ceasefire in Ukraine as the only topic to be negotiated by the Ukrainian side, a ceasefire that Russia has refused about gazillion times without addressing core issues. A ceasefire that only Ukraine needs that the West openly says it’s going to use to prepare…
— Olga Bazova (@OlgaBazova) May 15, 2025
US lifts sanctions on Russia-linked international oil project RT
FM: Russian fighter jet violated Estonia’s airspace to protect shadow fleet vessel ERR
That ‘tourist’ in the forest might be a Russian spy, Latvia warns AP
“Liberation Day”
Walmart says it will hike some prices due to tariffs. Here’s what that means for shoppers CNBC
US gets back to EU on trade war ― hinting at Trump’s willingness to find a deal Politico
Trump wants to bolster US drug manufacturing factories. Will this plan work? USA Today
When the U.S. and China began throwing tariff punches at each other, few industries were off limits. Yet there’s been at least one notable exception: Both have decided that their burgeoning medicines trade should be protected. @economicsnoah reports. https://t.co/zljTxaveKv
— The Wire China (@thewirechina) May 13, 2025
Trump 2.0
Former FBI Director James Comey under investigation for post seen as a potential threat to Trump’s life NBC News
LEAKED: Acting FEMA Director’s Plan for “FEMA 2.0” Drop Site
The New Acting Administrator of FEMA Wrote a Novel. It’s Not Good. The New Republic
Trump Wants a New Plane. Now, So Does Homeland Security Secretary Noem. WaPo
DOGE
The Trump Administration Leaned on African Countries. The Goal: Get Business for Elon Musk. ProPublica
The US buried millions of gallons of wartime nuclear waste – Doge cuts could wreck the cleanup The Guardian
DOGE went looking for phone fraud at SSA — and found almost none Nextgov/FCW
GOP Funhouse
Megabill teeters after hard-liners make their stand Politico
Immigration
Kitchens Close to Avoid ICE at Steve Smith’s Broadway Bars Nashville Scene
The Supremes
Supreme Court tackles birthright citizenship question Regular Order by Jamie Dupree
Big Brother Is Watching You Watch
License Plate Reader Company Flock Is Building a Massive People Lookup Tool, Leak Shows 404 Media
Police State Watch
ICE DUPED A FEDERAL JUDGE INTO ALLOWING RAID ON COLUMBIA STUDENT DORMS The Intercept
Trump’s Military Buildup at the Border Expands New York Times
No, You Don’t Actually Have a Right to a Bank Account New York Times.
Hocus Pocus, There Goes Habeas Corpus Consortium News
Abortion
Florida just took more abortion rights away Seeking Rents
Missouri lawmakers seek to repeal abortion-rights amendment approved by voters last year CBS News
Groves of Academe
NYU denies diploma to student who criticized Israel in commencement speech AP
Here’s the grad speech that NYU is now withholding the student’s diploma for:
“As I search my heart today in addressing you all…the only thing that is appropriate to say in this time and to a group this large is a recognition of the atrocities currently happening in Palestine.” https://t.co/Ngy64yAqJT pic.twitter.com/gDnbJTHmPS
— Prem Thakker (@prem_thakker) May 15, 2025
Moskowitz criticizes NYU grad speaker over pro-Palestine speech: ‘Good luck getting a job’ The Hill
AI
Regarding “white genocide,” Read Max
Healthcare?
Big Shifts: CVS Is Pulling the Plug on ACA Coverage — And 1 Million Americans Will Pay the Price HEALTH CARE un-covered
Guillotine Watch
Most Americans don’t earn enough to afford basic costs of living, analysis finds CBS News
Capitalists Only Respond To Threats Ian Welsh
Imperial Collapse Watch
Denver air traffic control went dark for 90 seconds, FAA confirms Denver Post
This Air-Traffic Controller Just Averted a Midair Collision. Now He’s Speaking Out. WSJ
Improving Naval Ship Acquisition Construction Physics
If Ignorance is Bliss, The US is the Happiest Superpower Larry Johnson
The Bezzle
Coinbase Hacked: Up to $400M at Risk After Insider Scam 99Bitcoins
The Online Scam Industry Is Capitalism Built on Slave Labor Jacobin
Uber to introduce fixed-route shuttles in major US cities designed for commuters TechCrunch. Genius.
Class Warfare
NJ Transit rail service shuts down as workers go on historic strike Gothamist
Newsom wants cities to force homeless Californians to move camp every 3 days Cal Matters. Why not 3 minutes?
Why Marx is back in fashion Unherd
Antidote du jour (via):
See yesterday’s Links and Antidote du Jour here.
