How the Global Religious Landscape Changed From 2010 to 2020 Pew (Micael T)
Authorship for sale: Nature investigates how paper mills work Nature (Anthony L)
‘Ozempic Babies’: Here’s Why Oral Contraceptives Might Be Failing ScienceAlert (Chuck L)
EXCLUSIVE: Is the ‘tech bro-ification’ of abortion here? Prism
Covid/Pandemics
An *unprecedented* 11th U.S. Covid wave taking shape. https://t.co/LF1NdQnWpu
— Mike Hoerger, PhD MSCR MBA (@michael_hoerger) June 16, 2025
As Measles Spreads, Docs Stress It’s ‘Not a Rite of Passage’ Medspace
Climate/Environment
Nasa data reveals dramatic rise in intensity of weather events Guardian
Clean energy, dirty secrets: Inside the corruption plaguing california’s solar market Boston University (Paul R)
Britain’s enemies could dim the sun and weaponise weather Telegraph. This comes from watching too many James Bond
China?
G-7 Works to Secure Critical Minerals in Face of China Curbs Bloomberg
China’s automakers aim for cars with 100% domestic chips from 2026 Nikkei
China’s fast-growing high-speed railway network faces reality Asia Times (Kevin W)
US pushes Vietnam to decouple from Chinese tech, sources say Reuters
European Disunion
NATO allies ‘not prepared’ for war, top UK defense adviser warns Politico. Quelle surprise!
Sweden must be able to function with higher interest rates Aftonbladet via machine translation. Micael T: “Sweden has one of the lowest public debt levels in the world relative to the size of our economy, but one of the highest private debt levels.”
Works begin in Ireland to exhume remains of hundreds of babies found at unwed mothers’ home Associated Press
European Disunion
Russia Weaponizes UK Climate Project Moon of Alabama
Old Blighty
Trump signs order confirming parts of UK-US tariff deal BBC
Israel v. Iran
Get that: Israel has decided to launch an international effort to bring in Israelis stuck abroad since the closure of the country’s airspace.
But Israel is not allowing aviation companies to book flights out of the country. They are saying it is meant to ‘avoid crowding in TLV…
— Alon Mizrahi (@alon_mizrahi) June 16, 2025
🚨 Breaking: @anewpolicyorg’s sources tell us that a meeting yesterday between U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu devolved into a shouting match over Netanyahu’s objections to U.S. plans to evacuate our citizens from Israel and the wider region.…
— A New Policy (@anewpolicyorg) June 16, 2025
With Its Goals in Iran Out of Reach and Its Endgame Unclear, What’s Next for Israel? Haaretz
* * *
Donald Trump Doubles Down on Crazy Larry Johnson
* * *
Debris falls in Iranian TV studio during live broadcast as Israel strikes state media BBC
They think they can defeat these people ✨️ https://t.co/dVVjgH9DF5
— Tehran Tadhg (@TadhgHickey) June 16, 2025
3️⃣IRAN SAYS IT BREACHED IRON DOME BY MAKING ISRAEL’S DEFENCE SYSTEMS ATTACK EACH OTHER
“The initiatives and capabilities used in this operation… made Israel’s defense systems target each other,” the statement read. pic.twitter.com/pauOZV1tMb
— Sputnik India (@Sputnik_India) June 16, 2025
Note none of these claimed interceptions have been confirmed:
🇮🇷🇮🇱| Iranian State TV announced the interception of a 4th F-35 above Tabriz
— Arya – آریا (@AryJeay) June 16, 2025
* * *
China runs for cover: “We call on all parties to take immediate measures to de-escalate situation as soon as possible, prevent greater instability in the region, and create conditions for returning to the right track” https://t.co/RypvZmCo8C pic.twitter.com/I5U1xZa2MI
— Dances_with_Bears (@bears_with) June 17, 2025
Iran asks Gulf states to mediate for ceasefire with Israel, sources say Reuters. resilc: “More like ‘We can fuck up your Gulfie indoor ski resort malls too ez.’”
Analysis – OPEC+ would struggle to cover major Iranian oil supply disruption Finance Yahoo!
Tankers Reportedly Ablaze Near Strait of Hormuz OilPrice (resilc). Supposedly an accident….
Since this is making the rounds, note that Mark Sleboda, in a fresh interview with Jamarl Thomas, takes issue with another claim Dugin made, that Dugin claimed that Russia offered a security agreement to Iran and was rebuffed. He says Dugin is not an insider and he has heard nothing of the kind from Russian officials. This is a separate claim, but the key point is that Dugin has already gone out over his skis, so take this with a fistful of salt:
🚨🇮🇱Israel threatens Samson Choice nuclear apocalypse if Rising Lion fails – Dugin drops a BOMBSHELL
“Israel warned that if Operation Rising Lion fails, an alternative option is Operation Samson’s Choice. This involves the direct use of nuclear weapons against Iran and Yemen,… pic.twitter.com/4tbSUYCJyK
— Peacemaker (@peacemaket71) June 15, 2025
From yesterday, but still an important overview:
In the last 72 hours, Israel launched a preemptive strike against Iran when negotiations between Washington and Tehran were still ongoing.
Iran was caught off-guard. But Iran recovered more quickly from its Pearl Harbor moment than Israel expected.
In less than 18 hours…
— Douglas Macgregor (@DougAMacgregor) June 15, 2025
* * *
From yesterday. KLG: “On the WWIII front, this is the equivalent of an attack on MIT and Caltech.” GM: “It indeed got hit hard. But that particular building seems to have been heavily involved in military research, so it is fair game after the assassinations of Iranian university professors.”
Israel’s Weizmann Institute Buildings Damaged in Iran Attack https://t.co/ie5h6WmDiu
— David Cranmer Underdown (@DavidCranmerUn1) June 16, 2025
Israel v. the Rest of the Resistance
BREAKING: Israeli helicopters reportedly evacuate dead & wounded soldiers from Gaza
This follows an announcement of a “difficult incident” in southern Gaza.
Palestinian resistance fighters targeted more Israeli occupying forces. pic.twitter.com/AhIDlBoUCP
— MintPress News (@MintPressNews) June 16, 2025
Nasser Hospital is overwhelmed with patients right now. Some 300 new causalities reported from the GHF aid massacre this morning. pic.twitter.com/2K6eJ2591x
— Drop Site (@DropSiteNews) June 17, 2025
North African convoy for Gaza reports mistreatment in eastern Libya by Haftar forces Middle East Eye
Malaysia announces the “Fleet of a Thousand Ships” initiative to break the siege on Gaza Palestinian Information Center. From two days ago, still germane.
Palestinians in Jaffa denied access to bomb shelter by Israeli neighbours Middle East Eye (Kevin W)
New Not-So-Cold War
SITREP 6/16/25: Slowly Abandoned, Ukraine Gets Squeezed by Russian Pressure Simplicius
US cancels next round of bilateral talks with Russia, says Moscow EFE. John Helmer called this one early, that even these normalization talks were going nowhere. The US was making “the dog ate my homework” level excuses for not returning Russian diplomatic property the US had seized.
The definition of insanity: a neocon think tank’s recommendations for Russia Ian Proud
Universities and colleges ranking by employment: how to decide where to apply? Tass via machine translation. Micael T: “Looking at the list of prioritized economic sectors, Russia seems to have a plan.”
Big Brother is Watching You Watch
New Pope Declassifies Jesus Crucifixion Documents Onion (Paul R)
Minnesota Shooting Suspect Allegedly Used Data Broker Sites to Find Targets’ Addresses Wired
Imperial Collapse Watch
In 2025, US looks less like a dream to some and more like a country to avoid Associated Press
Local Malls Are Sitting Empty, and Becoming a Headache for Small Towns New York Times (resilc)
Majority of Australians think China will be world’s most powerful country by 2035, poll finds Guardian (resilc)
Maniac barges into NYC courthouse and slashes officers in the neck, face in chaotic scene New York Post
Trump 2.0
Trump Backed Israel’s Strike Is Fracturing His Coalition Mediate (Chuck L). Confirming our post yesterday.
Trump Organization Announces Mobile Plan, $499 Smartphone CNBC
Trumps Promote American Bitcoin, a New Crypto Mining Venture New York Times. resilc: “Endless until revolution.”
‘Golden Share’ in U.S. Steel Gives Trump Extraordinary Control New York Times
Why Are Tyrant Trump’s Institutional Critics Remaining Silent? CounterPunch (resilc)
Col. Lawrence Wilkerson: From Perpetual Peace to World War Glenn Diesen. Trust me, you must listen starting at 39:00.
Immigration
Trump gets back behind raids in immigration whiplash Axios
Inside Trump’s Extraordinary Turnaround on Immigration Raids New York Times (resilc)
Our No Longer Free Press
Trump Attacks Tucker Carlson Over Opposition to Iran War, Says He Decides What ‘America First’ Means Libertarian Institute (resilc)
The mainstream media has enabled Trump’s war on universities Guardian (resilc)
How Minnesota Police Fueled Insane Conspiracy Theory About Assassin Ken Klippenstein
Campaigners say Saudi Arabia executed prominent journalist for Twitter account Middle East Eye (resilc)
Mr. Market is Moody
Middle East conflict slows tanker bookings, lifts rates Reuters
Central Banks worldwide expected to keep interest rates frozen as nations eye Israel-Iran turmoil, Trump’s trade war LiveMint
Boeing
Southwest Airlines is adding cockpit alerts on all 700 of its Boeing 737s to help prevent runway incidents Yahoo! News (Kevin W)
AI
The launch of ChatGPT polluted the world forever, like the first atomic weapons tests The Register (Kevin W)
The Bezzle
There’s a Good Chance Crypto Is Spreading in Your Retirement Account New York Times
How the obsession with risky assets is putting global finance in peril South China Morning Post
Novo Nordisk Loses Canadian Patent Protection For Blockbuster Diabetes Drug Over Unpaid $450 Fee Science
Class Warfare
If we are all willing to dig in and sacrifice, by growing our red bars we can do our part in making the green bar even bigger. pic.twitter.com/1KOFuP15h8
— Justin Wolfers (@JustinWolfers) June 15, 2025
Walmart’s Drone Deliveries Expand, Now in Five Different US States CNBC
Now Svantesson thinks you should bargain at the grocery store Aftonbladet via machine translation. Micael T: “Svantesson = the Swedish Finance Minister”
Northland man’s restoration work connects him to famous football brothers Duluth News. Chuck L: “A bit off the beaten in NC path but there’s a human interest and accidental entrepreneurship aspect. I also empathized with the “Which rock do you live under dad?” moment with his daughter. Been there.”
Antidote du jour (via):
A bonus:
Wait for the surprise.. 😅 pic.twitter.com/Zfc6gecK5w
— Buitengebieden (@buitengebieden) June 16, 2025
A second bonus:
Border Collie and an Australian Shepherd, meeting for the first time, both letting each other know they are not a threat.
pic.twitter.com/VVUf79OzF6
— Science girl (@gunsnrosesgirl3) June 15, 2025
And a third (Chuck L):
Friend in need is a friend indeed..🐢😊❤️ pic.twitter.com/e6oUy7dMAi
— 𝕐o̴g̴ (@Yoda4ever) June 14, 2025
See yesterday’s Links and Antidote du Jour here.
