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Links 7/12/2025

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Eight Adorable Minutes of Baby Animals in the Wild Laughing Squid (resilc)

Why monkeys—and humans—can’t look away from social conflict Science Daily

Why Science Hasn’t Solved Consciousness (Yet) Nomea (Anthony L)

‘An uphill battle’: why are midlife men struggling to make – and keep – friends? Guardian (Kevin W)

#COVID-19/Pandemics

COVID cases likely rising in half of states, CDC estimates CBS

Climate/Environment

Amplified warming accelerates deoxygenation in the Arctic Ocean Nature

‘I can’t drink the water’ – life next to a US data centre BBC

Western Europe keeps setting new heat records as fastest-warming continent Financial Times

Extreme weather could cause 5% drop in euro zone GDP, bank watchdogs find Reuters

London bracing for water restrictions as drought grips UK Independent

Accelerated glacial melt and monsoon rains trigger deadly floods in Pakistan Guardian

China?

Xi Jinping wages war on price wars Economist (Li)

China’s patience wears thin with EU over medical device row Asia Times (Kevin W)

Samsung’s New Phones Show How Far Ahead China Is on Innovation Wired (resilc)

Japan

India

Sanction first, ally later: India learns the cost of trusting the US RT

Engine fuel switches cut off before Air India crash that killed 260, preliminary report finds Guardian (Kevin W)

Pakistan army chief accuses India of pushing ‘nefarious agenda’ after border conflict TRT

Africa

War crimes are likely being committed in Darfur, ICC finds BBC

Nigeria says troops kill dozens of gunmen in northwest and northeast Aljazeera

European Disunion

France’s Parliament Calls Europe to Break with America and Partner with China Arnaud Bertrand (Chuck L)

NATO Complicates China-EU Summit Preparations Glenn Diesen

Kaja Kallas is the real threat to Europe UnHerd (Chuck L)

Old Blighty

UK economy shrinks for second month in a row after unexpected slump in May Independent

In some UK woodlands, every young tree has died. What’s going wrong? Guardian

Israel v. The Resistance

Israel’s latest “mass rape” report is a warrant for genocide Asa Winstanley

Israel Urges the US To Start Bombing Yemen Again Antiwar.com (Kevin W)

‘We live on bread and tea. I’ve wished for death’: Yemen’s forgotten refugees Guardian

Iran’s Mass Expulsion Of Afghans Poses A Dilemma For Many Of Its Supporters Andrew Korybko

New Not-So-Cold War

Rubio Claims Russia Suffered 100k KIA in Six Months, Ukrainian Casualties Remain ‘Vague’ Simplicius

The Europeans And The U.S. Against Russia – Who Is Really The Patsy? Moon of Alabama

‘Walking Away’ from Ukraine Will Be a Logistical Challenge American Conservative (resilc)

WHAT IS THE “NEW IDEA, NEW CONCEPT” RUBIO SAYS LAVROV HAS JUST GIVEN HIM? John Helmer

If the Russians are Killing Ukrainian Civilians, Where are the Bodies? Larry Johnson

The South Caucasus is slipping from Russia’s grasp Aljazeera

Russia deports head of Azerbaijani diaspora in Moscow Oblast OC Media

Big Brother is Watching You Watch

Exclusive: Evidence of cell phone surveillance detected at anti-ICE protest SAN

Imperial Collapse Watch

Pentagon to become rare-earth mining company’s largest stockholder DefenseOne (Kevin W). Communism watch! State ownership of productive assets.

US containerized missiles: steathy firepower, high strategic cost Asia Times (Kevin W)

Trump 2.0

The Christian Backlash Taking Hold New York Times (resilc)

The F.B.I. Is Using Polygraphs to Test Officials’ Loyalty New York Times (Kevin W)

Judge blocks Trump’s birthright citizenship order after Supreme Court ruling Reuters (Kevin W)

DOGE

This Is DOGE 2.0 Wired (resilc)

Tariffs

Someone Is Closely Front-Running Trump’s Trade Announcements Thomas Neuburger

Vietnam thought it had a deal on its US tariff rate. Then Trump stepped in. Politico (Kevin W)

US will impose 35% tariffs on Canadian imports, Trump says in letter Guardian

Immigration

US federal judge temporarily blocks alleged indiscriminate stops, arrests in LA Anadolu Agency

Democrat Death Wish

Democrats Should Prepare for the Return of Debt Politics Washington Monthly (resilc)

John Fetterman Throws His Family Under the Bus to Suck Up to Trump New Republic (resilc)

L’affaire Jeffrey Epstein

DOJ’s Epstein Memo Is Tearing the Trump Administration Apart Rolling Stone Rolling Stone (Chuck L)

Why MAGA is Right about Jeffrey Epstein Tina Brown

Our No Longer Free Press

BBC staff: we’re forced to do pro-Israel PR Owen Jones (resilc)

Australian envoy’s antisemitism plan criticised as ‘Trumpian’ over concerns changes could be used to silence dissent Guardian (Kevin W)

Mr. Market is Moody

The frightening world without the dollar Financial Times

Trump banking cop threatens global financial security, warns top US Democrat Politico

Central Banks Are Ducking the Chance to Tame Hedge Funds Bloomberg

The markets are picking a dangerous fight with Donald Trump Ambrose Evans-Pritchard, Telegraph

Antitrust

The Water Cooler Giant Primo Brands: When Customer Service Signs Off as ‘Joseph Stalin’ Matt Stoller

AI

At last, a promising use for AI agents: crypto theft The Register (Chuck L)

The Bezzle

Prime Day is a scam Popular Information (resilc)

Class Warfare

Roaming Charges: Heckuva Job, Puppy Slayer! CounterPunch (resilc)

Antidote du jour (via):

And a bonus:

A second bonus:

And a third:

See yesterday’s Links and Antidote du Jour here.

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48 comments

  1. Steve H.

    Community Plumbing: How the hardware store orders things, neighborhoods, and material worlds. [Places Journal, 2018]

    A long evolution. Excerpts:

    > Two years before Congress passed the Mint Act, bartering was still a common practice. For certain goods Rex turned to local suppliers, purchasing tobacco products, earthenware, nails, hides, shoes, rakes, and barrels from the potters, smiths, tanners, cobblers, and coopers around town. Much of his business, however, involved regional trade.

    > Iron bars made by local smiths became currency when exchanged for merchandise at Rex’s store, and he made loans to the ironmasters and allowed them to use store credit to pay their employees.

    > The average customer has a very indefinite idea of the name or nature of the device he requires, and therefore depends largely upon the intelligence of the dealer to supply the necessary and proper article.

    > As tools became more user-friendly, retailers began to aim their sales pitches at amateur homeowners rather than professional craftspeople… To reinforce their customers’ new sense of self-sufficiency, they had more self-service displays.

    Reply ↓
  3. Terry Flynn

    I won’t self promote and break rules but I have an inkling regarding middle aged men and friendships based on similar questions. Traditionally many men derived a lot more quality of life from their job compared to women (and any references I could supply are based on Anglo countries so I won’t generalise beyond these).

    Increasingly unstable work environments therefore cause problems. Meanwhile (in the case of Aussie from my research) many more women built and established social networks outside the workplace. Job hopping is less deleterious to them.

    Caveat: the research is now close to 15 years old but I believe it has become even more relevant.

    Reply ↓
    1. ChrisFromGA

      I’d love to see some research on how remote work affects men.

      I’ve been WFH since March of 2020. Fortunately, I have some friends (can count on one or two hands, but its better than none) and PT law school has been a blessing in terms of social connections (a group with a common purpose, being around younger adults.)

      I went in to a depression about 2 years after March 2020 and it took school to get me out of it.

      Reply ↓
      1. Terry Flynn

        Thanks for sharing. I’ve been open about mental health but it ain’t easy to write it there for “potentially finding at any time”.

        Yes, if I were still research active I’d definitely be looking at WFH and to what extent it provides mental boost (or not) to QoL in different people and, importantly, which elements of QoL were positively or negatively affected.

        My gut feeling is that whilst “things that make you feel valued” (usually capturing job stuff) were improved by flexibility and less commuting, “attachment” (all that camaderie etc) was eroded in many men. But ultimately I’m an ex-academic whose active projects stopped just before the pandemic!

        Reply ↓
    2. Jesper

      I’d second that the work environment now is not as good as it used to be to find friends.

      Previously when the job-market was better for employees then employees had colleagues who helped each other and worked together. Now when the job-market is bad for employees then employees have competitors who might stab colleagues/competitors in the back. So, need to be open and helpful (and vulnerable) to make friends but being open and helpful (and vulnerable) might lead to being the one made redundant due to not having unique skills and knowledge (which happened due to being helpful and sharing skills and knowledge).

      I like the bit in the article describing about how going somewhere where the purpose is making friends creates pressure which leads to less stress and stressed people are less open. Going somewhere to engage in some activity is less pressure and once there there is already a guarantee of a shared interest. The shared interest can be anything like golf, football, poker, swimming, chess etc etc. More relaxed environment, people are more open and the chance of making friends increases.

      A personal anecdote: I’ve moved countries four times in the past 15 years. The most difficult place to make friends for me was Sweden and that is despite the fact that I am Swedish. If I would have had the same difficulties in all countries then maybe the problem was likely to be me but Sweden stood out in a very marked way so it might indicate something about how Sweden is. I am not surprised to read about loneliness in Sweden nor am I surprised about falling birthrates in Sweden, people are so closed off, defensive and generally afraid of opening up to anyone about anything so creating connections between people is very difficult there.

      Reply ↓
      1. Terry Flynn

        Don’t get me started on Sweden. One of 3 countries I’ve lived in. A Swedish professor went out of her way to tell me “it’s not you, it’s us” regarding failure of my active attempts to immigrate/integrate fully. She said 30 years living in that city and despite being Swedish born and bred (but elsewhere in Sweden) she was still an outsider.

        Looking back, I think she started the warnings to “move away”.

        Reply ↓
    3. Neutrino

      Bowling alone.
      Working alone.
      Social mediaing alone.
      There is a trend.

      Once upon a time, in Dad’s generation, guys had more regular hours. They also had time for bowling night, lodge meetings of whatever nature, sports and that luxury of evenings and weekends for family and friends. The lodges could be Elks, Moose, Odd Fellows, or community organizations like Rotary, Kiwanis and more. How many readers know anyone who attends any of the above?

      In my generation, work devolved and scrutiny increased. The respite became a few close friends going to lunch to share stories, commiserate, laugh, talk of family and enjoy company of fellow survivors. A cautionary tale involved not being too obvious about not including the distaff side in those lunches, especially for higher-ups painfully aware of optics and potential claims of whatever nature.

      The pendulum toward atomization of societal bonds, a handy mixed metaphor in this confusing time, keeps swinging stochastically. Not everything has to be reduced to monetary considerations, and people do find ways to combat the encroachments and onslaughts on humanity.

      There is still volunteering, as demand always exceeds supply.

      Reply ↓
      1. ChrisFromGA

        Regular Hours:

        And let’s not forget that the Googles, Microsofts, and other tech companies now view 60-hour work weeks as the minimum. I know younger people working these crazy hours, plus they have young kids that need lots of attention. No idea how they’re going to have a social life like that.

        Reply ↓
        1. mrsyk

          Regular hours, a living wage, a pension, that sounds like a union job. Only communists like union jobs, lol.
          I’ll echo your “who’s got the time?”, and blame our ever more transactional reality, which neutrino touched on.

          Reply ↓
          1. The Rev Kev

            You should add in to how men are supposed to “suck it up’ and not complain too. I think that that is a factor that cannot be ignored.

            Reply ↓
      2. Terry Flynn

        Indeed. I have a comment in mod about job change issues. But suffice to say you and Chris IMHO have in meantime identified key points.

        Men require attachment just as much as women. But modern jobs select for the opposite of this.

        Reply ↓
      3. wol

        My father served in the South Pacific in WWII. I wonder if the trust and camaraderie carried over into combatants’ post-war male relationships. He was on a company softball team, a bowling league, poker nights, Kiwanis, Elks, VFW, etc and coached pony league baseball. Sadly, most of these involved alcohol.

        Aside: one night a friend’s Italian immigrant father came home loaded from the Elks Club with a stainless steel urinal inscribed with his name and Most Piss-Poor Bowler. He was so proud.

        Reply ↓
  5. Wukchumni

    The frightening world without the dollar Financial Times
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Maybe we are at the end of nationalistic currencies?

    Once upon a time money in each country was important, and if a kingdom, the emperor’s mug typically graced one side of a coin or banknote, leading to familiarization with the populace in a giant world rendered small by technology not yet getting us to the here and now.

    It also used to be a method to grade how a given country was doing, if German industry was prospering more than usual, the Mark went up in value against other currencies, that sort of thing.

    None of that really matters in a world where over 90% of transactions are done without tactile manna, and there’s really only a handful of currencies that matter-with the almighty buck being el supremo in that regard.

    Closest thing to a tactile worldwide currency was when the UK was at its zenith doing £sd.

    The problem of a 1 world currency (lets call it the ‘Wuk’) lies in the idea of a mutual hegemon or would that be hegemen?

    How would you get the world to not cheat on one another with such an arrangement?

    Reply ↓
    1. The Rev Kev

      I don’t think that you can. Certainly the US would never give up having the dollar be the ultimate currency in world trade as it’s use allows it to finance its empire. The same way that the Empire that Britain had allowed it to finance its massive Fleet. Without the use of the US dollar and if the US dollar came home, it would bring with it massive inflation for a start. Kinda makes the US dollar sound like some sort of Ponzi scheme. In the US itself, the dollar is only worth a tiny fraction of what it was worth a century ago and if it ceased to be the currency of choice then it would be game over, man, game over.

      Reply ↓
    2. Wukchumni

      p.s.

      In regards to cheating…

      A look back when we shared printing plates of the new and improved Allied Military Mark with the USSR, oh did the Russkies go to town post war on our Dime, cranking out vast oodles~

      In early 1944 the U.S. Treasury Department hired an American banknote printing company to create the engraved printing plates for AMM and had draft copies of the notes by February. The Americans, who were already planning to produce occupation currency in every theater of the war, took the lead and offered to print all the AMM that U.S., British, and Russian forces would need in occupied Germany. The British agreed, but the Soviets balked. Assistant Secretary Hilldring told the Senate committee that the Russians were worried that if the Americans printed all the Allied AMM, the Soviets might not have enough occupation money when they needed it. Hilldring paraphrased the Russian argument: “We agree to use your currency, but we cannot trust you to print it and to fly it halfway around the world to Moscow in time for us to get it to [Soviet general] Zhukov and his troops.” The Russians instead insisted on receiving copies of the printing plates; the Soviets would then print their own AMM. Assistant Secretary of War Howard Petersen testified to the same Senate committee that, in April 1944, the “Russian government sent a note to the United States stating that if the plates were not delivered to the Russians, the Soviet government would be compelled to prepare independently military marks for Germany” which would have their “own pattern.”

      FIFTEEN MONTHS LATER, in July 1945, American occupation forces entered Berlin. They found a devastated city, a shattered economy, a broken people—and a Soviet occupation force flush with cash. Many Soviet soldiers hadn’t been paid for months, even years. When the Soviet occupation forces settled into Berlin, the Red Army paid thousands of soldiers their back pay—but in AMM, not rubles. The Russians did not allow their servicemen to convert AMM back into rubles, so once the soldiers returned to Russia, their pay would be worthless.

      https://www.historynet.com/allied-printed-military-money-caused-a-black-market-frenzy-in-berlin/

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AM-Mark

      Reply ↓
      1. Neutrino

        In simpler times decades ago, travelers would know to spend their foreign currencies in-country. They experienced the practiced shrug of the cambio guy and the feigned empty drawer. He was encouraged, nay, required, to keep that currency circulating locally, not exported to the next stop.
        Thus, travelers came home with pockets of miscellaneous coins, aka, shrapnel. Drawers accumulated the odd pfennig, franc, lira, guilder and whatnot for the amusement of youngsters.

        Reply ↓
  6. The Rev Kev

    “Kaja Kallas is the real threat to Europe”

    ‘Kallas’s single-minded fixation on Russia has rendered her virtually silent on every other foreign policy issue. As former UK diplomat Ian Proud, who served at the British Embassy in Moscow from 2014 to 2019, observed, she comes across as a “single-issue High Representative” who is “intent only on sustaining the decade-long European policy on non-engagement with Russia, whatever the economic cost”.’

    I think that Ian Proud could have made the same observation on Keir Starmer. It’s the Ukraine 24-7 with him.

    Reply ↓
  7. Wukchumni

    That would so suck to get a $1500 ticket, caught by perhaps a target of the rockets red glare-the bombs bursting in air?

    Drones are freaking me out man, somebody help me climb down from this tree.

    Reply ↓
    1. anahuna

      This conjures up for me the image of early humans fleeing from giant predators. Except that now, we are potentially the prey of mechanical raptors, all of us exposed.
      .

      Reply ↓
      1. Wukchumni

        Fighting drones up in the sky
        Fearless because of AI
        Programmed to do just what you say
        The brave new world of the UAV array

        Detailed instructions within their chest
        These are high tech, America’s best
        One hundred men will test to be a pilot today
        But who needs them when you have a UAV array?

        Trained to pick off this or that man
        Trained in combat, air-to-land
        Drones don’t sleep-fight by night and day
        Courage is a given with a UAV array

        Detailed instructions within their chest
        These are high tech, America’s best
        One hundred men will test to be a pilot today
        But who needs them when you have a UAV array?

        Back at home, a young software engineer waits
        Another UAV has tempted fate
        Many have died and were oppressed
        Leaving no humans a last request

        Put silver propellers on a drone’s chest
        Make it one of America’s best
        It’ll be law enforcement they’ll use one day
        Have them part of the UAV police department array

        Ballad of the Green Berets, performed by Barry Sadler

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BugBwt2ESpo&list=RDBugBwt2ESpo

        Reply ↓
  8. The Rev Kev

    Rubio Claims Russia Suffered 100k KIA in Six Months, Ukrainian Casualties Remain ‘Vague’

    ‘Marco Rubio has made the absurd claim—coordinated with MSM outlets—that the Russian Army has suffered a whopping 100,000 deaths just since January of this year alone; purely deaths, not even total casualties’

    So what if Trump is getting the same figures from his staff? I won’t say briefings as it seems that he attends very few of them but if people like Rubio and Lindsay Graham and the MSM are telling him these figures as gospel truth, then it may explain a few things. He may think that this gives him solid leverage over Putin which is why he goes on about all those deaths when he talks about the subject. That Putin cannot sustain the war with such shocking death figures so Trump has it all over him. It may be his own fault here as was show with Tulsi Gabbard, he has proven that he will only listen to loyalists and only wants to hear his narratives on the subject which of course his people will repeat back to him lest they be sidelined. So Trump may have no idea of the real situation here.

    Reply ↓
    1. Wukchumni

      Hey, hey hey,

      We’re talking about somebody who by sheer will of Sharpie caused a hurricane to change course, and i’ll submit that Moses has got nothing on the Donald when it comes to parting water.

      Reply ↓
    2. ChrisFromGA

      Trump’s always looking for who can grovel and boot-lick the best. He is sending Keith Kellogg to Kiev next week, and Dima (Military Summary Channel) joked that Kellogg is the new air defense system.

      That’s next-level boot-licking, signing up to be a human shield.

      Reply ↓
    1. Neutrino

      Upon first impression, that German Wings suicide flight sprang to mind. First, malice, then confusion.

      How does cockpit design factor in incompetence or stress-induced oversight to minimize such catastrophic actions as unintentional fuel shut-off? Reaching for the wrong switch?

      Reply ↓
  10. mrsyk

    “Ishiba said on Thursday his country needed to wean itself from U.S. dependence in such key areas as security, food and energy”
    Another foreign policy triumph for Trump I guess. Isolationism Ho!

    Reply ↓
  11. The Rev Kev

    ‘unusual_whales
    @unusual_whales
    BREAKING: The footage from Jeffery Epstein’s cell that was released by the DOJ was edited with Adobe Premiere Pro, stitched from 2 clips, and was saved 4 times, per WIRED’

    Fortunately the missing clip has turned up elsewhere on the internet-

    https://www.bitchute.com/video/L6ZRMRCzaqly (21 secs)

    Reply ↓
  12. Bugs

    The headline “France’s Parliament Calls Europe to Break with America and Partner with China” is a bit misleading. The report is by a subcommittee led by Sophia Chikirou, Jean-Luc Mélenchon’s mistress and reflects LFI’s views more than the National Assembly.

    Not that I disagree with much of the report’s substance but Arnaud Bertrand has a habit of self-promoting hyperbole and it’s unnecessary.

    Reply ↓
  13. The Rev Kev

    “The DOJ’s Epstein Memo Is Tearing the Trump Administration Apart’

    So how long will not be before the US can expect a royal visit from Prince Andrew now that he has no fear of being arrested at the airport? Perhaps there is the idea that after a few weeks that people will forget all about the Epstein cover-up by Trump and his team and life will go on but I do not think so. He has just lost a big chunk of his support base. Even Alex Jones was in tears about this betrayal. Alex Jones! And I am losing track of the number of conservative people who use to support Trump but have now written him off altogether. And it’s only been six months!

    Reply ↓
  14. geode

    When the American empire finally collapses, historians won’t be stunned by the greed of the elite; they’ll be stunned by the loyalty of the poor. The working class didn’t just vote against their own interests. They worshipped the billionaires robbing them. They slashed their own…
    — Shawn Ryan (@ShawnRyan762) July 11, 2025

    The top reply to this is:

    Are you WANTING the “American Empire” to collapse, Shawn? What makes you think that what comes after will be any better?

    Tallking about the proof and the pudding…

    Reply ↓
  15. Carolinian

    Re Air India crash–another instance of pilot suicide via airplane? But the report says that after being cut off the switches were then turned back on so perhaps more mass casualties via poor co-pilot training.

    At any rate it sounds like Boeing is off the hook on this one.

    Reply ↓
    1. The Rev Kev

      I see three possibilities here. One – it could have been a simple accident. It does happen. Two – one of the pilots decided to end himself and take a passenger jet full of people with him as has happened before. Three – we have another 737 MAX situation on our hands and it was the plane itself which cut the fuel through some obscure software error. I guess we will have to wait until they have gone through the second black box to know more.

      Reply ↓
      1. Carolinian

        The story says the switches are designed so that they can’t be turned off by accident. They are for shutting off the engines when the flight is over. It says one of the pilots asks why they are off and then they are turned back on but only one engine restarts.

        Reply ↓
        1. The Rev Kev

          Which eliminates the first possibility. So maybe the second one which is a good candidate but with it being a Boeing airliner, you cannot yet eliminate the third possibility. Those 737 MAX crews had no idea what was happening either.

          Reply ↓
          1. Carolinian

            Oh I think you can. This explanation seems to fit the circumstances as reported. Why such a huge mistake would be made is a big question. Your second suggestion looms.

            The is a precedent or more than one for pilots deliberately crashing planes.

            Reply ↓
  16. The Rev Kev

    “Russia deports head of Azerbaijani diaspora in Moscow Oblast”

    The guys at the Duran put out a good video about the situation here which is worth watching. Seems that members of the Azerbaijani diaspora have been aiding the Ukrainians which has not gone unnoticed in Moscow. And though Azerbaijan wants to play hard ball with the Russians for whatever reason floated their boat, it turns out that Russia has ways to make miserable for Azerbaijan which they have been doing like hitting the refineries in the Ukraine which handle Azerbaijani oil-

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RHs4grKCfI (27:25 mins)

    Reply ↓
  17. Carolinian

    Re UK and “ash dieback”–in our neighboring Carolina they planted a grove of ash and then waited for years to see which individuals survived the ash borer so they could take seeds from that tree. Unfortunately this technique is cumbersome given the years that it takes for trees to grow. Genetic engineering? Or would that give us Frankentrees?

    Reply ↓
  18. Carolinian

    Re judge orders Feds to cease racially profiled immigrant arrests–ICE Barbie to throw a tantrum? Police stating is hard.

    Meanwhile that judge may have to be hauled off to new Florida camp.

    Reply ↓
  19. The Rev Kev

    ‘Nature is Amazing ☘️
    @AMAZlNGNATURE
    Leopard standing on hind legs to get better view of Impala – Kruger National Park’

    Sure. When primitive men did that tens of thousands of years ago it was seen as a brave evolutionary leap on the part of our species but when a Leopard does it, it’s just meh.

    Reply ↓

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