Links 10/7/2025

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New data indicates that the universe will ‘end in a big crunch’ and scientists predict when it will happen Earth.com

Plan to Reflect Sunlight to Power Solar Panels at Night Upsets Astronomers Bloomberg (AFXH)

Removing 50 Objects from Orbit Would Cut Danger From Space Junk in Half ars technica

New research reveals what’s really hiding in bottled water ScienceDaily (Kevin W)

Researchers just unleashed microbes trapped in Arctic ice for 40,000 years: ‘These are not dead samples’ Independent

Climate/Environment

Renewables overtake coal as world’s biggest source of electricity BBC

Massive system of rotating ocean currents in the North Atlantic is behaving strangely — and it may be reaching a tipping point Live Science

Climate change is messing with global wind speeds, impacting planetary health Mongabay

Intensification of marine heatwaves and their climate drivers in the Arabian Gulf Nature

Iraq’s Amerli reservoir dries up: Worst drought in a century Shafaq

Asia warms faster than rest of world, impacts continent Nation of Change

Could another poor water year spell disaster for the Colorado River? KNPR

Rich nations profit from the climate crisis as two-thirds of climate finance for the Global South is handed out as loan Oxfam (Ignacio)

China?

How China is challenging Nvidia’s AI chip dominance BBC (Kevin W)

Trump to Unveil Farmer Aid as China Shuns U.S. Crops New York Times

China halts US soybean imports to hit Trump’s MAGA supporters Asia Times (Kevin W)

Snubbed by China: Trump team presses unlikely buyers to snap up US soybeans South China Morning Post

Koreas

Kim Jong Un says North Korea is deploying ‘special assets’ and warns US and South Korea Independent

Korea’s wildlife is vanishing, hunted to the brink of extinction South China Morning Post

Japan

Takaichi means for Japan and the wider world Asia Times (Kevin W)

Yen, bonds sell off as Takaichi win spurs bets on fiscal easing Reuters

India

Indian Think Tank Assesses Indian Trade Karl Sanchez. The climate change/species loss denialism in the aside, “India needs to plan for the eventuality of having two billion people…”

The Antipodes

Slowly, then all at once; Australia’s looming economic disaster Spectator

Record numbers of Kiwis moving overseas amidst cost of living crisis, rising unemployment New.com.au

Africa

Burundi endures ‘worst economic crisis in a country not at war’ Financial Times

Ninth night of GenZ 212 anti-corruption youth protests sweeps Morocco France24

South of the Border

Fishermen in Trinidad and Tobago fear for their lives and jobs after US strikes in the Caribbean Associated Press

Venezuela’s Maduro says US embassy ‘false flag’ bombing foiled in Caracas Aljazeera (resilc)

Milei Authorizes US Troop Deployment in Tierra del Fuego Without Congressional Approval Orinoco Tribune (Robin K)

Another Gen Z uprising?: Protests in Paraguay against the Peña government Peoples Dispatch (Robin K)

European Disunion

From Politico’s morning European newsletter:

MACRON KICKS THE CAN TO WEDNESDAY: We’re frankly loath to write anything about the French government, lest it change before you even have a chance to read it. But as things stand, French President Emmanuel Macron accepted the resignation of his 14-hour-old government on Monday morning — only to task outgoing Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu with leading last-ditch talks.

Vraiment this time: Should Lecornu fail to reach a deal by Wednesday evening, Macron “will face up to his responsibilities,” close advisers told French media. Which may mean he will call a snap election.

Let’s be clear: No one thinks Lecornu will get a deal…

It’s become a theater of the absurd, and we can already envision the key scenes in the movie version:

— The lone figure: Macron made no public statements Monday but was spotted walking solo along the banks of the Seine.

— Triumphant cat lady: Far-right leader Marine Le Pen, a cat lover, took a kitten in a travel cage to a crunch meeting at National Rally headquarters, Marion Solletty reports. “We are ready to govern,” said the party’s president, Jordan Bardella, as he walked in, repeating calls for a snap election in which RN would likely perform very well.

— Et tu, Attal? Gabriel Attal, the close Macron lieutenant whom the president elevated to the post of prime minister at the ripe age of 34 last year, went on TV and declared: “I no longer understand [Macron’s] decisions.”

NOT SO ENTERTAINING: The weakness of France — the EU’s second-biggest economy and only nuclear power — has consequences for Ukraine, Gaza and the entire European economy.

“France is too big to fail,” said one diplomat from an EU country. “So this endless political instability puts the entire eurozone at risk.

Macron ally calls on French president to quit early Financial Times

Why Macron’s meltdown weakens Europe Politico

Europe May Need to Fight a Currency War to Weaken the Euro Bloomberg

No euro for Hungary as EU ‘falling apart’ – Orban RT (Micael T). Orban recognizes that the euro is a roach hotel.

Old Blighty

Police to get new powers in crackdown on repeat protests after hundreds arrested at Palestine Action rally Independent

In the UK, you can be arrested for “terrorism” saying you disagree with a government decision Council Estate (resilc)

Maniac Killers Cult, pt. I Events in Ukraine

Israel v. The Resistance

Trump’s Gaza plan puts Netanyahu in a bind Le Monde. Who writes these headlines? Israel has increased bombing of Gaza, FFS

Gaza plan: Looks Like peace, acts like occupation Responsible Statecraft (resilc)

The 1 Fatal Mistake the Palestinians are Always Making Alon Mizrahi

Israel-Premier Tech to change its name and move away from ‘current identity’Guardian (resilc)

Yemeni army launches drone toward Eilat port in fresh anti-Israeli operation PressTV

New Not-So-Cold War

Ukraine accuses China of aiding Russian strikes with satellite data The Times

An Ethnic Ukrainian Lobby Might Soon Take Shape In The Polish Sejm Andrew Korybko

Caucasus

The Ukrainian scenario failed: Georgia’s State Security Service intercepted weapons for protesters. TopWar (Micael T)

Serbian president warns Balkans tensions could spark global war News.az

Syraqistan

Crying babies dimmed by hunger fill this Afghanistan hospital – where parents fear each day might be the last Sky

Election without voters: Most Syrians ‘unaware’ about Sunday’s parliamentary election The Cradle

Imperial Collapse Watch

How Russia forced the West to face its own decline RT (Micael T). Um, the US and I think at least France and Germany are firmly in denial.

Milken and Friends Build a $500 Million Monument to Their Version of the American Dream Racket News (Chuck L)

Trump 2.0

FUHRER FASCISM — HOW DID VZGLYAD KNOW THAT TRUMP’S MEETING WITH THE GENERALS WAS A LOYALTY TEST? BECAUSE RUSSIANS REMEMBER HITLER’S FUHRERREID OF 1935? John Helmer. Important.

a href=”https://www.jalopnik.com/1985689/portland-naked-bike-ride-trump-protest/” rel=”nofollow”>Portland Plans Naked Bike Ride To Protest Trump Siccing The Troops On Its Residents Jalopnik (resilc)

Shutdown

Trump walks back offer to talk to Democrats as government shutdown extends Aljazeera

Staffing issues see U.S. flights delayed as shutdown persists Axios

Democrat Death Wish

Dem-aligned think tank blasted for Blinken appointment to board Responsible Statescraft

Charlie Kirk

Just a Coincidence? Charlie Kirk Vowed to Leave the Pro-Israel Cause 48 Hours Before He Was Killed Larry Johnson. The 48 hour part has been rumored before, but now there is more support. The bigger matter is that this story is not going away.

L’affaire Epstein

Top US court rejects appeal from Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell RT (Kevin W)

Trump on pardon for Ghislaine Maxwell: ‘I’d have to take a look at it’ The Hill. fk: “Dear God! I think he is more senile than Biden.”

Our No Longer Free Press

New CBS owner David Ellison met with top Israeli general in scheme to spy on Americans The Grayzone (Kevin W)

What Will Bari Weiss Do to CBS News? New Yorker (Robin K)

Economy

Why the cost of buying economic growth is destined to rise South China Morning Post

America is now one big bet on AI Financial Times

Billionaire beef boss says Americans crave so much protein the country is outpacing its own production and turning to imports Fortune (Kevin W)

Mr. Market is Moody

How a US Economic Collapse Could Reshape the World? Modern Diplomacy. Note this is pretty conventional thinking. Jomo has repeatedly pointed out that many Global South countries are close to financial crises.

The System is BROKEN! The Car Market Collapse is HERE! YouTube. resilc: “Lots are full when I drive by in Western Mass.”

Lighting the way for electric vehicles by using streetlamps as chargers ScienceDaily (Kevin W)

AI

What Happens When AI Directs Tourists to Places That Don’t Exist? BBC

The Bezzle

The GENIUS Act is Anything But Ian Welsh

Class Warfare

What happens when giving is fuelled by hate? The rise of retributive philanthropy Globe & Mail (Dr. Kevin)

Craft Breweries Struggle as Sales and Appetites Wane New York Times (resilc)

Antidote du jour (via):

And a bonus (Chuck L):

For a change from our usual bonuses, one of resilc’s new metal art creations:

And a second bonus:

See yesterday’s Links and Antidote du Jour here.

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9 comments

  1. The Rev Kev

    “Ukraine accuses China of aiding Russian strikes with satellite data”

    It’s kinda sad seeing The Times, which was a great newspaper for such a long time, now reduced to being a propaganda broadsheet and repeating Ukrainian talking points. And I don’t know why Kiev has such a bee in their bonnet about Chinese parts in Russian drones as for a very long time, that is where the Ukraine got their drones from. In recent years The Times is just reporting trash. Thanks Murdoch-

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Times

    Reply
    1. AG

      Since I don´t read The Times how is their culture part? Or whichever area where culture is being discussed? Are there still serious reviews, discussions, obituaries, pieces on history? If that was ever their forte…
      In Germany the demise of once serious papers can well be traced back to the loss of quality of reporting and writing in that very space.
      When there was still resistance e.g. against the “Agenda 2010” of chancellor Schröder in the early 2000s it was in the culture sections, not politics. Same with trying to fight the War against Terror in the US and the EU, surveillance state etc.

      Reply
  2. Wukchumni

    Goooooood Mooooooorning Fiatnam!

    The platoon was shifted back to the world in order to quell unrest in the Peoples Republic Of Portland, where in a daring early morning raid, a mini library was roused-with one banned book in 14 states confiscated, with said pulp perp coming along quietly-a war torn tome.

    Pfc Jones asked if he could read it before burning… negatory on that I advised, slipping him a heretofore unbanned and frankly a little dogeared Penguin paperback: Fahrenheit 451.

    Reply
  3. Wukchumni

    Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Cavendish
    Slipping on banana peels where the grapes of wrath are stored
    We have let loose the fateful sweet white 9 inch white sword
    Neo-Anchuria is marching on

    Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
    Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
    Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
    Business as unusual is marching on

    I have seen Banana Republics in the 3rd world-not here
    They have built Edifice Wrecks empty of all cheer
    One financial bubble after another, the reasoning not clear
    Business as unusual is marching on

    Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
    Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
    Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
    Business as unusual is marching on

    In the beauty of his thinking tariffs were borne across the sea
    With a resultant inflation that effects you and me
    As he tried to make us understand it’s a non-negotiable fee
    Business as unusual is marching on

    Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
    Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
    Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
    My Gawd, what is going on?

    Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
    Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
    Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
    My Gawd, what is going on?

    Battle Hymn of the Republic

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jy6AOGRsR80&list=RDJy6AOGRsR80

    Reply
  4. schmoe

    Not directly related to any of the above, but has anyone seen or heard about Tulsi Gabbard over the past few months? Things continue to go further “off the rails,” now with Trump saying he is leaning towards giving Ukraine Tomahawks.

    Also, there appears to be a correlation between less Elon and more stupid foreign policy f(^*&ery, including, but not limited to. Venezuela.

    Reply
  5. The Rev Kev

    “Venezuela’s Maduro says US embassy ‘false flag’ bombing foiled in Caracas”

    ‘…US President Donald Trump is reported to have called off efforts to reach a diplomatic agreement with Venezuela, telling his special envoy Richard Grenell – who had been leading negotiations with Maduro’s government – to stop all outreach with Caracas.’

    Trump sure has a funny idea of diplomacy. Bombing random boats and threatening fishing boats in this region, stationing warships off their coastline and having aircraft flying through their airspace while threatening to seize their ports and airports. Add to that Trump’s history of reneging on agreements and outright lying, how exactly is Venezuela suppose to conduct diplomacy with that?

    Reply
  6. Afro

    How Russia forced the West to face its own decline RT (Micael T). Um, the US and I think at least France and Germany are firmly in denial

    ******

    I noticed this article right after reading the other big post on income inequality.

    At what point do Western elites start noticing western decline? I doubt that Arnaud Bertrand and Bill Gates and so on are currently in any way affected. So why would they act?

    Reply
    1. The Rev Kev

      ‘At what point do Western elites start noticing western decline?’

      Are you kidding? Germany is being rapidly de-industrialized, France is heading towards an IMF bailout and the economy of the UK is imploding. Meanwhile Latvia and Lithuania are reportedly considering remote participation in the Climate Change Conference in Brazil because they can’t afford the hotel bills but can afford money to the Ukraine. And yet Western elites are still talking about fighting Russia by the year after next. They have literally bet the bank – and their countries – on this war and have no idea what to do if Russia wins it.

      Reply
  7. lorax

    Naked Capitalism does a great job exposing the relentless propaganda we live under for most areas of this modern life but has a huge blind spot when it comes to Big Pharma’s relentless manufacturing of consent, and delusion, about vaccines.

    I highly reccommend you suspend your pre-judgement and read Aaron Siri’s new book. If you can read that and not have your eyes opened, I would be very surprised, but would also be happy to hear any substantial rebuttals to this rigorously cited work from an insider position.

    https://www.amazon.com/Vaccines-Amen-Religion-Aaron-Siri/dp/B0FQ36W5JY

    Reply

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