People have an inherent preference for counterclockwise motion, study reveals Phys.org
X-ray scans reveal hidden Nazi symbols beneath postwar painting by Erich Mercker Archeology News
“The Odyssey” as Period Piece Hogeland’s Bad History
Climate/Environment
Record winter temperatures in Antarctic raise fears over speed of climate breakdown The Guardian
As El Niño develops, this city is seeing beach weather — during winter WaPo
U.S. Heat-Related Illnesses and Hospitalizations Expected to Double by 2040, Study Finds Meteored
Solar beats coal in the US electricity mix for the first month ever Electrek
Will Earth truly cool down after net-zero, or are we locked into millennia of Anthropocene heat? ScienceX
Super-rich’s assets cause outsized amount of climate harm, study says The Guardian
The Koreas
South Korea approves decree for $350 billion investment in US YeniSafak
China?
Taiwan test-fires US-supplied missiles towards mainland China RT
Taiwanese lawmakers spar over 12-fold budget rise for US joint defence programme South China Morning Post
Pentagon says BYD, Alibaba, Baidu and other tech firms aiding China’s military AFP. How dare they.
Was Xi’s stance on China-North Korea military ties also a message for US, Russia? South China Morning Post
India
India’s quasi-alliance with Israel and the UAE won’t have a happy ending Countercurrents
India summons US envoy over attack on ship carrying Indian sailors off Oman Al Jazeera
Syraqistan
Iran closes Strait of Hormuz, strikes US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain Al Mayadeen
HOW FAR WILL TRUMP ESCALATE THE WAR IN IRAN? Seymour Hersh. Paywalled, but scoop is in the lede: “I have been told that in a recent secret meeting in the White House, he began speculating, albeit vaguely, about a nuclear option that could perhaps bring a quicker end to the war.”
Nuking Iran: Why Israel and the US gain nothing from crossing the ultimate red line The Cradle
IAEA passes anti-Iran resolution, demands Tehran reveal location of enriched uranium The Cradle
***
Israel Prepares for Renewed Large-scale Gaza Offensive, Citing Hamas Resurgence Haaretz
Sanctions on settlers not enough: Target Israeli gov’t, say campaigners Al Jazeera
***
Old Blighty
Police clash with crowds in Belfast for second night as vehicle set alight Irish Times
Legal profession revolt against the UK judge whose job is to protect Israel’s genocide Christopher Cook
European Disunion
China cancels high-level meetings with EU FT
How the US embassy’s mega bash became the hottest ticket in Brussels Politico
EU countries weigh ‘tearing apart’ bloc’s diplomatic service, FT reports Economic Times
EU warns Albania’s accession process at risk over controversial Kushner-linked resort Intellinews
Why Europe’s labour needs clash with its migration policy Euronews
EU unemployment rate in 2025: 6.0% Eurostat
New Not-So-Cold War
Zelensky & Putin Both Mention How a U.S.-Backed Drone Swarm Targeted Putin’s Home and Family Matt Bivens
Ukraine says missiles hit military plant deep inside Russia BBC
Russia to release addresses of drone production sites in Canada, diplomat warns TASS
Russia says ‘possible restructuring’ of military facilities in Syria under discussion Anadolu Agency
The Caucasus
The Illusion of a Western Rescue Laura Ruggeri
The Great Game
U.S. Convenes Critical Minerals Dialogue with Central Asian Officials in Kazakhstan Times of Central Asia
South of the Border
TOP PENTAGON OFFICIAL ADMITS BOAT STRIKE MAY HAVE KILLED VICTIMS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING The Intercept
Narcotics arm of U.S. State Department is in process of buying Clearview AI licenses for Colombian National Police All-Source Intelligence
Cuba Poised for Biggest U.S. Fuel Shipment Since Cold War Embargo Bloomberg
Imperial Collapse Watch
People Are Strange. Aurelien
L’affaire Epstein
Bill Gates tells Epstein panel he ‘never victimized anyone’ DW
Kathy Ruemmler helps search for her own replacement as Goldman’s top lawyer FT
Trump 2.0
Inside the White House Freakout Over the Epstein File New York Times. Positioning JD?
Senate wants to force US to share sensitive intel with Israel Responsible Statecraft
Judge warns DOJ not to ‘play possum’ with ‘anti-weaponization’ fund it says is dead NBC News
New OMB rule could break science in the United States Your Local Epidemiologist
Spook Country
David Rush Didn’t Breach the CIA’s Secrecy. He Exploited It. The After-Action Report
Democrats Suck
Why VA Labor Movement Missed the Warning Signs on Governor Spanberger Payday Report. We didn’t.
Big Brother Is Watching You Watch
Cops Keep Getting Arrested for Using Flock to Stalk People 404 Media
NEW: DoorDash has patented a system that lets companies offer promotional deals based on how stressed you are.
States are passing bans against surveillance pricing, and Big Tech is spending big to crush them.
We uncovered the $13K wine-and-dine that defanged Maryland’s ban. pic.twitter.com/ahpykN7YiM
— More Perfect Union (@MorePerfectUS) June 10, 2026
Healthcare?
Hospital closure slowdown masks a bigger threat ahead Becker’s Hospital Review
Sports Desk
The World Cup For Nobody Is Almost Here Defector
What if I told you the NBA Finals are about communism? Who Broke It
AI
Wyoming’s Data-Center Boom Meets the ‘Man Camp’ Backlash WSJ. Apparently affordable housing can get built quickly.
Breaking: Google liable for hallucinations Gary Marcus
Visa plugs its payment network into ChatGPT, letting AI agents shop and pay for users AP
Knowledge Collapse Boston Review
Beyond Literacy Countercurrents
Economy
Annual CPI inflation surges to 4.2% in May, the highest level since 2023, as energy prices rise Yahoo! Finance
Guillotine Watch
Hundreds of Billions in Loans Didn’t Make a Dent in Global Poverty WSJ. Brings to mind Thomas Frank’s “Nor a Lender Be” from 2016.
A $395 pineapple? How innovation is upending the popular tropical fruit Food Dive
Class Warfare
Brutal Oppression and Beautiful Humanity Exist In Every Grocery Store Hamilton Nolan. An interview with Ann Larson about “Cleanup on Aisle Five”.
Politeness is destroying us Kaimataara
Antidote du jour (via):
See yesterday’s Links and Antidote du Jour here.
“People have an inherent preference for counterclockwise motion, study reveals”
I wonder if there is an inherent preference for clockwise motion in the southern hemisphere then. Don’t know if it is true or not but I heard that as most people are right-handed that when they walk out of a door or entrance, they will instinctively turn to the right.
Good question. Or how about:
• Japanese cars use right-hand drive
• Counter clockwise is a positive angle in right-handed coordinate systems
• Right hemisphere dominance in the brain
• People are compensating for the long reign of clocks moving the other way
• They just feel like getting unscrewed when walking
• Because the Earth moves counter-clockwise around the sun
re: Senate wants to force US to share sensitive intel with Israel
Vidkun Quislings in the US Senate? Putting a foreign country’s interests over the interests of the US?
I’ll just add this from Jame Li.
Inside America’s MOST SECRET Military Cover-Up
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIK24KkF9FE
Looks like Israel is going to be slipped through the back door to become the Sixth Eye-
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Eyes
Good thing that the Israelis will never use that shared info against us.
Sen Tom Cotton’s donations according AIPAC tracker.
https://www.trackaipac.com/states/arkansas