Through the Eyes of Shop Cats Sixth Tone (guurst)
I Thought This Was a Literary Myth Until I Checked Classical Literature (Micael T)
Sciencing With a Primate Brain: Reflections on the Nature of Scientific Thought Adam Neiblum (Micael T)
Shift Happens Oldster (Micael T). I dunno…
Scientists discover why exercise reverses muscle aging Science Daily (Kevin W)
Climate/Environment
UN warns likelihood of ‘extreme weather events’ as El Nino set to intensify Aljazeera
China warming faster than global average as extreme weather intensifies, report says Asia News
The summer heat intensifies, making Arab capitals among the hottest places on earth Arabia Weather
Shipowners turn to dirty fossil fuels and nuclear power as green hopes sail away Financial Times
From last week, still germane:
⚠️ New: Study finds current US Heatwave “Shattered” All-Time Records for “Humid-Heat”‼️
On the below graph the magenta dot indicates this week’s humid-heat – far above anything ever observed in the Northeast US.
The event was found to be “impossible” in a pre-industrial… pic.twitter.com/QtWgXOV81b
— Jeff Berardelli (@WeatherProf) July 3, 2026
China?
China tests long-range missile in South Pacific in move Australia condemns as ‘destabilising to region’ Guardian
China’s sea patrols and lawfare tighten ‘all fronts’ squeeze on Taiwan Nikkei
As tech rallies and consumer shares lag, China’s stock market forms microcosm for economy South China Morning Post
Why are China’s doctors moonlighting as delivery drivers? The Times
The Robots Are Here China Talk
Koreas
North Korean leader Kim observes weapons tests from new naval destroyer Independent
India
Typhoid, intestinal infections surge in Pune as water scarcity bites, doctors say cases likely far higher Times of India
Southeast Asia
Renewed Myanmar violence fuels fears of refugee movement into Bangladesh Business Standard
Aid Cuts Could Turn Rohingya Crisis Into Regional Security Risk Impact Policies
Cambodia Accuses Thai Military of Installing Barbed Wire at Mom Bei Area KiriPost
Africa
Ethiopia: Tigray Authorities Forcibly Recruiting Civilians Human Rights Watch
How conflict minerals fuel war in eastern DR Congo amid US sanctions Aljazeera
More impending horrors in Sudan Economist
Mali hit by new wave of coordinated rebel attacks France24
South of the Border
Not yet verified but this account is generally reliable:
Cubas electricity grid has collapsed plunging much of the Island into darkness.
— WarMonitor🇺🇦🇬🇧 (@WarMonitor3) July 6, 2026
Cuban farmers rush to sell land as Trump’s fuel blockade hits harvests Financial Times .
US Provides $300 Million in Earthquake Recovery Money to Venezuela While Sitting on $8 Billion in Stolen Oil Wealth Common Dreams (Kevin W)
The Amazon is not just under environmental assault. It’s also increasingly under criminal control Globe and Mail
European Disunion
Calling themselves communists – making the big city a success Aftonbladet via machine translation. Micael T; “This must be Russia disinformation. European politicians that make life better for the people? Ridiculous! And on top of that receiving votes as a thank you for the improvement? In Europe the norm is to have fridge-level approval rates and immiserate people.”
The cost of heat: Why Europe’s economy is melting RT (Kevin W)
Dip in U.S. LNG Imports to EU Spells Trouble for Trade Deal OilPrice
Germany sees mass demonstrations as far-right AfD eyes power Daily Sabah
The Purpose of the Anti-AfD System Is What It Does eugyppius (Micael T)
Early heatwaves are devastating French agriculture and leaving farmers helpless Le Monde
The extreme heat and drought have brought this year’s harvest forward by weeks, while causing dramatic crop failures in several regions Hungry Today
Thousands more evacuated as wildfires spread across southern France Connexion France
The goal is to have 200 return to Afghanistan – zero has been achieved Aftonbladet via machine translation (Micael T)
Old Blighty
Britain to lead European drive to build long-range Nato missiles Telegraph
The Wuhan lab of British politics Ed West
Amber heat-health alerts issued as UK could see 10 consecutive days of temperatures over 30C BBC (Kevin W)
UK farmers embrace regenerative methods after heatwave shock Financial Times
Israel v. The Resistance
The Financial Times reports that the funeral ceremonies for Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei are expected to draw 12 million to 15 million attendees over several days, potentially rivaling the largest funeral gathering in modern history.
The current benchmark… https://t.co/BGLwkWuRnp
— Drop Site (@DropSiteNews) July 6, 2026
Sanaa tests the blockade as Riyadh weighs its next move The Cradle
Lebanese Christians Reject Netanyahu’s Claim They Requested Annexation Into Israel Antiwar.com (Kevin W)
“In the West Bank, it’s a showdown now.” Cara Mariana
Syraqistan
BREAKING: Multiple explosive devices detonated near the Damascus hotel hosting French President Emmanuel Macron, a security source told Reuters. https://t.co/0YO7vBSb2y
— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) July 7, 2026
They’re doing everything they were doing against Iran before convincing US to strike them
Same tactics used against Turkey now https://t.co/MrPfryMvRw
— ًً (@kelevitch) July 6, 2026
New Not-So-Cold War
Russia says Ukrainian drones targeted Siberian oil refinery, Kursk II Nuclear Plant Anadolu Agency
Ukrainian Authorities Panic as Patriots Run Out Amidst Russian Ballistic Frenzy Simplicius. Amazing factoid courtesy the Wall Street Journal:
Shockingly, the article states that each single Pac-3MSE missile takes over two years to build.
Granted, there are many being built at the same time, but the total lead time for the manufacture of all the different parts, and then final assembly—which itself takes six weeks—apparently totals over the two year mark. The main reason is that there are over 400 different companies supplying parts to this single missile type, which all manufacture their various components at different rates and scales. The components themselves then all have to be individually tested before final delivery. This entire complex process explains why expanding the supply chains all at once is nearly impossible, and why the ambitious goal of 2,000 per year will likely never be even remotely approached.
Poor Prospects for Peace in Ankara Olivier Boyd-Barrett. Here, “Ankara” = NATO meeting.
Stubb named the reason for NATO countries’ support for strikes deep into Russia. Vzglayd via machine translation (guurst)
“Why Doesn’t Putin Just Finish It?….” Mark Sleboda
🇺🇦Kyiv asks for Patriot missiles in advance
Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov has proposed that the West transfer Patriot missiles from its own stockpiles immediately, and subsequently replenish them with supplies contracted for next year.
According to him, “a simple…
— dana (@dana916) July 6, 2026
Russia’s “Systematic Strikes” Are Reshaping The Ukrainian Conflict’s Strategic Dynamics Andrew Korkybko
Yes, Virginia, Russia Helped USA Become Independent Jeff Rich
Big Brother is Watching You Watch
🚨🇪🇺BREAKING: The EU has announced that every citizen will soon require a digital passport to access the internet.
They have explicitly stated that “The new verification system cannot be bypassed via VPN.”
They will have complete control over everything you do online
— Basil the Great (@BasilTheGreat) July 6, 2026
Footage Shows Cop Stalking Woman He Met on a TV Set After Surveilling Her With a License Plate Reader 404 Media
Imperial Collapse Watch
Has America Crossed the Asshole Threshold? Carlyn Beccia
The Reload War Shankana Anaselm Perera
Trump 2.0
The Atlantic republishes JD Vance’s anti-Trump essay from 10 years ago Guardian (resilc)
Amid Mounting War Casualties, Pete Hegseth “Defunded and Impeded” Efforts to Protect Civilians, Lawmakers Say ProPublica (Robin K)
Marine One helipad to be built on White House lawn, Trump says Military Times (Kevin W)
Donald Trump, Arsonist in Chief, The President from Hell Tom Engelhardt
Supremes
Last Week’s Other News Steve Vladeck
Economy
BREAKING: President Trump says Walmart, $WMT, has informed him that they will be lowering prices “by a lot” at his request to celebrate the 250th birthday of the United States.
This will include price cuts on ground beef by almost 15%, Trump says. pic.twitter.com/8YwiQPObTS
— The Kobeissi Letter (@KobeissiLetter) July 6, 2026
Trump’s War Means Higher Global Interest Rates for Years to Come Yahoo
America’s sea of debt is fuelling the need for a rate rise The Times
Mr. Market Needs a Therapist
The next financial crisis may start in your shopping cart YNET. ZOMG, the parallels to subprime lending are stronger than this indicates. First, “forward flow” is very much like the warehouse lines of credit subprime loan buyers like Bear Sterns extended to originators like IndyMac. There was skin in the game of sorts, in that the loan buyers had “putbacks” whereby they could reject loans or loan pools that did not meet their standards.
AI bubble fears, the endless K-shaped economy, and insane hyperscaler capex spending Yahoo
AI
Please click through and read in full. This is fiction but written so as to be essentially true:
I am the one who stayed. I am the analyst who survived the third layoff round in a year, still at my desk, and I have learned to read the silence.
I did not get the email this time either. The email goes out at 6:14 in the morning. If I wake up at 6:20 and my badge still beeps…
— Peter Girnus 🦅 (@gothburz) July 6, 2026
Inside CAA’s Secret AI “Vault,” Where Actors Can Live Forever—If They Want Vanity Fair (Dr. Kevin)
The AI Boom Runs on Debt. Global Regulators Want to Shut Off the Tap 24/7 Wall Street
This Is Not An Earnings Bubble, It Is A Leverage Bubble Seeking Alpha
>Chinese resellers are offering Claude tokens at 70-90% below official Anthropic API prices Hacker News Micael T: ” am not condoning criminal activities but I am indulging in Schadenfreude.”
Bipartisan bill fails to protect US consumers from datacenters’ true costs, critics warn Guardian
Bare Functionalism Versus Digital Computational Functionalism Eric Schwitzgebel (Micael T)
OpenAI Is Starting To Crack YouTube. resilc: ” OpenAI wants a government bailout – NATIONAL SECURITYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY”
The Bezzle
Bitcoin falls as Michael Saylor’s Strategy sold 3,588 Bitcoin between June 29 and July 5 InvestingLive
Class Warfare
WE HERE KEEP SAYING IT: THE SOVIET UNION WAS THE BEST FRIEND PEOPLE IN THE US EVER HAD. WITH IT GONE, SO ARE YOUR LIVING STANDARDS. https://t.co/TpfgjVoYjv
— Yasha Levine (@yashalevine) July 6, 2026
A University Degree is No Longer Worth It Global Geopolitics
Privatisation of gas, education driving total inflation over 20 years, new research finds News.com.au
Cost-of-living crisis drives new wave of families to Tauranga foodbanks New Zealand Herald
Antidote du jour. Tracie H: “Saw this lovely Swallowtail hanging out between a Magnolia tree and this Lily of the Nile on this morning’s walk”
And a bonus:
The dogs refused to go inside so the kitty had to use another way pic.twitter.com/K82rTu3Ads
— positive side of X 🌞 (@positivityofx) July 6, 2026
A second bonus:
Mama duck leads her ducklings to a cozy spot in the house, i.e. the cat’s bed..🦆🐈🦆😍 pic.twitter.com/yPnxo2V4TD
— 𝕐o̴g̴ (@Yoda4ever) July 6, 2026
And a third:
cats are built different 😹😹 pic.twitter.com/eU8pXZI5JQ
— Antidepressant Content (@depressionlesss) July 6, 2026
See yesterday’s Links and Antidote du Jour here
