Scientists Create New Form of Ice, Known As Ice XXI Popular Mechanics
#COVID-19/Pandemics
In 2025, we are losing our measles-free status, just 25 years after we eliminated measles from the US because of vaccines.
It’s not because our sanitation systems have been eliminated.
It’s because people aren’t getting vaccinated.
— Andrea C. Love, PhD (@dr_andrealove) October 18, 2025
The #measles website at CDC continues to be updated. Cases continue to increase as outbreaks in multiple states continue to advance. 1596 cases as of October 15. MMR is the best way to prevent measles and its occasionally severe outcomes. Measles should not be a part of our… pic.twitter.com/ElvQ1ZdquX
— DrDemetre (@dr_demetre) October 17, 2025
Climate/Environment
When your year runs from September to October, this is what annual temperatures up to 2025 look like.
We are reaching the point that anyone eyeballing graphs can see acceleration of global warming.
No more statistics and natural variability corrections needed. pic.twitter.com/hZfznhtPMn
— Leon Simons 🌍 (@LeonSimons8) October 15, 2025
Thirsty AI mega projects raise alarm in some of Europe’s driest regions CNBC
US hyperscalers to guzzle 22% more grid juice by end of 2025 The Register
China?
China says it expelled Philippine planes from disputed South China Sea reef South China Morning Post
China’s burgeoning undersea sensor net aims to turn the ocean transparent Defense One
* * * Netherlands mocked as ‘pirate’ after taking over China’s Nexperia Asia Times (Kevin W)
China Forces Scott Bessent to Embrace Anti-Monopoly Tactics Matt Stoller
What Surprised Me Most on Our Deep Tech China Trip Rui Ma
China’s property slump hits economy as trade tensions with US heighten Irish Times
Koreas
South Korea to deploy powerful Hyunmoo-5 ballistic missile amid tensions on Korean Peninsula TRT World
India
India’s Russian oil saga is indeed ending Indian Punchline (Kevin W)
Families Flee Delhi as Toxic Air Forces ‘Pollution Refugees’ to Relocate Daily Times
O Canada
South of the Border
Displacement in Haiti hits record as 1.4M flee gang violence: UN agency Anadolu Agency
The Death Toll Is Rising from Ecuador’s Crackdown on Protesters Inside Climate News
European Disunion
S&P hands crisis-prone France surprise downgrade Reuters
Europe’s weak economy risks ‘fuelling more riots’ Telegraph
Europe’s retail distress now exceeds 2009 financial crisis levels Bloomberg
The Second Wave – How AI is Changing Germany’s Security Apparatus Nachdenkseiten via machine translation (Micael T)
Germany’s Merz aims to slash red tape on banks to boost economy, sources say Reuters
Real estate: the threat of a financial crisis is growing among French developers Eurasia Business News
Greece adopts law extending working hours despite protests Reuters
Serbia braces for energy crisis as US sanctions its only oil refinery. WorldECR
Old Blighty
UK economy sleepwalking after yet another lackluster growth update CNBC
Banker bonuses to be paid faster after UK regulators loosen rules Guardian
Israel v. The Resistance
Israel’s exploding robots still terrorise Gaza neighbourhoods Aljazeera
Clear evidence of brutal torture: Condition of Palestinian bodies released from Israeli prisons demands urgent int’l investigation Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor (guurst)
Only Israel can do this 50,000 times and have all the establishments in the West fight for its right to participate in and watch football in Europe
They will all go down with Zionism https://t.co/WlwTU1sKyL
— Alon Mizrahi (@alon_mizrahi) October 17, 2025
* * * Trump had to choose between Israel and Qatar. He chose Qatar Financial Times
* * * Iran faces critical water crisis after driest year in five decades Intellinews
New Not-So-Cold War
Trump backs away from Tomahawk missiles offer in meeting with Zelenskyy Financial Times. ZOMG, the photo.
Notice how the animals of the Trump regime did not even bother to welcome President Zelensky.
The hero of the free world was met by the stuff of the Ukrainian embassy.
This is how America’s allies are being treated. pic.twitter.com/qWpvOmxq7P
— Astraia Intel 🎖️ 🇺🇦🇺🇸 (@astraiaintel) October 17, 2025
🇺🇸 President Trump let Zelensky wait and delayed the meeting to meet with Andrea Bocelli in the Oval Office while listening to Andrea Bocelli!
Zelensky waited while they did this. pic.twitter.com/JJMovL5fJM
— Lord Bebo (@MyLordBebo) October 17, 2025
Pentagon chief wears tie in Russian flag colors to Trump-Zelensky meeting TASS. The tie was not subtle:
Pete Hegseth decided to wear a Russian tricolor flag tie at to the White House meeting with President Zelensky.
I don’t believe for a second this is accidental or that “he was actually wearing the colors of the US flag”.
For once, Hegseth knew very well what he was doing. pic.twitter.com/fpaUdRz5xv
— Daractenus (@Daractenus) October 17, 2025
* * * How the West is redirecting famine relief into arms deliveries for Ukraine Anti-Spiegel via machine translation (guurst)
Think-Tanks Wrestle with Russian Strategic Dilemma Simplicius
Dmitry Polyanskiy: Tomahawks, Nuclear War & Failure of Diplomacy Glenn Diesen, YouTube
Syraqistan
Syria’s ticking time bomb. Responsible Statecraft
Trump 2.0
Trump says he has commuted sentence of George Santos in federal fraud case Guardian
University of Virginia rejects Trump administration’s ‘academic excellence’ compact Anadolu Agency
Shutdown
Army Corps of Engineers pausing $11 billion in projects over shutdown, Trump budget chief says CNBC
Immigration
‘We’re Under Siege’: Rep. Delia Ramirez Slams Trump’s ICE Invasion in Chicago Zeteo
Two men arrested by federal agents outside Midtown migrant shelter, feds say Gothamist
GOP Clown Car
New York GOP shuts down state’s Young Republicans over group chat The Hill
Democrat Death Wish
“No Kings” — Another Chapter in the Quest for an Empire without an Emperor Sam Husseini
Charlie Kirk
Charlie Kirk Shooting — They Knew BEFORE It Happened?! YouTube (Chuck L). Yours truly has not listened and so has no point of view on if this makes any sense. The point is that the controversy over Charlie Kirk’s murder is still every much alive.
Police State Watch
Miami Is Testing a Self-Driving Police Car That Can Launch Drones The Drive
Our No Longer Free Press
The Power Behind the Curtain: How the Establishment Creates Popular Figures Neoliberal Feudalism (Chuck L)
Mr. Market Is Moody
Flying Nearly Blind, Fed Almost Guaranteed to Cut Interest Rate this Month Michael Shedlock
Economy
The Trump Boom: A Legend in His Own Mind Dean Baker
Auto Loan Delinquencies Jump 50% as Car Prices Reach New Heights Bloomberg (resilc)
AI
Wikipedia Says AI Is Causing a Dangerous Decline in Human Visitors 404 Media
Moderators call for AI controls after Reddit Answers suggests heroin for pain relief EndGadget (Kevin W)
The Bezzle
Crypto crime scene CNN. Crypto ATMs.
Bitcoin hits 15-week low under $105K as US regional bank woes echo 2023 CoinTelegraph. I do not understand headlines like this. A decline over a period 15 weeks ago is nada.
Windows 11 update breaks localhost, prompting mass uninstall workaround The Register
Class Warfare
Only 40% of Workers Have High-Quality Jobs, Gallup Finds Gallup
Walmart looks to tighten its grip on the beef supply chain Investigate Midwest (Robin K)
Luigi Mangione makes damning claim about cops that could spare him death penalty if found guilty Daily Mail (Li)
Chomsky and Robinson: ‘National Interest’ Is a Euphemism Thomas Neuburger
Antidote du jour (via):
A bonus (guurst):
Субботушка. pic.twitter.com/z58ERTTjm4
— Serёжik Zaйkin (@serezhikzay) October 11, 2025
See yesterday’s Links and Antidote du Jour here.
