These Moths in Australia Use the Milky Way as a GPS to Fly 1,000 Kilometers ZME Science
Axolotl Discovery Brings Us Closer Than Ever to Regrowing Human Limbs Science Alert
MIT chemical engineers make potentially game-changing breakthrough with crude oil: ‘Creates a new way to apply it’ The Cool Down
Pandemics
New data show COVID-19 triggers spike in new diabetes cases News Medical
Neuroimmune pathophysiology of long COVID Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences. Thread summary:
A major new review from Yale (Moen, Baker, Iwasaki, 2025) offers the most comprehensive picture yet of what SARS-CoV-2 does to the nervous system.
The conclusion is stark:
Long COVID is a chronic neuroimmune disorder affecting brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves.🧵— Zdenek Vrozina (@ZdenekVrozina) June 19, 2025
20 Signs You’re “Still Coviding” in the Friction Economy Hearts on the Horizon
Climate/Environment
California’s 2025 wildfire season was already going to be dangerous. Trump has made it worse Los Angeles Times
Erick Rapidly Strengthens into a Category 4 Hurricane, Strikes Southwest Mexico as a Major Hurricane Eye on the Tropics
Satellite data indicates recent Arctic peatland expansion with warming Nature
Stumped! Climate skeptics are misinterpreting research about mid-Holocene forests uncovered by receding glaciers The Trade Off
The Geological Sublime Harper’s
Water
The West’s ‘Climate Mayors’ call for federal help as Colorado River flows decline Los Angeles Times
China?
Chinese industrial maximalism: Lu Feng High Capacity. “Renowned Chinese scholar Lu Feng makes the case for why China needs more–not less–industrial development, particularly in its showdown with the US.”
OECD does some of the best data work on China & industrial policy.
Here they look at 14 manufacturing industries and 482 top firms—⅔ global output, ½ in OECD and ⅓ in China.
In nearly all industries, Chinese firms invest more, are more productive, but earn less profit. pic.twitter.com/u8lPsk21Ou
— Jonathon P Sine (@JonathonPSine) June 19, 2025
The Western Roots of China and the Chinese Roots of the West — Part I Hungarian Conservative
India
China’s chokehold on rare earths & its impact on India (and others) Indialog
Syraqistan
UNICEF: Over 5,000 Gaza Children Treated for Malnutrition in May Alone Common Dreams
***
WHAT I HAVE BEEN TOLD IS COMING IN IRAN Seymour Hersh. Heavy American bombing as early as this weekend.
Trump to decide on Iran action within two weeks, White House says Axios. Well, this weekend is within two weeks.
Trump caution on Iran strike linked to doubts over ‘bunker buster’ bomb, officials say The Guardian. “The effectiveness of GBU-57s has been a topic of deep contention at the Pentagon since the start of Trump’s term, according to two defense officials who were briefed that perhaps only a tactical nuclear weapon could be capable of destroying Fordow because of how deeply it is located.”
Seyed Mohammad Marandi: Iran Prepares for War with America Glenn Diesen (Video). A grim prognosis: “The only path forward now is reckless escalation.”
Israel’s attack on Iran: The violent new world being born is going to horrify you Jonathan Cook
Iran FM set to meet EU officials to discuss de-escalation The Cradle
***
F-22s From America’s Elite 1st Fighter Wing Heading Towards Iran: What Missions Can They Accomplish? Military Watch
How the US has shifted military jets and ships in the Middle East AP
US military aircraft no longer visible at base in Qatar: satellite images AFP
Mapped: The US bases Iran may strike if war with Israel escalates New Arab
***
Treasury empties reserves to finance Iran operation Globes
PM: Israel will ‘hit all nuclear facilities,’ has destroyed half of Iran’s launchers Times of Israel
Iran used under 5% of its latent capacity against ‘Israel’: Rezaei Al Mayadeen
Iran Firing More Advanced Missiles as Israel Is Running Low on Interceptors Antiwar
Police halt broadcast of foreign outlets reporting from missile impact sites Times of Israel
‘Like the sky was torn open’: At Turkey border, Iranians recall terror in Tehran Turkish Minute
🟢 One missile. One hit.
Iran launched a single missile in its latest wave. The Israeli military confirmed it had detected the launch and announced it had activated air defense systems to intercept it.
They failed.
The missile struck in Be’er Sheva, in southern Israel.… pic.twitter.com/JPEYUhheQm
— Drop Site (@DropSiteNews) June 20, 2025
***
IRGC media report effort to mobilize Qom clerics for compromise with Israel Iran International
How Mossad’s network of agents helped Israel strike inside Iran The New Arab
***
World War III Update Larry Johnson
Putin, Xi criticise Israel’s attacks on Iran, urge de-escalation Al Jazeera
China’s Influence Grows in Middle East: Peace Efforts Between Israel and Iran Modern Diplomacy vs. Israel-Iran war undermines Beijing’s Mideast diplomatic push France24
Boeing ghost flights: China-Iran air route raises eyebrows in Israel conflict India Today vs. Watch out for flight tracking images showing Chinese cargo planes landing in Iran France24
Xi Shows No Sign of Rescuing Iran as Trump Ramps Up Pressure Bloomberg
unconfirmed reports that two Chinese electronic surveillance ships, 855 and 815A, are in the Persian Gulf.
Satellite photos claimed to be from 6/16 are the source.
815A can track planes, missiles, guide missiles as well as conduct electromagnetic interference and intelligence… pic.twitter.com/AG7uCAtRUh
— ADAM (@AdameMedia) June 19, 2025
European Disunion
Spain threatens to block NATO’s 5% defense spending target El Pais
MPs approve Finland’s withdrawal from Ottawa landmine treaty YLE
Old Blighty
Labour pushes on with ‘catastrophic’ disability benefit cuts: ‘The government is just not listening’ Big Issue
Ready for War? London Review of Books
New Not-So-Cold War
Russian economy on brink of recession — economic development minister TASS
EU devises scheme to squeeze more profit from Russian frozen assets Politico
“Liberation Day”
‘Feelings-based recession’: More Americans fearful of finances despite economic data Housing Wire
Recovery from the next recession will depend on state and local governments Money and Things
EU increasingly resigned to 10% baseline tariff in US trade talks, European sources say Reuters
Trump 2.0
New Map Shows Public Land For Sale Under Senate Budget Reconciliation Bill The Cocklebur
“But think of how many Walmarts could we put there the GDP would be amazing”
No. pic.twitter.com/MPKZyTziCs
— UDGuy (@UtahDroneGuy) June 19, 2025
Trump’s Bid to End Union Contracts Is Unprecedented, Judge Says Bloomberg
Trump on Juneteenth: US has ‘too many non-working holidays’ The Hill
Democrats en déshabillé
How Democratic Party Leaders Quietly Support Trump’s March to War With Iran The Intercept
MAHA
The Trump administration is trying to bring back asbestos Fast Company
Antitrust
Elon Musk’s X to offer investment and trading in ‘super app’ push FT
How Corporations Can Block Abundance The Economic Populist
Fahrenheit 451
As Hillsborough book battle unfolds, other districts wonder who’s next Tampa Bay Times
Dancing Naked on the Head of a Pin Public Domain Review
Police State Watch
Appeals court extends order allowing Trump to deploy National Guard to L.A. CBS News
Trump using National Guard for deportation work could go into ‘uncharted territory’ USA Today
Dodgers turn federal agents away from stadium, team says. Crowd briefly protests outside LAist
AI
The real race to Artificial Intelligence is about cheap electricity. Here’s how that’s going. Kevin Walmsley
Eat or be eaten by AI, Amazon CEO warns staff The Register
Creators say they didn’t know Google uses YouTube to train AI CNBC
Abortion
Abortion Clinics Are Closing, Even in States Where Abortion Is Legal MedPage Today
Imperial Collapse Watch
Class Warfare
The Number of Unhoused Young Children Is at Crisis Level. It’s Set to Get Worse. Truthout
Toward an Architecture of Belonging Orion
Antidote du jour (via):
See yesterday’s Links and Antidote du Jour here.
