Total solar eclipse 2024: what dazzled scientists Nature
What’s left of the 2024 solar eclipse lives in our hearts Space.com
The shadow of war darkens on the global economy FT
Climate
UC Irvine researchers shine light on rapid changes in Arctic and boreal ecosystems (press release) University of California, Irvine
Pandemics
Economic and Social Consequences of the COVID-19 Pandemic Sustainability. A special issue.
US COVID-origins hearing puts scientific journals in the hot seat Nature
Population Spread Brought Influenza Along with It Nippon. Starting from 1510….
China?
China reforms its unloved state-owned enterprises to win back investors FT
On China’s “social credit”:
Japan’s Alliance with the U.S. Has Just Gone Global RAND
India
Gandhi to Stalin: India’s disparate opposition Channel News Asia
Behind India’s Manipur conflict: A tale of drugs, armed groups and politics Al Jazeera
Syraqistan
Saying What Can’t Be Said: Israel Has Been Defeated – a Total Defeat Haaretz. “[W]hat’s ‘uncomfortable’ is the most dangerous thing for our security and our future here, that being addicted to feeling good is itself what’s dangerous.” There’s a lot of that going around.
Hamas says no deal without Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, return of displaced Anadolu Agency
Iran says if Israel attacks again, response will be ‘within seconds’ Anadolu Agency
Why so many of us were wrong about missile defense Noah Smith, Noahpinion. I’m reluctant to accept triumphalism about Israeli missile defense, even assuming that reported numbers are accurate. Israel and its allies had at least a week of “When will Iran attack?” to prepare, plus five hours warning.
Leaked NYT Gaza Memo Tells Journalists To Avoid Words “Genocide,” “Ethnic Cleansing,” And “Occupied Territory” The Intercept
The University of Southern California cancels its Muslim valedictorian’s commencement speech, citing safety concerns CNN
Anti-Israel agitators shut down traffic, disrupt cities all across US in demand for Gaza cease-fire FOX
New Not-So-Cold War
Western fear of escalation will hand Putin an historic victory in Ukraine The Atlantic Council
Why Ukraine is losing the war Politico
Ukraine Is Ready for Painful Concessions Foreign Policy
Coming to Terms Harpers. For example:
[embedded content]
“You the one with the high card, you should speak your mind.”
Zelenskyy says Ukraine ‘ran out of missiles’ during defense of power plant Anadolu Agency
Looking for a Fight NYT. In the trenches with the mercs.
Ukraine’s Zelenskyy signs new army draft law to boost conscription Al Jazeera. One more Zelensky Unit to go.
Why President Zelensky Is Purging His Inner Circle Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Kiev admits it has no control over weapons distributed to ordinary citizens InfoBrics
Why Russia Doesn’t Want War Between Israel and Iran RAND
Russia to grow faster than all advanced economies says IMF BBC. “Advanced” toward what, then?
Global Elections
India’s mammoth elections: Nearly a billion voters, 44 polling days France24
India election 2024: Which are the main political parties in the fray? Al Jazeera
Inside the formidable grassroots operation of India’s BJP FT
The taxman cometh for India’s weakened opposition as Modi eyes election victory France24
South Korea elections positive for LNG, renewables; bad for coal, nuclear S&P Global
Spotting the deepfakes in this year of elections: how AI detection tools work and where they fail Reuters
Biden Administration
Messy intel fight comes to Senate with Friday deadline Politico. Well, it’s only the Fourth Amendment at stake.
Speaker Johnson says it’s U.S.’s ‘biblical admonition’ to help Israel FOX. Big if true.
Johnson takes plunge on Ukraine aid in face of ouster threat The Hill. On both Section 702 and Ukraine, Johnson seems to have become more compliant after the spooks opened the kimono. But whatever it was he saw, we (by definition) cannot see. We call that “our democracy.”
Tesla laying off more than 10% of staff globally as sales fall Reuters
Digital Watch
What’s up with AI lately? Let’s start with soaring costs, public anger, regulations… The Register. The deck: “‘Obtaining genuine consent for training data collection is especially challenging’ industry sages say.” Shorter: AI “founders” are all thieves.
Investors are growing increasingly weary of AI TechCrunch. Commentary:
Stupid money about to slosh out?
MKBHDs For Everything Stratechery
Sports Desk
“A famous win built on patience” (sound up):
A betting scandal rocked Iowa sports. Then the case went sideways. WaPo
The Supremes
Supreme Court’s Shadow Docket Gets a Radical Makeover Bloomberg
Lawmakers seek disavowal of Supreme Court’s racist ‘Insular Cases’ that limited rights of people in U.S. territories NBC
Police State Watch
Judge awards $23.5 million to undercover St. Louis officer beaten by colleagues during protest AP
Assange
The Farce of Diplomatic Assurances Craig Murray
Baltimore Key Bridge Collapse
FBI opens criminal investigation into Baltimore bridge collapse: Report The Hill
Boeing
Boeing whistleblower says 787 fleet should be grounded The Hill
United Airlines says Boeing blowout cost it $200m BBC. That’s $50 million per bolt.
Feral Hog Watch
Hogzilla or Jaws? Wild Pigs Kill More People Than Sharks, Shocking Research Reveals Farm Journal
Class Warfare
America’s Manufacturing Renaissance Will Create Few Good Jobs Dani Rodrik, Project Syndicate
Many Patients Don’t Survive End-Stage Poverty NYT
A People’s Bank at the Post Office JSTOR Daily
A New Remedy for Bad-Faith Bargaining? On Labor
The Declining Mental Health Of The Young And The Global Disappearance Of The Hump Shape In Age In Unhappiness NEBR
Antidote du jour (via):
See yesterday’s Links and Antidote du Jour here.
