Retired Californian finds fulfilment as Lumphini cat caretaker<\/a> Bangkok Post<\/p>\n Earth Rotation Residuals as an Early-Warning System for AMOC Decline <\/a>Craig Tindale<\/p>\n Who are the Japanese? Huge DNA discovery rewrites history<\/a> Science Daily (Kevin W)<\/p>\n Thai watermeal tipped as \u2018green gold\u2019 of future food<\/a> Nation Thailand<\/p>\n Hantavirus<\/p>\n WHN constructed an animation of the voyage of the M\/V Hondius during the Andes hantavirus outbreak, including the ship\u2019s route, known cases, evacuations, and passenger dispersal as reported publicly by WHO, the ship owner, governments, and media sources.<\/p>\n Animation:\u2026<\/p>\n \u2014 Yaneer Bar-Yam (@yaneerbaryam) May 15, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n Climate\/Environment<\/p>\n Colombia has declared its entire Amazon biome a reserve zone for renewable natural resources, effectively banning any new oil exploration, hydrocarbon production, or large-scale mining projects in the region. \u2014 James Tate (@JamesTate121) May 13, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Birds dying along California beaches as marine heat wave intensifies<\/a> Deseret Sun<\/p>\n China and Norway push to increase krill harvests around Antarctica <\/a>Mongabay<\/p>\n \u2018Insect apocalypse\u2019 is already fueling malnutrition in some regions, first-of-its-kind study reveals<\/a> LiveScience<\/p>\n Climate Change Is Creating a New Kind of Weather Disaster<\/a> Gizmodo<\/p>\n \ud83d\udea8 Within two weeks the peak of the “Super-duper El Ni\u00f1o” @NOAA<\/a> mean peak forecast has increased by almost 0.5\u00b0C\u203c\ufe0f<\/p>\n And more and more model runs are off the chart of the 4\u00b0C y-axis!<\/p>\n Who in the world is (getting) ready for this? https:\/\/t.co\/Cu5uCWJOFV<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/G2oyyQ0pX9<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Leon Simons \ud83c\udf0d (@LeonSimons8) May 12, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Super El Ni\u00f1o could reshape catastrophe risk pricing, insurers warn<\/a> ITIJ<\/p>\n Drones now key to fighting malaria as the climate crisis fuels \u2018catastrophic\u2019 rise in cases<\/a> Independent<\/p>\n Some seas may soon be trapped in near-permanent heatwaves, scientists warn<\/a> Earth.com<\/p>\n Ancient Euphrates River Is Disappearing And People Are Linking It To The Bible<\/a> NDTV<\/p>\n No trees, no fans: surviving extreme heat in India\u2019s salt pans<\/a> Japan Times<\/p>\n Arizona, Nevada and California take massive Colorado River water cuts Federal plan<\/a> Tucson.com\n<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n China?<\/p>\n I am at a bit of a loss when reading some of the hot takes on the Trump-Xi summit. There was no sherpa work because Trump does not do that (see the summit with Putin in Alaska). No sherpa work = at best very little concrete will be concluded. Trump blew up the low-odds possibility of China agreeing to buy more soyabeans or Boeings by two sets of sanctions of Chinese companies mere weeks before the get-together. The one thing Trump might have fantasized he could have gotten done was to get Xi on board with some level of support in getting the Strait of Hormuz open. But China no way no how will provide military support. The other path is negotiations, which are impossible due to US maximalist demands, lack of patience, and being both negotiation and agreement incapable.<\/p>\n So this wound up being a wag-the-dog event, a distraction from the war in Iran (and Chas Freeman added the Epstein files<\/a>). However, another Trump-Xi meeting is set for Washington in September. <\/p>\n As a diplo-connected contact wrote:<\/p>\n One of Trump\u2019s key concessions to China was to be the lifting of restrictions for the supply of Nvidia H100 (second most powerful AI chips) that he\u2019d previously restricted. Jensen Huang went on the trip hoping to sell $billions of these devices once Trump eased the restrictions.<\/p>\n However, China said they weren\u2019t interested as their new Huawei Ascend chips are far more powerful and are fully integrated with Deepseek. Jensen had more bad luck after he went shopping in China and he had to dump all of his purchases into the trash as they weren\u2019t allowed on the plane.<\/p>\n And there was no acknowledgement from the Chinese on the purchase of Boeings (500 expected originally, revised down to 200) or soybeans.<\/p>\n What a shambles<\/p>\n Xi owned Trump in this summit.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n President Xi giving Trump rose seeds after him and Melania destroyed the White House rose garden with a giant concrete slab is unbelievably petty and I love it.<\/p>\n \u2014 Jamie Bonkiewicz (@JamieBonkiewicz) May 15, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n After Trump\u2019s pledge to \u2018open up\u2019 China, low expectations for trade deal<\/a> Aljazeera<\/p>\n Trump\u2019s Failed Mission to China<\/a> Larry Johnson<\/p>\n Salesman Trump leaves China with very little in his bag<\/a> Asia Times (Kevin W)<\/p>\n Good detail, do click through:<\/p>\n Day 2 of the Trump-Xi summit is over. There are no readouts so far, but Trump spoke on Air Force One and the MFA just published Wang Yi’s readout.<\/p>\n Both are revealing. <\/p>\n This was a summit heavy on symbolism and not substance. It was about managing problems, not solving them. And\u2026<\/p>\n \u2014 Rush Doshi (@RushDoshi) May 15, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Taiwan releases statement in response to Trump comments<\/a> The Hill<\/p>\n The US-China trade war is entering a worrying new phase: a legal arms race<\/a> South China Morning Post<\/p>\n China\u2019s Growing Quantum Dominance Forces U.S. to Adapt F-35 Software<\/a> Military Watch<\/p>\n China has decisively won the shipping war<\/a> Kevin Walmsley<\/p>\n HERE’S WHAT HAPPENED IN BEIJING IN THE LAST FEW HOURS \u2014 IN ORDER:<\/p>\n \u2192 Trump’s plane lands in Beijing, May 13, 2026 \u2014 \ud83c\udde8\ud83c\uddf3 Liu Feng \u5218\u950b (@LiuInTheShadows) May 13, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n India<\/p>\n India raises fuel prices as global energy crisis adds pressure on economy<\/a> Independent<\/p>\n Church leaders killed in latest ethnic violence in India\u2019s Manipur<\/a> Aljazeera<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Africa<\/p>\n Acute hunger grips nearly 20 million people in war-battered Sudan, says IPC<\/a> Aljazeera<\/p>\n \ud83c\udde7\ud83c\uddeb Traditions Day in Faso : \u2014 Sahel Revolutionary Soldier (@cecild84) May 15, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n European Disunion<\/p>\n Fu\u00dfball 101: Bier<\/a> Bundesletter (Micael T)<\/p>\n The EU and China are stumbling into a trade war<\/a> Economist<\/p>\n China \u2018very disappointed\u2019 with Europe\u2019s planned investment restrictions, diplomat say<\/a>s Reuters<\/p>\n Nato to press Europe\u2019s arms makers to boost investment and productio<\/a>n Financial Times. Lead story. <\/p>\n Friedrich Merz vows to oppose new EU debt despite Germany\u2019s borrowing spree<\/a> Financial Times<\/p>\n Greece\u2019s Water Crisis Is Becoming an Economic Crisis<\/a> Tovima<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Old Blighty<\/p>\n I\u2019ll never regret what I did \u2013 Palestine Action activist cleared over Elbit raid<\/a> The Standard<\/p>\n There\u2019s a risk of another Liz Truss moment\u2019: City raises spectre of bond market meltdown again<\/a> Guardian<\/p>\n Andy Burnham will push to become PM before Labour conference, allies say<\/a> Guardian (Kevin W). Forgive me for badly uninformed priors. Wes Streeting is an even more fierce Zionists than Starmer, so by default, your humble blogger is of the \u201canybody but Streeting\u2019 school. Reader comment on Burnham welcome.<\/p>\n UK govt warned fuel crisis may lead to \u2018crops rotting in fields<\/a>\u2019 Agriland<\/p>\n China warns UK over nationalisation of British Steel<\/a> Financial Times<\/p>\n Why does Guernsey dump raw sewage into the sea?<\/a> BBC<\/p>\n Surfers to launch nationwide protests over failing water system <\/a>Independent <\/p>\n e<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Israel v The Resistance<\/p>\n Featuring this rather than the full video, which the YouTube censors have made age restricted:<\/p>\n In a social experiment conducted by a YouTube channel in Spain, the sound of a child crying was played from underground.<\/p>\n \u25aa\ufe0fPeople couldn’t hold back their tears when they realized the crying sound belonged to Palestinian children killed by Israel. pic.twitter.com\/NEwEX7xE9O<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 GBX (@GBX_Press) May 15, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Just absolutely incredible. I mean, holy shit https:\/\/t.co\/eqsKzU8aNt<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Victims of Capitalism Memorial Foundation (@karaokecomputer) May 14, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n BREAKING: Following the controversy surrounding Prime Minister Netanyahu\u2019s confirmed secret visit to the UAE, it can now be revealed that not only the PM, the Mossad chief and the Shin Bet director visited the Gulf state during the war \u2014 but also IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal\u2026<\/p>\n \u2014 \u05d2\u05d9\u05d0 \u05e2\u05d6\u05e8\u05d9\u05d0\u05dc Guy Azriel (@GuyAz) May 15, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Senate fails to curb Trump\u2019s war on Iran even as Republican opposition grows<\/a> Guardian<\/p>\n Simulations Confirm Iran\u2019s North Korean Attack Submarines Can Sink U.S. Navy Carrier Groups<\/a> Military Watch<\/p>\n Iran turns to Pakistan land corridor as US naval pressure disrupts Gulf trade<\/a> Middle East Eye<\/p>\n The Democracy Perception Index 2026 (DPI) asked people in 98 countries whether they agree more with Iran or the U.S. in the conflict between the two countries.<\/p>\n DPI found that 41 countries agree more with Iran, 28 agree more with the criminal Trump regime, and 29 are roughly\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/ZUQkqevQVi<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Dimitri Lascaris (@dimitrilascaris) May 15, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n New Not-So-Cold War<\/p>\n Zelensky Claims Leaked Russian Intel Docs Show Russia Preparing to Take Out \u201cDecision-Making Centers\u201d of Ukraine<\/a> Simplicius. Hard to take the Zelensky effort to elicit rage seriously. Government buildings in Kiev are legitimate targets. Putin has apparently been resisting great pressure from the General Staff to strike decision-making centers. The more interesting part of this story is Zelensky saying that drone strikes into Europe are also in the works, and Simplicius describing why this is not impossible. <\/p>\n Ritter\u2019s Rant 089: The Karaganov Fallacy <\/a>Scott Ritter (Micael T)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Big Brother is Watching You Watch:<\/p>\n NHS England confirms: Palantir staff can access patient data<\/a> The Register (Chuck L)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Imperial Collapse Watch<\/p>\n Stocks and Precious Metals Charts \u2013 Change Forged in Misery and Blood<\/a> Jesse\u2019s Caf\u00e9 Am\u00e9ricain<\/i> Jesse\u2019s musings are regularly very good and I have been too busy to check in for a while. A section from this piece:<\/p>\n There will be no good and sustainable monetary system easily reached for the same reasons that this generation of leaders can no longer create and put forward fair and workable laws for their own country. They are overcome by ego and greed. They wish for a system riddled with loopholes and personal advantage for them and their friends. So this is what is produced. And until this changes, progress and change will be spattered with misery and blood, as it has so often been in the past.<\/p>\n If there is any key point I wish you to take and hold in your minds and hearts it is that there is no such thing as a perfect, self-regulating monetary system. There could only be such an ideal model if men and women were angels, perfectly rational and reliably virtuous. <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Trump 2.0<\/p>\n Trump administration proposes easing toxic wastewater regulations for coal-fired power plants<\/a> ET Now<\/p>\n Colorado\u2019s Democratic governor commutes ex-election clerk Tina Peters\u2019 sentence after Trump pressure<\/a> Associated Press<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Our No Longer Free Press<\/p>\n Rich Guy Quote Journalism<\/a> Peter Shamshiri (Paul R)<\/p>\n Honestly what a bunch of assholes @ABC<\/a> https:\/\/t.co\/u5rqfgTwXv<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Nate Silver (@NateSilver538) May 15, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n Economy<\/p>\n The Iran War Could Crash the Global Economy, Here\u2019s How<\/a> Fair Observer<\/p>\n The World Is Burning Through Its Oil Safety Net<\/a> Wall Street Journal <\/p>\n Iran, Ukraine wars deliver worst hit in years to oil refining output<\/a> Reuters<\/p>\n Mr. Market Needs Therapy<\/p>\n Bond Market on Verge of Crash, Long Bond Yield Near 19-Year High<\/a> Michael Shedlock<\/p>\n Global bonds tumble as flaring inflation spooks investors<\/a> Reuters<\/p>\n The Energy Crisis Is Becoming a Currency Crisis<\/a> Bloomberg. A lazy report via being narrowly accurate but substantively misleading in details. The baht is not in currency crisis terrain, FFS. It may wind up there there but it is not in the position of the rupee. The baht is exactly where it was a year ago. On top of that, it rises during high season, November to March, so a lot of the fall since the start of the war is attributable to that. There are still many complaints from local businesses that it is overvalued. <\/p>\n AI<\/p>\n US AI policy is a clumsy mess. Here\u2019s what to do about it<\/a> Gary Marcus<\/p>\n Mayo Clinic is Using AI to Listen to Emergency Room Visits<\/a> 404 Media (The Joker)<\/p>\n Brussels runs on summaries and AI is now writing them <\/a>Euractiv<\/p>\n Do Job Postings Show Early Labor\u2011Market Effects of AI?<\/a> Liberty Street Economics<\/p>\n Your CEO is suffering from AI psychosis<\/a> Jake Handy (The Joker) <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n The Bezzle<\/p>\n Empathy is good, actually. https:\/\/t.co\/GNiUW4Hl54<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Stephanie Kelton (@StephanieKelton) May 15, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Class Warfare<\/p>\n These soaring electricity bills are a tax hike, a monthly tithe levied by the Oligarchy on the American peasantry. They get ever richer, while we go broke for the pleasure of helping our oligarchs “beat China” https:\/\/t.co\/h1nUQIQ1XJ<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Mark Ames (@MarkAmesExiled) May 15, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n You know candidates for Senate have to disclose their personal finances. Platner is not rich. His wife is still paying off student loans. pic.twitter.com\/wLTZNIDj9R<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Zaid Jilani (@ZaidJilani) May 15, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Antidote du jour (Tracie H):<\/p>\n See yesterday\u2019s Links and Antidote du Jour here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n
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Colombia has declared its entire Amazon biome a reserve zone for\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/EzYSgewhvH<\/a><\/p>\n\n
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\u2192 China’s Vice President meets him on the tarmac \u2014 not Xi
\u2192 Motorcade forms \u2014 Elon Musk and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang riding alongside
\u2192 8:19pm local time \u2014\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/JvHoFd6LVP<\/a><\/p>\n\n
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Today in Burkina Faso, it is a national holiday. It is a day dedicated to celebrating our traditions, cultures, and traditional religions. It is mainly celebrated by those who still follow the country\u2019s traditional religions, but it is also appreciated\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/wtJano3GFH<\/a><\/p>\n\n
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