Here are the 2025 Ig Nobel Prize winners<\/a> Improbable (Micael T)<\/p>\n Scientists Discover Why Alcohol Blocks Liver Regeneration, Even After You Quit<\/a> SciTech Daily (Chuck L)<\/p>\n What to Know About Mirror Life<\/a> Nautlius (Micael T)<\/p>\n #COVID-19\/Pandemics<\/p>\n Society is collapsing because everyone chose to believe Covid would only disable & kill the people that are deemed unworthy of survival. We made no effort to protect the kids or vulnerable, & as a result we sacrificed our collective futures. EVERYONE is vulnerable now. The End.<\/p>\n \u2014 Laura Miers (@LauraMiers) September 19, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Elimination of #measles<\/a> in Australia achieved after 1997 measles control campaign by health minister Wooldridge: 2nd dose moved from 12 to 4 yrs. Removing 12 m dose will result in massive resurgence of measles, which can be predicted mathematically. 1\/2https:\/\/t.co\/w4SvMjC7rJ<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/yY8aczDyKE<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Raina MacIntyre (@Globalbiosec) September 19, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n Climate\/Environment<\/p>\n MEDITERRANEAN HISTORIC HEAT WAVE Unprecedented heat for this time of the year and next days can be even hotter.<\/p>\n Record heat also in MOROCCO \u2014 Extreme Temperatures Around The World (@extremetemps) September 17, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n How Climate Change Is Increasing Landslide Risk Worldwide<\/a> Scientific American<\/p>\n The island that banned hives: can honeybees actually harm nature? <\/a> Guardian (Kevin W)<\/p>\n Forests Are Raining Plastic: New Study Reveals Shocking Pollution<\/a> SciTech Daily (Chuck L)<\/p>\n Texas Oil Boom Spawns a Toxic Crisis of the Industry\u2019s Own Making<\/a> Bloomberg<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n China?<\/p>\n Chinese readout of Xi-Trump phone call on Friday<\/a> Pekinology. Translation; English version not yet published. Chinese readouts are normally detailed. Seems thin for a 90 minute conversation.<\/p>\n While entertaining, this is just a wet noodle lashing. China has not restricted trade and buys weapons:<\/p>\n Absolutely extraordinary exchange between Israel and China \ud83d\udc47 I’ve never seen such a heated exchange come out of top-level forum in China (this is from the 12th Beijing Xiangshan Forum that started yesterday), this normally never happens.<\/p>\n The guy speaking is Yan Xuetong, the\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/O7w3C46H6X<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Arnaud Bertrand (@RnaudBertrand) September 18, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Poland\u2019s Attempt To Blackmail China Will Hurt Itself Most<\/a> Moon of Alabama (Kevin W)\n<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Mass protest expected in Philippines capital amid public fury over alleged corruption in government projects <\/a> Guardian<\/p>\n Indonesia\u2019s ill-timed return to the financial brink. Bank Indonesia under pressure as Prabowo\u2019s fast and loose spending stirs ghosts of 1997\u201398 meltdown<\/a> Asia Times<\/p>\n Antipodes<\/p>\n NZ Government\u2019s Economic Stewardship Challenged by Big GDP Slump<\/a> Bloomberg<\/p>\n Africa<\/p>\n Children are bound to die\u2019: Corruption, aid cuts and violence fuel a hunger crisis in South Sudan <\/a>Independent<\/p>\n Tensions are escalating in eastern Congo as the M23 rebel group and government forces dig in along the frontlines \u2014 threatening fragile peace efforts<\/a> AfricaNews<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n European Disunion<\/p>\n Professors of Propaganda: How the EU\u2019s Jean Monnet Programme corrodes academia<\/a> Thomas Fazi, MCC Brussels (Chuck L)<\/p>\n France\u2019s big protest: Who\u2019s on strike, why and what\u2019s next?<\/a> Aljazeera<\/p>\n \u2018Resilience factories\u2019<\/a> German Foreign Policy. Micael T: \u201cI read \u2018startup and I think bezzle.\u201d<\/p>\n If it\u2019s a shame about royalty, we must abolish the monarchy immediately<\/a> Aftonbladet via machine translation (Micael T) <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Old Blighty<\/p>\n Public sector borrowing in August has jumped to its highest level in five years, raising fears of huge tax hikes in the autumn to balance the books<\/a> City AM<\/p>\n The big story from Bank of England is an easing in tightening to avert massive losses<\/a> Sky<\/p>\n UK food industry shows shocking lack of contingency plans for water shortages<\/a> Food and Drink Technology<\/p>\n I have never seen quality as bad as this\u2019: Scottish farmers fear \u2018financial crisis\u2019 as early harvest takes its toll<\/a> Business Green <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Israel v. the Resistance<\/p>\n The Israeli Threat to America<\/a> John Mearsheimer<\/p>\n Israel \u201cfalsifying\u201d Palestinian rapes to further Gaza genocid<\/a>e Asa Winstanley<\/p>\n The high cost of the US supporting the Israel attack on Qatar. No doubt this deal was in the works for a while, but one has to think the strike overcame any remaining doubts or sticking points:<\/p>\n Shockwave as Houthi drone hits hotel; Qatar attack triggers new Mideast alliance<\/a> Janta Ka Reporter, YouTube<\/p>\n Israel On Notice? Iran Launches \u2018MYSTERIOUS\u2019 Missiles After Saudi\u2019s Atomic Bomb Surprise<\/a> Times of India, YouTube<\/p>\n I don’t think I’m exaggerating by saying that this truly is the US’s Suez moment: Saudi Arabia just entered into a NATO-like alliance with Pakistan whereby “any attack on either country is an attack on both.”<\/p>\n The symbolic is extraordinary: Saudi Arabia was in many ways THE\u2026 https:\/\/t.co\/wscWBwF5WC<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Arnaud Bertrand (@RnaudBertrand) September 18, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif said more Arab nations could join the Pakistan-Saudi mutual defense pact, noting the \u201cdoors are not closed\u201d and stressing the right of Muslim countries to defend their region collectively. pic.twitter.com\/e2yLpfBIDt<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Clash Report (@clashreport) September 19, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n For Pakistan, the pact addresses its historical Achilles heel. While Islamabad has maintained a robust indigenous defense posture, backed by nuclear deterrence and a deepening weapons pipeline from China, it has always been vulnerable in two critical areas: energy supply and\u2026<\/p>\n \u2014 Thomas Keith (@iwasnevrhere_) September 17, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Channel 12 has confirmed what Tehran already etched into reality during the 12-day war: Iran\u2019s missile barrages stripped Israel\u2019s Arrow (Hetz) batteries bare. <\/p>\n The stock of interceptors, marketed for decades as the Zionist entity\u2019s ultimate shield against ballistic threats, has\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/aIQVZVJX19<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Thomas Keith (@iwasnevrhere_) September 18, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Turkey warns Cyprus\u2019 Israeli air defense system could \u2018destabilise island\u2019<\/a> TNA (Kevin W)<\/p>\n She\u2019s right\u2026 They\u2019re bullying the entire planet now<\/p>\n Do what they say, or pay the price. pic.twitter.com\/38APhO0QHJ<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Abier (@abierkhatib) September 17, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n Syraqistan<\/p>\n Syria risks rupturing as armed camps face off across the Euphrates<\/a> Reuters (Robin K)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n New Not-So-Cold War<\/p>\n SITREP 9\/19\/25: \u201cRussian Incursion\u201d Scare Heats Up as Enfeebled NATO Hobbles to Respond<\/a> Simplicius<\/p>\n EU floats plan to use frozen Russian assets for Ukraine loan, bypassing a Hungary veto<\/a> Reuters<\/p>\n Deep strike: Ukrainian drones hit major Russian oil plant 1,300 km from front lines<\/a> TVP World<\/p>\n A heavy and terrible video, which, however, is worth watching and showing to others so that it is clear what kind of scum we are at war with.<\/p>\n During the battles for the settlement of Shandrigolovo, the guardsmen of the 144th motorized rifle division encountered the epitome of\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/F5SiISMxS6<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 ULYANA STRIZH \ud83c\uddf7\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf7\ud83c\uddfa (@UlyanaStrizh) September 18, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Ukraine\u2019s Fight at Home: The Battle Against Corruption Is Essential to the War Against Russia<\/a> EU to encourage Ukrainians to return home<\/a> RT (Kevin W)<\/p>\n A New Soft Power Ploy By Putin<\/a> Nomea (Micael T)<\/p>\n Poland border closure choking China-EU rail trade<\/a> Asia Times (Kevin W)<\/p>\n Czech ammo lifeline for Ukraine comes under fire at home<\/a> Politico (Kevin W)<\/p>\n Roundabouts or tree trunks: How the Baltic states should protect themselves from an invasion<\/a> Overton via machine translation<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Caucasus<\/p>\n Engineering Peace? <\/a> Anatol Lieven and Artin DerSimonian, New Left Review (Robin K)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Big Brother is Watching You Watch<\/p>\n Samsung Announces Plans to Plaster Your Smart Fridge With Digital Advertisements<\/a> Futurism (Kevin W). Shades of the fridge in Philip K. Dick\u2019s Ubik asking to be paid in order to open the door. It has to spy on you or otherwise harvest your data to target ads effectively, so doubly offensive. <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Imperial Collapse Watch<\/p>\n The UN at 80<\/a> Warwick Powell<\/p>\n Your First Call After You Shoot Someone<\/a> New Yorker (Robin K)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Trump 2.0<\/p>\n USDA\u2019s DEI Purge: How Trump and Rollins are reshaping American agriculture<\/a> Investigate Midwest (Robin K)<\/p>\n Antifa hasn\u2019t existed since 1933. That makes Trump\u2019s attack on it even more menacing<\/a> Globe and Mail (Dr. Kevin)<\/p>\n US looks to state-backed TSMC model for Intel turnaround<\/a> Nikkei. Since the US leadership class and even more so the Trump team can\u2019t manage its way out of a paper bag, I am not holding my breath. <\/p>\n Bureau of Labor Statistics postpones key data report<\/a> Axios. Inflation. <\/p>\n Judge throws out Trump suit against New York Times<\/a> The Hill<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n \u201cUnacceptable\u201d: Prominent U.S. Senators Demand FDA Provide Names of Troubled Foreign Drugmakers Skirting Import Bans<\/a> ProPublica (Robin K)<\/p>\n Immigration<\/p>\n Trump Says the U.S. Will Institute $100,000 Fee for Skilled Worker Visas<\/a> New York Times<\/p>\n From a comment by ChrisPacific (shortened) who notes the reporting on this change is generally lousy<\/a>:<\/p>\n Linking to this (the original source) on the ongoing fee story about H-1Bs, since the reporting on it seems more than usually bad:<\/p>\n https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/presidential-actions\/2025\/09\/restriction-on-entry-of-certain-nonimmigrant-workers\/<\/a>\u2026..<\/p>\n So the key points are: Assuming this goes ahead, it\u2019s going to kill the Infosys\/Wipro model pretty much dead (not that anybody will shed tears for it). It would probably also harm the big US tech companies like Amazon and Microsoft, except that Trump claims they\u2019re supportive, so if he\u2019s not blowing smoke then that probably means they have their Section 2c exemptions lined up already.<\/p>\n As for smaller businesses (namely any without a hotline to the Secretary of Homeland Security) H-1B will be pretty much dead for them as well. <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n Charlie Kirk<\/p>\n Charlie Kirk Update and, As Predicted, Europe Snapbacks on Iran<\/a> Larry Johnson<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Our No Longer Free Press<\/p>\n Calls to Boycott Disney Explode After ABC Submits to FCC Threats by Ousting Jimmy Kimmel<\/a> Common Dreams<\/p>\n Why Jimmy Kimmel\u2019s First Amendment rights weren\u2019t violated \u2013 but ABC\u2019s would be protected if it stood up to the FCC and Trump<\/a> The Conversation<\/p>\n Jon Stewart\u2019s Post-Kimmel Primer on Free Speech in the Glorious Trump Era<\/a> Daily Show, YouTube<\/p>\n Why Are Right-Wing Comedians \u2018Deafeningly Silent\u2019 on Jimmy Kimmel? <\/a>Zeteo <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Mr. Market is Moody<\/p>\n Foreign holdings of US Treasuries surge to all-time high in July, China\u2019s sink<\/a> Reuters<\/p>\n Margin Debt Has Soared. It\u2019s the Skunk at Wall Street\u2019s Garden Party<\/a> Barrons <\/p>\n A Japanese debt crisis is closer than you think<\/a> Asia Times\n<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Monopoly<\/p>\n \u201cYikes\u201d: Internal emails reveal Ticketmaster helped scalpers jack up prices, FTC says<\/a> ars technica (Kevin W)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Class Warfare<\/p>\n Sports fans, this demonstrates that BlackRock\u2019s vector of power is not via the companies BlackRock invests in nearly entirely via index funds where these funds are obligatory buyers, but governments:<\/p>\n The mask is off. In a stunning admission, BlackRock CEO Larry Fink boasts of a global business model built on unprecedented access and influence over the highest levels of government\u2014before they even take power.<\/p>\n His words reveal a chilling blueprint: leverage control over the\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/TLbYCmW6Z1<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Camus (@newstart_2024) September 17, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n The world is about to have trillionaires. Enough is enough<\/a> Jacobin (Micael T)<\/p>\n Top 10% account for nearly half of all consumer spending<\/a> News Nation Now <\/p>\n Migrant farmworkers sue seed-corn company over wages and housing <\/a> Iowa Capital Dispatch (Robin K) <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Antidote du jour (via<\/a>):<\/p>\n And a bonus (Chuck L):<\/p>\n we have a new hero! \ud83d\ude02 pic.twitter.com\/mNYOi50ciE<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Nature is Phenomenal (@AnimalGeoLife) September 16, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n A second bonus (Chuck L):<\/p>\n Surfing dolphins \ud83c\udf0a\ud83d\udc2c\ud83c\udfc4pic.twitter.com\/yIBcsWJh8j<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Cosmic Gaia (@CosmicGaiaX) September 19, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n And a third:<\/p>\n he cat and the fox, a friendship born in the storm. pic.twitter.com\/a0idRv7UdZ<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Tweets of Dogs (@TweeetsOfDogs) September 19, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n See yesterday\u2019s Links and Antidote du Jour here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n
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Extraordinary hot day in #Spain<\/a>
40.7 El Granado,dozens of stations >35C allover the country including the highlands.<\/p>\n
MINIMUM 30.6 Semara pic.twitter.com\/HKtqKJrFRH<\/a><\/p>\n\n
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Foreign Affairs. Robin K: \u201c\u2018Lately, Ukraine\u2019s people have also had to pressure their government in matters of domestic politics.\u2019 Damn, I\u2019d really like to know how they did that so it could be tried in the US.\u201d<\/p>\n\n
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\u2013 It will now cost $100k to apply for an H-1B visa
\u2013 This rule is in force for 12 months and will cease to apply unless renewed (these two points are being incorrectly reported in some places as a $100k annual fee)
\u2013 If you are well connected, you can get the government to agree to an exemption on either an individual, company or industry basis.<\/p>\n\n
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