The last frontier of empathy: why we still struggle to see ourselves as animals Guardian (Kent Y)
Why Don’t People Return Their Shopping Carts? A (Somewhat) Scientific Investigation Behavioral Scientist (resilc). This says so much about America…
What’s in the junk? London Review of Books. Anthony L: ‘The idea that there is a gene for intelligence is a category mistake. It is like thinking there is a gene for ‘handsomeness’”
#COVID-19/Pandemics
⚠️Japanese mutant H3N2 flu update:
Seasonal influenza cases in Kawasaki have gone vertical and are currently deep into the “large/ explosive” epidemic zone, and still accelerating.
This is far above anything seen in previous years.
Japan has ongoing HPAl activity (mostly H5N1,… pic.twitter.com/ynrUQsUde5
— Dr Richard Hirschson (@richardhirschs1) November 16, 2025
#H5N5 #H5N1 #H3N2 @CDCgov @USDA
⚠️⚠️⚠️ Update: What we know about the WA H5N5 case
Here’s a rundown of what we know for sure about the H5N5 case in Washington, along with what we might also surmise. There are some real red flags here.🚩
There are indications that public health… pic.twitter.com/5Je8Zl0ITZ
— K-in-CT 😷😷😷 (@KinCONN) November 18, 2025
It feels like just a question of time before there is a large marburg outbreak.
That 21 day incubation period is the kicker. pic.twitter.com/NmVhZzsSwn
— tern (@1goodtern) November 16, 2025
Climate/Environment
Not new but still shocking.
👉 since half-life of carbon in the atmosphere is 50 years, 📈 1👇 shows rich countries responsible for getting world to the edge of catastrophic heating
👉 📈2 shows rich countries made progress, but emerging economies must do most of the cutting now… pic.twitter.com/hPNTHwbo6B— Richard Baldwin (@BaldwinRE) November 18, 2025
Tyson agrees to settlement over climate-smart beef claims The New Lede
China?
One Chinese-made component that Tesla is struggling to substitute is the lithium-iron phosphate battery. China’s Contemporary Amperex Technology, or CATL, has been a major supplier to Tesla for the battery, known as LFP.
— Paul Triolo (@pstAsiatech) November 17, 2025
BYD, Xpeng and rivals race to shore up growth as investors turn skeptical Nikkei
China has only bought 332,000 tons of U.S. soybeans since Trump made a deal with Xi Jinping that promised 12 million by year’s end Fortune
The Vanishing Craft of Journalism in China Pekingology
Japan
Japan’s Takaichi Has Few Good Options to End China’s Retaliation Bloomberg
Japan Protests Chinese Ships’ Intrusion near Senkakus Nippon
Japan’s economy contracts as exports get hit by US tariffs Independent
Koreas
Korea faces longest sustained decline in youth employment rate since 2009 global financial crisis Korea Joongang Daily
India
Gold, Silver Rush Widens India’s October Trade Deficit Despite Strong Overall Outlook NDTV. This along side India’s US exports jump despite 50% tariffs as trade tensions ease BBC
Nine killed as explosives linked to Delhi blast blow up at Kashmir police station Independent
Deadly Blasts In Delhi and Islamabad Raise Tensions Between India and Pakistan w/ John Helmer Dimitri Liscaris, YouTube
Bangladesh
Protests break out as verdict against Bangladesh’s deposed leader Sheikh Hasina begins BBC
Africa
Ethiopia Accuses Eritrea of Violating Its Territorial Integrity DNE Africa
Sudan’s army captures two areas in North Kordofan as RSF burns more bodies Aljazeera
Jailed Tunisian politicians go on hunger strike against presidential crackdown Financial Times
South of the Border
Will Ecuador allow US troops on its soil? DW
After Gen Z march in Mexico, government and critics spar as Trump cites ‘big problems’ south of border Los Angeles Times
America’s invasion of Mexico Digital nomads are tearing neighbourhoods apart Unherd
European Disunion
Fears of French industrial crisis persist despite €30 billion in investments Le Monde
The German economy Sozialsmus via machine translation (Micael T)
Denmark’s drive to conscript teenage girls: ‘We’re pretty scared’ The Times
Old Blighty
Mahmood: Take back migrants or face visa ban Telegraph
Gangs buy haulage firms to steal lorryloads of goods BBC
Israel v. The Resistance
UN Security Council approves Trump’s Gaza”peace plan”, green-lighting U.S.-Israeli control of Gaza’s future Mondoweiss
Palestinian deaths in Israeli custody have surged. A prison guard describes rampant abuse Associated Press (guurst)
Tensions rise as Israeli troops attack UN forces in southern Lebanon Arab Weekly
Why Is “Progressive International” Not Backing Uniting for Peace? Sam Husseini
* * * What’s the shadowy organisation taking Gaza Palestinians to South Africa? Aljazeera
🇿🇦 South Africa’s Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola said the recent transfer of Palestinians from Gaza to his country appears to be “a clearly orchestrated operation.”
▪️ “It does look like it represents a broader agenda to remove Palestinians from Palestine into many different… https://t.co/JXENDXKny8
— Drop Site (@DropSiteNews) November 18, 2025
* * * The Global Zionist Organ Trafficking Conspiracy Kit Klarenberg
Violence flares after Iraq vote as MP’s guards storm Peshmerga home Arab News
Iran says no prospect of talks as West builds pressure over nuclear issue Aljazeera
New Not-So-Cold War
From Politico’s European morning newsletter. Note this discussion omits two issues mentioned by Alexander Mercouris in recent broadcasts: one, that Euroclear has threatened to sue the Commission if it tried to proceed with the asset theft plan, and two, that the Commission does not include as an option stopping the funding of Ukraine.
ONE MONTH TO SAVE UKRAINE: European leaders will fly into Brussels on Dec. 18 for the final European Council summit of 2025. The stakes could not be higher: They must find a way forward on thorny proposals to ensure Ukraine doesn’t run out of money midway through next year — jeopardizing its security and its very existence.
Bad memories: Kyiv’s allies are hoping to avoid a repeat of October’s EUCO when Belgium objected to plans to use a colossal €140 billion of frozen Russian assets to underwrite a reparations loan, citing legal fears. Diplomats have since fumed at the Commission for having failed to respond to the concerns ahead of time. On Monday, in a letter obtained by POLITICO, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warned capitals that the alternative to the move is costly national or EU borrowing, and urged them to agree a way forward…
It’s not just Belgium: Other countries are increasingly critical of the Berlaymont’s failure to put forward a concrete proposal, instead having focused on trying to convince them that the Russian assets plan is the best of a bunch of bad options. “There is no realistic option here except for using frozen assets,” said one diplomat from a Central European country…..
Get on with it: Speaking to Playbook, Ukraine’s EU ambassador, Vsevolod Chentsov, said “a swift agreement on the reparations loan is essential” and will provide predictable funding from early 2026 without costing taxpayers…
Finnish line: Speaking in an interview with Playbook’s Nick Vinocur in Brussels on Monday, Finnish President Alexander Stubb said the EU could ultimately have to settle for a “combination” of the three options under consideration: using Russian assets, combined with both national and EU borrowing.
Ukraine Is Buying Fighter Jets With Money It Does Not Have? Moon of Alabama
BREAKING:
🇷🇺🇺🇦 An assassination attempt was foiled on Russia’s Secretary of the Security Council Sergei Shoygu while the Troyekurovskoye Cemetery, Moscow. – TASS
Russian outlet TASS reports two Russians attempted to blow Sergei Shoygu up at Troyekurovskoye Cemetery in Moscow.… pic.twitter.com/2gbQtk2kt2
— Megatron (@Megatron_ron) November 18, 2025
Our son of a bitch Events in Ukraine
NATO raises alarm as Russia finalises nuclear-powered Burevestnik missile Euronews
The US is scaring Russia with junk aircraft – B-52H Nuclear bomber approaches Russian Arctic over Finland International Affairs (Michael T)
Poland’s Railroad Sabotage Incident Is Highly Suspicious Andrew Korybko
NATO faces logistics challenge over moving tanks across EU in face of Russian threat Le Monde
Syraqistan
Military escalation | Clashes renew between “National Guards” and government forces in Al-Suwaidaa SyriaHR
Pakistan-Taliban Ties Hit A New Low As Two Countries ‘Trade Insults’ Amid Clashes News18
Caucasus
‘Time is running out’: Serbia eyes winter energy crisis Pryor Information
Big Brother is Watching You Watch
This App Lets ICE Track Vehicles and Owners Across the Country 404 Media
We Hacked Flock Safety Cameras in under 30 Seconds YouTube (Friend)
Imperial Collapse Watch
Ready for War: A Way Forward for Industrial Preparedness CIMSEC. “I can’t even…” on multiple levels.
Trump 2.0
Trump’s Grip on Republicans Shows First Signs of Slipping Wall Street Journal. Lead story. No archived version yet.
Trump Says America Is in ‘Golden Age,’ Straining to Address Affordability New York Times (resilc). Trump reveals he is a less accomplished propagandist than Goebbels.
Trump ‘more likely to win lottery’ than BBC lawsuit Telegraph
Trump DOJ’s James Comey case faces widening judicial backlash The Hill
Trump, ignoring MAGA critics, is set to deepen US commitment to Saudi Arabia Politico
Trump’s Saudi First Foreign Policy Continues Daniel Larison
L’affaire Epstein
Trump SHOCK REVERSAL On Epstein Files In 11th Hour Loss Breaking Points
“National Security” Blocks Epstein Files Release Ken Klippenstein
As Summers Sought Clandestine Relationship With Woman He Called a Mentee, Epstein Was His ‘Wing Man’ Harvard Crimson (resilc)
Larry Summers says he is ‘deeply ashamed’ after new Jeffrey Epstein emails and will pause public engagements CNN
Mamdani
How young Zohran Mamdani voters persuaded their parents to get on board Gothamist
Economy
From Boom to Bust: Inside the U.S. Boat Market Crash YouTube (resilc)
Fed Vice Chair Blames Tariffs for Lack of Progress on Inflation Michael Shedlock
A new rare earth crisis is brewing as yttrium shortages spread Reuters
Mr. Market is Moody
QE Is Coming: The 2008 Roots of Fed Dominance Investing
Nuclear Stocks Crash, With A Potential Payoff Still Years Away OilPrice
AI
Google boss warns ‘no company is going to be immune’ if AI bubble bursts BBC. Lead story. Sure sounds like a threat.
Construction Spending on Data Centers, Factories, Powerplants, and Office Buildings: Boom at One End, Bust at the Other End Wolf Richter
The Bezzle
Crypto market sheds $1.2tn as traders shun speculative assets Financial Times. Lead story. No archived version yet.
Crypto’s Riskiest Coins Plummet to Lows Not Seen Since Pandemic Bloomberg
The Crypto Industry’s $28 Billion in ‘Dirty Money’ New York Times. resilc: “No way is it that little.”
US Politicians and Their Net Worth YouTube (resic)
Class Warfare
Fueling Debt: How Rising Utility Costs Are Overwhelming American Families Century Foundation
Fascism of yesterday and today Rebelion via machine translation (Micael T)
Antidote du jour (via):
A bonus. Darwin Award win averted:
Apparently this lady was repeatedly getting close to the elk. Both the elk and the onlookers had enough with the bull getting ready to charge and the onlookers yelling at the lady to back off. pic.twitter.com/5emW5aAkGn
— Nature is Amazing ☘️ (@AMAZlNGNATURE) November 17, 2025
A second bonus:
The easy way to convince your dog to take medicine…
— Tansu Yegen (@TansuYegen) November 17, 2025
And a third:
The relationship between cats and birds has fascinated humans for centuries, both biologically and culturally. pic.twitter.com/drd9Z8wpOZ
— We don’t deserve cats 😺 (@catsareblessing) November 17, 2025
See yesterday’s Links and Antidote du Jour here.
