The treasure trove of art worth billions ‘hidden’ in Tehran BBC (resilc)
#COVID-19/Pandemics
Since Covid arrived:
“Why are so many children having developmental problems?
Why are there more car accidents & plane crashes?
Why are people more aggressive & less empathetic?
Why is everyone sick all the time?
Why is there more violence in schools?”
Gee, I dunno… pic.twitter.com/BgxhldrSsW
— James Throt MBBS, MD, PhD, FRCPath (@JamesThrot) February 18, 2025
USDA accidentally fired officials working on bird flu and is now trying to rehire them NBC
Climate/Environment
For some L.A. wildfire survivors, rebuilding won’t be an option NBC
‘Everything we had floated away’: Hurricane Helene survivors help each other as disinformation swirls Guardian
After LA, fire crisis reaches Latin America — from Mexico to Argentina Mongabay
Global Warming Could Be Making It Less Windy in Europe Insurance Journal
Climate change opens the door to a vine disease that Europe avoided 150 years ago Your Weather
China?
Acer To Raise US Laptop Prices 10% After Tariffs Telegraph
Chinese warships sail within 150 nautical miles of Sydney Financial Times
Koreas
The Pointless Pursuit of North Korean ‘Denuclearization’ Daniel Larison
Africa
Villagers killed execution-style in Sudan, activists say BBC
South of the Border
Cuba Doubles Down Against USAID Orinoco Tribune (Robin K)
European Disunion
JD Vance Called Me a ‘Dummy’ for Pointing Out His Administration’s Hypocrisy on Free Speech. I Guess the Truth Hurts Mehdi Hasan
HAPPENING NOW IN BERLIN, GERMANY:
“I’ve never been in a place that has received so many threats, where the police has been checking on whether I could be arrested or not.”
“This is awful. And as a European, I will never forget this.”
—Francesca Albanese pic.twitter.com/VlJGdVMXcf
— sarah (@sahouraxo) February 18, 2025
NATO and the UN have higher trust than the government Aftonbladet via machine translation. Micael T: “Oh boy, the transition in Sweden will take some time.”
Germany elections: Far-right AfD surging as center-right loses protest votes, says pollster Anadolu Agency
Wolfgang Münchau on Germany in Decline Yascha Mounk
Israel v. The Resistance
Live: Hamas ready to release Israeli captives in one go for a permanent ceasefire Middle East Eye
One month into Israel’s West Bank offensive, violence and uncertainty are the new normal Mondoweiss (guurst)
🛑 Children + young people in East Jerusalem denied of their right to education in @UNRWA schools.
Today, Israeli Forces & personnel from the Jerusalem Municipality have forcefully entered the UNRWA Kalandia Training Centre and ordered its immediate evacuation.At least 350…
— Philippe Lazzarini (@UNLazzarini) February 18, 2025
Miami shooting and the insane hatred Zionists have for Arabs Alon Mizrahi
Egypt furious over Israeli report speculating attack on High Dam New Arab
New Not-So-Cold War
Jeremy Bowen: No sign of a quick peace dividend for Trump in Ukraine BBC. Wowsers.
Trump-Putin meeting not imminent, as first US-Russia talks on Ukraine finish in Riyadh Politico.
What We Talk About, When We Talk About Talks. Aurelien. Note the subhead: “The End may be further away than you think.”
Rubio Says US Won’t Lift Russia Sanctions Before Ukraine Deal Bloomberg (Micael T)
My guess is that this at a minimum means Russia will pursue war criminals, as earlier promised, including EU nationals:
🇷🇺🇪🇺🚨‼️ MUST WATCH: “Everyone must answer for their actions!”
— Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov says Europe can’t hide behind the US anymore and will have to answer for their “lawlessness”
-> This is a scary statement … what is happening behind the scenes? pic.twitter.com/307GcmxrVm
— Lord Bebo (@MyLordBebo) February 17, 2025
EU role in Ukrainian settlement talks ruled out — MFA TASS (guurst)
* * *
‘You should have never started it’: Trump suggests Ukraine to blame for war Aljazeera. Heads to explode over this remark.
Ukraine’s elections being prepared for October 26, Poroshenko claims, but opposes their conduct Interfax. This date has been widely picked up, but since Zelensky is trying to arrest Poroshenko, it is hard to see how his is in a position to make statements about the election timetable. He claims to have many sources, but his list has a “lady doth protest too much” quality to it. Not saving this is necessarily wrong, but not enough caveats to the re-reporting.
Donald Trump signals Ukraine should hold elections as part of Russia peace talks Financial Times. Lead story. Not consistent with date claimed above. If that were so (or at least if the US had heard), Trump would be the first to say it was great that Ukraine had accepted the need to hold elections but October is too late (with obligatory whinge about how too many were dying…)
Paris Summit Chaos, Macron Starmer Isolated; Riyadh Summit: Lavrov No Concessions, Zelensky Must Go Alexander Mercouris, YouTube. A nice shout out! One wonders if (listen to Ambrose Evans-Pritchard bit starting at around 1:13:00) the US really wants its mineral deal with Ukraine, and Russia going along with that (and how are Russian lands formerly in Ukraine to be treated?) in return for normalizing relations with Russia.
Foreign Minister: Putin wants to destroy Ukraine Aftonbladet via machine translation. Micael T: “A leader of the democratic Sweden rejects the idea of elections in Ukraine. This is hilarious but also scary that they really show who they are.”
Saudi Arabia: Riyadh mobilises emergency plan as heavy rains, hailstorms sweep the city News of Bahrain. A sign?
G-7 Allies Weigh Tightening Russian Oil Price Cap Bloomberg
Imperial Collapse Watch
US B-52 Bombers Fly Over Nine Countries in the Middle East Antiwar.com (Kevin W). I am tempted to make a crude anatomical comment.
Col. Lawrence Wilkerson: NATO on the Brink of Collapse Over Ukraine War? Nima, Dialogue Works. A standout even by Wilkerson’s high standards.
Trump 2.0
Aluminum Tariffs to Raise Price of Beer Core77 (resilc)
Behind Trump Tariffs Is Capital’s Warfare Against the Working Class Truthout (Tom H)
Frank Schuler: From Tax Scam Promoter to GSA Adviser ProPublica (Robin K)
Russell Vought wants to burn the government down. Jacobin (Robin K)
DEI’s undoing: How Walmart, McDonald’s, and more are adapting to Trump Quartz
Republicans worry GOP-led states will suffer from Trump’s firings of federal workers Kansas Reflector (Robin K)
DOGE
Across the world, conservation projects reel after abrupt US funding cuts Mongabay
CNN submitted a FOIA request for records related to the security clearances of Musk & DOGE personnel granted access to classified/secure networks.
“Good luck with that, they just fired the whole privacy team,” an OPM email address responded.https://t.co/8vCdQIPA0L
— Haley Britzky (@halbritz) February 18, 2025
Trump administration fires thousands for ‘performance’ without evidence, in messy rush Washington Post
Immigration
Former Staffers Say India’s Biggest IT Firm Was Gaming the US Visa System Bloomberg
11-year-old took her own life after classmates threatened to call ICE on her family, devastated mother reveals Independent
Crisis at City Hall: Hochul weighs Mayor Adams’ fate in meeting with NYC pols as possible removal looms amNY
What happens if Gov. Hochul removes NYC Mayor Adams from office? Fox5
Antitrust
Trump Enforcers Affirm Lina Khan’s Approach to Antitrust Matt Stoller
AI
Are you conscious? A conversation between Dawkins and ChatGPT Richard Dawkins. Anthony L: “The Selfish Gene Reveals The Dawkins Test.” Moi: The faux friendly “That’s such a great question” really set my teeth on edge.
Reddit Mods Are Fighting To Keep AI Slop Off Subreddits ars technica
Class Warfare
A 40-year behavioral study confirms your worst fears—kids who bully go on to make the most money Fortune (Dr. Kevin)
Antidote du jour (via):
See yesterday’s Links and Antidote du Jour here.
