Are You Kinda Healthy and Over 30? Apply to Join NASA’s Simulated Mars Mission Gizmodo
Plane Passengers Horrified as Maggots Rain Down From Luggage Compartment Futurism
Lawmaker raises new flap over U.S.-funded virology research that critics call risky Science
Breathing Space New Left Review. On anti-utopian architecture.
Climate/Environment
How the US government began its decade-long campaign against the anti-pipeline movement Grist
#COVID-19
High-risk patients alarmed by CDC’s plan to ease covid isolation guidance Washington Post
Prevalence of Immunosuppression Among US Adults JAMA. “In this study using the 2021 NHIS, an estimated 6.6% of US adults had immunosuppression. This rate of immunosuppression was higher than the previous national estimate of 2.7% using the 2013 NHIS.”
Africa
Is there an “Africa penalty” in sovereign ratings by credit agencies? An Africanist Perspective
Thanks to the IMF, Zambia’s fuel prices have nearly doubled in two years Grieve Chelwa, Africa Watch
China?
Munich Security Conference: China’s Wang Yi defends ties with Russia, warns West on Taiwan ‘red line’ South China Morning Post
GBA at 5: how Hong Kong has become the investment and insurance hub of Greater Bay Area South China Morning Post
Tesla Hacked? Kyle Bass Raises Questions On CCP-Linked Angela Chao’s Death The Deep Dive
Syraqistan
War on Gaza: US ‘to send weapons to Israel’ while pushing for ceasefire Middle East Eye
Hamas welcomes UN court’s demands for Israel to immediately implement provisional measures in Rafah Anadolu Agency
Gazans Fled Their Homes.They Have Nowhere to Return to Haaretz
Palestinians in Gaza Do Have Somewhere to Go: Their Homes in What is Now Israel Sam Husseini
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Israel settlers hold military exercises near Palestinian homes in West Bank Middle East Monitor
Illegal West Bank settlements broke record in 2023: Report The Cradle
Israel is surveilling U.S. data on settler attacks to thwart sanctions, sources reveal +972 Magazine
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Israel Was Behind Attacks on Major Gas Pipelines in Iran, Officials Say New York Times
🚨🇮🇱Israel is behind the sabotage of two major pipelines of the🇮🇷Iranian gas network.
This is what The New York Times is reporting, with anonymous confirmations from both Western and Iranian sources.
This is a major distressing development in regional energy geopolitics.
🧵 https://t.co/eJrIPRnxHP pic.twitter.com/u44FKy6TtS— Francesco Sassi (@Frank_Stones) February 17, 2024
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US to build 5 ‘well-equipped’ military bases for Somali army’s commando force to combat terrorism Anadolu Agency
Terrorism in Africa increased 100,000% during ‘war on terror’ Responsible Statecraft
Red Sea Rivalries. Phenomenal World. “Egypt, Ethiopia, and histories of maritime war.”
European Disunion
Germany blocked EU boss’ NATO bid – Welt RT
Germany swims or sinks with NATO Indian Punchline
Pashinyan Has Another Meeting With British Intelligence Chief Asbarez
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EU ‘absolutely willing’ to use trade tools against China to fight unfair practices as bloc launches train probe South China Morning Post
A reminder that Europe (and Germany) now relies on the US for security, relies on the US for energy — and also relies on the US for demand.
Euro area exports to the US are over two times euro area exports to China —
— Brad Setser (@Brad_Setser) February 17, 2024
New Not-So-Cold War
Navalny death ratchets up pressure on GOP to move Ukraine aid The Hill
🇺🇸🇷🇺🚨‼️ Weird:
1) Munich security conference opens with Navalny’s death
2) Yulia Navalny happens to be at the the conference
3) She holds a speech, despite his death
4) She is known to have a new boyfriend and is visibly not upset
5) She is paraded around like a hero
6) She… pic.twitter.com/E3ELJumyQb— Lord Bebo (@MyLordBebo) February 16, 2024
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Biden Administration Blames Congress for Fall of Ukrainian City New York Times
Ukraine Pulls Troops Out of Avdeyevka, But Not to ‘Save Lives’ – Moscow Sputnik
$$$
🇪🇺🇷🇺🇺🇦 “Russia is throwing dirty Korean and Iranian weapons at Ukraine, and Ukraine is smart and upgrading our Wunderwaffe to Hyper Wunderwaffe” – Reich Gauleiter Galicia Ursula von der Lügen. pic.twitter.com/3sLEvDj7Aw
— DD Geopolitics (@DD_Geopolitics) February 17, 2024
The Insanity of War Tarik Cyril Amar. “Is this avoidable conflict driving Ukraine out of its mind?”
DOJ: Confiscated Russian funds will support Ukraine — via Estonia Politico. $500,000.
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Russian Space Nukes and Navalny’s Death… U.S. Psyops Go Ballistic Strategic Culture
Is This a Sputnik Moment? New York Times
The US Military Already Has a Decades-Old Countermeasure for Russian Space Nukes Military.com
SCOTT RITTER: Mike Turner’s Folly Consortium News
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Avdeyevka falls. Ukraine military trapped in cauldrons. Chaos in Ukraine on the frontlines.
In Munich they are having a party. BILD, Munich Security Conference. “Freedom Night. The free world stands together!”
Still believe the political elite care about Ukraine?
Ursula,… pic.twitter.com/RfFL9UIOD3— Alex Christoforou (@AXChristoforou) February 17, 2024
Imperial Collapse Watch
Do you want to see what total institutional failure looks like?
Let me walk you through the US Army’s failed 40-year effort to develop a new light scout helicopter that finally ground to a halt last week, after developing and canceling the helicopter we need today 20 years ago.… pic.twitter.com/Boo8Cfzbm4
— Armchair Warlord (@ArmchairW) February 17, 2024
Army moving towards new Javelin launcher fielding in 2025, software glitch fixed Breaking Defense
Territorial Labor and the Political Economy of American Empire Law and Political Economy Project
From Individual to Society: New Insights on Mental Health Care’s Role in Social Justice Mad in America
South of the Border
Russia Claims Ecuador Has Agreed to Cancel Weapons Swap With US Bloomberg
Trump
Trump touts new shoe deal at Sneaker Con appearance Washington Examiner
Trump fans launch GoFundMe to raise $355M ex-prez owes after civil fraud trial New York Post
Fani Willis’ testimony evokes long-standing frustrations for Black women leaders AP
Atlanta Prosector Fani Willis Sent Black Educators to Jail Black Agenda Report. From August, still germane.
2024
Nikki Haley’s latest target on the campaign trail? Kamala Harris NPR
Kamala Harris on Trump: ‘No previous US president has bowed down to a Russian dictator before’ The Guardian
AI
Reddit Is Licensing Content To An Unnamed AI Company PC Mag
AI cannot catch covid or get long covid. This could very well be the plan.
— Noha Aboelata, MD (@NohaAboelataMD) February 17, 2024
Healthcare?
Quest Diagnostics pays $5M after mixing patient medical data with hazardous waste The Register
Antitrust
Cancer Patients Caught in the Crosshairs of Hospital Consolidation MedPage Today
Police State Watch
New bill would let defendants inspect algorithms used against them in court The Verge
The Bezzle
Supercomputers and AI Unlock Secret Materials for Next-Gen Carbon Capture SciTech Daily
Our Famously Free Press
State Department Threatens Congress Over Censorship Programs Matt Taibbi, Racket News
Three days ago @elonmusk published this post. Today, British journalist @KitKlarenberg has been suspended from X after writing an article detailing the UK’s terrifying new National Security Act. Reinstate him now, please. https://t.co/pxdKkv5Ldk
— Thomas Fazi (@battleforeurope) February 17, 2024
Klarenberg’s piece on the UK’s National Security Act referenced in the above.
Class Warfare
Business, labor fight over California law few know about Cal Matters
Labor Action Tracker, Annual Report 2023 Cornell University ILR School, University of Illinois LER School, “…the number of work stoppages increased by ~9% (433 to 470) between 2022 and 2023, the number of workers involved in work stoppages increased by ~141% (224,000 to 539,000).”
Take Shelter Atmos
Antidote du jour (via):
See yesterday’s Links and Antidote du Jour here.
