Britain, France, and nine other countries announce sanctions on Israeli settlements in the West Bank. / Al Jazeera Israel’s destruction of Gaza has generated some 61 million tons of wreckage—and clearing the debris may destroy valuable evidence of “atrocity crimes,” a UN expert warns. / Reuters Fast Food Nation author
Defense Secretary Hegseth quietly extends troop deployments in Iran into 2027. / The Wall Street Journal [$] Among war basics being ignored by the White House—make sure you have enough weapons, keep your friends on your side, define your ultimate goal—the most important is “know your enemy.” / Politico Magazine A
Sweden orders warships from France, Greece orders air defense from Israel, China pledges stronger ties to Russia. / DefenseNews, Reuters Meanwhile, President Trump is “sending a message” to Iran by posting AI-generated videos. / Al Jazeera The reliability of Census Bureau information during the Trump administration is once again under question,
How the US-Israel war on Iran has weaponized the global economy, turning the world’s shipping routes into theaters of conflict. / The Wall Street Journal [$] Scientists say Australia is the best place to go if an unprecedented global disaster strikes. / ScienceAlert Indonesia launches a plan to develop 100 gigawatts
The one and only Dolly Parton dies at 80. / The New York Times [$] According to Jane Fonda, she was the voluptuous embodiment of empathy, ”and then she’d stick her butt out the car window and moon Kenny Roger’s home.” / Instagram Ann Powers: Her greatest works, considered together, are
Entering this year’s Super El Niño, it’s worth remembering we live on a water planet, and “the ocean is the atmosphere, but upside down and wet.” / Our Blue Frontier Ninety percent of energy building in the United States in the first half of 2026 was either solar, storage,
The USS Abraham Lincoln is headed home following its nine-month deployment—the same ship where sailors reportedly attempted to jump overboard. / NBC News, Navy Times A new aircraft carrier scheduled to be named after a Black war hero may be renamed for President Trump. / The Guardian Jamelle Bouie: It
The regional order that has prevailed in the Middle East since 1991 is said to be crumbling, if not finished. / Foreign Affairs Israel bombs an airbase in Syria to stop Turkey from rebuilding it. Turkey, it would seem, decides not to feel attacked. / The Associated Press, Reuters Related: Why did
Since the start of the summer, nearly 500 people have been arrested in France on suspicion of starting wildfires. / The Guardian Drought is declared in three-quarters of England and all of Wales. / NPR A new study finds that swapping even a two-year-old gas car for an electric
Nearly two and a half million girls have been denied access to secondary education since the Taliban returned to power five years ago. / DW UNESCO says over 90% of 10-year-olds in Afghanistan can’t read, with national literacy rates around 37%. / Reuters Regarding this summer’s record-breaking
