Despite White House airstrikes, the cocaine industry is booming, with samples found to be both cheaper and more pure. / The Wall Street Journal [$] Ukraine attacks Russian data centers, including “Russia’s Google.” / The Moscow Times Google and Amazon partner with energy groups around the country to upgrade their nuclear plants
People living near conflict zones are finding their webcams have been commandeered by enemy combatants. / The Wall Street Journal [$] Paris loses its oldest covered market, le Marché des Enfants-Rouges, to fire. / Le Monde In an attack on hundreds of French supermarkets, hackers force refrigerators up to 50 degrees Celsius
European intelligence agencies say Russia is starting to target civilian employees of defense firms to weaken support for Ukraine. / Foreign Exchanges After human rights lawyer Navanethem Pillay wins this year’s Nobel Peace Prize, some thoughts on why Sudan’s Emergency Response Rooms also deserved it. / Interruptrr, Global Dispatches Anne
Newly released records show New York City officials allowed residents to return to homes caked in toxic dust after Sept. 11, offering little guidance on its dangers. / The New York Times [$] The ICE officer who shot a man in a car with a five-year-old has previously faced multiple
Five women’s lawsuits reveal the Hollywood network and key players wielding the power to destroy careers. / The New York Times [$] An Arizona congressional candidate was attacked and raped while repairing campaign signs in Maricopa County. / Phoenix New Times For rape survivors in America, seeking medical treatment can wind up
For the first time since 2002, the US will exclude European officials from monitoring its elections, joining only Russia and Belarus. / MS NOW In a new poll of more than 100 countries, the US is the only one where people who disapprove of their nation’s leaders have higher confidence
A new study upends the notion that nature bounces back when species are lost. “The ecological benefits keep climbing as diversity rises, which means they fall as we lose species.” / Phys dot org See also: A federal judge halts border wall construction in Big Bend, a project the Trump administration
Flávio Bolsonaro surged past Lula in Brazil’s presidential election yesterday, with both candidates now headed to a runoff later this month. / Associated Press Related: Ahead of the election, Brazil’s spy agency “confirmed the existence of interference from the United States as well as Russia.” / Common Dreams According to
A new report examines incidents committed by Israel in Lebanon that are classified as war crimes and crimes against humanity. / The New Arab Iran prepares for more large-scale attacks from the United States. Meanwhile, the US dispatches about 9,000 troops. / Reuters, Associated Press Related: Some thoughts on why
The European Union and Canada plan to announce a major new partnership in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, the EU is offering market access to more countries. / Politico An overview of European housing models, from Prague to Paris. / DW Switzerland’s glaciers, “Europe’s water towers,” lost more than five percent
The White House praises data centers while announcing a self-policing accord for artificial intelligence companies. / Semafor President Trump says government employees should refer to AI as “super intelligence,” because “the word super is the best word of all.” / The Verge [$] Anthropic plans to spend around $518 billion over the
Anticipating Israel’s October elections, a deeply reported primer on Benjamin Netanyahu’s Qatargate scandal. / The New Yorker Netanyahu reportedly traveled to the UAE this weekend to ask its leader to deny reports he warned the prime minister about Oct. 7. / Associated Press Israel’s leading opposition party launches a
American taxpayers are footing the bill for Trump’s pro-Republican midterm TV ads that the White House claims are “public service announcements.” / CNBC To deal with rising food costs, Golden Corral reorganized its buffets to pair more and less pricey foods into “modules”—also, they replaced the beef with
Even after OpenAI banned her account, a school shooter continued planning her attack by asking ChatGPT how to evade moderation: “You can still be twisted. Just be clever about it.” (Content warning) / Mother Jones Google seems pretty certain the small data center it’s launching into orbit next week will
Living near an Amazon distribution center piloting the company’s new drone deliveries is not unlike listening to an 83-pound mosquito buzz past your house all day long. / The New York Times [$] The South has become Elon Musk’s personal playground, with states vying for whatever business project that
To garner approval for his projects, Trump consistently cites “national security,” which is apparently why his triumphal arch now has snipers. / The New York Times [$] See also: In documents related to his ballroom construction, the president pushed back on fire and safety violations: “I am the code.” / The Washington Post
The White House is scheduled to pay 28 countries some $410 million to accept around 25,000 deportees. / AFP “The whole point was to circumvent [congressional] notification that money was being sent to government[s] known to be corrupt.” / The Washington Post [$] Vivian Salama: A dramatic reset of US relations
It’s a big week for global diplomacy as international leaders meet in New York City. / Semafor A shipment of secret stealth fighter tech was recently sent to Hong Kong by accident. Meanwhile, an AI-based false report of nuclear cargo almost started a war with China. / Politico, CNN Ahmed
Over-touristed destinations “and overheated summers” have pushed many travelers into seeking out fall vacations. / The New York Times [$] This past summer was the hottest on record for the contiguous United States. / Grist Thanks to Donald Trump’s war on Iran, the International Energy Agency expects coal consumption to rise
The death toll from the Bhote Koshi river flood in Nepal has surpassed 1,400, with more than 6,000 people reported missing. / Nepal News Some details on a secret dam project high in Tibet, likely to be the world’s largest by 2033. / Crossing the River by Feeling the
