Assailants attacked Guinea-Bissau's government palace for hours on Tuesday, but the coup was thwarted. / The Associated Press

What local power tells us about national politics in South Africa, Ghana, Senegal, and Nigeria. / This Week in Africa

President Biden to deploy more troops in Germany, Poland, and Romania, as Russia continues to build up its forces around Ukraine. / The Guardian

Chris Blattman: A lot of people are worried about "very bad things," but talk of a US breakup is silly. / Chris Blattman

Switzerland has a long way to go to reach gender equality; a woman shouting from the top of Lausanne's cathedral is a (slight) step forward. / The New York Times

See also: In 1867, as the first modern urban park system was being built in Paris, George Sand argued "its extravagant artifice was a vital public good." / Places Journal

Los Angeles wants to be "the epicenter" of climate adaptation in urban water, mainly through rainwater capture/reclamation. / Bloomberg

A good interactive site explains California's water infrastructure and how the state is (or is not) grappling with drought. / Calmatters

A new study suggests migrating birds use a specific aspect of Earth's magnetic field to know where to roost on the journey north. / Vox

New maps show Indigenous territories, languages, and treaties across every continent. / Outside

Related: Photographic composites show "the mesmerizing flight trails of vultures, crows, and bats." / Colossal

Ember, maker of the heated coffee mug, creates something new: a shipping box that keeps contents at 41°F. / Sprudge

Elif Batumann profiles director Céline Sciamma (of the spectacular Tomboy, among others) and her "quest for a new, feminist grammar of cinema." / The New Yorker

Your weekly white paper: "Roller Derby as a Secular Alternative to Religion." / Wiley Online Library

Considering Dan Charnas's excellent new book about J Dilla, the 40 best J Dilla Songs ranked. / The Ringer