The way the Biscoff crumbles
The United States seeks access to the Red Sea via Eritrea after shunning the country for decades. / Responsible Statecraft
With sovereignty being contested around the world, from Ukraine to Iran, “the Sahel is on the frontlines of negotiating what it means for a country to truly rule itself.” / Foreign Exchanges
Jenny Williams: Proponents of maximum pressure routinely miscalculate the resilience of global energy markets. / Middle East Monitor
Marc Champion: Even if Iran were to give Trump everything he wants, would the war have been worth it? In so many words, nope. / Bloomberg [$]
“There’s something about petty tyrants—they’re much more worried about social media than they are about serious investigative work.” A round-up of tips on how to exist (and write) in risky places. / The Dial
A cyberattack takes down a software system used by thousands of schools and universities. / The Associated Press
Children are getting past age-verification systems with fake mustaches. / TechCrunch
See also: In this moment of “clipping”—those brief segments of content on social media—clips have become more important than what they promote. / The Verge [$]
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New research suggests three different puzzles about the cosmos may get solved by thinking of dark matter as being “touchy-feely.” / Space.com, Scientific American
Some of the year’s better photographs of the Milky Way. / Capture the Atlas
Software developed by BlackBerry undergirds 275 million cars currently on the road. / The Wall Street Journal [$]
Tesla semitrucks will soon hit freeways in California. / Canary Media
Meanwhile, Los Angeles gets a subway line along Wilshire Boulevard, only 65 years in the making. / Los Angeles Magazine, The Los Angeles Times
Why do airlines go bankrupt? Possibly because the industry can be profitable or competitive, “but it can’t really be both.” / David Oks
Related: Delta eliminates complimentary snacks and beverages—including Biscoff cookies—on flights under 350 miles. / AFAR
When it comes to a $9 coffee, “an ‘affordable premium experience’ is not the same as an ‘affordable, premium experience.’ The comma matters.” / Sprudge
Film photographs and an audio recording from a blizzard day in Brooklyn. / Colossal
Jon Krakauer explains how climbing Mount Everest has changed since he summited in 1996. / The Atlantic [$]
“Once it clicks, a universe reveals itself. You’ll never see water the same way again.” An interview with a painter of fish. / Field Mag